Menhaden Town Hall meeting will be at Chic’s Oyster Bar on August 26th at 6:00 p.m.
Senators Lynwood Lewis, Bill DeSteph, John Cosgrove, and Barry Knight to discuss their views on menhaden management in Virginia.
Reflections on Cape Charles and the Eastern Shore
Menhaden Town Hall meeting will be at Chic’s Oyster Bar on August 26th at 6:00 p.m.
Senators Lynwood Lewis, Bill DeSteph, John Cosgrove, and Barry Knight to discuss their views on menhaden management in Virginia.
The average child today spends less than three years playing a sport and quits by age 11, according to a new survey of sports parents conducted by the Aspen Institute and Utah State University.
Only 28% of kids aged 6 to 12 played team sports on a regular basis in 2018, down from 45% in 2008, per the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. For parents who see the benefits of their kids playing sports and for a nation in the midst of a childhood obesity epidemic, keeping kids active is extremely important..
According to the survey, three of the main reasons kids quit sports are (1) a lack of fun, (2) bad coaches and (3) financial pressure.
The youth sports economy has always been big business, but as competitive travel teams have crept into increasingly younger age groups over the past decade, the industry has doubled in size to more than $15 billion.
The result is a world of private coaching, interstate travel and mega-complexes full of families willing to spend as much as $20k per year on their kid’s sports.
Low-income families are being priced out, resulting in their children losing not only an opportunity to excel at a sport but also the chance to exercise and make friends.
Youth sports in America is becoming a story of the haves and the have-nots.
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman and New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Climate Change Task Force Co-Chair Elaine Luria (VA-02), along with NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06), NDC Vice Chair Scott Peters (CA-52), and the other Co-Chairs of the NDC Climate Change Task Force, Reps. Don Beyer (VA-08), Sean Casten (IL-06), and Susan Wild (PA-07), have released policy principles to combat climate change with the seriousness and urgency it demands.
Through the principles, the NDC Climate Change Task Force seeks to address the climate challenge and to embrace the notion that through its powerful economy, the U.S. can be best positioned to be the global leader in developing and producing future technologies to help the world tackle climate change.
“I am proud to help lead the New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force as we work to protect communities from sea level rise and accelerate our clean energy economy,” said New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force Co-Chair Elaine Luria (VA-02). “For Coastal Virginians, sea level rise, recurrent flooding, and extreme weather aren’t concerns for the future; they are problems we deal with every day. These Principles lay out a bold agenda that will cut pollution, protect military assets and coastal communities, and spur innovation and growth.”
The NDC Task Force intends to promote politically durable and long-lasting policies that build bipartisan consensus where possible. The Task Force will work to advance climate policies that address the following principles:
1. Combating climate change requires global action and American leadership.
2. Transitioning to a climate-forward economy represents an opportunity to mobilize our economy and create high-quality jobs.
3. Enacting a climate-forward agenda requires investing in communities, resilience, and relief.
“The New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force looks forward to building on the work of many of our colleagues. We aim to make immediate progress toward our decarbonization goals by building bridges to groups historically resistant to facing the reality and magnitude of this threat, and accomplishing real, tangible, legislative progress that unleashes the economic opportunities of addressing the current and future impacts of climate change,” the principles read.
“There’s no denying it: climate change is real and it requires bold action. In my neck of the woods, we are seeing tribal communities facing the prospect of having to move to higher ground. Those who work in our fisheries and shellfish growers are seeing changing ocean chemistries threaten their livelihoods. And we have seen a growing threat of forest fires. The American people are not just demanding action – but also leadership – to counter the threat of climate change,” said New Democrat Coalition Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06). “We know that, if we do this right, we can not only help our planet — we can create quality jobs and sustainable economic growth. I am proud of the leadership of the New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force that worked diligently to create policy principles to take action.”
The principles were endorsed by the NDC Climate Change Task Force and will be considered by the full Coalition in the Fall. Read the one-pager and the full principles.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores had another record-breaking year and topped $1 billion in revenues.
The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority announced Tuesday that its sales and other income for fiscal 2019 was $72 million more than last year.
Officials attributed the increase in part to customers buying more top shelf liquor than in the last. Irish whiskey was up 15%, tequila at 14% and bourbon at 10%.
Tito’s Handmade domestic vodka was the number one seller, for the second year in a row.
This week Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg began her journey to the United States for the United Nations Climate Conference. While this young girl believes that the planet is headed for an ecological catastrophe, this type of eco-pessimism is not new.
30 years Julian Simon published his article in Science magazine: “Resources, Population, Environment: An Oversupply of False Bad News.”
Juxtapose this with The Limits to Growth and the Silent Spring, each over 40 years old, and try to really see which has turned out to be more accurate.
