No one disputes visiting the Outer Banks is wonderful. The panoramic view, the beach scene, the people, the arts, the food, and more attract residents, whether year-round or otherwise.

I met Dorothy Grandy at her Rose Tree Gift Shop, with its stretch of grassy land that Dorothy’s been known to cut by herself on her riding lawn mower, next to the Grandy Greenhouse & Farm Market.

Brenda Thacker appeared almost puzzled by the question, as if it needn’t be asked because the answer was obvious. Why is she passionate about helping those who struggle with addiction and substance abuse?

It seems more and more communities are coming up with ghost stories to help attract visitors. Ocracoke resident Amy Howard has no need to make up stories–she is part of a legendary tale that goes back 300 years to the time of Blackbeard and the very settling of Ocracoke Island.

Ashley Forbes wanted her final Girl Scouts project to endure, to inspire, and to use one of her favorite words, to empower girls and young women. Oh, and it had to be enjoyable — something that girls would want to do.

Peggy Saporito, who retired to the Outer Banks from Wisconsin, is a woman who has dedicated the last two decades to serving the Outer Banks community and beyond.

Chef Amanda Sprinkle, with her sweeping, sharp instinct for flavor, warm and sisterly disposition, and steady drive for hard work, is a quiet collision of femininity and grit.

Kill Devil Hills resident Kathi Neal doesn't just do fitness, she lives fitness. With nearly 20 years in the fitness industry, she is a certified personal trainer and certified group exercise instructor with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the Aerobics and Fitness Associat…