Town Crier Articles

During the week before our August 23rd pool party, we finally had a respite from high heat and humidity with temperatures in the seventies and rain. Fortunately, it dried out and warmed up for the Saturday party, although the cooler weather left the pool a bit chilly, which deterred all but the kids and bravest adult swimmers. Still, there was a good turnout as residents enjoyed the gentle sun and breeze as they sprawled out on lounge chairs or chatted with neighbors. Everyone enjoyed the pizza, cookies and watermelon.   

 

Here are a few fun moments: 

   

 

 

   

 

Today - Labor Day, Monday, September 1 the pool closes for the season, but there are still more NTRA Activities Committee events to look forward to in September and October, including a noon-time talk about the Greensprings nature trail on September 16 and the always popular Fall Festival on October 4. See you there!  

 

 

 

 

It is hard to believe but fall and Halloween are right around the corner. Help us celebrate the color-filled season at New Town’s old-fashioned fun-filled, FREE Fall Festival in the Village Walk neighborhood on the corner of Casey and Settlers Market Boulevard.  

 

Adults and children, family and friends are invited. Guests will enjoy cider, popcorn and other goodies. As an added treat, there will be drawings for a large pumpkin and for gift certificates donated by the New Town Commercial Association.

 

Children’s games will include shark toss and mummy wrapping, races, pie face showdown, a kids' obstacle course and all participants win prizes. Adults can join kids in pumpkin painting, playing croquet, and cornhole and in a cake walk, of which there are four rounds, and the winners take home a large cookie cake.  

 

Fall Festival begins with a children’s Halloween “egg” hunt at 2:15 across the street from the main venue. So get there early!!

 

Come to participate or just share the good time, the kids’ joy and the music.

 

COULD YOU HELP? The NTRA Activities Committee is looking for some large cardboard boxes (to step into) to use during the kids' obstacle course. Also, if you would like to volunteer that afternoon, contact Liz Fones-Wolf at efwolf@wvu.edu.

 

The NTRA Board of Directors met with Shirley Park homeowners on July 30 to discuss the upcoming transfer of common areas from the Developer to the Association. Before that transfer occurs, the Board is conducting an assessment of outstanding problems that should be addressed before the development is considered complete and "in a condition acceptable to the Association" per our Master Declaration. A group of volunteers, selected in the meeting, will work with the Board and an engineer to identify common-area issues, determine necessary remediations, and estimate their cost. Of particular concern to attendees were:

While dates for James City County inspection and transfer are not yet set, Board members encourage Shirley Park homeowners to make note soon of any outstanding property concerns for consideration. To report any issues with drainage, curbs and sidewalks, landscaping and trees, signage, or other major items, please include a location, a description of the problem, and a photograph in a message to the Board at ntra.secretary@gmail.com.

So with Glo Fiber apparently in New Town's future as a internet provider, it's probably a good time to know a few facts about internet speeds. True some may jump to Glo Fiber because they may have had service and billing frustrations with Cox, ut do you need to?

 

True, Glo Fiber is a true fiber optic service, not just to the pedestal out back, or out front, and then coaxial from there to the house, but true dedicated fiber connectivity without sharing bandwidth with other customers in the neighborhood, which can slow speeds during peak use in neighborhoods. (See my article What’s on the Menu? Fiber vs Cable vs 5G Internet in the February 2025 Town Crier.)

 

Cox and other “cable” operators are offering deals to retain customers. Cox now offers a price lock and no monthly charge to rent their modem. 

Other 5G providers are also doing price locks and no modem fees for 3 years, or ever, so it’s worth checking out the offers. Glo Fiber will do their version of promos as well.

 

So do you really need 1G service? The answer is probably not. Cable operators have over sold customers on this speed for some years now, and even offer higher speeds.

 

You might not need 1 gigabit (1,000 Mbps) internet connection unless you have a  large household with multiple users simultaneous streaming 4K video, playing online games, working remotely, or frequently downloading very large files.

 

For most typical internet usage, speeds between 100-500 Mbps are often sufficient. Consider your household's online activities and the number of devices to determine if 1 gig internet is truly necessary for your needs.

 

For basic internet use like Browse, email, and social media, you'd typically need 10-25 Mbps download speed. If you have multiple users or devices, consider going up to 50-100 Mbps. I have up to 100 mg with Verizon’s 5G with multiple smart devices, 4k 1080p streaming on all TV’s, and pay just $35 a month and my yard will not be disrupted with another cable coming to my house, although there will most likely be another pedestal for Glo Fiber customers. And our yards were just starting to look good!

Since 2021 New Town has been anticipating the development of over 400 acres of our neighbor Eastern State Hospital’s surplus land. Each of the pending projects is updated below. (See previous Town Crier issues for the details on the design of these developments.) Any development of the Eastern State Hospital property requires legislative action by the James City County (JCC) Board of Supervisors to rezone the land from its current Public Lands category.

