Wards Corner Civic League

The June 2012 civic league meeting will be held on the 18th at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes invitations to: Sharon Chamberlin, Acting Police Chief, and Rick Dempsey, Engineer
Norfolk Department of Utilities who will provide an update on Pump Station, Neighborhood Sewer Repairs.

Here is President Jim English’s message for June 2012:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

Summer is just around the corner and schools will be out and hopefully we will all enjoy some vacation time. Hopefully this summer will be great and we will once again be spared any major hurricanes just like we were last year. However make sure you are prepared just in case. Over the summer please continue to enjoy the Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center. There are over 7000 members now. If you are not a member please consider joining. Please take advantage of this facility in our back yard.

Ordinarily the June meeting would mark the last meeting of the first half of the civic league year until we resume our schedule again in September. However this year we will have a July meeting. The membership voted to hold a July meeting at our last June meeting. There is quite a lot happening in our area right now and the membership felt it would be a good idea to remain informed during the summer. Therefore we will have a July 16^th meeting at 645PM at the Wellness Center. We will not have a newsletter in July however. We will post the meeting notice on our website and email our membership of the meeting. We will not have a meeting in August.

I wish to thank Barbara Ross for her dedicated service as our newsletter editor. She has done an excellent job of preparing the newsletter each month. This takes a significant amount of time to complete and Barbara’s newsletters are informative and always on time. Barbara, we thank you for your service and look forward to your newsletters again in the fall. Enjoy your two months of newsletter free time. Speaking of keeping us informed, a hearty thanks goes to Martin Thomas Jr. for keeping our website www.wardscorner.com  up to date and informative. We also thank Martin for the good work he is doing on the Planning Commission for our area and the city. Also a special thanks to Joan Griffey and Ray Duron for keeping the records of our meetings and ensuring that our finances are in order. Joan, also thank you for your continued efforts as Chair of the Beautification Committee with the Greater Wards Corner Task Force. Joan is now also the Secretary of the Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues. A thank you also to our 2^nd VP Sue Classick for organizing the delivery of our newsletters each month with our many newsletter carriers. Thanks also to our many newsletter carriers for their time in delivering our newsletters to you. This also is no small task. It is yet another valuable service that we are providing to all of the residents of the Wards Corner Civic League area. It is also the envy of many of the civic leagues in the Greater Wards Corner area as well as citywide. Thanks also to Betty and Ray Duron for organizing and conducting our Adopt-a-Spot street cleanups over the last several years. Thanks also to the members of our civic league who help in each of these cleanups.  Thank you all for your service.

Finally, I extend a very grateful thanks to all of our paid members for your continuing support and attendance at our monthly meetings. Your presence and input at our meetings is much appreciated. Please tell your neighbors to join us in attendance and membership as more numbers mean a bigger voice at city hall.

One thing is for sure. The dedication and commitment of the membership of the Greater Wards Task Force, and area Civic Leagues (including and especially ours) will continue the push with our city elected officials and senior city management staff to help us correct and develop the area and rid it of the dysfunctional and criminal ement that has unfortunately been drawn to the area. We will not be taking the summer off but will continue our fight. Please join us in that fight as numbers speak to elected officials.

Please have a safe, relaxing and enjoyable summer. We will continue our work to improve our area throughout the summer. We hope to see you again in June and July and then in the fall at our September meeting.

Sincerely,

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The May 2012 civic league meeting will be held on the 21st at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes invitations to: Senator Ralph Northam & Delegate Linwood Lewis – Highlights of 2012 General Assembly.  Rick Dempsey, Engineer Norfolk Department of Utilities – Update on Pump Station, Neighborhood Sewer Repairs.

Here is President Jim English’s message for May 2012:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

Congratulations are in order for Councilman Barclay Winn on his re-election to our Superward.  Barclay has been with us for twelve years now and has assisted us with many of the redevelopment efforts that we see in Wards Corner today. For that we are grateful and thank him for his dedication to making a Wards Corner a better place.

