Francena McCorory and the Lyles Brothers Representing Virginia Track

This summer has turned into a wonderful season of warmth for Virginia track fans. I’m sitting here on a Friday night watching the USATF Outdoor Championships from historic Hayward Field in Oregon, and Francena McCorory has just won her semi-final race of the women’s 400-meters in a world-leading time of 49.85. Tomorrow’s final should be very intriguing. Sanya Richards-Ross, the defending 400 Olympic champion, didn’t make it to the final, but Allyson Felix, a dominating short sprinter with four Olympic gold medals, did. Felix, with sub-22 speed in the 200, is capable of breaking 49 in the quarter, and tomorrow’s winner may have to do just that to take the crown.

Francena will run for the 400-meter USATF
Championship on Saturday. She will need to beat
her best time of 49.48 and defeat Allyson Felix to win.

And that’s part of the reason why I love this sport.

The other reason why I love track, and running in general, is that there is a closeness, a proximity, that this sport allows, something that may not be seen in others.

Francena is a local star, a legend here on the Peninsula. She was starring at Bethel High years ago, when I was coaching at Denbigh, a district rival. While our boys had some success at the district level and even got as high as 4^th in States, Bethel dominated the girls scene, mainly because of the young woman who opened up leads that 18-wheelers could drive through.

But my local ties also reach to the northern end of the Commonwealth. Hours earlier, at Hayward Field, Noah Lyles, a rising 12^th grader at T.C. Williams, in my hometown of Alexandria, VA, won the junior 100-meters in a state record time of 10.14. Noah, and his twin brother Josephus, have dominated Virginia high school sprinting for a couple of years now, and are now taking their talents to a whole new level. They had the opportunity to race in Cuba last week, and I think that’s a good example of where their speedy legs are taking them this summer. Other parts of the world will be seeing both of them soon.

Noah and Josephus Lyles - Remember THESE Titans
from T.C. Williams!

Several months ago, I got to meet the Lyles twins, just before the indoor state meet. After Nolan Jez, the webmaster for Milestat.com, made the introduction, I listened to them for a couple of minutes and heard a few things that piqued my interest. (You play ball at the Courts, then walk down to 7-11?) I had to ask the question – what part of Alexandria are you guys from? It turned out my instincts were correct. They are from the old neighborhood – literally a stone’s throw (seriously, 40 yards) from where I lived as a kid.

There is a wonderful common denominator, one that is shared by Francena and the Lyles brothers. They are great people. After T.C. won the state indoor title, both of the Lyles brothers spoke of the impetus gained from their two-miler’s points toward the end of the meet. (You guys did OK too, right?). I have seen Francena take endless pictures with young children at a few meets. She even taught me how to take a selfie when I requested a picture. Great snapshot – even I looked decent!

And here’s the point – if Francena and the Lyles brothers are examples of our track and field stars for now and the near future, I think that our sport is in great shape. There are others, and I'll tell you their stories soon.

Improving Your Writing: Asking the Right Questions

Although I have strayed from educational topics, and concentrated more on the sports posts, there are some aspects of learning that remain near and dear to me. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend  a class at James Madison University - one dealing with the grading and teaching of the new GED Extended Response questions. These will take the place of the essay, which was part of the exam from 2002-2014. It's a different type of writing, but one which requires knowledge of three skills - comparing and contrasting two different viewpoints (Language Arts), knowledge of an enduring topic and the ability to add prior knowledge (Social Studies), and the ability to write a short experiment or identify and explain the elements of an existing one (Science). Currently, there is not an extended response for Math, but it is forthcoming.

As I thought about developing a teaching method for my GED students, the one element that continues to flow through my brain is that students (at all levels) need to develop the ability to ask the right questions. Here's a little something I recently wrote for a class on Teaching Writing to Transfer (to other subjects).

           As a fledgling college English instructor and current author and journalist, one of the writing and transfer topics to which I have paid the most attention in recent years is questioning.

            In theory, having the ability to develop proper questions about a topic is a key function to master. It forms the backbone needed to engage in the writing process. As a researcher, having the ability to ask the proper questions about one’s topic is necessary, as it helps the writer to find the information that is most pertinent to support the hypotheses. In a persuasive essay, foreseeing the questions that detractors may ask, and formulating the answers to support one’s argument is an essential part of building a successful platform.

