02/23/2012 by Midlothian Exchange

SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF CHESTERFIELD COUNTY

02.23.12

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Search for fun at Midlothian Mines Geocaching event showcases hobby, teaches local history BY KOREY HUGHES

Special Correspondent

eocaching is a pastime that lets GPS users input coordinates into their devices to ﬁnd caches that will provide important information about locations. On Saturday, Feb. 25, the Chesterﬁeld County Department of Parks and Recreation will host the

Midlothian Mines Geocaching event at Midlothian Mines Park that will let local residents experience the activity while uncovering clues about Midlothian’s past. Bryan Truzzie, the historic sites specialist for Chesterﬁeld County Department of Parks and Recreation, will conduct the event with Brent Hoard, another Department

of Parks and Recreation employee who developed the mapping technology that will be employed during the event. “Midlothian is actually recognized as the place where coal was first commercially mined in North America, starting in the early 1700s,” Truzzie said. “It led to a boom that resulted in one of the first hard surface roads in Virginia and one of the first railroads in the country.” “The park was established in 2004 as part of the county system,

but, prior to that, it was part of a large open area where remains of some of the earliest coal mine shafts, equipment and buildings were located. Currently, it’s surrounded by a large subdivision in Midlothian that is called the Grove subdivision.” According to Truzzie, geocaching is a popular hobby among outdoor enthusiasts that also has real-world applications. “Well, the interesting thing with geocaching is that it’s a popular activity among people who are into

orienteering and map and compass skills,” Truzzie said. “They can use a handheld GPS receiver to navigate and find certain waypoints in the open areas, parks and woods and learn their wayfinding skills while finding caches and learning about the historical significance of our parks.” “At Midlothian Mines Park, there are hundreds of unidentified caches where people can go online and use their own GPS receivers to find

Speaker will advise how to improve SAT scores

OVERHEARD

Jean and Donald Lee

People don’t try as hard today. If things don’t go right, they just go and get a divorce.

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

uring two free seminars for Chesterfield students, national speaker John Swann will share information about how to get higher scores on the SAT reasoning test. Swann’s message is designed to be especially helpful to juniors in high school. His sessions provide nuts-and-bolts information to help students at all levels achieve their highest possible scores in math and reading. Students will leave with a better understanding of the SAT, specific strategies to boost scores and a booklet of practice materials. Swann’s first seminar will be presented from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, in the Midlothian High School auditorium, 401 Charter Colony Parkway. He will repeat his presentation from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, in the Monacan High auditorium, 11501 Smoketree Drive. Chesterfield County students may attend either presentation. There is no fee, but students who want to attend must register online at mychesterfieldschools.com by clicking “John Swann SAT Presentation” on the right side of the screen. “This is a unique opportunity for students,” said Bryan Carr, the school system’s instructional specialist for school counseling. “Reviews on John’s work with students are overwhelmingly positive.” For more information, call 594-1743 or 279-7319.

I knew she was the one for me right away. We were meant for each other.

Jean and Donald Lee have spent the last seven decades together and will celebrate their 67th wedding anniversary on Friday, Feb. 24. PHOTO BY JIM RIDOLPHI

A lasting love BY JIM RIDOLPHI

first son. Along the way, Donald attended ean and Donald Lee spent school at Lynchburg College and Valentine’s Day the same way the University of Virginia and they’ve spent most of the eventually became an engineer. previous seven decades — The couple raised four children, together and in love. two sons and two daughters, and The two met when Jean hosted now has eight grandchildren and a party at a home. Donald, 17, was five great-grandchildren. one of the invited guests at the “I was a stay-at-home Mom and Lynchburg get-together. As the two took care of the children,” Jean exchanged glances, Donald said he said. knew he’d met the love of his life. The couple’s love has only “I knew she was the one for strengthened over the years. Jean me right away. We were meant for said she’s not sure of the secret, but each other,” he said last week at the does offer some insight into a lastcouple’s Chesterfield Heights Reing relationship. tirement Community apartment. “Being honest, faithful, and “He came with a mutual friend working things out. Today people to the party. We started dating divorce so easily,” she said. from then on,” Jean said. “People don’t try as hard today,” After dating for about three she said. “If things don’t go right, years, the couple married on Feb. they just go and get a divorce.” 24, 1945. Donald was in the Navy, and the two soon first had their LOVE page 3 Special Correspondent

PHOTO BY YVONNE MULLINS

Two Midlothian High School students recently placed first in the DECA marketing competition. Laura Monahan, left, and Jenna Wines, both juniors, took part in the District Leadership Conference at Chesterfield Towne Center Mall on Jan. 11. They joined students from across the Chesterfield County. Monahan placed first in Apparel and Accessories Marketing and Wines placed first in Business Services Marketing. Both girls will compete on March 9-11 in Norfolk in the State DECA competition. Midlothian DECA had several winners and 13 students qualify for the state competition. The other first place winners were: Vikram Ramnarain, Retail Merchandising; Hamish Allen, Sports Marketing; Megan Ainsworth, Principles of Marketing; Collin Sabine, Selling; and Ashley Charles, Full Service Restaurant Marketing.

After 67 years of marriage their ﬂame still has fuel

MAGIC LESSONS

NBA legend Magic Johnson teaches life lessons at Monacan High School BY KITTY AMBERS

President, Monacan Athletic Boosters

uring a recent school holiday, student athletes from Monacan High School and several local athletic associations were in class being schooled by Los Angeles Lakers great Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

MINE page 5

Through stories about his life, he shared his thoughts on how to be a great person and the best basketball player you can be. “Magic’s presentation was so genuine and open,” several parents said. The audience asked questions and the answers were ﬁlled with anecdotes and positive messages for student athletes.

“The key to being a great basketball player is to make somebody else on your team better,” Magic said. He encouraged all of the players in the packed Monacan High School auditorium “to turn off the video MAGIC page 2

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Midlothian Family YMCA receives $2,500 donation CONTRIBUTED REPORT

he Midlothian Family YMCA is the recipient of a donation from Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Richmond. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, Sheehy presented a check worth $2,500 to the Y. The donation is the company’s way of giving back to the community in which they serve. “I chose the Midlothian Family YMCA because they impact the lives of so many people in our community. From young kids to senior citizens, the ‘Y’ is there to lend a helping hand,” said Kevin Gonzalez, general manager of Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Richmond. Midlothian Family YMCA executive director Scott Williams was on hand to receive the money on behalf of the “Y.” He said the donation will help support the “Y’s” mission of creating programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. “We are excited and grateful to Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Richmond for this generous donation,” said Williams. “Through donations like this, the ‘Y’ is able to continue to help people in our community maintain active, healthy lifestyles.”

ABOUT THE YMCA OF GREATER RICHMOND

The YMCA of Greater Richmond, a nonproﬁt charitable organization, operates 16 branches throughout metro Richmond and Petersburg, serving 165,775 people. For more information, visit www.ymcarichmond.org.

