MediterraneanGrocery Wholesalers in Virginia Beach, VA

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Fall is here, and for some, that means apple-picking season is here! Well, you don't have to travel nearly three hours to Charlottesville to do it.

Megan Herbst of Virginia Beach knows that first, she's grabbing her first apple at Cullipher Farm in the Pungo section of the city.

"I just think it's a fun experience," she told me. "I've never actually picked apples before, so I thought it would be fun to do it ourselves."

Her husband Matt joined her with their young son. "It's awesome to get out here and just to get a smell of the orchard and actually get to handpick and look at all the different kinds of apples," he said.

Matt is so right about the varieties out at the farm — they have more than a dozen types, some with some rather interesting names.

Jeb Cullipher pointed to various apples while taking us through the family farm, and when I asked the name of a specific apple, Jeb said it was called "Ludacrisp" with a straight face.

I asked, "If I bite into one of these, will bust out rapping?"

"It's possible," he responded with a smile.

I had to ask whether he was joking. He wasn't. I took a bite — the Ludacrisp does offer a crisp, great taste.

Jeb, a seventh-generation farmer, said they've had the Ludacrisp apple for a few years and it originated out of the Midwest. He told me he suspects the name is no accident and a little marketing strategy was at work.

"But you get Honeycrisp, you get Evercrisp...ok," said Cullipher. "Crimson Crisp is a really bright, bright stark red and it's a nice crisp, crunchy—but like, Ludacrisp? You're like, going for it there—you're doing something, like, somebody was trying to do something with that one."

And then on the other end of the apple spectrum at Cullipher Farm, Jeb points out another variety.

"These are Spitzenberg, which is an old historic heirloom variety, but it's known for being Thomas Jefferson's favorite variety, and he actually had several of them at Monticello in his lifetime. It doesn't have that pretty, shiny red that you're looking for," but Jeb says it has a little something else. "There's history. It's old; it's a Virginia apple."

So, yes, at Cullipher Farm, you can pick one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite apples or you can go down a few rows down and have a Ludacrisp.

"Well, we try to be really diverse and we try to give everybody a little something, you know," Cullipher said.

Jeb says apple picking at their farm is usually good through the end of October.

For more information on Cullipher Farm including directions and hours, click here.

VIRGINIA BEACH — At the height of the summer season, 75 Virginia Beach lifeguards gather for “muster,” or roll call, before heading to their stands on the sand.

When the season wanes toward the end of August, Capt. Tom Gill expects that number to drop off as college students go back to campus. But in years past, he’s always had high school students left to fill the roster through Labor Day.

Not this year.

For the first time, Virginia Beach Public Schools started before the holiday.

“It’s always a tricky situation,” Gill said. “This has just added to the difficulties.”

Most of the city’s tourism industry leaders have vehemently opposed an early school start because small businesses need to maintain their summer workforce through the holiday weekend.

They lost the battle last year, when the School Board approved an earlier start date to the 2023-24 calendar. Norfolk also started school this week, as did virtually every division on the Peninsula. The Portsmouth and Chesapeake school divisions will begin classes after Labor Day.

The lifesaving service first felt the effect about a week ago when teachers who work as lifeguard supervisors during the summer had to return to the classroom.

High school students working jobs in the service industry also bowed out earlier than usual to prepare for school. Some employees asked for reduced hours, but businesses still are short-staffed even as vacationers are coming to the beach.

“I have my hostess, busers, runners, you know, everybody is all of sudden: ‘Can I cut my schedule down’,” said B.J. Baumann, owner of Rockafeller’s Restaurant.

Matt Redford of Chesapean Outdoors has been juggling staff shortages over the past couple of weeks with many of his summer workers returning to college, followed by another batch going back to high school, including his two sons.

School administrators in support of the earlier start have said there are several benefits, including extra instructional time before students take standardized assessments and time for staff to prepare transitions between terms, The Virginian-Pilot has reported.

The division could revert back to a post-Labor Day start next year. Interim Virginia Beach School Board Superintendent Donald Robertson said this week a calendar committee will collect community feedback on the earlier start date when considering the start of future school years.

But the situation this month has forced some businesses to make difficult choices. Redford opted not to provide kayak and paddleboard rentals last weekend because he needed his remaining employees to run guided water tours.

“This time of year, we rely heavily on them (high school students),” Redford said. “It just makes it harder for small businesses.”

As for the service lifeguards provide, where safety is the top priority, expect less staff than usual keeping watch over the beach.

“We do have some guards left to put on stands, but it won’t be the typical presence we would maintain this week,” Gill said.

Staff writer Cait Burchett contributed to this report.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, [email protected]

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Amazon will build a new multi-story robotics fulfillment center and delivery station that it said would bring more than 1,000 jobs to Virginia Beach, the company, city officials and Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday.

Youngkin was in Virginia Beach Monday to make the major economic announcement.

Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer and others joined Youngkin at the intersection of Harpers Road and Dam Neck Road, which will eventually be the site of a multi-story robotics Amazon fulfillment center and delivery station. The project is going on a combined 237 acres. It will be the company’s 14th fulfillment and sortation center and 17th delivery station in Virginia.

