Five centuries ago, people who might today describe themselves as “gender-fluid” held leadership and mediation roles in their Indigenous communities.

That was before European colonizers limited Indigenous cultures to binary male and female genders.

Now they are sometimes called “two-spirits,” but these people were targets for colonizers, since eliminating these “knowledge keepers” splintered communities and made it easier to conquer their resources and land.

That pattern is forming again today as tribes attempt to reclaim and decolonize their histories, according to ethnohistorian Gregory Smithers.

This is just one of the narratives explored in his newest book, “Reclaiming Two-Spirits,” winner of the 2023 Prose Award in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology. It was also a finalist for the 2023 Publishing Triangle Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction. The Virginia Commonwealth University professor will give a talk at the Hampton History Museum on Monday.

“This evokes a very dark and violent history that goes back to first encounters,” Smithers said.

A rise in homophobia, transphobia and related hate crimes, particularly in parts of the country with large Indigenous communities, has intersected with the racism those groups have dealt with for centuries and made it more difficult for tribes to reclaim this part of their history.

“It retriggers the sense of historical trauma that a lot of people feel when they do see things like bans on books, and transphobia and missing and murdered Indigenous women and trans women,” he said.

“Two-spirit” is a modern phrase, not one pulled from history, although it has been translated to the Algonquin language Ojibwe as “niizh manitoag.” It’s an umbrella term invented in 1990 for the ways various Indigenous tribes referred to individuals who represented both male and female spirits. Like the term “Indian,” there’s no consensus for or against the term across tribal nations and individuals, Smithers said.

When Smithers first began doing this work, there was a thirst for knowledge about the topic and audiences were receptive, he said. But over the past 10 years, the types of questions and conversations he hears during his talks have changed.

“In the current moment we’re in, it feels like everyone is suspicious of everyone and they assume you have a political agenda,” he said. “My worry as a historian is that that takes away from doing justice to people’s lives in the past, and sort of empathizing and learning from their experiences.”

“Two-spirit” can’t be used interchangeably with “LGBTQ,” Smithers said, and not all queer Indigenous people are two-spirits. In many ways, he said, two-spirit should be considered more than an identity. It’s a role in the tribe, one that creates balance within the community.

Two-spirit people held some of that balance within themselves, so they were considered to be a good source of it for the tribe — able to have a broader perspective, mediate between male and female roles and disputes, and share knowledge.

“That’s very difficult, I think, to unpack for Western audiences,” he said. “In the Western world, we live in a binary world where there’s male and female, there’s right and wrong, and that’s kind of how our laws and politics evolved.”

Katrina Dix, 757-222-5155, [email protected]

___

IF YOU GO

When: 7 to 8 p.m. Monday

Where: Hampton History Museum, 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton

Tickets: Museum members, free; nonmembers, $5

Details: hamptonhistorymuseum.org

An earthquake was recorded early Sunday, June 4, in West Canton, North Carolina, and it was the fifth quake to hit the area since May 23, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The latest quake was a 3.2 magnitude, which is the strongest of the five, data shows.

It was recorded at 6:09 a.m. and centered just under 2 miles north of West Canton, which is about 137 miles northwest of Charlotte. The source of the quake was about 1.8 miles deep, officials said.

More than 200 witnesses filed reports of feeling the shaking as of 7 a.m. Sunday, according to the USGS. Most reports came from the towns of Clyde, Canton, Candler and Waynesville.

One report of someone feeling weak shaking came from 141 miles southeast, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, data shows.

West Canton saw four quakes recorded over three days between May 23 and May 26, including some just minutes apart shows. The magnitude ranged from 1.8 to 2.8, McClatchy News reported.

Earthquakes typically aren’t felt until they exceed 2.5 magnitude, experts say. That’s also the point at which minor damage can occur, the USGS says.

There have been no damage reports from the 3.2 quake, officials say.

What’s causing it?

The Appalachian Mountains are not on an active tectonic plate boundary — where earthquakes are common — but the region has sporadic minor quakes linked to old fault lines, geologists say.

It is also possible for earthquakes to trigger more quakes, according to the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Appalachian State University.