FromThe Limits to Growth: “Will this be the world that your grandchildren will thank you for? A world where industrial production has sunk to zero. Where population has suffered a catastrophic decline. Where the air, sea, and land are polluted beyond redemption. Where civilization is a distant memory. This is the world that the computer forecasts.”
As Simon noted, the models are just that, and they have turned out to be not that accurate. In many cases, just the opposite of what the eco-pessimists proposed.
It was Simon’s contention that eco-pessimists ignore history, misunderstand finiteness, thinks statically, has a vested interest in doom and is complacent about human innovation.
Almost everything we read about the environment now is ignoring the poor track record of eco-pessimists–this should produce some skepticism about global warming claims today.
The reality is, it’s hard to find actual data – and not models that show either unprecedented change or change is that is anywhere close to causing real harm.
Returning to Simon’s argument that “Incredible as it may seem at first, the term ‘finite’ is not only inappropriate but downright misleading in the context of natural resources…Because we find new lodes, invent better production methods and discover new substitutes, the ultimate constraint upon our capacity to enjoy unlimited raw materials at acceptable prices is knowledge.”
Simon is talking about human engineering and creativity, and in an argument that seems odd, renewable resources such as whales, pine forests, bison are the ones that tend to run out.
Humans are the only creatures that use fossil fuels. Because of this, we are not competing or stealing resources from other animals. When the energy source is hydro, wind, timber or crops, you are directly competing for resources with other creatures. The use of bio-energy, whether in the form of timber or ethanol competes with wildlife for land, or wood or food.
Simon’s argument is based on history. In the past, we relied on the biosphere (crops and wood), then we discovered that there was something under the ground that actually works better, and doesn’t rob from the surface of the planet and the creatures that inhabit it.
That is the industrial revolution.
Simon’s view is dynamic, and not static. The economy, culture, and prices cause the substitution of resources.
While it was argued several years ago that malaria would drastically increase as the world got warmer, it actually has disappeared from North America, Russia, and Europe and gone down in South America, Asia, and Africa. This downtick is not because mosquitos dislike warmer weather. This is due to people moving inside, controlling standing water, and the use of chemicals and malaria medications. Design, engineering, and creativity are the forces of change.
Human beings are dynamic, not static. We adapt, that’s what we do.
Simon was also critical of the environmental movement and the scientific community. He understood that they are competitive free markets in which there is intense competition for donations, grants, and subsidies. The so-called Green movement generates billions of dollars annually, basically by scaring people. If they said that climate change is a very slow, gentle process that takes hundreds of years to affect anything, I doubt the donations would be as generous.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s October 2018 report says that we need to cut global carbon emissions in half in ten years to have any hope of staving off a climate crisis that would existentially threaten human society. Seriously? And this is based on what?
In July, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced a resolution asking Congress to declare that global warming is an emergency demanding a massive mobilization of resources to protect the U.S. economy, society and national security.
This, of course, has nothing to do with climate change. This is about the distribution of wealth, power, and enhanced government control. The IPCC report declared that preventing runaway global warming will require “far-reaching transitions in energy, land … and industrial systems” for which there is “no documented historic precedent.” Oxford University climate scientist and report author Myles Allen explained, “It’s telling us we need to … turn the world economy on a dime.” The IPCC says that to make this turn happen, there needs to be a carefully planned and democratically administered emergency program for ecological reconstruction. None of this is reconcilable with capitalism’s imperatives of profit maximization and growth, as well as private ownership of the means of production. In other words: The system must change to beat climate change.
When hearing climate change mentioned, what they really mean is a transition to socialism. People like Sanders and AOC, and 70% of the Democratic party are using fear about climate change as a means destabilize the economy and to force what they dementedly call social justice. However, they never offer any real data or historical precedents to back up their wailing.
Simon understood just how dangerous eco-pessimism is. There is an idea that the risk from increasing carbon dioxide calls for cutting emissions by 90 percent or we’re all going to die. But, cutting emissions by 90% might do more harm to the poor and the rain forest than anything the emissions themselves might do.
The idea that we can decarbonize the economy without severe ecological and economic harm, that we can shut down world trade without starving the poor, that we can grow organic crops for seven billion people without destroying the rain forest is a very dangerous proposition.
Simon understood how miserable this world still is for so many, and how much better we could make it. We need to stop being so fearful, need to keep inventing and developing new and more powerful technologies that can actually do what we need to keep getting better.
Organic tomatoes are not going to feed the world, genetically modified crops will. Wind and solar will never produce enough power, small nuclear will.
Simon believed the greenest thing we can do is innovate. The most sustainable thing we can do is change and adapt.
We need not fear the climate, only fear itself.
Reader-submitted story and photos. The Mirror has been told of this by several other people, but this is the first time we have had visual proof.
