Ashland-Hanover Local – 03/16/2022

COMMUNITY HCSS holding fourth annual Miss Hanover Abilities Pageant

INSIDE Outside Home Improvement PAGE

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Vol. 7 No. 28 | Richmond Suburban News | March 16, 2022

Town of Ashland staff targets capital projects with spike in revenues

By Christina Amano Dolan Editor During Ashland Town Council’s first budget work session for fiscal year (FY) 2023 last week, staff presented an overview of the town’s capital projects fund and proposed future investments. With the town government’s thriving revenue stream, staff aims to

take advantage of available funding to target significant capital projects.

“We are in economic recovery, and that’s great to be able to say,” said town manager Josh Farrar. “I say that with the understanding that there are still people in our community who are struggling, their businesses are struggling. But from a local government revenue

perspective, we’re certainly in recovery and we’re doing very well.”

Farrar said because the town has budgeted so conservatively in the past, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, local government revenues have spiked in recent years. In turn, there is more money sitting in the town’s see TOWN, pg. 15

Christina Amano Dolan/The Local

Community members gather at the opening of the new location of the Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which is now located at 7199 Stonewall Parkway, Mechanicsville.

Habitat’s new office is located directly next to the store.

Equity dominates school New Habitat for Humanity ReStore is board, public discussions officially open, bigger and better than before

By Jim Ridolphi For Ashland-Hanover Local

Jim Ridolphi for The Local

Rebecca Highfield speaks against allowing Alliance Defending Freedom to consult with HCPS

Some found it unusual that a controversial item that authorized Hanover County Public Schools (HCPS) to engage Alliance Defending Freedom “for legal review of Policy 7-1.2 at no cost to HCPS” was included on the board’s consent agenda, a positioning that allowed the resolution to pass without discussion or a separate vote.

At the beginning of the meeting, Chickahominy District representative Bob Hundley asked that the item be moved from the

By Christina Amano Dolan Editor Community members flocked to the Cold Harbor Business Center last Tuesday to celebrate the grand opening of the new Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity ReStore. With shopping carts ready as the doors officially opened at 9 a.m., the day proved to be a great success with a notable amount of community support.

Hanover and King William Habitat for

Humanity began moving from their previous ReStore and office location last month, transitioning from the store’s original Atlee location to its new location at 7199 Stonewall Parkway, Mechanicsville.

According to Renee Robinson, executive director of Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity, they received help from over 100 volunteers with moving the ReStore from its origi-

see EQUITY, pg. 2

see RESTORE, pg. 2

MAR 18 - APR 17 HANOVER TAVERN Don't miss this charming love story

VIRGINIAREP.ORG 804-282-2620

EQUITY Continued from pg. 1

consent agenda to the action items section, allowing a separate vote on the matter.

There was no explanation regarding the reasoning that prompted the Arizonabased organization to become involved in review of the policy that addresses equal opportunities for all students, but board members approved the request by a 4-3 vote.

Mechanicsville school board member Sterling Daniel said he didn’t think the extra legal counsel was necessary, but South Anna District representative Bob May motioned to approve the agreement.

Board chair Ola Hawkins and Hundley joined Daniel in opposing the action.

It’s the latest round in a battle to amend the policy regarding equal education opportunities for students in Hanover schools. Last year, the board made some changes to the policy but opted to not include crucial elements to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) guidelines that ensure transgender students the right to access use the bathroom of their choice.

Failure to include those guarantees that some contend is mandated under VDOE policy resulted in a lawsuit filed in December 2021 by the Virginia ACLU on behalf of five transgender students in Hanover County.

Peggy Lavinder of see EQUITY pg. 5

RESTORE Continued from pg. 1

nal location in just two weeks.

Approximately 20 volunteers helped the previous weekend with the store’s finishing touches in preparation for the March 8 grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.

Robinson offered opening remarks during the ribbon cutting ceremony to show appreciation for the community’s support and the rest of the Habitat staff.

“These two weeks, we could not have done it without you,” Robinson said. “We have lots of folks from the community show up and that’s what this community does. It always shows up when you need it.”

The ReStore is a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center. The store sells community donations of new or gently-used items at a discounted price, such as furniture, appliances, home accessories and building materials.

Everything in the store is donated by either community members or local businesses. All proceeds from the store go directly toward Habitat’s community service programs, including its Homeownership Program and Critical Repairs program.

“We always like for folks to know yes, you’re getting a great deal, but the money you’re spending here is going right back to this local community,” Robinson said.

Habitat moved their offices and ReStore in order to accommodate a larger inventory. The new store provides approxi-

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Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

mately 3,000 additional square feet of retail space, with one section of the store featuring home improvement items and another dedicated to home décor.

With an increase in space, the organization is able to accept a much larger number of donations than its previous location. The home improvement section features a wide variety of discounted tools and appliances, including ceiling fans, vents, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, washer and dryers, doors and much more. The home décor section of the store includes a wide assortment of board games, children’s toys, paintings, VHS tapes, vinyl records, DVDs, TVs, glasses, mugs, furniture and more.

In addition, the new store features a “mission wall” located at the store’s main entranceway that displays how many homes Habitat has built to date, how many home repairs they have done and information on the organization’s programs and ways to get involved. Habitat has built 73 homes since 1990 and conducted 31 repairs since 2017.

The mission wall additionally highlights the legacy of Delois Davis, Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity’s first homeowner in 1991. Upon her passing, she bequeathed her home back to Habitat, making her the largest donor of the organization to date. Proceeds from the sale helped establish the organization’s first ReStore in 2005.

Melissa Haley, executive director of the Hanover Chamber of Commerce, offered additional opening remarks during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Habitat has been an amazing chamber member for a number of years,” Haley said.

“We’ve loved having them a part of this community as much as you guys have, and we are so excited to be able to celebrate them today.”

In addition, Haley introduced chamber members Jason

Christina Amano Dolan/The Local

Executive director Renee Robinson, shown with other Habitat staff, ReStore staff and elected officials, cuts the ribbon on the new the Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity ReStore, whose interior is shown below.

Verlander and Bobby Broyles of Blazer Heating and Air, who presented a surprise gift to Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity.

“Blazer wanted to look in a direction to give back to the community because we’ve been able to benefit so much from the community to trust us in our services,” Broyles said.

According to Broyles, Blazer Heating and Air has grown tremendously in the past year since partnering with Habitat, conducting a number of HVAC replacements, repairs and donating recycling materials to Habitat every Tuesday for refurbishing.

“So today we wanted to enhance the partnership for your special day,” Broyles said.

The crowd gasped in awe and clapped as Broyles and Verlander, the general manager of Blazer Heating, presented a $10,000 check donation to Habitat for Humanity.

“From the repairs that they’ve done and what we will continue to be able to do with this $10,000 is amazing,” Robinson said.

A majority of attendees gathered around Robinson as she cut the ceremonial ribbon in celebration of the new ReStore’s official opening, which was followed by a round of applause.

W. Canova Peterson, the

Christina Amano Dolan/The Local

Bobby Broyles and Jason Verlander of Blazer Heating and Air present a generous donation of $10,000 to Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Renee Robinson at the ribbon cutting for the ReStore’s new location.

Mechanicsville supervisor on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors, additionally offered thanks to Habitat for returning to Mechanicsville, the “heart of Hanover County.”

The new store is now in full operation and open Tuesday

through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store accepts donations every day until 4 p.m.

For more information on what donations are accepted and the ReStore in general, visit https://www.hkwhabitat.org/ restore/.

Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown upcoming museum programs March Focus Tour: ‘Sir, We are not Weak’ Join the museum’s interpreters every Friday and Saturday in March at 10 a.m. for an hour-long focus tour that celebrates the many remarkable women in the Henry household, including mothers, sisters, daughters, both free and enslaved.

Regular ticketing and pricing applies. For more information, visit the website:https:// preservationvirginia.org/ events/sir-we-are-not-weakfocus-tour-at-scotchtown. To purchase tickets, visit:https:// preservationvirginia.org/ tickets/patrick-henr ysscotchtown.

March 20 - Hearth Cooking workshop at Scotchtown hosted

by Rebecca Suerdieck Interested in exploring Foods and Recipes of the past and learning historically accurate cooking techniques cooking on an open fire?

Sign up today for this HandsOn Workshop and learn how to cook as our ancestors did. Recreate recipes from 17th, 18th and 19th-century sources and taste everything made in class. Class Size is limited so sign up early. Preregistration is required and the event is for ages 16 and up.

Workshop organized and led by culinary historian Rebecca Suerdieck.

Suerdieck is a second-generation Colonial Williamsburg Educator with many years of experience in 17th and 18th century Living History

Interpretation. For more information, visit the website: https://preservationvirginia. org/events/hearth-cookingworkshop-at-scotchtownhosted-by-rebecca-suerdieck. For ticket registration, visit: cookingandfire.com.

March 26 - A Historic Haunting: Scotchtown & Hanover Tavern Join Transcend Paranormal, Hanover Tavern Foundation and Preservation Virginia as they delve into the paranormal once more at two beautiful historic locations. They are once again pairing up with Preservation Virginia, Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown and the Hanover Tavern to investigate Scotchtown and Hanover Tavern in one evening.

