SHORE THING: One Lucky Dog

By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

March 25, 2013

My wife and I are walkers (and joggers of a sort), and a big attraction of the Historic District is its walkability. So, most mornings for the past couple of years we have been “making our rounds.”

First we head to the beach, then out to the end of the pier, thence up Front Street (Mason Avenue, but I’m trying to sound like a local), left on Peach, then through Central Park, continuing on Monroe past Fig, all the way to Bahama Road (reachable from Monroe by foot but not by car).

From there we cross Lake Foster, approaching the gated community of Jellybean Village. And since what happens from that point possibly involves illegal activity, I’ll just conclude by saying that eventually we wind up back in the Historic District.

That’s a generic description of our “rounds,” which might run in the opposite direction the next day, and which also might entail detours, side paths, and shortcuts.

It’s a good way to meet people – and dogs (and cats).

In the people category, we’ve made a good friend who makes his rounds much more faithfully than we. But unlike us, he never varies his route. Visit the Natural Area Preserve behind the WACO building any morning (and I do mean any morning, rain or shine) and you’ll likely see him coming or going.

In the dog category, we’ve met any number. I consider myself very much a “dog person,” so I feel some jealousy that, invariably, any dog we encounter ignores me in favor of getting attention from my wife. She greets them, compliments them, and rubs them. Of course they like her! Read more

WAYNE CREED: Thoughts on Two Years Without a Net

By WAYNE CREED

January 5, 2015

As the holidays end, the realization that winter is really here finally begins to sink in. The colder air and diminishing light began to incubate my seasonal affective funk. This growing malaise is compounded by the fact that my son’s fall sports — JJV football and Shore Soccer — are also over. Sitting on my front porch steps, I’m watching him, in a cold, light rain, dribble up and down the wet sidewalk. One way to avoid the inevitable winter depression is to stay as busy as possible; self-tasking, I try to help Joey begin the transition to winter sports: basketball. Going over the fundamentals, defense by Kevin Garnet and Gary Payton, workout routines by Steve Nash — this kind of work is good, but not fun; he still really wants to go out and play for real. Being an old Knicks fan, I try and remind him of what Bill Bradley used to say, “When you’re not out practicing, someone else is. And when you meet that person, he’s going to beat you.”

True, yet even Bill would have to admit it’s tough here for ballers, since there isn’t anywhere in Cape Charles to truly practice or play (Cape Charles Baptist Church has one goal in a small area for every player in and around town. The backboard has already been crashed once). The outside courts at the old school, perfect for the urban ¾ game, have been taken down, and the beautiful old court inside is being chopped up and turned into apartments.

A few weeks ago, the Wave published a story about the developer of the old school. As usual, there were several interesting comments, but one really struck me. This person said in his comment that he really didn’t have a dog in the fight, but was against the town keeping the courts public. Yet in the same breath he said he hoped the folks that wanted a “community center” would eventually get one. I had to wonder just what it would have taken for him to have a dog in the fight. From my perspective, it was easy because my dog was mainly sports — indoor and outdoor. Without the gym and outside courts, I just don’t see how you can even pursue the concept of a “community center.” Read more

GOSSIP

COUNTY AND TOWN OFFICIALS “OUT” CRITICAL EMAILS  — For several months, Northampton County activists led by Ken Dufty have circulated emails among their supporters highly critical of county rezoning attempts that could allow chicken houses and waste incineration among many other ills. The emails name names and pull no punches. Some of the emails went to a long list of supporters while others planning strategy were circulated only among a smaller core group. Now reports are that County Economic Development Director Charles McSwain got wind of one of the strategy emails and decided to blow the activists’ cover by including the email among the official documents for discussion at the Board of Supervisors June 9 meeting. The county document includes the email addresses of all recipients. Most recently, the opposition to County plans extended to the PSA sewer scheme, which involves the Town of Cape Charles as well. Not to be outdone, Town Clerk Libby Hume has now circulated a private report by Dufty describing the town’s June 4 work session on the PSA. This email originally went to some 150 readers, and every one of their email addresses has been exposed by the town clerk. The clerk annotated her email as follows: “Attached are the notes from last night’s work session that were emailed by ‘enviroduf’ to his/her group this morning.” This raises the question of the propriety of paid town and county officials circulating private, critical communications, strategy, and address lists never intended for them (or their political bosses) to see. Those who remember Watergate might draw a parallel with Nixon’s “Enemy List.” (6/9)

MAYOR PROTO SPEAKS ON REVERSE-ANGLE PARKING — Cape Charles Mayor George Proto made the following statement May 30: “The roll-out for reverse angle parking was not good at all. We should have spent a lot more time talking to people about this. We should have put out flyers. We should have looked at better signage. In general, that’s something I’m not so proud of. . . . Verbally we had been told many times by VDOT that head-in parking would not be approved. We lost parking across from Mason Avenue and we had to recover parking spaces. Angle parking allows us to get 30 additional parking spaces. We felt that was really needed for big events and in summer. The VDOT website says they do not allow angle parking; they don’t say which kind, but in the past we had been told they would not approve head-in parking. Tucson, Arizona, has reported that when they switched to reverse angle parking they had a drop in bicycle accidents. Prior to that they averaged three to four bicycle accidents per month. Afterwards, for two years, they had none. In this town we have golf carts, bicycles, motorized wheel chairs — the belief is that it is safer to have reverse angle parking. So this is the best that we can do.” (6/1)

QUIET PATRIOTISM — On Friday, May 22, I went to The Oyster Farm restaurant at Bay Creek to pick up a take out order of oyster stew. While at the counter, as I proceeded to sign my charge, a pleasant looking gentleman at the bar came up to me and said, you cannot pay for that.” We did not know each other, and his insistence confused me until he asked, “How old are you,” to which I responded, 84. He then asked if I had been in the military and I said “yes, Air Force in Texas.” He then gently pushed away the charge slip and repeated “You cannot pay for that,” and quietly resumed his seat at the bar. I asked for his name and the lady behind the bar said “Tony.” It took me a few minutes to realize that this quiet gesture was to recognize someone he assumed was a veteran on this weekend of honor and memorial. It was not about me but about those who have served and given their lives to protect our country. Having never before had such an experience, I found it to be quite moving and genuine. Thanks to Tony for helping all of us to remember. –Dr. Andrew Dickinson, Virginia Beach (5/26)

HELP HANNAH GO TO NYC — High School senior Hannah DeMarino was accepted by the American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York City, a very competitive performing arts college and conservatory. She will begin classes in October studying acting, musical theatre, dance, and voice. Hannah will be working hard this summer as a hostess/waitress at The Oyster Farm Eatery. She has half the tuition from grants and scholarships . If you would like to help Hannah achieve her dreams, please send any donations, payable to AMDA College & Conservatory, to: Hannah DeMarino, 4361 Sunnyside Road, Cape Charles VA 23310. (5/26)

CAPE CHARLES RANKED #15 FOR SAME-SEX WEDDINGS — Shewired.com has ranked Cape Charles as the 15th best place in the country to hold a same-sex destination wedding. “Once you get to this remote location the beauty and charm will overwhelm you and your guests! This small beach town is unmatched for brides looking for a beautiful and secluded destination, especially since you need to cross a 23 mile bridge to get there!” Not totally accurate about the bridge, but at least they got us in Virginia, not Maryland. The top same-sex wedding destinations for brides? 1. Las Vegas, 2. Key West, 3. San Francisco. (5/20)

TED SHOCKLEY COMES OUT ON TOP — The entry just below this one reported that the Eastern Shore News won top recognition last year from the Virginia Press Association when Ted Shockley was still editor. But this year, as part of parent company Gannett’s downsizing, Shockley’s editor position was done away with and he received a new title as “writing coach” for Gannett’s Eastern Shore newspapers, including the Salisbury Daily Times. But wait: Today, Gannett named Shockley executive editor not only for the Daily Times but also for the entire Delmarva Media Group of nine weeklies. That includes the online component (which is any newspaper’s only hope for the future). Delmarva Media Group President Bill Janus said, “As we continue our transition to a digital marketplace, having someone like Ted lead the newsroom is crucial for us. He knows what our readers expect and he is very capable of delivering that across multiple platforms.” Good to see a local journalist come out on top. (5/4)

EASTERN SHORE NEWS VOTED BEST — The Gossip page has previously reported the sad decimation of the Eastern Shore News by its national owner, Gannett, so it’s only fair to also report that the Virginia Press Association recently named the ESN the best out of 40 papers within its circulation group. But again, sadly, we have to note that the ranking was for 2014 — before Gannett dissolved the position of editor and reassigned Ted Shockley as “writing coach” for its Salisbury paper as well as the ESN. Shockley got awards for several editorials and columns he wrote last year, but the staffer who really brought home the bacon was photographer Jay Diem with 15 awards, including his poignant shot of family members grieving for “Ace” Horton, who drowned off the Cape Charles beach last summer. Also notable was Jay’s portrait of Karen Davis holding one of her chickens at United Poultry Concerns. The area’s other print newspaper, the Eastern Shore Post, has chosen not to submit entries to the Virginia Press Association. If it did, we think that sportswriter Bill Sterling would sweep the deck. (4/23)

GANNETT DISMISSES NORTHAMPTON COUNTY — We noted some time back that the online edition of the Eastern Shore News lumps all Northampton County news under the heading of ACCOMACK. Here’s photographic proof, courtesy of today’s Google News “local news” roundup: CLICK to see the new Cape Charles town seal. (4/23)

MISSING CAT — On April 16, Kat (our cat ) went missing from Richardson’s Tire Service in Cheriton. We think she hitched a ride with a customer, unknowing to them or us. The vehicle traveled from Bayside Road to the Harbor docks in Cape Charles and then to the Cape Center. She could be anywhere. Spayed female, no collar, CLICK for picture. Call 757-331-4701 or 757-331-1376. (4/22)

HAS CHARLES McSWAIN HAD ENOUGH? — Rumors circulating this past weekend are that Northampton County’s Director of Economic Development, Charles McSwain, has said that he’s fed up with all the criticism and is quitting effective this summer. According to a reliable source, McSwain made that statement last Thursday, saying that his “skin isn’t that thick.”  McSwain did not respond over the weekend to a request to confirm or deny that he is quitting, which is why this news item has been relegated to the GOSSIP page instead of Page 1. McSwain has received considerable criticism since he assumed the newly created Economic Development  position in January 2013 — most recently for the way the county’s massive rezoning proposals were drafted with little prior community input or adherence to the Comprehensive Plan. (4/12)

TIGHTER SECURITY AT BAY CREEK — No more “courtesy openings” at the Bay Creek main gate: residents must now enter their codes into the keypad. All others — such as those going to the Coach House Grill — must provide their names to the gate keeper. Our Bay Creek correspondent calls this “a step in the right direction — now all we need is for someone to fix and adjust the security cameras and figure out how to download the images. A return to roving night patrols would also be welcome.” (4/12)

JEOPARDY! ERASES VIRGINIA FROM DELMARVA — Shore Daily News reports that yesterday’s (April 7) Jeopardy! quiz contained this “answer”: 17.6 miles of bridge & 2 miles of tunnel help travelers cross this bay from Virginia to Maryland. Never mind that the 17.6 miles should have included the 2 miles of tunnels — what should irk any fan of Virginia’s Eastern Shore is that once again our little strip of heaven has been assigned to Maryland. There are even maps that show the same thing. Also common are outline maps of Virginia that omit the peninsula altogether. And a Maryland candidate for Senate, Donna Edwards, gained notoriety recently for her logo depicting the state of Maryland as including Virginia’s Eastern Shore. That might not win her a Senate seat, but she could probably win at Jeopardy! (4/8)

STARBUCKS COMING TO TOWN? — Unless it’s an April Fool’s prank, the Wilson Building is slated for a Starbuck’s. Sounds fishy, but that’s what the sign says. Wilson’s owner Gordon Campbell would know for sure, but he hasn’t had anything to say to the Wave since a year ago today, when he reported his own April Fool’s joke.  Meanwhile, a Starbuck’s in Cape Charles poses more questions than answers: Would it do business year-’round, and if so, how? After all, the Shanty, Hotel Cape Charles, Brown Dog Ice Cream, and even the town toilets don’t operate during the winter.  And then, what would a chain coffee shop mean for the Romeos’ Cape Charles Coffee House? No way there’s enough business for both. Up the road in Mappsville, 800 people signed a petition against opening a Dollar General store that would take business from the nearby Matthews’ Market (not that the petition did any good).  Stay tuned for more information on whether a Home Depot will build on the former Meatland property. (APRIL 2 UPDATE: Majority of commenters on Campbell’s Facebook page say April Fool! — but there are many believers as well.) (4/1)

END OF STORY FOR BEACH GLASS AND STORIES — Karen Jolly Davis’s whimsical shop “Beach Glass and Stories” is giving way to another real estate office, this one run by Kathy Weiner. Kathy works both sides of the housing market, selling for Dave Griffith’s Coldwell Banker Harbour Realty, and managing Cape Charles Vacation Rentals in partnership with Chuck Little. Word is that Kathy will also continue to sell some of Karen’s jewelry and other stock. This makes the second (and only remaining) transition of a beach glass shop to a real estate agency — the first being former Mayor Dora Sullivan’s beach glass and office supply, now Long & Foster Realty. (4/1)

TOWN DODGES DREDGING QUESTION — A “special edition” of the Cape Charles Gazette purports to tell everything you ever wanted to know about the harbor dredging/beach improvement. We learn what color the sand will turn, and whether it’s safe to walk on the beach. What isn’t mentioned is whether it’s safe to go in the water — specifically, are there dangerous drop-offs now that the beach extends so close to the channel? The town isn’t telling. (4/1)

TENNIS, NO ONE? — The same special Gazette cited above also reports the closure of the town tennis courts, next to the closed town basketball court. According to the report, several of the lights are unstable and pose a safety hazard. It will take town staff until “the end of May or early June” to fix the lights, during which time the courts will remain closed. Meanwhile, new Town Manager Brent Manuel starts work April 6 — this will be a good test to see whether he is content for his staff to take two months to change a lightbulb. (4/1)

ANTIQUES SHOP LEAVING THE STATION — Beverly and Ray (“Fig”) have announced they are shutting down the Cape Charles Station Antiques and Collectibles shop at 211 Mason Avenue due to a bad roof that has become unsafe. They are renting half of the pottery building just south of Sting Ray’s restaurant, where Fig already runs a junk shop/flea market on the north side of Sting Ray’s. Opening is “in about a month.” The vacancy is a rare setback for Mason Avenue, where empty storefronts have become almost scarce. (3/20)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK  — “If every time someone wants to build a business in a Hamlet District, and people protest against it, then maybe we need to not have a Hamlet District.” –Developer Bill Parr to Northampton Board of Supervisors (3/12)

HIGH NORTHAMPTON COUNTY SALARIES — Wesley Edwards of Shore Daily News reports that during the March 10 Northampton Board of Supervisors meeting, “some citizens questioned staffing salaries as compared to other locations. References to the County Administrator’s salary of $120,000 per year versus a statewide average of $57,000 per year, the Commonwealth Attorney’s salary of $146,000 per year versus the Virginia average of $85,000 per year, and the Economic Development [Director’s] salary of $107,000 versus a state average of $71,000 per year were all suggested as areas that could be cut and save tax increases.” Not part of Edwards’ report was that at an earlier meeting when County Administrator Katie Nunez’s salary (and latest raise) were cited, she visibly blushed. (3/12)

DECIMATION OF THE EASTERN SHORE NEWS CONTINUES — Last August a Gossip entry (scroll way down to read) forecast a gloomy future for Tasley-based Eastern Shore News, owned by Gannett, publisher of USA Today. The Gossip report cited three excellent journalists at ESN: Editor Ted Shockley, reporter Connie Morrison, and photographer Jay Diem. Since then, Morrison left in September to become Regional Planner at Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, and now Ted Shockley has left the editor’s post he held for a decade. Shockley continues to work for Gannett; his new title is “writing coach” for the Delmarva Media Group, whose flagship is the Salisbury Daily Times. There’s no indication of any replacement for Shockley at the ESN – and why should there be? The paper is devolving into an adjunct of larger Delmarva publications, publishing the same news written for the Daily Times. Northampton County ceased to exist as a geographical region in ESN reporting some time back, and now it looks like Accomack will follow in the same footsteps. Best of luck to Shockley, who began his career at the ESN at age 18. CLICK to read his upbeat farewell. (3/8)

WAVE GOES TOPLESS — National advertising in the right-hand column of the Wave is provided by Google, and the Wave has no control over what appears. And now it appears that Google has no problem featuring topless models, as in this “It’s Better in the Bahamas” ad (CLICK) appearing in some editions of the Wave. Never mind the lady on the beach — check out her topless companion. Is that over the top? (2/25)

BAY CREEK PRICE AND PRIVILEGE — Bay Creek property owners each pay $155 monthly dues to the Property Owners Association to keep things looking nice — those thousands of roses don’t grow on trees, after all. But it turns out that, just as the Town of Cape Charles fails to charge all users a monthly water fee (CLICK), the Property Owners Association fails to charge all owners monthly dues. In the case of the town, the lucky ducky is favored Old School developer J. David McCormack. In the case of Bay Creek, again it’s a developer: lucky “Dickie” Foster. At last count Foster still owned some 75 lots after selling the rest of his holdings to Keyser/Sinclair, doing business as Bay Creek South LLC. Foster pays not one dime dues on those 75 lots — the “little people” are left to cover that. But then again, Foster has never paid the same fees and taxes imposed on the little people: for example, when he sold seven lots on Randolph Avenue formerly leased to the town to exhibit the magnificent “Welcome to Cape Charles” sign, we learned that the town had never charged him property tax during the years he leased the lots. Back in Bay Creek, Foster saves $140,000 a year in POA dues, which of course means higher dues for everyone else. But why would the POA agree to such a thing? Turns out that Bay Creek property owners have no control over their “own” association and will not until Bay Creek is more fully developed (currently only 10 percent). Until that time, Keyser/Sinclair controls the POA. It should come as no surprise, then, that Keyser/Sinclair, owner of hundreds of vacant Bay Creek lots, also pays no dues. That’s written into the charter, but Foster lost (or should have lost) that privilege when he sold out. Now, Bay Creekers Dr. Paul Strong and  Steve and Susan Husak are mounting a legal effort to make Foster pay up. Such a battle has been won at least once before — see 1 Samuel:17 (and that victor also got a tax exemption). (2/22)

DORA OUT THE DOOR — When former mayor Dora Sullivan and her husband, former town councilman Mike Sullivan, both announced they would not run for re-election last year, some folks wondered if they would quit the town altogether. Oh no, Miss Dora proclaimed — they had had enough of politics but would never leave their adopted land on the Eastern Shore. But then the Sullivans put their office building up for sale, where both Dora and Mike had run their own businesses, amplifying the scuttlebutt that the Sullivans were not long for the Shore. Still denials rang out: Cape Charles would be their final resting place. But now the word is that indeed the Sullivans are leaving to join their married child and grandchild across the Bay. Even Dora’s parents, who have a part-time home in Cheriton when not living in their native Greece, are pulling up stakes for across the bay. Dora has long campaigned for improved healthcare access for Cape Charles residents; having failed to obtain it, and with the hospital moving north, she and Mike apparently decided to move where they could enjoy both family and healthcare. The saga is reminiscent of Bay Creek developer Dickie Foster, who once proclaimed that his mansion overlooking the golf course and the bay would become his principal residence. Instead, he sold out. Meanwhile, Brown Dog Ice Cream owner Miriam Elton is buying the Sullivans’ office building on Mason Avenue, now leased to Long & Foster Realty. No word yet if the Sullivans have a buyer for their Monroe Avenue residence (originally the town’s elementary school) named “Villa Dora.” (2/17)

BROADWATER TEACHER WINS BIG ON JEOPARDY! — Broadwater Academy Latin teacher Eric Hack (see below) took home the gold ($17,800) in his first appearance on Jeopardy! Wednesday night, meaning he will return. By the time of Final Jeopardy!, Hack was so far ahead of his fellow teacher contestants that he wagered $0 — a good thing, too, because the question he wrote was wrong. Ironically, one answer during the game referred to a word in Latin, and Hack got the chance to ask the question. His first words were “I should know this,” and it sounded as though he did, but before he could fully say the word the buzzer sounded. The correct question? “What is vigilante”? The “Hack Attack” returns Tuesday, February 10, to compete against other semi-finalists.  A shot of Broadwater students also appeared on the show. (UPDATE: Unfortunately, Hack did not manage to repeat his first week’s success — but he came close.) (2/4)

JEOPARDY! IN KELLY’S GINGERNUT PUB  — Attention Jeopardy! and Broadwater Academy fans: Kelly’s Gingernut Pub is the place to be Wednesday night, February 4, at 7:30 p.m. when Broadwater Latin teacher and cross country coach Eric Hack competes against other teachers on the Jeopardy! TV quiz show for a chance to win $100,000. According to the Eastern Shore News,  Hack will be watching the show at Kelly’s with friends. Who buys depends on the outcome of the show. (2/2)

OLD SCHOOL VACATION RENTALS — Paige Pollard, agent for Old School developer J. David McCormack, has revealed that McCormack plans to convert the school’s auditorium and stage into dormitory-style weekly rentals for families. The auditorium area will be “designed to accommodate multiple families, providing primarily open interactive space with some privacy allowed for sleeping, etc.,” Pollard wrote to Department of Historic Resources historical architect Suzanne Tripp. It sounds like a plan to host church groups and other youth groups. The contract with the town states that the school would be converted to 17 units, but no one knew that one of the units would be for “multiple families.” Pollard formerly worked for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources but now works for McCormack and other clients. Prior to her revelation, the old school plans had been represented as conventional rentals leased on an annual basis. Since McCormack has been given a waiver on most town requirements (greatly reduced water and sewer hookup fees, no current water bills, property tax deferrals, illegal parking lot in front of building, not to mention being given the building by the town), it will be interesting to see if he will be required to follow town rules for vacation rentals. Unlike long-term rentals, vacation rentals require a business license, payment of personal property tax on the furnishings, and an 11 percent occupancy tax. (1/24)

CENTRAL PARK “RIOT” — The Eastern Shore Post reported January 9 that according to Police Chief Jim Pruitt, seven people have been charged following a December 28 “riot” at Central Park. Pruitt is quoted as saying the incident began on Facebook when “two of them decided they wanted to fight each other. Then others wanted to bet on who would win. The suspects later posted a video of a battle on the website. That’s how we got wind of it. Three or more people contributing to violence” is a riot, Pruitt said. Cody Nicholas Brady, 19, of Cheriton, and Dory Epps, 19, of Exmore, were charged with conspiring to incite a riot, participating in a riot, and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Five  juveniles were also charged. Police Officer Chelsea A. Pfeiffer was the investigating officer, according to the Post. (1/9)

TOWN BUYING SPREE? — Cape Charles Town Council met behind closed doors Thursday, January 8, to discuss buying more real estate. What, they won’t say. After selling prime park property for a song in 2012, Town Council has reversed course and now seems only to want to buy — first the bank building (beating out a bank that was interested), then Dickie Foster’s vacant lots (that time no one else was interested), and now? Does Bay Coast Railroad perhaps want to unload some property for quick cash instead of leasing it to the town? State law requires the town to say specifically what will be discussed that is so sensitive as to merit barring the public from the meeting. Only a few reasons are allowed. The town clerk has listed the “general” reason as:  “discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property.” Then she lists the specific details: “Real Property Acquisition Opportunity.” That merely repeats the general reason — illegal under state law, but try telling that to Judge Lewis. (1/6)

