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Vol. 5 No. 27 | Richmond Suburban News | March 18, 2020
Hanover joins in declaring Local State of Emergency Hanover County has joined with its fellow government partners in the Richmond region to declare a Local State of Emergency due to the Coronavirus, called COVID-19. The state of emergency designation gives public safety agencies more flexibility to work seamlessly with surrounding jurisdictions, streamlines procedures to enable Hanover to procure necessary Photo submitted by Tom Harris supplies in a more efficient Sean Davis, vice chairman of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors, addresses a gathering of manner and gives the counregional leaders on Friday who agreed to declare a Local State of Emergency due to COVID-19. ties access to state and federal
Former mayor: change schools’ names By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND — Former Ashland Mayor Jim Foley added his name to a growing list of Hanover County residents requesting a name change regarding two county schools named for Confederate generals or leaders. “I am here tonight to ask you to end this foolishness regarding the school names,” Foley said during a public comment period at last week’s meeting of the Hanover County School Board. “You cannot avoid responsibility and wait three to five years … Moral courage is difficult, but let’s do the right thing now.” Foley acknowledged the courage of leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who campaigned against segregation. “You have had the opportunity to show moral courage for the last several years and
this board has failed,” Foley said. He also alluded to Jefferson Davis’ home state of Mississippi and its secession articles that defended slavery as a necessary and vital part of the Southern economy. “These are the deeds and words we honor at Lee-Davis FOLEY High School. You honor these deeds and words,” Foley said. With a pending lawsuit against the school board by the Hanover NAACP, Foley said it’s time “to end this foolishness.” Dr. Marlene Fuller, pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, echoed those sentiments as she addressed the board. “Tonight I stand here to challenge
you on the names of schools and mascots in Hanover County,” Fuller said. Fuller said she spoke from the perspective of a mother as well as pastor of a group of people who have been “emotionally wounded from their educational experience in Hanover County.” The pastor said education cannot be equal for all “when the names of schools and mascots hold sacred the pledge of superiority of one group over the other.” “When a black student comes to school and encounters students who feel they have permission due to the culture of the school and community to call another racially derogative terms, we are not equal,” Fuller said. She pointed to textbooks that omit the complete history of the country as another inequity suffered by minority students. “As a pastor, I am asking you to chalsee MAYOR, pg. 16
The Governor orders all K-12 schools to close for at least two weeks. Turn to page 8.
County schools closed for 2 weeks
emergency funding. A joint press conference on Friday, March 13, featured speakers from Hanover, Chesterfield, Henrico and Goochland counties and the City of Richmond and Henrico/Richmond Health
(Editor’s note: The following was released Friday by Dr. Michael Gill, superintendent of Hanover County Public Schools.) Earlier today, public officials from Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield and Goochland counties and the City of Richmond declared a local state
see HANOVER, pg. 3
see SCHOOLS, pg. 2
Hines: Sheriff ’s Office will still be available for county’s needs (Editor’s note: The following was submitted by Col. David R. Hines, sheriff of Hanover County.) Concerns regarding COVID-19 continue throughout communities in the United States. In the interest of public health, some large public events have been canceled. Learning institutions are making adjustments for faculty and students. International travel to and from the United States has experienced restrictions. In some cases, non-essential services have been delayed or canceled.
The Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office recognizes the concern over potential exposure. Historically, we are familiar with concerns of this nature such as the “Swine” flu and the Ebola virus. For more than a decade, we have worked closely with our public safety partners to establish best practices on how to serve our community under many different circumstances. We have plans and equipment in place and are capable of supporting the needs of our community. Every deputy carries personal protective see HINES, pg. 3