Ashland-Hanover Local – 05/20/20

EDUCATIION

SERVICE

Marianne Veitch named HCPS Teacher of the Year

2015 Atlee graduate helps subdue man in airline disruption

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Vol. 5 No. 36 | Richmond Suburban News | May 20, 2020

Quillin and Norton lead AHS Ashland kicks as valedictorian and salutatorian off new business grant program

By Melody Kinser Managing Editor

M

ECHANICSVILLE – Brian Quillin, with a grade point average of 4.58889, leads the Class of 2020 at Atlee High School.

Kenly Norton is the class’ salutatorian with a GPA of 4.453.

Brian’s parents are John and Julie Quillin of Mechanicsville.

During his years at Atlee, he has served as vice president of the National Honor Society, a writing tutor for the Raider Writing Center (junior year), and a member of the National Beta Club and National Spanish Honor Society (three years).

He also was a member of the boys cross country and track teams (three years

BRIAN QUILLIN

KENLY NORTON

Valedictorian

Salutatorian

varsity).

Brian is a member of the Shady Grove United Methodist Church Youth Group and Neighborhood Bible Study.

He works part-time as a lifeguard at American Family Fitness in Virginia Center Commons during the school

year. “I have also been the assistant manager at the Kings Charter pools for the past two summers,” he added.

Brian’s higher education plans have him attending the University of Virginia in the Echols Scholars Program. He plans to have a double major in chemistry and biology on

a pre-health track.

His years at Atlee, he said, are certainly highlighted by his being “extremely honored to give the valedictory speech at graduation.”

“Over the past four years,” he continued, “I have been constantly humbled by the insight of both my teachers and classmates. It did indeed require hard work to remain at the top of my class, but it would not have been possible without the Atlee and Mechanicsville community.”

According to Brian, the IB Program “also gave me worldly perspective on ethics and culture, which led me to consider a career in medicine with insight on ethical medical practice. I plan on attending medical school in the future.”

Kenly is the daughter of

see ATLEE, pg. 8

ASHLAND – To support ment for patrons and employlocal businesses impacted ees. by the coronaviFunds can be rus pandemic, the used to purchase Town of Ashland items needed to is launching a new reopen a busibusiness grant ness or return to program and tema “normal” level porary changes to of service, such as local regulations personal protective that will allow for equipment for staff, expanded outdoor easy to clean or patio space at town disposable menus, TRIVETT restaurants and or additional outretail establishdoor furniture for ments. expanded patio seating.

The Safety Enhancement Any business located Grant program, funded within the town’s corporate by the town’s Economic limits is eligible to apply.

Development Authority Although a program of the (EDA), will allocate $35,000 EDA, administration of the for grants of up to $2,000 grants will be managed by to help businesses implement Town of Ashland staff. best practices for maintaining see GRANT, pg. 8 a safe and healthy environ-

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Marianne Veitch named HCPS Teacher of Year M E C HA N IC S V I L L E – Marianne Veitch, a math teacher at Hanover High School, has been selected as the Hanover County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.

Veitch began her teaching career at Hanover High School in 2006. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Virginia Tech and a Master’s of Education from the University of Georgia. She will advance to compete for the 2021 Region

I Superintendents’ Teacher of the Year award. “I am incredibly humbled and honored to be recognized as Hanover County's Teacher of the Year,� Veitch said. “Every day, I am inspired by my students and our community of exceptional educators, and I am truly grateful for their support.�

HHS principal Kris Reece said, “Mrs. Veitch is one of a kind. She exhibits all that you

PLUMBING, HEATING & COOLING

want in a teacher, a colleague, and a friend. She is the teacher that you want every student to have and learn from. She is a gift to our students, our school, and the entire HCPS community.�

The school division employs about 1,400 teachers. Each year, the district selects one teacher for this distinguished award who is actively and meaningfully involved in the school and community and can serve as a role model and ambassador for teachers in the division.

Photo submitted by Chris R. Whitley Information submitted Marianne Veitch has been recognized by Hanover County by Chris R. Whitley, Hanover Public Schools as the Teacher County Public Schools public of the Year. She teaches math information officer. at Hanover High School.

By Melody Kinser Managing Editor

2

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

Public hearing on restricting truck traffic set

2015 Atlee graduate helps subdue man in airline disruption MECHANICSVILLE – Sgt. John Dietrick, a 2015 graduate of Atlee High School, found himself being hailed as a hero earlier this month after helping quash a potential volatile situation on board a flight from Japan to Texas. “The first thing that caught my attention was the screaming and banging coming from the bathroom and the worried looks from the other passengers,� he said last week about the May 4 incident.

Dietrick, Capt. Daniel Kult and Pfc. Alexander Meinhardt of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines were returning from a deployment in Okinawa. “Immediately, all of us stood up, and, without much communication, [we] knew that we needed to intervene and help due to our training,� the sergeant said.

He concern was that the man may “be a danger to himself and everyone on board the plane.�

“The main concern,�

Dietrick continued, “was we could not see him, so everything was an unknown.�

As Marines, he said, “We train extensively in detainee handling and aggressive detainee handling so that the situation is never escalated to a dangerous level.�

Like most heroes, Dietrick was humble in relaying the experience. He had already been interviewed several times before talking to his hometown newspaper. “Like every interview I have done, I like to say that I am glad that me and my compatriots were there -- but if we had not been, I believe that others would have stepped up and done the right thing!� he added.

Dietrick, who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps upon his high school graduation, is stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Looking ahead, he hasn’t decided if he will make a career in the Marines. But, if he doesn’t, he already has his

By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local

SGT. JOHN DIETRICK sights set on possibly becoming a firefighter.

In the meantime, he will continue to serve his country – and, whenever necessary, protect those around him.

HANOVER — The Hanover County Board of Supervisors will decide next month whether or not to request thru-truck restrictions for sections of four roads in Hanover County.

A public hearing is scheduled for June 24 to allow citizens the opportunity to express views on the restrictions. If the board approves, a request will be forwarded to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), which has the final word on road restrictions.

Chickahominy supervisor Angela Kelly-Wiecek asked staff to prepare an update for the board shortly after the Wegmans’ vote was taken earlier this month. “A number of us have received correspondence from our residents ‌regarding the concern they have for truck traffic, not just now but certainly in the future, and so we have asked Mr. [Mike] Flagg to evaluate our request and provide us with an outline of see TRUCK, pg. 4

SHERIFF’S REPORTS | Crime, Accidents, Fire & Rescue April 1

Grand larceny parts were reported in the 8100 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Mental health was reported in the 7100 block of Foxbernie Drive, Mechanicsville.

Bomb/burn threat accused, 15, was reported in the 7400 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering merchandise, $500, was reported in the 7400 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Sale and distribution of marijuana was reported in the 16100 block of Washington Highway/ Kings Dominion Boulevard, Doswell.

Simple assault was reported in the 6100 block of Magazine Drive, Mechanicsville.

Recovered property was reported in the 6100 block of Thyme Drive/Tarragon Drive, Mechanicsville.

Driver did not report an accident with damages, $1,000, in the 13300 block of West Patrick Henry Road, Doswell.

Vandalism was reported in the 11200 block of Hopson Road, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering merchandise, $500, was reported in the 7500 block of Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 6000 block of Dugout Trail, Mechanicsville.

Brandishing a firearm was reported in the 11500 block of Lakeridge Parkway, Ashland.

Simple assault was reported in the 8200 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

DWI, second offense in five years, was reported in the 7100 block of Brooking Way, Mechanicsville.

DWI, first offense, was reported in the 7000 block of Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville.

Missing person was reported in the 6300 block of Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny, $500 not from a person, was reported in the 11100 block of Cauthorne Road, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering merchandise, $500, was reported in the 7400 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 5100 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Obtaining money, etc., under false pretenses, larceny, $200 conspiracy, was reported in the 15400 block of Hopeful Church Road, Mechanicsville.

Simple assault was reported in the 10900 block of Founders Place, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny, $500 not from a person, was reported in the 7300 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 8100 block of Kiwi Lane, Mechanicsville.

Receiving stolen and aiding in concealing firearm was reported in the 8100 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike.

Breaking and entering structure to commit larceny was reported in the 5400 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

the 14100 block of Hickory Oaks Lane, Ashland.

April 6

Entering property with the intent to damage was reported in the 12500 block of Cedar Lane, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny from auto was reported in the 16100 block of Pug Swamp Lane, Mechanicsville.

Disorderly conduct was reported in the 8200 block of Atlee Road, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering merchandise, $500, was reported in the 7400 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering merchandise, $500, was reported in the 7400 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Entering property with the intent to damage was reported in the 12500 block of Cedar Lane, Mechanicsville.

Destruction of property, $500, not from a person, was reported in the 10300 block of Sadisco Drive, Ashland.

Assault and battery, family member, was reported in the 7200 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Possessing forged coin or bank notes, 10, was reported in the 7400

injury by letter or electronic means was reported in the 9800 block of Little Rock Court, Mechanicsville.

block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny from auto was reported in the 16100 block of Pug Swamp Lane, Beaverdam.

