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 (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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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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