Monthly Archive: June 2010

Jun
30

Meet Hampton Roads from the air

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“Meet Hampton Roads,” appearing in the September 2010 issue of Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine, will offer a unique perspective on life in the Hampton Roads region, profiling the people, places, industries, and attractions that make it one of this nation’s most vibrant places to visit, live, work, and play.

The Southeast Virginia Tourism Alliance (SEVTA), Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce (HRCC), Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance (HREDA), and Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (VPCC) have announced that Southwest Airlines will feature Hampton Roads in the September 2010 issue of its award‐winning in-flight magazine, Spirit.

Consisting of 20+ pages, “Meet Hampton Roads” – as an in-depth feature – will take a comprehensive look at the economic drivers and industry sectors that shape the lifestyles and business landscape of the region and highlight local economic development initiatives with specific focus on the tourism industry, education and healthcare resources, real estate and technology. Unique characteristics of Hampton Roads that heighten the quality of life here will also be featured, such as award-winning attractions, numerous dining and shopping options, festivals and special events.

This is an ideal opportunity to showcase the unique combination of culture, business and lifestyle that make America’s First Region, in the Heart of the Mid‐Atlantic, one of the nation’s most viable and vibrant places to visit, live, work, and prosper.

It is phenomenal editorial coverage for our area. Support for this effort may be made through the submission of story ideas or through the purchase of advertising space in the publication. By taking advantage of the promotional potential of this feature, we can differentiate the region and its unique competitive advantages and help answer the question: “Where (and What) is Hampton Roads?”

According to materials provided by Southwest Airlines, they are the number one domestic airline with over 11 million monthly passengers and the market leader in and out of Norfolk International Airport. Spirit Magazine has a measured monthly readership of 3.2 million, making this a powerful venue for promoting our area’s businesses, schools, and organizations. Southwest Airlines Spirit readers are sophisticated, upscale consumers and business leaders who fly regularly. This feature will put Hampton Roads front and center, reaching higher-tier business leaders and corporate decision-makers who are directly responsible for their companies’ purchasing, expansion and relocation to new areas. Spirit readers are nearly five times more likely to be C-Level leadership than the average U.S. consumer. Plus, airline customers are the most active leisure travelers who will bring tourism dollars to our market.

In addition to being featured in the September issue, which will be available in the seat-back pockets on all aircraft in the Southwest fleet, “Meet Hampton Roads” will also be available for one year on Spirit Magazine’s website, spiritmag.com.

This is a strong opportunity to present Hampton Roads to a broad national and international audience. Editorial questions or suggestions may be submitted to destinationpubs@paceco.com. For questions about advertising with the feature, please contact Chris Denby with Spirit Magazine and the Destination Publishing Group at chris.denby@paceco.com. Magazine staff is teaming with local writers for this effort.

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Jun
29

Bridges Between Us

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This fall the Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot will jointly deliver “Bridges Between Us” to the region, featuring the logic, lure and limits of interdependence in Hampton Roads.

Through the lives of real families living here in different communities of Hampton Roads, this special section will explore how we work, play, commute and how our economic fortunes are intertwined.

Hampton Roads is a community of 17 different localities, each with its own challenges and locally elected government. But is’ also a region that shares common challenges and opportunities, from our jammed roads and bridges to natural resources that have made us a port and military town. The importance of that inter-connection has long been controversial.

This special all-color, up to 48-page tabloid special section with glossy cover will be inserted into both papers on Sunday, September 19th. It will reach over 700,000 adults in Hampton Roads, i.e. three-fourths of all adults in Hampton Roads.

Bridges have long been used to connect communities in Hampton Roads. And now “Bridges Between Us” will help connect citizens and infuse an awareness of the importance of our region and its Vision of the future.

For questions, call Orestes Baez at (757) 247-4671 or email at obaez@dailypress.com.

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Jun
28

Living in Hampton Roads, updated

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Welcome to all things Hampton Roads with the 2010-2011 edition of Living In Hampton Roads magazine, an annual regional resource guide for Southeastern Virginia’s Hampton Roads.

