07/22/2010 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE The Tea Party returns to Goochland > page 3

Volume 57, Number 29 • July 22, 2010

Prezoning denied Commissioners vote against county’s application for B-3 zoning at Oilville interchange By Amy Condra acondra@goochlandgazette.com

Photo by Ken Odor

Connie McRoberts, above, asks the school administration to reconsider the prinicipal switch that will send Stacy Austin to Goochland Elementary School from Randolph Elementary School. The new meeting room brings participants, below, and school administration closer together.

Parents question principal switch designed to bring attendees and the board closer together to facilitate communication. If the hope was for more amicable public comment, it By Ken Odor didn’t seem to work. jodor@goochlandgazette.com Board members and administrative staff sat on a Goochland County’s raised dais before several rows School Board met in a newly prepared smaller room at see Schools > page 2 the high school last week,

Smaller meeting room used for first time by School Board

INDEX

News Calendar Classifieds Letters Education

3-5 Opinion 12 Sports 13-15 TV Listings 6-7 2

6 9 10-12

SPORTS Pro golfers will face Challenge at RCC > page 9

Goochland County’s planning commission unanimously denied B-3 prezoning at the Oilville Interchange, saying it would open “a can of worms.” Last week Goochland County was hoping to have properties at the I-64 and Oilville interchange prezoned for expanded business use. Principal Planner Thomas Coleman said at Tuesday’s planning commission meeting that the county has been identifying areas that would be good candidates for prezoning. “Owners are willing to have property rezoned,” said Coleman, “to produce significant areas of business zoning and to promote economic development.” “The idea is, having the zoning already in place makes the property more marketable,” he added.

T H E

C o m m u n i t y Development Director Don Charles said that having the county be the applicant of record was a unique situation. “I’m here to represent the administration as the applicant… it’s the first time we’ve ever done this.” The county filed an application requesting rezoning of about 132 acres, all located in the Oilville Village and within the Oilville Village Overlay District, from A 2 (limited agricultural) and B-1 (limited business) to B3 (interstate and commercial). About 116 acres of this area is owned by Dover Assoicates, LLC. The remaining 16 acres are owned by Garland Anderson and Erle P.Anderson. Most of these properties are recommended for commercial use on the Oilville Village Land Use map. A portion of the property is designated as being within the 100-year floodplain. According to the rezoning application, the basic use of the B-3 zoning district is to provide for general commercial activity near interstate interchanges, to meet see Zoning> page 4

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July 22, 2010

EDUCATION: School Board and Academic News

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Schools continued from > page 1

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of chairs in a conference room at GHS adjacent to the auditorium. During previous meetings citizens had complained that it was difficult to hear board members speak or to see slide show presentations in the auditorium. Superintendent Linda Underwood said the new venue may also be used for the monthly workshop meetings. The new room brought citizens and the board closer together physically, but there still appeared to be a wide gulf between the school administration and the parents it serves. One issue of contention is the recently announced principal switch, which saw Randolph Elementary School principal Stacy Austin and Goochland Elementary School’s Dianna Gordon change jobs for the upcoming school year. “I can’t believe there was a compelling reason for the principal changes,” said Connie McRoberts during the first public comment period. She asked that the administration reconsider the decision. Her sentiments were echoed by several other speakers. Charles Costello called the switch “shocking” and compared it to a divorce. “I fault you for rubber stamping this power play,” he told school board members. During the second public comment period, Beth Hardy lamented the lost opportunity for communication surrounding the decision to transfer the principals. Noting that she had received more than 60 emails opposing the switch, Hardy said the main con-

Photo by Ken Odor

School board and administration members sit on a raised dais in a new meeting room chosen to replace the GHS auditorium as the venue for the monthly school board meeting.

cern was the way the change was handled, with parents learning of it at the last minute. “It undermines public confidence,” she said. Hardy said the principal episode overshadowed other examples of positive communication, such as a July 1 presentation by Assistant Superintendent Peter Gretz to the parents of the Goochland Gifted Center students who will be returning to their home schools. “It was a brilliant example of doing it right,” said Hardy of that session. Between public comment periods, the board dispatched several action items, all on unanimous votes. In short order they approved a Title II teacher quality application, a technology resolution which will bring in $180,000 of state technology funds, an acceptable use policy for technology, the career and technical advisory committee and a five-year technology plan.

Consideration of the gifted five-year plan was deferred until the July 27 workshop meeting. The board also approved the gifted bylaws and the gifted advisory committee annual report, delivered by Liz Alford. The technology plan, presented by Director of Secondary Education Tom DeWeerd and Webmaster and Supervisor of Instructional Technology John Hendron, calls for $1.5 million in spending for technology in the current fiscal year. This expenditure will increase to slightly more than $1.9 million in 20152016, and three additional positions will be added by the last year of the plan. Board vice-chair Ivan O. Mattox asked several questions after the presentation of the technology plan, mentioning concerns about sufficient support to enable teachers to effectively use the equipment. “Are we satisfying the

staff so they don’t get frustrated?” asked Mattox. That’s why additional staff is needed, countered Hendron. “Without more coaches in our schools we are limited,” he said. On the subject of the principal transfer, Underwood said she stood behind the decision. “That is still my recommendation,” she said, adding that she would have preferred to have announced the decision right after the end of the school year, but as has already been reported, the two principals were out of town at the time. She reiterated that it was a matter of matching personnel with the right skill set for the right job, and said the switch had been under consideration for years. Underwood noted that each principal would be taking their guidance counselors with them to their new school assignments, a move approved in the personnel action summary in last week’s meeting.

Thursday

July 22, 2010

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

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Tea Party draws more than 200 Having learned its lesson when an overflow crowd forced members to move outside last month at the Goochland Library, the Goochland Tea Party held its second meeting last Thursday in the Goochland High School auditorium. “I’m here because of love of country and love of God,” said Ed Spicer when asked why he showed up. Spicer bought three Goochland Tea Party T- shirts from Larry Eggleston and Keith Flannagan, who manned a table with Tea Party items for sale just inside the auditorium. Paul Yates of Rockcastle, who came with his wife Joyce, said he was interested in “restoring fiscal and constitutional sanity.” “The more demonized we are the more committed we become,” said Yates. As folks got seated Dennis Uselmann warmed up the crowd with several patriotic songs. Then Hadensville’s Susan Lascolette kicked off the 7 p.m. gathering by introducing WRVA Radio talk show host Doc Thompson. Thompson talked about his recent comments on his afternoon radio show, lambasting Gov. Robert McDonnell’s decision to use part of a $22 million surplus to give state workers a one-time bonus. Citing one state worker who emailed him, Thompson said he told him if he wasn’t making enough, “You can always get another job.” “It’s the attitude that you deserve a raise” that bothers him, said Thompson. Thompson also said he favored total tax reform. “Many times the things I say would be detrimental to me,” he said, but stressed that consistency when advocating cutting government spending was essential.

“You’ve got to be consistent. If we are consistent it will transfer to those we elect,” he said. Next to the podium was Jeffrey Spence, who said he changed his prepared speech to counter recent charges by the NAACP that the Tea Party movement is racist. “I consider prejudice a cancer,” said Spence. “I am proud to live in a country where we have elected our first president of color, even if I disagree with him,” said Spence. “We have come a long way.” Spence, who called himself both a “recovering Democrat and a recovering Republican,” called the U.S. Constitution “the closest thing to scripture written by man.” Spence said the Tea Party movement grew out of the anti-health care movement and maintained that the actual numbers of uninsured is more like 15 million when including illegal aliens, those who are insured by choice and those who haven’t taken advantage of programs for which they are eligible. “I ask the busybodies of politics to leave us alone,” said Spence, decrying the growth of the “nanny state,” which he maintained could provide only the “illusion of safety” and not the real thing. Spence made clear who the boss in the country is in his political view. “The president, the congress, the Supreme Court – they are the hired help,” thundered Spence, to enthusiastic applause. “They work for us; we don’t work for them.” “More government always means less freedom,” said the third speaker, Richmond Tea Party head Jaime Radtke. Radtke said she was “incredibly encouraged” by current political trends. “We are relearning our

