Town Crier Articles

New Town’s benches were identified as an upcoming capital expense item on the Asset Maintenance Committee’s recent inspection of New Town common area property. Given an estimated replacement cost of between $24,000 to $30,000, President Chuck Stetler asked avid woodworkers Mike and Bob to look at what might be done to salvage the benches. After recruiting other neighbors with trucks to move the benches, Mike and Bob power washed, sanded and applied a special protective coating and shield which returned the bench to its natural teak color. They presented the refinished bench as a prototype for the Board’s consideration. (See photos) As an alternative to purchasing new benches, on September 14th the Board of Directors approved Mike and Bob’s proposal to refurbish all 24 of the NTRA’s wooden benches. A few benches have deteriorated to the point that they will require replacement of slats in the bench backs. Supplies for their entire project will run about $3,000.   

While this work has started, their efforts will largely be a winter garage project, explained Mike, since both the Reillys and the Dennises are brand new grandparents. Mike and Bob are donating their labor as a service to the New Town community. (If you’d like to be considered as backup or support for these grandpas, contact Mike at mjr1947@yahoo.com or 843 450-5665).

Kudos to Mike and Bob for stepping up and demonstrating that New Town residents are willing to be part of the solution! Their efforts are saving the Association about $25,000. 

By mid-October the long-awaited expansion of the pool playground will also be starting. The Board of Directors has approved the purchase and installation of a “Whistle Stop” play structure similar to the one pictured. This equipment addition is possible through a payment by the developer, New Town Associates, to the NTRA to satisfy James City County proffers.  Many thanks to Bill Voliva and all the members of the Playground Work Group who can finally see the fruition of their 2017 deliberations.  (See the March 2020 Town Crier for the full background on this playground project).

 

 

The Board has also approved the installation of a birdhouse on the greens of Magnolia Park. This architectural treat is currently under construction by another New Town resident. Stay tuned for the full story in our November Town Crier issue!

Did you know that you do not have to wait until Tuesday, November 3rd to vote in this year’s elections? And that there are several ways for you to cast your vote?  Early voting began on September 18th.  Any registered voter can request an Absentee Ballot or vote Early-In-Person at a designated polling place.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, James City County is encouraging all voters to vote from home or vote early to avoid the lines and crowding on Election Day. Here are the details:

                 

 

 

A new term has started and kids are back at school, but it looks very different to this time last year - classrooms are virtual; schools are online and Zoom is the way forward.  Technology is amazing, but with the quirks of zoom calls; printer fails; Canvass assignments failing to load; navigating the myriad of different systems; as well as children missing their friends and comfort of familiar school routine, teachers, students, parents and grandparents are navigating a complicated and sometimes frustrating new way of online learning.  

 

For those parents out there reaching for the ‘help’ button at the start of a new school week, here are some thoughts from other parents and a New Town teacher to help you navigate the new way of schooling!  

 

It may not seem like it sometimes, but we should remember to congratulate ourselves on how adaptable, resilient and patient we all are.  New Town resident, Susan Schlimme is an ex-educator with three girls going through education.  She says that when it’s frustrating, don’t forget to ‘take a breath’ and remember ‘these are different times with different expectations’.  We are all learning that our expectations can change – these are strange times.  She also says that there is no right or wrong way of learning and teaching – be good to yourself! We are all doing what we can!  Easy things that she says we can do to make a difference to the school day include having easy access to the supplies your children need; and read, read, read!

 

Another New Town resident and parent, Sarah Yeneza, says that as you help your children to support the online learning and support them to understand what they are being taught, it can be fun to trawl your memory and re-learn what you think you have forgotten.  

 

Although some children feel more comfortable in a remote world, some need the interactions to build confidence and independence.  It is not the same, but Susan and Sarah’s advice both say make sure you build in lots of ‘active’ breaks (such as being outside or playing a game) to a consistent schedule (consistency should stretch to a familiar and consistent place to learn).   

 

Don’t forget that our children are learning from us as well as the teacher and the biggest lesson they are learning is how to deal with challenging times.  

 

A final word from D.J. Montague Elementary teacher, Mrs Ford…

First of all, give yourself and your teacher some grace. Glitches happen and you are not going to mess up your child’s education or future just because you can’t get onto Zoom every so often!

 

Secondly, keep in touch.  If you are having any issues, let the teacher know – communication is key!

 

Thirdly, use the provided schedule as a guide so make the day work according to your schedule – it is not meant to mimic the hours your child would be in a classroom.  If your child works better in the morning, set aside time then to complete assignments.

 

Fourthly, read aloud with your child to help them enjoy reading.

 

Finally, although this is frustrating at times, please remember it will end.  Teachers want to be in the classroom – it’s what they do best and they’re giving it everything they have to make this work, while keeping everyone safe.  

