Cruise Line Yorktown Stops Canceled, Planned Sports Complex Rebuked at Community Meeting, and More
Cruise Line Yorktown Stops Canceled, Planned Sports Complex Rebuked at Community Meeting, and More
Historic Triangle News Roundup January 28 - February 3
Howdy! It’s Sunday, February 4. This week I sent out the first Round the Triangle monthly news quiz to test your knowledge of the headlines from the past few weeks.
Curious how I made it? I recorded myself programming the whole thing! You don’t have to watch all 4 hours, but skip around and get a glimpse of how I used ChatGPT to figure out how to make it. Hope I encourage others to try coding!
Let’s get into last week’s top stories:
After months of community protest, Princess Cruises cancels Yorktown stops
York County officials confirmed Jan. 26 that they had received notice from a Princess Cruises representative that the planned stop this summer in Yorktown had been canceled and the Island Princess would be stopping in Norfolk instead.
Preserve Yorktown, the group that has organized opposition to the stop, said in a statement that they were “cautiously optimistic” about the development and “grateful for the change in direction.”
The group has expressed concerns about pollution to the York River and that the small Yorktown community would be overwhelmed by the hundreds of Cruise passengers. You can sign Preserve Yorktown’s petition here.
Community Members Alarmed by Fast Pace of Sports Complex Approval
At a community meeting in New Town this week, James City County administrator Scott Stevens faced criticism from attendees about the lack of transparency and rushed nature of the $80 million Regional Sports Complex approved last year.
While at least one person spoke in support of the joint project between JCC, York County, and Williamsburg, most of the crowd expressed concerns about its costs and purpose. “People are not happy about this,” one person said.
The 200,000-square-foot complex is expected to run at a loss of at least $360,000 annually. The City of Virginia Beach terminated a contract with operators of its sports complex after an audit revealed it had lost millions of dollars.
Other Headlines
Virginia is expected to end legacy admissions at public universities soon. A recent Harvard study found that legacy students from the top 1% are 5 times more likely to get into Ivy Plus schools than the average student with comparable test scores.
A state legislator has introduced a proposal that would investigate a possible bridge connecting Surry and James City counties. Residents of both counties have expressed concerns about existing traffic problems being worsened by the project.
This week a new roof was installed on the church tower in Historic Jamestowne that will help protect it from the elements. The building is the only remaining above-ground structure from the 17th-century town and former state capital.
Upcoming Events
Life in the Reservation Community:
When: Monday, Feb. 5, 7 PM
Where: Hampton History Museum, 120 Old Hampton Ln, Hampton
Muscarelle Museum of Art Student Photography Contest:
When: Mon-Fri 9 am -5 PM, Jan. 24 to Feb. 29
Where: Stryker Center, 412 N Boundary St, Williamsburg
When: Friday, Feb. 9, 5:30 - 8 PM
Where: 500 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg
You’re all caught up! Before you go, check out this story on the history of Virginia’s historical highway marker program and how the Virginia Department of Historic Resources has worked to incorporate more Black history markers.
Contact Me!
Cover photo from Preserve Yorktown About page.