Local students learn theater skills at summer camp
0From left, front row, Molly Ford, Brylee Bates, Atticus McDaniel, Keely Savasta, Javion Spurell, Shelby Grubbs, Iyannah Campbell; middle, MacKenzie Geist, Coleman Smith, Vincent Hicks, Kyleigh Aston, Sophia Takacs, Isabella Koontz, Nicholas Clinger; back, Amelia Crittendon, Molly Gilhool, Maddie Hofman, Taliyah Steele, Tyler Adcock, Matthew Front, from left, Maddie Hofman, Molly Gilhool, Isabella Koontz, Iyannah Campbell, Shelby Grubbs and Molly Ford; back, Kyleigh Aston, MacKenzie Geist, Taliyah Steele and Sophia Takacs. Swift Creek Mill Theatre’s annual summer performance camp ran July 22 through Aug. 9. Twenty-three students learned hands-on 21st Century Skills by producing and starring in their own show:…
Woodland Pond swim team graduates
0These members of the Woodland Pond swim team have graduated high school and are moving on. From left, Zak Sandlin, Madison Clark, Michael Senter, Grace Puleo, Danielle Ertzner, coach Meredith Daley, Ryan Polino, Olivia Willis and Jacob Wills.
Pittsburgh native on board at Carver College & Career Academy
0Stephen Hackett is pumped up about being the new principal at Carver College and Career Academy. He called it a huge honor and responsibility and is loving every second. Hackett said he is most looking forward to working with the students, staff and community and seeing a noticeable change in the student experience. One of his goals is to build a connection with Carver’s roots, and he said he wants every student to be extremely proud of the school’s history. The building opened in 1948 for black students as Carver High School, and it closed in 1970. It later was…
Skyhawks welcome new faces, ready to play Bird football
0L.C. Bird finished last season 9-3, beating Glen Allen in the first round of the region 5B playoffs in coach Troy Taylor’s first year at the helm. The Skyhawks sent three student athletes to play college football at the next level, including one of the area’s biggest recruits in wide receiver, defensive back and athlete Jaden Payoute, who’ll play for Virginia Tech. Defensive back Mykey Anderson and offensive lineman Demarkus Dancy are headed to attend class and play football at UVA Wise. This offseason, Taylor navigated the winds of change as the hiring of former L.C. Bird coach David Bedwell…
Knights look to stay healthy, hungry for playoffs
0Last season, Thomas Dale finished 9-3. That’s an excellent year by any standards, but when you consider what could have been, you wonder what the team may have done if it wasn’t for an onslaught of injuries. The Knights’ coaching staff had to dig deeper into the depth chart than ever before. Thomas Dale had to start seven different quarterbacks due to various injuries. The team lost East Carolina commit and star defensive end Rick D’Abreu for the season in week 3. Zach Jones,a team leader and stalwart on the offensive line tore his ACL in week two. Originally, Tucker’s…
Recently deceased
0BROWNELL, Nancy Carolyn, 78, of Chester, wife of Thomas Brownell. EVERETT, Leonard A. “Lennie,” 71, of Chesterfield, husband of Judith Everett. FORD, Keith Nolan, 68, of Chester, husband of Rebecca Holden Ford. GREENBAUM, James, 50, of North Chesterfield, husband of Gemma Greenbaum. GUNN, Burton Austin, 62, of Chester, husband of Denise Gunn. GUNTER, Jimmie Sr., 80, of Chester, husband of Mary Gunter. HILL, Lelia M., 94, of Chesterfield, widow of Henry C. Hill Sr. HODGE, Thomas Elwood, 82, of Chesterfield, an Army veteran, widower of Carolyn Hodge. HUMPHREY, Charles, 86, of North Chesterfield, an Army veteran. LEUNG, Ying Choy, 88, of North Chesterfield, husband of Bo Ong Leung. LUMPKIN, Robert Ellis,…
My VA experience
0For many years, we have heard that the Veterans Administration medical system is broken. For about the past two to three years, I have been helping a veteran get to his doctor’s appointments at the VA hospital. I feel like I have an idea of how this system works and thought that I would share my VA experience. No system is perfect and ways to improve processes should be sought. Keep in mind, I am sharing this from a caregiver’s perspective. Everything that we do takes time to figure things out. I do not offer solutions, but would like to…
A dirty wedding
0Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. I recently had the opportunity to attend the wedding of sister’s son, which was held on the Eastern Kentucky University campus where they first met. It was a bit unusual for several reasons. It was held outside on one of the hottest days in July. It was 95 in the shade, and we had to sit in the sun throughout the ceremony. Second, the theme was more on the comic/con side, where the best man was dressed as Hans Solo and the maid of honor was Princess Leia. Most…