OBX Alert

ECU will meet Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl
East Carolina won its second straight invitation to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Jan. 2, by withstanding an aerial barrage by Houston, the nation's top scoring team and topping the Cougars, 38-32, in Greenville Saturday to take its second straight Conference USA championship.

The Pirates (9-4) will take on Arkansas (7-5) of the Southeastern Conference at 5:30 Saturday afternoon, Jan 2, in the Liberty Bowl.

In other bowl games, North Carolina (8-4) meets Pittsburgh (9-3) in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, Saturday, Dec. 26, at 4:30 p.m. It will be Virginia Tech (9-3) - Tennessee (7-5) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. New Year's Eve, and number 1 Alabama (13-0) will play #2 Texas (13-0) for the national championship in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, Thursday, Jan, 7, at 8 p.m.

Details of Saturday's ECU thriller in Greenville...

State must refund more than $7 million to Hatteras Electric Cooperative
The cooperative is a non-profit and has been paying sales and franchise taxes under protest for years.

But now a Superior Court judge has ruled that the state must return to money. No word yet on whether the state plans to appeal. More...

NC 12 repair to be completed next Friday
State engineer Jerry Jennings says reconstruction of 1,800 feet of the highway just north of Rodanthe on Hatteras Island washed out Nov. 12 by a fierce nor'easter will be completed Dec. 11, weather permitting.

The island's only road link to the Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet and points north has been one-way only through the construction area since Nov. 16.

Meantime, other projects continue: Replacement of sandbags in the Mirlo Beach area where the damage occurred will take most of the winter; a $1.4 million project to widen some 2,000 feet of the beach with sand from the Oregon Inlet jetty is expected to continue through March.

SBA loans available to help storm victims
Gov. Perdue reports that says the Small Business Administration has agreed to provide low-interest government loans to help eligible homeowners and businesses in Dare, Currituck, Hyde and Tyrrell counties cover losses and normal operating expenses from the November nor’easter.

Chistmas on the Islands
The annual tree lighting on Roanoke Island was conducted with music at 6 o'clock Friday evening at the old courthouse in Manteo.
That was followed by the town's "Christmas by the Sea Parade" on Saturday morning, always a colorful and gala event every year.

Hatteras Islanders enjoyed Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning at the Hatteras Civic Center, a fund-raiser for the Hatteras Community Preschool.

Saturday afternoon, the Hatteras Village Christmas Parade began at Teach's Lair Marina. Afterward, the village invited everyone to the Civic Center for home-baked cookies and hot chocolate and to hear the parade winners announced.

Saturday night the annual Christmas dance was held at the Civic Center from 9 until midnight, featuring live music from the Raleigh-based Boomerang Band.

Elsewhere, local songstress Leslie Buck invited islanders to “A Christmas Muse” -- joyous and tranquil songs of the season on Sunday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. at the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building. It was free and open to all.

Ocracoke Island has its annual Wassail Party and Community Christmas Tree Lighting on Tuesday the 8th, from 5 'til 7 p.m. at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum. That, too, is free with islanders and visitors invited to enjoy wassail, Christmas cookies and holiday music.

Saturday's Christmas parades in Elizabeth City and Hertford were postponed due to rain Saturday, the Hertford parade until 2:30 Sunday afternoon, the Elizabeth City parade until 5:30 Sunday afternoon.

October jobless rate up in Dare County and 73 others
In September the unemployment rate was 6.8% in Dare County, but last month it jumped to 8.6%, according the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. The statewide average was 10.7%, up from 10.4%.

Currituck County continued to have the state's lowest unemployment rate (6%), while Scotland County continued to have the highest (17.2%) closely followed by Edgecombe (17%). Yet, all three counties had increases.

Chowan County was one of only 26 that saw a slight decrease, from a whopping 11.9 to 11.7%. Among others were Hertford, from 9.4 to 9.2% in October; Beaufort, from 11.2 to 11.1%, and Pamlico, from 10.1 to 9.8%.

Among the 74 counties in addition to Dare where unemployment increased from September (in parenthesis) to October were Camden, 7.4% (7.1); Currituck, 6% (5); Edgecombe, 17% (16.4); Hyde, 6.1% (5.9); Pasquotank, 9.3% (9.1), Tyrrell, 9.7% (8.8); and Washington, 11.9% (11.6).

State borrows billions for jobless
North Carolina's high unemployment rate has stuck the state with $1.4 billion in debt ─ money that officials don't know how they'll pay back. More...

Fire closes Fessenden Center for a month
The Buxton center will remain closed through December after a two-alarm fire of undetermined origin early last Saturday morning. The Buxton Volunteer Fire Department got the first call about 2 a.m. and was joined by those from Avon and Frisco when the second alarm was sounded.

Chief Bryan Perry of Buxton said, “I have no reason to believe that it was arson," though speculation swirled that may have been the cause. Another firefighter told us it looked to him as if a smoldering cigarette started the blaze.

