Please join the Chesapeake Bay Group Sierra Club at the Meyera Oberndorf Library (former Central Library) next Wednesday, Sept 2, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m.** We will be welcoming three stand up delegate candidates to our meeting to discuss where they stand on environmental issues! It is crucial to all local residents to be informed on the delegates that we elect, so come on by and see what they have to say to us!
Topic: A night to get to know the local candidates environmental stances.

Joe Bouchard- Delegate Joe Bouchard is running for re-election to Virginia’s House of Delegates, 83rd District. He is one of Virginia’s true environmental heroes and one of 14 House candidates that the Sierra Club has “fast tracked” with its early endorsement. We in the environmental community have come to know and depend on Joe as one of Virginia’s top environmental champions. We must do everything we can to help return him to Virginia’s General Assembly.http://www.delegatebouchard.com

Peter Schmidt – Peter Schmidt is running for the Virginia House of Delegates, 82nd District. He was first elected to office in 2002 as an At-Large Councilman on the Virginia Beach City Council. During that time council unanimously passed the Schmidt Ordinance, a budgeting process to keep government spending and property tax increases under control. http://schmidtfordelegate.com/

Bobby Mathieson – Delegate Bobby Mathieson is running for re-election as our delegate for the 21st House District. Bobby began his career in Virginia Beach and served 27 years on the police force, working street patrol, vice and narcotics. He even served as the school resource officer at his sons’ middle school, enhancing community relations. http://www.bobby21.com/

**Please note the change in date from the first Monday of each month to the first Wednesday in September. Wednesday is not our normal meeting night.**

Please pass around to any interested parties! See you next Wednesday night!

The heat was on, but it did not stop our eager volunteers from coming out to support and rally for Clean Energy!  On Monday, August 10th, local Sierrans held a beach party to welcome our senators back home for the month and to tell them we need a strong clean energy jobs bill.

Armed with clipboards, beach balls, and umbrellas we gathered approximately a dozen volunteers outside Senator Jim Webb’s office in Virginia Beach from 12:00-1:00.

‘Spring into Fall’–10th Annual Community Gardening Festival

Presented by Virginia Beach Master Gardeners on Saturday, September 12, 2009 10:00 a.m. –3:00 p.m.  Free Admission and Parking

Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center. 1444 Diamond Springs Road, Virginia Beach
(From I-64 take Exit 282 to Northampton Blvd. Turn left on Diamond Springs Road, then look for posted signs)

Speakers
10:30 a.m.
Herbs –Harvesting, drying and storage
Cynthia Wyskiewicz, Extension Agent, Portsmouth

11:30 a.m.
Camellias –Year round beauty
Mike Andruczyk, Extension Agent, Chesapeake

12:30 p.m.
Turf Grasses for Hampton Roads
Jim Orband, Extension Agent, York County

1:30 p.m.
Sustainable Landscaping Practices and Tour
Laurie Fox, Horticulture Associate, HRAREC

• Proper mulching and composting will be demonstrated. The Plant Clinic and Tree Stewardswill also be available to diagnose plant and tree problems and answer your gardening questions.
• Tours and demonstrations there willbe a silent auction, bake saleand our Master Gardener plant sale.
• Tours of the Display Gardens and Arboretumoffer landscaping ideas and show what plants are hardy in the Hampton Roads area. The Arboretum tour will give homeowners the opportunity to view fully grown trees that are appropriate for suburban yards. Master Gardeners will be available in the Gardens and Arboretum to answer your gardening questions.
• Garden Societies will have information displays and will also be selling plants,books, and garden related items. Included will be Virginia Beach Audubon Society, Butterfly Society of Virginia, Herb Society of America –Tidewater Unit, Hampton Roads Iris Society, South Hampton Roads Chapter of the VA Native Plant Society and the Tidewater Orchid Society.
• We will be joined by the Virginia Horticulture Foundation, Council of Garden Clubs of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach Beautification Commission, Back Bay Restoration Foundationand LynnhavenRiver NOW.
• Master Gardeners from Chesapeake, Norfolk and Portsmouth will join us and will be providing displays and demonstrations during this event.

For more information visit the website www.vbmg.orgor contact
Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Beach Office (757) 3854769