09/15/2011 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Benedictine granted three month delay > page 2

Volume 57, Number 36 • September 15, 2011

Chairman Mattox to seek re-election to School Board By Jim Fields jfields@mechloal.com

Some of the more hotly contested elections on Nov. 8 in Goochland County may be for seats now occupied by members of the Goochland County School Board. Challengers for each of the five seats have announced their candidacy and at least two of the School Board members will be new after the election, as Max Cisne and Andrew A. Meng III are not seeking reelection. But Chairman Ivan. O. Mattox Sr. will be seeking his third term on the School Board. Mattox is the current Chairman of the School

Board. His opponent in District 3 is attorney John Lumpkins. “I have two sons in the Goochland Public School system and the parent in me wants the school board member in me to make sure that my children get the best education possible,” he said from his Innsbrook office last week. “Actually, I have 2,400 children that I want to make sure get a good education. I consider every student in the Goochland Public School system to be my child, and I will look after their educational interest as much as their own parents will.” see Mattox > page 3

Photo by Ken Odor

Firefighter/Paramedic Frank Romero of Company 1 holds a candle with the help of his son Frank L. Romero at the Sunday evening 9/11 observance at Company 5.

County remembers 9/11 By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com

After a day of inumerable memorials and TV replays of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2011, more than 100 people turned out for a Sunday evening observance at the Company 5 Firehouse in the Courthouse. Goochland Fire/EMS Chief Robert MacKay led the ceremony, which featured the display of a piece of steel from the World Trade Center which will eventuall be a part of a 9/11 monument planned for Henrico County by Richard Melito,

INDEX

Calendar 19 Classifieds 20-23 Education 5 Local Exchange 12

Letters Opinion Sports TV Listings

creator of the Freedom Flag. County Administrator Rebecca Dickson read the poem “One,” with a theme of unity in the face of tragedy. “The real story is about the first responders and ordinary citizens,” said MacKay, of those who took part in the largest rescue the world has ever seen. After viewing a tape of the events of 9/11, the names of the first responders who died on that day were read as those present conducted a candlelight vigil in their honor.

6 6 15-16 17-19

SPORTS Goochland clobbers FUMA > page 15

File Photo by Ken Odor

School Board Chairman Ivan Mattox speaks at a previous School Board meeting.

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Benedictine granted three month delay By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com

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Goochland supervisors voted last week to defer a decision on granting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) that would allow Benedictine College Preparatory School to move to their site on River Road, after the school’s attorney, Darvin Satterwhite, asked for the postponement. Satterwhite said he needed the time to counter misinformation that had been distributed by opponents of the move. The evening meeting had been moved to Goochland High School’s auditorium to accommodate the anticipated crowd, which turned out to be about 200. It took two votes to fill Satterwhite’s request but not before District 5 supervisor James Eads expressed his desire to move forward with the public hearing. “I think it’s out of the question, I think it’s insulting and I’m absolutely opposed to it,” said Eads, who said the board was perfectly capable of looking at the facts. He then moved to deny the

deferral but his motion failed. A second motion to grant the deferral then passed, 3-2. “I would love to go forward,” said Satterwhite but added that the reputation of his client had been affected by the flier which he said had been distributed throughout the county. “We think if we can have the right facts before the citizens of this county we would be welcomed in the county,” said Satterwhite. Eads called the idea that everything would be clearer in 90 days “baloney.” Despite the deferral the board decided to allow those in the crowd who wished to speak to do so during citizens’ time, even though another public hearing will be held on the matter at the Dec. 6 Board of Supervisors meeting. Thirty-nine speakers took advantage of that opportunity, giving the board a foretaste of what they will probably hear in December. Jim Connor made his comments in an unusual fashion, playing the banjo and singing a tune titled “Let “em in,” expressing his support for the Benedictine move to Goochland.

Photo by Ken Odor

Banjo player Jim Connor sings his tune “Let ‘em in,” in favor of allowing Benedictine moving to Goochland at last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

The rest of the speakers were about evenly divided between supporters and opponents of the proposed move. Traffic concerns were the focus of a number of opponents to the Benedictine move. Martie Farquhar described fatal accidents on River Road, where the school would be located, “In my experience all but one of the fatal wrecks involved teenage drivers,” she said. But Benedictine Headmaster Jesse Grapes said that the cadets would drive much less if the school moved to Goochland. Grapes also tried to dispel concerns about water

and sewage capacity at the proposed site, saying that capacity was more than adequate. Speaker David Ligon said he had “no dog in this fight,” but asked the board to do due diligence in investigating the water and sewer capacity of the site. Satterwhite said after the meeting that the three month delay would be costly. He and other school spokesmen had maintained before that early approval was needed to make sure the school would be ready to open in the fall of 2012. “It’s going to make it tough,” he said.

TCSD options include property tax hikes By Jim Fields jfields@mechloal.com

Goochland’s supervisors heard a variety of options for tackling the Tuckahoe Creek Service District debt situation last week as James M. Traudt, Senior Vice President and Manager of Public Finance for Davenport and Company, made a presentation outlining options to restructure the debt created by the bonds at the Tuesday afternoon session. In 2002, Goochland County

borrowed $62.7 million through the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) to finance certain improvements in the TCSD. The annual debt service on the bonds started at just under $2 million in 2003. The original payoff schedule shows the maximum debt service of just over $9 million projected in 2032 and a total of just over $8.9 million in 2036, the final year. The bonds were to be paid from the net revenue of the

