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A salute to veterans in Oriental & afar. The photo is from the TownDock archives: the Veterans Color Guard in the 2017 Croaker Festival parade.

In October (Halloween inspired), Dale Montgomery revived his Ghost Walk tour of Oriental. On multiple evenings, Dale led unsuspecting humans around town, sharing the spookier side of Oriental’s history.

There was no charge, but Dale did mention it was OK to leave a donation. Not for Dale – it was fittingly for the Oriental History Museum.

After several Ghost walks, Dale added up the loot. $1,133 donated.

(click pic to see the historical view)

Dale Montgomery handed the haul to Oriental History Museum President Lou Ostendorff.

If it’s been a while since you’ve visited the museum, consider stopping by. It’s at 802 Broad Street. Hours: Friday 11-3, Saturday 1-4.

1:38p There are defibrillators at many businesses around town.

That’s great, but what if you had to use one?

Eric Kindle presents a class on using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at the Oriental Woman’s Club, Tues Nov 11 at 10:00a. It’s free, all are welcome.

AEDs are used when a person has collapsed and is unresponsive.

Congratulations to Henry Frazer & crew of Oriental Express, 1st place Spinnaker Division in the 2025 Oriental Cup Regatta. Joe Valinoti skippered Il Gatto to 1st place JAM (jib & main). In Cruising Class, 1st went to Curtis Boyd onboard Whirlwind.

More Oriental Cup results here.

9:21a Hurricane season officially ends on Nov 30. This morning, all quiet on the Atlantic. The simple words from the National Hurricane Center:

This is the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald, made famous by the Gordon Lightfoot song of the same name. It was November 10, 1975.

A new feature begins today on TownDock. A few weeks back horoscopes began… Salty Celeste has daily horoscopes on TownDock.

She has agreed to expand a bit on that… today begins Pet Horoscopes. Really. Pet Horoscopes are a weekly feature (the human horoscopes are daily).

Many pet owners don’t know their pet’s birthday. For them, Salty has added a new astro sign: Incognita … the sign for birthday unknown.

• Weekly Pet Horoscopes
• Daily Horoscopes

3:41p He’s a “viticulturist.” Hmmm. We had to get out the TownDock dictionary for this one.

Dang. Fancy. And he’s comin’ to town. Bill Wheeler writes in:

We have a rare (steak pun) opportunity to meet and have dinner with Johan Viljoen, South African winemaker and viticulturist (not ventriloquist).
Johan will be spending one of his 5 North Carolina days in Oriental. He will share the story behind making world-class wines, produced by hand.
Add to that dinner: Petite Crab Cake, Salad, Steak, Scalloped Potatoes, Dessert.
Tickets $75.
https://nauticalwheelersnc.com/products/new-wine-dinner-normandie-estate-1693

3:20p The Stanley Cup. The America’s Cup. The Oriental Cup.

They just may be three of the sporting world’s most desired trophies. Only one of them can be won this weekend.

Too much October wind moved the Oriental Cup Regatta to this November weekend. Racing on Saturday, with dinner (Sat) & awards (Sun) on the Oriental Marina grounds.

Tonight at New Village Brewery, Tanja’s German Street Food truck.

Mariposa Wine Bar & Bakery is open Sat-Sun-Mon. The bakery (w morning coffee) open 7a-10, wine bar 3p-8. Dutch Apple pie and pumpkin pie are among the deserts this weekend. The Oriental farmers are in autumn gift mode at the market Saturday morning. It’s a Fine Art and Craft Festival Sat 9a-1p at Oriental Woman’s Club. Baked goods too. At the brewery Saturday, Roadside Dogs.

Sunday get your goin’ to movie duds on… Out Of Africa graces the Old Theater screen. It’s a 3p matinee.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

Kinda &^%$y cloudy weather tonight, then sunshine enters for the weekend. Saturday & Sunday, mid 70s both days.

Monday, ol’ man winter. High just mid 50s, and a low near 30.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

9:35a Whittaker Creek channel will soon get dredged, and with that a slightly altered route.

Dan Allen has spearheaded the work of Friends Of Whittaker Creek, to both gets dredging funded, the channel re-routed, and a dredging permit.

The actual dredging work is about to begin… read on.

Back in April TownDock spoke with Dan… he explained the dredging & re-routing process:

Here’s the story published in April: Whittaker Creek Channel: Dredging and a Reroute

2:48p It’s breezy out there, winds in the mid 20s. Tonight on the Neuse, a Small Craft Advisory, gusts to 25 knots.

