10^th Annual “Spooktacular” modified with additional locations

The City of Newport News advises residents to follow CDC and Virginia Department of Health guidelines for Halloween activities this year in order to limit potential exposure to COVID-19. In keeping with those guidelines, Parks, Recreation & Tourism’s 10th Annual “Spooktacular” event is being modified and has additional locations, and Newport News Public Library is offering two Halloween themed virtual events. 

 

This year, Spooktacular is a drive-thru trunk-or-treat event taking place on Saturday, October 31. Come by any of the three community centers listed below for a spooky good time and lots of candy. Wear your costumes and trunk-or-treat from the safety of your car! Please remain in your vehicle, and follow the signs for entering and exiting the drive-thru events.  

 

Newport News Public Library offers numerous virtual events every month including two in October that are Halloween-themed.  

Both the CDC and VDH have deemed traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating a high risk activity and have issued the following recommendations on other options citizens can take part in to celebrate the holiday. For those who choose to trick-or-treat, the Newport News City Code specifies that trick-or-treating is for children 12 years of age and younger and ends at 8 p.m. 

The CDC’s Guidance for Holiday Celebrations and the Virginia Department of Health's Interim Guidance for Halloween provide recommendations on low, moderate and high risk activities, as well as tips for those who opt to trick-or-treat.

We live in a digital world and teleworking, virtual schools and online meetings have dramatically increased our use of technology this year. Almost everything we interact within our daily lives relies heavily on computer code, putting coding and information technology skills in extremely high demand now into the foreseeable future. Jobs are available in this industry, we now need a skilled workforce ready to step into these rewarding and challenging careers!

Last week, we shared information on the city’s CARES Act Workforce Assistance Program (C-WAP), which offers free workforce development services for Newport News residents affected by COVID-19. This innovative new program provides training in industries that are in critical need of employees and that pay minimum wages of $13.50 per hour.  

A program partner, Tech Talent South, is actively recruiting Newport News residents to join their free digital technology and coding skills training program. Residents will participate in virtual sessions to learn the foundations of front and back-end software development, including website creation, coding and mobile app creation. Graduates will be able to apply and compete for entry-level technology and tech-adjacent positions, such as Software Engineer, Business Analyst, and so much more.

Newport News residents of all ages and backgrounds who were financially impacted by COVID-19 are invited to apply, especially those who were laid off due to the pandemic. There is no cost to the program and virtual trainings will begin immediately. Participants will graduate by December 30, 2020  

To apply, visit the Tech Talent South website.

To ensure motorist safety during bridgework related to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Denbigh Boulevard Bridge Replacement Project, Denbigh Boulevard will be closed to traffic overnight beginning as early as Thursday, October 8, between Pocahontas Drive and Millwood Drive in Newport News. 

 

Starting as early as 7 p.m. on October. 8, a signed detour will be in place until 5 a.m the following morning directing motorists traveling along Warwick Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue to use Bland Boulevard as an alternate route. All work is weather-dependent. A backup inclement weather date for this work is scheduled for October 9, starting as early as 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

During the closure, contractor crews will be pouring the bridge deck for one of the new eastbound spans of the Denbigh Boulevard overpass over Interstate 64 in Newport News. 

In this phase of the Denbigh Boulevard Bridge Replacement Project, construction of a new eastbound span of the Denbigh Boulevard bridge is underway. Once the eastbound span is complete, the two lanes of traffic will be shifted to the newly constructed eastbound side of the bridge to allow for the demolition of the existing westbound span and subsequent construction of a new westbound span. The project is estimated to be complete in fall 2021. 

For more information on the Denbigh Boulevard Bridge Replacement Project, visit the VDOT website.