View from the Ridge

Results

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:44:00 +0000

It takes a lot to make me happy these days. But I am gleeful about the results in the 2 major contested municipal races. Bob Oakes defeated Renee Cahoon by a meager margin 54% to 46% with rounding. More gratifying however was Hal Denny's stunning defeat of incumbent Mayor Don Smith. The margin was a whopping 70% to 30% It was so one sided that it got a write in candidate elected over Brian Madonald, a fairly popular incumbent who was tied too closely to Smith.
Here are the final totals - unofficial until certified next week but unlikely to change.

More later but it is a good night for good government on the Outer Bank.
Bob

Nags Head and SS elections - endorsements and more

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Let's get this straight up front. I am Treasurer of the Committee to Elect Bob Oakes. I have been working on his campaign since he decided to run. I am definitely not a disinterested bystander but then I am not sure that I would be in any Nags Head election.
I support Bob because he is the best candidate to get Nags Head focus on deciding what is wants to be in 20 years then moving us towards that future. Towns are a lot like rivers. They have a lot of activity but don't change course very often. Only consistent effort over long periods of time dictates where they end up. Nags Head needs to refocus on specific elements of vision and then start to implement them, not just in zoning code but it political and social dialog action. Nags Head didn't get The Village at Nags Head, the Outer Banks Hospital or the Nags Head Elementary school by passing rules. It got them because boards under three different mayors made phone calls, held meetings and solve problems to get these community assets located in the Town. The current board has lost that drive and focus. I believe that Bob Oakes is better equipped than his opponent to achieve that.
I am not alone feeling this way. Take a look at what Russ Lay has to say about his choice in the Nags Head Mayor's race. I know Bob appreciates the support of the Outer Banks preeminent blogger.
If you want to learn more about Bob Oake's stands then visit oakesformayor,net, our campaign website.

The local blogosphere has really heated up over the race in Southern Shores. Former Mayor and my good friend Hal Denny is running againgst incumbent Mayor Don Smith. This blog has not been kind to Don Smith over the years but I won' relive those battles. I will suggest that you visit 3 blogs with great insight into the races.
Eye on Dare has a good piece that sets the stage for the race.
Dave Sander's Southern Shores Times has several pieces about the relationship between Mayor Smith and the SS Volunteer Fire Dept. My guess is he doesn't support Smith. You read it and see what you think.
What was initially a cake walk for incumbent Brian MacDonald has become a bit more heated as long time SS volunteer George Kowalski has mounted a write in campaign. Kowalski has a blog that details his reasons. It makes for interesting reading.

I strongly urge Southern Shores voters to support Hall Denny. He was and will be an excellent Mayor.

Take a look at these sites if you live in Nags Head or Southern Shores and then, whatever town you live in, get out and vote on Tues.
Ciao

Nonprofit training classes on the Outer Banks

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Registration is now open for fall classes in the Duke Nonprofit Management Program. To register go to the Duke program site. For more information call Bob Muller @ 252-207-5287 or visit obxlearn.org Classes on the Outer Banks Include:

Event Management Alice Lutz Class ID# 12528
Learn the essentials of event management whether you are: "fund raising," "friend raising," or "fun raising." This class will outline a basic approach to event management including: committee and volunteer development, planning and implementation, securing appropriate resources, underwriting and in-kind donations, methods for evaluation, and follow-up strategies. Through examples of events (both small and large), participants will see how critical event planning is to setting the stage for success and contingencies for failure. Alice Lutz, CFRE is a seasoned nonprofit manager with 20 years experience and operates her own nonprofit management firm, Oxygen.
1 hour networking lunch
Thursday October 22, 2009 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Nature Conservancy Office at Nags Head Woods Education Pavilion, Kill Devil Hills
Enrollment Fee: $ 98 6 hours Materials Fee: $7

Grassroots Fundraising Ruth Peebles Class ID# 12530
Perfect for the newcomer to fundraising, this course will take you through the most effective and successful methods of raising money. You will discover the nuts and bolts ideas and activities to help you fundraise. Learn about current trends in giving, annual giving programs, direct mail, prospecting new donors, and managing your donor base. You will be guided from "the ask" to the acknowledgment and will find that fundraising is a simple process anyone can learn. Ruth Peebles, MPA has more than 18 years of hands-on-experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and development. She is the Founder and President of The INS Group (Innovative Nonprofit Solutions) providing consulting services for nonprofits, educational institutions, and faith-based institutions nationally.
1 hour networking lunch
Thursday November 10, 2009 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Nature Conservancy Office at Nags Head Woods Education Pavilion, Kill Devil Hills
Enrollment Fee: $ 98 6 hours Materials Fee: $7

Grant Proposals: Planning for Positive Results Amy Montgomery Class ID# 12529
Does "grant writing" sound like a daunting task? Are you or could you be a grant writer? A grant writer is a passionate person on a mission to solve a problem or an unmet need. Successful grant writers know that writing is the easy part, especially if you have someone who will edit your work. Passion for your work is your number one tool to get funded. You know your target audience, what they need and how to help. With some solid research, careful and realistic planning, strong and strategic relationships, and a good editor, you can be a successful grant writer. Participants will finish this personalized course with a checklist and road map, definite Do’s and Don’ts, and completely convinced that they have what it takes to be a successful grant writer. Amy Montgomery earned her Master’s in Health Education from East Carolina University. Beginning her career in public health, Montgomery had to learn the ins and outs of getting grants to be able to fund important community health programs. With over 10 years of grant writing experience in the areas of public health, education, and human services, Montgomery has earned millions of dollars in grant funds for projects such as mobile dental services for children and affordable housing for teachers. Montgomery is currently the Executive Director of the Dare Education Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit.
1 hour networking lunch Amy Montgomery
Thursday, November 19, 2009 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Nature Conservancy Office at Nags Head Woods Education Pavilion, Kill Devil Hills
Enrollment Fee: $ 98 6 hours Materials Fee: $5

ORV The battle continues. How Lying liars lie.

