THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605170202
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
Monday, May 6
5:15 p.m. - Kmart on General Booth Boulevard.
Walking into the store, a mother turns to her young daughter and asks, ``Honey, what would you like me to get you?''
After hesitating, the young girl shrugs her shoulders. Mom persists. ``If you don't tell me what you want, then you're not getting anything.''
The child pauses again before finally answering. ``OK. Can I have a sister?''
- Trevor Wright
Wednesday, May 8
Noon - Pavilion.
City and tourism officials are gathered for the annual honoring of the busboys, bellmen, cooks, housekeepers, desk clerks and managers who are the backbone of the city's tourist industry.
Newcomer Mary Beth Heine, in her first month as marketing director of the Virginia Marine Science Museum, is bringing everyone at her table up to date on the museum's expansion when talk turns to the otter exhibit.
``We have two families of otters,'' she says. ``We've been keeping them separated by a gate, but we put them together for the first time last week.
``Actually,'' she admits, ``we planned to wait a bit longer, but one of the little rascals figured out how to open the gate between them so they got together sooner than we expected.''
Asked how the initial meeting turned out, she assures her luncheon partners that everything went just fine.
There may, however, be a slight communication problem. ``One of the families comes from the James River and the other from Louisiana. We think they may speak a different dialect,'' she says.
- Jo-Ann Clegg
Tuesday, May 14
2:10 p.m. - City Council Chambers.
Linda Lagana's third-grade social studies class at North Landing Elementary School is on hand to present City Council members with special presents - handmade dolls representing each member.
The effort, Lagana explains to Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf and the council, is part of a class project on Virginia and local history.
Using paper towel cores, the youngsters first fashioned dolls based on historic Virginia figures. One of them, Lagana says, was a Blackbeard the pirate doll.
The class then decided to make dolls resembling - or nearly resembling - sitting City Council members.
Youngsters march to each council member and present them with the dolls. Oberndorf hugs her benefactor, Daniel Peterson, and pins a city emblem on his T-shirt.
Councilman Harold Heischober, accepts his doll from Lynnette Perry, smiles and says, ``You're a pretty girl.''
Vice Mayor Will Sessoms says he is especially appreciative of his doll donor, Jason Tate.
``I want to thank Jason for giving me some hair,'' the balding Sessoms remarks, as the council chamber erupts in laughter.
- Bill Reed
5 p.m. - Independence Boulevard.
Piles of mulch line the newly expanded roadway, waiting for workers to shovel the dark brown weed deterrent around newly planted trees and shrubbery.
Several piles are wide and tall. One pile, however, is dwindling quickly.
A man, under the cover of huge trees, crouches low to the ground.
Holding a green trash bag in one hand, he reaches out with the other and scoops in mulch, all the while keeping his eye on the busy road.
- Lori A. Denney
Wednesday, May 15
5 p.m. - Feeder road off Atlantic Avenue.
A car parked on the road has a personalized license plate that reads ``De-Hair.''
The license plate frame explains: ``Ask About Electrolysis.''
- Gary Edwards
8:45 p.m. - Virginia Beach Amphitheatre, Row W.
While rocker Bruce Hornsby belts out a crowd favorite on opening night, a bundled up middle-aged lady, who appears to be having a very good time, shouts out to no one in particular, ``My butt may be wet, but this is a hell of a party!
``I love this place!''
- David B. Hollingsworth
11:50 p.m. - Jewish Mother
It's ``Blues Night'' and a balding baby boomer in a back booth has a proposition for the generation Xers surrounding him.
``I'll give $1,000 to the first person who can tell me who this is,'' he announces, pulling up his jacket to reveal a celebrity T-shirt.
The coffee-slurpers and milkshake-sippers look at the black shirt and laugh. They either don't know or don't care about ``the king.''
Nobody answers, ``Elvis Presley,'' and nobody wins the cash.
- Holly Wester
Thursday, May 16
7:38 a.m. - London Bridge Road.
A Nissan Altima casts its vote for the NBA championship. The license plate says: 4DABULS.
- Holly Wester ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
A little doll for Mayor
Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf accepts a doll in her likeness
made by Daniel Peterson, right, a third-grader at North Landing
Elementary. Students of Linda Lagana and Helen Woodward made dolls
of City Council members and presented them at Tuesday's meeting.
by CNB