The proposed Long Ridge Solar Farm, owned by brothers Christopher G. Weatherly and Glenn Scott Weatherly, will take up 41 acres of a 122-acre parcel along Long Ridge Road between Beaver Dam Road and Carolina Road. It will allow for cheaper energy for about 1,000 homes through the Virginia Shared Solar program, according to Cara Romaine, a senior developer with ESA Solar Energy who spoke in favor of the project.

Half of the energy produced by the project will support low-to-moderate income residents by providing 10% savings on their monthly power bills, Romain said. The site’s power lines will be connected to the grid underground via an existing power pole owned by Dominion Energy, which means it will not require the construction of a new substation.

This solar facility is expected to be able to operate for at least 35 years, according to the site’s decommissioning plan. The city has now approved 10 utility solar energy projects since 2019 covering a total of 2,020 acres, according to planning documents.

Speaking to council prior to the vote, Glenn Weatherly said his family has been on this farm since 1964 and he’s worked on it full-time since 1986. He said using some of their land for solar panels will provide him some “security.”

“I still want to farm … I’m pushing 60 years old this December, I’m looking for the easy life for a change,” Weatherly said.

The project was approved on a 7-2 vote, with council members Debbie Ritter and Jeff Bunn voting against. Ritter, who said she lives near a solar farm, called them “intrusive” and took issue with calling them “farms,” saying they’re more accurately described as industrial.

Ritter particularly highlighted the disruptions to travel during the construction period of the solar farms. She lamented the loss of agricultural land, listing things like transfer stations and proposed lithium battery storage facilities popping up across the area as signs of a negative trend.

“It all sounds great if you live in an urban area of the city or even a suburban area where (the solar project) isn’t where you live,” Ritter said. “This is an agricultural area … If the council wants to go ahead (with the project) that’s terrific, we’ll continue to give up valuable farmland.”

Two neighbors of the Weatherly’s farm spoke in favor of the project. Dana Todd, whose property is on Middle Ridge across the street from the Weatherly’s, said the addition of solar panels is a “good way to use the land and still make sure it stays farmable.”

“Supporting the Long Ridge solar project isn’t just about solar power, it’s about keeping our farmland safe and finding new ways for local farmers to make a living,” Todd said.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com

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Don J. Carey III

Age: 37

Occupation/job title: Consultant, Carey Consultant Firm

Highest level of education: Master’s degree in Strategic Management, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

Previous elected office: Chesapeake City Council, 2020-present

Military service (if any): N/A

Website: www.votedoncarey.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake?

My top priority is expanding affordable and attainable housing in Chesapeake. While our city has many beautiful single-family homes, we need to diversify our housing options to meet the needs of all residents, from first-time buyers to seniors. By introducing more varied housing types we can help stabilize home prices and ensure that everyone has access to a place they can call home. This approach not only supports a more inclusive community but also drives economic growth by attracting a diverse population to our city.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools?

If elected, I will proactively manage Chesapeake’s growth by ensuring our infrastructure and schools keep pace. As our city expands, I will collaborate with the council to assess and upgrade roads, utilities and public facilities in growth areas, preventing traffic bottlenecks and ensuring developments strengthen our infrastructure. With 50,000 new residents expected in the coming years, partnering with the school board is vital. I propose creating a joint task force to align future growth with educational needs, expanding schools, building new ones, or rezoning to prevent overcrowding, ensuring every child has access to quality education.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum?

My family and I are passionate about recycling because preserving our planet is a responsibility we all share. I’m committed to finding the most effective and affordable recycling program for Chesapeake. I believe that the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) will offer our city a top-notch, efficient recycling solution, and I’m eager to support their efforts. SPSA is not just focused on recycling; they are also working to streamline our entire waste management system, which will benefit our community as a whole by extending the life of our landfill.

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Rick West

Age: 72

Occupation/job title: Mayor of Chesapeake

Highest level of education: Doctoral degree, Urban Studies and Leadership, Virginia Tech

Previous elected offices held (if any): Chesapeake City Council, 2008-2017; Mayor, 2017-present

Military service (if any): N/A

Website: rickwestformayor.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake?

Putting citizens first. Everything I do is about one thing – people. This priority guides me to prioritize public safety, accessible amenities, low taxes, quality jobs and first-class customer service for our Chesapeake citizens. As mayor, I strive to ensure Chesapeake is not only the best place in the Commonwealth to live, work, learn and farm, but also the safest and friendliest. We back up our words with actions, treating our citizens with dignity and respect while prioritizing best-in-class public safety and enforcing the law to keep our families, streets and businesses safe.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools?

