NC (WWAY) — Carolina Beach Police are investigating an early morning shooting they responded to the Carolina Beach Inn at 205 Harper Avenue after they received reports of gunshots they found one person with life-threatening injuries That person was transported to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and remains in critical condition A person of interest was arrested in Florence County A Carolina Beach Police Department spokesman says there is no credible threat to the public at this time Video Central|Live Stream One person is in critical condition after a shooting in Carolina Beach the Carolina Beach Police Department responded to a shooting incident at the Carolina Beach Inn according to a news release from the town of Carolina Beach One victim was found at the scene and transported to Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and is in critical condition This is an ongoing investigation but there is no active threat to the public If you have any information regarding the investigation the Carolina Beach Police Department asks the public to call 910-458-2540 and ask for Detective Sergeant S Smith of the criminal investigation division Savanna Tenenoff is a reporter for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@gannett.com Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker It's time to book your next laid-back beach getaway Grace is a former Associate Homes Editor for Southern Living She covered a variety of topics for print and digital from design and flower arranging to cottage gardens and pets she joined Southern Living as a copy editor find her strolling through neighborhoods around the South to admire the houses and snapping photos of colorful front doors – University of South Carolina Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati announced today that Moritz Moritz will not return as head coach of the Gamecock beach volleyball program Moritz has been at the helm of the program since its founding in 2013 leading the team through its first competitive season in 2014 “I appreciate Moritz pouring his heart and soul into the program and the student-athletes,” said Donati “He has done an excellent job using intercollegiate athletics as a platform to teach life lessons and help develop young women for future success the Gamecocks achieved numerous program milestones including seven 20-win seasons two NCAA tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018 three all-Americans and five all-conference individuals South Carolina was ranked in 72 polls in a row from March of 2017 through May of 2023 Before launching the beach volleyball program Moritz served as an assistant coach for the Gamecock indoor volleyball team during the 2011 and 2012 seasons For continued coverage and updates on South Carolina beach volleyball, follow the Gamecocks on X and Instagram A Daily News Service of the North Carolina Coastal Federation More Articles More Articles More Articles More Articles More Articles 05/05/2025 by Coastal towns and large homeowner associations representing beachfront properties now have the choice to install a controversial alternative to sand fencing on ocean-facing shores The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission last week amended a rule to allow those entities to apply for a permit to place wheat straw bales on ocean shorelines as a means to protect and build up beachfront dunes which will now go to the state Rules Review Commission for final approval limits the use of wheat straw bales to government organizations and HOAs with more than 1 mile of oceanfront shoreline Use of wheat hay bales is restricted to those groups until the state gains a better understanding of their impacts to wildlife reiterated concerns that have been repeatedly raised in recent years by wildlife officials and environmental organizations including the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Southern Environmental Law Center argue additional studies need to be done to understand the potential impacts of wheat straw bales to shoreline habitat and the animals that rely on that habitat “I just would like to say I think we’re opening ourselves up to a lawsuit,” Commissioner Lauren Salter said during the CRC’s April 30 meeting in Manteo “I think Southern Environmental Law Center is going to definitely pursue it based on the comments that we received.” The North Carolina coast is spectacular! When you purchase a North Carolina Coastal Federation license plate, you help keep our coast healthy and beautiful, and support the nonprofit journalism you’re reading now. Learn more The effectiveness of wheat straw bales on an oceanfront shore was initially tested as an alternative to wooden sand fencing in 2015 on Figure Eight Island a privately owned island north of Wilmington The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management issued a Coastal Area Management Act permit to two properties to initial a pilot study on the New Hanover County island The bales eventually became covered with sand Wheat straw bales were not allowed on a North Carolina beach again until 2023 after Ocean Isle Beach officials requested approval to place them on a portion of the town’s oceanfront shore Ocean Isle Town Administrator Justin Whiteside reminded commissioners last week that the town made the request because sand fencing was hard to acquire in the months following the COVID-19 pandemic Town officials noted the pilot project on Figure Eight Island and wanted to mimic it “It was successful in some areas,” on Ocean Isle “Then we did have a storm and some of it washed away it’s still there just all covered up with sand.” Division officials have said they do not expect a significant uptick in the use of straw bales because they tend to cost more than traditional sand fencing and they would need to be replaced more frequently than fencing Coastal Resources Commissioner Jordan Hennessy last week said that his position on the rule amendment remained the same as those he had expressed during a previous meeting by omitting private property owners from being able to apply for a permit to install wheat straw bales “I’ll be voting against the rule because I don’t believe it’s constitutional,” he said advised that the rule amendment is not unconstitutional “I don’t see anything unconstitutional that’s jumping out on me and I don’t actually understand your argument as to why you think it’s unconstitutional,” she said “We do a lot of rulemaking that focuses on situational things as we did with (wheelchair-accessible) mats with local governments being able to do it first and we have not drawn any challenges to that based on constitutionality or other things wheat straw bales cannot impede public or emergency vehicle access or be installed in a manner that endangers nesting sea turtles Installation of wheat straw bales will require consultation with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the state Wildlife Resources Commission through permit application review Ties or bindings on bales must be removed to reduce debris and the possibility of wildlife entanglement Straw bales will be limited to 10-foot-long sections which is the same requirement for sand fencing and can be no wider than 2 feet or higher than 3 feet Bales can not be more than 10 feet waterward of the first line of stable damaged bales or stakes that have moved from their alignment must be repaired or removed from the shore Trista Talton joined Coastal Review as staff writer Feb but she has covered coastal issues for us since our publication’s inception She is a native North Carolinian and graduate of Appalachian State University Her career as a journalist spans more than 20 years most of which has been reporting on issues in southeastern North Carolina Her reporting experience includes more than 10 years of covering the military including an embed with Marines in Kuwait leading up to the start of the war in Iraq in 2003 time in New Orleans with North Carolina National Guardsmen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and offshore patrols of New York and New Jersey aboard a Coast Guard cutter following the Sept She lives with her husband and two sons in Jacksonville Winner of seven North Carolina Press Association awards in 2024. © 2025 North Carolina Coastal Federation. All rights reserved.↑ Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCAROLINA BEACH (WECT) - The town of Carolina Beach is set to host a budget open house in May details about the current budget and the proposed budget for 2025-2026 will be available to view Town staff will be in attendance to answer questions Click here to view the 2025-2026 budget The open house is set to be held on Tuesday – The Coastal Carolina beach volleyball team (20-12) will take the No 1 seed in the 2025 Sun Belt Beach Volleyball Championship and will begin play in the double-elimination tournament on Thursday Coastal will be participating in its seventh conference tournament and third in the Sun Belt Conference The Chanticleers are 10-12 all-time in conference tournaments and have advanced to the Sun Belt championship match in back-to-back seasons Coastal will be looking for their first conference tournament championship in program history Coastal Carolina won the Sun Belt regular season championship in 2025 The Chants went a perfect 6-0 in conference matches and clinched the top seed in the tournament by knocking off No 15 Georgia State for the first time in program history with a 3-2 victory on April 18 For a full bracket, live stats and ESPN+ streaming, visit the Sun Belt Championship Central.   