Gabby Jimenez – The Virginian-Pilot https://www.pilotonline.com The Virginian-Pilot: Your source for Virginia breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic Fri, 03 May 2024 20:46:29 +0000 en-US hourly 30 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.pilotonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/POfavicon.png?w=32 Gabby Jimenez – The Virginian-Pilot https://www.pilotonline.com 32 32 219665222 Federal contractor Booz Allen Hamilton adding jobs in Norfolk expansion https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/08/18/federal-contractor-booz-allen-hamilton-adding-jobs-in-norfolk-expansion/ Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:58:50 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5145868 Booz Allen Hamilton is tapping into Hampton Roads’ workforce as part of a company expansion.

The consulting firm, which has headquarters outside Washington, recently established a business services delivery hub team in Norfolk. The team joined the company’s existing office as part of a multiyear, multilocation strategy and provides back-end support, including customer service and human resources operations, for the company’s more than 32,000 employees worldwide.

“We’re excited about expanding in Norfolk and the Hampton Roads area, as they have a great pipeline for their talent, collaborative business environment as well as mission-minded community that aligns with our business purpose and values,” said Justine Gayle, vice president of the business services team.

The company has had a presence in the area for nearly 30 years, and has more than 1,000 employees throughout Hampton Roads, Gayle said. Operations for the hub started in April and the company officially celebrated its launch on Tuesday.

Two senior company leaders relocated to Norfolk and 60 local positions already have been filled. The number of positions for the hub team are expected to double within a year and continue to expand over the next five, she said.

The company chose to expand in Norfolk because of its long-term success in the area and proximity to the military community, Gayle said.

The company’s Norfolk expansion brings a number of positives to the region, said Doug Smith, CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, which aims to attract companies to the area and retain them.

In addition to adding jobs, Booz Allen Hamilton, a federal contractor, is intentional with hiring veterans, he said. Hampton Roads and its various military bases offer a pipeline of transitioning workers and military spouses.

“Yes, we have a strong workforce that they’ve been able to tap into even in a tight labor market,” Smith said. “Yes, we have low operating costs. And yes, we have a fantastic place to live and work and raise a family.”

The company’s decision to expand in Norfolk could attract other businesses to take a look at the region.

“It really sends a positive message out to the business community that again, we know not just how to retain our business force, but be able to help them expand as well,” said Sean Washington, interim director of the Norfolk’s Department of Economic Development.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5145868 2023-08-18T11:58:50+00:00 2023-08-18T15:29:25+00:00
Paid internships: How employers are attracting the next generation of talent in Hampton Roads https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/08/15/paid-internships-how-employers-are-attracting-the-next-generation-of-talent-in-hampton-roads/ Tue, 15 Aug 2023 13:06:41 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5133617 Employers looking to attract the next generation of talent are relying on paid internships as more high school and college students compete for increasingly beneficial opportunities.

Students aren’t taking traditional unpaid internships anymore, said Michelle Simmons, the project director for 757 Regional Internship Collaborative. Funded by a $250,000 grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the program aims to connect prospective interns with employers.

“If you’re going to be treating them as an employee, you should be paying these kids,” she said.

A survey of 2,307 graduating college seniors this year shows 62% had worked an internship, and of those, 59% were paid, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

The average hourly pay for interns in Virginia was $15.98 in August 2022, according to research of listings across 100 industries this year by CashNetUSA. Still, about about 10.9% of internships analyzed in the state were unpaid.

Companies experienced labor shortages during the pandemic, which gave more leverage to students, said Jaedda Hall, director of emerging workforce programs with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council.

And while there is an influx of internship applicants in certain industries, Generation Z has certain priorities they are not willing to give up. Pay is an important driver for this generation of recent college graduates about to enter the workforce, according to a Great Place to Work survey of 32,000 Gen Z workers.

“The job seeker is expecting more from the employer,” Hall said. “So, it’s not just about your role. It’s about the culture of the company. It’s about the benefits. And you know, is it going to be a remote or hybrid environment where I can still kind of live my life?”

Intern from the University of Virginia Lourdes Leung speaks about her project an event displaying the Jefferson Lab interns' final projects at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Virginia on Friday, August 4, 2023. (Tess Crowley / The Virginian-Pilot)
An intern from the University of Virginia, Lourdes Leung, speaks about her project an event displaying the Jefferson Lab interns’ final projects at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News on Aug. 4. (Tess Crowley / The Virginian-Pilot)

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Path to full-time career

Malik Hairston, a master’s student at Hampton University, spent the past two summers working on projects at Virginia Beach-based Breeden Construction with experts in his field.

