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Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maritime festival, a supercharged Harborfest, planned in Norfolk for America's 250th birthday
NORFOLK — Surrounded by tugboats blaring their horns, sprays of water and the tall ship American Rover, Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday kicked off a one-year countdown to a massive maritime festival. During a news conference at the Waterside dock, Youngkin and city and state officials announced plans for the Sail250 festival to celebrate the United States' 250th anniversary. Addressing the City Council this week, Karen Scherberger, Sail250 executive director, described the event as a supercharged version of Norfolk's annual Harborfest festival. Scheduled for the Juneteenth weekend in 2026, it will feature more than 60 tall ships and military vessels from at least 20 countries that are expected to dock in Norfolk as the city and country celebrates the United States' sesquicentennial. Youngkin highlighted Virginia's historic role in American independence during his remarks Friday, noting iconic Revolutionary War scenes in Virginia such as Hanover County's Patrick Henry proclaiming, 'Give me liberty, or give me death.' 'America was really founded by Virginians,' Youngkin said. 'This story is one that we have to remind ourselves is not just part of our national narrative, but Virginia's.' Events during the weekend will include a June 19 boat parade, fireworks and ship tours, among others. Scherberger said Tuesday that 22 tall ships confirmed they will be at the event, and another 24 have been invited. Scherberger said the last big maritime celebration of this scope was OpSail 2012, when vessels paraded and docked in Norfolk to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. She said the event could draw more than 3 million visitors to Virginia over a 10-day period in 11 cities, as well as $150 million in visitor spending. Alexandria, Cape Charles, Chesapeake, Hampton, Onancock, Portsmouth, Richmond, Smithfield, Virginia Beach and Yorktown also will be participate. Across the country, Sail250 events also are planned for New Orleans, Baltimore, New York and Boston. On Tuesday, after hearing a presentation from Scherberger, Norfolk City Council members debated the logistics of holding the event along with a Juneteenth celebration. Council member Mamie Johnson, who is co-chairing a city planning committee for a celebration in Town Point Park, said she and co-chair Jeremy McGee were navigating how the events could be celebrated at the same time. However, council member John 'JP' Page said he thought mixing Juneteenth celebrations with the maritime event was a horrible idea. Mayor Kenny Alexander said he was concerned Juneteenth would be lost amid the Sail250 celebrations. He hoped members of the Juneteenth committee would sign off on coordinating with the Sail250 event. Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345,
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maritime festival, a supercharged Harborfest, planned in Norfolk for America's 250th birthday
NORFOLK — Surrounded by tugboats blaring their horns, sprays of water and the tall ship American Rover, Gov. Glenn Youngkin kicked off a one-year countdown to a massive maritime festival on Friday. Youngkin and city and state officials announced plans for the Sail250 festival to celebrate the United States' 250th anniversary during a news conference at the Waterside dock in downtown Norfolk. Addressing the City Council earlier this week, Karen Scherberger, Sail250 executive director, described the event as a supercharged version of Norfolk's annual Harborfest festival. Held during the Juneteenth weekend in 2026, it will feature more than 60 tall ships and military vessels from at least 20 countries that are expected to dock in Norfolk as the city and country celebrates the United States' sesquicentennial. Youngkin highlighted Virginia's historic role in American independence during his remarks Friday, noting iconic Revolutionary War scenes happened in Virginia like when Hanover County's Patrick Henry proclaimed, 'Give me liberty, or give me death.' 'America was really founded by Virginians,' Youngkin said. 'This story is one that we have to remind ourselves is not just part of our national narrative, but Virginia's.' Events during the weekend will include a June 19 boat parade, fireworks and ship tours, among others. Scherberger said Tuesday that 22 tall ships have confirmed they will be at the event, and another 24 have been invited. Scherberger said the last big maritime celebration of this scope was OpSail 2012, when vessels paraded and docked in Norfolk to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. She said the event could draw more than 3 million visitors to Virginia over a 10-day period in 11 cities, as well as $150 million in visitor spending. In addition to Norfolk, Alexandria, Cape Charles, Chesapeake, Hampton, Onancock, Portsmouth, Richmond, Smithfield, Virginia Beach and Yorktown will be participating in the event regionally. Across the country, Sail250 events are also planned for New Orleans, Baltimore, New York and Boston. On Tuesday, after hearing a presentation from Scherberger, Norfolk City Council members debated the logistics of holding the event along with a Juneteenth celebration. Council member Mamie Johnson, who is co-chairing a city planning committee for a celebration in Town Point Park, said she and co-chair Jeremy McGee were navigating how the events could be celebrated at the same time. However, council member John 'JP' Page said he thought mixing Juneteenth celebrations with the maritime event was a horrible idea. Mayor Kenny Alexander said he was concerned Juneteenth would be lost amid the Sail250 celebrations. He hoped members of the Juneteenth committee would sign off on coordinating with the Sail250 event. Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345,
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
North Carolina man pleads guilty to sending threats to Virginia Beach Catholic school