MAGIC from page 1 games and pick up your basketball. Take it with you everywhere. Make the ball your best friend.” He told stories of growing up in a poor neighborhood in Lansing, Mich., and dribbling the ball everywhere. “I would go to the store

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CHARLOTTE DEAN

Kevin Gonzalez, left, general manager of Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Richmond; Scott Williams, Midlothian Family YMCA executive director; and Jennifer Lail, sales manager at Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Richmond; gathered for a check presentation for the “Y.” Sheehy donated $2,500 as a way of giving back to the community the dealership serves.

for my Mom and dribble there right handed, and dribble back left handed.” Magic said he put the time in to build his skills outside of practice, so that he could work on making others better during practice. The principle of making others better shows in his stats. During his NBA career,

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Magic was #1 in assists during three seasons, and second or third nearly every other season. “You can’t be a great basketball player and a dumb jock,” Magic said. “It’s important to balance grades and basketball.” In one inspiring story, he shared that a teacher told him he would never amount to anything; never go anywhere. This made him mad, which made him focus his efforts in school as much as on the court. Magic shared the idea of always having a personal mission statement. “Ask yourself, ‘What am I about? ‘What separates me?’ Have passion, put the time in, work to get better, and don’t let ‘you’ be the reason that you don’t succeed.” Always remember that “you can control you.” Magic said his passion is winning. That’s what he’s about. He was named to the All-Star team 12 times, and played on the “Dream Team” that took Gold in the 1992 Summer Olympics. “We didn’t just win, we dominated.” Team USA averaged 117 points per game and the average margin of

victory was just under 44 points. As part of the Dream Team, Magic had the opportunity to play alongside his biggest rival, Larry Bird. One of Magic’s fondest NBA accomplishments was earning the top spot in free-throw percentage for the season, beating out Bird. Magic said that having such tough competitors in the league, like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, only made him better. “I knew they were working hard, so it made me work harder.” When asked about Jordan, Magic said Jordan was “fundamentally sound, made his teammates better, and knew what to work on to get better.” Jordan was “driven to be great and better than anyone else.” He invited others to join him in this quest for greatness with his pre-practice “breakfast club.” Jordan would do his work before practice, while others were at breakfast. Magic’s on the court performances were not always “magic.” When asked about any mistakes he’d made,

Magic shared a story about playing in a championship game versus the Celtics where he made many turnovers and poor decisions, resulting in a loss. That poor performance haunted him and Magic spent the entire off season in the gym, working. He said he found himself in the same championship game position the following season and this time the Lakers won. “When you make a mistake, learn from it so you don’t repeat it. Strengthen your weaknesses,” Magic said. When dealing with a serious injury that takes you out of the game, Magic said “listen to your therapist and do everything that rehab requires. Stay engaged in the game any way you can.” Being with the team and continuing to be part of the game, even if not physically on the court, helps the healing process. Before closing the nearly two-hour-long conversation with players and their parents, Magic shared his thoughts on the importance of family and respecting your parents. Magic grew up in a household with six sisters and three

brothers. “I grew up poor but didn’t have poor dreams. With my $1.99 tennis shoes I still was the best player on the court. My shoes didn’t affect my attitude or basketball ability. The time you put into the game is what will make you like Jordan, not having his gear.” His ﬁnal words to the crowd were “Respect your parents and listen to them; stay in school and excel; work hard on the court; and love yourself and love who you are. That’s what will make you great.” Today, Magic Johnson is involved in multiple business ventures. He said he envisions his legacy as putting people to work and affecting positive change in urban communities. For more about his nonproﬁt work, visit www. magicjohnson.com. ABOUT MONACAN ATHLETIC BOOSTERS

Monacan Athletic Boosters is a nonproﬁt, volunteer driven organization committed to supporting Monacan High School athletics by raising funds and building recognition in our community. For more information, visit www.monacansports. com.

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Midlothian grads break out of VMI ‘rat line’

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

hree members of the 2011 Class of Midlothian High School who are students at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) recently celebrated “Breaking out of the rat line.” Sarah Putney, Erica Putney and Kirsten Hancock went to the Lexington school to play soccer. Now that they are no longer “rats,”

they are considered Cadets. The rat line started in the middle of August and ended on Jan. 28. During that period, the freshmen were not allowed to use cell phones, wear makeup, had only limited Internet access, and able to visit home twice at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The last week, “Resurrection Week,” up to Breakout Day is described as being very intense with sweat party

workouts every night and different rat missions. Breakout Day started at 5 a.m. and consisted of more sweat parties, circuit training, hill climbing, marching and a ﬁnal hill challenge to end the day. Having completed the rat line, they cadets said they “are very happy to have accomplished this goal and look forward to upcoming Spring Soccer season.”

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS DAY

LOVE from page 1 The Lees moved to Richmond seven years ago to be closer to their two daughters. Like any couple, Donald and Jean don’t always see eye to eye on every issue, but the two always strive to work things out. “We have disagreements,” Jean said. “You couldn’t say we ﬁght, because she has the sweetest disposition of anyone I know,” Donald said. The two enjoy their daily routine at Chesterﬁeld Heights, assisted by private duty nurse Geana Knowlton. She said it’s easy to spot the mutual dedication the couple has for each other. “He won’t go anywhere without her,” she said. The couple will celebrate 67 years of marriage this week, quite an accomplishment in these days and times. They have a simple bit of advice for young lovers just beginning their lives together: “Communicate with each other, and always be honest,” Jean said. Donald added that the key to happiness is an easy discovery. “Find someone that you are happy with . . . like we did.”

Event to provide guidance to planned community management personnel BY KOREY HUGHES

Special Correspondent

lanned community management personnel will receive guidance today when they attend the Community Associations Day 2012 sponsored by the central Virginia chapter of Community Associations Institute. Community Associations Institute is an international organization that supports the industry, and 59 of its 60 chapters are in the United States. Stacey Draper is the chapter executive director for the central Virginia chapter of Community Associations Institute and the event’s organizer. “Our primary goal is to provide education, best practices and expert perspective to those who lead common-interest communities,” Draper said. “Events like this give all community association stakeholders the opportunity to meet their peers, discuss common challenges and get ideas they can use in their own

communities.” Draper added. “It’s all about helping association leaders build better, more successful communities.” The theme of this year’s event is “CAI – It’s Game Time – Let the Education Begin.” To that end, providing awareness to planned community management personnel is the focus of today’s educational opportunity. “These events are one way we fulﬁll our most important mission – educating those responsible for the governance and management of homeowners associations, condominiums and other planned communities,” Draper said. “Although many chapters host social events, the overwhelming majority of CAI events focus on education for the homeowner board members, for community managers and for other professionals who provide services to community associations. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership and responsible citizenship, ideals reﬂected in communities that are preferred places to call

home,” she said. The event will kick off with a brief breakfast and general session. And, before lunch, participants will attend educational seminars that cover topics such as “Avoiding Fair Housing Traps,” “Challenges of Being a Good Neighbor: Rights and Responsibilities” and “Go Green, Save Green.” “Our members and the chapter staff work together to determine the topics that will be most beneﬁt to our members, their community associations and, by extension, their residents,” Draper said. “Themes are selected by the chapter, not only to help market events, but also to give prospective attendees a sense of their value – in this case, learning opportunities.” The event will conclude with a trade show that will introduce participants to vendors that provide goods and services to planned communities. “Virtually all communities rely on the expertise, services and products of vendors, from accountants and bankers to painters and

landscapers,” Draper said. “The trade show gives our members the opportunity to learn from these experts and get the latest information on products and services that can help them meet and, ideally, exceed the expectations of their residents.” By day’s end, participants will receive information that will help them to facilitate improvements in their planned communities and provide better service to residents of those populations. “Attendees can expect to learn how to inspire professionalism, get effective leadership, (and) be a responsible citizen,” Draper said. “In addition to that, attendees can expect to meet professionals from the industry to help them with the latest information on products and services that can help them meet and exceed their expectations.” Community Associations Day 2012 will get underway at 9 a.m. today at Holiday Inn Select at 1021 Koger Center Blvd. in Chesterﬁeld. Registrations are no longer being accepted.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

