October Newsletter

• Upcoming Events
• Tuesday, Oct 6: Chesapeake Town Meeting @ Indian River High School
• Saturday, Oct 10: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park
• Saturday, Oct 24: Adopt-A-Park @ Indian River Park
• News
• November Elections
• Ospreys in Trouble
• September Recap

Upcoming Event

Tuesday, October 6: Chesapeake Town Meeting

• 
  6:30 pm - 8 pm
• Location: Indian River High School, 1969 Braves Trail
• City Council will hold a Town Meeting on Tuesday, October 6, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Indian River High School (1969 Braves Trail). Residents are encouraged to attend at their leisure to discuss topics of interest with City Council members and City staff. For more information, visit https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/TownMeetings

Saturday, October 10: Second Saturday Hike @ Indian River Park

• 
  8:30 am to 10 am
• Location: Indian River Park entrance at Rokeby Ave. and Main St. (2003 Rokeby Ave.) 
• Join us for a hike along the nature trail and through the park. Learn about the history of the park, the native trees and plants in this century old forest on the Indian River flood plain, and its value to maintaining the health of local butterfly, bird, and wildlife populations. Note: the forest trail has uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes.
• Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/N8WUZRQTNDGfZ82LA (suggested but not required)

Saturday, October 24, 2026: Adopt-A-Park at Indian River Park - Native Plant Garden

• 9 am to Noon
• Location: Indian River Park, 2003 Rokeby Ave. 
• It is time for our fall gardening at Indian River Park.  We'll be tending to the native plant garden at the park entrance, including weeding, mulching and preparing the garden for the winter.  We may also do some trail work, pruning, weeding, and cleanup.
• Please wear closed-toe shoes, a hat and bring work gloves.  Long pants are recommended.  If you can, bring shovels, rakes, pruners, saws and other gardening tools.  We'll have water and snacks available.  We also always encourage folks to bring their own water in reusable bottles to minimize use of plastic bottles and cans. 
• Participants under 18 years of age must have adult supervision.
• Please pre-register at https://forms.gle/EjFwJVLx81Woqsix7 (suggested but not required)
  

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News

November Election

Early voting is underway at the Voter Registrar's Office at 411 Cedar Road and will expand to several libraries between October 19 and October 31.  The last day to register to vote is October 23, although you can do same day registration and vote a provisional ballot if you need to.  Get more info on how and where to vote from the Voter Registrar's Office at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1155/In-Person-Early-Voting-Absentee-By-Mail-.  You can find the sample ballot at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1055/Sample-Ballot

Key votes will be for the U.S. House and Senate.  Locally, the majority of the City Council and School Board are up for election.   Also on the ballot are three Virginia Constitution Amendments regarding core rights for Virginians. 

Please get out and Vote!

Ospreys in Trouble

Our colleagues at the Cape Henry Audubon Society and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation have shared information on the dire situation for ospreys across the Chesapeake Bay region.   Ospreys in the saltier parts of the bay had the worst breeding year on record, with nesting pairs only successfully raising 0.25 chicks per nest on average.  Baby ospreys were literally starving in the nests because parents could not find enough fish for them to eat.   Ospreys need to raise about 0.8 to 1.3 chicks per year to keep the population stable.   In tidal freshwater regions, ospreys did do better, raising just over 1.0 chicks per nest.  

Among environmental groups, there is great concern that the declining populations of menhaden fish are destabilizing the entire food web in the Bay.  Menhaden are a forage fish that are key parts of the diet of ospreys, eagles, striped bass, otters, and many other species that make the Chesapeake Bay home.  Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)  is currently reviewing options that include reducing the Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap (Bay Cap) by up to 50%.  The ASMFC is taking public comment through October 9. We encourage everyone to sign on the Audubon action alert at https://act.audubon.org/a/menhaden-osprey-2026

September Recap

Thank you to the 12 volunteers who came out for our International Coastal Cleanup/Virginia Waterways Cleanup.    The team removed about 250 lbs of litter, a tire, a bumper, rebar, and more.  

The Planning Department has completed its Open Houses on Data Centers but is still taking public input via its Online Survey until October 30.   They will probably brief the City Council at a Work Session in November to get direction on next steps.  Check out the latest updates and action alerts on Data Centers from the Chesapeake Sustainability Network.  

Have an idea for an article for our newsletter?  Send your submission, max 250 words, to us at info@friendsofindianriver.org along with a photo and we'll consider it for our next edition.