I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis.
I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God.
I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree.
Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons.
I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA.
While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon..
In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God.
We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987).
From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting.
Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982.
I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects.
In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston.
In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018.
Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia.
In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey.
As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova.
Love and God Bless,
Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi
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NatureScot has a board meeting tomorrow – but the Guga hunt is not currently on the agenda.
Please take one minute to email Board members and urge them to discuss the Guga hunt licence as a matter of urgency, or at the very least formally table it for discussion at the next Board meeting.
It’s crucial we keep the pressure on at this stage. The licence application for this year’s hunt could arrive at any time, and Board members need to know the public are watching closely and expect them to act in the public interest – by protecting Gannets and not granting a licence.
Our pre-filled email template calls on NatureScot:
Not to grant a licence for the 2026 Guga hunt;
To urgently discuss the issue at Board level;
To recognise the overwhelming public concern surrounding the hunt.
Every email helps show that this issue will not quietly go away. Send yours now – it only takes a minute.
If you’ve only recently joined our emails, you may not have heard about the Guga hunt before. (We’d recommend watching our animation above if you haven’t already!)
Every year, a group of ten men travel to the remote Scottish island of Sula Sgeir to kill young Gannet chicks, known as “gugas”, for a so-called local delicacy. The chicks are not even old enough to fly. They are clubbed to death in front of their parents before their bodies are brought back to the mainland and sold for around £20–30 each.
It is brutal, unnecessary, and shockingly still legal.
The Guga hunt remains the last legal seabird hunt in the UK because of an exemption in the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Right now, we have a matter of weeks to try and persuade NatureScot, the government agency with the discretionary power to approve or reject the licence for the hunt, not to grant permission for it to go ahead this year.
As a thank you, we’ll send you a Gannet plush toy – a small, soft reminder of a bird worth fighting for. We’re not sure how many we will stock – so don’t wait around!LIKECOMMENTRESTACK
Welcome to the first edition of Eye on the Wild, our new weekly roundup designed to keep you up to date with the latest stories concerning British wildlife.
Each week, we’ll share important news, updates, and stories from across the UK, including issues, species, and campaigns that may not always make the headlines. We’ll also highlight ways you can help and take action for wildlife.
If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at contact@protectthewild.org.uk
Killing for kicks: the British trophy hunters that Labour won’t stop
In recent days the UK mainstream media has revealed the faces behind Britain’s trophy hunting industry – ordinary people from the UK who travel abroad to shoot some of the world’s rarest animals for fun, then bring the body parts home as macabre momentoes.
The Mirror reported that Labour has shelved its manifesto promise after pressure from the Trump administration. The UK government has issued 28 import licenses in the last month, including for hippopotamuses, african elephants, brown and black bears as well as lions, giraffes and Nile crocodiles.
Giraffes, it turns out, are Britain’s most hunted trophy animal. Gentle, vulnerable and defenceless animals shot so their bones and skins can gather dust in British living rooms. Many species of giraffe are classified as endangered.
Labour promised a ban on hunting trophy imports in its 2024 manifesto. It has now confirmed there is no date set for delivery. Nine out of ten British voters support the ban. The Commons voted unanimously for it. The only thing standing between giraffes and British hunters is political cowardice.
A photographer lets Nigel Farage know what they think of him. The Reform Leader was on his way to a Boxing Day parade to promote foxhunting.
Leicestershire’s far-right Reform UK-led council has voted to explore reintroducing wild beavers as a natural flood defence – a genuinely welcome move. Beavers are wonderful creatures and remarkable ecosystem engineers whose dams slow water flow, restore wetlands and boost biodiversity.
But let’s be clear about what Reform UK actually stands for when it comes to wildlife. This is a party that has pledged to protect “country sports” – a cynical euphemism for hunting, shooting. Its leader, Nigel Farage is an open supporter of fox hunting who has dismissed Labour’s trail hunting consultation as “authoritarian”. Farage doesn’t believe fox hunting is cruel. That tells you everything you need to know.
Reform UK is not a party of wildlife defenders. A party that would unleash hunts on foxes, hares and deer while cheering from the sidelines cannot credibly claim to care about nature. We won’t be fooled – and neither should you.
What’s more, the party plans to scrap thousands of nature laws risks pushing Britain’s depleted countryside into irreversible decline.