The work, however, is not done and we expect him to continue supporting us in our determination in the total and complete revitalization of Wards Corner. He has said to me he will continue to do that and I know that he will do so as best he can.

Great strides have been made in the past few months that will set the stage for, hopefully, a more rapid redevelopment of the area. Just consider that in the past few months we have learned that:
1.   Chris Perry is completely redeveloping his property. Demolition should start this summer as all of the tenants relocate to other places. Harris Teeter has announced that this will be one their flagship stores and should open in 2014. We have also asked for the city to work with Dominion Power to bury the power lines on Granby and Little Creek road as this property is redeveloped.
2.   Joan Dalis is putting a facelift on her property which is starting now and should be completed in 6 months. Hopefully more and new stores will be opening there as well.
3.   Eight properties have been acquired and demolished in Denby Park and more properties are to be purchased in that area with an additional 2 million dollars allocated in next year’s city budget for more property acquisition and demolition.
4.   Norfolk Collegiate School’s Fine Arts Center is now under construction.
5.   Bon Secour DePaul Hospital will soon be undergoing a major renovation and upgrade.
6.   Farm Fresh is getting ready to do a 2 million dollar renovation of its store soon which will last into the fall of 2012.

Based on this I would say that things are beginning to look up for the area in the way of redevelopment. Wouldn’t you agree? I am sure I will be reporting on more developments as the weeks and months progress. Residents should be aware that Newport Ave near the Fitness and Wellness Center is closed to through traffic for utility work related to the new pump station being installed. The closure is expected to last until July / August 2012. Detour routes will be posted. The
community and residents will still have access to the Fitness and Wellness center.
I hope to see you at the next civic league meeting on May 21st as we welcome our State Senator Ralph Northam and State Delegate Linwood Lewis to our meeting to discuss their perspectives on the 2012 Virginia General Assembly.

Sincerely,

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Newport Ave near the Fitness and Wellness Center will close to through traffic starting next week for utility work related to the new pump station being installed.  The closure is expected to last until July / August 2012.  Detour routes will be posted.

The community and residents will still have access to the Fitness and Wellness center.

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The April 2012 civic league meeting will be held on the 16th at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes: Superward 6 Candidates Forum.  The following have been invited: John Amiral, Marcus Calabrese, Jesse Scaccia, & Barclay Winn.  Chris Perry will also be attending to present updated designs of his proposed shopping center.

Here is President Jim English’s message for April 2012:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,
In case you hadn’t noticed, the business of redevelopment in the Wards Corner Business District is starting to pick up. Ah, yes, and just in time for spring cleanup.

As I have reported in the last two newsletters, we know that Bon Secours DePaul Hospital and Chris Perry are both in the works to redevelop their properties starting very soon with completion dates in the 2013/2014 time frame. City Council and Planning Commission actions will occur very soon on the Perry Property.

The following is taken from the Wards Corner Now website.
“A special joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council has been scheduled for April 24, 2012 at 7pm in City Council chambers. The meeting was scheduled at the request of City Council in an effort to speed up the approval process for Chris Perry’s project at the southeast corner of Wards Corner which is slated to be a Harris Teeter anchored shopping center. The public is encouraged to attend and express their concerns / opinions.

