2025 year in review on Ocracoke

January 4, 2026

All year long, people gather at the NPS boat launch area to watch the sunset on Ocracoke. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer

A new year begins on Ocracoke and we reflect on some of the notable island events that took place in 2025.

January
Ocracoke Island’s first appreciable snowfall since the last one in 2018. Snowfall on Jan. 22 measured 8.3 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Noting how winter is a quiet time on the island, Ocracoke Alive began an experiment by sponsoring a series of free cultural activities to the community in art, music, dance, memoir writing, Spanish/English coffee chats at the community library, yoga, wellness and cooking classes, as well as films, concerts and presentations.

“Part of our mission is to bring entertaining things to the island,” said Dave Tweedie, the nonprofit’s executive director. “While everyone is busy during the tourist season, if you don’t travel (like many islanders do in the winter) “doing creative things is a way you can travel in your mind.” It turned out to be so popular, it will resume again in this year from mid-January through the end of March.

Dave Tweedie teaches how to make Basque cheesecake during Ocracoke Alive’s cultural activities offerings. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer

February
The Ocracoke Dolphins boys’ basketball team had a strong 2024-25 season, finishing 15-4 overall and 10-0 in conference play (1A Atlantic) to earn a state tournament playoff berth. They defeated KIPP Pride Panthers 60-43 in their first 1A playoff game which was at home and lost to the Camp Lejeune Devil Pups, 66-45, in the second round. It was the last year for retiring coach Frank Brown.

March
Passengers from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter on the M/V Silver Lake had their travel plans crushed on March 6 when the boat got stuck in Big Foot Slough just outside Ocracoke for more than 12 hours. Ocracoke’s Assistant Fire Chief Doshier braved the cold dark waters in the evening and delivered pizzas to the stranded. The boat was finally freed by Ferry Division tugboat Wanchese and passengers made it safely back to Ocracoke at 3:30 am.

The NC Shell Club held their spring meeting on Ocracoke. Weather-permitting, a trip to Portsmouth Island takes place in search of rare shells. This year’s “Find of the Day” was a Giant Eastern Murex, which was found by Maria Lloyd.

April
The Second Annual Earth Day Weekend Celebration took place with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that included nature walks, history talks, nature crafts, live music, stargazing, a beach litter pick-up, and informative discussions on sustainability and environmental solutions.

One of the Earth Day talks focused on how Ocracoke residents got water before the establishment of a municipal water system. This photo shows one of the many old cisterns islanders used to capture water. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer

The Ocracoke Waterfowl Festival celebrating local and regional decoy carvers took place at Ocracoke School This popular event is produced by the Ocracoke Island Decoy Carvers Guild, The recently deceased islander Mark Justice was honored as the featured carver.

Islanders joined an estimated 1,400 communities at the National “Hands Off” protest. The group walked from Irvin Garrish Highway to the lighthouse

May
Members of the Rolls Royce Owners Club in their vintage cars turned heads as they traveled through Ocracoke featuring cars built before 1939.

This 83rd British Cemetery Memorial Ceremony honors WWII British and Canadian sailors who lost their lives when the HMS Bedfordhire was sunk by a German U-Boat off the island’s coast. This year’s event will be May 8.

The Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department (OVFD) held its annual Firemen’s Ball at the Berkley Barn. This is department’s biggest fundraiser. One of the island’s biggest social events, the event includes barbeque dinners that can be taken home and two auctions followed by live music by the Ocracoke Rockers and the Dune Dogs.

Every year, Donald Davis, the renowned Ocracoke Island-based storyteller and author, offers two weeklong storytelling workshops on the island. Selected participants get to present their stories at the Ocracoke Preservation Society and under the cedar trees at Books to Be Red.

June
The three-day Ocrafolk Festival features local and regional musicians, storytellers, artisans and characters on the Manor Berkley Manor grounds.

Shrimp trawl ban: Ocracoke islanders joined hundreds of men and women who make their livelihood in commercial fishing who converged on the North Carolina General Assembly June 25 to protest House Bill 442, which would have banned shrimp trawling. Dubbed by wags as “Shrimpgate,” the protest included a truck caravan that continuously circled the legislative complex with horns loudly blaring for lawmakers to hear. It worked, the legislation did not pass.

