Historic park
Re “Norfolk’s historic Barraud Park expected to reopen by summer” (A2, Jan. 28): What’s wrong with the leadership of the city of Norfolk? On Wednesday, The Pilot published the news that COVID-funded repairs are finally getting underway by the contractor E. T. Gresham Co. Historic Barraud Park is a remnant of Norfolk’s segregated days, but its management by the city still holds the flavor of “not being cared about by the city.” The communities that use this park are mostly Lindenwood, Cottage Heights and Barraud Park, which are mostly African American homeowners and renters. I say, shame on you, city leaders of Norfolk, for forgetting about such simple improvements such as sidewalks, basketball courts and sewer improvements. Not only that, but the necessary renovation of restrooms will be delayed again until the offseason.
The money has been there since 2021. What’s wrong with the leadership of the city of Norfolk as it pertains to our hard-working families in these communities? By the way, these communities are remnants of redlining that the city permitted during segregation. They deserve better.
Maureen Marroni, Norfolk
Cork & Bull Chophouse
Re “9 women file lawsuit claiming discrimination” (A1, Jan. 22): My wife and I have called Hampton Roads home for 66 years. We have worked together starting businesses, including several restaurants.
On Nov. 6, 2025, an unprecedented event started at one of our restaurants, Cork & Bull Chophouse in Chesapeake, when a table of women disrupted service by openly brawling in the dining room.
Unfortunately, a table of nine women were impacted by having chairs turned over by the fighting women. These women have now decided to unjustly accuse our staff of being discriminatory and racist.
We spent more than 80 days investigating how our staff reacted, right or wrong. We believe the evidence clearly shows the table of women being aggressive to our staff and disruptive in the dining room. Our staff acted in the appropriate way in handling this outrageous behavior and told the women to leave.
The damage to Cork & Bull’s reputation and revenue is substantial. Threats to the staff were called in, threatening emails were sent and “staged” protests coordinated to disrupt service.
We provided an opportunity to these women to discuss the actions by both parties and the opportunity was refused.
We look forward to vindicating our staff’s reputation in light of the false accusations and demeaning articles. When such is evident, those views must be challenged.
Those who have known me and my wife, know we operate our businesses without regard to race, sex or age and employ hundreds of families. For our family to be called racists, you do not know us.
Robert “Brian” Mullins, Chesapeake
Absurd politics
Recent moves by Gov. Abigail Spanberger and the liberal circus known as the legislature of the commonwealth of Virginia would lead one to believe that “affordability” is a promise kept in our democratic utopia.
The truth is that lowering the price of essential items such as housing, food and clothing by raising taxes is a sham. Keeping our streets safe by forming another layer of government to “study elements of gun violence” is more bureaucracy that does nothing to benefit the state, other than require more taxes and make jobs for other Democrats.
Where is the logic in claiming to seek lower prices when your restrictions and business taxes discourage businesses from operating here? Even California is mourning the loss of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, a Silicon Valley staple, that left for Texas.
This should convince legislators that raising corporate taxes is a no-win scenario. But they keep right on submitting bills that will make this state unaffordable to anyone outside of Northern Virginia. Now you see the real agenda.
Richard M. Timberlake, Williamsburg
