The Goochland Gazette – 03/04/2021 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Saint Gertrude basketball team wins State Championship > page 8

Volume 66 Number 9 • March 4, 2021

State launches new ‘one-stop’ website to aid vaccine rollout By Roslyn Ryan Editor

While the COVID-19 vaccine rollout has seen record-breaking numbers of residents vaccinated in some areas of the Commonwealth, including in Goochland, the process has proved frustrating for some who say they remain confused about who is eligible to receive the vaccine and how to make an appointment to do so. Fortunately, the Virginia Department of Health has now launched a centralized website and call center that allow Virginians to easily pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine. This “one-stop-shop” website allows individuals to easily preregister online, check that they are pre-registered, and access additional information on Virginia’s vaccination roll-out. To access the centralized website, visit https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/, see Vaccine > 3

Grand jury rules officers were justified in shooting death of Charlottesville man

“ I saw it. I saw it clear as day.” —Virginia State Trooper S. Layton, moments after shooting Xzavier Hill, referring to the gun he and another trooper say Hill pointed at them on the morning of Jan. 9 after a brief high-speed pursuit

By Roslyn Ryan Editor

For 46 days, LaToya Benton demanded that the police dashcam video showing the last 12 minutes of her son’s life be released to the public. And finally, on Feb. 26, it was. According to a release issued by Goochland Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Caudill, the footage was made public at the conclusion of a multijurisdictional Grand Jury investigation, an inquest that ultimately determined that the two Virginia State Troopers who fatally shot Charlottesville resident Xzavier Hill, 18, in the early morning hours of Jan. 9 HILL after a brief chase on Interstate 64, had been justified in using lethal force. see Hill > 4

Survey will highlight local farmers’ often unseen efforts Contributed report

Farm operators in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed region will soon have a chance to highlight their contributions to conserving soil and improving water quality. A new survey will attempt to gather information about what farmers are doing voluntarily to help the environment, measures that may not always be immediately apparent to state regulatory agencies. “This is incredibly important information that can help Virginia achieve its water quality goals for the Watershed Implementation Plan for the Chesapeake Bay,” said Ed Jones, Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension. The survey was craftsee Survey > 3

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As always, the safety of our staff and patients is our top priority. Several measures have been put in place to ensure a safe and healthy office environment. We cannot express how elated we are to see all of your smiles again! Oral health is an essential factor to your overall health. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your appointment, please do not hesitate to call us.

We are ALWAYS here for you!! We look forward to meeting your dental health needs. 7516 Right Flank Rd., 2979 River Road W. Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Goochland, VA 23063 (804)-746-1300 (804) 556-2530 elroddunhamdentistry.net

Since 1955

Sheriff’s Office now accepting applications for VSI scholarship Contributed report

The Goochland County Sheriff’s Office has announced that online applications for the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute (VSI) Scholarship are now available for the 2021-2022 school year. The scholarship is available for students who are pursuing an education in law enforcement or criminal justice and are permanent residents in a Virginia county or city in which the Sheriff is a member of the VSI. With Goochland County Sheriff Steven N. Creasey being a member of VSI, students residing within Goochland are eligible. Students 18 or

older must be registered to vote in Virginia and provide a copy of their voter registration card. Those under the age of 18 must provide a copy of a government issued picture ID with their home address, providing proof of residency. The program is limited to students attending Virginia colleges and universities. There will be two awards, one for full-time students and one for part-time students. To access the application, visit https://webportalapp. com/appform/login/2021virg iniasheriffinstitute. There is a strict application deadline of May 1, 2021.

Students must have submitted all information and the application by this date to be considered for the scholarship. Some additional requirements include: The student must receive a letter of recommendation from the current sheriff of the city or county of residence. Must be a criminal justice major. Pre-law or law does not qualify. Must be attending a Virginia college or university during the 2021-2022 school year. For a full list of requirements and checklist, visit https://vasheriffsinstitute.org/ scholarship/.

