First Landing looking for volunteers & sponsors for tree planting April 27th

From their emailed press release.

Volunteers and Sponsors needed at First Landing State Park for tree planting April 27

(VIRGINIA BEACH) – Volunteers and sponsors are needed at First Landing State park to help plant trees on Saturday, April 27.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will work with park staff to plant trees in sensitive habitats that have been impacted by unauthorized trails.

To volunteer or for more information contact Jennifer Huggins at 757-412-2306 or Jennifer.huggins@dcr.virginia.gov.

“It is a great way to remind people that staying on designated trails is important. Trail routes are chosen based on criteria that will reduce environmental impacts and reduce erosion. When people blaze their own unauthorized trails through the park, it has severe effects on the wetlands and maritime forest,” said Staci Martin, Visitor Service Specialist.

Group and individual sponsors are needed to underwrite the cost of the tree planting. Three dollars will sponsor one tree; $5 will sponsor two trees; and $10 will sponsor five trees.

Tax deductible donations can be mailed to the Friends of First Landing State Park, 2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451. The Friends of First Landing State Park is a 510c3 non-profit that supports the park.

First Landing State Park is a 2,888 acre natural area featuring nearly twenty miles of trails, campsites, cabins, two visitor center museums, and half a mile of Chesapeake Bay beach frontage. The park’s maritime forest area is an integral part of its certification as a National Natural Landmark.

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and offer dozens of festivals and concerts and thousands of educational programs across the state.

For more information about state park activities and amenities, or to make reservations in one of the 25 parks with camping facilities or 18 parks with cabins or family lodges, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit http://www.virginiastateparks.gov.

“The Bayfront Advisory Committee will meet Thursday, April 18th, at the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center, 2800 Shore Drive, from 3:30 pm-5:30 pm.”

Learn more at VBGov.com.

o Lynnhaven Inlet Dredging / Ocean Park Beach Replenishment Project
o Pleasure House Point Updates
o Presentation by Friends of Live Oaks
o Rezoning and Conditional Use Permit request for Taste Unlimited

Heard the Friends of Live Oaks presentation is going to be great.
20130409-095228.jpgHoo ray Spring is here!

Cape Story Oyster Roast is in November this year.

The Cape Story by the Sea Oyster Roast is Sunday Nov. 3, 2013 at O’Leary’s from 1 pm to 5 pm, it is THE Fund raiser for Cape Story (Fireworks, donations, park events, troop support, flags on Shore Drive etc).

“What captured Kmet was a release of three dozen pelicans that were rescued over the winter. They were freed at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp.”

View article at Pilotonline.com.

Photo Credit: Kevin O'Hara from Ocean Park

Photo Credit: Kevin O’Hara from Ocean Park

OPCL Adopts PHP. First clean up April 20 10am – noon.

Kudos to Ocean Park Civic League for Adopting PHP!

Please mark your calendars! The OPCL has “adopted” PHP and our first clean up opportunity is coming up soon.

Date: April 20th

Time: 10:00 a.m. – Noon

Rain Date: April 27h

What to Bring: The City provides bags, plastic gloves & has a few tools.

Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing & shoes appropriate to the task & terrain … it can be a dirty job.

We encourage people to bring their own work gloves, rakes, litter pick up poles, etc. We will report heavy objects to P&R staff. All filled bags will need to be hauled away or left at the pump station by the park.

For this first clean up at least, sign-in will be onsite & a short orientation will take place at 10 a.m.

Here’s the information on where we’ll meet, where orientation will occur and how you can sign up to assist!

Entry: Trail entrance on Marlin Bay Drive is the first entry southeast of the “PHP Natural Area” sign off Shore Drive, across from Ocean Tides Drive & by the “Participating Agencies” sign.

Sign in & Orientation: A short distance down the Trail.

*Clean Up Volunteers may sign up the day of the event.

*Volunteers that would like to help with registration, orientation, reporting, etc., please contact Susie Walston.

Thanks, all. Let’s have a great turnout and show everyone how much we value this crown jewel in our “back yard”.

Terry Gearhart OPCL Membership and Orientation

That's a pic from Clean the Bay Day last year with some of the trash we picked up. Steve Pahno, of Dominion Printers, has been the team captain since day 1 for CTBD pn PHP.

That’s a pic from Clean the Bay Day last year with some of the trash we picked up. Steve Pahno, of Dominion Printers, has been the team captain since day 1 for CTBD on PHP.

Steve was also one of the Founders of Clean the Bay Day.

Clean The Bay Day registration open

Visit CBF.org/clean.

The 25th Annual Clean the Bay Day (CTBD) will be held on Saturday June 1, 2013, between 9:00 a.m. and noon at hundreds of sites throughout Virginia.

“A soldier from the 368th at Fort Story and his family have lost everything from a fire over the weekend.” Can you help?

From Cape Story by The Sea:

They are seeking assistance mostly for their children. It is very traumatic especially for children to lose everything. If you can donate gently used or new items please use the comment form below or email tim@sdcc.info for more information.

Here are their needs:

9 yr old daughter – Size 8 clothes, Size 3 shoes; likes dolls & stuffed animals
7 yr old son – Size 8 clothes, Size 7 shoes; likes planes & cars
Pots & Pans would be greatly appreciated

607 acres of the Lynnhaven to close to shellfish harvesting. “Bacteria sources include sewage leaks, animal and pet waste, and stormwater runoff from streets, lawns and parking lots.”

Read the entire article and comment here, or at Pilotonline.com:

In its “state of the river” report for 2012, the environmental group Lynnhaven River Now gave a C+ to efforts at controlling bacteria pollution.

Not sure how this will affect the upcoming popular Lynnhaven River NOW Oyster Roast on April 20th.

