DATE: Friday, March 7, 1997                 TAG: 9703070722

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: Staff writers Matt Dolan and Ida Kay Jordan contributed to

        this report.

LENGTH: 142 lines

HAMPTON ROADS [DIGEST]

Bon Secours forms

relief program

for flood victims

Because of severe flooding and tornadoes in Arkansas, Kentucky and Ohio, the employees of Bon Secours Hampton Roads have formed a relief program.

The organization is coordinating an effort to have the following emergency items shipped as quickly as possible:

Cleaning supplies, personal care items, first aid kits and supplies, building supplies of all types, non-electric can openers, baby food, nonperishable food items, candles, matches or butane lighters, dog food, bottled water, flashlights and batteries.

These are drop-off sites for these relief items:

Maryview Medical Center, front desk, 3636 High St., Portsmouth.

Maryview MedCare in Churchland, 3105 Western Branch Blvd., Chesapeake; and in Cradock, 4700 George Washington Highway, Portsmouth.

Portsmouth General Hospital, 850 Crawford Parkway, Portsmouth.

DePaul Medical Center, 110 Kingsley Lane, Norfolk.

Mary Immaculate Hospital, 800 Denbigh Blvd., Newport News.

Cash donations will also be accepted. Checks should be made payable to the Salvation Army - Ohio Flood. Mail to DePaul Health Foundation, 150 Kingsley Lane, Norfolk, Va. 23505. Or call 889-5900 to make a pledge.

Anniversary celebration

of battle this weekend

The 135th anniversary of the Battle of Hampton Roads, three days of events commemorating the world's first battle of ironclads between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia, will be celebrated this weekend.

The celebration will open with a reception at 7 p.m. today at Trinity Episcopal Church, 500 Court St. A symposium at Trinity parish hall will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and a Commemorative Banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dry Dock Club at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

An authentic 1862 worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Trinity Church, and a living history display with a mock battle between replicas of the famous ships will start at 1 p.m. Sunday on the Elizabeth River between City Hall and the naval shipyard.

The Sunday events are free. Tickets are required for the other activities. For information, call 1-800-748-7921.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Marine Science Museum

reaches its $5 million goal

With a gift of $25,000 from Merrill Lynch & Co., the Virginia Marine Science Museum Foundation reached its $5 million campaign goal Wednesday.

The goal was set two and a half years ago for the foundation's share of the museum's $35 million expansion project.

The museum's expansion project tripled the size of the museum and added over 500,000 gallons of aquariums and live animal habitats. The city owns and operates the facility while the foundation provides funding for all the exhibits and special programs.

HAMPTON Bateman introduces bill

on Hampton widow's behalf

Rep. Herbert H. Bateman, R-1st, has agreed to introduce a bill Bateman in Congress to make the Panamanian widow of a retired Army veteran an American citizen.

Mercedes Cruz is facing deportation because her husband died after they had been married only 23 months, a month shy of the two-year requirement before an immigrant spouse of a U.S. citizen can obtain legal residency.

``I am very glad, very glad, that they have heard me and are helping. Not that I've won the fight yet, but they're conscious of the case,'' said Cruz, who moved to Hampton after her husband died.

The two-year rule is intended to discourage people from entering into fraudulent marriages solely to get someone legal residency.

CHESAPEAKE

More foster homes needed

for Chesapeake teen-agers

The Chesapeake Department of Social Services needs more foster homes in Chesapeake, especially for teen-agers.

A new round of classes to train foster parents will begin March 31. The classes will be held for seven consecutive Monday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Chesapeake Social Services building, 100 Outlaw St.

In 1996, 174 children were in the legal custody of Chesapeake Social Services, according to the department's annual report. Between July 1995 and July 1996, 64 parents completed foster care training and 20 new foster homes were created.

Persons interested in attending the classes or obtaining more information can contact Becky Amiot at 382-2248.

SUFFOLK

Alzheimer's Association

holds Sunday fund-raiser

The Hampton Roads Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association will sponsor a fund-raiser, including a concert and ice cream buffet, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Nansemond Point Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, 200 W. Constance Road.

The Hampton Roads Metro Band will begin the activities, and the buffet will follow. A $10 donation is requested. Proceeds will benefit support services, education, information and referrals.

For information, call the center, 539-8744.

ALSO. . .

Portsmouth - Those with tickets for comedian Paula Poundstone's Willett Hall performance are reminded that the show, originally scheduled for Saturday, was canceled several weeks ago.

Ticket refunds are being handled at the purchase location only.

For more information, call the Willett Hall box office at 393-5144.

COMING UP

Today

Virginia Beach - A hearing in Circuit Court on who's responsible for fixing Colechester Road. The case, which pits the city of Virginia Beach against local farmer Steve Barnes and Thompson's Grading Co., was postponed last week.

Suffolk - Retired Judge W. Park Lemmond Jr. will discuss ``Christian Principles from a Judge's Perspective'' tonight at 8 p.m. at The Family Development Center, 307 E. Washington St.

Lemmond, of Petersburg, presided on the Circuit Court of the 6th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. He was intensely involved with POW/MIA familes in the late 1960s and directed a number of projects on their behalf.

Lemmond's talk will be followed by questions.

Saturday

Portsmouth - Portsmouth Public Schools will hold a districtwide parent conference at Waters Middle School. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Workshops will address topics like parenting gifted children, using computers to enhance learning and conflict resolution. For more information, call 393-8743 or 393-8411.

Chesapeake - The Central Library will hold its ``shelving party'' from 5 to 9 p.m. to shelve about 10,000 books that have piled up. Pizza and other refreshments will be on hand. Volunteers can sign up at the circulation desk at the library, at 298 Cedar Road.

Tuesday

Virginia Beach - The City Council will hold a public presentation and hearing at 2 p.m. in City Council Chambers, City Hall Building (NU)1 at the Municipal Center to solicit input on the proposed Multi-Stadium to be built on the Lake Ridge propoerty off Princess Anne Road. No decision will be made until a second public hearing March 25.

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