2025 SUN BELT BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE For complete coverage of women's beach volleyball follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBeachVB (X) @CCUBeachVB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com  Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWILMINGTON (WECT) - Police have closed down part of Carolina Beach Road due to a downed power line according to the Wilmington Police Department Carolina Beach Road from Northern Boulevard to Central Boulevard is closed to one lane of traffic after a tree fell on the line Duke Energy crews are at the scene trying to restore power With more than 300 miles of coastline, North Carolina draws ocean lovers for all kinds of on-the-water recreation. At the top of the list: surfing. While some may be surprised to think of the state as a surfing hot spot, longtime locals have been catching waves on the North Carolina coast since the 1950s these under-the-radar surf breaks earned a reputation as some of the best most consistent waves on the Atlantic Ocean The state hosted early renditions of the Eastern Surfing Association’s Championship (now known as the Easterns) beginning in 1968 surfers have been coming to North Carolina shores to stake their claim on East Coast surf titles and cement the state’s small-town surf culture Want to see what the North Carolina surf scene is all about Here’s a look at the best ways for surfers of all levels to get in on the action North Carolina offers opportunities for surfing year-round thanks to its unique coastal geography The region’s unique positioning — a curved shoreline on the northern coast and a narrow continental shelf along much of the coastline — allows waves to consistently approach the coast from multiple angles throughout the year.  But reliable surf breaks are just one part of the equation. The barrier islands that protect the shoreline from storms are known for taking the brunt of hurricane swells. When conditions are right, the most experienced surfers flock to barrier island hotspots like Cape Hatteras to take on some of the most impressive waves on the East Coast For approachable waves and typically mellow conditions, head to the Wilmington area The Johnnie Mercers Pier in Wrightsville Beach is known as a great break for beginners Smaller rolling waves provide a forgiving practice ground for surfers who are getting a feel for their boards and dialing their balance the Carolina Beach Pier offers similar small soft breaks for beginners to cut their teeth The laidback Topsail area has a mix of wave breaks but beginners can build their confidence on gentle surf along North Topsail Beach When you’re ready to take it up a notch Surf City Ocean Pier and Jolly Roger Pier at Topsail Beach are popular choices where you can ride relatively gentle waves and get a feel for the local surf culture The welcoming surf community has a number of surf schools to help get you up on the board and riding your first waves plus a few events geared to get everyone on the water: Try one of the restaurant’s signature taco bowls with your choice of protein and toppings served over coconut or Mexican rice Seasoned surfers looking to challenge themselves can find world-class surf breaks in the Outer Banks & Currituck This area is known for its big swells year-round but fall — when the water is still warm but seasonal weather patterns bring even bigger waves — is where the action is catch powerful barrel waves from the Gulf Stream head 16 miles up the coast to Frisco Beach for a big-wave session On the northern stretch of the barrier islands test your skills on the challenging waves around Jeanette’s Pier in Nags Head varied conditions bring in everything from hollow barrels to fast and steep breaks For similar conditions with less competition for waves where you’ll likely share the break with a dedicated few Local tip: There’s no shortage of fantastic restaurants in the Outer Banks. Fuel up with coffee and a breakfast sandwich on homemade bread at the Orange Blossom Bakery & Cafe before paddling out to surf spots around Hatteras Island. Further up the coast in Nags Head, the Blue Moon Beach Grill is a local lunch spot known for its hearty sandwiches Try the Mahi Mahi BLT or crab cake sandwich both served with housemade jalapeño remoulade This post was sponsored by Visit North Carolina (WECT) - The Carolina Beach Police Department (CBPD) is partnering with a local nonprofit to help owners find lost pets Heidi’s Hope for Homeless Animals has installed a self-serve microchip scanning station at the department “These self-serve stations allow users to quickly check if a pet has a registered microchip increasing the chances of a safe and speedy reunion,” CBPD said in a Facebook post CBPD says the stations are available 24/7 and easy to use Users release the scanner from the station and follow the step-by-step directions on the station if a chip is located The station at the Carolina Beach Police Department is the second in New Hanover County; The Wilmington Police Department installed one at its headquarters last month A new mixed-use development in Carolina Beach is welcoming its first restaurant A location of the K38 Baja Grill chain has been hosting soft opening hours at 1000 N There’s a grand opening party set for May 3 that will include live music and giveaways like a custom surfboard “We couldn’t be more excited to bring our passion for fresh flavors and good times to Carolina Beach,” said Brian Brennan The group also operates two Tower 7 restaurants This new K38 is the sixth for the Cali-Mex restaurant and joins four Wilmington locations and another in Raleigh Proximity will also be home to a location of Wilmington brands like Boombalatti’s Homemade Ice Cream and Drift Coffee + Kitchen is opening its first North Carolina location here STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest food news by signing up for the Port City Foodies newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com (WECT) - Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue has opened applications for its 2025 squad The roles will start at $18 per hour with NC EMT compensation CPR/medical training and competition team opportunities Applicants will try out with a 500-meter ocean swim immediately followed by a one-mile beach run Dates to try out are April 26 and May 4 at 10 a.m Applicants should be at the check-in table by 9:45 a.m Anyone with questions should call the Ocean Rescue Captain, Shawn Kelly, at 910-458-2985 or email him NC (WWAY) — With the opening of the new K38 Baja Grill in Carolina Beach the restaurant has announced a grand opening party on Saturday “This event is about celebrating great food and the incredible local spirit that makes Carolina Beach so special.” the channel connected Myrtle Grove Sound with the Cape Fear River one of the engineers who worked on the project the Cut is a section of the Intracoastal Waterway and in part followed the course of Telfair's Creek In the distance is the steel drawbridge over the cut to Carolina Beach and Federal Point Henniker Ditch at Carolina Beach: During the depression Works Progress Administration workers dug the Henniker drainage ditch The natural drainage of the area is from the Carolina Beach Lake to the Cape Fear River A series of tributaries feed into the ditch which facilitates the flow of water into the river Running down the north side of the Newton Cemetery on Dow Road the ditch went through the property of George C Henniker (1876-1955) and gives the ditch its name When Sunny Point Ammunition Depot was built across the river in Brunswick County in the late 1950s A couple on the Ferris wheel on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk in July 1945 1896: This early photograph of Carolina Beach shows fully dressed adults standing on the shore with umbrellas The first woman elected to the Wilmington City Council and the first women to serve as mayor pro tem Hannah Block played a variety of roles in the community she was the first woman to serve as head lifeguard at Carolina Beach teaching hundreds of locals to swim through the local Red Cross she recruited dozens of volunteers for the local USO and used her talents as a former cabaret singer to organize entertainments for GIs training in the area Her multiple efforts earned her the unofficial title “Mrs World War II Wilmington.” The Community Arts Center is now named the Hannah Block Historic USO Building Military photograph of Major William Arthur Snow in uniform William Arthur Snow (1894-1940) was born in New York and was a graduate of the United States Military Academy and M.I.T he served with the 2nd Engineers at the front in France and in occupied Germany Major Snow served as the District Engineer for the Wilmington District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers from June 1926 to October 1930 He was in