ASTRONMY
COMMUNITY
The Universe from the Center: New discoveries to come with James Webb Space Telescope
Hanover 4-H Camp registration opens March 2 PAGE
5
PAGE
16
Vol. 7 No. 26 | Richmond Suburban News | March 2, 2022
Investment could assist hiring, Revolutionary War ‘Living retention of county employees History’ at Hanover Tavern By Christina Amano Dolan Editor
Supervisors hear staff budget presentations as process continues By Jim Ridolphi For Ashland-Hanover Local When Hanover County Administrator John Budesky presented his proposed fiscal year (FY)2023 budget last month to the board of supervisors, one of the major areas of focus was the need to address employee composition and look after the people who take care of the county. As the budget process
continued last week, human resources director Janet Lawson explained how proposed employee compensation might assist the county in hiring and retaining the best candidates. Regionally, neighboring localities have taken major action to increase compensation for their workforces, creating an even more challenging see HIRING, pg. 2
Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Human Resources director Janet Lawson said compensation enhancements contained in the FY2023 budget proposal will better position Hanover in a competitive hiring market.
Last weekend, a group of reenactors visited the grounds of the Hanover Tavern to bring visitors a glimpse of the life of a Hanoverian Revolutionary War soldier. With the morning filled with light conversation, campfire smoke, the sound of a fife playing and more, visiting families were able to travel back in time to 18th century Christina Amano Dolan/The Local life while grabbing lunch in Chris Atkinson gives the children in attendance an the tavern. see HISTORY pg. 4
interactive lesson on drill and firing procedures. Children were given toy wooden muskets for practice.
Hanover NAACP calls for investigation into decertified deputy By Christina Amano Dolan Editor In light of a recent wave of officer decertification following a nationwide push for police reform, the Hanover NAACP has called for further investigation into a former
Hanover County sheriff ’s deputy. Legislation proposed by Virginia Sen. Mamie Locke and approved in March 2021 created statewide professional standards of conduct for law enforcement officers and established a process for decertifying
officers who violate those standards. Officers who are decertified are unable to attain jobs at any law enforcement agency in the Commonwealth. The new legislation aimed to keep officers with histories of ethi-
cal misconduct from resigning from one Virginia police department and working at another and expanded decertification offenses to include dishonesty and excessive force. These offenses were previously fireable but not written into Virginia
law as calls for decertification. According to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services’ master list, 146 officers have been decertified as of midJanuary, with more than half added see NAACP, pg. 7
MAR 18 - APR 17 HANOVER TAVERN Don't miss this charming love story
VIRGINIAREP.ORG 804-282-2620
HIRING Continued from pg. 1
and competetive environment to attract candidates. “Beginning last year and continuing this year we have significant compensation increases among our local regional government peers. These compensation increases have created both recruitment and retention challenges impacting both the county and schools,” Lawson said. Add to that an increase in retirements, resignations and a workforce where 37% of employees are eligible for retirement, and the need for solutions contained in this year’s budget proposal becomes more critical in Hanover County. “We’ve had employees leave to accept state positions, which is something we have not typically seen in the past,” Lawson said. Others have left
FISH DAY!
IT’S TIME TO STOCK YOUR POND!
Delivery will be:
Tuesday, March 15 Ashland 11:45-12:30 @Ashland Feed Store Montpelier 1:00-1:45 @Montpelier Feed & Seed LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!
FISHWAGON To Place an Order Call
1-800-643-8439
www.fishwagon.com
Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Principals and support staff attended last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting in support of superintendent Michael Gill (left) as he presented the School Board’s Adopted FY2023 budget.
for increased compensation in other localities or the private sector. In an effort to address market competitiveness, adjustments were made to public safety positions last year, and Lawson said this current proposal goes a step further in addressing compensation . “So how are we addressing these continuing challenges? The first thing is we made a commitment to our workforce that after we addressed public safety, we would take a look at our remaining workforce, and we have done that this year,” Lawson said. After considering market data and trends, length of service and other factors, a model was developed that “both preserves competitiveness and
Clogged sewer or drain? Water heater issues? Plumbing jobs big or small, Snappy does them all! Let Snappy make Mention this ad You happy today!
for a free service call with repair! (Class A Plumbing Contractor License #2703001335)
1-877-SNAPPY4U or 1-877-762-7794
2
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
addresses compression.” County employees will receive a 5% merit increase under the proposed budget, the highest amount awarded in 20 years. The minimum wage for any county position would be increased to $15/hourly. In addition to those merit increases, non-public safety positions were reevaluated for regional market competitiveness resulting in an increase for more than 400 county employees totaling about $1.9 million, and the employee share for health care costs would not increase under the proposed budget. Lawson said about 53% of all the funds budgeted are allocated for salaries and benefits. “The proposed fiscal year 2023 budget includes the addition of 27.5 full-time equivalents with the majority of positions to support public safety departments,” she told supervisors last week. “The remaining 10.8 positions listed cover other departments that are needed to support our mission of high quality customer service to our citizens and meeting operational needs,” Lawson said. The employee turnover rate for county employees is usually around 10% annually, but jumped to 18% this year. “Retirements have increased substantially over the past three years,” she said.
Lawson also noted a 40% decrease in applications received during the past two years. “These factors coupled with increasing inflation and regional wages have created challenges that we must address immediately in order to maintain our high caliber workforce,” Lawson said. “Given the increase in compensation challenges we are facing from all sectors in addition to other external factors, this budget includes an investment in our workforce that is greater than we’ve seen in many years. However, this investment is not only warranted, it’s critical in helping us maintain our quality workforce,” Lawson said. She said the increased compensation will also continue a tradition of excellence in county services. “We are fortunate to have a loyal and high caliber workforce who consistently demonstrate excellent customer service not only to the citizens of Hanover County but to those who conduct business here,” Lawson said. “We are excited to propose a budget that includes an investment that demonstrates our appreciation and is more in line with our peers. We are facing more challenges every year and our employees have consistently remained dedicated and committed to their jobs
as public servants. By investing in our workforce we will promote our commitment to service excellence and demonstrate that our greatest asset is truly our workforce,” Lawson concluded. Supervisors also heard a presentation by Hanover School superintendent Dr. Michael Gill outlining the school division’s requests for the 2023 budget. The $271.5 million school budget was approved by the school board in February. Gill described the challenges faced by his district during the past two years and commended system employees for their extra efforts during the pandemic. “If we have learned anything – and hopefully we’ve learned a lot of lessons during the pandemic – it’s that each and every position in the school divisions is absolutely integral. It truly does take a village to raise a child,” Gill said. The superintendent said the budget includes a comprehensive employee compensation plan that includes a 5% salary increase for all district employees, as well as extra funding for positions like bus drivers, nurses, custodians and classroom assistants. Gill said those increases are necessary to ensure Hanover can hire and retain the best teachers and support employees. The school board’s approved budget also continues efforts to address social and emotional challenges and enhances teacher professional development. The budget also provides expanded resources and activities for students. He told supervisors it is important to provide transparent information regarding the system’s needs. “We acknowledge that we have teacher shortages most certainly as you have heard from me but also the media,
Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Budget division director Shelly Wright presented an outline of the Capital Improvements Program and five-year plan.
bus driver shortages, and not as well-publicized custodial shortages,” Gill said. This year’s school budget includes: 5% salary increase for all employees effective July 1, 2022. Longevity salary enhancements. Salary enhancements for certain job areas. Eight positions to support student mental health, counseling and behavioral management. Assigned substitutes at each campus. Continued compensation for teachers who cover other classes. Provisional Teacher University established. Two positions to support work-based training and career and technical education (CTE). An advanced studies coordinator at each high school. A part-time safety specialist. Supervisors also heard presentations from Shelly Wright, budget division director, and Steve Herzog, director of public utilities, as the FY 2023 budget process continues.
Mechanicsville man after car runs off the roadway the vehicle ran off the right shoulder of the roadway and collided head on with a tree. The driver and sole occupant of the 2014 Ford Mustang, Charles Yancey Young, 37, Mechanicsville, was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no other vehicles involved in this crash. Investigators are still
SHERIFF’S REPORTS | Crime, Accidents, Fire & Rescue block of Courtland Farm Road, Hanover.
Feb. 2
Driver not reporting accident with damage up to $1,000 was reported in the 10100th block of Kings Dominion Boulevard, Doswell. Destruction of property, monument was reported in the 14100th block of Blunts Bridge Road, Ashland. Identity theft with intention to defraud, up to $200 was reported in the 10100th block of Cameron Ridge Drive, Ashland. Unauthorized use of a vehicle, boat or animal was reported in the 9800th block of Atlee Commons Drive, Ashland. Falsely identifying self to law enforcement was reported in the 11200th block of Washington Highway, Ashland.