“In areas with lots of old faults, like the Appalachians, we tend to get earthquakes along pre-existing fault zones that have weakened rock at depth,” the department wrote in a report on Earthquakes in the N.C. High Country.

“Even though the southern Appalachians are not currently at an active plate boundary, our tectonic history means that built-up stresses from time to time are able to be released along old faults from the building of the Appalachians, which happened hundreds of millions of years ago.”

What to do in an earthquake

Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

If an earthquake strikes, it’s best to protect yourself right away.

Here are tips from experts:

• If you’re in a car: Pull over and stop. Set your parking brake.
• If you’re in bed:Turn face-down and cover your head with a pillow.
• If you’re outdoors: Stay away from buildings. Don’t go inside.
• If you’re inside: Stay and don’t run outdoors. Stay away from doorways.
• The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. “Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy,” officials say.
• “If you’re using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops.”
• Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.
• Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it.

“There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines,” officials say. “Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock.”

By DAVID BAUDER (AP Media Writer)

NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Todd said Sunday he’ll be leaving “Meet the Press” after a tumultuous near-decade of moderating the NBC political panel show, to be replaced in the coming months by Kristen Welker.

Todd, 51, told viewers that “I’ve watched too many friends and family let work consume them before it was too late” and that he’d promised his family he wouldn’t do that.

Todd has often been an online punching bag for critics during a polarized time, and there were rumors that his time at the show would be short when its executive producer was reassigned at the end of last summer. It’s unclear when Todd’s last show will be, but he told viewers that this would be his final summer.

“I leave feeling concerned about this moment in history but reassured by the standards we’ve set here,” Todd said. “We didn’t tolerate propagandists, and this network and program never will.”

Welker, a former chief White House correspondent, has been at NBC News in Washington since 2011 and has been Todd’s chief fill-in for the past three years. She drew praise for moderating the final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2020.

Her “sharp questioning of lawmakers is a masterclass in political interviews,” Rebecca Blumenstein, NBC News president of editorial, said in a memo announcing Welker’s elevation on Sunday.

Now Welker, 46, will be thrust into what promises to be another contentious presidential election cycle.

The Sunday morning political interview show has aired since 1947, led by inventor and first host Martha Rountree. Its peak came in the years that Tim Russert moderated, from 1991 until his death in 2008, with its footing less certain since then. Tom Brokaw briefly filled in after Russert’s death, and David Gregory replaced him until being forced out in favor of Todd.

Todd said that he was proud of expanding the “Meet the Press” brand to a daily show, which initially aired on MSNBC but was shifted to streaming, along with podcasts and newsletters, even a film festival.

“He transformed the brand into a vital modern-day franchise, expanding its footprint to an array of new mediums, and kept ‘Meet the Press’ at the forefront of political discourse,” Blumenstein said.

It didn’t stop critics from jumping on to social media when they didn’t like an interview Todd conducted. He was roasted at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in 2022 by Trevor Noah, who pointed him out in the audience and said, “How are you doing? I’d ask a follow-up, but I know you don’t know what those are.”

Todd alluded to his critics in announcing his exit on Sunday.

“If you do this job seeking popularity, you are doing this job incorrectly,” he said. “I take the attacks from partisans as compliments. And I take the genuine compliments with a grain of salt when they come from partisans.”

The goal of each show, he said, is to “make you mad, make you think, shake your head in disapproval at some point and nod your head in approval at others.”

Attending the high school graduation ceremony for my nephew this past week reminded me of how important this milestone is for a young person to achieve. After years of learning, growing, making friends and adapting to changes along the way, graduation marks a new beginning. It is truly a commencement.

One of the traditional rituals at the ceremony occurs when the graduates move the tassels on their caps from right to left, which symbolizes crossing over from high school to a new stage in life.

I have found the tassel to be an interesting symbol not only for graduates, but for all of us, because it has various meanings in different contexts. Perhaps, each context offers some wisdom for our life’s journey no matter what age or stage we find ourselves.

A symbol of academic success, tassels were traditionally worn by Oxford and Cambridge University undergraduates on their caps. Those wearing gold tassels were those who had paid for status, thus receiving increased social prestige and more luxurious accommodation than ordinary commoners who wore plain black tassels on their cap. Thankfully, times have changed. Today only the chancellor of Oxford wears a gold tassel.