Now that we homeowners control the Board of Directors, many residents have ideas (and complaints) to share, and share we have!  Perhaps we were just waiting for a changing of the guard to see if things could improve? Perhaps Covid-19 restrictions have given us more time to walk through neighborhoods and observe. Whatever the reason, Town Management and individual Directors on the Board have received a deluge of emails and calls about a variety of issues, some of which are outside the NTRA’s control. 

     

•   “I have not had timely or satisfactory responses from using this feature.” We feel your pain. Know that the delays are not due to any lack of responsiveness by the website team. Town Management controls this system.  Sometimes it takes time for a Committee or the Board to provide Town Management with a reply.

         

You can check the accuracy of your current voter registration or register to vote for the first time online at the Virginia Department of Elections website:  https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

The final day to register/update your information is Tuesday, October 13th.  Your registration must be received by the Registration/Elections Main Office at 5300 Palmer Lane (across from New Town off Ironbound Road) by that date.  

Virginia allows all registered voters to request online a vote-by-mail ballot with no excuse needed. Your request must be received by the Registrar by Friday, October 23rd and must be signed and dated.

Mail-In:  While your completed and signed Absentee Ballot must be postmarked to the Registrar by Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd, it must be received by the Registrar by Friday, November 6th.  Given that the USPS is currently seeing service curtailed in some places and is expected to experience heavy mail volumes in advance of the election, mailing your ballot two weeks in advance is recommended. 

Drop Off:  Completed ballots can also be dropped off in the Ballot Box at the James City County (JCC) Recreation Center at 5301 Longhill Road through Saturday, October 31st.

Early-In-Person:  JCC Supervisors have also designated the JCC Rec Center as an Early-In-Person Voting location, also through Saturday, October 31st.  Hours are: 

Monday-Friday 8am until 5pm and

Saturday 9am to 5pm (October 24th and 31st only)

Election Day:  Cast your In-Person Vote on Tuesday, November 3rd at the JCC Rec Center, which is the regular polling place for New Town voters. Polls will be open from 6am to 7pm that day with curbside voting available.

STEP 4:  Track your vote at the JCC website:  

https://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/1044/Voter-Registration-Elections 

More Virginia General Election information can be found at:

Looking for some new educational challenges now that fall is approaching?  Here are some great opportunities for mental exercise without leaving the comfort of your home.  Many are offered by our local treasures:

Do you have a library card? Check out the library’s website to find a wide selection of virtual programs through various platforms, such as their YouTube channel, WebEx or Zoom, and wrl.kanopy.com for movie access. The Library has its own lifelong learning online page https://www.wrl.org/find-it-online/lifelong-learning/ Informational programs range from travel to finance, even puppet shows for the youngsters. They offer links to 15 non-English language classes if you’d like to learn a new skill while housebound.

• Osher Lifelong Learning

If you have not attended an Osher class in a while, or you would like to know more, now is the time to investigate. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute https://www.wm.edu/offices/auxiliary/osher/coursecatalog.pdf  (formerly Christopher Wren Association) now offers virtual classes at a set time.  Even though initial enrollment is over for the fall semester, many classes are still open!  Choose from one-class activities and lectures, and 3 to 6 session classes in a wide range of topics from the local history to world affairs, or self-improvement and wealth management and personal hobbies.

• Department of Theatre, Speech and Dance

William and Mary’s virtual fall season begins this month, with ‘Citizen: An American Lyric’ from September 17th through the 20thand continues with other performances through October and November at set dates and times. Check out their website for details and instructions for digital access. https://www.wm.edu/as/tsd/_documents/new-2020-brochure-updated.pdf

Perhaps you are interested in pursuing a new hobby or improving your artistic talent. The WCAC has virtual classes for adults that promise to be “just as interactive and to see each other’s work as if we were in the classroom at the Art Center.” August’s focus was on watercolor painting, but more Zoom offerings will be coming. https://visitwcac.net/classes_gen_info.cfm

Looking for more diverse or unusual pursuits? Among the resources to check out for intellectual stimulation that aren’t locally based are:

The Great Courses website has a diversity of classes that you can see online or request in catalog form.  These classes can be viewed on your schedule and cover a wide range of topics such as Economics to Food and Wine, Health and Fitness, Travel and programs for young people.

 

Minimize what may seem like a long, lonely fall and winter season by exploring what the internet has to offer and finding your niche. Happy Learning!

