Last Word

Last Word on sales tax increase, Feb. 28

Sales tax increase I don’t appreciate the sneaky way this tax hike is being motored through to support tourism and another-named slush fund. Please list the names and phone numbers of who we can call in Richmond for York, James City and Williamsburg to let our voices be heard. Thank you. Editor’s...

Last Word on sales tax, Feb. 24

Sales tax increase Instead of a 1 percent sales tax increase to feed the tourism oligarchs, how about an increase to promote affordable housing for the people who do the work that runs the tourism industry in the area? Seems like the Chamber of Commerce, JCC Supervisors and the Williamsburg City...

Last Word on Florida shootings, Feb. 21

Florida shootings A question for Congress: Why is the possession of assault weapons more important than school children's lives? Don't those children have a right, under the Constitution, to live full lives, in liberty and in the pursuit of happiness? I’m in high school and I’m scared to go to...

Last Word, Feb. 17

Shooting in Florida To all those who write in demanding rights to carry in schools, churches and other public places: do you also demand similar rights for convicted criminals, the mentally ill and those with restraining orders? Should they be allowed to build up arsenals of assault weapons? Anyone...

Last Word on harassment, Feb. 14

Looking good To whoever is decorating Lake Powell Road and Brookwood Drive with decorations: They look amazing. Can’t wait to see what you put up for Easter. This is harassment I worked at a big box hardware store. Every day, the male customers would make degrading sexual comments to any of the...

Last Word on workforce housing, Feb. 10

City taxes Here we go again, as the Williamsburg City Council looks to raise taxes after its annual retreat. The city manager can’t offer a specific reason why he anticipates a reduction in revenues from the meal and room taxes. The mayor and council members keep looking for ways to increase our...

Last Word on tourism taxes, Feb. 7

Tax for tourism I think the proposed 1 percent added sales tax for James City, York and Williamsburg is a big crock. It’s a complete, unfair burden to the citizens to have to pay this to fund tourism. Why don’t they keep doing like they’ve been doing? They’ve got taxes on the rooms and meal taxes....

Last Word about CW finances, Feb. 3

Williamsburg budget The Virginia Gazette's recent reporting on the Williamsburg City Council discussions on potential tax increases and the need to add a new position to administer the new Tourism Development Fund is very revealing. If the city ran like a business, as revenues decline, the focus...

Last Word on an angel, Jan. 31

Met my angel I had a very important doctor’s appointment the other day and stopped at a store for water on my way. I got back to my car and it wouldn’t start. I cried because I could not get to the appointment. Then my angel called, “Ma’am, Ma’am.” I looked and she offered me a ride. I had to take...

Last Word on the shutdown, Jan. 27

Williamsburg Inn On Wednesday, Last Word published a comment that said The Williamsburg Inn had been awarded the Forbes Travel Guide Fifth Star. The Inn was awarded the AAA Five Diamond designation in November 2017, one of just 120 hotels in North America to hold this distinction. However, Forbes...

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Dive training for local fire and rescue and law enforcement agencies

Apple's New Smartwatch Can Literally Save Your Life

Remembering September 11th

James City home damaged by fire

A single-story home caught on fire Sunday in James City and was significantly damaged by smoke and fire. Firefighters were dispatched to a report of a structure fire around 1:22 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Allyson Drive. They arrived to find a fire in the front of the home and brought the fire...

NWS confirms tornado in James City County; Tropical Storm Michael causes power outages, school closings in Historic Triangle

It could be days before power is restored to everyone in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Michael. When Tropical Storm Michael hit the area it caused power outages for thousands of Dominion Energy customers locally. As of late Friday afternoon, 15,787 James City customers were without power, as...

• HR Weather Videos

JCC EDA approves land-monitoring license with hunting rights for property in Grove

The James City Economic Development Authority voted Thursday to approve a land monitoring license for three EDA-owned properties at James River Commerce Center. In exchange for keeping an eye on things, Ron Spivey, a county resident and the licensee, will be able to bow hunt on the properties,...

W-JCC School Board to vote on end of the year spending plan

The Williamsburg-James City County School Board will vote on the district’s 2018 end-of-year spending plan at its meeting Oct. 16. According to the plan, W-JCC will end the year with a surplus of $2,735,392.54, or 2.06 percent of the division’s total operating budget. The district will be returning...

Trump to visit areas in Florida, Georgia devastated by Hurricane Michael

Upon touring the damage in several towns along Florida's Panhandle, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long called the destruction left by Hurricane Michael some of the worst he's ever seen. On Monday, President Donald Trump plans to visit Florida and Georgia and see the recovery effort...

• Hurricane Michael ravages Florida, Georgia

Trump sending Pompeo 'immediately' to meet Saudi king over missing journalist

President Donald Trump said Monday that he is sending Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with Saudi King Salman amid the mounting international backlash over missing Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The kingdom has come under intense scrutiny over the disappearance of Khashoggi, who...

• Turkey says joint 'inspection' planned at Saudi Consulate over journalist's disappearance

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are expecting their 1st child

Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child in the spring, Kensington Palace said Monday. The announcement came hours after Harry and the former Meghan Markle arrived in Sydney at the start of a 16-day visit to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. Hundreds of people...

• Royal kids and babies through the years

Sen. Elizabeth Warren releases DNA analysis providing evidence of Native American heritage

Responding to years of derision by President Donald Trump and other critics, Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday released a report on a DNA analysis that provides strong evidence she does, in fact, have Native American heritage. The analysis on the Massachusetts Democrat was done by Stanford University...