THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 17, 1995 TAG: 9511170651
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Chatterbox is a not-quite-newsy look behind the scenes from City Hall to City Park.
CRACK IN THE DRAIN: A crew from the city's Public Utilities department was called in on the battle against crime recently.
The city workers reported to the scene of a drug search after narcotics agents asked for their help.
The police officers believed their suspect had flushed evidence - crack cocaine - down a toilet.
The utilities department crew went to work with their new sewer lateral camera.
The camera was purchased to help identify problems in homeowners' lines. But this homeowner may not have wanted their help.
Using the camera, sewer workers located $1,600 worth of suspected crack cocaine in the home's piping.
GRIGGS ON TV: Bill Griggs, vice president of Wayside Cleaners on Portsmouth Boulevard, is on his way to Los Angeles for 15 minutes, or in this case, one hour of fame.
Griggs, as spokesperson for the drycleaning industry, along with two brides, will discuss the drycleaning of wedding dresses when they appear on ``Leeza,'' a talk show with Leeza Gibbons that can be seen at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on WVBT.
Gibbons aired a show earlier this year on a similar topic and discovered that the box she thought had contained her custom-made wedding gown, held someone else's.
We suppose that Griggs is going to have to defend the honor of drycleaners everywhere.
Griggs sits on the Board of Directors for the International Fabric Care Institute. The show, taped Thursday, will air next week according to Griggs.
The television appearance is nothing new for Griggs, once a fulltime showman who more recently has been making volunteer appearances on WHRO-TV.
Wayside Cleaners has been in business in Portsmouth since 1956.
CITIZEN INITIATIVE: ``The Scotts Creek Neighborhoods. A Great Place to Drop Anchor.''
That's the headline on a folder being distributed by one group of citizens who aren't waiting for the city or anybody else to act.
Instead, people in Park View, West Park View and Shea Terrace are doing their own promotion aimed at attracting new Navy and Coast Guard personnel headed for Portsmouth from bases that are closing in Charleston, S.C., and Governors Island, N.Y.
Martin Smith-Rodden, a resident of West Park View, has put together a folder showing the proximity of the neighborhoods to the Elizabeth River, the main cultural attractions of Norfolk and the various military bases located here.
The brochure touts the history and charm of the Northside area and plugs the Vision 2005 plan, which aims directly at the neighborhoods. by CNB