Policy on the #NNK

Remote Area Medical (RAM) is holding a free medical clinic Saturday and Sunday, November 12-13 at Richmond County Elementary School (361 Walnut Street, Warsaw). RAM will provide medical, dental, and vision services. All are welcome, no ID is necessary, and services are provided on a first come, first served basis. For additional information, call (865) 579-1530 or go to the event on FB .

The Richmond County Fall 2022 Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Collection takes place rain or shine Saturday, October 22 , 9:00 am-2:00 pm at Rappahannock Community College (Parking Lot, located at 52 Campus Drive, Warsaw). Only Richmond County residents and property owners are allowed to participate in the event and everyone will be required to present their Richmond County Convenience Center Pass. There is no charge to to drop items off. Some examples of accepted hazardous household waste are: spent fluorescent bulbs, unwanted pesticides, antifreeze, and rechargeable batteries, and cleaners. The Richmond County fall HHW flyer has the details about what will and will not be accepted. Also part of the event is a prescription drug take-back and document shredding. Reps from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office will collect no longer needed and expired prescription drugs to dispose of them properly, no questions asked. Learn more about the organizations working together ...

Lancaster County residents: The HHW disposal event originally scheduled for Saturday, October 1 has been postponed to Saturday, October 15. The safe disposal of hazardous household waste (HHW) event will take place rain or shine (but not tropical storm remnants!) Saturday, October 15 , 9:00 am-2:00 pm at the 2022 Fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection in Lancaster County (Lancaster County Courthouse Parking Lot, 8265 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster). Some examples of accepted hazardous household waste are: spent fluorescent bulbs, unwanted pesticides, antifreeze, and rechargeable batteries, and cleaners. The Lancaster fall HHW flyer has the details about what will and will not be accepted. Will residents continue the upward trend started in 2017? Drop-offs in pounds have increased from 15,545 in 2017 to 28,231 in the fall of 2021. That's an 81% increase! In light of the news that the state will miss its Ches Bay cleanup goals (see Virginia will likely miss its goals for ...

Tree planting, as related to power lines, is a science and Northern Neck Electric Cooperative has a handy guide for tree planting and explains it in the news item Right Tree, Right Place . The key takeaways: Be sure to consider the mature height of the tree when determining a suitable planting location. Native species often will grow better with fewer insect and disease problems than non-native trees. For areas near houses and overhead utilities, there are tree height zones. Low Tree Zone - Only plant trees with a mature height of 15 feet or less within 20 feet of power lines. Medium Tree Zone - Plant trees that will be shorter than 40 feet when mature can be planted at least 25 feet from power lines. Large Tree Zone - Plant all trees over 40 feet at least 50 feet away from power lines.

The r/virginia (Virginia subreddit) post Register to vote by October 17th, and vote in the 2022 midterms! has all the information and links you need to vote in November. You don't need to have a Reddit account to read the post and use the links. Subscribe * indicates required Email Address *

The Virginia Department of Forestry is again seeking donations of acorns from 11 oak species and nuts black walnut trees and Chinese chestnut trees. The deadline is October 14. VDOF staff plant the acorns and nuts at the Augusta Nursery. Seedlings are later sold to Virginia landowners, typically to reforest open lands. Learn how and when to collect nut and acorns (PDF). Read the press release (PDF). Drop off the acorns and nuts at any VDOF office, including in Gloucester and Tappahannock. Find other office locations .

2022 marks the 10th anniversary of EPA’s SepticSmart program, a nation-wide initiative to share information on the proper care and maintenance of septic systems and encourage public stewardship in caring for these wastewater treatment systems. Septic systems are common on the Northern Neck and the SepticSmart program provides an array of resources to help users and governmental types understand how to properly care for and use your septic system and how to maintain systems. It's also a good time to remind those with septic systems that the state and county require five-year pump outs of septic tanks or show the installation of an effluent filter which has been documented as having been inspected and functioning properly. For those interested in public policy, you might want to know that earlier this year, Virginia law was changed to transfer management and enforcement of onsite septic pump-outs from localities to the Virginia Department of Health. The change― mandate 1276,...

Work at a state park! Head over to Jobs in Virginia State Parks to see the job openings.

