The City of Hampton's Planning Commission meeting for the month of December Two thousand twenty-five will now come to order.

Madam Clerk, can you call the role, please?

Commissioner Griffith.

Commissioner Muggler.

Present.

Commissioner De Profio.

Chair Harris.

Move approval of the November twenty twenty-five minutes with amendments.

Any comments by the commissioners.

I Commissioner Brooks.

I Commissioner Coleman.

I Commissioner Muggler.

Thank you.

I will first read the public hearing protocol.

The Planning Commission of the City of Hampton takes pride in being fair and courteous to all parties in attendance.

It's important that all involved understand how the commission conducts its hearings and how all persons before the commission should conduct themselves.

Individuals other than the applicant or their representative who have signed up to comment on the case will have three minutes to present their comments.

All comments must be directed to the commission.

No person may address the commission until he or she is called by the chair.

Speakers must remain at the podium or microphone while addressing the commission.

Speakers who have signed up may not donate their time to other speakers.

And please note that unless otherwise stated, the actions taken by the commission today are in the form of a recommendation to the Hampton City Council.

The final decision to approve or disapprove an application will be made by the city council at a future date.

Chapter 3, Section 3 2 entitled Table of Uses Permitted to add Smoke or Vape Shop to the Use Table.

Chapter 3, Section 3 3 entitled Additional Standards on Uses to add Additional Standards for Smoke or Vape Shop.

And Chapter 11, Section 11 2, entitled Parking Spaces Required to add Smoke or Vape Shop to the Parking Table.

Here to present on behalf of staff as zoning administrator Melvion Fulgrim.

Good afternoon, Chairman of the Board, Vice Chair, members of the body, director of community development, legal counsel, staff, citizens, and guests.

My name is Melville Pogum, and I am the current zone administrator for the city of Hampton.

The item that I will be bringing before the body is a proposed zoning ordinance amendment for smoke or vape shops, number 25-037.

This will affect chapters 2, 3, and 11 to modify or to define the permitted use of smoke and vape shops here in the city of Hampton.

The retail sales general use category is an overarching classification that currently includes multiple uses such as smoke and vape shops.

These stores typically are medium to small and serve walk-in customers.

Just some ideas of what those services look like.

Regulating them helps to ensure compatibility and surrounding residential residential, commercial, or mixed use areas.

The current proposal would align with the state statute that regulates tobacco product sales, which leads us to 15.2-912.4, the regulation of tobacco and hemp product sales, resale sales locations.

This statute is used to identify what type of retail products can be sold, the areas of where they can be sold as far as location and proximity to child care centers and public, private, and parochial schools.

On this page here, this is a comparison model of some of the research that we conducted with other localities that currently have vape or smoke or smoke or vape shop language amended or adopted into their ordinances.

The table details other localities of their permitting and zoning districts, distance requirements, and permits of approval.

Okay, so just to give you a brief overview of exactly how we're breaking down the definition of vape or smoke shops.

These products include tobacco sales, hemp products meant to be smoked, or other lawful products designed for human smoking or vaping.

This includes what is not limited to electronic smoking or vaping devices, any liquid substances used with them, tobacco products containing nicotine or intended for human use, parts, components, accessories related to smoking or vaping products, whether or not they contain tobacco or nicotine.

A smoke or vape shop does not include any business that holds a Virginia alcohol beverage control license.

An example of businesses that would be affected by this condition would be like a small mama pop store, which would be like a convenience store, who sells smoke or vape uh products as defined in the amendment.

However, our larger chain businesses such as 7-Eleven, Walmart, or Kroger, who have who hold a alcohol beverage license from the department from Virginia would not be affected by this amendment.

Furthermore, in preparation for future legislation that could impact the state of Virginia, we've added an addendum that includes retail, marijuana, and product sales.

So if the sale of retail marijuana or marijuana products becomes legal in Virginia, a smoke or vape shop may sell those products only if they receive a use permit or amend the use permit, specifically allowing marijuana sales or marijuana sale of products at that location.

The business must also comply with all other applicable laws and regulations, including those issued by the state and by the state agency authorized to regulate retail marijuana sales or retail marijuana products, existing smoke or vape shops, including those with legal non-conforming statuses and any other businesses may not sell retail marijuana or retail marijuana products unless they first require, excuse me, obtain a required use permit or amend the use permit authorized for such sale.

Moving forward to chapter three, which is our use table chapter, uh, we are hoping to include the actual term of smoke or vape shop to our category.

This would permit smoke or vape shops in the general commercial C3 district, subject to additional standards and approved use permit from the city of Hampson's Hampton City Council.

This here is our current diagram of our existing use permit table.

The item here in the category shown in red is the addition of smoke or vape shop in our category.

And if you scroll over to the red C3, it's going to require a C a use permit which will go before the board for review, and it will also be required to follow the section 3-357, which will be the supplemental standards for that ordinance section.

Okay.

All right, so within chapter three, in addition to approving the use the category of defining intern, we also wanted to include some additional standards and regulations for smoke or vape shops.

Those regulations or additional standards would require the smoke or vape shop to be a minimum distance from any school or daycare, establish a minimum distance requirement between smoke shops, smoke or vape shops, regulate the hours of operation, and require additional operational standards and characteristics.

So here on this um cat on this form or on this chart, we've kind of broken down exactly what we put um in written terms and outlined it out.

So the 9 a.m.

to 8 p.m.

This is the hours that we're proposing to restrict the use of smoke or vape shops for establishments.

Um this would fall within a normal retail um business hours and then the distance between schools and daycare of a thousand um linear feet, which was quoted by our statute, and then um other smoke or vape shops.

We want to make sure that we are um abiding by what abiding by a 0.5 mile um distance from shop to shop.

And then lastly, additional um standards would be smoke or vape shops would not be permitted to have a drive-through, um, restrict the installation or use of any form of illumination visible from the public right-away, which is not expressly permitted by the ordinance or otherwise conditioned by a use permit.

So that would be like the flashing lights on the exterior, um, any illusion of um like highlights or embellishments on the exterior of the building, those types of updates and amenities would have to be approved through some type of use permit or condition.

And then lastly, the exterior door, the exterior, interior doors or windows shall not be treated in a manner which impedes visibility into the establishment.

So that would be like any type of advertisement, signage, uh, promotional material that's inside of those window frames within section 10-9, um parentheses one of our ordinance.

Uh we have specific language that states that the window, the individual window, which contains the advertisement, can only hold no more than 33% of coverage within that window.

So that's going to assist our enforcement team with any um violations that may be occurring when it comes down to coverage within the individual window.

Moving on to chapter 11.

This is our parking requirement standards.

Uh, we're pretty much classifying this more of a housekeeping tool.

Um, within our current language, um, retail sales is broken down into many different subsections.

So, what we're trying to do with this section is to consolidate those uses that have similar characteristics to have house them under one um definition, and then also define the use of smoke or vape shops so that when new businesses come in, those vote those smoke or vape shops are aware that they have to meet that criteria as far as parking when establishing a permit within the city of Camden.

So, in summary, um, our hopes today is to define the term smoke or vape shop within chapter two to permit smoke or vape shops in the C3 district with additional standards and the requirement of a use permit inside of chapter three, and then do that housekeeping to our parking standards and have a consistent basis for our general retail sales parking requirements in chapter 11.

In conclusion, um, in conclusion of the public hearing, I've presented the action for vape smoke or vape shops, and so therefore staff recommends approval of ZOA 25-0337.

I am on standby for any questions that the board may have.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you, Miss Fuljo, and uh congratulations on your first presentation here.

Um does any of the uh staff have questions?

I'm sorry, any of the commissioners have questions for staff.

Yes, Mr.

Chair.

Um, yes, I do have a question.

Could you go back to the slide about marijuana specifically, please?

Okay.

So if marijuana becomes legal in the commonwealth, it will fall under the same guidelines as the smoke or vape shop.

Yes, ma'am.

So it'll okay.

And also the distances from the schools and everything, everything will be consistent.

Yes, everything would have to apply, and if there are any active use permits or um establishments that are housed as vape or smoke shops, they will have to come in before the body to request to amend it to reflect the new change of the marijuana sales or product sales um on their use permits moving forward.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair, just a little bit more clarification.

The purpose of all this language is basically just to say no one can become a non-conform legally non-conforming uh cannabis dispensary by virtue of having been a uh a smoke shop in the past.

So it will it will every cannabis retail operation in the city will be subject to a use permit.

That was that's the intention.

I'm not sure who this should be directed to, but uh the distance from a school is one thousand feet.

Yes, ma'am.

But the distance between shops is larger.

I was just wondering how we came up with that one thousand feet.

Uh that was the um that information was addressed inside of the statute that was passed by state law, and so um I would prefer to defer that answer to our legal counsel for assistance.

Certainly.

Um so the uh the legislation that authorized cities to uh you know regulate vape shops in this way specifies that we can limit uh them from operating within one thousand feet of a school or a daycare, essentially.

Um it also says we can regulate the the location of them generally.

Um under the Dillon rule, the city attorney's opinion is that that language limits us to one thousand feet from schools and daycares, but allows us more flexibility to regulate distance from other uses.

Any other questions for staff?

Commissioner.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um just a question is as you were going through this document and we were talking about that same slide, I think.

Yes.

