Donating a gift of life: Chester man recalls life of son, who was an organ donor
0ABOVE: Michael Brigati, on right, and his son, Matthew. Matthew Brigati was a New Year’s Day baby, born in 1988. In 2010 he lost his life in a tragic motor vehicle crash, but left behind a chance of life for others. “Matt loved sports and was an avid fan of his teams and watched games when he could,’ his father, Michael Brigati, said. “He and his friends played them as well.” Matt enjoyed playing local hockey and games of pick-up basketball. He loved his job at a TGI Fridays restaurant and was a happy-go-lucky “people person,” Michael said. “As we lived…
‘Giving tree’: Local eatery supporting disabled veterans
1ABOVE RIGHT: Cheryl Camden holds a photo of Sonny Bice, a disabled veteran who served in Vietnam. Cheryl and Doug Camden started their “giving tree” about 10 years ago. The owners of the Village Grill, 4337 Old Hundred Road in Chester, decided they wanted to give back to the community that has supported their business, which has been open for 18 years. “If it wasn’t for our customers, we wouldn’t have our business,” Cheryl said. In previous years the business has collected donations for the men’s and women’s shelters in Petersburg, Richmond Animal League, Mercy Mall and Grace House Ministries’…
Where legislation begins? School board asks legislators for help
1ABOVE: Matoaca District school board rep Rob Thompson, center, speaks while state Sen. Rosalyn Dance and House Speaker Kirk Cox listen. Adding school resource officers at each of the 38 elementary schools in Chesterfield County was one topic discussed at a joint meeting of school board members and local state legislators last week. The school board made some of their requests known during the Nov. 27 meeting with seven state legislators at the Chesterfield Career and Tech Center. “We would be grateful for any help,” board member Dianne Smith said. The SRO funding is part of a list of recommendations from…
After Thanksgiving
0Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. I am writing this on Thanksgiving morning, and this holiday did not get off to a good start. I woke up early this morning, and there was no electric power. I don’t think it was off very long, but it did make for a chilly morning. However, the sun is out now, and it is shaping up to be a very nice day. Is it me, or do you agree that the Thanksgiving holiday seems to get shorted compared to the holidays that preceded it, Halloween and the holiday…
Recently deceased
0Barrett, Dr. Francis Elwood “Frank,” 96, of Chesterfield, an Air Force veteran, husband of Ethel Halsey Barrett. Blackburn, Mrs. Evelyn Benton, 87, of Chester, widow of Hughie Blackburn Sr. Brown, Mrs. Marilyn A., 84, of North Chesterfield, widow of Wendall D. Brown Sr. Duffey, Mr. Carl W., 60, of Chesterfield. Grider, Mrs. June G., 85, of North Chesterfield, wife of Arnold Douglas Grider. Rice, Mr. Christopher L., 42, of Chesterfield. Tomlinson, Mr. Shawn Michael, 50, of Chesterfield, husband of Tammi N. Tomlinson.
Trapped by fire
0You probably saw the same news footage that I saw recently when a mother dropped her child out of a third-story window of a multi-family dwelling to neighbors waiting below. The building looked like a garden-style apartment building, which means that the only door leads into a common breezeway in the middle of four apartments. As I watched some footage on Facebook, there were three or four adult victims who had to exit through third-story windows after neighbors got a sheet and caught each person as they dropped. Leaving an apartment through a window happens because the space has become…
Despite shooting slump, Williams finding ways to help UNC win
0L.C. Bird High sharpshooter Kenny Williams shocked many when he chose North Carolina over Virginia Commonwealth University after Shaka Smart left the Rams for Texas, but few have been shocked at the success he’s found as a Tar Heel. While his three-point shooting hasn’t quite been what Chesterfield County was used to seeing this year (5 for 26, 19.2 percent), Williams has found a way to keep himself firmly in the starting lineup through his ball handling. He leads the team with 33 assists through its first seven games, and his 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks second on the team. Of…
Meadowbrook football standouts receive college offers
0Despite a challenging season for head coach Chamont Thompson and the Meadowbrook High Monarchs, a silver lining is that the program developed at least two more college prospects. Running back Paul Davis recently received an offer from the University of Virginia-Wise, and defensive lineman/tight end Frank Howard got an offer from Shenandoah, along with Culver Stockton and Richmond Community College, the latter two from California. Davis has been a dependable if not spectacular running back his entire career, but hasn’t received a great deal of attention from the media. At 5-10, 175 pounds, he runs hard, provides good speed and…