The Ocracoke Civic and Business Association and Hyde County will host a small business resource meeting next week.
Resource providers from the Small Business and Technology Development Center, the NC Rural Center and the College of Albemarle Small Business Center will be on hand to conduct two free sessions from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 25) and from 9 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
These resource groups will assist you with any questions you may have about your business during this time of recovery.
For more information, contact Sara Teaster, OCBA event coordinator, at steaster@visitocracokenc.com.
A winter storm heading for eastern North Carolina today (Thursday) will impact the mainland but snow along the warmer Ocracoke coast is unlikely according to the National Weather Service out of Newport/Morehead City.
Rainfall will transition to a wintry mix, and then to all snow for much of eastern North Carolina this evening through Friday morning as low pressure strengthens off the coast.
Since the Outer Banks are generally warmer than the mainland, Ocracoke might not see any snow, but it will be in the cross hairs of gusty winds, which could be as high as 46 mph on the Outer Banks.
Rough seas are forecast and coastal flooding possible as well in Carteret County.
The greatest snowfall accumulations are generally expected along and north of the Neuse River, where sub-freezing temps will arrive earlier in the night. The heaviest snow will fall through the overnight hours, with potential banding leading to locally higher amounts.
Snow will gradually taper off from west to east early Friday morning as the low moves further off the coast.
This area, one of four areas rebuilt after Hurricane Dorian and reopened in early December, will be fortified with sand and sandbags. Photo by Richard Taylor
From NCDOT
The N.C. Department of Transportation today (Feb. 19) will begin placing additional sand and sandbags along portions of N.C. 12 on Ocracoke Island.
The project is designed to protect four segments of the roadway damaged by Hurricane Dorian Sept. 6 and a subsequent storm in November.
The project will involve placing more than 2,500 sandbags along 4,200 feet of roadway at the north end of the island. While no major traffic delays are anticipated, NCDOT will have traffic control in place to maintain a safe environment.
Contractors hope to have the project complete in three months, but the process is weather-dependent.
If completion is not possible by mid-May, work will stop until after Labor Day to facilitate summertime traffic.
Tuesday, Feb. 18 Post-Dorian Support Group. 4:30 p.m. in Lightship Realty, 49 Lighthouse Rd.
Wednesday, Feb. 19 Bread of Life Food Pantry, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department Ocracoke Housing Coalition, 7 p.m. Ocracoke Community Center
Thursday, Feb. 20 Bread of Life Food Pantry, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department One-stop early voting for the 2020 Primary Election, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. OVFD
Friday, Feb. 21 One-stop early voting for the 2020 Primary Election, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. OVFD Dare County NCWorks Career Center will be on Ocracoke from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, in the Ocracoke Community Center to conduct Employment Assessment Interviews (EAIs) for Ocracoke residents. See story here. Bread of Life Food Pantry, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department
Due to gale and coastal flood forecast, the Community Center MUSIC JAM is cancelled for tonight.
Saturday, Feb. 22 Family Story time, 9:30 a.m. Ocracoke Library (inside WOVV studios) Books to be Red: Girl Scout Troop 2316 from Hatteras Island will be here from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to sell Girl Scout Cookies. Warm Hang-out, noon to 5 p.m. Ocracoke United Methodist Church Rec Hall Barbecue sandwich sale to benefit Ocracoke School Alumni Association, 6:30 p.m., prior to Family Quizo (a Bingo-like game) at 7 p.m., conducted by the Ocracoke School PTA. (See flyers below.)
North Carolina is among the 14 states holding a general election primary Tuesday, March 3. Called “Super Tuesday,” it is when the greatest number of states hold primary elections. More delegates to the presidential nominating conventions can be won on Super Tuesday than on any other single day.
On Ocracoke, voting will be from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, 822 Irvin Garrish Highway.
Early “One-Stop” voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, and Friday, Feb. 21, also in the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department.
Early “One-Stop” voting on the mainland continues from 8 am. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Feb. 29 at the Elections Office, Hyde County Public Safety Building,1223 Main St. in Swan Quarter.
No voter ID is required in this election, and the deadline to register to vote in the primary election has passed.
Unaffiliated voters may vote by choosing the partisan ballot of their choice, but voters who are affiliated with a political party may vote only their party’s ballot.
If an office has only one candidate running, their name will not be on the primary ballot but will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
The Republican and Democrat ballots have several offices at the state and federal level, including those running for president. For the Democrats, 15 candidates will be on the ballot for president. Some have dropped out since the names were finalized.
According to news sources, the following of the 15 on the ballot have dropped out: Deval Patrick, Marianne Williamson, Andrew Yang, Michael Bennet, Cory Booker, Julian Castro, John K. Delaney.
The viable Democratic candidates on the ballot are Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, Joseph R. Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard and Amy Klobuchar.
For the Republicans, Joe Walsh and Bill Weld are running against President Donald J. Trump.
Libertarian party members in Hyde County will choose one candidate out of 16 on the presidential ballot.
The Constitution Party has only Don Blankenship and Charles Kraut on the presidential ballot and the Green Party has Howie Hawkins. Ocracoke does not have any registered voters in these two parties.