GORDON CAMPBELL MAKES NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC — CLICK to view Bay Creek pilot-photographer Gordon Campbell’s aerial photo of Hog Island Bay, which National Geographic selected as its January 5 “Photo of the Day.” (1/6)

CHERITON TIRE CENTER FOR SALE — Another commercial property on Bayside Road just south of Cheriton has a For Sale sign — Phil Richardson’s tire shop. Just down the road, the Fab Man property belonging to Tom Kaufman is also for sale. Both owners would have to pay heavily if a PSA scheme is approved requiring them to hook up to a sewer pipe stretching all the way to Cape Charles. Richardson has been an outspoken opponent of the PSA plan. (12/18)

PANEK CROSSES POLITICAL LINE (AGAIN) — As town manager, Bob Panek might be expected to concentrate on town administration and stay away from town politics. But that has never been the case. Panek has been active in political debates for Town Council elections, choosing what questions were asked to which candidates. Worse, as the Wave has documented (CLICK), Panek sought to manipulate the results of the 2012 Town Council elections by postponing the sale of the old school until after the election. Now Panek has moved in the political arena again, suggesting that the town should save money by holding Town Council elections in November rather than May. The saving is insignificant (working out to $2 a day), so the real issue is political, not administrative, and no decision should be made without first consulting voters in a referendum. Panek nevertheless inserted the proposal into last month’s Town Council agenda under Town Clerk Libby Hume’s name, as if to suggest it was really her idea. Mayor George Proto suddenly found himself forced to call a vote on the proposal. It was a close call: Bay Creekers Steve Bennett and Joan Natali both voted yes, while Sambo Brown and Chris Bannon voted no. Tom Godwin and Frank Wendell were absent. Proto broke the tie (the only instance when the mayor votes), voting no, and the proposal was defeated for now. Will Proto realize he needs to keep a closer eye on Panek’s political agenda? (12/16)

PAVE PARADISE, PUT UP A PARKING LOT — When the Town of Cape Charles bought the Bank of America building, it also got the empty lot on the corner of Randolph Avenue and Pine Street, best known for containing one of the largest and most prolific pecan trees in town.  The town has classified it as a “signature tree” contributing to the significance of the streetscape along Pine Street.  The Cape Charles Tree Plan and Tree Ordinance legally protect “appropriate existing trees.” Town Council has decided to build a parking lot on that corner, and asked the Planning Commission for a recommendation on whether to save the tree or cut it down to gain four more parking spots. The Planning Commission responded that a professional arborist should be consulted on how the tree might fare in a parking lot. Town Manager Bob Panek was tasked to find an arborist, and the one he chose quoted a fee of $790 to give an opinion on the tree. When Town Council heard that, they decided to dispense with the advice of the Planning Commission, and voted unanimously to chop down the tree (Councilman Wendell was absent). No mention was made of the town’s requirement of residents to plant two trees for every tree cut down. (12/13)

BIG PLANS FOR OLD NORTHAMPTON HOTEL — After a false start at restoration (see 5/1/2014 GOSSIP), the short-time New Jersey owners of 1 Mason Avenue sold the building, and the new owner has revealed plans for a $500,000 restoration as a hotel/restaurant/gift shop under the original Northampton Hotel name. Manager Beth Walker of  Austin, Texas, is requesting permission from the town’s Historic Review Board to extend the front porch the full length of the building and to screen in a portion for outside dining. A crumbling chimney would also be removed. CLICK to view an architect’s rendering. The Historic Review Board has previously balked at allowing a full-length front porch (2 Monroe Avenue) and removing a chimney (621 Jefferson Avenue), although the Board relented when the Jefferson Avenue owners failed to install a fake chimney. Walker has stated that she wants to see what the Board says before making any further decisions. Ask an old-timer how long the sagging Northampton Hotel has stood vacant. (12/9)

CAPE CHARLES HITS THE BIG TIME — Suzanne Golibart, proprietor of Periwinkles Consignment Boutique, is spreading the word that Joe Flanagan of Channel 13 news is coming to Cape Charles 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 10, 
to film an episode of 
”Joe’s Jobs.” He will be driving Angie Pfeiffer’s  horse-drawn carriage and promoting the town’s Festive Fridays (on Wednesday, no less). The plan is to show what a vibrant, bustling town awaits Friday night visitors. Organizers will convene in front of the Palace Theatre and are looking for warm bodies to walk around downtown, in and out of the shops. No purchase necessary (although Periwinkles is offering a discount to any customer who can show a little bustle). (12/8)

POLICE NAB BAY CREEK LITTERERS — Our Bay Creek correspondent reports that a young woman used her brother’s pass code to enter Bay Creek with a carload of people who subsequently were spotted  dumping “debris.” An observant employee took down the license plate number and provided it to the Cape Charles Police Department, who responded. Bay Creek management circulated a notice about the incident. Kudos to the Town Police and to the Bay Creek employee. (11/18)

NORTHAMPTON KICKS REASSESSMENT DOWN THE ROAD — Until now, Northampton  properties have only been reassessed every five years, which worked nicely for the County after the real estate bubble burst: properties continued to be taxed at their 2008 bubble value. But all good things must come to an end, and the 2013 reassessment reflected an enormous drop in property value: 20 percent for the County overall and a whopping 35 percent in the Town of Cape Charles, where formerly six-figure Bay Creek empty lots dropped a digit (from $250,000 down to $50,000, for example). Equivalent tax rate increases were then passed by the County and the Town so as not to lose any revenue. But earlier, in 2011, the County also passed an ordinance changing reassessments from every five years to every two years. That meant a new reassessment for tax year 2015. Since the 2013 reassessment did not fully reflect current property values, the 2015 reassessment would have shown a further decline in values. (As an indication, the Wave REAL ESTATE section has begun publishing the tax assessed value of recently sold properties for comparison with the sales price.) But last night (November 12), Northampton Board of Supervisors repealed the two-year ordinance before it ever had an effect, delaying the next reassessment until 2018. County Administrator Katie Nunez requested the change because she said the County did not have time to migrate to a new software program following the decease of the current software provider. Nunez thought the County might be able to perform a reassessment for 2016, but that will not happen unless the Board of Supervisors passes yet another ordinance.  Supervisors also earlier voted to bill twice a year for property taxes instead of the current once a year, but software problems prevented that from happening as well — even before the death of the provider. Now Nunez says that beginning in 2015 property owners will be required to pay half their annual tax by June 5, with the final installment due December 5. Town tax bills will also be due in June and December. (11/13)

BAY CREEK GRAFFITI – Some areas of Bay Creek South including the golf cart tunnel got an unwelcome spray paint job last week in the form of gang-style graffiti. But the perpetrator was not a gang member — just a copycat. Town police quickly apprehended him. No word on what action may be taken. Cape Charles Police Department gets kudos for quickly responding to a call and apprehending the suspect. (11/8)

POLICE INTERCEPTORS — Cape Charles Police Department’s vehicle of choice is a Dodge Charger Police Package with 370 hp V8 engine. That’s to patrol streets where the speed limits are 25 mph, creeping up to 35 and 40 on the two roads out of town. But Chief Pruitt reported last month that Cape Charles’ Finest arrested a miscreant for driving 85 mph in a 55 zone. Hopefully the speeder was headed away from town, not toward it. (11/7)

END OF AN ERA FOR WOMEN’S CLUB –The Women’s Club of Cape Charles held its final meeting last week after some 60 years in existence. The dwindling membership voted to disband when no one was willing to serve as president. A luncheon at Aqua Restaurant was the final hurrah. The concept of a “women’s club” is viewed by many as an anachronism — a vestige of earlier days when women stayed home and had time to socialize during the day. Garden clubs are also an endangered species. The Women’s Club of Cape Charles was perhaps best known for sponsoring the annual Christmas Holiday Decorating Contest, recognizing the best-decorated houses and storefronts. (11/6)

TOWN PLANNER’S DREAM LOCATION — After the Wave reported last month that Town Planner Rob Testerman was resigning, Testerman left a comment below the story explaining that he was taking a job “in an area that I have wanted to live since I was a kid.” But he didn’t say where. Now the word is out: Testerman is following in the path of the Wright Brothers to Kitty Hawk, NC, where he will head the planning department. His last day of work in Cape Charles is November 12. (11/5)

PATRICK HAND BUYS MASON AVENUE PROPERTY — Town Manager Panek has confirmed that local real estate entrepreneur Patrick Hand has purchased the former Be-Lo grocery store and two adjacent lots currently used by the town for public parking. Hand plans a mixed-use building with commercial storefronts at ground level and condos upstairs. Some 160 public parking spots for Mason Avenue businesses will be lost. To partially compensate, the town plans to construct a parking lot on the vacant lot behind the new library reaching to Randolph Avenue. At risk is the magnificent pecan tree on that lot. Even if the town sacrifices some parking spaces to save the tree, the town’s design firm, Land Studio, says the tree likely would die in a few years anyway due to the expanse of pavement surrounding it. (11/4)

RED (ES)TATE vs. BLUE (ES)STATE — Competing real estate offices on Mason Avenue are having to “keep up with the Joneses.” When Long & Foster moved to town last month they painted the former Sullivan’s building a sparkling white and set it off with a red awning to go with the red L&F signage. That left the Blue Heron building, just up the street, looking, well, a little drab. So last week Blue Heron got a coat of paint — blue, naturally, with white accents. You can’t miss the building now, and it towers over the L&F single story. Reaction so far to the bright blue has been mixed.  (11/2)

IN DEFENSE OF NEWSPAPERS — Virginian-Pilot writer Kerry Dougherty makes some poignant observations in reaction to the announcement that the Pilot has again cut its news staff, this time by 25 percent: “Lots of [readers] were eaten up with schadenfreude . . . Some said they couldn’t wait until The Pilot was gone. Well, The Pilot is not gone. And every single person in Hampton Roads — except corrupt politicians — ought to take comfort in that. . . . Before damning The Pilot, these maligners ought to pause for a moment to imagine Southeastern Virginia without an award-winning daily that exposes no-show workers, child abusers and political shenanigans. Without an aggressive newspaper in town, who’s going to force city officials to tell the truth about the death of a homeless man on a city beach? . . . It’s worth remembering that it was The Pilot that told the community about the Portsmouth auditor who seems to have done precious little auditing, about secret hotel negotiations in Virginia Beach and about Elizabeth River Crossings’ sloppy toll collection procedures.” (10/22)

RESPONSE TO “Music Festival Was a Flop” — Promoter Luis “Cheech” Perez responds: “Yes, the Stay Tuned Fest did not turn out the way many had hoped. Timing was wrong — too many other events the same day on the Shore and across. As to your assumption of why this was not advertised in the Wave — yes, it was a decision by the promoters. I have firsthand knowledge that no matter how much you advertise it in the Wave or esva.net, people still ask, ‘What is going on?’ or ‘Oh I didn’t know about it.’ How do I know this? Years of promoting and aiding in the booking of music here on the Shore. You are entitled to your opinion/assumption. But let’s give some props to those involved to have the courage to try something good to Cape Charles. This was a grass roots effort to create a cool music venue to showcase local talent and turn others on to what great music is out there to be experienced. Vendors were invited to set up without fees, and all who worked this event did it out of love. All monies for this were put up out of pocket. You can blame, point out, and assume all you wish, but know and acknowledge the efforts given by many to pull this off. This was a learning experience that will help in next year’s Stay Tuned Fest. Much success to everyone and their events. May you find more support than criticism in your efforts.” –LUIS “CHEECH” PEREZ (10/7)

MUSIC FESTIVAL WAS A FLOP — Sadly, the “Stay Tuned” Music Fest featuring eight bands all day Saturday, September 27, at the Shanty had everything except an audience. Whether it was the $20 cover charge, or just a fact of off-season life in Cape Charles, can be debated.  If readers wonder why there was no publicity in the Wave, the answer is that the festival organizers wanted it that way. Was it because the Wave has publicized every unsavory aspect of the Old School giveaway to a developer who happens to be a good friend of the Shanty’s owner? The Wave cheerfully provides free publicity to any local function, which includes a headline emailed to nearly 1,000 subscribers and another nearly 500 Facebook friends. Every Wave story headline and link also appear prominently on esva.net, which gets thousands of hits daily. More than 2,000 unique readers visited the Wave during the week leading up to the Music Fest. Meanwhile, the Wave is publishing a free display ad through October 4 for the Fourth Annual Barbara Custis Music + Fall Festival in Nassawadox. Proceeds benefit Shore Little League, and we hope the festival will be a big success. (9/30)

SULLIVAN’S OFFICE SUPPLY CLOSES — The Eastern Shore News reports: “Dora Sullivan once opened Sullivan’s Office Supply in her pajamas on a Sunday because a customer needed something. That’s typical of small-town businesses on the Eastern Shore, said Sullivan. It’s probably also typical of Sullivan herself. Sullivan is equal parts charm and candor. It seems to suit her, as well as her customers at Sullivan’s, a fixture on Cape Charles’ main shopping drag, Mason Avenue, for 13 years. But Sullivan’s closes permanently [Friday, September 26]. After a month-long half-price sale, the remaining inventory will be donated to Cape Charles Christian School. It’s the end of a great and productive time in her life, but Sullivan, 63, and her husband, Mike, want more time to visit family and friends. They have three grown children and six grandchildren, and another grandchild is due soon. Sullivan’s was a business that customers likely will miss in more ways than one. On this weekday, one of her final days in the store, Sullivan worked her charm — half sass and all business — on each person who came in, and there were a lot of them. “The price goes up the longer it takes you,” she said to customer Mike Strub, who took a few moments to dig for cash to buy manila envelopes. She was teasing, of course, though she said it with a straight face. It’s classic Sullivan, say the people who know her. Teasing her customers comes naturally to Sullivan, a native of Greece, who met her husband while he was staying there. Later, they moved to Cape Charles from Virginia Beach. Her business sense comes naturally, too. “I’m pretty smart up front,” Sullivan said of her ability to anticipate customer needs and keep items in stock. “They’d ask for one (item), and I’d buy two.” “They call me the Greek merchant,” she said with pride.” CLICK for full story. (9/27)

PSA COST OVERRUN — A year ago this week the Wave reported that Northampton County’s Public Service Authority had recommended mandatory sewer service for 70 commercial properties with a total tax value of $18 million. The sewer project was going to cost $1.8 million, which was 10 percent of the total value of the properties. County taxpayers were going to be stuck with 25 percent of the cost, with the remaining 75 percent paid by owners of the participating commercial properties. The county tax rate in the special district would nearly double. But that was last year. Now we hear that the $1.8 million cost estimate by engineering firm Hurt & Proffitt (not a joke) has  been raised to $2.7 million — a 50 percent increase. To hold down costs to the commercial property owners, the PSA is suggesting that Northampton County shoulder 50 percent of the total cost instead of 25 percent. (9/19)

WILL PANEK PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO PSA? — Word on the street is that if the Town of Cape Charles hires a real, qualified town manager, acting $40-an-hour town manager Bob Panek would not be interested in a full  or part-time assistant position playing second fiddle to someone he cannot so easily manipulate as was the case with the former town manager. Therefore Panek is busy creating a new part-time well-paying job as PSA director of Northampton County. Indeed he is acting as if he is already on the job — persuading the Town Council to charge the PSA as little as possible at a recent workshop meeting so as not to jeopardize his anticipated new position or the project — meanwhile minimizing the financial benefits to the town, which wishes to lower its residents’ monthly utility bills by $5, having been convinced that the Route 13 commercial project represents no real threat to the historic commercial  district in Cape Charles. Justification for such a gamble that conflicts with both the town’s and county’s comprehensive plans is based largely on interest expressed by Hardees and McDonald’s, who would be the PSA’s largest customers — even though they both have fully functioning septic systems and the Hardees location near Cape Charles is rumored to be possibly closing. The owners of the Food Lion building and shops  also have expressed interest in the new tax district project for wastewater services; however, they are expanding their drain field to service new customers but interestingly still pledge support to the PSA (according to Panek). The PSA project is to be funded by a combination County-wide tax increase as well as the creation of a special tax district encompassing the Route 13 and Route 184 intersection area. (9/19)

UTTER CONFUSION OVER SEWER PLANS — If you read it often enough you start to believe it: The September 5 Eastern Shore Post reports that “Cheriton’s Public Service Authority (PSA) representative Greg Hardesty provided an update on the status of the wastewater line for the Cheriton area. Hardesty said Cape Charles has not decided whether to accept wastewater from outside of its town limits.” But the Wave has repeatedly reported that Cape Charles Town Council passed a resolution August 9, 2012, to accept sewage from the county. New Cape Charles councilman Sambo Brown serves on the town-PSA liaison committee, but at the last town council meeting he also stated that the county was waiting for the town to decide whether to take the sewage, to which Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek echoed “that’s right.” That’s wrong: CLICK for the hard evidence. (9/5)

YOGURT BAR (NOT) COMING SOON — Last November GOSSIP ran an upbeat report about the Asian family who bought the Delisheries building on Mason Avenue with plans to open a yogurt bar. The family layed bricks themselves for a two-story addition out back in the alleyway and apparently intended to live over the store. But after the town slapped a stop work order or two on the property for failure to adhere to building codes, all forward progress stopped, and Code Enforcement officer Jeb Brady says all their building permits will soon expire. No roof was ever built over the addition, and if the project is never completed the town might eventually have to knock it down as a safety hazard, Brady reported to Town Council in August. (9/2)

SHUT OUT AT THE SHANTY — Cape Charles was really hopping Labor Day weekend — Virginia’s “best kept secret” seems to have been let out of the bag.  Visitors report that The Shanty was turning people away at 8:30 Sunday night, and over at Kelly’s Gingernut Pub there was a half-hour wait to get inside. Of course, overflow crowds three weekends a year are not enough to keep a business going, so it will be interesting to see how Sharkey’s Bar above Aqua Restaurant fares when it finally opens. (9/1)

LOTS OF LOTS — On June 6, GOSSIP reported that after the Town of Cape Charles purchased seven lots on the north side of Randolph Avenue from Bay Creek developer Dickie Foster for $100,000, there was an opportunity to buy more property on the south side as well — lots more. Northampton County listed 48 lots owned by Foster to be sold for back taxes, including 37 lots on the south side of Route 184 (Stone Road/Randolph Avenue). Then on July 29, GOSSIP speculated that a closed town meeting July 31 to consider another “real property acquisition opportunity” was to consider buying more of Foster’s lots. Apparently the town didn’t bite, because the county has now set an auction date of September 23 for 28 of the lots. Interestingly, unlike the earlier tax notice, this one doesn’t mention Bay Creek LLC. Instead it shows the owner as HJ Rail LLC. But no matter — HJ Rail LLC is owned by Bay Creek LLC (not to be confused with Bay Creek South) which in turn is owned by Foster. (8/24)

WHAT FUTURE FOR EASTERN SHORE NEWS? – For people following the steady decline of print journalism, the big news is that the Gannett company is spinning off its newspapers in order to focus on more profitable TV and digital businesses. Gannett is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, best known for USA Today, but also owner of the Eastern Shore News. Gannett is not selling off its newspaper business (who would buy it?), but the spinoff means the newspapers will no longer be propped up with broadcast media profits. Analysts believe the next move will be deep staff cuts. But in the case of the Eastern Shore News, there’s practically no staff left to cut. Since Gloria Bradley’s departure more than a year ago there has been zero coverage in the ESN of Cape Charles Town Council. In fact, almost the only local political coverage during the past six months was a whimsical story by Connie Morrison about campaign signs – George Proto’s mustache sign and David Gay’s VOTE GAY sign. Sadly for local journalism, the ESN is losing money for three reasons: (1) It has no Sunday edition, which is the only profitable area left in print journalism. Sunday newspapers depend on inserts from big chains such as Best Buy, Home Depot, Staples, Michael’s, etc. – none of which exist on the Eastern Shore. (2) How can a 75-cent paper compete with the Eastern Shore Post, which not only offers more Virginia shore news, but also is free? The Post continues to gloat that its circulation of 13,000 dwarfs the ESN’s 5,000 (although we wonder what percentage of that 13,000 press run is actually read). And (3) the ESN has further reduced readership by erecting a “pay wall” around its online version. Although the paper hasn’t revealed how much the pay wall has hurt online readership, one can get an idea from the number of online comments now being posted: essentially none, in contrast to a reasonable number before the pay wall. The ESN also eliminated what arguably was its most popular feature: “Your 2 Cents Worth,” leaving one less reason for anyone to buy the paper. Indicative of the ESN’s decline is its Facebook page (CLICK), last updated February 15, 2011. The ESN staff of editor Ted Shockley, reporter Connie Morrison, and photographer Jay Diem are all trained professionals who can produce a quality product, but if nobody reads it, what’s the point? (8/20)

SEWER COSTS AND PANEK’S “NEW MATH” — It’s no secret that Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek has moved heaven and earth to try to get more sewage piped into the town’s under-utilized new plant. Trouble is, nobody outside of town would dream of paying the sewage costs that town residents are stuck with. The County has been waiting all year to hear how much the town would charge to take sewage from commercial properties on Route 13, but the town has yet to say. Here’s why: if they try to charge town prices, most county users would decline, but if they offer a cut rate, in-town businesses could rightly protest unfair competition. Panek’s ploy is to charge the county a per-gallon amount equal to the cost of treating the sewage, which he calculates at 1.215 cents. Trouble is, town residents pay 3.1635 cents per gallon, or 2 1/2 times as much as Panek wants to charge the out-of-towners. Panek had no luck getting his cut-rate scheme approved by the old Town Council but is trying again August 21 with the new Council. (8/16)

TOWN WAGE STUDY DELAYED — Back in February Cape Charles Town Council voted to pay Richmond-based Springsted Inc. $10,300 to conduct a wage-compensation study for town employees.  Six months later the results of the study are still not in. A Springsted representative was scheduled to address a Town Council work session August 13, but the meeting was cancelled because he had car trouble. Meanwhile, without seeing any results of the wage study, Town Council decided July 31 to also hire Springsted to find a new town manager. The decision was made in closed session, and the cost to the town was not revealed — another apparent violation of the Virginia state Freedom of Information Act which requires such matters to be public record.  The reason cited for the closed session was: “Discussion, consideration, or interviews of prospective candidates for employment.” But in fact there were no prospective candidates to discuss, and the private meeting instead was to hire Springsted without anyone having to publicly say why or how much it would cost. (8/16)

BEACH TRAGEDY — A reader writes, “I’m really surprised that the Wave has not reported any information on the drowning at the beach.” Here’s our response: The purpose of the Wave is not to echo the same news available on TV, radio, and other newspapers — rather, it’s to print local news that the larger media leave out. We did report on the Cherrystone tornado because Northampton County officials provided information that was worthwhile to pass along. But in the case of Sunday’s drowning of a child at the Cape Charles beach, the reports were at first wildly conflicting. A local newspaper reported that the boy fell off a jet ski, which appears to have been erroneous hearsay. The Wave sees no purpose in printing what everyone has already heard and is talking about — particularly if it is incorrect. If we have unique information we will print it. –EDITOR (8/12)