It calms down to 10-15 Thursday. Saturday (Oriental Cup day) still has an ideal 10-15 knot forecast.

Late this weekend, we’re in for a temperature swing.

Sunday, mid 70s. This warmth is short-lived.

A strong Arctic cold front arrives late Sunday into Monday, bringing the first real cold blast of the season. Expect a dramatic temperature drop:
- Monday and Tuesday: Highs just near 50.
- Monday night onward: Lows plunge to the low 30s.

Just what should you do? Your Salty Celeste horoscope may have answers.

1:25p Oriental elected a completely new town board Tuesday, in what can only be read as a repudiation of the board elected in 2023.

The two incumbent commissioners received less than 1/3 of the votes of the top two candidates. They received less than half the votes of a candidate that didn’t even win.

The 2025 town election results are here.

Sunday afternoon, visit the Old Theater for an experience that will take you far from domestic politics:

Out Of Africa shows at 3p Sunday on the Old Theater screen.

7:38p Results: 547 ballots cast. It’s an all new board.

Paul Jordan, Chris Moffat, Iris Cooper, Lou Ostendorff and Don McGuire elected. Incumbents Crosser and Price distantly trailed.

Paul Jordan: 380 votes
Chris Moffat: 375 votes
Iris Cooper: 308 votes
Lou Ostendorff: 285 votes
Don McGuire: 268 votes

Paul Fairbank 260 / Gregory Bohmert 151 / Mary Ellen Ham 139 / Bonnie Crosser 123 / Allen Price 106 / Bob Maxbauer 52

Mayor Sally Belangia, unopposed, was re-elected.

More election info here.

5:30p Polls close at 7:30p (you can still vote until then). TownDock will have results online as soon as possible after that.

The last town election (2023) we were able to publish results within 10 minutes of polls closing. It will depend on how quickly election workers are able to process results.

There are indications we may have a record voter turnout. We’ll know after the polls close. Results coming tonight after 7:30p.

3:16p George Beckwith passed away in early October, while working on his farm in Virginia.

A celebration of George’s life is tomorrow at 1p at Christ Church, 320 Pollock Street, New Bern.

It will be followed by a reception in his honor at Copper Ridge on the Neuse, 2706 Old Cherry Point Rd, New Bern.

10:33a It is happily autumn out there. Sunny & mid 60s today, 70 Wednesday.

Today is election day, polls open til 7:30p. Results will be posted on TownDock.net tonight after the polls close.

Campaign signs dot the village… pics from a morning bike ride:

Saturday is the re-scheduled Oriental Cup Regatta. The day has an ideal 10-15 knot forecast.

9:16a No early voting this year. There is one day to vote… election day: tomorrow, Tuesday Nov 4.

In Oriental you vote at Fire Station 19 on Straight Rd. The polls will be open in North Carolina from 6:30a to 7:30p.

Here is a sample ballot for this election.

Re the town board elections, a couple links:

• Meet the 2025 Town Board Candidates

• Oriental Candidates Forum 2025

7:55a The workforce is now less challenged:

Back to the normal two boat schedule.

5:35a Ya gotta give the the Cherry Branch/Minnesott Beach Ferry folks kudos for candor:

We are on an amended schedule due to workforce challenges.

Departing Cherry Branch 5:00a, 5:45a, 6:45a, 7:45a, 9:00a, 10:00a, 11:00a, 12:00p, 1:30p, 2:30p, 3:30p, 4:30p, 5:30p, 6:30p, 7:30p, 8:30p, 10:00p.
Departing Minnesott Beach 5:25a, 6:15a, 7:15a, 8:30a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:30a, 12:30p, 2:00p, 3:00p, 4:00p, 5:00p, 6:00p, 7:00p, 8:00p, 9:00p, 11:00p.

4:04p The witches are ditching the paddle & row:

12:55p Paddle, with witches. Be brave. It’s today at 4:30p.

9:17a You’ll get brighter mornings. And darker evenings.

But you do need to remember to set the clock back an hour on your microwave.

There’s a chance (30%) of rain this afternoon.

Happy Sunday.

1:31p For you, dear erudite reader, three Halloween quotes:

12:21p Halloween tonight? Witches Crawl, Brewery costume party, Ghost Walk… scroll down for details.

There are a couple of non-Halloween events this weekend too. Oriental Recreation Park hosts it’s Fall Festival Saturday. Broad Strokes Gallery After Dark Gala is Saturday night. More in What’s Happening.