July
Ocracoke celebrated July 4 with a variety of activities over several days including fireworks, which in 2025 were canceled due to the threat of a storm that night, an old-fashioned Ocracoke Square dance July 3, and Sand Sculpture Contest and parade on July 4.
The tradition dates back to 1914 as the Wilmington Morning Star published a news story: “OCRACOKE BREAKS INTO THE LIMELIGHT ON THE 4^TH Little Banks Village Celebrates Independence Day First Time.”

August
The Fig Festival Cake Bake-off competitions in the Berkley Barn drew many competitors and those waiting to taste the submissions after judging at the Berkley Manor Barn. Special guest, Dean Neff, owner of Zora’s Seafood & Kitchen, Wilmington’s oldest seafood market, prepared the annual Savory Fig Dinner.

The Hyde County Board of Commissioners declared a State of Emergency and mandatory evacuation for Ocracoke Island due to the anticipated flooding impacts from Hurricane Erin Aug. 17 and potential impacts to NC Highway 12. The storm caused significant inundation and overwash, shutting down NC 12, suspending Hatteras Inlet ferry service and a lot of beach erosion.

Coyotes: Evidence of coyotes were spotted on Ocracoke’s beach and in a collaborative effort by the NPS, three coyotes were caught and killed in August by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Ocracoke ponies: The NPS said in 2024 that it was conducting a study on how best to breed them (per the wishes of the community), but due to the crisis of uncovered underground fuel tanks in Buxton and numerous collapsed houses along that area of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (from ocean erosion) and then the government shutdown, that study has not been done.

The Ocracoke Health Center held its fourth Seafood Festival fundraising benefit at the Berkley Barn with live music and silent and live auctions.

September
A Clam Chowder Cook-off to benefit pool association took place Sept. 20 in the Community Center when it was announced that the pool association had secured land for building the pool.

October
After several months’ suspension, the Bread of Life Food Pantry at the Life Saving Church on Lighthouse Road reopened and reestablished its partnership with the Food Bank of the Albemarle and the Ocracoke United Methodist Church.

Working Watermen’s Festival took place at the Community Square docks.

Scene from the Working Watermen’s Festival, Oct. 18, 2025. From left, Adam Lavigne, John Lea, Danny Bradley and Dave Tweedie. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer

Health Fair and Touch a Truck at the OVFD firehouse drew awareness to the Ocracoke Health Center and the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department

No Kings protest took place at corner of Irvin Garrish Highway and Lighthouse Road.

Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree featured historian Kevin Duffus who gave a presentation on what happened to Blackbeard’s head.

November
Ocracoke’s Mexican community invited all to experience one of their culture’s signature remembrances, Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, in the Community Center.

The altar honoring the departed at the Nov. 9 Dia de los Muertos event in the Ocracoke Community Center. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer

December
Ocracoke Island celebrates Christmas with holiday lights that can be seen on houses throughout the village.

North end conditions: Continue to plague island access via Hatteras.
The Ferry Division presented four possible scenarios about what to do about South Dock, and Ocracoke Islanders overwhelmingly voted for continued stabilization of the dock in its current location at the north end.
UNC-Chapel Hill researchers presented findings on possible solutions to dealing with the overwash area on NC12.

Formation of Ocracoke Access Alliance to pay for lobbying for Ocracoke’s transportation concerns.

Business: The Silver Lake Motel property was sold to ABC Family LCC, a property management company, located in Greenville. Renovations began on the motel, now called Silver Lake Hotel, as well as rebuilding of the Jolly Roger Restaurant, which had been devastated by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

Howard’s Pub was sold in May to Nags Head restaurateur Colin Wiseman.

Work continued on Plum Pointe Kitchen’s new location in the former Breeze, across the road from 1718 Brewing Ocracoke.

Other businesses changing hands include the Thurston House B&B and The Castle B&B.
After more than 40 years in business, Oscar’s House Bed and Breakfast closed.
Eduardo’s Taco Truck closed in November as did the Sweet Tooth/Fig Tree Deli.

Politics: The NC Legislature approved a new Congressional district map they hope will help maintain the GOP’s hold on the U.S. House in the 2026 midterm elections. The new proposed map would put the Outer Banks counties in the same district, while at the same time trying to flip a seat currently held by a Democrat.

Thanks the Ocracoke community

January 1, 2026

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Dear Ocracoke:

In October, our lives were forever changed when Gary suffered a heart attack at our home on Ocracoke. What could have been a tragedy became a powerful reminder of what this village truly is.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to Ocracoke EMS, the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, and the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office. Their quick response, skill, and compassion saved Gary’s life. We are also profoundly thankful for our neighbors and friends who showed up without hesitation, helped in every way imaginable, and reminded us that no one stands alone here.

