Kingspoint Neighborhood Association June News

Native Oakleaf Hydrangea

Summertime at last!  We hope that everyone has some fun planned to enjoy time with loved ones.  We are blessed with so many opportunities to have a great time in the Williamsburg area, and the Fourth of July is always a special celebration in the community. 

New neighbors will notice that we can hear fireworks from both Colonial Williamsburg and from Busch Gardens here in Kingspoint.  Busch Gardens hosts “Summer of Wonder” from June 14 through August 11 with concerts each Saturday evening.  Fireworks are planned on Friday and Saturdays, weather permitting.  Special fireworks for the Fourth of July holiday will explode each night from July 3-5 at 9:30 PM.

Colonial Williamsburg has a series of special programs this summer. There will be a full schedule of special events at Colonial Williamsburg on July 4, 2024, including a program of patriotic readings and music at 8:00 PM, on the Governor’s Palace Green, withfireworks at 9:30 PM.  You can apply for a free, one day pass  for July 4 at the link above.  

As a reminder, the use, possession, display, sale or storage of fireworks is illegal in James City County.  This includes fireworks that were legally purchased elsewhere.   Anyone wishing to set off personal fireworks must first obtain a permit from the Fire Marshal.   (*See FYI below for more information) The sounds of fireworks or weapons may be troubling to many neighbors and their pets.  Let’s work together to maintain our peaceful, neighborly community so that it feels safe and welcoming for all.

Remember to visit the ‘Little Library’ in the Smith’s front yard at 103 Southpoint Drive to check out the available books for summer reading.  The rule is simple:  If you borrow a book, then donate a book, or return the book you borrowed.  The library is there for everyone’s use and enjoyment.  What a fun way to encourage our kids to read this summer!

Families may be interested in the wide variety of summer camps open to county youth this summer that are sponsored by the county’s Parks and Recreation office.

Many of us enjoy living in community with the many animal and plant species indigenous to our area.  Neighbors routinely see frogs. turtles, lizards, and snakes as well as many sorts of birds, rabbits, squirrels, deer and sometimes even coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossums, and other creatures.  It is a thrill to watch nesting eagles and to notice the birds and butterflies who visit us each season. 

Let’s help protect the wildlife that shares our community with us.  The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources offers some terrific guides you may find useful.  Please watch out for these animals and help to protect them as they find their way to areas of safety in the ravines and around the lakes.   Most of these wild areas are Resource Protection Area easements and vegetation there may not be disturbed, by law.  Please be aware that many of the animals, including all snakes, are protected, as well.  Learn more here.  

To reduce the possibility of problems with wildlife, don’t leave small pets outside unattended at night. Also, remind children to use caution when playing outside in areas where they may encounter snakes or biting insects.  The first settlers in our area wrote that at Jamestown, “the air is alive with a buzz.” The same can be said today.  Learn more here about the various insects that thrive in our area each summer, and how to protect yourself while enjoying time outside at area attractions.  Ticks and chiggers lie in wait in tall grasses, weeds, and in wooded areas, and may bite without your awareness that they are even there.

Remember that any food, food containers or wrappers, and standing water left outside will attract various animals. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in as little as an inch of standing water.   If you leave water out to support wildlife during our hot dry summer, please remember to dump and refresh it frequently.

The next VPPSA Household Chemical Collection will be August 10 at Warhill High School from 8:00 AM-Noon.

VDoT has been working in Kingspoint to repair some areas of erosion and potholes, and to improve drainage in some areas.  There are a few more projects scheduled near the neighborhood entrance that they will get to in the coming days. Please give the workers plenty of room and a wave of appreciation when you see them.

Please contact Kenita at secretarykpna@gmail.com with any changes to your listing in the neighborhood directory.

Many thanks to all our dedicated front entrance volunteers for their work.  Ann Hobson is leaving our KPNA team as she and her husband Chuck prepare to move across the Creek to The Landing soon.  Ann has been a loyal and dependable member of our Board, always taking care of the entrance and ready to help whenever needed.  We will miss her so very much.  David Miller is taking over the responsibilities of coordinating our efforts to keep the neighborhood entrance well-maintained.  Chris Bonday is continuing his ongoing efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed and trash removed.  His partner in this service, Tom Mahone, passed away iin early May.  If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with David Miller.

We appreciate everyone who has already given Treasurer Karen Schneider your 2024 membership dues for the neighborhood association.  I am touched by the goodness and kindness of our neighbors here in Kingspoint, and your voluntary support for keeping our neighborhood vibrant, beautiful, and connected.  A few dozen unclaimed daffodil bulbs remain for those who want them, and who have not yet turned in their membership form for this year.  You will find complete details and a membership form in the first few pages of your 2024 Kingspoint Directory.

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2025 listings.Contact us at kpwebmistress@gmail.com to add your email to our distribution list, to change your email, or to have your email address removed so you no longer receive community updates.

Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

FYI:   Fireworks

The summer celebrations are important to all of us, and many of us have visitors this time of year.  We are looking forward to the public Fourth of July special events and fireworks displays in our area.

*As a reminder, the use, possession, display, sale or storage of fireworks is illegal in James City County.  This includes fireworks that were legally purchased elsewhere.  Anyone wishing to set off personal fireworks must first obtain a permit from the Fire Marshal.  

Individuals who have purchased, or are in possession of fireworks, are encouraged to turn them in at any county fire station or call the Fire Marshal’s office at 757-220-0626 for assistance. Anyone voluntarily surrendering fireworks will not be criminally charged.   We are all aware of the serious injuries and property damage caused by accidents with fireworks.  Fireworks are also a leading cause of fires, particularly during dry, hot weather.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association May News

Happy Memorial Day to everyone, and warm congratulations to all our Kingspoint neighbors who have worked so hard to successfully complete this academic year.  This includes a special ‘thank you’ to all our neighborhood teachers, professors, and academic support staff.  Congratulations also to all parents, grandparents and family friends who have supported and encouraged the students in their lives through another successful year.  This year’s class of 2024 graduates have shown tremendous resilience and dedication to completing their degrees in difficult circumstances.

