Newport News Now

MONDAY.JUNE 12.2017                                                                         United Way Organizations Merge to Have Greater Community Impact On Friday, the boards of United Way of Greater Williamsburg and United Way of the Virginia Peninsula voted to merge organizations. The newly merged United Way is serving the counties of Gloucester, New Kent, James City, Mathews, and York and the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg. The reformed organization is uniquely positioned to work with community leaders, businesses, policymakers, nonprofits and individuals to affect change on a scale that neither organization could achieve on its own. This merger unites already interconnected communities on the Peninsula and the Middle Peninsula to ensure a proactive approach to their most pressing needs. Read more... Hammer Tribute Unveiled Latest addition to the Newport News outdoor art gallery On Thursday, June 8th, the Newport News Public Arts Foundation unveiled the latest sculpture in their city-wide outdoor art gallery. Hammer Tribute is a “tribute to hardworking people” as described by sculptor Jim Benedict and is located at the International Distribution Center on the corner of City Center and Canon boulevards. According to the Newport News Public Arts Foundation website, this sculpture first came to Newport News when Benedict showed it at the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival in 2005. Read more... Virginia War Museum to Host World War I Reenactment Honors the 100th anniversary of American Mobilization for WWI On Saturday and Sunday, June 17-18, the Virginia War Museum in conjunction with the Great War Association is hosting America Mobilizes 1917, a WWI reenactment. The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Endview Plantation located at 362 Yorktown Road in Newport News. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into the Great War, visitors can experience an American Mobilization Camp preparing soldiers to go “over there.”  Read more... Follow us on our social media pages @CityofNN or City of Newport News for more updates! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email This newsletter is produced by City of Newport News. Content may be used with attribution. 2400 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607 If you no longer wish to receive emails from us, you may Unsubscribe. Powered by Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Endorsement for VA Governor Candidate

Dear friends,   Several weeks ago I informed you of my intention to endorse a candidate for Governor of Virginia. Today, I am ready to make that endorsement public. Over the past few years I've gotten to know Ed Gillespie, met with him privately and had some heart to heart conversations. I believe Ed is a solid conservative, that his faith is sincere and his desire to serve is real. Ed is pro-life, believes in the Constitution and religious liberty, supports school choice for parents, opposes gun control, supports secure borders and believes that government should balance its budget just as you and I have to do. Ed is working with every constituency in the Republican coalition - economic conservatives, social conservatives, Tea Party activists, evangelicals and members of the business community. He has also been reaching out to voters who are often ignored by Republican candidates. He has had several effective meetings with leaders and activists in the black community, and with other minority groups all over the Commonwealth. The response has been very encouraging. Ed is truly running a campaign for ALL VIRGINIANS. And he is focused on making this a better Commonwealth for ALL VIRGINIANS. Ed is the best candidate to unify the diverse elements of the Republican Party and bring in new voters as well. He is the candidate with the best chance of performing well in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and other areas that are critical to a statewide victory in November. Remember, in 2014, even after being outspent 3-1, Ed won Loudoun County and Chesapeake City. Those are crucial localities in a statewide race. With his broad base of support, Ed can beat either Northam or Periello at fundraising and outdo them when it comes to mobilizing the grassroots to vote as well. I have looked at this race every possible way, and I am thoroughly convinced that Ed Gillespie is by far the candidate with the best chance to bring home our first statewide victory since 2009. He came within a hair's breath of pulling it off in 2014 against the strongest Democrat in Virginia - Mark Warner. I believe that with our help, this time he will take it all the way. The moment I began to contemplate an endorsement I knew that some people would be disappointed. Others would be thrilled. It would have been safer for me to stay out of it, but I could not do that. There is too much at stake. The failure to take back the Governor's office will have disastrous long term implications. It would allow "progressives" to become so entrenched in Virginia that it might take a generation to dislodge them. In the meantime, the Commonwealth and our citizens will suffer under the yoke of far left control of the most powerful office in our state. We must not let this happen. We cannot afford to prolong the internal battle. The sooner we turn our attention to the general election, the better off our candidates are going to be. If my endorsement of Ed Gillespie hastens the end of the primary competition and helps galvanize Republicans to fall in behind him, I will consider it a service to the Commonwealth. I am urging all of my friends and supporters to start working for Ed, and on June 13, vote for Ed. That is what I am going to do. It is going to take unity and discipline to win in November. We must all be pulling in the same direction. I suggest we start now by falling in behind Ed Gillespie. As far as I am concerned, we have our ticket: Ed Gillespie for Governor, Jill Vogel for Lt. Governor and John Adams for Attorney General. Let's get behind them now, and defeat the Democrats.   God bless you, and may He bless our Commonwealth and give us victory in November.     For God & Country,     E. W. Jackson E. W. Jackson  Manage Subscription

Newport News Now

THURSDAY.MAY 18.2017                                                                         Hospitality Industry Employees Offered FREE Customer Service Training Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions available on May 22   Free customer service training is being offered to hospitality industry employees on May 22 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton. The seminar is designed to provide training to hospitality workers who come in contact with visitors to the region’s attractions, hotels, restaurants, retail establishments, etc. The event is sponsored by the Newport News Tourism Development Office, Newport News Hospitality Association, Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, and the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau. Read more... Tidewater Genealogical Society Holds USS Monitor Lecture Understanding the Monitor Boys presented by John V. Quarstein   In the last few years, interest in genealogy and family history has escalated. Newport News residents are fortunate to have a top notch genealogical association right in their back yard. The Tidewater Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging and sustaining interest in genealogical affairs through education and research programs designed to assist members in their search for ancestors. The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 20 at 10 a.m. at the 1884 Warwick Courthouse at 14415 Old Courthouse Way. John V. Quarstein, Director, USS Monitor Center, is presenting Understanding the Monitor Boys. The event is free and open to the public. Read more... Commuters to Detour Due to Railroad Repairs CSX Railroad has scheduled closures of various railroad crossings beginning Saturday, May 20 for the next several weeks. The closures are necessary to allow for repairs to be completed on the crossings. The closures require traffic to be rerouted, and signage will direct travelers to the detour routes. Each crossing is expected to be closed for two days. The length of closing is dependent upon weather or other unforeseen issues. The crossings to be closed and the start dates of the closings are as follows: Industrial Park – May 20 Harpersville Road – May 30 Elmhurst Street – June 5 Yorktown Road – June 5 Follow us on our social media pages @CityofNN or City of Newport News for more updates! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email This newsletter is produced by City of Newport News. Content may be used with attribution. 2400 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607 If you no longer wish to receive emails from us, you may Unsubscribe. Powered by Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.