Celebrate by planting a tree

I just read an article in HamptonRoads.com entitled, “Fraim to unveil initiative to beautify city today”. According to this article, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim unveiled the “Celebrate trees” initiative at the city’s first Living Legacy Grove on Tuesday.  The unveiling took place at 11 a.m. on May 25 at Lakewood Park on Willow Wood Drive. Members of the Environmental Club at Willard Elementary School were on hand to help celebrate this event.

The Celebrate Trees initiative aims to help beautify the City of Norfolk and improve the local environment by motivating residents and businesses to commemorate important events in their lives by planting trees.  Local residents and businesses can also make donations to the Living Legacy Groves directly. The goal of Celebrate trees is to help grow the city’s tree canopy from 33 to 40 which would help to improve local water quality, lower the city’s temperature and reduce air pollution.

I personally think that this is a great idea. What better way to commemorate something as important as a new birth in the family or the engagement of a family member or good friend, than by planting a tree? For years to come, every time you or someone you know sees that tree, they will be reminded of the special occasion that it represents.   By planting a tree to commemorate a special occasion, you will not only have a living reminder of that occasion, you will also be helping to make our city lusher as well as improve the local environment.

Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia

I was just looking around online to see where I could go to donate some food to the needy when I ran across the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia’s website, www.foodbankonline.org. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia is a local, non-profit organization that was established in 1981 with the aim of helping to acquire and distribute food, clothing and other essential products to those in need, as well as provide leadership and education on issues relating to hunger. Its ultimate goal is to help eradicate hunger and economic disparity in our communities.

If you would like to help the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia help our less affluent neighbors during this holiday season, you can drop off food, clothing or related items at all Farm Fresh Food and Pharmacy locations, Old Point national bank locations and all Walgreens locations. Grand Furniture will also be accepting donations at multiple locations.

Please click for a complete listing of all of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia’s drop-off locations in the Hampton Roads area. If you would like more information regarding how you can help the Foodbank by volunteering your time, please visit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia’s website. You can also help by hosting your own food drive, for more info please click here.

Because our national economy is in a slump currently, there are more folks without work and as a result, there are more people who are in need of the basic necessities. Tough times have also made it so that there are considerably fewer folks donating to food banks all across the nation. According to a recent article in HamptonRoads.com, donations to the Salvation Army in Hampton Roads are down 20% and demand has increased by 10%. If you are in a position to help those who find themselves in need of the most basic necessities, now is as good a time as any.

I’d like to wish everyone a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year.

Donate your old coat

I was cleaning out my closet the other day and I found a few old coats that I no longer wear and I was wondering where I could go to donate them to someone in need. So I got online and searched for places in the Hampton Roads area where I could drop-off these coats. Among the top searches, I found One Warm Coat. One Warm Coat is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing a warm coat to anyone who needs one. They have drop-off locations all over Virginia, including the Hampton Roads area: Most drop-off locations are at Burlington Coat Factories.

Temperatures are starting to drop and I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to endure a harsh Virginia winter without so much as a warm coat. And, with the current economic difficulties we are experiencing across the nation, some folks are forced to choose between spending their limited funds on buying a coat as opposed to paying rent or buying food. I can’t imagine having to prioritizing between, what I consider to be, and necessities. Thanks to folks who donate to organizations like One Warm Coat, it’s a choice that many folks won’t have to make.

Do you have an old coat in good condition that you no longer wear? Well, that coat could be very much appreciated by someone who does not have one. If you would like to help someone else by donating an old coat or maybe even organizing your own coat drive, please visit onewarmcoat.org for more information and to find the drop-off location nearest you.

Hampton Roads weathering the economic storm

It seems that the Hampton Roads area of Virginia is one of the strongest metropolitan areas in the US according to a Brookings Institute report. I found out about this positive bit of news while reading an article at DailyPress.com entitled, “Hampton Roads showing signs of economic recovery”. This Brookings Institute ranking considered several factors including gross metropolitan product, unemployment, housing values and average salaries. According to this ranking, Hampton Roads has ranked 16^th out of the top 100 metro areas in the US.

Hampton Roads’ gross metropolitan product has dropped 0.05% from its peak and was up 0.03% in the  first quarter of 2009, while the national average is down 3.3% from peak and down 1.6% in the first quarter of 2009.