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Ed Spicer, right, talks with Keith Flannagan and Larry Eggleston before the start of last Thursday night’s Goochland Tea Party meeting.

history,” she said, drawing a parallel with the prophet Nehemiah, who exhorted the people to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem, one section at a time. Just like the foundations of the destroyed walls of Jerusalem, Radtke said, “our foundation in the country is still strong.” “The real growth is at the

local level,” said Radtke, exhorting the crowd to take part. “If it is not us in this room today, who is it going to be?” she asked. “If not now, when?” Lascolette wound up the meeting asking the crowd to sign up for a number of committees and listed upcoming Tea Party events, including an October Virginia Tea Party Convention.

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Thursday

July 22, 2010

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

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GHS alumni celebrate their 50th reunion On June 19, 28 enthusiastic classmates from the Goochland High School Class of 1960 met at the home of Bill and Stacey Johnson on Gaskins Road. The group gathered to celebrate the fiftieth anniversar y of their graduation from Goochland Hig h School. In 1960, Benjamin F. Carpenter was the principal and Ashby Kay of Goochland was the school superintendent. With 38 graduates, this was one of the largest classes to graduate from Goochland High School. Twelve classmates from the Class of 1960 are still living in Goochland, and one lives as far away as Alaska. Four are deceased. Three beloved teachers helped celebrate. Mathematics teacher, Ida Marian Johnson, widow of A. Laughton Johnson Jr. of Rockville, attended. Johnson had been known to this class throughout

most of their high school years as Miss Ida Marian Garnett, or “Nails” Garnett Other teachers who attended were agriculture teacher, William “Billy” J. Tucker and his w ife, Gloria, of Goochland and science, government and histor y teacher and football coach, David Louis Parrish, Jr. of Sandy Hook, lovingly known to this class as “Doc” Parrish. Several special guests also helped share memories of the past 50 years. Ever yone enjoyed the fellowship, sharing of old high school memories, and the opportunity to get reacquainted. This 5 0 - Ye a r An n ive r s a r y Reunion for the Goochland High School Class of 1960 was a celebration that ended with many new fond memories for all. Contributed Photo

Contr ibuted by Jacqueline W. Morsink

Zoning continued from > page 1 local and regional commercial needs at a higher intensity than would otherwise be allowed. Such uses could include hotels, motels, restaurants and conference centers. In the short term, all properties would be served by private wells and septic tank systems. The lack of having public water and sewer in place, as well as a lack of roadway infrastructure, concerned residents who spoke during the meeting’s public hearing. “I think it’s very premature to rezone to B-3 until there is a restructuring in place,” said Helen Carter, co-owner of Oilville Exxon. “We need a four-lane road, traffic lights, to mimic what’s going on in Zion Crossroads if we want to have a truck stop.” The truck stop, said Carter, was apparently part of a plan she had heard had been proposed by Wilco to Dover Associates. “You can’t support something if you don’t have the infrastructure in place,” said Carter.

Jackie Morsink with yearbook photos of the 38 members of the GHS class of 1960.

Resident Cathy Crockett agreed that the county needed to proceed with caution when it comes to prezoning. “Just because the county is in need of getting business, that doesn’t mean we don’t need to take our time,” said Crockett to the planning commissioners. “I think we need to have somebody step up and say yes, we’re going to put a truck stop here. And that’s what your job is, to plan so these things can be addressed appropriately.” “It’s ludicrous to vote on this zoning change,” added Crockett. “What is wrong with the old school way where the applicant has a plan, submits it, goes for proffers—this is a serious conflict of interest to have the county submit an application to change zoning.” When asked what the difference is between B-1 and B-3, Planning Director Bob Hammond said that the only significant difference is a height allowance: Structures in B-1 are limited to 60 feet, while those in B-3 can rise to 100 feet. Also, truck plazas are allowed in B-3 but not in B-1. Commissioner James P. Atkinson said

