“They’ve come from Ocean Park, Baylake Pines and Chic’s Beach, the kinds of places where everyone knows everyone. They’ve paid for a show – about $35,000 in donations – and it’s Doczi’s job to deliver.”

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People gather along the beach near the Aeries on the Bay area of Virginia Beach to watch holiday fireworks at dusk on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The fireworks are privately- funded by the three area civic leagues along that part of the bay, including Chic's Beach. (Martin Smith-Rodden | The Virginian-Pilot)

People gather along the beach near the Aeries on the Bay area of Virginia Beach to watch holiday fireworks at dusk on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The fireworks are privately- funded by the three area civic leagues along that part of the bay, including Chic’s Beach. (Martin Smith-Rodden | The Virginian-Pilot)

Check out entire article at Pilotonline.com.

LIFE ALONG THE BAY
This is the last of seven weekly narratives highlighting the beauty, vibrancy and struggles of the city’s Chesapeake Bay and Shore Drive communities.

Household hazardous waste collection at LRNOW’s Fall Festival

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Learn more about Lynnhaven River NOW.

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Cleaning out your garage? Don’t throw out that old paint! Properly dispose of it! The city will be collecting household hazardous waste items during our October 11th Fall Festival at Rosemont Elementary School in Green Run. Review the list below and bring your hazardous waste items with you to the festival!

Acceptable Household Hazardous Waste items include:
Up to five gallons of liquids or up to 75 pounds of dry materials
Aerosol spray cans
Automotive fluids
Batteries: Alkaline (AA, AAA, C, D), Boat, Car, Camera, Cell phone, Hearing aid, Lead acid, Lithium, Rechargeable, Trucks
Herbicides
Household cleaners
Gasoline (up to 5 gallons)
Fertilizer
Pool Chemicals
Light bulbs – small quantities of CFLs or fluorescent tubes
Oil and water based paint
Pesticides
Propane tanks (small – up to 20 lb. capacity)
Materials will not be bulked on site, so containers will not be returned. Specifically applies to materials such as used motor oil and old gasoline.
For your ease of transport and handling, recommend using a box for multiple containers of materials.
We are not taking tires at this event. We can receive residential vehicle tires in small quantities at the Resource Recovery Facility at the Landfill at 1989 Jake Sears Road. For more information, visit http://www.VBgov.com/landfill.
Household Hazardous Waste Helpful Tips:·Items should be in original containers, preferably with label visible.

The Virginia Oyster is Back – Inside Business Article featuring local Chris Ludford

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“There’s a revolution happening,” said Chris Ludford, owner of Ludford Brothers Oyster Co., a boutique oyster grower in Virginia Beach. “In the last four to five years we’ve regained a foothold in a younger population of oyster eaters.”

Click here to read the entire article http://insidebiz.com/news/virginia-oyster-back

Alfonso Joseph Strazzullo, 88, of Virginia Beach, VA, passed away Monday, September 1, 2014

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AlStrazz

Al was an inspiring friend who you could always count on. Those who had the good fortune to know him knew he acted much younger than his age and was always interested in learning something knew and if he could help fix something, anything, he was your man. His sense of humor was infectious.

Al’s energy, enthusiasm and love for the Shore Drive community was unlimited.

He played critical roles in preserving Pleasure House Point, helping Shore Drive become safer for pedestrians, cyclists – everyone, by getting our speed limit to the appropriate level and helping us get the infrastructure projects in place that you see happening right now and for years to come, ensuring the City Marina stayed a Public Marina and much more.

Reviewing Our Work page – he was always involved whether it was creating and sharing his edgy cartoons to inspire others, to contacting anyone in power that could help improve the Shore Drive community, writing to whomever could make a difference, to presenting powerful presentations at public hearings – Al was there.

Thank you for making our world a better place.

Our condolences to Al’s family and friends.

View Al’s Obituary here.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, 1264 Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach.

Love traffic in Hampton Roads? Yea. Check out Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization’s Survey

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Start here to view the Congestion Management Process Survey and related Draft Report.

The HRPDC provides staffing for the HRTPO to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities and to coordinate efforts with the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA), and VDOT. The HRTPO’s Technical Advisory Committee provides review and recommendations on all regional transportation planning efforts.

“It’s the best-kept secret in Virginia Beach,” his wife chimes in.

