The Goochland Gazette – 01/16/2020 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Storied seafood eatery given once-in-a-lifetime celebrity makeover. > page 6

Volume 65, Number 3 • January 16, 2020

For some county shelter pets, wait for home goes on. See page 5

Lascolette, Lumpkins will lead board of supervisors in 2020 Contributed report

LASCOLETTE

LUMPKINS

The Goochland County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday, Jan. 7, to elect District 1 Supervisor Susan F. Lascolette as Chair and District 3 Supervisor John Lumpkins, Jr. as Vice-Chair for 2020. Lascolette is serving as the board’s

chair for the second time. She most recently held the post in 2015. She succeeds former District 2 Supervisor Manuel Alvarez Jr. in the position. “I am honored and humbled to serve the citizens of Goochland as Chair of the Board of Supervisors,” said Lascolette. “Thank you for the

opportunity to serve and I pledge to do my duty and fulfill the oath I have taken as supervisor. The county’s commitment to excellence remains steadfast as we embark on a new year and new decade.” The Board of Supervisors also approved their 2020 meeting schedule during the meeting on Tuesday,

A fix, for now Hot spots could help ease internet woes as county leaders work on Broadband initiative By Roslyn Ryan Editor

oochland County continues to move forward on a bold initiative unveiled last September to bring expanded access to Broadband internet services to unserved areas of the county. On Jan. 7, Goochland Administrative Services Manager Paul Drumwright updated county supervisors on the prog-

and a copy of the schedule is available at http://www.goochlandva.us/158/ Board-of-Supervisors. In an effort to be more transparent and citizen-friendly, the Board of Supervisors adopted amended rules of procedures to change the time of see BOS > 2

Planned work on notorious intersection moves ahead

ress made so far on the county’s 10 Steps to Broadband initiative, including a golive date for six new area “hotspots” for residents to use. Those locations, which will be available beginning Feb. 4, will include all six county fire stations and the county administration building. Drumwright noted that the county will also be making space available within the adminis-

Improvements to a county intersection long known to be a major hazard for drivers traveling on Broad Street will be improved sooner than originally planned, Goochland supervisors learned during their monthly meeting last week.

see Internet > 3

see Intersection > 3

By Roslyn Ryan Editor

1042196-01

WINTER SALE

40% OFF

10500 Patterson Avenue | 804-740-3124 | 888-740-5715

THE ENTIRE LINE!

w w w.v a w ay s i d e. n e t

Mon & Fri 9am-8pm | Tues, Wed, Thurs & Sat 9am-6pm | Closed Sun

Thursday

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

January 16, 2020

BOS continued from >1 their afternoon meetings to 2 p.m. and evening meetings to 6 p.m. allowing earlier opportunities to provide input at the evening meeting and public hearings. In addition, it is the board’s intention not to begin public hearings after 11 p.m. Any public hearing not conducted because it would have begun after 11 p.m. can be carried over and heard on a Reserved Date or rescheduled to another earliest possible convenient date. Goochland’s Board of

Want more? Visit us on the web at

www.goochlandgazette.com

Pets of the week

Supervisors regularly meets at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month, the third Tuesday of each month serves as a Reserved Date for meetings. Additional budget related meetings and public hearings are scheduled from February through April. Meetings are held in the County Administration Building Board Meeting Room (Room 250), 1800 Sandy Hook Road unless otherwise noted and noticed. For more information, call (804) 556-5811 or go to http://goochlandva.us/158/ Board-of-Supervisors.

SPORTS

Photos submitted by Julie Lawrence

Elrod & Dunham

Dentistry

Elrod and Dunham Dentistry welcomes new patients with comprehensive, gentle dental care for all ages.

The Goochland County Animal Shelter has temporarily relocated to the County’s Central High School Cultural and Educational Complex located at 2748 Dogtown Road, in Goochland. The temporary Animal Shelter will operate at the rear of the Central High School Complex until the new shelter is completed. Citizens can continue to contact the Animal Shelter by calling (804) 556-5302. The shelter currently has the following pets available to a good home: A neutered male hound, about 2-4 years old; a diluted female torti, about 8+ years old; and a grey neutered male cat, about 6-8 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.”

Fix could make future BOS meetings more manageable By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Implant placement & restoration Cosmetic dentistry Surgical extractions

Restoration & preventative dentistry Full mouth reconstruction Root canal treatment

7516 Right Flank Rd., Mechanicsville, VA 23116 (804)-746-1300

2979 River Road W. Goochland, VA 23063 (804) 556-2530

elroddunhamdentristy.com

979799-01

Please call our office today. We look forward to meeting your dental health needs.

In an effort to avoid the kind of marathon public meetings that occurred several times last year, the Goochland Board of Supervisors voted last week to change to the way they had previously approached scheduling public hearings. Now, instead of scheduling a slate of public hearings and then continuing their meeting until all have been completed — regardless of how long the process takes — board members can elect to reschedule any public hearing expected to begin after 11 p.m. to another date. While supervisors are typically able to complete all agenda items in a single evening,

last year saw more than one occasion where meetings did not end until well after midnight. According to Goochland County Administrator John Budesky, who initially proposed the change to the board’s procedures, such meetings are hard on both residents and board members, and often mean that important issues are addressed when those involved are unable to devote the required energy to the task at hand. The move also gives the board more flexibility from an initial scheduling standpoint, allowing them to avoid scheduling two controversial public hearings — which typically involve many comments from citizens and extended discus-

sion by the board — on the same night. Moving one case to a second night ahead of time would also allow those involved in the case to be notified about the change ahead of the meeting, avoiding having residents wait hours only to be told at the end of a long evening that they would need to return on another night. In response to concerns that the changes might inadvertently be seen as limiting to the citizens’ ability to comment on a given case, county attorney Tara McGee insisted that the new procedure was not intended to limit, but rather “to be able to appropriately schedule” matters before the board. see Time change > 3

