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july-aug. | 2014 contents EDITORIAL R.E. Spears III Editor Tracy Agnew News Editor Matthew A. Ward Staff Writer news@suffolklivingmag.com
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Florist Jodi Cobb knows a little something about how scents work in the business world.
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Through the lens
Photographer Michael Smid turns his camera on Suffolk.
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IN THE NEWS | HOMEARAMA
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6 suffolk living
what to do TGIF Concert Series
Continuing “Still Waters Run Deep” an exhibition of works reflecting on the area’s waterways, continues at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts through July 26. The show features artist John Silver and works by various artists, including local artist Larry Saint. The exhibit will be open for viewing from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free. Visit www.SuffolkCenter.org for more information. Friday July 18 Suffolk’s TGIF summer concert series continues at Constant’s Wharf Park, 100 E. Constance Road. The park is open from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music by Slap Nation, concessions for purchase and children’s activities. The event is free and open to the public. Call 514-7267 for more information. Saturday July 19 Riddick’s Folly, 510 N. Main St., will hold an American Girl event. There will be four sittings: 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Ages 5 and up are welcome, but reservations are required. An Addy Walker doll will be given away to one of the girls who attends. Call 934-0822 or email riddicksfolly@verizon.net for more information. Friday July 25 The Hard Knox Bluegrass Band will play at the Bethlehem Ruritan Community Center, 140
Manning Road, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is free, and soft drinks, hot dogs, barbecue sandwiches and snacks will be available. Call George Fowler at 616-5955 for more information. Saturday July 26 The Suffolk Humane Society and the Suffolk Animal Care Center are sponsoring an adopta-thon at the Suffolk Animal Care Center, 124 Forest Glen Dr, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 538-3030 for more information or visit www. suffolkhumanesociety.com for a list of adoptable pets available at any given time. Friday August 1 The second half of Suffolk’s TGIF summer concert series kicks off at Bennett’s Creek Park, with festivities scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music by The Fuzz Band, concessions for purchase and children’s activities. The event is free and open to the public. Call 514-7267 for more information. Saturday August 2 Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk will be held beginning at 7:30 p.m. The tour will
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depart from the Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors 60 or over and military. The tour is not recommended for children 12 and under. Reservations are required. Call 514-4130 or visit www.suffolk-fun.com for more information. The popular tour will be repeated Aug. 16 and Sept. 6, 13 and 20. Tuesday August 5 Suffolk will celebrate National Night Out from 5 to 11 p.m. at locations around the city. This free event joins residents of Suffolk with more than 45 million people around the nation who gather in their various communities to have fun and send a message that they will fight back against crime in their neighborhoods. In recent years, Suffolk has consistently been recognized as having one of the best “Night Out” programs among communities its size. For more information, and to see if your neighborhood has planned a “Night Out” celebration, call 514-4104 or visit www.suffolknno. org. Friday August 8 Suffolk’s TGIF summer concert series continues at Bennett’s Creek Park, with festivities scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music by The Deloreans, concessions for purchase and children’s activities. The event is free and open to the public. Call 514-7267 for more information.
suffolk living
what to do Nansemond powwow
Saturday August 9 The men’s department of Total Transformation will sponsor a men’s threeon-three double-elimination basketball tournament beginning at 11 a.m. Teams of youth 11 to 17 years of age are invited to register for $80 per team, and men 18 and up can register for $100 per team. Call 613-4076 for more information or to register. Friday August 15 Suffolk’s TGIF summer concert series continues at Bennett’s Creek Park, with festivities scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music by Beatlemania Returns, concessions for purchase and children’s activities. The event is free and open to the public. Call 514-7267 for more information. Saturday/Sunday August 16-17 The Nansemond Indian Tribal Association will host its annual powwow, a two-day cultural celebration featuring music, dance, authentic crafts and food. The event will be held at Mattanock Town, the tribe’s historic property and site of a future recreated native town adjacent to Lone Star Lakes Park. For more information, visit www.nansemond.org. Friday August 22 Suffolk Parks and Recreation will hold a block party to kick off the Suffolk Teen Summit from 6 to 9 p.m. at Constant's Wharf Park and Marina, 110 E. Constance Road. There will be live music, food, and giveaways. For more information, contact Rebecca Skinner at 514-7250.
