Wards Corner Civic League

Watch Those Turkey Fryers

Planning on frying a turkey this year? Keep these tips from Norfolk Fire-Rescue in mind this holiday season:

• Always make sure the turkey has defrosted.
• Keep fryers outside and away from flammable items.
• Make sure fryers are on a flat, stable surface.
• Don’t overfill the fryer!
• Turn off the gas before putting the turkey in.
• Never leave the fryer unattended.
• Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
• Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Keep Your Pets Safe!

Thanksgiving is all about food and family and it may be tempting to include our furry family members in the holiday feast, but some of the festive fixings can be harmful to pets.

• Turkey: A tiny bit of meat is ok but never give pets any leftover bones.
• Garlic, onion, leeks and chives: These can be toxic to dogs and cats so it’s best to avoid anything cooked with those ingredients.
• Desserts: Chocolate, raisins, currants and the popular sugar substitute Xylitol are toxic for dogs and cats.
• Trash: Secure trash cans so pets aren’t tempted to go after the scraps.

Some pet-friendly holiday treats include baby carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans and apples.

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From VDOT press release

Construction activities for the first phase of the Hampton Roads Express Lanes (HREL) Norfolk Segment projects, designated as “Norfolk Segment 1A,” are scheduled to begin as early as Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. The project is designed to provide a safe and more reliable travel option for motorists and help relieve congestion at key locations along Interstate 64 (I-64), spanning approximately 2 miles from Tidewater Drive (exit 277) to Patrol Road. 

As part of the $197.6 million design-build contract awarded to contractor Allan Myers, the project will convert the existing shoulder to a part-time shoulder Express Lane, which will run alongside the three existing general purpose lanes in each direction. This project also includes the widening and rehabilitation of five bridges, as well as the rehabilitation of three additional bridges within the project corridor. Once completed, the part-time shoulder Express Lane will operate in the opposite direction of the Reversible Roadway Express Lanes. In the mornings, motorists traveling westbound on I-64 will use the Reversible Roadway Express Lanes, while motorists traveling eastbound will use the part-time shoulder Express Lane. In the afternoons, the directional usage will reverse, with eastbound motorists using the Reversible Express Lanes and westbound motorists using the part-time shoulder Express Lane. Adding the part-time shoulder Express Lanes will provide a bidirectional Express Lane option, allowing motorists to experience the benefits of the Express Lanes 24 hours a day. 

During construction, motorists can expect scheduled lane closures, short- and long-term lane reductions and traffic shifts throughout the corridor. Shoulder strengthening along I-64 in both directions is estimated to begin as early as Oct. 15, with overnight single-lane closures. As early as this fall, a long-term continuous shoulder closure on the off-ramp from I-564 east to I-64 east is anticipated to begin, in addition to overnight, single-lane and shoulder closures planned in the I-64 Reversible Roadway Express Lanes. 

There are no plans to restrict access to I-564 at any time. 

All construction work is dependent upon weather conditions. The I-64 Hampton Roads Express Lanes Norfolk Segment 1A project is estimated to be completed in early 2026. The public is encouraged to sign up for project email updates and learn more about the project online at https://64expresslanes.org/under_construction/norfolk.asp to stay informed of construction activities and traffic impacts. 

Motorists should plan their drive with VDOT’s free traffic information tools:  

• Download the 511Virgina app.  
• Visit the 511Virginia website or dial 511 for traffic information on your phone. 

The HREL Norfolk Segment 1A will ultimately become a part of the overall HREL network, a continuous 46-mile network of Express Lanes in each traffic direction on I-64, from east of Denbigh Boulevard in Newport News to the I-64/I-264/I-664 Bowers Hill interchange in Chesapeake. The HREL network is designed to transport more motorists through the region while helping to alleviate congestion and allowing motorists more travel options.  For more information on the rest of our Express Lanes Segments and how they will operate, please visit www.64expresslanes.org/drive.

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Clearing out some clutter ahead of the holiday season? Some items can’t be tossed in the garbage but you can dispose of it the right way at Keep Norfolk Beautiful’s Special Waste Collection event on November 4 from 9 a.m. to noon at Southside STEM Academy (1106 Campostella Road).