TCSD, including a special tax levied on all property within the district. In order to induce the VRA to issue the bonds, the county agreed to make up any shortfalls in payments on the bonds, subject to annual appropriations by the Board of Supervisors. The problem is the TCSD has not grown as projected and isn’t producing the revenue needed. The report projected a negative 2 percent growth in the TCSD in 2012, followed by

a flat, zero growth percentage in 2013. After 2013, a conservative 2 percent growth rate per year is projected. However, in a footnote, the Davenport report says that “Based on the most recent information from the County Administration on 8/11/11, these projections may be too optimistic.” The report offers five possible finance options, with a notation that these are “suggestions only.” Of the five options see TCSD > page 4

September 15, 2011

EDUCATION: School Board and Academic News

Mattox

has done the job the Board hired continued from > page 1 her for and continues to do what Mattox said that he hopes the it wants.â&#x20AC;? Mattox, a graduate of new board can put aside individual differences for the good of Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, is the product of the students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would hope when the new a family with strong educational board is seated that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have beliefs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My parents were both edupersonal agendas getting in the way of what we need to be doing,â&#x20AC;? cators,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I was he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to all make the growing up and we would sit at interest of each student our pri- the breakfast or dinner table, our mary concern and work to make conversations would often have sure that Goochland County to do with educational topics. Public Schools continue to pro- We would talk about everything vide the best education possible from teacher issues, to what bus drivers were supposed to do, to for our children.â&#x20AC;? One topic that candidates are cafeteria and food service matasked about is the job security ters. Those conversations helped of School Superintendent Linda me form opinions about how I Underwood. At several School want to see Goochland County Board meetings, citizens have Public Schools operate.â&#x20AC;? Mattox wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shy about asked her to resign or suggested offering opinions about several the Board fire her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Superintendent Underwood school issues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The $125 parking fee for is doing the job the Board wants her to do,â&#x20AC;? Mattox responded. students at the high school is â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we hired her to be the an on-going issue,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School Superintendent, are working with students and she was the best candidate for the parents on a payment plan to job. As far as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m concerned, she make it easier for them. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m cer-

tain this is something the new board will review at some point in the future to determine if we need a parking lot attendant and whether the parking fee is adequate or too high. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do right now, but it is an issue weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll address.â&#x20AC;? Another issue is the perceived discord between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors. At the last School Board meeting, a decision was made to start having regular interaction with the supervisors once school started. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the problem the boards have with each other is one of communication,â&#x20AC;? Mattox said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to make sure when one board sends information to the other that the people who need to get that information receive it. If we can find a better way to communicate with each other, these differences being talked about will resolve themselves.â&#x20AC;? When asked what he would tell people as to why they should reelect him, one of his programs

he pointed to with pride is the 8year old mentoring program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eight years ago in the middle school, we had 60 fights between students in one year,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I came up with a mentoring program, and the next year, we only had six. It was such as success that we now have mentoring programs for students in every Goochland County public school.â&#x20AC;? From PTA President to School Board Chairman, Mattox has served Goochland County Public Schools in many capacities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a difficult time to serve on any board,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the economy like it is, tough decisions have to be made and cutting programs or employee positions is never popular. I want to continue to serve on the School Board and do what I can to work with the Superintendent and other Board members to make sure Goochland County students get the best education possible.â&#x20AC;?

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questions to be asked; and all candidates to have a platform ready for discussion. This event will be October 6 at 7 p.m. at the Goochland Recreational Center, 2415 Sandy Hook Road Goochland. Refreshments will be served; we look forward to seeing you.

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Debra Pierce remembered by co-workers Contributed Report

Debra Pierce has had a tremendous impact on youth and families in Goochland County, the Richmond Metropolitan region, and even the Commonwealth of Virginia. She came to Goochland 15 years ago after career stops in the human services field with a couple of other localities in the Richmond Metropolitan region. Arriving in Goochland, she became the Director for the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA)/Office on Youth. In that role, she worked with at-risk children and their families helping them get the services they needed, never once judging them or their situation. This was her main responsibility, but she had a hand in establishing a number of other human service initiatives. Since her position had her working with numerous departments, offices, and agencies (Goochland-Powhatan Community Service Board, Goochland Public Schools, Goochland Social Services, Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, etc.) it’s not surprising she helped keep alive a loose coalition of human service and like-minded organizations by forming the group, Goochland Community Partners. In 2004-05, she worked tirelessly to establish Goochland Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Goochland. Months before it actually came into being, she was behind the scenes doing whatever it took to be successful in this venture. After CASA was created, she continued assisting by serving on the CASA Advisory Committee. She was always so supportive to all the CASAs on any of their cases. As part of her duties, she coordinated community service for both juveniles and adults. She would find places for them to complete their service, and would monitor their hours all while being kind and never judgmental. She was always so diplomatic and sincere in dealing with the parents and children who weren’t always too happy when they arrived. Debra served as the chairman for the Goochland Team

TCSD continued from > page 2 only one doesn’t cost the county more money. Option A in the Davenport presentation calls for restructuring the debt with new bonds. The total debt service payments would remain substantially unchanged and the debt would be retired in 20036. The downside is that the special tax rates would be equal to or higher than the expected rates in every year from 2012 -2027. In Options B (Restructure and Extend the Life of the Issue) and C (Restructure

with Additional District Resources), the key factors are that the payout term would be increased by eight years in each option and each option would increase the debt service payments by $23.7 million. In Option B, the special tax rates used to pay for the bonds would be reduced from $0.85 to $0.65. In Option C, the special tax rate would be reduced to $0.55. It was also noted that “The Board intends to invest a portion…of increased general real property taxes…to pay off a portion of the debt…subject to future policy changes the Board may wish to make as circumstances war-

