Community

Chester wedding venue recommended for approval

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 23, 2018 Planning & Zoning

ABOVE: The Rev. Cecelia LePage A small-venue wedding chapel received a unanimous approval recommendation from the Chesterfield County Planning Commission last week. The Rev. Cecelia LePage and Stephen Louderback requested a conditional use permit for their residential property at 9903 Hustings Court, which is located east of Iron Bridge Road between Krause and Centralia roads in the Courthouse Green South subdivision. Someone filed a complaint about the home-based business in March. Planning staff said that The Little Wedding Garden has been operating since January 2017. During the Oct. 16 meeting, LePage said she came home after marrying a friend in…

EDA gets update on arts center

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 23, 2018 Economic Development

ABOVE: Architect Scott Pryor speaks to the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority. The Chesterfield Economic Development Authority received an update on the Chesterfield Center for the Arts last week. Project director, Mike Laing of ECI Development Services of Richmond, and project architect, Scott Pryor, of DLR Group of Washington, D.C., spoke before the EDA board at its Oct. 18 meeting. Laing said a construction start date is planned for the spring with a completion date tentatively set for the fall of 2020. Pryor presented renderings of the 352-seat arts center to the board, and called it “the last piece of the puzzle…

Childrey, Miles vie for commonwealth’s attorney

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 23, 2018 Politics

ABOVE: John Childrey makes a point. Chesterfield County voters will choose a new commonwealth’s attorney on Nov. 6. Republican John Childrey and Democrat Scott Miles squared off in a debate Oct. 17 at First Baptist Church, 6201 Iron Bridge Road. Childrey touted his 20 years of experience with the Chesterfield commonwealth attorney’s office. In his closing statement, he criticized Miles for wanting to lead a department for which he had never previously even applied for a job. “I applaud his compassion, but he sounds more like a defense attorney arguing for a client,” Childrey said. Miles, who lives in the…

Chesterfield’s heroes and villains: Lescault tells tales from long ago to local crowd

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 16, 2018 History

ABOVE: Russ Lescault speaks at the Chesterfield County Museum, 6831 Mimms Loop; A black-powder pistol made in Spain is similar to models that could have been used in a duel. Russ Lescault loves talking about history. Lescault, 61, is a retired hostage negotiator and search and rescue coordinator. He was also the resident historian for the Chesterfield police department and sheriff’s office and a part-time faculty member at Virginia State and Virginia Commonwealth universities. Last week, he gave a presentation titled, “Early Heroes and Villains of Chesterfield County.” Speaking at the county museum Oct. 11, Lescault regaled the small crowd with…

Motivated to move?

By Press release on October 16, 2018 Community

Former Chesterfield County treasurer Richard Cordle spoke to the Chester Lions Club recently. Cordle, owner/operator of Best Fitness for Life, addressed topics such as stress, fitness, sleep deprivation and obesity, and encouraged attendees to be ‘motivated to move.’

Tropical storm remnant?

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 16, 2018 Community

This sign on Quay Street next to Chester Linear Park was apparently uprooted last week during Tropical Storm Michael. Some 202,000 Dominion Energy customers in the Richmond area lost power due to the storm. As of 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 15, Dominion said power had been restored to 96 percent of their 600,000 customers who had lost it. As of 1 a.m. Friday, Oct. 12, some 165,000 of their customers in the Richmond region and 46,773 in Chesterfield County were without power.

Help needed with theft recovery

By Becky Wright on October 16, 2018 Community, Crime Solvers

A ‘dog box’ and cooler were recently stolen from a firefighter’s pickup. On Thursday, Oct. 11, a firefighter with Enon Volunteer Fire Department was busy working when she discovered that she was the victim of theft. Around midnight between running calls, the firefighter went to her truck and discovered that her dog box, along with a pink Yeti Roadie 20 cooler, was stolen from the back of the truck. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at (804) 748-1251.

Faith and gratitude spur Moody to help others

By Amanda Creasey on October 16, 2018 Community

ABOVE: Siblings Caleb and Madison Broga made their own ‘Pink-Out Day’ shirts in October 2015 to surprise Terri Moody, center, who taught them at Colonial Heights High School. Terri Moody tends to be “a girl who follows the rules and does as I’m told,” so when her healthcare provider scheduled her for her first routine mammogram, she “didn’t question the need to have the test completed.” Her tendency to follow the rules may have saved her life. On Dec. 12, 2013, Moody, then just 40 years old, received a call from her radiologist. She had breast cancer. “I was stunned,” said…

Additional funding for new middle school?

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 16, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Schools

By a 3-0-2 vote with Carrie Coyner and Dianne Smith abstaining, the Chesterfield school board on Oct. 9 voted to ask the board of supervisors to transfer $3.37 million from construction projects at Enon and Beulah elementary schools to one at Manchester Middle School. According to a memo from interim school superintendent Donald R. Fairheart, a revised bid of $39.9 million from Kenbridge Construction Co. for the Manchester Middle project was $4.4 million over the projected bid of $35.5 million. Kenbridge was the only company to bid on the project. School district staff cited savings of $1.1 million and $2.5…

Village News on vacation

By Press release on October 9, 2018 Around the World, Community, Travel

ABOVE: Brenda Andrs and Ronnie Wallace enjoyed their annual vacation at The Villages in Florida recently. Their relatives were delighted to have them an extra week due to Hurricane Florence making travel difficult. They enjoyed reading the Village News between golf games. From left, Ronnie Wallace, Brenda Andrs, Celia Craft and Bill Craft.

Browsing: Community