2009 will go down in the record books as one of the wettest years on record reported at Norfolk International Airport.  In 2009, we received 64.66″ of precipitation.  In a “normal” year we receive 45.74″ of precipitation.  Here is the list of our top four wettest years:

YEAR          PRECIPITATION

1889                     70.72″

1877                    69.14″

1979                    64.96″

2009                   64.66″

Meteorologist Cheryl Nelson

With all the stories in the news about the bars “Have a Nice Day Cafe” and “Bar Norfolk” getting padlocked by  security and no longer wanted in Waterside by the city of Norfolk, I can’t help but think about the old Waterside from back in the day.  Even though I grew up in Virginia Beach, Waterside was a destination for people of all ages from all over Hampton Roads when it first opened.

The  Fudgery, Phillips Seafood, Pierces Pitt Barbeque, a pizza shop, a Chinese restaurant, lots of boutiques. Those were the days!

Some say the city of Norfolk recruited the big name chain bars to help revive the waterfront building, but  is now looking for something different to bring back the family friendly atmosphere at all times.

The renovation of  Town Point Park outside of Waterside is gorgeous and it’s slowly bringing folks back to hang out on the lawn, run through the fountain, walk or run along the border.

The commemorative bricks are fun to look at- especially when you recognize the names!  Inside Waterside, you can watch a puppet show, grab a bite to eat, listen to live music or work out at the Gym Downtown’s new location there.  The retail appears to be rebounding…  there’s a new Foxers lingerie boutique, the popular Virginia store and a few other old faithful shops that remain.

I think Norfolk city leaders should take a trip to Columbus, Ohio and check out the North Market.

Here’s a description from its web page:

We are butchers, bakers and candy makers. We are fishmongers, greengrocers and restaurateurs. We grow, catch, find, make, produce, distribute, cook, create and invent our wares.

We are Columbus’ only public market and an incubator for small businesses. And we are the place to shop, eat, mingle and people-watch.

The North Market is home to dozens of unique, independent merchants and farmers who deliver personal and personable service every day of the week.

It’s no wonder a million people visit each year.

I visited the North Market for the first time in the spring and loved it!  The best thing about Waterside is it’s on the water!! Imagine the possibilites of spending the entire day eating, relaxing, exercising- whatever you want to do.  Hopefully it will continue to bounce back and folks will get on the same page about what they really want it to be.  What are your memories and thoughts about Waterside? Please share them below.

Ava Hurdle reports on the latest in the Waterside bar battle:

We heard some great secrets from a chef in Ocean View in Norfolk this week that would be a valuable addition to your recipe box.  Captain Groovy’s is fairly new, about a year old, but already a hit with restaurant-goers in East Beach.

Chef and owner David Watts was kind enough to make one of his most popular dishes.  His famous fish tacos.  He only serves them on Wednesdays, so on the other nights of the week, you’ll have to make them yourself.  Here’s how he does it.

Check out our other Recipe Box recipes at fox43tv.com

Local viewer, Gregg Fordham, continues to keep me posted on his efforts to end AIDS.  He emailed me this note about a rally they had in front of Norfolk city hall on March 11.

“We had about 15-20 folk out we rally out front of city hall passed out flyers to people passing by . We also had some chants going on will we were out there. We did a little program out front city hall where  Pavar  from 103JAMZ spoke and then we had someone else speak on transportation, then we had a report card that we gave the city of Norfolk a grade of D for the efforts that give to the HIV/AIDS community  here. The Tidewater area gets about $5 million for HIV/AIDS in this area  sounds like a lot but really it is not. What we would like to do is get the city’s to put in local money to help in the fight of the epidemic.This area puts in $0  for HIV/AIDS the first thing that is usually said is that you have the Ryan White Money that does get you to doctors, but not support services, sorry I get upset went I start these conversations sometimes.Hope this helps . Thanks for your help in this fight.”

