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Away from it all A BREAK AT THE LAKES AND ROBOTICS IN BERMUDA march/april 2021 • vol. 12, no. 2
2 suffolk living
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140 W. Washington St., Suite 103, Suffolk, VA 23434
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SUFFOLK RESTAURANT WEEK MARCH 20-27, 2021
PRICE-FIXED All selections include an appetizer, entrée and dessert! There are no passes to buy, coupons to carry or cards to punch. Simply visit the participating restaurant of your choice and select from a deluxe, premier or ultimate restaurant week menu. Restaurants will offer their regular menus as well.
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suffolk living 3
FEATURE
16
Suffolk native Susie Hill has spent part of her winter in Bermuda combining her love for robotics and marine biology.
CONTENTS mar - apr | 2021 7
WHERE AM I? | Think you know Suffolk well? Then see if you can identify this photo.
Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state; $25 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439
12 In the News
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is putting a special focus on Western Tidewater.
ON THE COVER suffolklivingmag.com
Lone Star Lakes
22 You can get away from it all right here in Suffolk at Lone Star Lakes Park.
Away from it all A BREAK AT THE LAKES AND ROBOTICS IN BERMUDA march/april 2021 • vol. 12, no. 2
Photo by John H. Sheally II
editor's note mar - apr
2021
Take time to get away from it all
EDITORIAL Tracy Agnew Editor
Jen Jaqua Photographer Jimmy LaRoue Writer Rachel Wartian Writer news@suffolklivingmag.com
ADVERTISING
Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Lindsay Richardson Marketing Consultant Amanda Gwaltney Marketing Consultant Dana Snow Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com
PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer
We’re now more than a year into the pandemic, and if you’re like us, your desire to “get away from it all” is strong. Fortunately, spring is here, and we can hope spring weather has arrived with it. If you’re looking for something to do in Suffolk to get away from it all for just a few hours, you can find the answer in Lone Star Lakes Park. Those looking for a place to fish, crab, canoe, kayak, hike, bike, run, walk, ride their horses or take their pup for a stroll can find it at Lone Star Lakes Park. They can also view the beautifully maintained mini-gardens, have a meal using the grills and picnic tables, or just relax alone or with family and friends. Speaking of getting away from it all, Bermuda is the perfect place. But Suffolk native Susie Hill’s trip there this year wasn’t for the pink sand beaches or the great seafood, but rather for something not normally associated with Bermuda — robotics. As a marine biologist, Hill has been an education specialist and special programs manager for the past 22 years with Nauticus. She is helping teams of students who are combining underwater robotics with marine science projects, using them for everything from picking up marine debris to saving ocean populations from invasive species. So while Hill’s visit to Bermuda hasn’t been all fun in the sun, she still is conducting important work to help save the fragile ecosystem surrounding this Atlantic island. Even if you can’t be in Bermuda, we encourage you to take a few moments for yourself this spring. It’s been a hard year, and we could all use a little relaxation. We’re always looking for your submissions to help us make Suffolk Living better. We need you for story ideas, submissions for the Through The Lens and On Vacation features, guesses for the Where Am I? feature and any other suggestions you may have. Please send these items to news@suffolklivingmag.com.
ADMINISTRATION Betty J. Ramsey Publisher Hope Rose Production
God bless, Tracy Agnew, Editor
Suffolk Living is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437
where am I?
I
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 card. 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 7
8 suffolk living
what to do Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com
THROUGH APRIL 16
The 37th annual Juried Photography Exhibit will return to the Suffolk Art Gallery this year. It is the largest and longestrunning juried exhibition of photographic works in Hampton Roads. This year’s exhibit was juried by North Carolinabased instructor and award-winning photographer Carl Galie. He chose from among 199 works submitted by 53 artists. All exhibits are free and open to the public through social distancing and safety measures in place inside the gallery. The Suffolk Art Gallery is located at 118 Bosley Ave. in downtown Suffolk. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Call 757-514-7284 or visit suffolkva.us/parks for more information. MARCH 18
The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts will host the “Walk on the Wild Side” Exhibition
Spring Market MARCH 20
Suffolk Tourism’s first Spring Market, a pre-market season event held in conjunction with the Suffolk Farmers’ Market, will take place on the Suffolk Visitor Center Outdoor Pavilion, 524 N. Main St. Vendors will offer seasonal food, local meats and poultry, eggs, sauces, baked goods, an array of artisan crafts and gifts, handmade candles, soaps, aromatherapy oils and various crafts and artwork. The “Up Tempo Duo” will provide live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit SuffolkVaFarmersMarket.com or call 757-514-4134.
