Tidewater Talk

Good evening, neighbors! In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co shake off nap brain and bike bloopers to bring you what’s happening across Coastal Virginia. We break down an eye‑opening local news story out of Portsmouth: the EPA’s upcoming public meeting on the Peck Iron & Metals Superfund site, including recent discoveries of military ordnance and radium‑painted objects, what “Superfund” means, and why this matters to nearby communities. Then we time‑travel to Matthews County for a “Strange Tidewater” stop at the museum’s Medicine on Wheels exhibit—where a horse‑and‑buggy country doctor once made house calls and sometimes got paid in eggs—plus a look at how the general store tied community life together.We round things out with a calm, sunny forecast (cool start, warming to the 80s—and yes, the pollen is relentless), and a stack of Tidewater tips: family‑friendly fun at Virginia Beach’s FFX Theater, Battleship Wisconsin’s 82nd birthday celebration at Nauticus, glassblowing and meditation at the Chrysler Museum, and the Norfolk Tides’ Bark in the Park dates. Question of the week: On the first real warm day, are you headed to the oceanfront, the bay, or the backyard? Tell us on Facebook or email [email protected].

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Co and I swap stories and local updates across Coastal Virginia. We kick off with a heartfelt farewell to our longtime neighborhood mailman and a quick detour into indoor plant collecting before digging into headlines: Suffolk’s notable population growth, Virginia Beach’s consideration of a park ranger program to ease non-emergency park calls, and a reminder to steer clear of risky social media “challenges.” For our Strange Tidewater segment, we explore the Wells Theatre—its Greek muses, early 1900s design illusions, and lively vaudeville past—plus a bit of friendly AI trivia with my daughter. We wrap with the week’s weather outlook (warm 80s rolling into rain and cooler 60s) and a batch of community tips: the new Tidewater Current intercity bus connections, the oceanfront holiday lights moving to a fully walkable experience, a Lion King ticket giveaway at the Jordan Newby Anchor Branch Library, and an egg hunt in the trees at The Adventure Park by the Virginia Aquarium.Got tips, talent, or time to share? Send us a note at [email protected] or visit tidewatertalk.com to get involved.

This week on Tidewater Talk, we’re covering everything from pirate legends to real headlines and a classic Tidewater weather swing.We start with a tough story out of Virginia Beach, where multiple people were injured in a shooting at a car meet near Kempsville. What we know so far and what it says about what’s been happening locally.Then in Strange and Odd, Co takes us back to the early 1700s and the legend of Blackbeard. From Cape Henry to First Landing State Park, we talk buried treasure, pirate signals, and the claim that his story still lingers right here in Hampton Roads.For weather, we’re back in that familiar Tidewater pattern, chilly start, then a quick warm-up into the 70s before rain moves in Friday and temps drop again for the weekend.Plus, local tips including Ainsley’s Angels Heart & Soul 5K, Equi-Kids painting with horses, a horror and pop culture con in Norfolk, and a nighttime flashlight egg hunt in Williamsburg.If you’re in Coastal Virginia, this is your weekly mix of local news, local stories, and a little bit of the strange side of Tidewater.Stay safe, stay curious, and we’ll see you out there.

This week on Tidewater Talk, we’re all over Coastal Virginia, from ghost stories to real-life headlines and a big shift in the weather.We start with a major update out of Virginia Beach, where a new emergency curfew has been put in place at the Oceanfront following recent incidents. What it means, where it applies, and how it could affect families heading into spring.Then we head across the Peninsula for a truly eerie Strange and Odd, the story of the Williamsburg Public Hospital, America’s first mental hospital, where harsh treatments, a tragic doctor, and decades of history may have left something behind that never quite moved on.We also talk storm hype versus reality, how this past system actually played out across Tidewater, and whether the reaction matched the impact.And for the weather, we’re looking at a classic Tidewater shift, starting cool and gray, then warming all the way up near 70 by the weekend. Not quite beach weather, but close enough to make you think about it.Plus, local tips including Ainsley’s Angels Heart & Soul 5K, the Shamrock Marathon weekend, and a hidden gem at the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach.If you’re in Hampton Roads, this is your weekly reset, local stories, local weather, and a little bit of the strange side of Tidewater.Stay safe, stay curious, and we’ll see you out there.

In this episode of Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co dig into another week of life in Coastal Virginia. We start with local news from Virginia Beach, including new developments in the Atlantic Park surf lagoon project and an investigation into a fatal e-bike crash. Then we head into Strange and Odd of Tidewater with a look at the Edgar Cayce A.R.E. Library, the research center dedicated to the famous “Sleeping Prophet” whose trance readings drew people from around the world. We also break down this week’s Tidewater weather, what the storms mean for boating, motorcycles, fishing, and early spring planting, and a reminder that hurricane season is closer than you think.Plus Tidewater tips, local events, and the question of the week.Neighbors talking about life in Tidewater.