Um and it and it refers to um their need to obtain a use permit or an amended use permit specifically authorizing the sale.

Um would we not also want to um insert a license into this language?

So uh just just going based on legislation that was filed and passed by the General Assembly before.

Um we know that uh all uh marijuana retail operations will require a license from the cannabis control board, and there is language in this definition requiring them to uh comply with all regulations of that board.

It's referred to in there as um the state agency authorized to issue permits.

So um I I believe that that issue is already covered in what we've presented.

So that would be captured during the permitting process.

Um in other words, that would be one of the boxes they needed to check in order to get the permit.

They had have to have an active license.

Okay.

Um then uh with respect to the you answered the question about the 1,000 feet, which of course um doesn't seem like a long distance, but um I would um like my my fellow commissioners to consider um the distance between other smoke or vape shops to be uh increased from a half a mile to one mile as uh when we take this matter up for a vote.

Um Madam Commissioner, um just so that you can see um exactly what that increase of one mile is going to look like.

This is an example of what your one mile buffer uh would look like uh when um in implemented or amending it to include inside of our our current um ZOA.

And Melville, if you wouldn't mind, can you just pull up the other map for just a moment?

Okay.

So we do have this map, and I just want to put it, you know, say up front, it's not all inclusive of all the vape shops that we have in the city of Hampton.

But what you'll see with the uh the locations indicated by the star, those are the vape shops that we think that we know of throughout the city.

And so what you'll see on those is you'll see the half mile buffer around that and what that would look like.

Additionally, we have the public schools and private schools indicated by the flag, and then those also have the thousand foot buffer around those.

Lastly, you'll see the areas highlighted in red, those are our C three districts.

So as Melvion stated, we would be limiting these to the C3 districts.

We would be recommending that we stick with the 1,000 foot buffer from schools or daycares, and then additionally some level of buffer between the smoke or vape shops.

And then additionally, some level of buffer between the smoke or vape shops.

So again, that's with the half mile buffer that we initially recommended.

Unfortunately, we don't have a map to show what the mile would look like, but that just kind of gives you an idea as you're thinking through what you want that distance to be, where we think most currently stand as of now and what that would look like.

Go ahead, Commissioner Mugler.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you for the for the illustration.

That's that's really helpful.

Um I would just offer up the thought that you can see currently how many we have already in existence.

So I still feel that a one-mile uh radius would be appropriate.

Any other questions for staff?

Really quick question for myself.

Um these that are operating or that we are aware of that are operating, and these are the ones that are operating legally that we know of.

Is that correct?

That's what we believe.

So I mean, this was based on just the ones that we know, and then Google search just to kind of get a general idea of where they are.

Um, but again, that may not be every single one that exists in Hampton currently.

So in placing um any new um vape shops, smoke shops, um, they would have to be within if we set it at a say we set it at a mile, it would have to still be in relation to the ones we have shown here that are operating potentially legally.

Correct.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Is there anyone signed up to speak on this uh subject?

Then I will open and close the public hearing.

Uh any other last comments?

Well, let me let me ask.

Is there a motion?

Uh Mr.

Chair, I move that the planning commission recommend approval of zoning ordinance amendment 25-through 0377 as presented by staff, except for the half mile buffer in proposed section 3.357B to be increased to one mile.

I second there's a motion on the floor for approval of zone zoning ordinance amendment 25-0337 with amendments notwithstanding the half mile buffer and proposed section three-three fifty-seven Bravo be increased to one mile.

Any comments by the commissioners?

Been no comments, madam clerk.

Can you call the roll, please?

Commissioner Griffith.

Vice Chair Rogers, aye.

Commissioner Brooks, aye.

Commissioner Coleman, aye.

Commissioner Muggler.

Aye.

Commissioner DeProfio.

Chair Harris.

Aye.

That motion carries.

Now we have the uh community development director's report.

All right, thank you.

So we have the youth planner report that will be presented by Henry Godfrey.

His birthday was yesterday.

Thank you, everybody.

So, how do we end off our year?

Was it a good year?

A lot to reflect on, was there struggles, hardships that we could overcome?

Either way, this is how HYC has truly ended off our year.

As we take a look at some of the topics, we have our first day quarter meeting, teen town hall, steam plan visits, not in the presentation right now.

Mox grants, mock grants hearing, grant hearing, as well as upcoming events.

Looking at our first day quarter meeting, we got to meet with some of the executives from the Hampton City Schools division.

We split up into different committees.

Some of the topics you as you can see here are mental health, cell phone band, school culture and curriculum.

The commissioners were able to collaborate with the division leaders and come up with lucrative solutions, things like working with councils and academy principals with students at a more personal level, starting education pathways from a young age, essentially just giving the younger generation, the elementary school and middle school students pass to the academy so they're familiar by high school, changing the admin with the cell phone band, emergencies, all those different things like that, as well as advertising school events on social media so they can become more known.

Looking at our teen town hall, we have youth are prepared and respected.

We also work with another youth-led organization, alternatives, youth and youth world changers.

Some of the goals that we have are advocating for youth, mentorship programs, lack of knowledge and counseling.

That just basically means it's the counseling is appealing to more mass viewers.

We also have youth are safe and involved, improving community safety with infrastructure and schools, engaging with more community events, as well as increasing knowledge with local resources.

Some areas of growth in the youth master plan.

We have opportunities for youth, just a certain demographic.

Other youth are involved, some are not.

Improving sectioning, some of it's good.

There are some tweaks that we can make in order to make this youth master plan the best that we've ever made it.

Youth aren't some youth aren't involved in academies.

Pre-selected often get first choice, others do not.

Moving on to the steam plant visit.

80% of SEAM actually go.

We have the opportunity of going to the NASA steam plant.

Over 80% of steam is used for NASA's research center.

Waste transfers into NASA's Rocket Fuel, so some of the rockets that go into space are actually used from this landfill center.

Extend landfill for at least 20 to 30 years.

The landfill gets preserved, all the things like that.

It generates over 55,000 piles of steam per hour, and it has magnets to recover tons of recycling and truly conserve the environment.

Moving on to the Teen Town Hall, here's some of the data that we crunched, how to crunch the numbers real quick.

Here's how some of the documents went.

We helped commission commissioners with synthesizing the data and truly getting them prepared for the real war.

The main event was our grants hearing.

You know, we heard a lot of different propositions from 12 youth-led organizations.

One of the ones that probably stood out to me was Fit Goddess Tribe.

It was a video game group, and which kind of coincided with educational things like STEM, science, science, technology, engineering, and math.

Another one was Comlab.

This presenter was actually an 11-year-old who started who started a project based on the declining mental health causes during COVID.

It was a great project.

Currently, I do not have his product, but let's say it was a great product, and some upcoming events.

Recruiting season is about to begin within January.

We're drafting goals three and four of the youth master plan, and the grant applicants will also receive their acceptance letters.

Now that you've heard what what we've done, here's how you can help us out.

You can help us with any suggestions that you see in the youth master plan as well as any youth-led organizations that you think would be a great recommendation for next year.

Please feel free to let us know.

Thank you so much.

And I now open the floor to any questions you have.

Thank you, Mr.

Godfrey.

You're always the greatest, and I'm gonna miss your uh commentary and presentations.

And uh happy birthday to you.

Um is there any comments by the commissioners?

Commissioner Mugler.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Mr.

Gotthry, um, you you uh included in your report that the um youth took up the cell phone ban for conversation.

Were you present for that?

I was, yes, ma'am.

Uh what was the what was the nature of that conversation?

Okay.

So to be honest with you, it was a lot of flack.

Like they were they were talking about oh, the emergency, like with Kick Atan, as I talked about before, they really got a lot of feedback.

They really wanted, they really wanted it to be handled better.

So, like they wanted contact to be able to contact their parents, they weren't actually able to contact their parents.

So that's how that went.

They also were a little bit frustrated for sure.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Thank you.

I that's interesting to hear.

I I wished I'd been present to hear some of the conversation.

Thank you for reporting on that.

No problem.

Yeah, I like to make a comment.

I was there for that meeting.

And it was very interesting, and I think one of the things they really talked about was the safe safety issue.

Um, I think they uh the comments I heard that they kind of grow up in a different world.

They kind of worry about safety.

You know, we did tornado drills with the book over the head and things of that nature.

But they did all types of you know, terrorism and uh active shooter mass shooter drills, and I think for them having their cell phones um to them not having them presented a safety issue more than anything.

And so if there was a better way of doing it, I think they made it very, very clear, and that seemed like that was the majority.

So it was good to hear from you all and speaking candidly around um some of the stakeholders.

So absolutely.

Any other questions or comments for um Mr.

Godfrey?

Goffrey, Commissioner Coleman.

Ms.

Garfrey, could you please not run out of here like you same boat so we can get a Christmas pick?

Thank you.

All right, thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Are there any items by the public?

Anyone signed up to speak?

Actually, we have one more item under under the director's report, if you don't mind.

Okay, well, I missed that.

All right.

Uh staff would like to present uh the following resolution for your consideration and adoption.

Whereas Michael A.

Harris has faithfully faithfully and honorably served the citizens of Hampton as a member of the Hampton Planning Commission from January 2023 to December 2025.

Whereas Michael A.

Harris has previously served as a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals from January 2021 to January 2023, whereas Michael A.

