For the first time in several years, Ocracoke Island will have a show of professional fireworks launched at the end of the National Park Service boat launch dock in the village at 9:15 p.m. Sunday, July 3.
It is part of a two-day Independence Day celebration on both Sunday and Monday, July 4.
This will be the first time any fireworks have been launched since a fatal accidentaround 8 a.m. July 4, 2009.
At that time, four employees of the professional company were killed when their truck carrying the explosives detonated during unloading.
The community reeled after that horrific and sad event. In the last few years, however, some members of the community again requested that the community sponsor a fireworks show. While the community was divided about taking this risk again as well as spending money that will virtually go up in smoke, the ayes won out last year when the Ocracoke Occupancy Tax Board agreed to fund the holiday show to the tune of $20,000 for an 18-minute aerial display.
This time, Pyrotecnico of Columbia, S.C., is creating and launching the display made possible by the cooperation of David E. Hallac, Cape Hatteras National Seashore superintendent, who helped the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association find a suitable launching site, also the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, the NC Ferry Division, the Hyde County Sheriff’s Dept., the Coast Guard and the state Dept. of Marine Fisheries.
“I’m really happy we could work together as a team to find an appropriate location to celebrate Independence Day,” Hallac said, noting that both he and his Chief Ranger “Boone” Vandzura will attend for the weekend.
The Ocracoke Civic and Business Association is the event coordinator and Hyde County is the sponsor.
Islanders tour the visiting passenger ferry on Ocracoke in May 2015. Photo by P. Vankevich
Raleigh – Summer congestion on the North Carolina Ferry Division’s Hatteras route could be significantly relieved by two passenger-only ferries, according to the results of a study done for the state and released today at the Board of Transportation’s Multi-Modal committee meeting in Raleigh.
The study by infrastructure engineering company Volkert recommends two 100-passenger ferries making eight round-trips a day between Hatteras and Ocracoke Village.
It also recommends a $15 round-trip toll, as well as a transit loop run by Hyde County to take visitors from the terminal through Ocracoke Village and to various island attractions such as the lighthouse and the National Park Service’s Pony Pens.
“We want to thank Volkert for the time and effort they put into this study,” said Ferry Division Director Ed Goodwin. “It is a very thorough and comprehensive document that lays out the opportunities and challenges we face at Hatteras in the summer travel season. It gives us many things to consider as we move forward.”
The study involved a year-long look at ferry service between Ocracoke and Hatteras, and included several meetings with local residents, as well as passenger surveys during the peak of the summer. The study also included a trial run by the Provincetown III, a ferry that spends its summers taking passengers between Boston and Provincetown, Mass.
The study examined four other alternatives to relieve the Hatteras congestion problem, including a year-round dredging program to return to the original “short route,” an increased number of departures on the current route, encouraging walk-on passengers on the current route and a passenger ferry to the Division’s South Dock Terminal.
The study concluded that the passenger ferry to Ocracoke Village would be the safest, most efficient option, and that 25 percent of current ferry riders would take the passenger ferry service and be willing to pay a $15 round-trip toll. The study notes that infrastructure improvements, including passenger terminals, parking areas, and pedestrian transit on Ocracoke are needed before any such service can begin.
A full copy of the Passenger Ferry Feasibility Study is on theNCDOT website.
For Ocracoke news, click here.
A ferry departs Hatteras at dusk. Photo by C. Leinbach
By Connie Leinbach
With the N.C. Senate’s favorable first vote Tuesday night on the 2016-17 budget, the toll threat on the Hatteras/Ocracoke ferry appears to be over for now, and the N.C. Ferry Division will get much-needed funding for its aging fleet.
The $22.34 billion spending plan retains much of what the House had sought in the way of relief for the NC DOT Ferry Division.
The Senate Tuesday night passed the report 33 to 16 in its first vote, according to information online at General Assembly’s website ncleg.org.
A second Senate vote is scheduled for today (Wednesday), after which the House will vote again and send the final spending plan of to Gov. Pat McCrory by the end of the week.