Goochland girls win 3 out of 4 games PAGE 7 Calendar ................................ 4 Classifieds ......................13-15 Opinion .................................. 6 Sports .................................7-9 TV Listings ......................10-12

CONTACT US Toll Free - (877) 888-0449 Office - (804) 746-1235 Joy Monopoli Publisher (804) 775-4614 Fax: (804) 819-5529 Melody Kinser Managing Editor (804) 775-4622 Fax: (804) 730-0476 Roslyn Ryan Editor (804) 339-7956 Cindy Adams Classifieds (804) 775-4616 Fax: (804) 730-0476 Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor (540) 728-0549

Thursday

January 16, 2020

Want more? Visit us on the web at

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

www.goochlandgazette.com

Intersection

GoochlandCares new ‘Shining Stars’ campaign honors mission champions Organization’s first online fundraising effort kicks off Jan. 15 Contributed report

GoochlandCares kicks off a new fundraising campaign this month honoring community leaders who impact the lives of Goochland residents through their support of the non-profit. The Shining Stars Campaign honors five Goochland citizens whose commitment and dedication to serving others makes a difference in the lives of neighbors

in need. Bob Bennett, MD, Lisa and Charlie Luck, and Liz and Al Rider are the GoochlandCares 2020 Mission Champions. They will help raise awareness through an online fundraising campaign starting January 15th and be recognized at a celebratory party on March 21st hosted at Audi Richmond. “Each of these individuals embodies GoochlandCares values of empowerment, community, compassion, quality, and client-centered care,” remarked Sally Graham, Executive Director of GoochlandCares. “We are excited to announce that an anonymous donor has made a $50,000

continued from >1 According to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representative Marshall Wynne, work on the intersection of Route 288 and Broad Street is now slated to begin in March, about 18 months earlier than originally planned. Wynne said the work could be completed by Thanksgiving. While the project has been a priority for years, supervisors began looking at the intersection with renewed urgency last year after Oilville resident Yvonne Bullington was killed in a crash at the site on March 26.

challenge gift. We hope this example of generosity will spur others to give in honor of the Mission Champions.” For more information, or to give, go to www.bit.ly/shiningstarchampions2020. GoochlandCares is a private, 501(c) (3), non-profit organization that provides health care and basic human services to Goochland residents in need. GoochlandCares envisions a community where everyone’s basic human needs are met. Visit GoochlandCares.org or contact Adair Roper at aroper@GoochlandCares. org or 804-556-6260. Find the organization on Facebook at facebook.com/goochlandcares.

Recent Property Transfers $256,000. 6 lots, Section 1, Readers Branch; Readers Branch Partners LLC to Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC, $750,000. Lot 1, Block A, Section 1, Rivergate; Dharamdas M. Ramnani to Rivergate RVA LLC, $440,000. Lot 34, Smokey Hollow of Oilville; William C. Adams to Jadson G. Oliveira,

$338,000. Lot 4, Section 2, Dover Branch; Dover Branch LLC to Royal Dominion Homes Inc., $163,375. Lot 6, Section 2, Parke at Centerville; Terry Allen West to Joseph Vilseck, $575,000. Parcel; Nuckols Family LLC to Manakin Road LLC, $350,000.

Goochland Parks and Rec offering class in Tai Chi Goochland County Parks cipline aimed at exercising the and Rec will be hosting a class entire body and strengthening in Tai Chi on Thursday. Jan. 28, the mind. offering a chance to learn a disThis is a 6-week session for

Internet continued from >1 tration building for residents to come and use their devices to access high speed internet. “This is not meant to be a final solution,” Drumwright insisted, but rather a temporary fix to help residents as the county works on the next phase of the project, which is expected to include more hot spots at Reynolds Community College, the Goochland Public

Library, the Central High School complex, and all of the county public schools. Local businesses are also being encouraged by the county to consider serving as hot spots, and Drumwright said those that do will be included on a map handed out to residents. A long-time complaint of those living in the county’s more rural areas, lack of high speed internet access was one of the most often-heard issues raised during the run-up to

participants ages 50+, held at The cost to take part is $60. the Central High Cultural & For more information, contact Educational Complex from 9- Parks and Recreation at (804) 10 a.m. 556-5854. last year’s county-wide election. For years, residents say,, lack of connectivity has had a negative impact on everything from economic growth to educational achievement. County leaders have repeatedly acknowledged the problem and pledged to resolve the issue, but progress has traditionally been slow. September’s announcement, which laid out several clear directives and goals, came as welcome news to many.

In addition to the news of the new hot spots, Drumwright reminded those in attendance about a form on the county’s website that residents can use to share their concerns about high speed internet access, including where they need it and what obstacles they have faced in trying to secure it. Those without any access to internet are encouraged to call the county at (804) 5565811 and report their concerns that way.

continued from >2 Board members would also be able to suspend the rule by majority vote if they deemed it necessary to begin a hearing after 11 p.m. In addition to the chang-

Wynne told the board members in April that funding for the $4.2 million project, which will include adding traffic signals and additional left turn lanes in the interchange, had already been approved and that VDOT would be doing all it could to expedite the improvements, then slated to be completed by 2021. The contract for the work was awarded to Curtis Construction on Dec. 18. “Hopefully it will be successful,” Wynne told the board, noting that he too will also be relieved to see the current issues resolved. “I’m sure it will be a big improvement in that area for the traveling public.”

es to the hearing rules, the Board also voted to approve changes to its meeting start times. Beginning on Feb. 4, the Board’s afternoon meeting will begin at 2 p.m. rather than 3 p.m., and the evening meeting will begin at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.

