TOP STORIES: EPA on toxic Portsmouth site, ODU conducts safety review, Artemis II returns
The Environmental Protection Agency is hosting a public meeting to address ongoing concerns and recent discoveries at the Peck Iron and Metal Superfund site in Portsmouth.
EPA to hold public meeting on toxic Portsmouth Superfund site after explosives and radium discoveredThe meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, at 6:15 p.m. at Portsmouth City Hall. Located at the end of the South Norfolk Jordan Bridge and fenced off with a danger sign, the site was originally used for processing scrap metal from military bases. It has been on the EPA's National Priority Superfund list since November 2009.
Around 2019, EPA assessments found the soil highly contaminated with carcinogenic chemical compounds and heavy metals, including cobalt and lead. "Anytime, we have flooding, heavy rains, which we experience, often now, that's going to move those, those contaminants are mobile," Lisa Renee Jennings with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said.
The EPA is now preparing a Focused Feasibility Study to assess if the original remedy issued in 2023 for the on-site soils and sediments is still appropriate. The site's history and unknown long-term health risks have raised concerns for neighbors in the nearby Cradock neighborhood. When it comes to human health risk, Jennings says attending the public meeting is where people will learn more. "That remains unknown. It is unknown, which is why we're encouraging people to show up at City Hall and ask their questions," Jennings said.
Old Dominion University has hired the Cooley law firm to conduct an independent review of last month's shooting and campus safety, President Brian Hemphill said in an email Monday.
This review comes in the wake of a continued dispute between the ODU Faculty Senate and the university's administration over safety following the deadly shooting that occurred in Constant Hall. "This seasoned and skilled team has worked on prior engagements together in which they have exhibited unwavering integrity, great synergy, and proven results," Hemphill wrote, adding that the team has already started to work.
Two days before March's shooting, the Faculty Senate issued a vote of no confidence in Hemphill. Then, on March 26, the faculty resurfaced a 2024 faculty email about safety concerns in the building that houses the Strome College of Business. The 2024 email from a member of the faculty was sent directly to Hemphill and discusses a specific safety incident and concerns over the security of Constant Hall and its classrooms. The Faculty Senate alleged that the concerns with the door lock systems had not been addressed by March 12, 2026, when online student and convicted felon Mohamed Bailor Jalloh entered a classroom and shot and killed ROTC instructor Brandon Shah.
Hemphill called the independent review a "moral imperative" to ensure the safety of every ODU student. The independent review will be a rigorous look into what led up to the shooting and a deep dive into ODU's safety policies and active shooter training, Hemphill said. "This University will be guided by the findings and recommendations to ensure that we emerge from this stronger with a sustained focus on safety and security," Hemphill wrote.
Ground controllers reestablished radio contact with the four astronauts of the Artemis II lunar mission as they made history on Monday, reemerging from behind the far side of the moon.
"It is so great to hear from Earth again," mission specialist Christina Koch said. The loss of signal began at roughly 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time and lasted roughly 40 minutes. During this phase of the mission, the spacecraft reached its closest point relative to the lunar surface (about 4,067 miles), and its furthest point from Earth's surface (about 252,760 miles). Earlier on Monday, the four astronauts surpassed the previous distance record set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970, when they traveled about 248,655 miles from Earth.
The crew continued their observations and recordings of the lunar surface, capturing photos and videos and taking notes as they study parts of the moon that have never been seen before. They also witnessed an "Earthset" and an "Earthrise" as the moon temporarily blocked their view of Earth. The crew also observed a solar eclipse as the moon passed between Integrity and the sun, and saw apparent impact flashes on the lunar surface. These flashes are believed to be byproducts of impacts from space debris and may give clues about the behavior and history of the solar system.
The spacecraft's internal lights were turned off so the crew could more easily see details on the relatively dim lunar surface. The astronauts have been issued cameras with zoom lenses to get a closer view of their target and are recording voice notes as they make their observations. The observations and notes the astronauts make will be crucial for matching up to recorded data once the flyby is complete. Artemis II has begun its trip back to Earth and is expected to splash down off the California coast just after 8 p.m. EDT Friday.
This morning's weather: Some frost possible Wednesday morning
Meteorologist Tony Nargi says today will start off mostly cloudy with some clearing expected later today. High's will be in the 50s along the immediate coast, with low to mid 60s inland. Winds will be breezy out of the NE at 10-20 mph. Overnight will be chilly, with lows dropping into the 30s and low 40s. Some patchy frost is possible, and a freeze warning may be put in place for far inland areas.
For the latest weather updates, watch Tony live on News 3 This Morning here.
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