November begins tomorrow, which means it’s almost December. Dang if it don’t happen every year.

The second weekend in December is Spirit Of Christmas in Oriental, Dec 11-13.

Luminaria glow. Businesses open houses (a lotta food). A lighted flotilla… and there is the Spirit Of Christmas Parade Saturday. The parade happens because creative folk like you step up with parade entries.

You can enter the parade with this online form.

Coming sooner: Election Day. It’s Tuesday Nov 4. Several letters have come in on that subject.

That’s it for what has been the year’s most powerful hurricane… it is now Post-Tropical Cyclone Melissa.

8:50a Hurricane Melissa is 600 miles east of Beaufort, just north of Bermuda. Not bothering us.

The storm is moving fast into colder Atlantic waters, and is expected to become “extratropical” later today.

• Hurricane Melissa Tracking Chart
• Hurricane Center

Sunny & mid 60s today, lower 60s Saturday. West winds (we don’t get these often) on the Neuse.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

6:28a Halloween… ie All Hallows’ Eve.

For your spooky social calendar: Tonight (and again Friday), join the Ghost Walk, at both 8p & 10p, beginning in front of the Provision Company.

Friday, Hoff’n‘Finch have a Howl-o-ween party & costume contest at New Village Brewery. The Silverbrooke Witches perform their Witche’s Crawl at 6 and 7p, at the corner of King & First Streets (there are ‘Little Witches’ too).

Sunday, The Silverbrooke Witches invite you for a sunset paddle on the creeks, 4:30p. It starts at the Wildlife Ramp.

11:18a TownDock welcomes a new daily feature today, and with that, a new staffer.

In an uncertain world, sometimes you need some celestial guidance.

Introducing Salty Celeste’s Daily Horoscopes.

11:10a Hurricane Melissa is now north of Cuba, 100 mph winds. The storm is forecast to move rapidly northeast over the Atlantic, passing on or near Bermuda, and reaching Newfoundland by Saturday.

• Hurricane Melissa Tracking Chart
• Hurricane Center

7:20a The Bean is open.

6:14a Water levels are still high (1.76 ft), but they are down enough that the ferries are back in action.

Oriental’s Piggly Wiggly rolls out new weekly specials every Wednesday.

Here are the Piglet deals for Oct 29 – Nov 4.

11:10a Hurricane Melissa is about to make landfall at Jamaica. The storm is now 185 mph.

• Hurricane Melissa Tracking Chart
• Hurricane Melissa Public Advisory
• Hurricane Melissa Forecaster’s Discussion & Computer Models
• Hurricane Center

10:42a More Letters to the Editor have been sent in, adding to the ongoing conversation on local elections.

Read the most recent by clicking on the links below:

• Gregory Bohmert
• Former Finance Director Tammy Cox
• Carol Small, second letter
• Butch Rasmussen, second letter
• Gregory Bohmert, second letter

9:37a There were about 300 chili tasters at Saturday’s Chili Cookoff. TownDock crew braved the scene.

6:42a No Cherry Branch / Minnesott Beach Ferry this morning…. high water levels are the culprit.

And high they are:

On the Neuse, a GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.

Today northeast winds 25 – 35 knots, gusts to 40. Tonight again northeast, slightly down to 25 To 30, gusts to 35 knots.

No high water relief until Thursday, when winds become southerly.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast
• Neuse River at Oriental Water Level Gauge

The morning view on Hodges St:

(Joe Clark photo)

1:28p At The Chili CookOff there is a first place Judge’s Award, and a People’s Choice. They usually are not the same outcome.

This year, one chili was victorious in both categories: Gretchen’s Bistro, 1st Place People’s Choice, 1st Place Judge’s Award. Congratulations and kudos to Gretchen’s.

• 1st Place: Gretchen’s Bistro
• 2nd Place: Larry Summers / DAV
• 3rd Place: Toucan Grill

• 1st Place: Gretchen’s Bistro
• 2nd Place: Larry Summers / DAV
• 3rd Place: Mariposa Wine Bar & Bakery

• 1st Place: St. Thomas Episcopal
• 2nd Place: Mariposa Wine Bar & Bakery
• 3rd Place: Marine Corp League

3:27p Oriental had an event last night that most small towns don’t get to experience: a forum with nine town board candidates, responding to questions about the office they seek.

The 2025 Candidates’ Forum was sponsored by TownDock.net and The Pamlico News, with the venue provided by the Old Theater.