These locations are tied in history; from Patrick Henry’s family, the Shelton family and more. Many of those who visited the grounds of Scotchtown were also visitors of the Hanover Tavern and surrounding buildings. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore and investigate a total of eight locations this evening spread across two sites.

Admission is $65 and reservations are required.

For tickets, visit: https://app. gopassage.com/events/a-historic-haunting-scotchtownhanover-tavern-new.

To visit the Transcend Paranormal Facebook page, visit: https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / events/505226964543625.

SHERIFF’S REPORTS | Crime, Accidents, Fire & Rescue Mechanicsville.

Feb. 26

Destruction of property, monument with value $1000 or more was reported in the 10000th block of Old Ridge Road, Ashland.

Feb. 27

Possession of stolen property with intent to distribute was reported in the 10200th block of Washington Highway, Glen Allen.

Feb. 28

Making threats to extort money was reported in the 9000th block of Annex Lane, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny, parts was reported in the 11100th block of Leadbetter Road, Ashland.

Obtaining money or signature by false pretenses was reported in the 14200th block of Washington Highway, Ashland.

Identity theft with intention to defraud, up to $200 was reported in the 7500th block of Rural Point Road, Mechanicsville.

Hit and run with personal injury was reported in the 8000th block of Meadowbridge Road/ Shady Grove Road, Mechanicsville.

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

DWI: Second offense in 10 years was reported in the 13500th block of Palmers Way/Farrington Road, Glen Allen.

Illegally consuming alcohol by an individual under 21 was reported in the 8500th block of Chamberlayne Road/Richfood Road, Mechanicsville.

Threats in writing at school or a school event was reported in the 10000th block of Learning Lane, Mechanicsville.

Issuing bad checks $200 or more was reported in the 12100th block of Paradise Lane, Hanover.

Burning or destroying personal property was reported in the 10400th block of Dellwood Road/ Washington Highway, Glen Allen.

Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 16400th

block of Down Country Way, Montpelier.

Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 7200th block of Creighton Road, Mechanicsville.

Driver not reporting accident with damage over $1,000 was reported in the 8200th block of Atlee Road, Mechanicsville.

Threats in writing at school or a school event was reported in the 7400th block of Sherwood Crossing Place, Mechanicsville.

March 1

Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 9300th block of Blagdon Drive, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny from auto was reported in the 5300th block of Summer Plains Drive, Mechanicsville.

Petit larceny, less than $500, not from a person was reported in the 9900th block of Honey Meadows Road, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny, auto theft was reported in the 9400th block of Charter Creek Drive, Ashland.

Petit larceny, parts was reported in the 8000th block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 8000th block of Lee-Davis Road, Mechanicsville.

Theft of firearms, regardless of value, not from a person was reported in the 3400th block of Agape Lane, Mechanicsville.

Possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance was reported in the 13800th block of Mountain Road/ New Farrington Court, Glen Allen.

Threatening a school employee was reported in the 8200th block of New Ashcake Road, Mechanicsville.

Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 9100th block of Banndoe Lane,

Assault and battery on a family member was reported in the 7200th block of Creighton Road, Mechanicsville.

the

Locals h ice

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VOTING STARTS March 23 and will run through April 8, 2022.

VOTE ONLINE! Go.Richmond.com/Locals-Choice Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 3

OBITUARIES | Death Notices & Funerals

746-5853 WE WANT TO BE YOUR PLUMBER

!

N O S R E IN-P

r e m sum ps c am

HARPER, Ms. Mary H., passed quietly on the morning of January 29, 2022 with her daughter, Ruth by her side. Mary was a resident of MARY HARPER Mechanicsville, Va., Chiefland, Fla. and currently, of Gulfport, Miss.

Mary's life was devoted to serving others as a visiting home health physical therapist. She got her most happiness in helping others. She was 88 when she passed. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Alice Shumake; grandchild, Randal Paul Mayhugh; and her husbands, Thomas M. Hutt Jr., Hal Harper, Jack McCormack and Ralph Briggs. She is survived by her

daughters, Jean Ruble, Mary Mayhugh, Ruth Witt and Martha Spanior; six grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family request donation to the St. Peters by-the-Sea Memorial fund, 1909 15th St., Gulfport, Miss. 39501. A memorial service will be held on March 24 at 11 a.m. at St. Peters by-the-Sea. She will be interred in Chiefland, Fla., September 10, 11 a.m. at St. Alban's.

RENKAWITZ, Dorothy Jean Baggett, died on March 9, 2022. She was born in Milton, Oregon on July 15, 1926, the second of three daughters to Emmett and Nettie Williams Baggett. She retired from the International Mission Board in Richmond, Virginia in 1984. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sherwood; and eldest son, Thomas. She is survived by

sons, Dave and James Russell; grandchildren, Kate Wolf, Sarah Johnson and Daniel Russell; several nieces and nephews on the West DOROTHY Coast; and greatRENKAWITZ grandchildren, Jordan, Jason, Emily, Madison, Noah, Elijah, Emma and Jameson. On March 17, 2022 at 10 a.m. there will be a onehour visitation at the Affinity Funeral Service Mechanicsville Chapel, 8074 Mechanicsville Turnpike, followed by a private graveside service for the family.

She will be buried beside her son, Tommy in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

Girls State Interviews scheduled for April 9 at AL Post 175 Contributed Report Ashland-Hanover Local M E C HA N IC S V I L L E Interviews for scholarships to The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State will be held this year from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday,

April 9 at The American Legion Post 175 at 8700 Bell Creek Road in Mechanicsville.

Only young ladies who have completed their junior year of high school and have at least one semester of high school remaining are eligible to participate.

Private and parochial school and homeschooled young ladies may apply. The teaching parent must be educating under the Commonwealth of Virginia Guidelines for homeschooling.

Girls State will be held from Sunday, June 19 to Saturday,

June 25 at Longwood University in Farmville.

The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State is among the most respected educational programs of government instruction for high school stusee INTERVIEWS pg. 7

‘Spirit of Volunteerism’ Awards nomination deadline is March 18 AGES 5 & 6

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YOUNG PERFORMERS INSTITUTE

July 11 - 22; 9am - 4pm

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Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

Hanover County’s “Spirit of Volunteerism” program recognizes outstanding volunteers of all ages and walks of life.

For example, if you know of an outstanding young volunteer less than 18 years of age or still attending high school, nominate them for a “Spirit of Youth Award.” There is also a “Spirit of Youth Team.”

“Spirit of Dedication” nominations are for volunteers who are age 60 or over.

“Spirit of Family” nominations honor two or more family members who work together for a common purpose and demonstrate outstanding volunteer engagement.

“Spirit of Team” nominations recognize a group or team of two or more adult volunteers working toward a common purpose. “Spirit of One” nominations honor the services and commitment of an individual adult volunteer 19 years of age or older.

“Spirit of Inspiration” nominations are for those who have volunteered for 20 years or more within a specific organization.

The “Commitment to Community” Award will honor a Hanover business that exemplifies strong community values and a sustained commitment to supporting the community.

Nomination forms are available online at www. hanovervolunteers.org. You can also call the Department of Community Resources at (904) 365-4300 to get a form.

You can submit up to two nominations but the deadline is fast approaching: Friday, March 18 at 5 p.m.

“The Spirit of Volunteerism Award Ceremony is a longstanding Hanover County tradition that shines a spotlight on amazing volunteers who demonstrate outstanding dedication and commitment to their community by sharing their time, talent and resources to make a positive impact in

the lives of others,” said Debra Preston, director of the department of community resources.

“We hope you will take time to nominate those extraordinary individuals, families, groups and businesses whose volunteer endeavors make Hanover County a great place to live, work and play!”

For more information, visit www.hanovervolunteers. org. Awards will be presented on Thursday, May 12 in the auditorium at Hanover High School at 7 p.m.

Information was submitted

by Tom Harris, public information officer for Hanover County Administrator’s Office.

EQUITY Continued from pg. 2

Mechanicsville said groups like Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) should not have input regarding HCPS policies, especially ones that address long-standing inequities.

“ADF has a long history of targeting the rights of the LGBTQ community,” Lavender said. “They are an extreme, conservative Christian organization that seeks to blur the line between church and state. They have no place in the discussion of Policy 7-1.2 Equal Education Opportunity.”

Lavender told board members she would like to know “how this item ended up on the agenda” and said she contacted Cold Harbor board member Steven Ikenberry for answers.

“He told me that he wanted to hear from all sides,” she said. Lavender questioned if groups like Equality Virginia were consulted. “The answer was no,” she said.

Rebecca Highfield questioned board members regarding the nature of the group being considered for legal see EQUITY, pg. 7

Hanover Preschool applications open for 2022-2023 school year

Lee Nelsons invites others to join Walk MS: Richmond

Hanover Preschool is now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. The Hanover Preschool program supports children in a language-based environment with an emphasis on cognitive (pre-academic), motor, communication, social-emotional and adaptive skill development.

The Hanover Preschool program is changing in the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. Division staff have been working together to establish an even stronger collaboration between the Hanover Preschool Initiative program and the Early Childhood Special Education reverse inclusion program. By joining both programs, they can better serve all students who are part of the Hanover County Public Schools Preschool Program.

