It's WINDSday | November 8, 2023

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

Some WINDSdays are just more memorable than others.

Like on 11/1, the day after the federal government green-lighted construction of Dominion Energy’s CVOW project, when we partnered with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council (HRWC) for our 3rd Wind Energy Rocks, this time focusing solely on female students. Called G.L.O.W., Girls Lead Offshore Wind, we secured a state grant to transport 65 young ladies from Hampton and Virginia Beach high schools to Centura College, where offshore wind technician training is taught, but first to Portsmouth Marine Terminal.

And if you follow the news, you know what’s there. Eight massive monopiles, their presence and function described during a window tour by reps from Dominion Energy (G.T. Hollett) and the VPA (Pat Kinsman, Sigi Huerta, Meredith Barrineau). 

Windshield Tour of Portsmouth Marine Terminal with representatives from The Port of Virginia and Dominion Energy

Students from Virginia Beach and Hampton have an "upclose and personal" view of the monopiles at Portsmouth Marine Terminal

“How do they get them on and off the land?” asked one student.

Good question. “A Belgium company called Sarens, which also hauls rockets around for NASA, uses self-propelled modular transporters with very big wheels,” said Meredith. “It takes about eight hours to move each monopile into place.” Sarens, which will unload 168 more 1,200 or so ton monopiles plus heavy blades, nacelles, and transition pieces for the CVOW project, is far from done here. 

These students meanwhile are just getting started on career planning. “There are so many opportunities for boys and girls in the skilled trades and throughout this new industry,” Christina Brooks of the HRWC told them. “What they are seeing today really tracks what we’re teaching back in class,” said Amee Johnson who teaches physics at Landstown High.

If the students needed more role models, they could chat with Paula Miller of Dominion, Ashley McLeod of Avangrid, Arketa Howard of Crowley, Alisa Crider of Hampton Roads Alliance and other members of Women of Offshore Wind (W.O.W.) in Hampton Roads. Jobs range from white to blue collar, including safely scaling towers out at sea, another skill taught and demonstrated this day at Centura.

Paula Miller of Dominion Energy

Arketa Howard of Crowley

They also learned about electronics and motors and of course, how wind turns blades at sea and converts it into electricity to light homes and classrooms on shore.

Centura, along with Tidewater Community College (TCC) and local high schools, is providing pathways into the field.  With jobs opening and pay rising, the time for teens, exiting military and career switchers to get educated is now.  

Event Organizer, Susan Long Molnar

Work Base Learning Director, Nikki Finley

Kudos to local PR maven and CTE champion Susan Long Molnar for attracting a hundred business, academic and education types to Bryant & Stratton College at Peninsula Town Center to hear the virtues of High Quality Work Based Learning or HQWBL.

Any company looking for eager, prepared and skilled talent should know about HQWBL. “Internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing and other programs are excellent ways to introduce people to jobs," says Newport News native Nikki Finley, Regional Manager. “We can help make the opportunity meaningful for you and the student, including aligning classroom instruction with the requirements of the job.” 

A dynamic and passionate advocate for HQWBL, Nikki wants to meet you. Contact her at nikki.finley@doe.virginia.gov.

Nowhere is the statement “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” truer than at JDOG Junk Removal and Hauling, a national company with 400 franchises; the southside locations belonging to Jon Paul, his new wife Amy (left to right in picture), and Trey Parks.

Jon did 20 years in the Navy, Trey 6 in the Air Force, and that background, along with a desire to serve the community and own your own business, are the prerequisites in this organization.

“When I told Amy’s dad in 2022 I was leaving a good job in defense sales to be an unemployed trash collector,” says Jon, “I wasn’t sure how it would go over.” Well the family couldn’t be happier. “We are doing a lot of good for a lot of people.”

And not just those who want their homes, sheds or offices cleared out. “Yes, some stuff goes to landfills, and we recycle metals,” says Jon, “but when you look at our office and warehouse, you see that we bring a lot back.” Indeed there is furniture, dishes, and accessories everywhere, some they gladly donate to the needy. “But you would be surprised how many people of means are looking for an old anchor or wood carving to add the finishing piece to their den or lawn.”

Trey is new to JDOG and pleased to be on the truck. “I was working 70 hours a week for Amazon, and it was killing my home life.” The company’s mission is to drive veteran unemployment to below 1%. JDOG is doing its part.

For junk removal, call them at (757) 618-8164. Want to see what’s on the shelves for sale? Check out High Tide Services on Facebook and come over to Seahawk Circle. There are treasures galore for the discriminating shopper.

Some homeowners love trimming trees, laying down mulch, planting or removing trees and flowers, installing French drains and the myriad other tasks that fall under the category “landscaping”.

If you are not one of them, there are companies like Lewis Grounds Maintenance. “I started cutting grass when I was 11,” says owner Jared Lewis (on the right in picture holding fan), “and eventually was mowing about 15 lawns.” The Greenbrier Christian and ODU grad never really stopped, but he did use his business administration degree to secure a good white-collar job with Dollar Tree as a logistics analyst.

But Jared yearned for the outdoors so in 2018, he made the leap. “I started Lewis Grounds Maintenance and now have five employees.” This time of year he is prepping his clients’’ yards for the winter, listening for the “golden nuggets” they drop, indicating what they want in their beds or how much they want their shrubs trimmed. “I learned the trade from a great mentor, Michael Clifton with Chesapeake Grounds and have taken it from there.” Jared can also manage your irrigation system.

Contact him at 757.576.6199 or [email protected], although he’s happy if you also consider www.chesapeakegrounds.com if you’re looking to make your yard the envy of your neighbors. Just tell them WINDSdays sent you.

Joel Rubin with Kristin Macan of Churchland Rotary Club

Need a guest speaker for your organization? At a recent Rotary Club meeting in Portsmouth, the club donated a copy of the book “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” to the local library in Joel Rubin’s honor. 



Joel will bring fans, updates on CVOW and a few stories about the WINDSday campaign and his career in broadcast news. Email him at [email protected].

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