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:53:00 +0000

I have not been writing much about the debate over beach driving rules lately. The matter is now in the hands of the National Park Service and we will see a draft of the new rules soon. Unfortunately others have not been so lucky. There are those on both sides of the debate who seem to live to keep the debate going. The environmental groups that engage in this activity do so because it promotes their primary goal - raising money to continue their operations. For the opponents the motives are less clear, some fight because they can't accept the defeats they have suufered and some simply like the limelight.
An editorial in the Outer Banks Sentinel highlighted the hijinks on both sides. It is recommended reading. It debunks the enviromentalists claims that the beach closures have been good for tourism and chastises their foes for just generally acting ugly. Just how ugly this whole thing has gotten is memorialized in an excellent post by Russ on the Outer Banks Journal. He details an exchange with the fringe supporters of beach access that should be used as a lesson in how NOT to win supporters to your side.

Neither post paints a pretty picture so I won't post one either. However if you want to see some photos from Ocracoke that will remind you of why people get so passionate about the area take a look at this slideshow.

Ciao

Buxton Wind meeting

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:25:00 +0000

Sen Basnight opens the meeting

I drove to Buxton on Friday to listen to the report on the feasibility of industrial scale wind generation in our area. I came away encouraged, impressed and more than a little concerned. I was encouraged and impressed by the report. They committee did what appeared to be a good job of reviewing the various factors that would keep a wind site form working. After eliminating most of the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds but not the ocean, they estimated where the winds were suitable for turbines. The answer came up a small area in the sound west of Avon NC and most of the ocean off southern Hatteras, Ocracoke, Portsmouth Islands and south down to Morehead. You can review the full report and a summary at the Wind Committee's web site.
What worried me was the tone of many of the comments. The anger of many Hatteras Island residents was predictable but there was an edge to them that was reminiscent of the health care debate. Nasty, angry and with no trust. The consensus comments were - Fix our access problems and The environmental groups will never let you build the turbines. Don't even try. There were some strong supporters and a couple of very insightful comments about the lack of economic impact. There was not study of the effect on tourism, good or bad, No estimate of jobs created, if any or other costs or benefits to the area. There was a commitment to involve the Hatteras Electric Membership Coop in the project, an involvement that could mean big bucks for the coop - but don't count on it.
The best moment for me was after the most aggressive anti government comment, one that basically get government out of our lives, let the private sector do it, stop subsidies and a call to get the Bonner Bridge replacement started. It was a Tea Party diatribe that ended with an overt threat to get with the small government program or get voted out of office. Sen,. Basnight rose and responded that a.) the wind project needed to be done and b.) don't talk about cutting govt spending and ask for $400 (corrected) million dollars for a new bridge. It is hypocritical (my word not his). He got a nice ovation.
Manny Madieros got up and denied global warming, denied any viability of wind power as a generating source, exagerated the problems and ignored the impacts of his proposed solution - nuclear power. It was the predictable moment that reminded everyone that this was just one step in the long path to finding answers to our energy needs. We have heard Manny before and we will hear him again.
What's next? There seemed to be a commitment from Duke Power to built a demonstration project with 2 or 3 big turbines in the Pamlico Sound off Avon. they would be marginally visible from the shore. This will involved a lot more studies and meetings and arguments, discussion and probably blog posts. That said you got the sense that people were serious about moving forward with this. There was no pie in the sky rhetoric (well not much) There was a realistic acceptance of the strengths and drawbacks of off shore wind generation. There was an clear acceptance of the imperative for change on the part of both those on the dais and those in the audience.

Same topic different thought.
I continue to be impressed with the power of social networking. I decided to post microblog posts during the meeting using Twitter. I found out later that a couple of people actually found the stream of tweets and followed them. I have attached the full stream of tweets as a reference for how I saw the meeting while it was going on. I find it remarkable that using a handheld device (an Iphone) I was able to post messages read by people who were interested in what I was posting. I continue to be impressed by the power of tools like Twitter, Facebook and Flickr to increase communication between people with similar interests but little chance for random contact. If you aren't leveraging some of this power to increase your quality of life you are missing a great chance. It is not hard and it can be very rewarding.
The Tweets follow (tip the links are to photos. The photos aren't great) - Ciao

