c •
shoreline
Great Backyard Bird Count
See page 18
On the Grill: At-Home Tailgating
See page 24
2021 PKS Trash/Recycle/
Yard Waste Calendar
See page 27
Vol. 16, No. 1
A Shoreline Community, Pine Knoll Shores, N.C.
January 2021
Our Library in Transition
By Charlotte Hamilton
PKS Virtual Turkey Trot
By Cheryl Smith
The Bogue Banks Public Library has been reduced to one-half of what it
was. The decision made by the Carteret County commissioners in May 2019 to
withdraw from the Craven-Pamlico-Carteret (CPC) regional system became
effective on July 1, 2020. The county library system is now a new, one-county
entity, Carteret County Public Library, operating independently under the
leadership of new Director Lesley Mason and under the supervision of County
Manager Tommy Burns and the Carteret County commissioners. These changes
have occurred during the long period of our isolation from one another. Many
pleasures have been given up, and perhaps the library is on the way to becoming
another loss, this time for Pine Knoll Shores and for the other towns on Bogue
Banks.
Because of concern initiated by the loss of long-serving library employees
and by the severe reduction of library service hours and book collections, on
August 12 the Pine Knoll Shores Board of Commissioners established an ad
hoc library committee, comprised of Mayor John Brodman, Friends’ President
Barbara McCreary, Michelle Powers, Pat Warnke, Brita Flynn, Susan Phillips,
Cindy Schersching and Charlotte Hamilton. In order to learn more about
plans for the future, the group has met with Director Lesley Mason and with
Commissioner Jimmy Farrington, the county commissioner representing Bogue
Banks. In addition. Mayor Brodman has written to the county commissioners
and the county manager to express concern. He has spoken with Commissioner
Farrington and several other commissioners as well as with mayors on Bogue
Banks and in Carteret County about the direction the library appears to be taking.
These meetings, held during the transition from the old to new systems,
have raised many unanswered questions. Director Mason and County Manager
Burns have not presented a plan to the ad hoc committee for the future of the
library with regard to reopening on the former six-day schedule, and they have
not assured the group that there is a long-term plan for the Bogue Banks Public
(Continued on page 23)
First virtual trot a big hit
while we were sad not to all be together for the 13th Annual Turkey Trot, we
had incredible participation for the first ever (and hopefully last ever) Pine Knoll
Shores Virtual Turkey Trot. Ninety participants ran, walked or cycled and posted
pictures to social media using #PKSTurkeyTrot in order to win some fun awards.
I personally ran across many participants—young and old—out having fun on
Thanksgiving morning.
At stake were gift cards and, most important, bragging rights in several
categories. Winners were named for Best Start, Best Finish, Longest Run, Most
Creative Water Stop Station, Best Costume, Most Unique/Creative Race Course,
Youngest Participant, Best Pet Costume and Winner of the Big Scavenger Hunt.
The Scavenger Hunt was a tough one but the Tucker family got every item
correct, including finding a seashell that reminds you of Christmas. Scavenger
Hunt challenges (and answers, if applicable) were:
1. One of the places in Pine Knoll Shores where you can drop off or pick up
a book that’s not the library (answer: the book boxes at Ocean Park, Brock
Basin, Hall Haven or on Hawthorne)
2. A place in Pine Knoll Shores where you are losing but your score is Love
(answer: the Crystal Coast Country Club tennis courts)
3. A community place where you can watch the sunset in the summer but not
the winter, (answer: any of the parks on the sound)
4. The point where the bugle has started the annual Pine Knoll Shores Turkey
Trot in years past (answer: McNeill Bridge)
5. A seashell whose name makes you think of Christmas (answer: Jingle)
6. An errant political sign anywhere in Pine Knoll Shores
(Continued on page 20)
L
Standard
Pre-Sort
® Permit #35
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512