            There are several ways to examine the topic of questioning. In journalism, for example, young reporters learn of the five W’S (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and H (How?) and the importance of answering as many of these questions as possible in a lead (lede) paragraph of less than 40 words. While finding the answers is important, the five W’s and H form the simple baseline to a story after the writer has answered those questions. However, for the audience that reads newspapers and magazines, these answers, written at a seventh-grade reading level, are sufficient for this genre and audience.

            However, there are other genres, as well as other types of audiences. While thousands of people may read a newspaper article, at times, the instructions for an assignment note that the project is intended to be viewed by an audience of one. Therefore, the line of questioning will be altered to meet the needs of the audience.

                                                                Objective

            As a correctional teacher, my concern was that the deletion of the essay from the 2014 GED test had de-emphasized essay writing as a required skill. In its place, the extended response has been installed to show students’ writing ability. In truth, the new response will require the student to write plenty of material, but not necessarily in the five-paragraph format that they learned.

                                                         Bloom’s Taxonomy

            One way to determine the level of questions, which need to be determined before engaging in a writing assignment, is to review Bloom’s Taxonomy. The Taxonomy addresses five levels of questioning. They are:

1.     Knowledge – having the ability to recall specifics and universals about a topic. Generally known as a rote recollection of the answers to questions addressed by the 5 W’s and H.

2.     Comprehension – having the ability to process knowledge in a manner that is not a verbatim response, which was learned previously.

3.     Application – being able to use abstractions in concrete situations. Depth of knowledge is introduced at this level.

4.     Analysis – the breakdown of a situation into its component parts.

5.     Synthesis and Evaluation – having the ability to put together elements and parts about a topic to form a whole, and then being able to make value judgments about the method.

Knowing one’s audience and understanding the depth of knowledge that is required to optimally plan and organize a writing assignment at the college level are the two components necessary to becoming a competent college writer.

With this concept in place, my objective is to explain the importance of developing questions when writing in the various genres that a college student should be adept with using. A good example of question writing ability came up in a reading, when “Whitney” was given an assignment to “select a critical article [from a shared class text on the Harry Potter series] and develop three questions about the article that encourage analysis and discussion. (Hassel and Giordano, 2009). This is a viable example of a college assignment, and typical of the critical knowledge which a college English student should possess when writing in different genres.

 The aim for teachers should be to discuss pedagogical strategies to help the college student become better with the questioning method as it is utilized in the writing process. To enhance one’s ability to form credible questions as a young writer is a skill that will transfer to other writing courses, including journalism, speechwriting, narrative and expository writing, as well as to answer extended essay response questions on standardized and formalized tests such as the GRE and a state bar exam.

                                                  Readings for the Teacher

            Presently, I am recommending at several articles on this subject. At present, this list includes:

1)    The Effects of Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Align Reading Instruction with the Virginia Standards of Learning Framework for English - Crews, C. F. Pro Quest LLC, 2010. A study that examined the effects of aligning the Virginia Standards of learning (SOL) framework with Bloom’s Taxonomy on Student Achievement.

2)    Repeatedly Answering Questions that Elicit Inquiry-Based Thinking Improves Writing- Radhakrishnan, P, Schimmack, U. & Lam, D. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 2011. Participants practice the skill of asking questions about a journal article. Inquiry improves writing by helping one learn more about the topic at hand.

3)    Brainstorming for Ideas – Mogahad, M. M. (2011). Teachers brainstorm words connected with the topic in class before setting the composition for homework. Does asking questions help to brainstorm?

4)    History Makers: A Questioning Approach to reading and Writing Biographies – Zarnowski, M. (2003). Adopts a questioning approach to studying history, getting writers involved in the process.

5)    The Logic of Question and Answer: Writing as Inquiry – Francoz, M.J. – College English (1979). Describes a technique which stresses critical thinking by stressing questioning methods, as students participate in a fictional interview.

6)    Classroom Environments of Respect for Questioning and Discussion – Robitaille, Y.P., Maldonado, N. (2015). Recent paper submitted at the Qualitative Report Annual Conference shows effective questioning techniques to develop critical thinking.