Basnight kicks off buxton wind energy meeting http://twitpic.com/j24m5 #nc #wind9:07 AM Sep 25th
Basnight if we turn our back on global warming we have made a big mistake9:11 AM Sep 25th
Basnight. Don't want to see towers up close but at a distance is ok Now introducing Gov9:14 AM Sep 25th
http://twitpic.com/j25fd purdue speaks. Son getting married ln Ocracoke on Sat9:17 AM Sep 25th
Gov purdue. The new gold will be green . Intro e Green czar John Morrison9:19 AM Sep 25th
Purdue. Nc can position herself as a world leader in green energy. NC wll will do evething we can to do lead9:21 AM Sep 25th
Rep Tim Spear up next. Here to listen to presentation &people9:22 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Presentation to start. Feasibty study. Dr. Joe Simon duke power to start Study area Pamlico & albemarle sounds and ocean9:28 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Turbines up to 500ft w/ up to 50 turbines in farm. Looked at wind resource & enviro impact9:31 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Buxton wind energy summit live tweet. Good wind in east Pamlico sound9:34 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. 40% wind capacity on offshore waters is very promissing. Winds over sounds s of hatteras also good9:39 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. High bird conflict along coast. We can reduce risk. Avoid white colors9:43 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind fish conflicts mimic bird conflicts. Human use similar as well9:46 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind synergies turbine bad provide substrate for oysters. Could help water quality9:48 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind foundation either big piling or gravity disk weighted w/2000 tons of rock9:52 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Excluded all no go areas for any reason. Eastern pamlico small area ok. Offshore lot of space is good9:57 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Best winds off Raleigh & onslow bay offshore9:59 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Develop about one sixth coul provide 20% of power for NC10:01 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Need more wind estimates Get transmissio corridor resoved Pamlico Sound could be demo area for 1 to 3 turbines10:03 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Cost 12 milion per turbine At 10 miles would be visible from the beach10:05 AM Sep 25th
http://twitpic.com/j2agg. Model of turbine. Need more research on hurricane impact10:07 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Ad for Duke Energy as state partner in project. Questions next10:09 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind duke power on what we are doing to save the world. 2 things important fix grid eliminate carbon10:16 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind questions. What is process? How do we make sure it is no impact as promised?10:21 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind process us many meetings. Web site for study google nc wind study10:22 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. What is economic impact. & ROI for wind energy10:23 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Beach access issue mentioned as government impact Answer is a few turbines don't provide good ROI. Big projects can bee good10:26 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Comment wind investment is good for economy Comment. Need commiment fron Feds and enviro will stop the project10:34 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. comment about replacement of bonner bridge & access issues demonstrate power of enviros10:35 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Comment. Get government out of it. Let private industry out of it stop spending our taxes dollars on these projects10:37 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Basnight bridge permits in Feb. fish & wildlife not our friends.10:41 AM Sep 25th
#nc #winds. Basnight don't say you want small government. Then ask for tax dollars for bridge10:42 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. Comment. Fear the enviromental groups. Comment. Use local electric coop10:43 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind comment. Economy is bad. Fix access issue. Nothing to with wind10:49 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind comment from. Billy Mosely. Surfer dude. He supports thanks.10:52 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind. http://twitpic.com/j2fym. Bobby Owens NC Utility Comm10:56 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind comment manny mederios. Anti wind blow hard. I will bring balance10:58 AM Sep 25th
##nc #wind Maderios. Myth of global warming. Wind needs back up power increases cost. Wind provides wimpy power. W/ lavish subsidies11:01 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind maferios. Wind power is socialism. Global warming is bunk11:03 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind Prof Stan Riggs rebuts mederios on global warming. Meeting losing people at good clip11:05 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind Peterson defends enviros and says this all needs to happen or face the consequences11:11 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind question. How restricted is acess to water around turbines.11:12 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind ? Acess fishing around turbine. Answer not much impact from demo project in sound. Could improve rec fishing11:16 AM Sep 25th
#nc #wind meeting continues with anti wind skeptics and & advocates for hatteras economy. Time for me to go. Ciao11:21 AM Sep 25th

9-11 redux

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Two years ago a the world famous Paula of Sammie's Surf Report ran a series of pieces written by people about where they were on 9-11 and what insights about the event time has given them. Thought I would post a link to my contribution since I am thinking about that fateful day and find that my insights haven't changed much.
Hope this finds you safe and well.
If you miss Paula as I do, you can find her blogging still from her base in DC.
Ciao

Jennette's Pier Photos Late Aug.

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:34:00 +0000

Here are some recent photos of the construction at Jennette's Pier

	The ocean was a little rough at the south trestle on Saturday morning as Hurricane Bill made it’s way north, well east of the Outer Banks.

	The Wastewater Treatment building as it appeared on Monday.

	The Wastewater Treatment building as it appeared on Friday.
	South Ramp piles being driven at pile bent #(-1), piles at pile bent #(-2) have been washed down and will be driven next. You can see the east gable end wall of the Wastewater Treatment building in the background.

	Six 24”x24’ piles for the Pier House arrived this week (one per trailer load). The 18”x18” pile to the left will be used to finish the south Ramp.

	Temporary steel sheet piles installed between the north and south trestle at the dune line (near pile bent line #(-5)).

Clean water NRDC style

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:21:00 +0000

The Natural Resources Defense Council has released their annual report on water quality at our nation's popular recreational beaches. Not surprisingly Dare County fares pretty well in the report. The detailed state section (scroll down for results) showed that most of the water quality problems were in the sound rather than the more popular ocean beaches.
The worst offender (and a perennial problem site) was the Private Sound Acess in Southern Shores. Water quality here failed to meet the state's standards over 10% of the time. The Jockeys Ridge public soundside access and the swimming beach in Colington Harbor also reported at least one failed testing cycle. On the Ocean side each of the 3 ocean outfalls in KDH had a single failure while the rest of the county's sites tested clean for the entire year.
An interesting feature of the report is an interactive map showing results for the 200 most popular beaches in the country. Nags Head made the list showing 4 out of five stars for the ocean beaches and 3 out of 5 for the soundside. (note the 2 soundside sites shown in this section are actually the same place in the sound about 100 yds. north of Basnights Lone Cedar Cafe). All the sites did not receive star for testing frequency since NC tests once a week not twice a week as the NRDC recommends. The soundside site missed the grade for water quality history since the site had failing readings within the last 3 years. All the sites got credit for good quality in 2008, for post advisories promptly onlince and on the beach.

