🌞Good morning, Newport News! This is The Newport Newser, the newsletter equivalent of a warm apple cider on a crisp fall morning.

In today’s Newport Newser:

🐾 Free pet adoptions at Peninsula Shelter

📵 NNPS bans phones during school hours

🏃‍♂️ Elite runner sign-ups now open

💈 Free haircuts at Zion Baptist Church

🚗 Fee Day Moves to June

Let’s see what’s up.

Which former U.S. Cabinet member and native of Newport News served as Secretary of Energy from 1993 to 1997?

🔥 A Little Fall Check Goes a Long Way

Your HVAC worked hard this summer. Give it a quick tune-up before cold mornings roll in. A few minutes of maintenance now can prevent costly surprises later.

Dran’s Heating & Air Conditioning keeps homes across Hampton Roads cozy, quiet, and running right through the fall and winter.

📞 Call 757-975-8355 or visit dranshvac.com  to schedule your seasonal check today.

Casey Subaru’s “Subaru Loves Pets” weekend is back. All adoption fees are covered at the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter, 5843 Jefferson Ave., on Oct. 18 and 19. Every pet is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Just bring the love and maybe a leash.

📵NNPS Bans Cell Phones During School Hours 

Starting Nov. 5, Newport News students are putting the phones away literally. The new rule bans cell use from the first bell to the last, lunch included. Emergency or medical calls? Okay. Scrolling TikTok mid-chemistry? Not so much.

Read More...

🏃‍♂️Think You’re Fast Enough? 

The One City Marathon wants the best of the best. If you’ve got elite times from the past year, apply by Nov. 2 to run with the top 10. Announcements drop Nov. 16. Lace up, brag later.

This is your shot to run with the best, right here at home. Apply today at onecitymarathon.com/elite-runner-program.

✂️Free Haircuts at Zion Baptist Church

If your hair’s looking rough, Mac’s Barber Academy students got you. They’re setting up shop at Zion Baptist Church on Monday, October 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. for free haircuts in the Fellowship Hall.

It happens every third Monday, and everyone’s welcome. The students get practice, and you leave looking sharp. Call it a clean community win.

No appointments, just show up early at 633 21st Street, before the chairs fill up.

Questions? Call 757-380-1885 for more details.

🚗City Moves Vehicle Fee Date to Summer

There’s one less thing you’ll need to worry about during the holiday season. Starting in 2026, the Vehicle License Fee won’t be due in December anymore. It’s moving to June 5.

City Council approved the shift during its October 14 meeting to make billing simpler for everyone. The change means fewer refund hassles for folks who sell their cars before the end of the year and less extra paperwork for the city.

 Here’s the short version:

• Fees are due every June 5.
• Cars bought after January 15 get a prorated fee.
• You can still get a refund if you sell or trade your car within the year.

Questions? Call 757-926-8740

For years, local physical therapist Sarah Tucker saw the same problem. Her patients would finish therapy with nowhere to keep moving safely. So she started Uncharted Adaptive Fitness, a program built for folks with disabilities or complex medical needs who want to stay active without guessing their way through a gym.

She works with people managing Parkinson’s, MS, spinal cord injuries, stroke recovery, amputations, and more. Whether it’s one-on-one sessions or small group workouts, every plan is tailored to fit the person, not the other way around.

Sessions happen inside CrossFit Liquid and Guerrilla Athletics. Some clients like the energy of a buzzing gym. Others prefer things quiet and low-key. Both are welcome.

Uncharted isn’t just about getting stronger. It’s about having a place that actually gets you.

☀️Thursday  65° 44°  Sunshine

☀️Friday       65° 48°  Sunshine

⛅Saturday  71° 53°  Partly sunny

⛅Sunday     67° 57°  Sun through high clouds

Vitamin String Quartet: The Music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton & Beyond

📅Date: October 16, 2025

🕒Time:7:30 PM

📍Location: Ferguson Center for the Arts,1 Avenue of the Arts.

🎟️Admission: $33 – $73

📄Details: A celebrated ensemble that reimagines contemporary music through classical strings

Next Generation Storytellers Film Festival & Awards

📅Date: October 17, 2025

🕒Time: 7:00 PM

📍Location: Ferguson Center for the Arts,1 Avenue of the Arts.

🎟️Admission:$10

📄Details: Student-made short films

Night of the Living Museum

📅Date: October 17 & 18, 2025

🕒Time: 5:30 AM – 8:30 PM

📍Location: Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd

🎟️Admission: Members get $5 off regular tickets + $8 off all-access tickets!

📄Details: This is a Halloween‑style evening event with the museum trick-or-treat.

Shred Day

📅Date: October 18, 2025

🕒Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

📍Location: Piggly Wiggly, 3101 Jefferson Ave

🎟️Admission: Free for residents (no business shredding)

📄Details: This is an annual, drive-thru secure document shredding event hosted by the Newport News Sheriff’s Office.

The HBCU Experience College Fair

📅Date: October 18, 2025

🕒Time:10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

📍Location: Woodside High School,13450 Woodside Lane

🎟️Admission: Free (Open to all NNPS high school students)

📄Details: Meet representatives from multiple HBCUs.

📝 How to Register: Students must RSVP via the survey link in StudentVUE.  For assistance, contact your school counselor or the NNPS College Readiness Office.

Irish Pub “Feis”tival

📅Date: October 18, 2025

🕒Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (doors open ~6:30 PM )

📍Location: City Center at Oyster Point, 701 Town Center Drive

🎟️Admission:$20-$30

📄Details: local band “Thru w/ Therapy” as well as games, trivia, pub snacks, beer, and wine.

Annual Fall Festival

📅Date: October 18, 2025

🕒Time:11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

📍Location: Hidenwood Presbyterian Church, 414 Hiden Blvd

🎟️Admission: $10 (Special pricing for families of 4 or more)

📄Details: Enjoy a festive community day with pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, games, and food trucks

From Crisis to Care: Purple Leash Project Event

📅Date: October 18, 2025

🕒Time:10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

📍Location: Riverview Farm Park,105 City Farm Road

🎟️Admission: Free & open to the public. Pets welcome!

📄Details: Hosted by the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, this event raises awareness and provides support for domestic violence victims and their pets.

.Haunted Trail at Historic Endview

📅Date: October 10, 2025 - October 31, 2025

🕒Time:7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

📍Location: Historic Endview, 362 Yorktown Road.

🎟️Admission: $10 in advance (through Eventbrite) | $15 at the door (Recurring weekly on Friday, Saturday)

📄Details: Walk the haunted woods of Historic Endview on this spooky evening experience. 

James River BBQ Sauce

Texas has its brisket, the Carolinas have their pulled pork, and Kansas City has that sticky-sweet glaze. But here in the Hampton Roads area, we’ve got our own barbecue bragging rights.

Born along the James River in the 1950s, this tangy, slightly sweet sauce started as a Smithfield pork baste and grew into a Virginia favorite.

Get the Full Recipe for James River BBQ Sauce

Hazel R. O’Leary

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