Tom Hanks, star of such classics “Turner and Hooch” and “Joe Versus the Volcano,” was in Hampton Roads yesterday filming for “Captain Phillips,” a new movie about the cargo ship Maersk-Alabama that was captured by Somali pirates in 2009. Hanks will play the role of the ship’s captain, Richard Phillips. While in town he visited Charlie’s Cafe in Norfolk for breakfast (I recommend the Mom’s Omlet…delicious). To read more about Hanks’ visit click here.

In related news, Director of Military Relations at Old Dominion University, Dick Whalen, recently completed a painting of the Maersk-Alabama and the U.S. Navy ship that rescued it, USS Bainbridge, for Maersk Line, Ltd. Whalen is a self-taught artist who has painted naval vessels and other maritime scenes since childhood. Whalen was contacted by Maersk a few months after the incident to produce a painting of the rescue. To read more click here.