Call Center Company in Virginia Beach, VA

Athletes from dozens of locales will be chasing Frisbees and diving to snag them all over the sand of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront this weekend.

For the eighth year, the USA Ultimate Beach Championships have arrived.

Event producer George Alcaraz of Resort Management said about 85 teams comprising 1,200 people from all over the nation, plus some from Canada, are on the beach for 5-on-5 competition Saturday and Sunday. There are three men’s divisions (Beach, Beach Masters and Beach Great Grand Masters), three mixed divisions (Beach, Beach Masters and Beach Grand Masters) and a women’s Beach division.

Each team will play two games Saturday on South Atlantic Avenue, with about 30 fields of sand running from 8th through 35th Avenue.

“Our center court is right at the south side of Ocean Eddie’s” Seafood Restaurant, Alcaraz said, noting that a disc jockey, commentator and merchandise stands will be in that area.

Ultimate (also known as Ultimate Frisbee) consists of players completing passes — or the defense intercepting them — without the disc touching the ground. Like a football game, the goal is to get the object over the goal line, but players can’t run with it. If the disc hits the ground, it’s a turnover to the other team. A completion or interception in the end zone — similar to a football “touchdown” — is worth a point.

“It’s a no-contact sport, and all the colleges have it,” Alcaraz said.

Held annually except amid the COVID fear of the early 2020s, the championships have become a staple of Virginia Beach culture in the past decade. The city sponsors the event, and the non-profit Surfrider Foundation provides the volunteers to help run the event.

This weekend, games will be played to 13 points by barefoot competitors in the sand. Most of them won’t last longer than an hour, including five-minute halftimes. Players have to show sportsmanship since there are no game officials.

“If there’s any fouls, they have to work it out themselves,” Alcaraz said.

Action begins Saturday morning, and Alcaraz anticipates the championship games taking place from about 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Some Ultimate games have been shown on TV in recent years, mostly on football fields. Diving and leaping receptions or interceptions make good highlights.

“A lot of the players will get crazy with their reaches and dives on sand,” Alcaraz said. “It’s a pillow.”

Part 2 of the 35 year old's highs and lows as he gets ready for his first PGA major at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina next week.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Rupe Taylor is preparing for the biggest golf tournament of his life — and reflecting on how far he’s come.

"I had a lot of cool opportunities when I was an early pro", he said. "If I have any regrets in my life, it's that I kind of squandered them".

The 35-year-old Virginia Beach resident, who grew up in Charlottesville, has lived a life shaped by the sport of golf. From highs to personal lows, Taylor’s journey has been anything but smooth. But as he gears up to compete at the PGA Championship next week at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, he’s choosing gratitude over regret.

"I don't like feeling like part of my identity is that I'm an alcoholic", he says. "But at the same time, if I don't acknowledge that it is, at some point I may slip".

At age 23, Taylor was arrested for driving under the influence — a moment he now calls his rock bottom.

"I was blackout drunk", he said. "I woke up in a hospital with restraints on my arms and legs and my Mom was just sitting there with just her head in her hand. The first thing I asked her was did I kill someone".

Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the incident became a turning point rather than a tragedy.

Since then, Taylor has remained committed to his sobriety. Now, nearly 12 years later, he’s married, a father, and embracing a hard-earned second chance in life — and in golf.

Qualifying for a major championship was once a distant dream. But with guidance from a longtime mentor.

"If there's a single thing that gets under your skin that bothers you that whole week, you need to look around just recognize, you're at the frickin' PGA dude", he said.

Taylor has earned a spot among 156 of the world’s top golfers. He considers himself fortunate to be in this position.

"I'm in the top .006 percent", he said. "Yes I have already won from that standpoint".

Taylor's story is a reminder that success isn’t always linear — and sometimes, the comeback is more powerful than the setback.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — There’s a unique type of situation that has residents in a local neighborhood pushing back against city decision makers, all over a plot of land on York Lane in the Bay Colony neighborhood of Virginia Beach.

Residents say they aren’t happy with the city’s decision to allow a home to be built on what’s described as a non-conforming lot, and they want to hold someone accountable. They had that chance at a community meeting Wednesday, and the city’s planning director said there could be a stop work order placed on the property and its owner, Josh Kinas.

