[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6474283,"mediaKeyId","5742195-2e8f4254d731fe8941670091acb0a037","parentId",5742195,"title","Newport News council approves remote participation, hears personnel announcements and moves into closed session","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",647000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742195-2e8f4254d731fe8941670091acb0a037&start=647&end=647","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742195-2e8f4254d731fe8941670091acb0a037/thumbnail_647000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474283/Virginia/Newport-News-council-approves-remote-participation-hears-personnel-announcements-and-moves-into-closed-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474283-a47f91c0074c519caf7ebbcbed40da7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771008365&Signature=QF-qvXFASd~oXIDqsHsaPjd69USxWYUozvPsoDf4CZSxvCBrWCQxY0eRCTYCCng9ZCh4h8vRm9d6V~LKG3hYv8CUQSJm1f7C~xXBXAsjpUgLZXUeet5hfvVY93i9yCA019HDOW8htpgENY5ysp77btXIfygFe-MsxrHxYE2dH1HbzDc0mpqR4mPOs8WxagPa1ECGt5tj86E5v7RC5g8t2ExxBqLS8BtxyU6sgNhw2fIaXS~jCDsAVsggnqDFqDetjEh6Bcr-Y6Q5pF8CHBWRZQ-ZI8jz3OeCf8CGe52lcC9X0WFZb3XaHCSpc~KkDD2HXGi7jCzeZzaORRFLgohuoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Newport News","date","2025-09-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Newport News City Council approved a motion to allow Mayor Jones to participate remotely and conducted several administrative actions before moving into a closed meeting to discuss appointments, real property and potential investments.

At the start of the session, council members voted to permit remote participation by Mayor Jones; the motion passed 7-0 on a roll call. Later in the meeting the council voted to hold a closed meeting under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, citing Code of Virginia \u0000\u0000\u0000\u00002.2-3711 and listing subsections referenced in the record (candidate interviews; acquisition and potential disposition of real property in the central section of the city; potential investment of public funds for a high-performance data facility; and legal consultation regarding Americans with Disabilities Act compliance). The motion to convene the closed meeting carried 7-0.

City Manager (name not specified) announced two leadership changes: Owen Miller was promoted to deputy city manager of community development and will oversee planning, codes compliance, sustainability, neighborhood services and housing initiatives; Torrance Archie was hired as director of Parks and Recreation after more than 25 years in parks administration, most recently as assistant director of Parks and Recreation in Henrico County.

Council voted on small community-support requests during the session. A $2,500 sponsorship for Gifted Minds Academy (full name in the record: Gifted Minds First Baptist Church Morrison transportation sponsorship) was presented; the transcript indicates signatures and discussion but does not record a final roll-call tally for that item. The council approved a $1,000 request for the (text in record: \"Elton/Eggleston/Eglinton\") services anniversary event; the recorded roll call for that item shows the motion carried 6-0. The council also moved to ratify appointments related to a circulated Alzheimer's Association item; that ratification vote was recorded as carried 6-0.

Councilman Long asked that the recently received final collective bargaining report be referred to the Finance and Governance Committee so the administration details and budgeting implications can be worked through before any full-council vote; the request was presented for committee review. Council also took time to compliment the Department of Street Repair for recent work replacing sections of Jefferson Avenue and smoothing Lord Justin Avenue.

Before adjourning, the council complied with FOIA formalities by certifying that only matters identified in the motion were discussed in the closed meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to allow Mayor Jones to participate remotely: approved; tally recorded as 7 yes, 0 no.
- Motion to convene closed meeting under Va. Code \u0000\u0000\u0000\u00002.2-3711 (subsections cited): approved; tally recorded as 7 yes, 0 no.
- Gifted Minds First Baptist (transportation sponsorship): amount $2,500; signatures present; final roll-call tally not specified in transcript.
- Anniversary/gala sponsorship (recorded text varies: \"Elton/Eggleston/Eglinton\" services): amount $1,000; motion recorded carried 6 yes, 0 no.
- Ratification of circulated appointments (Alzheimer's Association item): motion carried 6 yes, 0 no.