Harris was a proud graduate of Regent Law School School, where he received Virginia State Bar Corporate Council Award, whereas Michael A.

Harris has strong interest in supporting the work of Hampton Youth Commission and the city's youth planner program.

Whereas Michael A.

Harris demonstrated a particular passion for young people in our community and worked tirelessly to expand access to constructive youth activities, whereas Michael A.

Harris also steadfastly represented the interests of the citizens of Hampton.

Whereas during his tenure, the City of Hampton developed various zoning ordinance amendments to include the short-term rental program, accessory dwelling units, and smoke and vape shops.

Whereas during his tenure, the planning commission addressed or began addressing emerging issues within the community, including economic commercial growth and housing and neighborhood initiatives, including multifamily housing that helped to expand the city's tax base.

Whereas Michael A.

Harris was honorably and generously given his time and demonstrated sincere interest in the overall well-being of the citizens of Hampton.

I'm sorry.

Whereas Michael A.

Harris's tenure on the planning commission has been characterized by care, openness, patience, humor, and steadfast support for the public participation and processes.

Whereas Michael A.

Harris can reflect on the accomplishments of the planning commission during his tenure as a concerted effort of the planning commission staff and citizenry and shaping the destiny of Hampton.

And whereas members of the planning commission and staff sincerely respect and hold Commissioner Harris in the highest regard, and whereas the Planning Commission staff and the citizens of Hampton have benefited tremendously from Michael A.

Harris's commitment and devotion during his tenure on the commission.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Hampton Planning Commission and Planning Staff do hereby officially commend Commissioner Michael A.

Harris for his outstanding service to the citizens of Hampton and do extend their gratitude for his dedication and service to the Hampton Planning Commission.

Okay, everybody, that was uh surprise.

Thank you.

Uh cry later in the car.

Um I truly will.

No, um is there any anything else for uh items by the public?

I'm sorry.

Anyone signed up to speak?

No.

Okay.

Uh matters by the commission.

Well, we have a matter that's going on now.

So I'll take a point of privilege and then the any of the other commissioners have something to say, and then I'll allow them to say it for sure.

Uh I want to start off and say um uh let me start here.

Um in the uh COSA language of South Africa, there's a song that says Zundi Kokele Bowen Yabonga, and it says basically it says, Father, um lead me father, father, I thank you.

And I just want to say, you know, to the citizens of Hampton, thank you, to the commissioners, thank you.

Um City Council, thank you, and to the staff, thank you from Commissioner De Profio's typing on the keyboard.

Um to Joe's balance and Commissioner uh Brooks' uh elegance and Commissioner Mudler's guidance and wisdom and knowledge, and Commissioner Coleman, who's actually I've just found up the longest serving member, I think almost seven, eight years.

To Joe's balance and Commissioner Brooks' uh elegance and Commissioner Mudler's guidance and wisdom and knowledge and Commissioner Coleman, who's actually, I've just found out the longest serving member, I think almost seven, eight years.

So the knowledge that she has, and then Vice Chair Rogers, uh, you've been wonderful in whispering things in my ear so I can be better.

So I appreciate that.

Uh Director Michael, uh, Secretary Cahoon, your amazing chief counsel, our counselor and assistant uh city attorney, Mr.

Wolf.

And then to the media crew, you know, you know, we're cool, you know how we are.

And uh, so I thank you, you're the unsung heroes, you make us all look good.

I see myself up there and it looks great.

Um I don't have too much sign on my forehead today, so thank you.

Um, but seriously, I just want to say um it's been a one uh wonderful serving um the city of Hampton um first on the board of zoning commit uh appeals and now um as a commissioner on the uh planning commission.

And so I want to take all the knowledge that I've had.

I'll take that with me for some of you who may not know.

Hopefully, if you're a voter, you know that I'll be moving to being the commissioner of the revenue starting in January.

So I'm thankful for all the citizens who voted for me.

So no, I'm just humbled, and uh thank you for the resolution.

I didn't expect anything, and so I just want to serve, and so I just want to say thank you, thank you.

You all been wonderful, and all of y'all all everyone plays a part in my growth and development and in my life.

So thank you and God bless you.

Does any of the other commissioners have anything they want to say?

If you don't want to say anything, it's okay.

But if you do, you have the floor.

Commissioner Mugler.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh yes, uh, on behalf of City Council, uh, I I do want to thank you for the service you've given us on planning commission and before that on the Board of Zoning Appeals and all that you do within the city outside of those um responsibilities, and um, and also want to congratulate you on your new role as commissioner of the revenue.

I know you will serve us well as citizens in Hampton and that we will be in good hands uh as you move forward into that role.

But uh congratulations because your departure here is not an ending, you're just moving on to another uh responsibility, and um so congratulations to you.

Thank you very much, and I have big shoes to feel.

Martha knows I have big shoes to feel, so when you say that, thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

Michael, you are certainly going to be missed.

Um, I appreciate your manner, um, how you always seem um not only just prepared but very reasonable in your thoughts and your statements.

You always remember to recognize everybody who has contributed.

Um you're also a lot of fun to be with.

And we will certainly miss your guidance.

You set a wonderful example for us, and I appreciate being able to see how you're how you're leading this group and and the things that I've learned since I've been on board.

And I I will miss you a lot, but thank you so much, and my best wishes for you.

I just wanted to thank you also to say that everyone has said wonderful things.

I feel the same, and really excited about your future because we know there are many more great things to come.

So we're looking forward to it.

Hoping you'll stay in Hampton.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yes, of course, thank you.

And uh having you on the commission has been engaging, I'll say that from day one.

And I'm glad that we got to get acquainted.

And um, just because you're leaving the planning commission does not mean that I will not be in touch.

I don't find the way to find you.

Thank you so much.

And uh once again, thank you, everyone.

Uh, I truly appreciate it, and thank you to the staff and everything for this resolution.

Uh, it definitely will go up on my wall.

Um, and I'll protect it uh with my life.

Um any other matters by the commission?

Any other matters by the commission for the final time, I call this meeting adjourned.

So my name is Christopher Batten.

I graduated from Phoebus High School in 1995, and I'm currently a professor in electrical and computer engineering at Cornell University.

So after I graduated from Phoebus High School, I went to the University of Virginia and earned a bachelor's in electrical engineering.

After graduating from UVA, I went to the University of Cambridge to earn my master's in engineering.

And then I went to MIT, where I earned my doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science.

And then I started as a faculty here at Cornell University.

So I uh teach and do research in the area of computer architecture.

Uh, computer architecture is really about computer system design.

So, for example, we look at what type of computer systems should we be building in five or ten years and how should we build them.

So there were a couple really uh formative experiences during my time at at Phoebus, which really helped um create a foundation for me to be successful in in science, engineering, and technology.

So one of them was the Center for High Technology, uh, so the robotics program specifically.

I was actually out of district, and and participating in the Center for High Technology was one of the reasons I was able to go to FEBIS.

And um, the robotics program was led by Mr.

May when I was there, and it was a fantastic experience.

Uh, students uh were basically in in charge of the curriculum.

Mr.

May would pick out the textbook that we used during the year, but then students would take ownership of specific chapters and and teach the other students about the material, prepare problems.

It was a very hands-on, project-driven type uh course, and it really taught me a lot about what engineering actually was.

And so I really enjoyed that experience.

Uh, another good example would be uh the science fair.

So I was part of the science fair for two years.

Um, how Mrs.

Tucker taught the uh biology program there when I was at Phoebus, and she was a great mentor.

And I did a really interesting project, dealt with paramycium, small bacteria.

We looked at how bacteria responded to various different environmental conditions and what would happen when the paramecium were exposed to different contrasting conditions and how they would respond uh to those conditions at the same time, and I had an opportunity to go to various science fairs, and it really helped expose me to science, but also research, how to independently come up with uh interesting questions, how to design the experiments to answer those questions, and how to evaluate the results to figure out the next set of questions we should ask.

I think the third kind of formative experience I had while I was at Phoebus uh was really the New Horizons um governor school program where I was able to uh take uh physics, but also uh took advantage of the mentorship program.

And so I spent um uh many afternoons every week over at NASA Langley uh working with my mentor, Jeffrey Teneal, learning a lot about basically big supercomputers.

So they had an IBM SB2, an Intel Paragon.

And as a high school student, I had a chance to run some code on these these computers, which is pretty rare.

And that really taught me a lot about computing.

And you know, so for my experiences in the rocks program about engineering, science for research, and at the mentorship program terms of uh uh computing really shaped what I do today ever since actually.

Now that I've kind of seen what it's like to be a teacher on the other side, now that I'm a professor at a university, I kind of see what it's like to be a teacher.

Um and reflecting back on my time at Phoebus, uh, I really would urge current students to take advantage of the the teachers, at least when I was there, and I'm sure it's still the case, the teachers are more than willing to go above and beyond to help students that are excited about learning and want to get engaged.

And I saw that time and again, I'm not sure if I'm not sure if I'm not gonna do this.

Currently, I work out of London, United Kingdom.

I'm a studio analyst covering the NFL for Sky Network.

Growing up in Hampton, there was quite an emphasis put on team athletics.

And I think a lot of that's attributed to the military presence.

There was always different programs growing up, and that really helped out.

That's not really what it was about.

It was about understanding what team sports represents.

