Editor

Johanna Somers

Johanna Somers is the editor of the letters to the editor sections of The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press newspapers. A former editor of The Virginian-Pilot’s community weeklies, copy editor and Portsmouth reporter, she is a Hampton Roads native and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.

Portsmouth council to discuss diversity policy for hiring contractors

August 15, 2019 at 3:10 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH The City Council is scheduled to discuss a policy on contracts for minority- and female-owned businesses at 5 p.m. today during a public work session. The topic has brought...

Fired Portsmouth Housing Authority executive lost more than $350K in severance pay

August 15, 2019 at 3:08 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH When the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority fired its executive director with cause this month, it took more than $350,000 away from him, according to a document obtained by...

Portsmouth council vote could put Councilman Mark Whitaker’s church at risk of foreclosure

August 15, 2019 at 3:11 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH Councilman Mark Whitaker is in a real estate pickle. He voted last year to approve a rule that might cause his church to be lost to foreclosure. New Bethel...

Portsmouth Councilman Mark Whitaker urges settlement for police shooting victim’s family

August 15, 2019 at 3:08 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH In the wake of a voluntary manslaughter conviction against former police Officer Stephen Rankin, Councilman Mark Whitaker is again advocating for the city to settle an expected civil suit....

Fired Portsmouth Housing Authority Director Hal Short fights back

August 15, 2019 at 3:11 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH An attorney for former Redevelopment and Housing Authority Executive Director Hal Short has demanded that board members and the board's "agents" stop making defamatory remarks, according to a letter...

HUD’s inspector general looking into Portsmouth Housing Authority, sources say

August 15, 2019 at 3:09 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general, with the support of the FBI, is looking into the city's housing authority, according to sources close to the...

Law firm that lost Portsmouth Housing Authority contract drops lawsuit, won’t reapply

August 15, 2019 at 3:09 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH The law firm that represented the city's Housing Authority for 70-plus years is dropping its lawsuit against the agency and its board and won't apply for a new contract,...

5 Portsmouth council members express concern over firing of former housing authority director

August 15, 2019 at 3:10 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH Vice Mayor Elizabeth Psimas and four other City Council members voiced their dismay Tuesday over the firing of Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority Executive Director Harry "Hal" Short. Short...

Vote on Councilman Danny Meeks’ property before Portsmouth City Council is delayed

August 15, 2019 at 3:08 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH The Portsmouth City Council's vote on changes to Councilman Danny Meeks' property has been continued. Eric Shirey, Ryan Homes' land manager asked the council to defer its application to...

Portsmouth L-O-V-E monument celebration on Wednesday

August 15, 2019 at 3:08 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH | Support Portsmouth Public Art is holding a dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday to celebrate the completion of a L-O-V-E monument next to the Crawford Bay seawall. The...

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