A Whirlwind of Events

The past several months have been a whirlwind of spectacular events all around the Hampton Roads and surrounding areas.  Above is a picture taken Friday evening, June 7th, 2015 of the L'Hermione in Yorktown.  It was the maiden voyage from France to the United States and Yorktown was the first stop.

L Hermione at Yorktown, Virginia 2015 from Chuck Thompson

We scanned in the brochure that was given away at the event as well as a copy of the boarding pass.  Take a look to learn more about the L Hermione.

We spend 4 days in Yorktown taking pictures of all the events and shows going on.  We took over 3,000 pictures and some HD video that we still need to process and get up.  The above is some art we created from the event.

The weekend before that was the Hampton Blackbeard Pirate Festival.  3 days of non stop entertainment.  We only went on Sunday for a few hours but still managed over 700 photos from the event.  We have them up on Google + and Flickr.

If you are a history buff, the events are non stop fun.  Pirates are the most fun to work with when it comes to photography.  Many of them are real hams.  Above is a few of the folks from the Motley Tones.  The female is Ring Tone pictured above and in the background purposely  messing up the photo is Flintz Tone.  I love those names.  They have real character.  You can visit their website at
http://motleytones.com/

The weekend before that was several great events for history buffs.  Civil war reenactments in Yorktown and American Revolution reenactments in Gloucester at the Courthouse Circle.

We managed over 1,500 photos between these two events.  Talking about a lot of shooting.


And a few weeks prior to these was a Pirate invasion in Yorktown.

At this one we only created about 300 photos total.  We were there more for the enjoyment of the event than to shoot anything.  But I just can't resist taking a bunch of pictures anyway.

Virginia is graced with a host of incredible places to visit and events to attend throughout the entire year.  For us, we love history so that is usually where you will find us the most.  We make a lot of friends at these events and share our works as much as possible.

And then there is always the fun of taking pictures where ever you are.  Events or not.

Related articles

• Hampton Roads prepares for PrideFest
• L Hermione Frigate, Last Chance on Sunday June 7th, 2015 To See Her In Yorktown, VA
• Replica of Revolutionary War-Era French Ship to Arrive in US
• Hermione Is Coming to Boston
• Replica of Revolutionary War-era French ship to arrive in US
• Replica of Revolutionary War-era French ship to arrive in US

Speaking Out Against HRTAC And Their Proposals To Destroy Hampton Roads Virginia Through Policy

English: The Hampton Roads Transit Paddlewheel Ferry is a system of three 150-passenger paddle-wheel ferry boats, one of which is the world's first natural gas-powered pedestrian ferry. The Ferry travels between North Landing and High Street in Portsmouth and Downtown Norfolk at The Waterside. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hampton Roads Transportation
Accountability Commission
Meeting for November 20, 2014

12:30 P.M.

Good Afternoon:

My Name is Donna Sayegh
I live in Portsmouth
I am the State Coordinator
For the National Liberty Alliance

Principles of Liberty # 21. Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human liberty.

Political power automatically gravitates toward the center, and the purpose of the Constitution is to prevent that from happening. The centralization of political power always destroys liberty by removing the decision-making function from the people on the local level and transferring it to the officers of the central government. This process gradually inactivates the spirit of service among the people, and they lose the will to solve their own problems. They also cease to be involved in community affairs. They become the nameless and forgotten in the seething crowds of the city and are they are the corrupted faceless puppets that have neither a voice nor a vote.

In Ancient England, local self-government is found in connection with the political and territorial divisions of ten’s to hundreds of boroughs, counties, and shires, in which the body of inhabitants had a voice in managing their own affairs. Hence it was the seed of the Anglo-Saxon constitution of civil government. (The Shire was originally a division of the kingdom under the jurisdiction of an Earl or Count, whose authority was entrusted to the sheriff.)

In the course of events, the crown deprived the body of the people of this power of local rule, and vested it in a small number of persons in each locality, who were called municipal councils. They were clothed with the power of filling vacancies in their number, and became self-perpetuating bodies. In this way, the ancient freedom of self-government was undermined, and the power of the ruling classes was installed in its place. Today, Virginia has its new A- ris-tock-racy, our municipal councils, they are clothed with power, power granted to it by the General Assembly, not by the people. SB513 and HB2313 legislation is attempting to rob us, Virginia Patriots, of our life-giving spirit of self-government. We are not going to allow this Law to dampen our spirit for Liberty and Justice for all. We have not lost the will to solve our own problems. We are not going to cease to be involved in our community affairs.