And that includes learning teamwork and perseverance, uh good attitude, responsibility.

These things came to the forefront.

And when you apply these things later on in life, it's always a positive reaction.

And when you look at it this way, a lot of military individuals and athletic individuals, they work on the foundation.

And that carries on the rest of your life.

Without question, Patricia Kovass, Pat Kovas.

We just lost her.

She just passed away.

And in fact, that's the reason I'm back in town now.

But she meant a lot, not just to me, but to a lot of students.

And she did it in a way that was it started off here.

And it didn't end.

Her contact with the students continued through their life and through hers, and that was really special.

And to see the school, uh walk these hallways again, uh see some of uh uh some of the the memories come back as to when I was here.

It is special, and I'm I'm glad I was able to be here.

My name is Jeremiah Wusu Kormore, Notre Dame alumnus and Bethel High School graduate of 2017.

He has room, he goes right up the middle, and he's gonna score, Frank.

Touchdown Bethel.

Nothing but a great run by Jeremiah Wussu.

Just makes plays.

Hampton had a lot of good teams that we used to play, and I had a lot of energy, and they were really packed to stadiums.

Uh, you know, it was good to play Minnesville, good to play Ward.

Uh, but it really what it really came down to were those Hampton versus Bethel games, uh, those Kikitan versus Bethel games, uh, you know, those TVs versus Bethel games, those are the games that really stuck out to you, the games that you ultimately uh wait all week to play.

Caught great.

Number nine, Jeremiah Wussu.

It's my appreciation for the game is what motivates me.

Um, you know, growing up, I didn't have that kind of try-une head within the home, a mother, father, son.

I didn't have uh, you know, that that that unity within the household.

Um so football was really motivating me in terms of teaching me lessons, um, in terms of uh teaching me the lessons of toughness and appreciation and you know, perseverance.

It taught me a lot of things and how to be adaptable to people.

Football was almost a father figure to me.

Uh so it was really my appreciation for the game uh and looking forward to you know what it can give me on the next level as well.

I think what struck me most is he took some good shots.

You know, he had to play received, played a lot of different positions for it, but I saw him get hit pretty good a couple times, and it took him a second to get up, but he never came out.

Um, his toughness was something to behold.

Just feeling the breeze, looking at the field, looking at the school again, looking at the tennis course, uh, you know, everywhere we used to uh, you know, participating in a lot of activities, participating in a lot of events.

Uh, you know, it's just a good feeling to be back here at Bethel High School.

Jeremy Wusu Kum, second grade.

That's when I first met.

Look at him now.

My experiences at Bethel High School uh really revolved around family and community.

Um, you know, we're there to focus on academics, but on top of academics, Bethel High School really allows you a platform to uh become relatable and adaptable to a lot of brothers and sisters and even the teachers uh evolved around that community aspect.

So um all my experiences uh really was pinpointed to uh that word of family and unity.

Beltho high school, the home.

Academics.

That's what I'm talking about.

The best memories or memory from basketball would be uh just the competitiveness in which we played on defense.

Uh Coach Brion is huge on defense, huge on help defense, huge on uh, like I said before, becoming that that one brotherhood.

And I, you know, I remember all types of experiences where I used to uh interact with the crowd and get the crowd jumping, slap the floor, uh look at the crowd, talk to them, all these certain things that you know uh what happened specifically for basketball, um, you know, that that we loved uh doing, and that that's the most key thing that I always take with me is just uh that excitement in that area uh of basketball.

The advice that I would give uh to any up-and-coming student athletes is just uh kind of the art of separation.

Uh, not separation in terms of uh solitude, uh but separation in terms of finding something that separates you from your peers, finding something that separates you uh from the majority of the students that are there.

And when you find that thing, cling to it uh and evolve around it and make it a craft.

Um, if you do love well, if you do love better than your peers, craft love.

If you play football well, uh, craft football.

So, you know, it's it's it's a certain thing in terms of each and every human that has something that separates them uh from the other, and I would ask or I would give the advice uh to any student athletes that's coming up and telling them just to find that one thing.

I wish him the best of luck.

Uh, we're so proud.

The opportunities get drafted, you know, in a professional league do not come along very often.

And uh, it it's not easy.

If it was easy, it would happen to everybody.

So he's put the time in, he's put the work in.

Uh, he deserves this, and we're just, you know, super excited and proud of him.

In my future, uh, I plan to succeed.

First and foremost, I plan to uh strengthen my relationship with the people.

I plan to get drafted to a team that uh has a great organization, uh, has a plan for me, um, and also has a plan for those people that are around me as well.

Uh, you know, I expect to be a Hall of Famer, God willing.

I expect to be the rookie of the year, God willing.

Uh, I expect to be the best player at my position, God willing.

Uh, so all these things I I'm looking to achieve, but uh, as wise man would say, focus on today, uh, for tomorrow I have enough troubles of its own.

Go to Discover the Forest dot org.

You must be your fairy godmother.

It doesn't take a fairy godmother to tell you that the right fit means everything.

Always choose one that's the right fit for your child's age and size.

Oh, that does make a difference.

Remember, their happily ever afters are in your hands.

To find out more, visit safer car dot gov slash the right seat.

Did you know kids who play outdoors have healthier lungs?

Totally.

Did you know that boys that play with dolls make better husbands?

My son has lots of dolls.

But did you know Terry Clock snipers breathe better?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Did you guys know statistically friendly kids have more friends?

Yeah, that's obvious.

Did you know most people think they're using the right car seat for their kid, but they're not parents who really know it all know for sure that their child is in the right seat.

Is it safer car dot com slash the right seat to make sure your child is protected?

Hello and welcome to Round Robin.

I'm your host, Robin McCormick with the City of Hampton.

And today we're gonna talk about getting your butts off the street and off the beach, and we'll explain that in just a second.

My guests are from Clean City, Cynthia Harris and Wendy Isles.

Welcome.

Thank you for having us.

This is, you know, it's a fun topic, and the good thing is we get to crack jokes about it, you know, because of the double meeting.

But it's a very serious topic, too.

Because tell me why.

Well, cigarette litter, cigarette butt litter is the number one littered item globally.

Globally.

And it is it is just absolutely horrible.

Um here locally, it's really important to us because we are a peninsula, and one cigarette butt contaminates two gallons of water, and so you can kill all the aquatic life in that two gallons.

Well, I'm gonna ask why people do it, and we probably don't quite know the answer to that, why people litter, but it's it's small, and people don't think it's a problem, is my guess.

But in that one cigarette butt, the kinds of of bad, harmful chemicals that are in there.

I know it includes arsenic.

Yes, there's some other things.

Um you think about that contaminating the water, bad enough for adults, but a dog, a child.

I mean, it is it is really really risky, and frankly, there's water everywhere here.

I mean, it's disgusting.

Do you really want your child swimming in the water and there's cigarette butts there?

Um on the beach, you're walking along the beach, and all of a sudden your child is playing in that sand, and there's a pile, a big pile of cigarette butts that's hidden down in the yeah, and and it's gross, but also it's toxic.

I mean, you know that is the really scary point.

And maybe maybe people who smoke cigarettes don't like to admit that they're smoking something with pretty serious toxins in it, but I I just I fail to understand how how people do that.

Well, most people think cigarette butts are biodegradable, and they're not.

It takes two years for a cigarette butt to decompose, and it only decomposes 38% after two years.

So you can imagine how long it takes that to actually just dissolve itself.

It's almost never.

So what are we trying to do to uh hammer this issue home?

Okay, so we have a couple of things.

We recently received a grant from Keep America Beautiful, and it was our our campaign is called um cigarette litter prevention program.

And uh couldn't be more exciting than that.

Oh my gosh.

That's why we say we want to we want Hampton to help us keep butts off of our streets and off of our beaches.

Yeah, and out of our water by storm drains, anything you put on the street pretty much ends up in the water.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And if you you know, a lot of people would not think anything, or or they don't think of throwing out uh cans or or used cups or anything like that.

They know that's litter, but they don't realize that that cigarette butt is litter as well.

So part of our campaign is getting our big butts out there and literally put them out there and get people interested and um interested in helping us.

Right now, and we really want people to help us reduce the amount of cigarette litter in Hampton.

So we've got a couple things that we're doing.

One is we have the cigarette butlers.

Uh these are for that's so cute.

Okay, I'm gonna pick one up.

Okay, just so people can see it.

It's heavy.

It is heavy.

These would go attached to a pole or a wall.

Yeah.

As a matter of fact, you can see several of these in downtown Phoebus.

Um because Phoebus is on it.

Phoebe's is all over it.

And and we're starting to put them in uh downtown Hampton as well, and we want to put some in the Coliseum area.

Yes.

Um, we have three areas that we're going to scan in the city.

Um, we already have one group that's volunteered to scan the Phoebus area for it.

And by a scan, we do um a walk, and we count the number of cigarette butts there, and then we work on our campaign and getting people to really understand what the campaign is about.

And then we come back in uh four months or so and we scan again.

So you're looking, I mean, you want to do this everywhere, but you're particularly focusing the resources on where is the most problem and how can we jump in and reduce at least some of that.

Reduce at least some of that.

Yes.

And and studies have shown that uh if you do a cigarette litter campaign, you reduce the cigarette butt litter by 50%.

