Good morning, this is Virginia Beach Local Pulse for Saturday, March 7, 2026.
We start at City Hall, where Virginia Beach City Council is moving forward with next year’s budget talks, focusing on flood mitigation and school funding. Local outlets report council members are signaling no major hike in the real estate tax rate, but they are shifting more money toward drainage projects in neighborhoods off Shore Drive and around Lynnhaven Parkway to address repeat tidal flooding. There is also discussion of adding funding for school safety upgrades across several campuses.
On the weather side, WAVY TV 10 meteorologists say we wake up to fog and light drizzle across much of the city, especially along I 264 and near Town Center, but that clears into a warm, spring like afternoon with highs in the 70s and sunshine. They expect more clouds tomorrow with scattered showers later in the day, then a stretch of sunny, mild weather into early next week, so today looks good for a walk at First Landing or the Oceanfront if we give the morning fog time to lift.
In breaking local development news, regional business reports say a new mixed use project near the Oceanfront, along Pacific Avenue in the 30s blocks, is moving ahead with plans for several hundred apartments over ground floor retail. At the same time, commercial real estate trackers note office vacancy in the Town Center area is hovering around the mid teens in percent, while residential listings across Virginia Beach are tight, with roughly one thousand homes on the market and prices holding near recent highs.
On the job front, Hampton Roads workforce updates show local unemployment holding near the mid 3 percent range. Hospitals, ship repair yards, and tourism businesses at the Oceanfront are all posting openings as we head toward the spring season, with hundreds of positions in hospitality, nursing, and skilled trades.
Culturally, we have a busy stretch. The Sandler Center at Town Center hosts concerts this weekend, while the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater is gearing up for its spring lineup, with ticket sales underway for several major tours. Local music blogs point to live sets tonight at venues along Atlantic Avenue and Shore Drive, giving us plenty of options if we want to stay close to home.
In schools, Virginia Beach City Public Schools social media highlights a Cox High robotics team and Ocean Lakes math students earning top spots in recent regional competitions, while several high school basketball teams wrap up strong postseason runs.
For sports, local outlets note the Tides are preparing at Harbor Park over in Norfolk for another season, with preseason buzz already building here in Virginia Beach among fans planning trips across the water, and youth soccer and baseball leagues are starting practices at fields off Princess Anne Road and around the Sportsplex.
Turning to crime, Virginia Beach Police overnight reports describe several vehicle break ins in neighborhoods near Independence Boulevard and along Holland Road, with officers warning us to lock cars and avoid leaving valuables visible. Police are also investigating an armed robbery at a convenience store off Virginia Beach Boulevard from late last night. No life threatening injuries are reported, and detectives say they are reviewing surveillance video and following up on leads.
For a feel good story, local community groups are highlighting volunteers along the Oceanfront and the Boardwalk who are out this morning picking up litter after the week’s windy weather, including students from local high schools and military families, a small reminder of how we take care of our shoreline together.
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