Feb. 3
Identity fraud, use of identifying information to defraud was reported in the 16400th block of Goshen Road, Beaverdam. Forging was reported in the 14200th block of Washington Highway, Ashland. Identity fraud, use of identifying information to defraud was reported in the 10200th block of Lakeridge Square Court, Ashland. False report to police or falsely summoning police was reported in the 7200th
Obtaining money by false pretenses less than $200 was reported in the 17100th block of Dunns Chapel Road, Montpelier.
Feb. 4
Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance was reported in the 11000th block of Old Telegraph Road, Ashland.
Identity theft with financial loss more than $200 was reported in the 10100th block of Markside Way, Ashland.
Simple assault was reported in the 13400th block of Liberty School Road, Ashland.
Destruction of property, monument was reported in the 13000th block of Liberty School Road, Ashland.
Feb. 7.
Driver not reporting accident with damage less than $250 was reported in the 15300th block of Greenwood Church Road, Montpelier.
Feb. 8
Driver not reporting accident with damage more than $250 was reported in the 12000th block of Ashcake Road, Ashland.
Destruction of property, monument was reported in the 15000th block of Taylor Road, Beaverdam.
Simple assault was reported in the 13100th block of Waltons Tavern Road, Montpelier.
Driver not reporting accident with damage less than $250 was reported in the 11000th block of Broken Bit Lane/Cedar Lane, Ashland.
Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 6400th block of Tammy Lane, Mechanicsville.
Grand larceny, parts was reported in the 10000th block of Vermeer Place, Ashland.
Feb. 6
Larceny of certain animals was reported in the 10000th block of Ashcake Road, Ashland.
Simple assault was reported in the 12400th block of Cedar Lane, Ashland.
Feb. 5
reported in the 14500th block of Bethany Church Road, Montpelier.
Simple assault was
205 England Street Ashland, VA 23005
collecting information. The sheriff ’s office extended condolences to the family of Charles Young during this difficult time. Information submitted by Lt. James R. Cooper, Hanover County Sheriff’s Office public information officer.
Identity fraud, use of identifying information to defraud was reported in the 7500th block of County Complex Road, Hanover.
Assault on law enforcement, court, corrections, fire or medical personnel was reported in the 100th block of Water
Oak Lane/Arbor Oak Drive, Ashland.
Feb. 9
Larceny of bank notes, checks was reported in the 9900th block of Lickinghole Road, Ashland. Destruction of property, monument -Value >=$1000 was reported in the 14500th block of Greenwood Church Road, Montpelier.
Give us a call: (804) 401-7007
The Batman
Upcoming Events:
On Thursday, Feb. 25 at approximately 12:14 a.m., deputies responded to the area of Retreat Farm Lane off of Piping Tree Ferry Road for a single vehicle crash. The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Ford Mustang was traveling northbound on Retreat Farm Lane when
March 3rd at 7:00 pm March 4th at 7:00 pm March 5th at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm March 6th at 12:00 pm When the Riddler begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s hidden corruption and question his family’s involvement.
HCPS Flexible Learning Day March 7th at 10:00 am & 1:00 pm The Ashland Theatre is excited to welcome all Hanover County Public School students and families to a showing of the Disney movie, Wall-E as part of Flexible Learning Day.
Purchase tickets & see upcoming events at:
ashlandtheatre.org
KEEPING TEENS SAFE THURS. MARCH 10, 2022
VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM This community conversation will help families understand the importance of talking about teen emotional health. Panelists will address depression, suicide risk, self-care strategies, resilience and resources.
7PM9PM
REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT: HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/HANOVERKTS Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 3
HISTORY Continued from pg. 1
“It's the sort of day-to-day minutia of the soldier that gets lost in lists of battles… But, you know, wars are fought and won by boots on the ground,” said Brooke Adams, the marketing and programs manager for the Hanover Tavern. “And so that's what these guys are representing … the average Revolutionary War soldier, and they are depicting a unit from here in Hanover County.” The event was titled “The American War for Independence: A Living History Event” and was presented by the 6th Virginia Continental Regiment reenactors. The group portrayed the Hanover County Militia led by Captain Patrick Henry in 1775 and other officers throughout the Revolutionary War. The event was free admission, with many families filtering in and out throughout the morning and early afternoon to interact with reenactors, visit the variety of stations and even witness an authentic drill and firing demonstration. Led by regiment member John Pagano, group members displayed what a Continental line regiment in Virginia looked like, with soldiers moving synchronously in tight formations while Pagano shouted orders. Regiment member Chris Atkinson stood before the crowd of visitors to narrate the drill demonstration while offering important historical context. “The men that you see here today, most of them are carrying muskets called a British Brown Bess, the British-made musket,” Atkinson explained. “It’s probably the most prevalent musket used by Continental forces or patriot forces during the American Revolution.” Atkinson offered an upclose demonstration of how
Legal Notice NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS, INC., FOR AUTHORITY TO AMEND ITS CONSERVATION AND RATEMAKING EFFICIENCY PLAN CASE NO. PUR-2022-00011 On January 28, 2022, pursuant to Chapter 25 of Title 56 of the Code of Virginia, §§ 56-600 et seq. (“CARE Act”), the Rules Governing Utility Rate Applications and Annual Informational Filings of the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”), and the Commission’s April 12, 2019 Final Order issued in Case No. PUR-2018-00194, Virginia Natural Gas, Inc. (“VNG” or “Company”), by counsel, filed an application (“Application”) for approval to amend and extend its current natural gas conservation and ratemaking efficiency plan (“CARE Plan”). VNG refers to its currently approved CARE Plan as Phase 4 and the amendment requested in the Application as Phase 5. Pursuant to Code § 56-602 B, the Commission is required to approve or deny the Application within 120 days. In its Application, the Company proposes to extend the main components of Phase 4 and allow customers to continue to have the opportunity to participate. Additionally, VNG proposes to (1) diversify and stratify the rebates available to customers under the Residential Home Incentive program by adding rebates for tankless water heaters as well as incorporating two-tier rebate levels for the tankless water heater and furnace rebates, (2) update the Home Energy Audit Program to offer three different kits to customers throughout Phase 5 instead of having only one kit available each year and rotating the kit contents as is currently done in Phase 4, and (3) add a Home Energy Report Program and a Low-Income Home Energy Report Program (together, the “HER Programs”) which are behavioral energy efficiency programs designed to help customers reduce their energy needs by encouraging them to alter their natural gas usage habits through positive reinforcement. The Company states that the proposed increase in the overall budget from Phase 4 to Phase 5 is projected to go from $1.35 million to $3.1 million. The Company represents that the typical residential customer will see a monthly bill increase of approximately $0.17 per month, compared to the current Phase 4 program, and that the overall cost of the program will be below $4 per year for a typical residential customer. In its Application, the Company states that its only proposed modification to the Company’s Commission approved CARE Plan decoupling and program cost recovery mechanism, designated Rider D, is a change in the per CCF rate cap from $0.09 to $0.13 based on the rates approved in VNG’s most recent base rate case, Case No. PUR-2020-00095. If approved by the Commission, the Company proposes to implement its amended CARE Plan effective June 1, 2022, for the three-year period ending May 31, 2025. In its Application, the Company asserts that the amended CARE Plan will have no impact on the rate design previously adopted by the Commission. The details of these and other proposals are set forth in the Company’s Application. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Company’s Application and supporting testimony and exhibits for the details of these proposals. TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Application and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Application and supporting documents. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Comment that, among other things, directed the Company to provide notice to the public and provided interested persons an opportunity to comment on the Company’s Application. The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health issues related to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other documents required to be served in this matter should be submitted electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice. Confidential and Extraordinarily Sensitive Information shall not be submitted electronically and should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, of the Rules of Practice. Any person seeking to hand deliver and physically file or submit any pleading or other document shall contact the Clerk’s Office Document Control Center at (804) 371-9838 to arrange the delivery. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Rules of Practice, the Commission has directed that service on parties and the Commission’s Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Notice and Comment for further instructions concerning Confidential or Extraordinarily Sensitive Information. An electronic copy of the Application may be viewed on the Commission’s website or obtained, at no charge, by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company: Elaine S. Ryan, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, eryan@mcguirewoods.com. On or before March 25, 2022, any interested person or entity may submit comments on VNG’s Application with the Clerk of the Commission by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to submit comments electronically may file such comments by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00011. On or before March 25, 2022, any interested person or entity may participate as a respondent in this proceeding by filing a notice of participation with the Clerk of the Commission at: scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling/. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a notice of participation electronically may file such notice by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00011. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Comment. On or before March 25, 2022, any interested person or entity may file, with the Clerk of the Commission at scc.virginia.gov/clk/efiling/, a request that the Commission convene a hearing on VNG’s Application. Those unable, as a practical matter, to file a request for hearing electronically may file such request for hearing by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. Such request for hearing shall include the email address of the filer or its counsel if available, and shall include: (i) a precise statement of the filing party’s interest in the proceeding; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; (iii) a statement of the legal basis for such action; and (iv) a precise statement why a hearing should be conducted in this matter. All such filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00011. A copy of any notice of participation or any request for hearing simultaneously shall be sent to counsel for the Company electronically at the email address set forth above. The Company’s Application and other documents filed in this case, the Commission’s Rules of Practice, and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Comment may be viewed at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information.
see HISTORY, pg. 8
4
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS, INC.
