A trip to Island Farm

  MANTEO’S FARMER’S MARKET has been busy this summer with a record number of vendors and good crowds every Saturday. You can find everything from fresh vegetables to art, to jewelry and Angus beef sold here. The town has sponsored this farmer’s market for several years on the waterfront next to the Maritime Museumu. It took off slowly at first with only a few vendors and spotty crowds, but this summer it came into its own.

  Aug. 9 is the deadline for submitting comments on the latest preferred alternative for replacement of the Bonner Bridge. N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will be accepting online and written comments until the Aug. 9 deadline on a new plan calling for immediate replacement of the aging bridge.

  Allen Burrus, vice chairman of Dare County Board of Commissioners, outlined the importance of making public comments now. ”Replacing the Bonner Bridge is 17 years overdue. A new bridge is imperative for public safety and for maintaining a safe and reliable transportation lifeline to and from Hatteras Island.” Burrus added, ”Now is the time to submit comments before it is too late.”

  Dare County, the Federal Highway Administration and others endorses the new preferred alternative including Rep. Walter B. Jones, G.K. Butterfield, Howard Coble and senators Richard Burr and Kay Hagan. N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight also supports the bridge replacement and has twice pleaded with President Obama to intervene.

  Beth Midgett, chair of the Committee to Replace the Bonner Bridge, said, ”We are asking everyone to comment before the Aug. 9 deadline. She explained, ”You do not have to be a North Carolina resident. We are all stakeholders in the Bonner Bridge. This issue impacts everyone including our residents, vacation property owners and millions of visitors from around the world.” Midgett added, ”Our children’s future depends on replacing the bridge now.”

  A direct link for making online comments to NCDOT before the Aug. 9 deadline is available at www.replacethebridgeNOW.com. Included on the website are complete instructions along with sample comments and additional information o the new preferred alternative.

  DAVE HARDEN presided over his first meeting as chairman of the Dare County Airport Authority at Wednesday night’s meeting.

  Dare County Airport Authority passed a milestone at its July 28 meeting, hearing from engineer John Massey that the long-running program to bring the airport up to state and FAA safety standards had been finalized and sent to the state for approval.

  The program, costing several million dollars and taking about 10 years, has included cutting trees and buying a mobile home park, Scarborough Square. The authority originally just wanted avigation rights over the mobile home park, but the owners, John Wilson and Billy Parker, said selling those rights would affect the property values too much, so after about five years of negotiations, the authority bought the property, inheriting with it the responsibility of keeping up the property’s septic tank and well system as well as seeing to drainage issues.

  Having just received the information on the safety program, the state has not yet certified it, but the two problem items are not expected to hold back certification. The authority has been able to pay most of the cost through grants.

  Obviously pleased, George Wood, himself an environmental engineer as well as a member of the authority, commented, ”The important thing to remember is that it is the viability of this airport, a safe approach. We’ve worked hard. We’ve got an airport and we will continue to  have an airport.”

  Drainage at the airport was also addressed in Massey’s presentation. The park experienced many problems last year during heavy rains, and Massey has designed a system of ditches, swales, constructed wetlands and outfall pipes to address this issue. He worked with Jan Deblieu, a local environmentalist, to make it as environmentally safe as possible. Much of the water will be retained on the property, with only the occasional overflow being directed into the sound. The authority voted unanimously Wednesday night to allow Massey to bid the project, with an expected completion time of mid October.

  In a final note, Airport attorney Robert Hobbs said this meeeting marked his twentieth anniversary as attorney for the airport. Typically, Hobbs attends every meeeting, advising the group on actions, keeping the motions in proper order and handling legal communications with other groups, individuals and attorneys.

  August is National Immunization Month, according to Dare county Department of Public Health which is encouraging everyone to make sure they are current on their vaccinations.

  ”Vaccine preventable diseases and their complications are responsible for more than 30,000 deaths in the United States each year,” said Anne Thomas, director of DCDPH. ” Ensuring your families’ vaccinations are up-to-date is an effective way to prevent serious life-threatening diseases.”

  Vaccines are important across the life span. From a child getting vaccinated against measles and whooping cough to an adolescent being protected against meningitis, to an older adult avoiding the pain of shingles, there are good reasons for everyone to stay current with their immunizations and discuss vaccines with their health care provider.

  Because children are particularly vulnerable to infections, most vaccines are given during the first five to six years of life. With back-to-school time just around the corner, the DCDPH would like to remind parents to be sure and have their children get all immunizations.

  Bodie Island Lighthouse, located south of Nags Head, just off of N.C. Rt. 12, is undergoing a massive restoration project this summer. Although the site is a busy and active construction area, the Bodie Island complex remains open to the visiting public. The park visitor center and Eastern National Bookstore are open and offer a variety of interpretive programs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

  The lighthouse looms on the southwest horizon as you travel south along N.C. 12 toward Oregon Inlet. The tower and lantern room are encircled by an extensive 2,000-piece scaffolding system and a protective ‘’shroud” made of nylon-reinforced weatherproof fabric. Park visitors and engineering enthusiasts can view, from close proximity to the base of the lighthouse, the complexity of the renovation project and take a short walk on the adjacent boardwalk.