Saturday, September 24 is National Public Lands Day . The day is dedicated to enjoying the outdoors as well as taking care of it. In Virginia, more than 13% of land across the state is public. . . public parks, forests, and local parks. That's 3.7 million acres. Two state parks on the NNK―Westmoreland and Belle Isle―are participating: National Public Lands Day Beach Cleanup at Westmoreland State Park , 9:00 am-1:00 pm (145 Cliff Road, Montross): Meet a Ranger and Park Volunteers at the Westmoreland State Park Boat House to help restore the beach's natural beauty after a long, busy summer. Park volunteers will available to talk with cleanup vols about how we can all work together to keep our Park and waterways clean! Meet at the Boathouse. National/Virginia Public Lands Day - Eagle Hike at Belle Isle State Park , 10:00-11:00 am (1632 Belle Isle Rd., Lancaster): Belle Isle State Park has over nine miles of trails to be explored. Get outdoors and celebrate Nation...

About 20 people participated in the Northern Neck 250 's August 16 open house to gather ideas for themes and activities for the commemoration of the founding of the United States. Attendees represented a variety of historic sites, tourism organizations and businesses, and members of the public. Four themes emerged from the conversations: Power of Place – The Northern Neck is a powerfully historic place, home to sites and stories essential to our American story. The 250th commemoration encourages us to reexamine ideas about the natural and built environment. We the People – We are a democratic nation of diverse people with different cultures, political ideas, and beliefs. This contributes to both tension and growth in American society. American Experiment – Engaging diverse voices in discussion about our democracy’s highest ideals strengthens our understanding, inspires action, and encourages us all to participate in shaping the ongoing American experiment. Preservation and ...

Residents can safely dispose of hazardous household waste (HHW) rain or shine Saturday, October 1 , 9:00 am-2:00 pm at the 2022 Fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection in Lancaster County (Lancaster County Courthouse Parking Lot, 8265 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster). Some examples of accepted hazardous household waste are: spent fluorescent bulbs, unwanted pesticides, antifreeze, and rechargeable batteries, and cleaners. The Lancaster fall HHW flyer has the details about what will and will not be accepted. Will residents continue the upward trend started in 2017? Drop-offs in pounds have increased from 15,545 in 2017 to 28,231 in the fall of 2021. That's an 81% increase! In light of the news that the state will miss its Ches Bay cleanup goals (see Virginia will likely miss its goals for reducing pollution by 2025 ), making an effort to gather your waste and encouraging others to do the same would make for a particularly high-impact event. Want more information? Read the...

Virginia’s promise to cut pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay is likely to miss its 2025 deadline , and Gov. Glenn Youngkin said speeding up work is a top priority. ( Youngkin plans push for Bay cleanup ) The Richmond Times-Dispatch story is a must-read. Reporter David Ress mentions a variety of contributors to the contamination of the bay and tributaries: “runoff from fertilized fields, chicken houses, suburban lawns and wastewater. . .; sediment in runoff, much of it from building sites and erosion”; nitrogen runoff; and an extreme lack of adequate riparian buffers to slow and filter sediment and other contaminants. Subscribe * indicates required Email Address *

The National Weather Service’s National Wave Team is experimenting with adding wave detail to marine forecasts such as is shown to the right. The Team is working with coastal NWS offices― including Boston, Honolulu, San Francisco, and Virginia’s Wakefiled―to better support marine decision-making. Writes the NWS about the project goal : The goal of this project is to provide greater wave detail with more clarity for marine users and partners to support better decision making. Multiple coexisting wave systems are common at any point in the ocean, each containing their own unique height, period and direction. Details on each of these wave systems provides valuable input for marine customers. For example, a very short period wave system moving parallel to the coast may provide significant hazards to small and/or flat bottom vessels leaving an inlet. Meanwhile, longer period waves moving towards the shore produce shoaling hazards near the coast. There are a multitude of similar scenari...

Learn about early advocacy for religious freedom in Virginia in the Library of Virginia vid 10K Signatures for Religious Freedom . In the video, Library historian Brent Tarter talks about how thousands of Virginia residents petitioned the General Assembly for religious freedom. Explore how Virginians petitioned the government on highly personal matters, including religious freedom, in the Library of Virginia exhibit Your Humble Petitioner: Legislative Petitions Gave Voice to Virginians . Writes the Library: During the years between the American Revolution and the Civil War, Virginians submitted petitions to the General Assembly to bring local or personal issues to the attention of their legislators. The Library’s collection of nearly 25,000 petitions reveals how Virginians communicated their concerns on a wide range of topics. To obtain legal permission to operate a ferry, maintain a tavern, or carry out many other activities, residents of the commonwealth were required to introdu...

