urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:1234 HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com http://www.pilotonline.com 2012-05-27T22:09:08-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641184 2012-05-28T00:48:38-04:00 2012-05-28T00:43:54-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

By Larry Rubama The Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK In 1979, the Pittsburgh Pirates used the Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family" as their theme song. The Pirates, who went on to win the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, used the song as a metaphor for a team that worked well together.

By Larry Rubama The Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK In 1979, the Pittsburgh Pirates used the Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family" as their theme song. The Pirates, who went on to win the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, used the song as a metaphor for a team that worked well together. The same could be said for Granby's softball players. The Comets are 20-0 this season and have outscored opponents 185-26. Those stats show their dominance, but, outside of the Eastern District, the Comets can't get any respect. Their motto this season is "Believe To Achieve." It's written on their practice shirts as a reminder that they are capable of accomplishing anything. Granby gets its chance when the Comets play Great Bridge in the Eastern Region quarterfinals at 10 a.m. today at Princess Anne High School. Granby pitcher Clara Quinones said the team's theme has been critical, especially with all the negativity the Comets have heard all season. "People say we shouldn't be ranked as high as we are and that when we play against the other districts, we wouldn't stand a chance against them," said Quinones, a two-time Eastern District Pitcher of the Year. "But we work hard, and we're trying our best. But you know we can't control what people say. That's why we have something to prove (at the region tournament). It's our chance to show everybody that we deserve respect." Quinones has been a rock for the Comets on the mound and at the plate. She is unbeaten, with a 0.67 ERA and 79 strikeouts. She's hitting .642, with 34 runs, 28 RBIs and a .943 slugging percentage. But she realizes that none of her stats mean a thing if Granby, which was No. 6 in the final South HamptonRoads rankings, doesn't win this week. "The only thing we can control is how we play on the field and what we do on the field," said Quinones, who will play at Norfolk State next season. "This is a family. We believe that we can achieve. There's nothing stopping us. We're going to show everybody we are a very good team and we can compete." The Granby softball program has come a long way. When Quinones' father, Chico, joined the team as an assistant coach four seasons ago, he knew he was fighting an uphill battle. The Comets struggled early. When Chico Quinones was named head coach the following season, things changed. Players began to buy into his philosophy and dedication. "The big thing was having them believe in themselves," he said. "You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't believe you can do something and go for it, then you'll never know. They have all the confidence in the world." That's why the Comets are placing so much emphasis on this week. "We just have to shut people up," he said. 'The only way to do that is to win. The only way to get respect is to prove people wrong." Infielder Vanessa Parker said the Comets are using the lack of respect as motivation. "We are a team that can play with anyone," said Parker, who is hitting .557 and is the district's co-Player of the Year. "I want to go out there and prove to everyone that we are a good team. We want to show them that we can play." Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273,larry.rubama@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer For Granby softball, it's all about respect For Granby softball, it's all about respect The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641184 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641182 2012-05-28T00:43:24-04:00 2012-05-28T00:36:19-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

BASEBALL All games at Old Dominion Monday's quarterfinals Menchville (20-3) vs. Salem (17-6), 10 a.m.; Nansemond River (17-5) vs. Granby (14-6), 1 p.m.; Kellam (21-2) vs. Hampton (18-6), 4 p.m.; Lake Taylor (12-7) vs. Great Bridge (17-6), 7 p.m.

BASEBALL All games at Old Dominion Monday's quarterfinals Menchville (20-3) vs. Salem (17-6), 10 a.m.; Nansemond River (17-5) vs. Granby (14-6), 1 p.m.; Kellam (21-2) vs. Hampton (18-6), 4 p.m.; Lake Taylor (12-7) vs. Great Bridge (17-6), 7 p.m. Wednesday's semifinals Menchville/Salem winner vs. Nansemond River/Granby winner, 5 p.m.; Kellam/Hampton winner vs. Lake Tayor/Great Bridge winner, 7:30 p.m. Thursday's championship 6 p.m. The lowdown Who is the hottest team in Hampton Roads? Could be defending state champion Great Bridge, which smoked its way to a Southeastern tournament title in arguably the region's toughest district. The Wildcats have sophomore 3B Charlie Cody, who leads local Group AAA schools in home runs with seven- two in his past three games. Another hot team is Kellam, which has the area's top record and is led by P Mitch Moynihan. The Knights haven't lost since April 11 and have outscored opponents 93-24 in winning 12 consecutive games. Only two of those were decided by two runs or less. The two could meet in a marquee semifinal. On the other side of the bracket is Nansemond River, which won the Southeastern District regular-season title in a playoff and is led by district player of the year Brandon Lowe. Salem, a potential semifinal opponent, has come on late in the season after adding a healthy Connor Staskey to go along with Brent Musante and provide a 1-2 pitching punch. Lake Taylor P Taylor Erby makes the Titans particularly dangerous in their first game. Granby hasn't lost since April 20 and is coming off emotional victories against Lake Taylor and Maury to win the Eastern District tournament championship. - Chris Carlson SOFTBALL All games at Princess Anne High School Monday's quarterfinals Granby (20-0) vs. Great Bridge (18-4), 10 a.m.; Landstown (16-3) vs. Kecoughtan (18-3), 12:15 p.m.; Gloucester (21-1) vs. First Colonial (18-4), 2:30 p.m.; Hickory (19-3) vs. Norview (11-5), 4:45 p.m. Tuesday's semifinals Granby/Great Bridge winner vs. Landstown/Kecoughtan winner, 5 p.m.; Gloucester/First Colonial winner vs. Hickory/Norview winner, 7 p.m. Thursday's championship 6 p.m. The lowdown Hickory, the defending Eastern Region champ, is led by Krista Lewis, the Southeastern District Pitcher of the Year. Great Bridge, which has won nine of its last 10, including the district tournament title, is led by C Alex Reetz, the Southeastern District Player of the Year. Landstown, which won its first Beach District regular-season title, is making its first region tournament appearance. First Colonial, winner of 10 in a row, is back in the region tournament for the second consecutive season. Granby, the only unbeaten team left in the region, has outscored opponents 185-26, and Norview is making its second region appearance in the last 20 years. Gloucester won the Peninsula District regular-season and tournament titles for the third consecutive year. The Dukes have outscored opponents 271-28, with 11 shutouts. They've also scored 19 or more runs five times, including a 43-0 victory against Phoebus. Kecoughtan has recorded 16 shutouts and scored 20 or more runs six times, including a 34-0 victory against Hampton and 30-0 against Phoebus. - Larry Rubama Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Postseason preview | Region baseball, softball Postseason preview | Region baseball, softball The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641182 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641181 2012-05-28T00:51:07-04:00 2012-05-28T00:12:38-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

Chicks dig the long ball. Coaches are cool with small ball. High school baseball has returned to its old-school ways this season, thanks in part to regulations reining in the impact of high-tech bats. In an effort to make the sport safer, the National Federation of State High School Associations imposed restrictions that decrease the speed of balls as they leave the bat.

Chicks dig the long ball. Coaches are cool with small ball. High school baseball has returned to its old-school ways this season, thanks in part to regulations reining in the impact of high-tech bats. In an effort to make the sport safer, the National Federation of State High School Associations imposed restrictions that decrease the speed of balls as they leave the bat. "It's like they took a wooden bat and wrapped it with metal," Granby catcher Craig Sheridan said. Teammate Matt Eagle was more direct. "The bats (stink)," he said. "I had a home run as a freshman, and I don't have any this year. I know I'm a better hitter than I was last year. "It's harder. But that makes it more fun." Coaches, though, have largely enjoyed the change, saying home runs may be down, but the fundamentals of the game are being stressed. "I like it because it comes down to teaching the game the right way - putting down a bunt, stealing a base, knowing bunt defense," said Granby coach Robbie Butler, whose Comets play Nansemond River in today's Eastern Region quarterfinals. On Thursday, in their 5-1 Eastern District title game win over Maury, the Comets sacrificed three times, including two of the three innings they scored. Granby stole three bases, and Sheridan threw out two runners trying to steal. For upstarts like the Comets, who won the district tournament for the first time since 2007, the new bats offer hope that home runs won't be the deciding factor. "I'd like to think - well, I wouldn't call it an equalizer, but playing in a place with a big (outfield) like Old Dominion, we're not power hitters. We're hoping it's something we can use to our advantage," Butler said. Kellam, which has won 10 straight games and has the area's best record, has sacrificed successfully 14 times in 23 games. The Knights, who play Hampton today, have six home runs - four from Nick Walker. Seven public school players had at least four home runs last year; that number dropped slightly to six this season. Among private school teams, however, the number of players with at least six home runs dropped from six to one. The numbers in college, where the change also was made, show a similar power outage. Strikeouts are down as well, a stat Kellam pitcher Sam Sinnen attributes to pitchers being more willing to pitch to contact. The inside fastball, now less likely to be yanked for a home run or blooped off the fists, has become an attractive weapon again. And while pitchers may be less concerned about surrendering extra-base hits, walks have become their biggest enemy. The importance of location has increased; the need to fool a hitter has dropped. "A couple people told me before the season there's no need to walk people with new bats, make them hit it," said Sinnen, who has a 1.49 ERA this year. "I've been more aggressive with the fastball. The bloop hits don't fall anymore. You really have to hit the ball for it to go anywhere." Nansemond River coach Mark Stuffel likes the rule and has bunted a little more frequently. But he said the change in strategy is minimal, estimating the Warriors have hit a dozen home runs, as opposed to 20 they would have hit with the other bats. During Great Bridge's run to the Southeastern District tournament title, the Wildcats, who face Lake Taylor in today's quarterfinals, bashed home runs in each of their three postseason wins - two coming from third baseman Charlie Cody, the local Group AAA leader with seven home runs. "I keep my swing the same, just go up there with the same approach," he said. "They're still bats, and it's still baseball." The biggest difference, according to players and coaches, comes on poorly hit balls. Fluke hits happen less often. "If you were a big kid you'd swing the old bats as hard as you could and eventually you'd run into one, and it would go," Stuffel said. "Now, you have to swing the right way, inside-out. "I like that it's benefitting the smaller, line-drive hitters and teams that play good defense." Chris Carlson, 757-446-2367,chris.carlson@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer New bats are giving game an old-school feel New bats are giving game an old-school feel The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641181 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641017 2012-05-25T20:16:36-04:00 2012-05-28T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

As you hit the roads for the holidays, no doubt you'll be assaulted by any number of annoyances: clogged tunnels, draconian speed limits, overzealous speed enforcement, usurious tolls, broken parking meters and endless traffic lights.