The tassel is a symbol of academic success, but I think it can also be a reminder to keep learning, a lesson one of my college professors brought to my attention while I was in graduate school. “I am still a student,” I told her when we saw each other in passing. She simply replied, “I hope you will always be a student.”

Being a lifelong learner means being curious, asking questions and approaching life with a research attitude. I once heard someone say that “learning requires a need for open-mindedness, humility and an interest in multiple perspectives. A respectful mind focuses not just on the self, but on others and the priorities of the world around us.” If we work on developing these qualities, there is so much we can learn from others.

While most of us are familiar with the symbolism of the tassel in academic settings, the tassel has also reminded me of the importance of relationships and staying connected to others. Seniors will often tell me that one of the hardest parts of graduating is saying goodbye to friends who have been there through thick and thin on the ball field, in the classroom or just hanging out.

When I graduated from William & Mary with my master’s degree, I noticed the graduate ahead of me was missing his tassel. I am not sure if he forgot it or if it had fallen off somewhere along the way. I watched as his friends gave him a hard time, but then I saw each of them remove the tassels from their caps and pull off strands of thread to give to him. He then created his own tassel made up of threads representing his college companions.

It got me thinking about Alfred Tennyson’s famous words found in his poem, “Ulysses.” “I am a part of all that I have met.” In this monologue Ulysses declares that his travels and encounters have shaped who he is; That is to say who and what he is today is a direct outcome from the experiences on his many travels.

That is true for all of us. Who we are and what we are today is a direct outcome of our own unique experiences and our relationships. There are many people along our life’s journey who have contributed to our lives … people who have given us “a thread from their tassel” so to speak. In the busy-ness of our lives, it is important to stay connected to those we love and remember the lessons they have taught us.

Finally, I am reminded that long before the tassel was incorporated into the academic pomp and circumstance, the tassel was a symbol of faith for the Hebrew people. According to the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, that they shall make themselves tassels (tzitzit) on the corners of their garments throughout their generations.” Numbers 15:37-41

For the Hebrew people, the tassel served as a reminder to keep the commandments of the Lord as a sign of holiness. In addition, it served as a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt and God’s faithfulness.

The religious Hebrew tassel bears little resemblance to the decorative one which eventually became popular in Europe and is used today, but it is still worn today by observant Jews on the four corners of their prayer shawls. It serves as a powerful reminder to make spirituality a part of our daily reality from the mundane things like a garment all the way to the spiritual realms of heaven.

With all of the challenges we face today, striving to keep a balanced life in mind, body, spirit and community is an important start!

The Rev. Becky Glass is executive director at Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center in Newport News. She can be reached by email at [email protected].

You may not realize it, but many older adults in Hampton Roads are going hungry. Food insecurity among older adults is real and is growing at an alarming rate.

Let’s put this into perspective: Our parents, our grandparents, and even our great grands are silently suffering, and we need to help.

In its report, The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2020, Feeding America found that food insecurity disproportionately affects older adults who have lower incomes and are younger (ages 60-69), as well as those who rent vs. own their homes. Racial and ethnic minorities were also found to be more vulnerable to food insecurity.

Older adults face unique challenges in accessing healthy, nutritious food, including fixed incomes and health conditions that can make it difficult to shop for groceries or cook meals. The consequences of food scarcity for older adults can be severe, including weakened immune systems, impaired wound healing, and increased risk of falls. Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, are also more common among individuals who go hungry for extended periods of time. In addition, the stress of not having enough food can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.

There are programs in the community that are working to address food insecurity among older adults. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia, for example, provided 600,000 nutritious, fully prepared meals for older adults here in Hampton Roads last year alone. Despite this and due to a lack of funding the organization currently has a waiting list of homebound older adults who are still in need of meals.

Increasing awareness of food scarcity among the elderly is key to finding a solution. Community organizations can play an important role in this effort by partnering with Senior Services, hosting educational workshops, and distributing information about nutrition and healthy eating.

