SUFFOLK The city's Christmas parade is staying put downtown despite a proposal by the city manager to move it to North Suffolk. The city announced Tuesday that the Dec. 5 parade would remain downtown, beginning at Washington and Main streets and ending at Finney Avenue.

Um. Did we miss another memo?

I just got a pitch from the people over at duct tape. They are advocating that instead of carving a jack-o-lantern this Halloween, we should decorate our pumpkins with duct tape. Whoops! This page didn't re-direct to the proper Web page. Please click here. Thank you!

Nearly 60 Spooky Places to Freak You Out!

Experience thrills at scream parks, haunted houses, graveyards, enchanted woods and ghostly battlefields when you spend your Halloween in Virginia! Whoops! This page didn't re-direct to the proper Web page. Please click here. Thank you!

This year, my 8-year-old is obsessed with the scary side of Halloween... monsters, haunted houses and the like. Where are good places to take him that are a little scary but not so scary that he'll be terrified? Whoops! This page didn't re-direct to the proper Web page. Please click here. Thank you!

Hunt Club Farm presents the 21st annual Halloween Festival and Haunted Hayride featuring Three Scary Haunted Events: Hampton Roads Original Haunted Hayride; The Village of the Dead and The Field of Screams. Whoops! This page didn't re-direct to the proper Web page. Please click here. Thank you!

Courts and municipal offices Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach Most city offices and courts are closed Monday.  ____ Financial institutions Most banks and credit unions will be closed Monday. Contact specific institutions.  ____ Garbage collection Chesapeake and Portsmouth: Trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday.

Courts and municipal offices Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Suffolk City offices and courts are closed today. Virginia Beach City offices and courts are closed today and Saturday.  ____ Financial institutions Some bank and credit unions will be closed today. Contact specific institutions.  ____ Garbage collection

Wondering what was on everyone's minds for the holidays. Maybe we can give you a idea. Check out our Top 10 read holiday stories for the holiday season.

Our top read holiday stories
1. Where's Santa? NORAD tracks him tonight
2. During the holidays, best to know your bills from baloney
3. Mayor gives Virginia Beach workers an extra day off for the holidays

The warm Christmas weather will be heading out along with 2008. Strong winds are expected today, with gusts as high as 50 mph and the National Weather Service has issued wind advisories for Hampton Roads and northeast North Carolina until 10 p.m. Highs are expected near 54, the weather service says. 

For a region that has just about every other type of festival, it seems odd that Hampton Roads goes dark on New Year's Eve. Hundreds of private gatherings will pop off tonight in celebration of 2009, but where's the official blowout?