03/14/2013 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Goochland girl starts a new charity > page 2

Volume 59, Number 11 • March 14, 2013

Supervisors okay Dover Hall permit By Ken Odor Jodor@goochlandgazette.com

Photo by Ken Odor

Ernie Brown, left and Charlie Rogers, right, hold a tamper while Mike Hahn gives the cord a pull to start it up on a recent Tuesday night. The Goochland Small Engine Group meets weekly at the BP station in the courthouse to learn more about small engine repair after taking a class at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

Despite numerous objections from speakers at its March 5 public hearing, Goochland supervisors unanimously approved a conditional use permit that allows public and private events and a bed and breakfast operation at Dover Hall, a 30,000 square foot home in Tudor manor design at the intersection of Manakin Road and Millers Lane. Owners Dennis and Cynthia Pryor asked for the CUP for the 56-acre site. Close to 30 citizens spoke at the hearing, which lasted until 11:15 p.m. About two-thirds opposed the CUP request. Most of the opposition centered on noise and traffic concerns if the

permit were granted and several speakers argued that a commercial operation would violate the county’s Comprehensive Plan. “I waited my whole life to move out here,” said Jan Lipscomb, who said she lives one mile from Dover Hall with her two horses. “Everything I have ever owned in my life is in that property,” she said, asking the supervisors to deny the CUP request. But Executive Director of the Richmond Symphony David Fisk urged approval. “We could not do what we do without the help of the Pryors,” said Fisk, citing their help with fundraising event for the symphony. Ross Mackenzie, who lives on see Dover Hall > page 7

Small engine ‘detectives’ solve motor mysteries each Tuesday By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com

On a cold and rainy night, a group of three men gathered to solve a mystery at the BP gas station in Goochland Courthouse. The puzzle: just why wouldn’t an old two-cycle Wacker, a device used for tamping down soils at work sites, start up? The men, who call themselves the Goochland Small Engine Group, wanted to know why.

The Wacker, worth about $500, according to retired convenience store executive and consultant Michael Hahn, was like most of the equipment powered by small gasoline engines they work on - it’s almost always a matter of getting gas or spark. Eventually Hahn and fellow “detectives” Ernie Brown and Charlie Rodgers got the device running. That’s normally the case when the group, all alumni of a Small Engine Repair class at J. Sargeant Reynolds last semester, gets together each Tuesday night, from

6 to 9 p.m. at Tom Porter’s BP station across from Grace Episcopal Church. “So far we have repaired or solved the mysteries on approximately 49 or 50 small engines, we’ve worked on,” said Ernie Brown. “And the vast majority needed no parts!” Brown said the group was born when they discovered they still had interest an enthusiasm to learn more after finishing their J.S. Reynolds course. Joe Cortez, their JSR instrucsee Small engine > page 5

Photo by Ken Odor

Dover Hall owner Dennis Pryor makes his case before the Goochland Board of Supervisors for a Conditional User permit to allow events to be held at the 30,000 square foot building on Manakin Road.

Thursday

March 14, 2013

PEOPLE: Personalities & Achievements

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Goochland teenager provides clothes for newborn babies

INSIDE

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Goochland resident Tessa Gilpin’s passion for children inspired her to start a new charity – Babies First Year. “I am not a mother but I’ve always had a heart for children,” Gilpin said during a recent interview. “I started Babies First Year last November. I started it because I was helping a friend who is having a baby and doesn’t have a lot of money. I started to see how many people wanted to help and thought, ‘I bet there are more people who need this kind of help.’ I mean a year’s worth of clothes can help so many people.” Gilpin, 19, completed high school as a homeschooler in 2011 and is employed as a nanny by a Richmond family. Gilpin lives with her parents, Teddy and Melissa Gilpin, and has a married 23-old-sister, Ashton Tower. Her family moved to Goochland from Lee County 14 years ago, Gilpin added. Gilpin said she gets the word out about the charity through Babies First Year’s Facebook page. “I have a post on Craigslist for clothes and to help find clothes as well,” she said. Clothes that are donated don’t have to be clean, but Gilpin added that, “Clean would be nice.” Those who receive the clothes do not have to be Goochland residents, Gilpin said. “I kind of go all over,” she said. “I kind of just listen to their story and go from there. I try to help the people who are giving birth first but I do ask [that] you give me at least four to five months to get everything. At the moment it’s just

Goochland Eagle Scout honored PAGE 6

SPORTS

Pitching in his past, Verlander stepping up at the plate PAGE 13

Contributed Photo

Tessa Gilpin wants to help new moms with clothes for their babies. She has founded Babies First Year to collect donated clothes that she redistributes to new families.

me and I have a full-time job so I am looking for volunteers.” So far, donations are steadily coming in, Gilpin said. “We have collected enough for three families who are having boys and about a year’s worth of girls’ clothes,” she said. “The people who have donated are all just happy they could pay it forward and help out these families.” Gilpin said her mother is helping her to find clothes. “She is amazing,” Gilpin said. Working with the charity has been a rewarding experience, Gilpin said. “Just meeting all the new people and hearing their stories and just knowing I might be able to help someone,” she

said. Her short-term goals are to find more volunteers and more clothes, while her longterm goal is “to keep helping people,” Gilpin said. “I love helping people but I love working with children as well,” Gilpin added. “They have always been a passion of mine, but I would love to keep this group going and watch it grow with me helping.” Melissa Gilpin admires her daughter for the work she is doing with the charity. “I am very proud that she has such a kind heart and wants to help others that need it and we try to help her as needed,” Melissa Gilpin said. For more information, e-mail Tessa Gilpin at gilpintn@gmail.com.

