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Wednesday July 31, 2013
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 3
table of contents
f.y.i.
Suffolk News-Herald July 2013 The 2013 F.Y.I and the Suffolk News-Herald are publications of Suffolk Publications, LLC. For more information call (757) 539-3437 or visit www.suffolknewsherald.com.
EDITORIAL R.E. Spears III - Editor Tracy Agnew - News Editor
5
Rabbit ears
From 1965 to 1987, General Electric’s television factory at 1 College Drive contributed to the city’s growth in a variety of ways.
7
Sticky situation
Peanut butter is a unique medium for artists who compete during the Suffolk Peanut Fest's peanut butter sculpture contest, which has been held annually for 20 years.
Matthew A. Ward - Staff Writer
Church Directory.......................6 Elected Officials....................... 8 Education.................................. 9 General Services.....................28
Titus Mohler - Staff Writer William Scott - Contributing Writer ADVERTISING Earl Jones - Marketing consultant Michaela Chesson - Marketing consultant Melissa Hamlin - Marketing consultant.
Directories and lists
16
Land transfer
Suffolk's Nansemond Indian Tribal Association hopes to build Mattanock Town on the land returned to them by the city in 2010.
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Lighthouse
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There’s a lighthouse in Suffolk — a real, working one — that has never pointed the way for a homebound vessel and, in fact, serves an entirely different purpose.
Design & Composition Beth Beck Land - Designer Beth Roughton - Designer Hope Rose - Advertising Composition Business office Cathy Daughtrey - Bookkeeper Publisher Steve Stewart
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23
Research titans
Suffolk has become a significant hub for agricultural research in the region. Its researchers work on real-world problems and seek to find solutions for growers.
30
Photo by R.E. Spears III
Scenes from peanut fest
From the midway to the Demolition Derby, the Suffolk Peanut Fest has more than enough fun for the whole family. Check out pictures from last year's event here.
Danny Culpepper, in white, fishes on Lake Meade with Mark Johnston. Fishing is a popular Suffolk pastime.
Page 4 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
Well, whaddya know? O
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ne of the special burdens of being a knowit-all is having to be right all the time. As I often tell my wife, it’s a tough job, but I’m happy to do it. If you’re a know-it-all about Suffolk, you might be tempted to think there’s nothing about the city that can surprise you. But we’re betting city officials were onto something years ago when they adopted “Surprising Suffolk” as the city’s marketing motto. Since then, city officials may have moved on to the more declarative “It’s a good time to be in Suffolk,” but that doesn’t make the subject of their efforts any less interesting. As we laid the groundwork for this year’s FYI section, we decided to build on the very popular “25 reasons we love Suffolk” theme of this year’s Strides edition, published in February in the Suffolk News-Herald. What occurred to us during those early discussions were some of the interesting tidbits we’ve learned about Surprising Suffolk in the course of covering the city’s normal news cycle. For instance, it won’t be all that surprising to someone who has made the drive from Eclipse to Camp Pond, but Suffolk is a very large place.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of about 429 square miles, 400 of which are on land. That makes it the biggest city in Virginia in terms of total land area. With a population of about 85,000 in 2010, Suffolk is Virginia’s 10th most populous independent city. That number was up by about a third from the 2000 census, making Suffolk one of the fastest-growing communities in Virginia. At that pace, it could outgrow the cities of Roanoke and Portsmouth before the end of the decade. And yet, there are parts of the city that feel as remote as any place on Earth. Even in these days of satellite mapping, people still occasionally get lost to the point of needing rescue in the vastness of the Great Dismal Swamp. And the total number of Suffolk residents who have ever seen the remote South Quay Sandhills Natural Area Preserve would probably fit in a small camping tent. So even for a self-identified know-it-all like me, there are parts of Suffolk that still retain their mystery. Exposing some of those mysteries is a big part of the point of this special section. I learned a few things (don’t tell my wife). I hope you will, too. - R.E. Spears III
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 5
TV factory expanded horizons By Titus Mohler Staff Writer
Suffolk would not be what it is today if it were not for television. From 1965 to 1987, General Electric’s television factory at 1 College Drive contributed to the city’s growth in a variety of ways. The facility also held a position of great importance within the company during that period. The factory was known as the Consumer Electronics Business Operations headquarters for GE. It was located behind the area now known as Harbor View, alongside the Nansemond River. Robert Stell remembers starting as a forklift driver at the factory in 1966 and watching as the whole operation aided the development of North Suffolk during the next two decades. “This was the impetus to make those things happen, to open up those places
in their infancy,” he said. The housing market exploded as business boomed for GE. The factory went from gathering components, manufacturing, assembling and packaging 12-inch black and white TVs to having at least eight product lines operational at any given time. GE handled the management of its consumer electronics in New York, but Stell noted, “A lot of the management people relocated here.” The Suffolk facility was prepared to meet the needs of the business in ways that the New York location no longer could. At one point, about 5,000 people in Suffolk and the surrounding area were employed at the College Drive location. Stell’s resume with the company illustrates the array of jobs that were available at this one place. He went from forklift driver to the marketing group, where he served
as a parts cataloging specialist, and he later become the finished goods warehouse supervisor. Finally, Stell settled in as the supervisor of customer relations after the facility assumed nationwide responsibility for that department. GE’s presence in Suffolk influenced more than just the people who it employed. “It benefited existing vendors and also probably created a few,” Stell said. The facility required a great deal of resources to run and was customer of companies such as Portsmouth Tool and Die Corp. and Atlantic Shipping and Packaging Inc. in Norfolk. “There were other businesses that set up in the factory,” like Aramark Refreshment Services and its vending machines, Stell recalled. Some time
after GE purchased RCA and began producing that company’s televisions, efforts were made to combine the two companies’ consumer electronics divisions into an attractive package to sell to another company. Company officials decided to move the Suffolk operations to Indianapolis. Stell complimented GE for giving workers adequate notice and giving some the option to relocate. He worked for a time as a consultant after the factory closed, opting to stay local. But he was immensely grateful for the 21 years of employment. “It gave me a tremendous amount of ability, but it also gave me confidence to do things later in life,” he said. Stell, like Suffolk, experienced positive growth thanks to GE’s TV factory.
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Fred Habit Photography Studio
GE: An aerial view shows GE’s Consumer Electronics Business Operations headquarters in Suffolk during the year 1981. The Finished Goods warehouse extended out to the left along the bank of the Nansemond River while the TV factory extended inland. Further inland and to the right of the factory is the Customer Relations office. GE’s facility was open from 1965-1987 and at one time employed about 5,000 people. CMYK
Page 6 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
S
directory local churches
uffolk has a strong and diverse faith community. Below is a listing of some of Suffolk’s many churches. Every effort was made to include everyone. If your church was left out, make sure to let us know at 5393437 so we can include it next year.
