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Thursday Oriental came out to to celebrate a decade of The Pig. Read on…

8:50a Water levels snuck up to almost 2 feet above “normal” yesterday. There are coming back down a bit this morning, and will drop more this evening (south winds forecast).

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast
• Oriental Water Level Gauge
• Oriental Weather Station

Ten years ago Oriental had become a “food desert” – no local grocery store. Then Oriental’s Piggly Wiggly opened – this week Oriental celebrated a decade of the Piglet.

A partly sunny day ahead, small chance of thunderstorms this afternoon.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

3:55p Wine tastings, live music, and painting with Charlie Frye.

Friday night Ken Belangia, Kim Brookshire and Shawn Aldridge play the Brewery Beer Garden 6-8p, Capone’s: A Taste of Philly serves 4-8p.

George Bailey plays down the road at The Red Rooster Pavilion starting at 7p.

Get fresh eggs Saturday morning at the Oriental Farmer’s Market, 8-11a. Sample Malbec wines from Argentina at Nautical Wheelers at 2 & 3p.

A Taste of Philly food truck serves from 5-8p at the Brewery while TerraTones plays, 6-8p.

Join Charlie Frye at Nautical Wheelers for a Paint & Wine afternoon, 3-5p. Limited to 10 participants – tickets available online or at Nautical Wheelers.

The 5th Sunday sing happens at 6p – this time at St. Peter the Fisherman Church. All are welcome.

Mariposa serves fresh baked goods Saturday, Sunday, & Monday 7-11a, and charcuterie & wine flights in the evenings, 3-9p. They will be closed Saturday evening for a private event.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

If you’re looking for this week’s Sound Rivers Swim Guide for local waters, you can find it here.

2:54p From the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Dept:

See below…

2:36p The Angry Lobster is serving tonight at the Brewery, 4-8p.

Have children or grandchildren hanging around this summer? Send them to The Children’s Theater Workshop for two weeks in June / July.

Your kiddos learn acting fundamentals like how to tell a story through word, movement, and emotion. They get to perform their new skills on stage at the end of the two weeks.

Registration is open for all grades. $25 per participant, scholarships are available. Find out more here.

10:40a Go back a decade and Oriental was briefly a “food desert.” No grocery store.

That was solved by owner Billy Flockhart stepping up and opening Oriental’s Piggly Wiggly, known locally as “The Piglet.” We likely have the best little grocery store there is.

Today the store celebrates 10 years. Stop by and join the celebration, and take in a free meal. More here.

8:45p The Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a missing person:

The press release from the Sheriff’s Dept is here.

9:03a Tomorrow, the Oriental Piggly Wiggly celebrates ten years in Oriental. You’re invited to the party.

Jim Kellenberger is at the grill, serving up hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, coleslaw, chips, sodas, and water – all free.

You can also win a prize – a Piggly Wiggly gift card, a grill, merchandise, hats, shirts, sunglasses, and other items.

It happens Thursday, May 28 in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot 11:30a-1p, under the big tent at the Pig.

Here are the Piglet deals for May 27-June 2.

10:22a It’s Memorial Day.

At noon, Chris Mele plays Taps from the Oriental Bridge in tribute. The Oriental Harbor Marina docks offer a nice viewing / listening spot.

Because it’s a federal holiday, Town Hall, First Citizens Bank, and the Post Office are closed today.

4:19p There’s no major events happening this weekend, but that doesn’t mean it’s quiet. Take in live music, visit the art gallery, or pick up some flowers or fresh eggs at the Oriental Farmer’s Market.

Tonight at the Brewery: Taqueria San Luis, 4-8p with NottaBand playing live in the beer garden 5:30-7:30p. cancelled, due to weather Patrick Bliss, plays live down the road at The Red Rooster starting at 7p.

Saturday morning is the Oriental Farmer’s Market on Hodges, 8-11a. All About Churros serves at the Brewery 5-8p, Noah Jackson Cobb performs 5:30-7:30p.

Mariposa serves fresh baked goods in the mornings and wine & charcuterie boards in the evening, Sat, Sun & Mon, 7-11a and 3-9p. Broad Strokes Gallery features their May Artists of the month and are open all weekend: Fri & Sat 10a-5p, Sun 11a-4p.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

Sound Rivers’ Swim Guide starts again this weekend. From now through Labor Day, volunteers test the waters of the Lower Neuse for bacteria. Pierce Creek was not included in the first test of the summer.

Find out more about the Swim Guide and which waters are tested, here.

10:30a Storm names for 2026 include some Oriental royalty. Fay. Sally.