April 7

Larceny of bank notes and checks was reported in the 8700 block of Hambleton Way, Mechanicsville.

April 4

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 89 block of Interstate 95 North, Mechanicsville.

April 3

Possession of Schedule I and II controlled substance was reported in the 10200 block of New Britton Road, Mechanicsville.

Violation of protective order was reported in the 7100 block of Chestnut, Church Road, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny, $500, not from a person, was reported in the 10500 block of Comanche Lane, Glen Allen.

Missing person was reported in the 7000 block of Cornfield Lane, Mechanicsville.

DWI, first offense, was reported in the 9200 block of Hanover Crossings Drive, Mechanicsville.

Threats or death or bodily

Driver did not report an accident with damages, in the 8200 block of Meadowbridge Road, Mechanicsville.

Reckless handling of firearm was reported in the 6200 block of Midnight Drive, Mechanicsville.

Credit card theft was reported in the 8300 block of Old Cavalry Drive, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny, $500 not from a person, was reported in the 6500 block of Pole Green Road, Mechanicsville.

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Simple assault was reported in the 9500 block of Chamberlayne Road, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny from auto was reported in the 9200 block of Clearstream Trail, Mechanicsville.

One mile from I–295: Exit 34

Grand larceny from auto was reported in the 10000 block of Gathright Valley Court, Mechanicsville.

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Destruction of property, monument, was reported in

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Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020 3

HCPS announces three graduation celebration proposals Staff Report news@mechlocal.com

A

SHLAND -- Hanover County Public Schools has been working to develop “a comprehensive graduation plan” that will honor and recognize seniors “in the most meaningful and memorable way possible under such extraordinary circumstances.”

Dr. Michael Gill, superintendent; Jennifer Greif, assistant superintendent of instruction and chief academic officer; Dr. Robert Staley, director of Secondary Education; Christopher Martinez, principal, Patrick Henry High School; Kristina Reece, principal, Hanover High School; Charles Stevens principal, Lee-Davis High School; and Dr.

John Wheeler, principal, Atlee High School; announced this morning plans “to celebrate [students’] remarkable accomplishments over the past 13 years.”

Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID19) public health concerns and uncertainty moving forward, it was agreed that it is not realistic or responsible to hold the traditional commencement ceremonies at the VCU Siegel Center on Saturday, June 13.

However, the school leaders, along with the feedback received from students, families, principals, faculty, staff, senior class officers, and others who helped in the decision-making process, are offering three unique ways to celebrate the Class of 2020: individually, virtually, and in-person.

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Details follow: Celebration 1: Individual Graduation Experience (early June) High school staff will schedule appointments with all seniors to arrange for an individual graduation experience with up to five family members or special guests. The appointments will take place within the first two weeks of June.

Each senior will be called by name to walk the stage in a cap and gown to receive a diploma.

Staff will be on-hand to take keepsake pictures of seniors with their guests. Seniors also will receive a gift.

Staff and guests are required to follow all official social distancing and related guidance.

Each high school principal will communicate more specific details and instructions soon.

Celebration 2: Virtual Graduation (June 13) On June 13, each high school will release a graduation video that will include remarks from the principal, the superintendent, the valedictorian and salutatorian, as well as a photomontage of the graduating class.

The videos will follow a consistent format. Each high school also will include its own unique touches to make the experience more personable and memorable.

Each high school graduation team will share further details regarding the graduation video.

Celebration 3: In-Person Graduation (Aug. 8) If permitted by officials, HCPS is actively planning to hold modified in-person graduation ceremonies on Saturday, Aug. 8, at The Meadow Event Park located in Doswell.

The ceremonies will be live-streamed and recorded for those who are unable to attend.

This plan is fluid and may change due to the

TRUCK Continued from pg. 2

Call today to speak with our Director of Admissions or visit our website.

Contact Admissions about enrolling for the 2020/2021 school year.

4

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

the process and the requirement so we can have a discussion if needed and move forward to a public hearing,” Kelly-Wiecek said.

Flagg, director of Public Works, said interest in restricting truck traffic on those roads is a result of the Wegmans‘ project.

The roads involved in the discussion include sections of Ashcake, New Ashcake, Atlee Station, and Peake Roads.

unpredictability of COVID-19.

The ceremonies will follow the most upto-date COVID-19 health and safety guidance provided by local, state, and federal officials, including limiting the number of attendees to ensure appropriate social distancing.

Each high school principal will communicate more specific details and instructions in the coming weeks and months.

The graduation ceremonies will be held as follows: z 9 a.m. — Hanover High School z 12 p.m. — Patrick Henry High School z 3 p.m. — Atlee High School z 6 p.m. — Lee-Davis High School “In the meantime, significant work is still underway,” Dr. Gill said. “Our team will continue to work with great care and compassion to finalize our plans.”

He also said that principals will share more details in the coming weeks as they become available.

Questions about Celebration 1 and Celebration 2 may be directed to the student’s principal. For more information about Celebration 3, contact Dr. Robert Staley, director of Secondary Education, at rstaley@hcps.us.

“We have received numerous citizen concerns related to safety and well-being primarily around the zoning activity related to Wegmans,” Flagg said.

Flagg listed a myriad of concerns raised by citizens regarding increased truck traffic on those roads, including the large number of school bus stops on those sections, pedestrian access, cyclist safety, and the possibility of trucks delaying EMS vehicles.

Citizens also have expressed concerns regarding the resi-

dential nature of the areas and the hazards of all-hour operations.

In order to restrict trucks, Flagg said VDOT requires that a reasonable alternate route is available for trucks to reach their destination. In addition, the truck traffic must be shown to not be compatible with affected area.

Roads considered must be classified as residential or must be considered a local collector route in order to be considered.

Flagg presented drawsee TRUCK, pg. 7

Sheriff and deputies gather to honor those who gave all (Editor’s note: The following was submitted last Thursday by Col. David R. Hines, sheriff of Hanover County, in honor of National Police Week.)

HANOVER -- Each year we recognize the tremendous sacrifice law enforcement officers make every day. In 2019, 146 officers across the country lost their lives in the line of duty. So far this year, 76 officers have died in the line of duty. We remember them, we honor them and we keep their families in prayer.

Inasmuch as we use this week to memorialize those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, we also recognize those officers throughout the country who faithfully serve and work so hard to keep our communities safe.

On Oct. 1, 1962, President John F. Kennedy, by joint resolution, proclaimed the second week of May as National Police Week. The first observance of this occasion occurred in May 1963. For 57 years this week, we as a nation have recognized the profession of law enforcement and the many men and women who have chosen this vocation.

With so many other important professions in society, why did our country establish a week to recognize and honor our law enforcement officers?

Maybe it was because of the oath of office they take, an oath of loyalty, courage, truth and trust, always mindful of the moral and ethical values that society esteems. Maybe it’s because once officers take that oath, they are also tak-

ing an oath to lead their lives in the most ethical manner, both on and off duty. Maybe it’s because a law enforcement officer must be someone that the public can trust and can count on like a friend.

Perhaps we recognize our law enforcement officers because they are expected to put their lives in danger to protect others. Maybe we honor our officers because in the face of danger when others run away, they run towards it. Maybe it’s because the nature of crime is becoming more complex and at times the brutality can shock even the most seasoned police officers, yet they continue on with an unfailing commitment and compassion to serve.

There are many reasons to

Photo submitted by Sgt. Steve DiLoreto

The Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Col. David R. Hines, remembered law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty during a program held last Thursday.

honor those in law enforcement who serve and sacrifice every day; however, as a society we should never forget and never lessen their accountability. As a community, we can never accept anything less than the best in our officers.

At the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C., there is an inspiring quote that says it is not how these officers died that

made them heroes, it is how they lived. This week we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those whose lives of service inspire so many.

On behalf of the Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office, we thank the many men and women across the nation who have served and are continuing to serve today, and we also thank those in our community for their tremen-

dous support. A community is defined not only by the actions of those expected to serve, but even more so by the actions of those who serve when they see a need. As we recognize the heroes among us this week, we are grateful as well for the many community partnerships we share that make Hanover County a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Quarterly early warning systems test set for North Anna Power Station Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com RICHMOND – State officials led by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), local officials and Dominion Energy will conduct a quarterly test of the early warning siren system around the North Anna Power Station around 11:10 a.m. today (Wednesday, May 20) and the Emergency Alert System.

For the early warning siren system, a steady three-minute tone will be sounded by 68 sirens in Caroline, Hanover, Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania counties.

The sirens are located within a 10-mile radius of the power station.

The Emergency Alert System test is made available through participating radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers, and is scheduled to last approximately one minute.

Siren and EAS tests take place at the North Anna Power Station on a quarterly basis.

If there were an actual emergency at the power station, residents would hear four separate three-minute activations of the early warning siren system, each separated by a one-minute silent interval.

Total elapsed time for actual emergency notification is 15 minutes.

During an emergency when sirens sound, residents should listen to local and state officials and local media outlets that broadcast emergency information for updates and instructions.