State politics with a national focus BY JIM RIDOLPHI Special Correspondent

As the Republican nomination process becomes more heated and contrary, there are rumblings in political circles that Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is on the short list of vice presidential candidates. More speciﬁcally, the governor has formed a working and friendly relationship with former front-runner Mitt Romney and has appeared on the campaign trail for the perennial candidate. Playing national politics is not something new for Virginia governors. L. Douglas Wilder’s name came up in every Democratic discussion for years, and former Gov. Jim Gilmore made no secret of his national aspirations. George Allen’s name was even kicked around in past years as a possible candidate for the number two slot. More recently, Tim Kaine even tested the national waters with a stint as Democratic Party chair. While the distant goings-on of national politics may seem a long way off from the stage in downtown Richmond, the two do interact, and Gov. McDonnell will soon discover positions taken in Virginia could soon be debated in Missouri or Michigan. Unlike national sentiments, a recent poll conducted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Christopher Newport University found most Virginians are optimistic and pleased with the state’s direction. That’s the good news. The bad news, especially for McDonnell, is that the public does not support some of the key issues now being considered by the Virginia General Assembly. That could spell controversy for some of the McDon-

nell-endorsed proposals, and could inﬂuence his chances for national selection on an upcoming presidential ticket. Measures like repealing Virginia’s one gun a month law, requiring women seeking abortions to submit to an invasive ultrasound procedure, and requiring state employees to contribute more to their pension plans did not gain majority approval ratings in the recent poll. As Virginia’s governor, McDonnell has the power to sign or veto these bills, and he also has the ability to amend legislation. That could allow the governor a chance to take the hard edge off some of the legislation, and keep Virginia out of the national headlines. The same poll found that a majority of Virginians do not approve of the job President Obama is doing, so there is a clear opportunity for Republicans to recapture a usually dependable red state. It’s anybody’s guess whether national attention to state legislative matters will sway the governor’s opinion on any given topic, but it does add another layer to the process. And it makes things a little more complicated here at home. Making local policy with a keen eye focused on national politics is a precarious juggling act, and the current governor must assess those pitfalls as he moves forward. Meanwhile, it’s nice to hear Virginians being considered for the nation’s highest ofﬁces, especially as we celebrate President’s Day. The Commonwealth has supplied eight presidents to a grateful nation, more than any other state and earning her the name “Mother of Presidents.” Only time will tell if there’s a new delivery in the works.

Midlothian High is ﬂippin’ out for pancakes CONTRIBUTED REPORT

The Midlothian High School PTSA is hosting the ﬁrst-ever Pancakes for Post Prom breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the school. The pancake breakfast will serve as a fundraiser for the PTSA Post Prom celebration, which will be held in April. The Post Prom event offers students a safe, drug-free and alcohol-free party after the Midlothian prom. It is funded by community donations and PTSA fundraisers throughout the school year. The Pancakes for Post Prom

breakfast is open to the community, parents and students. Pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee will be served. Tickets will be sold at the door. Adult tickets are $5 and children (under 12) are $3. There is in-school dining, as well as meals made to go. Bring your family and join your friends and neighbors for a hot breakfast. It’s a great way to support Post Prom -- no matter how you stack it. For more information about Pancakes for Post Prom Breakfast, contact Angie Steele at angie. steele@verizon.net.

5th Annual Virginia Wine Expo Virginia Orchid Society presents 2012 Orchid Show

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

The 5th Annual Virginia Wine Expo (VWE), to be held Feb. 24-26 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, will offer attendees the opportunity to taste and buy more than 450 bottles of Virginia wine produced in the state. Wine Enthusiast magazine recently named Virginia as one of the 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations. Benefiting the Virginia Wineries Association, the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels, more than 10,000 attendees are expected at this year’s three-day event. Tickets are on sale at VirginiaWineExpo.com. All attendees receive a Riedel crystal wine glass and are permitted to sample wine from more than 70 Virginia wineries and gourmet food from some of the region’s finest chefs and specialty food purveyors. VWE has added new events to the schedule for 2012. A new Walk-Around Grand Tasting will be held from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Additional events include two luncheons, two “Virginia Wine Expo After Hours at T-Millers” parties, a wine and food pairing soiree, and a brunch are making their debut. The Virginia Wine Lovers’ Luncheon at Acacia Mid-Town will be prepared by one of Richmond’s culinary stars, Chef Dale Reitzer, who was selected as one of Food and Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs in America in 1999. He also has been named a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2010 and 2011. The Late Winter Harvest Luncheon at Lemaire Restaurant will be led by another Richmond culinary star, Chef Walter Bundy, named Chef of the Year by Richmond magazine. Esquire magazine named Lemaire Restaurant as one of its Best New Restaurants (in America) in 2009. VWE will feature four new wine and food pair-

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

ing seminars, including one about pairing modern charcuterie with Virginia wine led by Richmond’s premier artisan charcuterie and butchery, Belmont Butchery. Also, Bob Talcott, the wine director at Can Can Brasserie in Carytown (Richmond), will give a 90minute seminar called “Your ‘Pleasure’ Senses and Professional Wine Tasting Techniques.” The VWE is sponsored by the Richmond TimesDispatch, Richmond magazine, the Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, MercedesBenz, the Virginia Wine Board, the Virginia Wine Marketing Ofﬁce, the Virginia Wineries Association, nTelos wireless, Riedel, Virginia Wine Lover e-Newsletter, Virginia Living magazine, Old Richmond Exteriors, The Wine Loft, Walmart, GHT Insurance, Bed & Breakfast Association of VIRGINIA, Virginia Lottery, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

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The Virginia Orchid Society will present the 2012 Orchid Show, “Jewels of the Jungle,” Friday through Sunday, Feb. 24-26, at Strange’s at 12111 W. Broad St. in Richmond. Free lectures will be given by orchid experts, orchid and art vendors will be participating, and more than 600 orchids will be on exhibit. The schedule includes: • Friday – 12 to 6 p.m. Orchid Show judging and 6 to 9 p.m. Orchid Gala, featuring a silent auction, plant sales and light fare. Admission is $5. • Saturday – 10 a.m. Keys to

Successful Orchid Culture, 11 a.m. Selecting and Growing Slipper Orchids, 12:30 p.m. Cool Growing Orchids in Warm Climates, 2:30 p.m. Choosing an Orchid to Grow in the Home, and 3:30 p.m. Your Blooming Orchid Finished Flowering . . . Now What? • Sunday – 11 a.m. Popular Orchids and Growing Them in Your Home, 12 p.m. Slipper Orchids for Your Windowsill, 1 p.m. Keys to Successful Orchid Culture, 2 p.m. Cool Growing Orchids in Warm Climates, and 3 .m. Common Orchid Pests and Remedies. For more information, call 3602800 or visit www.Stranges.com.

