Four major civil war battles were fought in and around Fredericksburg, including the Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Chancellorsville, the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. More than 85,000 men were wounded in these battles and 15,000 were killed. According to the National Park Service website it states that, “No place more vividly reflects the Civil War’s tragic cost, in all its forms. These places reveal the trials of a community and nation at war.” Visitors can explore all of these battlefield sites and the NPS has helpful information listed on its website, including directions, hours of operation, and areas that have guided tours. 

So, taking all of that into consideration, it’s no wonder that Fredericksburg has been considered by many to be the most haunted city in the United States. If you love Halloween and wish it lasted longer than one day, Fredericksburg is the place to be if you would like to give yourself a scare year round. There are a few ghost tours that visitors can go on, including the Ghosts of Fredericksburg Tours, which combines history with ghost tales. The tours are every Friday and Saturday night and they are led by costumed guides that will take you on an 80-minute tour of the historic downtown area.

There are additional tours available in the downtown area that are a little less spooky, including one you can take by trolley, which is available almost year round. The Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg transports visitors through what it states is “America’s Most Historic City,” and helps them learn about the city’s rich past while taking the sites in along the way.

Another option for a tour is by way of the “City of Fredericksburg,” a 100-foot boat that resembles a steamboat. Brunch and dinner cruises are available that will take you on a tour of the scenic Rappahannock River and there are also two decks, a dance floor, dining and bar on the boat.

The historic downtown area is also home to the Civil War Life Museum, which is located at  829 Caroline Street. The museum has original artifacts on display as well as a tintype photography studio where you can have your own Civil War tintype picture made, and a 3-D theater that uses photographic images called “stereographs.”

The downtown area may be haunted, but it’s also a great place to go shopping, get a bite to eat and enjoy the arts. Visitors can stop into the Art First Gallery located in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg on Caroline Street. The gallery’s website states that it’s the “first established artists’ cooperative,” with exhibits that change monthly and feature everything from painting to photography.

A great place to get lunch or dinner is Sammy T’s, which is located on the corner of  Caroline and Hanover Streets and only one block from the Visitor’s Center. It has a menu that caters to vegetarians, but meat eaters can also enjoy their cuisine along with many of their specialty imported beers that are available. But, if you need an energy boost after taking a long tour, Hyperion Espresso is the place for you. It’s a staple in the downtown area, and it has great coffee, espresso, snacks and atmosphere.

If you’re not a big history buff and you don’t like to take tours, there are many great places to shop in the historic district, including the Irish Eyes gift shop and Corky’s which has clothing, shoes, jewelry and more for sale. There are also numerous antique stores lining the streets of the downtown area that may contain a Civil War relic or two.  If you still want to walk around and spend money, then Central Park is the place to go next and it’s only a short ten minute drive from the downtown historic area. It’s a 310-acre shopping area full of department stores and restaurants including DSW, Target, Walmart and Bonefish Grill.

If you are the outdoorsy type, the Rappahannock River is a great place to be on a hot summer day. Many Fredericksburg residents go tubing down the river, but there is also the Clore Bros. Outfitters, where you can rent a canoe and kayak to take down the river. The Fredericksburg Farmer’s Market is also a place where you can walk around and purchase produce, meat, baked goods and plants. The market runs during the growing season, which is April through October, and is located near Hurkamp Park and Prince Edward and George Streets.

But, if you had to pick one place to go in Fredericksburg it should be Carl’s Ice Cream, located on 2200 Princess Anne Street, which is famous for its soft-serve ice cream and long lines that will be wrapped around the block. Carl’s has been open since 1947 and has maintained its popularity ever since. It is open every day from mid-February to mid-November. 

Fredericksburg is a diverse area that has so much to offer visitors. You could make a day trip and just go to the downtown historic area, or you could spend a whole weekend exploring the Civil War battlefields and taking a tour or two. Central Park would take you weeks to fully explore and a big wallet, because there are so many businesses and stores in this area.

This is view from the top of HumpBack Rocks, a popular hiking trail outside of Charlottesville. Photo by Jaclyn O'Laughlin

Charlottesville’s beauty and landscape offer residents many opportunities to attain a well-balanced life thanks to the area’s countless aesthetic qualities, and visitors are also attracted to the area’s diverse offerings, such as the mountains, music, museums and wineries.

 As you drive towards the city, especially if you are heading west on Interstate 64 from Richmond, you can’t help but be distracted by the mountains that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Once you get your attention back to the road and to driving, one of the best places to explore first is the downtown mall, which is known for its outdoor cafes, art galleries, and specialty boutiques.

