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| Also serving the communities of Montpelier, Beaverdam, Rockville and Doswell

Ashland Pot Pie Company brings savory, sweet treats to the table

Contributed Photo

The Town of Ashland recently welcomed the Ashland Pot Pie Company to its slate of local businesses. The restaurant had its grand opening celebration on Oct. 29. Located at 107 S. Railroad Ave., the Ashland Pot Pie Company sells homemade, savory pot pies and sweet fruit pies. The business is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Stop by for a sweet treat, lunch or dinner. Check out the Ashland Pot Pie Company’s Facebook page for daily updates.

Upcoming programs at Hanover area libraries

All Pamunkey Regional Library branches will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24, Saturday, Dec. 25, and Monday, Dec. 27.

Richard S. Gillis, Jr./Ashland Branch Library

IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

Make Your Own Giant Snowflake at the Ashland Branch Library. Thursday, December 2, 7 - 8 p.m. Ages 18 and up. Join us to make your own giant snowflake - just like the ones decorating the library! Registration is required at https:// pamunkeylibrary.libcal.com/event/8054640. Call 804-798-4072 or visit the library at 201 S. Railroad Ave. for more information. Jewelry Making for Teens at the Ashland Branch Library. Saturday, Dec. 4, 3 - 4:30 p.m. For ages 12-18. Nothing beats a unique, made-justfor-you gift. Create some jewelry for someone you care about (even if it's yourself!). Registration required at https://pamunkeylibrary.libcal.com/ event/8050162. Call 804-798-4072 or visit the library at 201 S. Railroad Ave. for more information. Must Love Words at the Ashland Branch Library. Tuesdays, Dec. 7 and 14, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Writers, are you looking for inspiration? Need readers with a discerning eye? Join us for constructive feedback and discussion about the craft of writing on each of this month. Due to group resources, email and word processing are used to communicate outside of meetings. Access to email and familiarity with word processing is preferred. Registration is required at https://pamunkeylibrary.libcal.com/. Call 804-798-4072 or visit the library at 201 S. Railroad Ave. for more information. Reading Olympians Game Challenge at the Ashland Branch Library. Thursday, Dec. 9, 6:30 - 8 p.m. For ages 12-18. Bring a friend or teammate to create fun review games and trivia cards to help each other prepare for the contest. Registration required at https://pamunkeylibrary. libcal.com/event/8076450. Call 804-798-4072 or visit the library at 201 S. Railroad Ave. for more information. Morning Book Club at the Ashland Branch Library. Friday, Dec. 17, 10 - 11 a.m. Read our book of the month and engage in a lively discussion about it. Share views about the book and author and share reading recommendations. Registration is required at https://pamunkeylibrary.libcal.com/. Call 804-798-4072 or visit the library at 201 S.

see HANOVER LIBRARY, pg. 19

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to begin surveying in Ashland

Contributed Report news@mechocal.com

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) recently notified the Town of Ashland that staff members will begin surveying select town-owned properties, businesses and private residences to delineate boundaries between CSX Transportation right-of-way and rightof-way recently purchased by VPRA.

The Commonwealth of Virginia and CSX Transportation signed a deal in March to transfer 223 miles of track and 386 miles of right-of-way to the Commonwealth to improve and expand passenger rail service in Virginia. The surveys will aid in the development of a plan to study Virginia’s 179 miles of Interstate 95 corridor between the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Alexandria, Virginia and the North Carolina border.

In a presentation to Ashland’s Town Council in June about the acquisition, Clark Mercer, Governor Ralph Northam’s chief of staff, noted that the deal includes an agreement from all parties to maintain the existing two-track rail system within the Town of Ashland. Any expansions to a three-track system would occur outside of Ashland’s residential and downtown areas to the north and south of town.

“This deal will expand and improve passenger rail service in Virginia while also protecting and preserving the Town of Ashland,” Mercer said. “The agreement between CSX and the state recognizes that a 3-2-3 track system is what is appropriate and will enable us to adequately move passenger and freight up and down the corridor while also protecting this community.”

see SURVEYING pg. 18

Ashland Museum to hold guided walking tours

The Ashland Museum holiday guided walking tour will take place on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. We will share some history and architecture about the part of the Race Course Addition around Howard Street. The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P) originally promised the property to Randolph-Macon College, but the college decided to take the former Ashland Hotel and Mineral Well Company property instead. In the 1870s, the RF&P instructed its trustees to subdivide what had been the Ashland Jockey Club and racecourse into residential lots and to begin selling them.