Ocracoke is often described as special, but words only go so far. What we experienced was a village of kindness in action. People stepped forward instinctively, calmly, and selflessly, simply because that is who they are.

We will carry that day with us forever, not just for the fear we felt, but for the overwhelming goodness we witnessed. Thank you, Ocracoke, for being the remarkable, caring community that you are.

With gratitude,
Gary Lysaght and Ashley Goshert

Ocracoke’s beach-nesting birds continue to struggle

December 30, 2025

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American Oystercatcher nesting on Ocracoke Island. Photo P. Vankevich

By Peter Vankevich

This story has been corrected: Cape Hatteras National seashore produced a total of 21 American Oystercatcher fledglings: 18 on Ocracoke, 2 Hatteras (Cape Point) and 1 on Bodie Island.

Here is a 2025 nesting overview for the region.

Except for one notable bright spot, 2025 proved another tough breeding season for beach‑nesting birds across the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

According to the National Park Service’s Resource Management Field Summary, only 36 colonial waterbird chicks fledged in the Seashore, all Least Terns. Eight of those were on Ocracoke with 12 fledglings at Cape Point and 16 elsewhere on Hatteras Island. Ocracoke’s South Point also had two fledged Wilson’s Plovers.

Least Tern. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer

Common Terns have declined nearly 80% since coast-wide surveys began in the late 1970s.

Common Tern. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer

As in recent years, nest failure was driven by two familiar forces: predators and weather.

A single storm tide or a period of sustained heavy rain can destroy the nests. Mammalian predators—coyotes, opossums, mink, raccoons and feral cats—take a substantial toll on eggs and chicks.

On Ocracoke, a single coyote was suspected in many of the recent South Point losses. In August, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services staff, at the National Park Service’s request, removed three coyotes from the island and no signs of them have been noted since.

There was encouraging news for American Oystercatchers here and elsewhere.

Ocracoke produced 18 fledglings while Hatteras Island (Cape Point) had 2 and Bodie island (1) for a total of 21 for Cape Hatteras National Seashore. For a bird that relies on scraping nests in exposed sand and shell near the waterline, such numbers stand out.

Just south of Ocracoke Island, the Cape Lookout National Seashore had 128 American Oystercatcher nests from 70 pairs and 30 fledged chicks, according to Jon Altman, its chief of Natural Resource Management. The North Core Banks produced most of these check as the South Core Banks continue to have heavy predation by coyotes. Only two nest on Shackleford Banks, nest quickly lost to probable coyote predation.

Nesting birds generally fare better on islands in the Pamlico Sound where mammals are scarce or absent. There the predators are mostly ghost crabs, Black‑crowned Night‑Herons and gulls that target hatchlings and exposed eggs.

“If there’s no disturbance from people, dogs, kites from kiteboarders, etc., the adult birds are better able to protect their eggs and chicks from these predators since they are not forced to leave vulnerable eggs or chicks in an effort to drive away or distract what they see as a potential threat,” said Carmen Johnson, a wildlife biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). “Predators take advantage of disturbance to grab unattended eggs or chicks. This is why it’s so important to give nesting birds space and remain outside of posted areas.”

A survey this summer by NCWRC of Big Foot Island—a dredge‑spoil island about a mile off Ocracoke visible from the long-route ferries—found a diverse colony.

Nests: 77 Black Skimmer, 10 Common Terns, 34 Gull‑billed Terns and two American Oystercatcher pairs that fledged two chicks.

Other nesters observed, but not counted: Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Brown Pelicans, Black‑crowned Night‑Herons, Great Black‑backed Gulls, American Herring Gulls and Great Egrets.

To reduce disturbance, NCWRC primarily tallies such colonies during the coastwide colonial waterbird survey held every three years. Historically, Big Foot’s largest nesting populations have been Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns and Brown Pelicans.

Beacon and Castle Islands, roughly a mile off Portsmouth Island in the Pamlico Sound, are owned and managed by Audubon North Carolina.

Audubon’s Coastal biologist Lindsay Addison reported a surprising shift this year on Beacon.

“No Brown Pelicans nesting there,” she wrote in an email. “We don’t know why. It’s not any lower or marshier than it has been in the past few years when there were several hundred pairs nesting there, but this year they all decided to be on Big Foot Island.”