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8 suffolk living Suffolk’s TGIF summer concert series continues at Bennett’s Creek Park, with festivities scheduled from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music by the Michael Clark Band, concessions for purchase and children’s activities. The event is free and open to the public. Call 514-7267 for more information. Saturday August 23 Suffolk Parks and Recreation will hold the 2014 Suffolk Teen Summit from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for the Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. This program serves to engage youth from 11 to 17 in prevention activities and interactive sessions on a variety of topics. Lunch is provided, and the event is free and open to the public. Registration is required and can be completed at any Suffolk Parks and Recreation joint use facility, the East Suffolk Recreation Center, or online. Contact Rebecca Skinner at 514-7250 for more information. Thursday September 11 The Suffolk Division of Tourism and the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts are partnering to present a special exhibit, “The Mystery of a Masterpiece,” which will feature a variety of area artists’ interpretations of book covers from 100 iconic classic texts and contemporary bestsellers. On display at the Suffolk Center’s Norfolk Foundation and BB&T Galleries until Nov. 8, the exhibit will be free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The opening reception is slated for Sept. 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The conclusion of this exhibit will be held in conjunction with the Suffolk Mystery Author’s Festival scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. For more information, visit www.suffolk-fun.com. Saturday September 13 The popular Taste of Suffolk Downtown Street Festival returns to Main Street in downtown historic Suffolk from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature specialty foods from restaurants around the city, and there will be merchandise vendors and a variety of family entertainment on hand, too. The event is free, but restaurant vendors charge a small fee for the food tastings. For more information, visit www.suffolk-fun.com
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suffolk scene Last Day of School
Children and teachers across Suffolk celebrated the last day of school on June 13. Pictured clockwise from far left are Ian Walker and Samantha Dillard jumping for joy; twins Paige and Peyton Austin completing the year at Creekside Elementary School; Victoria, Julia, Sydney and Sam; Ms. Riley and Victoria McCown at fifth-grade graduation at Creekside Elementary School; Sierra Ann Ingoldsby, 5, completed the Early Start program at Southwestern Elementary School. Submitted Photos
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suffolk scene
TGIF
The city’s annual TGIF concert series takes place all summer long on Friday evenings at Constant’s Wharf and Bennett’s Creek Park. Pictured clockwise from below are Deb Gayle, Margie Wiley and Carla Jones; Fletcher Stephens and Myia Carlson; Curtis and Dynasty Kindred; Sherri Smith and Tammy Parks; and Darnita Chapman and Tamesha McFarland. PHOTOS BY Tracy Agnew
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suffolk scene RELAY FOR Life
Raising money for the American Cancer Society as well as awareness, the Relay For Life was held at Bennett’s Creek Park on May 16-17. Clockwise from right: Team Riverfront’s Connie Parsell, Karen Hendricks, Adria Joseph, Liz Hopkins and Debbie Lutz; Sid Neighbours, Karen Brickey and Debbie Butler participated with Team Darden; Patty Outlaw applauds those taking part in the survivors’ lap, including Jeff Laughlin and Karen Brickey; Mallorie Jones and Eric Pulley smile for the camera; and the Pino family – “Bear,” 8, Kalee, 11, Averi, Abbi, 2, and Max – help the cause. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
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suffolk scene
Festival of Flight
Aviation enthusiasts soared over Suffolk on May 31 and June 1 for the Virginia Regional Festival of Flight, held at Suffolk Executive Airport. Clockwise from left: Rafael Collado helps Kathleen O’Neal, 17, of Norfolk, into a T-6 Texan; Jennifer, Greyson, 7, and Jeff Davis of Chuckatuck smile for the camera in front of a World War II-era German jet; Suffolk’s William Rumburg and fiancé Carolyn Snively sit in front of Lancair, which Rumburg built over seven years; Dave Souleret and David Joyner, both of Richmond, who flew a 1946 Cessna in for the festival, check out a Great Lakes biplane; and Robert Aviles and Rick Parsons, both of Chesapeake, admire the engine of a Lancair 320. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
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suffolk scene mingle on main street
The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce held the third annual Mingle on Main Street on May 29 at the Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion. Pictured clockwise from left are Sue Moose of the Suffolk Networking Organization talking with Marcie Laumann of the Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community; Win Winslow of the United Way and Robbie Laughton of the Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community; Jennifer Hoffman and Terrell Munden from Liberty Mutual chatting with Chuck Dunlap of Greg Garrett Realty; and Kristin Bartz, left, and Lexie Nanni of Virginia Eye Consultants. Photos by Tracy Agnew
on vacation On the Road
Suffolk Living magazine hit the road with some friends this spring, and they were kind enough to share some of their travel photos with us. At left, Amanda Phelps of Suffolk and Matt Wells of Norfolk stand outside Philadelphia City Hall with their copy of Suffolk Living Magazine. The couple enjoyed the architecture and fine cuisine of the City of Brotherly Love, and they also took in the rich history of the city with a visit to the Liberty Bell. Below, Dick and Susan Talton, Mike Gambardella, Paula and Karl Darden, Kay Gambardella and Jessie Gambardella enjoyed sharing Suffolk Living magazine in Curacao while on a Caribbean cruise. By the way, we love cruises. Just sayin'. Submitted photo
