Voice 050115 by The Progress-Index

HANDED 30-YEAR TERM

THE HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF THE COLONIAL HEIGHTS AREA

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Friday, May 1, 2015

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LOCAL

COLONIAL HEIGHTS

Bone health seminar in May Colonial Heights Health Care and Rehabilitation will sponsor a free health program, “Own the Bone 7 steps to Better Bone Health” on May 28. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the rehabilitation gymnasium of the health care facility, located at 831 Ellerslie Ave.Attendees will learn how to manage an injury and recover quickly. The program presenter will discuss prevention of injury and bone loss. There will also be a question and answer portion of the program and refreshments will be provided.To register, call 804-526-6851 or email Ethomas2@care-one.com.

Annual yard sale, pancake breakfast fundraiser planned The American Legion Auxiliary is having their Annual Giant Yard Sale and Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, May 2. Breakfast is from 7-11 a.m. and the yard sale continues until noon. Both will take place at 505 Springdale Avenue, Colonial Heights. The cost is $6 including all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, fruit and beverage. The Yard Sale is indoors and outdoors. Spaces are $20.00, and each space includes two tables and a pancake breakfast ticket. The Deadline for table reservations is Friday, May 1. Contact Aleta Perkins at 804-526-8227

Arc South of the James hosts resource fair The Arc South of the James is hosting a resource fair on the evening of May 26, featuring 20+ tables on a variety of topics for children and adults with disabilities. This event will be held Tuesday, May 26, from 5 – 7 p.m. at Tussing Elementary School, 5501 Conduit Rd., Colonial Heights. For more information, contact Shareen Young-Chavez at schavez. thearcsoj@gmail.com

Petersburg Generals season opener May 27 The Petersburg Generals’ season opener is May 27 against the Wilson Tobs. Game time 7:05 p.m. The Petersburg Sports Complex, located at 100 Ballpark Rd. Petersburg, will serve as the home ﬁeld for all 28 of the Generals’ home games.

Volunteers sought for Clean the Bay Day The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its local partners across Virginia are now recruiting volunteers for the 27th Clean the Bay Day, an annual shoreline cleanup, scheduled this year for Saturday, June 6 from 9 a.m. to noon. Thousands of volunteers are needed on foot and in boats to help pick up litter and debris along the shorelines of the Chesapeake Bay and its many rivers and streams, according to the foundation. Last year, more than 6,000 volunteers participated in Clean the Bay Day, removing approximately 110,000 pounds of litter and debris along 460 miles of shoreline. INDEX Opinion ..............V2 Four Things ........V3

Police Log ..........V4 Sports ................V6

Vol. 12, No. 32

Shoppers storm new Aldi at grand opening By Shelby Mertens Staff Writer

COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Early bird shoppers were lined up outside of the brand new Aldi’s grocery store in Colonial Heights Wednesday morning hoping to score one of the ﬁrst 100 golden tickets. One of those early birds was Winnie Bucka, who was ﬁrst in line a 5:45 a.m. Bucka, who had never heard of or been to an Aldi’s before, was excited about the affordable prices. “I’m here for the free stuff of course and just curious about the store,” Bucka said. “Good prices and good quality, those are the two most important things.” The German grocery store chain is known for its low prices, as it claims to offer products 50 percent less than other leading grocery store chains. Aldi has 1,400 stores in 32 states. The company also owns the popular higher-end grocery chain Trader Joe’s. The new Colonial Heights store is located at 465 Charles H . D i m m o c k Pa r k w a y. Another Aldi store opened at 1776 N. Parham Road in Richmond yesterday. Aldi’s third Virginia store is in Waynesboro. Bucka said she even took off work to attend the grand opening. She and Ed Sharrett, a family friend, are pros at grand openings. Both were up at the crack of dawn for the openings of Dick’s Sporting Goods and Five Below in Colonial Heights. “We’re veterans now,” Sharrett said. There was an air of eagerness in the crowd as the anticipation built. The first 100 people in line were given a number card that would grant them a gift card at the check out line anywhere from $10 to $100. Customers could also enter a sweepstakes to win

Winnie Bucka, who was first in line, and Ed Sharrett check out the new Aldi grocery store in Colonial Heights right after the grand opening Thursday, April 23. PATRICK KANE / PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTOS

free produce for a year. City officials and Aldi representatives gathered at 9 a.m for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Shoppers were then able to tour the store and sample products. “It’s very exciting,” said Karen Epps, economic development director for the city of Colonial Heights. Aldi stores, typically no larger than 17,000 sq. ft., “feature high ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally friendly building materials — such as recycled materials and energy-saving refrigeration and light bulbs — to ensure that customers enjoy a shopping experience that is simple and easy to navigate,” Aldi stated. Aldi offers 70 varieties of fruits and vegetables and is starting to carry healthier options such as organic produce, USDA Choice beef, the SimplyNature line, as well as a gluten-free line, according

to Aldi. Epps previously compared the chain to a smaller Costco or Sam’s Club. “It’s almost like a smaller version of a Costco or a Sam’s Club, the way they are set up, the shelving and you buy in bulk,” she said. Gordon Stewart, director of operations for Aldi, said Colonial Heights was a good ﬁt for their company. “Colonial Heights speciﬁcally for us, it has a really strong community that would appreciate the fact that they can get high quality products at the best possible price,” Stewart said. “That’s why we’re here. We want to be part of the community. We want to provide a new grocery shopping experience for everybody.” Aldi is certainly different from most grocery stores. The stores are small, with about 20 employees each, and shoppers are required to “rent” a grocery cart by placing a quarter

in a slot machine. The shopper gets the coin back once they are finished shopping and return the cart. The practice prevents shopping carts from being scattered throughout the parking lot. Customers are also expected to bring their own shopping bags. At the grand opening, Aldi employees were handing out free eco-friendly bags to each customer who walked in. For the next few years Aldi plans to open 130 new stores each year. Aldi stores will pop up in Henrico and Mechanicsville by the fall of 2015. The Aldi store will operate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. —Shelby Mertens may be reached at 804-722-5154 or smertens@progress-index. com.

COMMUNITY CLOSE-UP

Dance instructor loves changing lives By Amir Vera Staff Writer

Amy Hontos is an awardwinning dance instructor and general manager at Dance Masters studios in Colonial Heights and Richmond who loves changing people’s lives for the better through dance.

“I have cousins in Richmond standing ovation. We won top and family sprinkled throughout showcase award.” What’s your favorite thing the state of Virginia.” How long has Dance Masters been in operation?

“Dance Masters has been in business since 1987 which Rock Foster is the owner of both locations.” What types dance to you teach? What age groups?

about owning your business?

“I’m only the manager, but when I did own my own studio it was the sense of pride I felt every time someone came in to take a dance lesson from me. I provided a service unlike any other. People are forever changed by their experience of learning to dance.”

“We teach all forms of ballroom dancing to include Latin, Are you a part of any other “I am a native of Virginia. Disco, Country Western, Social, organizations within the city or area? I was born in Danville, but Nightclub.” What is your most memorable “I do not belong to other soon after my birth my mother organizations other than promoved to Newport News which moment at Dance Masters? “I’ve only began teaching and fessional organizations such is where I was raised and where managing the studio here in as, National Dance Council I married my husband Pete and Colonial Heights but it must of America, National Dance raised our two children, Rita [who is] now 19 years old and have been the 5th annual Rich- Teachers Association and am the mond Dance Challenge when we Master Trainer of the Tri-Cities Dino [who is] 16.” (my daughter Rita, a student Ken Ballroom Teachers Academy at Do you have family in the city Reinschmidt and myself) dance the Colonial Heights location of (spouse, children, parents, a show dance routine and got a Dance Masters.” etc.)? Are you originally from Colonial Heights?

Amy Hontos What are some upcoming events for Dance Masters?

“Dance Masters is hosting its 6th Annual Richmond Challenge at our Colonial Heights location on June 27th.”

Friday, May 1, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.