A “Hurricane Sally” does sound kinda scary.

While TownDock crew is dubious of predicting an entire storm season, NOAA does go for it. There’s good news today.

Today NOAA has predicted a below average hurricane season.

11:17a Hints of summer in the air: there’s rain in the forecast, today and the next day, and the day after that.

But tonight, there’s music.

The third Thursday jam happens tonight at 6p at Pamlico Community College. Bring your unplugged instrument, your voice, or just enjoy the music. It’s free and open to all levels.

A Taste of Philly food truck is at the Brewery tonight, 5-8p.

Charlie Frye is an Americana painter. Charlie visited fisherman Keith Bruno. The result:

click image for the full view

3:35p A statewide burn ban held back the Dragon Burn on March 28. That burn ban has been lifted… the Dragon (horse) is set to burn on June 12.

9:55a As a human, you can sign up as an organ donor when you’re getting your driver’s license.

It seems boats can be organ donors too. Captain John Rahm writes about a local boat that’s coming to the end of the line this week.

Read about Sara’s last sail.

10:43a If you’ve been outside today, you already know it’s hot. Temps near 90 for the first part of the week. There’s rain and slightly cooler temps – mid to low 80s – forecast for the latter half of the week.

Head over to Broad Strokes Gallery between now and noon and watch the artists painting during their open studio hours.

Later today, brush up on your sailing or learn a few new skills on Bow to Stern’s fleet of Typhoons.

9:48a Saturday is Oriental’s annual Brown/White goods pickup. If you have items, it might be best to have them to the curb tonight. Town Manager Diane Miller said the truck sometimes arrives as early as 630a Saturday morning. It will only make one pass.

Pamlico Community College’s 2026 Commencement is 6:30p tonight at the Delamar Center. Flicka Fest is happening, taking over the town docks today through Sunday. It’s Flicka owners getting together to talk all things Flicka.

The Pamlico Arts Council’s storytelling & literary festival ‘A Story Runs Through It’ is Saturday, 10a-8p. Attend book signings, author meet & greets, writing workshops, or listen to the storytellers. Events are scheduled around town and at the Pamlico County Library.

Tonight the Brewery plays host to the Kellenberger’s 50th Wedding Anniversary (event by invitation).

Find treasures at the Merritt Community Yard Sale, Saturday 7a-1p. The Oriental Farmer’s Market is on Hodges Street, 8-11a. Capone’s

ODC is out on the Neuse, racing keel boats Saturday, dinghies Sunday. A Taste of Philly serves at the Brewery from 5:30-8p Saturday, Brant Island Strings plays in the beer garden 5-7:30p.

Sunday, the Craven Community Band hold their Spring Concert at Union Point Park in New Bern at 6p.

Mariposa serves fresh baked goods Saturday, Sunday, & Monday 7-11a, and charcuterie & wine flights in the evenings, 3-9p.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

9:44a Do you have a large appliance or crusty old furniture you would like to go away?

Fellow human, you’re in luck. Get rid of that stuff you no longer want, just by leaving it at the curb. This Saturday May 16 is Oriental’s annual Brown/White goods pickup.

What is a white or brown good? It’s confusing – it ain’t ‘cause its white or brown. From the TownDock archives, former Town Manager Wyatt Cutler explains:

Just have everything curbside by 7a. The truck will only make one pass to pick up the goods.

9:10a Upon arrival, folks peppered sailor Josh Kali with questions.

Tired? Are you going to write a book? Were you scared?

But the key question for a man that just circled the globe in a 19 foot boat: What are you going to do next?

Answer: “Relearn to wear shoes.”

SV Skookum (with Josh often around) will be at the town dock all day today.

Josh built Skookum from a kit provided by B & B Yachts of Pamlico County. After the sailing mission, will he keep the boat? Sixteen boats (and captains) began the race, eleven finished. Josh says most of the sailors are selling their boats, as is Josh.

SV Skookum has already sold. The buyer plans to enter the 2029 MiniGlobe race. As part of the deal, Josh has agreed to deliver the boat, via truck and trailer.

Where is the new owner? You might not guess this one. Kansas.

2:57p Josh Kali & SV Skookum arrived in Oriental about 2:15p, with a happy crowd greeting him. Josh departed Oriental in late January 2025, sailed around the world in the MiniGlobe race (starting and ending in Antigua), today returning to Oriental.

Commissioner Paul Jordan (on behalf of Mayor Sally) declared today Josh Kali Day in Oriental.

1:10p Josh is just arriving at the Neuse. He is now sailing.