Emergency guides are mailed to surrounding households and additional information about the siren system, emergency notifications and safety planning can be found on Dominion Energy’s website.

Siren and EAS tests take place near the North Anna Power Station on a quarterly basis on the third Wednesday of February, May, August and November of 2020.

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Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020 5

OPINION

LETTERS

| The Local Views

| Reader Views

From the managing editor

Conspiracy theorists working overtime

By Melody Kinser Managing Editor

S

ome nights I opt to work late into the night. Music keeps the writing juices flowing and the otherwise quiet of the world provides room for the freedom to think.

I learned early in my career that you can’t please all the people all the time, and that I’d get tougher the longer I was in the public eye. One editor said, “Ice will run through your veins.”

That statement followed the first encounter I experienced with a very unhappy mother about her daughter’s upcoming wedding.

I did take it personally, but that was decades ago. Years later, a publisher said, “This too shall pass.” And, more recently, a journalist that I have immense respect for said “We take the high road.”

With age, it’s become much easier to “take it [criticism] with a grain of salt.”

I suppose the issue is what has surprised me

though. The fact that I support wearing protective gear during this coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put me in the bull’s eye. I can handle it -- mostly because I know I’m right.

Apparently there are some people who can’t accept being encouraged to take measures to save lives. What’s up with that?!

The guidelines during this most strange time are for our benefit. How are rights being taken?

Following on social media and reading newspapers and watching news reports have led me to believe conspiracy theorists are functioning in overdrive. Slow your roll, folks.

You’d think someone had said we’re taking all your guns, rather than recommending precautions to extend your life, as well as those in your orbit. I continue to take note of who is and isn’t wearing masks and gloves.

I will join family and friends who have already committed to wearing masks and gloves long after we have been cleared to put them away.

There are too many unknowns. And creating a vaccine won’t happen overnight.

I’ve thought about Jonas Salk often during this quarantine. His work on developing a polio vaccine started with a grant in 1948. In 1950, he had an early version and announced in 1953 a successful vaccine.

I still have vivid memories of the needle used by the family doctor. I must have been 3 or 4 when that massive needle headed toward me. Fortunately, I’ve never had a fear of shots, especially when Mom kept calmly telling me it would keep me safe.

We must be prayerful and confident in those who have the knowledge and expertise to find the right combination for a successful vaccine.

In the meantime, I’ll continue to say: Use a mask and gloves.

There isn’t any conspiracy on my part, just concern. (Although I still have my doubts about that 1969 moon landing, but that’s a story for another time.) Stay safe.

Mother’s love prevails -- even when life gets tough

By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist As I entered the gates at Fort Lee, I had a feeling of uncertainty, the type of feeling you get when you are preparing to do something that you would rather not.

I was interviewing a soldier who was retiring after a storied career as a medic in the U.S. Army, and I anticipated a long narrative of battlefield memories and stories of survival.

And this guy had seen all of those things, but he was much too humble

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Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

to mention any of them as we talked of his many tours of duty. He had seen men die in his arms, and suffered through some unthinkable horrors in unspeakable situations.

“When they know they are not going to make it, they call for their

mothers,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye.

“Their mother?” I replied with some surprise.

He explained that — in that moment of total despair and surrensee MOTHER, pg. 9

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‘Critical Thinking Skills’ need during pandemic crisis For those controlling our lives, they need to enroll in developing “Critical Thinking Skills”. There is too much conflicting information out there.

Some will say things they believe and deliberately mislead in the end turn out to be mistaken. Do not accept anything at face value – you need to reach a logical conclusion and all reasons for your decisions must be true.

Common sense – time to step up and reinvent yourself to prepare for your new future.

I know it’s been in the works for years. Do you not think it to be strange that all networks had to install new towers and have them up and working by March 13, 2020, to expand WiFi. The President blames the media and previous administrations while every day in his reports he gives himself a pat on the back for all the great things he has done, and continues his comments by only repeating the same things over and over each time things he has delivered.

He praises his great relationship with China, Japan and a few others. Really?

China created this pandemic. One of the first releases said that it was transmitted through an animal. Hmmm?

And it was known to have started back in December. The President was not informed (I did not know anything) until January.

The world as we knew it has been changing for years now, being manipulated by men making reckless decisions for their own profits, getting to the point where it cannot be fixed.

No matter your faith – God sent our messages to awaken us only to be ignored, then they become more advanced; fires we have not seen, earthquakes in different areas, erotomania, drought, famine, with unpredictable weather change has halted typical growing food items.

While during our pandemic all the so-called experts, well, they are depending on data in the meantime: see LETTERS, pg. 14

Revenue shortfalls Funeral homes offer free flag exchange ‘painful’ decisions Woody and Nelsen prepare in advance of Memorial Day, Flag Day and Fourth of July for county schools Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com

By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND— In January, Hanover County Public Schools Superintendent Michael Gill presented an ambitious 2020-2021 budget for Hanover County School Board consideration.

Despite some challenging financial considerations,

compression …. highlighting our bus drivers with additional compensation, reflecting positions in the area of social emotional learning and mental health, counseling and behavior.”

“We were proud to have you approve that budget and take it to the [Hanover County] Board of Supervisors.

Quite a bit has happened since then, and the world has changed as we know it; so has the fiscal impact for all of us,” Gill told board members in a remotely accessed meeting last week.

The superintendent told school board members that cuts in revenues due to the coronavirus had resulted in a

GILL the budget provided salary increases and addressed an increasing number of behavioral issues occurring in classrooms across the Commonwealth.

At that time, Gill said this budget was his most difficult since his arrival in Hanover, but was proud of its ability to maintain a clear focus on instructional priorities.

The board approved Gill’s $199,377 million proposal in February.

“At the end of the day, I was quite proud of the work our team had done to reflect the priorities in the budget that was presented,” Gill said.

“Among those was a compensation increase of 2 percent for everybody, taking some additional steps to reduce

funeral home location before they drop off and exchange flags for a safe and contactless ith Memorial exchange method.

Day and Flag “Many people are unaware Day coming up, or confused about the proper and the Fourth way to dispose of an old of July just around the corner, American Flag,” Barton said.

Woody and Nelsen Funeral She referred to the Flag Code Homes are once again offerof the United States, which ing families the opportunity suggests that the flag, when it to exchange their old, torn or is in such condition that it is soiled American flag for a new no longer a fitting emblem of 3’ by 5’ flag. In exchange, your display, should be destroyed in retired flag will be given proper a dignified way, preferably by disposal in accordance with the burning.

U.S. Flag Code under the ausToday nearly 90 years since pices of The Virginia the Flag Code was War Memorial. originally written Lacyn Barton, there are localipresident of Nelsen ties that have laws and Woody Funeral prohibiting burnHomes, said the five ing. Moreover, Woody and Nelsen the fabrics used to Funeral Home make flags are now locations in the mostly synthetic Richmond area are fabrics and have offering the free flag the potential of givexchange as a service BARTON ing off toxic fumes to the community. when burned.

“During these “Disposing of difficult times it is a used American Flag in the more important than ever to proper way is not as easy as it demonstrate our unity and determination to prevail during sounds,” Barton said.

Last year, the Woodythe COVID – 19 crisis,” Barton and Nelsen-sponsored flag said. “The American Flag repexchange resulted in over resents that American spirit.”

1,200 used flags returned to Individuals may call the

the funeral home locations and exchanged for new flags.

The returned flags were delivered to the Virginia War Memorial for proper disposal.

Barton said you can contact and stop by any of the Woody or Nelsen Funeral Home locations listed below to exchange your old flag for a new one. The old flags will then be delivered to the Virginia War Memorial, which will have them disposed of in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code.

Woody Funeral Homes are located at: z 1771 North Parham Rd. in Henrico County

trucks also would be exempted from the restrictions.

Once the formal request from the board is received, “VDOT will perform a study …. and determine if a restriction is appropriate.” A public comment period is included in that process, and the VDOT commissioner issues the final decision.

Roads being considered for the waiver include: Ashcake Road from the intersection of Peake and Mount Hermon with Sliding Hill and Georgetown Roads.

(1.7 miles).

Atlee Station Road between Sliding Hill Road and Route 301. (3.7 miles).

New Ashcake Road from Sliding Hill Road to Route 301.

(3.4 miles).

Peake Road, (2.8 miles).

Kelly-Wiecek said there could be some modifications to the request following further input from board members before moving to approve a public hearing on the matter.

The motion passed unanimously.

W

Metro Creative Services

z 1020 Huguenot Rd. in Midlothian z 9271 Shady Grove Rd. in Mechanicsville Nelsen Funeral Homes are located at: z 4650 South Laburnum Ave. in Richmond z 412 South Washington Hwy. in Ashland “Our goal is to help Richmond area residents showcase their American spirit on Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July,” said Barton. “Our deepest thanks and appreciation go out to those who serve and have fought in defense of our freedom.”

STONE $5.5 million shortfall in this year’s proposed budget.

“As we bring you this budget for final adoption, it does look quite different,” Gill said.

