CONVOY OF VEHICLES DISPLAYS CONFEDERATE FLAG
THE HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF THE COLONIAL HEIGHTS AREA
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CAMERON FOUNDATION ADOPTS PROACTIVE STRATEGY PAGE V4
Friday, August 7, 2015
FREE
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LOCAL Operation Christmas Child COLONIAL HEIGHTS — An Operation Christmas Child packing event will be held on Monday, Aug. 10, starting at 9 a.m. at Covenant Christian Fellowship, located at 542 Southpark Blvd. The goal is to pack 750 small rectangular boxes for needy children around the world. The community is encouraged to come, bring boxes and items and join the packing party. The following items are desperately needed: Bars of soap, washcloths, Ziploc sandwich bags and all school supplies notebook paper, pens, pencils, etc. Do not bring liquid glue or bagged hard candy. Volunteers are also needed to help set up on Sunday afternoon Aug. 9, between 1-5 p.m. For more information, call Pat McGowan, 914-1072 or visit www.Samaritianpurse.org for more information about Operation Christmas Child.
BIB SEASON IN FULL SWING
Healthy aging event COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Dunlop House Assisted Living and Specialized Memory Care, located at 235 Dunlop Farms Boulevard, will host another in its Survival Skills for Healthy Aging, an educational series for seniors, on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Dunlop House. The topic, "Fit While You Sit," will be presented by Divine Spine Chiropractic. Dinner will be provided prior to the presentation with advance RSVP. Reserve your space by Aug. 10. For more information or to RSVP, call 804-520-0050.
Dinwiddie’s Codie Maitland, right, is ready to swing with Williamsburg’s defense at the ready. Williamsburg won this game of the Boys Invitational Baseball tournament, sponsored by the Colonial Heights Optimist Club. The BIB tournament is going on now at Shepherd Stadium. KARL CHRISTMAN/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO
All games in Boys Invitational Baseball tournament take place at Shepherd Stadium
Back to School Festival COLONIAL HEIGHTS — A Back to School Festival is scheduled to be held from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the Soccer Complex, 1000 Yacht Basin Drive. This event is free and for Colonial Heights residents only. Rain date is Aug. 25. Activities and prizes will include: School supplies, raffles, face painting, inflatables, pony rides & carnival games, free Back-to-School T-shirts to the first 100 students to attend. Participants can register in advance or at the event. Extra items can be purchased for a nominal fee. For more information, call (804) 520-9390.
Job fairs WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman J. Randy Forbes, VA-04, is hosting two job fairs in the Fourth District in August. The job fairs, held in Chesterfield at Lloyd C. Bird High School and in Chesapeake at Greenbrier Middle School, are free and open to all constituents who are interested in learning about available jobs with area businesses. For Tri-City area residents, the Chesterfield job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at L.C. Bird High School, located at 10301 Courthouse Road. For more information about the Chesterfield job fair, call Ron White at (804) 318-1363. For anyone interested in more information about the job fair in Chesapeake on Aug. 11, call Curtis Byrd at (757) 382-0080. INDEX Opinion ..............V2 Things to do.......V3
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NICHOLAS VANDELOECHT/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO
LEFT: Cameron Belter has his sights set on dashing to third base. Belter had a threerun home run and a three-run double for Southampton/Sussex in their 14-2 victory over the Prince George Nationals in the Boys Invitational Baseball tournament going on now at Shepherd Stadium. MIDDLE CENTER: Southampton/Sussex’s John Butler (left) prepares to dart home as Prince George Nationals’ Josh Carrillo sets up for the possible out. BOTTOM CENTER: The Dinwiddie Americans strategize with their coach.
