12 The Hampton Roads Messenger


Volume 9 Number 3 Around Hampton Roads Cox Communications Extends


of The Planning Council, with a check for $108,000 for the newborn screening program.


Gigabit Speeds to Virginia Chesapeake new home community selected as first site for faster speeds


CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- Cox Communications has announced that its gigabit internet service for residential customers is coming to Virginia. The company will offer speeds 100 times faster than the average speed in the U.S. today.


Cox is the first national communications provider in Virginia to commit to a residential gigabit Internet strategy. The company made the announcement outside one of the new home sites at the Viridian Reserve at Hickory in Chesapeake where the service will first be available in Virginia.


Cox will expand the availability of residential gigabit internet speeds to new developments across Virginia and in Cox locations across the country. The company said the service launched this month in parts of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. It will have gigabit speeds in all of its markets by the end of 2016. Cox has been deploying gigabit speeds to businesses for more than 10 years.


With speeds as fast as 1,000 megabits per second, gigabit speeds from Cox also will deliver a more powerful home network and rich broadband enabled services to customers.


"We are proud of our long-standing commitment to the Hampton Roads community," said Gary McCollum, senior vice president and region manager for Cox Virginia. "Cox is driven by our customer feedback and we will continue our investment to deliver what customers have come to expect from us: industry leading products and services and a superior customer experience."


www.prnewswire.com Company with Roots in Incubator


Named 'Nation’s Hottest Start-up' HIS Energy, a company that got its start at the Peninsula Technology Incubator, was recently named “the Nation’s Hottest Start-up” by media company and event organizer Tech Cocktail.


HIS Energy took home more than $10,000 in cash and other prizes for its work on perpetual power technology.


James Hubbard, co-founder of HIS Energy, is a faculty member in residence at the National Institute of Aerospace.


“The success of this one company is indicative of the great work being done by the incubators in the City of Hampton," said Leonard Sledge, Hampton’s director of Economic Development.


www.hampton.gov 'Feeding 5000 Thanksgiving Harvest


and Community Celebration' “A Celebration of Hope and Pride” in Newport News


The Feeding 5000 Thanksgiving Harvest and Community Celebration will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2014 from 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. at the United House of Prayer For All People, 1811 Ivy Avenue, Newport News, Virginia.


The event will include Special Guests the Heritage High School Marching Band “The Storm,” from Newport News, Virginia, Pentecostal Followers of Christ Choir from Suffolk, Virginia and New Generation Marching Band from Portsmouth, Virginia.


Hampton Roads Area students, faculty, board members, elected officials and volunteers in cooperation with the Southeast Community Day Planning Committee will host the “Feeding 5000 Thanksgiving Harvest and Community Celebration” at The United House of Prayer For All People, 1811 Ivy Avenue, Newport News, Virginia. Entertainment will be provided throughout the course of day showcasing various talents. The event is free and open to the public. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Andrew Shannon, Event Chairman at (757) 877-0792, Edna V. Davis, Committee Co-Chair at (757) 218-8157 or Dr. Maribel Gendreau, Co-Chair/Volunteer Coordinator – Hampton Roads Academy at (757) 884-9124.


Recommendations for Poverty


Reduction Receive Funding The Norfolk City Council approved $500,000 to support several recommendations in the recently released Norfolk’s Plan to Reduce Poverty.


NORFOLK, VA – The Norfolk City Council approved $500,000 to support several recommendations in the recently released Norfolk’s Plan to Reduce Poverty. The money is a portion of $3 million in new revenue City Council approved during the October 28 Formal Session.


“This initial seed money is just the beginning of a long-term commitment to supporting our most vulnerable families. Too many of our residents are stuck in a cycle of poverty and are not experiencing the growth and vitality of this city. We hope to secure more funds in the coming budget years, and implement more of the commission’s recommendations, because this is a top priority,” said Mayor Paul D. Fraim, City of Norfolk.


The Mayor’s Commission on Poverty Reduction developed the poverty reduction plan following nearly a year of work by the 33 member commission. Community input was collected during seven Town Hall meetings with more than 200 citizens. City Council received the report in July.


Mayor Paul Fraim presented Carol McCormick, president and CEO, United Way of South Hampton Roads and Lewis Webb, chief volunteer, United for Children with a check for $100,000 to support the expansion of the highly successful United for Children program.


