Bunkering down: A ‘unique’ in-door golf experience
0Scott Graber demonstrates a golf simulator at The Bunker. Robert Nowak stands next to the sign he designed and built. It features 24-inch galvanized metal letters on laminate flooring with vinyl decals. In its 25th year, The Golf Club at The Highlands is offering what it considers a rather unique experience. The Bunker indoor golf center consists of two golf simulation bays and a putting and chipping green, along with an adjacent bar and entertainment area called The 19th Hole that features pool, table tennis, darts and TV sets. “A lot of other places have golf simulators but not the…
Letter to editor: Tannerite use defined
0In regard to your story in last week’s issue, “Tannerite explosions rattle community,” characterizing Tannerite as a fuel is only correct if you are talking about it to fire off a rocket. Note that the chemistry given for the components is backward: The ammonium nitrate and ammonium perchlorate are powerful oxidizing agents, while aluminum powder is a powerful reducing agent. The idea that it is “100 percent legal” does not make it right to use without considering neighbors. It should probably be used in a sound-muffling bunker, which is generally done with piles of sand bags. I’ve used that method…
Appraisers do their thing at annual event
0Joel Birkitt from the Buckingham Antique Mall talks to a customer. The Chesterfield Historical Society held its 11th annual Antiques Evaluation Saturday, March 16 at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds. “I have been appraising for about 30 years,” local appraiser Joe Lipscombe said. “If you’re in this business, you do an appraising every day because we buy and sell. We [have got to] know how much to pay so we can make a profit when we sell,” he said. “There’s so much stuff out here, and it’s such a broad field, you can’t just go take a six-month course and become…
Dear Abishag: Damon writes second book about Biblical women
0Roberta M. Damon, an 84-year-old Chester resident, recently debuted her second book in a series, “Dear Abishag: Letters to Little Known Women of the Bible.” The book, which was released in December, is a sequel to Damon’s first book: “Dear Mrs. Noah: Letters to Unnamed Women of the Bible.” Similar to her previous book, Dear Abishag is accompanied by the illustrations of her granddaughter, Melissa Damon. The book contains 30 chapters. Each is embodied with a descriptive letter to or from somewhat unknown women, such as Abishag, Jael, Keturah, Susanna and Zipporah. “So often we think of all things Biblical…
Two-alarm hotel fire injures 4, displaces 33
0One person who received life-threatening injuries and three police officers who suffered smoke inhalation were transported to a hospital after a fire raged Sunday night at the Interstate Inn hotel in the 2100 block of Indian Hill Road. Officials said 33 people were displaced, including 26 adults and seven children. A call came into dispatch reporting the fire at 10:35 p.m., Capt. Joe Harvey of Chesterfield Fire and EMS said. A second alarm was declared at 10:44 p.m. which dispatched additional firefighters and medics to the scene. Fire crews found heavy fire showing from a room on the second floor,…
Warning issued after I-95 brush fire
0Firefighters from Harrowgate, Dutch Gap and Chester fire stations responded Monday, March 11, to Interstate 95 for multiple brush fires between Woods Edge Road and Route 10. Chesterfield Fire and EMS spokesman Jason Elmore said the fires were most likely caused by a vehicle throwing sparks while driving. There is a heightened danger for fires at this time of the year, and special burn laws go into effect. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, more than 60 percent of Virginia’s annual average of 1,000 wildfires occur in the spring, with March and April being the most active months. Debris…
Former UR football player enjoys teaching special ed math
0Albert Davis’ favorite thing about being a teacher is when the light bulb comes on for his students. Davis is a collaborative special education math teacher at Matoaca Middle School. “When you see the kids learn, and they make that connection – and especially kids [who] struggle, because most of the kids I teach really struggle – that’s the most exciting thing about the job for me.” Originally from Marbury, Md., Davis said a football scholarship brought him to the University of Richmond. He majored in speech communication and theater because he had an interest in building sets (his father…
Hopkins Road Elementary principal receives leadership award
0Hopkins Road Elementary School Principal Lisa Hill was recently named Chesterfield County Public Schools’ recipient of the 2019 R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership. The R.E.B. Awards for Distinguished Educational Leadership – named in honor of Rudy and Esther Bunzl – recognize central Virginia principals who go beyond day-to-day demands to create an exceptional educational environment for students and staff members. “Dr. Hill is a true champion of her students, constantly advocating for what’s in the best interest of the children who come to Hopkins Elementary,” Dale District School Board member John Erbach said. “She brings new ideas into her…