Getting coffee at the Mudhouse is a must, and its name rings true for its product-it’s strong, but delicious. After you get that much-needed boost of caffeine, another worthwhile stop is Cha Cha’s, which is a store that has fun knickknacks and jewelry that can’t be found anywhere else.

If your main reason for coming to Charlottesville is for music, you won’t be disappointed. There are many restaurants and bars that have live music, including Miller’s, which is a hot spot for locals and visitors on the weekends.

Another great place to see a show is The Paramount Theatre, which is a landmark in the downtown mall area. According to the venue’s official website, the facility was built in 1931 as a movie theater and during the Great Depression it maintained its popularity until the doors shut in 1974. After a revitalization effort was made by the non-profit Paramount Theater, Inc., the group revamped the theater and reopened it in 2004. It is now a great place to see a Shakespeare play, an independent movie, or a national act, such as Norah Jones.

The Charlottesville Pavilion is also another great music venue, which is only a short stroll from the Paramount Theater. When the weather is warm, the downtown area comes alive with music, thanks to the Pavilion which hosts the Fridays after Five event during the spring and summer. This year’s series gets underway on April 16, but the venue also hosts world-renowned acts almost daily during the summer season. The venue’s website lists a calendar of events, and some of the upcoming shows include The Flaming Lips and Ben Harper.

If fresh produce is something that you’re interested in, Charlottesville has that too. The City Market offers fresh produce, including herbs, organic meat and baked goods from local vendors every Saturday from April-November.

If you grow tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, you can easily escape to the mountains for a hike or venture out to a winery for a tasting. 

During the fall, the Charlottesville area is hands down one of the best places to visit for the annual light show performed by the changing leaves. You also can’t beat the drive up into the mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the many trails that await you. One of the favorite destinations for visitors is Humpback Rocks, and if you can deal with a medium difficulty hike, your reward will be a great view of the Shenandoah Valley once you get to the top. If you would like to stick close to the ground, the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center was renovated in 2000 with new exhibits that focus on the lives of nineteenth century mountain settlers, including farm buildings that you can tour.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Association has a website that provides travelers with maps of the area, if you are interested in finding out what other hikes are available.

If you need to relax after a strenuous hike, you don’t have to travel far. The Charlottesville area also offers a trail that is not meant for exercise, but for pure enjoyment. The Monticello Wine Trail will take you to 22 wineries throughout the central Virginia region, which will give you a sampling of the great wine that is now coming out of the commonwealth.

Barboursville Vineyards is one of the 22 wineries located on the Monticello Wine Trail. Photo by Jaclyn O'Laughlin

Virginia is earning a great reputation for the quality of its wine, and is in a way, becoming a “mini” Napa Valley. Wine production has increasingly expanded throughout the state during the 1990s, and Virginia now has about 150 wineries. In a recent article, Travel + Leisure magazine said that Virginia is one of the top five regions in the world to visit for wine.  

Our nation’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, was a connoisseur of wine and was considered by some to be the first and greatest viticulturist of our country. One of the wineries located on the Monticello Wine Trail is Jefferson Vineyards, which is where Jefferson began growing his first grapes back in 1774.

Jefferson Vineyards is within site of Monticello, Jefferson’s famous home. So after you sample wine, you can tour Monticello or head on over to Michie Tavern, which according to its website, has welcomed travelers for more than 200 years. Visitors can dine at the tavern and take a tour of the Meadow Run Mill, clothier shop and general store. 

If you are still looking to delve deep into Virginia’s rich history, you can take a tour of Ash Lawn-Highland, which was James Monroe’s home. Visitors can see the historic house/museum, 535-acre working farm, and sometimes they hold special events such as wine tasting.

Charlottesville is a diverse area that could entertain every type of person out there-the wine enthusiast, history buff and mountain explorer. The only problem you will face is how to best budget your time in this great spot.

One of the best spots to go first is Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area, and tour guide Harry Taylor would be the first to tell you that, since he commutes over 100 miles each day to get there. He feels privileged to work in a place where he gets paid to learn and to teach visitors on a daily basis.

Taylor’s job is to provide visitors with snippets of Williamsburg’s history and to direct them on how to best use their time while in the area. Many of the places that visitors can explore require a ticket, which are available for purchase at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor’s Center or online on the official Colonial Williamsburg website, with prices ranging from $28 to $58 for adults, depending on the season and if you would like a day or annual pass.