African Methodist Episcopal Macedonia AME Church 127 Pine St. 539-4502 Saint Mark’s AME Zion Church 817 McKinley Ave. 539-5560 Apostolic Faith Temple Apostolic Church 476 Wellons St. 934-2735
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Assembly of God Bethel Assembly of God Church 8904 S. Quay Road 657-6188 Baptist Diamond Grove Baptist Church 6890 Crittenden Road 255-4770
Little Grove Baptist Church 6320 Old Town Point Road 484-4496
Olive Branch Baptist Church 5200 Milners Road 255-7348
Oak Grove Baptist Church 2635 E. Washington St. 539-8012
Crosspointe Freewill Baptist Church 100 E. Constance Road 923-9059
Greater First Baptist Church Orlando 600 Factory St. 539-0032
Gethsemane Baptist Church 1656 Copeland Road 539-5894
Wilroy Baptist Church 306 Williams Road 539-5658
Canaan Baptist Church 2064 Nansemond Parkway 538-1841
First Baptist Church — Suffolk 237 N. Main St. 539-4152
Sixth Street Baptist Church 324 Goodman St. 539-6629
First Baptist Church — Mahan Street 112 Mahan St. 539-6623
Holland Baptist Church 6519 Holland Road 657-2424
Nansemond River Baptist Church 2896 Bridge Road 484-3423 West Suffolk Baptist Church 2400 Holland Road 705-5431 Missouri Baptist Church 2020 Lake Cohoon Road 934-1176
West End Baptist Church 105 Saint James Ave. 539-8771
Little Mount Zion Baptist Church 3288 Pruden Blvd. 539-1991
Saint Paul Baptist Church 806 Lincoln Ave. 539-9692
East End Baptist Church 523 E. Washington St. 539-3324
First Baptist Church 112 Mahan St. 539-6623
Southside Baptist Church 917 Carolina Road 539-6629
New Hope Baptist Church 4260 Pughsville Road 484-8939
Palm Tree Baptist Church 8165 Whaleyville Blvd. 986-4303
New First Baptist Church 1105 Hosier Road 934-0833
Pleasant Union Baptist Church 215 Webb St. 539-0367
Liberty Baptist Church 116 Romans Road 539-3511
Mount Sinai Baptist Church 6100 Holy Neck Road 657-6212
Great Fork Baptist Church 180 Great Fork Road 986-4185
Hillcrest Baptist Church 1637 Holland Road 539-8801
Little Bethel Baptist Church 6533 Everets Road 255-4945 Healing Chapel Baptist Church 2375 Godwin Blvd. 934-0527 Macedonia Baptist Church 8300 Crittenden Road 238-2562 Metropolitan Baptist Church 125 County St. 539-2696 Mineral Springs Baptist Church 4849 Mineral Spring Road 986-3994 Catholic St. Mary of the Presentation Catholic Church 202 S. Broad St. 539-5732 Christian Open Door Church 816 Kings Fork Road 934-2671 Greater Sweet Beulah Holiness Church 137 Maple St. 539-9535 New Paul’s Temple Holiness Church of Deliverance 720 Hosier Road 539-0498
Word and Spirit Worship Center 1607 Bridge Road 729-9712
Episcopal St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 213 N. Main St. 539-2478
New Mount Joy Food for Living Ministries 307 County St. 539-2931
Glebe Episcopal Church 4400 Nansemond Parkway 538-8842
New Life Suffolk 540 E. Constance Road 539-7001 Faith House of Refuge 461 E. Washington St. 538-0808 Berea Christian Church 4109 Driver Lane 538-8872 Bethlehem Christian Church 1549 Holland Road 539-4274 Bethlehem Christian Church 312 Bute St. 539-1167 Liberty Spring Christian Church 4213 Whaleyville Blvd. 986-4403 Mount Zion Christian Church 9061 Eclipse Drive 238-2477 Oakland Christian Church 5641 Godwin Blvd. 255-4353 Saint John Christian Church 1226 White Marsh Road 925-4885 Suffolk Christian Church 216 N. Main St. 539-9182 Tabernacle Christian Church 2500 E. Washington St. 539-7257 Trinity Christian Church 128 Franklin St. 539-7275 Church of God in Christ Saint Mary’s COGIC 3636 Nansemond Parkway 538-0155 Gates of Heaven COGIC 112 Beech St. 539-3856
Saint John’s Episcopal Church 828 Kings Highway 255-4168 Saint Mark Episcopal Church 140 Tynes St. 934-0830 Friends (Quaker) Somerton Friends Meeting 5239 Quaker Drive 539-6574 Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4759 Bennetts Pasture Road 538-9218 Lutheran Faith Lutheran Church 2730 Bridge Road 686-0468 Methodist Ebenezer United Methodist Church 1589 Steeple Drive 238-2359 Main Street United Methodist Church 202 N. Main St. 539-8751 Magnolia United Methodist Church 1764 Wilroy Road 538-8552 Oxford Methodist Church 601 W. Washington St. 539-8253 Providence United Methodist Church 3105 Providence Road 539-9582 Somerton United Methodist Church 8610 Whaleyville Blvd. 810-9397 Virginia Korean United Methodist Church 5701 Lee Farm Lane 484-5988 See CHURCHES page 12
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 7
Nutty competition is unique
Peanut butter an unusual medium for artists By William Scott Correspondent
The world has any number of contests for artists, but there is only one in which the participating artists sculpt their works out of peanut butter. In the annual celebration of all things related to the peanut, the Suffolk Peanut Fest will continue its annual peanut butter sculpture contest this year. The competition has been held annually for about 20 years. The sculpture contest will be held on Saturday during Peanut Fest 2013, which is set for Oct. 10-13 at the Suffolk Executive Airport. The event is sponsored by Producer’s Peanut Co., Inc., a peanut company that has existed since 1924, which provides the peanut butter used for the sculptures. Entry into the competition is free. Contestants are given a specially made block of peanut butter that is about a cubic foot in size. These blocks are thicker than regular peanut butter, and they’re not made to be eaten. An apron, latex gloves, and knives for sculpting are also given to participants. Competitors have about 20 minutes to sculpt their blocks. First-, second- and third-place winners will receive a congratulatory ribbon. After the competition, sculptures are set up for display. Once the Peanut Fest closes for the day, the sculptures are disposed of. Each year, about 20 people sign up to take part in the peanut butter sculpture contest. This includes the nine princesses and Peanut Fest queen. The two co-chairmen of the peanut fest, Jack Brinkley and Butch Twiford, also will join in on the competition. Joe Hoppel, former D.J. for country radio station WCMS, has been the announcer for the peanut butter sculpture contest in recent years. Judges for the event usually include sponsors for the Peanut Fest. Previous sculptures include Mr. Peanut, Peanut Fest mascot P-Nutty, the sun, a mermaid and even an octopus. Several sculpCMYK
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tures have also touched upon important topics such as breast cancer awareness and the World Trade Center tragedy. Many times, contestants will stick to the annual theme of the Peanut Fest. This year’s theme is “Bootscootin’, shell crushing good times”. “It’s a fun, unusual, unique event,” said Lisa Key, festival director. The event usually manages to draw in about a hundred onlookers. “We always have a good crowd around the tables we set up.” Heat can become a problem for the peanut butter sculpture contest. If temperatures are high enough, then the peanut butter blocks may not be set up until the last moment to delay melting. Despite this, the competition has never been canceled, even in poor weather conditions. “We’ve managed to pull it off, even if it has rained a little bit.” Peanut Fest will be open on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For scenes from previous Peanut Fests, turn to Page 30.
File photoS
Peanut butter creations: At top, Peanut Butter Sculpture Contest participants mold their creations at the 2012 competition. Above, Suffolk spelled with a peanut was one of the creations at the 2012 contest.