Calendar ................................ 9 Classifieds ......................17-19 Letters .................................... 6 Obituaries ............................ 10 Opinion .................................. 6 Sports .............................11-13 TV Listings ......................14-16

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March 14, 2013

STUDENT NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

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Student’s play to be performed Contributed Report Goochland High School student Ryan Stanley has written and directed an original play as a showcase for his senior project. His set is designed in black box style theater and will be performed in Mr. Burch’s room at Goochland Middle School. Stanley chose his cast from auditions that were held last year and they have all been

working very hard to make this a great performance. The play, Human Potential, will be performed for two showings only, March 21 and March 22 at 7 p.m. This is a drama and may not be suitable for children under 12. A $5 suggested donation to the Goochland Drama/ Thespians club will get you in to see some of Goochland’s amazingly talented students.

Stanley

Garden Festival scheduled Contributed Report The 9th Annual Spring Garden Fest, sponsored by the Goochland-Powhatan Master Gardeners in cooperation with J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and Virginia Cooperative Extension, will be held at the

college’s Goochland campus, 1851 Dickinson Road, on Saturday April 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine. The campus features modern classrooms and facilities with plenty of free parking in the lot close to all activities. The Fest offers classes and workshops on a variety of hor-

ticultural topics of interest to the home gardener. For those interested in growing their own vegetables, there will be classes covering growing vegetables in containers, extending the vegetable growing season, growing garlic and onions, companion see Festival > page 8

Goochland Courthouse 556-6722 Centerville 784-4000 Virginia Center 262-3991 24 Locations in Virginia, Maryland and Georgia Call 1-800-443-5524 for the location nearest you.

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Goochland Family YMCA takes part in Read Across America Contributed Report

Goochland County Supervisor, Manuel Alvarez Jr., recently read to preschool age children at the Goochland Family YMCA as part of Read Across America. The annual reading motivation and awareness program calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on the birthday of beloved childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author, Dr. Seuss. On Friday, March 1, Alvarez volunteered his time to read Dr. Seussâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Cat in the Hatâ&#x20AC;? to 25 children at the YMCA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think reading gives you something that television and movies cannot. The author describes the picture, but your own imagination colors it and adds the details. It becomes your story. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kids have a lot of entertainment options, but I think playing and reading are still very important and should be encour-

Contributed Photo

District 2 Supervisor Manuel Alvarez Jr. reads to children at the Goochland YMCA.

aged at all levels,â&#x20AC;? said Alvarez. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Goochland Y is committed to nurturing the potential of every child to help them reach their full potential. We are grateful to Mr. Alvarez for reading to

our children and helping them understand the value in reading as they begin their journey to become lifelong learners,â&#x20AC;? said Jay Shively, executive director of the Goochland Family YMCA.

Thursday

March 14, 2013

NEWS: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Going on in Goochland County

Program features county Rosenwald Schools Contributed Report

see Churches > page 8

continued from > page 1 tor, is also part of the group. The other group members are Ed Halsey, Charlie Rogers and Kirby Gouffon. Members bring their own tools. They are a dedicated crew, even meeting last week the night before the snowstorm, said Hahn. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We fixed two chain saws and a blower,â&#x20AC;? he said. Brown said the group has decided to offer their services to lower income seniors in

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Goochland and Powhatan as a public service. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do minor repairs on lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, tillers and small generators. But no riding mowers or larger equipment, please. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re offering their services to Goochland and Powhatan residents 60 or older with family incomes no more than $35,000 a year. And they are open to taking on a couple new members, maybe up to three, said Brown. They will accept donations to cover the cost of supplies Asked why theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing it,

Hahn said after their class, they â&#x20AC;&#x153;wanted to take it to the next level. We like it.â&#x20AC;? Hahn said he was a little bit of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;tree huggerâ&#x20AC;? and hated throwing away equipment that could still be used. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a passion for tinkering and if we can give something back to the community, all the better,â&#x20AC;? said Hahn. If you qualify, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a limit of two items and folks should call Mike Hahn at 804 3807241 or Ernie Brown at 804 320-1151 before bringing items to the BP station on Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m.

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Each year the League of Women Voters of the Richmond Metropolitan Area sponsors an educational activity to commemorate Black History Month. For this year, on Saturday, Feb. 23, the League chose to focus on the Rosenwald Schools, an extensive program that built school houses and aided black education throughout the rural South. Inspired by Booker T. Contributed Photos Washington,founder of Tuskegee Calvin Stokes, left and Goochland NAACP President Sekkou Institute, Julius Rosenwald, presiShabaka introduce the program at the Second Union Baptist dent and Chairman of the Board Church Rosenwald School site, seen below. of Sears Roebuck Co., used his personal fortune to establish the Julius Rosenwald Fund. One of the chief efforts of the Fund was to better the conditions of black people through education. Between 1917 and 1932 the Fund embarked on a building program which built more than 5,300 schools in 15 rural states, 381 of them in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Several of these schools are

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Thursday

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

March 14, 2013

Let the sunshine in We’re in the middle of Sunshine Week, a project of the American Society of News Editors dedicated to open government. In our article on this page you can read up on the significance of Sunshine Week and the movement to make government more open and accountable to the public it serves. And you can check out the few changes made this year in the Virginia General Assembly. When one thinks back on the abuses of power of governments throughout history, it seems a nobrainer to support the movement to allow the media and citizens access to as much information as possible about how public bodies make their decisions. We hope and trust the public supports the effort, recalling how Freedom of Information Act requests may have proven pivotal in the changes in county government and the school system over the last few years. And it seems reasonable to check on how government spends its money on a regular basis -something we’ll be doing soon, in part, when we update our information on salaries of Goochland County and Goochland County Public Schools employees as we have done several times in past years. This sometimes causes consternation but we’re betting that county government and schools are becoming used to our requests

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Goochland Eagle Scout honored

and that citizens expect access to such information. Interesting to note in this year’s session, the General Assembly approved a bill to prohibit access to lists of citizens who have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, likely due to several newspapers here in Virginia and other states requesting and publishing the names and addresses of permit holders in the past. We’re curious what readers think about that change. Drop us a line and let us know if you agree with the change or not if you are so inclined.

