Ashland-Hanover Local – 04/28/2021

COMMUNITY

ASTROLOGY The Universe from the Center: Perseverance + Ingenuity = Success PAGE

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Antiques at the Tavern event set over the weekend

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Vol. 6 No. 35 | Richmond Suburban News | April 28, 2021

GRADUATION DAY Early voting available for 2021 ceremonies to be held at Meadow Event Park Democrats’ June Primary Staff Report news@mechlocal.com

ASHLAND – Hanover County Public Schools, with the support of the Hanover County School Board, will host this year’s graduation ceremonies at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell on Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19.

According to Dr. Michael Gill, superintendent, two outdoor ceremonies will be held each day in the Festival Loop (one in the morning and one in the early afternoon) “to celebrate our tremendous graduates and maximize the number of guests that may attend.”

In accordance with the Governor’s executive order on COVID-19 restrictions and guidance from the Virginia Department of Education, up to three guests per graduate may attend the ceremony.

“The ceremonies will be livestreamed for loved ones who are unable to attend in person,” Gill said.

“Holding the ceremonies outside at the Meadow Event Park allows us to welcome all of

By Melody Kinser Managing Editor

Mechanicsville High School: 9 a.m.

Friday, June 18 Hanover High School: 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 18 Patrick Henry High School: 9 a.m. Saturday, June 19 Atlee High School: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19

HANOVER – The Democrat Party has called a Primary Election for June 8 to determine the candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general in the Nov. 2 General Election.

Teresa F. “Teri” Smithson, VREO, Director of Elections/General

Metro Creative Connection

our graduates and accommodate more guests at each ceremony than what would have been possible at each school’s football stadium, while also providing a safe environment,” he continued.

“We recognize that the number of guests is fewer than what is normally allowed at gradusee GRADUATION, pg. 2

Registrar, said, “Historically, Hanover County has less than 20% turnout for these types primaries. There will be no Republican Party Primary.”

She did say that there are a few different ways to cast your ballot including in-person at the Early Voting Center. “Remember, you no longer need a reason to vote early,” she said. see VOTING, pg. 5

SMITHSON

Ashland Fourth Fridays Nine-year-old Brody Johnson is proud of the magic wands that his grandmother made for Winter Tulip Fairies at the Fourth Fridays event that kicked off Friday in in Ashland. More photos on page 5.

Joel Klein/The Local

Swimming pool scholarships available for Ashland residents Staff Report news@mechlocal.com ASHLAND -- Full and partial scholarships to purchase Carter Park Pool memberships are available for qualifying Ashland individuals and families.

Recipients must be Town of Ashland residents, current on town taxes, and household income must be at or below the figures in the chart below. Visit the link below or call 804-

798-9219 for more information.

Admission is $5 per person Monday through Friday and $9 per person Saturday and Sunday. For day

care information, call the pool at 804798-2520.

The town posted the following update on March 31:

The Carter Park Pool will open to the public at noon on Saturday, May 29. Sept. 6 is the closing date for the 2021 season.

During the season the most current information about the pool will be shared on the town’s social media accounts and posted at the pool.

The pool will open from 12 to 8 p.m. daily. The pool will close early for Ashland Barracudas’ swim meets see POOL, pg. 4

Metro Creative Connection

The Universe from the Center: Perseverance + Ingenuity = Success

By Dr. George Spagna Special to Ashland-Hanover Local Note: The Keeble Observatory at RandolphMacon College has ceased public viewing due to the pandemic until further notice. We are working on a method for streaming live video from the Observatory to our website and hope to provide that as an alternative to actual visits.

Watch the website (https://www.rmc.edu/keeble) for updates. Or call the Keeble Information line at 804-752-3210.

What do you get when you combine perseverance with ingenuity? Success!

I had planned to write this month about the NASA rover Perseverance, which successfully landed on Mars in February. My April column said a little about the rover itself and focused on the Ingenuity drone (sorry, I can’t bring myself to call it a helicopter!). The plan for this month had been to detail the capabilities and mission of Perseverance, but I’m writing this on April 19 and we learned this morning of the successful first flight of Ingenuity. That success has me excited enough to put off the rover story for the June column.

Ingenuity is aptly named. Its 1.8 kilogram mass (about 4 pounds weight on Earth) is almost all “off the shelf.” It’s a proof-of-concept mission

GRADUATION Continued from pg. 1

ation. In these uncertain times, however, we are pleased to have crafted a plan that will allow our students to graduate together in front of as many friends and family as possible under the state’s current restrictions,” Gill said.

The superintendent concluded by saying, “We sincerely hope that this plan, which is outlined more below in an FAQ format, demonstrates our commitment to honoring the remarkable accomplishments of our Class of 2021 over the past 13 years in the best and safest way possible.”

More information will be provided in the coming weeks.

When and where will graduation be held?

We will conduct four in-person ceremonies total -- two each on Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19.

The schedule is as follows: Mechanicsville High School: Friday, June 18 at 9 a.m.

Hanover High School: Friday, June 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Patrick Henry High School: Saturday, June 19 at 9 a.m.

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which carries out no science. A monochrome seconds before gently landing again. The flat navigation camera and a high-resolution color patch they are using as an airfield has been chriscamera are the only instruments, and telemetry tened “Wright Brothers Field.” Future flights will is relayed through Perseverance which then take it higher and farther afield. Because it’s too uses one of the orbiting probes to communicate far away to control with a “joystick” from Earth, with controllers here. It was 3 hours after the Ingenuity will process real-time images from the navigation camera with the onfirst flight before the orbiter was board cell phone chip and operate in position to send the data, so autonomously in 4 or 5 flights over you can imagine the excitement the next 30 sols. Then Perseverance in mission control when success will abandon the little flyer and get was confirmed. on with its main mission. More Ingenuity’s “computer” is a next month. cell phone chip! A pre-flight test early in April aborted because of Lunar phases for May: Last a problem with the command Quarter on the 3rd, at 3:51 p.m.; Metro Creative Connection sequence, essentially a failure New Moon on the 11th, at 3:01 to switch from “test” to “flight” p.m.; First Quarter on the 19th, mode. So at a distance of over 170 million miles at 3:13 p.m.; Full Moon on the 26th at 7:14 and relaying data through the communications a.m. All times are Eastern Daylight. Moon will channel we described above, engineers had to be at apogee (greatest distance from Earth) on find the program fault, write new code to cor- the 11th and at perigee (nearest to Earth) on rect for it, test the new code here, then upload to the 26th. That will make the Full Moon appear reprogram the cell phone chip! (You’re probably larger than usual, an even some have dubbed a familiar with what can go wrong just updating “Super Moon.” the operating software on your cell phone!)

Mercury and Venus visible in evening twiSo, this morning (as I write this) they got light. Look for Mercury above Venus toward the their Wright Brothers moment! During its northwest horizon after sunset. Both should be 39-second test the drone rose 3 meters (10 feet) very bright, the first “stars” to emerge from twiabove the Martian surface and hovered for 30 light. Jupiter and Saturn rise around 2 a.m.; look

for them to the southeast in predawn twilight.

About three hours after sunset at midmonth, our overhead view finds the faint and probably unfamiliar constellation Canes Venatici (Hunting Dogs) near zenith. With no bright stars to distinguish this constellation, your eyes may drift to the north and start tracing down the “handle” of the Big Dipper – both familiar and incorrectly named, as the official name for this constellation is Ursa Major (Big Bear). The dipper is what we call an asterism within the constellation. Alkaid is the star at the end of the handle, then the double binary Mizar where the handle bends. Aliothe marks the connection to the bowl. Below Aliothe we will find the front end of the bowl. Follow the line through Merak and Dubhe to Polaris, the North Star.

Twenty degrees southeast of zenith will bring your eyes to Arcturus, in Bootes. Vega, the brightest star in Lyra is east-northeast about 35 degrees above the horizon and rising. To the south that bright star is Spica in Virgo. Castor and Pollux, in Gemini, are setting to the west northwest, finally clearing the skies of winter constellations.

If readers have questions about astronomy in particular or science in general that you would like covered in one of these columns, please feel free to contact me at gspagna@rmc.edu.

Atlee High School: Saturday, June 19 at 2:30 p.m.

All four ceremonies will be held at the Meadow Event Park in the Festival Loop.

How will seating work?

Students will sit in a “pod” with their guests, which will help with the visibility of the stage while also maximizing the number of people permitted in the space. The pods will be spaced 10 feet apart. More details about this, ticketing, and other arrangements will be shared by your student’s school.

Will students still be individually recognized?

Yes. Each student’s name will be called and they will receive their diploma on stage before proceeding back to their designated pod.

Why are the ceremonies not at the four high schools?

We want to make sure as many people as possible have the opportunity to attend the ceremonies and celebrate our graduates. Holding the ceremonies at the Meadow Event Park allows us to do just that --maximizing the crowd size while maintaining a safe environment for all.

Furthermore, the 10-foot spacing required by the state between each graduate on the field and each guest in the stands quickly uses up the

We will continue to provide you with regular updates regarding graduation as they become available. For questions about graduation requirements, contact your school counselor.

For questions about the ceremony, contact your school principal. Note, however, that we are still planning the ceremonies and will not have answers to every question at this moment.

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

limited available space. The Meadow Event Park allows us to host two to three times as many attendees as our high school stadiums, permitting three guests per graduate. If the ceremonies were held at our high schools, only one guest per graduate would have been allowed in accordance with physical distancing requirements.

Why aren’t the ceremonies at the Siegel Center as in years past?

Indoor facilities such as the Siegel Center are limited to a total of 500 attendees, which would severely restrict the number of guests allowed per graduate.

What happens if there is inclement weather?

We are still developing plans for possible inclement weather, including holding indoor graduations in the Farm Bureau Building that stands next to the Festival Loop. We will communicate any changes to our plans as they are made.

Will we be able to take photos?

Yes. The Farm Bureau Building next to the Festival Loop will be set up for photos. The number of people allowed in the building at one time is limited, so we ask for your patience in this process.

I have other questions. Who should I reach out to?

***** Over the past 13 months, we have seen the resiliency of our students, especially our seniors.

We know that this final year of high school has not been normal, but we are committed to honoring you in the coming weeks and months to make sure you feel special, unique, and valued.

Thank you for your continued patience as we finalize these plans.