All ballots include a choice of “No Preference” for president. According to Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina, a government watchdog group, this addition of “no preference” was added at the behest of the parties to help their delegates decide at their conventions.
For the N.C. State House District 6, which includes Ocracoke, Rob Rollason will challenge incumbent Bobby Hanig for the Republicans.
At the county level, Barbara Gibbs, Marsha Gibbs and Thomas Midgette will be on the Democrat ballot for the Lake Landing Township county commissioner office.
Hyde County has a total of 3,054 registered voters: 1529 Democrats, 529 Republicans, 16 Libertarians, one Green party and 936 unaffiliated voters.
Ocracoke has a total of 776 registered voters: 375 Democrats, 108 Republicans, seven Libertarians and 286 unaffiliated voters.
To vote absentee by mail, voters must complete a2020 State Absentee Ballot Request Form. The form must be received by the voter’s county board of elections by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.Voters who submit a valid request will receive a ballot from their county board of elections. The materials will include detailed instructions on how to complete and return the ballot.
For more information regarding any voting procedures and updating your voting information, contact the Hyde County Elections Office, 252-926-4194, or by email vwilliams@hydecountync.gov. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Below are sample ballots for the political parties for Hyde County voters:
Savannah Sparrow photographed on an Ocracoke Christmas Bird Count. Photo: P. Vankevich
By Peter Vankevich
The Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is one of the most common sparrows throughout much of North America, but on Ocracoke, it is only a fall and winter visitor as it is for much of North Carolina.
This bird breeds from the far north throughout Alaska and most of Canada, down into the United States in the West to southern California and northern New Mexico, across to the Great Lakes region, and the southern Appalachian mountains. There is also a population in Baja California and Central Mexico.
In North Carolina it is presumed to nest in the upper northwest of Ashe, Sparta and Wilkes counties since adults have been seen carrying food, though finding an active nest has yet to be accomplished, according to Carolina Bird Club’s listing of the birds of North Carolina and their distribution and abundance. The state is well within its wintering area from the southern United States across Central America and the Caribbean to northern South America.
Despite its mixed woodland-grassland habitat name, it was actually named for the city of Savannah, Georgia, by ornithologist Alexander Wilson where he discovered it in 1811.
The name is, nevertheless, somewhat fitting. Their habitats are grasslands with few trees, meadows, pastures, grassy roadsides, sedge wetlands and cultivated fields planted with cover crops like alfalfa. In Alaska and northern Canada, they live among the shrubby willows of the tundra. Along the coast, they also inhabit tidal salt marshes, estuaries and sand dunes.
Savannah Sparrow habitat on Ocracoke Island. Photo: P. Vankevich
A handsome sparrow, its appearance is somewhat variable throughout its extensive range. The number of subspecies is debatable, but currently about 17 are recognized, including the Ipswich, which will be discussed below. Plumage consists of a mottled brown back and dark streaks on its white breast. A yellowish or pale eyebrow stripe, called a lore, can sometimes be seen. Both male and females look alike, i.e., they are sexually monomorphic in plumage. It also has a short-notched tail.
On Ocracoke, Savannah Sparrows may be confused with the year-round Song Sparrow, which has a grayish or pale eyebrow on a streaked chest with a spot in the center and two brown cheek stripes, a whitish throat, and a long tail. Note that some Savannah Sparrows may also have a center spot on the breast.
Despite the ability to migrate thousands of miles, Savannah Sparrow are primarily ground birds. The nest, built only by the female, is made of dry grasses, is usually embedded on the ground in thick vegetation. They forage primarily by walking, feeding on seeds as well as insects and spiders. Like many herbivorous birds, they will eat more insects during breeding season. Those in coastal habitats will also consume small mollusks.
The clutch size is between two and six eggs, commonly four. Only the female incubates and both parents bring food to the nest. The first chicks hatch 14 to 16 days after first egg is laid and leave the next in about 10 days. The fledglings reach independence after two or three weeks.
After fledging, a second clutch may be laid. A threat to a successful fledge are Brown-headed Cowbirds which will lay eggs in the sparrows’ nests where the two species co-occur.
When flushed, they usually fly a short distance and perch in a bush or dive into the grasses.
One cannot write about Ocracoke’s Savannah without mentioning the Ipswich Sparrow ( (Passerculus sandwichensis princeps) and its unique summer home.
Considered a subspecies, it can be found on Ocracoke along with the other eastern Savannah Sparrows.
The Ipswich is larger and paler in color than other eastern Savannah sparrows and the breast streaks are narrower and pale brown.
It winters along the dunes and beaches from Nova Scotia to Georgia.
The nesting grounds for the Ipswich is a narrow 25-mile long and less than one mile-wide, crescent-shaped sandbar known as Sable Island (sable is sand in French) located more than 100 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia . Uninhabited with the exception of a few Parks Canada staffers and some seasonal researchers, this island is home to about 500 horses and the largest breeding colony of grey seals in the world. A separate profile on this fascinating sparrow will follow.