OPINION

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ANOTHER VIEW

15 Franklin St., Petersburg, VA 23803

Cindy Morgan .............................. Publisher Brian J. Couturier ........... Managing Editor Bob Seals .................... Circulation Director Jamila Khalil .............. Advertising Director Travis Wolfrey ............Operations Manager Ron Shifflett ..............Pressroom Manager Peggy Simon................. Business Manager

OUR VIEW

Amazon’s cloud business growing at fast rate By Mae Anderson AP Technology Writer

EW YORK (AP) — Amazon’s profitable cloud-computing services business is growing by leaps and bounds. That growth helped the e-commerce company Thursday post a 15 percent first-quarter revenue jump and a smallerthan-expected loss. The results sent Amazon’s shares up 6 percent in aftermarket trading. Investors have been growing restless with Amazon’s long-term strategy of plowing most of the money it makes into new areas like cloud computing, streaming video and hardware — leading to razorthin profits or, in this quarter’s case, a loss. Because Amazon had never broken out details on Amazon Web Services before, it wasn’t clear if it was operating at a profit or loss. But details released on Thursday show that surging revenue isn’t coming at expense of a profit in that business, reassuring investors. Meanwhile, Amazon shows no sign of slowing down new offerings. In recent months, Amazon introduced Amazon Echo, a Bluetooth speaker that responds to voice commands and Amazon Dash, stand-alone buttons that can be pressed to reorder common household goods like Tide detergent. It has also rolled out services that help users book travel and hire people to complete household projects. And it’s expanding its Amazon Prime Instant Video service for members of its $99 annual Prime loyalty program, including a TV series with Woody Allen. Amazon Web Services is a suite of products and services offered to businesses by way of the “cloud,” remote servers that enable users to access applications on any machine with an Internet connection Revenue in that business rose 49 percent to $1.57 billion. Meanwhile, total revenue rose to $22.72 billion, above analyst expectations of $22.37 billion. “Amazon Web Services is a $5 billion business and still growing fast — in fact it’s accelerating,” said CEO Jeff Bezos. Amazon Web Services is the biggest player in the public cloud-computing space, 5 or 6 times bigger than its closest competitor, Microsoft’s Azure, and Google a distant third, according to analysts. Gartner estimates that the total public cloud services market totaled $152.45 billion in 2014 and it expected to grow 16 percent to $176.38 billion in 2015. “What’s kept Amazon on top is they’ve had a relentless approach to innovation, adding 40 to 50 new services a year while still dropping prices constantly,” said Forrester analyst David Bartoletti. The company has dropped prices 48 times in the nine years it has been around. One of its most recent offerings announced in January is WorkMail, which helps run companies email and calendar services. Amazon also makes the different components of Amazon Web Services easy to try for free. “If they don’t work, they can turn them off,” he said. “That’s the beauty of the cloud.” In the first quarter Amazon reported a loss of $57 million, or 12 cents per share. The average estimate of 17 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 13 cents per share. The online retailer posted revenue of $22.72 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Seventeen analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $22.42 billion. For the current quarter ending in June, Amazon said it expects revenue in the range of $20.6 billion to $22.8 billion. Analysts surveyed by Zacks had expected revenue of $22.24 billion. Amazon’s shares rose $24.01 to $414 in aftermarket trading following the earnings report.

YOUR VIEW

directions. They’re called the Sandwich Generation – individuals who find themselves “sandwiched” between caring President Obama and for an aging parent and their Secretary of State John own young children or young Kerry have both stated adult. that "Climate Change" is The Sandwich Generation our greatest enemy! If they isn’t a new phrase, but the are talking about "Political group of Americans who will Climate Change," this statement is accurate. The political be put into roles as “sandwiched” caregivers is growing. climate has been a disaster Almost half (47 percent) of ever since Obama took office Americans in their 40s and and is driving America into 50s have a parent who is 65 the ground. However, if they or older and are either raising are talking about just "Climate Change," this statement a minor child or financially supporting an adult child at is absurd! That's just another the same time. The Sandwich Left-wing propaganda ploy Generation will continue to to get the uninformed voters to dedicate their hard-earned grow. An increasing number of baby boomers are moving money to the "Climate God" of the Far Left in order to back into retirement age, living their left-wing candidates who longer lives, and, as a result, requiring costlier care. A Pew support this malarkey. Research study pointed to The earth's climate has been changing ever since time the recession and sluggish economic recovery as another began, and will continue to reason for the rise. Slow change, and there is notheconomic recovery has taken ing, nil, zilch, zid, goose-egg, a toll on young adults, many nada, that these Far-Left who have had difficulty findcandidates - including our ing full-time jobs and may rely administration - can do that on extra support from their would ever have an impact parents. on the Climate. However, if Americans who find they are really talking about themselves sandwiched what I stated up front in this caregivers don’t just have dual letter, we CAN change the "Political Climate" by electing responsibilities. Some spend an average of 20 hours a week those who really care about providing care for a parent our country and will repair on top of working a full-time the damage that the Obama Administration has done over job. This could be anything from simple and sporadic the last six years, and continues to do. That would be a real care, like running errands and helping with finances, change that Americans can to time-consuming care like live with and make America doctor and hospital visits and great again. advance care planning. Add Gary Allen in the financial and emotional Chesterfield County investment of caring for multiple generations, and the responsibilities grow quickly. The Sandwich It’s likely that you or Generation someone you know is in this situation, or will be at some There’s something spepoint in the future. Here are cial about photographs that some resources you can refer capture multiple generations to that may help you as you of family members together. provide care to our aging Grandfather, father, and son. generations: Grandmother, mother, and Virginia Division for the daughter. Great Aunt, father, Aging has a network of 25 and daughter. agencies that provide services They’re special because for seniors in Virginia’s comyou can see the resemblance munities. The site includes an – the thread of family herioption for you to search for tage – passed down between agencies near your home. the family members, from Full Circle of Care offers a the gray hair and smile lines range of resources, from tax of the oldest to the youthful assistance resources, careenergetic smile of the younggiver checklists, information est family member. on long-distance caregiving, The photos are also a information on services for beautiful representation of how care is passed down from caregivers, and more. HUD Information for one generation to another. A Seniors provides information reminder that, at some point on housing options for aging in our lives, we will be both a parents or relatives. recipient of care and a giver The Virginia Family of care, whether as a child, a Caregiver Solution Center parent, or a family caregiver. off ers an online forum conOne group of Americans is very aware of this cycle of care. necting people caring for elderly parents. Participants These Americans are providpost ideas, questions, and ing care in two very different

Climate change is our greatest enemy?

recommendations. Virginia Navigator provides access to programs and services available to Virginia seniors and caregivers. In addition, my office has produced a Seniors Organizational Toolkit that you can use to help a parent or loved one organize important documents. Many of us will either become members of the Sandwich Generation at some point in our lives or ﬁnd ourselves caring for an aging family member. Whether providing full- or part-time, or in-home or long-distance care, the people, services, and information you have access to will help you in your journey. If you’re a caregiver in the Sandwich Generation, we’d like to hear about it on Facebook. Perhaps there is a resource you’ve found helpful or tip you’d like to share with others who ﬁnd themselves in this role. Join the conversation at https://www.facebook. com/randyforbes. Congressman Randy Forbes R-4th District Chesapeake, Va.

