INSIDE Goochland history: Do you remember the “Great Snow” of 1940? > page 2
Volume 66 Number 49 • December 16, 2021
Libraries back open, but visitor numbers still down Tom Shepley wanted to deliver to Goochland supervisors. Like so many other institutions both public and private, libraries across the region have spent over a year waiting and watching to see when—or if—their daily operations might By Roslyn Ryan begin to resemble what they looked like before Editor the COVID-19 pandemic. On Dec. 7, during a presentation to the Judging by the tone of his voice, this wasn’t Goochland County Board of Supervisors, the news Pamunkey Regional Library director Shepley admitted that while the numbers show
Director says changes to users’ routines caused by pandemic may be a factor
Pamunkey Regional Library (PRL) system’s circulation is bouncing back, library visits are lagging behind. “It’s been tough to get people back,” said Shepley. “They are not coming back to spend time in our building, have meetings or use the computer — and that’s been hard.” According to the numbers Shepley presented, total library visits for this year have come in at 322,888, significantly down from the 515, 638 visitors the PRL system welcomed in 2019.
A big day for broadband in Goochland
Adding an additional burden are changes to library hours due to budget cuts, Shepley explained. If a person was used to visiting the library at a certain time or on a certain day, he said, it can take a long time to get that person back. To Goochland County librarian Carolyn Garner, some of the reduction in visits may be due to the upheaval in people’s lives as see Library > 2
County couple’s house remains a holiday highlight By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Photo courtesy of Governor Northam’s office
Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, Senator Tim Kaine and Governor Ralph Northam viewed maps of the state’s current and future broadband coverage areas during an event at Goochland’s Fire Rescue Station 6 on Monday. That afternoon, Northam announced the award of $79 million in Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grants to help Goochland and 13 other surrounding localities gain access to broadband internet access. For the full story, see page 3.
Hoping to offer a little extra joy to the area this holiday season, a Goochland couple is once again bringing their dazzling Christmas display to life in front of their Rockville home. For the tenth year in a row, David and Bobbie DeHart’s vast collection of inflatables and countless feet of twinkling lights will offer a holiday treat to area residents, many of whom have made a trip past the DeHart home a beloved annual tradition. It isn’t an easy feat to pull off year after year, admits David, who spends about two weeks pulling out and setting up each section of the display, taking care not to damage the more delicate pieces. He admits he and Bobbie even thought seriously about throwing in the towel last year after an animal attack destroyed several cherished inflatables. see Lights > 5