Questions have been raised about how Kinas, was able to get a building permit on a small, non-conforming lot compared to surrounding properties and homes without any consideration by city council or any votes from any other agency.

Even a local councilman said this non-conforming lot decision is troubling, as there was no discussion with neighbors, and no appeal process in the decision.

If you drive by 1212 York Lane an empty lot with signs that read: “Pays to know Someone,” “¼ acre, no problem let’s build,” and “Why follow rules, just call your pals in zoning.”

However, at the Cavalier Park Bay Colony community league meeting, the Virginia Beach planning director confirmed the city is investigating the issue and said a stop work order is possible.

“There would be the potential,” said Kathy Warren, director of the Virginia Beach planning department. “I am not going to say we would do this, but there is a potential stop work order. But we have to dive into this, and like I said, we have our attorneys looking at everything. Tomorrow we will be looking at everything. We have asked the landowners to provide us everything they have. There is a potential for a stop work order.”

The property owner, Josh Kinas, was at the meeting. He took questions from residents who have said they are greatly concerned about his property. However, Kinas had no comment as he was leaving the meeting.

Critics say the non-conforming lot got preferred consideration. Councilman Worth Remick had no idea about this until a week ago.

“I am surprised that I had not heard about it until about a week ago — the homeowner had filed and had obtained a building permit as of December of 2024 without any variances, any rezonings, anything other than what’s called administrative approval by the planning department to approve of a house being built on this lot,” Remick said.

Remick opposes how this played out.

“I don’t like what I see,” Remick said. “You can call it a non-conforming lot, and therefore it has more rights. I’m not sure I really buy into that. I support our Planning Department and planning staff, but in this case, so far, I disagree with what I hear and see.”

The landowner, Josh Kinas, hung up when 10 On Your Side told him what we were working on.

“What is the purpose of your story,” he said.

When 10 On Your Side told him, he hung up and after we left a message for him, he did not call back.

Remick said this is a neighborhood protection story.

“You have much larger lots, much larger houses, that conform to a different standard than this property,” Remick said. “This lot and this house [is] different than surrounding property. I see this as it’s very much about protection of value and standards.”

Dawn Kohan lives next door to the non-conforming lot and is concerned there was no opportunity to appear before the Board of Zoning Appeals.

“Very disappointing that we had no say in making sure in determining something being built and receiving permission from the city would be in character with the neighborhood,” Kohan said. “This is a consideration we never had the opportunity to present because of how this process went behind the Board of Zoning Appeals.”

10 On Your Side reached out to the city of Virginia Beach, which claims the property was recorded prior to the city’s zoning ordinance adoption.

“Zoning staff carefully reviewed plans submitted for 1212 York Lane and after investigating the history of the property and based on information provided by the design professional and land records, the lot appears on a plat recorded prior to the adoption of the City’s zoning ordinance. Based on a determination by the Zoning Administrator, 1212 York Lane is a corner lot with setbacks applied accordingly. The proposed structure meets the current setbacks and therefore it was determined a variance is not necessary and this is a case of by-right development.

— Ali Weatherton-Shook, Virginia Beach public information liaison

Kohan has spoken with an attorney. Where it goes, we don’t know.

“Like I said, I think that it’s just about making sure that there’s transparency in this process,” Kohan said. “Bringing some resolution to all of our neighbors that this has been explored and looked into. … I can tell you there’s many things, many layers to this onion that are being uncovered.”

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HopSkipDrive brings flexible transportation for Virginia Beach students with complex needs.

By: Nathaniel Cline - April 30, 2025 5:25 am

A tech company is stepping in where school buses can’t.

HopSkipDrive, a national ridesharing company focused on “safety, equity and care,” is expanding its supplemental school transportation services to Virginia Beach — aiming to help students with complex needs get to class while creating new job opportunities for local drivers.

The company’s network of “CareDrivers” — highly vetted caregivers trained to provide transportation in communities with unique challenges, such as students experiencing homelessness, in foster care or with disabilities — has already been operating in Northern and Central Virginia, and other parts of the country.