Two efforts― 29.1-556.1. Release of certain balloons prohibited; civil penalty; community service. and Prevent Balloon Litter ―are determined to reduce the number of balloons released into the wild. The relatively new state law, effective July 1, 2021, bans “citizens from intentionally releasing or discarding any no-biodegradable or nonphotodegradable balloons in the outdoors in the Commonwealth of Virginia.” Balloons are but just one typle of plastic litter identified by researchers to be harmful to the environment: While litter and marine debris includes non-plastic items including shopping carts, bicycles, tires, beverage cans, cardboard packaging, and glass bottles, 83% of all debris items are made of plastic according to a four-year (2014-2018) study on four coastal beaches by the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and Clean Virginia Waterways. (Source: 2021-2025 Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan , p. 5) Communities, organizations, or individuals want...

Volunteers make a major positive difference in the Chesapeake Bay via waterway restorations, tributary cleanups, policy advocacy, and public education. Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake and Potomac Riverkeeper Network are coming together for Water Wednesday: Power of Service Wednesday, September 14 at Noon for a virtual lunch-hour event. Reps from both orgs will share volunteer success stories, discuss how communities of faith are unifying together to pledge their commitment to the Chesapeake Bay, and offer information about the state of the Potomac River.

Herb Jones (D), candidate for the 1st congressional district in Virginia, did an AMA September 8. Listen to the Reddit Talk and take a look at some of the submitted questions . Image: Virginia Public Access Project's page on the 1st District

The Virginia Coastal Resilience Technical Advisory Committee 's quarterly meeting takes place Friday, September 16 at 10:30 am. The public may attend in person or virtually ( details in the meeting agenda PDF). Some items on the agenda: 2022 General Assembly Legislation Review Coastal Resilience Master Plan Update Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan Update Community Outreach and Engagement Plan Update Public Comment Learn more about the meeting .

Three Rivers Health District maintains its rigorous Covid-19 vaccination schedule . Some upcoming clinics are: September 8: Lancaster Health Department (9049 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster), 10:00 am-Noon September 15: Richmond County Health Department (5591 Richmond Rd, Warsaw), 10:00 am-Noon September 20: Northumberland Health Department (6373 Northumberland Hwy, Heathsville), 10:00 am-Noon September 29: Westmoreland Health Department (18849 Kings Hwy, Montross), 10:00 am-Noon Make an appointment for a vaccine or test; details are on the Three Rivers Heatlh District website and by calling (804) 815-4191. Those who are not able to leave their home to attend a vax clinic may be vaccinated at home. Call (804) 815-4191 to schedule an appointment. Subscribe * indicates required Email Address *

The Potomac River Fisheries Commission, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control are holding a public hearing on the management of Atlantic menhaden Monday, September 26 , 6:00-8:00 pm. The hearing will be held in person (Maryland DNR headquarters, Tawes State Office Building, C-1 Conference Room, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD) and virtually. Read Draft Addendum I to Amendment 3 of the Atlantic Menhaden Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Public Comment (PDF). Register for virtual participation . Those unable to participate in the hearing may submit comments on the draft addendum to James Boyle, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, 1050 North Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201 or via email (subject line: Atlantic Menhaden Draft Addendum I). The reason for the amendment, according to the draft: At its August 2021 meeting, the ASMFC’...

Why do we have Minimum Standards in Erosion and Sediment Control? is a free 40-minute webinar Wednesday, September 7 designed to cover the basics of the Erosion and Sediment Control Minimum Standards, why we need them, how they apply to a construction project and how to avoid violating them. The session is for contractors and the general public and is offered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Image : By James Steakley; used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license ; no changes made Subscribe * indicates required Email Address *

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP) assists eligible low-income households with outstanding rent and/or utility payments. To qualify, individuals must have a household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, have a child under the age of 18 living in the home, and been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information/to apply: Contact SERCAP’s Virginia Regional Programs Specialist, (540) 345-1184 ext. 117 or via email . Subscribe * indicates required Email Address *

The Northern Neck Native Plant Society 's Native Plant Sale starts Friday, September 16 with a members only sale. The public may buy plants Saturday, September 17 - 24 at Dug In Farms (155 Fleets Bay Rd., White Stone, VA). On Saturdays during the sale, knowledgeable chapter members will be available to assist from 9:00 am through 1:00 pm.

Virginia will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026 and work is underway by the Northern Neck 250 Committee to develop a regional plan. The committee continues to solicit input from the public via their online survey about ways to commemorate the anniversary. The survey will be open through October 1 at least. In broad strokes, we can expect the following from the committee between now and early 2023: Reporting out to the community about the August open house. The committee will share photos and the overarching goals and objectives of the effort to enlist the support and participation of partner organizations. Incorporating public feedback, comments, and ideas through October 1 and perhaps longer. Engaging tourism-related organizations in a region-wide event in January 2023. It bears repeating that the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission has set the tone for the commemoration: In Virginia, the American Revolution was ...