Those familiar with Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) in Norfolk realize that Routes 4 and 9 are catch-all bus routes. They pick up a number of neighborhoods that otherwise wouldn't have service, crossing major routes where passengers can transfer. No regular bus rider would take the 4 or 9 end-to-end as a through route.
As I was riding Route 23 home on Sunday afternoon, a young lady said, "The number 9 will take you to Hell and back before it gets you to where you want to go."
FYI, Route 4 is scheduled to be split when light rail comes online, leaving us with the 9 to deal with.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
That's Why He Has So Much Time
The last few times I've posted on light rail, Wally Erb has been on here to comment in the negative. Wonder why he has so much time to do so? That's because he can't go to a candidate forum without getting kicked out.
On Wednesday evening, October 1, the Shore Drive Community Coalition held their forum. Wally showed up, and started after Rosemary Wilson. He wanted to do one of his candidate Interviews for Virginia News Source (VNS). Rosemary didn't want to, given the personal attacks Wally had previously launched against her on VNS. Erb denied making the attacks. In short order, Wally Erb got thrown out of the building.
Granted, Rosemary isn't on my Christmas card list. However, it's symptomatic of the behavior of members of the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). They've disrupted City Council Budget Hearings, trying to intimidate speakers who disagree with them. Given that record, at least two Council candidate forums this Fall have had beefed up security in case VBTAers showed up and tried to cause mischief.
On Wednesday evening, October 1, the Shore Drive Community Coalition held their forum. Wally showed up, and started after Rosemary Wilson. He wanted to do one of his candidate Interviews for Virginia News Source (VNS). Rosemary didn't want to, given the personal attacks Wally had previously launched against her on VNS. Erb denied making the attacks. In short order, Wally Erb got thrown out of the building.
Granted, Rosemary isn't on my Christmas card list. However, it's symptomatic of the behavior of members of the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). They've disrupted City Council Budget Hearings, trying to intimidate speakers who disagree with them. Given that record, at least two Council candidate forums this Fall have had beefed up security in case VBTAers showed up and tried to cause mischief.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Grid-Iron
For football fans, there's a new European-based fantasy football management game, "Grid-Iron". It's in it's first season.
I signed up this past weekend, inherited a club off to a 1-5 start (wonderful!), and play my first game tomorrow. The internationalization of the game is humorous, as the first two new players I've bought are a Dutch quarterback and a Slovak offensive lineman. (The first player my Fighting Flamingos bid on was a quarterback from Iceland.)
The site is at http://www.grid-iron.org
I signed up this past weekend, inherited a club off to a 1-5 start (wonderful!), and play my first game tomorrow. The internationalization of the game is humorous, as the first two new players I've bought are a Dutch quarterback and a Slovak offensive lineman. (The first player my Fighting Flamingos bid on was a quarterback from Iceland.)
The site is at http://www.grid-iron.org
Ira Goes To The Woodshed
Today's Virginian-Pravda gave us the Chamber of Commerce's endorsements for Virginia Beach City Council, with the short story focusing on the Mayoral race. The Chamber endorsed both Will Sessoms and Meyera Oberndorf. http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/virginia-beach-chamber-endorses-sessoms-oberndorf
The story on the dual endorsement carried a major gaffe by the Chamber's Ira Agricola:
"You could put a credit card between their answers," Agricola said.
Uh...Sessoms has spent thousands of dollars on advertisements trying to market him as the "change" candidate, then Agricola blows it away in one sentence.
Scott Taylor and/or John Moss would be foolish not to play that quote prominently.
The story on the dual endorsement carried a major gaffe by the Chamber's Ira Agricola:
"You could put a credit card between their answers," Agricola said.
Uh...Sessoms has spent thousands of dollars on advertisements trying to market him as the "change" candidate, then Agricola blows it away in one sentence.
Scott Taylor and/or John Moss would be foolish not to play that quote prominently.
Transit Notes October 3, 2008
1. There are people at Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) that do listen. Going into downtown Norfolk this morning, HRT had Bus 1226 on Route 310 (Downtown Shuttle). The 1226 is an undersized former Pentran bus, too small for the 310. Sure enough, the 9:30 A.M. run out of Cedar Grove was standing room only.
My fourth stop downtown was the Kirn Library, where I used one of the computers to e-mail HRT about the 1226 (and a couple other operational issues). I pointed out the situation would be even worse using it at rush hour. I then went to MacArthur Center to see The Miracle at St. Anna (pretty good).