The construction development intern said the experience not only confirmed he wanted to pursue a career in architecture, but taught him skills that he was able to bring back to school.

“You learn a lot in doing your homework and everything, but the true knowledge comes from the internship,” Hairston said.

For students like Hairston, having paid internships allows them to pursue a position in their field while also receiving the hands-on experience that can lead to a full-time job after graduation.

Multiple former interns have gone on to become employees at Breeden, and the company plans to extend more full-time offers, said Corbin Matacunas, Breeden marketing manager.

Interns at Breeden Construction participate in a nine-week program with three-week rotations through project management, field management and either pre-construction or development.

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Thousands of applications

Depending on the year, LifeNet Health in Virginia Beach can receive up to 4,000 internship applications, said Kelly Laffey, a director within the not-for-profit company. But students are competing for 12 to 14 spots for 10 weeks each summer.

Another recruiting tool is interns can receive paid holidays, lunches and weekly golf lessons, she said.

LifeNet develops biotech products such as skin grafts and heart valves in addition to facilitating organ donation in Virginia. The goal of the internship program is to have students bridge the gap between what they are learning in school and applying it to their desired career, Laffey said.

“The end result is far beyond skill development,” she said. “It’s about making a difference.”

Amanda Wilder, a student at Old Dominion University, said her internship with the production and logistics engineering team at LifeNet Health allowed her to develop her technical skills working with microscopes and 3D printing.

“My team really trusted me to take responsibility of very important projects,” she said.

Shanita Byrd, executive vice president of employee engagement and development at Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, agreed on the importance of giving interns more meaningful opportunities beyond fetching coffee. The firm paid interns $15 per hour this summer.

“It’s not just sitting there and watching someone do their job, but they are a part of the team,” Byrd said.

For others, the opportunity to work in a professional setting can sometimes lead them down different paths. The exposure to the job helps students make decisions about their careers, including deciding not to pursue a line of work, and that’s OK, Byrd said.

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Bringing new perspectives to workplaces

Aside from filling positions, employers find interns can bring new ideas and help build skills in their existing employees.

Douglas Higinbotham, a senior staff scientist at Jefferson Lab in Newport News, has been mentoring students and interns for over two decades. He believes having interns keeps employers “on their toes.”

“Sometimes, when you become a specialist in anything, right, you’re here and you’re so focused on your field. You encounter everything about it and you miss the simple questions,” he said. “And the students will come in here and they’ll ask you a question you haven’t thought about and you’ll go ‘Oh, wow.'”

At Breeden, having employees act as mentors to interns helps develop their coaching skills and instills a sense of pride and responsibility, Matacunas said.

“I really think their interactions with the interns brings a fresh perspective as well as innovative ideas to our organization and stimulates creativity and problem-solving within the teams beyond the program,” he said.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5133617 2023-08-15T09:06:41+00:00 2023-08-16T16:29:24+00:00
These sheep provide environmentally friendly landscaping at solar farms https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/08/08/these-sheep-provide-environmentally-friendly-landscaping-at-solar-farms/ Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:12:41 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5127738 Dominion Energy employs 17,000 people across the country. Now, about 1,000 sheep work for the power company as well.

In a process known as solar grazing, sheep consume vegetation on solar farms to reduce the need for lawnmowers and other landscaping machinery.

“Solar and sheep — they’re both environmentally friendly alternatives,” said Tim Eberly, a senior communications specialist for Dominion.

More research is being conducted in recent years to look into the benefits of solar grazing. Reducing costs and emissions from landscaping are two of the biggest pluses, according to the American Solar Grazing Association, an organization that promotes sheep grazing for solar farms.

Richmond-based Dominion Energy started using sheep for solar grazing in October. The company deploys sheep at six of its solar farms in Sussex, Greensville, Louisa, Mecklenburg, Middlesex and Pittsylvania counties.

The number of sheep on each farm depends on the size of the solar installation, Eberly said. About 100 sheep can maintain the grass at the Sussex solar farm. The site contains over 80,000 solar panels on 216 acres and can generate up to 20 megawatts each day, enough to power 5,000 homes.

The sheep take shelter underneath the solar panels and rotate where they graze each day.

Jess and Marcus Gray launched a business, Gray’s Lambscaping, in Southside Virginia using their sheep for vegetation control. She works as CEO and he is president. Together, with their border collies, Trip and Dot, they go to the different Dominion Energy solar farms to check up on the sheep.

