🌞Good morning, Newport News! No witty quip today. Just a reminder that THRIVE Peninsula is feeding families, covering bills, and giving hope while D.C. stalls.

In today’s Newport Newser:

🚧 Lucas Creek closures drag on

🔥 Fire Safety Day at Oyster Point

🚗 Free Sober Ride

💻 App Challenge for students

 Let’s see what’s up.

Which Newport News neighborhood was constructed during World War I to house shipyard workers and is now a historic district?

Tucked in the heart of Denbigh, Pasteles De María Bakery brings a sweet taste of Puerto Rico to the Peninsula. From flaky guava pastries to creamy tres leches cake, every bite tastes like it came straight from abuela’s kitchen.

Owned and operated by María herself, this local favorite is known for its warm service, authentic recipes, and that unmistakable aroma of fresh-baked bread that greets you at the door.

Stop by, say “hola,” and taste why locals can’t stop talking about this hidden gem in Newport News.

📍 12877 Jefferson Ave

Drivers in Denbigh: Expect continued delays as HRSD teams work on installing the sewer line for the new Lucas Creek Pump Station.

Old Lucas Creek Road remains closed between Debbie Lane and Lucas Creek Road, with the right northbound lane of Lucas Creek Road also blocked off.

These weekday closures run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and are set to last until the end of November.

All traffic, including school buses and emergency vehicles, must follow posted detours via Lucas Creek Road and Denbigh Boulevard.

Drivers should plan a few extra minutes and stay alert through work zones. Safety first, always.

🔥Charge into Fire Safety at Oyster Point Fire Station This Saturday

The Newport News Fire Department and Public Works are teaming up for Fire Prevention Week 2025 with a Fire Safety and Lithium Ion Battery Collection event. It takes place Saturday, October 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oyster Point Fire Station, 685 Oyster Point Road.

This year’s theme, “Charge into Fire Safety,” focuses on how to safely use, charge and dispose of lithium-ion batteries found in everyday items like phones, e-bikes, and power tools.

Visitors can watch live demonstrations from the NNFD Hazmat and Bomb Teams, learn about proper battery recycling, and enjoy “Learn and Snack” stations for kids. Sparky the Fire Dog will also stop by to say hello.

For more information, call the NNFD Public Education Office at 757-975-5454 or visit fpw.org.

Don’t Risk It: Grab a Free Sober Ride This Columbus Day Weekend

Drive Safe Hampton Roads is helping locals stay safe this Columbus Day weekend with free Lyft rides. The 757 Sober Ride program runs from 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, to 3 a.m. Sunday, and again from 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, to 3 a.m. Monday. Anyone 21 or older can claim up to $15 off a Lyft ride that begins or ends in Hampton Roads.

To get your code, visit the  Drive Safe Hampton Roads website at 3 p.m. on each day of the program, then enter it in Lyft under “Payment” → “Add Lyft Pass.” In 2024, Virginia saw 106 alcohol-related crashes during this same weekend, resulting in four deaths and 66 injuries. Don’t add to that number—plan and grab a sober ride home.

Congressional App Challenge Now Open for Students

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott is inviting middle and high school students to take part in the annual Congressional App Challenge. It’s a chance for young people to show off their STEM skills while creating apps that tackle everyday problems.

Students can design and build projects in coding, robotics, mechanics, or web development, as long as the work was created in the past year. The winning app from Virginia’s Third District earns a trip to Washington, D.C., while all participants are invited to a local reception with Rep. Scott and other leaders.

The deadline to submit entries is October 27. For details, visit Congressman Scott’s website  or call his district office at 757-380-1000.

☀️Thursday  67° 56°  Breezy in the morning, then mostly sunny.

⛅Friday       67° 63°  Low clouds.

⛅Saturday  71° 60°  Cloudy with possible rain and wind from a tropical system.

⛅Sunday     67° 57°  Cloudy, windy, and some rain expected.

21st Annual Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival

📅Date: October 11 & 12, 2025

🕒Time: Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

📍Location: Port Warwick, 3100 William Styron Square North.

🎟️Admission: Free

📄Details: This is the 21st annual art & sculpture show, featuring artisans from the region, live entertainment, food trucks, a beer & wine garden, and a children’s & family area

City Center Fall Festival

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍Location: City Center at Oyster Point, 705 Mariners Row.

