DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 27, No. 9 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | June 30, 2010
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Proffer collection policy clarified By Jim Ridolphi news@mechlocal.com Reacting to a new General Assembly law regarding the collection of proffers, county attorney Sterling Reeves presented a resolution designed to clarify the county’s position at Wednesday’s meeting of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. Hanover currently collects proffers at the time building permits are issued, but the new state guidelines are designed to allow homeowners more time
to pay the fees. Effective July 1, it’s understandable that homecash proffers will be collected builders association would welcome the between the changes, but final inspection “Because of the the new law’s and issuance of historically low ramifications a certificate of occupancy. rates on savings also affect the “The idea accounts, the loss counties that was to save the to the county is not collect proffers. homebuilder that significant.” At first an amount STERLING RIVES glance, the of interest on County attorney bill could their construchave affected tion loans, and Hanover’s cash that’s not a bad idea,” Rives said. He said flow and interest income, but
on closer examination, Rives said that’s not the case. “Because of the historically low rates on savings accounts, the loss to the county is not that significant,” he said. The county attorney’s main concern was the “practical issues” surrounding the new requirements that would force the county to assess and collect proffers on properties in a matter of hours. In many cases, Rives said the period between final inspection see PROFFER, pg. 4 `
Emotions varied for Jewish teen in visits to Poland, Israel By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com Having grown up hearing the stories of the Holocaust, 16-year-old Rebeccah Bassell experienced a myriad of emotions when she visited Poland and Israel with a Jewish youth organization. The Mechanicsville resident and Atlee High School student, now a rising junior, traveled with Photo submitted by Rebeccah Bassell Rebeccah Bassell went caving the BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization) in in the Negev Desert during her the spring. She joined teenagers from 40 counvisit to Israel. tries from around the world.
“We first saw the concentration camps in Auschwitz, Birkenau, Treblinka and Majdanek,” Rebeccah said of her time in Poland. “I think going through each of the camps is different in the experience that you feel. Each has its own incredibly different feel.” She said Auschwitz “felt just like a movie set. It didn’t feel very realistic to me. It was left intact, but not as realistic as Majdanek, which was left perfectly intact.” see VISITS, pg. 14 `
Melody Kinser/The Local
Aimee Reyes watches as her daughter Peyton enjoys cake after taking part in the Tiny Miss Hanover Tomato Festival Pageant on Sunday at the Black Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
Girls - fashionable and funny - vie for titles olds, they were competing for the coveted titles of Tiny Three-digit tempera- Miss and Little Miss at the 2010 Hanover Tomato tures outside did Festival Pageant on not faze the young Sunday at the Black “princesses” attired Creek Volunteer Fire in their finest dresses Department. with their hair neatly Nearly 30 girls in coiffed.
By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
Mostly 4- and 6-year-
see TITLES, pg. 20 `