VIRGINIA BEACH Imagine riding a train to shop at Whole Foods, browse through swanky boutiques or dine at some of the area's most upscale restaurants. Long-range city planners have suggested taking the proposed light-rail line to the popular Hilltop shopping area - a new idea that has some City Council members and residents excited.

VIRGINIA BEACH A sliver of land that stood in the way of a potential light-rail station at Town Center now belongs to the Beach. The cost? $300,000. The City Council voted 8-3 Tuesday to purchase the 30-foot-wide strip of property that sat between two prized pieces of land the city already owns, the former Norfolk Southern right-of-way and the old Circuit City building.

VIRGINIA BEACH Two groups representing the city's police officers voted Thursday to oppose extending light rail into the city. The vote came a little more than a week after the city's firefighters union took a similar stance.

VIRGINIA BEACH After a year without raises, the city’s firefighters union has come out against light rail, delivering a potential blow to the city’s efforts to win public support for the system.

VIRGINIA BEACH Residents will soon get to weigh in on whether they want The Tide to come to the Beach. The City Council on Tuesday voted 10-1 to put a proposal about light rail on the November ballot.

The Tide mascot, "Safe-T," attends a ceremony on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, along with a few dozen others at the MacArthur Square light rail station in Norfolk. The ceremony marked the one millionth trip, which happened this past Sunday at the same MacArthur station. This achievement was reached 150 days earlier than expected. Hampton resident Alex Mannen is the mascot.

NORFOLK The Tide will celebrate a milestone today -- its one millionth rider.    The light rail system has averaged about 4,900 passengers daily. The public is invited to join HRT and city officials for a brief commemoration at 12:30 p.m. today at the MacArthur Square station.  The Tide opened in August.  

VIRGINIA BEACH It looks likely residents will be voting in November on whether to extend The Tide light-rail line into the city. A few tweaks in the language of a referendum proposed earlier this month appeared to satisfy a majority of City Council members this week.

VIRGINIA BEACH Why are boosters of light rail on the City Council eager to have a referendum in November? There will be a big turnout, they say, and that's good for democracy. It also could attract just the kind of voters they want.

VIRGINIA BEACH The City Council could decide as early as next week whether to hold a referendum in November on extending the Tide light-rail line into Virginia Beach from Norfolk. Councilmen John Uhrin and Jim Wood on Tuesday presented a resolution to the council calling for a Nov. 6 referendum.