I am not sure what you have thought about this series of articles, detailing my 25-year journey through Chesterfield Fire & EMS. My intent was to give you a small glimpse into the life of a firefighter. This last leg of the journey would require me to relearn my job. I had spent about 18 and a half years on an engine company, prior to spending two years in Fire & Life Safety. As I left the office, I was now the pastor of a church, which would play a big part in my future decisions. My new assignment would…
Browsing: Commentary
To the Editor: I enjoyed your piece “rail against trails may fail,” regarding the effort in the Board of Supervisors to enact a plan for providing access to more walking and biking trails in Chesterfield. I assumed that it would be voted down, based on the cheapness and resistance to change that I associate with the Board. Much to my surprise, the measure passed 3 to 2! Perhaps the high number of supporters enlisted by the “Bike Walk RVA” group carried some weight with the Board? Of course there were the usual howls of protest by the Chesterfield Patriots –…
To the Editor: While President Obama is pardoning two turkeys for Thanksgiving, every one of us can exercise that same presidential power by choosing a nonviolent Thanksgiving observance that spares a turkey’s life. And here are some good reasons: You can brag about pardoning a turkey – like Obama. You truly are what you eat. Who wants to be a “butterball?” Fruits and vegetables don’t have to carry government warning labels. You won’t sweat the environment and food resources devastation guilt trip. You won’t spend a sleepless night wondering how the turkey lived and died. Your body will appreciate a…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful but hurting Dogpound. Yes, despite all of the exercise and eating right… well… mostly right… I had to give up and go to a chiropractor. My sciatic nerve has been acting up something terrible of late… especially in the car. Not sure why the car is such an issue since I can sit at my computer at work or at the table at home with minor issues, but drive for 30 minutes and I get this pain crawling across by buttocks and down the right side of my leg. I had a serious…
Transportation by foot, bicycle, automobile, public transit are options, which some are available and some are not. We know that most of us can jump in our car and go just about anywhere. Bicycling is exceedingly tougher but is coming around in small pieces; travel by foot is gaining steam through the construction of sidewalks. Some sections of sidewalk have been constructed recently in both Bermuda and Dale districts in Southeastern Chesterfield. Supervisor Dorothy Jaeckle has come a long way in her support of pedestrian right-of-ways and is now pushing for the concrete paths across her district. Supervisor Holland is…
Instead of writing about my dissatisfaction with the state of the world and the human race, I’m going to take a cue from the upcoming week and instead, be thankful. As much as I despair, I am thankful, as heavy as my heart is, it does fill with joy when I see good shine through, and shine through it does. I am thankful; I am filled with gratitude for the good, for the hope, for the peace that I pray will come to this world. I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to wonder,…
I doubt that it has changed much since I left the job; firefighters love to eat. I can remember some of the best meals that I have ever eaten were in a fire station. There is nothing worse than to sit down for a meal and have the “heartsaver” tones go off – 3.7 out of every 10 responses will be to a single-family or multi-family dwelling for a kitchen fire. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where cooking is a big part of the celebration. Will you have uninvited guests coming to your home? Cooking related fires happen every…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound where things are in a constant state of change. As I mentioned in the last article, I was forced to join the new gym at the hospital and I had my concerns. One of my concerns was the fear of overcrowding, but so far it has not been too bad. One reason for this, I am guessing, is that I can get to the gym before the 5 p.m. clock crowd arrives. However, there are still some concerns. I like to use the barbells…I think they give me more…
I read on an arrest report last week that a man had been arrested for making annoying phone calls. You cannot help but wonder what those calls were about. I can understand threatening phone calls being a problem, maybe overzealous sales calls, political robo-calls or the survey calls that “will only take a few minutes of your time.” How about the join in on our town hall conference calls, should they be considered annoying? I think so. Then there are the relative wanting to borrow money, poor pitiful me, can’t get a word in edgewise calls, they all are definitely…
To the Editor: In regard to the Bikeways and Trails chapter [in the Comprehensive Plan], I have found there is great support for a more walkable and bikeable Chesterfield County. Everyday I see people trying to cross Ironbridge Road without crosswalks or sidewalks. Our county has not developed well for the many forms of transportation people already use, and it is time to put in place a plan for the infrastructure we need for years to come. The Bikeways and Trails chapter will provide guidance for coordination among departments with new development and when older areas are fixed. Sometimes I…