As you hit the roads for the holidays, no doubt you'll be assaulted by any number of annoyances: clogged tunnels, draconian speed limits, overzealous speed enforcement, usurious tolls, broken parking meters and endless traffic lights. This assault on speed didn't happen overnight. In fact, it's taken centuries. So, as you sit in traffic over the next few days, you might want to consider your misfortune is far from unique. Your ancestors suffered too. Take a look. Toll roads You may hate the thought of paying a fee to use a road, but you're not the only one to grumble about it. The first recorded toll road ran between Babylon and Syria around 2000 B.C. and was run by the Persian military. In the United States, Virginia built the first turnpike, which derives its name from the tollgate made of wooden spears known as pikes. But early turnpikes were privately run, and poorly maintained; fees rarely covered the cost of maintenance. By the time the automobile came on the scene, the call was made for the government to step in. By the 1930s, it had. Car accidents No matter where you end up driving this holiday weekend, odds are good that you'll encounter a traffic accident. Norfolk's first car accident occurred on June 29, 1903 when a pack of dogs chased after a car being driven by Mr. and Mrs. R. Calvert Taylor along Bowden's Ferry Road. Taylor lost control of the car after one of the dogs became entangled in one of the front wheels. The Taylors were not hurt in the mishap. Speed limits Speed limit laws date to 1901, and were usually mandated by the state or local governments. The Virginia legislature established the first speed limits in 1906: 8 mph in town, on curves, or where people or horses were present. In the open countryside, up to 15 mph was allowed. As cars grew more powerful, most states posted speed limits on interstates at 70 mph. This changed in 1973, when Congress authorized the U.S. Department of Transportation to withhold highway funds from states that did not adopt a maximum 55 mph speed limit. By 1974, the double nickel was the America's top legal speed. It lasted until 1987, when Congress allowed states to increase speed limits on rural interstates to 65 mph. Six years later, The National Highway System Designation Act allowed states to set their own limits once again. Tunnels While Hampton Roads' overworked tunnels may be old, they're far from the oldest ones. In fact, tunnels are almost old as mankind, but until the rise of railroads in the 19th Century, tunnels weren't common. The first one to pass under water was built under the River Thames in London. If you think Norfolk's tunnel projects are taking a long time to complete, consider that the Thames tunnel was started in 1825, and completed in 1843 - 18 years later. Radar If you've been stopped for speeding, thank the radar gun. American physicists are credited with to developing the first practical use of radar in 1925. World War II brought radar into common use for tracking planes, which led to its adoption by police department in the early 1950s. Those first ones were far from portable: they had to be plugged in. That problem was solved with the development of the transistor in the 1960s. But Radar's accuracy was debated and more than a few speeders used this to their advantage until the introduction of Lidar in the 1990s. Lidar could pinpoint a car's speed within a fraction of a second using a beam of light, leaving lead foots with little hope of escaping a ticket. Traffic signals At the dawn of the automobile age, streets were jammed with trolleys, horses, horse manure, carriages and that newfangled invention, the horseless carriage. By 1914, some cities used traffic cops located in fifteen foot traffic towers, manually operating semaphores that read "proceed" or "stop". Cleveland, Ohio went a step further, replacing the semaphores with red and green lights. But given the number of intersections in a city, manually operating signals wasn't the best use of police officiers. In 1920, Detroit police inspector William L. Potts solved the problem by installing the first three-color, automatic four-way traffic light at the intersection of Michigan and Woodward avenues. No word on how long it took before a motorist ran the red light. Parking meters Carl Magee, newspaper reporter and founder of The Oklahoma News, was appointed to the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce's traffic committee and charged with finding a solution to the city's parking problem. It seems that there wasn't enough parking for all of the cars populating town streets. Magee's solution? The parking meter. Working with Oklahoma State University engineering students, the idea was perfected and the city installed 175 by July 1935. An hour's parking cost five cents. Magee joined a group of investors to form the Dual Parking Meter Co., manufacturer of the Park-O-Meter. So if you hate feeding the meter, just blame the media. Larry Printz, (757) 446-2220, larry.printz@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Think your traffic problems are new? Think again Think your traffic problems are new? Think again The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641017 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641014 2012-05-25T21:06:55-04:00 2012-05-28T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK Under the shade of funeral canopies at historic Elmwood Cemetery, about 20 people sat down to a lunch of comfort food: ham rolls, sliced bread and butter pickles, soft cookies and iced tea.

NORFOLK Under the shade of funeral canopies at historic Elmwood Cemetery, about 20 people sat down to a lunch of comfort food: ham rolls, sliced bread and butter pickles, soft cookies and iced tea. If it seems odd to picnic among the dead, it wasn't in Victorian times. That lesson and others were the point of gathering beside the headstones last Saturday for "Decoration Day - A Flowering of the Graves." Honoring "those gone before" began at the Hunter House Victorian Museum, where visitors heard a lecture on 19th century mourning customs and etiquette that existed between 1837 and 1901. The Victorian era, named for the 64-year reign of England's beloved Queen Victoria, spawned many rituals and customs as the monarch's people emulated her habits. Here in the United States, the Civil War, Reconstruction and Industrial Revolution contributed to the creation of a class society, said Hunter House docent Mark Milinski. To distinguish themselves, classes adopted strictly regimented habits. Deaths, in particular, became events in the life of a family where rituals, customs and symbolism were closely followed. The wealthier the mourners, the more elaborate the displays of grief. "This room," Milinski said, sweeping an arm across the scene in the historic Hunter House's parlor, "had three wakes" - for the Hunters and their daughter. As the family "waked," or sat with the dead person, it was likely that a black, crepe-draped wreath of laurel, yew or boxwood was hung from the front door, signaling the mourning to passersby on Freemason Street. Inside, flowers surrounded the casket during the vigil's three to five days, allowing time for absent family to arrive for the funeral. The floral scent helped to camouflage the odor of decomposition. Fragrant lilies came to represent death and resurrection. As demand increased, an entire industry in mourning items sprang up. "You had to have money to mourn properly," Milinski said, wryly. Everyday items were reproduced in black: folding fans, hand mirrors, jewelry. Black-bordered cards were sent as death notices; letters were written on black-edged stationery. Mourning clothes were sold off the rack. The poor tossed their regular clothes into vats of black dye. Odd beliefs followed. Black weeping veils were thought to protect others from invasion by the dearly departed's spirit hovering around the surviving spouse's face. With formal mourning periods for spouses expected to last as long as 2 1/2 years, Milinski said, the sequestered wife of a deceased spouse first dressed in black for a year and one day. Then a second stretch of mourning lasted from six to nine months, finally allowing the bereaved woman to leave the home - but keeping her in lighter mourning veils and mourning jewelry made of black jet, a mineral that resembles polished coal. Men mourned more expeditiously: three to five months, dressing in dark suits and black crepe armbands or hatbands. Societal expectations that the rules be followed were strict. "If you did anything out of the norm," Milinski said, "you were shunned." With the Civil War came a daily roll call of the dead. As Milinski put it, "It was pushing the envelope on all this. There were towns in the North and South where everyone was in black, since 600,000 people were lost in the war." One of the customs that emerged after the devastation was Decoration Day, a precursor of Memorial Day. During this cemetery visit made by the mothers, widows, daughters and sisters of war veterans, they decorated the graves of all veterans, both Union and Confederate, draping resting places in flowers and greenery and honoring the memory and service of the fallen and the dead. After the picnic lunch at Elmwood Cemetery last weekend, visitors and their armloads and baskets of flowers re-enacted this tradition on a cemetery tour with Tim Bonney, president of the Friends of Norfolk's Historic Cemeteries. The group tries to preserve the architectural integrity of Norfolk's old cemeteries and raises money to repair damaged stones and monuments. The day's fee went to the Friends. Participants, like Portsmouth's Catie Connor, who studies funeral science at Tidewater Community College and carried an armful of baby's breath and mums, placed bouquets wherever a headstone or its story moved them. Elmwood Cemetery, and the architecture of its markers, Bonney said, shows the Victorian era in full bloom. Cemeteries like this one - established in 1853, the second-oldest municipal cemetery in Norfolk - were laid out for traffic by horse and carriage. Only Cedar Grove, begun across Princess Anne Road in 1825, is older. "Social intercourse made them the city parks of our day," Bonney said. During the Victorian era, families arrived with picnics to spruce up their grave sites and remember people who had died. They gathered near family plots surrounded by stone coping, hedged vegetation or iron fences. Tombstones, markers and family mausoleums reflected the mourning conventions of the time. Victorians romanticized everything, Bonney said, including death and dying. Death was thought to be a long, peaceful sleep while awaiting resurrection. Even the word "cemetery" derives from a term meaning "sleeping container," and the word "casket" evokes a container of precious gems. The dead were buried with feet to the east, head to the west, so the resurrected would wake to the rising sun. Jackie Spainhour, an Old Dominion University graduate student and Hunter House volunteer, has published a paper on Victorian funeral customs as they related to children. In this era, headstones and footstones were often designed to resemble beds, she said. Outfitted with what appear to be side rails, the "beds" for the sleeping dead were planted with blankets of ivy, the vines symbols of fidelity and eternity. Carved lambs and napping children, sometimes nestled into hewn scallop shells, were a common Victorian motif. The number of children's graves in Elmwood, Bonney said, is evidence of the fragility of young life in those times. Victorian mothers, who bore children about every two years, suffered inner struggles as they mourned, Spainhour said. Mothers grieved in a prescribed way, all the while wrestling with guilt that they couldn't save their children from dying. Elwood is also dotted with winged angels. "Guardian angels" were most often placed at children's graves. "Recording angels" have pens in hand, writing the name of the deceased in the Book of Life. "Guiding angels" point a finger heavenward to direct the deceased's soul. Other mourning figures were carved holding wreaths - symbols of victory over death. Masons carved drapery on headstones and urns to mimic the fabric Victorians used to cover mirrors in their homes after a passing. Urns themselves held meaning, representing occupied graves, or depicted open to release stone flames symbolizing souls rising from the ashes of death. Monuments were decorated with two hands clasped in a handshake to represent a farewell. A sheaf of wheat stood for the divine harvest. One striking monument chosen frequently during the era was the Tree of Life. Usually a stone tree trunk with lopped-off branches, it illustrated life cut short and could be decorated with carved mourning ferns emerging at the base. The day's tour ended with a stop at the grave of "Little Willie," Elmwood Cemetery's mascot, Bonney said. Young William Stewart died of measles at 13 months in 1892. His mother, 42 when he was conceived, went into perpetual mourning after the death of her only child. The figure is unusual in that, at his grief-stricken mother's request, it flouted Victorian convention and was commissioned, instead, to look exactly like her son, clad in a lacy day dress and button boots. The seated toddler holds a rose with stem broken. In Victorian times the message the flower sent was threefold: Life is beautiful, brief and, sometimes, tragically short. DETAILS Step Back in Time: Guided tours of the Hunter House Victorian Museum are available from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, beginning on the hour and the half hour with the last tour of the day beginning at 3:30. The house is at 240 W. Freemason St. in Norfolk. Visit www.hunterhousemuseum.org, or call 757-623-9814. On the Tide, use the York Street/Freemason stop at the YMCA on York Street.  Look for these customs: Draping cloth - It mimics the fabric used to cover mirrors in homes after a passing. Wreath - Symbol of victory over death, it is seen carved on gravestones or in angels' hands. Ivy - Vines are a symbol of fidelity and eternity. They are carved and planted at graves. Lily - Mostly white, the flower represents death and resurrection. The white rose is to honor children. Guardian angel - It was most often placed at children's graves, with hands clasped. Recording angel - It has pen in hand, writing the name of the deceased in the Book of Life. Guiding angel - It points a finger heavenward to direct the deceased's soul. Urn - It represents occupied graves. When open, with stone flames, it symbolizes souls rising. Want to Help? The Friends of Norfolk's Historic Cemeteries is a support group established to assist the city in defining and preserving the historic, artistic, architectural and landscape integrity of its older cemeteries. The annual meeting is at 2 p.m. June 24 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the Parish House. The speaker, Bobette Nelson, geneology information specialist with the Norfolk Bureau of Cemeteries, will address the city of Norfolk's initiatives to strengthen cemetery preservation and community participation in the process. Contact the Friends at fnhc2011@hotmail.com or 757-623-9814. Also, Norfolk Historic Cemeteries Volunteer Workday will be held from 8 a.m. to noon June 16 at Cedar Grove Cemetery, 238 E. Princess Anne Road (across the street from Elmwood Cemetery). Tasks will include tree pruning, ivy trimming, and monument restoration and cleaning. Krys Stefansky, 757-446-2043, krys.stefansky@pilotonline.com   Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Tour offers a look at Victorian death rituals and symbols Tour offers a look at Victorian death rituals and symbols The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641014 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641159 2012-05-27T20:01:59-04:00 2012-05-28T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