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in the news
fresh paint story by Tracy Agnew photography by Michael Pennello
S
uffolk already is getting geared up for the Tidewater Builders Association’s Homearama event, returning to Suffolk this fall at The Waterfront at Parkside near Bennett’s Creek Park. “Homearama is an annual showcase of custom homes built by some of the most talented and prolific custom home builders in Hampton Roasts,” said Sharon Freeman of Brickell Public Relations, which is marketing the event this year. “Each home features the latest trends in home construction, from energy efficiency to home automation, from multi-generational floor plans to in-home office suites.” The price of the homes in the show is expected to start in the mid-$400,000s. The homes are expertly decorated by teams of interior designers, and whether you’re looking for a new home or new ideas for your existing home, there’s something for everyone
Homearama heads back to Suffolk
at Homearama, Freeman said. “If this is your first visit to Homearama, plan to stay for at least four hours,” Freeman said. “You will want to pace yourself as you move through each house.” Photos are welcome, as are questions about paint colors (the No. 1 question during Homearama, Freeman said), furniture, accessories, window treatments, flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, closet organization and more. The outdoor living spaces are never neglected at Homearama. Visitors will find all kinds of ideas for fire pits, verandas, water features and outdoor kitchens. The home showcase last visited Suffolk in 2011 at The Riverfront at Harbour View. The show format will be slightly different this year to better accommodate Homearama visitors and their interests. Rather than being open for two or three weeks straight, Homearama will be open for three consecutive four-day weekends, each with a different theme. On Oct. 17-20, visitors will enjoy a “Suffolk
Harvest” theme, with hayrides and the Peanut City Cloggers performing. On Oct. 24-27, the theme is “Beer, Bratwurst and Boats.” Celebrate Oktoberfest with a craft beer tasting event from 2 to 5 p.m. each day, get a German bratwurst with all the trimmings and view boats on display. The Colonial Seaport Foundation will appear in period dress to talk about the trading route from Bennett’s Creek to Jamestown, and kids can attend “Scallywag School.” From Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, the theme is “Salute to the Military.” Active-duty military members, reservists or retired service members will get one free ticket for each one they purchase. Veterans’ organizations will be on site to talk about their missions, and high school marching bands will play patriotic songs. On each day of the tour, the littlest Homearama visitors will enjoy “Tiny-Rama,” a Homearama in miniature featuring playhouses and a train ride. For more information about Homearama, visit www.tbaonline.org.
20 suffolk living
Wake Up! Coffee roasters give Suffolk a distinctive aroma
F
or serious coffee aficionados, there’s nothing quite like the smell of coffee in the morning. Fortunately for those who live in Suffolk, they can get the scent of a brewing pot as they drive down the Route 58 bypass. Just as they approach the Wilroy Road exit, motorists are treated to the robust odor of coffee wafting from two big coffee roasters — Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA and the J.M. Smucker Co. Located next door to each other, the friendly competitors receive, clean, roast, blend, grind and package coffee for several well-known brands, as well as private-label and food-service chains. According to Massimo Zanetti’s Vice President of Manufacturing Ali Itani, the discerning sniffer traveling along Route 58 might be able to tell whether the plant is doing a dark roast or a light roast that day. But it takes a well-trained nose to tell the difference between Arabica and Robusta beans, or between a blend grown in Mexico and one grown in Hawaii. That job belongs to folks at both plants who “cup” the coffee — testing a brewed cup of each batch for aroma and flavor at various points in the process. The Massimo Zanetti plant alone receives about seven to eight truckloads per day of green coffee beans from equatorial countries around the world, including the company’s own coffee farms in Hawaii, Brazil and Costa Rica. By the time they’re done with them, the beans have been turned into the equivalent of more than 20 million cups of brewed coffee each day. That’s a remarkable 5 percent of America’s coffee consumption being produced by just one manufacturing plant here in Suffolk. See Coffee page 21
suffolk living Coffee continued from page 20
The beans roasted at Massimo Zanetti have been purchased especially by the company’s commodities team, which is on site at the Suffolk facility to keep an eye on the world’s No. 2 traded commodity, behind oil. Although many other things happen to the coffee at the Wilroy Road facility, the part of the process that creates the well-known aromas outside the plant is the roasting, according to Massimo Zanetti’s Vice President of Research and Development Charlie Cortellini. A coffee bean contains one of the most complex sugar structures in the world, with more than 800 volatile molecular species. By comparison, wine has about 150. As the coffee is roasted, the sugars in the bean are caramelized, and the cell structure “pops,” causing the release of heat from inside the beans. It is this escaping vapor that gives coffee its aroma during the roasting process. Darker roasts tend to have a stronger aroma than lighter roasts, but light roasts have more flavor, because a dark roast’s flavor “cooks out,” Cortellini said. It’s little wonder that the Massimo Zanetti roasting process can be smelled clear across town, Itani said. The roasters are nearly three stories high inside the building and can reach 500 degrees, depending on the desired roasting level, color and flavor. Variables such as the weather conditions and altitude at which the beans were grown are also See COFFEE page 23
The Massimo Zanetti Beverage Company USA facility on Progress Road, opposite page, processes five percent of Americans' coffee consumption.
