Cape Charles has been involved in the Virginia Commission for the Arts Local Government Challenge Grant since 1997. The Commission matches local government funds up to $5K. Last year, the Town allocated $5,000 as the local match.The grant application deadline is April 3, 2017. Arts Enter has completed the draft application and it is ready to be submitted once they receive Council approval. The Town must confirm in writing to the Commission the Council’s decision to appropriate the matching funds by July 1, 2017. The local match in the amount of $5K will be included in the draft FY 2017/2018 budget and the amount will be reviewed by Council at a future budget work session.
Source town staff report.
Archives for February 2017
Random Act of Kindness: Food Lion Staff Helps Man in Need
Citizen submitted, this Random Act of Kindness occurred at the Food Lion in Cape Charles:
I had dropped my wife at Bayside Rehabilitation for post-surgery therapy and then drove to Food Lion to shop with the intention of returning to Bayside Rehabilitation in time to pick up my wife .
When I returned to my car with the groceries my battery was dead .
A Food Lion engineer happened to pull up in truck just at that time . I approached him for a jumper cable . He had none but took me to the Food Lion manager who in turn located an employee with a jumper cable .
The three of us returned to my car and got it started . I returned to Bayside Rehabilitation just in time .
THANKS FOOD LION…as my wife said ” Only on the Eastern Shore . “
Perspectives on Cape Charles: Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve
Special to the Mirror by Jane McKinley. Jane purchased a home at 526 Tazewell Ave last year and spent most of 2016 into 2017 renovating the home, and writing about Cape Charles.
Having met only one or two other people on my numerous visits, I believe that the Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve is a well-kept secret. Owned and managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the natural preserve is located at the far end of Bayshore Road, past Wako Chemical. Although not so easy to find, if one remains firm in their conviction, the reward will be worth the journey.
Cape Charles Natural Preserve is a 29-acre site that offers a well-maintained boardwalk that leads through the woods and opens to two Chesapeake Bay overlooks. The walkway is perfect for an easy, shaded stroll on a hot summer day. At approximately one mile long with no elevation, it would be a good choice for young children or anyone who isn’t up for a robust physical challenge. Also, to really appreciate the sounds of nature, plan your walk on a non-workday since the noises from Bayshore Concrete interfere with the solitude.
The boardwalk takes visitors through several natural communities, including a globally-rare Maritime Dune Woodland. There is no beach access due to the sensitivity of the habitat which includes the federally threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle (Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis). I understand that this little critter has had quite an impact on humans’ use of the area’s beachfront.
It would also be very exciting to visit during fall migration when the forest abounds with migratory songbirds and raptors resting and feeding before continuing their journey across the Chesapeake Bay. One will need a good pair of binoculars before that time! And, of course, a good bird reference book.
Cape Charles Brewery Negotiates Water & Sewer Hookup Reduction
The Cape Charles Brewery appeared before Town Council to negotiate a deal to bring the operation to the Eastern Shore. With over $2 million in investments, the last stumbling block was the $65k+ water and sewer hookup charges. The brewery wanted to have the charges completely waived, given what they feel they are bringing to the table such as jobs, additional tax revenue, and being able to put Cape Charles on the bottle caps. The feeling on council was mixed.
“We did not build into our budget – we didn’t build anything in, frankly, for a tapping or connection fee,” said brewery spokesman Mark Marshall.
While most were enthusiastic about the prospect of having a brewery in town, completely waiving the fees was a non-starter.
While the Eastern Shore is the first choice for the brewery location, the prospective brewers were firm in stating that this was not the only place they have looked, and other localities were more than willing to sweeten the deal to get their business.
What should have been a feel good moment quickly turned tense as council backpedaled to avoid once again snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. With close to $2 million investment dollars at stake, council attempted to find some common ground on which to stake the deal.
Gear/EFV, The Oyster Farm, and Lemon Tree Gallery win Grant
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing programs through the creation of tourism partnerships and to extend the “Virginia is for Lovers” campaign. The objective of this program is to leverage limited marketing dollars, resulting in increased visitor spending, revenue, and jobs. More than $772,000 in matching grant funds will be awarded to 62 tourism initiatives as part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program (MLP). Local entities Gear/EFV, The Oyster Farm, and Lemon Tree Gallery are one of several winners of this year’s grant.
Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the awards on Tuesday.
“Today, we take another critical step in supporting one of Virginia’s largest private sector industries and the individual communities across the Commonwealth that foster it,” said McAuliffe. “These Marketing Leverage Program grants provide a vital opportunity for destinations and businesses across the Commonwealth, helping to create jobs, promote economic development, and increase visitor spending,” McAuliffe said.
Title of the marketing initiative submitted by the group is “Art Soaked Weekends: Cape Charles”.
The lead partner in the initiative is GEAR (Global Exchange Arts Roundtable, Inc) a non-profit founded in 2015 by Renata Sheppard as a vehicle for Experimental Film Virginia. The partners are two local businesses: Lemon Tree Gallery and Studio, which already has an established partnership with GEAR and The Oyster Farm Seafood Eatery, which already has an established summer music and entertainment track record as well as being a restaurant and event center.
Renata Sheppard told the Mirror, “We are hoping to lead by example with the Art Soaked Weekend project and the doors are open for other businesses, restaurants, and organizations to join our Art Soaked Weekend initiative. Please reach out to us so we can talk about making this a really effective marketing and tourism brand for our town.” [Read more…]
Harbor: Is This What You Call Cooking the Books?
For the last year, numbers for the town harbor have been continually down. Each monthly report has indicated the same downward trend for what many consider the crown jewel of Cape Charles. At last Thursday’s town council meeting, Councilman Buchholz noted, “The Harbor, it has always been full, and now we have empty slips? It’s never been like that.”
In response to this trend, the town created a committee to see just what could be done to reverse the downward spiral. Former mayor Dora Sullivan, along with Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek hold seats on the committee.
With Harbor Master Charlie Farlow presenting a report on proposed harbor rates for 2017, Mayor Proto changed the discussion to harbor revenues.
“Talk about the money that the harbor has collected year to date,” Proto asked.
“Yes, that is very important,” added Sullivan. “It is very misleading when you look at the harbor and it’s empty. However, talk to us about the money. Where we were last year and where we are this year. Hit it!”
“Granted, the numbers have been down…a lot of that is due to the fact that annual slip holders can go to other places,” said Farlow.
“You are saying the boat numbers are down, but as I look at your report the numbers for FY16 are 237,789.42 and for FY17 they are 302,210.13. That to looks like it’s up, and that is good news. I don’t want to go into why that is, it’s just good new,” Proto said.
Reviewing the report, it did indicate an increase in revenue from last year. But, we did notice that both columns in the ledger were not the same. FY 17 contained an entry titled ‘DOCK FEES-ALL’ for a total of $93,548.77. That entry was left blank for FY16.
Northampton County Education Foundation welcomes new board members
The Northampton County Education Foundation (NCEF) welcomes five new members to its board of directors. They join a passionate and dedicated group working to improve our Northampton County Public Schools.
Andrew Buchholz, Darlene Burton, Faye Wilfong, Kristin Webb and Sharon Renner and bring a wealth of school and community involvement to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
The NCEF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006 by a group of community volunteers who were interested in supporting the county’s public school system. It recognized the need to strategically direct the resources of stakeholders, e.g., businesses, non-profit organizations, etc. to the betterment of the schools. Thus by building strong community partnerships NCEF has been able to launch highly leveraged programs that promote student performance and excellence in teaching. Please visit our website to learn more at ncedufoundation.com and make inquiries to Andy Teeling at 757-710-8893
Paul Plante: “WHO ARE WE THEN, HILLARY; The Candid world would really like to know!”
My goodness, people, if you are into drama that makes the TV drama “Game of Thrones” seem pedestrian by comparison, and hey, let us face, people, we’re all adults, afterall, we all are, what a time it is to be alive!
These times we are in right now, with earth-shaking events occurring pretty much 24/7 now with the cable news cycle, make the 60s look positively dull and boring by comparison, and so they should when you think about it, since that was in a whole different century, before RAP and HIP-HOP, when all there was, was the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean and Linda Ronstadt and surf’s up and the little old ladies of Pasadena ripping around all over town in Dodge Hemi-Chargers and all that kind of stuff that was popular back then, because, let’s face it again, people just did not know any better.
It took Duane Eddy and his rocking guitar to break us out of our funk back then and now, wow, the future is here, and what never-ending drama it has brought us.
People out in what used to be sunny California are getting drenched with sewage-laden floodwaters, which is pretty icky, when you think about it.
Texas, meanwhile, is getting overrun with feral hogs according to the CBS NEWS article “Fearing “feral hog apocalypse,” Texas approves drastic measures” on 22 February 2017 where Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the “feral hog apocalypse” in Texas where an estimated 2.5 million feral hogs in Texas are doing untold damage to suburban yards, God forbid with the cost of good landscaping and lawn maintenance services in America today. [Read more…]
Destination Cape Charles: Main Street Presentation March 1st & 2nd
The Town of Cape Charles Community Enhancement Program is based on the Virginia Main Street Program. The Virginia Main Street Program is a preservation-based economic and community development program that follows the National Main Street Center’s Main Street Approach™. Virginia Main Street offers a range of services and assistance to meet the variety of needs of communities interested in revitalization. March 1st and 2nd, Jon Schallert will be in Cape Charles for The “MAIN” Event, a lecture and seminar to help outline a methodology for building our town into a Main Street Community.
Science and Philosophy Seminar of the Eastern Shore: Are You a Copernican?
Science and Philosophy Seminar of the Eastern Shore of Virginia has scheduled its next seminar, “Are You a Copernican?” The free 90-minute seminar will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 3 in the Lecture Hall of the Eastern Shore Community College, 29300 Lankford Hwy, Melfa, VA 23410.
Van Smith will lead the Seminar and aims to enable the attendees to follow Copernicus in his restatement of an ancient idea of Aristarchus that the Sun is the center of the Solar System, so that they can know not just that the Earth moves, but at any given moment, where. Attendees are urged to bring a sketch pad and pencil, as we will be going over drawings which may make this very difficult perception possible.
Smith attended Shattuck School, Claremont McKenna College, Yale University, and the Jung Institute. He resides on the Eastern Shore after many years in California.
These seminars are occasionally rescheduled or postponed on short notice. Prospective attendees are urged to check the Seminar’s website (www.SciPhi.org) shortly before a scheduled date.
Science and Philosophy Seminar is an informally organized group that meets more or less regularly to explore and discuss a wide array of topics, ranging from philosophical speculation to scientific research. All Seminars are open to the public. Admission is free.
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