THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 30, 1995 TAG: 9507280158
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
Wednesday, July 19
6 p.m. - An Oceanfront motel.
Kim Lester, 19, is an ardent country music fan. She listens as her co-workers talk about Bob Marley of reggae music fame. Not wanting to be left out of the conversation, she blurts out, ``Bob Marley is coming to the Beach?''
A co-worker is surprised to hear this, saying wryly, ``That's interesting, since he's been dead about 15 years.''
- Gary Edwards
Monday, July 24
7 p.m. - A house on Lauderdale Avenue.
A group of friends sit around socializing on the walkway steps in front of the house. The setting is casual, beach attire and beers. The crowd ranges in age from 20s to 40s. There is plenty of hair.
This is no yuppie gathering. Rock music and laughter fill the narrow street as the friends share stories. Older cars and pick-up trucks are parked in the driveways or in adjacent front yards.
They look up to see a shiny Rolls-Royce approaching. The middle-age driver lives down and across the street in a much larger house, a condo, on the water. He slows to a stop and lowers his electric window.
``I live up the street. I know it sounds funny, but do you mind if I have a beer with you?'' He smiles, obviously aware of the irony.
The host grins and reaches for the cooler. He says, ``Sure. Anytime.''
The Rolls driver takes the beer, cuts his engine and enjoys the brew. He thanks the host after finishing the beer.
``I'm so busy paying for things, I don't have time to enjoy them often. Thanks, again.''
He pulls off. The crowd watches the garage door open electrically and the Rolls slides in.
- Gary Edwards
Wednesday, July 26
11:45 a.m. - A Virginia Beach office building.
Some women are commenting on the growing tummy size of a pregnant co-worker.
``Are you an `outie' yet?'' one asks.
``Not yet,'' says the mom-to-be. ``My belly button is more like a shallow pool now.''
- Melinda Forbes
Noon - Iceland of Hampton Roads on Broad Street.
Skaters looking for a cool spot on what is yet another blistering hot day are turned away at the door.
``There's no public skating session today,'' several young girls announce in unison to all that attempt to enter the building. ``There's no ice!''
Malfunctioning air conditioning compressors in the building's two cooling units have allowed the ice to melt into a very wet sludge.
``Between all the people and the afternoon heat, yesterday, it was a swimming pool by 3 p.m.,'' says Mary Hutchinson, the rink's general manager.
The refrigeration guys were called in and worked all night so that the rink would be a 1 1/2 inch layer of hard ice by Thursday.
``We've turned it all around,'' chuckles Mary Hutchinson. ``We're still the coolest place in town.''
- Lori A. Denney
7:15 p.m. - Classical concert at 24th Street Park.
Just as the Tidewater Winds orchestra waltzes into a piece by Strauss, the distinctive booms of rap music begin vibrating through the back of the park.
Three teenage boys in T-shirts and baggy drawers shuffle off the Boardwalk and slowly head through the park toward Atlantic Avenue. The tallest of the three, a young man with dirty blond hair, is cradling a blasting king-sized boom box in his arms.
As the teens' music competes with the orchestra music, concertgoers' heads turn and eyes glare at the trio. The boys, ignoring the crowd, finally reach the Atlantic Avenue edge of the park and their sounds begin to fade.
Just before they disappear, the tallest boy turns to face the crowd and flashes a grin.
- Melinda Forbes
Thursday, July 27
8:30 a.m. - Elizabeth River Shores neighborhood.
At a family breakfast, a father adds a news flash to the continuing episode of Filipino-American family adjustment to life in the United States.
``I enrolled Mark in summer school,'' dad says, referring to his 6-year-old son.
``So,'' says his wife.
``He's taking English as a second language,'' Dad replies.
``He was born here,'' Mom exclaims.
``I know, they thought he was a refugee,'' Dad adds.
``What!'' Mom says.
``Hey, he's top of the class,'' says Dad.
- Michelle Mizal
10:15 a.m. - The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star building on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
A photographer sticks his head inside the newsroom door and announces, ``They're taking down The Ledger-Star sign.''
Several employees saunter outside to stand quietly and watch Roger Harp from Creative Sign Builders go to work removing the name of the afternoon newspaper from the building.
The first letter to fall is the E in The. Then he cuts off the L in Ledger.
``I went to work for the Ledger 23 years ago,'' says one employee about the demise of the local daily, which ceases publication Aug. 25. ``This makes me sad.''
As the morning passes, employees from throughout the building wander outside to watch Harp's progress. Some bring cameras.
- Melinda Forbes ILLUSTRATION: The writing's on the wall
Roger Harp, part owner of Creative Sign Builders, removes the letter
``E'' from ``The Ledger-Star'' sign on The Beacon building on
Virginia Beach Boulevard. Harp, whose company has 10 VP/LS offices
to tend to, says the project to remove all the The Ledger-Star signs
will take eight weeks to complete. The last edition of The
Ledger-Star is Aug. 25. See item below.
Staff photo by
DAVID B.
HOLLINGSWORTH
by CNB