07/20/2017 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Church helps thank first responders for dedicated service > page 3

Volume 62, Number 29 • July 20, 2017

Judge looks back on over two decades of service to Goochland. See page 6

BOS urges inspections for farm use vehicles that haul sludge District 1 supervisor says pursuing measure a matter of public safety By Roslyn Ryan Editor

In an effort to safeguard county residents against potentially hazardous biosolid spills, county leaders are pushing state legislators to require all vehicles transporting the material to undergo state inspection. Biosolids, the material removed during the processing of domestic sewage in a treatment facility, have long been a topic of controversy in Goochland and the surrounding area, with some claiming that the potential risks of using them outweigh the benefits. The past several years have seen two accidents involving trucks carrying the material through Goochland, though residents were not deemed to be at risk from either incident. In both cases, the vehicles were large trucks and were inspected. District 1 representative Susan Lascolette told Del. Lee Ware (R-65th) and Senator Mark Peake during a meeting last week that the board’s focus is on those who transport biosolids from the approved storage facility on Chapel Hill Road to their own propersee Inspections > 2

Making the grade Facing looming teacher shortages, local school leaders press for more flexibility in licensing By Roslyn Ryan Editor

s many students across Goochland enjoyed another day of summer vacation July 11, members of the county School Board and school superintendent Jeremy Raley were working on a plan to make sure there will be enough teachers to fill their classrooms come fall.

Part of that plan? Giving school divisions the flexibility to allow talented teachers to continue teaching even when they haven’t yet passed the state licensing exam. During a joint meeting with the county’s legislative delegation — Delegate Lee Ware (R 65th) and Senator Mark Peake (R-Lynchburg) — and the Goochland Board of Supervisors, Raley urged the legislators to help address the teacher shortage that could

soon find Goochland schools without enough qualified educators to cover every classroom. According to Raley, Goochland currently has two positions open, including those for an see Teachers > 5

For local drive-in owner, wait for sign continues By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Goochland Drive-In Theater owner John Heidel is waiting on a sign — a road sign, specifically, the kind many area drivers have likely seen along the side of a highway pointing out a nearby restaurant, park or store. To Heidel, one of these signs — referred to in Virginia Department of Transportation parlance as Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs,

or TODS — would be the perfect way to attract both local residents and those visiting the area to his Hadensville theater, one of only a handful of drive-ins left in the state. Unfortunately, Heidel said last week, he has been told repeatedly by those who administer the TODs program that theaters are ineligible for the program. “From the get-go, when I first asked about it, they told me that ‘You’re a theater, which is not considered an attraction’,” Heidel said.

While county supervisors did intervene on his behalf last week during a meeting with state legislators, Heidel said that at this point he isn’t really worried about the lack of signage hurting his business. The theater, which he and his wife started in August of 2009, routinely draws moviegoers from all over the state, he said, and has garnered rave reviews. see Drive-in > 13

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NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

July 20, 2017

Inspections continued from >1 ties. In the cases where the material is being transported in vehicles designated “Farm Use,” she pointed out, the vehicles are not required by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to be registered or inspected. According to the DMV’s website, farm use vehicles are

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those that are used specifically on a farm, to procure supplies for the farming operation, or to transport goods, tools and equipment from the farm to another location within 75 miles. Goochland farmer Wayne Pryor said he doesn’t think that asking local farmers to transport biosolids in inspected trucks will pose a problem, and pointed out that the farm use vehicles, while not required to have an inspection sticker, must still be able to pass an inspection by law enforcement if the driver is stopped. “I don’t think farmers will have a problem with it, I really don’t,” said Pryor. “I’ve never seen any of it on the highway in anything other than an inspected truck.” Reached by phone last week, Lascolette insisted county leaders were not trying to do anything more than prevent problems from happening down the road. “We’re definitely not trying to hurt our farmers,” Lascolette said. “We just want a few more safeguards.”

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INCIDENTS AND REPORTS The following is a selection of recent calls to the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.

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The Goochland Animal Shelter, located at 1900 Hidden Rock Lane in Goochland, has the following pets available to a good home: A neutered male Shepherd Mix, about 1-3 years old; a male brown Tabby kitten, about 7-8 weeks old; and a spayed female Siamese cat, about 2 years old. The Goochland Animal Shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The facility has many lost dog and cat fliers posted. For more information on these pets, as well as the many more still in need of homes at the Goochland Animal Shelter, call (804) 556-5302. You also can visit the shelter on Facebook at “Goochland County Animal Control.”