  Work accomplished to date includes: paint removal on the interior, masonry is complete and all hazardous materials have been removed and properly diagnosed; interior of the lighthouse has been pressure washed; the first primer coat has been applied to stair treads and touch-up work continues; interior masonry repainting has begun; negative air machine, the vacuum system and decontamination station have been removed from the site.

  Work to be accomplished next week: begin second primer coat on interior metal work; masons plan to be on-site to begin interior brick masonry repoint and stitch repairs.

  For more information on this project, call 242-473-2111, ext. 148.

  THE BEACH APPARATUS DRILL (or Breeches Buoy) is one of the many exciting events scheduled for Chicamacomico’s American Heroes Day to be held Thursday, Aug. 5, at Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station Museum.

  THE SEARCH AND RESCUE DEMO by the U.S. Coast Guard is just one of the many interesting, exciting and unusual events in the fifth annual American Heroes Day, put on by Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station Historic Site and Museum in Rodanthe on Hatteras Island. (J.Charlet photo) 

Heroes Day brightens museum

  Chicamacomico Lifesaving station Museum will hold its fifth annual American Heroes Day Thursday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Rodanthe on Hatteras Island.

  Chicamacomico was part of the U.S. Lifesaving Service (USLSS) and was the first station built in North Carolina. The original station, dating from 1874, is still on the site as one of eight buildings belonging to Chicamacomico Historical Association. The men of the USLSS (1871-1915) were the original rescue heroes, the ‘’storm warriors” who made dramatic and heroic rescues of shipwreck victims whose lives were in peril from the sea. In their history, nationwide, the USLSS’s men responded to more than 178,000 lives in peril from the sea, of which they saved more than 177,000. This is a startling rate of success of 99.2 percent, while their own loss of life, usually under the worst possible conditions, was less than one percent. In 1915, this service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service to form the U.S. Coast Guard which continues this tradition.

  With that inspiration, Chicamacomico decided to honor and celebrate true American heroes of the past and the present. Participants invited the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, local volunteer fire departments, N.C. Highway Patrol, local sheriff and police departments, local EMS units and Ocean Rescue squads, NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Outer Banks Lighthouse Society, Frisco Native American Museum and perhaps some last-minute surprises. Equipment on display and/or in use includes fire engines, ambulances, police cars, Coast Guard helicopter, rescue boats and more. There will be displays, demonstrations and exhibits as well as hands-on activities and participation events.

  Any one of these events is worth the price of admission. The Search and Rescue Demo could be straight from the movie ”The Guardian.” A Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat will be in the ocean off Chicamacomico’s beach. It plays the role of a vessel in distress with a man overboard. An HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter arrives, circles, locates the ”victim” in the water, hovers, and then a rescue swimmer jumps from the helo into the ocean. Then he assists the victim into the basket and is hoisted into the Jayhawk and whisked away to safety. Three different methods are demonstrated.

  The personal watercraft water rescue is another simulation. There are professionally-trained local volunteers who can be on the scene of a water rescue in a dramatically short amount of time.

  The Beach Apparatus Drill is a historic re-enactment of a rescue method used by the the lifesaving service. It involves a large two-wheeled cart filled with life-saving equipment or ”apparatus,” the firing of a projectile with a black-powder cannon to get lines to a stricken ship (the ”wreck pole” in the drill simulates the mast of a ship) and then sending out equipment to save the lives of those on board, one soul at a time.

  The Beach Apparatus Drill, commonly referred to as the Beaches Buoy Re-enactment, has long been Chicamacomico’s most popular program. Chicamacomico is the only place in the nation to do the full drill re-enactment on a regular basis. And to top it off, the drill teams are all volunteers of active-duty U.S. Coast Guard personnel. It is performed every Thursday at 2 p.m. during June, July and August.

  The flyover at closing is, at this time, unconfirmed.

  All of these organizations are heroic to us, some are obviously saving lives and others are saving history, nature or culture. All selflessly serve the public. This is a fund-raising event for the nonprofit Chicamacomico Historical Association.

 The schedule of events is as follows:

 10 a.m., opening event

10:15 opening ceremonies – posting of colors by the Coast Guard in the main stage area; welcoming remarks by James Charlet, site manager; and guest speaker, Capt Anthony Popeii, commanding officer, USCG Sector North Carolina, Fort Macon.

  11:30 a.m., USCG Search and Rescue demo, Jayhawk Helicopter and lifeboat, on the beach.

Noon, hot dogs, chips and soda, ice cream at truck, SALVO VFD truck near visitors’ center.

1 p.m. Water Rescue Demo, Chicamacomico Banks VFD on the beach

2 p.m. Beach Apparatus Drill at station.