The Universe from the Center:
New discoveries to come with James Webb Space Telescope By Dr. George Spagna Special to The Local Note: The Keeble Observatory at Randolph-Macon College will continue pandemic restrictions at the present time, with anticipated reopening for public viewing in the spring. Watch the web site (https:// www.rmc.edu/keeble) for updates or call the Keeble Information line at 804-752-3210. If you need to speak with someone immediately, please call Dr. Michael Rodruck at 804-752-7344.
L
ast month’s column introduced the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is currently deploying at a point in space called L2 about a million miles from Earth. The tenniscourt sized sun shield blocks infrared radiation from the sun, earth and moon and allows the telescope mirrors and instruments to get very cold. The cool down is proceeding, with mirrors and most of the instruments below 50 kelvins (-223 degrees Celsius). They still have a way to go, as the target is colder than 10 K and the cooling rate gets slower because the cooling rate goes like the fourth power of absolute temperature. The telescope has to be cold lest its own infrared radiation swamp the faint IR it is meant to observe. Previous ground-based and orbiting infrared telescope relied on liquid helium to do the cooling. The liquid helium can be replenished for a ground-based instrument. That’s not an option for a space telescope and certainly not for JWST, which is a million miles away. Hence the sun shield. Also in progress is the fine tuning of mirror alignment. Eighteen
hexagonal pieces of the 6.5 meter primary mirror have to be precisely tilted to form a single image. The progress on deployment can be followed at webb.nasa.gov. Why an infrared telescope in the first place when our eyes cannot see this radiation at all? After all, didn’t the Hubble Space Telescope already reveal the depths of the universe? Not quite. The answers are partly tied to the fact that the universe is uniformly expanding, and the more distant objects appear to be receding at a speed proportional to their distance. The current expansion rate is about 73 kilometers per second per million parsecs. (A parsec is about 3.26 light years). Another piece of the story is the Doppler shift, which in this case is a “red shift.” The faster a source is receding, the more its emitted light shifts to longer wavelengths. The final piece is the fixed speed of light, which is just under 300 thousand kilometers per second. This means that the further away we are looking, the further back in the history of the universe we are seeing. Telescopes are time machines! So JWST will allow us to “see” back to the earliest galaxies when the universe was perhaps only a few hundred million years old. (The current age of the universe is 13.8 billion years). This is a time when the only elements were hydrogen and helium – we needed several generations of stars to generate the rest of the periodic table. JWST should also be able to directly image exoplanets and study their atmosphere and it will probably allow us to discover things we aren’t expecting. Expect to hear and see wonderful things over the next decades of discovery! Lunar phases for March: New Moon on March 2 at 12:35 p.m.; First
Quarter on March 10 at 5:45 a.m.; Full Moon on March 18 at 3:17 a.m. and Last Quarter on March 24 at 1:37 p.m. All times are Eastern Standard. Planet watchers will need to get up early. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn are all predawn targets. Look Metro Creative Graphics to the southeast. Venus is the brightest, rising around 4 a.m., with Mars just below and to the right. Saturn rises around 5:30 a.m., followed by Mercury. An overhead look at mid-March reveals a mostly empty sky at zenith. The likely unfamiliar constellations of Lynx and Leo Minor are in that direction, but there are no bright stars to grab your attention. Brighter and more familiar asterisms lay tens of degrees below zenith. Gemini is high (about 70 degrees) to the southwest, marked by the “twins” Castor and Pollux. Below Gemini we bid farewell to Orion and all the familiar bright stars in that constellation and those around it. To the south-southeast we find the sickle shape of Leo, with bright blue Regulus. Ursa Major (including the Big Dipper asterism) is high to the northeast, and Capella marks the constellation Auriga to the northwest. 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, Dr. George Spagna at gspagna@rmc.edu. I have retired from Randolph-Macon College but will continue these columns and use of this email address for the foreseeable future.
JOB FAIR Wednesday, March 16 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Atlee Branch Library, 9212 Rutlandshire Drive in Mechanicsville Recruiting for Transportation, Custodians, Food Service, Instructional Assistants, and Substitute Teachers
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 5
OPINION | The Local Views From the editor
The importance of hobbies outside of everyday routine By Christina Amano Dolan Editor
S
taying true to one of my New Year’s resolutions, I have recently re-adopted one of my favorite, yet sadly abandoned, hobbies: cooking. It may seem like a small milestone, as many people I know cook every meal as part of their daily routine. But I must admit to becoming too accustomed to living in a city, surrounded by an endless assortment of take-out restaurants and the ease of ordering a meal through delivery services on my phone. Apps such as Grubhub and DoorDash have made it far too easy to swiftly pick a meal without taking much of a pause and continue about my busy day. But as I began to notice my shrinking list of hobbies, along with a worrisome dent in my wallet, I started to miss the days that had time carved out for cooking. Almost as if a kid in a candy store, I would excitedly wander around the grocery store for ingredients for the week, oftentimes following new recipes that I had found online or impulsively collecting items to create my own concoction. Of course, any grocery store deals or discounts that were available would typically fuel
sudden inspiration, which tended to make the exploration all the more enjoyable. But as I shuffled about my busy days in college and worked lengthy hours on my feet in a restaurant, I would abandon this hobby out of what felt like necessity. With only so much free time left in the day, lengthy grocery store trips and cooking meals from scratch seemed too trivial in comparison to a long list of everyday tasks. But as I have assumed a busier schedule, I began to miss the time I would carve out of my day to simply create something new outside of my everyday tasks. I recall the days in high school when I would come home from my bustling school day and dedicate my afternoon to baking something for family and friends. There was always something so comforting and rewarding about finding a complicated pastry recipe online, combing through my pantry for the necessary ingredients, finding myself covered in flour and dough yet somehow producing a meticulously made dessert from scratch. I even recall the days in college when I would miss the comfort of my mother’s home cooked meals and strive to replicate her recipes to help ease everyday stresses. A visit
to the local Japanese grocery store to collect ingredients for my favorite family recipes was followed by a dedicated few hours to their careful preparation. Filling the house with the wonderful smell of my mother’s dishes offered me a home away from home, and the joy and sense of accomplishment I felt from replicating these dishes never failed to offer a unique form of therapy. While I must admit I will continue in my pursuit of trying new restaurants in the area and may occasionally succumb to the ease of meal delivery apps, I can’t help but form a new appreciation for this once-abandoned hobby. Although cooking is something I personally consider a hobby, I’ve come to realize the importance of all hobbies. Any hobby can provide a much-needed escape from everyday worries and routine, offering a new sense of comfort and enjoyment beyond what may feel like necessity. As I’ve begun to take on cooking again, I have started to analyze other hobbies that I have abandoned over the years, including guitar playing and painting, and have formed a reinvigorated desire to continue in those pursuits. Now, as I move through my everyday routine, I will continue to take a pause in my day and remind myself of the necessity of hobbies.