Navigating a $5.5 million shortfall won’t be easy, but Gill said the priorities that included more behavioral counselors listed in January are still system goals.

“Those priorities we presented back in January are still very much priorities. In no see REVENUE, pg. 15

TRUCK Continued from pg. 4

ings of alternate routes, some of them adding considerable mileage and times to trips, that must accompany any application to VDOT. He also specified the definition of thru-trucks, terminology that allows some large trucks to access restricted roads. They include trucks destined for a specific destination for deliveries, and pickups and FedEx type panel delivery

OBITUARY SUBMISSIONS Call 804-643-4414 extension 3 Email: paidnotices @timesdispatch.com Deadline is noon Friday for the following week’s edition.

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020 7

Scotchtown Chapter makes masks for healthcare, military Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com BEAVERDAM -- The Scotchtown Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is lending a helping hand to healthcare and active military workers on the front lines of the pandemic, ensuring that local residents and an active military base have more protective wear resources to face the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

Several members of Scotchtown Chapter responded to the mask shortage by hand sewing masks to donate to local hospitals and staff and an active military base in North Dakota.

GRANT Continued from pg. 1

“While there are funding opportunities available at the state and federal levels, the EDA felt it was important to show support for our local business community at the town level,” said Tim Shelton, chairman of the town’s Economic Development Authority. “The EDA is committed to seeing our local businesses weather this storm and we are happy to partner with them to provide some needed assistance.”

In addition, the town is rolling out a Parking to Patio initiative.

To allow restaurants and retail establishments the ability to social distance in accordance with Governor Northam’s orders, the town is temporarily permitting expanded patio seating to serve customers. The new measure will permit outdoor seating to encroach on up to 25% of required parking while social distance measures are in effect. Also, the town will temporarily close portions of public parking and streets in the downtown area to allow adjacent businesses to expand their operations outdoors.

Restaurants that want to participate must coordinate with the town’s Community Development Department and seek approval from the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.

“In a time when businesses are being inundated with new regulations, we’re happy to loosen some of ours to enable them to operate as safely as possible,” Ashland Mayor Steve Trivett said. “We’re thrilled to roll out two initiatives we hope will encourage people to eat, shop and

8

As of May 12, the Scotchtown chapter had sewn over 350 masks for Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and local hospital staff members who made the requests to them.

“While we are each doing our part to slow the spread of the virus by staying home, the DAR members in our Hanover-based chapter wanted to respond to a few specific requests they received from friends and military members. These requests came from those who are working hard to keep our communities safe and healthy” Scotchtown Regent Anita McConnell said. “We know these are tough times for everyone and wanted to do whatever we could to spread a little sunshine and help meet these

requests.”

Nationwide, DAR chapters from all 50 states have been participating in the organization’s Service to America From Home initiative with more than 300,000 masks already being donated and tens of thousands more produced each day to be distributed in local communities.

“I am exceptionally proud of what DAR members are accomplishing as a part of a proud tradition of service that dates to our 1890 founding,” said Denise Doring VanBuren, DAR president general. “In difficult times like these we know that it is not the emergency that defines us, but how we respond to it.”

For DAR membership inquiries and other

spend in Ashland.”

“This is about more than just simple economics, this is about community,” Shelton said.

“For the town to thrive, we need a healthy small business community that will survive tough times. This is about neighbors helping neighbors; about adapting and thinking proactively to ensure we all come out on the other side of this thing together,” he added.

For more information on the Safety Enhancement Grants program and the Parking to Patio initiative, contact Nora Amos or Joe Topham with the town’s Community Development Department at: planning@ashlandva.gov or 804-7981073.

Metro Creative Services

questions about Scotchtown Chapter, contact scotchtownchapterdar.weebly.com or our Regent at avepadre@gmail.com.

To learn more about DAR visit www.dar.org.

Pet of the Week Photo submitted by Andrew Hodnett

The Hanover County Pound, located at 12471 Taylor Complex Lane in Ashland, has wonderful pets available to a good home. Fynn, Animal ID# 574937, is a 4-year-old male neutered beagle. He has had his first set of vaccines and is Heartworm test negative. Fynn is a very nice boy that has been in the shelter for a month now. He came to us as a stray with Demodex mange. He is currently being treated for this condition and he is getting much better! Fynn loves people. He does really well playing and socializing. Fynn also does well with other dogs. He is house-trained as well. He will make a great companion for anyone. For more information on these great pets, as well as the many more still in need of homes at the Hanover County Pound Facility, call 804-365-6485 during the day. The hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The facility is closed on Sunday and county holidays. You also can visit the website to see other animals available for adoption at http://hanovercounty.gov/Animals/ Adopt-a-Pet/.

About the Town of Ashland Affectionately referred to by locals as the "Center of the Universe," Ashland is situated about 15 miles north of Richmond and home to over 7,700 residents.

A small town with a big personality, railroad tracks run the length of Ashland's historic main street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, a historic inn, a brewery, and the campus of Randolph-Macon College.

The Town of Ashland operates under the council-manager form of government, which combines the strong political leadership of an elected town council with the professional managerial experience of an appointed town manager.

The Town of Ashland prides itself on providing efficient and effective government services that support our community and enhance our quality of life.

Learn more about the Town of Ashland at https://www.ashlandva.gov/.

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

ATLEE Continued from pg. 1

John and Sydney Norton of Mechanicsville.

During her years at Atlee, she has served as president of the Latin National Honor Society, president of the Latin Club and secretary of the Class Council.

She also was a member of the swim team, Art Guild, and National Honor Society/Beta.

Her community involvements include serving as a swim team instructor for Special Olympics, a cheerleading buddy for Challenger, and club swimming.

Kenly plans to major in psychology as an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia.

Her high school experience was fulfilling because “I loved the community at Atlee.” She said she “got to know people outside of my normal friend group. I think the IB program was crucial in giving me these bonds with fellow students, but Atlee in general is a place where I could always find

a friendly face to talk to.”

She pointed out that “I didn’t go through high school with a GPA goal or dreams of being highly ranked, so I was surprised when I found out that I was salutatorian.”

Kenly said she took classes that interested her “and went from here, and I think that philosophy helped me stay engaged even after heavy work weeks or times when I was tired and had tests in every class.”

“I’m super excited for college — almost too stoked at this point. I’m ready to really hone in on what I want to do and take as many interesting classes as possible,” she added.

“I say I’m majoring in psychology for now, but I also want to look into global politics or maybe even art history, so who knows what could happen in the future! I’m just grateful to have the opportunity to go to UVA and glad Atlee was where I had my high school experience,” Kenly said.

CALENDAR

F

| News, Updates & Listings Saturday, Sept. 19 Rescheduled The Highland Springs High School Class of 1970 will now hold its 50th Reunion at the Hill Building at Sandston Pool, located at 501 Beulah Rd. in Sandston. Music will be presented by DJ Dalton Beagle. Dinner, drinks and dessert will be provided by Champagne Taste Catering.

Bring your own mixers and alcohol. Small coolers are welcome. The doors will open at 4 p.m.; cocktails at 5 p.m.; dinner at 6 p.m.; and cleanup will be at 10 p.m. The cost is $45 per person. Those who may have recently paid $50 after March 1 have been refunded $5. No tickets will be sold at the door.

For invitations or more information, contact Bill Brooks at 1970HSHS@gmail.com.

Ongoing Families Anonymous Support Group meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday at the Episcopal Church of the Creator at 7159 Mechanicsville Turnpike in Mechanicsville.

The group is a self-help fellowship for the friends and family members of addicts who are in need of understanding and healing themselves. For details, call Sandy at 804-7304812 or email sandy.leigh@ verizon.net.

Overcomers Outreach and Women’s Codependency, a Christ-centered anonymous support program offering hope and healing for recovering alcoholics, addicts and their families meet every Monday at 7 p.m. at the Mechanicsville Christian Center at 8061 Shady Grove Road in Mechanicsville. For more information, call 804366-9645 or email kjfaith1@ gmail.com.

Saturdays Trinity Lutheran Church, Ashland Campus, located at 11515 Ashcake Road in Ashland two miles west of U.S. 1, holds it church service at 5 p.m. with Pastor Roy Minnix, senior pastor, and Nycholas Greig, associate pastor. For

MOTHER Continued from pg. 6

der — battle-hardened heroes call for the one person that had cared for and healed them so many times in the past.

That interview took place more than two decades ago when I worked at The Hopewell News, but the softspoken medic’s words have stuck with me.

They resound with more intensity each year as Mother’s Day approaches, and we offer thanks and appreciation for the many sacrifices made by the ones who bore us.

My mother was forced into a dual role early in my life. When my father died at a young age, leaving two small children and a stay at home mom

more information, visit www. trinityrichmond.net or call 804-270-9626.

ax submissions to calendar to 344-8746, email to events@mechlocal.com, or mail to 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd., Mechanicsville VA 23116. Deadline is 1 p.m.

Thursday for the following week’s issue. Calendar announcements cannot be taken by phone. We reserve the right to edit all items submitted to The Ashland-Hanover Local.

