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PHOTOS: Shark, baby alligator caught on camera near NC island pier

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PHOTOS: Shark, baby alligator caught on camera near NC island pier


OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WNCN) — Just as summer begins, some interesting sights in the surf were spotted recently at a North Carolina island south of Wilmington.

Oak Island in Brunswick County is nearly 20 square miles and features all kinds of wildlife.

As the Atlantic Ocean warms up along Oak Island’s 10 miles of beachfront, a shark was accidentally caught in the surf just last week and released.

The shark at Oak Island. Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

Sharks are common sights around the 12-mile long island, where at least one charter operates taking folks out on the ocean to try to catch sharks.

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Last Saturday, a fisherman accidentally hooked an 8-foot lemon shark, a species that is not normally aggressive toward humans.

Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

The shark was caught as the June Strawberry moon could be seen over the fishing pier. After catching the shark in the surf, the fisherman struggled a bit to unhook the fish — finally letting it go.

And around Memorial Day, a rare alligator was caught on video at the same Oak Island pier. The gator — a baby — was spotted in clear shallow water.

Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

Mary Frances Barnes Rodriguez caught the video of the gator swimming and floating along the waves.

Oak Island has warned about sharks in the past — and uses a purple flag on beaches to let beachgoers know about possible threats from sea creatures.

So far, on the North Carolina coast, a 14-year-old boy was bitten by a shark last weekend in North Topsail Beach, north of Wilmington in Onslow County.

The baby gator at Oak Island. Photo courtesy: Mary Frances Rodriguez

Five days before the teen was bitten, there was an initial report of a “shark bite” at Sunset Beach in Brunswick County, near the South Carolina line, according to WWAY-TV. Police at the island later said a man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after he was bitten by a sea creature, but officials could not confirm it was a shark.

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The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

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The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two


The North Carolina Arboretum has announced a new season of “Spring Into the Arb!”

The “Spring Into the Arb!” is in its second year, with its series of plant shows and sales, science and nature activities, music, and art, allowing people to reemerge and reconnect with nature.

The season begins with Nature Play Day on Saturday, March 14, continuing through April, May, and June with new activities every weekend.

TROLLS DRAW LARGE WEEKEND CROWD, FORCING N.C. ARBORETUM TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE

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According to a news release, throughout the season, guests can enjoy the following:

  • Asheville Orchid Festival, annual Ikebana and Rose shows
  • Purchase plants at the Spring Plant Sale and Market
  • Get back to their native roots with Native Azalea Day, Mountain Science Expo, and Nature Play Day

The series culminates with Bonsai in the Blue Ridge in June, according to the release.

The release says guests and members are invited to drop in on the newly-opened Arbor Eatery in the Arboretum’s Education Center, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Hours extend to 5 p.m. beginning April 1.

Spring Into the Arb events and programs are included with the regular Arboretum parking fee of $25 per vehicle. Arboretum Society Members get in free.

NC ARBORETUM MARKS BIRD DAY WITH WALKS, DEMOS AHEAD OF GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

According to the release, additional admission is required for the Asheville Orchid Festival and Bonsai in the Blue Ridge.

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A full list of the Spring Into the Arb 2026 events includes:

  • Nature Play Day: March 14
  • Asheville Orchid Festival: March 28 to 29
  • Music in the Mountains Day: April 4
  • Arbor Day Celebration: April 11
  • Native Azalea Day: April 18
  • Mountain Science Expo: April 25
  • World Bonsai Day: May 9
  • Change of Seasons: Spring into Ikebana: May 16 to 17
  • The Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society Exhibition: May 22 to 24
  • The Arb in Focus: 40 Views for 40 Years: Opening May 23
  • Spring Plant Sale and Market: May 29 to 30
  • Bonsai in the Blue Ridge: June 4 to 7

For more information, visit here.



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Michael Jordan North Carolina “Sports Illustrated” cover sells for record $229k

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Michael Jordan North Carolina “Sports Illustrated” cover sells for record 9k


A copy of Michael Jordan’s 1983 “Sports Illustrated” cover debut sold for $229,360 on Saturday night at Goldin, obliterating the previous record for a graded magazine.

Before Saturday, the previous record was the $126,000 paid for Jordan’s 1984 SI debut in a Bulls uniform entitled “A Star Is Born.”

“Sports Illustrated” magazines are very common and people kept them, but collectors narrowed the category by making rarer newsstand copies most collectible, and graded condition of those copies to narrow the most desirable down further.

Then, in July, came PSA to challenge CGC in the grading space.

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The record UNC Jordan, with teammate Sam Perkins on the cover, was the only PSA 9.6. The question is, with PSA’s grading just beginning, are there others our there?

It’s possible, but that Jordan issue presents a challenge because it has a gatefold that makes it more challenging to press out defects.

The big price will likely create a group of opportunists who will now take raw subscription copies of this issue and get them graded for potential arbitrage.

But it won’t be that easy. A CGC 8.0 newsstand edition sold for $4,636 in October.

Whether the big price also creates more grading and selling of rare magazines remains to be seen, but PSA’s entrance into the space has definitely turned heads.

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PSA has graded more than 50 of this particular issue, the second most commonly graded after the “Star is Born” issue.

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country’s leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.



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End of 2025-26 NC ski season: Resorts announce closing dates

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End of 2025-26 NC ski season: Resorts announce closing dates


Warmer temperatures are bringing North Carolina’s ski season to a close, with several mountain resorts announcing closing dates. Beech Mountain will close after its annual Pond Skim on March 14, while Appalachian Ski Mountain plans to stay open through March 15 for its Meltdown Games.

Web Editor : Mark Bergin
Reporter : Eric Miller

Posted 2026-03-07T23:04:58-0500 – Updated 2026-03-07T23:04:58-0500



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