🌞Good Morning, Newport News. If you hit the Powerball, here’s the playbook (not legal advice):

1. Call a lawyer before you call your cousin.

2. Take the lump sum, not the slow drip.

3. Finally, splurge on the Grilled Wagyu New York strip at Circa 1918 without checking the price.😁

In today’s Newport Newser:

🚚 Food Network Spotlight: Great Food Truck Race hits Victory Landing Sept. 7.

🌉 Coleman Bridge Tolls End.

🚭 Vape Shop Rules Proposed.

📚 Reading Dragons: Kids earn cards for reading; starter packs at libraries.

Here’s what’s up.

⛅Thursday  88° 67°  Partly sunny; breezy in the afternoon 

☀️ Friday      90° 68°   Mostly sunny and hot

☀️Saturday   92° 67°   Partly sunny and hot; caution advised

⛅Sunday      78° 64°   Less humid with clouds and breaks of sun

⛅Monday      71° 63°   Beautiful with partial sunshine

This Week's Sponsor

Matt's Smackin Macs

Matt’s Smackin Macs has turned a classic comfort dish into the star of the show. Based in Newport News, this local favorite dishes out rich, creamy mac and cheese loaded with toppings that range from smoky BBQ to spicy buffalo chicken. Every bowl is built to satisfy, whether you’re in the mood for something familiar or ready to try a bold new twist.

What makes Matt’s stand out is more than the food—it’s the sense of fun and community that comes with every order. Families stop by for an easy dinner, friends gather for a quick bite, and locals know they’ll leave full and happy.

In Newport News, mac and cheese isn’t just a side anymore. Thanks to Matt’s Smackin Macs, it’s the main event.

WHAT'S HAPPENIN' IN THE NEWS 

Tech Center Summer Concert Series: Jenny Don’t and the Spurs

📅Date: Thursday, September 4, 2025

🕒Time: Museum hours

🕒Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

📍Location: Tech Center Drillfield, 880 Tech Center Parkway, Newport News, VA

🔖Admission: Free and open to the public

A high-energy, country‑western live concert featuring the acclaimed band Jenny Don’t and the Spurs, known for their infectious enthusiasm, outlaw‑inspired sound, and dynamic stage presence.

 Film screening of Till with the filmmaker and producer Keith Beauchamp

📅Date: Friday, September 5, 2025

🕒Time: 7:30 PM

📍Location: Downing‑Gross Cultural Arts Center, 2410 Wickham Avenue, Newport News, VA

🔖Admission: Free

Join a powerful screening exploring the tragic true story of Emmett Till, presented by acclaimed filmmaker and producer Keith Beauchamp—renowned for his groundbreaking documentary work on the Till case

Night Concert with Gospel Music Artist Luther Barnes

📅Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025

🕒Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

📍Location: New Beech Grove Baptist Church, 361 Beechmont Drive, Newport News, VA

🔖Admission: Free (advance tickets available

Celebrate an uplifting evening of gospel music with legendary artist Luther Barnes, joined by his renowned Red Budd Gospel Choir. Presented by the Andrew Shannon Gospel Music Celebration, this special concert blends spiritual depth with musical excellence—open to all.

Dinosaur Quest – Virginia Living Museum

📅Date: Through Monday, September 7

🕒Time: Time: Museum hours

📍Location: Virginia Living Museum 

🔖Admission: Museum admission applies

Discover life‑sized dinosaur exhibits and interactive displays in the Dinosaur Quest, perfect for families and running through Labor Day weekend.

34th Annual Southeast Community Day Parade & Festival

📅Date: Saturday, September 6

🕒Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

📍Location: Southeast Community, Newport News, VA

🔖Admission: Free

Join the 34th Annual Southeast Community Day Parade & Festival, celebrating neighborhood pride and the theme “Building A Stronger Community.” Participants line up at 9:00 AM on the 3700 block of Chestnut Avenue, with the parade officially beginning at 10:00 AM. Enjoy floats, cultural music, performances, and a sense of community spirit!

65th Annual Denbigh Day Parade & Festival

📅Date: Saturday, September 20

🕒Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

📍Location: Courthouse Way Community Center, 14302 Old Courthouse Way, Newport News, VA

🔖Admission: Free

Celebrate the 65th Annual Denbigh Day Parade & Festival with a fun-filled community event featuring a lively parade, live music, games, inflatables, arts & crafts vendors, food, photo ops, and more family-friendly amusements.

8th Annual Great Food Truck Festival

📅Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025.