Children must be 3 or 4 years old by Sept. 30, 2022, and applicants must be a resident of Hanover County.

All Hanover children can apply for HCPS Preschool.

Some qualifications for accep-

A Photo courtesy of HCPS

Alivia Burton plays outside during recess.

tance include income and identified at-risk factors or strong peer models; however, the screening process is open to students from all backgrounds.

Information about the program and application is available on the HCPS website: http://hcps.us/parents_ students/programs/hanover_ preschool_programs.

Information submitted by HCPS Assistant Superintendent Chris Whitley.

Staff Report news@mechlocal.com s this week is National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Week, Lee Nelson has invited community members to join in the fight against MS and ultimate search for the cure.

Nelson’s late husband, Dana, suffered from Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis for almost 20 years before tragically passing away in 2017. The family will have been without him for five years on March 20.

Dana was an active philanthropist in Hanover County, with one of his pet projects titled Operation Hope, which he co-founded with Katie Stilwell. Because of Operation Hope, the playgrounds at Poor Farm Park and Pole Green Park were able to add equipment that made them handicap accessible for children of all abilities.

According to Lee, the total lifetime cost of medical care per person suffering from MS was found to be $4.1 million, with the average yearly healthcare cost ranging from $30,000 to $100,000. Nearly $1 million

people in the U.S. are living with MS. Of those diagnosed, 85% have Relapsing Remitting MS, in which episodes can be infrequent.

For the past several years, even during the pandemic, Lee has personally raised around $17,000 each year to help find a cure for MS and has raised over $130,000 since 2010.

Lee is currently seeking donations, with more than 75% of donations going directly to research, direct aid and resources for those living with MS. The remaining portion funds support services. Lee said those who make a donation by April 1 will have their names entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card of choice.

In addition, Lee is requesting others to join Team Hanover in the Walk MS: Richmond, which will be held on April 30 in Innsbrook, Glen Allen.

Lee thanks those who have supported the cause and ultimately helped Team Hanover

205 England Street Ashland, VA 23005 Give us a call: (804) 401-7007

Ashland Museum’s ‘HistoryTalks’ Railroads, All Three of Them’ The Ashland Museum will present its next “HistoryTalks” program at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 31 at the Ashland Branch of Pamunkey Regional Library, 201 S. Railroad Avenue, Ashland.

In a talk titled “Hanover’s Railroads, All Three of Them,” Art Taylor, the president of Hanover County Historical Society, will share some railroad artifacts and their stories.

Free and open to the public. If you have questions, leave a voice message at 804-368-7314 or email ashlandmuseum@ comcast.net.

Submitted by Ashland Museum.

Map courtesy of Library of Congress

The Batman

Upcoming Events:

program presents ‘Hanover’s

raise more than $180,000 since 2003.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Lee stated in a letter. “I hope you will support me this year as I try to reach $15,000. No donation is too small. Every dollar counts.”

In addition, Lee requests interested donors to ask their employers to match their gift.

To make a secure donation to the cause, visit Lee’s personal page: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/lee_nelson.

To join Team Hanover to fundraise and walk with Lee in the Walk MS: Richmond, visit: http://main.nationalmssociety. org/goto/TeamHanover.

If an individual prefers to mail Lee a check donation, make all checks payable to National MS Society or NMSS and mail to: Lee Nelson, 8132 Cool Summer Dr., Mechanicsville, Va. 23111.

Include in the check memo that it is for Lee Nelson, Team Hanover 2022.

Mar. 16th & Mar. 17th at 7 pm When the Riddler begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s hidden corruption.

Local Songwriters Night ft. Danny Kensy Mar. 24th at 7 pm Enjoy an evening with local songwriters as they share their songs and the inspiration behind them.

The Lost City Mar. 25th & Mar. 26th at 7 pm Mar. 27th at 12 pm While promoting her new book, Loretta Sage gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes she can lead him to a lost treasure.

This map shows railroads through Hanover County in 1852.

Purchase tickets & see upcoming events at:

ashlandtheatre.org

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 5

OPINION | The Local Views From the editor

New ReStore offers lasting impression of the community

By Christina Amano Dolan Editor

L

ast week, I browsed the many aisles of Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity’s brand new ReStore.

While there was only so much time to browse due to the busy day’s schedule, I carved out time to marvel at the many hidden gems displayed throughout the store.

Beginning my exploration at the home improvement section of the store, I couldn’t help but gape at the impressive collection of community-donated items. As the day marked the first opening of the ReStore’s doors, with its new location far bigger than its previous location, I had been anticipating a much emptier space.

I was pleasantly surprised, as even in the earliest days of the new store, donations appeared to come in abundance.

I walked along the neatly organized aisles and admired the assortment of home improvement items, including ceiling fans, lamps, sink tops, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, microwaves, doors and much more. What initially sparked my curiosity most ardently was studying the gently-used surfaces of these items. It was fun to envision what homes these items previously belonged to, how old they must have been and the families that had cared for them over the years enough to gift them a second home.

These musings followed me throughout the store upon each new discovery. Next, I wandered into the home décor section of the store to catch a glimpse of more hidden stories of the community.

Upon entering the room, I was immediately drawn to a shelf containing used board games. A wave of nostalgia overcame me as I began to envision the countless nights of my childhood spent playing Jenga, Monopoly, The Game of Life and others with family members in our basement. These simple activities provided some of the fondest memories of my childhood, and I crafted an image of the board games’ previous owners gathered in their own basements, filling the evening with both laughter and competitive bickering that amusingly brought siblings closer together.

Upon coming across a small shelf of donated party decorations and another with decorative glasses, I imagined the family soirees or community gatherings the items adorned in their past lives. Studying the impressive collection of VHS tapes and DVDs, I pictured families choosing a movie together for a wholesome family movie night similar to my own childhood memories.

Flipping through a collection of worn vinyl records, I wondered what homes the records had immersed in their music and thought of the nights spent with my own family dancing endlessly around our living room.

From studying these items along with many others, including

impressively preserved children’s dolls and other toys, I was gifted with both images of my own childhood and a deeper appreciation for the store’s use. These items carry their own hidden stories from a past life that will likely never be known, but they will also carry on with their purpose of bringing joy and fond memories to their next owners.

Perhaps the greatest story of the community that remains embedded in these items is the generosity represented in the sheer size of these collections. With every purchased item contributing to the Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity’s community service projects, including its Homeownership Program and Critical Repairs program. Thinking about that end purpose, it was a wonderful revelation to see the abundance of donated items.

As I stood and watched a flow of customers wandering around the aisles in their own excited exploration, I was offered a lasting impression of the community – how residents come together to support one another in subtle yet impactful ways.

As I said earlier, I could only browse the store for so long before the next task on the to do list beckoned. Even as I left, I was planning to revisit the dynamic collections as time allowed. And with new community donations hopefully arriving on a regular basis, I am sure that the next time, there will be many more hidden stories of the community to explore.

Current events in Ukraine evince haunting sense of déjà vu

By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist It was an exciting event when a new television arrived at our house in 1955, but it surprisingly made

little difference in the life of 5-yearold. A limited amount of program paired with my parents’ philosophy that a child was raised better playing outdoors rather than indoors added to my diminished interest in the

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

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Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

new appliance.

The following year more programs were available, and I paid more attention to the small screen that offered glimpses of places and things not available on any other

media at the time.

One of my first memories of the power of television occurred in 1956, when an announcer asked parents to remove children from the room for the news that followed.

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.

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My sister and I headed down the hall toward our room, but stopped halfway within ear shot of the announcement.

I peeked around the corner of the living room and saw tanks invading a city, tearing down statutes and demolishing buildings.

Although I didn’t understand the seriousness of the developments or even where they might be occurring, there was something about that broadcast that seemed monumental, even to a 6-year-old.

Thankfully, I had the childhood blessing of not worrying about things I didn’t understand and resumed my normal childhood the following day.

Years later, I learned what I had witnessed that night on the television, see HISTORY, pg. 8

CALENDAR Saturday, March 19

INTERVIEWS | News, Updates & Listings

Shady Grove Road, Mechanicsville.

The Brunswick Stew will not be available this year. There will be furniture, clothes, electronics, toys, kitchen items and much more. Be sure to stop by the Bake Sale tables to pick up homemade fudge, pies, cakes and cookies. Breakfast and lunch items will also be available. There is always something for everyone at this event.

The Doswell Ruritan Club is holding a Salt Fish Breakfast from 6 to 9 a.m. at 16433 N. Washington Highway. The all-you-can-eat breakfast will include scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, spiced apples, biscuits, cornbread, coffee and juice.

Take-outs will be available. Admission is $10 for adults and $4 for ages 4 to 10. All proceeds will support the Doswell Community Center.

Thursday, March 24

The Shady Grove United Methodist Women’s Annual Yard Sale is returning from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 8209

Ashland Museum is hosting Trivia Night at 6 p.m., located at Origin Beer Lab, 106 S. Railroad Avenue, Ashland.

For information, email ashlandmu-

EQUITY Continued from pg. 5

counsel. “Are you aware that Alliance Defending Freedom is a recognized hate group with an agenda to deny the rights of…. transgender students,” she said.

