SUNDAY 4/27: Blessing of the Worms
Sunday, April 27, from 1:30-3 p.m. Blessing of the Worms at New Roots Youth Garden.
Volunteers Wanted for ‘Clean the Bay Day’
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its partners are recruiting volunteers for the 26th Clean the Bay Day, CBF’s annual shoreline cleanup scheduled for Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. [Read more…]
ESO LIVE at Cape Charles Coffee House Tonight
THURSDAY 4/10: Town Council Budget Work Session
Cape Charles Town Council will continue its series of work sessions on the upcoming budget at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at Town Hall. The meeting is open to the public, but not for public comment. Town departments to be discussed in this week’s session are Public Works and Town Manager.
WEDNESDAY 4/9: Yoga Class Begins at Arts Enter Dance Studio
On Wednesday, April 9, Becky Hopkins will begin teaching yoga in the Arts Enter Dance Studio. The hour-long class begins at 4:30 p.m., and each session costs $10. There will also be Saturday classes from 9-10 a.m. [Read more…]
Mason Avenue Development Concessions Sought
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
April 7, 2014
The Cape Charles Board of Zoning Appeals meets today (Monday) at 4 p.m. at Town Hall to hear public comment and make a determination on variances requested by local developer Patrick Hand.
Hand proposes to demolish the former Be-Lo grocery store on Mason Avenue and build a commercial and residential building on the property. He is requesting reductions in setback requirements, permission to provide less than the required number of parking spaces, and a reduction in the amount of green space required by Town Code.
According to a background report from Town Planner Robert Testerman, the development would open the Strawberry Street viewshed to the harbor. But that might only happen if the town buys a portion of the property from Hand for an extension to Strawberry Street. Hand told Town Council March 27 that if the town did not purchase the property soon, he might sell it to someone else.
While the grocery store has been shuttered for many years, the property owner has allowed lots on either side of the building to be used for public parking. Hand had offered to sell part of one of the parking lots to the Town for public parking, but Town Council and Hand were unable to agree on a price. [Read more…]
COMMENTARY:
Promote Economic Development — Not Rezoning
Reprinted by permission from ShoreLine, the newsletter of Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore.
By DAVID KABLER
April 7, 2014
The reasoning behind the proposed revision of our zoning ordinance, we are told, is to pave the way to economic development. In that light, prompt disclosure of Northampton County’s actual efforts towards promoting economic development will be appreciated by her concerned citizens. We have recently hired a $100,000 per year Economic Development Director to direct us towards prosperity, and it behooves us to know what he has been doing these last 12 months to sell our place to the business world.
The Northampton County Board of Supervisors charged him with the task of revising and simplifying our zoning ordinance. That ordinance he has drafted with the aid of considerable staff, albeit lacking certain studies that could validate the work. The point of “simplifying” the ordinance for the benefit of economic development begs many questions: What are our goals? What is our business plan for marketing and selling the Shore to industry and business? What is our marketing budget, our inventory of real estate assets, our infrastructure assets — i.e. labor, training, materials, transportation, etc? What marketing aids such as brochures and pamphlets have been developed? What trade organizations are targeted? What presentations will we host at places where decision makers gather to meet? What advertising and publicity will we generate?
A good business plan includes a vision statement and the Three P’s: Product, Pricing, and Promotion. There is plenty of “product” zoned for business for sale, yet there appears to be no “promotion.” Our Development Director should build a partnership with the Shore’s real estate agents — our best sales people — who are on the front lines of economic development. Put the product up prominently on a shelf, advertise its availability to your customers, and go out and drum up business.
We hope that Mr. McSwain has not been sidetracked for zoning work. How many contacts has he generated, how many visits has he hosted and how many prospects have turned us down because of our so-called “preservationist” zoning? The County needs to entertain some “paying” customers and find out what their needs are before we attempt to fix something that we are not even sure needs fixing. The Supervisors need to supervise our star salesman to make some sales!
Let’s get down to brass tacks and let Mr. McSwain do what he does best. As well, our Planning Commission, and the public, ought to be privy to what our business plan is and how it is being fulfilled. I, for one, would like to see it in black and white or, better yet, in full color.
David Kabler is a Realtor, a local businessman, and a former Northampton County Planning Commissioner.
Submissions to COMMENTARY are welcome on any subject relevant to Cape Charles. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of this publication.
Employee Reunion Marks 50 Years Without a Ferry
Ferry reunion attendees assemble at Cape Charles Welcome Center.
By BILL NEVILLE
Cape Charles Historical Society
April 7, 2014
On Saturday, March 15, the Cape Charles Historical Society hosted a reunion of Chesapeake Bay ferry employees. The ferry operations ended at Kiptopeke 50 years ago with the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Many of the ferry employees went to Delaware and New Jersey to work with the newly formed Cape May-Lewes ferries; others went to work on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, and a few went to new jobs working on ships in Panama.
Over 50 people attended including approximately 20 former ferry employees along with family members and other ferry enthusiasts. Ferry employees included captains, mates, deck hands, janitors, office staff, wheelsmen, boiler tenders, and engineers, as well as auxiliary support personnel. Also attending the reunion were representatives from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
The Cape Charles Museum was filled with laughter and the sound of stories being told, memories being rekindled, and friendships being renewed. The nostalgic atmosphere was enhanced by the many ferry model displays, paintings, and pictures as video clips of old ferry scenes ran on several televisions and computers. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel also provided an interesting display of memorabilia collected over the years.
Ron West and Butch Baxter presented a slideshow with commentary about the history of the concrete ships making up the breakwater at Kiptopeke and the final destination of the ferries, most of which have been scrapped. Interesting facts presented included accounts of the sinking of the Northampton when she struck an unmarked reef (Suwanee Rock) in the Gulf of California’s Lorenzo Channel leading into La Paz, Mexico, on June 19, 1975, and the sinking of the Princess Anne in May 1993 off Palm Beach, Florida, to create a fishing reef. The Virginia Beach is still running as a ferry in Connecticut. The Old Point Comfort was grounded and abandoned on the Rio Parana’ River in San Nicolas, Argentina, in 1993. The Accomac (once the Virginia Lee) burned May 28,1964, and was later towed to Mallows Bay on the Potomac and partially scrapped. Her remains are still visible today.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel displays and paintings will remain in the museum for the season to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Bridge-Tunnel.
The Cape Charles Historical Society was extremely pleased to be a part of such a timely event recognizing the people who were a pivotal part of an important era in the history of our region.
The Museum will open the last week of April and remain open until the end of November. Hours are 10-2 Monday through Friday, 10-5 Saturdays, and 1-5 Sundays. Admission is free.
Speakers revisited history of the ferries at the museum.
