THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608030364
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: 72 lines
This weekend begins local participation in National Night Out, an anti-crime celebration.
The official observation will be Tuesday, when communities across the country participate with block parties and flashlight walks. But several South Hampton Roads cities have their own plans.
NORFOLK
Norfolk will celebrate National Night Out with a picnic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Northside Park.
The event will include food, a petting zoo, displays, softball, pony rides, a moonwalk and entertainment.
On Tuesday, residents are encouraged to turn on their lights and get to know their neighbors by planning a picnic, march or other activity.
VIRGINIA BEACH
The Virginia Beach Crime Prevention Unit is inviting citizens to bring picnic baskets and join neighbors from across the city in a kick-off celebration at Mount Trashmore Park from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
The highlight of the event will be a 6:30 p.m. presentation of Shakespeare's comedy, ``A Midsummer Night's Dream'' by the Virginia Beach Summer Shakes troupe.
In addition to Sunday's kick-off, at least one Virginia Beach neighborhood is planning an observation for Tuesday.
Residents of L & J Gardens, which held one of the first local National Night Out celebrations in 1990, will start the evening with a prayer at the intersection of Norwich Avenue and Maywood Boulevard at 7:30 p.m., then march through the Bayside neighborhood carrying flashlights, banners and posters.
At the end of the march, residents will conduct a brief burial ceremony, symbolizing the death of crime and drug abuse. They also can sign a giant community pledge supporting police-community partnerships, crime and drug prevention, safety and neighborhood unity.
L & J Civic League president Audrey Mills said the evening will end as it began. After refreshments are served on the lawn of Roberta Bazemore's home at the end of the parade route, the group will close the evening with another prayer. This one will be for unity.
PORTSMOUTH
In Portsmouth, a citywide picnic that was to be held Sunday at City Park in conjunction with National Night Out activities has been canceled.
But there are several events still scheduled.
The Jeffry Wilson Homes Neighborhood Watch will hold a ``Good-bye Party for Crime and Drugs'' from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday.
The event will be held in front of the Community Center in Jeffry Wilson Homes, 121 1/2 Wilson Parkway.
City officials and representatives of the fire and police departments have been invited.
There will be free hot dogs, a disc jockey, a clown and face painting.
The Park Manor Neighborhood Watch will have a cookout with free hot dogs at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the park next to Olive Branch Elementary School on Mimosa Road.
A motorcade will begin at 5 p.m. in two locations - at 404 Viking St. in Cavalier Manor and in the parking lot of the NSU-ODU Center (formerly Cradock High School) on George Washington Highway.
The two motorcades will link up at Rodman Avenue and Turnpike Road, and continue downtown and through other neighborhoods, ending at Tower Mall.
Entertainment, including singing and dancing, and other activities will be held inside the mall from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Master Police Officer Leon B. Whitehurst plans to group participants into the words ``Portsmouth National Night Out'' so a professional photographer can fly over the Tower Mall parking lot to capture the National Night Out event.
The city will enter nationwide competition for National Night Out activities.
Suffolk officials and Chesapeake police said they did not know of anything planned yet for National Night Out in their cities.
KEYWORDS: NATIONAL NIGHT OUT by CNB