Veto session was a bit like a magic act Those familiar with magic tricks know that the magician is most effective when he gets his audience to pay attention to the wrong things. Most magicians make elaborate distracting motions that draw attention away from the real actions that allows the “magic” to work. This may have been the goal with forty nine amendments to the ethics reform bill. Hopefully, however, the goal was not to distract from the important business of the state. Last week’s veto session may, in some ways, relate to that. To override a governor's veto, the House and Senate each must have two thirds of their members vote against the governor's position. With the Senate almost equally divided, none of the governor's vetoes were expected to be overridden. That did not stop the news media from creating headlines that the governor prevailed on all his vetoes as if that was the big news. During the reconvened “Veto Session,” however, many of the governor's amendments were defeated. Among those was the much talked about ethics bill. He proposed 49 changes to that legislation that had bipartisan support during the session. Many of those amendments were defeated because they did far more damage to common

sense government than they were worth. As an example, often legislators ride together to meetings. Under the governor's proposal, we could only do that a few times a year before we would be breaking the law because those rides would be considered gifts and could not exceed $100 in a year. Another example of these questionable amendments would have required local electoral board members to file disclosures every six months just as local and state are currently required to do. However, in addition to reporting their own personal finances, they would have been required to report those of all their family members. Never mind that the electoral boards have no authority to spend taxpayer’s money. Quietly some have wondered why the local electoral boards and registrars were specifically singled out to be added to this legislation. Some have questioned whether this was in retribution since many local election officials did not support the effort to make all localities buy the same electronic voting machines. Traditionally, voting equipment has been the responsibility of the localities. Why was it so important that every county use exactly the same equipment? If hacking into the voting system is a concern, would it not be safer to have multiple systems rather than one system tied together making them all less secure? Still others have questioned why voting machines that have been used for most of a decade with few problems were suddenly decertified by the state just days before it was clear this amendment was not going to be accepted by the General Assembly. This may be where the magician’s stunts may come into play. Instead of focusing on the big issues, the news media may be distracted with the wrong issues. As an example, this year I sponsored legislation updating the state's procurement laws for the first time in 40 years. During the session the news media never focused on the millions and millions of dollars spent every year by the state and localities on goods, services, and construction projects. We love to hear from you! You can contact us at Sen. Ruff@verizon.net, 434-3745129, or Post Office Box 332, Clarksville, VA 23927. Sen. Frank M.Ruff Jr. R-Clarksville 15th Senate District Dinwiddie, Prince George counties

The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va. | Friday, May 1, 2015

YOUR NEWS THINGS TO DO THIS

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WEEKEND Indoor/Outdoor Harbor Blast Yard Sale & Concert Series Pancake Breakfast PRINCE GEORGE — The COLONIAL HEIGHTS — On Saturday, May 2 the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 284, 505 Springdale Avenue, will be hosting a pancake breakfast and yard sale. The breakfast will be from 7 to 11 a.m., all you can eat pancakes, sausage, fruit and a beverage. Ticket donations are $6 and are available at EVB, Topside and any auxiliary member. For more information call (804) 337-0905. The yard sale will be from 7 a.m. to noon. Each space includes 2 tables and a pancake breakfast. Deadline for reservations for space is today. Contact Aleta Perkins at (804) 526-8227.

premiere event of the Harbor Blast Concert Series, 1605 Fined Street, brings you the ﬁrst riverside party of the season with the Pat Russell Band, Saddle Jack and Kris Scott. Donations at the gate is $10 (18 and up). Under 18 is free with parent. The show is from 5 to 10 p.m.

Showcasing Spring Blooms

COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Following Virginia’s Historic Garden Week, the Colonial Heights Beautiﬁcation Committee is hosting a Garden Tour fundraiser on Sunday, May 3, from 1-5 pm. The tour is entitled “Showcasing Spring Blooms.” This self-guided tour 3rd annual will highlight six unique Sunshine 5K residential gardens and several city gardens. The Run/Walk residential neighborhood COLONIAL HEIGHTS — On of Kennon Pointe will be Saturday, May 2 the Colo- our feature stop on the nial Heights Recreation tour, with ten residents and Parks Department will participating. Refreshbe hosting its 3rd Annual ments will be served on Sunshine 5K Run/Walk the lawn of The Old Brick and Kids 1 Mile Fun Run. House, in Conjurer’s The goal of this event is to Neck, with indoor tours raise money for the future available. Tickets will be replacement of aging park $10 and may be purplayground equipment chased at the Colonial within the City of Colonial Heights Public Library, the Heights and will provide Colonial Heights Chama fun ﬁtness activity for ber of Commerce, and individuals. On site regisat the Colonial Heights tration at White Bank Park, Department of Parks and 400 White Bank Road, Recreation. Tickets can 7 a.m., $25 for 5K Run/ also be purchased the day Walk; $10 for Kid 1 Mile of the tour at any of the Fun Run. 5K Run/Walk residential garden sites. A begins at 8:30 a.m. and brochure will accompany Kids 1 Mile Fun begins at 8 each ticket, listing all of a.m. For more information the stops on the tour. For call (804) 520-9390 more information call 804) 526-8541

ECONOMY

More than 300 jobs lost by closures, downsizing

By Amir Vera Staff Writer

Although at least five local employers are set to close or downsize — impacting more than 450 workers — local economic development officials remain optimistic about the region's economy. S i n c e Ja n u a r y, according to the Virginia Workforce Rapid Response website, six employers in the region have announced reductions, closures or downsizing that have ultimately impacted 484 employees. Most of the announcements were made during the winter and will go into effect in the April through May time frame. Closings included Kmart in Colonial Heights and the Riverside PACE Center in Petersburg. Freight Handler’s Inc. in Disputanta announced a 65-employee permanent reduction in February. Prince George Deputy County Attorney Jeff Stoke said they lost a bid to renew their contract. Petersburg also had 30 employees impacted by the

UniTao Pharmaceuticals LLC downsizing and 61 employees impacted with the Petersburg City Jail closing. Hopewell will also see layoffs with the April 7 announcement from Chicago Bridge and Iron, an infrastructure company. According to the Virginia Rapid Response, CB&I will be laying off 148 workers on April 29. Despite what seemed like back-to-back announcements in the region, officials are looking to make sure the unemployed are able to find new jobs or receive training to find better opportunities. “Usually when it comes to helping combat unemployment the biggest thing we can do is to make sure people understand the resources available to them,” said Brett Tavel, Central Virginia Rapid Response Coordinator. “One of the big things about being laid off is that you have access to training programs. We want people to get back to work, but we want them to get a better job if possible.” The Virginia Rapid Response is a resource for businesses and SEE JOBS, V4

Man receives 30 years for robbery and shooting of elderly man From Staff Reports

COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Nicholas ColburneGarrett was convicted on Wednesday for the shooting and attempted robbery of an elderly man, and the robbery of a 93-year-old woman. Colburne-Garrett, of Petersburg, was 18 at the time of the crime, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison for both incidents. The incidents occurred separately. He will also serve 24 years of supervised probation following his release. On June 2, 2014, Garrett approached an elderly

The husband pulled out a ﬁrearm before ColburneGarrett shot him in the chest. He was transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University for non-life threatening injuries. On May 1, 2014, Colburne-Garrett snatched a purse from the 93-yearold woman inside of the Nicholas Colburne-Garrett garage of her residence on couple in their vehicle in Norwood Drive. For both incidents, the 100 block of Biltmore Colburne-Garrett was Drive, at about 7 p.m. convicted of eight feloColburne-Garrett demanded money from an nies: aggravated malicious elderly married couple and wounding, attempted threatened to shoot them. malicious wounding, robThe robber then took bery, attempted robbery, an Apple Iphone phone conspiracy to commit robfrom the husband’s hand. bery, grand larceny from

the person and two counts of use of a ﬁrearm in the commission of a felony. All charges except for the grand larceny, which is for the May 1 robbery, apply to both incidents. William B. Bray requested life in prison for Colburne-Garrett. The state sentencing guidelines range was from eight years four months, to 18 years and seven months. “I thought it was justiﬁed, but anytime we get a sentence that is approximately twice the midpoint of the sentencing guidelines, I don’t see how we could possibly complain,” he said.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR FOR COLONIAL VOICE

