DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 29, No. 33 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | December 19, 2012
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Proffer amendment procedures OK’d By Ben Orcutt for The Mechanicsville Local Developers who obtained rezoning to build houses in Hanover County will now have an option to amend the ordinance that created the rezoning
as it applies to undeveloped lots and the costs associated with the impact of development. On Nov. 28, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-2 to rescind its 22-year-old policy of accepting fees from developers to help fund schools, roads and other
capital improvements, which are known as cash proffers. Beaverdam District supervisor Aubrey M. “Bucky” Stanley voted against the proposal along with Chickahominy District supervisor Angela KellyWiecek. Cold Harbor District
supervisor Elton J. Wade Sr. was absent from the meeting due to illness. The supervisors also voted on Nov. 28 to revisit outstanding proffers and to develop a procedure by which the rezoning ordinances that established
those proffers could be amended, which was the recommendation of the proffer study committee, according to County Attorney Sterling E. Rives III. Following a joint presensee PROFFER pg. 5
STERLING E. RIVES III Hanover County Attorney
HCSB: shaky start Quadruplets arrive on 12-12-12 for budget talks By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
Supervisors. The supervisors revoked the county’s proffer policy and opted to use savings With the budget process still from school debt service reducin its early stages, one Hanover tions to partially fund the loss County School Board member of revenue. thinks the upcoming process Thornton said those funds could be contentious. would normally John Axselle, be returned to the who represents the school’s operating Beaverdam District, budget, and, now said this year’s strugthat those funds gle to meet increasare gone, it leaves ing cuts to education a deficit of about has a different feel $600,000. from past sessions, The school’s debt and he is concerned service is expected about a perceived to decrease about lack of cooperation one percent next AXSELLE in the preliminary year and even more stages of the process. in future years. Axselle made his comments Axselle didn’t specifically following a budget presenta- attach his remarks to the supertion by assistant superintendent visors’ action, but spoke of a Michael Thornton. deteriorating atmosphere since Thornton said an estimat- the beginning of the year. ed $6 million deficit could be “There has been a change,” larger with recent moves by the Hanover County Board of see BUDGET, pg. 18
By Jim Ridolphi for The Mechanicsville Local
C
ody, Brady, Caitlin and Rylie Cousins arrived earlier than expected, but their birth date will be easy to remember: 12-
12-12. The quadruplets were born last Wednesday morning to Justin and Kimberly Cousins of Mechanicsville. The boys are older than their sisters, with Cody being the oldest, making his entrance at 9:14 a.m. Brady followed at 9:15, Caitlin at 9:16 and Rylie at 9:17. Kimberly’s due date was March 5, but Cody had other plans. Her water broke around 5:30 a.m. and that set the multiple birth team at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in motion. The quads were delivered by Cesarean section. Cody weighed in at 2 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 13.75 inches in length. Siblings Brady was 1 pound, 15 ounces, 14 inches; Caitlin, 2 pounds, 4.3 ounces, 14.75 inches; and Rylie, 1 pound, 13.8 ounces, 13.00 inches. Justin and Kimberly become firsttime parents with the four babies. On Thursday, Kimberly appeared
Photos courtesy of Kimberly Cousins
Quadruplets Cody, left at the top; Brady, right at the top; Caitlin, below on the left; and Rylie, below on the right, were born on Dec. 12 to Justin and Kimberly Cousins of Mechanicsville.
fresh and relaxed. The day before, she said, “just went real smooth.” Her husband chimed in, saying, “There was no sense of stress from anybody at all.” “I had my ultrasound Tuesday morning and things were stable,” Kimberly said. “No contractions. I told him [Justin] to go on home and get a good night’s
sleep.” Cody, however, was ready to enter the world. Kimberly’s obstetrician is Dr. Leigh Lewis of Virginia Women’s Center, and the hope had been for her to get to 32 weeks. “I came into the hospital at 24 weeks in pre-term labor, but they stopped see QUADRUPLETS, pg. 4