that he was concerned with the prezoning, which he said would “open up a can of worms.” “I honestly believe the people who own the land should be the ones to make application, so we can decide on an individual basis as to who is going to come in,” Atkinson said. Commissioner Courtney Hyers agreed, saying, “We are really putting the cart before the horse with prezoning… with prezoning the county begins to lose control over development.” “I have serious concerns about B-3 as well, especially the height restriction,” added Hyers. “That ought to be reconsidered and addressed at some point.” Planning Commissioner James D. Crews Jr. abstained from discussing and voting on the issue, due to the involvement of his company, James Crews Company, and Dover Associates, which owns most of the land under consideration. The other commissioners voted unanimously to deny the county’s application.

Quick hits Electronic message signs Goochland County Planning Commission defers acton on allowing electronic signs; will hold a public hearing on the issue in August.

Lanier Industrial Park The commission unanimously approved an application field by R & L Land, LLC to delete a proffer which states, “Phase III of existing industrial park consisting of eight lots sized no less than two acres each with individual well and septic of each lot.” The property is in the Lanier Industrial Park and is, according to the county’s comprehensive plan, suitable for industrial uses.

Ordinance allowing training facilities The planning commission voted to amend a county ordinance to allow athletic training facilities for baseball, softball, soccer, football and other sports as a permitted use in the M-2 Zoning District

Thursday

July 22, 2010

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NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

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Social Services accepting cooling applications Program block grant. The cooling assistance component served nearly 70,000 Virginia households last year. To learn more, contact Goochland Department of Social Services at (804) 5565880 or visit the agency at 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Suite 200, Goochland, Virginia 23063. Intake hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. Other Resources available from the Department of Social Services: The Department of Social Services administers the Community Action program for Goochland County. The program assists income eligible Goochland residents

with utility bills, mortgage, rent, medication, medical supplies, and emergency food. There are limited funds available for vehicle repairs for working adults with children, senior citizens aged 60 and above and/or individuals declared legally disabled. To qualify for the Community Action program, the maximum gross monthly income for a one-person household is $1,805. To learn more, contact Goochland Department of Social Services at (804) 556-5880 or visit the agency at 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Suite 200, Goochland, Virginia 23063. Intake hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.

SHERIFF REPORT: INCIDENTS Fairground Rd.

Sunday, July 11 X X X

Alarm burglary, 2000 block of Greystone Ct.

Citizen assist, 2000 block of Horn Castle Place. Damaged property, 1600 block of Ragland Rd.

911 hangup, 00 block of Kinloch Lane.

block of Merchants Lane. X

Traffic stop, area of Rt. 288

911 hangup, area of Church Hill Rd.

Monday, July 12 X

Alarm burglary, 400 block of Regina Lane.

block of Old Columbia Rd. X

Reckless driving, area of I-64.

Suspicious situation, 1400 block of Broad St. Rd.

Tuesday, July 13 X

Alarm burglary, 700 block of Rockford Rd.

Threatened victim, 4000 block of Broad St. Rd.

Assist other law enforcement, 12000 block of Broad St. Rd.

Traffic stop, 2000 block of Fairgrounds Rd.

911 hangup, 1200 block of Hockett Rd.

Noise disturbance, 4000 block of Shannon Hill Rd.

Harassment, 2000 block of River Rd. W.

Reckless driving, 5000 block of Parrish Rd.

Larceny, 2000 block of Perkinsville Rd.

Road hazard, 4000 block of Tabscott Rd.

Reckless driving, 1800 block of Rabbit Warren Rd.

Civil problem, 2000 block of River Rd. W.