NICHOLAS VANDELOECHT/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO
KARL CHRISTMAN/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO
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olonial Heights Optimist Club's 58th running of the Boys Invitational Baseball Tournament has gotten underway at Shepherd Stadium with many a moment to remember. The club opened the tourney with heavy hearts when they announced the loss of one of their own - Bonnie Lawson. Players, coaches, officials, spectators and all others present have paid their respects to Lawson throughout the tournament with a moment of silence before each game. The semifinals will take place Friday, August 7, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and a champion will be decided on Saturday, August 8 at 8:30 p.m. A third place game will also be held Saturday, August 8, at 6:30 p.m. All games in the BIB tourney take place at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights. COLONIAL HEIGHTS SLAYINGS
Man charged in killings agrees to plea deal Matthew Brady pleads guilty to two first-degree murder charges and two counts of robbery From Staff Reports
COLONIAL HEIGHTS — A man accused of killing and robbing an elderly Colonial Heights couple in 2011 pleaded guilty during a hearing Monday night. Matthew F. Brady, 31, pleaded guilty to two first-degree murder charges during a special hearing Monday evening in Colonial Heights Circuit Court. Brady also pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery. Under a plea agreement, capital murder charges were reduced to first-degree murder. Brady
faces 20 years to life in prison on each murder count and five years to life on each robber y count. Brady The plea agreement comes after an 84-year-old Joseph Bland and his wife, 80-year-old Evelyn Bland, were found dead inside of their home in the 100 block of Conduit Road by Fire and Emergency Services personnel around 6:30 p.m. Jan. SEE PLEA, V3
In this January 2011 file photo, Rev. Drew Willson of Highland United Methodist Church addresses the crowd. A candlelight vigil was held for Joseph G. Bland Sr. and Evelyn G. Bland, a couple killed in their Colonial Heights home. PROGRESS-INDEX FILE PHOTO
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Friday, Aug. 7, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.
OPINION
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ANOTHER VIEW
15 Franklin St., Petersburg, VA 23803
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OUR VIEW
A special family helps with Special Olympics
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Colonial Heights family was recently recognized for devoting more than 15 years to helping local special needs athletes. The Lowery family — Tracy and Fred Lowery and their daughters Mackenzie Taylor, 27, and Courtney Harrison, 33, — got hooked on volunteering for the organization when Taylor was in the sixth grade. Taylor had previously volunteered for a program for special needs children formerly run by Colonial Heights Parks and Recreation. Since she started working with Special Olympics, her parents couldn’t just limit their contribution to driving her to participate. The whole family has jumped in head first with volunteering. "It was the high you felt," Fred Lowery said. "You felt so blessed to be in their company." All of the Lowerys spoke about the freedom they felt from being around a non-judgemental and fun-loving community. Even though the family isn't related to anyone with special needs, many of them have experience working with special needs individuals. Taylor takes care of special needs children and adults in her home and Tracy Lowery works with special needs students at Tussing Elementary School. Taylor said that their work is about getting the athletes to realize their abilities. Fred Lowery coaches bowling for the Colonial Heights Special Olympics Chapter, while Tracy Lowery serves as the chapter’s coordinator. Harrison and Taylor also serve as coaches. Harrison, who is a registered nurse, monitors medications and other health needs for the athletes on the chapter’s multiple sporting trips a year. When sports seasons are in an upswing, the Lowerys easily put in well over 20 hours a week volunteering. The Lowery's grandchildren, Ceila and Carleigh Harrison and Camden Taylor, have also joined the family tradition. But the family describes Tracy Lowery as the leading matriarch for all of their Special Olympics efforts. Special Olympics recently recognized the family for their dedication by presenting them with the Outstanding Family of the Year Award for 2014 for Virginia during the Summer Games last month. The family even had the honor of taking down the Flame of Hope following the completion of the games, which took place at the University of Richmond from June 12-13. The games brought over 1,500 athletes to compete in bocce, swimming, softball, track & field, bowling, powerlifting and tennis. The Lowerys hope to continue the tradition of volunteering for many years to come. "We always joke that it’s really selfish for us. You really love it," Harrison said. We share the Lowerys' hope that they will contribute to the Special Olympics for years in the future. It is volunteers like the Lowery family that help make it special to help local special needs athletes.