Outside the Walls, a new Narcotics Anonymous group, has been organized and will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Pamunkey Regional Jail at 7240 Courtland Farm Rd. in Hanover. For more information, contact John Shinholser, McShin president, at 804-2491845. The website is http:// www.mcshin.org.

to 9:30 p.m. every Tuesday, mid-January through mid December, at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center at 500 S. Railroad Ave. in Ashland, just south of U.S. 54.

Membership is open to anyone who can read music and play a non-string instrument. High school students are welcome with parents’ permission. For more information, visit www. hanoverconcertband.org or call 804-789-0536.

Tuesdays

Thursdays

Sundays

A Commanders Coffee is held from 10 a.m. to about 11 a.m. at the Beaverdam Post at 17662 Beaver Dam Rd. in Beaverdam. Members discuss issues of interest/befits of the American Legion. There also will be donuts. Eugene Truitt is the Post commander. He can be contacted at 804-7464734.

The Hanover Concert Band rehearses from 7:30

behind, she must have felt like the weight of the world had descended on her.

She didn’t shrink in the face of such an enormous challenge, and never shied from her mission to raise us the way my father would have wanted.

She was more familiar with the needs of my sister, and attending dance recitals or school plays to see her perform seemed much more comfortable than attending a Boy Scout function or Little League game with me.

I can recall many functions where boys showed up with their fathers, and I arrived accompanied by my mother.

Even more challenging was fielding questions from a young boy

The Rotary Club of Ashland meets at noon for lunch at the Iron Horse Restaurant at 100 S. Railroad Ave. in in Ashland. For more information, contact Steve Dunham at 804-496-6093 or sandrdunham@yahoo.com.

Third Mondays The Hanover County Community Services Board meets at 6:30 p.m. at 12300 Washington Hwy. in Ashland.

searching for answers in a world that seemed confusing after my father died. Queries most times reserved for man-to-man discussions were routine questions, and the answers most guys got from their fathers, I received from my mother.

She also provided that swift kick in the rear end that boys often need, often tempered with the soothing shoulder that only a mother can provide.

On her final day on this earth, I hurried to the bakery to get my sister a birthday cake on my way to the hospital.

Somehow, every minute seemed important, and the long line of customers moved more slowly than usual.

When I arrived at my mother’s

Second Tuesdays Hanover Family Support Group, a support group for family members of a loved one with a mental illness, meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. the second Tuesday evening of each month at the Ashland office of Hanover Community Services located at 12300 Washington Highway in Ashland. Attendees support one another, share experiences, challenges and resources and to advocate for their loved ones.

For more information, contact Kathy Redfearn, LCSW at 804675-4230.

The Hanover County Historical Society will be conducting free tours of the Old Hanover Courthouse on the Historic Courthouse Green from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every second Tuesday through December. The address is 13182 Hanover Courthouse Road in Hanover. For more information, visit http://www.hanoverhistorical.org/index.html.

bedside, my sister rushed up to me and said, “She’s been asking for you.”

I grasped her hand as she tried to speak. “Don’t try to talk, just relax.”

Now, I’ve often wondered what those final words might have been, but I have a confident hunch it might have been a final lesson in life, one thing maybe she had forgotten to instill in all those years of single parenting.

With enormous effort, she took her other hand and placed it on top of mine, and looked at me and smiled.

Minutes later, she was gone.

As I sat in that hospital room beside her bed long after she had left this earth, I looked at the woman who had been both mother and father to me and thought of the sacrifices, the selfless hours, the uncomfortable

Contributed photo

Taylor's Pirate Fishing FUN event canceled Staff Report news@mechlocal.com ASHLAND – As Gov. Ralph Northam continues phases of reopening Virginia, Hanover County Parks and Recreation is adhering to the social distancing guidelines, in addition to limit gatherings to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Taylor’s Pirate Fishing FUN has been cancelled.

According to Marcy G. Durrer, recreation program director, the event had originally been scheduled for Saturday, June 6.

For more information, contact Parks & Rec at parksandrec@hanovercounty.gov or 804-365-7150.

moments associated with raising a teenage boy and the infinite amount of patience displayed by this amazing mother who taught me how to be a man.

The words of that medic have never left me, and, somehow, it seems totally fitting that the first face in a man’s life also is the last one he seeks when the end comes.

It’s also the reason we pay homage to the women who raised us on this important day of recognition. Simply put, it’s called a Mother’s Love.

And when those last minutes of life come to us all, we’ll probably be no different from those brave men on the battlefield and call out for our mothers.

Chances are she’ll be there.

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020 9

WE NEED YOUR HELP With the pandemic-related cancellations and delays, we could use your story ideas.

Contact Dave Lawrence at dlawrence@mechlocal.com with your suggestions.

For more information go to www.mechlocal.com

| Youth, High School, College, Recreational & Professional

From Center of Universe to bigger world R-MC grad leaves Ashland for Yellowstone and beyond

By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor MECHANICSVILLE – In high school, Jamie Langbein fell down a hole and hasn’t yet come out of it.

Not that she’s complaining.

The former goalkeeper for the Randolph-Macon women’s lacrosse team graduated and has gone on to spend summers in Yellowstone National Park, winters in the mountains of Colorado, and this summer working as a biological technician at Padre Island National Seashore.

“I took an AP environmental science course in high school,” Langbein said. “By the time I got into that class I know that was a lot of what I was interested in. From there I kind of fell into the environmental science hole and haven’t crawled out since.”

It was little surprise that a young woman who preferred being outside, whether playing sports, taking care of animals, or learning about the life around her, sought a college

10

Courtesy of Randolph-Macon College

Randolph-Macon’s Jamie Langbein defense the Yellow Jacket goal. She is working this summer as a biological technician for the National Park Service at Padre Island National Seashore.

Courtesy of Jamie Langbein

Randolph-Macon graduate Jamie Langbein left the lacrosse field for the bigger environs of Yellowstone National Park 2017.

where she could indulge all her interests. Randolph-Macon, with its strong environmental science program in addition to its successful athletic programs, seemed the perfect fit.

“When I was looking at schools, my parents were very much, like, ‘You know, it’s great

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

that you have the opportunity to play lacrosse in college, but you have to go somewhere that has good schooling. Lacrosse is over in four years, and then you have the rest of your life. There are a lot of really cool things you can do, but you have to have a very good education and the

right educational tools for that,’” Langbein said.

“One of the reasons why I ended up at Randolph-Macon was that it really was one of my favorites of all the colleges I looked at in that I liked the [lacrosse] team, and I liked the environmental studies pro-

gram. It was kind of like the only one that really fit.”

When she visited the Ashland campus her senior year in high school, it was a meeting with the head of the environmental studies program, Mike Fenster, who helped cement her decision to attend.

“Just listening to him talk about some of the possibilities and options I had, for me it was, like, ‘OK, this is going to help me get to where I want to go,’” Langbein said. “At the time, I didn’t really know where it was I wanted to go, but it looked like I had options. … It was reassuring that I had four years to put the picture together, and I had the professor who was going to help me do that.”

One of the places the college helped her go was to the Grand Canyon – a pivotal journey in her life.

“It was the first time I had ever hiked for an extended see UNIVERSE, pg. 11

UNIVERSE Continued from pg. 10

period of time, camped, kind of got my hands ‘dirty’ in research, I guess you could say, going places,” Langbein said. “The West Coast is so much different from the East Coast. I got to see the environment from a different perspective. That’s kind of where I latched on – my sophomore year in the Grand Canyon semester.”

Her first sight of the Grand Canyon proved life-changing.

“There were 14 students. It was a semester-long program and we were all together all the time,” Langbein said. “The first week we had all just got there. Maybe three [students] knew each other, but the rest of us were all strangers. … [The teachers] brought us straight up to the Grand Canyon to the North Rim. We got up there and they were, like, ‘All right.

We’re going up to the Canyon for the first time, but here’s what we want to do. We want you all to close your eyes and hold hands.’

“We formed a line and walked single file, with the professors guiding us so that nobody fell off the edge or anything, and we walked hand-inhand, 14 strangers, to a good vantage point, basically, and they just kind of guided us there and they, were, like, ‘OK, open your eyes.’ It was kind of like being on another planet. I had seen mountains before. I grew up skiing in Jackson Hole. I had been to Yellowstone a bunch by this point. … But the Grand Canyon itself is so massive in ways that words and pictures can’t even do justice.”

That experience confirmed her desire to work with the environment in some fashion, so, the summer after her sophomore year, she joined the Student Conservation Association, which gave her the opportunity to work the first of two summers in Yellowstone National Park – in research on

Courtesy of Jamie Langbein

Top, left: Randolph-Macon graduate Jamie Langbein measures the carapace, or back shell, of a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle at South Padre Island National Seashore.

Above, she holds the skull of an elk in Yellowstone National Park. Left, Langbein takes some measurements of a sedated bison at Yellowstone.

bison.

