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Vol. 31, No. 35 | Richmond Suburban News | December 31, 2014
Impact of runner’s death named top story of year TOP 10 STORIES OF 2014 1) Meg Menzies’ death 2) Biosolids debate 3) 9/11 film under fire 4) Brat unseats Cantor 5) Atlee Station YMCA 6) Restructuring debt 7) Development debate 8) Grayson Kirby 9) School Board seat 10) Cold case solved
By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com A jogger’s death that resonated across the nation and the globe takes the lead in the Top 10 stories of 2014. Meg Cross Menzies was killed Jan. 13 after being struck by a Mechanicsville doctor in what was determined to be an alcohol-related crash. She was run-
ning with her husband Scott, an officer with the Ashland Police Department. On Dec. 8, Michael J. Carlson entered a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Carlson, driving a Toyota Sequoia, hit Menzies, sending her into a wooded area nearly 30 feet away. Her husband was wearing a bright green safety vest.
Menzies was the mother of three children. After her death, about 100,000 people took part in tribute runs. Carlson was traveling west at about 50 miles per hour when his vehicle left East Patrick Henry Road on a curve. The speed limit is 45 mph. The victim had jumped into a ditch to avoid the vehicle. Meg Menzies is memorialized with running shoes on a street
sign. Carlson, who is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6, remains free on $25,000 bond. He also is required to wear a device that senses if there is alcohol in his system. In the second story of the year, Hanover County officials said no to a company’s request to spread see YEAR, pg. 166
MENZIES
Growth keeps floor scrubber business moving By Jodi Deal jdeal@mechlocal.com
Jodi Deal/The Local
Steve Baker’s company, Caliber Equipment, will soon have about five times as much space. The business, which sells and services floor cleaning equipment, plans to move into a large renovated warehouse, shown behind Baker, in the Meadowbridge Industrial Park.
As Steve Baker explains it, his business, Caliber Equipment Inc., is kind of like an auto mall where you’ll find multiple car dealerships offering new and used vehicles of different brands, along with parts and service. However, Baker, the company’s owner and general manager, doesn’t sell cars. He sells floor cleaning equipment, new and used, from multiple vendors. Those include huge riding floor scrubbers that look like the Zamboni machines used to keep ice rinks smooth, walk-behind floor scrubbers like those you’d expect to
see a janitor pushing down the halls of a high school at night and even high-tech
“The secret to Hanover’s success with small businesses is that they’re friendly and have access to highways like nobody’s business.” STEVE BAKER Owner/General Manager Caliber Equipment
robotic floor cleaners sold to places like the
Pentagon, where security concerns make manned cleaning equipment risky. The enterprise began in 1993 with two employees and one bay of office space. At that time, he was connected to a forklift business and operated out of the Hanover Industrial Air Park. As the business expanded and became free-standing, he took over additional bays, until Caliber got too big and ventured out of the park to an 11,000-square-foot building on Fox Cross Road in Ashland. It’s a niche business, but Baker said it’s paid off. That’s why Caliber, now up to 40 employees and about $8 million in sales see FLOOR, pg. 7