🕒Time: 11:00 am to 06:00 pm (EDT)

📍Location: Habitat ReStore Lot, 371 Chatham Drive, Newport News

🔖Admission: General admission (12 pm-6 pm) is $7.00 ($7.75 including $0.75 transaction fee) and a raffle ticket for a chance to win one $100 cash prize awarded at 5:05 pm at the DJ Booth (must be present to collect cash)

V.I.P. admission (11 am-12 pm) is $10.00 per person ($10.75 total including $0.75 transaction fee) and a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three $100 cash prizes awarded at 12:05 pm at the DJ Booth (must be present to collect cash)

Children ages 5 and under are admitted FREE!

Enjoy 20+ food vendors, live shows, celebrity guests, and fun for all ages—plus games, prizes, Disney & Marvel photo ops, and $50 cash giveaways. A full day of family fun!

Newport News takes center stage this season on 'The Great Food Truck Race', hosted by Tyler Florence on Food Network.

Viewers can catch the action at Victory Landing Park on Sunday, September 7, as food trucks compete in a high-energy challenge.

Chosen as a highlight location for the 18th season, 'Truckin' Awesome', Newport News welcomes contestants bringing unique flavors and fierce competition.

The episode, titled 'Bad News in Newport News', pushes food truck teams to demonstrate creativity and business savvy.

Mayor Phillip Jones expressed pride in the city’s vibrant culinary and community scene.

Featured trucks include Nishaan with Pakistani-American fusion, Memphis’ Good Fortune Co. serving Chinese noodles and dumplings, and Detroit’s Cooking with Que dishing out vegan comfort food.

Catch the premiere at 9 p.m. on Food Network, with streaming available on HBO Max the next day.

Toll collection on the George P. Coleman Bridge came to an end on August 8, nearly five months sooner than expected. The original plan had tolls in place until January 2026, but the state decided to cut things short.

Governor Glenn Youngkin said ending tolls early is more than just about money. He called it a way to ease the burden on families, commuters, and businesses that rely on the bridge every single day. Local leaders have echoed that point, saying the decision clears a long-standing obstacle for growth.

The bridge has carried tolls since its 1996 expansion, which doubled its size and left the state with a hefty bond to repay. Each year, drivers paid about $6 million, which went directly to cover that debt. Now that the bond is fully paid off, there’s no reason to keep collecting. By shutting down tolling, Virginia also avoids an extra $5 million in upgrades that would have been needed just to keep the system running.

Transportation Secretary W. Sheppard Miller III called the move financially smart and a boost for local communities. Delegate M. Keith Hodges added that the change should encourage new businesses and create better jobs across the Middle Peninsula.

The Coleman Bridge, a double swing-span built in 1952, runs 3,750 feet across the York River and carries about 33,000 vehicles a day between Newport News and Gloucester Point. It’s a vital link that keeps both sides connected.

City officials are weighing new rules to restrict vape shops from opening within 2,000 feet of schools and daycare centers.

If approved, the regulations would also ban drive-through services at these stores and require clear storefront windows for better visibility.

Current vape shops could stay open unless they close for two years or more.

The goal is to protect public health, curb illegal activities, and keep vape products away from local youth.

Public input is sought at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on September 3 and the City Council hearing on September 23, both at City Council Chambers, 2400 Washington Avenue.

Similar efforts are underway in cities like San Antonio and Cleveland, reflecting a broader move to safeguard communities by regulating where vape shops can be located.

The Newport News Public Library has launched the Reading Dragons challenge, inviting children in grades K-5 to discover the magic of reading while earning imaginative trading cards.

Kids receive a special card for every 30 minutes they read, with up to 16 collectible cards monthly, tracing each creature from egg to adult form.

Each month introduces fresh mythical creatures, keeping the excitement alive and motivating young readers.

Families can pick up reading logs and starter cards at any local library branch.

News Notes

📃A Lesson in Resilience at Heritage High

At Heritage High, Assistant Principal Terry Fenner is teaching lessons that don’t come from a textbook. After losing a leg, he’s shown students firsthand how to push forward when life knocks you down. His message is simple but powerful: sometimes you win by learning how to keep going after a loss. Read More...

🎤 Think You Can Sing? Idol Wants to Hear You

Virginians get their shot at American Idol this fall, and you don’t even have to leave home. On September 11, auditions go virtual, meaning no long lines or road trips, just you, your voice, and a screen. If you’ve ever sung along and thought, “I could do this,” now’s your chance to prove it.

To sign up for auditions, click the link here.

