Category: News
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2019 Fire in Surf City Destroys 7 Houses
On Sunday, September 29, 2019, a fire broke out in Surf City. The fire quickly spread, destroying 7 homes. Thankfully, there were no injuries or fatalities. Most of the houses were vacation homes, however, one home belonged to the Schiefelbein Family. There’s a GoFundMe in place for anyone who would like to donate to them.…
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Topsail Island is Back Open after Hurricane Dorian
As of September 6, 2019, the mandatory evacuation has been lifted and visitors are once again free to enter Topsail Island. The Town of Surf City’s silence after Hurricane Florence was deafening and sent nearly everyone into a total outrage which included actual threats of violence. However, this time around, the Town of Surf City…
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Topsail Island: State of Emergency Hurricane Dorian
On August 31, 2019, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued a Declaration of a State of Emergency for the State of North Carolina due to the potential impact of Hurricane Dorian, expected to begin impacting North Carolina on September 4, 2019. Here’s a link to the original PDF file which states the below: August 31,…
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Alligators on Topsail Island?
It is very rare, but alligators do venture out of the marshy areas of Topsail Island and onto the beach and into the surf. On June 1, 2019, multiple alligators were seen on North Topsail Beach. JoAnn Groeger added this picture to Facebook: A gator was spotted in September 2018 at Oak Island, NC. Yes,…
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Getting a Refund for a Vacation Rental After Hurricane Florence
In September 2018 I wrote about tenants being legally eligible for refunds after Hurricane Florence (if you’re attempting to get a refund, visit that page also). I knew there was a problem after hearing from multiple people who were burned, so in October I wrote about Topsail Island realty agencies denying refunds to tenants. Despite…
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Surf City Beach Renourishment Set for 2020
The beach in Surf City is missing! It’s there, it’s just – not what it used to be. Oceanfront homes are unprotected. When the wind is up, water practically hits the driveway. There’s a good 2 – 3 feet of sand missing, and still lots of debris on the beach. Town of Surf City is…
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Iconic Surf City Swing Bridge Pieces Not Available to Public But You Can Still Get Art
I’ve been driving across the iconic Surf City Swing Bridge for 15 years. While it’s not nearly as long or as often as some people who live on the island full time, I sure will miss the sound of my tires on the bridge making the whirring sound and ker-thunk ker-thunk as I drove across…
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Donate Your 2018 Christmas Trees to Topsail Island’s Dunes
If you’re reading this you probably know that Hurricane Florence blew the dunes away on Topsail Island. While Surf City was repairing dunes in November 2018, much work remains yet to be done. WCTI reports that North Topsail needs your Christmas Trees. Please don’t throw them out or burn them! Please see their article for…
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FEMA Fail: Sand Has Yet To Be Restored to Topsail Beaches in December 2018
On November 27, 2018, I stood on the beach in awe, realizing that there’s 2, 3 or 4 FEET of sand missing from the beach in Surf City *STILL*. Update 2019: The beach will be renourished! FEMA pulled through. Here’s a pic of some people fishing. As you can see, there’s like… no beach… And…
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Insurance Checks Arriving to Surf City NC Homeowners After Hurricane Florence
Today I spoke to the owner of a property that I manage and two of the neighbors. Everyone received their insurance check just before Thanksgiving, around November 20, 2018. I’m not sure which insurer they were using. One guy said his insurance company was very nice. They sent him his check out, and he called…