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2600 BLOCK SANDY HOOK RD SHOTS FIRED

4300 BLOCK RIDDLES BRIDGE DOMESTIC VERBAL

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YMCA swim team takes down Wembly PAGE 9 Calendar ................................ 7 Classifieds ......................14-15 Letters .................................... 6 Obituaries .............................. 4 Opinion .................................. 6 Sheriff’s Report...................... 2 Sports ...............................9-10 TV Listings ......................11-13

100 BLOCK RIVER RD W BRUSH WOODS FIRE

2100 BLOCK DOGTOWN RD ARGUMENT

1300 BLOCK CARDWELL RD DUI

1700 BLOCK BRIDGEWATER BLF STRAY ANIMAL

Toll Free - (877) 888-0449 Office - (804) 746-1235

2600 BLOCK DOGTOWN RD ILLEGAL DRUGS

200 BLOCK W BROOK RUN DR BURGLARY IN PROGRESS

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1000 BLOCK WILKES RIDGE PL TRESPASSING

July 10

1600 BLOCK RIVER RD W ARGUMENT

2700 BLOCK FAIRGROUND RD PROTECTIVE ORDER VIOLATION

2300 BLOCK HADENSVILLE FIFE SUSPECTED RABIES

4900 BLOCK SHANNON HILL RD ILLEGAL DRUGS

2500 BLOCK JACKSON SHOP RD STRAY ANIMAL

1600 BLOCK ROCHAMBEAU DR ILLEGAL DRUGS

100 BLOCK BRIGGS DR STRAY ANIMAL

4600 BLOCK RIVER RD W DUI

4000 BLOCK WHITEHALL RD LITTERING

100 BLOCK GAINES THRIFTY LN PROTECTIVE ORDER VIOLATION

see Crime report > 16

Melody Kinser Managing Editor (804) 775-4622 Fax: (804) 730-0476 Roslyn Ryan Editor (804) 339-7956 Billy Fellin Sports Writer (804) 598-4305 Fax: (804) 598-7757 Cindy Grant Classifieds (804) 775-4616 Fax: (804) 730-0476

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July 20, 2017

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

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Giving thanks to area first responders Byrd Presbyterian Church recently hosted a First Responders Breakfast for members of Goochlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local public safety teams. Sheriff Jim Agnew and Fire and Rescue Chief Bill McKay, along with other members of local units and members of the Virginia State Police enjoyed the ham biscuits, sausage and gravy, donuts, bagels and other treats as well as the expression of appreciation from members of the church. As Sherriff Agnew said in a thank you note: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is very reassuring to know that so many people appreciate what we do in this community.â&#x20AC;?

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Bethel United Methodist Church will offer a three-day Vacation Bible Time entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hero Centralâ&#x20AC;? from Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 23. Children in kindergarten through middle school will discover their â&#x20AC;&#x153;strength in Godâ&#x20AC;? and realize that they are Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heroes. The schedule is as follows: Friday, July 21, from 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8 p.m. (includes a snack supper) Saturday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (includes a snack lunch) Sunday, July 23 , from noon to 2 p.m. (includes a snack lunch and hay ride) Additional information, registration form, and directions to Bethel are available at www.betheloil.org, or by calling the church office at (804) 784-2362. Bethel United Methodist Church is located at 1981 Cardwell Road in Oilville

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July 20, 2017

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Obituaries LEVON V. BOWLES Levon Valentine Bowles, 82, passed away Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital-Forest. She was born on August 7, 1934 in Goochland, to the late Charlie Noel Valentine and Sybil Mills Valentine. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hunter Stuart Bowles, Jr. and her brother, Charles N.

Valentine. She is survived by her two daughters, Donna B. LeVines and Diane B. Rigsby (Rodney); four grandchildren, Valen L. Clore (Daniel), Kacy L. LeVines, Joshua H. Giusto, and Katelyn H. Giusto; sister-inlaw, Betty S. Valentine, brother-in-law, V. Knight Bowles (Linda), and brother-in-law, Bernard E. “Watt” Watkins, as well as many nieces, nephews,

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and cousins. Levon graduated from Goochland County High School in 1952, where she met the love of her life, Hunter S. Bowles, Jr. She attended the College of William and Mary and the University of Richmond-Westhampton. Her faith in God inspired all who knew her. Levon enjoyed doing crosswords, playing cards, shopping with her children and grandchildren, antiquing, and taking trips to Nags Head. She will be missed by so many family members and friends. A Celebration of Life Service was held on Friday, July 14, at Gum Spring United Methodist Church in Gum Spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the New Mortgage Fund at Gum Spring United Methodist Church, or the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center-Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, 1602 Skipwith Road, Richmond, Va. 23229 (wearesarah.org). Visit www.lacyfh.com for online guestbook.

HERMAN L. GOOD Herman Leon Good, 64, of Goochland, went to dance with Jesus on July 12, 2017. He is survived by his daugh-

ter, Ginger (David); two grandchildren, D y l a n ( Tr i s h a ) a n d Good Andrew (Nikki); two great-grandchildren, Cayden and Phoebe; five sisters, two brothers, and countless nieces, nephews and friends. A memorial service was held Saturday, July 15, at Oakland Baptist Church in Gum Springs.

