THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508130256
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
Friday, July 28
7:45 a.m.
Route 17, Bennett's Creek
It is the 17th day of a record-breaking heat wave. The temperature is already pushing a muggy 80 degrees and the woman driving to work just knows it is going to be a bad hair day and panty hose will rank high as an instrument of torture.
Suddenly relief, if only psychological, comes from the radio in the voice of Travis Tritt singing a jubilant ``Walking in a Winter Wonderland.'' The disc jockey may have a wry sense of humor, but after singing a few choruses along with Tritt, the woman is 10 degrees cooler and much happier about the day.
- Phyllis Speidell
11 a.m. - Municipal Building, West Market Street, Suffolk
You'd think Assistant City Manager William E. Harrell would be a city official in New York City or even Los Angeles.
Not Surprising Suffolk.
He's prone to wearing pink sports jackets and bow ties. He plays straight-ahead jazz in his office while he goes over capital improvement budgets.
But Suffolk, the assistant city manager says, will be home for some time. In fact, he's done a number of jobs here from systems analyst to utilities director.
And Hampton Roads is home. His parents live in Chesapeake and his wife is from Suffolk. And Harrell describes his stay like a plague.
``I guess I'm stuck and can't get out,'' he says with a laugh.
- Terri Williams
Sunday, Aug. 6
2:15 p.m. - Open House at Fred's Restaurant, Main Street, Franklin
Gordana Balac is enjoying the food, donated by vendors who supply the restaurant, at the celebration of Rabil's 50 years on Main Street.
Balac, organist at St. Jude's Catholic Church, smiles broadly as she describes the morning's worship service. Numerous out-of-town relatives had joined the extensive Franklin Rabil clan, filling one side of the sanctuary. Four of Rabil's brothers, three sisters, an assortment of nieces, nephews and cousins - most of them with spouses, many with children of varying ages - have come from near and far.
Balac, originally from what once was Yugoslavia, was happy to have them in church.
``We have choir only on Easter and Christmas,'' Balac says, in not-too-halting English. ``But today we have choir, and they all sing so good.''
- Susie Stoughton
Monday, Aug 7
7:30 p.m. - New Hope Baptist Church, Pughsville Road, Suffolk
The quips - and the venom - are flying in high gear at a Pughsville civic meeting.
About 100 residents are meeting with city officials and executives of Coldwell Banker to discuss problems at Pughsville Estates. Pughsville Estates is a development of about 100 houses priced from $90,000 to $100,000. Residents have complained of flooding, drainage and landscape problems.
Pughsville-Suffolk Civic League president Mary V. Richardson said the houses should have been built on a raised crawl space instead of a solid foundation because of Pughsville's flooding troubles.
``We've had a dry spell, but honey, when it floods you have to take a boat to get through town,'' explains Richardson.
Meanwhile, Anthony Wilkerson, a shipbuilder who recently moved into his new house, says he's worried about having visitors come by.
``I'm a single man. You buy a four-bedroom and you'd like a place to take the honeys, but you'd have to tell them to meet you out to the porch.''
- Terri Williams
Tuesday, Aug. 8
1 p.m. - Suffolk Plaza Shopping Center
``Major Payne'' is becoming a major pain. The marquee adjacent to North Main Street still advertises that movie, embraced by neither public or the critics. Plaza Cinema closed - for the umpteenth time - about six months ago.
People driving near the theater entrance might notice one possible reason for the closing. Price of admission is listed as $200.
- Frank Roberts
Thursday, Aug. 10
9 a.m. - Carolina Highway
The signs are familiar - something about ``Caution - Mowing, next two miles.'' Fair enough. You slow down a tad and keep an eye out for the little machines with the big blades.
About half a mile from the sign there's a lady with a push mower. She is defying the heat in order to keep her front yard looking presentable for drivers along the Carolina Highway - drivers who are reading and heeding the sign - ``Caution - Mowing, next two miles.''
- Frank Roberts ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIM WALKER
Pharmacist Janice Wallace-Henry, left, is taking some extra luggage
home to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Audrey Lassister, right, enlisted
students at Oakland Elementary to collect the clothes for needy
children.
by CNB