Here’s Who Was Behind the Crab Pot Drop

Reprinted from the Cape Charles Gazette

January 12, 2015

The Cape Charles Town Harbor hosted the first Cape Charles Dropping of the Crab Pot on December 31, 2014, at 10 p.m. on Mason Avenue. What started as an idea for a small gathering for New Year’s Eve evolved into an exciting event with over 500 residents and visitors braving the cold temperatures for this inaugural event! The attendees enjoyed live music by Loaded Goat, a local band on the Eastern Shore, along with hot apple cider and hot chocolate served by the Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Company to bring in 2015 with a bang!

The preparations began a week prior to the event with the construction of a 6’x6’ “crab
pot.” The crab was illustrated by Rachael Taylor, cut out of metal by Sheldon Williams,
and painted by Kristin Lewis to give the crab a lifelike feel in dedication to our local
watermen. The pot was wrapped in fencing and Christmas lights with a “2015” sign made by Andy
Buchholz/Eastern Shore Signs, and built to light up Mason Avenue with full effect. The
crab pot also featured laser lights and a smoke machine to add to the effect,
compliments of Shane Hayward. [Read more…]

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PHOTO ESSAY: Cold Beach Day Yields Rewards

By GERTRAUD FENDLER

January 11, 2015

Nice cold day — yes!

Staying home? No way! Just had to go to the beach. . . [Read more…]

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New Town Planner Has Extensive Job History

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

January 10, 2014

The Cape Charles Gazette has announced that Lawrence DiRe will be the new town planner effective February 2. DiRe replaces Rob Testerman, who resigned in October to work for the town of Kitty Hawk, N.C.

The Gazette provided no further information, but DiRe has posted his full bio on linkedin.com. According to linkedin and other websites, DiRe is 51 years old and has connections with the Eastern Shore. He has lived in Delmar, Delaware, just north of the Maryland state line on Route 13. From 2013-2014 he was an advisor for Delmarva Education Foundation in Salisbury, Maryland.

DiRe has worked in a number of jobs in several states. From 2009-2014 he was an instructor at Elmhurst College in Chicago. From 2007-2009 he was chief administrative officer and treasurer for the village of Berkeley, Illinois. From 2004-2007 he was town administrator for the town of St. Pauls, North Carolina. From 2002-2004 he was town manager for LaCrosse, Virginia, about 110 miles west of Norfolk. Earlier he interned for the town of Leesburg, Virginia. [Read more…]

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One Last Option: Abandon Route 13 Sewer Plans

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following report is reprinted by permission from the January 2015 issue of ShoreLine, the Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore newsletter.)

CBES STAFF REPORT

January 5, 2014

The Eastern Shore of Virginia Public Service Authority, after recently giving itself authority to contract for the $2.4 million sewer pipeline from the Route 13 Cheriton area to the Cape Charles wastewater plant, was given yet more directions from the Northampton County Board of Supervisors. Board Chairman Larry LeMond, representing District 2, which includes Cheriton, has on more than one occasion said that he wanted to see all the optons for service to that area. But the PSA has provided engineering information on only one option – piping sewage to the Cape Charles treatment plant.

The Supervisors recently approved $10,000 for another engineering study and requested that the PSA provide figures for construction and costs to pipe sewage to the nearby Bayview system, which is operated by the county. The engineering for the Bayview option, which may well be a less expensive alternative, will be done by Hurt and Proffitt, a Lynchburg firm – the same firm which has in-hand the PSA’s multi-million-dollar projected contract for the Cape Charles option.

Even though the Board of Supervisors has requested that all options be brought to the table by the PSA, there are at least two more alternatives for which engineering and cost estimates have not been submitted. First, at least 10 years ago research was done on a stand-alone, on-site wastewater treatment system often used in rural commercial areas, especially where there are few users in a small locale. These small, but expandable plants are usually funded and maintained either by the users themselves, or by a locality’s public works department.