They left behind mothers and fathers and siblings, husbands and wives, daughters and sons. Their families continue to mourn this Memorial Day, a holiday set aside to remember those who died in combat while fighting for the freedoms and ideals of the United States of America.

They left behind mothers and fathers and siblings, husbands and wives, daughters and sons. Their families continue to mourn this Memorial Day, a holiday set aside to remember those who died in combat while fighting for the freedoms and ideals of the United States of America. Service members from every branch have helped define Hampton Roads and make it the wonderful place it is. But their presence here also means our region and its people often deal with loss. In the past year, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan took a heavy toll on Hampton Roads-based service members. August 6 marked the deadliest day for U.S. forces in the decade-long war in Afghanistan, when a rocket-propelled grenade hit a transport helicopter and claimed the lives of 30 Americans - 20 of them based in Hampton Roads - and eight Afghans. More than 100 people with ties to this region have died in those conflicts. Memorial Day reminds us to give thanks for their sacrifice. War casualties since Memorial Day 2011 Army Capt. Michael W. Newton, 30, Newport News. Died June 11 in Afghanistan of non-combat-related injuries. Army Sgt. Robert G. Tenney Jr., 29, 2000 graduate of Princess Anne High School, hometown Warner Robins, Ga. Died June 29 in Badrah, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Darrik Benson, 28, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Benson was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Brian Bill, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Bill was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Campbell, 36, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Campbell was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jared William Day, 28, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Day was an information systems tech and free fall parachutist. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class John Douangdara, 26, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Douangdara was a dog handler. Navy Chief Petty Officer John Faas, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Faas was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Kevin Houston, 35, Chesapeake. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Houston was a SEAL. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jonas Kelsall, 32, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Kelsall was a SEAL. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Louis Langlais, 44, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Langlais was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Matt Mason, 37, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Mason was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Stephen Matthew Mills, 35, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Mills was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Nicholas Null, 30, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Null was an explosive ordnance disposal technician and free fall parachutist. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Tommy Ratzlaff, 34, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Ratzlaff was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert James Reeves, 32, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Reeves was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Heath Robinson, 34, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Robinson was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Strange, 25, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Strange was a cryptologic technician. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jon Tumilson, 35, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Tumilson was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Carson Vaughn, 30, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Vaughn was a SEAL. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Kraig Vickers, 36, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Vickers was an explosive ordnance disposal technician and free fall parachutist. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Workman, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Workman was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb Andrew Nelson, 26, SEAL who lived in Norfolk. Died Oct. 1 when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Zabul province. Marine Corps Maj. Samuel Mark Griffith, 36, Virginia Beach. Died Dec. 14 in Afghanistan while conducting combat operations in Helmand province. Army Sgt. Timothy John "T.J." Conrad, 22, hometown Newport News, moved to Roanoke as a child. Died Feb. 23 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered under small arms fire. War casualties 2002-11 Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Theophilus K. Ansong, 34, Bristol. Lost at sea Feb. 4, 2009, in the Gulf of Aden. Assigned to the Norfolk-based San Antonio. Army Sgt. Derek Banks, 24, Newport News. Died Nov. 14, 2007, from an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Staff Sgt. Mario J. Bievre, 34, Virginia Beach. Killed June 23, 2006, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. Tramaine J. Billingsley, 20, Portsmouth. Died Oct. 14, 2010, during combat operations between Moqur and Darreh-Ye-Bum, Afghanistan. Marine 2nd Lt. Joshua L. Booth, 23, Fiskdale, Mass., former resident of Virginia Beach. Died Oct. 17, 2006, during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Navy Chief Petty Officer Matthew J. Bourgeois, 35, a Little Creek-based SEAL. Died March 28, 2002, in an explosion near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Hoby Frank Bradfield Jr., 22, Woodlands, Texas, and 2001 graduate of Green Run High School in Virginia Beach. Died July 9, 2005, from enemy fire while on patrol in Tal Afar, Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Juantrea T. Bradley, 28, Greenville, N.C. Fort Eustis-based soldier, killed March 12, 2008, from a mortar attack at an operating base in Tallil, Iraq. Navy Chief Petty Officer Adam L. Brown, 36, Hot Springs, Ark. Died March 18, 2010, in Afghanistan. The SEAL lived in Virginia Beach with his wife and two children. Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Brown, 22, Newport News. Killed Jan. 7, 2006, by small-arms fire near Fallujah, Iraq. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24, Smithtown, N.Y. Assigned to the Firebolt, a patrol craft based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. Killed April 24, 2004, in a boat bombing in Iraqi waters. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher F. Cabacoy, 30, Virginia Beach. Died July 5, 2010, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Army Staff Sgt. Marshall H. Caddy, 27, Kitty Hawk, N.C. Died Nov. 16, 2004, in a vehicle collision in Khaladiyah, Iraq. Army Sgt. Carlos M. Camacho-Rivera, 24, Carolina, Puerto Rico. Based at Fort Story. Killed Nov. 5, 2004, in a rocket attack outside Fallujah, Iraq. Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark T. Carter, 27, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Fallbrook, Calif. Killed Dec. 11, 2007, during combat in Iraq. Army Sgt. Kenith Casica, 32, Virginia Beach. Killed Dec. 10, 2005, by small-arms fire in Baghdad. Air Force Airman 1st Class Leebernard E. Chavis, 21, Hampton. Killed Oct. 14, 2006, by enemy fire in Baghdad. Marine Lance Cpl. Cody S. Childers, 19, Chesapeake. Died Aug. 20, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Army Cpl. Shawn R. Creighton, 21, Windsor, N.C. Died April 14, 2006, when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Iraq. Army Spc. Sean R. Cutsforth, 22, a former student at Virginia Wesleyan College from Radford. Died Dec. 15, 2010, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire. Navy Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga, 34, Norfolk. Killed Aug. 22, 2006, by an improvised explosive device in Anbar province, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Phillip Daugherty, 28, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Barstow, Calif. Killed July 6, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pvt. Jason L. Deibler, 20, Hampton. Killed May 4, 2003, by a noncombat weapon discharge in Kuwait. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 25, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Littleton, Colo. Killed June 28, 2005, by enemy fire in Kunar province, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Jeremy M. Dimaranan, 29, Virginia Beach. Killed June 16, 2004, during a mortar attack in Balad, Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, Chesapeake. Killed Jan. 9, 2008, by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Army Sgt. Shawn M. Dunkin, 25, Alleghany County; family lived in Portsmouth. Died Feb. 19, 2007, in Baghdad after an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle. Marine Lance Cpl. Kielin T. Dunn, 19, Chesapeake. Died Feb. 18, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Marine Capt. James C. Edge, 31, Virginia Beach. Killed April 14, 2005, by small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq. Air Force Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and from New Haven, Conn. One of eight airmen killed April 27, 2011, in a shooting at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. Army Spc. Raymond J. Faulstich Jr., 24, Leonardtown, Md. Based at Fort Eustis. Killed Aug. 5, 2004, in a convoy attack in Najaf, Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Jason A. Fegler, 24, Virginia Beach. Died Nov. 4, 2005, in Baghdad. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent A. Filpi III, 41, a Norfolk-based sailor from Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Died March 22, 2011, aboard the aircraft carrier Enterprise. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jacques J. Fontan, 36, Little Creek-based SEAL from New Orleans. Died June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jason R. Freiwald, 30, Dam Neck-based SEAL from Armada, Mich. Died Sept. 12, 2008, from combat injuries in Afghanistan. Army Pfc. Aaron D. Gautier, 19, Hampton. Died May 17, 2007, when his mounted patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. Matthew Eric George, 22, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 31, 2010, in Logar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Marine Cpl. Orville Gerena, 21, Puerto Rico, formerly of Virginia Beach. Died Feb. 6, 2006, during combat in Iraq. Army Chief Warrant Officer Travis W. Grogan, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Nov. 27, 2004, when his aircraft crashed in Bamian, Afghanistan. Navy Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy, 29, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Durham, N.H. Killed Feb. 4, 2008, by small-arms fire in Iraq. Marine Reserve Sgt. Bradley Harper Jr., 25, former Virginia Beach police officer. Killed Aug. 3, 2005, by a roadside bomb south of Haditha, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Harris, 36, Dam Neck-based SEAL from Lexington, N.C. Drowned Aug. 30, 2008, during combat in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Jonathan N. Hartman, 27, Orange Park, Fla., formerly of Portsmouth. Killed in action April 17, 2004, in Iraq. Army Sgt. Bruce E. Horner, 43, Newport News. Killed June 1, 2007, by small-arms fire in Iraq. Army Sgt. William R. Howdeshell, 37, Fort Stewart, Ga., former Norfolk resident. Died July 26, 2007, from combat injuries suffered in Iraq. Air Force Tech Sgt. William H. Jefferson, 34, Norfolk. Killed March 22, 2008, from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Marine 1st Lt. Michael E. Johnson, 25, Virginia Beach. Died Sept. 8, 2009, during a firefight in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Jevon K. Jordan, 32, Norfolk. Died March 29, 2008, from wounds caused by an explosion in Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Kiernan, 37, Virginia Beach. Killed May 6, 2007, by sniper fire in Baghdad. Navy Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch, 29, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from State College, Pa. Killed Feb. 4, 2008, by small-arms fire in Iraq. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erik Kristensen, 33, a Little Creek-based SEAL. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Dale Lewis, 30, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Brookfield, Conn. Killed July 6, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. Lee A. Lewis Jr., 28, Norfolk. Died March 18, 2005, when his patrol was fired on in Sadr City, Iraq. Army Sgt. Mason L. Lewis, 26, Gloucester. Died Nov. 16, 2007, in Baghdad from injuries in a noncombat training accident. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Corbett, Ore. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Army Cpl. George Anthony Lutz, 25, Chesapeake. Killed Dec. 29, 2005, by sniper fire near Fallujah, Iraq. Army Chief Warrant Officer Ian D. Manuel, 23, Florida; relatives live in Chesapeake. Died Jan. 8, 2004, while piloting a Black Hawk helicopter shot down near Fallujah, Iraq. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer John Wayne Marcum, 34, Dam Neck-based SEAL from Flushing, Mich. Died Sept. 12, 2008, from injuries sustained in combat in Afghanistan. Army Chief Warrant Officer Jackie L. McFarlane, 30, Norfolk. Killed Aug. 14, 2007, in the crash of a helicopter outside Fallujah, Iraq. Navy Lt. Michael M. McGreevy Jr., 30, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Jeremy W. McHalffey, 28, Mabelvale, Ark.; family lived in Virginia Beach. Died Jan. 4, 2005, when his Humvee rolled over a homemade bomb in Taji, Iraq. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer David Blake McLendon, 30, a Virginia Beach-based sailor from Thomasville, Ga. Died Sept. 21, 2010, in a helicopter crash during combat in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jeremiah E. McNeal, 23, Norfolk. Died April 6, 2008, from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Richard McRill, 42, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Lake Placid, Fla. Killed July 6, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. William "Lee" Meredith, 26, Virginia Beach. Died Sept. 20, 2009, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Army Spc. William Kyle Middleton, 26, Norfolk. Died Nov. 22, 2010, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, after insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Denis C. Miranda, 24, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Toms River, N.J. Died Sept. 21, 2010, in a helicopter crash during combat in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Army Sgt. 1st Class Marvin Lee Miller, 38, Dunn, N.C. Died April 7, 2004, shot while on traffic duty in Balad, Iraq. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, 30, Raynham, Mass.; family lived in Virginia Beach. Died June 21, 2006, during combat near Gowardesh, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Ouellette, 37, a Little Creek-based SEAL from Waltham, Mass. Killed May 29, 2004, when his vehicle hit a mine in Zabul, Afghanistan. Marine Sgt. Jayton D. Patterson, 26, Sedley. Died Jan. 15, 2005, in action in Babil province, Iraq. Army Sgt. Michael C. Peek, 23, Chesapeake. Killed March 3, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael J. Pernaselli, 27, Brighton, N.Y. Assigned to the Firebolt, a patrol craft based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Killed April 24, 2004, in a boat bombing in Iraqi waters. Marine Lance Cpl. Steven L. Phillips, 27, Spraggs, Pa., former Chesapeake resident. Died Feb. 7, 2006, after a vehicle crash during combat operations near Al Qaim, Iraq. Marine Sgt. Lucas T. Pyeatt, 24, West Chester, Ohio. Died Feb. 5, 2011, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was a 2004 graduate of Woodside High School in Newport News. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tony M. Randolph, 22, Henryetta, Okla. Died July 6, 2009, in an improvised explosive device attack on his convoy in Afghanistan. He spent a year at Joint Forces Staff College. Air Force Maj. Charles A. Ransom, 31, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and from Midlothian. One of eight airmen killed April 27, 2011, in a shooting at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas E. Retzer, 30, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL. Died June 26, 2003, from wounds sustained in a convoy attack near Gardez, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, 32, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Woodland, Calif. Died March 4, 2002, after falling from a helicopter in eastern Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David Sean Roddy, 32, based in Norfolk. Killed Sept. 16, 2006, by an improvised explosive device in Anbar province, Iraq. Army Spc. Tenzin L. Samten, 33, Prescott, Ariz. Based at Fort Eustis. Killed March 12, 2008, in a mortar attack in Tallil, Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl. Darrell J. Schumann, 25, Hampton. Died Jan. 26, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Ar Rutbah, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Clark Schwedler, 27, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Crystal Falls, Mich. Killed April 5, 2007, by enemy fire in Anbar province, Iraq. Army Sgt. Christopher C. Simpson, 23, Hampton. Killed March 17, 2008, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam O. Smith, 26, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Hurland, Mo. Died Sept. 21, 2010, in a helicopter crash during combat in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Luis A. Souffront, 25, Virginia Beach-based explosive ordnance disposal technician from Miami. Killed Feb. 7, 2008, by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Army Cpl. Shannon Lee Squires, 25, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 28, 2006, from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Mark Stets Jr., 39, Virginia Beach. Died Feb. 3, 2010, during a bomb attack on his convoy in Pakistan. Marine Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, Virginia Beach. Died Dec. 3, 2006, in a helicopter crash in Anbar province, Iraq. Army Pfc. Pendelton L. Sykes II, 25, Chesapeake. Killed April 6, 2005, in a helicopter crash in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Shawn D. Sykes, 28, Portsmouth. Died May 7, 2009, from wounds suffered in an accident at a combat post in Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class David M. Tapper, 32, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Camden County, N.J. Died Aug. 20, 2003, from combat wounds suffered in Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Midway, W.Va. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Navy Chief Petty Officer Collin Trent Thomas, 33, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Morehead, Ky. Died Aug. 18, 2010, during combat in eastern Afghanistan. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Robin L. Towns, 52, Upper Marlboro, Md.; Portsmouth native. Died Oct. 24, 2007, in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. Army Sgt. Tromaine K. Toy Sr., 24, Eastville. Died April 16, 2005, during combat in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan, 22, East Freetown, Mass. Died April 30, 2009, in combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 12 in Norfolk and was deployed with an East Coast-based Navy SEAL team. Army Pfc. Andrew L. Tuazon, 21, Chesapeake. Killed May 10, 2004, by hostile fire in Mosul, Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl. Kelly E.C. Watters, 19, Virginia Beach. Died June 11, 2008, from wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Watts, 28, Strawberry Plains, Tenn. Assigned to the Firebolt, a patrol craft based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Killed April 24, 2004, in a boat bombing in Iraqi waters. Army 1st Lt. Todd W. Weaver, 26, Hampton. Died Sept. 9, 2010, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Army Staff Sgt. Romanes L. Woodard, 30, Hertford, N.C. Killed April 6, 2005, in a helicopter crash in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Army Sgt. 1st Class William B. Woods, 31, Catawissa, Mo. Died Aug. 16, 2009, after being shot while on patrol in Afghanistan. Woods had lived with his wife in Chesapeake. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood, 26, Smithfield. Died July 21, 2005, from wounds from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Navy Lt. Miroslav "Steve" Zilberman, 31, Columbus, Ohio. Died March 31, 2010, after his plane crashed into the Arabian Gulf after a mission over Afghanistan. Lived in Virginia Beach with his wife and two children. War casualties since Memorial Day 2011 Army Capt. Michael W. Newton, 30, Newport News. Died June 11 in Afghanistan of non-combat-related injuries. Army Sgt. Robert G. Tenney Jr., 29, 2000 graduate of Princess Anne High School, hometown Warner Robins, Ga. Died June 29 in Badrah, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Darrik Benson, 28, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when his helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. Benson was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Brian Bill, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Bill was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Campbell, 36, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Campbell was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jared William Day, 28, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Day was an information systems tech and freefall parachutist. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class John Douangdara, 26, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Douangdara was a dog handler. Navy Chief Petty Officer John Faas, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Faas was a SEAL. Navy Chief Kevin Houston, 35, Chesapeake. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Houston was a SEAL. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jonas Kelsall, 32, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Kelsall was a SEAL. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Lou Langlais, 44, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Langlais was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Matt Mason, 37, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Mason was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Stephen Matt Mills, 35, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Mills was a SEAL. Navy Chief Petty Officer Nicholas Null, 30, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Null was an explosive ordnance disposal technician and freefall parachutist. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Tommy Ratzlaff, 34, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Ratzlaff was a SEAL. Navy Chief Robert James Reeves, 32, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Reeves was a SEAL. Navy Chief Heath Robinson, 34, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Robinson was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Strange, 25, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Strange was a cryptologic technician. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jon Tumilson, 35, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Tumilson was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Carson Vaughn, 30, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Vaughn was a SEAL. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Kraig Vickers, 36, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Vickers was an explosive ordnance disposal technician and free fall parachutist. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Workman, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 6 when insurgents shot down a helicopter in Afghanistan. Workman was a SEAL. Navy Petty Officer 1st class Caleb Andrew Nelson, 26, SEAL who lived in Norfolk. Died Oct. 1 when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Zabul province, Afghanistan while conducting combat operations in Helmand province. Marine Corps Maj. Samuel Mark Griffith, 36, Virginia Beach. Died Dec. 14 in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Timothy John "T.J." Conrad, 22, hometown Newport News, moved to Roanoke as a child. Died Feb. 23 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered under small arms fire. War casualties, 2002-11 Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Theophilus K. Ansong, 34, Bristol. Lost at sea Feb. 4, 2009, in the Gulf of Aden. Assigned to the Norfolk-based San Antonio. Army Sgt. Derek Banks, 24, Newport News. Died Nov. 14, 2007, from an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Staff Sgt. Mario J. Bievre, 34, Virginia Beach. Killed June 23, 2006, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. Tramaine J. Billingsley, 20, Portsmouth. Died Oct. 14, 2010 during combat operations between Moqur and Darreh-Ye-Bum, Afghanistan. Marine 2nd Lt. Joshua L. Booth, 23, Fiskdale, Mass., former resident of Virginia Beach. Died Oct. 17, 2006, during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Navy Chief Petty Officer Matthew J. Bourgeois, 35, a Little Creek-based SEAL. Died March 28, 2002, in an explosion near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Hoby Frank Bradfield Jr., 22, Woodlands, Texas, and 2001 graduate of Green Run High School in Virginia Beach. Died July 9, 2005, from enemy fire while on patrol in Tal Afar, Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Juantrea T. Bradley, 28, Greenville, N.C. Fort Eustis-based soldier, killed March 12, 2008, from a mortar attack at an operating base in Tallil, Iraq. Navy Chief Petty Officer Adam L. Brown, 36, Hot Springs, Ark. Died March 18, 2010, in Afghanistan. The SEAL lived in Virginia Beach with his wife and two children. Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Brown, 22, Newport News. Killed Jan. 7, 2006, by small-arms fire near Fallujah, Iraq. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24, Smithtown, N.Y. Assigned to the Firebolt, a patrol craft based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. Killed April 24, 2004, in a boat bombing in Iraqi waters. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher F. Cabacoy, 30, Virginia Beach. Died July 5, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Army Staff Sgt. Marshall H. Caddy, 27, Kitty Hawk, N.C. Died Nov. 16, 2004, in a vehicle collision in Khaladiyah, Iraq. Army Sgt. Carlos M. Camacho-Rivera, 24, Carolina, Puerto Rico. Based at Fort Story. Killed Nov. 5, 2004, in a rocket attack outside Fallujah, Iraq. Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark T. Carter, 27, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Fallbrook, Calif. Killed Dec. 11, 2007, during combat in Iraq. Army Sgt. Kenith Casica, 32, Virginia Beach. Killed Dec. 10, 2005, by small-arms fire in Baghdad. Air Force Airman 1st Class Leebernard E. Chavis, 21, Hampton. Killed Oct. 14, 2006, by enemy fire in Baghdad. Marine Lance Cpl. Cody S. Childers, 19, Chesapeake. Died Aug. 20, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Army Cpl. Shawn R. Creighton, 21, Windsor, N.C. Died April 14, 2006, when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Iraq. Army Spc. Sean R. Cutsforth, 22, a former student at Virginia Wesleyan College from Radford. Died Dec. 15, 2010 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire. Navy Chief Petty Officer Paul J. Darga, 34, Norfolk. Killed Aug. 22, 2006, by an improvised explosive device in Anbar province, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Phillip Daugherty, 28, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Barstow, Calif. Killed July 6, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pvt. Jason L. Deibler, 20, Hampton. Killed May 4, 2003, by a noncombat weapon discharge in Kuwait. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 25, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Littleton, Colo. Killed June 28, 2005, by enemy fire in Kunar province, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Jeremy M. Dimaranan, 29, Virginia Beach. Killed June 16, 2004, during a mortar attack in Balad, Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, Chesapeake. Killed Jan. 9, 2008, by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Army Sgt. Shawn M. Dunkin, 25, Alleghany County; family lived in Portsmouth. Died Feb. 19, 2007, in Baghdad after an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle. Marine Lance Cpl. Kielin T. Dunn, 19, Chesapeake. Died Feb. 18, 2010, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Marine Capt. James C. Edge, 31, Virginia Beach. Killed April 14, 2005, by small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq. Air Force Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and from New Haven, Conn. One of eight airmen killed April 27, 2011 in a shooting at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. Army Spc. Raymond J. Faulstich Jr., 24, Leonardtown, Md. Based at Fort Eustis. Killed Aug. 5, 2004, in a convoy attack in Najaf, Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Jason A. Fegler, 24, Virginia Beach. Died Nov. 4, 2005, in Baghdad. Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent A. Filpi III, 41, a Norfolk-based sailor from Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Died March 22, 2011 when he went overboard from the aircraft carrier Enterprise. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jacques J. Fontan, 36, Little Creek-based SEAL from New Orleans. Died June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jason R. Freiwald, 30, Dam Neck-based SEAL from Armada, Mich. Died Sept. 12, 2008, from combat injuries in Afghanistan. Army Pfc. Aaron D. Gautier, 19, Hampton. Died May 17, 2007, when his mounted patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. Matthew Eric George, 22, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 31, 2010 in Logar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Marine Cpl. Orville Gerena, 21, Puerto Rico, formerly of Virginia Beach. Died Feb. 6, 2006, during combat in Iraq. Army Chief Warrant Officer Travis W. Grogan, 31, Virginia Beach. Died Nov. 27, 2004, when his aircraft crashed in Bamian, Afghanistan. Navy Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy, 29, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Durham, N.H. Killed Feb. 4, 2008, by small-arms fire in Iraq. Marine Reserve Sgt. Bradley Harper Jr., 25, former Virginia Beach police officer. Killed Aug. 3, 2005, by a roadside bomb south of Haditha, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Harris, 36, Dam Neck-based SEAL from Lexington, N.C. Drowned Aug. 30, 2008, during combat in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Jonathan N. Hartman, 27, Orange Park, Fla., formerly of Portsmouth. Killed in action April 17, 2004, in Iraq. Army Sgt. Bruce E. Horner, 43, Newport News. Killed June 1, 2007, by small-arms fire in Iraq. Army Sgt. William R. Howdeshell, 37, Fort Stewart, Ga., former Norfolk resident. Died July 26, 2007, from combat injuries suffered in Iraq. Air Force Tech Sgt. William H. Jefferson, 34, Norfolk. Killed March 22, 2008, from an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Marine 1st Lt. Michael E. Johnson, 25, Virginia Beach. Died Sept. 8, 2009, during a firefight in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Jevon K. Jordan, 32, Norfolk. Died March 29, 2008, from wounds caused by an explosion in Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Kiernan, 37, Virginia Beach. Killed May 6, 2007, by sniper fire in Baghdad. Navy Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch, 29, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from State College, Pa. Killed Feb. 4, 2008, by small-arms fire in Iraq. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erik Kristensen, 33, a Little Creek-based SEAL. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Dale Lewis, 30, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Brookfield, Conn. Killed July 6, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. Lee A. Lewis Jr., 28, Norfolk. Died March 18, 2005, when his patrol was fired on in Sadr City, Iraq. Army Sgt. Mason L. Lewis, 26, Gloucester. Died Nov. 16, 2007, in Baghdad from injuries in a noncombat training accident. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Corbett, Ore. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Army Cpl. George Anthony Lutz, 25, Chesapeake. Killed Dec. 29, 2005, by sniper fire near Fallujah, Iraq. Army Chief Warrant Officer Ian D. Manuel, 23, Florida; relatives live in Chesapeake. Died Jan. 8, 2004, while piloting a Black Hawk helicopter shot down near Fallujah, Iraq. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer John Wayne Marcum, 34, Dam Neck-based SEAL from Flushing, Mich. Died Sept. 12, 2008, from injuries sustained in combat in Afghanistan. Army Chief Warrant Officer Jackie L. McFarlane, 30, Norfolk. Killed Aug. 14, 2007, in the crash of a helicopter outside Fallujah, Iraq. Navy Lt. Michael M. McGreevy Jr., 30, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Jeremy W. McHalffey, 28, Mabelvale, Ark.; family lived in Virginia Beach. Died Jan. 4, 2005, when his Humvee rolled over a homemade bomb in Taji, Iraq. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer David Blake McLendon, 30, a Virginia Beach-based sailor from Thomasville, Ga. Died Sept. 21, 2010 in a helicopter crash during combat in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jeremiah E. McNeal, 23, Norfolk. Died April 6, 2008, from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Richard McRill, 42, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Lake Placid, Fla. Killed July 6, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Army Pfc. William "Lee" Meredith, 26, Virginia Beach. Died Sept. 20, 2009, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Army Spc. William Kyle Middleton, 26, Norfolk. Died Nov. 22, 2010 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Denis C. Miranda, 24, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Toms River, N.J. Died Sept. 21, 2010 in a helicopter crash during combat in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, 30, Raynham, Mass.; family lived in Virginia Beach. Died June 21, 2006, during combat near Gowardesh, Afghanistan. Army Sgt. 1st Class Marvin Lee Miller, 38, Dunn, N.C. Died April 7, 2004, shot while on traffic duty in Balad, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Ouellette, 37, a Little Creek-based SEAL from Waltham, Mass. Killed May 29, 2004, when his vehicle hit a mine in Zabul, Afghanistan. Marine Sgt. Jayton D. Patterson, 26, Sedley. Died Jan. 15, 2005, in action in Babil province, Iraq. Army Sgt. Michael C. Peek, 23, Chesapeake. Killed March 3, 2007, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael J. Pernaselli, 27, Brighton, N.Y. Assigned to the Firebolt, a patrol craft based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Killed April 24, 2004, in a boat bombing in Iraqi waters. Marine Lance Cpl. Steven L. Phillips, 27, Spraggs, Pa., former Chesapeake resident. Died Feb. 7, 2006, after a vehicle crash during combat operations near Al Qaim, Iraq. Marine Sgt. Lucas T. Pyeatt, 24, West Chester, Ohio. Died Feb. 5, 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was a 2004 graduate of Woodside High School in Newport News. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tony M. Randolph, 22, Henryetta, Okla. Died July 6, 2009, in an improvised explosive device attack on his convoy in Afghanistan. He spent a year at Joint Forces Staff College. Air Force Maj. Charles A. Ransom, 31, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis and from Midlothian. One of eight airmen killed April 27, 2011 in a shooting at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas E. Retzer, 30, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL. Died June 26, 2003, from wounds sustained in a convoy attack near Gardez, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, 32, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Woodland, Calif. Died March 4, 2002, after falling from a helicopter in eastern Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David Sean Roddy, 32, based in Norfolk. Killed Sept. 16, 2006, by an improvised explosive device in Anbar province, Iraq. Army Spc. Tenzin L. Samten, 33, Prescott, Ariz. Based at Fort Eustis. Killed March 12, 2008, in a mortar attack in Tallil, Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl. Darrell J. Schumann, 25, Hampton. Died Jan. 26, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Ar Rutbah, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Clark Schwedler, 27, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Crystal Falls, Mich. Killed April 5, 2007, by enemy fire in Anbar province, Iraq. Army Sgt. Christopher C. Simpson, 23, Hampton. Killed March 17, 2008, by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam O. Smith, 26, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Hurland, Mo. Died Sept. 21, 2010 in a helicopter crash during combat in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Luis A. Souffront, 25, Virginia Beach-based explosive ordnance disposal technician from Miami. Killed Feb. 7, 2008, by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Army Cpl. Shannon Lee Squires, 25, Virginia Beach. Died Aug. 28, 2006, from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Army Staff Sgt. Mark Stets Jr., 39, Virginia Beach. Died Feb. 3, 2010, during a bomb attack on his convoy in Pakistan. Marine Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, Virginia Beach. Died Dec. 3, 2006, in a helicopter crash in Anbar province, Iraq. Army Pfc. Pendelton L. Sykes II, 25, Chesapeake. Killed April 6, 2005, in a helicopter crash in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Army Spc. Shawn D. Sykes, 28, Portsmouth. Died May 7, 2009, from wounds suffered in an accident at a combat post in Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class David M. Tapper, 32, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Camden County, N.J. Died Aug. 20, 2003, from combat wounds suffered in Afghanistan. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Midway, W.Va. Killed June 28, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Navy Chief Petty Officer Collin Trent Thomas, 33, a Virginia Beach-based SEAL from Morehead, Ky. Died Aug. 18, 2010 during combat in eastern Afghanistan. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Robin L. Towns, 52, Upper Marlboro, Md.; Portsmouth native. Died Oct. 24, 2007, in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. Army Sgt. Tromaine K. Toy Sr., 24, Eastville. Died April 16, 2005, during combat in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan, 22, East Freetown, Mass. Died April 30, 2009, in combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 12 in Norfolk and was deployed with an East Coast-based Navy SEAL team. Army Pfc. Andrew L. Tuazon, 21, Chesapeake. Killed May 10, 2004, by hostile fire in Mosul, Iraq. Marine Lance Cpl. Kelly E.C. Watters, 19, Virginia Beach. Died June 11, 2008, from wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Watts, 28, Strawberry Plains, Tenn. Assigned to the Firebolt, a patrol craft based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. Killed April 24, 2004, in a boat bombing in Iraqi waters. Army 1st Lt. Todd W. Weaver, 26, Hampton. Died Sept. 9, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Army Staff Sgt. Romanes L. Woodard, 30, Hertford, N.C. Killed April 6, 2005, in a helicopter crash in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Army Sgt. 1st Class William B. Woods, 31, Catawissa, Mo. Died Aug. 16, 2009, after being shot while on patrol in Afghanistan. Woods had lived with his wife in Chesapeake. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood, 26, Smithfield. Died July 21, 2005, from wounds from an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Navy Lt. Miroslav "Steve" Zilberman, 31, Columbus, Ohio. Died March 31, 2010, after his plane crashed into the Arabian Gulf after a mission over Afghanistan. Lived in Virginia Beach with his wife and two children. Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Those who gave all Those who gave all The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641159 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641016 2012-05-25T20:46:34-04:00 2012-05-28T00:00:00-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

