‘It takes a village’: ChesterFest is Saturday
0The popular ChesterFest event is back Saturday, Sept. 28. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Chester Village Green and surrounding streets. “This year’s music will be done different from years past,” organizer Elliott Fausz said. “We won’t have any large acts on the main stage. Instead, we will have several small/solo acts scattered around the festival. Think street performers on the corner playing the sax or bagpipes or one-man show.” The dog show will start on the green’s main stage at 10 a.m. Categories include: best in show, best large, best small, best…
Salem Church educator is ‘Principal of the Year’
0Monique Booth stands next to a mural in a hallway at Salem Church Elementary School. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Monique Booth likes being a “princiPAL.” So much so, she recently wrote a paper about it for the George W. Bush Institute’s School Leadership Initiative. Her article, “Here is why you want to be ‘that’ parent and get to know the principal of your child’s school,” was posted on the organization’s website Aug. 27. In it, she noted that “research says 25 percent of a school’s total impact on student achievement is attributed to the principal.” The school principal is an…
School board candidates profiled for Nov. 5 election
0CokerPottsHarterMcCall AresBailey DALE DISTRICT Debbie Graves Bailey (R) Age: 57 Occupation: retired teacher Status: married Children: Sarah, 29, Jake, 24 Why I am running: I have dedicated my entire professional life to the education of youth in Chesterfield County. Even though I retired from the classroom in June, my commitment to ensuring the very best education for all the students and families in Chesterfield continues. I want to bring a teacher’s voice to the board. With the perspective of a mother and a teacher, I want to help develop the vision and goals for Chesterfield County schools. I want to…
FOLAR to host ‘Paddle-or-Battle’ Sept. 28
0All levels of paddlers welcome to preserve the Appomattox River during the 12th annual “Paddle or Battle” on Saturday, Sept. 28. Paddle or Battle is an opportunity for a recreational paddle or a competitive race in a canoe, kayak, or SUP board on the scenic Appomattox River. The 10-mile route begins at the Hopewell City Marina near the convergence with the James River and ends at Petersburg Pocahontas Island Park. New this year, Hopewell Recreation and Parks is offering a guided paddle that includes all equipment and a dedicated morning shuttle. A shorter, 2-mile-out-and-back route is available. The entire 10-mile…
Anti-human trafficking event coming Sept. 30
0The Richmond Justice Initiative is hosting an anti-human trafficking event Monday, Sept. 30, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Christian Life Church, 12501 Life Trail in Chester. The evening will feature a movie and discussion panel that includes police chief Jeffrey Katz, assistant commonwealth’s attorney Erin Barr, House of Refuge director Linda Addison and RJI director of development Heather Caleb. The event is free, but note that adult material will be presented, with footage from red light districts and re-enactments of what some victims experience. It is recommended for mature audiences. Parental discretion is advised. No child care will be…
Local man helps Canadians in need
0Editor: Last autumn, my husband and I were on a camping trip that took us across Canada and the U.S., visiting friends and family and taking in sights we had always wanted to see. We had booked at Pocahontas State Park for a few nights and were on our way there when our truck broke down. We were over 3,000 miles from home, knew no one in the area and had Hurricane Michael heading up the coast toward us. We were truly stuck and didn’t know what we were going to do when a lady, Lisa Bailey, stopped and asked…
Natured-themed playground opening at Dodd Park
0Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation will open a new nature-themed playground at R. Garland Dodd Park at Point of Rocks, 201 Enon Church Road, at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. Funding came from Niagara Cares, the philanthropic arm of Niagara Bottling, and the project was completed in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association. The first of its kind in Chesterfield, the nature playground features elements that reflect flora and fauna from the natural environment, such as ants, butterflies, frogs, mushrooms and turtles, as well as educational signage.
Carver High gets historical marker
0Joyce Brown, daughter of William A. Brown, the one and only principal at Carver High School, speaks at an unveiling of a historical marker outside Carver College and Career Academy on Friday, Sept. 20. Carver High school opened in 1948 for Chesterfield County’s black students and closed in 1970 as a result of the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, which declared that racially segregated public schools were unequal. After the ceremony, the marker was placed along Route 10 in front of the school, which is now Carver College and Career Academy. (Caleb M. Soptelean…