This year’s issue features the City of Hampton’s 400th Anniversary celebration, a quick start guide for new arrivals to the region and nine fully updated Business Section pages on “Regional Vision, Global Impact” revolving around economic development, employment opportunities and transportation (see pages 46-54).

Hampton Roads is one of the best places to raise a family. It’s good for business, too. If you want to learn more, click on the cover page for a down-loadable copy. Or, to order your full-color, glossy “coffee table copy,” visit Darden Publishing at http://DardenPublishing.net.

Comments and updated data sources are always welcome. Please contact this year’s Associate Editor for the Business Section:  Missy Schmidt at Missy@HRP.org.

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Jun
25

Hollywood Hampton Roads on TV

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Hollywood: Hampton Roads
Presented on Cox 11 by the Hampton Roads Film Office
Sundays @ 8pm

Hollywood: Hampton Roads is a new local talk show produced for Cox 11. Your hosts, Film Office commissioner, Jeff Frizzell, and local director, Hunter Thomas, will talk with local filmmakers about projects they are involved with now and in the future. Watch the premiere episode on Sunday, June 27th. Initially, six shows will air.

Each show will be comprised of two guests, email from viewers and a 3-minute “on the street” news segment with local comedian, actor and writer/director Jay Gates.

Hollywood: Hampton Roads will appear as a first-run on Sundays at 8:00pm on Cox 11 with repeat performances on Friday afternoons at 5:30 and Saturday afternoons at 5:00.

Get updates on the show at Facebook.

ABOUT THE HAMPTON ROADS FILM OFFICE
The Hampton Roads Film Office (HRFO) is division of the Hampton Roads Partnership (HRP). The primary purpose of the HRFO is to generate economic impacts in the Hampton Roads region by attracting film, television and related media projects and otherwise supporting the indigenous film industry.

HRFO works in conjunction with the Virginia State Film Office and is a member of the Association of Film Commissioners International. The office opened July 2006.

ABOUT COX
Cox 11 is your community station, proudly programmed and operated by Cox Communications in Hampton Roads, Virginia. It is our mission to connect with our neighbors throughout the region to deliver information, entertainment, sports and community insights.

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Jun
21

Community Foundations Merge

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The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation has formed as a result of the merger of The Portsmouth Community Foundation (PCF) and The Heron Foundation (HF). This  collaborative, regional, non-profit community organization is committed to helping the people of southeast Virginia make a positive impact on their communities.

“This is a time of tremendous excitement and opportunity for non-profits in the region,” said Foundation Board member Cliff Hayes. “The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation now will help unify civic engagement efforts in both Chesapeake and Portsmouth, elevating the profile of everyday philanthropy in the entire region and bringing much needed resources to the Chesapeake community as a result.”

The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation will focus on connecting people who care with causes large and small to benefit the communities it serves through the support of high-impact philanthropy, service and community involvement, leveraging the expertise of the legacy Portsmouth Community Foundation and the civic engagement efforts of the legacy Heron Foundation.

“Merging with The Portsmouth Community Foundation to create a larger organization was a natural next step for us,” said Steve Johnson, president of The Heron Foundation. “By merging its assets and expertise with our focus on civic engagement, community service and geographic reach into Chesapeake, we will be able to double the service area of the legacy organizations and offer resources and support to more than 1,000 non-profit organizations.”

Judi Luffman will become executive director of the new foundation. Luffman joined PCF in 2001 as executive director. She is a member of the board of directors of the Hampton Roads Estate Planning Council and Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council. Gloria Creecy, current president of The Portsmouth Community Foundation Board of Directors, will serve as president of the new foundation.

“The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation will help to ensure the needs of our region’s most vulnerable citizens are met for many years to come, as well as provide opportunities for the citizens of southeast Virginia to contribute their time and resources in ways that will have a meaningful impact on our community,” said Judge Richard S. Bray, president and chief executive officer, The Beazley Foundation. “The diversity of experience and representation from both cities ensures the Foundation’s efforts will be smart, strategic, inclusive and effective.”