Joining Gill in extending their “deepest gratitude” are: Jennifer Greif, assistant superintendent of Instructional Leadership; Dr. Robert Staley, director of Secondary Education; Dr. John Wheeler, principal, Atlee High School; Kristina Reece, principal, Hanover High School; Charles Stevens, principal, Mechanicsville High School; and Christopher Martinez, principal, Patrick Henry High School.

SHERIFF’S REPORTS

Falsely identifying self to law enforcement was reported in the 9200 block of Shady Grove Road/Chamberlayne Road, Mechanicsville.

Making a false statement to obtain property or credit was reported in the 14000 block of Big Bear Court, Montpelier.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 7300 block of Ann Cabell Lane, Mechanicsville.

Driver did not report an accident with damages, $250, in the 7100 block of Brooking Way, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny building was reported in the 7000 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Prisoner was reported making, selling and possessing Schedule III, marijuana, in the 7200 block of Courtland Farm Road, Hanover.

Threats in writing were reported in the 7100 block of Civil Road, Mechanicsville.

March 23

DWI: 1st offense was reported in the 3700 block of Interstate 95 South, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 8200 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike/Henrico County, Mechanicsville.

Making a false statement to obtain property or credit was reported in the 17100 block of El Capone Way, Beaverdam.

Destruction of property, monument, was reported in the 8400 block of Pine Hill Road, Mechanicsville.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 6000 block

offense was reported in the 8100 block of Mechanicsville Bypass/Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

of Northfall Creek Parkway, Mechanicsville.

March 22

Larceny of certain animals was reported in the 7200 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 14000 block of Spring Road, Montpelier.

Credit card fraud, $200 in 6 months, was reported in the 8100 block of Newman Drive, Mechanicsville.

Simple assault was reported in the 15400 block of Beaverdam School Road, Beaverdam.

Grand larceny building was reported in the 12400 block of Mount Hermon Road, Ashland.

Credit card fraud, $200 in 6 months was reported in the 11000 block of Air Park Road, Ashland.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 7200 block of Garden Park Lane, Mechanicsville.

March 24

Eluding police and endangering persons or police car was reported in the 8600 block of Sliding Hill Road, Ashland.

Reckless handling of a firearm was reported in the 7200 block of Garden Park Lane, Mechanicsville.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 9300 block of Blacksmith Court, Mechanicsville.

Manufacture and distribution of Schedule VI was reported in the 7400 block of Early Drive, Mechanicsville.

Identity fraud, financial loss, $200, was reported in the 10100 block of Lewistown Road, Ashland.

Possession of Schedule I and II controlled substance was reported in the 8200 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

DWI: 1st offense was reported in the 6400 block of Cardinal Way/Lee-Davis Road, Mechanicsville.

DWI, BAC .15 to .20, 1st

Identity theft, financial loss, $200, was reported in the 14400 block of Bethany Church Road, Montpelier.

Trespassing on church or school property was reported in the 15400 block of Beaverdam School Road, Beaverdam.

Petit larceny shoplifting was reported in the 10000 block of Sliding Hill Road, Ashland.

Threats in writing at school/ school event were reported in the 12400 block of West Patrick Henry High School, Ashland.

Simple assault was reported in the 9400 block of Atlee Station Road, Mechanicsville.

ID theft to obtain ID to avoid arrest was reported in the 3700 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

ID theft ID to defraud, $200, was reported in the 10200 block of New Britton Road, Mechanicsville.

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

DWI: 1st offense was reported in the 5500 block of Pole Green Road/Walnut Grove Road, Mechanicsville.

Computer invasion of privacy to examine information was reported in the 8200 block of Atlee Road, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny parts were reported in the 8100 block of Marley Drive, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny, $500 or more not from a person, was reported in the 7100 block of New Hunter Road, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny parts were reported in the 13100 block of Mountain Road, Glen Allen.

Failure to appear on felony charge was reported in the 7500 block of County Complex Road, Hanover.

Rx fraud to obtain by forgery or fraud was reported in the 7000 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Possession of Schedule I and II controlled substance was reported in the 8900 block of Lewistown Road, Ashland.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 7000 block of Wilt Lane, Mechanicsville.

Violation of a protective order was reported in the 10200 block of Grand Hickory Drive, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny parts were reported in the 6000 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Passing a stopped school bus loading or unloading was reported in the 10300 block of Chamberlayne Road, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny building was reported in the 8500 block of Richfood Road, Mechanicsville.

March 26

Trespassing after being forbidden to do so was

pounds, was reported in the 11000 block of Washington Highway, Ashland.

reported in the 17500 block of Washington Highway, Doswell.

Lost firearm was reported in the 15100 block of Indian Springs Lane, Montpelier.

March 25

| Crime, Accidents, Fire & Rescue

Sale and distribution of marijuana, ½ ounce to 5

Simple assault was reported in the 16400 block of Beaver Dam Road, Montpelier.

March 27

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 1000 block of Aragon Drive, Mechanicsville.

Destruction of property, monument, was reported in the 8400 block of Pine Hill Road, Mechanicsville.

Identity theft, financial loss,

$200, was reported in the 14400 block of Old Ridge Road, Beaverdam.

Simple assault was reported in the 8400 block of Ellerson Drive, Mechanicsville.

Driver did not report an accident with damages, $250, in the 13200 block of Depot Road, Hanover.

March 28

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 16100 block of Tyler Station Road, Beaverdam. see SHERIFF’s, pg. 7

746-5853 WE WANT TO BE YOUR PLUMBER

P R I VAT E R E N TA L S A VA I L A B L E FOR SMALL GROUPS M O R E I N F O : 8 0 4 - 4 0 1-7 0 0 7 Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 3

Antiques at the Tavern event scheduled for April 30-May 2 Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com

H

ANOVER -- Hanover Tavern Foundation is excited to announce its one-of-a-kind Antiques at the Tavern event April 30-May 2.

Historic Hanover Tavern will host 20 handselected dealers offering for sale a variety of period furniture, ceramics, silver, pottery, jewelry, art, books, linens, folk art, and more.

All proceeds from this event support Hanover Tavern Foundation.

The show opens Friday evening with a reception for those guests who appreciate the opportunity for early shopping in a relaxed setting. There will be music, open bar, and hors d’oeuvres.

At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, special guest speaker Elizabeth A. Davison, a recognized decorative arts scholar and author, will lecture on “Shenandoah’s Page Valley Style: The Painted Furniture of John Spitler, 1790-1806.” in the Bradley Theater. Lecture and/or dinner package tickets are available.

Forget about those preconceived notions about antiques. The days of grandma’s furniture displayed in the living room “museum” where no one is allowed to go are over.

Antique collecting is affordable and fun for all ages.

Antiques represent an age of quality craftsmanship, before mass production. It took years to learn a given trade where a craftsman transitioned from apprentice to journeyman to master of the craft.

This high-quality craftsmanship has resulted in durable pieces that are hundreds of years old but are still useable today to mix and match with all decors. This is your chance to take home an original in which the beauty, design, quality, and functionality are timeless.

Discounted advance tickets are available at Hanovertavern.org for all dates, programs, and packages.

Standard tickets will be available at the door.

Preview Reception & Early Shopping will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 30; Early Shopping from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, May

Have fun and please enjoy responsibly.

POOL Continued from pg. 1

(dates TBD). Additional dates may be added.

As of April 1, seasonal memberships are being sold at Ashland Town Hall, and memberships also will be sold at Carter Park on select weekends before the pool season. Follow the town on Facebook for more information. Daily rates are $5/weekdays, $9/weekends, and $45/10-pass pack. The pool may be reserved after hours for private events. Contact carterparkpool@gmail. com or leave a voicemail at 804.798.2520 for more information.

The pool’s capacity is 280. Following the Forward Virginia Phase 3 guidelines, up to 210 people (75%) may be present in the pool complex at any one time. Pool staff will be monitoring the attendance. Also, depending on the size of groups, and in following the state’s physical distancing requirements, capacity may be reached with less than 210 people.

Pool staff will strictly enforce the safety guidelines, in addition to the normal pool rules, for the safety of all pool patrons and staff. Any pool patron not following the guidelines or instructions of pool staff will be forced to leave the pool complex without a refund. If you, a member of your household, a coworker, or anyone else you have been in contact with is sick or symptomatic please stay home.

Everyone should bring their own chair or blanket. Pool furniture will not be set out in order to avoid shared usage for the safety of all pool patrons.

No concessions will be sold at this time, and no dive-in movies are currently planned. You may bring your own food and drinks, but you are responsible for disposing of your waste. No glass containers are permitted.

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Metro Creative Connection

1; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 1; 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 1, guest lecture by Betsy Davison; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 2.

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

Description The Carter Park Pool is an eight-lane junior Olympic-sized swimming pool (25 meters) with a separate kiddie pool for small children. The pool is open to Ashland residents and nonresidents. Annual pool memberships are available for purchase at Ashland Town Hall, or a daily, per-person entry fee can be purchased at the gate. Financial assistance for pool memberships is available for qualified applicants (must be an Ashland resident).

A new membership system using key tags instead of membership cards was implemented during the 2019 season. Memberships went on sale April 1.

Payment methods Patrons may use cash, debit card, check, or credit card to purchase a daily pass at the Carter Park Pool. If a credit card is used, a 4.5% fee will be added to the total cost of the transaction.

Ten-Pass Pack Patrons also may purchase a Ten-Pass Pack for $45 at Carter Park Pool. A Ten-Pass Pack comprises of ten visits to Carter Park Pool.

Concessions The Concession Stand is not open at this time.

Pool Pass Scholarships Income-based financial aid is available to qualified Ashland residents for pool passes. Scholarships are available to heads of

For tickets, go to https://app.gopassage.com/ events/antiques-at-the-tavern-2021 or call 804537-5050.

households (age 18 and over) and all family members meeting eligibility criteria (see the application above for more information). Recipients of pool pass scholarships will have maximum annual income as follows, listing household size, 50% scholarship and 100% scholarship:

Household Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

50% Scholarship $25,760 $34,840 $43,920 $53,000 $62,080 $71,160 $80,240 $89,320

100% Scholarship $12,880 $17,420 $21,960 $26,500 $31,040 $35,580 $40,120 $44,660

Pool Parties Carter Park Pool can be reserved for private events from 8 to 11 p.m. every day. Contact the pool manager by email for details and scheduling at Anthony Crews. The pool reservation form can be found in the documents section near the top of this page.

