A rendition of the Ocracoke United Methodist Church burned into a piece of a beloved cedar tree on church property that was lost in Hurricane Dorian. Photo by Leslie Gilbert
By Bonnie Person
In 2019 Hurricane Dorian brought major devastation, loss, and heartache to our brothers and sisters across Eastern North Carolina, especially to the residents of the Outer Banks island of Ocracoke when a 7.4-foot storm surge inundated the village.
Thankfully, there was no loss of life, but mass destruction of homes, property and businesses was abundant.
Emergency services from government agencies and assistance from multiple groups were activated. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) worked with conferences and local churches to provide supplies, aid and shelter for islanders along with multiple additional groups and individuals, to include many from Franklin County through the Tar River Baptist Association.
Within this group, Susan Peoples, a Louisburg native and member of Louisburg Baptist Church, was assigned to assist with recovery and repair of Ocracoke United Methodist Church, which received significant water damage from the surge.
One particular loss on the church property was an Eastern Red Cedar tree that had served as a treasured landmark and symbol for them for many years.
After the tree was cut into manageable pieces, thinking of Louisburg United Methodist Church as a fellow United Methodist Church, Susan brought several pieces of the tree back to Louisburg and gave them to the Methodist church.
“In all disasters, I try to think, how can we bring something positive from it?” Susan said. “I brought cedar back with hopes to get something created for the Ocracoke Church, maybe craft ornaments.”
It was decided, however, to first create a memento to be gifted back to OUMC.
After almost four years, that has become a reality, thanks mostly to Frances Kossan of the Louisburg United Methodist Church.
Upon seeing a few pieces of the cedar, Frances had the vision to burn the image of OUMC prior to its damage onto a piece of the cedar trunk. She created the image from a drawing of the church pre-Dorian.
A small wooden plaque was also included.
In August, Frances and her family visited Ocracoke and made an in-person delivery to the OUMC.
“This gift is so special,” said Leslie Gilbert, chair of the church’s administrative council. “It’s amazing how long reaching the love and care for this church people have. It touched everybody’s heart.”
Frances Kossan presents her cedar remembrance to Leslie Gilbert. Photo courtesy of Frances Kossan
And just as cedar is known for longevity and resistance to decay, so, too, is the longevity of the love we have and share with others, and the reminder that God’s love for us will never “decay.”
With the remaining cedar, it is hoped that future bazaar crafts will become available as Susan envisioned.
Bonnie Person is a member of the Louisburg UMC and friends with Susan Peoples, who in November 2019 presented $6,000 collected from members of the Louisburg Baptist Church to the Ocracoke School PTA since Dorian had prevented the PTA from doing the Halloween carnival, their big annual fundraiser.
Esta información está en español y se imprime a continuación.
Ocracoke Health Center will hold three Moderna only COVID Vaccine Clinics next week, by appointment only.
Vaccines will be available from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, through Thursday, Oct. 19. Please call 252-928-1511 ext. 10 to schedule an appointment.
En español
La vacuna COVID del Ocracoke Health Center está disponible con cita previa
El Centro de Salud de Ocracoke albergará tres clínicas de vacunación contra el COVID exclusivas de Moderna la próxima semana, únicamente con cita previa. Martes-17 de octubre 13:00-16:00 horas Miércoles-18 de octubre 13:00-16:00 horas Jueves -19 de octubre de 13:00 a 16:00 horas Por favor llame al 252-928-1511 ext. 10 para programar una cita.
The ferry channel in the Hatteras Inlet. Red areas show needed dredging areas.
By Connie Leinbach
Here are some of the important issues that have been covered in recent Hyde County Commissioners monthly meetings.
Ferry funding, dredging In their $30 billion, two-year spending plan finalized late September, the North Carolina General Assembly has allocated $74 million to the Ferry Division, up from last year’s $58.5 million. But in 2024-2025, that appropriation will go down to $64.68 million.