Page 8 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
directory elected officials CMYK
Suffolk City Council Mayor Linda T. Johnson Phone: 514-4018 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016 Chuckatuck Borough Michael D. Duman Phone: 499-9688 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014 Cypress Borough Vice Mayor Charles F. Brown Phone: 934-0940 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014 Holy Neck Borough Jeffrey L. Gardy Phone: 539-0350 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014
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Nansemond Borough Lue R. Ward Jr. Phone: 377-6929 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016
Constitutional Officers Clerk of the Circuit Court W. Randolph Carter Jr. Phone: 514-7800
Sleepy Hole Borough Roger W. Fawcett Phone: 377-8641 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016
Commissioner of the Revenue Thomas A. Hazelwood Phone: 514-4260
Suffolk Borough Charles D. Parr Sr. Phone: 539-1384 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014 Whaleyville Borough Curtis R. Milteer Sr. Phone: 934-0630 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016
Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Phillips Ferguson Phone: 514-4365 Sheriff Raleigh H. Isaacs Sr. Phone: 514-4000 Treasurer Ronald H. Williams Phone: 514-4275
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Suffolk Public Schools School Board Chuckatuck Borough Linda W. Bouchard Phone: 255-2202 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014 Cypress Borough Lorraine B. Skeeter Phone: 539-6593 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014 Holy Neck Borough Enoch C. Copeland, vice chairman Phone: 657-6179 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014
Nansemond Borough Judith Brooks-Buck Phone: 647-8842 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016 Sleepy Hole Borough Diane B. Foster Phone: 538-8285 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016 Suffolk Borough Michael J. Debranski, chairman Phone: 934-0194 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2014 Whaleyville Borough Phyllis C. Byrum Phone: 986-4054 Term expires: Dec. 31, 2016
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 9
Education provides a foundation for Suffolk’s kids
B
eyond simple reading, writing and arithmetic, the demands of the 21st-century workforce place new demands on education, beginning at the preschool level. The city of Suffolk is home to public and private schools, a vocational school and two centers for higher learning — all in an effort to educate tomorrow’s leaders today. In neighboring communities, there are also several excellent choices of colleges and universities for the recent high school graduate or adults returning for a diploma. Across the city, there are 12 public elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools and an alternative program. The area is also home to two private schools, a vocational school and a community college.
Public schools Public schools have come a long way in Suffolk since the first one opened here in 1871. At that time, schools operated three months of the year. The first “modern” school building opened in 1893 at the corner of Saratoga and Market streets. Today, Suffolk Public Schools offers a comprehensive program for grades K-12, in addition to special programs for gifted students, students with disabilities, remedial instruction in basic skills, advanced placement classes, alternative education, preschool and vocational education. There were about 14,438 students enrolled in public schools as of September 2010. The system recently approved a $143 million operating budget for the 2010-2011 school year. The overall student-to-teacher ratio is 25-to-1, and there is a computer-to-student ratio of 3.5-to-1. To see how city schools fare in comparison with other divisions across the region and state, contact the School Administrative Offices or visit the Virginia Department of Education’s website: www.doe.virginia. gov/
Creekside Elementary 1000 Bennett’s Creek Park Road Phone: 923-4251 Principal: Katrina Rountree Driver Elementary 4270 Driver Lane Phone: 923-4106 Principal: Melodie Griffin
File photo
Last day: Teachers at Booker T. Washington Elementary School wave goodbye on the last day of school for the 2012-2013 school year.
Elephant’s Fork Elementary 2316 William Reid Drive Phone: 923-5250 Principal: Andre Skinner Florence Bowser Elementary 4540 Nansemond Parkway Phone: 923-4164 Assistant Principal: Cheryl Riddick Hillpoint Elementary 1101 Hillpoint Road Phone: 923-5252 Principal: Ronald Leigh Kilby Shores Elementary 111 Kilby Shores Drive Phone: 934-6214 Principal: Lori Mounie Mack Benn Jr. Elementary 1253 Nansemond Parkway Phone: 934-6224 Principal: Keith Hubbard
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Nansemond Parkway Elementary 3012 Nansemond Parkway Phone: 923-4167 Principal: Chanel Bryant
Elementary Schools
Northern Shores Elementary 6701 Respass Beach Road Phone: 923-4169 Principal: Tara Moore
Booker T. Washington Elementary 204 Walnut St. Phone: 934-6226 Principal: David E. Reitz
Oakland Elementary 5505 Godwin Blvd. Phone: 923-5248 Principal: Temesha Dabney See EDUCATION page 12
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Page 10 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
Testing, testing Volvo Penta’s Eclipse location one of two in the world By William Scott Correspondent
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Located in the small village of Eclipse, the Volvo Penta test facility is the only marine testing facility of its brand in North America. Gas and diesel engines, transmissions as well as other marine necessities such as electronics, propellers and emissions are tested at the facility. Established in 1994, the Volvo Penta test facility evaluates the quality of Volvo Penta marine products. The location is ideal because of the site’s unique access to both freshwater and saltwater trails. In addition, the area is sheltered, allowing for testing in calm water, even when the weather is less than agreeable. The company tests prototypes and components of its products before sending them into the manufacturing stream. The products to be tested are sent to the facility, where they are outfitted on boats for assessment. Volvo Penta has built a great reputation with the community. Forty percent of employees who work at the test facility hail from Suffolk and Isle of Wight. In addition, staff members routinely participate in local events, such as “Clean the Bay Day.” Bob Crocker, who manages the test center, is a member of the board of directors for the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance.
D.B.Bowles Jewelers Best Cash for Gold Best & Fine Jewelry
William Scott/Suffolk news-Herald
Testing: Shannon Gay, senior technician at the Volvo Penta Test Facility, moves a large boat by forklift. The facility utilizes 28 boats for testing products.
In 2003, the test facility was hit hard by Hurricane Isabel, which destroyed the docks and boatel and flooded the main building. Wasting no time, the staff was able to get the facility back into usable condition in three days, testing products again despite the lack of electricity. It took a year to repair the facility fully. The hurricane, however, was a bit of a blessing in disguise, as it allowed the establishment to be rebuilt better than it was before. “We did a lot of great upgrades to the facility,” explained Crocker. “All new docks, new boatel, it’s a much nicer looking facility now than it was then.” Employees also used the experience to better prepare themselves and the facility for future hurricanes. Procedures such as where to place the boats and store hazardous materials such as lubrication and paint were put into place in the event that another catastrophic hurricane hits the area. The facility operates on three basic principles of safety, quality and environment. The company especially stresses the environmental aspect of these prin-
ciples. “It’s a core value of the Volvo group,” said Lindsy Shrewsberry, marketing and communications specialist. “It’s at the forefront of our consciousness all the time.”
In 2005, the facility was designated as a “Clean Marina” by the state. The only other Volvo Penta test facility is located in Sweden. That facility is equipped to test larger diesel engines that are over six liters.
