The Goochland Gazette – 09/09/2021 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE For local gardeners, fall season a fine time to plant new crops > page 5

Volume 66 Number 35 • Sept. 9, 2021

Casey tapped as county Christmas Mother for 2021

$106K

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Annual income a family needs in order to afford the median home for sale on the market in Goochland

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9% Percentage of people employed in the county who also live here. The majority of employees commute

According to study released by Housing GVA, affording housing in Goochland remains out of reach for many By Roslyn Ryan Editor

f all the things that come to mind when discussing what it’s like to live in Goochland County — safety, tranquility, good schools, rural charm — there is at least one word that doesn’t seem to get mentioned quite as often: affordability. To be certain, there are plenty of Goochland residents for whom homeownership does not impose an undue burden. But to the those who are considered cost burdened when it comes to owning or renting a home in Goochland — meaning that they spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs — affording to

live here can prove far more challenging. According to a study recently conducted by the research group HDAdvisors, the median home price in Goochland County in 2020 was $421,795, the highest in the Richmond region and higher than a number of Northern Virginia counties such as Albemarle and Prince William. And while more affordable options can be found in the western portion of the county, current housing trends in Goochland have done little to help alleviate the housing challenges facing many current residents as well as those hoping to live here in the future. The HDAdvisors study was undertaken at the bequest of the Housing GVA Steering see Housing > 4

1 in 3 Number of seniors living alone who are considered cost burdened, meaning they spend at least 30 percent of their income on housing

38% Percentage of black households in Goochland County considered to be cost burdened Source: 2021 study by HDAdvisors

Contributed report

The Goochland Christmas Mother Association has announced that Ann O. Casey has been selected to serve as Christmas Mother for the 2021 campaign. A long time Goochland resident and volunteer, Casey is committed to serving her community. “I am honored to be asked to serve as Christmas Mother this year,” Casey shared. “I have volunteered with this organization for many years and it is such is such a worthy cause. And of course, I love to think of the smiles we put on children’s CASEY faces!” Casey’s joy in helping children smile stems from a lifelong dedication teaching. Of first see Casey > page 4

Looking for a new job? Goochland is now hiring Contributed report

Looking for a new adventure? A new career opportunity? Goochland County will be holding a job fair on Saturday, September 18th to recruit for multiple full and part time positions. The job fair will occur from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sept. 18 at the Goochland County Administration Building located at 1800 Sandy Hook Road, in Goochland. Individuals are encouraged to bring a resume and will have the opportunity to meet with County Department staff. In addition, on-site interviews will be available for select positions. Goochland County is currently hiring for a varisee Job fair > 13

Thursday

September 9, 2021

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

Richmond; HHHunt Homes LC to Harvey Allan Gutkin, $443,245. 7449 Park Village Blvd., Glen Allen; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to Dennis W. Kellison, $626,116. 1573 Rock Castle Road, Goochland; New Ventures Real Estate LLC to Andrew W. Dugal, $410,000. 5084 St. Pauls Church Road, Goochland; Lester Lloyd Bartell to Robert Matthew Andrews, $425,000. 3834 Three Chopt Road, Gum Spring; New Ventures Real Estate LLC to Melinda G. Hendrickson, $319,950. 3559 Whitehall Road, Sandy Hook; Delta Deck Co. LLC to William W. Gentry, $369,000.

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Property Transfers 7430 Aldeby St., Glen Allen; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to Beth A. Lucas, $549,004. 12331 Beech Hall Circle, Manakin Sabot; Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC to Andrew M. Sebby, $529,531. 3231 Countryside West Drive, Gum Spring; James L. Spicer IV to William T. Jowers, $175,000. 1733 Fox Downs Lane, Oilville; Robert A. Warwick to Christian Schwantes, $572,000. 551 Hill Grove Road, Manakin Sabot; Daniel W. Dubansky to Joseph Melvin Jenkins, $700,000. 15770 Mosaic Creek Blvd., Richmond; Style Craft Homes Inc. of Virginia to Joseph Cole Phillips, trustee, $589,519. 14008 Mosaic Nook,

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Contributed photo

Paul Manno shared this photo of the crew he worked with at the Fresh Kills landfill site in Staten Island, New York, immediately following the Sept. 11 attacks. Manno was there helping coordinate recovery efforts on behalf of FEMA.

A relative. A pilot. A recovery worker. Three residents share what they remember about Sept. 11, 2001 By Roslyn Ryan Editor

It’s been nearly 20 years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people and set off a series of events that we as Americans continue to feel the effects of to this day. As the nation prepares to mark two decades since the attacks, the Gazette spoke with three residents about their memories of that unimaginably dark day and how it impacted them.