“The first day I went out in the field with the team – I didn’t really know any of them, but they were nice, you know – but the first day they were, like, ‘We’re going to go out to one of our sites,’ Langbein said. “There was probably, like 100-150 bison right where we needed to be. At the time I was, like, you stay 25 yards from all wildlife and 100 years from wolves and bears. I had that down. …

“Everyone on the team just walks, like, straight up to the bison and starts waving their arms to shoo them off so they can get to where they needed to go to do the experiment. And I’m kind of hanging back – like, this is scary – but then if I don’t go through the bison everyone’s going to leave me behind.”

She worked up the courage to go through the herd, staying close to experienced members of the group, and found that she loved the work. She loved it so much she signed up for another

summer with the student conservation association.

In the years since, the work she participated in has led to a scientific paper on the role that bison play in increasing plant biodiversity in the park. Her

scientific experience has her thinking about graduate school, but also possibly a career with the National Park Service.

Anyone who wants to become a National Park Service ranger someday usually has to

start out in temporary summer positions. This year, she landed one of those coveted entry-level posts as a biological technician at Padre Island National Seashore. The work she is involved in now is keep-

ing tabs on nesting sea turtles, primarily Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, an endangered species.

“Basically, my job here is to patrol during nesting season,” Langbein said. “Sea turtles come and they nest on the beach, and in Texas all the beaches are public lands, so people drive on them, and they drive right through where these turtles nest. … Our biggest duty is patrolling and making sure we’re catching all the nests so that we can remove them from the beach so that they don’t get run over or predated or otherwise destroyed.”

They take the nests to a hatchery where the eggs can be incubated. When the eggs are ready to hatch, they release the hatchlings onto the beach.

From there, the hatchlings crawl to the ocean and – if all goes well – the female turtles return in time to lay eggs and perpetuate their populations.

The work implies hope for the future. If Langbein has anything to do with it, it will be a bright one.

Dave Lawrence can be reached at dlawrence@mechlocal.com.

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

11

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

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LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

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June 23, 2020 Dual Party Primary Elections Important Dates to Remember The Office of Voter Registration and Elections is committed to helping all eligible registered voters maintain the ability to cast a ballot in the upcoming June 23, 2020 Dual Party Primary Elections (Republican and Democratic Party Primary Elections).

For your safety and to minimize risk of exposure to COVID-19, you are encouraged to request and vote an absentee ballot by mail.

Absentee ballots are available now. If you qualify to vote by absentee, you can obtain your ballot from the Voter Registration and Elections Office in the Wickham Building at Hanover Courthouse from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday - Friday in addition to Saturday, June 20, 2020 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. as the last day to cast an In-person absentee ballot.

You must select in which Party’s Primary you wish to vote.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 is the deadline to register or make changes to your voter registration in time for the June Primary. Please check your voter registration to make sure it is correct.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020 is the final day you can request an absentee ballot by mail. Your request must be received by your Registrar by 5:00 p.m.

Monday, June 22, 2020 at 2 p.m. is the cut-off for voting an emergency-only absentee ballot in the Voter Registration and Elections Office.

You can register to vote, update your information and request an Absentee Ballot online at www.vote.virginia.gov The Hanover County Voter Registration and Elections Office is located in the Wickham Building, Room 119, of the Hanover County Government Complex. The phone number is (804) 365-6080.

The e-mail address is hanovervoting@hanovercounty.gov

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Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Hanover County Board of Supervisors has set Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at 7:00 P.M., in the Board Room of the Hanover County Government Building at Hanover Courthouse, Hanover, Virginia, as the day, date, time, and place for a public hearing to consider the following cases, at which public comments will be accepted: REZONINGS REZ2019-00015, CAPITAL UP INVESTMENTS, L.L.C. Request(s) to rezone from A-1, Agricultural District, and B-1(c), Neighborhood Business District with conditions, to B-2(c), Community Business District with conditions, on GPINs 7822-41-0443 and 7822-41-3393, consisting of approximately 9.67 acres, and located on the north line of Mountain Road (U.S. Route 33) across from Bethany Estates Way (State Route pending). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Rural Village.

The proposed zoning amendment would allow for development of a shopping center. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Beaverdam REZ2019-00028, NANCY ROBERTSON COMBS Request(s) to rezone from A-1, Agricultural District, to RS(c), Single Family Residential District with conditions, on GPIN 8706-06-6722, consisting of approximately 10.0 acres, and located on the north line of Combs Drive (State Route 2181) at its intersection with Cool Spring Road (State Route 652). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Suburban General (1.5-3.0 dwelling units per acre). The proposed zoning amendment would permit the creation of 22 building lots for a gross density of 2.2 units per acre. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Chickahominy REZ2019-00035, LEBER ESTATES, L.L.C. Request(s) to rezone from A-1, Agricultural District to AR-6(c), Agricultural Residential District with conditions, on GPINs 8753-03-8159 and 8753-11-5909, consisting of approximately 120.65 acres, and located on the west line of McClellan Road (State Route 628) at its intersection with Peace Road (State Route 616) and located on the east line of Market Road (State Route 630) approximately 900 feet south of its intersection with Falling View Lane (private road). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Agricultural. The proposed zoning amendment would permit the creation of 19 building lots for a gross density of one dwelling unit per 6.35 acres.

(PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Cold Harbor REZ2020-00004, ROBERT J. TUCK, III AND HANKY, L.L.C. Request(s) an amendment to the conceptual plan approved with rezoning request C-1-19(c), Robert J. Tuck, III, et al., on GPINs 8724-14-6338(part), 8724-24-0545, 8724-14-5371 and 8724-14-6103, consisting of approximately 8.6 acres, zoned RS(c) Single-Family Residential District with conditions, and to rezone approximately 0.02 acres zoned RS(c) Single-Family Residential District with conditions to A-1, Agricultural District, located on the south line of Walnut Grove Road (State Route 636) approximately 500 feet east of its intersection with Cold Harbor Road (State Route 156). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Suburban General (1.5-3.0 dwelling units per acre). The proposed amendment would allow a minor property line adjustment and would change the gross density from 2.16 dwelling units per acre to 2.21 dwelling units per acre. No new lots are being proposed. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Cold Harbor REZ2020-00006, WILLIAM CALL Request(s) to rezone from A-1, Agricultural District, to AR-6(c), Agricultural Residential District with conditions, on GPIN 6799-41-7871, consisting of approximately 4.28 acres, and located on the west line of Pinhook Road (State Route 617) approximately 315 feet south of its intersection with Explorer Ridge Road (private road). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Agricultural. The proposed zoning amendment would permit the creation of one additional building lot for a gross density of one (1) dwelling unit per 2.14 acres. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: South Anna REZ2020-00007, KAY AND GEORGE FEARNOW Request(s) to rezone from R-1, Single-Family Residential District, to B-1(c), Neighborhood Business District with conditions, on GPINs 8705-74-4832 and 8705-74-6956, consisting of approximately 4.23 acres, and located on the north line of Pleasant Grove Road (State Route 1401) approximately 360 feet north of its intersection with Meadowbridge Road (State Route 627). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Commercial.

The proposed zoning amendment would allow for development of medical offices. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Chickahominy REZ2020-00008, DAVID FRANKLIN VAUGHAN Request(s) to rezone from A-1, Agricultural District to AR-6(c), Agricultural Residential District with conditions on GPIN 7871-42-1720, consisting of approximately 20.06 acres, and located on the south line of Blunts Bridge Road (State Route 667) at its intersection with Cross Corner Road (State Route 641). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Agricultural. The proposed zoning amendment would permit the creation of three (3) building lot for a gross density of one dwelling unit per 6.69 acres. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Beaverdam CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CUP2020-00001, HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS (FIRE/EMS) Request(s) an amendment to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP-24-83, Am. 1-05) in accordance with Sections 26-20.11 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to permit a new fire training building at the existing fire training facility and its related uses on GPINs 7850-98-3275 and 7860-09-5200(part), consisting of approximately 259.85 acres; the area of the CUP is approximately 23.12 acres. The property is zoned A-1, Agricultural District, and is located on the north line of Winston Road (State Route 696) approximately 3,200 feet west of its intersection with Blanton Road (State Route 666). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Agricultural. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Beaverdam SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS SE2020-00001, HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS (FIRE/EMS) Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 26-336 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to allow a building height taller than permitted on GPIN 7860-09-5200, consisting of approximately 254.1 acres, zoned A-1, Agricultural District, and located on the north line of Winston Road (State Route 696) approximately 3,200 feet west of its intersection with Blanton Road (State Route 666). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Beaverdam SE2020-00004, FANNIE BARRETT Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 26-21.18 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to permit a contractor’s equipment storage yard on GPINs 7719-93-2318 and 7719-93-2287, consisting of approximately 3.80 acres, zoned A-1, Agricultural District, and located on the west line of Walnut Hill Drive (State Route 622) at its intersection with Harris Estates Lane (private road). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: South Anna SE2020-00007, TRUSTEES OF MECHANICSVILLE CHURCH OF CHRIST Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 3.6.1(i) of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance (Repealed R-1 District) to permit one (1) temporary modular classroom trailer on GPIN 8705-50-5896, consisting of approximately 9.57 acres, zoned R-1, Single Family Residential District, and located on the south line of Atlee Road (State Route 638) at its intersection with Carter Lane (State Route 1419). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Mechanicsville SE2020-00008, TARA AND URIAH THESSEN Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 26-21.17.b of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to permit a manufactured home in a medical hardship case on GPIN 6789-86-8107, consisting of approximately 5.0 acres, zoned A-1, Agricultural District, and located at the terminus of Spur Lane (private road), approximately 455 feet south of its intersection with Feather Drive (private road). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: South Anna SE2020-00009, KAREN L. AND GARY R. MALTBY Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 26-21.25 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to permit an accessory family housing unit on GPIN 7820-14-7523, consisting of approximately 6.2 acres, zoned A-1, Agricultural District, and located on the north line of Estate Lane (private road) approximately 0.37 miles north of its intersection with St. Peters Church Road (State Route 611). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: South Anna Copies of the above case may be reviewed in the Planning Office, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020 13

NAACP lawsuit dismissed

By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit regarding offensive school names and mascots at Hanover County Public Schools filed by the Hanover County NAACP last August.