Despite the absence of pelicans, Addison reported that there was a nice mixed-species wading bird colony on the island with Great Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons and Glossy Ibis.

“The glossies were a new addition as they haven’t been there in the recent past,” she said. “There were also some Laughing Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls with nests, and as usual there were two pairs of oystercatchers that hatched and may have fledged chicks.”

Close by, tiny Shell Castle, a sliver of its former self from days gone past, hosted two pairs of nesting American Oystercatchers; one pair raised two chicks that likely fledged.

“I didn’t get to visit them after their estimated fledge date, so I can’t confirm, but when we banded them, they were doing well and close to fledging,” Addison said.

In addition to the nesting successes of the oystercatchers in the Cape Lookout National Seashore, Altman said there were a total of 35 colonial waterbird sites consisting of Black Skimmers, Gull-Billed Terns, Common Terns, and Least Terns. Old Drum Flats, Evergreen Inlet and Ophelia Inlet spit having larger numbers and chick productivity.

He noted that the South Core Banks continue to have heavy predation by coyotes. Only two colonial waterbird nest site were on Shackleford Banks, but quickly lost to probable coyote predation.

Reported were Piping Plover with 28 pairs that fledged 8 chicks, all on North Core Banks.

Wilson’s Plover had a total of 75 pairs taken during the June census evenly distributed throughout the seashore. Fledgling numbers were not available.

The Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge staff and its partners monitor nesting of Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, Black Skimmers, and Piping Plovers on the refuge, said Sarah Toner, acting Refuge Manager, Pocosin Lakes NWR and the Visitor Services Manager.

She provided the following information.

Least Terns: The annual colony walk-through in early June recorded 119 nests and 1631 nests under construction (scrapes). A pair can have multiple scrapes before they settle down to one nest site. Because this annual walk-through provides only a snapshot in time, the numbers are not comparable with sites that count nests throughout the summer. So, no fledging numbers are available.

Black Skimmer: No nesting attempts this year.

American Oystercatcher: 6 pairs, of which 5 pairs produced a total of 14 nests. 1 nest hatched and had 1 fledgling. Nest losses were either unconfirmed (7) or coyote predation (7). Unconfirmed is usually due to a lack of sign to confirm what took the nest, such as weather conditions erasing the tracks of a predator. No nests were lost to storm events such as wind-blown sand or overwash.

Piping Plover: one pair produced a nest scrape but did not lay eggs.

Coyote predation was the primary cause of nesting failures, said Toner in an email communication, highlighting ongoing challenges in protecting vulnerable shorebird populations on the refuge.

Ocracoke Bird Notes

Karen Rhodes, Ocracoke’s superb photographer, ventures throughout the island on an almost daily basis. Many of her photographs can be seen on the Birds of Ocracoke Facebook page.

“As for the smaller birds this spring, it was pretty typical with nesting Orchard Orioles and Blue Grosbeaks,” she said. “But fall brought some nice rarities including a Western Kingbird and a Clay-colored Sparrow spotted at the pony pens.

Also, a Blue-winged Warbler in the Hammock Hills area. Matt Janson found an American Golden Plover on the beach, Nov. 21.”

Blue-winged warbler. Photo by Karen Rhodes

Unfortunately, Ocracoke’s two fall raptor migration spotters, Jann and Gil Randell, were unable to make it to the island this fall.

On a high dune, north of the Pony Pasture, they have been counting and reporting on the birds of prey, i.e., hawks, falcons, eagles, ospreys and vultures, for many years, documenting the amazingly high number of these birds that pass through.

Ocracoke events Dec. 29 to Jan. 4

December 29, 2025

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Ocracoke’s Silver Lake harbor. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer

Monday, Dec. 29
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Ray Murray

Tuesday, Dec. 30:
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Shane Thomas

Wednesday, Dec. 31:
Christmas Bird Count on Ocracoke. To participate, contact Peter Vankevich at petevankevich@gmail.com, Facebook message, cell/text 202 468-2871.

Ocracoke Oyster Company: New Year’s Eve party with Ray & Company, 9:30 pm

Thursday, Jan. 1 New Year’s Day
Polar plunge off Ramp 70, 11:30 a.m.

Canceled due to weather: Christmas Bird Count on Portsmouth Island. To participate, contact Peter Vankevich at petevankevich@gmail.com, Facebook message, cell/text 202 468-2871.

Sunday, Jan. 4
Church services:
Ocracoke United Methodist Church, 11 am

Ocracoke Life Saving Church, 11 am

Stella Maris Chapel: Sunday Mass time at 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Go to Masstimes.org and type in the zip code 27960 but refresh your browser for it to work properly.