Goochland Board of Supervisors Chairman Ken Peterson presents a plaque to Eagle Scout Aaron Christopher Brown at the March 5 Board of Supervisors meeting. The board recognized Brown, a member of Troop 704, for his service project of planting 20 willow oak trees at the entrance to the cemetery at St. Jude Catholic Church in Mineral. Photo by Ken Odor

Sunshine and daffodils When it comes to real sunshine, this past weekend was glorious, with mild temperatures and clear skies bringing a welcome change to the area after a midweek snowstorm that brought the usual downed trees, power lines and closed schools. Sunday afternoon, on the first day since the return of Daylight Saving Time, which I’d like to see stay in force year-long, I noticed the daffodils in the front yard in something close to full bloom. What started as a mild winter and then turned cold has been enough for me. I’m ready for spring. -Ken Odor

JOY MONOPOLI Publisher MELODY KINSER Managing Editor Ken Odor Editor CHARLIE LEFFLER Sports Editor BRIAN FRENCH Production Manager STEPHANIE CHILDREY Sales Representative Online: www.goochlandgazette.com For news: news@goochlandgazette.com For advertising: sales@goochlandgazette.com For classifieds: cgrant@mechlocal.com © 2013 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: 8,000

Open government laws remain largely unchanged By Jodi Deal Regional Reporter

Virginia has plenty of laws in place to keep public information readily available to citizens, and -- with one notable change -- those remained relatively intact during the 2013 session of the Virginia General Assembly. According to the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit group that aims to help keep information public and the public informed on how to obtain it, Virginians’ access to some public information was tightened this year. Restrictions were passed that will limit access to some legislative aides’ correspondence, hospital evacuation plans, certain flight plans at regional government airports and bank selfassessments. Concealed gun permits won’t be available to the public anymore either. A new entity, the Nuclear Energy Consortium, won’t be held to

the information you want. The Virginia Coalition for Open Government has not only the law itself, but citizens’ guides and resources to help you put the legal language into practice. Most government records are available to the public, except certain tidbits specifically exempt from the law. In a citizens’ handbook for FOIA laws on its website, VCOG notes that some exemptions for disclosing records can only be invoked by certain agencies, while others are more general. Common exemptions include personnel records; scholastic records that identify specific students; health, medical and social services records; and records that are part of investigations; Get public information and records that could harm security. As for criminal records, incident What are your rights and what do reports, including the general location, you need to know to protect them? date and description of felonies – not Virginia’s Freedom of Information misdemeanors – are available, while Act is readily accessible online, as are resources to help you find and ask for see Sunshine > page 7

Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. Bills were passed that will require college boards of visitors to undergo FOIA training, and all bills that would have taken away the requirement for public notices to be run in newspapers were struck down. This week, March 10-16, is Sunshine Week across the United States. Launched in 2002 by Florida journalists in response to legislators’ attempts to tighten the reins on public information, the movement has expanded into a nationwide effort to promote discussion about open government and access to information.

Thursday

March 14, 2013

Sunshine continued from > page 6 records that could hamper investigations or identify informants are not. If you want a record, all you have to do is ask, and that includes e-mail, according to VCOG. You don’t even have to cite FOIA when you ask, nor do you have to do so in writing or say why you want the information. Requests should be very specific and putting them in writing may help. Once a government body gets a request, under FOIA, it has five days to respond. That can mean giving you the information, withholding part or all of it, or letting you know more time is needed. If you are refused a piece of information, the government body in question must cite specific law to tell you why, unless the record or information simply does not exist.

Depending on how much information you ask for and the manpower it takes to gather it, you might get a bill for the cost of locating and copying what you’ve requested. You can ask the government to give you an itemized estimate of what your request will cost before it is prepared.

Laws keep meetings public Meetings of government bodies are governed by Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. You are, according to the law, supposed to know when, where and why meetings will take place. Government bodies are required, except in the case of an emergency, to give the public three working days’ notice of public meetings. “Notice” means posting the information in a local newspaper, on the government’s website and/or posting in at

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor least two prominent locations where public notices are kept. If there is an agenda, it must be made public when board or council members get it. As a citizen, you can request that you be notified of every meeting of a public body. You are allowed to record meetings, as long as you’re unobtrusive. The government also is required to take minutes, which are considered public record. All votes must be public, but some discussions can be held behind closed doors, as long as the board, council or other government body votes to go into a closed meeting citing a specific section of the law and why they are invoking it. Very few subjects can be taken into closed meeting. Some allowed topics include personnel matters involving specific employees, consultation with lawyers about suits that may be or have already

Dover Hall continued from > page 1 Shallow Well Road about two miles from Dover Hall, called the move to approve the CUP without a noise county noise ordinance in effect premature and urged all amplified music be restricted to indoors if the measure were approved. “What sense does it make to introduce noise into a quiet community while neighbors lack any means to hold the volume down?” asked Mackenzie, who urged that at least all amplified music be restricted to inside the building should the permit be granted. The supervisors attempted to placate the opposition by stiffening some of the conditions of the CUP. They added a prohibition on any amplified music outdoors and limited events with 50 or more guests to no more than 60 per year. They

Photo by Ken Odor

Dover Hall seen after last week’s snowfall. The Board of Supervisors approved a permit to allow events at the Tudor mansion at their March 5 meeting.

also reduced the size of the sign from 32 square feet to 12 square feet at the entrance and limited the five – year CUP to the current owner, or an entity in which the owner retains an interest. Vice Chairman Manuel Alvarez, District 3 spoke near the end of the evening before moving the permit be granted.

“I think Dover Hall is a jewel that will attract economic development,” said Alvarez, who said he did not think the CUP would be detrimental to the neighbors or the rural character of the county, adding that the permit contained more restrictions than apply to Hermitage Country Club and Deep Run Hunt Club.

been brought and discussions that might hurt a body’s negotiating strategy, like the purchase of land. After a closed meeting, a vote must be taken to certify that was what discussed was appropriate.

Get more information Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act is available electronically at VCOG’s website, www.opengovva. org. At that website, you also can find forms to help you create requests for information, updates about changes in Virginia’s open government laws and a link to ask the Freedom of Information Advisory Council for an oral or written opinion – all for free. You also can find information on federal FOIA rules. You can reach the VCOG offices, located in Williamsburg, by calling 540353-8264.

