October 2011
Always Good Ships in Newport News
As the City’s largest employer, it is not uncommon for Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) to be in the news or even in our daily conversations. However, over the last few months the shipyard has been in the spotlight even more than usual. With the Huntington Ingalls spinoff occurring less than a year ago, the plans for the Apprentice School being released within the last six months and the City highlighting its relationship with NNS in a video for the International City Management Association (ICMA) conference in September—2011 has turned out to be quite the year for shipbuilding in Newport News.
| The USS George H. W. Bush was constructed in Newport News and commissioned in January of 2009. |
To begin, I first want to highlight the City’s video, Manufacturing the Future. Newport News was selected as a Best Practice City by the ICMA for its success even in the current economic situation. Manufacturing the Future, while emphasizing the diversity of our economy, focuses on two mainstay companies in our City, Huntington Ingalls and Canon Virginia. It highlights the City’s pro-business climate and strong partnerships with industries that have helped major corporations to expand and be successful even in these difficult economic times. The video was shown at the ICMA conference last month and is also displayed on the ICMA website (linked above). Because it has been such an integral part of the community for 125 years, it is no surprise that the shipyard was a main feature in this exciting project. There is certainly much that can be said about the importance of the shipyard and the pride it brings to our City as a whole, and its over 20,000 employees in particular. I recently had an opportunity to experience that pride from the perspective of Mayor in my first tour of the shipyard since I took office last year.
| The USS Gerald Ford while under construction in Newport News. |
The business of building ships has always been a point of pride for me and my family—especially given that my father was a Master Shipbuilder, a title given to those with 40 or more years of working in the yard. In my recent tour of the NNS facilities, I was reminded of just how important shipbuilding is not only to our City, but also to our nation. “We shall build good ships here. At a profit—if we can. At a loss—if we must, but always good ships”—this motto, stated by the shipyard’s founder, Collis P. Huntington, is as true today as when the shipyard’s gates first opened 1886. For 125 years the superior skill and work ethic of shipbuilders in Newport News have helped to protect our nation by producing some of the world’s most complex and technologically sophisticated vessels. While NNS has the ability to build a variety of water crafts, from tugboats to passenger liners, its most notable ships are those which are constructed for the United States Navy.
With top decks spanning the length of almost three football fields, the aircraft carriers produced in Newport News can sometimes seem more like floating cities than instruments of war. When touring the NNS facilities, I had the opportunity to see both a completed vessel (currently being refurbished) as well as a carrier in the early stages of construction. This transformation is truly amazing to witness and is a testament to the abilities of the workforce in our City and our region.
While certainly no one can predict what is to come, I am confident that the future of Newport News Shipbuilding will be as prosperous, innovative and important as its past. The shipyard continues to be a cornerstone of our City’s business community and a shining example of corporate citizenship—a tradition I’m certain will be carried forth for its next 125 years in Newport News.
Mayors’ Book Club Kickoff
| Mayor Molly Ward and I during the October 6th kickoff event. |
I am pleased to report that the City of Newport News is now a part of the Mayors’ Book Club. Working in a collaborative effort with Hampton’s existing program, our cities now have a combined initiative which serves children in both jurisdictions. The Mayors’ Book Club is a public/private partnership that promotes early literacy and strives to prepare children for entering elementary school. During the monthly events, volunteers from both Hampton and Newport News take time out of their workweek to read the book of the month to local pre-kindergarten classes.
The kickoff event for the joint initiative was held on October 6th at Watkins Early Childhood Center in Newport News. Volunteers came out to read "llama llama red pajama" to more than 7,000 pre-k students in 350 classes. Not only did each child have the benefit of guest readers to grab their attention, the Kiwanis Clubs of Hampton and Newport News, and the Healthy Families Partnership donated 3,000 copies, so that each child could have their own personal book. This allows students the opportunity to read age-appropriate books at home while helping to inspire a love for reading that will hopefully last a lifetime. During the event, I had the opportunity to read to two classes—witnessing the excitement in the children’s eyes as they listened attentively to the story was truly a great experience, and one that I am looking forward to enjoying often as the program continues.
| This is one of the classes I was able to read with. |
I am very excited about this regional partnership and the great things that it is doing for the children of our City. I would like to thank Hampton Mayor Molly Ward, all of the volunteer readers, the Kiwanis Clubs of Hampton and Newport News, as well as the Healthy Families Partnership for making this program and kickoff event a great success. For information on how you can get involved, call Marcy Messick at (757) 727-2710.
To see additional pictures from the event, click the link below to go to my official Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayor-McKinley-L-Price/139632846119109
Recognizing a Lifetime of Service in Newport News
The Lifelong Citizenship Award ceremony is an annual event which recognizes and honors our community’s nonagenarians (persons over 90) for their many years of service to others and contributions to the City of Newport News. Sponsored by Parks, Recreation and Tourism’s Active Lifestyles Program, this year’s ceremony was held on September 20th, at the Mid-Town Community Center.
| Some of the Lifelong Citizenship Award recipients and myself after the ceremony. |
Over 140 people attended the ceremony to honor 9 local residents. While this ceremony is always very touching, I was especially moved this year because my mother, aunt, and late mother-in-law were all recognized for their service to our community. I would like to thank all of the 2011 Lifelong Citizenship Award recipients—Ms. Edith Powell Brown, Mr. Joseph Clarke, Ms. Gertrude Holmes (my aunt), Mr. Jack Lloyd Locke, Ms. Anita Stewart McKinley, Ms. Ruby Arrington Porter, Ms. Rosa B. Price (my mother), Mr. Willie J. Sellers, and my late mother-in-law, Ms. Mae Hamlin Scott—for a lifetime of contributions to our City. The uplifting spirit of these very special citizens never ceases to amaze me; they are truly an inspiration to us all.
To nominate someone for next year’s Lifelong Citizenship Award, contact Katherine Yusuf at (757) 926-1446. For more pictures, visit my official Facebook page, linked below.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayor-McKinley-L-Price/139632846119109
The Importance of Citizen Engagement
In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, there is little time left after work, family, friends, church, pets and all of the other important things we have pulling at our time. Having said that, I think that it is important to squeeze one more item into our ever-growing list of commitments—engaging in our local community.
| Volunteers at the 23rd Annual Steak 'N Burger Dinner fund raiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula. |
There are countless ways to become involved with the Newport News community, and all of which benefit our City. Help with a charity event for a local non-profit; volunteer at a local Boys and Girls Club; come to a City Council meeting and tell us what issues are of concern to you;collect canned goods for the Foodbank from your neighbors or colleagues; offer to tutor at a nearby school; apply to be on a Newport News Board or Commission; join or start a neighborhood watch group; become involved with the Mayors’ Book Club, or choose any number of the other opportunities that are out there. By being involved with your community you get the benefit of directly contributing to and improving upon the world around you, while gaining a broader perspective through interacting with new people and embracing new experiences.
As I mentioned before, I know it is hard for most of us to make room for additional activities in our often hectic schedules. Some people simply may not be able to accommodate any more commitments, but for those of you who can, please do. I guarantee you will not regret the effort or the experience.