School year offers staggered start dates for students
0Chesterfield County Public Schools are doing something a little different this year in relation to the first day of school. •All students in grades 1-5 will report on Tuesday, Sept. 3. •Half of a kindergarten class will attend school Sept. 3-4, while the other half will attend Sept. 5-6. Schools will assign specific dates and communicate them to parents. •All K-5 students will report to school starting Sept. 9. These adjustments will help new students to elementary school reduce anxiety, build community and start their formal education in CCPS off on the right foot, according to a press release. Middle…
Miles touts effect of ‘no cash bail’ policy
0Editor: As you may recall, the first policy I issued after taking office last November was designed to reduce Chesterfield courts’ reliance on “cash,” or secured bail. This was prompted by concerns in our community that the use of cash bail mistreats lower-income people. The policy requires that prosecutors oppose any bail for dangerous defendants while agreeing to unsecured bail for defendants who pose no apparent threat. Some critics of this approach predicted that it would undermine public safety. That has not been the case. Our most reliable measurement of the effects of the bail policy has been in the…
Superintendent provides info on Legionella, budget issues
0Editor: Our outstanding staff members have been diligently preparing for the return of our 61,000-plus students. We’re excited for the upcoming school year and are proud to share that for a second straight year we expect all of our schools to be fully accredited. The result shows the power of what can happen when you provide amazing learning experiences in a remarkable learning environment. This is a tremendous accomplishment for our students, staff and community! By the end of last week, we will have proactively cleaned and treated cooling towers at 33 of the 34 schools that were not in…
Fair fun
0A girl enjoys a ride at the Chesterfield County fair on Saturday, Aug. 24. The fair runs through Saturday, Aug. 31.
Princess Pageant focuses on fun rather than perfection
0This year’s winners are, from left, Nicolette Arnold, Caroline Blades, Alana Skinner, Riley Hacker and Andrea Farag. (Paul Diming photo) The Chesterfield County Fair is in full force yet again, with many events scheduled daily to keep fair-goers entertained. The morning of Aug. 24 featured Princess Pageant participants ranging in age from 3 to 16 with hopes of being crowned into the Chesterfield County Royals. This year’s theme was “Life’s a Beach at The Chesterfield County Fair.” The winners for each category were: Nicolette Arnold, tiny, ages 3 to 4; Caroline Blades, little, ages 5 to 6; Alana Skinner, juniors,…
Sports slate
0FOOTBALL Thurs., Aug. 29: L.C. Bird at Oscar Smith (Chesapeake), 6 p.m. scrimmage Henrico at Meadowbrook, 7 p.m. Fri., Aug. 30 Cosby at Thomas Dale, 7 p.m. BYE week: Matoaca GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Wed., Aug. 28: TDHS at Clover Hill, 7:15 p.m. Meadowbrook at Highland Springs, 6 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 29: Manchester at Bird, 7 p.m. BOYS VOLLEYBALL Fri.-Sat., Aug. 30-31: TDHS at Richmond Volleyball Club; times TBD
Football: Warriors getting ready to battle
0Head coach Jay Parker running through drills with his players. (Kameron Childress photo) By Joe Short Matoaca High School didn’t have an ideal season in their 2018 campaign. The Warriors finished 3-7. Three of those victories came in the final four contests, and there was a more positive vibe coming from the Matoaca locker room at the end of the year. Notable leadership departures have impacted the team. However, there is no shortage of talent. With a few new additions to the squad as well as the coaching staff, Matoaca looks to take advantage of momentum gained last year. Some…
Village News goes to Italy
0The Peel family — Samantha, Doug, Kelsey, and Michelle — recently enjoyed a bike tour of Florence, Italy. They paused to pose with the newspaper in front of the Famous Duomo, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.