Pearson is the founder and president of Project 1619, a nonprofit that has played a crucial role in correcting the narrative about the arrival of enslaved Africans in English-speaking North America. The organization notes the first enslaved Africans, who were kidnapped from Angola, first landed at Point Comfort, today’s Fort Monroe in Hampton, not in Jamestown.

“Calvin’s passing is a monumental loss,” said Melinda Steele, Project 1619’s vice president. She said “correcting the narrative” of the first Africans in America was a passion of his.

“We’re going to miss him dearly,” Steele said. “He was such a pioneer.”

Pearson was born in Newport News and grew up in Hampton.

Hampton School Board member Ann Stephens Cherry recalled Pearson’s longstanding commitment to preserving Black history. Friends since the 1960s, Cherry remembered when Phenix High School — a school for Black students during segregation — was renamed Pembroke High School in 1968 and the school staff started throwing trophies and other Phenix memorabilia into the trash. She said Pearson went “dumpster diving” to retrieve as many trophies and awards as possible to preserve the school’s history.

“I’ll miss the fact that he was genuine,” she said. “He had no ulterior motive, and what he said, you could take it to the bank. Didn’t matter whether you agreed with him or not. He was genuine. You don’t have a lot of that now.”

Project 1619 also researched and promoted African history before slavery and Hampton’s African-American history.

Fort Monroe Authority Chief Executive Officer Glenn Oder described Pearson as “dogmatic and persistent” about the importance of identifying Point Comfort as the site where the first Africans landed. Oder said he was one of the driving forces behind promoting an accurate narrative and a “new understanding of history.”

Pearson was also instrumental in development and planning of the African Landing Memorial — an ongoing $9 million project to honor the first documented Africans brought to English North America in 1619. Oder said Pearson was involved in committee work, site selection, the design process and the selection of the artist.

“He wasn’t afraid to share his position,” Oder said. “He wasn’t afraid to express his opinion if something wasn’t going in the direction that he felt would correctly tell the story. He was a force of nature when it came to telling the story.”

Pearson was also chairman of the National Juneteenth Grassroots Enslavement Legacy Commission and a frequent speaker at conferences nationwide — sharing his knowledge about the horrors and long-lasting impact of slavery.

Project 1619 board member Larry Gibson, who grew up with Pearson, commended his lifelong friend for his advocacy in telling truthful history.

Due to human trafficking and slavery, Gibson said it felt like the culture and history of Black people living in America were being erased. He believes Pearson’s work highlighting the history and culture of Africans before enslavement and the acknowledgment of “where we came from” created a space for African descendants to find reconciliation and healing.

After decades of friendship, Gibson said he will miss having one-on-one conversations with Pearson.

“I’ll miss the personal engagement with him, but the things that we’ve shared and the things that he’s done — that’ll be with me for the rest of my life,” he said.

William “Bill” Wiggins, who co-founded Project 1619, is the organization’s new president.

“To have (Pearson) gone is going to be a huge void, but Project 1619, Inc. will continue and move forward,” Steele said. “We’re going to continue with his legacy.”

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Hampton. Entombment will follow at Hampton Memorial Gardens.

Josh Janney, joshua.janney@virginiamedia.com

Sutton’s attorney, Ari Stein, confirmed his client had decided to drop out but didn’t offer a reason for the change of heart. The decision leaves Sutton’s opponent, Mark Bohenstiel, as the only candidate who will appear on the November ballot. Incumbent Jessica Owens is not seeking reelection.

Sutton’s decision came shortly after Virginia Beach Circuit Court Judge Afshin Farashahi declined a request from Bohenstiel for an emergency order that would have prevented Sutton’s name from being included on the ballot as the registrar’s office prepares to send out mail-in ballots and begin early voting next week. Bohenstiel filed a lawsuit last week in which he claimed Sutton had failed to meet all the requirements needed to be eligible to run.

Farashahi’s ruling on Monday, however, was only a temporary measure until a trial on the matter could be held. No trial date was set, but it would have been held before the election.

Bohenstiel’s case centers on the petitions Sutton submitted to qualify for the race. Candidates had to obtain 125 valid signatures from qualified voters in the district. While Bohenstiel’s lawsuit didn’t challenge the authenticity of the signatures, it did question the dates included with some of them, as well as the process followed when the petitions were notarized.