STROKE OF IRONY — Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital is mailing out glossy postcards to Cape Charles residents urging them to “know the signs of a stroke — and act FAST when they occur. ” The card continues: “Dr. Paschall provides first-line treatment in the RSMH Emergency Department for anyone suspected of having a stroke,” and concludes that “taking FAST action to get help through local EMS squads or RSMH’s Emergency Department can save lives and help minimize long-term damage to brain tissues.”  Not mentioned is the fact that the 20-minute drive from Cape Charles to the hospital’s current location in Nassawadox will become an hour’s journey when Riverside moves to Onley — not so “FAST.” (8/6)

TOWN BUYING MORE REAL ESTATE? — After the town borrowed another million dollars several months ago for no particular reason other than that the interest rate was low, the money has been burning a hole in Town Council’s pocket. So first they bought seven empty lots on Stone Road/Randolph Avenue for $100,000 from Dickie Foster, again for no particular reason other than that Foster asked them to buy them. Now the town is holding a closed meeting July 31 to consider another “real property acquisition opportunity and potential uses.” Virginia law requires the town to reveal more specifics than that — namely, to let citizens know just what property is being considered. But the town has always violated that law with impunity. A good guess, however, is the property mentioned in GOSSIP June 6 (below): 48 additional lots owned by Bay Creek LLC, Foster’s company. Unless the town or someone else buys the lots first, they will be sold for back taxes. They include 37 lots on the south side of Route 184 (Stone Road/Randolph Avenue). Whenever the town buys real estate, it is removed from the tax rolls, reducing town income in perpetuity. But if the town thought it got a great deal paying $100,000 for seven Foster lots, how much might it be willing to pay for 48 more? (7/29)

GUTTING THE OLD SCHOOL — 18 months after a developer bought the Old School in Central Park for $10, signs of activity have begun. A porta-potty has been installed (although the new $35,000 Park bathroom is only 100 feet away), and laborers are filling a dumpster with trash.  Meanwhile, final approval has yet to be received for historic tax credits to convert the school into an apartment building. (7/26)

ILLEGAL SIGNS & BANNERS — Under the town’s new “business-unfriendly” sign ordinance (Joan Natali’s brainchild), all the new signs and banners promoting Cape Charles businesses are “illegal billboards.” No sign is allowed off the premises of an actual business. So Town Planner Testerman has ordered the removal of banners advertising Shane Hayward’s Wave Runners and Watson’s Historic Hardware Store. The banner on Strawberry Street advertising all the shops off Mason Avenue is also illegal — no word yet on whether Testerman will go after it as well. The sign for Cape Charles Yacht Center, although “non-conforming,” is “grandfathered.” Even though the sign is brand new, it’s located in front of the sewer plant where a former sign listed funding amounts for the sewer. Even though the new sign is completely different, the existence of the former sewer sign “grandfathers” it, according to Testerman. The “billboard” on Fig Street advertising Aqua, Sharkey’s Bar, Complete Angler, etc., is also grandfathered and so escapes the Natali axe. Same for the town’s own “non-conforming billboard” advertising businesses at the Town Harbor. The town erected the sign only days before Town Council enacted the new sign ordinance making it illegal. (7/26)

BANNON RE-ELECTED VICE MAYOR — The new Cape Charles Town Council met July 17, and the first order of business was to choose a vice mayor. The mayor is elected at large by the town citizens but the vice mayor is elected by the members of Town Council. In 2006 they elected Chris Bannon vice mayor and re-elected him in 2010. In the latest election, Bannon was the only one to be nominated, and he received the votes of all Council members except Frank Wendell. (7/17)

GREAT STORY ABOUT GRANVILLE HOGG — Connie Morrison has written a fascinating story in this week’s Eastern Shore News about County Supervisor Granville Hogg, who donned a swimsuit, inspected Morley’s Wharf, and saved taxpayers $7,000. CLICK to read it online. (7/9)

STOLEN GOLF CART — The Reynolds family golf cart was stolen from in front of their Washington Avenue condo early Monday morning (July 7).  CLICK for photo. Call Pam Reynolds at 434-252-4171 to provide any information. She says the police have been looking all day in hopes that someone just took it on a joy ride, but now she fears it was loaded on a trailer and taken away. (7/7)

COUNTY SUPERVISORS LIVING (AND WORKING) IN LAST CENTURY — The CBES Shoreline reports that according to Northampton Assistant Administrator Janice Williams, two out of the five County Supervisors have no access to the Internet. “Oliver [Bennett] and Larry [Trala]  do not have email capability,” she wrote, explaining that she prints out emails sent to Bennett and Trala and snail-mails them to their residences. That’s 40 percent of the elected leadership of Northampton County without Internet — a possible entry for the Guinness Book of World Records. (6/30)

REEF CHIEF OUTCLASSED IN HARBOR — (See below) The next day, Reef Chief  suffered one-upmanship with the arrival of Casino Royale — at 163 feet she made Reef Chief appear to be lacking something. As the FIAT ad says, “It’s not the size of your car, it’s the size of your yacht.” Casino Royale even has her own website (CLICK). (6/29)

REEF CHIEF CALLS AT CAPE CHARLES — They said Cape Charles Yacht Center would attract mega-yachts, and so it is. Today (June 23) the 120-foot Reef Chief arrived. According to information on the Internet she was built in 1990 in Australia, her home port is New York City, she has twin Caterpillar diesels developing 3,500 horsepower, and holds 18,000 gallons of fuel. A fill-up at the Town Harbor could cost close to $100,000, for which price they should clean her windshield at no extra charge. (6/23)

SULLIVANS SPLIT ON PANEK REAPPOINTMENT – With only a few weeks to go before Mayor Dora Sullivan and her husband, Councilman Mike Sullivan, complete their terms of office and step down, they publicly disagreed on whether to reappoint Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek to the County’s Public Service Authority. Panek had been chairman of the PSA until the County Supervisors forced him out after numerous complaints of conflict of interest: In sewer rate negotiations between the County and the Town, was Panek representing the County, the Town, or both? Although Panek is no longer chairman, Vice Mayor Chris Bannon wanted to reappoint him as the Town’s representative to the PSA, and Council member Joan Natali agreed. But Councilman Steve Bennett said the Town “had a lot of qualified citizens,” and voted against Panek. So did Mike Sullivan. Council members Tom Godwin and Frank Wendell were absent, so it was a tie vote, which is the only time that the Mayor votes. She cast the tie-breaking vote against her husband and for Panek, giving him another four-year term on the PSA. (6/17)

JUDICIAL SALE OF BAY CREEK LOTS – Now that the Town of Cape Charles has purchased seven lots on the north side of Randolph Avenue from Bay Creek developer Dickie Foster for $100,000, there’s an opportunity to buy more property on the south side as well. The Northampton County Treasurer is advertising a “Judicial Sale of Real Estate” for 48 additional lots owned by Bay Creek LLC, Foster’s company. The lots will be sold for back taxes, and include 37 lots on the south side of Route 184 (Stone Road/Randolph Avenue). The lots will only be sold if Foster fails to pay the tax. (6/6)

BAY CREEK LOCKS OUT REAL ESTATE AGENTS — According to folks who should know, today, the day before the Bay Creek lighthouse is due to be sold at auction, one or more real estate agents were denied entry to Bay Creek South when they attempted to show the lighthouse to prospective buyers. They had been showing the lighthouse for weeks, but today they were turned away at the gate. Which realty company was it? Hint: the largest one in the local area. Meanwhile, the lighthouse auction (and 22 other Bay Creek lots) begins at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 31. (5/30)

RECALL ELECTION? —  The new Shore activist group “Citizens for Open Government,” formed to oppose the comprehensive rezoning plan for Northampton County, is talking seriously about recalling at least one of the Northampton County Supervisors – “to send a shot across their bow,” in the words of Exmore activist Ken Dufty. First step is finding someone willing to run against a Supervisor in a recall election – never an easy task in Northampton County. Last November all but one of the Supervisors running for re-election were unopposed. But Dr. Arthur Schwarzschild of Willis Wharf stated publicly April 2 that, had he known the Supervisors were going to push for rezoning (including removing all Chesapeake Bay Act protections from the seaside), he would have run against his Supervisor (Oliver Bennett, who has served more than a decade). Schwarzschild is director of the UVA Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center in Oyster, so his livelihood depends on clean water. Will he put words into action and oppose Bennett in a recall election? (5/30/2014)

LICENSE TO STEAL  — The price of those special Eastern Shore license plates featuring the Virginia peninsula above a bed of sea grass just increased 150 percent – from $10 to $25 a year, by act of the Virginia General Assembly. The cost is in addition to the regular license fee. For the first 1,000 Eastern Shore license plates sold, the Commonwealth keeps all the proceeds; after that it will contribute $15 per plate to the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation. According to the legislation, the funds are to be used “to support education, charity, and scientific study for Virginia’s Eastern Shore business community.” No funds will go to the Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission – or any other Shore non-profit, for that matter. Charity begins at home. (5/30/2014)

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE — Thursday night’s thunderstorm appeared to have scored a direct hit on a Harbor Avenue condo, with the owner reporting seeing a “fireball” upstairs. Two fire trucks were dispatched to the scene, but fortunately the lightning strike did not set the house on fire. Volunteer firemen stayed at the condo for quite a while to ensure nothing was smoldering that later could ignite. A neighbor who is a life-long resident observed that he had never heard of a house in Cape Charles being directly hit by lightning — although houses had been secondarily hit when lightning struck an adjacent tree or pole. (5/23/2014)

FIGHTING DEVELOPMENT TOOTH AND NAIL – Northampton County Economic Development Director Charles McSwain and Exmore civic activist Ken Dufty are engaging in a “feist-fight” for the title of most feisty fighter in the county. Newcomer McSwain, supported by County Administrator Katie Nunez, seems undaunted by pushback from several prominent, longtime locals over county plans to open up development to “Ocean City” standards. Lawsuits have been threatened. At the same time, the county proposes banning single-wide trailers not built on permanent foundations. Dufty calls that a violation of fair housing laws. Not so, says McSwain – and besides, single wide trailers “are a poor investment and less safe than other types of homes.” In Dufty’s corner are Realtor David Kabler, former Tourism Director Donna Bozza, and citizen watchdog Bob Meyers. Backing McSwain and Nunez are Realtor Bill Parr, Planning Commissioners Jackie Chatmon and Michael Ward, and the entire Board of Supervisors (except Granville Hogg). (5/20/2014)

1 MASON AVENUE BACK ON THE MARKET — The 17-room Victorian hotel near the corner of Mason and Bay Avenues is for sale again. A New Jersey couple bought the once-imposing, now-deteriorated structure a couple of years ago and planned to return it to its former glory as a hotel. (Original plans were to become a B&B, but town officials informed them it was too large for that).  Built as a home in 1900, a hotel wing was added later to accommodate ferry passengers to and from Norfolk. Asking price is $849,000. Tax assessment is $405,000 for the land and $237,400 for the building for a total of $642,400.  (5/1/2014)

PSST! WANNA BUY A LIGHTHOUSE? — The Galloway brothers are auctioning off 22 lots in Marina Village East (Bay Creek) PLUS the Plantation Flats replica lighthouse in Bay Creek South. The lighthouse was part of a settlement agreement after the Galloways sued Paul Galloway’s former business partner Richard “Dickie” Foster, the developer of Bay Creek (CLICK to read the January story). The auction begins 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Aqua Restaurant. The 22 lots are all east of Fig Street in the area presently ungated. Don’t expect giveaway prices: the minimum starting bid for a lot is $20,000. Meanwhile, 10 similar lots in Marina Village East currently are listed for sale through Realtors, the lowest for $13,500. Auction information does not reveal whether the lighthouse will have a minimum starting bid. (4/23/2014)

ANOTHER B&B FOR SALE — Now is a great time to buy a bed and breakfast in or near Cape Charles: half of them (three out of six) are for sale. The Evans are asking $695,000 for Cape Charles House at 645 Tazewell Avenue, while the Meyers want $990,000 for Chesapeake Bay View at 212 Bay Avenue. Newly added to the list is King’s Creek Inn for $1,275,000 in Tower Hill. Also, the house at 202 Madison known as “Chesapeake Charm” once was a B&B — it’s listed for $459,900. (4/13/2014)

POLICE SWEEP TOWN CLEAN — Cape Charles’ Finest cleaned house Wednesday (April 9), removing the majority of political signs both on the entrance to town as well as in front of many residences — all in the name of preserving the “right-of-way.” It turns out that although residents are responsible for maintaining the property between the sidewalk and the street in front of their houses, they may NOT post a sign in that space. The town looks much more like a proper resort now, thanks to vigilant management. (4/9/2014)

TOWN THREATENS TO REMOVE POLITICAL SIGNS — The Town of Cape Charles has notified candidates in the May 6 election that their political signs will be removed by town police if they are in state right-of-way. The letter cites the new town sign regulations as authority. But in Virginia, state law supersedes local law. In 2008, when Robert McDonnell was state attorney general, he issued an advisory opinion to Fairfax County finding that Virginia “does not prohibit the posting of political campaign signs within state rights-of-way.” (CLICK to read.) McDonnell did advise that the signs could be legally removed by officials if they remained in state right-of-way more than three days following an election. Cape Charles has long disregarded state and federal protections for posting political signs: Even though the Supreme Court has struck down time limitations on political signs, Cape Charles continues to restrict them to 45 days before an election. (4/8/2014)

CITIZENS FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT – Opposition to the proposed Northampton County zoning plan is taking concrete shape under the leadership of Ken Dufty and David Kabler, who are forming an organization called COG – Citizens for Open Government. Shorekeeper Jay Ford, who originally led opposition to the zoning with an online petition, remains energized but has not joined ranks with COG, possibly due to concerns that COG could become a lobbying organization incompatible with the tax-exempt and non-political Shorekeeper group. Dufty reports that last night (April 7), Exmore Town Council passed a resolution opposing the county’s proposed elimination of “Town Edge” zones. Elimination of the Town Edge zones would remove any formal opportunity for towns (including Cape Charles) to give input on county decisions about property bordering the towns. Expect the COG group to make an appearance at Cape Charles Town Council sometime soon. (4/8/2014)

LIGHTHOUSE REWARD — Galloway Corporation is offering a $ 5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the removal of the Fourth-Order Lens and the Life Boat  from the Old Plantation Flats replica lighthouse  in the Bayside Village section of Bay Creek. Send information to [email protected]. (4/2/2014)

FOSTER SELLS ANOTHER ASSET — Bay Creek developer Richard “Dickie” Foster appears to be selling off all his remaining Eastern Shore assets, one by one. According to Wikipedia, Bay Creek Railway’s historic dining car has been sold: “It was loaded onto a flatbed trailer and left Cape Charles on March 11, 2014.” Wikipedia continues: “In 2007, Bay Creek Railway began operating a self-propelled dining car along Bay Coast Railroad track, making one- to two-hour round trips from Cape Charles. This passenger excursion service used a restored interurban railcar, built in 1913 by St. Louis Car Company. It originally served the former Texas Electric Railway in Dallas, Texas, as car number 316. When Texas Electric ceased operating in 1948, its fleet of interurban railcars was sold for salvage. Car number 316 was used as a cabin at a ranch in Fort Worth, Texas, until its recent restoration for the Bay Creek Railway. . . . By December 21, 2011, the car was listed for sale on the Ozark Mountain Railcar equipment broker website. The initial asking price was $260,000, later reduced to $205,000.” High winds blew over the rail shed for the historic dining car last year, but subsequently the shed was completely rebuilt. (3/30/2014)

WILL THE WAVE CONTROL THE ELECTION? – Somebody (and regular Wave readers can guess who) is at it again, posting innuendoes about the Wave on the Post Office telephone pole. “Will the Wave try to control the town election?” asks one of the posters (CLICK to view). The phantom pole-poster is a man of few words; there is lots of room left to say more.  The Wave suggests the following quote be added: “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right.” –THOMAS JEFFERSON (3/29/2014)

WARRING CANDIDATE FORUMS – Before any debate has even occurred in the run-up to the May 6 town elections, there is already debate about the debate. This year, the group “Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore” (CBES) has agreed to sponsor a candidate forum at the Palace Theatre 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, and all eight candidates are planning to participate. Established in 1988, CBES (CLICK) is a non-profit civic organization serving Northampton and Accomack counties.  Widely recognized for its fairness and impartiality, CBES has years of experience hosting candidate forums, most recently conducting two forums for last November’s elections for County Board of Supervisors and School Board. But now, after arrangements are all in place, the Cape Charles Rotary Club is trying to organize a competing candidates forum. Rotary President Paul Strong said, “We feel that our citizens should have every opportunity possible to get to know the candidates and understand the issues prior to this important election, and there could be a significant number of people who cannot attend a single candidates forum no matter when it is scheduled. . . . We would like to schedule a second forum at a time when the most candidates can attend.” Although Rotary is not a political organization, Rotary member and former town councilman John Burdiss is intimately connected to the Cape Charles power structure. The CBES sponsorship of a candidate forum had been seen as a breath of fresh air after previous forums were run by town employees. In the last town candidates forum, assistant town manager Bob Panek selected the questions to be asked, even though he was displaying a campaign sign in his yard for Steve Bennett. The question now is whether Burdiss and Strong are really worried that one candidates forum is not enough, or if they are risking Rotary’s good name by trying to sabotage the already scheduled forum hosted by CBES. (3/27/2014)

SEWAGE TREATMENT ACCOMACK STYLE — Shore Daily News reported today that plans for a 500,000 gallon per day sewer plant in Atlantic have been withdrawn.  To meet the needs of a proposed four-building office complex, a “package” wastewater treatment plant measuring  8.5 feet wide and 12 feet high would be constructed with a treatment capacity of 10,000 gallons per day. The treated water is returned to the ground — not into the Bay. Is the Northampton PSA familiar with this technology? (3/21/2014)

BEST NEST COMING HOME — Best Nest home furnishings has apparently decided that the grass is not greener on the other side of the Bay after all. A year ago in January, Best Nest vacated its Mason Avenue location in favor of Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. Now owners John Selway and Nikki Schroeder, who have been commuting from their Eastern Shore home, are bringing Best Nest back to Cape Charles. Not the exact home, however, because Gull Hummock is happily ensconced in the former Best Nest storefront. So Best Nest has rented the Betis Building on Strawberry Street, which was just vacated by Coldwell Banker in favor their new Mason Avenue location next to the ice cream shop. Bet is Betis is Best Nest’s next-best nest. (Say that quickly three times.)  (3/21/2014)

SOLD ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS — Three Cape Charles properties were sold at auction March 19 for delinquent real estate taxes. A house at 229 Tazewell Avenue with an assessed value of $154,100 sold for $70,000. A house at 416 Plum Street with an assessed value of $119,800 sold for $32,000. And a vacant lot on Monroe Avenue extension with an assessed value of $60,000 sold for $6,000. The Monroe lot previously was purchased for $120,000 during the real estate bubble. (3/20/2014)

PROTO ENDORSES HIGHER LODGING TAX — Mayoral candidate George Proto, also president of the Cape Charles Business Association, has conveyed to town officials his support for a hike in the lodging tax from 3 percent to 4.2 percent. When county and state taxes are added in, the total would be 11.5 percent (versus 10.3 percent outside town limits). Proto estimates the tax hike would generate $21,000 a year, which he wants used for the “Cape Charles By the Bay” website and marketing campaign. Proto said the current CCBTB advertising campaign received over 50 requests from potential visitors last month alone, but no one responded to the requests due to lack of funding. Although Proto said he was speaking for the Business Association, members were never asked whether they support a higher tax. With campaigning for the May 6 local elections yet to begin in earnest, Proto has thus identified himself with two other candidates comprising  the “tax and spend” faction: Chris Bannon and Joan Natali. Meanwhile, one Business Association member is vigorously opposing the proposed lodging tax hike: prominent local hotelier Ned Brinkley charges that higher taxes will reduce demand for lodging. “The notion that Eastern Shore visitors are fat hens waiting to be plucked is not supported by any research done by localities or by the Virginia Tourism groups,” Brinkley wrote in a widely distributed email. (3/19/2014)

TWO HOTELS INTO ONE — The Gossip in January was that the owners of Hotel Cape Charles had purchased Hotel Blue next door. Turns out they have done more than buy it — they are swallowing it whole. When a hole is punched through the upstairs wall, the former Hotel Blue rooms will be accessed from the Hotel Cape Charles corridor. Hotel Blue will disappear in favor of a larger Hotel Cape Charles. (3/12/2014)

COLDWELL BANKER MOVING ON DOWN THE LINE — Dave Griffith’s Coldwell Banker office is on a relentless march to the sea (or at least to the Bay). Previously located on the corner of Mason and Nectarine, the office moved last year to the Betis Building on Strawberry Street, three blocks closer to the Bay. Closer, but not close enough. Now Coldwell Banker is on the move again, and soon will open next to Brown Dog. Is it the ice cream? Meanwhile, Lynn Gray and Melanie Brown have vacated the combination realty/antique shop in that location in favor of Long & Foster Realty in Onancock. (3/7/2014)

NO MORE HARVEST FESTIVAL? — With no prior warning, the ESVA Chamber of Commerce announced today that it would no longer sponsor the annual Harvest Festival held each October at Sunset Beach Inn near the Bridge-Tunnel. Last October’s event was the 21st year for the festival, which is the largest annual Eastern Shore event south of Chincoteague’s Pony Penning. Given the popularity of the all-you-can-eat festival, there’s always a chance that another group could take over the sponsorship — but who? Could the ESVA Tourism Commission take it on? (3/3/2014)

VET ON THE HIGHWAY — Looks like Cape Charles is going to get a veterinarian’s office after all — sort of. As reported January 8 below, the veterinarian who planned to buy the building housing Unique Graphics hair salon pulled out of the deal when he learned from town officials how much it would cost to bring the building up to code. Now word is that he is leasing the former Movie Gallery space in the Food Lion shopping center. Meanwhile, Unique Graphics was forced to relocate to 555 Mason Avenue, leaving the former building vacant with neither an animal hospital or a beauty salon — neither hide nor hair, you might say. (2/28/2014)

EXIT STAGE RIGHT — Will artistic temperaments be the demise of Stage Door Gallery? Word is that many of the volunteers who keep the gallery open seven days a week are leaving following disagreements between paid and unpaid staff. Look for a new gallery to open just west of Watson’s Hardware. Can Cape Charles support them both — plus Gallery 209, plus Beach Glass and Stories, plus Willows (and Thelma Peterson’s Seaside Gallery)?  (2/27/2014)

BLOXOM DEFEATS RANDALL — With 32 out of 33 precincts reporting as of 8:15 p.m. election night, February 25, Robert Bloxom (R) handily defeated Willie Randall (D) in the special election for Virginia House of Delegates. The only precinct not reporting by that time was Cape Charles. Randall obtained a scant majority in Norfolk (893-818), but that was not nearly enough to offset his loss in Accomack County (2,346 to Bloxom’s 4,464). In Northampton County, Bloxom led 1,175 to Randall’s 982, with Cape Charles still to be represented. UPDATE: Cape Charles results were: Bloxom 352, Randall 252. Northampton County results were 1,527 for Bloxom and 1,234 for Randall. (2/25/2014)

