Hampton Roads Magazine

Newsmakers & Noisemakers

A city or region can be defined by its people: the good, the bad and the ugly.

It is indeed a difficult task to look around Hampton Roads and not see some part that Peter G. Decker Jr. hasn’t touched: hospitals; museums; theater groups; youth centers; schools; community groups; parades; historical societies. You gave the nod to this local attorney (irony?) as Hampton Roads’ best role model. It’s well deserved.

Allen Iverson, unfortunately, is the other side of the coin. We knew he and his posse were in trouble since his high school tirade at the local bowling alley. It’s no surprise this corn-rowed 76er was voted Hampton Roads’ least favorite. Even so, #3 is the top-selling NBA jersey, 2004 U.S. Olympic team or not.

And if defeating a referendum to raise taxes was the best thing to happen in Hampton Roads in 2002, I’m heading up to Philly.

Here. You take a look.

Local scandal of the year
1. Vice Mayor Robert C. Mandigo’s resignation after a judge ruled that he assaulted his estranged wife
2. Clergy sexual abuse
3. VDOT inadequacies

Hampton Roads’ unsung hero
1. Paul D. Fraim (mayor, Norfolk)
2. Alonzo Mourning (center, Miami Heat)
3. Ricky Rudd (NASCAR)

Best role model in Hampton Roads
1. Peter G. Decker Jr. (attorney, former National Executive Vice President in charge of fund raising for St. Jude Hospital)
2. Alonzo Mourning (center, Miami Heat)
3. Meyera E. Oberndorf (mayor, Va. Beach)

Worst role model in Hampton Roads
1. Allen Iverson (guard, Philadelphia 76ers)
2. Pernell “Sweetpea” Whitaker (former world boxing champion)
3. William P. “Billy” Robinson Jr. (Virginia House of Delegates, Democrat, 90th District)

Local who needs to put a cork in it
1. Andy Fox (WAVY 10 Newscaster)
2. Meyera E. Oberndorf (mayor, Va. Beach)
3. Dr. Mamie Locke (mayor, Hampton)

Best thing to happen in Hampton Roads in 2002
1. Defeat of referendum to raise taxes for roads
2. ODU Ted Constant Convocation Center
3. 9/11 unity

Worst thing to happen in Hampton Roads in 2002
1. Drought
2. I-64 roadwork
3. No national sports franchise—again!

Worst waste of taxpayer money in 2002
1. Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) inability to forecast and estimate costs of road projects
2. Widening I-64 traffic in Hampton/Newport News
3. City of Chesapeake’s spending on mosquito control ($17,919 per square mile)

A Hampton Roads tradition that should continue
1. Harborfest
2. Boardwalk Christmas Lights
3. Azalea Festival

Biggest hassle in Hampton Roads
1. Traffic
2. Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (Note: 86,000 vehicles travel on the Bridge-Tunnel daily)
3. I-64