With summer vacation on the horizon, please remember to keep an eye out for children and families on their way to the pool and the Creek when driving through the neighborhood.  More of us will be out walking, biking, and playing, so please also remind your guests and contractors to drive cautiously in Kingspoint.

If you are on the streets in the early morning or late evening, kindly carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing so drivers can see you from a distance and give you plenty of space.  Walkers should remember to walk facing oncoming traffic, and to allow space for cars to pass safely. 

The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1.  NOAA issued their Atlantic Hurricane predictions for 17-25 named storms over the coming months on May 23, 2024. They are calling for between 4 to 7 major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.  Other forecasters have already predicted 25 named storms this summer, and at least 12 hurricanes.  

Apparently, temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic are so elevated that forecasters are extremely concerned about the tropical storm season this year.  You may have been following the news about extreme weather along the Gulf Coast and Southeastern US Coast in recent months.  We need to anticipate the possibility of storms affecting coastal  Virginia in the coming months and make our preparations now.  As the meteorologists often remind us, the number of storms forecast doesn’t really matter if even one bad storm hits our area.  Even an unnamed thunderstorm that knocks out power and damages buildings can make life challenging for a while.

Long-time Williamsburg residents know how to prepare and what to expect.  New residents will find some tips on our Severe Storm Survival Guide on the Kingspoint Neighborhood website.   Former KCI President Anne Allen and I compiled the guide several years ago, immediately following a hurricane that affected our community.  There are some lists, some suggestions, and a few links to additional information that we pulled together while the experience was fresh in our minds.  You may also want to review the NOAA Hurricane Preparedness website.   The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has designated a few waterfront areas of Kingspoint as Evacuation Zone C, but most of us are not in a designated evacuation area.

You may have noticed that late May in Kingspoint brings out the biting flies, mosquitoes, chiggers, and ticks.  It is that time again to protect ourselves and our children from these painful bites.  Ticks and mosquitoes also carry a variety of harmful illnesses, vectored by their bites.  Mosquitoes lay their eggs in as little as an inch of standing water.  Please empty any standing water that collects in your yard frequently, so mosquitoes don’t have a chance to reproduce.  Ticks and chiggers lie in wait in tall grasses/weeds and in wooded areas where animals may spread them around.  

Please also watch for larger wildlife in your yard and on neighborhood streets.  Animals that we don’t normally see may be more visible as they take advantage of the cicada feast this summer.  Babies are moving around now, and animals are drawn to the scent any sort of food trash, grills, and even bird feeders.  It is a great pleasure to live so close to wildlife of all sorts, but also a challenge to live harmoniously with those creatures we may not expect to encounter.  The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources offers some terrific guides you may find useful.

As you may know, the Board of Supervisors approved the county budget for the next two fiscal years at their May 14 meeting and county staff is already at work on plans for their proposed new government office center.  There are currently multiple facilities in different parts of the county.  The proposed new center will consolidate and update government facilities.  While there was a meeting for public input on Thursday, May 23 at Legacy Hall, you may still contribute your wisdom in a variety of ways if you were unable to attend:

• Online: https://www.jamescitycountyva.gov/4082 An online form will be available beginning May 24.

• Email: jccgovcenter@jamescitycountyva.gov

• Phone: 757-259-4004

• Mail: James City County, PO Box 8784, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8784 ATTN: Brad Rinehimer

This budget is funded with a significant personal property tax increase on real estate.  However, the Board of Supervisors approved a $0.05 cent per hundred dollars ‘tax credit’ for the first year of the new assessment, thus changing the current $0.83 cents per hundred tax rate to $0.78 cents per hundred dollars for one year as residents adjust to the higher assessments.  Supervisors are also anticipating the potential for the school division to split when this contract is up, and a need to invest in additional facilities, equipment, and personnel.  There are many unknown quantities that they have had to take into account in constructing this budget.

Our KPNA Board is so pleased that Kenita Hill has resumed her work as our secretary.  Please contact Kenita at secretarykpna@gmail.com with any changes to your listing in the neighborhood directory.

Many thanks to all our dedicated front entrance volunteers for their work.  Ann Hobson is leaving our KPNA team as she and her husband Chuck prepare to move across the Creek to The Landing in early summer.  Ann has been a loyal and dependable member of our Board, always taking care of the entrance and ready to help whenever needed.  We will miss her so very much.  David Miller is taking over the responsibilities of coordinating our efforts to keep the neighborhood entrance well-maintained.  Chris Bonday is continuing his ongoing efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed and trash removed.  His partner in this service, Tom Mahone, passed away earlier this month.  If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with David Miller.

We appreciate everyone who has already given Treasurer Karen Schneider your 2024 membership dues for the neighborhood association.  I am touched by the goodness and kindness of our neighbors here in Kingspoint, and your voluntary support for keeping our neighborhood vibrant, beautiful, and connected.  Neighbors have already requested over 400 jonquil bulbs. We have ordered 500 from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, so please make sure we have your request soon if you know you want to join in this beautification effort.  You will find complete details and a 2024 membership form in the first few pages of your 2024 Kingspoint Directory.

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2024 listings.Contact us at kpwebmistress@gmail.com to add your email to our distribution list, to change your email, or to have your email address removed so you no longer receive community updates.

Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association April News

Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia, blooms each April and May in Kingspoint

Spring creeps up on us slowly some years.  Then one day we notice that the trees are green, and the mountain laurels are covered in flowers once again.  Have you noticed how sweet the breeze smells this time of year?  We have been happy to notice clouds of native bees visiting flowering shrubs this month.  Researchers tell us that bee populations are rebounding these days, perhaps thanks to all the folks planting flowers and leaving habitat in their yards to support them over winter.  We’ve already spotted several butterfly species this spring, so perhaps the butterflies are making a come-back, too. 

It is such a pleasure to walk in Kingspoint and enjoy the many beautiful shrubs and flowers growing in neighbors’ yards and on their porches, while listening to the sounds of birds.  Many thanks to everyone who has been cleaning up this month and preparing for the long summer ahead.  There are a few special events in the next few weeks which may interest you.

Our local chapter of The Virginia Native Plant Society’s Annual Plant Sale will be Saturday, May 4, 9:30 am – 2:00 pm at the Williamsburg Community Building, 401 N. Boundary St.  Any interested in learning more about native plants, and perhaps purchasing a few, is invited to attend.  Members already have over 1000 plants prepared for sale. Our local chapter is an active, friendly group, always welcoming new members.  Come out to see old friends and make new ones while shopping for a great cause.  Many of the proceeds of the sale to go provide Nature Camp scholarships to young people in our area.

The Master Gardener Plant Sale will be held at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden and Freedom Park Arboretum again this year on May 11 from 9:00 AM until Noon.  Freedom Park is located at the intersection of Centerville Road and Longhill Road.  Visitors will find a wide variety of native and non-native perennials, trees and shrubs along with garden art and other items.  Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions.  Enjoy beautiful Freedom Park as you shop.

The James City County Police, in cooperation with the DEA, will sponsor a Prescription Drug Take-Back event this coming Saturday, April 27, from 10 AM to 2 PM at the police headquarters at 4600 Opportunity Way.  Please follow the link for specific details about what will and can’t be accepted.

You may be interested in this edition of JCC News to Know, which provides more information about the county budget and a free summer concert series.  The County Parks and Recreation Department also has lots of interesting events planned in the next few months.

Our KPNA Board is so pleased that Kenita Hill has resumed her work as our secretary.  Kenita has done a wonderful job over the years keeping up with all the neighborhood comings and goings, so our Directory remains accurate.  With Joe Bailey now greeting new neighbors, and Kenita keeping track of names and contact information, we have a terrific team.  Kathy Williams took the work on briefly but resigned earlier this month.  Please contact Kenita at secretarykpna@gmail.com with any changes to your listing.

Ann Hobson will also leave our KPNA team as she and her husband Chuck prepare to move across the Creek to The Landing in early summer.  Ann has been a loyal and dependable member of our Board, always taking care of the entrance and ready to help whenever needed.  We will miss her so very much.  David Miller is taking over the responsibilities of coordinating our efforts to keep the neighborhood entrance well-maintained.

Many thanks to all of our dedicated front entrance volunteers for their work.  Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday are continuing their dedicated efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed and trash removed.  If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with David Miller.

We appreciate everyone who has already given Treasurer Karen Schneider your 2024 membership dues for the neighborhood association.  I am touched by the goodness and kindness of our neighbors here in Kingspoint, and their voluntary support for keeping our neighborhood vibrant, beautiful, and connected.  Neighbors have already requested over 300 jonquil bulbs. We have ordered 500 from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, so please make sure we have your request soon if you know you want to join in this beautification effort.  Everyone who joins the KPNA this year can request 5 free bulbs with their membership, and 10 for a small additional contribution.  We will deliver the bulbs in November, and we can’t wait to see our community in bloom next spring!

Please remember to share the streets with caution and courtesy, whether you are walking, biking, or driving. Warm weather brings us outdoors, and we can expect to encounter more neighbors on our streets.  Watch for playing children on many side streets and more pets along the way.   There are a few particularly difficult spots for walkers, especially after heavy rain.  Walkers frequently need to step off the pavement when traffic approaches. Please pause and look both ways at Kingspoint intersections and keep a sharp eye out for neighbors walking or riding bikes.  Remember that Swim Team members will be out heading to the pool for morning and evening practices before we know it.

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2024 listings. Contact us at kpwebmistress@gmail.com to add your email to our distribution list, to change your email, or to have your email address removed so you no longer receive community updates.

Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association March 2024 News

• 

  The Queen Anne’s double jonquil is an heirloom Narcissus dating to 1601. All neighbors who join the KPNA this year may request free bulbs for delivery in November.

• 

• 

We had a dedicated and enthusiastic team of KPNA volunteers delivering the 2024 Kingspoint Directory earlier this month and it appears that the distribution went flawlessly.  Many, many thanks to everyone who helped, including children, spouses, and pets! Please shred any old directories you may be discarding, to protect the personal information of our neighbors.  If you have been meaning to let us know about any changes to your listing, please do so by March 31 so we can send out a list of those updates to everyone on our email list.  Send you updates to our new Secretary, Kathy Williams, at secretarykpna@gmail.com.

We sincerely thank Kenita Hill for her diligent work to keep up with the many changes to the directory over these past several years.  She has been incredibly generous with her time and attention to keep the directory as accurate as possible.  She has now passed the work of KPNA Secretary on to Kathy, and will remain on the Board as a Member at Large. 

We combined our annual membership drive for the neighborhood association with the new directory again this year.  Everyone should have found neighborhood information in the first few pages of the new directory, along with a summary of what the KPNA has accomplished over the past year and a request for your continued support.  There should be a return envelope, addressed to Treasurer Karen Schneider, in your directory.  We appreciate the tremendous support neighbors have given our Kingspoint Neighborhood Association membership drive this month. Treasurer Karen Schneider continues to accept membership contributions at her home.