HAROLD J. SMITH

Harold J. Smith, 68, of Goochland, died on July 2, 2017. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mamie L. Smith. Surviving are his daughter, Monique D. Myles; five sisters, b r o t h e r, nieces and nephews, other relatives and Smith friends. Remains rested at Scott’s Funeral Home. Funeral serPAUL E. LOWMASTER vices were held on Saturday, Paul Eugene Lowmaster, June 8, in Scott’s Chapel, with 60, of Goochland, passed away Rev. Hafiz Ahmad officiating. on July 9, 2017. He is sur- Interment was private. vived by his father, Lloyd L. Lowmaster; brother, David JOHN M. SMITH (Liz) Lowmaster; sisters, Mr. John Marshall Smith Karen (Robert) Harlan, Janice went home to be with the Lord Lowmaster; one niece and two Monday, July 10., 2017 He nephews. Memorial services was preceded in death by his were held on Saturday, July mother, Lottie Mae Smith. He 15, at Elpis Christian Church, leaves to with visitation following in the cherish his Social Hall. In lieu of flowers, memory his contributions may be made father, John to Elpis Christian Church. M. Lewis; Norman Funeral Home is two sisassisting the family. ters, Diane Har r is Smith (Kevin) and Michelle Smith; brother, Thomas Smith; and a host of

nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. His remains rested at the Robert Mealy Funeral Home. Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 15, at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Interment was private.

STEWART N. WADDY Mr. Stewart “John” Nelson Waddy departed this life peacefully on the morning of July 9. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clayton and Violet Wa d d y ; five brothers, George, O t i s , Clayton “Whaler,” Howard “Per kins” Waddy and Richard Waddy; and sister, Louise Waddy. He leaves to cherish his memory two sons, Stewart and John Louis Waddy; a longtime companion, Dorothy Minor; two sisters, Estelle Lindsay and Mary Melton (Woodrow); six grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. His remains rested at the Robert Mealy Funeral Home in Goochland. Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 15, at County Line Baptist Church in Kents Store. Interment church cemetery.

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Property Transfers 0.231 acres; Alltel Communications LLC to American Towers LLC, $79,306. 1 acre; George E. Browning to Michael B. Brooks, $140,000. 2 acres; JCM III LLC to Charles Lamphere, $109,500. 3.075 acres; MorganBowman Associates LLC to Gregory E. Moore, $132,000. 3.8767 acres; Charles N. White Jr. to Lisa L. Lingerfelt, $275,000.

4.024 acres; Equity Trustees LLC to Secretary of Veterans Affairs, $142,044. Lot 10, Tuckahoe Creek; Tuckahoe Creek LLC to Eric Rosenkranz, $264,950. Lot 14, Willoughby’s Bend; Legacy Homes LLC to England Homes Inc., $52,000. Lot 5, Block C, Bellview Gardens; Joseph Tanner Bulloock to Phillip D. Paul, $359,000.

Teachers continued from >1 English teacher and a Special Education teacher. It is an issue that school divisions across the country are grappling with, Raley

“I think that you can become so test-centered when it comes to validating a teacher that you risk missing the forest for the trees.” — Del. Lee Ware explained to legislators, and one with a number of contributing factors. But in addition to the fact that fewer college students are graduating with degrees in education — and

research shows many of those who do eventually leave the profession for less demanding, more lucrative jobs — some schools are losing teachers due to an inability to pass the two tests the state Board of Education currently requires them to take. In Virginia, teachers must pass both the Praxis and the Virginia Communication Literacy Assessment to obtain a license. And while a provisional license can be granted for up to three years, teachers who don’t pass the tests before the end of that period can no longer teach in the classroom. What that means, Raley explained, is that schools are losing talented, passionate teachers at a time when there are already too few to go around, often simply because they struggle in a single subject area like math. “What we’re seeking to address are these barriers that keep a teacher from being licensed,” Raley said. “It’s a sig-

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nificant issue for us, and we’re hoping we can work together to provide some flexibility.” Flexibility, in this case, could mean allowing school administrations to judge on a case by case basis if a teacher’s demonstrated abilities were proof enough that they had what it took to be successful. Reached by phone last Friday, Ware said he recalled from his own time spent as an educator in both the public and private schools that testing doesn’t always provide the true measure of an educator’s abilities.

“I think that you become so test-centered when it comes to validating a teacher that you risk missing the forest for the trees,” said Ware, recalling that he had personally witnessed teachers who were outstanding in the classroom but struggled to pass one section of the licensing exam. To District 1 school board representative John D. Wright, allowing school divisions the chance to evaluate teachers based on ability rather than test scores simply makes sense.