FRIDAY, May 1 DINWIDDIE — Al-Anon Family Groups for family and friends of alcoholics meets from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. each Friday at Kenwood United Methodist Church, 25200 Ritchie Ave., Petersburg. For more information, call 733-7395. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — American Legion Post 284, 505 Springdale Road, holds bingo every Friday. Doors open at 5 p.m., and games start at 7. Food is available for a nominal fee. For directions, or information about membership requirements or activities of the American Legion, visit the Post 284 website, http://mysite. verizon.net/legion284 or call 526-5656. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The National Alliance on Mental Illness Connection Recovery Support program meets 1 to 2:30 p.m. each Friday in the conference room at the Colonial Heights Library, 1000 Yacht Basin Drive. Groups meet for 90 minutes and offer a structured group process designed to encourage, support and empower. All diagnosis welcome. For more information, contact Gina at 804-605-5010 or towritegina@yahoo.com. PETERSBURG — Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held each Friday at 10 a.m. at: Second Presbyterian Church, 419 W. Washington St. (round the back come upstairs). Meetings are also also held at 5:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday at the Tri-City Club, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the rear of the building, (access through North Market Street in the large parking lot. The doors are at the top of the ramp). Call 24/7 for the AA hot line and more information, 452-1959. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Oldies But Goodies Classic Cruizers Car Club is hosting its weekly “Cruise-In” from 6 to 9 p.m. each Friday through September, in the Lonestar Steakhouse parking lot, next to Southpark Mall in Colonial Heights. This event is free and is open to all car and truck enthusiasts that enjoy reminiscing about their antiques, muscle and custom cars, classics, and hot rods. Music is included: Oldies and Rock & Roll. For more information visit the website at www.obgcc.com.

SATURDAY, May 2 CHESTER — The Southern Knights Cruisers Inc. car club is hosting its weekly “Cruise-In” now through Oct. 31, from 5 to 9 p.m., weather permitting, at Hardee’s on Route 10 and Old Stage Road. Over 100 antique cars, street rods, classics, muscle cars, and custom cars can be seen. Music from the 1950s and ‘60s from Wolfman John can be heard. Fun for the entire family and it is free

to see. For more information, call Ricky Williams at 804-526-8865 or visit www. southernknightscruisers. com. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2239, 14705 Jefferson Davis Highway, holds bingo each Saturday. Doors open at 5 p.m. and games begin at 7. There are six to eight chances to win $500 or more. Food is available. For directions or questions about this event, call 7484896 and ask for Tom Gore. For information about VFW membership or other activities, call Tom Ferguson, 748-4896.

SUNDAY, May 3 COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Colonial Heights Moose Lodge 1783, 170 Moose Ave., holds bingo every Sunday. Doors open at 4 p.m. Bingo starts at 6 p.m. Food is available for a nominal fee. For directions, visit the website at www.chmoose. com or call 526-1537. PETERSBURG — Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Tri-City Club, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the rear of the building, (access through North Market Street in the large parking lot. The doors are at the top of the ramp). Call 24/7 for the AA hot line and more information, 452-1959.

MONDAY, May 4 COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The “Colonial Square Dancers,” a nonproﬁt organization, meets from 7-9 p.m. each Monday at the Colonial Heights High School cafeteria on Conduit Road. Square dancers and visitors are welcome. For more information, call 804-720-2340. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — American Legion Post 284, 505 Springdale Road, holds bingo every Monday. Doors open at 5 p.m., and games start at 7. Food is available for a nominal fee. For directions, or information about membership requirements or activities of the American Legion, visit http://mysite. verizon.net/legion284 or call 526-5656. PETERSBURG — Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held each Monday at 10 a.m at Second Presbyterian Church, 419 W. Washington St. (round the back come upstairs). Meetings are also held at 5:30 p.m. MondayFriday at the Tri-City Club, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the rear of the building, (access through North Market Street in the large parking lot. The doors are at the top of the ramp). Call 24/7 for the AA hot line and more information, 452-1959.

TUESDAY, May 5 CHESTERFIELD — The Chesterﬁeld County Senior Advocate and Lucy Corr

Village invite anyone who is caring for an adult with physical or cognitive deterioration to attend Caregiver Connection, a monthly support group that helps address caregivers’ needs and concerns. It meets on the ﬁrst Tuesday of each month, 4 to 5:15 p.m., in the Friendship Room at Lucy Corr Village Assisted Living, 6800 Lucy Corr Blvd. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 804-768-7878 or 706-5657. PETERSBURG — Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. MondayFriday at: the Tri-City Club, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the rear of the building, (access through North Market Street in the large parking lot. The doors are at the top of the ramp). Call 24/7 for the AA hot line and more information, 452-1959. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The Colonial Heights Public Library is offering its 2015 winter/spring story time sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Each session includes stories, music, lots of movement and a craft. Story hours are designed to help children gain important prereading skills, learn to socialize with other children, and to begin a lifelong love of books and reading. This is a family story hour, and all ages are welcome. No registration is necessary. A parent or caregiver must attend with the child. For more information, call Chantal Emerson at 804-520-9384.

WEDNESDAY, May 6 COLONIAL HEIGHTS — TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) No. 485 meets each Wednesday morning at Colonial Heights Library, 1000 Yacht Basin Drive. Weighins begin at 8:15 a.m. and the meetings start at 9. For more information, call Evelyn at 748-2607. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The Optimist Club of Colonial Heights, 916 Meridan Ave., holds bingo every Wednesday evening. Doors open at 5 p.m. and early bird games start at 6:45 and regular games start at 7. Food is available for a nominal fee. For directions or details, call 526-0689. Money raised supports youth projects in the community. PETERSBURG — Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held each Wednesday at 10 a.m. at: Second Presbyterian Church, 419 W. Washington St. (round the back come upstairs). Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are also held at 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday at: the Tri-City Club, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the rear of the building, (access through North Market Street in the large parking lot. The doors are at the top of the ramp). Call 24/7 for the AA hot line and more information, 452-1959.

COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The Colonial Heights Public Library is offering its 2015 winter/spring story time sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Each session includes stories, music, lots of movement and a craft. Story hours are designed to help children gain important prereading skills, learn to socialize with other children, and to begin a lifelong love of books and reading. This is a family story hour, and all ages are welcome. No registration is necessary. A parent or caregiver must attend with the child. For more information, call Chantal Emerson at 804-520-9384.

THURSDAY, May 7

COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The Rotary Club of Colonial Heights meets at the Hilton Garden Inn, Southpark Boulevard, each Thursday at 7 a.m. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — Colonial Heights Moose Lodge 1783, 170 Moose Ave., holds bingo every Thursday. Doors open 4 p.m. Bingo starts at 7 p.m. Food is available for nominal fee. For directions, visit the website at www.chmoose.com or call 804-526-1537. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — The Intimidators Quilt Club holds their monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Colonial Heights Public Library. For information, call Caddie, 526-3909, or Dink, 804-520-8224. COLONIAL HEIGHTS — New caregiver support groups meet the first and third Thursdays at 5 p.m. at Colonial Heights Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, 831 Ellerslie Ave. Dinner provided if you RSVP no later than the morning of the group meeting. For more information, call 804-526-2359. PETERSBURG — Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. MondayFriday at: the Tri-City Club, located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the rear of the building, (access through North Market Street in the large parking lot. The doors are at the top of the ramp). Call 24/7 for the AA hot line and more information, 452-1959. COLONIAL HEIGHTS – The Colonial Heights Senior Citizens Club meets each Thursday. On the first three Thursdays of the month, and any fifth Thursday, the club meets at 1:15 p.m. at the community building, 157 Roanoke Avenue. The fourth Thursday is a monthly luncheon at area restaurants by reservation with Joan Light at 526-5884. The Colonial Heights Senior Citizens Club is sponsored by the City of Colonial Heights Department of Recreation and Parks. Any resident of Colonial Heights, 50 years of age or older, is invited to join meetings. For more information, call Mildred Morrison at 526-3497.

