Town Crier Articles

Celebrating The 2024 Holiday Season
Posted on February 1, 2025 6:52 AM by Liz Fones-Wolf, Activities Committee
 
On Friday evening, December 6, New Towners continued their traditional holiday celebrations as they streamed into Legacy Hall for the first NTRA Holiday Party since Covid.  NTRA Activities Committee Members and their families decked the hall in green and red, and trimmed Christmas trees.  Wearing necklaces of small blinking red, blue, green and yellow lights, they warmly greeted over 100 residents.  The partygoers enjoyed the sounds of big band and seasonal music as they mingled with neighbors and connected with old friends.
 
Everyone enjoyed the bountiful tables of delicious including mounds of shrimp, Mediterranean chicken skewers, Asian pork dumpling, Mediterranean platters, with arrays of olives and cheeses and desserts.  For long-time resident Tom Nichols of Charlotte Park, the party was a chance to reconnect with many old friends.  Jen Morgan, a new Activities Committee member, who recently moved from Fairfax, Virginia, found “everyone very friendly and welcoming.”   Bob Byrne, another veteran of New Town holiday parties judged the food as “best in my memory,” and David Nelson of Village Walk had one word for the event: "Fantastic!"
 
All agreed the party was a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season.  
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
What's New for New Town on Facebook?
Posted on February 1, 2025 6:50 AM by Town Crier Staff
 
If you are on Facebook, please be sure that you take advantage of our community resource pages.
  • New Town Residential Association is the NTRA’s Facebook presence where HOA activities and other timely messages can be found. This site is managed by volunteers, but we focus on Association news as well as what is happening in New Town and available to residents through the New Town Commercial Association (e.g. Santa photos, concerts, etc).
  • Buy Nothing New Town Williamsburg is a great spot for giving and asking for items, skills, and more at no cost. Have a plant you no longer want to care for? Post it! Need someone to help you move some furniture? Just ask!
  • Friends of New Town Williamsburg is another helpful group. This site is intended as a spot for neighborly sharing. Whether you are looking for the best spot in New Town for vegetarian options, want to meet with a few neighbors for coffee, or just want to pop in and say hello, this is the place. The site has been dormant for awhile, but recently turned over to a new administrator (Tammie Ortlieb) who is enthusiastic about its possibilities as a tool to build relationships with neighbors. Check it out and let’s help to keep it vibrant.
So, join us and like us on Facebook! We're here to support each other and to build a neighborly community. 
Lydias Park Holiday Decorating
Posted on February 1, 2025 6:40 AM by Liz Fones-Wolf
 
Over the years Charlotte Park homeowners, including Dave and Marie Gaydos, have decorated part of the Eizabeth Davis green for the holidays.  Inspired by their efforts, this year Eden and Bob Glenn kicked off the holiday season by inviting their Abbey Commons neighbors to celebrate as a community by gathering  to decorate their Lydias Park reen.  In the late afternoon, of Sunday, December 1, kids and adults opened boxes of decorations and climbed ladders (carefully), as they trimmed the trees on the common with brightly colored balls and other decorations and then trooped into the Glenn’s townhouse for hot chocolate and goodies. Young resident Sheila Cyrus thoroughly enjoyed the event. She observed that it made her feel more like Christmas when “things are pretty” and that during the winter “grass is brown and the tree are bare” but putting “ornaments on the trees added color” and happiness. The Glenns hope to continue the decorating and community building in future years.
 
 
 
   
Go Tribe! New Town Day with William and Mary Women's Basketball
Posted on February 1, 2025 6:40 AM by NTRA Activities Committee
 
 
 WILLIAM & MARY Tribe v. College of Charleston Cougars 
 
Location: Kaplan Area.
 
Time:  11:45 pre-game reception - Game starts at 1PM
 
Are you looking for a fun family weekend activity?   On Sunday February 23, the NTRA Activities Committee is sponsoring a New Town event to cheer on the College of William and Mary Women’s Basketball team.
 
Before the game New Town neighbors and their friends and family are invited to a reception at the arena at 11:45 with a FREE pizza lunch and raffles.     
 
$5 Discounted tickets will be available at the door if reserved in advance.  RSVP by contacting Susan Schlimme:
      text:      703-864-0069 
      email:   skschlimme@hotmail.com
Potential Competition for Cox Communications Services
Posted on December 1, 2024 7:00 AM by Jack Espinal, Board President
 
Currently, Cox Communications holds a Monopoly on wired Internet and cable TV services in our New Town neighborhoods. (Verizon Fios chose not to lay fiber for residential services in New Town during New Town’s development). While Verizon and T-Mobile do compete with Cox Communications with wireless Internet services through their cellular networks, those systems cannot provide the bandwidth and speeds available to Cox Communications customers. This means that cellular-based Internet will work well with tasks such as reading email and simple Internet searches, but they will have much more difficulty streaming high-resolution video, and serving multiple users in a household simultaneously.
 