INTERESTING STORY ABOUT CHIEF PRUITT — The Eastern Shore News has a story by Connie Morrison on Cape Charles’s new police chief. CLICK HERE to read. (2/25/2014)

TOWN PROMOTES OUT-OF-TOWN LODGING — Last year the Wave reported the Cape Charles Planning Commission’s endorsement of “hotels on the highway” (CLICK HERE). Now the taxpayer-subsidized “Cape Charles By The Bay” website is actually advertising out-of-town lodging (CLICK HERE) — specifically “Mermaid Bay” beach cottage, located off Route 13 south of Arlington. The $15,000 website was funded by tax-supported grants as well as local businesses and the Town of Cape Charles. Now, in addition to subsidizing advertising for out-of-town lodging, Town Council wants to raise the tourist tax in town, which does not apply to the Mermaid Bay cottage. As Planning Commissioner Andy Buchholz said, “In town there are taxes and licenses. Out of town there aren’t.” (2/22/2014)

HIGH SCHOOL CIVICS LESSON — The new town website (CLICK HERE) states: “The Town of Cape Charles is governed by the Strong Mayor form of government.” They got that backwards — like most towns, Cape Charles has a “weak mayor” form of government. As Wikipedia explains (CLICK HERE), “in a ‘weak’ mayor-council system, the mayor has no formal authority outside of the council; she cannot appoint and/or remove officials, and lacks veto power over council votes.” (2/22/2014)

WILLIE RANDALL THE POSTMAN’S FRIEND — The U.S. Postal Service deficit might be going away in the face of the Democratic Party’s mailings for Willie Randall for Delegate. Mailings have been sent every few days for the last couple of weeks, but February 21 set a record: three mailings in one day, all from the Democratic Party, all for Willie Randall. (2/21/2014)

CAPE CHARLES ELECTIONS  — May 6 is election day for a new Cape Charles mayor and three members of Town Council. Candidates have to file by March 4. So far, George Proto has filed for mayor, and Chris Bannon, Charles “Sambo” Brown, and Joan Natali have filed for Town Council. Incumbent Mayor Dora Sullivan and her husband, incumbent Town Councilman Mike Sullivan, do not plan to run for re-election. (2/21/2014)

SHOREKEEPER PETITION TO NORTHAMPTON COUNTY — “Northampton County Slow Down and Ensure Public Participation.” Zoning Ordinances are hugely influential on the day-to-day life of the average citizen affecting how we grow our businesses, what we live next to, and how we treat our natural resources. This process is far too important for Northampton County to sidestep proper procedures for public participation and involvement. We deserve to have a publicly vetted Comprehensive Plan for Northampton’s future that everyone has had a chance to weigh in on. CLICK HERE to sign the Shorekeeper Petition Drive (and to read the list of signatures and comments). Shorekeeper will be presenting these petitions to County officials before public comment begins March 11. (2/20/2014)

EASTERN SHORE ARTISAN’S TRAIL — Meredith Restein writes about “an exciting new tourism initiative to develop an Artisan’s Trail on the Eastern Shore that will connect the dots between local artists, wineries, agri-businesses, galleries, restaurants, and lodging. Maybe you’ve already heard about it, but Mills Wehner from Chatham Vineyards asked that I share [this] with anyone who may be interested in helping get this project off the ground. This model has been very successful in other areas, and I think it has great potential for the Shore to help market both our cultural and agricultural assets. If you want to follow the progress you can check out the Eastern Shore Artisan Trail Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eastern-Shore-Artisan-Trail/346906372118560. Please help spread the word to anyone you think would be interested, as the local organizers need to quickly raise the funds necessary to secure a matching $10,000 donation to bring the Eastern Shore Artisans Trail to life! Every little bit helps! Click here to donate, or call Mills Wehner at 757-678-5588.  (2/18/2014)

CAMPGROUND RAPE SUSPECT ARRESTED — A suspect in the Halloween rape at Cherrystone Campground has been arrested. Caleb Ryan Parks, 20, of Harrisonburg was arrested February 10 in connection with an October 27, 2013, sexual assault at Cherrystone Campground. Northampton County Sheriff David L. Doughty, Jr., said that Parks is charged with object sexual penetration and two counts of strangulation. He is being held in the Eastern Shore Regional Jail with no bond.  On the Sunday before Halloween, a 25-year-old woman reported being sexually assaulted in the campground bath house near the General Store and Mini Golf. Her assailant was described as wearing a tan Halloween mask with large saggy eyes. (2/18/2014)

SULLIVANS SELLING OUT — Seen today on Mayor Dora Sullivan’s Facebook page: “very excited to announce that after 13 years of owning and operating our printing and office supply business we are RETIRING…. business is for sale…inquire within.” In answer to a question from a friend, she clarifies that she and husband Mike are not moving away from Cape Charles. The building next door (Bay Creek Communications) already has a For Sale sign; now Sullivan’s is joining it. No mention of whether Mayor Sullivan will run for re-election in May. (2/17/2014)

SALTY SIDEWALKS — The new VDOT sidewalks installed last year aren’t lasting long — at least in front of the Post Office, where salt must have been poured to melt snow and ice.  Concrete takes a long time to fully cure, and when salt sinks into the concrete the surface turns to powder. Town Councilman Tom Godwin complained publicly last year that the new sidewalks were not well made. He should know: his father, T.L. Godwin, installed most of the sidewalks in town many decades ago, and they bear his imprinted name. (2/16/2014)

VALENTINE’S DAY ANNOUNCEMENT – King’s Creek Inn proprietors Dawn Flynn and Jim Nevill are now Mr. & Mrs. Nevill after eloping to the Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas. Jim’s wedding present to his bride was a new home in Bay Creek’s Heron Pointe. That will make more room for bed & breakfast guests at the Inn.  (2/14/2014)

DONNA BOZZA ON JIM BAUGH OUTDOORS — Check out the Shore’s own Donna Bozza featured on “Jim Baugh Outdoors” as she reviews her meal with Jim at the Eastville Inn: CLICK HERE. (2/12/2014)

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH MENTORING PROJECT — “There is a progressive degradation of activities for youth within the Town of Cape Charles,” the Rev. Felton Sessoms told the Eastern Shore News. One example he cited is the closing of the town’s only basketball court, with no replacement in sight. Without ongoing positive influences, children despair of their futures, he said. “They are getting into activities that are not wholesome. We want to displace despair with hope,” he said. CLICK HERE to read the ESN story. (2/10/2014)

UNAWARE OF EASTERN SHORE — Definition of “irony”: Arthur Frommer admits he was unaware of the Eastern Shore of Virginia even after publishing his tourist guidebook series for over 55 years. Interviewed in the Washington Post, Frommer, 84, said, “I still travel. I just got back from an area of the United States of which I was completely unaware and which is known as the Eastern Shore of Virginia. We had a delightful time in an area that is finally being touristed. It used to be solely agricultural, and now you can see hotels going up.” (2/9/2014)

RAINING ON THE MAYOR’S PARADE — Mayor Sullivan was happy and excited as she waited for Governor McAuliffe to arrive for the big ceremony at Bayshore Concrete Products today — until she saw the Wave staff walk in. The Wave’s photographer tried to reassure her that this was a “good news” story and she had nothing to worry about, but the Mayor was having none of it. “Too late,” she replied, “after 19 months of bull” (referring to the Wave’s 19 months of publication). Is “bull” a four-letter word? Is the Mayor really going to run for re-election? (2/4/2014)

GOV. McAULIFFE COMING TO TOWN? — The town website is mum, there’s nothing in the Eastern Shore News, the Eastern Shore Post, or Shore Daily News,  but according to the Virginian-Pilot, Governor McAuliffe will visit the Eastern Shore Tuesday, February 4, to make “a major economic development announcement for the town of Cape Charles and Northampton County.” The Virginian-Pilot got the information in an email from the state’s Virginia Economic Development Partnership, but that website is also without information. Late Monday night, the only possibility the Wave could turn up is a town calendar entry for “Bayshore Concrete Ceremony, 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 4.” Is that what it’s all about? Guess we’ll find out after the fact. (UPDATE: It was, and the Wave was there.) (2/3/2014)

THERE’S A NEW KID IN TOWN – “Oo ah oo ah cool cool Kitty, Tell us about the boy from New York City. He’s kinda tall,” etc. Are they talking about singer-guitarist Dan Flynn, the new sensation that brought down the house at “I Played the Palace” earlier this month? It sounded like Flynn brought his own cheering section to the Palace, but in fact no one in the audience had ever before heard of him. The son of Dawn Flynn, who runs King’s Creek Inn, Dan is a come-here from New York City, where he has his union credentials as a master electrician. By day he electrifies old houses in Cape Charles; by night he electrifies his audiences. Flynn’s next appearance is this Saturday, February 1, at the Machipongo Clam Shack in Nassawadox. The show runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. There’s no cover, and Flynn’s performance should be the hottest thing in February on the Shore. (1/29/2014)

THANKS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS — Betty Brown would like to thank the kind and generous folks that heard her plea for children’s gifts this Christmas holiday. She said the grandma who was helped called to see if there was some way that people could be thanked for seeing that Santa made his way to their house this year. The toys and clothes brought smiles and excitement that they have, she believes, never experienced in the past. She delivered the comforter, kerosene, and the $20 bill to the needy man in Bayview. He was so appreciative and surprised. She could tell that the kindness offered him would last far beyond Christmas day. She thanks you all for the joy you brought needy people this holiday season. Many kind wishes to you in 2014. (1/28/2014)

HOTEL CAPE CHARLES BUYS HOTEL BLUE — Word is that Hotel Cape Charles owner David Gammino has purchased his next-door-neighbor, Hotel Blue, from Patrick Hand. This is an acquisition that makes perfect sense. With only six rooms, Hotel Blue never offered a front desk, making guest service a hit-and-miss experience.  But the 16-room Hotel Cape Charles includes the normal hotel amenities of a lobby and front desk. Now manager Ned Brinkley can offer a wider range of rooms, while still keeping an eye on everything. One question: will Hotel Blue continue to be open all year, or will it shut down for the winter like Hotel Cape Charles? (1/26/2014)

TOWN TREASURER RESIGNS — During banter before yesterday’s Town Council meeting, Steve Bennett was overheard jokingly asking Frank Wendell if he wanted to be the Town Treasurer. Wendell demurred, but it turns out Bennett was only half joking: Town Treasurer Kim Coates has just resigned, effective the end of the month, due to overwork. The resignation comes just at the time of year the Town undergoes its financial audit. Coates has been working up to 80 hours a week.  When the Wave requested a list of overdue Town property taxpayers, it was billed for three and a half hours’ work by the Treasurer to compile the list. Coates began working for the Town in 2012. Among her accomplishments was the discovery of a Town bank account for the library that had been forgotten and was not listed on the books. (1/23/2014)

DID TOWN SCARE AWAY THE VET? Rumors are that the veterinarian who planned to buy the former  Unique Graphics salon building in order to open a practice in Cape Charles has bailed out due to demands by Town Administration — including a $30,000 utility hookup fee. The Wave is investigating. Meanwhile, Unique Graphics still had to move, having signed a lease at 555 Mason Avenue. (1/8/2014)

OLD SCHOOL VISIT — Owner of the Old School in Central Park, J. David McCormack, was seen giving a tour of the building today to two men in business attire (bankers?). McCormack purchased the building from the Town a year ago this month, and has the distinction of being the only building owner in town hooked up to water and sewer who neither receives (or pays) a water bill. He successfully petitioned the County to reduce his 2013 tax valuation from $510,900 down to $285,000. When he bought the building from the Town for $10, it had a tax valuation of $921,900. McCormack told County officials that it would cost him over $2 million to convert the school into an apartment building, and that upon completion, the total value of the building including the land would only be between $750,000 and $1 million. It’s not known if his prospective underwriters know this.  At a public information session a year and a half ago, McCormack told local residents that financing for the project was assured.  “If we do not get financing, we will not take possession of the building,” he said — “but we already have financing promised.” Things changed after that: McCormack lost his financing, but he bought the building anyway. (12/20/2013)

NEW POLICE CHIEF — Word around town is that Jim Pruitt will be selected to replace retiring Chief of Police Charles “Sambo” Brown.  Sgt. Pruitt, who grew up here, was earlier a policeman here, left to work elsewhere, and then rejoined the Cape Charles force in 2010. Unlike many town employees, he actually lives in the town (as does Brown and another member of the force). Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate that Sambo will run for Town Council next year. He once served on the Council and the police force simultaneously until the issue of conflict of interest led to his resignation from Town Council. (12/9/2013)

LA MER MOVING TO LA RIVE GAUCHE – La Mer Design Studio is moving from the house at 339 Randolph Avenue to the former Sea Shore Realty building at 215 Mason Avenue.  Did Town officials finally force La Mer out of the residential district? Randolph Avenue, known as “Main Street” to old-timers, is zoned commercial on the left side and residential on the right.  La Mer is on the right, as is the Post Office (but that building came long before zoning). The Browns’ house at 339 Randolph had been vacant for years before Tammye Delk Van Clief and Nicolle Isaacs Smith transformed it into the showpiece that is La Mer. Now they have to start over again – a recurring experience to Nicolle, who formerly managed the Marina Village Shops. The question of whether La Mer was “legal” was raised by a member of the Town Planning Commission, but the Town Planner was instructed to follow a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The relocation is a loss for Randolph Avenue and the Strawberry Street shops reaching toward it, but a great plus for “Front Street,” where yet another vacant storefront is coming to life. (12/1/2014)

HAIR TODAY, THERE TOMORROW — Unique Graphics Salon owner Angie Pruitt confirms that her salon is relocating to 555 Mason Avenue (facing Nectarine Street). Unique Graphics will close December 20 and reopen at its new location January 7. Open House will follow soon. (11/25/2013)

INNS FOR SALE — Two of the five B&Bs in the Town of Cape Charles are on the market.  Longtime operators Bruce and Carol Evans have listed Cape Charles House at 645 Tazewell Avenue for $695,000. The house has 7 bedrooms and 8 baths.  Rumor is that the Evans plan to move across the street to another of their properties, currently divided into 1- and 2-bedroom apartments. Meanwhile, down the street, Hank and Sandy Mayer are offering Chesapeake Bay View at 212 Bay Avenue for $990,000. The house has 3 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, and a water view. The Mayers plan to relocate a little further down the Bay at Butlers Bluff. (11/18/2013)

SHANTY SHUTTING DOWN — This is the last week of business for the Shanty restaurant until next year’s tourist season.  The restaurant was built in 2011 as a open-air building without air conditioning or heat, but customers quickly demanded A/C. The units that were installed can also produce heat. Now there’s talk of insulating the building, which suggests that in the future the Shanty may be open year-’round. (11/10/2013)

VETERINARIAN COMING TO TOWN — Cape Charles is getting a full-time vet, who will be setting up shop in the current Unique Graphics salon. The vet reportedly bought the building, so the salon has to relocate. (11/10/2013)

HOME BREAK-IN — Someone broke through the back door of one of the new houses near the corner of Washington and Plum streets Friday night (November 8). The home belongs to a part-time resident and was unoccupied at the time. (11/9/2013)

SUPPORT OUR OYSTER NEIGHBOR — Eastern Shore residents are going all out to show their support for the young female victim of a vicious attack October 24 outside of Oyster. First she was hit by a car, then assaulted, then abducted. Amazingly, she was able to escape, but not without injury. The local American Legion is sponsoring a benefit supper November 9 (click for details), but that’s not all. Purchase a bouquet of sunflowers at  Watson’s Hardware. Buy a raffle ticket at the benefit. All proceeds go to the victim in an effort to show her how much her Eastern Shore neighbors care. (11/6/2013)

FULFILLING THE AMERICAN DREAM — The Asian family that bought the Delisheries building on Mason Avenue (with the sign “Yogurt Bar Coming Soon”) can be seen daily working behind the building, where they’re constructing a brick two-story addition. The man laying brick doesn’t look the part in his cardigan sweater, but the professional-looking results speak for themselves.  A woman with a shovel mixes mortar for him, while another family member and an American helper complete the work crew.  The current historic building is only one story, but the parapet makes it look higher. Because the new second story will rise behind the existing building, it should not alter the streetscape. The addition will be living quarters “above the store.” If the current industriousness of the family is any indication, the yogurt bar can be expected to be open seven days a week. (11/4/2013)

BLAME INN DELAY ON SANDY – The New Jersey couple who bought the old hotel at the foot of Mason Avenue have a good excuse for why they’ve never done much of anything with it: Hurricane Sandy. The husband is a general contractor and has been too busy rebuilding structures in New Jersey to do any projects in Cape Charles. At first, plans were to use the building as a B&B, but with 17 bedrooms and 17 baths it exceeds the size allowed by the Town for that purpose. But there’s no rule against operating a 17-room Inn, so that’s the current plan. When will construction get underway? Ask Sandy. (11/1/2013)

DISAPPEARING MAILBOX BLUES  – At least two blue mailboxes in Cape Charles, located at opposite ends of Monroe Avenue, are destined for the scrap heap. The Postal Service checks the boxes six days a week, but rarely do they find a letter.  The removal of the mailboxes is part of a national program to reduce costs by increasing postal efficiencies.  The mailboxes were due to be removed by November, and notices had been posted on them to advise the public. But the removals have been delayed, and the notices removed. The mailboxes are still on the way out, but not just yet. (10/25/2013)

TAX TIME: GO FIGURE — Northampton County real estate and personal property tax bills have been sent out, and once again taxpayers are instructed to send their money out of the county, even out of the state, all the way to Baltimore MD, where people have jobs opening envelopes and depositing checks. Those skills are also available in Eastville, and in fact, come income tax time, taxpayers are instructed to send their state returns, not to Richmond, but to Eastville. (10/23/2013)

IGNORED NEGLECT — Three years ago a weekend resident bought a decrepit old house on Tazewell and proceeded to pour money into it. A local architect drew plans for an addition, the foundation was rebuilt, interior gutted, slate roof restored, copper gutters installed, and the eyesore shed out back transformed. The house was magnificently furnished, the grounds were professionally landscaped,  and the final touch was a new white picket fence. That’s when the Town Planner stepped in, giving notice that the fence is too close to the sidewalk (it is exactly aligned with the next fence down the street).  Meanwhile, around the corner on Randolph, the house next to the Post Office has seen no repair over those same three years, even to the extent of failure to board up missing window glass. The tumbling-down sections of wrought-iron fence out front have been chained and padlocked together to prevent theft.  Any number of similarly abandoned properties may be seen in the Historic District. (10/22/2013)

HIKING THE “HUMP” — Two women, one using a cane, were seen on the Hump today, walking down the middle of the lane against traffic. Now that Bay Coast Railroad has posted notices threatening arrest of anyone crossing the railroad tracks, the only legal way across is via the Hump, which has no space for pedestrians. (10/15/2013)

CHAIN MOTEL COMING? – Looks like Cape Charles Planning Commissioners might get their wish for a chain motel on the highway – but not as close to town as they would like. Word is that the new owner of the Kiptopeke Inn, Robert Occhifinto, wants to obtain a franchise for it after he fixes it up – something like a Holiday Inn Express.  The Kiptopeke Inn will need a lot of work to reach that standard, but it’s not impossible — years ago it was a Holiday Inn.  Either way, a revitalized Kiptopeke Inn would not hook up to the proposed sewer pipe to Cape Charles – it’s too far south. (10/8/2013)

GRAND-MAYOR — Congratulations to Mayor Sullivan and husband Mike on the birth of their granddaughter across the Bay. (10/7/2013)

SHE CAME IN THROUGH THE BATHROOM WINDOW — Anyone who remembers the words of the Beatles’ song will appreciate the irony of a Cape Charles policeman’s home being “egged” the other night. Word is the “eggers” were adults who should have known better. (10/6/2013)

“LYIN’ EYES” PARODY — An anonymous wag unknown to the Wave has composed a song about Town politics, sung to the Eagles’ tune “Lyin’ Eyes.” The songwriter refers several times to someone called “Panic.”  Copies of the lyrics are being distributed to stores on Mason Avenue willing to have them. (9/26/2013)

PAYING BOB PANEK – It’s well known that two of Bob Panek’s hats are as assistant town manager for Cape Charles and chairman of the Eastern Shore Public Service Authority. Town taxpayers cover Mr. Panek’s work for the Town, but who pays for his work for the PSA? The answer appears to be: Town taxpayers. A letter from Northampton County Administrator Katie Nunez (click here to read) concludes: “Please do not hesitate to contact my office or PSA Chairman Bob Panek. . . . Mr. Panek’s office number is 757-331-3259 ext. 19.” That number rings the phone in Mr. Panek’s Town of Cape Charles office, where according to Ms. Nunez he is available to discuss PSA business. Ironically, Assistant Town Manager Panek declined to provide a status report on the PSA at the September 19 Town Council meeting when asked to do so by Councilman Frank Wendell. (9/23/2013)

PSA LAWSUIT? — After a raucous meeting at the Cheriton Fire Department to discuss the proposed PSA project for the Southern node which doubles property taxes and levies a yet-to-be-determined mandatory monthly sewer charge, disgruntled landowners and businessmen in the proposed special tax district are said to be considering a class action lawsuit against members of the Northampton Board of Supervisors, Cape Charles Town Council, and the Public Service Authority. (9/20/2013)

WHITE FLAG FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? – Word is that the County Board of Supervisors may have gotten the message after the PSA “informational” meeting September 16 at the Cheriton Fire Hall. The PSA has recommended mandatory sewer hookups for 70 commercial properties on Route 13 and outside Cheriton. PSA Chairman Bob Panek repeatedly told an angry audience to talk to the Supervisors, and that’s what is happening. At least one Supervisor, Larry LeMond, attended the PSA meeting, but Administrator Katie Nunez was not there. A public hearing on the sewer issue is set for Monday, September 23, at the County boardroom in Eastville. Immediately following will be the Supervisors’ monthly meeting, and with an election nearing, they are said to be thinking about putting any decisions about the PSA on hold. According to a knowledgeable source, at least some Supervisors are willing to drop the Cape Charles pipe plan altogether and consider other alternatives. (9/18/2013)

JUDGE CERTIFIES AUCTION RESULTS — It’s official: a Florida bankruptcy judge has approved offers totaling $75 million for assets controlled by the Madonia family, owners of East Coast Brokers & Packers. A Tampa judge September 5 approved all sales except one — the exception being the Red Rose  Inn & Suites in Plant City, Fla., for which a $2.1 million bid was rejected. But the judge approved the local bid of $45,000 for the 14-acre Webster Canning property in Cheriton, which some local observers and Realtors consider the real steal of the whole show. The Webster site includes several large buildings and has a tax value of $1.4 million. The successful bidder was Robert Occhifinto, who bought Aqua Restaurant and the adjoining marina at bankruptcy for $4.6 million last December. Word is that Occhifinto will use the Webster buildings to store banquet equipment such as party tents to be used for wedding receptions at Aqua. Also approved by the bankruptcy judge were sales of two Bay Creek houses, including developer Dickie Foster’s one-time personal residence. Foster’s Heron Pointe crossed the auction block at $1 million, and “Magnolia Plantation”sold for $950,000. (9/10/2013)