Kitchens/Baths Patios/Decks New Construction Doors/Windows Sidewalks/Pavers Remodels/Additions

Greg 804-457-9426 20 YearsBlanchard Carpentry Experience VA Lic. 27505-093745-A

Blanchard & Associates 804-457-9426 Greg VA Lic. 27505-093745-A 20 YearsBlanchard Carpentry Experience Residential Contractor, Inc.

Spencer’s Treble Maker Music • Music Lessons for All Ages and Experience Levels • Lessons available on 10 Instruments • Music Instrument Repair • Student Performance Opportunities • Music Degreed Instructor w/ 15 years experience • Discounts to Active Military,Police & Firefighters 120029-01

1.16 acres; Primax Properties LLC to Restaurant Property Investors VI LLC, $1,967,247. 16.7 acres; Nuckols Family LLC to Cosby Village LLC, $1,320,000. 3.34 acres; Laurine Wade to Robert A. Wood, $175,000. 5.05 acres; Dewey L. Daniel to Robert Throckmorton Sandford,

Time change

804-212-8725 • Spencerjrs@yahoo.com or www.facebook.com/spencertreblemakermusic

Advertise In The Goochland Gazette! Call 804-746-1235 for details.

Thursday

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

January 16, 2020

Want more? Visit us on the web at

www.goochlandgazette.com

Community Calendar Wednesday, Jan. 15 Does your house often feel like a talent show featuring your child(ren) as the sole performers? Would your child(ren) like to learn to build on foundational skills of voice, choreography, and acting? Triple Threat Theater

is a six-week musical theater workshop that will culminate in a live performance of “Alice in Wonderland.” As a special bonus, the instructor will incorporate theater terms both spoken and in American Sign Language. This class is held at the Central High Cultural and

16484 W Crescent Ln, Montpelier, VA 23192

Beautiful Custom Brick Home / 11+ Acres / 7400 sq ft / Formal Rooms / 6 Bedrooms, plus Master Suite on 1st Floor / Full Finished Basement, Possible In-Law or Au Pair Suite, Craft Room, Attached 2 Car Garage, Answers needs to All Generations, Detached 2 Car Garage / Heated Salt Water Pool with Changing Cabana / Full Bath / Full House Generator. Call Debra to set Appointment! $1,199,000

Debra Hoffman, Principal Broker

OFFICE: 347-3878 debra.hoffman@penfedrealty.com

Now!

1 Peter 3:20 “…who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.” God’s love is everlasting! But His patience has limits. Are you taking His love for granted and delaying obedience? He was patient while Noah built the ark but then came the flood. He was patient in giving His Son but one can still perish (John 3:16). “…Do you have a hardened heart? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?...” (Mark 8:17-18). “… how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

Old Trail Church of Christ oldtrailcoc.com | oldtrailcoc@gmail.com

Educational Complex from 6-7:30 p.m., and is designed for students in grades 2-8. The cost to take part is $90/$10 discount for second participant. For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at (804) 556-5854. Goochland Parks and Recreation is partnering with Swift Creek School of Equitation for Youth Horseback Riding lessons for children ages 5-11. Participants will learn to groom, tack, and ride. Lessons are available for all experience levels, with jumping instruction available for advanced students. Transportations to Swift Creek School of Equitation is available for students at Goochland and Randolph Elementary. Lessons will be from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Swift Creek School of Equitation. This is a 5-week class, and the cost is $175. For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at (804) 556-5854.

Thursday, Jan. 16 Goochland Parks and Recreation is partnering with Swift Creek School of Equitation for Teen Horseback Riding Lessons for children ages 11-18. Participants will learn to groom, tack, and ride. Lessons are available for all experience levels, with jumping instruction available for advanced students. Transportations to Swift Creek School of Equitation is available for students at Goochland Middle and High Schools. Lessons will be from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Swift Creek School of Equitation. This is a 5-week class, and the cost is $175. For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at (804) 556-5854. Storytimes

the

Goochland Branch Library are the Friends of the Goochland as follows: Toddler, 10 a.m., Library. Preschool 10:45 a.m., Mother Goose 11:30 a.m. Call (804) Thursday, Jan. 23 556-4774 or visit the library at Storytimes at the 3075 River Road West for more Goochland Branch Library are information. as follows: Toddler, 10 a.m., Preschool 10:45 a.m., Mother Friday, January 17 Goose 11:30 a.m. Call (804) The Rotary Club of 556-4774 for more informaGoochland will welcome tion. speaker Anne Tucker, Founder of the James River Horse Friday, January 24 Foundation, who will discuss Goochland Parks and Rec the history of the horse proare inviting all to join them gram at the State Farm Work Center and recent changes for Tucker’s Holiday Social, there. The meeting starts at where they can enjoy socializa7:30 a.m. at the Richmond tion, crafts and other holidaythemed fun, and meet up with Country Club. friends or make new friends. The social will be held at the Saturday, Jan. 18 Central High Cultural and The Cochrane Rockville Educational Complex from 10 Branch Library will host 11 a.m., and light refreshments LEGOs! from11 a.m.–5 p.m. will be provided. Tucker’s for those age 5-12. Participants Holiday Social is designed for will use engineering skills to those ages 2-5. Parent parcreate a LEGO design all their ticipation is required, and the own. Snacks will be provided cost to attend is $5. For more by the Friends of the Rockville information, contact Parks and Library. Call (804) 749-3146 Recreation at (804) 556-5854. or visit the library at 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for more The Rotary Club of information. Goochland will welcome speaker Hunter Leeman, President of Sportable, who will speak on Monday, Jan. 20 the mission and function of the The Cochrane Rockville adaptable sports organization. Branch Library will host Read The meeting starts at 7:30 a.m. 2 Rover from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and is held at the Richmond Read 2 Rover provides com- Country Club. fort and motivation for beginning readers as they read aloud to therapy dogs. Call (804) Saturday, Jan. 25 749-3146 or visit the library The Cochrane Rockville at 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for more information on this Branch Library will host Snow Much Fun from 11 a.m. rewarding program. – noon. It’s winter and that The Goochland Branch means snow--but have you ever Library will host Janubeary wondered what snow is and Storytime from 6:45 - 7:30 p.m. how it happens? What does a for ages 3-5. Kids are encour- snowflake look like? This proaged to wear their PJs and gram will teach participants all bring their favorite bear for a about snow through this fun, special evening Storytime. Milk interactive, STEAM-centered and cookies will be provided by program! Refreshments will be

