Join the dismal swamp bike ride.(Y)

CAMDEN COUNTY | Cycling enthusiasts are invited to participate in a 40-mile bike loop beginning at the Dismal Swamp Trail in South Mills on Sept. 26.

A supervised route through the Camden County countryside will allow bikers to explore the landscape and fall colors.

Lunch will be served at the Dismal Swamp State Park.

The cost is $30. To register, call (252) 771-8333 or e-mail dscwelcome@camdencountync.gov.

Chowan County

Community concerts offered

Music in the Parks will be held monthly through October.

On Sept. 20, Wes Lassiter will perform on the banjo, and The Danny Daughtridge Group will perform Americana at Colonial Park in Edenton.

On Oct. 18, Milton Bullock, The Golden Platter and Bubblin' Brown Sugar will perform at Colonial Park.

The concerts will begin at 3 p.m. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.

The events are organized by the Chowan Arts Council, the Edenton-Chowan Recreation Department, the Chowan Tourism Development Authority, Edenton Coffee House and Destination Downtown.

Currituck County

Library offers activities for kids

Currituck Library in Barco is offering events for young children.

Babygarten is from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays. Story time is from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays, and toddler time is offered from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays.

Fall plant and bake sale set

The Currituck Master Gardeners will hold a Fall Plant and Bake Sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Currituck County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension at 120 Community Way in Barco.

Details: (252) 232-2262.

Library to hold genealogy classes

Currituck Library in Barco is offering three courses in genealogy.

Learn the basic steps to start you on the journey of creating your family tree at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Meet at the Currituck Government Complex at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 22 to learn how to research birth, marriage and death certificates.

At 9:30 a.m. Sept. 25, learn how to search Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and other Internet sites.

Class size is limited. To register, call (252) 453-8345.

green building workshop is set

North Carolina State University will hold a Low Impact Development and Green Building Workshop from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Currituck County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, 120 Community Way in Barco.

The workshop is for government staff, the development community, homeowner associations, natural resource managers, engineers, contractors, design professionals, real estate agents and planners.

The workshop will use the 2009 N.C. LID Guidebook as a basis for teaching what local governments, the building community and homeowner associations need to know to adopt and implement low-impact development.

The workshop costs $150 for professionals seeking credit hours and includes lunch and materials. Scholarships are available to state, local and county governments, academic institutions and nonprofits for $75.

Register online at www.ncsu.edu/WECO/lid

Dare County

Town names new police chief

Kevin Brinkley has been promoted from lieutenant to chief of Nags Head's Police Department following the retirement of Chief Wayne Byrum.

Brinkley is a native of Dare County and began his law career in 1990. He has completed several law enforcement training programs, including N.C. State University's Administrative Officers Management Program and the FBI's National Academy Program.

Marine corps league to meet

The Outer Banks Detachment 1264 of the Marine Corps League will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Pitts Center, 5375 N. Virginia Dare Trail in Southern Shores.

Marines and Naval corpsmen who were attached to the Fleet Marine Force are invited.

There will be special guests, a display of Vietnam War-era military items and refreshments.

Literacy council needs volunteers

The Dare Literary Council is in need of volunteer tutors.

Tutors are trained to teach adults to learn to read, improve their reading or math skills, learn English as a Second Language or prepare for their GED. No teaching experience is necessary.

Those interested in learning to become tutors are required to attend one tutor orientation before the tutor training workshop.

Orientation will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at Nags Head Baptist Church.

The Tutor Training Workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 at Nags Head Baptist Church. There is a $20 fee, which covers the cost of the workbook and lunch.

Register by Sept. 20 by calling (252) 216-7773.

Arts council sponsors tours

Visitors can tour the actual working studios of local artists during special tours offered this month.

Tours of studios north of the Oregon Inlet Bridge will be held Saturday, and tours of studios south of the bridge will be held Sept. 26.