“Much of that increase is for capital expenditures,” said Randal Mathews, Ocracoke’s county commissioner. “It will not go to maintenance and operations, which means that the Hatteras-Ocracoke route may not get the boost we need to maintain the frequency of trips that we have been accustomed to. This causes me great concern in addition to the roadblocks that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) is causing with delayed permits and lack of funding.”
He said the high cost of the Hatteras-Ocracoke route is directly related to the inability of the ACE to maintain the federal channel.
Mathews and the rest of the commissioners sent a letter earlier this month (see below) to Ocracoke’s three Congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., requesting help to adequately dredge in the Hatteras Inlet.
Hopper dredge Miss Katie, owned by EJE Dredging Service LLC and managed by Dare County. Her primary mission is to maintain the channels through Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet. The Army Corps of engineers has its own dredges. Photo: P. Vankevich
“The Army Corps is failing us,” Mathews said in an interview on Wednesday, noting that the county has not heard anything yet.
The ACE, he said, continually says there’s not enough money or other ports with more tonnage get priority, and this foot dragging is hurting Ocracoke.
He said the permit process goes through multiple agencies that can delay projects.
“The natural channels can change during the yearlong permit process rendering the proposed projects useless by the time dredging begins,” he said. “We need some environmental exceptions made to facilitate quicker permitting so we are not wasting the taxpayers’ money. There are solutions but we need the Army Corps to think outside the box to keep the federal channels viable.
“They can find money to dredge up on Dare County, but they can’t find money to dredge to keep the ferries running to us. It’s pretty obvious we’re taking a big hit this year.”
In the letter, he said the inlet needs more dredging by a pipeline dredge.
“We can no longer continue to rely on hopper style or side cast dredges to maintain those areas,” Mathews said in his letter. “The federal government must support the USACE in providing reliable pipeline dredging projects between Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.”
Real estate transfer tax The Hyde County commissioners are eyeing enacting an additional real estate transfer tax as a new revenue source.
The commissioners in their Sept. 6 meeting heard a presentation about the tax. Only seven North Carolina Counties levy an additional $1 per $100 over the current state transfer tax rate of $1 per $500 of sale, the revenue of which is shared by the state and local government.
The additional tax revenues would go solely to Hyde County.
Seth Moore, a Hyde County Fellow, said had Hyde County already had this tax, over the last five years it would have generated about $350,000 each year and would have brought in nearly $3 million.
Martha Garrish, real estate broker with Ocracoke Island Realty, said that if the additional tax was levied, on a $500,000 home sale, the transfer tax, called a deed revenue stamp, would be $1,000 plus an additional $5,000, or a total of $6,000.
By statute, North Carolina counties can institute either a real estate transfer tax or an additional sales tax, but whichever one they choose has to be approved by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Commissioner Chair Earl Pugh Jr. said he would like to get public input before deciding.
Moore said Hyde could garner more money through an addition to the transfer tax than through an additional sales tax without having to raise property taxes, but income each year would fluctuate depending on real estate sales.
In Hyde County, the property tax rate already is higher than the state average.
According to the N.C. Association of County Commissioners 2020/2021 assessment, the average property tax rate in North Carolina was 0.68 % and the property tax rate in Hyde County was 0.77 %.
The other counties that levy the additional tax are Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Washington, and they allocate the revenues to their capital funds.
Hyde County Manager Kris Noble said she would have sales tax revenue data for the October meeting.
Audit At a special meeting Sept. 25 to review the audit for 2022, Alan Thompson, a CPA with Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co, P.A. of Whiteville, noted that expenditures exceeded tax collections and that the audit showed several findings the county has to deal with.
Specific figures were not given as the audit was not placed on the county’s website.
Commissioner Ben Simmons noted that the commissioners raised the tax rate for 2023.
“Are we on the path to being in that positive number?”
“Not quite,” Thompson said, adding that the county has to do the tough thing and raise taxes.
The county has about a month to respond to the findings and Noble said that she hopes the corrective actions will be ready for approval in October.