Paul Manno Twenty years ago Goochland resident Paul Manno was just beginning his career in emergency management, working as a Planner for a national engineering firm. Given the

firm’s contract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Manno was familiar with disaster recovery — in fact, he was spending that September in Charleston, West Virginia assisting with flood recovery. He was taking part in a morning meeting on Sept. 11, 2001, when the first plane hit the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. By the next day, he had been advised to prepare to leave for New York. Manno would spend MANNO the next nine months working to support the recovery effort, splitting his time between Ground Zero and the see Remembering 9.11 > 3

Area schools kick off fall tennis season PAGE 10 Classifieds ........................... 14 Letters .................................... 6 Opinion .................................. 6 Sports ...............................8-10 TV Listings ......................11-13

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September 9, 2021

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Remembering 9.11

Bethel hosting yard sale Saturday

continued from >2 Staten Island landfill where the 1.8 million tons of recovered material was taken to be sorted. The work was challenging in countless ways, Manno recalls, but he and others soon learned that focusing on the task at hand was the best coping strategy. “You just tried to stay focused on the mission and try to look at each day and what your job was,” said Manno, who was occasionally able to get away for a rare day off and visit family that lived in the area. As the weeks went by, Manno says he was struck again and again by the way the nation came together and the way he and other recovery workers were treated. “I think New York City can sometimes get a bad rap, but even for people like me who were not rescue workers — you would be walking along and people would see your FEMA jacket and start clapping and saying ‘Thank you.’” Ten years ago, he and others who had been part of the recovery effort were invited back for an anniversary commemoration event, but Manno says he wasn’t ready. This year, however, he plans to attend. Of all the things he’s been part of in his career, Manno, who now owns his own emergency management consulting firm, says, he remains most proud of the work he did in the aftermath of the attacks. “I wish we never had to do it,” Manno says. “But since we did I was proud to have been a part of it.”

The women of Bethel United Methodist Church will be hosting a Big Yard and Bake Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept .11. The sale will raise funds for mission efforts in Goochland County. Hot dogs and drinks will also be sold. The church is located on Cardwell Road between Rt. 6 and Broad St. For more information, call (804) 784-2362.

***

Vernon Fleming On Sept.11, 2001, Vernon Fleming was living in Howard County, Maryland. He had just finished a breakfast meeting with a potential business

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Contributed photo

Ann Murray-Fleming and her husband Vernon were left devastated after learning that Ann’s sister Sandra had been killed in the attack on the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

partner and was driving to his office north of Baltimore when he heard on the radio that a small plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. “When I arrived at my office, co-workers were standing around a TV monitor observing the towers burning,” Fleming recalls. “Shortly afterwards, it was announced that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. Then the towers started to collapse.” Fleming says he wasn’t thinking at the time that he might have known anyone directly impacted by the attacks. Tragically, just a short time later, he realized that he did. Later that afternoon, he received a call from his fiancé’s sister, Connie, asking if he had heard from her their other sister Sandra. Fleming told her that had talked to Sandra, to which Connie responded with tremendous relief. “Then I clarified and told her that it was a few days ago,” Fleming said. Connie then explained that no one had heard from Sandra, who worked in the Pentagon as a Department of the Army civilian.

The family would soon learn that Sandra’s office had taken a direct hit when hijackers deliberately crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon at 8:20 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 11. It took nearly 10 days before her death could be confirmed by jewelry identified by her husband. Sandra Letitia Murray White, who introduced Fleming to his wife, Ann, left behind a husband and two sons. “My best friend’s wife, an Army colonel, was also at the Pentagon in the area of the crash,” Fleming remembers. “She was able to escape, but was hospitalized for nearly a week due to smoke inhalation and injuries. She was later recognized for saving the lives of several other soldiers.” ***

Jeff Ottaviano Goochland resident Jeff Ottaviano, a former commercial pilot, had just wrapped up a four-day trip when he awoke on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 to the news that a plane had flown directly into

the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As the tragedies unfolded, Ottaviano, who was flying regional jets for Delta Airlines out of Boston at the time, began to understand that few things about his job were ever going to be the same. Although airlines were back to flying passengers again less than a week after the attacks, pilots and their crews OTTAVIANO now faced a host of new concerns without much guidance on how to address them. “In the past, if someone tried to hijack my plane, I would have put on my Captain’s hat and come out and talked to them and taken them where they wanted to go,” he said. In the chaotic weeks and months after Sept. 11, 2001, Ottaviano says, he and his first officer had to devise new protocols with little input from the Federal Aviation Administration. see Looking back > 4

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NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

September 9, 2021

Casey continued from >1

Contributed photo

After the attacks, pilot Jeff Ottaviano would often fly an American flag from the window of his plane while traveling on the runway before and after takeoff.