By merging the assets and long-standing expertise of The Portsmouth Community Foundation with the civic engagement and geographic reach into the City of Chesapeake of the Heron Foundation, The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation will be able to double the service area of the legacy organizations and offer resources and support to more than 1,000 non-profit organizations.

The merger will be formally completed on July 1, 2010.

Mission Statement:  Connecting people who care with causes large and small to benefit the communities we serve.

Tagline:  Transforming lives by connecting caring people with community needs.

What We Want Our Stakeholders to Know: The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation is an organization committed to providing personalized, caring and community-focused expertise in philanthropy and civic involvement to support communities in Southeastern Virginia.

The SEVACF Focus: The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation focuses on connecting people who care with causes large and small to benefit the communities we serve.

What SEVACF Offers: The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation provides personalized, expert philanthropic and civic engagement guidance, opportunities and resources for regional non-profit organizations, individuals, donors and community stakeholders. The Foundation’s leadership is comprised of committed leaders and experts in the field of philanthropy, financial stewardship and non-profit leadership to provide those in need with the resources they need to be successful.

Photo:  Gloria Creecy and Steve Johnson (current Presidents of The Portsmouth Community Foundation and The Heron Foundation, respectively) make the announcement at The Heron Foundation’s Wine, Whiskey and Cigars fund raiser at Town Place Greenbrier, Sunday, May 16th.

More from Meghan Hoyer at The Virginian-Pilot:

When a handful of dedicated Chesapeake residents started the city’s Heron Foundation in 2008, officials with Portsmouth’s long-standing Community Foundation took note. The Portsmouth group reached out to the Heron founders, offering to help the new nonprofit. They talked about resources, employees and fundraising. And ultimately, they decided that one larger foundation could better help the region.

Starting July 1, the Portsmouth Community Foundation – which for 45 years has awarded grants, scholarships and donations to hundreds of local causes – will become the Southeast Virginia Community Foundation, serving both Portsmouth and Chesapeake, with assets of roughly $8.6 million.

The merger of the two groups follows a national and regional trend. Norfolk and Virginia Beach’s community foundations merged early this year to form the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. That group controls roughly $190 million in assets and donates to regional and city interests.

Bringing together Portsmouth and Chesapeake will draw in new donors to the older nonprofit, and help the city of Chesapeake more quickly establish a way to support community causes, officials said.

“More than a merger, this is a bunch of orphans who’ve been adopted by a loving family,” said Steve Johnson, president of the Heron Foundation and soon-to-be second vice president of the new organization. “They bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise into Chesapeake.”

The Heron Foundation had no paid staff, no offices, and roughly $100,000 in assets. Portsmouth Community Foundation, meanwhile, oversees about 100 separate funds. The organization acts as a philanthropic adviser, granting donations and endowments aimed at either specific issues or organizations.

The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation will hire a development director who will seek out donors throughout Chesapeake, said Judi Luffman, executive director of the Portsmouth Community Foundation. Luffman will head the newly merged organization, which has expanded its board to accommodate an equal number of members from Chesapeake and Portsmouth.

The new foundation also will move into a new office on High Street in Churchland. Towne Bank has donated use of a building to the regional community foundation for 10 years, Luffman said. Luffman said the merger will allow the cities to work on common issues, such as homelessness and affordable housing. She pointed to some charities already working across city lines, and said their efforts are ones the new foundation could support.

“There obviously are some things we can work on together, because of our borders and the proximity of some of our issues,” she said. “The dollar can go further by working for both cities.” Meanwhile, community events such as the Heron Foundation’s recent whiskey and cigar tasting may be expanded into Portsmouth as well, Johnson said.

Luffman said down the road, Hampton Roads’ community foundations may ultimately all become one. “It’s a possibility,” she said. “It’s a step toward regionalism that this area needs. I’m really glad community foundations can lead the way.”

