Hampton Virginia Community Updates and Program Highlights - January 17, 2019
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Hampton Virginia Community Updates and Program Highlights - January 17, 2019
This summary covers a compilation of city-produced informational segments broadcast on January 17, 2019, featuring presentations from city officials and program coordinators on community planning, workforce development, library services, public health, and education opportunities.
Community Plan 2040 Kickoff
- Terry O'Neill, Director of Community Development, introduced the process for updating the Hampton Community Plan for 2040. The last comprehensive update was in 2006 with a smaller review in 2011. The process includes a listening and research phase through winter 2018-2019, followed by drafting and adoption of the strategic plan by fall 2019 and full plan adoption by winter 2020. O'Neill highlighted that Hampton's population has a higher proportion of millennials compared to the U.S. average. Examples of past planning successes include Peninsula Town Center, Buckroe Bayfront redevelopment, the reuse of the National Armory as a microbrewery, Hunter B. Andrews School on Victoria Boulevard, Waterwalk at Central Park, Sandy Bottom Nature Park, the Hampton Roads Convention Center, and the Air and Space Center.
Workforce Development Job Fair
- Robin McCormick (City Communications) interviewed a representative about the upcoming job fair on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., with a preparatory workshop at 8:30 a.m. Last year's fair drew 2,300 job seekers and 108 employers. Employers must have current openings; major employers include Huntington Ingalls (shipyard) needing 3,000 workers. Preparation classes offered by Goodwill and the Virginia Career Work Center will cover resume writing, interview skills, and professional presentation. On-site intake services will be available for follow-up assistance.
Library Programs for All Ages
- Olivia Hassan (children's section) and Rita Scriven (adult programs) described upcoming library offerings:
- Adult Coloring Program: Monthly themed sessions with snacks and movies, designed for relaxation and stress relief.
- Book to Film Club: Monthly movie screenings based on books, with discussion; the 2019 lineup includes recent releases from 2017-2018.
- Teen Tuesdays: Second Tuesday of each month featuring puzzles, games, "Life 101" (college and career preparation), and snacks.
- Story Times: Baby Garden (songs and movement for infants), Toddler, and Preschool (with short films).
- Paws to Read: Third Saturday of each month; children read to registered therapy dogs to build reading confidence.
- Lego Club: Fourth Saturday of each month from 1-2:30 p.m., open play with snacks.
- The main library is at 4207 Victoria Boulevard; all branches offer similar programs. Free resources include books, DVDs, audiobooks, e-books, and educational databases.
Seasonal Flu Prevention Guidance
- Nancy Lemus from the Hampton Health Department discussed influenza: it is a respiratory virus with sudden onset of fever, cough, and body aches. High-risk groups include elderly, infants, and those with chronic conditions. The best prevention is the injectable vaccine (nasal mist not recommended for the 2018-2019 season). Vaccine takes two weeks to become effective; it is not 100% effective but reduces hospitalization and death. Common myths debunked: the vaccine does not cause the flu; cold weather does not cause illness. Antiviral medications are available if taken early. General hygiene: cover coughs, stay home when sick, wash hands frequently, and use hand sanitizer. Herd immunity is important to protect vulnerable populations.
Governor's School for Science and Technology
- Vicky Wismer, Director, described the program as one of 19 academic year governor's schools in Virginia, focused on STEM for gifted students from multiple school divisions. Students attend half-day sessions (7:10–10:30 a.m.) and take dual-enrolled college courses at Thomas Nelson Community College. Three strands: Engineering, Biological Science, and Scientific Computer Science. Junior year includes research methodology; senior year involves a year-long mentored research project culminating in local, state, national, and international competitions. Last year two Hampton students competed in Russia. Students often earn 20–40 college credits before graduation.
- Grant Gibson, a senior from Bethel High School and valedictorian, shared his experience. He is in the engineering strand, did a research project using an accelerometer on a football sled (won first place in Tidewater and advanced to state), and is currently working with a NASA mentor on a hybrid wing body aircraft aerodynamic model for flight simulators. He will attend UVA on a full-ride Robinson Scholarship studying mechanical engineering.