🎟️Admission: Free

📄Details: A seasonal fall celebration with local vendors, giveaways, and activities for all ages. 

Human Services Day Resource Fun Fair

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time:11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

📍Location: 6060 Jefferson Ave.

🎟️Admission: Free

📄Details: Community resource fair offering access to family services, health & job support, giveaways, activities for kids, a hub for both assistance & community engagement.

17th Anniversary Concert featuring Acute Inflections and Dominic Wright

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time: 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM (doors open ~6:30 PM )

📍Location: Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, 2410 Wickham Avenue.

🎟️Admission: $33.85 (Tickets are available via Eventbrite)

📄Details: Celebrate 17 years of Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center with performances by Acute Inflections and special guest opener Dominic Wright

Family Fun Day!

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

📍Location: Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center, 1 University Place.

🎟️Admission: Free

📄Details: Enjoy a festive afternoon of hands-on art activities, gallery games, live music, and more at CNU's premier fine arts venue.

Gatsby's Grand Affair

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

📍Location: Temple Baptist Church, 235 Harpersville Rd.

🎟️Admission: Tickets

📄Details: Step into the Jazz Age with music from legends like Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin. Hosted by the Virginia Choral Society.

Scout Spook-Tacular

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

📍Location: Lee Hall Depot, 9 Elmhurst Street and Warwick Blvd.

🎟️Admission:$5-Girl Scouts, Adults Free

📄Details: This Halloween-themed event offers trick-or-treating, games, crafts, music, and costume contests. It’s hosted by the Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast

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. Suitable for older children, teens, and adults

Standup Comedy Showcase

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time:6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

📍Location: Tradition Brewing Company, 700 Thimble Shoals Blvd

🎟️Admission: Free

📄Details: Tradition Brewing is hosting this showcase, featuring local/regional comedic talent.

Tots & Trains

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time:10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

📍Location: Lee Hall Depot, 9 Elmhurst Street and Warwick Blvd.

🎟️Admission: $3/child, free for adults. Regular museum admission is not included. 

📄Details: Tradition Brewing is hosting this showcase, featuring local/regional comedic talent.

Marvelous Mushrooms

📅Date: October 11, 2025

🕒Time:11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

📍Location: Newport News Park Discovery Center, 13560 Jefferson Ave.

🎟️Admission: Free

📄Details: Join us for our 'Marvelous Mushrooms' program, including a presentation and a guided nature walk (weather permitting).

Soweto Gospel Choir: “Peace”

📅Date: October 12, 2025

🕒Time:7:30 PM (doors open ~1 hour before)

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

🎟️Admission: $38.50 - $74.50 Tickets

📄Details: This GRAMMY and Emmy-winning choir delivers powerful harmonies across gospel, R&B, and more.

Virginia Fried Chicken

Golden, crispy, and full of Southern charm, Virginia fried chicken is all about simple ingredients done right. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk, seasoned with a touch of spice, and coated in a mix of flour and fine cornmeal for that extra crunch. Fried to perfection in a cast-iron skillet, it comes out crisp on the outside, juicy inside, and downright irresistible alongside warm biscuits or collard greens.

Get the Full Recipe for Virginia Fried Chicken

Tastefully Philly Cafe

Tucked inside Paperbacks Ink on Warwick Blvd, Tastefully Philly Cafe brings a little Philly flavor to Newport News with no passport required. Owner Danielle Prince serves up comfort food with a fresh spin, blending big city hoagies with the kind of warmth you would expect from your favorite neighborhood spot.

It is not just the sandwiches that keep folks coming back, though they are huge. It is the vibe. You can grab a mocha latte, flip through a used paperback, and lose track of time. One customer said it best: "Best sandwich I have ever had. It is so big I could only eat half."

Tastefully Philly fits right in with its bookstore setting, with a pace that invites lingering. Whether you are popping in for lunch or planning a catering order, it has that rare mix of flavor and familiarity. If you have not been there yet, you are missing out on one of Newport News' coziest and most delicious corners.

Tastefully Philly Cafe is located inside Paperbacks Ink

📍9716 Warwick Blvd

Hilton Village.

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