Wow, that would make a huge difference.

Yes, it would.

Yes, it would.

Our our our actual goal is to get um a lot of our adopt a spot volunteers, community organizations, and even some of our sister government agencies to participate in this by using the cans that the two year um left to actually collect those butts, keep a record of how many they collect, and then send them in to a company called Terrace Terracycle who will recycle those and make all kinds of things out of them.

And that's what these are for.

Yes.

So once it's full, you guys will send it back.

Or go ahead.

You want people to do it?

Like what happens?

If they go to Keep America Beautiful, they can actually download the prepaid label, and when they get to Terracycle and they log them in, they will donate a dollar back to the cigarette litter prevention plan with um Keep America Beautiful.

So everybody benefits from that.

We get cigarette butts off the street, TerraCycle gets the butts so that they can recycle them into generally park benches as well as other furniture.

Um then Cape Keep America Beautiful benefits.

But overall, we as the public benefit by getting cigarette litter up.

And the only cost to our our participants is time.

Time to do that.

Yes, everyone.

Because you guys are giving these out right now.

And it comes with a kid inside with the vest and everything on the inside and the uh pickup stick, it comes with that also.

That's good because if I'm picking up litter, I don't really want to touch the um the especially the cigarette butts.

And there's gloves inside.

There we go.

It's a grabber.

I love it.

And then there's there's also uh gloves in there so that you're safe, very safe.

That is great.

Um so because of this grant, you guys do have these things, these tools to give people to remind them, even just as a reminder, like if this it used to be that every car had an ashtray.

But times have changed and they don't always.

So you can put this in your cup holder, put your cigarettes out in it, tiny little hole, it's very handy, and they can get some of these from you.

Yes, yes.

We have a lot of those to give away as well as the pocket ashtrays, which I think are are very cool.

Um it's so tiny compared to the one I saw a few years ago.

Yeah.

So they really could slip right into your pocket.

Yeah, it's like um it's just like a miniature ashtray.

And you know, you're gonna dump it pretty frequently because who wants to walk around with the smell in their pocket.

I mean, maybe some people don't notice it, but I do.

And you know, we we really want people to understand that cigarette butts are litter, and we want them to help us by volunteering.

Uh volunteer, not just for the scan, but also for um ongoing litter pickups.

Um and part of the scan, of course, is the data collection.

Um, and then to to follow up, and we'll have um a follow-up scan in about four months, as I said.

And and we want we want to make this kind of like a celebratory thing, like look what we are doing, come on out and join us, have fun while you're doing it, and we will start the public uh uh outreach campaign.

Was it August the 29th?

That's the day of the scan.

August 27th.

Yeah.

So you really want to start getting the awareness out really soon.

Yes.

Um and I was gonna say, and the other thing about it is you can make jokes about it, and that makes it a little easier to promote, like no butts about it, get your butts off the street, like all of that kind of stuff.

It it creates a more fun life mood that people are gonna remember.

Yes, it's catchy.

Yes, and if somebody would like to reach out to us um at our at our office, they we are happy to bring the butts out.

They can uh photograph their employees or their business with the butts, so that shows that they're on board with you know keeping the butts off of Hampton Streets.

So wherever they are, the the butlers are for businesses.

Yes.

What about like community areas?

What about like you know, the polls in downtown Hampton or at the beach or at parks where you know kids are playing where you really really don't want cigarette butts.

Are we able to do anything there?

We do the uh part of our grant uh will allow us uh to do our public outreach campaign media and that, but we also have funding where we can buy the big receptacles.

We're trying to find those transit points now that's what the scan will grab, right, and grab permission to be able to put those uh containers, those larger receptacles in those areas.

So we're hoping that we can get the the feedback on that and a good response on getting those situated.

So having those more available for the for pedestrians, places where people are walking or standing outdoors, and then we have to work on the drivers.

Yes.

Because that I think is a is a big big part of the problem.

You don't want that stinky thing in your car, boom, you throw it out the window.

But then that comes in really handy, and that as well.

Yeah.

Um, just to get somebody to know that you know it's more important to put it in the in the pocket ash tray or in the um car collection than tossing it out the window because birds pick up cigarettes and they oh gosh, I've seen them use it in nests and stuff too, and nothing.

And they try to feed it to their young.

And is that really what we want?

No, right.

And there's also there's also been instances of someone flicking that out the window, and somebody else has their windows down behind them and it has flown into the car.

But but really, it's also reminding people that they're a lot worse than they look.

I mean, there's microplastics in there that almost never degrade.

Arsenic, some other things.

Um that will kill our wildlife.

Yes, I will.

And and most people care, they just I hope, um, don't think about it or don't think, well, my one cigarette butt is gonna be a problem.

But it starts with one.

Yeah.

That's the issue.

Absolutely.

So do you have events coming up?

People should watch your Facebook page.

Yes, please.

Um, and also um some changes on the website, so they can go to um you know Hampton.gov slash clock clean city and or to our Facebook page um and uh see the information.

We also have um an e-blast that'll be going out about the campaign to all of our our current volunteers.

So if it's someone's interested, they can sign up for that and for the scan as well.

We need about 10 more people for the scan.

We have our first five.

Um that's to hit different places, so you want people to go to different parts of the we need five per area.

And so uh we've already targeted we've already decided on the areas that we're going to be scanning.

And uh, so we're did you want to um Phoebus is one is what is it along Mellon Street?

You've got some very good volunteers.

Yes, and that's who's already signed up.

Yep.

The other at the second area is the HRT station on uh Victoria is it Victoria Ball?

I think it's all Victoria.

Okay, yeah.

Yes, and then Coliseum B I Dane drag, and because we've seen a lot of cigarette butts over in that area, so yeah.

And our our stuff too, like calcium parking lot, probably.

I mean places like that.

Yes, that's a okay get get our own folks involved.

And we would love that.

So we have a challenge.

Uh we're challenging every city agency, including city council and the Hampton City Schools and the school board to get on board with this and and conduct litter pickups.

We are happy to supply the equipment for it.

We we give them everything, the gloves, the the vest, the bags, everything they need to do a litter pickup.

And then uh let's let's make Hampton clean.

Let's truly make Hampton clean and butt-free.

It was just awarded the all-american city, right?

That's right.

Let's let's put we're an engaged community.

Let's get engaged in the environment as well.

Yeah.

Okay.

Well, thank you all so much.

I am looking forward to this.

We're gonna have a good time with it, but it has a very serious implication.

Thank you.

All right, thank you both.

Thank you.

All right, if you're a smoker, if you know a smoker, if you see a smoker, please remind people that this is the number one littered item, and that it is extremely dangerous to marine life, to children, to pets.

I mean, we just don't want this.

You might think one little butt is not a problem, but there are millions out there, and that is a huge problem.

Hope you spread the word, and thanks for watching.

Hello and welcome to Round Robin.

I'm your host, Robin McCormick with the City of Hampton.

And today we are gonna get acquainted with a new midwife practice right here in Hampton.

My guest is Victoria Buchanan.

Welcome.

Thank you so much for having me.

So I actually read a little bit about the practice, didn't even know you were here.

How long has it been open?

We have been open officially since January 23rd of this year.

So we have just hit our eighth month, and it's really exciting.

That makes me feel a little bit better.

Um and tell us what the name of the practice is and where you're located.

So our practice is called a Santa Midwifery Specialist.

We are located right in this city of Hampton at Sentera Careplex.

Our office is there, and we also have privileges at Sentera Careplex Hospital, and we deliver babies at the same place.

So, you know, it's interesting because midwives have been around basically forever.

As long as women have been having babies, there's been someone there to help them, but they haven't um been a part of the traditional medical practices.

This is a whole new thing for SantaRa, right?

Yes, Senterra is really trying to be groundbreaking.

They are the first hospital, and honestly, I think that our practice is the only hospital-based independent midwifery practice in all of Hampton Roads.

So Sunter likes to lead the way and they are making a really good impact on our community.

They saw a need and they said, let's offer services that our patients are desiring.

People are asking for midwifery care, so why not offer it?

So how is midwifery care different?

What makes it different than going to your OBGYN for your for your checkups and for your deliveries?

From like a visit perspective, I would say it's very similar.

Like we perform the same prenatal labs, we do the same tests, we have the same milestones.

The primary difference is the relationship we build with our patients.

We focus on making sure that they feel comfortable, they get to know us so that we know what's important to our patients.

We want to know what their priorities are, and we want to work together like a partner.

We like to partner with our patients to create a birth experience that matches what their values, their priorities are.

So, and so you said the visits are the same, but they're really kind of different.

So the medical part is the same.

Yes.

But it's I I think you guys probably spend more time and have a more, yeah, like a more partnering kind of relationship.

One of the hallmarks of midwifery care is that we are able to have longer visits.

Like sometimes we have those short, hey, I don't have any concerns, but sometimes we're delving deep into people's fears, their past experiences, and trying to figure out how we can make this new experience a different um experience for the patient.

We want to make sure that they don't have come out of childbirth with unnecessary trauma, that they feel like they were heard, that their wishes were respected, and they felt safe.

So we really get to the nitty-gritty and make sure that we understand what is important to each of our patients.

Now, how many of you are there in the practice?

So currently we have four certified nurse midwives at our practice, and all of us have previous experiences that have worked at different practices, but we all had the same goal of providing care to our patients, especially in one in places that are underserved.

