Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Which Portsmouth Halloween event will your family pick this year?
Coming up: Pink Ribbon Run 5K on the Portsmouth Patch calendar
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:
- Which Portsmouth Halloween event will your family pick this year?
- What's open and closed in Portsmouth this Indigenous Peoples Day?
- Do big donors really sway how Portsmouth-area politicians vote?
Also on today's calendar: Gently Viewed Art and Yard Sale and 6 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you call somebody who crosses the ocean twice and doesn't take a bath? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Sunday: Tropical Rainstorm Isaias, with a high of 79 and low of 65 degrees.
- Monday: Partly sunny and less humid, temps: high: 76, low: 58.
- Tuesday: Sunny and very warm, with a high of 82 and low of 61 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. 2026 Hampton Roads Halloween & Fall events guide (wavy.com) — Portsmouth families get clear guidance that city trick‑or‑treating for kids 12 and under ends at 8 p.m., plus a full lineup of local Halloween fun. You can choose from the city's Safe Trunk or Treat at the Portsmouth Pavilion, Harley Halloween on Frederick Boulevard, a Ghostly Golf Ghouls tournament at Bide‑A‑Wee, and the Halloween Hustle 5K and Kids Spooky Shuffle at St. Julien's Creek. 
2. This is how government services will be affected by Indigenous Peoples Day (pilotonline.com) — If you live in Portsmouth, expect city offices, libraries, and most recreation centers to be closed on Indigenous Peoples Day, though schools, trash pickup, and HRT transit will run on normal schedules. Knowing which services are open or closed Monday can help you plan errands, childcare, and recreation without unnecessary trips or surprises.
3. Following the Funds: Do campaign donations influence how a politician votes? (wavy.com) — From right here in Portsmouth, this piece breaks down how campaign donations really work and whether big contributors can sway a politician's votes. A local political scientist explains that money mainly buys access, not guaranteed outcomes, as new Virginia campaign finance reports are set to be released next week. It's a timely primer for residents watching local and federal races.
4. Break-In Attempt on a Quiet Portsmouth Street Ends With the Intruder Dead at the Scene (usacarry.com) — A man was fatally shot while allegedly trying to break into a home on Shoreline Drive in Portsmouth early Monday, and police say they are not seeking any other suspects. Investigators are still determining whether the shooting was legally justified under Virginia's self-defense laws, while longtime neighbors describe the street as typically quiet and safe.
5. Collective bargaining debate continues across Hampton Roads as cities weigh employee needs, budgets (13newsnow.com) — Portsmouth City Council has approved a collective bargaining ordinance that lets eligible city employees formally organize and negotiate over pay, benefits, and working conditions. The move, part of a broader Hampton Roads debate, could affect how Portsmouth competes for workers and balances employee needs with budgets for schools, infrastructure, and public safety in the years ahead.
📸 Around Portsmouth
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Portsmouth
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Pink Ribbon Run 5K →
Portsmouth
Friday October 16
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- NPS Specialty Program Showcase
Norview High School, 6501 Chesapeake Blvd Auditorium, Norfolk
6:00 pm - Specialty Programs Showcase Night
Norview High School
6:00 pm - Virtual Meet GSA Night: Isle of Wight/Southampton/Franklin-Register
Governor's School for the Arts Norfolk, VA 23510
7:00 pm - Life After Williams School
Governor's School for the Arts Norfolk, VA 23510
7:00 pm - CHYNA'S PLAYBOY HALLOWEEN →
4040 Missy Elliott Boulevard, Portsmouth
9:00 pm - Gently Viewed Art and Yard Sale →
Hill House Museum Garden, 221 North St, Portsmouth
9:00 am - Decoys Oyster Roast →
Decoys Seafood, Portsmouth
12:00 pm - Hipp Hop & R&B Raised Me "All Black Libra Edition" →
Venue 757, 4582 George Washington Highway, Portsmouth
9:00 pm
Tuesday October 13
Wednesday October 14
Friday October 16
Saturday October 17
📣 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
- Driving Improvement Class Norfolk VA →
Wyndham Garden Inn Norfolk, 700 Monticello Ave., Norfolk
9:00 am - Food Truck: Moontide Sundries →
Cova Brewing, 9529 Shore Drive, Norfolk
10:00 am - Board Game Sundays →
Cova Brewing, 9529 Shore Drive, Norfolk
1:00 pm - See Her Win, 4th Annual Survivor Event →
Regus, 223 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk
2:00 pm
Sunday October 11
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Portsmouth PatchAM possible:
- AARP Virginia — (866) 542-8164
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Good morning, neighbors lm Stacey.
I work at the Cato in Churchland in the Food Lion shopping center and we have the BCA mobile mammogram truck here today from 10 to 2. You can call… (Nextdoor Belvedere of Churchland) - My sister found these dogs 900 block of Mineo Lane in Portsmouth.
She has taken them to the Portsmouth Humane Society. (Nextdoor Park Manor)
- LifePoint Health posted a job opening for Clinical Liaison (CL) in Portsmouth. Apply here.
- Pizza Hut - Flynn Group posted a job opening for Assistant Manager in Portsmouth. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Portsmouth here.
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: "What do you call somebody who crosses the ocean twice and doesn't take a bath?" — A dirty double crosser ! (Thank you Theresia F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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