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“This type of accommodation is available for students,” Wright said, explaining that, even if a student does not pass an SOL test, school divisions can take into account that student’s grades and overall mastery of the subject matter and allow him or her to move forward to the next grade level. “All we are asking for is to be able to make that same accommodation for teachers,” Wright said. Both Wright and Raley were confident last week that Goochland schools will

be fully staffed by the time school starts on August 21. What they do worry about however, is what the picture will look like in the near future. “It’s about to hit critical mass, probably in about three or four years,” Wright said, imagining a scenario where the school division could be well into the school year and still searching for qualified teachers. Going forward, Wright said, “We need all the tools in our tool belt to make sure that we are staffing properly.”

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July 20, 2017

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

Electoral Board members often overlooked By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Many years ago, while going to college in Maine, I used to occasionally go for a walk around a large lake near campus. As it happened, and this will not be surprising to anyone who ever lived in New England, the lake shared its little corner of town with a rather large and imposing factory, one that I later learned held a thriving sardine-canning operation. I won’t lie: When the wind blew a certain way I tended to walk just a bit faster, usually trying in vain to escape the unpleasant smell the place gave off. Eventually however, after a few weeks in town and after

meeting several people who worked in the factory and depended on it to feed their families, I began to think of the factory very differently. The one thing I could never quite get over was how many employees spent the better part of their waking hours in that building, year after year, sitting on stools and canning hundreds of pounds of fish per day and how the people who would eventually buy the sardines would probably never pause to consider how they got in the can. We all do this, of course. If you ever want to drive yourself completely crazy, try and consider how many people it took to create or maintain just about every single thing you touch every single day.

If you make it past your first cup of coffee (any idea who harvested those beans, or who bagged them up, or who drove the truck that delivered them to the store?) you are off to a great start. I thought about all of this recently when I had the opportunity to speak with Goochland Electoral Board member Robin Lind, who was kind enough to share with me a few facts and figures relating to our local electoral board. It is here, dear reader, that I am forced to admit I knew very, very little about the way the board worked, how they are selected and how they go about making sure that every Election Day in Goochland goes as smoothly as possible.

In fact, the more I chatted with Lind, the more embarrassed I became that, while I have always cherished my right to vote, I have never given much thought at all to the people who make sure I actually can. It isn’t easy or lucrative work, and those who engage in it appear to do so at least in part due to a deep-seated passion and respect for their country — for our country. So the next time you pull that lever or check that box on Election Day, regardless of who you vote for, consider the people who make it possible. Thanks to their dedication, our democracy keeps marching forward.

When it comes to community, how jaded are we? By Laura McFarland News Editor

Do you ever use a word that you know is correct, but if someone asked you to give a definition you find yourself tongue-tied? When I was a very nerdy child growing up in Houston, Texas, I was such an avid reader that I actually enjoyed perusing the dictionary and my family’s set of encyclopedias to learn new things in my spare time. Notice I prefaced that statement by owning my nerdiness. In addition to that, I was an avid

reader of a wide variety of books and my vocabulary was well developed as a child. It certainly helped in English classes and as I grew older and realized that journalism was where I felt my true calling. Still, every once in awhile, I will say a word that trips off my tongue as easily as my name and then pause for a moment to truly evaluate the chosen word. It doesn’t have to be a lofty word many people have never heard of; sometimes it is a word so widely used that it makes me wonder if it has lost all meaning with its very prevalence.

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Take last week, when I found myself looking at Facebook. My local Sheriff’s Office had notified the newspaper about at least three incidents in a few days where “service people” were coming to the door of residents’ homes and offering to do work such as carpet cleaning or checking for a leaky roof. They were being quite pushy about it, even when residents turned them down. In at least one instance where one of these service people actually gained entry, a homeowner was robbed of a significant amount of jewelry. Since these people could still be

in the area trying to pull the same con on other residents, I immediately put together a story and posted it on Facebook Within two hours, the story had been shared more than 200 times. In less than 24 hours, it had been shared more than 600 times. People also were commenting and tagging people they knew, sharing if they had a similar experience and instructing others to pass on the news to someone else. Hopefully, the word also was being spread to people who do see Community > 7

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS The Local 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 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: 730-0476 E-mail: editor@goochlandgazette.com © 2017 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: 8,014.

