Portsmouthcitywatch.org

07/17/2024

Richard Huneycutt has announced the date for our fall outing. Plan to be there and see your old Cradock Friends.

07/17/2024

Save the date. This is one of the Cradock Neighborhood signature events!

Richard Huneycutt has announced the date for our fall outing. Plan to be there and see your old Cradock Friends.

07/17/2024

As mentioned in a previous post, a politically active local pastor set up a city council candidate forum to which he invited only candidates of color, leaving the two European American competitors on the sidelines. Certainly, in the "bad old days", the political system operated the opposite way, excluding African Americans, Hispanics, others with noticeable pigmentation, and women, to mention the most prevalent forms of discrimination. This particular approach does nothing to correct past transgressions, however, it just perpetuates bad practices. Beyond the failings of the organizer, any candidate who would knowingly agree to participate in such a forum would, in our view, be ill-suited to serve as a representative of all Portsmouth citizens.

07/10/2024

According to a whistleblower, Portsmouth's self-anointed "People's Pastor" is sponsoring a candidate forum exclusively for African American city council hopefuls. Someone tell us, "We've just stepped into . . . the Twilight Zone".

06/25/2024

The list of local candidates (mayoral, city council, and school board) is now posted on the City of Portsmouth website: https://portsmouthva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15664/Nov-5-2024-List-of-Local-Candidates?bidId=. The tally is three candidates for mayor (one position), eleven for city council (3 positions), and seven for school board (5 positions). The time to start checking qualifications is now. Early voting in person begins Friday, September 20.

06/06/2024

Our expectation is that every would-be candidate for Portsmouth City Council should be voicing her/his/their opinion in the June 11, 2024, public hearing on the subject of increasing salaries for the mayor and council members. (See https://www.portsmouthva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15605/24-165-Public-hearing-ad and https://www.portsmouthva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15613/24-170-Ordinance.) The public has a direct interest in not only the matter of support for or opposition to the proposal but the reasoning for same.

03/28/2024

Due to Inclement Weather all City of Portsmouth Offices will be closing at noon today March 28, 2024
Waste Management Services will continue as scheduled.

03/27/2024

Please sign on if you haven't already.

Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, right-wing Republican laws have taken effect in state after state to ban abortion and criminalize those who seek and provide it. These harsh laws take away a fundamental right that had been guaranteed by the Constitution for nearly 50 years and fulfill an ex...

03/19/2024

By way of welcome to our new city manager: The unwritten but paramount responsibility of every city manager is to make at least a majority of her/his/their council members, no matter how dimwitted, shortsighted, and self-serving they may be, look like geniuses, visionaries, and dedicated public servants. Failure to recognize the importance of this implicit aspect of the job description will have career-limiting consequences. Manager-Designate Carter, may the Force be with you!

01/27/2024

On Monday, January 29, 2024, city council has scheduled a closed meeting at 5 PM followed by a special called meeting at or about 5:30. If you can't be there in person, you might want to tune in to the live stream. (See https://portsmouthva.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01292024-1079.)

01/21/2024

01/09/2024

A rare council work session/regular meeting cancellation tonight due to the likelihood of particularly bad weather. In addition:
"All City of Portsmouth Recreation Centers will close at 5:30 PM today, Tuesday, January 09, 2024. Youth food program dinner meals will be served at 4:30 PM tonight."

10/04/2023

A new trash pickup regime will begin on Monday, November 13, 2023. Also, if you are elderly (65+) or disabled and need assistance moving your trash bins to the curb for pickup, you need to apply for that assistance by October 30. (See https://portsmouthva.gov/2439/Waste-Management.)

1. New Collection Day for Churchland:   Trash and Recycling pick-up for Churchland will be moving from Mondays to Wednesdays. Please note the Blue and White Recycling schedule will still be observed; we are just moving the pick-up day to Wednesday. 

10/02/2023

According to a story carried by WVEC-TV13, the Portsmouth Meals on Wheels operation has shut down as of Friday, September 29, due to lack of funds. Meals on Wheels delivers prepared food to elderly people in communities across the country. (See https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/portsmouth/meals-on-wheels-of-portsmouth-closing-lack-of-funding/291-ce9889d9-4112-48a1-9e97-33c70a40706f)

Meals on Wheels of Portsmouth is closing after delivering hot food to people’s doorsteps for decades.

09/22/2023

Former Portsmouth City Manager Angel Jones's lawsuit against the city takes a detour: https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/09/21/most-of-ex-portsmouth-city-managers-lawsuit-against-city-dismissed-but-attorneys-say-its-not-over/?share=tyswtiheootsttnohs2d.