Glo Fiber has started competing directly with Cox Communications in the Williamsburg area using fiber optics rather than copper-based coaxial cable. This newer technology has the advantage of providing faster service, higher bandwidths, symmetrical download and upload speeds, and more consistent/reliable performance than coaxial cable.  The maximum available bandwidth from Cox Communications is 2 gigabits per second download and 35 megabits per second which compares to Glo Fiber’s 5 gigabits per second symmetrical (both up and down) bandwidth.  Like Cox Communications Glo Fiber also provides up to 130 optional entertainment channels and landline telephone service. Glo Fiber has recently completed the installation of its fiber optics cable system in Ford’s Colony with satisfactory results.
 
Glo Fiber recently approached the NTRA Board about using the area’s communications easements to install underground fiber optics cables and provide their Internet, entertainment, and telephone services to our residents. This service would directly compete with Cox Communications but its use would be totally voluntary.  The NTRA Board of Directors will consider this issue early next year.
 
The installation of a fiberoptics system would require some digging throughout our community, but the majority of the underground work is performed with augers.  This reduces the installation's impact on the community and its environment. When the installation is complete the ground is returned to its original state.  There would be flush-to-the-ground boxes scattered throughout the network to provide maintenance access to the fiber optics cable.
 
 
Glo Fiber is the nation’s 5th largest Internet service provider and offers very competitive pricing to its customers with no long-term contracts. They offer 600 Mb per second Internet for $70 per month, 1.2 gigabits per second Internet for $85 a month, 2.4 gigabits per second Internet for $140 per month, and 5 gigabits per second Internet for $290 per month.  This pricing is significantly lower than that currently offered by Cox Communications. Unlike Cox, they do not offer short-term promotional pricing that reverts to higher costs later.  Cox Communication's pricing structure has also been reproduced in communities where Glo Fiber has been installed to remain competitive.  If Glo Fiber is installed in New Town everyone should benefit from lower prices even if they retain their current Cox Communications services.  But, the question remains: “Will the disruption in our community be worth the future cost savings?”  The Board plans to survey the community on this issue in the near future.
 
Glo Fiber Link:
 
Join Our New Town Buy Nothing Group!
Posted on December 1, 2024 6:57 AM by Gina Forster
 
New Town now has a local Buy Nothing group! If you are not familiar with this organization, Buy Nothing is a global initiative that operates on a hyperlocal level. This means you get to know your neighbors while keeping items out of the landfill, decluttering your home, and requesting items or neighborly help you would like. The best part is that all of this is free. No trades, barters, or cash is ever involved.
 
Gina Forster and Tammie Ortlieb are your local admins of the group. You can message either one of us with questions. Tammie has been involved with Buy Nothing groups for over a decade and has enjoyed the strong sense of community that is built within the groups.  I have personally enjoyed my Northern Virginia neighborhood Buy Nothing group and am excited to create that same sense of neighborliness here in New Town.  I have given and received plant cuttings, spices, art supplies, children’s items, and much more. People have even offered skills/actions such as a knitting lesson or a ride to a doctor’s appointment. Each interaction feels like a connection, not just a transaction.
 
Spread the word to all your New Town Neighbors!
 
To join, simply head to Buy Nothing New Town Williamsburg on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/share/A4pgKhZ4cCACj2XV/?mibextid=K35XfP 
(Remember to answer the membership questions and agree to the rules to be accepted into the group.)
 
Hope to see you there!
 
#gratitude
Building Community Through New Town's Clubs
Posted on December 1, 2024 6:50 AM by Scott Ellis
 
Living in proximity to others can be both rewarding and challenging. As we go about our busy lives, it’s easy to overlook the people living right next to us. However, building relationships with our neighbors can have a profound impact on our lives and communities. Moreover, getting to know your neighbors can also lead to new connections and opportunities. You may discover shared interests or skills that can lead to collaboration on projects or hobbies. You can also learn about local events and activities that you may not have heard of otherwise.
 
Obviously New Town is a diverse community – young professionals, students, families and retirees all call New Town home. But with busy lives, smart phones that seem to eat more and more of our time and life in general how do we connect? 
 
Sometimes the simplest way is a common interest, or a new hobby or even responding to a need. So how do you do that?
 
Why Not Join a Club?
 
There are many clubs and social groups in New Town. Some are: Book Clubs, Garden Club, Retired Men’s Club, Women’s Lunch Group. Just go to the NTRA website and see the link for Pool & Clubs. Other small groups exist for those who like to sew, play bunco or mahjong, or enjoy good food. Ask around to get in touch with these residents.
 
But perhaps you don’t see something established that appeals to you. Why not start a club? This month’s Town Crier highlights some residents who have started a Buy Nothing Group. Other ideas could be a Film Club, Photography Club, Quilting/Crocheting Club, Walking Clubs, Breakfast Clubs (maybe slightly different than the club from the 1985 movie) or perhaps a club for old men who stand at the stop signs and shake their fist at the cars who roll the stop sign (ok, maybe that might not be a good club). If you have thoughts about starting a new club in New Town, you can contact the Communications Committee at ntrawebsitecommittee@gmail.com for support in getting the word out to recruit members. 
 
