BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE OCEANA — U.S. Navy Capt. John Hewitt relieved Capt. Chad Vincelette as commanding officer of Naval Air Station Oceana on Saturday, Sept. 21, during the annual Oceana Air Show. It was no ordinary change of command, however. “Today… Continue Reading
BY MARK THOMAS MAHMOD NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA — One important lesson I’ve learned through my short time of military service is to never quit. Occasionally, I find myself thinking, “I don’t know where I’d be today if it wasn’t for… Continue Reading
BY CHAD VINCELETTE NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA — During a counseling session when I was a young naval officer, my commanding officer told me that in order to lead a successful organization you have to have a “servant’s mindset.” At first… Continue Reading
BY JACOB RICHARDSON Many thoughts, feelings and habits have stayed with me throughout my time in the Navy. The most profound and impactful for me is the idea and importance of camaraderie found within the Navy and between service members. … Continue Reading
BY JANE BLOODWORTH ROWE PUNGO – Memorial Day weekend will find Bob and Phoebe Braswell, the honorary mayor and first lady of Pungo, presiding over this year’s Pungo Strawberry Festival, with “Rise and Shine — It’s Strawberry Time” as this… Continue Reading
Ed. — A version of this story originally appeared in print in August. BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE COURTHOUSE – Harvest Farms, a mixed-use development proposed for two properties in the heart of Pungo, faces opposition regarding the amount of housing and commercial… Continue Reading
Dear Editor: My opponent in the Princess Anne District, City Councilmember Barbara Henley, helped create and voted for the agriculture reserve program, or ARP, in 1995. Many years later in 2013, as a sitting member of the Virginia Beach City… Continue Reading
THE INDEPENDENT NEWS COURTHOUSE – A public meeting about flooding issues and how sea level rise will be felt in the Back Bay area is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 22, at Kellam High School, part of a series… Continue Reading
THE INDEPENDENT NEWS VIRGINIA BEACH — One day this past month, service members at Naval Air Station Oceana spotted two different drones flying at the facility without authorization to do so. In addition to posing a hazard to U.S. Navy pilots… Continue Reading
BY LINDA RUSSELL VIRGINIA BEACH — I expected the normal complaints about the Oceana Air Show and, sure enough, some weeks back in a local paper’s letters to the editor someone complained about the flyovers. The original solution to the noise and… Continue Reading