Supported By:

Community. 

A special thank you to Sierra Jenkins, a young reporter who worked to bring more news coverage to Norfolk. We appreciate your contributions to the community. Rip it. 

Spring Cleaning: A guide to recycling, bulk pickup, and donating goods in Norfolk. (NFK Currents Original). Rip it.

See the final ARPA funding recommendations from the City Manager here. Rip it. 

The City Manager recommended tabling Chrysler Hall renovations as price estimates for the project nearly doubled. Rip it. 

City Council approved a temporary suspension of Vehicle License Fees for 2022. Rip it. 

The proposed 2023 City of Norfolk budget includes no tax or fee increases, thanks in part to rising property values. Rip it. 

Norfolk Councilwoman Andria McClellan announced that she’s running for the 21st District seat in the Virginia State Senate. Rip it. 

As Councilman Paul Riddick prepares for retirement, he sat down with the New Journal and Guide for a lengthy interview. Rip it. 

Survey responses indicate that the public wants restaurants, retail, walking trails, and transit in the Military Circle Redevelopment Project. Rip it. 

New Virginia Majority, a political action group for marginalized communities, is lobbying City of Norfolk officials for more investment in public housing. Rip it. 

Senators Kaine and Warner called for new federal funding to help address community gun violence. Rip it.

The Norfolk Police Department is still looking to fill over 200 vacancies. Rip it. 

Virginia health officials are confident about the stat’s prospects as new COVID-19 Omicron sub-variants expand. Rip it. 

Governor Youngkin has called back lawmakers for a special session to finalize the state budget on April 4th. Rip it. 

The newly formed Southeastern Virginia Environmental Education Consortium will bring together 6 school districts in coordinated environmental literacy. Rip it. 

Culture.

Don Quixote comes to Chrysler Hall all weekend with America’s National Ballet Company, the full Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and Tony Award-winner-designed costumes, lights, and set. (NFK Currents Original). Rip it. 

Festevents released the lineup for the 2022 Harborfest featuring locals DJ CanRock, Bennett Walker Wales, Paper Aliens, Wonderland, LittKeys, and more. Rip it.

Little Theatre of Norfolk portrays World War II family dynamics, military spouses, and more in “The Ribbon Mill” playing through April 3rd. Rip it.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella comes to the ODU Univesity Theater this weekend Rip it.

Enjoy free admission to the Norfolk Botanical Garden on April 9th for WPA Memorial Garden Heritage Day. Rip it.

The Virginia International Tattoo returns on April 28th to Scope Arena, kicking off with the ‘Tattoo Hullabaloo,’ a free festival. Rip it.

Coming soon to Generic Theater: “Sweat” by Lynn Nottage. Rip it.

Next week the Hurrah Players open their performance of “The Little Mermaid.” Rip it.

Meet Jamie Grantham, the hairstylist behind the headdresses in the Hurrah Players’ “The Little Mermaid.” Rip it.

Hand-made and local ceramics will be at Smartmouth this Saturday courtesy of Rachel Celia ceramics. Rip it.

For All Handkind has an open call for artists, deadline April 8th. Rip it.

Currently on Display:
FloodZone: Photographs by Anatasia Samoylova at Chrysler Museum. Rip it.
Water’s Rising: A View From Our Back Yard at Chrysler Museum. Rip it.
The Totality of Time Lusters the Dusk at Chrysler Museum. Rip it. 
Art from Guantánamo Bay at Gordon Art Galleries. Rip it.
Motion / Emotion at Barry Art Museum. Rip it.
Hirata Gōyō: The Birth of the Japanese Art Doll at Barry Art Museum. Rip it.
Shine A Light at Commune Provisions. Rip it.

Commerce.

Despite the prevalence of men in the construction industry, some key women are leading the HRBT Expansion Project. Rip it. 

Norfolk Naval Shipyard employed “tiger teams” of sailors to deliver repairs to the USS Bataan ahead of schedule. Rip it. 

The Norfolk Tourism Foundation named Kelsey Backe as its new director this week. Rip it. 

Carnival Cruise Lines presented a special birthday cake to Norfolk City Council members in celebration of the line’s 50th birthday and to thank Norfolk leaders for a 21-year partnership. Rip it. 

The Monument Companies won approval to turn the historic former Park Place United Methodist Church into 60 apartments. Rip it. 

Norfolk Public Schools is hosting a job fair for dozens of positions across a variety of roles this weekend. Rip it. 

Kathleen Carter oversees 100,000 Amazon packages a day at three of the region’s delivery stations. Rip it. 

NSU Alum Ashley Jones started Tones of Melanin to address the lack of representative producers at the NSU bookstore and is now in 20 HBCU bookstores. Rip it. 

757 Collab and the Mid-Atlantic Tech Bridge have partnered to help small businesses make use of government research and development funds. Rip it. 

ODU and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council are partnering to lead a regional internship program aimed at increasing the region’s talent pipeline. Rip it.

EVMS settled a lawsuit in which a student sued for not being able to create a club in support of single-payer healthcare. Rip it. 