Olympics provided unexpected gem for uninspired viewer By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist The grades are out for the recently completed 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, and it appears most Americans paid little to no attention to the international competitions. NBC announced that ratings for
the games were down 40% from the most recent winter games in South Korea four years ago, and some traditional events with loyal viewers achieved lower marks than expected. Industry experts listed a number of reasons for the lukewarm reception that included continuing concerns regarding the pandemic that resulted
Editorial & Business Office and Mailing Address: 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Phone – (804) 746-1235 Editor – (804) 212-6266 Toll free – (877) 888-0449 Fax – (804) 344-8746 Online: richmond.com/community/mechanicsville-local Publisher
Joy Monopoli .........................................jmonopoli@RSNVA.com
Managing Editor
Laura McFarland ....................lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com
Editor
Christina Amano Dolan........................ cdolan@mechlocal.com
Production Manager
Denine D’Angelo .................................ddangelo@mechlocal.com
Sports Editor
David Lawrence .................................dlawrence@mechlocal.com
Sales Representative
Tom Haynie ............................................thaynie@mechlocal.com
Classifieds
Cindy Adams ...........................................cadams@mechlocal.com
6
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
in small crowds for all events and China’s current relationship with the United States that highlights political differences. For many Americans, viewing the winter games is a tradition that evokes memories of snow covered mountains and small villages filled with athletes from around the world. In
our house, the Alpine events always garnered the most attention, and, as youths we sat around the television and marveled at the achievements of skiers from across the globe as they plowed through powdery snow and what appeared to be a winter wonderland. I had that same type of anticipa-
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 © 2022 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.
tion as I attempted to follow the Alpine events at this year’s games, but something seemed apparently different as I tuned in to the first event. The snow was manufactured and the surrounding mountains were bare due to the lack of significant snowfalls. For the first time in my Olympic viewing memory, and despite my best efforts, I could not get interested in the events. When a doping scandal erupted in the first week of the games, I decided the games had become a victim of politics and, for the most part, tuned out. But, I realized my relationship with the 2022 games had not ended when, quite by accident, I landed on a curling competition. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen the sport, but I had always dismissed it as slow and unwatchable. After giving the sport a decent chance, I learned my first assumpsee OLYMPICS, pg. 7
OLYMPICS Continued from pg. 6
tions were, as usual, wrong and developed a real respect for the athletes and the game. I tuned in night after night to see the matches and was enlightened with a tiny bit of more information with each viewing. Now, I must admit I still don’t understand the intricacies of the game, or many of the terms associated with
the sport. Curling is a game of strategy and a sport that I imagine had its origins on a frozen lake in some foreign country that has evolved into a widely accepted and professional competition, complete with organized leagues and World Cup events. Watching those curling events also exposed me to some other snowboarding and freestyle skiing events that were not included in the games
of my memories. I was again amazed at the athletic ability of these dedicated competitors and their ability to perform under such enormous pressure and difficult conditions. As the closing ceremony approached, I realized I had watched as many hours during these games as the ones in the past, and although some of the events had changed or been added and others recently recognized and appreciated, the
NAACP Continued from pg. 1
to the list in the past two years. Hanover NAACP President Pat Hunter-Jordan held a press conference last Monday to call attention to recent allegations against former officer Christopher Ryan Payne, who was employed with the Hanover County Sherriff ’s Office from January 2015 through December 2021 and previously named “officer of the year” several times. According to the Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office, Sheriff Col. David Hines ordered an internal investigation into then-deputy Christopher Payne in late November 2021 after finding discrepancies between his reports and body camera footage during a regular audit. The sheriff ’s office worked closely with the Hanover Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office while reviewing Payne’s cases. Payne “resigned with cause” on Dec. 16, 2021, based on the results of the internal investigation. Per Virginia Code 15.2-1707, the sheriff ’s office submitted the decertification paperwork to the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) within the required 48 hours. After reviewing the provided information, DCJS decertified Payne. According to the sheriff ’s office, the agency cannot legally disclose full details of the investigation, as the case involves a personnel matter. Hunter-Jordan said the Hanover NAACP has received at least 30 complaints about Payne’s conduct prior to learning of his decertification and had begun investigation, specifically in regard to alleged false charges that were filed by the former officer. Hunter-Jordan said she continues to receive complaints regarding Payne’s
Photo Courtesy of the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office
Hanover NAACP has called for further investigation into former officer Christopher Ryan Payne.
conduct. She said she received a complaint last week that was identical to another complaint made, which involved a citizen who was allegedly issued a DUI after receiving a ticket from Payne for a rolling stop. “This person said this cost them over $1,000. This one was over a year ago and nothing has changed with that case,” Hunter-Jordan stated in an email. The Hanover NAACP sent a letter to the commonwealth’s attorney requesting further review of all of Payne’s cases that are “free of influence of the sheriff ’s office.” “We do not want the sheriff ’s department involved in it, but we trust our commonwealth’s attorney to be able to carry this out. If we see that the results are not as expected, as anticipated, then we may make a further request for outside investigation,” Hunter-Jordan told WTVR CBS 6 during Monday’s press conference. Hunter-Jordan furthered the Hanover NAACP’s concerns with the “lack of
spirit of the games was evident. Despite the best efforts of those who attempted to distract or dismiss the games, the Olympic flame still represents a quest for peace and unity. Shortly after the flame was extinguished in a beautiful closing ceremony, I heard the first pundit describing the games as disappointing. Obviously, that observer had not witnessed the curling competition.
transparency with which this issue was managed by the sheriff ’s office” in a letter to The Local editor. “The transparency would have allowed our citizens the right to appeal decisions made where Officer Payne was involved,” Hunter-Jordan said in the letter. “If you or I lied about information on cases or on our jobs we would be fired. Former Officer Payne was not terminated. He was allowed to resign, which entitles him to retain benefits earned that we as taxpayers are responsible for funding.” In the same letter, Hunter-Jordan said NAACP members support officers who perform their duties and abide by the law but cannot “sit by and allow officers to taint the reputation” of the county’s officers or tolerate adverse actions that affect community members. Commonwealth’s Attorney R. E. Chalkley said he already reviewed the cases when the sheriff ’s office conducted the investigation. “I met with the sheriff some time ago, reviewed the matters, the officer in question, certain actions were taken to prevent people from being prosecuted… most of the time, there was nothing that had to be done. And there is no criminal investigation going on now and there are no permanent criminal charges,” Chalkley said. He said he had not yet received a letter from the Hanover NAACP requesting further investigation. Hunter-Jordan said this could be due to post office delays due to the holiday. Hunter-Jordan said they are deciding how to move forward if Chalkley ultimately decides he will not investigate the cases. Christina Amano Dolan may be reached at cdolan@mechlocal.com.
746-5853 WE WANT TO BE YOUR PLUMBER
! N O S R E IN-P
r e m sum ps c am
AGES 5 & 6
DRAMATIC ADVENTURES August 22 - 26; 9am - 12pm
GRADES 1-6
STAGE EXPLORERS
1 and 2 Week Options, extended day available June 20 - 24; June 27 - July 1; 9am - 4pm July 25 - August 5; 9am - 4pm GRADES 5-12 SUMMER SHOWTIME
TRAINING INTENSIVE
August 8 - 19; 9am - 4pm; Auditions required GRADES 7-12
YOUNG PERFORMERS INSTITUTE July 11 - 22; 9am - 4pm
VIRGINIAREP.ORG 804-282-2620 Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 7
LEGAL NOTICE HANOVER COUNTY, VIRGINIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
The County of Hanover, Virginia proposes to increase real 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 7.1 percent. 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 $0.76 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the “lowered tax rate.” 3. Effective Rate Increase: The County of Hanover proposes to adopt a tax rate of $0.81 per $100 of assessed value. This is the same as the 2021 tax rate. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the proposed rate would be $0.05 per $100, or 6.2 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 Increase: Based on the proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the total budget of the County of Hanover will increase 19.9% from that of last year. The General Fund budget is increasing by 10.7% from the fiscal year 2022 budget. A Public Hearing on the increase and the proposed tax rate listed above will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at 6:15 p.m. in the Board Room of the Hanover County Administration Building, 7516 County Complex Road, Hanover, Virginia. The options available for providing written or oral statements are posted on the County website: www.hanovercounty.gov. Related information is available for public inspection online and any regular working day between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the Office of the County Administrator, 7516 County Complex Road, Hanover, Virginia, phone number (804) 365-6005. John A. Budesky, County Administrator 8
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
HISTORY Continued from pg. 4
the musket operated along with its loading procedure. He also highlighted the triangular-shaped bayonets attached to the muskets for close quarter combat, which was later outlawed internationally. He said in addition to its battle use, bayonets were used as a digging tool, cooking instrument and even a candlestick holder. Atkinson further explained the elbow-to-elbow formation displayed by the reenactors, which resembled a single rank of the “rank and file” system used in battle. As their .75 caliber muskets held an accuracy of about 75 to 100 yards, soldiers would have to close their ranks in order to have an effect on the enemy, Atkinson said. “So that’s how they operated in the field of battle,” Atkinson said. “You mash your men to mash your firepower.” Several crowd members covered their ears as reenactors fired blanks from their muskets, producing a sharp explosive sound and lingering cloud of smoke as onlookers marveled at the spectacle. Another significant feature of the event was the assortment of uniforms worn by the reenactors. The uniforms were hand-stitched in order to accurately depict the clothing worn by the soldiers of the time period, with many even sewn by the reenactors themselves. One of the stations set up for the day displayed the necessary materials for the tailoring of the uniforms. Pagano offered an interactive lesson to children and parents on the lengthy process of sewing the uniforms, explaining how common Continental Army jackets would take around 35 hours by hand to make. Children were also given
Christina Amano Dolan/The Local
Regiment member John Pagano gives children and parents an interactive demonstration of the tailoring process for handsewn uniforms.