According to the document online, of the $10 million in additional money for the Ferry Division, $6 million is in nonrecurring funds for infrastructure and ferry refurbishment. Out of that $6 million, $3.65 is to be used to activate a passenger ferry trial. Then, $4 million will be provided each year for the Ferry Division to replace boats on existing routes.
Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston), who is co-chair of the House Transportation Committee, was one of the transportation budget conferees along with Paul Tine (U-Kitty Hawk), both of whom helped negotiated the transportation section of the budget.
“The Ferry Division will have no excuse (about their budget needs),” Torbett said. “They’ll have $10 million more a year now.”
The bill also keeps the current tolled and untolled ferry routes status quo. However, should the proposed passenger ferry come about, that ferry may charge a toll. Also, any decisions to raise rates on the tolled routes rests with the Board of Transportation.
“This is a huge step forward in stabilizing the ferry system,” Tine said about these budget provisions.
Hyde County Manager Bill Rich Tuesday night noted that this compromise spending plan between the two legislative chambers allows enough money to replace aging ferries without having to take these funds out of the Albemarle Regional Planning Organization’s pot of $32 million to fund all transportation needs in the 10-county eastern North Carolina region.
“Overall, I think it was a tremendous compromise,” Rich said. “Tine and Torbett need a key to Ocracoke.”
When contacted for comment, The N.C. Ferry Division’s spokesman Timothy Hass said, “As a rule, we don’t comment on pending legislation.”
The final budget was completed by conference committees after the budgets proposed by each chamber did not agree.
Although both chambers earlier had agreed on the total amount to be spent, they disagreed on how to spend it, said Henri McClees of McClees Consulting, who is a lobbyist hired by Hyde County.
The House’s initial version of the budget included a recurring $13 million appropriation from the Highway Fund to the Ferry Division for the ferries as well as elimination of all ferry tolls. But the Senate’s budget version had no appropriation for the ferries, retained all the tolls and also had reinstated a $150 priority loading pass fee for the entire ferry system.
Torbett said that he and Tine took a pit bull-like approach during the conferencing period to arguing that the ferries are part of the highway system.
“Paul and I have continued to push this issue,” he said. “The tactic we used plus the input from the locals gave them the impetus to get this finally resolved.”
In addition to Tine and Torbett, the members of the transportation conference committee included Reps. Philip Shepherd and Ihler, and Senators Bill Rabon, Wesley Meredith and Rick Gunn.
Rabon has been a vocal advocate for a toll on the Hatteras ferry, and last year proposed enacting a $150 priority loading pass that anyone could purchase for any ferry system-wide.
Currently, Ocracoke Island residents may obtain free priority loading passes for the Hatteras ferry.
However, Tine said conferees conceded to enacting this fee only for vendors coming to the island. With this provision, companies will have the option to purchase a yearly priority pass for $150, or get in line with the rest.
Torbett said that other Republican members of the transportation conference committee wanted to retain the $150 priority pass for anyone to buy.
“That was the one thing we refused to do,” Torbett said about his and Tine’s negotiations. “We didn’t want residents to have to do that because it would be a further imposition.”
Tine said that he and Torbett kept focusing on the big picture of fixing the ferries and having smooth operations.
The other conferees were just tired of hearing about ferries, he said.
“We kept saying ‘let’s just fix this and move on,’” he said. “It’s a really good deal.”
Presumptive Hyde County Commissioner for Ocracoke Tom Pahl said overall, this is good news.
“It’s not everything we’re asking for, but it’s a compromise.” he said. “It shows the effectiveness of our citizens’ lobbying efforts.”
Additionally, the budget appropriates $200,000 to the Wildlife Resources Commission to develop Mattamuskeet Lodge.
Another section says that “deobligated” Community Development Block Grant funds may be used to assist in the development of commercial oyster entrepreneurs in coastal communities.