BLOGS — Word has gotten around that the best way to push the Wave editor’s buttons is to call the Wave a “blog.”  Even the mayor has caught on, and now says “a local blog” instead of “the Wave.” It’s true — the “blog” word does set the Wave editor off — but not because of any antipathy toward blogs.   Blogs do a lot to enrich the Internet. Right here in Cape Charles are at least two outstanding bloggers, each very different.  Wayne Creed has long penned an occasional piece of shock and/or awe on his blog: http://www.assesandvillains.com. And newcomer Sher Horosko contributes beautiful thoughts and photography on her blog at http://sherhoroskoblogdotcom.wordpress.com/. Anyone confused about the difference between a blog and an online newspaper might want to visit those sites.  (9/9/2013)

BYE-BYE BAGWELL — Looks like the Bagwell Oil family is selling out at the right time. Fuel oil sales continue to decline as customers convert to propane or electric heat pumps. Founded in 1915, Bagwell Oil did not begin selling propane until 2005. But now propane faces tough competition as plans are under way to pipe natural gas down the Eastern Shore into Accomack County. Natural gas sells for as little as one-third the cost of propane. Wallops Island and the chicken processing plants in Accomack are driving the demand for natural gas, so there’s not much chance the pipe will continue to Northampton County anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Bagwell name will disappear, replaced by “Pep-Up” of Delaware. The Pepper family, owner of Pep-Up, is promising to retain all “current” employees, which suggests that downsizing will only occur through attrition. Bagwell employees like David, who has driven an oil delivery truck most of his adult life, will still make the rounds in Cape Charles, as will technicians Drummie and Mark. (9/7/2013)

DUAL ROLE WORRIES — Word is that some members of both the Northampton Board of Supervisors and Cape Charles Town Council are increasingly uncomfortable that the assistant town manager, Bob Panek, is also chairman of the Eastern Shore Public Service Authority. Officials want to avoid the appearance of impropriety that has arisen from the dual roles. Panek has recused himself from calculating a sewer rate to be charged by the town to PSA customers, but he seems to be the only one who knows how to do it. Without his expertise, the September 16 information meeting and September 23 public hearing will not include information about sewer rates. Supervisor Rick Hubbard has called for more information and an “independent analysis” of the Cape Charles sewer system. If concerned officials prevail, the public hearing and perhaps the information meeting will be rescheduled. Ultimately, Panek may have to choose between his PSA chairmanship and his job as assistant town manager. (9/6/2013)

NEXT POLICE CHIEF? — Town Chief of Police “Sambo” Brown retires at the end of this year, and would-be replacements are jockeying for position. High on the list seems to be Jim Pruitt, who brings several advantages to the table. First, he’s already a member of the police force, and hiring from within is good for morale. Second, he lives in town, unlike other applicants. And finally, Pruitt distinguished himself by organizing a dedication service last October for the Town’s only officer to be killed in the line of duty (a century earlier). Pruitt was recognized in a letter from Gov. Robert McDonnell for his organizational ability. Pruitt rejoined the police force in 2010 and recently was promoted to sergeant. (9/3/2013)

ANOTHER DOLPHIN — Another big beautiful dolphin washed off the shore this morning at Bay Creek, another slice of beach reclaimed by the bay, reaching closer and closer to the fenced dunes. Our observers also report “garbage everywhere — we are picking it up from the dunes, from the waves. Friday must have been a big party night at the beach because the parking lot was littered with Red Bull and ice tea bottles.” (9/2/2013)

IRS ON THE PROWL — The local American Legion Post 56 reports “receiving orders to show proof of their members’ veteran status to the Internal Revenue Service or face fines of several thousand dollars per day.” Problem is that although the Post requires an applicant to present his discharge papers, “there has never been a requirement to maintain that form on file.” Post 56 leaders say they will comply with the order – “However, this takes time away from our mission of focusing on the veteran and working with those who need to work through the system for benefits deserved and earned on the battlefield.” Post members are asked to provide a copy of their DD-214 to Adjutant Ive Chubb as soon as possible. (9/1/2013)

RED TIDE RISING — Now that floating docks have been installed next to the Coast Guard Station where the yacht repair facility is being built, people can walk along the bulkhead at the water line. There they can see an underwater pipe capped at the end. If they time their visit just right, somewhat like viewing “Old Faithful” at Yellowstone National Park, they will be treated to an eruption of red liquid spewing out into the harbor. Word has it that the pipe hooks to the new sewage treatment plant, and the discharge comes when plant filters are backwashed. (8/30/2013)

DOLPHIN — A Registered Nurse writes: Can someone please find out the status of the dead dolphin on the beach? It’s improperly barricaded and is decomposing. The smell is atrocious. It has been there well over 24 hours and is leeching germs into the sand. (8/28/2013)

WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ‘CAPE CHARLES HAPPENINGS’? — The indefatigable Joan Natali has built up her trademark email service over many years, keeping subscribers informed about upcoming events, items for sale, and businesses new and old. But now “Cape Charles Happenings” seems to have a death wish: The website has not been updated for going on three four weeks, and Natali is requiring all her readers to resubscribe or be dropped from her list. That’s a good way to cut readership by half. (8/27/2013)

TOURIST PRICES — Premium gasoline is now $5.89 a gallon at Straight Line Automotive on Mason Avenue — thanks to a prankster. Residents are of course aware that the Town’s only gas station went out of business last April, but tourists don’t necessarily know that. Arriving in town only to be greeted by a sign advertising almost $6 gas could be a shock to many a vacationer. (8/26/2013)

RENTAL MARKET — The vacation rental business in Cape Charles is booming, but year-round rentals are a different story. Landlords often earn more from three months of summer rentals than from a conventional 12-month lease. In the long-term market, every landlord’s dream is to rent to a teacher. Some 40 County teachers were hired for the new school year, which sounds like a good opportunity for the rental market. Trouble is, the same number of teachers left their jobs last year, and many of them have moved away. Coast Guard personnel are another source of renters, but again, the arrival of a new Coast Guardsman means that another Coastie has departed. On Tazewell Avenue, a Coast Guard/teaching family was reassigned, and the house is for rent. Down the street, a new Coast Guard family has rented another house, but next door is vacant after a teacher moved away. Another multi-family house has been advertising one- and two-bedroom apartments most of this year. Ironically, the owner, a former Town Councilman, was an avid supporter of giving away the Old School to a developer for conversion into 17 one-bedroom rental units. (8/25/2013)

MAYORAL RACE — Town elections are still eight months away, but names are already being bandied about for mayor. Incumbent Dora Sullivan is a perennial candidate, having already served for what will be eight years, and on Town Council for four years before that. What’s interesting is that the name of Peter Lawrence is being floated. Lawrence works part-time at Sullivan’s Office Supply, which serves as unofficial Town political headquarters, so he’s well positioned to hear all the issues. As a close associate of Mayor Dora, it seems obvious that Lawrence would not oppose her. Another name heard on the street is that of Malcolm Hayward, proprietor of Eastern Shore Custom Carts and Cape Charles Water Sports. But the surest candidate at this early stage is Deborah “Barking” Bender, so nicknamed by the mayor herself, who famously stated for the record at last week’s Town Council meeting: “I don’t allow the Benders to bark back.” Madame Bender attends every Council meeting and always has something to say during public comment time — to the mayor’s obvious displeasure. (8/23/2013)

COUNCILMEN CITED — Two members of Cape Charles Town Council were cited this week (and not for exemplary behavior). It seems that both councilmen have vehicles parked on their properties with expired license plates. Word is that the crackdown was not the police department’s idea — orders came from on high (2nd floor of #2 Plum Street). Who are the two councilmen? Coincidentally, they’re the same two who defeated incumbents in the May 2012 election. (8/22/2013)

ANONYMOUS

JUNE 2015

POOPED — On the Lower Eastern Shore, our lives are increasingly revolving around poop. Tyson and Perdue will build 50 chicken houses in Northampton County, where they will torture chickens and incinerate the poop because our politicians are going to let them. The Cape Charles Poop Factory is reaching out for more poop because poop dealers are cleverly serving too many masters with conflicting interests, and poop will cost the locals a bundle because our politicians are going to let that happen. This reflects not just on the politicians, who are either incompetent or in someone’s pocket. It reflects on us voters. We either don’t vote and let others make decisions that cause us to drown in poop, or we vote for people because we believe them to be smart or trustworthy. You can’t fire these clowns right away, but you can learn from the mistake of voting in the wrong people, as Bay Creekers did recently. (6/29)

BEACH SAFETY (3) — It is sad that some members of the Business Association and Town Council want to waste time trying to pull a competitively bid contract for the Cape Charles By the Bay Website from the Wave instead of doing everything they can to make tourists aware of the dangerous swimming conditions at the navigation channel at the end of the jetty. Their actions seem petty and destructive. What is more important: a vendetta against the Wave, or the life of a child? Stop ducking your responsibility for public safety and put a floating swim line with effective signage so people know about the dangerous channel at the end of the jetty. How many more children must die before you act? (6/26)

BEACH SAFETY (2) — So — what’s the truth behind the town’s inability to enact any meaningful beach safety measures? Mayor Proto, Council, and staff: either take beach safety seriously (that means doing something) or RESIGN! (6/26)

SHIP OF FOOLS — Cape Charles cannot handle the Truth! Does anyone really think that Emperor Bob Panek in his new set of clothes knows or cares anything about the public need for the truth via the Wave or any other source? When he and his co-conspirators were conspiring to give away the historic Cape Charles High School to Echelon Resources, not only did they fabricate a false narrative of cost estimates and tax increases to scare the ignorant into paying to give away public property, they also raided the town treasury. Tens of thousands of dollars were paid to the town lawyer to run lead on the dirty deal. Between $15,000 to $25,000 additionally was paid to write a $10 contract. Then they lowered taps fees by $150,000 and gave the developer $41,000 pocket money. How do you like that fancy bookkeeping and fiduciary follies, ole gullible taxpayer of Cape Chuck? When challenged by a citizens group who dared to question the truthfulness of his information and the legality of such an underhanded transaction, the Emperor and his court jesters again spent $90,000 of taxpayers’ money for the town lawyer to simultaneously prepare for and endeavor to keep the case from going to court at any cost so that the Truth about the heist would not be known to the duped public — who generally have no clue or want to know much about the process (sort of like making sausage). When you have done nothing wrong you don’t need to “panic” and spend that kind of money unless you are trying to hide something. When you tell the Truth you don’t have to remember what you have said and you certainly don’t need to spend that kind of money that could have been used to repair the school for an affordable public purpose. What a ship of fools that sails Cape Charles by the bay here in our town. Someone really wanted that illegal apartment building in our park pretty bad, didn’t they, and we the taxpayers have paid a steep price for such corruption. Thank you to the Cape Charles Wave for shining the light of Truth on our town and county government who prefer to conduct business shrouded in backroom darkness while they dole out naked corporate welfare” to their cronies. Now — on to the PSA sewer pipe scam. There is no rest for the wicked. (6/26)

BEACH SAFETY (1) – The Town of Cape Charles advertises a public beach and should have two lifeguards for the summer. There will be more tourists coming July 4th, and the beach is already crowded with locals and tourists. Protect our swimmers so there are NO more drownings! It makes me sick that a boy’s life was lost due to the town not wanting to spend money for lifeguards. HIRE LIFEGUARDS NOW! (6/25)

LOUD FOOD TRUCK — I was recently down at the beachfront and there was a food truck powered by an incredibly loud generator. I hope this doesn’t continue through the summer as this will infringe on people’s summer time enjoyment. (6/25)

TO THE CAPE CHARLES BUSINESS ASSOCIATION — It appears that a handful of vocal businesses agreed on talking points. Would you kindly elaborate on ANY inaccuracy you encountered in the Wave? Or are you really that averse to the truth? With the Wave, in addition to interesting and informative stories. we have a venue we can use to share information, learn of others’ viewpoints, clarify murky gossip, and kvetch. Website analytics should provide overwhelming support of this newspaper’s success and resonance. As to this new strategic business unit of the Wave, those who raised an objection at the meeting must agree that the Wave’s sophisticated online platform and articulate penmanship would create a delivery that is infinitely superior to that of the current Cape Charles by the Bay website. And this comes at about half the cost — or is that not important when you’re spending other people’s money? See what you can do about that, Ms. Natali. Not anonymous: [signed] Dana Lascu. (6/23

BUSINESS ASSOCIATION CIRCUS — From what I just read about Thursday night’s Cape Charles Town Council meeting, the Cape Charles Business Association put on quite a 3 ring circus of hypocritical comedy and pratfalls aimed at trying to convince the Council to rescind a legally awarded contract approved by assistant town manager Bob Panek and signed by town manager Brent Manuel to Cape Charles Wave LLC. Councilperson Natali even pledged to do “whatever I can to change this.” Well, I wonder what legal or illegal “high wire act” will follow. Stay tuned Bozos, for every day is a circus here under the “big top” in Cape Charles! (6/22)

PARKING SOLUTION — Mayor Proto claims that the only kind of angle parking VDOT will allow is the backwards kind (although he admits he can’t find this anywhere in writing; someone told him on the phone). The solution is to leave the backward lines just as they are, but allow people to decide whether to drive in or back in. There’s no law saying which direction your car must face, as former Police Chief Sambo Brown has pointed out. So police are illegally ticketing front-parkers. Quit writing tickets, take down the parking signs, and the problem is solved. (6/15)

LOOKING GOOD, BUT — The Town of Cape Charles looks great: homeowners, property owners, and business owners have really stepped up to the plate, painting, fixing up, and cleaning up. The new retail shops are a real complement to our growing community. The pride in our town is really showing; however, there are still a few bad eyesores that are like a smack in the face to all the folks who have spent time and money to bring up our town to the level we’re at. So if Code Enforcement went after the sore spots (and there are only a few), the town could continue to move forward as one of the BEST on the Eastern Shore! (6/14)

BRIDGE-TUNNEL TOLLS — A friend of mine was moving his child off to college and rented a small truck. It cost him $19 each way to cross the CBBT. When he asked why, despite his EZPass, he was told that anyone with a truck is “assumed” to have a business. Therefore the CBBT “assumes” you are writing the trips off as a business expense. This bridge might be one of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the World but it’s a colossal rip-off for the people living on the Shore. I remember seeing the bumper stickers “No Toll, No Control.” If that mindset is working for you, then why does the Shore have two of the poorest counties in the state of Virginia? Folks, it’s great to have jobs, but this is the most expensive bridge in the United States and all of us have already paid the state and federal road taxes for the pathway that leads to this bridge — so why is it still so expensive? I understand about the cost of a new tunnel, but what about a discount for Shore residents? Once again — tradition unhampered by progress on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. (6/14)

PSA PLAYTIME — Thank you Mayor Proto for standing up for democracy and free speech during the PSA work session. We elect our councilmen to represent us. When one group with a questionable agenda seeks to silence a member of Town Council it is downright wrong and and against the principles that so many died for in our country. Shutting down debate is what the Nazis did in Germany. We don’t need these divisive activities in our town. (6/8)

MAY 2015

IN PRAISE OF GRANVILLE HOGG — I just read that Granville Hogg was the lone vote against a proposed development of single rooming in Oyster. Three cheers for Mr. Hogg for asking the right and obvious questions regarding the project. Has anyone noticed that it’s always the same Realtor, the rich kid, and their cheerleaders always coming up with these misadventures? We need three more Granvilles on the Board of Supervisors! (5/21)

REVERSE ANGLE PARKING (2) — All the reasons the town and VDOT cite in favor of backwards parking can be negated by one inconvenient truth: drivers are not accustomed to it and have not developed the skill required. It has nothing to do with normal driving ability: you could be an excellent driver and still have no experience with backwards parking. It’s like backing a boat trailer — it requires practice.  With normal angle parking you just steer between the white lines. When you leave you just back up. Mason Avenue is not in Northern Virginia, and oncoming traffic could easily accommodate cars backing into the street.  (5/21)

REVERSE ANGLE PARKING (1) —  The May 11 Wave story on the Planning Commission on reverse parking says “cars are supposed to (but not required to) back into their spots” (according to Town Planner Larry DiRe). So as a non-resident who works on Mason Avenue, I parked front end in and the CC Police said, nope can’t do, you are required to back in! Left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing? In every other town I’ve ever been to in this country, angle parking is always opposite the way it is in Cape Charles — the angle faces the traffic flow, not opposite the traffic flow, which allows you to drive straight in from the line of traffic you are already in. The way it is here is exactly opposite the way it is most everywhere else and in my personal opinion, significantly increases the difficulty of parking as well as substantially increasing the danger of accidents when both parking and pulling out back into traffic. (5/15)

BEACH PATROL — I reading that the reason for all of the colliers off of the shore of Cape Charles is due to military exercises in the bay. My question is, what will all of this shipping do to the local beaches? If you look at the beachfront in Norfolk and some areas of Virginia Beach you’ll see that not all of these ships follow the waste dumping rules and regulations. Is someone in town or the state monitoring this now?  (5/10)

SHOWING THE FLAG (11) — Mega kudos to the veteran who replaced the flag at Bay Creek. My bet is that whoever is in charge at “Fort Creek” was never in the military — otherwise they’d have more respect for what that flag stood for. If it was a golf flag that was so worn and tattered it would have been replaced a lot quicker than this flag. (5/10)

SHOWING THE FLAG (10) — The tattered, torn, and faded National Ensign displayed with no shame over Bay Creek has been honorably retired. No thanks to any Bay Creek staff — it was taken care of by a veteran doing his/her duty. (5/4)

NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY — Once again we are getting one-bedroom apartments in Cape Charles at [Patrick Hand’s] Strawberry Street Corridor Project. Just like at the old school. This town must really not like families. There are no basketball courts and no kid-friendly stores for vacationers (but at least there’s Brown Dog Ice Cream). And then there’s the beach that our returning vacationers come here for. Has it been ruined? (5/4)

APRIL 2015

RESPONSE TO “Eastern Shore News Voted Best” — I would like to set the record straight with respect to one of the GOSSIP items in the April 23 edition of the Cape Charles Wave. The Eastern Shore Post is most definitely a dues-paying member of the Virginia Press Association — as is clearly stated on the VPA web page. The reason that the Post wins no awards in the annual contests is that we choose not to participate for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are the time and cost of selecting and submitting entries. VPA does not nominate items for awards; the newspapers select their own entries. [signed] Cheryl Nowak, Editor, Eastern Shore Post (4/25)
Thank you; the correction has been made in the GOSSIP entry, and to repeat, we really think you should enter some of Bill Sterling’s sports columns. –EDITOR

SHOWING THE FLAG (9) –It is a disgrace and it is the problem of the owner of the flagpoles — not the over-assessed property owners association, Bay Creek at Cape Charles Community Association, who paid for the flags, paid to have them raised, and paid to have them lowered! The flagpoles are owned by Bay Creek South, LLC, a controlled subsidiary of Keyser-Sinclair, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of a large US media public company, Sinclair Broadcasting Group. The flags are owned by the property owners association. (4/25)

SHOWING THE FLAG (8) — The NATIONAL ENSIGN, our country’s emblem, flying ragged and torn over Bay Creek is a disgrace. It’s been brought to the attention of Bay Creek board members with no results — it’s still shamefully flying. Don’t the powers that be at Bay Creek know that it’s an insult to our country, to U.S. active forces and veterans, and to those that gave all to our nation? (4/24)

SHOWING THE FLAG (7) —  I like the quote from Mr. Lambert: “We have never responded to the posts on the Wave because in the past the misleading attacks have been directed at the management of Bay Creek.” Sir, it’s not an attack when people write about street lights being out for days, golf carts traveling those streets without running lights, snow and ice on sidewalks, and streets that were “plowed” with a 4-wheel-drive truck pulling a wooden A-frame. Makes me wonder where all the HOA funds are going. And speaking of HOA funds, there are the dues not being paid by Mr. Foster. There is vandalism that goes unreported or ignored because there’s a “gate house” instead of real security — yet you still advertise Bay Creek as a gated community. And there are employees attempting to break the world’s land speed record on the Bay Creek Parkway. Misleading attacks? I would call what the Wave has been reporting a community service. Keep reading and you’ll see what’s really happening at your own Bay Creek. (4/23)

RESPONSE (16) to “Dora Out the Door” — “I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.” (Friedrich Nietzsche). Sounds like ol’ Nietzsche attended some of the Cape Charles Town Council public meetings and illegally advertised closed meetings while Mayor Dora Sullivan, Vice Mayor Chris Bannon, and Town Managers Arcos and Panek and Co. were trying to justify giving away the town’s old school to J. David McCormack of Echelon Resources. Now, which direction does the front door of the school face? Why is that important? Because if Dora went out THAT DOOR, would she be heading south, or just heading to Bob Panek’s office? (4/22)

SHOWING THE FLAG (6) — Oral Lambert makes a common mistake by applying the misnomer “homeowners association” to the Bay Creek At Cape Charles Community Association, Inc.  It is not a “homeowners association” but a “property owners association.” Calling it a homeowners association leaves the impression that the 873 lot owners are not part of the association.  But both lot owners and homeowners are in fact members. Lambert should also re-read pages 4 and 5 of the Declaration: “Common Expenses.”  Common Expenses shall not include any expenses incurred during the Class “B” Control Period for initial development or other construction costs unless Voting Members representing a majority of the total Class “A” vote of the Association approve. If Oral is now saying that those original expenses were on behalf of the property owners association, then he should produce the voting records of the Class A members who approved of such expenditures — way back when! (4/21)

LIGHT RAIL IN CAPE CHARLES? — The Cape Charles Comprehensive Plan hardly seems an appropriate document to contain an April Fool’s joke, but what other explanation can there be for the goal to encourage commuter rail to the harbor? Cape Charles does NOT need a Light Rail system. We are NOT a Metro City. The car you drove here with is enough transportation to get where you are going in this little town — or rent a golf cart. The town needs to STOP spending! Our taxes would go up even higher for a Light Rail which the town doesn’t need. Where is the common sense? (4/20)

RESPONSE (15) to “Dora Out the Door” — Yes, to Response 13, the Wave may have had something to do with Dora Sullivan’s departure. The Wave shed light on the tip of this iceberg, with Dora disparaging townspeople in Council meetings and her high school giveaway, which was personal to many. Poor losers, the citizens of Cape Charles. Poor woman not so much. I hope that “Panek Out the Door” is the next hot topic in that great Gossip column of yours. (4/19)

SHOWING THE FLAG (5) — Perhaps Oral [Lambert] is correct, but he offers no facts. When Baymark Construction purchased the flagpoles and expensed them as part of its allowable developer expenses, which w​ould​ be offset by sales of lots, etc., WHEN did Bay Creek adjust the previously expensed flagpoles with a credit for the transfer of the flagpoles to the HOA? Since the 2009 Miller Dodson report titled “Replacement Reserve Report FY 2010″ is over 75 pages long and seems to omit the ownership of the flagpoles by the HOA, yet has so many other assets of the HOA listed (perhaps another scrivener’s error), perhaps Oral can direct the readers to the page number in the Miller Dodson report or deed of conveyance documents that show the HOA does in fact own the flagpoles. Or perhaps Oral knows in which year Baymark Construction filed IRS form 8824, “Like-Kind Exchanges (and section 1043 conflict-of-interest sales), so that the HOA can set aside funds for the orderly replacement of the flagpoles in the future, which he claims the HOA owns. (4/18)