Debra Pierce

working with Judge Berry to establish a Family Treatment Court in Goochland County. As part of this she coordinated the submission of the County’s application to the Virginia Supreme Court requesting its establishment. In addition she worked with legislators in the General Assembly seeking legislative authorization for it. On Sept. 19 we (Ann Casey and Debra Pierce) were scheduled to go to Hotel Roanoke for a twoday conference related to family treatment courts. see Pierce > page 9 rant.” Basically the Board would have to replace $800,000 a year in county revenues. Option D (Restructure with Full County Support) and E (Restructure with County Support and $0.15 Special Tax) also extend the debt service payout period by eight years and each option would cost the county an additional $10.9 million increase in debt service. In Option D, the Special Tax rate is eliminated in the District, and the county’s general tax rate must increase from $0.53 per hundred dollars of assessed value to at least $0.61 to cover the obligation through 2021. In Option E, the Special Tax

rate is reduced and maintained at $0.15 in the District and the county’s general tax rate must increase from $0.53 to at least $0.58 to cover the obligation through 2021. Traudt concluded Davenport’s presentation without making a recommendation on any of the options. After a brief discussion, Dickson suggested that the Board make addressing this issue a part of the FY 2013 budget process which will begin in January. To view the Davenport report, go to: http://www. co.goochland.va.us/LinkClick. aspx?fileticket=4xiKkq-DLFA% 3d&tabid=99&mid=638.

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September 15, 2011

PEOPLE: Personalities & Achievements

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Goochland County co-workers remember Don Charles

Don Charles Contributed Report

Don Charles has had a tremendous impact on Goochland County, the Richmond Metropolitan region, and the countless individuals he worked with and encountered. He began with Goochland County on March 15, 2005 and worked until September 2, 2011, completing over six years of service.

Starting as Goochland’s first and only Community Development Director, he was responsible for bringing together and overseeing Building Inspections, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Planning and Zoning. He eventually added Utilities to the list of departments under him, stepping in and provid-

ing oversight when they hit a rough patch. He was elevated to the position of Deputy County Administrator – Community Development after his responsibilities were increased. His journey with Goochland only began after he retired from a 30-year career with the City of Richmond serving as city planner, landscape architect, and engineering administrator. He also served short stints of time as Chief Administrative Officer for the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority, Executive Director of the Historic Richmond Foundation, and as an adjunct faculty member in the schools of architecture for a number of universities. Don worked on many projects throughout his time with Goochland County that included: An overhaul of the zoning ordinances, design-

ing the conceptual plans for both Tucker Park & Leake’s Mill Park, designing the site for fireworks, and countless land use and utility issues. He was instrumental in getting a handle on the problems plaguing the Utilities department. He also had a hand in securing HCA’s new facility in Goochland. His handiwork can be seen throughout the County and his style and leadership will be missed by all. He loved to draw and could be found sitting at his round table doodling out ideas, or caught drawing during meetings trying to solve problems. Don also had a love for cars and adventure. He was known for regaling individuals with stories of his adventures from his time spent in Vietnam to historic Richmond and the shenanigans of Richmond City Council. Don was truly inspi-

rational and compassionate. During his time at Goochland, Don was loved by all who had the opportunity to work with him. To those who knew him, he was truly a visionary, teacher and friend. He always had time for his employees and loved to stop by lunch for an Oreo cookie. He had a wonderfully unique sense of humor that always brought things into perspective. Don always found a solu-

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tion to any problem and had a depth and breadth of knowledge too long to list. He always saw the potential in people and wanted them to succeed. His passing will not only leave an empty space in our offices, but it will leave a hole in our hearts that only time will heal. Contributed by the staff of the Community Development Department.

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

September 15, 2011

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Last week at the BOS The Board of Supervisors meeting last week was thought provoking to say the least. The Davenport presentation on possible options to deal with the Tuckahoe Creek Service District (TCSD) indebtedness should be enough to keep folks talking for awhile. It takes one back to budget meetings earlier this year when TCSD district homeowners maintained the debt was a county problem, not to be solved by forever increasing the ad valorem tax rate on them. They were of course countered by others who said that those living outside the district should not be made responsible for paying the debt, no matter that the idea was that it would benefit the entire county by attracting development and increasing the tax base and thus county revenue. Now it appears the board will consider the options (which include raising the property tax countywide) during next year’s budget process, conveniently after this fall’s election. Seems like voters might want to inquire of supervisor candidates what they think of each of the options before casting their ballots November 8. The evening meeting and the decision to delay the vote on Benedictine for 90 days was also a head shaker, particularly when one notes that the delay allows the supervisors to avoid casting a vote on the issue until after the election. Certainly there was some propaganda swirling about but was a 90-day delay necessary? Wouldn’t 60 days have been enough? That would

have brought the issue back before the board a week before the election. Curious.

Parking woes at GHS By the time this edition hits the street the School Board will have met for their September meeting. It will be interesting to see how many folks turn out to voice their opinion on the increased GHS parking fee. Passed this summer, it still seems to arouse strong opposition.

On a lighter note This weekend brings Field Day of the Past back once again. For those who like old things (and I count myself among that number), it’s just a great big old carnival of old stuff, old cars, old tools, old machinery and all manner of once modern technology, now obsolete but once vital to the economy. All they need to add is an antique aircraft fly-over to make it complete. But then they’ve done that before, too. I know since I found an old black and white print in a desk drawer at the office from a Field Day some years back showing three biplanes passing over the grounds. One might think that Field Day only appeals to the older set but every time I’ve been there I’ve seen plenty of the younger crowd as well. Let’s hope the weather cooperates and makes this year’s edition of Field Day a pleasant one.

