Some Norfolk news

The Norfolk City Democratic Committee meets tonight at 7pm at Norview High School. Park on the north side of the school by entering the lot on Widgeon Road off Sewell’s Point Road.

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Soon-to-be-former Judge Chuck Griffith is back in the news. This time, it is about the Norfolk cop killer case that he heard in Arlington last year. The Supreme Court of Virginia is questioning Griffith’s authority to hear the case.

The justices noted that “there is no order in the record entered by this Court or any other court that designates” Griffith to preside in Arlington’s Circuit Court.

For the family’s sake, I certainly hope another trial is not necessary.

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The Norfolk chapter of Drinking Liberally will “meet” Thursday night at The New Belmont. Note that the start time has been changed to 6pm instead of 5.

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Congrats to Norfolk Captain Sharon Chamberlin who was sworn in yesterday as the Senior Assistant Chief, the second highest position of authority in the Norfolk Police Department. The CPT Dr. (or is it Dr. CPT? 😉 ) Chamberlin is a 33-year veteran of the department and the first woman to hold this position. On top of that, she’s really a great person to know. I hope she becomes chief one day. Of course, that would require her moving into the city 😉

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The battle over the Norfolk budget won’t be much of one. The Council is pretty pleased with what City Manager Regina Williams has proposed. While driving a couple of days ago, I noticed that the green “$1.08 in ’08” signs have popped up in yards again. That ain’t happening.

I really wish more people had attended the candidates’ forum the other night and heard Barclay Winn talk about why we needed the homestead exemption. Taxes for residential homeowners have increased 40% in the last four years while taxes for commercial property owners have increased 4%. Not the values, mind you, the taxes. The business community effectively killed the homestead exemption this year. If we want tax relief, all of the folks who supported the effort to reduce the rate need to get behind the homestead exemption and get it passed in 2009.