Earlier in the month, Mayor Paul Fraim presented Suzanne Puryear, president


“Babies are precious – and complex and complicated. Many new mothers need some help, information or other resources, even if this is not their first baby,” said Suzanne Puryear, President, The Planning Council. “This funding will help expand Care Connections, a project supported by The Planning Council and Sentara, to provide universal screening to all newborns and offer their mothers assistance to make sure their babies get a good start.”


The remaining poverty reduction funds will: Increase the number of licensed child care providers


Increase the number of child care centers and homes participating The Virginia Star Quality Initiative


Develop a comprehensive guide with available employment and educational opportunities


Improve commercial corridors leading to distressed neighborhoods.


The $3 million is one-time payment from the Norfolk International Airport. The City recently renewed the Airport’s contract and the resulting real estate reassessment resulted in a $3 million payment to the City.


Rigney Selected as Portsmouth’s


Economic Development Director City Manager John L. Rowe, Jr. announced that he has appointed Charles E. "Chuck" Rigney as the Director of Economic Development. Rigney, who will begin in the position on November 3rd, is currently the Assistant Director of Economic Development for the City of Norfolk.


Rigney’s career has been in economic development – on both the public and the private side of closing deals. He started out managing commercial loans and mortgages in banking with United Virginia Bank and Citicorp. In 1987, he was hired by Armada-Hoffler as a Senior Marketing Representative brokering commercial real estate deals in Hampton Roads. He continued in marketing economic development opportunities with The Breeden Company and then with the Virginia Peninsula Economic Development Council during this period of his career. Rigney built lasting connections with the development community on the Peninsula side of Hampton Roads during his tenure with Armada-Hoffler and the Virginia Peninsula Economic Development Council.


In September 1997, the City of Norfolk named Rigney as its Assistant Director of Economic Development where he has been instrumental in new development and business expansions that have occurred in most of Norfolk’s business and industrial parks, including the Norfolk Commerce Park, the Virginia Renaissance Center, Lake Wright Executive Park, and the Central Business Park. Also, Rigney facilitated small business deals in urban redevelopment sites, including Chelsea Business District and the Norfolk & Western Railroad Line Historic District – homes to microbrewers Smartmouth and O’Connor Brewing.


Rigney stepped up as Norfolk's Interim Economic Development Director from September 2011 to September 2013, a period in which Norfolk continued to add millions in new capital investment and jobs as well as expand existing businesses.


"In addition to the expertise gained from a career of closing deals, the positive relationships that Chuck has built within the entire Hampton Roads development community during his career will be of great value to the City of Portsmouth," said Rowe. "He is lauded by business leaders and economic developers as a top-shelf professional. With his vast experience in economic development and with his vast knowledge of our region, Chuck will take our economic development activity to a new level. We are very fortunate to have someone with Chuck’s depth of experience joining our team," added Rowe.


Rigney is a Norfolk native and a 1979 graduate of Old Dominion University. www.portsmouthva.gov


Navy Information Dominance


Forces Changes Leadership SUFFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Rear Adm. Matthew J. Kohler relieved Rear Adm. Diane E.H. Webber as a Commander, Navy Information Dominance Forces (NAVIDFOR) during a change of command ceremony, held at the command's headquarters.


Webber assumed command of NAVCYBERFOR Sept. 27, 2013 and is credited with overseeing the Oct.1 standup of NAVIDFOR.


"I can never say thank you enough for the wonderful work you've done here," said Webber. "It's been an incredible year- a whirlwind year and its mind boggling to me when I think of all that you've accomplished in that short time. Thank you."


Kohler, who most recently served as Director of Intelligence, U.S. Africa Command, took the opportunity to recognize Webber's accomplishments.


"My first order of business is to thank Admiral Webber for all the tremendous work she has done here," said Kohler. "The efforts you have led with your team during your command here have been phenomenal and breathtaking to see. It is because of your superb efforts and those of your team that we enabled the standup Navy Information Dominance Forces Command this week."


A native of Erie, Pennsylvania, Kohler graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and was commissioned in 1984 through the Aviation Officer Candidate School, Pensacola, Florida.


Prior to her relief, Webber was presented the Legion of Merit to recognize her achievements, to include developing and executing a comprehensive campaign plan to address Fleet Electronic Warfare shortfalls and reestablish electronic warfare as a primary warfare area.


"This command has been a home base for me where I have circled back throughout my career," Said Weber during her closing remarks to the staff. "The people and the mission I have known here have been near and dear to my heart for over twenty years. I'm very happy to come home and finish my career here. Thanks to all of you - thanks for the best year of my career."


November 2014


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