Goochland School Board seeking applicants for vacant District 2 seat Contributed report

Elrod & Dunham Dentistry wants to say THANK YOU for your continued support and confidence in us as your dental healthcare provider during the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Goochland County School Board is currently seeking qualified voters of Election District 2 who may be interested in filling the vacancy left after the death of school board member William Quarles, Jr. on Feb. 3, 2021 The appointed individual will serve from the date he or she is sworn into office until the voters of District 2 elect a qualified person in the special election of the November

2, 2021 General Election. Following this election, the term of office for the current District 2 vacancy will end December 31, 2023. Applicants must complete an application and submit a Statement of Interest (not to exceed 300 words) and resume to Diane Bennett, Board Clerk, Goochland County School Board, 2938 River Road West, Building I, P.O. Box 169, Goochland, VA 23063-0169. The materials

must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, March 8, 2021. The School Board will hold a public hearing on March 8, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. at the Goochland Administration Building, Room 250, 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, VA 23063, to receive interested candidate statements and citizen comments regarding the appointment. Candidates must speak in person.

Manakin Sabot; Dale E. Austin to Ronald J. Tamagni, $525,000. 2461 Fairground Round, Maidens; Parker A. Bryant to Mae Hannah Debruin, $340,000. 1748 Fisher Pond Drive, Maidens; Steve Thompson

Goochland football pounds Amelia, 50-0 PAGE 9 Classifieds ........................... 14 Letters .................................... 6 Obituaries .............................. 4 Opinion .................................. 6 Sports .................................8-9 TV Listings ......................10-13

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) 344-8746 Roslyn Ryan Editor (804) 339-7956

Recent Property Transfers 7462 Brandiston St., Glen Allen; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to James L. White Jr., $539,998. 7470 Brandiston St., Glen Allen; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to William C. Morgan, $498,429. 1514 Camberley Drive,

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Builder LLC to Hayden Hill, $820,000. 4957 Hill Road, Kents Store; William Richardson to Richard M. Dees, $267,700. 3409 Lowry Road, Columbia; Steven R. Paquette see Property > 3

Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor (540) 728-0549 Cindy Adams Classifieds (804) 775-4616 Fax: (804) 344-8746

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Serving Goochland County

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Since 1955

“While farmers often receive cost-share support to implement certain conservation practices, they also invest their own time and money ... voluntarily.” Clyde Cristman, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Survey continued from >1 ed over many months by members of Virginia’s Voluntary Agricultural Best Management Practices Task Force. Task force members worked closely together and include representatives from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Agribusiness Council, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Agriculture

Vaccine continued from >1 where those seeking to be vaccinated can sign up for the free COVID-19 vaccine and check pre-registration status. To talk to someone in-person or to receive assistance in signing up for a free COVID-19 vaccine, call (877) VAX-IN-VA or (877) 829-4682. All individuals who have previously filled out a survey or form or signed up for a waitlist to be vaccinated through their local health district are being automatically imported into the new statewide system. Individuals will maintain their current status in the queue and are able to search that they are in the new system. Currently Goochland residents have four options to easily pre-register for the free COVID-19 vaccine: Vaccinate Virginia Website – Pre-Registration Tool | https://vaccinate.virginia. gov/: Individuals can complete

and Consumer Services, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Farm Bureau, and Virginia Tech Office of Analytics and Institutional Effectiveness, among other partners. Virginia Cooperative Extension/Virginia Tech serves as the survey administrator. During development of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP), farmers noted that many of the conservation practices that they have voluntarily implemented over the years are not accounted for in tracking the progress made toward meeting priority

water quality goals, including improvements in Chesapeake Bay water quality. Responding to those concerns, the final WIP called for development of this survey. “Virginia agriculture has done much to improve water quality in our local rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay," said Martha Moore, Vice President of Governmental Relations at Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “We have always said that farmers are utilizing more conservation practices than what is reported into the Chesapeake Bay model. This survey will help prove this fact and why it is so important for farmers to fill

out this survey.” "While farmers often receive cost-share support to implement certain conservation practices, they also invest their own time and money to establish conservation practices voluntarily," said Clyde Cristman, Director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. "This survey will enable farmers in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed to share conservation practices that they have voluntarily established or continued to maintain after the cost-share has expired.” “I am proud of the work Virginia farmers have performed to conserve soil and

the new Statewide Vaccine Pre-Registration tool by visiting https://vaccinate.virginia. gov/. If you previously filled out a survey or form or signed up for a waitlist to be vaccinated through the local health district then you do not need to register again. Vaccinate Virginia Call Center - (877) VAX-IN-VA / (877) 829-4682: Individuals who would like to talk to someone in-person or needs assistance in signing up for a FREE COVID-19 vaccine can contact the Vaccinate Virginia Call Center at (877) VAX-IN-VA or (877) 829-4682. The call center is open from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. seven days a week. Chickahominy Health District Hotline -(804) 3653240: Individuals who have questions or needs assistance in signing up for a free COVID-19 vaccine can contact the Chickahominy Health District’s COVID-19 call center to sign-up by phone at (804) 365-3240 Monday through Friday. Chickahominy Health