A recent EPA report has stated that small, decentralized sewer systems, including septic and alternative systems, are an effective and efficient way to protect water quality where population density is small: “On June 28, 2013, EPA released a model program for onsite wastewater treatment systems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to help states more effectively prevent nutrients from entering the Bay . . . . When properly designed, sited, and maintained, decentralized systems like septic systems can treat wastewater effectively and protect surface water and groundwater.” (http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/septic/index.cfm) [Read more…]

WAYNE CREED: Thoughts on Two Years Without a Net

By WAYNE CREED

January 5, 2015

As the holidays end, the realization that winter is really here finally begins to sink in. The colder air and diminishing light began to incubate my seasonal affective funk. This growing malaise is compounded by the fact that my son’s fall sports — JJV football and Shore Soccer — are also over. Sitting on my front porch steps, I’m watching him, in a cold, light rain, dribble up and down the wet sidewalk. One way to avoid the inevitable winter depression is to stay as busy as possible; self-tasking, I try to help Joey begin the transition to winter sports: basketball. Going over the fundamentals, defense by Kevin Garnet and Gary Payton, workout routines by Steve Nash — this kind of work is good, but not fun; he still really wants to go out and play for real. Being an old Knicks fan, I try and remind him of what Bill Bradley used to say, “When you’re not out practicing, someone else is. And when you meet that person, he’s going to beat you.”

True, yet even Bill would have to admit it’s tough here for ballers, since there isn’t anywhere in Cape Charles to truly practice or play (Cape Charles Baptist Church has one goal in a small area for every player in and around town. The backboard has already been crashed once). The outside courts at the old school, perfect for the urban ¾ game, have been taken down, and the beautiful old court inside is being chopped up and turned into apartments.

A few weeks ago, the Wave published a story about the developer of the old school. As usual, there were several interesting comments, but one really struck me. This person said in his comment that he really didn’t have a dog in the fight, but was against the town keeping the courts public. Yet in the same breath he said he hoped the folks that wanted a “community center” would eventually get one. I had to wonder just what it would have taken for him to have a dog in the fight. From my perspective, it was easy because my dog was mainly sports — indoor and outdoor. Without the gym and outside courts, I just don’t see how you can even pursue the concept of a “community center.” [Read more…]

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COMMENTARY
Time to Deregulate Home-Cooked Meals

By KAREN GAY

January 5, 2015

I have recently been reading articles in various news media about the Virginia Food Freedom Act which will come before the Virginia House of Delegates for the January 15, 2015, session. Many of these articles reference a woman in Arlington who lost her job and could not find work no matter how hard she tried. Rather than lose her home she decided that she would try to raise money by making soup and other food and selling it to her neighbors and friends. She was so successful that when a local radio show asked who made the best soup, she was mentioned again and again. This is a classic American tale of triumph over disaster. In the rags to riches movies we’ve seen, this lady would go on to build her business so that she could continue to churn out home-cooked meals for her town and in time grow to provide employment for others.

But how did this story actually turn out? Unfortunately, the health department also heard the news and she was shut down despite the fact that there were no complaints or illnesses. Now, I take no issue with the health department as they are doing what the law requires them to do. But is it really necessary for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to get involved in local neighbor-to-neighbor sales of homemade goods?

House Bill No. 1290 amends five sections of Virginia state law to exempt food prepared or processed in a private home or farm from government inspection provided that the food is sold directly to the end consumer and is labeled with the producer’s name, address, and product ingredients and the disclosure “NOT FOR RESALE — PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION.” CLICK to read this Bill.

So why am I interested in this Bill? For several years now I have been investigating the impact food has on my health. I had begun to understand that my health was declining, my weight was increasing, I had no energy, and very little motivation in life. I found it hard to believe that this general malaise was a natural part of aging. I began reading books and blogs and signed up for webinars looking for solutions that referenced scientific studies. Then about a year ago, I stumbled upon the Weston A. Price Foundation which is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research, and activism. (CLICK for website.) Their literature resonated with me and slowly I began following their dietary guidelines. Once I retired I was able to incorporate these guidelines into our daily lives. It has been a slow process but my husband and I are starting to feel more optimistic about our health. I’ll discuss these food principles in another article. As a result of this study I began to realize that for me it is really important to prepare most of our meals at home using traditional foods and avoiding those that have been processed. We’ve been trying to follow the 80/20 rule in which we eat at home 80 percent of the time and enjoy our wonderful local restaurants on occasion. [Read more…]

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The BEST (and WORST) of 2014

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

January 1, 2015

Every year has its ups and downs, but for Cape Charles, the year 2014 probably saw higher highs and lower lows than most years. Here are the Wave’s nominations for the BEST, the WORST, and the REST.

THE BEST

1) Cape Charles Yacht Center opened in May, proving once again that if you build it, they will come. Even in winter, dozens of boats of various sizes are in dry dock, lending a more authentic harbor feel to the town. Mega-yachts have called as well.