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Letters to the Editor Judge reflects back on more than two decades on the bench Dear Editor, I am now in the final month of my time as an active Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge for the Sixteenth Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Virginia. For 23 years I had the distinct honor of serving as the J&DR Court Judge assigned to Goochland County. I have worked with some truly incredible people in this county who have dedicated themselves to serving and protecting the children and families of Goochland. I have worked in many jurisdictions but none have come close to the dedication to making their county a better place for the families who find themselves in crisis. Goochland County has one of the finest CASA programs in the country. The volunteers with that organization have been outstanding in their efforts to help children who have been abused and neglected. I have been the envy of my fellow judges when I have described how wonderful “the system” in Goochland works. Your school officials, Department of Social Services staff, Office on Youth, CASA and Court Services Unit work so well together; respecting each other’s roles and how they can be of service. Your FAPT and CPMT teams wrote the book when it comes to interagency collaboration. This has produced extremely good outcomes for children and families before our court. I also need to express my appreciation to the grandparents and family members who have come forward to take over and raise children when the parents were unable or in some cases unwilling to take that responsibility. One of the truest things I have ever said was, “Our Court could not function withsee Letters > page 8

Thursday

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Community Calendar

Community continued from >6 Wednesday, July 19 The Goochland Branch Library will be hosting LEGO Club from 6 to 7 p.m. for children ages 5-10. This event will offer a fun night of LEGO building as Dr. Donnie McCullough guides participants through challenges illustrating principles of physics and engineering. Call (804) 556-4774 for more information. Thursday, July 20 Richmond’s 3rd Annual Senior Safety Day will be held from 9 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. This event is free and lunch will be provided. Senior Safety Day featured workshops, speakers, vendors and the opportunity for area seniors to meet with local officials and network with people from across the Commonwealth. Attendees are

invited to bring up to four bags of documents to shred before they check in. Senor Safety Day will be held at First Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Avenue in Richmond. Enter on Mulberry Street with free parking on Robinson and Mulberry Streets. Registration is required online at https:// SeniorSafetyDay2017.eventbrite.com, by calling (804) 353-3171, or by emailing SeniorCenterRva@gmail. com. For more information, contact Linda Rubin at (804) 299-1157. Storytimes at the Goochland Branch Library are as follows: Toddler Storytime (2 years old with an adult) at 10 a.m.; Preschool Storytime (3-5 years old) at 10:45 a.m.; and Mother Goose Storytime (6-24 months with an adult) at

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not use Facebook or even the internet so they had an early warning as well. Amidst all of this, I found myself thinking, “I love it when people aren’t too jaded to look out for their neighbors.” Cue the definition double take. I knew the word “jaded” was correct and no one but me would have known if it wasn’t since all of this was occurring in my mind. But it didn’t stop me from heading to Merriam-Webster.com to look up the word. For those of you who are curious, the second definition in the entry read: “made dull, apathetic, or cynical by experience or by having or seeing too much of something.” Anyone who has access to any kind of media — print, internet, radio or television — knows that there is a lot of bad news out there. The world can sometimes be an ugly place, and it’s easy sometimes to see a news story or post and think “that’s a shame” or even “I’m glad it wasn’t near me” and move on. And it’s true that it doesn’t take much to hit a little button to share something online — seconds, in fact. But it also is true that even in a world where we sometimes feel like no one cares about one another anymore, people can still exemplify the best meaning of the word neighbor by looking out for people in the community. I’m not talking about the first entry in the definition for neighbor, which reads simply “one living or located near another.” I prefer the second entry, “fellow man,” which when used in context says “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 19:19). Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@ powhatantoday.com.

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NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

July 20, 2017

VENTURE REAL ESTATE

Debra Hoffman, Principal Broker

OFFICE: 784-2772 FAX: 556-4459

debra@venturerellc.com

11:30 a.m. Call (804) 556-4774 for more information. Friday, July 21 The Cochrane Rockville Branch Library will host Read 2 Rover from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Read 2 Rover provides comfort and motivation for beginning readers as they read aloud to therapy dogs. Call or visit the library for more information or to register for this rewarding program. Call (804) 749-3146 or visit the library at 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for more information.

Saturday, July 22 Salem Christian School will be holding a carwash from 8 a.m. to noon on July 22 at Wise Choice Exxon (1751 Ashland Road in Rockville). For more information, contact Janet Wright at (804)389-3779.

Mineral Baptist Church will be holding a fundraiser 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 51 Louisa Avenue, Mineral, 23117. This event will feature unique crafters, yard sale tables, baked goods and lunch items available for sale. Live music will be provided by One Family storytime for all ages Accord Band. will be held at the Cochrane Rockville Branch Library at Monday, July 24 10:30 a.m. Call (804) 749-3146 The Cochrane Rockville or visit the library at 16600 Branch Library will host a DIY Pouncey Tract Road for more Terrarium Workshop from information.