Before the pandemic, Jess Gray was a college field hockey coach and Marcus Gray was a wildlife biologist. She wanted to work with her hands more, so they started the agricultural venture.

“I wanted to, at the end of the day, feel like I made a difference some way, somehow,” Jess Gray said.

Gray’s Lambscaping is the main solar grazing contractor with Dominion, and another farmer keeps sheep at one of the sites.

At the solar farms, Trip and Dot respond to calls and whistle commands to herd the sheep to different areas. Another dog, Myra, helps to protect the animals from predators, including outside dogs, foxes and bears.

The sheep are also cared for by other shepherds employed by Dominion, and they receive regular visits from a veterinarian, Jess Gray said.

Ecological benefits from the grazing include the sheep adding organic matter to the soil, which keeps the ground healthy and fertile, and reducing runoff by increasing the soil’s water holding capacity, Marcus Gray said.

The use of sheep has not fully eliminated the need for landscaping yet. Eberly said the work between sheep and landscaping is at a 50-50 split, and the goal is to get it to a 75-25 sheep-to-landscaping ratio.

This summer is the first growing season the sheep have been through, and Dominion is still assessing whether having the sheep is cost-effective for the company, Eberly said.

“This is a solar farm, and obviously that’s a really valuable thing for us and for the community, residents of Virginia,” Eberly said. “But to be able to have an agricultural use of the land too is really nice, because we’re getting as much out of the land as we can.”

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

*A correction was made on Aug. 8, 2023: Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this article misstated the names of the border collies. They are Trip and Dot. Myra is the dog that protects the sheep.

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5127738 2023-08-08T08:12:41+00:00 2023-08-14T10:22:17+00:00
ODU partners with New Realm Brewing to create custom beers https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/08/04/odu-partners-with-new-realm-brewing-to-create-custom-beers/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 21:58:12 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5123775 New Realm Brewing Co. will create a series of custom Old Dominion University-branded beers this fall as part of a multi-year partnership, the university announced Friday.

The partnership designates New Realm Brewing as the university’s official craft beer partner. The first ODU-branded beer, ODU Golden Ale, will be available starting Monday at various stores around Hampton Roads. The beer has a “light, citrusy and piney hop aroma,” according to a news release.

“This collaboration not only enhances our brand, but also showcases the strong ties between academia and the local business community,” said Brian Eubank, the executive director of licensing at ODU.

New Realm Brewing, founded in 2016, has a location in Virginia Beach and is set to open another in northern Suffolk next spring.

“We have enjoyed the support of the Old Dominion community since opening and we are looking forward to being on campus and becoming a part of Monarch history, said Carey Falcone, New Realm co-founder and CEO.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5123775 2023-08-04T17:58:12+00:00 2023-08-04T17:58:29+00:00
Majority of Virginia voters would support state board to rein in costs of prescription drugs, survey says https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/08/01/majority-of-virginia-voters-would-support-state-board-to-rein-in-costs-of-prescription-drugs-survey-says/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 21:08:01 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5116524 A majority of Virginia voters in a recent survey supported the creation of a prescription drug affordability board to rein in costs.

Two-thirds of the responding voters regularly take prescription medications, according to the poll sponsored by AARP, an advocacy organization for people 50 and older. But many are concerned about the increasing costs of their medication, with more than one-third of voters reporting not filling their prescription at some point.

The Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University surveyed 1,000 registered Virginia voters in June and found that 85% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans and 70% of independents who responded support a state board to regulate the cost of prescription drugs.

“This isn’t a partisan issue, this is something we can all get behind,” Jim Dau, the state director for AARP Virginia, said at a media briefing on Tuesday.

Del. Karrie Delaney, a Democrat representing parts of Fairfax and Loudoun counties, said the price of prescription drugs are rising at an “astronomical rate” relative to inflation. She said her daughter has Type 1 diabetes, so she understands the expenses and has heard stories of families rationing insulin.

Earlier this year, Delaney introduced a bill that would have established a prescription drug affordability board, but it died in committee.

AARP Virginia had supported the legislation, but opponents, including those in the industry, said it would not address the root causes of high drug prices and could have unintentional consequences on drug availability and research and development.

Delaney and Sen. Bill Stanley, a Republican representing the 20th District in Southside Virginia, said they plan to sponsor the measure in the 2024 legislative session.