In terms of employment, the US is down 2.9% from peak and 1.5 % down in the first quarter of 2009. Hampton Roads is only down 0.05% from peak and as of the first quarter of 2009, is down only 0.1% in the first quarter of 2009.

Housing prices across the nation are down 6.3%, in Hampton Roads, they are only down 3.2%.

Average salaries in the US are up by 1% in the first quarter, whereas average salaries in the Hampton Roads area are up by 0.8%

Overall, Hampton Roads ranked 16^th out of the top 100 metropolitan areas, though some economists say it is too soon to celebrate, including Vinod Agarwal, an economics professor at Old Dominion University. According to professor Agarwal, we are doing better than other areas of the US, but he questions whether he Hampton Roads area will be able to continue doing so over the coming months. Because this is the Brookings Institute’s first metropolitan-area report and because it is only paints only several parts of a bigger picture, professor Agarwal says it’s too early to tell at this point.

While nationwide, home values have fallen by an average of 6.3%, Hampton Roads home values have only declined by 3.2%, which means that homebuyers still have the upper hand when it comes time to negotiate a final selling price for homes. However, interest rates are relatively low, the IRS is extending a tax break for qualified first-time homebuyers of $8,000 or 10% of the home’s value and home values have dropped by an average of 3.2%, so these factors should motivate buyers who have been sitting on the fence. Lower home values, lower interest rates and this tax credit for first-time buyers should help to stimulate our market and bring us back to historic levels.

Hampton Roads and the surrounding areas June 2009 Events

• June 10, 2009 – No Doubt with Paramore and The Sounds at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, located at Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater in Virginia Beach.  For more information call 757.368.3000 or visit the event website.
• June 11, 2009 – Kayaking at First Landing State Park, located at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach.  For more details on this fun family event call 757.480.1999 or visit the Kayak Nature Tours official website.
• June 12, 2009 – 6th Annual ABNB Fishing Fest to Benefit CHKD, located at the Virginia beach Fishing Center at Rudee Inlet in Virginia beach, call 757.523.5300 or visit the 6^th Annual Fishing Festival website for more details.
• June 13, 2009 – Great Dismal Swamp Narrated Bus Tour, the tour departs from Suffolk Visitor Center in Suffolk.  Witness the aftermath of the 2008 wildfire and learn about the swamp’s ecosystem.  This is a great event for the family.  For more information call 757.514.4130.
• June 14, 2009 – 10th Annual Phelps Brothers Music Festival Free Event, located at Lakeside Park in Chesapeake for more information on this music filled event call 757.467.2149 or visit the Phelps Brothers website.
• June 18, 2009 – Annual June Jazz Garden Party, located at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens in Norfolk. Come out and enjoy jazz, food, and dancing under the stars.  For more information call 757.889.9421 or visit the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads website.
• June 20, 2009 – Gold’s Gym ForKids 5K Run for Homeless Children Free Event, come out and help homeless families and children in Hampton Roads.  The race will start at Norfolk Botanical Gardens in Norfolk, for more information call 757.622.6400.
• June 20, 2009 – Virginia Beach SPCA’s Summer Solstice Celebration, come out with the entire family for this fun filled event to benefit all the animals.  Located at The “View” – southeast of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, call 757.427.0070 ext. 14 or visit the Virginia Beach SPCA website for details.
• June 25, 2009 – Kenny Chesney with Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum, located at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater for more information and details call 877.598.8698.
• June 26 – 28, 2009 – 19th Annual Afrikan American Festival Returns to Downtown Hampton come out for this fun event and donate $3.00 (admission) for Peninsula Association for Sickle Cell Anemia.  This event will be held at Mill Point Park in Hampton, for more details call Alton Blackley at 757.817.6513

Hampton Roads and the surrounding areas May 2009 Events

May 13, 2009 – National Tourism Week “Champions of Hospitality” Rally located at the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center join the Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau to celebrate the importance of tourism in Norfolk.  For more information call 757.664.6620 ext 670 or visit the Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

May 14, 2009 – Fine Dining in Greenbrier… For a Cause, come and enjoy a good time and great food with family and friends with 20% of the foods sales benefiting the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation.  Located at Sterling Restaurant in Greenbrier in Chesapeake, for more information call 757.549.2626 or visit the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation website. 