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Some guy from a show called the Deadliest Catch was in Froggies over Labor Day weekend

Some guy from a show called the Deadliest Catch was in Froggies – Ocean Park – over Labor Day weekend

Read article entitled At day’s end, nightlife begins along Chesapeake Bay at Pilotonline.com.

“The small piece of plastic that likely contributed to the death of the whale in the Elizabeth River last week was part of a DVD case, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center said.”

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From Pilotonline.com:

This sharp piece of plastic was found in a stomach chamber during a necropsy of the 45-foot long female sei whale that died in the Elizabeth River last week. (Courtesy of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center)

This sharp piece of plastic was found in a stomach chamber during a necropsy of the 45-foot long female sei whale that died in the Elizabeth River last week. (Courtesy of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center)

A whale.

Please, please, please never ever litter AND choose to pick up litter particularly plastic where ever you see it.

“Mrs. Brown – elegant, thin and warm with wispy white curls – takes line-dancing lessons twice a week. She sails and regularly swims in the bay, and is active with the Shore Drive Community Coalition and Lynnhaven River Now, an environmental nonprofit.”

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The series continues at Pilotlonline.com:

And what better backdrop for their final act than the Chesapeake Bay, Mrs. Brown asks.

They have front-row seats for the drama of hurricanes, the action of windsurfing and the comedy of playful dolphins.

“We love the bay,” Mrs. Brown says. “There’s always something going on.”

Westminster Canterbury residents Penny and Ty Brown relax after playing in a croquet tournament Saturday morning, August 23, 2014. (Martin Smith-Rodden | The Virginian-Pilot)

Westminster Canterbury residents Penny and Ty Brown relax after playing in a croquet tournament Saturday morning, August 23, 2014. (Martin Smith-Rodden | The Virginian-Pilot)

Weekly #LESNERBRIDGE update from Public Works Manager

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*** As a reminder, the sidewalk on westbound Shore Drive is closed to pedestrians and cyclists between Page Avenue and East Stratford Street. If pedestrians need to cross the bridge, they will need to cross the eastbound bridge where we have provided a temporary 4-foot wide pedestrian/cyclist access.

Read entire update from an email:

Folks:

Below is the latest update for the Lesner Bridge Project from Chris Wojtowicz, project manager. Please let either Chris or me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Also as an FYI – Public Works has created a project website at http://www.vbgov.com/lesner-bridge. We have posted information, background information, and – sometime within the next few days – a Twitter feed. A Construction Camera has also been installed to view images of the bridge construction, with images updated every 30 minutes.

Please visit this website for the current project updates and other useful project information.

Enjoy these last days of summer, and thanks for your interest.

Drew Lankford
Media and Communications
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach

dlankfor@vbgov.com
(O) 757.385.8062
(C) 757.409.4353

Friends:

As many of you have seen, traffic patterns on Shore Drive are beginning to change as you approach the Lesner Bridge. Work over the next two weeks will consist of preparing both the eastbound and westbound bridge approaches for the lane shifts as we move into Stage 2 construction of the bridge.

The eastbound lanes on Shore Drive as you approach the bridge have already been shifted to the south. Work was done on Wednesday to place asphalt, temporary pavement markings, and delineators on Shore Drive between the bridge and East Stratford Street in preparation of the lane shift of the westbound Shore Drive traffic towards the sushi restaurant and away from 3556 On the Bay Condominiums. This traffic move will provide the required space we need to install the utilities, temporary retaining walls, grading, and infrastructure required for the new westbound bridge abutment.

A similar lane shift will also occur on the east side of the bridge towards the Lesner Inn. It will be several weeks, however, before we begin this lane shift. Once the contractor sets a date for this work, we will post another project update to inform you of the necessary details.

*** As a reminder, the sidewalk on westbound Shore Drive is closed to pedestrians and cyclists between Page Avenue and East Stratford Street. If pedestrians need to cross the bridge, they will need to cross the eastbound bridge where we have provided a temporary 4-foot wide pedestrian/cyclist access.

As Drew has mentioned, please visit our website for information and updates.

Thanks for your interest, and as always – Please Drive Safely!