In addition, businesses can play a role in addressing food scarcity among older adults. Grocery stores and other food retailers can donate surplus food to organizations such as local food pantries, helping to provide meals for those in need.

Ultimately, it is important to recognize the valuable contributions that older adults make to our communities. By investing in programs and initiatives that support the health and well-being of our senior citizens, we can help to ensure that they are able to continue contributing to society for many years to come. Addressing food insecurity among older adults is a critical part of this effort, and one that requires the support of us all.

Food insecurity among our older adults is a reality, and if we work together ending food insecurity is within our reach. Why not join the fight and help us leave no older adult behind? You can volunteer to deliver meals, feed an older adult for a year through a donation, or help to bring awareness of this dire need in our neighborhoods by contacting your state senators and delegates and letting them know that the older adults in your community are hungry and need their help. If you are part of a giving organization, be sure older adults receive an equitable share of your gifts.

Let’s get to work. Let’s put an end to food insecurity among our older adults.

Steve Zollos is the chief executive officer with Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia, our local Area Agency on Aging. Senior Services has been providing essential services such as home-delivered meals and transportation for individuals aged 60 years and older for more than 50 years.

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Stellar pitching and timely hitting were all Virginia needed Saturday night to secure a 2-1 win over East Carolina.

With the win, the Cavaliers are 2-0 in the Charlottesville Regional and will face the winner of the noon elimination game between ECU and Oklahoma at 6 p.m. Sunday. A win would send Virginia to a Super Regional for the second time in three years.

“Every tournament is different, but obviously there is an advantage being 2-0,” UVA coach Brian O’Connor said. “You only have to play a maximum of four games from a pitching-staff standpoint. We’ve made it through the regional, Super Regional and to Omaha before (after) losing one of the first two games; it’s happened before. But certainly there’s an advantage from a starting-pitcher standpoint. Glad that we’re 2-0 and get a chance to rest tonight and tomorrow and see who our opponent is tomorrow night.”

Cox High alum and Virginia Beach native Ethan Anderson continued to lift the Virginia offense when it needs a shot of momentum.

After launching a two-run home run against Army on Friday, Anderson was responsible for bringing in the go-ahead run Saturday.

The sophomore first baseman came up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs and popped a single into right field to drive the runner on third home and give Virginia a 2-1 lead.

“I knew with a runner on third, two outs, I just had to get a base hit to score the go-ahead run,” Anderson said. “… That was my biggest focus, just trying to put the ball in play. That allowed me to get to first base. Maybe I didn’t barrel the ball how I wanted to, but I stayed inside of it and it just happened to find grass.”

𝙀𝘼 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨! 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚!

Hoos take the lead!

📺 ESPN+ | #GoHoos | #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/Uf64VcjqQX

— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) June 4, 2023

So far in the regional, Anderson is 3 for 7 with four runs batted in.

Nick Parker got the start for Virginia on the mound and pitched an absolute gem.

The right-hander pitched for seven innings, only allowing five hits and one run while striking out five batters on 100  pitches. At one point, Parker retired 12 straight batters.

“It’s nice always to go deep in a game for your team,” Parker said. “I couldn’t do what I did without the defense that was played tonight. They helped me a lot. (ECU had) a lot of early contact, a lot of good ground balls. The infield played stellar, the outfield played stellar, so I wouldn’t have a chance to get that deep in the game without them.”

Parker, a graduate transfer from Coastal Carolina, faced East Carolina last year in the regional ECU hosted in Greenville, North Carolina. ECU coach Cliff Godwin said he felt Parker pitched better in last year’s matchup, but nonetheless was a worthy opponent this time around.

“He’s a Friday night starter in the ACC, so he knows how to pitch, he’s been around the block,” Godwin said. “He just never throws the pitch that you think you’re going to get in any count, and he makes it hard on us.”

Broadcast highlights from tonight’s win vs. ECU!#GoHoos | #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/PN9S10ZHZG

— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) June 4, 2023

The lone run Parker gave up came on a wacky play, the result of a miscue from Godwin and the Virginia defense.

With runners on first and second, ECU junior outfielder Ryley Johnson knocked a pinch-hit single into the outfield. Junior Carter Cunningham, the runner on second to start the play, was held at third but eventually bolted home when he saw junior Cam Clonch rounding second.

