Two warehouses planned for North Chesterfield
0By Caleb M. Soptelean Plans are in the works to bring two warehouses to Chesterfield County in the near future. They would be located on Bellwood and Willis roads, county officials say. Devon USA is planning a state-of-the-art facility for the James River Logistics Center on Bellwood Road, said Tina Shreve, a senior project manager with the county planning department. The planned 321,000-square-foot building could be increased to 500,000 square feet depending on the user’s needs, she said. The planned building is identical in size and scope to a building developed by Devon in 2017 in Ashland and leased by…
Communities in Schools hosting family event on March 24
0CHESTERFIELD – In the spring of 2017, Communities in Schools of Chesterfield hosted its first “CIS Fest” as a way to bring about awareness to the organization and its critical roles operating within Chesterfield County Public Schools. The response exceeded the organization’s expectations. “We’re not new to the community; we’ve been here for more than 20 years,” CIS Executive Director Chesterfield Jay Swedenborg said. “When we decided to host a festival-style event to spread the word about what we are doing – and our next big project – we weren’t sure if anyone would show. Boy, were we wrong!” CIS…
Bill calls for suspension of closure of coal ash ponds
0RICHMOND – A bill that instructs the director of the Department of Environmental Quality to suspend the issuance of any permit to close coal ash ponds until July 1, 2019, other than those state permits where the ash has been removed, is being removed, or is already being recycled from existing onsite ponds, is on its way to the governor after passage by the state Legislature. SB 807 requires Dominion Energy to issue a request for proposals to determine recycling options for coal ash that includes the cost and potential market demand. House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, has monitored…
EDA details plans for Megasite
1CHESTERFIELD – The Economic Development Authority of Chesterfield County announced Monday the filing of a detailed update of their rezoning application for a large, advanced manufacturing facility expected to bring significant new tax revenue and thousands of well-paying jobs to the county. An economic analysis performed by Mangum and Associates found the project would be a major economic driver for the county for years to come, including: 6,777 to 13,555 total full-time equivalent jobs benefitting from the project (2,000 to 4,000 direct jobs); $5.5 million to $10.9 million a year in new tax revenue to Chesterfield County; $4.1-8.2 billion in…
CCPS students to use Soundtrap digital audio app
0CHESTERFIELD – Chesterfield County Public Schools recently purchased a license to use Soundtrap, an online music and podcast recording studio, which will be rolled out to its 60,000 students. Initially, 33,000 middle and high school students will access the program as part of an innovative push to promote creativity and engagement, with the remaining students receiving the application later in the year. Having won numerous awards of excellence from educators around the world since its 2016 introduction, Soundtrap has now begun transitioning from a favorite learning tool deployed by individual teachers to a school-wide software program becoming part of the…
An analysis
0Last week, a person in the county died in an early morning house fire. I have not seen the findings of the investigation, but I wanted to talk about three things that contribute to or lead to a fire fatality. One of the many purposes of the fire service is to prevent fires from occurring. Since fires are nearly impossible to prevent, then great emphasis is placed on preventing the loss of life. When loss of life occurs, due to fire, we need to talk about it. Smoke alarms are the early warning devices that wake us up or simply…
Comic Con: Meadowdale Library set to bring comic book characters to life at annual event on Saturday
0NORTH CHESTERFIELD – Pull out your capes, boots, lightsabers, wings, horns, trench coats and sonic screwdrivers – it’s time for Comic Con. Chesterfield County Public Library will host its sixth annual Chesterfield Comic Con on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield. It’s a cosplay extravaganza, with a costume contest, costume prizes, food and games and new this year, an art contest and an exhibition of works by local students to celebrate the art of comic book illustration. Participants can come dressed as their favorite comic book, science fiction or movie character and visit more…
Phillips hangs up his dancing shoes after 60 years
0Billy Phillips said his final goodbyes to friends and families during a special celebration following the Chester Cotillion’s formal dance Feb. 24. Phillips taught thousands of seventh- and eighth-graders ballroom dance skills and etiquette over his 60-year career. Pictured from left are Joanna Kunz (the Phillipses’ daughter) Billy Phillips, Toni Phillips and Miller Kunz (son of Kunz, grandson of the Phillipses).