-Chris

Christopher J. Wojtowicz, P.E.
Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
Department of Public Works
Municipal Center-Bldg 2
2405 Court House Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9031
Phone: (757) 385-5785
Fax: (757) 385-5668
email: cwojtowi@vbgov.com

Screen grab at time of this post

Screen grab at time of this post

SDCC General Meeting – Monday Aug. 25th at 7:30pm

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Click here for a printable version of the agenda

MONDAY 25 AUG 2014

Shore Drive Community Coalition General Meeting

MONDAY 25 AUG 2014 

7:30-8:30 pm

 Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Station

(Intersection of Shore Drive and East Stratford Rd.)

Call to order

Meeting topic

  1. Discussion of Current City Issues
  2. POST-HURRICANE RECOVERY for NEIGHBORHOODS                    

 

Officers’ Reports:  President’s Report                David Williams

                                     Vice President’s report        Rick Mercadante

                                     Secretary’s Report                 Todd Solomon –JULY Minutes

                                    Treasurer’s Report                 Paulette Hruska

 

Old Business   

New Business    

Adjourn

 Next SDCC- Monday SEP 29, 2014

 Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Center

 Please check www.sdcc.info for more information on area news and events

Bayfront Advisory Committee (BAC) Meeting (Thursday Aug. 21st) and Newsletter

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Bayfront Advisory Committee to Meet August 21, 2014

The Bayfront Advisory Committee will meet Thursday, August 21, 2014,

at the Resort and Conference Center, 2800 Shore Drive, from 3:30pm-5:30pm

Click here for the meeting agenda and to read the latest BAC Newsletter

 

Bay provides means of livelihood for fishermen

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This is the third of seven weekly narratives by Virginian-Pilot reporter Kathy Adams highlighting the beauty, the vibrancy and the struggles of the city’s Chesapeake Bay and Shore Drive communities.

Click here to read the article – http://hamptonroads.com/2014/08/bay-provides-means-livelihood-fishermen

Shore Drive Fishing

Friends of Live Oaks (FOLO) Monday, Aug. 25th at 3:30 pm at Bayside Recreation Center

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Minutes from last FOLO meeting:

Minutes – Friends of Live Oaks Meeting – Monday, July 21st, 2014 3:30

Penny has purchased the friendsofliveoaks.org domain name and has a contract for hosting our website. She will order business cards.

Penny has learned that the Beautification Committee of the North End Civic League plans to plant 4 live oaks along with other perennials in the median of Atlantic Ave. from 42nd to 89th Streets for a total of 118 trees.

Karen announced that 2 live oaks are being removed from a home on Lynnhaven Drive, and the owner would like us to find new homes for them. The owners will help transplant them.

We have registered to participate in the Lynnhaven River NOW Fall Festival on Oct. 11th at Rosemont Elementary School in Green Run.

Clay will talk with personnel from Little Creek to consider planting live oaks along Shore Drive.
Clay also discussed a grove of live oaks on Princess Anne Road adjacent to the Sportsplex. He suggested the possibility of partnering with Parks and Rec to preserve the grove, perhaps as a memorial garden. Also, Parks and Rec is developing a program to enhance Bayfront dunes and the area immediately behind them, promoting a maritime forest environment. This may be an opportunity to plant live oaks.

2014 Live Oak Distribution –
This year’s distribution will be on Sat. Oct. 18th from 10am – 1 pm at Laskin Road Annex (the former Linkhorn Elementary School). Stephen suggested we give away 250 trees. People who request trees online will have preference; the remaining trees will be available on a first come/first service basis.

The tree request form will include “4th Annual Live Oak Distribution”. It will also say something like: “We are reserving a tree for you and submission of this form confirms that you will pick up your tree on Oct. 18th.” It will only be available online this year, but there will be instructions for those who want to print the form and return it by snail mail.

Clay will work with the city to generate a press release, which will go to many outlets, including the Council of Civic Organizations.

The next meeting will be on Monday, Aug. 25th at 3:30 pm at Bayside Recreation Center.

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Rescued Live Oak wood being milled for CBF’s Brock Center.

#LESNERBRIDGE SIDEWALKS ARE CLOSED RIGHT NOW

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We are trying to find out why and for how long.

We were told:

Nope. Just on the westbound bridge. You will have to use the eastbound bridge. They need to remove sections of sidewalk on the westbound bridge in order to build the new bridge abutment.

Pedestrians, Crosswalks and Frogger

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I think many would agree that motor vehicle regulations have been put in place to address safety issues and to keep us safe. To be effective, these laws must be understood and applied fairly, not arbitrarily or capriciously. Given that broad statement, how should we drivers respond to pedestrians in crosswalks?

