Coffee in hand, Portsmouth? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Back To School Fundraiser and 6 more events.
Today's riddle: What do evil hens lay? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Two weeks after 3.1M-gallon sewage spill, Portsmouth neighbors worry about property values and Hull Creek (wtkr.com) — Portsmouth residents along Douglas Avenue are still dealing with odor, cleanup, and property worries two weeks after a 3.1‑million‑gallon sewage spill flowed into Hull Creek. Officials say the sewer line is repaired, the road has reopened, and recent water tests allowed the Hull Creek advisory to be lifted, though monitoring continues and neighbors remain uneasy about long‑term environmental and financial impacts.
2. Man pleads guilty in fatal 2025 Portsmouth shooting (pilotonline.com) — A man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in a 2025 shooting that killed 62-year-old Carlos Basnight in Portsmouth, and will serve 30 years in prison plus probation. Prosecutors say surveillance video showed the gunman approach Basnight's vehicle on London Boulevard, fire multiple shots, rob him, and flee before officers found Basnight fatally wounded in a parking lot.
3. Gunfire shatters a neighborhood's sense of safety (wavy.com) — Overnight gunfire in Portsmouth's Westhaven neighborhood left bullet holes in a home across from Westhaven Elementary School, the fourth shooting there in recent months. Residents, fearful and frustrated, say a corporately owned rental property is at the center of the trouble, while the city has ordered the owner to clean up the lot as police continue investigating the violence.
4. DEQ study warns of groundwater limits (suffolknewsherald.com) — Portsmouth's Lake Kilby Water Treatment Facility is already one of the region's largest groundwater users, as a new state study warns Southeast Virginia aquifers have little room for big new withdrawals. The report, driven partly by data center growth concerns, suggests any large industrial project seeking to pump millions of gallons daily near Portsmouth would face strict limits and need alternative water sources.
5. Final Intern Blog! (wavy.com) — An intern based in Portsmouth reflects on a summer working behind the scenes on WAVY's Hampton Roads Show, from producing a mini-episode segment to learning digital publishing and social media. Their experience offers a glimpse into how local TV and online news are made, and highlights the supportive newsroom culture they found in Hampton Roads.
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Ok Portsmouth! 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: Deviled eggs (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
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