Curtis Bethany III is a candidate for Newport News City Council. His name will appear on the ballot on Nov. 8, 2022.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
See who is on your ballot by viewing the candidate lists on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Name: Curtis Bethany III
Race: Newport News City Council
Website: Curtis Bethany III for NN City Council
Biography: Curtis Bethany III is a longtime resident of Newport News graduating from Woodside High School in 2009. After high school, Bethany obtained an associate degree in business administration from Virginia Peninsula Community College (Formally TNCC); a bachelor’s degree in business administration as a double major in accounting and finance from Old Dominion University; a master’s degree in public policy with a concentration in public administration from Liberty University; and a business analytics certification from Cornell University.
Bethany currently works as a partner accountant for Ferguson Enterprises. Bethany has served on various boards and commissions for the city of Newport News as the youngest member. He currently serves on the Virginia Peninsula Community College board and the Newport News Green Foundation. Bethany is married to his wife, Sema’j, a registered dental hygienist.
Why should residents elect you to City Council?
We are the only campaign running in the North District from Newport News, we are the only campaign from Denbigh/Uptown, and we’re the only campaign that is a product of the Newport News Public School system. We believe that we’re the only campaign in the district with a vested interest in moving Newport News forward.
What are the top three priorities you would tackle if elected?
- Public safety, public education, and economic development are without a doubt the core of local government, so therefore are top priorities.
- Additionally, making Denbigh/Uptown an equal priority to the central and downtown districts is important.
- Lastly, rebranding Newport News to compete economically with other large cities across the Commonwealth and country is a priority
What is the most pressing economic issue facing your community, and how would you address it?
Many of our residents feel that Denbigh/Uptown has been left behind when it comes to development. An argument could be made that Lee Hall is the most forgotten part of the city. The $7 million to $10 million Sherwood site master plan is a great opportunity to bring some much-needed life into our district and can serve as a catalyst for more development. As councilman, I will push for the completion of this master plan.
What are your community’s biggest infrastructure needs, and how do you plan to fulfill them?
We must do a better job taking care of our neighborhoods where our residents live by ensuring that roads and sidewalk needs are addressed immediately. Making Newport News pedestrian friendly is also a goal. Lastly, putting utility lines underground will help prevent outages during storms.
How is gun violence impacting your community, and how do you plan to address gun violence?
Empowering people who have been personally impacted by gun violence is the best way to address this issue because they are the experts of their own experience and know what their communities need. This is why I truly believe the recent gun violence prevention grants awarded to various organizations in our city is a great step. Many of those grantees are steeped in community and engaged in programming that directly speaks to the needs at hand such as mentoring, trauma informed counseling, wraparound services, conflict resolution training, economic support and more. Supporting meaningful initiatives to combat gun violence or crime in general is personal for me because my younger brother was killed four years ago.
