OBX Alert

Dec. 1-4, 2009

ECU Pirates headed to 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 this afternoon to take the Pirates' second straight Conference USA championship. More coming...

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.

The town's "Christmas by the Sea Parade" begins at 11 tomorrow morning morning in downtown Manteo, a colorful and gala event every year.

Hatteras Islanders can enjoy Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning, from 8:30 'til 10, at the Hatteras Civic Center. It's a fund-raiser for the Hatteras Community Preschool. Tickets are $5 for children (2 and under are free), adults $8.

Saturday afternoon, the Hatteras Village Christmas Parade begins at 2 at Teach's Lair Marina. Afterward, the village invites everyone to the Civic Center for home-baked cookies and hot chocolate and to hear the parade winners announced. That evening there will be a dance at the Civic Center from 9 until midnight, featuring live music from the Raleigh-based Boomerang Band. Admission is $5 a person, light appetizers and setups will be provided.

Local songstress Leslie Buck has 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's 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 the likelihood of 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...

Fessenden Center damaged by fire
The Buxton center remains closed 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." 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 to keep the center closed for several days and maybe up to a week.

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.

Manteo's Davis continues to star at ECU
Broadcasters named Manteo's Emanuel Davis the defensive player of the game in East Carolina's 25-20 victor over Southern Miss that propelled the Pirates into Saturday's Conference USA Championship game with Houston in Greenville.

Known as “El,” Davis was a wing-T option quarterback at Manteo High School but is a redshirt sophomore cornerback at ECU. Shown here running back one his three interceptions at Tulsa in November for a 42-yard touchdown, he was named Conference USA player of the week for that performance.

He also gained that honor last year and ended his first season as a freshman All-America selection by Rivals.com, was named by Sporting News among others to its All-Freshman squad and to Conference USA's All-Freshman Team by league coaches.

Potential all-American Ben Hartman of Winston-Salem, who made the ECU team as a walk-on, set a school record for career field goals and was named Conference USA player of the week after kicking three of them for 49, 47 and 18 yards, plus two PATs in the Pirate's victory over Southern Miss Saturday.

The Conference USA championship game with Houston at noon Saturday will be the first ever played at Greenville. The Cougars (10-2, 4-2 on the road) are a 2 point favorite over the Pirates (8-4, 5-1 at home).

Hertford Bears beat themselves in first loss
That's how the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald saw it in reporting that Hertford County High School's undefeated football team finally found a team they couldn’t beat – themselves.

The Bears entered last Friday night’s third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs 2-in Ahoskie with a plus-39 turnover margin, but turned the ball over five times against Havelock.

Despite the turnovers, the Bears still battled back before falling to the Rams 29-22. Havelock was led by quarterback Danny Webster who was 8-for-19 passing with 105 yards and also gained 54 of the team’s 76 rushing yards.

Plymouth's story book ride to the state !-A championships after upsetting previously undefeated and top-ranked Manteo came to an end at Teachey.with a 42-6 thumping. by Wallace-Rose Hill at Teachey.

The number 9 seed Vikings took an early 6-0 lead over Wallace-Rose Hill's Bulldogs on Kevin Purkett’s 22-yard scoring toss to Carl McCray. But it was all Wallace-Rose Hill after that.

The Bulldogs (12-2) and No. 4 seed scored the next 43 points en route to a 43-6 victory. Plymouth finished a fine season 9-5.

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:
* Friday, Dec. 4: Manteo's traditional Christmas Tree Lighting and Music, 6 p.m., at the old courthouse.
* Saturday, Dec. 5: Christmas by the Sea Parade, 11 a.m. in downtown Manteo.
* Saturday, Dec. 5: Breakfast with Santa, 8:30 'til 10, at the Hatteras Civic Center.
* Saturday, Dec. 5: Hatteras Village Christmas Parade, starts 2 p.m. at Teach's Lair Marina; home-baked cookies and hot chocolate afterward at the Civic Center.
* Saturday, Dec. 5: Hatteras Village Christmas Dance, 9 - midnight at the Civic Center with live music from the Raleigh-based Boomerang Band.
* Sunday, Dec. 6: “A Christmas Muse”, songs of the season by Leslie Buck, 7 p.m. at the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building.
* Tuesday, Dec. 8: Ocracoke's annual Wassail Party and Community Christmas Tree Lighting, 5 - 7 p.m. at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum.
* 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.