DATE: Thursday, November 27, 1997           TAG: 9711270705

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  132 lines

HAMPTON ROADS - NEWS BRIEFS

NORFOLK

Meeting of residents, legislators meant to build camaraderie

The Neighborhood Network will provide Norfolk residents and their General Assembly representatives a chance to build camaraderie at a legislative reception on Tuesday in the New Hope Christian Community Center, 3241 Bress Ave.

At 7 p.m., there will be a chance for informal talk over refreshments.

At 8 p.m., the legislators will respond to citizen questions about issues that could be addressed by the 1998 General Assembly.

``We want the legislators to share their ideas for implementing their agenda,'' said Ernie Edwards, a Neighborhood Network leader. ``On a broader basis, we want them to hear what citizens have to say about issues . . . and how legislators may help them.''

The reception was designed as a relaxed setting for discussing issues without finger pointing and political attacks.

All state senators and delegates representing Norfolk were invited. So far, those confirmed are Dels. Thelma Drake and Jerrauld Jones.

Anyone attending is asked to bring a canned-food item to donate to the New Hope food pantry.

For more information, call Ernie Edwards, 623-0562.

CHESAPEAKE

City's chamber director resigns after long tenure

Bill Hollerin has resigned as as director of the Chesapeake Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce to take a job with the Atlantic Group in Norfolk.

Kerri Mulhern, formerly of the city treasurer's office, will replace Hollerin as director beginning Monday. Mulhern also will serve as the division's director of transportation, a new position overseeing public policy issues related to transportation, said Beth Vandekerckhove, a spokeswoman for the chamber.

Hollerin also was the senior vice-president for business services and had assisted the chamber's Small Business Development Center. Warren Snyder, the center's director, will relocate to the Chesapeake Division and continue to manage that office.

Hollerin had served as division director for many years, Vandekerckhove said. But he couldn't pass up his new job offer. ``It's a phenomenal opportunity for him,'' she said.

REGION

TRT adds Saturday service, new route starting Sunday

Tidewater Regional Transit will add a new route and transfer center, more Saturday service, and more-frequent service on some routes beginning Sunday.

The new route will be in Chesapeake. Route 12 Indian River Road will replace Route 86 Indian River/College Park Maxi-Ride van service. Service will be every 60 minutes from 20th and Seaboard, the Ford plant, Beth Sholom, CBN, KempsRiver Shopping Center to TCC/Virginia, Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The new transfer center also will be in Chesapeake, on Battlefield Boulevard near Wal-Mart.

New Saturday service will begin for routes 27, Northhampton Blvd.; 39, Princess Anne Road; and 85, Towne Pointe Road.

More frequent service will begin for Route 1 Granby Street; Route 15 Crosstown; and 20 Virginia Beach Blvd. Service will be every 15 minutes during peak morning hours and the afternoon.

Call 640-6300 or visit TRT's Web site at (www.ridetrt.org).

Lighted boat parade will feature governor's visit

The 1997 Holidays in the City Lighted Boat Parade begins at 6 p.m. Saturday on the Norfolk and Portsmouth downtown waterfronts of the Elizabeth River.

Parade highlights include a visit from Gov. George F. Allen and his family, who will be guests of the new owner of The Chesapeake, a past state yacht of Virginia. There will also be a special presentation by the Naval Special Warfare division of eight vessels providing protection for Santa.

After the parade, fireworks choreographed to holiday music will be shot simultaneously from both sides of the river.

A waterfront party will continue in Portsmouth and Norfolk until 9 p.m. The Portsmouth party will be held at High Street Landing, and the Norfolk party will be held in the amphitheater outside Waterside.

Party entertainment will include Lewis McGehee on the Portsmouth side and the Ol' James River Band in Norfolk.

For details, call 623-1757.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Development authority selects its new officers

The Virginia Beach Development Authority recently selected its 1997-98 officers.

F. Dudley Fulton, president and chief executive of Henderson and Phillips Insurance in Norfolk, is the new chairman. He began serving on the authority two years ago and replaces chairwoman Robin D. Ray, whose four-year term on the group expired.

Other officers include Stephen W. Burke, vice chairman; W. Brantley Basnight III, secretary; Kenneth D. Barefoot, treasurer; David A. King Jr., assistant secretary.

The seven-member authority is an independent group with members appointed by the City Council. It sells land in various industrial parks and issues bonds.

The authority holds open meetings at 8:30 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month on the third floor of One Columbus Center in the Pembroke area. For details, call 437-6464.

Several roads to be closed for construction project

Two separate road construction projects, both slated to begin Monday, promise gridlock for area drivers.

The first project will require the closure of Indian River Road, between Elbow Road and Hillcrest Farms, from Monday to around Dec. 20. Traffic will be detoured from Indian River to North Landing to Salem to Elbow roads.

Residents of the Hillcrest Farms subdivision must enter their neighborhood through North Landing to Indian River.

The second project involves Indian River Road, Providence Road, Level Green Boulevard and Reon Drive. Starting Monday, these roads will be affected in the following ways:

Level Green Boulevard from Commonwealth Drive to Indian River Road will be closed for two weeks until Dec. 23. Work will begin again on Jan. 5 for one month.

Reon Drive, from Indian River to Providence, will be open to local traffic only until Dec. 23.

Woodstock Drive, off Providence Road, will be reduced to one lane from until Dec. 15 during the day only. Once Woodstock is done, one westbound lane on Providence Road, between Woodstock and Reon Drive, will be closed for about five weeks during the day.

Starting in January, Indian River Road, between Reon and Depositor Lane, will be merged down to two lanes in each direction.

The last phase includes the complete closure of Depositor Lane for about 22 days. MEMO: Staff writers Debbie Markham, Mike Knepler, Nancy Young, Lori

Denney and Mike Abrams contributed to this report.

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