Bon Secours and Norfolk come to an agreement

August 25, 2008

Mayor Fraim has sent a letter to Michael Kerner, CEO of Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System, outlining the new agreement between Bon Secours and the City regarding the future of Depaul Hospital.  The agreement calls for a compromise of 124 beds.

The new BSHR Norfolk facility would contain 88 medical/surgical beds, 20 obstetrical beds, and 16 intensive/cardiac care beds staffed 24/7 with certified critical care registered nurses.  The BSHR Norfolk facility would also include six operating rooms, one cardiac catheterization laboratory, full-service imaging (including one MRI scanner and two CT scanners, at least one of which would be capable of cardiac imaging), pharmacy and laboratory services, lithotripsy and a cancer center with one linear accelerator.  The BSHR Norfolk facility would also include a state-of-the-art emergency room with 23 multi-function, monitored treatment bays (including facilities for patient triage, dedicated diagnostic imaging, respiratory point of care testing, behavioral medicine seclusion and decontamination).  Although the square footage of the new emergency room has not been finalized, it would be substantially larger than the 7,233 square foot emergency room proposed in the COPN application.  The final size and layout of the new emergency room would be developed with the input of Norfolk Fire and Rescue.

The full letter can be found here.

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A message of thanks

August 22, 2008

A sincere and heartfelt “Thank You!” goes out to the Chrysler Corporation, KaBOOM!, the City of Norfolk, and most certainly those citizens who helped construct the park in Denby Park yesterday.

The article in the Virginian-Pilot has photos and a video.

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Gangs & Crime: Why we need Neighborhood Watch

August 20, 2008

Tim Smith writes in pointing to the WAVY article about the testimony of the Norfolk gang leader.  Excerpts from the article:

Reed testified there are now at least 400 members of the Bounty Hunter Bloods in seven chapters around Norfolk.

On the stand, Reed said the Bloods are actively recruiting new members right now. Their goal, rule all of Norfolk with fear and an iron fist.

Tim Smith says:

“This is disturbing and should act as a wakeup call for all those people out there that do not want to get involved in a Neighborhood Watch program.

This confirms my comments at the last neighborhood watch meeting “The criminals are organized and we need to get organized to fight them.”

Children under 10 years old have no concept of “consequences for your actions” and turning 30 is like another life to them. The news shows these gang members/gang wannabes becoming increasingly more violent (I guess you have to top the last guy).

If we do not clean up our neighborhoods now, revitalization will only be a pipe dream.”

The next Greater Wards Corner Area Neighborhood Watch meeting is on August 26 at 6:30p.m. at the Workforce Development Center.

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Update: Greater Wards Corner Neighborhood Watch Program

August 14, 2008

We had a great turnout for the first meeting of the Neighborhood Watch Program being instituted in the Denby Park, Oakdale Farms & Monticello Village areas. There were over 20 people at the meeting and many more signed up but could not make the meeting.

The Norfolk Police Crime Prevention Unit gave an excellent and informative presentation on crime prevention and neighborhood watch. A lot of information passed both ways, police to citizen/citizen to police, and we all look forward to working together to reduce crime in our area.

The group agreed to meet the last Tuesday of each month at the Workforce Development Center, starting with the 26th of August, at 6:30 pm. Some guidelines and ground rules were given and people signed up to be Block Captains and Watchers.

All the civic leagues and neighborhoods in the Greater Wards Corner Area Partnership are encouraged to send representatives to these meetings. As the criminal activity is pushed out of the West Little Creek Road area the other neighborhoods around should have watch programs in place to force the criminal activity out of the Greater Wards Corner Area.

The goals of the monthly meetings will be to:

  • Help each neighborhood develop a watch program tailored to it’s own needs and to offer support as needed.
  • Allow ideas and problems to be shared among the Partnership neighborhoods allowing us to work together as one to reduce crime.
  • Promote safer neighborhoods and retail areas for our residents to live, play and shop.
  • Make communication between communities and police more efficient and effective in reducing crime in the Partnership area.
  • Communicate to our elected officials in a larger and more unified voice the needs of the Partnership area to help reduce crime in our community.
  • Work in unison with the Greater Wards Corner Area Partnership general meeting group and the Wards Corner Task Force for the revitalization of the Wards Corner area.

Other areas of the city are currently working with the police to reduce crime in their neighborhoods and it is imperative that we move forward with this neighborhood watch program for the Partnership area or you may see an increase in criminal activity here. We want the criminals out of Norfolk not just moved around our city.

Thank you,

Tim Smith

3 Comments | Neighborhood Watch, Police, Wards Corner Crime | Tagged: , | Permalink
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Reminder: No August Meeting

August 11, 2008

The Greater Wards Corner Taskforce will not be meeting this Thursday,  August 14th.

Meetings will resume at their normally scheduled time in September.

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VP Article on Denby Park playground

August 4, 2008

The Virginian-Pilot has posted an article that outlines how some residents are skeptical:

“There’s so much crime here,” said R.J. Luce, who lives a block away from the vacant land where the playground will be built, at 352 San Antonio Blvd.

“I’m afraid it will become a magnet for the wrong people. I’m worried one of the children is going to get shot.”

And some residents welcome the playground:

Jody Fife, a mother of two who lives in a house across San Antonio Boulevard from the playground area, said children shouldn’t be punished because of bad elements in the neighborhood.

“If you’re going to take back your neighborhood, you have to try something,” she said.

Read the article: Plan for a Norfolk playground finds critics, skeptics

Remember to sign up to help construct the playground, contact: Melinda Luchun at 823-4210 or email CommunityOutreach@norfolk.gov

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Neighborhood Watch Program meeting

August 3, 2008

The first meeting of the Greater Wards Corner Area Neighborhood Watch Program will be August 8th at 6:30 pm in the Workforce Development Center.

The main focus of this meeting is to formalize the crime watch program in the Denby Park, Oakdale Farms, and Monticello Village neighborhoods.

Updates and meeting minutes will be posted on Wardscornernow.com.

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