Best time to see: October into late March, not present in summer
Where: Throughout the island, except for the village, and especially in the dunes and adjacent grasses. If you see a sparrow on the beach from fall into early spring, it is likely to be a Savannah Sparrow.
Listen:
(Audio provided courtesy of OhioLINK Digital Resource Commons)
County-sponsored removal of Hurricane Dorian-generated debris has been extended to Feb. 29. Photo: C. Leinbach
From Hyde County
Hyde County will extend the collection of Hurricane Dorian roadside debris removal on Ocracoke Island until Feb. 29.
This action is being taken to aid in the demolition and tear out of storm damaged structures and aid in the recovery of the island.
Only storm debris from demolition and tear out will be collected per FEMA regulation.
Debris removal contractors will not pick up new construction debris.
All new construction should be permitted through the Hyde County Building Inspections Office for a number of reasons:
New construction debris removal should be coordinated through the Building Inspections Office. Rehabilitations creating significant volumes of construction debris may be required to use an onsite container while smaller amounts of construction debris can be disposed of at the Ocracoke Convenience Site.
Our team will work with property owners to provide a construction debris method that is the least burdensome and aids in the recovery process to the highest degree possible.
Please note that all permit fees for Dorian related reconstruction have been waived.
Please call Jane Hodges at 252-926-4372 or email jhodges@hydecountync.gov for questions in regard to building permits and inspections.
The permitting of demolitions, new constructions and tear outs enable Hyde County to coordinate your new construction debris removal and ensure your project is supported by our collection program.
In addition, permitting your project ensures that Hyde County tax assessors can reevaluate the value of your property. Without documenting your demolition through a building permit, the tax assessment team will not be aware of any change to the value of your property.
Your property tax bill for the 2020-2021 tax year is contingent on the value of your home as of Jan. 1. For more information in regard to tax reassessment please call Kris Noble, Hyde County manager, at 252-542-0802 or knoble@hydecountync.gov.
If you expect your demolition or “muck and mold” project to extend past the Feb. 29 deadline or to coordinate your new construction debris removal, please contact Teresa Adams at her number 252-368-6430, or by email at tadams@hydecountync.gov.
Please be prepared to give Adams an address and a date for removal. Hyde Count will do everything it can to assist in the disposal of your debris, but please do not put debris generated after the deadline on the roadside unless you are instructed to do so.
Household hazardous wastes will be collected and transported off the island by an approved contractor on Feb. 17.
To identify potential storm-generated household hazardous waste, please call Adams at the above number.
The vegetative debris that is currently being collected is being recycled into mulch.
Some of that mulch is being made available to community members free of charge at the Ocracoke Garden Center (pick up only).
If you have any questions or concerns in regard to debris removal or other items, please do not hesitate to call or email Noble.
NAGS HEAD – The Dare County NCWorks Career Center will come to Ocracoke on Feb. 21 so that island residents don’t have to venture to Nags Head for their appointments.
In a special arrangement, Career Center Manager Kenny Kee will be on Ocracoke from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, in the Ocracoke Community Center to conduct Employment Assessment Interviews (EAIs) for Ocracoke residents.
Those residents scheduled for their EAI appointments for the week of Feb. 17 to 21 and the week of Feb. 24 to 28 can come to the community center with their work search papers and a valid photo ID for their assessment instead of traveling to Nags Head.
This convenience is especially for Ocracoke residents due to Hurricane Dorian impacts, said Lucy Wallace, career adviser.
Kee will be joined for the day by Cindy Powell, regional specialist.
For more information, call the Dare County NCWorks Career Center 252-480-3500.
The front of the Ocracoke School. Photo: C. Leinbach
Ocracoke School students were honored recently for academic achievement in attaining the honor roll and principal’s list for the second nine-week session. Honor roll is for students who received aggregate grades of 85 to 92 and principal’s list is for students that achieved 93 to 100. There were 43 students on the honor roll and 11 on the principal’s list.
The school decided to forgo the first nine-week session due to the disruptions caused by Hurricane Dorian.
Principal Leslie Cole made the following statement: “We are always proud when our students earn the Honor Roll or Principal’s list. This time, we are amazed at the students who have been able to maintain these high grades, even while there has been so much tumult and recovery going on. Congratulations, students.”
The Bread of Life Food Pantry is inside the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department until it can relocate back to the Life Saving Church. Photo: C. Leinbach
Lifesaving Church’s Bread of Life Food Pantry, temporarily located in the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, will reduce its open hours to 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays, effective today (Feb. 14).
This change is in preparation for the pantry’s move back to its original home at the Lifesaving Church, after which the service will still be available to residents in need, but with reduced hours. The current timeline for that move is in roughly six weeks.
As a reminder, the Bread of Life Food Pantry is a resource for full-time residents of Ocracoke Island.
Neither the pantry nor the OVFD are locations for unvalidated donation drop offs.
The pantry exclusively accepts and provides non-perishable food and daily use items such as laundry detergent, paper towels, etc. These conditions are also in preparation for the imminent move.
Please contact apeel@oirrt.org with any questions about the pantry, donations, or general relief inquiries.