2) Rennovation: 2014 may go down as the year the Historic District finally lost that derelict feeling. So many houses and buildings have been restored such that a drive down Randolph Avenue no longer evokes images of an abandoned mining town. Perhaps the most heartening example is the once-charming Victorian next to the Post Office currently being rescued from decades of neglect. And the abandoned 1950s flat-roofed doctors’ office on Tazewell and Fulcher met the wrecking ball the last week of 2014 — good riddance!

3) Festivals: Kudos to all the hard-working denizens who leant a festive spirit to the town in 2014. There were so many occasions that we can’t mention them all, but everything certainly came together for the August Harbor for the Arts Festival. Did that really happen in little ol’ Cape Charles? Honorable mentions: Tall Ships, Smitty’s Clam Slam, the Christian School’s Crabby Blues, the Progressive Dinner Tour, and of course July 4th.

4) Bayshore Concrete: The town’s only industry got a much-needed shot in the arm in 2014, winning contracts for structural concrete for New York City’s Tappan Zee Bridge and others. For some, that’s a good thing, while for others the renewed activity at the once nearly-shut-down cement plant means more noise, dust, and visual impact.

5) Fun Pier: With funding from FEMA, the town really got it right when it rebuilt the town pier after Sandy wreaked havoc on the portion that had never been constructed properly in the first place. First-class job!

THE WORST

1) The worst was, sadly, really, really bad — the first drowning off Cape Charles Beach in many years. The freak August 10 accident that took the life of 8-year-old “Ace” Horton remains inexplicable, because no investigation was ever conducted, either by the town or the county. How could a child, said to know how to swim, suddenly fall from an adult’s shoulders in wading-depth water near the Fun Pier and not be found for three days? No one will ever know. Is that area unsafe? No warning sign has been posted. [Read more…]

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COMMENTARY: Gentrification Won’t Bring Growth

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following submission was originally published as a comment to a letter by Robert Toner (CLICK to read). We are republishing it as a Commentary for those who might have missed it.) 

By KEN DUFTY

December 29, 2014

Hats off to Mr. Toner for exposing the naked truth about the apparent motives of those digging their spurs into the bellies of the all-too-willing Board of Supervisors (save for Granville Hogg). While marching to the cadence of the “business friendly” chant, the majority of the members of the Board have turned their backs on the citizenry of this great county, targeting especially the middle class and those struggling to stay above the bottom rungs of the economic ladder.

As to Bobby Roberts’ theory that the “whole mess is starting to smell” like GENTRIFICATION, that has been my partial take on the situation since I sat down to read the entire draft zoning ordinance just hours before the March 11, 2014, Public Hearing at Northampton High School (shame on me for not being more involved in county issues before that 12th hour!). The elitists apparently working the strings of the Supervisors (‘cept’n Hogg, who refuses to have those knots tied) seem obsessed with transforming this county into a bustling upscale retirement destination, abandoning the assets which set us far above the cookie-cutter likeness of Virginia Beach and Ocean City.

As the recently-commissioned Competitive Assessment Study recommended, in order to REALLY become more business friendly, the Board should be encouraging and marketing our core industries, the engines driving our local economy. These include agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, small business, and tourism, many of which lead the state and nation in their ranking and growth. The report also directed the Board to cure the real ills stopping growth in the county, such as lack of high-speed Internet, reliable cell phone service, better quality schools, accessible and affordable health care, and the development of a trained and ready workforce.

Instead, the Board has set a course which can only be described as a campaign to gentrify the county, driving taxes higher and ensuring that those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder will have even a more difficult time remaining on the lower Shore. A few of the examples that support Mr. Roberts’ gentrification theory are: [Read more…]

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LETTER: Northampton County Is Not Virginia Beach!

December 22, 2014

DEAR EDITOR,

First of all, thanks to the Cape Charles Wave and reporter Dorie Southern for the expert coverage of the”Occupy the Old Courthouse” rally in Eastville on Tuesday evening, December 9. As Ms. Southern reported [CLICK], the Northampton County Board of Supervisors’ meeting that followed the rousing but cordial rally on the Courthouse green drew a packed house with standing room only. Out of the 18 speakers, many of whom were former county officials and current heads of civic and environmental organizations, only one speaker spoke in favor of the Board’s unilateral attempt to completely rewrite Northampton County’s zoning ordinance with virtually and literally no public involvement (except for our obligatory three-minute comment period at the BOS meetings). This same lone speaker also submitted a lengthy letter to a local newspaper which was printed on the same day as the lead story about the rally, and I greatly appreciate this opportunity to respond to several of her comments.

