SOCIETY
SANTA RUNS
Trends in gardening addressed at local garden club meeting
Ashland fire stations ready to accompany Santa Claus on his runs
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Vol. 4 No. 13 | Richmond Suburban News | December 5, 2018
Citizens weigh in on Clay, Gandy consolidation By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local
LT BRAD T. CLARK
Fundraiser for firefighters far exceeds goal Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com HANOVER COUNTY – Members of the Hanover CREW Foundation are extending their “our profound thanks and appreciation for the overwhelming outpouring of compassion and support over the past month as we recover from the tragic events of Oct. 11, 2018. The response has left us humbled and proud by our community and neighbors.” A BBQ fundraiser was held on Nov. 3 at the Gethsemane Church of Christ, led by members of the community, to raise funds to support the recovery of injured firefighters Carter Lewis and David Johnson, and support the family of Lt Brad T. Clark, who was killed during the incident. Event coordinator Paul Diana and Greg Sullivan of see GOAL, pg. 12
ASHLAND— It’s no secret that a number of Hanover County schools are housed in aging buildings, and renovating or replacing those campuses has been the focus of school officials and has been identified as a long/term goal. Last May, the district hired an outside consultant to prioritize and evaluate those needs and three schools rose to the top of the most needed list. Those schools included Washington Henry, Battlefield Park and Henry Clay Elementary Schools. RRMM Architects provided cost and construction options for 10 schools, but these four represented the most critical needs regarding renovation or replacement. Hanover County School Board members and officials toured those campuses in September followed by a workshop session where the panel
Town kicks off holiday season Joel Klein for Ashland-Hanover Local
A Northeast Regional Amtrak pulls through the fog and drizzle Saturday evening during the Town of Ashland’s kickoff of the holiday season with “Light Up The Tracks!” More photos on page 8.
Jim Ridolphi/for Ashland-Hanover Local
Vice chairman Roger Bourassa, left, listens as Bob Hundley, chairman, addresses a community meeting concerning the proposed consolidation of two Ashland elementary schools. The Hanover County School Board gathered for the first such session Tuesday, Nov. 27.
decided to take the first step in a long and involved process to address aging facilities. “We discussed those three schools at
our workshop, trying to come up with a consensus on those three — what did we think as a board and what made the most sense,” chairman Bob Hundley
Light Up the Tracks!
said. They announced a plan that would close Henry Clay Elementary in Ashland and consolidate it with a new John Gandy campus near the Randolph-Macon College campus. Last week, the board held a community meeting outlining the timeline and factors that influenced their decision, and asked for input from the public regarding the consolidation. A packed house responded and listened to a detailed explanation of the process that eventually placed Henry Clay and Gandy at the top of the replacement list. John Clark of RRMM said the limited size of the Clay site, approximately 10 acres, would not accommodate a replacement project and students would require a transfer to other schools during the construction period, an estimated two years. Clark said the Clay gymnasium is see SCHOOL, pg. 7