District’s COVID-19 call center is staffed by Hanover County employees, Goochland County employees, Health District employees, and volunteers. Goochland County 65+ Hotline - (804) 556-5828: Goochland County has a dedicated hotline mailbox to help residents age 65 and older and those who are unable to complete the Vaccinate Virginia pre-registration tool due to lack of technology access. Goochland’s hotline can be reached at (804) 5565828, and residents will need to leave a message for a volunteer to call them back.

The following are the priority groups that the Chickahominy Health District is currently vaccinating in partnership with local and regional partners. To learn about the COVID-19 priority groups (Phase 1a, Phase 1b, and Phase 1c) please visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/ covid-19-vaccine/. Priority Group 1a: Healthcare Personnel Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities Priority Group 1b: Frontline Essential Workers (Police/Fire/Hazmat, Corrections and Homeless shelter workers, and childcare/ PreK-12 teachers/staff) People Age 75+ People Age 65+ with an underlying medical condition Have questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine? Check out the Virginia Department of Health’s FAQs at https://www. vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-faq/ vaccination/ or contact the Chickahominy Health District at chdvaccine@vdh.virginia.gov or call (804) 365-3240.

*** Based on limited supply of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Chickahominy Health District is vaccinating Priority Group 1a and has begun to vaccinate some of Priority Group 1b including people age 75 and above and people age 65 and above with an underlying medical condition.

improve water quality," said Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Jewel Bronaugh. "In addition to acknowledging their work, this survey will help identify areas of improvement and best practices." The survey will respect participant confidentiality. For more information about the survey, frequently asked questions, or to access the survey link online, please visit https://vaswcd.org/virginiafarm-voluntary-agriculturalbmp-inventory. Participants are asked to submit their responses by March 12, 2021.

Property continued from >2 to John Roberts, $475,000. 12281 North Crossing Drive, Manakin Sabot; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to Danni Tang, $469,458. 7451 Park Village Blvd., Glen Allen; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to Asghar M. Valad, $578,989. 2823 Preston Park Way, Sandy Hook; Chesterfield Construction Services Inc. to Matthew G. Goodloe, $369,560. 2618 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland; Laura Hayward to Jonathan E.H. Wheeler, $340,000. 2136 Withers Lane, Maidens; Christopher Matthew Toney to Gary Dean Schulz, trustee, $730,000.

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Obituary DENICE W. BROOKING Mrs. Denice W. Brooking, of Goochland, Va., passed away at home on February 14, 2021 at the age of 59. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Wood; and her mother, Janice Ware Wood. Denice is survived by her loving husband of 39 years, Jim Brooking; her sons, Quentin and BROOKING Trey (Katie); her daughter, Amber Scruggs (Darin); her sister, Diane Smoot (Steve); and her granddaughters, Madison Nuckolls and Elise Brooking. Denice always had a special love of animals, especially her childhood horse, Clipper, and her dogs, Max and Roxie. Denice loved photography and cooking for her family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Goochland Cares in Denice’s memory. The mission of Goochland Cares was important to Denice and she was an advocate for their work in the community. Donations can be made at: app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/GoochlandFreeClinic/ DonateNow-2-2.html.

Hill continued from >1 “On Jan. 9, 2021 Xzavier Deyonte Hill initiated and continued to engage in an escalating course of dangerous conduct resulting in a violent confrontation with law enforcement,” the multijurisdictional grand jury, which serves the counties of Goochland, Powhatan, Louisa, Amelia and Prince Edward, concluded in its report. “Mr. Hill’s failure to comply with the commands of the troopers and then introduce a firearm into a rapidly evolving event provided a reasonable basis for the officers to believe they were in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.” “In reviewing all of the evidence in its totality this body unanimously determines that the actions of Trooper Bone and Trooper Layton were reasonable, justified, and supported by the facts and circumstances as they were known to the troopers at the time,” the grand jurors added. “Accordingly, we unanimously find there is no probable cause to believe the troopers committed any criminal offense in the shooting of Xzavier Deyonte Hill.”