Looking back continued from >3 He remembers telling the first officer and flight attendants assigned to his flights that the pilots would protect the cockpit by any means necessary, and should they be attacked in flight they would take the plane down rather than have it be used as a weapon. There are some bright moments that stand out — including the joy Ottaviano took in flying an American flag out of the cockpit window while maneuvering the plane on the runway at Logan Airport in Boston — but he

says the tragedies led to shifts in the industry and the job. Though he would continue to fly for another eight years, “Sept. 11, changed everything,” Ottaviano says. “It just wasn’t the same anymore.”

County will mark anniversary of terrorist attacks with two events Goochland County will remember the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks by hosting two events on Sept. 11, 2021. see Anniversary > 14

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generation Irish decent, Casey grew up loving learning and soon knew a career in education was for her. Her passion eventually led her to open her own preschools in the Philadelphia area where she delighted in the care and teaching of children from six weeks to six years. Casey and her two sons happily added a two-year-old deaf foster child to their family. They all then became proficient in sign language. While still managing her schools, Casey and her new husband, John, moved to Goochland thirty-four years ago. Originally from Boston and Philadelphia, respectively, they always thought of Goochland as their only home. While Casey’s path to

Housing continued from >1 Committee, a group created in 2019 to help better understand the kind of housing challenges Goochland faces now and will likely continue to face in the future. The group includes represenatives from numerous county organizations, including GoochlandCares, Habitat For Humanity and the Goochland NAACP, as well as representatives from the Goochland County administration and Goochland County Public Schools. The data collected offers key insights into a wide range of issues, from the demographic picture of those residents most likely to face housing challenges — including seniors, minority residents and young families — to the reasons affordable housing can be in short supply. To GoochlandCares Family Services Director Carol Dunlap, the issue comes down

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Goochland had a few twists and turns, she remained committed to volunteer service in the county throughout. A very active volunteer for Crozier Company 2 Fire Company, she served as President of the Auxiliary for 15 years. Through volunteerism, Casey was able to meet neighbors and make lifelong friends. John passed away in 2019, and although Casey’s sons, five grandchildren and one greatgrandchild all live out-of-state, she wouldn’t live anywhere but Goochland. Once retired from teaching, Casey turned more of her boundless energy to additional volunteer work, which led her to another full-time job. Casey may be best known for her ten-year tenure as Executive Director for Goochland Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a position she accepted after having served for five

years as a dedicated volunteer of the organization, one of the first to be trained in the special role of representing children in need through the court system. The Goochland Christmas Mother Association has been adding joy to the Christmas season for those in need in our county since 1959. The organization is operated by dedicated volunteers and relies on the support and generosity of the community to meet the need every year. Last year, the need was even greater, and so was the challenge of serving families during the height of the pandemic. Through new plans and processes, it all came together with great success. “We are working hard to ensure the safety of all of our volunteers who are working to support this year’s Christmas Mother program while ensur-

ing we continue to provide a merry Christmas to those in need in our community. We will soon announce our organization’s plans to serve families for the 2021 holiday season.” said Joy Kline, Christmas Mother Association President. Families, churches, civic groups, and businesses are encouraged to adopt a family. For more information on adoptions, please inquire by e-mail: info@goochlandchristmasmother.org or call the Christmas Mother Hotline at (804) 556-3411. Donations to the Christmas Mother fund can also be sent via check to: Goochland Christmas Mother, P.O. Box 322, Goochland, VA 23063 or through PayPal on the web site. Go to www.goochlandchristmasmother.org for more information about the Goochland Christmas Mother program.

to the simple fact that not enough quality housing stock exists in the county to meet the needs of those who want to live here, a group that includes seniors, young professionals and those who work fulltime but may not earn enough to afford a home in the higher price ranges currently offered. Dunlap said its important to remember that the idea of what is considered affordable housing looks different for different people, and insists the group’ goal is to work toward securing a range of different options for those looking to live — or stay — in Goochland. In addition, “we really hope to educate the community on what the housing situation looks like here,” said Dunlap. “The good and the bad.” The study outlined the various challenges residents face when it comes to housing — finding it, maintaining it, holding on to it when life circumstances change — and how the county can help to create

more affordable options for those who want to make their home in Goochland County. That assistance could range from simple solutions that would help in the long-term, such as expanding tax relief programs, to more immediate changes that could prove more challenging to implement, such as increasing affordable rental opportunities, or creating tiny home communities, that would offer immediate options for those who would like to live in Goochland but find themselves priced out of home ownership. While the study underscores the challenges currently faced by many local homeowners and renters, some of the recommendations are already being successfully implemented. According to Dunlap, the organization’s home repair program has proved tremendously successful in helping residents who might not otherwise be able to afford to make costly repairs.