$1.03 million dollars is allocated to build oyster sanctuaries in Pamlico Sound and $300,000 to build new rotational harvest oyster reefs throughout the coast. The budget also includes $149,000 for two new positions at the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries to accelerate shellfish industry growth and increase shellfish production and recycling activities.
Other important aspects of the budget include the Senate’s plan to raise the standard income tax deduction–the amount on which taxpayers owe no taxes if they don’t itemize returns–to $17,500, from $15,500, over two years for a married couple.
The proposed spending plan also would boost the average salary for teachers for the coming school year to $50,186 including supplemental pay by counties.
Other state workers would receive a 1.5 percent raise, a one-time bonus equal to 0.5 percent of their annual salary and targeted merit raises.
State retirees will receive a one-time 1.6 percent COLA.
Molasses Creek warms up in a backstage venue before an off-island concert. Photo by Justin Casey
By Connie Leinbach
Molasses Creek’s new album is something people have been requesting of the band.
Newly-released “People Get Ready” is a collection of gospel-inspired songs—songs with a lot of meaning.
From a long list of possible songs—about 40—Gary Mitchell, the group’s founder/leader, said they wanted to be careful about the lyrics.
While many are based in the Christian religion, as is the tradition with old-timey and bluegrass tunes, this album tries to expand the world view of some of the songs, he said.
And that’s part of the motivation for this album.
“Religion is such a big part of the world these days, and the more inclusive and accepting we can be, the less wars we’ll have,” he said about the song selections.
For example, the song “You Go to Your Church, I’ll Go to Mine,” is a traditional, denominational song.
“We wrote a third verse that breaks it out and expands the religions,” he said.
Similarly, “For the Beauty of the Earth,” while it’s out of the hymn book, is a song that can be appreciated by all no matter what religion one practices.
The song “Gone Home” was done on the former Hee Haw television show back in the 1960s and describes the sadness of losing people we love.
It particularly resonated with Mitchell since losing longtime friend and Ocrafolk Festival logistics coordinator Chuck Hotchkiss earlier this year.
Cover art for Molasses Creek’s new album was created by Kitty Mitchell.
As for the title track, “People Get Ready,” Mitchell said the band rewrote one of the lyrics for Donald Trump.
“You’ll have to listen to it to hear it,” he said.
This is the group’s thirteenth album since 1993, and along with Mitchell, features David Tweedie, fiddle; Kim France, double bass; Gerald Hampton, mandolin; and special guests Jubal Creech, percussion and Stan Brown, banjo.
Kitty Mitchell, one of the original trio with her husband Gary and Tweedie, created the cover art.
Molasses Creek plays at 8 p.m. Thursday evenings and in the Ocrafolk Opry Wednesday nights, both in the Deepwater Theater on School Road. CDs are available for sale at Deepwater and numerous locations around the island.
They are the hosts of the annaul Ocrafolk Festival June.
Down Creek Gallery will have Dune Jewelry “Trunk Show” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This hand-crafted sterling silver and gold jewelry contains Ocracoke sand within each piece, which is made to order. Dune will be giving away complimentary gifts as well as featuring their new line of exclusive jewelry and placing special custom orders.
Maker’s Market, on the Wahab House lawn, 161 Irvin Garrish Hwy. 3 to 8 p.m.
Maker’s Market o the lawn of the Wahab House, returns today, June 27, from 3 to 8 p.m.
Jolly Roger: David Pollard, 6:30 p.m.
Ocracoke Bar and Grille: Kate McNally, 7 p.m.
Deepwater Theater: “Blackbeard, an (Historical/Hysterical) Account,” 7:30 p.m.
Gaffer’s: Shrimp Whistles, 9 p.m.
Tuesday, June 28
Jolly Roger: Aaron Caswell and Jackie Willis, 6:30 p.m.
Gaffer’s: Free Texas Hold ‘Em poker, 7 p.m.
Coyote Den: Coyote Plus One, with Dave Pollard of “Triad” Richmond, Va., 8 p.m.
