Beach council poised to help pay for light-rail study

This is pretty huge/great news. It’s a relief that the ousting of former HRT President Michael Townes and the installment of his successor, Philip Shucet, turned out not to be the PR disaster that it seemed. Not only did Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim refer to the change as news of progress in his State of the City address, it looks like Virginia Beach is looking at it in that light, as well.

I don’t want to jump the gun just yet, since the vote to move forward the light rail study is scheduled for tomorrow, but it seems that Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms has pulled through once again. I’ve heard him say on more than one occasion that, short of going against the will of his constituents, he will stick his neck out to get light rail out to VB and help solve the problem of transportation in Hampton Roads. It’s thrilling to see an elected official do what he says he’ll do.

With Councilmen Glenn Davis, Harry Diezel, John Uhrin and Jim Wood on board, it looks like the last vote needed will come from Councilwoman Barbara Henley, a light rail supporter. Henley, a Pungo farmer, knows not only what light rail can do to help develop our cities, she’s aware of its potential impact on environmental preservation. We’ve pushed the Green Line too many times to not do something about suburban sprawl, and light rail is the key to that. We urge Councilwoman Henley to vote for the green space and denser cities that proper mass transit brings to regions. Do the right thing, Barbara!

Budget for schools, health would be hit by legislators, too

Clearly these are going to be a tough few years ahead. I personally don’t think car tax relief is more important than educating our children and caring for the sick and elderly, but since both the House and Senate have rejected Gov. Tim Kaine’s measures to eliminate those payments to help make up for the $4.2 billion state revenue shortfall, guess that’s off the table. The good news is that legislators seem to have the wherewithal to shoulder a lot of this themselves, by under funding state employees’ pension plans. Saving $20 million by closing a yet unnamed prison sounds like a good call, also. And neither plan includes closures to state parks (an issue that AltDaily writer John McManus pointed to in the Friday edition of “If You Had Read the Paper”), so that’s a relief.

But we are still talking about some serious cuts to public schools, Medicaid, and health care for low-income mothers. With both plans already putting forth these millions of dollars of cuts, we may just have to hope that in reconciling the two, some kind of miracle happens and someone comes up with a better way.

Portsmouth council seats up for grabs among many candidates

All I can say is Portsmouth residents have more incentive than ever to size up these candidates and vote towards a better Portsmouth. That city, I believe, is on the brink. Between Olde Town and Port Norfolk, it’s got the cultural chops to compete with the likes of Charlottesville, Greensboro, and Alexandria. And with more and more young creatives flocking to High Street, the restaurant and bar-cluttered strip could easily overtake Granby and Colley as the go-to for the cool kids.

And yet the city still just can’t seem to shake its bad rap. From the follies of Mayor Holley right on down to the image it’s given in the papers, Portsmouth remains a forgotten city. Perhaps some fresh faces in the council will change all that (?).

Marijuana use by seniors goes up as boomers age

“They’re missing a lot of fun and a lot of relief,” says 88-year-old Florence Siegel of her non-toking peers. As Keith Stroup–the founder and lawyer of NORML, a marijuana advocacy group–puts it, with a joint, “Food tastes better, music sounds better, sex is more enjoyable.”

Guess it’s true that with age comes wisdom.

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears appearance Monday

Ugh, I’m sick and not gonna get to go to this show, which I’ve been awaiting anxiously for weeks. Go, and get down for me.

Yorktown Rottweiler owner basks in win at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Yes! Three cheers for Ch Von Hoffman’s Antsy Prance, better known as LeeLoo. We knew you could do it.