INSIDE Horse Show for Hope raises money for cancer > page 4
Volume 57, Number 19 • May 13, 2010
Pledging to stay safe at prom Students planning to attend the Goochland High School Prom this weekend are signing a pledge to stay sober.
By Amy Condra acondra@goochlandgazette.com
By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
The theme of this year’s prom, scheduled for Saturday night at Hope Church, is “Tonight’s Dream…Tomorrow’s Memories,” said prom sponsor Kimberly Berry. Virginia Farm Bureau Safety Manager Bruce Stone hopes memories of prom night and gradation won’t include an alcohol-induced automobile crash. “Everyone needs to be involved,” said Stone, “the parents, school and community. But it boils down to personal responsibility by the teen drivers.” The Farm Bureau has been involved in teen driving safety for years with its Teenage Driver Safety Education Program, which includes the inducement of a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond. To qualify for the bond, a teen driver must have an accident- and convictionfree driving record, and must maintain that driving record for three years. Stone said the bureau requires the teen driver and guardian to sign a contract. The driver promises to put safety first,
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Calendar Classifieds Feature News Letters
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Goochland picks new fire chief
Photo by Ken Odor
Timothy Franklin signs the Goochland High School Prom Promise as prom sponsor Kimberly Berry updates the records. Monday was the last day to buy tickets for Saturday’s prom.
use seat belts and require passengers to do Recent Goochland recipients have the same, refrain from drinking and driv- been Kelly O’Connell, Erin Henley and ing, and to drive defensively. Matthew Dabney, said Goochland agent Recently the Farm Bureau awarded the Marc Jones, who added that close to 30 5,000th savings bond in the program to a see Prom > page 1 Chesterfield County driver.
People Opinion Sports TV Listings
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SPORTS Bulldogs start quick then hold on > page 9
William D. MacKay will be Goochland’s new Fire and Rescue Chief, County Administrator Rebecca Dickson announced last week. MacKay is currently Fire Chief for the City of Niagara Falls, New York, and has served in that position for four years. From 1980 until 2005 MacKay worked for Fairfax County, retiring as Battalion Chief, Special Operations. He then became Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management for Fairfax County until 2006. In Goochland he will lead a fire and rescue department that combines 16 career personnel and 270 active volunteers, operating out of six companies. The county’s former Fire Chief, Ken Brown, worked for Goochland for seven years before retiring, at a salary of $77,280, in January. “Over 40 applications were received for the position and the process to select MacKay was strenuous,”
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Dickson said in a press release. “Mr. MacKay brings strong leadership ability, comprehensive knowledge and years of emergency management experience to the position of Goochland County Fire and Rescue Chief.” MacKay said in an interview last week that his adult children live in Virginia and he is looking forward to returning to the area. “Goochland has a tremendous reputation, and an excellent fire and rescue company,” he said. “It’s an exciting opportunity.” MacKay will begin work June 28 and will earn an annual salary of $83,000.
William D. MacKay Courtesy of The Niagara Gazette
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west SERVING EASTERN GOOCHLAND AND WESTERN HENRICO
Freeman High School Band wins award