Tackling growth and infrastructure is essential, and is already a top priority of mine. We prioritize infrastructure development to support our expanding population, ensuring safe and efficient roads and bridges. Our focus on education is equally strong — listening to parents and delivering high-quality educational opportunities that prepare our children for the future. Whether public, private, or learning from home, I will always support all educational pathways to meet our community’s diverse needs. Every child deserves a first-class education regardless of their zip code. In Chesapeake, we work to make this a reality for all children.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum?

Recycling is a vital issue for our community. I am committed to honoring the voters’ will as expressed in the advisory referendum and ensuring our recycling is efficient and effective. We must balance environmental stewardship and practical solutions that meet the needs of Chesapeake’s residents.

Candidates are council incumbents Robert C. Ike Jr. and S. Z. “Debbie” Ritter, with challenges from Les Smith Jr., E. R. “Jeff” Jefferies Jr., Eric V. Wray II, Patricia Y. “Pat” King, Jeff B. Staples, Reagan A. Davis and Jennifer P. Naperala.

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Reagan Davis

Age: 35

Occupation/job title: Math Teacher, Chesapeake Public Schools; Adjunct Faculty, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University

Highest level of education: Master’s of Science in Education, Old Dominion University; Graduate certificate in Mathematics Education, Radford University

Website: ReaganDavis4Chesapeake.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Proactive infrastructure for our growing city.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? Driving through our city, I see areas where we have crumbling roads, overgrown ditches, roads without sidewalks, and roadway congestion. Everyone in our city should be able to walk and drive safely to their destination. Further, as a teacher, I notice some of our schools have leaking roofs, HVAC systems that cannot keep up with demand, and locations that utilize a plethora of portable classroom units to help meet their overcrowding needs. Every student and educator deserves a safe school. Using the current budget and partnering with Chesapeake Public Schools leadership and departments in the City of Chesapeake, reprioritizing the goals of the budget to invest in our city’s infrastructure can lead to safer roads, sidewalks, and buildings.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? Recycling is a pivotal way for us to ensure that materials are able to reenter the manufacturing process and our landfills take longer to reach maximum capacity. As a frequent user of the drop off locations, I am privileged to have a center close to my residence, and I know that not all residents have that opportunity. Curbside recycling should be available for everyone as part of our city’s budget. Based on the results of the referendum, I will support the will of the voters and act accordingly.

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Robert Ike

Age: 63

Occupation/job title: President, Sentry Security Systems

Highest level of education: Community College of the Air Force

Previous elected offices held (if any): Chesapeake City Council, 2012-Present

Military service (if any): U.S. Air Force Enlisted, 4 years

Website: robertike.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Economic development

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? I will continue to prioritize transportation infrastructure projects in critical areas. Several of my initiatives have been very successful such as permissive left turn yellow flashing lights and “Bridge Open” warning lights to allow drivers time to take alternate routes and high visibility message boards warning of accidents or congestion ahead. School overcrowding sits squarely at the feet of the Chesapeake School Board. I have put tremendous pressure on the school Board over the last 10 years, trying to get them to adjust attendance zones to move children out of crowded schools (120+%) to schools that have very low (75-80%) attendance. The School Board commissioned a very expensive study several years ago which created a comprehensive plan to re-zone, which has not been implemented.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? I support recycling. However, the contractor we were using was charging Chesapeake almost twice what they were charging neighboring municipalities. When fee negotiations failed, I supported moving to a system of drop-off recycling centers and that has been very successful. Moving forward, I support a “single stream” recycling system that sorts all of the single brown bin contents through an automated process with a high capture rate on recyclables. Last year I drove to South Carolina and toured a very successful single stream plant and hope that (Southeastern Public Service Authority) can build a regional plant in the next 3 years. This would greatly reduce recyclable materials going into our landfill. If we return to curbside recycling with a fee, I’m concerned that some residents can’t afford it and the fee will go up.

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E.R. Jeff Jefferies

Age: 50

Occupation/job title: Police Captain, Chesapeake Police Department

Highest level of education: Some college, Old Dominion University

Website: www.jefferiesforcouncil.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Maintaining low taxes, public safety and the best schools in Hampton Roads!

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? I believe in balanced growth. I would emphasize the attraction of new businesses and the addition of schools to accommodate this growth.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? The community has made it clear that recycling is a priority, therefore I am open to solutions!