This is an annual report - I posted about it 4 years ago in the early days of this blog - the report has been a catalyst for increasing awareness about recreational water quality. Take a minute to read through the NC section and I think you will be pleased. North Caroina ranked 5th out of the 30 states listed in the report.

It should be noted that the state's testing is done on a regular schedule weekly and is not dependent on factors that contribute to water borne pollution, particularly rainfall. The UNC Coastal studies institute has monitoring stations set up in the outfall ditches in KDH and Nags Head. There testing shows substantial spikes in bacteria following rain events. Since salt water is not a good environment for bacteria these organisms generally die quickly when then enter the ocean therefore state testing will only catch these pollution peaks if their sample happens to coincide with a rain event. On the other hand the samples taken in the pipe do not reflect conditions in the ocean even at the mouth of the pipe since the 2 environments are so different.
OK what I as trying to say is that the State's testing may miss some of the pollution while the CSI doesn't test the water people swim in.

Ok enough for now - The rain has stopped so I guess I will go to the beach and go for a swim.
Ciao

New Local Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Nancy Proctor is a busy lady. Its not enough that she has started a weekly newsletter focusing on the activities and needs of the Outer Banks nonprofit community, she is also producing a fascinating blog that targets environmental news and issues with local relevance.
I found the CommonGood E-newsletter when a copy was forwarded to me by the leader of a local group that provides help for families with memory loss (dementia) issues. I immediately subscribed. The newsletter provides information about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and area nonprofit programs. It offers a wealth of timely and accurate news for the Dare-Currituck area. The CommonGood site has recent newsletters archived and a link to subscribe.
Perhaps more interesting, though no more important, for frequent visitors to this space is Nancy's OBX Common Ground blog. The site focuses on environmental issues that effect our area particulalrly global warming the impact of sea level rise. Nancy provides links to good data and studies as well as current news articles. All material that can't be ignored when public policy about this issues is debated. Wind power, land conservation and green shopping on the OBX have been featured in recent posts. I hope you will stop by, take a look and welcome Nancy to the local blogosphere.
Ciao
PS : For my friends who follow these posts on FaceBook here are the links.
CommonGood site. http://commongoodnews.wordpress.com/
Common Ground blog: http://obxcommonground.wordpress.com/

Old Friends New Places (Shameless Plugs)

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:41:00 +0000

I used to spend a lot of time in a bar/restaurant called Lances. Just north of Danube St. it was a hangout for a Nags Head - Manteo posse of natives and locals. Run by Lance and MaryAnne Newman the place was one of the few in the area that probably saw more local business than tourist. As Lances wound down the building became the Sticky Wicket Pub (SWP). A group of New Englanders kept the old crowd happy and added new customers with a great menu and excellent service. SWP moved on and the building became a gift shop. The Lance's crew moved to the BACU grille at the Outer Banks Mall. A Cuban inspired menu and a lively bar scene made the place very successful until the owners sold it and move on.
With apologies to George Santyana. Luckily some folks learned from their history so we all get to repeat it. The managers of both The Sticky Wicket Pub and the Bacu Grille have resurfaced and are both serving great food and hospitality again.
The Sticky Wicket Crown now inhabit the Prime Only Restaurant on the big road in Nags Head, just north of the Ace Hardware store. Always a good place to eat the new crowd has broadened the menu, keeping the aged beef and outstanding seafood while expanding the menu with a meal options ranging in price from affordable to , well, embarrassing. We stop by on Saturday nights to hear The Wilder Brothers play upstairs in the lounge area but any night is a good night to try Prime Only.
Over on the beach road the Bacu Grille has been reincarnated as Bacu2Go primarily a take out service the site has some tables arrayed outside. The menu features breakfast, lunch and dinner favorites, including the signature Cuban Press sandwich. We picked up an order of lasagna and an order of stuffed shells. Both were excellent, with a salad and bread the total for 2 good dinners was under $20.
Here is hoping that both these new enterprises flourish and we all get to enjoy the great food and service that these folks have been known for.
Ciao

Municipal Filing Updated

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:58:00 +0000

I have learned that the DC Board of Elections posting was incorrect. Apparently David Sanders has withdrawn and former Mayor Hal Denny has file to oppose incumbent Mayor Don Smith in Southern Shores.
Ciao

