Policy on the #NNK

Northumberland County Accountability Group “is for residents who are ready to stand up to our county government and address the issues that are affecting all of us.” The group is private.

Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation ’s December 17 webinar Virginia 2026 General Assembly Preview Webinar to hear from Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford the organization’s priorities and the ways the public can join in the fight to reduce pollution, restore Virginia’s rivers and streams, and protect the Bay for future generations! The registration deadline is December 16.

Dismantling barriers to rural investment The Richmond Fed’s District Dialogues event on identifying and addressing the barriers to rural investment is a must-watch. Here are five key takeaways from the discussion: Access to capital is a major challenge for rural areas. There is often a lack of traditional financial institutions and funding sources in rural communities. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other non-traditional lenders play a crucial role in providing capital to rural businesses and projects. Rural areas face capacity constraints in terms of workforce, infrastructure, and organizational resources. Many rural organizations struggle with limited staff and resources to pursue funding opportunities and manage projects. Addressing these capacity issues is key to enabling more rural investment. Federal funding programs and initiatives targeted specifically at rural and underserved areas can make a big impact. Panelists highlighted the im...

Memorandum re: basic improvements, to Northumberland County Board of Supervisors, CA, and Northumberland County Public Schools School Board contains explanations about eight basic improvements electeds and appointeds should make starting today. The improvements are: Bylaws changes Publishing current and past topics of interest Foundational budget requirements Using data for accountability Newsletter Public engagement in the budget process Supervisor bios Website accessibility No one from the public signed on to the memo so I sent it on my own.

There are so many ways to improve the county budget. There’s budget development, public engagement, data-informed decision-making, benchmarks, performance, need, state and federal mandates, policy priorities. The list is long. And to be clear, this is not a come here/born here thing. Lots of people want a “better” budget. And because better is in the eye of the beholder, this post will make recommendations I think make the most sense based on my experience with municipal budgets. I’ll submit the final document to the parties Friday, December 5. If you are interested in participating in the creation of this set of recommendations and/or sign on to the letters to the county administrator, supes, and school board, email your comments by December 3 . Foundational budget requirements The county’s budget is, at least in theory, built on numerous local, state, and federal requirements and obligations. Examples include Compensation Board salary ranges , MOUs/MOAs, grant obligations,...

With the new year comes the energy and opportunity for change in community engagement, public participation, and leadership and governance. My plan is to present suggestions for policy and practice modifications (improvements?) to Northumberland County elected and appointed leaders. Suggested changes are to the bylaws, adding content to the website, and improving public engagement. You’re invited to join. I’ll submit the final document to the parties Friday, December 5. If you are interested in participating in the creation of this set of recommendations and/or sign on to the letter to the supes, send your comments by December 1. Bylaws On January 8, 2026, the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors will hold its first meeting of the year. The agenda will include organizational elements such as electing the chair and vice chair, approving the bylaws, and approving the meeting sked. Some version of the current bylaws (PDF) will be voted on at this meeting. I suggest t...

There’s a new place to connect online: r/NorthernNeck . Ask questions, share interesting articles and pics, strategize about bringing back Northern Neck Ginger Ale, and try to figure out together how to address the loss of treed acres in this magical part of the world. Head over now!

In light of the recent horse and buggy accidents in our area, the Board of Supervisors is deeply concerned about the safety of all who share our roads. These incidents underscore the urgent need to evaluate and improve traffic safety measures—especially in areas where motor vehicles and horse-drawn buggies frequently interact. The supes’ special meeting takes place Thursday, November 13 at 6:00 pm at the county offices (101 Court Circle, Warsaw, Public Meeting Room). The public is encouraged to attend to share ideas, concerns, and recommendations. In the FB post , the supes say they are especially interested in ideas related to: Road signage and visibility improvements Speed limits and enforcement Public awareness and education Infrastructure changes (e.g., buggy lanes, lighting, etc.) Any other practical safety measures Those unable to attend the meeting should email Hope Mothershead, County Administrator ...