Oysters from LRNow 2012

Leaked – Bayfront secedes from Virginia Beach

According to leaked news reports, the Bayfront area has seceded from Virginia Beach.

20130401-131837.jpg

Rumor has it, in late night negotiations, Virginia’s Bob Dylan rule was changed to allow the formation on the new City – Shoredrivitopia.

Details are still emerging but it seems not only will Shoredrivitopia have the lowest taxes in the US, it’ll also provide all its residents with unlimited oysters, a fixie for everyone over 5 and paddle boarding lessons for all.

See the news at 6pm as this story develops through out today.

Lesner Bridge construction slated to start January 2014, end January 2017

Visit VBGov.com to learn more and watch a video:

Construction will commence January 2014 to replace the bridge in a project that stretches westward from Vista Circle to East Stratford Road on the opposite bank. Two precast concrete bridges will replace the existing span and work is expected to last approximately three years.

Lesner Bridge Replacement Study

“Often unleashed, they stretch their legs on the nature preserve’s sandy trails, mingle with like-minded canines and take care of their evening constitutionals, all with owner Sharon Thoma…”

Read and comment on Pilotonline.com article about unleashed dogs and their threat to PHP:

They also could disrupt the nests of diamondback terrapins or traumatize their hatchlings, she said.

“There needs to be a behavior change,” Everett said. “It’s important to keep dogs on-leash on the site because it’s a preserve area.”

Pet waste also is a major source of harmful bacteria, which degrades water quality, can render shellfish unsafe to eat and make humans and other animals sick, Everett said.

One comment excerpt:

Some dog owners in my neighborhood walk their dogs off leash routinely. Their self-centeredness is similar to what I am reading here. We had a dog attacked by another, requiring extensive vet bills.

Not an ashtray

Attend SDCC Meeting Monday March 25th – bring your donations for Eastern Shore Fire/Rescue Aid to Ocean Park Volunteer Fire & Rescue too!

Come out to our meeting Monday, tomorrow, from 730p-830p. We meet in the Ocean Park Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad building so please – also bring your donations for Eastern Shore Fire/Rescue Squad Aid.

Click here for a printable version of the agenda  SDCC MAR 2013 Agenda

About the donations the Rescue Squad are collecting.

Here’s the Agenda:

Shore Drive Community Coalition

Monday 25 FEB 2013

SDCC General Meeting

SDCC General Meeting – Monday, 25 March – 7:30-8:30 pm

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Station (Intersection of Shore Drive and East Stratford Rd.)

Call to order

Meeting topic: (1) Security Measures for residents

(2) Identity theft and other Scams in the area

Officers’ Reports:

President’s Report David Williams

Vice President’s report Rick Mercadante

Secretary’s Report Todd Solomon –FEB Minutes

Treasurer’s Report

Update on issues:

Old Business

New Business

Adjourn

Next SDCC- Monday April 29, 2013

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Center

Speaker- TBA

Please check http://www.sdcc.info for more information on area news and events

Any and all are always welcome and can speak. Only Members can vote.

Ocean Park Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad accepting donations to help Eastern Shore re: arson fires

Read article and watch video report at WTKR.com.

John Burkard, event organizer, says so many donations are coming in that they’ve had to move them to a spare garage bay.

The top items still needed are:
Dish soap
Bottled water and Gatorade
Protein bars
Coffee and creamers/sugars
Paper products

PLEASE HELP! Your donation will make a difference.

“Those guys over there certainly have their hands full, and they definitely need all the help they can get,” says fellow volunteer EMT Brian Lowe.

To help out the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad has organized a supply drive to collect some of the most needed items to keep the firefighters going.

“We are trying to receive donations to donate to Parksley Volunteer Fire company because they have a support truck that basically goes to each of these fires and keeps the firefighters fueled and running and hydrated and ready to go,” says Burkard.

Visit Ocean Park Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad to donate, volunteer, etc.

We also accept donations in the form of checks, cash, services and goods. All donations are tax exempt.

Visit Ocean Park Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad Facebook page.

Folks, this is what Taking Action and Getting Results looks like!

OPVFR Logo

Photos of seals at CBBT by Jet Ski Brian & how to contact the Stranding Response Team

Photo Credit: Jet Ski Brian http://jetskibrian.com/

In case you’ve missed the great pics Jet Ski Brian has been getting here’s his website.

One of the seals seems to have a gill net wrapped around it’s neck:

I went through the pictures I took on Saturday and sure enough it looks like one the poor guys has what looks like part of a gill net tightly around his neck. I emailed and called the Virginia Beach Aquarium and am waiting to here back from them.
I saw several sets of gill net around the Islands of the tunnel.

Stranding Response Program at Virginia Aquarium.

Report a Stranding
ATTENTION ALL BOATERS AND BEACH WALKERS:
When water temperatures drop quickly, cold-blooded reptiles like sea turtles often find themselves in trouble up and down the East Coast. Some of these animals may appear deceased but are actually in a coma, due to the surrounding cold waters. These animals are in need of IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION! If you come across a sea turtle swimming, floating or stranded on the beach, please stay with it and call the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team immediately at (757) 385-7575.
Report a Stranding

To report a stranded sea turtle or marine mammal (dolphin, whale, seal or manatee) to the Aquarium’s Stranding Response Program, call (757) 385-7575 (24 hours/7 days).

And, the Virginia Aquarium has a new website up to catalog the deadly balloons that can kill marine life.

“An air raid siren will sound at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek on Tuesday morning as part of a statewide tornado drill.”

At 945am Tuesday for 30 seconds.

At Pilotonline.com.

“According to Bonita Harris with Dominion Virginia Power, high winds caused a large tree to fall atop a transmission line near the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Bayside Drive just before 4 p.m.”

Visit Dom.com for updates.

If you have power around Shore Drive area, you’re very lucky.