INSIDE Several local shelter dogs still waiting to find forever homes. > page 2
Volume 62, Number 35 • August 31, 2017
Goochland’s Hicks wins FLW Bass tournament on Potomac. See page 12
Roundabout too risky for intersection, say residents
New support group offers help to those facing abuse
A doggone good day
Supervisors will vote on Sept. 5 to install either traffic circle or light at Fairground, Sandy Hook
Group meetings open to all women, will be self-led Contributed report
By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Ahead of a Sept. 5 vote on how Goochland will improve the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook roads, county leaders held a community meeting Aug. 24 to share two possible solutions. While most of the dozen or so residents in attendance did not dispute that the intersection needs help — traffic backups and safety are major concerns during peak hours and a VDOT report listed 13 crashes there between 2012 and 2016 — many did raise pointed concerns about the option of installing a roundabout where the two roads come together. According to Assistant County Administrator Todd Kilduff, officials from VDOT have recommended that the county choose a roundabout over a traffic signal, and has allocated $3.6 million for the project. Work would likely not be completed in 2021, but Kilduff said the Board of Supervisors must vote on the measure during their Sept. 5 meeting to avoid losing funding for the project. Roundabouts, sometimes referred to as islands or traffic circles, have long been used to see Roundabout > 3
Contributed photo
Taylor Trapani got a sweet send-off from her dog Candy Cane on Aug. 21, as she left for her first day of school. Similar scenes played out in driveways and at bus stops all across the county last week as Goochland students prepared to begin the 2017-2018 school year. For more photos from students’ first day back, see page 8.
Goochland Free Clinic & Family Services (GFCFS) will be offering a new support group for female survivors of abuse starting this September. GFCFS Domestic and Sexual Violence Program served 50 clients in 2015, 62 in 2016, and 60 so far in 2017. As more survivors of domestic violence access services, GFCFS has realized the need for an empowering support group in Goochland. The group will be self-led, where participants decide the rules and direct the path of the weekly discussion. Each week, there will be a new topic chosen by the participants to discuss or learn in greater detail. The setting of the group allows the opportunity to process the past, while exploring who you are and what makes you great. All women are welcomed in any stage of their relationship. For more information, call Domestic and Sexual Violence Program Coordinator Emily O’Keefe at (804) 980-6267, which is the same number as the 24hour Domestic Violence Hotline. Childcare will be provided on site. “This support group is there for anyone who is experiencing or has experienced abuse. It is a safe, confidential space where survivors can reflect and connect, feel empowered, celebrate strengths, and create a supportive community,” said O’Keefe. “Healing from trauma is a long, see Support group > 2