Community

Faulconer releases ‘Lips Locked’ single

By Press release on July 30, 2019 Community, Entertainment

At 12, Nick Faulconer was “busking,” playing music on the street for tips. At 21, he used tips and gig money to build his own recording studio, where he produced his new single, “Lips Locked.” Inspired by artists Lauv and Charlie Puth, Faulconer wrote every line, played every instrument, sang every note, created every beat, and recorded, mixed, and mastered the R&B-inspired pop song himself. The single will be available July 31 on Spotify, iTunes and all major music platforms. Faulconer – who was homeschooled and has lived in Chesterfield for five years – said he wrote the lyrics and…

Stonewalled: Smith continues to offer help

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Commentary, Community, From the Editor

Mike Lainge shows curtain and flooring designs and colors for the new arts center to the EDA on July 18. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Richard Smith (Pat Dvorak photo) Last November, Richard Smith and his wife, Monique, installed the largest US flag in the state on their property off Interstate 95 as a way to honor current and retired members of the military and law enforcement. Smith said he offered $100,000 of stone aggregate (crushed concrete) to the Chesterfield Cultural Arts Foundation for use in building an arts center in Chester in 2016. However, art center project manager Mike Lainge…

Leonard finally has an opponent: Independent Kersey running for sheriff

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Chesterfield Government, Politics

Rahn Kersey is a man of many parts. The Chesterfield native would like to add sheriff to his resume. That’s no small feat since incumbent Karl Leonard has been in the office for nearly six years after being appointed to the post in February 2014, then winning a special election in March of that year and a full four-year term in November 2015. Leonard was unopposed in both elections. Kersey, 51, served 14 years in the Army, including time in Bosnia and Kosovo, was a Transportation Security Administration employee at Richmond International Airport, and worked 10 years with the state,…

Cinema Cafe on the way

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Community, Economic Development, Entertainment

A Cinema Cafe is under construction at Bermuda Crossroads Marketplace on Jefferson Davis Highway, just north of Route 10. A construction company spokesman said site work will take two months, followed by construction of the movie theater over a nine-month period. That would result in a tentative June 2020 opening. Plans call for a 45,000-square-foot nine-plex with 1,400-seats.

New townhomes slated for Chester

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Economic Development, Housing

A view of from Lee Street last week. A rendering of the townhomes. A new townhome community is coming to Chester. Barney and Kyle McLaughlin, father and son, have teamed up on The Village Townhomes. Dirt was recently turned on the project, located at 4513 and 4519 Lee St., and Kyle said footers would be dug this week. The first of four townhomes, including a model home, should be complete within 90 to 120 days, he said. The remaining homes will be built as demand requires. The 3-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath two-story homes will average around 1,500 square feet and…

Girls are like diamonds: Woman writes leadership training guide and book for teen girls

By Diane Merryman on July 23, 2019 Community

Laymetha Reed Guy is pictured in a recording studio. (Ridgeway Creative photo) A Hopewell resident with roots in Chester has written a leadership training guide and book to help teenage girls make the right choices. Laymetha Reed Guy is a vocalist, musician, speaker and author. She has been active in church music ministries since she was a young girl. She was a Chester resident from 2005 to 2015 and opened a music studio on Osborne Road called Lady Sings Productions. In 2015 she moved the studio to Hopewell when she and her husband, Linwood Guy, also a musician who plays…

Carvana on hold after Planning Commission deadlocks

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning

A graphic of a proposed layout of the Carvana site. A Chesterfield County Planning Commission meeting that ended around 11 p.m. July 16 resulted in three 2-2 votes on the proposed Carvana auto inspection site that would be located on Woods Edge Road east of Interstate 95. The Planning Commission – which was missing Midlothian commissioner Peppy Jones – deadlocked on three votes to approve, deny and defer the vote to the commission’s Aug. 20 meeting. Deputy county attorney Rob Robinson said that, due to the indecision, the matter automatically goes to the commission’s next meeting. If the board fails…

Cash proffers revised for Nash Road subdivision

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development, Planning & Zoning

An edge of Nash Lake is pictured above. The Woodland Pond Parkway and Nash Road intersection is located south of the proposed development. A cash proffer revision for a proposed 33-lot subdivision on 79 acres off of Nash Road received a 4-0 vote of approval recommendation from the Chesterfield Planning Commission last week. Cypress Glen was originally approved under two separate cases covering 28 homes at 10940 Nash Road, but the new case combines them into one and reduces the cash proffer amount to $9,400 per house for a total of $310,200. Earlier proffers were pegged at $19,801 and $21,663…

Arts center project underway

By Caleb M Soptelean on July 23, 2019 Art, Chesterfield Government, Community, Entertainment

Workers were busy last week preparing a second parking lot south of the Chester Library. Work is slated to begin Sept. 1 on the site of the new Baxter Perkinson Center for the Arts on the north side of the library. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo)

FOLAR meets goal of $100,000 challenge grant for river trail

By Press release on July 23, 2019 Outdoors

The Friends of the Lower Appomattox River had a year-long campaign to receive a $100,000 matching grant from The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation of Richmond reach its goal last month, thanks to the generosity of the many supporters who donated a total of $105,000 to the effort. The funds are targeted at improving the Appomattox River Trail through Petersburg Patton Park and the Historic Petersburg area, which is a central section of FOLAR’s ongoing 20-plus mile long, multi-million-dollar Appomattox River Trail improvement campaign. The success of the fundraising effort means that FOLAR receives the matching funds. “We are so grateful…

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