WAYNE CREED: New Cape Charles Ignores Gritty Past
By WAYNE CREED
October 20, 2014
Some have described the Stay Tuned Music Fest on Oct 4 at the Shanty as a flop, or even an epic fail. Even if it was, that’s not really a bad thing. Getting in the ring and taking a swing is the most important part — these festival things are hard to predict, and given the limited population and demographic, they sometimes don’t turn out as well as we hope.
I know the promoters, and I’m sure they will collect some Lessons Learned, and make some adjustments for next time (maybe move to coincide with Harbor for the Arts, or go old school with Shore Made Music by Shore Made Musicians — then cook up a pig, some crabs or oysters, with plenty of cold beer).
All this aside, there was still something about Stay Tuned Fest that bothered me; as if something was just a bit off. One evening, after a few martinis, staring at the old brick at Kelly’s, I realized just what was bugging me: it was that holding the event at that location (new harbor) lacked so much authenticity, and was so typical of the New Cape Charles — that is, to completely ignore the old Eastern Shore ways and arrogantly try to impose some foreign aesthetic in its place. [Read more…]
WAYNE CREED
Urban Chickens Part of ‘Good Food’ Movement
Mattawoman Creek Farms in Eastville is Community Supported Agriculture.
By WAYNE CREED
October 6, 2014
During the past few months, the Town of Cape Charles has endeavored to create a policy which would allow homeowners to raise a few urban chickens in their backyards, while at the same time, residents out in the County are readying pitchforks and torches for Economic Development Director Charles McSwain, as he is viewed as the main driver in the move to change zoning — something that many see as a threat to their rural lifestyle.
The urban chicken movement is part of the “good food” movement — the interest and enthusiasm for organic, local, and sustainably grown food. As critics of the new zoning have pointed out, you can’t have sustainably grown food without proper environmental setbacks. The nostalgic yearning for a return to “good food” and a rural lifestyle, though disconnected by boundaries, intersects around one issue: the fundamental decline of the family farm in America.
The number of American farmers has been steadily declining, from just over 6 million in 1900 to only about 2 million now. Most American farmers are over 50 (the average is 57.3), and this demographic leads to a scenario where one quarter (almost 500,000) farmers will retire by 2030. This is even more detrimental to rural areas like the Eastern Shore. As farmland goes untilled, this leads to a further consolidation; that is, a transition away from working farms into estates or residential developments, which in turn leads to sprawl, congestion, and adverse environmental effects. For many, the way forward is to get more young farmers back in the game. However, this is easier said than done.
This issue is not lost on the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack noted in a recent speech, “The future of agriculture is bright and will present the next generation with incredible opportunities to pursue. Young people should continue to engage in policy that affects them, but they shouldn’t be limited by it.”
Note: Young or New farmer does not necessarily mean young in age. The show “Green Acres,” in which New York City attorney Oliver Wendell Douglas leaves Park Avenue to pursue his dream of becoming a farmer (much to the chagrin of his glamorous Hungarian wife (Eva Gabor)), epitomizes the Young Farmer Movement.
Even as the USDA acknowledges the need for young farmers, current federal and state agricultural policies are lagging when it comes to support and opportunities. USDA data lists that only 22 percent of beginning farmers turn a profit their first year. A report from the ‘The National Young Farmers Coalition” found that 73 percent of young farmers must work a second job just to pay the bills. The obstacles facing beginning farmers include farmland that is priced at residential developer rates rather than at “agricultural value” (costs much higher than most young farmers can afford), large startup costs, and few banks willing to make loans on what they consider a risky investment. [Read more…]
WAYNE CREED: Drowning Might Have Been Prevented
By WAYNE CREED
September 22, 2014
Many summers ago, I remember walking out from the Cape Charles beach, hoping to take a swim. It was neap tide, and the water was barely up to my knees, so, like an idiot, I just kept walking. Eventually, I found myself up to my waist, than up to my neck in water. It was then that I felt the pull of the current, and in a moment, was pulled into the channel.
“This is weird,” I thought. I grew up near Virginia Beach, and have spent a lifetime dealing the rips from Cape Cod to Sebastian Inlet, so I was easily able to swim back to shallower water. My son Joey could not swim, and although my daughter Rachel was a strong swimmer (thanks to her swim coach granddad), after that episode, I was going to keep an eye on both of them.
When I mentioned this to some born-heres, they assured me that, “Oh yes, you can certainly drown out there. Some already have.” A few years later, I caught Joey (now 10) and his friend Daniel walking away from the beach, and I knew exactly where they were heading. I had to put down my beverage and run them down before they went into the channel. Probably not the best parental role model, I grabbed their arms and cussed them out good that day.
The tragic drowning of Uvihin “Ace” Horton this summer may or may not mark a sea change in how the Town approaches beach safety. The national attention of this tragedy may finally force the Town of Cape Charles to put into practice the basic safeguards that exist in beach towns all up and down the East Coast. Lifeguard stands, whistles, and new warning signs will certainly be welcome, but it will not alter the facts. Cape Charles has done much to lure tourists here, yet even as it was well aware of the dangers posed by drowning, it did nothing to protect them.