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Letters to the Editor The Gazette welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Goochland residents. 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 Fax: 730-0476 E-mail: jodor@goochlandgazette.com

See Sheriff’s Incident Reports on the Gazette web site www.goochlandgazette.com

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March 14, 2013

Festival continued from > page 3 planting, using hydroponic techniques, and preserving your garden bounty. Lectures on ornamental grasses, low-maintenance perennials, edible flowers, and herbs will provide useful tips and techniques for adding beauty to your landscapes. You can also learn how to plan a water-wise landscape, garden in a shady back yard, select and use mulch effectively, identify and manage ornamental and tree diseases, and use native plants to address challenging landscape situations or attract wildlife to your gardens. In hands-on workshops you can learn how

to create, construct, and grow: a “topsy-turvy” tiered planter, a succulent wall planter frame, a shitake mushroom log, a gourd birdhouse, or a basic bonsai planter. Classes are taught by local master gardeners, extension agents, and horticulturalists. Registration is required to attend classes and workshops and they are filled on a firstcome, first-served basis, so register early to sign up for your favorites. Call the Goochland Extension Office (556-5841) or visit the website www.gpmga. org for additional information and to sign-up for classes. A $10 pre-registration fee covers all classes for the day with a moderate additional charge for hands-

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NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County on workshops or registering at the door. If you don’t have time for classes, there is no charge for browsing and shopping. The public is invited to stop by any time during the event to stroll the beautifully renovated campus landscape and display gardens, visit the “how-to” stations, and get horticultural questions answered at the “Ask a Master Gardener” tent. This year there will be a “Kid’s Tent” where children can plant items to take home and grow through the summer. Vendors, including the JSRCC Hort Club, will be selling a variety of interesting plants and other garden-related items. The popular Master Gardeners’ plant sale provides an opportunity to stock up on plants at great prices. And, don’t forget

to pick up a free plant at that booth! Mark your calendar now and plan to attend Spring Garden Fest on April 27. It is a wonderful way to welcome a new and beautiful season to central Virginia. Extension is a joint program of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state and local governments. If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Shannon Grayson, Goochland Extension office at (804)-5565841 or (800) 828-1120 (TDD) during business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Churches

The League’s visit, along with several guests, was very educational and enlightening, as they toured the school buildings, comfortably sat for the program in one of the schools, and listened to the former students’ experiences as students. The former students recounted their appreciation for caring, capable teachers, the high quality of the education and the strict disciipline required by their teachers and parents. An important revelation was about the parental and community enthusiasm and willingness

continued from > page 5 still standing in their original construction. The League chose to visit two nearby, still standing, schools at Shady Grove Baptist Church, Gum Springs, and Second Union Baptist Church, Goochland. Both of these buildings are currently undergoing restoration, a project of former students. Formal use of the schools was ended as late as 1959 and 1962.

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Did you know? Your Virginia Cooperative Extension offices, both in Powhatan and Goochland, schedule Master Gardeners March thru October, to provide you assistance with your lawn and garden questions. In Powhatan, we are available on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and in Goochland on Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. Our numbers for Powhatan are (804) 598-5640 and Goochland (804) 5565841. You can obtain most research based information from Virginia Cooperative Extension’s internet references (www.ext.vt.edu) Sample boxes and instruction for you

to sacrifice in order to raise the required matching funds required by Julius Rosenthal. This was in keeping with Rosenthal’s principle that recipients of his gifts contribute both labor and money, an effort to inspire pride and ownership. The League of Women Voters and their guests are grateful to their contacts/facilitators for the visit: Mrs. Deloris Hicks for Shady Grove, and Mr. Calvin Hopkins for Second Union. An interesting aspect of the day was the surprise reunion of one of the guests

to take soil samples to have your soil tested before planting are available. There is a Lawn Maintenance Calendar for both cool and warm season grasses. You may have an unwanted insect (pest) or a weed you want identified before obtaining the proper control or prevention measure and the Goochland Powhatan Master Gardeners are able to help you with that. All recommendations are made using the 2013 Pest Management Guide. Our volunteer Master Gardeners stand ready to help you and look forward to hearing from you. Please call us or drop by either office location.

on the visit, Dr. Fred Orelove, retired VCU Professor, and Mrs. Hicks. They had worked together years ago at VCU! Also in attendance was Ms. Sylvia Yount of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, who has presented programs on some of the other recipients of Rosenwald’s philanthropy. This was a rewarding, enlightening education about an important episode in the history of our Commonwealth, an episode which has begun to come to light in our state in recent months.

Thursday

Floyd Toney Floyd Jackson Toney Jr., 75, of Rockville, Va., passed away on March 6, 2013. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Phyllis Toney; son, Greg (Jill); daughter, Pam Welton (Scott); sister, Florence Craig (Danny); grandchildren, Chris, Shelley, Sarah, Megan, Penny and Clay. He is also survived by nephews, Mike, Don and Brian. The family received visitors at the West Chapel of Bennett Funeral

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March 14, 2013

77, of Goochland, Va., departed this life on March 5, 2013. He was born August 10, 1933 to the late Luke Miles and Ruth Kinney in West Virginia. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Louis and Isiah Miles; and a granddaughter, To Nora White. He is survived by his devoted wife of 62 years, Elnora E. Miles, five children, Ethel Myles, Eva Edward Miles White (Thomas), Connie Brown, Theresa Sims (Caleb), Deacon Edward V Miles., Edward Myles Jr.; seven

Homes, 11020 West Broad St., Glen Allen, Va. 23060, on Saturday, March 9, 2013. Funeral services were held Sunday March 10, 2013 at Goochland Baptist Church. Interment will immediately follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Goochland Baptist Church Building Fund.

grandchildren, Devin, Von, Darius, Monique, Damien, Darrell, Keyon; six greatgrandchildren, Destine, Daja, DeYonna, Danyelle, DyAisa and Mikayla; sisters, Lillian, JoAnn, Dora, Estelle, Louise, and Virginia; two brothers, Robert and John; and stepmother, Margaret Gray, and a host of nieces, nephews; and other family and friends, devoted Janis Myles and Rev. Alphonso Dailey. The family received friends

www.goochlandgazette.com on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at the Robert Mealy Funeral Home. Funeral services were held March 10, at the Chief Cornerstone Baptist Church. Rev. Adlai Allen pastor.