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Patricia Y. King

Age: 63

Occupation/job title: Medical Director/CEO, Dr. King-Jones & Associates

Highest level of education: Medical degree, Meharry Medical College

Previous elected offices held (if any): Chesapeake School Board (2018-2022)

Website: PatKingforChesapeake.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? The environment and curbside recycling, management of city growth, mental health hospital beds

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? City growth must be well planned and executed. It is necessary for our city to prosper. I will work to ensure that the city addresses the existing infrastructure issues which are resulting in traffic congestion and poor road conditions. I will work with the school board and superintendent to ensure that city growth, in particular areas, can be accommodated by our schools. If growth in designated areas contributes to overcrowding in our schools and compromises the education of our children, I will advocate for the construction of new schools where necessary and indicated.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? As a former Earth Science teacher, I am very concerned about the environment and its impact on our health and overall wellbeing. Hence, I am a strong advocate of recycling and plan to address this issue day one if I am elected. The referendum will be on the ballot in November and as a servant of the people, I will support their desires. There has been overwhelming support of recycling.

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Jennifer Naperala

Age: 55

Occupation/job title: English teacher, Chesapeake Public Schools

Highest level of education: Master of Science in Education, Old Dominion University

Website: jennifernap.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? My priority is to support initiatives that will serve Chesapeake’s families for generations. Affordable housing: Our working class & young families need affordable housing options before we lose them to less stratified cities. I’m also engaged with the Virginia Housing Alliance & have found options for low-income housing palatable to developers and citizens. Borough representation: Chesapeake needs a less vulnerable voting system that makes elections and reaching City Council less complicated. Collective bargaining: With foreign industry moving to Chesapeake, our employees need to secure protection and fair compensation. Collective bargaining will help slow the eventual undercutting of wages by corporations. Ultimately, my goal is to develop a Chesapeake where everyone feels at home.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? To remain economically healthy, we can’t halt growth; however, an intentional approach focusing on citizen well-being can improve Chesapeake’s neglected infrastructure & overcrowded schools. Development in Southern Chesapeake must stop. Citizens are coping with strained infrastructure and measurably diminished quality of life. Still, Chesapeake needs reasonably priced housing opportunities, so citizens can become homeowners or renters. Affordable housing will increase enrollment in the nearby schools, which will increase school funding. An increase in residents will also pressure City Council to improve more of the area’s infrastructure. Supporting citizens struggling to find affordable housing allows us to alleviate the untenable pressure of citizens who aren’t.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? The last curbside recycling contract the city was involved in was not well-considered and resulted in fiscal waste. My personal stand is that the city needs to do careful research on the cost of curbside recycling. If we can offer curbside recycling at a manageable rate for the city and — more importantly — for our citizens, I am comfortable entering a shorter contract to provide the service. I’m opposed to entering a long-term contract that may end up being financially wasteful on the back end. Out of respect for our citizens, I could only act according to their will.

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S.Z. “Debbie” Ritter

Age: 75

Occupation/job title: Retired

Highest level of education: Did not answer.

Previous elected offices held (if any): Chesapeake City Council (1998-Present)

Website: None

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Financial stability for our citizens and city.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? Update and revise our current Levels of Service policy, set priorities as to school and other infrastructure improvements; be sure the Comprehensive Plan review and revision reflects the ability to grow with both existing and planned resources. I will also continue to vote for new residential growth when our schools, roads and other critical infrastructure can absorb the impacts. That includes human infrastructure that provides services to our citizens.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? I hope to see curbside recycling returned to our City. I look forward to seeing the results of the advisory referendum.

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Les Smith Jr.

Age: 63

Occupation/job title: Retired

Highest level of education: Master’s in Human Resource Management, University of Richmond

Website: www.yes2les.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Provide affordable housing in the city.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? Strategically plan ahead and format our infrastructure based upon projected growth. I believe in managed growth and not operating without knowing the impact of actions of development.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? There is no advisory referendum in place. I am open to recycling. As a councilman, I would weigh the public’s opinion, determine the cost and offer options of it being incorporated within the operating budget, would it cost additional money from citizens to provide, and what plan of action can be implemented where it makes sense financially to go into a long term contract with contract service provider.

Editor’s note: The Chesapeake City Council voted in July to place an advisory referendum on the November ballot asking residents whether the city should restore curbside recycling with a monthly fee. 

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Jeff B. Staples

Age: 62

Occupation/job title: Director, Save the Dismal Ltd.

Highest level of education: Bachelor’s of History, University of Lynchburg

Website: jeffstaples4chesapeake.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Schools. We must provide a stable environment that is conducive to learning. Overcrowding and other factors are hindering stability.