If you spent most of your money on the gas to get to Williamsburg, it’s fun just to walk around and soak up the scenery-from the Governor’s Palace on the Palace Green to the wigmaker’s shop on Duke of Gloucester Street. Taylor explained that out of the 300 buildings that were reconstructed in Colonial Williamsburg, 88 of those are original buildings, which were revitalized in the 1920s thanks to private donors such as John D. Rockefeller. Before the area was transformed into a tourist destination, it’s hard to believe that U.S. Route 60 ran right between these buildings so rich with our nation’s history.

According to Taylor, some sites are free to tour or suggest a $1 donation. One of those sites is the almost 300-year old Bruton Parish Church, which is the third church that has been built on the site since 1683. The church, which has a lot of history within its walls, still continues to hold services several times a week and concerts are held quarterly.

Jean Van Tol, a friendly tour guide at the church, said Bruton Parish was considered the official state church of the colony from 1699-1780, built to meet the needs of the government. Leaders, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, attended services there, which, according to Van Tol, were very “structured” and “everyone knew their place.” The wealthy and more prominent citizens in society would sit in the front and the less affluent citizens towards the back.

Van Tol described Bruton Parish Hall as the “stabilizing force” between the “government-centered” Capitol building and the “education-minded” College of William and Mary.  The Colonial Parkway will take you by all three of these, since it is a 23-mile roadway that connects Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown. A website devoted to the three cities, otherwise known as the Historic Triangle, states that they are the “birthplace of American Democracy.” Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America, Williamsburg was the gathering place of intellectuals who had the ideas for the revolution and American independence was won in Yorktown.

Another great resource, aside from the many tour guides that can assist travelers while exploring the area, is the Colonial Williamsburg website. It has a wealth of information listed, such as daily and evening programs that are currently available, museums you can visit and history about the area, including Yorktown and Jamestown.

If you’re not that into history, there are many other forms of entertainment in Williamsburg, such as shopping. Only a short stroll from Colonial Williamsburg is Merchant’s Square, a shopping area designed with the look and feel of the historic colonial buildings. Among the many attractions to keep one occupied for quite some time are the Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop, Closet Envy clothing store and The Toymaker of Williamsburg.

Some additional big shopping destinations are the Prime Outlets and the Williamsburg Outlet Mall, which have a vast number of stores, ranging from Totes to Ann Taylor, and both of their websites list many more retail businesses. In addition, the Williamsburg Pottery Factory is a short ten minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg, and it is another aspect of the city that makes it unique.

There is also the Williamsburg Winery, Busch Gardens Amusement Park, The Great Wolf Lodge fully equipped with a water park and more, and of course, it’s hard to resist one of the south’s favorite foods-barbecue. Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que has been a family favorite in Williamsburg for almost 40 years, and waiting through the long line is worth it. The pork barbecue is delicious.

Virginians are lucky to have the great, historic city of Williamsburg so close by, but it also draws travelers from all over the country. Richard Ransom, who was recently visiting from Ohio with his wife Sherry, put it quite simply when he said, “more people need to realize its here. It’s part of our roots, and an important part of our education.”

Summer trips aren’t a necessity to some, but I place a great value on travel and believe it is one of the better ways to gain knowledge about different cultures and about life in general. But, travel doesn’t have to cost that much. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a plane ticket to travel to an exotic beach. There are so many wonderful places in our own backyard, and Virginia serves as a stellar example. The commonwealth offers vacationers beaches, mountains and the city life- it has it all. Thus, I will begin to explore many of these getaway opportunities in my blog: Keep It Local, because traveling local will save you money, and, in turn, help generate revenue for your state’s economy.

I believe that every place and every person has a story. I have traveled first to the great town and county of Floyd, which has roots deep in music, bluegrass that is.

Floyd is a lovely rural town, nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains in southwestern Virginia. It’s almost as if time has stood still in this area, and music has been its life force and pulse to keep it going into the present and on into the future. This realization came to me while I was sitting in the back of an old country store, watching about 25 musicians gathered in a circle plucking their vintage guitars, banjos and fiddles.

Photograph Taken By Jaclyn O'Laughlin

But, this wasn’t just any old country store, it was the Floyd Country Store, which is now celebrating its 100th year in operation. Black and white pictures that line the walls speak of the building and the town’s history, and I could see those slowly evolve into color photographs as my eyes continued to scan the area. But, the content of both types are the same-the instruments, the smiles and the dancing. Those details have always encompassed the old country store and Floyd, in the past and present.