Though the interior of the building was not damaged, there was enough residual smoke inside to keep the county-operated center closed, according to county authorities.

Albemarle Mental Health was $2 million in debt when state took over

License plate frames now illegal
Frames such as the one pictured here that covers part of the North Carolina license plate became illegal under a new law that went into effect Tuesday, Dec. 1.

State Highway Patrol Troopers said they are taking the new law very seriously.
That's because the frames can block crucial information when police are looking for a specific vehicle.

"As many specialty tags as there are right now, it's hard to see what state they originate from," State Trooper Greg Taylor explained. "Sometimes even if they originate from this state, there are so many varieties it's hard to tell."

Before motorists with illegal plate frames are fined, the new law provides a one-year grace period through the end of next November they will be given warning tickets. After that, no mercy for those with such frames.

Hagan wants Obama to keep Republican prosecutor
He's the bulldog investigating former Sen. John Edwards and former Gov. Mike Easley, and Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina wants him to continue, even though she's a Democrat. President Obama, however, has nominated a less fearsome Democrat to replace him. More...

'Cyber Monday' tops Black Friday
Record online sales predicted, Black Friday store sales were disappointing
Call it another sign of our times in which the Internet has changed life styles and shopping habits.

Nationally, Black Friday pre-Christmas sales were up only one-half percent over last year, according to early reports. But Internet sales were booming from Friday on through the weekend into Monday and Tuesday.

Internet sales on Monday, according to Forrester Research, which tracks online business activity, "will be the biggest in history."

That was good news for chain stores and others that advertise online, but not so good for small neighborhood stores which don't.

Black Friday at Fisherman's Daughter, a popular store at Avon on Hatteras Island, "was nothing like last year," a spokesman said. But then, she noted, it might have been different had a nor'easter had not closed down the island's only highway earlier in the month.

Still, the early reports on Black Friday here, as elsewhere across the country, were mixed and on the whole disappointing.

Hurricane season ends with barely a whimper
A Raleigh newspaper said that, and to a certain degree it was correct.

Before the season began June 1, the National Hurricane Center predicted nine to 14 Atlantic storms, with four to seven hurricanes - a prediction that was scaled back slightly in August before the arrival of the season's first storm, Tropical Storm Ana.

As it turned out, only two of them made landfall and they caused little more than heavy rain and some beach erosion. But nor'easters were brutal here on the Outer Banks, as noted by the Fisherman's Daughter (above).

Knotts Island decoy sells for $60,000
That was more than double what was expected for a hand-carved decoy by Lee Dudley, the island's premier carver in the late 1800s and early 20th century, at a recent auction of highly prized collectibles. Details...

North Carolina's first town prepares festive Christmas season
Special events begin this weekend when historic Bath (1705), the state's first capital and port of entry, rolls out the red carpet to visitors and residents alike for the town’s traditional parade and barbecue luncheon.

The parade begins at 2 p.m. Saturday and will feature a bevy of beauty queens, church and school groups and community organizations.

On Dec. 11-12, the Beaufort County town, which Blackbeard frequented, hosts “Back to Bethlehem,” a live nativity event at the Ormond Amphitheatre.

On Sunday, the 13th, Bath (current population about 275) will observe a traditional Colonial Christmas when the town hosts its annual holiday open house from noon to 4 p.m. at 1751 Palmer-Marsh House. Guests may watch fresh gingerbread being baked in an open fireplace at the 1830 Bonner House and then partake of the holiday fare.

Both the 1790 Van Der Veer House and the 1734 St. Thomas Episcopal Church will also be open to visitors during the open house.



Daily Reports
Avalon Fishing Pier Reports
Cape Hatteras Fishing Reports
Oregon Inlet Fishing Reports
Golf Courses, Conditions
N.C. Lottery Results

Things to See and Do:
* Tuesday, Dec. 8: Ocracoke's annual Wassail Party and Community Christmas Tree Lighting, 5 - 7 p.m. at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum.
* Sat., Sun., Dec. 12-13: Open Roads Days, sunrise to sunset at Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge on Knotts Island.
* Thursdays: Currituck County Yoga Class, classes are held twice weekly, 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension Building. Call 232-3007 for more information.
* Tuesdays: Bingo, Kill Devil Hills, at the Lions Club starting at 6:30 p.m.
* Wednesdays: Bingo, Kill Devil Hills, at the Colington Fire Department, 6:30 p.m., doors open at 5:30.

Links:
Currituck County
Dare County
- Animal Shelter and Adoptable Pets
- Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station
- Confederate Fortification Markers
- Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
- Lighthouses
- N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island
- Outer Banks History Center
- Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
- Roanoke Island Festival Park
- The Lost Colony
Hyde County

Other links of particular interest:
Eastern Carolina Radio News
N.C. Beach Buggy Association
N.C. Fishing and Hunting Licenses
Ocracoke Newsletter
Outer Banks Free Press
Outer Banks Marinas
Russ's Outer Banks Journal
Southern Shores Times

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The Editor