New addition to Presidents Park

If you’ve already been to Presidents Park, here’s your reason to return! I can’t wait to have a visit.

Obama bust planned at tourist attraction
Associated Press – January 19, 2009 10:25 AM ET

YORKTOWN, Va. (AP) – A York County tourist attraction that features giant busts of all U.S. presidents will begin a fundraising campaign this month to add a likeness of Barack Obama.

Everette H. Newman III, president of Presidents Park, says the concrete & steel sculpture will cost about $60,000. It will be 16 feet to 18 feet tall and weigh about 7,400 pounds.

Newman says he had hoped to have the bust in place before Tuesday’s inauguration. But the sculptor, David Adickes of Houston, didn’t like the original bust he designed for Obama.

Meanwhile, the park is creating an exhibit with newspaper clippings and magazine articles about Obama. Also, a life-size bust will go on display in a couple of weeks and remain until the big one arrives.

When I visited Presidents Park, I was really amazed at the sculptures. I went on a very hot, clear summer day, and had the sunburn afterwards to prove it. I suggest going on a beautiful day, or if going on a sunny day, wear sunscreen, bring an umbrella or a big hat, and a large water bottle!, since the sculptures are outdoors and there was only one gazebo in the middle of the park for shade and water. Otherwise, I’d say Presidents Park is a great place to visit – you can learn a lot of interesting facts about the presidents, have a leasurely walk through their large heads, and it’s really not that expensive and you can find discount coupons in regularly published tourist pamphlets. Check out the official website for more info!

Thomas Nelson Community College news

From the Daily Press:

TNCC to use W & M space for classes
In tight times, the college can’t afford to pay the new fees of about $10,000 to use Warhill High.

By TYRA M. VAUGHN

247-7870

December 22, 2008

WILLIAMSBURG

A policy change by Williamsburg-James City County Schools earlier this year means it would have to charge Thomas Nelson Community College about $10,000 to hold evening classes at Warhill High School in the spring semester.

Instead, the community college is opting to hold more of its Historic Triangle campus classes at the College of William and Mary, where it already holds some classes and the space is free.

“In today’s fiscal situation, we didn’t think it was appropriate use of the college’s money when we had options,” said William Travis, provost of the Historic Triangle campus.

He said the community college was notified in September that the school system would begin charging them rent, based on a new School Board policy that requires a fee to be paid by groups outside of the school system and city government that use school facilities after 6 p.m. and on weekends.

The new policy was passed following a lawsuit against W-JCC schools by the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Virginia, in which a judge ruled it was unlawful to charge a Christian group to use a facility but waive fees for other organizations. Previously, the schools’ superintendent was given some discretion to decide which groups could use school space for free.

The TNCC classes previously taught at Warhill High will be held at William and Mary beginning Jan. 10, Travis said.

Students are already aware of the location changes, which appear in the schedule books for the upcoming semester, he said.

Holding evening classes at William and Mary isn’t unusual for Thomas Nelson, which has been using space at the university for years since the Historic Triangle campus outgrew its former home on John Jefferson Road in James City County, Travis said.

Last semester, the community college held 11 classes at William and Mary, Travis said.

“We’ve always had to deliver evening classes off site because there is not enough room in the space that we lease,” Travis said. “We’re both public institutions and that’s an agreement we have among each other as long as the space isn’t needed or being occupied at the time of use.”

He said he likes the idea of Thomas Nelson students having classes at William and Mary because it allows them to see what a four-year university is like.

For that reason, Travis said the college might continue to hold some evening classes at William and Mary when the new Historic Triangle campus site, which is being built near Warhill High School on Opportunity Way, opens in summer 2009.

“We definitely want to fill our building,” Travis said. “But there’s still a real advantage and benefit of getting students acclimated to a four-year university.”

Big move
Thomas Nelson Community College classes formerly held at Warhill High School will move to the campus of the College of William and Mary beginning Jan. 10.

This is the first I’ve heard the new campus set to open in Summer 2009! Woohoo!

Thomas Nelson Community College

Today my boyfriend and I had our weekly class at the Thomas Nelson Community College Williamsburg Campus. It’s quite amazing all the things this community college has to offer. The in-state student rate is roughly $80 per credit hour, compared to the $250 per credit hour rate to out of state folks. The perks of living in Williamsburg never cease to amaze me! And to top it off, they’re building a new campus on Centerville Road next to the new Warhill High School that will, from what I’ve heard, have all the classes the Hampton campus offers. This article states, “the first phase of construction will be a 120,000 square foot building slated to be completed by December 2008.” I’m really looking forward to this, even though it is at least a year in the future. Not only will my commute time decrease, but I just read that the campus is being constructed in a “green” manner. Sounds like an all-around win-win situation if you ask me!