Reform UK has been looking to secure more votes by giving a nod to caring about the planet. In fact, Farage has been in discussions with ecologist and Conservative Environment Network co-founder Ben Goldsmith about advising the party on their environmental policies. Goldsmith’s proposed involvement could be the beginning of an attempt to greenwash Reform UK, but his advice has been rejected by others within the party.
At Protect the Wild we stand with many other wildlife defenders in opposing Reform, we won’t fall for their greenwashing.
Gloucestershire named worst county for illegal hunting
The Beaufort Hunt, courtesy of Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs.
It’s no coincidence that the worst counties – Dorset, Somerset, Yorkshire and Cheshire – are largely the same areas where hunts have been most active, operating with impunity for decades. Three of the five are in the West Country, a region that is also home to England’s three remaining staghound packs and some of its most notorious fox hunts. More than half of LACS’ recorded incidents were in the West Country.
Check out Protect the Wild’s data on the worst UK hunts according to numbers of animals chased or killed and numbers of members of the public attacked here.
As we’ve been saying for years, we need a comprehensive ban to protect UK wildlife. There is just five weeks left to fill out the government consultation on banning ‘trail hunting’, which closes on 18 June. Protect the Wild has published guidance for people submitting their answers. Make sure you have your say!
Nature’s engineers are on the move. Beavers have been spotted at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve in Hampshire for the first time, with footage captured by a local visitor showing two animals interacting in the water. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust confirmed the sighting, describing the reserve’s rich wetlands and waterways as ideal habitats.
The sighting comes after Natural England released wild beavers at two new sites in South West England earlier this year, building on last year’s landmark licensed release in Dorset. Hunted to extinction in Britain centuries ago, beavers are a keystone species whose dam building conserves water, protects against drought, creates wetlands, slows floodwaters, improves water quality and boosts biodiversity across entire ecosystems.
Their return is not just good news. It is essential. Wild landscapes need wild architects, and after centuries of absence, beavers are finally coming home.
Wild and free: Deer on Liverpool’s Crosby Beach
Screenshot from video posted by Joe Walsh/Liverpool Echo.
Yet not everyone is celebrating. Media coverage has increasingly framed Britain’s two million deer as a crisis, pointing to woodland damage, road collisions and calls for greater culling. The scapegoated deer, it seems, are becoming a problem to be solved. No one ever points out that the intersecting environmental crises we are facing are being caused by capitalist industrialisation, not by non-human animal species.
At Protect the Wild we are more than aware that the first impulse of the authorities in non-human species ‘management’ is to reach for the rifle. But we should not be looking towards more culling. Britain’s deer population has grown precisely because we have systematically removed the predators that once kept it in balance. Wolves and lynx were hunted to extinction here centuries ago. Their absence is the real crisis.
If management is genuinely necessary in some areas, the conversation must be centred on non-lethal options: contraception programmeshave been shown to be viable, and the reintroduction of apex predators such as wolves or lynx would restore the natural regulation our ecosystems are crying out for. Academics have also promoted the reintroduction of wolves as a way to counteract climate change because it would enable the regeneration of woodland and thus the storage of large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The deer on Crosby Beach are not a problem. They are a glimpse of a wilder Britain, and we should be fighting to protect it.
Read more about the debate around the reintroduction of apex predators.
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Because it means we stay independent. It means we can move quickly, speak honestly, challenge powerful interests, take risks, and do what truly needs to be done for British wildlife.
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When there are no direct attacks from Iran to dominate news headlines, it’s easy to think that everything is back to normal in Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth. Tens of thousands of precious people are trying to piece their lives back together. It may not make the headlines, but it’s still going on, and they urgently need our help. We have received a generous matching gift challenge that will double your gift to help twice as many people—so please be as generous as you can when you send your gift today.
The situation is urgent. So many people have lost homes, family members, and even everything they owned in the missile attacks. I’m thinking about families like the Cohens. They buried six family members on the day their son was supposed to have his bar mitzvah. We helped them with the medical bills, buying clothing, and more, and they were so grateful. But there are so many others in urgent need.
The people of Israel are suffering greatly right now, and while they need our prayers, they also need our help. Together we are answering the command of God, “Comfort ye My people.” Together we are telling, and more importantly showing, the people of Israel that they are not alone. Please send your most generous gift today and share this with everyone you know.