Well, we'll get to that in a minute, because that's one of my top interests.

But what made you want to go into this field?

I mean, it's not it's not a huge field right now.

Midwifery used to be big, had a little, had a little resurgence, um, but isn't isn't a large field.

Well, honestly, I started off as I wanted to become a nurse.

I wanted to work with babies, so I became a labor and delivery nurse, and I really enjoyed that time.

I got to help people during the most one of the most monumental moments of their lives.

But then I always kept seeing that I was getting to these patients too late.

The education, you can do short amounts of education, but the majority of it happens during prenatale.

Patients would come wanting unmedicated labor, but didn't know how to breathe, didn't know how to mentally prepare themselves for the work of unmedicated labor.

Right.

And then they didn't know if their provider had chosen supported that kind of birth.

And it was too late at that point.

And I kept seeing outcomes that could have been prevented with more education, better nutrition, and I couldn't make that impact right at the end.

So I said, well, what I realized that once that midwives was still a thing.

Yeah.

I was like, yeah, this is what I want to do.

So I went back to school and I became a certified nurse midwife.

And what was interesting is that through that path, I realized that my great grandmother was a midwife.

So I like to say that it was in my blood and it was my calling.

That is really cool.

So one of the things you talked about was evidence-based and better outcomes.

And and I want to talk about that in general, but particularly with African American women, because there's still a huge disparity in um in the birth experience and their health and welfare.

So what most of the time midwife-free care, like I said, mirrors the medical portion of obstetrics.

But because we primarily focus on low-risk women, why do the highest level of intervention for the lowest amount of risk?

So we assume that birth is normal unless it's not.

So by listening to our patients, most of the time when something is going wrong, if a patient comes and says that, oh, I have a severe headache, and we're not, we already know that we're gonna believe our women.

We're going to listen to them, we're gonna respect their wishes.

We are more likely to escalate that and to make sure that we are addressing problems that can be fixed beforehand.

So if we can prevent some outcomes, then we address them early.

And then that leads to better outcomes for women.

Additionally, because we try to be more hands-off and let nature takes its course, natural usually works better.

Yeah.

So where do your clients deliver to babies?

Sentera mid-free specialist only delivers in hospital at Sentera Careplex.

So what I like to encourage my patients to do is really decide before they come here, what kind of birth experience do you want?

The beauty of what we have at Sentera Middle-free special is that we have lots of options.

We support people who want to go unmedicated.

If you want to have that natural free spirit experience, we can accommodate that.

You don't have to be attached to Monders, you can have options for mobility and labor.

We have options for hydrotherapy.

And if you want to go on a more hydrotherapy means go ahead.

So I'm sorry, hydrotherapy means that if you are in labor and you want to submerge in water for helping with the pains of labor, you're able to sit in there during labor.

We don't provide water births, but we are allowing you to use the pain relief that water provides.

So that's what our sort of patients opt to use.

We also find that one most important thing for people who try to go unmedicated is being mobile.

If you're stuck in a bed on flat on your back, you're not gonna be able to cope with those contractions and are more likely to go for an epidural.

Especially if it's not your plan, we want to make sure we support what your particular plan is.

Now I have my patients who want an epidural, and we love those two.

There's nothing wrong with that.

You have you have all options here.

We support all births.

A lot of people think that midwives are only for people who want to go natural.

I don't want any meds.

No, if you want the meds, we're here to support you.

Midwife means with women, so we don't really care what kind of birth you have as long as it's the birth that you want.

That's very cool.

And of course, sometimes you get the birth that things happen and you don't know ahead of time that those things are gonna happen.

So you are able to escalate when you see a need for a surgeon or someone else, but but not necessarily, you know, right away.

You don't jump to that.

Only if it's necessary.

We are very fortunate to be partnering with an excellent OB group who supports us.

And if we need that higher, like the patient, the baby is in distress.

If something's wrong with the baby or the mother, and we need to do a surgery like a C-section, they are available to us, and patients have that option for those who worry about the safety aspects of what if something goes wrong.

That's the beauty of being a hospital.

We have an OR at our fingertips.

Don't we prefer not to use it?

We only use it if we have to.

Yeah, it's such a great option because I think that's one of the things that makes women uh a little reluctant to do something uh more natural or more different is that what if factor, and you've got that completely covered.

Cool.

So now, how how long does the nurse midwife um treat a patient?

Is it like done at delivery?

Do you work with breastfeeding or other because there's huge changes, not just for the baby, but for me.

So I like to tell our patients that this relationship does not stop with the birth of the baby.

So we are able to provide prenatal care, preconception care.

We are able to take care of you for your entire labor and birth experience and postpartum, we see you immediately like during the immediate postpartum, like the first couple of hours, we see you the next day, we see you for a two-week follow-up and a six-week follow-up, and then if you would like to continue with us for GYN care in the future, we will see you for your annual exams.

That is so cool.

Okay, what have I not asked you that's important?

Because obviously, this is something I um did not have my kids.

So I think the biggest question some people ask is why would someone choose a midwife over a traditional OB?

And I think the best thing is that if you want to have a true relationship with your provider, if you want to be heard, if you want to know that your provider will have time for you, if you want a person who's going to view birth as normal and natural and be able to escalate things if emergencies happen, then midwife is right for you.

It's funny, I didn't even think of that, because if I had had the choice, I think that's what I would have done.

But you know, I I guess some people have to back up and thinking about you know all those options.

I feel like we're all there in the past.

It wasn't always available, and now that it's becoming more available.

Women are demanding this.

So the fact that Semtera has taken the charts and said, yes, we're going to provide this, and we're going to fill a need and we're going to answer the call that women have been saying, it's really groundbreaking.

Well, and also you have four providers.

You've been open for less than a year.

I can do the math.

The women who came to you in the beginning are some of them are just now giving birth, right?

Yes.

It's interesting to see how our practice has grown.

We started with just maybe about four due days in January, and we are we have past 20 starting in September.

So it's exciting to see that.

I can always see it growing from the future.

Yeah, that's very exciting.

All right.

Well, I think I'm out of questions.

If there's nothing else you want to add, well, only thing I would say is that if a woman desires literary care, we are open and available and really excited to meet everybody.

It's wonderful.

Thank you so much for being in Hampton and giving women that option.

It's my pleasure.

Thank you.

And thank you for watching.

This is again a new service.

Too often in the past, midwives have either chosen to or have had to operate outside the hospital system.

And this gives women a choice for more of a paired service and the kind of birth experience they want.

Thanks for watching.

Hello and welcome to Round Robin.

I'm your host, Robin McCormick with the City of Hampton.

And today we are gonna meet a local author who has written technically his first novel, but he's had some short stories published also.

And one of the central characters is Hampton.

Welcome, Hugh Lessig.

How are you?

Thank you, Glad Frank.

Thank you for having me.

This is, you know, you were reporter for oh golly, a while, right?

At the Daily Press, and you worked somewhere before that, even, didn't you?

Yeah, I worked at two newspapers in my native state of Pennsylvania before I came to the Daily Press in 97.

Um, and my first beat was Hampton City Hall.

I had forgotten that.

I should have remembered.

I don't know what position I was in at the Daily Press at the time.

And because I moved around into features and and some other stuff, but so what had you always wanted to write um not uh write fiction, or is this something that's come up later in your life?

You know, I think a lot of reporters are uh frustrated novelists and frustrated fiction writers, and yeah, I I majored in creative writing and haven't gotten there yet.

Yeah, we all think we have a novel in us.

Um I've actually I actually wrote two novels um that are in the drawer, um which is not all that uncommon before this one finally made it.

So this is technically my debut novel, but um, you know, I've I've been at this for a little while.

Yeah.

Well, it takes a while to get good at it.

It took a while to get good at being a reporter.

It does kind of the same thing.

Yeah.

So tell us it's called Fade Away Joe, and give us some don't give away anything, but some ideas about what the story is.

Well, this is a crime novel.

It primarily takes place in Hampton.

Um the central character is named Joe Pendergast.

He is an aging, for lack of a better word, professional tough guy.

He works for a man in Norfolk who runs a bar and does illegal gambling in the back room and is kind of a loan shark, just sort of a small time hood.

Joe's worked for this man for 40 years, being a bouncer, knocking on doors to collect debts.

He's you know, think um, you know, think Clint Eastwood in his 60s.

I mean, he's that kind of that kind of guy, just hard as nails kind of person.

Um what happens is he contracts early stage dementia.

He be he's diagnosed, he's you know, and his boss who is not exactly a caring nurturer cuts him loose.

He's abandoned.

So when the story begins, Joe has moved back to his near where he grew up in Phoebus.

Um he's he has a food truck where he's sort of eking out a living.

But what he's really doing, he wants he wants revenge against his boss.

He just feels bitter and abandoned, that he's been cut loose.

Um his boss was the kind of the older brother he never had, you know.

He fixed his drinks, he got his dry cleaning, he did everything for him, and now he's now now they're gone, now they're separate.

So early in the story, and I without giving too much away, he runs into a young woman who who herself is homeless, is on the run from labor traffickers and needs protection.

She's she's being pursued by bad guys.

Um Joe can offer her the kind of protection that he she needs, even though he's with his diagnosis, he's still kind of a tough guy.