Why do we have to fight so hard for transportation access?

December 29, 2025

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Aerial view of Ocracoke Island. Photo: C. Leinbach

By Amy Howard

A common belief is that people who live on Ocracoke are rich.

We aren’t.

We are industrious and work hard to be able to afford to live here.

Some of us have families who go back for generations and struggle to find housing, working three jobs to make it come together.

A common argument against funding the ferries is that if some people in the state never use the ferries, then the ferries are not important.

I could argue that about a myriad of places/roads in North Carolina.

I could ask why my taxpayer dollars should fund dozens of bridges, overpasses, tunnels, stop lights, snow removal, parks, museums, and sanctuaries that I will never use?

The answer is because they are all valued as a part of our state serving people of all walks of life who contribute greatly to this state.

This is the same reason we pay taxes for public schools even if we don’t have a child enrolled: it’s for the overall benefit of our community and society.

We hear: Why do you people live in such a dangerous place? You know the road will get washed out.

Can everyone live in a “safe” place?

The mountains of N.C.? They got flooded by a hurricane last year.

Eastern N.C. mainland? They got flooded by a hurricane. Central N.C.? They got flooded by a hurricane.

How many millions of dollars went into aiding those areas after disasters?

Am I unhappy they got aid after these devastating storms? Absolutely not.

Do I think they should move somewhere “safer?” Absolutely not.

(The ferries) are literally a part of NC12 and should be treated with no less care or interest and with no judgment…the same way we don’t judge the hundreds of other miles of road in N.C. that serve ALL residents.

How much money does NCDOT spend maintaining and fixing roads, putting up signs and guardrails, cleaning medians, etc., in backroad rural areas that aren’t generating any noticeable revenue for the state, that aren’t attracting visitors from other states and countries to spend tourist dollars there?

Ocracoke and the greater Outer Banks host hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world yearly and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue and yet we are constantly having to defend our existence.

On Ocracoke, we have one guy (thank you, Shanon!) scraping sand off the north end of NC12.

Almost none of our roads in the village have been marked with lines for years now.

We have no stoplights and a few dozen street signs and traffic signs that generally last for years or decades without having to be changed out.

The ferries are a literal lifeline for people who live on Ocracoke.

They are literally a part of NC12 and should be treated with no less care or interest and with no judgment on why they need to be fixed–the same way we don’t judge the hundreds of other miles of road in N.C. that need to be built and maintained to serve ALL residents.

Groceries, medicine, pet supplies, vets, doctors/EMS, gas vendors, etc., all use our ferries and roads to serve the people of N.C. and our visitors for the ultimate benefit of the greater state.

The rich history that is here, the novelty of riding a ferry, the lighthouse, the stories of the sea, including those of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Lifesaving Service, the unspoiled beach, the fishing and hunting–all this and more draw thousands of visitors to Ocracoke.

Is there an issue with the long-term status of our road? Absolutely.

Do we need to come up with a viable plan? Absolutely.

Can we effectively do that while being attacked for living here and while fighting for crumbs because we are deemed not worthy? Absolutely not.

The narrative needs to change.

We are not sitting around eating bonbons while holding our hands out for “stolen” dollars.

We are actively working to enrich the state of North Carolina while living here and generating millions of dollars that go directly into the state coffers.

Ocracoke is one of the many beautiful and remote towns in this state that is home to hard-working passionate residents who love sharing where we live.

We promote not just our town and area, but the rest of the state as well.

We are ambassadors for the state.

Why do we have to always be on the defensive when it comes to having consistent and reliable access to where we live?

I can’t think of any other town/area in the state of NC that has to fight so hard to maintain the road (and our ferry is part of the road system) that allows them to have access to basic necessities.

Amy Howard is a lifelong Ocracoke Island resident, business manager of Village Craftsmen gallery, and active community leader with deep family roots tracing back generations on the island.

Hyde County to add sales tax increase question on March 3 primary ballot

December 26, 2025

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Hyde County is looking to raise money with an increase in the sales tax and voters will have the chance to weigh in during the March 3 primary.

The Board of Commissioners at their Nov. 3 meeting passed a resolution to place on the ballot for voters to approve a quarter of a one-quarter cent increase.

However, this tax would not be on everything.

North Carolina General Statute 105 Article 46 allows counties to levy this tax and under which they can exempt some items.

Hyde County would exempt “unprepared foods” (groceries), gas and prescription medications.

If approved, the sales tax rate on all other items would go to 7%, up from the current rate of 6.75%.

This question was on the November 2024 ballot but was defeated.

“We’re going for this a second time, which is not unusual,” said Hyde County Manager Kris Noble at the November meeting.

Randal Mathews, chair of the board of commissioners, said in an interview that enacting this tax will help the county’s revenue problem without raising property taxes.

Property taxes are paid only by property owners, but everyone would pay this local tax when they purchase goods in the county.

“This would give us a little relief,” he said, noting that Ocracoke property owners pay about 40% of the total amount garnered from property taxes. “Ocracoke costs more, too—to haul trash, to have two EMS crews, which islanders wanted, and law enforcement.”

To date, 47 other counties in the state have voted to levy this tax.

Ocracoke Observer added to Library of Congress newspaper collections

December 24, 2025

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The Ocracoke Observer, the island’s independent community newspaper since 1999, has been selected for inclusion in the Library of Congress’s National Digital Newspaper Program.

The online link is https://www.loc.gov/ndnp/

The designation means the Observer’s pages will be digitally archived to national standards for researchers, educators and the public worldwide through the Library of Congress website and preserve the paper’s reporting for future generations.

The newspaper’s owners, co-publishers and editorial board are Connie Leinbach, editor, and Peter Vankevich. They purchased the paper from Linda Rippe Buck in March 2014. Tom Yocum and Dawn Church founded the newspaper.

“Few places in North Carolina have seen so many important events in the state’s history–from Blackbeard’s death to the devastating effects of 21st century storms–as Ocracoke. So it is great news that the Observer will be preserved for future residents, historians, and all lovers of the island,” said Andrew Lawler, an American journalist, bestselling author and long-time visitor to Ocracoke.

The National Digital Newspaper Program is a partnership led by the Library of Congress and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

It works with state-level projects to identify, digitize and preserve newspapers that document the social, cultural and political life of communities across the United States.

Inclusion helps ensure long-term preservation and broad access to local journalism that might otherwise be vulnerable to loss through age, storms or shifting technologies.

“As any writer of history or historical fiction will tell you, the value of local community news being preserved in the National Digital Newspaper Program can be the difference between a detailed, vivid, genuine portrait of the times as people lived it and a gaping hole in American history,” said Marie Arana, author, historian and inaugural literary director of the Library of Congress.

The announcement follows the Observer’s earlier selection last spring for inclusion in the North Carolina Digital Newspaper collections, a statewide initiative that aggregates and shares newspapers from across North Carolina through partner libraries and archives.

“As someone who has long admired the work of the Ocracoke Observer, I couldn’t be more proud to see their journalism preserved in both the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center and now the Library of Congress,” said Phil Lucey, NC Press Association executive director. “The Observer is more than a newspaper—it’s a lifeline for its island community and a reminder of just how vital strong local news truly is.

“We’re grateful to count the Ocracoke Observer as a valued award-winning member of the North Carolina Press Association, and I’m thrilled to see their stories—and the voices of Ocracoke—recognized and safeguarded for future generations.”

Digital preservation brings practical benefits beyond storage.

Researchers will be able to explore community responses to severe weather, track local government actions, study the island’s economy and cultural traditions and follow the evolution of public services and infrastructure over more than two decades. Genealogists and family historians will gain easier access to obituaries, announcements and community reports that are often difficult to locate in print.

“What a legacy the Observer has achieved, in bringing the only active print news source in Hyde County to the eyes of the world,” said Dr. Kaye Dotson, part-time islander and Associate Professor Emerita, Library Science, East Carolina University, College of Education. “Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich deserve accolades for bringing this to fruition, increasing access to this unique body of literature and information.”

For small newspapers, digitization can be a lifeline, protecting fragile back issues and extending their reach well beyond the circulation area.

The Observer’s inclusion highlights the role that independent, community-based journalism plays in documenting American life at the local level and ensures that Ocracoke’s voice is part of the national historical record.

Ocracoke School welcomes six new teachers

December 22, 2025

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From left front: Beth Smith, Joan O’Neal. Back: Rey Yackovetsky, Emilie Mason, Mary-Jo Gellenbeck and Angela Galloway.

Text and photos by Peter Vankevich

Here are some introductions to the Ocracoke School’s new additions to the teaching staff.