The suit, originally filed against Hanover County government officials and the Hanover County. School Board, alleged continuing improper treatment see NAACP, pg. 15

LETTERS Continued from pg. 6

Wash your hands, take a back seat, look with both eyes.

With some cases they are not sure how a person may have contracted this virus. To get control of it, we should have been given the information sooner since we were not the experts. \We should have followed the actions of China. They are not washing -- only the people who are walking around with masks, which has been done for years.

However, they have all people on lockdown. They are spraying or disinfecting everything with something we will probably never know: walls, handrails, ceilings, sidewalks, roadways in populated areas.

January and February forced

isolation. In March, they were ready to jump in and go back to work and take advantage of countries they put at risk with their experiment theory to take out over population by creating a flu-like virus that would appear natural.

The data is still out there somewhere. Some people have no idea where they may have gotten it, where some have systems for up to five days and they are back to work then redevelop.

The experts speak every day they do not have the test kits then that they are only for certain people. Then it takes days for the test to get back. With the current actions, we will never know the true numbers of cases and deaths.

We know health care workers are overwhelmed but washing

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Hanover County Board of Supervisors has set Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at 7:00 p.m., in the Board Room of the Hanover County Administration Building, 7516 County Complex Road, at Hanover Courthouse, Hanover, Virginia, as the time, date and place for a public hearing on the appointment of a school board member for the Ashland and Chickahominy Magisterial Districts, in accordance with Section 22.129.1 of the Code of Virginia.

All persons desiring to nominate or support candidates for this position may appear at the above time and place.

Cecil R. Harris, Jr., County Administrator 14

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

hands will not curb the spread.

They, like others, wear their gloves.

TSA (Transportation Security Administration) workers were exposed; they wear their gloves to protect themselves but they are checking travelers’ baggage, zipping and moving things within their luggage. They are more than likely spreading the virus, not knowingly that is possibly why you see random cases in different spots.

Then you have your own Governor, a doctor, making lights of the fact that neckties harbor germs and had all staff not wearing them during this time. He needs a timeout. What about all those sneezes into your arm. What is the time line for the different fabrics?

My take is the shoe thing.

I strongly feel it is one of the biggest unknown spread. Shoes need to be decontaminated.

All nurses cover themselves with gowns, masks, gloves, but most are wearing regular shoes not covered.

They are subjected to pick up any droplets that fall. They clean areas but not cleaning sanitizing floors.

I had a conversation with a paramedic, someone I know and love. I told him he needs to do this.

He did agree as he stated they never known what they may see at a site and all this develops, and is in their mindset.

He did respond and said he now leaves his shoes at work; they do have a way to sanitize.

That’s a big step, but it does not end there.

First responders also should clean their vehicles. If these unknown droplets, which they do not have accurate time are on your shoes, they are in your car, then they will be in your home.

Tomorrow is not a given day.

Take care of yourself.

Blanche Roberts Hanover

Pandemic

questions aren’t political I don’t care if you’re Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or vote for unicorns, if you’re not asking these questions you should be: Why can you go to Walmart but not Marshals?

Why the Dollar Store and not a mom-and-pop shop?

Why can’t you have an elective surgery, but you can have an abortion, which is elective?

Why should you stay inside but yet heat and sunlight kill the virus?

Why don’t people know that these are “recommendations” not laws because they have not gone through due process?

Why is it OK for government officials to get a haircut, but not common citizens?

Why the fear, when this virus has a less than 1% death rate?

What makes one person essential and another not?

Doesn’t shelter at home mean there is a whole population of people, not staying home so we can?

Why are they dividing us?

How do people not know that we are a republic, not a democracy?

Where has the flu gone?

Why do the homeless consistently demonstrate the lowest infection rates?

Why are they telling us to mask up after two months of lockdown?

Why have most other death rates dropped since the virus?

Why are the common people being controlled by the government and no one is controlling the government?

Why are hospitals paid more for COVID-19 deaths?

Why are some doctors speaking out and then getting silenced?

Why are they infringing on Christians’ religious freedoms?

Why can 500 people shop at Lowe’s or Home Depot, etc., but we are not allowed to go into a church building?

And, why push for mail voting when voting booths can be set at Lowe’s or Home Depot or grocery stores?

Ask think for yourself, you know the answers.

Tom Chorinos Mechanicsville

Listening and hearing by supervisors One of the paradigms of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors has been “We listen to you and we do hear what you are saying.” I think a super example of this was during the board’s meeting last night (Wednesday, May 13).

There has been much discussion addressing the location of the Wegmans’ distribution center in the Hanover County’s Business Park. One of the main concerns was the potential safety factors with all the large trucks coming and going 24/7.

Thank you, Mrs. Faye Prichard, supervisor for the Ashland District, working along with your colleagues in developing a much safer travel route for delivery traffic.

I think our board over the years has shown a willingness to “Walk in their shoes.”

Mrs. Sue Dibble, South Anna’s supervisor, truly showed this when she voted against the approval of Wegmans application because she was willing to “Walk in their shoes.” Listening to the concerns of the residents who will be most affected by this development weighed heavily upon her heart.

We do have a very empathetic board and by making adjustments to the routing of traffic surely shows this characteristic.

The only thing that stays constant is change.

Through participation by all parties, responsible change should be the end product.

Dan Johnson Montpelier

NAACP Continued from pg. 14

of minority students by retaining the names that honor Confederate generals and leaders.

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia Judge Robert Payne had previously released Hanover County from the filing, leaving the school board as the sole defendant in the case.

Following a hearing earlier this year that considered the school board’s motion to dismiss, Payne issued his final order last week.

Payne’s ruling questioned the standing of the local NAACP to challenge the naming of the schools, and also said the statute of limitations had expired for those claims.

The suit originally named Hanover County and the school board as defendants and claimed that the “defendants are compelling plaintiff’s members to express a view with which they disagree, namely that slavery and other values of the Confederacy should be endorsed and glorified.”

The complaint claimed that maintaining those names, in effect, creates “a school environment that denies African American students, including members of the NAACP, an equal opportunity to an education.”

Local NAACP president Robert Barnette said there are no statutes of limitation on racial injustice.

“The NAACP and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee are disappointed in the Court’s decision, but remain confident in the strength of their legal case and the righteousness of the cause,” Barnette said.

REVENUE Continued from pg. 7

way shape or form should it represent the deletion of any of those priorities. Rather, it is simply pushing the pause button until the economy rebounds and we can restore each and every item that was presented to you,” Gill said via Zoom.

There are three focus areas of the revised budget, including protecting existing jobs, maintaining current salaries and continuing the five-year technology plan.

“Those were the three focus areas, the lens that framed our thinking as we looked at how to enclose that $5.5 million

“We have seen other jurisdictions in Virginia and throughout the country do the right thing by removing symbols of a racist past. This is not the end of the fight of the Hanover County NAACP to ensure that the impact of the veneration of the Confederacy is eliminated in Hanover County,” he added.

The Hanover County School Board also released the following statement late last week: “The School Board respects, values, and cares about all students and will continue to focus on providing them with the best educational opportunities possible.”

Avi Hopkins, a former Lee-Davis High School student, also reacted to the ruling in a FB post “So, days after a pair of Robert E. LeeJefferson Davis High School Confederates students post a racist and inflammatory video suggesting the “hunting of n*****s”, Judge Robert Payne dismisses the NAACP case for changing of the names,” Hopkins said.

“The fact is that the school names honor treasonous men who fought for the enslavement of African people for the economic benefit of plantation owners and slave traders. The idea that people who are ancestors of slaves must then wear these names as slaves wore brands of their masters and be constantly reminded of a white supremacist ideology is a crime and a travesty,” he continued.

Payne’s dismissal could be challenged on appeal, but no official plans have been announced.

“We’ll explore all options and keep advocating for the school board to make the ethical and moral decision to change these school names,” Barnette said.

gap,” Gill said.