from March 18 to April 24. This exhibit features work in a variety of mediums that depict the beauty of wildlife throughout the region and world. Artists including painter Guy Crittenden, decoy carver John A. Leonard, and wood carvers and fatherand-son duo Mark McNair and Ian McNair will be featured. The SCCA is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays at 110 W. Finney Ave. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Call 757-925-1800 for more information. MARCH 20-27
Suffolk Restaurant Week promises a savory blend of the city’s signature flavors, from its best-kept culinary secrets to national award-winning restaurants. During this popular culinary showcase, participating eateries offer chef-created delicacies and simple three-course, fixedprice menus at three pricing tiers. For additional information, menus and more,
visit DiningInSuffolkVa.com or call 757514-4130. MARCH 26
Join the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts for their winter concert series, Together On Stage at the Center, and welcome Just Us, which performs country rock, at the center from 7 to 9 p.m. This music concert series allows the community to watch performances in the comfort of their own homes, “virtually like being here.” There is also limited in-person seating available for $15 per person; virtual viewing on the Suffolk Center’s Facebook page is free. The center is located at 110 W. Finney Ave. Sponsored by Suffolk Tourism. Visit www. suffolkcenter.org or call 923-2900. MARCH 27
A Great Dismal Swamp Guided Nature Walk will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Meet the Great Dismal Swamp National
suffolk living 9
what to do Wildlife Refuge in a new way — up close and personal! Enjoy a biologist-led nature walk as you learn about the flora, fauna, wildlife and history that abound in the 111,000-acre wilderness. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors, military and children ages 3 to 12. Reservations are required, and cancellations are expected no less than 48 hours prior to scheduled tour. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 514-4130 to reserve your spot. The tour meets at the Washington Ditch Boardwalk parking lot. Visit www.visitsuffolkva.com for more information. APRIL 9
Join the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts for their winter concert series, Together On Stage at the Center, and welcome Paper Aliens, performing psychedelic fun, rock, jazz, soul, pop and fusion, at the center from 7 to 9 p.m. This music concert series allows the community to watch performances in the comfort of their own homes, “virtually like being here.” There is also limited in-person seating available
for $15 per person; virtual viewing on the Suffolk Center’s Facebook page is free. The center is located at 110 W. Finney Ave. Sponsored by Suffolk Tourism. Visit www. suffolkcenter.org or call 923-2900. APRIL 17
Historic Garden Week in Suffolk, hosted by the Nansemond River Garden Club, Franklin Garden Club and Elizabeth River Garden Club, will provide an easily accessible walking tour spotlighting six beautiful gardens in the Governor’s Pointe neighborhood. Tickets are $35 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit VAGardenWeek.org. APRIL 24
A Great Dismal Swamp Guided Nature Walk will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Meet the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in a new way — up close and personal! Enjoy a biologist-led nature walk as you learn about the flora, fauna, wildlife and history that abound in the 111,000-acre wilderness. Tickets are $7
for adults and $5 for seniors, military and children ages 3 to 12. Reservations are required, and cancellations are expected no less than 48 hours prior to scheduled tour. Call the Suffolk Visitor Center at 514-4130 to reserve your spot. The tour meets at the Washington Ditch Boardwalk parking lot. Visit www.visitsuffolkva.com for more information. APRIL 25
The Chowan University Singers and Men’s Chorus combined with the Chowan Community Chorus will perform at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. This classical choral concert will feature the Requiem of Gabriel Faure and also include works ranging in style from classical a cappella music to contemporary gospel, including choral standards by Felix Mendelssohn, Thomas Tallis and Alice Parker. The center is located at 110 W. Finney Ave. Tickets are $10 general admission seating; $5 more on the day of the event. Visit www. suffolkcenter.org or call 923-2900.
Providing the personal touch in a contactless world During these difficult times we are especially thankful for our customers and our community. Farmers Bank is here to serve you and is proud to be a community partner—proving that prompt and courteous service never goes out of style.
FARMERS BANK S E R V I N G T H E CO M M U N I T Y S I N C E 1 9 1 9
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10 suffolk living
In Tribute ... In Memory of Sandra Krise Angus Hines, Jr.
In Memory of Jane Spivey Robert E. Gillette
In Memory of Aleck Winslow Robert E. Gillette
In Memory of Bob Marr Lisa and Harry Cross
In Memory of Jerry Saunders Robert E. Gillette
In Memory of John C. Harrell Judge and Mrs. James C. Godwin
In Memory of Rev. Myrtle Frances Hatcher Angus Hines, Jr.