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? I will not vote to approve any residential development in a school zone that is already over 100% capacity. I will find out what it will take to eliminate the overcrowding and advocate for the appropriate response. I forsee that we will have to build a lot more schools. Also, I will push for residential projects in the already developed areas of our city. These areas already have the infrastructure that is required and will produce less of a tax burden on our citizens to build in these areas. I will seek to add new lanes and create new roads in areas that are often hit with traffic back ups. I will not vote to approve new residential development in areas that suffer from heavy traffic until we can alleviate those situations.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? I am very much in favor of returning a recycling program to our community. I am also very much in favor of being a representative of the people. Whichever way the people vote, I will make sure their voice is heard through my vote on the matter.

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Eric V. Wray II

Age: 44

Occupation/job title: President/Funeral Director, E. Vaughn Wray Funeral Establishment

Highest level of education: Associate’s in Applied Science, John Tyler Community College

Military service (if any): Veteran, U.S. Navy

Website: www.EricWray.com

If elected, what would be your top priority for Chesapeake? Infrastructure, economic growth, attract major and small businesses, public safety and safe schools

If elected, how would you work to address the city’s ongoing challenge grappling with growth, particularly when it comes to adequate infrastructure and overcrowded schools? From my election on, we must look at each project on its individual merits as the benchmark is responsible growth. Does it make sense? Will it be detrimental to the residents or beneficial? The overcrowding of schools issue, we will work with our capable school board in addressing costs and needs for new facilities.

Where do you stand on the issue of recycling and how would you address it in Chesapeake? Would you act according to the will of the voters on the advisory referendum? Certainly, we would never want to take funds from public safety as those funds were taken in 2021 from the previous plan. This is a non-binding vote as I will certainly have to work with our new council mates on how to move forward in case this does pass.

Sam L. Boone Jr.

Age: 53

Candidate’s job title/company: Virginia Parole Board member

Education: Bachelor’s, Norfolk State University

Previous elected offices held: Elected 2012 School Board

Website: None

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

I host an annual teen mental health forum to discuss the early warning signs and provide resources to the students. The School Board should continue to make student mental health a top priority buy adding additional services, training for teachers and programs that support students and their families.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

The most pressing issue is recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. The best way to address it would be better pay, more support, and less political issues.

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Elijah Colon

Age: 44

Candidate’s job title/company: Bulk account manager Coca-Cola Consolidated

Education: Some college or professional certification, General Studies Tidewater Community College

Website: www.Voteelijahcolon.com

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

We can better address the issue of students’ mental health by implementing the following strategies: 1. Increase access to mental health within schools, such as counselors. 2. Provide mental education programs that teach students about mental health issues, coping mechanisms, and how to seek help if needed. This can help reduce stigma surrounding mental health and encourage students to seek help when necessary. 3. Collaborate with community mental health organizations to provide additional support and resources for students.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it: 

One of the most pressing issues in our division is the allocation of our budget needs. For example, we have a teacher and staff shortage, which affects the daily operations and safety of our schools, having a direct impact on students and families. Additionally, our facilities are aging and in need of updates and maintenance, highlighting the urgent need to prioritize our capital investments to provide students with a clean and safe learning environment.

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Gregory G. Dono

Age: 45

Candidate’s job title/company: Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

Education: Juris Doctor, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law

Military service: U.S. Marine Corps

Website: www.votefordono.com

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

School Boards can address mental health issues by first being more receptive to the emotional needs and challenges of the students and staff. By creating policies and practices that allow students to feel respected and safe within the schools allows students and staff to feel comfortable expressing themselves and asking for help. Lastly, funding needs to be allocated to hiring mental health professionals and expanding social-emotional learning (SEL) programs in the school district to help address this growing concern.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

Funding and their allocation is an issue for Chesapeake Schools. We need to search out, request and obtain more funding for our schools and the allocation of those funds needs to be revisited and more closely scrutinized. There needs to be more transparency and honesty in how our school funds are spent and who that money goes to. We do that by being proactive in reaching out to alternative funding sources, e.g., private industry partners, to find and apply for programs that offer resources for our schools. To address where the funds go we need to move away from the current group-think mentality and start pushing back and asking questions about funding decisions. There needs to be time and effort put forth to engage in open and honest debate in order to drill down to the root cause of our district’s biggest problems so that we can direct funds to where they are most needed.

