News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | May 5, 2024
News Archives for April, 2008
Lady Trojans fall 6-0 in BRD
Visiting Poquoson scored three goals in each half and didn’t afford New Kent’s host Lady Trojans many scoring opportunities in claiming a 6-0 Bay Rivers District soccer win. The March 31 contest was New Kent’s first in 11 days as spring break interrupted the schedule, and Lady Trojan coach Chad Honeycutt was not pleased with his team’s effort. “It’s tough to come back from spring break and jump right into a game,” he said after his team fell to 0-2 in the district and 2-2 overall. “I think this was a district game we could have been competitive in, but…
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New Kent outlasts Warhill 17-13 for first baseball win
Winning the hard way best sums up New Kent’s grasp of its first Bay Rivers District baseball victory. The host Trojans trailed Warhill’s visiting Lions 8-0 in the second inning, but a pair of seven-run frames put the hosts in command on the way to a 17-13 triumph. The April 2 decision ended New Kent’s five-game losing streak, handing the Trojans a 1-5 record. “It wasn’t pretty,” New Kent coach Ronnie Cox said. “It was a messy game. But the kids have been playing hard against good competition and they really wanted to win. I’m real proud of the kids.”…
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New Kent girl puts her eggs in Habitat’s basket
Easter egg hunts are a daily activity for one special young girl in New Kent County. Each morning, eight-year-old Catherine Peterson rises bright and early to care for her 10 chickens before school. Although some might call it a chore, for Catherine it’s a labor of love. She feeds her small flock and gathers freshly laid, warm eggs while cooing “good morning” and “thank you” to the nesting hens as she gently feels under their rumpless seats for a prize. On a good day, she’ll find two or three blue and green eggs hidden in their nests. Catherine raises Araucana…
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Prison term imposed in CC
Charles City man must serve a one-year prison term stemming from a police chase the covered 10 miles at speeds over 80 miles an hour over county roads. Ronnie Sylvester Mabry Jr., 21, of 7641 Ruthville Road, Providence Forge, received the sentence on March 21 in Charles City Circuit Court. Judge Thomas B. Hoover imposed five years in prison with all but the one year suspended for the next 10 years. Mabry must also pay a total of $3,000 in civil remedial fees over the next 26 months unless the state takes action to repeal the fees. As part of…
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NK man’s death labeled as ‘unfortunate accident’
Authorities in New Kent are labeling the death of a county man “an unfortunate accident” after the victim apparently became pinned when the car he was attempting to start lurched forward and struck a tree. Joseph J. Ritzenthaler, 30, of 8950 Piney Branch Lane near Providence Forge, had walked outside his home just after 5:30 a.m. on March 30 to warm up the engine on a car belonging to his fiancé, New Kent Sheriff F. W. “Wakie” Howard said. “The next thing she heard was him calling for help,” Howard said. Investigators theorize Ritzenthaler opened the driver’s side door and…
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Rifle hunting options up for discussion at CC hearing
h high-power rifles safer and to possibly limit the length of rifle season will be on the table when Charles City’s Board of Supervisors hosts a public hearing on the fate of the county’s rifle law. The April 22 hearing is to solicit public input on the issue of retaining county law as it now stands or doing away with rifle use, except for muzzle-loaded firearms, during general deer season. Those are the extremes under consideration. Compromise measures are also in the works whereby the existing law could be modified to prohibit rifle fire within 1,000 feet of any residence…
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Columbine forces rethinking in how to combat gunmen
Changes have occurred since the deadly shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado took place almost 10 years ago. Security measures have been enhanced in school systems, and law enforcement personnel have taken a step back to evaluate procedures for dealing with armed intruders. Speaking before New Kent’s School Board during the group’s meeting Monday night, county Sheriff F.W. “Wakie” Howard Jr. said his department is becoming proficient in the preferred strategy based on lessons learned from Columbine. The first police units arriving on the scene at Columbine set up a perimeter around the school and operated from there. Studies…
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Two youths arrested in NK cross-burning incidents
Two New Kent youths, both boys age 13, face several charges in connection with a pair of recent cross-burnings in front of residences in the county. Investigators say the incidents are not racially motivated and that the pair sought publicity. What they have earned, however, equates to one count each of felony setting fire with intent to do damage and misdemeanor trespassing and carelessly damaging property with fire. Both youths were arrested yesterday (Tuesday), New Kent Sheriff F.W. “Wakie” Howard Jr. said. They were later released to the custody of parents. Det. Matt Wiggins was the arresting officer and is…
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Charles City draft budget proposes 7-cent tax hike
A seven-cent hike in the county’s real estate tax rate is being proposed by Charles City’s county administrator to help fund a $22.5 million budget proposal for the 2008-09 fiscal year, even though the bottom line falls below the current year’s figure. For now, the proposed budget totals $22,476,692 compared to the current year’s figure of $23,360,856. Administrator Jack Miniclier unveiled his budget recommendation to county Board of Supervisors members during the board’s March 25 meeting. The proposal is scheduled for public hearing on April 14 at 7 p.m. in the county government building auditorium. Miniclier said the real estate…
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Death of Maryland man in NK holding cell investigated
State Police are investigating the death of a Maryland man who collapsed while being held in a holding cell at the New Kent Sheriff’s Office, a few hours after officers used pepper spray and a taser gun to subdue him. Three New Kent deputies performed CPR on Yvelt Occean, 31, of Silver Spring, Md., after he collapsed in the holding cell shortly before 10 p.m. last Saturday night. Occean was transported by rescue squad to Richmond Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead, a State Police spokesman said. Around 7:30 p.m. that evening, a State Police trooper responded to a…
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