Reference

Hassel, H. and Giordano, J. B. (2009). Transfer institutions, transfer of knowledge: The

development of rhetorical adaptability and underprepared writers. TETYC, September

 2009. NCTE.

Re-Write The All-Time Lists because 5A/6A States Happened: Complete Recap

Re-Write The All-Time Lists because 5A/6A States Happened: Complete Recap

Amazing 4x8s and Fast Prelims: 5A/6A Day 1 Recap

Amazing 4x8s and Fast Prelims: 5A/6A Day 1 Recap

Lex Gillette Breaks Own World Record in Long Jump

I have been negligent in taking this long to wish my friend and writing colleague (he wrote the foreword for our book!) Lex Gillette on his latest of many accomplishments.

Lex broke his own long jump world record for F11 classified (visually impaired) athletes of 6.73m (22ft. 1in.) with a leap of 6.77m (22ft. 2in.) on April 23, 2015 at a high performance meet held at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center.

Lex is based in San Diego and trains at the Chula Vista center as he prepares for the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

Virginia's Yvette Lewis Qualifies for 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Hurdles

With a 12.98 clocking in the women's 100-meter hurdles at the recent World Challenge in Beijing, China, Newport News' Yvette Lewis qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Lewis, who has competed for Panama since 2012, took advantage of the opportunity to qualify by besting a standard of 13.00 seconds. While the American team is selected by way of the first three places at the Trials, the qualifying standard was designed to allow smaller countries the opportunity for athletes to make the Olympiad. While Lewis' time was 63 hundredths of a second off of this year's world leading 12.35 time by the USA's Jasmine Stowers, it is also slower than her own best of 12.67, which was set in Lahti, Finland two years ago.

In fact, at 30, Lewis may be arguably the greatest female track athlete ever to have not yet made the Olympics. Prior to concentrating on hurdling, the Menchville High (VA) graduate was a two-time NCAA champ for Hampton University in the triple jump. Her best jump of roughly 45 feet, 5 inches is a world class mark. In fact, Lewis is certainly the only female athlete to combine for both a sub-12.70 time in the 100 hurdles and over 45 feet in the triple jump, a claim that is not argued by several track experts, such as Trinidad and Tobago Olympic track legend, and now NBC sports commentator, Ato Boldon.

Unfortunately, the triple jump is not a premier competition in women's track, so Lewis hung up the jumping spikes several years ago to concentrate on the 100 hurdles, which is more of a glamour event with the likes of Lolo Jones, Dawn Harper-Nelson, and fellow Virginians Queen Harrison and former teammate and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Kellie Wells in the mix of competition.

However, the glut of star power, now boosted further by Stowers and Brianna Rollins, has now caused the event to be America's strongest event, on the men's or women's side.

In 2012, Harper-Nelson (silver), Wells and Jones represented America as the three representatives in the hurdles at the London Olympics. In a show of incredible athletic ability, and after missing the chance to qualify for the team in the hurdles, Lewis quickly entered in the Trials heptathlon, and won two of the seven individual events on her way to an eighth place finish.

"If We Build It, They Will Come!" -- Mentoring Our Youth Through Entrepreneurship

The movement is called, “If We Build It, They Will Come! The Take Back the Dream Act!” By its initial definition, it is described as:

“An open forum to discuss development of entrepreneurship programs offered as an alternative to the gang lifestyle and other social issues we are combating lately in our communities. What has been done in the past does not work. We need fresh ideas and a new path to show these young people that there is a better way! All are welcome!”

On April 29th, almost 40 people took up D’Shawn Wright’s challenge and congregated at the Body By D Gym in Yorktown to exchange thoughts, vents, confessions, and ideas with regard to finding better options for today’s inner city youths.

For almost two hours, D’Shawn played host, but mostly distributed the microphone to anyone with a willing voice. To add posterity to the proceedings, he seated a panel in the front – consisting of a lifelong educator who told her tales of teaching gifted students in Hampton (Dr. Linda Hutchinson), two former Denbigh High classmates who now walk the talk daily for troubled youth at the Newport News Juvenile Detention facility (Oliver Walmon and Elizabeth McGrath), a former gang member who now mentors youths (and some adults) from the barber chair of his shop in Denbigh (Robert Moore), and the Republican candidate for the Clerk of the Court seat in York/Poquoson, Tu Ritter.