RESPONSE (14) to “Dora Out the Door” — The only thing that ”hounded” former mayor Dora Sullivan “out of office” was her own incessant two-faced duplicity which seemed to go hand in hand with that of assistant town manager Bob Panek. Birds of the same feather. (4/17)

SHOWING THE FLAG (4) — We have never responded to the posts on the Wave because in the past the misleading attacks have been directed at the management of Bay Creek. In this case we feel an obligation to respond since it appears to be the intent of the writer to disparage the good name of one of our homeowners. There are four active flagpoles in Bay Creek. Three of these are owned by the Homeowners Association and maintained by the Association.   The fourth is on property owned by the Golf Course and is maintained by the owner.  The American flag is flown from these lighted poles 24/7. The Golf flag pole lights are temporarily under repair, so the flag is removed daily by golf staff until repairs are completed.  [Normally] they are lowered infrequently for repair or replacement, extreme weather conditions, or to respect State and National flag display protocol such as lowering to half-mast.  When this becomes necessary it is done by either community volunteers or labor provided at an hourly rate.  If the anonymous writer of this post would like to come out of the shadows we would be pleased to discuss any issues in an effort to avoid inaccurate statements being posted in the public domain.  (Signed) ORAL LAMBERT, Bay Creek Management (4/15)
Mr. Lambert — The Wave does not of course take responsibility for the accuracy of the anonymous posting you refer to (although we did believe the writer was in a position to know what he was talking about), but we do take responsibility for what you characterize as “misleading attacks in the past directed at the management of Bay Creek.” The most recent news story [CLICK] about Bay Creek and its founder Dickie Foster was published March 16, and was roundly condemned by Ron Wrucke, a Voting Member of the Bay Creek Property Owners Association. In response, we repeatedly asked Mr. Wrucke to state what was incorrect in our story. He would not (or could not) do so in the three comments he made to the story. Your own condemnation of the Wave for publishing “misleading attacks” echoes Mr. Wrucke.  The news story about Foster is the second most widely read in recent months — over 2,600 readers so far. If you really are aware of false statements in the story, you would do Mr. Foster a service by pointing them out in a letter or even a comment, which we would be pleased to publish. The importance of that would seem far greater than correcting an anonymous statement about who owns the four flagpoles. –EDITOR

RESPONSE (13) to “Dora Out the Door” — I read the Wave Gossip article entitled “Dora Out the Door” (2/17) with disgust. The Wave was instrumental in hounding her out of office. Take your victory and leave the poor woman and her family alone. It is one thing to have differing political opinions, another to be just plain mean on a personal level. SMDH. (4/15)

FOSTER LOTS PURCHASED BY TOWN — Seems that few people remember why Foster purchased the lots on Randolph Avenue at the same time that he acquired the Brown & Root properties. He and the Town had agreed to build a traffic circle at the intersection of Randolph and Fig, and Foster wanted control over the properties adjacent. (4/13)

SHOWING THE FLAG (3) –Very few people know the facts behind the flags and flagpoles in Bay Creek. Built by Baymark Construction Corporation, which was the original Declarant before Bay Creek LLC and now Bay Creek South, LLC (Keyser-Sinclair), these flagpoles are understood to still be the property of Baymark Construction (Dickie Foster) and are not part of the Bay Creek Property Owners Association. Foster did however charge the POA for the flags, even those advertising and marketing his Bay Creek properties for sale, and charged the POA every time for hoisting or lowering the flags that the POA had to buy. Perhaps Joan Natali could provide the most current explanation of this sweetheart deal. (4/13)

SHOWING THE FLAG (2) — Why would the writer [below] think that Dickie would get off the dollar for new flags, considering that he skipped out on his condo dues? (4/12)

STARBUCKS OUT, MOONRISE JEWELRY IN — It was a good April Fool’s joke! A Starbucks “Coming Soon” banner was posted on the Wilson’s Building storefront on Mason Avenue April 1st. Everybody thought Cape Charles was getting a new good tasting Mocha coffee with lots of sugar. But it’s really Moonrise Jewelry that is moving to the old Wilson building — NOT Starbucks. I do wish Starbucks coffee would have come in because I love their coffee. I can taste it now! (4/2)

SHOWING THE FLAG (1) — What’s up with the flags at Bay Creek — tattered and torn but yet still displayed? Come on, pay attention to our country’s honor! Buy some new flags — you’ve got the funds. (4/2)

DRONES OVER THE EASTERN SHORE —  Drones are pretty interesting devices and they are making a lot of headlines lately. There’s the growing debate on FAA rules and regulations, the appearance of these machines over beaches, near hospitals, apartment buildings, the near collisions with commercial aircraft, and their outstanding military usage. My understanding is that there are some firms interested in using the Shore as a training site for drones. We need all the industry we can get, but having a “drone school” on the Shore could be problematic. Drones can be equipped with highly sophisticated cameras and other devices that can be a great intrusion on the privacy of the people living on the Shore. Sure, they could be of great benefit to the farmers monitoring their fields, but remember that these drones are controlled by human operators. Who is going to “oversee” (no pun intended) what these human operators can and can’t do with them once they’re up in the air? Here’s an interesting article on drones from Business Insider magazine. http://www.businessinsider.com/privacy-issues-with-commercial-drones-2014-9 (4/2)

GREAT IMPACT — I’d like to say how great our town’s own gym, Impact Fitness, is. Jill gives great classes and even when she is sick, she still comes in and her daughter Michaela takes over. We are so lucky to have them here in Cape Charles. (4/2)

SPOILED BEACH — Does anyone know what the final look of the beach will be after the replenishment? Right now it looks pretty bad. The Cape Charles beach was known for its crescent shaped coves and hundreds of yards of warm pools to wade and walk through. With life jackets, kids were safe and free to run and wade in the warm, calm, knee and waist deep water. The sand was clean, white, and soft. Now it is littered with trash, garbage bags, and more glass. It is very disappointing to see the beach ruined. Will it be fixed and cleaned? (4/1)

TIME FOR LEADERSHIP – With new Town Manager Brent Manuel starting work April 6, I hope that our elected officials will allow him to do his job and be responsive to the citizens’ needs. What I am saying is: it’s time for some real leadership. (4/1)

MARCH 2015

LIBRARY IS NOT A COMMUNITY CENTER – Because the Town gave away the Municipal Community Center, Councilman Chris Bannon is now trying to justify it by saying that the library is a community center. The library does NOT have a stage nor does it have any seating area for any events. The library has bookshelves along every walking area and outer wall. The library has NO area for a basketball court. Keep fighting for a basketball court! There is plenty of room for a court next to the skateboard park. In fact the skateboard facility can be moved to the right. (3/29)

TOO BAD — Too bad about “Dickie.” He created a wonderful community beside the bay — two championship golf courses and a nice, quiet, peaceful venue. But he traded in his wonderful creation and reputation . . . for greed. (3/29)

WHERE ARE THE POLICE? The police should patrol Heritage Acres at night. The residents are hearing loud noises outside and people walking around in the middle of the night. My two bags of oranges (from my son in Florida) that were dropped off at my door were taken. (3/28)

TOWN SHOULD STOP SPENDING – Why is a contractor getting $24,000 for a painting job? Everything does NOT need to be contracted out. The town has employees who can paint. This is definitely wrong when the town has their own maintenance crew. Anybody can paint. Pick up the paint brush. The Town Council should definitely not hire a paint contractor. Instead, take this opportunity to cut down expenses. (3/28)

SMALL COUNTY — I just heard that the head of the Northampton County Planning Commission [L. Dixon Leatherbury] is married to the Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney [Beverly Leatherbury]. What happens if a taxpayer has an issue with what is ruled on by the Planning Commission and wants legal advice or a hearing? Does it have to be taken to a court elsewhere? Has that ever happened? In other places this might be considered a conflict of interest. Oh wait — that never happens on the shore. (3/20)

COME HERES AND BORN HERES, UNITE! — I have been hearing more and more of these two designators in the last five years than I have ever heard before. Folks, it’s time to stop this infighting and concentrate on the important things — like what’s going on in the Northampton County Planning Commission, what’s happening to the water quality in this county, how do we bring medical care to the area once the hospital moves, and who’s watching what’s happening at the Cape Charles Harbor to make sure it’s not stolen out from under us by the same group that wanted to run all the water there. As long as we are fighting with each other, these groups like the County Planning Commission prevail. Sure, we vote for and elect people that we know, grew up with, attend church with, and fish with, but that doesn’t mean that they’re looking out for us once they get elected or appointed. There’s the old saying that having character is doing the right thing when no one is watching — well, there’s another old saying about hiding in plain view when you’re doing wrong. It’s time to start looking at the recall procedures for a lot of these folks. I know that the shore hates change, but if we continue this infighting these commissions and committees will roll right over us. (3/15)

OPPOSES KIPTOPEKE RESTAURANT PLANS — Developer Bill Parr owns commercial property all over the county. Most of the properties have For Sale signs on them. He could put his take-out sandwich and beer shop on any one of them — without even having a public hearing — and nobody would complain. So why is he messing up a quiet residential neighborhood? (3/15)

RESPONSE (2) to “Stop Publishing Anonymous” — This is the only way we are finding out what’s happening in the area. Does anyone remember when the Eastern Shore News had its “Two Cents” column? It was a great way to communicate unvarnished information regarding what was happening on the shore. To the pundits of civility, I say that you make some good points but I trust the editors of the Cape Charles Wave to print what they feel is acceptable for public dissemination. The mere fact that the Wave is publishing your negative comments should be an indicator that you also have the power to express your opinions here. Do you honestly think people are going to sign their names if they are critiquing the places they work at like Bay Creek or Town Hall? I’ll take 2 of whatever you’re drinking, please. (3/5)

RESPONSE (3) to “Town Council: Steve Bennett Loses Showdown Over Parking” — There are no coincidences in the Town of Cape Charles. A few years ago Councilwoman Joan Natali printed all of the Northampton County court decisions regarding conflicts of interest on the three former councilmen in her wonderfully informative electronic newsletter. What was not printed but was later alleged was that once Bennett was laid off from Bay Creek he went to the Commonwealth’s attorney the next day (I believe in written form) asking him if he could now vote on Bay Creek issues. The question is, “if” that occurred — why? The only thing that stops this type of activity is FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE requirements. These forms should be filled out every year by Council members and key town employees who are engaged in purchasing services for the town. These are not bad men — just men who believed that what they were doing was correct. There’s nothing illegal with a personal agenda, but every elected official and town employee needs to be open about what they are doing. A conflict of interest can occur “at the mere appearance of one.” (3/4)

RESPONSE (2) to “Town Council: Steve Bennett Loses Showdown Over Parking” — It is also interesting that less than a year after Steve Bennett, Construction Manager at Bay Creek Resort and Club, received a letter from Town Manager Joe Vaccaro demanding that Bay Creek pay $21 million toward the new sewer treatment plant, Bennett was elected to Town Council and, along with fellow councilmen John Burdiss and Bruce Evans, orchestrated Vaccaro’s departure. The town has yet to see a penny of the money Vaccaro was seeking from Bay Creek. But now it’s 2015, and new Bay Creek owner Keyser-Sinclair now has the legal obligations contained in the Annexation Agreement. The town should endeavor (by court action if necessary) to collect the monies owed them on behalf of ALL Cape Charles taxpayers — Creekers and Townies ALIKE, Creekers and Townies UNITE! Keyser-Sinclair pay your bill! Is it really safe to presume that no current council members or town staff are on Keyser-Sinclair’s payroll? [CLICK to read Vaccaro’s letter to Bennett and related news story.] (3/3)

RESPONSE (1) to “Stop Publishing Anonymous” — NO! The Anonymous page does NOT need to be stopped. Freedom of speech gives the citizens the right to speak out and criticize what is wrong and to speak out positively about what is right. There is NO hurt caused the by the Anonymous column. I agree that Cape Charles is a wonderful place with kind and caring people, but those kind and caring people also stand up and speak out as to what is wrong and how to correct problems. (3/3)

FEBRUARY 2015

RESPONSE (1) to “Town Council: Steve Bennett Loses Showdown Over Parking” — It is interesting that Steve Bennett is against buying a lot on Front Street for $70,000 to access parking. Granted that is a ridiculous price that could have been much less or nothing if the town had asked for proffers from developer Patrick Hand — as Frank Wendell pointed out. But again it appears that town staff was looking out for the developer and not for the town. Wasn’t Steve Bennett the one who thought it was OK to spend $100,000 to purchase seven empty lots from Dickie Foster? Wasn’t Steve Bennett the one who had no problem buying the bank building on Front Street for $200,000, spending money that had been borrowed to pay for new well hook-ups? Wasn’t Steve Bennett the one who favored selling our historic old school in the park for $10 in the face of intense citizen opposition? And now Steve Bennett is concerned that the hapless taxpayers of Cape Charles will have to pay for another Panek-inspired boondoggle. Of course the town should have purchased the lots for parking and should not be renting property from the railroad. It is insane for a town to rent property and pay property tax for or to the owner. But we do need parking. The mismanagement continues. (2/26)

STOP PUBLISHING ANONYMOUS —  I wish I had words that could heal all the hurt that has been caused by your Anonymous column.  Cape Charles is a wonderful place filled with kind and caring people.  If the Wave would like to be a respected source of information, this really needs to stop. [Signed,] Nancy Daniel Vest (2/26)

RESPONSE (7) to “End of Innocence” — To the author of Response (6): I never said that the Town of Cape Charles would not exist without Bay Creek; the fact is Detroit still exists! The Town of Cape Charles now needs the money coming in from the “Creekers.” Could the town now even support one restaurant without Bay Creek? What is sad is all the bitching that goes on about the Creekers from the “Townies.” I bet the Townies outnumber the Creekers when it comes to eligible voters in the town elections! (Maybe the Wave could get those numbers.) So who is really to blame for all of the so called “problems” in the town if the town folk outnumber the Creekers? A lot of the homes in Bay Creek are second homes or investment properties, which means the owners cannot vote in local elections — but they have to pay taxes! The town sounds so divided when you read this trash on the Wave. What’s next — T-shirts that have either “Creeker” Or “Townie” on them? Maybe we should also have shirts that tell how much we pay in local taxes. It sounds like some in this town would like to have labels for everyone! Can’t we all just get along and enjoy this wonderful town? (2/26)

RESPONSE (6) to “End of Innocence” — To the author of Response (5): Cape Charles, incorporated in 1886, existed and no doubt would and could continue to exist just fine with or without Bay Creek. We just wish your developers (Keyser/Sinclair) would pay their fair share for the sewage treatment plant. Most Creekers think they discovered Cape Charles, and take credit for what is positive about our small town — which is a lot like a rooster crowing at the break of dawn and taking credit for the sun coming up. Contrary to popular belief, Dickie Foster and Chris Bannon did not discover Cape Charles, and Christopher Columbus did not discover America. There were already plenty of happy natives in both places who knew right where they were. (2/25)

THREE WORDS FOR BAY CREEK — Rock, Salt, and Sand. The roadway and sidewalks are dangerous. (2/25)

RESPONSE to “Bay Creek Price and Privilege” — That article in the GOSSIP section was very informative. I had no idea that these “land barons” were pulling such a scam. Three cheers for the Bay Creek residents who are not sitting still on this issue. It seems like most of this Bay Creek leadership came to the shore with the intention of misleading and misguiding people out of their money. Case in point: the new gym at Bay Creek was originally supposed to be a “free “gym near the tennis courts for the residents. My how things have changed with King Dickie and crew. (2/25)

RESPONSE (12) to “Dora Out the Door” — To the author of Response (8): The third label you were searching for regarding those who “Don’t live here all the time” may well be that of ILLEGAL VOTER in Cape Charles elections. Virginia Code 24.2-101 states: “Qualified voter” means a person who is a resident of . . . the precinct in which he offers to vote. “Residence” or “resident,” for all purposes of qualification to register and vote, means and requires both domicile and abode. To establish domicile, a person must live in a particular locality with the intent to remain. A place of abode is the physical place where a person dwells. Domicile is a term of legal art that can generally be proven by showing that one intends to remain by changing mail delivery, drivers licenses, car registrations, and tax filing addresses to the new home.” So have all our part-time friends who “Don’t live here all the time” who vote in town elections complied with the before-mentioned requirements for legal domicile? Have you registered your cars as personal property here in Cape Charles? On that point, town voters should also register and pay taxes in Cape Charles on their boats as well (Yacht Club) in order to again comply with the domicile definition of  state code. The Cape Charles treasurer and the Northampton County registrar and treasurer’s offices should cross reference voter registration lists with the personal property tax roll to insure both the legitimacy of local elections and that our town and county collect legitimate taxes owed our community as well. (2/24)

RESPONSE (5) to “End of Innocence” — To the author of Response (3) — “Hey Creekers”:  I would like to ask, where would Cape Charles be if Bay Creek hadn’t happened? I remember a small town on the Eastern shore that had no commerce and a good majority of the homes were boarded up before Bay Creek was built. Also, you sound like a middle school kid with your post. If you’re so jealous of Bay Creek why don’t you just buy a home there and enjoy what it has to offer? This childish name calling does nothing but hurt this great little town. I would like to have people want to move here to keep our property values up. If a potential home buyer or vacationer searches the Internet for “Cape Charles,” and the Cape Charles Wave comes up, it has got to make that person wonder what the hell is wrong with this town. Maybe “Hey Creekers” would like to go back to the good ol’ days of boarded up homes, no businesses, and no jobs! [Signed] CHIP MOORE (2/24)

RESPONSE (11) to “Dora Out the Door” — To the author of Response (8): You hit the nail right on the head with your post. You have got to love the big tough people that hide behind their keyboards as long as they are “anonymous.” [Signed] CHIP MOORE (2/24)
(EDITOR’S NOTE: By popular demand, we have begun including writers’ names in ANONYMOUS when they so request. Don’t worry — names are only printed on request!)

RESPONSE (10) to “Dora Out the Door” — The racially charged anonymous rants in Response (5) and (6) are belittling to a wonderful town and the citizens who live there. Why you should waste your time capitalizing ethnic groups in the Anonymous section of a local paper to make some point (do you have one?) is beyond me and my generation. I assume you’re older because of your racism and your obsession with money. (2/24)

DON’T BUY PUPPIES — I understand that the Wave Classified section is generally an open forum for the community for buying and selling, but please don’t advertise puppies for sale when we have animal control facilities on both sides of the bay that have to euthanize healthy, wonderful, and loving pets. Please encourage adoption of homeless animals by not permitting breeder ads. (2/24)

RESPONSE (9) to “Dora Out the Door” — About the time that former mayor Dora Sullivan was coming through the front door to the mayor’s office in 2008, Cape Charles had a real Town Manager named Joe Vaccaro who fought local corruption in the form of confronting Town Council members who had “conflicts of interest” with developers. Vaccaro (a former Marine) was soon at odds with the following councilmen and their voting records that benefited their friends in high places with deep pockets: John Burdiss had ties with Southport, owned by the Baldwins; Steve Bennett (now returned to Council) was project manager for Bay Creek, owned by Dickie Foster; and Bruce Evans had ties to Landmark Holdings, owned by Nimrod Tavi. Burdiss, Bennett, and Evans ultimately forced Vaccaro to resign from the Town Manager’s office in early 2009, citing that they had an “ineffective relationship” with Vaccaro, and the “special interest” floodgates have been wide open drowning the town in a sea of “back door” developer money and favors ever since. (2/22)

CAPE CHARLES ICE CAPADES — Does anyone see the irony, not to mention danger, in the fact that VDOT wants to widen the Old Cape Charles Road, take property away from the Bay Creek owners who live parallel to it, but have yet to clean the snow and ice from it? This ridiculous approach of not cleaning these roadways and waiting for the sun or rain to clear them speaks volumes. And people wonder why no one wants to live here on a full-time basis? Bay Creek isn’t much better; it looks like they are getting ready for the Ice Capades on the roadways and sidewalks. Safety has never been an issue on the shore. I guess that’s also part of the culture here. (2/22)

RESPONSE (8) to “Dora Out the Door” — ANONYMOUS has finally gone over the top, and I suggest it’s time to change the column to “Letters to the Editor” — with a signature attached. Too, too easy to be vicious while being too cowardly to sign your rant. [Signed] MARITA PATTERSON — damned thrice: Bay Creeker, Come Here, and Don’t Live Here All of the Time (I forget the label for that status). (2/21)
EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Along with essentially all other newspapers, the Wave allows anonymous criticism of public figures — in our case, local public figures. We have received the occasional anonymous submission directed against, for example, a neighbor’s messy yard, which we do not publish. And even the anonymous rants against public figures are moderated to maintain decency — something lacking in the online, unmoderated comments in major newspapers including the Washington Post.

