THURSDAY 8/15: Town Council Considering Suing Sewer Contractor
Town Council will hold a closed session 5:30 p.m. Thursday, August 15, to discuss possible litigation over the “W.M. Schlosser contract.” W.M. Schlosser was the contractor for the Town’s new $19 million sewage treatment plant. The agenda may be read here.
At 6 p.m. the public will be admitted for the regular monthly Town Council meeting at St. Charles Parish Hall, 550 Tazewell Avenue. Business includes reports on Public Service Authority plans for piping in sewage from the highway; the traffic study at Randolph and Fig; and uses for the former library building. The complete information packet may be read here.
COMMENTARY: Does Bay Creek Control Town Council?
By DEBORAH BENDER
August 13, 2013
Several years ago I had a shop on Mason Avenue called Scarlett’s Closet where I sold women’s clothes. So I know how shoppers think. Let’s say someone wants to buy a linen top: One of the first things she will do is look at the price tag. She will consider buying two if there is a sale that offers a second garment at half price.
A shopper will consider how much money she has in her wallet — or if she gets out her credit card, what that will mean to the family budget.
But our Town Council jumped feet-first into building a new wastewater treatment plant without knowing for sure where the money to pay for it would come from. Now they want us to foot the bills.
In accordance with the 1991 Annexation Agreement, Town Council asked Bay Creek’s developer Dickie Foster to pay its share of the cost of the new state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant. But when he just said “no,” Town Council backed down.
Now, instead of demanding that the developers of Bay Creek pony up the money, Council is expecting the people of Cape Charles to accept two large increases to our water bills. In the last five years the cost of wastewater treatment has gone from $24 a month to $60.85.
Not only that – Council expects people to pay those bills whether their house is occupied or not. They get billed even if the house has the water turned off because the owner can’t afford to pay.
What are they thinking?
When a homeowner gets behind in paying his water bill he is hit with a $30 late fee. I wonder how much late fees Bay Creek has to pay for the $42,000 invoice they received in July 2008? Have they paid anything yet? Do they have any more invoices? [Read more…]
Shore Found Complicit in Cape Charles Lighthouse Raid
Civil War-era encampment outside Cape Charles Museum (pay no attention to the power lines). (Wave photo)
By MARION NAAR
Cape Charles Museum
August 11, 2013
Were Shore people complicit in John Beall’s August 3, 1863, raid on the Cape Charles Lighthouse? Exactly 150 years later to the day, a majority of the more than 120 people attending Kellee Blake’s lecture at the Cape Charles Museum voted “yes.”
Blake, a noted Civil War historian, drawing on primary sources – letters, military documents, and news accounts — provided abundant detail of the highly successful operation, which was commissioned to Beall, then only 28 years old and at his request, by Confederate high command.
The Confederacy desperately needed supplies, and had information that valuable supplies were being stored on Smith Island at the mouth of the Bay where the new (second) lighthouse was under construction.
Beall and a crew of nine men started from Mathews County and on the morning of August 3, paid a surprise visit to lighthouse keeper William W. Stakes. Posing as fishermen, Beall and three men pressed Stakes for a detailed accounting of security, supplies, and citizenry on the island before summoning the remainder of his crew.
The full Beall force secured Stakes and his family, as well as any islanders who happened by, then worked for six hours dismantling the light and gutting the working lighthouse, as well as one under construction. It was well worth the trouble. [Read more…]
SUNDAY: ‘Piece of Eden,’ Quick Draw, Art Rocks the Inns
Sunday, August 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. — Cape Charles 757 Quick Draw plein air event. Artists will be all over the historic downtown district creating original art showcase in 3 hours or less. Artists will paint from 9 a.m. to noon and then return to Stage Door Gallery, where their works will be judged and available for sale. Register at http://www.pleinair757.com/ or immediately prior to the event.
At 2 p.m., a Young Artists’ Quick Draw will begin for artists 15 and younger. They will bring their creations back to Stage Door Gallery at 4 p.m. for judging, awards, and sale.