“Seeing the data come out of this poll, I think validates what many of us already know when we talk to our constituents,” Delaney said.

When asked if capping prescription drug prices would stifle innovation from pharmaceutical companies, Delaney and Stanley said the board would offer more transparency regarding costs and noted the large amount of money pharmaceutical companies spend on marketing each year.

“To sacrifice lives for the sake of profit is just something that I’m not going to be listening to,” Stanley said.

Stanley said he represents a more rural area that has a lower family income than the state average. This, he said, leads to families “making life or death decisions almost on a monthly basis, where they must make a decision to put aside the money for that prescription drug, or put food on the table or a roof over their heads.”

Dr. Rommaan Ahmad, a physician in Alexandria and the state lead for the Committee to Protect Health Care, said insurances are requiring lengthier authorization processes for prescription medications and, even then, patients still might not have the cost covered. She said patients deserve to know why their needed medicine is getting more expensive.

“When a particular medication doubles or triples in price, it’s not two or three times more effective,” Ahmad said.

A board is needed to regulate the pharmaceutical industry and hold big companies accountable, she said.

Jillian Goodwin, a 31-year-old Norfolk resident, said she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 3 months. The chronic disease affects different parts of her body, including her respiratory and digestive system and can lead to life-threatening complications as she gets older.

Goodwin said she takes about 20 prescription medications every day just to stay alive. But the cost of her medications, along with doctors appointments, supplies and food needed to meet her nutritional needs “compounds together,” she said.

In the past, Goodwin said she stayed at a job she was unhappy with because she needed health insurance. But without insurance and copay assistance programs to help keep the costs down, she said she “wouldn’t be here today.”

“What good is a medical marvel and a revolutionary breakthrough if people who need it cannot afford it?” she said.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5116524 2023-08-01T17:08:01+00:00 2023-08-02T15:00:57+00:00
For Hampton Roads small-business owners, Amazon can increase sales — and headaches https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/31/for-hampton-roads-small-business-owners-amazon-can-increase-sales-and-headaches/ Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:54:43 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5098319 E-commerce website Amazon has grown in popularity over the years, and Hampton Roads small businesses are increasingly turning to the platform to promote their products.

In 2022 alone, independent sellers in Virginia sold more than 41 million products on Amazon, said Ian Allen-Anderson, a regional spokesperson for Amazon.

And Amazon can be a lifeline for business revenue. The average annual sales revenue of the 11,000 independent Virginia sellers on Amazon was more than $145,000, Allen-Anderson said.

“People are more likely to spend on Amazon versus your website,” said Tahjere Lewis, owner of Aunt Carol’s Sauce in Newport News.

Lewis charges $13.99 for one bottle of Aunt Carol’s Sauce on Amazon. Despite his website offering two bottles for $16.99, he said many customers still choose to go through Amazon because of the ecosystem the e-commerce giant has created.

“You know if you’re a Prime user, you’re going to spend your time on Amazon because you want to escape that shipping charge,” Lewis said. “And that’s the biggest thing about e-commerce: No one wants to pay for shipping.”

For $14.99 a month or $139 for a full year, Amazon users can sign up for a Prime membership to receive benefits, including free shipping on certain items. In January, Business Insider reported Amazon having 168 million Prime members in the United States at the end of 2022.

While e-commerce platforms like Amazon can increase revenue for businesses, small businesses still need to put in the work to reach customers and develop brand loyalty, said Jolie Spiers, the executive director of Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center. A good e-commerce strategy involves digital marketing like social media, email and online advertising.

“It makes the business stickier so that customers are more likely to continue to engage over time,” she said.

Marrico Simpson stands with boxed products from his company, 4Mas Grooming. (Courtesy of Marrico Simpson)
Marrico Simpson stands with boxed products from his company, 4Mas Grooming. (Courtesy of Marrico Simpson)

Kylie Ross Sibert, vice president of marketing and communications for the Retail Alliance, said while e-commerce platforms can help find new audiences for a business’s product, using them also requires giving up some control. The Retail Alliance advocates for small businesses and has taught business owners about third-party marketplaces.

“Those third-party sellers don’t have necessarily your interests in mind in terms of branding and pushing the individuality that you provide to customers,” she said.

Barber Marrico Simpson owns 4Mas Grooming Inc., a hair and beard care company in Suffolk. Simpson started his company in 2018 and began using Amazon shortly after, with products also sold at Walmart.com and his own website.

Simpson said around two-thirds of his sales come from Amazon.

