Chesapeake
Chesapeake will become a nationally recognized historical area, due to the recent approval by the
National Park Service to name the Great Dismal Swamp part of the Underground Railroad. The Underground
Railroad was formed around the time of the Civil War and became a series of escape routes and hideouts helping slaves flee from their owners the Great Dismal Swamp was along the route. The decision by the National Park Service could make grants for projects in the area easier to obtain and it could increase the number of tourists to the area.

Norfolk
Norfolk's Circuit Court Clerk is retiring and three candidates are vying for the office an eight-year term
with responsibilities including record keeping for criminal and civil cases, real estate transactions and marriage
licenses, among other duties. The candidates include: a Republican lawyer, the Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney, once a Republican but running as a Democrat, and a former bail bondswoman now boutique owner,
running as an Independent. The major campaign issue is technology. The clerk~s salary, which is set by the state Compensation Board, is $107,875.

Peninsula
On Tuesday, Hampton City officials issued a demolition permit for the city's oldest home, because of
damage sustained during Hurricane Isabel. The Herbert House built in 1753, by shipbuilder John Herbert, had
been named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Portsmouth
Virginia's School Board Association asks that school board members sign a code of conduct form
while serving. Portsmouth School Board Member Mark M. Whitaker refuses to sign the code because he believes fellow school board members are not following it. However, he said he plans to act ethically. Under the code, school board members pledge to have integrity, attend meetings, stay informed on current educational issues, allow other board members to openly express their opinions and put the teaching and learning experience of students first.

Suffolk
Suffolk's major urban renewal plan and the city's first redevelopment project, The Fairgrounds, aims to
invent 21 acres of residential blocks in downtown and revive the East Washington Street Corridor. The City
Council will vote on whether or not to approve the multimillion-dollar project in mid-October. Plans include a mix of single-family homes, condos, and apartments along landscaped streets. The bottom-line for the project is yet to be determined.

Virginia Beach
The race for the 21st District of the House of Delegates between Delegate John J. Welch III
(Republican) and Tim Jackson (once a Republican but now a Democrat) could be among the most heated this
November. Since Jackson was an active member of the Republican Party until recently, this has made the race a tense situation between both parties. The 21st district encompasses the center of Virginia Beach, from the
neighborhoods of Thalia and Green Run to Chesapeake's city line. Both candidates served in the military and
both have similar political views, such as pro-gun and anti-abortion.

HRRA Legislative Update October 2, 2003