We distributed the redbud trees that neighbors requested with their 2023 memberships earlier this month.  We trust that they are all planted by now and beginning to settle in.  Please keep them well watered this year, especially during dry spells, and do what you can to protect them from deer browsing.  You will be rewarded with early spring flowers for many years to come. 

This year, we are offering heirloom jonquil bulbs to neighbors who support the KPNA.  This 1601 Narcissus hybrid is very unusual because it has a double flower, and like all jonquils, it is fragrant.  Find details in your directory, and please make sure to mark on your membership return form that you want us to reserve bulbs for you.  We will pick them up in Gloucester this coming November and distribute them before Thanksgiving.  All Narcissus are poisonous, so deer and rabbits will leave them alone while the bees enjoy their early nectar.

We celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day at the end of each April.  We can each commit our own positive actions to participate in  Earth Day, celebrated on Monday, April 22, and Arbor Day on Friday, April 26.  Planting trees has been an Arbor Day tradition since April 10, 1872.  Many Kingspoint neighbors are following this special tradition by planting trees, shrubs and flowers this spring.  All plants cleanse our environment by removing carbon and air borne pollutants from the air.  Evergreen ferns and perennials also help filter greenhouse gases and pollutants from the air year-round and help manage storm water run-off. 

April is Spring Clean-up Month in our area.  The 46^th annual JCC Countywide Spring Clean-up is planned for Saturday, April 27.  Register to assist the Clean County Commission in their efforts at the link above.  Let’s work together to hold our own spring cleanup here in Kingspoint this April.  Many neighbors are already hard at work, cleaning up what winter left behind in our yards.  Our neighbors appreciate every small effort we each make to keep our community looking neat and well maintained.

You may request a county truck to pick up large debris such as discarded furniture, appliances, old stumps and tree trunks, yard waste, and other bulky refuse for a $75.00 fee.  Contact Matthew Prince at 565-0971 to make an appointment, and find more information here.  You may drop most of these things off yourself at the Jolly Pond Road facility. Many items, such as old grills, propane tanks, scrap metal and lawnmowers, can be dropped off for free.  

As we prepare for spring indoors and out, we will have an opportunity to discard and recycle many household chemicals and electronics at  VPPSA’s next Household Chemical collection day on April 13 at Warhill High School from 8:00 AM until noon.  Please check their website for a list of what they will and won’t accept.  Staples, on Monticello Road, accepts discarded electronics and computers for recycling daily.

Registration is open now for the Master Gardener Landscape Love program.  You can sign up here to request a team of Master Gardeners to visit you at home to answer your questions and offer advice.  This program is free of charge, but there are a limited number of appointments available each spring.  Please register early if you want to make an appointment.  Here is a link to the Master Gardener website, where you will find a variety of useful information, including a new article that examines our recent concern with eradicating certain plants, “A History of Our War With Plants.”

Each member of the Board of Supervisors will host a public meeting in their respective district to discuss the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Proposed Budget and get feedback from citizens in April.  Please mark your calendar for our meeting with Dr. John McGlennon on April 11, at 4 PM, at the James City County Government Center, 101 Mounts Bay Road, Building F.

Kathy Williams recently set up the new Kingspoint Facebook group.  Interested neighbors can join the new Kingspoint group page at:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingspointneighborhood    If you have any questions, please direct them to Kathy.

Did you know that James City County offers a huge range of recreational opportunities, facilities, and classes, including in their indoor pool and weight rooms at the Recreation Center on Longhill Road?  Learn more about opportunities and fees here.  You may purchase passes for family members for just a few months, or for the entire year.  Here is a link to JCC Spring/Summer 2024 Activities and information about upcoming programs in local parks.

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2024 listings.   Contact kpwebmistress@gmail.com to be added to or removed from our email news list.  Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association February 2024 News

Helleborus x hybridus bloom in late winter in Kingspoint

Are you watching for signs of spring?  Daffodils and hellebores in neighbors’ yards look so cheery and bright this week.  Soon enough, Forsythia and other flowering shrubs will burst into bloom. So many neighbors generously plant flowers in their front yards that there are beautiful displays to enjoy on every street.  We appreciate everyone’s ongoing efforts to keep our community looking beautiful and well maintained.  Special thanks to the walkers who pick up any litter they may find.

Ann Hobson and her team are continuing work at our neighborhood entrance to renew the mulch, blow fallen leaves, and prepare our trees, shrubs, and grass for spring.   Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday are continuing their dedicated efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed.  If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with Ann at annhobson@cox.net.

David and Wendy Miller recently installed reflectors at headlight level on all our street signs to improve visibility for drivers and make our neighborhood easier to navigate at night.  They did a beautiful job of placing the reflectors to make the street signs visible from all angles.  They also took an inventory of street signs that need maintenance this spring, and you will see David and his team replacing a few of our signs in the weeks ahead. If you still have had difficulty finding or navigating a particular intersection at dusk or after dark, please drop me a note at kpwebmistress@gmail.com.  We appreciate all of our volunteers who share their time and talents to improve our community.

As we prepare for spring indoors and out, we will have an opportunity to discard and recycle many household chemicals and electronics at VPPSA’s next Household Chemical collection day on April 13 at Warhill High School from 8:00 AM until noon.  Please check their website for a list of what they will and won’t accept.

Please watch for your new 2024 Kingspoint Neighborhood Directory, which will be delivered to you sometime in late March.  Plan to save and reuse your plastic cover and the neighborhood maps from your previous directories.  Publishing an updated Kingspoint Directory annually is made possible with membership contributions to the Neighborhood Association.  We publish the annual directory in hard copy only, and distribute only to neighborhood residents, to protect neighbors’ privacy. 

