Writing the IYRTP is kind of like having a CSA.

Each week, you rise early and open up your package, unsure what’s gonna be inside and what you’re gonna make of it. It’s ripe and local and often a mix of familiar and non, ready to be blended into a fulfilling, nourishing experience. Today, I feel like the papers were pretty bland… they have valid info but there’s no surprise element to kick it up a notch. You may want to grab some salt and pepper.

All the news that's fit to print. | pic: utahagenda.com

Tower of Power?

The city council has officially sanctioned the Midtown Office Tower after a few weeks of secrecy and controversy. Regardless of the ultimate decision, I want to shout out to Council members Tommy Smigiel, Angelia Williams and Andy Protogyrou. This kudos is not entirely because they voted no on the project. It’s based on the idea that they wanted to listen to the public and didn’t want to hide behind a closed session. I especially want to recognize Protogryrou, whose name gets lumped in with the other Council members who have accepted donations from Tivest over the years (Fraim, Burfoot, Ridick, Wynn). The accusation that Council votes based on donations can’t be said about him in this case, which is impressive.

Two Norfolk Elementary Schools May Shut Down

Norfolk School Board is considering closing down Dreamkeepers Academy and Oakwood Elementary School. This impacts the children who go there, obviously. It also means that kids in the other nearby schools will see larger classroom sizes to make up for the closings’ overflow. If you’re impacted by this, you should attend tonight’s meeting on the 12th floor of 800 E. City Hall Ave. at 7 pm.

Mental Health Problems and Crime Don’t Have to Be Synonymous

“Shoot first-ask for the insanity defense later. Everyone is ‘crazy’ when they get caught,” says Pilot commentor tidewaterhelm in response to the news that the accused shooter of a Virginia Beach undercover cop, defendant Ted Vincent Carter, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and the defense may use this to keep him from the death penalty . Then, the bigger headline is “A team approach to mental health crises in Hampton Roads.”

This story is about how new approaches in mental care aim to prevent crime or suicide. Norfolk is the only Hampton Roads city to not employ a Crisis Development Team (a combination of law enforcement, mental health providers, and advocacy groups.) However, it does have a Mobile Crisis Team, established through the Community Services Board. Both groups’ goals are similar in that they want to assist mentally unstable patients before their actions escalate to jail time. They also want to train law enforcement on how to deal with unstable citizens who may be better off getting care than jail (specifically citing cases like brain-injury patient James McLamb, who spent a month in jail on abusive language charges–something that doesn’t usually require jail.) I won’t go as far as to say a group like this could have helped Carter or saved his victim’s life, but it might have. It should at the very least show people like tidewaterhelm that mental health disorders have significant links to crime, and that proactive, healthy approaches may work prevention magic in the long run.

As almost every week, I’ve got to throw this out there: Why do we need multiple agencies essentially doing the same thing? Because we have seven cities and numerous counties that all think they’re the big cheese. Heads up, guys: the mentally ill and the criminals cross borders all the time. This creates more work on you than is necessary. If you were all one big happy agency with a few offices on each side of the bridge, communication would be better and your dollars may stretch further.

Peer Pressure is Not Murder

Heck, the article doesn’t even say anything about peer pressure.

Two roommates decide to get high together. One overdoses. The other gets convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to jail.

Am I the only one who thinks this is unfair? Convict the guy of drug possession, sure. Convict him of manslaughter (at age 21, no less)? I’m not cool with this. He didn’t hold the other guy down and force him to do anything.

Dollars and Sense

South Carolina State Senator Lee Bright has proposed South Carolina begin making its own currency so when our Federal Reserve inevitably fails and the rest of the country descends into mayhem and famine, this little pocket of the South will rise again. Um… whaa?

Park Place Updates

Monday night marked the opening of Kerouac’s coffee shop in Park Place. Judging by the pictures, their first night looked awesome. I can’t wait to write from there myself. Big shout out to Phillip Odango for having the idea and seeing it through to fruition. This AltDaily article talks to him about his reasons for opening it, and ends with some praise to the Park Place community. Support this, people.