DATE: Friday, October 17, 1997              TAG: 9710150139

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   89 lines

TOWN TALK

The peacock network has done it again.

Last week, when Chesapeake residents Cathy Carlo and her son, Michael, were featured in a Dateline NBC segment on bicycle theft, the two were identified as residents of Norfolk.

``I was disappointed,'' said Cathy Carlo. ``I wouldn't live in Norfolk. I never even go there.''

David Hinchman, the producer of the segment, said Dateline mentioned Norfolk as the Carlo's city of residence because of Chesapeake's poor name recognition.

``It was the logical thing to do,'' said Hinchman. ``Most people in the country don't know where Chesapeake is.''

Ohhhh. Well, let's not let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Why not just call Carlo from Washington, D.C., since that's really the next biggest city and most people have heard of it.

This isn't the first time NBC has belittled the city. Take what happened last July when tornadoes hit the region. During the ``Today'' show's weather round-up, Chesapeake was described as ``a little town outside of Norfolk.''

That's OK, NBC. Chesapeake residents don't need national coverage to increase their self-esteem. In fact, one might say that Chesapeake is a mighty proud city. Proud as a peacock, that is.

- Jennifer O'Donnell Sign of the times

It's another example of private corporations helping in the public sector.

Many of Chesapeake's parks and other public places have been enhanced thanks to contributions not from already burdened taxpayers but from volunteers and area businesses.

Fun Forest, the mega-playground at Chesapeake City Park, along with its nationally ranked skateboard park and the modular playground equipment at the Elizabeth River Boat Landing & Park are just three examples of additions and amenities to parks that have not cost the city one red cent of tax money.

Recently the CITGO Corporation joined the ranks of city helpers.

On Sept. 11, during a special ceremony that included Chesapeake Mayor William E. Ward, the company officially donated a fancy, slick wooden sign identifying Great Bridge Lock Park. The ceremony also included Jeffery C. Palmer, CITGO terminal manager, along with members of the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department staff.

The large wooden sign, valued at several hundred dollars, sports a rough-hewn wood texture background with ``Great Bridge Lock Park'' in huge letters and a rendering of a clipper ship in full sail with the city's logo underneath.

According to Parks and Rec officials, the handsome sign has gotten many favorable comments from citizens.

``We welcome that kind of support,'' said Bobby Clifton, parks and ground superintendent and recreation specialist with Chesapeake Parks and Recreation. ``Efforts like that enhance our community and our parks.''

- Eric Feber License to kill

Here's a clever way to advertise a business on a personalized Virginia motor vehicle license plate.

Spotted motoring down South Battlefield Boulevard, through the heart of Great Bridge and heading towards the swing bridge, was a truck for a flea exterminating franchise called Flea-Pruf, which promotes a non-harmful, non-polluting way to rid a home of pesky fleas.

The truck's license plate said it all, plain and simple: ``DIE-FLEA.''

Need it say more?

- Eric Feber All's well that wags well

Clipper readers will remember a recent cover story about Lincoln, a Welsh corgi mix breed dog who was adopted by the Dominion Village at Chesapeake, a senior citizen residence home in Deep Creek.

The facility took in Lincoln after the positive responses it received from the regular visits by Elaine Maciag and her two lovable therapy dogs, Ebony and Ivory.

But Ebony, an 8-year-old Labrador/doberman mix, and Ivory, a 7-year-old golden retriever, had never met Lincoln nose-to-nose. So during the dogs' last monthly visit, it was arranged for the canines to meet.

We can now say the meeting was a resounding success. The dogs all sniffed each other's noses and there was lots of tail wagging to go around. No growls or tense situations.

And thanks to Lincoln's success at Dominion Village, the Sentara Oak Grove Village, an assisted-living facility in Great Bridge, decided to adopt a small canine companion for its residents.

And who was the lucky bow-wow?

None other than Huggles, Lincoln's sister.

Maciag said the facility also decided to take Huggles in because of the stress-relieving benefits it saw in Ebony and Ivory's monthly visits there.

- Eric Feber

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