Thelonious Cook (left) chats with customers at his produce stand outside E. Palmer Supermarket during the Mid-Atlantic Black Farmers Market in Berkley. (Photo by Brian Saunders)
Black farmers bring fresh food and community to Norfolk's Berkley neighborhood
Brian Saunders
Norfolk Reporter
The Mid-Atlantic Black Farmers Market has launched a new initiative in Norfolk’s Berkley neighborhood to provide fresh, Black-grown produce directly to a community long recognized as a food desert.
Operating outside the Black-owned E. Palmer Supermarket through November, the market was founded by Thelonious Cook of the Mid-Atlantic Black Farmers Caucus and Navi Johnson of the RVA Black Farmers Market to bridge local food access gaps.
In Norfolk, where food insecurity impacts nearly 16% of residents and nearly a quarter of the city's children, the market offers fresh fruits, vegetables and artisan goods.
A new Medicare charge is showing up on Bayview bills. Patients say they weren’t clearly told.
One of Bayview Physicians Group’s buildings. (Photo via Bayview Physicians Group)
Several patients from Bayview Physicians Group report receiving monthly bills for Medicare's Advanced Primary Care Management program without remembering agreeing to enroll or seeing any changes in their care.
The federal program, which took effect in 2025, allows primary care practices to bill Medicare monthly for coordinating care, managing medications and tracking chronic conditions.
While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandates that providers document patient consent and clarify that cost-sharing applies, affected patients say they were never informed of potential out-of-pocket fees.
Norfolk mechanics handle surge in car damage after widespread flooding
A car drives through floodwater on Colonial Avenue in Norfolk on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (Photo by Steve Walsh)
A "one-in-100-year" rainstorm dumped more than 6 inches of water on Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood within a few hours, causing severe localized flooding that inundated streets and underpasses.
The sudden deluge doubled the workload overnight for some local mechanics, as dozens of flooded vehicles filled auto shop parking lots across the area.
AAA Tidewater reported a 14% increase in emergency service calls during the storm, while local insurance agencies saw a surge in policyholders inquiring about claims and coverage.
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