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Malia L. Huddle

Age: 65

Candidate’s job title/company: Retired school counselor

Education: Master’s, Old Dominion University

Website: www.maliahuddle.org

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

As a retired school counselor, I’d love to see the number of counselors increased in every school. Counselors should be able to spend their time in direct interaction with students rather than dealing with test administration and other assigned duties that interfere with one-on-one, direct interaction with students. Reducing counselor caseloads would also be beneficial along with ensuring that each school has a highly qualified counseling team that includes school counselors, school social workers and school psychologists who can work cooperatively to support students and their families.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

Hiring and retention of bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians remains an ongoing issue. Staffing these vital support positions and retaining these staff members is essential to the broader educational mission. Student learning is directly impacted when students cannot get to the building and to class on time because there are not enough drivers to cover the bus routes. Cafeteria workers and custodial staff also play a vital role in supporting student learning by ensuring that students are fed and that facilities are clean and functional. All too often, this vital part of the educational team is overlooked and undervalued. We must provide a living wage, an attractive benefits package, ongoing and appropriate training, and opportunities for advancement in order to adequately staff these areas.

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Thomas L. Mercer Sr.

Age: 68

Candidate’s job title/company: Pastor, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Chesapeake

Education: Master’s, Barton College; Master’s, The Divinity School, Duke University

Previous elected offices held: School Board since 1996

Website: www.mercerforschoolboard.net

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

Integrate mental health education into the school curriculum teaching students about mental health, coping strategies and how to seek help. We can help do this by providing well-trained counselors, psychologists, and social workers and providing ongoing training for teachers and staff to recognize and respond to mental health issues. Enforcing strong anti-bullying policies is integral to creating this environment where students feel comfortable discussing and seeking help. It is important to partner with parents and guardians in accomplishing all this. Chesapeake is striving to accomplish these policies and this environment.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

Addressing the teacher shortage. As a board member, I have and will continue to support the best compensation and benefits package possible. I continue to advocate for the best workplace environment possible and to respect and support the professionals who answer the call to teach. Chesapeake is the desired location for teachers in this region and I will strive to continue to make it the destination for the best to want come to teach our children.

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Norman G. Pool

Age: 65

Candidate’s job title/company: CEO NorthStar 1st Response

Education: Master’s, Liberty University

Previous elected offices held: School Board

Military service: United States Navy (23 years)

Website: www.normanpool2022.com

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

There are a multitude of ways to address mental health issues for students, staff, and families who need assistance. The first would be to increase student awareness of mental health issues and give them assurances that our team is here to help. This can be done by increasing educational components that help identify the need for assistance. We need to promote sensitivity to students, staff, and family acknowledging their needs and give them opportunities to receive help from counselors and mental health professionals. We need to promote an environment that allows for the ability to promote an interactional responsive, and effective understanding of mental health issues. We need to address the ability to have cohesiveness between students, staff, and family members in order to enhance the ability to meet mental health concerns.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

School Safety is a priority for our schools. This school year we are adding additional school resource officers to our elementary schools. These new officers will be in addition to the Chesapeake sheriff’s officers added in the 2023 -2024 school year. With this addition, there will be two sheriff deputy sergeants, who will be offering additional support to our school SROs. The addition of sheriff’s officers will set a standard for one deputy for two elementary schools. We will continue to have support from the Chesapeake Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office to provide a safe environment for our students and staff.  Another area of help with our security of students is to continue the implementation of ID badges which currently applies to all elementary schools, with a plan to eventually roll this out to a full implementation.

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L. Jameel Shaheer

Age: 52

Candidate’s job title/company: Business consultant, Shaheer and Assoc.

Education: Master’s, University of Texas

Military service: U.S. Air Force

Website: www.Jameelshaheer.com

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

Implement comprehensive mental health programs: Develop and integrate school-based mental health programs with counseling services, mental health education, and crisis intervention protocols. More access to mental health professionals: Hire more counselors, psychologists and social workers, aiming for a 1:250 ratio as recommended by the American School Counselor Association Promote a positive school climate: Have a safe, inclusive and supportive environment with anti-bullying programs, peer support networks and social-emotional learning (SEL). Provide professional development for staff: Offer regular training on mental health awareness and trauma-informed practices. Engage families and communities: Involve parents in mental health initiatives with resources and workshops. Monitor and evaluate mental health initiatives: Regularly assess program effectiveness through data collection, surveys and feedback.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

One of the most pressing issues is ensuring the budget benefits all students, educators and staff. Conduct a comprehensive budget review: Analyze expenses, income, grants and all funds to identify inefficiencies and cost savings. Engage stakeholders: Involve representatives from each group in budget discussions to ensure all needs are considered. Prioritize essential services: Ensure adequate funding for classroom resources, nutrition programs, transportation and maintenance. Seek additional funding: Pursue grants, partnerships and community donations to supplement income. Implement cost-saving measures: Adopt energy-efficient upgrades, bulk purchasing and streamlined administrative processes. Monitor financial performance: Regularly review and report financial status to maintain transparency. Invest in professional development: Allocate funds for training educators and support staff.