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 11
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Page 12 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I. Education continued from page 9
Southwestern Elementary 9301 Southwestern Blvd. Phone: 934-6213 Principal: Christopher Phillips
Middle Schools
214 Kenyon Road Phone: 925-5790 Principal: Douglas Wagoner Nansemond River High 3301 Nansemond Parkway Phone: 923-4101 Principal: Thomas McLemore
Forest Glen Middle 200 Forest Glen Drive Phone: 925-5780 Principal: Melvin Bradshaw
Alternative Program
John F. Kennedy Middle 2325 E. Washington St. Phone: 934-6212 Principal: Vivian Covington
Turlington Woods 629 Turlington Road Phone: 934-6215 Principal: Pamela Lipscomb
John Yeates Middle 4901 Bennett’s Pasture Road Phone: 923-4105 Principal: Daniel O’Leary
Governor’s School
King’s Fork Middle 350 Kings Fork Road Phone: 923-5246 Principal: Jennifer K. Presson
High Schools King’s Fork High 351 Kings Fork Road Phone: 923-5240 Principal: Stenette Byrd III Lakeland High
The Governor’s School for the Arts, located in Norfolk, offers intensive study in five arts areas: dance, vocal and instrumental music, visual arts, theater arts and performing arts. The programs are designed for students who demonstrate strong interests and abilities in their field. Students who enroll in the school take academic classes in the mornings at their home schools and attend the arts school in the afternoons for three hours. Auditions are conducted annually or on an as-needed basis. Students
should see their guidance counselors for information.
Vocational Center The Pruden Center for Industry and Technology is the regional school designed to serve students from the city of Suffolk and Isle of Wight County who want to pursue industrial and technical programs. Adult education and recreational classes are also offered. Adults seeking classes to enhance their job opportunities or to achieve their GED should contact the center at 925-5651, at www. prudencenter.net, or visit at 4169 Pruden Blvd.
School Administration You may contact the division offices for information or inquiries regarding the Suffolk Public Schools. School administrative offices are located at 100 N. Main St. The main phone number is 925-6750. The administration includes: 4 Deran Whitney, Ed.D., superintendent 4 Wendell M. Waller, School
Board attorney 4 Jacqueline C. Chavis, deputy superintendent 4 Kevin L. Alston, chief of operations 4 F. Terry Napier, director of facilities and planning 4 John W. Littlefield, director of technology 4 Suzanne R. Rice, director of human resources 4 Susan M. Redmon, purchasing manager 4 Bethanne D. Bradshaw, public information and community relations officer 4 Randolph Boone, coordinator of pupil personnel 4 Gail V. Bess, coordinator of career and technical education and adult education 4 Pamela B. Connor, director of elementary leadership 4 Douglas B. Dohey, director of secondary leadership 4 Lonnie C. Reavis, coordinator of transportation 4 Janice F. White, supervisor of health services 4 Antoine Hickman, director of special education 4 Julie H. Masters, supervisor of special education 4 Dianne S. Rusnak, supervisor of special education
4 Diane S. Glover, supervisor of special education 4 Corey D. Hamlin, supervisor of alternative education 4 Steven D. Edwards, supervisor of research and testing 4 Melody J. Mondell, data analyst/program evaluator 4 Kimberly L. McGrath, supervisor of English K-12 4 Katrina S. Cary, supervisor of history/social sciences K-12 4 Ashley R. Alston, supervisor of math K-12 4 Catherine E. Walsh, supervisor of science K-12
Community college Paul D. Camp Community College Suffolk Campus: Suffolk Campus: 271 Kenyon Road, 569-6700. Web: www.pdc.edu. PDCCC offers oneand two-year vocational, technical and college-level programs in Western Tidewater. More than 30 areas of study are offered to students at Suffolk, Franklin and Smithfield campuses.
Area colleges and universities Christopher Newport University
1 University Place, Newport News, 594-7000. Web: www.cnu.edu/. Four-year liberal arts university. The College of William and Mary P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, 221-4000. Web: www.wm.edu. Four year college with schools in arts and sciences. Eastern Virginia Medical School P.O. Box 1980, Norfolk, 446-5600. Web: www.evms.edu. Communitybased medical school. Hampton University Downtown Hampton, 727-5328. Web: www.hamptonu.edu. Privately-endowed, non-profit, historically black university. Norfolk State University 700 Park Ave., Norfolk, 823-8600. Web: www.nsu.edu. Historically black university. Old Dominion University Hampton Blvd., Norfolk, 683-3685. Web: www.odu.edu. A statesupported metropolitan university. Virginian Wesleyan College 1584 Wesleyan Drive, Norfolk, 4553200. Web: www.vwc.edu. Small, residential, private school.
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CHURCHES continued from page 6
Whaleyville United Methodist Church 6312 Whaleyville Blvd. 986-4587
Pentecostal Suffolk Pentecostal Church 100 Kilby Shores Drive 539-1096
Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church 3488 Godwin Blvd. 539-0540
Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church 220 Kings Highway 255-2259
Rising Saint James Pentecostal Holiness Church 201 N. Sixth St. 539-7026
Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church 1885 Bridge Road 238-3550
Beech Grove United Methodist Church 4245 Driver Lane 538-8353
Presbyterian Suffolk Presbyterian Church 410 N. Broad St. 539-3213
Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Saint Paul RZUA Church 615 Spruce St. 539-2742
Seventh-Day Adventist Capernaum Seventh-Day Adventist Church 314 York St. 934-3518
1860 Airport Road 934-0986 Galatians United Church of Christ 2320 Manning Road 934-0897
Synagogue Temple Beth El 3927 Bridge Road 484-3926
Holland United Church of Christ 6733 S. Quay Road 657-6681
United Church of Christ Mount Ararat Christian United Church of Christ
Laurel Hill United Church of Christ 8001 S. Quay Road
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657-6234 Antioch United Church of Christ 900 Hull Ave. 539-0667 Corinth Chapel United Church of Christ 7945 Corinth Chapel Road 569-9367 Zion United Church of Christ 5200 Quaker Road 934-0223
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 13
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William Scott/suffolk news-herald
Lake Drummond: Deloras Freeman, Visitor Service Specialist at the Great Dismal Swamp, stands in front of Lake Drummond.
Fresh water Lake Drummond is nearly unique in Virginia
By William Scott Correspondent
At 3,100 acres, two-and-ahalf to three miles across in any direction and a maximum depth of six feet, Lake Drummond is CMYK
one of only two natural lakes in Virginia. Situated in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp, the lake is one of the area’s great natural attractions. “I think of the lake as a dinner plate,” said Deloras Freeman,
Great Dismal Swamp visitor service specialist, regarding the unusual configuration of the lake. “It’s very shallow, but it has a bit of a lip around the edge.” The lake remains about knee deep for about a half a mile from the
edge. About 4,000 years ago, a forest fire began in the area where the Great Dismal Swamp now exists. The fire burned into the sand below the layer of peat that gives Lake Drummond its char-
acteristic tea color. This scar on the peat accumulated water over time until it eventually filled and became a lake. In 2011, the Lateral West Fire ravaged the Great Dismal Swamp See DRUMMOND page 14
Page 14 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
'Despite the murky appearance, the water is actually very pure because of the high acidic level. The opacity also causes the lake to be highly reflective.'
DRUMMOND continued from page 13
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area near the edge of Lake Drummond. Elevations in the area damaged by the fire dropped three to five feet. Had the fire persisted, officials say, Lake Drummond would have been enlarged in the same manner in which it was formed. With a pH range of 4.6-5.0, Lake Drummond is notably acidic as a result of seepage from the peat around it, which also gives the water its color and makes it hard to see anything beyond a few inches below the surface. Because of this, light does not penetrate the water well, meaning there is little to no vegetation beneath the s u r -
face. As a result, almost of the fish in the lake are carnivorous, such as crappie, catfish and gar. The only fish that can eat vegetation that inhabits the lake is the golden shiner, an omnivorous algae eater. Despite the murky appearance, the water is actually very pure because of the high acidic level. The opacity also causes the lake to be highly reflective. “The waves break rapidly. I’ve seen waves crashing over the end of the pier,” Freeman said of the lake’s appearance during harsh weather. “When it does that, because of the chemistry in the lake, it tends to foam a lot. When it foams with this groundwater, it looks just like a root beer float.”