May 16, 2009 – Westmoreland Relay For Life, American Cancer Society’s signature activity.  Celebrate the life of those who have battled cancer.  For further information on this great even Rebecca at 493.7940 or visit the Relay for Life American Cancer Society website. 

May 17, 2009 – Paws for Cause Dog Walk and Festival, come and join us as the Peninsula SPCA announces its third annual Paws for a Cause dog walk and festival to raise funds for area homeless animals. This event is located at the Riverview Farm Park in Newport News.  Call Vicki Rowland at 757.599.1399 or visit the Peninsula SPCA website.  

May 23, 2009 – Canoe in the Great Dismal Swamp, come out and have fun with guided canoe tours on Lake Drummond in the Great Dismal Swamp.  Tours depart from Suffolk Visitor Center. For more information on this fun family event call Valencia Moore at 757.514.4130. 

May 29, 2009 – Great Bridge Battlefield Historic Park Groundbreaking, in partnership with the City of Chesapeake, we will be breaking ground for the Park portion of our project and would like everyone to come out and have a great time.  For more information on this historic event contact Victoria Wallace at 757.482.4480 or visit The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Foundation website. 

May 30, 2009 – Wine Country Safari, come out and spend the day with the Virginia Living Museum and explore wine country.  Wine tasting, complimentary lunch and finish the day with a tasting of dessert wines.  Must be 21 ore older, for more information on this event call 757.595.9135 or visit The Virginia Living Museum website. 

May 31, 2009 – The Ultimate Show for Women will have something for every woman. Find out about education, entertainment, pampering, health, beauty, travel, finance, and lots of shopping.  The event will be held at Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, contact Barbie Bartlett at 757.222.3931 or visit The Ultimate Show for Women website. 

May 31, 2009 – Chow Hampton Roads – if you love food come out and sample various restaurants and different dishes.  Chow is a Virginia Green certified event and promotes the movement of local foods. This year featured ingredients are Smithfield Ham.  All proceeds of the event benefit the Samaritan House which is a local shelter for battered and homeless women.  Call Melissa Estrada at 757.631.0710 or visit the Samaritan House website for more details. 

May 31, 2009 – Steve Gambill Cancer Classic is a memorial fishing tournament to raise money fro the American Cancer Society.  Located at the West Landing Marina in Virginia Beach, come out and enjoy a fun family filled day for a great cause.  Call Chris Vitovich at 512.6831 or visit the Deparak website for more details.

Virginia in top 20 Safest States for 2009

I was just surfing the web when I noticed that Virginia has ranked 14^th in the CQ Press’s 2009 Crime State Rankings.  The last time that Virginia placed this highly on this ranking was back in 2001.  Last year, Virginia came in at number 15. 

The CQ Press’s annual Crime State Rankings consider a variety of factors when determining how well states fare.  These factors include arrests, corrections, courts, crime clearances, drug and alcohol treatment, juvenile justice, Law enforcement expenditures and Offenses. 

With 1 being the worst possible score and 50 being the best score, Virginia ranked as follows:

• Assault:  42
• Burglary:  45
• Murder:  23
• Motor vehicle theft:  41
• Rape:  443
• Robbery:  26 

This is good news for Virginia and reflects our state’s level of commitment to law enforcement and corrections.  Placing highly in terms of crime rates when compared to the rest of the nation should also help to keep auto and home theft insurance rates from increasing.  It should also help maintain higher median home values. 

When you consider the things that go into making a great community, there are several important factors, crime rate is definitely one of the more important factors, after all, no one wants to live in a crime ridden area.  I am glad to see that Virginia is placing higher every year in this important ranking. 

Please click to see how Virginia and all 50 states fared at WalletPop.com. 

If you are interested in purchasing the complete rankings for all 50 states from CQ Press, please click here.