Municipal Filing

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Candidate filing for the Nov. Municipal Elections closed at noon today. Dare County Board of elections published a list quickly on their web site.
Nags Head has the most interesting races with Bob Oakes challenging incumbent Mayor Renee Cahoon and 4 filers for 2 seats on the Board of Commissioners, Joe Maione, Doug Remaley, Anna Sadler and Will Woodard. Remaley and Sadler are incumbents neither of the other 2 has run for office in town before. Bob Oakes is an incumbent Commissioner with two years remaining on his term. Should he lose he would remain on the board, should he win his vacant seat would be filled by the Board of Commissioners.
The big surprise here is the number of challengers for the Commissioner seats. 2 years ago there was no opposition for Oakes and Commissioner Wayne Gray when they ran for reelection.
The other interesting race is in Southern Shores where former Councilman and fellow blogger Dan Sanders is challenging Mayor Don Smith. Sanders and Smith were on opposite sides of the Southern Shores Volunteer Fire Dept. fight 2 years ago.
Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk will keep their Mayors. Both Ray Sturza and long time elected official Clifton Perry will run unopposed. Like wise the current KH and KDH Commissioners running for reelection have no challengers. Bob Woodard and Paul Buske in KDH and Robert Reid and Gary Perry in KDH are assured reelection.
SS Commissioner Brian MacDonald is in the same boat as the only candidate for his seat on the Council.
In Duck, where every elected official is up for election every 2 years there are 6 candidates for 5 seats on the Board.
In Manteo Mayor Jamie Daniels and Commissioners Christine Etheridge, David Farrow and Richard Burke are all unopposed in their bids for reelection.

Ciao

Turnpike changes explained.

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Turnpike Authority changes explained by the Exile on Jones St. I found the wrong bill in my post but the language is the same. The reasoning here is fewer boards less expense. Not so sure about that given the state of the DOT Board in recent years. Time will tell.

http://www.exileonjonesstreet.com/2009/07/13/questioning-turpike-authority/trackback/

Turnpike Authority under DOT

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Saw a tweet that led a this blog post calling for people to call their NC Legislators about a threat to the Mid County Bridge. No source for the post and no bill number etc. There is also no anaysis how moving the Turnpike Authority under DOT would affect anything.

I did a little digging and found this language in the budget bill passed by the NC House. I suspect this is what the writer is referring to:

House Bill 916
...
PART XXI. NORTH CAROLINA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY
13
14 NORTH CAROLINA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY
15 SECTION 21.1. G.S. 136-89.182 reads as rewritten:
16 "(b) Administrative Placement. – The Authority shall be located within the Department
17 of Transportation for administrative purposes but shall exercise all of its powers independently
18 of the Department of Transportation except as otherwise specified in this Article. and shall be
19 subject to and under the direct supervision of the Secretary of Transportation. This shall be
20 treated as a Type I transfer under G.S. 143A-6.
21 …
22 (d) Board of Transportation Members. –~~No more than two members~~ Members of the
23 North Carolina Board of Transportation may serve as members of the Authority Board.

Not sure how this change would effect any of the Authority's projects. I guess it would mean more oversight but its hard to see how it would affect the projects since financing for the authority is done by selling bonds to be repayed by the tolls levied on the user of the roads and bridges the Authority operates.
Anyway just another strange element of the state government process.
Ciao

N&O on Jennettes Pier funding

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:09:00 +0000

Photo from NC Aquarium

The News and Observer came to the defense of the Jennettes Pier project in an article that explained the sources of money for the new facility. There has been increasing buzz statewide about state government spending $25 million dollars on a fishing pier at a time when expenditures in every state department are being trimmed drastically.

Liberal and conservative critics are pounding the new pier, trying to transform the project into North Carolina's "bridge to nowhere," the Alaska construction project that the state's Republican governor, Sarah Palin, boasted of trying to block as wasteful government pork.
Critics have deployed a television ad [here] and mass e-mails bashing the pier, saying it is a luxury the state can't afford when it is handing out pink slips to teachers and shutting down pieces of the state's health care services.

The article continues to explain that none of the money used to pay for the pier was available to meet next years budget. All the funds came from sources already committed to specific funding targets ranging from building aquariums to water access to stormwater protection. No money was taken from the soon to be adopted state budget. That budget will trim state spending in response to a severe drop in tax revenues due to the nations economic collapse.
There is no doubt the new pier goes well beyond the concept of the old wooden fishing pier. It will be 1,000 ft. long and made of concrete rather than wood, the better to withstand coastal storms. The pier house will feature a meeting room that will host education an community meetings. It will seat 200 for dinner and hold at least 500 standing. It is this facility that has caused the most controversy. It will be available for rent for weddings and other events. While this may seem a bit off it is exactly the same arrangement currently used by all the Aquariums to raise additional operating funds. What the critical video calls a "ballroom" is in fact a place where school kids can learn about the protecting the coastal environment and reducing pollution through alternative energy sources. I am not sure what the "clubhouse" crack refers to but it could be a the public beach access facility with showers and toilets for beach visitors. The new pier will be a major attraction for visitors and locals alike. It will rival or may even surpass its sibling on Roanoke Island.
Did I mention the pier will host a series of alternative energy projects including 3 windmills, extensive use of solar panels and possibly a small hydrogen fuel cell. Some or all of the cost of these element will come from private sources. The pier will also have advance wastewater and storm water plants. All these elements will be integrated into education programs that will be offered at the pier. These educational programs will very popular before the pier was damaged in Hurricane Isabel, damage that led to the construction of the new pier.
BTW You can follow construction of the pier on the NC Aquarium's website with regular construction updates.
The N&O spoke with Sen. Marc Basnight about the project. I will let his vision of the pier close this piece:

Basnight said the investment in the pier has to be viewed through a long-term lens. He said it will draw children and adults alike to features such as a 200-seat meeting room for school field trips, ocean conservation exhibits, and its plumbing, a system that cleans bathroom waste water and uses it to hose down the deck.
"This can be an opportunity to learn and educate the masses as to what our future could and should be, how to treat storm water, renewable energy," Basnight said. "We can dispel some of the myths at a place that will outdraw any museum ... any state historic park."

