Monthly Archives: November 2021
Shrimp Trawing survives by razor-thin majority vote
MOREHEAD CITY –The nine-member N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission selected its preferred management options for the draft Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment 2 during a November 17, 18 & 19 business meeting in Emerald Isle The goal of the shrimp plan amendment is to further reduce by-catch of non-target species and minimize ecosystem impacts.
During a public comment period Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, a large turnout of commercial fishing proponents (including many from Pamlico County) successfully argued AGAINST proposed regional area closures that would have…
Hundreds protest hospital’s vaccine mandate
NEW BERN – The polite, well-behaved group braved a cold, blustery morning on Tuesday, almost all waving signs chastising Carolina East Medical Center for knuckling under to a federal mandate, despite the controversial decree now being stymied in a federal appeals court.
Protesters gathered on both sides of the road right-of-way, receiving many honks of support from passing motorists.
Healthcare workers recently received notices that vaccinations are no longer optional. Now the official hospital policy is simply – GET THE SHOT. Those employees who refuse, must either resign or th…
Mission Very Possible!
AURORA – Back in October, Chuck Bonner’s vision for Christmas in the Town of Aurora seemed more like the old song, ‘Dream The Impossible Dream.’
Bonner is the Director of Public Works for the town. He operates from a small brick office at the base of the town’s only water tower. His dream? Use the massive structure as the backbone of a huge Christmas Tree simulation for 2021.
The town’s elected officials had given their OK for the daunting task, but had decreed that no taxpayer monies should go toward the project. Bonner’s back-of-the-envelope calculations yielded a figure of $6,000 that would…
Pamlico Community College does it again! Trophy cabinet busting at seams
GRANTSBORO – Pamlico Community College (PCC) during the past three years has become a leader among all community colleges in the nation in rankings for excellence. PCC recently received another distinctive honor – an addition to its growing list of awards.
BestValueSchools.org, a Utah-based education website, ranked PCC as North Carolina’s best community college. PCC is now ranked No. 1 on a list titled “Top 15 Best Community Colleges in North Carolina for 2021.”
PCC has this past academic year earned the extraordinary ranking by WalletHub as America’s No. 1 community college for stu…
BUILD JOHN’S BOAT BACK | Trawler sinks. Man rescued by Coast Guard.
By Kenny Heath
JONES BAY – John Cullember has had a tuff life. After years of struggling, he finally put enough money together to buy a small commercial fishing boat so he could try and make a living. With all his money tied up into buying, repairing and outfitting this boat, a tragedy happened on Tuesday, Nov. 2. He picked the boat up from having the hull repaired, and was driving it back down the Pungo River and started taking on water. There was enough water coming in that the bilge pump couldn’t keep up. His phone was on 4 percent battery. Almost dark, he managed to get thru to the Coast Guard. H…
Massive closures loom | Shrimp Fleet in jeopardy
By Easton Edwards & Jeff Aydelette
EMERALD ISLE – The culprit is Amendment 2 to North Carolina’s Shrimp Fishery Management Plan, which contains proposed closures to areas now worked by the state’s shrimp fleet. The nine-member Marine Fisheries Commission meets Nov. 17, 18, & 19 at the Islander Motel to consider the measure.
These changes, if approved by a majority vote of the board, will close the: ENTIRE WESTERN SIDE OF PAMLICO SOUND, INCLUDING NEUSE RIVER, BAY RIVER, PAMLICO RIVER, WEST BAY, TURNAGAIN BAY, ADAMS CREEK AND ALL TRIBUTARIES LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE AFOREMENTIONED…
Mesic Opens Waterfront Park | Mayor Booker Jones praises all involved
Ten years of hard work culminated Saturday as town leaders and other officials cut the ribbon during a grand opening celebration. The site, on the banks of Vandemere Creek, was once a baptismal location for many area churches. “I was personally baptized right here more than 70 years ago,” chuckled Mayor Booker T. Jones. To visit, take Hwy. 304 to Half Moon Road in Mesic. The first right is Lumber Landing Road – which leads directly to the park. A wide and spacious pier is ideal for fishing. …
Shrimp Trawling At Risk
Huge turnout urged for Nov. 17 meeting
No data exists to support closure of $300 million industry
EMERALD ISLE – The quarterly meeting of the Marine Fisheries Commission will be held here on Nov. 17, 18 & 19. This meeting will decide the future of shrimping in our state for at least the next five years, but the ramifications could last indefinitely.
Special interest groups have pressured the Division of Marine Fisheries to put forth recommendations that would close shrimp trawling in Neuse River, Bay River, Pamlico River, Turnagain Bay, West Bay, and many other areas.
THIS MEANS ALL SH…