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Coffee at Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA on Progress Road undergoes quality checks at several points during the process, including on receipt, just after roasting and at packaging. Above, freshly roasted coffee beans await testing for parameters including color and moisture content.
suffolk living Coffee continued from page 21
taken into account. They are roasted for a precise amount of time at a precise temperature, and any misstep can ruin an entire batch in a matter of seconds. “This is why coffee is both a science and an art,” Cortellini said. “It takes great craftsmanship, because the process is so sensitive.” If the roasting coffee can be smelled so strongly outside the plant, it’s an even stronger aroma for those working directly with the coffee. But employees at Massimo Zanetti don’t mind the aroma, Itani said. “We don’t hear any complaints,” he said, noting that some employees have been at the plant for more than 25 years. Employees’ favorite days reportedly are the ones when they’re making chocolate hazelnut, French vanilla, peppermint and pumpkin spice, according to Itani. “The coffee aroma can be very strong and noticeable, but at least the smell is pleasurable, unlike some products can be,” Itani said. Despite the pleasant aroma, you won’t find a lot of coffeescented products in the air freshener aisle, Cortellini said. That’s because the coffee scent is produced from such a complex natural process that it’s nearly impossible to replicate artificially. But that’s not stopping Cortellini from dreaming of an early retirement. “If I could make an air freshener that smells like coffee, I could rule the world,” he joked. ←
Bags of Chock Full O' Nuts roll off the packaging line at Massimo Zanetti Beverage Company USA on Progress Road. Above, Vice President of Research and Development Charlie Cortellini "cups" the coffee to test its aroma.
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get to know
fragrant beauties
Roses, lilies, carnations and … ragweed?! story & photography by R.E. Spears III
J
odi Cobb doesn’t even have to nose around inside the coolers in her West Washington Street flower shop to know which blooms will be the most fragrant. “The white Oriental lilies are the most potent,” she says. In fact, it’s not all that unusual for Cobb to receive special instructions on a customer order forbidding her to use lilies of any kind in an arrangement. It seems there are a lot of people allergic to lilies. (In a nearly incomprehensible bit of irony, though, ragweed turns out to be one of the most-requested fillers for adding texture and bulk to flower arrangements, and Cobb dutifully keeps a plastic vase full of Tidewater’s favorite allergen in a cooler, where it won’t cause a sniffle.) Cobb, who opened All A Bloom Florist and Gifts in the spring, has a chance to smell all the flowers — their blooms are literally right under her nose as she prepares her customers’ arrangements. And she says she’s always a bit surprised that the prettiest roses — the ones that fill so many romantic orders — do not necessarily boast the strongest and sweetest aroma. Then there are the carnations. Individually, they might be the flower of the junior-high boutonniere, but they are often arranged in groups to be used on funeral palls and wreaths. Thus, Cobb says, the smell of a carnation has always reminded her of funeral homes. And that’s something she’s had some experience with, too, having spent part of the year prior to opening her Suffolk store as an employee of a body removal service — a job that clearly comes with its own distinctive set of smells. But even in that business, she found herself around flowers, as her “deliveries” then often had her traveling to funeral homes. See Flowers page 26
Jodi Cobb takes an order at her shop, All A Bloom Florist and Gifts.