Virginia State Parks has launched Ranger Conservation Corps , an engaging initiative aimed at nurturing the future leaders in outdoor recreation, conservation and park management. We believe in empowering the next generations and providing them with the tools they need to make a positive impact on our natural world. RCC integrates the established successes of the Virginia Service and Conservation Corps and the Park Ranger Career Development Program, thereby fostering a sustainable legacy of professional training and career advancement in conservation. The website is chock full of info. Take a look and then apply in December .

Head over to the r/foodstamps subreddit for the November 6 SNAP update . Keep checking this post for updates on the court order requiring full benefits be paid. Even if full benefits are distributed, the high cost of food makes the benefits buy less. Meaning: Food pantries are still very much needed . Refer to Ways to donate to food programs for help finding the best way for you to help feed your neighbors.

Head over to the r/foodstamps subreddit for the November 6 SNAP update . Even though partial benefits will be distributed, the high cost of food makes the benefits buy less. Meaning: Food pantries are still very much needed . Refer to Ways to donate to food programs for help finding the best way for you to help feed your neighbors.

*NOV. 4 UPDATE* - Government Shutdown and SNAP has the latest. Stay tuned to the foodstamps subreddit for additional updates.

Phasing out foam: An information hub for consumers and restaurants : Small (less than 20 locations) businesses will implement the polystyrene ban July 1, 2026. That's good news for the Northern Neck and the environment. “Living in the Liberated Landscape: My Yard” free webinar, November 20, 7:00 pm : Learn about ecological garden design in the free Wild Ones webinar. Learn more and register . Beyond the Donate Button: Storytelling Strategies for Year-End Giving , November 12. “In this webinar, we’ll explore how nonprofits can use storytelling to engage both individual donors and foundations by blending narrative, data, and design. The teams from IndieTech Solutions and Communications Shop will share best practices for transforming donation pages and annual reports into powerful storytelling tools, featuring real examples from nonprofit partners.” Free. 27 Free Nonprofit Webinars for November 2025 (Personify Wild Apricot) 56 Humanities Councils and How They Are ...

For obvious reasons, the focus of late has been on people and how they will fare without SNAP and with food and other prices the way they are. But focusing on people means ensuring their food suppliers―food pantries, 24/7 little food pantries, community dinners, and the like―have the food and other resources they need to keep the food flowing. Here are some ways to help: Monetary donations to Healthy Harvest Food Bank directed to a particular food pantry or county are the gold standard . The food bank’s buying power is turbocharged by design and this matters a lot now. HHFB is able to buy food items such as rice and canned vegetables at a substantial discount and pass that on to their food pantry partners. Think about it: Would you rather spend $0.20 on a can of corn or $0.59? (These are made up numbers to illustrate the point, but I do know that meat is available to food pantries from HHFB for $0.19/lb.) Head over to the food bank’s Find Help page for a map and/or list of fo...

Free food Free Food Thanksgiving Pop-up Mobile Pantry, Saturday, November 15, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Kinsale : Hundreds of Blessing Bags filled with non-perishable items, desserts, fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, frozen turkey. First come, first served until all items are gone. Location: New Jerusalem Baptist Church, 3695 Kings Mill Rd, Kinsale. Sponsored by Sowers Of Hope and Jospeh’s House. Thanksgiving Giveaway Free Food Drive Through, Sunday, November 16, 8:00 - 10:00 am, Warsaw : Hundreds of blessing bags until gone. Turkeys, hams, perishable, non-perishable items, and much more. Location: Rappahannock High School (parking lot), 6914 Richmond Rd, Warsaw. Sponsored by Sowers Of Hope, Jospeh’s House. MCVRS Thanksgiving Dinner, Wednesday, November 26, pickup Noon - 3:00 pm : Residents of Northumberland County aged 75 and older and living in the middle part of the county may get a free traditional Thanksgiving meal. Registration by November 21 is required. Call (804) 456-81...

The long and the short of it is that two judges ruled that the Trump administration must continue funding SNAP during the government shutdown. One of the judges will hear from the feds Monday to “tell her if it will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November.” ( Judges Tell Trump Admin to Use Contingency Funds to Partially Cover SNAP ) What does this mean for people who get SNAP on the NNK? They will have to rely on food pantries at least through Monday, November 3. As of 4:00 pm Friday, October 31, the state of Virginia has not announced any updates to VENA , the state operated “SNAP.” Free food on the NNK provides information about traditional and non-traditional food pantries as well as free meal events. The information can be used by those needing food and those wanting to provide food to others.

