Stacy Parker

3 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — Inmates in orange jumpsuits will no longer mow grass in the city’s medians, but they will start picking up litter soon. The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office recently ditched its landscaping program, which was losing money. Instead, Parks & Recreation has hired private contractors to do the work. The Sheriff’s Office Inmate Workforce program allows low-risk offenders — with deputy supervision — to cut grass and perform other maintenance services for the city.

3 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — What if you could own the Virginia Beach Boardwalk or Town Center? You’ll have to fork over some cash, but when the rent payments start rolling in, it’s smooth sailing. In the new Monopoly: Virginia Beach Edition, the Boardwalk and Town Center are the most expensive and yet most desired properties on the board. A host of other local landmarks, organizations and businesses landed a spot as well. The game was unveiled Friday night at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.

4 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

One developer’s teardown is another one’s treasure. That’s how Katie Denton views The Raleigh House, her newest preservation project in Virginia Beach’s sought-after Cavalier Shores neighborhood on the cusp of the North End. Denton owns Bees Nees, a business focused on local real estate preservation. She and an investor bought the Colonial-style, 3,400-square-foot brick house at 209 44th St. to restore and sell it, rather than build new.

4 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — After spending more than $3 million for an elaborate design that would overhaul the resort area’s main thoroughfare making it more pedestrian-friendly, the City Council is putting the brakes on it, for now. Instead, council members want a taskforce to whittle down the wish list of improvements and come up with a less costly, but “exciting” vision for Atlantic Avenue. The street is an iconic symbol of the Oceanfront and home to hundreds of small businesses and hotels.

1 month ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — Pleasure boat owners in Virginia Beach could soon face a new tax to offset some of the city’s dredging costs, and dinner out at a local restaurant could also cost slightly more to help pay for major projects in the city. The potential tax increases are part of Virginia Beach’s fiscal year 2025-26 proposed budget presented to the City Council on Tuesday. The city’s total proposed operating budget is $2.8 billion, a 4.7% increase over the previous year.