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🌱 Patch AM: How NEON Nights could reshape art — and business — in downtown Norfolk

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Hey hey Norfolk! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How NEON Nights could reshape art — and business — in downtown Norfolk
  • Could I-264 ramp changes finally reconnect downtown Norfolk's divided neighborhoods?
  • Why some Norfolk military families keep losing power for hours at home

Also on today's calendar: D'oh! You Know This Trivia? and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is full of holes but still holds water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Showers and a heavier t-storm, with a high of 83 and low of 73 degrees.
  • Saturday: Humid with a heavy t-storm, temps: high: 83, low: 73.
  • Sunday: Cloudy, a thunderstorm; humid, with a high of 89 and low of 71 degrees. 🌶 Hot!

📰 News we're reading

1. Downtown Norfolk's NEON District to pause yearly festival for 'NEON Nights' series (wvtf.org) — Norfolk's NEON District is replacing its single annual festival with NEON Nights, a year-round series of smaller arts events starting Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. Organizers aim to boost downtown businesses affected by ongoing streetscape construction and are offering grants up to $750 for artists, with project proposals due Sept. 7 via the NEON Nights website.
   

2. Norfolk studies how changes to I-264 ramps could reconnect downtown (pilotonline.com) — Norfolk is studying major changes to I-264 ramps and nearby streets to reconnect downtown with the St. Paul's area, Harbor Park, the casino, and Norfolk State University. Backed by federal and city funding, the multi-year study could lead to redesigned interchanges, better bike and pedestrian connections, and less car-centric planning that directly affects how residents move through the city.
   

3. Families face repeated power outages at military housing on same grid as Naval Station Norfolk (13newsnow.com) — Military families living in Liberty Military Housing's Willoughby Bay neighborhood near Naval Station Norfolk say repeated, hours-long power outages are spoiling food and disrupting daily life. Liberty points to Navy-maintained infrastructure, while base officials cite cable faults and ongoing around-the-clock repairs, promising improvements but offering no clear end date yet for Norfolk-area residents.
   

4. Ghent businesses turn flood preparation into part of operations (13newsnow.com) — In Norfolk's flood-prone Ghent neighborhood, business owners are building flood preparation into everyday operations, from raising inventory off the floor to keeping sandbags ready. Local merchants describe worsening high-water events, while the city urges residents to clear debris and secure outdoor items as public works crews maintain pump stations and trouble spots.
   

5. Lindenwood Elementary's legacy stretches across generations in Norfolk (wtkr.com) — Norfolk families connected to Lindenwood Elementary face its closure in June 2027, along with three other Norfolk public elementary schools as part of a major consolidation and redistricting plan. The district will hold a community meeting at Lindenwood on Sept. 15 to answer questions, while former students reflect on the school's 70-year legacy in the historically Black Lindenwood neighborhood.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Michael Vick helped send more than 50 Norfolk students back to school Tuesday.
    The Norfolk State University head football coach helped provide free shoes, socks and backpacks filled with supplies to children from the city's… (Nextdoor Meadowbrook Woods)
  • Update with more information:
    Good morning, I am located on Crescent Way; the cross street is Military Hwy., near the Food Lion In Bromley, Norfolk. Zip code is 23513. Cute Cat… (Nextdoor Park Crescent)
  • NSC Staffing posted a job opening for Outside Machinist in Norfolk. Apply here.
  • Kelly posted a job opening for Industrial Fabrication & Assembly Associate in Norfolk. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Norfolk here.

Ok Norfolk! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A sponge (Thank you Netty W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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