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Daniel A. Stahler

Age: 54

Candidate’s job title/company: Retired from Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, currently a district security officer for the Norfolk and Newport News Federal courthouses

Education: Master’s, Liberty University

Military service: U.S. Navy: VA85 Attack Squadron, NAS Oceana

Website: www.danielstahler.com

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

Implement workshops and seminars to educate and provide resources for students, parents and staff. Integrate detailed mental health courses into the student curriculum. Invest in solutions by hiring certified mental health professionals, such as psychologists and counselors, to provide crisis intervention and external referrals. Establish peer support programs to train and educate students on assisting each other with mental health issues, using a reward or recognition system to encourage involvement. Provide training for teachers and staff to adequately prepare them for the mental health issues students face and incorporate strategies into the curriculum to address bullying, academic pressure, time management and the negative effects of social media.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

School overcrowding is a top priority as it leads to numerous issues: teachers struggle, discipline problems rise and effective learning is compromised. With Chesapeake’s growing student population, it’s crucial to address this by maintaining transparency and communication about funding. Expanding school facilities and hiring additional teacher assistants will help. Creative scheduling, like rotating elective classes, and providing student support such as tutoring can also ease overcrowded classrooms. While portable classrooms offer short-term relief, relying on them long-term has drawbacks. Setting a goal to reduce their use is essential for a sustainable solution.

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Angie B. Swygert

Angie Swygert did not respond to The Virginian-Pilot’s questionnaire.

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Rue M. Willis

Age: 23

Candidate’s job title/company: Substitute teacher, city of Chesapeake

Education: Bachelor’s, Old Dominion University

Website: www.ruewillis.com

Student mental health has been a growing concern for parents and schools. How can school boards address the issue?:

The ongoing mental illness epidemic has been made worse by the social isolation of the pandemic. Our school system must work quickly to effectively combat this crisis. Every school must have a dedicated school psychologist and social worker, peer support groups facilitated by those experts, and a curriculum that teaches mental health. Together, these will empower students and their families to identify and seek effective treatment for mental illness while equipping our youth with a critical life skill: making mental wellness a priority.

Name one of the most pressing issues for your division and how you would address it:

Pandemic-era learning loss has affected every student, due to social disconnection and poor adjustment to new learning environments. We must invest in personalized, in-person and online after-school tutoring sessions and expand our existing summer school programs, especially in schools with the largest learning gaps. These policies will ensure every student has the opportunity to excel.

The school division partnered with the Modern Classrooms Project last year to train teachers at three middle schools on the model. More than 30 teachers participated and began using it at Hickory, Oscar Smith and Western Branch middle schools.

One of the biggest differences between traditional teaching and an MCP classroom is that a class does not center around a teacher giving a daily lecture. Instead, teachers create shorter instructional video lessons — and other digital content — that they upload online. Students then come in and pick up where they each left off. One student could be on lesson 13, while another who perhaps missed a few days while sick could catch up on lesson 9.

Chief of Schools Jacqueline Miller told board members this week that the model lets teachers “duplicate themselves digitally, allowing them to more freely respond to the various needs of students in their classroom.”

MCP is a nonprofit founded about six years ago by teachers at a Washington, D.C., school. It partners with districts nationwide, including 29 in Virginia.

Miller also stressed that students don’t move on to the next lesson “simply because it’s time.” They only move on once they have demonstrated they’ve mastered the content. The model can be used in any subject.

Chesapeake Director of Middle School Leadership Freddie Alarcon told the School Board that 72 more teachers have been trained and will implement the model this year. Nine sites — eight middle schools and one high school — will participate this year. There is a waiting list of teachers who want to attend the training this fall.

Though the concepts that are the building blocks of the model are not new, Alarcon said, packaging them together and using the MCP network, which provides mentorship, has yielded positive results.

Alarcon shared data comparing student and teacher experiences in MCP classrooms and traditional classrooms within the pilot schools. The study, which included nearly 60 teachers and close to 700 students, showed that 75% of teachers in MCP classrooms reported improved student behavior, compared to 21% in the traditional control group. A similar difference was seen when polling teachers about improved student engagement.

MCP classrooms also had higher pass rates for students on the math and English SOL tests.