We are not going to be the nameless and forgotten in the seething
crowds of our cities and we are not going to be corrupted faceless
puppets that have neither a voice nor a vote.

We are putting you on Notice. We, the good people of Virginia, are not going to Consent to this Tyranny. We are not going to Consent to being ruled by the self-appointed few. The self appointed few has multiplied into an army of non-governmental agencies trying to take on the New World Order crusade, such as: Connect Hampton Roads, Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance, Transportation for America, Mobility Matters, Hampton Roads for rail, The American conservative Center for Public Transportation, The Economic Forecasting Project, HR Association for Commercial Real Estate and many others agencies too numerous to count.

The HRTAC was created to have the transportation bonding authority and the issuance of bonds for the Hampton roads transportation projects. That is all. We only need 6 people to do the work of a bonding authority. We need to have people who know how to do a bond. All we need is a job description on the Bonding requirements. I have attached a sample guideline to simplify what needs to done for this Commission. Our taxes do not need to pay for another bureaucracy. If the Secretary of Transportation wanted to work to do the Bonding for the Transportation projects, then the job is limited in scope. We, the good people of Virginia, do not need this Commission in the first place. We do not consent to have one.

HRTAC is all about transportation funding for the Virginia Port Authority. It is all about getting trucks in and out of the port of Hampton Roads. It is all about building another terminal on Craney Island. It is all about getting more material things into the hands of the unaware people of Virginia and other states in our union. Have you seen all the frivolous materialism coming from China stock the shelves of Wal Mart. These aren’t necessities. Look at Portsmouth, we have lost so much of our land for the benefit of the Port. Not only lost of land, but the excessive building of apartments and houses with the remaining land that we do have. Portsmouth is a Port city. It is an industrial City, but the non-governmental agencies are promoting us to live like rats in an urban environment to promote the totalitarian government that we the good people of Virginia are saying, NO WE DO NOT CONSENT to this form of government. I have attached a Notice of the Totalitarian form of government you are trying to force on us. We the People say: NO WE DO NOT CONSENT.



Thanks for listening.


(When we saw this we had to get rights to publish it which we did.  This was a well done speech given at the meeting.  We agree, we DO NOT CONSENT!)

Donna's speech was very Patriotic and a lesson for all.

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Announces Initial Toll Rates Will Be Cut in Half for the Downtown/Midtown Tunnels Project in Hampton Roads
• Governor McAuliffe continues to push for a better transportation system and a stronger Virginia economy
• Statement of Governor Bob McDonnell on I-264 Downtown Tunnel Project in Portsmouth
• Governor McDonnell Applauds Today's State Supreme Court Ruling: Elizabeth River Tunnels Project Moves Ahead to Improve Transportation in Hampton Roads Region
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Federal Approval of New Job Creation Tools for Port of Virginia
• Governor McAuliffe Names 5 Members to Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners

Governor McAuliffe announces 16% economic impact increase of the Virginia Film Industry in 2013

~ AMC’s “TURN,” National Geographic’s “Killing Kennedy” among most significant projects ~

RICHMOND -- Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that the total economic impact of the film industry in Virginia in 2013 was $382.5 million, providing $19.4 million in state and local tax revenue for the Commonwealth.  This is a 16% increase from 2012 when the economic impact was $328.4 million.   In 2013, a total of 2,014 full-time jobs were available in the film industry.    

Among the major projects filmed in Virginia in 2013 were Killing Kennedy for the National Geographic Channel and the AMC television series TURN: Washington’s Spies.  Feature-length films included The Field of Lost Shoes, filmed in Lexington and Richmond, and Big Stone Gap,filmed in Wise County.  Significant TV production activity occurred in the Hampton Roads area, locally-produced indie feature films worked around Roanoke and Lynchburg, and Northern Virginia hosted a portion of the major motion picture Foxcatcher – releasing this weekend.  

