It’s Wednesday. Let’s get after it. 

Today’s Weather: High of 61 degrees and sopping wet.

Here’s what we’re watching today:

🎷 Virginia Arts Fest Ramps Up The Spring Season

🚆 NS Railroad Investor Battle Could Spell Trouble for Norfolk 

📆 Next Three Days of Events

🎷 Virginia Arts Fest Ramps Up The Spring Season

The trees are budding, we’ve got a few warm days, spring is close at hand. As is the whirlwind peak months of the Virginia Arts Festival. 

Headquartered in downtown Norfolk, but hosting events in many corners of the 757, the Virginia Arts Festival puts on several dozen shows each year. 2024 will be it’s 27th season, with an estimated economic impact of over $25 million. 

This season’s lineup includes broadway shows, Grammy Award-winners, country music, classical music, ballet, jazz, marching bands, and a whole lot more. 

The season is anchored by the Virginia International Tattoo featuring 800 performers from 8 nations. The civilian and military cast perform much more than the usual military marching bands, with bagpipes, bikes, and more surprises. The 2024 VIT marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO and 80 years since the D-Day landings. 

Another notable act this season is Joss Stone, the Grammy-award-winning artist who’s been called “Aretha Joplin” for her raw blues sound and gospel-tinged voice. 

Joining the Grammy-winning line-up is Jessie Montgomery, who’s on a two-year residency with the Virginia Arts Fest and was recently selected as Musical America’s 2023 composer of the year. 

One more Grammy-winner to make sure you don’t miss: Aoife O’Donovan alongside Yasmin Wililams, The Wildmans, and Eric Jacobsen, the music director of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. 

That’s just a small taste of the lineup over April, May, and June. There’s something for everyone this season. Find your show here. 

🚆 NS Railroad Investor Battle Could Spell Trouble for Norfolk 

Norfolk Southern Railroad, a major local employer and historic regional powerhouse, is a Fortune 500 company with a lot invested in the 757.  While the HQ was moved from Norfolk to Atlanta, the railroad company still employs a large number of people in Norfolk and owns a ton of land here. 

The company leadership has recently come under attack by an activist investor for having operating ratios (operating expenses as a percentage of revenue) that are substantially higher than peer companies. 

The activist investor, Ancora Holdings, has taken a $1 billion position in Norfolk Southern. Ancora is hoping to force a change in leadership at the company in order to reduce operating ratios to create more “shareholder value.” Anacora has nominated a slate of officers that includes Former Ohio Governor John Kasich. 

Ancora is thought to be pursuing the use of precision scheduled railroading at Norfolk Southern to reduce operating ratios. PSR generally means less frequent and longer trains to provide service that is more consistent (compared to waiting for a long train to be loaded). 

 Other railroads that implemented PSR reduced headcounts by 25%. The railroad workers unions argue that the reduced headcount “jeopardizes the ability of workers such as signal maintainers and carmen from doing a thorough inspection.” 

What’s it all mean for Norfolk? Well, there could be new people at the helm of one of the region’s largest employers and land-owners. Land-use policy or Amtrak-accommodating policies could change. If they do implement PSR, there could be changes to train crossing traffic and there’s a precedent for large layoffs. 

It’s all evolving still as investors, board members, and executives, fight over the path forward. But watch this space. 

📆 Next Three Days of Events

WEDNESDAY:
Klassic Doughnut Popup at Cova Brewing. 7:00 am. Rip it. 
Align: Small Business Series at NSU Innovation Center. 10:00 am. Rip it. 
Happy Hour Social Mixer at The Ghent Rooftop Bar. 4:30 pm. Rip it. 
Super Casual Wednesday Bike Ride departing Slow & Steady Bikes. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Spiritual Colors and Their Meaning at Aries Apothecary. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Boardgame Night at Atlantis Games & Comics. 6:00pm. Rip it.
D&D Game Night at Atlantis Games & Comics. 6:00pm. Rip it.
Norfolk Run Club Wednesday Meetup at Reaver Beach. 6:20 pm. Rip it. 
Verb Benders 2024 1-2-3 SLAM at The Venue on 35th. 6:30 pm. Rip it. 
Trivia Night at Smartmouth. 6:30 pm. Rip it.
Open Mic Night at Mudita Cafe. 7:00 pm. Rip it.
Planetarium Show at Michael and Kimthanh Lê Planetarium. 7:00pm. Rip it.
Trivia Night at MJ’s Tavern. 7:00 pm. Rip it.
Trivia Night at Torch Bistro. 7:00 pm. Rip it.
Trivia Night at Hank’s Filling Station. 7:00 pm. Rip it.
Bhav Brigade Yoga at Norfolk Karate Academy. 7:15 pm. Rip it.
Ken Ludwig's The Three Musketeers at Wells Theater. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 
Padraic "Tiny" McNeela performs live at Grace O’Malley’s. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 