I couldn't say it better myself.
Ciao
Disclaimer - I was recently chosen to Chair the Jennettes Pier Advisory Committee, a group that represents the agencies that funded the initial purchase of the pier property including the NC Aqarium Society, the NC Aquariums, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Town of Nags Head, Dare County. The effort to buy the pier was started by a resolution sent from the Town to Sen. Basnight during my tenure as Mayor. I drafted and offered the resolution. I have been a member of the Advisory Committee since its inception and I have advocated for the pier since before its purchase. I think it is a great idea, will be a great asset to the area and the state. Don't say I didn't tell you.

So long Sarah

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:29:00 +0000

Not quite sure what to make of Sarah Palin's rambling resignation. Certainly it was instictive and not a pro - planned job. If you want some good quick analysis check out Politico
My take -Quitters never win. Winners never quit. If she wanted to run in 2012 she would have been better served to complete her turn. A bad political move - poorly executed.
Ciao

Nags Head July 4th Fireworks

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:04:00 +0000

Nags Head July 4th Fireworks originally uploaded by BOBXNC

It's that time again. Here is a list of the time and place of fireworks demonstrations around the area:
July 4th Fireworks Summary:
1) Corolla = Currituck Heritage Park at dusk
2) Kill Devil Hills = Avalon Pier (Mile Post 6) at dusk
3) Nags Head = Nags Head Fishing Pier (Mile Post 11.5) at 9:25 pm
4) Roanoke Island = Festival Park at 9:20 pm
5) Avon = Avon Fishing Pier at 9:15 pm
6) Hatteras Village = Ramp 55 at 8:30 pm.
7) Ocracoke Village = Dusk

Perhaps more interesting is how quiet Nags Head has been this summer. In years past illegal fireworks were set off every night, often late into the night. The rental industry and local governments have been working to discourage the practice and have apparently been effective.

I am sure that on Sat. night there will be plenty of unauthorized displays on the beach, but this has become the exception rather than the rule.

Nice piece on the Ocracoke Island Blog explaining the genesis and the importance of the fireworks ban on that precious island. Nags Head's new fireworks rules are posted on the town web site. They mirror earlier bans by Dare County and Duck.
Have a great 4th and please be safe.
Ciao

Burying the Lead

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:52:00 +0000

THE COROLLA WILD HORSE FUND REQUESTS THAT YOU DO NOT PATRONIZE ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES OFFERED BY BARRIER ISLAND ECO TOURS.

Photo by Steve V.

There I put the message where it should be, unlike the Corolla Wild Horse fund (CWHF) who left this message til the very end of a striking piece about a new threat to the ponies that roam the Currituck beach strand.

On June 27th, there were three domestic horses being ridden north on the 4X4 beach with two other horses being “ponyed.” (led by riders on horseback). I observed at least one rider drinking. A sanctuary patrol officer stopped to ask them to not continue and explained that even if vaccinated, their domestic horses can carry diseases to the wild horses for which they have no immunity. She also warned them that the wild stallions would see them as a threat and may charge them. They did not care. In fact, they were defiant. I also stopped them but they had no interest in hearing what I had to say and told me that they were “delivering” the horses to the owner of Barrier Island “Eco” Tours ...As they were riding up the beach, a stallion appeared on top of the dunes. He did what comes naturally to him. He charged the intruders to his territory in an attempt to drive them off and protect his harem. One of the horses reared, throwing its adult male rider to the ground. Sheriff’s deputies had to chase the wild stallion back several times. Unfazed, the riders continued, stopping occasionally to talk to curious beachgoers and on one occasion, allowing a bikini clad woman to step from the bed of her truck into the saddle and go for a pony ride of sorts. All the while, the female rider that was giving the “pony ride” had a bottle of alcohol in her hand.

The article goes on to describe the problems associated with the introduction of "domestic" horses into the area occupied by the wild horse herd. It is sad but not unpredictable that someone would find another way to threaten this relic of our storied past. Development in the Corolla area finally drove the horses out of that habitat, one they had occupied for centuries, and into confinement in an undeveloped sanctuary on the northern Currituck banks. Interactions between humans and the ponies simply couldn't be worked out. The horses were hit (and often killed) by speeding cars, they feasted on newly watered and fertilized landscape plants and occasionally bit a tourist that was offering a goody or trying the pet the still wild though apparently tame animals.
The courts can prosecute people who violate the rules set up to protect the horses but we can help too. First send $20 to the CWHF,(see note below) more if you can, then make sure your tell your friends, coworkers and random contacts not to support the companies that do this kind of thing - Boycott them. Maybe they will get the message.

You had to read all the way through the CWHF post to get to the boycott message, now I have done the same thing. Don't you bury the lead put it at the top of your message list then explain why later.
Ciao
Note: The memberships are charged through there online store. They add a shipping charge to the membership. Probably a glitch in the software, I didn't see anyway to avoid it. a $15 membership - the lowest level - will actually cost you $20. You could just buy a teeshirt or hat for about the same money if you want something tangible.

Bag(gage) on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:03:00 +0000

Some time ago I wrote a facetious April Fools piece about quitting blogging for the comfortable confines of MySpace where:

it seems that no one cares about my former life as a the criminal mastermind of the conspiracy known as the Town of Nags Head. No one cares about ORV driving or ocean outfalls or (hush yo mouth) beach nourishment!!. Why no one even cares about anything except inviting me to virtual play!!.