“This group should not get to impose their religious views on our school policies.”

Kimberly Thurston of Mechanicsville said she supported the board’s intention to involve Freedom Alliance in the equity discussion. “I am thrilled to see that you all as a board are encouraged to review policy update from Alliance Defending Freedom,” she said during the public comment period. “They are not a hate group. I’m encouraged to see this on the consent agenda.”

In response to the school board’s decision, Equality Virginia, the ACLU of Virginia, the Hanover County NAACP, He She Ze and We, and Side

by Side Virginia have joined together to host a community meeting “to give background about what is happening in Hanover schools and provide support to students and families who wish to organize and take action against this decision.”

The virtual meeting will be held at 6 p.m. today, March 16 on

Zoom. RSVP online at bit.ly/ HanoverCM. In a related matter, the board approved a resolution recognizing March as Equity in Education Month by a unanimous vote.

Thurston urged board members not to adopt that proposed resolution recognizing March as the Virginia School Boards Association’s Equity in Education Month.

She urged the board to delay a decision on that resolution until they could research a 19-page report from the state’s Department of Education.

“I want to explain to you why continuing equity proclamations, committees and policies in Hanover will not find you the results you are looking for,” Thurston said. “Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates exact resources and opportunities necessary to reach equal outcomes. Equal outcomes are never achievable and are a waste of time and effort to attempt.”

“Stop pushing to lower the standards that we hold high here in Hanover in order to be equitable,” she added.

Thurston said programs like No Child Left Behind and similar efforts are “failing an entire generation of students.”

Pat Hunter-Jordan said the

seum@comcast.net.

Saturday, April 12 Senior Helpers Home Care hosting the program “Engaging Brain Change and How to Care for Loved Ones with Dementia.” from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Restoration Church located at 9161 Atlee Rd., Mechanicsville. Spend the morning gaining awareness, learning useful skills and getting resources to provide better care to a family member living with dementia. To RSVP, call Jeff Fiebelkorn at Senior Helpers at 804277-2780 by Friday, April 1 with the number of people planning to attend.

Continued from pg. 4

dents in the country. The training is objective and practical where each participant becomes a part of their local, county and state government operated by the students elected to the various offices.

Girls State is a non-partisan program to develop civic leadership and pride in American citizenship and arouse a keen interest in the detailed study of our government. Girls State strives to develop in the citizens a determination to maintain our form of government, primarily by bringing them to the realization of how great it is to be an American and inculcate a sense of individual obligation to

Jim Ridolphi for The Local

Jim Ridolphi for The Local

Kimberly Thurston speaks in favor of retaining Alliance Defending Freedom as a consultant regarding equity policy in Hanover County. She was one of several citizens to do so.

Peggy Lavinder, who has two children in Hanover schools, warns the school board that Alliance Defending Freedom seeks to blur the line between church and state.

Jim Ridolphi for The Local

Pat Hunter-Jordan speaks in favor of the proclamation denoting Equity in Education week, but added the words need to be followed with actions at last week’s School Board meeting.

proclamation offered encouraging words, but had reservations regarding its effect on minority students in Hanover County.

“This board continues to embrace right wing politics while acting as if it supports equity as we’ve seen with the proclamation listed tonight,” Hunter-Jordan said. “They are good words, but where’s the action behind those words to show actual support of equity.”

She said proposals from the Equity Committee have been ignored, and urged that board appointments be rotated to eliminate the same group of people serving on those appointed boards. “This would bring a new perspective to the table.”

In other matters, thanks to a $1.1 million supplemental appropriation, school officials will begin purchasing iPads for students in kinder-

the Community, State and Nation.

Activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, plus band, chorus and sports recreational programs.

Girls State Scholarships include complete tuition, room and board for the entire week. Interested students are urged to visit Girls State website: www.vagirlsstate.org.

Applications are available on The American Legion Post 175 website: www.post175.org under Youth Programs in the left side of the navigation bar. You may also e-mail Elizabeth Navas at elizabethnavas18@yahoo.com.

The deadline for submission of all applications is Friday, April 1, 2022.

Jim Ridolphi for The Local

Mechanicsville school board rep Sterling Daniel said he didn’t think it necessary to acquire outside legal counsel to study the policy at last week’s meeting. Beaverdam rep John Axselle looks on.

garten through second grade.

Depending on ordering schedules, those iPads should arrive by next year’s start of school, and some could be received as early as the end of this session.

The board also approved a plan establishing a Provisional Academy for Teachers (PATH) in Hanover County. “As you may recall from my budget presentation, we talked about the need to make sure we are offering our own provisionallylicensed teachers the opportunity to obtain their full license by using our in-house resources,” Superintendent Michael Gill said.

The three-year program would allow provisional teachers to obtain the six classes required to gain full accreditation in a local program at no cost to them.

The proposed program would serve about 60 teachers and must be approved by the Virginia Department of Education. Board members approved the plan by a unanimous vote.

The board was also scheduled to discuss possible revisions to the Citizen Participation policy at this meeting, but Hundley asked for a one-month delay to tweak the current proposals that would prioritize speaking positions during the public comment period.

Further discussion on that matter will occur at next month’s meeting or at the school board workshop session scheduled for March 25 at the Federal Club in Glen Allen. That session begins at 8:30 a.m.

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 7

HCSS holding fourth annual Miss Hanover Abilities Pageant Contributed Report news@mechocal.com Mechanicsville – Hanover Community Support Services (HCSS) presents the fourth annual Miss Hanover Abilities Pageant sponsored

by Riverwood Events and Catering. The event will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 in the auditorium of Mechanicsville High School.

The pageant will feature 10 contestants from Hanover and the surrounding areas, all of whom have a developmental disability. The contestants will compete for the title of Miss Hanover Abilities 2022 in a series of four areas of competition: Interview, Casual Wear, Talent and Evening Gown. The winner will receive a bouquet of roses, a crown and sash, along with many other gifts from the community such as a portrait package sponsored by Jessica Robertson Photographic Artistry.

Miss Hanover Abilities 2019, Emma Wooten, has had a memorable extended reign representing the community.

Emma made many appearances throughout her year, including both the Ashland and Mechanicsville Christmas parades. Additionally, Emma sang at many events through-

Lori Brunson

Ashley D’Evegnee

Brianna Daniel

Brenna Fennelly

Amber Gillend

Julia Reese Klauer

Savannah Liggan

Cassie Rodriguez

Mackenzie Webb

Haley Woodward

out her reign such as the Hanover Spirit of Volunteerism Awards and the Jean C. Harris Awards. She took photos with guests at Night to Shine RVA and walked in a fashion show for Shop Evolve with former Miss Hanover Abilities winners, Amaris Stewart (Miss Hanover Abilities 2018) and Sarah Chenault (Miss Hanover Abilities 2017).

The 2022 event will not only

shine a spotlight on these amazing young women but will also serve as a fundraiser for HCSS, a local nonprofit that provides general and respite support to Hanover County residents who have a developmental disability, substance use disorder or mental health issues.

This year, proceeds from the pageant will go toward continued relationships and funding opportunities with the Hanover

CSB and the Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation. HCSS will also use proceeds from the event to continue gifting scholarships to Hanover County high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree supporting individuals with mental health, substance use and/or developmental disabilities.

In addition, HCSS is excited to begin a new partnership with YoungLife Capernaum,

Hanover, to fund summer camp experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities “It has been such a privilege to watch this event grow and we are thrilled to be back after two years off due to COVID-19,” said Ashley White, president of HCSS. “Each year I think to myself that the event can’t get any better, but it always does. I can’t wait to see what this year’s event has in store for us!”

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $15 (general admission). A discounted rate of $10 is available for high school students and children.

Tickets are available online at https://www.showclix.com/ event/miss-hanover-abilities-2022. For more information on Hanover Community Support Services visit their website at www.hcss-inc.org or follow them on Facebook.

HISTORY Continued from pg. 6

and days ago, it seemed even more important as I watched Russian tanks roll into Ukraine.

Those 1956 news accounts that were deemed too powerful for children’s viewing described a Soviet invasion that seems eerily similar to the current situation and horror witnessed today in Ukraine.

Hungarian citizens rose up in protest over Soviet dictates in their country and expressed a desire for a more democratically-run government versus a puppet-style regime installed by Soviet officials.

8

In what some viewed as a compromise, the Soviets named Imra Nagy as premiere and agreed to remove their troops from Hungary.

As often occurs, that breath of democracy and self determination led to further efforts to exert a desire for self-rule.

Nagy abolished one party rule in Hungary and threatened to exit the Soviet Bloc, a collection of countries united by Russian rule.

Russian president Nikita Khrushchev had promised an end to barbaric Stalinist tactics, but the assurances seemed empty as Soviet tanks rolled in to Budapest on Nov. 4, 1956, crushed the government and installed a new premiere.

More than 2,500 Hungarians were killed in the brief fighting in the streets of Budapest, while

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

another 200,000 fled the country, some of them landing in the United States. Nagy was executed two years later.

There’s also a haunting similarity when those events of the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956 and the present day Ukraine invasion are considered. The scenes of Russian tanks killing innocent citizens is strikingly similar to the those first images I remember from my childhood.