We appreciate Neighborhood Association Secretary Kenita Hill’s many volunteer hours to update neighbors’ contact information in our 2024 directory.  Please look over your own listing in the 2023 Directory and contact Kenita at arubahill@gmail.com right away with any corrections to your phone number and personal information. We have noticed some out-of-date land-line numbers which need to be updated with current cell numbers. You’ll notice many changes again this year as we continue to welcome new neighbors, see neighbors move house within the community, and sadly lose old friends pass or who move on.   We ask neighbors to please shred your old directories you may be discarding, to protect the personal information of our neighbors.

Kathy Williams recently set up the new Kingspoint Facebook group.  Interested neighbors can join the new Kingspoint group page at:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingspointneighborhood    If you have any questions, please direct them to Kathy at: willfam7plus@gmail.com.   Kathy recently shared a link to sign up for JCC’s Birding and Brunch program scheduled for April 6 from 8:00 to 11:00 AM at Freedom Park.  The event fee is $14.00 per person, which includes a light breakfast.  This program is limited to participants 18 and up and you should register soon if you are interested as there are only 10 spots left.

Did you know that James City County offers a huge range of recreational opportunities, facilities, and classes, including in their indoor pool and weight rooms at the Recreation Center on Longhill Road?  Learn more about opportunities and fees here.  You may purchase passes for family members for just a few months, or for the entire year.  Here is a link to JCC Winter/Spring 2024 Activities and information about upcoming programs in local parks.

Neighbors interested in learning more about our area’s native plants might enjoy two new articles on the Master Gardener website:

‘Myrica Is Mostly for the Birds’ describes one of our common but largely overlooked native evergreen shrubs, bayberry.  All three East Coast native species of bayberry, also known as wax myrtle, grow in James City County and within Kingspoint.  Learn how bayberry supports wildlife year-round as it also helps manage run-off and improves soil fertility. 

‘Can I Nibble the Fiddleheads?’ discusses how to identify, harvest and prepare edible fern fiddleheads which will appear in our area in March.  It also cautions which common varieties are not good to eat.  Ferns will also appear in local garden centers in the coming weeks.

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2024 listings.   Contact kpwebmistress@gmail.com to be added to or removed from our email news list.  Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

The Kingspoint Neighborhood Association January 2024 News

Poisonous Helleborus hybrids are just beginning to bloom in Kingspoint. All parts of this plant are highly poisonous, which means that deer and squirrels leave them alone. Grow Hellebores with confidence that they will survive to bloom for many years to come. Deer will graze English ivy, however, which helps keep this ‘invasive’ plant under control in our community. 

Happy New Year, and may this year be a blessing to you and your family.  As we each count our blessings, we remember how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful neighborhood.  As you may know, our community will celebrate 60 years of life in 2025.  Our infrastructure is a little frayed in places, but the Kingspoint spirit of community and volunteerism remains strong. 

VDoT workers did a good job of patching nearly a dozen potholes on major neighborhood streets this month.   We are still on the list for some major repaving as funds come available.   And I have heard that we can look forward to some upgrades in our water and sewer lines in the next few years.  I was told that JCSA has prioritized the replacement of water lines in Kingspoint in their Capital Improvement Plan as JCSA’s next neighborhood improvement project.  The current cost estimate for the project is $6.9 million, and they hope to initiate the project in 3-5 years once they have the funding.  Funding is key to all improvements, as each of us certainly knows first-hand.

We have had some issues with leaks in the plumbing of the neighborhood in recent days.  JCSA workers have been on the job to find the source of the leaks and to make repairs.  While we can all take precautions to prevent frozen pipes in our own homes, issues will still arise in unusually cold weather, especially when things thaw very quickly, as they have this week.  We are very fortunate that JCSA is extremely responsive when problems arise.  Please call their after-hours emergency number at 757-566-0112 if you spot a leak around your own home or on the street after 3:30 PM.  You can call the day-time emergency line 757-229-7421 between 7 AM and 3:30 PM.

We have had some unusual stretches of cold weather in January, and we may have some more ahead.  Long-time Williamsburg residents know that snowy weather may continue to find us in February or March.  When snow is in the forecast, please remember to park your vehicles in driveways and garages to keep the street clear for emergency equipment and snowplows. We always hope that VDoT will spread sand and plow our community, and they will do a better job for us all if they don’t have to work around parked cars.

Find updates and work-around detours for the Colonial Parkway Rehabilitation Project here.

The message boards at the neighborhood entrance sustained some damage during storms in mid-January. We appreciate the work of Karen and Phil Schneider, who covered the most damaged sign to protect it from the weather, and Gary Gordon, who is making repairs and upgrades to both message boards. Gary expects to have both message boards repaired and back in service by the end of January, weather permitting.

Deer and other wildlife are looking for their next meal and may be more active around landscaping in winter when less food is available.  I recently heard from a neighbor that deer were interfering with mail delivery on his street.  The growing deer population is a significant problem throughout Virginia, and especially here in James City County.  Find tips for ‘deer-proofing’ your yard in the article on our Master Gardener website, “But Will Deer Eat It?”  Please keep in mind that many different types of animals will be attracted to any food source in your yard, including bird feeders. 

You will soon notice new reflectors installed on existing street sign and traffic signposts around Kingspoint.  David Miller and John Williams will head up this effort to assist delivery drivers, mail carriers, and guests to navigate Kingspoint after dusk.  We want to make sure that intersections and side streets are clearly marked.  If you have had difficulty finding or navigating a particular intersection at dusk or after dark, please drop me a note at kpwebmistress@gmail.com.

David Miller, Ann Hobson, and Joe Bailey volunteered one Saturday morning in late December to spread new mulch over the extensive excavation work at the neighborhood entrance.  We appreciate their hard work, on a very cold morning, to neaten up that area after the electrician finished.  David is also training a few additional volunteers on how to manage our new lighting system. 