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TCSD the most important issue at BOS meeting At the September 6th Board of Supervisor’s meeting, the most important topic facing the county was presented. No I don’t mean the proposed St. Benedictine School move; I’m speaking about the Tuckahoe Creek Service Debacle or as it is commonly known, the TCSD. The Davenport & Company LLC made a presentation that laid the groundwork for increased taxes for every land owner in the county – and not just the TCSD landown-

ers to pay for the 2002 Debacle that will only get worse. I was impressed that the county selected Davenport to develop the options to address the Debacle that included immediate 20 percent minimum tax increases or greater to pay for the Debacle. Davenport was selected in 2002 by Goochland County to be one of the underwriters for the TCSD bond issue during which they profited from the transaction. Also in 2002, their Vice President, Public Finance departed to begin his tensee Letters > page 7

Letters to the Editor The Gazette welcomes your signed letters to the editor. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Goochland Gazette. Send letters to: The Goochland Gazette, 6400 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville, VA 23111 E-mail: jodor@goochlandgazette.com Fax: 730-0476

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Letters continued from > page 6 ure as the Executive Director of the Virginia Resource Authority (VRA). One of his first actions was to push the TCSD bond agreement through the VRA Board even though the VRA staff had previously objected to the arrangement. His resume states that he “negotiated adequate security for the then largest single bond transaction in VRA history, the $62+ million Tuckahoe Creek Service District financing agreement with Goochland County officials.” I’m sure that it’s only a coincidence that Davenport would return to evaluate a deal that they were a part of and recommend higher taxes for all the tax paying Citizens of our County. However I was glad to hear Davenport report that the 11.8 percent TCSD project growth “projections may be too optimistic” or “aggressive.” Personally I don’t consider assuming an 11.8 per-

cent growth too optimistic or aggressive, I consider it insane. How many businesses grow at more than 10 percent a year, let alone an area, year after year after year? This shows that the TCSD money problem is not due to the recent downturn in the economy as has been stated, it’s due to insane growth projections. Davenport states that “no independent study was performed to forecast economic growth.” Who made these projections and who approved them? Davenport also stated “it is very uncommon to see this type of structure in the water and sewer business per se,” that all the County’s water and wastewater systems are tied up in the deal, and that the Commonwealth can stop their monies from being paid to the county in the event the debt isn’t paid. Based on this, I strongly suggest the whole deal is very suspect. And naturally this doesn’t include the approximately nine miles of questionable buried pipe, the commitment for the county to pay for ongoing City

of Richmond and Henrico County capital and other expenses, and countless other issues. Hold onto your wallet, fellow citizens, the tax increases will be coming if we don’t bring justice. What we need is the BOS to begin investigation of the entire deal now and not kick the proverbial can down the road. Ben Slone Maidens

Ride the bus to save money My response to the Sims’ too-lengthy letter about the increase in school parking fees is to ride the school bus. In these tight economic times, this will save not only the $50 increase but expensive gas, the purchase price of a car with the additional taxes, tags and insurance, and maintenance on that car. A simple solution for this year of economic crisis. Eileen Ford Columbia

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September 15, 2011

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Urban Legends and GHS Parking Fees An editorial last week commented on the increased parking fees at GHS. I learned of this on Face Book myself. Upon hearing this news I did what I always do when an issue comes up regarding the school – I emailed the Superintendant and asked her about it. Why other people don’t do this, I can’t understand because Ms. Underwood always responds. Allow me to share what anyone could have learned by going directly to the source. Six years ago there was a problem with student cars being vandalized and broken into during the day. Parents and students were understandably upset and wanted supervision during the day. The high

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor Letters continued from > page 7

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school principal calculated that a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;parking passâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fee would cover the cost of an attendant without having to dip into operating funds. Years went by with no increase in fees, and every year operating funds supplemented the costs more and more. We all know the problems with the school budget so in the current budget the problem had to be faced â&#x20AC;&#x201C; either decrease security or increase fees, or take more funds from the operating budget which is used to educate your kids. The staff recommended increasing the fees and keeping the level of security where it has been, resulting in the increased fees which were included in the budget as part of â&#x20AC;&#x153;local revenue.â&#x20AC;? The fees were presented to the School Board and discussed June 14 and approved July 12. The Superintendant agrees that it is a big fee, but notes that payment plans are available. Everyone would prefer that fees not be increased, but this is the budgetary world we live in right now. I understand that while the fees were approved in July, they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t posted on the web till August. Recognizing that this was insufficient notice, the

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school intends to send the fee list home with Business Day information rather than just posting on the website in the future. On to the Urban Legend: Someone started the rumor that the parking fees were raised to pay for the surveillance cameras. The cameras were installed as part of the middle school construction project and were paid with capital funds (2005-2007) and they have nothing whatsoever to do with the parking fees. Now for my two cents: When I ran across this issue on Face book, I informed student â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that when they graduate they may expect to pay as much as $20 per day or more, parking in downtown Richmond. Another person reminded them that driving is a privilege, not a right. How much is $75 anyway? What does an iPhone cost? How many kids have more than 75 songs at $1 each downloaded to their iPods? This is a couple tanks of gas. I asked if they would prefer to drop the security and asked them not to whine if someone ran a key down the side of their car or broke in and stole their iPhone. If this fee is so onerous, then start a petition and ask

that the security be dropped or reduced, or sign up seniors to voluntarily patrol the lot between their classes. In any event, the next time something like this arises, pick up the phone or write an email and ask about it before spreading unfounded rumors. Patrick Gannon Goochland

Goochland Relay For Life does it again The 17th annual Relay For Life raised more than $60,000 for a second straight year. We have to thank the volunteer Committee members, Team Captains, Team members and the many Cancer Survivors participating in the annual event. We also couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t raise the awareness and funds for cancer research, education, patient services, and advocacy without the many business sponsors providing monetary and inkind gifts. We are gearing up for 2012 which is the 18th year Relay For Life has been a part of Goochland County. If you are interested in helping others celebrate more birthdays please call 800-acs2345 or visit www.cancer.org. Valerie Pace Goochland

