Stacy Parker

1 week ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — Voters in Virginia Beach will have the opportunity to cast a vote for the method in which they want to elect their City Council members. Seven of 11 council members voted Tuesday in favor of a charter change referendum on the election system to be placed on the November ballot. The referendum question would ask voters whether they want to keep the current single-member district system or if they support a voting system with some at-large seats on council.

1 week ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — Mayor Bobby Dyer and other members of City Council who want to place a charter change referendum question on the November ballot likely have enough support for it to move forward. The referendum question would ask voters whether they want to keep the current single-member district system or if they support a voting system with some at-large seats on council. Six of 11 members — a majority — said they plan to vote in favor of it Tuesday when asked by The Virginian-Pilot.

2 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — You’ve likely seen them in your neighborhood. Gray vans emblazoned with Amazon’s signature blue curved arrow “smile” and a playful phrase such as: “I’m electric. Boogie woogie woogie.”The vehicles are the online shopping giant’s first electric fleet in Virginia and are based out of a new Virginia Beach delivery station on Harpers Road. A second massive Amazon building — a robotics fulfillment center across Dam Neck Road — is scheduled to open next year.

2 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — Strawberry season in southeast Virginia has arrived early, and farmers want pickers to head to the fields as soon as possible. “It’s right at the peak,” said Barbara Henley of Henley Farms in the Pungo section of Virginia Beach. “Now is the time to come.”Henley, who is also a city council member, said strawberries are usually thought to be ripe around Mother’s Day or later — but not this year. “Don’t wait until the end of May because they won’t be here,” she said.

3 weeks ago | pilotonline.com | Stacy Parker

VIRGINIA BEACH — U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans recently met with leaders from Dominion Energy, Virginia Natural Gas and other Hampton Roads business representatives to discuss how “clean” energy investments are growing the local workforce and bringing long-term economic growth to the region. During a Wednesday roundtable event, hosted by Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, she also discussed efforts to drum up more support for clean energy among Republicans.