In Memory of P. B. Piland Robert E. Gillette
In Memory of Sue Birdsong Sarah Walden Sara Ann and Bill Johnson Angelica Light
In Memory of Mary E. Blair Sandra Reynolds In Memory of Alice H. O’Connor Heather and Scott Carr In Memory of Randolph Raines, Sr. Kim and Randy Raines Mabel Raines In Memory of Dwayne Earl Casper Heather and Scott Carr In Memory of George Barnett Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Yancey Birdsong Heather and Scott Carr Main Street United Methodist Church Obici Healthcare Foundation Juanita and Charles Pond, III In Honor of Whitney & Ellen Saunders Robert Saunders In Honor of Kim Raines Samuel Goldenberg In Honor of Les & Wanda Hall Paul Venable In Honor of George Birdsong Obici Healthcare Foundation In Memory of Mary B. Sherard William Hill In Memory of James Turner, Jr. Angus Hines, Jr. Elizabeth Turner In Memory of Wayland T. Pond, III Angus I. Hines, Jr. Family
In Memory of Wilbur Wright Robert E. Gillette In Memory of Anthony Mathews Robert E. Gillette In Memory of David and Jeffrey Halley Carmen and Michael Halley In Memory of Ruth Phelps Lynn and Marshall Bradley Stephen and Christine Cole Glenn and Sarah Rawlings Timothy and Judith Spear A. Wayne Vargo Eliza and James Rainey In Memory of Albert E. (“Buddy”) Krise, III Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Elsie Copeland Chuckatuck Class of 1961 In Memory of Elwood Matthews Chuckatuck High School Class of 1961 In Memory of Bobbie Chapman Cindy and Phil Ferguson In Honor of Frank Bray Susan and James Garrett In Honor of Charles Birdsong Pee Dee Peanut LLC In Honor of Ellen Harrison Saunders & Lisa Thompson Cross Katherine Rawls In Memory of Lorraine Skeeter Alice T. Cross In Memory of Bobby Spivey Robert E. Gillette
In Memory of William Cartledge Margaret Reeder-Thornton In Memory of Arthur Woolford Raine Robert E. Gillette In Memory of Susan Redmond Kilby Jackie Overton In Honor of William (Billy) L. Whitley Lynn K. Rose In Memory of Beverly R. Whitley Lynn K. Rose In Memory of Jack C. Knight Robert E. Gillette In Honor of Jack C. Knight Art Latimer In Honor of Barbara Parker Art Latimer In Honor of Deceased Classmates Chuckatuck Class of 1958 In Memory of R. Curtis Saunders, Jr. Eric Anderson Lynn and Joe Barlow Maxine Barnett BB&T Whiteville Office Patricia Bennett Sue and George Birdsong Sandra and Mac Birdsong Nancy and Robert Brewbaker Elizabeth Brooks Heather and Scott Carr Gloria and William Chorey Reginald Corinaldi
Jean Cross Lisa and Harry Cross Anna Maria D’Antonio Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dankmyer William Darden Hunter and Bill Duggan Duke Automotive E. V. Williams, Inc. Environmental Controls of Virginia Mary Ann and Jack Eure J. Jerome Felton Frank Edward Sheffer & Co. Mr. and Mrs. Manfred Freeman, Jr. Sarah and Nathan Gardner Cecilia Gerloff E. Brooks Godwin and David Olli Ellen and James Godwin Wanda and Les Hall Mr. and Mrs. John Harlow Pearl and Robert Harrell Mollie Hassell Robert Hayes and family HBA Architecture & Interior Design, Inc. Donna and Charlie Henderson Pam and Billy Hill Angus Hines, Jr. Esther Jett Holland Mr. and Mrs. John Holland Martha James Asa Johnson William and Margaret Godwin Jonas Betsy and Tom Jones Mr. and Mrs. C. Frank Jordan Emeline and H. L. Keith Betty Kyle The Lane Construction Corp. Anne and George Lankford W. Ashton Lewis Marvin V. Templeton & Sons, Inc. Bessie and Christina Mathias Mr. and Mrs. John McLemore Mardane McLemore Margaret Moring Nansemond Pre-Cast Concrete Joan Nelms Ann and Jack Nurney Alice O’Connor Jeanette Ojeda and Martin N. Speroni
To find out more about tributes through The Suffolk Foundation contact:
suffolk living 11
The Tribute page (www.suffolkfoundation.org/tributes) will be updated monthly reflecting donations in memory/honor/tribute of honorees, as well as published annually in Suffolk Foundation communications and in the Suffolk Living Magazine. Tribute donations are placed in the Suffolk Foundation Community Impact Fund to support charitable needs in and around the Suffolk community. Every gift is 100% tax-deductible When a tribute or memorial gift is received, the Suffolk Foundation will send an acknowledgment to the person or family Indicated, notifying them of your thoughtful donation, but will not reveal the amount of the donation.