RESPONSE (7) to “Dora Out the Door” —  Why all the interest in what this Sullivan family does? As I recall, she was voted into office a few times so if there was an issue why didn’t it surface then? The fact of the matter is, the most important person in this local government is the Town Manager, not the Mayor. The Town Manager sets the tone for the entire town hall operation. He or she must also act as the guardian for taxpayers’ monies, maintain the ethical oversight of everyone involved with town business including the Town Council, and not fall victim to the outside pressure or influences of people with money or clout. Over the last several years this town has been governed by special interest groups, and we haven’t had anyone in a leadership position with the fortitude to tell them “no.” It would be interesting if someone put together a matrix of all the Town Council members over the last 10 years and matched who they worked for, who they were associated with, who their family members are, and who the family members worked for and how they voted. That’s the real answer on what went wrong in this little town. Stop speculating, and connect the dots. There are people here after our harbor, pier, historical structures. and beach. (2/21)

RESPONSE (6) to “Dora Out the Door” — This is the Grexit (Greek exit) we are not worried about. If Panek follows suit, there may some hope for Cape Charles’ recovery. Those deals were downright sleazy. The way Cape Charles’ citizens were treated was abusive. Goodbye is too kind; the right words are unpublishable. (2/21)

RESPONSE (5) to “Dora Out the Door” — There is no denying that GOING GREEK has proven expensive and all too common here in Cape Charles. When Dora the Greek became Mayor in 2008 the town was approximately $2 million in debt. When she left office after two terms eight years later in 2014, the town was over $10 million in debt with record spending, hiring, water bill increases, tax increases, as well as several Back Door Sweetheart deals with a variety of developers. That’s $8 million of increased debt, or $1 million a year for each year in the office, which is a huge pain in the butt for the town’s taxpayers. She was once quoted as saying to someone who complained about the high utility bills and the hardship they created,” If you don’t like the water bills, then move.” There is no word yet on whether there will be a European Union-style bailout for the town’s Greek-style financial problems by all of Northampton County’s taxpayers . However, Cape Charles and Northampton County are collaborating on a POLISH-style PSA sewer pipe project that the former mayor was in favor of and both County Supervisors and Town Council members tout as the answer to their mutual economic woes. One sticking point in the negotiations on this bright idea is said to be a disagreement between the two parties on how many Cape Charles Council members it will take to change a light bulb in the $2.8 million project’s sewer pumping stations. (2/20)

RESPONSE (4) to “End of Innocence” — Is there ever a remote possibility that someone can post factual information on Bay Creek without having the green eyed jealous people in the town negatively responding? Cape Charles is one location not divided by fences and gates but ignorance and common courtesy for each other. (2/20)

RESPONSE (4) to “Dora Out the Door” — Does this mean Dora out the front door, or the back door? Or neither, because there is something else to sell? (2/20)

RESPONSE (3) to “Dora Out the Door” — Guess what? Dora’s not leaving, idiots. (2/19)

RESPONSE (3) to “End of Innocence” – Hey Creekers, has the high crime rate in your gated community got you stuck in Dickie Foster’s sand trap? Have you recently got the feeling you’ve been gated in with the riff-raff instead of having gated out the riff-raff? No security leading to insecurity? Vandalism and unreported assaults taking away the” Innocence” of the McMansion/Condo on the Golf Course experience and put you in the rough? Broken promises by the developer sounding like a broken record? Feel like you’ve been mugged every time you pay those Beach Club dues? Well don’t despair, there’s plenty of room for you right here in the Historic District of Cape Charles! Living next to some authentic local yokels in a Victorian era fixer upper while earning historic tax credits and enjoying the extra water pressure at no extra charge — now that’s Cape Charles living at its best. Our “Beach Club” is a real beach — and its FREE! If your golf cart breaks down, no problem — you can walk back to your house or walk to Kelly’s bar. Heck, you can even walk to church on Sunday and not have to pass by a gate house. The only concern about gates in our part of town is getting a pass to pass through those Pearly Gates after completing the back nine of life. So while Cape Charles’s finest perform their security checks you can enjoy your Social Security check with a new peace of mind by “moving on up to the north side of town” where the quality of life is up and the crime rate is down. (2/19)

RESPONSE (2) to “Dora Out the Door” — The former mayor, her husband, parents, children, best friend, dog, cat, high school sweetheart may be moving! And we care why? (2/19)

RESPONSE (1) to “Dora Out the Door” — Goodbye Dora. After destroying the park by being the driving force in the giveaway of our historic school you are moving. I guess you will go across the bay to live and leave us to face the consequences of your decision. Again, GOODBYE! (2/19)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE — God bless all our town employees, police officers, and our mail deliverers! You are the best and we appreciate all that you do. Stay safe. Each of you is a blessing to our community! (2/18)

RESPONSE (2) to “End of Innocence” —  I hear what you are saying and unfortunately Bay Creek has gone through similar instances. A lot goes unreported here like an assault that occurred a few summers ago, vandalism to some neighborhoods, and a theft that you can find on Facebook that happened a few years ago. The Cape Charles Police do a good job but they stop their shifts sometime around 2 a.m. (manpower issues). Besides that, Bay Creek is a private community. A few years ago Bay Creek hired the County Sheriff to patrol the area only after some thefts took place a work sites. Prior to that they actually had a Bay Creek roving patrol. Now Bay Creek has a “gate house,” not “security.” They in fact did away with the latter title yet they still advertise this area as a “gated community,” implying there’s actually security here. What a joke. (2/18)

RESPONSE (1) to “End of Innocence”  — Don Henley and Bruce Hornsby sure penned a beautiful song  when they wrote “The End Of The Innocence,” but I think Henley’s concern was and is more for our collective possessions such as clean water, air, and protection of public and historic properties, etc., — such as his Walden Woods Project (http://www.walden.org). Here in Cape Charles, while “trusting townies” can and do fall victim to “people with bad intentions,” our End of the Innocence was symbolized by the corruption of our local government in 2012 with the “theft” of the Historic Cape Charles School in our park with plenty of “Lyin’ Eyes” on both sides of the tracks looking the other way. The senseless “sale” and destruction of the 100-year old auditorium that was converted into a “gymtorium” while Jean Collins was principal at Cape Charles High School in the mid-’50s has thus robbed the future youth and all citizens of a unique “Piece of Eden.” The lies and back room manipulation by our mayor, council, and town managers should not be forgotten least we risk repeating some very costly unlearned local history. When then-mayor Dora Sullivan wrote a letter as a scare tactic claiming the cost to repair a simple brick wall was $228,000 when in fact it was repaired for $1,000 (as recently reported by the Wave), people with common sense can begin to see the magnitude of the fraud.
Armchair warriors often fail
And we’ve been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers clean up all details
Since daddy had to lie
And lie they did, so when the town decided to pay its lawyers to push through and cover up the Echelon Resources scandal instead of telling the truth about a multitude of factors concerning the property, or illegally withholding funds to preserve our historic asset (Building Maintenance Code) or not even telling the truth as to which direction the front door of the school faces (“Don’t Answer That”), no lie was too outrageous for the Machiavellian followers of J. David McCormick, Bob Panek, and their friends at Town Hall and about town. Cape Charles is still a great town in spite of this sad chapter, but forever scarred.
Who knows how long this will last
Now we’ve come so far, so fast
But, somewhere back there in the dust
That same small town in each of us
Whether you are bemoaning the personal loss by theft of a golf cart, TV, or the expense of a security system — or trying woefully to rationalize the illegal sale and rezoning of a piece of our small town’s significant and historic public property amid big city style corruption,
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence. (2/17)

END OF INNOCENCE — Recent events in our quaint little Eastern Shore town of Cape Charles put me in mind of Don Henley’s hit song, “This is the End of the Innocence.” Cape Charles is the place where summer means produce stands that operate on the honor system. The only crime here was kids snagging bikes out of driveways or off porches, only to be abandoned later where someone could find them. Oh my, how the world has changed. It began last year with the theft of a neighbor’s golf cart. At first I thought that perhaps some out-of-towners seized on an opportunity after noticing how trusting we townies are. I am so accustomed to neighbors looking out for each other on my street, I absolutely did not want to believe someone residing in Cape Charles could do such a thing. Then the unthinkable happened: An honest to God burglary in Cape Charles. A small cottage near the beach was broken into and their television was stolen. I know that people with bad intentions can reside anywhere, but it just changed things. We are considering disabling our golf cart when we leave town. We are thinking of getting a security system. It truly is the end of the innocence. (2/13)

RESPONSE (2) to “Wayne Creed Takes on the Historic Review Board”  — Don’t worry about  Cape Charles and the Historic District Review Board with regard to developers getting a break. The current Review Board chairman would not uphold HDRB guidelines on the Old School project because they might interfere with the developer’s business plan. (See past meeting minutes). Cape Charles is wide open to developers, since the Town Council is controlled by the Creekers. (2/11)

MORE BAY CREEK BLUES — I’m so glad the Bay Creek crew clear-cut around the ponds in the winter, leaving the wildlife exposed to the elements to fend for themselves with these bitter cold winds. Isn’t it against the law to hack down marshlands and cat tails? I watch the poor blue herons standing out there, where they hunt on a daily basis, with no protection. Thank you Bay Creek for once again making your own rules. (2/10)

RESPONSE (1) to “Wayne Creed Takes on the Historic Review Board”  — As someone who has been waiting on the sidelines and considering an investment in Cape Charles, the type of thinking in “Wayne Creed Takes on the Historic Review Board” is very scary. Cape Charles will require an invesment-friendly culture to survive and thrive, and the Historic Review Board acted appropriately in this situation. Someone spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a street which needs investment — and deviating slightly from plan — is not only a non-issue but rather an incentive for investors who are already fearful of an insular town not willing to negotiate. Most investors have set budgets for a project, and a slight overrun caused by external factors can wreak havoc and scare off the risk-taking culture needed to restore this town to its glory. (2/9)

AQUA RESTAURANT MAKEOVER – I wish everyone good luck at the Aqua Restaurant. It’s a nice place but failed years ago. Why did it fail? When Dickie Foster and his merrymakers first opened the Cabana Club and Aqua, they really didn’t want the local clientele in there. They wanted to cater to the Virginia Beach, the Maryland, and Florida boating crowd and the visiting golfers. That’s not something the local people have forgotten. Does anyone remember when they were building the marina and there was a promise to set some docks aside for the local watermen? Whatever happened to that promise? This “elitist attitude “has never gone over well in this area and never will. (2/8)

RESPONSE (3) to “Old School Vacation Rentals” — So much for even pretending to develop decent housing for the people of the Shore. The so-called apartments may in the end rent by the day or by the hour, and the town leadership responsible for the “sale” will disappear into irrelevance after shepherding through a cheap hotel in the center of town. Please continue to experience a little revulsion (but get over the desire to hang anyone in effigy) as you remember the cronyism and manipulation around the “sale” of the high school. (2/5)

JANUARY 2015

RESPONSE (2) to “Old School Vacation Rentals” — Old school vacation rentals? What happened to the plan to actually have suitable apartments for the full-time residents who try to make a decent living for themselves and families in Cape Charles?I’ve never seen such pretentious people who have set the rental market rates so high that you would think you’re living in NYC. This is Cape Charles, people! This is why young families can’t raise their children here in this peaceful, beautiful, safe town. If there was decent housing, young adults would want to raise their families here. Stupid idea! Why not use the auditorium for a decent clubhouse for the tenants? Maybe a mixed-use area with a gym, conference room, and club house to rent for parties. (1/31)

RESPONSE to “Addams Family House” — What a great story about a wonderful old home. It’s nice to see something positive happening with the structure. This house had long been owned by a now-former Cape Charles councilman who let it sit there in ruins. As I recall there was a great deal of controversy over the condition of this house, especially since he sat on the Planning Commission. He was well aware of the fines that were being levied on other citizens for not following building codes and having an unsafe building. Three cheers for the town for moving this issue forward and getting it fixed. (1/30)

THE CAPE CHARLES CONTINUUM — Several years ago a former town manager for Cape Charles initiated a personnel and wage study for the town. He was gathering the same information at less than one third the cost the town is paying for a similar study now. What happened to that study? I suspect that it was canned as soon as he departed; after all, the results might have forced the “get along” gang to make a decision. Cape Charles has some pretty intelligent citizens residing here.  We have retired business people, lawyers, doctors, teachers, police officers, engineers, etc. Why doesn’t the town form a volunteer committee of citizens to address the personnel and wage issues? What better people to investigate, correlate, determine, and make a recommendation on the money/taxes that the town is spending than the citizens themselves ? $10,000 on a wage study and $99,000 for cutting grass? Ridiculous. (1/28)

RESPONSE (1) to “Old School Vacation Rentals” (See GOSSIP) — What next, are we going to have tour buses parked in our quiet neighborhoods? It seems they are hell-bent on building parking lots in residential areas and destroying our historic neighborhoods. Since the Old School developer was allowed to put a parking lot in front of the building (which is against the historic guidelines), others have done it as well (example: Heyward Hall at Tazewell and Strawberry St). So I guess it is OK now to build a parking lot in your front yard to park your car or boat. (1/27)

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING (3) — Not only is the town paying $33,000 a year to the lawn contractor to cut grass, the contract is for 3 years. That is a total of $99,000. That is a lot of money that the town could have saved by having one of their employees cut the town’s grass. Does the town realize that the population in town (which is less than 900 people) are largely senior citizens and that many are on fixed income? When will the town stop foolishly spending our taxpayers’ money? LOWER OUR TAXES! STOP SPENDING! (1/27)

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING (2) — Regarding the $33,000 for cutting grass, I agree 100 percent with the writer [below]. Why is Cape Charles paying a contractor to cut grass? One would think that with all the controversy over the number of employees they have for a 900-resident town they would have addressed this issue. We need a fully manned police department, a fully manned water department, a finance officer and an assistant who also collects bills, a town manager, a  town clerk and MAYBE a part-time assistant clerk for town minutes, a harbor master (ours does an outstanding job) and assistant, with some part-time people during the summer, a public works department that rakes the beach, cuts town grass, picks up garbage (which right now is farmed out too), reads water meters, and occasionally repairs pipes. The rest of the staff is non-essential. My recommendation is to trim the staff and pay a better salary to the people you keep. If Cape Charles taxpayers are paying 22 percent of the total Northampton County taxes, isn’t it time we stopped duplicating their services and forced them to do their job here? (1/26)

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING (1) — Why did the Town Council contract out cutting the town’s grass? The town has over 32 employees, and certainly there is one person who could cut the town’s grass to save money. The town could have saved $33,000. That would have paid an employee’s salary and NOT a contractor. If the acting town manager can’t figure this out, why not ask for citizens’ input on how the town’s grass could be cut to save money? (1/25)

RESPONSE (5) to “Town Water” — Maybe so — the businessman and developer, J. David McCormack, may live check to check like a lot of us. But I’m sure his working check is a lot more than my once a month fixed income check. Remember the town gave him the old school building and property, which had a tax assessment of $920,000. Because of the property value of the old school, he was able to get a very big loan to make 17 one-bedroom apartments. That loan then was able to finance the apartments and also give him administrative costs to pay himself. Plus the town also gave him $41,000 from earthquake insurance money. Again, why do I have to pay for water and he does NOT? What is wrong is wrong! To the town: Do the right thing and send him a water bill. Don’t you think citizens’ opinions are very important, and this is what makes Cape Charles a better place to live? (1/21)

GAS PRICES — With gas prices dipping to such low prices ($1.92 -$2.00 gal.) in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, I was surprised to find gas at $2.19 and up on the Eastern Shore! Can I at least get a kiss first? (1/17)

RESPONSE (4) to “Town Water” — Who is to say how wealthy J. David McCormack is?  Maybe he lives check to check like a lot of us.  Seems that if some of the people making comments on here would spend their time and energy on themselves instead of envying someone else Cape Charles would be a more inviting place to be. (1/17)

QUESTIONS ON BAY SHORE CONCRETE – Someone made a great point; what about Skanska (Bay Shore Concrete)? Northampton County often bragged about it being the number-1 business in the county but it’s Cape Charles that bears the burden of it, and what has it done for the town? How much tax does it pay the town, and has that money gone up, down, or remained the same over the last 10 years? I remember that the former owner of Impact Fitness was taxed “per machine” — is Bay Shore taxed on all of their equipment too or did they duck that tax by claiming the equipment was from another site? And how many people working there actually live in the town? I’d say it’s less than 5%, so we lose that money yet we bear the burden of the plant being here with noise, dust, and traffic. Finally, the town is pretty strict on this “dark sky” rule, yet that place is like a flare at midnight every night. No offense, but hasn’t the town learned from their mistakes at Bay Creek that you just can’t trust these people to do what’s right and financially sound for the town?  If business is getting better for them, what will they offer Cape Charles? (1/16)

RESPONSE (3) to “Town Water” –The water quality in the Town of Cape Charles is nearly comparable to that of third world countries.  Why do we put up with it?  Pathetic! (1/16)

RESPONSE (2) to “Town Water” — Lower the water bills for everybody — they are way too high! The town should have taken the $10,000 wage study and transferred the money to a water study, and then lowered our water bills. A wage study is NOT important. The town employees are already making a good salary. The town, I understand, is still not charging for water at the old school. Being as the town has not yet hired a town manager, the mayor needs to step in to make sure the developer, J. David McCormack, gets a monthly water bill. He is a wealthy man and I am on a fixed income. Why do I have to pay for water and he does not? I am sick and tired of this kind of treatment. (1/16)

LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD — Several years ago I spoke to some town officials regarding the Little League field. Apparently the field became an issue after the town pressed Bay Creek on the water issue and the monies they owed Cape Charles (according to two of these good folks). I wish they would come forward now and make that known publicly if that information is correct. After all, no elected officials have to worry about getting invited to the Bay Creek Christmas Parties any longer.  (1/11)

CAPE CHARLES BILGE (AKA “WATER”) — I just finished reading the letter the town was required to send to the public regarding this water situation. I’m stunned that the Mayor and the Public Works Department haven’t called a public meeting regarding this issue. This is s public safety issue! When did they know about it and what are the details? Is this the same water the town wants to deliver to other communities? Mayor Proto, we need answers now. My suggestion is that you get together with your Public Works Department and come up with a briefing you can present to the public. My next call is to the State EPA. (1/9)

RESPONSE TO “Town Water” — We’re paying a whole lot for something that is barely better than sewage. The winner here is Skanska (Bayshore Concrete), who is paying nothing for their high-quality ground water while polluting our environment. I count here at least two ways in which the Cape Charles tax payers are getting screwed; in fact, “screwed” appears to be a permanent state of being for the taxpayers of Cape Charles.  (1/8)

TOWN WATER — Dated December 22 and postmarked January 5, today we received a letter from the Town of Cape Charles in regard to the water we consume, bathe in, cook with and use for brushing our teeth. I can’t tell you what a comfort it is to receive a letter informing me that the Town is working hard to reduce a possible health hazard — its drinking water. Of course, the letter leaves out any information as to the levels of THM or the levels permitted by the VDEQ and the EPA. Also omitted is the length of time the levels were in violation, when it occurred, or how many times it has occurred. The letter gives an analogy of how much water over a “70 year span” one must consume before they experience side effects — however, it does not list the source of this “fact.” I could find no reference to this criteria as described on the DEQ or EPA web site. There are four contaminants that make up the THM level — chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform, yet the levels of each are also omitted. C’mon Cape Charles, quit pretending you’re meeting your obligations by sending a letter informing me it would take 70 years for me to get sick from the water. Why worry when I won’t live another 70 years, right? No more games — just give us the data because it can’t be found online. (1/7)

COUNTY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR — The Economic Development Director has been employed by the taxpayers for several years now. What businesses has he brought to the county? What jobs has he created besides his own and his staff? (1/7)

RESPONSE to “Whither Bay Creek Golf?” — The county Economic Development Director gets $2000 a week to market the county.  Advertising golf packages is part of his job.  How much help is he giving to the new Yacht Center?  Any? (1/6)

WHITHER BAY CREEK GOLF? — The Economist magazine (CLICK) says: “Only a few years ago some golf gurus forecast that the sport would grow even more, as baby boomers retired and flocked to the fairways. They were wrong. Last year, about 25 million Americans played golf, 18% fewer than did so in 2006. . . . Although still played by men and women, including business people hoping to bond over more than lunch, golf does not hold the same appeal for the young and minorities, groups who will determine its future health. In recent years more citizens have abandoned than taken up the game.” So, what is the forecast in Bay Creek? To forestall or even turn around any downward trends, perhaps a trio of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce, Town of Cape Charles, and Bay Creek might form a branding strike force to offer total package excursions/events to a golfing family. Cape Chuck can’t afford to have two world class golf courses plowed into soybean fields. (1/4)

DECEMBER 2014

PRAYER FOR 2015 — Dear God, please bless Northampton County (and her defenders) in 2015. While we may be the geographic tail of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, we surely wag the entirety. (12/31)

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION — To pay more attention to the town’s increasingly bad spending habits, so the citizens have more money to keep for themselves — especially senior citizens that are on fixed income. (12/31)

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION (2) — Eat this, NOT that! Hope to lose some weight! (12/31)

RESPONSE TO “Response to Bay Creek Autobahn” — Sarcasm is usually a way out of dealing with a fact, so I think the “middle-aged woman” (who’s most likely one of the area’s usual male pundits) should consider this: what if you, your kids, or grand kids were on this roadway biking or running? It wouldn’t be so funny then, would it? (12/31)

RESPONSE TO “Bay Creek Autobahn” — Bay Creek — the Monte Carlo of the South: One of the great fun things in Bay Creek this winter is to floor your accelerator through the winding roads. There is barely anyone around, no deer (thank you, nice hunters, for removing these bouncy obstacles), and no police. This winter in Bay Creek, 24 is a state of mind for this middle-aged woman. (12/22)

BAY CREEK AUTOBAHN —  I was hoping that once the summer ended the traffic would slow down here on the Bay Creek Autobahn. Unfortunately, I think it has gotten worse. We deal with golf carts on the roadway, bikes, dog walkers in the median, joggers, the occasional skateboarder, and walkers. Except for some of the work golf carts, most of these people are attentive and clearly visible; however, the real problem is the excessive speeding — most of it from the Bay Creek employees who believe they have diplomatic immunity from the 24 mph speed limit and stop signs. Maybe it’s time for speed bumps before someone gets injured or killed? (12/20)

TIME TO END THE PANEK ERA — Can anyone explain why [acting Town Manager Bob Panek] is still in office? I don’t get why he is still presiding over anything. The new Mayor is on to him, and so are we. (12/18)

COUNTY BOARD NOT RESPONSIVE — After last week’s Northampton County Board of Supervisors meeting, attended by over 150 very concerned, verbally concise and expressive taxpaying citizens, it’s very clear that the Board, with one exception, Mr. Granville Hogg, does not represent the majority of the citizens. It’s also very clear that they are motivated by and represent a few developers, special interest engineering, real estate, and construction groups. These people, including County Administrator Katie Nunez and (strangely absent) Director of Economic Development Charles McSwain, are incompetent, wasteful, and unresponsive. They need to be replaced — now. The longer they rule over the decision-making process and purse strings of this county, the deeper into debt the county will slide. These people have no successful track record of efficiency or completed past projects, quite the opposite in fact. They sit in their seats of power because they were elected or appointed to their positions. It’s time to reverse that process so that progress in Northampton can be made in this time of economic scarcity and what appears to be a national breakdown on all levels of honesty in government and flagrant violations of US Constitutional intention and mandate. (12/18)

LUCKY OLD SCHOOL DEVELOPER – Mega kudos for the well written article on the situation at the old Cape Charles School. I never knew all of that “backroom” stuff occurred. Sad to read that there are adults here still bogged down with this “come here” and “born here” nonsense. Right now we are leaderless at Northampton County and the Board of Supervisors is probably the worst it has been in years. But whose fault is that? The public voted them in and the public should now take the steps to remove them. The Town of Cape Charles? Years ago you had what was considered to be an open, transparent, and working government that sought public input. That collapsed  and you hired the “get along, go along gang.” Now you reap what you sowed; stop complaining. (12/17)

RESPONSE TO “Pave Paradise, Put Up A Parking Lot” (See GOSSIP) — The news about the pecan tree being slated for destruction on Pine Street is very disturbing. To sacrifice a stately, old, and highly productive tree for anything like parking spaces is an example of lack of insight and greed. And I question the authenticity of anyone quoting almost $800 to give an estimate about the tree. What is going on here? It sounds like people in businesses have the opportunity to really cash in big time whenever the town council requests job estimates. The pecan tree should be saved. Four parking spaces cannot justify the felling of an old, recognized-as-significant tree. Its removal will be a tremendous loss to the town. (12/15)

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COME-HERES — Come-heres appear to be a problem for the Northampton County Board of Supervisors: they have hired two come-here, untrained or certified county employees that have apparently taken over their minds and judgment. Our representatives apparently have decided these come-heres are their choice of Kool-Aid. The Supervisors still have yet to explain their decision to blindly move ahead with no knowledge or expectations as to the possible consequences of this unknown path proposed neither by the local community nor by their own trained, if not certified, officials. It’s long past time for the community to perform an “intervention” before an unresponsive governmental body drinks their Kool-Aid — whipped up by those who know little of the Eastern Shore and with someone else’s agenda! (12/12)

RESPONSE To “Where’s the Public Works Department?” — With the town employing 32 or more employees, someone in Public Works knows how to cut grass. I know kids who are mowing grass. There is NO reason why the town can’t buy proper lawn equipment to do the job themselves. The town had a wage study. The Town Manager should do a job performance study in every department! We are paying taxes for people to work in this town. Just say NO to lawn contractors! (12/8)