command over the Beaufort to Cape Fear section of the construction of the Intracoastal Waterway The project was completed by private contractors in the area and Snow was lauded for his work which allowed the project to be completed $1.5 million dollars under budget the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce adopted a resolution in recognition of Major Snow naming the land cut in the Carolina Beach section "Snow's Cut." Snow is buried in Arlington National Cemetery the Cut is a section of the Intracoastal Waterway and in part followed the course of Telfair's Creek Old linen postcard of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk The Wolfes from Asheville enjoy the Carolina Beach State Park Campground on Monday Randy and Tina Parsons brave the wind and rain as Hurricane Fran rages on Lake Park Boulevard in Carolina Beach Anderson and Sue Flocco look through their binoculars at birds as Anderson leads a small group on the on the Third Wednesday Bird Walk at Carolina Beach State Park on Dec a volunteer at the Federal Point Historic Preservation Society gives a historic tour of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk on Tuesday The Chamber of Commerce office and the landmark Carolina Beach whale sit in the surge at Carolina Beach during Hurricane Hazel in 1954 Tim O'Toole makes pizza at Fentoni's on the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach Dava Villapiano sits with long time patrons Capt Skippy Winner and Pat Efird at the Silver Dollar in Carolina Beach Traffic travels over Snow's Cut Bridge into Carolina Beach in 2016 The concrete bridge was built in the 1960s Bartenders at the Ocean Grill and Tiki Bar in Carolina Beach serve up drinks and food to their patrons on June 20 owner of the Fat Pelican bar in Carolina Beach Owner Bobby Nevins prepares to cook another batch of donuts at Britt's Donut Shop along the boardwalk in Carolina Beach Bidders line the old midway during the auction at Jubilee Amusement Park in Carolina Beach on Tuesday Greg Evans and Nick Carrow walk along a flooded South Lake Park Blvd in Carolina Beach Chicken Hicks stands out front of Ocean Plaza at Carolina Beach Carolina Beach Mayor Ray Rothrock stands at the Carolina Beach town limit sign in 2013 an employee from another business on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk and Keith Fisher play spades at Frank's Pizza on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk supervisor for Central Parking System Carolina Beach location removes the meters from the beach in the early 2000s A variety of restaurants serve samples of their own chowder during the 18th annual Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-Off at Carolina Beach Lake on Saturday Captain Ray Bleam drives The Army Corps of Engineers vessel the Merritt as it does some shallow-draft dredging in Carolina Beach Inlet Drink Oar Sink try to finish strong in their second heat Saturday Twenty-two teams with 450 competitors took part in the 4th Annual Carolina Beach Dragon Boat Regatta and Festival Saturday At the Carolina Beach Boardwalk on Thursday Some customers wait in lines for hours on the opening day for Britt's Donuts along the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Assistant Park Ranger Justin Doan talks with second grade students from Carolina Beach Elementary School along the Flytrap Trail in Carolina Beach State Park Monday Flytrap Trail is a three-tenths of a mile loop through pocosin wetlands and drier longleaf pine and wiregrass savanna communities Venus' flytraps and other carnivorous plants can be seen along the edges of the pocosins to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Inaugural Rock the Beach Festival in Carolina Beach Portions of Canal Drive were closed due to minor flooding in Carolina Beach on Tuesday Residents were watching Hurricane Dorian as it slowly approaches the Southeastern U.S A track-hoe takes down the old Ocean Plaza Electric Ballroom on the North End of the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach on Tuesday The demolition began early in the morning Tuesday and by early afternoon a small crowd had gathered to watch a piece of local history taken down Former Carolina Beach Mayor LeAnn Pierce is now on the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Rayford Suggs of Fayetteville pulls in a bluefish while fishing in the four-wheel drive area along the north end of Carolina Beach large whale mortality team leader from the University of North Carolina Wilmington takes measurements on a 36-foot Sei Whale that washed up on the north end of Carolina Beach stranded mammal was emaciated due to a fished net that had grown into the skin A team from UNCW performed an autopsy on the beach The "Teen Scene" music show aired during the 1960s Beachgoers walk along the shoreline in front of the High Tide Lounge and Carolina Beach Pier on Saturday to Carolina Beach’s Boardwalk Blast to see the fireworks and live music with the rock and soul of the Billy Walton Band Aerial photos of Freeman Park in Carolina Beach on Wednesday Aerial photos of Carolina Beach Boardwalk a year after Hurricane Florence on Aug Mike and Rachana Patel are the owners of Sea Merchants grocery store in Carolina Beach and the newest owner Mike Patel purchased it seven years ago Patel has plans to add a cafe and other general updates for the business The store has an onsite butcher who has been with the business 20 years and is full of old-school charm Rebekah Johnson mixes a drink at The Spot Bar & Kitchen in Carolina Beach located at 1006 S Lake Park Blvd Carolina Beach Town Councilwoman Pat Efird is surrounded by supporters in the parking lot of Carolina Beach Town Hall as they await election results on Tuesday Customers enjoy the music of Port City Shakedown at the SeaWitch Tiki Bar in Carolina Beach Boaters remove their boats from the water Friday at the Carolina Beach Wildlife Ramp in Carolina Beach as Hurricane Isaias approaches Wahines of all ages took part in the 2020 Wahine Classic Saturday Maddy Koff takes a photo with her dog Bailey on Saturday during the 3rd Annual Surf Dog Experience near the Carolina Beach Pier along Pleasure Island Cameron Thigpen catches a wave at Carolina Beach as surf from recent storms rolls a shore Carolina Beach State Park campground offers sites for tents There are 69 campsites with no hookups and ten campsites that have full hookups with water All sites are each equipped with a picnic table and grill or fire ring a volunteer for the Federal Point Historic Preservation Society Demolition continues on the former Ocean Plaza Ballroom at the north end of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk on Wednesday George McCuiston carries another board up his front stairs as he boards up his home in Carolina Beach along Canal Drive Friday Jed Galloway tucks into a wave on Carolina Beach as large surf rolls into the beach Bill Grice maneuvers a bulldozer to push up sand at the end of a 16-inch pipe that is spraying a mixture of water and sand onto the beach Pam and George Blanchard make their way along the north end of Carolina Beach Heavy erosion along the north end of the beach washed away a large amount of sand that was recently added during a nourishment project Orange lines placed along the base of the pier show how much sand has been lost since the project ended A bulldozer pushes freshly pumped sand across the added strand on the north end of Carolina Beach Two of three buildings torn down on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk by the town in the early 2000s The Army Corps of Engineers vessel the Merritt heads out to do some shallow-draft dredging in Carolina Beach Inlet Jake Machtolff and Tammy Guy enjoy some fresh Britt's Donuts on opening day examine a glass block souvenir as the old Ocean Plaza Electric Ballroom comes down on the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach on Tuesday Bouncer Glenn Bledsoe asks an unruly patron to leave the Ocean Plaza Ballroom on the Carolina Beach boardwalk Friday Billy Debnam with the town of Carolina Beach hands off a lighted sea star to Mike Wilhelm on Jan Army Corps of Engineers works on maintenance dredging in the Carolina Beach Inlet keep cool on a waterslide at Jubilee Amusement Park in Carolina Beach The Carolina Beach Dog Park located in Mike Chappell Park just off Dow Road in Carolina Beach on Friday Island Burgers & Bites in Carolina Beach on March 23 Hundreds of people came out Thursday night Aug Aerial photos of the Carolina Beach Fishing Pier in Carolina Beach on Wednesday Aerial photos of Freeman Park in Carolina Beach owner of Kate's Pancake House in Carolina Beach rings up a regular at her breakfast-only diner Aerial photos of Carolina Beach Lake on Monday after Hurricane Matthew passed through our area A person walks up one of the lifeguard stands in Carolina Beach on Wednesday Shoppers come out of the Veggie Wagon in Carolina Beach on Feb 1 People enjoy the day at Freeman Park Monday Sous Chef Ronnie White puts together a plate of fresh local Sea Bass with pineapple grape salsa and wild rice quinoa blend at The Spot Bar & Kitchen in Carolina Beach located at 1006 S Lake Park Blvd The Town of Carolina Beach Offices for Town Hall and