Jim Morrison

Military Circle Mall closed for good in 2023 after more than 50 years. But a couple of tenants still hold leases and have complicated efforts to redevelop.

Officials wonder about role of Norfolk’s economic development arm after Military Circle transfer

Jim Morrison

Norfolk Economic Development Agency voted to hand over its last large parcel, the defunct mall it bought in 2020, but only after the city preemptively voted to take it.

School Board Chairwoman Sarah DiCalogero listens to comments from other board members ahead of the vote to terminate Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong on June 11, 2025.

Education News

Norfolk school board attorneys say Byrdsong’s severance didn’t need to be discussed at time of firing

Jim Morrison

Attorneys for the Norfolk school board say there was never a separation agreement drawn up for former Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong because those details were laid out in her original contract.

Photo by Jimmy Emerson, Flikr. Bobbie Morman Jr. was arrested at age 18 for an August 1993 drive-by shooting that did not injure anyone.

Local Government

Norfolk judge rules the city attorney can prosecute some misdemeanors in court

Jim Morrison

The legal ruling grew out of a political disagreement between Norfolk’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi and a group including Mayor Kenny Alexander and City Attorney Bernard Pishko.

Former Norfolk Superintendent Sharon I. Byrdsong was honored at the June 24, 2025 Norfolk City Council meeting after being fired by the school board a week before. Several council members were previously Byrdsong's allies on the school board, providing protection from a faction of board members who tried to launch coordinated efforts to remove her, according to emails obtained through public records requests.

Education News

Emails show school board splits and dysfunction led to Norfolk superintendent’s firing

Jim Morrison

Emails obtained through public records requests show former Norfolk Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong faced at least one other firing attempt from former board members before they were successful last month.