After the fall of Hungary in 1956, many criticized the United States for not coming to the aid of the Hungarians, and many of the Budapest street fighters believed other countries would intervene and stop the invasion. Neither happened.

The Soviets and the United States would snipe at each other for the coming years in a Cold War that separated Europe and began an era of the threat to use nuclear weapons that has reared its ugly head in the current situation in Ukraine.

There’s little doubt the Ukrainians are seeing better results confronting the Russians than the Hungarians experienced in 1956, but the outcome is uncertain and some say still sadly predictable. And as a nation we have once again learned lessons forgotten too quickly.

Specifically, the words and intentions of despots cannot be taken seriously, and Russia has earned its place in the annals of war criminals, dictators and murderers.

Sports

UPCOMING EVENTS

03

16 2022

Girls lacrosse: Bishop Sullivan at Atlee 5:00 p.m.

03

19 2022

College baseball: Guilford at Randolph-Macon 3:00 p.m.

| Youth, High School, College, Recreational & Professional

R-MC earns berth in D-III Final Four

By Rob Witham for The Local ASHLAND — After being sorely disappointed by lockdowns which ended their NCAA championship dreams two seasons in a row, the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets enacted a lockdown of their own Saturday night.

Holding Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to just eight points over the first 15 minutes of the second half, the Yellow Jackets rode a relentless, unwavering defense to a 76-53 victory over the Engineers to clinch a berth in the Division III Final Four next weekend in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The victory sends the Yellow Jackets (31-1) to their third Final Four appearance, finishing as national runner-up in Division II in 1977, and as a national semifinalist in Division III in 2010.

“They’ve been super responsive to whatever we’ve thrown at them,” said Randolph-Macon head coach Josh Merkel of his team’s defensive preparation.

“They give us the chance to mix coverages and do different things because they’ve been so locked in all year.”

The Yellow Jackets have held opponents under 70 points in 24 of their last 25 contests, including every postseason foe. As is custom for this year, the defense fueled the offense, as RandolphMacon shot 57% from the floor, including 50% (13-of-26) from beyond the arc.

A game pitting two of the top four teams in Division III

Dave Lawrence/The Local

The Randolph-Macon men’s basketball team begin their celebration at the final buzzer after their 76-53 victory over Worcester Polytechnic Institute in an NCAA Division III Tournament Sectional Final at Crenshaw Gymnasium Saturday. The Yellow Jackets advance to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They face Marietta in a national semifinal Friday.

in defensive efficiency began on an offensive note. WPI (27-3) excelled at the free throw line, helping them stay close as fourtime Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Player of The Year Buzz Anthony led the charge, scoring 15 of his game-high 23 points in the first half, including 5-of-9 from the

3-point line.

Behind Anthony was balanced scoring. Will Coble and Vincent Payne hit critical triples midway through the first half to give the Yellow Jackets a 22-12 lead. The Engineers drew within seven points twice, including at intermission, trailing 40-33.

John Lowther, who led WPI

with 15 points, scored 13 seconds into the second stanza to get the Engineers within five.

They didn’t score again until a Colin McNamara layup with 12:30 to go, but RandolphMacon didn’t take advantage on the offensive end and the deficit was just 11.

The offense hit the accelera-

tor after the McNamara score, using back-to-back triples from Ian Robertson and a trey from Anthony to earn a 57-39 lead with 9:50 to go.

Miles Mallory, a junior who became the all-time leader in blocks in program history in Friday’s win over UMassDartmouth, scored 11 points,

while Robertson and Josh Talbert added nine. Daniel Mbangue continued his strong postseason play with eight points and six rebounds.

The opportunity for this group to finally punch a ticket to the Division III Final Four was created by a work ethic as relentless as their defense was in the victory.

“We’ve been razor sharp in prep. We went (for) two hours today. We threw a lot at them today so the game could slow down when we got there,” Merkel said.

The physicality of the Yellow Jackets was also a determining factor, according to WPI head coach Chris Bartley.

“They’re strong, athletic, run really good offenses, and I think physically, on defense, they really took it to us as well,” Bartley noted. “That created the separation for them because we weren’t scoring, and they were getting good looks at the basket.”

The Yellow Jackets will face a familiar foe in Friday’s national semifinal: Marietta, which survived a slugfest with Christopher Newport 81-79.

Randolph-Macon defeated the Pioneers on their home floor 82-74 in front of a raucous crowd on Nov. 20.

“Our team talks about that game a lot,” Anthony said. “I went back and watched that game over Christmas break just as a fan. It was a fun game to watch.”

The winner of the Yellow see R-MC, pg. 10

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 9

Yellow Jackets rout Corsairs in section semi

By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor Dave Lawrence/ ASHLAND — Before The Local Randolph-Macon men’s basketRandolphball team could play for a berth Macon forward Miles Mallory in NCAA Division III Final (10) shoots Four, the Yellow Jackets had to through a get through UMass Dartmouth crowd for two in their sectional semifinal of his 26 points Friday night. in the Yellow Jackets’ With a pair of double-dou92-69 victory ble performances from Miles over UMassMallory and Buzz Anthony, Dartmouth and six 3-point goals from Will in an NCAA Coble, the No. 1-ranked team Division III men’s in the nation made the task basketball look easy as Randolph-Macon tournament dominated the Corsairs 92-69.

Round of “We talked about winning 16 game at Crenshaw the weekend. The first step was Gymnasium winning tonight,” said Yellow Friday. Mallory Jacket head coach Josh Merkel. finished with “What a great game and atmo17 rebounds sphere. I love the Crenshaw craand six blocks. zies being out there.”

For the first 14 minutes, scrambled to stay even with with 6:07 left in the first half that point on. four thousand-point scorers the hosts had quite a battle on UMass Dartmouth until Ian to put the Yellow Jackets ahead “UMass Dartmouth, tough out there,” Merkel said. “It took their hands. Randolph-Macon Robertson nailed a 3-pointer 35-32. They never trailed from team, really good players — everything from our defense, and changing defenses, to turn them over some and try to throw them out of rhythm. A lot of respect for the job Coach Continued from pg. 9 [Brian] Baptiste does and for the way his players played Jackets and Pioneers will tonight.” face the winner of Wabash The Corsairs were no and Elmhurst Saturday night slouches. Three players finished for the Division III National in double figures: Marcus Azor Dave Lawrence/ The Local Championship. with 20 points, Jackson Zancan RandolphRob Witham can be reached with 16 and Adam Seablom Macon senior at sports@mechlocal.com. with 10. Azor also finished Buzz Anthony, with eight rebounds and seven who led the R-MC 76, WPI 53 Yellow Jackets WPI (53) — Adams 11, assists. with 23 points “I thought we did start off Lowther 15, Downing 3, Callahan 0, and five steals, McNamara 13, Lufkin 0, O’Donnell pretty strong and made some gets his turn 3, Marelli 1, Sevilla 6, Zhou 1, shots. It’s not unusual for this to cut the net Sseruwagi 0, Maguire 0. Totals 19 team to do that,” Baptiste said. after the Yellow 11-17 53.

Jackets’ 76-53 RANDOLPH-MACON (76) — “But I thought, as the game victory over Mallory 11, Mbangue 8, Funderburg wore on, what’s hurt us this Worcester 4, Anthony 23, Talbert 9, Robertson year, is other teams’ physical Polytechnic 9, Morris 0, Coble 6, Lindsay 0, Institute in an Payne 3, Johnson 0, Norton 0, Dalli size and presence. I thought NCAA Division 3, Ally 0, Keasey 0. Totals 27 9-15 76. that was the same in this game.”

III Tournament 3-point goals — WPI: Sevilla The Yellow Jackets outSectional Final 2, Downing, McNamara; R-MC: rebounded UMass Dartmouth at Crenshaw Anthony 5, Robertson 3, Coble 2, 45-32. Mallory accounted for Gymnasium Talbert, Payne, Dalli.

17 rebounds — 12 on defense Halftime: R-MC 40-33.

Saturday.

R-MC

10

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

and five on offense — in addition to his game-high 26 points.

He also had six blocks. Anthony finished with 18 points and 12 assists along with six rebounds and four steals.

“I definitely wanted to lock in defensively,” Anthony said.

“I think that’s something that’s special about our team culture — we kind of get our confidence, our mojo, back defensively. Once we got a couple of stops, then all of a sudden that next [shot] goes in. Coble steps up and bangs some threes and a little more space opens up on the court.”

Coble was on fire from 3-point range. He converted 6-of-9 opportunities.

Sometimes he was wide open from the start. Other times he faked out defenders, staring up to get them to commit, then sidestepping them and nailing the shot.

“It all goes back to what you don’t see on the court,” Coble said. “It’s so many reps making that money move. I can only take so much credit for making the shots. We’ve got guys like Buzz, we’ve got [Josh Talbert] and Miles finding those shooters. … My job is to make it.”

Coble finished with 18 points.

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

R-MC 92, UMass Dartmouth 69 UMASS DARTMOUTH (69) — Zancan 16, Leahy 7, Azor 20, Seablom 10, Ashworth 7, Eurquhart1, Martins 2, Percy 6, Santos 0, Macek 0. Totals 26 12-18 69.