“People will trust Amazon more than our website, and they offer so many benefits,” he said.

Catesby Jones founded Peace Frogs, a clothing and accessory company in Gloucester, in 1985. He started using Amazon around five years ago and said it was “fantastic,” but acknowledged issues with the e-commerce platform.

For one, Jones and Lewis both said Amazon takes a sizeable percentage out of each product sold. Jones also noted experiencing fulfillment issues in the past, and having to pay fees for advertising. Although it isn’t required, he said it’s needed to increase sales on the site.

Peace Frogs merchandise set up at a store. (Courtesy of Peace Frogs)
Peace Frogs merchandise set up at a store. (Courtesy of Peace Frogs)

“That’s where it can get really expensive, because you can be spending almost as much as you’re making on online advertising through Amazon. So it’s like you’re paying Amazon to promote your product on Amazon,” Jones said.

One of the biggest and most persistent issues Jones has found with Amazon is trying to ward off scammers who steal his product design.

To ensure customers are receiving the best product and receive support if there’s a problem, Jones recommends they purchase directly from the business’s website rather than going through Amazon.

In terms of customer service, Jones doesn’t think he’s ever spoken to a person at Amazon. Communication is usually through email or messaging of some sort, and that can be frustrating if there’s an issue, he said.

“It’s a very impersonal experience,” Jones said.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5098319 2023-07-31T11:54:43+00:00 2023-08-02T13:28:59+00:00
Puerto Rican native and veteran opens coffee shop in downtown Norfolk in honor of his heritage https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/28/puerto-rican-native-and-veteran-opens-coffee-shop-in-downtown-norfolk-in-honor-of-his-heritage/ Fri, 28 Jul 2023 11:49:15 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5100852 Miguel Diaz, a native of Puerto Rico, opened Rich Port Coffee is downtown Norfolk to honor and promote his heritage and Latin American coffee and culture.

“I decided that I wanted to do something different — to create a legacy not only for myself, but my kids,” Diaz said.

The Diaz family: Miguel, Mia, Alejandro, Ezequiel and Elena, pose for a photo in their Puerto Rican coffee shop, Rich Port Coffee, located in the lobby of the Truist building in downtown Norfolk, Va. on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
The Diaz family: Miguel, Mia, Alejandro, Ezequiel and Elena pose for a photo in their Puerto Rican coffee shop, Rich Port Coffee, located in the lobby of the Truist building in downtown Norfolk, Va., on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

The Navy veteran came to Hampton Roads because of the military 20 years ago. In 2021, he started taking wholesale and online orders for coffee he roasted at Selden Market, a small business incubator downtown.

Two years later on May 1, Diaz and his wife, Mia, opened Rich Port’s first storefront just steps from Selden Market at 150 W. Main St. inside the Truist Building.

The business’s expansion illustrates how Selden Market can help strength downtown Norfolk’s retail landscape, director Careyann Weinberg said.

The market chose Rich Port Coffee for its hands-on approach, she said, noting Diaz was going beyond social media by knocking on doors and handing out samples.

The business’s name is a direct English translation of “Puerto Rico coffee,” and the logo is a combination of a French press and the Castillo San Felipe del Morro fort in San Juan, both subtle nods to Diaz’s roots.

“It was amazing because it was actually bringing a little piece of my heritage back here,” he said.

Once known for the “coffee of popes and kings,” Diaz said the soil and elevation on Puerto Rican coffee farms elevates its taste. Rich Port now serves coffee from nine countries, including Colombia, El Salvador and Ethiopia. The products show the date the coffee was roasted.

Rich Port also teams up with regional businesses to sell different pastries and snacks.

When working in business banking for 11 years, Diaz said he noticed how much businesses learned by partnering with other businesses. Another key for small businesses is not being afraid of larger competitors. He said he offers a “totally different product” from Starbucks.

Diaz said he’s seen an increase in sales ever since Rich Port opened the storefront, especially from office workers and people boarding cruise ships docked downtown.

Bags from all of the businesses Rich Port Coffee supplies beans for are photographed in their roastery located in the Selden Market in downtown Norfolk, Va. on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. Rich Port Coffee grew from an incubator within Selden Market to now having their own storefront located at 150 West Main Street in the lobby of the Truist building. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Bags for the businesses Rich Port Coffee supplies beans for are photographed in the business’s roastery in the Selden Market in downtown Norfolk on July 18. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Rich Port roasts coffee for around 25 businesses and organizations, including the city of Norfolk, the USS Wisconsin, the MacArthur Memorial museum and different coffee shops around Hampton Roads. Diaz also roasts coffee for companies in Florida and Tennessee.

