At about 11:15pm on July 25th, Norfolk police responded to a call about a shooting in the Ocean View area. They arrived in the 100 block of Balview Avenue to find 23 year old Dawan Floyd on the ground suffering from a gunshot. He died en route to a local hospital.
At first, Norfolk police had no leads and no motive in the case. In a recent development, Norfolk announced that 2 persons are now wanted.
Joshua Michael Daly, 20, and Tavon Lemar Pauley, also 20, are being sought as suspects in this latest Ocean View tragedy.
Daly has a tatoo on his upper right arm bearing the intials “GD”.
Pauley also has a tattoo on his right forearm that says “East New York”. His left forearm bears the word the word “Brooklyn”.
Both suspects are known to frequent the Ocean View neighborhood.
If you have any information that can help to solve this case, please call Norfolk Police.
Open since 1973, Doug’s Hot Dogs is a great little place to stop by for lunch. It is clean, cozy, staffed with friendly faces and is so inexpensive you’re likely to feel a little guilty with that big belly and small check. The prices are a time warp back to the Reagan administration.
I haven’t been living in the neighborhood very long and haven’t been out to explore much. Recently, a friend from DC came to visit and while taking a leisure drive down Ocean View Avenue he spotted the little red building and asked to stop. I obliged as my stomach was rumbling from skipping breakfast.
The building is on a little peninsula of road on Granby Street. It is small, red and quite plain in appearance. If you seek bells and whistles to draw you in, you will surely be missing out on the hidden treasures of the good old fashioned yummy stuff inside.
We entered and were greeted with a bright hello from 2 friendly ladies eager to put something in front of us. We chose the basic chili dog with mustard and onions and wow…less than 2 bucks? Really?
For days afterward, I thought about Doug’s. I made a few attempts to visit again, but it was always after 6 or on a Sunday and they were closed.
So, I craved, then I dreamt…and finally I obsessed. Yeah, this was serious.
The other day, my daughter and I had some time to spare and all I could think about was Doug’s. I made the drive down Ocean View once again hardly believing I could be that excited about a hot dog place. My daughter groaned and rolled her eyes in that teenager way at my chilish excitement over something so simple. If only she knew…
So, we entered to the same friendly faces I had seen before and this time I was sampling more than one item. I ordered the irresistable beef hot dogs ( they have Hormel for those non beef eaters) with chili, cheese, mustard and onions. I couldn’t resist wanting a try of that Carolina style barbeque, so I ordered one up and held on the coleslaw, which is probably good for those who like coleslaw in general. I am not one of them.
My daughter started with a hot bowl of chunky vegetable beef soup. She is a picky eater, but seemed impressed by not only the size of the bowl but the content as well. A handful of crackers and 5 minutes later she was searching the menu for her next conquest..
She decided on 2 chili dogs with cheese. She only finished one. The soup had filled in the gap and the first hot dog was barely able to top it off before she gave up. Ah well. We can always go back…
And we will.
The best part is I have never seen it crowded. It is small, but not uncomfortable. Better still if you plan a visit to Ocean View Beach park you can leave your picnic basket behind as Dougs is right across the street!
It is no wonder this little gem has been going strong since 1973. Give Doug’s a try. You can thank me later.
Ocean View amusement park was located on Ocean View Avenue and Granby Street where Ocean View Beach Park currently resides. Operating from the early 1900’s to 1979, the spot was popular amongst locals, tourists and sailors stationed at Norfolk Naval Base.
Situated alongside the Chesapeake Bay, the park boasted 5 rollercoasters, but the addition of “The Skyrocket” in 1929 was a huge hit and became the signature of Ocean View Amusement Park. It was later featured in the motion picture “Rollercoaster” in 1977. Sadly, after World War II and the addition of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, tourists began to choose Virginia Beaches Oceanfront leaving the area of Ocean View and it’s amusement park in a struggle to stay popular. The integrity of the parks coasters also came into question and the park officially closed in September of 1978.
Later, the Skyrocket was given a second chance to ride the skies once again. Her final journey became part of history when she came tumbling down with the help of some explosives. It took two attempts AND the help of a bulldozer before The Skyrocket finally relented for the spectacular scene in the 1979 motion picture “Death of Ocean View Park”. Although open for the day, it was the last day chance anyone would have at experiencing Ocean View Amusement Park.
Enjoy this link to a short clip of “The Rocket” and remember the good old days of Ocean View.
Please visit the link in the sidebar to the Ocean View Station Museum in Norfolk, Virginia for more history on The Ocean View Amusement Park, and enjoy the show!
Once known for it’s beautiful stretch on the Chesapeake Bay, East Ocean View later became a poor substitute for tourists who desired the bigger beaches of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Forgotten, East Ocean View became a neighborhood ridden with poverty, prostitution and violence.
Now, like me, the neighborhood is undergoing a revitalization. We have stories. I am here to tell them.
Wikipedia gives a wonderfully accurate and detailed account of the origins and history of the area. The links section offers direction to sites about East Ocean View, the City of Norfolk, Va and other local interests.
Posted by oceanvieweast 
Posted by oceanvieweast 
Posted by oceanvieweast 