During a hearing Friday before Farashahi, Sutton testified he did his best to follow all the rules for obtaining and submitting signatures. The retired teacher and school administrator said he dated the pages of signatures he collected as Feb. 3, which is when he began gathering them. Some, however, were obtained on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5, he said.

A former student of Sutton’s who attends the University of Virginia helped collect signatures, along with two of his fraternity brothers, Sutton said. A notary public in Charlottesville who notarized the petitions submitted a written statement in which he said the petitions were signed before they were presented to him. In such cases, he wrote, the standard practice is to have the presenters swear to their signatures in the notary’s presence and then re-date them. They weren’t re-dated in this case, he said.

Farashahi said there wasn’t enough evidence presented at last week’s hearing to indicate whether Bohenstiel was likely to succeed at trial.

He also said that while Bohenstiel would suffer “irreparable harm” if Sutton’s name is included on the ballot at this time, and then he’s later determined to be ineligible, the harm to Sutton would be greater if he were kept off the ballot now and then were to prevail at trial.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com

Hickory High and Hickory Middle schools will have synchronous virtual instruction that day, meaning students will log on to their school computers for class. Southeastern Elementary and Hickory Elementary will dismiss students at 1 p.m.

Country music star Luke Bryan will bring his “Farm Tour” to Heritage Park, 3444 S. Battlefield Blvd. in Chesapeake, for a 6 p.m. show. Parking will open at 2 p.m.

In a message sent to parents and posted on the schools’ websites, officials said that the division is “committed to the safety and security of our students and staff” and made the changes after receiving updated information about the concert’s “anticipated community impact.”

After-school activities were also canceled and school officials said the elementary afternoon bus routes might experience delays. Students at the elementary schools who were scheduled to attend the Oceana Air Show will still do so. Breakfast and lunch will still be served at the elementary schools.

During the pandemic, many divisions provided their students with devices to complete online assignments. Since virtual learning became widespread in 2020, some divisions have used the option instead of giving students a “snow day” during bad weather. In April, Norfolk schools moved to virtual learning because of safety concerns regarding the solar eclipse.

Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com

Earlier in the morning, students had been moved to rooms with windows, and telephone and internet access were affected, according to a text sent to parents at about 9:30 a.m. Parents received a follow-up message from the school at 10:30 a.m. about the outages and the subsequent dismissal at 11 a.m.

An electrical worker at the scene told a Daily Press reporter that a “squirrel in the line” triggered the electrical issues. Power to the building has been restored, but the dismissal will continue.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com

Peter Dujardin, peter.dujardin@dailypress.com

The Hispanic fusion restaurant opened in June by economist Marilyn Castro, a Puerto Rico native, who wanted to jazz up the morning scene and provide jobs for people.

The menu ranges from omelets to pancakes and waffles, to a burrito and a quesadilla made with a choice of protein. Dishes showcase ingredients such as Argentinian sausage, sweet potatoes and Mallorca bread, a sweet bun originating in Mallorca (Majorca), Spain’s Balearic Islands. Castro gets the bread imported from Puerto Rico but creates every recipe. The restaurant also serves nine types of mimosas, including horchata, tamarind and guava.

I dined at one of the six tables on my visits.

The appetizers are a must-have. I tried three on two occasions and I loved them all. My favorite is the egg and sausage empanada ($4.50). I could eat one or two every day. It was fried golden, packed with protein and didn’t weigh the belly down. Pastry perfection.

The Cuban egg roll ($7) pulled up next with flavor from the sandwich’s ingredients. It was cheesy from the Swiss, savory from the ham and tangy from the pickles. The shape, however, was thinner and longer than a traditional roll nor did it have the same crispy texture. I still loved it. Kudos to the chef.

I let out an “ooh” when the Mallorca bread loaded with Bavarian cream ($7) arrived. Lots of smooth cream sat in the middle of thick and fluffy bread. It was decadent, not too sweet and paired well with tea.

The breakfast burrito ($14) and fries also made a great duo. I’m glad they came on the side because my biggest complaint about burritos is the often unseasoned and undercooked potatoes on the inside. The burrito had fluffy scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and my choice of protein, which was bacon. Each mouthful contained a full breakfast entrée. I plan to get this again. Delicious.

