Tidewater Talk

This week on Tidewater Talk, we caught up on a little local news and a lot of Coastal Virginia life. We talked about a strange case involving red-light tickets in Virginia Beach tied to a car that had already been sold, then shifted into a health update after the Virginia Department of Health confirmed human cases of West Nile virus in Virginia Beach. We also shared practical mosquito precautions, compared notes on recent summer illnesses, and, as always, mixed in a few very real and very funny personal stories along the way.

We also dug into one...

This week on Tidewater Talk, we covered a wide mix of Coastal Virginia stories, from another round of flash flooding in Norfolk to West Nile virus turning up in mosquitoes across multiple Virginia Beach neighborhoods. We also talked through a headline-making lawsuit involving a former Norfolk police officer and her privacy complaint against the department, and then shifted into one of our favorite lanes: the strange and memorable corners of local history. This week’s “Strange Tidewater” spotlight was Portsmouth’s long-running Winter Wonderland animatronic Christmas display, a community-loved holiday attraction with roots going back decades and a story that inc...

This week on Tidewater Talk, we caught up on a mix of local news, community updates, and one of our favorite oddball Tidewater stories. We talked about Virginia Beach’s free ADA beach wheelchairs available at the Oceanfront and Sandbridge, Norfolk Fire-Rescue becoming the first in the region to move to a fourth shift, and a fun Keep Norfolk Beautiful cleanup event at Lafayette Park. We also touched on the Virginia Beach golf course vote and why it has stirred so much public reaction. On the Strange and Odd of Tidewater side, we shared the Suffolk roots of Mr. Pe...

This week on Tidewater Talk, Brodie checked in with Co while fighting through a summer cold, and we still packed the episode with plenty of local updates from around coastal Virginia. We talked about the sudden flooding in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood, where a highly localized storm dumped inches of rain in just a few hours, and we highlighted Norfolk’s new free Norfolk 101 Citizens Academy, an eight-week evening program that gives residents an inside look at city services, public safety, utilities, and more.

For this week’s Strange and Odd of Tidewater, we dug into the wild h...

This week on Tidewater Talk, we covered a mix of local news, seasonal updates, and Tidewater trivia. We talked about the USS Nimitz making its final visit before decommissioning in 2027 and reflected on how ships can take on a personality of their own for the people who served on them. We also highlighted Virginia’s tax-free weekend, including deals on school supplies, clothing, hurricane preparedness items, and select energy-efficient products, plus a fascinating ODU project: a remote-controlled tick-killing rover being tested to help reduce tick populations on local trails.

We also took a deep dive into one of...

This is a rewind episode from 10 March. Let us know if you have anything interesting for us to cover next week at tips@tidewatertalk.com

This week on Tidewater Talk, we covered a little bit of everything happening around Coastal Virginia. We started with a reality check on the recent cyclosporiasis headlines in Virginia, talked about a brief power outage in Isle of Wight caused by a tree limb, and looked at Norfolk’s plan to add a fourth firefighter shift to help reduce burnout and improve long-term health for first responders. We also shared a quick local weather update, including a hot week ahead, scattered thunderstorms, and a severe thunderstorm watch affecting much of South Hampton Roads.

We also took a di...

Pickle pizza, abandoned ships, dangerous heat, and a very muddy kayaking lesson.


In Episode 76 of Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co explore Suffolk’s Pickle Palooza, including pickle pizza, pickle lemonade, fried pickles, pickled peanuts, and more. Brodie also shares how a misread tide left him stranded in the mud, before uncovering the story of Suffolk’s “Ghost Fleet,” a collection of at least 13 historic boats abandoned along the Nansemond River.


Plus, we cover the delayed demolition of Norfolk’s MacArthur Center, new free pet microchip scanning stations, Virginia’s expanded Styrofoam food-container ban, the week’s e...

This week on Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co. sit down with Anmarie Reed, LCSW, Clinical Director at Prosperity Eating Disorder and Wellness Center in Norfolk, for a compassionate conversation about eating disorders, recovery, and the resources available here in Hampton Roads.

Anmarie helps explain how common eating disorders are, why they are not about vanity, how they can overlap with anxiety, depression, trauma, neurodivergence, and OCD, and why early support matters. The conversation also covers ARFID, orthorexia, diet culture, treatment options, insurance challenges, and how families can recognize when someone may need help. 

Plus, we c...