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continued from > page 4 Regionally she worked with the Central Virginia Partnership on Youth, serving on their board, to organize and host well-attended vendor fairs. Their next event, the 10th Annual Virginia Central Region CSA Training and Resource Day, is scheduled to occur on Sept. 16. She was also instrumental in working with a rural CSA organization, promoting resources and helping organize similar vendor fairs. Working with others in the region, she organized and promoted an annual job fair and training session for youth held at J. Sargeant Reynolds Parham Road Campus. In addition she has served on a United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg committee, helping to evaluate community programs and provide input on area services. Her work with United Way did not end there, she also served in the background helping make Goochlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Local Government & Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s United Way campaign successful each year. Her impact on the Commonwealth of Virginia was made through many ways, including her service on the State and Local Advisory Team (SLAT) for CSA. As the new Chair of SLAT she recently began serving on the State Executive Council working with the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cabinet Secretaries and other human services leaders. The State Executive Council assures the Governor, and Cabinet Secretaries are well informed on collaborative programmatic policy development, fiscal policy development, and administrative oversight for the efficient and effective provision of child centered, family focused and community based services to eligible emotionally and behavior-

ally troubled children/youth and their families in the least restrictive, appropriate environment. Through all she did, Debra worried about the children she served. She worried if a foster child was having a problem with the placement they were inâ&#x20AC;Ś. worried â&#x20AC;&#x153;which was the best placeâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;Ś.She knew all the children. Even on last Friday when Ann Casey was with her, she asked what she (Ann) knew about Title IV. You see there was a young man in court the previous day and she was looking into getting funding for

him through Title IV. She loved working in Goochland. She just said recently she would find it hard to work anywhere else. That we were so lucky to have such a great group of people to work with. Debra may no longer be with us, but her legacy will live on through the many children and families she helped and the many programs she helped establish. Contributed by Ann Casey, Paul Drumwright and Linda Underwood.

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Cancer benefit to be held for Goochlander Charles Thurston Contributed Report

There will be a cancer benefit concert for Charles W. Thurston on Oct. 1, at Goochland High School Auditorium. The cost is $15 for adults, children 10 and under are free. The event will feature Michelle

Nixon and Drive along with Stu (Studabee) Trice and Friends. There will be a limited number of tickets available at the door, so call Sandra ahead of time at 784-3648. The event is to help Charles W. Thurston who has operated his plumbing business

in Goochland County for 43 years. He has been battling lung cancer for three years. Charles continues to operate his business but the cancer and treatments have made this extremely difficult. Donations may be made at Essex Bank in Goochland or Centerville.

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www.goochlandgazette.com Harris; two devoted daughters, Wanda L. Worsham of Blackstone and Zakiya A. Worsham of Chesterfield; two stepsons, DeShayne M. Harris of Goochland and Tony D. Harris of Henrico. Family received friends at Mimms Funeral Home, 19th and Hull Streets, Richmond, Va. The funeral service was held Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2591 Ridge Road, Powhatan, Va. Reverend Lawrence A. Wilson Sr., Pastor, St. James Baptist Church, Powhatan, Va., officiated. Graveside services followed at the St. James

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Barry Lee Raymond, 64, of Maidens, entered eternal life Sept. 9, 2011. He was preceded in death by his father, William “Frank” Raymond; and two brothers, Franklin C. Raymond and Roy G. Raymond. He leaves to cherish his memory his mother, Gatha N. Raymond; a son, Tony L. Raymond; two brothers, Robert “Bob” see Obituaries > page 14

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A SPECIALTY PUBLICATION OF RICHMOND SUBURBAN NEWSPAPERS

T H E

L O C A L

EXCHANGE west SERVING EASTERN GOOCHLAND AND WESTERN HENRICO

Plan now to shred identity theft in October County Sheriff’s Office Kroger - Rutland Shopping 9351 Atlee Road Start cleaning out docu- Center ments that contain personal Mechanicsville 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. information and have those documents securely destroyed Saturday,10-22 for free by Shred-it at one Richmond Police of five Shred Identity Theft programs held during Department Crime Prevention Month in John Marshall High School 4225 Old Brook Road October. Richmond 10 a.m. to 1p.m. Bring up to two boxes (10”x13”x18” - average copy paper box size) or three paper Saturday, 10-29 grocery bags of your personPrince George County al documents to one of the Police Department Toys R events listed below. No recy- Us 1869 Southpark clable materials, such as tele- Blvd. Colonial Heights phone books or magazines, 10 a.m. to 1p.m. will be accepted. Contributed Report

Contributed Photo

Johnson Elementary School students give a mighty tug during their Field Day, held on the grounds of Genworth Financial. The company offered its facilities to Johnson E.S. while the school grounds were undergoing renovation.

Genworth Field Day a success for Johnson E.S. Contributed Report by Natalie Allen Walters. “According to Christine Jaeger, Manager Cheerleaders ruffled their pom-poms and of Community Relations for Genworth hollered out cheers and chants as the athletes Financial, Genworth funded all costs for of the hour ran through a towering archway the event and more than 70 volunteers from made of balloons. And no, it wasn’t the Genworth helped to make this field day Washington Redskins or the Virginia Tech memorable for Johnson’s 480 students in Hokies who hustled onto the field feeling like attendance.” all-stars, but none other than the students of Some of the attractions included 19 difJohnson Elementary School in Henrico. ferent field day stations with a Henrico 400Because of renovations occurring at the year anniversary theme, a misting tent, snoelementary school, students were unable to cones and even a visit from Radio Disney to participate in a field day on school grounds encourage students to put on their dancing so naturally, Genworth Financial, a long- shoes. standing partner of Johnson, offered up its “The kids, if you ask any one of them campus. would say this field day was the best ever,” “Genworth was really generous to us, and Walters said. “They did nothing but talk the volunteers were a big help,” said Johnson about how awesome it was and they’re still Elementary School Principal Connie talking about it.”