I had no idea how prescient that piece would become. I joined Facebook, as I do so many things, to explore the emerging new uses of technology. I had already used the photo social network Flickr. Facebook was an extension of that experience. I have a lot of contacts and stay in touch with people I seldom get to see through this new medium. I have enjoyed my time on Facebook and it competes with my blogging for my attention. It is one reason why there have been so few posts lately.
My blog posts are routed to my Facebook account automatically and show up as notes that my Facebook friends can read and comment on. I have had a few stray comments on my notes but the plastic bag bill piece generated an interesting dialog between several community leaders who participate on Facebook. In fact it received more comment on the social networking site than on the original blog. Here are the comments.

Maxine Rossman at 3:25am June 19
For what it's worth, Laura Leslie would appear to be right on all counts. The morning of the legislative breakfast here in Dare the question "If this is coming out of the NC general assembly, why does it not apply to the entire state?" was asked. The good Senator's reply was that he knew there would not have been enough support for it to be applied to the entire state! And yes, local grumbling and mumbling abounds - but changes little.

Ben Sproul at 8:59pm June 19
Mandatory Recycling for ABC permittees in NC (effective January 2008) fundamentally altered the state's waste stream, keeping hundreds of thousands of tons of glass (and plastic, and aluminum) out of our landfills every year. This odd plastic bag bill seems to be part of a larger plan to green-up the reputation of NC nationally. My guess is that... Read More, by next year, Basnight will be able to point to this "experiment", call it a success, and use that perceived success to leverage this and other green initiatives toward wider acceptance and a fast-track the green movement statewide. The fact that the environment will not be noticeably better-off does not surprise me. These macro issues demand incremental steps. And ones that do not noticeably effect the state budget negatively. Like the Recycling requirement, these new regulations are un-funded mandates, with no allocations for enforcement or implementation.
Ben Sproul
Ben Sproul at 9:07pm June 19
These big box retailers will pick up the tab for the more expensive bags by passing the new expense on to our tourists (and us) at the cash register in the same way that restaurants paid out of pocket for recycling while local governments reaped the benefits of lower tipping fees (to the tune of $65/ton) when the collective waste stream dropped. That new expense is now built into your beer/lunch. Restaurants - and now a few retailers - feel these actions the most, because our visitors do not bring more money. Consumers spent the same dollars, only now there are fewer of them left when you get to the business owner's bottom line.

I, for one, am glad to do my part.
Glad for the smoking ban in restaurants, too (Jan 2010) !! Now if we could just enforce the fact that tossing your cigarette butts on the beach (or my parking lot) is a crime... called littering!

:-)

Maxine Rossman at 4:27am June 20
Strongly agree with the sentiment of both of your posts. You are aware, I assume, that because so few restaurants and bars were open this past winter that the County did not even recycle the glass that was collected?! The ultimate slap for businesses after all of the additional expense associated with the mandated action in the current economic climate!

Ben Sproul at 8:48pm June 20
The county ends up collecting glass only in unincorporated areas of the county. They bought a glass crusher with help from the Visitors Bureau Grant. Fact is, the value of used glass dropped through the floor when the mandate glutted the market, so it has very little value. Due to our remote location, trucking it out of here makes selling it ... Read Moreimpossible. We hope to use the crushed product here in the county. Meanwhile, here in KDH, restaurants like mine mostly pay Outer Banks hauling to pick up our recycling... and they haul it to VA to sort it. They tell me they would lose money if all my recycling was glass (most of it is) only our aluminum makes it economically feasible. Again, I am happy to to it for the greater good. No govt action is perfect. At least ours is trying...

Bob Muller at 3:50am June 21
Ben,
While I am sympathetic to the cause of environmental improvement/protection I don't accept your premise that any effort by government, no matter how ineffective or ill conceived is a good one. The bag ban has little real enviromentl impact. It may create a market for recycled paper bags that would be good but no one has demonstrated that the... Read More science supports that. There is much the state could do to improve the envrionment - hog farms, the state auto fleet - storm water etc. But those actions take real political will. Imposing a local bag ban takes none, all it does is increase cynicism about motives and means.
If government wants to do something about the environment or even litter, then do something meaningful even it is hard. The time for enviromental symbols is long gone. The time for effective action may soon be as well.

Ben Sproul at 10:22pm June 21
Point of clarification. My premise is not that "any effort" is a "good one". Far from it. The point I was trying to make was that moving the political will of a large enough group of legislators to actually pursue real reform requires incremental measures. I whole heartedly agree that the bag ban will have negligible effects on our local environment. What it may serve to accomplish, however, is to begin to erode the resistance to all things environmental at the state level. That erosion is what will pave the way for more ambitious efforts. Education of the public, is the real challenge, for our legislators can do little for us unless we are insisting on it loudly and publicly.

Here is one of my current crusades...
Stop Oil and Natural Gas Exploration off of North Carolina http://www.surfrider.org/outerbanks/

Sign the petition. This is how we push back on the new MMS 5-Year Oil Lease plan. By talking to the Sec. of the Interior Ken Salazar

Kathy Mccullough-Testa at 4:49am June 22
Ben, you are right...it is so hard for folks to "do" the big things and smaller steps increase acceptance of them. But, you should be in Duck since the Town does pay for the commercial recycling pick-up for our restaurants.

The comments were reposted with the permission of those involved.