The dashcam footage, along with photographs and documents relating to the investigation, offers a harrowing, unblinking view of the moments leading up to Hill’s death: the pursuit, the initial contact between Hill and the two troopers, the frantic commands by the officers for Hill to show his hands, the fatal shots, and finally the aftermath, as Hill’s body is pulled from his vehicle and onto the grassy median where he was ultimately pronounced dead. The camera continues rolling as the officers try to steady themselves. In the frigid, predawn darkness, they wait for help to arrive. The release of the dashcam footage comes after weeks of protests in Goochland, Charlottesville and as far away as New York City, as Hill’s family and demonstrators identifying as members of the Black Lives Matter organization demanded that the officers be held accountable for Hill’s death. During the most recent march in Goochland, on Feb. 27, a small band of protestors blocked streets for over an hour as they walked from the Courthouse to the Food Lion shopping center. Video of the event posted to various social media sites showed some

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members of the group chanting obscenity-laced directives at local law enforcement, and at least one demonstrator threatening motorists who attempted to drive around the group. Now, with the decision not to charge the troopers who killed her son, Benton is vowing that she will continue to fight for justice for Xzavier.

The Grand Jury’s findings released The report released last Friday offers more than just an impartial, unblinking account of how Xzavier Hill’s life ended. It also paints a picture of how quickly an event can escalate from a traffic stop to a tragedy, in this case one that left a young man dead and two troopers’ lives almost certainly changed forever. The incident that led to Hill’s death began about 4:35 a.m. in Henrico County near Short Pump. Hill, while driving his Mercedes, was clocked with radar traveling 96 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone with only one headlight displayed on his vehicle. The two troopers began to follow Hill’s car without yet activating their emergency lights and sirens to pull over his vehicle. Hill continued to drive at speeds of 93 to 97 mph

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while repeatedly swerving into an adjacent lane, according to the report’s findings of fact. After the troopers activated their emergency lights and sirens to initiate the traffic stop, Hill turned off the headlights and taillights of his Mercedes and accelerated to 120 mph. Hill then slowed and pulled his car to the right shoulder to comply with the troopers’ signal to stop. But instead of stopping, Hill attempted make a U-turn in an effort to drive eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-64. He was unsuccessful in making the U-turn and drove onto the median, where his vehicle slid sideways down a slight embankment facing east, the report says. Trooper Layton positioned his cruiser almost perpendicular to Hill’s vehicle, and both troopers approached Hill’s car with their weapons drawn, directing Hill to comply with their demands. As the troopers approached, Hill attempted to extricate his car from the median by repeatedly accelerating, causing the rear wheels to spin. According to the grand jury’s report, Trooper Bone then gave Hill a series of commands before shots were fired, saying, “Show me your hands, do it now! Put your hands up! Put your hands out the door! Stop reaching! Gun!” Layton gave similar commands and said, “Get out of the car now! Put your hands up! Let me see your hands! Put your hands out the door! Stop moving! Put your hands out the window! Hey, he’s reaching, reaching, reaching! He’s got a gun! Gun! Gun! Gun!”

Since 1955

At that point, Hill placed his left hand out of the driver’s side window for about three seconds before pulling his arm back into his vehicle. “At no time did Mr. Hill display his right hand outside of the vehicle or within the vehicle in a nonthreatening manner,” according to the report’s finding of facts. After Hill pulled his left arm back into his vehicle, Layton observed Hill reaching into the vehicle’s passenger compartment and announced Hill’s movements to Bone. Bone then shouted, “Stop reaching! Gun!” but Hill refused to comply. Layton shouted, “He’s got a gun! Gun! Gun! Gun!” The troopers then fired. Hill was struck by one bullet that entered his left hand, a second bullet that entered the left side of his face, and a third that entered the base of his neck. After the troopers fired the shots, Bone shouted, “He’s got a gun in his hands.” Bone then said to Layton, “It was in his right hand.” Layton replied, “Yeah, I saw it. I saw it clear as day.”

Many questions left unanswered According to those who knew him, Xzavier Hill was a former high school athlete, a lifeguard, and a devoted son. Benton described herself in a recent press conference as “helicopter mom,” and said her son spent much of his spare time helping her run the family’s cleaning company. see Grand Jury > 5

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After 80 years, burn law remains a powerful tool in fight against wildfires Contributed report

Virginia’s 4 p.m. burn law, adopted during the 1940s to help reduce the number of spring wildfires in the state, is currently in effect. To help residents who may not be familiar with the burn law, the Virginia Department of Forestry has provided the following answers to the most commonly asked questions about the policy.