the Carolina Beach Police Department Skippy Winner at the Silver Dollar in Carolina Beach in 2022 Tim Pace of Carolina Beach rockets off a wave at the north end of Carolina Beach Coast Guard patrol boats sit at the marina at Carolina Beach State Park Aerial photo of Snow’s Cut and Snow’s Cut Bridge on June 23 Robert Midgley and Anthony Griggs walk along a cleared section of Carolina Beach Ave North on their way to the ocean to surf after Hurricane Floyd pose for a photo in front of their Carolina Beach house that has been raised off original footings in an effort to prevent damage from future storms after Hurricane Floyd is covered in trinkets left by admirers that have visited the site over the years on Thursday The grave is located in a secured area of the Newton Graveyard and Homesite off of Dow Road in Carolina Beach North is filled with up to four feet of sand that washed over during the tidal surge from Hurricane Floyd Kelly Hawes leads up a dance line in front of the stage at Beach Blast 2002 at Carolina Beach Shaggers take lessons from Bobby and Cheryl Collins on Thursday at the Courtyard by Marriott in Carolina Beach The event was part of the 13th Annual East Coast Shag Classic presented by Hope Abounds Cancer Network Maureen Lewis stands in front of the "This Must Be the Place" mural on the Savannah Inn on Thursday The welcome sign at Carolina Beach on Thursday Marcia Bosch talks about the Carolina Beach State Park on Thursday A man looks over standing flood waters around the Carolina Beach Lake area on Tuesday Potential Tropical Cyclone 8 brought flooding to the town and several Brunswick coastal communities For decades, Carolina Beach has attracted countless visitors with the glow of neon signs, diverse wildlife and pastel buildings famous eateries and historic landmarks are well-loved by tourists and locals alike While it often serves as a getaway destination for those looking for some laid-back fun this year the town gets to revel in a celebration of its own: its 100th anniversary businesses across the town will be getting in on the fun to commemorate the town's incorporation in 1925 Bars and restaurants will be serving 1920s-themed refreshments ensuring that Carolina Beach's 100th summer will be one to remember But Carolina Beach didn't become a place worth celebrating on its own several residents have taken initiative to keep the town looking young after all these years Painting the town redThe buzz of the bar scene is just a sliver of what makes Carolina Beach so special Centennial Committee Chair Maureen Lewis said And the vast spectrum of culture in the area is exactly what she hopes to highlight with the variety of events the committee will host throughout the year “Our number one goal was to make this celebration for everyone,” Lewis said “There’s so much to do on our little island and we hope this inspires people to learn about our diverse culture here.” Lewis moved to Carolina Beach from California with her husband in 2018 she learned that the quickest way to make connections in a new place is to volunteer she started the Carolina Beach Mural Project a nonprofit that aims to boost tourism and local businesses by shaping the town into an art destination The nonprofit is behind over a dozen murals that adorn buildings across town. The iconic paintings nod to both the history and lifestyle of Carolina Beach, ranging from aquatic scenery to a tribute to Malcolm "Chicken" Hicks a local legend responsible for developing the dance known as the "Shag." Related: Wines inspired by Carolina Beach murals will help raise funds for more local art Murals will be featured in the celebration with twenty local artists painting 4x10 panels that will hang in Lake Park for the summer before they are auctioned off at the Founder’s Day Picnic Spectators can watch the artists at work on May 17-18 at the lake Art isn’t the only way Lewis plans to spruce up the town in honor of its centennial The committee is encouraging participation in the “100 Acts of Beautification” project in which residents and businesses can receive a certificate for making efforts to clean up the town Here are some important dates for the Centennial Celebration: More information is available on the committee’s website Lewis said what makes Carolina Beach one-of-a-kind is the people She said she can’t shop for groceries without running into someone she knows The warm hospitality of coastal North Carolina is unlike anywhere she’s lived before “Some people’s families have been here for generations and some are newer transplants like me,” Lewis said Local lineage goes back even further than the incorporation of the town for some well-known community figures David "Skippy" Winner is a lifelong Carolina Beach resident whose family history is closely intertwined with the development of the area His great-grandfather Joseph Lloyd Winner established the town of St which would later become part of Carolina Beach several landmarks in the town including Winner Avenue and St Joseph Street honor the family's contributions But being the descendent of a founder is just the beginning of Winner's story. The 90-year-old retired sea captain made history himself when he became the first person to pilot a commercial vessel through the Carolina Beach Inlet in 1952 the creation of the inlet was a main driving force behind the economic prosperity of the area "People come here because they want access to the ocean," Winner said there were no houses of any significance along the Intracoastal Waterway You could go out there at two in the morning and it would be dark The boom started right after they blew the inlet there isn't enough room to put another house." Winner traveled to every port in the country while serving on the executive committee of the Propeller Club of the United States he got to experience slices of life on the coast of places like Hawaii and Puerto Rico How many times did he consider moving away "I've never found a place like Carolina Beach." While Winner credits the manmade inlet for its growth he believes in a much more innate force that keeps him anchored to the town Winner said Carolina Beach sits in a weather bubble that sees less rain and better sea conditions than neighboring towns He witnessed this firsthand in the 1970s while conducting ship reports where he would radio in weather conditions every three hours it'll go around the beach most of the time," Winner said The natural beautyThe wonder of Carolina Beach's natural beauty has been a call to action for many community residents. Marcia Bosch is the president of Friends of Pleasure Island State Parks, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Carolina Beach State Park and the Fort Fisher Recreation Area The nonprofit is part of a statewide network of over 30 organizations that host education and volunteer opportunities at North Carolina state parks As people looked to carve out their own piece of the town Bosch says that development was one of the biggest threats that the area faced in the past century The establishment of Carolina Beach State Park in 1969 was a turning point for the small town "The area was threatened by industrial activities like logging and development," Bosch said "The park marked a shift from exploitation to conservation with efforts focused on habitat restoration invasive species management and biodiversity protection." The protected area is one of the few sites where visitors can see native Venus flytraps a carnivorous plant that originated in the Carolinas While new legislation and advancements in environmental science have been integral to the preservation of ecosystems Bosch believes that small acts by individuals are just as important "There are always opportunities to support conservation in our community," Bosch said when in actuality it begins with being a community conservationist Asking questions is the first step to protecting local ecosystems She suggests asking yourself how you are impacting the environment and communicating with state park officials such as the Environmental Educator Specialist to find out how to help the park Dates for group hikes and volunteer events can be found on the Friends of Pleasure Island State Parks website one resident who played a part in building it up recently celebrated a birthday of her own Sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Carolina Beach," former councilwoman Pat Efird turned 96 in January Members of the community came together to help her mark the occasion "We put signs all over my friend's car and went to some of my favorite places," Efird said "Everybody ran out to see me and give me presents A joyride was only a small part of the way Carolina Beach honored Efird that month She received the Centennial Service Award to recognize her work as the first woman to serve on the town council The award was subsequently named after her her former colleagues praised her for her contributions which included overseeing construction of the town hall and fire department buildings But serving on the council came with a set of challenges She had no government experience outside of the local Parent Teacher Association where she climbed her way up to president She learned the fundamentals of the job at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill over the course of a week Financial troubles made it hard to pay employees and run the town effectively and Efird turned to the federal government for assistance "We all flew up to Washington to try to get some money that was going to help small towns," Efird said As a Carolina Beach resident of over 70 years Efird has witnessed the town's transformation While she is concerned with the rate at which the land is being developed she is delighted by the kindness of her new neighbors "Everybody works together to help," Efird said "The people that have moved here over the past 15 years serve on a lot of our boards and they're doing a great job People have always looked after each other here and that's the thing I'm most proud of." Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover and Brunswick counties for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@gannett.com A popular local seaside boardwalk was in the running for the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for "Best Boardwalk." Carolina Beach Boardwalk in Carolina Beach was one of 20 finalists in the contest The category for “Best Boardwalk” was looking for places with “achingly gorgeous views of the water the salty scent of French fries in the air and the laughter of people from all walks of life having an incredible time together.” Carolina Beach Boardwalk is located just off the beach between Cape Fear Boulevard and Harper Avenue. The historic boardwalk was built in the 1930s. The boardwalk features the iconic Britt's Donut Shop The boardwalk also offers seasonal activities such as live concerts and weekly fireworks Stay informed: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the StarNews app The top 10 winners for "Best Boardwalk" are: Carolina Beach wasn't the only local spot with a winner in recently announced readers' choice awards 3 for the "Best Riverwalk." The top two spots went to Waterfront Park in Louisville Whitaker covers community news for the StarNews Reach her at cheryl.whitaker@starnewsonline.com (WECT) - The town of Carolina Beach is warning residents about the risk of potential King Tides elevated flood risks are expected to start on Friday and last through the middle of next week due to a Super New Moon during this time Areas that most commonly flood include Canal Drive “Town officials may close roads due to flooding Please use caution and obey traffic signs and barriers Avoid walking or driving in flooded areas; salt water can be detrimental to your vehicle CB Police Officers will issue citations to anyone driving around barricades and through flooded areas,” said the town in a Facebook post Click here for more information on King Tides The owners of the popular, and long running, The Silver Dollar bar in Carolina Beach have been busy in recent months They purchased the former Nauti Dog restaurant next door at 5 Cape Fear Blvd The Silver Dollar will once again host a Lo Tide After Party satellite bars serving green beer and food from Nollie’s Taco Joint and Hook’s Hot Dogs from 10 a.m Attendees will also be able to take a look at what the ownership team which includes Lee Levinson and former Carolina Hurricane’s player Bates Battaglia Mitchell McDowell and Katie Pettengill are managing the new projects March 15 will be the opening of the rooftop bar that has been under construction since the fall “We’ve been calling it Top Dollar,” she said They also anticipate that the Sand Dollar Sports Bar next door will have some soft opening hours until there’s a grand opening The Sand Dollar will have a full bar but will specialize in tequilas The onsite kitchen will be serving an express menu from Nollie’s including tacos and quesadillas USA TODAY Bars of the Year for 2024: This Wilmington-area beach bar made the list Pettengill said that Levinson approached her at the right time for the project She had sold her restaurant Salt Fish in Carolina Beach and was looking to move to the western part of the state The Silver Dollar, established in 1957, is billed as the oldest bar in Carolina Beach.  Dava Villapiano and Faye Britt bought the bar at 3 Cape Fear Blvd. in 2000 and put it on the market in 2022 It’s located near the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Pavillion and other boardwalk businesses like The Tropical and Britt’s Donuts Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews (WECT) - The Carolina Beach Fire Department (CBFD) will be conducting a live fire training exercise on Feb you will see fire venting from various windows and doors like an actual structure fire,” says the post No road closures are expected during the training exercise will soon again be a hive of activity as officials take advantage of the open environmental window − outside of sea turtle and shorebird nesting season − to pump fresh sand onto the vital economic engines for many coastal communities and that has officials in both New Hanover and Brunswick counties concerned requiring lots of pre-project planning and permit work and then securing an acceptable sand source that can be pumped onto a beach If that borrow site is farther away than say a nearby inlet like Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach mine for their projects it will cost more to move the sand from the source to the beach “Sources of sand are drying up in some places," said Dr. Robert Young director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University But another factor that's helping send the cost of beach nourishment surging is the high demand for projects to rebuild beaches all along the Gulf and East coasts battered by recent hurricanes and the few number of American companies out there in the dredging business "There are simply a limited number of companies out there that can do this kind of work and competition is fierce because we're literally trying to hold the line everywhere from from Saco and that’s only a little bit of an exaggeration," Young said "When you have a lot of demand and not a ton of supply the people who do work like this are really in the driver’s seat." HUNTING FOR SAND: Why Oak Island is looking 18 miles off its coast for sand to nourish its eroded beach With prices coming in well above predictions some Cape Fear-area beach towns are having to adapt and make painful decisions the periodic federal nourishment of Carolina and Kure beaches is one that has fallen victim to the financial headwinds The Pleasure Island project had an estimated cost of just under $20 million But the only bid for the work the Army Corps of Engineers received came in at $37.5 million In a letter to residents Kure Beach Mayor Allen Oliver said the price differential was just too much to overcome this winter "Getting additional bidders are slim and since the price was double the estimated project cost the best possible solution is to postpone the event until next year," the mayor said "We should get better pricing and more bidders participating." The delay means the two New Hanover beach towns will have to go longer than expected without a fresh injection of sand − a worry for officials and residents in a world where climate change is increasingly fueling stronger and bigger tropical storm systems "This is not the most favorable situation for us and Carolina Beach but honestly it is the most logical decision based on the lack of bidders and the cost of the single bid received," Oliver said Oak Island also is feeling the pain of higher prices and not enough competition The project is estimated to cost at least $40 million with half of that covered by a one-time state grant Bids for the same work to take place during the 2025-26 dredging window came closer to the town's budget and Oak Island officials are now in negotiations to see if the work can get done between mid-November and late April 2026 the project will be rebid in 2025," the town stated online Now officials and residents have to hope the beach can hold out until then which raked the Brunswick County shoreline nearly five years ago king tides and gradual sea-level rise has since then added to the pain − not to mention the no-name storm and the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene that hit Brunswick County last September and October Big beach projects aren't the only ones getting caught up in the financial squeeze A project put out to bid by the corps of engineers to dredge the shipping channel near the mouth of the Cape Fear River this winter and place the sand on Oak Island and Caswell Beach also came in 20% over estimates At least one beach town in the Wilmington area will be seeing new sand this winter Surf City will begin pumping sand from Banks Channel on the Intracoastal Waterway side of the Pender County beach town onto its beach strand which is expected to wrap up in late March adding an estimated 60 feet of beach from the Topsail Beach line to 1,000 feet north of the Surf City Fishing Pier Town Manager Kyle Breuer said although Surf City only received one bid for the work it was within the town's estimates and the timing of when the dredging could take place within the fairly narrow fall/winter navigational window also worked "We were very fortunate and very thankful," he said Breuer noted that