If you condense the VDOT Crosswalk statutes to their understandable part, what are we required to do when we come across a pedestrian and a crosswalk? VDOT laws can be found at http://www.virginiadot.org, specifically for crosswalks; 46.2-924 Drivers to stop for pedestrians.

If the speed limit on the road is 35 MPH or less, you are required to “yield the right of way to any pedestrian crossing…” Drivers entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change course, yield, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.

So, there you are driving down Pacific Ave down at the oceanfront and somebody steps into the crosswalk. You now slow down and some horn-happy driver behind you lets you know that apparently he is late for some important occasion. Or, even worse, that driver whips around you and then almost nails the pedestrian in the crosswalk. It is getting almost as dangerous for you to stop (getting rear-ended) as it is for the pedestrian if you don’t stop.

It seems like driver-pedestrian encounters are too commonplace and a lose-lose situation with mostly deadly consequences. People from other parts of the world where pedestrian crosswalk laws are rigidly enforced don’t know what applies. Some pedestrians become trapped in the no-man’s land, the center median as they seek temporary refuge. What gives?

How does the city and state (Dillon rules; state makes the laws, not the cities) solve this continuously dangerous situation? ENACT UNDERSTANDABLE LAWS, EDUCATE EVERYONE, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENFORCE. As for Frogger, it was a great video game in the mid-70’s where you, as a frog, tried to cross a busy road. This game should never be attempted in real life by us or our fellow drivers and pedestrians.

“The city of Virginia Beach has recently pulled this information to get an idea of where their citizens are cycling… Also clearly visible, is the use of Shore Drive.”

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Learn more about the Bikeways & Trails Advisory Committee at VBGov.com.

Strava Labs is where Strava engineering occasionally releases side projects independent of our product. Projects may be added, removed, or break at any time, so use them at your own risk.

Strava Labs is where Strava engineering occasionally releases side projects independent of our product.
Projects may be added, removed, or break at any time, so use them at your own risk.

Check the Strava | Labs map.

“Last year, police recorded just two crashes on Shore Drive involving a bike and a car. There were 110 citywide, but only those with injuries or property damage are counted.”

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Read part 2 of 7 at Pilotonline.com:

LIFE ALONG THE BAY
This is the second of seven weekly narratives highlighting the beauty, the vibrancy and the struggles of the city’s Chesapeake Bay and Shore Drive communities.

Photo Credit: Share Shore Drive Day July 11 2009

Photo Credit: Share Shore Drive Day July 11 2009

Miami and Virginia Beach are “are the top two areas of the country most at risk for residential…”

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Miami and Virginia Beach are “are the top two areas of the country most at risk for residential…”.

Numbers like $39 billion do not seem to connect with most people in Virginia Beach, myself included. But, I can envision what a CAT2-3 hurricane could do to our community and my house. The thought of such losses can be daunting, but consider what you can do to limit the potential loss. And, that is what we are attempting to do at SDCC. We can’t give you a complete cure all package, but we can at least work to inform you how to limit the damages. We won’t pack your “go kit” for you, but we will tell you what you will need in it.

“Life Along the Bay”, Virginian-Pilot Series of Articles to focus on Bay and Shore Drive Communities

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Check out the first of a seven article series entitled “Life along the bay” by the Virginian-Pilot

The articles will be weekly narratives highlighting the beauty, the vibrancy and the struggles of the city’s Chesapeake Bay and Shore Drive communities.

 

The first article  “Along river, nature is preserved for wildlife, people” by Kathy Adams can be found here  http://hamptonroads.com/2014/07/along-river-nature-preserved-wildlife-people

Friends of First Landing State Park receive grant from Dominion Power

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Friends of First Landing State Park received a $10,000 Grant.

View Press Release at Dominion Power website.

Read list of Grant Recipients.

Check article at Pilotonline.com:

Friends of First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach will create an exploration lab to teach visitors about the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

About Friends of First Landing State Park:

FRIENDS OF FIRST LANDING STATE PARK is a non-profit 501c3 group that advocates in the community on behalf of First Landing State Park. Members participate in a variety of ways—advocacy, fundraising, and volunteering. Our mission is to support the park and outdoor stewardship in the community.

First Landing State Park

Oyster Reef Keepers of Virginia based in Ocean Park received a grant for Oyster Reef Restoration for $20,000.