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Jun
20

Discovering the Wonders of Hampton Roads, Virginia

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Story by Kelly Copeland; Photos courtesy of Virginia Living Museum

The Virginia Living Museum (VLM), located in Newport News, is a nationally accredited non-profit institution representing hundreds of Virginia’s native animal species. All regions of Virginia are showcased from the Chesapeake Bay and Blue Ridge Mountains to the Virginia Underground. KJ Jordan, the museum’s Group Sales Manager says, “The museum is an attraction but also an educational institution.”

No matter what your age there is something to learn. Have a question about a horseshoe crab? Just head over to the touch tank at one of the four Discovery Centers and one of the Museum’s dedicated volunteers will be happy to answer it.

One of the Museum’s most popular exhibits, “Dinosaurs and More,” is back for the summer. It is fascinating how the Apatosaurus, Maiasaura, and T-Rex move and interact with such realism. And for the first time, mammals from the Ice Age are on display including a family of saber tooth cats and the massive wholly mammoth. If after seeing the exhibit you want to learn more, the Museum’s gift shop is full of books and other merchandise that are packed with information.

Just last summer the Museum opened the Goodson House, a “Living Green House” environmental education center. As guests tour the house they learn all about the newest and best products and techniques to create a more environmentally friendly home. Some of the house’s features include a roof covered with living plants, alternative wall systems and insulation systems, and a geothermal heat pump and cooling unit. It is the first of its kind in Virginia.

Virginia Living Museum “Living Green” Exhibit

There are so many varied things to see at the Virginia Living Museum. A 3/4 mile boardwalk takes visitors past countless native animals including river otters, bald eagles, and the endangered red wolf. And while guests are outside, they can also stop at The Coastal Plain Aviary which showcases such coastal birds as pelicans and herons or check out The Butterfly Garden.

The schedule for the Abbitt Planetarium is packed for the summer. Several laser shows will be presented including Laser Country and Laser Pop. There is also a companion program to “Dinosaurs and More” called Dinosaur Prophecy. The presentation will explore four different dinosaur digs around the world. The museum’s website, www.thevlm.org, has the dates and times for all of the Planetarium’s shows.

The Virginia Living Museum truly has something for everyone and needs to be on everyone’s “To Do” list this summer.

Kelly Copeland is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she majored in Film Studies and minored in Theatre. While searching for the right position on her communication-focused career path, Kelly is interning at WCTV, the City of Chesapeake’s television station, where she is working on Channel 48 News and “Thinking Out Loud” among other programs. She’s also covering Tourism and Arts & Culture for the Hampton Roads blog. Contact Kelly at kellycplnd@gmail.com.

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Jun
20

Garden Celebration of the Arts

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Norfolk Botanical Garden, Photo credit:  Ryan Somma. For more of his pictures on Flickr, click the photo above.

Story and photos below by Kelly Copeland

In the middle of June in Hampton Roads, there is not a lovelier place than the Norfolk Botanical Garden.  And that was the setting for June Jazz 2010, an annual garden party and silent auction to benefit the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads.


Inside Rose Garden Hall the many guests, including some of the most prominent names in the Hampton Roads art community, were entertained by the smooth sounds of the Forte Jazz Band. They were served hors d’oeuvres and fine wine while surveying all of the marvelous items up for auction. The auctioned items ranged from oil paintings and Broadway tickets to golf packages, massages, and even a cooking class gift certificate.

And if anyone needed a bit of fresh air, they just stepped outside into the beautiful garden, where they were free to tour the grounds and view all of the breathtaking flora and fauna.  The evening was truly a celebration of the arts and a great opportunity for patrons to give and help support the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads.

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The Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads is a non-profit organization whose main goal is to aid in the development of successful and vibrant cultural establishments in the Hampton Roads area. The Cultural Alliance helps support more than 350 organizations in Hampton Roads including: world renowned museums, a premier opera company, a classical symphony and pops orchestra, a prominent regional performance theatre, a notable ballet academy, several community theaters, dance troupes, choral groups, art centers and galleries.

