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Vol. 37, No. 22 | Richmond Suburban News | September 8, 2021
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Labor of love produces duck decoys that do more than hunt Local carver provides urns for departed pets By Jim Ridolphi The Mechanicsville Local
B
ob Crigler has an unusual occupation. “I’m in the business of making people cry,” he said in a recent interview. Before jumping to conclusions, consider that Crigler routinely delivers beautifully crafted and painted duck decoy urns to pet lovers who have recently lost close, fur covered companions. “It happens every time I deliver one of the finished urns,” he said. The emotion runs both ways and Crigler said it’s always a somber moment for both the recipient and the carver. Word of mouth and the quality of his work has resulted in an avalanche of orders, but he continues to diligently
Jim Ridolphi / The Local
Bob Crigler spent years learning the art of decoy carving. Now, he’s turning that expertise to providing comfort for pet owners who have recently lost their best friends by providing urns for their remains.
carve, finish and paint the ducks. It’s a process that cannot be hurried. The final product is waterfowl art, but the real beauty lies in the solace it provides for the people who use his product. In addition to containing the ashes of the pet, the permanently sealed decoys are often ordained with a small reminder of wonderful hours spent with a beloved dog or cat — a small tag removed from a collar or piece of fur personalize the memorial. “It reminds them of better days spent with a special animal,” he said. The work takes hours as Crigler toils in a small shop behind his home in Cool Springs Forest. The walls are lined with intricate tools collected during the many years of learning his craft,, something he describes as a lost piece of true American art. And then there are the ducks — dozens of them of all species and ages, each one holding its own unique story. or memory. see DECOYS pg. 8
Jim Ridolphi /The Local
Traffic at Richmond International Airport is slowly returning to normal after months of decreased business due to COVID.
Airport traffic on the rebound By Jim Ridolphi The Mechanicsville Local After a challenging year when passenger flights dwindled to a bare minimum and Richmond International Airport at times resembled a deserted convention hall, the facility is experiencing a hearty rebound as more Americans take to the see AIRPORT pg. 7
Preliminary year end financial figures promising By Jim Ridolphi The Mechanicsville Local
LAUREN NULL
Hanover County’s preliminary financial figures for the FY21 year that ended June 30 reflected positive results due to larger than expected revenues and reduced expenditures. Finance director Lauren Null presented the results at last month’s Board of Supervisors meet-
ing after a reviewing the figures with the board’s Finance Committee. “Year to date, revenue totals $280.6 million with a revenue budget of $267.3 million,” Null said. “projected yearend revenues are approximately $13.4 million higher than the appropriated budget.” General property taxes increased about $8.7 million and other local tax receipts
were up by approximately $2.6 million. The Commonwealth’s contribution increased by $1million and the Federal share was up $5.6 million from the previous year. “We saw positive budget variances in several categories,” Null said. Local tax revenues increased by $7.1 million bolstered by better than expected sales tax receipts. see FINANCE, pg. 5