Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The company began as a four-person startup and today has more than 600 employees, 100 branches across 16 states and more than 208,000 homeowners served. In 2025, the company served more than 12,100 homeowners and completed more than 2,000 e-closings, while reducing its average closing time to under 26 days.
Appointed/elected
Julie Duregger (FirstSpark)
Julie Duregger is the new permanent executive director of FirstSpark in Newport News. Duregger had been serving as the interim executive director since October. Formerly known as Smart Beginnings Virginia Peninsula, Duregger has been with the organization for the past 15 years in several roles, including deputy director, assistant director and co-leader for fund development and strategic planning. The nonprofit focuses on early childhood education initiatives.
Awards and honors
The Hampton Roads Realtors Association recently announced the winners of its Fair Housing Art Show. Marley Racines won first place for her piece “Oceanic Polarity,” Spencer Nelson received second for his work “Bottom of My Heart,” and Serenity Lynch received third for her work “Hyacinth.” The event, which featured artwork from students at Landstown High School, unites community members, real estate professionals, educators and students to celebrate creativity, education and housing equality. Gladys Fain, the association’s president-elect, along with other real estate leaders and professionals, presented on various industry topics, including fair housing and the role of inclusion in community development.
Chick-fil-A corporate has awarded more than $309,000 in scholarships to 164 employees in Hampton Roads through its annual Remarkable Futures Scholarship program. The local team members were recognized for their commitment to their education and leadership, with scholarships that can be used toward college, technical programs and other career paths. Overall this year, Chick-fil-A awarded more than $29 million in scholarships to restaurant employees and community leaders across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. The scholarship program, administered by Scholarship America, is meant to highlight the company’s ongoing commitment to advancing opportunity through education by helping lift a financial burden for employees and students.
The city of Newport News has been named the winner of the trust and transparency category at the 15th Annual North American Granicus Digital Government Awards. Newport News earned top honors in the trust and transparency category for the collaborative work of the city attorney’s office and the office of innovation in implementing a new Freedom of Information Act request archive and expanded open data pages. In 2025, the city launched two digital platforms designed to increase visibility into public service processes and foster trust among residents, businesses and stakeholders. Shown here is Newport News City Hall in 2025. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
Chartway Credit Union has received the 2026 USA Today Top Workplaces award for the sixth consecutive year. Issued by Energage, a company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into business intelligence, the award has an 18-year history. Top Workplaces USA honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created people-first cultures. The winners are determined by employee feedback submitted through a confidential survey. Established in 1959, Chartway has $3.2 billion in assets, branches in Virginia, Texas and Utah and 265,000 members.
Drain Dudes in Newport News is one of 20 winners of the 2026 HomeServe skilled trades apprenticeship and training grant program. The company will receive a $2,500 grant to help train new apprentices or support workforce upskilling programs. For the second year, HomeServe awarded grants to 20 contractor companies within its network to support apprentice training and employee upskilling initiatives. The program is part of the company’s larger efforts to address workforce shortages in the plumbing, HVAC, electrical and home services trades. Recipients were selected through a competitive application process. The grant funding will expand hands-on training, offset education costs, improve onboarding programs and create additional career pathways.
Closing
After more than two decades in business, Center Street Grill in James City County’s New Town near Williamsburg closed after a May 9 farewell event.
Grants and donations
Grand Furniture, in partnership with Norfolk State University athletics department, the Salvation Army and ForKids, hosted A Chance to Dream Grand, a mattress donation event at Echols Hall. Inside the university’s arena, 50 children each received a free, brand-new twin Tempur-Pedic mattress, a complete set of bedding, pillows and a blanket. Norfolk State cheerleaders and athletes from the football and volleyball teams welcomed families to the event and engaged in games and activities with guests alongside NSU’s Mr. Spartan mascot. Brandon Plummer, NSU’s women’s basketball assistant coach, shared words of motivation and empowerment with those in attendance. This event was the first major community activation under the A Chance to Dream Grand program.
Healthcare
Dr. Robert Given with Urology of Virginia recently performed the first treatment procedures on the East Coast using water vapor ablation at the Chesapeake Regional Surgery Center in Virginia Beach. Given is one of the first urologists in the U.S. to use the technology for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. The procedure uses energy stored in sterile water vapor to convectively transfer thermal energy to targeted tissue, causing cell death. The treatment limits damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The procedure does not carry the same level of side effects, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, that traditional treatment options do. One in eight American men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis, according to the American Cancer Society.
Openings
Dirty Sippin, a new dirty soda pop-up venture operated by Williamsburg native Hayley Lowry, is slated to open in the Williamsburg area in June. “I’m going to be specializing in many different flavors of dirty soda, which is our everyday soda we all know and love, but mixed with extra things such as syrups, creamers, cold foams and much more to give your drink a more fun and elevated experience,” Lowry said. Sugar-free and dairy-free options will also be available.
Sassy Sew Crafty opened at 3558 S. George Washington Highway, Suite C, in Hayes. The shop offers custom apparel, embroidery, personalized gifts and handcrafted items.
Partnership
Suffolk Police Department’s Emergency Communications is asking businesses to update their contact information with the city’s emergency communications center. Owners and managers of locations such as apartment communities, businesses, houses of worship, and other facilities in Suffolk are encouraged to provide location information, authorized emergency contacts, owner and management company information and information about on-site emergency equipment such as AEDs, alarm or gate codes, lock boxes, fire alarms and security systems. By providing updated information, first responders can more quickly contact the responsible party for a location, which in turn, can avoid or mitigate emergency situations. Information provided will be securely stored by the city’s emergency communications center and used for public safety purposes. Visit the Suffolk Police Department’s website to sign up.
Workforce development
Virginia Peninsula Community College has introduced websites to help students explore career information and options. The first is a centralized platform for work-based learning opportunities, internships and apprenticeships. Employers are also able to connect to find job candidates. Another website, Lightcast, is expected to be live by the end of May. It will provide labor market statistics and analysis, required education for selected careers, preferred hard and soft skills, and average pay. Lightcast will also list all of VPCC’s programs and degrees. Students can also use the site to help build a resume and apply for jobs directly through the website. College representatives will be available to help students at the Hampton, Williamsburg and Newport News campuses.
The Deep Creek Bridge replacement project in Chesapeake recently reached a milestone. Eastbound U.S. 17 traffic was moved onto the first of two new bridge spans on May 11. It is the first time traffic used the new bridge since the project began. Westbound traffic will temporarily continue to use the old bridge while work continues. In the project’s next phase, east and westbound traffic will use the new bridge. The new drawbridge will carry five lanes of traffic over the Dismal Swamp Canal. The nearly $60 million project should be completed in 2028. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)