Floyd lives for music and the arts, especially when spring and summer arrive. The country store holds jamborees every Friday evening, and the warmth of the night air entices town residents and visitors to spill out from the store onto the sidewalks and streets to dance to music that drifts out into the open, under the stars that light up the quaint town.

Photograph Taken By Jaclyn O'Laughlin

The country store is a gathering place for the community and a huge attraction for visitors, but the rest of the town is also filled with music stores that have handmade instruments for sale, coffee shops, restaurants (be aware that many don’t serve brunch), knickknack shops and antique stores.

The town is small with about 500 residents, but the county of Floyd has about 15,000 residents. Every summer they anticipate the arrival of Floyd Fest, which is an annual three-day music festival held during July that brings a swarm of visitors to the area and a great list of performers. The festival’s website shows that this year’s lineup will include top performers such as, The Levon Helm Band and Railroad Earth.

Adding to the area’s musical heritage is the annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention, which is usually held in August in the town of Galax, less than 40 miles from the town of Floyd. This year will be the 75th anniversary of the event, which is, according to its website, the oldest and largest Old Fiddlers’ Convention in the world.

In both Floyd and Galax there are numerous places to stop along the “Crooked Road.” Yes, there are plenty of winding roads in the area, but the Crooked Road is now considered Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. The trail, which is marked off with road signs, started as an idea back in 2003 to promote the area’s musical heritage. According to its website, the trail has grown to include ten counties, three cities, ten towns, five regional planning districts, four state agencies, two tourism organizations, and numerous music venues. It was also voted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2010. On the website, there is also a map that lists the trail’s attractions, which include the Floyd Country Store and other venues that hold music jams, The Blue Ridge Music Center and the Ralph Stanley Museum.

As you drive along the music trail in the heart of Appalachia, you will notice that you are surrounded by beautiful mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway is only a few minutes drive from the town of Floyd, which supplies visitors with a wealth of choices for hiking trails and great places to camp. One of the sites worth checking out is the Mabry Mill, which was operated from 1910-1935 as a sawmill, gristmill and blacksmith shop.

Music and mountains are not the only attractions in the area. Floyd is also home to several wineries, the Blacksnake Meadery and Foggy Ridge Cider. The most well-known winery in the area is Chateau Morrisette, which offers a lovely array of wines from their Black Dog red wine to their Our Dog Blue white wine. There are numerous lodging possibilities close to the winery, one of the most convenient being the Conner Mountain Retreat, which is within a short stumbling distance from the winery. The Retreat features two cabins that are available for rent, that have full kitchens, jacuzzi bathtubs and porches to sit and enjoy the view.

Photograph Taken By Jaclyn O'Laughlin

Once you’ve sobered up, taken in the scenery and have started to drive back home along the “Crooked Road,” you will want to turn your car back around immediately. I can not say enough great things about Floyd. I can’t wait to go back to have another slice of homemade apple pie from the country store, kick up my feet, listen to some down home good ‘ol bluegrass music and enjoy some of the best moments that life can offer.

Click on the image above to view a graphic representation of Virginia that displays the profits and losses for Virginia Lottery sales between fiscal years 2008 and 2009, which were broken down into the commonwealth’s 95 counties and 39 independent cities.

By Jaclyn O’Laughlin

When Star and Larry Bell moved from Las Vegas to Danville, the couple thought their decision to open a convenience store that primarily sold lottery tickets was a sure bet.

The couple bought the Carter’s Quick Shoppe from its previous owners this past April, with the intention of making a majority of their profits off of Virginia Lottery sales. In fact, the business was built to be a “lottery store,” according to Star Bell.

“Sales have gone way down,” she said. “If we knew this was going to happen, we wouldn’t have gotten the store.”

It appears that not as many people are willing to gamble in the commonwealth during the economic downturn.  The Virginia Lottery has seen sales drop from $1.38 billion in fiscal year 2008 to $1.36 billion in fiscal year 2009, which represents a $22.6 million decrease.

Paula Otto, executive director of the Virginia Lottery, said the loss in sales could be the result of a combination of factors, such as a spike in gas prices during 2007 and 2008, loss of jobs in the commonwealth, the way interest is now accrued on lottery money and the fact that North Carolina launched their own lottery in the spring of 2006.

“In the past, the lottery has proven to be recession proof, but this time is not proving to be the case,” Otto said. “People who haven’t had a change in their economic status, such as losing a job, have changed their habits and aren’t buying as much.”