Gaffer’s: Circus Mutt, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, June 29
Down Creek Gallery artist opening with new works by photographer Chris Van Atta. A reception from 5 to 8 p.m. will feature musical guests April Trueblood and Kim France.
Photography such as Pier by Chris VanAtta will be the featured work at an artist’s reception from 5 to 8 p.m. June 29 in Down Creek Gallery.
Jolly Roger: Martin Garrish, 6:30 p.m.
Ocracoke Bar and Grille: Kate McNally, 7 p.m.
Dajio: Barefoot Wade, 7 p.m.
Coyote Den: An evening with Coyote – Marcy and Lou, 7:30 p.m.
Deepwater Theater: Ocrafolk Opry, 8 p.m.
Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Karaoke, 8:30 p.m.
Gaffer’s: Circus Mutt, 9 p.m.
Thursday, June 30
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Martin and Lou, 3 to 6 p.m.
Jolly Roger: David Pollard, 6:30 p.m.
Ocracoke Bar and Grille: Blurky’s Quirky Friends, 7 p.m.
Coyote Music Den: Martin Garrish & Friends, “Ocracoke Memories,” 8 p.m.
Gaffer’s: The Roman Sams, 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 2
Jolly Roger: Willis Gupton, 6:30 p.m.
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Martin Garrish & Lou Castro, 3 p.m.
Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Mike Norris, 7 p.m.
Dajio: John Gilbride, 7 p.m.
Howard’s Pub: The River City Roustabouts, 8 p.m.
Gaffer’s: The Roman Sams, 9 p.m.
Sunday, July 3
Jolly Roger: David Pollard, 6:30 p.m.
Gaffer’s: Psylo Joe, 9 p.m.
Independence Day Celebration:
11a.m. to 2 p.m. Classic Car Show. On the Pony Island Motel lawn, sponsored by Jimmy’s Garage.
6 to 8 p.m. Traditional Island Square Dance. Music by Molasses Creek, with Philip Howard as caller.
8 to 9:15 p.m. Party at the NPS docks with Deejay Tommy Hutcherson. Enjoy some rockin’ tunes while waiting for the fireworks to begin.
9:15 p.m. Fireworks. Gather around Silver Lake harbor to see the show. Please walk or bike. Parking is limited.
Monday, July 4
Ocracoke celebrates Independence Day
9 a.m. Flag raising ceremony and singing of National Anthem. Led by Ocracoke Boy Scout Troop 290 at the Ocracoke School circle on School Road.
9:30 a.m. to noon. 39th Annual Sand Sculpture Contest. At the NPS Lifeguard Beach.
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ocracoke Lighthouse. The lighthouse will be open for viewing. All are welcome to see inside.
1 and 2 p.m. OBX Skydivers at Ocracoke Community Park.
4 p.m. Old Time Ocracoke Parade. Entrants should register by 3 p.m. on July 4 at the Fig Tree Deli/Sweet Tooth. Entry forms available at the Post Office and throughout village. Parade route starts at Ocracoke Oyster Company, left on Lighthouse Road, right on Creek Road, right on Silver Lake Drive, follow road around harbor to parade’s end at NPS parking lot. Winners announced at Lifeguard Beach parking lot at 7 p.m.
7 p.m. Awards Presentation at the Lifeguard Beach Parking Lot/Boardwalk. Awards announced for Sand Sculpture Contest and Parade
7 to 10 p.m. Community Beach Fire at Lifeguard Beach. Family-friendly beach fire and party.
Members of the Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club celebrate their 40th anniversary this year. From left are Brenda Kremser, Mary Vankevich, Ann Borland, Nancy Carlson, Cindy Hichens and Amy Howard.
By Connie Leinbach
The Ocracoke quilters had a block party this year to commemorate their 40th anniversary.
That party was embodied in the new quilt design–“block party”–raffled at the recent Ocrafolk Festival.
“And the festival is quite a block party,” said Cindy Hichens, a part-time island resident and one of the members.