Swim Team The Ashland Barracudas swim team practices and competes at Carter Park Pool. For more information, check out the Ashland Swim Team's website at www.ashlandswim.com or contact Kevin Trent via email. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Ashland Swim Team, go to http://www.ashlandswim. com/teams/860298-Ashland-Barracudas-swimming-team-website/pages/144951.

Ashland’s Fourth Friday OBITUARIES | Death Notices & Funerals Virginia Lee Hall HALL, Miss Virginia Lee, of Beaverdam, Va., went to be with the Lord on April 23, 2021. She was born June 16, 1937, in Hanover County, Va. She was predeceased by her parents, Clyde Robert and Edith Wingf ield Hall; and her brother, Henry Hudson Hall.

Virginia Lee was a re m ar k abl e HALL person who was devoted to God and experienced His glory through the simplest of His blessings.

She often spoke of His care, protection and providence, and was profoundly grateful to her loving and caring family, friends and neighbors.

Her superior intellect allowed her to live a unique lifestyle on her own terms. Her life was made full by being the caregiver to her family and by the many loved ones who came to visit.

The reward of her life is peace in the Lord, who has called her home after a job well done. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m.

Thursday, April 29, both at Nelsen Funeral Home, 412 South Washington Highway, Ashland, Va.

Above, Local artist Susannah Wagner Merritt paints The Center of the Universe in acrylic at a demonstration. Right, Red Vein Escape Storyteller Jack tells dark and strange tales as part of the Stranger than Fiction Tour at the April 23 Fourth Friday event.

A line of scary masks were on display outside of the Ashland Library as part of the Total Terror Haunted Attraction

VOTING Continued from pg. 1

The Early Voting Center is open for casting and in-person absentee ballot during office hours 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and the two Saturdays before the primary (May 29 and June 5) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. located at the County Complex in the Wickham building.

Absentee ballots may be requested by mail either online at www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot or

sending in an application.

“We have sent out 689 absentee ballots so far and will continue fulfill requests for a vote by mail absentee ballot until Friday, May 28,” Smithson said Thursday.

“You no longer need to worry about return postage! You will receive a return envelope with a stamp already for you to insert your marked ballot and mail back to our office,” she added.

“If you wish, you can use the ballot

Photos by Joel Klein/ Ashland-Hanover Local

drop box located outside of the Voter Registration and Elections office in the Wickham building; it will be open 24 hours a day from April 23 to June 8 at 7 p.m.”

“This ballot drop box is under 24 hour surveillance, or you can hand deliver your vote by mail cast ballot to the Early Voting Center, the Director of Elections office, or visit your polling place on the primary election day because each polling place will have an absentee vote by mail drop bag,”

she said.

Those planning to vote on Election Day are reminded that the hours for polling places are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Our staff is ready to assist you!”

Smithson concluded.

For more information, visit the website at https://www.hanovercounty.gov/361/Voter-RegistrationElections-Office.

Dan McGraw, chairman of the Hanover Democratic Committee, said, “The June 8 Primary is just a

McGRAW

handful of weeks away from us. We are very excited about the number of qualified candidates who are hoping to represent us in the gubernatorial offices and see VOTING, pg. 15

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 5

OPINION | The Local Views From the managing editor

Graduation plan brought cheers to HCPS

By Melody Kinser Managing Editor

T

he email couldn’t have arrived at a better time. With the COVID-19 pandemic still hovering over the world like an ominous archenemy, and racist acts targeting Blacks and those of Asian descent growing by leaps and bounds, the leadership team of Hanover County Public Schools devised a plan to hold commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2021.

Dr. Michael Gill, superintendent, announced that graduation will be held over two days -- Friday and Saturday, June 18-19 -- at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell. Go ahead, say “Yay!”

The schedule is: Mechanicsville High School: 9 a.m. Friday, June 18.

Hanover High School: 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 18.

Patrick Henry High School: 9 a.m. Saturday, June 19.

Atlee High School: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19.

And, the ceremonies will be available via livestream. If you can’t be there, you can log on to http://hcps.us/about_us/our_schools. We’ll share the link when it’s available.

Last year, when the coronavirus was taking so many lives and leaving others terribly ill, the school

district could not provide the sendoff preferred for graduating seniors. The decision was correct though. I was sad for the Class of 2020 and the rites of passage members were missing.

Kudos to all those involved in bringing together these very special days for the graduates!

All four ceremonies will be held in the Festival Loop at the park.

Complete details can be found on today’s front page.

Again, thank you to Gill, the assistant superintendents and principals for organizing what I’m sure will be a memorable and enjoyable celebration for the Class of 2021.

Stay tuned for our updates.

Mystery surrounds fate of Key West’s favorite Bum

By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist I’ve often wondered what could have possibly motivated parents with the last name Dover to name their male offspring Ben or their daughter Eileen.

We’ve all heard those names that warrant at least a turned head like when the maître d' announces that a table for Sandy Bottoms is now ready.

My mother once told me she

received a call at work from a Mr. Faurtz. I was never sure if the story was true, but she explained after the business of the call was complete, the two began talking about families. She could never get out the final punch line without giggling.

“He told me he had five little Faurtz at home,” she concluded as small tears now accompanied an unabashed laugh.

Assuredly, some of these names are deliberate, and adjusted for shock

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Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

or surprise, but what about those unlucky kids who obtain a name innocently and through no fault of their own. Or worse, what about those characters whose names somehow seem to provide an instant description and follows them for a lifetime.

Consider the case of former Key West fire chief Joseph Bum Farto and the continuing mystery that surrounds the man with the funny name.

A lifelong Conch, the flamboyant Farto obtained his last name in the

same fashion most of us did, inheriting it from his parents in 1919. The family lived in a small frame house located across the street from the Key West Fire Department, where he, then known as Joseph, would hang around the firehouse, obtaining a reputation for his uncanny ability to relieve on-duty firefighters of their spare change. They named him Bum, a name he embraced for the rest of see BUM pg. 16

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS The Local welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Hanover residents. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Ashland-Hanover Local.

Send letters to: The Ashland-Hanover Local 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: 344-8746 E-mail: editor@mechlocal.com © 2021 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher.

CAC Audited Circulation: 13,776.

LETTERS | Reader Views

Primaries not the place for negative ads Fellow Virginians, here we are at another critical state election!

Many have complained about several bills that have passed through our General Assembly. Now is the time to make your voice heard.

The Republican gubernatorial race is very heated -- to the point that it is concerning.

Primary races are a time for candidates to sell themselves to the electorate by showcasing their platforms and plans they will implement if elected, while remembering that at some point we will have one candidate that will appear on November’s ballot.

It is not the time to sling mud at your fellow primary opponents, as this only gives ammunition for the true opposition in November.

The primaries are not the place for negative ads! We must lower the temperature, so that we can all come together and win in November!

Glenn Youngkin has earned my primary vote. I will fight hard for the Republican nominee.

We must take our beloved state of Virginia back in November!

Tywana Hampton Mechanicsville

President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill mainly adds to debt President Biden’s spending initiative, hyped as an “Infrastructure Bill”, will saddle taxpayers with another $2.25 trillion of unbudgeted debt, with only $621 billion or 28% targeted for transportation.

The need to upgrade/maintain see LETTERS, pg. 15

HCPS receives 9th consecutive national recognition for music program ASHLAND – The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation has named Hanover County Public Schools (HCPS) as a “Best Community for Music Education” for the ninth year in a row. Hanover County is one of only 20 school divisions in Virginia to achieve this coveted status. There are 132 school divisions in the Commonwealth.

“We know how essential music education is to the development of the whole child and our commu-

nity. I’m grateful once again for the exceptional efforts of our accomplished and passionate music educators who work tirelessly to provide our students with a well-rounded education in a year like no other,” said Dr. Michael Gill, superintendent.

The NAMM Foundation, a nonprofit organization, awards this designation to school divisions and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to offering comprehensive music education to all

Metro Creative Connection

students. It further serves to recognize the outstanding efforts of teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education part of the curriculum.

“While the pandemic has resulted

in a temporary challenge for music education, our past recognitions have contributed to us earning this award again,” said Barry Flowe, Performing Arts Curriculum Specialist. “I appreciate the support music education continues to receive from our Hanover community, and I am thrilled this support is again being recognized during this unprecedented school year.”

Flowe said the main reason for the school system’s continued recognition is because of the dedicated perform-

ing arts teachers.

“They are innovative, flexible, and student-focused as they deliver quality instruction each and every day,” he said.

For more information about the “Best Community for Music Education” program, visit https:// www.nammfoundation.org/what-wedo/best-communities-music-education.

Information submitted by Chris R. Whitley, Hanover County public information officer.

Outdoor concert series kicks off Deadline Friday for Hanover April 30 with Tracy Lawrence Democrats college scholarships Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com ASHLAND – The Hart Nissan Concert Series at the Pavilion at Richmond Harley Davidson featuring the Primis Courtyard, in partnership with Center of the Universe Brewing Company, will kick off the outdoor concert season on April 30 with country music star Tracy Lawrence with special guests Homegrown and Faron Hamblin. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and show at 6:15 p.m. Tickets start at $30. www.fotfconcerts.com The Foundation’s Concert Series is just one of many event platforms used to raise funds and awareness to further its mission of ensuring that our law enforcement community and their families have support in times of need.

After hosting a successful soft opening in the summer and fall of 2019, the pandemic shelved the performance lineup during the 2020 season.

The concert series is hosted at the Pavilion at Richmond Harley Davidson in Ashland and features the Primis Courtyard. With over 66,000 square feet of outdoor space, fans will easily be able to spread out while having a great view of their favorite artists.

The 2021 season kicks off with Tracy Lawrence on April 30. Additional shows include Justin Moore, The Allman Betts Band, The K.O.D.E., Ratt, Cinderella’s Tom Kiefer, Firehouse, TEAZE 100% Hair Metal, and more shows to be added soon.

The Five-O’s Tiki Foundation recently

received a Virginia Tourism Corporation Recovery Marketing Leverage Grant. This grant was designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging limited local marketing dollars through a local match of the state grants funds. More than $1.9 million in matching grant funds were awarded to 161 local tourism initiatives through this program. During this funding cycle, local partners will provide more than $5.6 million in-kind value to match the VTC grants.