But, Otto admits that the North Carolina lottery has had a major impact on the commonwealth’s lotto sales, and that North Carolina residents accounted for about 10 percent of all lottery profits in the commonwealth. Now, that number has dropped to about half.

“If you look at the Virginia and North Carolina border, it’s huge,” she said. “Many people who live along the border drive into Virginia, because it’s closer for shopping, and then they buy their lottery tickets.”

Of the 10 counties and three independent cities that are located on the border between North Carolina and Virginia, every single one saw a drop in sales between fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

Although the southern counties have seen a major decrease in sales, Otto said that the lottery money is distributed evenly throughout the state for public education, with $439.1 million being distributed to schools during 2009.

Connie Harrell, who has owned the Stateline in Skippers for the past 10 years, literally has the state line running through her store, which enables her to sell both Virginia and North Carolina lottery tickets. She is one of the Virginia Lottery’s top sellers-in 2009, her store ranked twelfth in the state out of 6,246 vendors, with lottery sales totaling $1.9 million.

But, Harrell even lost money last year, experiencing a $328,103 drop in sales between fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

“The economy has just as much to do with the effect of my decline in sales as  North Carolina getting their own lottery does,” she said.

Retailers along the border depend on the lottery, Harrell explained.

“It’s basically what we do here,” she said. “We’re all about the numbers.”

Harrell said her store is primarily designed to sell lottery tickets, but with the dip in sales, she has started to think of other ways to turn a profit. The Bells are also focused on boosting sales inside their store, by getting more items such as soda and chips to sell.

“We’re trying to build up as much snack and food items as we can, but that is hard during the recession, because people have cut back on those items too,” said Bell.

Otto said convenience stores account for about 80 percent of the Virginia Lottery’s total sales, but with the increase in gas prices, many people are not leaving the pump to go inside to buy snacks or lottery tickets.  The lottery “really saw sales dip in convenience stores,” she said.

“Convenience store owners love the lottery, because it’s a way for consumers to get away from the gas pump and get into the store and buy soda or chips,” Otto said. “When gas got up to $4 per gallon, that had a huge impact on sales in convenient stores. That makes sense-people don’t want to go into the store and buy tickets when they have paid so much money to fill up their tank.”

When the North Carolina lottery began, it didn’t start selling all of the same jackpot prizes that the Virginia Lottery sells, such as Mega Millions or Powerball. But now they are slowing catching up, Otto said, and sometimes there is a “jackpot duel” with Powerball prizes.

“It does get competitive,” she said.

But, the Virginia Lottery hasn’t give up hope. The lottery released new games in 2007 to compete with the North Carolina lottery, such as new scratch-off tickets, and staff members have brainstormed ways to expand into new markets. In the past three weeks, the Virginia Lottery, as a pilot program, is now selling tickets in dollar stores throughout the state.

“We tried to as quickly as we can to get ourselves in places we know consumers are going in this environment,” Otto said.

In addition, Otto said that grocery sales have gone up, because many people are conserving money and eating meals at home. The Virginia Lottery has taken this into account and the organization has boosted advertising in grocery stores.

“Grocery stores are one place where sales have gone up,” she said. “We decided if we had signs displayed more consistently throughout the stores, consumers may be more willing to engage in the lottery. We have seen growth.”

Adam Fallah, a customer service associate with the northern Virginia food chain Wegman’s, has seen a $350,786 increase in sales during his two years employed at the Woodbridge store.

“It’s been surprising to see an increase in sales,” he said. “We have regulars that come in all the time. There has been more advertising in the area, on billboards and on the radio.”

For the time being, both Harrell and Bell will continue to sell lottery tickets, and hope that their food items will help them turn a profit. But, with  North Carolina about to introduce Mega Millions into their line-up of games, Bell is worried about her store’s future.

“Honestly, all we’re doing is trying to make the bills, and after January with Mega Millions, I don’t know what will happen.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How I Obtained the Information:

Staff members from the Virginia Lottery supplied me with numerous spreadsheets of information, that helped me deduce the total sales lost throughout the state between fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009,  as well as the top vendors in the state, and those that lost the most money. The spreadsheets they sent me included:

• Total sales from each vendor in the state for fiscal years 2007-2009. These spreadsheets listed a total of 6,246 vendors, with the names of each store and their address. Having this information was so helpful, because after analyzing the information in both Excel and Access, I found that many vendors in the south had lost sales, which I was assuming was mostly due to the creation of the North Carolina lottery. Then, I was able to locate the names of specific vendors in the areas that were the most affected and I found the phone numbers to the stores on the Internet. All of the stores I called said the North Carolina lottery had affected them severely.

