This week’s issue is sponsored by Second Breath LLC, a Newport News training company helping parents, students, healthcare workers, and everyday residents prepare for emergencies. Second Breath offers hands-on training in CPR, AED, First Aid, Basic Life Support, and instructor certification, with courses designed to help participants act with confidence when someone’s life may be at risk.

Classes are held at 733 Thimble Shoals Boulevard, Suite 170, and individual and group training options are available. Whether you need your first certification, a renewal, or workplace training for your team, Second Breath can help you get prepared.

Emergencies do not make appointments. Get the skills that could give someone a second chance at life.

👉🏾 View upcoming classes and register

👮‍♀️ NNPD Is Closing In On Its Goal For More Women Officers

Newport News Police set a goal called 30 by 30, meaning women would make up 30 percent of the department by 2030. The department says women now make up 22 percent of NNPD, which is already above the national average. Captain Alison Funaiock, the agency’s only female captain and the first woman to command its SWAT team, says the culture has shifted over time. Research has shown that departments with more women officers can see fewer use-of-force incidents and stronger community trust. For Newport News, it is a sign that representation in public safety is not just a headline. It changes how a department serves. Read More...

🏛️ City Council Meeting Moves To CNU On August 11

Heads up if you planned to attend the next Newport News City Council meeting. The Tuesday, August 11 meeting will be held at the Freeman Center’s Gaines Theater on the campus of Christopher Newport University, located at 1 University Place. The work session starts at 5 p.m., followed by the regular City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Residents should give themselves extra time for parking and getting into the venue. Check the city’s agenda page before you go so you know what is being discussed.

🚧 Menchville Road Work Could Slow Things Down

Menchville Road drivers, this one is for you. Utility work tied to the James River Treatment Plant SWIFT project is already underway near Riverview Farm Park and B.C. Charles Elementary School. Crews are working Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with shifting traffic patterns and single-lane closures between Lucas Creek Road and Menchville High School Exit Road. Flaggers will be on-site, and nearby homes and businesses will still have access. The work should take one to two weeks, weather depending, so add a few extra minutes if this is part of your daily route.

Here’s what’s happening this weekend 👇

👑1619 Black Footprint Fashion Show/Pageant

Get ready to celebrate culture and heritage at the 1619 Black Footprint Fashion Show/Pageant! This powerful live event honors the legacy of enslaved ancestors through daring fashion, originality, and African-inspired artistry.

Expect an unforgettable evening filled with gorgeous attire, African dancing and drumming, inspiring speakers, and a show you truly won't want to miss. Whether you're a fashion lover or simply looking for a meaningful night out, this is an experience like no other.

❤️ Want To Teach CPR? Second Breath Has A Class For That

Second Breath LLC is opening registration for its next Instructor Training Course on September 19 in Newport News. The class is for people who want to become certified CPR instructors and teach lifesaving skills in the community. Training covers CPR, First Aid, AED use, and mental health first aid. Emergencies do not wait for first responders, and sometimes the person standing nearby is the one who can make the difference. Spots fill fast, so register at secondbreathllc.com before this one closes too.

🏃 Frosty Feat 5K Returns This December

The Frosty Feat 5K is coming to Newport News on Saturday, December 12, at Copeland Field across from Warwick High School. The family-friendly event is sponsored by the Newport News Public Schools Wellness Program and includes a 5K at 9 a.m. and a 1-mile fun run at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $20 for the 5K and $5 for the fun run, with prices increasing after November 11. Packet pickup is Friday, December 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Todd Stadium. Read More...

🎀 Pass The B.A.T.O.N. Helps Rising 6th Grade Girls Get Ready For Middle School

The Newport News Police Department’s Community & Youth Outreach Division is hosting Pass the B.A.T.O.N., a program for girls moving from elementary school to middle school. The weeklong program runs August 10–14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North Precinct, 13785 Warwick Boulevard. It is designed to help rising 6th graders build confidence, resilience, and skills for handling new social pressures and expectations. Parents can scan the QR code on the flyer or contact Monique Gordon at 757-975-5109

🤠 Newport News Artist Turns Black Cowboy Roots Into An Exhibition

Coach Tommy Reamon Jr. is coming back to Newport News as the new athletic director at Heritage High School. A former standout quarterback, Reamon earned a scholarship to Old Dominion University before building a career in college football, NFL scouting, and player development. His resume includes stops with UVA, Virginia Tech, Miami, the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Norfolk State, and Tyrod Taylor’s Quarterback Academy. Now he is bringing that experience back home to help build the Hurricanes’ athletics program for students, coaches, families, and alumni. For Heritage, this is more than a new hire. It is a hometown return with real Friday night energy. Read More...

🏨 The Hotel Warwick’s Story Began in 1883, but Its Secrets Are Still Hiding Downtown

Long before Newport News became the city we know today, the Hotel Warwick stood at 25th Street and West Avenue. Opened in 1883, it once held the town’s only drugstore and barbershop and temporarily housed the courthouse, post office, customs house and first bank.

The original hotel wing was destroyed by fire in 1961, but the seven-story tower built in 1928 survived. It still stands across from the Victory Arch, now featuring a towering mural called The Listener, better known locally as Mr. Warwick.

For more than 140 years, this downtown landmark has watched Newport News grow around it, and its walls hold more stories than most residents realize.

🐾 Clear The Shelters Returns To PRAS This August

The Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter is joining the annual Clear the Shelters campaign all month long, with reduced adoption fees, weekly specials, and extra chances to help pets find homes. To kick things off, Hearts at Home Pet Sitting, LLC is sponsoring the first 16 adult dog and cat adoptions, and eligible adopters will receive a free goodie bag. Every adoption opens space for another pet waiting for a second chance. Whether you want a walking buddy, a family pet, or a couch companion, August is a good time to stop by PRAS and meet who is waiting. Follow the shelter for current fees, available pets, hours, and weekly adoption specials. Learn More...

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