“The Hanover County Department of Economic Development was thrilled to connect the Five O’s Tiki Foundation with this VTC grant and assist with the application process. We are looking forward to 2021 and the promising potential for improved conditions to enjoy all of our tourism destinations and offerings,” said Linwood Thomas, director.

The Five-O’s Tiki Foundation works with many vendors and business owners in the surrounding area who have joined forces to assist with raising funds to aid the law enforcement community.

"The Foundation is dedicated to serving those who protect, and with that philosophy in mind, we believe that we can make a difference in our communities as well," said Robert Hess, Foundation president. "We could not do this amazing act without our donors and our sponsors. For the generosity that the community continues to share with us, we are forever in their debt and we are greatly humbled by the support.”

Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com

The 2021 Melissa J. Dopp/Bobby Ostergren Scholarship is awarded yearly by the Hanover Democratic Committee (HDC) to graduating Hanover County seniors with the highest level of participation and involvement in Democratic campaigns and activities.

Last year, Valerie Shcherbakova, a graduating senior at Hanover High School, won the first place scholarship award of $1,000. Graduating Atlee High School students Nylah Brown and Daniel Richardson were runners-up, each winning $500 awards.

The scholarship was established to honor the late Bobby Ostergren, the former Hanover County registrar for many years, and the late Melissa Dopp, a longtime activist in the Hanover

with the intent to distribute was reported in the 7100 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike/Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

SHERIFF’s Continued from pg. 3

Obtaining money or signature by false pretenses was reported in the 7400 block of Brook Way Court, Mechanicsville.

Failure to notify police for hit, run, injury or death in the 9500 block of Chamberlayne Road, Mechanicsville.

Simple assault was reported in the 10100 block of Kings Dominion Boulevard, Doswell.

Possessing stolen property

Democratic Committee.

This is not a needs-based scholarship, but rather a scholarship to recognize a high degree of involvement in Democratic campaigns and activities Scholarship applications are due by Friday, April 30.

Applications and more information are available on the Hanover County Public Schools’ scholarship website at https://docs.google.com/ spreadsheets/d/17w6C-4tvtvY0cZ3D4ZQNU82DoU0qG--___DeUtCh7TA/edit?ts=5b981e 19#gid=1765859842. “We are proud to offer these scholarships to students who have been dedicated to supporting Democratic candidates and causes,” said Daniel McGraw, chair of the Hanover Democratic Committee. “We also thank our members for supporting and donating to the scholarship fund.”

Violation of a protective order (violence), 2nd within 5 years, was reported in the 17100 block of Napier Drive, Doswell.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 7000 block of Cornfield Lane, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny building was reported in the 17100 block of Napier Drive, Doswell.

March 29

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 13700 block of Blanton Road, Ashland.

Identity fraud, use of identifying information to defraud, was reported in the 11400 block of Rosemont Drive, Rockville

Firearms, regardless of value, not from a person, were reported in the 10300 block of Lewistown Road, Ashland.

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 7

Sports

UPCOMING EVENTS

04

29 2021

Prep softball: Patrick Henry at Mechanicsville 6:00 p.m.

04

30 2021

Prep baseball Patrick Henry at Mechanicsville 6:00 p.m.

| Youth, High School, College, Recreational & Professional

Patriots win fifth straight volleyball title Raider girls fall to Hawks in state semis

By Rob Witham and Dave Lawrence Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND – It’s not easy to find motivation for a team that has won four consecutive state championships. But after a global pandemic and a major coaching change, a new group of Patrick Henry Patriots who saw their regular season swept away in the autumn by coronavirus seized their opportunity to make history.

The campaign ended on their home floor Friday night as the Patriot boys volleyball team swept Maggie Walker Governor’s School 25-11, 31-29, 25-19 for the 2020 Virginia High School League Class 4 state championship. The Patriots (13-1) became the first boys volleyball team in league history to win five consecutive crowns.

“I was praying every night, I was begging for it,” senior Hill Sewell said, recalling the angst of autumn. “Then I heard Wes (Bolyard) would be our coach and he’s taught us a lot of great things. It’s been a short season, but I’ve loved every second of it.”

Bolyard came to Patrick Henry during the long offseason to replace Michael Townsend, who retired in 2020

8

Dave Lawrence/The Local

Patrick Henry’s boys volleyball team reacts after clinching a 25-11, 31-29, 25-19 sweep of visiting Maggie Walker Governor’s School for their fifth straight state title.

when he and his wife welcomed their second child. Bolyard watched Patrick Henry celebrate in 2019 when they defeated his Maggie Walker Green Dragons. Now, he watched the rematch unfold on the other side.

“Something I wanted to make these kids understand: Four (titles) can make you cocky. If you want five, if you want six, you have to keep the pressure on,” Bolyard said.

The Patriots came out on fire, using a service run by junior Davis Luck to build a 12-3 lead en route to a 25-11

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

victory in the first set. The Dragons (11-4), settled down, forcing the second set into a slow grind. Patrick Henry built an 18-13 lead, but Maggie Walker responded with a 7-1 run for their first lead of the match at 20-19.

“They have some big boys on that team, and they can throw some blocks,” said senior Cameron Miller. “I had to settle in, know where I wanted to go with the ball, but they have a good defense.”

Bolyard watched with frustration as his Patriots earned, and lost, six consecutive set

points, three of them by service error. But serving 30-29, his defense forced a middle kill attempt to go wide for the 2-0 match lead.

Maggie Walker had another run in them, stringing six points in a row to take an 11-9 lead in the final set. But senior Forrest Jones, who led the Patrick Henry middle attack, scored a pair of critical kills to place the Patriots in front for good at 18-15.

Match point was a Dragon service error into the net, prompting Matt Carroll to continue a Patrick Henry

legacy, diving onto the gym floor, a move made famous by Townsend, starting the celebration.

With the triumph, the short offseason begins, and with it, a new era in Class 4. County rival Atlee, the only team to defeat Patrick Henry this spring, moves into the classification.

And the Dragons plan to be back.

But Bolyard’s mention of the number six after the match shows that Patrick Henry, too, has plans to make more history, hopefully under normal season circumstances, come

November.

Hickory outhits Atlee MECHANICSVILLE – When watching film of Hickory’s girls volleyball team before their Virginia High School League Class 5 state semifinal match, Atlee head coach Curtis Carpenter suspected his Raiders might have a battle on their hands.

Not far into the first set of their semifinal match at Atlee Tuesday night, Carpenter saw his suspicions borne out. see PATRIOTS, pg. 11

Atlee boys win 1st state cross country title

By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor Since its inception, Atlee has fielded one of the Richmond metro area’s premier cross country programs. Raider runners have been among the best in the region and the state.

Despite all of Atlee’s prior accomplishments, one title eluded it: state team champion. That changed for the Raider boys Friday at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg. Everything came together: runners were healthy, well trained, peaking at the right time and – possibly – just plain lucky.

Travis Albon led the Atlee pack with a fourth-place finish in the Virginia High School League Class 5 championships, clocking in at 16:48. Forty seconds later, Andre Chavez came in for the Raiders for an 18thplace finish. Between him and Albon, teammates Josh Leonard (eighth), Patrick Allen (13th) and Ian Sellors (14th) completed a very tight pack, giving the Raiders 40 points and beating area rival Glen Allen by 13 points to claim their first state cross country title.

For a program with as proud a tradition as Atlee’s, the reaction to the win has been ecstatic.

“I’ve been getting calls and texts from alumni. Coach [Jim] Triemplar’s over the moon,” said Atlee head track and field coach Neil Mathews. “Everybody is real excited. Deservedly so.”

Triemplar, who retired several years ago, largely built the Atlee program and set its high standards and expectations.

Mathews, who for years coached at cross-county rival Lee-Davis (now Mechanicsville), and who likewise built a successful there, took over the Raider program last year as the COVID pandemic erupted.

Mathews said the kids, some

Courtesy of Tim Crytser

Hanover’s Alli Crytser (393) stays near the lead en route to her second-place finish in the VHSL Class 4 state cross country championships at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg Saturday. She finished six seconds behind Loudoun Valley’s Ava Gordon.

kept our nice tight pack. We ran selfless, you know, all seven guys,” Mathews said. “On the varsity that went and our alternate, eight of those guys basically just locked themselves away from the rest of the team, from the track team. They practiced at different locations and different times. . . . We didn’t want to risk at any point getting an accidental contact trace quarantine.

“They they weren’t going out in public, no team dinners, you know, no, doing the things that high school kids typically want to do. They had to really sacrifice to make sure they were healthy and at that meet because, I think, we learned Mary Ann Magnant/Milestat.com back in indoor [season] that it Atlee’s Travis Albon (185) keeps a few steps ahead pf Briar Woods’ Aidan Nathan in the boys race just takes, that it’s as easy as sitof the VHSL Class 5 state cross country championships at Oatlands Plantation Friday. Albon’s ting in class one day and finding fourth-place finish paced the Raider boys — with five runners in the top 18 — to victory. out, you can’t run at the state of whom saw their outdoor to make the sacrifices necessary pionship race, but many more meet because somebody had tested positive for COVID-19 track season last year nixed by to get this season in – some of before it. the pandemic, were determined those sacrifices in the cham“We stayed together. We who sat in your classroom.”

Atlee’s Rachel Mudd finished 16th in the girls race.

Another county girl, Hanover’s Alli Crytser, had the best finish of anyone from the county. Crytser was runnerup in the Class 4 championships, which were Saturday at Oatlands Plantation. Her time of 18:55 was just six seconds behind Loudoun Valley’s Ava Gordon.

She would have preferred finishing ahead of Gordon, but was still happy with the result.

“I was, of course, a little disappointed that I didn’t win but it was just a really good meet and I ran as best as I could. Just someone else came on top,” she said. “Maybe if I would have pushed the first and second miles a little harder, we may have had a faster time, but I still think that the other girl probably would have beaten me.”

Mechanicsville High School’s Sierra Puleo finished 19th.

Patrick Henry finished fourth and Mechanicsville sixth in the boys Class 4 championship. The Patriots had three runners turn in all-state performances, with Luke Taylor leading the way with a fourth-place finish in 16:28. Trevor Mason also turned in an all-state result with an 11th-place finish. Their teammate Michael Leff finished 20th.

Patrick Henry head coach Jeremy Dobrinski said it was a tough course.