From the audience, educators, business owners, activists, and other community leaders offered tales of optimism and hope. But this is not a one-time event. Wright promises to take the ideas which were shared at the Town Hall, develop a plan of action, enlist help and support from community organizations, and move the mission to Step 2. Here is a video, filmed by Jamison Media LLC, summarizing the first Town Hall meeting.

The time and date for the next meeting will be finalized in the next few weeks. Details will be posted on the group's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/events/1604405843107829/), as well as here on the "Wall."

Poker Run for the Holiday Family To Take Place on Sat. May 23rd in Williamsburg

Continuing with my ongoing coverage of “Taking Back The Streets,” there are two parts this week.

Last week, I talked about how the Holidays are taking to the streets in search of information which will help capture their son’s killer. Now, their friends are lending an even greater hand. If you’re in the Williamsburg area, the Poker Run will be taking place this Saturday, May 23rd. here’s how the announcement reads on their Facebook page.

Please come out to honor the memory of Adrian B. Holiday as we ride in a Memorial Day Weekend poker run on Saturday, May 23rd. The proceeds from this event will go to Adrian's Mother, Williamsburg PD Ofc. Holiday and her family in the wake of his unexpected loss. 

The ride will kick off at Quarterpath Park in Williamsburg. Riders can pick their own route as long as they fill their hand and reach Daddyo's at Bourbon Street (351 York St., Williamsburg, VA) by 6:30pm when winners will be announced. There will be a sixth (optional) wild-card stop.

Prizes will include cash pot for best hand, as well as door prizes and raffle items.

Billy Joe Trio will play live at the after-party, 8:30pm for those who stick around! 

*Registration starts at noon, kickstands up at 1pm.*

Single Riders $25
Doubles $35
Cars $35

Email AmberEFrye@gmail.com for more info, or to sign up for support team!

Marching for Adrian

On March 19th, Adrian Holiday, 26,
was senselessly killed in the parking
lot at Deer Run apartments in
Newport News. Father Jeremy, with
family and friends, have taken to the
streets in a series of marches
to remember Adrian, and to
find answers.

On Thursday afternoon, March 19^th, I left my home in Newport News, VA and headed to Williamsburg for my Professional Development class at William and Mary. The routine was simple. I was home that afternoon and left my neighborhood, took the right turn on to Shields Road, which I followed to Jefferson Ave., one of the two anchor roads which travels from the south to north end of town. To make the right on to Jefferson from Shields, one must drive around the perimeter of Deer Run Apartments, whose entrance you cross just after making the turn. Since class was at 4:30, and Williamsburg is 10 miles away, I estimate that I drove past the Deer Run entrance on Jefferson and Chester Road at about 3:55.

Why bring this up? About 45 minutes later, Adrian Holiday and Jeremy Taylor were shot to death in the Deer Run parking lot, not more than 100 yards from the spot I had just crossed.

Adrian, 26, was found slumped in the driver's seat of the white Mercury SUV he was driving. Jeremy, 23, who was catching a ride, tried to make a run for it, and was gunned down in the middle of the parking lot, in broad daylight. It appeared that a couple of stray pedestrians, perhaps known to Taylor, had inquired about a ride in the SUV. But once they entered, things went from bad, to worse, to deadly.

Unfortunately, events such as this are becoming too common in Newport News and neighboring Hampton. Usually there are teenagers, drugs and gang wars involved. But Adrian was a working grown man. He was a veteran who served in Afghanistan. He was engaged to be married. He was not involved in illegal activity.

But this incident touched me for a couple of other reasons. I didn’t know Jeremy, but Adrian was a shot-put and discus thrower for our Denbigh High track teams from 2005-2007. I knew him and brother Jazz well. He was also a lineman on the football team, and at 6’3” and about 300 pounds, stood out in any crowd, not just because of his size, but also his monster personality. They called him “A-Boogie” and it was a name that Adrian made up. As his Dad Jeremy said at the funeral – “Isn’t it something? You just wake up one day, and decide that everyone is going to call you A-Boogie from now on. And everybody did.” It’s probably needless to note that Adrian’s funeral was one of the saddest events I have ever encountered. However, it was very well attended – a testament to the legacy of friends and memories that Adrian left behind.