Dance Theatre brings African-American history to life at LaPrade Library for local recording artists. Before 1999, when Sankofa African-American history will Dance Theatre was formed, the come alive when Virginia State group was known as University’s Sanfoka Dance Theatre Orchesis. brings its signature brand of soulful Orchesis is a Greek word that movements to LaPrade Library in means to dance, but Brown changed Chesterﬁeld on Saturday, Feb. 25. the group’s name to more accurately The group consists of 13 Virginia reﬂect its present focus. State University students minoring “Actually, Sankofa is a Danayan in dance and enrolled in African, word that comes from the Akan ballet, jazz and modern dance cours- people of West Africa that means es at the educational institution. to ensure a victorious future,” Dr. Benita Brown, an associate Brown said. “And Orchesis was a professor of dance in the Health, Greek term for the word dance, so I Physical Education, Recreation changed it.” and Dance department at Virginia The theme of Saturday’s presenState University, is the director and tation is “Black History through the founder of the Sankofa Dance Dance.” Special guest artist Sekai Theatre. Afua Zankel will perform spoken Sankofa Dance Theatre has priword poetry during the show. marily performed at venues in and Brown said LaPrade Library around the Central Virginia region, initially contacted her to bring although Brown said her troupe has Sanfoka Dance Theatre there for a traveled to Philadelphia. Members DANCE page 6 also have appeared in music videos

BY KOREY HUGHES Special Correspondent

3229 Anderson Highway Powhatan, Va 23114 Ofﬁce: (804) 379-6451 Fax: (804) 379-6215 Mail: PO Box 10 Powhatan, VA 23139

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EXPLAIN

FEBRUARY 23, 2012 || 5

NEWS || FEATURES

CRIME REPORT

MONACAN HIGH AT VCU JAZZ DAY

All data are based on the publicly available Chesterﬁeld County Police Department daily arrest and crime releases and are reported according to Federal Incident Based Reporting rules.

23112

23235

5100 block of Terrace Arbor Circle Suspect/s forced entry to the location through the locked French doors and at this time nothing has been reported stolen.

2600 block of Buford Road Suspect was arrested for taking items from multiple vehicles.

Jan. 27

11800 block of Hull Street Road Armed and masked suspect directed the clerk to open the register. Once the suspect had the money, he told the clerk to move to the back of the store.

Jan. 28

8000 block of Kentucky Derby Drive Suspects stole items from multiple vehicles.

Feb. 2

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JENNY RYAN

Members of the Monacan High School Jazz Band participated in the VCU Jazz Day on Feb. 11. Ben Van Nest is shown on alto sax, Sam Morse on baritone, Rev Bradford on tenor sax, Drew Climo on trumpet, Josh Shaffer on drums and Jack Mustain on trombone.

14100 block of Huntgate Woods Road Victim returned to his locked residence and found his door bell continually ringing. He later discovered the rear screen door cut and the rear window pried open. At this time nothing has been reported stolen.

23113 Jan. 31

2600 block of Leaﬁeld Terrace Suspect/s pried open a rear kitchen window and gained entry into the residence. Property was reported stolen.

23114 Jan. 30

1200 block of Johanna Bay Drive Unknown suspect/s gained entry to the victims’ residence and stole property. No signs of forced entry were noted.

Jan. 27

Jan. 31

8200 block of Hull Street Road Catalytic converters were reported stolen from three vehicles.

Feb. 2

1000 block of Huntersdell Terrace Suspect broke the front passenger window and stole the victim’s property from his locked white 1991 Toyota. 8200 Hull Street Road Item was taken from the victim’s unlocked vehicle.

23236 Feb. 2

10100 block of Hull Street Road Two suspects were observed climbing to the roof of location and stealing scrap metal.

Feb. 3

9700 block of Bexley Farms Drive Suspect/s forced entry into the residence through a locked rear window and stole property from inside.

23832 Jan. 27

12800 block of Iron Bridge Road Unknown suspect/s shattered the rear passenger window and stole items.

Jan. 28

12500 block of Iron Bridge Road Unknown suspect/s used a pry tool to go through the Jan. 31 vent window of victim’s van 12600 block of Lancey Court and items were stolen. Complainant observed two unknown suspect/s forced entry through the front door to Jan. 29 the vacant residence. Nothing 9900 block of Oldbern Court Unknown suspect/s shattered has been reported stolen. the victim’s car window. Nothing taken at this time.

Advertise with Midlothian Exchange! MINE from page 1 these caches,” Truzzie said. “Compared to some other areas, it’s a great place to conduct this kind of activity.” But what kinds of objects are considered caches? The word cache has several deﬁnitions, and Truzzie said a few apply in this case. “Well, a cache can actually be a variety of different sizes,” Truzzie said. “There could be physical caches, which are small containers that are left at pre-determined coordinates in a large watersafe container or box, and they usually have some sort of trinket and a notepad (where people can leave) comments about what they thought of the program.” “There also are caches that one can create as part of a scavenger hunt, and they ﬁnd the cache based on coordinates or historical dates. So, there are a few different

types, but most people are used to a physical presence that actually identiﬁes a conclusion, that can be a small as a Tupperware container or as large as an ammunition can.” Truzzie said there will be two or three physical caches that participants can locate, and the others will be waypoints that they can input into their GPS receivers that will take them to historical markers. “So, along the way, while they’re getting history, they’re also learning how to use waypoints to get to their next stop,” Truzzie said. While it is acceptable for experienced geocaching enthusiasts to bring their own GPS units along, Truzzie said novices can use one of his department’s GPS receivers during the adventure. Not only will people have the opportunity to learn about the hobby, but they also may discover obscure information about Midlothian’s

Call Julie Abse at (804) 356-4810 for details. proud past. For more information “To begin with, most about the event, call 751people probably wouldn’t 4946. know that we have a park in Midlothian (with ties to) the coal mining industry, that this is where coal was ﬁrst mined commercially in North America or that Midlothian Turnpike Curious about Judaism? evolved due to the amount of coal that was hauled,” Join us for Shabbat Across America! Truzzie said. “And they Friday, March 2, 2012 may not know that the coal mined here was used in Pot luck dinner at 6:15 p.m. • Worship at 7:30 p.m. producing weapons during the American Revolution and the Civil War, so they’ll Grab your bell bottoms and wear your Beatles best! be pleasantly surprised.” Come for the story, come to sing a-long! Bring your favorite The Midlothian Mines Hamataschen to feast upon! Wednesday, March 7, parking at Geocaching will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Satur6:15 pm. Story promptly at 6:30 pm. All are welcome! day, Feb. 25, at Midlothian Mines Park at 13301 North Rabbi: Woolridge Road. Admission Ben Romer, is $10, and participants must D.D. register in advance by Friday, Education Feb. 24. Director: To register, call 748-1623 David and request course 22817. Goldsmith

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YOUR WORLD || TRAVEL

MIDLOTHIANEXCHANGE.COM

Lenten Fish Fry beneﬁts Central Virginia charities BY KOREY HUGHES

Special Correspondent

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY TRACY COOPER

Lori Epps and daughter Hannah enjoyed the Chili Cookoff.