3 p.m. Closing salute: Military Flyover

Ongoing events: Hot dogs, sodas, chips and ice cream for sale, USCG static display of 25-foot response boat and tow truck; USCG demonstration of fixing vessel water leaks; Fire Dept. static display and inspection of ladder truck and personal water craft, and tow truck; Sheriff’s office demo of K9 officer and dog, static displays and inspection of patrol car and 5-ton ‘’storm truck”; Dare EMS static display of ambulance and equipment; KDH Rescue Unit display of truck and lifeguard equipment; Salvo VFD display and inspection of company fire engine; N.C. Highway patrol display and inspection of SUV patrol vehicle; tables, displays, handouts and conversations with Currituck Lighthouse, NPS, Outer Banks Lighthouse Society.

  This is a tentative schedule and subject to change due to the fact that active duty emergency personnel and equipment are present and may be called out before or during the event.

  The station is located at M.P. 39.5, N.C. Rt. 12 in Rodanthe. This is the first village travelers come to on Hatteras Island. Last year’s event was dubbed a ”rousing success’ and ”the best day-long entertainment value on the Outer Banks.” The Annapolis ”Daily Record” rates it one of the ”Top 20 Beach Picks for 2010.” Admission fees are a flat $5 per person, children five and under free.

  For additional information call 252-987-1552 or visit www.chicamacomico.net.

  BOB BROWN PUPPETS will give performances Aug. 3-5, 10:30 a.m.. and Aug 3 and 4 and 7 p.m. The performances will take place in the indoor theatre at Roanoke Island Festival Park and are a part of RIFP’s Children’s Performance Series. Bob Brown Puppets is a children’s theatre company  that has provided entertainment for more than 50 years. For the morning performances, admission is included in the general admission ticket to the park or free to Friends of ”Elizabeth II” members. The 7 p.m. shows are $5 or free to friends members.

  The Tuesday, Aug. 3 shows will be ”Clowning Around,” Bob Brown’s most popular show. This circus-themed show features charming clowns who perform acts of juggling, trapeze, roller skating and blowing up balloons. Audience members will meet and be mesmerized by Ziggy and his bright blue balloon, Gus on the Flying Trapeze, Lucy Goosey and her Jolly Juggling, and many other characters.

  ”Penguin’s Playground” will be on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. This show will plunge the audience into the freezing fun of the Super-Secret Playground.” Watch as these clever characters perform on the icebergs to get through their cold winter. The characters include Bobby the Penguin, Yetti Spaghetti, Annie Oola and others.

  On Thursday, Aug. 5, at 10:30 a.m., the show will be ”Teddy Bear Picnic.” Visitors will watch the enchanting characters wind their way through the woods for a picnic adventure. See Mother Bear and Baby Bear as they meet inhabitants of the woods. Meet Chip and his acorn, Fred and Ginger, the dancing frogs, Hayfever, Artie the Ant and many others.

  With these performances, Bob Brown Puppets continues the tradition of enriching and entertaining audiences with puppetry. Begun when bob and Judy Brown created the Smithsonian Puppet Theatre in 1967, the puppets perform to more than 300,000 children each year. Produced by DCA Productions, the theatre features whimsical characters that will continue to delight both children and adults.

  For information, call 252-473-1506 or visit www.roanokeisland.com. Remember, Sundays at the park are always half price.

  DARE COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL will move into the old courthouse in downtown Manteo after the group renovates it. Already, work on the first floor has prepared it to house DCAC galleries and administrative offices. Plans for the second floor include renovations for a multi-use center for the arts, housing space for educational workshops, performances and community gatherings to respond to the broad range of local needs that community residents identified during a feasibility study.

  KITTY DOUGH, DCAC president, and Bobby Outten, Dare county manager and attorney, signed a multi-year lease recently to occupy the historic 1904 Dare County Courthouse in downtown Manteo.  DCAC will open the doors of the courthouse and welcome the public at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 2. The first celebration will take place on First Friday, Aug. 6, 6-8 p.m. Two major exhibitions will be featured in the special exhibits room. In The Vault, ”The Man Show: Men Behind the Lens” will exhibit the distinct styles of three well-known North Carolina photographers, Chris Bickford, Jeff Linn and Bill Lease. In the front gallery, ”The Beach and Beyond” will feature original works of Hatteras Island artistStephanie Kiker in ink and colored pencil, as well as a number of her wall hangings and other collectibles.

  For the second summer, the National Park Service (NPS) has hired a Youth Conservaation Corps (YCC) crew to assist with many park projects . These energetic young students recently performed valuable brush cleaning and trail maintenance work on the Buxton Woods Trail near the Cape hatteras Lighthouse. Work conditions have been difficult with the hot weather, but that makes for a refreshing afternoon swim after the work is complete. 

  YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS has helped remove brush and maintain Buxton Woods Trail as part of the National Park Service’s youth program for the summer.

  TAYLOR SMITH (from left), Ian Miller and Halea Creef were part of the National Park Service’s Youth Conservation Corps, working on Buxton Woods Trail this summer.