DATE: Wednesday, November 26, 1997          TAG: 9711260502

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   76 lines

HAMPTON ROADS [BRIEFS]

CHESAPEAKE

Special election to fill Earley's seat set for Dec. 16

Gov. George F. Allen announced Tuesday that a special election for the 14th Senatorial District to replace Attorney General-elect Mark L. Earley will take place on Dec. 16.

Chesapeake School Board member James L. Wheaton, a Democrat, and Republican Del. J. Randy Forbes have announced their intentions to seek Earley's seat. Earley, who served the district as its senator for 10 years, announced his resignation from the Senate Monday.

The 14th District includes portions of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The deadline for filing as a candidate in the 14th District race is 5 p.m. Dec. 1.

Chloride levels of water fall to lowest in months

Thanks to recent rainfall, chloride levels in the Northwest River Water Treatment Plant, which serves much of the city, have dipped to their lowest counts in months.

Chloride levels fluctuated from a high of 135 parts per million Nov. 13 to a low of 72 parts per million Nov. 20. The average chloride level that week was 103 parts per million, according to Amar Dwarkanath, director of public utilities.

The rain has helped boaters, as well.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will reopen the Dismal Swamp Canal today at 8:30 a.m. The locks at Deep Creek and South Mills, N.C., closed Oct. 14 because of low water levels in Lake Drummond.

The locks will operate at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. every day. Vessels are permitted to moor overnight in the canal.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Local couple will sign copies of their book

A former Virginia Beach couple will have a signing for their book, ``The Dandelion Seed,'' at four Virginia Beach bookstores on Nov. 29 and 30.

Writer Joseph Anthony and illustrator Cris Arbo met and lived in Virginia Beach before moving to Buckingham, where they created a story about a lone dandelion seed that breaks loose from its familiar surroundings and has an adventure in nature. The book, published by Dawn Publications, is for readers of all ages.

The couple will sign books on Saturday, at Once Upon a Time, 4206 Virginia Beach Blvd, from 1 to 3 p.m.; and Waldenbooks in Lynnhaven Mall, from 6 to 8 p.m. They also will sign books on Sunday, at the Heritage Store, 314 Laskin Road, from 1 to 3 p.m., and at B. Dalton's at Lynnhaven Mall, from 4 to 6 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH

Kids can have breakfast with Santa Claus - twice

Children and their families will have two opportunities to have breakfast with Santa in Portsmouth.

The Holiday Inn-Portsmouth Waterfront will host the first breakfast at 9 a.m. Dec. 6, and the new Jewish Mother at High Street Landing will host the second at 9 a.m. Dec. 13.

Magic shows, sing-alongs and storytelling will be part of the programs.

Both events have limited seating. Advance tickets are $6 for children and $8 for adults. At the door, tickets are $8 for children, $10 for adults. Tickets are available at the Portsmouth Department of Parks and Recreation on the third floor of City Hall, 801 Crawford St.

NORFOLK

African Heritage Book Expo will salute Carey-Harvey

ECA Associates Press of Chesapeake will host the 10th Hampton Roads African Heritage Book Expo on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This year's expo, ``A Salute to the Legacy of Katura R. Carey-Harvey,'' will be at the Marriott Waterside Hotel, 235 E. Main St., Norfolk. Admission is free.

The expo will begin with a poetry reading at 10 a.m.; a forum on the legacy of Katura from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.; Meet the Authors from 1 to 3 p.m.; a Homeopathic Herbal Remedies lecture from 3:30 to 4 p.m.; and a panel discussion on the media and the Million Woman March from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, call 547-5542. MEMO: Staff writers Matt Dolan, Liz Szabo, Ida Kay Jordan and Elizabeth

Simpson contributed to this report.

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