Preschool’s Chili Cookoff beneﬁts Scholarship Fund

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

ew Life UMC Preschool, located at 900 Old Hundred Road in Midlothian, hosted a Chili Cookoff on Saturday, Feb. 11, to benefit the Preschool Scholarship Fund. With more than 150 people in attendance and 15 chili competitors, the event was filled with fun for all ages. Spicy, sweet, turkey, beef, wild game were among the various flavors offered. Each person attending had the opportunity to taste all 15 chili recipes and vote for their favorite. The winner of these votes was awarded the “People’s Choice Award.” Three judges also took center stage, voting for “The Best Use of Spice,” “The Most Original” and “The Best Overall Taste.” Alex Weimer, a preschool dad, not only won the judges’ “Most Original” award, but was the big winner of “The People’s Choice.” A Scholastic Book Fair was open during the event and entertainment was provided by The Puppet Neighborhood. The New Life Preschool Scholar-

Chris Kerns, left, Laura Adkins and Ted Johnson served as judges.

ship Fund was established to help families who otherwise may not be able to afford to send their children to preschool. “With today’s economy, there has been a lot of job transition for many families. We want to make sure that a child has the consistency of a safe and loving preschool, regardless of what ﬁnancial misfortunes may be occurring in a family,” said Tracy Cooper, preschool director.

New Life Preschool is a ministry of the New Life United Methodist Church. “It would be impossible for the preschool to be able to offer scholarships if not for the support of such a loving congregation,” Cooper added. For more information on New Life Preschool, visit www.newlifeumc. org or call Tracy Cooper at 794-4522. Registration is now open for 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds for the fall.

ent is a 40-day liturgical period between Ash Wednesday and Easter that Christians observe with prayer, penance and sacrifice. And for the Knights of Columbus Council 6546, it’s also a chance to sell meals during its Lenten Fish Fry fundraisers to raise money that will assist local charities. Midlothian resident John Saelens has been a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 6546 since 1976, and he served as one of the group’s Grand Knights from 2006 to 2007. He also has been on the planning council for the Lenten Fish Fry events since 2000. “The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s organization, and we support the Catholic Church and its mission and provide donations and services in the community wherever we feel it is needed,” Saelens said. “We had our first one in 1996, and we probably had 25 to 30 people involved, and it’s just grown from there.” As Saelens said, the reason that his organization has done the fish fry sales is that it has allowed so many of the men in his group to get involved in local causes. Fellowship is just as much a part of the overall experience of the event as the food. “We do other types of events during the year, but the Lenten Fish Fry that we do for six Fridays during Lent has become a big event for St. Edwards Church,” Saelens said. “And it brings the community together, especially the St. Edwards parishioners, and it allows them to donate their money to some of the activities and charities that we’re associated with.” Saelens said that 35 to 40 of the Knights of Columbus Council 6546 prepare the food, serve it and tidy up afterwards each Friday during the sales The group’s ladies auxil-

Tech Center open house Feb. 26 CONTRIBUTED REPORT

Left: Melanie Cooper and Hailey Epps took time to smile for the camera at the Chili Cookoff. Right: Isaac opts for macaroni and cheese instead of chili.

DANCE from page 4

performance to celebrate Black History Month. Then, the group worked for two months to prepare the show it will present that day. It’s difﬁcult to encapsulate the African-American experience into an hour-long dance performance, but the organization’s planned performance will be exceptionally thorough. The show will include routines that emphasize each of the major AfricanAmerican musical traditions. “It will depict, through movement, the Trans-Atlantic journey and how black life evolved once Africans landed

on the (American) shores,” Brown said. “We made up our own dances and took the tradition of dance from West Africa.” “But the show will depict different dances in history until we reach the late 1900s,” Brown said. “It will begin with African and Caribbean religious and liturgical dance, and then it will go on to tap, swing, dances to R&B and soul music, hip-hop, reggae and modern jazz.” As Brown said, dance is a great artistic medium to accurately depict and to celebrate African-American history. A performer herself, Brown has presented

her own work on the African continent and in other locales such as London, New York and the Bahamas. “Well, dance is a multicultural medium that goes beyond language barriers,” Brown said. “And a lot can be said through dance.” Virginia State University’s Sankofa Dance Theatre will at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, perform at LaPrade Library in Chesterfield. Admission is free, but registration is recommended. For more information, call 748-1601 or go to the Chesterfield County Library System’s website at http://library.co.chesterfield.va.us/.

iary, which is made up of the members’ wives and significant others, also sells baked goods during the proceedings. While many local area charity events focus on a single beneficiary, the Knights of Columbus Council 6546 prefers to support numerous charities. For that reason, the proceeds from the upcoming Lenten Fish Fry happenings won’t go to only one aid organization. “Well, there’s probably 20 to 25 (charities) that we donate money to annually,” Saelens said. “We choose some of them and we benefit others other upon request, and it’s not just Catholic groups because we’ve helped others such as the (Central Virginia) Food Bank.” He said the event has remained popular for so many years because it offers an alternative for people who are tired of eating the same thing on Friday nights. “Well, I think it has good food, good value and good camaraderie,” Saelens said. “And we have people who not only eat in but they can take out, so, instead of going out for pizza, they can come for catfish or salmon.” Diners won’t be able to call ahead to pre-order their meals, but they will receive a freshly cooked fish dinner when they stop in to purchase them. “It’s not pre-ordered, although that’s something that we’ve considered,” Saelens said. “But when they come in, we’ll cook it a few minutes ahead of time, so people don’t have to wait very long.” The Lenten Fish Fry will be held every Friday, starting on Feb. 24, at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church’s Community Center at 2700 Dolfield Drive in Richmond and continue each Friday through March 30. Adults’ and children’s menus are available. For more information, call 594-3877.