WHERE’S THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT? I just saw where the Town of Cape Charles is soliciting for a company to cut the grass, etc. I have to ask: why isn’t the Public Works Department cutting the grass in public areas? The amount of money the town is paying every year to cut the grass might be saved by purchasing lawn machines. Tell me again how many people the town employs with the PWD? (12/2)

NOVEMBER 2014

ARE YOU THANKFUL? — We need to take time at Thanksgiving to thank the Lord for family, friends, and good days we have. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! (11/26)

DEAR REDSKINS FANS — I know what you are thinking after the somewhat poor performance of our beloved Redskins. You may, like the Redskins haters, be focusing only on the negatives: the sacks, the interceptions, the penalties, the fumbles, the missed tackles, the missed blocks, the poor backfield play. But, after thinking about the game, I think what I saw was a turnaround for the team which will result in winning the Eastern Division and a slot in the playoffs. No, I am not suggesting that you order your Superbowl tickets yet. But let me point out the positives that give me such optimism:
— All team members showed up for the game;
— Most coaches remained on the sideline until halftime;
— There was some tackling;
— There was some blocking;
— There was some running;
— There was some passing;
— Most players returned to the sideline after halftime;
— Some players on the bench stopped texting to watch the game;
— One cheerleader remained until the end of the game;
— Only 3 fans, a season low, lighted themselves on fire screaming “I can’t watch anymore”;
— Another season low, only 15 fans burned Dan Snyder in effigy in the parking lot during tailgating;
— Some fans were in the stands at the end of the game, although they had passed out and were carried out to their cars;
— RG III said he and some members of the team will try to improve (but he did not cross his heart).
If that does not pump you up for the next game, just switch to the Giants and shut up!
Sent by Thomy (I am quite content doing very little slowly) from Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore of Saltwater Virginia, where there is nothing to do and we do it all day long. (11/17)

GROUND WATER DEPLETION — Shari Finkelstein has a story that will be airing this Sunday night (November 16) on 60 Minutes. It’s about the frightening depletion of groundwater around the world (with a particular focus on California), and a NASA satellite that ironically has provided a clearer picture from space of what’s happening with water underground. As always, it’s the Lesley Stahl segment, and probably a 2-parter. (11/15)

OCTOBER 2014

PRICE INCREASE — Has anyone noticed that our Bay Creek Communications, now known as Chesapeake Bay Communications, went up a little over a buck? A small fee but nonetheless everything in Cape Charles seems to be going up except the customer service. The nickel & dime mentality here is only funny if you have the money and patience to put up with all the nonsense. This reminds me of the town’s water increases; it just never seems to end here in what I heard one lady affectionately call CAPE CHAOS. (10/24)

WHILE WAVE WAS SLEEPING — A well-deserved hibernation slumber to you! And yet, while you were sleeping, the soccer goals disappeared from Central Park. Is there another ethnic group that the Town needs to exclude by taking away those goals? (10/22)

POLICE MONITORING — Is there a reason that two police are monitoring the far end of Bay Avenue near Jefferson every weekend between 8:30 and 10 at night? If there is a major problem at this end of town, I need to be notified by the town about what I need to look for and be alarmed about. (10/5)

SEPTEMBER 2014

RESPONSE TO “Will Panek Pledge Allegiance to PSA?” (See GOSSIP) — This PSA issue isn’t something that just happened to occur. It has been festering for years and is indirectly related to two issues: 1) Bay Creek not paying their fair share of the water bills, as per the 1991 Agreement, and 2) a prominent family who desperately wanted to take over control of the region’s water thus controlling growth and money. Panek is an intelligent fellow but the politics of Bay Creek and the money-infused persistence of these rich folks were simply too much for him to control. The town wasted a lot of time, energy, money, and good people on their pursuit of Bay Creek’s indebtedness and listening to the elongated dribble of a rich family attempting to gain more personal control of the area via water. Cape Charles is in desperate need of a strong Town Manager who will stand up to these financial bullies. My greatest fear is that these pirates will attempt to eventually take over the Town Harbor. Most of the people living here can be purchased for a ham sandwich and a beer. Thank you Cape Charles Wave for “connecting the dots” in your paper. It might not prevent these things from happening but at least slows them down such that people are reading and watching now. (9/27)

RESPONSE (6) TO “Drowning Might Have Been Prevented” – I’m with Mr. Creed on this one. This kill the messenger attitude is plain dumb. He might have an agenda, and I believe he’s entitled to one. In case you didn’t know, personal agendas are ruling Cape Charles. None of the “bright minds” running the town thought about beach safety until this drowning, so give Mr. Creed a break. And if you’re on Town Council, it’s time for you to wake up! (9/26)

RESPONSE (5) TO “Drowning Might Have Been Prevented” – The town of Cape Charles seems bent on dragging tourists into town to spend their money. The powers that be spend loads of money on everything else yet they never even thought about are the beaches actually safe? Seems like it’s time for them to put their money where their mouth is. Put up the floating ropes, hire a couple of lifeguards, and stop people from bringing glass bottles onto the beach, for a start. Yes, Mr. Creed was in the fight to save the school. So was I and all that happened was the town totally ignored what the people wanted and gave the school to a developer. This developer is so credible he doesn’t even have an office. Now the school will be “1” bedroom apartments. Yippee! The “powers that be” gave away the historic school, “sold” a historic street, destroyed the basketball court, and “claimed” there was no money to renovate the building. Within minutes they bought the bank to make a library. The library could have been in the community center, along with the police, the town offices, and still would have had plenty of room for the actual community center. Now who looks stupid? I am not afraid to leave my name either — DEBORAH BENDER (9/26)

RESPONSE (4) TO “Drowning Might Have Been Prevented” — Mr. Creed is a thoughtful and sometimes provocative citizen with a keen intellect. His agenda is the same agenda every citizen of the small town of Cape Charles should have — responsible government and accountability. The people in our community with real “duties” are first and foremost our elected and appointed officials — especially our police officers. What a moronic world the author of response (3) must live in, where the average citizens bear a larger civic duty than the officials they elect to lead. Go figure. Yes, “just laugh” — because the office of the Mayor and Town Council are an ongoing joke. The most recent example: What action has the Mayor and Town Council taken SINCE the drowning of a child to increase public safety at the beach? Instead, Mayor Proto is forming a citizens committee to review regulations concerning DOGS on the beach. You can’t make this kind of buffoonery up! A child drowns on Cape Charles beach and our elected officials’ most immediate concern is about DOGS on the beach — as well as furthering a policy of CHICKENS in everyone’s backyard instead of PUBLIC SAFETY at the BEACH! Mr. Creed is right to rant about such idiocy. Maybe our underpaid planner should plan increased safety at the beach. Maybe our underpaid event coordinator should walk down to the beach from the library and coordinate some swimming lessons. Maybe our underpaid police officers should sometimes patrol the beach and boardwalk on foot. Maybe our overpaid Mayor and Town Council should take a hard look at this issue that the provocative Mr. Creed has brought to our attention whether we like it or not. So it seems, some take offense at being accused of “having blood on your hands” — but not so much as to demonstrate that they have no brains in their head. Laugh that off. (9/26)

RESPONSE (3) TO “Drowning Might Have Been Prevented” — Mr. Creed finds yet another excuse to draw attention to his own agenda and rehash his ongoing feud with the town. I usually just laugh at his latest attempt to point fingers, but to use the death of an innocent child as the latest excuse is disgraceful. What’s worse is that Mr. Creed was apparently well aware of the dangers “many summers ago.” He had a duty to “point out the dangers” to the town and ensure they followed through with appropriate signage. Apparently Mr. Creed’s priority was to ensure “Community Center Now” signs were prominently displayed in the town, alerting visitors to a presumably far more pressing danger. Mr. Creed, you had precious little credibility prior to this thinly veiled rant. Now you have none. Before the facts of this terrible incident are known, rather than accuse us of having blood on our hands, take a long, hard look at your own. (9/25)

RESPONSE (5) TO “Mayor Proto Flip-Flops on County Sewage Issue” – Possible solution to the question of allowing chickens to be raised in town could be to allow town residents to raise them on the lots the town bought from “Trickie” Dickie Foster. The town could borrow more money to buy state of the art chicken coops with sewer hookups to the planned Route 13 sewer line extension, thereby solving the chicken waste problem and generating more sewer treatment revenue. This would be a win-win situation for Bob Panek and Cape Charles chicken huggers, and as a bonus allow Mayor Proto to proclaim in the next election, “a chicken in every pot.” (9/23)

RESPONSE (2) TO “Drowning Might Have Been Prevented” — Wayne, you are right on the money with your analysis of misplaced priorities in Cape Charles. Even before your time here, Town Council members were cheap dates, beside themselves whenever they were wined and dined by Dickie Foster. It is no surprise to any of us that they continue to sell to the lowest bidder. But they might want to heed your warning and take some safety measures at the beach. How reckless to have no signs, no markers, no lifeguards.. Another accident and word will spread about the beach on VRBO and other online communities. Then the Council’s recent laughable expenses and gimmicks will seem even more frivolous. Wayne, I am speaking for many when I say that we are in awe of your activism on behalf of town citizens and your courage. (9/23)

RESPONSE (1) TO “Drowning Might Have Been Prevented” — It would have been nice if your and others’ concerns had been expressed BEFORE the child’s death. How many times have you or others gone to a Council meeting and spoken about beach safety signs?  Zero,  I bet. Monday morning is easy. (9/23)

WHERE’S McSWAIN? — Where is Mr. McSwain spending tax payer dollars this week? Rumor has it in Canada. How much business had been brought in to Northampton County during his tenure as a result of these boondoggles? His challenge is admittedly mighty — what business would locate where the schools are in such abysmal shape? But how much money could be saved to help the schools without funding the economic development director’s position? (9/19)

RESPONSE (4) TO “Mayor Proto Flip-Flops on County Sewage Issue” — All poop jokes aside, why can’t these people, Town Council included, be content retiring in their geriatric community without running it and ruining it for the rest of us who still have a few years ahead of us here on the Shore? Don’t you people have more important things to do, like estate planning? (9/19)

RESPONSE (3) TO “Mayor Proto Flip-Flops on County Sewage Issue” — I very much enjoyed your creative comment/opinion [below]. Mine and urine match completely! (9/19)

RESPONSE (2) TO “Mayor Proto Flip-Flops on County Sewage Issue” — As if Cape Charles isn’t already full of it, it looks like the Panek sewer-pipe dream will become a manure nightmare; if the Wastewater Guru and his Fecal Minded Followers get their way it could already be a dung deal. Nobody seems to give a crap if the town loses its drugstore and other businesses because of this stinking boondoggle so long as the PSA gets to do its business. As the Wave reports, acting town manager and PSA member Bob Panek will say anything to get funding for the flatulent PSA project to increase excrement importation into Cape Charles. So ex-lax people, and take note to the sound of a symphony of toilets flushing your hard-earned tax money down the poop pipe. By the time the real reeking financial facts, figures, and feces hit the proverbial fan, all of Cape Charles will be up number-two creek without a paddle, in deep do-do constipating how they were duped into their septic situation. (9/18)

RESPONSE (1) TO “Mayor Proto Flip-Flops on County Sewage Issue” — I wonder if our politicos have a real grasp on the big picture.  The recent climate change report, http://downloads.usgcrp.gov/NCA/technicalinputreports/Burkett_Davidson_Coasts_Final_.pdf shows that the Eastern Shore of Virginia will be greatly impacted.  Why would anyone ever consider using the new sewer plant in Cape Charles to take sewage from Route 13?  Would it not be wiser to build one in Cheriton where water infiltration and the like would be greatly reduced?  Having a sewage plant directly on the coast does not seem to make sense. (9/17)

RESPONSE (6) TO “Consultant Declares Town Staff Underpaid, Overworked” – After reading the comments about the Springsted compensation plan for Cape Charles, I wonder why Exmore was left off the list of towns that are supposed to be competitors in a regional marketplace for municipal employees. Looks like Onancock and Chincoteague up in Accomack County didn’t have time for your survey. I guess Exmore’s invitation must have gotten lost in the mail. Just so you know, we have water and wastewater departments just like Cape Charles has. We also just hired two former Cape Charles police officers. How many of your policemen, or for that matter any other employees, have the other towns on your list hired away from you? Exmore has a population of 1,449 year-round residents which makes us, EXMORE, the largest town in Northampton County and ‘The treasure of Virginia’s Eastern Shore.” (9/11)

RESPONSE (5) TO “Consultant Declares Town Staff Underpaid, Overworked” – Most working men and women in Northampton County, including watermen, contractors, farmers, storekeepers, carpenters, mechanics, electricians, merchants, etc., work hard all year long and don’t make the salaries the Town of Cape Charles employees are already earning today. Plus, they don’t get the health and retirement benefits the town gives. And they sure don’t get all the holidays the town gives. Christmas came on a Wednesday last year, which they got off, plus Tuesday because it was Christmas Eve, plus Monday because why spoil a five-day break? That’s more days off than even the federal government gives. I’m glad the town can do that for its employees, but not many independent workers can afford to take it that easy. Of course, very few working men or women actually live in the Town of Cape Charles — including those who work for the town. (9/11)

RESPONSE (4) TO “Consultant Declares Town Staff Underpaid, Overworked” —  I think the Cape Charles Mayor and Town Council should do a utility and tax rate study (without spending $8,400) to compare our town to similar towns (like Onancock and Chincoteague) on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Comparing sleepy Cape Charles to the city of Franklin? Really? We should also ask Springsted (the public sector advisors who authored the study) for a refund for this hollow effort. It doesn’t take an Einstein or $8,400 to figure out that if you compare Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore to towns across the bay with higher costs of living plus larger operations near metropolitan areas you will get higher salaries. However, with studies like this we will soon be catching up with that high cost of living. With the town council placing an ever increasing financial burden on the average taxpayer in this town, it makes you wonder just who the council represents — the citizens or the municipal workers union? There has been NO discussion as to how we will pay for salary increases and more personnel that could easily total upwards of $250,000. Will we make cuts elsewhere to offset new spending? Raise TAXES? BORROW more to add to our $10 million debt? This is just the kind of irresponsible government you get when you elect people based on their goofy popularity instead of people who have real business experience and common sense. “Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” (Ronald Reagan). Thomas Jefferson is credited with saying, “The government you elect is the government you deserve.” H.L. Mencken said the same thing, but better: “People deserve the government they get, and they deserve to get it good and hard.” Well it looks like it’s time to pull out your wallet again, Cape Charles. You deserve it and you must like it also. (9/10)

RESPONSE (3) TO “Consultant Declares Town Staff Underpaid, Overworked” — If I turned in an audit report without benchmarking like entities, I’d be ashamed. Seriously! Looking at the list of salaries, I can see three positions that seem underpaid to me. First, think of who serves you on a daily, weekly or monthly basis — who actually helps you feel happy, safe, and served in our little slice of heaven? For me, it is the Harbor Master, Chief of Police, and the Librarian. I say up their salaries before all others — these are the three individuals who inform my quality of life and they should be rewarded for it. (9/9)

RESPONSE (2) TO “Consultant Declares Town Staff Underpaid, Overworked” — When I saw this headline in the Wave I thought it was the April Fool’s edition! I have never read something that made so little sense than this so called “study.” Did the town really pay this guy to come up with this information? And this is the firm that will select the next Town Manager? Here’s my question: Whose uncle or brother was this that needed the money and the town paid him to come up with these ideas? This is a great town with some wonderful people but it’s a rudderless ship for leadership. (9/8)

RESPONSE (1) TO “Consultant Declares Town Staff Underpaid, Overworked” — At first glance, I thought this was a joke. According to the 2010 census, the median income for a household in Northampton County was $28,276, and the median income for a family was $35,034. Males had a median income of $26,842 versus $21,839 for females. The per-capita income for the county was $16,591. The population of Cape Charles in 2012 was estimated at 999, which was down 11.9% from 2000. The median income in 2012 was $29,013 while the rest of Virginia enjoyed a median income of $61,741. With less than 1,000 residents in Cape Charles, this consultant felt comfortable comparing the salaries of the town staff to that of the cities of Hampton Roads? Seriously? In addition this consultant feels the town management is understaffed? How many employees are there per full-time resident? This flies in the face of reason and logic. If the management of Cape Charles is still looking at Bay Creek as a panacea, they have rose colored glasses on! There is NOTHING on the Eastern Shore of Virginia to entice business to provide jobs for residents, except municipal jobs. The cost of crossing the Bay Bridge is prohibitive to workers in Hampton Roads to commute. So, who will pay for the increased salaries and extra jobs?People are exiting, not relocating. Wake up and smell the coffee. (9/8)

RESPONSE TO “Building for a Buck” — Nope, the Town of Cape Charles gave J. David McCormack $41,000 insurance money for so-called earthquake damage to the old school in August 2011. He will use it for the water and sewer hookup costs. In the meantime, he does not have to pay for the hookup that the building already has. Everyone else has to pay for utilities whether they use them or not, but Mr. McCormack is special, it seems. The hapless people of Cape Charles paid McCormack $39,990 to take the old school. No doubt it will make some nice Section 8 housing in the not too distant future. (9/8)

RESPONSE TO “Response to ‘Why I Love Winter in Bay Creek'” — I noticed that the first thing you spoke about was “revenue” and did not address any of the issues of the first posting. You also noted that only 10% of the lots have homes. This makes me wonder if you’re not one of these property owners who are part of the problems listed. Do you even live at Bay Creek full time? If you did I think you’d see that what was initially promised (security in a “gated community,” a free work out center near the tennis courts, etc.) never evolved. It’s now about money and the property owners who don’t seem to screen the people they rent their houses to for a few weeks during the summer. Did you know that some of these wonderful “renters” were fishing at the golf course pond and later eating those fish? How would you know? Your concern is your money and not the people who live here. People shouldn’t have to spend thousands of dollars purchasing a home in Bay Creek and be invaded several times during the summer by loud and uncaring people renting the homes next to them. It’s the homeowner’s responsibility to advise them what the HOA regulations are here. I think that if the Bay Creek rental office receives enough complaints, that homeowner should be prevented from renting their house to people. As it stands now there are several out of town homeowners who rent their homes during the summer without the HOA’s approval. (9/8)

BUILDING FOR A BUCK — J. David McCormack bought the 17,000 square foot Old School in Cape Charles for 10 bucks but apparently got a better deal in Martinsville, buying a 24,000 square foot historical building for a buck! CLICK for story. (9/8)

RESPONSE TO “Why I Love Winter in Bay Creek” — Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You make out-0f-towners and their revenue feel so welcome. I’m sure that attitude has contributed to the fact that only 10 percent of the lots in Bay Creek have homes built on them. I’m surprised that people aren’t knocking down the door to build next to people like you. (9/7)

WHY I LOVE WINTER IN BAY CREEK — The tourist season at Bay Creek has finally ended. No more golf carts on walking paths with 10-year-old drivers leading the pack. No more noisy late night parties, loose dogs, broken beer bottles, and boat trailers blocking these narrow roads. No more speeding cars from out of state (mostly NJ) that make me wonder why they’re so late. No more gin and tonics flowing like tidal waves with moms and dads watching the clock like jail wardens for the Happy Hour to begin in town.  No more people traveling to the beach, the pool, the golf course, and The Coach House loaded in carts and cars oblivious to the bike riders, children, and walkers. Stand back you home owners and renters at Bay Creek; we’re here to enlighten you and your town with our money and our attitude that we can do whatever we want and whenever we want! To which I say: Thank God for winter, the locals, and southern manners. Have a safe drive back to wherever you came from, and give us another year to await your arrival. And to the people who rent these homes to these tourists: You really need to brief them a lot better on the HOA rules here. (9/4)

BAY CREEK TIGER BEETLES — Great update on the beetles! The Homeowners Association, having spent way over $2 million for the breakwaters, which ran through [Dickie] Foster’s accounts (remember he never fully paid the bank, so they had to foreclose on the marina to collect)  to save the homes on The Colony “mud flats” along with those homeowners having spent $423,500 of their own money that was contributed on top of $2 million+ was a very costly affair after Hurricane Isabel. A very expensive new “habitat'” for the tigers. Will watch for future updates on the breakwaters. The beetles are having a wonderful time on the beach. (9/3)

 

COMMENTARY: Field of Dreams, Hoops, and Hopes

By WAYNE CREED

June 21, 2013

I spend most of my days driving across the Bay, going to work in Norfolk. Once back on the Shore, in Cape Charles, I tend to do what I really do best: nothing. Sometimes, once I park the car on Friday evening, I don’t get back into it until the next Monday morning.

It sounds boring, but there are many things that fill those empty moments. One of them is taking my beloved Labrador Retriever, Chloe, on walks through the old baseball field, to the fire road that winds through the woods back there. Full of scents and action, on a good day she might even jump a rabbit or a deer.

One Saturday in May I took her back to her haunt, and was surprised to find that the old ball field had been tilled, in preparation for planting summer cotton.

Chloe was unperturbed, nose to the ground like a good gun dog. I, on the other hand, was affected by the turned-up field. Looking past the tilled ground, to the old dugouts, a feeling of emptiness and loss began to spread over me.

Back from the walk, I sat on my porch, watching my son Joey and his friends, Max and Finn, playing baseball in the grassy knoll in front of my house on Monroe Street.

It was becoming overcast, and the slow feeling of dread began to mount. I remembered how, before the high cotton was planted, we used to have the Cape Charles Little League and a ball field, but the Town got rid of it.

We had soccer goals: now gone.

Then the basketball court, part of the old Cape Charles High School: gone.

When I heard the pop of the strike as it hit Max’s catcher mitt, I was jarred again. Why had the majority of people in this town been deaf to the plight of the kids of Cape Charles, and taken sides against them in favor of out-of-town developers? Read more

SHORE THING: On AQUA, and Business in Cape Charles

By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

December 19, 2012

According to the Bay Creek website, AQUA Restaurant will close Friday night, December 21, (moved up a day from the original announcement).

According to the Trustees’ Sale notice, the following property will be offered at public auction at 11:30 a.m. Friday, December 28, at the County Courthouse: the restaurant building, the Marina Shops building, the Pierhouse building, the marina boat slips, all Villa condominiums, and various common areas and parking lots. (For the complete list, click here.)

According to the notice, the properties will all be sold together, with the exception of two residential lots. So if you want the restaurant, you have to buy the marina and the shops too.

According to County records, Bay Creek obtained a bank line of credit in July 2004 on the above properties in the amount of $11.5 million.

According to Bay Creek developer Dickie Foster, as quoted in the Eastern Shore News, “There are going to be a lot of bidders.”

Which begs the question: spun-off from their developer, are the restaurant, marina, and shops sustainable? Can they earn enough to cover operating expenses, including mortgage, taxes, and principal payments?

That’s a tough go for most businesses, and it’s especially tricky on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where the tourism season is short and tourist numbers are relatively small.

As the town’s newest business, the Wave attended last month’s annual meeting of the Cape Charles Business Association. The good news: merchant after merchant reported last summer as the best in memory. Cape Charles is in renaissance, and tourists increasingly are discovering it. Read more