Chelsie Uglow Chelsie E Uglow., 89, formerly of Goochland, passed away Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at Elizabeth Adam Crump Manor. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy

Uglow. Survivors include her children, Richard Uglow, Sharon Reinhart and Suzanne Hallberg; sister Beryl Williams; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held Saturday, March 9, at Gum Spring United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gum Spring United Methodist Church Building Fund, 35 Church Lane, Gum Spring, Va., 23065. Online guestbook is at lacyfh.com.

CALENDAR: Community Events Friday, March 15 St. John’s Episcopal Church Healing service at begins 7:30 p.m. A time to heal, whether physical, emotional or mental pain, through prayer, meditation, hymn and laying on of hands. St. John’s is located north of the intersection of Washington St. & Rt. 6 in Columbia. Saturday, March 16 Bingo Party hosted by American Cancer Society Relay for Life – Mt. Gilead Purple Hearts Relay Team begins at 7 p.m. at the Hadensville Volunteer Fire Department. Hot dogs and drinks will be sold. A $10.00 donation will

benefit ACS. For more infor- Massanutten Indoor Waterpark tickets, signed Sports mation call 1-434-589-8552. Memorabilia and more. The Wednesday, March 20 details will continue to be posted and updated on our New Line Baptist Church website and Facebook page 4876 New Line Rd. Gum ByrdElementaryPTA - as we Spring, Va. is having Lenten receive the donations. Dinner Services each Wednesday eve- is priced at $7 per person, chilning at 7 p.m. Guest preacher dren under 3 are free. Dinner will be Rev. Beulah Minor, New starts at 6 p.m. in the school Anna Bapt. Church, Mineral cafeteria and Silent Auction Va. For information call 804- items will be auctioned off at 556-3332, 804-556-5506. 7:15 p.m. in the gym. The dinner/silent auction will be Friday, March 22 limited to the first 150 people, please email Keisha at kcarByrd Elementary PTA is roll@glnd.k12.va.us to reserve excited about this years 2nd your spot or call the school at Annual Spaghetti Dinner and 556-5380. Silent Auction 6 p.m. Items Saturday, March 23 that will be auctioned include

than 7,000 people living with MS in our community. The dollars raised support lifechanging programs and cutting-edge research. We’ve been walking since 1988 and have raised more than $10 million dollars to help support people living with MS. Register now, connect with others and start fundraising today. Click here for more information: http://walkvar.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_ MS Society, Central Virginia id=20620&pg=entry Chapter, Walk event is from 9 Sunday, March 24 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 4200 Innslake Dr. Suite 301, Glen Allen, Va. Shady Grove Baptist “walk to create a world free of MS”. When you participate Church Palm Sunday mornin Walk MS, the funds you ing service begin at 10 a.m. at raise give hope to the more 3384 Oakland Church Road, The Rockville Renegades (Rockville’s 11u travel baseball team) will be having a massive YARD/BAKE/B.B.Q. sale from 8 a.m. -1 p.m. at Berea Baptist Church located at 15421 Pouncey Tract Road Rockville, Va. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Renegades’ trip to Cooperstown, NY in 2014. Come out and help make the boys’ dream come true!

The Flying Squirrels have some new characters cheering them on this season and we need your help to name them! If you submit a winning name you could win

a pair of 2013 Flying Squirrels season tickets and a Fan Fantasy Experience including first pitch, team jersey and more! Submit your name choice for The Viking and The Pirate

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Deadline to enter is March 20, 2013. No purchase necessary. For complete rules visit TimesDispatch.com, click on contests.

Gum Spring, Va. The Pastor Rev. Reginald T. Cleveland will preach and the Men’s Choir will sing. The Public is cordially invited. St. John’s Episcopal Church - Palm Sunday Service begins 10:30 a.m. A covered dish luncheon to follow at Rectory, 48 Cameron Street. St. John’s is located north of the intersection of Washington St. & Rt. 6 in Columbia.

Thursday, March 28 St. John’s Episcopal Church - Maundy Thursday Soup & Bread, Last Supper Eucharist see Calendar > page 16

THE VIKING

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FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

03/13-03/14

CRAFTY WORD SEARCH

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

HOROSCOPES

CLUES ACROSS 1. Something curved in shape 4. Tattoo (slang) 7. Therapeutic resort 10. His ark 12. Organized crime heads 14. Actor Connery 15. Free from danger 16. Honey badger 17. Part of a deck 18. Cause to run off the tracks 20. Classical music form 22. Defensive nuclear weapon 23. Volt-ampere 24. “Socrate” composer Erik 26. Keep up 29. Foot raced 30. The 44th President 35. Aboriginal (abbr.) 36. Wedding vow 37. 21st Hebrew letter 38. “Little Man Tate” director 44. Teletype (Computers) 45. Discovered alternating current 46. Tears down (alt. sp.) 48. Resinlike substance in shellac 49. Military mailbox

50. Smoothed wood 53. Old Testament book 56. Japanese lake with marimo 57. Card, dining or coffee 59. Checks 61. Telephone exchange (abbr.) 62. Greek covered walks or colonnades 63. Pigmented eye membrane 64. No. French river 65. Airborne (abbr.) 66. Shock therapy CLUES DOWN 1. Autonomic nervous system 2. Highway 3. Eating house 4. Afrikaans 5. Likely 6. Foot digits 7. Place to sit 8. For in Spanish 9. Also or including 11. N W Afghan city 12. Black Sea peninsula 13. Language of Slovakia 14. Divine Egyptian beetle 19. What a baby wears to eat