INSPIRATION
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25 SOURCE: WWW.DAILYSCRIPTURE.NET
YOUR VIEW
The rebel flag isn’t killing people I don’t understand all of the killings that are being done by black people. Why can’t they live in harmony with one another as the white people do, for the most part but it isn’t as rampant as the black people are doing. Almost every day you hear of a black person being shot and killed by another black person. it isn’t very often that you hear or read about a white person shooting and killing another white person. And now we have people shooting and killing another person over the rebel flag. If you think about it, that flag is your heritage. Almost every home had one in the house and flown on flagpoles in their front yard and saluted as a person walked by the flag. That flag isn’t killing people. People are killing people over it and those flags have been taken off the shelves never to be sold again. Harold Himes Matoaca
Where the presidency Is headed Before the ins and outs of the 2016 presidential contest become a preoccupation for many of us, it seems a good time to step back and look at the office of the presidency for which so many candidates are vying. The presidency inherited by whoever wins next November will be substantially changed from the position his or her predecessors occupied a few decades ago. The president is now the chief — and sometimes the sole — actor in American government. He far outweighs the other so-called “co-equal” branches. The media covers the White House extensively, and the other branches much less so. People don’t expect Congress or the Supreme Court to solve the country’s problems. Instead, they look to the president for initiatives, for remedies, and increasingly — and sadly — to serve as a de facto pastor to the nation when we confront a tragedy. The branch that came first in our founders’ minds, Congress, is now of secondary importance. This has been a long, slow development, the result not so much of court cases, legislation, or even deliberate planning, but of countless decisions by congressional leaders that have handed power to the president so as to avoid tough decisions on Capitol Hill. There may be limitations imposed by the courts or public opinion, but the system of checks and balances our system was supposed to operate under has been severely weakened. Not even the press can hold the president to account any more, except under extraordinary circumstances. For one thing, it’s very hard to grill the president these days. The tradition of regular presidential news conferences has all but disappeared — and when the press corps does get a chance to ask questions, the White House carefully manages the event. This makes it very hard to find a forum or a place where people outside the White House bubble can ask the president probing questions and press for thorough explanations of a policy or problem. I’ve long favored a regular question-and-answer period in Congress that would be publicly televised
— a chance for the President’s supporters and opponents to probe his or her thinking. At a minimum, we should get regular and extensive press conferences. Instead, the only mediarelated event that happens regularly is the morning meeting among White House staff to figure out how to get the President on the evening news in the most favorable light. It’s a form of manipulation that greatly reduces accountability. Which is a shame not just for the obvious reasons, but also because the federal government cries out for more accountability these days. Whoever is president next, he or she would do well to pay more attention to effective management of the vast executive establishment than has been the practice until now. Otherwise, the breakdowns in the operation of government to which we’ve grown accustomed will continue. That’s because government today is strained at every level: The population is getting older, health care costs are high, our fiscal problems never end, challenges such as threats to our security, environmental degradation, and poverty abound. Highly complex problems pile up with great rapidity, and government needs highly skilled people to deal with them. Every president comes into office insisting he’ll spend a lot of time on making the government work better, but invariably he is distracted by the rush of events. The last serious effort to do so was Al Gore’s, when he was Bill Clinton’s vice president. Some progress might get made, but for the most part presidents don’t deal with the issue in a sustained, comprehensive, coherent way. This is not entirely the president’s fault. The Congressional Research Service estimates that 1,200 to 1,400 positions are subject to confirmation by the Senate, and presidents often have a hard time getting the people they want into position. That needs to change, perhaps by requiring an up-or-down vote on a nominee within 90 days. To sum it up, while the president’s accumulation of power is a serious problem in the big picture, it nonetheless is a fact. We ought to make it easier for him to get the people he needs in a position to make government work more effectively. Lee Hamilton Director, Center on Congress Indiana University Bloomington, Ind.
