Concerned about the influx of chain restaurants into the region, six independent Virginia Beach restaurants put aside their rivalry to focus on competing with the chains.

?We just want people to know, ‘Hey, don?t forget us,?? said Christopher Kyrus , co-owner of Lynnhaven Fish House.

Read the entire article.

Thanks for spearheading the safety campaign on Shore Drive. I am a neighbor and close friend of the Day family. You should know how much he meant to everyone and what kind of person he was. Over 400 people attended his funeral service here in Virginia Beach on December 3, and 600 + in Charlotte, where the family lived until 3 1/2 years ago. I am attaching the remarks I made at the Virginia Beach service. ~Michele Z.

Where Shore Drive is concerned, it?s time to focus on pedestrian safety, not just traffic safety.

June Barrett-McDaniels, active volunteer member of SDAC and Lynnhaven River 2007 met John Warren, the Pilot Warrior, on Shore Drive where Mr. Ball was killed on the first.

Read entire article. You’ll be dumbfounded at how graphic the photo is too.

Drive Safe Hampton Roads is a coalition whose goal is to increase the community?s involvement and awareness of traffic safety issues.

Thanks to Todd for the tip and link.

The next SDAC meeting is scheduled for 2:00pm this coming Thursday at the Bayside Rec Center.

Received an email updating the armed robbery that happened recently in Cape Story on the bike path.

You’ve no doubt at some point made the mistake of trying to cross the Lesner Bridge on the south side and have encountered the almost impassable sand dune on the south east corner.

This $500,000 already funded project has not been considered to be scheduled to be started as it was moved off the list of priority projects to complete.

Last night, yet again, there was illegal and unsafe parking on Shore Drive.

This time, just a block away from another accident at the base of the Lesner Bridge.

So far, Don Julio’s, Yellow Fins,Croakers, Starbucks, Krogers and Shell Additions are on board either This Holiday, Drive 35 Campaign or their own version of raising awareness about how deadly Shore Drive has been for years.

The city of Virginia Beach can?t bring back Burley Thomas Day III, the 44-year-old triathlete killed last week while jogging along Shore Drive.

Nor can it return to life Kristin Highfill, Charles Henderson or James and Dawn Hale, four other pedestrians who met untimely ends along a single stretch of the busy artery this year.

With that many fatalities in a single year, Shore Drive deserves to be rechristened Death Drive.

Continue reading at Pilotonline.com.

No doubt you’ve seen that Jim Smith’s used car lot closed on December 1.
He passed away in October.

I apologize for not posting the news of his death when it was emailed to me in October.

According to WAVY, Virginia Beach Police need your help in solving two armed robberies that occurred within the past week at the Arbys Restaurant, 5197 Shore Drive.

Crime Solvers at 1-888-Lock-U-Up.

Story at WAVY.

?We have to stop thinking of pedestrians as an afterthought,? she said. ?If you look at Shore Drive on the whole, it?s very unforgiving . ? It?s our responsibility to make it as safe as possible.? Quoted by June Barret-McDaniels, a member of the SDAC.

That’s correct.

When Virginia Power was working on moving the wiring etc in the median in the last couple weeks, across from 7-11 at Marlin Bay and Shady Oaks, one of the workman was in fact hit.

Still, if we truly cared about education and safety, we?d demand that high schools start later in the morning.

?We?re letting transportation drive education,? Nancy Guy said.

Embarrassing. And dangerous.

Read commentary at the Pilotonline.com.

At least 150 people have already signed up for the rally scheduled for January 16th in Richmond.

While Congress recently approved just more than $1 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to pursue oyster restoration work in 2006, it is the smallest allocation since 2003. It will pay mostly for the corps to complete a long-term master plan of future oyster projects, officials said.

Todd’s letter to the planning committee for the 2007 Commemorations.

This was received from a neighbor on Maple St.:

  There was an armed robbery on the bike trail between Sandalwood and Maple Saturday night Dec. 3.  Four black men, robbed a man, out walking his dog at 8:50pm, between Maple and Sandalwood.

In it, they ask for immediate improvements, like traffic signals, new signage, reducing the speed limit in some places and improving sidewalk access.