Perhaps critical among the Housing GVA findings is just what the county stands to lose should current trends continue. According to the report, the failure to provide affordable housing options could eventually lead to a lack of diversity and an increase in the kind of infrastructure pressures that may threaten the quality of life residents currently enjoy. To read the full report compiled as part of the HousingGVA Steering Committee’s efforts, visit http://www.goochlandcares. org/housing-gva/ *** This article is part of an ongoing series on housing in Goochland County. Do you have a story about housing in Goochland that you would like to contribute to this series? Please contact Goochland Gazette editor Roslyn Ryan at rryan@goochlandgazette.com

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September 9, 2021

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In The Garden

Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts – oh my! Fall gardens offer variety of veggie options By Marla Cellucci Goochland/Powhatan Master Gardener

Ah, can you just feel the cool crisp air around the corner? Now is a great time to plant a fall garden. I suspect when you think fall planting, your thoughts turn to bulbs and perennials but now is a great time to grow another round of vegetables. I couldn’t grow cabbage or broccoli in the spring. My timing matched the onslaught of pests that devoured these spring planted, summer harvested vegetables. But now a bit later in the season, the pests are gone or at least past the life cycle stage where they destroy my efforts to produce even one head of broccoli or cabbage. Several vegetables love the cooler weather much more than the heat and humidity of our summers. And honestly, I love working in the cooler garden. Some good choices of cool

season vegetables for Central Virginia are beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, kale, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, garden peas, radishes, spinach, and turnips. Some garlic, perennial or multiplier type onions and shallots are also suitable for fall planting. Choosing plants with shorter maturity dates will contribute to a good harvest. In the fall the days are shorter and the air is cooler so our plants may grow a bit slower than they grow in the bright high sun and longer days of late spring and early summer. Plan your planting dates carefully to make sure your crop will be ready for harvest before the first hard frost this fall. Recommendations for individual planting and harvest dates can be found at the Virginia Extension Office website. Visit ext.vt.edu and search for publication # 426331. This publication includes all Virginia planting zones. Goochland County is in Zone 7A and the columns under “First Fall Frost: 10/15 – 10/25” show most common vegetables that can be planted in the fall in Goochland. Many fall vegetable crops can be sown directly into the soil or started indoors and then transplanted into the gar-

den soil. If the weather is particularly hot, sowing cool season crops into the soil can be tricky. You can try to create a cooler environment by shading the seeds using shade cloth or mulch. As the sun gets lower in the sky, perhaps you can use some areas of your garden that naturally have more shade than others. If you want a bit of a jump start, try sprouting your seeds indoors before you plant them into the soil. Place your seeds in between wet paper towels or newspaper and after about 5 – 7 days, your seeds will have sprouted. When they are approximately 1 inch long, place them gently in the soil. Plant all fall vegetable seeds, sprouted or not, a bit deeper in the warm, late summer soil to protect them from the drier and warmer conditions. And those same warm, dry conditions mean watering those newly planted seeds well is especially important. If the forecast says you are about to be caught by an early frost, you can extend the growing season with basic vegetable covers. Using some sort of frame – like a curved bamboo stem, a plant cover can be created to protect plants from cool night air. The covers are then removed during the day. Or the covers can be gently laid on top of the plants at night and removed during the day. Mulching the soil always moderates changes in temperature and moisture. And while you’re mulching, don’t forget next year’s garden beds. Cover unused beds with chopped fallen leaves and grass clippings this fall to nourish the soil and keep down weeds come spring.

To research even more about growing vegetables that don’t mind a bit of chilly weather, visit the Virginia Cooperative Extension website at ext.vt.edu and search under the Lawn and Garden/ Vegetable Gardening heading to your heart’s content. But don’t forget to get outside and take advantage of the opportunity to grow food in your cooler garden. Marla Cellucci is a certified Master Gardener through the Virginia Cooperative Extension and a member of the Goochland Powhatan Master Gardener Association. If you are interested in learning more about GPMGA programs or how to become a master gardener volunteer please visit gpmga.org. PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

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Thursday

September 9, 2021

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

Moving forward, yes, but never forgetting By Roslyn Ryan Editor

Several months ago, a good friend mentioned that she had been asked to serve as a bridesmaid for her niece’s upcoming wedding. The date? Sept. 11, 2021. I’d be lying if I said that the date didn’t give me pause, just as I’m sure it would almost anyone old enough to remember the horrific attacks on our country nearly 20 years ago. And while I would certainly never say this to a bride planning one of most special events of her life, I wondered why anyone would want to be married on a day that will be forever linked with such unimaginable tragedy. As it turns out, I later learned, most people don’t in fact want to be married on that day. But with the pandemic having forced the postponement of so many weddings — and Sept. 11 falling on a Saturday this year — many young couples have decided that they would