But it’s the second reason why this event has touched me that will continue to touch our friends and neighbors. Jeremy Holiday, with his wife Aundrea, a police officer in Williamsburg, are using their tragedy as a teaching moment, and one that a lot of folks should pay attention to. Newport News, like many communities across America, is stifled with the “no snitch” policy of the streets. Witnesses may see, but many will never tell, either out of fear, or on a much sadder note, because it is considered to be the honorable way to behave on the street. “Snitches get stitches” is a way too familiar mantra, but many times, the witnesses are more concerned about losing their street “cred,” as opposed to a couple of teeth.

In spite of this, two persons of interest have been identified by the Newport News police. In this forum, I’m not ready to drop their names, simply because they haven’t been charged, and certainly not convicted yet. Go figure, it might be slanderous. I will be happy to do so in due time. But the Holiday’s are taking the offensive. Two weeks ago, on May 4^th, they gathered 25 or so family members and friends, made signs, invited local newspapers and TV camera crews and marched through the middle of Warwick Lawns, the same neighborhood where one or both of the alleged perpetrators live. At the very least, the Holidays believe that someone in the neighborhood knows something, and they want the person or persons to start talking.

“We’re not going to stay locked up in our house,” said Jeremy Holiday. “We’ve been victims once – we’re not going to be victims twice.”

Link to the story can be found here:

http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-nws-nn-homicide-march-20150504-story.html

Other neighborhood marches of this type are planned within the Denbigh community. The point is simple. You can run, but if people stand up and tell the police what they know, you will no longer be able to hide.

McCorory Blasts Drake 400 Field in 50.13; Big Weekend for Virginia Track

Last weekend was just a superb time to be a track fan in Virginia. On the national level, Hampton's Francena McCorory blitzed a top-notch field, which included 2012 Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross, in the Drake Relays women's 400. To watch the video is amazing as Francena passed several runners on the last turn and came into the straightaway about eight meters ahead of everybody. Her time of 50.13 is about a second faster than where she has been at this point of the season in recent years, so it's interesting to see how her progress ends up this year. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Some video from the Hampton Relays (below)

Today's article was printed two weeks ago in the Daily Press. I had enough sense to note that McCorory had a 50.1 split in the 1600-meter relay - this after running in two other events. Talking with her that day she was quite happy about the split. I started asking about her goals for the year. While some athletes just aim to maintain their fitness in the year before an Olympics, Francena talked about running her best 400 time - which is already a blazing 49.48.

"You know...break 49," she said, and I had to laugh. Honestly, I have no concept of breaking 49 -- my talent aced out around 51-52!

In other big news from Virginia last weekend, the Patriot HS girls, with Rachel McArthur at the anchor, won the HS girls distance medley at Penn Relays, while the Lyles brothers (Noah and Josephus) of T.C. Williams, both cracked the 46 second barrier on their 400-meter legs, leading the Titans to a US #1 1600-meter time of 3:12.17. On a side note, I am proud to note that the Lyles' live next door  (literally next door) to where I grew up as a young kid in Alexandria, so I'd like there's something in the water supply in Lower Alexandria!

In other Penn news, Drew Hunter of Loudoun Valley won the Penn 1500 AND 3000, becoming the first athlete since Matt Centrowitz to pull the distance double; Lake Braddock's super soph Kate Murphy out dueled fellow Virginian Libby Davidson of E.C. Glass to claim the girls 3,000 title, while Brandee Johnson and Nansemond River (Suffolk) took the small schools 400-meter relays.



HAMPTON -  After a six year hiatus, the Hampton Relays resumed business on the blue track of Armstrong Stadium this weekend. As expected, the host Pirates excelled on the oval, but the stars of the day may have been a few of their alumni.

Olympic gold medalist and indoor world champion (400-meters) Francena McCorory ran a trio of events, as did two-time NCAA champion Yvette Lewis. In the women’s 400 relay, McCorory and Lewis combined with fellow alums Breana Norman and Teiara Denmark to decimate the college teams with a time of 45.02, two seconds ahead of runner-up Campbell University.

