DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 28, No. 42 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | February 15, 2012
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Early retirement incentive offered By Jim Fields jfields@mechlocal.com With a $13,000 cash payment incentive, 80 Hanover County employees have expressed interest in an early retirement program. Last Wednesday, Janet Lawson,
director of human resources, told the Hanover County Board of Supervisors interest was gauged in an employee survey. Applications for the Hanover County Early Retirement/Voluntary Separation Program must be submitted by Wednesday, Feb. 29, but county
administrator Cecil R. “Rhu” Harris Jr. can extend the date up to 30 days. Lawson said applications to be considered will be selected based on the affect on departmental operations and the budget. The one-time program is being offered to all full-time county employ-
ees who voluntarily end their employment from Hanover County between April 1 and Oct. 1 and receive a $13,000 incentive payable as cash, continued health insurance coverage through Sept. 30, 2013, or a combination of both. see RETIREMENT, pg. 24
YASHNA NAINANI
Mechanicsville native pursues career dream in NYC, auditions for ‘Idol’ By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
S Jim Fields/The Local
Mike Gladstone, left, president of the Hanover Association of Businesses and Chamber of Commerce, and Jennifer Y. Scott, HABCC executive director, talk with Edwin A. Gaskin, director of Hanover County economic development, before the Feb. 7 HABCC Breakfast Series.
Economic development chief: county’s future bright By Jim Fields jfields@mechlocal.com Hanover County’s economic future is bright. That was the message delivered by the economic development director to the Hanover Association of Businesses and Chamber of Commerce.
On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Edwin A. Gaskin also told the group that the rural characteristics that made the county famous will probably limit future commercial growth to the interstate corridors. Gaskin talked about “excitsee FUTURE, pg. 4
eventeen hours after she got in line to audition for “American Idol,” Mechanicsville native Brittany Young found herself on a stage in Pittsburgh, Pa., as she took another step toward pursuing her dream in the entertainment industry. The 22-year-old, a 2007 graduate of Hanover High School and 2011 graduate of James Madison University, has her sights set on a singing and dancing career in New York City. To help her reach her goals, she moved to Manhattan in August. She arrived at 3 a.m. – along with 15,000 to 16,000 other potential contestants — as her wait to audition lasted until 8 p.m. She
Photos submitted by Brittany Young
Brittany Young was featured on “American Idol” last week. She is shown above with the crown when she reigned as Miss Greater Richmond. At right, she auditions for “Idol” in Pittsburgh, Pa.
eventually was a contender among 300. When she auditioned for “American Idol” as part of Hollywood Week, she performed “Do It Anyway” by Martina McBride. Brittany
said it has “a good theme and I loved the words, the message of the song. What you’re singing about is just as important as the notes on the page.” Brittany said she received a positive response from see DREAM, pg. 8
HCPS Spelling Bee champion
CMS 7th grader aces Bee again For the second year in a row, Yashna Nainani, a seventh grade student at Chickahominy Middle School, was declared the 2011-2012 division spelling champion for Hanover County Public Schools. After 19 challenging rounds, the winning word was “mealymouthed.” Nainani also was the runner-up in the 2009-2010 competition. Cal Costic, an eighth grade student at Stonewall Jackson Middle School, was the runnerup this year. Nainani is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raj Nainani of Mechanicsville. Her awards include a Webster’s Dictionary that was presented on behalf of see BEE, pg. 5