By Leonard E. Colvin
Chief Reporter
New Journal and Guide
Bernard Griffin, 75, who served 12 years on Portsmouth City Council and was well known as one of the strongest ambassadors and promoters of his hometown, died in a Norfolk hospital May 9th from complications associated with a long-term illness.
SUFFOLK
Community Capacity Builders, LLC, a local minority and woman-owned SWAM, was selected to help launch a national diabetes prevention program in the state of Virginia. Community Capacity Builders, LLC will work alongside other organizations, civic groups, businesses and faith-based organizations to help curtail, or prevent the on-set of diabetes by focusing on lifestyle changes in those citizens who are pre-diabetic.
By Randy Singleton
Community Affairs Correspondent
New Journal and Guide
RICHMOND
Actor Delroy Lindo, famous for his many character roles in Spike Lee’s movies, delivered the 2013 commencement address to 328 graduates at Virginia Union University in Richmond on Saturday (May 11). Lindo was caped and awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities by VUU president Dr. Claude Perkins and Board of Trustees chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson because of his positive contributions of the portrayal of African American life on film.
NORFOLK
Olympic gold medalist Francena McCorory will speak at the fifth annual Hampton Roads Conference for Girls and Young Women at Old Dominion University on Saturday, May 18.
By Randy Singleton
Community Affairs Correspondent
New Journal and Guide
VIRGINIA BEACH
More than 700 people attended a town hall meeting on Wednesday (May 1) organized by Virginia Beach City Councilman Bill DeSteph to hear residents’ concerns and complaints about the violence and disorderly conduct on the oceanfront caused by young people attending the College Beach Weekend (April 27-28).
The event, organized by unnamed marketing firms, targeted students at local colleges such as NSU, HU, ODU, Virginia State, VCU, and Virginia Union. The size of the crowd visiting the oceanfront grew, according to city officials, to between 30,000 to 40,000 people, fueled largely to social media. It is commonly believed the violence was caused by locals attracted to such events, not by visiting college students.