Policy on the #NNK

Northumberland County Sheriff's Office is participating in the national Drug Take Back Day Saturday, April 30 , 10:00 am-2:00 pm at the NCSO building (195 Judicial Place, Heathsville). Pills only; no sharps, liquids, ointments, or aerosols . Frequently asked questions: Does the medicine have to be in the original bottle/container? No. You can put them all in a ziploc bag so no names are associated with the drop-off Will I be asked questi.ons when I drop the pills off? No. Walk in the lobby and simply drop the drugs off in the clearly marked container. Then leave. If I miss this day, do I have to wait until the event in the fall? No. NCSO takes back drugs every day of the year. The marked box is in the lobby and available, no questions asked, every day at every hour. Subscribe to the blog Email Address * * indicates required

While many people could install a rain barrel, only 14% of them had. And of the 14% who did have rain barrels, not all owners used the water in the barrel between rain storms, resulting in more rain water becoming stormwater. The data is from 2017 but still incredibly useful. The Chesapeake Bay Program's Chesapeake Behavior Change website has reported this and other data along with behavior scores (likelihood for change). The information is based on the results of the Stewardship Index Survey and offers insights into the opportunities for individual environmental stewardship as well as environmental challenges which may persist due to insufficient interest or traction. The Stewardship Index Survey assessed the status of 20 behaviors in five categories—dog waste, down the drain, litter, managing rainwater, yard and garden—and the results were used to tally behavior scores, the average of opportunity and likelihood of adoption. The higher the behavior score, the better chanc...

Why Spoonbread Matters by Deb Freeman on Food52 walks readers through the history of this southern food, spoonbread's technical roots in French cooking techniques, and its place in history. All are interesting. But when read next to Cooking school lunches from scratch can fix labor and supply issues ( permanent link, no paywall version of Cooking school lunches from scratch ), the contemplation of important historical and culturally-significant food becomes even more profound. For example, on the latter, how are NNK school systems faring when it comes to food provision to students? Specifically, have systems cut back on meals and snacks due to cost, staffing, or supply chain challenges? Are NNK school systems integrating locally-grown food into their offerings? Are local schools marrying culture and food in a regular, on-going way for students, their families, and communities? These and other questions will be discussed here in the future.

Westmoreland County government meetings are listed on the county's events page and are streamed live and available for replay on the county's Facebook page . Meetings taking place in April are: Wetlands Board : Monday, April 18 , 1:30 pm at George D. English, Sr. Memorial Building, Montross, VA 22520 Board of Zoning & Appeals : Monday, April 25 , 9:00 am at George D. English, Sr. Memorial Building, Montross, VA 22520 The Town of Colonial Beach 's Town Council has a regular meeting Wednesday, April 20 at 6:00 pm. The agenda is online . The meeting is open to the public and the public is encouraged to attend. Colonial Beach government has a new website and residents, businesses, and other stakeholders can sign up for notices and in other ways receive updates about news and events.

The Westmoreland County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day is Saturday, May 21 , 9:00 am-2:00 pm at the A.T. Johnson Building Parking Lot (18849 Kings Highway, Montross). Deets: Old boat gas is accepted BRING: Spent fluorescent bulbs, unwanted pesticides, antifreeze, rechargeable batteries, cleaners, oil-based paint/stains, old/contaminated fuels/petroleum products, household chemicals, etc. DO NOT BRING: Latex paint (non-hazardous), car batteries, radioactive items, smoke detectors, medical waste, medications, ammo/explosives, or household electrics/electronics. Place items in an area accessible to event stay. Staff will unload all your items for you while you say in your vehicle The first 100 lbs of HHW are free; after that, the cost/lb is $1.05 and credit cards are not accepted Want to share the flier? A PDF version is on county website .

Public use of the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Rural Playbook: A roadmap for delivering opportunity and investments in rural America (Last Updated - April 2022) (PDF) can help residents, business owners, and other stakeholders work with and hold accountable local and county governments. The doc starts, The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will invest billions of dollars in rural communities across the country. Supporting Americans living in rural areas remains a top priority for the Biden Administration, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers on the President’s promises to work toward delivering affordable, high-speed internet, safe roads and bridges, modern wastewater systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs in every rural community. In an effort to deliver on these promises, the Biden Administration is committed to improving transparency into the availability of federal infrastructure resources to support rural ...