“I thought (Cunningham) was more behind me than he was probably, and I was trying to hold Clonch up from going to third,” Godwin said. “Clonch was bearing down, and I was trying to get him to stop because I didn’t want them to throw him out at third before (Cunninghma) scored, but (Cunningham) thought I was holding him up. It ended up working out for us, but that was not the way it was drawn up.”

Clonch got caught in a rundown between second and third base, prompting Cunningham to run home. Clonch was ultimately able to make it back to second safely after the base was left uncovered, and Cunningham scored without a throw to home.

Junior Jake Berry took over for Parker in the eighth and retired six straight batters for a two-inning save.

Virginia’s pitching limited an ECU offense that is hitting .292 this season to just five hits.

The Cavaliers clinched a spot in the regional final in front of a sellout crowd announced at 5,919, something O’Connor was thankful for.

“To see the atmosphere, the energy in the stadium was just awesome,” he said. “… This is why we invested the resources to expand our stadium, to have nights like tonight. Excited to see all those fans come back out tomorrow night.”

Michael Sauls, [email protected], (757) 803-5775

If Grayson Rodriguez pitches like he did on a cool Saturday night, his return to Norfolk might not last too long.In his first start since Baltimore sent him down,

Rodriguez pitched six shutout innings and gave up just one hit as the Tides defeated Gwinnett 9-2 before 10,448, one of the largest Harbor Park crowds in recent memory.

Rodriguez, 23, struck out six. Perhaps the only statistical negative was his walk total — five — on 94 pitches.

The International League-leading Tides (39-17), who rocked Stripers starter Nolan Kingham (0-4) for four runs in the second inning, gained offensive production from numerous sources.

Connor Norby drove in three runs, homered and singled, and Colton Cowser was 2 for 3 with two RBIs. New catcher José Godoy was 3 for 5 and scored twice, Lewin Diaz hit a home run and Joseph Rosa had two hits.

Godoy, who grew up in Venezuela, arrived Friday in a trade with one of Baltimore’s chief rivals, the New York Yankees. He’ll help because Anthony Bemboom and Maverick Handley, who have seen plenty of action with the Tides, are on the injured list.

Tides reliever Joey Krehbiel was three outs from completing a shutout, but Nick Solak spoiled it with a two-run homer in the ninth for Gwinnett (24-32). Krehbiel nevertheless completed a three-inning stint for his third save of the year.

Rodriguez, 2-2 with a 7.35 earned-run average in 10 starts for the Orioles, was making his second Norfolk start of the year and looking to establish fastball command. The 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft improved to 26-9 all-time in the minors.

The Stripers and Tides will complete the seven-game series with a regionally televised 1 p.m. game Sunday. Norfolk won four of the first six.

The Tides are expected to send Spenser Watkins (2-1, 7.11 ERA) to the mound against Beau Burrows (2-1, 5.50) in a clash of right-handers.

Many fans who came to Langley Speedway on Saturday night to cheer for local favorites in the CARS Tour’s Visit Hampton 125 got what they came to see.

Hampton native Connor Hall, 26, who has amassed four Late Model victories this season at Langley during CARS Tour off-weeks, took the checkered flag for one of the most significant triumphs of his career. He made a late-race pass of defending race winner Kaden Honeycutt, who led the most laps.

Three-time Langley Late Model champion Brenden “Butterbean” Queen of Chesapeake was the runner-up, 789-thousandths of a second behind in a race that took just more than an hour. Honeycutt was third, while series points leader Carson Kvapil was fourth.

Hall entered the night fourth in points, while Queen was second in the standings.

Some other frequent Langley competitors were sprinkled in the field, driving cars that Hall said are similar to Langley Late Models, except for 25 pounds added to the right side of CARS vehicles.

Justin C. Carroll was 13th, Terry Carroll 17th and Matt Waltz 20th. Ryley Music, who has been highly successful in Langley’s support divisions, finished last (26th) but finished 65 laps.

The CARS Tour has become a key stepping stone to NASCAR’s upper echelons — especially this season with present and past Cup Series icons Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton among the primary owners.