EMS John Wilson, interim EMS director, told the commissioners that he’s ahead of his six-month plan for revamping the department.
Staffing is an issue across North Carolina because of the COVID pandemic, but now we’re in a post-COVID world. He is reviewing where the county can adapt and improve its service.
In a subsequent interview, he said there is always a paramedic on Ocracoke and that the goal is to have three of his staff on the island all the time.
He and the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department are collaborating on a plan to offer EMT training on Ocracoke through Beaufort County Community College.
Dog ordinance The commissioners passed the revised Ocracoke Development Ordinance prohibiting dogs running at large in Ocracoke village. The first offence would carry a $250 fine and the second a $500 fine.
Backup internet Mathews also said at the September meeting the state budget includes $842,000 for Hyde County to expand the Tekniam project, which is an emergency backup communications system, on Ocracoke.
Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree include activities for kids, such as learning sword fighting, and axe throwing, at rear, for adults. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Ocracoke Island will celebrate colonial life in the 1700s with a living history encampment and the Battle of Ocracoke during Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, on the Berkley Manor grounds and barn.
The festival will focus on history, colonial life and family fun.
Events will kick off Friday afternoon with a vendor fair, Brigands Bazaar, and at 6 p.m. in the barn with a pirate costume contest for kids and adults.
Are you the most authentic pirate/colonial kid, adult, family? Who will be the most authentic Blackbeard?
Saturday (Oct. 28) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. will feature a colonial encampment on the grounds of the Berkley Manor highlighting daily life, navigation, cooking and medicine, games for kids, along with a dozen artisan vendors.
Among the living history re-enactors are The Cannon Crew out of Beaufort. Led by Capt. Carl Cannon, the 17-member group will set up a colonial-era encampment with shipboard medicine, navigation, weaving and cooking.
Cannon’s period sloop, “The Adventure,” and Horatio Sinbad’s brigantine, “Meka II,” will circle the harbor with cannons ablaze.
Also pitching their camps will be members of Leviathan Nautical Living History, a group dedicated to the accurate portrayal of a ship’s company in the age of sail, spanning the years 1680 to 1865. They also will demonstrate colonial era firearms.
The Sword Circle, which hails from Raleigh, will demonstrate sword fighting and will have a booth with candle making in which festival goers can try their hand. They also will have axe throwing and will set up an area for kids to learn sword fighting.
The Shadow Players engage in some swordplay. Photo: C. Leinbach
The Shadow Players will return this year to perform their Pirate Comedy Sword Fight and roving minstrels will sing sea chanteys and tavern songs throughout the day.
Saturday afternoon in the barn, historian Kevin Duffus will discus “Where is Blackbeard’s Treasure?”
The living history crews will also reenact on shore the sword fight in which Blackbeard met his demise at the hand of Royal Navy Lt. Robert Maynard.
The event will conclude with a memorial service honoring the fallen sailors for both Blackbeard and Lt. Robert Maynard.
Beaufort County Community College (BCCC) will collaborate with Hyde County Emergency Services to offer an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class for the upcoming 2023-2024 term.
This comprehensive EMT training program will provide aspiring healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge required to respond effectively in emergency medical situations.
The EMT class is scheduled to begin on Nov. 14 and will run until March 13.
This innovative program offers a hybrid learning experience, combining weekly online/virtual coursework with hands-on skills sessions during the weekends.
These skills sessions will be available on the mainland and on Ocracoke Island, ensuring accessibility for participants from across the region.
The collaboration between Beaufort County Community College and Hyde County Emergency Services aims to meet the growing demand for well-trained EMTs who can provide vital emergency medical care to their communities.
This program is ideal for individuals interested in pursuing a career in emergency medicine, first responders, or anyone wishing to enhance their skills in emergency medical care.
For more information about the EMT class, registration details, and for any questions about the program, contact Billy Respass at billy.respass@beaufortccc.edu.
With a mission to save lives and improve the health and safety of our community, Hyde County EMS continuously seeks innovative ways to enhance emergency medical services.
