Town Crier Articles

Two major new developments are poised on New Town’s doorstep and are progressing through the James City County rezoning review process: Westwood Park and Cardinal Ridge. In order for either development to be approved, the James City County 2045 Comprehensive Plan will also need to be revised to change the area designation from public land (PL) to multiuse (MU). This Master Plan revision process is expected to occur concurrent with the rezoning actions. 

 

Neither site is scheduled yet for public hearing before the Planning Commission, since comments from County staff are still being addressed. Stay informed about these important zoning actions and do your homework with the plan links provided below in preparation for any future opportunities for public input.

 

Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms.  By definition a tornado is a violently rotating column of air touching the ground, usually attached to the base of a thunderstorm. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds. 

 

Here in Williamsburg, we occasionally hear about “tornado watches,” but less often about “tornado warnings.” You may ask, “What’s the difference?” The National Weather Service (NWS) issues a Tornado Watch when weather conditions in an area indicate an increased risk for severe weather that may be capable of producing a tornado. However, when the NWS issues a Tornado Warning, it does so when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. In this case, one should take shelter IMMEDIATELY.  Warning times vary in the range of 10 to 15 minutes.

 

The 6 warning signs that a tornado is approaching may include:                            

• The color of the sky may change to a dark greenish color.
• A strange quiet occurring within or shortly after a thunderstorm.
• A loud roar that sounds similar to a freight train.                                                                    
• An approaching cloud of debris, especially at ground level.
• Debris falling from the sky.
• A rotating funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm.

There are many reasons New Town is a special place to live.  What makes it special may vary from neighbor to neighbor, but most would agree, we are all fortunate to live here.  Feeling grateful is one reason the Women’s Monthly Lunch Group supports a Giving Back Initiative for the purpose of sharing some of our resources to benefit the greater Williamsburg community.  Last year the lunch group and others donated classroom supplies to the JCC/Williamsburg Teacher Supply Closet and winter coats to FISH and House of Mercy to distribute to those in need.

 

Now in 2024, the Giving Back Initiative is conducting a food drive during the months of February and March.  FISH and House of Mercy are both in urgent need of food items during this time of year when donations typically drop off. In the United States, over 44 million people, including 13 million children, at some point in the year don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from.  Williamsburg is not immune from this problem. In 2023, FISH and House of Mercy provided, through their respective food pantries, the equivalent of over 400,000 meals.  Food insecurity is a growing problem in our community. FISH, for example, reported an 80% increase in food requests over the past year.

 

Please help us help others by bringing healthy, non-perishable food items to:

• the NTRA meeting space located at 5118 Center Street between 11AM-1PM on either March 1st or 2nd,

• bring your donation to the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30 at 2PM at Lydias Park in Abbey Commons

 

The Giving Back Initiative plans to donate school supplies to local teachers again this summer and collect 100 new winter coats for kids in 100 days later this fall. Thank you, New Town, for generously supporting these efforts.

 

Come join the Easter Bunny for an Easter egg hunt and games!

 

The New Town Residential Association Activities Committee will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt in Lydias Park (Abbey Commons - at corner of Lydias and Town Creek) on Saturday, March 30th, with a March 31st rain date.  The festivities begin at 2.00 PM.

 

The Easter Bunny will be there to join in the fun and provide a photo opportunity. There will be an egg hunt where the younger children (up to age 4) will go first and then will be joined by the older children (5 and up). Games and prizes will follow the egg hunts.  All New Town residents, families and friends are invited. Even if you do not have kids or grandkids, that’s ok, come join in the fun!

 

If you are interested, collection boxes will be available for your donations of non-perishable food items to help stock the food pantries at FISH and House of Mercy.

 

RSVP:  Please let us know if you plan to attend and the ages of your children. Email:  Susan Schlimme at  skschlimme@hotmail.com. 

On Sunday, February 25, fifty-five New Town neighbors cheered on the William and Mary women’s basketball team facing the lady Pirates of Hampton University at Kaplan Arena. New Towners were part of a large lively crowd supporting the Play4Kay cancer fund raiser which honors female survivors of all cancers that affect women. Tribe Mary players shed their traditional dark green for pink uniforms while the Hampton University team sported pink shoes.

     

The afternoon began with a pre-game pizza party at the arena where attendees won gift certificates and a team-signed basketball. William and Mary Assistant Coach Kenia Cole, who previously coached at Hampton, welcomed the New Town fans. She confided that she expected an especially exciting game since Hampton’s top scorer and all conference player, forward Nylah Young, had transferred this year to William and Mary.  

     

Young and her teammates certainly did not disappoint their New Town fans.  The game itself proved to be a cliffhanger with the Tribe pulling out a 66-58 victory largely from the foul line in the 4th quarter.