Local Business and Local Issues
This story illustrates the value and appeal of local newspapers. Jimmy Deaton, the owner of Jimmy’z Mobile Bike Repair, has turned his passion for cycling into a successful business in the Williamsburg area. The article provides information about Jimmy’s background and the evolution of his business. Although the article doesn’t mention it, bicycling is very popular in Williamsburg. This area is generally pretty flat, so even amateur cyclists can find an easy ride. The local Colonial Parkway (23 miles, from Yorktown to Jamestown) is very bike-friendly and it connects to the Virginia Capital Trail (completed in 2015), a dedicated and paved bicycle and pedestrian trail that runs 52 miles between Jamestown and Richmond.
The article in the right column – “Council hears proposed changes to design rules” – focuses on an ongoing conflict in our community: the needs of the historic part of Williamsburg that are in conflict with the 21st-century non-historic part of Williamsburg. Often this involves acceptable paint colors and the materials used in renovations. One point of conflict that I have become aware of (through a friend who lives adjacent to the historic area) is the requirement that replacement windows be made of wood rather than other materials, which often look so much like wood that an observer would never know the difference. Wood is more expensive and less durable, and homeowners often don’t want to spend this money.
In essence, the Williamsburg City Council acts as a kind of community-wide HOA, protecting the environs of the historic area, which is an economic powerhouse in Williamsburg. The City Council’s declaration of the permissible paint colors seems to be micro-managing, but when you have one business (Colonial Williamsburg) that is the economic engine for virtually everything else that happens in the town, it becomes an important government function to play nice with the big boys.
The third article, “Veggie Tales,” provides a local take on a national problem – child nutrition. Last week was Virginia Farm to School Week in the local public school system. Our local school system is among the 25 school divisions in the state that participate in this program. The details provided in this article make this project sound like a lot of fun, in addition to being educational and practical. This program is run through the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, whose website provides lots of resources for teachers and school systems that want to participate in the program. As you can see from the article, local resources are used to support this program, including farmsteads and food stands. And who can resist a chicken in the classroom?
None of the stories on this front page would make the cut for a regional or statewide news outlet, but they are significant for the people who live here.