“I am pleased to see Virginia’s film industry growing, which helps boost our local economy,” said Governor McAuliffe.  “Bringing jobs and revenue to the Commonwealth is my top priority, and the sixteen percent increase shows that our incentive program has been successful in generating more business and jobs for the Commonwealth.”

Many productions filmed in Virginia benefit from incentive programs designed to support the Commonwealth’s film production industry while making the filming experience in Virginia as economical and efficient as possible for production groups that choose Virginia for their projects.

Virginia has two separate incentive funds. One is the Governor’s Motion Picture Opportunity Fund, which is a grant fund. The other is the Virginia Motion Picture Tax Credit fund, which is a refundable tax credit program.  In addition to the incentive funds, the Commonwealth also has a Sales and Use Tax Exemption that applies to the purchase of production related supplies and equipment. 

“Film and television production provide solid, good-paying jobs, and the industry has proven to be important for the diversification of our economy.” said Maurice Jones, Secretary of Commerce and Trade.  “This is an asset we have that we need to maximize for continued growth.”

“We are particularly interested in continuing to bring episodic television series to Virginia,” said Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office.  “These productions stay longer, hire more Virginians, and provide a greater impact on the economy.  With the support of the Governor and the General Assembly, I believe that TURN: Washington’s Spies will be the first of many major TV series that will choose Virginia.” 

The economic impact data was collected in a November 2014 study by Fletcher Mangum of Mangum Economics, based on information from the Virginia Employment Commission and the Virginia Film Office.

The Virginia Film Office is a division of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Tourism is an instant revenue generator in Virginia. In 2013, visitors spent $21.5 billion, supporting 213,000 jobs and contributing $1.42 billion in state and local taxes.

(Hope you do not mind that we are taking credit for what another Governor did before we got into office.  We do deserve to after all don't we?  Besides, he got arrested and went to jail.)

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Announces New Virginia Film Industry Workforce Development program
• AMC Studios' Colonial Era Spy Series Filmed in Virginia Premieres April 6
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Television Series Pilot for Virginia
• Virginia Moves to End Veteran Homelessness by the End of 2015
• Construction Begins for Amtrak Service to Roanoke
• Governor McAuliffe's Address to the Joint Money Committees of the General Assembly

Virginia Submits Comments on EPA’s Clean Power Plan

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe released the following statement today following the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s submission of comments in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan:

“I agree with the Clean Power Plan’s goal of reducing carbon emissions in order to combat the threat of global warming, and I intend to continue Virginia’s position as a leader on this important issue. There is no question that our Commonwealth can play a leading role in energy conservation and efficiency and expand renewable generation so that we can cut carbon and create jobs along the way.

“As with any regulatory process of this scope and complexity, Virginia has submitted comments to the EPA with the intent of improving the Clean Power Plan by making it more equitable and better recognizing the progress that states like ours have already made in reducing carbon.  I look forward to working with Virginia’s business community, our environmental partners and the EPA to reduce carbon emissions, fight global warming and open a new chapter of economic growth for our Commonwealth.”

(Feeding you garbage and nonsense in an effort to remove your rights and take more of your money because we are greedy.  Do you really think we buy this crap ourselves?)

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Announces Third Microsoft Expansion in Mecklenburg County
• Governor McAuliffe Signs Executive Order Strengthening Virginia's Housing Policy
• Governor McAuliffe and Steve Forbes Host Celebration of the Release of Virginia Section in 2014 Forbes 400 Magazine Issue
• Governor McAuliffe Announces 95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia More Than 70 Percent Complete
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Environmental Excellence Award Winners
• Governor McAuliffe Formally Unveils 2014 Virginia Energy Plan

First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe Unveils New Ornament at the Executive Mansion

RICHMOND, VA – First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, along with leaders of the Virginia Capitol Foundation, unveiled this year’s Official Capitol Square Ornament at the Executive Mansion. 

The third ornament in the series features Virginia’s Executive Mansion.  The Official Capitol Square ornament program, established in 2012, celebrates the landmarks of Capitol Square and raises funds to support their preservation and interpretation.  The first two ornaments, from 2012 and 2013, feature the Virginia State Capitol and the Bell Tower, respectively. Proceeds from the ornaments, priced at $23.50 each, benefit the Virginia Capitol Foundation, the nonprofit organization supporting the Capitol, Capitol Square, and Executive Mansion.

