When a community hits hard times, how people pull together to help one another reflects the quality of its character. This is especially true during natural disasters, of which Hampton Roads has endured its fair share, when the most important thing is ensuring everyone is safe and cared for during a period of tremendous upheaval, stress and pain.

For a region such as this — home to tens of thousands of service members, federal workers and others directly affected by the ongoing federal shutdown — that moment is now. The longer this goes on, the more harm will be inflicted on our region, and the more we’ll need everyone who can to step up and fill the gaps .

Virginia is right to brace itself whenever members of Congress push the government to the brink of a shutdown — or send things rig

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