The pork chop and creamy waffle meal ($15) were fantastic too. It came with a choice of coconut, spicy or regular syrup. I selected spicy. Juice oozed as I cut into the fried meat. I liked the seasoning but it was a little too salty. I dipped my fork in syrup but it was too spicy. I asked for regular and it did the trick. The sweetness gave the dish more balance. I snarfed on the pork chop down to the bone. The crispy waffle had a fluffy interior like it was supposed to. No complaints.

Customers could also get the sweet potato waffle which I highly recommend. No syrup is required just the greatness of the vegetable in a cake batter. 

I wrapped up my stay with a pina colada sangria ($9) and I was feeling good after a few sips. It was prepared with white wine and still had a fruity-creamy consistency. I never imagined these two getting together — talk about late to the party.

Breakfast was the best meal of the day.

Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com; on X, @gibsonrekaya

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If you go

Where: 2720 North Mall Drive, Virginia Beach

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday

Prices: $4 to $11 appetizers, $12 to $15 entrees, $9 mimosas and sangria

Details: 757-904-5561; https://breakfastbarva.com

Chesapeake, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton have installed speed cameras in local school and work zones to deter speeding and enhance overall public safety.

Though law enforcement leaders tout the equipment as a safety measure to deter speeding, the cameras can also be significant moneymakers — with Chesapeake and Suffolk already raking in millions.

Chesapeake has a dozen cameras that have been active since 2022. The city reports a total of 158,075 violations since then, along with about $9.7 million in revenue.

Another 10 cameras in Suffolk went active in fall 2023 along with one at a work zone. Since then, the city reports roughly 196,000 citations, collecting $14.2 million in revenue. After paying the vendor, net revenue is $10.5 million. Suffolk did not specify whether the citation and revenue figures provided to The Virginian-Pilot were specific to school and work zone speed cameras only. The city also operates red light and school bus cameras.

Both cities previously said net revenue would go toward highway safety improvements and personnel costs.

The school zone speed cameras in Chesapeake and Suffolk are targeted in two lawsuits brought by former Del. Tim Anderson, an attorney who alleges the cities are improperly issuing speeding violations and allowing third party vendors to impersonate local government when collecting fees.

Anderson’s case in Suffolk is awaiting an order from a judge on whether it will move forward. A hearing in the Chesapeake case is scheduled for Sept. 18.

The Virginia General Assembly approved legislation in 2020 that allows state and local police to set up speed cameras at highway work sites and school crossing zones. Under that law, only motorists caught going at least 10 mph over the speed limit are ticketed up to $100.

Hampton is in the process of rolling out a dozen cameras in school zones this fall as part of a pilot program with staggered warning periods.

A 30-day warning period began Aug. 26 for cameras located near Bethel High School, Hampton High School and Hunter B. Andrews Pre-K. A 30-day grace period will begin for cameras at Jones Magnet Middle School, Kecoughtan High School, Lindsay Middle School and Machen Elementary School by Sept. 30. And cameras at another set of schools — Mary W. Jackson Elementary School, Thomas Eaton Middle School, Aberdeen Elementary School, Barron Elementary School and William Mason Cooper Elementary — will have a 30-day grace period beginning no later than Oct. 15.

Hampton city officials said about $3.5 million would be budgeted for the school zone speed camera pilot program.

Norfolk has 19 cameras in place across 10 public school locations. A 60-day warning period was slated to end in May, but a city spokesperson said last week that the cameras are still in an active warning period “until summons language can be resolved with the general district court and our vendor, Verra Mobility.”

Part of Anderson’s complaint in his lawsuits was that officers weren’t issuing an official Virginia summons document consistent with other traffic infractions when making the speeding citations.

Portsmouth has 16 cameras, and police began fining drivers in December. The city reports 28,289 citations and $951,061 of revenue collected between January and June. Of the total revenue, $565,042 will be paid to the third-party vendor.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the latest citations and revenue figures from the city of Portsmouth. The city provided the figures after the article published.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

Families who need help, individual donors and corporate partners can connect with the Salvation Army that serves their community to either register as a client or become a supporter.

For Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth, registration runs through Sept. 27. Families with children up to 12 years old are eligible to apply at bit.ly/christmas_assistance.

For Williamsburg, Suffolk and surrounding counties, registration runs Sept. 23 to Oct. 4, with online client registrations at saangeltree.org.

For Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Lower York, Mathews and Gloucester counties, registration runs through Sept. 16, also at saangeltree.org.