The lack of natural freshwater lakes in the state is due to the scarcity of glaciers that formed thousands of years ago. These glaciers were far more common in the north, which in turn made more glacial scars for water to accumulate. Mountain Lake in Giles County is Virginia’s only other freshwater lake. Lake Drummond got its name from William Drummond, who discovered it while part of a hunting party in the 1600s. Due to tragic events, Drummond was the only one in his party who was able to leave the area alive. He eventually became the first colonial governor of North Carolina. Ultimately, though, Drummond was convicted of treason and hanged.
William Scott/suffolk news-herald
Murky but clean: Due to the acidity of the water, Lake Drummond is noticeably opaque. Despite only being about a foot deep near the edge, it is difficult to see the submerged portions of the stones.
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Page 16 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
Land transfer
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Mattanock Town marks a historic give-back By Tracy Agnew News Editor
Most folks have heard about the city of Suffolk’s historic decision in 2010 to turn over land in Lone Star Lakes Park back to the Nansemond Indian Tribal Association, whose ancestors lived there when European settlers came to the area. But what many don’t know is that it marked what is believed to be one of the first five times in history a municipal government in America has agreed to return native land to the area’s first
inhabitants. The tribe hopes to construct an authentic Indian village — called Mattanock Town after one of its villages of old — with displays and attractions, nature trails, gardens, a museum and gift shop, a tribal center, powwow grounds and reburial grounds. The project would be an educational resource and tourist attraction. The Nansemond tribe originally settled along the Nansemond River in a series of villages. The tribe was the southernmost See MATTANOCK page 20
file photos
Powwow: Dancers make their way around the dance circle at the 2012 powwow. The tribe's Mattanock Town project is set to include powwow grounds, as well as an authentic village, gardens, historical displays and more.
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 17
Site harbors explosive history By Matthew A. Ward Staff Writer
Stretching into the Nansemond River near the North Suffolk terminus of the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, ghostly-looking remnants of a “pier to nowhere” stretch from the western headland. Motorists wonder: What was it for? When shells rained down in western France and Belgium, toward the end of World War I, many falling on the Allies’ enemies had been loaded from the Nansemond County structure onto waiting ships. John Haynes, resident archaeologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Norfolk Division, said the 4,800-foot pier sported railroad tracks to speed delivery of explosives. “The peak was 1,500 tons a day of ordnance” seven days a week, Haynes said. Francis Hough first settled the land around Pig Point, and Thomas Burbage owned tracts along nearby Streeter Creek, according to U.S. Army records cited by Haynes. The U.S. Army bought 271 acres in 1917, naming the site Pig Point General Ordnance Supply Depot. By late spring 1918, 37 buildings provided temporary storage for the French government of 2.5 million pounds of artillery powder. An additional 226 acres were purchased that summer, and the dock was completed that July. “Especially in the beginning, they were pretty heavily focused on powder and fixed ammunition for the 75mm howitzer,” Haynes said. “They were the most common gun of the Allies; the French had thousands of CMYK
them.” By October 1918, various structures included four types of magazines, barracks, a hospital, and machine shop, where the 62-1/2 ton locomotive was housed. Other features included a rail yard, an Orton-Steinbrenner locomotive crane, and 26 miles of railroad track, including a 150-car yard. The post struggled under the weight of shipments in November 1918. An African-American unit worked under floodlights by night as operations went round-the-clock. By Christmas 1918 — after the Armistice had been inked — ammunition returned from Europe via the depot, including some captured from the enemy that was sent on to a test facility in Aberdeen, Md. “They built the pier to get to water deep enough to load the ships,” Haynes said. “They had bought the land from a company called the Nansemond Terminal Corporation, which had planned to build a steamship wharf but didn’t make a go of it, because deep water was too far away.” The depot and the pier suffered several fires through the years, including two that killed three men apiece. It was renamed the Nansemond Ordnance Depot in August 1929. With World War II, the facility again shipped and received large quantities of ammunition. It was transferred to the Navy and became known as the U.S. Marine Corps Supply Forwarding Annex in 1950, and 10 years later was declared surplus. A Civil War battery was located at Pig Point, and the site’s post-1960 life as a center of education is yet another chapter, with the story set to continue as Tidewater Community College and the city of Suffolk eye a to-befinalized mixed-use development. The contamination that comes with a former munitions depot is how the corps and Haynes became involved. “I would hope there is space for public use, whatever they do with it,” said Haynes, who grew up nearby. “It’s a lovely piece of waterfront property.”
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Matthew A. Ward/Suffolk News-Herald
Archeologist: John Haynes, an archaeologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has researched the history of the former ordnance depot at Pig Point in North Suffolk, where a now-decayed pier, visible behind him, was used to load World War I ammunition.
Page 18 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
Tophat tally By Tracy Agnew News Editor
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Mr. Peanut, that natty nut who was born in Suffolk and has represented Planters Peanuts for nearly a hundred years, hasn’t ended his connection to the southern city from whence he came. He may be a seasoned world traveler — after all, he has been on the front of Planters products distributed around the globe for almost a century. But he’s still here in Suffolk, as life-size and dapper as the day he was born. Mr. Peanut came into the world drawn on a sheet of paper by Suffolk teen Antonio Gentile in 1916, when Planters founder Amedeo Obici sponsored a local contest to create an advertising icon for the company. Antonio, who lived in the Hall Place neighborhood — only a stone’s throw from the Planters factory — added arms and legs to Mr. Peanut and won the contest. A professional artist later added Mr. Peanut’s top hat and cane, and the monocled mascot sprang onto Planters products and has become one of the world’s most-recognized advertising symbols. But that doesn’t mean he’s not still at home here in Suffolk. In fact, at least 17 Mr. Peanut statues adorn Peanut City. Those 17 are available to be seen by the public, and there likely are more owned by individuals in Suffolk. A dozen of the Mr. Peanut statues watch over the Planters factory on Culloden Street. There used to be more around the old factory, but they were taken down when the factory was rebuilt. Those missing old statues are some of those thought to potentially
exist today in private homes around Suffolk. Perhaps the best-known Mr. Peanut statue in Suffolk is at Character Corner at the intersection of Main and Washington streets downtown. The Planters company erected the statue in 1991 to mark the 75th anniversary of Mr. Peanut. Almost within sight of his birthplace in Hall Place, the Character Corner Mr. Peanut stands watch over the traffic coming and going through downtown. Just down the street on West Washington, two Mr. Peanut statues greet visitors to the Planters Peanuts Center, which sells peanut snacks and displays peanut memorabilia. Owner Faye Beale says the two peanut statues — like the 1930s peanut roaster the business still uses to roast the legumes it sells — has been with the store since it opened in the 1960s. Also nearby, a smaller version of the Character Corner statue welcomes tourists at the Visitor Center at the corner of North Main Street and Constance Road. The Mr. Peanut statue that is perhaps most fitting sits in front of the Obici House at Sleepy Hole Golf Course. The house, recently renovated and reopened as a special-events venue, was the home of Amedeo and Louise Obici when they were living. Whether they’re just nuts about peanuts or crazy for Planters memorabilia, folks from all around the world come to Suffolk to see the Mr. Peanut statues and learn a bit about the city where he was born. For Suffolk residents, a tour of the city’s Mr. Peanut sites makes a great day trip. Just be sure to carry a bag of nuts for the ride.
tracy agnew/suffolk news-herald
Mr. Peanut: A statue of Mr. Peanut stands at Character Corner at the intersection of Main and Washington streets in downtown Suffolk. It was put there by the Planters company in honor of the 75th anniversary of Mr. Peanut and to recognize local businesses that "exemplify true character through active and successful business-school partnerships."