 

 

Unfortunately, crime is on the rise right here in our community. We have all received emails from Chesapeake Bay Management to safeguard our homes by locking doors to our homes and vehicles. Well, if you are not doing this, then perhaps now is the time to begin doing so.

 

At the end of June and mid-July there were three incidents of theft and vandalism right here in New Town. These occurred on Casey Boulevard and Center Street.

 

You can sign up for free at  www.neighborhoodalerts.com to receive Neighborhood Alerts after the incidents are reported to the police and police have been dispatched to the scene. While this is after the fact it is a resource to see where things are happening in our back yard, or in our front yards!

 

You’ll need to enter your address and select the types of alerts you want to receive by email. Alerts can include crime alerts, but also missing pet and weather alerts, even building permit alerts. Be sure to deselect any alerts you do not wish to receive. You can see the crime report once you receive an email from Neighborhood Alerts, and you can update your preferences or unsubscribe anytime from the email you receive. (James City County also offers an alert system: www.jccalert.org for emergency notification of flooding, weather or other emergencies in our area.)

 

According to James City County’s Crime Prevention website’s FAQ section, to Report a crime in progress call 757-566-0112 or 911 if an emergency, never via email or social media. For a crime not in progress, call the James City County Police Department at 757-566-0112 to speak with an officer.

 

Remember, common sense crime prevention includes being aware of your surroundings, securing your property, and trusting your instincts. If you have an alarm system and cameras, be sure to use them. Simple actions like locking doors and windows, being cautious of strangers, and reporting suspicious activity can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim. 

Have you ever wondered how James City County operates and how policies made by its Board of Supervisors, often affecting all of us, are implemented? From decisions about filling potholes to policies governing building new housing developments or solar facilities and much, much more, it is County Administrator and New Town resident Scott Stevens who plays a critical role in getting all this accomplished.

 

Please join us on August 21 at 12:00 at the NTRA meeting space to learn more about how Scott serves James City County and his job’s challenges and joys. Feel free to bring your questions and even complaints are welcome.  

     

If you choose, bring your bag lunch, and we will provide water, and cookies.

             

Place:  NTRA Meeting Room, 5118 Center Street

Time:  Thursday, August 21 at 12:00.

 

And look for more information in September and October about other upcoming Noontime talks, including a view of Greenspring Trail by Paul Griswold, Photographer and Naturalist, and Jack Espinal talking about bats just in time for the Halloween season!

 

On June 5 and June 27, during talks at the NTRA meeting space, Williamsburg resident Grace Konar (Konarkowski) and New Town resident Aneta Leska spoke about their lives in Poland. They captivated their audiences with vivid family stories. At the first talk, drawing on her parents and grandparents’ memories, Grace described the impact of the German invasion of Poland and the Holocaust on her family, including her father and mothers-in-law’s experience in concentration camps. At the second talk, both Grace and Aneta shared stories from their own memories of state surveillance, escape and resistance in postwar Communist Poland.  Family photos and documents from the concentration camp archives provided vivid images, complementing their stories.  

 

 

On June 27, Grace and Aneta spoke of how the Soviet Union imposed communism on Poland and how that control affected the lives of the Polish people.  The Polish Communist Party sought control of all aspects of government, economy and society. Under communism, Poles often experienced significant food shortages and limited access go consumer items.  To maintain  control  and suppress dissent, the regime had a widespread surveillance system to monitor what people were doing or saying. Opposition could lead to arrest and imprisonment

 

Grace remembered the propaganda expounded by government-owned newspapers, radio and later television stations, as well as how that propaganda shaped school curriculum.  From fifth grade on, all students studied Russian and there was constant veneration of the Soviet Union. Everyone was expected to vote, but there were no free elections. She recalled that the same Communist candidates constantly appeared on the ballot and there were consequences for failing to vote or for failing to attend the compulsory May Day parade.   

 

Both Grace and Aneta experienced the fears associated with living in a totalitarian nation. Seeking to hear the truth, Grace’s grandfather held the radio up to his ear when surreptitiously listening  to Radio Free Europe, which was illegal. She spoke of the constant surveillance as authorities listened to phone calls and opened mail, and the secret police monitored people’s activities, including her church youth group. Its popular priest was suspected of inculcating anti-government ideas. Students, including a frightened Grace, were interrogated at school by the secret police for evidence of subversion and the priest ultimately disappeared. 

 

Aneta, who is a generation younger than Grace, recalled how sugar, meat and milk were rationed and that during the food crisis of the 1980s, her mother brought her on smuggling trips to other Eastern bloc countries, during which they carried food and consumer items back to Poland. She remembered her intense fear of being caught.  As a child, Aneta was aware that her extended family included a member of the secret police and she shared her memory of standing on her family’s apartment balcony with her father as he pointed out the apartments of neighbors, who were government informers, who were reporting on his activities.

