PHOTO: Before the Thaw
Photographer/artist Gertraud Fendler took this shot just before last week’s warm spell arrived. In the distance is one of the ships dredging the Cape Charles Harbor. (March 16, 2015 edition)
WAYNE CREED
County Should Stop Yanking Town’s Chain
By WAYNE CREED
Cape Charles Wave Columnist
March 16, 2015
On January 27, the Town of Cape Charles sent correspondence to County Administrator Katie Nunez voicing displeasure with the Board of Supervisors’ reluctance to bow to the Town’s whims — that is, drop everything it was doing and pick up work on the Cape Charles request to have the County include a Town Entrance Overlay District in proposed zoning changes.
The written response from the County was a bit like a horse swatting away an annoying fly with its tail — a nice way of telling Cape Charles to go pack sand.
While it is true that few citizens of Cape Charles actually take the Mayor, Town Council, or Planning Commission seriously, it is worrisome that this same sentiment has also seeped out into the county.
This sentiment may be marginally understandable, given the petulant and peevish tone of the town; however, the county still has some explaining to do, mainly as to why they have been reluctant to take up the matter in the first place. In the correspondence to Nunez, the town noted that in a previous letter, the Board of Supervisors was unable to deal with the town’s request: “Your letter of June 11, 2014 indicated that the Board of Supervisors was unable to consider our request for the inclusion of the Historic Town Overlay Corridor in the proposed zoning amendments due to current workload . . . .”
Workload? What workload? The county makes it sound like they toil away in a Kentucky coal mine. It seems the county is always able to make time for so many inane and inconsequential endeavors; their response to the town on this very important matter appears to be nothing short of a blow-off.
Mayor George Proto’s statement is a legitimate response. Rather than being treated like a creepy, stalker boyfriend who refuses to take no for an answer, the town at least deserves a straight answer. Proto wrote, “I am aware that the BoS has been diligently working through potential revisions [to the proposed zoning] . . . we would like the BoS to consider our request . . . before completing this review [of proposed zoning changes].” Even as diplomatically as they tried to wordsmith it, the town’s frustration is becoming more apparent. [Read more…]
LETTER
Orchestra Hopped into Spring When Most Needed
March 16, 2015
DEAR EDITOR,
If you’ve been hankering for spring and live classical music, our Orchestra of the Eastern Shore’s recent concert would have appealed to you. It was another stunner: they are on a roll. It was the second appearance of vibrant Dr. Paul S. Kim who succeeds the impressive five year tenure of Professor Lee Jordan-Anders.
The 15 member-strong volunteer orchestra was joined by a 10-member church chorus and two professional vocal soloists: the Shore’s own soprano, Anna Sterrett, and, in stark effective contrast, Michigan native bass-baritone Matthew Scollin, who handsomely paired with conductor Kim deftly playing violin in Bach’s Cantata “I will gladly carry the cross.” According to Dr. Kim, Bach could churn out such masterpieces weekly. This one aptly includes a raft of maritime images.
Prior to Mr. Scollin’s powerful performance the large audience had been nearly swept off their feet with Ms. Sterrett’s solo throughout Mozart’s Exultate, jubilate, drafted at midpoint in his life in his teens. The Ave verum corpus, among his last pieces just 18 years later in 1791, impressively engaged our chorus and orchestra as melody and voice, with wonderful acoustics, projected in Hungars Episcopal Church’s tranquil refuge.
With such splendor shared one dreams of an encore. We’re incredibly fortunate for conductor and director Dr. Kim’s presence, that of his teammates and guests, and the church’s cordiality. Shore residents should seize the opportunity to hear them live in the future — again at Bridgetown or in Onancock — for free or in support.
A professional program accompanies each performance. For further info see http://orchestraes.org and for concert updates you are invited to join their list via [email protected].
WENDY MARTIN
Eastville
Letters to the Editor are welcome, and a diversity of opinions is encouraged. Send submissions to [email protected].
THURSDAY 3/19: ‘Mother Nature vs Us’ at Oyster Research Center
Thursday March 19, at 7 p.m. at the Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center in Oyster, Don Young of Virginia Commonwealth University will present “Ecosystem Engineers: Mother Nature vs Us.” Virginia barrier islands are home to two very important dune building grasses, American beach grass and sea oats. Through feedbacks with physical processes these grasses use slightly different strategies to build dunes that protect and stabilize island interiors. The dominant barrier island shrub, wax myrtle, further stabilizes island interiors and increases soil nitrogen that may be important to dune grasses and the island fringe marsh. Field research on these species will be discussed, and our results and experiences”will be placed within the context of coastal restoration, sea-level rise, and climate change.
SUNDAY 3/15: Sound of Music Granddaughter von Trapp Performs at Hungars Church
Hungars Music Ministry presents a free concert by Elisabeth Von Trapp on Sunday, March 15, at 4 p.m. at Hungars Episcopal Church, 10107 Bayside Road in Machipongo. The event is open to the public. For more information, please call 757-678-7837 or visit www.hungarscureparish.org. [Read more…]
FRIDAY 3/20: Extreme Living: Microbes Do It Better!
Science and Philosophy Seminar of the Eastern Shore of Virginia has scheduled its next seminar, “Extreme Living: Microbes do it Better!” The free 90-minute seminar will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, in the Lecture Hall of the Eastern Shore Community College, 29300 Lankford Hwy., Melfa. Russell Vreeland will describe the organisms that can survive extreme conditions, and how they may have utility to humankind. Vreeland has conducted research in this field for many years.
SATURDAY 3/26: ESO LIVE! On the Road with Pound Net at Little Italy
ESO LIVE! On the Road announces a night of music and fun to support the ESO Arts Center. Pound Net appears at Little Italy in Nassawadox on Saturday, March 28, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Come and enjoy a night of America’s music by one of the Eastern Shore’s most popular groups. Tickets $10; call 757-442-3226 or visit www.esoarts.org for reservations.
FRIDAY 4/17: Eastern Shore Literacy Council to Hold ‘Spell Rite’ Contest
It’s time to think Spring, and one of the fun Spring events on the Shore is the Literacy Council’s Spell Rite competition. The annual adult spelling bee will be held at the Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club on Friday, April 17. The social hour and silent auction will start at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and a live auction to follow. After dinner, six teams will compete for the title “Best Adult Spellers of the Eastern Shore.” The competition is tough but it is all good fun and for a great cause – improving literacy skills on the Shore. [Read more…]
