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SNOWBOUND IN PINE KNOLL SHORES
What's it like to be snowbound in Pine Knoll Shores? It's an adventure—unexpected,
unbelievable! Could a white Christmas really happen here? It can and it did! So we saw
the beautiful, white stuff covering the landscape on Christmas but it was too much of a
good thing. We didn't expect to be snowed in, or our families snowed out, but it happened.
It all started on Friday night. A fine, light snow began to fall. It fell all day
Saturday, Christmas Eve, picked up in speed that night and by Christmas drifts were some
times 4 feet high, streets were impassable, and even as it slowed and stopped falling it
was drifting so hard we couldn't be sure.
Police and Rescue were on the job. Fortunately there were no rescue calls through
Christmas Day. Police were on duty but could not use the patrol cars that were snowed
in. They were getting around town in the small fire truck, the town's only 4-wheel
vehicle. Holiday Inn once again made their motel available for shelter and food, not
only to our police, but also to the Marines who were working on Salter Path Road, the
people who were volunteering their 4-wheel drive vehicles and any other workers in need
of a cup of coffee, a place to lie down or a meal.
Among the 4-wheel drivers, the police are particularly grateful to Jim Brown who
rescued two women and a baby stuck in the Whaler Inn without food, Clark Hutchinson who
broke a path on town streets and rescued one lady on Oakleaf caught at home without food,
and all others who called in to offer help. Pine Knoll Shores residents were living up
to their reputation as helpers.
Lee Blanchard, sworn in as Commissioner and assigned to Public Works only a couple
of weeks ago, rallied to the challenge. He began calling contractors immediately and did
get one dirt remover on Sunday, concentrating on clearing passage on some of the more
heavily traveled streets. By Tuesday morning our own Robert Youngblood was able to get
his equipment out of the snow and into the town to clear the streets.
And, by the way, don't start calling up about the fact that some of this equipnent
dug up the right-of-way in front of your house. If you have plantirgs there you are bound
to be disappointed but, as the ordinances state, you do this at your own risk. [13-2.20].
Major streets are 80 feet wide, counting the pavement and right-of-way and minor streets
are 35 feet wide. [20-4.3].
All concerned wish to thank the residents who were here for making their job as easy
as possible. They stayed in where it was safe and didn't get unnecessarily in the way.
Another thing—some of the blue and yellow reflectors were scraped away from the
middle of the street. If you should happen to find any of these please bring them to the
Town Hall. There will be a box in the lobby in which to deposit them.
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AIRPORT SERVICE
Two of our Police Office^, Bob Hamilton and Andy Machlin, are still ready to make
themselves available to drive you to the airport. If you are away so long you do not wish
to leave your car at the airport, this is a convenient way to solve the problem. They
will drive you there in your car, take your car home and put it away, then come meet you
when you return. The fee for this varies according to circumstances but you can find out
what it costs by calling them at the Town Hall. If neither one is in, leave a message
with the Police Department. One of them will call you back.
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