7 - 8 p.m. for adults age 18 and up. Participants will have the chance to bring a garden indoors and design something beautiful for their home or to give as a gift. Materials will be provided, but all are welcome to bring their own containers or plants. Call or visit the library to sign up. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Rockville Library. Call (804) 749-3146 or visit the library at 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for more information. Tuesday, July 25 Goochland kids ages 3 to 10 will be able to accept an Invitation to Create from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Goochland Branch Library. Refreshments will be see Calendar > 8

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PEOPLE: Personalities & Achievements

July 20, 2017

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Calendar

Wedding

continued from >7

Sisk and Koonce joined in marriage The marriage of Miss Melinda Jane Christian Sisk and Mr. Paul Dillon Koonce, Jr. took place on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at First Baptist Church in Richmond. Dr. Michael Durham officiated. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Wayne Sisk, Sr. of Goochland. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. Bette Sisk of Edwardsville, Virginia, the late Mr. Kenneth Dwain Sisk, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Willie Walker Whitlock. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dillon Koonce, Sr. of Richmond. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Gene C. Koonce of Nashville, Tennessee, and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Pigott of Knoxville, Tennessee. At the double ring ceremony, the bride was escorted by her father. The bride’s sisters, Ms. Madeline Sisk of Washington, DC, and Ms. Meghan Sisk of Richmond, served as maids of honor. Bridesmaids were Ms. Alice Koonce, sister of the groom, of

West Hartford, Connecticut, Ms. Callie Whitlock, cousin of the bride, of Nashville, Tennessee, Ms. Jordan Foley of Houston, Texas, Mrs. Caroline Turner of New York, New York, Ms. Catherine Barnett and Ms. Meredith Ascari both of Washington, DC, Miss Eloise Whitlock, cousin of the bride, Ms. Kathryn Carleton, Ms. Betts McGurn, Ms. Berkeley Robins, and Ms. Ella Smith, all of Richmond. Mr. Paul Dillon Koonce, Sr. served as best man. Groomsmen were Mr. Mark Wayne Sisk, Jr, Mr. Willie Sisk, and Mr. Winston Sisk, all brothers of the bride, of Richmond, Virginia, Mr. John Baugues III of Knoxville, Tennessee, Mr. Hunter Gallalee of Raleigh, North Carolina, Mr. Robert Gorrell III of Walterboro, South Carolina, Mr. Trenton Kingman of Houston, Texas, Mr. Bradley Lance of Medina, Minnesota, Mr. Daniel Ololia of Uganda, Mr. William Ytterberg of Houston, Texas, Mr. Casey Wadkins, of Richmond, and Mr. Zachary Jung and Mr. Reed

Barton both of Charlottesville. Miss Lorelei Clement of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Miss Miriam Winfree of Bumpass, cousins of the bride, served as flower girls. Masters Bennett Smith, Mac Smith, and Luke Smith of Bowling Green, Kentucky, served as ring bearers. Mrs. Deborah Pettit of Fredericks Hall, and Mrs. Kimberly Gilliam of Richmond, directed the wedding. Ushers were Mr. Christopher Daly, Jr., Mr. Cena Hassanian, Mr. Andrew Kastenbaum, and Mr. Tuan Pham. Readers were Mr. Connor Starrs, Ms. Dorothy Watson, and Mr. Matthew King. Master MacDaniel Moss and Master Jack Sisk served as program attendants. A rehearsal dinner hosted by the groom’s parents was held at The Branch House. The wedding reception, hosted by the bride’s parents, was held at Main Street Station. After a wedding trip to Antigua and Mexico, the couple will make their home in Houston.

provided by the Friends of the Goochland Library. Call (804) 556-4774 for more information. Those interested in volunteering at Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services are urged to attend the Volunteer Orientation from 5- 6 p.m. The session will be held at 2913 River Road West in Goochland. Wednesday, July 26 Magician Rob Westcott will be visiting the Goochland Branch Library at 10:30 a.m. Back by popular demand, Westcott will amaze young readers and inspire a love of reading through magic, puppetry, and audience participation. Call (804) 556-4774 for more information. The Goochland Branch Library will be hosting LEGO Club from 6 - 7 p.m. for children ages 5-10. Call (804) 556-4774 or visit the library at 3075 River Road West for more information. Wednesday, July 26

