Issue 26•March 2007 Keeping you informed about the land and water we care about.
You can reach us by phone: 540-674-0166; or mail: Friends of Claytor Lake, PO Box 815, Pulaski, VA 24301
We meet the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 6pm in the Council Chamber of the Dublin Town Hall.*
In this issue:
1. Update on Virginia Boating Safety Bill, HB 1627
2. Thanks for Contacting our Senators & Representative
3. Pulaski County Recycling Information
4. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Class—one left!
5. Letters—or rather, email—to the editor...
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1. Update on Virginia Boating Safety Bill, HB 1627
From Board Member, Robert Blankenship, (FOCL’s representative regarding this Bill):
Greetings all,
I am most pleased to inform you that HB 1627, the proposed legislation that would
require boater safety education in Virginia, has now passed both the Senate and
House of Delegates. There were some amendments to the bill that required both
houses of the General Assembly to vote a second time on the bill, but only as to
those specific amendments. Both the Senate and House of Delegates have ratified
the added amendments and the bill now awaits the signature of Governor Kaine
before it officially becomes law.
The amendments were as follows: To exempt those operating a boat with a 10hp
or smaller motor; To exempt law enforcement officers during the performance of
their official duties; To allow for the final examination of the boater safety training
course to be an 'open book' examination. Other than those changes, the legislation
remained as it was originally introduced.
Assuming that Governor Kaine signs this legislation, as we expect him to, I look
forward to continuing my service on the Virginia Safe Boating Alliance as we work
with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to draft the guidelines
and procedures necessary for the implementation of this legislation. In so doing, I
also look forward to my continued representation of FOCL regarding this matter.
I would like to extend a very sincere 'Thank You' to every member of FOCL who
may have called or written their Delegate or Senator to encourage passage of this
important legislation.
Respectfully,
Robert Blankenship
2. Thanks for Contacting our Senators & Representative
About two weeks ago, we sent out an appeal to you to write our US Senators and
Congressman. The funding for the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project is at a
critical stage at this moment and we thank those of you who wrote to our federal
representatives regarding it.
To find out more about the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project on Claytor Lake,
check out these links to past enews articles covering the project:
•For Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration FAQ’s:
http://www.focl.org/enews/enews0506.html
•Information regarding first public meeting:
http://www.focl.org/enews/enews0507.html
•Information regarding second public meeting:
http://www.focl.org/enews/enews0602.html
3. Pulaski County Recycling Information
In helping to care for the Claytor Lake environment, don’t forget to recycle! Pulaski
County provides the following facilities to help you:
Dora Highway (Hours of Operation)
M-F 1 pm-5 pm (EST)
Sat 8 am-5 pm (EST)
M-F 3 pm-7 pm (daylight savings time)
Sat 8 am-5 pm (daylight savings time)
Fairlawn (Hours of Operation)
M-F 1 pm-5 pm (EST)
Sat 8 am-5 pm (EST)
M-F 3 pm-7 pm (daylight savings time)
Sat 8 am-5 pm (daylight savings time)
Dublin (Hours of Operation)
Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm
Sunday 12 pm-5 pm
Items taken for recycling
Air Conditioners
Brush/Yard Waste (less than 6" in diameter)
Glass
Metal
Newspaper
Plastics
Refrigerators
Tires
Note that at the Dublin Site there is a Goodwill Collection Box that citizens can drop
off any items that they wish to donate to Goodwill.
Also, please note that no hazardous materials of any kind are accepted.
4. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Classes—one left!
There’s no better way to get a right start in recreational boating—or to get it right
now, if you’ve already started—than participating in a boating safety class put on
by our local Coast Guard Auxiliary. There’s one date left: Saturday, March 24th as
shown in this flier put out by our local USCGA:
5. Letters—or rather, email—to the editor...
With the FOCL e-news being a forum for communication for the Claytor Lake
Community, I will publish pertinent email I receive starting with these two:
[Dave Stevenson, e-news Editor]
From Charlie & Laraine Simpson of Roseberry Hollow:
First we would like to thank the Bullard Family for their most generous
contribution to the lake. Years ago we rode horses over their farm,
and since have passed by in our boat wondering if this beautiful land
would soon be sprouting "Condos.” We are so grateful for their
contribution to future generations, of saving this unique site for
their benefit. Bravo!!
We also have a lake question! Every year about this time we notice
huge flocks of "Seagulls" flying around and roosting nightly in the
waters off the State Park. There must be thousands and they remain for
about a month. Does anyone know why? Certainly there is not enough
food to sustain them and it must be warmer at the coast, so why do they
return each year and stay so long? And how do they survive?
Thanks,
Charlie and Laraine Simpson
Roseberry Hollow
From Judy of Woods on the Lake {regarding the letters to our Senators, above}:
They are in the mail.
Judy
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clean up boating safety community environmental stewardship
Lake clean up, boating safety, water quality monitoring, promoting community, environmental stewardship.
We do it for Claytor Lake—the land, the water, the community.
As a part of the Claytor Lake Community, we need and appreciate your support!
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Thanks for your support of FOCL and Claytor Lake. http://www.focl.org
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