 Last week, Gov. Bob McDonnell and the Department of Transportation unveiled a series of electronic signs to help motorists find the quickest route to the Oceanfront. But I reworked these signs to provide a more accurate measure on how far visitors are from Virginia Beach fun.

 Last week, Gov. Bob McDonnell and the Department of Transportation unveiled a series of electronic signs to help motorists find the quickest route to the Oceanfront. But I reworked these signs to provide a more accurate measure on how far visitors are from Virginia Beach fun. Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Gruss: VDOT missed the mark on road signs Gruss: VDOT missed the mark on road signs The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641016 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641174 2012-05-27T22:18:58-04:00 2012-05-27T22:11:16-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

The question went to the heart of what it means to be a community college. Do the demographics of Tidewater Community College match those of the region it serves? Twenty years ago, the answer was no.

The question went to the heart of what it means to be a community college. Do the demographics of Tidewater Community College match those of the region it serves? Twenty years ago, the answer was no. In 1991, 14 percent of the student body was African American, in a region where blacks make up about 33 percent of the population. College officials noticed, and when a new president, Deborah DiCroce, arrived a few years later, they acted. "When Dr. DiCroce came here, one of the things she wanted to accomplish was to put our money where our mouth is," recalled Curt Aasen, director of the college's Office of Institutional Effectiveness. "If our mission is to provide access to education for the local community, then why don't our demographics match those of the community? She wanted to close the gap." Today, it's closed: Nearly 34 percent of TCC's students are African American. According to data gathered by the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia, it has the largest undergraduate African American enrollment in Virginia higher education - the school counted 10,597 last fall. What's more, TCC now ranks 10th in the nation among two-year community colleges in the production of associate degrees for African Americans, according to Community College Week, an education journal. How did it happen? TCC officials point to a combination of location and programming designed to better reach all groups in Hampton Roads, including African Americans. Some say the college's marketing strategy also played a role, along with a push to get more minorities on the faculty. "TCC has done a great job, a wonderful job, getting not just African American enrollment higher, but getting people who are nontraditional students, who are over the age of 30, back into school to get their degrees," said Tristan Breaux, first vice president of the Norfolk branch of the NAACP. "If you're not prepared to go to college, but you know you want to go to school, TCC has always been a catalyst for getting in the door." According to college officials, the moves that made the biggest difference were geographic. First, in 1997, the college opened a campus in downtown Norfolk, providing easy access for Norfolk residents, of whom about 43 percent are African American. In 1999, TCC began looking at moving its Portsmouth campus from a spot just over the city line, in suburban Suffolk, to the heart of Portsmouth. At the time, college leaders said too many students attending classes on that campus came from Chesapeake and Suffolk - a clear sign the college wasn't reaching the people of Portsmouth. In 2008, the college moved into a brand-new facility just off Victory Boulevard. Portsmouth is majority African American, so many more of the students at the new campus were black. Before the move, African American students made up 46 percent of the Portsmouth campus student body; now they make up 53 percent, the same as for the city as a whole, according to data from the college. But geography was just part of the plan. Peter Spina, interim president of TCC, said a program called First College has helped by bringing students from Portsmouth high schools to the college. Then - the hope is - they get hooked on going to college. Spina also noted the state has a program through which TCC brings in minority adjunct professors just as they're finishing their doctorates. The college gives them teaching experience and support and ultimately gains professors whom minority students might see as role models, he said. Breaux, with the NAACP, said he believes another factor may be the college's marketing slogan, "From here, go anywhere." He said it struck a chord with nontraditional students at the exact time the recession had them thinking about where they would go next. "'I'll go back to school' - the light bulb goes off," Breaux said. But while African American enrollment is rising, Aasen said, the graduation numbers haven't kept pace: While 34 percent of the student body is black, only about 28 percent of this year's graduates were. It's something the college is working on, he said. "Access is part of the equation," Aasen said. "Getting students through is the other part." For this, too, the college has programs. Notably, the Open Door Project helps students - mostly African American - who are the first in their families to go to college. They get counseling, advice, tutoring and moral support to help them navigate through TCC to their next degree or job. It worked for Sir James Weaver, a recent graduate of TCC who is African American. In 2008, he said, he moved to the Churchland section of Portsmouth to take care of his grandmother. Soon he enrolled in TCC and connected with the Open Door Project. Balancing the demands of caregiving with school wasn't easy, he said, but the program's lessons in time management and financial literacy helped. This spring Weaver, who wants to go to law school, graduated magna cum laude with offers of admission from Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason universities. TCC, he said, helped him both inside and outside the classroom. "I would say it was arduous, but through perseverance, it was all overcome." Weaver said. "It was all worth it." Elisabeth Hulette, 757-222-5097, elisabeth.hulette@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Black enrollment, degrees earned up at TCC Black enrollment, degrees earned up at TCC The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641174 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641173 2012-05-28T00:01:26-04:00 2012-05-27T22:02:31-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

VIRGINIA BEACH On the lawn of Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church, a field of American flags waved in the wind, as if saying hello to the cars zooming past on Laskin Road. A woman pulled to a stop, held her cellphone out the car window and snapped a photograph before driving away.

VIRGINIA BEACH On the lawn of Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church, a field of American flags waved in the wind, as if saying hello to the cars zooming past on Laskin Road. A woman pulled to a stop, held her cellphone out the car window and snapped a photograph before driving away. There are 6,460 miniature flags in all - one for each American service member killed during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Parishioners planted them in the ground Sunday, just in time for Memorial Day. The morning began with an outdoor service. Facing a wooden cross, the congregation - about 270 people in all - gathered on benches and folding chairs, under a canopy of trees. Afterward, flags in hand, they headed for two grassy areas in front of the church to create the patriotic display. The Rev. James Sell, the transitional rector, had heard of similar flag plantings at other churches. He pitched the idea to parishioners and asked for donations to cover the cost of the flags. They were eager to help. Marty Thumel researched the names of the fallen. She compiled the typed list - including date of death, age, rank and unit - in a burgundy binder. It spans 70 pages, double-sided. "I wanted each of these flags to have a name," Thumel said. Sunday afternoon, the flags flapped in the breeze, a stunning reminder of the many lives lost in the past decade. They sat in the shadow of a larger American flag atop a metal pole. There they'll remain through Flag Day - June 14 - and maybe even until the Fourth of July if the grass doesn't get too high. An SUV pulled into the largely empty church parking lot. A man stepped out, then a woman. They walked to the edge of the lawn and paused. His arm draped over her shoulder. They stayed only a few minutes - to pay tribute, he said, wishing to remain anonymous. Hattie Brown Garrow, 757-222-5562, hattie.brown@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Virginia Beach church pays tribute to fallen troops Virginia Beach church pays tribute to fallen troops The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641173 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641171 2012-05-27T23:58:14-04:00 2012-05-27T21:52:04-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

VIRGINIA BEACH Imagine riding a train to shop at Whole Foods, browse through swanky boutiques or dine at some of the area's most upscale restaurants. Long-range city planners have suggested taking the proposed light-rail line to the popular Hilltop shopping area - a new idea that has some City Council members and residents excited.

VIRGINIA BEACH Imagine riding a train to shop at Whole Foods, browse through swanky boutiques or dine at some of the area's most upscale restaurants. Long-range city planners have suggested taking the proposed light-rail line to the popular Hilltop shopping area - a new idea that has some City Council members and residents excited. This would require diverting the line off the former Norfolk Southern right-of-way and up Laskin Road along one of the feeder streets that flank both sides of the busy artery. "Since you're going to be rebuilding Laskin Road in the future to begin with, why not take advantage of all that right-of-way and just put the transit in there?" said Paul Ostergaard, senior vice president for Urban Design Associates. Ostergaard's firm is helping develop a master plan for the Hilltop Strategic Growth Area - one of eight designated areas citywide. The draft plan was unveiled to the council last week. It has been forwarded as well to Hampton Roads Transit to be considered as part of a federal feasibility study on extending The Tide light-rail system from Norfolk into Virginia Beach. City staffers stressed that the idea is contingent upon the city moving forward with light rail. Virginia Beach voters will weigh in on the prospect in an advisory, nonbinding referendum this fall. Initial plans placed the Hilltop light-rail station two miles from the shopping center along the city-owned rail corridor on Potters Road, near Oceana Naval Air Station and across the street from a scrap yard. Residents who came to public planning meetings instead suggested taking the route directly to the popular shopping center, said Deborah Zywna, a city planner who coordinated the Hilltop master plan. "This idea really came from our citizens," Zywna said. Numerous residents also complained at the planning meetings about the confusing and dangerous traffic patterns caused by the two-way feeder streets that run along either side of Laskin. "For people visiting from out of town, it's terrifying to drive on those frontage roads," Ostergaard said. "This is a much better use." Councilman Jim Wood praised the suggestion, noting it would move the station out of a potential crash zone for Navy jets. "I think it's fair to say it's the Navy's preferred alternative as well," Wood said. Mayor Will Sessoms called Hilltop a "calling card" for the city and said light rail ought to go there. Doing so would likely boost ridership and could make light rail more viable, Councilman John Uhrin said. "We were bypassing certainly one of the most vibrant shopping areas in the city," he said. Four options are being weighed for bringing the line from Laskin Road to the Virginia Beach Convention Center: sending the line south from Laskin along First Colonial Road back to the city-owned railroad right-of-way; taking the trains east along Virginia Beach Boulevard to Birdneck; taking the route east along on I-264 to Birdneck; and continuing the line along Laskin all the way to Birdneck Road. Each of the alternatives will be considered as part of the $6.6 million federal feasibility study, scheduled to be completed next year. Mike Hixenbaugh, 757-222-5117, mike.hixenbaugh@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Residents, city planners suggest light rail to Hilltop Residents, city planners suggest light rail to Hilltop The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641171 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641170 2012-05-27T21:49:34-04:00 2012-05-27T21:43:56-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

VIRGINIA BEACH If Chic's Beach residents want to snuff out smoking on their waterfront, it looks like they're going to have to take the issue to Richmond.

VIRGINIA BEACH If Chic's Beach residents want to snuff out smoking on their waterfront, it looks like they're going to have to take the issue to Richmond. The Chesapeake Beach Civic League voted May 17 in support of outlawing smoking on beaches along the Chesapeake Bay, citing health risks and problems with cigarette-butt litter, and planned to ask the City Council in June to consider imposing the ban. But, according to an opinion by City Attorney Mark Stiles, the council doesn't have that authority. "I believe that the City would need to have legislative authority granted to it by the General Assembly in order to prohibit smoking on Chesapeake Beach," Stiles wrote in an email to city Councilman Bill DeSteph. Stiles cited a previous opinion by the state attorney general's office saying localities cannot prohibit smoking in areas other than those listed in the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act. Beaches aren't on the list. But Chic's Beach native Donny Damon, who's spearheading the effort, said he's not discouraged and plans to bring the issue to Del. Chris Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, whose district includes Chic's Beach. "I'm feeling very optimistic about it," Damon said. "It's a win-win for health and it's a win-win for the environment." Stolle said he'll need to research the issue more before deciding whether to sponsor a bill permitting localities to ban smoking on beaches. Similar bills have failed, such as efforts during this year's legislative session to allow localities to ban smoking in public parks, he said. "I think a ban on smoking in public is going to face a lot of resistance," he said. "... But I'm happy to hear about any legislation and any efforts by the citizens to improve how they live." A better option may be to step up enforcement of existing litter laws, DeSteph said. "It really is just duplicative," he said of the proposed smoking ban. "There's nothing that that would do that we can't already do under the littering ban. I mean, at some point we're talking about legislating morality." Vice Mayor Louis Jones, whose district includes Chic's Beach, said he'll have to weigh how much support the ban has before pursuing the issue. The Virginia Beach chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the beach and ocean, has started a petition to gather support for the proposal. Damon said he's encouraging supporters to sign the petition and plans to bring the issue to Stolle this week. The General Assembly reconvenes in January. "This is a start," Damon said. "Change is inevitable." Kathy Adams, 757-222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Anti-smokers told state, not Va. Beach, has power Anti-smokers told state, not Va. Beach, has power The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641170 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641169 2012-05-27T21:42:05-04:00 2012-05-27T21:40:55-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

News that Don Larsen will be auctioning off the jersey and pants he wore during his World Series perfect game in 1956 comes as a surprise. By now you'd think the uniform would already be in the hands of a collector.