Inside the state-of-the-art fulfillment center associates work with robots to pick, pack and ship your packages.

“They truly work side by side. Most of our robots help with the occupational stress to our employees. They are complementary,” said Lindsay Winter, Head of Virginia Public Policy for Amazon.

Amazon opened its first robotics fulfillment center in Virginia last October in Suffolk, and about two miles away in Chesapeake, the company opened a processing center.

“Virginia Beach is the ideal location for Amazon operations facilities due to its strategic location to the Port of Virginia, accessibility, and available workforce,” Dyer said in a statement. “We welcome Amazon to the Virginia Beach community and look forward to a successful partnership.”

The 650,000-square-foot robotics fulfillment center is anticipated to launch operations in 2025. The delivery station is anticipated to launch in 2024, in time for the busy holiday season.

“Amazon’s cutting-edge fulfillment centers generate major capital investment and thousands of jobs and strengthen Virginia’s position as a logistics industry leader on the East Coast,” Youngkin said. “We see Amazon’s expanding footprint impacting economic growth and innovation across the Commonwealth, and we will continue to compete for additional investment in Virginia.”

WAVY News 10’s Brett Hall reported last month that this news was likely.

Virginia Beach City Council voted 10-1 at an August meeting to move the project forward, and also agreed to pay for a new road to be built between Dam Neck Road and London Bridge Road. The new road will run behind the Prince George Estates neighborhood. Those who expressed concern over potential truck noise were advised that there are requirements for “substantial landscaping” to provide a buffer.

Councilman Chris Taylor was the one member who voted against the project, saying it would cut other road projects from the budget. Taylor also expressed concern that the giant company could steal employees from smaller businesses.

“Amazon’s new facilities will enhance economic vitality for the city of Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region, bringing capital investment and 1,100 new jobs as well as indirect jobs that create a multiplier effect,” said Del. Barry Knight in a statement. “Amazon is a great corporate partner to Virginia, and we look forward to their continued expansion.”

Virginia Beach is not just about sparkling sand or glittering waters. While these would make any travel destination worthwhile, Virginia Beach is much more than a beach. For starters, Virginia Beach packs a lot of interesting colonial history. History buffs will be thrilled to enjoy fascinating stories about one of the earliest settlement areas in the US. It’s also featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the world's longest stretch of pleasure beach.

Yet, contrary to what many might suppose, Virginia Beach is not one beach. Or, to put it more accurately, it’s one beach with two sections - namely, North Virginia Beach and South Virginia Beach. While these sections share a beautiful shoreline, they are not exactly the same in look and feel. In this article, we discuss the differences between North Virginia Beach and South Virginia Beach—and pass a verdict on which is truly better.

More About North Virginia Beach & South Virginia Beach

North Virginia Beach and South Virginia Beach are some of the best beaches to explore in Virginia. They are quite different and offer different attractions as well as different Virginia Beach oceanfront hotels. This article was updated and expanded with more of the attractions at North Virginia Beach as well as what to do at South Virginia Beach.

The Difference Between North Virginia Beach And South Virginia Beach

Any traveler to both sides of Virginia Beach will be struck by the contrast before his eyes. These two sections of the beach are different in many ways. For starters, North Virginia Beach is quieter—and, therefore, perfect for couples or families. On the flip side, South Virginia Beach is noisier and livelier. Of course, there are those who find silence livelier. Virginia Beach hotels will come a dime a dozen, North or South, which is a bonus.

However, South Beach has a party-like vibe and pulse that one can’t fail to notice immediately. Also, South Beach features a waterfront food scene that’s broader in range, taste, and cuisine. Of course, there are many hotels in North Virginia Beach. However, hotels and restaurants in North Virginia Beach are more exclusive and luxurious. Naturally, that comes at a cost. That’s the reason hotels in North Beach are more likely to be pricey than their South Beach counterparts.

Then, South Beach is almost always more crowded than North Beach. And even the crowds at these two beaches will not be the same. South Beach is patronized by a younger, gung-ho crowd that enjoys a vibe that’s fun, fast, and furious. At the other end of the spectrum, North Beach’s crowd is a little older—or of a different temper and disposition.

Surfer at the East Coast Surfing Championship in Virginia Beach

The area around the 3-mile Virginia Beach Boardwalk is particularly a bee-hive. Both Pacific and Atlantic Avenues can also be crammed up. For beachgoers who want to pick one or two items on the go, South Beach has an obvious edge. There are many shops on South Beach for making purchases—or for renting stuff like umbrellas, chairs, or bikes.

Related: A Guide To Virginia’s Most Beautiful Natural Wonders.

Other Differences Between North Virginia Beach And South Virginia Beach

Talking about a beach vacation without mentioning water is like talking about the sky—with not a mention of the sun. Here’s the difference: The waters on North Virginia Beach, especially in the Chesapeake Bay area, are rarely troubled by waves. Instead, beautiful, glittering ripples— placidly move on the serene surface of the waters.