The new map Free food on the NNK contains information about Healthy Harvest Food Bank partner food pantries, non-traditional pantries (like the ones open 24/7), and free meal events. This map can be used to find food and to make donations. This new map is not perfect: It relies on good and timely information. Should you have updated info about a resource already on the map or one not on the map, email me . Does your organization want to take over the map? Let me know.

Before we get to the hot mess of an anti-hunger food system during shutdown, let’s talk about people. Seven thousand people live in the nearly 3,700 households which received SNAP in September. More than 1,000 each in Lancaster, Northumberland, and Richmond Counties and almost 3,000 in Westmoreland County. And nine times more SNAP participants were not on public assistance than were. And lest you think it’s a boondoggle, households are expected to spend 30% of their income on food. That number is deducted from the maximum monthly allotment. The max allotment for a one-person household is $298; for a four-person household, it is $994. ( Learn more about SNAP eligibility .) ( Should you want to play with the NNK data for September .) The shutdown food system The anti-hunger food system on the NNK during shutdown looks significantly different from the normal one depicted in Types of anti-hunger programs on the Northern Neck . As we know, November SNAP allotments...

Anti-hunger Food System on the NNK (PDF) is done! Designed to inform policy wonks, electeds, appointeds, donors, and policy curious, the four-page explainer depicts and summarizes the commonly considered elements of the anti-hunger/food-insurity system: SNAP, WIC, food banks, food pantries, and meal programs. Of course, the illustration shown above represents the usual state of affairs . My hope is that the parties and general public will use this information to create a better system for people until which time these resources are no longer needed.

My way of understanding the world is by understanding systems. In the case of we-think-the-shutdown-will-continue-and-thus-SNAP-benefits-will-not-be-available-November-1, I needed to understand the hunger-related (food insecurity?) food system on the Northern Neck. Naturally, there is a food bank (Healthy Harvest Food Bank). There are food pantries. But what else is there? Are any soup kitchens located on the NNK? What about little free pantries not associated proximately or otherwise with a traditional food pantry? What about communal feeding programs, whether they be free or pay-what-you-can? What you see below is the first public iteration of the hunger-related NNK food system map. It’s not perfect. And while it doesn’t have to be perfect to be useful, we (I) can do better. For example, neither The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) nor the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) are included. Should they be? If not shown on this page, should they be mentioned on the...

An important reminder for those creating documents, websites, online forms, apps, and more: Be aware of your audience and design for them. This is the message in the short vid Why Even Nobel Prize Winners Can't Use Modern Gadgets . In this clip from a longer discussion, Rory Sutherland explains why the modern applications are not old user friendly. But note: “Well-designed” UX is about more than older people. It’s about busy people, people who literally may have their hands full, people with disabilities, folks with mobility and hand-eye coordination challenges. Bottom line: It’s about the users.

Having an event and want photos taken? A photographer may not be in your budget but GuestCam may be. GuestCam is an online photo and video-sharing capture, share, and preservation tool. All guests have to do is snap the QR code or use a link and take pics. No app to download, no guest sign-up needed. Pictures can be organized, shared when taken or after the fact. Nonprofits, free volunteer recruitment platform Volunteer River Counties launched last month to help bridge the nonprofit/volunteer (potential volunteer) divide . Nonprofits on the NNK and MP post opportunities and people―interested in doing good, meeting others, sharing a talent, making a difference, solving a problem, getting out of the house―look for organizations and volunteer opportunities which resonate. According to the website, Volunteer River Counties focuses on four priorities to build volunteer capacity across Lancaster, Middlesex, and Northumberland counties in Virginia: 1. Build a stronger cu...

Crowdsourcing info sharing info (Crowdsourced) Outreach on the NNK , the only crowdsourced list of outreach locations on the NNK, has been updated but still needs some love and attention. What does love and attention mean in this context? First, to the updates made: NNK Food Trucks and Northern Neck Happenings, both FB groups, have been added to the Social Media tab. In addition, Northumberland Family YMCA has been added to the Physical tab since the org has a bulletin board where services and event information may be shared. And second, to the needing love and attention: If you are admin for a Facebook group or moderator for a subreddit, please review the information. If you make changes or even if you make no changes, update the update date so others are aware of the accuracy and timeliness of the info. The permissions are set so everyone is an editor. Activate Rural Virtual Workshop: From Creative Spaces to Creative Ecosystems Activate Rural Virtual Workshop: From Crea...