The Genworth partnership with Johnson Elementary perfectly exemplifies how the Henrico Education Foundation cultivates relationships between schools and the rest of the community. Through the collaboration of HEF and Genworth over the past two years, Johnson Elementary received leveled books, ESL flip cards and writing notebooks. Genworth then provided Johnson with a field day to remember and will more than likely continue to support Johnson for years to come. Jaeger emphasized Genworth’s commitment to provide for “underserved” schools. Genworth not only takes part in things like field day, but also has more than 50 volunteers who support Johnson Elementary’s stu-

see Field Day > page 13

The Central Virginia Crime Prevention Association, in partnership with Shred-it(r); Chesterfield, Henrico, Prince George County, and Richmond Police; and the Hanover Sheriff’s Office sponsor this collaborative crime prevention Saturday, 10-8 Henrico program. County Division of Police For more information on any Virginia Center Commons of these shredding events, call 10101 Brook Road G l e n Henrico Police, Community Allen 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Services-Crime Prevention Unit at 501- 4838 or visit www.henricopolice.org. Saturday, 10-15 Hanover Saturday, 10-1 Chesterfield County Police Department L.C. Bird High School 10301 Courthouse Road Chesterfield 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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SERVING EASTERN GOOCHLAND AND WESTERN HENRICO

A special section of The Goochland Gazette. For questions regarding this publication contact Ken Odor at (804) 6273249 or jodor@goochlandgazette.com. To advertise in this publication contact Pam Sanders at (804) 339-9162 or psanders@mediageneral.com

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September 15, 2011

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Tapestry exhibition comes to Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center Contributed Report The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen announces the upcoming Gumenick Family Gallery exhibition, Small Tapestry International 2: Passages, featuring small tapestries created by artists from around the world opens on Thursday, September 15 with an opening reception from 7-9 p.m. The public is invited. The exhibition continues through October 30. This is the only East Coast venue hosting this touring, biennial exhibition of the American Tapestry Alliance. From 80 artists and 125 entries, the juror, Kay Lawrence, Director of the South Australian School of Art, chose 47 tapestries from 41 artists to be included in the exhibition. The artists represent seven countries including Australia, Canada, England, Italy, Poland, Scotland and the USA. Working with the theme of passages,

Field Day continued from > page 12 dents through ongoing mentoring through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program and financial education in conjunction with Junior Achievement of Central Virginia. Sixty percent of Johnson

Lawrence stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The theme, elucidated as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the act of passing from one place or condition to another... the route one travels,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; was interpreted in many ways: metaphorically; in spatial terms; through the passage of time; and in some cases through a transition from one form of representation to another.â&#x20AC;? She went on to say,â&#x20AC;&#x153;In deciding which works would be accepted or excluded I looked for innovative approaches to the theme in relation to concept or techniqueâ&#x20AC;Śand particularly for entries that made me think more deeply about the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;passageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, or delighted me with their skillful or quirky use of the medium.â&#x20AC;? These small scale tapestries range from diminutive 16 square inches ( 4â&#x20AC;? x 4â&#x20AC;?) Quiet Pool by New Zealand artist Joan Griffin to the largest - yet still small in most terms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 196 square inches (14â&#x20AC;? x 14â&#x20AC;?) Luna Landing I by United States artist Lynn Butler Mayne. The winner is

Elementaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student population is considered low-socioeconomic status, which made this an even bigger deal to students according to Walters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The most rewarding part for our Genworth associates and volunteers was seeing the smiles on studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; faces as they ran through the balloon arches when they

Untitled #134 (10â&#x20AC;? x 8â&#x20AC;?) by United States artist Mary Lane. An artist and art historian, her tapestries have been exhibited internationally and part of private and corporate art collections. Her teaching experience includes Parsons School of Design, The University of Maine and The Evergreen State College. She is also widely known for her writings on contemporary textiles. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am-9pm and Friday, 9am5pm. The gallery is also open during special events and performances held during the evenings and on weekends. Admission to The Center and Gallery is free. For more information call 804-261ARTS (2787). The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is located at 2880 Mountain Contributed Photo Road, Glen Allen, just off I-295 at Woodman Road, S., Exit 45B. www.arts- The winner, Untitled #134 by artist Mary Lane will be part of the tapestry exhibit at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. glenalllen.com

arrived to begin their field day activities and their thankful goodbye waves from their school buses,â&#x20AC;? Jaeger said.

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www.goochlandgazette.com sister, Sandra Williams, of Charlottesville, Va.; fourteen grandchildren; and a host of other beloved relatives and friends. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, at Charlottesville Church of Christ. Bishop Rufus Hayes officiated. Graveside services followed at Holy Memorial Gardens. Services of comfort are entrusted to the staff of McClenny Funeral Service, Inc. You may sign the guest book at www.mcclennyfuneralserviceinc.com.