This week: Outwork 757, the region’s only LGBT career expo comes to Chartway Arena. Rip it. 

Norfolk’s 757 Makerspace is expanding with a second location in Fort Monroe. Rip it. 

Perdue AgriBusiness is expanding into the region with a $59 million investment in soybean facilities. Rip it. 

Virginia Economic Development Partnership named a new CEO, Jason El Koubi. Rip it. 

Residential home sales are slowing in Virginia, but the prices keep going up. Rip it. 

Norfolk International Airport saw nearly double the passenger traffic in February 2022 compared to February 2021. Rip it. 

Regional Economic Stats. Port Stats. Labor Stats. 

Crowds.

Ghent Farmer’s Market returns on April 1st. Rip it. 

Later this month join the Norfolk Master Gardeners for their Spring Plant Sale and Festival at the Hermitage Museum and Gardens. Rip it. 

Kate Bollinger, Esbern Snare, Community Witch, Good Dog Nigel, and more are slated for LAVA Mini-Fest on April 2nd. Rip it.

Gongstock returns to Benchtop Brewing on April 23rd. Rip it. 

The Virginia Winefest comes back to Town Point Park on May 7th and 8th. Rip it. 

**Please note that listed times are start times, many events run several hours**
Friday: 
Norfolk Run Club meetup at Yorgo’s. 6:00 am. Rip it. 
VMA Maritime Briefings Breakfast at Norfolk Yacht and Country Club. 7:15 am. Rip it. 
Norfolk Innovation Corridor Unfiltered with Pratik Kothari at Three Ships. 9:00 am. Rip it. 
Pints for Pints with 757 Headspace at Elation Brewing. 11:00 am. Rip it. 
Happy Hour Wine Tasting at Vino Culture. 4:00 pm. Rip it. 
Persistence IV Exhibition Reception at d’Art Center. 5:30 pm. Rip it. 
Ides of March “Madness” Oyster Riot Redux 2022 at Todd Jurich’s Bistro. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
James Ford performs live at Cova Brewing. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Adam Hawley and Marcus Anderson perform live at Brother’s. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Family Paint Night workshop at 757 Makerspace. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Leonard Rex performs live at Reaver Beach NFK. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
PC Duo performs live at Benchtop Brewing. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Neptune Groove performs live at Varia. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
MTG and Commander meetups at Atlantis Games and Comics. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
American Ballet Theatre’s Don Quixote at Chrysler Hall. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at ODU University Theater. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 
The Improv Riot live improv show at Push Comedy Theater. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
Exploding Sun Duo performs live at Fishin’ Pig. 8:00 pm. Rip it.
The Marriage of Figaro at Harrison Opera House. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
The Ribbon Mill performed live at Little Theater of Norfolk. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
311 and The Unlikely Candidates perform live at the Norva. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
Johnny Smallwood performs live at Grain. 9:30 pm. Rip it. 
The Improv Riot After Dark: The Short Form at Push Comedy Theater. 10:00 pm. Rip it. 
JonQuan and Allen Smith spin live at Thank You Thank You Bar. 10:00 pm. Rip it. 
Lil Blckheart, DJ Natalie, Dan Stuckie, and DJ Supladies perform live at Slowdive Gallery. 10:00 pm. Rip it. 