Harvick tweeted encouragement Saturday for fans to watch.

In other races:

Legends: Charlie Beals edged points leader Tommy Jackson Jr. by 0.309 of a second for a 25-lap victory that took slightly more than 7 1/2 minutes. Devon Courtney placed third among 14 drivers, 4.717 seconds behind Beals.

Super Street: Landon Abbott earned a 40-lap triumph, beating points leader Gordon Weeks III by 461-thousandths of a second. It was Abbott’s second victory of 2023.

Dale Nichols was third, 1.443 seconds off the lead, in a 16-driver race that took more than 18 1/2 minutes.

Bandolero: Brian Rundstrom Jr. comfortably prevailed over 15 laps to extend his season-long winning streak to three races, placing 1.429 seconds ahead of runner-up Tristan Burnelli in a field of 11.

Sarah Whitesell was third and Addison Schumann fourth in a race that took slightly less than 13 minutes.

UCAR: Christian Keller prevailed over 25 laps for his second victory in the division’s three races this year. Charlie Bryant took second, and points leader Hayden Sheldon was third.

Saturday’s leaders in Hampton:

CARS Tour’s Visit Hampton 125: (26 starters); 1. (77) Connor Hall; 2. (03) Brenden Queen; 3. (10) Kaden Honeycutt; 4. (8) Carson Kvapil; 5. (99) Layne Riggs.

Bandolero 15: (11 starters); 1. (88) Brian Rundstrom Jr.; 2. (18) Tristan Burnelli; 3. (21) Sarah Whitesell; 4. (11) Addison Schumann; 5. (1c) Tuggie Case.

Legends 25: (14 starters); 1. (5b) Charlie Beals; 2. (87) Tommy Jackson; 3. (17) Devon Courtney; 4. (11) Cody Carlton; 5. (7) Spencer Saunders.

Super Street 40: (16 starters); 1. (70) Landon Abbott; 2. (20) Gordon Weeks III; 3. (8) Dale Nichols; 4. (44) Colby Vance; 5. (95) Danny Harrell.

UCAR 25: (11 starters); 1. (6) Christian Keller; 2. (88) Charlie Bryant; 3. (13) Hayden Sheldon; 4. (7) Dwight Nikles; 5. (22) Bill Eaker.

Overton takes $5,000 first prize at Virginia Motor Speedway

Cody Overton held off Tyler Bare to win the $5,000 Commonwealth Clash on Virginia Motor Speedway’s dirt in Middlesex County.

Overton, from Evans, Georgia, took the lead in the Steel Block Bandit Dirt Lade Model Challenge on the seventh lap and turned back the efforts over Bare, from Rockbridge Baths, on the last nine laps of the 40-lap feature.

Bare passed Tyler Arrington for second place after a late restart but couldn’t get past Overton, who won by about two car lengths.

Dustin Mitchell, Overton and Robbie Emory won heat races.

Also at VMS:

Sportsman: Hunter Wright registered his first lifetime win in the division during a 25-lap race that could be remembered for a big crash in the middle laps.Points leader Tim Shelton flipped and Brett Adkins’ car climbed over top of his as they competed for the lead.Wright inherited first place, with Matt Meads finishing second and Adam Breeden third.

Modified: Chase Butler of Mechanicsville gained his second victory of the year, taking the lead from the fourth spot on the opening lap of 25. Rick Hulson was second and Bret Hamilton third.

Limited Stock: Ryan Hutchens of New Kent went ahead on Lap 9 as leader Trent Clemans spun in Turn 4.Hutchens went on to win the 20-lap race, followed by Cory Bradley and Jacob Buie Jr.

Saturday night’s leaders in Jamaica, in Middlesex County, with car numbers listed and starting positions in brackets.

Steel Block Bandits A feature 40: (24 starters); 1. 15-Cody Overton[2]; 2. B8-Tyler Bare[11]; 3. 002-Tyler Arrington[8]; 4. 3-Brent Robinson[7]; 5. 74-Derick Quade[3].

Sportsman 25: (9 starters); 1. 00-Hunter Wright[2]; 2. 23-Matt Meads[3]; 3. 01X-Adam Breeden[1]; 4. 9-Steve Causey[5]; 5. 101-Tony Breeden[6].

