Now that the roll-off cart distribution has been completed city-wide, we encourage our customers to reuse their old cans for other purposes (i.e., yard waste or recycling collection, make a rain barrel or composting bin, etc.). However, if they prefer to get rid of their old cans or want to donate them, we are offering two curbside disposal options on the following designated days.
Source: VA Department of Health Press Release (9/17/21)
Innovative drone technology will be tested in various areas of the city during the week of 9/20/21 to determine if the technology could be of use here. The City of Winchester is participating in an Innovative Municipalities initiative to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of using drones for certain services.
On September 9, 2021, the Winchester Police Department’s podcast, DEFROST: Winchester’s True Crime with Behan & Smith, received an Award of Excellence at the 2021 City-County Communications and Marketing Association Conference held in St. Louis, Missouri.
“When this project began, there was an immediate emotional connection to telling this true crime story. The attention the podcast has received is humbling, and I am so grateful for this award our team has received,” stated Deputy Chief Amanda Behan, who extensively researched for, wrote, and hosted the podcast.
As a part of the ongoing Hope Drive Extension Project, a portion of Tevis Street (Bradford Court Apartments to the access road behind Panera Bread from Papermill Road) will close to through traffic beginning Tuesday, September 14, 2021. Since Tevis Street will become a cul-de-sac just east of the apartments, this closure will be permanent.
The City’s vendor, Rehrig Pacific Company, will begin delivering roll-off trash carts to all remaining customers on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, and expect to be finished within three weeks (weather permitting). The new carts are being provided at no up-front costs to customers and will be maintained by the City.
The City of Winchester is actively monitoring its drinking water in response to the Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) on the North Fork Shenandoah River where the City obtains its water supply. On August 27, City officials received test results from an outside laboratory that showed there are no cyanotoxins in the City’s drinking water at this time and the water remains completely safe to drink and use for all purposes. These results are consistent with results from the past three weeks of testing, which also indicated no cyanotoxins were present in the drinking water.
The City of Winchester is currently offering two assistance programs for customers with past-due utility bills: 1) Direct financial assistance program using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and 2) repayment plans. Letters explaining these options will be mailed to customers this week. There are currently 601 customers that have unpaid utility bill amounts totaling $296,664.26.
In observance of the Labor Day holiday, the City of Winchester will operate on the below schedule the week of September 6, 2021.
The Winchester Fire & Rescue Department (WFRD) has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Plus Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks.