INSIDE For many, silver screen’s flicker still sparks sense of joy > page 6
Volume 66 Number 31 • August 12, 2021
Supervisors pick Alvarez to be interim administrator By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Those attending upcoming Goochland Board of Supervisors’ meetings will likely notice a familiar face on the dais. Last week, the board voted unanimously to appoint former District 2 supervisor Manuel “Manny” Alvarez, Jr. as Goochland’s Interim County Administrator. Alvarez, who served in executive leadership ALVAREZ
BIRD Word IS THE
Local family finds niche offering all things avian
Photo by Roslyn Ryan
Goochland resident Mark Ackerman, right, pictured here with his son Jay, has owned YardBirds, a Henrico-based store for bird enthusiasts, for over 20 years.
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No new home yet for historic church By Roslyn Ryan Editor
By Roslyn Ryan Editor
A native of Long Island, New York, Ackerman began his career in the commercial printing business, meaning he was often on call around the clock, reckoning with a never-ending barrage of problems under tight deadlines. The money was good but the stress could be punishing, Ackerman says, so to unwind after work he would often head to his backyard with a cocktail and watch the birds. It was a nice way to relax, he remembers, but he wouldn’t exactly have called him-
Already once before, Springfield Baptist Church has been rescued due to the heroic efforts of history lovers. Now, with Field Day of the Past’s recent move to Amelia, it is facing uncertainty once again. Back in 2007, the now nearly 140-year-old structure was slated for demolition until members of the Henrico County Historical Society made contact with the Field Day of the Past organization and arranged to have it moved to that group’s property in Rockville.
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Chances are, if there is a traditional path to owning a bird-themed retail store, it doesn’t look quite like the one Manakin resident Mark Ackerman took.