Students, parents and members of the public are invited to explore the 29 programs at the Chesterfield Technical Center during an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26. On hand to answer questions and demonstrate career opportunities will be teachers, administrators, students and business partners of the school. At the Chesterfield Technical Center, students can enroll in a technical course and still maintain a college-preparatory schedule at their high school. Students in some Tech Center courses earn industry certification or college credit. Students in grades 9 through 11 may apply for admission to the Technical Center and are selected based on grades, attendance, behavior, counselor’s evaluation and other factors. Wednesday, March 7, is the deadline to apply. Applications are available from high school counselors or online at schools. chesterfield.k12.va.us/CTC/. Acceptance letters for the

2012-13 school year will be mailed in early April. For more information, call 768-6160. Located at 10101 Courthouse Road, the Technical Center offers instruction in these areas: veterinary science, advanced computer aided design and modeling, culinary arts, plumbing and pipefitting, dental occupations, certified Internet webmaster, biotechnologies, medical systems administration, Oracle, automotive technology, electricity, child development, carpentry, criminal justice, practical nursing, medical assistant, landscaping, commercial photography, automotive collision repair and refinishing, A+/ Cisco networking, digital arts and design and 3-D animation, legal systems administration, electronics technology, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, computer systems technology, baking and pastry arts, cosmetology, nail technician, and greenhouse management and floral design.

STUFF TO DO

E-mail your event to editor@midlothianexchange.com. Subject line: EVENT

FRIDAY, FEB. 24 READ Art Show and Sale will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25, with an Opening Reception being presented from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the sale scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. More than 100 local and regional artists will be exhibiting and supporting The New Community School. Fee is $35 per person or $40 at the door. The event, which is open free to the public, is located at 4211 Hermitage Rd., Richmond. Proceeds from the Art Show and Sale support The New Community School, which offers a unique college preparatory program for students with language learning differences in grades 6-12.

SATURDAY, FEB. 25 “Very Vegas,” to beneﬁt the local Children’s Miracle Network, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, will be presented from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Downtown Richmond

Marriott, 500 E. Broad St. The evening will be ﬁlled with music, dancing, casino games, prize packages, and food and beverages. Tickets are $55 per person or $100 per couple. For more information, call 228-5934 or e-mail info@veryvegasrva.com. The website is veryvegasRVA.com. The Midlothian High School PTSA is hosting the ﬁrst-ever Pancakes for Post Prom breakfast at the high school from 9 a.m. to noon. The Pancakes for Post Prom breakfast is open to the community, parents and students. Pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee will be served. Tickets will be sold at the door: adult, $5, and children (under 12), $3. There is in-school dining, as well as meals made to go. If you have any questions regarding the Pancakes for Post Prom Breakfast, contact Angie Steele at angie.steele@verizon.net.

TUESDAY, FEB. 28 A Faces Advocacy meeting will

be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Faces Center at 11601 Lucks Lane, Midlothian. The meeting topic will be “The Importance of Self-Care for Family Members.” Kim Giancaspro, a licensed clinical social worker in private practice with James River Psychotherapy, located in Mooreﬁeld Ofﬁce Park, will share her clinical and personal knowledge regarding the importance of self-care for family members of people who struggle with depression, anxiety and other mental health diagnoses. For more information, call 378-0035 or visit www.facesva.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 29 The Newcomers Club of Richmond welcomes women to attend their morning coffee at 10:30 a.m. at the River Road Pres. Church. The Annual Membership Play will be presented. Cost is $5. Visit newcomersrichmond.org.

WEEKLY TUESDAYS Overeaters Anonymous Group #51606 meets at 2 p.m. each Tuesday at Central Baptist Church, located at 1510 Courthouse Rd., Richmond (23236) (Mission House in rear of church). For more information, call Peg at 379-9558. The Bethia United Methodist Church Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) program is accepting registrations and new members. Bethia MOPS meets from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the first, third and fifth Tuesdays from Sept. 20 through May 15. For more information, contact Kara Harris at 763-6067 or karaharris@verizon.net. Bethia United Methodist Church is located at 10700 Winterpock Road, Chesterfield.

WEEKLY THURSDAYS Moms of Tots to Teens (MOTTS) meets from 9:45 a.m. to noon at Bon Air Baptist Church, 2531 Buford Road, every ﬁrst and third Thursday

of the month through May 17. Preschool childcare available. Contact Loretta Sherwood at tiandlo@aol. com or go to www.bonairbaptist. org/motts for more information. The Al-Anon meeting Awaken to Hope is held at 7:30 p.m. each Thursday at St. John Neumann Catholic Church located at 2480 Batterson Rd. in Powhatan. Pastor James C. Vinson of Resources for Life presents services at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Matthias Episcopal Church, 11300 West Huguenot Rd., Midlothian. Services will be held at the same location from 7 to 9 p.m. every third Thursday. Special guests will be The Soilers of Vision, Richmond’s own gospel group. For more information, call 305-5100. For more information, email jamesvnsn@yahoo.com.

MidlothiAnExchAngE.coM

EXERCISE

FEBRUARY 23, 2012 ||

sports || fitness

diminutive Edwards throws weight around By FREd JEtER special correspondent

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELL

Cosby's Logan Edwards placed third in the shot put at last week's Central Region meet.

County hosting soccer tourney

ogan Edwards deserves the title of Cosby cannon. The power-packed senior puts the boom in Titans’ track and ﬁeld. While Cosby boasts a chorus line of longlegged striders/jumpers, it's Edwards providing the muscle and early points in major events like this week’s state Group AAA meet at Hampton’s Boo Williams Complex. It’s ﬁtting that Edwards, headed to VMI on athletic scholarship, offers the heavy lifting for throwing coach Michael Handy. Edwards, known as “Logs,” has few peers in the shot-put ring, or weight room, where she squats a robust 315 – better than many Titans’ football players. “I never met an athlete who works harder – she’s pure willpower,” said Handy. “Logan’s

success is not by accident.” At 5-foot-4, Edwards often throws against girls a half foot taller and many dress sizes larger. Her strength and technique enable her to overcome. The daughter of Mike and Sabrina Edwards won the Dominion District shot (37-2) two weeks ago and placed third at the Central Region meet Feb. 17 with a personal-record 37-11. Edwards’ six power points helped Cosby's girls squad win its second consecutive regional championship. Cosby intends to contend with defending champ Western Branch-Chesapeake this weekend at states. “It’s going to be close,” said Edwards. eDWArDs p8

DOMINION DISTRICT BASKETBALL FINALS

ContRIBUtEd REPoRt

The inaugural Ultimate Cup youth soccer tournament will be held in February and March. The Ultimate Cup is a joint venture between the Richmond Kickers and Chesterfield United, and is cosponsored by the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation. The girls’ tournament will be held the weekend of Feb. 25-26, and the boys’ will be held March 3-4. More than 150 youth teams will be competing each weekend, with teams coming from as far away as Minnesota and Quebec. In addition, an exhibition game will be played each weekend of the tournament. On Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m., the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team will play East Carolina, and on March 4 at 7 p.m., the Kickers Pro Team will compete against the VCU men’s team. Tickets for the Kickers exhibition game are $5 and may be purchased online at richmondkickers.com. The exhibition games will be played at Ukrop Park, 5300 Ridgedale Parkway. The tournament games will be played at a variety of sites around Chesterfield County, including Harry G. Daniel Park at Iron Bridge, the Hensley Soccer Complex and SportsQuest. For more information, visit ultimatecuprichmond. com.

local hS wrestlers place at state meet Midlothian's Omar Howard saw his quest for his first state wrestling title end with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Stafford's Logan Jackson in the Group AAA semifinals Saturday at Robinson High School. But Howard fought back to reach the consolation final and placed fourth in the 195-pound weight class -- one of four local wrestlers who earned all-state honors. James River's Brayden Manchester reached the semifinals at 138 before falling to Grassfield's Taylor Misuna. Manchester, who also placed at states as a freshman and sophomore, finished sixth. Midlothian's Jerry Ronnau finished sixth at 132, while teammate Kyle Clark battled through the consolation bracket to claim eighth place at 220.