provided by the Friends of the Rockville Library. Call (804) 749-3146 for more information.

Tuesday, Jan. 28 Goochland County Parks and Rec will be offering a class in Tai Chi, a discipline aimed at exercising the entire body and strengthening the mind. The central focus of Tai Chi is to enable the qi, or life force, to flow smoothly and powerfully throughout the body, leading to improved health and balance, increased flexibility and strength, and reduced stress. This is a 6-week session for participants ages 50+, held at the Central High Cultural & Educational Complex from 910 a.m. The cost to take part is $60. For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at (804) 556-5854. Wednesday, Jan. 29 Goochland County Parks and Recreation’s Forever Young group will be taking a trip to the Swift Creek Mill Theatre for a showing of Daddy Long Legs. The trip fee of $60 includes transportation, theatre, dining, unlimited coffee, tea and soda, tax, and tip. This is a trip for participants ages 50+. The group will be leaving from the Central High Cultural & Educational Complex at 11 a.m. For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at (804) 556-5854.

Thursday, Jan. 30 Storytimes at the Goochland Branch Library are as follows: Toddler, 10 a.m., Preschool 10:45 a.m., Mother Goose 11:30 a.m. Call (804) 556-4774 for more information. see Calendar > 5

Thursday

January 16, 2020

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

Want more? Visit us on the web at

www.goochlandgazette.com

from 9-10 a.m. The cost to take part is $60. For more continued from >4 information, contact Parks and Recreation at (804) 556Friday, January 31 5854. Goochland County Parks and Rec will be offering a The Rotary Club of class in Tai Chi, a discipline Goochland will welcome aimed at exercising the Rebecca Lipchak and entire body and strengthenLiz Berrier, Co-Chairs of ing the mind. The central Goochland Community Cats, focus of Tai Chi is to enable who will discuss the mission the qi, or life force, to flow and function of Goochland smoothly and powerfully Community Cats. The meetthroughout the body, leading ing starts at 7:30 a.m. and to improved health and balis held at the Richmond ance, increased flexibility and Country Club. strength, and reduced stress. This is a 6-week session for participants ages 50+, held Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Central High Cultural & Educational Complex The Goochland County

Calendar

Historical Society will present “Was Virginia the 18th Century ‘Garden of Eden’?” at 1 p.m. Ever wonder why so many plants have “virginiana” in their names? Join Master Gardener and history buff Cathy McCarthy on exploring how military issues, politics, and religion created a perfect storm of influences resulting in many New World plants being named after Virginia. This talk will offer tips on how to grow some of those plants to create a historic “Garden of Eden” on one’s own. This meeting will be held at the Goochland Public Library Meeting Room, 3075 River Rd W, Goochland, VA 23063.

HURRY - LIMITED TIME OFFER! Photo by Roslyn Ryan

Russell, a stray dog picked up over a year ago by Goochland Animal Control, accepts a treat from County Animal Shelter Coordinator Julie Lawrence.

For some local shelter pets, the wait goes on By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Foundation Repair

ake no mistake about it, Russell is happy to see you. Even after a full year at Goochland’s temporary animal shelter on Dogtown Road, even after several false starts and dashed hopes, the sweet-faced little mixed breed is the kind of dog that will never let a visitor pass his pen without making sure they see him. He’s a little older and doesn’t see so well, explained shelter coordinator Julie Lawrence, which may explain why Russell is one of a handful of dogs that have stayed at the shelter for an extended period of time, in some cases over a year. “It’s a shame that these animals are overlooked,” Lawrence said, “because so many of them would make wonderful pets.” Still, she said, she is also a believer in the idea that finding the right match between pet

and person can sometimes take a little time — and a pinch of intuition. After over six years of working at the shelter, Lawrence has developed a way of gently guiding would-be adopters who might not be sure what animal would best suit their families. When it comes down to it, Lawrence said, the staff is always trying to help make the best choice possible for both parties. Whatever their methods, it seems to be working: over the last year, the shelter has found

homes for 57 dogs and 63 cats, thanks in part to Facebook and websites like Petfinder. They do, in very rare instances, have to euthanize an animal, though it is only done if the animal is deemed too dangerous, sick or injured to be able to save. Even the animals that do take longer to get adopted do eventually find homes, Lawrence said. One hound named Pancakes was so shy that it took the staff nearly five see Shelter > 12

Basement Waterproofing Crawl Space Encapsulation Concrete Lifting

Don’t Wait!

888-533-6922 * Valid on any one job of $3,000 or more. Coupon must be presented at time of inspection. May not combined with any other offer. Offer valid through 1/31/20.