Each 60-minute walking tour will end with a reception at 205 Howard St. This lot was sold to Rebecca Henderson Ladew in 1904. The 1905 tax

Contributed Photo

The holiday guided walking tours will end with a reception at 205 Howard St.

records indicate the home she built on the property was valued at $1,400. The Colonial Revival style house with a full front porch and paired columns was very fashionable in 1905.

Details and registration for the guided walking tour of Howard Street and reception in one of Ashland's historic homes are on our website, ashlandmuseum.org. If you have questions, email the museum at ashlandmuseum@comcast.net or call 804-368-7314. Information submitted by the Ashland Museum.

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CALENDAR

Sunday, Nov. 28

Hanover Christmas Mother joins Sports Page Bar & Grill for “Spirit” evening from 5 to 10 p.m. at 504 England Street in Ashland. A portion of your receipt will be donated to the Hanover Christmas Mother.

Friday, Nov. 26

Hanover County’s Birthday happens to be Black Friday this year and the day before Small Business Saturday. Be on the lookout for announcements!

Friday, Dec. 3

The Hanover County Historical Society will host its annual Holiday Dinner Meeting. The Society invites members and the public to attend this event to be held at the Hanover Tavern Coach House. Registration is required per COVID restrictions. The evening program will feature Suzanne Munson, author of a new biography about Founding Father, George Wythe. Munson is a well-known guest speaker and lecturer at various colleges and universities. She is a guest columnist for the Times Dispatch. Her presentation will be accompanied by a slide program, and her new biography, Jefferson’s Godfather, will be available for purchase. Enjoy a dinner buffet with choice of salad, entrees, sides and dessert. The event opens at 6 p.m. Preregistration required and paid by Nov. 18. See “Events” at the Society Web Site: www. hanovercountyhistoricalsociety.org for details. Tickets may be reserved also by visiting hanoverhistorical.org to pay by credit card. Checks may be mailed to HCHS, Inc., P.O. box 91, Hanover, Va., 23069. Cost $30 per person.

Friday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 5

Church of the Redeemer’s annual nativity event will have more than 200 nativities from around the world that will be on display at the church, located at 8275 Meadowbridge Road in Mechanicsville. The No Room weekend starts with a Gala Preview on Friday, December 3 from 7 to 10 pm. Adults are invited to an evening of fabulous food, beverages, live and silent auctions, and music. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. All ages are invited on Saturday Dec. 4 from 10 am to 8 pm and Sunday Dec. 5 from 9 am to 4 pm. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are $5 for adults and $1 for 18 and younger. Although in person, the event is being modified to follow safety protocols and will not include a children’s room. Special craft bags will be available for families to take home and do an activity with their children. In addition, the online auction. For more information visit www. churchredeemer.org/no-room or call the church at 804-7464911.

Saturday, Dec. 4

A Community Salt Fish Breakfast will be held from 8 – 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Enon UMC, 6156 Studley Road in 23116. The buffet includes: salt fish, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage gravy, biscuits, hash browns, grits, apples, corn cakes, waffles, and a beverage. Adults $10, children under 7 are free. All profit goes to missions.

Light Up the Tracks, presented by Dominion Energy will have an Ashland Christmas Market from noon to 4 p.m. in Historic Downtown Ashland, 201 South Railroad Avenue in Ashland. Inspired by openair holiday markets around the world, downtown shops and businesses are taking their wares to the streets with sidewalk sales, displays, and specials. Plus, local artisans and crafters will host pop-up shops throughout Downtown Ashland. For more information visit at LightUptheTracks. com.

SURVEYING

Continued from pg. 17

If surveying is required on your property as part of the study, VPRA will notify you in writing or in person. Any individuals entering your property for the purposes of the study will carry identification and must present it upon request.

A recording of the June 15 Town Council meeting with comments and presentations from Mercer and Shannon Valentine, Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation, can be found on the Town of Ashland’s website, https:// www.ashlandva.gov/89/ Town-Meetings.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the study and entry onto your property, contact Todd Hopkins with VPRA at: (804) 382-0438 / todd.hopkins@ vpra.virginia.gov.

Sunday, Dec. 5

The Ashland Museum holiday guided walking tour will begin at 2 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. Each tour will end with a reception at 205 Howard St., the 1904 home belonging to the Eks. Details and registration on ashlandmuseum. org. Email the museum at ashlandmuseum@comcast.net or call 804-368-7314 if you have questions.