When I see a golf cart on the beach, it makes my blood boil.
I watched this guy and his lady friend with their golf cart on the beach. She was posing like a model and he was taking her pic. He turns around and looks like he was peeing on the beach. He saw me and started dancing and continued to pee. Then he sped off. Doing doughnuts and driving reckless on the beach.
I would have called the police but everyone knows they don’t get to work on Sunday until 9am. and this was at 6:45am.
The whole time I watched the guy driving like a fool, I said to myself, if he gets stuck I’m not helping him. Well, I saw where he got on and off the beach by little Neptune, but he wasn’t stuck.
When I got closer, I could see that he wrecked. He was going so fast that he loss lost control and landed on the side in the roadway. It looked like he skinned up his arm and leg.
I won’t say that karma is a bitch, but don’t screw around on our beach. The forces of nature are powerful! ( Yes, I did call the Sheriff’s department).But I hope I put a little light on what laws need enforcement.
I still feel bad for the boy and his dog.
One of the hottest topics in Cape Charles is the fate of the now-abandoned rail yard and the undeveloped areas around the harbor. The Planning Commission discussed issues affecting that area at Tuesday’s Regular Meeting.
With developers drooling like hungry dogs, and the dubious Northampton County Board of Supervisors breathing down the Town’s neck to hurry up and send more tax money their way, now is the time to ensure development within this area is going to be appropriate, and not detrimental.
On March 13, 2019, the Mayor, Planning Commission Chair, and Harbor Area Review Board Chair, met to discuss to next steps concerning the Cape Charles Harbor District. The Mayor requested a committee be formed, comprised of two Planning Commissioners, two Town Councilmembers, two Harbor Area Review Board members, and the Town Planner. The “Harbor Committee” was formed to assess the current zoning regulations.
The Harbor Committee reviewed the Harbor District (Section 3.9), the Planned Unit Development District (Section 3.12), the Subdivision Ordinance (Appendix A), the Harbor District Overlay, and the Village District section of the Accawmacke Plantation Planned Unit Development. A set of definitions was also put in place.
There was some contention over which town entity took precedence. In some cases, such as with the old Tavi property, there is an overlap of the Historic District and the Harbor District. Currently, the Historic District takes precedence for control of that area.
The Commission also voiced concerns about the Chesapeake Bay Act, and how much control the Town should have in its enforcement. Planner Zach Ponds said that the DEQ was the ultimate authority in the approval of any plans submitted by developers, and those plans would have to meet State and Federal guidelines for water retention, runoff, erosion, and sedimentation.
The following are the proposed uses that are permitted by right:
1. Accessory uses customarily associated and clearly incidental and subordinate to a principal use.
2. Food service relatedservice-related uses of the following types:
a. Bakeries, confectionaries, delicatessens, and catering services
b. Cafes and coffee shops
c. Delicatessens
d. Eating and drinking establishments
e. Ice cream parlors
f. Restaurants
3. Marine- related uses of the following types:
a. Bait and tackle shops
b. Boat rentals
c. Marinas, docks and wharves if contiguous to harbor
a. Sail and canvas making and repair
e. Ship stores and chandleries
4. Office and institutional uses of the following types:
a. Business studios
b. Civic and government facilities
c. Educational facilities
d. Financial institutions
b. Medical clinics
c. Medical, dental and other laboratories
d. Offices
e. Office supply stores
f. Real estate sales and rentals
5. Recreational, cultural, and entertainment uses of the following types:
a. Art galleries and art studios
b. Athletic clubs
c. Conference centers
d. Health and fitness facilities
e. Libraries and galleries
f. Museums and cultural centers
g. Outdoor recreational uses
h. Parks
6. Retail goods establishments of the following types with 2,500 square feet or less of gross floor area:
a. Antique shops
b. Bookstores, new and used
c. Camera shops
d. Candy stores
e. Clothing stores
f. Dry goods stores
g. Florists, gift shops, card shops, and stationery shops
h. Grocery stores
i. Music stores
j. Newsstands
k. Tobacco stores
l. Upholstering shops and fabric stores
m. Video stores
n. Watch and jewelry stores
7. Retail service establishments of the following types with 2,500 square feet or less of gross floor area:
a. Beauty and barbershops
b. Bicycle, moped, and street legal golf cart sales and rentals
c. Blueprinting shops
d. Dressmaking, tailoring, millinery, dry cleaning
8. Public Utility Facility
Conditional Uses. The following uses may also be permitted, subject to securing a conditional use permit as provided for in this ordinance:
Marine- related uses of the following types:
a. Boat and marine engine repair shops
b. Boatels
c. Marine and sports equipment consignment stores
2. Markets of the following types:
a. Crafts markets b. Farmers’ markets
c. Watermen’s markets
3. Recreational, cultural, and entertainment uses of the following types:
a. Assembly halls
b. Auditoriums
c. Commercial recreational uses
d. Entertainment establishments
e. Theaters
4. Retail goods establishments of the following types with more than 2,500 square feet of gross floor area:
a. Antique shops
b. Bookstores, new and used
c. Camera shops
d. Candy stores
e. Clothing stores
f. Dry goods stores
g. Florists, gift shops, card shops, and stationery shops
h. Grocery stores
i. Music stores
j. Newsstands
k. Tobacco stores
l. Upholstering shops and fabric stores
m. Video stores
n. Watch and jewelry stores
5. Retail service establishments of the following types with more than 2,500 square feet of gross floor area:
a. Beauty and barbershops
b. Bicycle moped, and golf cart sales and rentals
c. Blueprinting shops
d. Dressmaking, tailoring, millinery, dry cleaning
6. Single-family and multi-family dwellings provided the following requirements are met:
a. All dwelling units shall have direct access to the street level. Means of access may be shared with other dwelling units, but not commercial uses. Access through a commercial establishment on the first level is not permitted. b. Dwelling units shall occupy no more than 50 percent of the first floor of any building. c. The first floor of all building facades adjacent to a public street shall have a commercial appearance and shall not have a residential appearance.
