- County residents organize, protest proposed zoning…all the way to the end.
- Mayor Proto continued to keep office hours, a most welcome open door policy for citizens
- 4th of July in Cape Charles: still the best
- Arts Enter School of Dance productions continue to bring joy to Cape Charles
- Festive Fridays was huge success for Town businesses, highlighted Cape Charles as best Christmas village in Coastal Virginia
- Rape in park, though tragic, showcased the high level of training and professionalism of our local police
- While stepping down as Executive Director of Arts Enter, Clelia Shepperd’s new endeavors are very exciting for the arts in Cape Charles
- Oyster Trail becomes official, will take tourism to the next level
- Laid back, bohemian in nature, our beach is still our first love
Design Excellence of Bay Haven Inn
When Tammy and Jim Holloway first moved to Cape Charles a few years ago, and began getting Bay Haven ready to become an Inn again, I remember remarking to another B&B owner, Bruce Evans that the new owners were really putting a lot of work, much of it sweat equity, into what I considered one of the towns historic gems. “You know Wayne,” Bruce said. “They are really going to be, no they are, a really great addition to this town.” That of course, was probably the understatement of the decade, as the Holloway’s have, in short period of time, turned Bay Haven into a local icon.
Note: Photos courtesy of Chris Glennon Photographer
Each holiday season, we can’t wait to see just what design the Bay Haven Inn will come up with. Word of mouth has already spread regarding the quality of the cuisine (especially the sweet potato ham biscuits) offered by Jim and Tammy Holloway, an authentic Eastern Shore “Farm to Table” style where vegetables and herbs are grown in the backyard or delivered fresh from the area’s local farms. However, it is the depth and beauty of the how the couple decorates for each season that is becoming an attraction on its own. We have to admit that the Bay Haven Halloween is still our favorite, yet the design for the Christmas holidays is always stunning. More than just decorating for the holidays, the Holloway’s approach the design with such a level detail and arrangement, it becomes as much a performance as it does a statically visual work of art. Within this importance, we see a correlation of the all the parts to the whole, an organic unity that not only encompasses Bay Haven, but also emphasizes its interrelatedness to Cape Charles itself. Walking down Tazewell at sunset, you stop to consider the beauty of Bay Haven, how, for each season, the materials are well chosen, and combined, mashed up in a systematic, yet simple, orderly and direct way, all to create a perfect feeling of place and time. We could probably go on for several more pages about this, but why do that when showing you is so much better…
Phone: (757)331-2838
Email: Info@BayHavenInnbnb.com
Address: 403 Tazewell Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310
Follow Bay Haven on Facebook: Facebook.com/BayHavenInn
We Love Festive Fridays, our newest, best holiday tradition
This year, when we heard that the holiday progressive dinner tour would not be taking place, we have to admit to being a bit distraught. We think of Cape Charles as the truest and best little Christmas village in Coastal Virginia. Those fears were entirely misguided, as we watched with joy as each Festive Friday unfolded before us. The Town is decorated, the shops open late, and wonderful music filled our streets and sidewalks…the only thing missing is a chestnut seller.
The Mirror would like to thank the Cape Charles Business Association, and all those that made these events such a success. We can’t wait to see what unfolds before us next year.
Note: If you didn’t get to attend Festive Fridays, there is still plenty of time to come and shop in Cape Charles. Kelly’s Gingernut Pub, the Oyster Farm, Hook You Up bistro, the Coach House and of course, the Cape Charles Coffee House are all open and ready to serve you a wonderful lunch or dinner….need to finish off that Christmas list? I can’t think of a better place to do it than Cape Charles, Virginia.
What does the new zoning ordinance mean to the County?
With portions of the new zoning ordinance passing last Tuesday, what does this mean for Northampton County? If someone finds out, please tell us at the Mirror, because we are not ashamed to admit that we are totally confused by the whole thing. From talking to several folks in the community though, it is the threat of increased density and over development that is the main fear.
The increases in density, that is, being able to build By Right, notably around places such as Willis Wharf and Oyster, with some up to 4 units per acre, is a crucial concern (also, how is the county supposed to pay for services to these new developments?).