Thursday

January 16, 2020

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

Want more? Visit us on the web at

www.goochlandgazette.com

For old Want inspiration? ‘Look for the helpers’ favorite eatery, a new era By Roslyn Ryan Editor

It happened about three weeks ago: I had gotten up around 2 a.m. to get a glass of water, intent on heading right back to sleep, when I heard a sound that I recognized almost instantly. It was actually more felt than heard, a force that struck the house and shook the windows, coming and going so fast that for a second I wondered if maybe in my bumbling, half-awake state I’d simply imagined it. Decades before, there had been an explosion in the neighborhood I grew up in, something to do with a gas leak in a not-yet-unoccupied

home a few streets away from ours. No one was injured, thankfully, but I will never forget the sound it made as the blast wave hit our house, a sound that was terribly similar to the one I was now hearing again. Tragically, I hadn’t imagined it: less than a mile up the road, a family’s house had been decimated by the ferocity of an early morning fire and several ensuing explosions that rocked the neighborhood. It was just after Christmas, and the devastation was immeasurable. While several pets were tragically lost, the people in the home survived. And while there is absolutely no making sense of why some people are dealt the heart-

break of this kind of loss, it was in the hours, days and weeks that followed that those living in our neighborhood were able to glimpse the humanity that such an event brings out in others. From the first responders who rushed to the scene, to the Red Cross volunteers who assisted the family, to the many people in and around the neighborhood who stepped in to try and help, it was heartening to be reminded of the strength and compassion that is so interwoven into the fabric of our communities. I am often reminded, especially during times of great turmoil, of something the great Fred Rogers (of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood

fame) once reportedly said about seeing things that troubled him as a child. “My mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers,’” Rogers once said. “You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.” As someone who lives a small town, I rarely have to look very far to find the helpers. Even in the most difficult times, they are the ones who we can always count on to remind us just what “community” truly means.

If you aren’t on the transplant list, make it a priority By Melody Kinser Managing Editor

Her kidney function is 5%; she is undergoing dialysis three days a week. She needs a transplant. But, without question, her faith in God is unwavering. We have been best friends for 20 years. She is one of those people that you don’t need to talk to every day. It may be weeks or months at a time when we get on the phone, but it’s as if we spoke the day before.

I called last week to talk about their holidays and, sadly, her ongoing health issues. She has been seriously ill for 10 years, but she doesn’t complain. She is amazing and an inspiration. I am blessed to have her in my life. Rather than feel sorry for herself, she thinks about those who are in what she considers more serious health crises. I fought back tears when she told me that two of the men she had gotten to know during dialysis had

Editorial & Business Office and Mailing Address: 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Phone – (804) 746-1235 Toll free – (877) 888-0449 Fax – (804) 730-0476 Online: www.goochlandgazette.com

Publisher Managing Editor Editor

Joy Monopoli

jmonopoli@RSNVA.com

Melody Kinser

mkinser@mechlocal.com

Roslyn Ryan

rryan@gooochlandgazette.com

Sports Editor

Nick Vandeloecht

nvandeloecht@powhatantoday.com

Production Manager

Denine D’Angelo

ddangelo@mechlocal.com

Sales Representative

Tom Haynie

thaynie@mechlocal.com

Cindy Adams

cgrant@mechlocal.com

Classifieds

died. She talked matter-of-factly about her own status. She had been on a transplant list at one of the country’s top hospitals for the procedure when an illness struck that delayed the surgery. Now she is waiting to be placed on the list again. If I am a match, I wouldn’t hesitate to give my friend a kidney. Since her transplant had to be delayed, they’re almost back at square one in the process. Her voice sounded a big stron-

ger last week, but she has little, if any, appetite. Her husband is a godsend. He had tried to woo her for about five years when she finally accepted a dinner invitation. They married in 2009. He dotes on her with the love and devotion that uphold their wedding vows. They are truly united as one. I’m an organ donor. Are you? If not, please contact UNOS (United see Transplant > 12

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS 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 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: 730-0476 E-mail: rryan@goochlandgazette.com © 2020 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.

By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist

Gordon Ramsay brought his unique brand of obnoxious behavior to Tappahannock recently in an effort to revive and reboot a Virginia institution. Lowery’s has been around as long as I can remember. In fact, I can remember when there were two restaurants — one on each side of the Rappahannock River. I’m not sure of the story surrounding that arrangement, but the landmark location in the small town has been the stalwart of the operation for many years. There’s no doubt Lowery’s has stood the test of time, and many a Virginia family has assembled for special occasions or reunions at the landmark on the river. Like many eateries, Lowery’s has experienced challenges in recent years with an aging customer base and a menu that hasn’t changed much in decades. Ramsay thought it was the perfect mark for his set of skills, and he arrived to revamp the once thriving location. There wasn’t much that Gordon liked in the landmark eatery, and what most of us didn’t realize as we waited for a table in past years was a brewing internal battle involving the two brothers who own and run the restaurant. The pair has gradually grown apart, and the rift has left employees shaking their heads at the lack of leadership and passion, clearly the result of the family squabble. Ramsay revamped the over-fried menu and replaced tired items with spiced up and more health conscious choices. The new menu features a familiar Hell and Back theme — pan seared. The comments since Ramsay see Lowery’s > page 12

