Town Crier Articles

 

A CALL TO ARMS!    

 

If little things like knowing what your HOA is doing with your money, what developer projects are being launched, what new requests of you are being made by CBM or our landscape contractor, what homeowner challenges are being experienced by your neighbors, what fun activities are being planned for the community, what necessary restrictions—temporary or permanent—are being levied upon the residents of New Town, then perhaps you see the need for a healthy and active Communications Committee.  Knowledge is power.  Without a Communications Committee, we are all blinded to what is happening around us—and which we may, with any given topic, need to question or challenge.  It is very much like exercising your right to vote.  If you care about who is in authority and in what way your life is being managed, you get out and vote.  Same deal, here.  If you want to be informed and made knowledgeable about how your New Town residency is being managed, then you need to actively support an NTRA Communications Committee to be able to see what’s coming and what needs to be questioned or addressed.  

 

Yes. It will take a small sacrifice of your time.  But what is that compared to knowing and making known what is happening next with your money and neighborhood? Please consider joining us in making New Town a community of informed and happy residents who are knowledgeable about life in their neighborhood--and beyond--and who are empowered by that knowledge to question and even change things when necessary. Reach out today by clicking this link and joining New Town’s Communications Committee:  The Few, The Proud, The Necessary.

 

Valentine Riddle:   What did the pickle say to his Valentine?

 

Interesting Valentine Happening:  Alexander Graham Bell applied for a telephone patent on Valentine’s Day in 1876.  On that day, Bell, via his lawyer, filed his telephone patent application with the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C., just hours before the attorney for Elisha Gray filed his version of a telephone. Presented with both applications, the Patent Office ultimately decided to issue the first patent for a telephone, United States Patent No. 174,465, to Bell. The legal wrangling between Bell and Gray lasted for years.

 

Valentine Fun Facts:   

• The first Valentine's Day celebration occurred in Paris;

• 145 million greeting cards are exchanged every year for Valentine's Day;

• About 20 percent of pet owners give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets; and

• Candy hearts were originally medical lozenges.

 

POEM: "Today I Got a Valentine"  by Kenn Nesbitt

 

Today I got a Valentine from everyone but Kay. But that’s alright… I never liked her that much anyway.   She never trades her Oreos. She isn’t good at catch. She doesn’t like my favorite bands. Her socks don’t often match.   She doesn’t play computer games. She wears her hair in braids. She’s something of a teacher’s pet and always gets good grades

She dots her i’s with little hearts. She’s always reading books. Whenever I’m around, she gives me such confusing looks.   But, oh my goodness, here comes Kay, and what is this I see? It seems she has an extra special Valentine for me.   It’s big and red has the words “Will you be mine today?” I always said there’s no one else I like as much as Kay.

 

Valentine Fun:  Candy Heart Valentine Bouquet—Fill a clear glass vase to the brim with Valentine candy hearts, place cloth or real red roses into the hearts, and tie a pink ribbon around the vase.  TA DA!  A Valentine bouquet! 

 

Ladybug Cupcake Hack! Any iced store-bought cupcake will do! Simply half a fresh strawberry, place it on the cupcake, and with chocolate piping, create the illusion of wings and ladybug markings.  Add a Rolo or other fudge-like candy to create the ladybug’s head.

 

 

Pet Care:  Valentine conversation hearts can sometimes contain Xylitol (not that real sugar is better for your pet). Small amounts of Xylitol can be deadly for pets and lead to the over-release of insulin, kidney failure, or worse.

 

Riddle Answer:  You mean a great dill to me

 

Maybe it’s just me, but outside of Valentine’s Day, February has never been a very exciting month. Too cold. Too wet. Too far from the beauty of Spring. I don‘t ski, snowboard, ice skate. If making round trips from the couch to the refrigerator were an Olympic event, I’d be on the cover of Sports Illustrated, waving my ham sandwich proudly.

 

But enough about me. Here’s a couple of February things in the region to view and listen to.