All three ornaments are available for sale online at VirginiaCapitol.gov, by phone at (804) 786-1010, and in the Capitol.  The Executive Mansion ornament, along with the Capitol and Bell Tower ornaments, will also be sold at the Museum Stores of Richmond Holiday Shoppers Fair at the Library of Virginia Friday, November 7; 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., & Saturday, November 8, 2014; 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the Virginia Historical Society booth.

The Executive Mansion was chosen as the subject of the third ornament in the series because of the importance of the building and its prominence on Capitol Square.  The Virginia Executive Mansion has served as home, office, and center of official entertaining for governors and their families since 1813.  Located on Capitol Square, the Mansion is the oldest governor’s residence in the 50 states still serving its original purpose.  The Mansion is both a Virginia Landmark and a National Historic Landmark.

“It is wonderful that the Virginia Capitol Foundation has chosen to feature the Executive Mansion for this year’s holiday ornament,” said First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe. “This beautiful, historic home is a treasure for all of Virginia.”

Alexander Parris designed the Mansion in the Federal style, an architectural style influenced by English architecture but uniquely American.  The front rooms on the first floor retain their original woodwork, plaster cornices, and ornamental ceiling detail.  An extensive renovation in 1906 by architect Duncan Lee added a large oval dining room.  In 2002, a major restoration of the Mansion was completed under the supervision of Roxanne Gilmore, wife of Governor James Gilmore, which returned historic interiors to their original Federal style. 

Several garden spaces surround the Mansion, the most prominent of which is the Gillette Garden, designed in 1954 by noted Richmond landscape architect Charles Gillette.  The Garden Club of Virginia restored the Gillette Garden in 1999, utilizing archival information including Gillette’s own plans and records. 

To the south of the Mansion stand several outbuildings, including a two-story structure housing the original 19th century kitchen and slave quarters.  Plans are underway to recreate and interpret the 19th century kitchen to share the stories of the individuals who worked there, including enslaved persons. 

Distinguished visitors to the Mansion include Sir Winston Churchill, President Theodore Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, Margaret Thatcher, Sidney Poitier, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Queen Elizabeth II, and Steven Spielberg, just to name a few.

The Virginia Capitol Foundation is the nonprofit advocate for the Capitol, Capitol Square, and Executive Mansion. It enhances the educational, cultural, and economic potential of Capitol Square’s historic treasures through program development, community engagement, and fundraising.

The Virginia Capitol Foundation Board of Trustees:  Officers – Ric A. Arenstein, Chairman;

Wendy Church Sydnor, Vice Chairman; The Honorable Susan Clarke Schaar, Secretary; Diana J. Beran, Treasurer.  Trustees: The Honorable Sandra D. Bowen, Susan Allen, Samuel W. Daniel, Janet T. Geldzahler, Adrienne G. Hines, Joseph W. Montgomery, The Honorable Brian Moran, The Honorable G. Paul Nardo, Anita O. Poston, The Honorable Nancy Rodrigues, S. Buford Scott, Charles H. Seilheimer, Jr., The Honorable John Charles Thomas

For information about the Virginia Capitol Foundation and the Virginia State Capitol including visitor services, go to www.VirginiaCapitol.gov. 

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe and First Lady To Open Executive Mansion in Celebration of Virginia Historic Garden Week
• Governor Terry McAuliffe, First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe And Fitness Icon Jake Steinfeld Team Up To Celebrate A Future of Fitness For Three Virginia Schools
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Leadership and First Meeting of Railroad Safety and Security Task Force
• Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe and Virginia Association of Broadcasters Launch 'Feeding Virginia'
• Governor McAuliffe, First Lady Join Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Announce Virginia Receives Nearly $1.2 Million in Funding to Strengthen Local Food Economies
• Virginia Releases Comprehensive Plan for Outdoor Recreation, Land Conservation

Governor McAuliffe Announces Improvements to Commonwealth Hurricane Preparedness

English: Hurricane evacuation route sign in the USA  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hurricane evacuation timeline adjusted to allow officials more time to make decisions and carry out emergency plans

RICHMOND, Va. – Governor Terry McAuliffe released a report today outlining improvements to Virginia’s hurricane preparedness plan, including an adjustment to the evacuation decision-making timeline. The hurricane in-season review, led by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Virginia Department of Transportation, focused on five critical areas: coordination and information-sharing between state and local emergency officials, evacuation of impacted areas, sheltering evacuees, assistance to those with access and functional needs or without transportation, and communicating with the public. 

