Public transportation is having a moment. Across the country, people are increasingly ditching their cars in favor of buses, trains, and other shared transit options. The reasons are manifold: reducing environmental impact, saving money, avoiding traffic headaches....
Tucked underneath a coffee shop off Colley Avenue sits Eleanor’s, a self-described “intersectional feminist bookstore and bottle shop” that is aiming to foster change both locally and beyond. Norfolk Currents sat down with founder Erin to chat about her vision for the...
Calling all whimsical weekend warriors! You just got plans for this Saturday. Once Juneteenth and July 4th pass, the summer is a bit empty with no real holidays. It's a deep 2-month drought of fun when the heat of the summer is at its peak. And sure some people make...
In a bustling city brimming with diverse cultures and flavors, there is an undeniable allure to exploring the vibrant tapestry of its local food scene. From bustling food truck lines to cherished neighborhood eateries, there are culinary gems showcasing the heart and...
Reaver Beach Brewing Co. is throwing a Pride Popup Event that's sure to be a blast! Come on down on Saturday, June 10th from 1-5 pm to check out a lineup of local queer/ally-owned businesses, as well as a kickoff event from Hampton Roads Pride. There will be food,...
It's no secret that downtown Norfolk’s nightlife has been in a weird place. First, the pandemic ground all activity to a halt. The year after bars opened up at full steam produced a number of headline-grabbing violent crime incidents. City leaders ramped up...
Movement is Medicine, a recent addition to the North Colley business corridor, announced a double whammy of community events this week. While they’ve just opened their Norfolk location less than a year ago, they’ve wasted no time in engaging the community. This...
It’s Foster Care Awareness Month, and our team got a chance to sit down with one of the region's leading voices on foster care. While foster care may be invisible to many residents of the seven cities, its role is crucially important to the lives of many children and...
Norfolk's Sunsets on the River concert series is back for an unforgettable summer experience. Hosted by the Hermitage Museum & Gardens, this beloved event offers a diverse lineup of seven waterfront concerts, promising a blend of musical genres to satisfy all...
Growing up in New Jersey, Leyla McCalla found her way to the cello, her first instrument, through one of those unscripted moments that change a life. In fourth grade, she was required to participate in the school's music program. Her plan was to choose...
A new public artwork, "End of Massive Resistance," will be unveiled in Norfolk, Virginia, commemorating the historic events that unfolded during the civil rights movement in the city. The artwork, which will be located in Flat Iron Park in downtown Norfolk, was...
RISE, the coastal resilience innovation hub, has announced the five winning small businesses in its Flood Insurance of the Future Challenge. The competition aimed to source innovative solutions that reduce flood-related insurance premiums and payouts by 50%, a...
If the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) hosted an infrastructure-renovation TV show, they might say something like “Yo dawg we heard you liked water, so we treated your wastewater and put it in the aquifer, so you could have more water with your water.” ...
Foodies who are hungry to learn about some of Norfolk’s 600 independent eateries can now enjoy Season 3 of “City With Bite.” Coined by VisitNorfolk, Norfolk’s leading Tourism agency, the video campaign has helped propel Norfolk’s food scene past the challenges of the...
Tucked into a shopping center in Ward’s Corner is one of Norfolk’s hidden gems: the Book Exchange. The literary and multimedia “thrift store,” so to speak, opened in its current location in 2004 but has since expanded to additional locations in Chesapeake and Virginia...
One of the largest parcels in Norfolk’s Ward’s Corner has gone up for sale. Assessed by the City of Norfolk to be worth more than $5 million, the shopping center at the Northeast Corner of Little Creek and Granby Street has been owned by the Dalis family since at...
Hampton Roads Transit just rolled out $5,000 signing bonuses for nearly a dozen open roles. Every day we see busses, light rail trains, or para-transit vehicles around the city. They’re so commonplace that it’s easy to take them for granted. Yet, Hampton Roads Transit...
From opening in 2019 to nearly closing due to COVID, through revival and growth, nonprofit organization 757 Creative ReUse Center’s journey has led to a brightly-lit space in MacArthur Mall. The rustic-industrial shelving, warm lighting, and high ceilings are a huge...
The Chesapeake Bay blue crab is one of the most iconic animals — and cuisines — of our region, but to those of us who aren’t watermen, they may be a bit of a mystery. If you’re interested in catching and cooking some crabs of your own but don’t know where to start,...
Hey there, Currents community, I’ve been running Norfolk Currents for over 2 years now, and it’s been a whirlwind of a ride. The feedback from the community and the service I get to provide are deeply rewarding. So first, thanks for making this an incredible project...
Photo by Andrew Cooper Situated on the banks of the Elizabeth River across from Sentara’s campus, Plum Point Park stands in contrast to the noise and heavy industry of adjacent shipyards. One can rest on the benches of the sprawling meadow, admire the blue herons and...
Every day we see busses, light rail trains, or para-transit vehicles around the city. They’re so commonplace that it’s easy to take them for granted. Yet, Hampton Roads Transit serves over half a million rides every month, which is a huge organizational feat. Behind...
The Attucks Theater in Norfolk is an iconic monument to the rich cultural heritage of Church Street and the broader Black community in Norfolk. Built in 1919, the theater has served as a hub for the arts and entertainment for nearly a century, playing a critical role...
Here's one Norfolk spot you do not want to miss. It's one of the community’s oldest - and most beautiful - landmarks: the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception. Not only is the Basilica of Saint Mary is the only predominantly African American...
To some, politics is a cherished civic duty; to others, it's a spectator sport; and to others, it's a frustrating, exhausting, and confusing thing that dominates our news cycles and intrudes on our peace of mind. In today's climate, it's easy to feel like things are...
