Stan Ellsworth is an unlikely ambassador of scholarship. He is a biker on a Harley Davidson dispensing American history lessons on his television show “American Ride.” Ellsworth, whose show is on the BYU television network, was on Ocracoke Wednesday to film a segment about Blackbeard and his connection to Ocracoke. “A lot of folks don’t […]
Island Features | Full Article
The Hyde County commissioners last night approved paying for the two days of lifeguards that the National Park Service will not provide this summer. In a 3-2 vote, the commissioners voted to pay out of Ocracoke Occupancy Tax monies the estimated $10,000 for weekend lifeguard coverage. The Park Service announced late last year that it […]
Seashore News | Full Article
By CONNIE LEINBACH By CONNIE LEINBACH Alfonso “Chito” Guerrero looked like a gazelle as he bounded ahead of the pack to win the 10K portion of the third annual 5K/10K Ocracoke Island race on Saturday. It was his third time winning the race in as many years with a time of 38:40. Guerrero, 33, hardly […]
Local News | Full Article
The Hyde County commissioners on Monday night passed a resolution asking the Cape Hatteras National Seashore to implement day passes for driving on the beach, open an area on the north and south end of Ocracoke Island for 24-hour vehicle access, and remit 20 percent of the beach pass revenue back to the county to […]
Seashore News | Full Article
Ocracoke Observer is under new ownership Islanders Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich in March purchased the Ocracoke Observer from Linda Rippe and will run this free publication made available throughout Ocracoke Island and connecting points and areas in Hyde and Dare counties. The new owners, while looking to enhance the Web presence of the paper, believe […]
Real Estate | Full Article
Ocracoke residents and business owners are concerned that the National Park Service’s policy manual says: “the protection of human life is the highest priority,” and are asking them to live up to that value and to continue full funding of lifeguards at the public beach. Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Barclay Trimble confirmed today that […]
Seashore News | Full Article
By CONNIE LEINBACH By CONNIE LEINBACH Ocracoke Island has won round three in the ferry toll fight. The Regional Planning Organization (RPO) of Division 1, which is overseen by the Albemarle Commission and which includes Hyde and Dare counties, did not vote on the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s request to enact tolls on the […]
Local News | Full Article
Ocracoke has taken on the National Park Service over its decision to eliminate lifeguards on the beaches in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Seashore Superintendent Barclay Trimble, who made this decision in November, said that de-funding the lifeguard program at these three beaches is necessary because of budget constraints. “Given our current budget realities and […]
Seashore News | Full Article
By CONNIE LEINBACH By CONNIE LEINBACH The early morning ferry boat to Cedar Island was freed late this afternoon after spending all day stuck in sand in the ditch just in Ocracoke since shortly after it left the dock. “I’ve never seen one stuck there before,” said Wilson Garrish, an Ocracoke native who braved the […]
Local News | Full Article
Ocracoke and mainland Hyde residents who attended a hearing last night on the N.C. Department of Transportation’s plan to toll the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry were overwhelmingly against putting a toll on their only free access to their homes. “A toll on the Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry would devastate our local economy,” said Chip Stevens, owner of Blackbeard’s Lodge, […]
Local News | Full Article
