Free Republic

The management of the Avon Pier and The Lost Colony plan to resume business despite the government shutdown that forced them to close because they are located on National Park Service land. Avon Pier manager Keith Matthews told the Voice on Friday he was going to reopen and take his chances with the Park Service.

Just before the weekend, the National Park Service informed charter boat captains in Florida that the Florida Bay was "closed" due to the shutdown. Until government funding is restored, the fishing boats are prohibited from taking anglers into 1,100 square-miles of open ocean. Fishing is also prohibited at Biscayne National Park during the shutdown. The Park Service will also have rangers on duty to police the ban. Of access to an ocean. The government will probably use more personnel and spend more resources to attempt to close the ocean, than it would in its normal course of business.

Businesses and residents on the Outer Banks have planned a peaceful protest of the closure of Hatteras Island's beaches due to the government shut down. Ryan White, who owns Hatteras Jack Tackle Shop in Rodanthe, tells WITN the protest is planned for noon on Saturday at the entrance to Cape Point. He says right now added law enforcement officials are blocking off all access to the beaches, which he says is unfortunate and unfair for tourists and businesses. A Facebook page has even popped up in support of opening the beaches. It's called "The People's Beach." So far, several hundred...