not only will the project help nourish Surf City's eroded beach but also piggyback on the earlier dredging of parts of Banks Channel done by Topsail Beach to improve navigation around the southern half of Topsail Island The breakdown of the project's cost is roughly $5 million from Surf City and about $14.5 million in funding coming through a one-time state grant a lot like today − if not worse − for beach towns desperate to hold back the encroaching ocean He said the pressures that are driving prices upward are only likely to increase as sea-level rise more storms and increased development make shore protection efforts more frequent and necessary than ever along many parts of the country's oceanfront The new Trump administration's stated goal of taking a fine-tooth comb to the federal budget and slashing a lot of discretionary spending also could leave many coastal communities hunting for new revenue sources outside of Washington just as dredging prices surge and the need for beach nourishment increases so the only future I see is one where costs are increasing because there's only so much sand and we're doing it more often and in more places," Young said Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work 04/28/2025 by RALEIGH — Historian David Cecelski didn’t mask the grief he felt while telling the “gruesome stories” littering eastern North Carolina’s past or the mounting dread that those days will return and put the coast’s natural resources at risk of “plunder “This may not be the kind of keynote address that you’re used to,” the mild-mannered Carteret County native told a crowd of about 150 people during the first morning of the 2025 Coastal Summit and you have to expect that I’m going to tell some stories I’m also going to talk about our coastal history and what we might learn from the past that might help guide us today.” Salt Marsh and Water Quality Together,” was organized by the North Carolina Coastal Federation The biennial event brought together elected officials researchers and others invested in maintaining a healthy coast Board member for the nonprofit organization Allison Besch introduced Cecelski, who “divides his time between two places that he loves deeply”: Durham, and his ancestral home in Carteret County. A longtime contributor to Coastal Review the historian has written several award-winning books and hundreds of articles about the history culture and politics of the North Carolina coast “David’s writing focuses passionately on telling stories from his little corner of the world that emanates American history more broadly,” Besch said as she described his work Present and Future” with an illustration of the mullet fishing camp on Shackleford Banks where his cousins worked five generations ago He also displayed photos of himself as a young boy on the family farm that bumps up to the Harlowe Canal west of Beaufort I sleep in the bedroom where my mother was born and her father and his father and his father,” Cecelski said people call our house ‘the new house’ because what they call the family homeplace is about a half-mile down the road on my cousin Henry’s land.” Cecelski said that when his mother was born in the late 1920s company was still trapping bottlenose dolphins in giant haul seines and slaughtering hundreds and sometimes thousands of them every year on the beach at Hatteras Island “The islanders would shut their windows so they would not have to hear the cry of the dolphins on the beach at night they often didn’t have a chance to process so they would leave them alive,” he continued local fishermen who were hired to catch and butcher the dolphins would say they still had nightmares about what they had had to do on those beaches.” “were still paying the hunters at Cape Lookout to surround nesting colonies of seabirds and marsh birds — royal turns The hunters would wait until the eggs started hatching because that was when the birds were least likely to flee the swans and snow geese did not come for Lake Mattamuskeet sea turtles were being shipped in tin cans to four-star restaurants in New York City began dumping untreated sulfur dioxide into the Roanoke River at a site 4 miles upriver of Plymouth that mill’s waste had destroyed America’s largest and oldest herring fisheries dating back at that site two centuries,” Cecelski continued one of North America’s great wetlands that covered hundreds of thousands of acres north and west of the Pongo River disappeared drained and its waters channeled into the Pamlico River It’s cypress glades and the entire body of the oyster grounds of the upper Pamlico River “When it comes to that devastating era in the history of the North Carolina coast I’m afraid I could go on and on and on,” but everything that is loved about the state’s coast today has come about because of recognizing that path couldn’t continue “We learned the hard way that the strength of our coastal communities and the strength of the kind of coastal heritage that I grew up in — our traditions of fishing of pilgrimages to the shore to restore our souls — we learned that they are all as entwined as anything can be with the health of our coastal waters our fields and forests,” Cecelski continued “And we learned that we have to work together if we want to keep the North Carolina coast the kind of place that our children and grandchildren will hold as tightly in their hearts as we hold it in our hearts.” Even though progress has been made over the last century with environmental laws and conservation efforts and I know when we see what’s going on in the country now that things look bleak for much of what draws us and people from around the world to our shores,” he said and the work taking place to care for the coast may be at risk “I know — I’m not naming names — that there are people in high office now who act as if as if they never walked down the Kure Beach fishing pier on a Friday night in the autumn when the spots and bluefish are running and seeing the joy in the children’s faces and how nobody is a stranger and everybody’s helping everybody and how much it means to all our state’s citizens to be there by the sea,” he said “And they act as if they’ve never walked the shores of Cape Lookout when the sea is phosphorescent the dolphins are playing in the waves and the fish are biting and they act as if they’ve never traipsed along the edges of Currituck Sound and felt the beauty of the marshes stir their soul.” The shackling of the Environmental Protection Agency “alone foreshadows the breathtaking descent back into the worst days of our coastal past our fisheries and the sources of our drinking water were a free-for-all “I wish I had more words of comfort for you but we all know the road ahead is not going to be easy,” Cecelski said reminding the audience that the work of organizations like the Coastal Federation and its partners “will never ever be greater than it is at this moment in our history.” “I think that I was invited here today hopefully not just to tell gruesome stories but I think I was invited here because of my historical work on the North Carolina coast,” he said It was the early 1980s and Miller convinced Cecelski to spend a year in Swan Quarter spreading the word about a proposed massive strip-mining project extremely well-connected group of investors was planning to strip mine hundreds of thousands of acres of coastal wetlands stretching across Dare Beaufort and Washington counties,” he said Cecelski continued that when he first arrived he rarely met anyone who knew about the proposed plan and on the few occasions he did they realized the project would leave their home a wasteland and devastate the region’s oyster beds and fishing grounds “Past experience had led them to conclude that nobody cared what they had to say and there was nothing they could do about it because it had always been that way,” he said His job was “a very small part of the puzzle” to let people know what was happening I would not have bet five bucks on the chance of our success every political party and every little village People began to come together and believed they could make a difference the people of the North Carolina coast prevailed he said the experience taught him that even when it looks bleak and “if we don’t give up hope if we look past our differences to what we hold in common Cecelski said he knows he’s a terribly old-fashioned person and out of step with much of modern times “I still believe in the golden rule that we should treat other people the way that we would want them to treat us I still believe what I was taught in Sunday school that we are called to be good stewards of God’s creation and good caretakers of our lands and waters and the creatures thereof,” he said what I learned growing up on the North Carolina coast that a neighbor is a neighbor is a neighbor And I believe with all my heart that there are some things worth fighting for and I believe that the North Carolina coast is one of them.” Jennifer Allen graduated from Appalachian State University in 2002 and picked up a second degree from UNC-Charlotte the following year She joined the staff of the Carteret County News-Times in Morehead City in 2005 and completed her master's at UNC-Wilmington in 2008 Jenn