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 19
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Page 20 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I. Mattanock continued from page 16
member of the Powhatan nation, spoke the Algonquian language, and numbered about 1,200 when the settlers arrived. In 1608, the first attack on the Nansemonds by English settlers was documented, and by around 1650, the remaining members of the tribe had given up their land on the Nansemond River and moved south after being surrounded by English settlers. In 1638, Englishman John Bass married a Nansemond convert to Christianity named Elizabeth. Most of the Nansemonds surviving today are descended from that marriage. The “Christianized” Nansemonds stayed on the river until after 1700, when they moved to the northern border of the Great Dismal Swamp. Many descendants still live in that area. Another thing most folks don’t know about the transfer of land to the Nansemond tribe is that it hasn’t actually happened yet. City officials say a deed-signing ceremony is set to occur during the tribe’s 25th annual powwow, set for Aug. 17 and 18.
file photo
Powwow: Dancers demonstrate traditional American Indian dances during the Nansemond Indian Tribe's 2012 powwow at Lone Star Lakes Lodge.
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Page 22 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
There’s a light …
Lockheed Martin’s building hides a surprise By R.E. Spears III Editor
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There’s nothing all that unusual about lighthouses in Coastal Virginia and North Carolina. Most folks around here are familiar with the Newport Middle Ground Light, which sits in the middle of the James River and can be seen easily from the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial BridgeTunnel. The Hatteras Light is iconic and would be recognized by most people, even if they’ve never visited it. Other lighthouses along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, in the Chesapeake Bay and on the coast of Virginia are all familiar to some degree or another — and they all have served a similar dual purpose throughout their lives: to show mariners along the coast potential problems and help them avoid those problems. But there’s a lighthouse in Suffolk — a real, working one — that has never pointed the way for a homebound vessel and, in fact, serves an entirely different purpose than those other, more famous, lighthouses. In fact, this brick lighthouse is located inside the Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation building in Harbour View, and its light peeks from the clerestory windows at the top of what is surely one of the most unusual See LIGHTHOUSE page 29
Submitted Photo
Lighthouse: The lighthouse inside the Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation serves as a metaphor for the facility’s role as a “beacon for innovation,” according to company officials. However, it is a working lighthouse and occasionally is turned on. The Fresnel lens was bought on eBay, and the white light is on a six-second interval.
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 23
Research titans City hosts important agricultural center By Titus Mohler Staff Writer
Thanks to Virginia Tech, Suffolk has become a significant hub for agricultural research in the region. The Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center is headquartered on Holland Road and has other locations on Hare Road. “We’re one of the 11 branch research centers that are part of Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” Suffolk center director Allen Harper said. The primary mission of TAREC is applied research in agriculture, which means its researchers work on real-world problems that affect crops and seek to quickly provide assistance or solutions to growers in the agricultural industries, Harper said. Among Virginia Tech’s branch research centers, TAREC has the most faculty, with seven including Harper. Consequently, it has the most research programs, as CMYK
well. Supporting those faculty are 15 full-time employees and as many as 15 part-time employees. “We’re a significant employer in Holland,” Harper said. The faculty also writes funding proposals and raised more than $1 million in private research grants in 2012. “I think that speaks to the scope of what we do here,” Harper said. The center has a large physical plant, with the combined Suffolk locations totaling 414 acres of owned and leased property, along with two irrigation ponds and 33 buildings. The buildings include an office/auditorium complex, laboratories, crop processing and grading units, farm shop, pesticide storage units, swine housing units, equipment storage and temporary graduate-student housing. “We’re a regional station, but there is a direct benefit to Suffolk,” Harper said. Aside from providing employment, he said, “We call on services of people based in Suffolk, and See AGRICULTURE page 29
Submitted Photo
Agriculture: Above, Ames Herbert, a crops entomologist, uses an insect sweep net in a cotton field at the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center. The sweep net can be used to survey insect populations in standing crops. At left, Hunter Frame, an agronomist, holds a cotton plant that made up a variety trial crop at the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Suffolk. The cotton crop, located in a dry land, non-irrigated, loamy sand, will be measured by yield and quality to give regional growers insight on what cotton varieties they should plant and in what environment.
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Page 24 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
Tea totaling
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tracy agnew/suffolk news-herald
Lots of tea: The Lipton plant on West Washington Street produces all the Lipton tea bags sold in North America. It also produces tea in bulk for partners like Pepsi and Green Mountain Coffee.