The City of Norfolk has received the following applications regarding the new Harris Teeter anchored shopping center planned for the southeast corner of Wards Corner:
1. Conditional Change of Zoning. The applicant is asking to rezone the entire block to Conditional C-3 with conditions that the property shall be developed generally in accordance with the layout attached as Exhibit A, that the outparcel will be single user, and that the buildings constructed will be consistent with the appearance in the rendering attached as Exhibit B.
2. Adult Use Special Exception for the sale of Alcoholic Beverages for off-premises Consumption. The applicant is requesting to be able to sell Beer and Wine from 6:00AM to 12:00AM daily at Harris Teeter.
3. Special Exception to Operate a Retail Establishment After Midnight. The applicant is requesting to operate a full service Harris Teeter from 12:00AM to 12:00AM daily.
4. Special Exception to operate a Commercial Drive-Through Facility. The applicant is requesting to operate a branch banking facility with drive-through lanes to serve customers, including automatic teller machines.
5. Special Exception to operate a Commerical Drive- Through Facility. The applicant is requesting to operate a drive through out of the end unit of the shopping center serving food and beverages. The hours of operation indicated are from 6:00AM to 11:00PM. The exhibit to this request indicates a “COFFEE HOUSE” in that location.”
If you wish to hear more about the Perry Redevelopment Project, please join us for an update at the April Civic League meeting on April 16th.
Also, on March 16th, 2012 at 130PM a press conference was held in the parking lot in front of the old People’s location in the Midtown Shopping Center (northeast corner of Wards Corner). There, acting Department of Development Director, Chuck Rigney, announced that Joan Dalis plans to spend more than 1 million dollars on a new facade and a redone parking lot, to include new lighting. Some photos from the press conference are below. She also plans to add new tenants as she upgrades improvements to her property. This is indeed welcome news and we look forward to the new look at the Dalis property. She expects the work to be completed in six months. Please follow my messages here or on our website http://www.wardscorner.com or www.wardscornernow.com for updates as we learn of them.
We are grateful and thank both Mr. Perry and Ms. Dalis for upgrading their property. We look forward to the completion of these projects and the attraction of new tenants into the business district. We also thank the city of Norfolk for their continued purchase of the troublesome properties in the Denby Park area. All of these actions toward redevelopment of the Greater Wards Corner area make us all more optimistic than ever about our neighborhoods.
Finally, we have a very important election coming in May for our Superward 6 councilman. We will hold a candidate forum at our next civic league meeting on April 16th at 645Pm at the Wellness center.
Councilman Barclay Winn is being challenged by three candidates: John Amiral; Marcus Calabrese and Jesse Scaccia. Please join us at this very important meeting to hear what these candidates have to say about how they will improve Wards Corner and the city of Norfolk.

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The March 2012 civic league meeting will be held on the 19th at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes:  VA General Assembly update from the following invited representatives: Delegates Kenny Alexander, Linwood Lewis, and Senator Ralph Northam.  Additionally we expect updated renderings of the Harris Teeter anchored shopping center from Chris Perry

Here is President Jim English’s message for March 2012:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

Congratulations and thank you to the alert neighbors on Maycox Ave, Burleigh Ave, and Ruthven Road who notified the police about a burglary in progress on Maycox Ave, Thursday, February 23, 2012. Because of their steady, constant and persistent vigilance and after numerous calls to the police dispatcher, the police arrived and two of the three young dysfunctional punks who tried to break in at a Maycox address were apprehended at the time of the break-in. To the victim, I am sorry this happened to you. The victim has placed the following sign in his yard as a reminder that it pays to know and look out for your neighbors. I couldn’t agree more. This is what neighbors should do. We should watch out for each other and when we see a problem that needs police intervention call, and call and call until we get them there. While it is frustrating to not get the police there on the first call, if we see a crime or potential crime in progress the only way to get action is to continue to make repeated calls to 911 until someone from the police department shows up. My sincere kudos to all the neighbors involved in this incident for doing what good neighbors do. Being persistent and not giving up when a crime is in progress is what is needed. Let’s all learn from their example.

The following is from the Bon Secours Hampton Roads website and is provided as an update on the construction phase of the medical center campus. You may see more plans on the website: http://wardscornernow.com/
Bon Secours Virginia has announced the beginning of the second phase of the campus development plan for Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center. The health system plans to break ground on a 105,000 square foot, four-story medical office building, which will be located on the medical center campus, just off Granby Street at 150 Kingsley Lane, by late summer or early fall of 2012 with occupancy expected to be available for occupancy by fall of 2013.

The $25 million new office building will be home to specialists and primary care physician practices. At the core of the facility will be a comprehensive cancer center, which will place state-of-the-art technology in the hands of cancer experts, enabling them to address the unique needs of those battling cancer.
“Over the past three years, Bon Secours has continued to demonstrate its commitment to the Norfolk community by making a series of investments in programs and services at Bon Secours DePaul,” said John E. Barrett, CEO, Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center. “With the first phase of investments completed we are looking forward to the development of our new medical office building, which marks the start phase two. Our final phase of development will be the construction of the new Bon Secours DePaul to allow us to better serve our community.”