J. N. Owens Lynnete Holmes Park Mary Park Mr. and Mrs. Edward Peabody, Jr. Phyllis Pruden Mr. and Mrs. James Rainey Reasor Enterprises Mrs. Woodrow Reasor Riddick Babineau, PC Saunders & Ojeda, P.C. Anne Saunders Emily Saunders Rob and Mary Ann Saunders John Sebrell Polly and Henry Simpson Mr. and Mrs. William Spain, Jr. Virginia Sullivan Sweetbriar Development Corp. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Taylor, Jr. Terry Peterson Residential Companies, L.L.C. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Tripolsky Joyce Trump VA Transportation Construction Alliance Dean Vincent Alvis and Burwell Winslow Jane Womack Mr. and Mrs. Basil Yost, III Arlene and David Zeiler In Memory of Audrey Billups Butler Tracy P. Carr William L. Chorey Mary Lawrence Harrell Elizabeth W. Jones MLB of Glenview Public Charity Suffolk Sheet Metal, Inc. Audrey and Robert Tippett Mrs. Margaret J. Smith Mary and Joe White Anne R. White Parker’s Produce Rita and David Salmon Carolyn, Don and Turner Hodgins Mary and Sam Sheard
Pam and Bruce Tinker Vincent Wood Pearl Harrell Cynthia and Frank White, Jr. Scott Bradshaw & Rawls, P.C. Ann and Jack Nurney, Jr. Daryl, Kim, Tyler and Cody Billups Robert R. Chapman, III Duke Automotive Thera O. Palmer, IV Arlene and T.O. Palmer, III Jackie and Eddie White Charles Edward White, III Linda and Chad White Julianne Farricker Lindsey White Larry J. Butler Ann and Jeff Davies Michael Carr Danine Hopkins Brooke Abrams Lynn and Win Dale Sara Ann and Bill Johnson In Memory of Martha Saunders Anonymous Nita and Everett Bagnell Lynn and Joe Barlow Maxine Barnett Beazley Foundation, Inc. Patricia Bennett Birdsong Peanuts Sue and George Birdsong James Blair Elizabeth Brooks Martha and Linwood Callis Heather and Scott Carr Sue Chandler Gloria and William Chorey Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Clement Reginald Corinaldi, III Mary Hart and Austin Darden Duke Automotive Jacqueline Edwards Mary Ann and Jack Eure Sarah and Nathan Gardner Cecilia Gerloff
Robert Gillette Katherine Godwin Marion Grigg and Diane Grieder Becky and James Habel Wanda and Les Hall Hampton Roads Bankshares Pearl and Robert Harrell Sandy and Chet Hart Pam and Billy Hill Mr. and Mrs. John Holland Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Jaffe Asa Johnson Sara Ann and Bill Johnson Betsy and Tom Jones Mr. and Mrs. C. Frank Jordan Linnie and C.F. Jordan, Jr. Brenda and Doug Kincaid Erline Kingsbury Betty Kyle Alice McCarley Mr. and Mrs. John McLemore Mardane McLemore Jane and Jim Moore Margaret Moore Diane and Robert Nelms T. E. Norfleet Ann and Jack Nurney Tommy O’Connor Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Pollard Robert Powell, III Phyllis Pruden Kathy and David Rawls Dr. and Mrs. Mallory Read Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Stiff Suffolk News-Herald Pearl Taylor Terry Peterson Residential Companies, L.L.C. Joyce Trump Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Williams Alvis and Burwell Winslow Cynthia Winslow Jane Womack Sue and Tom Woodward Thomas Woodward, III Mr. and Mrs. Basil Yost, III
In Memory of Angus I. Hines, Jr. Scott Dean Waitzer Katherine Bennett Maxine Elder Barnett Susan Bowden Neri Jane Wommack Henry G. Simpson Ann and Robert Story Greta Gustavson and Gary Naigle Sue and George Birdsong Irma and Terry Mottley Carroll G. Frohman Patricia and Dennis Dehainaut James E. Floyd, Jr. Alice T. Cross Nansemond River Power Squadron Cheryl U. O’Connor Lauren Herterich James Reightler Leslie Friedman Christa Folkes BJ & AW Strattner Nancy and Joseph Webb Margaret and Stewart Boyce Judge and Mrs. James C. Godwin In Memory of William P. Blair Mardane McLemore Martha and Linwood Callis, Jr. Linda and George Consolvo Anne and John Council C.W. Brinkley, Inc. Construction Alice T. Cross Nancy and Arnold Dempsey Mary Ann and John Eure Kay and Donald Goldberg Sandy and Chet Hart Nansemond Pre-Cast Concrete Co. Nancy and Wesley King Nancy and Joseph Webb Joyce Trump Lydia, Eley and Duke Automotive Juliet and Calvin Fancher Mary Lawrence and John Harrell Charnell W. Blair Peggy and Robert Colgin, Jr.