Good evening, neighbors! In this week’s Tidewater Talk, we kick things off with local life and a fun find: a new shuffleboard-style social spot where first-timers get coached and you can grab great bites while you play. We also dive into regional headlines, including Norfolk Southern’s newly opened rail transfer facility in Chesapeake and what it could mean for traffic and commerce around I-264 and I-464, plus a brief Dominion Energy outage that hit Ocean View and Bay View. From there, we slide into weekend picks: Norfolk Admirals vs. Idaho Steelheads at Scope, beginner steel pan classes at MacArthur Center, and a free container gardening workshop in Suffolk, complete with a takeaway salad kit. Weather-wise, expect highs in the upper 60s to low 70s with mid-50s lows, some foggy mornings, and a chance of weekend precipitation. For our Strange and Odd of Tidewater segment, we ferry across the bay to Hog Island, a barrier island with a past that reads like folklore. Once home to the elite Broadwater hunting club (visited by President Grover Cleveland) and the towering Hog Island Light, the island’s shifting shoreline forced residents in the 1930s to barge whole houses to the mainland towns of Willis Wharf and Oyster. The lighthouse was dismantled in 1948, and its former site now lies nearly a mile offshore. Today, Hog Island is a quiet expanse of dunes, marsh, and research stations—a vanished community that reminds us how the Atlantic can literally rewrite our map. Stay strange, neighbors!

This week on Tidewater Talk, Co shares the whirlwind saga of moving into a cozy new beachside place, complete with weather delays, packing chaos, and an unexpected plumbing leak, before settling into why the area already feels like home. We touch on a recent Town Center scare and a heart‑pounding close call in the crosswalk, then dig into local chatter about rising Dominion power bills and what might really be driving higher costs during this long cold snap. For our Strange Tidewater segment, we time‑travel to Ocean View Park, the long‑gone Norfolk amusement park born from a trolley line hustle, battered by storms and fires, and sent off with a cinematic bang in 1979 when filmmakers tried (twice!) to blow down The Rocket coaster. We wrap with a chilly, rainy week’s forecast and a packed list of local happenings, from Charlotte’s Web at ODU to New Edition at Hampton Coliseum, Harry Potter in Concert at Scope, the Virginia Aquarium’s Survival of the Slowest, and early signups for the Angels Heart & Soul 5K at Mount Trashmore.Community question: Have you ever stood somewhere local and thought, “Something used to be here”? Send us your stories and tips at [email protected], share the show, or pitch in with time, talent, or treasure at tidewatertalk.com.

In this solo episode of Tidewater Talk, I share a heartfelt neighborhood moment and a slice of Tidewater history. I start with a big shoutout to a local caregiver who went above and beyond for our son, a reminder of the kindness that makes Coastal Virginia feel like home. Then we journey to the edge of Virginia Beach for this week’s Strange and Odd: the haunting story of Wash Woods, a long-vanished community in False Cape State Park built from shipwrecked lumber, weathered by hurricanes, and slowly reclaimed by dunes and time. We wrap with a quick weather outlook. I also spotlight a weekend pick: Victory Fair in Norfolk. Thanks for spending part of your day with me, neighbors, stay safe, stay curious, and stay Tidewater.

In tonight’s solo Tidewater Talk, I bring you a quick round-up of what’s happening around Coastal Virginia, starting with a fast-response house fire on North 1st Street in Hampton that, thankfully, ended with no injuries. I walk through practical takeaways from Hampton Fire and Rescue’s reminders, including their free smoke alarm program, plus simple safety checks you can do at home. Then we dive into this week’s Strange and Odd of Tidewater: our region’s full-throttle commitment to peanuts, from “wet nuts” on sundaes to the eternally steaming vats of boiled peanuts, and the long, proud (and occasionally perplexing) history that got us here. I wrap with a clear, day-by-day weather outlook: a mild evening giving way to midweek showers and a return to breezy chill, with the weekend offering a brief warm-up before rain slides in Sunday. I break down what that means for beach walks and motorcycle rides, Wednesday afternoon and Saturday are your best bets. Finally, a local tip for Friday night: the Virginia Symphony Orchestra performs The Princess Bride live at the Chrysler Center. Details and resources are in the show notes. Stay safe and stay curious, neighbors.

