North Carolina

State officials: No NC recreational flounder season in 2024

Published

12 months ago

May 23, 2024

State officials: No NC recreational flounder season in 2024

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries announced the recreational flounder season will not open this year “in order to preserve the southern flounder resource.”

Citing continuing pressures on the fishery, state officials announced Thursday that there will be no recreational flounder season in 2024.

The move comes after years of smaller and smaller windows for recreational fishermen to catch the popular fish, culminating in last year’s short two-week harvest window.

But officials said even that short fishing period was too much for the already depleted flounder fishery.

“Estimates from 2023 indicate the recreational catch exceeded the quota allowed under a stock rebuilding plan that was included in Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and adopted by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission,” stated a release from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

Under current rules, exceeding a quota in one year means the following year’s allowable catch number must be reduced by the amount that exceeded the limit.

“After subtracting the recreational overage from 2023, the recreational quota remaining for 2024 is not large enough to allow for a season opening. The leftover quota will be used to account for the anticipated dead discards that will occur due to incidental catch and release,” states the release.

“The commission discussed holding a special meeting to consider alternatives to not holding a 2024 recreational season but ultimately did not move forward with that approach.”

The state’s move on Thursday continues a series of steps that regulators hope will help the struggling fishery rebound, although the moves have frustrated local anglers who never had to deal with a closed flounder season until 2019 and watch neighboring states adopt much less stringent rules.

NEW RULES COMING: Catch a flounder or red drum? NC recreational fishermen will soon have to report it

Among the responses to the restrictions on the fishery, which many recreational fishermen see as heavy handed, has been a lawsuit filed by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina alleging the state has mismanaged its coastal fisheries, including flounder.

Pressures on the flounder fishery have been growing for decades, with recreational fishermen and commercial fishermen blaming each other for depleting near-shore flounder populations.

Climate change is another concern among scientists, with warming sea temperatures potentially impacting the sex ratio of the fishery. Since juvenile flounders hang out in shallow, inland estuary waters, warmer water temperatures likely trigger more of the fish to be male. That also could be a growing problem because female flounders grow bigger than males, and thus are more highly sought than the smaller males.

For the past two years, recreational fishermen have caught more flounder than allowed under the recreational quota approved by the marine fisheries commission in the N.C. Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3. The amendment, adopted in May 2022, called for a 72% reduction in the southern flounder harvest, with both commercial and recreational fisheries seeing dramatic cuts.

Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.

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North Carolina

How NC Black Man Got Into a Battle With a Coyote and Won

Published

7 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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How NC Black Man Got Into a Battle With a Coyote and Won

A North Carolina man is still recovering after a fight with a wild animal almost cost him his life. Now, James Pulliam is telling the unbelievable true story of how he survived the brutal attack.

Scary On-Air Incident During News Broadcast Finally Explained

It all started on Friday (May 16) when Pulliam was smoking outside of his home in Roxboro, N.C. According to him, everything was normal until he started to feel like something was watching him. “I just felt like he was hunting me or something,” Pulliam told The News and Observer.

Neighbors in the area said they heard and even seen coyotes occasionally but never up close. That is until Pulliam came face to face with one on that faithful Friday evening. The coyote soon launched its attack on the man, and chaos ensued.

“He jumped on me and I caught him in the air, he was biting me, and so when I threw him down and I’m trying to slide out of the way, he just kept coming,” Pulliam said. That’s when he tried to kick the coyote away, but then he tripped and fell. He tried yelling, but no one came to his rescue. It was at that moment that Pulliam said he realized he was in a fight for his life.

With adrenaline kicking in and survival instincts coming forth, Pulliam made a decision. “I had to rip my left hand out of his mouth, and when I got my left hand out, I just choked him all the way till the police got there,” he recalled.

That’s right…Pulliam had the wild animal in a head lock until the cops came, which took approximately 10 minutes. “I just grabbed [him] by the throat,” he said. “I was on top of him and put my knee in his throat. And I ain’t let go. I had my hand on his throat and my knee on his throat.”

Eventually, the victor was taken to the hospital to treat his injuries. “They took X-rays and then gave me rabies shots that hurt worse than the attack,” Pulliam said. Now, he’s a legend in his town. “People aren’t going to believe it, though, they’re going to think I’m lying,” he joked.

Pulliam, who is now wearing a cast on his arm with cuts, scratches and bites on the rest of his body, has the battle scars to prove his victory. The coyote, which died as a result to Pulliam’s head lock, is being tested for diseases by the Person County Animal Services, according to the New York Post.

Wildlife experts advise people to make loud noises and wave their arms to scare away a coyote if ever faced with a situation like Pulliam’s.

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North Carolina

NC Lottery Lucky For Life, Pick 3 Day results for May 18, 2025

Published

24 hours ago

May 19, 2025

Press Room

The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, May 18, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 18 drawing

01-03-04-18-30, Lucky Ball: 08

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 3-7-9, Fireball: 2

Evening: 2-9-5, Fireball: 6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 7-5-8-9, Fireball: 8

Evening: 2-8-4-0, Fireball: 0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from May 18 drawing

03-13-32-39-42

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Double Play numbers from May 18 drawing

03-11-12-22-33

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.

For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:

Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.

When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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North Carolina

Survey: What are NC’s lesser-known treasures? Help us find the state’s hidden gems

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2025

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Survey: What are NC’s lesser-known treasures? Help us find the state’s hidden gems

North Carolina is an explorer’s dream, with a landscape that stretches from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Atlantic coast. Whether you’re into hiking through pine forests, relaxing on the beach, exploring historic towns or sampling classic Southern food, there’s something here for everyone.

It’s no surprise that places like the Biltmore Estate, the Outer Banks and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are featured in most North Carolina travel lists. With so many postcard-worthy spots across the state, it’s easy to miss the quieter, obscure destinations that make North Carolina unique.

That’s where you come in.

The Fayetteville Observer wants to know: What are the lesser-known treasures everyone should visit in North Carolina? Maybe it’s a small town with big charm, a trail you’ve hiked a dozen times, a hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint or a swimming hole that only locals know about. Survey responses will be collected for a follow-up look at the most worthwhile places to visit across the state, according to readers.