A good bit of the push back to the new zoning is that rather than By Right density increases, the county should instead be requiring a rezoning to higher density. That is, it removes the possibility of negotiating increased density and in return getting a few affordable housing units in return. The claim that increasing density will make affordable housing possible (this has been the Homebuilder’s Association argument), is an unsolvable logic puzzle, a Catch 22. The developer can offer a proffer, such as road improvements, building a playground or fire station–that is, he can offer to do things they believe will provide incentives to the county to
permit the increased density, yet this can only happen with a rezoning. The same policy that should be creating more affordable housing options for folks like our teachers, instead lets developers off the hook and relieves them of being required to provide said affordable housing.
Although the Planning Commission attempted to remove the requirement for ammonia scrubbers for intensive farming operations, the BoS did push back, and kept that requirement in, thus making high volume chicken farming less feasible for Northampton.
Still, the vote Tuesday left these lingering thoughts, as was expressed by this citizen in a comment to the Mirror:
1. The portions of the zoning ordinance that were passed are so diametrically opposed to our current comprehensive plan, which is the collective will of the citizenry, that it can be characterized as nothing less than a land use train wreck. The Code of Virginia demands that any zoning ordinance amendment or revision be consistent with the controlling comprehensive plan. This has been affirmed by the Virginia Supreme Court. Emphatically.
2. The portions of the zoning ordinance that were passed were done so with no benefit from studies, testimony, or probative evidence. The Code of Virginia demands that any zoning ordinance amendment or revision be based on “economic and other studies”, which Charles McSwain admitted on record were never done. The requirement to base zoning amendments or revisions on probative evidence has been affirmed by the Virginia Supreme Court. In spades.
3. The portions of the zoning ordinance that were passed were done so after a public notice was sent to landowners, such public notice being so convoluted and disjointed that even a Rhodes scholar would have trouble understanding how his or her land was to be effected by the proposed changes. Indeed, in the mail we received land use maps, and in the Eastern Shore News, in microscopic print, was a list of uses that would be allowed in each new or reconfigured land use designation.
And, it can also be summed by this anonymous comment posted to the Mirror:
After Tuesday’s memorable landmark BoS meeting one cannot help but wonder why are we so incapacitated ? And in this day and age. For upwards of two years if not longer it seems as if Northampton has had a cancer festering. Citizens persistently have tried to tackle it, painstakingly & tactfully. Is there a doctor in the house?!
Nearly four centuries ago: 363/4 years actually since future America’s first protest against taxation without representation in the spring of 1651/2, Northampton complained to James City of several years weightie taxes. We know better what happened in a similar vein over a century later.
Yesterday morning amid our ongoing lovely weather, throngs of bluebirds and myrtle warblers flocked around their rarely utilized birdbath to the west. Looking east out of their sight range we discovered a large feral cat dwarfing their regular dive as it sipped, perched grossly topside, arrogantly staring us down & refusing to depart when coercive noises were made.
Such a visual experience at once reminded us of our history and the frustration and reality of our meetings and lower shore dilemmas.
Christmas in New York: Dec 19th and 20th
Christmas in New York, this winter’s danceable drama by Arts Enter School of Dance, will be performed in the Palace Theater December 19th and 20th. The original script is a combination of dance and stage, incorporating all the music, dance and sites that make up New York, New York. Amy Watkins choreography delights as always, taking the audience along from Grand Central Station to Central Park, from the Bowery to Broadway to Coney Island, and many other places in the City. The dance incorporates many holiday favorites, but also music from George Gershwin to Bruce Springsteen to Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Joel, Kiss, Lea Michelle and more….all the sounds that over the years have made New York one of the world’s greatest cities.
This is a wonderful way to begin Christmas week by taking in festive downtown Cape Charles, and then basking in the warmth and glow of the Historic Palace Theater decorated for the holidays. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in the lobby and know that your support helps keep this community treasure alive and well.
Dates and ShowTime’s are December 19th at 7:30, with a matinee at 2:00 on the 20th.
I tried to keep it brief, but if you need more, let me know (feel free to edit away if you think it needs it). If Larry is tied up, Amy has done a fantastic job on the posters and playbills before.
