A little less than half of Dare county’s voters cast ballots in the mid-term election, an unusual percentage for a non-presidential election. With 17 of 20 precincts counted, the results showed the changing demographics in traditionally Democrat-leaning Dare County, with a Republican favored for U.S. Senate (Republican Richard Burr vs. Democrat Elaine Marshall) by a vote of 7,279 to 4,261 with Libertarian Michael Beitler taking 312 votes and one write-in. Republican Walter B. Jones Jr. took 8,016 votes to Democrat Johnny G. Rouse’s 3,452 and Libertarian Darryl Holloman’s 352.

  In local elections, Democrat Rodney Midgett lost the sheriff’s position he currently holds to Doug Doughtie, 5,264 to 6,640. Midgett has served the sheriff’s office for many years and was chief deputy before his election as sheriff. Doughtie is a part-time officer for Duck and has many years of experience. In the only county commissioners seat, Republican incumbent Jack Shea bested Democrat Robin A. Mann 6,191 to 4,440 for the at-large seat. Commissioners Virginia Tillett and Max Dutton, districts 1 and 2, respectively, were unopposed.

  Manteo’s Marc Basnight, long-time state Senator and Senate pro tem, was preferred over Hood Richardson 6,643 to 5,318 and won the state-wide race. He will return to the state Senate but not in the powerful pro tem position, since the election swept in Republican majorities in both state houses, according to an article in ”The Coastland Times.”

      In the state House election, Democrat Tim Spear lost in Dare County to Republican Bob Steinburg, 5,411 to 6,220, but won the seat district-wide. District Attorney Frank Parrish, a Democrat, was unopposed. In Dare County Merlee Austin ran unopposed for clerk of superior court, and Vanzolla McMurran was unopposed for register of deeds. Both are incumbents. 

  Judgeships (Dare vote): Supreme Court associate justice -Barbara Jackson over Bob Hunter; Court of Appeals – Sanford Steelman unopposed; Ann Marie Calabria over Jane Gray, Steven Walker over Rick Elmore by 10 votes, Martha Geer over Dean Poirier; Superior Court – J.C. Cole and Jerry Tillett were unopposed; District Court Judge – Robert Trivette and Eula Reid were unopposed.

  Soil and water – Larry Bray over Louise Hanson, Robert Perry unopposed, 38 write-in votes in both races.

  A constitutional amendment making it unlawful for a convicted felon to run for sheriff, gathered 9,659 for and 1,321 against.

  A CROWD of about 50-60 people turned out for a public hearing in Manteo Tuesday night (July 6) on the newish proposal for building a new Bonner Bridge from the north beaches to Hatteras Island. The bridge was built about 1960 and had an expected life of 30 years. Plans have been proposed, litigated with environmentalists, gone through environmental assessments, designed, priced and, it seems, a final proposal may go through soon if there is no more environmental litigation. The first proposal in the late ’80′s was for a new bridge parallel to the old one with other, smaller, bridges built over the low spots on near the bridge on Hatteras Island. Environmentalists fired back with their own plan to build a long bridge west of the current one, making it harder for visitors to have access to Pea Island national Wildlife Refuge. Cost negated the environmental plan, and the new proposal is to begin with the replacement bridge and then take care of the low spots when needed. 

  RAY STURZA, mayor of Kill Devil Hills and director of Dare County Planning Department, speaks to the crowd gathered in Manteo for a public hearing on the new replacement for Bonner Bridge.

  ROBIN MANN of Manns Harbor speaks to the crowd at the public hearing on the new proposed Bonner Bridge.

  ALLEN BURRUS, Dare County commissioner from Hatteras Island and owner of a family grocery store in Buxton, speaks to those gathered at a public hearing on the new bridge proposal.

Speakers say ‘yes’ to new bridge

About 50-60 people gathered in the commissioners’ meeting room in the county administration building in Manteo Tuesday night (July 6) for a hearing on the new bridge to span Oregon Inlet and connect Hatteras Island with the north beaches, and there were no naysayers in the group. Everyone wanted the new bridge, one by Thanksgiving. The hearing was held by N.C. Department of Transportation to receive comment before the construction project  begins.

  The bridge, in the planning and arguing stage for about 20 years, is an emotional issue, for those living and doing business on Hatteras Island and for those interested in protecting the sensitive environment of these barrier islands. Environmentalists favor a long bridge (the one-bridge option) that would be built to the west of the current bridge and curve around around bypassing the current access to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Because the cost of that proposal is estimated to be between $1.3 and $1.8 billion, and because it would limit public access to Pea Island NWR, it was dropped, and the current proposal is to build a parallel bridge, landing it just west of the current landing point so the current bridge can be used until the new one is complete. 

  The new proposal would cost an estimated $265-$315 million for the first (replacement bridge) phase  There is no public cost projection for the proposed  (according to DOT materials handed to participants at the hearing) ”Implementation of a coastal monitoring program on Hatteras Island between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe to determine when and what to build for future phases. NCDOT anticipates that improvements in the three existing high  maintenance areas (low areas which flood often) on N.C. 12 in the refuge will be implemented next. ”The options for this phase include bridging, relocating the roadway and beach nourishment, as well as others that may be proposed in the future. The bridge will be built with Federal highway funds (80 percent) and state funds (20 percent).