Additional bag bill notes. The bill passed the Senate and should soon be signed by Govenor Purdue. Nice piece in the Va. Pilot on the bill with quotes from some business owners and managers.

Ciao
PS. Not sure I will be reposting comments all the time. I may try to drive all the traffic to the blog site for comments so I don't have to.

Plastic Bag Bill update

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:10:00 +0000

Following up on a recent post the NC Senate should consider the plastic bag bill today. Expect the bill to pass easily and move on to the Governor for her signature. (that pronoun is so strange to write but so good)

One correction. It appears the bill does not cover Roanoke Island as I previously stated.
To be included and Island must be bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and a sound, Hatteras and Ocracoke are, Roanoke Island is not.

Many thanks to a great friend and faithful reader for both the correction and the update.
Ciao.

Just Say No (to Offshore Drilling)

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:59:00 +0000

Local opposition to offshore drilling is beginning to get organized. The local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is circulating 2 online petitions. Both state the signers opposition to renewed offshore oil drilling. I am glad to see someone is getting started on this issue.
I have stated my view, on this site, that offshore drilling is worse than useless on many occasions. The amount of oil and gas available is small part of our national addiction and funds spent on drilling would be better spent moving us away from oil all together. Further the environmental risks from drilling in our offshore waters far out weigh any minor gains. It is just bad policy.
I signed the petition and I hope you will.

We should all remember that it was a local group, LegaSea, that led the opposition to Mobil Oil the last time this issue came around. LegaSea's actions led to state findings that blocked Mobil's permits and eventually contributed to the moratorium on offshore drilling that is only now being rolled back. Find an synopsis of the effort here

Action like this can contribute to sound policy but only if enough people express their opinion. Sing the petition NOW - not later then text and email your freinds to do the same.
Ciao

A Short Walk - Film

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Nice morning walk today. Saw sort of the good, the bad and the ugly. Here is a peek:

Plastic Bag Ban Moves Forward

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:26:00 +0000

Photo by Topsy at Waywood

I was alerted by a Tweet from Laura Leslie noting:I find it interesting that the OBX plastic bag ban is getting a more vigorous debate on my Facebook page than it got on the House floor.
Senate Bill 1018 AN ACT To Reduce Plastic and nonrecycled paper Bag use on north carolina's outer banks passed the House on its 3rd reading today and moved back to the NC Senate for concurrance. Expect it to pass the Senate again and soon.
I found Leslie's comment cogent since the issue has not been debated much on the local scene either. You can decide whether that silence implies consent (support) or acceptance of a fait accompli. The legislation has been on a fast track ever since Sen. Basnight assembled a group of local government leaders at Lone Cedar restaurant and told them what he wanted to do. Since then there was been a lot of local mumbling but no organized support or resistance. I suggest that if a local government pursued similar legislation the local retail community would be engaged in the debate at best and simply howling bloody murder at ?worst?. Given that it was proposed by arguably the most powerful poitician in the state and it being considered on his turf, its passage was assured before it was drafted. Because the impacts are limited to the local area there is little reason for anyone in Raleigh to protest.
Lets look for a minute at what the bill does:
First it applies only to the barrier island strand in Currituck and Dare counties and Ocracoke and Roanoke Island. The mainland sections of Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties are not included.
It applies to chain stores (more than 5 outlets in the state) and retailers with over 5,000 sq. ft in retail space. That inlcudes all the food stores plus Wings and some other large retailers like Ben Franklin (maybe). There are some local chains that may be affected like Kitty Hawk Kites and Nags Head Hammocks.
The bill bans the use of plastic bags and requires that covered stores supply recycled paper bags instead. Plastic bags can be used for:
(1) Fresh fish or fresh fish products.
(2) Fresh meat or fresh meat products.
(3) Fresh poultry or fresh poultry products.
(4) Fresh produce.

and if food safety rules require them. Otherwise its the customers bag or recycled paper.
The goal is noble, reduce litter and protect the environment on the fragile barrier islands. It remains to be seen just how well the system will work. It won't take effect until Sept. 1 of this year. It requires retailers to post notices explaining the new requirement. Maybe the Chamber will get rental managers to include the notice in their rental brochure and web site. Whatever happens it will take a year or two for visitors to get used to the idea even if they use reusable bags at home.
IMO the bill will have little impact. I don't see plastic bags littering the area as much as I see detritus from trash truck's leakage and the backs of pick ups. Time will tell just how effective the new rule will be. If it is half as effective as the political jaugernaut that produced the law we will be well served.
Ciao
PS. If you don't follow Laura Leslie's blog on NC politics your are missing a real treat

Nags Head BIrthday Celebration Videos

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:15:00 +0000

I have posted 5 videos from the Town of Nags Head's Birthday Celebration. They are unedited video shot today on the porch at Town Hall. Parts 3 and 4 are particularly worth viewing. Part 3 contains John Harris's remarks on being named Lightkeeper for this year. He spends some time talking about the elements that he thinks are important to the future sucess of our town. Part 4 features the Town's residential and commercial archetectural awards. The comments by the Rasko family, on recieving the residential award are worth listening to.

Enjoy. I may produce an edited version of all this but don't hold your breath. I am still figuring out the hardware and software mechanics of video production. Maybe U. Jack will give me some pointers. I could use them.
ciao

Nags Head Birthday Celebration 2009 Part 5

noreply@blogger.com (BOBXNC) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:14:00 +0000

Closing remarks by Mayor Renee Cahoon.