Community

Man charged with homicide for 2016 motel slaying

By Press release on April 11, 2018 Community, For the Record, Police

CHESTERFIELD – A man has been arrested in connection with the September 2016 murder of Jerry V. Colyer. At about 10:57 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, police responded to the Econo Lodge at 2310 Indian Hill Road for a reported shooting. Upon arrival, police located the clerk, identified as Jerry Vadal Colyer, 43, of the 2700 block of Haden Avenue in Richmond, deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. The investigation indicated a robbery occurred at the business. Police said the suspect entered the business, displayed a revolver and demanded money from the register. Upon receiving cash and shooting the…

Encourager: Matoaca High grad speaks to youth at annual event

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 10, 2018 Features, Libraries

Helping teens develop leadership skills was one of the ideas behind the Chesterfield County Public Library’s mini-leadership conferences. The fourth annual three-day conference – officially known as the Teen Leadership Institute – was held at the Chester Library last week. It featured motivational speaker Charles McLeod. McLeod – who grew up in southern Chesterfield County and graduated from Matoaca High School – was the first black basketball player at Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University). He credits his humble beginnings and early years living in public housing, aka “the projects,” for keeping him grounded and giving him the ability…

Megasite: Extra informational meeting to be held in May

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 10, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Planning & Zoning

Chesterfield County has added another community information meeting about a proposed megasite to go with three previously scheduled meetings coming up this week and next. Planning Commission Chairman Gib Sloan said the extra meeting – to be held at 6:30 p.m. May 7 at Carver Middle School – was added because the Economic Development Authority did not email those on its contact list two weeks in advance of the April 10 meeting. The EDA sent out some 1,100 emails to property owners and interested persons on April 2, Sloan said. The applicant – in this case the EDA – is…

Revisiting history: Commemoration of Chief Powhatan’s death attracts visitors from Canada

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 10, 2018 History

Michael Anderson brought his family from Canada to Henricus Historical Park on Saturday to view where his ancestors lived. Anderson, a Petersburg native who relocated to Toronto a number of years ago, said he found out in recent months that his ancestor 12 generations removed resided on what had been Fort Henricus on the peninsula 40 feet above sea level. Anderson brought his wife and daughters to the park, which was commemorating the 400th anniversary of Chief Powhatan’s death in 1618. Powhatan, or Wahunsenacah, died at age 72. While at Henricus, the Andersons talked to several Native Americans who were…

‘Plain old teacher’ incorporates technology in first-grade classroom

By Danielle Ozbat on April 10, 2018 Community, Features, Schools, Teachers

A good day for Nancy Thweatt is when the students in her first-grade class learn something new after having struggled with a lesson. Thweatt said when the proverbial light bulb goes off, she’s done something her students will be able to carry on to subsequent grades. Thweatt has been a teacher for 18 years and the first-grade teacher at Wells Elementary School for 12 years. Although she has taught second and third grades, she prefers first grade. “They’re more open to learning in first grade, but if you can catch them now when they’re young and just get them interested…

Making a fashion statement: Chester Woman’s Club hosts annual scholarship fundraiser

By Melissa Wilfong on April 10, 2018 Clubs

Fashion Al Fresco – or fashion out in the open air – was the theme of the Woman’s Club of Chester’s 2018 Annual Fashion Show. The April 7 event showcased new outfits from Peebles Department Store to an audience of more than 100 patrons. The club hosted the benefit at Chester Baptist Church to raise money for three scholarships for local high school seniors. Fashion show participants introduced new spring fashions and evening wear. The outfits ranged from crop pants and florals to black cocktail dresses and pastel sweaters. They showed off the newest fashions, and the hot colors seemed…

Re-entry program one of many offered by sheriff’s office

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 3, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Police

April Hutchison loves helping people. She got the opportunity to do just that when the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office decided to hire a re-entry coordinator over a year ago. Hutchison, who had been a stay-at-home mom for a year and a dispatcher and customer service rep for a local trucking company for 14 years before that, jumped at the chance. A friend who was then an employee of the sheriff’s office told her about the new position. Since her dad, Rusty Hutchison, had worked as a police officer in Chesterfield for almost 30 years, she was somewhat familiar with law…

Residents protest megasite, others object to utility rate increases

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 3, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government

Some 85 people rallied outside the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors meeting March 28 to protest a proposed megasite in the southern part of the county. Inside, the supervisors took public comment about a proposed 3.5-percent increase in water and sewer rates and about a $711 million budget that represents a 3.3-percent increase. The budget would cut the real estate property tax rate 1 cent to 95 cents per $100 of assessed value. But even with a 1-cent rate cut, county officials predict they will pull in an additional $15 million in local real estate tax collections over the next…

Audit reveals $99M in unfunded liabilities

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 3, 2018 Commentary, Community, Schools

Unfunded liabilities in a supplemental retirement plan for Chesterfield County Public Schools’ employees accumulated to nearly $100 million over more than two decades, according to a report recently issued by the county’s internal audit director Greg Akers. Akers, who presented his report to the county’s Audit and Finance Committee on March 12, said trustee investment services and the retirement plan were not actively managed from 1995 to 2017. A chart in the report shows that net pension liability was at $99 million in early 2016. By mid-2017, the figure had declined to just over $80 million. Akers said the Chesterfield…

CCPS approves year-round school at Bellwood Elementary

By Caleb M Soptelean on April 3, 2018 Community, Schools

Year-round school is a go at Bellwood Elementary School beginning in July. During a special meeting on March 23, the Chesterfield County Public Schools board voted unanimously to approve a proposal for a pilot program at Bellwood. School board member Carrie Coyner said the school held two additional meetings with parents following the regular March 13 meeting that resulted in the vote being postponed. The district also called 262 homes of students who attend Bellwood, and 75 percent of those who answered or responded to phone messages supported year-round school, she said. Eleven percent were unsure but supportive, and 13…

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