“It was an extremely challenging course and it showed with some of the performances of some of the kids that normally run a lot faster,” Dobrinski said. “But I think they ran the course incorrectly. They went out too hard and were gassed when they came through the finish line. So it was definitely see ATLEE, pg. 11

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 9

Hanover’s Wilkinson has to wait for win

By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor Most of the time in a golf tournament, the player birdieing on the 18th hole for the win is in the last group. They put the ball in the cup, raise their hands in celebration, and walk up to the clubhouse wearing an aura of victory.

Hanover’s Andrew Wilkinson, competing in his fourth and final Virginia High School League Class 4 state championship at Glenrochie Country Club in Abingdon, checked off the first two boxes.

He chipped in from just off the 18th green for a birdie. He pumped his fists in the air as he watched the ball turn ever so slightly toward the cup.

And then, he had to wait . . . for nearly an hour and a half . . . to learn whether or not he had won.

By the time he learned whether or not he could he breathe, Wilkinson’s single stroke under par was all that he needed to beat a trio of runners-up – Jamestown’s Mason Eggleston and Blacksburg’s Davis Young and David Zhang – and earn the right to call himself a state champion.

“I was on edge pretty much the rest of the day waiting for the other guys to come in. I was very nervous,” Wilkinson said.

“It got to the point I couldn’t just sit around anymore. I grabbed my putter, and I started to go putt on the practice green just so I wouldn’t have to sit there anymore and be nervous about what comes in. . . . I think we came in at 4 or 4:30 and the last group came in just before 6 – so it was a long wait.”

Wilkinson had shot pretty much even par all day, birdieing three of the first 17 holes, bogeying one and doublebogeying another. Because of a

10

Joel Klein for The Local

Mechanicsville High School freshman Madison Lehr watches her opening drive of the VHSL Central Zone qualifier at Dogwood Trace Golf Club in Petersburg Wednesday. The Mustang freshman qualified for the VHSL Girls Open, which was held Monday.

“I see all the people who were there before us for the Class-3 state championship and there is at least a good fifty to a hundred people there,” Wilkinson said.

“So I was very nervous to say the least.”

But the stress did not distract him from what he needed to do.

“I probably only had 20 ft left to the pin and it was all downhill,” he said. It was really just off the green, probably six inches or so off. My coach (Phil Hein) came up to me and was, like, ‘Hey, would you rather putt or chip this?’ Knowing how hard the greens were going, how fast I would need to stop the putt going downhill, I am opted Joel Klein for The Local to choose chipping.”

Randolph-Macon right fielder Shawn Nickles lays down a flawless RBI bunt single to give the Wilkinson dropped the ball Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead in a a 14-8 win over Hampden-Sydney Wednesday. where it needed to be, heading toward the left of the hole. Then tight fairway and thick rough, stayed on the fairway off the tee, He was also anxious. He was it started making the ultimately he got to the 18th tee mindful and his approach hit the back of about to finish in front of a fateful right turn.

“About three or four feet of avoiding a wayward shot. He the green and rolled off. crowd.

Laying it down, flawlessly

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

from the cup I stick my hand up as it starts to turn back to the right, and then I see it drop and give it a Tiger fist-pump,” Wilkinson said. “It’s one of those moments that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It’s just definitely up there in my top-five golf moments” A friend of his playing in the same group, Loudoun Valley’s Owen Cook, was the only member of the foursome who wasn’t shocked into silence after Wilkinson’s birdie.

“He walked up to me and shook my hand,” Wilkinson said. “He said ‘Great shot, man!

Great play! It’s been a pleasure!’

That that was probably the best interaction I had with another player on that hole. Everybody else was just, like, ‘Man, did he really just do that?’ ” Wilkinson wasn’t the only county golfer in the Class 4 championship. Patrick Henry’s Dan Ailor finished in a sixway tie for 18th place with a 10-over 82. Atlee’s Jack Miller, in the Class 5 championships at Williamsburg National Monday, finished 15th with a 5-over 77.

Elsewhere, in the Class 2 championships, Region 2A champion King William faced a difficult day at Virginia Tech’s Pete Dye River Course in Blacksburg. The Cavaliers weren’t the only ones to struggle. The course, difficult even in optimal conditions, was made even harder to play because of unforgiving greens and strong winds that arrived during the day.

The day’s medalist, Chatham’s Matt Arnold, shot a 4-over 76. Only two other golfers carded less than an 80.

King William was led by Jonah Ibanez, who shot a 12-over 84 for a three-way tie for 14th place. Overall, the Cavaliers finished third behind Floyd and Graham with 355-stroke total.

PATRIOTS Continued from pg. 8

The Hawks jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first step, and, while the Raiders rallied and closed the gap, Hickory won the set 25-23 and swept the remainder 25-18, 25-21 to advance to the state championship at Freedom (South Riding) Friday or Saturday at a time to be determined.

“Hickory, they’re a stout team,” Carpenter said. “We’re used to come at our opponents from every direction. Well, we came across somebody that came at us from every direction. . . . I watched some film on them and one of the things that caught my attention was that they swung at everything and they’re as scrappy as can be.

“And guess what they did tonight? They swung at everything and then they kept things alive because they’re scrappy.”

The teams engaged in a number of long exchanges, but the Hawks’ at times miraculous ability to keep the ball off the floor proved a decisive advantage. Yet the Raiders pushed Hickory hard and managed to force the Hawks into several timeouts to regroup.

The sets followed a pattern.

In the first and third, Hickory

ATLEE Continued from pg. 9

a smart runners’ course, I guess you could say.”

The Mustangs were led with an all-state run by Grayson Clark, who finished 10th.

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

VHSL Class 5 championships (5K at Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, Virginia) Boys Team scores: 1. Atlee 40, 2.

Glen Allen 53, 3. Princess Anne 102, 4. North Stafford 108, 5. Briar Woods 120, 6. Stone Bridge 123, 7, Harrisonburg 170, 8. First Colonial

Dave Lawrence/The Local

Right, Atlee hitter Addison Chapman (18) threads the needle between the hands of Hickory’s Ryann Love (10) and Kayla Rogan (16) in the Hawks’ 25-23, 25-18, 25-21 sweep of Atlee in a VHSL Class 5 girls volleyball semifinal at Atlee Tuesday. Above, Patrick Henry’s Forrest Jones (5) fires a kill shot past Maggie Walker’s Reed Bonkovsky (12).

would build a big lead before Atlee caught up to keep it tight down the stretch. In the second set, Atlee stayed with Hickory until late in the match when the Hawks pulled away.

A key factor in the Raiders staying in the match was their energy level, and a key factor

in keeping their energy level up was senior libero Rylie Harris.

All through the season, she embraced the responsibility.

“I enjoy it. It helps my team get fired up and want to play and have the fire in them to, like, beat the other team,” Harris said. “Sometimes it can

get exhausting, but I love when they get pumped, too, and we all are bouncing off of each other. It’s really fun to play.”

Addison Chapman and Morgan Crawford led the Raiders with eight assists apiece.

Brianna Brown had 23 assists and 11 digs, while Harris fin-

ished with 15 digs.

Brown and Harris are among eight seniors Carpenter has to say farewell to now that the Raiders’ season comes to an end.

“I’m sad because I have a good group of kids. I’m losing eight of them,” Carpenter said.

179

Girls Team Scores: 1. Albemarle 48, 2. Midlothian 54, 3. Deep Run 83, 4. Freedom-South Riding 96, 5.

Princess Anne 111, 6. Cox 147, 7.

Briar Woods 172, 8. Patrick HenryRoanoke 200 Top 20: 1. Arianna DeBoer (Albemarle) 18:47.0; 2. Landin Bostian (Mills Godwin) 19:02.0; 3. Gabriella Garcia (Midlothian) 19:10.0; 4. Mackenzie Keller (Freedom-South Riding) 19:34.0; 5.

Sidney Walters (Deep Run) 19:43.0; 6. Caroline Bowe (Midlothian) 19:51.0; 7. Cassidy Guyton (Albemarle) 20:04.0; 8. Jenna Coleman (Albemarle) 20:13.0; 9.

Kaia Woolfe (Stone Bridge) 20:22.0; 10. Peyton Culpepper (Princess Anne) 20:26.0; 11. Logan Warden (Princess Anne) 20:28.0; 12.

Madison Garber (Freedom-South Riding) 20:31.0; 13. Riley Schindel (Deep Run) 20:38.0; 14. Izi Belogay

(Potomac Falls) 20:45.0; 15. Tessa Dobrinski (Glen Allen) 20:45.0; 16. Rachel Mudd (Atlee) 20:50.0; 17. Nicole Quiram (Midlothian) 21:01.0; 18. Janie Sanborn (Deep Run) 21:04.0; 19. Kylie Bonser (Midlothian) 21:09.0; 20. Kenzie Dillman (Deep Run) 21:10.0

Forest) 16:39; 7. Dylan Raney (Grafton) 16:40; 8. Branden Wood (Louisa County) 16:41; 9. Landon Dinkel (Blacksburg) 16:44; 10.

Grayson Clark (Mechanicsville) 16:44; 11. Trevor Mason (Patrick Henry) 16:47; 12. Amir Aougab (Dominion) 16:54; 13. Nathaniel Woshner (James Wood) 16:55; 14.

Timothy Krone (Jefferson Forest) 16:59; 15. Aidan Soto (Loudoun Valley) 17:04; 16. Nicholas Hayden (Millbrook) 17:06; 17. Will Schepens (Jefferson Forest) 17:08; 18. Cary Caldwell (Warhill) 17:10; 19. Alex Jordan (Jefferson Forest) 17:18; 20.

Michael Leff (Patrick Henry) 17:21

Top 20: 1. Brett Bishop (Douglas Freeman) 16:22.0; 2. Berkley Nance (Mills Godwin) 16:33.0; 3. George Alexander (Stone Bridge) 16:39.0; 4.

Travis Albon (Atlee) 16:48.0; 5. Noah LeCain (North Stafford) 16:51.0; 6.

Stephen Smith (Albemarle) 16:55.0; 7. Joshua Webb (North Stafford) 16:57.0; 8. Josh Leonard (Atlee) 16:59.0; 9. Ben Hagerich (Glen Allen) 17:01.0; 10. Jackson Morvan (Glen Allen) 17:04.0; 11. Aidan Nathan (Briar Woods) 17:05.0; 12.

