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Vol. 4 No. 49 | Richmond Suburban News | August 21, 2019
Mom determined to find justice after ‘clean’ son ODs By Melody Kinser Managing Editor MECHANICSVILLE – Christy Farmer continues to suffer from the May 7 death of her son, Henry “Cullen” Hazelwood, but she is determined to find justice – and she stands firm in her belief that he had been on the path to sobriety after battling drug addiction. “It would be easy to write him off as just another addict. You could ignore the fact that he graduated from Lee-Davis High School at age 16 and was the third generation in his family to be a LeeDavis alum. You could ignore gnore the fact that he was working towards his journeyman’s man’s card. You could ignoree the fact that he had plans to o join the military in the summer mmer of 2019, which would d fulfill a lifelong desire to serve his country. You could ignore the fact that hee had graduated from Hanover ver County Community ty Services Board’s Drugg Court program on Mayy
HENRY ‘CULLEN’ HAZELWOOD
1, 2019, and had months of sobriety under his belt. You could ignore the fact that for years he worked at Cullen’s Cove and Awful Arthur’s simultaneously while attending middle and high school full-time. You could ignore the fact that he was loved by so many people for his kind and generous heart; sly humor; strong work ethic, and charming personality,” she said of her son. Christy fights through her grief to bring attention “to help avoid similar deaths occurring.” see JUSTICE, pg. 5
King’s Dominion law NAACP sues county over repeal won’t affect school names HCPS’ opening day Group targets Lee-Davis and Stonewall Jackson
By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND -The Virginia General Assembly’s repeal of a decades-old law that prevented the state’s public schools from opening earlier than the day after Labor Day will not affect the first day of school in Hanover County. For county students, the first day of school is Sept. 3. The General Assembly voted to overturn the regulation known as the Kings Dominion Law during its recent session. The law was designed to provide theme parks and other summer attractions across the state with student workers through the
By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local
Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Roger Bourassa, left, chairman of the Hanover County School Board, presents outgoing chair Robert Hundley with a gift as recognition for his service for the past 12 months.
summer season. For decades, supporters of the legislation lobbied to keep the law in effect to ensure a steady workforce to man the
parks. Previous to the new law that took effect July 1, school districts could see OPENING, pg. 2
HEF selling bricks in Memorial Garden Staff Report news@mechlocal.com
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SHLAND – Since 2012, a Memorial Brick Ceremony has been conducted on the grounds of Patrick Henry High School in Ashland. This year’s dedication is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1.
The PHHS Memorial Brick Program, which is affiliated with the Hanover Education Foundation, is a memorial garden to honor former alumni, faculty and staff of the Patrick Henry community. According to Addison Jones, the project was launched in 1999, with the see BRICKS, pg. 2
HANOVER -- When the Hanover County School Board voted not to change the names of two schools named for Confederate leaders last year, local NAACP leaders expressed their intention to continue their effort to rename the schools. Last week, the local chapter officially notified both the Hanover County School Board and Hanover County Board of Supervisors of pending litigation if action was not taken regarding the name changes. Officials made that complaint public and formal at a news conference earlier today where they announced a suit against Hanover County and the school board. “Today, the Hanover County Unit of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is suing the County and the School Board to change the names, change the school team names and take other steps to address a climate that denies African American students an equal education,” a press release from the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs said. Following notification by the Washington, D.C.-based legal firm last week, the school board voted earlier this week to engage in mediation regarding an issue that has been the topic of conversation since the schools were named in 1959. see NAACP pg. 4