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Supervisors meet with legislative team at R-MC
There’s never a silent night at Hanover Humane Society
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Vol. 1 No. 24 | Richmond Suburban News | December 16, 2015
BOS OKs positions for Rockville station Hanover raising the bar By Jim Ridolphi for The Hanover Local
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ANOVER — For years, volunteer chapter enrollment numbers have decreased at Hanover’s Fire Station #9 near Rockville. The latest tally finds the number of active volunteers at four, and the group decided at its November meeting to dissolve the company effective January 2016. “Back in October we had a leadership change where the district chief resigned after being a member of the organization for 25 years,” Fire Chief Jethro Piland told the Hanover County Board of Supervisors last week. “There was no qual-
ified eligible volunteer that wanted to take a leadership role as district chief.” Piland said members of that group expressed concerns that the station could meet the needs of the community with its current volunteer staffing. “They’ve been having staffing problems since 2003,” he said. “Their numbers have dwindled down based upon age.” That prompted Piland to request three temporary fulltime positions at the station. The problem is not unique to Rockville or Hanover for that matter. It’s a national trend that is resulting in communities struggling to provide 24-hour coverage at local stations.
The three new positions would allow the county to staff the station with two employees seven days a week and round-the-clock. “The Rockville Fire Station is extremely important to FireEMS. It serves the far western portion of our community,” Piland said. The station’s houses one of the county’s largest tankers with a capacity of 2,000 gallons. That unit serves the entire western portion of the county. There are currently three full-time paid employees at the South Anna Station, and Piland said Goochland’s Rockville unit is willing to assist. see BOARD pg. 5
for student athletes? Study group will compile more information By Jim Ridolphi for The Hanover Local
Jim Ridolphi for The Hanover Local
Hanover Fire Chief Jethro Piland told the Hanover County Board of Supervisors that he needs three fulltime temporary positions to staff the Rockville Fire Station at minimum levels of full coverage. Supervisors provided the $84,000 request to fund the positions for the remainder of the fiscal year.
ASHLAND — A committee studying academic requirements for student athletes in Hanover County issued an initial report last week examining the pros and cons of changing the current policy. County athletics operate under Virginia High School League (VHSL) rules that allow students who pass five classes the previous semester to participate in sports. A Hanover County Public Schools study group com-
prised of students, coaches, athletes, teachers and other stakeholders is considering a 2.0 grade point average minimum requirement for students to participate. “This is an issue that has many layers,” said superintendent Michael Gill as he told Hanover County School Board members more information and a recommendation regarding the issue would be forthcoming next year. The group compiled detailed comparisons of see ATHLETES, pg. 9
Charles H. Francis & Sons, Plumbing and Heating, Inc. – serving Ashland for 50 years By Meredith Rigsby News Editor
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SHLAND — After working for Haldleiv, a family-owned plumbing and heating company in Ashland, for a few years, and taking over for a year after the owner died, local resident Charles Francis purchased the business on Jan. 1, 1966, and renamed it Charles H. Francis Plumbing and Heating Inc. Still in business, Charles H. Francis Plumbing and Heating
Inc., now known as Charles H. Francis & Sons, Plumbing and Heating Inc., will be marking 50 years of serving the Ashland community on Jan. 1, 2016. “My brother and I [Charles Francis Jr.] never did anything else, started working on the trucks when we were old enough and basically never had any other job,” James “Jim” Francis, second son of Charles H. Francis Sr., said. They both knew one day the family business would be passed down to them. The two brothers took over
Submitted photo
Charles Francis Jr., left, Charles Francis Sr. and James “Jim” Francis stand in front of their family-owned company’s sign.
Charles H. Francis & Sons, Plumbing and Heating Inc. in 1995 when their dad was getting older and looking to retire. That same year, “and Sons” was added to the company name, James Francis said. Over the years, other than upgrading equipment to keep up with changing technology, Charles H. Francis & Sons, Plumbing and Heating Inc. hasn’t changed much — and they like it that way. The business has the same six employees it has had for 15 years, which has suited the com-
pany well, as the owners, Charles Jr. and James Francis, have been able to weather the tough economic times like the 2008 recession without having to downsize or lay off valuable employees. “We’re just a small town small business. We appreciate our customers and, you know, we try to thank them as much as we can for helping us all these years to keep going,” James Francis said. For the first 20 years, Charles H. Francis & Sons, Plumbing see PLUMBING, pg. 5