At the tailgate
0Hello and welcome back the wonderful world of the Dogpound. A couple of weekends ago I got the opportunity to attend, for the first time, a Chicago Bears football game at Soldier Field. Our host picked us from the hotel, and he was loaded down with tailgate goodies: barbecue brisket, chicken wings, pulled pork, baked beans and mac and cheese. So by the time we got to the stadium, we had a good dose of “essence of barbecue” on our clothes. I offered to carry the goodies that were stored in a caterer’s insulated soft bag with straps. I did…
TDHS band exhibition
0LEFT: Haley Cofer performs with the L.C. Bird High School band during an exhibition at Thomas Dale High School on Oct. 2. RIGHT: Jacob Fogg directs the L.C. Bird High School band.
Perkins receives lifetime honor
0ABOVE: DLA Aviation Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Linda Hurry presents Benjamin ‘Gil’ Perkins the Hall of Fame medal and award for his selection as DLA Aviation’s 2018 Hall of Fame member at Defense Supply Center Richmond. For his dedicated service and contributions to Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Benjamin “Gil” Perkins, former DLA Aviation chief counsel, was inducted into the 2018 DLA Aviation Hall of Fame Sept. 27. Perkins retired in 2015 after 34 years of service. Brig. Gen. Linda Hurry opened the ceremony, making note of Perkins’s many contributions during his time at DSCR. “There is no question that Gil’s…
DuPont, labor union agree to new contracts
0Negotiations between workers at the DuPont Spruance plant and the company have resulted in approval of two new contracts. DuPont spokeswoman Deborah S. McNeil said that the Ampthill Rayon Workers ratified the contracts in late August and in September. McNeil said the contracts “will significantly improve the long-term competitiveness and performance of the Spruance site.” The old contracts expired Sept. 1. The contracts cover the production and maintenance unit and the clerical, technical and operations unit, which had been in effect since Sept. 1, 2012 and Sept. 1, 2013, respectively. Of the 1,800 people employed at the site, some 1,200…
Back to court: Shoosmith Bros. files another lawsuit against county over rock quarry
0Land near the top of the photo includes a rock quarry that Shoosmith Bros. Inc. wants to use for its landfill. After being unanimously turned down July 25 by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors on its request for a permit to use a rock quarry as a landfill, the owner of the landfill, Shoosmith Bros. Inc., recently filed another lawsuit against the county in Chesterfield Circuit Court. Shoosmith’s attorney, Andrea Wortzel, filed the suit Aug. 21. This and a lawsuit the company filed June 19, 2017, are the next steps in a battle between the county and Shoosmith over…
Teaching change has ‘worked out’ for McDorman
3ABOVE: Tracey McDorman, a physical education teacher at C.C. Wells Elementary, instructs some fifth-graders. Becoming a PE teacher was a healthy change for Tracey McDorman. She is the physical education teacher at C.C. Wells Elementary, but McDorman started out teaching second grade at W.W. Gordon Elementary 12 years ago. After nine years at Gordon, McDorman was ready for something new, but she was not sure if she wanted to do a different grade level. A colleague suggested that she would like PE because she had always been active with her classes. McDorman has been at Wells for three years. Although she…
County offers computer access to fire and police calls
0Sirens wailing, red or blue lights flashing: what is happening? Now the general public can check for themselves thanks to an upgrade on the county’s website, the first since 2009. “The idea was developed as several departments in the region prepared for radio encryption,” said Elizabeth Caroon, spokesman for Chesterfield County Police Department. “We saw this as a good way to keep the public informed about real-time police activities once radio traffic was encrypted. Some other area agencies have similar sites.” Fire and EMS incidents are also available. “With the new radio system, the police department went to encryption for…
Prayer time: Community event includes prayers for students, teachers, administrators
0ABOVE: Clergy pray for school administrators Sunday. “What can you do for the children and staff of Chesterfield? You can pray. When you speak to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, you put protection around all of us.” With those words, incoming Chesterfield schools superintendent Merv Daugherty tried to encourage those in attendance at a Sunday evening gathering at Thomas Dale High School. The sixth annual “Praying for our Schools” event was organized for Chester Clergy by the Rev. Shawn Franco, lead pastor of Cornerstone Assembly of God. The hour-long event involved students, teachers, administrators, parents and others.…