Kathy Williams recently set up the new Kingspoint Facebook group.  Interested neighbors can join the new Kingspoint group page at:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingspointneighborhood    If you have any questions, please direct them to Kathy at: willfam7plus@gmail.com. 

KPNA Secretary, Kenita Hill, is working on revisions to our 2024 Kingspoint Neighborhood Directory, which we plan to distribute to every home in March. Please look over your own listing in the 2023 Directory and contact her by February 19 with any corrections to your phone number and personal information. We have noticed some out-of-date land-line numbers which need to be updated with current cell numbers.  If you haven’t checked your listing recently, please contact Kenita.

Please welcome our newest neighbors, Joanmarie del Vecchio and Kalle Jahn, who recently moved into their new home at 104 Glenwood Drive. Joe Bailey has taken over the happy work of welcoming new neighbors, and bringing them a welcome packet, from Mary Haines. 

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2024 listings.   Contact kpwebmistress@gmail.com to be added to or removed from our email news list.  Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association December News

Yuko Sato created the floral arrangements on the Kingspoint sign again this year. Many thanks to her, and to neighbors who provided greenery and assisted her with the installation.

The Romans honored the ancient brothers Janus and Saturn during their late December Saturnalia celebrations in the first millennium BCE.  Janus was the ‘Two faced god’ who could look both forwards and backwards at the same time.  You probably recognize Janus from the name of our first month of the new year, which is almost upon us.  The period from winter solstice to the new year is a time of reflection and planning for many of us, a time to appreciate the many blessings of family and friends, a time to give back to our community, and a time to set goals for the coming year.

I hope you were at home to enjoy the Luminary night this past Monday and could get out to enjoy the beautiful evening with neighbors.  Many thanks to Sarah Huber and the Kingspoint Club Board for all their efforts to organize the event and sell the Luminaria kits.  During this ‘Season of Light,’ neighbors of many different cultures and traditions can agree on the beauty and power of bringing light to the darkness.  We appreciate everyone who was able to participate in any way.  The many lights in yards and in windows during December remind us all how small gestures of love and friendship can mean a great deal to us all.  Our beautiful neighborhood is especially festive at the holidays, thanks to the efforts of so many. 

Special thanks to all those who have served on or volunteered to work with our Neighborhood Association Board this past year.  Our very talented and generous volunteers have repaired signs, installed lighting, blown leaves, watered shrubs, mown grass, pulled weeds, painted, picked up trash, pruned, raked, mulched, cut up fallen limbs, visited newcomers, updated the directory, managed the finances, and generally pitched in to help this year.   Our community is better for the volunteer efforts of so many generous neighbors. 

We want to welcome our newest KPNA Board member, Kathy Williams, who graciously agreed to join us this month.  Kathy, her husband John, and their children moved to Kingspoint during the summer of 2022.  Skye is 10 and Grady is at Jamestown High School.  You may know him from his work as a lifeguard at the pool this past summer.  Kathy is joining as a ‘member at large’ and has already been volunteering with other Board members to deliver directories last March, help me with some computer work, set up luminaries this week, and Kathy also volunteered set up the new Kingspoint Facebook group last week. 

While the disappearance of the old page remains a mystery, interested neighbors can join the new Kingspoint group page at:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingspointneighborhood    If you have any questions, please direct them to Kathy at: willfam7plus@gmail.com. 

Joe Bailey, who also just joined the KPNA Board, will take over the work of greeting new families as they settle into Kingspoint.  Mary Haines has done a marvelous job of welcoming neighbors for the past several years and she will work with Joe as he takes over the work in January.  Joe will also be working with David and Wendy Miller and Ann Hobson at the neighborhood entrance.  Mary will stay with us as a ‘Member at Large.’   Please let any of us on the Board know when a home near you changes hands and new neighbors move onto your street.

David Miller tells us that the electrical work at the entrance is completed now.  Even after the holiday lights come down in January, we will still have spotlights on the sign every evening, rain or shine.  Our past solar systems were reliable on sunny days but didn’t always do the job in winter and on dull days.  Lights at the entrance will make it safer for drivers and easier for emergency vehicles to find.

Please take a look at the county’s December News to Know.  You will find information about when and where to drop off your fresh Christmas tree once you take it down, late season leaf disposal, and December safety information from county police.  The county is looking for good staff.  If anyone is looking for a new job, you will find a link to learn about positions with county government. 

Here is a link to the schedule of holiday closures for county offices, parks, libraries, courts, and convenience centers.  Each trash service has its own holiday schedule, but we can count on some schedule changes and disruptions for trash and recycling pick-up since Christmas and New Years Day fall on Monday this year.  Here are tips and standards for recycling holiday waste. 

With winter approaching, you may want to sign up for jccalert.org notifications by text or email.  This allows county staff to alert you to dangerous weather systems, water outages, and to provide other safety notifications.  

If you have intended to drop off your KPNA membership renewal, please know that we will gratefully accept your contributions through the end of the year.  Your contributions will help us cover the one-time expenses of running electricity to the entrance and purchasing new holiday lights.  If you have misplaced the slip, no worries.  Simply drop off your check with your name, address, and phone printed on it to Treasurer Karen Schneider.  Our annual membership contribution has remained $25.00 for the past several years. 

We welcome many guests to our community during the holidays.  Please ask your guests and visitors to drive cautiously, watching for children, pets, and neighbors out walking.  Now that days are growing shorter, please take extra care to make sure you are visible when you are out walking, jogging, or biking so there are no close calls with drivers.  Lights and reflective clothing will help ensure your safety and alleviate stressful moments for folks heading out in the morning or coming home at dusk.