ETA in Oriental, about an hour. Tacking is involved. A dozen boats, power and sail, have formed a support flotilla coming across the Neuse.

Josh a minute ago… making time:

12:01p Just in from Josh:

Josh near the top of Core Creek a few minutes ago, Steve Early photo:

10:33a Josh Kali is on his way up Adams Creek, maybe running about 30 minutes later than planned. It’s a small boat.

From last night’s town meeting: A new town officer, Micheal DeStefano, was sworn in. Micheal will be a 2nd police officer, Officer Bikll remains as Police Chief. Parking will soon only be allowed on one side of Church Street (the Schoolhouse Condos side) – parking on both sides was making it difficult for cars to pass. Oriental finally received the last of the money owed from Hurricane Florence, a total of $106,000. Anyone interested in serving on town volunteer boards is asked to submit an application by the end of May.

A complete report coming later.

8:51a Plein Air artists are at the harbor and about Oriental again today, the final day of the NC Plein Air Art Festival in Oriental.

You get to see the art created at a “Wet Paint” art sale tonight at Broad Strokes Gallery, 5:30p-7:00p. You’re invited.

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

Here are the Piglet deals for May 13-19.

Boaters gather for a flotilla to welcome back round-the-world sailor Josh Kali today. Just get you and your boat on the Neuse near the entrance to Adams Creek, noon today.

Once arriving at Oriental, Josh will berth his boat at the town dock. There will be a small welcoming ceremony for Josh about 1:30p (exact timing is difficult with a 19 ft sailing vessel). Josh will be staying at the town dock Wednesday and Thursday… you can stop by and see SV Skookum and Josh.

Sunny & mid 70s today, lazy 5-10 knot winds on the Neuse.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

There have been bear sightings recently, often reporting the bear at a bird feeder. They like the seed, and love suet. Bob Miller (off White Farm Rd) writes in

10:55a You can be a community gardener. It’s easier than plowing up and planting your own.

The folks tending the OUMC Community Garden are seeking a few good volunteers.
There’s weeding, watering, and harvesting to be done. Everything harvested from the inground garden goes to Pamlico County Fishes & Loaves. The raised beds are shared with volunteers (like you).

Just go by the Oriental United Methodist Church between 9a-3p, Mon – Thu, and sign up, this week or next.

Questions? Give Mike (760) 815-8131, Pete (919) 622-4542, or Jim (919) 621-0362 a call.

8:46a Oriental has several auxiliary boards that help with different parts of town: the harbor and waterfronts, parks and recreation, tourism, planning and zoning, water projects, and maintenance of Oriental’s many trees.

Visit Town Hall tonight starting at 5p to learn what the Boards do and how you can volunteer. Auxiliary board positions are every two years, and there will be vacancies in June.

The Town Board Meeting follows at 6p with the swearing in of new Police Officer Michael DeStefano. The May meeting agenda is here.

There may be some property tax relief available for the elderly and disabled, or disabled veterans. A reader writes in with the information.

8:21a Decisions. Life is so complex. Just what should you do?

Your Salty Celeste horoscope may have answers.

7:38a Property tax revaluations are happening in Pamlico County and across the state. Many residents are surprised at the revaluations, finding their proposed annual property tax increasing by two or three times what it has been.

Suzanne Gwaltney, Realtor and co-owner of Sail/Loft Realty sends in her letter to County Commissioners detailing the inconsistencies in the reevaluation, and concerns for Pamlico’s residents.

The issue with the revaluations goes beyond Pamlico County; the NC Senate just passed Senate Bill 889 to freeze new revaluations in 12 counties until 2027.

What does the freeze mean? Bill 889 would freeze the revaluation rate, using old rates for 2026. The goal is to give residents time to appeal appraisals and give State legislators time to work through broader property tax reforms.

Pamlico was one of the included 12 counties – however a section was added in the second edition that excluded counties under populations of 15,000.

2:36p Josh Kali arrived at Beaufort just before 1p today, after sailing around the world as part of the MiniGlobe race. He’ll make his arrival at Oriental Wednesday this week.

This is Josh and SV Skookum at the Beaufort NC docks.

Be part of a flotilla of sailors welcoming Josh home, meeting him at Adams Creek where it meets the Neuse. Josh plans to be there about (about is key) 12noon Wednesday.

7:45a Josh Kali has sailed around the world, on a 19 ft boat. This morning Josh is approaching Beaufort Inlet, with light light air. He expects to be there about noon.

TownDock will be there to greet him aboard MV Liz.