No formal ordinance or budget adoption occurred in the provided transcript excerpt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Newport News - City Council Work Session Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Newport News City Council allowed remote participation by Mayor Jones, heard two senior personnel announcements, approved small community gifts, and voted to enter a closed meeting under Virginia law to discuss appointments, real property and potential investment in a data facility.","taxTitle","Newport News (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",12491,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474288,"Christopher Newport University outlines five-year “Strategic Compass,” plans new science and engineering center",589,61000,650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742195-2e8f4254d731fe8941670091acb0a037&start=61&end=650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742195-2e8f4254d731fe8941670091acb0a037/thumbnail_61000.jpg","/articles/6474288/Virginia/Christopher-Newport-University-outlines-five-year-Strategic-Compass-plans-new-science-and-engineering-center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474288-4ec268d63a961b30d0e007e4b820dad9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771008365&Signature=mzaqGp4xQN3SiIxnamSDzJBGRhKNaC53poiymKbbO1xTcfrBrg8dbNBGw3HJby6QZBlGGMHxssVhexJzUbAFPviDyfi3BBin~5nq1NlMVJp0clKFlDSIY0p1ncBOG-PQN2oQBdGg5DujszWbsQ4xRNnYgug1hoznPdcqcw4GGji4kcwYcC5XQ7u2LkPVvqoZNkeWPZumCof5ObaTrrO73VbPjH0srWlsLXvz~fGy330dfSocRsTeKH~rBR4Msa~ez9vNvRYC7agRe0b9HjkRQNu1XBLl6pk3AP7vlnz-7XUqJPiYbmMmlTSpEpDhHKMGgHkxKUyum9FrvkuSYvK6dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Christopher Newport University President Bill Kelly told members of the Newport News City Council that the university’s new five-year Strategic Compass will guide campus decisions and strengthen ties with the city.

The plan, Kelly said during a council work-session presentation, focuses on four priorities: advancing the liberal arts while supporting strong STEM and business programs; building a fiscally and environmentally sustainable foundation; creating an intentional culture of inclusion and belonging; and connecting the university to the Hampton Roads region and the city of Newport News.

Kelly highlighted an 83,000-square-foot Science and Engineering Research Center funded by the Commonwealth. He said the building, set for a ribbon-cutting on Jan. 10, includes a two-story drone lab, expanded makerspaces and state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms. \"It is going to be a phenomenal resource not only for our university but we want it to be a resource for the region and especially for our city,\" Kelly said.

On academics, Kelly told council that more than half of CNU students graduate with STEM degrees and that share rises above 70% when business degrees are included. He said the Strategic Compass was drafted after input from more than 200 campus and community voices and contains about 49 discrete tasks for the coming five years.

Kelly said the university will pursue partnerships with Virginia Tech and Newport News Shipbuilding and perform an economic-impact study to better quantify CNU’s contribution to the local economy. He noted recent athletic events that brought visiting teams and their supporters—visitors who stayed in local hotels and used restaurants—and said the university wants to leverage campus venues, including the Ferguson Center for the Arts, for community benefit.

Kelly emphasized inclusion and community connection as central goals. \"We want to be the hometown university,\" he said, expressing a goal that more local students see CNU as an attainable option. He also described recent campus sustainability efforts and said CNU recycled more than 95% of waste from a recent football event with about 4,000 attendees.

Kelly closed by offering to answer questions and by naming Tom Kramer as the university point person for municipal engagement. He said staff are available to meet with city officials and community leaders to identify partnership opportunities and that the university intends to publish additional implementation details in the months ahead.","CNU President Bill Kelly presented a five-year Strategic Compass to Newport News City Council, highlighting an 83,000-square-foot Science and Engineering Research Center, partnerships with regional industry and universities, goals on inclusion and sustainability, and an upcoming economic-impact study.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Newport News council approves remote participation, hears personnel announcements and moves into closed session

Christopher Newport University outlines five-year “Strategic Compass,” plans new science and engineering center