rather have that wedding date than no wedding date at all. According to a recent article in the New York Times, many brides have chosen to acknowledge that the situation is not ideal but to move forward anyway. Reading over a few more articles and blog posts devoted to this very topic, I slowly began to feel as though the choices facing these young brides and grooms, many of whom were young children in 2001, are not that different from the ones most of us grapple with when it comes to our relationship to any tragedy. At what point do we move from mourning to living again? When is it OK to laugh again, to celebrate again, to get mad over silly things that don’t matter? When is it OK for a date to be just a date and not a monument to the unthinkable? The truth, I suppose, is that it is all so personal. It is the calculus of mourning, and often time is the only way to reach an answer. Surviving and moving forward, after all, is

what humans do. It’s what all living things are hardwired to do. We heal, we repair, we pick ourselves up and move forward, sometimes binding our wounds as we go. We get married, we have babies, we get promotions and mortgages and mark birthdays and mourn the ones we go before us. We never forget but we forge ahead. It’s what we do. This Saturday, as millions of Americans solemnly mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, I think I’ll also be taking a moment to think of those babies who will inevitably be born and couples who will choose to commit to eachother. If the aim of those who attacked us was to bring us to our knees, then what better answer could there be than getting up, moving forward and embracing life again. None of us should ever forget the sacrifices made on that day so many years ago. Perhaps choosing to live our own lives to the fullest is the best way we can honor them.

Body gone, heart remains on GHS sideline By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist

Can someone please explain why the hair begins to stand up on my back at around 7 p.m. on fall Fridays. Around that time, I get the that distinct feeling that I am supposed to be somewhere and that instant horror of feeling like I’m missing something. That’s because I am.

After decades of covering Goochland Bulldog football, I’m off the sidelines for this season and I must admit it’s been a difficult adjustment. Some would assert the exit is long overdue, and walking the sideline dodging speedy players is best performed by the younger generation. I’m not sure I concede any of that, and I will probably never say never when it comes to Bulldog football. Those years of coverage and spending time

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with some wonderful athletes who continually reaffirmed my belief in the younger generation resulted in more than an ordinary reporter/ team relationship. The players, coaches, cheerleaders and band members who take the field this Friday and all the ones who made that same trek over the years are my family. They have treated me and see Football > 7

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.

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Letters to the Editor Those addressing the housing issue should first define “affordable” Dear Editor: Roslyn Ryan’s Sept. 2 editorial about “affordable housing” addresses a currently very popular topic, and I must first declare my general agreement with her about the nature of the problem, that many decent people simply cannot afford to pay “market” prices for housing in Goochland, whether purchased or rented. Having said that, I have given a fair amount of thought to the issue of “affordable housing,” and I have some serious reservations about recent “invocations” of the problem. I spent most of my adult life working with local zoning and subdivision (land use) issues as well as being the unpaid legal advisor for seven years to a three-county Virgnia affiliate for Habitat for Humanity several years ago. First, I have never seen “affordable housing” defined. A lot of people express agreement with and support for it, but no one seems able to define just exactly what that phrase means, and I think such a definition is necessary. Second, my definition is that it purports to provide housing below the prevailing “market” cost for housing. If that is so, then somebody will be expected to “eat” the differential. In my work with Habitat for Humanity, we had to confront the fact that we were trying to provide home ownership for deserving folks well below the prevailing “market” cost for same! So, I developed a means of protecting the “market” value of the housing for the benefit of the Habitat affiliate, while allowing the low-income clients to avoid having to bear that burden. My solution was complicated, but I think it worked. If providing below-market rental space, then either the taxpayers will have to “eat” the differential with subsidies paid to landlords, or see Letters > page 6

Thursday

September 9, 2021

Letters continued from >6

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

I think “affordable housing” is a District 2. She is doing an outstanding good idea, generally, but all the details job during a uniquely difficult time. need to be addressed. Please support her in November as she continues to inspire, serve and advance Very truly yours, the education of our students as our H. Watkins Ellerson School Board Representative! Hadensville Sincerely, Allison Peterson Leabough will bring Goochland

a developer will be required to provide dwelling units below “market” rates as a condition of getting a development permit. How is that going to work? Who will decide who gets which benefits and how much? Those questions must be fully and honestly decades of experience, answered. I see no way around it. service to school board I also believe that the real issue is Dear Editor: that personal incomes for most have A very special candidate is running not kept up with the rising costs of for our School Board for District 2. In almost everything, and that means fact, she is doing the job right now! Billie Jo Leabough stepped in upon the passing of William Quarles last Spring. With over 25 years of experience as a teacher, counselor and program director, she is a champion for students and an effective voice for all the dedicated educators and students in our excellent schools. She has a holistic grasp of the opportunities and challenges facing our schools and is deeply committed to serving as a leader to address these issues, including the learning loss due to COVID, teacher recruitment and that a substantial nationwide mini- retention, college, career and technimum wage increase should be enact- cal education preparedness, and safe, ed. Now. If universally applied with affordable childcare for working famino exceptions, the “rising tide should lies. Did you know that she and her lift all boats.” There can be no competitive disadvantage for any employer children are all proud graduates of having to pay such higher wages if Goochland County Public Schools? In all employers must pay those higher April, Billie Jo Leabough was appointed by the School Board to represent wages.