the interactive experience of participating in the event’s “Kid’s School of the Soldier and Maneuvers” program. Children were offered toy wooden muskets as reenactors guided them through drill and firing procedures. Laughter rang in the air as children playfully “charged” at their parents with wooden bayonets, contributing to the day’s light atmosphere. “Kids love it,” Adams said. “And that’s really the thing for us at the tavern. Keeping the next generations coming up interested in history becomes more and more of a challenge. And so getting kids out here is vital to places like the tavern continuing to exist and function into the future.” “I love the educational aspect,” said Travis Herbert, a regiment member and Hanover Tavern board member. “For me, doing this is so much more enjoyable than, you know, the big shoot ‘em, bang, bang reenactments… If one of [these kids] goes home and wants to read a book about this, that is a huge success.” Herbert explained how the reenactors strive to accurately represent the everyday lives of local militias by additionally providing a display of the soldiers’ rations. Throughout the morning, reenactors were
taking turns cooking a potato and meat stew named “Cheap and Economical Stew” in the London Gazette prior to the Revolutionary War, which was a typically-used recipe in encampments. The recipe incorporated peas, pork, potato and other commonly found ingredients in the south. Herbert said the distribution of labor shown by the reenactors represented how soldiers split up the workload on encampments, with soldiers accumulating all their resources for its preparation. One soldier would be designated as the cook while others were tasked with splitting the wood for the fire, tending to the fire, fetching the water and more. see HISTORY pg. 12
Sports
UPCOMING EVENTS
03
04 2022
NCAA basketball: Mitchell at Randolph-Macon 7:00 p.m.
03
05 2022
College baseball: Messiah at Randolph-Macon noon/3:00 p.m.
| Youth, High School, College, Recreational & Professional
Yellow Jacket men win ninth ODAC title Women fall to stalwart Shenandoah By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor The Randolph-Macon men’s basketball team began the season ranked at the top of the D3hoops.com Top 25 national poll. Aside from a brief dip early in the season down as low as No. 3 — arguably not much of a dip — the Yellow Jackets have remained at the top with a big target on their backs. Now the men get to carry that target with them to a national stage. RandolphMacon defeated all comers in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship tournament last week, capping a successful campaign Sunday with a 74-59 victory over Virginia Wesleyan for their ninth ODAC title overall and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. Randolph-Macon (27-1) will be one of 16 site hosts for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. The Yellow Jackets will host Mitchell (17-14) Friday at 7 p.m. DeSales (22-5) will face Babson (18-7) at 4:30 p.m. in the other firstround game Friday. The Yellow Jacket women likewise reached their ODAC final but were upended by Shenandoah 56-43.
Logan Smith/Randolph-Macon College
Randolph-Macon’s men’s basketball team gathers around their newly earned trophy after winning their ninth Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship with a 74-59 victory over Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC title game at Salem Civic Center Sunday. Right, senior Miles Mallory begins the time-honored tradition of cutting down the net.
This is the third straight year Randolph-Macon’s men have reached this point in the season in the top echelon of D-III teams. The Yellow Jackets reached the Round of 16 in the 2020 D-III tournament before the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic forced the NCAA to cancel the remaining games. Last year, no D-III tournament was held. Led by a cadre of three fifthyear seniors — Buzz Anthony, Miles Mallory and David Funderburg — given an extra year of eligibility because of the cancellation of last-year’s
tournament, the Yellow Jacket men were eager to get a chance to determine their fate on the court. “I would say for the seniors, especially, it was really important, I think, working for someone other than myself,” said Mallory, who finished with a double-double, 12 points and 12 rebounds. “We’ve been working out for those guys, leaving it all out on the floor. For the seniors to get one last ODAC championship was huge.” Virginia Wesleyan did not go down without a battle. The Marlins trailed Randolph-
Macon by just a point, 37-36, at halftime. But the Yellow Jackets made some adjustments and charged out to a solid lead early in the second half. “We wanted to be more physical and really work them off the (3-point) arc — make them continue to dribble off the arc and maybe take those tough twos,” Mallory said. “But I think the main things were just physicality and talk. We were trying to fix up a couple of things in our zone.” Anthony, who led the Yellow Jackets with 18 points, credited his fellow guard Josh Talbert (12
points) with freeing him up on the floor. “He’s a great player,” Anthony said of Talbert. “He’s a strong guard. He can get to spots. He can live in the paint. … Especially when we get that second line in, some of those early subs that come in — [Will] Coble, Q (DaQuan Morris) and Ian [Robertson] come in the game — it’s a lot of shooters when he’s in there. He has a lot of space to play. He’s empowered to make plays.” Daniel Mbangue also had a big day for the Yellow Jackets with 15 points and two
blocked shots — second only to Mallory’s three blocked shots. The women’s final began equally close as it was in the men’s. Randolph-Macon had a one-point lead over Shenandoah at halftime, 19-18, but in this game the trailing team had the big second half. The Hornets erupted for 25 third-quarter points to seize command of the game and coast to victory. Their only clear advantage statistically was in free-throw opportunities and percentage. Shenandoah was 18-of-23 from the line while Randolph-Macon was only 5-of-10. Catherine Kagey led the Yellow Jackets with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Becca Anthony and Aimee DeBell scored 11 apiece. Dave Lawrence can be reached at dlawrence@mechlocal.com.
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 9
Rueful Tuesday for county basketball teams and this season, in its rightful place in Hawks’ basketball lore while lamenting the ending for his two seniors, Ford and Campbell Doughty. “We felt like we were prepared. Possibly, winning percentage wise, they are the winningest class to come through Hanover,” Butler stated. “We’re talking the last three seasons, 22-3, 7-2, and 18-5. We talked to the younger girls. They’ve set the bar really high for us, but in doing so, they’ve established Hanover as a good basketball program in the area.” And with Harris, Oakcrum, Emma Slutzah, Meredith Atkinson, Jolena and Carolina Goldkuhle, and freshmen Izzy Murphy and Kaycee Doughty all returning, and add to that the motivation to play much deeper into February, then March, next season, and the Hawks will indeed be a force to be reckoned with.
By Rob Witham for The Local MECHANICSVILLE — Hindsight is 20/20. But sometimes, it taps you on the shoulder in real time. As the first period unfolded last Tuesday in the Region 4B girls basketball quarterfinal between second-seeded Hanover and seventh seed Matoaca, it seemed as if there were an invisible cover on the cylinder known as, in this sport, the basket. Time after time, Hanover would serve up their breadand-butter offensive, with timely passes that open an opportunity for a race to the rim for two points or, at worst, a foul with free throw opportunities. But again, and again, and again, the ball wouldn’t fall, the whistles didn’t blow, and before Hanover fans were comfortable in the bleachers, Matoaca led 8-0. “For some reason, we, we just, sometimes we get in a stretch like that where, you know, basketball is a game of runs, and it just felt like we couldn’t buy one,” said Hanover head coach David Butler about a night where a big run never came the Hawks’ way as they fell in a 57-42 upset to end their season with a record of 18-5. Sophomore Hali Harris, who led the Hawks with 11 points, kept Hanover hopes alive with her play on both ends of the floor. She hit Hanover’s first basket to end Matoaca’s early 8-0 run in the first quarter. A long pass to Jada Oakcrum for a rare inside hoop just before the buzzer cut Matoaca’s lead to 16-11 going to the second period. Hanover’s best play came in those next eight minutes, as they took their first lead thanks to a Harris 3-pointer to put Hanover on top 18-17. Two
10
Joel Klein for The Local
Hanover’s Jada Oakrum battles Matoaca’s Allyson Booth and Kiana Brown for a loose ball in the Hawk’s 57-42 Region 4B quarterfinal loss last Tuesday. None of the four Hanover County teams still playing survived the quarterfinal round.