VIRGINIA BEACH — A North Carolina man pleaded guilty Monday to sending a threatening email to a Virginia Beach Catholic school after it suspended a student for failing to immediately report that a classmate had a bullet. Bobby Dale Francisco II, 31, entered a plea to threatening bodily harm in writing and will be sentenced in August, according to prosecutors. The crime is a felony that carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison and a $2,500 fine. Francisco was arrested in September at his home in South Mills, North Carolina. He was later extradited to Virginia and has been held without bond since then. St. John the Apostle Catholic School, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, received the threat several days before Francisco was arrested. The email was sent through the 'contact us' form on the school's website, according to a statement of facts entered in the case. It also included Francisco's name, address and phone number, the statement said. 'Your school is about to become infamous for not taking safety seriously,' the message said. 'What is it better to have a school shooting because kids now know if they report anything they get in trouble? What if it was your kid that was going to die from being shot would that be okay? No? Why isn't having your own flesh and blood killed not good? Why is death better than living? I would not be surprised if yall [sic] had a school shooting that takes place in the near future because kids don't want to get in trouble for reporting something illegal. And to think your [sic] Christians… yall [sic] will be joining me in hell for I am Satan and I will get my revenge on each and every one of you who works for the school. Good luck staying alive.' After receiving the message, St. John's administrators closed the school for two days and hired a private security firm. When contacted by police, Francisco said he didn't remember everything written in the message but admitted sending it, the statement said. He said he never intended to harm anyone and was merely venting his frustration over media reports about the student's suspension. The mother of the 11-year-old boy who was suspended sued the school afterwards. Last month, Virginia Beach District Judge Vivian Henderson ruled in her favor, calling it 'appalling' for the school to punish the boy for 'trying to do the right thing.' Jane Harper,
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach to vote on revised budget that scraps boat tax for annual fee Tuesday
VIRGINIA BEACH — An armada of mariners spoke out against a hefty boat tax in Virginia Beach this budget season leading the City Council to retract the proposal. Instead, council members have informally agreed to charge boat owners an annual licensing fee. Multiple other changes have been incorporated into the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget during a last-minute process called reconciliation. Funding redirected from other parts of the budget, as well as increases in the estimated reimbursements from state revenue, will cover most of the changes, according to city Budget Director Kevin Chatellier. The city's total proposed operating budget remains at $2.8 billion, a 4.7% increase over the previous year. The Capital Improvement Program budget, a six-year plan, is $5.6 billion. The City Council will vote on the budget Tuesday. Some of the last minute changes and additions include: A pleasure boat annual registration fee will be charged in 2026. The fee will be tiered based on size of the vessel and will range from $20 to $500. The revenue generated will be applied to future dredging needs. Rudee Park development funding will be reduced by $10 million, bringing the total budgeted cost of the project to $50 million. The reduction aims to preserve bonding capacity in the Tourism Investment Program Fund for future needs. The economic development department will be provided an increase of $250,000 to facilitate a Façade Improvement Grant program specifically for business along Atlantic Avenue. The East Coast Surfing Championship (ECSC) will receive an additional $75,000, bringing the total city support up to $100,000 for the event. The Neptune Festival will receive an additional $50,000, for a total of $525,000. A controversial tax increase — upping the city meals tax by half a percentage point to 6% — will likely remain in the budget, despite some council members pushing back against it. The increase is projected to generate more than $9 million annually, which will be dedicated to public safety projects and judicial administration, according to the reconciliation document. Dozens of other reconciled changes can be viewed on the city's online budget page at Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125,
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach man charged in Amber Alert abduction, fatal crash is not competent for trial, judge says
VIRGINIA BEACH — A man charged with stabbing his ex-wife and stepdaughter, abducting his three biological kids and then causing a crash that killed the youngest child has been ruled incompetent to stand trial at this time. Virginia Beach Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Judge Jennifer Shupert made the ruling during a court hearing Thursday for Dana Plummer, according to prosecutors. As a result, Plummer will be sent to a state psychiatric hospital, where staff will work to restore his competency. He will return to court July 31 for a hearing to update the judge on his status. To be competent to stand trial in Virginia, a defendant must be able to understand the charges and proceedings that they face, and be able to assist with their defense. The most common problems with incompetent defendants stem from mental illness or intellectual disability. Medication, therapy and education are the typical tools used to restore them to competency. It's extremely rare for a defendant to be declared not restorable. Plummer, 36, was arrested last August after he got involved in a police chase and crashed his SUV off a highway in Maryland. Plummer's 16-month-old daughter was killed, and his two sons were injured. State police had issued an Amber Alert after Plummer allegedly went to his ex-wife's home, stabbed her and her 12-year-old daughter, and then fled with his children. His vehicle was located hours later by state police in Northern Virginia, who followed him into Maryland. Troopers were attempting to pull Plummer over when he crashed into two other vehicles. Plummer also was injured. He was extradited to Virginia after being released from a hospital and has been held without bail in Virginia Beach since then. Virginia Beach police first became concerned about Plummer several months before the abduction and crash, according to court records. Officers reported seeing him display paranoid behavior while armed with a shotgun in a restaurant with his sons. They later obtained a court order that prevented Plummer from possessing or buying firearms, and required him to turn over any that he owned, which he did. Less than two weeks before his alleged crime spree, Plummer's 14-year career with the Navy ended when he was 'separated' from the service. A Navy spokesperson refused to say at the time whether it was a voluntary or involuntary action. Jane Harper,
