DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 28, No. 25 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | October 19, 2011
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
100 Best Communities Communications plan Hanover receives fourth designation for youth By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com Hanover County officially became a four-time winner on Wednesday with the announcement of America’s Promise Alliance 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING. With the recognition, the county receives a $2,500 grant, as well as signage iden-
Registrar offering in-person absentee voting on two days The office of Hanover C ou nt y registrar Te r e s a Smithson will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, O c t . SMITHSON 29, and Saturday, Nov. 5, each day for in-person absentee voting. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Applications for absentee ballots and sample ballots will be made available at the Hansee VOTING, pg. 17
tifying the award. In addition to Hanover Virginia has four other communities receiving the designation: Alexandria, Chesterfield County, Prince William County and Surry County. Hanover also was honored in 2007, 2008 and 2010. According to the website, http://www.americaspromise.
org/100best, the program “recognizes the nation’s best community-wide efforts to reduce high school dropout rates and provide youth with an outstanding place to live, learn and grow.” With county leaders including Board of Supervisors chair and Mechanicsville District repsee BEST, pg. 4
gets supervisors’ boost By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
A coordinated effort in times of emergencies is among items the Hanover County Board of Supervisors will be proposing to the Virginia General Assembly for the 2012 session. Last Wednesday, county attorney Sterling E. Rives III reviewed the Legislative Agenda with the board. He said it “may be a little bit simpler than it has been in previous years.” Under action items, a proposal board chair
Deborah B. Winans of the Mechanicsville District brought to 97th District Del. Christopher K. Peace’s attention targets the impact on emergency communications centers when natural disasters occur. “We believe that it would be beneficial for the state to take a more comprehensive look,” Rives said. Legislation already exists concerning mutual aid. “This is more of a technical problem, logistisee PLAN, pg. 15
Wilson’s budget gets early support
A ring of rings
By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
Charlie Leffler/The Local
Lee-Davis High School softball team got a preview of their AAA state championship rings as part of a ceremony last Wednesday at the Mechanicsville Moose Lodge. More on page 40.
Dr. Jamelle Wilson, superintendent of Hanover County Public Schools, has received the support of key educational leaders as the budget process starts with the School Board. She also had the pleasure of announcing that 100 percent of the district’s schools have been fully accredited for the 10th consecutive. In other good news, the division has the lowest dropout rate among schools serving 15,000 or more at 2.3 percent. Wilson did say the system experienced a slight dip in on-time graduation rates, going from 95 percent last year to 94.3
percent this year. During the Oct. 11 regular meeting of the School Board, representatives of several organizations voiced their endorsement of her proposed goals for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 in a prebudget public hearing. In January, then-superintendent Dr. Stewart D. Roberson presented a budget of $203.8 million for the 2011-2012 term. Matte Anderson, who serves as chair of the Business Advisory Committee, said, “Stability is something that sometimes we can take for granted. We have had the pleasure of having great stability in our county, espesee BUDGET, pg. 17