The writer insinuates that those of us who merely want to be more involved in the decision-making process that will dictate the future economic and environmental future of this great county are misinformed and using scare tactics to prevent Northampton County from growing and prospering in this otherwise difficult fiscal climate. She cites many examples of our alleged “fear mongering” and refutes many of the claims made by those opposing the unilateral changes proposed by the Board.

Upon information and belief, the writer is a real estate professional with roots in Virginia Beach. And while we all love to visit Virginia Beach and its many offerings, we do not choose to live there. Frankly, it is just too crowded for the likes of many of us, and most do not want to pay the high taxes of living in such a congested area. Note VB’s taxes are about 50% higher than Northampton County’s. That said, the writer’s theory that we need to develop Northampton County in a more intensive and commercial manner to bring more revenue into the county is belied by the tax profile in Virginia Beach, as well as Ocean City, Maryland.

As for the misinformation that has been put out by the major organizations which have been intricately involved in this proposed zoning revision, there is not one clear example of what has been presented that has been wrong. Indeed, much of the information distributed in newsletters, flyers, and letters has been based on in-depth analysis and careful consideration by former Planning Commissioners and other county officials who were intensely involved in writing the current zoning ordinance, and also in reviewing the proposed zoning revisions while they still served in an official capacity on the Planning Commission. [Read more…]

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Cape Charles to Host 2015 CBES Bike Tour

By DONNA BOZZA
Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore

December 15, 2014

Next year will be Cape Charles’ turn to host the annual CBES “Between the Waters” bike tour. Held each year on the fourth Saturday in October, the tour attracts upwards of a thousand participants – 90 percent of them not from the Eastern Shore.

This year’s bike tour was held in Onancock, headquartered at the historic Onancock School, with excited riders streaming to check in and start one of the tour’s four routes: 25, 40, 60, or 100 miles. Event Coordinator Phyllis Tyndall estimated about 800 cyclists, up some 50 participants from last year.

“It’s about the fifth or sixth time for us,” said Don Pratt, 70, of Southern Shores, NC, as he saddled up in the school parking lot. “It’s a good ride and it’s flat like the Outer Banks where we train.”

Nearby, Brad Dougherty, 60 of Virginia Beach, riding with his coach Mellissa Kuch, shared how triple bypass surgery prompted him to do the tour. “I made it part of my therapy to train and do the 100 mile tour — it’s my goal.” Dougherty finished shy of his mileage goal but logged an impressive 73 miles. “I’ll be [in Cape Charles] next year to do the full 100,” he promised. [Read more…]

EXTRA
Supervisors Hear Intense Opposition to Rezoning

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

December 11, 2014

Some 150 Northampton County residents rallied December 9 against plans for a sweeping rezoning that opponents say could change the Eastern Shore way of life. The crowd than attended a Board of Supervisors meeting where it was standing room only in the usually nearly vacant meeting room.

In the face of intense opposition to the zoning proposals developed by county staff, the Supervisors voted to take up to six more months to decide what to do. During public comment time, almost all of the 19 speakers asked the Supervisors to just withdraw the proposal instead of extending the deadline. But only Supervisor Granville Hogg voted against the deadline extension.

Public speakers called for the Supervisors to request input from county residents as well as research studies on what proposed changes might mean to the economy.

Virginia Shorekeeper Jay Ford, one of the rally organizers, said that more than 500 people had signed a memo calling on Supervisors to completely withdraw the rezoning applications. The zoning applications were filed in the name of all county residents, but in fact were drawn up by county staff without consultation with the public.

Cape Charles Mayor George Proto was among speakers calling for the Supervisors to withdraw the zoning proposals. Proto said he was speaking for himself and not for the Town of Cape Charles. The proposed changes are inconsistent with the county’s Comprehensive Plan and the desires of a large portion of the county’s citizens, Proto charged, calling for public input and verifiable data to address issues of concern.

Cape Charles Business Association President Andrew Follmer said that his Board of Directors, representing 60 members comprised mainly of small businesses, had voted unanimously to request the Supervisors to completely withdraw the zoning code applications. “We further request a new process be launched to update the county zoning code in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan and based on relevant data,” Follmer said.

Exmore Mayor Douglas Greer also voiced his opposition. “You don’t have a good reputation when it comes to getting the Shore where it needs to be,” he told the Supervisors. “You have a good chance to turn this county around. . . . You need to listen to the people of the Eastern Shore. . . . Open your minds and don’t ignore the people here. Think before you act. That’s all I ask,” he said. [Read more…]

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