Teachers in MCP classrooms also reported higher satisfaction rates, with 88% reporting they intend to continue teaching for many more years, compared to 76% of teachers in traditional classrooms.

Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com

O’Sullivan took over as sheriff in October 2012 as an appointment, and he was later elected to the position the following year. Since then, he has completed four terms in the office’s top spot.

“O’Sullivan oversaw the safety and security of approximately 800 offenders per day in the Chesapeake Correctional Center, the safety of 57,000 people entering and leaving the court buildings per year, and led the 460-person Office to new heights in his 12 years in office,” a news release from the office read. “Beyond his day-to-day responsibilities, O’Sullivan’s legacy will remain in his community programs.”

He began his law enforcement career in the early 1990s and joined the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office in 1992. A couple years before taking the sheriff’s position, O’Sullivan founded a non-profit organization, “Children Today Leaders Tomorrow” which aims to mentor and support children in Chesapeake. He also helped introduce school resource officers to schools across the city.

According to the sheriff’s office, one of O’Sullivan’s biggest goals was to “ensure children’s first interactions with law enforcement are positive and reassuring.”

Col. Dave Rosado will take over as sheriff after O’Sullivan’s retirement in November. Rosado is a 23-year veteran of the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, joining the office in 2001. He was Chesapeake’s first Hispanic undersheriff in 2022.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com

Chesapeake, Suffolk, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton have installed speed cameras in local school and work zones to deter speeding and enhance overall public safety.

Though law enforcement leaders tout the equipment as a safety measure to deter speeding, the cameras can also be significant moneymakers — with Chesapeake and Suffolk already raking in millions.

Chesapeake has a dozen cameras that have been active since 2022. The city reports a total of 158,075 violations since then, along with about $9.7 million in revenue.

Another 10 cameras in Suffolk went active in fall 2023 along with one at a work zone. Since then, the city reports roughly 196,000 citations, collecting $14.2 million in revenue. After paying the vendor, net revenue is $10.5 million. Suffolk did not specify whether the citation and revenue figures provided to The Virginian-Pilot were specific to school and work zone speed cameras only. The city also operates red light and school bus cameras.

Both cities previously said net revenue would go toward highway safety improvements and personnel costs.

The school zone speed cameras in Chesapeake and Suffolk are targeted in two lawsuits brought by former Del. Tim Anderson, an attorney who alleges the cities are improperly issuing speeding violations and allowing third party vendors to impersonate local government when collecting fees.

Anderson’s case in Suffolk is awaiting an order from a judge on whether it will move forward. A hearing in the Chesapeake case is scheduled for Sept. 18.

The Virginia General Assembly approved legislation in 2020 that allows state and local police to set up speed cameras at highway work sites and school crossing zones. Under that law, only motorists caught going at least 10 mph over the speed limit are ticketed up to $100.

Hampton is in the process of rolling out a dozen cameras in school zones this fall as part of a pilot program with staggered warning periods.

A 30-day warning period began Aug. 26 for cameras located near Bethel High School, Hampton High School and Hunter B. Andrews Pre-K. A 30-day grace period will begin for cameras at Jones Magnet Middle School, Kecoughtan High School, Lindsay Middle School and Machen Elementary School by Sept. 30. And cameras at another set of schools — Mary W. Jackson Elementary School, Thomas Eaton Middle School, Aberdeen Elementary School, Barron Elementary School and William Mason Cooper Elementary — will have a 30-day grace period beginning no later than Oct. 15.

Hampton city officials said about $3.5 million would be budgeted for the school zone speed camera pilot program.

Norfolk has 19 cameras in place across 10 public school locations. A 60-day warning period was slated to end in May, but a city spokesperson said last week that the cameras are still in an active warning period “until summons language can be resolved with the general district court and our vendor, Verra Mobility.”

Part of Anderson’s complaint in his lawsuits was that officers weren’t issuing an official Virginia summons document consistent with other traffic infractions when making the speeding citations.

Portsmouth has 16 cameras, and police began fining drivers in December. The city reports 28,289 citations and $951,061 of revenue collected between January and June. Of the total revenue, $565,042 will be paid to the third-party vendor.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the latest citations and revenue figures from the city of Portsmouth. The city provided the figures after the article published.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

And industry leaders view improvements in technology as another way to expand access to banking.

Chase Bank continues to expand its retail banking presence in Hampton Roads and expects to open at least 10 more branches by 2027, regional director Alfonso Guzman said.

“We’re big believers in our branches,” Guzman said. “We really believe they are the pillars of the community and they’re important parts of every community.”