During phase one developments at DePaul in 2011, the health system invested in a variety of new equipment, facility upgrades, and other expansions, including:
• A neuroscience intensive care unit
• New cardiac catheterization laboratory
• An interventional neurovascular laboratory
• Hampton Roads first low-dose 64-slice computerized tomography scanner
• A state-of-the-art robotic surgical system for the minimally invasive surgery program
• Renovations on the patient care units
• Recruitment of numerous physician experts
• Significant site preparations and extensive planning with the Norfolk Planning office and DuanyPlater-Zyberk

I am happy to report that Vision, the night club in the 100 block of E. Little Creek Road where 5 people were injured as a result of multiple gunshots, has CLOSED and will not reopen. Good- bye and good riddance. This property was recently purchased by Mr. Perry and is part of his plan for demolition when he rebuilds his “corner” with the new Harris Teeter as its anchor. Mr. Perry was at our last civic league meeting in February and we anticipate his return at the March meeting for an update on his plans which should include a new design rendering of the building. Please join us and voice your opinion of his plans.

If case you hadn’t noticed, new curb and guttering has been install at Ruthven and W. Little Creek and Grantham Roads. I am sure this makes Ray Duron happy because it makes this once street eyesore look good. He has been asking for this improvement for some time. Enjoy Ray!

Finally, at the March meeting we will have our annual Virginia General Assembly update with our local delegates Kenny Alexander and Linwood Lewis and state senator Ralph Northam. Please join us and see what our Virginia lawmakers have been doing for us this year. It has been a tough year for getting things done so their discussion should be very interesting.

Hoping to see you at the March meeting.
Sincerely,

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The February 2012 civic league meeting will be held on the 27th at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes: Chris Perry with the Harris Teeter plan.
Here is President Jim English’s message for January 2012:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

I have been writing this column for our newsletter for 12 years now. During that time I have always given you updates about potential and real progress concerning redevelopment opportunities for the Wards Corner Business District. The revitalization of the business district has been painstakingly slow to say the least. Moreover the opening of new businesses into that area has been rare. This slow growth of redevelopment in the area has been indeed frustrating to all of us.
Yet with the Wards Corner Comprehensive Plan that was issued in November of 2003 many of us have tried to be optimistic and stay positive as we pushed our ideas with our city council representatives. We have also always tried to emphasize our position with the various city departments in a positive and productive way as well. This also has been frustrating and it has seemed at times that our push for redevelopment was falling on deaf ears. Again this has left us frustrated but nonetheless we have stayed the course and continued our efforts to revitalize the area.
Now it appears that redevelopment may indeed be coming to Wards Corner. On February 7th several of us met with Chris Perry who unveiled his redevelopment plans for his property to us. His property is the southeast corner of the business district where AJ Gators currently is located. Included in that group were Jim McDonnell, President of Talbot Park Civic league, Tim Fox, President of Suburban Acres Civic League, Martin Thomas Jr., Vice President of our Civic League, Barclay Winn, City Councilman, and me. What we heard and saw from Mr. Perry was his footprint plan for his property as well as a draft rendering of what the site might look like with the Harris Teeter Store and the out parcel stores (yet to be named). We all had a good discussion about his plan, time table for development and the pros and cons of what we saw. Not a one of us gave our endorsement for his project at that time but instead wanted it first to be presented to the surrounding and neighboring civic league groups. Following that, we will make our recommendation to Mr. Perry on the project design. It is now time for Mr. Perry to present his ideas for this property to the community. He will be presenting his plan to us at our next Wards Corner Civic League meeting on February 27th at 645PM at the Wellness Center. I would encourage all of you to come out and hear what he has to say and see his provisional drawings for the property.
This is the first major news of redevelopment for the Business District in many years and we must ensure that the property owner and the city get it right for us. Since we all will have to live with the redesign of this property for 50+ years, we must all ensure that we like Mr. Perry’s proposal and he has an opportunity to hear us. If we don’t like his design and layout we must recommend alternatives for him to consider. Now is the time for you to have your input into this project. I urge you to attend the next civic league meeting as announced in this newsletter.
Finally I wanted to give you a brief update on the pump station and gravity sewer project along Newport Avenue. According to Rick Dempsey, Project Engineer with the Department of Utilities, work on the pump station at the Norfolk Fitnessand Wellness Center is anticipated to start at the earliest in March 2012. The gravity sewer project along Newport Avenue was expected to start in January, however the contract is still in processing and construction should be starting within the next month to two months.
Let us all hope that this is the year for redevelopment of the business district in Wards Corner. We have waited a long time for this.
Thanks and see you at the next meeting.