Your support of the Friends of Zion today allows us to comfort the people of Israel who have survived the terrorist attacks, minister to the families of the hostages, continue to purchase and deliver food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities of life for the poor Holocaust survivors and refugees of Ukraine, continue to operate the Friends of Zion Museum, and to meet urgent humanitarian needs among the poor Jewish people living in Israel. Thank you so much for being part of this vital worldwide prayer movement.
Join Us for a special tasting event with Banfi Global Wine Ambassador Jgor Marini!
Thursday, May 14 | 4 PM – 7:30 PM
Free Event!
Banfi is one of Italy’s most celebrated wine producers, known for crafting elegant, terroir-driven wines that showcase the richness of Tuscany and beyond. Family-owned and rooted in innovation, Banfi combines sustainable vineyard practices with a deep respect for tradition to create wines that balance structure, character, and approachability.
Jgor Marini is Banfi’s Global Brand Ambassador and a certified sommelier with the Italian Sommelier Association (AIS), known for his deep knowledge of Italian wine and engaging storytelling. With experience spanning retail, restaurants, import/export, and international wine education, Jgor joined Banfi in 2012 and has become a leading voice for the winery around the world. A former MW student and winner of the prestigious “Charme Sommelier” competition in Italy, he brings both expertise and charisma to every tasting experience.
Tasting Table Line-Up
🍾 Brut Metodo Classico(91 pts, James Suckling) – “Lots of apple and cream aromas and flavors. Some yeastiness. Full and round-textured. Delicious finish. I am a long-time fan of this sparkling wine.” Buy Now
🍷 La Pettegola Vermentino 2024– Straw yellow wine, with intense citrus hints of thyme, sage, yellow peach, and elderflower. The full structure is well balanced by freshness. Very persistent and fruity finish. Buy Now
🍷 Chianti Classico 2023 – Deep mauve red, with a complex and rich bouquet. Hints of plum jam and blackberry evolve, then, into notes of vanilla, licorice, and leather, deriving from aging. In the mouth, it is balanced and persistent. Long finish. Buy Now
🍷 Rosso di Montalcino 2024(92 pts, Jeb Dunnuck) – “Fresh and vinous with an elegant nose of red currants, vibrant violets and a whiff of citrus. A leafy touch as well. Medium-bodied, it shines with velvety tannins and a chewy palate. Good savory finish.” Buy Now
🍷 Belnero Toscana 2023(91 pts, Jeb Dunnuck) – “Based mainly on Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Belnero is ripe and expressive, offering baked cherries, pine, Mediterranean herbs, and a touch of spice. Full-bodied, it leans into its bolder fruit while still maintaining freshness and definition, with ripe tannins and a clean finish.” Buy Now
🍷 Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2010(97 pts, James Suckling) – “A riserva with so much structure and tension. A full body that shows dried fruit and mushroom flavors. Walnut soil, too. So long and powerful. A glorious wine. Wine for the long term.” Buy Now
🍷 Summus 2020(94 pts, Robert Parker) – “A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the Castello Banfi 2020 SummuS comes with a black label and a metal label appliqué. That fancy packaging leads to an elegant bouquet and soft fruit flavors, blackberry, baked plum and sweet spice. The tannins are resolved, and the wine shows lots of supple layering.” Buy Now
✨ Special Tasting Discounts:
* 10% off any single bottle
* 15% off when you mix & match 12 or more bottles
(Online orders: The 15% discount won’t appear at checkout, but don’t worry — we’ll apply it when your order is prepared for pickup.)SHOP NOW
Don’t want to miss the sale? Can’t make it Thursday? Order online or call us today at703-668-WINE (9463), as quantities are limited, so with that said, first come, first served!
Thank you for shopping local!
Kate, Donna P., Heidi, Valerie, Beth, Melanie, Mari, Patty, Donna B., Matt, Bill, Steve, Rande and Mike
Right now, our troops are facing longer deployments and higher operational stress. They carry the weight of home while serving worlds away from it.
From remote outposts to major bases in the Middle East, service members are under constant pressure, and staying connected requires more support than ever.
The USO delivers moments of normalcy to help our heroes stay resilient and mission ready. But due to the current need and constantly shifting deployments, we cannot reach everyone who needs us without supporters like you.
RJ Hamster 