suffolk living
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26 suffolk living Flowers continued from page 24
In fact, as far back as the age of 16, Cobb was working for a florist. She did flower deliveries at that time, but she took advantage of opportunities there and at a subsequent job to learn about arranging flowers, and her florist aunt “was a big influence — I watched her a lot.” “I think it takes a little bit of imagination,” Cobb says of preparing flower arrangements. Working a stubborn flower into place in a vase she is preparing for an Internet customer, she adds, “Lord, it takes patience, because these things do not want to go where you want them to go; they don’t want to sit where you want them to sit.” Still, she jokes, it might be the perfect job for her. “One reason I enjoy it is that I’m bipolar, and it helps with everything else.” There’s a definite feeling of accomplishment when a customer (often a man) calls with vague instructions about an arrangement for his significant other, and the order turns out to be just right. “Sometimes they just say, ‘Give me a fresh cut and make it happy or cheery or bright or summery,’” she says. “That allows me to use my imagination and do some beautiful stuff.” Whether they arrive with a definite plan or allow Cobb to let her imagination take over, she believes folks who send flowers should get the benefit of the doubt. “If they have enough consideration or love to send flowers, then that’s enough,” she says. “Everybody deserves flowers, and not just for birthdays, funerals and anniversaries,” she says. Judging from that angle, her own husband, Brian, who makes deliveries for her when he gets home from his job with Norfolk Southern Railroad, must be perpetually in her good graces. “My husband brings me flowers every day,” she laughs. ←
Jodi Cobb says one of the most difficult parts of her job is getting the flowers to go where she wants them to go — but you wouldn't know it by looking at this arrangement.
suffolk living 27
through the lens: michael smid
H
aving moved to Suffolk last August, Michael Smid is still discovering many of the great things the city has to reveal to his wandering lens, and he gladly took on a recent assignment to go out and see what he could see. Smid has worked in the photography business for more than 40 years, mostly in commercial photography. He has worked in locations ranging from Chicago to High Point, N.C., to Tidewater. He is married with four adult children and five grandchildren. Visit his website at www. mfsphotography.net. Through the Lens is a monthly Suffolk Living magazine feature that highlights a single photographer’s views of Suffolk. Participation is open to both amateurs and professionals. To have your work considered for publication, email editor Res Spears at news@suffolklivingmag.com.
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suffolk living 29
Roasted in the shell Ooh, that smell — it’s peanuts story by Allison T. Williams, Correspondent photography by R.E. Spears III
Y
ou can get a whiff of Suffolk’s history just about any time. Step outside in downtown Suffolk and breathe in the earthy aroma of fresh, roasting peanuts. That distinctive smell put Suffolk — and Virginia’s — goobers on the map and started the nation’s ongoing love affair with Planters Peanuts, the city’s top employer and taxpayer during its heyday decades ago. Now owned by Kraft Foods Inc., Planters was founded by Italian immigrants Amedeo Obici and Mario Peruzzi in Pennsylvania in 1906. They moved the company to downtown Suffolk in 1913, an effort to get closer to peanut farmers. Although there was a time when multiple peanut-roasting companies dotted the downtown’s landscape, Planters is the only remaining large-scale peanut roaster in Suffolk today, according to industry insiders in Suffolk. Planters Peanuts’ seven massive roasters for processing peanuts — as well as almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts — run from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, said plant manager Lisa Grenier. Kraft officials would not say how many tons of nuts are processed in Suffolk annually. But Grenier said the Suffolk factory makes more than a dozen different product packaging lines, including various Planters nuts, trail mix and NUTrition products that are distributed nationwide. Suffolk also roasts nuts that are shipped to a Planters’ plant in Arkansas, she said. For many people, the smell of roasting peanuts evokes fond memories of home cooking, baseball parks and special times shared with family. “The smell of roasting peanuts is tantalizing,” said Bobby Beale. He and wife, Faye Beale, manage the Planters Peanut Center on See PEANUTS page 30
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PEANUTS continued from page 29
West Washington Street. “There isn’t another smell that compares to it.” Although the store is decorated with Planters advertising memorabilia and is just blocks away from Planters’ Suffolk factory, the Planters Peanut Center has never been affiliated with Planters or Kraft, he said. The tiny storefront has been serving up hot, roasted peanuts and selling Planters' products since 1967 and is one of a handful of independently owned Planters stores around the country, he explained. Every morning, Beale starts off the day roasting about 90 pounds of Virginia jumbo peanuts in the shell. The nuts are purchased from Birdsong Peanuts and are likely produced by growers in Suffolk or neighboring Isle of Wight or Southampton counties, he said. “We pride ourselves on our fresh products,” said Beale. The barrel-shaped, gas-powered roaster, circa 1936, cooks 22 pounds of peanuts at a time; Beale usually cooks four batches of nuts a day. The vintage roasters — which are collectible among Planters Peanut buffs — can’t be replaced, Beale said. He has a spare one he uses for parts and in the past, has had a local ironworks company custom-build gears to fit the roaster. The rich aroma of roasting peanuts is a calling card to customers, he said. “We have a faithful following of repeat customers, some who come in every day and buy a quarter-pound of nuts,” Beale said. But the store also has customers from around Hampton Roads and the Peninsula, who want to experience the nostalgic taste — and aroma — of Suffolk’s past. ←
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At right, Bobby and Faye Beale package peanuts roasted at their West Washington Street store. Opposite page, Bobby Beale shows off some of the store's product. The store roasts about 90 pounds of peanuts in the shell every day.
