The Town's Administrative Offices and Community Center will be closed on Monday, September 5, in observance of Labor Day. All other Town departments will continue with their regular schedules to best serve the community.

Regular business hours for the Administrative Offices and the Community Center will resume on Tuesday, September 6.

Join the Town for a retirement reception honoring Artie Dunn, Public Works Director, on Tuesday, September 13. He is retiring this month after 31 years working for the Emerald Isle Public Works Department.

This reception will be held from 5-6 p.m. in the Town Board Meeting Room at 7500 Emerald Drive, before the Board of Commissioners' regular monthly meeting. Light food and refreshments will be available.

You are encouraged to stay for the meeting as the Board recognizes his longstanding dedication and service to the Town.

Mark your calendars for the 16th Annual Day4Kids on Saturday, September 10th at the Emerald Isle Community Center!

This free event runs from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. Day4Kids brings adults and children of all ages together for a fun-filled day of vendors, activities, games, music, dancing and more!

The first 100 kids receive a free tote bag. Some of the attractions and activities this year include DJ Mad Fiddler, inflatable rides, a temporary tattoo station, Sparky from the Emerald Isle Fire Department, The Emerald Isle Sea Turtle Patrol's mascot, art stations, photo booth, a U.S. Coast Guard boat, an Emerald Isle Fire Truck and more! There will also be hot dogs, drinks and cotton candy at this event.

There will be several vendors giving away gifts and information. This event is completely free to the public. For more information on the event or how to become a vendor or volunteer visit www.emeraldisle-nc.org or contact Drew Conekin at 252-354-6350 or dconekin@emeraldisle-nc.org.

The Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament takes place on Saturday, September 17, with proceeds going toward scholarships for area students pursuing a degree in Marine Sciences and Technologies. There are a variety of categories, including surf, boat and junior divisions, and great prizes for the winners.

In addition to the fishing tournament on September 17, everyone is invited to the public auction and barbecue dinner at The Islander on Friday, September 16.

Special thanks to the Crystal Coast Tourism Development Authority, Tractor Country, Jason Holland Mortgage Lending Team, the Reel Outdoors, and Goose Creek Marine for sponsoring this event.

You can find information and register for the Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament on their website.

Visit the Emerald Isle Fishing Tournament's Facebook page for updates and giveaways.

The Beach Music Festival returns on Saturday, September 24, 2022!

Join us at the Western Ocean Regional Access from 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. for this popular music festival. The Town of Emerald Isle is excited to continue the iconic Emerald Isle event and we hope everyone will join us! This day includes Free admission, food trucks with delicious options for sale and great music. Emerald Isle Beach Music Festival t-shirts will be on sale.

This year, Too Much Sylvia, Chairman of the Board, The Embers and the TAMS will be playing.

Entertainment schedule:

Featuring MC, Sammy O’Bannian

No tents or umbrellas permitted within 100 feet of the stage. Beer and wine is permitted on the beach strand only (21+ years of age) but is prohibited in all areas of the Western Ocean Regional Access, including the restrooms, volleyball courts, parking areas, etc. Liquor is prohibited. No beer or wine will be sold on-site.

Parking will be permitted along the grassy Highway 58 right-of-way. Only handicapped parking will be available at the Western Ocean Regional Access.

To sponsor this event, contact Candace Dooley, Parks and Recreation Director,

at cdooley@emeraldisle-nc.org, or call 252-354-6350 for more details.

Thank you to UPP Global for being a sponsor of this year's event!

Beach driving permit applications for the 2022-23 season are currently available online at www.emeraldisle-nc.org, or in person at the Police Department, at 7500 Emerald Drive.

You will receive an email alerting you when your permit is ready to be picked up at the EIPD. For those who applied during the month of August, you should have received an email reminding you to pick up your permit after September 1.

The official beach driving season begins on Thursday, September 15th.

Please note, the traffic pattern has changed this year when accessing the beach strand at the Point. Drivers should respect the roped off areas and follow the traffic flow. The new ingress and egress also applies to foot traffic.

Watch the video below for information on the beach driving application process.

The Emerald Isle Fire Department is selling cancer awareness t-shirts online, with proceeds benefiting the Little Pink Houses of Hope. This organization gives a week-long vacation to breast cancer patients and their families. This year, ten families were able to enjoy a vacation in Emerald Isle through Little Pink Houses of Hope.

The t-shirts come in both unisex and ladies' cut styles, at $23 apiece, plus shipping. The unisex shirts come in youth and adult sizes, and feature the Little Pink Houses of Hope logo on the shoulder.

These shirts are only sold through the online store and will be shipped directly to the purchaser in October. Please note, these shirts will not be sold onsite at the Emerald Isle Fire Department stations or at the Town Administrative Offices.

T-shirt sales will continue through October 31. Order by September 11 to have your shirt shipped the first week of October, which is breast cancer awareness month.

