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January – March

April – June

July

Dormant shopping center to become condos

On July 26, 2024, the Suffolk City Council voted unanimously to approve the rezoning of a dormant shopping center at 1226 White Marsh Rd. to allow for the construction of a 78-unit condominium complex. The project, submitted by Coastal Virginia Partners, LLC, will include a mix of residential and commercial space, with a minimum unit size of 1,000 square feet. Grady Palmer, a Norfolk real estate lawyer representing the applicant, stated that the shopping center is in desperate need of revitalization and that the project will include a community-scale retail space. Demolition is expected to begin one year from the vote date and the condos are projected to sell for approximately $300,000.

Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail receives $5 million grant

On July 9, 2024, Suffolk received a $5.3 million grant from the Department of Transportation for the Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail. The grant will fund enhancements and construction of a 2.2-mile segment of the trail, including an asphalt path with gravel shoulders and a raised boardwalk over wetlands. This segment will connect the trail from the northern terminus of Segment 3B to Nansemond River High School, closing the gap between Segments 3A and 3B. The Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail is part of a larger trail system that includes the Beaches to Bluegrass Trail, East Coast Greenway Trail, South Hampton Roads Trail, and Birthplace of America Trail.

Duman awarded as 2024 First Citizen

On Sept. 26, Michael D. Duman, President of Mike Duman Auto Sales and Mayor of the City of Suffolk, was honored as the recipient of the 2024 First Citizen Award. The award was presented by the Suffolk and North Suffolk Rotary Clubs at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. The award is given to individuals who exemplify the “spirit of citizenship” and who have made significant contributions to the city of Suffolk. Duman is a graduate of Old Dominion University and served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve. He established his first auto dealership in 1980, becoming the youngest Ford-Mercury Dealer in the country at that time. Duman has supported various nonprofits and organizations, including the Obici Hospital K-9 Kandystriper Therapy Dog Program, the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots Holiday Wrestling Camp, and Suffolk Youth Athletic Association. Duman accepted the award from his aunts, Honey Polner and Harriet Archer. In his remarks, Duman expressed his pride in being associated with the Rotary Club and quoted Muhammad Ali: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”

Later in the year, Duman announced the sale of a portion of his dealership to Priority Automotive.

August

Suffolk celebrates Chief Buie’s swearing-in ceremony

On Aug. 13, 2024, James “Danny” Buie was officially sworn in as the new Chief of Police for the City of Suffolk at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Alongside city officials, his wife, and grandson, Buie received his badge and took his Oath of Office before the Hon. Nicole A. Belote, Chief Judge of Suffolk General District Court. Mayor Michael D. Duman praised Buie’s character and leadership, highlighting his humility, honor, dedication, and genuineness. Buie expressed gratitude to his family, friends, officials, and team members for their support. He emphasized the importance of a strong relationship between the police department and the community, acknowledging that the department “belongs to the citizens of Suffolk”. Buie stated his commitment to fostering that partnership and ensuring that the Suffolk Police Department works for the people of Suffolk.

Harbor Freight to bring new location to Suffolk

On Aug. 14, 2024, Harbor Freight Tools announced that it plans to open a new store in Suffolk, Virginia, marking its 38th store in the state. Construction was expected to begin in Sept. 2024, with a tentative opening date in Nov. 2024, however, as of this writing, the location has not yet opened and no updates have been provided by the company. The store is said to be located in the Suffolk Shopping Center on N. Main St. and will occupy 16,800 square feet. 

September

2 dead, 3 others injured in E. Washington shooting

On Sept. 13, 2024, at approximately 11:25 p.m., Suffolk Police responded to a shooting in the 800 block of East Washington Street. Officers found multiple people shot at the scene. Suffolk Fire & Rescue provided emergency medical assessment and treatment to the victims. One adult male was pronounced deceased at the scene, and another adult male died at a local hospital. Three other individuals–two adult males and one adult female–sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The victims who died in the shooting have been identified as William Eugene Goodman Jr., 37, of Suffolk and Demonte Lamont Tillery, 30, of Suffolk. The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. The Suffolk Police Department encourages anyone with information about the shooting to contact them or the Suffolk Crime Line.

A new era begins with Port 460 groundbreaking

On Sept. 5, 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Port 460 Logistics Center in Suffolk, Virginia. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin spoke at the event. Phase one of the project will deliver 2.4 million square feet of industrial space across five buildings. The first two buildings and the development’s infrastructure will be delivered by next year. Phase two will follow with a total of 2.6 million square feet. The project is expected to create 2,600 jobs during the construction phase and support over 9,000 jobs once fully completed. Suffolk Mayor Michael Duman highlighted the project’s strategic location near the Port of Virginia, emphasizing its potential to boost the city’s position in global commerce. To address concerns about traffic congestion, Duman announced that $30.1 million had been secured from the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund (TPOF) to improve 2.3 miles of Route 460.

Suffolk woman guilty for over $1.3 million healthcare fraud

On Aug. 28, 2024, Whitteney Guyton, a 43-year-old Suffolk services provider, pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud and six counts of making false statements regarding healthcare matters. Guyton, the owner and operator of Synergy Health Systems LLC, defrauded the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) from June 2016 to Oct. 2018, obtaining approximately $1,320,088. Guyton billed Medicaid for services Synergy claimed to provide, but the company’s records were falsified, incomplete, and included inflated times.

Synergy offered personal care, respite care, and mental health skill-building services that required assessments from licensed professionals to comply with Medicaid regulations. Although Guyton had an LCSW contractor until July 2017, she did not have another licensed mental health professional until Oct. 2018. Guyton instructed her staff to forge signatures on assessments and certifications, resulting in fraudulent billing and receipts of over $740,000 from DMAS for mental health services, $50,000 for personal care and respite services, and an additional $480,000 for patients with no documentation of assessments. Guyton is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025, and faces 10 years in prison.

 

October – December