One other difference is entertainment and nightlife. Again, the palm goes to South Beach. South Beach has more nightclubs and bars than North Beach. Virginia Beach Winery, Tripadvisor’s Travelers Favorite—offers free wine tasting every weekend—if one is making a purchase. South Virginia Beach also has more restrooms than North Virginia Beach. But there are other attractions as well. South Virginia Beach has more museums, art galleries, and exhibitions.

King Neptune statue on the Virginia Beach oceanfront boardwalk

Attractions & Things To Do At North Virginia Beach & South Virginia Beach

There are plenty of attractions and activities for visitors to enjoy at both North Virginia Beach and South Virginia Beach. And when it is time to call it a night, there are also plenty of great Virginia Beach hotels to select from.

North Virginia Beach Attractions:

Of these attractions, perhaps the best place to get an Instagram photo is at Neptune Park. The impressive sculpture, called King Neptune, is perhaps the most recognizable landmark. It is a large bronze statue at the entrance to Neptune Park and depicts the mythological god Neptune. Around the god are various fish, lobsters, octopuses, and dolphins. Neptune holds a trident and a loggerhead turtle.

South Virginia Beach has far fewer such attractions and activities. Here people can just flop on the beach and enjoy the view and the pounding of the waves. There is also the stunning False Cape State Park to explore - a great oceanfront and coastal state park. Spend the afternoon strolling along the beach and sunbathing while looking out to the Atlantic Ocean. People can even follow this beach and split all the way down into North Carolina.

Related: 10 Most Beautiful Destinations To Visit In Virginia This Spring

Between North Virginia Beach And South Virginia Beach, Which Is Better?

Here’s the verdict. On an overall aggregated score, South Virginia Beach beats North Virginia Beach. In the range of activities, including shopping, dining options, and nightlife, South Beach has an obvious edge. Also, South Virginia Beach comes with considerable convenience. Unlike North Virginia Beach, a car may not be necessary for South Virginia Beach. The area can be covered on foot. Then there are more restrooms and more shops where one can quickly dash into to pick an item that he has immediate need of. This could be an umbrella or even just a roll of toilet paper.

Related: How To Spend 48 Hours In Virginia.

Yet North Virginia Beach has its own unique charm and allure. For those who want a quiet vacation experience away from much noise and bustle—South Virginia Beach is the place to go. Sitting down on the sand, and looking at the blue skies or the calm ocean, is better experienced in North Virginia Beach. That’s the reason those who have children may prefer South Virginia Beach. It’s easier to keep your eyes on them.

Here’s the take-home. Virginia Beach has two contrasting sides to it—the north and south. Many would say the south side is better for its range of activities, while the north side is better for a calmer, quieter experience. Regardless of which visitors choose, they are some of the best beaches to have on the USA beach bucket list. While in Norfolk, take the time to cruise and explore the Norfolk Naval Base - the largest naval base in the world.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Students were left scrambling after The Art Institute announced it would be closing its doors for good.

The Art Institute of Virginia Beach, along with all of the other campuses in the Art Institute system, will close permanently on September 30.

Justice Perez Sanders, a graphic design student at the college, was accepted when she was 15 years old.

Now at age 16, she said she thought the email announcing the school’s closure was a hoax until she started making some calls.

“So, I went ahead and called my enrollment counselor cause I’m pretty close with her, and it said that the line didn’t exist anymore — the line was disconnected,” Justice said. “So, then I tried calling my financial — line disconnected. Then we tried calling a lot of other people who I knew there — line disconnected.”

According to an email the school sent to students, a culmination of events over the past decade, both external and internal to the campus operations, has forced the closure of this system of colleges. The college states that legacy challenges that occurred under previous ownership have ultimately led to its closure.

Additionally, the school cited its inability to absorb the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as a major reason why it’s closing its doors.

Justice told 10 On Your Side she didn’t buy that, having talked with her advisor about spring semester classes two weeks prior.

“She even said, I’ve got you more in person classes we got this all covered,” Justice said.

Her mom, Sara, said her daughter graduated high school in just a year and a half.

Sara told 10 On Your Side that Justice was always talented in art, making many of her animated drawings just by using her phone.

Sara broke down in tears, saying the news was heartbreaking after seeing how hard Justice worked to get to this point.

“It’s almost like a sense of grief,” Sara said. “She has really, really always been goal driven, and to see that now her school has been taken away, her scholarship is gone.”

That scholarship paid for half of Justice’s tuition, which her family said was over $100,000.

The other half of her school funds were paid for by her mom’s 9/11 GI Bill.

They explained that after they received the email from the institution, they had to call Veteran Affairs to stop them from paying for the spring semester.

The end of the email stated that students would still be able to get their transcripts to transfer to other schools, but Justice said they ran into a roadblock.

“They shut everything down immediately,” Justice said. “They shut down the phone lines first and then they started shutting down all of the online stuff.”

10 On Your Side tried reaching out to the campus president for comment, but only got a voicemail.

Before announcing its closure, the school offered programs of study in disciplines such as design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts.

The school operates eight campuses across the country including:

In addition to other information about the closure, the school’s website includes information on transcript requests and transfer opportunities with other institutions the school says it partners with.

Check WAVY.com for the latest updates.