🌱 Patch AM: How two Cradock Middle School families are coping with unthinkable loss

Good morning Portsmouth! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How two Cradock Middle School families are coping with unthinkable loss
• What Portsmouth workers should know about Virginia’s 2026 minimum wage bump
• How a Portsmouth defense firm is teaming up to support the military

Today's riddle: How many sheep does it take to make a sweater? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Saturday: Intervals of clouds and sun, with a high of 51 and low of 40 degrees.
• Sunday: Cloudy, temps: high: 52, low: 48.
• Monday: Warmer with showers around, with a high of 65 and low of 32 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Two Cradock Middle School families know the pain of gunfire and two dead teens (wavy.com) — Two Portsmouth families are grieving after separate shootings claimed the lives of Cradock Middle School students, a 13-year-old boy this week and a 14-year-old in 2024. Relatives describe their ongoing pain, urge other families to keep talking and remembering the victims, and note that no arrests have been made in either case.
   

• Virginia minimum wage to increase 36 cents (wusa9.com) — Portsmouth residents earning minimum wage will see their pay rise to $12.77 an hour on Jan. 1, 2026, due to an inflation-based adjustment. The article explains Gov. Youngkin’s veto of a larger increase, contrasts it with Speaker Don Scott of Portsmouth’s push for a $15 wage, and notes future prospects under Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger.
   

• Business Notes: New submarine completes sea trials; Up Center gets $250k grant for AI (pilotonline.com) — A Portsmouth-based defense firm, Fairlead, has entered a strategic partnership to support Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force projects, highlighting the city’s role in national security work. The piece also notes Portsmouth architect Georgie Márquez-André’s appointment to a statewide resilience panel, alongside a range of Hampton Roads business expansions, awards, and leadership changes.
   

📸 Around Portsmouth

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Portsmouth

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Sunday December 28

• THE SCRIBES: A CLUB FOR 18-25 YEAR OLD WRITERS
  The Muse Writers Center , 2200 Colonial Avenue, #3 , Norfolk
  4:00 pm

Tuesday December 30

• Write Now! at Slover Library
  The Muse Writers Center , 2200 Colonial Avenue, #3 , Norfolk
  5:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• Wednesday Wordsmiths!
  The Muse Writers Center , 2200 Colonial Avenue, #3 , Norfolk
  5:00 pm

Saturday January 3

• Queer Writers Meet-up @ Eleanor's NFK
  Elanor’s Norfolk , 801 Boush St Unit B , Norfolk
  10:00 am

Tuesday January 6

• Museum and Fine arts Commission
  Portsmouth, VA Calendar
  5:30 pm

Wednesday January 7

• Wednesday Wordsmiths!
  The Muse Writers Center , 2200 Colonial Avenue #3 , Norfolk
  5:00 pm

📣 Portsmouth Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Saturday December 27

• Sewing Skills Series: Pockets with Mel
  757 Creative ReUse Center , 300 Monticello Ave Unit 206 , Norfolk
  2:00 pm
• Fortune Feimster
  Harrison Opera House , 160 W Virginia Beach Blvd , Norfolk
  7:00 pm
• Neo Soul Saturdayz
  The Venue on 35th , 631 W 35th St #3103 , Norfolk
  7:00 pm
• OFF THE RECORD
  80/20 Burger Bar , 123 W 21st St , Norfolk
  9:00 pm

Sunday December 28

• A Sherlock Carol
  Wells Theatre , 108 E Tazewell St , Norfolk
  2:00 pm
• THE SCRIBES: A CLUB FOR 18-25 YEAR OLD WRITERS
  The Muse Writers Center , 2200 Colonial Avenue, #3 , Norfolk
  4:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Portsmouth PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• So the weirdest thing happened to me yesterday about 5 or 6 o’clock a man approached my door.
  I did not answer it, he would not identify himself and he stated that he was looking for somebody who lost a drone outside of the house. I don’t own… (Nextdoor Cavalier Manor)
• A crash has been cleared on the eastbound I-64 High Rise Bridge in Chesapeake.
  2:43AM on Dec 26: One eastbound travel lane is closed on I-64 High Rise Bridge E in Chesapeake due to a crash. (Nextdoor )

• Taco Bell posted a job opening for Late Night Team Member - Service Champion in Portsmouth. Apply here.
• Collins Machine posted a job opening for On-Site Machinist in Portsmouth. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Portsmouth here.

🗞 Nearby News

Norfolk

• Avocargo comes to Norfolk's Selden Market (13newsnow.com)
• Winter weather in northern U.S. causes cancelations and delays at Norfolk International Airport (wavy.com)
• Tulare-native flourishes in the Navy (thesungazette.com)

Carrollton

• Cost of Windsor fire truck funded by solar developer increases $200K (smithfieldtimes.com)

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: I have no idea. I didn’t even know sheep could knit.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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