The City Council has settled on a five-week calendar for approving the budget this spring, beginning on Monday April 7, when City Manager Regina V.K. Williams unveils her $1.3 billion budget at City Hall.

This promises to be a budget process filled with difficult choices for Williams and the City Council, which will amend and then approve the budget that she submits. Williams has said the budget is more than $18 million in arrears without any new programs or pay increases. And the Norfolk Tea Party 2 is lobbying for real estate tax rate cuts.

There will be two public hearings and a community discussion in the following weeks. The budget is set to be approved on Tuesday, May 13.

The schedule of meetings:

Monday, April 7, budget presentation, 7 p.m. at City Hall

Tuesday, April 8, City Council budget discussion, noon at City Hall

Monday, April 14, community discussion, 6 p.m. at site to be announced

Tuesday, April 15, first City Council work session, noon at City Hall

Wednesday, May 7, budget public hearing, 6 p.m. at site to be announced

Thursday, May 8, City Council work session, 3:30 p.m. at City Hall

Thursday, May 8, Real estate tax public hearing, 6 p.m at site to be announced

Tuesday, May 13, City Council discusses then adopts budget, noon at City Hall

-- Harry Minium 

Work began last week on a new 9-story Residence Inn by Marriott on Brambleton Avenue, a $22 million project being developed by LTD Development of Chesapeake. But two blocks to the east, three pile drivers still remain silent on the Granby Tower site.

Work halted on Granby Tower in mid September after developer Buddy Gadams lost his financing. The 34-story, $180.5 million condo project would be the city's tallest building if built.

City officials say privately that Gadams is close to obtaining new financing, but he isn't saying much. He sent a letter to his 100 or so condominium buyers. The letter follows:

Dear Future Granby Tower Homeowner,

I am pleased to share with you that we have made some long awaited progress in closing our construction loan with our lender. We hope to have a closing date very soon so that major construction can resume on the Granby Tower site.

We are very grateful to Turner Construction and so many others involved with Granby Tower for their cooperation and patience while we work to finalize the loan closing process.

In addition, the continued support and confidence of our homebuyers have meant a great deal to all of us who are committed to delivering the finest residential address in Hampton Roads. Even as the holidays approach, we assure you we are doing everything we can to expedite the loan closing.

Please accept my sincere thanks and best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe Holiday Season.

Sincerely

Buddy Gadams, President and CEO
Marathon Development Group

For years, hundreds of Norfolk residents have descended upon Ocean View for a Christmas Party sponsored by Judy Boone of Judy Boone Realty.

The price of admission? One toy for a needy child.

But because Boone underwent a liver transplant earlier this year, there will be no Jingle Bell Ball, as the gathering is called. Boone is under doctor's orders to avoid crowds and excitement.

Boone sent a letter asking residents to instead bring a wrapped toy to Judy Boone Realty, 809 East Ocean View Avenue, by Dec. 5. Call Boone's office at 587-2800 if you have any questions.

Here is Boone's letter.

For 15 years we've gathered at the Jingle Bell Ball,
It was our special way of saying thanks to you all.
You truly are the reason for our continued success,
And this last year has certainly put that to the test.

Your thoughts and well wishes have come through again,
Another great year, healthy family, successful tranplant, amen!
The doctor says in my recovering condition, he must be honest,
NO crowds, NO ball, NO complications,
He made me PROMISE.

So we've met with Santa and he whispered for us to hear,
There's another way, to bring needly children cheer.
Collect unrwapped toys, of all manner and size,
And continue on with the Jingle Bell Toy Drive!
We need all you "Elves" to help bring us those toys,
And we'll dsitribute them to the underprivileged girls and boys.
Your support is appreciated, your gifts will let us send,
A welcome hand to our local charitable friends.

Your loyalty and friendship is steadfast and strong,
With pals like you, we could never go wrong.
So Happy Holidays dear friends & and a Happy New Year too.
From all your friends at Judy Boone Realty to you!

Carlos Howard, a Park Place funeral home owner, was one of the few black speakers not to voice support for Alphonso Albert at Tuesday's heated City Council meeting.

Albert, once convicted of manslaughter, has been named to head a crime-fighting agency, an appointment that has caused much controversy.

Howard handled the funeral for Michael C. Lopes, a 22-year-old student at what was then Norfolk State College, killed by Albert in 1977.

“It was horrific the family them then and horrific for them now,” he said.

Calling the decision to hire Albert “divisive,” Howard added that “this is not an issue worth falling on our swords for.”

-- Harry Minium

The results were mixed on the recent SOL test results announced on Thursday for the Norfolk Public Schools.

Most of the city's middle schools showed significant improvement in math scores, but seven of nine schools had below passing grades.

The results drew different reactions from the city's top two elected leaders.

Mayor Paul Fraim said he was encouraged by the progress made by some schools, especially Norview and Lafayette-Winona, which both jumped 21 points over last year.

“It appears we’re continuing to make progress systemwide,” he said.

“That’s the most important statistic to me.

But Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot said the scores “are not acceptable. At the same time, we have to do a better job in connecting our parents with our school system. The total burden shouldn’t fall on the school.”

He has encouraged the school system to open its doors at night to the community, for tutoring, for students to use the library and for recreation purposes. As it is, most schools are closed and empty at night.