You don't want to mess with him.

Um she, in the meanwhile, um has uh she because she's kind of looked into criminal enterprises, she's kind of street smart and savvy and has an idea of how Joe can get back at his boss financially without you know, without Jo Joe's strategy would be just to go in with guns blazing and use my fists and because that's that's how he thinks.

Yeah, and she's smarter than that.

So they kind of depend on each other.

They have this symbiotic relationship, and it's an uneasy alliance, but um so as the story progresses, it's a it's about it's about that relationship and how they help each other.

But with Joe, it also becomes about kind of the choices you make when you know your time is running out.

When you have that clock ticking in your head, and he's looking back on the choices he's made, not very good ones, um, and thinking of how he wants to be remembered.

You know, and and maybe he thinks maybe what I want to be remembered for is helping this young woman get back on her feet as opposed to me exacting my pound of flesh, you know, be you know, before I leave this earth.

So it's it's really about sort of end of life decisions of of a guy who's has a few more than a few regrets and as maybe trying to make things right.

That um that's interesting on a lot of levels.

So a lot of you know, crime novels are about the crime or whatever, and not so much um have the depth and perception and the sort of here's the other issues, homelessness, here's the other issues, figuring out how I want to be known or what's gonna happen to me um with this diagnosis.

That's really cool.

Yeah, it's um you know, Joe grew up in Hampton.

Uh he grew up in he he grew up actually in the the Buckrow Beach area.

His his parents had a corner grocery store.

He is what I enjoyed a lot about this book was folding in some of the history of Hampton to it.

He is he's old enough to remember the Mercury astronauts when they were here and how Hampton had kind of adopted them until until they left us.

Mercury Boulevard, Space Town, yeah.

Yeah, so he know he he knows that.

Um he can remember um you know, obviously the amusement park in Buckrow.

He could never go there because he was always working at his parents' store.

But it was like this, you know, this thing that he um you know he must have looked at frequently sure and heard the noises, you know, heard the roller coaster and whatnot.

Um and then you know, there's obviously there's some of the darker periods in Hampton.

Joe was a child in the 60s, right?

He remembers all that.

He remembers segregation.

Um, as a reporter in Hampton, i I uh you you end up talking to a lot of people, and the people in Hampton are so great to talk to, and they're so honest with you.

Um and I remember talking to residents about those days, and I was able to fold some some of the memories I had into the story.

Um and if you want a real yeah, if if you really want an in-depth look, go to the Hampton History Museum and check out their oral histories.

It's amazing.

It really is amazing.

Um they reinforced a lot of what I heard from these residents.

And you know, the you know, the the overt segregation was bad enough, but they will tell you like little things like if you know if I'm a if I'm a black person, I go into a store and the clerk is white and I buy something and she gives me change, they made sure that I they're they're they're palm, they never touched my hand.

They would drop the coins into my palm from a distance.

The little things like that that just you know just really stuck with me.

Um and and Joe remembers all that.

Um Joe is white, so he's you know, and but he um when he was a kid, he had a crush on a black girl when he was 14 years old.

So he's working through that.

Paula, who he meets is biracial.

Um so you know, they they they both like push each other out of their comfort zones because you know, she does really has nothing in common with an old grumpy white guy, and he has nothing in common with this young kind of wisecracking woman who you know, he doesn't he never had kids, so he really can't relate to younger people.

So they really form this uneasy real alliance and they they kind of grow together as they try to help each other.

So how did this does this come to you as like one whole story, or do you start with a piece and then things develop?

I actually got this idea um when I wrote a piece of flash fiction, flash fiction is like 700 words for a website, and it was about um an older man on death row and uh a younger, kind of younger criminal he's mentoring.

And I just got the idea of the sort of the how the generations communicate.

I I think is you know, as I worked at the newspaper um and got older and older and older, and I became that person who kind of looked over their glasses at the younger at the younger folks.

Yeah, but that size newspaper, we hire people who are right out of college or two years out.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And what but what was so great about it was that you know the younger reporters, especially later in my career, taught me so much about technology and how to work faster and how to work savvy.

Um so I really, you know, I I really got into how could I write a novel, uh a crime novel, but that communicates across the generations.

And in this case, you know, a a criminal, uh, a younger person who who may turn out to be a criminal, she's homeless, she's savvy, she's but she's you know, kind of on the edge.

How is she gonna go?

She's at a crossroads.

Does he help her?

Does he not?

Does he go his own way?

Um so yeah, there's a lot there.

Um and I picked um I I I fit I I uh dovetailed dementia into it because my father passed away from dementia.

Oh, and I got to see sort of that long slow slide that if if you have you know if if you have uh someone who's has dementia, you kind of see that, and it's very painful to watch.

Oh, it's awful.

Um, especially from someone, you know, my dad was he was a truck driver, he was a physically powerful person.

Um and and to see you know what that does.

Um I I think I there's probably a little bit of that in this story too.

How a tough guy who was never gone to the doctor, who's never been sick a day in his life, can just be, you know, floored by this disease.

Comes out of nowhere almost.

Yeah.

Well, this book is about to be published.

What what's your what's your date?

It releases August 22nd.

It's published by Crooked Lane Books.

Um I'll be doing a book signing at Dogeared Books on in downtown Hampton on September 16th.

But it's available now.

Um you can go to my website, Hugh Lessig.com, it's on my Facebook page, you look it up on Amazon, um, all the usual channels.

It's there.

That's great.

And I hope you do some more book signings too.

Maybe the um the larger bookstores will jump on it, but I love that you're starting with dog eared books.

Yes, she's wonderful.

She is.

That's my favorite bookstore.

Um, we go in there and we can just spend hours just you know looking at the shelves.

What have I forgotten to ask you?

You know, I can't think of anything other than I was, you know, I was so happy to take my experience as a reporter and kind of fold it into this book.

Um, you know, it's it's amazing the things you pick up gathering the news that you later in life you come back on.

Yeah.

Um so for instance, you know, Paula is homeless.

Um I got to interview a bunch bunch of homeless veterans in Hampton because the Hampton VA Medical Center has done such a good job placing homeless veterans in housing.

Yeah.

Um that took a long time though.

It did.

And you know, you always think I this is my own shortcoming.

I always thought of homeless people as that person uh down at the end of the exit ramp holding the sign.

And you know, these people they have work histories, they have relationships, they have things going on in their lives, and you know, it's it's kind of scary how they can become homeless because just two or three things can happen.

Right, and the dominoes can fall, and all of a sudden, you know, you're couch surfing, or you know, your your bills are you know, your bills need to be paid, and you know, they're turning off the lights.

It's it's really it's not that difficult for for people to end up in that situation.

So um, you know, and I so I I really enjoyed kind of you know putting that into this into the story too.

And we're lucky that it's about Hampton.

I love reading books that evoke a place that I know.

So I'm very excited.

I can't wait to read it.

Yeah, I really you know, I thought about putting like real businesses in the story.

I thought I better not do that.

But there is a fictional bar uh in this story in Phoebus that if you know Phoebeus, you'll know where it is.

It's down where the boat launch is in that open area.

It's called the Moonbeam Brewery, started by a bunch of uh retired NASA Langley engineers.

Um that's the only there's a scene at Fort Monroe.

Um there's a bunch of scenes in Phoebus.

There's a scene in downtown Newport News.

Um, but there's no real businesses yet.

So once I maybe I get more established, I can approach some businesses and say, You want to be in my book?

Hey, that's cool.

Well, I can't wait.

So we'll get it, we'll get a look at it in just a few weeks, actually.

So that's very exciting.

Well, thank you for coming by, Hugh.

I'm a little bit jealous that that you've written the book and I haven't, but I'm I'm excited to read it.

There's time.

And I am very excited to read it, and I hope you are too.

It is wonderful when the setting is uh the place that you live, the place that you know, and and people who are real to you, even if they're not real.

Um so thank you for watching and check out the book.

Hello, and thank you for tuning in to another episode of Fusion Fitness.

I'm your instructor, Alexis Perkins, and today with me I have the lovely D and Anne Marie.

In today's show, we're gonna focus on some moves that are gonna involve Tony so we can get some muscle tone and our bodies and be nice and fit.

It's gonna have some reggae music, so just like reggaeton today we're gonna have some regatoning.

No it's a crazy word, but that's what we're gonna do today.

So get your towels, get your water, and we'll be back in just thirty seconds.

Want to learn a second language or get help with homework and test for friendly and professional Spanish tutoring for all grades, levels, and ages, contact Miss Margaret Aylman, certified Spanish tutor.

Call seven five seven seven five one two six five seven that's seven five seven seven five one two six five seven together V step together together B, we're gonna switch to the side out Lo get a table Vamos para la pista in Tilo stop La musica switch Latina Lingularica Musica Push out push push I love I love push We're gonna hold it right here Push dance dance dance Step it up Take it back Here we go hips shoulders out in hips shoulders out and take it up and back push push push shake it up here we go switch a devotee stop La musica Switch Latina Switch It's gonna be gun to La Musica Push extend the arm push I love Take it up and hold this up here we go hips shoulders out together hips shoulders out together take it up possible together

Shoulders.

Out together.

Hips.

Shoulders.

Out together.

Take it up.

Pause over.

Push push.

Great.

Together.

Together.

Switch.

