“Elvis” woos seniors at Bensley
0BENSLEY – Elvis lives! Sorta. Seniors at Bensley Community Center recently got to experience an afternoon with Elvis tribute artist, Wrenn Mangum. It was a musical step into the past, and the audience loved it. Bensley Community Center hosted the potluck luncheon Aug. 15. The event had an overwhelming response, and the room was filled with smiling faces. “It was the best show,” said David Potter, building supervisor, “This place was rocking!” Mangum is no stranger to the enticing tunes of Elvis. Born in St. Mary’s Hospital, Sept. 29, 1972, to a mother and father who grew up in the…
Artist Mickael Broth at Henricus
0CHESTER – Richmond-based artist, muralist, and writer Mickael Broth has received international acclaim for his “dancing” Bernie Sanders mural in Richmond. It was seen by over 1.5 million viewers on Imgur in less than a week and was shared widely through social media. Last week he was onsite at Henricus Historical Park donating his time and talents painting on a much smaller canvas to support the Henricus Children’s Education Fund. Instead of brick or block for his large scale murals, Broth was painting on wood. . The artist used a replica of a 17th century church door for his canvas,…
Check Trees in August for the Asian Longhorned Beetle
0CHESTERFIELD – Although the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) has not been found in Virginia, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) encourages residents to check for this invasive pest by looking for signs in their trees and firewood transported from other states. To minimize further spread of the beetle, VDACS advises residents who see signs of the ALB to document, capture, and report the insect to VDACS or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). The ALB has the potential to destroy millions of acres of America’s treasured hardwoods, including maple, birch,…
Changes to Virginia Hunting Licenses
0RICHMOND – All hunters requiring a Virginia hunting license including lifetime license holders who plan to hunt doves, waterfowl, rails, woodcock, snipe, coots, gallinules, or moorhens in Virginia must be registered with the Virginia Harvest Information Program (HIP). A change for the 2016-2017 season is hunters will now be issued a HIP “permit” with their hunting license, when identifying that they will be hunting migratory game birds, instead of being issued a HIP number as in the past. To register for HIP, visit https://www.gooutdoorsvirginia.com/ or call 1-888-788-9772 during normal business hours.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW: L.C. Bird
0A sign of an excellent program, one that has reached dynasty levels, is an 11-1 season being considered an off year. That’s exactly what L.C. Bird did last year, falling short of its fourth consecutive 5A state championship as they fell to Hermitage in second round. The Skyhawks have a consistently strong defense, and last year they set a school record, posting seven defensive shutdowns and allowing just 46 points all season. That broke the previous mark held by the 2001 team that gave up 100 points. Rayshard Ashby (6-0, 220, Virginia Tech commit) and Isaiah Moore (6-3, 215, North…
FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Thomas Dale
0A senior-laden group pushed Thomas Dale to their best playoff performance since they won the 2009 state championship under head coach Vic Williams. The Knights won three playoff games, defeating Woodbridge, C.D. Hylton, and Cosby before falling to Oscar Smith in the 6A state semi-finals. “These guys had lots of experience and lots of reps,” said coach Kevin Tucker. “The guys knew what to expect, knew how to get to December football. Senior leadership is hard to replace.” There’s a lot of talent to replace on the defense, which saw seven players move onto the next level. Linebacker Sam Stark…
My First School Bus
0“Wake up Otto, wake up,” said Safety Officer Micky Grodski at the Chester Library on Friday. Otto, a talking miniature car, participated in the bus safety event conducted by Grodski for children entering kindergarten and riding a school bus for the first time. Nearly 30 children attending got a kick out of the talking car, and they kept their eyes and ears on Grodski as she went over safety concerns when riding the school bus. In brief, the 20-minute presentation stressed to the children to be prepared for when the bus arrives with everything they need for school, that the…
Federal grants are helping Chesterfield students
0CHESTERFIELD – Grants for 21st-Century Community Learning Centers are making a difference in the lives of Chesterfield County Public Schools students living in the county’s poorest areas. Since 2004, the school system has received more than $8 million to provide targeted remediation and enrichment at 11 schools. The Virginia Department of Education announced this year’s 21st-Century Community Learning Center grants Aug. 4, and Chesterfield County Public Schools won one of the 33 competitive grants awarded in the state. The latest grant will provide before- and after-school programs during the school year, plus four weeks of summer programs, at Chalkley Elementary.…