Remember Norfolk is where FEMA's command center dohickey is; Chesapeake shares the Southern border and Newport News is across the water North of Norfolk. These cities, along with Hampton, Portmouth, and Virginia Beach, compose the Hampton roads Area:

12/23/99 6pm EST WVEC-ABC Channel 13 news: reports Newport News Waterworks in VA plans to unplug from VA Power at the Yorktown resevoir and switch to generators, did not specify how many hours of fuel is available. Reported intention to FOF and not to worry because even without phones, power, and computers they can still run manually. (My concern is water quality; reported did not ask waterworks rep about purification/monitoring chemical content equip).

12/22/99 Local television news reports Chesapeake VA has declared a state of emergency for 12/31/99. (You will remember this area as having run a old blocking-interstate-access drill a few days back, covered by GN.)

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 23, 1999

Answers

Now THAT'S what I call thinking ahead.

I lived in Williamsburg for 3 years. Imagine being there in a crash. Richmond (murder city) to your west and NN/Hampton to your east, pinned in by the York and the James and the Chickahominy rivers.

Glad I got out,

Kook

-- Y2Kook (y2kook@usa.net), December 23, 1999.

Shades of the Near Future.

-- state of emergency (will be@will be.will be), December 23, 1999.

Rappahannock on the North, Bay on the East, York on the South. Clannish people all over the area. Their ancestors survived the occupation after the War between the states... Carptebaggers. Country folks can take a hell of a lot and come back strong, it's the citys we have to worry about.

-- (...@.......), December 23, 1999.

Dec. 22, 1999

Chesapeake outlines Y2K emergency steps

BY JENNIFER PETER, The Virginian-Pilot Copyright 1999, Landmark Communications Inc.

CHESAPEAKE _ Just in case the unexpected happens and the switch to 2000 creates chaos on the roads or on the electric grid, the City Council voted Tuesday to declare a state of emergency in the city as of 5 p.m. Dec. 31.

The city also authorized the city manager to impose water conservation measures should a Y2K bug hinder the water supply or delivery.

No interruptions or problems are anticipated by city staff, which has worked for more than a year to make sure that all the city's systems are programmed correctly and will work appropriately in the new year.

``We do not anticipate that there will be problems coming on the 31st of December,'' City Manager John L. Pazour said. ``On the other hand the computers -- especially relating to utility systems -- are extremely complex.''

The Emergency Operation Center call center will be activated as of 5 p.m. Dec. 31 and will continue until 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, or until there is no longer a need to maintain it. That could be as early as Jan. 1, if the time switch causes no problems, as the city anticipates.

The number residents can call for information during that time is 382-6464.

The city will also operate 28 temporary police precints throughout Chesapeake.

Also on Tuesday, the City Council:

Allotted $44,688 to the Census 2000 Complete Count Committee for a public relations program to enhance public awareness of and participation in the census, which will take place April 1.

The census will determine the type and amount of federal and state funding program that will be available to the city for the next 10 years, based upon the city's population.

The bulk of the money -- $31,010 -- would be spent on two direct mailings of postcards on color paper to all Chesapeake households.

Council members John A. Cosgrove, Dalton S. Edge and Debbie Ritter opposed the appropriation. Cosgrove argued that the census was a federal function and that the city should not dedicate precious tax dollars to it.

Requested the Commonwealth Transportation Board to recommend $640,000 in federal funding for improvements of Poindexter Street in South Norfolk and $111,000 in federal funding to complete a multi-use path on Gum Road.

The council also designated the Poindexter Street its top priority.

Last year, the City Council recommended federal funding for both projects, but received money only for the Gum Road path, which angered South Norfolk residents.

Reach Jennifer Peter at 222-5217 or jpeter@pilotonline.com

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), December 23, 1999.