Sunday, August 11, at 6:30 p.m. — Brass 5 in Central Park (Free). The big band group Brass 5 offers a repertoire from Renaissance, Classical, Dixieland, Jazz, and Rock to Country. Bring a beach chair and a picnic. Wine and Margaritas available.
Piece of Eden
Sunday, August 11, at 3 p.m. — Piece of Eden at Historic Palace Theatre (Free). A combination of live theatre and film paying tribute to the original, musical epic stage play that follows Thom Savage and his descendants and depicts their relationship with the Native Americans of the Shore from 1618-1776. Repeats Monday, August 12, 8 p.m., and Tuesday, August 13, 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 11, 1-4 p.m. — Art Rocks the Inns (Free). The porches of the bed & breakfasts of Cape Charles will be rocking with artwork. Each B&B will feature local artists showcasing their works, from all different mediums – paint, sculpture, wood, jewelry, and photography. Take a walking tour from inn to inn, or travel by bike, golf cart, or car among the five properties in Cape Charles’ historic downtown district within 3/4 mile of one another.
“Stairway to Bay” oil by Duong “U” Nguyen.
Chesapeake Bay View B&B, 212 Bay Avenue: Duong “U” Nguyen — oil paintings of Eastern Shore scenes done on board with a palette knife. Sandy Mayer — spiritually inspired paintings in oil on canvas or board and mixed media mandalas.
Sea Gate Bed &Breakfast, 9 Tazewell Avenue: Mama Girl – papier mache figurines.
Bay Haven Inn of Cape Charles, 403 Tazewell Avenue: Lena Gonzalez — painted canvas placemats. Heather Gladden — ink wash sketches, photography, and pen illustrations of nature with a surreal twist.
Cape Charles House, 645 Tazewell Avenue: Pam Kossman — handmade jewelry. Ocean Pottery — whimsical ocean motif porcelain pottery, metal serve ware, and Turkish glass bowls.
Fig Street Inn, 711 Tazewell Avenue: Windsor House — handmade Windsor chairs, farm tables, stools, hand painted signs, and folk art using local and reclaimed woods.
PASSINGS: Dolores Pfund, 81; Thomas Booker, 79
August 11, 2013
DOLORES A. PFUND
Dolores A. Pfund, 81, wife of Robert H. Pfund and a resident of Cape Charles, passed away Thursday, August 8, at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
A private funeral mass for family and friends will be 11 a.m. Friday, August 16, at St. Charles Catholic Church with Father J. Michael Breslin officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Randy Custis Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 237, Nassawadox, VA 23413.
Mrs. Pfund was a native of Bronx, NY, and was the daughter of the late Thomas Byrne and the late Florence Feeney Byrne. She was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church. In addition to her husband, she is survived by five children, Robert T. Pfund, James J. Pfund and his wife Julie, William J. Pfund and his wife Teresa, Mary E. Krafft and her husband Chris, Cathryn A. Doughty and her husband David, a brother, Thomas J. Byrne and his wife Carolann, and six grandchildren.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at doughtyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are by Wilkins-Doughty Funeral Home, Cape Charles.
THOMAS WILLETT BOOKER
Thomas Willett Booker, 79, husband of Barbara A. Booker and a resident of Seaford, DE, passed away Thursday, August 8, at Nanticoke Memorial Hospital in Seaford.
A graveside service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, at Cape Charles Cemetery with the Rev. Jack D. Pruitt officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Delaware Hospice Center, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963.
Mr. Booker was a native of Cherrystone and was the son of the late Charles M. Booker, Sr,. and the late Grace Brown Booker. He was a retired conductor for Conrail Railroad. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Michael T. Booker of Port Orange FL, a brother, Grayson S. Booker and his wife Joyce of Capeville, a step-son, Robert Reese Wilkins, Sr,. and his wife Terry of Seaford, a step-daughter, Brenda Wilkins Baker and her husband Victor of Gumboro, DE, five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Nancy Williams Booker, and three brothers, Charles M. Booker, Jr., Robert C. Booker, and John E. Booker.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at doughtyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are by Wilkins-Doughty Funeral Home, Cape Charles.