21. River of NE Ecuador & N Peru 24. European wooden shoe 25. Positive pole 27. Hereditary social class (Hindu) 28. Utters 29. British rule over India 31. ___ de Janeiro 32. Promotional materials 33. Narrow collapsible bed 34. Whatsoever 39. Land surrounded by water 40. Ardor 41. Aspects 42. Removes writing 43. __ Nui, Easter Island 47. Conductor Sir Georg 50. Landscaped road (abbr.) 51. Research workplaces 52. Organized factual information 53. A scheme or program 54. Female horse or zebra 55. Invests in little enterprises 56. Signing 58. Robert’s nickname 60. Very fast airplane

TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, a few complications could arise this week and how you react to them will be telling of how the rest of the month may proceed. Think about this before you act. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, this week is likely to be a wash because there is something that came up that has the potential to dominate all of your time for the next several days.

CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, though you may be anxious to help a friend out, you need to seriously consider whether you have the time to spare at this point in time. Putting yourself first is priority. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, someone is going to open up to you emotionally and you may get caught off guard by the level of intimacy. This could turn out to be the start of a long-lasting friendship. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, let a particular situation cool down instead of adding extra fuel to the fire. Step away from a heated discussion if you feel like things may get out of control.

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, your heart may beat a little faster this week because of the excitement involved in meeting someone that has been on your mind. Be patient. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, continue to discuss a financial situation with your significant other. Even if the discussion grows tiresome, talking it out is the best way to resolve the issue. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, you have an uncanny way of turning something that would normally be disastrous into enjoyable chaos. Think about a side career in party planning.

CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, big changes are in store for your family and there are nerves to accompany these changes. Set aside a day this week where you can have peace, quiet and time to reflect. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, your words are being heard but their meaning is simply not sinking in. Try rephrasing or approach the situation from another direction. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, your social schedule is jampacked and you wouldn’t have it any other way. There may be a pocket of time for more fun.

THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS

ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Sorting through feelings may not come easy to you, Aries. At some point it becomes necessary to voice your opinions and you may need to show a vulnerable side.

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March 14, 2013

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2013 High School Baseball Preview

Bulldogs, Cadets and Cougars have holes to fill By Dave Lawrence Special Correspondent

Goochland County’s three high school baseball teams are coming off successful runs last year, but all three were left with unfinished business to attend to this season. For the Goochland Bulldogs, their goal is to build from an all-too-infrequent success – a victory in the regional playoffs. Benedictine and Collegiate both have to rebuild much of their starting lineup after a slew of graduations last year. “On one hand, it’s not that exciting to have a ton of turnover,” said Benedictine coach Sean Ryan. “But because of our talent, it’s exciting in another way. I think that we’re going to be a different team as the season wears on.” The Cadets would also like to break free of the roadblock Paul VI has placed in the way of their Virginia Independent Schools state title hopes the past few years. GOOCHLAND The Bulldogs, who finished with a 17-8 record, bowed out in the Region B semifinals, but given that they had not won a regional playoff in six years, just getting there was a big accom-

plishment. “It was kind of getting a monkey off our back just to win,” said Goochland head coach Wes Farkas. “We’d been making it [to the regions] a lot, we just hadn’t been able to get over that first game, so it was good for our guys to see that. I felt like overall, it was a good feeling.” Of the three county baseball teams, the Bulldogs get the most starters from last year back. But they do have some key losses on the mound: Austin Goyne and Chase Brookman. “We lost two pitchers that had the lion’s share of our innings. That was big,” Farkas said. “We lost a few other position players, but the pitchers were the key losses, for sure.” Farkas is currently depending on Josh Driver, a senior right-hander, to step up. “He’s a senior this year. He had probably the next most innings after those two guys,” Farkas said. He’ll see a lot of mound time.”

TRACE NIXON

The other likely starting pitcher is Trace Nixon, also a right-hander, who came in from the outfield in some situations last year. Farkas expects Joe Cutchins and Cole Starke to see their share of time on the mound this year, too. When not pitching, Driver will be on first base and Nixon will be in the outfield. Cutchins will usually be at second base and Starke will be at shortstop. Other key players include Jake King in center field and Forrest Witt at third base. Farkas thinks the Bulldogs’ chances for a successful season are good. “I think we’ve got the potential,” Farkas said. “I think we’ll be very solid defensively. I think once our pitchers get some confidence – and that’s just going to come with playing games – I think that they get a few starts under their belt, that we’ll be in much better shape. … I think they can really do it, but they’ve got some big shoes to fill.” BENEDICTINE The Cadets know what it’s like to be

FORREST WITT

Virginia Independent Schools’ state champions – they won the title in 2010. But they fell to Paul VI in the title game in 2009 and 2012, and the Panthers eliminated Benedictine in the VIS semifinals in 2011. Benedictine coach Sean Ryan refers to Paul VI as the Cadets’ “kryptonite.” If Benedictine is going to contend for the VIS title again this year, many of the Cadets will have to grow up fast. “We only have three returning players out of our top 10 – if you include the DH. We’re going to be a lot younger this year than we have in the past,” Ryan said. “Overall we’re losing 75 percent of our innings and 71 percent of our at-bats.” Key returnees are Jordan Schmeer, Griffin Flinn and Reid Leonard. Schmeer has seen a lot of time on the mound and at second base – but he may be catching a lot this season. Schmeer, who will play at Randolph-Macon next year, hit .371 in his junior season. Griffin, a third baseman and pitcher, hit .347 last season. Leonard, a