- Application process begins in 8th grade; information sessions are held in 9th and 10th grade through school gifted coordinators.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes or decisions were recorded. The segments were informational and promotional:
- The Community Plan 2040 process is underway with public input opportunities through winter 2019.
- The City of Hampton encourages attendance at the February 5 job fair and use of preparation resources.
- Library programs for all ages are free and ongoing; residents are directed to hampton.gov/library for schedules.
- Health officials urge flu vaccination and adherence to prevention measures throughout the flu season.
- The Governor's School for Science and Technology continues to accept applications from gifted students; current students like Grant Gibson demonstrate the program's success in preparing students for STEM careers and higher education.
Meeting Transcript
26. Farm Bureau's been working to preserve Virginia Farms and our rural heritage. Visit our website at VAFB.com. Home has been Virginia. Between the blue beach, just a peak. Today should home in the heart. Oh. Hello, everyone, and welcome to Real Virginia, a show about Virginia agriculture and the people who produce all the wonderful products we enjoy brought to you by the Virginia Farm Bureau. It's becoming easier to eat fresh local foods year-round, even in restaurants. If you're gearing up for spring gardening, you may want to consider a cold frame. Meanwhile, we pay a visit to one of Virginia's most popular farmers' markets in the wintertime. Welcome back, everyone. We are coming to you from historic Ashland, Virginia, and Cross Brothers grocery store. We're going to take a sneak peek inside in just a few. Dining out can take your palate on a culinary adventure. But what if your adventure started and ended right in your community? That's the reason behind locally source menus all across the country, including a Richmond Social Eatery, the Broken Tulip. This restaurant's chef builds his weekly menu solely from food items close to home that are in season. Chef and owner David Crabtree Logan is a Scotsman who trains in some of Europe's top-rated restaurants. He creates multi-course menus featuring local farm fresh foods each Thursday through Saturday night and for Sunday brunch. It's not about trying to be clever and trying to put you know a hundred things on a plate. There's one of our farms prefers their winter crops over their summer crops. So that's that was a really great connection for us to make because they enjoy farming in the winter more than they do in the summer, and that's kind of the time where we need the most input from the farms is there in the wintertime. The food is served at the broken tulip as a communal dining experience. Guests share their fare at a farm style table in a quaint dining room. The atmosphere is warm and connecting, much like their food. You know, we want to welcome them, live a welcome them into a home and uh and just you know make sure everyone's looked after. That's really the uh the aim here of the broken tulip. Crabtree Logan says many of their customers are surprised to know so many delicious foods are available in Virginia year-round. He likes his guests to understand how important it is to support local farmers as well as leave satisfied with their dining experience. To find out more about how you can find locally sourced food in Virginia, go to Virginia Farm2Table.org. Glass greenhouses used to be one of the only ways growers could extend the growing season for fresh produce. But in addition to construction costs, they can be expensive to heat. In the past decade, unheated hoop houses have become a very popular alternative for many small growers. Thanks to solar energy and maybe a few small space eaters, these clear plastic coverage structures often allow growers to raise fresh produce almost year-round. Not only does a hoop house cost far less than a greenhouse to build, there's several grant programs available for beginning farmers. Hi, today we're going to be talking about cold frames for the garden from the ground up. Please stay tuned. Farm Bureau is the insurance provider of choice for farmers. But did you know all Virginians can benefit? In fact, most of our members are not farmers. As a member, you are supporting worthy causes like local Virginia food banks and the Agath and Classroom program. Your $40 membership will easily pay for itself with the many savings options as well. Farm Bureau is made for Virginians. To learn more about the membership advantage, go to VAFB.com or visit your local farm bureau. Many home gardeners try to get a jump on the season each year. Chris Mullins with Virginia Cooperative Extension shows us how to do it in an affordable way from the ground up. Well, hi and welcome. Today we're at Virginia State University's Randolph Farm, and we're going to be talking about cold frames. Now, what is a cold frame?
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