Local Opinion 

Newport News Now

HRMessenger Staff

2023 Year in Review

As we begin a new year of opportunity and growth in Newport News, it is important we reflect upon our many successes in 2023. Words that best describe last year in our thriving waterfront city include innovation, transparency, inclusion, transformation, experiences, achievement, and fun! Our collaborative efforts help us build forward together.

Newport News is a city built with a solid foundation. Leadership changes in 2023 added renewed energy and a new vision.

  • Phillip Jones became the city’s youngest directly elected mayor. 
  • New City Council Members were elected, including Vice Mayor Curtis Bethany, as well as Councilmen John Eley and Cleon Long. They join Councilman Marcellus Harris and Councilwomen Pat Woodbury and Tina Vick.
  • Alan Archer was named City Manager in December 2023.
  • Dr. Michele Mitchell was appointed Superintendent of Newport News Public Schools in August.

To bolster small, women- and minority-owned (SWaM) businesses competing for contracting opportunities with Newport News, the city began offering free workshops to help businesses get SWaM certified.

The city was alive with unique and fun special events. Parks and Recreation hosted more than 20 festivals, outdoor events, and sports competitions, including the One City Marathon, the Tour of Newport News three-day bicycle competition, Juneteenth, Stars in the Sky fireworks, and NLightN holiday series. Spring saw the return of the Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival for its 25th Anniversary at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, with incredible local and national artists, all honoring Ella’s wide-ranging and ageless talents. In addition to city-sponsored events, community groups and businesses held engaging events throughout the city.  Historic Hilton Village launched a weekly Farmer’s Market and other events, Coastal Fermentory added to their robust event line-up with downtown offerings, City Center businesses expanded and are now offering events (Salsa dancing at Salsa’s), and much more! 

Incredible athletic futures are built in Newport News, and our success continued in 2023. Christopher Newport University’s Women’s Basketball team made history by competing in their first-ever NCAA Division III National Championship game last April after an undefeated season. While they lost in the final game, Head Coach Bill Broderick was named NCAA Division III Coach of the Year, and players Anaya Simmons and Sondra Fan received All-American honors. The CNU Men’s Basketball team claimed its first NCAA title and Head Coach John Kirkovian was also named NCAA Division III Coach of the Year. The Woodside High School Wolverines boys’ basketball team also secured a hard-fought victory for the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 5 State Championship. Woodside senior Trevor Smith was named the VHSL Class 5 Player of the Year and Coach Stefan Welsh, a former Woodside player himself, was named the Class 5 Coach of the Year. To start 2024 on an inspiring note, watch Newport News Television’s special program on the history-making Woodside team.

In 2023, the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority began the second phase of housing and revitalization for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative in the Southeast Community, including building new homes, commercial spaces, community amenities, and recreational opportunities. Also in the Southeast Community, construction began on the Southeast Community Resource Area. The first phase includes the construction of the new Huntington Middle School, a state-of-the art institution with a focus on STEAM. The building will feature student learning studios and labs and open collaboration areas.

The city partnered with The CAN Foundation to create the Newport News Street Museum, a city-wide mural project. The initiative highlighted diverse locations and artists throughout the city while also encouraging placemaking, promoting tourism, and building community. The CAN Foundation also began using a space in City Center to highlight Newport News artists and creators.

We continued to enhance our new brand, Built on Breakthroughs, in 2023. Gateway signs were installed at major intersections and the new logo was incorporated throughout the city (we especially loved seeing youth wearing our logo as part of their Parks & Recreation sports uniforms!).

To celebrate our brand and city, we hosted a Made in Newport News event in August. Guests enjoyed performances from Newport News artists, displays from iconic businesses, and unique products from city entrepreneurs. The city’s revitalized social media efforts garnered praise and an award from the National City-County Communications & Marketing Association.

The Tourism Division launched a new Visit Newport News brand to promote city experiences, attractions, restaurants, and more. In addition to a robust advertising campaign, the city launched a Breakthrough Experiences Pass to encourage residents and guests to explore the city while earning points for fun city swag. 

Newport News is focused on transparency and accountability. City Council Work Sessions are now being live-streamed and archived. In addition, Council Members hosted multiple town hall meetings, adopted a Council Handbook, and voted to take meetings on the road so residents in all districts can be more easily engaged and informed. The creation of a city innovation office means improved communication, increased efficiency, and enhanced transparency for residents.

In August, Mayor Phillip Jones, Assistant City Manager Ralph “Bo” Clayton, and Director of Human Resources Allison Dichoso began the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, joining municipal leaders from across the globe. Their focus is to revitalize downtown Newport News by building connectivity to the James River with a walking path, an outdoor amphitheater, and a “restaurant row.”

Gun violence is a nationwide problem. The City of Newport News is committed to addressing this issue by creating a city and region where residents have the support and opportunities they need to thrive. In 2023, we provided $1,373,020 in funding to 15 organizations that presented innovative and collaborative solutions aimed at reducing gun violence. In August, the city received $760,000 in grant funds from the Federal Department of Justice in support of the city’s Gun Violence and Violent Crime Reduction Initiative. 

Newport News is a hub of innovation and research, thanks in large part to Jefferson Lab’s robust educational and scientific offerings. Fall was busy for the Lab, as it was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as the site of the High Performance Data Facility Hub, a $300-500 million computing and data infrastructure resource that will provide transformational capabilities for data analysis, networking, and storage for the nation’s research enterprise. In December, the city transferred ownership of the seven-story Applied Research Center to the lab. The building will become the new gateway to Jefferson Lab and will support the campus expansion with a dedicated visitor center and science education center. It will also offer expanded, modernized and proximal office space, which will allow physics staff and visiting scientists a greater opportunity to foster scientific collaboration and discovery. In Newport News, we smash atoms and build nuclear aircraft carriers – anything is possible here!

Construction began on the Newport News Early Childhood Center, an innovative partnership between the city, Peake Childhood Center, and Virginia Peninsula Community College. In October, the center was recognized as a finalist in the 2023 National Ideas Challenge, which focuses on promoting equity, particularly in underserved communities. The Early Childhood Center will provide a sliding scale tuition for children up to 4 years of age while training the next generation of childcare professionals through an onsite training program.

To build a strong community, you must ensure that every resident has the services they need to thrive. The city continues to invest in programs that empower residents to take the next step in work and life. From holistic wraparound services for the homeless community at the Four Oaks Day Services and Training Center to comprehensive workforce development support at the Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center, strong futures are built in Newport News. Resident involvement is essential in solving community issues. To provide information on homelessness and hear resident concerns, the city hosted a forum in August. We also recently released a Comprehensive Housing Study to evaluate the current housing supply to better serve current and future residents.

Throughout the year, we introduced you to Newport News businesses through our regular Business Now section, including Jung Ha Korean Market, World Class Solutions, Dran’s Heating & A/C, Pigtails & Crewcuts, The Cobbler Café, Hampton Roads Event Center, and We Create at Kreations by Kim. Watch this space for more hidden gems throughout 2024.