VOLUNTEER Hanover Tomato Festival: MaterFUN Zone needs you this year.
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Lipscombe contributes to Hanover Humane Society operations.
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Vol. 2 No. 36 | Richmond Suburban News | March 22, 2017
Ashland Town Council budget workshops continue By Logan Barry for The Hanover Local
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SHLAND – Budget work sessions wrapped up last week, with Ashland Town Council members receiving presentations from the Ashland Police Department, town council and Board of Elections, as well as the town manager’s proposal. Police Chief Douglas Goodman, who was accompanied by two of his officers, appeared before council with a fiscal year 2017-2018 budget that he said he and his staff determine is necessary to
uphold the quality of services needed in the municipality. “This is a participative process within the agency – in trying to reach down to those subject matters that are experts that work out in the field every day, to give us the best information we can to develop on our budget,” Goodman said. He told council that the department was requesting a budget of about $2.6 million for 2017-2018. The budget
GOODMAN
‘Ashland Loves a Parade’ includes the Circle of Life By Mollie Hargrove Reporter ASHLAND — From a small church in Ashland to a wartime hospital, and just about everything in between, the Hanover Arts and Activities Center in “The Center of the Universe” has remained a well-loved nonprofit organization offering workshops, studio spaces for artists, local performances, and community events. Every other year, Ashland and Hanover County residents
take to the stage at the Blackwell Auditorium on the campus of Randolph-Macon College to celebrate the Center with the Ashland Musical Variety Show. The 2017 production will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 30-31, and Saturday, April 1. “Ashland Loves a Parade” is the theme of the show, which features over 400 performers displaying their talents in skits and musical numbers. see SHOW, pg. 2
Corinne Luck performs as a Hippo for the Circle of Life, African Animal Parade in this year’s Ashland Musical Variety Show. The costume was made by Jen Inge and Ginger Brooking. Photo submitted by Sue Watson
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request landed at $2,657,008; increasing 3.4% higher than the FY 2016-2017 mid-year estimate. In addition to requesting an additional officer position be added to the department’s roster that would serve dual-roles in a combination between patrol-level operations and investigative components due to increased workload, Goodman said the public safety agency also has an urgent need for additional assistance with narcotics
investigations. “We talk about this, this is not a big secret – but the heroin epidemic is nationwide and we are not immune,” the chief said. He noted that, in 2014 and 2015, Ashland had zero deaths caused from opiate overdoses; but in 2016 there were 10 overdoses and three deaths in the town that were a result of these drugs. “We have two investigators [who] that’s pretty much all they do: focus on narcotics, and by narcotics, [I mean] the heroin trade. There is always room see WORKSHOPS, pg. 12
Nominations wanted for Marc Weiss Awards Staff Report news@mechlocal.com The annual Marc Weiss Hanover Workforce Awards are awarded to Hanoverbased organizations that have achieved success in areas such as recruiting, hiring, training, retaining, innovative workplace environments and other strategies that have led to an effective workforce.
Weiss, who was the director for Economic Development in Hanover County, died in April 2011 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Winners are recognized in both the small and large business categories. Businesses with 1 to 149 employees are considered see AWARD, pg. 2
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