Each year, the festival raffles off one of the three quilts made by this group, and Elizabeth Smith of Greenville won the quilt. Raffle proceeds benefit the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum.
“This one is very Ocracoke-y,” said Mary Vankevich, one of the dozen or so members, during one of the group’s meetings prior to the festival.
The colorful fabric designs sported shells, flip flops, ducks, fish and other beach themes.
“This is not meant to match,” Hichens added.
Each club member works on her block independently in a format called “lap quilting,” introduced to the group in 1978 by former member Butsie Brown.
The members bring their work to the Sunday afternoon progress meetings in the Deepwater Theater.
“Doing the quilt in sections makes the quilting easier because we are working with smaller pieces,” Hichens explained. “It also allows three people to work on a quilt simultaneously.”
Some members prefer certain tasks over others.
Detail of the quilt to be raffled at Ocracoke Preservation Society.
Ann Borland likes to applique, in which design pieces are sewn on top of background fabric. Nancy Carlson likes to embroider and also is a whiz at machine-sewing the blocks, Hichens said.
When the blocks are finished, they are then assembled onto the backing.
After hand-quilting is completed, the three sections must be joined into one queen-sized quilt.
Howard said the group selects traditional patterns that lend themselves to independent work, such as “log cabin,” or the “Ocracoke cracker,” which is an original Ocracoke pattern.
Hichens began learning the art of quilting in 2009. She is the group’s go-to person when Jane Griffin, the master quilter, is not on the island.
“I learned a lot from Eleanor Garrish,” Hichens said about her new avocation. Garrish, 100, who joined the group in 1977, no longer quilts.
Begun in 1976, the group’s official name is the Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club. Amy Howard, director of the OPS, is the chairperson.
They also go by “the Ladies Who Lunch” since they can be seen every Saturday at noon in some island restaurant along with a few non-quilters.
The group’s 40th anniversary quilt is on view on the bed in the OPS museum. It honors the current and original members of the group by incorporating their initials in the design.
This quilt by the Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club will be raffled Dec. 6. Tickets are on sale at the OPS museum.
Tickets are being sold now at the museum until it is raffled Dec. 6.
In addition to the above-mentioned members, the quilters include Arleen Burley, Debbie Leonard, Brenda Kremser, Frances Miller and Elizabeth Dyer.
The group invites anyone with an interest in quilting is welcome to join the group.
State Sen. Bill Cook (R-Beaufort), right, talks with constituent Leamon Allen of Belhaven. Photo courtesy of Bill Cook.
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of interviews with candidates seeking to represent Ocracoke. The first profile was on Sen. Cook’s opponent Brownie Futrell.
By Peter Vankevich
State Senator Bill Cook (R-District 1) thinks the state has made a lot of progress since he has been a member of the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly.
“I’ve seen tremendous change in the last six years,” he said in a recent interview. “I’m so proud of what we’ve done here.”
Born in Washington, D.C., Cook attended Ballou and Anacostia high schools, both predominantly African-American schools.
He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland, and worked for PEPCO, the D.C. area electric company, as an analyst/manager for 34 years before retiring and moving to Beaufort County.
“I have a pretty good record of taking a state from a relatively backward business environment to an environment that wants to see a continuation of lower taxes and keeping government small,” he said about his tenure.
First elected to the state House of Representatives District 6 in 2010, Cook was one of nine of North Carolina’s 45 freshman legislators who signed a pledge “to oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.” At that time, North Carolina was looking at a budget deficit as high as $4 billion in 2011. This year the state has a surplus of $237 million.
After one term in the House, Cook in 2012 was elected to the State Senate District 1 in a close race against incumbent Democrat Stan White, and he won reelection in 2014 by a much larger margin. This fall he will face Brownie Futrell, a Democrat from Washington.
Cook said he is a longtime opponent of ferry tolls for the Ocracoke-Hatteras route.
