Virginia Beach off-topic

[BFG]

That time Jeopardy! gave the ViBe District (and to an extent, Norfolk) a little publicity...

Wish the NEON could somehow get some love, though...

[HRVA]

Here’s how much Bruce Thompson sold two Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotels - Southside Daily

Gold Key sold the 31st Street Hilton & affiliated properties for $53.7 million & the Hilton Garden Inn for $34.4 million. 

[BFG]

Bruce Thompson with a scathing editorial on City Council's small-town mindset. He calls out John Moss, Rob Dyer, and Jessica Abbott for being the main ones, and I have a hard time disagreeing with a lot of his points.

https://pilotonline.com/opinion/columnist/guest/article_77ce840a-c742-11e8-af92-53fedc13f8db.html

Editorial columnist Roger Chesley wrote a similar (but less harsh) article last week.

[vdogg]

14 hours ago, BFG said:

Bruce Thompson with a scathing editorial on City Council's small-town mindset. He calls out John Moss, Rob Dyer, and Jessica Abbott for being the main ones, and I have a hard time disagreeing with a lot of his points.

https://pilotonline.com/opinion/columnist/guest/article_77ce840a-c742-11e8-af92-53fedc13f8db.html

Editorial columnist Roger Chesley wrote a similar (but less harsh) article last week.

If I didn't know any better I'd say Bruce is gearing up to run for office...

[BFG]

11 hours ago, vdogg said:

If I didn't know any better I'd say Bruce is gearing up to run for office...

And I imagine he'd be serious about getting the cities to work closer together and see themselves as a city of nearly two million people, not seven independent cities. I wouldn't argue with that. But, I hope VB hasn't shot themselves in the foot with development. I dunno if he's grandstanding, or if he really would take his business elsewhere.

[Virginia City]

4 hours ago, BFG said:

And I imagine he'd be serious about getting the cities to work closer together and see themselves as a city of nearly two million people, not seven independent cities. I wouldn't argue with that. But, I hope VB hasn't shot themselves in the foot with development. I dunno if he's grandstanding, or if he really would take his business elsewhere.

Hopefully it would be to Norfolk. Let the city be the city and stop messing with the suburbs. 

[BFG]

Pharrell Williams wants to bring a three-day festival to VB, called "Something in the Water". It seems to have council's support...I like it.

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/virginia-beach/pharrell-williams-looking-to-bring-three-day-event-to-virginia-beach-for-college-beach-weekend/608481876

[Willy18]

This will just add to the crowds and issues down there that weekend. I know it's "structured" differently but I don't see it calming the problems that revolve around College Weekend.

 

[Virginia City]

Not big on the name but I'm down with festival. Pharrell has the connections to make it a big event.

[vdogg]

Well, it's election time in Virginia Beach. Time to go vote. Even if you're turned off by the national issues the local elections are what's really important. There are 22 candidates for city council, most of them younger and new to politics. If even half of them win their election, it can take our city in a new direction. I'm encouraged by how many of them are for regionalism and for cooperating with other cities on our transportation issues. That's a start. Please research the candidates and exercise your right to vote.

[vdogg]

 Well, the good news is almost all the pro-development candidates are winning. The bad news is that we might get Dyer for mayor. That said, the fact that Moss is probably going to lose his seat, makes it all worth it. 

[BFG]

The winning candidates are pro-regionalism, so that's a huge plus in my book. A young, diverse council to match Norfolk's could be what this region needs.

[vdogg]

36 minutes ago, BFG said:

The winning candidates are pro-regionalism, so that's a huge plus in my book. A young, diverse council to match Norfolk's could be what this region needs.

Dyer withstanding, the fact that the remaining council is so pre regionalism could finally mean an end to the end fighting. The old guard is finally gone. Norfolk and Va. Beach can do big things together. If this only had happened when it was time to do light rail...

[baobabs727]

i think it's too early to know exactly what the election of the new crowd means for vb & hr. but dyer as mayor? not so good. 

