OPINION Meeting Search for perfect watermelon is a summertime labor of love

JIM RIDOLPHI Contributing Columnist

It seems I spend every spring in an elusive search for that perfect slice of watermelon that explodes with juiciness and flavor, and lately it’s been more and more difficult to find. It’s not that there isn’t an abundant amount of the traditional summer treat around, but finding that flavor I remember as a child seems more impossible with each passing year.

I am an Alabama native and a love for watermelon runs deep in my roots. My mother attributes my insatiable appetite to her incessant need to eat watermelon during her pregnancy. I was an August baby, and anyone who has ever been in Montgomery in the depths of summer can appreciate that ice cold watermelon offered the best and quickest relief.

And watermelons were plentiful, sold along the streets of Montgomery at roadside markets and stands, or available from the back of a pickup truck from a nearby farmer who had just harvested a crop. For 25 cents, you could pick up the biggest one in the lot, or opt for that smaller one sure to con- tain an amped-up dose of flavor.

It was a way of life in the Deep South, and many family gatherings ended with huge slices of watermelon being passed to everyone. The kids always lined up near my grandfather, who passed out pieces so large two hands were required to handle it.

I also learned early that the best watermelons are not found in grocery stores. My father thought nothing of pulling over a tractor trailer full of watermelons and negotiating for a couple of the freshest fruits. He was never too busy to stop at a roadside stand or visit the most remote places to get a good watermelon.

Later in my life, my dedication to watermelon didn’t decline with age. I would often drive to Shockoe Bottom to search for trucks parked along the side streets full of fresh melons. Those selections never disappointed, but the trucks eventually disappeared.

At some point, I surrendered and began purchasing watermelons at local supermarkets, often opting for the lowest-priced offerings. With each passing year, that remembered

Letters To The Editor

blast of flavor became more difficult to find.

A friend explained to me that grocery store fruit is actually less favorable than it used to be due to overbreeding and fruit being produced with longer shelf lives and perfect appearances. I thought back to the days when fresh strawberries were only available for a few weeks in late spring and peaches were a brief late-summer treat. Both are now available virtually year round.

He also reminded me that as individuals age, taste buds become less nimble and reactions not as vibrant as they once were.

But, there is good news for those engaged in this search for old time goodness in fruit and vegetable. That elusive experience is still available at local farm markets or local roadside fruit stands. And on those less-traveled highways, you may even be lucky enough to find a small display where the folks selling the fruit actually are responsible for growing it.

So, find yourself a nice plump melon, chill it down and enjoy a blast from the past that explodes with each bite. It’s a great way to begin summer.

Will Offer Chance For Feedback On Comp Plan

Dear Editor, What is the Comprehensive Plan?

“The plan will provide Goochland County guidance for the formation and implementation of various tools that guide growth and development decisions.”

The Zoning Ordinance for Goochland County (adopted in November 2019) is the implementation tool to ensure the ordinance aligns with the County’s Comprehensive Plan.

What is the Proposed Centerville Village Small Area Plan ?

The Planning Commission will vote on the proposed plan. Next it goes to the Board of Supervisors, who will adopt the Centerville Plan amendments which will become a part of the 2045 Comprehensive Plan.

Currently the Proposed Plan does not contain “Land Use & Villages Implementation Strategies” which are critical to the success of any comprehensive plan.

What happens when they start developing the new zonings, and they

We

Publisher Joy Monopoli ......................................... jmonopoli@RSnVa.com

Editor Roslyn Ryan rryan@goochlandgazette.com

Sports Editor Robby Fletcher rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

Classifieds cindy adams cadams@mechlocal.com

Production Manager denine d’angelo ddangelo@mechlocal.com find they need to change the already approved comp plan land uses?

What are the core, transition, commercial, residential zoning district/ ordinances going to look like? This question needs to be answered first.

Currently the 2035 Comprehensive Plan Land Use designation aligns with the zoning ordinances, making the ordinances easier to understand and use.

The zoning districts are organized with a Statement of Intent that includes the Comprehensive Plan designation. Without knowing the Comprehensive Plan Land Use designation, the new zoning categories will become a battle ground between the developers and the community.