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELL

Cosby's players celebrate after sophomore Jarek Frankovich (33) hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win the dominion district tournament title Friday.

Buzzer-beater lifts titans Frankovich banks in game-winning 3-pointer to beat Rapids By JIM MCConnELL jmcconnell@midlothianexchange.com

linging to a one-point lead with 3.4 seconds left in Friday’s Dominion District tournament final, James River’s boys basketball team perfectly executed the defensive plan laid out by coach Tracy Hamner during the game’s final timeout. Determined to keep the ball out of the hands of district player of the year Troy Caupain, the Rapids swarmed Cosby’s leading scorer with an aggressive double-team on the ensuing inbounds pass. James River also took away the Titans’ No. 2 option, senior sharpshooter Evan Orzolek. But Cosby’s C.J. Stancil quickly scanned the floor and found a wide-open sophomore Jarek Frankovich near the midcourt stripe. Stancil zipped a pass to Frankovich, who took three dribbles before banking in a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Titans a

47-45 victory. Frankovich was Mobbed by jubilant teammates and fellow students who celebrated by storming the court at Clover Hill High School. later, he struggled to describe his emotions after the biggest shot of his young life. “We believe in each other, so we knew we could do it,” he said. “This feels amazing.” Watching the rival Titans celebrate with a championship trophy that was very nearly theirs, James River’s players either buried their heads in their jerseys or stared blankly into space as their coaches attempted to console them. About 20 minutes later, Hamner emerged from the locker room and acknowledged there had been plenty of tears from a “hurting bunch of kids” who wanted desperately to become champions. “That’s the beauty of sports. We did exactly what we wanted to do. They probably didn’t have it drawn up like that, but it went in,”

Hamner said. “That’s why you play the game.” James River (18-7), which reached the final by upsetting topseeded L.C. Bird in the semifinals, came out firing on all cylinders against a Cosby team that had swept both regular-season meetings. Tim Daly (team-high 12 points) swished a 3-pointer on the Rapids’ first possession, the opening salvo in a breathtaking display of long-range shooting prowess that also included two treys by Kyle McLellan and two more by Kevin Regimbal. Cosby coach Ron Carr called a timeout to interrupt James River’s momentum with 2:52 left in the first quarter, but Daly promptly drove for a basket that gave the Rapids a 19-4 lead. At that point, James River was a perfect 5-for-5 from 3-point range and Cosby had committed seven turnovers. “I thought we were going to

get blown out of the gym,” Carr said. “Those 3s hit nothing but net. They were smoking us.” Caupain said Carr exuded confidence in Cosby’s timeout huddle, insisting James River would “cool off ” after “an unbelievable run” and the Titans would “chip away” at the deficit. Told of Caupain’s comments, Carr broke into a sly grin. “I was talking out of the corner of my mouth,” he said. The coach’s initial appraisal was spot-on, though. After exploding for 19 points in the first six minutes, James River produced only 12 over the next two quarters. Caupain responded by scoring nine of his game-high 24 points in the third quarter, including a traditional three-point play that gave Cosby its first lead (30-29) with 4:29 left. James River led by one and opted to hold the ball for a last shot, titAns p8

Bird's balance too much for Monacan By JIM MCConnELL jmcconnell@midlothianexchange.com

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELL

Monacan's Gabby Harris and Raven Williams (22) pressure L.C. Bird's taja Cole during the Chiefs' fourth-quarter comeback attempt.

espite struggling with its perimeter shooting for most of the opening two quarters, Monacan’s girls basketball team had a chance to tie L.C. Bird or take a lead into halftime of Friday’s Dominion District tournament ﬁnal. After the Chiefs gained possession with 1:11 left in the second quarter, Monacan coach Larry Starr instructed wing Raven Williams to hold the ball for the last shot. Bird’s defense hung back in a zone. Williams dribbled the ball near the midcourt stripe and everyone else stood around watching

her as seconds ticked off the clock. Finally, with 10 seconds left, Williams made her move. The Skyhawks were ready and waiting. Guard Taja Cole, a second-team all-district selection as a freshman, picked Williams’ pocket and drove the length of the court before hitting a layup while being fouled with just 1.3 seconds left. Cole sank the free throw to give the Skyhawks a ﬁve-point lead and they never looked back, claiming their second consecutive tournament title with a 62-52 victory. “Ninety-nine percent of the CHiefs p8

EXERCISE

|| FEBRUARY 23, 2012

sports || fitness

CHiefs from p7

PHOTO BY JIM MCCONNELL

James River's Kevin Regimbal celebrates with William Davis after Davis blocked a shot.

pushed the Rapids ahead 4544 with 36 seconds left. but a driving Regimbal was When William Davis stripped and Caupain conswatted Greg Donlon’s shot verted an acrobatic driving and sprinted downcourt to layup for another three-point retrieve the loose ball, James play with just one tick left on River needed only to run off the third-quarter clock. the ﬁnal 5 seconds to secure “We weren’t going to the title. shoot like that the whole Daly was fouled with game. That’s just not realis3.9 seconds left but missed tic,” Hamner said. “I knew it the front end of a one-andwas going to be a grind-itone, setting up an exciting out game.” sequence that had both Cosby took its biggest student sections roaring. lead (36-31) on Frankovich’s Frankovich’s game-win3-pointer early in the fourth ning shot was the culmiquarter, but James River ral- nation of a season-long lied to tie the score on three process, in which Caupain separate occasions before and Orzolek tried to build Ben Hauck’s driving layup his conﬁdence and convince

him to take shots when he was open. “It took him a long time, but he came through,” Caupain said. The fact that Frankovich’s shot kissed softly off the glass before nestling into the net wasn’t lost on Carr. The veteran coach has led Cosby to the district final four times but hadn’t won one prior to Friday’s game. As he walked out of Clover Hill’s gym, clutching a trophy draped in a net, Carr paused briefly to reflect on what had just happened. “Sometimes,” he said, “you need to be a little lucky.”

