Carolina Beach town council members unanimously voted to bring the popular rides back to the beach for the summer. This year, it will be even bigger, with a second area nearby filled with more rides.
The rides should open around Memorial Day and officials are excited about the boost the park brings to the area...
Owner Bobby Nivens started working at Britt's Donuts in the 1950s and has been the owner for 36 years, though the shop has been in business for 76 years.In 2008, MSN City Guide ranked the donut shop as the second best doughnut in the nation.
At Carolina Beach, Rachanee Wechamongkolgorn and husband “Jackie” Bongkotmanee on April 1 transport their native Thai cuisine to Ida, at the previous Beach Dogs (304 N. Lake Park Blvd.).
Around the same time, Chef Danielle Cousler, formerly of Michael’s Seafood Restaurant, and husband, Jeff, reintroduce Black Horn (15 Carolina Beach Ave. North) with a cozy bistro feel, wine bar and “Southwestern Latin fusion” menu. The couple also owns Wilmington’s Thyme Savor Personal Chef and Catering.
Courtyard by Marriott (100 Charlotte Ave.) is shaping Courtyard Bistro. Starbucks coffee and more sandwiches, soups and salads will be served in a redecorated lobby dining area.
And despite the “for lease” sign out front, Tuscan Grill (720 North Lake Park Blvd.) is open. The banner refers to other units on the property.
At its Tuesday meeting, the town council gave preliminary approval to Michael Oliver's Revolution Evolution of Love Music Festival.
Oliver, who said he has nearly five years of experience planning similar festivals in Ohio, proposed a weekend-long festival at the north end of the park to raise money for the Carolina Beach lifeguard program. The festival will be free, he said, but accept donations. It will also feature paid vendors to help offset the costs of insurance, generators and other expenses.
It will feature local bands such as reggae, folk, bluegrass, classic rock and jam bands, Oliver said.
Town Manager Tim Owens questioned whether food vendors could get the necessary health approvals, given that they would need places for employees to wash their hands and other requirements. He also had concerns about the need for extra police and portable toilets. He suggested that if the council approves the festival, that it be held in May instead of April to avoid a possible conflict with beach nourishment (emphasis mine).
The board voted unanimously to approve the festival with some changes to be worked out between Oliver, Owens and Younginer to address the board's concerns.
If this is your "thang," you will easily be able to enjoy the music from the porch of Our Beach Place. Now it's up to you to book the available weekend -- whenever that is!
A state law went into effect on Jan. 2 that banned smoking in bars and restaurants. It also allows municipalities to enact their own stricter bans.
Alderman Bill Sisson said he has been on numerous beach sweeps picking up litter, and it's impossible to pick up all the cigarette butts in just a one-block area. "The turtle people would love (a smoking ban)," he added, referring to the harm that cigarette toxins left in the sand can do to wildlife, in addition to the litter problem. ...
Alderwoman Lisa Weeks said a smoking ban would discourage smokers. "If we can deter half the people from smoking," she said, the effort would be worthwhile.Cignotti said that a public hearing should be set on the topic.
If family-friendly Wrightsville Beach passed a smoking ban for the strand, it would be the first beach town in North Carolina with such a policy, although Sally Malek, a tobacco coordinator with the N.C. Division of Public Health, said that Buncombe County has banned smoking on all county-owned property, including parks.
Surfside City in South Carolina has a beach smoking ban, according to Erin Morrissette, the tobacco prevention coordinator for New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties. ...
Raleigh was looking into a smoking ban in parks at one point as well.
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