Saturday: 
A Squirrelly Morning Ride (70 mi) with Local Bike Shop. Rip it. 
Breakfast with the Animals at the Virginia Zoo. 8:00 am. Rip it. 
Yoga + Coffee with Sky’s the Limit at Coalescence. 9:00 am. Rip it. 
Latinx/a/os Symposium at Old Dominion Webb Center. 9:00 am. Rip it. 
American Ballet Theatre Masterclass at Todd Rosenlieb Dance. 9:30 am. Rip it.
Spring Bulbs and Blooms Walk & Talk at Norfolk Botanical Garden. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Green Bucket Brigade Cleanup at Larrymore Elementary. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Plant Norfolk Grand Opening in the NEON District. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Confetti Floral Co workshop at Cova Brewing. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Women in STEM Day at Nauticus. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Great American Cleanup on the ERT meeting at Benchtop Brewing. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Botanical Bike Tour on the ERT departing the Pagoda. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Bhav Brigade Yoga at Elation Brewing. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
The Basic Art of Auditioning at Little Theater of Norfolk. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Conducting Neighborhood Business Like a Pro at Jordan Newby Anchor Library. 10:30 am. Rip it. 
Meeting of The Minds with Everday Dope Life at Selden Market. 11:00 am. Rip it.
Goat Yoga at Waterside District. 11:00 am. Rip it. 
Into the Woods Adventure Day at Norfolk Botanical Gaden. 11:00 am. Rip it. 
East Beach Winter Farmers Market at 9680 Shore Drive. 11:00 am. Rip it. 
BigForestFire performs live at Grain. 11:00 am. Rip it. 
Wax Food Wraps Workshop at 757 Creative Reuse Center. 12:00 pm. Rip it. 
SheFest: A Celebration of Bad B*tches & Beer at Smartmouth. 12:00 pm. Rip it. 
American Ballet Theatre Free Community Master Class at Perry Pavillion. 1:00 pm. Rip it. 
BAM Saturday: Transforming the Glass Ceiling at Barry Art Museum. 1:00 pm. Rip it. 
Seven Cities Vets Basketball Open Tryouts at Kroc Center. 1:00 pm. Rip it. 
Artist Talk: Jen Sterling at d’Art Center. 2:00 pm. Rip it. 
Harlem Globetrotters perform live at Chartway Arena. 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Mermaid Myths and Legends at Aries Apothecary. 6:00 pm. Rip it.
PC Duo performs live at Cova Brewing. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Intro to Wheel Throwing at 757 Makerspace. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Kylie Johnson performs live at Benchtop Brewing. 6:00 pm. Rip it.
Adam Hawley and Marcus Anderson perform live at Brother’s. 6:00 pm & 8:30 pm. Rip it. 
Yugioh Night at Atlantis Comics and Games. 6:30 pm. Rip it. 
Skylark with Skip Hancock performs live at Varia. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Illusions The Drag Queen Show at EZ Lounge. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
American Ballet Theatre’s Don Quixote at Chrysler Hall. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at ODU University Theater. 7:30 pm. Rip it.
Brett Turhune performs live at The Granby Theater. 7:30 pm. Rip it.
Girl-Prov live improv show at Push Comedy Theater. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
The Marriage of Figaro at Harrison Opera House. 8:00 pm. Rip it.
The Ribbon Mill performed live at Little Theater of Norfolk. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
Lingo and Cultivated Mind perform live at Chicho’s Backstage. 8:00 pm. Rip it. 
90’s Night Out! 90’s Pop Diva Drag Show at Reaver Beach NFK. 9:00 pm. Rip it. 
Beefcake with Kenny Kruze and Dr. Poppers live at Slowdive Gallery. 9:00 pm. Rip it. 
Saturday Night Dance Party at The Ultra Lounge. 9:00 pm. Rip it. 
Snackbar Jones performs live at Grain. 9:30 pm. Rip it.
3 on 3 Improv Tournament – The Elite Eight at Push Comedy. 10:00 pm. Rip it. 
Better Than Mix with DJ BloodDiamond, Jon Phenomenon, & DJ AllNaturel live at Thank You Thank You Bar. 10:00 pm. Rip it. 
March Trapness with Izzy the DJ and Trap Magic at Chico’s Backstage. 10:00 pm. Rip it. 

Sunday:

Chow.

It’s never a bad time get cheesy. Try out Grayson, P’tit Basque, and Appalachian cheese at Grandiflora Wine Garden. Rip it. 

Benchtop drops a collab beer with Bold Mariner and Hashi Chow: Rice Cubed, a foeder aged koji rice pilsner. Rip it. 

Kobro’s Coffee released its first batch of in-house roasted coffee: “Insomnia 419”. Rip it. 

Mudita Cafe and Coffeehouse launches East Asian-inspired seasonal drinks this weekend. Rip it. 

Commune Provisions is trying to take the medal for best lunch menu in town. Rip it. 

A World of Good took the classic chicken sandwich, double battered it, and threw on the gochujang. Rip it. 

Ghent Grab N Go has the Dole Whip on deck for spring festivities. Rip it. 

Three Ships Coffee in Assembly has soft-launched and is taking customers. Rip it. 

La Brioche’s coconut cake looks delightfully perfect. You might want to buy it by the kilo. Rip it. 

Razzo Norfolk is pairing up Proscuitto with perfectly tender asparagus. Rip it. 

Vegan breakfast burritos from Starving Artist Cafe will be on deck at Elation Brewing this Saturday for “Pints for Pints.” Rip it.  

Food Truck Sightings:
Friday:
Capt’n Crabby at Reaver NFK. Rip it. 
Big Belly Food Truck at Cova Brewing. Rip it. 
Ghost Kitchen at Smartmouth Brewing. Rip it.
Gavin Dishes at Maker’s Craft Brewing. Rip it. 
A Bite of Maine at Benchtop Brewing. Rip it.  

Saturday:
Ghost Kitchen at Smartmouth Brewing. Rip it.
Big Belly Food Truck at Benchtop Brewing. Rip it.  
Sour Street Pizza at Cova Brewing. Rip it. 
Shawna’s Rich Eats at Maker’s Craft Brewing. Rip it. 

Sunday:
Hashi Chow at Benchtop Brewing. Rip it.  
Flavor Savor BBQ at Maker’s Craft Brewing. Rip it. 
Ghost Kitchen at Smartmouth Brewing. Rip it.
Locoto’s at Cova Brewing. Rip it. 
Big Belly Food Truck at Reaver NFK. Rip it. 

The Ripcurrent.

Don’t miss the highlight real of last week’s NFK Street Soccer pickup. 

Paul Stetson Rice

Chelsea, NFK

Paul is the creator of NFKVA.com. He was born and raised in Norfolk, graduated from Virginia Tech, and narrowly avoided law school. Chat with him about economics, entrepreneurship, hip-hop, and hiking. When he's not working on five different projects, you'll catch him sharing a beer with friends at a local brewery.