He recently introduced his first ferry-related legislation, SB812, that would eliminate all ferry tolls. The bill would also appropriate an additional $23 million of recurring funds to be allocated for ferry vessel replacement.
As to the chances of this bill passing the Senate, Cook expressed doubts.
“I’m not as optimistic as I’d like to be, but I’m going to ask for it till I get it,” he said. “A lot of folks in the west and in the central part of the state don’t see it our way, but I’ll keep trying.”
Unlike others who have expressed dissatisfaction with the way the General Assembly has handled public education, Cook is pleased with what it has accomplished.
“North Carolina’s commitment to K through 12 education is among the strongest in the nation country,” he said. “I think we are tenth in the nation and second in the Southeast state level for investment into education. We have increased teachers’ salaries faster than any state.”
He said the legislature has nearly accomplished the goal of getting the teacher-to-student ratio to about 1 to 15. While acknowledging teacher salaries are important, he stressed that what is most important is making sure the students learn.
Cook doesn’t think our culture supports schools the way it once did, noting that some parents leave teaching manners and discipline, as well as academics, up to schools.
“Teachers have a tougher job than they used to,” he said. “I remember when you got into trouble at school. That was nothing to the trouble you would get at home. Now-a-days, if you get into trouble at school, the next thing you know Momma is suing the school.”
Cook feels community-supported schools are the best.
“I can’t yell and scream enough about community,” he said. “If you have the community and parents involved, the kids will do okay.”
Somewhere along the line, not only in our state but others, community support for schools has diminished, he said.
“We keep building bigger and bigger schools and the community goes away,” he said.
Cook voted for and remains a strong supporter of HB2, which repealed local LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies across the state. HB2 says transgender people in government buildings must use bathrooms or locker rooms that correspond to their birth gender.
The law also revokes citizens’ ability to sue for discrimination in state court and blocks localities from setting a minimum wage higher than the state’s.
HB2 has drawn national attention, resulting in some businesses refusing to work in the state and several high-profile cancelling performances, including Bruce Springsteen and Itzhak Perlman.
“I am very passionate about HB2,” Cook said. “I have two grandchildren, 7 and 9, and don’t want them to share a bathroom with a man. If a man says, ‘I feel like I’m a woman today,’ according to the Charlotte law, that’s okay. There are some evil people out there who would use that loophole to watch young girls get changed. I won’t allow that.”
As evidence, he cited a news report from Seattle, Wash., where a man walked into a women’s locker room insisting he could be there watching young girls get dressed for swimming practice.
Cook hadn’t expected the national negative reaction. For example, after HB2 passed, PayPal canceled its plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte and provide 400 new jobs.
“If I were a stockholder of PayPal, for instance, I would advocate strongly having their leadership fired,” he said. “Because no matter what side of the issue you are, they have lost a lot of customers.”
“Most people agree with me,” he continued. “They don’t want their children having to go to the bathroom with men, and that cost companies like PayPal a lot of money.
“I have met transgender folks, and God love them. My heart goes out to them. Anybody that doesn’t know which sex they are has got really serious life problems, the least of which, in my mind, being which bathroom they go to.
“We should try to accommodate any way we can, but we can’t accommodate them by taking the rights away of heterosexual normal folks,” he said. “I know there are a lot of liberals that want to change the world so that we are all unisexual.”
In 2013, Cook voted for SB76, which authorized off-shore drilling.
“We need to do it in an economic and ecological manner,” he said. “I hope we don’t have to deal with this for a long time.”
He is not a fan of solar power, noting that the 29 states with renewable energy mandates have electric prices 38 percent higher than those without mandates.
“Solar power is too expensive for the consumer and the tax payer,” he said. “Subsidies for other energy sources are $1 or $2 per unit of power and solar is $23 per unit.
“Electric power is very difficult to store. You want power now and don’t want to wait for the sun to come out. Solar power is useless.”
Cook recently sponsored legislation, SB843, which would require solar or wind farms to be built at least 1 1/2 miles away from a neighboringproperty line. A wind farm could not generate more than 35 decibels of noise, as measured from the neighboring property, which is equivalent to the volume of humans whispering.
