🌱 Robot Umpires At Harbor Park? + Fatal Car Crash In Norfolk

Up and at 'em, Norfolk! It's Saturday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on today in town.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy and cold. High: 34 Low: 20.

Here are the top three stories in Norfolk today:

1. Could Tides fans soon see robot umpires at Harbor Park Stadium? In short: maybe in the future, but there are no plans for them yet. Major League Baseball is now bringing its automated strike zones to the Triple-A minor league levels, putting out hiring notices for automated ball-strike system operators across several teams. The Norfolk Tides are not included in the listing, nor have they made any comment regarding whether robot umpires would be impacting them in 2022. (wtkr.com)
2. The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Old Dominion University's Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center (VMASC) a $1.15 million grant to support graduate student research. The funds will be used for the GROW M&S project, which supports multidisciplinary research opportunities, strategic collaborations across academia and industry partners, and programs to develop transferrable skillsets. (odu.edu)
3. On Thursday morning, a Virginia Beach resident died in a car crash near the Wards Corner section of Norfolk. According to Norfolk police, 54-year-old Joseph Brunson Jr. lost control of his car and ran into a parked vehicle; he later died from his injuries. (13newsnow.com WVEC)

Today in Norfolk:

• The Muse Book Sale (Extended!) - The Muse Writers Center (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Hampton Roads Transit commuters: be advised that snow routes will be in effect today. (gohrt.com)
• Attention, all trivia buffs: join the Norfolk-VA Beach Junior League next Friday for a virtual trivia night! Compete for just $30 a team; proceeds will benefit the Junior League and its community initiatives. (Instagram)
• It's the 25th anniversary season of the Virginia Arts Festival! The event that began in a Norfolk storefront in 1997 is now an internationally-recognized cultural destination. (Press Release Desk )

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday! I'll see you around.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.