 

• William & Mary’s Ewell Concert Series continues on Feb. 10 at the Williamsburg Regional Library theater. Featured artist is Kadencia, a 13-piece, Puerto Rican-founded orchestra of professional musicians who have traveled the world performing. Doors open at 6:30, the program starts at 7, and is free and open to the public.

• The Kitchen Witches, Smithfield Little Theater. Isobel Lomax and Dolly Biddle are two “mature” cable-access cooking show hostesses who have hated each other for thirty years, ever since Larry Biddle dated one and married the other. Circumstances put them together on a TV show called The Kitchen Witches, which somehow becomes a smash hit, probably because the insults are tastier than the food. The show runs Feb. 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26. The theater is located at 210 N. Church Street in Smithfield. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit https://www.smithfieldlittletheatre.org/all-public-events.html.

 

• Dancing With the Williamsburg Stars. This 14th annual charity event will be staged on Feb. 25, 7 p.m., at Crosswalk Church – 7575 Richmond Road. Proceeds go to Big Brothers Big Sisters and Literacy for Life. Tickets, which have been on sale since Jan. 20, start at $45 and may be purchased at www.williamsburgstars.com.

 

On December 7, 2022 New Towners gathered in Legacy Hall to kick off the holiday season at our Holiday Bake-Off and Dessert Fest.  A brightly decorated Christmas tree and tables with holiday center pieces on red or white tablecloths helped create a festive atmosphere. The first part of the event was a juried baking contest with two categories: 1) cookies and bars; and 2) cakes and cupcakes. Sixteen New Town bakers participated, including two children.  Six New Town residents happily served as judges, three people for each category, including one delighted young teen. 

 

About 80 attendees of all ages cheered the judging and applauded the winners, Kathy and Brian Griffith for an impressive chocolate cake with port-soaked cherries and Jenny Bragdon for delicious smoky salted chocolate toffee.  The Griffiths and Jenny Bragdon were awarded with fifty-dollar gift certificates compliments of the New Town Commercial Association.  

 

The second part of the event was the Dessert Fest during which attendees filled their plates from two long tables covered with samples from the Bake-Off’s submissions, including  Sue Langston-Ames’s second place, Charlie Brown Christmas carrot cupcakes, and Lance Scifres’s third-place, lemon-blueberry layered pound cake, as well as Trace Waible’s second-place salted caramel bars, and Liam Licastro’s huge monster cookies.  Liam was one of the contest’s two young bakers. In addition to the delicious Bake-Off’s submissions, participants also enjoyed coffee and tea and an array of other desserts from local bakeries compliments of the New Town Residential Association.  

Residents commented about how pleased they were to return to Legacy Hall for a holiday event and to catch up with old friends. Lynn Dorsey observed that “It was lovely – nicely set up and a good chance to meet new people.” For Anne Mapp, it was a “great opportunity to meet my neighbors,” and twelve-year old judge, Chloe Mapp chimed in “Being a judge never tasted so good.”  Another couple with a baby, who recently moved to New Town, characterized the event as “very welcoming to new residents,” and with smiles on their faces observed that the food was “awesome!”

 

 

 

Kaplan Arena

 

 

 

 

William and Mary is reserving a section of seats for New Towners.  Your discount link below will automatically put you in this location. 

 

BUT WE'VE ADDED A SPECIAL TREAT...

Before the game join neighbors for FREE pizza, dessert, and drinks in the Wightman Cup Room at 1:00 PM. (The Wightman Cup Room is around the corner to the left - beyond the game entrance area.)  Come out and meet your fellow new Town basketball fans.

 

Buy your ticket ($8) for a reserved seat in advance at this link:  New Town Day Special Offer

or

 

New Town - Keep showing that Tribe Pride!

 

 

 

Snap your own photos and share instantly! For more information, visit https://newtownwilliamsburg.com/events-news/

 

12-2pm each Saturday & Sunday during Santa photos!

 

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Beautiful wreaths cut fresh from the mountains of Virginia, for Sale during Santa hours!