We’ll experience nice weather to kick off the work week. Expect a cooler start this morning with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Highs will reach the upper 70s today with low humidity and lots of sunshine.

Expect lots of sunshine with highs in the low 80s for Tuesday and Wednesday. Highs will remain in the low 80s but the humidity will start to build for the end of the week.

We are watching a developing tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. It is forecast to make landfall near Louisiana/Texas by midweek. The leftover moisture from that system will likely spread across the southeast and could throw some rain our way by the end of the week or weekend.

• Today: Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Winds: N/E 5-10
• Tonight: Clear. Lows in the upper 50s. Winds: E/S 5-10
• Tomorrow: Sunny. Highs in the low 80s. Winds: W/N/E 5-10

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Tropical Update

Potential Tropical Cyclone Six over the Gulf of Mexico. On the forecast track, the disturbance is expected to move just offshore of the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico through Tuesday and approach the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. The disturbance is expected to become a tropical storm (Francine) today and a hurricane before it reaches the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Meteorologists are tracking an area of low pressure over the central tropical Atlantic. Environmental conditions appear generally conducive for development during the next few days. A tropical depression is expected to form while the system meanders over the central tropical Atlantic.

• Formation chance through 48 hours: Medium (60%)
• Formation chance through 7 days: High (70%)

A trough of low pressure is being tracked several hundred miles WSW of the Cabo Verde Islands. Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development by midweek. A tropical depression could form during the middle to latter part of this week while the system moves WNW.

• Formation chance through 48 hours: Low 90%)
• Formation chance through 7 days: Medium (60%)

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Weather & Health

• Pollen: Med-High (Ragweed)
• UV Index: 7 (High)
• Air Quality: Good (Code Green)
• Mosquitoes: High

Almost six years later, the project has a new planned development partner and a much smaller scope. Gone is the enormous tower, replaced by plans for a modest five-story, 200-room hotel and minimum spending of at least $300 million, according to a new development agreement City Council members will vote on Tuesday.

Even so, Mayor Kenny Alexander said he believes the Pamunkey’s new partner Boyd Gaming has the track record and legitimacy to follow through on development, including financing the project to the tune of more than $500 million.

“We’re very confident in Boyd’s ability to exceed our expectations, and more importantly, be a great corporate citizen,” Alexander said.

Here’s how the proposals for the casino have changed over the years.

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Current plans call for scaled-back project

Design teams presented the current casino plans, backed by Boyd, to the Norfolk Architectural Review Board in August. They include:

• A 200-room, five-story hotel tower
• An at-least 935-space parking garage
• An outdoor pool and bar
• Restaurants, including a food hall with four or five restaurants; a sports bar and a steakhouse
• A fitness center and spa

Absent from the latest plans and the agreements is a marina on the Elizabeth River, which was shown in previous renderings.

However, the agreements would require casino developers to pay for part of two significant waterfront projects — up to $7.5 million for the southern portion of the downtown Norfolk seawall project and up to $562,000 to maintain the portion of the Elizabeth River Trail near the property.

The city documents reveal Boyd, a major Nevada gaming company with 28 properties in 10 states, is set to become the new majority owner of Golden Eagle Consulting, the company created by Yarbrough that oversees development. Under the new agreement, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe also would possess a 20% equity interest in the company.

It’s unclear from the documents whether Yarbrough would have a role in the new agreement. Alexander also didn’t know.

“I’ve never met him,” Alexander said about the billionaire backer. “I’ve never had a conversation with him on a telephone. I’ve never met him.”

Also removed from renderings is the name Golden Eagle previously used for the development: HeadWaters Casino and Resort.

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Significantly smaller than 2019 plan

The latest plans are smaller in scale than what was presented to the City Council in September 2019, about a year before Norfolk voters passed a referendum authorizing the casino. Those plans included:

• A $700 million price tag
• 500 four-diamond hotel rooms
• 3,500-4,500 slot machines and 100-225 table games
• A 750-seat entertainment venue and a spa
• 3-5 restaurants
• Roughly 6,500 parking spaces

Some city officials, including former City Manager Chip Filer, were skeptical of the tribe’s initial investment figures. In a December 2019 economic analysis, the city predicted the developers would only spend $375 million on the project. As recently as 2023, however, tribe officials said investment in the development would top $500 million and include at least 300 hotel rooms.