Diaz is proud the coffee labels say, “roasted in Norfolk.”

“So it’s putting a spotlight on us, in a way,” Diaz said.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5100852 2023-07-28T07:49:15+00:00 2023-08-16T09:49:19+00:00
Thousands of tourists flock to Chincoteague Island for annual Pony Swim https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/26/thousands-of-tourists-flock-to-chincoteague-island-for-annual-pony-swim-2/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:30:10 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5105148 Amanda Savage refers to the week of Chincoteague’s Pony Swim as “Chincoteague Christmas.”

Savage works at Michael’s Jewelry inside Village Mall, and compares the thousands of spectators coming to the island during the last week of July to New Year’s Eve in New York City’s Times Square. Many workplaces close for the day to allow people to participate in the festivities.

“A lot of the locals consider it like our own personal holiday,” she said.

About 200 ponies swam across the Assateague Channel on Wednesday, continuing the 98-year island tradition. It was the second year since the return of the event after its two-year pause during the coronavirus pandemic.

Once at Chincoteague, the ponies received veterinary care to get ready for auction. This year, 72 ponies sold for total sales of $489,000, according to the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce. Funds go toward the animals’ care and local fire departments.

The Pony Swim gained popularity after the publication of Marguerite Henry’s award-winning children’s book, “Misty of Chincoteague,” in 1947. The film “Misty,” based on the book, was released in 1961.

Now, the ponies have statewide recognition after legislation naming the Chincoteague pony as Virginia’s official state pony was signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and took effect July 1.

Boost for rural tourism

Thousands of tourists from around the world flocked to the island town to watch the annual event.

“A lot of them are here in town for the whole week, so you know, eating in our restaurants, staying in our hotels, shopping in our shops,” said Evelyn Shotwell, the executive director for the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce. “So it’s certainly a huge economic impact. You know, some of the small businesses will tell you that they will have a better week this Pony Penning week than they will the whole first quarter of the year.”

Shotwell said the island hosted an array of activities throughout the week, including a carnival hosted by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, performances by the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team and free showings of “Misty” at the Island Theatre.

Oz Ozmar, a cook at Flamingos, a food truck on the island, said the tourism builds up during the summer and “goes through the roof” for the Pony Swim.

Ozmar also helps run Obsession Studios, a gallery and art supply store in Village Mall owned by his girlfriend. During the past few days, he said people were waiting outside the studio before it opened. Like many businesses catering to the Pony Swim tourists, he creates horse statues to sell, despite not being a big fan of event himself.

“Traffic in the mall has multiplied in the past week by a factor of 10,” he said. “There’s just so many people coming in, wandering through, looking around all hours.”

But when the Pony Swim is over, Ozmar said sales for many businesses around town “absolutely dies.”

“On a busy weekend, this is a touristy beach town, and in the middle of the off-season, it’s rural Virginia, like, countryside Virginia,” he said.

Cathy Heimer, owner of the Island Artisans boutique, changes her store hours for the weeks leading up to the swim to be open seven days a week. Heimer will start operating five days a week around Labor Day, then four until she’s only open three days a week by Thanksgiving.

“I make a lot of my money during the summer,” Heimer said.

Kally Rasinski grew up in the Chincoteague area and works at Sunsations, a beach apparel store with bike and scooter rentals. Residents on the island benefit from the increased tourism, particularly as new attractions are built or buildings get upgrades, she said.

“With the tourism, the island is continuously growing,” Rasinski said, noting the ropes course that just opened next door.

‘Like a homecoming’

Hotels on the island are often booked throughout the last week of July. The Comfort Suites Chincoteague and Key West Cottages were both at 100% capacity for the week, said Nicole Miller, the director of sales and service.

“It’s kind of like a homecoming, so people that have ever lived on Chincoteague in their life always come back for the Pony Swim,” she said.

On Wednesday, many pony enthusiasts arrived to the swim before sunrise, armed with lawn chairs, shower curtains and towels to sit on. Spectators were covered with mud up to their knees from wading through the marsh to get to their spots.

Sarah Case was at the marsh at 5 a.m., five hours before the start of the swim, with her 10-year-old daughter, Gwendolyn. The two “Misty” fans drove up from St. Louis, Missouri, in hopes of buying a horse of their own. To pass the time, Gwendolyn looked at pictures of the horses on her phone and thought about what she’d name it.