Not to be outdone, the Hampton Alumni quartet of Reggie Dixon, Charles Clark, Je’von Hutchinson and Brandon Jones raced to a 40.43 win in the men’s 400 relay, edging Virginia Union (40.65). Hutchinson also won the open 400 in 46.65.

After the meet, Francena proved to
be a woman of many talents, even
helping a confused old runner
and current sportswriter take
a selfie. 

But McCorory wasn’t done. Later in the day, she breezed to a win in the 200 (23.01), and then saved the best for last, anchoring the winning women’s 1600-meter team with a split of 50.1.

For the 2006 graduate of Bethel High, the past year has a whirlwind. After being part of the winning women’s 1600-meter relay team at the 2012 London Olympics, it was apparent that McCorory was on the brink of a breakthrough year. And the Hampton native broke through in a memorable way. First, she won the indoor 400-meter world championship in Sopot, Poland, and followed up in the outdoor season with arguably her greatest performance to date, capturing the outdoor 400 national title with a career best time of 49.48. In the process, she outkicked Olympic legend Sanya Richards-Ross.

“Last year was crazy,” said the former world record holder in the indoor 400. Asked what she learned from the experience, McCorory was reflective.

“I learned how strong I am. I learned to believe in my training, and also to go out and have fun.” But she summed up her feeling in one word --- blessed.

Asked what she hoped to gain from competing in her hometown, McCorory added, “I know where I’m at in training and where my level of fitness is. But it’s also a chance to run in front of my family, friends and sorority sisters (McCorory is a member of Delta Sigma Theta).

Lewis, who also serves as a track coach at Hampton, has competed in invitational events in which the Pirates were competing. But as a world class hurdler, she has become accustomed to competing in only one event per meet. On Saturday, along with the 400 relay, she won the 100 hurdles (13.47) and placed second in the 200.

Asked about the last time she competed in three events, Lewis, who scored in as many as five events in high school (Denbigh, Menchville) and college championships, thought for a second and replied, “It’s been a while, a couple of years.” But the experience should help to prepare the MEAC Hall of Famer as she prepares to compete on the European track circuit later this summer.

For Pierce, who coaches both McCorory and Lewis, the busy day made for a good workout.

“They are getting ready for world competition. Yvette is getting ready to run in Shanghai next month, while Fran will be competing in Jamaica."

More than anything, the Pirates director of track and field was happy to the revival of a meet which hadn’t been run since 2009.

“The demand was there, from all the former runners and current athletes. In fact, many of our alumni are still involved in track and field,” said Pierce, citing his own wife, Hampton track alumnae and current assistant coach at Bethel, Cantrese Pace-Pierce, as an example.

“But it had to be the right time,” he added. In the past, the meet was held in March, usually under cold and blustery conditions. “The one thing I promised was – it will not be in March,” added Pierce. “We had to make sure that schools would come, and it was a gamble because they are on spring break.”

Hampton’s Trey Holloway (Grassfield) won the 110-meter high hurdles with a clocking of 14.31. Other Pirate winners included Stanley Davis (men’s 400 hurdles), Ce’aira Brown (women’s 800), Sulaiman Fareed (men’s shot-put) and Kayla Key (women’s javelin).

Desmond Fogg (Warwick High) of Norfolk State also treated himself to a 21st birthday present, winning the 1500 meters (4:07.77).

In the high school meet, most of which took place on Friday, it was Phoebus who stood out among the local high schools. Dartrez Thompson won the 100 (10.74) and 200 (22.39), Amira Aduma captured the 300 hurdles (44.26) and both the boys (8:21.62) and girls (10:23.15) 3200-meter relay squads won gold.

Hampton senior Tori Ray, who recently made a verbal commitment to North Carolina A&T, won the girls 200 (24.98), while the Menchville foursome of Jada Key, Jermyiah Jones, December Hutchinson and Jermyriah Jones cruised to a season best 3:54.68 in the girl’s 1600-meter relay.

In all, 23 high schools, ten colleges and four club teams took part in this weekend’s festivities.

Ironclad Bourbon Distillery To Open in Downtown Newport News

Although I have been aiming to focus more on sports posts, I couldn’t pass up this story. Best wishes to the King family and to the newly formed Ironclad Distillery. Cheers!!