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W
hile most scents for which Suffolk is famous — peanuts and coffee, for instance — are pleasant, there’s one that’s not so enjoyable that has the capability to spread far beyond the scent of goobers. In 2011, smoke from a wildfire in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge reportedly triggered 911 calls as far away as Baltimore. Even Hurricane Irene, which dumped an estimated 1.7 billion gallons of rain on the blaze, was not enough to extinguish it entirely. It burned for nearly four months and consumed 6,400 acres before finally being declared out. But it wasn’t the first wildfire in the refuge in recent years. A 2008 blaze burned about 5,000 acres. Fires in 1975 and even as far back as 1930 — before a portion of the swamp became a refuge — changed the
landscape of the swamp. A $3.13 million investment by the U.S. Department of the Interior, announced in 2013, aims to make severe wildfires in the refuge less likely. About 15 water control structures will be installed with the money and should raise the water table and slow the drainage of the swamp. The North American Wetlands Conservation Fund also contributed $1.4 million to the project of re-wetting the swamp, which was drained for logging in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Wildland firefighters fight a fire in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in 2011. Opposite page, left to right and top to bottom: a fire in the refuge in 2006; another view of the 2011 fire; a man shows off the aftermath of a 1975 fire in the refuge, with a dotted line marking the peat level before the fire; the smoke cloud from the 2011 fire rises above a local farmhouse; a man surveys the damage after a 1930 blaze; firefighters track the advance of a 2008 fire.
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where am I?
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n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
suffolk living 35
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index of advertisers Academy Animal Care.......18 Airfield Conference Center.12 Anderson & Anderson......16 Autumn Care.....................37 Bayport.........................7 Blair Brothers....................12 Bon Secours......................14 Christian & Pugh Well.........18 Chorey & Associates.........40 Consulate Health..............18 The Cove.............................8 Davis Lakes........................12 D.B. Bowles Jewelers........37 Drs. Jett, Sellers and LaRusso...10 Dr. Steven Gwaltney, DDS........4 Duke Automotive......................36 East End Baptist Church….16 Ellen Drames.......................2 Farmers Bank.....................35 Harbour Veterinary Office...16
Last edition’s Where Am I?
Historic St. Luke's Church......10 Home Video Studio.............36 Isle of Wight Academy.......16 Jani-King.......................10 LW's Lawn Service..............36 Meals on Wheels.............12 Mega 'Dors......................16 PDCCC.......................8 Rawlings Mechanical.........18 Suffolk Animal Hospital......18 Sentara Cardiology..............3 Suffolk Animal Hospital......12 Suffolk Christian Academy....18 Suffolk Eye Physicians.........16 Suffolk Public Schools........12 The Village at Woods Edge....39 Winn Stone Products........36
OK, this one might have been too easy. We were flooded with correct answers to the Where Am I photo that appeared in the May/June edition of Suffolk Living magazine. As most everyone seemed to know, the chipped numbers are painted on the old caboose that stands outside of the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum. Rob Timmins wins a where am I? I $25 gift certificate from the advertiser of his choice by virtue of having his name randomly chosen from all those who had the correct answer. Look for the latest Where Am I challenge on Page 34 of this edition.
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n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
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scrapbook
Having a party: Superintendent William Savage serves teachers at a school division party in September 1952. Miss Yates is on the far left. The Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society is looking for identifications of the other people in the photo. If you know any of them, send an email to news@suffolklivingmag.com. — Photo Courtesy of Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society
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