Side.

Side.

Step it out.

Switch.

Are you warmed up?

We're gonna go ahead and keep it moving.

We're gonna get our hips moving.

Get some squats going, okay?

Let's pause it.

I wanna see you sweat.

Push.

Push.

Roll.

Roll.

Can you down?

Can you sweat?

Down.

Sweat.

I wanna see you sweat.

Push push.

Roll.

Sweat.

Roll.

Can you down?

Let me see you roll.

Down.

You go.

And push.

Roll.

Roll.

Let's go.

Let's go.

One more time.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Push.

Push.

Down.

Let's go.

We're gonna get ready to step it up forward.

Here we go.

Feel it.

That rhythm in the game.

Hold it.

Down.

Pop.

Take it back.

So do this.

It's really not that hold.

Step you can move it.

Keep that secret.

Step it up.

I wanna see you sweat.

I wanna see you.

I wanna see you have some fun.

Let's get that fire out.

Take it back.

I wanna see you sweat.

I wanna see it.

I wanna see you have some fun.

Let's get the fire.

Now let me see them.

Other side.

Let's go.

Push.

Roll.

Roll.

Can you down?

Get low down.

I wanna see push.

Push.

Roll.

Can you swing?

Gonna add a jack in here.

With the knee.

Here we go.

Take it up.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's push.

Let's go.

Here we go.

Take it down.

Move it.

Roll it back.

So do this.

It's really not that hole.

Two steps.

Move it.

Step it up.

I wanna see you sweat.

I wanna see you drop.

Hello.

Wanna see you have some fun.

Let's get that fire out.

Back it up.

I wanna see sweat.

I wanna see you drop.

Two steps.

I wanna see you have some fun, let's get the fire.

Take it up.

Take it up.

Now let me see them hand it.

So we're gonna have four and pulse.

Can you sweat?

Can you sweat, sweat?

I wanna see you.

Push.

Push.

Circle.

Circle.

Four.

Sweat.

Sweat.

Let me see you.

Jack it out.

Pull it up.

Give it up.

Back it up.

Back in.

Back in.

Back it up.

Back in.

Back it up.

Up side.

Front.

Back it up.

Side front.

Walk it up.

Back it out.

Side.

Front.

Can you sweat?

Can you sweat?

Side.

Front.

Side.

Front.

Can you sweat?

Sweat.

Let me see you move.

Hold it here.

Out.

Me.

Out.

Can you sweat?

Out.

Keep it up.

Out.

I wanna see you sweat for me.

Can you sweat?

Let me see you move.

Walk it.

Great vine.

Great line.

Gray vine.

We can move it.

Let you hide.

Just let you lie.

Just jack it.

Put your body.

Jack.

Jack.

Just like she might.

Jack, hold it.

Sweat.

Jack.

Tap.

Can you sweat?

Can you sweat?

Sweat.

I wanna see you sweat for me.

Tap it.

Sweat.

Can you sweat?

Sweat.

Let me see you.

Woo.

Can you sweat?

Can you sweat?

I wanna see you sweat for me.

Can you sweat?

Let me see you.

Woo!

Now that we have the blood pumpkin.

Let's go ahead and really get it going.

Okay.

Step, side, step, side, step, side, step, side, step, side, step, side, step, side, step.

Here we go.

Hit.

Here we go.

Lift.

We got a party and it's on tonight.

Set it off.

We gonna do it and we're gonna do it.

Here we go.

And we had a simple mission.

All this to do a day.

We had our hands up the party to the source, so fantastic sauce we're gonna do.

Tat.

I'm on a high and I'm never coming down.

Here we go.

If you sound a great trunk, hold up.

Put your hands in the air.

Hold up.

Put your hands in the air.

If you come and get up, put your hands in the air.

Tell me, beat the turn it up.

Put your hands in the air.

Kick, kick, pick.

Put it here.

Hold up.

Oh, we gotta party and go tonight.

Set it off.

We gonna do it and we gonna do it right.

Step it out.

We see them bottles popping.

Dreams are flowing everywhere.

Cause in this party, I cannot give a damn.

And they ain't dancing on a floor and they don't give a damn.

I'm on a hide and I'm not a front of that.

Here we go.

If you sound up, put your hands in my head.

That's it.

You come and get drunk.

Pick it up, take it up.

If you turn it here, go to hands in the pity, turn it up, put your hands in the push.

I know you're tired.

I am too.

Keep kicking, keep it up.

Kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick.

Here we go.

Push.

Push down.

Gotta body and it's side.

Side.

Down.

Up.

Set it up.

Push.

Push.

Down.

Gonna do it and we gonna do it right.

Here we go.

If you tell me crush, put your hands in the air.

If you don't make it trust, put your hands in the air.

If you don't get push, put your hands in the DJ turn it up.

Put your hands in the hell.

Tap tap.

Good job.

Woo.

Alright.

We're gonna do one this little bit more mid-tempo.

We're gonna have fun with it.

Here we go.

Tap tap.

Tap.

Little clips in the cross it.

Work that body.

Work work that body.

Work work work.

Work that body.

You can sing at home.

Work, work, work that body.

Work, work, work, here we go.

I love all you want that day.

You make me rough and swing forward and win you.

I feel like a king.

I love to see you on.

Work your body right on time.

All the men watching you.

I'm so tight that you're mine.

It's naturally beautiful.

Come on, just hold my hand, girl.

Then I'll grab on your waist and win that body.

Let me see what that body.

Let me see you just with that body scatter.

No.

And use a gun to control.

Come on, just have some fun.

Let the music to your soul.

Everyone's getting to the body.

Come on, let's have some fun.

If the last night tomorrow, we won't stop back.

Come on, just hold my hand, girl.

Then I'll grab on your waist and work that body.

Just ask me.

Let me see you just work that body.

Lip.

Work push the body.

Push, work, push, push, push, push, work, work, ready to cross your stuff.

Here we go.

Work that body.

Work work meeting.

Work that body.

Work work that body.

Work.

Let me see you just work that body.

Work, work, work, work.

Take it up.

Work that body.

Let me see you just work that body.

Work that body.

Let me see you just work that body.

From it up, stop the whole you work.

You make me love a side.

And when you win my I feel like a king.

I love to see you eye.

Work your body right on time.

All the men watching you.

I'm so naturally full.

Competent and so fine.

Come on, just hold my hand, girl.

Then I'll grab on your waistline and work that body.

Huh?

Let me see you just work that body.

Work work.

Push.

Use power when you come up.

Push.

Work push.

Work work.

Alright, let's keep going.

Like a ponytime.

I said rock.

Shop.

I'm not gonna stop with it.

Yeah, give me a shot, small guy and shop no bottom.

Only smooth day on Jimmy Wool.

Nice, nice country.

Damn.

This is too jump up on Jimmy.

I don't know what's the strength of build judge at the book.

We can bubble rest of my together with drinkers.

I'm so sorry.

Fight in the rest of us, what's wrong with the children?

Come in on the shirt, rust up.

So go on up to go to the right fight.

Criticizing my one on my shot two.

Hold it.

I said be nice, nice country.

I decide on the send me nice, nice country.

I said me nice, nice country.

I know that we can span.

Who shall be country?

Send me nice, nice country.

But all I do in body coffee suit.

When they coach yet, the blessing for loot.

Man, my line showed up.

Can I win?

Down.

Down.

It's a meet touch.

Up serial.

It's a impress.

Down.

One, two, three, one, two, three.

One, two, three, two, three.

The black woman's fishing and see him do what I've got.

Get him higher.

See a thing, then go about the wall.

Five last hour with politics and push it out.

When she's just hot.

Push it out.

Sauce up.

And if I can't pull you up, hot, hot, hat.

Yeah, what the shot, hot, hot.

I think it's a light enough too long.

Same place.

Travel.

Nothing stay love.

Revolution warriors.

One time.

Babylon Dred, Babylon.

Okay, hopefully you'll feel that in your eyes tomorrow.

Let me take a p.

Alright, let's keep it moving.

See what I see.

Let me take a peek.

Okay.

Here we go.

Baby girl.

You're the one that I've been looking.

Why don't you leave me on the single double?

Single double.

Why don't you wait like the one in the tie-dyress?

Let's converse because I got my interest.

I do mean one tonight, nothing more, nothing less.

Yes, that's tonight.

I'm willing to express.

So easy to read some tea.

If you're full of make believe, I know you want to make it to rub or maybe I squeeze more for now to move your wisdom.

Baby girl.

Baby girl.

Oh no, no.

Well I like that you're not playing hard to get on the way you move, make it not hard to spread.

Make a lot of time, cause them want to get when we punch out the wants to let her go.

No, no, she went in slower.

That's in highlight we can't leave the flow.

Last call for alcohol, but we smoke in Joe.

No hurry gods, name cut that asked for my chest, she's been feeding from time she sends me almost feeling.

I said your outfit is revealing.

Make me want a goal, sexual healing.

Yo, but you don't need it not often scalping.

She wants so much more of my time for me to come again.

Why don't you read me tonight?

Baby girl.

Why don't you have one day?

Oh no, no.

You got my eye twisting and whining in making your waste.

It is a must follow me to have some of it.

So make me on the dance problem, baby, because I need more let me feel it's baby.

Why don't you leave me on the night?

Why don't you move out with me?