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Vol. 37, No. 20 | Richmond Suburban News | August 25, 2021
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Birthday celebration, museum opening set for Saturday
H
anover County will celebrate its 300th Birthday with a free, fun community event on Saturday, Aug. 28 at the courthouse complex. Activities begin at 9:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting for the new Hanover Museum of History and Culture and the fun continues until 1 p.m. “As our County Administrator
The new museum will include a community welcome center and four changing exhibit galleries. Hanover has the honor of being the first museum in Virginia to exhibit the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling Museum on Main Street Crossroads: Change in Rural America. The Aug. 28 event is not limited to the ribbon cutting and opening of
has stated, we consider this as the jumping-off point for a celebration of Hanover, not only to remember as it was in the past and the present day but looking forward into the future,” said Hanover Public Information Officer Tom Harris. “The Hanover Museum of History & Culture will be a lasting symbol of the 2021 celebration.”
the museum. Called “Make History with Us”, this unique event will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include activities for the entire family, displays by our partners, vendors, artisans, live music and special commemorative gifts for the first 500 families in attendance. Colonial re-enactors will join the celebration see BIRTHDAY, pg. 5 Jim Ridolphi/The Local
Shop Local campaign focused on county’s small businesses
Ashland Town Council voted 3-2 last week to set the operating hours of the Town Hall at 7:30 a.m to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Although the facility is closed on Fridays, a voice message system is available for citizens’ questions or issues and is monitored by officials. “Everyone receives a call back,” said Town Manager Josh Farrar at last week’s meeting.
Council sets Town Hall operating hours LINWOOD THOMAS
By Jim Ridolphi The Mechanicsville Local Not unlike thousands of localities across the nation, Hanover County businesses felt the pinch of the pandemic as stores were shuttered, events cancelled and an overall shutdown swept the community.
Economic Development Director Linwood Thomas said the county’s recovery from the negative effects of the pandemic has been anchored by a community of small businesses, and assisted by several big announcements in the past two years. “Hanover has been very lucky to see its fair share
of large project announcements over the last 48 months but our No. 1 priority remains our small businesses,” Thomas said. “They are truly the backbone of our local economy.” A healthy growth trend prior to the pandemic also better prepared local busisee SHOP, pg. 9
By Jim Ridolphi The Mechanicsville Local In a close 3-2 vote, Ashland Town Council opted to maintain the current operating hours for the Town Hall at 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Council’s action makes Ashland the sole locality in the metro area, and the Commonwealth, to initiate a four-day work week for its administrative employees.
Many localities relied on alternative schedules during the pandemic, and a number of agencies employ four-day, 10-hour workdays during the summer; but none have finalized the shortened work week. “In other communities…. staff is there and is expected to be there. Government functions on a five-day-a-week schedule,” Vice-mayor John Hodges said. “This will make us very unique in the region
and in the state,” he added. In May, 2020, a pilot program featuring the four-day week was introduced for administrative staff but did not include Public Works or the Ashland Police Department. “Largely what we are talking about today is administrative staff working in Town Hall and the hours of this building,” Farrar said at last week’s meetsee TOWN, pg. 4