Without leadership, America gets weaker and division gets worse Our president is making America look even weaker in the eyes of our Allies and enemies, as well as our own American citizens, by cutting back 40,000 military troops. And, furthermore, there should be no deal with Iran in regard to nuclear negotiations. Sen. Marco Rubio is right when he said that we are helping Iran build the "bomb." Obama is stalling for time so he can hand all of this mess over to the next president, if our country still exists by then. The Obama administration has divided our country so badly that little or no work gets done in Congress, even though there were GOP victories during the last election. "A House
Divided Cannot Stand." Weren't the newly elected conservatives elected to help stop Obama? They have obviously not done their job! So far, congressmen and senators keep blaming each other for not getting anything done, and Obama takes no accountability and keeps blaming Republicans for everything. Therefore, no action taken. And, the Supreme Court has now approved immorality and a disastrous Healthcare law. And, illegal immigration keeps running amok that is run by a government that won't enforce immigration laws already on the books. And, we have an on-going increase of American citizens out of work that contributes to alcoholism, drug usage, and gang violence. And then there is the ever increasing and insurmountable National Debt caused by an administration that loves to spend your tax dollars for their own pleasure. At the current spending rate, Social Security, Medicare, and the Welfare system will be bankrupt by 2030, if not sooner. Where is the leadership? The left-wing ideology along with "Rhinos" within the GOP congressmen and senators, who don't have the "cajoles" to stand up and say "enough," are the final driving force to our country's demise. In spite of all of the above, America is - by far - the best country in the world — so far. Obama's hope and change motto is failing miserably at all citizens' expense. You, the Voter, has the power to turn things around, by ousting all of these "deadwood coruptocrats" on both sides of the aisle who are killing our country. At the voting booths, elect those who will do the job that we elect them to do in order to save America in 2016. The state of our country is in the hands of the voters. Gary Allen Chesterfield County
Iran agreement jeopardizes security President Obama and Secretary Kerry put the United States and other countries in jeopardy by entering into an agreement with Iran which temporarily curbs its nuclear armaments program. They have either been duped or they are naïve or both. Both are more concerned about their legacies than the security of the world. Iran said it will place its nuclear development program on hold and allow inspection of its facilities, but Iran has had time to disperse and hide its nuclear facilities. Under the nuclear agreement Iran can deny access by inspectors to undeclared sites and then the inspection process goes before a number of committees for resolution, which can take close to a month. This is enough time for Iran to move the equipment and materials. The agreement will allow lifting of economic sanctions which will immediately release $150 billion and cumulative trillions in subsequent years. This money will allow Iran to purchase armaments, which will be used to continue the destabilization of Middle East countries and the ongoing sponsorship of Islamic terrorism in the world. And don’t forget, Iran hates the U.S. The U.S. Congress should not approve this terrible agreement. Donald A. Moskowitz Londonderry, NH
The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va. | Friday, Aug. 7, 2015
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YOUR NEWS THINGS TO DO THIS
WEEKEND HOW TO SUBMIT: Send event and contact info to newsroom@ progress-index.com or The Progress-Index, 15 Franklin St., Petersburg, VA 23803 LOOKING FOR MORE: If you can’t find what you’re looking for, find it online at www.progress-index. com FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ■ The “Dixie Swim Club” is back for an encore at Swift Creek Mill Theatre. Shows are on Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and some 2:30 p.m. matinees. According to Swift Creek, this play is about five Southern women whose friendships began many years before on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. The play is described as “a hilarious and touching comedy.” It will run through Aug. 29. Tickets available for theatre only or buffet and theatre presentation. The theatre is located at 17401 Jefferson Davis Highway, S Chesterfield,
804 748-5203 or www. swiftcreekmill.com • As long as the weather cooperates, the Boys Invitational Baseball (BIB) games are scheduled to conclude this weekend. Games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Shepherd Stadium. The first games start at 6:30 p.m. and late games begin at 8:30 p.m. SATURDAY ■ Harbor Blast contrines
as Red Light Romeo with Recovery performs at 5 p.m. Saturday at Appomattox Boat Harbor, $10 cover charge for most concerts (age 18 up) and parking free. Children 17 & under with parent are free. The Appomattox Boat Harbor is located at 1604 Fine Street, Prince George, 804 733-4770 or www.harborblast.com ■ An American Cancer Society Bark for Life Dog Walk & Prince George Animal Services Pet Adoption event will be held at Temple Park, Prince George, from 10 a.m. — 12 p.m. on Saturday.
SUNDAY ■ The Australian Pink Floyd Show — Pocahontas Live will be held Sunday at Pocahontas State Park, 10301 State Park Rd, Chester, www. pocahontaslive.com . Gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25-$45 and can be purchased through www.pocahontaslive. com, Brock’s Barbeque in Chester, and the Pocahontas State Park office or call 804-794-6700.
IN BRIEF
JMU 2015 spring graduate HARRISONBURG (readMedia) — Jeremy Loy of Colonial Heights graduated from James Madison University during the May 8, commencement exercises. Loy received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Music degree.
Crime Solvers awards scholarships CHESTERFIELD – For the first time in its 31-year history, the Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers program awarded scholarships to students in its Scholastic Program. On May 15, representatives from the Chesterfield County/ Colonial Heights Crime Solvers Board of Directors and Detectives Kevin Bacon and Chris Rizzuti visited Cosby High School and presented $1,000 scholarships to two graduating seniors, Jessica Nazzaro and Gabby Pecoraro. In addition to meeting academic and extracurricular requirements, each recipient completed a 500-word essay detailing her experience with the Crime Solvers Scholastic Program and Crime Solvers’ role in combating crime. The public is invited to visit crimesolvers.net/ scholastic-program and check the “Scholarship Winners” box to read the full text of each recipient’s essay.