  Part of the design change to the bridge was a new location for the southern end of the bridge. Other parts it also addresses (according to DOT materials) ”concerns about the impacts to the Rodanthe Historic District and the Chicamacomico  Life saving Station.”

   The bridge process has taken so long because, in addition to requirements by the federal government and state, according to DOT, ”the Bonner Bridge is in a uniquely sensitive and dynamic environment with its location on the Outer Banks, so it comes with a set of challenges not faced on other projects. The bridge and adjacent roadway pass through a national seashore, a wildlife refuge and communities that have been located on the Outer Banks for generations. It is within a coastal area subject to the effects of storms and shoreline erosion, and the project area includes habitat for several threatened and endangered species, numerous other wildlife and multiple historic sites. Several federal and state agencies have direct interests in the project as well, either as actual property owners or as agencies responsible for a particular resource.”

  Characteristics and impacts of the new bridge include: two lanes with eight-foot shoulders and bicycle safe rail; access maintained to recreational facilities at the north and south ends; provisions for fishing at Oregon Inlet and a navigation height of 75 feet for a distance of 3,300 feet. NCDOT plans to provide access to fishing at the northern end of Hatteras Island as part of the construction through catwalks or another structure attached to the new bridge, a separate fishing pier or boardwalk or other solution. For bicycles, the plan includes eight-foot shoulders on both sides of N.c. 12, allowing room for bicyclists on both ends of the bridge.

  NCDOT plans to work with the U.S. fish and Wildlife Service to retain the terminal groin which protects the current bridge. The old bridge is slated to be demolished as soon as the new bridge is in use.

  In contrast to other public hearings and meetings on the bridge project, there was no one who spoke against the bridge with most people voicing “build it, build it now,” opinions. About 13 people spoke. The only new suggestion was put forward by James Fletcher, representing the United National Fisherman’s Association, who proposed building a tunnel. He said it would be costly in the short run but last much longer, and thus cost less in the long run than a bridge. Ken Sharp, a 25-year resident of Manteo, said, ”That bridge is like part of my body (because he takes his boat under it. ” We can’t continue to litigate . . . Just build the a new bridge, please.”

  Another hearing will be held Thursday, 7June 8,  p.m., at Cape Hatteras Elementary School.  

  The two plans for the bridge are shown here, with the chosen plan in red and the later phase in yellow. The environmentalists’ plan is shown on the left. (From NCDOT )

  The current bridge proposal is shown here. (From NCDOT)

  JACK WILSON and his wife, Estelle, stand in front of the Mother Vine which was the originator of the Scuppernong vines which have been cultivated, grown and thrived on Roanones Island for hundreds of years, discovered by Europeans when the first English settlers arrived here in the late 1500′s. The photo on top shows a side view which seems to be healthy, but the second photo shows the area which has been pruned, along with a few dying leaves. Wilson discovered a considerable amount of dead foliage after a contractor for N.C. Dominion Power sprayed a powerful defoliant on it.

Mother vine looks better after work

  The mother Scuppernong vine in the Mother Vineyard section of north Roanoke Island was threatened when a worker for a contractor of N.C. Dominion Power Co. sprayed a defoliant on it and nearby shrubs about a month ago when he found a vine growing up a power pole which is located in front of the historic vine.

  Speaking form his home Tuesday, Wilson said the chemical mix was a ”cousin of Agent Orange,”  the defoliant used in Vietnam which caused so many health problems. He discovered the dying foliage a day or so after the spraying took place when he saw an area of brown leaves. The hedge next to the pole was also affected and about half if it is dead. Thinking the dead leaves were an anomaly, he waited another day or so, then a neighbor asked, “Did you spray over at that pole,?’ Wilson said he had not, and the neighbor said he had seen someone there apraying.

  Wilson realized it was probably someone from the power company Wilson and his son, John, want to keep as many plants and trees as possible on the island and have had conflicts with Dominion Power over cutting trees before. He consulted with his neighbors, C.M. and Carol Funk, who share the vine with him, then he notified his attorney who talked with Dominion Power. Dominion was also concerned, he said, and wanted to make sure ”that vine lived.” The power company admitted ”it was their mistake,” Wilson said. They told Wilson to do what he had to do to  ensure the health of the vine, but no payment has as yet been mentioned. So far, Wilson has been responsible for the work on it. A professor from Wilmington is coming to look at it and offer his advice.

  Dominion sent someone from Virginia Tech, and someone from N.C. State came out and looked at it  They advised fertilizing and watering, which has been done, Wilson said. Dead leaves are still appearing in the area of spraying, and he is cutting them back, but the rest of the vine appears healthy.  ”I feel good that it will live,” Wilson said, but, he added, he doesn’t know what will happen next year or a few years down the road. He doesn’t know if it will turn out the ancient root has been affected and won’t know for years.

  The vine is well-loved in the area where locals remember fondly seeing and talking about it, hearing the legends about it for generations past. Local lore has it that it was there when the ”lost colony” arrived. Wilson said a professor from a Missouri college once looked at it and said it was at least 300 years old, and other professionals say it is more than 400 years old.

  It rarely yields more than a few quarts of grapes, he said, because they ripen in September when northeasters and hurricanes blow through, but last year there were several bushels. He allows anyone passing who wants a few grapes to pick them, he said.