Beatles Tribute Leads Saturday Harbor for the Arts Events
Twist & Shout Beatles tribute
Saturday, August 10, at 9 p.m. — Twist & Shout Beatles Tribute ($20). Wayne George, Edward Koswski, Craig Romano, Greg Palaski, Evan Teatum, and Jim Nenning present Twist & Shout, a magical musical tribute to The Beatles at the Palace Theatre.
Saturday, August 10, 4:30-6:30 p.m. — Andrew McKnight & the Borders at the Beach Gazebo on Bay Avenue (Free). Singer/songwriter Andrew McKnight’s music traverses influences from Appalachia, slide and jazzy blues, feisty anthems, rustic folk, and guitar-driven rock while blending his tenor voice and acoustic and electric guitars with banjo, upright bass, drums, and percussion. Their eclectic arrangements stretch “beyond Appalachian, beyond blues, beyond folk.”
Saturday, August 10, 6:30-9 p.m. — Mark Jensen, Tony Sacco & Friends perform on Mason Avenue in front of The Stage Door Gallery (Free). Cash bar. [Read more…]
Pickin’ Peaches at Pickett’s Harbor Farms: Get ‘Em Now!
Tammie Nottingham started picking peaches at age 10 and never slowed down. (Wave photo by Sarah Golibart)
By SARAH GOLIBART
Cape Charles Wave
August 9, 2013
With a large gleaming peach in each hand, Tammie Nottingham stands regally in her orchard on Pickett’s Harbor Farms just south of the Town of Cape Charles. With tears in her eyes but a smile that never seems to leave her face, she admires her peach trees as she tells the girls that pick for her to “sculpt the baskets” and “have fun” in the orchard that she and her husband, W.T., planted 13 years ago.
Tammie began picking peaches when she was 10 years old in South Carolina. From around 1990 until about five years ago, she picked the entire peach orchard at Pickett’s Harbor. By that time the farm’s bounty exceeded even her veteran picking abilities.
“It all happened by word of mouth,” explained Tammie. Her first helper was a local, Christine Tankard, and over the years more have signed on to help harvest. There are 500-600 peach trees in the orchard, with more than 10 varieties that begin ripening in early summer and last until the first week of September.
“Five years ago, we moved from the corner of my porch and my kitchen to the farm shed,” Tammie noted. That’s where they now sell all their locally grown produce including tomatoes, watermelon, blackberries, and cantaloupe, to name a few.
Tammie, however, does not take credit for the farm’s success. “I would like to give the glory to my husband W.T.” she said. “He takes care of everything on this farm.”
“Both W.T.’s and my family are generational here on the Shore,” Tammie continued. “We’ve been here since people first came here.” She went on to relate that both her and W.T.’s families can be traced back to Martha Custis Washington. She and W.T. are the fifth generation of Nottinghams to work the farm, with their son Josh Nottingham being the sixth and granddaughter Carlee Parker the seventh. [Read more…]
‘London Suite,’ Beatles Tribute, and More this Weekend
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
August 9, 2013
The second week of events in the Harbor for the Arts Festival begins today and includes:
Friday, August 9, noon to 2 p.m. — Piano students under the direction of Marijana Nottingham perform on Mason Avenue in front of the Stage Door Gallery (Free). Cash bar and concessions in the Gallery.
Friday, August 9, 5:30-7 p.m. — John Sheppard on keyboard with Jim Harding on sax in front of the Stage Door Gallery on Mason Avenue (Free). Cash bar
London Suite
Friday, August 9, at 7 p.m. — A revival of “London Suite,” a comedy by Neil Simon, featuring local favorites. Adults $12, Students $5 (R rated).
Friday, August 9, 9-11:30 p.m. — Almost Famous Band dance party on Strawberry Street (Free). The Almost Famous Band is a group of friends who just plain love music of all kinds. Anything from classic to Southern rock ‘n’ roll, from alternative to blues, from reggae to country to bluegrass. Cash bar. [Read more…]