“A lot of people express agreement with and support for affordable housing, but no one seems able to define just exactly what it means.”

Football continued from >6 my family like their own as we shared victories and endured defeats. The Bulldogs adopted my son Jack more than a decade ago shortly after he was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. At the time, I confided to then Coach Joe Fowler that it was one of the lowest points in my life, a challenge I wasn’t sure I was ready to meet. From that point on, Jack became a Bulldog. For years, the #1 on the roster was reserved for him, and the team hosts an annual Coach to Cure MD game to raise awareness and money. His teammates make sure

Jack is able to run/roll through the banner, flip the coin and support them on the sideline. Along the way, the Bulldogs claimed a state title in 2012 and Joe asked us to attend the ring ceremony later that spring. The team called Jack to the stage and presented him with a signed football and helmet as a permanent reminder of the special season. Those items are prominently displayed in our home. And Coach Fowler provided a message at that ceremony that we never forgot. I described it this way at the time. He talked about toughness… and then he talked about Jack. He told the story of a team that adopted a young

Vaccine experience exceeded resident’s expectations by far Dear Editor: The year 2020, starting in March, was a very difficult time period for most Americans. As a 71-year-old woman, the inability and unwillingness of our Government to provide guidance and assistance to it’s citizens during a global pandemic was horrifying and disheartening to say the least. One year later, under new leadership there is finally hope. not long ago I went to the Goochland Cultural Arts Center on Dogtown Road to get my first out of two COVID vaccines. As I pulled into the parking lot I was full of uncertainty and not sure what to do. That feeling did not last long at all. As I pulled in I was directed to follow instructions for where to park and told to wait in my vehicle until my scheduled appointment. Sure enough when my appointment time came up, I was directed to enter the building. I didn’t even have to open the door as it was

boy, and allowed their legs to provide the speed he will never have. They ran because he could not, and fought when the chips were down knowing that he couldn’t. “We adopted Jack, and Jack adopted us,” Fowler said. So, it’s not hard to imagine how difficult it is for me not to be on the sideline, right? This group of athletes, coaches, fans and parents have become more than friends. To Coach Alex Fruth, his assistants, former AD Bryan Gordon, David Hawk, Joe Fowler and countless others who have shown me an abundance of kindness and compassion, my thanks don’t seem adequate. I’ve tried to tell myself that I

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opened for me to prevent contact on my part. As I entered I was checked off the appointment list and given a questionnaire to fill out. I was told where to go to fill out the paperwork and escorted there by a volunteer who told me to raise my hand if I had questions. I was then told when to go review my questionnaire and receive my shot. After expressing some concern over my shellfish allergy I was assigned a pink sticker so that I would be under observation for 30 minutes instead of the green 15 minute sticker. While I sat at each stage waiting for my next step I looked around and marveled at how the health district volunteers, local volunteers, EMT’s and fire and rescue staff quickly sterilized each clipboard, each pen used, each seat as it was vacated in preparation for the next person. All this done with the precision of water ballet dancers. The mood was happy hopeful and unified. I realized with a rush of emotion that all these people, working together in spite of any political differences they may have, were there as Americans first, fighting for us. I have had my hope restored and my faith that this country can overcome anything when we all work together for a common cause.

One year later, county’s new animal shelter is tremendous success

Dear Editor, I would just like to say congratulations, one year later on the county’s new Animal Protection/Adoption Center. We are thankful for the people behind the scenes that make things happen! The daily workers who clean the cages, the volunteers who greet, who walk the dogs, who play with the cats//puppies, the officers who assist the county with stray animals, the supporters who donate necessary supplies (litter, food, blankets, etc.), the supporters who make monetary donations(payable to Goochland Animal protection), the vets who take care of the health of the animals, the trainer who works with dogs to make them more adoptable, other adoption agencies who jump in when assistance is needed, the supervisor who keep things organized and running smoothly, and, most important, our adopters who give the animals forever homes! Special thanks to Julie Lawrence, supervisor, who has loved and protected the animals awaiting adoption, putting adorable pictures on the Facebook page and just being a great supervisor Lorna Mitchell who cares and works alongside all the Goochland above people who make things happen! Special thanks to each of you! Penny Pearsall Manakin-Sabot