PLEA From Page V1
21, 2011. Police officers arrived on the scene and soon realized the family’s 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis was missing. Brady was arrested a week after the murders. Originally, Commonwealth’s Attorney William B. Bray said that he planned to seek the death
HERITAGE DRIVE
First Virginia opens store in Heights COLONIAL HEIGHTS — First Virginia has opened its newest store in Colonial Heights “to meet the financial needs of the community”. According to a statement released by First Virginia, the new store will employ four, and will provide residents with products and services not available at most other financial institutions. First Virginia held its ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, July 31, at the store, located at 1905 Boulevard. “We look forward to serving the people of Colonial Heights and becoming an active part of the community,” said Andy Tully, regional manager.” In addition to the ribboncutting ceremony, First Virginia hosted a familyoriented celebration on Saturday, Aug 1. That event included a game truck, face painting, complimentary food and beverages and many opportunities to win prizes. For more information about First Virgnia, visit www.ccfi.com.
Trip to wax museum PETERSBURG — The ushers of Zion Baptist Church invited the public to join them for a tour of the Great Blacks In Wax Museum and the Baltimore Harbor on Saturday, Oct. 10. A donation of $55 will cover transportation and entrance into the museum. For more information, contact M. Carroll at (804) 873-7481, P. Miller at (804) 733-6186 or V. Hundley (804) 894-8294.
penalty. Since Brady’s arrest in 2011, his case has seen more than 50 motions filed by either the defense or prosecution. These motions ranged from turning over information on blood spatter to the admissibility of certain DNA evidence to the legality of the death penalty to whether Brady has had a proper defense. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 19.
Skip Rogers, organizer of the July 25 flag ride, far right, leads the participants in a moment of silence before they drove off from Petersburg. SCOTT P. YATES/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTOS
Second Confederate flag ride travels through Petersburg By Leah Small Staff Writer
PETERSBURG — Another convoy of vehicles sporting Confederate flags attempted to make its way through Petersburg on Saturday, July 25, despite angry reactions from residents of the mostly African-American community to another flag ride two weeks ago. This week’s ride of roughly 20 vehicles was much smaller than the group of over 145 cars, trucks and motorcycles gathered on July 11, to display the Confederate flag, Confederate battle flag and the United States flag. When that group passed through Petersburg’s downtown at the intersection of Wythe and Sycamore streets, some city residents launched water bottles at the vehicles and gave vocal threats. The ride had been organized by local Confederate flag support group 804 Flyers and truck enthusiasts 804 Lifted. Skip Rogers, organizer of the NAACP (National Association for Awakening Confederate Patriots) Flag Ride on July 25 said that this group chose a different route through the city because of the violent incident of two weeks ago. He said that he started planning the July 25 ride three weeks ago. The 32-year-old Colonial Heights resident and fellow riders gathered in a grass lot in the 3600 block of South Crater Road at around 10 a.m. He led the convoy on a direct route out of the city down Wagner and Courthouse roads. The group ended its ride at the I don’t Know Sports Grille, in the 1900 block of West Hundred Road, in Chester. Rogers said that reactions to this ride were considerably less aggressive, with no water bottles being thrown. He said that some bystanders near the Wawa on Route 10, in Chester, spoke to the group in a “disrespectful” manner. A paper cup filled with liquid was thrown at a car driven by a female juvenile on the way to the ride. A man drove by, honked and raised his middle finger at the group as it gathered on South Crater Road.
Roughly 20 vehicles were driven in the Confederate battle flag event that began on South Crater Road in Petersburg July 25.
Jerry Dyson Jr., right, holds an historic state flag from Alabama as pedestrians walk by vehicles participating in the Confederate battle flag event on South Crater Road in Petersburg on July 25.
Rogers said that it was important to start the 16-mile ride in Petersburg because 60,000 soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies died in the Siege of Petersburg during the Civil War. He pointed out that these casualties are higher than the city’s current population of 32,000. Stephen Turner, 25, of Chester, brought his pickup truck to both rides. Turner said that he wanted to get the message across that flying the Confederate flag isn’t a racist act. “I’m just trying to show that it’s not hate, it’s heritage,” he said. Turner added that any violence toward those carrying the Confederate flag was “making a big deal out of nothing.” Turner, who brought his son with him, said that he
felt safe because there was a greatly increased police presence from that of the previous ride. Several officers from the Petersburg Bureau of Police were posted at the opening gathering on South Crater Road. A few positioned themselves throughout the area along the ride’s route. Captain E.S. Jones of Petersburg Bureau of Police said that he didn’t think that the flag riders were out to incite violence. He noted that the group chose to drive through a less densely populated section of the city and started their ride in the morning. He said that police took the time of the ride and the route into consideration. “If the y had come through the city at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, there would have been a
different response,” Jones said. Esther Hyatt, police spokeswoman, said that a supervisor and two officers were being paid overtime to be present at the event. Jones said that police weren’t required to give the group traffic assistance while it was driving because the riders didn’t hold a parade permit. He said that officers were on hand for the protection of both the riders and bystanders. Hyatt said that the group wasn’t required to hold a parade permit because it was obeying the standard laws of regular traffic, such as not proceeding through red lights.
— Leah Small may be reached at 722-5172 or lsmall@progress-index. com
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Friday, Aug. 7, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.
THE CAMERON FOUNDATION
A new strategy to make a greater impact By Leah Small Staff Writer
PETERSBURG — The Cameron Foundation has overhauled the way that it gives grants in order to have a greater impact on the growth of the region. The changes shortly followed the foundation’s 10-year anniversary in April 2013, after the nonprofit examined data on the wellbeing of the Tri-Cities. Since Cameron began making grants in October 2004, the organization has given $71 million to 260 government agencies, nonprofit organizations and faith-based organizations, in the form of 868 grants. Cameron is now working to bring together stakeholders to tackle large, systemic problems in the region, instead of just waiting on proposals for grant funding from area organizations. Once a problem and a solution is identified, the stakeholder organizations will join Cameron in finding funding for the initiative. But individual organizations will still be able to apply for grants. The new, proactive strategy, supplements Cameron’s current efforts. As for its mission to improve healthcare in the region, the foundation will focus on long-term strategies that go beyond just
In this undated file photo, J. Todd Graham, president of the Cameron Foundation, speaks about a survey of artists being undertaken by Artspace Projects held at the Petersburg Public Library. PROGRESS-INDEX FILE PHOTO
The Cameron Foundation at 228 S. Sycamore Street in Petersburg, on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. SCOTT P. YATES/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTO
providing quick access to health services. J. Todd Graham, president of The Cameron Foundation, said this “proactive grantmaking” will have a greater impact on the region. “ We have invested millions in health care interventions, providing access to affordable [and] healthcare education … but what research has shown recently is that healthcare interventions are one of the less effective ways to improve health in the community. It helps individuals short term,” he said. According to a statement on the new program from Cameron, the organization aims to tackle
environmental obstacles to good health. “This shift allows the foundation to look at health through a broader lens beyond health care interventions, as research shows, health starts in people’s homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and the larger community - long before the point where a person needs health care,” the statement read. Cameron has a focus beyond health, and gives grants in the areas of human services, community and economic development, education, historic preservation and conservation and arts and culture. Graham said that the
new process came after Cameron examined 20 community indicators across the region to fine tune how it can improve the area. Some of the indicators examined are the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Outcomes and Factors rankings, behavioral health discharge rates, poverty levels, median income and unemployment rates. The foundation is moving forward with several initiatives that are part of its new strategy. One includes an initiative to improve the gateways into the localities of Petersburg, Hopewell, Dinwiddie and Prince George. Cameron brought
together the officials in each locality to identify ways to beautify entrances to the cities and counties, and to highlight individual features. Cameron has also worked with Feedmore to bring together area food pantries to develop a more efficient and effective way to distribute healthy food to the needy. The effort’s initial focus has been on Petersburg because of the city’s high rates of food insecurity and the need for greater coordination between the 13 food pantries operating in the city. The Cameron Foundation was formed following the sale of the old Southside Regional Medical Center, which was a nonprofit, to the for-profit company Community
Health Systems. The proceeds from the sale are used for Cameron’s grantmaking efforts. The service area of the foundation is the same as that of the hospital, which includes the localities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, southern Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex. The foundation was named after William E. Cameron, former editor of the Petersburg newspapers The Daily News and The Daily Index. Cameron also served as mayor of the city from 1876 to 1871 and was the Governor of Virginia from 1882 to 1886.
