Hampton Roads News 
May 25
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May 25
Announcing the 1st Regional Education Summit: Today’s children are the future workforce. With more than 85 percent of the brain developing before the age of five, investing in the development of children in their early years is essential to improve their success in school, at work, and as citizens in their community. It is a key ingredient for economic development.
The business community must come together with the education community to solve the problem of early childhood readiness to learn. Things must change.
To help shed light on this issue, Virginia Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson (biography) will speak on Wednesday, June 9, at the first Regional Education Summit produced by the LEAD Hampton Roads Class of 2010 and organized in conjunction with the Hampton Roads Partnership. The summit, which is expected to become an annual event, will be from 8 – 9:30 a.m. with registration beginning at 7:45 a.m. in the ballroom of the Davis Student Union, One University Place, at Christopher Newport University in Newport News. Danny Hunley, vice president of operations at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News, will also speak at the event.
The summit is expected to attract hundreds of the community’s top business leaders and educators. Regional business involvement and support is sought because of the critical need for early childhood education and the readiness of children to succeed in school and what that means for the future workforce of business in the region.
The event is sponsored by DeVry University and Northrop Grumman. Preregistration is required.
For more information, contact Angela Martin Blackwell,Vice President of Leadership Programs for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, at (757) 664-2528.
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LEAD Hampton Roads, a program of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, is a 501-C3 leadership development program now entering its 22nd year of serving the region. The organization has over 1,200 graduates who actively provide bold leadership to more than 600 regional businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. LEAD Hampton Roads serves the 17 communities that comprise the greater Hampton Roads area. The Class of 2010 has adopted several projects requested by local organizations to improve regionalism and address needs in the community. The Regional Education Summit is one of those projects.
May 22
The 2010 WHRO Community Impact Award winners have been chosen. The awards are sponsored by Dominion Power to highlight accomplishments of the unsung heroes of Hampton Roads.
Education: Honoring those who inspire a love of learning with innovative opportunities and productive environments that improve academic performances for students of all backgrounds and abilities.
The Winner is Mentoring Future Leaders
A non-profit faith-based mentoring program for underserved males in one the City of Norfolk’s disadvantaged communities.
Environment: Recognizing those whose vision and tireless efforts maintain and improve a healthy environment for all.
The Winner is Roger A. Fuller
Volunteer and Associate Member, Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council (CEIC)
Public Safety: Recognizing those whose efforts raise community awareness about safety issues, help protect the public or whose individual acts of heroism save lives.
The Winner is Chesapeake Health Investment Program (CHIP)
A non-profit integrated model program that focuses on the improvement of children’s health and safety by ensuring that children have medical homes, coordinated health supervision that promotes wellness, prevents injury, and enhances normal growth and development. The mission of CHIP is to build a healthy community by building a healthy child.
Regionalism: Honoring those who exemplify a commitment to our region through cooperative or collaborative projects.
The Winner is Raynor A.K. Taylor, RADM USN (Ret.)
President, Future of Hampton Roads (FHR)
Social Justice: Honoring those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, courage and commitment to promoting social justice issues such as diversity, equity and human rights.
The Winner is The Gloucester County Citizens for Accountable Representation
An intrepid group of forty citizens who banded together to exercise their first amendment rights.
Hampton Roads is fortunate to have many actively engaged citizens and organizations quietly and persistently working to better our community. WHRO and Dominion Virginia Power team together annually to recognize those unsung heroes who are making significant contributions to our community.
The 2010 Community Impact Awards recipients were selected from than 100 nominees in five categories. Along with recognition at the awards ceremony on May 19th, each winner will receive a $1,000 award for the charity of his or her choice.
May 21
Every now and then, such as when someone on television ridicules the lack of knowledge of current affairs or history among a group of young people, I wonder about our future. I suspect every older generation throughout history has worried that the younger generation would screw things up. But I’m not one of those pessimists. If I didn’t believe the future held opportunity and promise, I’d see no need to get out of bed in the morning.
I recently attended a panel discussion about “brain drain.” This isn’t a new idea or one that’s unique to the area where I live. The promise of opportunity has created massive migrations of people across oceans and continents for hundreds of years. Restless young people have always wanted to get away from home to make their mark. Talented young people have always felt the tug of larger, more tolerant cities.
Ironically, I had a conversation with the headmaster of my old prep school about this issue just a few days before the panel discussion took place. We expressed pride at the many interesting things graduates of the school were doing all around the world. But we also expressed disappointment that there was not enough to draw their talents back here.