The shallowness of the beach creates a false sense of security, so if you don’t point out the dangers, how are people from out of town supposed to avoid them? I know a lot of folks want to sweep this under the rug and pretend it never happened. I understand, but that’s not how it’s supposed to work. The Town of Cape Charles was negligent: Ace Horton did not have to drown. The words “Use the beach at your own risk” scrawled at the very bottom of the beach rules sign may or may not relieve us of any liability, but it will not wash the blood off our hands. [Read more…]
WAYNE CREED: Question Authority on Climate Change
By WAYNE CREED
September 8, 2014
According to the National Climate Assessment released last month, the risk to the overall economy from coastal climate impacts (sea level rise) is substantial because coastal counties account for almost 50 percent of gross domestic product (also the most densely populated). The value of insurable properties in coastal counties tops $14 trillion.
The latest Bloomberg report, “Risky Business: The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States,” leans towards the CO2 problem model, noting that if current emissions stay the same, by 2050 between $66 billion and $106 billion worth of existing coastal property will likely be below sea level nationwide, growing to $238 to $507 billion by 2100. That is, by the year 2100, at least $701 billion worth of existing coastal property will be below sea level. This model has sent Wall Street into a tizzy, with Hank Paulson, Michael Bloomberg, Tom Steyer, Robert Rubin, George Shultz, and other business leaders clamoring for political action. The important name in the bunch is Tom Steyer, one of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s biggest backers. Interestingly, as was reported in the Wave, McAuliffe has just reinstituted the Climate Change and Resiliency Commission to “attack” this problem, and the Eastern Shorekeeper is also involved.
So, what exactly is sea level rise, and when and how did it start? The term is actually Mean Sea Level (my dad used to work as party chief for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (now U.S. National Geodetic Survey), and he would travel from Bangor, Maine, to Corpus Christi, Texas, and then back again, collecting coastal elevation data used in monitoring MSL along coastal areas). The height of Mean Sea Level is given relative to a certain, arbitrarily chosen reference or datum level (such as tidal datum, or North American Datum 1927). It may rise or fall, relative to the zero point of the reference scale. The Dutch, being so vulnerable to the sea, were one of the first to start tracking MSL, and established the Dutch Ordnance Datum (NAP) in 1683. The big problem is that the zero point reference is meant to be stable over time, but tide gauges and bench marks may move vertically as a result of movements of the earth’s crust. Complicating the problem is that regional Mean Sea Level may differ from one area to the next, and regional sea level graphs cannot simply be extrapolated to show global mean sea level over time. [Read more…]
Cape Charles Christian School: An Appreciation
One of many yard sales at the Christian School. (Wave photo)
By WAYNE CREED
September 2, 2014
As school starts today, I have to say it is a little bit sad not have any of my children going back to Cape Charles Christian School. My son and daughter were part of the first class at the school, when it was housed by the generous folks at Trinity Methodist and Cape Charles Baptist. From its very beginnings, the school embodied the very best of our community, and I can’t tell you what a joy it was to once again see gaggles of kids traipsing through Cape Charles.
Now that my son Joey has moved on to Broadwater (he really wanted to play varsity sports), I am personally going to miss those mornings, watching him strap on his backpack, hop on his scooter, and go off to school in the same town where he grew up. He loves playing sports at BA, but I know he also misses the Christian school too.
I am so grateful for everything that CCCS did for our kids — the values they taught and the sense of community that they have built. It has been a fruitful partnership with the citizens of Cape Charles, our Library and staff, and especially Arts Enter, which has been so gracious and helpful with classes, instruction, and use of facilities.
Kate Tayloe, Valerie Travis, Dawn Lewis, Carrie Cabello, and Leslie Savage provided the best lower school experience one could wish for. Andrea Davis is no longer there, but she was also instrumental in laying the intellectual foundation for success. Thanks to Ms. Tayloe for showing my kids that, yes, reading can actually be fun. Holly Hubbard brought so much talent and passion to our upper school, teaching the required disciplines needed to excel in not just the upper school, but all through the educational experience. [Read more…]
WAYNE CREED: Give Sharks a Break!
In encounters with sharks, humans usually come out on top. (Sunshine Coast Daily photo)
By WAYNE CREED
August 25, 2014
Discovery Channel’s Shark Week 2014 ended the same as always, with the statement: “Sharks have more reason to fear us than we have to fear them.” Only 10 people died from shark attacks last year, yet on average, 73 million sharks are killed by people each year (that works out to more than 8000 sharks per hour).
Estimates from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) indicate that 90 percent of large sharks have been severely diminished (93-99 percent of all large sharks off the east coast of North America have been destroyed (tiger sharks, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks.) On the IUCN’s Red List of endangered species, 50 shark species are listed as being at high risk of extinction (either critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable) and 63 additional endangered shark species are approaching threatened status. Another 199 species of sharks are considered “data deficient”; they may be endangered, but there is insufficient data to determine their status.
When Europeans first came to the New World, they had no word for shark. Spaniards used the Carib Indians’ term “tiburon,” while English transformed the Mayan word “xoc” to shark. No matter which name was chosen, these animals were much larger and more numerous than what we currently see. According to NOAA shark biologist Jose Castro, who just released a paper on shark history, “Historical Knowledge of Sharks: Ancient Lore, Earliest Attacks.” He writes, “Imagine what it was like back in the 1500s. The number of sharks in those waters can only be imagined, but it must have been tremendous.”
These great predators have ruled the seas for 450 million years, and it is not until the viral spread of humans that they have become threatened. Industrial exploitation of sharks in North America began in 1917, with the incorporation of the Ocean Leather Co. Due to its ability to produce unusually high quality leather the company set out processing a thousand sharks a day. It only took a few decades before many shark populations reached overfished status.
Sharks are particularly sensitive to overfishing due to their tendency to take many years to mature and have relatively few young. Modern day industrial overfishing is mainly due to Hong Kong’s unsustainable appetite for shark fin soup, which sells for over $100 a bowl. Shark finning goes entirely against the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s International Plan for the Conservation and Management of Sharks; however, these are not legal requirements but recommendations which cannot be enforced. There are no national or international laws or treaties that exist to prohibit the sale of shark fins. Shark finning is the practice of catching a live shark, slicing off its fins with a hot knife blade and then dumping the still-living shark back in the ocean, where it drowns or bleeds to death. [Read more…]
WAYNE CREED
Response to ‘Arts Festival Is Essence of Development’
By WAYNE CREED
August 19, 2014
In response to David Kabler’s letter (CLICK), I certainly agree with everything Capt K is saying, especially “establishing our community as a center of the arts and education, improving our reputation and attracting new growth and business to our region.”
However, the deconstructionist in me would be remiss not to point out that textually the narrative always bleeds over and tends to occupy the most important part of the narrative, out in the margins, echoing Guy Debord’s claims that different commodities conflict with each other, preventing the consumer from consuming the whole. Each commodity claims itself as the only existent one:
“Irreconcilable claims jockey for position on the stage of the affluent economy’s unified spectacle, and different star commodities simultaneously promote conflicting social policies.”
What I mean is that as beautiful a celebration of the Arts as Harbor for the Arts was, simultaneously, right across town, in the old school, crews were working to demolish the oldest, most historical stage on the Eastern Shore.
As much as I love and support everyone and everything involved in HFA, it’s still hard to reconcile these “oppositional” events. I guess my ultimate criticism is that the ultimate goal here, as described by Kabler, is economic development; however, this belief is couched in the belief that existence is structured in terms of oppositions (historical significance and social justice or grants for digital cameras) and that these oppositions are hierarchical, with one side of the opposition being more valuable than the other (this is certainly the reality (of the street) that the historically underserved are being expected to accept). The courts certainly seem to agree with this, and insist that we urgently re-inscribe this new hierarchy (devalue social and historical significance and replace it with the “New”: see Hotel Cape Charles) so that we can move ahead with “economic development” as the main driver. [Read more…]
WAYNE CREED: Give Blue Crabs a Chance to Rebuild
By WAYNE CREED
August 4, 2014
Last year’s winter dredge of the Chesapeake Bay alarmingly indicated that the number of harvestable blue crabs has fallen to levels (lowest in 25 years) we haven’t seen since before current restrictions went into effect more than five years ago. With prices for big jimmys over $200 a bushel at the dock (try close to $300 retail), we don’t need the dredge to tell us something’s wrong. The abundance of spawning-age females was 69 million, declining just below the minimum safe level of 70 million. The pressures of overexploitation and declining habitat has certainly been a factor, but the drastic decline is still baffling. The last winter around the Mid-Atlantic may also have had an adverse effect; however Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences disease ecologist Jeff Shields feels there is another cause.
A National Science Foundation grant provided funding to research the missing blue crab, and Mr. Shields has discovered that the existence of a single-celled parasite called Hematodinium may be a major factor in the blue crab’s decline. Hematodinium was first reported along the East Coast in the 1970s and found in the Chesapeake’s blue crabs in the 1990s. The infection is almost always fatal.
According to the NSF report, Hematodinium infects young crabs, which usually die before they can make their way out of spawning grounds to local tributaries. There are several factors that may lead to epidemics like Hematodinium, such as stressful environmental conditions caused by loss of habitat (diminishing grasses), pollution, and overfishing.
According to what Mr. Shields told the Washington Post, “We hope to develop best practices for managing, in particular, the Chesapeake’s wild blue crabs. There’s a perception among resource managers and fishers that diseases aren’t important to the fishing industry, or that little can be done to manage them.”
Virginia Marine Resources Commissioner John Bull also noted, “This is disappointing news. We are now in a position to focus on the depleted adult females and move forward to increase protection of the next generation.” [Read more…]