Thursday

January 16, 2020

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

Want more? Visit us on the web at

www.goochlandgazette.com

Goochland swimmers earn wins at area meet Staff Reports

In a swim meet at Goochland YMCA hosted by Powhatan, Goochland’s swimmers won 10 of 22 events and the boys took the overall team victory. defeating Louisa County 111-59, Orange County 104-45 and Powhatan 119-21. Goochland’s girls finished third overall to Powhatan, 163-115, and to Orange County, 157114, but defeated Louisa County 111-53. The girls’ team also swept the meet’s relays, as the 200-yard relay team of Skylar Dacey, Anneliese Rogerson, Sophie Summitt and Anna Kate Wirsing combined to win both the medley relay (2:08.21) and the freestyle relay (1:52.57) and Jessica Valdez, Rachel Bratton, Rachel Wilson and Abby Pillion won in the girls’ category of the combined boys’ and girls’ 400 freestyle relay race in 5:02.45. Goochland’s 400 freestyle relay team of Garrett Eastwood, Lucas Edwards, Jack Clarke and Caleb McCaskill swam unopposed in the boys’ category, but finished the combined race the fastest in 4:41.39. McCaskill won the boys’ 200 freestyle (2:17.20) by more than 25 seconds ahead of teammate and runner-up Edwards (2:42.76); McCaskill added a runner-up finish in the 500 freestyle (6:27.39). Joe Hardman won the boys’ 100 backstroke (1:12.52) and took second in the boys’ 200 individual medley

(2:31.76). Anneliese Rogerson finished the girls’ 500 freestyle more than 75 yards ahead of her closest competitor to win the event in 5:48.08, and she added a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:16.56). Abby Pillion won the girls’ 200 IM in 2:47.58. Sophie Summitt won the girls’ 100 freestyle in 1:06.02 and added a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke in 1:25.51. Skylar Dacey won the girls’ 100 backstroke in 1:10.89 and placed second in the 200 freestyle in 2:13.20. Anna Kate Wirsing narrowly finished second to Powhatan’s Emily Matthews in a race to the wall separated by 0.3 of a second in the girls’ 50 freestyle. Wirsing swam a 29.31. Jessica Valdez swam second in the girls’ 100 freestyle (1:08.06) and third in the 50 freestyle (29.84). Brandon Avram took second in the boys’ 100 freestyle (1:04.13), the boys’ 200 yard medley relay team of Avram, Hardman, Eastwood and Richard Hardy swam runner-up to Louisa in 2:06.51 and the boys’ 200 yard freestyle relay team of Hardy, McCaskill, Avram and Hardman placed runner-up to Orange County in 1:46.64. Additional third-place finishes for Goochland went to Eastwood in both the boys’ 100 freestyle (1:06.71) and the 100 breaststroke (1:23.12), Hardy Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette in the boys’ 200 IM (2:50.85), and Luke Michaels in Goochland’s Caleb McCaskill swims the boys’ 200 freestyle in Friday’s meet at Goochland YMCA. McCaskill won the event in 2:17.20. the boys’ 100 backstroke (1:31.80).

Girls basketball unit wins 3 of 4 games in 8 days Staff Reports

Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Left: Goochland’s Gabby Ragone (5) drives towards the net in Monday’s home game versus Patrick Henry; center and right: Victoria Lopez (15) and Emmy Paulin (23) go for jumpers in the Bulldogs’ home game versus the Patriots.

Goochland girls basketball entered Tuesday’s home game versus Buckingham having won three of its last four games, with the team’s one loss in that eightday stretch coming to Patrick Henry on Monday. Goochland’s scoring leaders were Gabby Ragone with 13 points and Emmy Paulin and Victoria Lopez with 10 each. After the Patriots went ahead 14-2 on a 14-0 run, the Bulldogs strung together a run of their own, scoring 7 straight before first quarter’s end to trail 14-9, and then kept up their momentum in the second. Paulin and Ragone combined for 11 points in the period, 6-foot-1 Lopez hit a jumper and Taylor Whitfield’s 3-pointer before halftime whittled Patrick Henry’s lead down to 29-25. But the Patriots assembled a 20-5 third quarter and continued to pull away to defeat the Bulldogs 63-37. Going into Monday’s game, Goochland

had unleashed a three-game winning streak, denying Prince Edward 57-30 on Monday, Jan. 6, trouncing Central Lunenburg 75-26 on Wednesday, Jan. 8 and routing Bluestone 54-28 on Friday. Against Prince Edward, Ragone netted 16 points, 5 steals and 5 assists, and Lilly Yutzey double-doubled with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Against Central Lunenburg, Lopez double-doubled with 13 points and 20 rebounds, Emmy Paulin double-doubled with 18 points and 11z rebounds and added 4 steals and Ragone chipped in 11 points, 6 assists and 8 steals. Against Bluestone, Paulin double-doubled with 26 points and 10 rebounds and added 2 steals, Ragone had 9 points, 4 assists and 4 steals and Lopez chipped-in 7 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks. After hosting Buckingham on Tuesday, Goochland (6-5 after Monday) will play at Cumberland on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.; the Bulldogs’ next home game is Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. versus Randolph-Henry.

Thursday

January 16, 2020

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

Want more? Visit us on the web at

www.goochlandgazette.com

Goochland impresses Wrestlers beat King William, hang tough vs. Cadets in home tri meet By Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor

Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Benedictine’s CJ Griffith wrestles Goochland’s Luke Agee in a tri meet at Goochland High.

Cadets sweep tri meet By Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor

GOOCHLAND – After capturing the team championship in the Colon E. Baker Classic a week-anda-half prior at Great Bridge Christian, Benedictine wrestling kept rolling with a pair of team wins at Goochland High School against King William (57-22) and the hosting Bulldogs (53-24). “It was two good wins – good to see some local competition and...we’re the only two high schools in the county in Goochland,” the Cadets’ head coach David Yost said of Goochland High School and Benedictine. “Hopefully we can build a little bit of a rivalry and keep this going.” The Cadets won three of six contested matchups against the Cavaliers and seven of 10 against the Bulldogs. Ryan Tremain (170 pounds) started Tuesday night’s action for Benedictine with a pin of King William’s Sean McCray in the second period, and he ended it with a pin of Goochland’s Jon Daly, also in the second period, for a 2-0 night.