“One of the ugliest things I see as I drive across this beautiful state are these facilities,” he said about solar farms. “They are just not very attractive and do not allow the beauty of North Carolina to come out. A mile and a half is a reasonable area to have them. If you are a homeowner and they build one next to you, it’s going to ruin the value of your house. It’s worse with wind power.”
In his 2012 election bid, Cook spent $72,000, and spent $710,000 for the 2014 election.
As to the exponential increase, he noted, “The last time I had a lot environmentalists say ugly things about me and they spent literally millions of dollars against me.
“But the fortunate things for me is that the ads were so over-the-top, people didn’t believe them. So I had to spend a lot of money to counter the things they were handling. This time I haven’t see those kinds of ads and don’t expect them. I hope to keep it down and spend about $100,000 to $200,000.”
Cook is skeptical about establishing an independent commission to handle political redistricting and supports the current system.
“It’s very difficult to get an unbiased opinion from any human group,” he said.
He was proud of one of his recent local accomplishments.
“I was able to get the environmental agency off the back of the egg producer in Hyde County,” he said. “And the egg producer will be able to hire more employees and will be able to expand their operations.”
He concluded the interview with a bit of nostalgia.
“This job aggravates me,” he said. “I can never get to the beach. I love to spend time on the beach on Ocracoke. I have a memory of lying next to my car with my golden retriever next to me digging a hole for shade.”
Jetta Brown and Casey Robertson show what they’ve learned during a demonstration in December. Patricia Lopez and Gustavo Sanchez judge from the stage. Photo by C. Leinbach
Ocracoke Judo will offer self-defense classes especially for women, and has scheduled two introductory meetings at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. this Saturday (June 25) in its dojo at 804 Irvin Garrish Hwy (behind Native Seafood).
The meetings are to gauge interest in and determine the best time for the classes, and will include a brief demonstration.
Sensei Gustavo Sanchez said he’s also looking at a possible class for Sunday mornings.
“By training in self-defense, students will learn to be more aware of their environment,”Sanchez said about the classes. “In this course, you will learn to be more aware of your environment and avoid dangerous situations. And if they can’t be avoided, have the physical and mental strategies that will help you control the situation.”
Sanchez said in this initial round, he will offer five classes for $30, or one class for $10. He said he might offer private lessons.
Women (of any age) interested in the classes may attend either of the Saturday meetings, or call Sanchez at 661-377-4997.
Find more info at www.obxjudo.com, or at Ocracoke Judo on Facebook.
Ocracoke traffic consists of bicyclists, golf carts, cars, trucks, animals, pedestrians and occasionally skateboarders. Observer staff photo.
Updated June 26, 2016
By Grace West
Bicycles are a big part of the transportation landscape on Ocracoke.
It may be hard to imagine that in the early 1890s when the two-wheelers that we know were first introduced, while the public took to them with fervor, some voices sounded an alarm.
According to the book “The Wright Brothers,” by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster, 2015), “bicycles were proclaimed morally hazardous. Until now children and youth were unable to stray very far from home on foot,” McCullough writes. “Now, one magazine warned, fifteen minutes could put them miles away. Because of bicycles, it was said, young people were not spending the time they should with books.”
Nonetheless, bicycling grabbed the public, and the Wright brothers, built their own bicycles for sale while also solving the problem of human flight, first proven in 1903 up the beach at Kitty Hawk.
Now, bicycles are a norm on Ocracoke and elsewhere.
Golf carts are the norm here, too, since North Carolina in 2009 passed a blanket law allowing the use of golf carts on roads in villages that accepted this ordinance.
Several businesses rent golf carts, realty companies rent bikes and other beach equipment, and many inns rent or provide bikes for their guests.
We also have a 3.5-mile bike path from the edge of the village to the NPS campground.
Being safe is what everyone wants, but we all know that in a split second accidents can happen.