The panel discussion was a valuable glimpse into why this is happening. The panelists were five bright young “creative class” individuals: a newspaper reporter; a human resources manager; a university economics professor; the founder of a nationally renown design firm; and the co-founder of an alternate online news and culture “zine.”
The group displayed all the understandable hubris you’d expect of young, ambitious people. But this particular group was impressive not only in their intellect and ambition, but also in their commitment to be part of shaping the future of our area. All five are the kinds of people any organization would want to employ. All could probably find greater and more rapid success in other places. But they have made a commitment to this area, even if that means they will carry more of the burden of making it into the kind of place they want to live than they would have to anywhere else.
The other impressive thing about this panel discussion was that the audience was full of other young people with similar talents and similar commitment to this area. I wasn’t the only person over the age of fifty present. But the preponderance of people there were probably somewhere between twenty-five and thirty. They were lively, asked good questions and as enthusiastic in their commitment to this area as the panelists. As a group, they’re taking it upon themselves to create opportunity.
One of the most prescient comments of the evening, and one that I wish more people could have heard, came from a young man who moved here from Connecticut a little over a year ago to pursue an advanced degree. He’d lived in New York and also in Europe. He admitted that after moving her he’d quickly fallen into the trap of making fun of how backward this area is compared to some of the country’s more progressive precincts.
But somewhere along the way he realized that he could either continue to whine or else take it upon himself to be part of making this area into the kind of place he’d like to live.
So that’s that this young bunch is doing. They’re making a commitment to stay here and to be part of the future. When it would be easier and cheaper for them to set up shop in the suburbs, they’re buying old buildings and drawing other talented people who want to be involved in something exciting back downtown to work, live and play. Their presence attracts other young talented people. Bright minds want to be around other bright minds.
I’m feeling better about the future already.
Reprinted with permission from his blog, What I Saw, by Chris Bonney, owner of Bonney & Company, an independent marketing research firm.
May 21
The flavor of the Tea Party in Hampton Roads, that is.
Dante Chinni, director of the Patchwork Nation project who visited Hampton Roads recently, wrote a new post this week on the composition of tea parties around the country and the diverse set of issues that do — or do not — bring them together.
NewsHour Connect spoke to Marcia Franklin of Idaho Public Television, Jennifer Moore from Ozarks Public Radio and our own Cathy Lewis from WHRO Public Broadcasting in Hampton Roads.
PBS selected these locations and Hampton Roads because we represent different types of communities on the Patchwork Nation map. Hampton Roads as a region represents a “Military Bastion” community, and you can see a national map of tea party registration here.
May 20
On May 19th, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation held a philanthropy celebration at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation is the largest regional grant and scholarship provider in southeastern Virginia. Formed from the January 1, 2010 merger of The Norfolk Foundation and The Virginia Beach Foundation, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation is one of more than 750 community foundations serving specific geographic regions of the country.
Each table featured an envelope with a ballot for everyone seated at that table to use in casting their vote for the organization they thought was most deserving of a $5,000 gift. Each ballot listed five organizations currently supported by the foundation. The exercised caused a lot of discussion at each of the tables about the organizations listed on their ballot. Organizations on the ballot fell into categories, or key areas, for grants (i.e., arts and culture, education, etc.). It was a great education and engagement tool!
The celebration was filled with inspiring stories starting with Board member John Malbon who spoke about his desire to give back to the community where he grew up and started a successful business.
Clay Dills, recipient of the Enid W. and Bernard B. Spigel Architectural Scholarship, was born in 1969, a year after Bernard Spigel died. Although he never met the Norfolk architect, Dills said he shares a bond with Spigel whose scholarship helped pay for his architecture education. At the time he received the scholarship he was a senior at Virginia Tech working on his thesis. The scholarship gave him the financial freedom to concentrate on this project and as a result his work was selected as the best one at Tech.
Today Clay Dills works in his own architectural firm and teaches architecture at Hampton University. His firm is looking to establish a scholarship with similar expectations of the recipient as those set by Lucy Spigel Herman, in the scholarship she established to honor her father, Bernard.
Thaler McCormick, Executive Director of ForKids, shared the wonderful story of the program that began 22 years ago as Homeless Haven, Inc. by local citizens to shelter families in the Ocean View neighborhood of Norfolk. After opening Haven House as a 30-day emergency shelter those same citizens quickly found that short-term shelter was not an adequate solution for family homelessness and they embarked upon a new mission to “break the cycle of family homelessness.” In the succeeding years through many federal/private partnerships, the organization, now known as ForKids, is making a difference in the lives of our most fragile citizens. Thaler’s story of a former resident of The Haven House and recent graduate of Old Dominion University is a testament to the value of the services and support offered by ForKids, Inc.