For information, call (252) 473-5558 or visit darearts.org.

fundraiser seeks auction items

The seventh annual Outer Banks Charity Classic Tennis Tournament will be Oct. 1-4.

The tournament is the signature fundraiser for the Hospice Program of Dare Home Health and Hospice. Items are needed for the silent and live auctions to be held at Duck Woods Country Club in Southern Shores.

This year's goal is to auction 60 items. Anyone wishing to make a donation should call (252) 261-4837 or e-mail joseph .la.buckley@verizon.net.

To register for the tournament, call (252) 261-6843 .

More Foster homes are needed

Dare County Department of Social Services needs individuals and families interested in providing placement - either temporarily or permanently - to a child in the foster care program.

Orientation meetings are being held this fall in different areas of the county. Some of the children are members of a sibling group that must be placed together. Some have special needs.

Agency children come with a monthly support payment, clothing allowance and their own medical insurance.

Orientation meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Fessenden Center, 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at Thomas A. Baum Center in Kill Devil Hills and 7 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Dare County Department of Social Services in Manteo.

Details: (252) 475-5500 .

Memory screening being offered

GEM Adult Day Services Inc. is offering a confidential memory screening.

Diagnosing Dementia: See it Sooner will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center in Kill Devil Hills.

Registration is required. Visit www.gemdayservices.org or call (252) 480-3354.

walk to benefit adult day services

A walk will be held to benefit GEM Adult Day Services on Sept. 22.

Check-in time will be 7:45 a.m., and the walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Roanoke Island Festival Park. To register, call (252) 475-9720.

Church announces parish staff

Tim Gregory and Val Cummings are new staff members at Holy Redeemer by the Sea Catholic Parish in Kitty Hawk.

Gregory will be business and plant manager. He has a background in financial operations, as well as expertise in buildings and grounds administration and maintenance. He has been a parishioner of Holy Redeemer by the Sea for more than 12 years, serving in a variety of ministries.

Cummings will be the executive assistant and take on daily administrative tasks and Sacramental records. She and her husband, Tom, joined the full-time parish community last August. She previously worked in her New Jersey parish for 15 years as the school office manager.

Flu vaccine clinics scheduled

The Dare County Department of Public Health has scheduled two flu vaccination clinics.

The seasonal flu vaccine is for adults only by appointment. This is not the pandemic H1N1 vaccine, which will be available at a later date. The first clinic will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Dare County Department of Public Health in Manteo. The second will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the health department in Frisco. The cost is $35 .

To make an appointment, call (252) 475-5003.

Get to know your local government

The League of Women Voters will sponsor Dare County Government 101: An Introduction and Overview at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Dare County Administration Building, Room 168, 954 Marshall Collins Drive in Manteo.

A lunch will be held at Sugar Shack at 11:30 a.m. Reservations must be made by Friday by calling (252) 261-6380.

Tours of the Administration Building will be offered after the workshop.

Pasquotank County

SPCA to hold garage sale

SPCA of Perquimans County will be holding a garage sale at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday at The Framery, 116 N. Poindexter St. in Elizabeth City.

Donations of non-clothing items are being accepted, and pickup can be arranged.

Details: (252) 267-4231.

Food bank to hold annual walk

The Food Bank of the Albemarle will hold its 26th annual Walk for Hunger on Oct. 11.

Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m., and walkers will leave Charles Creek Park in Elizabeth City at 2 p.m.

The walk will cover 4.1 miles and is the major fundraiser for the food bank. There will be games for children, and a lunch will be provided by Montero's.

Details: (252) 335-4035, ext. 100 or check out www.afoodbank.org.

Church to hold special services

Nation After God Holy Church, 408 Shepard St. in Elizabeth City, will hold two power pack services.

At 2 p.m. today, the Rev. Mack Freshwater from Macedonia Church of Christ will preach. At 2 p.m. Sept. 27, the Rev. Charles Foster of Holy Trinity Church will preach.