Lipton adds up 6 billion teabags a year in Suffolk By Tracy Agnew News Editor
The recognizable red-and-yellow building on West Washington Street has employed generations of Suffolk residents throughout the years, but many residents still don’t know what goes on inside the Lipton Tea plant. There’s a good chance, though, they have had tea that was packaged inside the Lipton plant. In fact, most anyone who lives in North America and drinks tea probably has enjoyed one of Suffolk’s biggest exports. That’s because the plant packages every tea bag sold in North
America — about six billion of them every year. The facility was built in 1955 after Sir Thomas Lipton, the Scotland-born entrepreneur, chose the site himself. He started the company in 1893 aiming to provide tea, once enjoyed only by the wealthy, at affordable prices. Plant manager Bill Kelly said the company treats its employees so well they don’t want to leave. As a result, many employees at the plant have been working there for decades, and many others are retired after working there their entire lives. There are so many retirees, in fact, that
they have their own club and get together a couple times each year to catch up. “We’re actually in a bit of a hiring crunch right now,” Kelly said. “Some is replacing people that are retiring, but some is because we have increasing workload.” The increasing workload comes from the new product lines the site will be producing. In March, the company announced it would make a $96-million investment into the facility to renovate parts of it and add new equipment to manufacture the new products. Other states were hoping to attract the project, but the com-
pany ultimately chose to stay in Virginia. “I think the fact that Unilever chose to stay in Suffolk is really a testament to the business-friendliness of Suffolk, and Virginia in general, as well as the strength of the labor pool,” Kelly said. “There was no compelling reason to leave, when push came to shove.” One of those new products, Lipton Natural Energy, already is rolling off the assembly lines at the plant. “It’s mimicked after the tea you would find in Great Britain,” Kelly said. “It’s really aiming See LIPTON page 29
'I think the fact that Unilever chose to stay in Suffolk is really a testament to the business-friendliness of Suffolk, and Virginia in general, as well as the strength of the labor pool.' Bill Kelly
Lipton plant manager
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Military runs deep By Matthew A. Ward Staff Writer
Many Suffolk citizens would know the city is home to various military facilities and contractors, but perhaps not the extent or history of this Department of Defense connection. According to the city’s economic development director, Kevin Hughes, historic operations include Nansemond Ordnance Depot at the end of College Drive; a U.S. Navy transmitter in the village of Driver; the Suffolk Executive Airport, which was built by the Navy; and the U.S. Army Reserve center near Creekside Elementary School. “The United States Department of Defense has had a presence in Suffolk for quite some time,� Hughes wrote in an email. In more recent times, most of Suffolk’s military jobs have been in the technology field, Hughes says. “This is a contrast to the rest of the Hampton Roads region (that) has a stronger concentration of shipbuilding/repair, aircraft maintenance and other manufacturing DoD-based operations,� Hughes wrote. The technology tilt, he says, began with the United States Atlantic Command in 1995, which then because the U.S. Joint Forces Command before subsequently morphing into Joint Staff Hampton Roads, also known as Joint and Coalition Warfighting. “Suffolk has been part of an evolving technology forefront for the DoD,� Hughes wrote. The evolution will continue this September when Naval Network Warfare Command, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command, and Navy
Cyber Forces move into new Suffolk facilities at the former JFCOM site. At 14 percent, the proportion of Suffolk’s jobs classified as defense or defense-contractor comes in second behind health care, which stands at 15.5 percent, Hughes says. Retail ranks third, with 13.7 percent, and non-defense federal, state and local government jobs are at 10.6 percent, the same as hospitality. Warehousing and distribution employment, the sector many observers say Suffolk needs to further exploit, with its proximity to the Port of Virginia and availability of developable land, stands at10.3 percent. “The city of Suffolk’s goal is to have a well-diversified industry and job base,� Hughes wrote. “We have developed and spent a significant amount of time growing and courting companies that fall into our target industry sectors.� These sectors, he said, include food and beverage processing, office and administration, modeling simulation and technology, warehousing and distribution, hospitality, medical, and retail and advanced manufacturing. “You can see from the jobs percentage breakdown we have had success with our efforts. However, we are continually looking for opportunities to diversify the city to provide the greatest amount of insulation as the global and domestic market fluctuates.� Hughes listed 13 prominent military and U.S. Department of Homeland Security employers and contractors providing a combined 3,278 Suffolk jobs. Navy Cyber Forces has 1,578 workers on its books and Joint Staff Hampton Roads 1,300, while among contractors, Northrop Grumman employees 70 and Amsec 60.
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Page 26 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
Scarp tales
Tracy Agnew/Suffolk news-herald
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Living on the hill: Folks who live on the “Suffolk Scarp” — the hill on the west side of U.S. Route 10 north of Chuckatuck — say it has its advantages and disadvantages. They don’t worry much about flooding, they say, but they can’t get pizza delivery.
Chuckatuck once had its own beach By Tracy Agnew Staff Writer
Carolyn and Ed Bickham never have any trouble explaining where they live. “When you say I live up on that hill on the other side of Chuckatuck, everybody knows,” Carolyn Bickham said. “We’ve been here for 31 years.” The Bickhams and their neighbors live on what seems an out-of-place hill in an area that is mostly flat, on the west side of Route 10 north of Chuckatuck. But the hill is actually part of the Suffolk Scarp, a long geological feature that, despite its name, actually extends for many miles north and south into Northern Virginia and North Carolina. A scarp is a very
steep bank or slope. Scott Hardaway, marine scientist supervisor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, says the scarp was formed more than 70,000 years ago when the ocean once extended to Suffolk. The scarp sits about 40 to 50 feet above sea level in most places. “Everything east of it drops pretty quick,” Hardaway said. “People have been migrating toward the waterfront properties for years, but if you live west of the bank, you won’t get flooded as easily. It just depends on where you are.” The area is replete with shells and marl, which the Lone Star Cement Company mined from 1925 to 1972, thereby creating Lone Star
Lakes, according to a postcard book by the Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society. Ed Bickham even found a fossilized whale vertebrae in one of the lakes, Carolyn Bickham said. “If you dig down in the yard, you find a lot of shells,” she added. Bud and Crystal Key, who have lived on the scarp for 13 years, say it’s fun to live on the hill. There are a lot of advantages. “We like living on the hill, because you don’t have to worry about flood insurance,” Crystal Key said. The Keys, as well as the Bickhams, also enjoy the beautiful views and seeing wildlife. There are some disadvantages, too. Winds whip
through the area, and Bud Key says he loses a few shingles and siding even in moderately severe thunderstorms, never mind when a hurricane comes through. The ditch bank floods badly because of all the rain running downhill, the Keys said. And there’s one last disadvantage to living on the hill: For some unknown reason, pizza delivery from Smithfield won’t make the trek up the long driveways, even though they’ll pass the houses to go to points south. At least the residents on the hill know other strangers probably don’t want to make the trip, either. “We don’t worry about burglars,” Crystal Key said. “They’ll be too tired by the time they get up here.”
'We like living on the hill, because you don’t have to worry about flood insurance. We don’t worry about burglars. They’ll be too tired by the time they get up here.' Crystal Key
Suffolk resident
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 27
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Page 28 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
directory general services Animal Control 124 Forest Glen Drive 514-7855 Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sundays and holidays
Suffolk Municpal Center
The Suffolk Animal Control Bureau is responsible for the investigation of all incidents and the enforcement of laws regarding domestic animals within the city. The bureau maintains a shelter, and conducts adoptions and redemption of stray animals. Lost and found pet files also are handled through the facility. Adoptions are $75 for cats and $95 for dogs. Animals are spayed/neutered and vaccinated prior to adoption. Auto decals Department of Motor Vehicles 268 Holladay St. 497-7100 Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon
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City Treasurer’s Office Municipal Center 441 Market St. 514-4275 North Suffolk Treasurer’s Office 2000 Bennett’s Creek Park Road 514-7175 Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. City decals for vehicles are no longer mandated in the city of Suffolk, but the Vehicle License Fee will be included as a separate item on the annual personal property tax bills sent by the city treasurer. Anyone moving to Virginia must title their vehicle within 30 days of moving to Virginia. Additionally, before operating a vehicle in Virginia, it must pass an annual safety inspection and display a valid safety inspection sticker. Domestic Violence Genieve Shelter 1-800-969-HOPE 925-4365 The Genieve Shelter provides a 24-hour crisis hotline, individual and group counseling; court accompaniment, emergency shelter, food, clothing and emergency transportation as well as a children’s program that offers after-school tutoring, a weekly children’s support group, and recreational activities.
Employment Suffolk Human Resources Office 440 Market St. 514-4120 info@suffolkva.us Extension Service Virginia Cooperative Extension Office 440 Market St. 514-4330 Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. GED/ABE/ESL classes The Pruden Center for Industry and Technology 4169 Pruden Blvd. 925-5651 www.prudencenter.net Health Department The Suffolk Health Department 135 Hall Ave. 514-4700 The Suffolk Health Department offers a variety of health services, including health screenings, immunizations, prenatal and pediatric services, STD and communicable disease testing and treatment, family planning, WIC and SEVAMP Senior Services, and environmental health. Many services are free to the public. When there are charges, they are usually determined on a sliding fee scale based on income. Housing Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority 530 E. Pinner St.