Accepted items include:

• Household Hazardous Waste
• Electronics
• Grocery Bags & Clear Film
• And much more!

This Special Waste Collection event also includes on-site, secure document shredding and a tree giveaway.

Please share this with neighbors, friends and colleagues. Norfolk residents only and proof of residency is required. 

For more information on acceptable items, visit www.norfolk.gov/knb.

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The Department of Utilities has seen a recent increase in customer questions and concerns related to their HRUBS bills. The following provides some background and plans to address customer questions moving forward.

Background:

• Rates for all City of Norfolk services on the combined utility bill, including water and wastewater, went through a regular annual increase in July (www.norfolk.gov/utrates).
• HRSD similarly increased their rates as part of their annual schedule (https://www.hrsd.com/sites/default/files/assets/Documents/pdfs/finance/RateSchedule/HRSD-FY2024RateSchedule.pdf).
• In the same month, we experienced inclement weather events and meter reader staffing shortages from our vendor, both resulting in longer billing periods (some as long as a 48-day cycle). This staffing shortage also impacted the neighboring cities of Virginia Beach and Suffolk.
• Historically, water usage is higher in the summer months (i.e., lawn watering, washing cars, pools, etc.)

Way Ahead:

• The Utilities meter reading contractor is working to stabilize the work force and get back to the normal billing schedule. Utilities staff is in communication with the contractor daily on these efforts.  In an effort to communicate with our customers, Utilities posted an advisory explaining this to the webpage www.norfolk.gov/5191/Question-About-My-Billon Friday, September 23^rd.
• The Utilities Department is working with Communications to share this information on social media and the information will also be shared with our customers on upcoming HRUBS bills. Customers can reach out to utilities customer service at (757) 664-6700 for more information, or they can visit www.norfolk.gov/5191/Question-About-My-Bill.
• In the long term, the Department of Utilities is improving operational efficiency, resiliency, and customer service through an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project for water meters. AMI enables the application of technologies, such as advanced meters and other sensors, to enable improved flow of information between customers and the City of Norfolk and to provide customers and the utility with data on water usage. With AMI, customers can better manage water usage and protect against high bills. The AMI project is funded in the CIP from FY24 – FY27.

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Sam Hundley’s art celebrates the traditional folk art Halloween decorations of our childhood.

Visit the Titustown Recreation and Visual Arts Center to enjoy HUNDLEY HALLOWEEN: A Folky Family Tradition.

Sept. 22 – Nov. 10
7545 Diven St.

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Design-build contractor Allan Myers for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Interstate 64 (I-64) Express Lanes Norfolk Segment will hold a citizen information meeting Tuesday, Aug. 22, to share information on construction soon to be underway on I-64 in Norfolk.

The primary purpose of this $163 million project is to convert the existing shoulder lane to a high-occupancy, part-time shoulder Express Lane that will run alongside the three existing general purpose lanes in both directions on I-64 from Tidewater Drive to Patrol Road. Additionally, five existing bridges will be rehabilitated and widened on I-64 east at I-564, Granby Street, Little Creek Road, as well as the east-and westbound bridges at Tidewater Drive. Three existing bridges on I-64 west will also be rehabilitated at Little Creek Road, Granby Street, and the I-64 Reversible Roadway over I-564 and Granby Street. 

The purpose of the meeting is to give citizens an opportunity to review project exhibits on display and meet with representatives from the design-build team and VDOT to learn about construction updates and projected traffic impacts. The citizen information meeting will be an open-house format meeting with no formal presentation. Media are invited to attend.

This project is part of the future Hampton Roads Express Lanes (HREL) network, a continuous, 46-mile network of Express Lanes on I-64 from east of Denbigh Boulevard in the city of Newport News to the I-64/I-264/I-664 Bowers Hill interchange in the city of Chesapeake. The network, being constructed in multiple segments over the next several years, is designed to transport motorists safely and efficiently through the region while helping to alleviate congestion at key locations along I-64.

To learn more about the details of the project, visit https://www.64expresslanes.org/under_construction/norfolk.asp. 

In case of severe weather, the meeting back-up date is Aug. 23 from 5-7 p.m. at the same location.

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