The next opportunity for the community to respond is at the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission joint work session on the Centerville Village Small Area Plan, June 15, 2023, at 6 p.m.

Linda Moore Manakin Sabot

Caudill remains best choice for county CA role

Dear Editor,

From all I have read, the

The Gazette welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Goochland residents. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Goochland Gazette. send letters to: The Goochland Gazette 8460 Times-dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: (804) 344-8746 e-mail: editor@goochlandgazette.com best person for our Commonwealth’s Attorney position is Michael Caudill. He has served the county well for several years. He has many years of good experience in the office. And he can represent the county well in court cases based on his knowledge and experience. There is no reason to break in a new person with no knowledge or experience in the office or the courtroom for these types of law cases. Re-elect Caudill in the upcoming election.

Eileen Ford Columbia

Letter was unfair to county law enforcement

Dear Editor, Having been the wife of a law enforcement officer for nearly 10 years and the wife of a military veteran, I was deeply saddened and insulted by a letter to the editor in last week’s issue of the Goochland Gazette. My children and I watch as my husband straps on his bullet-proof vest and his gun, and we pray that as he walks out of our front door to go to work each day that he will return to us the same way

Please see LETTERS, Page 7

News tips, story ideas, community events, photos, birth announcements, milestones, anniversaries (40 years & above) or birthdays (80 yrs. old & above) can be emailed to editor@

– safe and sound. It pains me to think that our deputies who are so sincerely committed to the safety and security of every person who lives, works, goes to school, or visits our county would have to read such hateful words.

I’m sorry that the author is so wildly misinformed about two things; just how highly skilled the deputies are here in Goochland County and that the current Commonwealth’s Attorney actually has experience in doing more than just offering plea deals, only actually prosecuting three jury trials since 2016. In fact, our deputies are so highly trained for any and all possibilities that in one year alone their training hours have exceeded three times the number of hours required by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for a two-year period.

In recent years, our current Commonwealth’s Attorney and his office have been unwilling to work collaboratively with Goochland deputies and instead, actively working to discredit our deputies. They are unwilling and unable to see that working together makes our community better. A collaborative relationship between law enforcement and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is crucial to keeping our commu - nity safe. If you don’t understand why it’s so important they work together, I urge you to ask questions to grasp the severity. When deputies arrest drug dealers or other criminals, not only are they putting their lives on the line for us, but they are keeping drugs out of the hands of our children.

Because of our current Commonwealth’s Attorney’s desire to play political games, criminal cases go dismissed or unprosecuted on technicalities that he dreams up. Our children and our community suffer because of his political games and the criminals win. When criminals are let go and don’t pay for their crimes, they are emboldened to continue to commit crimes in our community. We cannot stand for criminals winning in our community and we cannot stand for a Commonwealth’s Attorney who discredits law enforcement at every turn.

For all these reasons, I ask you to join me in voting for John Lumpkins as Goochland’s next Commonwealth’s Attorney. I am thankful that recently Sheriff Creasey, former Sheriff Jim Agnew, Circuit Court Clerk Amanda Adams, and former Circuit Court Clerk Dale Agnew all endorsed John Lumpkins for Commonwealth’s Attorney. They know well how critical a working relationship between the Sheriff’s Office, the Clerk’s Office, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is to ensure the safety of our great county.

In response to last week’s Letter to the Editor, I would like to briefly inform the public of John Lumpkins’ background. He started his professional career as a police officer and a federal law clerk. As a 34 year member of the Va. State Bar, he has served as an experienced trial lawyer, a criminal defense attorney, corporate counsel, and worked with small and large law firms. He does have Jury trial experience as well.

Support a safer community for our children and our families. Support our law enforcement. Vote John Lumpkins.

Lindsey Russell Goochland

Signage is important, but limits are too

Dear Editor,

It is vitally important to have an informed electorate. But am I the only one who is a bit exhausted by year-round political signs around the county that, eventually, we don’t even read anymore? Couldn’t there be some sort of an agreement to advertise 6-8 weeks before a primary or election—and then take down the signs immediately afterwards so we can enjoy the scenery of our county?

Hoping so, Nancy Parrish Columbia