Justin Polcha (Stafford) 17:09.0; 13.

Patrick Allen (Atlee) 17:10.0; 14. Ian Sellors (Atlee) 17:12.0; 15. Dorian Frick (Glen Allen) 17:13.0; 16.

William Griesmer (Princess Anne) 17:15.0; 17. Eric Fagan (Glen Allen) 17:17.0; 18. Andre Chavez (Atlee) 17:28.0; 19. William Hagenlock (Rock Ridge) 17:30.0; 20. Ben Putka (Stafford) 17:34.0

VHSL Class 4 championships (5K at Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, Virginia) Boys Team Scores: 1. Jefferson Forest 61, 2. Grafton 62, 3. Loudon Valley 65, 4. Patrick Henry 86, 5. Blacksburg 114, 6. Mechanicsville 131, 7. James Wood 162, 8. Jamestown 210 Top 20: 1. Matthew Smith (Loudoun Valley) 16:22; 2. Ben Madrigal (Grafton) 16:27; 3. Alex Murphy (Grafton) 16:28; 4. Luke Taylor (Patrick Henry) 16:28; 5.

Nicholas Emmert (Louisa County) 16:37; 6. Brannon Adams (Jefferson

“But they’ve had a good career.

It would have been nice to make it to that final. It wasn’t meant to be.”

Rob Witham can be reached at sports@mechlocal.com.

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

(Loudoun Valley) 18:49; 2. Alli Crytser (Hanover) 18:55; 3.

Caroline Bauer (Jamestown) 19:12; 4. Madison Murphy (Millbrook) 19:23; 5. Scarlet Fetterolf (Loudoun Valley) 19:28; 6. Audrey Link (Blacksburg) 19:42; 7. Cassidy Scott (Fauquier) 19:52; 8. Zoie Lamanna (Jefferson Forest) 19:56; 9. Ricky Fetterolf (Loudoun Valley) 19:57; 10. Annika Griggs (Blacksburg) 20:11; 11. Michaela Workman (Tuscarora) 20:14; 12. Maddie Smith (Loudoun Valley) 20:16; 13.

Ally Talley (Loudoun Valley) 20:27; 14. Kiki Wine (Fauquier) 20:29; 15.

Allie McDonald (Blacksburg) 20:39; 16. Shauna Skow (Jefferson Forest) Girls 20:41; 17. Mia Jones (Blacksburg) Team Scores: 1. Loudoun Valley 20:41; 18. Kennedy Harris (Louisa 33, 2. Blacksburg 59, 3. Tuscarora 86, County) 20:58; 19. Sierra Puleo 4. Jefferson Forest 108, 5. Jamestown (Mechanicsville) 21:00; 20. Eryn 121, 6. Grafton 165, 7. Hanover 175, Lackey (Loudoun Valley) 21:05 8. King George 218 Top 20: 1. Ava Gordon

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 11

CLASSIFIEDS GENERAL

Recruitment CONSTRUCTION & TRADES Balducci Builders, Inc. is currently accepting applications for a full time construction job site assistant. This position will assist Balducci Builders in the new home construction areas and service all sites. Job includes maintaining clean job sites, delivery of materials, light handyman level work, ordering materials, visiting our various sites and communicating with the project manager to make sure things are running smoothly on the sites.

Requirements include: - Familiar with general construction & equipment knowledge - Keep job sites clean and organized - Ability to fulfill small punch list items - Schedule delivery or pick up job site materials - Maintain all assigned job sites - Light carpentry as needed (based on individual skill sets) Candidate skill measurements: - Excellent communication skills and ability to maintain relationships between subcontractors and clients - Must be able to pass a background check, - Must hold valid Virginia driver’s license - Must be able to lift 50+ pounds - Strong organization skills with a highly-motivated mindset.

- Previous construction experience preferred.

Please email resume to: mmayo@smartwire360.com

GENERAL

PLACE YOUR AD TODAY

FAX: (804) 344-8746 or classifieds@mechlocal.com GENERAL

Need more financial stimulus?

Become an independent contractor, delivery carrier QUALIFY FOR A

$1,000 SIGNING BONUS

Benefits of this part-time, contract opportunity with the Richmond Times-Dispatch team: • Manage your own schedule and free up most of your day; work only 3-4 hours between 1-6 a.m. daily • Excellent supplemental income – Earn up to $1,400 per month All you need is a dependable vehicle and a valid Virginia driver’s license for consideration.

Signing bonus is for a limited time, so don’t miss out.

Contact us NOW at Richmond.com/Carriers or (804) 649-6872 to learn more.

GENERAL FT Factory Help Wanted Mechanicsville area. Call 746-5238 between 1:00 - 4:00 PM

Janitor needed for local church.

Must have experience, be bonded & insured. For more information please contact Sharon Duling at 804-477-5271

(804) 746-1235 ext. 2

GENERAL The Richmond Times-Dispatch is seeking a Full-Time Metro Distribution Supervisor in the Northside/Henrico area. Job Responsibilities: To recruit, motivate and train carrier force to provide good service while increasing/ maintaining circulation volumes and meeting service goals. Assist in maintaining overall distribution center operations. All Distribution Supervisors are responsible for achieving consistent, proper and on-time delivery to subscribers. Handle customer’s problems and service requests to the customer’s satisfaction. Work with carriers to meet retail collection goals and resolve problems with retail outlets. Collect all open routes and collect payments from carriers. As a Distribution Supervisor, you are responsible for the successful overall performance of your assigned area within the distribution center.

Starting salary is $40,000 plus commission. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Valid Drivers’ License and proof of insurance required, the ability to work well with others in a team environment and the ability to follow all Company policies and procedures including but not limited to attendance standards.

Education and Experience: High School diploma or equivalent. Must successfully pass Criminal Background Investigation and Drug Screen.

Please contact Neal Whitlow 804-640-3360 or gwhitlow@timesdispatch.com.

INSTALLATION & REPAIR Electrical Apprentice needed for a local company in business for more than 30 years. At least 1 year experience with residential wiring preferred. Candidate must have valid driver’s license and be able to pass a background check.

Tuition assistance for Electrical School is available. Immediate hire for qualified candidate. Compensation based on experienc. ALSO, hiring for Licensed Journeyman position.

Please submit a resume and include a contact phone number to MMAYO@SmartWire360.com Any submission without contact number will not be considered.

Electrical Helpers Good Driving Record & Own Transportation Required.

746-3122

Electrical Residential & Generator Sales Estimator - 4+ years of Electrical Field Experience, Generator Knowledge & Good Driving Record Required. Please email resume to HillElectrical@HillElectrical.net

INSTALLATION & REPAIR $$ Sign on Bonus $$ Harris Mechanical Services a 34+ year old (local) Commercial Service company is looking for: (3) positions Commercial HVAC Service Technician Repair Heat pumps, Heating, Ventilation, Air conditioning, Gas equipment, Boilers and Chillers.

HVAC Installer Replacing HVAC equipment to include split systems, packaged units, chillers, boilers, piping and Hydronic Equipment.

Special Projects Estimator/Sales Knowledge of HVAC and mechanical industries is required.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Strong computer skills, especially Outlook, Word and Excel.

Ability to multi-task, applying excellent time management.

Ability to read and analyze engineered mechanical and plumbing plans when necessary.

Excellent pay and benefits.

HVAC Technician and Installer Experience: Commercial or residential service 3-5 year’s experience.

Tradesman cards and certifications a plus.

Must have good driving record and pre-employment drug testing, and background check is required. ccarter@harrismechanical.com (804) 264-2229 8816 Brook Road Glen Allen, VA 23060

MANUFACTURING

WAREHOUSE AND LOGISTICS SPECIALIST Anton Paar USA Inc in Ashland, VA is looking for a Warehouse and Logistics Specialist to play a key role in delivering customer service excellence.

Responsibilities include • Receiving shipments from suppliers, customers, and sales team • Picking items for outgoing shipments and safely packaging instruments • Routing goods to the correct warehouse location and departments • Managing trade show logistics • Maintaining all material movements in SAP Material Management module Please apply at www.anton-paar.com/us-en/jobs/ open-positions/

Advertise with Ashland-Hanover Local Call 746-1235 to hear about upcoming advertising opportunities!

12

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

Business & Service Directory Announcements CONCRETE WORK

YARD & ESTATE SALES

Bernard’s Concrete - sidewalks, cobblestones, retainer walls, patios, repair brick, References. Licensed. & insured.

Call 804-874-9184

23111 - THE VILLAS AT ROSE HILL Community Yard Sale Sat. 5/1, 8am - 12 noon, Rain or Shine!

1 mile East of Memorial Regional Hospital off Atlee Road Something for Everyone!

TREE SERVICE Bernard’s Tree Service, stump grinder, clean up mulch, mulch, landscaping, plant trees & more. Free estimates.

References. Licensed. & insured. Call 804-874-9184

Merchandise ANTIQUES Marilyn Monroe & Mantel Life Magazine - EC - Great Gift!

For Sale Call 804-837-7787

CONCRETE & BRICK Bernard’s Concrete Services Concrete, Retaining Walls, Pavers, Brick, Sidewalks. Install & repair.

Free Estimates. Licensed & Insured.

References. Please call 804-874-9184

PLUMBING Paul Brown Plumbing - in Business Since 1983. New Residential, Light Commercial, Renovations, Additions & Service. We do it all! Senior Citizen Discounts. For free estimate, 746-5030

DRIVEWAYS

TREE SERVICE

-SEASON SPECIALLoad of Driveway Stone, delivered & tailgate spread, $285.

Screened Top Soil $285/ per load.

Also available driveway grading & bushogging. Call 804-400-9957

Bernard’s Tree Service Tree Removal, Stump Grinding, Landscaping, Cleanout, Mulching, Planting & More! Free Est. Licensed & Insured References. Please Call 804-874-9184

FLOORS Phil’s Floor Sanding & Repair, LLC Upfront Customer Service, Dust Containment Sanding & Finishing. Earth friendly green choices. Free Estimates.

Offering FREE Standard Oak trim with all new sanding jobs for 2021!