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The January 2012 civic league meeting will be held on the 23rd at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes: possibly the City Manager.

Here is President Jim English’s message for January 2012:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

What will the New Year bring to Wards Corner and the city of Norfolk? As we begin a New Year will we look forward to increasing progress in the redevelop-ment of Wards Corner? As you read my wish list for Christmas and for the New Year, I wonder if any of these will indeed come true in 2012. Remember they were:

• The city of Norfolk to continue to purchase blighted property in Denby Park.
• The city of Norfolk to continue to make Wards Corner a higher priority.
• The redevelopment of the Perry Property
• The redevelopment of the Dalis Property
• The redevelopment of the Farm Fresh Property
• The redevelopment of the Kroger shopping center.
• A permanent Police Chief
• A new Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools
• A permanent Development Director
• A permanent Human Services Director
• No robberies and larcenies in our neighborhood.
• No transvestites and prostitutes walking the streets in our area selling themselves.
• A new sewer pump station and sewer lines.
• A beautiful revitalized Wards Corner Business District that blends with our neighborhood.

I and many others have been at this task for the revitalization of Wards Corner for some 12+ years now and have seen improvements, although it has been very slow in coming. I am going to keep track of my wish list to see how many of these are addressed by years end.

During 2011, we had an interesting and productive civic league year. Below are highlights from last year’s meetings:

January 2011: Voted against FORKIDS coming to the business district. I then presented highlights of the 2010 year.

February 2011: Recognized 3 Granby Elementary Students for their Science Award achievements in the State Science Fair. Heard a presentation from Norfolk Police Officers McKenzie and Davis on their policing activities in Wards Corner.

March 2011: Our guest speakers were Senator Ralph Northam and Delegates Kenny Alexander and Paula Miller who discussed the highlights of the 2011 Virginia General Assembly Session.

April 2011: Councilman Andy Protoyrou was our guest and he discussed with us the redistricting plan for the cities Electoral Wards. Despite the changes, Andy will still represent our area. Members of the Department of Utilities also made a presentation regarding the proposed new sewer pump station to be located on or near the Wellness Center

May 2011: Our guest speaker was David Setchel, Administrator with Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center who briefed us on the plans for the new Medical Center Complex. We also had an update from the Utilities department on the proposed pump station.

June 2011: Our guest speaker was Stanley Stein, Deputy City Manager who spoke about the Neighbors Building Neighborhoods program. We also had updates about theproposed sewer pump station and the Food Bank’s Emergency Food Assistance Program.

We do not hold our meeting during the months of July and August.

September 2011: We again heard updates on the sewer pump station and the land acquisition of property in the Denby Park neighborhood. We have finally agreed on the design and location of the sewer pump station as of this past summer.

October 2011: We held a candidate forum for those candidates running for the Virginia General Assembly this year with elections in November. Meeting with us and discussing their platform were incumbent Delegates Kenny Alexander and Linwood Lewis who were running unopposed. Running for the Senate were incumbent Ralph Northam and challenger Ben Loyola.