Although existing book clubs are currently full, it’s great to hear from Stuart Dopp about a book club she is in. I reached out to her to find out about the club. 
 
New Town Bookies (no horses involved…) 
 
“New Town is full of avid readers, and it’s small wonder that bookish neighbors enjoy discussion groups and friendships with other bibliophiles. One such group is chaired by Liz Fones/Wolf, a retired WVA University history professor. Other members come from varied backgrounds, each bringing a perspective to conversations about the month’s reading choice. For instance, our discussion of Demon Copperhead — a re-telling of Twain’s Huckleberry Finn set in Appalachia in modern times — elicited varied perceptions of contemporary poverty, human striving, and our own roles in the larger world society. Most of us reread Huck, which will be useful also when we next discuss James, the story of Huck’s traveling companion, Jim. 
 
Reading about civil war in Chechnya (A Constellation of Vital Phenomena) forced us to confront unspeakable cruelty and suffering but reminded us of the human potential for goodness and loyalty. It also required research into eastern European geography and history. 
 
Other books have spurred historical/ political inquiry, such as The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson, and At the Dark End of the Street, by Danielle McGuire.  A fictional account of a rural woman having to leave her farm and vital connection with nature to follow her husband to Detroit during WWII, Dollmaker, touched all of our hearts, and we re-visited the book with the movie. A recent selection (Cave Dwellers) was fiction but a thinly disguised critique of life amongst the rich and famous — or infamous — in Washington. We could visualize the characters as a parody of politicians and values in Washington. 
 
Each book has a discussion leader, but that role is rarely needed. Everyone has ideas to contribute, and even the occasional member who didn’t finish the assignment will find pertinent elements in the conversation. There is a strong sense of humanity within the group, and most of the members participate in civic /charitable endeavors such as the Porch food drives. 
 
Truly, reading helps us to walk in another person’s shoes, to experience worlds beyond our own fortunate lives even as we enjoy our friendships. Meeting as we do in our homes limits our number, but Liz is happy to assist anyone hoping to create a new forum for mind-opening discussions of literature.” Stuart Dopp 
 
Hopefully, as we move into the holiday season, you’ll find a few minutes to ponder 2025 and think about areas you’d like to explore in the new year. Being a part of a small club in a large community can bring many benefits to you and those around you. Not only is knowing your neighbors beneficial for you, it can also improve the general well-being of the community. By building a sense of camaraderie and support, neighbors can work together to improve the quality of life in their area. Community involvement, whether it’s through events, outreach, or simply being a good neighbor, can lead to increased civic pride and a stronger community spirit.
 
See You at The NTRA Holiday Party!
Posted on December 1, 2024 6:47 AM by NTRA Activities Committee
UPCOMING DECEMBER EVENTS
Posted on December 1, 2024 6:45 AM by Town Crier Staff
 
The New Town Residential Association has two December meetings scheduled for owners:
  • Special Meeting of Members - Wednesday, December 11 - 7:00PM   Vote to remove HOA's obligation for exterior maintenance - Amendment to Village Walk Supplemental Declaration of Protective Covenants
NTRA Meeting Space  - 5118 Center Street or via Zoom link (see NTRA website calendar) 
 
  • Annual Meeting of Members - Thursday, December 18th - 7:00PM  Election of Board of Directors for 2025-26 (Information on the Board candidates is posted on the website Board election page.) 
Legacy Hall, 4301 New Town Avenue
 
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The New Town Commercial Association is sponsoring free Photos with Santa each weekend - open to all!  
  • Dec. 1, 7-8, 14-15
  • 12:00pm-3:30pm   
                                                                               
Santa’s Workshop
4915 Courthouse Street, located to the right of Regal New Town
Don't Dispose of that Pumpkin Outside after Halloween!
Posted on November 1, 2024 6:57 AM by David Carter
 
You may have heard that dumping pumpkins in the wild is a good way to dispose of your jack-o-lanterns after Halloween, wildlife experts says it’s a bad move.
 
“When we introduce a food source like a rotting pumpkin into the woods somewhere, you’re bringing all sorts of animals together who sniff it out." This can cause disease in animals and make them very sick, including death. Also throwing pumpkins out is bad for native soils, and the seeds can become invasive and deadly to animals. (Not to mention that it's a violation of James City County regulations to throw anything in our surrounding woods!) 
 
So please compost at home, or contact a nearby farm or zoo that may want clean pumpkins, free of wax or other harmful additions. Do people still burn candles in them? Otherwise, while not ideal, they'll make their way into landfills. But that's another article.
 
So let's keep New Town and our beautiful woodlands looking beautiful and showing concern for our neighbors, human, and animal.
 
Happy Halloween!  
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