r/norfolk

NORFOLK — Executive leadership and officers of the city’s largest public school employees’ union have been dismissed after an internal investigation.

It concluded that the former president of the Norfolk Federation of Teachers, Laquetta Mackey, used over $100,000 marked for the organization toward personal purposes, according to officials with the union’s parent organization, the American Federation of Teachers. Until new elections are held, AFT Vice President Karla Hernández-Mats will administer the city’s chapter, AFT Local 4261, which represents approximately 1,300 members.

Mackey has not responded to repeated requests for comment. The internal investigation by the national union noted that the former leadership maintained that their actions had been appropriate.

A 15-page decision and order signed by Hernández-Mats and two other AFT vice presidents, dated April 28, found that Mackey in a two-year span increased her salary as president from $98,000 to $172,000 while tripling her retirement benefits. The salary and benefit increases were not communicated to members and had not been authorized by its executive board.

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Unfortunately have to work late and my HVAC is currently being replaced. If I can’t be in my office, what are some places you recommend to work on the computer and have a decent snack and beer? Without being the weird person at the bar on their computer? 😅

Where are there Saturday morning, farmers markets tomorrow, and what are the hours? Looking for local grown produce, especially.

I have been disappointed in the Ghent farmers market, because it has very little produce, and I never know when it is going to be held. Plus the prices are outrageous. There used to be a farmers market at O’Connor‘s brewery, but that has gone away and the farmers market that used to be at blessed sacrament church has disappeared also.

Hi everyone. Apologies if something similar to my question has been asked before, I couldn't find any info on it. **I tried posting this in the RVA subreddit but my post was auto-removed.**

I'm facing a tricky situation. I am flying out of RIC at 5 am tomorrow. It was cheaper for me to leave from RIC compared to ORF. Although my first leg is to CLT, my final destination is international. Because of this, I have to check in at the airport so they can verify my passport (I've tried everything I possibly could online but they say I must verify documents in person with an agent). Anyways, because it's an international flight, I know the deadline to check in is 90 minutes prior to departure. This is not a problem for me, I don't mind being there early but the problem is that the American Airlines counter says it does not even open until 3:30 am. I plan to be in line but I am seriously so worried that they will say I'm too late to check in. I even thought about driving to Richmond after work this afternoon but the counter says it closes at 6:15 pm! So i am just unsure of what to do. Has anyone gone thru this similar experience? I do not want to get there and have them cancel my itinerary or say I am too late to check in when I have been trying everything I can to do so! Feeling stressed so any input, guidance, or advice would be appreciated.

Hey, does anyone have any experience with having a Tesla home charger installed. We just ordered a model y and looking for some advice. Any recommendations for electrician’s and how much was it to install? We already purchased the lvl 2 charger. Thanks

NORFOLK — The School Board voted Wednesday night to approve a modifications to the budget for next year, but nobody was very happy about it.

Members on both sides of a 4-3 vote said they believed that City Council, which provides most of the funding for the school system, had effectively directed the school system to prioritize facilities over student outcomes.

Generally, the final budget vote is not a controversial one. But on Wednesday night, even some of the four members who voted to approve the budget said they were doing so reluctantly.

In its budget deliberations, the City Council required the school system to use about $8 million in funds left over from last year for capital improvement projects. School Board members had hoped to use it for other things, such as funding for tutors or filling vacant positions.

Additionally, board members lamented that a sum of $3 million city leaders previously set aside for capital improvement projects was taken away. Capital improvement would instead be funded by the aforementioned reversion funds — the money that was left over.

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I'm moving to the Ghent area this summer for an internship. Does anyone have any suggestions for classes/events/things to do during the week and on the weekend?

So me and my wife moved here about 6 months ago. we had started work right away and haven’t had too much time to do much of anything and we still have a semi permanent residence in NC so we have just kept our cars registered and insurance through NC. She uses the tolls quite a bit to get to work and recently we are looking for new car insurance since ours is increasing. That leads me to these questions. 1. if we get new insurance still in NC will we be fined for not having insurance through VA ? 2. will NC insurance cover anything that happens in VA? 3. can they prove i’m living here full time and not at my NC residence as well. what should i do ?

Residents in a Norfolk neighborhood are demanding more information after the city’s housing authority announced plans to voluntarily clean up soil contaminants found near a senior housing complex.

The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority plans to participate in a voluntary remediation program overseen by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Under the program, the housing authority plans to clean up metals, semi-volatile organic compounds and volatile organic compounds found near Sykes Midrise Apartments, an 84-unit senior public housing facility in Berkley.

Soil testing revealed levels of cancer-causing contaminants considered an unacceptable risk for direct contact by children, as well as risks to construction workers when exposed to subsurface groundwater, according to a risk assessment report prepared by Stokes Environmental Associates.

Berkley residents have concerns and questions.

does anyone know of any ptsd support groups preferably or mental health support groups in general in the area or nearby? i was suggested it by my therapist in conjunction with my previous talk therapy but am no longer able to afford my appointments out of pocket and have been really struggling. any leads or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Is Villa Heights a bad neighborhood to live in? I was looking to rent a house on Broadway between 33rd and 32nd across the street from the zoo. I have a growing family with 1 year old daughter and another on the way, and I thought the location was real nice given the proximity to parks and the zoo. It's also near where I work and is attractive for the amount of space we get for the price plus being fully furnished. The surrounding blocks look relatively nice on Google street view, so is this a better side of Villa Heights to be at? We would be here for about 5-6 months, so yall think its worth it? Is it safe to walk the neighborhood over the weekend or in the evenings on weekdays?

Any helpful advice would be appreciated!

Where are some fun places to watch the World Cup? ⚽️

Norfolk City Council approved a $352 million capital improvement plan Tuesday after the city manager suggested moving a planned fitness center and library to the former site of Poplar Halls Elementary School.

After a one-week continuation, City Council members voted 7-1 to approve the plan. Ward 5 Council member Tommy Smigiel voted against the measure.

The plan appropriates $1 million to begin preliminary design work on a combined library and fitness center originally planned to anchor the redevelopment of Military Circle Mall but now slated to be constructed at the former Poplar Halls Elementary School site.

Norfolk City Manager Pat Roberts said the switch would allow design work to begin almost immediately.

Military Circle redevelopment, on the other hand, is still having issues related to negotiations with remaining tenant Ross Dress for Less. Smigiel said a few weeks ago Ross holds a long-term lease on its location.