To the Editor I grew up in Chesterfield, I have seen change throughout the years: Larger highways, stoplights, new subdivisions and many new restaurants. As I drive throughout Virginia for work I see much of the same as small towns connect by concrete, Chick-fil-A and Walmart. Many times I sit down to eat at the new restaurants in some small town in Virginia. But it’s not the same. No one stops me to ask about the family, to chat about friends, to share their troubles. For me it’s the familiar faces that make Chesterfield home. Many years ago John Erbach came to…
Browsing: Commentary
I will take another break from my engine to the truck series, to ensure that we talk about Saturday, Oct. 31, otherwise known as Halloween. I am amazed that some consider Halloween their favorite day of the year. It is important that I write about this, with the intent of getting people to think about the scores of children that may be out on the roadway. A few safety tips for those that will be out that night are: Make sure that you go out with your children Make sure that you have a good flashlight Reflective material, either sewn…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. I have two things to cover. First I want to bring to everyone’s attention something I mentioned in my last article. As a reminder, if you missed that article, I mentioned that my Master had told me last week that I need to get an article in ASAP or they would be forced to run an “oldie but goodie.” I was sure I had submitted an article for the week but you have to listen to the boss, however, I cautioned that my Master had been wrong in the…
When we leave the bosom of education, whether it is university, technical or high school, we enter the real world – employment. Some of us use what we have learned, some of us explore vocations unrelated to our education and some of us slide by not knowing what to do with our employment life. During our career, climbing the ladder in the corporate world or forgoing the gray flannel suit to enter the entrepreneurial world, we reach for the gold ring, stretching to find a pension or gambling that we will make enough green to see ourselves through our golden…
I have just returned from my last field trip to the pumpkin patch. While I will not miss the itchy, scratchy feeling from the hay, or the multiple trips to the porta johns, it was surely bittersweet. My babies are growing up; gone are the days of field trips to the library, post office, and now the pumpkin patch. The hordes of screaming children racing up and down the rows trying to find that one perfect pumpkin, the dusty, dirty air getting in and on every surface, the sharpie in my back pocket so that I can write each of…
When I left you, I had been assigned to Engine 8, then U-83, in Matoaca. I spent three years there initially. With it being a slow house, I was able to get my self-study work done pretty quickly. Matoaca was also the house where I had set a goal to become an Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider on an engine. In 1987, I went to cardiac technician school, which is now called EMT-Intermediate. I left Matoaca in 1989, headed back home, Fire Station 1 in Chester. I did not stay in Chester long because Engine 1 was not a designated…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. I am kind of in the dog pound myself, since I appear to be late for this week’s column. I had bookend “weekend” football games for my birthday, one college and one professional, so I am pretty sure I wrote an extra article, but the Master says not so. However, just between the pack and me, the Master has had to eat his words in the past, maybe he is a bit hungry this week? Wink! I enjoy both types of games, but I just think the college games…
Work: it is something we have to do, whether we want to or not. Some of us do it not for money but for for satisfaction and self worth. Some jobs afford us a way to change things, but that involves patience. Slow and steady wins the race as they say. Art can make it more interesting and accessible. I purchased book in 2010 called “Local Motion: The Art of Civic Engagement in Toronto,” by Dave Meslin. The city of Toron certainly cannot be much different in its structure than Chesterfield County. But as I pulled the book off of…
Football season is in full swing and we are reminded of the importance of recognizing, treating, and preventing concussions. Though football may be more often associated with concussions, they can occur in any sport where contact is possible. The short and long-term effects of concussions have been responsible for many rule changes and guidelines in high school and pro leagues. A concussion is defined as a temporary disruption in brain function that results from a direct impact to the head. In its broadest sense, the term “concussion” is usually used to describe any blow to the head, ranging from mild…
Fall is rolling along. As you look around, many deciduous trees are beginning to shed their leaves. Before long your yard will have its own coat of many colors. Or will it? Leaf removal is critical to successful sports turf management such as golf courses and ball fields. Their playing surfaces typically do not include red, orange, and yellow leaves. As homeowners you are also turf managers and leaf removal is important, too. A layer of leaf cover on grass blocks sunlight, which is necessary for photosynthesis and traps moisture increasing potential for diseases. Now before you race out to…