Traffic stop, 2000 block of

Suspicious situation, 1000

Damaged property, 5000

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Now through Monday, August 16, Goochland Department of Social Services is accepting cooling assistance applications as part of the Virginia Department of Social Services’ (VDSS) Energy Assistance Program. Assistance is available to households that include a child under age six, a disabled individual or an adult age 60 or over who meet income and eligibility requirements. Cooling assistance can be used to assist families and individuals with: • payment of electric bills up to $100 to operate cooling equipment; • payment of security deposits for electricity to

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

July 22, 2010

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Up for discussion We are into the hazy, lush days of summer, when the rising rhythm of the cicadas soars even higher than the temperature. The invitation to be lazy is implicit, and the challenges of elections and a new school year are comfortably far into the future. So this might be a good time to step out of the heat and retreat to the shade for a while, to cool off and think clearly. A few weeks ago the county Amy Condra held a strategic planning session about our economic future, and there were a lot of issues raised. Those issues are still up for discussion. And The Goochland Gazette would like to encourage you to keep talking. This fall we will host our first forum, meant to engage citizens in the process of defining how their community will look, sound and feel in the coming years. How Goochland chooses to zone its land, recruit developers, grow crops, educate children-- these are all decisions that can be influenced by those who live and work here. But only if you speak up. So we would like to know what you are thinking about: What are the topics that most concern you? What impacts your life the most, and what do you think should be done about it? We invite you to contact The Gazette at editor@ goochlandgazette.com or 804.381.8649 and let us know what matters most. We’ll be finalizing our forum topics based on the input we receive from our readers. And don’t forget, we are also available at www. facebook.com/goochlandgazette and www.twitter. com/gazetteeditor. - Amy Condra

www.goochlandgazette.com news@goochlandgazette.com sales@goochlandgazette.com For Classifieds: cgrant@mechlocal.com © 2010 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher. CAC Audited Circulation: 8,500

Reflecting on The Prince I enjoyed this week’s issue of The Gazette enormously. I was wondering if I might be allowed to make a few comments regarding Mr. McDermott’s latest letter to the editor regarding our Superintendent of Schools. If you deem it appropriate please consider publishing it. In Mr. McDermott’s latest commentary regarding our school super-

Joy Monopoli Publisher Amy Condra Editor Charles Leffler Sports Editor Brian French Production Manager Pam Sanders RSN Sales Manager Stephanie Childrey Advertising Sales

intendent I was taken aback by his use of Machiavelli’s sixteenth century book The Prince in order to describe her behaviors. Clearly she has succeeded famously in making sure that Mr. McDermott was not flattering her (one of Machiavelli’s admonitions to being a good ruler), though she has failed in terms of another of his goals for being a good ruler, i.e., not being ‘hated’ (probably a bit harsh here) by their subjects. I can’t quite figure out whether it

is important to recognize that this book was written as a satire and if Mr. McDermott is utilizing this vehicle to bring forth another point. I guess we will have to wait and see if there is a sub rosa agenda or if he a true literalist and avoids subtlety. Richard Carchman Columbia see Letters > page 7

CONTACT THE GOOCHLAND GAZETTE Joy Monopoli Amy Condra Charlie Leffler Ken Odor Pam Sanders Stephanie Childrey Cindy Grant

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Letters to the Editor

Thursday

Letters continued from > page 6

School administration out of touch? I have previously commented on the Machiavellian tactics Underwood uses as she continues dismantling what once was a world class school district, finding the differences inherent in our diverse society and chiseling away to â&#x20AC;&#x153;divide and conquer.â&#x20AC;? Last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school board meeting provided yet more examples of her self will run riot as she, and her coterie of cohorts, used a new smaller meeting space, rather than our high school auditorium. Despite the venue change, the Machiavellian phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer,â&#x20AC;? came to mind. Prior to attending the meeting, I checked the school board website for any last minute agenda changes, and there were none. When asked, at the meetingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening, by Chairman Cisne if there were any additions/ deletions/changes to the agenda, Underwood clearly replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No.â&#x20AC;? Given her previous penchant for misstating the truth, and using my BlackBerry, I rechecked the online School Board agenda.