🎓 Record-Breaking Freshman Class at CNU

Christopher Newport University is buzzing this fall, they’ve welcomed the largest incoming class since the pandemic, and enrollment numbers are growing for the first time in nearly a decade.

The University also reports its highest number of out-of-state students since 2018. President Kelly says the plan is simple: get more students through graduation and keep them building their lives here in Hampton Roads. Read More...

🚨COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT🚨

Craft 2 You, LLC

Craft 2 You is a mother and daughter team bringing creativity to Newport News through sewing and crafts. The love of making started generations ago, when scraps from a grandmother’s sewing table sparked a lifelong habit. That spark still burns as they share their skills with neighbors across the city.

For more than 25 years, crafting has been a way to connect. With children, especially those with autism or emotional challenges, hands-on projects create calm and open the door to coping skills. Adults get a healthy break from stress, and seniors rediscover laughter, pride, and the joy of finishing something they thought was out of reach.

At the heart of Craft 2 You is watching doubt turn into pride. Mistakes become part of the story, and every finished piece proves what’s possible.

This fall, they’re hosting a Beginning Sewing Class, a hands-on workshop that’s fun and stress-free.

No experience needed, supplies, patterns, and machines are provided. Classes run September 8, 15, and 22, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., at 700 Bobjack Way, Newport News, VA. The cost is $65, and space is limited.

To register, contact Sherri at 757-269-9838 or sherricraft2you@gmail.com. Bring your curiosity, leave with skill.

🏈Todd Stadium 2025 Football Schedule🏈

Football season is here, and Todd Stadium is set for some big matchups. Mark your calendars and don’t miss the action:

🏈Aug 29, 7 PM – Heritage vs. Lake Taylor

🏈Aug 30, 12 PM – Warwick vs. Mallard Creek

🏈Sept 5, 7 PM – Warwick vs. Oscar Smith

🏈Sept 6, 12 PM – Denbigh vs. Norview

🏈Sept 12, 7 PM – Denbigh vs. Phoebus

🏈Sept 18, 7 PM – Woodside vs. Hampton

🏈Sept 19, 7 PM – Warwick vs. Heritage

🏈Sept 25, 7 PM – Menchville vs. Woodside

🏈Sept 26, 7 PM – Heritage vs. Denbigh

🏈Sept 27, 12 PM – Warwick vs. Phoebus

🏈Oct 2, 7 PM – Denbigh vs. Hampton

🏈Oct 3, 7 PM – Menchville vs. Warwick

🏈Oct 10, 7 PM – Woodside Homecoming vs. Denbigh

🏈Oct 11, 12 PM – Denbigh Homecoming vs. Warwick

🏈Oct 16, 7 PM – Warwick Homecoming vs. Heritage

🏈Oct 17, 7 PM – Menchville Homecoming vs. Bethel

🏈Oct 18, 12 PM – Heritage Homecoming vs. Phoebus

🏈Oct 23, 7 PM – Woodside vs. Kecoughtan

🏈Oct 24, 7 PM – Denbigh vs. Hampton

🏈Oct 25, 12 PM – Warwick vs. Phoebus

🏈Oct 30, 7 PM – Heritage vs. Kecoughtan

🏈Oct 31, 7 PM – Woodside vs. Hampton

🏈Nov 6, 7 PM – Warwick vs. Phoebus

🏈Nov 7, 7 PM – Heritage vs. Kecoughtan

🎟️ Ticket Info:

Adults/Students – $7

Children (12 & under) – $5

Children (5 & under) – Free

Senior Citizens (60+ NN residents) – Free

Senior Citizens (60+ non-residents) – $5

NNPS PTA/PTSA Members (with card) – $5

NNPS Staff (with ID) – Free

Visit nnschools.org/athletics for details on tickets and stadium updates.

🌻Seasonal Tips for Your Garden and Home🍂

 💡Collecting Rainwater for Your Garden💡

Late summer in Newport News brings quick showers that come and go, but you can put that water to work. A simple rain barrel connected to your gutter is an easy way to collect fresh water for your plants.

Rainwater is softer than tap water and doesn’t carry the salts and chemicals that can build up in soil. It’s also a little more acidic, which many garden plants actually prefer. That means healthier tomatoes, brighter blooms, and less stress on your soil over time.

All it takes is a barrel with a screened lid to keep out debris and mosquitoes. When the next storm rolls through, you’ll have free, natural water on hand and your garden will thank you for it.

Thanks!

Thanks for reading The Newport Newser! If you learned something, share it with the friend who insists the best crab cakes are always from Maryland.