Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Newport News Now 7-25-18

WEDNESDAY. JULY 25. 2018
Help Clear the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter! 
The second annual Clear the Shelters campaign is here! Now through August 18 the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter, in partnership with WAVY-TV 10, is featuring various types of pet training and helpful information on both social media, in addition to 50% off adoption fees cats, kittens and adult large dogs. On August 18, national Clear the Shelters day, PRAS is hosting another big adoption promotion so stay tuned to the shelter’s Facebook page to find out what that is! In the meantime, stop by the PRAS adoption lobby during adoption hours to pick up free educational handouts or visit with adoptable animals.

The Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter is a collaborative venture supported by four separate Hampton Roads communities: Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, and York County. This 30,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility is managed and operated by the City of Newport News on behalf of the four jurisdictions. This "open-admission" shelter contains a full service veterinary clinic and has capacity for approximately 100 dogs and 180 cats, as well as pocket pets and other small companion animals. The shelter's primary responsibilities include holding stray animals until they can be reunited with their owners, rehoming owner-surrendered pets, and facilitating pet adoptions. The shelter also houses animal control offices for the participating jurisdictions.

The shelter is open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. for owner surrenders, stray drop-offs, and owner re-claims. The shelter’s adoption hours are as follows:

Monday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: 12:00 pm - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

For additional information visit the shelter’s website
Waterworks Participates In Emergency Exercise
for Dams Evacuation
The Newport News Waterworks Department owns and operates six dams and reservoirs which are used to store and supply source water to the City’s two drinking water treatment facilities. Four of those dams, Lee Hall Dam, Harwood’s Mill Dam, Little Creek Dam, and Diascund Dam, are classified as high-hazard by Virginia Dam Safety Regulations. Dams classified as high-hazard when they are more likely to result in loss of life and cause significant downstream property damage if they were to fail. State regulations require all high-hazard dams to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to protect the lives and property of citizens downstream. Since all parties involved during a dam breach emergency must understand each other’s roles to successfully implement an EAP, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) requires dam owners execute an EAP Tabletop Exercise (TTX) every six years to bring stakeholders together to evaluate the EAP and response procedures, and to resolve concerns regarding coordination and responsibilities.

Waterworks hosted a Dams EAP TTX last month at the Lee Hall Maintenance and Operations Center in Newport News. The exercise began with a simulated tropical storm event and proceeded with discussions by participants to evaluate the EAPs for Waterworks’ four high-hazard dams. Participants included all members of Waterworks’ emergency response teams as well as emergency management representatives from all local jurisdictions in which the dams are located. This included officials from Newport News, York County, James City County, and New Kent County. Also in attendance were representatives from various state agencies including DCR, VDOT, and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

The hands-on, interactive atmosphere allowed participants to become more familiar with the EAPs and promoted relationship-building and problem-solving between agencies in order to improve future communications and coordination during a real event. The exercise validated strengths in current emergency plans and procedures, but also prompted valuable discussions about opportunities for improvement that will allow all parties to better respond to a dam emergency and protect the lives and property of citizens downstream.

Monday, July 2, 2018

Newport News Now 7-2-18

MONDAY. JULY 2. 2018
Become a Master Gardener 
Virginia Cooperative Extension Offers Master Gardener Courses
Master Gardeners are volunteers who assist their local Cooperative Extension offices in educating the public in general gardening practices as well as the proper use of pesticides and fertilizers. In order to become a Master Gardener, an individual must complete 50 hours of horticulture instruction and return an equal number of hours (50) as a Master Gardener volunteer. 

The Virginia Cooperative Extension is offering two different master gardener classes, one in-person and one virtual hybrid course (a portion of the class is completed online and a portion of the class is completed in-person). The in-person course runs Tuesdays and Thursdays, September 4 through November 14 from 9 a.m. until noon in addition to three Saturday sessions. The classes are held at the VT/UVA HR Center in Oyster Point, 600 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Suite 210 in Newport News. 

The virtual hybrid course is being offered August 15 – November 14. Lessons are online in addition to in-person Wednesday evenings sessions and three Saturday sessions. The in-person sessions for this hybrid course are held at Yorktown Library, 8500 George Washington Memorial Highway. 

The fee for either course is $150 and covers the handbook, other materials, and a background screening. There is a $75 fee per additional household member, handbook not included. The course workload is equivalent to 50-60 class hours plus preparation. Classes cover topics such as basic botany, propagation, insects, trees & shrubs, pruning, lawns and more. 

The application deadline is August 1. Downloadable applications are available through the York County Extension Office. For more information about becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer contact your local extension Newport News 757-591-4838, Hampton 757-727-1401, York/Poquoson 757-890-4940, or Gloucester County at 804-693-2602.
Spend Independence Day at 4th of July Stars in the Sky
Special reminder about the annual “4th of July Stars in the Sky” event at Victory Landing Park! The celebration begins at 7:00 p.m. with food vendors, free children’s activities, strolling entertainment and live music with fireworks beginning at 9:30 p.m. 

Free light-up items will be given out while supplies last. Admission and parking are free and the event is open to the public. No pets, alcohol, bicycles, skateboards, or radios are permitted inside the event area. For more information, call the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism at 757-926-1400 or visit the Festivals & Special Events website.
Chamber of Commerce Seeks LEAD Peninsula Applicants
Application deadline is July 13

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the LEAD Peninsula Class of 2019. This ten-month program is designed to develop and enhance leadership qualities of professionals from businesses and military installations on the Peninsula. The program begins in September with an orientation, followed by monthly program days on the first Thursday of each month from October through June. Tuition is $1495 for Chamber members and $1995 for nonmembers. The deadline to apply is July 13.

LEAD Peninsula is a community immersion program, which can best be described as an experience in understanding a community mosaic…the Peninsula mosaic. LEAD Peninsula fosters opportunities for increased communication and cooperation among the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Through a series of initiatives and programs, the LEAD Peninsula program provides opportunities for both recognized and emerging leaders to work collaboratively on issues of importance to the Peninsula community.

Since 1984, LEAD Peninsula (formally Leadership Institute of the Virginia Peninsula) has been introducing its class members to the major facets of the greater Peninsula community through an intensive ten-month program. The LEAD Peninsula members participate in educational sessions, tours, and candid conversations with community leaders. The goal is to provide intellectual and personal connectivity experiences with the various aspects of our community – business, education, public safety, health and human services, environment, local, state and federal government, workforce development, military and federal impact, transportation, infrastructure (water/sewer), etc. The objective of this diverse array of topics is to challenge members to see their community as they never have before and to expand their knowledge on the different aspects that influence their community as a whole. For more information on LEAD Peninsula or for an application visit the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce website