By Rodney A. Jordan Today, June 14, 2011, marks twenty years since the passing of my uncle, Joseph A. Jordan, Jr. More than a beloved family member, he was and continues to be a mentor to me. He lived as a child through the Great Depression in the Jim Crow south. Paralyzed by age twenty-one … Continue reading Norfolk redistricting: “Supporting a vibrant, dynamic city”
Norfolk Council is taking school board nominations at its meeting tonight. I understand you can nominate yourself for this. You probably need to bring a resume (or a CV, as Councilwoman Whibley referred to it last week).
The Norfolk City Council is scheduled to take up redistricting at its council meeting today. It is at the top of the informal agenda and at the bottom of the formal one. In an editorial today, The Virginian-Pilot says that the proposals the council is considering don't reflect a decade of change in our city: … Continue reading Norfolk council to take up redistricting today
So it appears that the city attorney has rejected (pdf) the Jordan plan based on the fact that one of the majority districts drawn is 61.9% voting age black instead of 62%. Are you kidding me? A .1% deviation - which could easily be a math error - resulted in the rejection of the plan? … Continue reading UPDATE: Norfolk redistricting – .1% – really?
The agenda for Tuesday's Norfolk City Council meeting was delivered to my mailbox late Friday afternoon, as usual. (It was posted to the website a couple of hours later.) On it, is R-9, a vote on two alternative redistricting plans. Noticeably missing is the Jordan plan, which was proposed last Tuesday at the public hearing. … Continue reading Where’s the discussion?
At some point, probably centuries ago, politicians learned that as they appeared to be lowering taxes and/or introducing some popular project, they actually are and were playing election year politics. It's not random to see money coming to a district or county, either state or federal. This is the primary activity of those who wish … Continue reading It’s election year – get ready for that tax cut
My latest op-ed appeared in The Virginian-Pilot Thursday. In it, I discussed the public redistricting hearing that was held Tuesday evening. As of right now, that will be the only public hearing, which is a real shame since almost no one was there. Attending another meeting last night, several people mentioned to me why they … Continue reading Norfolk redistricting: reconfiguring the council
A few items from around the 'net: Sen. Fred Quayle to retire. The Republican from Suffolk, drawn into the same senate district as Chesapeake senator Harry Blevins, has decided to retire rather than challenge him. Another moderate leaves the fold. I suspect we've not heard the last of Quayle - and there are some interesting … Continue reading Quick links 06/09/11
Ralph Northam, the first term Democratic state senator representing me and my fellow citizens in the 6th district, has drawn another challenger: former 2nd Congressional District candidate Ben Loyola. I saw "another" because John Amiral, who unsuccessfully ran in the 87th House District in 2009 has also thrown his hat in the ring. The last … Continue reading Northam has another challenger
According to this blog, a fundraising appeal has gone out from the Constitution Party for their 2012 efforts. Included was the news that a resolution urging Virgil Goode, former Virginia 5th District Congressman, to run for President was passed. The party also said in its release that Goode has "...expressed strong interest..." in running.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 