Saturday, August 29th, a New Town Virtual Talk sponsored by the NTRA Activities Committee took place, well attended and overflowing with expert advice and safety information. Speaker Alan McDowell, James City County’s Mid-County Safety Officer, has been with the Community Services Unit of James City County as a Crime Prevention Officer for nearly 30 years.  A native of Richmond, his career has been remarkably comprehensive with positions ranging from patrol officer and firearms instructor to S.W.A.T. and Defensive Tactics instructor, to name only a few.  Little wonder his virtual talk was filled will eye-opening information and useful tips to safeguard life in New Town. 

Office McDowell began the talk by reminding attendees of the county’s free alert app, James City County Alert, whereby county officials are able to deliver emergency alerts and notifications to those who have signed up for the service.  All residents need do is search for the app online by its name and sign up as directed.  

Officer McDowell encouraged residents to create a safer home environment for themselves and for their families by using a Personal Safety Risk Reduction Plan. This risk reduction plan consists of 6 key areas that, once assessed and addressed, significantly reduces a resident’s susceptibility to becoming a victim of crime.  Those areas are as follows:

In addition to the individualized safety plan above, Officer McDowell spoke at length about the importance of residents working together to make for a community undesirable to criminals.  Report suspicious behavior of individuals as soon as possible; do not wait for others to do so.  Question the appearance of strangers you have not seen in the neighborhood before. Loitering is difficult to prevent—but suspicious behavior can always be called in, regardless.  Call 757-566-0112 to do so.  Do not wait for someone else to report a street lamp that has died out. (Note: A simple phone call to Town Management or submitting an issue report on the NTRA website to report the street lamp number, clearly visible on every light in New Town, is all it will take.) In addition, work to maintain your property, keeping doors, windows, and locks in sound working order and making every effort to see that your property is well cared for.  A neighborhood with broken or compromised windows and doors, property looking neglected or rundown, or with residents who fail to challenge unusual behavior or individuals will be sure to attract criminals and become targets for crime.  Working with your neighbors in all these areas will make for a strong community where little crime occurs.

Some time was spent during the talk on the recent vehicle break-ins in New Town.  Officer McDowell greatly emphasized the importance of cultivating the habit of (1) keeping car windows up, (2) car doors locked, and (3) things of value out of sight—all the time.  Valuables in plain sight will draw criminals to your car, whether your car is open or not.  The best place for valuables, i. e. laptops, purses, and cell phones, is in your trunk.  In addition to keeping your car and valuables safe, Officer McDowell also stressed the importance of keeping yourself safe by observing your car as you approach it to enter.  Is a window broken?  Do you see sneakers underneath the car, indicating someone is crouching on the other side?  Try to park in well-lighted areas and keep your keys in your hand as you near your vehicle—being careful, if you have a remote access key, not to unlock all your doors.  And have a plan in mind for a potential attack as you are walking towards your car, wherever it is parked. “Advance Techniques” are key to keeping you safe.  A plan will keep you from panicking.  Without a plan, panic may make you a victim of crime.  A wise preventative is storing an old, inactive cell phone in a glove compartment as it will enable you to call 911 for an emergency you may suddenly find yourself in.  In addition, if you suspect your car or home has been broken into, call the police immediately—and refrain from destroying the crime scene by entering and touching evidence.  Call the police and keep yourself safe. It is a county service we are all paying for. Note:  Most residents do not know that 911 may be called for non-emergency issues.

In response to concerns voiced by participants during the Q&A period, Officer McDowell also committed to ask the JCC police to monitor speeds on Casey Boulevard and watch whether drivers are heeding the stop signs at the intersection of New Town Avenue and Discovery Boulevard.

Officer McDowell shared several of the free crime prevention services available to residents through the county—and two, national data bases for conducting crime and offender searches at any local:

Project Life Saver—free location devices for individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia;

Citizen Police Academy—a once a week, 2-hour session for 13 weeks offering citizens insight into how our police department functions;

Child ID Services;

Crime and Safety Prevention Assessments—free home assessment programs;

Rape, Aggression, and Defense (RAD) Classes--training people in the use of force to prevent abduction (www.rad-systems.com); and

RAD for Kids

LexisNexis Community Crime Map (www.communitycrimemap.com)  --a national data base of crimes by their nature, date, time, and location anywhere in the United States.  Just enter your street address, and the information will appear charted on a map of your area.  Useful for trips and relocation.  Data reloads every Friday night; and

Victim Information and Notification Everyday—VINE Link  (www.vinelink.com)-- a national data base of offenders which allows victims of crime and the general public to track the movements of prisoners held by various states and territories. Notifications can be set-up to inform the public of prisoner release dates.  (VINEmobile is the app version of VINE)

Please feel free to contact Office Alan McDowell if you have further questions about New Town safety or would like more information about any of the programs or services listed above.  His phone number is    757-603-6026, and his email address is alan.mcdowell@jamescitycountyva.gov.