won’t miss the late night drives to Charlottesville and beyond, searching for open McDonalds and endless nights spent standing in downpours. But honestly, I will. But, mostly I’ll miss the players who have given my son something that once seemed unattainable considering his challenges. Year after year, he’s been part of a group of kids who proved that hard work, tenacity, fair play and a willingness to do things the right way does reap benefits. Through them, Jack learned how to accept defeat with dignity, but he also learned that exuberant feeling of winning and the joys of being part of a championship team. They have encouraged Jack with

unending stream of words of support, an untold number of fist bumps and high fives and instilled a camaraderie that only teammates can understand. Jack and I often laugh that we are the luckiest fans in the world. We only root for two teams — the University of Alabama and the Goochland Bulldogs. That’s almost an embarrassment of riches. Our coverage of Goochland football is in good hands with Weldon Bradshaw and Nick Vandeloecht, both talented writers and friends who share an appreciation of Bulldog Nation. And, you can’t expect me to ignore that inexplicable urge on every single Friday night, can you?

Thursday

September 9, 2021

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

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Cougars embrace return to field with 21-0 win By Nick Vandeloecht Sports Editor

GOOCHLAND – For the first time in nearly two years, Owen Fallon was back under the Friday night lights. Collegiate’s senior quarterback came in as the offense’s only returner from the 2019 season. Before the team’s preseason scrimmage at Powhatan, 43 of the 50 players had never taken a snap of varsity football. “We knew it was going to be a big one, not playing for two years,” Fallon said, but he added: “I was super amped to get after it today, and I’ve worked really hard for two years, and it felt so good to get back out there.” Behind lockdown defense and Fallon’s versatility and leadership of their talented skills players on offense, the Cougars embraced their return to regular-season football action with a 21-0 shutout of hosting Goochland. “I’m honestly just really proud of this team and what they’ve done,” said Collegiate coach Mark Palyo, “and what they have gone through without playing to get to this point.” With most of Collegiate’s players competing in their first-ever regular-season varsity game, Palyo praised their great attitudes and the hard work they put in during preparation – they practiced without gear throughout all of last fall, he said – and he pointed to the seniors’ leadership. “They are the driving force behind this team,” Palyo said. “It meant the absolute world to win tonight,” said Fallon, who completed 13 of 16 passes for 257 yards, 2 touchdown and no interceptions and also ran for 14 yards and another touchdown. “Just to be out here with all my family and everything, it meant the world.”

Photos by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Collegiate quarterback Owen Fallon (center) runs the ball around the right edge for a 5-yard rushing touchdown in the Cougars’ 21-0 win over Goochland.

Fallon spread the ball to seven different players in the passing game: receivers L.J. Booker, Jalen Pierce, Krystian Williams and Coley Alvis, senior running back Donovan Williams and tight ends Christian Miller and Hayden Rollison. Booker caught two passes for 101 yards. “They’re a great group of guys, and we’ve known this for a while,” Fallon said. “I think all four of our receivers are all guys that can go play at

see Football > page 10 Goochland’s Jamason Pryor (28) runs the football as his teammate Omarion Quarles (20) blocks for him in the Bulldogs’ home game versus Collegiate on Friday.

Thursday

September 9, 2021

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

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Photos by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Goochland golfers contest Albemarle in narrow loss From left: Goochland’s Will Gravely tees off, Luke Manno sinks the ball on a putt, Michael Monahan drives the ball towards the green and Isaac Hite putts the ball during Goochland’s home match versus Albemarle at Hermitage Country Club. Albemarle narrowly edged out Goochland 169-173 for the team win. Albemarle’s Addie Doroh medaled with a 37. Gravely led Goochland with a 38. The remaining top four for the Bulldogs were Manno (42), Monahan (45) and Hite (48). Goochland will host Louisa County at Hermitage CC on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m.

Collegiate field hockey earns 6-0 shutout win at home Staff Reports

GOOCHLAND -- Collegiate field hockey dominated its home match on Friday as it shut out visiting Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School 6-0. Sophomore Callie Rogers led the Cougars with 2 goals and sophomores M.K. Brost and Heidi Albrecht, senior Ellie Smith and freshman Celie Shield each scored 1. Rogers, senior Madelyn Curtis and junior Sadie Brooks each added an assist. Eighth grader Abby Carley made one save in goal for Collegiate. The Cougars were slated to host Western Albemarle on Wednesday, Sept 8 at 4:45 p.m. and will play at Cox High School at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex and Regional Training Center on Friday, Sept. 10 at 3:30 p.m. Collegiate will also host St. Anne’s-Belfield School on Photos by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette Tuesday, Sept 14 at 4 p.m. Collegiate’s Callie Rogers (left) passes the ball to a teammate, and her teammate Madelyn Curtis (17) controls the ball in Friday’s home match.

