June 9, 2023
  • VIDEO: Destination Dare installment reminds residents, visitors of fireworks rules and regulations
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    VIDEO: Destination Dare installment reminds residents, visitors of fireworks rules and regulations

    Current TV, in partnership with Dare County, has released a new video as part of its Destination Dare series that reminds residents and visitors of the fireworks rules and regulations that are in effect throughout the unincorporated areas of Dare County, as well as its six municipalities.

    Dare County is home to nearly 40,000 year-round residents and visited by millions of people each year, many of whom are unaware of the dangers that are posed by a combination of illegal fireworks, strong breezes, dry dune grass, and the wooden shingles, decks and walkways on the majority of the area’s residences.

    Because of these potential dangers—and the risks they pose to public safety, property and pets—most fireworks are illegal in Dare County.

    About Destination Dare

    Destination Dare—a video series that Current TV produces in partnership with Dare County and its six municipalities—is dedicated to highlighting the many programs and services that are provided by local governments. For more information or to view current and past episodes of Destination Dare, visit www.CurrentTV.org.

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  • College of The Albemarle recognizes Basic Law Enforcement Training students
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    College of The Albemarle recognizes Basic Law Enforcement Training students

    College of The Albemarle (COA) recently celebrated 26 Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) students for program completion, 12 students from the Fall 2022 program and 14 from Spring 2023.

    The ceremony included remarks from COA President Dr. Jack Bagwell, COA BLET Director John Etheridge and the 2022 and 2023 Class Presidents, Elginn Britt and Matthew Dunfee, respectively.  The featured speaker for the event was Eddie Buffalo, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and former Elizabeth City Police Chief.

    During 16 weeks of training, the students completed over 640 contact hours, 36 blocks of instruction and multiple practical exams.  BLET instruction and training includes firearms, driving, traffic crash, patrol techniques, domestic violence, criminal investigation, CPR/first responders, rapid deployment, explosive/hazardous materials emergencies and subject control arrest techniques. Students also successfully completed the Police Officer Physical Abilities Test (POPAT).

    The students recognized for Fall 2022 included:

    Elginn Britt (Pasquotank)

    Nadiral Britton (Pasquotank)

    Torii Eastman (Dare)

    Noah Floyd (Currituck)

    Ryan Gallaccio (Currituck)

    Qvontes McIntyre (Pasquotank)

    Douglas Poyner (Pasquotank)

    Diego Ramirez (Dare)

    David McDowell Schafer (Gates)

    Amayah Simpson (Pasquotank)

    Corinne Riforgiate (Currituck)

    Eric Williams (Pasquotank)

    The students recognized for Spring 2023 included:

    Lyle Adam Coutts (Dare)

    Leah Collins (Pasquotank)

    Taylor Renae Dickey (Currituck)

    Matthew Dunfee (Dare)

    Travis Hardman (Dare)

    Matthew Huber (Dare)

    Douglas Lane Jr. (Pasquotank)

    James Douglas Lange Jr. (Currituck)

    Corey Morris (Currituck)

    Kenneth Nati (Camden)

    Wesley Rock (Dare)

    Elizabeth Simmons (Currituck)

    Troy Smith (Dare)

    William Wright (Pasquotank)

    Special awards are presented during the ceremony to recognize outstanding training and academic performance.

    The “Top Gun” award was given to the student who demonstrated the highest proficiency during firearms training. The “Iron Man” award was presented to the student who performed best in the physical training assessments. The “Driver Supreme” award was presented to the student with the best overall driving course score. The “Academic Honors” award was given to the student with the highest grade, based on a percentage of the class. The “Law Enforcement Excellence” award was presented to the student whom BLET instructors determined had the best overall performance in the class.

    The Fall 2022 class awards included:

    Ryan Gallaccio – “Top Gun,” “Iron Man,” “Driver Supreme”

    Qvontes McIntyre – “Academic Honors”

    David Schafer – “Law Enforcement Excellence”

    The Spring 2023 class awards included:

    James Lange – “Top Gun,” “Academic Honors”

    Wesley Rock – “Iron Man”

    Cory Morris – “Driver Supreme”

    Troy Smith – “Law Enforcement Excellence”

     

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  • Eastern NC reduced to Code Yellow air quality
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    Eastern NC reduced to Code Yellow air quality

    As smoke from Canada continues to travel south, fine particle pollution will remain elevated in parts of North Carolina on Friday.

    The nine-county Triad region will be under a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particle pollution all day tomorrow, June 9. This alert is active for Randolph, Davidson, Davie, Alamance, Guilford, Forsyth, Caswell, Rockingham and Stokes counties. The rest of the state is forecast in the Code Yellow range for fine particulates, also known as PM2.5.

    Additionally, Mecklenburg and Union counties will be under a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for smog-forming ozone tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ground-level ozone forms when certain chemicals combine on hot days in the presence of sunshine. Smoky conditions can also promote the formation of ozone. Ozone levels should be in the Code Yellow range for all other counties tomorrow.

    Code Orange on the Air Quality index represents unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups. Older adults, younger children and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

    Code Yellow is not considered an air quality action day. People who are unusually sensitive to air pollution may still consider shortening their time being active outside if they experience any symptoms. Healthy adults can go about their day as normal.

    State law prohibits the open burning of yard waste and other vegetative matter on Air Quality Action Days, defined as Code Orange or above.

    The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) and the Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection monitor and forecast ozone and PM2.5 daily using the Air Quality Index (AQI), along with the corresponding AQI color codes, to help North Carolinians plan their outdoor activities. Next-day and extended products are issued by 3 p.m. with a morning update by 10 a.m.

    As weather pushes more smoke away from North Carolina, PM2.5 and ozone levels should hold in the Code Yellow range on Saturday, and could return to healthy Code Green levels by Sunday. The forecast is subject to change, and our meteorologists will continue to monitor the conditions heading into and through the weekend.

    For the latest air quality information, visit the Air Quality Portal online. DEQ’s website has a list of resources for keeping safe around wildfire smoke.

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Island Farm to Host “Tater Day” as part of Historic Food Series on June 14
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Island Farm to Host “Tater Day” as part of Historic Food Series on June 14

Mark your calendars for a day dedicated to the ‘tater!c Gather at Island Farm on Wednesday, June 14, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to be a part of all aspects of the harvest and cooking of a quintessential staple crop: the Irish potato!

Visitors will join historic interpreters to dig potatoes from the Farm’s gardens, and if gardening isn’t your bag – run to the cookhouse and enjoy kettle-fried potato chips made with freshly harvested Island Farm potatoes. In 1850, Adam Etheridge raised 200 bushels of corn, 50 bushels of field peas, 100 bushels of sweet potatoes and 20 bushels of Irish potatoes – all on 15 acres of his then-420-acre farm, which is now the current-day site of Island Farm.

“Tater Day” is part of Island Farm’s historic food series, which seeks to highlight local food traditions and culture across the year. Also part of this historic food series is the Farm’s annual “Garden to Hearth” event, held the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Admission to this event is the regular cost to visit Island Farm: $10 for those aged 4 and older, and free for 0-3 year olds.

Island Farm is a living history site that engages with locals and visitors alike to share Outer Banks history, through the lens of a working, mid-19th century farm when just over 500 people lived on Roanoke Island. Island Farm is owned and operated by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC). OBC was founded in 1980 to protect natural, cultural and historic resources, through preservation and conservation of a sense of place, and through public education, interpretation, and outreach, and to instill these values in others for the benefit of future generations. To learn more, visit www.obcinc.org

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It’s hurricane season. Are you prepared?
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It’s hurricane season. Are you prepared?

The official start of the Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and continues through November 30, highlighting the importance of making preparations and replenishing emergency supply kits now.

“Don’t let obstacles prevent you from getting ready,” Dare County Department of Health & Human Services Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Greta Sharp recommends. “Even a little bit of preparation can help if a hurricane strikes.”

Sharp encourages residents to have an evacuation plan in place and be aware of their risk by knowing what flood zone their property is in, as well as how to reduce the risk of flood damages. To determine your flood zone, click here.

Too often, residents in the path of a storm focus on the wind strength or category of the storm rather than the storm surge and flooding potential. However, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), water is the primary culprit of fatalities during and after a hurricane, with storm surge being the deadliest threat.

NOAA estimates that nearly 90 percent of deaths during U.S. tropical cyclones are attributed to water, with 50 percent of those fatalities directly related to storm surge. This reality underscores the importance of heeding the evacuation orders as the storm is approaching.

And as Erik Heden, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City cautions, “We [Dare/Hyde/Carteret counties] are the most vulnerable coastline in the U.S.”

With hurricane season underway, another important consideration is the potential lack of resources such as water, electricity and food that may occur during and following a storm event. “People often don’t consider that resources, and even the ability to go to the store for basic needs, may not be available,” Sharp said.

Taking some simple steps this summer, however, can ensure that you are prepared.

One of those steps is to build an emergency supply kit. Residents should be sure to include essential items such as water (one gallon per person per day) and non-perishable and canned food for themselves and their pets for three to seven days; a battery-powered or hand crank radio; a first aid kit; cash and change; a flashlight and extra batteries; and prescription glasses and medications. For a comprehensive list of items recommended for a supply kit, click here.

If you already have an emergency supply kit, take the time to refresh and replenish it in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.

“It’s never too late to get ready,” concludes Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson. “Now is the time to ensure your plan is up to date and you know where you will go should a mandatory evacuation be ordered.”

Pearson encourages everyone who lives, works or visits Dare County to join OBXAlerts at OBXAlerts.com so they have access to official information from local officials. For more information on hurricane preparedness, go to Dare County’s Emergency Management’s webpageor visit readync.gov.

If you have a social media page, please consider sharing our monthly graphics throughout the summer that highlight hurricane preparedness tips. You can download the graphics here.

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Video release encourages visitors to “love the beach, respect the ocean” even on “blue sky days”
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Video release encourages visitors to “love the beach, respect the ocean” even on “blue sky days”

Dare County has released a new video featuring Hatteras Island Rescue Squad Beach Patrol Supervisor Molly Greenwood, who explains how it’s important to always be cautious at the beach—even during “blue sky days.”

In the video, Greenwood discusses the dangers that improperly positioned umbrellas and digging large holes in the sand can create for beachgoers while they’re having fun in the sun.

For more information, as well as additional beach and ocean safety tips, please visit www.LoveTheBeachRespectTheOcean.com.

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