Merry Christmas to the Ghost of the Palace Theater
On Thursday night, I arrived at the Palace Theater about a half an hour early for that evening’s dance rehearsal – I thought I might take a few minutes to warm up before the dancers got there, plus sometimes it is nice to have the stage all to yourself. All alone, just me and the stage, I suddenly remembered that I wasn’t alone at all—in the midst of my warmup, I had forgotten about the ghost. Anyone that has ever spent any time alone in the Palace can affirm this; you may not see it, but you know that poltergeist is there.
My dear friend David Glowacki, who for many years was our tech wizard up in the booth for shows such as Blithe Spirit, Annie and You Can’t Take It With You had many a run in with our mischievous, yet benevolent apparition. It seems our ghost took a perverse pleasure in wreaking havoc on David’s work. Every so often, after David would have everything set for the show, things would go haywire—all light settings would be lost, sounds disappeared, and spots would just stop working, sending David off, frantically trying to bring things back online. Like I said, the ghost was a benevolent one, and never did anything during an actual production, and seemed quite content to torture us during dress rehearsal week.
Last Christmas, on the day of our opening for our version of A Christmas Carol, I came in to finish up some last minute changes to the set, mainly constructing and hanging the huge, beautiful clock that was built and painted by Nicole Hart. The ghost was in prime form that day, with scissors falling of the stage, tape rolling off onto the floor, and somehow winding up way under the stage, and the lights went off several times, leaving me in total darkness, trying to make my way back to the switch.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “We have a show to put on, this is opening night.”
I couldn’t help but wonder what the deal was. But then I realized that it was about Sheila – the ghost really loved Sheila Cardano, whose vision it was to resurrect this theater, and once again fill it with life. I wonder how many years the poor apparition languished here, all alone, wandering about the cold, empty space. But that all changed with Ms. Cardano, who brought warmth and light to what had to have been an almost unbearable emptiness – there are few places more sad than an abandoned theater. I realized, that was why the ghost was giving me a hard time about this show. Ms. Cardano, a few years earlier, produced and directed a supremely beautiful version of the Dickens’ Christmas classic (I actually played Scrooge for her), but now, with Sheila retired, the ghost took our plans to stage the same show as an affront to its theater’s grand matron.
“Look, I get it,” I said. “I miss her too, everybody does. But like you, her spirit permeates every inch of this stage…she will always be here. But look, these kids have worked so hard on this show. It’s opening night, let them perform, will you?…this is what it’s really all about, right? This is what Sheila worked so hard to build for them, isn’t it?”
With that, the ghost left me alone, and I was finally able to hang the clock, and go home to rest up for opening night. Of course, the ghost had one more bit of mischief left, as ten minutes before the opening curtain, one of the strands holding the giant clock broke free, and was left hanging by one thread, ready to crash onto the stage.
“Really?” I asked, and I swear I heard a little giggle. Thankfully, my buddy Ethan Watson was on hand to save the day by hanging the clock with just under three minutes before the curtain was set to come up.
After that show, I feel me and ghost have come to an agreement. It finally realizes that Amy Watkins and I are not trying to replace Ms. Cardano, only to carry on the beauty and work that she and her family, especially Clelia, started years ago. In the shows since last winter’s Christmas Carol, Effervesent Elf, and now this year’s winter show, Christmas in New York, the ghost has been fairly tame. But I always know it’s there.
An odd thing happened this fall. For the last couple of years, I have been diagnosed with an aggressive set of cataracts in both eyes. As of this summer, I was almost totally blind in my right eye. However, this fall, our own brilliant Dr. Shepherd performed surgery on both eyes, and as of my last post-surgery checkup, I once again have 20/20 vision.
But there’s more…
I’m not sure how, but after the surgery, I seem to have much better peripheral vision, and that I can detect and sense light much better than before. I noticed this working in the booth as we rehearsed for the show. Where I once could only sense the ghost was next to me (especially in the booth, as I think this is its favorite place to hang out), I now catch glimpses of light, escaping just as I turn to see it. I know the ghost loves me now, but I have to admit it still creeps me out sometimes, especially at night, when I’m all alone in there. Even so, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I don’t think the Palace would be the same without it.
Merry Christmas ghost…and thank you.