The Hanover Harmony men’s choir, which meets in Ashland, will present a Sounds of the Christmas Season concert at 4 p.m. at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center, 500 South Center Street, Ashland. This is a free concert that is open to all. The concert will feature a string quartet that will join the choir for a few songs.

| News, Updates & Listings

Fax submissions to calendar to 344-8746, email to events@mechlocal. com, or mail to 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd., Mechanicsville VA 23116. Deadline is 1 p.m. Thursday for the following week’s issue. Calendar announcements cannot be taken by phone. We reserve the right to edit all items submitted to The Mechanicsville Local.

Tuesday, Dec. 7

Hanover Christmas Mother joins Riverbound Cafe for “Spirit Day” at 8005 Creighton Parkway in Mechanicsville. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, take-out; an allday event. A portion of your receipt will be donated to the Hanover Christmas Mother.

Friday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec. 12

The Central VA Masterworks Chorale, based in Ashland, will perform Handel’s Messiah, Part One, along with McDowall’s Christmas cantata “A Winter’s Night” twice in December. The concert will be held on Friday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church in Richmond and again on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. at Duncan Memorial Methodist Church in Ashland. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased at the Caboose Market and Café in Ashland, online at www.cvamc.org, or by phone at 1-800-838-3006. All COVID-19 protocols will be observed at both venues.

Saturday, Dec. 11

Light Up the Tracks, presented by Dominion Energy will have Jolly Jaunt Bar Crawl from 6 to 8 p.m. New this year is the Holiday Movie Characters theme. Be sure to dress up as your favorite holiday hero, villain, or sidekick as you stroll the streets of downtown Ashland. After you are done crawling, head down England St to the Jolly Jaunt concert at Ashland Theatre! For 21 plus only. Tickets will be on sale at Origin Beer Lab - Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. For more information, visit at LightUptheTracks.com.

Ongoing

Mechanicsville Churches Emergency Functions One Stop Shop (MCEF OSS) is open for food, clothing and linens from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at 7235 Stonewall Parkway in Mechanicsville (rear parking lot). The shop is available for residents in the 23111 and 23116 zip codes with identification and proof of residency.

Saturdays

Trinity Lutheran Church, Ashland Campus, located at 11515 Ashcake Road in Ashland two miles west of U.S. 1, holds it church service at 5 p.m. with Pastor Rev. Dr. Roy Minnix For more information, visit www.trinityrichmond.net or call 804-270-9626.

see CALENDAR, pg. 19

Continued from pg. 18

Sundays

All Souls Episcopal Church celebrates Holy Eucharist Rite II at 9:15 a.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church at 8154 Atlee Rd. in Mechanicsville. A nursery will be available for infants and toddlers. Katherine G. Dougherty is the Deacon in charge of All Souls. For more information, visit www.allsoulsva.org.

A Healing and Recovery SS Class meets at 9 a.m. at the Walnut Grove Baptist Church at 7046 Cold Harbor Rd. in Mechanicsville. The class is for adults 18 and over and is an extension of the NorthStar community that also meets at 6 p.m. Fridays at the church. The Christian 12 Steps and Biblical wisdom are the basis of study and discussion to learn about God’s place in our lives. All are welcome. For more information, call 804746-5081 or contact Craig

Outside the Walls, a Narcotics Anonymous group, meets from 6 to 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Pamunkey Regional Jail at 7240 Courtland Farm Rd. in Hanover. For more information, contact John Shinholser, McShin president, at 804-2491845. The website is http:// www.mcshin.org.

Tuesdays

A Commanders coffee is held from 10 to 11 a.m. at American Legion Post 90 at 17662 Beaver Dam Rd. in Beaverdam to discuss issues of interest/befits of the American Legion. There also will be donuts. Call Post Commander Eugene Truitt at 804-7464734.

The Hanover Concert Band rehearses from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. every Tuesday, midJanuary through mid-December, at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center at 500 S. Railroad Ave. in Ashland, just south of U.S. 54. Membership is open to anyone who can read music and play a nonstring instrument. High school students are welcome with parents’ permission. Visit www.hanoverconcertband.org or call 804-789-0536.

Wednesdays

Walnut Grove Baptist Church is conducting English and Citizenship classes with open enrollment through May 2022. Classes will be held Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact the church office, located at 7046 Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville. Contact 804-746-5081 or at wgbcinfo@comcast.net or 804-7464696. The classes are free but the students will need to purchase the books required for their class.