Modified 25: (9 starters); 1. 11-Chase Butler[4]; 2. 18-Rick Hulson[2]; 3. 1ST-Bret Hamilton[3]; 4. 7+7-Jeff Solinger[5]; 5. 40-Brent Bordeaux[1].

Limited Stock 20: (16 starters); 1. 14H-Ryan Hutchens[4]; 2. 41-Cory Bradley[1]; 3. 21-Jacob Buie[6]; 4. 25-Kevin Fletcher[9]; 5. 7-Johnny Brooks[8].

Jackalope Festival hit the sand in Virginia Beach this weekend for a free three-day festival of high-intensity sports such as bouldering, skateboarding, volleyball, BASE jumping and more.

The festival is a Canadian based event and Virginia Beach is their United States debut. On Saturday evening, legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk hit the 13-foot vert ramp with friends for a demonstration of some of the hardest tricks in the sport.

Lionsbridge FC clinched the Coastal Virginia Challenge Cup and stayed unbeaten in USL League Two this season, posting a 3-0 shutout of Virginia Beach United on Saturday night.

A crowd at Christopher Newport’s TowneBank Stadium saw the Lions (6-0, 5-0 in the league) go ahead 1-0 in the 16th minute on George Wyatt netted a header, providing free chicken for fans in a promotion.

About 10 minutes later, Logan Finnegan doubled the lead off a Sam Hall pass.

As Virginia Beach United pressed forward, Tommy Shepherd passed to Celestin Blondel, who scored the final goal in the 84th minute.

The Lions will be at home again for a 7 p.m. Wednesday non-league game against Greenville United. VBU also will play at 7 Wednesday, hosting Christos FC of Baltimore at Virginia Beach Sportsplex.

1′ | The Coastal Virginia Challenge Cup starts now!

0 – 0 | #LIONvVBU | #UpTheBridge pic.twitter.com/CSeWRRVXc3

— Lionsbridge FC (@LionsbridgeFC) June 3, 2023

VBCFC, Greenville United play to draw

Virginia Beach City FC led for much of the night but finished in a 1-1 draw with Greenville United in a National Premier Soccer League match at Powhatan Field in Norfolk.

Final. We split the points. #4theCity🔱 pic.twitter.com/CawkhXkZrV

— Virginia Beach City FC (@vbcityfc) June 3, 2023

Ryan Mahon scored off a restart to put VBCFC ahead 1-0 in the 13th minute. Preston Bremus, named the hosts’ Man of the Match, and goalkeeper CJ Coulson made that lead stand up until the 73rd minute, when the visitors from eastern North Carolina pulled even with a goal from a corner kick.

VBCFC will head to Maryland to face the Annapolis Blues at 7 p.m. next Saturday.

LOCAL BASEBALL

Pilots fall to 0-2 before big crowd

Despite a large crowd of 3,827 at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, the Peninsula Pilots fell to 0-2 in the Coastal Plain League season with a 5-1 loss to the Morehead City Marlins.

Left-hander Trey Morgan, a Hampton High graduate whose father, Hank, coaches the Pilots, gave up three runs (two earned) and five hits to take the loss. He struck out six and walked none, and Vincent Bashara, Will Gross and Michael Caldon provided shutout relief.

Peninsula’s problem was converting its 12 hits into runs.

Starter Noah Covington gave up five hits but no runs in five innings to gain the victory for the Marlins (4-2). Steven Lacey gave up five hits and a wild pitch in two innings but just one run, and Joe Miceli shut out the Pilots for two innings to finish the game.

The Pilots got two hits apiece from Mason Dunaway, Ryan Dooley, Aaron Manias and Cole Stanford.

Michael Gould led the Marlins by scoring twice. He had two of Morehead City’s 10 hits, as did Landon Choboy and Trent Youngblood.

Morgan’s VMI teammate Justin Starke scored the Pilots’ run in the seventh after reaching on a single, but Peninsula stranded nine runners and hit into a pair of double plays.

The Pilots will return to action at 5:45 p.m. Sunday against the Tri-City Chili Peppers at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.