Friday, May 1, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Richard Bland tuition increasing Contributed Report

PRINCE GEORGE — Richard Bland College of William & Mary will continue to have one of the lowest tuition rates in Virginia for the 20152016 academic year, the school reports, despite an increase of $217.50 per semester for in-state and

$235.00 per semester for out-of-state students attending full-time. Yearly tuition and mandatory fees for in-state students will cost $5,493, or $15,236 for out-of-state students. The small increase keeps Richard Bland College’s tuition well below the maximum federal Pell Grant program of $5,775, according to a

statement from the school. “Our college’s goal is to provide students with a high quality, affordable education so they can avoid the burden of big debt in their life journey,” said President Debbie L. Sydow. “All students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, deserve to have access to

higher education and focus on achieving their goals without personal ﬁnances holding them back.” The additional funds will be used to retain talented faculty, increase course offerings, including certiﬁcate and online programs, and to implement a new student success model that provides students

with academic support and learning mentors. John Littel, chair of the Richard Bland College Committee of the William & Mary Board of Visitors, said the board remains committed to improving RBC’s services and keeping tuition affordable. “ E x p a n d i n g R B C ’s quality programs and

providing students with the best resources and faculty and staff for their success requires continued shared investment,” Littel said in a statement. RBC reports that scholarships and ﬁnancial aid totaling $3.4 million dollars for FY15 will increase to $3.6 million dollars for FY16.

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

John Randolph Medical Center recognized by AHA

Awarded for stroke, heart failure care

RICHMOND — HCA Virginia’s John Randolph Medical Center has once again received the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus and Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards. The awards recognize the hospital ’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke and heart failure

patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, researchbased guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. This is the fifth consecutive year that John Randolph has earned the recognition for heart failure care. “John Randolph Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke and heart failure patients, said Suzanne Jackson, chief executive officer of John Randolph Medical Center. “Implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–heart failure

and stroke programs helps us to accomplish this goal by tracking and measuring our success in meeting internationallyrespected guidelines.” To receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month periods and achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines Quality measures. These quality measures are designed to help hospital teams provide the

most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke and heart failure patients. They focus on appropriate use of guideline-based care for patients, including aggressive use of medications such as clot-busting and anti-clotting drugs, blood thinners and cholesterol-reducing drugs, preventive action for deep vein thrombosis and smoking cessation counseling. According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is

the number ﬁve cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. In addition, about 5.7 million adults in the United States suffer from heart failure, with the number expected to rise to eight million by 2030. Statistics show that each year about 870,000 new cases are diagnosed and about 50 percent of those diagnosed will die within ﬁve years. However, many

heart failure patients can lead a full, enjoyable life when their condition is managed with proper medications or devices and with healthy lifestyle changes. Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. The program was developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery. For more information, visit heart. org/quality or heart.org/ QualityMap.

Silverwood Drive, Richmond was charged with drunk in public on March 21. ■ Shelva Monique Hawkes, 23, of the 1900 block of Redd Shop Road, Farmville was charged with driving under the inﬂuence on March 21. ■ Tiffany N. Williams, 29, of Redwood Court, Petersburg was charged with assault:simple on March 21. ■ Carlos E Brown Jr., 22, of the 19700 block of Dorothy Circle, Dinwiddie was charged with fraud:false pretense on March 22. ■ Brandon Tyler Goodwin, 22, of the 800 block of Conduit Road, Colonial Heights was charged with fail to appear on March 22.

■ Janee Tierra Williams, 22, of the 200 block of Elm Street, Petersburg was charged with probation:violation on March 22. ■ Dylan Reid Fultz, 21, of the 100 block of Swift Creek Lane, Colonial Heights was charged with assault:simple on March 23. ■ Christina A. Hamilton, 23, of the 4400 block of Samara Drive, Henrico was charged with larceny:petit on March 23. ■ Jenni Lynn Heins, 26, of the 900 block of Park Avenue, Colonial Heights was charged with violation of court order on March 23. ■ Canesia James, 34, of the 100 block of Clearﬁeld Circle, Colonial Heights

was charged with violation of court order on March 23. ■ Shawna MB Stewart, 34, of the 2400 block of Point of Rocks Road, Chester was charged with trespass:general on March 23. ■ Vach'y Strother, 29, of the 100 block of Newcastle Drive, Colonial Heights was charged with fail to appear on March 23. ■ Robert Martin Turner III, 39, of the 200 block of Biltmore Drive, Colonial Heights was charged with trespass:general on March 23. ■ Shawntay Wellsey, 29, of the 100 block of W Westover, Colonial Heights was charged with larceny:petit; vandalism on March 23.

■ Efrain Acosta, 50, of the 4100 block of Lee Drive, N. Dinwiddie was charged with giving false reports to police on March 24. ■ Jeremy Caryle Golding, 27, of the 10800 block of Eringreen Court, Chester was charged with assault & battery:family member; prevent from calling law enforcement on March 24. ■ Amanda Michelle Hertsch, 34, of the 300 block of S. Laurel Street, Richmond was charged with capias on March 24. ■ Demetri Lemar Jackson, 21, of the 2900 block of Courthouse Road, Hopewell was charged with violate conditions of release on March 24. ■ Devon Lamont King, 29, of the 20500 block of

Hickory Court, S. Chesterﬁeld was charged with violation of court order on March 24. ■ Spencer Lancaster Leighton, 25, of the 100 block of N. Boulevard, Richmond was charged with violate conditions release on March 24. ■ David Piedmont, 27, of the 6200 block of Madonna Road, Mechanicsville was charged with violate conditions of release on March 24.

JOBS

deputies,” she said. “The city will increase employment opportunities over the next five years. The goal is to have as many of our residents to work and live in Petersburg. As the focus on economic development continues, we are confident that job opportunities will follow. We just announced 37 new jobs coming on-line at the new asphalt plant coming in April 2016 and another nine jobs at the new brewery opening next year.” Other localities also have a five-year plan into effect. In Prince George, where the Freight Handler’s plant announced a permanent reduction, Stoke said the population and job opportunities have both increased in the county but the unemployment level — which is currently at 5.9 percent — has stayed stagnant in the years since the recession. “From February of 2010 to now, we’ve actually increased over 840 new jobs in Prince George County. It has been a slow trek,” Stoke said. “[In the next five years], I think you’re going to see businesses starting to pull the trigger on more expansions and wanting to hire more people back. We intend on continuing to sell the Southpoint Industrial Park. We’ve got four shovel-ready pad sites at Rolls-Royce, two 75,000-square foot and 200,000-square foot sites ready for suppliers and vendors to come in.” Dinwiddie, whose

unemployment rate is at 6.1 percent as of January, has seen many businesses opening in the county. Last year, Dinwddie saw four new businesses open. “ We’r e n o w a t t h e point where we’re seeing positive impacts from of new investments and expansions from our companies,” said Tammie Collins, Dinwiddie deputy county administrator for planning and community development. “We’re also looking at how we are preparing our citizens to be competitive for the positions that are coming here.” One of the aspects being done in the Tri-Cities with looking toward the future is helping the youth. A lot of the economic development offices are helping their high school students become involved in workplace training programs that help them with soft skills such as resume writing, how to behave during an interview and overall professionalism. The purpose of these programs are to prepare a ready workforce in the future that will be competitive with the rest of the state. “Right now, the economy is doing very well. People are able to get back to work easier, but we want to make sure we’re training people for those higher skilled jobs down the road,” Tavel said.