You could be forgiven for missing an unexciting news headline last month. A small cruise ship bound for some chilly northern waters got waylaid in Norfolk for repairs. What we didn't realize when that headline hit the news stations was that this ship was full of...
There are many ways to have your say in how your government operates: public forums, surveys, contacting your representative directly, and working with your neighbors. Most importantly, you can vote. You get to help decide who will represent you in government. In case...
Three alcohol-based Conditional Use Permits are coming before City Planning Commission tomorrow, so we dove deep into the weeds. We found unclear processes, vague definitions, and selective enforcement patterns that are disproportionately hurting Black and...
Bidders, submit your applications – Norfolk's City-Owned Vacant Property Online Auction for Fall 2022 opens on the 14th. For (probably) less than $30,000, a vacant residential lot in Norfolk could be yours! Here's a map showing this quarter's offerings (in red): Upon...
Freshtopia, located at 532 W 35th St, Norfolk, VA, is the soul of Park Place and the home to Fresh Radio Studios as of January 2019. Freshtopia is records, retail, and radio--the holy trinity of Fresh. It's "the place where we dwell," and it's also one of many...
In case you missed it, our main article about an effort in the City of Norfolk to tighten nightlife regulations in response to recent violence. Researcher Alex Fella contributed the following data analysis. Alex used a dataset of all recorded shootings between...
The News City Council is preparing to change how businesses selling alcohol obtain permits in an effort to crack down on bad operators in a highly unusual joint meeting with City Planning Commission. The Situation Significant public pressure is mounting to address...
Local creatives, you won't want to miss this one: The Contemporary Arts Network (CAN) invites you to join them for CAN Fest 2022. The curated event series, celebrating the contemporary arts, will be hosted at Assembly, one of Norfolk's premier community spaces for...
Don’t Miss Norfolk’s Boozy Book Fair at Reaver NFK Calling all book lovers and beer enthusiasts! Reaver Beach Brewing Company has teamed up with Eleanor’s Norfolk to bring Norfolk residents the ultimate event, pairing books with booze. While this isn’t Eleanor’s first...
Just before where the sidewalk ends on 24th street, an inconspicuous gravel lot beneath a looming cell tower is usually full of cars. Most days, it serves as the overflow parking for Toast and Perro Blanco, two of Park Place's favorite spots for kicking back with the...
Experience Top Shelf Jazz and Eats at BROTHERS With its extensive menu and elevated ambiance, Norfolk's fine dining establishment BROTHERS has captured the city's heart, soul, and palate. However, the exquisite selection of seafood, chops, and spirits is not all this...
When’s the last time a good story sucked you in? The last time you felt transported to another world – maybe a busy city street, a magical forest, a secret desert laboratory, a mysterious old house with rooms that come and go? If it’s been a while, find your next...
Tucked away on the 4th floor of ODU's Perry Library is a growing wall-to-wall labyrinth of films. When complete, it will contain the entire expanded collection of what was once a local landmark: Norfolk's Naro Video. In the golden age of the movie rental era, stores...
Colley Avenue's newest tenant, Maison Soleil, is a fair-trade fashion boutique offering unique and vibrant pieces while benefitting the women that made them. These handmade products range from clothing and jewelry to coffee and home décor. Maison Soleil's Mission to...
A Year-Round Farmers Market Has Made Its Way to Norfolk While Norfolk boasts several impressive farmers markets during the warmer months of the year, the cooler season comes too soon, and these markets wrap up and return home until warmer weather returns the...
THIS OL' PLACE WE CALL HOME SIREN CITY BOUYBURG SQUIDTOWN FLOODVILLE SHARK CITY THE SEAGULL CITADEL Naughy x Nawfuk NFK Back in the 1600s, no one could've imagined the flourishing example of humanity that would bloom from these muddy shores. Despite the fires, the...
Sure, summer officially begins with the Solstice, but the day that really matters is the last day of school, and for Norfolk students, that glorious day was June 16th. On the horizon lies more than two whole months of freedom and possibility – staying up and sleeping...
Looking to refresh your summer wardrobe? Selden Market's upcoming Clothing Swap is all about out with the old and in with the new-to-you. "New" is a relative term, as, with any clothing swap, you'll have the chance to breathe new life into someone's beloved jeans or...
Shop-owner Erin Dougherty has one of those super contagious laughs–the kind that bursts forward in total earnest every time she sees someone she finds delightful pop through the doors of Eleanor's Norfolk, her feminist and intersectional book and bottle shop tucked...
Chesterfield Boulevard runs right along the Elizabeth River just east of downtown Norfolk. The river's water level in the 1920s, according to sea level rise measurements, was about 14 inches lower than today. Over decades, the sewer system underneath the ironically...
In the athletics world, there are elite events across many sports known as invitationals. These grand championships are typically a display of the finest in their category, curated by hard-to-obtain invitations. The Master's Tournament may be the best example, exuding...
**Editors notes: We published this story before the vote held by City Council on June 28th. Council voted unanimously to adopt the rules.** At the May 26th City Planning Commission Public Hearing, several amendments to the city's zoning ordinance governing...
This week, the Norfolk City Planning Commission will decide whether to approve or deny a new, mixed-use apartment complex at the corner of East Brambleton and St. Paul's Boulevard, across the street from the Scope arena. The city council will have the final say...
"You Just Gotta Keep Hoppin' Man. H-O-P-P-I-N." Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Citra, Amarillo, Mosaic. These are just a few hop varieties loaded into the most popular beers these days. There are over 150 varieties of these fragrant little beer buds. Hops span the...
And when I outgrow that, then take me down to the ocean, for then I will be beyond destruction.-The Shatapatha Brahmana On May 10th, 2022, a pair of ocean-front homes in the Outer Banks collapsed into the sea along a stretch of coast south of Norfolk, Virginia. At...
