News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | November 6, 2025
News Archives for 2008
NK supervisors reject zoning for equestrian-themed housing
Citing conflicts with the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, New Kent’s Board of Supervisors has turned thumbs down on a rezoning request that would have paved the way for building a 16-lot, equestrian-themed housing subdivision off Route 249 in Quinton. Supervisors, meanwhile, have postponed action on zoning law amendments dealing with standards for temporary land uses, along with transportation and utility uses, in the county. Instead, board members have instructed county staff to rewrite the section on mobile food carts after hearing how a Providence Forge hot dog vendor could be put out of business. Supervisors confronted both issues during…
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Real estate tax rate proposal now up to 75 cents in NK
New Kent officials are now proposing a 75-cent real estate tax rate to help fund a budget for the next fiscal year totaling just over $54.1 million. The 75 cents per $100 of assessed value rate is up 2 cents from what County Administrator John Budesky recommended last month. During an April 14 budget work session, Budesky told county Board of Supervisors members that funding cuts of state money for localities are “a little more substantial” than earlier projections. But along with less state money, the county could derive less than expected revenue from recent countywide real estate assessments once…
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Don’t cut funding, CC school officials tell supervisors
School Board members and representatives from Charles City’s schools urged county supervisors not to cut school funding during a public hearing on the county’s proposed $22.5 million budget for 2008-09. Schools are slated to receive $6.1 million in county money next year, a figure that is $1 million below the $7.1 million schools’ requested and about $900,000 below the $7 million county contribution for the current year. About 25 school officials and employees attended the April 14 hearing. School Superintendent Janet Crawley expressed her concern on what budget cuts could do to employment at the schools. “We are thankful to…
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Rifle use shot down in CC
Angry deer hunters stormed out of last night’s (Tuesday) Board of Supervisors meeting in Charles City after board members voted 2-1 to rescind the county’s two-year-old law allowing high power rifle use. A public hearing on rifle hunting options drew close to 100 spectators with rifle proponents slightly outnumbering those opposed. Of the 15 people who spoke, rifle supporters held better than a 2-to-1 margin. But in the end, District 2 Supervisor Sherri Bowman and District 3 representative Timothy Cotman remained steadfast in opposing rifle use, casting board chairman Gilbert Smith into the minority. Bowman’s motion to prohibit rifles passed…
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Tornado touches down in NK
A storm labeled as a minimal tornado caused upwards of $300,000 damage in a small section of western New Kent County on Sunday afternoon. The twister, with its estimated 40-72 mile per hour winds, touched down for only a few seconds on a farm owned by Marvin Sr. and Annie Peace on Quaker Road. But those few seconds were enough to destroy a shed housing farm equipment and a structure described as a lean-to, damage part of a nearby barn, topple several trees, and rip the roof off the Peace’s house. The Peaces were inside at the time. “It happened…
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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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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
Options designed to make deer hunting with 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…
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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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