November 2011: Our speakers were Councilman Andy Protogyrou and Brad Robinson who spoke about the resignation of the Norfolk Superintendent of Schools. Councilman Protogyrou also spoke about other issues pertinent to Wards Corner.

December 2011: Our guest speaker was Chuck Rigney, Interim Director of Development who spoke about the operations of the Planning Department. We also held our elections and all of the incumbents were again elected for another one year term.

As the New Year begins we will once again pro-vide you with speakers on timely and relevant issues at our civic league meetings. We also want you to attend and bring your issues and concerns to us so that we may help address and/or rectify those issues and pro-blems. You may keep track of the civic league hap-penings in this monthly newsletter but your presence at the meetings is greatly appreciated. Please consider attending. Please also visit us at www.wardscorner.com.

Finally, please note that our meeting dates for January and February have changed due to holidays on our regular meeting days. The January meeting will be on January 23^rd at 645PM and the February meeting will be the 27^th at 645PM. Both meetings will be at the Wellness Center.

            Thanks for allowing us to continue to serve you as officers of the Wards Corner Civic League

Happy New Year to all and wishes for a prosperous and healthy year.

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The December 2011 civic league meeting will be held on the 19th at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
The Agenda includes TBA

Here is President Jim English’s message for June 2011:

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors,

Holiday Greetings to all. The holiday season is once again upon us. It is a time for great anticipation, reflection and joy as all of us celebrate our respective traditions and religions. It is also a time that we need to reflect on those in our community, city, nation and world who may not be celebrating a joyful season and reach out to them when and if we can do so. Helping those who are in need or are shut-in is perhaps the best gift we can give them. Thinking of those still fighting a war in the far away Middle East and being thankful for those returning from a war ending in Iraq and helping or assisting their families if needed is the best way we also as neighbors can support them. As we gather with our own families this holiday season let us not forget that there are those folks out there who may not be able to celebrate. They need our thoughts and prayers. A simple smile, hello or can I help you goes a long way to show them that someone cares. Let us also pray for all of our city, state and national leaders that they can make sensible and responsible decisions for all of the residents of Norfolk, Virginia and the United States in the coming year.

As I make out my Christmas list this year I wish for:

• The city of Norfolk to continue to purchase blighted property in Denby Park.
• The city of Norfolk to continue to make Wards Corner a higher priority.
• The redevelopment of the Perry Property
• The redevelopment of the Dalis Property
• The redevelopment of the Farm Fresh Property
• The redevelopment of the Kroger shopping center.
• A permanent Police Chief
• A new Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools
• A permanent Development Director
• A permanent Human Services Director
• No robberies and larcenies in our neighborhood.
• No transvestites and prostitutes walking the streets in our area selling themselves.
• A new sewer pump station and sewer lines.
• A beautiful revitalized Wards Corner Business District that blends with our neighborhood.

Do you think I am asking for too much? I am trying to cut back in my wishes this year!

Perhaps you can add to this list.

Again this year, instead of my normal message, I thought I would use the space to share with you some old and new ideas on going “green” for this Holiday season in case you were looking for some ways to protect our environment this season. I am a firm believer that environmental protection leads to the betterment of the public’s health through sound environmental practices. I also believe we all can do something, if even so small, to make a difference in protecting our environment for everyone.  The following tips are taken this year from the Sierra Club website. Also remember the quote by C.S.Elliotton Have an Eco Friendly Christmas.“Christmas is a holiday noted for conspicuous consumption.” Show your respect for the planet by adopting some new Christmas traditions this year. Going green is becoming more popular, but even more important, it’s good sense: for you, your family, and the entire world.

http://www.sierraclub.org/tips/holidays.aspx

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here’s a great chance to get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of anewspaper, or children’s artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Buy Energy-Saving Holiday Lights

Now you can decorate your house with LED lights that use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights, and can save your family up to $50 on your energy bills during the holiday season! LED lights are available at many major retailers, including Target, Costco, and Ace Hardware.

Add Organic and Local Foods to Your Holiday Feast

Support local family farmers who grow sustainable meat and produce. Not only does it taste better, you’ll be doing your part for the planet too. Looking for an organic turkey or ham for Christmas dinner? Find out where to get local green products in your neighborhood.