The trip to Chincoteague, which included stops to Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, is personal for Sarah Case.

“It’s been on my bucket list since I was younger than her,” she said.

This year was Diane McKinley’s fourth time seeing the Pony Swim. She comes to Chincoteague from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, often, and even convinced her camera club to come this year. Together, the group stayed at an Airbnb and shopped and ate at local businesses around the island throughout the week.

McKinley plans on coming back for more Pony Swims in the future.

“I think everybody ought to experience it at least once,” she said.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5105148 2023-07-26T13:30:10+00:00 2024-05-03T16:46:29+00:00
Marina developer’s new project brings luxury jewelry to Virginia Beach https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/21/marina-developers-new-project-brings-luxury-jewelry-to-virginia-beach/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:00:44 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5093231 Developer Gale Higgs, known for building The Marina at Marina Shores at Lynnhaven Inlet with her late husband more than 30 years ago, has had a variety of projects since then, including operating the Kane Marie Fine Arts Gallery, which closed in 2008.

The Virginia Beach native now has her eyes set on a new industry: luxury jewelry.

“I looked around and said, ‘All right, well, I’m not going to build for the next few years, what am I going to do?’ ” Higgs said. “And I thought about how much joy there was in that gallery, working with artists and clients and enjoying the works of art created by nature and man, which is really what fine art jewelry is.”

A bracelet made of porcelain beads featuring a citrine gemstone made by Silvia Furmanovich is modeled the at G Marie Luxuries in Virginia Beach, Va. on Friday, July 14, 2023. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
A bracelet made of porcelain beads featuring a citrine gemstone made by Silvia Furmanovich is modeled the at G Marie Luxuries in Virginia Beach, Va. on Friday, July 14, 2023. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

G Marie Luxuries, at 2861 Lynnhaven Drive not far from the renovated marina, is a jewelry store showcasing unique and often one-of-a-kind pieces. Higgs started thinking seriously about creating the store two years ago. After a series of opening setbacks due to supply issues, it finally debuted in June.

The store is decorated with furniture from Paris, chandeliers from the 1950s and a carpet created from reclaimed fishing net with a satellite image of the ocean floor from space — personal touches all chosen by Higgs.

Just like the furniture, the jewelry is carefully selected by Higgs and comes from around the world.

Whether it’s a bracelet designed by a jeweler in a small village off the Alaskan coast or a necklace created with materials found on the beaches of Costa Rica, Higgs said the beauty of a piece of luxury jewelry is not just about cost or value. Prices online range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands.

“I know people who, unless it’s a precious stone, emerald, ruby, diamond, sapphire, don’t consider it luxury, while other people consider handmade wood art from Japan that you wear on your wrist an incredible luxury,” she said.

Linda Morrison models pieces made by Misani at G Marie Luxuries in Virginia Beach, Va. on Friday, July 14, 2023. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Linda Morrison models pieces made by Misani at G Marie Luxuries in Virginia Beach, Va. on Friday, July 14, 2023. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Higgs, who has been going to jewelry shows for decades, said the beauty of jewelry is its ability to bring someone confidence.

“When women wear jewelry, it empowers them. It enhances them. It enables them to see themselves in a more beautiful light. You put on a piece of jewelry, it’s like ‘there I am,’ or you remember who gave it to you, or the moment they gave it to you,” she said.

While the store focuses on jewelry, it also has art pieces for sale. Products are also available online.

“We are new. We are different,” Higgs said. “When you come in, you’re going to find things you haven’t seen before.”

For more information, visit gmarie.com.

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5093231 2023-07-21T08:00:44+00:00 2023-07-26T15:11:11+00:00
Armada Hoffler celebrates 20 years of Virginia Beach headquarters https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/20/armada-hoffler-celebrates-20-years-of-virginia-beach-headquarters/ Thu, 20 Jul 2023 11:22:30 +0000 https://www.pilotonline.com/?p=5068267 Armada Hoffler, the real estate company and notable mixed-use developer of Town Center of Virginia Beach, is celebrating 20 years headquartered in the coastal city.

Founded in 1979 by Portsmouth native Daniel Hoffler, the company spent its first years headquartered in Greenbrier in Chesapeake, and in 2003, it made the move to Virginia Beach.

Soon after signing on to develop Town Center as a partnership with the city, Armada Hoffler soon recognized it would be the company’s largest investment to date, said Lou Haddad, the company’s president and CEO.