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the US Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District are holding a two-hour public information session on the reissued Nationwide Permits (NWPs) Thursday, April 14 from 2:00-4:00 pm . Information will be geared toward permit applicants and permittees, developers, wetland consultants and practitioners, and the general public. Topics will include a brief discussion about changes to the 41 NWPs reissued in February, key agency terminology, use of the CWA Section 401: General Certification Compliance worksheets for self-certification and how the review process differs from that applied to the first 16 NWPs reissued in March 2021. The deadline to register for this virtual session is Noon, April 13.

The Adaptation Clearinghouse is "an online database and networking site that serves policymakers and others who are working to help communities adapt to climate change." The site aggregates Virginia's adaptation laws and plans . For example, you'll find links to Virginia SB 320 Community Flood Preparedness Fund, Virginia Shoreline Resiliency Fund, Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan: Phase One, Adapt Virginia (AdaptVA), and Recommendations to the Secure Commonwealth Panel on the Issue of Sea Level Rise and Recurrent Flooding in Coastal Virginia. About the Adaptation Clearinghouse : Content in the Adaptation Clearinghouse is focused on the resources that help policymakers at all levels of governments reduce or avoid the impacts of climate change to communities in the United States. The Adaptation Clearinghouse tends to focus on climate change impacts that adversely affect people and our built environment. Content focal areas include the water, coastal, trans...

It's easy to subscribe to the no-more-than-once-daily emails about blog posts. Just head to the right-hand side of the blog's home page, enter your email, and click Subscribe.

Coastal Virginia Ecotourism Alliance's Virginia Water Trail took gold in March at the 2022 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards. The awards recognized the significant contributions of environmental and conservation leaders in four categories: sustainability, environmental project, greening of government, and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan. They are given to businesses and industrial facilities, not-for-profit organizations and government agencies. (Source: DEQ ) The trails connect visitors and residents alike with top-notch, world-class water-based experiences. The Coastal Virginia Ecotourism Alliance website ( Northern Neck trail ) provides information, links, and maps to the regions and trails. The win wouldn't be so important if it didn't have immense benefits to regions, towns, individuals, and the environment. Since ecotourism is reliant on healthy coastal waters, CVEA also provides educational information on the website and through in...

Governor Youngkin announced April 8 that he signed more than 100 bills. Those of particular importance to the Northern Neck are: SB 8 Hunting on Sundays; permits hunting on public or private land, etc. : Permits hunting on Sunday on public or private land, so long as it takes place more than 200 yards from a place of worship. Effective July 1, 2022. SB 629 Oysters; season for taking. : Extends from March 1 to March 31 the close of the season for taking oysters by patent tongs from public oyster beds, rocks, or shoals. Under current law, the season begins October 1. The bill allows the Marine Resources Commission to close the season for any area in the Commonwealth where the use of patent tongs is permitted when, in its opinion, the condition of the oysters warrants. Effective July 1, 2022. SB 145 Subaqueous beds; unlawful use, replacement of piers. : Excludes the maintenance or replacement of previously authorized piers from Virginia Marine Resources Commission permitting requir...

The Board of Supervisors ' work on the FY 2023 budget continues. These are the dates for upcoming county budget meetings (hearings, work sessions, votes): Thursday, April 14, 5:00 pm : Budget/Tax Rate Work Session Thursday, April 14, 7:00 pm : Adoption of school budget April 28, 7:00 pm : Public hearings on the FY23 county budget and CY 2022 tax rates at regular meeting May 26, 7:00 pm : Vote on FY23 county budget and CY 2022 tax rates at regular meeting The meetings will take place in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room (County Administration Building, Main Floor; 8311 Mary Ball Rd; Lancaster, VA 22503) and virtually. Learn more about public access to meetings . The Lancaster County Planning Commission is having a public hearing Thursday, April 21 at 7:00 pm . The meeting will take place in person in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room (County Administration Building, Main Floor; 8311 Mary Ball Rd; Lancaster, VA 22503) and virtually. The commission will hear testimony...

The Board of Directors of the Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation District meets Wednesday, April 13 at 6:00 pm for dinner and 6:30 pm for the meeting. The meeting takes place in the Richmond County Public Meeting Room (101 Court Circle, Warsaw). The public is encouraged to attend; RSVP to (804) 313-9102, X103 by Tuesday, April 12. Download the agenda (PDF). The Northumberland County Household Hazardous Waste/E-Waste Collection takes place Saturday, April 30 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Northumberland Middle School bus parking lot in Claraville (Heathsville). Download a PDF version of the event flier . The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is seeking proposals to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. Details are online . Full proposals are due April 21 . Blue Ridge PRISM 's Spring Meeting will be on the topic "Invasive Plan...

The Colonial Beach Town Council is having a regular meeting Wednesday, April 20 at 6:00 pm at Town Center (22 Washington Ave, Colonial Beach, VA). Read the agenda (PDF). There are several meetings coming up in Northumberland County : The Wetlands Board is having a regular public meeting Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 pm at the Northumberland County Sheriff's Office (195 Judicial Place, Heathsville) to consider a number of applications for wetland and/or coastal primary sand dune and beach permits. To review the applications in advance, contact the Wetlands Board at (804) 580-8910 or by emailing Odessa Samuels or Barbara Hall . The Board of Supervisors regular meeting is being held Thursday, April 14 at 5:30 pm at the Northumberland County Courts Building (220 Judicial Place, adjacent to the Sheriff’s Department in Heathsville, VA). The agenda should be posted soon. The Board of Supervisors is holding a public hearing Thursday, April 14 at 7:00 pm at the Northumberland C...

NOAA is proposing to survey some area rivers and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is seeking comments. The details: Hydrographic Survey of Southwestern Chesapeake Bay Rivers, June 2022 – October 2023 Comment period: April 4, 2022 to April 22, 2022 Rivers: James, Appomattox, Rappahannock, and Potomac Rivers DEQ contact: Janine Howard, Environmental Impact Review Coordinator, (804) 659-1916, janine.howard@deq.virginia.gov Ms. Howard will email the proposal or you can find it on Box (PDF). Contact Ms. Howard with comments or questions.

Richmond Sunlight provides valuable access to legislative information from Virginia as well as assessments on the government's openness. The site is worth bookmarking for regular checks on their take of government action and general information about what's happening inside government. About the Coalition : We are a nonprofit alliance formed to promote expanded access to government records, meetings and other proceedings at the state and local level. Our efforts are focused solely on local/state information access. While we do some lobbying (within limits imposed by IRS rules), our primary work is educational. The Coalition was formed in 1996, after a year-long organizing effort. Our board of directors represents the state's access activists and friends of open government, including Virginia's librarians, genealogists, broadcasters, newspapers and the public at large. Start-up funding was provided by the Virginia Press Association, the Virginia Association of Broad...

Virginia's Legislative Information System (LIS) offers the Lobbyist-In-A-Box subscriber service , a way to track up to five bills for free and more for a fee. Signing up is easy and LIS has a robust FAQ section for questions/troubleshooting. LIS also offers a range of other legislative-related information, such as calendars, bills and resolutions, minutes, agency legislative liaisons, and much more. Go to the site: https://lis.virginia.gov/ .

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – Governor Glenn Youngkin signed more than 40 bills into law Friday including legislation strengthening school safety audits, cutting fees for sportsmen, and establishing training for law enforcement to recognize signs of human trafficking. ( Governor Glenn Youngkin Signs 45 Bills Into Law ) Of particular importance to the Northern Neck are: HB 1224 Stormwater management; proprietary best management practices. Stormwater management; proprietary best management practices; emergency. Directs the State Water Control Board to update its regulations providing for the certification and use of a proprietary best management practice (BMP) if another state, regional, or national program has verified its nutrient or sediment removal effectiveness and its having met or exceeded all of such program's established test protocol requirements. Currently, the BMP may only be used if another state, regional, or national certification program has verified and certified its nut...