12 The Hampton Roads Messenger
Volume 9 Number 7
Usui International Quietly Grows from Four to Four
Around Hampton Roads
Hundred Employees Usui International Virginia Plant (Chesapeake), a manufacturer of fuel lines for the big three automakers, first opened its doors in Chesapeake in 1990 with four employees and have now reached a total of 400 employees in 2014.
Another company milestone was achieved last year when Usui supplied 850,000 parts to Ford and had zero rejects! Ford Motor Company officials visited Usui in Chesapeake and presented the prestigious Ford Q1 Supplier Award.
Hampton Fire & Rescue
Honored at Local Conference Hampton’s Fire & Rescue Division received several awards and recognitions last month during the 40th annual Fire and Rescue Conference in Virginia Beach, sponsored by the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association. The honors include: Governor’s Award for Excellence in Virginia Public Fire and Life Safety Education This award recognizes an individual or department that exemplifies outstanding dedication and service for the furtherance of Virginia public fire and life safety education. Among the programs cited by conference organizers:
• Hampton’s 2014 Home Safety Survey Campaign. The Division used multi- media marketing to offer courtesy home safety surveys to 52,000 privately- owned residences, and targeted multi-family residential complexes in order to identify and correct hazards that could lead to fire or injury. The program was coordinated by Asst. Chief Maurice Wilson (Community Risk Reduction Section) and Battalion Chief Mike Birdsong (Operations Section, Suppression Branch).
• Hampton TRIAD partnership. The TRIAD provides focused support for senior citizen life safety issues. According to a conference news release, “the division continuously works to focus their efforts on teaching and promoting safety and preparation measures that help instill personal confidence in our aging residents.” Lynn Cherry-Miller, Senior Administrative Assistant (Fire Chief’s Office), coordinated this initiative.
• Camp Fury. An educational camp for young women and the first of its kind on the East Coast, Camp Fury educated girls in grades 6-12 in fire and life safety and character development. The camp faculty was comprised of female firefighters and instructors from several local and regional jurisdictions. Camp Fury was developed and coordinated by Division members Lt. Denee’ Nichols, and Medic/Firefighter Jami Salvio.
• Citizen’s Fire Academy. A successful, 10-week series of classes held throughout Hampton, the Academy provides behind-the-scenes and hands-on educational opportunities in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, fire extinguisher training, operations, and valuable information for our citizen customers. The Fire Academy was developed and coordinated by Lt. Joe Brown and Capt. Charlie Kempton III.
Applications for Newport News
Police Recruits Being Accepted The Newport News Police Department is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer Recruit. Applications will be accepted from February 1, 2015 through March 31, 2015. The test for the position of Police Officer will be administered at Police Headquarters, located at 9710 Jefferson Avenue in Newport News. Testing dates/times are as given at
www.nngov.com/555/Join-the-NNPD-Team (application must be submitted prior to testing).
Need help with your bottom line?
Advertise in the
Hampton Roads Messenger Call (757) 575-1863
Eligibility Requirements
• Must be 65 years of age or totally and permanently disabled • Must live in the property
• Combined income of owners and all relatives living in home cannot exceed $67,000 per year
• Net worth, excluding the home, cannot exceed $350,000 For the 2015 Fiscal Year:
Application period The Norfolk Department of Human Services will accept applications postmarked by midnight Monday, June 1, 2015. Application process All applicants must file annually. Funding Available funding is determined annually.
Types of tax relief Relief will be provided as an exemption or deferral up to the average assessment of $203,386. Taxes on amounts over $203,386 must be paid. Visit
norfolk.gov for more details.
Free Tax Preparation Service
Returns to Portsmouth Portsmouth Public Library announces that AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, an AARP Foundation program is offering assistance to individuals during this tax season at the Churchland Branch Library. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide helps low to moderate income taxpayers have more discretionary income for everyday essentials, such as food and housing, by assisting with tax services and ensuring they receive applicable tax credits and deductions. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is available FREE to taxpayers with low and moderate income, with special attention to those 60 and older. Through a cadre of trained volunteers, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has helped low- to moderate-income individuals for more than 40 years in every state and the District of Columbia. Tax preparation hours at their Portsmouth location are from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, through April 15, 2015 at the Churchland Branch Library, located at 4934 High Street West. In addition to a W-2 from each employer, the following documents are important to have:
• Government-issued identification • Last year's tax return
• Social Security cards or other official documentation for yourself and all dependents
• Checkbook or pre-printed direct deposit information for your reloadable prepaid card showing routing number and direct deposit account number if you want to do a direct deposit of any refund(s). For more information, contact AARP Foundation Tax-Aide toll free at 1-888-227-7669 or visit them on the web at
AARP.org/taxaide. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in cooperation with the IRS.
Suffolk Department of Public Utilities and
AskHRgreen.org
March 2015
Real Estate Tax Relief Program
Application Open in Norfolk Application deadline: June 1, 2015
For applications submitted or postmarked after June 1, Section 24-208 of
The Real Estate Tax Relief/Deferral Program is administered by the Department of Human Services for Norfolk homeowners who are 65 and older or totally disabled.
Promote Fix a Leak Week SUFFOLK, VA - A water leak can cause extensive damage both to a home and a utility bill if not taken care of quickly. The Suffolk Department of Public Utilities and
askHRgreen.org are highlighting the need to address water leaks in the Environmental Protection Agency’s seventh annual “Fix a Leak Week”, March 16th through March 22, 2015. Suffolk and Hampton Roads residents are encouraged to put a stop to running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks. In the average American household, leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of wasted water each year. That’s enough water to fill a backyard swimming pool. Suffolk Public Utilities and
askHRgreen.org recommend implementing the simple “Check, Twist and Replace” test:
1. Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture connections. Also check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank to see if it appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and outdoor spigots, too.
2. Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water, without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead.
3. Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models. In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers or local plumbing professionals. For more information on finding and fixing leaks, please visit
askHRgreen.org. In recognition of “Fix
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