Hanover Rotary meets from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Roma’s Restaurant at 7240 Bell Creek Rd. in Mechanicsville. Due to the pandemic, contact President Penny at pennyguiles43@gmail.com for current meeting at Roma’s or Zoom connection information.

Th ursdays

The Ashland Rotary Club meets weekly at noon at the Iron Horse Restaurant at 100 S. Railroad Ave. in in Ashland. For more information, contact Steve Dunham at 804496-6093 or sandrdunham@ yahoo.com.

Overcomers Outreach & Women’s Codependency is a Christ-centered anonymous support program offering hope and healing for recovering alcoholics, addicts and their families. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at Shalom Baptist Church at 8116 Walnut Grove Rd. in Mechanicsville. For more information, call 804366-6524 or email mjfaith1@ gmail.com.

Civil Air Patrol, Hanover Squadron, meets Thursdays, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Fairfield Presbyterian Church, 6930 Cold Harbor Rd, in Mechanicsville. CAP is an awesome program for youth, ages 12- 21, as well as for adults who care about young people and want to help train America’s next generation of Leaders. You’ll find cadet life exciting if you enjoy Flying, Leadership Training, Model Rocketry, Earning Rank & Awards, and much more. For more information, visit hanover.vawg.cap.gov. You can also call or email Capt James Wright at 804-551-3354 or james.wright@vawg.cap. gov

HANOVER LIBRARY

Continued from pg. 17 Railroad Ave. for more information.

Hanover Branch Library

IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

Elementary Art Show at the Hanover Branch Library. Monday Dec. 6 – Saturday, Jan. 8, during library business hours. Stop in to the Hanover Branch Library during the holiday season to see excellent artwork displayed by student artists from Rural Point and Kersey Creek Elementary Schools. Call 804-365-6210 or visit the library at 7527 Library Drive to sign up or for more information.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS

Grinch Craft Take and Make at the Hanover Branch Library. Pickup starts Saturday, Dec. 4, while supplies last. We’re celebrating the Dr. Seuss book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Grow your heart a few sizes with a take home craft. Call 804365-6210 or visit the library at 7527 Library Drive to sign up or for more information.

Lois Wickham Jones/Montpelier Branch Library

IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

Mystery Book Club at the Montpelier Branch Library. Monday, Dec. 13, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Join us for a monthly discussion on our favorite mystery titles. Call or visit the branch for book information. Call 804-8837116 or visit the library at 17205 Sycamore Tavern Lane for more information.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS

A to Z Letters Take and Make at the Montpelier Branch Library. Pickup starts Wednesday, Dec. 1, while supplies last. Grades K-5. Stop by the Montpelier Branch Library to pick up a kit and craft a letter at home. Follow along with our video while listening to an alphabet story on our website (https://tinyurl.com/prlchildrens), our Youtube channel (https://www. youtube.com/user/pamunkeylibrary), and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ PamunkeyLibrary/). Call 804-883-7116 or visit the library at 17205 Sycamore Tavern Lane for more information.

Cochrane Rockville Branch Library

IN PERSON PROGRAMS

Holiday Take and Make at the Cochrane Rockville Branch Library. Pickup starts Wednesday, Dec. 1. Ages 14 and up. Pick up the kit to make these adorable gnome ornaments, while supplies last! Call 804-749-3146 or visit the library at 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for more information. Holiday Gift Wrap Workshop at the Cochrane Rockville Branch Library. Saturday, Dec. 11, 1 - 2 p.m.. Ages 14 and up. Learn a few new gift-wrapping techniques! Bring up to 3 gifts (no larger than a shirt box) and leave with 3 uniquely wrapped gifts. Registration required. Call 804-7493146 or visit the library at 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for more information.

Information submitted by Carolyn Garner, librarian, Pamunkey Regional Library.

Second Mondays

The WEB of Hope meets from 10 a. m. to noon at the Black Creek Baptist Church at 6289 McClellan Rd. in Mechanicsville. It is one of several groups in the Richmond area that crochets, knits, sews, and quilts gifts for the American Red Cross to distributed to those in need. Since its inception, the WEB has donated over 153,000 gifts locally, nationally and globally. If you can make it, the WEB can use it. There are so many organizations in need of help. For more information, call Laurie Wagner at 804-781-0338.

Th ird Mondays

Alzheimer’s/Dementia support group for caregivers

see CALENDAR, pg. 27

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