INSIDE Mom and son star in commercial > page 2 Volume 57, Number 18 • May 5, 2011
Science sizzles at Byrd E.S. By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
What’s your brain made out of? Well, basically, it consists of water, salt and fat, according to Richard Carchman, one of 10 presenters who took part in Byrd Elementary School’s Sizzling Science Day last Friday. “We are sophisticated bags of salty water,” Carchman told his audience. Carchman, a retired MCV professor, held forth in the media center as classes rotated between his station on the Brain and Senses and other presenters’ stations, which included Channel 8 meteorologist Paul Milliken, who spoke about the weather, of course, Adeeb Hamzey, who delved into the workings of electricity and Randy Weingart, who brought a selection of rocks into the multi-purpose room for his geology presentation. Other presenters talked to students about animal bones, forestry, pet care and gardening. “We are very electrical
By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
Photo by Ken Odor
Third graders Ariyanna Pierson, left and Kennedy Chandler examine some electric see Sceince > page 5 cables at the Byrd E.S. Sizzling Science Event last week.
INDEX
Calendar 16 Classifieds 17-19 Letters 6 Local Exchange B1
School Board settles on budget reduction figure
Obituaries Opinion Sports TV Listings
8 6 12-13 14-16
It’s a $629,095 reduction, the Goochland County School Board decided last week. Also known as Option A, that’s the figure board members chose to use as the amount schools administration will use in trimming the budget from the original amount approved back in January of $23,696,456. At its regular meeting earlier this month, Goochland Superintendent of Schools Linda Underwood had presented the board with three alternatives, ranging from Option A, now adopted, which includes budgeting 100 percent of projected sales tax revenues plus the $500,000 “holdback” sum. Option B would have adopted a 95 percent sales tax figure, while including the $500,000 figure, while Option C would have used 95 percent sales tax but excluded the $500,000 sum.
SPORTS
INSIDE
Goochland picks up big district win
Goochland Rec. center celebrates 50 years
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> page 10
At the workshop meeting last week, Underwood forecast bringing a revised budget before the board at its May 10 meeting with a target date for approval of May 25. “We will accept option A,” said Mattox, summing up the mood of the board, which voted for it unanimously. Earlier during the public comment period, John Wright, declared school board candidate in District 5, urged the board to adopt the 100 percent sales tax option, saying that four supervisors had said they expected schools to use that option. In case of a shortfall Wright said he understood it would be met by using money from fund balance. In addition to selecting Option A, the board approved a resolution asking the board of supervisors to “communicate the specific information being requested and provide templates that are acceptable to the Board see School Board > page 3