More on June Jazz:  http://smartregion.org/index.php?s=june+jazz

Kelly Copeland is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she majored in Film Studies and minored in Theatre. While searching for the right position on her communication-focused career path, Kelly is interning at WCTV, the City of Chesapeake’s television station, where she is working on Channel 48 News and “Thinking Out Loud” among other programs. She’s also covering Tourism and Arts & Culture for the Hampton Roads blog. Contact Kelly at kellycplnd@gmail.com.

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Jun
19

Virginia Beach City Manager Wins International Award for Career Excellence

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In recognition of his 41 years of outstanding public service, Virginia Beach City Manager James K. Spore has won a prestigious career award from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

The association has named Spore as the winner of its Mark E. Keane Award for Career Excellence. Spore was recognized for the body of his work spanning his entire career, culminating in the past 18 years as city manager of Virginia Beach.

The award honors “an outstanding chief local government administrator who has fostered representative democracy by enhancing the effectiveness of local elected officials and by consistently initiating creative and successful programs.”

Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. announced the award Tuesday, June 8th, at a meeting of the Virginia Beach City Council.  “Virginia Beach is without a doubt the best city in the nation, and I’ve always known that Jim Spore is the best City Manager in the nation.  This honor reinforces what our city has experienced for the past 18 years:  superlative management, vision, innovation and collaboration.”

Spore was nominated for the award by former Norfolk City Manager James Oliver and Virginia Beach Deputy City Manager Susan D. Walston.  According to James Keene, city manager of Palo Alto, Calif., Spore is known to be “Quiet, strong, fair, modest, helping others and always getting the job done. Virginia Beach, as a result, is routinely recognized as one of the most livable communities in the U.S. and one of the best managed.”

Under Spore’s leadership, Virginia Beach:

  • Successfully fought a decade-long battle to build the Lake Gaston water pipeline, which ensured the city’s water independence and economic future.
  • Created the hugely popular Town Center, a new downtown featuring a world-class performing arts center, the state’s tallest building (the 38-story Westin) and a dense core of offices, shops and restaurants.
  • Bought the 1,200-acre Lake Ridge property and turned it into Princess Anne Commons, a phenomenally successful incubator featuring a medical complex, an education complex, a sports complex and an amphitheater, honored as one of the best musical venues in the country.
  • Maintained its standing as one of the safest cities its size in America
  • Created a successful multi-year plan to save Naval Air Station Oceana, the city’s largest employer, after a threat to its existence by the U.S. Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC)
  • Built the Virginia Beach Convention Center, constructed a new Boardwalk with wider beach, and beautified the resort area, solidifying Virginia Beach’s reputation as a year-round destination.
  • Achieved a rare fiscal trifecta, winning the highest possible AAA bond rating from all three major rating services – during the worst economic recession in decades.

Spore, 65, began his public service career as an intern with the City of Elgin, Ill. He later served as served as director of community development for Elgin and Lakewood, Colo. and worked with the Department of Defense as a research analyst. Before arriving in Virginia Beach in November 1991, he was city manager of Garland, Texas, and Burnsville, Minn.

Spore holds three degrees — a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado and both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois.

Story and photo credit:  VBGov.com. Contact Mr. Spore at CMOffice@vbgov.com.

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About the Awards:
Eleven local governments and four individuals have been recognized for their outstanding programmatic and personal contributions through ICMA’s 2010 Annual Awards Program. These outstanding individuals and communities will be celebrated during the 96th ICMA Annual Conference, October 17-20, 2010, in San Jose, California.

ICMA’s Annual Awards Program recognizes creative contributions to professional local government management and demonstrates the value professional management contributes to the quality of life in our cities, towns, and counties. This year, an independent, 17-member evaluation panel reviewed more than 150 eligible nominations.

The ICMA awards are conferred in two categories: Professional Awards, which recognize individual achievement by outstanding chief administrative officers, assistant administrators, academics, and others; and Program Excellence Awards, which are presented to local governments and their chief administrators in recognition of their innovative and successful programs. ICMA congratulates the recipients of its 2010 Annual Awards.

