PORTSMOUTH, Va. — City crews spent Wednesday working through the Truxtun and Douglass Park neighborhoods as part of Portsmouth's ROC the Block initiative, addressing potholes, trash, overgrown trees and other neighborhood concerns.
The day began at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, where city employees and volunteers gathered before heading into the surrounding neighborhoods.
Devarrio Coleman, who works on Portsmouth's cave-in team, said crews try to address problems when they see them.
"Whatever we see, we just try to jump on it right away," Coleman said. "As long as we got the material and things to do it and we see it, we gon get it done."
Coleman's crew handles potholes, cave-ins and concrete work throughout the city.
"It's like a lot of manual hand work so we like, like we said we the backbone of the city," Coleman said.
The city started the ROC the Block initiative two years ago and rotates the event through different neighborhoods every other month.
Peter Glagola, the city's director of marketing and communications, said about 200 employees participate in each event. Crews work on projects that can include litter pickup, trimming overgrown trees, inspecting stormwater drains, checking street signs and repairing potholes.
The initiative also includes door-to-door outreach. April Brown, who works for Portsmouth Public Works, said employees talk with residents about the work being done in their neighborhoods.
"If they come to the door, we'll explain what we're doing," Brown said.
But not every resident views the city's presence as evidence that neighborhood upkeep is being addressed.
One resident WTKR's Naomi Washington spoke with off camera near Portsmouth Boulevard said he feels the city has often neglected upkeep in that part of the neighborhood.
Glagola said residents and civic leagues are encouraged to participate.
"We tell the civic leagues and other community members to come out and help. We are here and available. This isn't just an employee event," Glagola said.
The crews left the neighborhoods around lunchtime.
The city also received the Virginia Municipal League's 2026 Innovation Award this past weekend for ROC the Block.
Glagola said the next ROC the Block event is scheduled for Nov. 18. The location has not yet been selected.
Click here to see how we use AI at WTKR News 3.
