Boat builders on the Outer Banks say they're losing millions of dollars worth of business as the Oregon Inlet remains closed. The water there has been too shallow to allow vessels through since November. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it can not afford the $17 million it needs to dredge the inlet. Some business owners told Dare County Commissioners this week they might relocate if the inlet remains impassible. John Bayliss owns a boat building company in Wanchese.
Three Marines at Camp Lejeune have been awarded the Air Medal for successfully carrying out a rescue mission in Libya. Military officials awarded the distinguished medals yesterday to Capt. Erik Kolle, Staff Sgt. David Potter, and Sgt. Daniel Howington. The three men rescued a downed pilot near Benghazi during the Libyan civil war in March of 2011. First Lieutenant Robert Martins says the crew traveled 150 miles in less than an hour to rendezvous with the pilot.
Monday is the final day for victims of Hurricane Sandy on the Outer Banks to apply for disaster loans. The Small Business Administration is accepting damage claims until the end of the day from Dare, Currituck, Tyrrell and Hyde Counties. Business and home owners are eligible for up to $200,000 to replace damaged real estate or $40,000 for personal property. Dare County Emergency Management Director Nathaniel Sanderson says the Outer Banks avoided the kind of damage the storm brought to the Northeast in October.
Preservation groups in Raleigh say the city should protect the historic buildings on the Dorothea Dix Hospital campus. The city council plans to convert the property into a public park. The state leased the land to Raleigh last month for $68 million over 75 years. But the Raleigh City Council has yet to create a master plan for the future park. Myrick Howard is the president of Preservation North Carolina:
Pat McCrory holds his first cabinet meeting today after becoming the 74th governor of North Carolina. McCrory took the oath of office over the weekend from Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court Sarah Parker. McCrory received a state seal from Bev Perdue that is handed to each governor when he or she takes office.
Governor-elect Pat McCrory has filled the remaining seats in his cabinet. McCrory announced this morning his cabinet will include former Wake County Schools superintendent Tony Tata as Secretary of Transportation. The school board voted to remove Tata from his superintendent position in September. McCrory also appointed Sharon Decker, a former vice president at Duke Energy, as Secretary of Commerce. UNC Board of Governors member Bill Daughtridge will serve as Secretary of Administration.
The Catholic Diocese of Raleigh is buying 42 massive stained glass windows for a future cathedral. The church plans to build the Holy Name of Jesus cathedral on 35 acres of land on Western Boulevard. Crews are removing the 85-year-old windows from a church in Philadelphia that closed down in October. Raleigh Diocese Bishop Michael Burbidge grew up in Philadelphia and became interested in the windows when he heard the church was closing. Monsignor David Brockman says the windows show major events in the life of Jesus.
Governor-elect Pat McCrory has announced three more additions to his cabinet. McCrory said this morning he will appoint Winston-Salem businessman Lyons Gray to serve as his Secretary of Revenue. Former Salisbury mayor Susan Kluttz will be McCrory's Secretary of Cultural Resources. And Raleigh defense attorney Kieran Shanahan will be Secretary of Public Safety. McCrory says he has three more cabinet positions to fill before his inauguration next month.
North Carolina's members of the House are back in Washington this week as Speaker John Boehner and President Obama try to work out a budget deal before the end of the year. The two leaders are trying to come to an agreement before automatic tax hikes and spending cuts go into effect in January. Republican Representative Howard Coble of Greensboro says Washington should consider cuts or reform for certain entitlement programs.
Dredging crews are set to survey the Oregon Inlet again this morning after they suspended operations due to shallow waters. Officials with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers say strong winds brought more sand into the inlet last week. That prevents crews from using their side-casting dredge. Bob Sattin is the cheif operator for the Army Corps of Engineers in Wilmington:
