October 29, 2021

Pollinators in Print; Paws on Parade; Parks Post New Hours

**2022 Beautiful York County Calendar Art Contest Winners Announced**

The results are in! Thirteen photos featuring pollinators have been chosen for next year’s Beautification calendar. Each of the winners receives a cash prize and will see their photo printed in the calendar, available in locations throughout the County later this year. Entries in the contest were submitted by 36 talented amateur photographers, and narrowing it down to 13 was difficult. For the list of winners and their photo subject, visit the Waste Management website. And for a sneak peak of the photos appearing in the calendar, watch for the winter issue of Citizen News Quarterly, scheduled to be published online mid-November.

Paws at the River is Tomorrow

It promises to be a doggone good farmers market! The entire family is invited to attend Yorktown’s annual Paws at the River on Saturday (10/30) from 9 to 3. This special event is designed to bring awareness to animal rescue organizations, and help place some adoptable friends in their forever homes. It’s also a chance to put a fun costume on your pup for beautiful photo opportunities and to march in our annual Halloween Pet Costume Parade. FREE digital pet portraits will be taken behind the Freight Shed, with the Coleman Bridge as the backdrop. They’ll be uploaded to Visit Yorktown’s Facebook page the following week where owners can access them. Photos are taken from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Halloween Pet Costume Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. There’s lots of fun for the kids too, and an opportunity for them to do a trial run of their costumes! Town-wide trick-or-treating kicks off at 10 a.m. with participating businesses. Check Visit Yorktown for a map of all the stops.

LED Street Lighting Project

York County is partnering with Dominion Energy in a new Capital Improvement Program project to convert existing public streetlights to efficient LED fixtures. This project is expected to take place over several years. Light-emitting diodes (LED) use solid-state technology to convert electricity into light and are extremely beneficial: they have a longer life than traditional lights, they are energy efficient and offer enhanced visibility and light quality while being less prone to maintenance problems. These lights are cost-effective too. The County is asking interested neighborhoods to complete an online survey to express their interest in the conversion program and having their neighborhood added to the list. The survey form and FAQs are available on the Planning and Development Services website.

York County Recognized for COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Recently, the Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) presented its Annual Awards. This year’s recipients are the Emergency Management offices of York County, Williamsburg, and James City County for their innovative and collaborative efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the press release, WHF President and CEO Carol L. Sale, RN, MSN, was quoted as saying “The Williamsburg Health Foundation believes unequivocally that the emergency management efforts of the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County saved lives and prevented illness and immense suffering by lowering the number of cases of COVID-19 through their vaccination efforts.” Watch the Williamsburg Health Foundation annual awards video featuring local officials here. York County staff values the partnership between the localities, WHF, and regional agencies. Thank you to everyone at the Williamsburg Health Foundation for this prestigious award.

County Parks Switch to Winter Hour

The beginning of November brings with it a change in the operating hours of our park facilities. Hours at Chisman Creek Park (1314 Wolf Trap Road), the McReynolds Athletic Complex (412 Sports Way), and Wolf Trap Park (1009 Wolf Trap Road) are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. New Quarter Park (1000 Lakeshead Drive) opens 10 a.m. to dusk on Fridays and 8 a.m. to dusk on the weekend. Riverwalk Landing’s piers and dockside restrooms as well as the dockmaster’s office are closed, but docking is still available. However, water and utilities are turned off for the winter. Complete details and information on park amenities are available on the Parks and Recreation website. While on the site, consider signing up for Yoga at the Senior Center. Classes are Tuesdays, November 9 through December 7, at 12:30 p.m. Class fee is $25. Register by November 5.

Household Chemical/Computer Recycling/Shred Event is November 1

The final York County collection event for 2021 is Saturday, November 13, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Public Works building (105 Service Drive, off Goodwin Neck Road). Residents may bring cleaning products, paints, fuels, automotive chemicals, and more for safe disposal. In addition, computers, monitors, cell phones, printers and related items can be dropped off. Televisions are not accepted. This is also the final paper shredding event of the year. Bring your personal papers to help keep your identity safe! Please note: At the collection event, a staff member will ask you which city or county you live in (these events are open to all VPPSA community residents) as well as a description of the materials you have brought. Proof of residency may be required. Staff will unload your vehicle. For more information, visit the Waste Management website.

Additional Notes for the Week…..Voter Registration offices in Washington Square Shopping Center and Victory Village Shopping Center are open tomorrow (10/30) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for early voting. Election Day is Tuesday (11/2) and the polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. For details and a sample ballot, visit the Voter Registration website.

Citizen News Weekly is compiled and published by York County Public Affairs each Friday to share news and events with our citizens and neighbors. This weekly newsletter is placed on our website and delivered directly to your inbox. Questions? Contact Gail Whittaker, Public Information Officer: (757) 890-3310 or whittgl@yorkcounty.gov.