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OPINION: Letters to the Editor

July 22, 2010 As Yogi Berra said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dĂŠjĂ vu all over again.â&#x20AC;? Lo and behold, an â&#x20AC;&#x153;additional handoutâ&#x20AC;? of 19 pages, including a previously unannounced personnel item, was posted. Does Underwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noâ&#x20AC;? differ from what is commonly accepted? While not as nuclear as the bomb dropped previously using these same tactics when reassigning principals Gordon and Austin, Underwood, aided and abetted by the school board, once again used suspiciously surreptitious procedures to

tighten her tyrannical grip around our schools. Under action items, a technology plan overview, which totaled 43 content pages in the online agenda packet, was presented. One overhead slide, which despite our new meeting space was illegible to the audience, showed this planâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget increasing 33 percent ($476,193) over 5 years. We are firing teachers, but we have money to give the upper echelons of Underwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s autocratic army â&#x20AC;&#x153;smart phones.â&#x20AC;? You guessed it, no board members questioned the future

expenditures, and the plan was unanimously adopted. In attending school board meetings, the silence of any meaningful discussion between members is deafening. Can anyone even recall when a non-unanimous vote was cast? The only differences between our current board and rubber stamps are cheap suits and bad haircuts! During new business, board member Miller questioned why our board of supervisors made no inclusion of education in the supervisorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recently held

www.goochlandgazette.com and publicized strategic planning session. Think about it Mr. Miller, you as past school board chair, and the entire board, along with Underwood, have spurned practically every improvement and consolidation initiative offered to Goochland County Public Schools by Goochland County. You continually refer to our county as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the county,â&#x20AC;? using the third person. When you point a finger, look at your hand, there are three fingers pointing back to remind you, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What is my

part in this?â&#x20AC;? At the conclusion of the aforementioned technology plan presentation, and prior to calling for its adoption, Chairman Cisne commented, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel so old and out of touch.â&#x20AC;? At least I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be sued for libel by quoting him! Under our school systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current leadership, I am unsure of our final destination, but certainly feel like weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re traveling in a hand basket. Michael M. McDermott Maidens

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Thursday

8 Cook

brother, Kenny and sister Patricia. The family received friends at Norman Funeral Home, Goochland, on Saturday, July 10, 2010. Funeral Services were held Sunday, July 11, 2010 at Forest Grove Christian Church, Hadensville, Va. Graveside services were held in the church cemetery.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010. His remains rest at the Robert Mealy Funeral Home, Goochland, Va. Funeral notice later.

Ronald H. Cook, (Cookie), 65, of Goochland passed away Thursday, July 8, 2010. He is survived by his Hawk wife, Linda Kinser Cook, four sons, Ron Jr., Johnnie, Jason, Virginia E. Hawk of and P.J. His parents Evelyn Goochland went to be with and Johnnie Lewis, one sister the lord on June 25, 2010. Peggy Cook Blankenship, and husband Bob, five grandPettit children, four nieces, two Cox nephews, and his little comMalinda Renae Stietzel panion Gizmo. He was Tarlton Cox Jr., 62, of Pettit, 31, of Maidens, formerpreceded in death by his Manakin, departed this life ly of Redding, Conn., passed

Incidents continued from > page 5 Wednesday, July 14 X X X

Alarm burglary, 700 block of Manakin Town Lane. Assault, 2000 block of Bexley Wood Run. Assist other law enforcement, area of Tuckahoe Creek Pkwy. Civil problem, 2000 block of River Rd. W.

Domestic dispute, 3000 block of Clara Hope Lane.

Gas theft, 2000 block of Sandy Hook Rd.

Reckless driving, area of I-64.

Road hazard, 1500 block of River Rd.

Sex offense, 5000 block of Long Lane.

X X X X

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OBITUARIES: Death Notices

July 22, 2010

Traffic stop, 2000 block of Ashland Rd.

Pettit, both of Maidens, Va.; her parents, Samuel A. and Renae Parks Stietzel of Redding, Conn.; her sister, Lindsay Stietzel, and brother, Samuel Luke Stiezel, his wife, Myriah, and their daughter, Madilyn, all of Richmond; her father- and mother-inlaw, Brandon Sr. and Donna Pettit of Goochland County; her grandfather, James Parks Sr. of Redding, Conn.; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, and friends. A memorial service was held

Saturday, June 26, 2010 at Discovery United Methodist Church, 13000 Gayton Road, Richmond, Dr. Jim Lavender officiated. A second memorial service was held Saturday, July 10, 2010 at the Stietzel Family Farm in Redding, Conn. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Dominion Youth Services, Malinda Pettit Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 28526, Richmond, Va. 23228, or Comfort Zone Camp, 8100 Three Chopt Road, Richmond, Va. 23229.

