Newport News Now

On Tuesday, March 27 city officials, engineers, contractors and others gathered at the construction site for the Atkinson Boulevard Bridge to watch the laying of the first pieces of the foundation. The event, emceed by Councilwoman Sharon Scott, included an invocation from Councilwoman Saundra Cherry, remarks from Mayor McKinley Price, and a project overview from City of Newport News Director of Engineering, Everett Skipper. Council members, along with city manager Cindy Rohlf, the engineering director, and members from the construction company blew air horns to signal a crane that laid the first piece of the bridge’s foundation. 

The new construction will create a four lane divided raised median roadway with 1742 foot bridge structure over I64, CSX railroad and environmentally sensitive wetlands areas between the primary roadways of Jefferson Avenue and Warwick Boulevard. Improvements will include widening the existing Atkinson Way from Warwick Boulevard to Mary Passage Middle School.

The new roadway connection will alleviate traffic congestion and reduce commuter travel times by providing an important connection between the City’s major roadways, Jefferson Avenue and Warwick Boulevard. The improvements also include a 10 foot shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists traversing the length of the project on the Mary Passage Middle School side of the new roadway expanding to 14 feet on the new bridge.

Construction began August 2017 and is expected to be completed November 2020.

Wonders of the Sea Week and Under the Sea Party also featured

Join the Virginia Living Museum for Spring Break as they celebrate Wonders of the Sea Week April 2 through April 6. Opening on April 2, the Moray Eel Exhibit is the new highlight of the museum’s World of Darkness gallery. This exhibit showcases the eel’s beautiful, strange, and unique appearances as well as its reclusive behavior. The 1,000 gallon exhibit has extensive custom rockwork complete with holes, cracks and hiding place in which morays can showcase their natural behaviors. The following special activities take place throughout Wonders of the Sea Week and are in museum admission: 

• Take in “Coral Reefs: Nurseries of the Sea” conservation kiosk
• View a screening of the award winning documentary “Chasing Coral”
• Enjoy a sea-themed shows in the Abbitt Planetarium
• Witness a scuba program and fish feeding in the Chesapeake Bay Tank
• Five specialty tours will be offered though the week. Take part in the new native plant tour and a get a chance to go behind-the-scenes. Specialty tours are $12 for members and $14 for non-members, plus museum admission.

Wrap up the week with an Under the Sea Party, Saturday, April 7, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. It’s a costume party so come dressed in your best mermaid or pirate costume or your favorite Hawaiian shirt. Snack on tropical treats like fruit and yogurt parfaits, fish food crackers, and walk the cheese planks. Enjoy Mermaid Cove story time, dancing with pirates, walking the plank, going fishing, photo ops with mermaids and pirate, a custom scuba dive and how to save the oceans’ treasures. 

Wonders of Sea Week and the Moray Eel exhibit are included in museum admission. Tickets for Under the Sea Party are available for purchase at thevlm.org and are $7 for members and $12 for non-members. Ticket prices will increase to $10 for members and $15 for non-members starting April 2. For more information, visit the Virginia Living Museum online or call 757-595-1900. The Museum is located at 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd.in Newport News.

Dr. Vinyl is a mobile upholstery and furniture repair business located in Peninsula Industrial Park at 729 Industrial Park Drive in Newport News. It is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Jeannie and Steve Oakes and has been in business since 1999. In 2004, the business expanded and moved from J. Clyde Morris Boulevard to its current location. They have 11 employees and their service area includes the entire Hampton Roads region. The company has also completed specialty projects in other parts of the state and in Nags Head, North Carolina. Their customer base includes restaurants, movie theaters, doctors’ offices, and apartment complexes.

Dr. Vinyl offers an extended range of services in its automotive division including interior repair such as headliners, fabric, stain removal, carpet/dye treatment, and dash and console restoration. The company also does spot paint repair and windshield repair. In its non-automotive division, Dr. Vinyl repairs vinyl siding on homes and completes furniture restoration for residential and commercial customers. In addition to providing quality service to its customers, the business also makes an effort to provide support to local organizations in the community. In the past, Dr. Vinyl has partnered with Wounded Warriors Project, Lackey Clinic, Denbigh Youth Baseball League, and faith-based outreach missions. To learn more about Dr. Vinyl, visit mydrvinyl.com.