POLICE LOG

The following information was provided by the Colonial Heights police department. ■ Dante Aaron Dennis,

25, of the 600 block of Summit Street, Petersburg was charged with probation:violation on March 20. ■ Chasity Hope Gray, 35, of the 100 block of Richmond Avenue, Colonial Heights was charged with violate conditions of release on March 20. ■ Stephanie Lynn Milot, 37, of the 700 block of Old Town Drive, Colonial Heights was charged with violate conditions of release on March 20. ■ Richard Justin Gregory, 24, of the 1700 block of

WANTED FOR FRAUD

Colonial Heights Police Department is attempting to locate Troy Murchison. Murchison has numerous felony warrants on file relating to fraud related offenses. Murchison was last known to reside in 2200 block Watts Lane, Richmond. Anyone who knows where Mr. Murchison can be located, is asked to contact Colonial Heights Police Department at 804-520-9300 or Crime Solver at 804-748-0660. Troy Murchison

From Page V3

employees that help with restructuring, training and employment needs. It is operated under funding from the Workforce Investment Act. “Our main goal to help those businesses and employees that are going through a transition. We don’t just want to help with businesses that are closing, but we want to be involved with businesses that are willing to grow by taking the talent from businesses that are downsizing and giving them new opportunities,” Tavel said. According to the Virginia Employment Commission, the TriCities have an average unemployment rate of 7.3 percent. Petersburg has the highest rate at 10.5 percent unemployment and Colonial Heights has the lowest at 5.4 percent. Jay Ell Alexander, Petersburg public information officer, said that while the city has seen its unemployment rate increase since the recession began in 2007, officials are working with those who were impacted by business closings to make sure the city is still competitive with other localities. “The City is still working with UniTao to keep the plant operational. There were two job fairs held just for the Sheriff ’s deputies with nine agencies represented to interview the

—Information is provided by police and sheriff 's departments. This information may or may not be all inclusive. Arrests include summons. Arrests do not imply guilt.

—Amir Vera may be reached at avera@ progress-index.com or (804) 722-5155.

The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va. | Friday, May 1, 2015

LINCOLN-REAGAN GALA

Trump delivers speech in Chesterﬁeld By Shelby Mertens Staff Writer

CHESTERFIELD — “Our country’s going to hell, but let’s have some fun,” Donald Trump said to the packed crowd at The Country Club at the Highlands on Friday night. The real estate mogul and reality TV personality, who’s been considering a run for the presidency since 2012, was the keynote speaker for the Chesterﬁeld County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Gala. The event had recordbreaking numbers at 420 guests. “As Republicans begin to consider candidates to run in 2016, Mr. Trump’s name and commentary are once again front and center,” said Madelaine Spangler, who organized the event. The Lincoln-Reagan Gala is meant to honor the two former presidents in its namesake, raise money for candidates and discuss the issues at the heart of the Republican platform. “We all pretty much have the same opinion of what’s going on in the United States. We have a tremendously big problem, we have a country that’s in serious, serious trouble,” Trump said. “We have a president that is grossly incompetent in my opinion.” The Donald provided commentary on the state of the country and his experience in the business, sports and entertainment industries.

“We all pretty much have the same opinion of what’s going on in the United States. We have a tremendously big problem, we have a country that’s in serious, serious trouble. We have a president that is grossly incompetent in my opinion.” —Donald Trump, speaking at the Chesterﬁeld County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Gala

Trump touched on the topics of negotiations with Iraq and foreign relations with China, Japan and Mexico. “With me, if I run and I win, this country will not be ripped off again,” he said. Trump has had connections to Virginia for quite some time. He owns property in Norfolk, runs Trump Winery in Charlottesville and founded Trump National Golf Club, which is located in Loudoun County. “I just have a great relationship to the state. I’ve been here for a long time. Many, many years actually,” Trump said. “We employ a tremendous amount of people in the state.” “The Apprentice” host also gushed over the Republicans of Chesterfield County. “They’re great Republicans, the people in Chesterfield. They’re strong, they’re real believers and my message to them is just keep chugging because they’re doing a fantastic job,” he said. Chesterfield also happens to be the Iowa of Virginia when it comes to elections. “Chesterfield is truly a bellwether community,”

said Donald C. Williams, chairman of the Chesterfield County Republican Committee. “As goes Chesterfield, as goes Virginia. As goes Chesterfield, as goes the nation. All eyes are on Donald Trump giving the keynote address at the Chesterfield County RepubliChesterfield.” can Committee’s Lincoln-Reagan Gala on Friday night at the Country Club of Trump said he is still the Highlands. researching and will announce his decision on whether or not he will run in the 2016 presidential election in the coming weeks. “I think I could become the Republican nominee,” he said. When asked at a press conference before his speech if he thinks he could beat Hillary Clinton if she wins the Democratic nomination, Trump responded confidently, “Yes, I could. Absolutely.” He added that Clinton has “a lot of baggage right now.” Those in attendance at the keynote address included Congressmen Dave Brat, State Sen. Steve Martin, Del. Kirk Cox, Del. Riley Ingram and Congressman Rob Wittman was supposed to arrive late. Congressman Randy Forbes was unable to make it. —Shelby Mertens may be reached at 804-722-5154 or smertens@progressindex.com.

Donald Trump giving the keynote address at the Chesterfield County Republican Committee’s Lincoln-Reagan Gala on Friday night at the Country Club of the Highlands.

CHURCH NEWS DIRECTORY Calvary Baptist Church Address: 17001 Jefferson Davis Highway. For more information, call 526-0981.

CH Nazarene Church Address: 601 East Ellerslie Avenue. For more information, call 526-6920.

Immanuel Baptist Address: 620 Lafayette Avenue. For more information, call 526-3276 or www.ibc4family.com.

Christ Community Church Address: Meets at Lakeview Elementary School, 401 Taswell Ave. For more information or directions, call 520-6200, or www.christcommunitychurchva. org.

Colonial Heights Presbyterian Address: 211 Lynchburg Avenue. For more information, call 526-0929 or visit http://www.colonialheightspres.org.

Ivey Memorial U.M. Church Address: 17120 Jefferson Davis Highway. For more information, call 526-1350.

Cameron Avenue Church of Christ Address: 601 Cameron Avenue. For more information, call 526-5286. Celebration of Life Church Celebration of Life Church of God meets at 123 Pickwick Ave. in Colonial Heights. For more information please call 221-2915. Chesterﬁeld Community Church Address: Meets at Greenwood Presbyterian Church, 7110 Woodpecker Road. For more information, call 796-1040 or visitccc4jc2007@aol.com. Colonial Christian Address: 295 Dunlop Farms Blvd. For more information, call 520-4988 or visit www.colonialchristianchurch.com. Colonial Heights Baptist Address: 17201 Jeff Davis Highway. For more information, call 526-0424 or visit www.chbaptist.com.

Community Christian Fellowship Address: Meets at Matoaca Middle School, West campus. For more information, call 526-8260 or visit www.ccfnet1.org. Covenant Christian Address: 542 South Park Blvd. For more information, call 526-0634. Faith Baptist Address: 1226 W. Roslyn Road. For more information call 526-8189 or visit mysite.verizon.net/ FBC316/. Faith and Hope Outreach Center Address: 101 Highland Avenue. For more information, call 526-3667. Fellowship Baptist Church Address: 21000 Chesterﬁeld Avenue, Ettrick. For more information call 526-6184 or 590-2277. Highland Methodist Address: 125 E. Westover Avenue. For more information, call 526-3870.

Life Church Address: 16801 Harrowgate Road. For info on Sunday services and other Life changing ministries and activities go to www.visitlifechurch. org, or e-mail wanda@ visitlifechurch.org or call 526-7000. Lifeline Fellowship Church Services are held at Salem Church Elementary School, 9600 Salem Church Road, in Chesterﬁeld. For more information, call 804-839-3136. Lyons Avenue Bible Church Address: 516 Lyons Avenue. For more

information, call 520-7813. Lutheran Church of our Redeemer Address: 1769 S. Sycamore St., Petersburg. For more information, call 732-8567 between 9 a.m. — 1 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Mount Calvary Baptist Church Address: 19600 Halloway Avenue, Matoaca. For more information, call 590-2094. Mount Pleasant Baptist Address: 3110 Greenwood Avenue. For more information, call 526-0816. Oaklawn Baptist Address: 7925 Hickory Road, Chesterfield. For more information, call 804-526-5649. Power Over Power Deliverance Ministries Address: Meets at Comfort Suites hotel, Colonial Heights (near Southpark shopping mall). For more information, call 757-968-6532.