Friday, July 16

Road hazard, area of I-64.

Alarm burglary, 4000 block of Tabscott Rd.

Suspicious situation, 1500 block of Cartersville Rd.

Suspicious situation, 12000 block of Broad St.

Argument, 1600 block of Three Chopt Rd.

Traffic stop, 1900 block of Sandy Hook Rd.

Citizen assist, 9000 block of Dabney Mill Rd.

Argument, 2000 block of Turner Rd.

Reckless driving, 1400 block of River Rd. W.

911 hangup, 1200 block of Hockett Rd.

Arrest, 2000 block of River Rd. W.

Traffic stop, 600 block of River Rd. W.

Damaged property, 1000 block of Manakin Rd.

Fraud, 2000 block of Alldever Dr.

Burglary, 4000 block of Tabscott Rd.

Vandalism, 2000 block of River Rd. W.

911 hangup, 1600 block of Three Chopt Rd.

Alarm burglary, 00 block of Broad St. Rd.

Reckless driving, area of Broad St.

Arrest, 5000 block of Saint Pauls Church Rd.

911 hangup, 12000 block of West Creek Pkwy.

of Broad St. Rd. X

Overdose, 2000 block of Sandy Hook Rd.

Alarm burglary, 12000 block of River Rd.

Thursday, July 15

Suspicious situation, 2000 block of Manakin Rd.

away Monday, June 21, 2010 due to injuries suffered in an auto accident. Malinda was a clinical manager at Dominion Day Services. She graduated from Western Connecticut State University and Columbia University earning a Master of Science in Social Work. She was an avid runner who competed in many local races, as well as a talented artist and photographer. Malinda is survived by her husband, Brandon â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buckâ&#x20AC;? Owen Pettit Jr., and daughter, Mason Malinda

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Citizen assist, 12000 block

Saturday, July 17

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Thursday

July 22, 2010

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SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional www.goochlandgazette.com

Skills challenge hopes to be bigger draw Finals of Sun Mountain event should be a fan favorite BY CHARLIE LEFFLER cleffler@goochlandgazette.com

Before the professional golfers tee things up for a chance to win the Greater Richmond Golf Classic August 13-15 at Richmond Country Club, a select few will face a different kind of challenge. As the host site for the finals of the Sun Mountain Skills Challenge, four of the Duramed FUTURE Tour’s top golfers will lead teams of local amateurs in an event organizers hope will quickly turn into a fan favorite. Last year RCC was host of the semifinals of the Challenge, but the event went largely unnoticed due to its newness. “Not enough people knew what it was last year,” said tournament director/RCC pro Matthew Schulze. This year, publicity and public awareness should

Photo by Matthew Schulze

Last year’s semifinals of the Sun Mountain Skills Challenge featured an 8-foot wall for the professional players to shoot over. This year, with local amateurs teamed up along side the professionals, the wall may be dropped to six feet.

combine to create a festive atmosphere for the Challenge finals. “We think it will be really, really cool,” Schulze said. “It’s just a different dynamic to the event to do it at six o’clock on Thursday night before the

tournament starts.” The Sun Mountain Challenge runs throughout the course of the Duramed tour season, starting with over 30 professional golfers and gradually narrowing the field to four finalists. And

those who watched last year’s semifinals at RCC will see a different aspect in the championship because each of the four finalists will be teamed up with a group of four local amateurs. Each team will make their

way through five skill stations that will test their abilities. The stations include hitting a pitch, a chip, a bunker shot, and a putt before capping things off by attempting to hit the ball over a wall. The golfers will get three shots at each station and points are accessed on the best ball from each player. “The amateurs hit the same shots as the girls,” Schulze said. “It’s a ‘Big Break’ type of scenario where essentially every station is a challenge.” Schulze said the exact specifications of the challenge have yet to be designated because they will want to access the abilities of the amateurs involved first. “That’s when I think it will get interesting is when we try to nail down what they’re going to do,” Schulze said. “The bunker shot’s not very easy- It’s not just one of those splash it up on the green a hope. You’ve got to hit it across 15 yards of grass before you get to the green. I’m not sure how that one’s going to change but

