INSIDE In the garden: Yes, you can grow beautiful tulips year after year >page 8
Volume 64, Number 19 • May 9, 2019
Award honors those who helped save historic school. See page 3 A TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Spoonhower seeking BOS District 2 seat By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Contributed photo
U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger talks with students and staff during last week’s celebration for Goochland High School seniors who are choosing to enter the workforce or join the military after graduation.
For GHS honorees, the world awaits Spanberger, McGuire helped congratulate students heading into military, workforce
County looks to do better for business
Contributed report
On Friday, May 3, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, and Virginia Del. John McGuire of the 56th District joined Dr. Jeremy Raley, superintendent; Bruce Watson, director of Career and Technical Education; Michael Payne and Karen Horn of the
Contributed report
In an effort to attract and retain quality businesses, the Goochland County Board of Supervisors has restructured the County’s Economic Development department. To accomplish this, the County has promoted Sara Worley to focus on existing business
Goochland County School Board; and community business and military representatives to recognize Goochland High Class of 2019 seniors who are transitioning directly into the workforce and the military, as well see GHS > 2
retention and expansion. Worley, a fourteenyear veteran of the Goochland Community Development Department, led the efforts in renovating the Community Development Customer Service Center to be more citisee Business > 5
When it comes to making the most of the curveballs life can sometimes throw, Goochland resident Neil Spoonhower has had some practice. For example, when an economic downturn meant he wouldn’t be able to earn enough to return to the University of Pittsburgh after his freshman year, the current candidate for the District 2 Board of Supervisors instead decided to join the Marines. “It was always a dream of mine to be a Marine, but to be honest I was pretty intimidated by boot camp, so I went to college first to study Political Science,” Spoonhower said. “I wanted to be a lawyer and get into politics.” When the opportunity came, however, SPOONHOWER Spoonhower punched his ticket for Parris Island. “I told my recruiter on a Thursday that if he didn’t have me gone in a week I was going to come to my senses,” Spoonhower recalled. “Tuesday I was gone and Wednesday, at zero dark thirty, I was standing on the infamous yellow footprints outside of receiving at recruit depot Parris Island.” Spoonhower did well in the Marine Reserves, earning a Meritorious Mast for being an honor graduate out of Military Police school. After being stationed in Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Spoonhower moved to Goochland County in 2002 and consee Spoonhower > 4