• The Virginia Lottery also provided me with spreadsheets for 2007-2009, which listed each county and independent city in Virginia (which totals 134) and their total lottery sales. After analyzing the data, I could determine which areas of the state decreased the most in sales, and there were many areas down south.

• The lottery also provided me with the top 100 retailers in the state for 2007-2009. Although some of the retailers made millions during these years, I did see a decrease in sales for some of these stores.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For the second year in a row, both the city of Petersburg and Virginia State University topped the list for the highest rate of crime for any city or university in the commonwealth, with property crime ranking the highest for both.

Petersburg had 95 major crimes per 1,000 residents last year, compared with a statewide figure of about 41 crimes per 1,000 people. In addition, VSU had 43 major crimes per 1,000 students, which is much higher than the statewide numbers. Virginia colleges reported 12.5 crimes per 1,000 students, slightly down from 12.7 the previous year.

Crime increased last year in both Petersburg and VSU, but levels for the state remained consistent.

VSU
Although steps are being taken to reduce crime at the university, VSU Lieutenant Mike Yates argues that he has seen crime worsen during his three years on the force. He believes it boils down to a “deeper” problem that begins before students even enter college.

“Crime appears to be more rampant and serious, and I think it goes back to the breakdown of the family,” he said. “There are babies raising babies, and even though they may know right from wrong, I don’t think there is any self-control in some of our youth.”

According to Yates, serious crimes such as homicides are rarely committed at VSU, none were committed in 2007 or 2008, but he admits that property crime is high. The simple act of locking a door to a car or dorm room could help solve that problem, although he explained that repeated safety briefings to college freshman don’t seem to help.

To aid crime reduction, routine patrols on campus are made by officers on foot, segues, motorcycles and mountain bikes. Members of the department also visit dorms to talk to students about crime and self-defense techniques, and officers perform monthly public service announcements to draw awareness to crime prevention.

In addition, the university also has a security gate that comes into effect from “dusk to dawn,” which screens visitors as they come through the campus.

All of these efforts can assist with crime reduction, but Yates said that if the requirements to get into the university were raised, that might help get a higher caliber student.

“By controlling the type of student you get on campus that makes a difference,” he said. “They could raise the grade point average, because when you lower the gpa, you get students who might not be college material-they may be troublemakers.”

City of Petersburg
Esther Hyatt, public information official with the Petersburg Police Department, argues that there has been a significant decrease in crime since the new police chief, John Dixon III, joined the force in 2007.

One of the reasons for the drop in crime may be the addition of more officers to the force and an increase in pay, she explained. In 2008, the department increased pay for police officers by an average of $6,500 per year.

“With the increase in salary we can compete in jurisdictions and make it an attractive place to work,” she said. “We now have options to who we put on the force.”

In addition to incorporating more officers, the department has also started to analyze crime and the areas where it occurs. Officers no longer just respond to calls, but they are performing self-initiated responses and making regular patrols of their assigned areas.

“We have a more focused approach to crime prevention,” Hyatt said.

One of those focuses is the reduction of property crime, which she said is a “crime of opportunity,” generally occurring when residents do not secure their valuables.

In order to reduce such crimes, the PPD is working closely with the community to educate them about ways they can take to reduce crime, such as simply locking doors. In addition, the department is holding monthly meetings with residents to talk about issues affecting particular neighborhoods in order to develop strategies to improve crime. And each time they meet, they discuss if there has been any progress.

Hyatt said the issues at the meetings can be diverse because there is disparity throughout the city between some residents’ level of income and type of housing.

“The city is primarily African American and it does have some significant social problems, and what adds to the impact of crime is the higher than average illiteracy rate, teen pregnancy and drop-out rates,” she said. “It’s so important for police to work with the community.”

The PPD is also building relationships with the youth in the community. This summer they held a camp for high-risk kids, which was funded through a $10,000 grant. Children had the opportunity to go to Kings Dominion and get to know their police officers as people and not as a “person of power,” said Hyatt.

Community Response to Crime
Joe Battiston, who has owned a manufacturing business in Petersburg for 20 years, argues that the city has been treated unfairly in the media.

The Dinwiddie resident believes that a majority of crime in Petersburg is domestic-related, and he feels completely safe there, even after a burglar broke into his business a few years ago and stole a television set.

“I feel Petersburg gets slammed incorrectly,” he said. “It has a tremendous amount of potential.”