Angela Galloway
Angela Galloway is the new first-grade teacher. She brings a wealth of experience of 14 years in public, private, Montessori and homeschool education. Her bachelor’s degree in elementary education is from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, Stanly County, and she was most recently a teacher in Rowan County.

She first knew she wanted to become an elementary school teacher because her first-grade teacher inspired her by loving her students and making learning fun. “I loved her so much that I wanted to become like her.

“Working at Ocracoke school is so special to me. I discovered Ocracoke 30 years ago when my husband, on a whim, brought me here for Valentine’s Day. I remember it was freezing cold, but I fell in love with the island and vowed someday I would live and work here,” she said.

This dream came true.

Last fall, she attended an NCAAT conference on Technology Infused Math and had a chance to tour the new school and met Principal Jeanie Owens, to whom she expressed her interest in teaching. At the time, it didn’t seem to work out, but during the summer, she received an email from Owens saying that there was an opening and would she be interested in teaching first grade? With elation, she quickly accepted the position.

In 2022, while teaching at Yadkin Path Montessori School, she was among five teachers named Educators of the Year by Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina.

Galloway is enjoying the small class size–only 11 students, since she’s used to much larger classes. Her interests outside of the classroom include painting and photography, and she finds the sunsets on Ocracoke especially beautiful.

Beth Smith
Beth Smith is the new Pre-K teacher with a class of 10 students. She has an extensive background in education, having taught kindergarten through fourth grade for 20 years in the Dudley community in Wayne County. Smith grew up in Wilmington and earned her bachelor’s degree from Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.

After two decades in education, she sought a career change. She enrolled in the Master of Library Science program at East Carolina University. Following her studies, she worked as a children’s librarian for five years and retired in 2020.

This summer, Smith considered returning to teaching and applied to the school. “My husband and I visited Ocracoke several times and loved it,” she said. “It was our dream to live here someday.” One of her hobbies, shell collecting, aligns well with the island’s environment.

Mary-Jo Gellenbeck
A graduate of Villanova University in Philadelphia with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts, Gellenbeck is the new Exceptional Children (EC) teacher, working with students from Pre-K to 11th grade.

Her previous six years in education were in jobs within the Department of Public Instruction.

“I worked at facilities that served public education,” she said, having worked as an environmental educator at the Hawaii Nature Center, designing programs for students who were studying earth science.

More recently she was the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program coordinator for Raleigh, which develops, manages and implements programs that encourage children to walk and bike to school by creating safer routes and educational initiatives.

She explained how she is now teaching at the school.

“One of my pastimes is to look at real estate using Zillow,” she said. While on vacation here, she searched for Ocracoke. “If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, there’s a school scorecard that identifies the schools that are associated with the address. Ocracoke scores are exceptionally high, eight out of 10 compared to the schools that are in Wake County and that really piqued my curiosity.”

It was the same month that Katie Kinion, the former Ocracoke student attending Harvard University, was on the front page of the Ocracoke Observer. That combination led her to apply for a teaching position.

Gellenbeck is looking forward to working within the community once she settles in on her teaching responsibilities.

Rey Yackovetsky
As the new fifth-grade teacher, she has a class of nine students. She is a recent graduate of the University of Hartford with a Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood education and a minor in dance. This is her first official teaching assignment, but she had two years of student teaching while obtaining her degree.

“I was homeschooled until the seventh grade and have always seen myself teaching younger people and I love sharing the joy of learning,” she said. Her goal is to have her students like school. “Some students who are behind feel they are not smart and cannot learn. I want to change their attitudes.”

Explaining how she ended up on Ocracoke, she said, “After graduating this spring, I had a hard time finding a teacher position. A lot of people are having a hard time getting jobs in Connecticut in pretty much every field.

“I was here on vacation in July with my family, and my dad kind of jokingly said, ‘Oh, you should see if this school is hiring.’ And so, I did, and then they were hiring and I applied. And the next day, Miss Jeanie called me to see if I wanted to come in for an interview. She offered me the job right after that for the fifth-grade teacher. So, I went on vacation and ended up with a job.”

She shared one positive first impression: “I think this school has a lot of amazing resources that I have not seen at a lot of schools I did my student teaching at.”

Emilie Mason
Emilie Mason is the new Spanish teacher, K through 12, a new position for the school. She is collaborating with Flavia Burton, the ESL teacher who will retire at the end of the school year and then she will take on those responsibilities.

