Northampton Declares Storm Emergency; Schools Closed

By HOLLYE CARPENTER
Northampton County Emergency Management Coordinator

October 27, 2012

Due to the approach of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Sandy, the Northampton County Director of Emergency Services declared a local emergency effective October 26 at 6 p.m.

Emergency Management officials are advising all residents to prepare for high winds (50-60 mph) and flooding conditions beginning early Sunday and lasting into Tuesday. Three high-tide cycles will be affected, resulting in 2-4 feet of storm surge. This is a large, wide storm, and residents should be aware that areas far from the center will receive damaging winds and high amounts of rain.

Residents should prepare their homes by securing outdoor items such as lawn furniture, grills, planters and other lawn items that may be blown about by high winds. Residents are asked to collect political signs and store till the storm passes. Additionally, residents should also be prepared for colder weather as the storm passes. [Read more…]

Haunted Hurricane Oyster Roast & Octoberfest Tonight

Go ahead — laugh at the storm.

In grand hurricane party tradition, Old School Cape Charles presents a HAUNTED HURRICANE OYSTER ROAST & OCTOBERFEST 6-10 p.m. Saturday, October 27, at Wendell Distributing, 659 Madison Avenue.

Enjoy a night of great food and music, with Bay and Seaside Oysters, Chowders, and lots of German Sausage (Brattwurst, Knockwurst), craft beers, and music by the great Bob Rankin and Wrecking Ball, with special guest Freshwater Frank and the Fish Band. [Read more…]

STORM PREPARATIONS
Mayor Asks Residents to Help Absentee Neighbors

A MESSAGE FROM MAYOR SULLIVAN CONCERNING HURRICANE SANDY

There are many homes in Cape Charles that have part time residents. With the impending storm and the possibility of strong winds and heavy rains, it would be prudent for each of us to pay attention to our neighbors’ homes. Below is a list of items for consideration to avoid damage from the winds that will come with the storm:

SECURE ALL OUTDOOR ITEMS IN CASE OF STRONG WINDS AND/OR FLOODING

• Lawn / yard furniture (tables, chairs, umbrellas, etc.)
• Grills
• Decorative items
• Boat and utility trailers in the yard or the street

DEBRIS

• The Public Works crew will be picking up all loose debris in the alleys and along the streets.
• Debris pickup will then be suspended until after the storm has passed.
• The trash barrels at the beach have been picked up and the trash receptacles on the fishing pier are being secured. All trash receptacles will be removed from the boardwalk and along Bay Avenue.
• Storm drains are being cleared.
• Please DO NOT put any yard debris, brush or other trash on the street curb. Any debris can pose a safety hazard in strong winds and will clog storm drains if any flooding occurs.

HIGH WATER

• DO NOT drive your vehicle through high water. If you cannot see the pavement, DO NOT go through it. This could cause irreparable damage to your vehicle.
• The wake created from driving through the water could cause damage to the houses along the street.
• During the last storm, there was street flooding up to Strawberry Street and a number of vehicles were lost due to the flooding. The parking lot of the former Meatland Building is available for your vehicles during this storm. Please consider moving your vehicles to this parking lot to help alleviate possible damage. [Read more…]

NORTHAMPTON SCHOOL BOARD
Kiptopeke Elementary Hopes for Provisional Accreditation

By SARAH BARBAN
Cape Charles Wave

October 26, 2012

Northampton County Schools have been facing their fair share of troubles — from accreditation, to staffing, to test scores. The county school board even had to call in an outside company, Edison Learning, to try and help sort out the issues.

At the Northampton County School Board meeting October 24, it appeared that rough seas are still ahead.

Due to last year’s unsatisfactory math scores at Kiptopeke Elementary, the school cannot be deemed fully accredited.

The three classifications for accreditation are: fully accredited, accredited with a warning, and seeking additional accreditation.

Kiptopeke falls under the latter.

“We have to make a request to the [state] Board of Education for their consideration to see if they will give Kiptopeke that rating of additional accreditation,” reported Superintendent Walter Clemons.

With the exception of math, Kiptopeke’s scores went up in all other areas, including reading, language arts, science, and social studies.

The State Board of Education met October 25 to decide whether to grant Kiptopeke a status of additional accreditation needed. The school awaits the decision.

Clemens lamented that in these difficult times, Northampton County schools, along with the entire United States, face federal budget cuts under the Budget Control Act of 2011, known as sequestration.

The cuts could affect Federal programs such as Title One, Head Start, English Language Acquisition, IDEA, and Career and Technical Education. [Read more…]

Town Council Candidates Bennett, Burke Face off Tonight

By CAPE CHARLES WAVE STAFF

October 25, 2012

Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Palace Theater, Cape Charles residents will have a chance to hear and question the two candidates running for Town Council.

The candidates are, in alphabetical order, Steve Bennett, a Bay Creek resident with years of political activity in Cape Charles, and newcomer Dan Burke, who moved to the Historic District 16 months ago.

Town Council elections normally are in May. The November 6 special election, concurrent with the Presidential election, is due to the death of Don Clarke, who was elected May 1 to Town Council but passed away in June before taking office.

Thursday’s candidate forum was organized by Town staff with the cooperation of Arts Enter.

The moderator will be Northampton County Supervisor Willie Randall. [Read more…]

SHORE THING: Where’s Cape Charles’ Nude Beach?

By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

October 24, 2012

Yesterday was the reason I moved to Cape Charles.

Walking out on the fishing pier, feeling the not-too-hot sun and the not-too-strong breeze on my face, gazing at the beach at low tide, smelling the sea air, hearing the gentle ripples of the waves — it was just perfect.

And almost no one was around. But rather than luxuriate in the solitude, I felt a sudden sadness that more people were not out at the beach to appreciate the perfect day.

Perhaps it was the decades of office confinement tugging at my conscience — I wanted to share the ecstasy of freedom to enjoy nature.

Actually, I was not alone. As I had walked up the boardwalk toward the pier I had noticed a car with Pennsylvania plates slowing down to parallel park.

And as I walked out on the pier I passed two elderly women. The older woman looked vaguely familiar. Perhaps I had met her before. I couldn’t remember. With a sudden pang I realized that very old women often look very much alike.

I leaned over the railing, gazing at the sand flats at low tide. From a distance, walking in the shallows, came two spectacular specimens of youthful beauty.

There I stood, leaning over the railing. I was invisible to the blonde Venuses below me, which I have become used to. Age is often invisible to youth. But I also seemed to be invisible to the old women on the pier, whose conversation was loud enough to overhear but spoken as if I was not there.

Youth and Age — and I stood between the two. The girls approaching me might be nearly 40 years’ my junior, while one of the women on the pier, I soon learned, was nearly 40 years’ my senior. [Read more…]

MONDAY 11/12: Volunteers Needed to Measure Coastal Water Quality

Volunteer opportunity at the Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center on Monday, November 12. [Read more…]

TUESDAY 11/13: Deadline for New Cape Charles Tourism Website Proposals

Request for Website Proposal: The Cape Charles Bed & Breakfast Association, in partnership with Arts Enter Cape Charles and the Town of Cape Charles, is seeking to develop a new comprehensive community-wide Cape Charles tourism-focused website designed around the Cape Charles by the Bay – Harbor for the Arts theme, and one that is linked closely to and supports the State’s Virginia is for Lovers, and the Eastern Shore’s You’ll Love our Nature marketing themes. [Read more…]

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