Richmond resident Evelia Gonzalez Porto has devoted her life to spreading the Hispanic culture throughout Richmond and advancing the lives of women. In 2003, she founded the Hispanic Women in the Arts and the Hispanic Women in Business.

By Jaclyn O’Laughlin

As a child growing up in Colombia, Evelia Gonzalez Porto remembers being surrounded by strong women artists, music, dance and the theater. Those memories have served as the foundation and purpose of her life’s work, which is focused on spreading the Hispanic culture throughout the Richmond area via the arts, education and the advancement of women.

Porto has lived and breathed the arts her whole life. During her youth she had many female role models, including her mother Judith, who currently writes short stories, and her aunt Evelia, who is a composer.

“I grew up in an artistic community,” she said.  “My family and I would go to plays, art exhibits and music festivals when I was growing up.”

Those experiences have helped shape the woman Porto is today, and given her the ambition to recently found two non-profit organizations to benefit the Hispanic community and women.

Porto, who has lived in the Richmond area for over 30 years, has also been drawn to helping women because they “need all the economic help that they can get.”

“They sacrifice in the upbringing of their family their own education advances,” she said. “They also go through domestic violence and are always put down for any advances in their jobs or as persons.”

Porto’s Work in the Arts

In 2003, Porto created the non-profit organization, Hispanic Women in the Arts, to help Latino artists gain exposure and exhibit their work.

“I wanted to start this non-profit, because artists in general are not business people and many don’t know how to get into galleries­­,” she said.

Tanya Gonzalez, who is the manager of the Hispanic Liaison Office for the City of Richmond, has worked with Porto on several art projects as a volunteer with the Association of Hispanic Americans of Richmond. She views Porto as “someone who has been critical in the Latino art movement in Richmond.”

“For me, her major contribution to the Hispanic community has been the work she has done to promote local Latino artists in the Richmond area,” she said. “She tries to incorporate their art in First Friday’s events on Broad Street, in galleries, public spaces, or in the public library.”

Porto has been such an influential person in the arts within the Richmond community, that Gov. Timothy Kaine recently appointed her the first Hispanic person to serve on the board of the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

“I have been fundraising and fighting for the arts for so many years,” Porto said.

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There are many organizations and community leaders that are currently helping Hispanics integrate into the Richmond community. Click here to listen to a podcast about Juan Chavez, who has been helping Hispanics in the area for over 30  years.

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The Advancement of Hispanic Businesses

In 2003, Porto also founded the Hispanic Women in Business, which is a program available through the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Her motivation for creating this program was to assist in integrating American and Hispanic businesses into the Richmond community and to help individuals receive guidance if interested in opening a business in the area.

“It’s a wonderful thing, because it empowers Latino women who are thinking about starting a business, and it encourages women who already have businesses,” said Rita Willis, educational consultant and event planner for the VHCC.

The HWB also encourages women to network and foster relationships with other Hispanic business owners.

Carolina Rinck, a Venezuelan native and realtor with Long and Foster Real Estate, said the HWB helped launch her career.

“Some people when they come here, they don’t have much and they have to start from zero, even if they are an engineer or architect. It’s hard for them to put a business together,” Rinck said. “The VHCC and Evelia help push people to do things maybe they are too afraid to do, because they don’t know how the system works. She is very helpful.”

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View an audio slideshow on the Latin Ballet of Virginia, which was founded by Colombian native Ana Ines King. The ballet has a professional company, but it also offers classes to the public as well as educational programs to local schools.

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Her Early Years

Porto called Petersburg home during the first 15 years she lived in the commonwealth. During this time, some of Porto’s accolades included being the president of the Petersburg Ballet, president of the American Association of University Women, and a board member of the Richard Bland Foundation.

She has stayed true to her roots-from her childhood in Colombia to her beginnings in the United States in Petersburg.

“I helped bring the Hispanic culture into Virginia so they would know we were becoming part of and enriching the community with culture,” she said. “We weren’t taking away from the community, but making it better.”

She hasn’t stopped promoting the Hispanic culture and the arts throughout the Richmond area. She will only continue.

“Through the years, I’ve gone through a lot of evolution,” she said.

Agecroft Hall provides the perfect backdrop for touring troupe’s summer productions, while the performances, in turn, help bring a new life to the estate by bringing in a different audience.

By Jaclyn O’Laughlin and Ben Sellers

For Grant Mudge, the artistic director of Richmond Shakespeare, there’s something special about seeing the bard performed at Agecroft Hall.

“It’s hard to beat that building as a backdrop, playing in the courtyard of a 500-year-old building behind you that stood in England during Shakespeare’s lifetime, to which he could have traveled,” said Mudge.

A win-win situation

The historic estate has been home to Richmond Shakespeare’s summer festival for the past 11 years, said Agecroft Hall Executive Director Richard Moxley. The 2009 summer season, which featured productions of “Henry V” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will wrap up its third and final production, “Hamlet,” on Aug. 2. 

“Doing something as taxing as ‘Hamlet, you’ve really gotta flex all your muscles,” said actor Jeff Rey, who plays the title character in the production. “… It’s been really cool to be able to reference a house that’s so old—it helps give a sense of community with the text and with the play as a whole,” he said.

The festival also brings something unique to Agecroft Hall, said John Bilhartz, a tour guide and weekend manager. “It attracts a different crowd—usually younger,” he said. It’s one of the only times the stage is put up in the estate’s courtyard and picnics are allowed on the lawn outside. “It makes a good date night,” Bilhartz said.

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Want to learn more about tourism at Agecroft Hall? Click here

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Weathering the seasons

Richmond Shakespeare, a 25-year-old nonprofit organization, has toured in 23 states and performed for more than 100,000 people, said Mudge. In addition to the summer festival, it also holds an indoor series in the offseason. The indoor series, which has been held in a church in the past, will join eight other Richmond performance groups a new location, Richmond CenterStage, this fall. A grand opening set for Sept. 12 will feature performances by all of the groups.

But audiences can still look forward to the company’s return next summer to Agecroft Hall. For Mudge and many others, there’s something special about seeing the plays performed outdoors, the way Shakespeare intended them to be seen at London’s open-air Globe Theatre.  

“While we’re out there, we notice all of the weather references in all of the plays … and of course, the joke we always tell the audience is we’ll play in sprinkles and in light rain, because, of course, it never rains in England,” Mudge said.

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View a slideshow of Agecroft Hall, which is a historic landmark in Richmond. The building was originially constructed in the 1400s in England.

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By Jaclyn O’Laughlin

The legacy of a five-year-old girl named Diva, who was killed while playing with a gun at her Richmond home, continues to live on through this area non-profit.

Camp Diva is celebrating its fifth anniversary, thanks to founder and executive director Angela Patton. Her main vision for the organization is to prepare young African-American girls to be responsible adults and to live a more rewarding life.
“Camp Diva prepares girls for the passage into womanhood,” Patton said.

The Organization’s Vision

Initially, the organization was only going to be a two-week camp for girls. But, Diva’s death inspired Patton to expand the program, which at that point lacked a name and a strong mission and vision.

According to Patton, Diva’s mother Clover Smith, named her daughter after researching the meaning of the word “diva” and finding that it was an appropriate fit for a young girl, since it means a woman whose mind, body and soul are in balance.

After Diva’s death, Patton’s focus became clear and the program became geared towards teaching African American women between the ages of 11 and 17, “everything a woman would encounter in life,” Patton said.

Patton and her volunteers have worked with more than 275 girls in the Richmond area and have taught them a wide variety of subjects including financial management, how to have healthy relationships, critical thinking skills, career development, community outreach, and parenting skills.

The Camp’s Evolution

Ashlee Miller, a camp volunteer, has seen the program evolve substantially over the years to include an after school program, summer camp and entrepreneurship classes.

“I love it so much,” she said.

Camp Diva helps ease the transition into adulthood by teaching teenagers’ life skills and sex education information.
Richmond resident and parent Jackie Pryor, who is a firm believer in the club and has enrolled her daughter Asia Rather in the program, likes that the club teaches the participants sex education.

“It teaches them that ‘abstinence’ is a good word and how to love themselves,” she said.

The club has also taught Pryor’s daughter how to interact with other girls.

“They talk about issues as opposed to lashing out at each other,” she said.

Diva Club participant Kandia Shabazz, 12, has also benefited from interacting with fellow club members. She has applied that knowledge to a recent problem with a girl at school.

“I have learned to be mature and ignore her and live life,” she said.

As Camp Diva matures and grows along with the girls in the program, 17-year-old LaShae Christian serves as an example of Patton’s Diva Camp success.
Christian came to the camp not excelling in academics, but that has since changed.

“I wasn’t making good grades at first and now I am,” she said.

The program has helped her see all the opportunities that are available to her.

“I want to go to college and become a lawyer,” Christian said.

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