The Award for Career Excellence in Honor of Mark E. Keane recognizes an outstanding chief local government administrator who has fostered representative democracy by enhancing the effectiveness of local elected officials and by consistently initiating creative and successful programs. Recipient: James K. Spore, city manager, Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Jun
19

Envision Transportation

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Envision Transportation:

The Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement (HRCCE), in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach has started a new public conversation about transportation possibilities and their far-reaching impacts.

This year-long project combines the power of visual imagery, new means of information distribution, and the extraordinary value of involving the community in imagining its transportation future.

During the process, citizens will have opportunities to outline future choices and express their preferences.

Visit the website, Envision Transportation to:

  • LEARN
    • About various modes of transportation – Bicycles, Light Rail, Bus Transit, Intercity Rail, Autos, Walkability, Low-speed vehicles;
    • About related consideration of transportation – Funding, Environment, Land Use, Special Needs, Transit Oriented Development, Culture;
    • About other cities and agencies – What best practices are being used by other cities? What are our local agencies and what do they do? and to
  • PARTICIPATE
    • Join the forum – Dialogue with others regarding various transportation topics. These discussions will be used as part of the final report;
    • Post images and videos – Share your worst and best pictures and videos of transportation concerns;
    • Use transportation toolbox – Check out and use innovative web tools that are related to transportation issues;
    • Register for e-Notices – Keep informed of meetings and website updates regarding this project.

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Jun
18

Study shows Virginia Coast is key to creating jobs

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From OW, Offshore Wind News

The development of a turbine manufacturing industry along Virginia’s coast is key to creating jobs and reducing the costs of offshore wind energy, according to the most detailed analysis yet of the state’s offshore wind prospects.

The report by the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium concludes that the development of an offshore supply industry in Hampton Roads would generate thousands of jobs and reduce the estimated kilowatt hour cost of energy generated by wind turbines off the coast.

“The greatest upside opportunity for reducing the cost of offshore wind energy in Virginia is to attract major elements of a Mid-Atlantic offshore wind supply chain to the state,” the report, Virginia Offshore Wind Studies, states.

Using existing coastal facilities, the manufacture of huge components needed to capture winds off the Virginia coast would create thousands of jobs, the study found.

“The shipbuilding and port facilities in Hampton Roads are well positioned to manufacture, stage and install foundations, towers and turbines anywhere on the Mid-Atlantic continental shelf,” wrote George Hagerman, who led the research.

“Attracting investment in offshore wind turbine manufacturing to our region would create thousands of new, career-length jobs and reduce offshore wind energy costs by 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour,” said Hagerman, who is with Virginia Tech’s Advanced Research Institute.

Other key findings of the study:

  • Researchers identified 25 leasing sectors that could generate 3,200 megawatts of offshore wind generating capacity without interfering with shipping lanes, Navy training or space launches from NASA’s Wallops Island facility on the Eastern Shore. The Navy and NASA have expressed concerns about offshore energy developments, and NASA has stated serious reservations about ocean structures within its flight path.
  • Turbine manufacturing in Virginia would decrease the capital costs of wind projects by 15 percent and generate an investment of $403 million in the local economy.
  • Within two decades, 9,700 to 11,600 jobs could be created with the development of 3,200 megawatts of offshore wind.
  • Research on the environmental impacts to shore and sea birds is scant and will require additional studies. A separate report will address that issue in June.

At least two energy companies have formally expressed interest in developing wind farms 12 miles off Virginia Beach.

Gov. Bob McDonnell has pushed for offshore energy development, including wind power, and a coalition of industry groups and seacoast mayors are lobbying for offshore wind.

“Virginia has a really unique asset when it comes to offshore winds,” said Maureen Matsen, the governor’s energy adviser. “We have a relatively shallow continental shelf but with very strong winds. That’s a very unusual combination.”

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OW is an independent online platform for professionals working in the field of offshore wind energy. Offshore wind energy is rapidly becoming an industry in its own right and strong growth of this sector is foreseen.

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