Carteret County boasts picturesque coastal landscapes, abundant outdoor recreational activities, and a rich maritime heritage. But in my upcoming podcast EPIC Carteret, I’m celebrating what I consider the area’s most valuable treasure: the tight-knit community that thrives here.

What are the hidden threads that connect people, culture, and landscape into something uniquely vibrant and resilient? That’s one of the big questions guiding EPIC Carteret, a project born out of curiosity and love for the coastal community I call home. Each month, I’ll talk with a local who embodies the spirit of the Crystal Coast at one of the area’s popular restaurants, and we’ll explore what makes the Crystal Coast so special.

A taste of mutual fruitfulness

From collaborative leaders to cooperative growth, our first episode features an uplifting conversation with Edgar-nominated novelist and Chamber of Commerce president Tom Kies, who was one of the first people to make me feel truly at home in my new home. In the warm ambiance of Floyd’s 1921 Restaurant in Morehead City, Tom and I explore the role cooperation plays in building a thriving business community and how we can leave places better than we found them.