Monday, March 15, 2010

The Post Office

The Ocracoke Post Office is, in many ways, our "town square." It is on a rare visit to the PO that I don't see a neighbor with whom I have some "business" to talk about. Today Barbara reminded me that we needed to share email addresses so she could send me a photo of this winter's Friday night music.

Sometimes stopping at the PO is an opportunity to catch up with friends and family (to find out who will be visiting next week, how long so-and-so will be gone on her latest trip, where to address a get-well card, etc.); at other times, meeting neighbors is a chance to share a story, or laugh about some antic someone did recently.

Of course, when you're in the Post Office it's a good idea to check out the bulletin board. Today I read about a fried chicken dinner at the Assembly of God church (March 20), a 4-H presentation at the Community Center (March 25), and the annual meeting of the Friends of the Library (March 30).

There were also notices of items for sale, rooms for rent, requests for rides to Norfolk, addresses of folks in health care facilities, information about the annual school plant sale, and much more.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of early twentieth century itinerant salesmen, entertainers, and preachers who found their way to the island. You can read it here.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:15 PM

    Have you heard when the 2010 priority passes are being giving out?I was told to check the post office bulletin board.

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  2. I don't know about the new priority passes. Haven't heard a thing. Maybe another one of our readers can answer this question.

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  3. Anonymous5:39 PM

    i wish everyone at the post office would mind their own business

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  4. Debbie Leonard9:04 PM

    The last comment had to have been left by one of the cats. They get cranky at times.

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  5. Anonymous3:07 AM

    Philip, another unrelated question... I get asked a lot which cell phone services operate or dont operate on the island these days. Any chance on updating your readers and visitors on the current state of play, as far as you know? Thanks..... Warner

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  6. Warner, I don't know all of the cell phones that work on the island. For a long time only Alltel provided service here, but that has changed. Someone recently left a comment with detailed information about this but I can't locate it. Perhaps someone with current information can update us all about cell phone service on Ocracoke.

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  7. Anonymous10:36 AM

    My Verizon cell did fine while on the island.

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  8. Anonymous11:01 AM

    Verizon bought out Alltel. So the main providers of cell service are Verizon and US Cellular. Sprint and AT&T do not work on the island. Hope this helps!!

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  9. Priority passes -- Here is the latest: I checked with Hatteras Operations this morning and the stickers are still not here. They will continue to honor the 2009 stickers until they get new ones. Keep checking with Hatteras on a weekly basis - it should be anytime now. Call 986-2353 and whoever answers the phone will be able to tell you whether or not the stickers are in.

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  10. Assuming you have a roaming plan with your carrier, all CDMA cell phones work on the island and GSM do not. In terms of carriers, this means that Verizon, Alltel, US Cellular, and Sprint work. (Yes, Anonymous #5, I use my Sprint on the Island all the time). ATT and T-Mobile, the GSM carriers do not.

    ATT does have GSM coverage out of Hatteras and if you REALLY need to make a call, you can usually get a signal at the ferry dock to Hatteras.

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