All this week you will see artists painting the Ocracoke landscapes: beaches, Silver Lake and historic architecture.
The artists travel to Ocracoke every October for a retreat, coming from Wilmington, Jacksonville and Norfolk to explore, paint and enjoy camaraderie, friendships and talents. This year’s artists are Ann Hair, Karen Crenshaw, Joanne Geisel, Barbara Bear Jamison, Gale Smith and Chris Bloom.
The artists will show and sell their work from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at 31 Creek Road.
The artists will donate a portion of their sales revenues to an Ocracoke nonprofit.
Bingo at the Community Center
After the art show, you can go play Bingo at 6 p.m. in the Ocracoke Community Center. Proceeds will benefit the Ocracoke School basketball program.
Pool Association to hold clam chowder cook-off Saturday
The Ocracoke Community Pool Association is closing in on its goal of having a community pool on Ocracoke.
Ruth Toth, board president, said recently that the group has a contract to purchase a lot on Nubbins Ridge as the place to build a pool.
“We are excited about this opportunity,” she said, adding that closing is at the end of January.
A clam chowder from a past contest. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
The group formed earlier this year and through aggressive fundraising has garnered enough money for a down payment on the selected property.
“I’m proud of this committee,” she said. “It’s a hard-working group.”
But fundraising continues and the group will hold a Clam Chowder Cookoff Saturday, Oct. 14, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
Tasting for $10 per person will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. for two categories: traditional Ocracoke style and innovative. A peoples’ choice ballots will decide who is awarded the top prizes: art trophies created by island artist Susan Dodd.
There also will be raffles: one for a week’s stay in an oceanfront Daytona Beach condo from Dec. 24 to 31.
Toth said anyone can enter their chowder for $25. To enter, call Toth no later than Oct. 12 at 252-588-2226.
The proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Ocracoke Community Pool Association and more fundraising is pending. Toth said the group is looking for investors to help finance the property for 10 years.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 Ocracoke School Varsity Soccer at home, 4 pm
Lighthouse by plein air painter Joanne Geisel.
1718 Brewing Ocracoke: Jocob Ritter of Wilson Spring Hotel
Wednesday, Oct. 11 Ocracoke Planning Board, 5:30 pm. Community Center.
Friday, Oct. 13: Rabies vaccine clinic, 9 am to noon. $15 per shot. Community Center. All dogs and cats over the age of four months must be vaccinated according to North Carolina law.
Ocracoke School JV and varsity volleyball at home, 4 pm
Ocracoke School varsity soccer at home, 4 pm
Plein air artists show & sell their work, 3 to 6 pm at 31 Creek Road.
Bingo. Fundraiser for Ocracoke basketball. 6 pm. Community Center.
1718 Brewing Ocracoke: Brooke & Nick, 7 pm
The Breeze: The Pollocks, 9 pm
Saturday, Oct. 14 Clam Chowder Cook-off. Tasting from 4-5:30 pm. Community Center.
RALEIGH – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is accepting entries to its 19th annual Wildlife in North Carolina Photo Competition. Entries will be accepted until Jan. 31.
The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers of all ages, except for employees of the Wildlife Commission and their immediate families (children, siblings and spouses).
Adult competition entrants must be current magazine subscribers. Photographers in the two youth categories (13-17 years old and 12 and under) may enter without a subscription.
Only digital entries in JPEG format, no larger than 2 MB, will be considered — no slides, negatives or prints will be accepted. Photographs must have been taken in North Carolina on Sept. 15, 2019, or later.
Entrants may submit a maximum of two photos per category. The competition categories are:
Animal Behavior
Birds
Invertebrates
Mammals
Outdoor Recreation
Reptiles and Amphibians
Wild Landscapes
Wild Plants and Fungi
Youth Photographer, 13-17: Any of the above subjects, shot by children ages 13-17.
Youth Photographer, 12 and under: Any of the above subjects, shot by children 12 and younger.
