Who is paying for those NC homes that fall into the ocean? | Opinion
The latest home on the Outer Banks to fall into the Atlantic finally brings me to ask two related questions. First, why are homes that obviously will be demolished by the ocean waves and fall into the ocean not preemptively demolished before they spread debris over large stretches of beach?
Second, am I correct in assuming that the homeowners are billed for the clean-up of the debris? Taxpayers should not have to fund the clean-up.
Larry Wolf, Garner
Distracted Driving
As a high school senior and Teen Safe Driving Ambassador in North Carolina, I have seen how easily distracted driving can become habitual among drivers. Phones have become part of everyday life, and many people treat time behind the wheel as another opportunity to multitask. What surprised me most is that many of us understand the risks, but still reach for our phones out of habit.
I joined the Teen Ambassador program because I wanted to help change that. After losing my uncle in a fatal car accident, safe driving became personal to me. Through conversations, events, and social media, I have encouraged my peers to make small but important changes, such as setting playlists before driving and keeping phones out of reach.
As an ambassador, I noticed safety matters stuck more with someone the same age. I have had friends tell me they now drive differently because of our conversations. That matters because it shows how awareness can lead to real behavioral change.
That is why efforts like the Senate Bill 797 matter, the Hands Free NC Act. Encouraging safer habits now can help prevent tragedies later. Safe driving is not just a rule. It is a responsibility we owe to ourselves, our passengers, and everyone else on the road.
Carlo Laurore, Millbrook High School
Iran conflict is justified
Trump needs to be honest and address the Iran conflict in relation to inflation. The message is clear: gas and food prices will remain elevated for a while. While this will cause some hardship, the sacrifice is justified. We cannot permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump should also highlight that the inflation experienced during the previous administration was largely self-inflicted and lacked any benefits, as it resulted from distributing free money without a corresponding revenue stream.
Mike Howard, Marvin
Something is wrong here
Scores of social media posts in a single day, many in the early hours when stable people sleep. Depictions of yourself as Jesus. Posting photos of yourself riding with George Washington and AI pictures of your own face on Mt. Rushmore. Claiming to be a genius and that you’re a better president than Abraham Lincoln. Putting your own name and picture on many buildings in our nation’s capital city. Naming agencies after yourself.
Almost none of you are psychiatrists. Neither am I. Neither are the vast majority of our legislators. Still, all of us know there’s something deeply wrong here.
Joel Miller, Hickory
Great reporting
Congratulations to Shelby Swanson on her vivid article about incorporating UNC Coach Roy Williams’ voice into the system for calling pitch selections to the Tar Heel on the mound. Her writing depth and polish enabled the reader to “see” the people in the article and grasp the basics of how the system works.
Also, belated thanks for her article about the retirement of N.C. State baseball Coach Elliott Avent, and a salute to him for devoting 30 years of his life to coaching college baseball, one of the orphans of sports coverage. So, those of us who like college baseball appreciate your coverage.
When Andrew Carter covered UNC sports, his articles always proved that he was an accomplished writer who just happened to be covering sports. The same can be said of Ms. Swanson. Now that Mr. Carter has won a Pulitzer Prize (May 4) as part of a team of Chicago Tribune reporters covering the ICE incursion into Chicago, we can watch Ms. Swanson’s bright career blossom, in her own way, at her own pace.
Bill Stroupe, Raleigh
This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Who is paying for those NC homes that fall into the ocean? | Opinion."