spent nine years writing and editing at the News-Times before joining the staff at the Town of Beaufort in 2014 where she served as public information officer and town clerk Jenn came aboard as assistant editor for Coastal Review She has also written for Our State Magazine and other regional and statewide publications She lives in Morehead City with her husband James and their pups (WECT) - North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) has announced it will use funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to elevate 20 buildings in Carolina Beach the structures chosen are in areas prone to frequent flooding and have repeatedly experienced flood damage over the years The elevating project will provide 100-year flood protection The following properties are set to be elevated two feet above base flood elevation on continuous block piers or pilings: All construction will be conducted according to state and local building code requirements or is against the funds being used in this way can email them to haley.anderson@carolinabeach.org Comments must be sent in by May 3 to be considered by the FEMA REO var(--popover-size));border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-l3);--popover-z-index:var(--chakra-z-index-popover);z-index:calc(var(--popover-z-index) + var(--layer-index 0));outline:0;transform-origin:var(--transform-origin);max-height:var(--available-height);--popover-padding:var(--chakra-spacing-5);}.css-1v5f30s:is([open] [data-state=open]){transform-origin:var(--transform-origin);-webkit-animation-name:scale-in,fade-in;animation-name:scale-in,fade-in;-webkit-animation-duration:var(--chakra-durations-fast);animation-duration:var(--chakra-durations-fast);}.css-1v5f30s:is([closed] @layer recipes{.css-3n6tnx{padding-top:var(--chakra-spacing-4);border-top-style:solid;border-top-width:1px;border-top-color:var(--components-article-header-hero-divider-border-color 0.15));}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-3n6tnx{padding-top:var(--chakra-spacing-6);}}}@layer recipes{.css-10yri1v{color:var(--semantics-text-paragraph-primary-color 5:58 PM (ET)@layer recipes{.css-107anqq{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-body);color:var(--components-article-header-hero-author-text-color);font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-xs);line-height:1;width:-webkit-fit-content;width:-moz-fit-content;width:fit-content;}html.teamusa-theme .css-107anqq{text-transform:uppercase;}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-107anqq{font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-md);line-height:md;}}}by Gary Abbott The 2025 Beach Wrestling season has begun!! Wrestlers of all ages are beginning their preparation for the 2025 U.S This is the annual national championships for Beach Wrestling in 17 divisions There will be competition for both men and women with national titles and All-American honors awarded This will be the 20th anniversary of the first U.S which was created in 2006 in Riviera Beach Beach Nationals has been held in Carolina Beach Register for the 2025 U.S. Beach Nationals Nationals in Carolina Beach is the qualifier for the 2025 U17 and U20 U.S and part of the qualifying process for the U.S The 2025 U17 and U20 Beach World Championships will be held September 25-26 at a site to be determined by United World Wrestling The official weight classes and eligibility for the U17 and U20 Beach World Championships are below ** U17 (from 15 with medical and parental certificate) Note: UWW changed the U17 Women’s weights this year *** U20 (from 17 with medical and parental certificate) The 2025 UWW Senior Beach World Series will be held in five locations this year Beach Nationals is one of the qualifying events for U.S Four of the five locations have been set for this year: Monterrey Morocco (September 6-7) and the Beach World Series Final in Alexandria The fourth stop of the Beach World Series will be held September 27-28 at a location to be announced 2025 Beach Wrestling Team Procedures While these qualifying events are an important part of the U.S this is a multi-age competition which offers national competition from youth through Masters wrestlers Beach wrestling is a competitive and fun way for wrestlers to improve and challenge themselves Beach wrestling is growing across the nation U.S. Beach Nationals website 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - OPTIONAL Carolina Beach Wrestling Nationals  Registration and Weigh-in ALL DIVISIONS (except Senior, U17 & U20) 8:00 p.m. - 10 p.m.- Coach and Competitor's Social at Lazy Pirate Sports Bar (www.driftersreef.com) 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - U17, U20 & Senior Men's and Women's Beach Wrestling National Championships Weigh-in (Carolina Beach Boardwalk Stage) 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Carolina Beach Nationals Registration and Weigh-in ALL OTHER DIVISIONS WHO DID NOT WEIGH IN ON FRIDAY! (Carolina Beach Boardwalk Stage) 10:45 a.m. - Rules Clinic (ALL competitors must report) 11:00 a.m. to conclusion - U.S. Beach Nationals - Beach Wrestling Competition 6:00 p.m. - Post Tournament Social, 811 Harper Ave., Carolina Beach, NC 28428 70 kg - Veysel Pekince (Team Thunder Wrestling Club) Over 90 kg - Nick Stemmet (California Regional Training Center) 50 kg - Avy Perez (World Team Training Center) 70 kg - Marilyn Garcia (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) Over 70 kg - Eliana Bommarito of Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club 80 kg - Dwight Weimer Jr (North County Wrestling Club) Over 90 kg - Jackson Mankowski (Wisconsin) 70 kg - Sadie Evans (FordDynastyWrestlingClub) 125-135 - Joseph Reaves (Lemoore High School Wrestling) 138-142 - Nicolas Brockson (Fallbrook Wrestling Club) 142-150 - Nathanial Higgins (Cyclones Wrestling & Fitness) 182-196 - Ronin Davis (Liberty High School Wrestling) 50 kg - Makai Van Natta (Hanford Bullpups Wrestling Club) 60 kg - Cade Johnston (Revival School of Wrestling) 70 kg - Calen Reyna (Servite High School Wrestling) 80 kg - Gregory Torosian (World Team Training Center) Over 80 kg - Dylan Baetsle (La Canada High School Wrestling) 50 kg - Abbi Cooper (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling) 60 kg - Samantha Sachs (Glendora High School Wrestling) 70 kg - Alexandria Perez (Revival School of Wrestling) Over 70 kg - Isabella Lorenzana (Surfside RTC) 110-117 - Shane Ito (La Costa Canyon High School Wrestling) 123-129 - Jayden Preston (Live Training Wrestling) 130-138 - Teagan McRae (Legacy Wrestling Center) 135-144 - Evan Mayek (Devil`s Gate Wrestling Club) 149-155 - Tristan Johns (American Wrestling Club) 169-172 - Joaquin Stauffer (Redondo Union High School Wrestling) 107 - Patrica Medina (Lemoore High School Wrestling) 118-130 - Taylor McGuire (Nor Cal Take Down Wrestling Club) 131-139 - Rianna Bernal (Lemoore High School Wrestling) 142-153 - Emily Martinez (Temescal Canyon High School Wrestling) 72-84 - Aaron Ramirez (Savage House Wrestling Club) 86-91 - William Max (Savage House Wrestling Club) 103-108 - Connor Johns (American Wrestling Club) 116-127 - Benjamin Higgins (Cyclones Wrestling & Fitness) 64-71 - Noah Lagman (Savage House Wrestling Club) 82-86 - Joshua Isaac Garcia (Savage House Wrestling Club) 68-71 - Jeremiah-Roman Castro (Savage House Wrestling Club) 86-95 - Kyler Parry (Mt Spokane Wrestling Club) 46-50 - Yahya Nemati (Delta Wrestling Club) 59-61 - Dawson Willford (Grindhouse Wrestling Club - East) 62-63 - Ares Duarte (Savage House Wrestling Club) 62 kg - Jair Suchite (Orange County Grappling) 78 kg - Matthew Chan (Orange County Grappling) 100 kg - Mark Dollins (South Side Wrestling Club) 130 kg - Eric Mittlestead Sr (Mad Cow Wrestling Club) The attack in the center of Elizabeth City State University’s campus prompted a lockdown early Sunday, according to a statement from the school in eastern North Carolina. It occurred after Yard Fest, the final event of the historically Black university’s weeklong Viking Fest celebration, the statement said. A 24-year-old man who was not a student was pronounced dead. His identity wasn’t immediately released pending notification of his family, the statement says. Four people sustained gunshot wounds, including three students, and two other students were injured. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. All the injured were taken to a hospital for treatment, the statement said. A call to campus police was referred to a university spokesperson, who didn’t immediately return a telephone message. “The university is deeply saddened by this senseless act,” the university said in an earlier statement. The lockdown was later lifted, and the university increased patrols across campus as a precaution. Access to the center of campus remained restricted later Sunday. The university in Elizabeth City, about 50 miles south of Norfolk, Va., has 2,300 students. In South Carolina, Myrtle Beach officers responded to a disturbance involving multiple individuals Saturday night in which someone began firing a weapon. In a statement, the department said that “based on the immediate threat,” an officer then shot one person, who died from their injuries. The person’s name wasn’t immediately released, and it wasn’t clear whether they were a suspect. A telephone message left with Myrtle Beach police was referred to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which didn’t immediately return an email Sunday. The department said 11 people who were wounded were receiving medical treatment. California World & Nation Hollywood Inc. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here You might know North Carolina’s coast best for the Outer Banks—the string of barrier islands known for pirate treasure and a hit Netflix show—but there’s so much more to explore beyond the OBX Think sleepy beach towns where turtle hatching season is the highlight of the year and lively summer hubs where small communities swell from a few thousand to 50,000 sun-seekers chasing music festivals "Once a year, my family would road trip down there for a week of summer fun," says PureWow executive managing editor Catrina Yohay "Think of it as your classic American family vacation: beach sun and zero plans. If you live in the Northeast the islands that sit just south of Virginia are close enough to make the drive in a day but far enough away to feel like you're really going on vacation—especially to a 7-year-old." I spoke to longtime North Carolinians as well as repeat summer guests to get intel on the 10 best coastal North Carolina towns to visit—and I’ll wager there’s a satisfying getaway for you here Wit Tuttell is the executive director of Visit North Carolina Tuttell has been in North Carolina tourism since 2006 and marketing initiatives for North Carolina’s official state tourism office and the industry sectors it serves Tuttell was named State Tourism Director of the Year by the National Council of State Tourism Directors The 15 Most Charming Small Towns in North Carolina maintains the 11-acre Duck Town Park with an amphitheater and hosts the annual Duck Jazz Festival shopping at little boutiques and dining at waterfront restaurants “This fun beach town is part of the Wilmington area, and I’d recommend it because it is lively enough to entertain the family without being over-the-top,” says Gallery Media Group Director of Branded Content Cristina Polchinski. “It’s not the most dog friendly but they have to be on leash.” (From April 1 through September 30 pets aren’t allowed on the beach strand at all.) Overall laid-back vibe was just right for a recent family trip with a toddler heading into downtown Wilmington for an afternoon and staying at the Trailborn Surf & Sound right on the shore,” she says they’ll set up and reserve beach chairs just for you every day The Cape Hatteras National Seashore overall drew over 2.8 million visitors in 2023, but in this part, a small town of 4,000, you won’t get crushed by the crowds. The town is home to the iconic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse—the tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S.—and the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum both highlighting the area's rich maritime history Visitors can enjoy activities such as charter fishing birdwatching at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and taking the scenic ferry ride to Ocracoke Island including ties to the infamous pirate Blackbeard The secluded island village has only about 700 year-round residents a population cap that’s holding firm since the place is accessible only by ferry its population swells as visitors are drawn to its pristine undeveloped beaches—such as the nationally acclaimed Lifeguarded Beach Visitors can go kayaking through salt marsh creeks explore the historic Ocracoke Lighthouse and observe the wild Banker ponies at the Ocracoke Pony Pen A sparkling facet of North Carolina's Crystal Coast Atlantic Beach is a charming coastal town with a population of approximately 1,427 year-round residents the iconic Oceanana Fishing Pier and popular summer festivals Special attractions include restored Civil War-era Fort Macon State Park and the public beaches around it plus the nearby interactive North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as swimming and exploring the local shops and restaurants is a secluded beach town with a small year-round population of about 200 to 300 residents offering 11 miles of undeveloped shoreline accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles attracting visitors eager to experience its pristine beaches and the iconic wild Spanish mustang horses that roam freely along the dunes hiking in the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge and stargazing under dark unpolluted skies make Carova a haven for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike A vibrant coastal town blending classic charm and modern attractions Carolina Beach packs a lot into 2.45 square miles and just 6,564 fulltime residents the town comes alive with events like the Carolina Beach Music Festival weekly fireworks and live music at the historic boardwalk—a place full of amusement rides local eateries and the famous Britt's Donuts Visitors can explore the scenic trails of 761-acre Carolina Beach State Park and enjoy water activities such as fishing kayaking and paddleboarding along the Cape Fear River Oak Island hosts numerous events such as the Run Oak Island Marathon the Ride the Tide Kayak Float and the Summer Concert Series ensuring there's always something fun to do for everyone Not as tiny as some great North Carolina towns on our list Oak Island spans 20.63 square miles along the coast where North Carolina’s southern coast is quiet and sunny its tranquil beaches attract visitors seeking a peaceful getaway complemented by attractions like the Jolly Roger Fishing Pier and the Missiles and More Museum which delves into the island's unique history Visitors can enjoy activities such as beachcombing for fossilized shark teeth kayaking along the Intracoastal Waterway and exploring the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center Hammocks Beach State Park is 1,611 acres near Swansboro North Carolina; it’s a real escape sort of place centered around pristine four-mile-long Bear Island—which you can only reach by ferry or private boat the park is a beacon for all sorts of outdoorsy folk Don’t miss a ranger-guided kayak tour through the marshlands as well as educational programs like LEAP Week for children there’s a natural orientation to holidays—for instance the annual Trunk or Treat lets visitors of all ages get in on the fun "North Carolina's pristine beaches stretch out along 320 miles of dune-lined barrier islands state parks and recreation areas and other safeguards have ensured their pristine beauty for centuries,” Tuttell says “Travelers find ample space to spread blankets and enjoy barefoot strolls and shelling and between the ocean's winds and waves and the tranquil waters of the sounds there's opportunity for everything from surfing to parasailing and stand-up paddleboarding with a unique opportunity to hang glide on the East Coast's highest dune.” Another plus The beach towns here are small in terms of population with the largest claiming just 7,000 year-round residents While every age can enjoy the beaches themselves North Carolina’s coastal towns have various coastal activities that appeal to different age groups which operates the world's largest hang-gliding school and other air the nature-centric Swamp Park offers an aerial park river cruises and other activities that interest people of every age group Similar appeal is found at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City And the area has three aquariums plus excursions to see the descendants of Spanish Colonial mustangs brought here five centuries ago that live wild on coastal dunes Tutell says: “Multi-generational parties can choose from resorts and hotels as well as short-term rental properties that can accommodate everyone in one place." "Travelers who want luxury can find it at The Sanderling and other resorts or reserve an oceanfront mansion,” says Tuttell “Those high-end options are balanced by everything from reliable brand properties like the Beaufort Hotel and the new Trailborn Surf & Sound at Wrightsbille Beach cool indie properties such as Blackbeard's Lodge on Ocracoke Island The 11 Best Beach Towns in South Carolina Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHARKERS ISLAND (WBTV) - Watch out for Man-o-Wars along the beaches of North Carolina Cape Lookout National Seashore officials issued a warning last month regarding the animals The Portuguese Man-o-War is a species of siphonophore According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the animals are rarely deadly to humans; however a sting “packs a painful punch and causes welts on exposed skin.” Man-o-War tentacles may pose a risk to bare feet even after the organism has died contact with the creatures should be avoided if possible Officials at Cape Lookout advised beachgoers not to pop the Man-o-Wars blue float to ensure there’s no unnecessary contact with their tentacles officials urged rinsing the impacted area with plain vinegar The rinse reportedly helps eliminate any stinging cells and alleviate discomfort “Consider packing a small bottle of vinegar in your beach gear for potential first aid use,” a Cape Lookout National Seashore spokesperson wrote