Encore for Norfolk, Weekly Comments

 Norfolk Web Site a Winner
I’m impressed, surprised and pleasantly pleased.

Norfolk’s Web site is a visual feast.

It is also replete with what you need at your fingertips. It is a potpourri of purpose.

But I especially like the open, airy images, depicting a city of charm and quality with beaches, bright city lights and urbanity. It was launched Wednesday, March 6.

Pomp and Circumstance
Mayor Paul D. Fraim joins Hans Bauer, owner of Bauer Compressors from Munich, Germany, and Tony Bayat, President of Bauer Compressors, at the Americas Region Headquarters in Norfolk.
Bauer Compressors is expanding its operation in Norfolk, an investment of $15 million, and the company plans to hire an additional 150 workers.

Weekly Comments
On “HI, Hip v. Historic” 
 
Any SHR city can pretend to be hip. Only Norfolk can be historic... What happened to the facade? It is rad. Someone should repurpose it.
 
On "Addiction, Our Economy, Chavez and More"
 
Speaking of unintended consequences and our region's addiction to federal funds, maybe one upside to the sequester is that we'll finally learn to stand on our own two feet economically. Sure the transition will be difficult in our region, but it could very well be beneficial in the long run.
 
Will all due respect to Robert McCabe, The Pilot's coverage of HII’s earnings (“Profit drops 25% in fourth quarter”) was misleading. HII had a good quarter and a good year, and stock is currently trading at a 52-week high.
 
On “Who is Bruce Thompson?”  

The cruise center, waterside, light rail, and probably a conference center - all facilities that are under utilized. I call that a legacy of over promising and under delivering. Shame on the citizens of Norfolk for allowing it to happen. There is a reason we have the largest tax rate in SHR, and it's not because we have superior city services. 
 
On “Parking and Taxes” 
 
I thought one of the FTA requirements for funding the Toonerville Trolley was to reduce the number of parking spaces and force drivers off the roads and on to the light rail. Has that requirement changed?

And isn't the City of Virginia Beach doing the same thing when the taxpayers throw millions to special interest developers such as Bruce Thompson and Armada-Hoffler?

Government continues to decide the winners and losers. Doesn't this fly in the face of laissez-fare?

Well on the parking garage thing, maybe it depends on who would own the garage. Like could the Feds tell somebody private they couldn't have a parking garage? I'm still trying to figure out about the 600 spaces. Cuz most large conventions I've seen have a lot of coming and going with the vendors before and after weekend. Oh yeah, and what about parking for all the extra cruise ship people that we'll be seeing down the pike?
Well on the parking garage thing, maybe it depends on who would own the garage. Like could the Feds tell somebody private they couldn't have a parking garage? I'm still trying to figure out about the 600 spaces. Cuz most large conventions I've seen have a lot of coming and going with the vendors before and after weekend. Oh yeah, and what about parking for all the extra cruise ship people that we'll be seeing down the pike?