Josh Darden and Morris Fine were recognized by Board Chair Harry Lester and Executive Director Angelica Light for their leadership in bringing The Norfolk Foundation and the Virginia Beach Foundation together into one united foundation, one voice for philanthropy.
As of December 31, 2009 the Hampton Roads Community Foundation had total assets of over $225 million. Nearly 400 named charitable funds have been started by donors and over $140 million in total grants and scholarships have been awarded since 1950. Key areas for grants include Arts and Culture, Education, Health and Environment, Human Services, Civic Engagement and Scholarships. Information on the latest investment returns are posted at www.HamptonRoadsCF.org.
by Donna Morris, Executive Vice President, Hampton Roads Partnership
May 20
The Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) recently celebrated its 90th year as the “Voice of the Port.” VMA presented its “Distinguished Service Award” to Rick Knapp, who retired in 2009 as Chief Operating Officer of Virginia International Terminals following a 38-year career in Virginia’s maritime industry. The VMA also presented its “Port Champion” award to the Honorable Bob Purkey, Virginia House of Delegates, 82nd District.
Governor Bob McDonnell participated in the celebration as the keynote speaker and witnessed Captain J. William Cofer, President of VMA, make the awards presentations in front of an audience of 950 at the Association’s 90th Annual Maritime Banquet the evening of May 13 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. Mr. Knapp and Delegate Purkey were presented with Resolutions of Appreciation for their respective and unique contributions promoting, protecting and encouraging the Port of Hampton Roads.
The Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) was organized in 1920 to promote, protect and encourage international and domestic commerce through the Port of Virginia.
With a membership of over 400 companies, employing over 70,000 Virginians, the VMA continues to be the “Voice of the Port” for progressive development of our waterfront and Virginia’s maritime industry. The VMA seeks and advocates the continued growth of the Port and related commercial activity and plays a significant leadership role to ensure that Virginia remains competitive as it relates to waterborne commerce.
May 17
The 2010 Regional Day, held on Thursday May 6th, was the inaugural community roll-out of Vision Hampton Roads. Subsequent annual events will provide Vision‘s performance report to the diverse community of interdependent communities that is Hampton Roads.
Regional Day was a time to share information, provoke ideas and collaborate in shaping the future of Hampton Roads. The 2010 festivities included a “Regional Crier” taking a roll-call vote from each local government’s chief elected official (or their designee) to support the “Declaration of Interdependence,” a regional compact for our municipalities addressing such issues as legislative unity, education, public safety, transportation, and public communication.
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Panoramic view of the crowd. |
From opening remarks by Dana Dickens:
Hampton Roads is a region of interdependent communities; each benefiting from the others’ success, suffering from their losses. It is: Beaches and boats. Forts and families. Roller coasters and rivers. Planes and performers. Agriculture and arts. History and innovation. The power of interdependence with a strong sense of community and diversity, now powered by a vision. A Vision that is a clear concept, a foresight, an ideal to strive for, a common direction.
Albert Einstein said: “The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.”
What brings us here today is a new Vision for Hampton Roads, a different level of thinking ‐ and doing ‐ that will help us resolve issues and solve problems in a very different way, in a more interdependent way. A different way that we sorely need in today’s new economy, where commerce is indifferent to municipal boundaries. Read more.
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| Regional Crier in full regalia. Photo courtesy of Bob Harper. |
From the Regional Crier:
Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
As Regional Crier and an ardent patriot and citizen of the great Commonwealth of Virginia, it is a high honor indeed to be with you today for this region’s Declaration of Interdependence.
Bright minds with broad vision make this day possible as they did on July 4th 1776. What is right, what is prudent and what is just, today becomes formally enacted.
This Declaration of Interdependence officially begins an expedition for a greater good for all who reside in this region. Great men and women of vision, trust and leadership throughout all of Hampton Roads declare a simple enduring truth…Hampton Roads is all for one while being one for all!
Celebrate a new day, a new era and a renewed passion for growth and opportunity.
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| Signing of the Declaration of Interdependence by the 17 communities of Hampton Roads and Gov. Bob McDonnell. Click here for a Virtual Scroll. Photo courtesy of Chris Bonney. |
More from the Regional Crier:
May it be recorded that on this day, May the sixth of two thousand and ten, that self interest has been replaced by the greater good. That, heretofore, competitive communities are united and committed to pursuing competitive opportunities and jobs. That safety and education are regional priorities of shared concern. And, that regional transportation solutions are at the core of these resolutions.
Henceforth we speak together as one region, and we will act together as one region. Together, we ensure a wonderful future.