Logo for the new Ironclad Bourbon

About a year ago, I noticed an e-mail message in my Google mail account. By itself, this is not an odd occurrence, but what stood out is that the e-mail came through an account I have with the Guru website. Guru is one of those one-stop shops for freelancers like myself who are in search jobs for their companies.

Turns out the mail came from a man named Steve King, and his message was indeed interesting. To paraphrase, it said, I’m looking to open a bourbon distillery in downtown Newport News, and can we talk? When I inquired for the directions, he told me to look for an older looking warehouse down on 23rd Street, in fact, just across from City Hall.

Really? You got my attention.

While I’m not at liberty to discuss what we talked about, I was pleased with the visit. Years ago, Steve bought a beautiful old three story brick building to house his Paul Davis restoration company. But the reality was that his company only needed about a third of his building’s 30,000 square feet.

Little ways to go before the distillery is finished,
but the bourbon is holding up well!

But that was OK, as I was about to see. King spent the next hour showing me the “other” side of the main level, and in the process taught me a little about the bourbon industry. He showed me the wooden casks – “new white oak! The bourbon picks up flavor from the wood” where his product will ferment and go through the process of becoming bourbon for a minimum of two years. I saw the 26-gallon stills – “we pour in 22 gallons and heat to 180 degrees.” I saw the barrels of corn, wheat, barley and rye, a distiller’s dream. King adds, “We get those (corn and wheat) from a farm on the other side of Williamsburg (Renwood Farms), which is the oldest operating farm of its kind in the United States.

At the end of the process, King will be the proud owner of Ironclad Bourbon. The name itself is reminiscent of the Monitor-Merrimac battle, which is apt because you can see where the actual battle happened from his spot at 124 23rd.

The (un)finished product!!

City leaders are hoping that Ironclad will become one more stepping stone in its efforts to revitalize downtown. Plans are in the works for tours of the plant (got mine already!). Davis already has a son, Owen working for on board. In fact, it was Owen who gave WAVY-TV 10 their tour of the plant. The Ironclad label was designed by Davis’ oldest son Ben, and Steve’s daughter Kara is the company’s Creative Director.

The plans for Ironclad are big for the Davis family. “We want to move up to a 100 gallon system, then possibly 150...200, says Steve. “A couple of 100 gallon systems would be enough to produce enough product to be commercial.”

As the only new bourbon distiller in Hampton Roads, the King’s have a clear path on the road to spirits success.

SEVA Girls Well Into Swim Season; Hosting Movie Benefit This Sunday

The South Eastern (VA) swim team season is well underway, and the girls team recently took part in the VSI SC Age Group Championships at the Collegiate School Aquatic center in Richmond.

Last year, it was the "7 Dwarfs" who led the girls team for
SEVA. Jacqueline Tinneny and Morgan Miller
are still around, but coach Jeff Kincaid is looking for
new talent.

It was a great outing for the Newport News based squad, who placed fourth of 31 teams.

According to coach Jeff Kincaid, Morgan Miller was his team’s standout in Richmond.

Says Kincaid, She really did the best job on our team, scoring and placing (in the 13-14 year old category) at night. She really shined in the 200 free and 500, as well as the 1650.”

Kincaid also noted that six other girls made it to the NASA cup, a new meet, which will be held in Florida later this summer.

South Eastern’s Jacqueline Tinneny, a DAILY PRESS all-star from Grafton High, won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.18.

While the girls were in Richmond, Dave Henderson took 8 boys to a higher level meet called NCSA. Said Kincaid, of his colleague, “It’s really a big meet with 2000 kids and extremely difficult to make it back in finals; but, we have a few horses that made it back in a couple of their best events. “

Unfortunately, the results aren’t available at this time.

In other South Eastern news,  the team is hosting a private movie showing of “Touch The Wall” featuring Missy Franklin and Kara Lynn Joyce.  It’s the story of two Olympians in a documentary chasing their dreams with their coach in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.  The team has invited a few folks from outside the team, but still has a small handful of tickets available. The event will be held this Sunday, April 12th at 2:30 at the Kiln Creek theaters on Victory Blvd. in Yorktown..

The team website can be found at http://www.sevaswimming.com/