It's WINDSday | September 25, 2024

Celebrating the Power of Wind, Clean Energy and a Green Environment

Carrie Rose Pace can relate to the storm chasers in the blockbuster summer film "Twisters."

"I did that once," the Georgia native recalls, as part of the weather team at News 9 in Oklahoma City, her first job out of the University of Oklahoma, where she studied meteorology, a longtime passion, and communications. "In real life, chasing tornadoes can be boring, a lot of driving and waiting, but social science has proven that viewers need to see visual verification to take life-saving action, so it’s important to be out there for public safety.”

Her next on-air job was back east in Richmond, reporting the weather on weekday mornings at CBS affiliate Channel 6. Long days," she says, on the air starting at 4:30 a.m. through the noon newscast, and creating ‘Carrie in the Classroom,’ where she taught school kids about rain, sleet, snow, and squalls.

Then it was seven years as the communications director for Greater Richmond’s public transit company before landing her “dream job,” the chance to explain power needs on behalf of Dominion Energy. "I have assembled the Swiss Army Knife of communication skills necessary to do this job."

And that she has, as the point person between the utility and residents in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake who live along the transmission route for Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW). Starting in late 2025, renewable energy will flow through cables from the CVOW site in the Atlantic, under the beach at State Military Reservation, below ground to a switching station at NAS Oceana and then overhead along transmission lines to the final destination, a substation near Fentress Field.

"I totally empathize with people whose property is temporarily impacted during construction," she says. "I listen to customers, make our construction team aware of any concerns, and try to facilitate positive outcomes, whether fence replacement, noise mitigation, or individually addressing neighbor requests. I explain that Virginia needs more reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy and that we will work as quickly and safely as we can to minimize potential disruption.” 

Carrie is Dominion's face at community meetings and the voice at the other end of calls. "We are very responsive because we know that the sooner we're done, the happier the residents will be that we've finished on schedule and can restore their properties to everyday use.”

Married for a dozen years and living (when she's not in Hampton Roads) north of Richmond, with multiple high-voltage power lines near her house, Carrie now knows our area well. "When I lived in Oklahoma, I deeply missed the ocean, and don’t take it for granted that I get to work on this project."

She knows our haunts, too. "Through my work, I am more familiar with the neighborhoods and have my favorite local coffee shops and restaurants in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.  I genuinely value the customers who have come to trust me.”  CLICK HERE to connect with Carrie via email.

Glenn Oder, Retiring CEO of Fort Monroe, makes farewell remarks to attendees

Joel Rubin and Delceno Miles serve as co-emcees of of retirement celebration

Congrats to Newport News’ Glenn Oder, who left the House of Delegates in 2012 to head up the state-owned Fort Monroe Authority, new owners of most of the historic parts of

"Old Point Comfort," where slavery started in 1619. Slavery began to end there too in 1861 when controversial post commander Benjamin Butler allowed three escapees onto the property because he deemed them "contraband of war." No wonder Ft. Monroe is today called Freedom's Fortress. Oder, who fought for funds for a magnificent Visitors' Center, among other accomplishments, retired during a ceremony there this past week.

When the Army left Ft. Monroe, a million square feet of commercial space opened up for lease. Robin Reed and his wife Patti Ferguson grabbed some.

Today they operate Post Potager, a spacious vegetable and flower garden producing honey, microgreens, and hydroponic lettuce.

"Post is for Fort Monroe; potager is a French word for garden," says Rob, who has become the hydroponic expert in the family and the front guy at farmer's markets in Hampton (try Oozlefinch's Sundays through Halloween), where you can buy his and Patti's heirloom tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, squash, okra and herbs.

The couple lives on Fort Monroe, where Rob was formerly director of the Casemate Museum, following stints as a National Park Service ranger, senior project director at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, director of public history at Colonial Williamsburg, and president of the D-day Memorial in Bedford. Talk to Rob about war and peace while buying your gourds and cukes.  

If you've ever thought about trying Filipino food, September 27-October 3 is the time to do it. Seven authentic restaurants (in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, and VA Beach) are participating in Filipino Restaurant Week.

One of them is Lumpia and Company, owned by Zachary Agustin. His dad is a retired US sailor from the Philippines, and his mom is from America. Raised in San Diego, "I started rolling lumpia when I was 12," says Zach, who became so proficient through his teen years that in 2016, now living in Virginia Beach, "people urged me to start my own restaurant." 

The following January, he, along with his parents and brother, opened in a most unlikely place, a one-story office strip center at 228 N. Lynnhaven Road, just off the Boulevard. "They told me no food tenant had lasted more than a year in that space. We've been here over seven."

The reason? It has a partially Americanized lumpia menu, featuring ham and cheese with powdered sugar and a raspberry jam topping. Others include bacon and gouda, buffalo chicken, and Philly steak and cheese, plus traditional Filipino dishes like adobo, pancit, and more. "We do well with both in-house diners and many pick-ups for parties." 

CLICK HERE to see what Zach will serve during Restaurant Week, and or follow @flavors_of_the_Philippines on social media to learn what all the other participants have in store. Kumain!" (That's "eat" in Tagalog.) And Enjoy? Magsaya!" 

Lavar Hyman sold his vehicle detailing business a year ago, planning to concentrate on real estate, the stock market, or opening a used car lot. "But then my customers started calling and convinced me not to quit."

The Indian River High grad found space on Dolton Drive just off Bonney Road near Town Center, and he's back, busy as ever, shining up trucks, sedans, and SUVs at The Auto Spa. "I must be good at it."

40 vehicle owners a month agree. "There are car washers, and there are car detailers," says Lavar. "Detailers must be extremely detail-oriented because there are many places where dirt and odors can hide. You have to look everywhere."

If washing, waxing, vacuuming, and carpet shampooing don't kill a smell, Lavar uses ozone, enzymes, or even stronger treatments. Basic in-house detailing at The Auto Spa is less than $300.

Lavar also has two mobile units on the road. Give him a call at 757-651-0004 and thank him for not giving up the shop. 

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