OUTLET: The Virginian-Pilot

NO ONE, particularly a low-income student, should lose a scholarship to college simply because of the complexity and difficulty of a form.

But it almost happened to Bryce Norwood. The Virginia Beach student was a year into his undergraduate education at James Madison University in Harrisonburg when he had to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to continue receiving the college’s Centennial Scholarship.

My agency, the ACCESS College Foundation, helped him secure it coming out of high school. (more…)

OUTLET: WAVY

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – The all volunteer life-saving service is always looking to add new members to the team, but if you aren’t quite ready to join, at least support the mission with a great afternoon of music, oysters and craft beer.

41st Annual Oyster Roast and Craft Beer Festival
Benefits Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad
Sunday, March 5 – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Virginia Beach Convention Center
Tickets and Information: VBVRS.org

OUTLET: WTKR

SUFFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man proposed to his girlfriend moments after falling thousands of feet to the ground.

Travis Burch popped the question to his girlfriend Avian Lain after the two landed on the ground.

It was the couple’s first time skydiving at Skydive Suffolk.

They have been dating for two years and live in Suffolk together.

OUTLET: Inside Business

Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads Executive Director Brad Kirkpatrick, left, presents the “Builder of the Year Award” to Charles Henderson, Hampton Roads market president, Bank of America, during Habitat’s 2016 Dream Builder luncheon in Virginia Beach on Dec. 7. Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads builds affordable homes to strengthen families and communities in seven local cities. Kirkpatrick said Bank of America has donated homes for rehabilitation and sale to needy families, while also providing many hours of employee volunteer time.

OUTLET: Inside Business

Princess Anne Courthouse Volunteer Rescue Squad received a grant from Firehouse Subs Strawbridge to buy LUCAS devices (valued at up to $15,000 each) for its ambulances. The portable device provides automated, consistent, uninterrupted chest compressions during CPR. Firehouse Subs franchisee Bob Bates opened the Strawbridge location in 2013, and as part of the company culture, he sought a charity to partner with. His restaurant collected donations by selling pickle buckets at $2 each and “rounding up” at the register. The result has been $53,265 donated to the rescue squad in less than two years by way of the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. In the photo, from left to right, are: Bob Bates, Firehouse Subs Strawbridge owner/franchisee; and Nicola McMillan, Ryan Mogadam and Chief Chris Daly, all of the Princess Anne Courthouse Volunteer Rescue Squad.

OUTLET: The Daily Press

OUTLET: Southside Daily

Michael Benedetto’s family-owned recycling facility has been processing household goods like aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles, cardboard and paper for more than 40 years. Benedetto, president and owner of Tidewater Fibre Corporation, said that for as long as he can remember, the items the facility could recycle remained the same.

TFC announced on Tuesday — America Recycles Day — that residents of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Suffolk can now add cartons to the list of accepted recyclables. (more…)

OUTLET: Inside Business

Residents of South Hampton Roads can now include paper-based milk and juice cartons in their curbside blue recycling containers.

The change is the first time in years the list of items accepted for recycling has substantially expanded, said Michael Benedetto, the president and owner of Chesapeake-based TFC Recycling.

Benedetto, local officials and recycling industry advocates and professionals gathered Nov. 15 – America Recycles Day – at the company’s headquarters to formally announce the change. The Carton Council of North America supported the advancement with a grant, which was used to install optical sorting equipment. (more…)

OUTLET: The Virginian-Pilot

By Dave Mayfield

A couple of workers in hard hats stood along a conveyor at the TFC Recycling facility Monday and with darting eyes sorted through a nonstop barrage of scraps coming their way. Every few seconds, one of the men plucked a carton from the stream with his gloved hand and tossed it onto another fast-moving belt.

Not long ago, these milk, juice and soup cartons were a nuisance, among the items that TFC’s owner, Michael Benedetto, wished people would stop throwing in with their recyclables.

(more…)