Senator Bill Cook - November 22 Legislative Update | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Press Release:

Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Grants

    The state Division of Coastal Management recently awarded nearly $1.6 million to 14 local governments to improve public access to coastal beaches and waters for the 2017-18 fiscal year. The following local entities of Northeastern North Carolina will receive grant funding:

• Dare County: Town of Kill Devil Hills received $37,575 to build an observation deck and a walkway with stairs at the Ferris Avenue beach access. The town also received $46,425 to elevate a gazebo and install a connector ramp and a walkway with stairs at the Glenmere Avenue beach access.
• Pasquotank County: County of Pasquotank received $80,000 to renovate a boardwalk trail and a kayak launch along the Pasquotank River.
• Washington County: Town of Plymouth received $144,800 to install a pier, a kayak launch, parking areas, a walkway, lighting, signage and other amenities at a site on the Conaby Creek.
• Bertie County: Town of Windsor received $102,773 to install a boardwalk with fishing pier extensions on the Cashie River.

    The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program provides matching funds to local governments in the 20 coastal counties. Governments that receive grants must match them by contributing at least 25 percent toward the project's cost. Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state's Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

Congratulations to Ambassador Stephen B. King

    In July 2017, President Donald J. Trump nominated Stephen B. King, a part-time Roanoke Island resident, to be the United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic. The United States Senate confirmed the nomination on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017, and Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office on Monday, Oct. 30, while Steve's wife, Karen, held the bible. (See picture below.) Ambassador King has a distinguished record of service to our nation and the Outer Banks community including most recently the role as chairman of the Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA), often known as the "The Lost Colony."

    During the long session, I spearheaded legislation restructuring the advisory board of the Roanoke Island Festival Park while also tasking the N.C. Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources to collaborate and reach a MOA with the RIHA to illuminate Roanoke Island's cultural and historical significance. Thus, I had the opportunity to work with the Ambassador while successfully getting this through the legislature and into law. His leadership was quite evident, Steve's devotion and optimism towards the interests and financial sustainability of the RIHA was exceptional.

    Ambassador King is also a longtime volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America and served as the national vice president for the organization. In the private sector, he successfully acquired, built, and sold a specialty chemical manufacturing business and founded a family investment business. Earlier in his career, Ambassador King investigated civil rights violations for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, served as an investigator for the U.S. Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and was named Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for liaison between USDA and the Agriculture Committees of the House and Senate. He is a past state chairman and national committeeman for the Wisconsin Republican Party, and chaired U.S. Speaker Paul Ryan's congressional campaign from 1998-2017.

    Ambassador King is a workhorse who is not afraid to get in the trenches to get the job done. He will bring to bear his tireless commitment to solving problems and always moving the ball forward. Ambassador King and his wife Karen, left earlier this month to serve our country at the U.S. Embassy Prague in Czech Republic.

Coding and Mobile App Development Grant Program

    N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson last week announced that 15 districts and charter schools were awarded grants totaling $400,000 via the new Coding and Mobile App Development Grant Program. The grants, which range from $10,000 to $40,000, support partnerships with local businesses to help schools develop computer science, coding and mobile app development programs for middle and high school students. Two school districts within Senate District 1 received a grant:

• Dare County Schools: $25,000
• Perquimans County Schools: $22,500

    Districts and schools will implement their programs this spring. Applications for the next Coding and Mobile App Development grant cycle will be available online March 15, 2018. Grant recipients will be announced in the summer and will implement their programs in the fall.

Recreational Trails Program Awards Grant to the Town of Kitty Hawk

    The Recreational Trails Program which is administered by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources recently awarded the Town of Kitty Hawk a grant of $59,518. The matching grants, recommended by the North Carolina Trails Committee help fund recreation opportunities for hikers, cyclists, paddlers, equestrians and off-highway vehicle users throughout the state. Likewise, this grant will assist the Town of Kitty Hawk with multi-use paths connecting N. Croatan Highway to The Village.

    It was my pleasure to join the Dare County Arts Council and the Outer Banks Sporting Events to introduce the Sassagrass String Band on Friday, Nov. 10, at Pamlico Jack's in Nags Head, N.C. This event kicked off the OBX Marathon weekend and the Veterans Day weekend festivities hosted by the Dare County Arts Council. This year, our state budget established the Military and Veterans Healing Arts Grant Program, and I was very pleased that the Dare County Arts Council received a grant in the amount of $10,315 from this program. The OBX Veterans week is an invaluable program that brings an entire community together to help honor the brave men and women who have served our country.

• Contact: Senator Bill Cook
•     billc@ncleg.net