Call 804-201-8283

GENERAL CONTRACTORS Purcell Construction Custom Builder Hunter Purcell 804-972-2215 www.Purcell Construction.Biz www.PurcellConstruction.Biz Custom Renovations ∂ Historical Additions ∂ Sunrooms ∂ Decks ∂ Porches∂ Siding ∂ Replacement Windows ∂ Barns∂ Stamped Concrete ∂ Kitchens & Baths ∂ Handicap Ramps ∂ T e r m i t e Damage ∂ Insurance Claims ∂ Interior & Exterior Renovations ∂ Commercial Renovating & MORE! Class A License & Insured ∂ 37 yrs exp ∂ A+ Rating with the BBB & Angie’s List Don’t Move...Improve!

Dont Move....Improve!

LAWN CARE Short Cuts Landscape LLC All your Landscaping & bush hogging needs! Driveway Grading Available Licensed / Insured Free Estimates Call 218-8780

Full Service Tree Company.

(Removal, trimming, topping, stump grinding & firewood delivery) Offering free estimates and providing fully insured work.

TOWN OF ASHLAND 2021-2022 ADVERTISED BUDGET A public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. on May 18, 2021 at the Town Hall, 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, Virginia, on the FY 2021-2022 Budget. A complete copy of the FY2021-2022 Budget may be reviewed or obtained between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Monday – Thursday at Town Hall, 121 Thompson St. and online at www.AshlandVA.gov/186/budget.

All interested persons may attend and express their views. Community members are encouraged to participate electronically. Comments may be submitted to Matt Reynal, Assistant Town Manager, via email at mreynal@ashlandva.gov, by phone at (804) 798-9219 or through regular mail to Clerk of Council, Town of Ashland, P.O. Box 1600, Ashland, VA 23005. Anyone requiring assistance to participate in the public hearing is asked to contact Town Hall, at 798-9219 in advance so that appropriate arrangements may be made.

GENERAL FUND

REVENUE Revenue from Local Sources Revenue from the Commonwealth Revenue from the Federal Government Revenue from Other Sources Unappropriated Funds Transfer Total Revenues – General Fund EXPENDITURES Administration Public Safety Public Works Parks, Recreation and Cultural Planning & Community Development Non-Departmental Total Expenditures—General Fund

$ $ $

7,202,420 2,179,723 3,450

$ 743,032 $ 10,128,625

$ 1,604,067 $ 3,131,795 $ 3,236,292 $ 224,781 $ 588,656 $ 1,343,034 $ 10,128,625

CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

Tree & Shrub Pruning, Removals, Stump Grinding. Health/Risk Assessments. Insured. Free Estimates.

804-779-2170 Certified Arborist and MD LTE

Trimming & Take Downs. Stump Grinding. If it’s tree work we do it! Insured. Free Est. BBB THANK YOU!!!

MC/VISA/Discover.

Advertise with Ashland-Hanover Local Call 746-1235 for more details!

REVENUES Transfer from General Fund Capital Bond/Loan Local Revenue Grants/VDOT Revenue Sharing Central VA Transportation Authority Rev Federal Funding Balance Forward Total Revenues – Capital Project Fund

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

736,522 0 16,478 0 560,000 0 2,224,761 3,537,761

EXPENDITURES Public Works—Streets—Local

$

524,706

Stormwater Facilities Vehicles Parks and Recreation Economic Development Central VA Transportation Authority Exp. Non-Departmental Total Expenditures—Capital Project Fund

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

577,756 603,772 467,089 147,968 381,150 560,000 275,320 3,537,761

SPECIAL REVENUE FUND

REVENUE Community Development Block Grant $ Balance Forward $ Total Revenues – Special Revenue Fund $ EXPENDITURES Rental Assistance Grants Technical Assistance Safety Grants Administration Total Expenditures—Special Revenue Fund Total Revenues & Expenditures—All Funds

0 455,000 455,000

$ 400,000 $ 0 $ 15,000 $ 40,000 $ 455,000 $ 14,121,386

TAX RATES AND FEES 2021-2022 RATE Real Estate Property Tax $0.10 per $100 Unchanged Mobile Homes $0.07 per $100 Unchanged Personal Property Tax $0.77 per $100 Unchanged Public Service Corp. $0.77 per $100 Unchanged Machinery & Tools Tax $0.77 per $100 Unchanged OTHER LOCAL TAXES Business, Professional, Unchanged Occupational License Tax $30 License Fee, $.0.07 per $100 of all gross receipts when gross receipts exceed $1,000,000 Consumer Utility Tax – Each Service per month Electric: Residential $1.00/month Unchanged Commercial/Industrial $10.00/month Unchanged Natural Gas: Residential $3.00/month Unchanged Commercial/Industrial $10.00/month Unchanged Utility License Tax Telephone service .5% Unchanged Meals Tax 6.0% Unchanged Motor Vehicle License Tax Cars & trucks $25.00 Unchanged Motorcycles $15.00 Unchanged Transient Tax 8.0% Unchanged Cigarette Tax $.22 per pack Unchanged Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 13

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ASHLAND TOWN COUNCIL Please take notice that on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 7:00 PM, the Ashland Town Council will conduct public hearings at Ashland Town Hall, 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, Virginia on the following:

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE The Town of Ashland, Virginia proposes to increase property tax levies.

1. Assessment Increase: Total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 2.52%.

2. Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment: The tax rate which would levy the same amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate with the exclusions mentioned above, would be $0.098 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the “lowered tax rate.”

3. Effective Rate Increase: The Town of Ashland proposes to adopt a tax rate of $0.10 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the proposed rate would be $0.002 per $100, or 2.04 percent. This difference will be known as the “effective tax rate increase.” Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage greater than or less than the above percentage.

4. Proposed Total Budget Decrease: Based on the proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the total budget of the Town of Ashland will decrease by 21.3 percent.

The real estate tax rate is not changing. This public hearing is required by state law because the real estate assessments result in an effective tax rate increase.

Community members are encouraged to participate electronically.

Comments may be submitted to Matt Reynal, Clerk of Council, via email at Mreynal@ashlandva.gov, by phone at (804) 798-9219 or through regular mail to Clerk of Council, Town of Ashland, P.O. Box 1600, Ashland, VA 23005.

Any person with a disability requiring assistance in order to participate in the public hearings is asked to contact Town Hall in advance so that appropriate arrangements may be made.

14

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

TOWN OF ASHLAND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Please take notice that on the 12th day of May 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ashland Town Hall, 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA, the Ashland Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the purpose of receiving input, and may make a recommendation on the following application:

B&B Signal Company Buffer Exception Anne Tignor of Youngblood, Tyler, and Associates, and on behalf of the applicant B & B Signal Company, and property owner, B & H holdings, LLC, is requesting to reduce the rear buffer requirement (Sec. 21236) from 50 feet to 25 feet for the property located at the southeast corner of Route 1 and Design Road (GPINs 7789-00-6591 and 7789-00-7594). The property is approximately 1.5 acres in size, is zoned M-1, Limited Industrial, and has a future land use designation of Mixed Business. The applicant intends to develop the property for a contactor’s office.

Copies of request may be obtained by contacting Town Hall at (804) 798-1073, Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Written comments may be submitted to planning@ashlandva.gov or mailed to Town of Ashland, PO Box 1600, Ashland, VA 23005.

All interested persons may attend and express their views, however, the number of people admitted to Town Hall is being limited in accordance with CDC Guidelines. Citizens may participate electronically; please contact Bernadette Cornelius, bcornelius@ashlandva.gov to make those arrangements. Any person with a disability requiring assistance in order to participate in this public hearing is asked to contact Town Hall in advance so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

TOWN OF ASHLAND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Please take notice that on the 18th day of May 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ashland Town Hall, 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA, the Ashland Town Council will conduct a public hearing for the purpose of receiving input, and may take action on the following application: ORD2021-03, Keeping of Chickens The Town of Ashland is requesting approval of ORD2021-03 to amend Section 21-282, “Supplemental Regulations,” of the Ashland Town Code to permit the keeping of no more than six (6) chickens in residential districts. Keeping chickens in residential districts would be subject to conditions such as waste removal, setbacks, and prohibiting roosters.

Copies of ORD2021-03 may be obtained by contacting Town Hall at (804) 7981073, Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Written comments may be submitted to planning@ashlandva.gov or mailed to Town of Ashland, PO Box 1600, Ashland, VA 23005.

All interested persons may attend and express their views, however, the number of people admitted to Town Hall is being limited in accordance with CDC Guidelines. Citizens are encouraged to participate electronically; please contact Bernadette Cornelius, bcornelius@ashlandva.gov to make those arrangements. Any person with a disability requiring assistance in order to participate in this public hearing is asked to contact Town Hall in advance so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

VOTING Continued from pg. 5

the General Assembly.”

McGraw said he expects “a strong turnout in November.

And we expect that the enthusiasm of this spring will carry over into the fall.”

“The response to the coronavirus has delayed our inperson events, but it has not stopped us from keeping the momentum and connecting with voters. Under the leadership of Governor Ralph Northam and his capable staff,

LETTERS Continued from pg. 6

transportation infrastructure is undeniable, but this massive bill also includes huge sums earmarked for: Quality of Life at Home, including 500,000 new homes for lowand middle-income folks; Caregivers for the Elderly; and Manufacturing Research & Development.

we have made much progress in the last few years, including restoring voting rights, protecting democracy, and building valuable infrastructure,” he said.

As for the candidates for governor, McGraw said, “Each of the candidates (Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Sen. Jennifer McClellan, Del. Jennifer Foy, and Mr. Lee Carter) offers something unique to our future. What this tells me is that the primary elections will

be interesting and exciting. We will be a stronger and more united party when the general fall elections arrive.”

The race for Virginia’s attorney general, he said, will be close. Delegate Jay Jones and incumbent Mark Herring “both offer impressive resumes. Either one will be a great leader to champion the causes of equity, fairness, and justice. We need strong leadership right now.”

The race for lieutenant governor, McGraw continued,

“is exciting to have so many amazing people, who have achieved so much and share their talents to make Virginia a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Delegates Hala Ayala, Mark Levine, and Sam Rasoul each have a track record of serving their constituents well. Furthermore, we have Councilwoman Andria McClellan and community leaders, Sean Perryman and Xavier Warren, as great options to select for the Democratic candidate. It has

The concept of a utopian, philanthropic society is noble, but reckless disregard of sound fiscal principles and expansion of government are not. Unlike charities that compassionately identify and deliver donations to people in need effectively, government seizes wealth and selectively redistributes it inefficiently. And when there is not enough, money is printed, unleashing inflation, a

crippling disease that attacks everyone, especially those on fixed incomes.