Raymond (Linda), and Ronald R. Raymond; a sister, Lynetta R. Parrish; and a host of nieces and nephews. The family received friends on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 at the West Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 11020 West Broad St., also where funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 12, 2011. Graveside services followed at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may Simon be made to the Goochland County Company #5 Fire Bernice Ragland Soles & Rescue, P.O. Box 265, Simon, 88, of Brightwood, died Goochland, Va. 23063. peacefully and went home to be with the Lord Tuesday, Sept. Reeves 6, 2011, at Culpeper Regional Rachel Smith Reeves, 57, Hospital. She was born of Goochland, entered into June 9, 1923 in Sandy Hook eternal rest on Friday, Sept. 9, (Goochland), Va., and was the 2011, at CJW Medical Center, daughter of the late Thomas Chippenham Campus. She Finch Ragland and Nell Butler was the daughter of the late Ragland. She was also preAlexander and Flora Johnson ceded in death by her first Smith. She leaves to mourn husband, John Norman Soles; and cherish her memory a and her second husband, Paul loving and devoted family, her W. Simon. Mrs. Simon was a husband, Elder Frank Reeves, member of Ragland Memorial of Goochland, Va.; three sons; Church in Goochland. She is Frank Reeves Jr., of Glen Allen, survived by her daughter, Judy Edgar Reeves, of Richmond, S. Compton and her husband, Va., and Christopher Reeves, Cliff, of Brightwood; two sons, of Varina, Va.; four brothers, John N. Soles Jr., of Richmond, Rauzelle Smith, of Ruckersville, James P. Simon, of Culpeper; Va., Charles M. Smith and three brothers, Thomas Finch Ray Smith, both of Covesville, Ragland Jr., of Richmond, Cecil Va., and Alexander Smith Jr., L. Ragland, of Florida, Charles of Charlottesville, Va.; one L. Ragland, of Richmond; three sisters, Catherine R.

Coughlin, Betty R. Nielsen, both of Richmond, Barbara R. Sheppard of Crozier; two grandchildren, John Scott Compton of Brightwood, Cathy C. McLearen of Rochelle; seven great-grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at Ragland Memorial Church, 2838 Sandy Hook Rd., Sandy Hook, Va. 23153. Graveside services followed at Sunset Memorial Park, 2901 W. Hundred Rd., Chester, Va. 23831. The family received friends at Ragland Memorial Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritans Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, N.C. 286073000. Preddy Funeral Home in Madison is in charge of arrangements. Waters Kenneth Lowell Waters Sr., 78, died Sept. 10, 2011. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Garnette Waters; son, Kenneth L. Waters Jr.; sister, Marvis Thompson; brother, T. Elwood Waters (Sarah Lee); sister-in-law, Gloria Waters. He was preceded in death by his parents, John W. Sr. and Stella Waters; and his brothers, John and Stuart Waters. A graveside service was held Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, Goochland. Arrangements by Bliley’sStaples Mill.

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Bulldog defense and special teams shut down FUMA Goochland routs defending VISAA champs 39-14 BY JIM RIDOLPHI Special Correspondent

When visiting Fork Union answered a first quarter Bulldog score with a touchdown pass of their own, it brought a surprising reaction from Goochland head coach Joe Fowler. “I like this. This is fun,” Fowler said as he prowled the sideline. If the first quarter of evenly matched action pleased Fowler, the rest of the contest must have brought an enormous smile to the face of the veteran coach. The Bulldogs exploded for 22 points in the second quar-

Photos by Jim Ridolphi

Above: FUMA running back TJ Dudley gets clobbered by the Goochland defenders Mason Engel (28) Jess McLaughlin (52) Andrew Gee (45) and Matthew Haller (99) in the first period of last week’s 39-14 rout of the Blue Devils. At right: Bulldog running back Jake Martin (26) had one touchdown on the ground and another in the air.

ter on the way to a rout of VISAA champions. the Blue Devils, 39-14, in a At the onset, it appeared the contest that matched Group A game would be a barnburner Goochland against last year’s as FUMA took the opening kickoff, clicked off two first downs via the air and moved into Bulldog territory. But penalties negated a long pass play from quarterback Christian Hackenburg to DJ Randle El and killed the drive, providing the only opening the Bulldogs needed. “I thought it would be a close game, but I thought we had a chance if we played perfect,” Fowler said. “A lot of things went our way tonight.” Quarterback Cody Johnson led the Bulldogs on their opening drive with a steady dose of runs, tempered by an occasional pass. Patrick Clore provided the muscle at running back, ending the night with two scores and 74 yards, a majority of which came after initial contact. Jake Martin, Mitchell Brice and others provided the rest of the 224 rushing yards the Bulldogs amassed. Martin had a touchdown on the ground and one through the air in Photo by Charlie Leffler the win. On Saturday, Richmond International Raceway paid tribute Regarding the pass, Martin to the fallen during a prerace 9/11 ceremony. For photo gallery go online to www.goochlandgazette.com. said it was “designed for Cody

9/11 Tribute at RIR

Johnson to roll right, but he got in trouble and rolled left, and I was just there for him.” He credited the offensive line for his rushing TD. “It was a good hole, and good blocking by the offensive line.” Hackenburg completed 10-of-17 passes, six of them to Randle El who finished with two touchdowns and 213 yards. “He’s quite an athlete,” Fowler said referring to Randle El. As much punch as the Bulldog offense provided, it was the Goochland special teams and defense that stole the show. With two blocked punts and a fumble recovery, the coverage teams provided the knockout shot to the Devils. Add to that booming kickoffs from Colby Cooke and Thomas Meadows that could not be returned along with a plethora of FUMA errors and the rout was on. Minus the two touchdowns, the Bulldog defense lived up to expectations and didn’t flinch at an offense that featured several Division I prospects. “They are so aggressive and play so hard,” Fowler said regarding his defense’s performance. “This is the first group

of kids who have come through our new weight program for four years and it’s making all the difference in the world.” The lopsided score didn’t indicate the competitive parity between the two units. But the Blue Devils consistently shot themselves in the foot with penalties and miscues. FUMA coach Mickey Sullivan was not pleased with the outcome or the way his team played. “You probably can’t print what I’d like to say,” he said as his 0-2 team prepped for the short ride home to Fork Union. “They played well and we played terrible. They beat our fannies. There’s no other way to put it.” Fowler said his team played with an aggressive, no quit attitude, and the depth and conditioning really paid off for the Bulldogs against some stiff competition. “These kids don’t have a clue yet how good and special they can be,” the coach said. “If they keep working hard, they can keep getting better and better and who knows how it turns out after that.” The Bulldogs will need