Good evening, neighbors. This week Brodie and Co are sweating through a Hampton Roads heat dome that is chasing records Norfolk has not touched since 2020, so we are staying hydrated and mostly staying inside. On the news desk, a corpse flower is about to bloom at the Norfolk Botanical Garden sometime between July 4th and 8th, giving off its famous rotting-flesh smell, and that leads us straight into the cadaver bar over at the Zoom Room in Hilltop. There is also a swim advisory across nine Ocean View beaches in Norfolk, and MacArthur Center has finally closed its doors...

This week on Tidewater Talk, we covered a mix of local news, odd stories, and summer happenings around Coastal Virginia. We talked through several new Virginia laws taking effect July 1, including job salary transparency requirements, changes that allow certain criminal records to be sealed from public view, and a new rule requiring speed limiter devices for drivers convicted of going 100 mph or more. We also touched on the ongoing conversation around Virginia’s new restrictions on certain semiautomatic firearms and large-capacity magazines. On the lighter side, we shared the wild story of a Virginia Beach fishing charter spotting a ro...

This week on Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co get you ready for one of the biggest weekends Hampton Roads has seen in years.

In the news: Sail250 Virginia kicks off Friday at Town Point Park, bringing 60-plus tall ships from more than 20 countries to the downtown Norfolk waterfront. Virginia Beach Police are also watching the Oceanfront ahead of a rumored teen takeover this weekend.

For Strange and Odd, Brodie takes us to Doumar's on Monticello Avenue in Norfolk, where a carhop still brings your food to the window and the same waffle iron from 1905 is...

This week on Tidewater Talk, Co returns with exciting family news while Brodie discovers he's in Hurricane Evacuation Zone C. The neighbors discuss Virginia Beach's surf park offering free lessons to local kids, a Chesapeake student found with a firearm at school, and the surprising fact that New Kent's speed cameras have generated millions in fines while only about half the tickets have been paid.

For this week's Strange and Odd of Tidewater, we head back to Smithfield and the Isle of Wight County Museum, home to the world's oldest ham, the world's largest ham, the most well-traveled...

Co is out this week celebrating a new grandbaby, so Brodie takes the wheel solo on episode 70. He opens with a follow-up from Thursday -- a fishing run out toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel with his daughter that ended with bluefish for dinner and one of those moments you end up talking about for years.

No news this week, but Strange and Odd more than covers it. Brodie walks through the U.S. Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis in Newport News, a completely free museum most Hampton Roads residents have never stepped inside. A Cold War...

This week on Tidewater Talk, Co and Brodie talk about a Virginia Beach cold case finally being solved more than 40 years later through advances in DNA technology and genetic genealogy. They also dive into this week’s Strange and Odd of Tidewater featuring Fort Norfolk, a hidden Army fort along the Elizabeth River that dates back to George Washington’s original coastal defense system and somehow stayed under the radar for nearly 20 years of military life in Hampton Roads.

Plus, storms and flooding give way to a nicer weekend forecast, Brodie learns an important lesson about kayaking at l...

Good evening, neighbors! In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co beat the heat with a packed rundown of Coastal Virginia happenings. We chat through the sweltering temps and the upcoming weather swing, from mid-90s heat to a rain-filled Memorial Day weekend, plus the start of tropical season on June 1. Co recaps the vibrant scene at Tidewater Comic Con (from blinged-out Mario pens to full-on Avatar cosplay), and we touch on a major energy headline as Dominion sells a majority stake to NextEra Energy and what that could mean for reliability. Our Strange Tidewater Moment takes us to...

Good evening, neighbors! In episode 67 of Tidewater Talk, Co and Brodie kick things off with some real talk about presentation nerves and the reminder that most audiences are rooting for you. We dive into a wild local headline: the Norfolk Federation of Teachers leadership shake-up after an investigation into alleged misuse of funds. What happened, what it means for union members, and the bigger questions it raises. For this week’s Strange and Odd of Tidewater, we unravel the mystery of Hampton Roads’ famous (or infamous) Mexican restaurant white sauce, its surprising 1970s Norfolk origins, what’s actually in it, an...

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, I dive into Virginia Beach’s ongoing public safety saga, including the new $10 million lawsuit filed by two people arrested during the Oceanfront curfew—one a resident walking home, the other an independent journalist challenging the idea of “press credentials.” We revisit last year’s carnival cancellation and note this year’s advance notice due to security constraints. I also spotlight Virginia Beach Parks & Rec’s new Fit Pop initiative launching at Red Wing Park, plus a full local weather run-down: warm temps with midweek showers and thunderstorms, cooling by late week, and a sunny Mother’s...

