“What matters next is innovation, and innovation and creativity are about making connections… to diverse people, ideas, cultures, disciplines, education, families and place. Those of us who work for the greater good are happier, more resilient and more satisfied… and that is a quality of life to which we should all aspire.”

Missy Schmidt of Hampton Roads Partnership after TedxNasa

She’s so right. I read those words and think beyond Ted or NASA or HR Partnership. I think beyond AltDaily, its contributors, myself. I think what we now need to do is continue to ensure the aforementioned connections to diverse groups is equivalent to “greater good.  ”Greater good” and “I’m scared of others, let’s keep them at bay” should never be allowed to be confused as the same thing.

Park Place on its Way to Monopoly Card Status

The Greater Park Place Community Visioning Forum met for the first time last weekend, with its focus on what the residents need versus what the city thinks they need. Councilperson Angelia Williams summed it up best by explaining, “When people who live there have great things to say, that goes a long way to changing the perception of the neighborhood.”

Amen.

Between this story, AltDaily’s Mark Harris’s excellent account of moving to 38th Street from Virginia Beach, and Norfolk Neighborhoods Envisioning Change’s conclusion of Phase I of their resident-centric study on improving the area, and the recent success of Norfology Nights at O’Connor’s Brewery on 25th Street, I’m seeing the kinds of recognition and change this neighborhood deserves.

I moved just north of Park Place last year and ride my bike through there frequently. It’s a beautiful area that doesn’t need “change” in the sense of gentrification. It’s a neighborhood needing “change” in terms of image from outsiders. Harris is exactly right. The way to make this happen is simple at first. Say hello to people. Recognize they may be uncomfortable or weary for their own valid reasons. Work through it together. Rock the hood together.

Hampton Stimulus Fail

Upon reading the headline only, “Hampton City Council Split Over Plan to Give Employees $1 Million in Gift Cards,” I thought, “What an innovative and nice gesture placed upon a population that’s dealt with cut after cut after layoff for the past few years.” I know my friends working as Norfolk city employees would appreciate a gesture like that.

Then I read on. Turns out, the cards ($300 for full-time and $150 for part-time employees) would be spent only at Peninsula Town Center, a massive shopping center comprised mainly of chain stores like J.C. Penney, Macy’s, etc. All those Hampton residents struggling to keep their small shoe store or record store open amid a flailing economy will certainly not be helped by this gesture. It’s not really a stimulus to the local economy if the only businesses getting a leg up are national corporations.

City Council members agree and are likely to vote against the idea. I’m for that, but hope this surplus of funds can be used in a manner that gives back to the hardworking people of Hampton in a beneficial and (preferably) fun way.

If it's good enough for these dogs, it's good enough for Norfolk.

Proud Mary Keep On Burnin’

Norfolk is going to ask Virginia for permission to allow riverboat gambling out of downtown’s Half Moon terminal. The city predicts it will be denied, but feels getting the ball rolling will pave the way to make it happen eventually. Mayor Fraim thinks it will be a multi-year process to achieve permission but also said it’s “time to raise the issue.”

Norfolk is calling this a “key legislative request,” which will be presented to McDonnell and Co. during the next General Assembly. In the 1990s, when McDonnell was a delegate from Virginia Beach, he twice voted against allowing riverboat gambling.

I’m sure they council is correct in thinking the proposal will get a big fat denied stamp on its cover. What I don’t fully understand is why. The main theme for the anti camp seems to come from a puritanical stance on the sins of gambling. Thousands of drunks stumbling around Waterside, having lost all their money on the riverboats, begin mugging little old ladies and scaring babies, as those who were in opposition all along wag fingers left to right in a choreographed “I told you so.”

Or…

Thousands of people with thousands of extra dollars go out on the riverboats, gamble, eat, drink, etc. They enjoy themselves. The money generated stays in Virginia (instead of Delaware and New Jersey). We get more revenue to put towards common-good projects (the Pilot says “transportation,” which could be common good as long as they don’t build another freakin’ highway and focus on the future of travel… I digress).

Pennsylvania, for instance, earned $1.2 billion in slot machine taxes alone last year, 23.4% more than the previous year. This year, their Pocono casinos will add table games to the mix, a move scaring the bejeezus out of Atlantic City. Free market, capitalism, etc etc. Seems a fair and American business move to me.

Slain Officer’s Widow Seeks Answers

Dawn Decker, the widow of slain Norfolk Police Officer (and popular Granby Street regulator) Victor Decker, has asked the media to continue to highlight the story of her husband’s murder in the hopes it will push someone who may know something to come forward. Due to the fact that he was an awesome person and great compliment to our city, the fact that he died senselessly due to the cowardice of another, and the fact that it’s the right thing to do, I’m happy to publish her request here.

Grand Illumination Tips

This weekend, our own Jesse Scaccia and BC Wilson will be in Bike Norfolk’s float at the Grand Illumination Parade. Since you all will surely want to get there early to guarantee such a sight, I suggest you take WAVY’s advice and pay the $1 early bird parking in all city-run garages. This deal runs until 5pm. After that, it’s $5. The parade starts at 7pm.

Also, from personal experience, if you are planning on being on Granby this Saturday evening for a reason other than the parade, be sure you park on that side of the street. You cannot cross the street during the parade, making dinner reservations at Freemason Abbey impossible to make if you park at MacArthur Center. Planning ahead is a good plan, people.