Mason’s bachelor’s degree in Spanish is from Peace College which is now William Peace University in Raleigh. She spent her junior year studying abroad in Grenada, Spain.

“I taught Spanish and ESL at Hatteras Elementary School for two years in my early 20s before I moved to Ocracoke,” she said. She then worked as a Pre-K assistant with Alice Burruss for three years; then was the Pre-K teacher for two years. After that, she took a long hiatus, and many people will recognize her from working at the Variety Store.

“Because this is a new program, I am treating all classes as beginner Spanish,” she said.

Mason finds the challenge of teaching Spanish interesting because the classes have some native Spanish speakers.

Rather than being bored, she encourages them to help their fellow students learn their language and is pleased how they are helping. She noted that one of the reasons students want to learn Spanish is to communicate with family members of their friends who do not speak much English.

Mason has teamed up with Maddie Payne coaching the young students’ Cheer Club that can be seen at the Ocracoke Dolphins basketball games.

Joan O’Neal
Many people would consider that Joan (Joanie) O’Neal, the new business Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher, has had an amazing life.

She grew up in Ocracoke, graduating in 1990. After obtaining her English/secondary education degree from UNC-Wilmington, she moved to Alaska to work as a school administrator and teach CTE and business classes in remote communities with populations ranging from less than 100 to about 5,000.

One school, Barrow High School in Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow, is the most northern school district in the United States.

In 2009, she wrote a story for the Ocracoke Observer on how and why she went from Ocracoke to Alaska to teach. It included this gem: “I have never lived in an igloo. Ironically, the only igloo I ever went in was in Kenny Ballance’s front yard in the 1980s during that big blizzard that hit Ocracoke.”

While in Alaska, O’Neal obtained a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and is working on a doctorate in educational leadership at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.

In addition to the classes, Entrepreneurship I and Intro to Business and Entrepreneurship for grades six through 12, she has set up and serves as the advisor to two student clubs: the Future Business Leaders of America and the Sports and Marketing Club. Both focus on developing leadership, business and career skills.

Joan O’Neal on right with Ocracoke’s Future of Business Leaders of America doing a fundraiser on a cold Saturday morning. North Carolina cold weather doesn’t phase her.

Ocracoke events Dec. 22 to 28

December 22, 2025

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The Oyster Roast will be held at 1 pm Saturday, Dec. 27, at the Ocracoke Seafood Company. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer

Wednesday, Dec. 24:
Ocracoke United Methodist Church Christmas pageant and candlelight service, 7 pm.

Thursday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Saturday, Dec. 27:
Oyster Roast, Ocracoke Seafood Company; 1 pm

1718 Brewing Ocracoke: Brooke & Nick, 7 pm

Sunday, Dec. 28:
Church services:
Ocracoke United Methodist Church, 11 am

Ocracoke Life Saving Church, 11 am

Stella Maris Chapel: Sunday Mass time at 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Go to Masstimes.org and type in the zip code 27960 but refresh your browser for it to work properly.

Ocracoke Island celebrates Christmas with holiday lights

December 22, 2025

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Ocracoke island is lit up with holiday lights, and judges for the Island Celebration competition made their choices Saturday night.

The event is held every December by the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association. Three anonymous judges selected the winners, who receive the glory of winning in one of five categories, designated by signs placed in front of their properties.

“These are magical displays that remind me of the kindness of Ocracoke and its people,” said one judge about the many displays by island residents and businesses.

Another judge noted that the island is lit up with the Christmas spirit.

“I never knew it was so beautiful here this time of year,” the judge said.

Receiving honorable mentions were the homes of Trudy and Tammy Austin along Lighthouse Road and Mandy and Rick Jones.

In addition to the many residential and business displays, the Island Inn Commons area is festooned with thousands of lights that will remain up until after the New Year.

Benefitting the Ocracoke Health Center,“Lights of Love,” a display of more than 170 luminarias in honor of loved ones past and present, graced the Pony Island Inn lawn.

The following are Island Celebration winners.

The home of Sarah and Brian Warren along Back Road is Best in Show. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal

The home of Jenny Mason and Mandi Cochran captures Best Theme. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal

David and Kari Styron’s home along Lighthouse Road is Most Traditional. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal

The home of Jack and Brenda Keys on Middle Road is Most Original. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal

Best Business is the Shave Shack on Irvin Garrish Highway. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal

The Lights of Love luminarias adorn the Pony Island Inn lawn for one night on Saturday Photo by Crystal Hardt

Other notable displays are as follows:

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