Thursday

September 9, 2021

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

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Football continued from > 8 the next level, and I’m super pumped to keep working with them.” While the Bulldogs ramped up their defense over the middle portions of the game, Fallon’s chemistry with his receivers, plus his ability to scramble out of the pocket and rip off sizeable runs, made the Cougars’ offense hard to pin down. Not only could Fallon could run and pass well, but his athleticism also opened up opportunities for Donovan Williams to muscle the ball forward in the ground game. Williams carried the ball 24 times for 68 yards. After a snap flew over Fallon’s head and pinned the Cougars on their own 2-yard line in their opening drive, the senior captain’s answer on the next play was a pass that he zipped to Booker, who broke loose and barreled down the Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette sideline before he was tackled at Goochland’s 8, completing a fiery 90-yard catch-and-run. “When you get knocked Collegiate’s Elizabeth Mendoza (above) and Emma Eldridge down, you’ve got to get back compete in the Cougars’ fall season opener versus Sidwell up,” Fallon said in reference to Friends School. Collegiate’s individual wins in the team match what he’s worked to improve were earned by No. 4 Eldridge in singles (8-0 over Elie Router on. “I’ve done that through Busser) and by No. 3 Eldridge and Jordan Gross in doubles (87: 7-2 over Layla Dawit and Youel Page). Collegiate’s next home mental training, mindfulness, match is Tuesday, Sept. 14, 4:30 p.m. versus Saint Catherine’s. different things like that, just to realize: you can’t let the last play affect the next one.” Fallon concluded Collegiate’s four-play, 98-yard scoring drive when he swept around the right edge on the QB keeper for a 5-yard touchdown, putting the Cougars on the board. Five gametime minutes later, he put the ball into the hands of senior receiver Jalen Pierce in the right corner of the end zone on an 18-yard strike. After two scoreless middle quarters, Fallon epitomized his poise throughout the game when he fielded a high snap on 3rd and nine from the Bulldogs’ 25 and rifled the ball forward to Christian Miller,

Fall season under way!

Photos by Nick Vandeloecht/Goochland Gazette

Goochland’s Eyan Pace (3) and Aiden Allen tackle Collegiate’s L.J. Booker on Friday.

who completed the trip to the end zone for the touchdown catch with 8:26 left in the fourth quarter. “He’s worked hard to develop himself,” Palyo said, “and I think we saw his composure under a variety of situations today from snaps to immediate pressure to scrambling and running the ball and using his feet as well as his arm to make great plays.” Both defensive fronts hounded the other team’s quarterback, with each unit totaling three sacks in the first half and Goochland coach Alex Fruth calling defense “a plus” for the Bulldogs on Friday night. “They were very well-prepared and ready to go against our offense,” Fruth added of Collegiate, “and then their offense – you don’t have to win every play, you’ve just got to win enough, and they won some big, big plays. They hit all the big plays tonight where we didn’t generate anything that was a big play.” “That is a good offense we played against,” Palyo added of Goochland. “The double wing attack, you see that so rarely, and then so when you try to simulate that during the week, you can’t simulate it the way

Jalen Pierce makes the catch for a Collegiate touchdown.

that team can actually run it, and so our kids focused on assignment football, yet playing aggressive at the point of attack, and I think they did that.” Players contributing to the teams’ first-half sacks included Miller, Michael West and Harry Shaia for Collegiate and De’Andre Robinson and Enrique Alvarez for Goochland. Robinson’s third sack of the night – and the team’s fourth – pushed the Cougars out of their red zone later in the third quarter and forced fourth and long. Collegiate on the following play got off a short pass, but Goochland’s Derek Pierce swooped in to stonewall Collegiate’s receiver and force a change of possession. Alvarez also sparked the crowd when he recovered a fumble forced by his teammate Deontae Quarles in the early

stages of the third quarter, setting up the Bulldogs inside the red zone. But the drive ended in a field goal attempt, and the officials ruled that the kick did not go through the uprights. Despite the missed field goal, Goochland kicker Tyler Black shined in the game, delivering multiple strong punts and sending the gameopening kickoff to Collegiate’s end zone for a touchback. “He’s turning into a more well-rounded kicker,” Fruth said of Black. “He’s a kid that we can put out there and (say): Hey, let’s try this field goal; let’s make these PATs. He’s been a big, big, big plus.” Collegiate stays on the road this Saturday, Sept. 11 when it plays at Trinity at 1 p.m. With a bye week coming up, Goochland will look to regroup and bounce back when it next plays at Armstrong on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. “We’re not sure what we are on offense yet,” Fruth said. “We have to kind of find what our identity is now, and that’s a work in progress, and (Collegiate’s) defense did a really good job making us have to kind of stop and re-evaluate some things.”

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