News that Don Larsen will be auctioning off the jersey and pants he wore during his World Series perfect game in 1956 comes as a surprise. By now you'd think the uniform would already be in the hands of a collector. Larsen told The New York Times from his home in Hayden Lake, Idaho, that he's selling his Yankees uniform to provide his two grandsons with college tuition. Judging from recent transactions in the memorabilia market, his grandsons might be able to endow a few scholarships themselves. Larsen said he doesn't know what his flannel relic will fetch, but when the jersey and pants Yogi Berra wore the day he caught Larsen's masterpiece were placed in auction two years ago, they brought $565,000. The sports memorabilia business, so much in the news when Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds busted the record books and people with more money than sense bid millions on milestone baseballs, is still very much with us, though less noticeable than before. A Babe Ruth Yankees road jersey from 1920 quietly went at auction this month for $4.4 million, a record for a sports artifact. Ruth was an outsized athlete whose legacy is being sold off at out-of-this world prices. Larsen, by contrast, went back to being a journeyman righthander - he had an 81-91 record with seven teams over 14 seasons - after retiring all 27 Brooklyn Dodgers he faced Oct. 8, 1956. World Series perfection has its privileges, though. The 82-year-old Larsen never made more than $20,000 a season, but the perks that come with making history followed him. "That one game has helped me tremendously over the years with paid appearances at card shows, conventions, all sorts of things," he said. Larsen auctioned his cap, glove, shoes and the last-out baseball from his special game in 2002, selling them for $120,750. That money went into a trust for his grandchildren. He's held onto his uniform until now, he said, because he'll miss his old pinstripes most of all. What are sports artifacts really worth? The answer is always the same: whatever somebody is willing to pay. If I had more mad money than I knew what to do with, I might consider throwing it away on an iconic uniform, though never on a mere baseball. A jersey provides clear identification with the icon who wore it, sweated in it, got dirt on it. But a baseball? A baseball is only a baseball, even if it's lucky enough to leave the yard the day a slugger breaks a home run record. During the bidding war over McGwire's 70th home run in 1998, toy manufacturer Todd McFarlane plunked down $3 million for an object worth about six bucks. "The No. 70 ball," McFarlane said at the time, "is an unmatched piece of sports memorabilia." It stopped being unmatched the day Barry Bonds hit home run No. 71, on his way to 73, in 2001. But as memorabilia, no baseball is actually unique unless it's signed by a unique or treasured athlete. Each ball looks like every other ball, doesn't it? Even batting practice balls. Also, unlike uniforms or bats, baseballs don't actually belong to any one player. In 1998, McFarlane put an assortment of milestone McGwire home run balls on display around the country. Every one of them looked pretty much the same as the No. 62 McGwire home run ball that Cardinals groundskeeper Tim Forneris gave to McGwire, no strings attached. That obviously meant something special to McGwire, but as an objet d'art or a trinket of historical significance, baseballs generally fall far short of the fence. If a 1-percenter just has to blow his money on a baseball artifact, better it be spent on the old uniform of a history-maker. "I will miss it when it goes," said Larsen, "because I have a whole lifetime of memories wrapped up in it." Let the bidding begin. Bob Molinaro, 757-446-2373, bob.molinaro@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Perfect uniform the latest piece of history to go on block Perfect uniform the latest piece of history to go on block The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641169 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641167 2012-05-27T23:58:11-04:00 2012-05-27T21:29:35-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK As city leaders prepare for a meeting to discuss Waterside's future, the conversation has shifted to parking and the importance of enhancing the city's marina.

NORFOLK As city leaders prepare for a meeting to discuss Waterside's future, the conversation has shifted to parking and the importance of enhancing the city's marina. Several council members said if the city can link Waterside to light rail and provide free or discounted parking, especially at the Waterside garage across the street, more people might visit. But Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot questioned the logic of free parking, since the city both needs the revenue and has been working to wean people from their vehicles. People should feel safe enough to walk from a light-rail station to Waterside, Councilman Tommy Smigiel said. Others also say The Cordish Cos., the developer recommended to transform Waterside into an entertainment destination, should work with the city to draw more boaters to its marina. "I watch the yachts come through our own inner harbor and as they come through, a lot of them go right past us," Councilman Andy Protogyrou said last week. What will Cordish do to capture that business, he asked. Council members have repeatedly said that they want more details from Cordish about its plans, which would add as many as 13 restaurants to Waterside. City Manager Marcus Jones recommended more than a month ago that the city partner with the Baltimore-based company. Jones collected questions from council members last week about the project. City leaders will get answers during a June 5 meeting. Cordish would spend $30 million overhauling the facility. The company has not asked for money up front from the city, but it is seeking tax breaks on admission, food and beverage sales. Hailed as a marvel when it was built in 1983, Waterside was a popular community gathering spot and a central part of life in Norfolk for years. When it first opened, Waterside was packed with local restaurants and entertainment-based retail. Since 2010, the city has been trying to revive the struggling marketplace. Councilman Paul R. Riddick appears to be the only official who wants to discuss selling the property. A property sale would get the city "out of it," he said. As of last summer, the property has an assessed value of $8.6 million, according to a city document. "That gives us a good piece of change for whatever it's worth, and we'll just be out of that business and we'll never have to worry about it again," Riddick said. "I think that would be a short-term fix with short-term money," Councilwoman Angelia Williams said. Jillian Nolin, 757-446-2326, jillian.nolin@pilotonline.com Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Parking, better marina focus of Waterside talks Parking, better marina focus of Waterside talks The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641167 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641163 2012-05-27T21:21:01-04:00 2012-05-27T21:15:22-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

Six scoreless innings became a race for the finish as the Durham Bulls clinched a victory over the Tides in extra innings Sunday afternoon. solid on the mound Norfolk starter Jason Berken breezed through seven scoreless frames, allowing just three hits while recording five strikeouts and two walks.

Six scoreless innings became a race for the finish as the Durham Bulls clinched a victory over the Tides in extra innings Sunday afternoon. solid on the mound Norfolk starter Jason Berken breezed through seven scoreless frames, allowing just three hits while recording five strikeouts and two walks. "Today was good. I was able to locate my fastball," Berken said. "Robby (catcher Chris Robinson) called a great game; we were on the same page the whole time. He deserves a lot of credit as well." Berken tossed 89 pitches, 56 for strikes, before being relieved by Zach Phillips. lots of late action The game was scoreless until the seventh, when Tides first baseman Joe Mahoney scored on shortstop Blake Davis' triple to center. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Bulls tied the score 1-1 in the eighth on right fielder Jeff Salazar's double down the right- field line, scoring shortstop Reid Brignac. After a quick and uneventful ninth,Durham snatched the lead for good when pinch runner Shawn O'Mally scored on Brignac's RBI single to right The Bulls finished the scoring when Brignac came home on Salazar's single to left center. call it a field day Tides left fielder Bill Hall owned the outfield Sunday afternoon. Demonstrating speed and accuracy, he hustled to make four put- outs. "I'm just trying to be an athlete," Hall said. "I just have to get back into the flow and work on my timing." Hall has hit safely in 10 of his past 14 outings with the Tides, adding two home runs and seven RBIs. the three mainstays Norfolk's roster has seen a multitude of players come and go since the start of the season. Mahoney, Robinson and right fielder Jamie Hoffmann are the only players who have yet to move up to the majors or down in the minors. guest appearance Harbor Park welcomed two guests. Alex Killorn and Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals, who open the Calder Cup championship series this week, were participants in the Brute Shave Challenge. Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Tides fall to Durham in 10 innings Tides fall to Durham in 10 innings The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641163 Change 0 Usable urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641158 2012-05-27T22:09:08-04:00 2012-05-27T19:20:48-04:00 Copyright The Virginian-Pilot

Courts and municipal offices Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach City offices and courts will be closed today. Financial institutions Most banks and credit unions will be closed today. Contact specific institutions. Garbage collection Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk and Virginia Beach No scheduled trash collections today.

Courts and municipal offices Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach City offices and courts will be closed today. Financial institutions Most banks and credit unions will be closed today. Contact specific institutions. Garbage collection Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk and Virginia Beach No scheduled trash collections today. Portsmouth Trash normally collected today will be picked up Wednesday. Hampton Roads Transit Today, HRT buses and light rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. Customer service hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 757-222-6100. Postal service Post offices will be closed today with no regular mail delivery. Public libraries Chesapeake Closed today, but book drops will be open. Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach Closed today. Suffolk Closed today. Suffolk Art Gallery will be closed today. Public schools Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach Closed today. Recreation centers Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach Closed today. Norfolk Closed today. Adult softball league games have been canceled today. Suffolk All joint use centers will be closed today. East Suffolk Recreation Center will be closed today. State offices DMV All Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles customer service centers will be closed today. Service for many common transactions is available at www.dmvnow.com and 888-337-4782. ABC Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control stores will be open today until 6 p.m. Norfolk, VA Staff Writer Memorial Day closings across Hampton Roads Memorial Day closings across Hampton Roads The Virginian-Pilot urn:publicid:pilotonline.com:641158 Change 0 Usable