titAns from p7

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time, we score there and it works for us. That was the one percent,” Starr said. “Those things happen and you have to shake them off. It was a big momentum turner, though.” For Monacan (21-4), the district’s regular-season champion, the struggles went deeper than just one isolated sequence. The Chiefs weren’t as sharp as usual offensively, either missing jumpers or failing to finish drives into the paint. Bird (23-2), meanwhile, showcased enviable balance with guards Cole, Porscha Walton and Kelsey Cruz doing damage on the perimeter and forwards Lee-Osha Hines and Eboni Gilliam flexing their muscles under the basket. “We came out knowing Monacan was going to play hard. We came out strong as well,” Hines told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “We all had something we wanted to do and we did it.” Cole, a promising youngster, paced Bird with 18 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Cruz added 13 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Walton scored 11 points and ran the offense flawlessly against Monacan’s aggressive defense. The undersized Chiefs had no answer

eDWArDs from p7 “Every little point will matter.” The shot begins at inconspicuously 4 p.m. Friday, long before the more spectatorfriendly events Saturday afternoon, when champions are crowned. Edwards re-invented herself this winter as a shot putter, converting from the traditional glide to the fancier, more hip-hop spin technique. The spin is harder to grasp, but has more upside. She was second in the Dominion meet last spring with a 34-9 and felt like she was “stuck in the 34’s.” Now her tosses are coming to earth 2-to-3 feet beyond that. “Give Logan all the credit,” said Handy. “I was a glider myself and don’t know the spin. “Logan did it on her own, studying videos, watching YouTube, going to clinics.” Also, Manchester coach Allen Bayuk graciously offered his assistance. Edwards feels she has a spinning 40footer in her, either this weekend in Hampton or outdoors this spring. “I’m still learning it,” she said. “There are bits and pieces missing.” The life of a shot putter isn’t glamorous. Lady Gaga impersonators need not apply. Edwards starts many days, pre-dawn,

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pumping free weights on the second ﬂoor of American Family Fitness-Swift Creek. “I’m usually the only girl in there,” she said. Even at home, she can’t restrain the itch to improve. She carved her own throwing course by the house patio. “I’ve got a rope stretched out … showing where 40 feet would be,” she added. As proﬁcient as Edwards is with the shot, her star shines even brighter with the discus outdoors. Last spring, she won the Dominion discus and was second at regionals, sailing the platter 117-11. She’s thinking 150 by June. At VMI, where she will be one of about 100 girls in the student body, she plans to triple in the shot, discus and hammer throw. VMI began admitting females in 1999. Freshmen, known as “rats,” are subjected to relentless physical and psychological challenges in the infamous “Rat Line.” It’s not for everyone. For starters, Edwards' pony tail must go. “Hair can’t fall past the jaw,” she said. “No makeup, no jewelry, no cell phone … that’s okay: I like a challenge.” VMI sits on the side of a mountain, like some ancient forbidding fortress. All over campus are real cannons. Come August, the school will have one more.

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for the front-line tandem of Hines and Gilliam, who combined for 20 points and 25 rebounds. “They beat us with penetration a lot,” Williams said. “We tried to double their bigs, then they hit outside shots. It was like a pick-and-choose situation for us.” Frustrated for long stretches by Bird’s physical defense, Monacan’s Gabby Harris (team-high 16 points) ﬁnally shook free for a pair of 3-pointers in a 8-1 run that cut the Skyhawks’ lead from 11 to four late in the third quarter. The margin was seven after Cole hit one of two free throws. Monacan’s Tavaria Perkins got a clean look at a 3-pointer, but the ball rattled in and out and Cruz buried a sweet turnaround jumper on the other end; instead of pulling within four points, the Chiefs trailed by nine heading into the fourth quarter. It was a disappointing result for Monacan, which was already locked in to a No. 1 seed for this week’s Central Region playoffs but wanted the district tournament championship for pride purposes. “As a team we want to win every time we step on the court,” Williams said. “We feel like we can hang with anybody out here. We’ll push ourselves in practice to get to the [regional] ﬁnals and see them again.”

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The Cosby High boys basketball team celebrates after winning the Dominion District tournament title Friday night with a 47-45 victory over James River. Sophomore Jarek Frankovich hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the Rapids, who started the game on a 19-4 run and led with 3.4 seconds left. It was the ﬁrst tournament title for Cosby's boys. Both the Titans and Rapids advanced to the Central Region playoffs, which began Tuesday.

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Abandoned Junk Cars Wanted Pay $350 up to $1,000. No title needed - free towing. 804-677-0156

Bed - New Mattress Set in Plastic w/ warr. Full $99, Queen $109, King $189. Delivery/Lay -A-Way. Call 804-340-0143.

Landscape Maintenance Crewman/ Crew Leader Bayscapes, a local grounds management company is seeking a full time crew member to maintain properties in Richmond and the Northern Neck. Job duties will include mowing, trimming, pruning, leaf removal, mulching, and other services our clients request. Candidates need to have a valid drivers license and good driving record. Pesticide license and strong horticulture knowledge preferred but not required. Position requires a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and great communication skills. We are offering top pay and salary potential with year round work for the right candidate. To be considered for this position, attach resume and send to jack@bayscapes.us

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES The Home Worker – Electrical, plumbing, carpentry, renovations, painting, decks, fences, wallpapering, repairs, installs. Always free estimates. Call Chris, 378-7233, joso4032@yahoo.com.

Pets & Animals DOGS Looking for a companion? Save a life and enjoy the love. Looking for fosters too. Contact www.labrescue-richmond.com or 804-417-7527.

Announcements YARD & ESTATE SALES 23112 - Brandermill Church Children’s Clothing and Toy Consignment Sale Sat. Feb. 25, 8-11 am , 4500 Millridge Pkwy. Nonprofit mission project Proceeds benefit local groups and charities www.bccsale.com HUGE MEGA RUMMAGE SALE, Sat. Feb. 25 7AM1PM. Furniture, bicycles, children’s items, luggage, housewares, decor, books, electronics and MUCH more. Episcopal Church of the Redeemer 2341 Winterfield Road, Midlothian. Rain or shine. Half price @ 10:30AM.

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Outdoor Escapes of VA, a landscape and hardscape installation company, is seeking for the following Landscape/ positions Hardscape Installer. Responsibilities for this position include installation of various landscape projects including plant installation, paver patios/walls, water features, irrigation, and lighting. Qualified applicants must have experience in landscape construction and hardscaping. Applicant must be hard working, have great attention to detail, and be able to work well with others. Position requires heavy lifting, ability to operate skid loaders and other landscape equipment. All applicants must have a valid driver license, good driving record, and reliable transportation. Benefits include health insurance, paid vacation/ holidays, retirement, and year round work with overtime. Compensation based on experience. Starting between 10-14hr plus overtime. Landscape/ Hardscape Foreman to manage crew of up to 4 installers. Responsibilities for this position include installation of various landscape projects including plant installation, paver patios/walls, water features, irrigation, and lighting. Qualified applicants must have experience in landscape construction and hardscaping. Applicant must be hardworking, have great attention to detail, and be able to work well with others. Position requires heavy lifting, ability to operate skid loaders and other landscape equipment. Strong horticulture background and ability to read landscape plans is mandatory. All applicants must have a valid driver license, good driving record, and reliable transportation. Benefits include health insurance, paid vacation/ holidays, retirement, and year round work with overtime. Compensation based on experience. Starting between 31-45k year plus overtime. Send resume to jack@outdoorescapesofva.com

Julie can see… A guide dedicated to spring and summer camps, events, and daycares. Advertise your camp, event, or daycare in this special guide! Deadline: March 9 Publish: March 21 & 22 Call today to reserve your space! 804-746-1235

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