minutes later, senior Kayla Ford made two free throws to end a 7-0 Hawks run for a 22-17 lead. But Matoaca fought back, tying the score at 22 by halftime. Midway through the third period, another Harris hoop, this time on a strong drive to the rim, drew Hanover within two at 28-26. But, more often than not, Hawks heading toward the basket would be frustrated by outcome after outcome. Add
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
to that Matoaca’s penchant for denying second shot opportunities, and it allowed the upsetminded visitors to confidently build a 37-31 advantage after three quarters. The final period was an exercise in frustration, like a baby who tries to grasp the playful bubbles in the bathtub, only to watch them disappear into thin air. And, for a team like Hanover that is not built
to go on a run of 3-point shots, the deeper the quarter ran, the more the disappointment set in. After more fruitless trips to the basket and having to resort to fouling the Warriors to extend the game, the weary Hawks looked at the scoreboard to see a 49-39 deficit with 2:14 left. Confident Matoaca hit free throws down the stretch to seal the upset, winning 57-42 and sending shockwaves through
the Hanover gym for the second time in four nights, after the fifth-seeded Hanover boys basketball team was stunned by No. 12 Monacan to see their season end in the first round of the Region 4B tournament. One by one, Hanover players emerged from their locker room following the game grim faced. Butler, too, was deeply disappointed, but it didn’t stop him from placing this team,
Other teams on road The other three Hanover County teams that reached the Region 4B quarterfinals went on the road. None fared any better than Hanover’s girls. Eighth-seeded Atlee, the only boys team from the county to survive until Tuesday night, traveled the farthest of the four county teams for a quarterfinal, heading to Culpeper to take on top seed Eastern View. The Raiders, who initially kept the Cyclone defense on its back foot to take an early 10-2 lead, eventually fell to their hosts 53-46. Eastern View (20-1) was led by Rickey Butler and Corey Long with 19 and 15 points, respectively. Rival Axselle led Atlee (10-14) with 14 points and seven rebounds. Mechanicsville’s girls travelled to Powhatan where they see RUEFUL, pg. 11
Grace Christian falls in VMAC tourney final By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor RUTHER GLEN — Mechanicsville’s Grace Christian School’s boys basketball team hasn’t been competing that long, but the Kings have made progress within the Virginia Metro Athletic Conference and Friday, for the first time in the team’s nine-year history, they played for a VMAC championship. Unfortunately for the Kings, they went up against a deep, experienced team in their hosts — The Carmel School — and fell to the Wildcats 84-39. Nevertheless, Grace Christian head coach Chad Bishop — formerly head boys basketball coach at Lee-Davis — feels his Kings have made great strides this year. “It’s my first year with these guys, and 12 wins — the most in school history — a winning record and in the finals,” Bishop said. “It’s obviously not how we wanted it to go, but [Carmel] is a great team. … They’re extremely athletic, 10-11 deep. We’ve got to work on expanding our bench a little bit and just get better.” Bishop started four sophomores and a junior, and their youth showed early on in attimes jittery play full of turnovers and missed shots. The Kings managed just 13 points the entire first half. It didn’t help that the Wildcats missed no opportunity to let their visitors know that they were the junior competi-
RUEFUL Continued from pg. 10
held their own until the final quarter, when the host Indians, with the help of 11 fourthquarter points from lead scorer Katherine Cerullo, came from behind for a 49-40 victory.
tor, running a brutal trap with quick defenders who repeatedly turned what seemed to be open passes into steals. “They were ready to go tonight. There’s no question about it. You have to give credit to Carmel,” Bishop said of The Carmel School’s defensive intensity. “They were ready. They wanted it. For whatever reason they wanted to send a message to us. The big brother always wants to send a message to the little brother, right? “I think, over the course of the season, that what we’ve been trying to do is establish ourselves as that next one. … I take it as a compliment that you want to beat me that bad.” Stacy Bird and Aaron Brown led Carmel School with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Michael Patrick and Collin Seacrest led Grace Christian with eight points apiece. Dave Lawrence can be reached at dlawrence@mechlocal.com. GRACE CHRISTIAN (39) — Whiteside 0, I. Ignace 0, E. Hardy 6, Garrison 6, J. Ignace 3, L. Hardy 3, Burch 5, Mullins 0, Patrick 8, Pollard 0, Coleman 0, Simms 0, Seacrest 8, Taylor 0. Totals 14 4-6 39. CARMEL SCHOOL (84) — A. Brown 15, C. Brown 4, Campbell 8, Berete 6, McEachern 6, Samuel 7, Harley 2, Isler 5, Haygood 8, Bird 16, Saunders 0, Richard 7. Totals 35 7-13 84. Grace Christn. 5 8 10 16 — 39 Carmel School23 13 29 19 — 84 3-point goals — GC: E. Hardy 2, Seacrest 2, Garrison, L. Hardy, Dave Lawrence/The Local Patrick. CS: A. Brown 2, Campbell 2, Grace Christian junior Michael Patrick (23) launches a shot over the outstretched hands of Dwight Isler (20) in The Carmel School’s Haygood 2, Samuel. 84-39 victory over the visiting Kings in the Virginia Metro Athletic Conference championship game Friday.
Cerullo finished with 17 total points and her teammate Kayla Terry finished with 12. Powhatan went 15-of-22 from the foul line and scored 25 points overall in the final eight minutes. Mechanicsville senior Madi Butler closed out her stellar career with a game-high 26
points. Another county senior likewise ended her high school career Tuesday: Patrick Henry’s Logan Nuckols. The fifthseeded Patriots held their own through the first half of their contest with No. 4 Monacan, but the Chiefs’ greater depth — with fresher second-half legs
— allowed them to hammer Patrick Henry 67-37. “We hung in with them going into [the] half trailing 21-26,” said Patrick Henry head girls basketball coach Phillip Cobb. “However, the second half Monacan pulled away. They out rebounded and out shot us and were much deeper.”
Monacan had three players in double figures: Amican Washington with 19 points, Caitlyn Rodriquez with 15 and Mackenzie Swayne with 10. T’Nyah Baylor led the Patriots with 13 points. Nuckols scored 12 points to end her career with 1,392 points, the fourth highest total — among
both girls and boys — all-time at Patrick Henry. She has only been bested by Taylor Huber, Summer Price and Katie Anderson. Mechanicsville Local sports editor Dave Lawrence contributed to this report. Rob Witham can be reached at sports@mechlocal.com.
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 11
LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
TOWN OF ASHLAND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Please take notice that on the 9th day of March 2022, at 6:00 p.m. the Ashland Town Hall, 121 Thompson Street, Ashland, VA, the Ashland Planning Commission will conduct public hearings pursuant to Virginia Code section 15.2-2204 for the purpose of receiving input, and may provide a recommendation on the following: REZ22-0201 & ORD2022-02 AMBURN LANE Keith Whipple, on behalf of the property owner Amburn Partners LLC, requests to conditional rezone from Residential Limited R-2 to Residential Medium R-3 the property located at the southeast corner of the intersection of James Street and West Vaughan Road (GPIN 7870-65-5420). The property is approximately 7.1 acres in size. The applicant proposes to construct 12 single-family detached and 7 single-family attached dwellings (14 units total) for a total density of 3.66 units/acre. Uses will be controlled by zoning ordinance regulations and proffered conditions. The comprehensive plan recommends Traditional Neighborhood, density should not exceed 4 units per acre. CUP22-0201, AMBURN LANE Keith Whipple, on behalf of the property owner Amburn Partners LLC, requests a conditional use permit in accordance with Sec. 21-48(i) of the Ashland Town Code to construct seven singlefamily attached dwellings (14 units total) in the R-3 Residential Medium zoning district for a total density of 3.66 acres. The property is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of James Street and West Vaughan Road (GPIN 7870-65-5420) and is approximately 7.1 acres in size. The comprehensive plan recommends Traditional Neighborhood, density should not exceed 4 units per acre. CPA2022-02, TRADEPORT 95
Photos by Christina Amano Dolan/The Local
Top row: The 6th Virginia Continental regiment soldiers reenact a Continental Army drill and firing procedure, led by regiment member John Pagano. Above, The Hanover Tavern grounds were set up to mirror local regiment encampments during the Revolutionary War, with muskets and camping gear lining the fence. Regiment members cooked stew inspired by the “Cheap and Economical Stew” recipe published in the London Gazette prior to the Revolutionary War. This stew was commonly made by regiment soldiers and utilized available ingredients, often including potato, peas and meat. Also shown is a display of commonly used items of the time period.
HISTORY Continued from pg. 8
“For four or five years they would eat together, do everything together and they became incredibly close,” Herbert said. “You read these tales after the war of how these guys remained fast friends throughout the rest of their lives because of the bonds they built during the war.”