Win Winslow, Executive Director, The Suffolk Foundation 757-923-9090 or wwinslow@suffolkfoundation.org
12 suffolk living
in the news
Foodbank establishes Western Tidewater branch Story by Jimmy LaRoue
N
early 22,000 people in Western Tidewater have food insecurity issues, and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore wants to help. To that end, it has established a Western Tidewater branch, which on a temporary basis is operating from the Health Food Pantry at Hayden Village Center in Franklin, and has named Clifford Hedgspeth Sr. as the branch manager, reporting to president and CEO Dr. Ruth Jones Nichols. A permanent location for the food pantry, also in Franklin, is expected to open later this year. The goal is to revive and expand initiatives and target families facing food insecurity in the rural communities of Suffolk and Franklin, along with Isle of Wight, Southampton and Sussex counties. “The need is definitely here,” Hedgspeth said.
Hedgspeth comes to this role with experience in leading a food pantry in his roles as the chief ministry officer and REACH Director of Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk. The church is one of the largest partner agencies in the Foodbank’s network. Through this, Hedgspeth was instrumental in the launching of the Healthy Food Pantry Program pilot, which launched at the church in June 2019. He said when it shifted to a mobile pantry operation during the coronavirus pandemic, it saw participation in the program triple — from 200 to 600 households. “I have such a passion for people who are underserved, not only for hunger, but for the homeless,” Hedgspeth said. Since then, the Foodbank has expanded the program to locations in Franklin, Suffolk, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and it plans to open another location in Portsmouth. The Foodbank received a three-year,
$300,000 grant from the Obici Healthcare Foundation for programs throughout Western Tidewater, including the BackPack Program, Mobile Pantry Program, Healthy School Market Program and a Kids Café. “Moving forward with these programs, we want to make sure they operate out of Western Tidewater and not Norfolk because of the long distance that people have to travel,” Hedgspeth said. “We wanted to get a permanent location right here where the most need was.” His goal is that by the end of the grant period in February 2022, the Foodbank will be serving 750,000 meals per year in Western Tidewater. “That’s a pretty good target, but it’s doable because we have some really exciting things coming this way to help us meet those goals,” Hedgspeth said. Jones Nichols said in a statement that the
suffolk living 13 new position “is critical to our continued commitment to expand services where we have identified our most vulnerable communities and food deserts,” and said Hedgspeth’s knowledge of the Foodbank and its service delivery model is invaluable and supports its mission to eliminate hunger and food insecurity in the region. The grant funding has also gone toward establishing the Western Tidewater Community Produce Hub, which provides access to fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and shelf-stable items for the region’s residents along with partner agencies. The produce hub, on a temporary basis, is at the MLK Community Center in a space donated by the city of Franklin’s Parks and Recreation Department. A permanent location is expected to open later this year in Franklin. While all areas of the region
have issues with food insecurity, especially in each locality’s rural areas, Hedgspeth said in Franklin, with just three grocery stores and no public transportation, the issue there is more acute. “We are strategically trying to put these (food distribution) sites in places where we can get the food to where the people are,” Hedgspeth said. Having a permanent location in Western Tidewater will allow the Foodbank to serve more people in the region, eliminating the need for food to be picked up by partner agencies or have it delivered from its headquarters in Norfolk. “With that food being transported like that, you can’t serve as many people,” Hedgspeth said. “So we’ve found that since the pandemic, we’ve been able to serve even more people, because now we can serve them in different ways.” Besides having a warehouse
Clifford Hedgspeth Sr. will serve as the Western Tidewater branch manager of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. The new Western Tidewater branch will lead initiatives targeting families facing food insecurity in the rural communities of Franklin and Suffolk, along with Isle of Wight, Southampton and Sussex counties. (Submitted photo)
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14 suffolk living CAFE continued from page 13
in Franklin, the Foodbank has bought a bus to help start a free mobile market to get food to people who can’t get to a food pantry and plans to start a regular route for the service. “We’ll have a regular route, and people can actually shop for a couple of hours,” Hedgspeth said. “No money, but they can get healthy food.” Hedgspeth, who has been in his role since September, said he put together a 90-day plan to tackle issues of food insecurity in the region, including introducing himself, implementing or reigniting programs and intensifying the effort. He said he has relaunched two monthly mobile food pantries, one at the Southampton Meadows Mobile Home Park that began Nov. 24, and another at the MLK Community Center across from the new branch’s temporary headquarters, which launched Jan. 9. It has also started a temporary produce hub at the MLK Community Center, where people can shop weekly. “We have so many other programs that we can do to make a difference in this area,” Hedgspeth said. “Our goal is not just to keep feeding the line. Our goal is to end that line.” Hedgspeth said that would allow them to take a more holistic approach to the reasons why people have food insecurity — inadequate housing, jobs and nutritional knowledge and a lack of education. He’ll have a regional outreach coordinator to ensure smooth running programs, a driver and then volunteers. “We’re trying to make their lives better,” Hedgspeth said.