Letter continued from >6 out grandmothers,” In the comments section in of the evaluations that was done on me, a respondent had written that, “Judge Berry is biased in favor of grandparents and always gives what they have to say greater weight than other witnesses.” When I read that I thought: this is one prejudice that I do possess. Through the years we have met many new and unique challenges but the citizens of this county, and their officials have adapted and gladly met the challenges to the betterment of our families. In closing I have to express my appreciation for the support

and help that certain people have given to the court and to me personally through the years. Goochland is very fortunate to have Dianne White as Clerk of the Combined District Courts. She, Lorraine Noel and Brenda Ragland, Clerk and Deputy Clerks, have kept the courts running smoothly, and have truly looked out for the people who have found themselves involved in the court system. Goochland citizens have no stronger advocates than these ladies — they insure that everyone is treated in a fair and courteous manner. Steve Pierce from juvenile probation, Barbara Speas, Carol Johnston, Kendall Taneka, and Kim Jefferson from DSS,

and Glenda Leabough from Goochland County Public Schools have set a very high standard for which those who have come after or will come have had to meet. Ann Casey, Goochland CASA, and the CASA Board have shown how an involved citizenry can make the difference. I thank each and every one of you for your service and for the great team that we had for all of those years. Sheriff Jim Agnew has provided the Court with some wonderful bailiffs who were really good to work with. I do not wish to slight anyone but I have to recognize some very special officers who went above and beyond the call of duty when it came to J&DR Court,

Horace Herndon, John Casey, Temple Payne and Mr. Davies (I still cannot call him by his first name), I truly appreciate what you and the Sheriff’s Department did for our Court. I am sorry this letter is so long but I also want to thank the citizens of Goochland County for the respect and support that you have given our Court throughout the time I served as your judge and hope that you can appreciate how much I have been honored by being a judge who had the privilege to sit in your jurisdiction. Thank each of you for being the best. Sincerely yours, Edward DeJ. Berry

SGBC event set for July 29 The Shady Grove Baptist Church Men’s Fellowship will present the 7th annual Car Show and Fish Fry on July 29 at Shady Grove Baptist Church, located at 3384 Oakland Church Road in Gum Spring. This event will feature a yard sale at 7 a.m., followed by a car show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a fish fry at noon. Yard sale tables are available for rent for $25 and car registrations are free. For more information contact Agonza Hayden at (804) 291-6737. Those wishing to rent a yard sale table should contact Jerry Mealy at (804) 241-5735.

The Cochrane Rockville Branch Library will welcome magician Rob Westcott at 1 p.m. Back by popular demand, Westcott will amaze young readers and inspire a love of reading through puppetry, and audience participation. Call (804) 749-3146 for more information. Thursday, July 27 The Goochland Branch Library will be hosting a Carnival Games event from 4- 5:30 p.m. for those ages 9-18. This event will offer fun carnival-style games and a chance to hang out with friends. Call (804) 5564774 for more information.

Thursday

July 20, 2017

SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional

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Photo by Billy Fellin

Goochland YMCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anastajia Babic competes in the breaststroke during Goochlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meet against Wembly on July 12. Babic won three events at the meet.

Local YMCA swim team takes down Wembly The Goochland YMCA swim team entered their meet against Wembly on July 12 in first place in the division, with the visiting team behind the Manta Rays in second going into the meet. After a dominating 1135709 win, Goochland remains on top of their division going into the final week of the Greater Richmond Aquatic Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regular season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was the best meet ever,â&#x20AC;? Goochland head coach Helen Brown wrote in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Several races were close at the wall. Two of the relays were amazing, the nine-to-10 and the 13-to-14. They both

came down to the finish. The atmosphere of the meet was good with sportsmanship all around.â&#x20AC;? Emmi Evans, Joseph Hardman, Ryan Johnson, Garrett Kemmerly, Andrea Rogerson and Annika Rogerson were the quad winners for the Manta Rays. Emmerson Ayala, Anastasija Babic, Caleb Cardani, Nora DeShazo, Luca Gardner, Payton Harrigal, Nathaniel Harris, Victoria Harris, Kaci Johnson, Cullen Parrish, Abby Pillion, Anneliese Rogerson, Avetis Saakian, Sophia Summitt, Joanna Thompson, David Tremain, Jessica Valdez and Mia Valdez were the tri-winners for Goochland. Brown said that a team-

wide focus on overall improvement has been a huge factor behind the team being in first place and undefeated thus far this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a byproduct of the swimmers being focused on improving their overall swim performance,â&#x20AC;? she wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We focus on personal best times. This summer has also resulted in our team performance being a personal best.â&#x20AC;? The personal best times goal results in several swimmers for the Manta Rays earning personal bests against Wembly. Bowen Barton, Evans, Nathaniel Harris, Victoria Harris, Parrish and Thaddeus see Swim> 10

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July 20, 2017

SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional

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Post 201 splits first two games of D-11 tourney By Billy Fellin Sports Editor

American Legion Post 201 was playing loose and confident in their District 11 playoff opener against Post 125 on July 16 at Douglas Freeman High School. Given the way Post 201’s pitching was rolling and the way the balls were jumping off the bats of the players, it was easy to see why the team was relaxed. Powered by a four-run sixth inning, solid pitching performances from starter John Reynolds and relievers Josh Dawson and Austin Nicholas, as well as an unexpected assist from a light pole, Post 201 defeated 125 5-4 to advance in the winner’s bracket. “We played two close games against 125 when we saw them last week,” head coach Eric Mead said. “We did much better tonight with our middle (pitching) guys. That’s been our nemesis all year. We get our starters out here and they keep us in the game and then our middle guys struggle. But, tonight we had a good outing from Dawson and a strong close by Austin.” In the top of the second inning, Ross Lewis got Post

Swim continued from >9 Martin each swam personal bests in all of the events that they entered on July 12. Brown noted that Barton fought through losing his goggles in the 50 fly to still achieve a personal best time.

