Menorah Lighting Ceremony Shines after Second Sunday Rejection, Grants Awarded to Local Nonprofits, and more
Menorah Lighting Ceremony Shines after Second Sunday Rejection, Grants Awarded to Local Nonprofits, and more
Historic Triangle News Roundup December 3 - 9
Goooood morning! In the spirit of the holidays, I’m offering Round the Triangle readers a small token of appreciation. As a New York Times and Washington Post subscriber, I can gift 10 articles from each, so just email me with a link to an article from either you want to access! It’ll be first come first served and limited to one gift article per subscriber.
If you don’t have an article in mind, I would recommend NYT’s one-year recap on the impact of Roe v. Wade’s overturning, WaPo’s report on how the AR-15 came to be at the center of the gun control debate, or a more recent WaPo article on 44 ancient works of art that a Virginia museum repatriated after learning they were stolen.
Okay - let’s get to last week’s top stories.
Williamsburg menorah lighting ceremony well-attended at W&M campus after Second Sunday rejection
Hundreds attended Jewish outreach organization Chabad Williamsburg’s ceremonial menorah lighting at the College of William & Mary Sunken Gardens on Thursday, the first night of Hanukkah.
A planned second ceremonial menorah lighting for today at the Second Sundays Art & Music Festival was denied by organizers earlier in the week, with founder Shirley Vermillion explaining via text that Second Sundays did not want to appear to be taking a side in Israel’s ongoing assault on Palestine.
Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace issued a joint statement condemning the denial, saying that it conflates Judaism with the state of Israel and “implies the Jewish faith is inseparable from Zionism, a view that is inherently antisemitic.”
Real People Educating Others and Rob Till Community Garden earn Grants from Williamsburg Community Foundation
Last Monday the Williamsburg Community Foundation announced its first “Capacity Building” grants would be awarded to two local nonprofits, Real People Educating Others (RPEO) and the Rob Till Community Garden.
RPEO, an organization focused on providing opportunities for underserved youth, earned $1500 for administrative assistance, and the Rob Till Community Garden, based in Grove, earned $2500 to build an underground fence.
Local nonprofits can apply before December 15 for the next grant funding cycle.
Other Headlines
Virginia extended its contract with Lawrenceville Correctional Center, the only privately-owned prison in the state. I previously reported how owners the GEO Group have been fined $4.3 million for contract breaches like understaffing healthcare professionals at the facility.
Virginia made changes to how local governments can plan water supply and use. Local water planning requirements began following the state drought of 1999-2002, dry conditions similar to the ones we’re experiencing now.
PETA published a website exposing federal law violations related to animal research at Virginia’s public universities, a closely watched issue after thousands of beagles were rescued from an abusive research breeding facility last year.
Upcoming Events
Williamsburg Players presents A Christmas Carol:
When: Now until Dec. 17
Where: 200 Hubbard Lane, Williamsburg
Jingle Jog 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk & 5k Run/Walk:
When: Dec. 16
Where: Billsburg Brewery, 2054 Jamestown Rd., Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg Ice Rink in Merchants Square:
When: Now until Feb. 27
Where: 134 N Henry St, Williamsburg
That’s it for this week’s edition, back to browsing goodreads’s Best Books of 2023.
What’s New? What do you want to see covered?
Cover photo from Grove Community Garden Facebook.