Assistant superintendent Terry Stone, in charge of finance, said a revised county budget passed on May 6 forced school officials to scramble and begin an almost start from scratch revision.

School board members approved Gill’s original $199.4 million budget in February.

The revised school operating budget totals $193.9 million.

Local funding was adjusted downward by about $3 million due to revenue shortfalls on the county side of the equation. In addition, state cuts in revenue reduced their contribution by $3.3 million.

Stimulus funds provided about $927,000 of additional

revenues for the schools, a one time funding due to the coronavirus. “We cannot rely on that for the subsequent fiscal year,” Stone told board members.

The adjusted numbers forced cuts in expenditures that started by removing all proposed salary increases. In addition, 13 unfilled positions will remain vacant, eliminating new counselor and behavioral positions. Post-retirement employment program hours and compensation also will be reduced.

Stone said eliminating the salary increases saved about $3 million. Eight bus driver positions also will be eliminated. The board is considering a plan that would unify

Jim Ridolphi/Ashland-Hanover Local file photo

The wreath is being prepared to be placed at Hanover Wayside Park during the 2019 Memorial Day Ceremony.

Memorial Day program canceled (Editor’s note: The following was submitted by Marcy G. Durrer, recreation program director, of Hanover County Parks and Recreation.)

ASHLAND -- As Governor Northam’s Executive Order 53 and 55 remain in effect, as well as the need for social distancing to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Hanover County Memorial Day Ceremony, scheduled for Monday, May 25, at the Hanover Veterans Memorial

in Hanover Wayside Park, has been canceled.

While unable to physically gather to honor the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country, this Memorial Day tribute will be different than any other.

Please take time to do something special with your family to recognize the importance of this holiday.

As part of our tribute, Hanover County Parks and

Recreation will be sharing ideas through social media (Facebook and Twitter @hanoverparksrec and Instagram @hanovertomatofestival) leading up to Memorial Day. Hanover County is proud to honor all who have served our great nation.

For more information, contact Hanover County Parks and Recreation at parksandrec@hanovercounty.gov or 804-365-7150.

start times at all elementary schools. Currently, Beaverdam and South Anna Elementary Schools have later start times.

Establishing the same start time for all elementary schools would facilitate a reduction of eight drivers, representing a savings of $112,000 and increase system-wide efficiency by freeing up drivers.

“We are also proposing a cut in operating costs across the board,” Stone said. “We had to shave a little bit out of everyone’s budget.”

There also will be a delay in filling support positions and some vehicle replacement plans will be extended.

The proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is

unaffected by the budget revisions.

The school nutrition budget increased by $115,000, bringing the revised and unanimously approved school all funds budget to $214.4 million.

“It is unfortunately an impossibility to cut $5 million from a budget already under $2 million without there being pain associated with it,” Gill said. “Because of the efforts of so many, we feel this budget presented here represents the least painful way to make very painful decisions,” he added.

He also addressed concerns regarding items removed from this year’s budget.

“Again, anything that was

taken out of the budget, most specifically the salary increases, the positions we were looking so forward to adding back in January — this does not represent a delete from the record, rather a pause until the economy rebounds and I truly look forward to the day when I’m able to bring back a recommendation to you to restore those positions,” Gill said.

The superintendent said all plans being made or altered during the crisis have a certain amount of uncertainty attached.

“There are a lot of ifs, but that’s the situation we are in which is number one unprecedented and number two very fluid.”

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020 15

Virginia farmers adapting to changes Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com

Submitted photo

Cheryl Fornash, left, of Cheryl Fornash Jewelers and Dina Alan of Alan Furs & Fine Jewelry have partnered to donate PPE through their non-profit, RVAmasks.

Fornash and Alan team up to donate PPE to hospitals, public

By Melody Kinser Managing Editor RICHMOND – Mechanicsville natives and Lee-Davis High School graduates Cheryl Fornash and Dina Albert Alan have launched a non-profit project, RVAmasks.com, to donate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to local hospitals and health care workers, as well as provide masks to the public.

Fornash, L-DHS Class of 1968, and Alan, L-DHS Class of 1986, are supplying medicalgrade KN-95 masks to health care workers on the frontline.

“We are fortunate that, through a family connection, Dina and I have been able to purchase KN-95 medical-grade masks to donate to Richmond area hospitals and healthcare workers in need of PPE,” Fornash said.

“We are committed to donating a minimum of 500, and hope to give many more with the help of others in the community through funds raised through RVAMasks.com,” she added.

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As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continue to recommend Americans wear masks when leaving their homes, Alan turned to her seamstresses at Alan Furs to sew masks.

RVAMasks.com will donate one KN-95 mask for every order received for its machine-washable reusable masks.

The unisex masks are available in two styles and a choice of 100 percent cotton fabrics, and meet the CDC and Surgeon General’s recommendations.

Masks are available for curbside pickup at Alan Furs West End showroom at 10300 W. Broad St., or free shipping.

All proceeds from the sales on RVAMasks.com will go towards the purchase of KN-95 masks for local healthcare professionals.

“By purchasing and wearing a mask, you’re helping to protect yourself and the people around you,” Alan said. “By purchasing a mask from RVAMasks.com, you’re also helping to protect the healthcare workers on the frontlines of this epidemic. We can get through this together.”

Ashland-Hanover Local May 20, 2020

RICHMOND — From supply chain interruptions to slowed revenue streams, farmers are facing myriad challenges caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Markets that were previously profitable are now pinched as businesses and organizations modify their operations to comply with guidelines to stem the spread of COVID-19.

“A lot of our produce is wholesale, and we provide to wholesale markets,” said Kari Sponaugle, a Highland County farmer and Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-H agent who owns Church Hill Produce with her husband, Michael.

“But a lot of our wholesalers were selling to cafeterias and to restaurants.”

Those businesses have changed dramatically in a short time.

“We’re being faced with how to sell our produce and what that’s going to look like for the future,” Sponaugle said.

To adapt to market and production changes, farmers, farming organizations

and advocacy groups are uniting to network and share ideas on how to adjust their business practices while complying with executive orders and restrictions.

“We’ve been working with farmers and farmers markets entering e-commerce for the first time in order to facilitate direct-to-consumer sales,” said Tony Banks, senior assistant director of agriculture, development and innovation for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

“Farmers who have traditionally relied on in-person sales for their production are being forced to go online.”

Software platforms like Lulus Local Food provide opportunities for farmers to sell online to customers. Many also are participating in drive-through farmers markets and on-farm pickups so customers can place orders in advance and pick up their purchases without leaving their vehicles. The aim is to make things convenient and accessible for consumers while maintaining social distance.

In addition to quickly adapting to new ways of conducting business, farmers are facing significant price decreases for cattle, milk and grains.

“This is very discouraging for them when they see sold out or depleted sections of food at their grocer,” Banks noted. “It’s not that the food system has run out; school and restaurant closures and consumer panic-buying have created disruptions in the supply chain, requiring processors to shift product lines and distribution.”

The pandemic also adds an additional layer of uncertainty to agricultural commodity markets and an anticipated resumption of trade among the U.S., Canada, China and Mexico, Banks said.

Some farmers may get some financial help from the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Farmers are encouraged to check the websites of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Small Business Administration, or contact a local USDA service center to see if they qualify for assistance.

For the latest farmer-relevant information on to COVID-19, visit Farm Bureau’s farmer resources webpage.

Ashland Strawberry Faire cancelled; scholarships will be granted Staff Report news@mechlocal.com ASHLAND – The decision was not easy, but members of the Ashland Strawberry Faire board agreed that it would be in the best interest of the community to cancel the event due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Even though the board had been planning the annual Faire for months, the pandemic, which has hit Hanover County, led to the cancellation. The Faire was scheduled for Saturday, June 6.

President Sharon Chidsey said, “Based on local information regarding COVID-19 and its possible impact on our ability to hold the Faire, we decided to cancel it. It was a hard decision.”

Options are being provided to vendors already committed to this year’s Faire, including rollover of fees, receiv-

ing a refund minus a nominal administrative fee, or a donation of all/part of the fee to be earmarked for the Hanover County Public Schools and RandolphMacon College scholarship program.

Unfortunately, the financial impact of cancelling the Faire will produce a shortfall of funds for this year.

The shortfall has made it difficult to

grant scholarships and keep seed money in the bank to start next year’s Faire.

Board members approved the following solution: They will personally contribute to the scholarship fund to fill the gaps.

Nine seniors from Hanover County Public Schools and one student from Randolph-Macon College will receive scholarships.

Ashland Physical Therapy and Village Bank offered to roll 2019 sponsorship dollars directly to the scholarship fund Seed money for next year’s Faire will stay intact, allowing for a healthy start to next year’s Faire.

The next Ashland Strawberry Faire is scheduled for June 12, 2021, on the campus of Randolph-Macon College.

The Faire will continue to be made possible through a partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Ashland.

For more information, visit www.

AshlandStrawberryFaire.com. Both the Ashland Strawberry Faire and the Ashland Kiwanis Club are 501(c)(3) organizations.

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