it will make it fun.” Even the wall, the best known feature of the challenge, may change. “The wall was eight feet last year but it might come down to six feet just because it will make it a little easier,” Schulze said. “Some of our tour players couldn’t hit it over the wall (last year). That’s the neat one because that the one they all see on TV. Everybody wants to do it but it can be a very embarrassing situation. “The whole idea is to make it a fun event,” Schulze said. “Golf is a fun thing. We don’t want somebody out there beating their brains in trying to hit it over a wall and they’re never going to be able to do it.” So far, two of the four amateur teams have been taken up. One by tournament sponsor Eagle Construction and the other going to members of RCC. The final two teams are still up in the air. “We’ll let our members go first then if we can’t fill it up we’ll go outside and kind of see who wants to be part of it,” Schulze said.

Hoopla 3 on 3 Tournament a family affair When this year’s Allen & Allen Hoopla 3 on 3 Tournament kicks off July 24 at the Dominion campus in the Innsbrook office park, one Goochland family will feel right at home. The Williams’ have made the Sports Backers’ annual basketball tournament a family affair. Jeff Williams has coached his daughter Megan’s team, the Rockville Extreme Blue Team, for the last three tournaments. “I decided several years ago to enter a team because this type of tournament really teaches great team work and emphasizes the fundamentals of basketball,” Williams said. But, it is not the coaching

aspect of the weekend that he looks forward too every year. “I look forward to spending quality time with my daughter doing something we both love to do,” he said. With the tournament only days away, the Williams’ have already begun prepping Megan’s team’s wardrobe. “We always make cool t-shirts for the girls to wear. It really gets the girls excited and motivated to play,” he said. Williams says that he enjoyed watching Megan take part in the competitions, and he hopes to see Megan defend her title in the spot shooting contest. This year’s tournament

features a double elimination format, with a consolation bracket for teams that lose their first two games, guaranteeing each team at least three games throughout the weekend. There are also separate shooting competitions, music, food and great sponsor giveaways. The Allen & Allen Hoopla 3 on 3 offers basketball players of all ages and skill levels competitive games in a great event atmosphere that features music, food, and sponsor giveaways. The three skill levels offered are the elite, competitive and recreational divisions, with male, female, and co-ed teams in both. Co-ed teams must have one player of each

gender on the court at all times. There will also be three age divisions: Youth (Ages 8-13), High School (Grades 9-12), and Adult (Ages 18 & older). Still, still competitive After playing collegiate football at Virginia Tech (19921995) then going on to play in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers (1996-1999), former wide receiver Bryan Still still finds time to exercise by participating in local events such as the Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen Hoopla 3 on 3 basketball tournament. Still, who is now a Health & PE teacher and the track and field coach at Cosby High School, will compete in the

Standard Adult division on Team Pride. “I teach the kids about the importance of staying active as you get older,” said Still. “I just think that it’s very important to maintain a level of fitness.” This will be his third year participating in the tournament. The event offers basketball players of all ages and skill levels competitive games in a great atmosphere that features music, food, and sponsor giveaways. The three skill levels offered are the elite, competitive and recreational divisions, with male, female, and co-ed teams in both. Co-ed teams must have one player of each gender on the court at all

times. Highlighting the big-event will be the Bon Secours Sports Medicine Arena Court, which will host the high energy elite division games and the rimrattling action of the Best Buy Slam Dunk Contest. Youth and high school players will enjoy competing on the Tropical Smoothie Youth Championship Court, which will also serve as the site of the Kid’s Slam Dunk Contest. Then, all weekend long, the competitors and spectators can also show off their free throw shooting, three-point shooting, and ball handling abilities on the T & B Equipment Contest Court. By JC Poma- Sports Backers

Thursday

THURSDAY EVENING 4 PM 4:30 5 PM ESPN

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