This week on Tidewater Talk, we're talking about the latest developments at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, including business impacts from the curfew and what happens next.

Then we switch it up with a Strange and Odd segment about why "Virginia is for Lovers" doesn't mean what you think, and what people in Tidewater actually love, from jet noise to boiled peanuts and everything in between.

Plus, spring weather is trying to settle in with warmer days ahead, local events are picking up, and we've got a few Tidewater tips to check out this weekend.

This week on Tidewater Talk, we’re talking about everything happening at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, from recent incidents to the new curfew and how it’s affecting the area.

We also head out to the Great Dismal Swamp for a Strange and Odd story about Lake Drummond and the legend of a ghostly figure seen drifting across the water at night.

Plus, spring weather is settling in with warmer days ahead before the rain rolls back in this weekend, and we’ve got a few local events to check out around Hampton Roads.

This week on Tidewater Talk, we’re diving into a strange piece of history sitting just off Cape Henry, a sunken battleship that’s still right there under the water.


We also talk about a new EMS initiative bringing blood directly to patients in the field, and why that could make a real difference across Hampton Roads.


Plus, it finally feels like spring, warmer weather is here, lawns need mowing, and we’ve got a few local events to check out this weekend.

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...

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 daught...

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...

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...

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 fo...

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 M...

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 trol...

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 ou...

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 occ...

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 al...

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 Bla...

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 S...

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...

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 emp...

In this year-end episode of Tidewater Talk, we keep it cozy and local with Brodie and Co reflecting on the holidays, family moments, and the fast-moving milestones that made 2024 feel full. We look back on a fun year of growing the show’s voice, shifting from early serious tones to an easygoing neighbor-to-neighbor vibe, celebrating community interviews, odd local stories, and consistent Tuesday check-ins (power outage week aside!). We revisit memorable topics from state symbols and weather swings to homelessness awareness and local events, plus the unforgettable “party of the year.” We share family-friendly New Year’s options, including Nauticus...

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co keep it hyper-local with a lively mix of community chatter and coastal happenings. We swap funny family-and-ASMR stories, then dive into the big local headline: an ethics complaint filed by federal prosecutors against outgoing Chesapeake Sheriff David Rosado under the Hatch Act—rare territory for state or local officials. We also cover the rescue of 170 cold-stunned sea turtles on the Outer Banks and the costs of rehabilitating them at the STAR Center, spotlight a quirky new indoor sports venue—the Palace of Pickleball near Mount Trashmore—and unpack a truly strange...

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, we kick things off with some lighthearted banter—from Brodie’s tongue‑in‑cheek Bitcoin mining experiment to an unexpected $40 jacket find—before diving into major regional news. We break down Governor Youngkin’s announcement of LS Cable & System’s $689M advanced materials campus in Chesapeake, projected to create 430 jobs, and how it pairs with the earlier LS Greenlink project. We unpack what’s planned on-site (copper rod manufacturing, magnet wire, and rare earth magnet production), supply-chain implications for defense and EV components, and the aggressive timeline targeting operations by late 2027—all while wondering how hiring...

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co cozy up for a chilly Coastal Virginia evening and dive into two heartwarming community stories and a brand-new segment. We spotlight Nansemond-Suffolk Academy students who teamed up with FACT (Families of Autism Coming Together) to design and build a sensory-friendly, accessible floating fishing dock on school property—complete with community-donated life vests, poles, and a newly stocked pond. We also debut “Strange and Odd of Tidewater,” exploring a small green triangle in Ghent that hides a somber history: a mass grave from Norfolk’s 1855 yellow fever epidemic, now marked thanks to a local...

In this week’s Tidewater Talk, Brodie and Co catch up on local happenings across Coastal Virginia, from a tragic pedestrian fatality on I‑64 and a first-hand dash-cam hit‑and‑run story, to how Virginia Beach’s upcoming Point-in-Time count works and how listeners can volunteer before registration closes December 19 for the January 29 effort. We also run through a playful, voice-acted weather update—expect cold, brief sun breaks midweek, and rain returning by Friday—and note that hurricane season ended without a U.S. landfall for the first time in a decade.

For community tips, we spotlight Chesapeake’s “...