The Dare County Board of Commissioners will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Monday, August 4, 2025 at 9 a.m. The meeting will take place in the commissioners meeting room, which is adjacent to the Dare County Administration Building located at 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo.

The agenda packet for the August 4, 2025 meeting can be accessed online at DareNC.gov/BOC or by clicking here. 

Dare County invites members of the public to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house event on Monday, August 4, 2025 beginning at 3 p.m. to celebrate the recent completion and official grand opening of the new building located at 4904 N. Croatan Highway in Kitty Hawk that will serve as Dare County EMS Station 9. The event is free and open to the public. 

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, an open house will be held until 6:30 p.m., providing members of the community with the opportunity to tour the new facility. In addition to tours, the open house will also feature ambulance displays, “Stop the Bleed” training, “Hands Only” CPR training, free blood pressure checks, and various educational handouts and children’s activities provided by Dare County EMS personnel. Light refreshments will also be served.

The newly constructed facility in Kitty Hawk is the fifth Dare County EMS station to be completed during Dare County’s multiphase project through which outdated EMS facilities are being modernized to better serve the residents and visitors of our community. Dare County EMS Station 8 in Manns Harbor was completed earlier this summer, and a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house event to celebrate its official opening was held on Monday, July 14, 2025. For more detailed information about these projects, click the button below.

Two hurricane community forums will be held in Dare County on Thursday, August 14, 2025.

It’s hurricane season, and Dare County Emergency Management has partnered with the National Weather Service at Newport/Morehead City, N.C. to host two free community forums about tropical weather and hurricane preparedness on Thursday, August 14, 2025 to help residents and property owners be better prepared for potential storms.

Join Dare County on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 as we celebrate the 86th anniversary of National Aviation Day! Presented by the First Flight Society, this free and family friendly aviation-themed celebration for all ages will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dare County Regional Airport, which is located at 410 Airport Road in Manteo. 

Established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939, National Aviation Day celebrates the development of aviation and is held annually on August 19—the birthday of Orville Wright, whose younger sister, Katharine Wright, coincidentally shares the same date of birth. Katharine Wright’s strong character, practical advice and unwavering support for the endeavors of her older brothers—Orville and Wilbur—to achieve flight played an immense and essential role in their ultimate success in achieving the world’s first powered flight on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 

National Aviation Day 2025 will feature a wide array of programs, activities and presentations centered around aviation, including aircraft displays, a variety of vendor booths and exhibitors, a scavenger hunt for the kids, food trucks and a food drive supporting the public’s donations of money or nonperishable food items for the local Beach Food Panty. Admission and parking are free for the National Aviation Day event, and members of the public from throughout the Dare County community and beyond are encouraged to attend! 

Stop by Dare County Government’s booth at the Dare County Regional Airport event on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 to learn more about the many programs and services offered by the county and to chat with local officials and county staff members. For more detailed information about National Aviation Day 2025—including a complete list of exhibitors and planned activities—please visit NationalAviationDay.org or click the button below. 

Registration is now open for the annual Dare to Scare 5K & Sweet Treat Fun Run event that will be held at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center in Manteo on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The Dare to Scare 5K will begin at 8 a.m. and the Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m. 

The starting line for the 5K will be at the Coastal Studies Institute, which is located at 850 N.C. Highway 345 in Wanchese, and the finish line will be at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center, which is located at 950 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo. The Fun Run will take place at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center. 

The Dare to Scare 5K is unique as it leads runners and walkers on a scenic trail through parts of Wanchese and Manteo. Participants are encouraged to dress in their Halloween best at the race for a chance to win a prize. Prizes will also be awarded to the top three male and top three female race finishers and individuals who participate in the costume contest. Pre-race activities will be held at the Coastal Studies Institute for runners and walkers to participate in prior to enjoying the course. 

This event will benefit the annual Virginia S. Tillett Community Center Toy Drive that takes place every December. The race is being held in collaboration with the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center, the Coastal Studies Institute, OBX Go Far and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

Registration will remain open through the day of the race (Saturday, October 25, 2025). Volunteers and sponsors are also needed for the event. For more information or to register, please click the button below or call the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center at 252-475-9270.