Downtown Suffolk 102 Western Ave Suffolk, VA 23434 757.539.7695
Harbour View
5837 Harbour View Blvd Suffolk, VA 23435 757.686.3636 www.howell.dental Ralph L. Howell, Jr., DDS I R. Leroy Howell, Sr., DDS C. Danielle Howell, DDS I Melissa L. Campbell, DMD
suffolk living 15
How do you see Suffolk? Submit your photos to Through the Lens
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16 suffolk living
suffolk living 17
ROBOTICS
in breezy Bermuda
Story by Jimmy LaRoue Submitted Photos
M
arine biology is to robotics as Suffolk, Virginia is to St. George’s, Bermuda. But Susie Hill has a connection to all
of it. Hill, a Suffolk native who grew up in Lakeside and has lived in the King’s Fork Farms area for the past 10 years, getting her degree in biology — with a focus on marine biology and zoology — in 1998 at Old Dominion University, put that degree to use as an education specialist and special programs manager for the past 22 years with Nauticus in Norfolk. During her time there, Hill took charge of the MATE Mid-Atlantic Regional ROV competition — MATE standing for Marine Advanced Technology Education and ROV for remotely-operated vehicles — and has done so for the past six years. Hill has also focused on STEM-focused field trips and teaching about marine science. All that got the attention of Kaitlin Noyes, and Hill, who had saved up copious amounts of leave, headed to St. George’s, in the northwest part of Bermuda, to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, or BIOS, as a robotics education specialist. After a quarantine period — which she’ll have to repeat upon her return to Suffolk — Hill got to work. Since late January, Hill has been helping coordinate the MATE/MARINE Bermuda ROV Challenge — a competition for underwater robotics — for middle school to community college-aged students in Bermuda. It was originally scheduled for while Hill was going to be there, but due to COVID-19, it has been pushed back until April 17, almost a month after she leaves Bermuda. See ROBOTICS page 18
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Susie Hill, a Suffolk native, works with students who are using robotics to improve the marine life surrounding the tiny Atlantic island. ROBOTICS continued from page 17
She has also been helping with other BIOS programs such as microplastics and water cycle workshops and other projects. Hill, who is spending eight weeks in Bermuda, will finish her time there later in March. “Because I had the experience there with Nauticus, between the robotics competition and just general education field trips in a museum setting, she asked me to come here,” Hill said. But she didn’t really have any robotics experience until she was picked in 2012 to sail with Robert Ballard and the Nautilus Exploration Program. Yes, that’s the same Robert Ballard as the one who located the Titanic shipwreck in 1985. Her pull into robotics at Nauticus came from that, with the previous person who had headed it up moving over to Sail Nauticus, but it didn’t take her long to fall in love with it
once she immersed herself. “It scared me half-to-death,” Hill said, “I was like, ‘I’m in marine biology. What do I know about robots?’ But it’s opened up the field for me to get here in Bermuda.” In Bermuda, they are learning how to use underwater robots to pick up marine debris, using them to save ocean populations from pollution such as coral reef and invasive species. Bermuda students will be doing studies of lion fish — an invasive species in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast there — and how they are hurting native species. They are doing a simulation in culling lion fish, building underwater robots to do so made of PVC pipe. There will be 10 to 15 teams from schools across the island, building underwater robots to do the simulations in a pool at the island’s
national sports center. Hill has also been helping with the field trip groups coming to BIOS — teaching students robotics, about plankton, weather and the water cycle and pollution with microplastics. Hill has helped create lesson plans with Noyes about those subjects. “It’s been an amazing experience,” Hill says, “because I get to do the same thing I do at Nauticus, but in a different setting. The weather hasn’t hurt. “Right now, it’s a whole lot more beautiful,” Hill says, laughing, during a late February interview just after the Suffolk area went through a stretch of near-daily cold rain for more than a week. “Average day is like 60, 70 (degrees) right now.” And she is also doing work with Ozobots — tiny robots that when turned on, for the purposes they are being used in Bermuda, See ROBOTICS page 19
suffolk living 19 ROBOTICS continued from page 18
follow a line to map coral. “That’s along the lines of what we’re doing here at BIOS,” Hill said. “We’re taking all the sciences and math, the whole STEM component, and we’re combining them together to teach them what is BIOS really here for. We’re
combining robotics, and what they are studying — corals and fish and plankton and things like that.” When she returns from Bermuda, Hill, who used her own leave time for the trip and is being paid by BIOS for her work, will resume
her duties at Nauticus, getting ready for summer camp and bringing back with her many lessons to use. “I’ve realized that this is what I do back home,” Hill said. “It’s just STEM in a different place.”
