Bridge Opening Delayed

The new portion of the Nansemond River Bridge has failed a strength test, and may not open for another two months. Originally scheduled to be ready in February, the new span of the bridge at Main Street and Constance Road may take another 30 to 45 days, said district engineer C. A. Nash. The bridge could be ready sooner if faults detected 10 days ago are minor, he added.

A test conducted a month ago showed that one slab of the bridge doesn’t meet state standards, Nash said. A slab makes up about a third of the bridge lengthwise. If it has an isolated weak spot, repairs could be a lot less extensive. The state is financing 95% of the bridge, Suffolk supplying the remaining 5% of the costs.

City May Refinance Water Bonds

Falling interest rates may save the city at least $10,00 a year on a bond issued in 1982. The $2,350,000 was used to buy Suffolk’s water distribution system from Portsmouth at 12% interest, which was a competitive rate at the time, said city manger John L. Rowe, Jr.

Now finance director Leon T. Johnson expects to be able to reissue the bond a third time at 6.5 to 7 percent interest.

Rising St. James

Helen Boone of Antioch UCC will be guest speaker this Friday in Rising St. James Holiness Church, Music will be provided by Shirley Dixon of Petersburg and Young Adult Choir of Rising St. James. Minister Purnell Luster is in charge.

Troopers Show Spirit

Boy Scout Troop 302 set up camp and cleaned up the neighborhood located between Kilby Ave. and Tradd St. in the Saratoga-Philadelphia section of Suffolk. Eric Woodley, scoutmaster of the Freedom Patrol is a charter member of the troop founded by Clarence grant back in 1965.

“We are the only active Black boy scout troop in the Old Dominion-Colonial Trail area, and we are proud of the scouts who have moved up,” said Grant. “We have had two eagle scouts, we have three tenderfoot, one second class and one who is working towards first class. We have 11 new scouts and our goal is to get 30.

Some of the scouts taking part in the project were Roshawn Holland, Clayton Ricks, Michael Morris, and Lamont Daniels

Kennedy Breaks District Ice

Being billed as the only game in town was all the incentive the John F. Kennedy basketball team needed as the Wolverines posted their first district victory in an easy 79-53 win over Forest Glen.

A 22-8 first quarter bulge turned into a 45-25 halftime advantage, leading to the one sided victory in which 5 Wolverines reached double figures. Leading was Vincent Hill’s 15 points, followed by Bobby Goodman with 14 and Shelly Lassiter with 13. Eric Hyman and James Boone each scored 10 points.

For Forest Glen, Stanley Earls scored a season high 15 points and Michael Mason added 14. The Rangers played the game without their two leading scorers, Glen Weaver and Mitchell Hunter. Weaver, third in district scoring with a 16.4 average, is still nursing an injury and Hunter was not in uniform.