JOE CUTCHINS

sophomore who already has been getting some notice from Division I colleges, is a designated hitter who hit .449. Ryan expects to call upon the services of relievers Drew Bond and Michael Geary as needed. Other players who should see plenty of time on the field include Jason Bass, Winston Frick, Johnny LaVoie, Nick Roth and Zack West. “We’re going to make some mistakes early just by being young,” Ryan said. “But I think that we’ve got a good group of guys who’ll be able to make a lot of progress throughout the season.” COLLEGIATE The Cougars also have to cope with a lot of turnover this year. “We lost six seniors and four of those were our main pitchers,” said Collegiate head coach Andrew Slater. “We lost over 120 innings on the mound, so that’s going to be a big thing for us this year.” Slater expects to call upon

senior Jack Sutton (an allstate outfielder), freshman David Angstadt, and junior Ian Drennan to anchor the pitching staff, with contributions in relief from senior William Walker and freshman Will Allocca. Questions about Collegiate’s experience does not apply elsewhere, however. The Cougars are well stocked with experienced position players. When not pitching, Sutton will be in the outfield, Drennan will be at second base and Allocca will be at shortstop. Sophomore Jack Cole will likely be the Cougars’ leadoff hitter. “He’s coming off a really good freshman year, and he’s bigger and stronger,” Slater said. “He’s a guy that can really run. He’s a really strong defender in center field.” Sutton, Angstadt and Allocca should be near the heart of Collegiate’s batting order, along with senior first baseman Joe Wrenn, who hit .350 last year. But the key will remain pitching. “If we pitch well and our guys continue to get better, we’ve got a chance to have a nice team,” Slater said. “I’m real pleased positionally with where we’ve been able to get to as a program the last few years. We’ve got some good athletes and some guys who can swing the bat. It’s just a matter of if we can pitch well enough to be successful against the better teams in our league.”

COLE STARKE File photos by Charlie Leffler

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2013 High School Softball Preview

County trio look to build on success of 2012 There’s no question that Goochland County’s three softball teams will be loaded with experience this season, but all face a big question: can they improve on their finish in 2012? The Goochland Bulldogs capped a 20-3 season with an appearance in the Region B tournament. St. Catherine’s, the League of Independent Schools champion, and Collegiate, the LIS runner-up, both made it to the Virginia Independent Schools state tournament. Despite their experience, all three teams will have to overcome graduation of key leaders as well as mercurial spring weather that has limited practice time on their home fields and preseason play. Goochland has been especially hard hit in the weather department. “It would be nice to be able to practice on the field,” said Goochland coach Amy Henneberger. “We haven’t had a scrimmage yet. We’re not going to have a scrimmage. We’re going to open up without, really, too many practices on the field, but I’m sure other teams are in the same boat we are. … We don’t know what to expect.” Despite the player turnover and uncooperative weather, all three head coaches are optimistic about their chances.

BRANDI TESTER

But success won’t come easy. GOOCHLAND Goochland won the James River District regular season title, but not the district tournament title. The Bulldogs’ playoff run ended in the Region B tournament semifinals. This year, it may be harder to repeat their success. “Last year was our first year back in the James River District after we were gone for two years. Everyone’s going to be aiming for us since we finished on top,” Henneberger said. “Last year, we kind of came in, and I think no one knew what to expect when playing us. “It will be tougher to repeat. There are some teams that gave us some close runs the second time we played them last year, the third time we played them.” While returning six starters, Goochland has to find someone to replace last year’s team linchpin, Rachel Jones. That leadership vacuum will likely be filled by three returning starters: second baseman Taylor Scruggs, third baseman Jordan Fleming and shortstop Chakiryn Jackson. All three are seniors. “They lead by example,” Henneberger said.” They work hard every day – great attitude.” Other returning starters include

pitchers Kaytlyn Jones and Jackie Tremain, catcher Brandi Tester and first baseman Ericka Spencer. Goochland will have a young outfield. Henneberger expects quite a bit out of two of them, Kiersten McCray and Carly Plummer. Of the two, McCray, who Henneberger described as a “slap hitter,” saw some playing time last year. Plummer is a newcomer. “She’s got a very powerful bat,” Henneberger said. “She’s very quick.” ST. CATHERINE’S For the past two years, St. Catherine’s has defeated Collegiate in the League of Independent Schools’ championship game. They hope to earn a repeat trip to the Virginia Independent Schools state tournament as LIS champion again this year. With 13 players returning, they have a good chance of doing so. “We would like to win [LIS] again, but we’ve got to be able to throw and catch, do the fundamentals, before we can do that,” St. Catherine’s

JACKIE TREMAIN

coach Tara DiGiacomo said. “We just lost a big leadership role in the middle of our infield that got everyone motivated and yet calmed everyone down when needed.” That huge leadership void had been filled last year by shortstop and No. 2 pitcher Raven Baytops, who graduated. DiGiacomo said the all-LIS honoree’s “overall leadership, her experience on the field, and her knowledge of the game,” are a challenge to match. Still, St. Catherine’s has three other all-LIS returners: pitcher Molly Phillips, catcher Mary Kate Crook, and middle infielder Anne Szymendera. But they have some growing to do. “Someone’s got to lead confident,” DiGiacomo said. “I guess that’s what we’re lacking right now, the confidence. We didn’t really have someone who has as much game experience as Raven had at shortstop.” The Saints have some newcomers DiGiacomo will be paying a lot of attention to: Lale Herguner and Whitney Dyke. “We’re expecting big things out of Lale H e r g u n e r,” DiGiacomo

JORDAN FLEMING

said. “Right now, we’re looking for her at short – it could be short, it could be right field where she played last year.” Dyke is an eighth grader who DiGiacomo said has been “impressive.” “We are anxious to see what she can bring,” DiGiacomo said. “She can play second base, but we might look at her in outfield this year. She can also throw on the mound for us if we needed her.” COLLEGIATE The Cougars hope to make a break from recent history. “We lost to St. Catherine’s in the LIS championship for the second year in a row, which is kind of tough,” said Collegiate coach Robby Turner. “We beat them both times in the regular season, then lost to them. The year before that, we did the exact same thing.” Collegiate has to replace three key players – third baseman Emily Flippo, center fielder Caroline Cheatham and right fielder Sarah Romer – who graduated lat year. But, with eight starters returning, the Cougars have most of the bases covered. They certainly have the battery covered. “Mallory Knighton is our catcher,” Turner said.

