New emergency communications director on board
0OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Chesterfield County recently named Thomas “Tommy” Tucker as its new director of emergency communications. Tucker served as interim co-director of the Emergency Communications Center since October 2018. He began in his new role as director of emergency communications May 4 at a salary of $125,000. With 32 years working in public safety, Tucker has a unique and thorough understanding of the importance of emergency communications and the essential role of the ECC staff as the public’s first contact in the event of an emergency, a press release states. As director, he will oversee the daily operations of…
Trucking terminal going up on Station Road
0New Bell Trucking will have a truck terminal on Station Road with an adjacent pathway leading to Falling Creek. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Evans Construction of Richmond is currently building a truck terminal at 2227 Station Road for New Bell Trucking. The site plan lists a 9,800-square-foot, 35-feet-tall, one-story building and loading dock on 9.16 acres, including 4.36 acres in a “disturbed area.” The site plan was approved Aug. 15 last year. An employee of Evans Construction said the target completion date is the first week of July. The land was previously vacant, according to county Planning Department records. An…
Looking for justice: Father asks for public’s help locating shooter
0Tony Flaugher looks into the woods where his son Samuel ran after being shot. (Caleb M. Soptelean photo) Tony Flaugher is looking for justice for his son. Samuel Allen Flaugher, 19, was shot near 4003 Meridian Ave. in South Richmond around 9 p.m. Monday, April 15, and died several days later. The case is still under investigation by Richmond Police, but Tony Flaugher, 48, spoke to various media outlets on Friday, May 10, in an effort to get someone to come forward with information about the incident. Samuel Flaugher (pronounced floor) was shot once in the chest, with the bullet…
New ‘Access On Demand’ transportation program being offered by county
0Getting around in Chesterfield just got easier with the launch of Chesterfield County’s newest transportation program, Access On Demand. The service is the first of its kind in the region, offering affordable, specialized transportation for individuals who are age 60 and older, have a disability or live in a low-income household. Launched May 1 by the Chesterfield County Citizen Information and Resources Division of Mobility Services, the pilot transportation program offers same-day service to eligible county residents through four highly qualified providers – Dependacare On Demand, Owl Inc. Transportation, Roundtrip and UZURV. Access On Demand is 100 percent county-funded. As…
County 1 of 15 to participate in national opioid treatment initiative
0Chesterfield County announced last week that it is one of 15 localities, and the only one in Virginia, selected to participate in a national program to expand medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder in jails. The county will receive expert guidance on how to overcome barriers to providing opioid treatment and scholarships for five staff members to attend trainings in Washington, D.C. Experts will work with jail officials to create treatment guidelines, manage administration of the medications, and educate jail staff about addiction. Chesterfield will also develop a plan with local health care officials to ensure people can access…
Lee recognized as ‘steward of the river’
0Bensley resident LaTika Lee recently was recognized as one of four “stewards of the river” by the James River Advisory Council. Lee received the Historical Values Award from the nonprofit. She has coordinated presentations that explore the history of the James River: “Diversity on the River – Forgotten History Lecture Series.” She has coordinated lectures such as, “Diamonds, Education, Emancipation and Race: The Family of Silas Omohundro,” “Down by The Riverside: African American Heritage on America’s Rivers,” “The Story of Henry ‘Box’ Brown,” “The Secret Life of Lucy Bosman and Murder on Second Street: The Jackson Ward Murders” and “The…
Two Democrats seeking SD11 nomination
0Wayne PowellAmanda Pohl Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination on June 11 in state Senate District 11, with the winner set to challenge first-term Republican incumbent Amanda Chase on Nov. 5. Chase defeated incumbent Stephen Martin and challenger Barry Moore in the Grand Old Party’s primary in 2015 and defeated Democrat Wayne Powell in the 2015 general election, 63 to 36 percent. Now, Powell is running again but is being challenged by Amanda Pohl, who is the data systems and evaluation coordinator for the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, 1118 W. Main St. in Richmond. Powell…
Soles 4 Souls
0Kaiden Walters and Lexi Decker, cousins, organized a Kind Kid Club at Harrowgate Elementary School in the 2017-2018 school year. A ‘Socks of Love’ drive resulted in over 900 pairs of socks collected for the needy. This year, the club is collecting gently used and new shoes for Soles4Souls. So far, more than 1,000 pairs of shoes have been collected. The drive runs until May 31. A collection box is located outside the school entrance. Several churches, including Grace Lutheran, Chester United Methodist and Ivey Memorial United Methodist, are also collecting shoes, which will be distributed to Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala…