DATE: Thursday, May 8, 1997                 TAG: 9705080428

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  132 lines

HAMPTON ROADS

Fire officials continued an investigation Wednesday into a fire that heavily damaged a house in the northern part of the city.

A malfunctioning bathroom light apparently sparked the fire in the 100 block of Meeting Road in Bennett's Creek Landing, said fire spokesman Lt. J.T. Messinger.

Firefighters from five stations responded to the home of James W. Jennings Jr., who had left to buy a new ballast for the light in the bathroom of a rear bedroom, Messinger said.

The fire in the one-story wood and brick house was reported by neighbors about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire and smoke in the rear bedroom area, Messinger said. Windows had melted, and the wind had pushed the fire to the attic and through most of the rest of the house, he said.

Damage to the house and contents was estimated at $215,000 Total value was estimated at $300,000. VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE MEMORIAL SERVICE SET FOR MONDAY MORNING

The Virginia Beach Fraternal Order of Police and the Virginia Beach Police Department will host the annual Police Memorial Service in front of Police Headquarters at 11 a.m. Monday. The speaker will be Attorney General James Gilmore.

The memorial service is held during National Police Week to honor officers who have been killed in the line of duty and who put their lives on the line every day.

This year's service will include a proclamation by Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, the riderless horse, ``Amazing Grace'' played on bagpipes, a helicopter flyover and the roll call of fallen officers.

Call 427-4097. WEEKEND DIVERSITY FESTIVAL WILL FILL STREET PARKS

``Harmony in Diversity'' the first multicultural festival, will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the 24th and 25th street parks.

A diversity of food, visual arts, performances, hand crafts, music and artifacts will be offered. Contributing ethnic groups and countries include: African American, American Indian, Arabic, Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Philippines, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Laos, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Thailand, Venezuela and Vietnam. The event is free and open to the public. Call Angel Morales at 481-3654. CHESAPEAKE POLICE INCREASE PATROLS TO KEEP TRAFFIC IN CHECK

Summer is coming, and so are hordes of drivers headed for North Carolina's Outer Banks - straight through the heart of Great Bridge.

Every year, beach-bound traffic clogs Battlefield Boulevard - which is already highly congested during the rest of the year - raising the accident rate for tourists as well as locals.

So the Chesapeake Police Department will be stepping up patrols on some of the city's most congested streets. More police cars will be on the look-out for careless drivers on North Battlefield Boulevard between Interstate 64 and Route 168 bypass, said police spokesman Dave Hughes.

Three of the city's four most dangerous intersections are in this corridor, Hughes said. Those top accident areas include North Battlefield Boulevard and Wal-Mart Way; North Battlefield Boulevard and Volvo Parkway; and North Battlefield Parkway and Medical Parkway. Police will soon post signs designating these areas as ``high accident intersections,'' he said.

Police will be looking for drivers who speed or run red lights and for those who fail to use child safety seats or seat belts, Hughes said. HEARINGS SET FOR OPINIONS ON COMMUNITY POLICING

Residents will have two chances to weigh in on community policing this month. The Chesapeake Police Department will conduct two public hearings on the city's community policing program, as well as its use of U.S. Bureau of Justice block grant funds.

The first public hearing will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. May 19 at the South Norfolk Community Center, at 1217 Godwin Avenue. The second hearing will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. May 21 at the Russell Memorial Library at 2808 Taylor Road. For details, call 382-6596. ALSO . . .

Virginia Beach - The third annual YMCA Prayer Breakfast will begin with fellowship at 6:30 a.m. and breakfast at 7 a.m. on May 20 at the Founders Inn and Conference Center. The program will feature Isaac J. Canales, Director of Hispanic Students and instructor at Fuller Theological Seminary, and music. Tickets are $12, advance purchase only. Tickets may be purchased at any South Hampton Roads YMCA by Tuesday. Call 456-9622.

Portsmouth - The public is invited to participate in a planning study of the Airline Boulevard corridor at 9 a.m. May 17 in the Wilson High School Little Theater, 1401 Elmhurst Lane.

The study focuses on the future configuration and uses of the corridor from Victory Boulevard at Midtown to the city limit. For more information, call the Portsmouth Department of Community Quality and Planning Services at 393-8836. COMING UP TODAY

Chesapeake - ``Cardiac Arrest,'' a fund-raising event for the American Heart Association, will take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Chesapeake Golf Club. Local community and business leaders will be ``arrested,'' held in a mock jail and taken before a judge, who sets their bail. Donors can give money to post their bail or even bribe the judge to keep them in jail. More information is available by calling Donna Gracon at 671-8636.

The Gilmore for Governor Hampton Roads Campaign Kick-Off will be at 2 p.m. at Mount Trashmore. Call 490-3023. FRIDAY

Virginia Beach - As part of Be Kind to Animals Week (May 4-10), the Virginia Beach SPCA will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight for a Midnight Madness Adopt-A-Thon. The shelter is at 3040 Holland Road. Call 427-0070. TUESDAY

Chesapeake - The annual Chesapeake Kiwanis Club Shrimp Festival will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Jubilee site at Chesapeake City Park. Spiced shrimp, barbecue, cole slaw, baked beams, hush puppies and beverages will be served and Southern Exposure will perform. Advance tickets are $20 and can be purchased until noon on Monday by calling 436-1000. Tickets at the gate will cost $25. MEMO: Staff writers Susie Stoughton and Ida Kay Jordan contributed to

this report. KEYWORDS: FIRE

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