Alan Crandall (138) was on fire for the Cadets as he pinned King William’s Gabe Shumate in 54 seconds and Goochland’s Reese Vincent in 35. “We wrestled tough and I think we dominated pretty well,” Yost said last Tuesday. “We’re coming off of momentum from Great Bridge and from the Battlefield Duals where we really have done a really good job of just asserting our dominance on the mat, which is a huge staple of our style of our wrestling, and we continued it tonight, and hopefully we can get even more physical and more dominant in the future…” Also against Goochland, Brenden Barnes (120) pinned John Summitt in 1:47, CJ Griffith (160) pinned Luke Agee in 38 seconds, Jagen Ratlief (182) defeated Alex Thompson by tech fall, Sam Slate (195) pinned Ethan Ford in the second period and Logan Cohn (220) pinned Ayden Doczi 27 seconds into the second period. Adam Choate (152) went 1-0 on Tuesday as he fended off a fiery rally from King

GOOCHLAND – Blake Smith had previously been wrestling up one weight class to 132 pounds, but when his Goochland High School teammate Grant Heidel sacrificed for the team and cut 3 pounds to get down to where Smith had been competing, that in turn allowed Smith to drop back down to his actual weight class of 126. He pulled off the quickest pin of the night. In a tri meet featuring King William, powerhouse Benedictine and the hosting Goochland Bulldogs, Smith defeated the Cadets’ Jacob Shively by fall in 17 seconds. The very next match, Heidel had gone down 8-1 to his second and final opponent of the night, Benedictine’s Joseph Davidson. And then Heidel pulled-off the literal reversal, and he happened to catch his opponent in a position where he could quickly go for the pin. “He’s strong, and he’s got guts,” Goochland head coach Mike Nadder said of Heidel, a sophomore. “He saw the opportunity and just seized it.” The referee tapped the mat, cementing Heidel’s wild, come-from-behind win by pin. “He really needed that for his confidence,” Nadder said. “I was proud of how he responded.” Goochland freshman Riley Hite, wrestling in the 145 class, got his second win of the day on a 49-second pin of Hector Cibes to cap the Bulldogs’ three hard-earned individual wins against Benedictine, who won the team dual against Goochland 53-24. The Bulldogs overall split the tri, defeating King William 54-24 with three wins in six contested matchups. “I’m very proud of how we wrestled,” head coach Mike Nadder said. “Tonight I felt like

William’s Romeo White to win a 15-12 decision. In the American high school division of the 40th Edition of the Virginia Duals held this past weekend, Benedictine defeated Woodbridge 41-33 and Grassfield 47-30 to reach the semifinals, but fell to Kellam 43-27 before getting edged by Eastern View 36-34 in the consolation semifinals. Both Sam Slate and Gabriel Slate (182/195) went 4-0 with Sam getting 2 pins and a tech fall and Gabriel edging past Kellam’s Brycen Buchner 6-4 in overtime and adding a win by major decision. Zane Cox (152) went 4-0 and won all four of his matches by pins. Ryan Tremain (170) went 4-0 with two pins. Brenden Barnes (120) went 4-0 in the duals with two pins and a 15-0 tech fall while wrestling up a weight class at 126. Logan Chandler (138) went 3-1 overall and 1-1 in his matches while wrestling up to 145. Logan Cohn (220) went 3-1 with two pins. Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette C.J. Griffith (160) and Brian Goochland’s Blake Smith works to pin BeneDaughtry (heavyweight) came dictine’s Jacob Shively in Tuesday’s tri meet away with two wins each. at Goochland High School.

Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Goochland’s Grant Heidel reacts as his hand is raised following a come-from-behind win by pin against Benedictine’s Joseph Davidson in a Jan. 7 tri meet held at Goochland High School.

we earned the win against King William and I really felt like we did not back down against Benedictine, one of the most powerful teams… they’ve got a lot of independent school state champs, and I was real proud. “We’re not gonna get better unless we wrestle teams like that,” Nadder added. “Very happy with tonight.” Jon Daly opened the dual by fending off King William opponent Sean McCray’s three takedowns and one escape with two reversals, a point off an illegal hold and a near-fall for a 8-7 lead; he then pinned McCray 37 seconds into the third period. Reese Vincent at 138 opened his night on a powerful note, dominating his opening match against King William’s Gabe Shumate with takedowns, a near-fall and a reversal before earning the pin 57 seconds inside the second period. Hite earned his first victory of the night by pinning King William’s Trevor Black with 43 seconds remaining in the second period. Goochland will compete against J.R. Tucker and hosting team Hermitage in a 6 p.m. tri next Wednesday. “We’re hitting our stride right on time; we’ve got everybody healthy and where we need to be,” Nadder said last Tuesday. “I’m happy with where we’re moving, and I feel like we’re moving in the right direction…”

Thursday

Want more? Visit us on the web at

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

January 16, 2020

www.goochlandgazette.com

Wrestlers sweep Nottoway, Cumberland in tri Staff Reports

Goochland’s wrestling team last Wednesday picked up two huge district victories, defeating both Nottoway 48-24 and Cumberland 39-36 in a tri meet held at Cumberland High School. Wednesday’s triumph marked the first time that Goochland had beaten Nottoway in the young program’s history. “They are always the strongest team in our district,” noted Goochland head coach Mike Nadder. “We had lost to them just three weeks ago at the tournament at Dinwiddie.” Nadder added that Blake Smith at 126 pounds had a good opening match. He started really strong, got a lead, then pinned his Nottoway opponent 59 seconds into the second period. Nadder also said that Riley Hite at 145 pounds has been really looking good lately. He picked up a pin in 3:55. At 220 pounds, Ayden Doczi picked up a quick takedown and a twopoint near fall. In the second period, he got another takedown and secured a pin in 3:47.