Susie Hill helps students in Bermuda work on a project. Some of the students’ projects involve ridding the ecosystem of invasive species or clearing the surrounding ocean of litter.
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Above and at right, Suffolk native Susie Hill helps students work on a project involving marine biology in Bermuda. Opposite page, small plastic fragments are a big threat to ocean life.
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Spring break at the Lakes Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II
R
eady to enjoy spring? A tediously long winter can nudge even the most sedentary couch potato up and out to seek warmth, sunshine and budding greenery. But with pandemic cautions still in place, where to go to safely celebrate spring? Lone Star Lakes Park in Chuckatuck offers the perfect near-by escape — whether you fish, crab, canoe, kayak, hike, bike,
run, ride horses or just take your pup for a stroll. Well maintained roads, trails, minigardens, picnic tables, grills, benches and sanitary facilities dot the heavily wooded grounds surrounding 11 freshwater lakes just waiting for your first cast. If your favorite catch swims in a saltier home, you can find a brackish lake and two brackish creeks as well. The lake entrances are marked with
smile-inducing signs — Blue Gill Hill, Lunker Landing, Citation Station — and footbridges enable wider water views. Fishermen say speckled trout, bluegill, crappie, catfish, bass, and perch are all somewhere in the lakes. Ed Meadors and Bobby Davis, neighbors and friends from Courtland, brought a boat to Lone Star Lakes on a cool morning, hoping to find spotted — or speckled — trout. See LAKES page 24
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The two have fished together for years, often in the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River between St. Juliens Creek and the Gilmerton Bridge or in the Western Branch off West Norfolk in Portsmouth. On this morning, however, when they had had no luck in the Elizabeth River, they opted to try Lone Star Lakes. Meadors said, “We decided to try a turn around Crane Lake” and laughed as he added, “So for this we need a freshwater license to catch sea fish in brackish water.” The park attracts more than fishermen. The wooded trails lure mountain bikers, while recently smoothed roadways attract bikers, walkers and runners, including two activeduty U.S. Navy sailors, both on shore duty at Naval Station Norfolk. DeQuon Smith lives in Suffolk, stumbled on the park a while ago and comes often to run. On this morning, he met another runner, coincidentally another sailor, Tiffany Williams. Originally from Orange County, Calif., but living in Smithfield, Williams was enthused about her first time in Lone Star Lakes. “I love running on the smooth roads,” she said. For children needing to run off some excess energy, Lone Star has a playground with swings and slides in good repair as well as places for parents to relax when they’re not pushing a swing. Lone Star Lakes is about 10 miles or less from the busy Route 10 and Route 17 corridors, but the park’s quiet, scenic ambience make it seem worlds away. Marie Hansin and her 20-year-old quarterhorse, Bentley, enjoy the park and its fourmile wooded equestrian trail. Her son lives a short distance away, so the park is a convenient as well as scenic place to ride. For the safety of horses, motorists and bicyclists, the park requires riders to trailer their horses to a designated parking area near the equestrian trail on the north side of the park. Lone Star Lakes, a Suffolk city park for almost 50 years, was once part of the Nansemond Indians’ ancestral lands. The Nansemonds, living in small family clusters, thrived — hunting, fishing and raising their crops along the Nansemond River. Mattanock Town, a historic cultural restoration area in
The walking trails at Lone Star Lakes Park can lead anyone on a calming walk through nature. development by the tribe, sits on what was formerly part of Lone Star’s acreage. Each year, the tribe hosts a powwow open to the public at the park. Many years ago, sea levels were higher, and Virginia’s coastline was about 50 miles west of the current oceanfront, lying instead along a ridge known as the Suffolk Scarp. The residual ridge is still visible along the west side of Route 10 as it runs from Smithfield to Suffolk, passing Lone Star Lakes and Chuckatuck. Then the park’s land was filled with long
bars of compacted coquina (calcium loaded shells and shell fragments), covered with 20 feet of water. Geologists believe that the coquina bars stretched from south of Chuckatuck to as far north as Yorktown. The shell remnants melded with sand and clay to form marl, rich in calcium carbonate and a valued component in concrete and fertilizers with high lime content. According to the Greater Chuckatuck Historical Foundation, marl mining around Chuckatuck focused on the Lone Star Lakes See LAKES page 26
