THURSDAY 4/23: Tick-Borne Disease Seminar at Barrier Island Center
The Eastern Shore Health District and the Eastern Shore Medical Reserve Corps will hold a Tick-Borne Disease Seminar on Thursday, April 23, from 2-4 p.m. at the Barrier Island Center in Machipongo. The focus will be on education, prevention, and early detection of tick-borne diseases and illness. Presentations will be made by Dr. David Gaines, State Entomologist, Virginia Department of Health, and by the Old Dominion University Tick Lab. This seminar is free and open to the general public.
FRIDAY 4/24: Tall Buildings — Design, Construction, & Mishaps
Science and Philosophy Seminar of the Eastern Shore of Virginia’s next seminar is “Tall Buildings — Design, Construction, & Mishaps.” The free 90-minute seminar will meet at 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 24 in the Lecture Hall of the Eastern Shore Community College, 29300 Lankford Hwy., Melfa. [Read more…]
SUNDAY 4/26: Blessing of the Worms at New Roots Youth Garden
Sunday, April 26, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. is the 5th Annual Blessing of the Worms. Bring the whole family and come join us for a fun-filled afternoon in the garden. Hands-on children’s activities; Blessing of the garden; yummy and healthy treats; information about upcoming garden programs; sign-ups for spring and summer youth garden programs; learn about becoming a garden volunteer. [Read more…]
SATURDAY 5/2: Bake & Bloom at Capeville UMC
The theme of this year’s Bake and Bloom is the hymn In the Garden: “I walk in the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses.” Baked Potatoes & Fixing” available for take-out or eat-in lunch. Guest Presentations & door prizes: [Read more…]
SUNDAY 5/3: William & Mary Quartet at Franktown UMC
A concert featuring the Wren Masters from the College of William & Mary, an early music quartet playing renaissance and baroque music on period instruments, will be presented 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Franktown United Methodist Church. Tickets are $20 at Rayfield’s Pharmacy. The event is sponsored by Northampton County Education Foundation.This is the first in a series of cultural enhancement and high quality arts opportunities the Foundation will be sponsoring on the Shore. All proceeds will support scholarships, teacher grants, and special event activities in Northampton County Public Schools. Twenty-five tickets will be distributed to students involved with music programs at all four Northampton schools. [Read more…]
Supervisors Set to Agree on Smaller Tax Increase
By WAYNE CREED
Cape Charles Wave
April 13, 2015
Northampton Board of Supervisors met April 6 to finalize work on the FY 2016 county budget. At the heart of the matter was a $322,706 increase in funds for the schools, a portion of which the Board of Supervisors hopes the School Board will allocate for a raise in teacher salaries.
On the county side, there was still a deficit of $135,288. The task for County Administrator Katie Nunez was to somehow balance this budget, and by the end of the meeting, have a workable document, built upon Board consensus, that could be voted Tuesday, April 14.
Despite all the things that different factions deem the most important, the money does not magically appear out of the mist — Northampton County has to scratch and work for every penny. What that means at budget time is that to give to one, you must take from the other. The metaphor robbing Peter to pay Paul is never as rich as at budget time.
Nunez and the Board worked into the evening, cutting, moving, and juggling wherever there was any wiggle room, yet when all was said and done, there was still a deficit of $152,000. With all alternatives seemingly exhausted, in order to balance the budget, the consensus was to raise personal property taxes by 5 cents per hundred dollars value, and real estate by .77 cents (about a $15 increase for a house valued at $200,000).
“This is where we need to be,” said Supervisor Granville Hogg. “Time to move forward.”
The tax increase did not come without some debate. “The citizens deserve a break,” announced a frustrated Supervisor Larry Trala [up for re-election in November]. “They deserve a balanced budget, without a tax increase.” A major point of contention for Trala was $45,000 being budgeted for roof repairs at the Government complex, an expense he felt could wait. “I don’t believe the roof is going to fall in if we wait.”
