DATE: Saturday, August 30, 1997             TAG: 9708300420

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   92 lines

HAMPTON ROADS - NEWS BRIEFS

A second member of a Portsmouth family involved in a traffic accident in Cavalier Manor on Tuesday night has died.

Joyce A. Cross, 52, of the 1900 block of Richmond Ave. died Thursday afternoon in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Her mother, 75-year-old Lucy Steele of the same address, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The father, the Rev. Roger Steele, 76, was in stable condition at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Friday.

Police have said Lynn Albert Jones, the driver of a van that collided with the Steeles' car, was driving in the wrong direction in the southbound lane in the 4100 block of Greenwood Drive about 11:30 p.m.

The four-lane road is divided by a median, and wrong-way signs are posted, police spokeswoman Amber Whittaker said.

Jones, 41, of the 300 block of Knells Ridge Drive was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving on a suspended license.

He was taken to the Norfolk hospital, but no information was available on his condition Friday.

Friends said the Steeles were returning home from a revival at the pastor's church, Mount Tabor Baptist, in Franklin. VIRGINIA BEACH Elton John will perform at amphitheater Oct. 11

Elton John, man of outrageous outfits and endless hits, will perform at the GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheater Oct. 11.

John rocketed to fame in the 1970s, and has gained a new legion of young fans with ``Circle of Life'' from the ``Lion King'' soundtrack.

Tickets for the show will go on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 13 at Ticketmaster locations and the amphitheater box office.

For ticket information, call Ticketmaster at 671-8100. CHESAPEAKE Chesapeake hopes to have its license plate design

If Virginia Beach can do it, Chesapeake can.

Just a few weeks after Virginia Beach succeeded in securing enough advance orders to print its own city license plate, Chesapeake's Department of Parks, Recreation and Building Maintenance is heating up its license plate drive. The department hopes to entice potential purchasers with prizes and raffles, said Gail McClure Bradshaw, special programs coordinator.

Chesapeake needs to sell 350 license plate orders before the Department of Motor Vehicles will issue the plate. The city has been trying to meet that quota for more than a year, Bradshaw said. Proceeds from the sales will go toward environmental preservation.

All those who sign up for the Chesapeake plate will be entered in a raffle. Individual prizes include a $15 gift certificate for Van Beek's Deli; a gift certificate for dinner for two at Don Pablo's; a free one-night stay in the presidential suite with breakfast for two at the Norfolk Marriott; Sunday brunch for two at the Holiday Inn; a case of re-refined motor oil from Safety Kleen; a gift basket filled with gardening supplies; and Chesapeake native Elton Sawyer's NASCAR jumpsuit, Bradshaw said.

The organization that sells the greatest number of license plate reservations will receive a $200 check from the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce - Chesapeake.

More information is available by calling 382-6411.

COMING UP

MONDAY

Portsmouth - Peace Rally 2 will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at 1122 Barbour Drive. Motivational speakers are scheduled to talk, including Gloria Ingram of The Healing Shop and Louise Hill of Citizens Concerned with Virginia Prison System Practices. There also will be food and prizes. For more information, call 398-8655.

TUESDAY

Chesapeake - The Great Bridge Community Center at 212 Holt Drive will be closed Tuesday through Sept. 6 while workers paint the building and refinish the gymnasium floor. All programs and classes will be canceled while the work is in progress.

Norfolk - ``Welfare Reform - A Reality'' will be the topic of the Neighborhood Network's next public forum from 7 to 9 p.m. in New Hope Christian Community Center, 3241 Brest Ave. The forum aims to generate ideas on how communities can help meet some of the needs created by welfare reform, such as jobs, job training, child care, mentoring and transportation. For more information, call 857-1794. MEMO: Staff writers Liz Szabo, Janie Bryant and Debbie Markham

contributed to this report. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Elton John KEYWORDS: DRUNKEN DRIVING

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