Do a “Cool Home” Tour with Our Energy-Saving Checklist

Take a pledge this New Years’ to reduce your home energy use by buying energy-efficient light bulbs. Installing only 6 compact fluorescent light bulbs will save the average American family $60 per year.You can also use our handy “Cool Homes” checklist to see what easy things you can do in your home to save energy. If there’s a fire in your fireplace this Christmas, turn down that thermostat! Lowering the temperature even five degrees can take 10% off your energy bill. Check out a complete list of energy-saving tips.

Stocking Stuffers: Test Your Eco-Knowledge

Do you have a family member who loves the outdoors? Stuff their stockings with Sierra Club Knowledge Cards, which come in a variety of outdoor themes ranging from survival skills to baby animals. Another great stocking stuffer is “guilt-free” chocolate! Give the gift of organic, fair-trade chocolate and you can eat your way to a better planet.

Give a Gift that Gives Back!

Help support the critical work of the Sierra Club and give an eco-friendly gift at the same time! Sponsor a Wild Place this holiday season and share our country’s most special wild places and national parks with friends and loved ones. Sponsorships start at $20 and come with a range of special gifts, like a photo, plush animal, certificate of sponsorship, or a backpack. For last minute shoppers – or the most eco-conscious person on your list – download a virtual version and print or email your gift right from home

Get a Pesticide-Free Tree

Demand is on the rise for Christmas trees that are not covered in chemicals; some growers use 40 different pesticides, as well as chemical colorants. The good news is that there are now a number of tree-farms that sell pesticide-free trees, so ask your local Christmas tree seller, or search for an organic tree farm near you.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Ninety-eight percent of Christmas trees were grown on farms, not in forests, so at least it’s not as if you’re cutting down an ancient tree. Each year, 10 million Christmas trees end up in the landfill. While your tree won’t fit in the recycling bin with your newspapers and bottles, you can recycle your tree: many cities offer programs to turn your tree to mulch or wood chips. Call (800) CLEANUP or visit www.earth911.org to find the tree-recycling program near you.

Donate Your Time or Money to an Environmental Group

Get into the holiday spirit by volunteering! There are countless ways to help improve your community- and the planet – from cleaning up a local river to helping inner city kids experience the outdoors for the first time. Contact your local Sierra Club to find out about volunteer opportunities near you. A donation in honor of a loved one can also be a special holiday gift.

Recycle Your Old Cellphone

Getting a new cell phone for Christmas? Not sure what to do with the old one? Now, you can drop off that old phone at any Staples store, as part of the Sierra Club cell phone recycling program. Each year, 130 million cell phones are thrown out, weighing approximately 65,000 tons. Recycling your old phone prevents hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium and lead from ending up in our landfills. Find out more.

Last but not Least! Get Ready for Dinner-Table Debate

Are you likely to be the lone environmentalist at the dinner table sometime soon? Win arguments and influence people with our famous holiday survival guide. You’ll find ready responses to the predictable dinner table arguments that’ll be directed at you. Who knows, you might even make a few converts!

Finally from my family to yours, please have a safe and enjoyable holiday season with the best ofwishes for a prosperous New Year.

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Second phase of the Wards Corner sanitary sewer infrastructure improvements to being in January 2012

The City of Norfolk Department of Utilities has hired Gaston Brothers Utilities to begin the second phase of a $4.4 million project to replace aging sewer ppies and provide fully resurfaced streets in the area shown on the map to the right.

In January 2012 construction will begin on Newport Avenue and last through summer; work on the remaining residential streets will follow and is expected to be finished by Summer 2013.

If you have questions you can contact the on-site construction inspector, Gary Kimber, at 464-1659 or the project Manager, Rick Dempsey, at 664-6719.

A flyer regarding the project can be viewed here (PDF).

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The November meeting will be held on November 21 at 6:45pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center on Newport Ave. Dr. Richard Bentley, Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools, has been invited.

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