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LAKES continued from page 24
area. For almost 50 years from the mid-1920s, Lone Star Industries mined the now parkland and barged the raw marl downriver to processing plants in South Norfolk. In the early 1970s when the cost of meeting EPA standards rendered the business unprofitable, the company shut down the operation. Water filled in the marl pits, creating tempting, if treacherous, swimming holes for local youngsters. The city of Suffolk acquired the land in 1977. Today, while swimming, as well as water skis, surfboards, tubes and inflatables are prohibited, a range of other activities draws visitors to the park’s 1,000-plus acres of tranquility. Lone Star Lakes park supervisor N. Russ Greene has worked in several of Suffolk’s parks since 2006. Now superintendent of parks for Suffolk Parks and Recreation, he has also
supervised Lone Star Lakes on site since July. He calls the park “the most natural of all the city’s parks.” The park attracts a wide variety of birds including ospreys, eagles, hawks and smaller birds. Visitors walking one of the trails might also glimpse deer, foxes, raccoons, coyotes and squirrels. Seven miles of maintained trails invite exploration — and the discovery of an array of forageable plants, including wild mushrooms, persimmons and a variety of uncommon greens. Greene said that the park has hosted several foraging adventures for groups interested in learning more about edible wild plants. Nakiesha Bridgers, the park’s outdoor programs specialist, develops a roster of special programming including evening stargazing walks, birdwatching, stand-up paddleboard-
ing classes, archery classes, guided kayak tours and more. Outdoor Recess, a program aimed toward students who have been in virtual classes all year, explores the outdoors, rain or shine, and includes wildlife topics aimed to enhance a child’s confidence in outdoor spaces. Bridgers is also open to developing special programs and working with groups wanting to plan a private tour or a special interest event in the park. In addition to the park’s programs, local groups including the Kingsboro Bowman and the Hampton Roads Radio Control Club meet regularly at the park’s archery range and remote control airplane flying field. As the days get longer, take a few minutes, take a stroll, take a deep breath of fresh air and take a mini-spring break at the lakes.
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Opposite page, Marie Hansin and horse Bentley enjoy the trails at Lone Star Lakes Park. Above, Tiffany Williams and DeQuon Smith, both U.S. Navy sailors, happened to meet at the park while working out. At right, Kelly, Kayla and Nolan Peace came to enjoy family time at the playground.
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Above, Bobby Davis and Ed Meadors fish at Lone Star Lakes. At right, a mother deer and her fawn take notice of visitors.
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TAKING A TRIP?
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Last edition’s Where Am I? suffolklivingmag.com
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The decorative architectural where am I? feature with I the year 1916 is at the top of what was formerly known as the Herman’s building on West Washington Street. Courteney Simpson was among eight correct guessers — our highest number of correct answers in quite some time — and won a $25 gift card for her keen eye. Check out this edition’s challenge on page 7.
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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.
Road Warriors KEEPING WARM AND CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY
january/february 2019 • vol. 10, no. 1
Chicken Swap FOWL, FESTIVAL AND FUN TIMES AT RESPASS BEACH
Community Garden
september/october 2018 • vol. 9, no. 5
AND VOLUNTEERS THAT LOVE BOOKS may/june 2019 • vol. 10, no. 3
Read Suffolk Living Magazine
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 card.
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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PLANTERS AERIAL: An aerial view of the Planters Nut and Chocolate Company in Suffolk shows off the factory and some of the surrounding neighborhoods, where some employees lived. Planters had 36 buildings on 38 acres of land, according to the SuffolkNansemond Historical Society. —COURTESY “SUFFOLK IN VINTAGE POSTCARDS,” SUFFOLK-NANSEMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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