Community Corner

🌱 Why weren’t Suffolk parents told sooner about this school employee’s charge?

And check out Bridgeport's 5th Annual Holiday Market on the Suffolk Patch calendar

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Thursday December 11th Patch AM
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Hi there, Suffolk! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why weren’t Suffolk parents told sooner about this school employee’s charge?
  • What were Suffolk’s most Googled songs, slang, and teams in 2025?
  • How federal cuts are reshaping Suffolk’s access to the Great Dismal Swamp

Also on today's calendar: Festival of Lights at Sleepy Hole Park (Suffolk) and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in Suffolkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Suffolkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 44 and low of 26 degrees.
  • Friday: Some sun, then clouds; chilly, temps: high: 42, low: 32.
  • Saturday: Sunny to partly cloudy, with a high of 51 and low of 30 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Suffolk Public Schools employee arrested on sexual battery charge; parents question why they found out via social media months later (13newsnow.com) — Parents in Suffolk are demanding answers after learning via social media that a Suffolk Public Schools employee was charged in October with sexual battery tied to an alleged August incident at King’s Fork High School. The division says it investigated, placed the employee on leave, and kept both staff members employed, but many families say they’re frustrated by the lack of direct notification and transparency.
   

• Taylor Swift, 6-7 and Demon Slayer among Hampton Roads' top Google searches of 2025 (pilotonline.com) — Hampton Roads residents, including those in Suffolk, helped push everything from Taylor Swift songs to Demon Slayer and Philadelphia Eagles jerseys onto Google’s list of top 2025 trending searches. Google’s report highlights songs, concert tickets, slang terms, and sports jerseys that spiked in interest locally. It’s a snapshot of what captured our region’s online curiosity this year.
   

• Federal cuts are taking a toll on the Great Dismal Swamp, local officials say (whro.org) — Federal funding cuts are already limiting maintenance and access at the Great Dismal Swamp entrances and refuge offices in Suffolk, shrinking hours and letting new facilities like the Jericho Lane pavilion become overgrown. Local advocates say lost federal grants have wiped out education programs tied to Suffolk Public Schools and are scrambling to replace that support with community and private help while students document the changes on the ground.
   

📸 Around Suffolk

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Suffolk

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📣 Suffolk Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • If you get a SMS like this, delete it and do not click on the link.
    It's a phishing scam designed to steal your personal info. (Nextdoor Idlewood)
  • Does anyone know how to mount a ring doorbell camera on a door?
    I didn’t know you will need a drill to mount it on the door. I thought it automatically attach to the door, but there is nothing adhesive to attach… (Nextdoor Farmers)
  • Smithfield Foods, Inc. posted a job opening for Export Freight Planner in Suffolk. Apply here.
  • Suffolk Public Schools posted a job opening for Social Studies Teacher in Suffolk. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Suffolk here.

🗞 Nearby News

Windsor

Franklin

  • VDOT addresses overnight refreezing (wdbj7.com)
  • Dead vultures in Rocky Mount mark 14th bird flu case in Virginia since July (wdbj7.com)
  • Cornerstone Building Brands Expands Rocky Mount, Virginia, Production Operations (areadevelopment.com)

Chesapeake

Ok Suffolk! 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 could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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