Scooby Doo solves mystery of Harbormaster Interview Committee
Reading in the Cape Charles Mirror about the mystery of the Harbormaster Selection committee, Scooby Doo and the gang from Mystery
Incorporated decided to investigate, coming to Cape Charles to unmask the evil crew. When they first arrive, they are met by zombified members of the Cape Charles Business Association, who make them dance to very loud polka music…frightened, the gang drives the Mystery Machine back to the Rittenhouse Motel. But on the way, they are met by a Ghost Truck (driven by Mayor Proto) that has suddenly appeared behind them and is trying to push them off into a ditch. They lose control for an instant, but they jump the ditch and come to a stop in the old graveyard. The ghost truck comes again and they are forced to run through the woods and into Bay Creek. When they turn around, they see they are being chased by zombified members of the Cape Charles Business Association.
All seemed lost as they are trapped on the 4th green of the Nicklaus course, when suddenly, Frank Wendell storms in on a golf cart, spraying the zombies with bug repellant. As they writhe on the ground, Scooby takes off their masks, revealing their true identities:
Brent Manuel
Debra Pocock
Joan Natali
Tom Bonadeo
Libby Hume
“We would have gotten away with too, if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids!”
Teeling releases Career Mentor Announcement
A Career Mentor Announcement
Attention all retired professionals of Northampton County! Please join with fellow retirees to make a difference in a student’s life. Northampton High School is launching a Career Mentor program for school year 2015-16. Volunteer as a guest lecturer at our Eastville, Virginia campus. Your help is needed to develop an awareness of business and career opportunities. Feel personal satisfaction by contributing to a higher percentage of successful graduates and increase knowledge of the relationship between school and work.
Please go to www.ncpsk12.com and read our program outline. Follow the prompts to sign up and help develop responsible future employees.
Festive Fridays continues to bring joy to Downtown
Festive Fridays in Cape Charles continued its impressive roll this week, filling the sidewalks and shops with music, fun and people. The file Elf at the Palace also brought in many folks ready to make this Christmas one of our Town’s best. The unqualified success of Festive Fridays really opens the door to making Cape Charles a premiere holiday attraction for the all of coastal Virginia. Cape Charles does Christmas better than almost any place I can think of, it isn’t too much of stretch to think that busloads of folks from across the Bay would love to come to our little village for a true taste of old time Christmas.
Festive Fridays continues next week with the more sidewalk festivities, music from Northampton High School’s band and choir, and the classic holiday film Miracle on 34th Street at the Palace.
New Electric Business comes to town: REZ Electric & Construction
REZ Electric & Construction: Located in Cape Charles, REZ has more than 30 years experience in home improvement projects including: electrical panel upgrades, generators, pool/hot tub wiring, instant hot water heaters, kitchen/bath remodeling, room additions, outdoor kitchens, landscape design & lighting, custom lighting, laundry room organization, ADA (VA Builder certified). REZ is a veteran owned, Class A state certified corporation, both licensed and insured. Call us or email for your free estimate. (757) 482-4185 or rezinnovations@gmail.com.
Note from owner, Robert Zaremski:
My very first visit to Cape Charles was in 1989 while serving in the US Navy. We used to cruise over from Little Creek Amphibious Base to conduct military exercises. I was intrigued with the architecture of this small town even though, back then, Cape Charles was quite distressed. Years later, I made a “wrong” turn into the town, while trying to acquire an electrical permit for a job on the shore. It turned out to be a “right” turn and that’s when I purchased a lot from Kim Starr. My wife, Linda Wenners Zaremski, and I enjoyed many wonderful weekends in Cape Charles for several years and decided to move here 2013.
As for my business, I have 30 years of electrical experience in all aspects in the field. My interest with electrical started at a very young age, wiring toy trains and electric cars. I established REZ Electric, Corp. in 1995 and acquired my Class A contractor’s license ,as well as my building license. I eventually grew my business to include home remodeling because more people were staying in their homes. (See my photo gallery on Facebook under REZ Electric & Construction) Our expertise is both residential and commercial electrical wiring. We provide service changes, whole house wiring, audio systems, generators, pool & hot wiring, custom lighting design and much more. Now, I’m proud to say that my son has joined me the business and is currently in school to obtain his electrical license.
We are very happy to be in this beautiful town and look forward to serving customers on the shore!
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