“I think they were surprised how different of a team we were from three weeks ago,” Nadder said. “We have most everybody healthy and at the weight class they need to be and are trying to just stay focused until the postseason.” Cumberland had also beaten Goochland several weeks ago. Not this time. At 120 pounds, John Summit got his Bulldogs going with a gutsy 17-14 win by decision. He had fallen behind early in the match, but really hit his stride halfway through the second period, Nadder said. He built up a six-point lead, but was having a hard time holding onto it. “It came down to whoever got the last takedown,” Nadder said, “and I knew John would get it because he had already picked up three takedowns earlier in the match.” Grant Heidel, at 132 pounds, had a forfeit in the first match, so he was pumped to get on the mat against Cumberland. His opponent picked up a quick takedown, but Heidel got a reversal, put him on his back and pinned him

in 1:47 in the first period. Reese Vincent at 138 pounds got taken down and put to his back almost immediately, but picked up a quick reversal and put his opponent on his back for a 3-point near-fall. He pinned his opponent 57 seconds into the second period. At 170 pounds, Jon Daly went out strong and secured a pin in 1:11. At 182 pounds, Alex Thompson got a quick takedown and a 3-point near-fall and eventually got the pin 1:39 into the first period. At 195 pounds, Ethan Ford picked up a quick takedown, a three-point near-fall and then a two-point near-fall, then secured his pin 1:15 into the first. At 220 pounds, Connor Duncan, whom Nadder said has very little experience, came out strong against a much more experienced wrestler from Cumberland. He got a takedown and had him on his back for almost all of the first period. In the second, he got a 3-point near fall but made a mistake, then got reversed

and put on his back. He was still in control of the match but in the third period, he made a mistake and got put on his back; he was pinned with only 32 seconds remaining in the match. “I was real proud of how he performed and it made me wonder how good he would be if he had gotten started wrestling at an earlier age,” Nadder said of Duncan. “He just has a natural ability that you cannot teach and he’s extremely strong with good balance. He has probably only wrestled about five matches his whole life. “I was hoping to make a statement that night that Goochland was not going to be pushed around anymore,” Nadder added. “The kids were hungry and came out fighting.” The Bulldogs, Nadder said, are going to go after the bigger teams in the way that they have all year “and see where the chips fall.” “We know we have to wrestle our best to compete with them,” he said. “If they make the mistake of overlooking us, we may just surprise them.”

PREP SCHEDULES SCORES Varsity Sports Tuesday, Jan. 7 Boys Basketball Trinity Episcopal 71, Benedictine 46 Highlights: Henry Coleman (TES) 20 points, 12 rebounds, Brandon Jenkins (BENE) 17 points Wednesday, Jan. 8 Boys Basketball Goochland 60, Central Lunenburg 37 Highlights (GOOC): Quincy Snead 18 points, 9 assists, 9 steals, 7 rebounds, Jack Hoffler 12 points, J.B. Bell 10 points, 7 rebounds Girls Basketball Friday, Jan. 10 Boys Basketball Benedictine 78, St. John Paul the Great 74 (OT)

Highlights: (BENE) Brandon Jenkins 26 points, 6 assists, Lorenz Boykin 16 points, 6 rebounds, Wendall Tomlin 4 steals, 5 blocks Goochland 46, Bluestone 35 Highlights: (GOOC) Kam Holman 15 points, 5 steals, J.B. Bell 14 points, 10 rebounds, Quincy Snead 9 assists, 9 steals, 7 points

UPCOMING Varsity Sports Friday, Jan. 17 Boys Basketball 7 p.m. Cumberland at Goochland Benedictine vs. Springdale Prep at Cumberland, Md. Invitational Girls Basketball 7 p.m. Goochland at Cumberland

Saturday, Jan. 18 Swimming 5 p.m. Goochland vs. New Kent vs. Strasburg vs. Madison County vs. New Community vs. Blessed Sacrament Huguenot at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Boys Basketball 7 p.m. Benedictine vs. Bishop Walsh at Cumberland, Md. Invitational Wrestling 9 a.m. Benedictine in Commonwealth Catholic Classic at Sheppard St. location Monday, Jan. 20 Boys Basketball 7 p.m. Benedictine at Fuqua

Tuesday, Jan. 21 Girls Basketball 7 p.m. Randolph-Henry at Goochland Boys Basketball 6:30 p.m. Collegiate at Benedictine 7 p.m. Goochland at Randolph-Henry Swimming 7 p.m. Goochland vs. Hanover vs. Powhatan at Randolph-Macon College (Brock Center) Wednesday, Jan. 22 Boys Basketball 7 p.m. Randolph-Henry at Goochland Wrestling 6 p.m. Goochland vs. Freeman vs. Godwin at Mills Godwin High School

Thursday, Jan. 23 Wrestling Goochland in district tournament at Nottoway High School Friday, Jan. 24 Swimming 6:30 p.m. Colonial Heights vs. Goochland vs. Powhatan at Goochland YMCA Boys Basketball 7 p.m. Amelia County at Goochland Trinity Episcopal at Benedictine Girls Basketball 7 p.m. Goochland at Amelia County Saturday, Jan. 25 Boys Basketball 4:15 p.m. Goochland vs. Clover Hill at Monacan High School

Thursday

THURSDAY EVENING 4 PM 4:30 5 PM ESPN

(4)

C High Noon

NBCSW

(7)

E (3:00) The Daily Line (N)

8-ABC

(8)

( Dr. Phil (N) ’ Å

6-CBS

(9)

& CBS6 News at 4:00p (N)

35-FOX

(11) . The Steve Wilkos Show

Question

12-NBC

(12) , 12 News First at 4PM

65-CW

(13) 4 Hot Bench

Hot Bench

6 PM