Governor McDonnell Announces Virginia College Application Week

English: The state seal of Virginia. Српски / Srpski: Застава америчке савезне државе Вирџиније. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Declares November 18-22 Virginia College Application Week

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced Virginia College Application Week (VCAW) at 32 Virginia high schools and proclaimed November 18-22 College Application Week in the Commonwealth. This initiative is designed to provide graduating high school seniors with information and resources about the college admissions process and encourages students to apply to at least one higher education institution, during the week. Virginia College Application Week is co-sponsored with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia.

“By ensuring that we have the educated workforce needed to fill the top jobs of the 21st Century, we better prepare ourselves to compete in an ever-changing global economy,” said Governor Bob McDonnell.  “The college application process is a critical first step in this process.” 

VCAW invites all students to learn about the variety of higher education offerings across the Commonwealth and offers hands-on support to the Class of 2014 at the participating schools to apply to Virginia's world-class higher education institutions. The initiative will help support the Commonwealth’s goal of awarding 100,000 additional undergraduate degrees to Virginians over the next 15 years.

“Completion of a post-secondary degree first begins with the submission of an application.  I’m pleased to again support this initiative which will encourage high school seniors to be hands-on about their future,” said Secretary of Education Laura Fornash.

Students and counselors have access to a website created specifically for the select VCAW participants to explore, prepare and apply to college. Each site must allow all eligible seniors an opportunity, during the school day, to apply to college with the support of the administration, volunteers, and college and university representatives. The 32 high school sites receive college promotional materials, application fee waivers, event fliers and informational posters and brochures to help carry out this new annual initiative and remove barriers to accessing higher education. Support is funded through state funds and the U.S. Department of Education College Access Challenge Grant, administered by SCHEV.

“The great thing about this particular effort is that it shows students exactly how to fill out a college application,” said SCHEV Director Peter Blake. “That’s extremely important for students who may be qualified to attend college but intimidated by the application process.”

College Application Week first began as "College Application Day," a pilot program of GEAR UP North Carolina in 2005. Since then it has evolved into statewide initiatives coordinated in over 24 states across the nation and the District of Columbia. Virginia joined the effort in 2012 with a pilot event servicing 16 high schools. This year’s event doubles high school site participation and seeks to support almost 7,000 of Virginia’s high school Class of 2014.

The Governor's College Application Week proclamation can be found here.

The 32 participating high schools include:

	High School	School Division
1	Achievable Dream Middle/High School	Newport News City
2	Armstrong High School	Richmond City
3	Brunswick High School	Brunswick County
4	Central High School	Lunenburg County
5	Denbigh High School	Newport News City
6	Eastern Montgomery High School	Montgomery County
7	Franklin High School	Franklin City
8	Freedom High School	Prince William County
9	Galax High School	Galax City
10	Galileo Magnet High School	Danville City
11	Gar-Field High School	Prince William County
12	George Washington High School	Danville City
13	George Wythe High School	Richmond City
14	Greensville County High School	Greensville County
15	Hampton High School	Hampton City
16	Harrisonburg High School	Harrisonburg City
17	Heritage High School (Lynchburg)	Lynchburg City
18	Heritage High School (Newport News)	Newport News City
19	Hopewell High School	Hopewell City
20	Highland Springs High School	Henrico County
21	Huguenot High School	Richmond City
22	I.C. Norcom High School	Portsmouth City
23	John Marshall High School	Richmond City
24	Martinsville High School	Martinsville City
25	Nottoway High School	Nottoway County
26	Petersburg High School	Petersburg City
27	Phoebus High School	Hampton City
28	Prince Edward County High School	Prince Edward County
29	Sussex Central High School	Sussex County
30	Twin Valley High School	Buchanan County
31	Washington and Lee High School	Westmoreland County
32	Woodrow Wilson High School	Portsmouth  City

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Governor McDonnell Opens the New Four-Lane Gilmerton Bridge in Chesapeake

English: Animation of lift bridge 日本語: 昇開橋の稼働概念 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CHESAPEAKE - Governor Bob McDonnell announced today the opening of the new four-lane Gilmerton Bridge on Military Highway in Chesapeake, one of the most innovative bridge replacement projects in the state.  The new $140 million vertical lift bridge, which replaced the former double-leaf bascule bridge built in 1938, will ease traffic congestion for the 35,000 vehicles that use the bridge daily and provide taller clearance for ships. 

            The governor joined the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) with the city of Chesapeake during a ribbon cutting event held on the bridge’s lift span.  The new bridge opens to traffic at 4:00 p.m.

            “The Gilmerton Bridge Project is a perfect example of transportation dollars being put to excellent use to ease congestion, improve safety and accommodate future growth,” said Governor McDonnell. “Transportation projects like this one are a major component to make Hampton Roads a thriving region. Today’s bridge opening  follows a historic year for transportation, with billions of dollars in new funding invested in road and bridge projects across the state.  This investment allows the commonwealth to rehabilitate aging pavements and structures, as well as expand capacity to improve Virginia’s transportation network.”