“Transportation should never be a barrier that keeps the student from accessing their education, and we’re committed to removing those obstacles,” said Cindy Hamilton, a spokeswoman for HopSkipDrive. “We’re really committed to removing those obstacles, and we’re glad to be able to do so now in Virginia Beach.”

The company also announced in February that wheelchair-accessible vehicles would become available in Northern Virginia, with plans to expand that offering to other cities nationwide for the 2025-26 school year.

School districts typically arrange the service directly through the company.

Shortly after HopSkipDrive’s establishment in 2019, Virginia began seeing its list of bus drivers dwindle following the pandemic. Some of the reasons for the decline include low pay and an increase in driver retirements. The company also found that many drivers contracted COVID-19 or left for jobs in the private sector.

The company surveyed schools nationally about the bus driver shortage and found little improvement. About 91% of respondents reported the shortages had constrained their school transportation operations, an increase from the 88% in 2022.

According to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the rate of unfilled bus drivers has decreased to 8.7% this school year, compared to 13.6% during the 2021-22 school year.

CareDrivers has also provided opportunities for people living in and around partnership schools. Drivers include parents, grandparents, nurses and former teachers, to name a few.

“Caregivers who tell us they choose to drive with HopSkipDrive do so because of the flexibility it offers and the value of helping kids – or anyone who needs a little extra care – get where they need to go,” Hamilton said.

She said applicants go through a “rigorous” 15-point certification process before driving on the platform and can earn income while creating their own schedules. They also must comply with existing state and local laws and regulations, as well as the platform’s safety features and community guidelines.

“We have designed our platform to be easy to use, enabling CareDrivers in Virginia Beach and across the state to provide safe, reliable rides for students, schools, and families when it works for their schedules,” Hamilton said.

In Virginia, leaders have taken additional steps to help students get to and from school.

Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed into law a proposal carried by Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, to create a two-year pilot program allowing school divisions to explore alternative transportation options. Schools could partner with nearby colleges or private companies to help transport students.

The legislation states that vehicles must comply with state and federal safety regulations and undergo regular inspections. School boards would also be required to hold a public hearing before adopting the program and must submit an annual report detailing ridership, costs, and bus routes to the Virginia Department of Education.

Austin told the Mercury the bill offers another option for schools in rural areas to cut costs while ensuring students are transported efficiently.

Last summer, the VDOE also amended its school bus specifications to state, “smaller capacity fleet vehicles are some options that can be used in conjunction with customary methods to provide a flexible, efficient, and comprehensive public school pupil transportation solution.”

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The new festival, called "Strawberry Fest at the Beach," will be held at the Oceanfront's Artery District and heavily inspired by the Pungo festival.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Strawberry Fest is finally returning to Virginia Beach, but with a brand new location. Instead of the traditional Pungo location, which had been held from 1983 to 2019, May 17 will be the first day the festival is held at the Oceanfront, in the city's Artery District. It'll also be the first time the festival has returned to Virginia Beach after the pandemic.

The festival, now called Strawberry Fest at The Beach, will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a jam-packed schedule (pun intended). Live music from local bands will play throughout the day, including Take Your Pick Bluegrass, Dog Jaw Band, Lost Berry Pickers, and Buckshot.

Other events feature face-painting for kids, a chalk mural, and even a pie-eating contest (featuring members of City Council). Many local restaurants along Laskin Road will be serving up strawberry-themed dishes as well, as well as local vendors and artisans selling their work.

And, of course, at least ten local farms will be providing fresh strawberries!

Below is a map of where the festival will be held on Saturday, May 17. Parking will be available at the 31st Street Garage Event Parking and at the lot at 2906 Atlantic Avenue, with a flat rate of $10 per car. Festival organizers suggest, if you are able to, to take a golf cart or bike to the area.

Credit: strawberryfestvb, arterydistrict on Instagram

"This is going to be a new take on the festival," said festival organizers in an Instagram post, "and we hope you enjoy the coastal vibe and culinary focus as you experience the First Annual Strawberry Fest at The Beach!"

More information on the festival can be found at the Instagram accounts @strawberryfestvb and @arterydistrict.