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Agreement includes minimum standards

The new development agreement, like the old agreement, comes with minimum standards that must be met. It requires a minimum investment of $300 million. Other minimum standards detailed in an option-to-purchase agreement include:

• A casino floor with at least 750 electronic gaming machines and 25 table games
• At least 150 hotel rooms, with a lobby bar, retail store and coffee shop
• Several food and beverage venues including a food hall, a sports bar and grill, and a fine dining restaurant and lounge
• A 500-seat “intimate showroom”
• A parking garage with at least 103 spots for Amtrak customers
• An outdoor function space
• A spa and fitness center

A 2019 agreement by the developer and Norfolk also includes similar minimum figures, such as 750 gaming machines, 25 tables and 150 hotel rooms.

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Timeline and construction phasing

One of the biggest hangups with the project has been the phasing of planned construction. An initial plan would have housed a temporary casino inside Harbor Park baseball stadium while the permanent structure was built. But that was scrapped after the city ran into statutory issues with using the location.

Developers later pitched a phased construction plan that built the casino first followed by the hotel and resort. But city leaders made clear they did not support the two-phase approach, and the design was pulled from review.

Alexander said, unlike the past proposals that included temporary gaming, he is confident Boyd can deliver on the whole project in a single phase.

Norfolk voters approved the casino construction in a 2020 referendum, which came with a five-year deadline. To meet that deadline for obtaining a state gaming license, Boyd plans to build a temporary casino at the site while construction for the permanent casino commences. The temporary casino would open in late 2025 and the permanent space in late 2027, according to a project timeline.

Norfolk City Council members will vote on the option-to-purchase agreement, development agreement and construction and use covenant Tuesday.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

But this time, he was seeking to benefit others, too.

“In these last 10 years, I went through a divorce, I moved, and just had a lot of personal stuff that I went through,” Scott said. “So turning 50 feels kind of more reflective. I wanted to do something big, but I wanted to do it in a way where I could give back.”

So now, Scott is riding his bicycle 588 miles across Virginia — and raising money for charity — to celebrate his 50 years.

It all began in early 2023, when Scott — a former college English teacher who now runs a fledgling business called Fennario Coffee Roasters — began talking to one of his new customers at the Farmer’s Market in Hilton Village.

That customer, Caroline Dutle, is the director of development at THRIVE Peninsula, a nonprofit that provides food and financial, housing and utilities assistance for those in need.

When THRIVE received a large whole-bean coffee donation a few months later, Dutle thought of her “coffee guy” and asked Scott if he’d be willing to grind the beans down before it’s given away.

“Most of our clients can’t afford coffee, let alone a coffee grinder,” Dutle said. “So a donation isn’t too helpful if it’s in bean form.”

Scott immediately said yes.

“He came to check out our facility, and has been really active and involved in supporting us ever since,” Dutle said. “So it all started with coffee beans.”

Scott took the beans home, ground them up and returned them in packages, ready for distribution. Though most consider coffee a staple, she said, for others it’s a “luxury item.”

“Any time we can provide things beyond the necessities, it’s a real treat for our clients,” Dutle said.

THRIVE Peninsula was founded 50 years ago by several churches in Newport News’ Denbigh section, and still considers itself a Christian-based organization. But Scott said he was drawn to the fact that the nonprofit helps people of all faiths — or no faith.

“I am sensitive to people telling me what to do or trying to evangelize me,” Scott said. “But (faith) doesn’t affect who gets help or who doesn’t get help. The only thing that you have to do is qualify financially.”

“And once I saw how selfless and giving these people are, the volunteers, I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to be involved in this somehow.’ ”

THRIVE has a pantry where people can come once a month by appointment and get about a week’s worth of groceries. It also offers financial assistance and coaching.

So when it came time for Scott to mark his 50th birthday, he decided he wanted THRIVE to be the recipient of a charity event. He came to Dutle with a concept: He’d bike 500 miles to raise $5,000 and 500 pounds of food — all multiples of 50 — to benefit the organization.

Dutle liked the idea, and helped him put the plan — and the fundraising mechanisms — into action.

It began Saturday morning at Breaks Interstate Park near the Kentucky and Virginia border. Scott will then trek the Virginia portion of the TransAmerica Trail — 588 miles — over nine days. That’s about 65 miles a day.