539-2100 Suffolk Department of Social Services 135 Hall Ave. 514-7450 Both the Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Suffolk Department of Social Services help to provide rental and utility assistance as well as affordable housing for lower and limited income families. Identification Department of Motor Vehicles 268 Holladay St. (804) 497-7100
Building and Zoning Permits: Community Development Services 441 Market St. 514-4150 Business: Commissioner of the Revenue Municipal Center 441 Market St. 514-4260 North Suffolk Office 2000 Bennett’s Creek Park Road 514-7180 Concealed Weapon and Handgun: Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court Mills E. Godwin Courts Complex 150 N. Main St. 514-7800
Social Security Administration 502 Hillpoint Road 934-0532 www.ssa.gov
Driver’s: Department of Motor Vehicles 268 Holladay St. (804) 497-7100
Social Security cards can be issued through the Social Security Administration, and state identification cards and driver’s licenses can be issued through the DMV.
Hunting and Fishing: Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court Mills E. Godwin Courts Complex 150 N. Main St. 514-7800
Licenses Animal: City Treasurer’s Office Municipal Center 441 Market St. 514-4275
Marriage: Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court Mills E. Godwin Courts Complex 150 N. Main St. 514-7800
North Suffolk Treasurer’s Office 2000 Bennett’s Creek Park Road 514-7175
Passports: Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court Mills E. Godwin Courts Complex 150 N. Main St.
514-7800 Senior services Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia 1226 White Marsh Road 925-1449 Meals on Wheels of Suffolk 2800 Godwin Blvd. 934-4911 Social Services Suffolk Department of Social Services 135 Hall Ave. 514-7450 Social Security Social Security Administration 502 Hillpoint Road 934-0532 www.ssa.gov Utilities Electricity Dominion Virginia Power 1-866-366-4357 www.dom.com Community Electric Cooperative 242-6181 www.comelec.coop Natural Gas Virginia Natural Gas (866) 229-3578 www.vanaturalgas.com Columbia Gas of Virginia (800) 543-8911 See SERVICES page 29
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F.Y.I., Suffolk News-Herald, Wednesday, July 31, 2013 – Page 29 LIPTON continued from page 24
for people that like really good black tea. It is meant to be drunk hot with milk.” In addition to making every tea bag sold in North America, the plant also produces large sacks
of tea to send to partners like Pepsi, for bottling, and Green Mountain Coffee, which uses the tea to make Lipton Keurig K-cup products. Another little-known fact
about the plant is that it used to employ a British tea-taster, who sampled the teas for quality, according to the Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society. Kelly says the tea tasting was
“never officially done on site.” Instead, the plant used to — and still does — send its tea to a New Jersey facility, where specially trained workers tested and blended tea to ensure it tastes
like Lipton tea. Overall, Kelly said, everything at the Suffolk plant is “going swimmingly.” “We hope the new products take off,” he said.
City of Suffolk Department of Public Utilities 514-7000 www.suffolkva.us/pub_utl
Trash Collection City of Suffolk Department of Public Works 514-7630 www.suffolkva.us/pub_wks
www.spsa.com
Veteran’s Hospital VA Medical Center 100 Emancipation Drive, Hampton 866-544-9961
SERVICES continued from page 28
www.columbiagasva.com Telephone Verizon 954-6222 (800) 483-4400 www.verizon.com Water/Sewer
Wastewater Treatment Hampton Roads Sanitation District 460-2261 www.hrsd.state.va.us
Solid Waste Disposal Southeastern Public Service Authority 420-4700
them. Among the faculty, Maria Balota works in the discipline of crop physiology, determining what varieties of peanuts and other crops are most durable and appropriate for this region. The center provides fair, unbiased variety evaluations to help regional agri-businesses know what to grow.
Those crops can still be vulnerable in different ways. Ames Herbert works in entomology, coming up with ways to protect cotton, soybean, peanut, corn and small grain crops from insects. Disease management in those same crops is the specialty of Pat Phipps, whose discipline is plant pathology. Two faculty members work
Veterans Affairs Department of Veterans Services Office of the Commissioner 900 E. Main St. Richmond, VA 23219 804-786-0286
Women, Infants and Children The Suffolk Health Department 135 Hall Ave. 514-4700
Agriculture continued from page 23
the work we do for agriculture is relevant to Suffolk.” The space the city affords allows the center to operate like a commercial farm, but with a research focus. TAREC holds early and late season field crop tours to let farmers and agri-businesses, both local and regional, see the research programs at work that could benefit
in agronomy, the science of soil management and the production of field crops. Hunter Frame’s emphasis is cotton production and management, while David Holshouser has the same focus with soybeans. Mark Estienne and Harper are the two animal scientists, focusing on swine breeding and swine nutrition research, as well as
breeding herd management strategies. TAREC also supports public education, hosting a Youth Farm Day for elementary students in Suffolk and the surrounding area. It is also a place where graduate students pursuing their master’s and doctoral degrees can do extended research as part of their degree requirements.
Lighthouse continued from page 22
structures in Suffolk. It has a Fresnel lens bought on eBay, and the white light it amplifies is on a six-second interval appropriate for navigation. The light is real, but the whole thing is intended as a metaphor. “The lighthouse is a metaphor for a beacon for innovation,” says James D. “Jim” McArthur Jr., vice president of the Center for Innovation. The structure inside the Lockheed Martin building sets a tone for those entering the building from its main lobby. Designed by a former Disney Imagineer, the lighthouse is intended to help foster a sense of collaboration, innovation and creative solutions to potentially deadly problems. Lockheed Martin’s Suffolk facility serves as a place where the company’s military, government, academic and civilian CMYK
clients can go to work out those solutions using state-of-the-art modeling and simulation tools. The building includes 50,000 square feet of reconfigurable lab space, including auditoriums, classrooms, simulators, an on-site café and more. The space supports about 100 fulltime staff members and as many as 300 “guests” at a time, according to Mary L. “Kate” McNamara, director of operations. “We use modeling and simulation tools to create an environment and then look at the data to examine results,” McNamara said. Those simulations help clients conduct fact-based problem-solving discussions to solve problems in fields ranging from aeronautical and space systems to missiles and fire control to information systems and global solutions. Finding innovative solutions
Submitted Photo
Innovation: The Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation in Harbour View is a part of North Suffolk’s growing modeling and simulation community, which provides services to military, academic, industrial and government clients. “The Lighthouse,” as employees refer to their facility, hosts as many as 300 guests a week. “They’re amazed” when they walk inside the building and see the working, brick structure from which employees have derived that nickname, company officials say.
to the problems that might arise in those fields, McArthur said, “is even more important now than ever because of the advanced technology and the budget constraints.”
He distills a big part of the facility’s purpose into one simple sentence: “Let’s use innovation to find affordable solutions.” So, to extend the metaphor, the
Center for Innovation’s lighthouse helps illuminate problems and solutions. Perhaps it’s not so different from the other lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic region, after all.
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Page 30 – Wednesday, July 31, 2013, Suffolk News-Herald, F.Y.I.
PeanutFest
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File Photos
Fun for all ages: Clockwise from top left: Avery and Evan Seeley enjoy midway rides at the 2012 Peanut Fest; Chemiyah Lawrence and Madison Chalk play a water-shooting game at last year’s festival; a Virginia Tech fan partakes in the jalapenoeating contest during the festival; and the Demolition Derby is always one of the most popular attractions at the festival.
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