The roof at the complex was not the only one in need of repairs. The transfer station roof has been coming under attack from massive amounts of bird droppings. A $10,000 wire mesh to deter birds stayed in the budget.
Two new Sheriff’s Department vehicles totaling $81,670 also remained in the budget. It was the consensus among Board members that the Sheriff’s Department was one of the most critical, and productive in terms of revenue generation, so providing the best possible equipment to get the job done seemed prudent. Supervisor Oliver Bennett addressed Nunez: “This department brings in over $500,000 a year. Is there any way we can put more on the task? If you drive enough on [Route] 13, you will get a ticket. I have experienced that myself.” [Read more…]
Bennett, Wendell Rip Apart Town Comprehensive Plan
By WAYNE CREED
Cape Charles Wave
April 13, 2015
After over two years and close to $8,000 in consultant fees, the Cape Charles Planning Commission produced an updated Comprehensive Plan and submitted it for review by Town Council. But at the April 7 joint Town Council/Planning Commission meeting, two Council members, Steve Bennett and Frank Wendell, proceeded to rip the Plan apart.
Providing a summary overview of the draft Plan, consultant Elaine Meil of the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission said there were 50 major changes to the document, including references to the new hospital, the 2010 census, and IRS zip code data, and VDOT review. The Planning Commission also included some facilities changes, as well as major new property acquisitions by the town including the new library and the seven lots purchased from Dickie Foster.
Missing from the document, however was the major property the town divested — namely, the old high school, which was at the time assessed at over $900,000, and which the town sold for $10 after performing a spot rezoning to R-3 in an R-1 (single family) zone.
In regard to the required VDOT review, Mayor George Proto voiced concern that Mason Avenue could need to be widened, which could affect the “very walkable” character of the town. “That is not in the offing,” responded Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek. Since Mason Avenue has a width of 22 feet from the center line to the parking areas, it falls well within the VDOT range, and will not require modifications, Panek said.
“This is some good work,” offered Proto. “I’m pleased — but I would like to have seen more detail.”
“Well, we attempted to use a broad brush,” replied Councilwoman Natali, who also serves on the Planning Commission. “We tried not to be specific.”
“We’re talking about the future,” noted Planning Commission member Andy Buchholz.
Then Councilman Steve Bennett began his attack, criticizing the overall quality, professionalism, and style of the document. “I just wish the writing was more . . . it’s just not progressive,” he said.
“I find it hard to read,” agreed Planning Commission member Dan Burke. “I don’t think anyone in town is going to read this thing, I’ll tell you that.” [Read more…]
Opera Singer Picked to Head Arts Enter
LARRY GIDDENS
April 13, 2015
The Board of Directors of Arts Enter Cape Charles has named Larry Jay Giddens, Jr., of Nassawadox as its Executive Director effective April 9, succeeding founder Clelia Sheppard, who announced her retirement last month.
Giddens, a native of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, is an accomplished opera singer. He has performed with the Virginia Opera, Todi Music Festival, Symphonicity, and the Virginia Arts Festival in the Hampton Roads area, the National Philharmonic, the Opera Theatres of Pittsburgh, PA, Sarasota, FL and Edmonton, Canada, and toured Europe, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand in the roles of Crown and Jake in Porgy and Bess.
In addition, Giddens has been actively involved in creating, organizing, and managing non-profit community-based organizations, most notably as Board President of Eastern Shore Pop Warner, Director of Day Camps for Longmont Parks and Recreation, and as Executive Director of the Randy Custis Memorial Fund in Nassawadox.
Giddens has a strong sense of the essential role the arts play in a community, and his career exemplifies his deep personal engagement in promoting the arts. He is grateful for the opportunities that led him to this new role: “I discovered a profound love for the arts that has taken me all over the world. I understand how the community needs an organization like Arts Enter, not only for the arts to survive but also to grow and become the preeminent arts organization on the Eastern Shore,“ he says. [Read more…]