When Biden unveiled the plan, he stated, “I’m a union guy … I support unions.

Unions built the middle class.

It’s about time they start to get a piece of the action.”

Exactly what did he mean by that? Will private sector, non-union contractors be denied access to a “piece of the action”? And did he strike a pre-election deal with labor union officials for support at the polls, and now taxpayers must complete his bargain?

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, labor unions were desperately needed to protect workforces, comprised mainly of oppressed European immigrants, from ruthless tycoons like Andrew Carnegie who exploited and imperiled workers, ravaging their lives and dignity for personal gain. Labor unions gradually improved conditions, but by the 1960s these organizations had become infected with corruption and were too powerful, burdening management with waste paid by consumers.

If labor unions are good for the public today, Mr. President, as a “union guy” you can undoubtedly expound on the merits of America’s subsidized United States Postal Service compared to thriving private sector carriers.

The Executive Branch’s bla-

tant disdain of longstanding economic principles is misguided as is liberal Modern Monetary Theory drivel, a feeble attempt to justify abuse.

We should pray America’s Legislative Branch throws bipartisanship aside and unites to exercise its duty to protect responsible taxpayers from the 46th President’s embrace with socialism, betraying many who elected him.

Daniel Corso Mechanicsville

BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

Roofing Standard Roofing Co. 746-5110 Hotline 837-7240 No job too small - all types of roofing FREE Estimates

Licensed/Insured

‘Johnson’s War’! Not Nixon’s Army!

(Editor’s note: The following letter to the editor was submitted

by Buddy Cousins of Ashland, who served as an Infantryman until “Promoted” (sic) to Combat Intelligence Specialist.

They took my weapon, gave me a camera, and said, “You shoot with this from now on.” Shown is one of my photos. It appeared in several military publications.)

I deeply appreciate Jim Ridolphi’s letter remembering Vietnam veterans, because I am one.

I was disappointed to see Mr. Ridolphi’s efforts to incorporate his political views into it, and more so – he was wrong both in doing that and in fact.

I’ve read a fair amount on the “Vietnam War” and I have

been exciting getting to know all of these candidates. They have attended our monthly meetings and many of them participated in our political rally last fall.”

“Our very own member, Dr. Rachel Levy, who is our declared Democratic nominee for the House of Delegates in the 55th District will not be on the Primary ballot because she has already been selected as our candidate.” To learn more about Dr. Levy, go to https:// rachelfordelegate.org.

The Democratic chairman said that the county party is planning to hold a rally on May 16 in Ashland.

More information can be found at hvadems.com.

“This will be a great opportunity for candidates to meet constituents and earn their votes in a socially distanced manner. With the primary coming on June 8, and early voting already open, the candidates need as much exposure see VOTING, pg. 16

Contributed Photo

Buddy Cousins was serving as an Infantryman in the Vietnam War when he was handed a camera and told to “shoot with this from now on.” This is one of his photos that appeared in several military publications.

never seen any reference to the soldiers having been referred to as “Nixon’s Army”.

On the other hand, if you Google you will find several references referring to the “Vietnam War” as “Johnson’s War”. Google Images has an entire section titled, “Johnson’s War”. Don’t take my word for it. One of the books I’ve read is titled, “Lyndon Johson’s War”

by Larry Berman, a respected historian on the “Vietnam War’’.

Perhaps Mr. Ridolphi would like to discuss Johnson’s mental collapse/breakdown* during the “Vietnam War”.

At least Mr. Ridolphi had the courage to say that he jumped back into college to obtain a deferment to avoid the “Vietnam War” altogether. *We had two key players suffer “breakdowns” during the “Vietnam War”: A) Johnson and B) Graham

Martin, who was the ambassador during our last year in Vietnam.

No one should be shocked to see that Mr. Ridolphi didn’t let some facts get in his way.

If you watch TV news you might find them saying that Nixon was the first to send troops to Vietnam, or that he ordered the Nuking of Japan; the “Reporters”, (SIC) carefully forgetting that both were done

by Democratic presidents.

Who cares about the facts anyway? For me, Country Joe and The Fish summed it all up, “Well, come on all of you, big strong men. Uncle Sam needs your help again. He’s got himself in a terrible jam way down yonder in Vietnam. So put down your books and pick up a gun, we’re gonna have a whole lotta fun … And it’s a one, two three, what are we fighting for …”

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021 15

BUM Continued from pg. 6

his life.

It was one of those names that perfectly fit the southernmost city, and Farto played it to the hilt for decades. He was known for his flamboyant wardrobes and reverence to a well-known Caribbean religion called Santeria. After landing a job on the firefighting crew, Farto worked his way to the top and was named fire chief in 1964.

It was a time of great change in Key West. After a century and a half of anchoring the local economy, the famed Naval Base at Key West closed, leaving hundreds of locals scrambling for new livelihoods.

Farto’s life also was taking some serious detours. Two years after taking the top job, he was fired for misappropriating department funds, but reinstated after a commission headed by a relative cleared him and substituted the termination with a 30-day suspension.

It was no secret in then sleepy Key West that the oncesmugglers paradise was enjoying a renewed status as drugs flowed through the small port and up the East Coast.

Known as a Key West institution, Bum had become famous for his pastel-colored leisure suits and fluorescent glasses and couldn’t resist the temptation of a quick profit and minimal risk and began selling marijuana and eventually harder substances from a bench in front of the fire station.

The business was almost open air and involved many of the city’s most prominent citizens.

Word finally reached the Feds in Miami, a group already caught unprepared for the massive amount of drugs coming through Key West, much of it handled by well-known names in a small town.

While under surveillance, Farto made the mistake of sell-

16

ing a controlled substance to a federal agent, an episode caught on film in the firehouse, resulting in a guilty verdict for Bum and many other top leaders in the Key West community.

In an only-in-Florida epilog to the story, Bum was bonded out by one of his co-defendants as they waited their appeal.

Months later, Farto kissed his wife goodbye and told her he was going to Miami for the day and would return by evening.

He never did.

To this day, Key Westers are still asking “Where is Bum Farto?”, and to those who don’t know the story, the name still gets that shocked reaction. In decades past, Jimmy Buffet often sported a t-shirt on stage that asked the seemingly unanswerable question, and entrepreneurs quickly massproduced the shirts.

Farto’s rental car was found in a Cuban neighborhood in Miami weeks after he disappeared, and, a decade later in 1986, a judge declared the larger-than-life figure deceased.

Some say Bum high-tailed it to Spain and lived with relatives or escaped to South America.

The oldest, crustiest of Key Westers will tell you Bum met a more perilous end at the hand of organized crime.

And for the new generation that now inhabits the southernmost city, Bum Farto is another one of the names that seems to have no explanation, or reason other than bringing a smile to the face of uninformed tourists.

The rest of us still wonder where the would-be 102-yearold wanderer might be, but most of us are convinced he’s not living as Bum Farto, or any other name for that matter; but Bum still remains a colorful tidbit of Key West’s colorful history, recognition of a time when eccentric citizens and crooked politicians ruled the day in the southernmost city.

Ashland-Hanover Local April 28, 2021

No injuries reported in April 19 fire Multiple crews respond to blaze at house in Laurel Meadows subdivision Staff Report news@mechlocal.com MECHANICSVILLE – Multiple crews with Hanover Fire/EMS responded to a blaze that extended to the second and into the attic of a house in the 8200 block of Melinda Kay Court in the Laurel Meadows subdivision of Mechanicsville.

Battalion Chief Gregory R. Martin, who serves as public information officer for Fire Chief Jethro Piland III, said the fire broke out Monday, April 19, on the front side of the building in the garage of the two-story wood frame house. He also said there were no injuries reported and the Photo courtesy of Hanover Fire/EMS residents all escaped.

Fire broke out on the second floor of this house in the 8200 block of Melinda Kay Court on “Fire extended to the second Monday, April 19. The blaze spread into the attic. story and into the attic space (10) years be replaced,” Martin added.

Office is investigating the cause. before being extinguished,” Anyone needing assistance with smoke “We encourage you to have working Martin said. That evening, the fire was marked under control with salvage and smoke alarms on each floor of your home alarms can contact the Metro Richmond and outside each sleeping area, and rec- Chiefs Smoke Alarm Hotline at 1-888overhaul operations having taken place.

The Hanover County Fire Marshal's ommend smoke alarms greater than ten 537-5967.

Registration open for Youth Citizen’s Police Academy HANOVER – The Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office will once again be hosting the Youth Citizen’s Police Academy.

The Youth Citizen’s Police Academy will be held Monday through Friday, June 21-25.

This academy will begin each day at 9 a.m. and conclude by 4 p.m.

There will be no cost to participants.

This program will be available to students who are rising 9th through 12th graders. The applicant must be a

VOTING Continued from pg. 15

to the general public as possible. That is what May 16 will be all about for us.”

“We encourage everyone to get to know the candidates by looking at their profiles on the perspective websites, ballotpe-

Hanover resident.

This academy is designed to give the youth of Hanover County a chance to see the day-to-day operations of their Sheriff ’s Office and will allow participants to interact with the men and women of the Sheriff ’s Office.

The academy also will offer the participants an inside look into a career in law enforcement.

The training will consist of a variety of law enforcement topics that will give

dia.com, vpap.com, and showing up to the events where they can meet the candidates,” he added.

“We are very excited about the path forward for our Commonwealth. Our candidates are top-notch. This is going to be a highly anticipated primary on June 8,” he

the youth a better understanding of how and why the members of the Sheriff ’s Office do what they do.

For more information, contact the deputy at your child’s school or Lt. Drew Darby at the Sheriff ’s Office at 804-3656266 or by email at dedarby@hanovercounty.gov.

Information submitted by Lt. James R. Cooper, Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office public information officer.

said.

Candidates for Democratic seats are: Governor – Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Jennifer L. McClellan, Justin E. Fairfax, Lee J. Carter, and Terry R. McAuliffe Lieutenant Governor – Andria P. McClellan, Elizabeth

R. Guzman, Hala S. Ayala, Mark H. Levine, S. “Sam” Raoul, Sean A. Perryman, and Xavier JaMar Warren.

Attorney General – Jerrauld C. “Jay” Jones and Mark R. Herring.

House of Delegates, 55th District – Rachel A. Levy, unopposed (no Primary).