rfsvj to rto n(u1
tf:fin- I'll 1-!
Getting warmer, folks, and by the way: Go Phillies.
Budget Timeline. Here is a list of the public events
related to budget planning for the next fiscal year.
All meetings are at Town Hall. Check with the Town
Clerk for any changes.
04/07/11 .6 p.m.
Special Board of Commissioners meeting. Discussion
ofFY 2011-2012 budget
04/12/11 • 6 p.m.
First regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners
Meeting
04/28/11. 10 a.m.
Second regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners
meeting; Water Enterprise Fund budget discussion.
Prioritization of Draft Capital, Water Fund Projects
and revisit other funds
05/10/11 .6 p.m.
First regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners
Meeting
Revisit General Fund discussion
05/12/11 .6 p.m.
Special Board of Commissioners meeting. Discussion
ofFY 2011-2012 budget
05/26/11. 10 a.m.
Second regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners
meeting. Budget message; presentation of proposed
budget; call for public hearing
06/14/11 .6 p.m.
First regular Board of Commissioners meeting &
budget hearing
Sidewalks. Pine Knoll Shores has selected Stroud
Engineering of Morehead City as our Engineering
Consultant for this project. Expect to see surveying in
the vicinity of the four segments over the next month.
Rec Cards. The Town continues to sell a discount
card to support our Parks and Recreation Commit
tee (PARC). To date, the following businesses offer
discounts to cardholders:
Country Club of the Crystal Coast
Globe Kids & Gals, Atlantic Station
Ernies Gifts, Atlantic Station
Milazzo (Restaurant), Atlantic Beach Sheraton
Molly’s (Restaurant), Adantic Beach Sheraton
The Old Beaufort Shop
Construction of the Right-of-way Near the PKS
Traffic Light. We will be working on our water lines
A monthly report
by Town Manager
Brian Kramer on
events in town.
on the north and south side of Route 58 (Salter Path
Road) near the Pine Knoll Shores traffic light during
the month of May.
Census Results. Local census data for Pine Knoll
Shores is available at http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.
html. In the Quick Start box, type “Pine Knoll Shores,
NC” in the “geography” field, and then click on the
first link tided Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and
Housing Occupancy: 2010
Thanks to Sponsors and Donors for the June 11
4th Annual Kayak for the Warriors. At this point,
I would like to thank all of this year’s sponsors and
donors to date. Please consider these businesses and
organizations as you carry on your busy lives:
Amos Mosquitoes
Anonymous
Atlantic Beach Sheraton
Atlantic Breeze Storm Shutters
Atlantis Lodge
Col Dennis DelMauro, USMC (Ret.)
Country Club of the Crystal Coast
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Food Lion Atlantic Beach
Geodynamics
Harris Teeter
Indian Beach Water Sports
Island Furniture
Jonathan Willis
Kinetico
Kites Unlimited
Lowes Foods
Making Faces & Quietuoe
Morehead Builders Supply
Panera Bread
Party Place
PIKSCO Homeowner Association
RBC Bank
RBC Employee
Rid-A-Pest
Sea Hawk Motor Lodge
Smitty’s Marine Service
Tangles Hair Salon
Turtle Reef Holdings, LLC
Wal-Mart
White Swan
Window and Wall Decor
Next Dinner with the Mayor. The next dinner
with the mayor will be at Milazzo’s at the Atlantic
Beach Sheraton, on Friday April 15, at 5:30 p.m.
Beechwood Battle
By Richard Seale
As taught in every photography class, including
the one Linda and I just hosted for Road Scholar at
Trinity Center, the first step in taking good photos
is to have a camera with you. Our trip seemed far ’
from a photo opportunity since it was to take my
mother to a routine doctor’s office visit. No camera
came with me on this trip. It was a big mistake.
As Linda drove down Beechwood, about two
thirds of the way to my mother’s house, she ex
claimed, “What is that?” We had passed what she
had seen, so she backed up. On the grass near the
road, a dark brown bird and a white bird were roll
ing over and over, like young children “wrestling.”
The battle was fierce and the action continuous.
After a minute or so, the exhausted participants
stopped, and I could identify what was going on.
A Northern Harrier, a common hawk in our area,
had attacked a Laughing Gull. From where the birds
were located, I guessed it had been an aerial attack
and the birds had tumbled to the ground locked to
gether. The hawk had its talons into the gull’s neck.
It was evident the battle we were witnessing was to
be a fight to the death with a lot of risk on the part
of both birds. “Wrestling” on the ground is a good
way for a bird to injure a wing, and that is usually
a fatal injury. Sadly, we did not have time to return
home for the missing camera, so no photo of the
participants was possible.
After picking up my mother, we drove slowly
past the drama. In those few minutes the hawk had
subdued the gull and was dragging the limp body
into the heavy undergrowth of an empty lot.
While bringing my mother home, I stopped by
our house and got a camera though I could not see
anything as I drove by the battle site. After dropping
mom off, I stopped at the site and pried my way
into the grape and cat brier vines. Not far in was a
mat of white feathers, a lot of them. It was evident
the gull had been killed and eaten by the hawk. I
searched around in all directions and looked in
the trees, but there was no evidence of the body of
either the gull or the hawk.
I took a photo of the mat of white feathers, but I
sure missed out on a photo of a lifetime. My mind’s
eye can clearly see the fierce left eye of the hawk
standing over the gull, but I sure can t show that im
age to you. Oh well, perhaps a photo of the mat of
feathers will let you feel some of the intensity of that
Beechwood Battle.
8 The Shoreline I April 2011