Protesters Demand Increase in Minimum Wage
1By Kyle Taylor and Brian Williams – Capital News Service In a show of solidarity, fast-food, health-care and child-care workers protested Thursday outside two McDonald’s restaurants in Richmond demanding a wage increase. The local demonstrators stood united with other low-wage workers across the country for the “Fight for $15” initiative. The campaign, which organizers call “the biggest-ever day of strikes,” has gained momentum recently as more than a dozen state and local governments approved legislation that will pay fast-food workers $15 per hour. “This is an effort to ensure that anyone who works full-time doesn’t have to raise a family in…
McDonald’s Says It Invests in Its Workers
0By Kyle Taylor and Brian Williams – Capital News Service Officials from McDonald’s defended their company’s practices after criticism Thursday from workers demanding a higher minimum wage. “We proudly invest in the future of those who work in McDonald’s restaurants,” said Lisa McComb, a spokesperson for McDonald’s. “In addition to raising the minimum wage for employees at our company-owned restaurants, we also offer employees access to Archways to Opportunity, a set of programs McDonald’s pays for which helps them earn a high school diploma and get needed tuition assistance so they can work toward earning a college degree.” Her statement came…
One Million Minutes
0They did it! Enon Elementary students read one million minutes and their principals stayed true to their word with a promise to dye their hair blue and gold, the school’s colors, during an assembly. The goal was for students to participate in a nightly reading assignment under the guidance of their mascot’s motto for reading “Gators Gobble Books,” reading 20 minutes each evening. The students reached their one million minutes goal during the second grading period. Principal Mike Crusco and Assistant Principal Ginny Riddick wanted to encourage the students to reach the one million mark and keep the culture of…
Ecoff Celebrates 25 Years
0It was an evening packed full of fun for the Ecoff students, community family, and teachers during last Friday’s celebration of 25 years in the community. Principal Dr. Josh Cole said, “We have been really blessed, our teachers and community have worked so well together over 25 years.”
Bright Hope
2The Bright Hope Railroad was an important export tool for Chesterfield County. The Bright Hope hauled coal from the Midlothian mines through Chester to Osborne’s Landing, approximately where the Virginia Dominion Power Plant is located. In 1877, the narrow gage railroad had its shops located in Chester generally along the current Shop Street. The Bright Hope ran four coal trains a day and one passenger train. The line went into foreclosure 1899 and reorganized as the Tidewater-Western. The rails were eventually sold to France in 1917 for use in World War I. By the end of the war the rails…
Fate of Bermuda Square Martin’s still in doubt
0Bermuda Square Shopping Center was moving right along with renovations. But now the construction has slowed. After completing about 50 percent of the project, the remaining retail space is either incomplete or on hold. The pad foundation, meant for the Martin’s grocery, is apparently delayed although DDR, the shopping center developer, would not comment on the status of the construction. At issue are two Belgian companies Ahold and Delhaize, two large Europeon grocery chains, which received permission, from the Belgian Competion Authority (BCA), for a huge mergerer. It affects its Martin’s and Food Lion grocery chains in the United Stated…
Route 1 construction to improve safety
0According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1) (JDH) is improving the intersection of JDH and Old Bermuda Hundred Road. Due to sight line issues, the intersection has been redesigned and will include: turn lanes on both routes at this intersection as well as a traffic signal and pedestrian accommodations. The purpose of this project is to improve safety and mitigate congestion at the intersection of Route 1 JDH and Route 618 (Old Bermuda Hundred Road). Traffic impacts during construction will be minimal.
Redistricting requires splitting voting precincts
0A court order changing Congressional districts, do to alleged gerrymandering, requires Chesterfield Registrar Lawrence Haake to divide voting precincts along the new 4th and 7th Congressional boundaries creating four precincts out of the current two – Beach Voting Precinct and Bird Voting Precinct. The new precincts will vote at the same polling place as always. The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors must also consider an ordinance dividing the Bird Voting Precinct in the Dale Magisterial District into two precincts by creating a new precinct out of the northern portion of the Bird Voting Precinct and using the same polling place, Bird…