What is the 4 p.m. Law? The 4 p.m. Law is a ban (or restriction) on open air burning before 4 o’clock in the afternoon if your fire is within 300 feet of the woods or dry grass which can carry the fire to the woods. You are allowed to burn between 4 p.m and midnight as long as you take proper care and precaution and attend your fire at all times.

When is the law in effect? The law goes into effect on Feb. 15 each year and runs through April 30. The 4 p.m. Law was adopted during the 1940’s to reduce the number of wildfires which occurred each spring. During this time of the year, Virginia traditionally has an increased number of fires.

Grand Jury continued from >4 Photos posted to social media in the wake of Hill’s death show a young man with a shy smile who liked to mug for the camera and hang out with his friends. To many, the image of Hill painted by reports from the morning of his death — a reckless man attempting to evade police and then pulling a gun on officers as they approached his vehicle — simply does not match the person they knew. Troubling questions, however, remain unanswered following his death. Among the items found in Hill’s car on the morning he was killed, according to

During the winter months, winds are usually elevated, the relative humidity is lower and the fuels on the forest floor are extremely dry, having “cured” without having the tree leaves to shade them.

Serving Goochland County Since 1955

H G U O , N E RE! A BIG SERVTE C O TO GH

OU N E LL SMA

Can I have a campfire if I put rocks around it? No. Campfires are considered an open air fire. A recreational fire such as a campfire may be approved if it meets all the following. The fire is completely contained within a ring of rocks, cinderblocks, metal ring or similar device and also covered by a ¼” or smaller metal screen. A fire built in a pit with a similar metal screen may also be approved. In all cases the fire must be attended at all times and an extra precaution should be taken by clearing a 20 foot area around the “fire” from all flammable material. Ready access to water, rake and shovel should also be provided for. Fires built in commercially available chiminea’s or fire pits are not considered to be open air fires and therefore legal if they are complete and in

documents released last week, were two counterfeit $100 dollar bills, an air pistol and the Smith & Wesson SD 40 that had been reported stolen. According to a police interview with the owner of the gun found in Hill’s car, Hill took the gun after the man gave Hill and a young woman a ride to the store near the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Jan. 8. A friend of Hill’s interviewed by police said that he told her he needed the gun for protection, because someone in Charlottesville “was trying to set him up to get hurt, or killed, over money.” A photo recovered from his phone, showing him holding what appeared to be the stolen weapon in his right hand,

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see Burn law > 12 has been offered as evidence by authorities that the lefthanded Hill would have been able to use the firearm with his right hand, a fact that had been disputed by his family. Despite the findings of the grand jury, LaToya Benton has indicted that she does not intend to stop seeking accountability from the Virginia State Police for the death of her son. On Monday she posted a message on Facebook confirming that she will continue to have her son’s photo on billboards throughout the area. “Did you really think,” she wrote, “that i was going to let them disregard Xzavier’s life without a fight?” —The Richmond TimesDispatch’s Mark Bowes contributed to this report

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

March 4, 2021

Since 1955

Urgent call for justice need not require abuse As we now know, the life that Xzavier Hill might have led will forever remain a mystery: Any hope for his future was snuffed out on Jan. 9, after he was shot by two Virginia State Police officers after a brief high speed pursuit followed by Hill allegedly displaying a firearm. Perhaps one of the most unexpectedly heartbreaking things I saw last week was Xzavier Hill’s autopsy report, released to the public alongside the dozens of other documents and photographs as part of a grand jury’s final report. The majority of the autopsy report’s clinical, matter-of-fact description of Hill’s body—a body that had been healthy and strong— serves mostly to underscore what a terrible, senseless waste his death was. This was a young, vital human being with such potential. He had a good family. He had been loved and

By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Judging by the hundreds of photos of Xzavier Hill shared by his mother in recent weeks, the young man was almost always smiling. He looked a bit more serious in the team photos from his years playing high school football, but the smile returned as he posed poolside with coworkers at his summer lifeguarding job. If things had gone the way they were supposed to, Xzavier Hill would now be joining millions of other recent high school graduates in taking their first tentative steps into adulthood, figuring out what he wanted to do and how he would leave his mark on the world. He was funny, and talented, and devoted to his family—surely there were big things ahead.

cared for. Most of us would never dream of telling a mother, or a community, how to mourn a son. But while there are plenty of Goochland residents, this writer included, who fully support the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement, the handful of demonstrators who descended on Goochland last Wednesday — blocking streets and hurling epithets and threats of violence at passing motorists-- was a particularly sad development. A Facebook Live video posted by one of the demonstrators shows a group seemingly more concerned with making noise than making progress. The group’s chants pingpong back and forth between demands to release the dashcam footage and an unprintable directive aimed at local law enforcement officers.