Chase currently has two branches in Norfolk and Williamsburg and one each in Newport News and Virginia Beach. By the end of this year, Chase plans to open a second branch in Virginia Beach along with branches in Hampton and Chesapeake, Guzman said. The remaining five new branches will open between 2025 and 2027.

While Chase puts its digital focus on the forefront, Guzman said its branches are still a part of its strategy to meet clients within their communities.

“It’s not either/or,” he said. “We want to make sure that human-to-human interaction is still top of mind and a priority for us as we continue to grow.”

Dollar Bank has opened nine branches since entering the market, said Dave Paradise, senior vice president of Dollar Bank’s Virginia Division. Dollar Bank has 13 branches in South Hampton Roads, including four from its acquisition of Bank @lantec in 2017.

While Dollar Bank has no immediate plans to add branches, it actively looks for opportunities in low- to moderate-income census tracts throughout its markets, Paradise said.

“Technology has really improved access to banking services, which means that it is easier for people to bank with us in a way that is convenient for them,” Paradise said.

In an effort to help Hispanic and immigrant consumers, Chartway Credit Union, which has 16 branches in Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk, opened its first fully bilingual branch in the state in Virginia Beach at the end of April.

And Fulton Bank launched a diverse business banking program designed to meet the needs of minority, women, veteran and LGBTQ business owners last summer. Fulton Bank operates five financial centers in Hampton Roads, including three in Virginia Beach and one each in Chesapeake and Newport News, spokesperson Steve Trapnell said. Last year, Fulton opened a commercial banking office in Norfolk.

“We are committed to making financing and banking products more accessible to groups that, historically, have been underserved,” Fulton Bank Chairman and CEO Curt Myers said.

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com

Special tax increment financing (TIF) districts were established in South Norfolk and Greenbrier in the early 2000s. Portions of tax revenue from property assessments within the districts are earmarked specifically for projects there, primarily to spur economic development and improve infrastructure.

Both districts have their own funds. For the fiscal 2025 budget that began July 1, $12.4 million of revenue was received for the South Norfolk TIF — an increase of about 11% over the previous fiscal year — and $15.6 million for the Greenbrier TIF. As revenue is received each year, the difference between projected revenue and budgeted expenses within each district is sent back into the respective districts’ fund balance to use for future projects as needed.

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South Norfolk projects

In South Norfolk, the most expensive project is the new municipal center within the Poindexter corridor, a 45,500-square-foot building that also could include a business incubator and retail space. The total cost is about $42 million and primarily will be funded with bonds, but an accumulation of almost $12 million in TIF revenue will also help cover the project. Completion is anticipated in 2026.

Another chunk of money — $6.5 million of TIF money budgeted several years ago — is earmarked for strategic acquisition of residential and commercial property along key transportation corridors within South Norfolk for rehabilitation and redevelopment.

Almost $3 million of TIF funds will cover neighborhood sidewalk connections and expansions beginning next year and spanning to 2027. The projects will be focused along Myers Road; Hull, Ohio, Poindexter, Richmond and Rodgers streets; and Chesapeake, Jackson, Orville, Wright, Chamberlain, Wilbur and Post avenues.

The Freeman Overpass Bridge project will primarily be covered with around $11 million of South Norfolk TIF funding and more than $2 million in bond debt. An accumulation of $3.6 million will fund improvements on Chesapeake Avenue.

Another nearly $1 million of TIF funds is used for a program that assists property owners within historic districts with home improvement projects, grants for façade improvement projects in South Norfolk’s business district, and a parking lot for Poindexter Street that could be complete by the end of the year.

Other projects with less than $2 million of funding earmarked include pedestrian and light improvements on Poindexter Street at the Interstate 464 overpass, the Port Locke Railroad Overpass Bridge, the Guerriere Street closure and conversion and the activation of vacant city-owned parcels at Liberty and 22nd Street.

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Greenbrier projects

In Greenbrier, the biggest expense includes $10 million for site and infrastructure improvements for mixed-use and commercial development within the district, which could include potential redevelopment of Greenbrier Mall and future construction at Summit Pointe.

About $3.5 million will be used to extend Belaire Avenue off Volvo Parkway. More than $1 million will be directed to pedestrian safety improvements in the commercial district, including walkways, paths and crosswalks that could be complete by the end of the year.

A little more than $1 million will go toward stormwater outfall improvements in the district. Other smaller projects include a Greenbrier redevelopment study and intersection improvements on Battlefield Boulevard at Volvo Parkway.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com