Paid parking continues through September 15, and two free passes are available for Emerald Isle taxpayers. The Town's paid parking is at the Eastern and Western Ocean Regional accesses.

You can find information on our paid parking passes for Emerald Isle residents and other select groups on our website.

Paid parking range from $2-$4 per hour, with a maximum amount paid up to four hours. If you stay longer than this, you will only pay the four-hour price.

Emerald Isle's Ocean Rescue Lifeguards will remain on duty along our 12 miles of beach strand through the end of September.

This summer, the Emerald Isle Fire Department employed 20 USLA- (United States Lifesaving Association) certified lifeguards that are based in our lifeguard towers at the Eastern and Western Ocean Regional accesses, as well as in the red Jeeps roaming the beach strand to best serve our residents and visitors.

Join us in thanking this hardworking team for all they have done on the beach strand since April 1!

Applications for 2023 Ocean Rescue Lifeguards will be available by the end of this year.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs through November, and the best time to prepare is before a named storm. Statistically speaking, September is the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

On August 10, the National Weather Service - Newport/Morehead City office, presented a community hurricane forum in the Town Board Meeting Room. You can watch the recording of this hurricane forum here.

If you are an Emerald Isle resident or property owner and do not have a disaster re-entry permit, now is the time to apply for one. You can view details on our website. Property owners should check now to ensure they have their disaster re-entry permit, and apply for one through the Police Department if they do not have one. You will be required to provide proof of residency as part of this application.

In addition, make sure your hurricane kit is fully stocked and your property is ready in the event a storm comes to North Carolina.

You can find a comprehensive emergency preparedness list and other important information on our website.

There are three primary ADA-compliant beach accesses maintained by the Town:

Did you know, the Town of Emerald Isle has 12 wheelchairs designed to be utilized on the beach strand?

These wheelchairs are first-come, first-serve through the Emerald Isle Fire Department Station 1, at 7516 Emerald Drive. They can be picked up after 8 a.m. each day, and must be returned by 7 p.m.

You can find out additional information on the beach wheelchair program on our website, or by calling the Fire Department at 252-354-2445.

The 8th Annual Emerald Isle Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K is slated for Saturday, October 22, and registration is now open for participants and volunteers.

Late October is beautiful in Emerald Isle, with average temperatures ranging from 45-55 degrees during race hours. This is a Boston Marathon-qualifying event, with a wonderful course.

You can register to participate in any of the three races through this link.

If you have any questions, please email emeraldislerun@gmail.com. Due to the high volume of communication, please allow 10-12 days for a response. Click here to visit the Marathon's official website for details and to register for any of the three races.

Emerald Isle EMS provides for special medical care and/or help evacuating during disasters, including hurricanes, to those who are registered under the Medically Fragile List.

It is important to note that this form should be completed and submitted to Emerald Isle EMS well in advance of impending disasters. If you or your family member are not already on this list, please take the time today to register.

Contact Emerald Isle EMS at 252-354-2249 if you have additional questions, or would like to register with the Medically Fragile list.

Please note, this registration service was previously handled through Carteret County Emergency Services. If you previously signed up through the County, you will need to register with Emerald Isle EMS.

The Town of Emerald Isle is offering a subscription program to help offset the cost of an ambulance transport. This optional annual subscription of $50 covers the direct costs of ambulance services not paid by your insurance. The $50 covers two people: the head of household, along with one other person. You may include others living in the household for an additional $10 each. Your subscription begins two days after receipt of application, payment, and acceptance by the Town of Emerald Isle's Fire/EMS Department and expires on June 30th, 2023. There will be no refunds for cancelled or forfeited memberships.

Memberships will transfer, and provide identical coverage protection, once the Fire/EMS departments merge in 2023. Sign up today for this service.

Please note, any subscriptions done prior to June 30 have expired. This program runs with the fiscal year.

You can register online for the subscription program or call the EMS Department at 252-354-2249 to complete the information over the phone.

The towns of Emerald Isle, Indian Beach, Pine Knoll Shores and Atlantic Beach want you to ensure you know what the unified beach warning flag system stands for along Bogue Banks. This collaborative video explains the flag colors and what each one represents.

In addition, a video was created highlighting important rip current safety information. Both of these videos can be found predominately featured on the Town's website and social media pages.

You can find more official beach safety information on the Town of Emerald Isle website, and through the free Emerald Isle, NC app.

Thank you to our Bogue Banks neighbors for partnering with us in this safety messaging. Help us spread the word!

The Town of Emerald Isle is seeking great individuals to fill two full time positions, and various part-time positions. Would you, or someone you know, be a fit for our team? You can find full details and apply online for the following roles:

The Town of Emerald Isle has a number of official online platforms you can use to stay connected to the latest news, upcoming events, the Parks and Recreation monthly calendars, our live beach and traffic cameras, and more.

You can also view the monthly Board of Commissioners meetings, which are live streamed on our Facebook page. These meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.