Afterwards I had lunch and then headed for HRT's offices on Monticello Avenue. Passing me as I walked up: Bus 1226 heading for the garage.
2. Reid Greenmun's favorite group of "subversives", MoveOn, had a voter registration table at Cedar Grove this afternoon. They're the fourth group I've seen registering voters at bus transfer centers this year.
My fourth stop downtown was the Kirn Library, where I used one of the computers to e-mail HRT about the 1226 (and a couple other operational issues). I pointed out the situation would be even worse using it at rush hour. I then went to MacArthur Center to see The Miracle at St. Anna (pretty good).
Afterwards I had lunch and then headed for HRT's offices on Monticello Avenue. Passing me as I walked up: Bus 1226 heading for the garage.
2. Reid Greenmun's favorite group of "subversives", MoveOn, had a voter registration table at Cedar Grove this afternoon. They're the fourth group I've seen registering voters at bus transfer centers this year.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
JT Walk and Beach Party For ALS
On Sunday, October 19 there will be a walk and beach party to raise funds to combat ALS, more commonly referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease". The walk will be at 11 A.M. (check-in starts at 9:30 A.M.) beginning at the Ocean Beach Club at 34th Street. Later the beach party will be at 31st Street.
The website is at http://www.jtwalk.org
The website is at http://www.jtwalk.org
RAC October 2, 2008
This afternoon Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) held it's monthly meeting. (It's normally the 1st Thursday at 3 P.M. at the convention center.)
Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Director Jim Ricketts gave a Presentation on Tourism figures through August. Hotel occupancy is down 5.4% to 65%. However, our visitors are spending more, with revenue up 2.1%. Virginia Beach is one of only three cities with a revenue increase in 2008, the other two being Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
Of concern is state Tourism funding. In 1996 Virginia spent $22 million on Tourism; in 2008 it is spending $14 million. With state departments being asked to prepare cuts, that figure could drop another $2 million.
Councilman John Uhrin, Council's RAC Liaison, presented Commissioners with figures from the 31st Street Hilton project. The City is reaping a net gain of $1,330,519 annually. That triggered a largely self-congratulatory discussion on 31st Street and public-private partnerships in general.
The Plan/Design Review Committee (PDRC) looked at two proposed projects of note. First, a mixed-use development where the Viking Motel now is. The hitch is that it was designed by a Texas architect, with the initial drawings looking like "something that belonged in San Antonio." The PDRC's design professionals suggested changes to make it more appropriate for the Beach. Second, there's a proposal to replace the Burger King on Laskin Road with a new one adjacent. However, the proposition faces a few hurdles: the new restaurant wouldn't mesh with the urban redevelopment in the pending Resort Area Strategic Action Plan, any restaurant drive-thru in RT-3 requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), and they want to continue operating the current Burger King while the new one is built - a zoning violation.
Fact of the Day: 17% of City lodging revenues come from Sandbridge rentals.
Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Director Jim Ricketts gave a Presentation on Tourism figures through August. Hotel occupancy is down 5.4% to 65%. However, our visitors are spending more, with revenue up 2.1%. Virginia Beach is one of only three cities with a revenue increase in 2008, the other two being Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
Of concern is state Tourism funding. In 1996 Virginia spent $22 million on Tourism; in 2008 it is spending $14 million. With state departments being asked to prepare cuts, that figure could drop another $2 million.
Councilman John Uhrin, Council's RAC Liaison, presented Commissioners with figures from the 31st Street Hilton project. The City is reaping a net gain of $1,330,519 annually. That triggered a largely self-congratulatory discussion on 31st Street and public-private partnerships in general.
The Plan/Design Review Committee (PDRC) looked at two proposed projects of note. First, a mixed-use development where the Viking Motel now is. The hitch is that it was designed by a Texas architect, with the initial drawings looking like "something that belonged in San Antonio." The PDRC's design professionals suggested changes to make it more appropriate for the Beach. Second, there's a proposal to replace the Burger King on Laskin Road with a new one adjacent. However, the proposition faces a few hurdles: the new restaurant wouldn't mesh with the urban redevelopment in the pending Resort Area Strategic Action Plan, any restaurant drive-thru in RT-3 requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), and they want to continue operating the current Burger King while the new one is built - a zoning violation.
Fact of the Day: 17% of City lodging revenues come from Sandbridge rentals.
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