It's WINDSday | July 24, 2024

Celebrating the Power of Wind, Clean Energy and a Green Environment

This image says a thousand words. Shown at a meeting of the VA Maritime Association’s Offshore Wind Committee last week, it depicts the Belgian-flagged crane ship Orion (the large vessel) 29 miles out in the Atlantic, about to imbed one of the 176 monopiles that form the foundations for Dominion’s CVOW project.

The smaller boat is the Atlantic Oceanic, which, through a large tube, pumps a wall of bubbles around the monopiles during the pile-driving process. This creates a curtain to absorb sound energy, protecting whales and other marine mammals from noise. 

On the left is one of the 30-foot wide monopiles, its last fifteen feet poking out of the water. As of late last week, 32 were in the water.

Meanwhile, back in Portsmouth, monopile shipments arrive from Germany and then head out to the lease site. Yellow transition pieces are coming in from Europe, too; their delivery to CVOW is still months out. Stay tuned. 

No, it's not the beginning of a wind farm on Military Highway in Norfolk.

The 60-foot tower, bearing a pair of blades and a box of electronics (its nacelle), is the latest teaching tool at Centura College. Centura offers prospective wind turbine technicians a 48-week course that includes instruction in electricity and safety, including climbing.

"I was really happy to see it go up here," says Bertram Johnson, who will graduate this August.

A Suffolk native, Johnson spent 20 years in the Army managing the parachuting of cargo from supply planes. "I'm thrilled that this new industry is happening in my home area."

Donovan Trayon is from New Mexico, moving here after four years in the Marines ("wanted to try the East Coast"). "I'm using my GI bill to learn about wind turbines, which I saw a lot of on the ground out west. I heard the jobs pay well, so here I am."

This turbine is not just for show, though. “When it’s spinning (which it does when the wind is blowing at 8mph), it generates about 25 kilowatts of electricity a day to help run our building,” says program coordinator Tracey Butts.

Cory Doxey, who manages the campus, says a giant solar panel is coming next to the Centura parking lot to give students in the school's new solar technician program their own hands-on experience.

Interested in joining the green skills revolution? Go to www.centuracollege.edu.

There is fried chicken, and then there is Korean Fried Chicken.

Yes, KFC, Popeyes, Pollard's, Zaxby's, Royal Farms, Jollibee's, and local favorites like Pollard's have their versions, and they'll all be okay.

But what John Shin cooks at Sushi Mama on Newtown Road just off Virginia Beach Blvd. takes a while to order because the flavors, from Honey Lemon, Soy Garlic, Curry, and Golden Cheese to Sweet Onion, Hot BBQ, and Kkan Pung Gi (look it up), are all pretty tempting.

John came to America with only a backpack 30 years ago, following his family who preceded him from South Korea. "I always wanted to have my own restaurant," so he and his brother set their sights on Sushi Mama and bought it.

"Yes, it was a sushi place, but we wanted to add the kind of chicken we had in Korea." For the past two years, that has been the menu for lunch and dinner.

Order online for pickup at www.sushimama.menu11.com, call 757-554-0120, or follow on Instagram. Tell Colonel Sanders you'll catch him next time.

For a chef, Mary Cook has the perfect married name. But her maiden name, Tame, has become her brand.

"I am the Untamed Chef," says the Chesapeake mom of twins Ariel and Malia, who, with the encouragement of husband Mark, opened a cooking studio at 1296 Battlefield Boulevard in 2022 to share her love of food.

According to their website, "eating is a necessity, cooking is an art," and teaching "how to reproduce newly learned recipes to show off to the friends and family" is what Ms. Cook does for groups of 3-4 friends or couples on date nights.

However, if you want to watch and dine, you can enjoy a four-course meal without cutting the carrots or seasoning the steak.

Mary learned “cheffing" at The Culinary Institute and honed her talents at The Trellis in Williamsburg, Town Point Club in Norfolk, and the Renaissance in Portsmouth.

At her own kitchen studio, she also conducts summer camps and private birthday parties for kids.

As for cuisine, you pick. It can be Greek, Italian, Southern, Mexican...or, says the Untamed Chef, “go wild.”

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