Chamber to hold golf tournament

The Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its first Chamber Golf Tournament on Sept. 24 at The Pines at Elizabeth City.

There will be a 10 a.m. registration with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. with Captain's Choice/Best Ball Format.

The cost is $110 for individual players; $440 for a team of four. Mulligans are $10 each; one per player.

A Hole in One Contest will be held for a chance to win a 2009 Honda Accord from Hall Honda of Elizabeth City.

The dinner and awards ceremony will be at 5:30 p.m. Dinner only for non-golfers costs $25.

Details: (252) 335-5732.

Toddler time set for Thursday

Port Discover will hold toddler time at 10 a.m. Thursday at 613 E. Main St. in Elizabeth City.

Children will learn about sound and how it travels, identify some sounds and make their own sound phones.

The cost is $5 per family and reservations are required. A parent or guardian must accompany the child.

Details: (252) 338-6117.

Food Bank seeking volunteers

The Food Bank of the Albemarle needs volunteers.

Duties and hours are flexible and could include administrative work , sorting food and interviewing clients .

Details: (252) 335-4035, ext. 111.

Perquimans County

Hurrah players to perform

The Hurrah Players will present "Grease" at 7 p.m. Friday at Perquimans County High School in Hertford.

Admission is $18 for adults, $12 for teens and $10 for children younger than 12.

meetings+events

CHOWAN COUNTY

Meeting rescheduled The September meeting of the Chowan County Chapter of AARP has been rescheduled to 1:30 p.m. Monday, Chowan Senior Center, 204 E. Church St., Edenton.

Board of Commissioners 6 p.m. Monday, 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, 117 E. King St., Edenton.

CURRITUCK COUNTY

Parish picnic 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 20, St. Katharine Drexel, 154 Maple Road, Maple.

Tourism Advisory Board 5 p.m. Monday, Historic Currituck Courthouse, 153 Courthouse Road.

Juvenile Crime Prevention Council meeting 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Coinjock Marina Restaurant.

Historical Society 7 p.m. Monday, Currituck County Library in Barco. Guest speaker will be George Ramsey from the Virginia Canal Society.

DARE COUNTY

Public hearing 7 p.m. Monday, Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners, Administrative Building, Meeting Room, 102 Town Hall Drive. The hearing is to receive comments on the designation ordinance for Z.A. Harris Cottage, 1413B N. Virginia Dare Trail.

Board of Health meeting rescheduled The Dare County Board of Health has rescheduled its Tuesday meeting to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Substance Abuse Program in the New Horizons Office, 2808 S. Croatan Hwy., Suite B, Nags Head.

Dare County Friends of Youth Advisory Board 8 a.m. Thursday, Dare County Administration Building, Room 228, 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo.

Branding Dare County Seafood Committee 7 p.m. Thursday, Rodanthe Fire Station classroom, second floor, 24297 N.C. 12.

Meeting rescheduled The town of Manteo Special Events Committee has rescheduled its meeting to 6 p.m. Sept. 21 at Manteo Town Hall.

HERTFORD COUNTY

Blood drive 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Hawks Nest at Chowan University, Murfreesboro.

PASQUOTANK COUNTY

Music on the Green 4 to 6 p.m. for six consecutive Saturdays beginning this Saturday on the lawn at Mariner s Wharf on Water Street, Elizabeth City.

City Council 7 p.m. Monday, H. Rick Gardener Municipal Building, Council Chambers, Elizabeth City.

PERQUIMANS COUNTY

Blood drive 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, New Hope United Methodist Church, Hertford.

Karen Santos, (252) 336-2415,

karen.santos@pilotonline.com

CAPTION(S):

courtesy photo NEW STAFF MEMBERS Tim Gregory and Val Cummings are new members of the Holy Redeemer by the Sea Catholic Parish staff. Both are parishioners at the church in Kitty Hawk. Lt. Kevin Brinkley has been chosen to become police chief in Nags Head.