RANDOLPH-MACON (92) — Mallory 26, Mbangue 8, Morris 0, Anthony 18, Talbert 6, Coble 18, Robertson 6, Payne 0, Funderburg 8, Dalli 0, Ally 0, Norton 2, Lindsay 0, Johnson 0, Keasey 0. Totals 33 16-16 92.

3-point goals —UMD: Zancan 2, Seablom 2, Azor; R-MC: Coble 6, Anthony 2, Robertson 2.Halftime R-MC 44-34.

Lacrosse teams play in Saturday’s snow globe

By Rob Witham for The Local ASHLAND — Late Saturday night as the lights shone bright at Nunnally Field at RandolphMacon College, a blanket of snow, part pristine, part packed down and iced over from the day’s activities, served as a lasting reminder of an unforgettable Saturday for both Yellow Jacket lacrosse programs.

On a day which began with temperatures in the 50s and rain and ended in the 20s with an inch and a half of snow on the ground, the memories will be more about the conditions under which two games were played. And, as the day’s legend grows, there will be stories from the few die-hard fans who were actually there, and an evergrowing number of people who will swear they were there.

The men’s lacrosse team took the field first in their Old Dominion Athletic Conference opener after rain had turned over to snow, but with temperatures warm enough to melt the snow on surfaces. The Yellow Jackets took on overmatched Randolph College and scored at will early, tallying nine goals in each of the first two periods en route to a 24-1 victory.

For two role players, it was a career day. Junior Duncan O’Brien, who entered the afternoon with three career goals, earned a hat trick in the first period, then added two more scores before halftime to finish the contest with five goals and an assist.

Not to be outdone, sophomore Matt Williams, who played high school lacrosse at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, scored two goals in under a minute early in the second period to extend the advantage to 13-0. O’Brien assisted on the second goal.

Williams went on to score

Rob Witham for The Local

The snow came down so heavy Saturday at Randolph-Macon that it was difficult to see the ball, much less the lines on the field.

Throwing a strike . . . and getting a win Joel Klein for The Local

Randolph-Macon freshman pitcher Gracie Ellis (27) retires Berry’s Katie White to capture her eighth win of the season as the No. 17 Yellow Jackets defeated the No. 13 Vilkings 4-3 in first game of a doubleheader sweep Thursday in Ashland.

three more goals and add an assist to match O’Brien’s performance, turning his career goal total from three to eight.

Minutes after Williams’ final goal, as the third period turned

to the fourth, the snow tripled in intensity. Coupled with the wind that whipped Nunnally all afternoon from side to side, it became an adventure for players to do everything from passing

the ball to staying upright.

One Wildcat defender, after dropping the ball with no one within 20 yards of him, spent six seconds frantically performing an impromptu pirouette, des-

perate to find a white ball in a sea of white. He finally did.

Jack Averna and Jamie Smith scored twice for RandolphMacon (1-0, 4-2), who next travel to St. Mary’s of Maryland

Wednesday for a 7 p.m. nonconference game.

The men left the field shortly before 3 p.m. as the snow continued its assault on Ashland.

For a time, people wondered if the women’s game against Washington College would go on as scheduled at 4:30.

In the end, a dedicated group of coaches and volunteers worked to uncover lines and clear, as best as possible, the areas around the goals, and, about 10 minutes behind schedule, the Yellow Jackets battled the Shorewomen.

Missing their leading scorer Annie Bartley in their last game, where a 5-1 lead turned into a 16-10 defeat to Kean University last Monday under much different conditions, RandolphMacon matched Washington College goal for goal early.

And, as, stunningly, the sun made an appearance as the snow tapered off, the Yellow Jackets led 3-2 after a period.

But the final 45 minutes were an exercise in offensive futility when, as the heavy snow returned for one final round and the Shorewomen scored nine of the game’s final 11 goals for an 11-5 victory.

Randolph-Macon (2-3) got goals from Lily Henderson, Rianna Lowery, Kayla Ross, MacKenzie Hynson and Evie McNeally. The Yellow Jackets will try to re-energize their offense and break a three-game skid Wednesday in Fredericksburg at Mary Washington.

As the team quickly began the walk across the track to their locker room, and the few dedicated fans headed to the heaters in their cars, one had to feel as if, instead of spending their Saturday afternoon in Nunnally Field, they had experienced an unforgettable trip into the world of a snow globe.

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

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 11

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Hanover County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on April 6, 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, on the following ordinance being proposed for adoption: ORDINANCE 22-05 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTERS 20 AND 23 OF THE HANOVER COUNTY CODE TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER CAPACITY AND USER FEES PURSUANT TO TITLE 15.2, CHAPTER 21 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, AND INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY VA. CODE §§ 15.2-2111, 15.2-2119 AND 15.2-2122, PROPOSED TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE FIRST FULL BILLING CYCLE OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND TO MAKE VARIOUS OTHER CHANGES PROPOSED TO BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2022.

SEWER CODE PROVISIONS SEC. 20-23 Service fees and capacity fees—Residential EXISTING PROPOSED (a) Service Charge - Residential Customers Bimonthly Base Charge $23.45 $24.15 Consumption Charge: 0 to 4,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $6.29 $6.48 Above 4,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $7.93 $8.17 Residential customers – sewer only $109.52 $112.81 (b) Capacity Fees - Residential Customers $6,778.00 $7,116 SEC. 20-24 Service fees and capacity fees -- Commercial I, Commercial II. EXISTING PROPOSED (a) Service Charge - Commercial I Customers Bimonthly Base Charge: 1 ½” or less meter $23.45 $24.15 Greater than 1 ½” meter $117.24 $120.76 Volume Charge: 0 to 50,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $7.33 $7.55 Above 50,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $5.88 $6.06 (b) Service Charge - Commercial II Customers Base Charge $1,465.75 $1,509.72 Consumption Charge All usage, per 1,000 gallons $4.83 $4.97 Peak use fee per 1,000 gallons $1.44 $1.48 (c) Capacity Fees for Commercial I and II Customers Meter Size 5/8” $6,778 $7,116 1” $16,945 $17,792 1 ½” $33,895 $35,589 2” $54,230 $56,941 3” $108,463 $113,886

12

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

WATER CODE PROVISIONS SEC. 23-47 Capacity Fees

EXISTING PROPOSED (a) Residential Customers 5/8” meter $6,595 $6,924 Greater than 5/8” meter in accordance with 23-47(b) (b) Capacity Fees for Commercial I and II Customers Meter Size 5/8” $6,595 $6,924 1” $14,581 $15,310 1 ½” $29,161 $30,619 2” $46,659 $48,991 3” $93,318 $97,983 SEC. 23-62 Service Fees EXISTING PROPOSED (a) Residential Customers Bimonthly Base Charge $10.94 $11.27 Consumption Charge 0 to 4,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $1.74 $1.79 4,001 to 15,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $5.29 $5.45 Over 15,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $6.88 $7.09 (b) Commercial I customers Bimonthly Base Charge EXISTING PROPOSED Meter Size 5/8” $10.94 $11.27 ¾” $10.94 $11.27 1” $27.38 $28.20 1 ½” $54.59 $56.23 2” $87.32 $89.94 3” $174.67 $179.91 4” $272.89 $281.08 6” $545.78 $562.15 Consumption Charge 0 to 15,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $4.70 $4.84 15,001 to 1,000,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $5.29 $5.45 Over 1,000,000 gallons, per 1,000 gallons $2.95 $3.04 (c) Commercial II customers connected to county-owned water systems: EXISTING PROPOSED Base charge per month $167.95 $172.99 Consumption charge per 1,000 gallons $2.72 $2.80 Peak use fee $1.69 $1.74 per 1,000 gallons (d) Water meters for irrigation only: Consumption charge per 1,000 gallons $6.51 $6.71 A complete copy of the proposed ordinance and related information is available at the office of the County Administrator any regular working day between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All persons wishing to comment on the proposal may appear at the stated time and place.

John A. Budesky, County Administrator

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

Public Notice Notice is hereby given that the Hanover County Board of Supervisors has set Wednesday, March 23, 2022 6:00 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.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Hanover County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on April 6, 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, on the following ordinance being proposed for adoption: ORDINANCE 22-01 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING HANOVER COUNTY SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FEES PURSUANT TO TITLE 15.2, CHAPTER 9 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY VA. CODE 15.2-928(A)(vi), PROPOSED TO BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2022 Fees applicable to users at Route 301 Transfer Station: FEES EXISTING PROPOSED Tipping Fee, per ton $55.00 $60.00 Tires: Tire diameter no larger than 32” $2.25 each $2.50 each + tipping fee + tipping fee Tire diameter larger than 32” but not exceeding 44” $9.00 each $15.00 each + tipping fee + tipping fee (no tires (no tires over 44”) over 44”) Bulk – per ton $140.00 $300.00 Refrigerant-containing appliances from non-residential sources $15.00 each (no change) + tipping fee Mattresses or inner coil spring mattresses from non-residential sources $15.00 each $10.00 each + tipping fee + tipping fee Box springs from non-residential sources n/a $10.00 each + tipping fee E-waste: CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor or television $28.00 each $30.00 each Projection television $23.00 each $30.00 each LCD (liquid-crystal display) monitor or television $14.00 each $20.00 each Electronic printers $5.00 each $15.00 each Oversized logs (4” to 12”) $55.00 per ton $60.00 per ton Commercial solid waste and yard waste $55.00 per ton $60.00 per ton Construction and demolition waste $55.00 per ton $60.00 per ton (residential and commercial) Residential solid waste and yard waste (self-hauled) no charge (no change) A complete copy of the proposed ordinance and related information is available online and at the office of the County Administrator any regular working day between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The options available for providing written or oral statements are posted on the County website: www.hanovercounty.gov.