Edited November 7, 2018 by baobabs727

[vdogg]

Moss held on. Very last precinct came in big for him. He won by 315 votes. Just. Can’t. Get. Rid. of. This. Guy. Jones held on, but he’s a known quantity. The rest of the council will keep Dyer in check. He’s a figurehead, but he still only has one vote. We just need to hope we can keep his mouth from shooting Virginia Beach in the foot. Here’s hoping there’s a recount in Moss’s case.

[BFG]

Never mind. Easy come, easy go. As long as Moss and Dyer are on the council, you can forget about VB moving forward or working with the other cities, even with new council members.

[BFG]

Looks like we could actually have a recount. 

https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/local/article_bf1e9970-e2c3-11e8-b9fa-334a96d27cd3.html

[BFG]

Pharrell's "Something in the Water" festival idea gets the OK from Council, but there's still a few more steps. Hopefully they approve this.

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/virginia-beach/something-in-the-water-virginia-beach-gives-ok-for-pharrells-festival-proposal-to-move-forward/291-614048759

[BFG]

Jewish Mother is returning to Virginia Beach, with original ownership! It will be part of a new music hall called Elevation 27 will open in the old Eagles Nest off First Colonial Road. It's in the same plaza as the Wal-Mart that used to be a Super K-Mart.

https://pilotonline.com/entertainment/music/article_2f58862e-eb7f-11e8-a5f3-cb36ae718167.html

[baobabs727]

BT gonna pay to realign Atlantic himself.  'Xcept Pacifica owner holds the cards and gonna extract some $$$ punishment!

VB Board:  flatline.

[vdogg]

I can’t for the life of me figure out why he needs to close that d@$n street. I’m usually supportive of his efforts, but he does himself no favor with these antics. It’s a public right of way and should remain such. I have no interest in ceding additional territory to the North Enders. They already think they own half the beach anyway. They’ll live if the great unwashed masses can continue to use a taxpayer funded road.

[Norfolk757Kid]

He probably promised important people he'd do it, or lost a bet

[HRVA]

Councilmembers Moss and Abbott have requested a vote to direct Dave Hansen to NOT reconfigure Atlantic Ave. The vote is on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. 

[vdogg]

The world must be close to ending because I've finally found something I agree with them on ...

[HRVA]

I attended the joint Centerville/Kempsville Town Hall last night that was held by Councilmembers Wooten and Abbott with an appearance by Mayor Dyer. Dyer came off as very pro business & development but with an emphasis on diversity and equality. Issues that were brought included the Pharrell Williams proposal, the Atlantic Avenue culdesac, the Amazon pitch, Economic Development, transparency, and typical small issue (trash collection/street lights). The festival seemed to have a positive reception amongst the attendees and coucilmembers but it didn’t sound like it was close to happening. Wooten got an earful for voting in favor of the culdesac but she felt that the city had already committed to the project with two previous votes. The release of details of the city’s pitch to Amazon was criticized due to the inclusion of light rail & involvement of Armada Hoffler. Dyer explained that the EDA typically arranges deals prior to seeking Council approval and that light rail was a ‘dead puppy.’  He seemed to anticipate that autonomous vehicles would replace the need for a major mass transportation expansion. Transparency, which was the major issue on his platform, was addressed throughout the meeting. EDA meetings are going to be on Facebook Live, like Council and Planning meetings already are, beginning in February.

The event was held at the Kempsville Rec Center and that place was slammed with people using the facility. There was not a single room that was not in use. As a Chesapeake resident, I was incredibly envious. We can’t have nice things in Chesapeake. 

Edit:  Facebook Live Link

Another issue discussed was turning the Norfolk Southern rail line into a multiuse trail and a pedestrian bridge over 264 to connect Mt Trashmore to Town Center. I think the latter should be part of any construction on the Independence interchange.   

Edited December 13, 2018 by 23320