Another Flower Blossoms in Petersburg

The P-I has an article today regarding a Habitat for Humanity house that recently was built on St. Marks Street. It's just great to read the good news about Petersburg. I am also very proud that the church me and my clan attend was heavily involved in the construction. I was scheduled to volunteer, but the project was rescheduled and we were in NC on vacation this past week.

Good job everyone!

Positive Results from Recent Petersburg City Council Meeting

Per Petersburg People's News, the City Council of P'burg recently approved ordinances that will provide a rental home inspection program, simplify fee structures, and require vacant structures to be registered.

All of these are great ideas. I'm most excited about the vacant structure registration. This will hold building owners accountable and reduce blight downtown.

The Petersburg People's News says that temporarily vacant structures won't require registration. I'm interested in hearing how long a structure would have to be vacant to be considered temporarily vacant.

I know the firm that owns the buildings that house The Oak Antique Mall, Java Mio, and The Pink Scottie owns several other buildings around town that are vacant. Does anyone know if they have any plans for those buildings? Will they have to register those buildings? Why does a company in Utah own so many buildings in Petersburg? They've done a great job with the buildings that have businesses in them, but I'm concerned about their other buildings and the plans for those buildings.

Bland is Back and Sooner Than Petersburg Expected Him

According to a story today in the Progress-Index, Fenton Bland is getting ready to be released from the Federal pokey.

No doubt about it, this guy is criminal. It's really too bad that now that Petersburg's resurgence has really begun to get some legs underneath it, it's ugly past, in the form of Bland, has to rear its ugly head.

The most interesting/curious point in this article is:

At the time of Bland’s appearance in court, Hudson reminded Bland that most people convicted of federal crimes must serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.

AND...

Based upon his released date, Bland will have served 22½ months, or about 39 percent, of his 57-month sentence.

I can't figure that one out. Justice is blind, right? There's no funny business in the sentencing of politicians, is there?

Somebody help me out here!

Petersburg's Woeful Teacher Situation

In an article in the Progress-Index today, the simple reason for the woeful performance of the Petersburg Public School system is wrapped up in the following paragraphs:

There is little doubt teacher salaries are lagging in Petersburg. The average teacher salary in Virginia last year was $47,248, compared to $38,252 in Petersburg, according to state figures. And Petersburg lags behind other nearby school districts with Colonial Heights being in the top at $48,999 for the average teacher salary. The closest average salary to Petersburg is Hopewell at $42,351 and Dinwiddie County at $42,866, according to the state.The school system did try to get more for salaries this year. The school board’s proposed budget of $11.63 million was $1.9 million more than the level funding provided by the city of $9.73 million on May 15. The requested increase was earmarked for increases in teacher salaries.But the City Council on May 15 rejected the school board’s request for more money, meaning the school board had to go back to its budget looking for money to raise teacher salaries.

I know there are a few out there that will say that the free market has failed the children of Petersburg and some liberal minded plan should be insituted to turn things around.

How 'bout this? Instead of making our first concern school uniforms, let's have the City Council approve the school board's request for more money so they can pay the teachers in Petersburg a competitive wage.

Would you go work for a company that was going to pay you almost $10,000 less than the neighboring company but ask you to work harder in a worse working environment? Say it with me now..."HECK NO!" That's what is happening when teachers weigh whether they'd rather apply to Col. Heights or Petersburg.

Come on guys, pony up the dough.

Petersburg's Rebirth...Go to Friday for the Arts

If you didn't know, Petersburg is on its way back. It's been a long and arduous road, but Old Towne is making a go of trying to rise from the rubble.

Granted, they've got a LONG way to go. The city has many critics. One of the most vocal critics is a former co worker of mine. Anything the city does is corrupt according to him. Nothing seems to be good enough for him. With any city's rebirth, there are plenty that see the glass half empty.

Let's focus on the positive of The Cockade City's positive traction. One extremely positive thing about Petersburg is Friday for the Arts which is always on the second Friday of every month. It's free. You get to look at cool local art and hear cool local music. What's better than that?

Also a great local blog about Petersburg is Petersburg People's News. Check this regularly for updates on the goings ons.

See y'all down in P'burg tonight for some free art.