 GREGG FORDHAM

We demand a national plan to end
AIDS within his first 100 days in office:
Identify a high level person who reports directly to
the President to shepherd the plan.
Identify an office within the government
where this plan will sit.
Identify a process whereby people living with
HIV/AIDS will be involved in the development
of the plan.
Identify a process for intergovernmental
collaboration in the development and
implementation of the plan.
Specify a timeline for the development of the
plan.

For more information on the Campaign to End AIDS, click here:

http://www.c2ea.org/

This is the Lenten season and some folks in Hampton Roads are helping the homeless as part of their sacrifice.  I caught up with parishioners and volunteers at Grace Episcopal Church in Norfolk.

They are volunteering this week with the NEST program.  NEST stands for Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team.   The volunteers, which included a group of Norfolk State University students, helped bag up donated personal items to be handed out to the homeless.

They also helped serve food to the 40 some people who were brought to the church by bus.  The needy are brought together by Norfolk’s social services and the NEST program coordinators.    The group that received the food and personal items was very grateful.  Their backgrounds and stories vary.  Some are black, some are white.  Some are young, some are old.  Some are mentally challenged, some are employed but not making enough money to make ends meet.

The NEST program travels to different churches and the church and community members donate supplies and time to make their stay a good one.   Imagine if all of us who are able to, pitched in like this.

There’s a group of talented young men in Norfolk that’s learning a lot about personal growth and cultural awareness- all while enhancing their beautiful voices.  I’m talking about the Boys Choir of Hampton Roads.  I’ve served as a board member for a couple of years now.    It started as the Park Place Boys Choir and targeted young boys in that neighborhood.

The choir is preparing for its 12th anniversary concert on April 19, with special guests, the Richmond Boys Choir.  The show will be at 5 p.m., at Booker T. Washington High School’s auditorium in Norfolk.

Tickets range from $2- $10, with discounts for seniors and students with identification. Tickets will be sold at the door.

Membership in the choir is open to boys ages 8 to 17.  Auditions are held 5-7pm every Thursday at Covenant Presbyterian Church.  Boys who like to sing are encouraged to come out and audition.

For more information contact

Alonza Lawrence
Phone: 757 – 545-6294

Mailing address:
BCHR
PO Box 41429
Norfolk, VA 23541

or click here:

http://www.boyschoirofhr.org/

Norfolk’s International Azalea Festival is gearing up for a week long schedule of events from April 27 to May 3.  This will be the 56th International NATO Azalea Festival. This year celebrates the Czech Republic and  Representing her country and serving as queen of the festival is Captain Magdalena Dvorakova.

Magda is a resident of Prague, Czech Republic, and currently works in the Military Office of Mr. Vaclav Klaus, the President of the Czech Republic. Her military career also has taken her abroad to Kosovo, and to Texas, Michigan, Missouri and Maryland for training.

At age 17, Magda left home for a year to be a  foreign exchange student in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. She later graduated from the Military University of Ground Forces in Vyskov, Czech Republic.

Captain Dvorakova is the second active duty Queen in the history of the Festival, following in the steps of Captain Mariola Kasemier, a Royal Netherlands army officer, who served as Queen in 2008. A film about Captain Kasemier, produced for the 2008 Azalea Festival, later won the International Military Film Festival in Barriciano, Italy.

While on her first visit to Norfolk last week, Captain Dvorakova visited St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children and met with all of the Historic Norfolk Unit Troops from the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast.

I had the pleasure of meeting her at a special reception at the Chrysler Museum.

Join us April 27 – May 3 when Captain Magdalena Dvorakova, Queen Azalea LVI, returns to Norfolk for Festival Week.

Visit http://azaleafestival.org/events.asp for a complete list of events.

The Honorable Reverend Joseph N. Green, Jr. now has a building at T.C.C. named after him.

With family, university officials, residents and city and state leaders,  the administration building in downtown Norfolk was named  and dedicated in his honor on Friday, January 23.

A large portrait of Father Green was also unveiled to be put on display in building’s lobby.

Father Green said today, “I am grateful to my parents for planting the seed of the need and the power of a good education.  I’m grateful to the congregation of Grace Episcopal Church for allowing me to serve them and the city on the school board and the city council.  I’m grateful to this city that accepted my service and used me to help rebuild this great city of Norfolk.”