John A. Budesky, County Administrator

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

LEGAL DISPLAY ADS

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Hanover County Board of Supervisors has set Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 6:00 P.M., or as soon thereafter as the Board’s consideration of the administrative agenda permits, 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: SE2022-00004, UNILOCK NEW YORK, INC. Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 26-336 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to permit a structure taller than permitted on GPIN 7884-22-5294, consisting of approximately 48.99 acres, zoned M-3(c), Heavy Industrial District with conditions, and located on the east line of Washington Highway (U.S. Route 1) approximately 1,200 feet north of its intersection with Verdon Road (State Route 684). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Beaverdam SE2021-00024, JENNIFER FELTS Request(s) a Special Exception Permit in accordance with Section 26-21.3 of the Hanover County Zoning Ordinance to permit a commercial dog kennel on GPIN 8725-54-3081, consisting of approximately 16.7 acres, zoned A-1, Agricultural District, and located on the north line of Westhaven Drive (State Route 737) approximately 130 feet east of its intersection with Lake Point Drive (private road). (PUBLIC HEARING) Magisterial District: Henry Copies of the above case may be reviewed in the Planning Office, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., please contact the Planning Office or you may also go to https://www.hanovercounty.gov/697/Board-of-Supervisors-Upcomingand-Archiv for more information.

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 13

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Pets of the Week

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. Trixie, # 581477 , is a 4-year-old (estimated) female domestic short-haired feline. She has had her first set of vaccines and is FELV/FIV test negative. Trixie is a sweet girl who has been in the Shelter for a few weeks now. She is well adjusted to indoor living. Trixie is very well litter trained. She is independent and loves to observe. Trixie will make a great housecat. She will probably best be suited in a household with no small children. Trixie also does well around other cats. Rex, # 581479, is a 4-year-old Canine/Pitbull. He has had is first set of vaccines and is Heartworm test negative. Rex is a good boy who has loves people. He has lots of playful energy. Rex came from a previous owner and is well adjusted to indoor living. He seems to know several commands such as sit and stay. Rex also does well around other dogs. He loves to go on long walks. Rex will be a great match for an owner likes to stay active. 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/.

TOWN Continued from pg. 1

unreserved fund balance than the town’s policies require, allowing for greater opportunity of investment into several long-awaited projects.

Farrar mentioned certain external and internal factors that they continue to take into consideration while working on the FY2023 budget, including a bill to repeal the state’s grocery tax currently under consideration in the General Assembly. He said town staff has estimated a loss between $140,000 and $160,000 in local government revenue if the tax is repealed, but they are working closely with Virginia Municipal League to try to prevent the repeal.

“So we’re very optimistic and hopeful that the General Assembly will hear our important cries for help on that,” Farrar said.

In addition, he mentioned other factors that can affect the town’s revenue stream, including inflation and conflict in Europe. He said staff is keeping a close eye on these external factors to ensure they have as much certainty as possible in their revenue streams.

Farrar said a major focus this year is how to utilize certain funds from the unassigned fund balance, which he referred to as Ashland’s “opportunity fund,” for one-time use in big projects while leaving enough to meet policy requirements and take advantage of future opportunities. They plan to utilize the unassigned fund balance and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to make “real investments in capital.”

He said to consider FY2022 and FY2023 investment years of capital projects, while FY2023 through FY2026 should be considered construction years.

“So I want to be very honest with the public: you may have one of your favorite projects and you see us put money toward it and get really excited,” Farrar said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean it gets built next year… but it will get done.”

He said he wants to continue the practice of sharing everything that departments may want to do versus solely sharing what they need to do as they continue to modify the budget. This practice, which was adopted during the COVID-

Christina Amano Dolan/The Local

Finance director Matt Reynal presents an overview of the town’s current revenue trends and an overview of the FY2023 budget during last week’s Ashland Town Council budget work session.

19 pandemic, improves the town’s transparency and encourages engagement and input from the public.

Staff additionally aims to improve physical connection among the community, with Farrar referencing their focus on major sidewalk and trail construction over the next fiveyear period.

Farrar said as the department proposals in FY2023 budget sessions will incorporate both needs and wants, staff will inevitably have to cut back on a number of proposed items.

Finance director Matt Reynal offered an overview of the town’s general fund revenue, discussing how real estate, personal property, sales, meals and lodging taxes are currently thriving. Staff is predicting real estate and personal property revenue to continue at a normal increase and a recovery in gross revenue for businesses.

Reynal said interest rates have dwindled for the town’s general fund and capital fund, and department heads do not forecast any grants or new capital project funding from the state or federal government.

Reynal said while the unassigned fund balance was sitting just below $5 million from the FY2022 mid-year estimate, the balance will increase up to $5.8 million if current revenue trends continue.

The proposed FY2023 budget requires taking $2.1 million out of the unassigned fund

balance to achieve a balanced budget, which is required by the town, Reynal said. This would create a total budget of $12.9 million to fulfill the requests of the department heads.

“However, this includes the dollars necessary to fund before ARPA funded positions,” Reynal said, clarifying that $2.1 million is not an accurate number of what is actually needed to balance the budget.

“And again, that number is historically fairly large at the work sessions because it is the needs and the wants,” Reynal said. “And then based on [the council’s] feedback and the community’s feedback, the town manager comes in April with his recommended budget that includes cuts, moves and others.”

As proposed, $1.9 million of the $2.1 million taken from the unassigned fund will be transferred from the town revenues to fund the proposed capital project appropriations.

Public works director Mike Jennings presented an overview of the capital projects fund, which includes the top 10 project choices of the town council’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and other capital projects. Jennings presented a summary of the staff’s recommended appropriations for FY2023.

“A lot of these numbers is us trying to build up the funds,” Jennings said, explaining how staff will later present a plan on how they are going to spend the funds.

One significant item of the CIP is sidewalk, curb and gutter projects, with staff recommending an additional $300,000 of funding for the upcoming fiscal year. Jennings said this will only fund two or three projects, so staff will work with the Parks and Recreation department to determine what projects to prioritize.

“Ideally we’ll prioritize enough projects to keep the town staff busy for multiple fiscal years, which is why staff is requesting sort of lump, round sums in the sidewalk budget,” Reynal said.

“I don’t see sidewalks as a one-year thing,” Farrar said. “We’re going to start putting out a substantial amount in each year so we can make progress.”

Jennings additionally highlighted various investments in park projects, with many of the recommended appropriations intended to help build funds for future upgrades and the replace-

Christina Amano Dolan/The Local

Public works director Mike Jennings presents the town’s capital projects fund and town staff’s recommended appropriations for FY2023.

ment of parks equipment.

The larger park projects include the construction of North Ashland Park, with staff recommending $150,000 for appropriation and maintenance on Carter Park. Jennings said they have requested $100,000 to pave Carter Park’s parking lot after receiving various community complaints.

A larger capital project highlighted by Jennings is an investment in Ashland’s downtown streetscape, with staff requesting an additional $525,000 with a $211,012 estimated balance. With the recommended balance totaling over $700,000, they will be able to cover the first phase from Railroad Avenue to Maple Street with extra funds leftover, according to Farrar.

“If funding allows, now might able be the time to put in more here to get us a little further along on phase two or whatever the next phase would be,” Farrar said.

Farrar said this is one of the first years that they’ve been able to put some substantial funding into long-awaited projects by utilizing ARPA and available local funds.

“This is an exciting time to be able to put this much money into the capital projects fund,” Farrar said. “So please feel free to ask for details of ‘What does that mean; what are you trying to accomplish there?’”

The second town council budget work session is scheduled for March 22.

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022 15

County advances universal broadband initiative

By Christina Amano Dolan Editor

D

uring last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Hanover County IT Director Kevin Nelson presented a progress update on the county’s “Connect Hanover” initiative and answered raised questions. The initiative intends to provide broadband and high-speed internet access to all unserved homes and businesses in Hanover County in the next three years.

After careful search, the county partnered with All Points Broadband as its designated internet service provider.

All Points will help the county deliver broadband access with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps to remaining unserved areas through a fiber-to-the-home solution.

In addition, Dominion Energy and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative have partnered with the county and All Points to deploy middlemile fiber that All Points will use to connect end-customers to the internet.

“So our process started with identifying the problem.

We had to find the unserved areas,” Nelson said. “And that was done through some field work by our contractor, but also through having our citizens actually go to a website, click and say, ‘I do not have access to broadband.’”

The original assessment identified 7,235 unserved “passings,” which refers to the residents, businesses and public facilities they can provide service to in the county.

