Browsing: Community

Caleb M. Soptelean, who served as editor of the Village News for almost two years and has been a freelance reporter for the Chester-based newspaper the past three years, is saying goodbye. The news comes as the Village News ceased publication late last year. The last issue was Dec. 14, 2022. Soptelean replaced Mark Fausz as editor on March 1, 2018, after he retired. Elliott Fausz, Mark’s son, served as owner and publisher following his dad’s retirement. Soptelean, who has worked part-time for the Village News since December 2019, has been working full-time as a reporter for the Southern Maryland…

A primary has been selected instead of a caucus for a three-way Republican race in state Senate District 12. Incumbent Sen. Amanda Chase announced the news in a Dec. 8 press release. Chase is slated to face former state Sen. Glen Sturtevant and Tina Ramirez in the June 20 primary. “I’m pleased that the Legislative District Committee has chosen a nomination process that is both easy and convenient for voters,” Chase said in an email, noting that all registered voters are able to participate in the process. The district, which was reshaped by redistricting after the 2020 Census, includes most…

State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) said two things that may come out of the General Assembly session early next year have to do with affordable housing and promoting workforce development. Republicans and Democrats can agree on a need for more affordable housing, he said. In addition, Morrissey said he’ll get behind a move by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to address workforce development. “The old model doesn’t work,” Morrissey said. That model generally includes getting a college degree, but now one may graduate with $50,000 to $70,000 in college debt. “It’s changed on a dime,” Morrissey said. He noted that one can…

During the Nov. 7 Chesterfield County Public Schools board meeting, eight people spoke during public comment, with seven either lauding the pending approval of a new model policy while others lambasted the school board for allowing sexually-explicit books in middle school libraries.  During the first reading of proposed policies and revisions, communications officer Shawn Smith noted that Policy 3035 pulled wording verbatim from the state board of education in regard to sexually-explicit content.  The policy would require parents to be notified 30 days in advance if any sexually-explicit content would be used as part of curriculum.  According to Senate Bill…

Tara Carroll, center, was thanked by the board of supervisors for filling in after Leslie Haley resigned to work for the state attorney general’s office.  As part of the consent agenda, on Oct. 26 the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved construction contracts to repave the county airport and to begin the third and final phase at Harrowgate Park.  The supervisors awarded a $1.14 million contract to Branscome Inc. to repave the airport terminal apron with 90 percent of the costs funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, 8 percent by the Virginia Department of Aviation and 2 percent by the…

The Oct. 11 Chesterfield County Public Schools board meeting was full of public comment, with multiple parents complaining about various issues.  Michael Karabinos said there were 16 teacher separations listed as part of the consent agenda. He noted that his daughter’s third-grade teacher left during the school year last year for a job with Capital One. “Teachers are afraid to speak their mind in forums like this,” he said, and encouraged the school district to allow collective bargaining.  Dominique Chatters said there is a disproportionate number of vacancies in the Dale District.  Anne Taydus said that the district’s Head Start…

On Sept. 22, the Chesterfield County Planning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of a request to rezone about 40 acres from commercial C-5 to commercial C-4 with a conditional use permit to allow condominiums at Route 1 and Willis Road.  The development, which is called Bellwood Commons, would be on land where an outdoor flea market has been and previously was a drive-in theater.  There was some public opposition to the request, including from Rene Eldred and former county planning employee Jim Bowling, but Gib Sloan, the planning commissioner from the Bermuda District, held sway. Jeff Geiger, representative of…

On July 26, Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) announced that he had reached a $10,000 settlement from a woman who claimed that he had trespassed for parking in a public right-of-way.  According to a press release, Jessica Spain called the police on Morrissey on May 22, 2019, for parking on an access road in the 19600 block of Church Road in Matoaca.  Spain allegedly said that she was in “great fear” due to Morrissey parking his vehicle at the end of her driveway while he campaigned door-to-door in the area. She filed a trespassing complaint the next day, the release states. …

On July 29, state Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) and Del. Carrie Coyner (R) discussed the new Chesterfield Recovery Academy, which is set to open Aug. 22 when the other public schools open.  The school will be located at 13900 Hull Street Road in Midlothian.  The eastern Chesterfield County duo chatted about the school on Morrissey’s program, the Fighting Joe Morrissey Show, which can be viewed live or replayed on Facebook.  Morrissey said the high school was the “brainchild” of Coyner, who said the idea sprung from her time serving on the Chesterfield County Public Schools board. “The idea was at…

On June 29, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to replace Leslie Haley as the Midlothian supervisor with former Chesterfield County Republican Party Chair Tara Carroll.  Board Chair Chris Winslow (R-Clover Hill) said the board followed a policy that was adopted in 1994. Eight people applied for the vacancy after Haley resigned to work in the attorney general’s office and six were qualified, Winslow said.  Kevin Carroll (R-Matoaca), no relation, motioned for Tara Carroll, which Jim Holland (D-Dale) seconded.  In the afternoon session, the board voted unanimously to name Holland vice chair following a nomination by Winslow.  Also…

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