New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 28, 2024

News Archives for August, 2008

County wins achievement award for NKU program

By Community Member | August 23, 2008 12:51 pm

New Kent County is a recipient of a Virginia Association of Counties 2008 Achievement Award recognizing model local government programs. New Kent received the accolade in the Communications category for the New Kent University (NKU) program, a citizen education program, designed to give participants a first-hand look and in-depth understanding of how county government functions in New Kent. The free program explains services provided by New Kent, how its governing process works and how citizens can participate in that process. Through hands-on activities and lectures, participants have learned how local government affects quality of life. VACo received 34 entries for…
Read Full Story

NK grand jury indicts nine

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:49 pm

A New Kent Circuit Court grand jury indicted nine individuals on July 21. Five of those nine had their cases resolved during August. The grand jury indicted: –Eugene Scott Barham, 23, of 101 Runaway Bay Drive in Virginia Beach, on one count each of felony eluding a police officer and misdemeanor reckless driving (111 miles per hour in a 65 mile per hour zone). Barham was arrested last Feb. 24; –Kimberly Esther Brown, 40, of 5401 Mountcastle Road, Providence Forge, on one count of child endangerment. Brown was charged after a March 28 traffic stop when a county deputy noticed…
Read Full Story

Fire forces examination of New Kent’s water systems

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:46 pm

Public concern over a house fire in a New Kent subdivision, during which water storage tanks quickly ran out of water as fire fighters battled the blaze, has led fire and government officials to reexamine the effectiveness of county-owned systems when it comes to supplying water for fighting fires. A recent study conducted by the county’s public utilities department reveals that eight of the county’s 12 water systems have “limited capabilities.” Statistics were revealed to county Board of Supervisors members during their Tuesday work session. Supervisors reacted by voting to apply for a Virginia Department of Health grant to pay…
Read Full Story

Lightning, water shortage critical factors in house fire

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:44 pm

Lightning has been ruled the cause of a fire that destroyed a couple’s house and its contents in The Colonies subdivision in the Lanexa area of New Kent County. Thunderstorms that rolled through the area around 5 p.m. on Aug. 15 apparently triggered the bolt that struck the home of James and Brenda Watkins at 123 John Smith Trail. Mrs. Watkins arrived home shortly afterward to find smoke inside the house, Hicks said. The strike apparently disabled the house’s phone system as she was unable to call for help, he said. She then raced to a neighbor’s home to alert…
Read Full Story

Charges now total 29 in CC police standoff aftermath

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:41 pm

A Charles City County man, originally charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer in connection with close to a six-hour standoff with authorities on Aug. 16, now faces a total of 29 counts resulting from the incident. Charles Richard Acey, 55, of 6121 Adkins Road, appeared in Charles City General District Court last Wednesday where he was served with the additional charges. He is charged with 10 counts of brandishing a firearm, nine counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, seven counts of assaulting a police officer, and one count each of possession of…
Read Full Story

New high school opening on time, on budget in New Kent

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:38 pm

New Kent school officials admit doubt surfaced concerning the readiness of both the county’s new $50 million high school and the old high school now middle school for a Sept. 2 opening. But all doubts have been erased as workers this week are putting the finishing touches on both schools in time to welcome students for the new school year. Already, some students and parents have checked out the building, taking advantage of tours conducted by the New Kent Educational Foundation. “There were times when we thought we could not get it all done,” Superintendent Roy Geiger said as he…
Read Full Story

Angel Food program rapidly growing at New Kent church

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:35 pm

It’s just after 7:30 a.m. on a late summer Saturday morning. A small army of volunteers has already erected and arranged tables inside the social hall at Corinth Baptist Church. Now they sit or stand about the hall, engaged in small talk while waiting for another group of volunteers to arrive. That second group has been on the road since 5 a.m., traveling to New Bridge Baptist Church in neighboring Henrico County where they have loaded dozens of boxes and crates containing food items on to their vehicles for the trip back to Corinth. At 8:15, a convoy of pickup…
Read Full Story

Group exploring appeal of NK land assessment decision

By Alan Chamberlain | August 23, 2008 12:32 pm

A New Kent Circuit Court judge has upheld the county’s position that a local citizen group’s bid to overturn New Kent’s recent property reassessment has no legal basis. But officers within the group, the New Kent County Citizens Coalition, say they plan to appeal the court’s ruling. In a letter sent following the Aug. 19 court decision, the group’s chairman, George Slemp, and vice-chairman, Victor Golderos III, indicate they “will request and encourage” an appeal. County Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, who filed the original reassessment challenge on behalf of the group as required by state law, emerged from a three-hour…
Read Full Story