7. Other miscellaneous uses of the following types: a. Bed and breakfasts and tourist homes, provided the following requirements are met: (1.) The owner and family must occupy the residence. The owner and his/her appointed agent is responsible for supervising guests. (2.) The single-family dwelling appearance must be maintained. (3.) Parking should be considered on a case-by-case basis as part of the conditional use application, ensuring adherence to Section 4.8.E.2 (Table of Parking Standards) using both on and off-street parking areas. (4.) A sign no larger than four square feet shall be permitted. (5.) The number of room accommodations shall be subject to recommendation by the Planning Commission and approved by the Town Council. (6.) The dwelling must meet all of the requirements of Section 3.9.D.6. b. Child care and child care education centers c. Hotels and motels d. Laundromats Town of Cape Charles Zoning Ordinance Article III – District Regulations Revised 04-2018 Article III, Page 5 e. Liquor and package stores f. Off-site parking 8. Any other use which is compatible in nature with the foregoing permitted and conditional uses and which the Zoning Administrator determines to be compatible with the intent of the District and is concurred with by the Planning Commission.
This article only captured just a few of the major points. The Mirror recommends the reader go to the town website and view the staff report to get the full flavor of just what is involved in the development of that property.
You can download the staff report here.
The Planning Commission will continue to refine the Harbor District in coming meetings.
More improvements are coming to Central Park. Memorial trees, park benches, and picnic tables will be added. The trees will be planted in September and October, with benches and tables installed then or in the Spring.
The next task is improvements to the children’s playground, which
Citizens for Central Park will undertake with the town. The town recently replaced the wooden fence that was deteriorating, and with it also expanded the playground area to include shade trees and more space.
Hank Mayer, president of Citizens for Central Park told the Mirror, “We are hoping to replace the Zip-Line and add 1-2 new units, as well as provide greater shade over existing units. We will also add several picnic tables by the trees. We’re hoping to do this work later this year or in the Spring, depending on finances.
Our plan is to install adult-oriented games in the SE corner of the Park, including bocce ball and shuffleboard courts, a cornhole game, along with additional trees and picnic tables. This is a 2020 project, as we would like the town to share the cost of these Park improvements with CCP.”
To help make a donation, download the brochure here
After the resignation of two members of the Historic District Review Board last year, the board was, for a period of time down to just three members. To not be in that situation again, changes to the number of board members from five to seven was proposed. It was also proposed that one member of the town council should also be on the board.
Those changes were rejected this week by the Planning Commission.
Paul Grossman, Town Council’s representative on the Planning Commission noted that he had researched several other localities and found that Town Council members did not sit on any of those boards, and that seemed to be the standard.
During the discussion, there was a consensus that the number should remain at five members, and not seven as was proposed.
The Cape Charles Planning Commission accepted changes to the Historic District Review Board process that essentially gives ownership of the Historic District Guidelines to Town Council.
The process is being changed to a two-phase approach, similar to the Harbor Development Certificate.
The new process will have an initial meeting followed by a Town Council meeting where staff provides a summary report. HDRB would have their second meeting to review any additional information and provide their recommendation to Town Council for a decision at the next Council meeting. Preliminary plans and all specifics could be discussed and any requested information could be provided at the second meetings. Council would then vote to accept the changes or not.
The process flow will be:
1. HDRB recommendations
2. Planning commission review and public meeting and recommendation
3.Town Council review, public meeting and final adoption
4. Written into the ordinance