Follow us on the following platforms:

On Fridays we share pictures from the community - and we need your help. Send your best Emerald Isle pictures to Anna Smith, Town Clerk/Public Information Officer, at asmith@emeraldisle-nc.org for consideration. Please include "Friday Features" in the subject line, and the name of the photographer. You can also use #EmeraldIsleNC in your Instagram photos.

The Carteret County Tax Office has not yet released the 2022 Tax Bills, which includes bills for Emerald Isle property owners. There is not an anticipated mailing date at this time, but stay tuned to our official website and social media channels for an update once one is available.

If you have questions, please contact the Carteret County Tax Office at 252-728-8485, or visit their website at https://carteretcountytax.com.

The Coastal Environmental Partnership will hold its next Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Event on Saturday, September 24, from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. This will be held at the Carteret County Health Department at 3820 Bridges Street, Morehead City.

Additional details can be found on the flyer, or you call 252-633-1564 or email Bobbi@crswma.com for more information.

CCEC members will see credit on September bill

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative's Board of Directors has approved returning $3.51 million in margins to current and former members. The retired margins, or capital credits, are for the years 1996 - 2021. Current members will receive a credit on their September bill. Former members will receive a check in the mail.

When you pay your bill each month, you are contributing to the equity, or your share of ownership, of CCEC. When capital credits are retired, a portion of that money is returned to you based on your years with the co-op and your annual energy use.

Unlike an investor-owned company where stockholders receive dividends, CCEC and other electric co-ops operate at cost. We maintain a portion of capital credits to help keep rates affordable by reducing the amount of funds we borrow to maintain and grow our electric distribution system.

Go to ccemc.com/CapitalCredits to learn more about capital credits and view a list of unclaimed cash from past retirements.

BBWC customers with cellular endpoints, please be sure to download and register on the eyeonwater app and set up your leak alerts to ensure quick notification in case of a leak.

For instructions on setting leak alerts please visit our website boguebankswater.com or contact our office. If you do not have a cellular endpoint but would like to have one installed at a low cost of $40, please visit the BBWC website and fill out the cellular endpoint order form located under forms and reports.

If you have any questions, please contact our office 252-354-3307. Thank you!

As of this writing, over half of our 30 sea turtle nests have hatched. At the beginning of the season we had several disappointing nests where many of the eggs didn’t progress to hatchlings. The failures could be due to new and inexperienced female turtles, issues rain related or the effects of temperature. Initially, our nest success percentage wasn’t as high as we’d like it to be. As the season progressed, happily, the nest success rate has increased. We’ve had several nests boil, which is exciting to see and brings up our percentage rates. Our current nest success rate is 78.2 percent.

Lately we’ve had several nests that boiled. Seeing a nest boil is one of the most incredible sights you’ll ever see. Hatchlings climb all over each other to get out of the nest. Meanwhile, other hatchlings are pushing their way up and out of the sand from beneath the scurrying hatchlings above them. It is a wonderfully frantic sight to see.

Dedicated volunteers, zone coordinators, NRTS and visitors continue to sit at nests most evenings. Some nights the nests are quiet. Some nights are frustrating as a lone hatchling takes an extremely long time to emerge from the nest (perhaps stopping for a nap before he/she gets all the way out of the nest), and then just meander down the trench to the ocean. Once a single hatchling emerges, nest sitters usually remain for a while making sure other hatchlings don’t straggle out as well. Even then, we will often find tracks the next morning where hatchlings emerged after the volunteers all left!

If you remember, our awesome volunteers walk daily from May 1 until August 31.

By the time this article is posted, the 2022 walking part of the season will probably be over. Please remember though - even when beach driving begins, there will still be nests on our beach! We ask you to keep an eye out for stakes, tape and numbered posts that mark that a nest is present and must be protected. We’ll still have EISTP volunteers and visitors sitting at nests (yes, sometimes even throughout the daytime if a nest is active)...so please beware of their safety!

Even after our season ends, our Facebook page, Emerald Isle Sea Turtle Patrol, will continue to be active and frequently updated. You can get your winter and early spring information there. Additionally, you can visit emeraldisleseaturtlepatrol.org for information as well. Our thanks to Dale Baquer and Wanda Verreault for monitoring these sites.

Always remember, when leaving the beach, only your footprints should remain on the sand! These little creatures need a clean beach to make that important trip into the ocean!

This conservation work for sea turtles in Emerald Isle is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 22 ST13)

Friends of Western Carteret Library needs you!

Calling all volunteers! Do you love to read, love to support your local library? We are a dynamic group looking to recruit new members to serve on our executive board as well as committee chairs and members.

We host fundraisers, run the Second Chances Bookstore, have our own book club and support our wonderful Western Carteret Library by hosting local authors whenever we can among other activities and events.

The Friends will host local author Thomas Kies on Saturday, September 17, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. to discuss his new book, Whisper Room. You can find additional information on this event here.

Please contact Tina Siegel, our current president, at tsiegel@ec.rr.com or 910-340-8700. We would love to have you join our dedicated group!