— Leah Small may be reached at 722-5172 or lsmall@progress-index.com
SPECIALIZED TRAINING
CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
School board member hopes to begin STEM academy
Colonial Heights teen joins Kyle Busch Motorsports for three races in 2015
By Leah Small Staff Writer
COLONIAL HEIGHTS — School Board member Krishan Agrawal hopes that the board will approve the creation of a science technology and engineering academy to ensure that students can compete for jobs after graduation. If a STEM academy is made available to students, it will be added to a list of 23 Governor’s STEM academies across the state. The Virginia Department of Education approved programs offer vocational and academic training outside of standard curriculum and hold high academic standards for students in the academies. Agrawal was scheduled to present the proposal to the School Board on July 28 at 8 a.m. The board will consider if it will approve the formation of a committee to look into the feasibility of creating an academy. A g r aw a l , w h o i s a professor of math and computer science, said that the academy would help to attract young families in search of a strong system to Colonial Heights. He also said that improved STEM education throughout the country would decrease t h e r e l i a n c e o f U. S . companies on foreign employees with HB-1 visas, which go to workers in specialized fields. “It [STEM] is not a buzzword. It has meaning. If you look at other
countries, they are putting money into nurturing their children in this way,” he said. “It’s not a new idea.” According to Agrawal, the Virginia Department of Education gives newly approved STEM academies $5,000 for start-up costs. Agrawal projects that the division would need to spend $20,000 to research the feasibility and $146,000 implementing the program in the first year. Agrawal also said that the division may also look into grant funding for the program. The school division is already a member of the MathScience Innovation Center, which is a partnership of six local school divisions focused on providing additional STEM education. The center is based in Richmond and offers resources to parents and teachers such as field trips, interactive lessons, visits to classrooms from Center teachers, professional development and o n l i n e a n d w e e ke n d classes. Agrawal said that while the program is effective, it is underused because it is not close to the division. He also noted that the school division pays over $50,000 annually to be members of the Center. Agrawal said that if the program is approved in Colonial Heights, the school division could hold the academy in its technical center. He said that faculty from nearby higher education institutions could also teach
From Staff Reports
In this file photo, Virginia State University Professor Krishan Agrawal introduces author Sam Kean during an event at VSU, with students from Colonial Heights, Petersburg and Virginia State University. PROGRESS-INDEX FILE PHOTO
many of the classes, which could be held on evenings and weekends. Students in the academy would follow a separate academic track in addition to standard curriculum. But students outside of the academy may also take courses. Agrawal proposed that students have the ability to choose from three areas to include: business management and data analysis, health sciences
and engineering. The School Board member said that if the program is approved, he hopes that the first class of ninth-graders may join the academy in the fall of 2016. He aims for the preliminary design to be drawn up by December. — Leah Small may be reached at 722-5172 or lsmall@progress-index. com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Seventeen-yearold Gray Gaulding of Colonial Heights is j o i n i n g Ky l e B u s c h Motorspor ts (KBM) for three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races in 2015. “I’m very excited to be a part of KBM,” Gaulding said. “It’s a dream as a driver because I remember growing up watching Kyle and how much I wanted to drive for him when he started his own team. I know his mentality is to go out every weekend and win races. It’s a championship organization with great people and I know I’ ll be able to go to the race track and have an opportunity to win at each race. “I can’t thank Krispy Kreme and the more than 40,000 worldwide team members enough for believing in me and taking a chance on a 17-year-old kid. Drivi n g a K B M To y o t a Tundra is my dream opportunity.” “Gray Gaulding is a
tremendous driver and a wonderful person, and we’re thrilled that KBM has given him this opportunity to drive one of their Toyota Tundras,” said Tony Thompson, Krispy Kreme president and CEO. “We’re very pleased with how Gray has represented our brand for the past three years, and we’re excited to be along for the ride during this next phase of his career.” Tune in to all the NCWTS races throughout the season on Fox Sports 1, Motor Racing Network (MRN), and NASCAR Sirius XM channel 90. Gaulding currently competes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series as well as a l i m i t e d NA S C A R Camping World Truck Series schedule and is a second-year member of the NASCAR Next program. Learn more at GrayGaulding.com or follow him on Snapchat Gray_Gaulding Instagram and Twitter @GrayGaulding as well as facebook.com/GrayGauldingRacing .