Finally, the USDA issued a new Hardiness Zone Map in November which shows that our area has shifted from Zone 7b to Zone 8a.  The hardiness map is based on the extreme low temperatures on the coldest night of the year (averaged over the past 30 years) and does not reflect warmer temperatures overall.  Learn more about the implications of this Updated USDA Hardiness Map here. 

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2023 listings.   Contact kpwebmistress@gmail.com to be added to or removed from our email news list.  Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association November News

Many thanks to Yuko Sato for creating our floral holiday decorations at the entrance again this year.

There is a growing feeling of excitement during the holidays in Williamsburg.  There are so many interesting things to do, great opportunities to shop, and beautiful places to visit.  Colonial Williamsburg will spread its Grand Illumination events over three weekends again this year:  December 2, 9, and 16.  We will likely hear the fireworks here in Kingspoint.  You can enjoy this, The Greensprings Garden Club’s historic home tours, and many other holiday events and opportunities at Colonial Williamsburg in coming weeks.  You can enjoy the Christmas Market on Court Street, weekends through December 24. And Busch Gardens has its annual Christmas Town again this year.  It will be a busy month in our area!

Yuko Sato has worked her floral magic again this year with beautiful evergreen arrangements on the Kingspoint sign at our entrance.  We appreciate Yuko’s dedication to this annual project, her creativity and skill; and we appreciate those families who donate greenery from their yards for the arrangements. 

Once Dominion Energy hooks up the electricity to the new spotlights and outlets, David and Wendy Miller will decorate trees and shrubs at our entrance with white lights.  The lights will be on timers so we can enjoy the beautiful display deeper into the winter evenings than our previous solar lights allowed.  David has done a tremendous job of shepherding this project with Dominion, and we can all look forward to enjoying the beautiful results of his persistence. 

After the Dominion crew finishes their work later this week, we will need a few volunteers to help spread mulch over some bare spots on top of the mound.  Please contact Ann Hobson, or me at kpwebmistress@gmail.com, if you can help with the mulch.  We appreciate Ann Hobson and her volunteers for their continued work at our neighborhood entrance.    Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday are continuing their dedicated efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed.  If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with Ann at annhobson1010@gmail.com.

Special thanks to all those who have served on or volunteered to work with our Neighborhood Association Board this past year.  Our very talented and generous volunteers have repaired signs, installed lighting, blown leaves, watered shrubs, mown grass, pulled weeds, painted, picked up trash, pruned, raked, mulched, and generally pitched in to help this year.   Our community is better for the volunteer efforts of so many generous neighbors. 

Our Board members do so much quiet work behind the scenes.  We appreciate everyone who greets and talks with neighbors new and old, those who help keep our Directory up to date, those who distribute the Directories, manage the finances, and work with the companies we collaborate with to get things done.  Many hands make light work.

If you have intended to drop off your KPNA membership renewal, please know that we will gratefully accept your contributions through the end of the year.  Your contributions will help us cover the one-time expenses of running electricity to the entrance and purchasing new holiday lights.  If you have misplaced the slip, no worries.  Simply drop off your check with your name, address, and phone printed on it to Treasurer Karen Schneider.  Our annual membership contribution has remained $25.00 for the past several years. 

This is the season of gratitude for our many blessings as individuals, families, and as a community.  We remember so many friends and neighbors who are no longer living with us in Kingspoint, their friendship over the years and the contributions they made to our community.  We are also grateful for new friendships with families who have joined us over the past year.  Our community continues to grow and thrive. Best wishes to all for the weeks of celebration ahead.

We are already enjoying holiday lights and beautiful decorations that neighbors share with us each December.  This is ‘the season of light’ for many of us, and the comfort we take in candlelight and holiday lights during this darkest time of the year unites us.  Our beautiful neighborhood is especially festive at the holidays, thanks to the efforts of so many. 

We welcome many guests to our community during the holidays.  Please ask your guests and visitors to drive cautiously, with an eye out for children, pets, and neighbors out walking.  Now that days are growing shorter, please take extra care to make sure you are visible when you are out walking, jogging, or biking so there are no close calls with drivers.  Lights and reflective clothing will help ensure your safety and alleviate stressful moments for folks heading out in the morning or coming home at dusk.

With winter approaching, you may want to sign up for jccalert.org notifications by text or email.  This allows county staff to alert you to dangerous weather systems, water outages, and to provide other safety notifications.  If you plan to be away from home for an extended period for travel, you might want to register with the police for safety checks of your home.

County residents may drop off leaves free of charge at the Jolly Pond Convenience Center, 1204 Jolly Pond Road, daily between 7 a.m.-5 p.m. during these dates: Nov. 12- and Jan. 15.  (In past years, Christmas trees were also accepted in late December and January.)   Leaves dropped off by residents will only be accepted in clear bags no larger than lawn or leaf-size (40 gallons or less).  Outside of these dates, residents must buy ‘coupons’ to drop off yard waste.

Leaves must be in clear bags and left at the curb by 8 AM on December 1 for free county pick-up.  The county will provide one round of curbside leaf collection, and leaves will be picked up in Kingspoint December 1-7.  No other yard debris, such as downfall limbs, will be collected.

Here are tips and standards for recycling holiday waste.  Trash and recycling pick- up schedules tend to get off this time of year due to holidays and winter weather.  Please check with your trash provider for schedule changes. 

Finally, the USDA issued a new Hardiness Zone Map in November which shows that our area has shifted from Zone 7b to Zone 8a.  The hardiness map is based on the extreme low temperatures on the coldest night of the year (averaged over the past 30 years) and does not reflect warmer temperatures overall.  Learn more about the implications of this Updated USDA Hardiness Map here. 