In this solo episode of Tidewater Talk, I slow the pace and lean into a favorite segment: Strange and Odd of Tidewater. After a quick community moment about a Great Pyrenees rescue in New Kent County using an infrared drone, we take a long look at the ghost fleet of the James River—the haunting line of World War-era concrete ships you can spot near Kiptopeke. I share how a shoreline double-take turned into a kayak trip among these surreal hulks, now reclaimed by birds, fish, and even trees, and why their quiet presence feels so distinctly Tidewater. We also check the wintery forecast for Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore and celebrate our one-year anniversary, plus a local Galentine’s/Valentine’s mini Highland cow photoshoot at Hunt Club Farm. Send your sightings and stories—what’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on or near the water around here?—to [email protected]. Stay strange, neighbors.Weather: 39° in Virginia Beach; 34° near Kiptopeke. Rain shifting to a wintry mix and likely snow overnight tomorrow; highs in the 30s through Thursday, clearing into Friday.

In this solo episode of Tidewater Talk, I open with a grateful nod to our Hampton Roads neighbors and share a dramatic local rescue on Virginia’s Eastern Shore: Fire and EMS launched an inflatable raft to save a dog that fell through the ice near Chincoteague Creek, bringing the pup to safety with only minor injuries and no harm to first responders.We then linger in Strange and Odd with the haunting close of Blackbeard’s story in our waters, from his fearsome reputation and Maynard’s audacious trap at Ocracoke Inlet to the grim display of Blackbeard’s severed head at what became Blackbeard’s Point in Hampton. It’s a reminder that legends end, but their echoes shape the place we call home. I wrap with a quick weather rundown: a deep freeze across Tidewater for the next week, highs near freezing, lows in the low 20s, and a snow event likely beginning Friday night through the weekend. Neighbors, send your strange sightings and chilly place picks to [email protected] and stay strange.

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, we open with a brisk winter check-in and a spirited debate over corn nuts and okra before diving into what’s happening around Coastal Virginia. We cover a major local story: the owner of Ace Auto Sales LLC in Chesapeake was sentenced to six years in federal prison for a multi-year, $2 million auto-loan fraud scheme that affected roughly two dozen financial institutions. We also chat about a York High School classroom trailer fire and reminisce about the woes of learning in “portables.”Our Strange & Odd of Tidewater segment spotlights the Great Dismal Swamp, once a brutal yet vital refuge where Indigenous peoples and later freedom-seeking enslaved people built hidden communities and lived free despite extreme conditions. We pair that with a local history moment on General Ambrose Burnside’s 1863 “Mud March,” a reminder that weather can decide outcomes, timely, given this weekend’s forecast calling for significant winter weather and the potential for heavy snow and some ice impacts around the region. We share current temps and a heads-up on accumulation probabilities, encourage neighbors to prepare, and invite listener feedback: What’s a local place you refuse to go to—and why? We also highlight Yelp’s top eateries in the 757 and point you to Virginia Beach Restaurant Week with a full participant list in the show notes. Send your tips, odd sightings, and answers to [email protected], and we’ll see you next Tuesday, neighbors.

This week on Tidewater Talk, we are sharing a rewind of one of our most meaningful conversations. We revisit our interview with Sparrow from Ainsley’s Angels of America, a nonprofit dedicated to inclusion, dignity, and joy for people with disabilities and their families. This conversation explores what real inclusion looks like, how adaptive racing builds community, and why partnership matters more than charity. This episode is deeply personal. Ainsley’s Angels changed the trajectory of our family’s life, and Sparrow does a powerful job explaining not just what they do, but why it matters, for riders, runners, families, and the broader community. If you missed this episode the first time, we are glad you are here for it now. And if you have heard it before, it is well worth another listen. Learn more about Ainsley’s Angels of America https://ainsleysangels.org/ As always, if you have a local story, an odd sighting, or someone doing good work we should highlight, send it to [email protected]. 

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co swap cozy winter updates before diving into local headlines: Newport News and Norfolk both reported dramatic drops in homicides, marking multi‑year lows across the region. We also spotlight a major healthcare investment for veterans, a new VA outpatient clinic planned for the former Lake Wright Golf Course area near the Premium Outlets in Virginia Beach, with an anticipated opening as early as 2028. Our Strange and Odd of Tidewater segment heads to the historic Cavalier Hotel, where the legend of the “golden ghost of the 6th floor” lingers, phone calls from empty rooms, chilly drafts, and a long‑retired bellman who still warns guests at night. We wrap with warming temps in the weekly forecast, local events and openings (hello, free Potbelly for a year), plus a listener prompt: What’s your favorite local mystery? Events and tips include an East Coast Hikers outing at Marshview Park, a “Charlie Brown” jazz program from Symphonicity at the Sandler Center, and family fun like Gabby’s Dollhouse Live later this month. Send us your local stories, odd sightings, and community tips at [email protected], and consider giving back with time, talent, or treasure at tidewatertalk.com.