My bike accident in 2014 resulted in a broken arm. Thank goodness that was all. However, even a broken arm is a big deal on a small island without a hospital and X-ray equipment.
After an almost three-hour ambulance ride to the nearest hospital in Nags Head, my medical treatment was only beginning. The closest sports medicine hand surgeons are three- to five-hour drives from Ocracoke.
I’m happy to say I am almost fully recovered now, although I lost nine months of work (massage therapy). After two years I am still paying medical bills.
I now always wear my helmet, pay close attention, and, if needed, get off my bike and wait while a potentially dangerous situation is happening around me.
If this article can help you do the same, perhaps an accident can be prevented, and even a life saved, for, several years ago, two golf cart accidents resulted in the loss of two lives.
Captain Jason Daniels of the Hyde County Sheriff’s Department here on Ocracoke stresses that law enforcement wants everyone to enjoy the island and be safe.
Whether you bring your own bike, own a golf cart, or rent these items, it is important to know and abide by the law for everyone’s safety.
“It takes a village” is a phrase often used here because the village is a close-knit community that works together.
Daniels said the deputies appreciate your help by calling their office at 252-928-7301 and reporting any concerns you have about bike and cart safety, identifying the location and a description so that they can follow up.
Both bikes and carts must follow the same traffic laws that apply to cars: stopping at stop signs, signaling when turning and driving with traffic.
Bicycle rules
Especially important is that the law mandates helmets for children ages 15 and under.
It is a good idea for adults also to wear helmets.
Bikes are required by law to have a light for night riding. Ocracoke has many dark streets and a bike without a light is an accident waiting to happen, both in not seeing obstacles nor being seen by cars. Also, you could receive a ticket.
Bike on the right side; walk on the left side of the roads.
Golf cart rules
To drive a golf cart, it is the law that you must be at least 16 years old. Being 15 years old with a driver’s permit does not apply. Most golf cart rental businesses require a person to be an 18-year-old licensed driver.
Golf carts may pull over to the right and stop to let traffic pass, but they must come to a full stop.
Daniels said that about 75 percent of the DWIs on Ocracoke are given to golf-cart drivers. For that infraction, you lose your license and your golf cart.
It is very important not to be impaired when you drive. Ocracoke Village is small enough that you can walk home if need be.
A law for golf carts especially important for children under 8 years old is to wear a seat belt. Infants must have their appropriate seat strapped in. And all children need their own place to sit (not on your lap).
Golf carts are not allowed on the bike path, on Highway 12 past Howard’s Pub, or in the Community Cemetery.
Golf carts are not allowed on Highway 12 past Howard’s Pub, or on the bike path. Photo by Grace West
Louise Paul Midgett, 71, of Ocracoke, died on Sunday, June 19, in Chesapeake General Hospital, Chesapeake, Va.
Born in Grantsboro, NC, July 19, 1944, she was a daughter of the late Wilford C. Paul and Helena Parsons Paul. Louise was a member of the Ocracoke Assembly of God Church.
Louise is survived by her husband, Gerald E. Midgett of Ocracoke; two daughters, Teresa Sutton of Lincolnton, NC and Pat Gaskins and husband, Dennis of Buxton, NC;
A son, Tim Donaldson of Lincolnton, NC; three grandchildren, Galen Brown, Megan Van Landingham and Kelly Sutton; and four great-grandchildren, Gabriel Brown, Tatiana Martinez, Riely Brown and Daleyza Resendiz.
She is also survived by two brothers, Jim Paul of Washington, NC and Jerry Paul of Greenville, NC. Along with her parents, Louise was preceded in death by a sister, Rita Corbin; and a brother, Winfield Hunnings.
A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 24, in the Ocracoke Assembly of God with Rev. Ivey Belch officiating. Burial will follow at the Ocracoke Community Cemetery.
The family will receive friends and relatives at the church prior to the service from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Twiford Funeral Home, Hatteras is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed atwww.twifordfh.com.