“If a kid goes home and he gets no help, then he’s lost,” he said. “We need to use these buildings beyond 8 to 3. Taxpayers paid for these buildings, and we need to use them.

“We have to demand that parents come to parent-teacher meetings. If you look at the statistics, clearly, we’re not getting parental involvement.

“The blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the parents.”

He said when he taught in Richmond, he would hold classes on Saturday.

“I was told ‘Mr. Burfoot, nobody will show up,’ “ he said. “But I had 89 kids show up.

“We don’t challenge our kids enough. If you challenge them, they will rise to the level of your expectations.”

-- Harry Minium

Ralph Northam said he’s not a hero, but he’s being praised profusely by some bloggers, including Norfolk’s Vivian Paige, after the Democratic candidate for the State Senate witnessed an accident Thursday morning.

As he was driving from his home in East Beach to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, where he is a pediatric neurologist, Northam saw a Norfolk Collegiate student struck by a car. The boy and his father were crossing Granby Street near Wards Corner.

Here’s Northam’s description of what happened:

“The father and son were walking across a cross walk. I suspect the women driving the car was looking at oncoming traffic. For whatever reason, she didn't see them.
"Luckily, she was driving a PT Cruiser, and instead of running him over, it knocked him in the air.

“I slammed on my brakes, turned on my flashers and got him out of the street. His father was understandably hysterical. I handed my phone to his father and told him to call 911 while I took care of the boy.”

Northam said it took just three minutes for the paramedics to arrive. Fortunately, he said, the boy is OK, except for a few cuts and bruises.

“It was a terrible thing to witness, to see someone hit like that,” he said. "It's not something I want to see again."
As for the role he played, he said: “I wasn’t any more than someone riding to work who happened to be a pediatric neorologist.”

Afterwards, one of the onlookers who stopped to help found his battery was dead.

Northam dutifully took out jumper cables and gave the man a jump start.

Northam was a little late for work Thursday morning, but the betting here is that he won over a few voters.

-- Harry Minium

Don and Rose Williams celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary on Monday.
Unfortunately for Don, a Norfolk City Councilman, that conflicted with the council’s annual 2-day retreat in Smithfield earlier this week, scheduled for all day Monday and half of Tuesday.
No problem. He rented the finest room, the Lighthouse Suite, at the Smithfield Station hotel, and took Rose to the retreat with him.
“Don was a lot thinner and a lot quieter back then,” Rose Williams said Monday night, drawing laughs from around the table as they dined with City Council. The council ate a cake and toasted Don and Rose with champagne.
Before toasting, city officials made it clear that Williams’ hotel room, the cake and champagne were not paid for with tax dollars.
“I paid for the room,” Don Williams said. James Rogers, an assistant to the city manager, provided the champagne and cake.
After dinner, the council left the restaurant and headed back for a 2 ½ -hour night meeting.
“This is what Don loves to do,” said Rose Williams, as they headed into the meeting room and she headed off to her room. "It was a great anniversary."

Preventing crime, historic preservation and open space will be among the major topics discussed when the City Council and City Manager Regina V.K. Williams begin their annual two-day retreat Monday at Smithfield Station in Smithfield.
The council will discuss crime issues at 9., capital improvement projects at 10 and open space at 11:30 on Monday morning.
Following lunch, the council will discuss historic preservation at 1:15. After an extended closed session, council will hold a 2-hour discussion on public accountability beginning at 7.
Tuesday morning begins with another closed session, followed by a 9 a.m. final discussion on public accountability.
Although Mayor Paul Fraim promised the council would have an extended debate on how to replace Kirn Memorial Library when it is torn down to make way for light rail, it is not on the agenda.
Presumably, the controversial issue will be discussed safely out of the public eye in one of the closed sessions.

Backyard birdfeeders are now legal within the city limits.

You mean you didn’t know they were illegal before?

The City Council took action Tuesday after a dispute between West Ghent neighbors raised questions about a one-sentence city ordinance that said “It shall be unlawful to feed any native Virginia wildlife within the city limits.”

A woman on Graydon Avenue keeps two birdfeeders in her back yard. She put them up years ago, when a friend told her that attracting hungry birds would diminish a Japanese beetle infestation in her rose garden. It worked, and the feeders stayed. The woman and her children enjoyed watching all kinds of birds eating the seeds. A bar on the feeders automatically shut the door if a bird pigeon-sized or larger tried to feed. But pigeons were attracted to seeds that fell to the ground. Flocks of them gathered in her yard and on the roof of her next-door neighbor’s house.

That neighbor said she tolerated the pigeon gatherings for years, until June, when a pigeon flew down the chimney and into her house. The pigeon attacked her, she said, and left droppings inside her house. Additionally, pigeons had caused thousands of dollars in damages to her roof. She asked that the bird feeders be removed.

The woman with the feeders offered to move them to the opposite side of the yard, but delayed the move because of construction on her other neighbor’s property.

The health department got involved, and then animal control. The woman with the feeders wound up with a citation for illegal feeding of wildlife.

City Attorney Bernard Pishko said the charge was rare, and that he does not plan to prosecute it when it comes to court later this week. Council members changed the ordinance to read “This section shall not apply to bird feeders.”

The change passed 8-0.

- Michelle Washington