News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | April 2, 2026
Local News
Three men in unrelated traffic incidents to spend at least one year in jail
Three men arrested in unrelated traffic incidents will each serve a minimum of one year in jail after accepting plea deals during Feb. 23 New Kent Circuit Court proceedings. –James Michael Devine, 53, of the 400 block of Washington Avenue, Salem, Ohio, entered a plea agreement and pled guilty to one count of DUI (third or subsequent offense) and driving revoked (after being convicted of a felony DUI). In a summary of evidence, Devine was operating a Green Ford Excursion on Interstate 64 when he entered the rest area in reverse. A state trooper observed his actions and initiated a…
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NSA meetings rescheduled in Charles City
Charles City County’s planning staff is scheduling three public meetings to receive input on the planning commission’s proposed Neighborhood Service Areas (NSA). At least one NSA is located in each district, with a NSA defined as “areas located around crossroads and other community anchors that provide limited space for high density residential development and associated neighborhood commercial activities.” The planning commission is also proposing to incorporate new Rural Residential Mixed-Use zoning (RMU-1), with the intent of encouraging development of residential-based, mixed-use NSAs in the Adkins Store and Ruthville communities. County planning staff is planning to present the proposed ordinances and…
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Agriculture grant awarded to Charles City
Charles City County has been awarded a $10,000 grant as part of Governor Terry McAuliffe’s movement to support local projects in the county. The grant, provided by the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) fund, aims to encourage local governments to provide strategies for intergrating agriculture into the communities’ overall economic development. Charles City’s grant is planned to be used to add a robust agriculture and forestry component to the newly launched Economic Development Strategy. Specific issues to be addressed by the grant include land-use and zoning policies, developing tourism attractions, expanding the timber industry, and supporting a new wine…
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Charles City receives $30,000 tourism grant
Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that Charles City has received a $30,250 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Program grant fund. The grant is designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars. Charles City received the grant for its “Tourism Task Force” initiative, with those funds designated to design a comprehensive county logo, create a tablet friendly tourism website, pay for inclusion in the Petersburg Area Regional Tourism (PART) organization, and develop a data collection program in conjuction with the county’s broader strategic economic development plan. “The awarding of this…
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Charles City school board approves $10.1 million budget for FY2015-16
Charles City school board members unanimously approved a $10.1 million budget pegged for the FY2015-16 fiscal year during the board’s Feb. 19 regular meeting. The approval comes three weeks after a Feb. 3 public hearing in which only two people spoke. Among focal points of the budget include consolidation of schools, restoration of a nurse’s position, increasing the number of instruction days for students, and a two percent salary raise for school employees. After reviewing superintendent of schools David Gaston’s proposal, school board members passed the document to be presented to the county’s board of supervisors. In a separate matter,…
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New Kent High School administrators aim to enhance athletics/activities programs
Gate receipts totaling almost $42,000 combined with profits from concession stands and money raised through donations contributed more than $67,000 to New Kent High School athletics department coffers during this school year’s fall and winter sports seasons. While the total could be considered a hefty sum, the reality is that after expenses the athletics department barely broke even. And the department could be in the red after the upcoming spring sports season, a time when attendance is generally low thus driving down gate receipts as well as concession stand profit. High school athletics director John Spiak and principal Chris Valdrighi…
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UPDATE: New Kent officials hopeful horse racing revenue can be restored
Bills bearing similar language that New Kent County officials hope will save horse racing at Colonial Downs are sailing through the General Assembly with one week to go in this year’s legislative session. House Bill 1826 and Senate Bill 1097 have passed their respective bodies and have crossed over. The House bill passed 81-19 on Feb. 10 while the Senate version passed 31-7 that same day. Last Thursday (Feb. 19) following crossover and being favorably reported out of committees in both bodies, the bills passed by overwhelming votes of 81-18 in the House and 31-7 in the Senate. Odds appear…
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From Broadway to motion pictures and now to television commercials, former New Kent student expanding her career
Taylor Richardson made a huge splash in the entertainment world three years ago when she debuted on Broadway in “Annie.” Then after a two-year stint on stage, she landed a role in a major motion picture. A year ago, the Chronicle highlighted Taylor’s career up to the start of filming on the motion picture. Now, the 13-year-old veteran performer and New Kent County native has jumped from the big screen into the realm of television commercials. Those who remember Taylor growing up in New Kent and have been following her career can spot her in a BMW commercial that has…
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UPDATE: One accident with injuries reported in New Kent; major roads mostly clear, but snow still causing headaches for motorists on New Kent, Charles City secondary roads
A two-vehicle crash this afternoon on the Interstate 64 eastbound off-ramp at the Route 249 interchange at Bottoms Bridge in New Kent County has sent one driver to the hospital with minor injuries. Other than that and as far as driving mishaps are concerned, New Kent Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Joe McLaughlin said, “So far, knock on wood, it’s been pretty quiet.” Primary roads in New Kent (routes 60, 249, 155, 106, 33, 30, and 273) are in “pretty good” condition as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, McLaughlin said. “VDOT and their contractors cleared major roads first and are now turning…
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Weather forecast targets 6-8 inches of snow for Charles City, New Kent
The National Weather Service out of Wakefield is projecting 6-8 inches of accumulation for Charles City and New Kent beginning Monday night and spanning into Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to dip into the upper teens over night, with a high around 30 degrees on both days. Winds are expected to range between 5-10 miles per hour. No ice is expected to accumulate on the roadways over that period of time. Check back here on our website or our Facebook page for closings and postponements.