12
After over an hour of preparation, the stew was finally ready and shared amongst the reenactors. Members stood around the fire as they enjoyed their meal, chatting amongst themselves in pleasant and light-hearted conversation, depicting the strong sense of companionship and community found in these encampments at the time. Herbert explained how his regiment shares a similar com-
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
radeship with one another in the group’s reenactments. “It’s that dedication and that love of history that really brings everybody together,” Herbert said. “And I’ve made some of the best friends in my life in this hobby.” Members of the group frequently travel to host similar living history programs and battle see HISTORY, pg. 15
Andrew M. Condlin, on behalf of the property owners EAI LC and Theatre Square LC, requests a comprehensive plan amendment to the future land use map to change the future land use classifications from Interstate Commercial and Traditional Neighborhood to Interstate Commercial and Industrial. The property is commonly known as “East Ashland” and is located along the southern line of East Patrick Henry Road (State Route 54), approximately 700 feet east of its intersection with Woodside Lane (GPIN parcels 7880-61-7681, 7880-61-4768, 7880-60-4701, 7880-61-6987, 7880-72-0523, 7880-60-1053, and 7880-60-4343). The property includes existing zoning of Planned Unit Development (PUD), Planning Shopping Center (PSC) and Highway Commercial (B-2). The existing use of the property is single-family residential, farmland, and open space. Copies of REZ22-0201, ORD2022-02, CUP22-0201, and CPA2022-02 may be obtained by contacting Town Hall at (804) 798-1073. Written comments may be submitted to planning@ashlandva.gov or Town of Ashland, P.O. Box 1600, Ashland, VA 23005. All interested persons may attend and express their views. Any person with a disability requiring assistance to participate in this public hearing is asked to contact Town Hall in advance so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
NOTICE OF JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY HANOVER COUNTY, VIRGINIA On April 4, 2022, or as soon thereafter as papers can be prepared and filed, proceedings will be commenced by the County of Hanover, Virginia, under the authority of Section 58.1-3965 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, to sell, at a date and time to be announced, the following parcels for payment of delinquent real estate taxes: 1. BOSCHEN, Kathleen 2. BOWLES, B. Hugo BOWLES, Lula G.
3. CARY LUMBER & MFG CORP. 4. ENGLEHART, Kevin Matthew ENGLEHART, Jamie Lea Chandler 5. FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORP. 6. JOHNSON, Margaret Ellen Dillon 7. NORTHLAKE LAND INVESTMENT 8. RE2 LLC
0.74 acres, west side of Route 744, east of Route 33, GPIN 7758-00-5574 1.48 acres, Improved, 11353 Aspen Grove Drive, GPIN 7768-16-9668; AND 1.002 acres, on Aspen Grove Drive, GPIN 7768-16-8521 Lot 16, Blk 1, Sec. 1, Battlefield Farms, GPIN 8714-05-4113 Lot 2, Sec. A, Westridge, Improved, 17042 New Westridge Road, GPIN 7804-20-5761 On Sledders Run Lane, GPIN 7803-65-0680 0.1 acres, Parcel E, off Rt. 630, GPIN 8742-29-9250 Lot A, Sec. 3, Northlake, GPIN 7789-50-3817 17.391 acres, Liberty Trace Common Area (5 parts), GPIN 8724-27-2827; AND GPIN 8724-28-3012
The owner of any property listed above may redeem it at any time before the date of sale by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, interest and costs thereon, including reasonable attorney’s fees set by the Court and the pro-rata costs of publication. The owner may contact Sands Anderson PC at 540-373-2504 or 800-664-5699 for redemption amounts. Partial payment of delinquent taxes, penalties, reasonable attorneys’ fees, interest or costs shall not be sufficient to redeem the property, and shall not operate to suspend, invalidate or make moot any action for judicial sale. NOTE: This Notice is NOT an advertisement for a public auction. To receive notice of the public auction by mail or electronically, please send a written request to Sands Anderson PC at P.O. Box 907, Fredericksburg, VA 22404-0907.
LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
Public Notice Notice is hereby given that the Hanover County Board of Supervisors has set Wednesday, March 9, 2022 2:00 P.M., in the Board Room of the Hanover County Administration Building at Hanover Courthouse, 7516 County Complex Road, Hanover, Virginia, as the day, date, time, and place for a Regular Board Meeting. LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
LEGAL DISPLAY ADS
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The Hanover County Board of Supervisors has set March 23, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board meeting room at the Hanover County Administration Building, 7516 County Complex Road, at Hanover Courthouse, Hanover, Virginia, as the time, date and place for a public hearing concerning the quitclaim of a drainage easement on the property designated as GPIN 8725-20-7131 and 8725-20-9771 in the Henry Magisterial District. All persons desiring to be heard above may appear at the stated time and place. Copies of the subject quitclaim are available for inspection at the office of the County Administrator any regular working day between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 13
CLASSIFIEDS Homes for Sale Real Estate Policy All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Virginia Fair Housing Law, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or handicap.”
Business & Service Directory CLEANING & HOUSEKEEPING L & L Cleaning Services - We create FREE TIME for busy people! wkly, bi-wkly, monthly, one-time clean Put down that mop! Call today to schedule! Bonded & Insured. Accredited A+ Rating BBB! 804-305-4068 LLCleans.com
We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all the dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. WATERFRONT For Sale - Waterfront Home 3Bd. 4Ba. plus a Private Guest Cottage, Pier, Dock, Boat Lift. Beautiful views to the Chesapeake Bay. Call Diane Bennett, Broker/Owner c 804-347-2235. Ownby & Associates, Inc. Mech. Va. View details and photos at www.ownbyinc.com
HOUSES UNFURNISHED 1300 sq. ft. home in Mechanicsville near Washington Henry Elementary. 3-bedrooms, 2-full baths, laundry room, florida room, nice back porch, big backyard, central air. Newly renovated & all new appliances. $1650/month + $1650/deposit. Call 804-420-9044
14
GENERAL The Richmond Times-Dispatch is seeking Full-Time Distribution Supervisors. 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. Please contact Teresa Brandon 804-8017653 tbrandon@timesdispatch.com or Gregory Whitlow 804-640-3360 gwhitl ow@timesdispatch.com
(804) 746-1235 ext. 2
FAX: (804) 344-8746 or classifieds@mechlocal.com
Short on Cash?
Become an independent contractor, delivery carrier QUALIFY FOR A
$1,500 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 $1,800 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.
INSTALLATION & REPAIR Hill Electrical, Inc is hiring Electricians & Helpers. Drivers License & own Transportation Required. Call 804-746-3122
Residential for Rent Apartment Referral Services Policy Apartment referral service companies sell lists of available apartments for rent in your area. Please read contracts thoroughly to ensure that you understand and agree to all the terms and the cancellation policy of the contract.
Recruitment
PLACE YOUR AD TODAY
Advertise with Ashland-Hanover Local Call 746-1235 for more details!
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY
Roofing
Standard Roofing Co. 746-5110 Hotline 837-7240 No job too small - all types of roofing FREE Estimates
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
Licensed/Insured
HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALISTS CONCRETE & BRICK
PLUMBING
Bernard’s Concrete Services Concrete, Retaining Walls, Pavers, Brick, Sidewalks. Install & repair. Free Estimates. Licensed & Insured. References. Call or Text 804-874-9184
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
RVA PAVING Commercial and Residential Asphalt Paving. Seal Coating, Repair, Crack Filling, and Restriping. Lic & Inc. Call 804-840-9993, for Free Estimates.
Bernard’s Tree Service Tree Removal, Stump Grinding, Landscaping, Cleanout, Mulching, Planting & More! Free Est. Licensed & Insured References. Call or Text 804-874-9184
TREE SERVICE
Tree & Shrub Pruning, Removals, Stump Grinding. Health/Risk Assessments. Insured. Free Estimates. 804-779-2170 Certified Arborist and MD LTE
LAWN CARE Overstreet Enterprise & Landscape LLC Landscaping, Irrigation, Concrete, Patio, Brickwork, Tree Work, Grading, Top Soil, Drainage & Gravel. Call 804-337-1281 for free est Short Cuts Landscape LLC All your Landscaping & bush hogging needs! Driveway Grading Available Licensed / Insured Free Estimates Call 804-218-8780
Trimming & Take Downs. Stump Grinding. If it’s tree work we do it! Insured. Free Est. BBB THANK YOU!!! MC/VISA/Discover. Full Service Tree Company. (Removal, trimming, topping, stump grinding & firewood bundle delivery) Offering free estimates and providing fully insured work.
Advertise with Ashland-Hanover Local Call 746-1235 to hear about upcoming advertising opportunities!