Ladies and Gentlemen, How do you vote?
Franklin City – “In 39 years, from town to city, Franklin is a friendly community, a place where life is gentle, fun and prosperous.” What say you, The Honorable James P. Councill, III of Franklin? Read more.
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| Hon. Thelma Drake, Director of DRPT, introduces Gov. Bob McDonnell. |
Gov. Bob McDonnell speaks at Vision Hampton Roads Regional Day. Both photos courtesy of Bob Harper. |
From Gov. Bob McDonnell’s remarks:
Many years ago regionalism meant “getting the other cities to do what you want them to do,” noting times have changed in this “extraordinary region.” The Regional Competitiveness Act (1996) was a modest effort by the Commonwealth. “I applaud you for your good work to make this day come to pass.”
The Governor quoted scripture, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18) and then suggested an addition: “With a vision, the people flourish.”
The Governor also quoted an unknown source: “If you want to be incrementally better: Be competitive. If you want to be exponentially better: Be cooperative.”
Adding he’d like to see Hampton Roads fully utilize the region’s assets and “there is much to be done,” McDonnell said, “It is in this Vision, this comprehensive strategy.”
When the Governor made reference to his goal of making Virginia, with the largest number of veterans per capita, the most veteran-friendly state in the union, the Regional Crier rang his bell and the crowd roared with applause.
The Governor agreed: Hampton Roads is unique with industry sectors of energy, biotech, modeling and simulation and healthcare, and he sees great potential in the region’s “pursuit of exceptionalism.” He added that “putting people back to work is the quickest way to improve their quality of life,” citing his election mantra, “Bob’s for Jobs,” and joking that everyone is changing their name to “Bob.”
The General Assembly was asked to have vision dealing with the $4B budget shortfall. With $70M in new monies such as the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, tax incentives and more, McDonnell stated, “I have more tools than any Governor in Virginia history to promote Virginia as the place to do business.” Some of the monies are earmarked for opening trade offices in China, India and the United Kingdom in order “to tell the Virginia story.”
“I’m tired of seeing Michigan commercials in Virginia; I want to see Virginia ads in Michigan,” McDonnell lamented.
We must incentivize small business. “71% of every new job in Virginia is a small business,” said the Governor. Noting it is “smart business” for institutions of higher education to align educational programs with the region’s economic needs, he noted the strategic plan, Vision Hampton Roads, as their resource.
Another peal of the Regional Crier’s bell came when the Governor told the crowd the Secretary of Transportation has been asked to put Route 460, critically important to the region for the military, disaster evacuation and the port, at the top of the priority list. The Governor also applauded regional cooperation on passenger rail as “a great example of the region working together.”
The Governor concluded his remarks with, “you can count on me,” adding the State will be a partner in all that Hampton Roads does with Vision. Pointing to the Vision Dashboard provided at every table, he said the region is behind Virginia in some measures, and this is the incentive to not compete inter-regionally but to cooperate as a region.
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| Head table (L to R): Don Seale, Norfolk Southern Corporation; Gov. McDonnell; Craig Camuso, CSX Transportation; Hon. Thelma Drake, DRPT; standing, Dana Dickens, Hampton Roads Partnership (HRP); Jack Ezzell, ZEL Technologies; Bob Gittler, U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration; and Eric Price, “Regional Crier.” Photo courtesy of Bob Harper. |
Dickens concluded with:
The 70s was the first time we heard the reference “the Decade of ME” and that single‐minded focus stayed with us for decades. With the Governor’s permission, I’m declaring this as the “Decade of WE.” (Now that’s spelled W‐E, not W‐i‐i like the game.)
Collaboration is king. Collaboration is transformational. Collaboration reinforces the understanding that strong global forces affect us all, and we must build on our local assets accordingly.
If you’re interested in making a good living and living a good life in Hampton Roads, then please spread the Vision and get involved. Join a Task Force. Volunteer your time. Share the message. Let’s all continue on our path forward as we Think, Live and Act Regionally.
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The Cheroenhaka, recognized tribe of Virginia, with Regional Crier.
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| Regional organizations shared information with the public in attendance. Photo courtesy of Chris Bonney. |
May 16
Modeling & Simulation Conference Comes to Hampton
to Share Knowledge and Cutting-edge Technology
MODSIM World 2010 will be held October 13-15th at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. The conference theme this year is 21st Century Decision-Making: The Art of Modeling & Simulation, and will feature seven different tracks focusing on the application of modeling and simulation across various industries.