 

 

New Towners in the audience were captivated and moved by Grace’s account of her family’s escape from Gdansk, in the northern part of Poland. In 1974, her husband, Mike, who was studying to become a naval engineer, spent a summer in Sweden as an exchange student- worker in a shipyard, where he experienced the differences between east and west, especially greater freedom and a much higher standard of living.  Grace relayed how he came home  determined to escape. With a chuckle, she confessed that “it was all Mike; he was the one who wanted to leave.” Three years later, based on his exchange experience, Mike was allowed to take a short trip back to Sweden. But he left without Grace and their baby, Matthew, a government requirement to guarantee his return.  With directions from earlier escapees, Mike managed to get to West Germany, which welcomed him and assisted him in his immigration application as a refugee to the U.S.

 

Getting Grace and Matthew out of Poland took a lot of money and connections with the passport office, both of which were provided by  Grace’s Uncle Helmet, a ship captain.  Grace spoke with emotion as she declared that her family remains deeply indebted to Helmet for his critical assistance, given despite the danger it entailed.  But all did not go as planned.  Just before their departure date, toddler Matthew’s passport was cancelled.  Her uncle urged her to stick to their plans and leave her child with a relative.  Fearful of calling in advance and exposing her escape plans, she immediately rushed to the train station and hours later arrived at her mother-law, Balbina’s doorstep to drop off Matthew.   

 

Grace did not see her young son or have any direct communication with him for 15 months. Still emotional about this separation 50 years later, Grace said “I cried every night for 15 months.” Frantic, the family went without avail for help to the West German government and the Red Cross.

 

Grace’s uncle obtained approval for Matthew to travel to Sweden, but it was on the condition that Grace and Mike, who were then in West Germany, could prove they had permanent residency in Sweden. As a last hope, Grace’s mother, Janina, went to the Swedish Consul’s office in Warsaw, prepared to lie. While waiting, she began crying from the stress and a sympathetic Swedish staff member, upon hearing about Matthew’s plight, advised Janina to tell the truth and the sympathetic Consul authorized the necessary Swedish documents.   

 

In 1978, the Konarkowski family was reunited on a German dock, but only after yet more moments of sheer panic as little Matthew was initially refused admittance by German officials. Shortly afterwards they flew to New York City, almost penniless. Grace recounted how they had been given two telephone numbers by Polish friends, one of which connected them with a Russian Columbia University professor, who generously offered housing and helped Mike write his resume and apply for jobs. To this day, they remain grateful to this professor whose assistance helped facilitate the family’s move to Virginia, where Mike obtained a professional position and the family prospered, became citizens, and had two more children.

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

(Rain date is Sunday, August 24)

 

 

 

 New Town just made it happen!

• Approximately 85 New Town households contributed by leaving food donations on their porches the second Saturday of each month for the past 12 months.

• Donations were then loaded onto trucks/vans from local hunger relief organizations for distribution to at-risk families.

Total donations (in pounds) by neighborhood for the period July 2024 – June 2025:

 

Abbey Commons	1,494
Charlotte Park	4,543
Chelsea Green	441
Savannah Square	586
Shirley Park	1,857
Village Walk	1,087
Center Street Condos	180 (4 months)
Total all neighborhoods	10,188

 

Many thanks to all the households who contributed this past year and a special thanks to the volunteers who helped made it an easy process. New Town’s PORCH volunteers who assist on a regular basis include Judy Byrnes, Tricia Byrne, Kathy Casey, Holly Demster, Gayle Duncan, Liz Fones-Wolf, Bob Glenn, Eden Glenn, Lynn Griswold, Paul Griswold, Daisy Henna, Bob Hyatt, Gale Hyatt, Joanne Kramer, Diane Langhorst, Angela Lesnett, Fred Lesnett, Diane Malinowski, Anouk Mapp, Ellen Morgan, John Morgan, Rick Richards, Ellen Weidman, Tim Weidman, and Sommer Wrona.

 

These monthly food drives are conducted under the umbrella of PORCH Communities, a grassroots, all volunteer organization established in 2010 and headquartered in Chapel Hill, NC.  Presently, there are 550 neighborhood chapters in 10 states. PORCH Communities Williamsburg was the first chapter in Virginia. New Town is one of 10 neighborhoods participating in the Williamsburg chapter. 

 

Here's a recent news artlcle about how the Williamsburg area PORCH communities are responding to the food insecurity need and how appreciative the pantries that receive PORCH food are.  https://wydaily.com/latest/local/2025/06/09/new-food-pantry-donation-program-in-williamsburg-makes-it-easy-to-give-back/

 

Monthly food drives are on-going.  Starting this month, New Town will be collecting donations on a rotating basis for Williamsburg House of Mercy, FISH, and Grove Christian Outreach Center.  If you would like more information or would like to volunteer, please contact either Gale Hyatt (ladyhappy73@gmail.com) or Eden Glenn (edenaglenn@gmail.com.)