Photos of captive native animals are allowed, but photos of animals that are both captive and non-native to North Carolina will not be accepted. No pets or domestic animals will be accepted, except animals participating with people in an outdoor activity, such as hunting dogs or horses with riders.
Entries will be judged by a panel comprising staff from the Wildlife Commission and professional wildlife photographers. The grand prize winner’s photo will be published on the cover of the July/August 2024 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina, and the winner will receive a cash prize of $200.
All winning photos will be published in the July/August 2024 issue. Cash prizes of $100, $75 and $50 will be awarded to the first, second and third place photographers, respectively, in each category.
Additional details about the contest and past winning photos are available at ncwildlife.org/contest.
When an animal is part of a sustained news cycle, it frequently is not good news.
The monarch butterfly is one of them. This beautiful large butterfly seen primarily in the fall here has distinctive orange and black wings.
It ranges from southern Canada, throughout the United States to northern Mexico. They are famous for making a fall migration, some as many as thousands of miles, to the mountainous forests of central Mexico.
Formerly a common sight, a decline began over the last 40 years.
In 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a disturbing report that one billion monarchs had disappeared from their wintering habitat.
The eastern migratory monarch butterfly population has decreased by more than 80%, according to one study.
A major cause of this precipitous decline is a loss of milkweed plants, the only plant where they will lay their eggs and the caterpillars will feed on the leaves. The loss of these plants is due to extensive use of herbicides and habitat loss.
Although not on the endangered species list, the monarch is a species of concern and the governments of Canada, United States and Mexico and a host of nongovernmental organizations, state agencies and academic institutions are making multiple conservation efforts to make them a common sight like old times.
On Ocracoke, Gil and Jann Randel who for years have recorded in a database called Hawk Countthe number of migrating falcons, hawks, ospreys and vultures that pass-through Ocracoke in the fall, also keep a list of the number of monarchs they see and record them in the Hawk Watch Monarch Butterfly Migration Monitoring database
On the personal level, folks can customize their backyard gardens to make them monarch friendly. Such a garden can have residual benefits by helping badly needed pollinators and other fauna.
Can Ocracoke be monarch friendly?
Joseph Ramunni, owner of the Ocracoke Garden Center, says it already is because many flowering plants will provide food for monarchs on their migratory journey.
He doesn’t sell milkweed plants but said that most of the flowering plants in the center always have butterflies around them.
At her house on British Cemetery Road, Anne Becker is giving milkweeds the old college try.
“I have a small yard but want to create a safe and abundant stop for both monarch butterflies and birds on their journeys,” said Becker, who has planted a dozen milkweeds. “It’s important to get the right kind, though,” she added.
While all milkweed is attractive to butterflies, the so-called Eastern Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), the one with pink flowers, is the one to plant here, she said.
Becker was referring to Asclepias incarnata, the milkweed that was once abundant along the East Coast and that monarchs uniquely rely on.
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons by Fritz Flohr Reynolds
Just about anyone on Ocracoke can plant Eastern Swamp Milkweed as it thrives in our hot and humid environment and, once established, requires little if any regular care.
It can be sensitive to intense storms and flooding. So, milkweed should be planted in a raised bed or any spot that doesn’t flood, including in pots on your deck.
After monarchs arrive in the late summer, when the leaves get munched and disappear, that simply means they’ve succeeded in laying and hatching their offspring.
Becker planted her milkweed two years ago, and it is now starting to spread.
Her biggest plant now looks like a giant green twig, which shows that monarchs were there and laid eggs and the babies fed.
Not waiting for the milkweed to mature, Anne has planted other native plants including the saltmarsh fleabane (Pluchea odorata), considered one of the 50 best butterfly attracting plants for North Carolina.
Saltmarsh Fleabane. Photo: P. Vankevich
Now is the time to shop for Eastern Swamp Milkweed, which should be planted in autumn or early spring.
The Ocracoke Garden Center currently does not have milkweed plants, but several online nurseries will even ship milkweed plants.