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2023 listings.   Contact kpwebmistress@gmail.com to be added to or removed from our email news list.  Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

Kingspoint Neighborhood Association October News

As we enter the season of celebration, thanksgiving, and abundance, we all have a great deal to celebrate and appreciate here in Kingspoint.  It has been a good year in our community.  Many hands make light work, and we all appreciate the work of the many volunteers who keep the community humming.  The thoughtfulness and dedication that Kingspoint neighbors show to one another and to our neighborhood ensures that Kingspoint remains vibrant, caring, and beautiful.

Kingspoint neighbors are helping to set the mood for Halloween with such creative displays this year! If you have not yet had a chance to walk around our neighborhood and enjoy all the autumn and Halloween decorations, please take time to walk or drive through the community soon.  There are lighted displays, pumpkins and cobwebs, pots of bright flowers and festive fun on every street. 

We are looking forward to Halloween Trick-or-Treating on Tuesday, October 31, from 6PM-8PM in James City County.  The Kingspoint Club’s Social Committee has organized a Halloween party for members at the Clubhouse, with Trick-or-Treating to follow at 6PM.

Please remember to have the little ones carry lights and wear colors easily seen after dark.  All neighbors can assist by leaving their streetlights burning to make it brighter and safer for those out celebrating.

Neighbors who aren’t participating in Halloween Trick-or-Treating should leave their porch lights off.  

Now that days are growing shorter, please take extra care to make sure you are visible when you are out walking, jogging, or biking so there are no close calls with drivers.  Lights and reflective clothing will help ensure your safety and alleviate stressful moments for folks heading out in the morning or coming home at dusk.

David Miller has been overseeing our project to bring electricity to the front entrance and tells us that we should have new lights on the Kingspoint sign around November 1.  He has done a great job of working with the contractors, the county, and with Dominion Power to bring this effort to fruition.  The effort is not inexpensive, however, and so we are making a follow-up membership appeal to new neighbors and to those who did not contribute annual membership dues to the KPNA last spring.   Anyone who wants to help support this effort to light the entrance may leave their contribution with Treasurer Karen Schneider at her home at 100 Kingspoint Drive.  We appreciate everyone who contributes and supports the work of the Neighborhood Association.

Lately I’ve had contacts from neighbors telling me that there are stray chickens pecking about in their yards.   Everyone who buys a home in Kingspoint is expected to sign the Covenants which follow the deed to their home, and the covenants clearly prohibit keeping livestock. (Covenant #5, in your 2023 Directory)  It is a health issue, especially these days when the Avian Flu has affected poultry flocks across the country, and it is a safety issue if chickens get in the street.  There should be no chickens in Kingspoint.  If you see wandering chickens, then you should call either animal control (757.565.0370) to request that they are picked up or call our county zoning office (757.253.6718) to complain. 

Please make your plans now to vote on or before November 7.  Your vote is very important in this mid-term election with seats on the Board of Supervisors and the School Board in play.  Our neighborhood votes at Laurel Lane Elementary School.   Anyone who hasn’t voted already will find the information and contacts you need on the JCC Office of Election’s website.  Here is complete information about the options available to you to vote this year.  Visit the VOTE411.org website to learn about the races on our ballot.  

We spot a wide variety of wildlife in Kingspoint.  Visit the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources website for easy reference materials should unusual wildlife that may turn up in your yard.  Cornwells Wildlife Control (757.264.6369) will safely remove a variety of animals from your property and will help you close openings to your home to keep wildlife out of doors.  Any birdseed, small pets, or food left outdoors overnight may attract unwelcome visitors. 

Many thanks to Ann Hobson and her volunteers for their continued work at our neighborhood entrance.    Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday are continuing their dedicated efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed.  If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with Ann at annhobson1010@gmail.com.

If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2023 listings.  Contact kpwebmistress@gmail.com to be added to or removed from our email news list.  Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.

FYI: Options for Autumn Leaf Clean-up

It is that time of year when leaves float on every strong breeze, covering our walks and driveway just hours after we last cleaned them.  The many different species of trees in our community almost guarantee that we will have a long season of managing fallen leaves.  We have several options for what to do with them all.

Nature designed leaves to trap carbon, nitrogen and other elements and compounds in the air during the summer, allowing these nutrients to return to the soil as leaves decompose during the winter.  It is an elegant recycling operation to build the soil and naturally fertilize the trees.  Deciduous trees are critically important for filtering and sequestering carbon, carbon monoxide and other ‘greenhouse gasses’ from the air we breathe, even as they replenish our oxygen supply.

Even if we don’t want to leave downfallen leaves on lawns and flower beds, we can still make use of them by simply chopping them up with the lawn mower or composting them in out of the way areas of our properties.

Whether you have a bagging mower that allows you to gather the chopped leaves and then spread them as mulch, or whether you just leave them where they fall as you mow the grass, leaves can be appreciated as ‘free fertilizer.’  Not only do they enrich the soil, but they also protect bare soil from erosion during fall and winter rains.

If these solutions aren’t practical for your situation, county residents may drop off leaves free of charge at the Jolly Pond Convenience Center, 1204 Jolly Pond Road, daily between 7 a.m.-5 p.m. during these dates: Nov. 12- and Jan. 15.  Leaves dropped off by residents will only be accepted in clear bags no larger than lawn or leaf-size (40 gallons or less).  Outside of these dates, residents must by ‘coupons’ to drop off yard waste.

James City County: Leaf Collection

The County will provide one round of curbside leaf collection.  Leaves will be picked up in Kingspoint December 1-7 .  Leaves must be bagged in clear bags and left at the curb by 8 AM on the first day of collection.  No other yard debris, such as downfall limbs, will be collected.

Leaf burning isn’t permitted in our area.  County staff asks that we all keep leaves out of the drainage culverts, so they don’t end up in our neighborhood lakes.  If you have a county-maintained drain around your property, please help to keep it clear of leaves and other debris.