Hampton Roads and the surrounding areas April 2009 Events

• Tastefully Yours…Peninsula’s Best – April 16, 2009 from 6 to 9:30 pm at The Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton Virginia.  Over 30 Peninsula’s Best Restaurants in Hampton. For more information call 757.596.7188 ext 12 or visit www.nnfoodbank.org 
• Relay for Life Fundraiser at Keagan’s – April 16, 2009 from 4 to 9 pm at Keagan’s Tower Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  For more information contact Lisa Pesquera at 757.424.3232.  Support the American Cancer Society! 15% of your total bill goes directly to ACS!  Please come out and show your support! 
• Chesapeake Ducks Unlimited Annual Banquet – Aril 16, 2009 at the Hickory Ruritan Club in Chesapeake, Virginia.  Call Steve at 757.619.3232 for more information on this event.  
• International Children’s Festival – April 18, 2009 at Mill Point Park in Hampton Virginia, bring the entire family to the International Children’s Festival, taking place from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Call Cyndi Masterstaff at 757.727.8314 or visit International Children’s Festival website.  
• 2009 Oceanfront Spring Crawl – April 18, 2009 from 4 to 9 pm, a tour of ten different bars on the Virginia Beach oceanfront to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Located at the Virginia Beach Resort Area in Virginia Beach, contact Ghent Bar Tours at 757.353.4660 or visit the Oceanfront Spring Crawl website.  
• Experience the Virginia Culinary Expo featuring Emeril – April 19, 2009 doors open at 11 am at Ted Constant Convention Center in Norfolk, Virginia.  For more information on this fun event featuring Emeril Lagasse call 888.3.COXTIX .  
• Norfolk Garden Week at East Beach – April 23, 2009 from 10 am to 5 pm at East Beach in Norfolk, Virginia.  Norfolk Garden Week will showcase the gardens at East Beach, a traditional neighborhood development along the Chesapeake Bay.  For more information on this event contact Melanie Wills at 757.489.1963 or visit the East Beach Website.  
• Spring Craft Show at the Farmers Market – April 25, 2009 from 9 to 3 pm at the City of Virginia Beach Farmers Market in Virginia  Beach, Virginia. Call Karen Alvarez at 757.385.4395 for more information on this event for the entire family.

Alien Invaders?

Not likely, but I am sure that folks from Maryland to Hampton Roads probably imagined they saw some UFOs last night after seeing bright shooting lights and cacophonous explosions in the sky.  I personally was not one of the witnesses to this strange phenomenon, I just found out about this when reading and article in HamptonRoads.com entitled, “Streaming lights, explosions reported all along the coast“.  According to this article, the National Weather Service has not yet released an explanation as to what those light and sounds were.  So far the National Weather Service’s Wakefield office has said that there could be a number of possible explanations for this event and that there are people looking into what was the source of the bright streaking light and the subsequent explosion.

Witnesses to this phenomena claimed it was like an orange fireball that streaked across the night sky followed by a loud explosion.   The American Meteor Society is asking any witnesses to this event to go to fill out their Fireball Reporting Form in hopes of being able to identify what this phenomenon actually was.  If you were a witness to this event, please go to the Fireball Reporting Form and give the details of what you saw.  The form may seem a little intimidating at first to those who are not very familiar with the terminology used in astronomy, but it offers explanations to any terms that may be difficult to understand.  This information provided by witnesses can help scientist find a general location where they can search for any evidence of the occurrence.

Please click the following link if you would like to read this article in its entirety at HamptonRoads.com.

Va Tech remembrance walk/run

While reading an article in HamptonRoads.com just now, I was reminded that the second anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings is coming up.  According to this article entitled, “Run, walk at VaTech to remember slaying victims”,  Virginia tech will hold a 3.2 mile run/walk on the second anniversary of the VaTech slayings in remembrance of the 32 students who were killed on April 16, 2007.

This “Run for Remembrance”, which will take place on April 16 is free and open to all who wish to participate.  The course will start at the Alumni Mall and stretch 3.2 miles to the Drillfield near the schools memorial for the victims of the April 16 shootings.  This event will begin at 8 a.m. With a balloon release.  There will be a banner for all the participants to sign that will bear the slogan, “I ran 3.2 for the 32”.  At the conclusion of the walk/run organizers will take a group photo of all the runners and walkers.

This is a great opportunity for students, staff and local-area residents to show support for the families of the victims who were murdered in that tragic campus shooting spree.  Pre-registration is recommended.  If you would like to register in advance, you can do so by visiting this registration page.   By pre-registering on that page, you can also request a t-shirt in your size. For more information, please visit the Va Tech Department of Recreational Sports website.

Virginia Tech has suspended all classes on the 16^th of April in remembrance of the event that claimed the lives of 32 of its students.