The county and All Points applied for a Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grant for project funding, which was approved earlier this year. Nelson said the

16

state VATI grant and county’s American Rescue Plan funds will make up approximately 50% of total project funding, with funding from All Points making up the remaining 50%.

Total funding for the project ranges from a $56 to $60 million investment.

Nelson presented a county map based on the initial findings of the 7,235 unserved residents in the county. He said the dark blue spots shown on a coverage map represent the 6,198 passings that the state set aside VATI funding for, which will be served by All Points. The red spots display the 1,037 passings that Lumen Technologies, formerly known as CenturyLink, plans to provide with the same high-speed internet access using federal Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) money. The pink portion of the map represents an estimation of the existing Comcast service area.

“I am happy to tell you today that all of those people, and including people who maybe don’t see their dots but have registered on the site, will receive high-speed internet,” Nelson said. “There are still some details on how that’s going to be delivered, but they will get it.”

Nelson emphasized that the broadband initiative is a “universal access project” for the county and the map does not represent all unserved citizens.

As the county is still collecting information, Nelson urged any remaining residents without broadband internet access to register online at: https://fiber. allpointsbroadband.com/.

In addition, he said the state’s definition of “unserved” can include when an existing Internet Service Provider wants to charge a high fee.

“So if you’re in the suburban service area and you don’t

Ashland-Hanover Local March 16, 2022

have high-speed internet, still go and register,” Nelson said.

He said the county’s original application for state VATI funding included the 7,235 identified unserved residents and left a “cushion” for any remaining unidentified residents. Lumen Technologies challenged their initial application, as 1,037 of the listed homes were in areas that Lumen had applied for RDOF funding.

Despite efforts by the county to challenge Lumen, arguing they offered a better solution using the All Points broadband uniform, the state upheld Lumen’s challenge and required both parties to enter into an agreement that “is suitable to the county’s needs and desires,” Nelson said.

Nelson said if the county and Lumen cannot reach an agreement by April 25, the state will offer the county the full grant. In addition, the county is required to sign agreements with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and All Points

by April 25.

VATI funding will become available on July 1.

Henry Supervisor Sean Davis and South Anna Supervisor Susan Dibble expressed community concern over Lumen’s ability to provide the same service as All Points.

Dibble said they “will continue to monitor and hopefully work with Lumen” to ensure that both parties will provide the same service and everyone has access to high-speed internet.

“I think when Mr. Herzberg and I came on the board, our No. 1 priority was this highspeed internet,” Dibble said.

“So it’s very important to both of us. We have so many rural folks, and we’re definitely interested and hoping we can keep our people happy and

Map provided by Hanover County

Shown is the VATI grant map presented by Kevin Nelson to display the 7,235 recorded unserved residents of Hanover County that will potentially receive coverage from either All Points Broadband (dark blue) or Lumen Technologies (red) using state and federal funding. This does not depict all unserved residents in Hanover County, as the county is still collecting information.

very happy in three years.”

Nelson said despite certain challenges presented, the county remains on schedule to begin construction this upcoming fall. With the state’s approval, All Points has already begun ordering equipment for the project.

Service will become available to customers as construction in their particular area is completed. Nelson said they don’t have an exact construction schedule yet to determine the order of areas targeted, but they will likely have a phasing schedule in the summer. He aims to develop a website that will display who has access to service and the phasing schedule.

On behalf of a submitted citizen inquiry, Chair and Chickahominy Supervisor Angela Kelly-Wiecek asked if consumers in the Lumen service area will be able to choose All Points as their service pro-

vider.

Nelson said while they can’t use grant money for citizens who already have access, they will have infrastructure in certain areas. All Points is willing to accept these interested customers, but further discussion and planning is required, he said.

Similarly, Kelly-Wiecek said she has received questions from residents who are currently served in the suburban services area by Comcast who have expressed interest in a choice.

“I try to remind people that we are fortunate to have an option,” Kelly-Wiecek said. “We understand that… many customers believe having competition is what’s really going to deliver the very best product.”

Cold Harbor Supervisor Michael Herzberg and Dibble raised questions regarding newly developed areas.

“What about new addresses or new homes that are built?”

Dibble said. “And how would they verify… that they’re on the list?”

County staff and board members will plan how to proactively incorporate future developments into the county’s universal broadband initiative.

“We will have staff look at what our actions will be going forward to ensure that we don’t get into a situation where 10, 15, 20 years down the road, we have another segment of our population who is in a bubble with no internet,” Kelly-Wiecek said.

Nelson said a public hearing is planned for the second board of supervisors meeting in May to appropriate grant funds.

For more information on “Connect Hanover,” visit: https://www.hanovercounty. gov/1122/Internet/.

OUTSIDE

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Inside

Spring home improvement

Signs a roof needs repair or replacement any homeowners believe a roof is a once-in-alifetime investment. But roof damage can force homeowners to replace a roof regardless of how much time has lapsed since the roof was installed.

The average life span of a roof depends on when the roof was installed and the materials it is made from. According to Central Homes Roofing, three-tab shingles may last between 10 and 15 years, architectural shingles can endure for 15 to 20 years, and tile may last between 35 and 50 years. RPS Metal Roofing indicates a metal roof may last as long as 70 years.

However, climate and color of the roof also will affect its longevity.

Homeowners would be wise to consider these factors when determining if a roof is in need of repairs or replacement.

M

Roof age The age of the roof is a major factor in determining if it will need to be replaced or if repairs can be made to isolated damage. Individuals who live in neighborhoods where neighbors are now replacing roofs will likely find it is time to consult a roofing company. Homeowners also can check to see if they have any receipts that indicate the roof ’s installation date so they have an idea about its age.

Curled shingle edges If shingle tabs are curled or cupped, the shingles may need to be replaced. But if curling is extensive, a whole new roof may need to be installed.

Bald spots or lost portions of the roof Missing granules and missing shingles are reasons to consult a pro for a roof evaluation.

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Grain in gutters Roofing shingles are designed to overlap, and sealant keeps them steady. Friction, weather and atmospheric changes can impact sealant and cause degradation. Gutters with grainy material in them could indicate worn out sealant and shingles.

Ridge damage Ridges are spots where two separate areas meet and often are important to the structural integrity of the roof. If the roof ridge is showing signs of wear, it could be time to repair or replace it.

Leaks indoors Homeowners who find dark streaks or moisture in the attic may discover that water is penetrating the roof underlay. Water often comes in around chimney flashing. Other water signs are blistering and bubbling in walls.

Incoming light Look up through the attic and see if any light is coming through the roof, which may indicate there are cracks or holes in the roof.

Aesthetics If a homeowner doesn’t like the look of the roof from a design standpoint, a replacement also may be warranted.

Roofs can last many years, but the presence of certain signs indicates replacement or repairs will be necessary.

- Metro Creative

7 things to know before replacing windows he decision to replace windows often comes down to aesthetics and necessity. Drafty windows can reduce energy efficiency in a home, requiring HVAC systems to work harder to keep interiors comfortable. The harder the HVAC must work, the more homeowners will pay in energy costs.

Old windows also may be points of entry for water and insects. Despite the importance of windows, Money magazine advises that new windows make up only a fraction of the home’s total exterior ‘envelope,’ resulting in only about 5 to 15 percent of total energy savings.

But there are still plenty of reasons to invest in new windows.

1. Vinyl or aluminum may be best. Lumber is farmed rather quickly today and solid wood products may not stand up to elements as well as wood used a half-century ago. To avoid rot, vinyl windows often are an affordable and durable choice. Homeowners also have the option of wood windows with aluminum cladding, which are long-lasting.

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2. Moisture problems indicate windows need to be replaced. Condensation that shows up as fogging between double-pane windows or on the inside of windows indicates that the windows are starting to fail. If installing a vapor barrier in the basement or crawl space, ventilating properly when showering or cooking, or using a dehumidifier indoors does not remedy the situation, it might be time to replace windows.

3. Windows add curb appeal. Beyond functionality, replacement windows immediately update the look of the home and can improve curb appeal since they are one of the most prominent features on the exterior of a home. If a house needs an update, replacing windows and can be a quick and affordable update.

4. Consider other energy-efficient upgrades.

Sometimes older windows can be salvaged, especially if they are not damaged and only moderately drafty. Replacing panes, sash cords, weather stripping, and even glazing may be less expensive than replacing a window. Plus, older homes with attractive windows complement

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one another. To keep energy bills down, think about adding insulation to the attic and basement Ñ which is a good idea even if you are replacing windows.

5. The wrong windows can adversely affect home value. The National Association of Realtors says homeowners get about 73 percent of their replacement window investment back when they resell a home. But choosing the wrong windows might lower the value of the home. ItÕs important to match the look of the original windows, including window material and the divided light pattern (the number of panes in each window) with the original windows.

6. Think about soundproofing, too. When upgrading windows, also think about how certain windows can cancel out noises and make homes more soundproof. Some windows can help reduce outdoor distractions like leaf blowers or lawn mowers.

7. Proper installation is key to longevity.

Replacement windows are only as good as their

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installation in many cases. Poor installation and orders of standard rather than custom sized windows could result in poor fitting and seals.

Homeowners should carefully vet and review window replacement contractors to find the best professionals for the job. - Metro Creative