Prayer Vigil Ministry The Tri-Cities Prayer Vigil Ministry has a prayer line open for prayer requests seven days a week including holidays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The number to call is 804-895-6910. Prince of Peace Outreach Center Address: 107 Pickwick Avenue. For more information or transportation, call Overseer Walter J. Mason at 834-2356. St. Ann Catholic Church Address: 17111 Jefferson Davis Highway. For more information, call 526-2548. St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Address: The corner of Ellerslie Avenue and Old Town Drive. For

more information, call 526-1790. Swift Creek Baptist Church Address: 18510 Branders Bridge Road. For more information, call 520-1211.

The Lord’s Church Baptist Address: 20905 Third Ave., Ettrick. For more information, call 520-5133. Walthall Baptist Church Address: 14001 Woods Edge Road. For more information, call 530-8011. Wesley Methodist Address: 3701 Conduit Road. For more information, call 526-3700 or visit www.wesley.col-hts.org. Woodlawn Baptist Church Address: 3116 Woodlawn Avenue. For more

Friday, May 1, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.

PREP BASEBALL

Colonial rule Colonial Heights stands unbeaten through 11 games

olonial Heights’ Zach Stoupa, at right, awaits an at-bat during a 9-1 win over Meadowbrook on Thursday night at Shepherd Stadium. The Colonials are 11-0 heading into their matchup at Prince George on April 28. NEIL FULLER / PROGRESS-INDEX PHOTOS

Colonial Heights’ Nick Meyer is seen in the on-deck circle Thursday night at Shepherd Stadium. The Colonials remained unbeaten with a 9-1 victory over Meadowbrook.

Colonial Heights’ Chris Markins is seen during an at-bat against Meadowbrook on Thursday night at Shepherd Stadium. The Colonials are 11-0.

COLLEGE RECRUITING

Colonial Heights right-hander Jayson Maitland is seen during a 9-1 win over Meadowbrook at Shepherd Stadium.

JUCO SOFTBALL

Gregory remaining in Tri-Cities RBC forward signs with Virginia State By NEIL FULLER Sports Editor

PETERSBURG — Melvin Gregory is keeping his championship pedigree in the Tri-Cities. Gregory, a 6-foot-8 forward who helped Richard Bland College win the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II title in March, signed with Virginia State on Thursday. Over two seasons with the Statesmen, he recorded 653 points, 450 rebounds and 74 blocks. G r e g o r y, a We e m s native and Lancaster High School product, started 13 of 36 games for Richard Bland in 2014-15, averaging 7.5 points on 41.4 percent shooting. He also averaged 6.2 rebounds per game. “I think Melvin can deﬁnitely be an impact player for (Virginia State). I’m thrilled for him,” Statesmen coach Chuck Moore said. “I feel like VSU is a great choice for him — and it’s great for our community to keep him here.” Gregory has won championships on two levels, leading Lancaster to its first-ever Virginia

Richard Bland College forward Melvin Gregory is seen signing his national letter of intent with Virginia State on Thursday. Gregory has won championships at both Lancaster High School and with the Statesmen. He averaged 7.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in 2014-15. RBC SPORTS INFORMATION PHOTO

High School League title in 2012. Richard Bland entered the 2015 NJCAA Tournament as the No. 3 overall seed. The Statesmen won four games in Danville, Illinois, to claim their first-ever national title. RBC comple ted its championship season with a 32-4 overall record. Over Gregory’s two seasons, the Statesmen won 59 of 67 games. Gregory came to RBC as the VHSL Group A player of the year. He received third-team allRegion X honors during his freshman season. Virginia State went 18-8 overall and 12-4 in CIAA

play last season. The Trojans are led by veteran coach Lonnie Blow Jr. RBC ’s Tavon Mealy announced Thursday on Twitter he has committed to Virginia Union. Mealy, the reigning Region X player of the year, averaged a team-high 17.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Statesmen last season. Jay Butler Jr. will be introduced as Virginia Union’s new coach during a press conference April 28 in Richmond. Mealy, a 6-3, 230pound forward, started 34 games for the Statesmen as a sophomore.

Richard Bland College right-hander Kristin Saunders earned a win and a save during a doubleheader sweep at Patrick Henry Community College on Saturday. The two victories secured a second consecutive Region X regular-season title for the Statesmen. RBC SPORTS INFORMATION PHOTO

RBC repeats as Region X regular-season champion Staff Reports

MARTINSVILLE — Erin Forbes hit a two-run home run and Kristin Saunders and Tara Heatwole dominated from the circle as No. 12 Richard Bland College clinched its second straight Region X regular-season title with a doubleheader sweep of Patrick Henry Community College on Saturday. Saunders scattered six hits and struck out four as the Statesmen (29-10, 18-2 Region X) claimed

a 9-1 win in the opener. The Lady Patriots (3-19, 3-16) committed five errors. Heatwole struck out four — and issued no walks — over four innings as Richard Bland completed the sweep with an 8-6 victory. Saunders earned the save. Patrick Henry pounded out 11 hits — but stranded seven baserunners — in Game 2. Hannah Barnes entered the doubleheader as RBC’s leading hitter.

Barnes, a freshman from Emporia, claimed a .339 batting average with 29 RBIs. Forbes entered with a .366 batting average. Forbes was also slugging .527. The Statesmen will enter the Region X tournament as the No. 1 seed. They await the Florence-Darlington (South Carolina) Technical College-Wake (North Carolina) Technical Community College winner on May 1 in Burlington, North Carolina.

The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va. | Friday, May 1, 2015

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NEED CDL DRIVERS??? ADVERTISE YOUR TRUCK DRIVER JOBS in Virginia Newspapers for one low cost of $300. Your 25 word classified ad reaches OVER ONE MILLION Virginians! Call this paper or Adriane Long at 804-521-7585 (Virginia Press Services.) LAND FOR SALE Spectacular 3 to 22 acre lots with deepwater access- Located in an exclusive development on Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eastern Shore just hours away. Amenities include community pier, boat ramp, paved roads and private sandy beach. Great climate, boating, fishing, clamming and National Seashore beaches nearby. Absolute buy of a lifetime, recent FDIC bank failure makes these 25 lots available at a fraction of their original price. Priced at only $55,000 to $124,000. For into call (757) 4422171, email: oceanlandtrust@yahoo. com, pictures on website: http://Wibiti. com/5KQN MISCELLANEOUS AVIATION Grads work with JetBlue, Boeing, NASA and others â&#x20AC;&#x201C; start here with hands on training for FAA certification. Financial aid if qualified. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-245-9553.

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FARMVILLE (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Hampden-Sydney College has cancelled classes until Monday after an illness sickened more than 300 students this week. An email to faculty and students on Thursday says residence halls and some areas will remain open. But there will be no classes and administrative offices will be closed. ACC BASKETBALL: NO.4 DUKE 69, NO.2 VIRGINIA 63 GO FIGURE All sporting events and rec-

The Associated Press

1 p.m. TGC: PGA Tour, Phoenix Open, ďŹ nal round, at Scottsdale, Ariz. 3 p.m. CBS: PGA Tour, Phoenix Open, ďŹ nal round, at Scottsdale, Ariz.

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DINWIDDIE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Board fS i d id

CHARLOT TESVILLE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tyus Jones scored 17 points and hit a clinching 3-pointer with about 10 seconds remaining Saturday night as No. 4 Duke ended No. 2 Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 21-game home winning streak, 69-63. Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 3-pointer was the fourth in the last four minutes for the Blue Devils (18-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who had missed 11 of 13 before hitting the critical long-range shots they needed. Virginia (19-1, 7-1) started the second half with a 16-4 burst and led by 11 with just under 11 minutes to play before some ill-advised shots, turnovers and Dukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blistering shooting turned the tables. Malcolm Brogdon led

Virginia with 17 points and Justin Anderson had 11. Quinn Cook, who scored 15, hit three 3-pointers in the last 4:38, including the one to give Duke the lead at 66-63 with 1:16 remaining. After Mike Tobey missed a free throw for Virginia, Tyus Jones hit the ďŹ nisher with 9.9 seconds left, capping a game-ending 16-5 run for the Blue Devils. Duke ďŹ nished 28 for 55 (50.9 percent) and became the ďŹ rst team to shot above 50 percent against the Cavaliers this season. Justise Winslow also scored 15 and Jahlil Okafor had 10 points and nine rebounds. Duke twice had to close big margins in the closing minutes. The Blue Devils pulled within 49-47 after getting two baskets SEE LOSS, B2

RICHARD BLAND D COLLEGE 97, GUILFORD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE 79

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The Progress-Index, Petersburg, Va. | Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015

Statesmen players respond to coach in win MILITARY LIFE

6 p.m.. N NBC: Super Bowl XLIX, Ne New England vs. Seattle, e, at Glendale, Ariz.