to utilize all that talent when they travel to Charlottesville this week to meet Monticello, who recorded two wins against Goochland last year. Both of them were last second heartbreakers. Fowler pointed out that no one has forgotten. “Next week is huge for us,” he said. “Monticello is very important to us after what happened to us last year. We want to come out and put our best foot forward.” The Bulldogs’ accomplishments so far in the young season have not gone unrecognized. With a 2-0 start and the big win over FUMA, Goochland attained a No. 10 ranking in this week’s TimesDispatch Top-10 Poll. Fork Union..................7 0 0 7 — 14 Goochland.................. 7 22 3 7 — 39 G – Clore 10 run (kick failed) F – Randle El 83 pass from Hackenburg (Roach kick) G – Martin 3 run (Cooke kick) G – Clore 7 run (Cooke kick) G – Johnson 1 run (kick failed) G – FG Cooke 28 G – FG Cooke 31 G – Martin 14 pass from Johnson (Cooke kick) F – Randle El 47 pass from Hackenburg (Roach kick)

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Drivers get personal time with the President

NASCAR’s best visit White House BY CHARLIE LEFFLER cleffler@goochlandgazette.com

Eight of NASCAR’s top drivers visited the White House last Wednesday at a special invitation from President Barack Obama. Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Bush, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer met with the nation’s leader and took part in a ceremony honoring Johnson for his fifth straight Sprint Cup championship. “We get to see a few rooms that’s got like George Washington’s sword and things like that, just amazing memorabilia that you wouldn’t think still existed,” Hamlin said. Bowyer echoed Hamlin’s statement. “It was a neat day,” he said. “Obviously it means a lot as a human being to be in a place so special to our country, let alone a race car driver or anything else, for anybody to be able to get invited to the White House- That’s the House man! That’s where everything happens and to meet the President and everything that goes in with that day, it’s a special day.” Even Kyle Busch was not above being impressed. “The visit to the White House was fun,” he said. “It’s something

that I’ve not done before so it was neat for me to get the invite and go there and see what it’s all about and see what our nation’s been built on. Certainly it’s a big house and it’s white and it’s old but there’s a lot of history built within it. Certainly to see that history and to meet a President of the United States is pretty cool. We enjoyed it and hopefully we can go back later on this year as champion.” But more than anything, it was the opportunity to talk with the President in a casual setting that most impressed the drivers. “To kind of meet Obama, away from the TV cameras and in a separate room and get to hear what he knows about NASCAR and things like that, it’s pretty amazing to see the sports fan that he is,” Hamlin said. Bowyer too enjoyed the chance to see the more personal side of Barack Obama. “You know when the cameras go on everybody kind of puts the game face on, takes care of business,” he said. “The parts I love about this business and getting to meet people and everything else is behind the scenes. The conversations, the relationships, you know the true relationship. You kind of get to see the real person just for a quick minute.” Bowyer was also impressed by Obama’s NASCAR knowledge. “He talked about our

Photo by Charlie Leffler

Last week a group of top NASCAR drivers were invited to the White House to be recognized by President Barack Obama. Above left: Jimmie Johnson and former Chesterfield resident Denny Hamlin stood beside the President as he addressed the audience. Above from left: Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, President Barack Obama, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer pose as camera phones capture the moment. For more go to www.goochlandgazette.com.

sport, he understands our sport and is in tune with it,” Bowyer said. “I think that speaks volumes about our sport when somebody like the President, who has so many things on his plate, can sit with a group of guys that do it for a living and carry that conversation on. I think it speaks volumes on his attention and thought for the sport.” During the East Room ceremony honoring Johnson, the President indicated the thrill of driving for NASCAR is something he is limited from enjoying. “I was telling these guys I’m not allowed to drive much these days, basically just my golf cart at Camp David, which is called Golf Cart One,” Obama said. “But I will say that

it’s pretty tough to look at #48 and not want to jump in and take a few laps. I’m sure Jimmie would not be happy if I was doing that.” Still, Obama found similarities between their two fields of employment. “NASCAR is a sport where anything that can go wrong, will go wrong during the season similar to being President.” In his speech, Obama placed Johnson among the best in all of sports. “Jimmie is not only one of the best drivers of all time, he’s up there with some of the best sports dynasties,” the President said. “If you think about it, only the Boston Celtics, the Yankees and the Canadians have won more than four titles in a row.” Obama then praised the

other drivers as well. “We also want to give credit to the other Chase drivers up here who want Jimmie to know the second he makes a mistake they will be ready to knock him out of the victory lane.” It was uncertain whether Obama plans to parlay the NASCAR moment into a Presidential victory lane of his own. In 2008, his campaign considered sponsoring a Sprint Cup car at Pocono, but that would not have been the first time a Presidential candidate put their name on a race car. The same year Ron Paul sponsored the two Nationwide cars driven by Kenny Wallace and Mike Bliss. Does Bowyer believe NASCAR is a good place to carry a presidential campaign?

“I don’t know about the cars,” he said. “I think it’s a great place to campaign, we’ve seen that over the years. There isn’t any more loyal fans than NASCAR fans, and if you can win them over, you’ve got a fan’s vote.” Hamlin agreed. “It’s just that those guys know that there’s a huge audience, a lot of NASCAR fans watch each and every weekend and it’s the way to get their name out there.” At the end of the ceremony, Johnson presented Obama with the racing gloves he wore during his win at Las Vegas. The President said he would put them to use along with the helmet Johnson gave him during his previous visit. “I’ll wear the helmet and the gloves when I’m driving Golf Cart One.”

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