Pets of the Week PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the Hanover County Planning Commission has set Thursday, March 17, 2022, at 6:00 P.M., in the Board Room of the Hanover County Government Building at Hanover Courthouse, Hanover, Virginia, as the day, date, time, and place for a public hearing to consider the following cases, at which public comments will be accepted: REZ2022-00001, HELEN S. AND SAMUEL E. HOUCHINS Request(s) to rezone from A-1, Agricultural District to AR-6(c), Agricultural Residential District with conditions on GPIN 7798-95-3915, consisting of approximately 10.0 acres, and located on the south line of Peaks Road (State Route 657) at its intersection with Creek Wood Trail (private road). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Agricultural. The proposed zoning amendment would permit the creation of one additional building lot for a gross density of one (1) dwelling unit per 5.0 acres. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Ashland REZ2022-00003, RODNEY CHENAULT Request(s) to rezone from R-1, Single-Family Residential District to RS(c), Single Family Residential District with conditions on GPIN 7796-92-1630, consisting of approximately 0.91 acres, and located on the south line of Craney Island Road (State Route 1208) approximately 300 feet east of its intersection with Thomas Avenue (State Route 1209). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Suburban General (1.5 to 3 dwelling units per acre). The proposed zoning amendment would permit the creation of one additional lot for a gross density of 2.2 dwelling units per acre. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Chickahominy REZ2021-00023, MORSE CODE, L.L.C., ET AL. Request(s) an amendment to the proffers approved with rezoning request, C-5-13(c), Am. 1-19, on GPINs 7788-24-0799, 7788-25-4072, 7788-35-0330, and 7788-34-3970, consisting of approximately 13.73 acres, currently zoned M-3(c), Heavy Industrial District with conditions. This amendment also includes a request to rezone GPIN 7788-14-9733, consisting of approximately 1.2 acres, from B-3, General Business District, to M-3(c), Heavy Industrial District with conditions. The property is located on the east line of Old Telegraph Road (State Route 661) at its intersection with Morse Code Drive (private road). The subject property is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Business Industrial. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: South Anna REZ2021-00016, SHELLY J. AND RAYMOND B. SHELTON, ET AL. Request(s) an amendment to the conceptual plan and proffers approved with rezoning request REZ2020-00015, Eddie A. Blunt, et al., on GPIN 7778-55-9634, consisting of approximately 16.47 acres. This amendment includes a request to rezone additional acreage from A-1, Agricultural District, to RS(c), Single-Family Residential District with conditions, on GPINs 7778-55-5906 and 7778-55-4553, consisting of approximately 8.73 acres. The total acreage for this request would increase to approximately 25.2 acres. The property is located on the north line of Cobbs Road (State Route 801) approximately 1,500 feet east of its intersection with Elmont Road (State Route 626) and is designated on the General Land Use Plan Map as Suburban General (1.5-3 Dwelling Units Per Acre). The proposed zoning amendment would permit the addition of 7 lots to a 42-lot subdivision for a total of 49 lots. This represents a decrease in the overall density from 2.88 dwelling units per gross acre to 1.94 dwelling units per gross acre. (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: South Anna Copies of the above cases may be reviewed in the Planning Office, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. please contact the Planning Office or you may also go to https://www.hanovercounty.gov/696/Planning-Commission-Upcoming-and-Archive for more information.
Photos submitted by Andrew Hodnett
The Hanover County Pound, located at 12471 Taylor Complex Lane in Ashland, has wonderful pets available to a good home. Mannix
Mannix, ID# 581462, is a 5-yearold neutered male domestic short-haired feline. He has had his first set of vaccines and is FELV/FIV test negative.Mannix is such a good cat. If you need a detective, he’s on the case! Mannix loves to explore. He is a great cat around people. Mannix has a sweet personality and gets along really well with other cats. Mannix is well litter trained. He should adjust well to
any new home. Trooper, ID# 581276, is a 2-year-old female canine/ hound. Mastiff. She has had his first set of vaccines and is Heartworm test negative. Trooper Trooper is a sweet girl who has been with us for about a month now. She was mostly an outdoor dog but she has adjusted well to indoor living. Trooper has a sweet personality. She loves to run and play with her other doggy friends. Trooper loves to walk on a leash. She has lots of playful energy. Trooper is a perfect fit for an active owner. For more information on these great pets, as well as the many more still in need of homes at the Hanover County Pound Facility, call 804-365-6485 during the day. The hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The facility is closed on Sunday and county holidays. You also can visit the website to see other animals available for adoption at http://hanovercounty.gov/Animals/ Adopt-a-Pet/.
HISTORY Continued from pg. 12
reenactments. Atkinson said the “6th Virginia Continental Regiment” is transitioning to the name “The Virginia Line,” as the group reenacts other regiments throughout Virginia in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. The group is currently planning for a larger scale event on Memorial Day in Scotchtown. In addition, the group will continue to visit the Hanover Tavern for future living history events. “These are really worth-
while events,” Adams said. “They are critical in keeping history in front of the public, which is a constant challenge for historical sites and history museums.” “We come up here and do these types of programs to give us an opportunity to get out and interact in public, and we all love the educational aspect,” Herbert said. “But it also brings a lot of attention to the tavern. And that’s one of the best benefits of it.” For more information on upcoming events held at the Hanover Tavern, visit the website: hanovertavern.org.
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022 15
Hanover 4-H Camp registration opens Wednesday, March 2 Staff Report news@mechlocal.com
H
anover County 4-H sponsors a fun-filled, week-long residential summer camp each year. Under the guidance of caring, trained, professional staff and local teen counselors, youth between the ages of 9 and 13 years will laugh, grow and learn through a variety of wonderful activities. From riflery to marine science and canoeing to archery, we offer exciting and educational hands-on activities for campers in a socially-positive environment. Campers also learn life skills such as independence, responsibility and sharing. Hanover 4-H Junior Camp will operate close to capacity this year during the week of July 4 to 8, 2022 at Jamestown 4-H Center in Williamsburg. Registration for all campers opens on Wednesday, March 2. Camp scholarships are also available. Camp applications will only be accepted through the website portal. Please email the Hanover Extension Office at jasoffee@vt.edu for a direct link to the 4-H Camp registration site. Spots are given on a first come, first serve basis and are reserved for Hanover County residents. Camp fees will cover lodging, meals, class supplies and daily snacks. Transportation for campers will not
Contributed photos
An amazing group of teen counselors have committed to making 4-H Camp 2022 the best experience for campers. Powhatan, Goochland and Hanover teens took an overnight trip to Jamestown 4-H Educational Center in February for training, having fun and getting to know each other. Camp registration opens March 2.
be provided this year. There are limited spaces available and slots will fill quickly Campers from Hanover are joined by youth from Goochland and Powhatan counties during the week. They will participate in a variety of classes and recreational activities, including paddle board, kayaking, Maker projects and more. Jamestown 4-H Camp is situated on 16 wooded and open acres located outside of Williamsburg along the banks of the James River. The facilities include air-conditioned cabins and lodges, a swimming pool with a diving board, air rifle and archery ranges, amphitheater for campfire programs and picnic pavilions. The recreation hall and dining facility are also air conditioned. Jamestown 4-H Camp maintains a rustic, country atmosphere. The camp is accredited by the American Camp Association, so you can rest assured that your child will have a safe and quality camping experience with 4-H. For additional questions or concerns, contact Jess Soffee, 4-H Extension Agent at the Hanover Extension office, at 804752-4310 or email jasoffee@vt.edu. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, contact Jess Soffee at the Hanover Extension Office during business hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.
County hires veteran journalist to lead communications and citizen engagement efforts County Administrator John A. Budesky announced last week the appointment of Kerri O’Brien, former WRICTV Investigative Reporter and Anchor, as Director of Communications for Hanover County. O’Brien officially began her new role March 1. O’Brien is an Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist. In Richmond for more than 15 years, she worked as reporter, anchor and lead investigator at WRIC-TV/ABC 8News. Her indepth work has put predators behind bars, prompted legislation changes and led to consumer safety reforms. Through the years, her apolitical approach has advanced equitable
16
outcomes through law. “We are excited to add Kerri to our team,” Budesky said. “Communication and citizen engagement are a primary focus of the board of supervisors, and Kerri will greatly enhance our efforts going forward.” “I am thrilled to be joining Hanover County at this exciting time in their rich history,” O’Brien said. “I look forward to helping deliver important county information to residents, visitors, business leaders and partner agencies. I understand the importance of transparency and the urgency of providing information to the public in a timely manner. I have been doing that as a journalist for over 20 years and I’m happy to bring this same
Ashland-Hanover Local March 2, 2022
energy to sharing the Hanover County story.” Prior to WRIC-TV/ABC 8News, O’Brien was a reporter and anchor for News12 New Jersey where she covered the 9-11 attacks, state politics and crime. O’Brien has worked as a reporter for WRNN-TV in Kingston, NY. She got her start in television news working as an anchor and reporter for a CBS affiliate in Alpena, Michigan. O’Brien graduated from the University of Maryland where she earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and government and politics. Submitted by Tom Harris, information officer for the Hanover County Administrator’s Office
KERRI O’BRIEN