In recent years, the modeling and simulation (M&S) industry in Hampton Roads has seen the need to share information about and interests in the vast amount of M&S-based development occurring in the region. In part, because of the synergy created by the efforts of Joint Forces Command; Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC); Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS); NASA Langley; and many other military organizations, colleges, universities, and industry members, it became obvious there needed to be a regular forum for the sharing of M&S knowledge and achievement.
The MODSIM World Conference & Exposition sprang forth and continues to operate under the auspices of the Center for Public/Private Partnership (CP3). Today, in its fourth year, MODSIM World is maturing not just as a regional event, but also as an internationally recognized conference, as evidenced by the involvement of paper track organizers, 40+ exhibitors (including NASA, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman), over 150 speakers, as well as more than 1,000 attendees from around the globe.
A multi-disciplinary approach to MODSIM World brings in many different types of people with diverse interests and backgrounds. Tracks include seven compelling subject areas: Defense; Engineering & Science; Health & Medicine; Homeland Security & First Responders; The Human Dimension; K-20 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education; and Serious Games & Virtual Worlds.
To register, exhibit, or submit a paper, visit www.modsimworldconference.com.
About MODSIM World
MODSIM World is a unique multi-disciplinary international conference for the exchange of modeling and simulation knowledge, research and technology across industry, government and academia.
May 11
SPSA is an Unlikely Success Story
by Joel Rubin
Today the federal debt is more than $12-trillion and climbing nearly $4-billion a day. Congress and the President can do this because they seem under no obligation to pay it off, have multiple mints to print money and, for now, have sufficient investors to buy the paper. The House and Senate also have no looming deadline, which would force them to balance their books.
Imagine a governmental agency that, facing a mountainous deficit, did indeed have to retire its obligations because it was scheduled to go out of existence. You do not have to imagine. We have one right here in Hampton Roads. It’s the Southeastern Public Service Authority or SPSA, which was rightly maligned for running up nearly $300-million in debt by spending beyond its means and not charging its member municipalities sufficiently high fees to cover its costs. SPSA, or more specifically the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk and Franklin and the counties of Isle of Wight and Southampton, however, did not have the option the federal government has to simply ignore its failings. Its charter to exist ends on January 24, 2018. By that date, it has to return all the money borrowed.
Under the leadership of chairman Don Williams of Norfolk, the Board of Directors started SPSA on the road to fiscal solvency. They substantially reduced expenses and significantly increased fees assessed on localities that were obligated to bring their municipal solid waste to the authority. Yes some of the members, angered by the situation, tried to exit SPSA but were stopped by the courts. And the fact that two cities have previously negotiated arrangements (Virginia Beach’s tip fee is capped, and Suffolk pays nothing because it hosts the regional dump) will always be a sore spot with the other six.
But SPSA and its members did the right thing, setting itself on a course to retire its debt by the date it ceases to exist. Tip fees (disposal taxes if you will) rose from about $55 a ton to $170, over 200%. Imagine how that would go over in Washington! And it began a laborious process of selling off assets, starting with its most valuable, its waste to energy facilities where trash is burned to create steam for the Naval shipyard and electricity to sell on the nation’s power grid. The charges for legal and financial services to extract SPSA from ownership of the Portsmouth plants, which have included exhaustive reviews of five bids, the renegotiation of the terms of its debt with banks and the state and establishment of a pact with Portsmouth, have been high. The eight communities however pitched in people, money and political will to right the sinking ship. Their city and county managers deserve our collective praise for their due diligence, as do their budget directors, attorneys and the Virginia Resource Authority, the state agency which serves as a lending institution to organizations like SPSA.
In the midst of all this, a new state law required the appointment of an entire new SPSA board of directors. Under the leadership of chairman and former Norfolk mayor and judge Joe Leafe, the momentum continued. The members posed hard questions, conducted their own research but ultimately agreed that SPSA, despite its past sins, is on the mend and on course to accomplish what might have once seemed impossible, replacing its red ink with black.
The deal is now done with Wheelabrator, the New Hampshire company that has purchased the waste facilities for $150-million. The contract includes a provision to transport waste that cannot be burned to outside landfills owned by Wheelabrator’s parent Waste Management, meaning SPSA will not have to expand its Suffolk landfill, saving some $50-million.
This story is a testament to the dedication of public servants and to the desire of the state to work with its local governments to solve a vexing challenge. A smart professor in public or business administration might consider using it as a case study. We don’t know at this point if our communities will continue working together on garbage disposal past 2018, but if they do, there are relationships and processes in place to make the next iteration of waste management in South Hampton Roads a lot better than the first.
Joel Rubin APR is President of Rubin Communications Group, a local public relations, video productions and marketing firm. Wheelabrator is one of his agency’s clients.