            Chesapeake Mayor Alan P. Krasnoff added, “The new Gilmerton Bridge is a key transportation link for the citizens of Chesapeake and the entire Hampton Roads region.  Chesapeake thanks VDOT for their swift work on the Gilmerton Bridge, and especially for keeping traffic moving even as a new bridge was taking shape.”

            The new bridge is 1,908 feet long with a vertical clearance of 35 feet in the closed position and up to 135 feet when the lift span is opened.  Key project benefits:

·         Reduce motorist congestion at Gilmerton Bridge and alternate routes

·         Increase clearance to accommodate marine and motorist traffic with fewer bridge openings

·         Increase lane width to improve traffic flow and accommodate future widening of Military Highway

            In January 2013, the project reached a major milestone with the float-in of the 250-foot, 5.2- million-pound, pre-assembled lift span which was transported seven nautical miles via a barge through the Elizabeth River to the Gilmerton Bridge site where final installation and vertical alignment to the bridge towers occurred. The lift span float-in proved to be a seamless operation with project crews working 24/7 shifts to complete this phase of the project in half of the allotted time.

            Project work will continue on the Gilmerton Bridge as crews construct the fender system and other ancillary work.  The Gilmerton Bridge will resume weeknight closures, Sunday through Thursday, beginning Nov. 17, 2013 through March 2014.

            During the weeknight closures, motorists are encouraged to use the Interstate 64 High Rise Bridge as the preferred alternate route. In addition, the South Norfolk Jordan Bridge in Chesapeake can be used as a tolled alternate route.

            General information about the Gilmerton Bridge Replacement Project can be found at www.GilmertonBridge.org.

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Governor McDonnell Oceaneering International to Invest and Expand in City of Chesapeake

Chesapeake (Photo credit: kevygee)

Company to enhance operations, creating approximately 70 new jobs and retaining more than 460 jobs

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE:OII), a global oilfield provider of engineered services and products primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry, with a focus on deepwater applications, will expand its presence into the City of Chesapeake. The company will consolidate its engineering, manufacturing, and administrative functions at a new, 150,000-square-foot facility to be developed by Armada Hoffler Properties, which will invest approximately $25 million to accommodate this expansion. Serten Advisors, LLC served as real estate consultant for Oceaneering International in the transaction. The current primary customers served by Oceaneering’s Marine Services Division (MSD) are the U.S. Navy and the maritime industry. Virginia successfully competed against North Carolina for the project, which will create approximately 70 new jobs and retain more than 460 jobs.

            Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “Oceaneering International has maintained an engineering/ship repair location in the City of Chesapeake for 13 years. With this tremendous investment the company expands to a new site that will serve its existing and future operations, as well as consolidated engineering, manufacturing, and administrative functions, including a multi-trade apprenticeship program. Oceaneering is a major employer in Chesapeake, and with this project will create new jobs that exceed the annual prevailing wage in the region, and create new capabilities that support projected customer needs and its current highly skilled workforce. This expansion is a great win for Virginia and Hampton Roads.”

            “The City of Chesapeake is a prime location for a company like Oceaneering International that performs vital functions for the U.S. Navy and maritime industry,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “Oceaneering will continue to benefit from a trained, available workforce in the region and a strategic location with critical access to the ocean and the Port of Virginia. This significant project represents future growth, longevity, and continued success in Virginia.”

            Founded in 1964, Oceaneering has grown from a diving business in the Gulf of Mexico to a diversified, advanced applied technology organization operating around the world. This has been accomplished by executing a plan of organic investments augmented by strategic acquisitions. Through its Advanced Technologies business, Oceaneering serves the defense and aerospace industries, serving the U.S. Navy as a primary customer for over 30 years. The Marine Services Division in Chesapeake focuses on submarines, deep submergence systems, and air cushion landing craft and is certified by the U.S. Navy as a Submarine Safety (SUBSAFE) activity. They support Navy operations around the world out of the Chesapeake office.

           

           “Selecting Hampton Roads in Virginia for our new MSD location perfectly aligns our five year goals to become both the Employer and Contractor of Choice in our market segment,” said Wayne Jakubowski, Oceaneering Vice President and General Manager. “This location provides ideal convenience to our current, very capable employee base, in which we have already invested significant training, as well as proximity to key customers and shipyards.  Oceaneering MSD continues to foster the strategic partnership with local and state government developed over 13 years at our current location in Chesapeake. This location is truly an enabler for continuing our support for the growing demands of our customers.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Chesapeake Department of Economic Development to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McDonnell approved a $750,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist the City of Chesapeake with the project. The Governor also approved a $750,000 performance-based grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership program, an incentive available to existing Virginia companies. The company qualifies for industrial road access funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment and training activities.

            “Hampton Roads is a place where companies can grow and prosper, and Chesapeake is at the center of it,” said Mayor Alan P. Krasnoff. “Keeping Oceaneering International and its 400-member workforce in Chesapeake is a competitive win for us, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their success.”

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