Comments on: Town Puts the Squeeze on Merchant Signs

By: David Thornes

David Thornes — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 13:27:52 +0000

As a merchant in Cape Charles Harbor I find this new rule good and bad. They need to re-think this. I paid good, hard-earned money to advertise on the Town’s own Harbor Sign — now I find out that I may lose it. As a small business owner all I can see is the Town government trying to restrict small business. This sign was erected by the Town, with Harbor funds (Cape Charles funds) to help the buisnesses in the Harbor area. I pay for a slip in the Harbor for my fishing charter boat and was excited to have the advertisement for the traveling public that takes in the beauty of the area. Well, Oyster Harbor is less expensive and is looking better and better each year.

Lt. David Thornes, Lt. Fishing and Tour Charters. ltbaycharters.com & vabarrierislandtours.com

By: Antonio Sacco

Antonio Sacco — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 04:36:29 +0000

Using the ballot box to get involved is the right way to make change, not the streets as a pulpit. Mr. Creed & Mrs. Bender, go for it.

By: Paul Chandler

Paul Chandler — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 01:24:15 +0000

Mr. Creed and Mrs. Bender, I trust we will see your names on the ballot in the Spring?

By: Antonio Sacco

Antonio Sacco — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 05:27:54 +0000

When you call elected officials tyrants that is taking it a bit too far. Are we in a democracy or are we turning into a bunch of thugs with no respect for the law? My country and yours was built on a Constitution and a Bill of Rights and in God We Trust. The ballot box was put there by our earlier fathers for you to exercise your right to elect or replace the current administration. Let the whole world see how our democracy works and not the matter of rebellion such as we are witnessing in the Middle East that sinks the human endeavor into such levels as Dante’s Inferno. Yes I am Tony Sacco from Capevile and not afraid to defend my Country, my State, my People.

By: Mary Finney

Mary Finney — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 13:09:57 +0000

This latest infringement on freedom by the ruling tyrants of Cape Charles is (almost ) funny in its pettiness. One would have to be really dim (or delusional) to not realize that this new signage law was pointed at the Old School Cape Charles messages. Obviously the Town administrators had a little temper tantrum, and viola! New sign laws! Take that, all you rabble-rousing peasants! The only thing more offensive than this sort of brown-shirt governing is the squeaky little voices of those who continue to try to defend and justify it.

By: Deborah Bender

Deborah Bender — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 11:50:04 +0000

The people running this Town are so bent on stopping anyone from saying anything against what they want. Let’s call a spade a spade, folks. This new law is to restrict Frank Wendell from putting signs in his windows that speak out against the Town Council’s actions.

By: Susan Bauer

Susan Bauer — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 00:11:04 +0000

The Supreme Court characterized political signs as “a venerable means of communication that is both unique and important.” Nevertheless, municipalities may create “content neutral” regulations that govern “time, place and manner” of posting signs, particularly in commercial/business areas, as opposed to private front yards. The legitimacy of the Town’s draft sign regulation warrants further inquiry. I suspect that’s why it’s characterized as a “draft.” The new rule, or perhaps even just a portion of it, may be an unwarranted restriction on free speech, but I doubt a cursory Google search, and reliance on a portion of a Virginia statute, provides a definitive answer. Such an analysis is like searching the Internet to diagnose a headache, and concluding one must have a brain tumor.

(Town Council voted the draft sign ordinance into law December 19. — EDITOR)

By: Wayne Creed

Wayne Creed — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:02:04 +0000

If the political signs are a black eye to Cape Charles, it is only because they are exposing it as a fake and a fraud. All the scented candles, worthless knick knacks and droning cable television shows in the world can’t begin to cover up, as Hamlet noted, “a certain convocation of politic worms . . . fat kings and lean beggars are but two dishes . . . for maggots.” Hardly a black eye, these signs are a badge of honor worn by those willing to leverage the Constitution to help protect ordinary people against the abuse of power by those in authority — the only way the abusers can succeed is by limiting access to the Constitution. It’s obvious that this is not an aesthetic argument, but a brown shirted attempt by the bosses to curtail free speech. They seem to feel their will to power is power with impunity, but they are wrong. As Gabriel Southern aptly pointed out, the ability of free citizens to challenge and expose the arbitrary abuse of power is guaranteed. My holiday wish is that they will be dragged back into court, Class Action, by the ordinary people, and be forced to explain themselves. That is, of course, before we throw them out this spring.

What say ye, Tiny Tim? “A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!”

By: Gabriel Southern

Gabriel Southern — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 08:39:17 +0000

Regarding the “political signs,” it appears that the Town needs to get better legal advice, because if someone spent 5 minutes searching on Google they probably would have found the following from the Code of Virginia:

“§ 15.2-109. Regulations on political campaign signs.

No locality shall have the authority to prohibit the display of political campaign signs on private property if the signs are in compliance with zoning and right-of-way restrictions applicable to temporary nonpolitical signs, if the signs have been posted with the permission of the owner. The provisions of this section shall supersede the provisions of any local ordinance or regulation in conflict with this section. This section shall have no effect upon the regulations of the Virginia Department of Transportation.”

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+15.2-109

By: Dana Lascu

Dana Lascu — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 05:49:47 +0000

The Strawberry Street signs are important consumer traffic drivers, essential to businesses located off Mason. This is a short-sighted Procustian ordinance that businesses and law enforcement should disregard.