Father Green was pastor of Norfolk’s Grace Episcopal Church from 1963-1993.  He served on Norfolk city council from 1977-1994 and pushed for providing equal education opportunities for everyone.  He was instrumental in establishing Tidewater Community College’s Norfolk campus, but not without opposition from Norfolk State University.

Father Green is very special to me and my family.  He attended the same college as my grandparents, St. Augustine in Raleigh, NC.  They worked together to bring their college reunion to Virginia Beach every September.  Father Green also baptized and confirmed me at Grace Episcopal church and was always a bright spot in my life who helped me to grow spiritually.   This is the perfect honor for a man who has done so much for so many people- and for the city of Norfolk.

Father Green, we salute you!

Yes, we’ve been spoiled for two weeks.  Road work has been put on hold for the holidays.  But, the Winter Break is just about over, and we’re getting notices of some delays you may encounter on your morning and evening commutes, starting next week.

Work on the light rail project in downtown Norfolk is continuing with a vengeance!  Look for lane closures at and near the intersection of City Hall Avenue and Monticello Avenue after evening rush hour starting on Monday, January 5.

Two inside westbound lanes will be closed on City Hall Avenue at the intersection of Monticello Avenue.  The lane closures are needed so Dominion Virginia Power can relocate utilities to prepare for light rail construction.  Crews will work 12 hours a day to complete the project as quickly as possible.  It is estimated the project will take about two months to complete, weather permitting.

Traffic will be impacted as follows:

· All westbound traffic will be required to turn right onto Monticello Avenue.  Vehicles will be unable to proceed through the intersection.

· The left turn lane onto Monticello Avenue will be closed to eastbound traffic.

· Between City Hall Avenue and just north of Tazewell Street, Monticello Avenue will become two-way, with one northbound lane and one southbound lane.

· Parking will be prohibited along Monticello Avenue between City Hall Avenue and Market Street to accommodate the lane shifts.

A detailed map of detours and alternate routes is available at: http://www.norfolk.gov/PublicWorks/pdf/tp-cityhallatmonticello.pdf

Pedestrians crossing at the City Hall/Monticello intersection should be alert to pedestrian directional signage.  Police will be directing both vehicular and pedestrian traffic at the intersection.

Motorists who typically access the Boush Street garage on City Hall Avenue from Saint Pauls Boulevard will need to take an alternate route to access the garage from one of the following:

Waterside Drive to Boush Street

Plume Street to Boush Street

or from the intersection of Granby Street and City Hall Avenue.

When exiting the Boush Street garage, motorists are advised to turn right and follow Boush Street to travel north or follow Waterside Drive to the I-64/I-264 interchange.

It is important to note that power will not be cut off to businesses or residents during this time.

The City of Norfolk reminds motorists that the downtown area is open for business throughout all construction projects.  There are over 9,000 parking spaces in downtown parking facilities available after 6 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends.  These facilities are easily accessible via primary streets that are outside the construction zones.

For more information and a detailed listing of lane and street closures in Norfolk, please visit:   www.norfolk.gov/publicworks/tipreport.asp

I saw first hand how good Norfolk State can be.  The Spartans have had a tough season, but they busted out with a big 35-9 win over Morgan State on Saturday.  It’s NSU’s first 2-game winning streak of the season. 

After competing for the MEAC title last year, many thought this team would do it again.  But, they had a bunch of road games early in the season, and just couldn’t win any of them.

Is this team worse than last year?  On paper, it seems obvious.  But, when I talked with their coach, Pete Adrian, a while ago, he told me this team was actually better.  Is that coach speak?  I don’t think so.  NSU did win a lot of close games last year.  And, they had a lot of their toughest games at home last year.  It’s possible this year’s squad is better, but just has a worse record.

Right now, I’m almost sure they’re playing better than last year.  The offense controlled the game today, and the defense returned two turnovers for touchdowns. 

Now, the most important thing is gearing up for next year and answering this question.

Will Norfolk State be better in 2009?