DATE: Wednesday, June 4, 1997               TAG: 9706040503

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  144 lines

HAMPTON ROADS BRIEFS

Mario A. Hewitt has been named vice president and general manager of ABC affiliate WVEC.

Hewitt had been Channel 13's director of sales and marketing as well as acting general manager. He replaces Richard J. Keilty who has moved on to run A.H. Belo Corp.'s NBC affiliate (WCNC) in Charlotte, N.C.

Hewitt has been a key contributor to WVEC's growth, said Cathleen A. Creany, senior vice president of Belo's Television Group, at Belo headquarters in Dallas, in announcing Hewitt's promotion.

Hewitt inherits a station with the No. 1 newscast in this market at 5 and 6 p.m. WVEC recently launched Local News on Cable in partnership with Landmark Communications and Cox Communications.

Hewitt's tenure with Belo begain in 1988 at the company's station in Houston. He was KHOU's local and national sales manager before joining WVEC in 1995. He has a degree in communications from St. John's University. VIRGINIA BEACH 8th session to gather ideas for future libraries tonight

Virginia Beach residents interested in letting library officials know what they want from future libraries are invited to attend a public dialogue session tonight at 7 p.m. at the Bayside Recreation Center, 4500 First Court Road.

This is the eighth dialogue session officials have held over the past three months asking citizens to help them zero in on what future libraries in the city should provide.

Officials are using the information as a guide in their quest to ask citizens through a referendum to pay higher taxes for more and different facililties and services.

Officials asked the City Council in late April to approve holding a referendum in the fall and another in either November 1999 or 2000 to build, renovate and expand services to city libraries. The latest cost estimate would result in a tax increase of 6 cents per $100 of property valuation.

Marcy Sims, the city's libraries director, said people have said they want neighborhood libraries that are convenient to walk or bike to, longer hours and access to computers and staff assistance.

Sims said library officials plan to present the council with a variety of funding and building options on June 24. The Beach council has until August to decide on a referendum to get it on the November ballot. CHESAPEAKE Beefed-up patrols making some intersections safer

Some dangerous intersections in Chesapeake are a becoming little safer.

The Chesapeake police have beefed up traffic patrols at the intersection of Volvo Parkway and Battlefield Boulevard near Interstate 64.

Summonses were issued to 24 drivers in two hours during Monday evening rush hour, said police Lt. Ronnie Schafer. Police are also stepping up patrols on the weekends, when motorists headed to the Outer Banks snarl traffic for miles.

Those patrols are paying off.

Two of the most treacherous intersections in the city - Battlefield Boulevard at Volvo Parkway and at Wal-Mart Way - had no accidents for two Saturday afternoons between April 26 and May 31, Schafer said.

Police officers typically issue only three to five summonses at those intersections on an average Saturday. But posting two officers at those intersections for an eight-hour day has led to an average of 20 summonses a Saturday. Special tax incentives topic of Thursday workshop

Businesses expecting to open or expand in parts of South Norfolk may be eligible for special tax incentives, but local owners don't always know how to take advantage of them or are confused by changing rules.

For the third year, the Chesapeake Economic Development Department and the Greater South Norfolk Business Consortium plan to hold a workshop to outline the state program and talk about new legislation.

Consortium members and city officials have pursued various methods to spur development in the area and say they believe tax incentives help.

The program is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. at the South Norfolk Library on Poindexter Street. A state representative will be available to answer questions.

Call the Economic Development office at 523-1100 for reservations. HAMPTON Fairfax County offers post to Hampton city manager

Hampton City Manager Robert J. O'Neill Jr. has been offered the job of Fairfax County executive, according to a published report.

The Washington Post said in Tuesday's editions that O'Neill beat out the acting county executive, Anthony Griffin, and Camille Cates Barnett, a former city manager in Austin, Texas.

The newspaper cited unidentified sources as saying Fairfax supervisors have authorized attorneys to negotiate a contract with the 46-year-old O'Neill.

The new executive would replace William Leidinger, who was released because of a troubled computer contract and what supervisors regarded as poor communications skills.

O'Neill said it would be inappropriate to comment until negotiations have been concluded. SUFFOLK Education is the focus of Homeownership Week

The Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the city will celebrate ``Homeownership Week'' from June 7 to 14.

Mayor Thomas G. Underwood and Authority Executive Director Clarissa E. McAdoo will sign a proclamation today at 3 p.m. in City Council chambers in honor of the celebration.

The week will focus on educating residents on home ownership opportunities.

The city and the authority have formed the Western Tidewater Home Consortium, which includes the city of Franklin and Isle of Wight and Southampton counties, to receive federal funds to assist first-time home buyers with down payment and closing costs. It can also be used for new construction.

This year, the city received about $97,000.

Theresa A. Griffin, development program specialist for the housing authority, said the agency has not planned any programs, but if any residents are interested in home ownership, they can contact her at 539-2100.

COMING UP TODAY

Williamsburg - Virginia Department of Transportation will present the public information on proposed transportation improvements in the Interstate 64 corridor between Richmond and Newport News from 4 to 7 p.m. at Magruder Elementary School.

Suffolk - The Suffolk Civic Forum will meet at noon at C&C Restaurant, 1226 White Marsh Road. The meeting will focus on finding the solution to several topics: the conditions of Suffolk schools, finding qualified educators, raising children, improving parenting skills, offering quality jobs and training for those positions, the deterioration of the community and finding community volunteers.

TRAFFIC WATCH

TODAY

Norfolk: The traffic pattern at the intersection of 21st Street and Colley Avenue will be altered by various lane closures for the next three weeks while contractors work on sewer lines.

Information from Virginia Department of Transportation and Metro Traffic. MEMO: Staff writers Toni Guagenti and Katrice Franklin and the

Associated Press contributed to this report. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Mario A. Hewitt

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