The route will take him south to Damascus, then northeast to Radford, Christiansburg and Lexington. He will hit the Blue Ridge Parkway, then Charlottesville, Ashland and Richmond before heading back to Hampton Roads.

Scott can be followed online in real time — at www.tinyurl.com/heathwatch — as he makes his way through the commonwealth.

Though Scott has done lengthy rides in the past, this will be the longest. He said the first several days — where the route is most mountainous — will be the most challenging.

Luckily, Scott is no stranger to physical exertion. He has been an ultra distance runner in the past. And over the past couple years, his coffee business includes a guarantee to deliver the java the next day anywhere in Newport News by bike. That also ensures he’s getting in his daily rides.

“Rain and snow doesn’t stop me,” he said. “I had a broken rib last year, and was out delivering on the bike … so it’s gonna take a lot to stop me.”

THRIVE, for one, is appreciative.

“I think it’s just such a superhuman feat that Heath is taking on, and this is just an amazing opportunity for us to be recognized in this way,” Dutle said Friday. “He’s really garnered a lot of support within the community, and it’s been very helpful to THRIVE.”

Scott will carry a tent and sleeping bag, and plans to camp on his route. It’ll be a mixture of “stealth camping” — finding a spot in wooded areas along the way — and campgrounds, and a hotel for his night in Richmond.

He’ll bring a couple days’ worth of trail food with plans to replenish in small towns along the way.

“It’s all back roads, and you’re never more than an hour or two ride from any kind of convenience store,” Scott explained.

A friend plans to meet him Thursday at the Blue Ridge Parkway to help him resupply and offer moral support. Scott’s wife, Woodside High School art teacher Heidi Compton, will meet him in the evenings starting that same night.

He plans to be back on or about Sept. 15 — his 50th birthday.

Road construction on the Capital Trail will prevent Scott from finishing at the end of the cross-country TransAmerica trail in Yorktown. So he plans to end the route at the THRIVE building on Nettles Drive in Newport News, likely arriving by way of Warwick Boulevard.

Scott has already surpassed his initial $5,000 fundraising goal. That’s in large part because of Priority Bicycles, the New York-based company that makes the bike he’s riding, a belt-driven Priority 600.

“I’ve seen them do charitable work, on everything from suicide prevention to getting kids on bikes,” Scott said of the company. “I sent them a letter explaining what I was doing, and they didn’t hesitate. They got back to me within 24 hours and said, ‘We’d love to help out.’ ”

Scott asked Priority to donate a less expensive bicycle than the $2,500 one that Scott will be riding. “And they came right back and said, ‘No, let’s do the Priority 600,’ They completely donated it, no strings attached.'”

The bike will be raffled off as part of the fundraising effort. Tickets are selling for $25 apiece or five for $100, with all proceeds counting toward the $5,000 goal. And last week, an anonymous local family kicked in $2,630 — at the time just enough to hit the $5,000 mark.

“Their anonymity will be respected, but we can assure you that they are one of the most wonderful families we’ve had had the honor to get to know,” Scott wrote on his coffee company’s Instagram page. “They are true models of how to be a good human.”

The fundraiser is now up to $5,370 and counting, with 100% of the proceeds going to THRIVE.

Canned goods and other non-perishables are being collected at THRIVE (12749 Nettles Drive) or Village Bicycles (9913 Warwick Blvd.). Both are in Newport News.

“I’m just really excited,” he said Friday before leaving for the Kentucky border. “I’m pretty humbled by the outpouring of support from folks and the interest from folks. I was doing this as a kind of a small way to help try and raise some money, and the swell of support that I’ve gotten from the community, it’s just been unbelievable.”

THRIVE will host a community day Sept. 22 with Scott, featuring refreshments, a mobile coffee bar and an opportunity to learn more about the organization’s mission. That’s also when the donated bicycle will be raffled off.

To contribute or buy a raffle ticket for the bike, go to the donation website, “50 to 5000: Heath’s Trans-Virginia Birthday Ride for THRIVE,” at givebutter.com/HeathsRide4THRIVE.

“Trading river views for mountains tomorrow,” Scott wrote Thursday on Instagram, with a picture of his bicycle near the James River. “Who knows what adventures lay ahead?”

Peter Dujardin, 757-897-2062, pdujardin@dailypress.com