CHAKIRYN JACKSON

“She batted .491 last year and has a really strong arm, so we don’t usually get a lot of people running – which really helps out our pitchers.” Knighton, who earned allstate honors last year, is in her fourth year on the varsity team and her second year as team captain. Her primary battery mate is McCauley, who went 10-3 last year and was named to the second team all state. Shinn is the No. 2 hurler. “Being able to have your two pitchers and your catcher back is a really big deal,” Turner said. “So we’re going to really rely on that a lot.” Shortstop Gabby Galozin and second baseman Sarah Johnson return to anchor the defense. Elizabeth Bowles, who saw some time in the outfield last year, will be the go-to player in center field, and will get a lot of help from newcomers Ellie Fleming and Gabi Brumagin. St. Catherine’s and Collegiate co-host the NorthSouth Challenge tournament on Mar. 23. Three teams from the northern part of the state – Paul VI, Bishop Ireton and St. Stephen’s-St. Agnes -- will come down for a series of games with the Saints, Cougars and Brunswick Academy.

TAYLOR SCRUGGS File photos by Charlie Leffler

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Stepping down from the mound Verlander leaves pitching behind to focus on offense By Charlie Leffler cleffler@goochlandgazette.com

In the world of baseball it’s never rare for life to throw you a curveball. However, it is ironic when such a change-up comes to a player who has been a pitcher his entire life. Ben Verlander spent most of his baseball career known for his pitching. In 2010, after a senior season with a 1.26 ERA, Verlander wrapped up his career at Goochland High School as the James River District Player of the Year as well as All-Region and VHSL All-Star selections. From there it was on to Old Dominion University on a baseball scholarship. But in two seasons with the Monarchs, Verlander never found the groove he had as a pitcher for the Bulldogs. The 2012 season was especially trying as the team struggled to 19-34 record while first year coach Chris Finwood worked to return ODU to its former glory. On the mound, Verlander finished with an 8.83 ERA in 17.1 innings pitched. Verlander’s offensive numbers also fell off as well, from the .440 he batted in high school to .250 during his sophomore year at ODU. Therefore, when the Monarchs finished the year on a 3-10 losing streak Verlander faced a difficult quandary. “At the end of last year I made the decision to sit down and talk to my coach,” he said. “I just wanted to make a commitment to what I’m best at, just strive to be the best at that.” The discussion centered on Verlander stepping down from the mound and away from his

role as a pitcher; something that did not come easy. After all, his surname has become synonymous with pitching excellence due to the exploits of his older brother Justin with the Detroit Tigers. But Ben has never sought to rest on the laurels of his family name and instead strived to be his own man. Deep inside he understood what was best for his future. “I knew at some point in my life the decision had to be made one way or the other,” he said. “I’ve kind of known I was a better hitter than I was a pitcher.” Verlander entered the 2013 season, concentrating on offense and his improvement at the plate has been nothing short of impressive. Thirteen games into the season he leads the Monarchs batting .500, with 14 hits, two triples and 10 RBI. Last week served as his coming out party as a slugger. On Tuesday, in his first at-bat at the University of Richmond, Verlander absolutely blasted the ball into left, putting a shot into the trees that dropped about 20 yards past Pitt Field’s wall. On Saturday he picked up where he left off, tying an ODU record set by Nick Boothe in 1985, with three home runs in a single game as the Monarchs took an 8-2 win over Northeastern. ODU fell to Northeastern 21 on Sunday but Verlander pushed in the

Monarch’s only run on an RBI while going 2-for-4 from the plate. On Monday, Verlander received national recognition being named one of four “Louisville Slugger” Players of the Week. After notching a total base count of 19 last season, Verlander already has 30 total bases in 2013. In 13 games, Verlander has seven starts as Finwood has reserved him to face mainly left-hand pitchers. Likewise, with only 28 trips to the plate Verlander does not meet the minimum three at-bats per game to be counted among NCAA statistical rankings. But in compariPhotos by Charlie Leffler son, his current num- Entering his junior year at Old Dominion University, Goochland product Ben Verlander (32) made the decision to give up pitching and instead concentrate on his offense. The result has been nothing short of astounding. Verlander currently leads the Monarchs in virtually every offensive category and on Saturday tied a 1985 record with three home runs in a single game. Above: Verlander is greeted by teammate Joey Burney after hitting a homer at Richmond.

bers would place him second nationally in batting average, 27th in home runs and third among all NCAA players with an astounding 1.071 slugging percentage. Tall and lanky, Verlander does not present the image of a power hitter despite adding nearly 20 pounds since his high school days. Instead, he attributes h i s

BEN VERLANDER

improvement to off season work. Verlander spent the summer playing for the Staunton Braves in the Valley Baseball League where he batted .274 and hit three home runs in 106 appearances at the plate. But his real improvement came with a trip north after the season ended. “I got to go up to Detroit and talk to the hitting coach up there,” Verlander said. Verlander said Detroit Tiger’s batting coach Lloyd McClendon suggested he start using the toe-tap method at the plate, something the coach had previously recommended for the Tigers’ Prince Fielder and Austin Jackson. The toetap, perfected by Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves, helps with foot timing, limits head movement and creates rhythm for the batter. “I’m seeing the ball a lot better,” he said. “I came back

and started doing that and my coaches loved it and started going with it. I’m really swinging it well.” Finwood agreed. “He’s getting a lot better,” he said. “Ben’s an awful hard worker, a conscientious kid, very coachable. I think him not having to split time between throwing bullpens and hitting has allowed him to really focus on being a better hitter.” On defense, Verlander has also been solid in right field, with 27 putouts, two assists and a 1.000 fielding percentage. It has yet to be proven how far Verlander’s bat will carry him, but he picked up additional motivation during a return trip to Detroit last fall when he watched Justin pitch against the San Francisco Giants. “It’s unlike any other feeling going to a World Series game and watching your brother play,” he said. “Now I’ve just got to get there.”

Thursday

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