Perhaps some could look at the footage and conclude that this was what the revered late Civil Rights pioneer John Lewis referred to as “good trouble,” but many would surely find it impossible to reconcile the two. The loss of a young man just as he was beginning his life leaves a gaping void, and Xzavier Hill’s life most certainly did matter. But the tactics deployed last week in Goochland were abusive, unconstructive and completely counter to the example set by generations of passionate and committed social justice activists, including many of those involved with the Black Lives Matter movement. We can do better than this. Xzavier Hill’s memory deserves better than this. And this kind of hateful behavior should have no home in Goochland.

Letter to the Editor For sake of our future, leaders should adopt County Manager model Dear Editor, Goochland is entering the era of extremely rapid growth. Just look around you. About 25 years ago the then sitting Board of Supervisors convened a group of citizens to take stock of the county and to make recommendations as to what steps

the county government should take to prepare the county for the 21st century. Their report, entitled, Commission for the Future, made many excellent recommendations: one of their critical recommendations was not acted upon. The panel unanimously recommended that Goochland convert its existing form of Government from that of a County Administrator format to that of a County Manager

Editorial & Business Office and Mailing Address: 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Phone – (804) 746-1235 Toll free – (877) 888-0449 Fax – (804) 344-8746 Online: www.goochlandgazette.com

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format, as Henrico County had voted for change in about 1935. Henrico County has a County Manager form of government and that allows them to be one of the best managed Counties in Virginia. You have only to look around us and compare Henrico to the other major counties to see what form of government works best. We have been blessed, For the past eight years with ·an excellent Board of Supervisors, but

that may not be true in the future. As Goochland reaches epic growth, the quality of good management is of critical importance. To convert to the County Manager form, the supervisors must first vote for this change and then put the question on a ballot so that the citizens can then approve. The process is not that difficult. I had the honor of serving on the Board of

see Letter > 12

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: 344-8746 E-mail: editor@goochlandgazette.com © 2021 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.

For brief moment, pen helps bridge gap By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist

Nobody uses a pen anymore. OK, that’s a bit extreme, but, for sure, no one cares about what kind of pen they grab to write down someone’s email address. My girls will write with anything that resembles a pen or pencil and could care less of the color or comfort of their utensil. But my son Jack searches through a tumbler of choices each time he prepares to do his homework. He always ends up with the same black ballpoint. “This pen makes a funny noise when it clicks,” he said as he recently worked on an pre-calculus worksheet. “That’s because it’s a ballpoint pen,” I replied without looking up. We often encounter difficulty with some of my what my kids consider outdated terminology, and it’s not unusual for my choice of words to evoke a round of belly laughs from them. It’s totally generational and not unique to the latest bunch of skeptics. I have memories of my mother calling our refrigerator the “ice box” and my sister and I taking great pleasure at her lack of modern language. After a few minutes of silence, I re-approached the topic of pen choices. “That pen has a history,” I said. He gave me that look that screams, “Oh, no, another story from remember when”, and I obliged. I explained that a devoted uncle had given me my first T-ball jotter when I was in middle school. Although it didn’t mean much at the time, the pen remained in a see Pen > page 12

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Saint Gertrude wins state championship By Lily Betts Richmond Times-Dispatch

GOOCHLAND -- Saint Gertrude earned its first state championship since 1975 with a 56-36 victory over Catholic in the VISAA Division I invitational Friday. The banner will join those from its brother school already hanging in the Benedictine School’s McMurtrie-Reynolds Pavilion, which opened its doors for the first time Dec. 8 when the Gators (15-3) faced Central Virginia Homeschool. Between transitioning to a new campus and the COVID19 pandemic, coach Robyn D’Onofrio commended the amount of support that went into making her team’s championship a reality. “Our families, administrators and supporters at school have been unimaginable in the amount of work they put in to make this season happen for us,” D’Onofrio said. Saint Gertrude established itself early over the visitors from Virginia Beach. Although the Gators have a talented guard in Nan Kerner who kept the ball in her hands under concentrated pressure from the Crusaders (12-4), a team-wide ability to pass, shoot and spread out their opponents gave them a 13-6 lead after one quarter. They were able to build on a 12-0 run from the end of the first quarter through late in the second, sending the home team into halftime with a 30-12 advantage. The only field goal for Catholic in the second quarter came from a deep buzzerbeater from Taylor Ethridge. Ethridge made a couple more 3s, but the Gators responded.