It was a packed theater. Here’s the report.

12:40p There are almost as many events this weekend as there are Oriental residents. OK, a little exaggeration… but that’s the point. Just a little.

Tonight is a ‘Work In Progress’ screening of Mavericks & Multihulls, 6p, Old Theater. La Cocina del Coqui (try and say that) food truck 4-8p at the brewery, with Brant Island Strings in the beer garden. George Bailey plays the Red Rooster (Silos) starting at 7. October artist of the month at Broad Strokes Gallery is Jonathan Burger. The Oriental Ghost Walk is Fri & Sat nights, 8p, meet at the Provision Company.

Saturday get to know six of the commissioner candidates at a Candidate Meet & Greet, 10a at the Oriental Woman’s Club. Farmers’ Market on. Hodges near the harbor, 8a-11. Mariposa Wine Bar & Bakery is open Sat-Sun-Mon. The bakery (w morning coffee) open 7a-10, wine bar 3p-8. The 17th Annual Chili Cook-off has hot stuff 11a – 1p at the Oriental Marina & Inn. Ten bucks gets you in, and $ all go to the Old Theater.

More Saturday: Nautical Wheelers’ has wine tastings at 2 & 3p. Andy Woolgar presents INZUZO Wines. New Village Brewery hosts at Taqueria San Luis food truck, TerraTones play the beer garden.

Sunday morning church service at Lou Mac Park. Classical meets contemporary: Vision Duo at the River Dunes Harbor Club, Sunday 4:30p.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

9:35a Thank you for a packed Candidates’ Forum last night in Oriental. Every seat was taken, and a few folks were standing at the back to take it all in.

There are eleven candidates for commissioner in Oriental, nine participated in last night’s forum. TownDock will have a report online today, including audio from all the candidate’s there.

11:10a Duke Power has recently been trimming trees in Oriental. They have the legal right to trim trees near power lines.

That said, the recent work hasn’t been pretty. Some trees have not been trimmed so much as hacked & assaulted.

The Tree Board and Town Hall have reached out to Duke with complaints about this, and as of this morning Duke has agreed to “pulling out of Oriental until they can get some supervision in there.”

Adult supervision is a beautiful thing.

9:27a Tonight is the Candidates’ Forum, 6p at the Old Theater. Doors open at 5:30p.

There are eleven candidates for Oriental town board, all have been invited.

You’re invited too. Pamlico Community College President Zac Schnell will moderate. The candidates will be seated on stage.

If you’re coming, be a thoughtful guest. No signs, just watch & listen. The audience will be asked to hold applause until the end of the event.

After the election, we will still all be neighbors in our great little town. Doug Sligh writes in on that thought.

4:03p October’s monthly Town Meeting saw the return of Robert’s Rules of Order, and some speculation on the limits of the Oriental Officer’s jurisdiction.

The meeting report is live.

9:51a A small coastal town collects stories over the decades. Some of them might be described as ghost stories. Dale Montgomery has made it his mission to collect odd stories of Oriental’s past.

Dale’s Ghost Walk is back, this Fri & Sat, Oct 24 & 25, and again on Oct 30 & 31.

The Ghost Walk is about 90 minutes, starting and ending at the Provision Company. Arrive 15 minutes early. Flashlights are provided. This weekend the Ghost Walk is at 8p, Halloween week they are at 8 and 10p.

The Ghost Walk is a fundraiser for Oriental’s History Museum. Cash (and check) donations accepted.

A while back TownDock did a story about Dale’s Ghost Walk. Read on…

It’s Wednesday, and Oriental’s Piggly Wiggly has new weekly specials.

Here are the Piglet deals for Oct 22 – 28.

4:37p Election day in Oriental is Tuesday Nov 4. Would you like to learn more about the candidates seeking the 5 seats on Oriental’s Town Board?

The Pamlico News and TownDock.net host a candidates’ forum Thursday, October 23, 6p at the Old Theater. Admission is free. All eleven candidates have been invited to take part, nine have accepted.

The candidates will have the opportunity to respond to questions about Oriental. The questions will be the same for all.

12:14p Tropical Storm Melissa has been declared, south of Haiti & Jamaica in the Caribbean.

Melissa is forecast to have an odd course north, bringing hurricane conditions to Haiti, and then head northeast and out to sea. Not a probable visitor to our town.

• Tropical Storm Melissa Tracking Chart
• Tropical Storm Melissa Forecaster’s Discussion & Computer Models
• Hurricane Center