THURSDAY:
Ghent Business Association Monthly Meeting at Ohef Sholom. 8:30 am. Rip it. 
Amanda and Roo perform live at Grace O’Malley’s. 11:00 am. Rip it. 
NSU Basketball vs Howard. 5:30 pm. Rip it. 
Open Mic Night at Cova Brewing Company. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Thrilling Thursday Bike Ride at East Coast Bicycles. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Tidewater Burners Happy Hour at Toast. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
First Thursdays Party at Chrysler Museum. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Open Gym at Push Comedy. 6:30 pm. Rip it.
POSSES$ION - 8th Annual Immersive Theatre Series at Hermitage Museum & Gardens. 6:30 pm. Rip it.
Tidewater United Disc Golf Putting League at Smartmouth. 6:30 pm. Rip it.
Dropkick Murphys perform live at Chartway Arena. 7:00 pm. Rip it.
LAVA Presents: Swirlies, You're Jovian at Chicho’s Backstage. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Improv Night with Trip Rumble at Reaver NFK. 7:00 pm. Rip it.
Chloe Youtsey performs live at Brothers. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Trivia Night at Bold Mariner. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Trivia Night at Pixel’s. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Trivia Night at Baxter’s. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Trivia Night at Stockpot. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Collage Dance Collective at Chrysler Hall. 7:30 pm. Rip it.
Ken Ludwig's The Three Musketeers at Wells Theater. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 
Padraic "Tiny" McNeela performs live at Grace O’Malley’s. 7:30 pm. Rip it.
Performers Playground Stage Workshop at The Venue on 35th. 9:00 pm. Rip it.

FRIDAY:
Norfolk Run Club Friday Meetup at Yorgo's Bageldashery. 6:00 am. Rip it
Board Game Demo: Flags by Boardroom Creative Collective at Atlantis Games & Comics. 1:00 pm. Rip it
Beer Release: Girl Dinner at Cova Brewing Company. 4:00 pm. Rip it
Sumi-E: Year of the Dragon - Opening Reception at Titustown Community Center. 5:00 pm. Rip it
Friday Night Magic: Commander at Atlantis Games & Comics. 6:00 pm. Rip it
Friday Night Live: Left to Rust at Cova Brewing Company. 6:00 pm. Rip it 
ODU Ducks Unlimited Oyster Roast at Afterglow Brewing. 6:00 pm. Rip it.
Shamrockin’ In Ghent on Colley Ave. 6:00 pm. Rip it. 
Hampton Roads Pride Night: Madama Butterfly at Harrison Opera House. 6:30 pm. Rip it
Malbec Tasting at Vino Culture. 6:30 pm. Rip it.
POSSES$ION: - 8th Annual Immersive Theatre Series at Hermitage Museum and Gardens. 6:30 pm. Rip it
LAVA Presents: J.Flax & The Heart Attacks , Prabir Trio , Gratitude Pranks at Chicho's Pizza Backstage. 7:00 pm. Rip it 
The Muse Neighborhood Jam at The Muse Writers Center. 7:00 pm. Rip it
Cypher Night at House of Consciousness. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
K-POP Night at CM Chicken Norfolk. 7:00 pm. Rip it
Madama Butterfly at Harrison Opera House. 7:30 pm. Rip it. 
Noel & Jaylen performs live at Brothers. 7:00 pm. Rip it
Drum Circle at Mystic Moon Norfolk. 7:00 pm. Rip it. 
Ken Ludwig's The Three Musketeers at Wells Theatre. 7:30 pm. Rip it
Friday Night Magic: Draft at Atlantis Games & Comics. 7:30 pm. Rip it
Carmina Burana live at Ferguson Center for the Arts. 7:30 pm. Rip it
How the West was Improvised: The Made Up Western at Push Comedy Theater. 8:00 pm. Rip it
Gabriel Iglesia: Don't Worry Be Fluffy Tour at Chartway Arena. 8:00 pm. Rip it
Fallout Commander Party at Atlantis Games & Comics. 8:00 pm. Rip it
Padraic "Tiny" McNeela Plays at Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub & Restaurant. 8:30 pm. Rip it 
Tales from the Campfire at Push Comedy Theater. 10:00 pm. Rip it