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Jun252022 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Why Do We Love To Hate?

Community

by Caleb Knox If you were to ask what people believe is the greatest threat facing our nation right now, you could expect a wide variety of answers. Among concerns of Coronavirus, gun violence or immigration, there would likely be mention of our national divides. Incoming research from political scientists is showing us that Americans no longer hold a shared sense of national identity. More than ever Republicans and Democrats view the other as being motivated by hate, while their party is motivated by love. This development, simply put, is not stable. So what is pushing us toward hating each other? Although it can be tempting to see our current state of polarization as a more recent threat to our nation’s well being, the Founders were well aware of the dangers of rigid group i...

Mar252022 by Web PublisherNo Comments

St. Matthews and the Catholic Schools System Making Their Mark in Hampton Roads

Art & Culture

By Krissy Weinhardt The Catholic Schools system here in Hampton Roads is quite unified in their mission, to “empower leaders one faith-filled day at a time”. Since 1963 schools like St. Matthews' in Virginia Beach have provided a rigorous academic curriculum for its students in addition to discipline, tradition and strong Christian values to prepare children for their academic future and as citizens in our community. Their philosophy is based on the belief that the purpose of their schools is to provide a Christ-centered environment, in unison with both family and community. They believe this encourages a life-long pursuit of learning through spiritual, academic, and physical education. No one better embodies these philosophies as does Development Directo...

Mar252022 by Web PublisherNo Comments

A War With No Ammo…Amerishield PPE

Headlines

For two decades now, America has joined the world in being dangerously dependent on China for their medical supplies. And for two decades now policy wonks have been warning of what this could mean for America’s national security and economic stability. We never took stock of their concerns because there was never a need to do so. But like everything in the last year, Coronavirus changed that. China’s ruling political party, the CCP, has been on a not-so-secret campaign to drastically subsidize and impose wild-west type “regulations” on medical manufacturing, making their products uber cheap. This has pushed much of the global competition out of the way, leaving China as the primary manufacturer of key medical equipment. During a global pandemic, this means massive shortages in person...

Mar252022 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Catholic Schools: Boldly Putting Kids First

Community

By Kerry Dougherty Any parent of a kid with disabilities will tell you, more than anything else in the world, their child just wants to fit in. Not easy when you’re a little different. My son doesn’t mind if I tell you he has severe learning disabilities. He’s worked hard his whole life to overcome them. But I still remember his look of surprise and relief on the morning of his first day of 1st grade at St. Gregory the Great in Virginia Beach. We held hands as we walked from the parking lot to the line for his class. He was taking deep breaths and squeezing my hand. Then he caught sight of his classmates and his first-day nervousness evaporated . “We’re all wearing the same thing!” he exclaimed. The 26 or so children in his class were all dressed as he was, in kh...

Feb102022 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Virtual Reality

Technology

Virtual Reality (VR) is a buzzword that is everywhere today, whether in the gaming and movie worlds of entertainment or in the practical would of industry. Still, this is a term that we have heard since the first 3D movies from the 1950’s, and it has come in and out of vogue since then. Recently, however, VR has made a resurgence and is positioned to truly change the way we perceive our information and the world itself. But, what is virtual reality, and where did it come from? Here is how it works. We have two eyes that see what is in front of us from two slightly different points of view. This small difference is what gives us depth perception. Our brains take these two images, run them through an algorithm, and then allow us to perceive depth, or 3 dimensions. Wh...

Oct172021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Tarnished Truth: Enjoyed Locally… Celebrated Nationally

Business

Congress finally did something right! Congress finally did something we can appreciate and enjoy! Granted it happened back on May 4th, 1964 when they declared bourbon a distinct product of the United States. Thank goodness for this, otherwise we wouldn’t have such an illustrious local gem as Tarnished Truth Distilling Company. Enjoyed locally, awarded nationally, Tarnished Truth produces many different types of spirits, but what they are most proud of is their bourbon. Tarnished Truth, founded just a short time ago in 2017, has certainly made its mark in this area when it reclaimed the Hunt Room downstairs in the historic Cavalier Hotel. Most of us wonder where the “Tarnished Truth” moniker comes from. The distillery’s name stems from the legend that ha...

Sep12021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

35th Annual Westminster-Canterbury Flotsa

Community

Treasure hunters will stake out their places to vie for the best finds at the highly anticipated 35th Annual Westminster-Canterbury Flotsam and Jetsam Super Summer Sale. The sale is back after a two-year hiatus. The benefit event offers thousands of high-end, vintage, and distinctive items at bargain prices, The Super Summer Sale takes place at All Saints Episcopal Church, 1969 Woodside Lane, Virginia Beach, Va. from August 12-14. Visit www.wcbay.com/upcoming-events for sale times and more details.

Aug232021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

My Favorite Thing About Covid

Uncategorized

There are many things that I have not enjoyed about this COVID-19 season. As a matter of fact, I've often described the last few months as navigating a boat regularly capsizing. Once again I’m flipping the boat back over, bailing out the water, and rowing furiously to continue forward. This year has worn on us all in many ways, but the innovative thinkers have been able to assess the new climate and pivot appropriately in order not to fail. What a beautiful representation of the ingenuity of our great people. And while I lament the loss of a simpler time, my heart bursts with pride at the beautiful community which now emerges. Remember when business was dog-eat-dog? When people didn’t have time to sit and eat a meal with their families? Remember when everyone around you was usually out ...

Jul262021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Insider Insight from Virginia’s Queen of Green

Business

I walk through the doors of my once-favorite boutique in Virginia Beach and am met with an exciting shock of sensory-overload. Dr. Kara Coe, a national philanthropist and entrepreneur, has transformed the 6,000 square foot space into an epic luxury retail smoking experience. About one third of the building is an Alice in Wonderland themed smoke shop, complete with shelves of artisan smoking accessories and a granite custom craft e-nic juice bar. The remainder of the building is a plush members-only smoking lounge filled with smiling customers. Just to get to Coe's office with an appointment, I am vetted two times by security guards who were once Navy SEALS. When I reach her office, I am met with her warm smile and the heady scent of midnight flowers coming from the candles lit inside....

Jun252021 by Web PublisherNo Comments

Girls Play House, Women Build Them

Focus on Philanthropy

Girls Play House, Women Build Them Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads to Hold Second Annual All-Women Build for a Deserving Family In 1988, a group of concerned Portsmouth citizens founded Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads (Habitat SHR). Dedicated to making affordable housing a matter of conscience and action, Habitat SHR has since guided more than 230 families to homeownership. Habitat SHR knows that the value of having a stable place to live reduces dependency on government subsidies, raises property values and teaches civic responsibility. Studies show that children of homeowners are twice as likely to graduate college and 60% more likely to own their own homes within 10 years of moving out of their parents’ household. “We know Habitat can change the...