A judge has dismissed most of the counts in former City Manager Angel Jones’s lawsuit against the city of Portsmouth that she filed following her termination last year. Only the breach of con…

08/13/2023

U. S. Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott will be holding a town hall meeting in Portsmouth from 6:30 PM to 8 on Monday, August 21, at Marriner Family Life Center, 5910 W Norfolk Road, Portsmouth, VA 23703. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/portsmouth-town-hall-tickets-695591291277?aff=oddtdtcreator.

An opportunity to learn and ask questions about Congressman Scott's work in Washington, D.C.

07/05/2023

Construction-related traffic-flow changes are coming to I-64 in Hampton as early as this Sunday. Please read the advisory from VDOT: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/LONG-TERM-TRAFFIC-SHIFT-AND-LANE-REDUCTION-SCHEDULED-TO-BEGIN-ON-I-64-EXPRESS-LANES-HAMPTON-SEGMENT--.html?soid=1124277087205&aid=bPwfRStXrWY.

Lane reductions on I-64 east and west between Rip Rap Road and Mallory Street to begin as early as the week of July 9 RELEASE: IMMEDIATE CONTACT: Nina Ullrich, 757-979-0611 HamptonRoadsPublicInfo@VDOT

06/15/2023

Ms. Natalie Anderson's article adds valuable context that viewing the council proceedings would not.

PORTSMOUTH — The City Council agreed unanimously Tuesday to pursue a hiring firm to select the city’s fourth permanent manager in as many years.

06/11/2023

See the Virginian-Pilot coverage of the special work session on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at which hiring of a city manager was discussed: https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/06/08/portsmouth-city-council-divided-on-process-of-appointing-city-manager/?share=gtaogcivtntaei2p6oel.

The City Council is scheduled to meet for a closed session Monday to discuss the appointment, which could lead to an official vote to appoint Interim City Manager Mimi Terry or pursue a hiring firm…

06/07/2023

The gray skies in Southeast VA, like those in nearby states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions, derive their current haziness from suspended particulates. Wildfires in Canada and unfortunate meteorological conditions are bringing these lung irritants across the northern border and into this quadrant of the U. S. Two ways to fend off these invasive objects: retrieve your three-layer COVID masks from your sock drawers for outdoor protection and run your central heating-cooling systems with the circulating fans on intermittent mode so that household air will be periodically filtered even if inside temperatures don't trigger heating or cooling cycles. The conditions degrading air quality are supposed to improve over the next few days, so no need to withdraw to your fallout shelters yet!

05/12/2023

https://www.portsmouthcitywatch.org/2023/05/12/war-of-the-words-in-va-senate-district-18/

The upcoming primary election face-off between State Senators L. Louise Lucas and Lionel Spruill, Sr., for the honor of carrying the Democratic Party flag in the November 7 General Election will un…

05/11/2023

Portsmouth Senior Citizens, take note!

Announcement Of The Second Senior Care Incentive Program Gift Card Giveaway Portsmouth Virginia

05/09/2023

From the City of Portsmouth as of May 8, 2023:

***Churchland Bridge Replacement Project***
Alternating Lane Closures ENDED

The weekday alternating lane closures on the Churchland Bridge with 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. intermittent stoppages have concluded. Effective today, the travel lanes will be open for concurrent two-way traffic. The lane closures, which concluded today, allowed for necessary work to be performed under the existing bridge while keeping one travel lane open to motorists.

Thank you for your patience as this major arterial project continues and please monitor the message boards for any upcoming scheduled work, closings, etc. For more information, please contact the Department of Engineering at (757) 393-8592.

04/21/2023

Friends of the Portsmouth Juvenile Court had their annual Pinwheels for Prevention ceremony with Delegate Don Scott giving the keynote address and Mayor Shannon Glover delivering the official proclamation of occasion. Council Member Vernon Tillage served as MC.

04/14/2023

Like the revolution, the city council retreat will not be televised. (As announced this afternoon by the interim city manager.)

04/13/2023

American and local history came to life today in our wonderfully curated tour of the venerable and beautiful Attucks Theatre. Thanks to HRTPO/HRPDC staff for making our visit possible.

04/11/2023

A cautionary tale from our Portsmouth Police:

"Just" Is All It Takes.

04/10/2023

Portsmouth City Council will hold a retreat on Friday afternoon, April 14, and Saturday, April 15, at the Tidewater Community College Portsmouth Campus. Details on the times, topics, and location is available at https://portsmouthva.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04142023-947.

02/13/2023

The online public participation phase of the Hampton Roads Connectors Study is underway. To join the regional conversation, visit https://hrtpo.webflow.io/.

The Regional Connectors Study focuses on Hampton Roads connectivity through the lenses of congestion relief, economic vitality, resiliency, accessibility, and quality of life. ‍The study will provide a long-term vision for connectivity improvements between the Peninsula and Southside, with recomme...