EDUCATION
COMMUNITY
Hanover County teachers praised for National Certification
Remi is a Pet of the month looking for a home PAGE
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Vol. 7 No. 21 | Richmond Suburban News | January 19, 2022
Changes to public comment period considered RSN welcomes new editor 2022-23 school calendar approved By Jim Ridolphi Ashland-Hanover Local
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s last week’s regularly scheduled Hanover School Board meeting began, Beaverdam representative John Axselle asked that the agenda be amended to include an item for discussion on current policy regarding citizens participation at school board meetings. In recent months, many citizens who signed up to speak didn’t get that opportunity as the one-hour time limit expired on the public comment period. In order to make sure those speakers had that opportunity, board members placed the names of those who signed up but didn’t get the opportunity to speak on the list for the
Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Cold Harbor School Board member Steven Ikenberry suggested that board members be able to respond or engage speakers during public comment period. He introduced the idea when the board was discussing amendments to the current policy regarding citizen interaction with the board. Ikenberry said current policy does allow interaction with the permission of the chair.
following month’s meeting. School Board attorney Lisa Seward presented a policy that some board members hope will guarantee that Hanover residents are first to speak during public comment period. The new policy also eliminates the availability to sign up to speak the night of the meeting, and all requests must be submitted by noon on the day of the meeting. Axselle said the new policy will allow Hanover citizens to be heard first during public comment, and eases time restrictions placed on the clerk by late additions to the sign-up list. Under the proposed changes, Hanover citizens with children currently in county schools would be the first speakers called followed by citizens who reside in the county but have no school-aged children currently enrolled. Owners of businesses who operate in see CHANGES, pg. 2
Library launches ‘Instant Shakespeare’ series Christina Amano Dolan Editor ASHLAND – Pamunkey Regional Library’s Ashland Branch kicked off the new year with its first ever “Instant Shakespeare” event held this month. With each month featuring a different Shakespeare play, the event aims to bring a new and exciting approach to the famous playwright’s work. All community members are welcome to spend the day reading and rehearsing the script and, with props provided, conclude the evening with a read through of the play broadcasted to family and friends via Zoom. This month featured “Hamlet,” with 16 see INSTANT, pg. 11
Contributed photo by Roger Reynolds
‘Instant Shakespeare’ participants have fun as they rehearse this month’s play, ‘Hamlet,’ in the Pamunkey Regional Library Ashland Branch meeting rooms. Participants were provided with costumes, sashes and props by the library.
By Jim Ridolphi For Ashland-Hanover Local
Richmond Suburban Newspapers (RSN) is proud to announce the appointment of Christina Amano Dolan as the new editor of The Mechanicsville Local and the Ashland-Hanover Local effective immediately. A native of Northern Virginia, Amano Dolan graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a dual major in journalism and English. Her interest in journalism peaked during her college career, but Amano Dolan knew early in life where her true passions lay. “Whether from drawing little picture books in kindergarten to writing short stories or novels on our family desktop computer, even when I was a child I could never stop writing. As I grew older and college applications rolled around, with the daunting question of ‘what do I want to do?’ hanging over my head, it became almost instantly apparent: I wanted to be a writer,” Amano Dolan said last week. That dedication to the written word led her to Richmond and fostered a commitment to community journalism that has only intensified. “My interest in journalism first sparked on my college orientation day,” she said. “There, I had spoken to a student who was majoring in both English
CHRISTINA AMANO DOLAN
and journalism, and it had suddenly dawned on me that I could do so much more with writing.” She discovered that a career in journalism offered the opportunity to pursue her love of writing and provide a meaningful public service. “Rather than writing stories that would sit forever in my computer, I could instead use my love of writing in a more proactive way, write pieces that would make a difference, whether small or large, and meet countless new people, learning about their communities and how I could help,” Amano Dolan said. “I couldn’t deny my passion for reporting once I added my second major of print journalism, and I had decided long before graduation that I wanted to pursue journalism as a career,” she added. see EDITOR, pg. 5