Photos by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Saint Gertrude’s girls basketball team on Friday won the VISAA Division I invitational state final over Catholic, 56-36, to become state champions.

Junior forward Cherese Lampkins, a usual starter for Saint Gertrude, flew off the bench to score 9 of her 11 total points in the third quarter. “She came out with this fire that really pulled the team together. Seeing her put up those shots was so uplighting for everybody,” D’Onofrio said. Cate Carlson had a 9-point quarter of her own for Catholic in the fourth after being shut down for most of the game, but by then, the team had found itself in foul trouble. The clock died out in Gators hands for their 56-36 win. Carlson led the Crusaders with 15 points. Ethridge had 11. Along with Lampkins, the Gators had sophomore Erin Woodson (14) and 6-foot-4 junior Kate Samson (10) score in double figures, and both had strong defensive games as well. “Obviously [scoring] is

From left: Members of Saint Gertrude’s girls basketball team celebrate their VISAA Division I invitational state championship triumph over Catholic on Friday; Saint Gertrude sophomore Erin Woodson nets the first 2 points of Friday’s state final.

really important, but what’s also important is the things that those kids in the scorebook do outside of that,” D’Onofrio said. “There are kids who never make the scorebook, but without them, we could do nothing. … The 10 girls who are on this team

have made us what we are.” Kerner, Kayla Ford, Katie Pilot and Kaitlin Puccinelli chipped in 8, 7, 4 and 2 points, respectively, for the Gators. Saint Gertrude’s first 11 points in the contest were scored by five different players. The win ended the careers

of the three Saint Gertrude senior captains — Kerner, Pilot and Puccinelli — on a high note. From middle-school rivals to best friends on the team, the three described Friday’s win as an amazing way to cap their time with the Gators’

program. “We’re just so grateful,” Pilot said. “We’ve said since the beginning that we’re just so fortunate to be here, but it got to the point where we wanted to capitalize on it, and doing that, especially as a senior, was really cool.”

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Goochland football trounces Amelia 50-0 By Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor

For the Goochland Bulldogs, atmosphere was a question mark going into Friday’s season opener. It was the varsity football team’s first game of any kind since December 2019. The unit was on the road at a neutral site with limited fans in attendance. Rain, sleet and snow fell across Fluvanna County High School’s turf field at different points of the evening. There was no pre-game music. And then Kameron Holman set the tone. The dual-sport leader in both football and basketball fielded Amelia County’s game-opening kickoff – his team’s first play in more than 14 months – and ran it back 60 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Holman’s fiery return paved the way for his Bulldogs’ 50-0 rout of the Raiders on a cold, wet Friday night. “Our kids played with great energy literally from the opening kickoff until the end of the game,” said Goochland head football coach Alex Fruth, who added: “It was good to walk out of there with a W. It was good to walk out of there knowing we did some really good things here and there. But the thing I was probably the most excited

about was: It was awesome to see us compete with a really high level of energy.” Holman, who recently earned Second Team All-Region honors on the Class 3, Region B boys basketball team, scored three different ways on Friday. In addition to his gameopening return, the Goochland senior caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback C.J. Towles for a 23-0 lead in the second quarter, and he carried the ball 55 yards to the house for a rushing TD in the third. “The good thing with Kam is we’re moving him around. He lined up at a true wide receiver spot. He lined up in the slot. He lined up as a wingback. He lined up as a fullback,” Fruth said. “We moved him around and he’s going to be a kid that – we’re obviously going to focus on trying to get the ball to him, and we also know other people are going to eventually focus on him. “The more we move him around, the more people have to worry about: where is No. 2?” Including Holman’s kick return, the Bulldogs’ special teams accounted for 26 points total and three touchdowns. Goochland’s second trip to the end zone was initiated by senior Will Stratton blocking a punt, meaning he now has eight blocked kicks in two