Soccer e

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Duke guard Tyus Jones (5) shoots s in i front of Virginia guard Malcolm Brogdon (15) during the fi first half in Charlottesville PHOTO/RYAN M. KELLY on Saturday. Duke won 69-63. AP PH

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By Hank Kurz Jr.

New Zealand 17-year-old Lydia Ko golfer became the youngest player of either gender to climb to world No. 1, breaking the record set by Tiger Woods by almost four years.

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A Weekly Fort Lee/Military Section

By Amir Vera

Virginia undefeated no more

Golf

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FORT LEE

By Court Wills Staff Writer

FS1 S

tti h

BRIEFLY Gate changes FORT LEE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; To help alleviate outbound traffic ďŹ&#x201A;ow during construction at the Sisisky Avenue Gate, which is temporarily closed, Fort Lee is announcing additional hours at the Shop Road Gate. Shop Road Gate will now be open for outbound trafďŹ c from 4-6 p.m. weekdays. The full gate schedule will be: â&#x2013; Lee Avenue: Always open â&#x2013; Mahone Avenue: 5 a.m.-11 p.m., MondayFriday; 7 a.m.-11 p.m. weekends and federal holidays â&#x2013; A Avenue: 5 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Friday; closed weekends and federal holidays â&#x2013; Shop Road (commercial vehicle gate): 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday; 4-6 p.m., Monday-Friday (outbound traffic only); closed weekends and federal holidays â&#x2013; Sisisky Boulevard: Temporarily closed for construction â&#x2013; Jackson Circle: Always open to staff, residents and authorized guests â&#x2013; Temple Avenue: 4:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday for staff, residents and authorized guests; closed weekends and federal holidays

RICHMOND LOGISTXGAMES

FORT LEE

Let the th games m begin!

Army surveys military families

FORT LEE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The U.S. Army Installation Management Command and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation are announcing the launch of an Army Community Service needs assessment survey, available through April 1. The confidential s u r v e y, ava i l a b l e a t www.armymwr.com/ ACS-survey, asks active and retired military and their spouses as well as Department of Defense civilians and their spouses about the serSecond Lt. Rosalba Chavez gives a thumbs-up sign to her team am members after they successfully completed vices provided by ACS. th Eastport Boulevard industrial park area of an event during the inaugural LogistXGames held Jan. 29 at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;The survey will allow ve that strengthened the connections within Sandston. Eight teams were on hand for the Olympic-style event people to express what the area logistics community. TERRANCE BELL/FORT LEE programs and services they would like to see ACS provide, if their The Progress-Index, Petersburg, Va. | Sunday,expectations Feb. 8, 2015 C1 with current offerings are being ALSO INSIDE A met and what services have been A local woman describes her experience meeting Martin Luther King,the C3 most beneďŹ cial to them,â&#x20AC;? said Pioneers of Petersburg, C3 P By Terrance Bell included a victory in the A woman describes her role in the march on Selma, C4Stephanie Parker, ACS U.S. Army Garrison Fort Lee box put. Officer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a great win,â&#x20AC;? The ACS Needs SANDSTON Va A said team o gani e Lt

Fort Lee wins inaugural competition

LIFESTYLES Homeless vets

RICHMOND (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The

IN KINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FOOTSTEPS

A Publication of The Progress-Index February 1 - 7, 2015

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Al Michaels (left) and Cris Collinsworth call the action for Super Bowl XLIX Sunday on NBC.

Friday, May 1, 2015 | The Colonial Voice, Petersburg, Va.

MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD

‘They didn’t sign up for this, but they serve’ By Amir Vera Staff Writer

At just 7 years old, Kiara Manion has been to 15 countries and 14 states. She’s also dealt with constant relocations, long durations away from family and, of course, starting all over to make new friends. It is the lifestyle children of military service members across the country experience due to the sacrifice their parents make serving in the armed forces. “Sometimes, I’m shy when I first move,” Kiara said. “When I get to know them [the other students], they become my friends.” It’s because of these sacrifices that Kiara and other children across the world make that the Month of the Military Child was established in 1986. Both of Kiara’s parents, Lt. Col. Darcy and Lt. Col. Susan Manion, have been in the Army for 18 years and recognize that Kiara’s resilience at such a young age. “Really they serve as well. They didn’t sign up for this, but they serve. They deal with sometimes long hours when we’re at work or deployments and having to move a lot, so I think it’s important to recognize their sacrifices,” said Susan Manion. Charles Pyle, director of communications with the Virginia Department of Education, said there are an estimated 142,000 military-associated children of active

duty members in Virginia. School divisions across the state showed their appreciation for the military children in their communities by “purpling up” on April 15. Purple is the color that symbolizes a combination of all branches of the military: Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red and Navy blue. “In nearly every community in Virginia, there are children with parents or guardians on active duty or reserve with the armed forces,” said Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “School is often the one constant in military children’s lives, despite being the ‘new kids’ an average of six to nine times before they graduate.” In Prince George County, which has the largest military community in the Tri-Cities with a whopping 1,902 military children in the school division, teachers made sure to recognize these students’ contributions to their community and schools. “One third of the school district are from military families. The thing I like best about it is recognizing the diversity and different cultures they’ve been exposed to that they can share with students in our schools,” said Prince George Superintendent Bobby Browder. “The parents also help because they’ve had training in academic areas and can help within the

school district. This is deﬁnitely a positive of what the military brings to this area, but also recognizing the kids of military dependents.” Other school divisions also participated in celebrating the Month of the Military Child by honoring them and their veteran parents at board meetings as well as holding events in their school divisions. “This gives us a chance to celebrate what they have done for our country. The military children are looked upon for their resilience and their ability to deal with life changing events. They are often separated from family members, there’s frequent moves through deployments and all this time those children work hard to do well in school,” said Dinwiddie Superintendent David Clark at the April 14 School Board meeting. Fort Lee also provides assistance to those students who are moving into these communities. Chaundra Taswell, school liaison officer on Fort Lee, said the biggest program the installation offers is known as Student2Student, which works with Prince George County and is designed for middle and high school students new to the area. It partners new students with a current student to get them acclimated to their new setting. “It’s like a buddy system because students are worried about making friends, so this

Susan, Kiara and Darcy Manion are pictured at a ceremony at Fort Lee last October. April is the Month of the Military Child. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

helps them to transition and acclimated in the schools,” Taswell said. “If they can get over that social hurdle, then they can really get into that academic setting.” Kiara Manion is a student at South Elementary currently and her parents have really enjoyed how welcoming the teachers and fellow students are to them. “The teachers and administrators there

have been very welcoming. They have a fair percentage of students who are in the district on a rotational basis and they do a really good job of integrating them and making sure that they’re well integrated in the class,” said Lt. Col. Darcy Manion, Kiara’s father. Despite the moves and time away from family, Kiara’s parents said that so far she enjoys

the lifestyle that comes along with being a military child. “Anytime we tell her that we’re going to go on a trip [or moving], she’s the ﬁrst to start shoving her stuff in her suitcase,” Darcy Manion said. “I liked learning new languages,” Kiara said. —Amir Vera may be reached at avera@ progress-index.com or (804) 722-5155.

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