The Dare County Library is pleased to announce the recent launch of its new Instagram account, which offers residents and visitors a fun, informative and visually engaging way to stay connected with all things Dare County Library-related.

Serving the needs of a geographically diverse community, the Dare County Library operates three branches—located in Manteo, Hatteras and Kill Devil Hills—that work together to empower members of our coastal community with knowledge, resources and connection. With this new Instagram presence, the Dare County Library is expanding its outreach to continue to keep patrons informed, engaged and inspired about its wide variety of programs, events and offerings—regardless of where they are located in Dare County!

The Instagram account (@DareCountyLibrary) aligns with the library’s mission to support citizens of all ages by offering materials and services that meet their educational and recreational interests while also fostering independent learning and literacy. Followers of the Dare County Library’s new Instagram account can expect to find the following information—and much more:

• Program and Event Updates – from scheduled annual Summer Reading Program activities to virtual author talks, storytimes, book clubs, knit nights, pop-ups and branch-specific happenings for children and adults.
• New Resources and Services – including unique offerings like “Mystery Book Bags” for kids and the “Library of Things,” which includes items like litter cleanup kits and telescope kits that are available for checkout, as well as home visit appointments and the ongoing adult speaker series.  
• Time-Sensitive Announcements – such as changes to Dare County Library location hours or temporary closures due to holidays, inclement weather or other unexpected events.
• Interactive Community Engagement – featuring opportunities to give feedback and invitations to explore everything the Dare County Library’s three branches have to offer.

Whether you’re a long-time patron or new to learning everything the Dare County Library provides for the community, following the new account on Instagram is a great way to stay connected and discover something new! To follow the Dare County Library on Instagram, click the button below.

Dare County has released a new video designed to inform residents and visitors about the beach warning flag system used by ocean rescue agencies in Dare County. The flag system provides consistency across coastal communities on the Outer Banks, helping beachgoers better understand and respond to ocean conditions—no matter which beach they’re visiting in Dare County. 

The brief, engaging video explains each of the flags used in the system, making it easier for visitors and locals alike to recognize potential hazards while enjoying our beautiful beaches from Duck to Hatteras Village. Beach warning flags are used from Memorial Day through mid-October. 

Every morning during this peak season, local lifeguard supervisors collaborate with Dare County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service’s rip current forecasting group to evaluate ocean conditions and determine the appropriate flag for the day. These flags are then prominently displayed at public beach access points throughout Dare County.

Whether you’re a long-time resident or first-time visitor, knowing what each flag means is an essential part of staying safe at the beach. To view the video on Dare County’s YouTube channel, please visit YouTube.com/DareCounty or click the button below.

Yellow = Medium hazard

Moderate surf and/or currents are present. Weak swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. For others, enhanced care and caution should be exercised.

Sweet, resilient and full of love, Chloe is a beautiful 5-year-old girl who has been in the care of the Outer Banks SPCA for some time; however, she was lucky enough to spend about a year in a loving foster home, where she truly blossomed and got the chance to experience what it’s like to be part of a family.

Although her foster home situation has sadly come to an end and Chloe is back at the shelter until she finds a forever home, she's making great progress! She walks wonderfully on a leash, adores going for car rides and can't get enough belly rubs—especially while rolling joyfully in the grass!

Chloe would do best as the only dog in the home, but with slow and proper introductions, she has peacefully coexisted with a cat in the past. This special girl has so much love to give and is just waiting for her second chance at a forever home. Could that be with you?

Stop by the Outer Banks SPCA (which is located within the Dare County Animal Shelter at 378 Airport Road in Manteo) anytime during the hours listed below for a meet and greet! Be sure to also check out this video about Chloe that was produced by Current TV!

Outer Banks SPCA Adoption Hours:

Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for naptime)

For more information, please visit OBXSPCA.org or contact the Outer Banks SPCA at 252-475-5620.