“Building a New Virginia Economy begins with having the plan and the infrastructure in place to keep our families, communities and businesses safe in an emergency like a hurricane,” said Governor McAuliffe. “This review demonstrates that we have many strengths when it comes to hurricane preparedness, but also a number of challenges that we must meet head on.

“My administration will enact the recommendations of this report to strengthen our response plan so that we can get localities, first responders and Virginia families the tools they need to respond to an emergency and get back to their lives as soon as possible.”

The revised hurricane evacuation decision-making timeline includes the following key actions prior to the onset of tropical storm force winds (39-73 mph):

·       -96 hours – Initiate deployment of state resources for evacuation activities

·       -72 hours – Recommend first call by the governor with chief local elected officials concerning evacuation plans and activities (previously occurred at the -48 hour mark)

·       -48 hours – Recommend start of mandatory evacuation for a Category 3 hurricane (previously occurred at the -38 hours mark)

“While this change may provide up to an additional 12 hours for deciding evacuation issues, it depends on a clearly defined storm track and intensity analysis several days before landfall,” said Virginia Department of Emergency Management State Coordinator Jeff Stern. “Last July, Hurricane Arthur rapidly increased from a tropical storm to a Category 2 hurricane only 14 hours prior to landfall in North Carolina, which would have left little time to evacuate a large coastal population like Hampton Roads prior to the storm’s arrival if one had been needed.”

Last May, the Governor directed cabinet secretaries and state agencies responsible for carrying out a hurricane evacuation to work with their local and federal partners to identify potential short- and long-term improvements to existing plans. The following are some of the key findings of the in-season review:

·       Coordination and information-sharing between state and local emergency officials has been inconsistent. Identified areas for improvement include standardization of conference calls, use of technology for information exchange, deployment of liaison officers in local emergency operations centers and continued development of a regional approach to disasters in Hampton Roads.

·       A mass evacuation of Hampton Roads may not be necessary if areas at risk are prioritized and communicated to the public early. This allows those in higher-risk areas enough time to get to a safe location.

·       Virginia and the Hampton Roads region should emphasize focused evacuations. New information technology will enable better planning for the most critical areas.

·       The reversal of lanes on Interstate 64 is an evacuation tool of last resort and is reserved for the most catastrophic storms.

·       Future transportation projects should consider capacity improvements to facilitate evacuations.

·       Additional shelter capacity is needed for those seeking refuge within the Hampton Roads region that is capable of withstanding storm winds.

·       Building codes have not adequately addressed the requirements for storm wind protection.

·       Plans are in place to contract with bus services to evacuate individuals with access and functional needs and those without transportation, but these efforts are fragmented between different jurisdictions and levels of government.

·       Progress has been made to communicate regional preparedness information to the public through Ready Hampton Roads, but a more robust public messaging effort will be needed as changes are made to evacuation planning and sheltering, and also when communicating with summer tourists.

·       Future state exercises should focus on how local, state and federal partners respond after the disaster; addressing issues such as intermediate and long-term housing, economic recovery, infrastructure rebuilding and communications.

A full copy of the in-season hurricane review report can be found at www.vaemergency.gov.

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Urges Citizens to Prepare for Hurricane Season
• Governor McAuliffe sets September as National Preparedness Month in Virginia
• Ready Virginia app presented to President Obama during hurricane season briefing
• Governor McAuliffe, Dominion Resources and AGL Resources Announce Economic Benefits of Atlantic Coast Pipeline to Virginia
• Governor McAuliffe Announces New Virginia Film Industry Workforce Development program
• Governor McAuliffe Signs SB381 Transferring Homeland Security Responsibilities to the Secretary of Public Safety