seasons. Haiden Mccourt picked up the punt and returned it for a touchdown. The Bulldogs’ last scoring drive of the game came on their own kickoff in the third quarter. After Jason Woodson ran in a 6-yard TD, sophomore Tyler Black kicked the ball deep; the returning players booted the ball around, and, when Eyan Pace got down there, the ball was waiting for him in the back of the end zone. Black, who won this year’s Class 3, Region B indoor track and field championship in the boys pole vault, had five PAT kicks and nailed a 33-yard field goal in the adverse weather elements during the second quarter. “He’s a year older, so he’s more mature. He’s a strong, physical athlete,” Fruth said of his returning sophomore kicker, who, his head coach pointed out, also “had a heck of a tackle on kickoff in the game.” “I actually didn’t realize it was Tyler; it was that big of a hit,” Fruth said, adding that Black will be a great weapon for the Bulldogs on special teams. “We’re going to trod him out there whenever we feel like the weather is good and it’s within his range,” Fruth said, “and his range is only going to grow.” Fruth felt that the young offensive

File photo by Jim Ridolphi/Goochland Gazette

Senior Kameron Holman scored three touchdowns, including one on the game-opening kickoff, in Goochland’s 50-0 win over Amelia.

line overall did a pretty good job in its first game of the season, and quarterback Towles had a big night passing the ball considering the elements. He threw for two touchdowns – one to Holman, another to senior Conner Popielarz – and he totaled 77 yards while completing six of nine passes. One of those non-completions was a dropped touchdown pass. “He was a heartbeat away from pretty much having a really perfect night of throwing the ball,” Fruth said of Towles. “He made good decisions.”

Goochland’s defensive line and linebackers, Fruth added, were everywhere. According to the statline, the Bulldogs held the Raiders to a net gain of 13 yards: 33 yards passing, and a negative 20 yards rushing. “The ball was snapped, and we were in the backfield,” he said. “They were fun to watch.” Goochland’s defense also caught two interceptions, courtesy of Kayshawn Smith and Dylan Myers. In addition to his blocked punt, Stratton had two tackles for loss. Isaiah Walker had a sack. Seventeen different Bulldogs were in on tackles in Friday night’s opener. While precipitation remained a factor throughout the game, Fruth said that “the weather was perfect for us.” “The way we kind of looked at it was...we just want to play ball,” Fruth said. “It could’ve snowed...it did snow. It rained. It sleeted. We had the whole gamut before it was all said and done, and I don’t feel like that was ever the focus of our kids on the sideline. I don’t feel like we got distracted by the fact that we were cold – the kids were cold – but the reality was: we were excited to be there.” Goochland (1-0) continues its 2020-21 season with a 6:30 p.m. game at Albemarle this coming Friday.

Goochland’s swimmers compete in Class 3 state meet Staff Reports

File photo by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Goochland swimmer Abby Pillion, seen competing in the Bulldogs’ Senior Night swim meet on Jan. 30, joined teammates Bayleigh Allen, Anneliese Rogerson and Madalynn Thompson in competing in Thursday’s Class 3 state swim meet held in Christiansburg.

Goochland High School junior Anneliese Rogerson, competing in her third consecutive state swim meet, came away with two top-12 finishes and joined Goochland teammates Bayleigh Allen, Abby Pillion and Madalynn Thompson in representing the Bulldogs in Thursday’s Class 3 state swim and dive championships at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. Rogerson earned 10th in the girls 200-yard individual medley in 2:18.61 and 12th in

the 100 breaststroke in 1:13.09. Due to late changes brought about by injury and unforeseen circumstances, Goochland’s girls 200 medley relay team featured two state alternates and included Allen (backstroke), Rogerson (breaststroke), Pillion (butterfly) and Thompson (freestyle). A false start in the relay led to the disqualification of the team’s time in the event. But the young team, featuring juniors and younger, will all have the chance to bounce back. The Richmond-area fea-

tured one state champion in the Class 3 meet as Colonial Heights sophomore Riley Bridgman won her second state championship in the girls 100 breaststroke (1:03.47). Bridgman also took third in the girls 200 IM in 2:06.64. Monticello won the Class 3 girls state team swimming championship and Western Albemarle won the boys state swimming title. Swimmers from Western, Monticello and Loudoun County’s Independence High School combined to win 13 of the 22 swimming events.

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