“And so, we wanted to put our headquarters in concert with our largest investment,” he said.

Along with $108 million in public funds, Armada Hoffler reports investing around $500 million into Town Center over the years, and the area has continued to grow.

“We’re very proud of the fact that Armada Hoffler is part of our family in Virginia Beach and has made magnificent contributions to making Virginia Beach one of the most livable cities in the country,” Mayor Bobby Dyer said.

Prior to the development, the land that now houses Town Center was relatively barren, Haddad said. Now, it contains around 620,000 square feet of retail space, 800,000 square feet of office space and 760 apartments in the city’s central business district. Town Center spans 17 blocks and 25 acres midway between downtown Norfolk and the Oceanfront.

Town Center bustles with daily activity from its over 160 commercial tenants and around 1,500 residents. Of those business tenants, about 90 of the companies were new to Virginia Beach, Haddad said.

Town Center of Virginia Beach (Courtesy of Armada Hoffler)
Early building stages of Town Center of Virginia Beach (Courtesy of Armada Hoffler)

“That huge influx of corporate activity that’s come and settled here, that’s the primary impact,” Haddad said. “And then, on a more pedestrian level, we’ve created something that is home for a lot of people. This is where the town square is. This is a local gathering place.”

The 23-story Armada Hoffler Tower looms over the urban district. The company uses three floors to house its construction, development, finance and asset management groups and accountants. Six of the other office tenants inside the building are original tenants from 2003.

Armada Hoffler’s agreement to build its headquarters at Town Center was just as important as anything else, said Gerald Divaris, CEO and chairman of Divaris Real Estate and the Divaris Group. Divaris Real Estate also maintains its headquarters in Town Center, where it provides management and leasing.

In the mid-1980s, Divaris envisioned that the Pembroke area could become the city’s downtown, but he said it wouldn’t have happened without Armada Hoffler.

“With the active support, financial backing and enterprising energy of Lou Haddad and his team, and the enthusiasm of Dan Hoffler, the Town Center of Virginia Beach became a reality,” Divaris said.

The company established an ecosystem where the apartments, office buildings, stores and restaurants work together “because people want to be where the activity is,” said Shawn Tibbetts, the company’s chief operating officer.

In 2022, The Pilot reported that Town Center office space had reached 99% capacity, even as more people were working remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Town Center of Virginia Beach (Courtesy of Armada Hoffler)- Original Credit: Aerophoto America
The 23-story Armada Hoffler Tower looms over the urban district. The company uses three floors to house its construction, development, finance and asset management groups and accountants. (Courtesy of Armada Hoffler)

Town Center also created a stimulus for development and apartments in the surrounding area, particularly because the business district is where they’re working and younger people want to live where they work, said David Burton, an attorney at the Williams Mullen office in Armada Hoffler Tower.

The centralized location makes it easy for clients to meet with their lawyers or other professionals, he said.

“For our lawyers and our staff, it has provided a work-lifestyle balance that has been very attractive to people because of the restaurants and shops being in proximity with where people work,” Burton said. “It’s made it easy for them in that way.”

Haddad said Armada Hoffler hopes to announce new Town Center tenants by the end of the year. In 2022, Old Dominion University announced plans for a new data science facility to open in Town Center by this fall.

The company is expanding its footprint further into the Southeast, with a presence in seven states and cities such as Baltimore, Atlanta and Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina. Armada Hoffler now has over 760 commercial tenants, nearly 2,500 residential units and about 6.5 million square feet of commercial space nationwide.

The company has “deep roots” in Virginia Beach, Haddad said, but the future for its headquarters is unclear. Today, the company has larger investments outside Hampton Roads than within the region as it has grown primarily across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, he said. And so, there are opportunities to move to a higher growth area.

“But ultimately, the decision of where the company is located is going to be based on what brings the most value to our shareholders,” Haddad said.

The developer helped architecture firm Clark Nexsen establish its headquarters in Town Center in the 15-story Main Street Tower in 2014. The firm noted Armada Hoffler has made a direct, everyday impact on the people who work and live in Virginia Beach.

“Armada Hoffler’s impact in Virginia Beach has been incredible,” Clark Nexsen said in a statement. “Not only do they have the vision and ability to dream big, but they also have the tenacity to make those dreams come to fruition and flourish.”

Gabby Jimenez, gabrielle.jimenez@virginiamedia.com

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5068267 2023-07-20T07:22:30+00:00 2023-07-20T07:22:30+00:00