Wetlands Watch is recruiting volunteers for the October 10-12 2025 Catch the King tide mapping event . People of all ages are encouraged to participate in this once-a-year effort to track the highest tides of 2025 and, by extension, the flooding impact on the environment and communities. Volunteer opportunities range from leading local efforts to mapping to doing outreach. What about getting a group of neighbors together? A civic association? Some HOA members? Friends from the Y? Kids in camp with your kids this summer? In 2024, volunteers on the Northern Neck placed 498 virtual pins. With hundreds of miles of shore, more locations need to be pinned. Why volunteer Catch the King relies on volunteers to track the highest predicted tides of the year in southeast Virginia. The October King Tide happens when the moon, earth, sun, and fall full/new moons are aligned in this part of the state. Volunteer citizen scientists add their data to that King Tide data collected in ...

The 2025 Drinking Water Clinics for residents with private water systems (wells, springs, and cisterns) will take place in late October. The clinics are operated by local Virginia Cooperative Extension offices and registration, which is limited, is open now and residents are encouraged to sign up early. Each test costs $70 and is comparable to testing in the private market, typically costing $300. Water DROP OFFS take place Wednesday, October 29 . Extension service staff provide help interpreting water test results and information about addressing problems. Registration and additional information Lancaster County , Wednesday, October 29: Registration . For additional information, contact Jasmine Greer ( email , (804) 462-5780 ). Northumberland County , Wednesday, October 29: Registration . For additional information, contact Trent Jones ( email , (804) 580-5694 ). Richmond County , Wednesday, October 29: Registration . For additional in...

The Virginia Department of Forestry ’s Riparian Forests for Landowners program (RFFL) is a no-brainer for landowners. The program “provides flexible, no-cost riparian forest buffer installation and one year of maintenance to landowners. The program is being implemented by DOF and partner organizations in a unique watershed-based partnership.” The program is first come, first served and the application deadline is July 29, 2:00 pm . DOF is serious about improving and adding riparian forests: “The program covers the planning, site preparation, planting and one year of maintenance for riparian forest buffer plantings.” The requirements for new and expanded forests are: Buffers may be pine, hardwood or a mix of both. Buffers must be at least 35 feet wide and no greater than 300 feet wide per side from the water’s edge. Land must have less than 20% coverage by invasive plant species to qualify for this program. The landowner must ag...

Fredericksburg is taking planting natives head on. Plant Central Rapp Natives is a marketing campaign of a coalition of non-profit, governmental, and private partners, all working to reverse the decline of native plants and wildlife in Planning District 16. GWRC oversaw the formation of this campaign, and continues to oversee campaign materials and provide staff support to the campaign steering committee. ( Source , email) The Northern Neck can stand to learn something―um, a lot―from this group staffed by the George Washington Regional Commission. Learn more about the campaign* by attending the meeting Thursday, July 17 at 1:00 pm at the George Washington Regional Commission (406 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg) or by calling GWRC, (540) 373-2890. *This meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more about the Native Plant Demonstration Garden at Cedell Brooks, Jr. Park and connecting with others who share a passion for native plants.

Businesses in GO Virginia Region 6 ―Fredericksburg area, the Northern Neck, and the Middle Peninsula (Planning Districts 16, 17, and 18)―are encouraged to identify challenges, opportunities, and needs they are facing so that the upcoming Economic Growth and Diversification Plan can reflect what is happening on the ground. Take the survey . The survey is open through August 4. Questions include: Number of years in operation The biggest economic challenges your business is currently facing Number of employees 2024 revenue Region/market served Your confidence in the local economy’s growth over the next year Primary industry The purpose of the plan is to grow local and regional economies. The TL;DR version is: The Economic Growth and Diversification Plan is intended to describe specific goals and actionable strategies that will produce measurable results over a two-year period. Addit...