Where will they go?
0Every year from June 1 to Nov. 1, coastal states and adjoining states must be prepared for a land-falling hurricane. In other words, it is not when, but where. I cannot explain it, but North Carolina is in the bull’s-eye every year. I am not counting out Florida or the Gulf Coast, but for the sake of my point, I am going to center in on North Carolina and coastal Virginia. Authorities have made changes and improvements that allow for a rapid and efficient evacuation of coastal areas. While in Southport, N.C., last week, my wife and I had a…
Knights rumble past Royals, Skyhawks top Titans; Matoaca, Meadowbrook fall
0ABOVE: Deangelo Gray cuts back while running the football during gridiron action last week. (Rob’s DigiPix) Thomas Dale 48, Prince George 20 In what head coach Kevin Tucker called a “sloppy” game for Thomas Dale High School, the result looked awfully good on paper. The Knights improved to 8-2 with a victory over the Prince George Royals on Senior Night, as 25 Knights played their last home game and C.J. Reavis saw his jersey retired. Interestingly, Prince George ran 74 offense plays to Thomas Dale’s 31. But despite only running 31 plays, the Knights won handily. Thomas Dale led by just…
Dogpound vacation
0Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. I am in a bit of a quandary about writing this article because I plan on taking a small vacation next week. I’m wondering if I should push through this article or take a vacation from the Dogpound as well. Over the many years I cannot remember ever purposely just skipping the opportunity to write an article. I have been late a few times, and my master has at times “accidentally” misplaced a few of my articles, but overall I think I have delivered every week without taking a…
TDHS volleyball headed to state
1Thomas Dale High School’s boys volleyball team is headed to the state tournament. On the cusp of a region title, the Knights are preparing for a run at a state championship. Thomas Dale and James River played Monday in the regional final. The winner will be the top seed and the loser will be the second seed in the state tournament. Both teams will compete in the state semifinals. Under head coach Josh Forbes, the team has gone 15-2, falling only to Deep Run and James River. Any team goes through challenges, and this version of the team is no…
From the big screen to the classroom: O’Neil is glad she made the switch
0Stephanie O’Neil teaches ninth- and 10th-grade English at Carver College and Career Academy, but her journey started in the film industry. She wanted to be a screenwriter and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream. She spent three years working for a talent manager. However, she wanted a more creative career so she pursued teaching. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on film studies from Messiah College and completed additional coursework for her teaching certification. “I honestly love it,” she said. “I can’t imagine not teaching high school. It matched all my interests, and it’s…
Happy anniversary!
1Martha and Charlie Walker of Chester are celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss on Nov. 9, 2018, with 43 of those years in Chester. The couple has three children and five grandchildren.
Kiwanis Club donates coats to children
0ABOVE: The Kiwanis Club of Chester delivered 85 coats to Ecoff Elementary on Friday. Pictured from left are principal Josh Cole, Pat Dvorak and Hank Dvorak. A local civic group recently donated 165 winter coats to students at four local elementary schools. The Kiwanis Club of Chester started the program last year, member Pat Dvorak said. She came up with the idea and worked with Kiwanis member Nicole Jordan and others on the project. “We did not realize how great a need there is in our area until we began collecting the coats and receiving requests from the schools to fill…
Running helps woman cope with cancer
1ABOVE: Lauran Johnson, left, and Sue Moss are pictured after completing a half marathon in Charleston, S.C. When she isn’t busy teaching math at a local community college, Lauran Johnson can usually be found pounding the pavement in Chester or Richmond. The math instructor has completed half marathons (13.1 miles) not only in Richmond, but also in Key West, Fla., and Charleston and Myrtle Beach, S.C. She started running about a decade ago when her cholesterol, sugar and blood pressure levels were creeping upward, and she wanted to improve her health. “My first race was the Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond.…