201 on the board first with a solo home run over the left field wall. That lead stood for three innings as Reynolds was incredibly effective against Post 125, as he didn’t allow a base runner until the bottom of the third inning, which was quickly erased by an inningending double play. Additionally, Reynolds didn’t allow a hit until the bottom of the fifth inning, a leadoff double to Jack Sroba. Collin Short would also double in the inning, an unusual ground rule double off the in-play light poles, which scored Sroba, but put Short as second base. Reynolds would strike out the next two batters, for a total of five strikeouts total, stranding Short on base for a run that would come back to haunt Post 125. “John has thrown well all year long,” Mead said. “He had the first loss of the year against 125 and all the way until the last inning he threw an outstanding game. I know he really wanted this game tonight.” Post 201 answered in the top of the sixth inning with more of its hot offense. Lewis led off with a single

and got himself into scoring position with a stolen base. Justin Bales hit a looping fly ball to centerfield, which centerfielder Will Atkinson couldn’t handle and allowed Lewis to score and Bales to reach third. Two batters later, Nicholas reached base to put runners on the corners for Post 201. Cale Agee then knocked in Bales with a single of his own to make it 3-1. Wayne Butler stepped to the plate two batters later and doubled to right field, scoring Nicholas and Agee for a 5-1 lead. Post 125 would answer in the bottom of the sixth inning in another unusual circumstance. Atkinson reached base with a single off Dawson and stole second and third base. When Butler threw down to attempt to get Atkinson at third, the ball got away from third baseman Adam Seal. As he attempted to retrieve it, it kicked off his foot and went into the Post 125 dugout, which by rule allowed Atkinson to advance one more base and scored to make it 5-2. A 2-RBI single by Nathan Bahen in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Skyler

Petrie and Short to make it a 5-4 game. But, Post 125 went down in order in the eighth inning, which included an approximately 40 minute lightning delay, as well as the ninth to end the chance at finding the tying run. Powhatan’s offense was able to capitalize on the four different pitchers that Post 125 sent to the mound, but couldn’t always find a way to get them home.

On July 17, Post 201 traveled to L.C. Bird for the second game of the district tournament and fell to Post 137 15-5 in a game that ended in the seventh inning due to the slaughter rule. Post 201 made their big push of the game in the top of the fourth inning. The team was down 6-2 at the time to Post 137, but loaded the bases with just one out, which forced a pitching change for 137.

A fielder’s choice brought one run in and then Cale Agee poked a low line drive over first base, which brought two more runs home to make it 6-5. But, the rally would end there and Post 137’s bats exploded for two two-run home runs in the fifth and sixth innings to gap Post 201. Facing elimination, Post 201 traveled to Post 361 on Tuesday. That game was past the deadline for this edition.

Cassidy Stern, Kaelyn Roy, Eden Rollogas, Poplar Finck, Owen Schachtschneider, Julian Cruz-Morales and James Dickinson also attempted an event, the 100 free, for the first time this season and provided 27 points for the Manta Rays, Brown wrote. Goochland now leads Division 4 by 358 points over

The Federal Club, which overtook Wembly for second place in the standings. The Manta Rays have 25 class wins this season, four better than The Federal Club. Brown wrote that she’s not surprised by the team’s success despite its youth in the GRAL. “I knew we had talent,” she wrote. “I also knew we had a

great coaching staff and the support of the YMCA. We were also motivated to build a competitive swim program in the area. So, I am not taken by surprise. We now need to maintain this momentum.” The Federal Club visited Goochland YMCA on July 18 for another top two battle in Division 4. The result of that

meet was past the deadline for this issue. That meet is the final meet of the season and will be one last chance for the swimmers who have qualified for CHAMPS to get their practice in. “We will be working on what to do at the walls,” Brown wrote of the CHAMPS prep-

aration. “They know how to swim the stroke. Now, they will work on perfecting their stats, turns and finishes.” CHAMPS takes place on July 29-30 at SwimRVA in Chesterfield. Billy Fellin may be reached at wfellin@powhatantoday.com or on Twitter at @BillyFellin.

Photo by Billy Fellin

Post 201’s Ross Lewis was 4 for 5 with a double and a home run against Post 125 on July 16 in the 5-4 tournament-opening win for Post 201.

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