1+ week, 4+ day ago (373+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " Virginia Beach Police have added a powerful new partner to their investigative team"Chip, a yellow Labrador retriever with a rare and lifesaving skill set." Chip is part of a specialized Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) unit, trained to sniff out hidden electronic devices that may contain crucial evidence in cases involving child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and other digital crimes. While finding a stray SD card or a USB drive might seem insignificant, investigators say it can be the key to uncovering hidden child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Offenders often stash evidence in hard-to-spot places"inside toys, under furniture, or tucked into everyday household items." Chip and other ESD K9s are trained to detect the chemical compounds found in electronic storage devices, giving law enforcement an edge when every detail matters. The arrival of Chip was made possible…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (260+ words) VIRGINIA, USA " In addition to choosing Virginia's next governor in the 2025 general election, voters across the commonwealth are selecting their lieutenant governor, attorney general, certain municipal offices and members of the House of Delegates on Tuesday, November 4. At the top of the ballot, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) faces Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) in a closely watched race for governor. Virginians will also decide contests for lieutenant governor and attorney general, along with all 100 seats in the House of Delegates, including several competitive races across Hampton Roads. In addition to the statewide and legislative contests, ballots feature local elections for mayor, sheriff, school board, and city council, as well as a proposed referendum in Virginia Beach. RELATED: 2025 Virginia voter guide: Voting locations, provisional ballot rules, races and candidates Election Day voting has begun! Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. across Virginia. Any voter…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago (146+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " Two children have been reported missing after not boarding their bus home after school, Virginia Beach police said. Police said Ana Smith, 13, and Ricardo Velazquez, 12, were reported missing on Friday. Police said they reportedly left their school after dismissal but did not get on their assigned bus. Ana Smith is described as being 4'8" and weighing 80 lbs. She has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black and white polka dot floral dress, police said. Ricardo Velazquez is described as being 4'7" and weighing 75 lbs. He has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a gray jacket, dark sweatpants, and a black backpack. If anyone sees Ricardo and/or Ana or has any information about where they might be, contact a Missing Persons Detective with Virginia Beach police at 757-385-4101....

1+ week, 5+ day ago (437+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " Virginia Beach business owner Debra Miller is starting over after a fire destroyed her business, Incredible Edibles Custom Bakery." Her wedding cake shop, near the city's Hilltop area, went up in flames late last month." Miller has owned her business for nearly four decades. She got a call from one of her employees on Oct. 29 that the building was up in smoke, and she needed to get there immediately." It's an experience that has left her starting from scratch." "Kind of the worst thing " 37 years of your life is all of a sudden nothing," said Miller. Burnt cake stands and charred equipment lay where engaged couples used to come to pick out a cake for their special day." Miller said losing her business was an unexpected gut punch." "People go into shock, they get cold. It was…...

2+ day, 3+ hour ago (546+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " This Black Friday, some Virginia Beach shoppers skipped the big-box chaos and showed up before sunrise with lists, local-shop loyalty, and bargain strategy. With inflation still on many minds, the message from those on the street was simple: plan ahead, shop intentionally, and, in many cases, shop local. At AFK Books & Records, a small but steady line formed before the store opened. Not everyone was hunting TVs; many were after records and familiar rituals. Bryce says, "This morning I'm probably going to pick up Thievery Corporation and maybe the Doors," while his daughter Addy adds, "I'm going to pick up the Billie Eilish." The father-daughter pair said their mission was partly about community. "Just to be able to support local business and spend time with the vinyl community," says Bryce." They called this their second Black-Friday-style outing…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (288+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " Two Virginia Beach nightclubs are permanently closed months after a deadly shooting happened right outside of the businesses: "Central 111 Tapas and Lounge" and its neighboring nightclub, "Venue 112 Sports Lounge." On Friday, there were many mixed feelings about the closures. While some people feel safer with the clubs closed, others are upset. "It was devastating to hear that they were closing," a Virginia Beach resident said, "That's actually an after-work spot that me and coworkers have gone to after work in the past." However, not everyone is upset to see the clubs go. That's because residents said the closures came months after a deadly shooting in the parking lot, which prompted the city to take action. "We needed to see what we could do to make this a better environment for the community," Virginia Beach City Councilman Stacy…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago (392+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " State Senator Aaron Rouse led a conversation with local leaders in front of Virginia Beach's City Hall on Thursday. He said this week's passage of the referendum on the 10-1 voting system'is a long time coming, and that it puts people over politics. "This referendum reflects that spirit and it's about restoring trust," Rouse said. "It's about good government, ensuring fairness, and protecting the sacred right to vote for generations to come." State Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler said she submitted a bill to formally amend the city charter to make way for the new system. Under the 10-1 voting system, people get two votes: one for a city councilor for their district and an at-large mayor. The other system, a 7-3-1 system, people get five votes: one for their district's city councilor, three for at-large city councilors and one for mayor....

2+ week, 3+ day ago (107+ words) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " The Virginia Beach Courthouse was evacuated Thursday afternoon after a potential bomb threat was reported, authorities said. The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office posted on social ... Virginia Beach courthouse evacuated after potential bomb threat VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " The Virginia Beach Courthouse was evacuated Thursday afternoon after a potential bomb threat was reported, authorities said. No further details about the threat have been released. To stream 13News Now on your phone, you need the 13News Now app. Download the 13News Now app Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video American Heart Association hosts Southside Heart Walk in Virginia Beach...

4+ week, 12+ hour ago (168+ words) A townhouse fire on St. Nicolas Trail in Virginia Beach on Saturday afternoon started in an upstairs bedroom. It displaced three people. Fire displaces 2 adults, 1 child in Virginia Beach townhouse To stream 13News Now on your phone, you need the 13News Now app. Download the 13News Now app Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " Two adults and a child were displaced in a townhouse fire in Virginia Beach Saturday afternoon. The fire in the 700 block of St. Nicolas Trail was reported at 2:55 p.m. Crews arrived at 3 p.m. to find heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the townhome. Crews had water on the fire at 3:07 p.m. and marked it out at 3:31 p.m. No one was home at the time of the fire, but two adults and a child were displaced. The fire started in an upstairs bedroom,…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (116+ words) Police activity on I-264 near Independence Boulevard is causing delays in the westbound lanes, with the right lane and shoulder closed. Police activity causes delays on I-264 near Independence Boulevard westbound in Virginia Beach VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. " Drivers on I-264 near Independence Boulevard should expect delays Thursday due to police activity in the area, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The incident is affecting the westbound lanes near mile marker 17.4, where the right lane and shoulder are closed. 13News Now has reached out to police for more information. Authorities have not released additional details about the nature of the police activity. This is a developing story. Check 13newsnow.com for updates....