The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va. | Friday, Aug. 7, 2015
V5
CROSS WALK
PASTOR TRAVELS TO D.C. ON FOOT
Art Robles, a pastor of Cross Ministries Church in Kerville, Texas, carries a 12-foot by 7-foot wooden cross through Chesterfield on Saturday, July 25, 2015. Robles is on his way to D.C. to pray for President Barack Obama, in the hope that God will help the president to run the country. Robles has been walking since September 2013. SCOTT P. YATES/PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTOS
Texas man walks thousands of miles to pray for president By Leah Small Staff Writer
CHESTERFIELD — A Texas pastor is wrapping up a two-year walk spanning thousands of miles, with the added difficulty of toting a huge wooden cross over his shoulder. Art Robles, a pastor of Cross Ministries Church in Kerville, Texas, traveled through Chesterfield on Saturday, July 25, on his way to D.C., to pray for President Barack Obama. He hopes that God will guide the president as he runs the country. Robles has been walking since September 2013, bearing the 12-foot by 7-foot, 100-pound wooden cross, etched with the words “Jesus is alive. Jesus is Lord.” The U.S. flag trails behind. “The flag is a symbol of our great country. The cross is a symbol that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world,” Robles said. “They belong together.” A wheel rolls along the road braced to the bottom of the cross to make the trek a little easier. Robles is prepped for outreach with a compartment in the cross filled with a Bible, water bottles and fliers. The Progress-Index caught up with the pastor traveling along West Hundred Road in Chester. Robles said that unrest throughout the country and a desire for God to assist the President in leading the U.S. through turmoil, is his motivation to take on the mammoth task. “I felt God speaking in my heart to put my life on hold, put my family on hold, put my church on hold,” he said. “Our Bible tells us to pray for our leaders.” Robles is concerned about the $18.2 trillion national debt. He is disturbed by the recent shootings on two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the June shootings of nine people in a Charleston, South Carolina church. He said that many Americans can relate to what he has to say. “You don’t have to be a
Art Robles, a pastor of Cross Ministries Church in Kerville, Texas, carries a 12-foot by 7-foot wooden cross through Chesterfield on Saturday, July 25, 2015. Robles is on his way to D.C. to pray for President Barack Obama, in the hope that God will help the president to run the country. Robles has been walking since September 2013.
Christian to be concerned about America,” he said. The 61-year-old is just over 100 miles away from his final destination at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. All together, the journey will total nearly 1,700 miles, and the once bright yellow wood of his cross has greyed in testament to the miles. It’s unknown whether the president will accept Robles’ invitation for prayer. Robles said that letters sent to Obama on his behalf have gone unanswered, but the President hasn’t flat out refused the invitation. But even if he doesn’t m e e t t h e Pr e s i d e n t , Robles said that he has convinced 70 people to become “born again” and has performed miracle healings on 10 people with the help of God. Robles receives a range of reactions to his powerful message. S o m e p e o p l e h av e
thrown things at him and he has also been arrested. But July 25 was a day of compassion. A man ran a cup of water to him from the inside of the TIPCO Technologies Inc. office, in the 1500 block of West Hundred Road. The Stevens family, of Chesterfield, pulled their van over to speak with Robles, who drew the strangers into a close embrace to pray for them. Sheryl Stevens, who stopped with her husband, Norm Stevens, and son, Anthony Stevens, wiped tears from her face. Stevens said that Robles’ actions bring attention to the fact that the federal government can do more to provide for veterans. She also questioned the level of security provided for servicemen and women before the Chattanooga shootings. “We need more of this,” she said, “We need to come together as a nation
Texas Pastor Art Robles leads the Stevens family, from left, Sheryl, Norm, and their son Anthony, not pictured, in a road-side prayer.
and not let these things get by.” More information can be found about Pastor A r t R o b l e s a t w w w.
facebook.com/crossministriesinkerrville or www. crossministriesinkerrville.org. Robles may be reached by phone at
210-560-4098. — Leah Small may be reached at lsmall@ progress-index.com
V6
Friday, Aug. 7, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.
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