News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 5, 2025
Local News
‘State of the County’ provides recap, future plans in Charles City
Providing a recap of past accomplishments and foresight of future plans, Charles City County Administrator Michelle Johnson provided the first “State of the County” address during Tuesday night’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting. Johnson opened her presentation with demographics of the county. Through numbers, the county administrator showed the increase in business permits, land disturbance permits, and inspections in the county, identified as growth indicators. She also commented about programs being established to assist veterans, disabled, and elder people in Charles City. Along with information provided to Johnson by her board of directors, the county administrator pointed to 2017 accomplishments. Among…
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New Kent school board makes pitch for additional $100,000 to county supervisors
With a differentiation of $100,000 between New Kent School Board’s budget and the county’s recommended contribution of local funds in 2018-19, both parties sat down Thursday morning (Feb. 22) to discuss the upcoming financial support. The school board and New Kent Board of Supervisors convened as part of the budget retreat at Providence Forge Recreation Center. Superintendent of schools Dave Myers presented the proposed budget to county leaders. In total, a recommendation of $30,919,172 is requested for that 2018-19 fiscal year. Of that amount, $14,354,595 is a request from county revenue, a $400,000 increase. County Administrator Rodney Hathaway recommended a…
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New Kent’s Planning Commission announces 2018 officers
New Kent’s Planning Commission has elected new officers for the 2018 calender year. District 2 representative John Moyer has been tabbed as chairman of the planning commission and will also represent the group at the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission (RRPDC). District 3 member Amy Pearson will serve as vice-chairwoman of New Kent’s Planning Commission. Marc Bennett, a representative from District 5, was voted as the public hearing chairman for the commission. Katherine Butler will serve as the vice-chairwoman for public hearings of the commission.
Charles City school board approves proposed budget, CIP for 2018-19
Charles City school board members followed the recommendation of Superintendent David Gaston, approving proposed budgets for operations and the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY2018-19. Board members convened Tuesday night to discuss the options. After receiving no feedback on the proposed budget and only one comment about the CIP, school leaders voted 4-1 to approve the $10.8 million proposal for school operations. By approving the proposal, it will now be presented to county supervisors. Gaston presented a budget of $10,834,747 to school board members for the 2018-19 fiscal year as part of the Jan. 16 regular meeting. Of that amount,…
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Rape case Nolle Prosequi in Charles City
A Providence Forge man had one charge of rape and a charge of abduction dropped against him during Friday morning proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court. Eric Wayne Bassett, 51, of the 8200 block of Courthouse Road, will not have those two charges go forward stemming from an alleged incident on Sept. 4, 2017. Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler said that the charges were not being pursued at this time because the victim was not ready emotionally or in the right state of mind to testify. Despite Judge B. Elliott Bondurant’s decision to agree with the Commonwealth and drop the charges,…
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Including CIP projects, New Kent budget nears $100 million for FY2018-19
With nearly one-third of the budget dedicated to its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), New Kent County Administrator presented a budget that neared $100 million for the FY2018-19 fiscal year. Hathaway’s budget of $98,320,889 was presented at New Kent County’s Board of Supervisors’ Feb. 12 meeting. Of that amount, approximately $34,129,389 is designated for CIP projects, leaving $64,191,500 for operations in the upcoming year. As part of Hathaway’s recommendation, the tax rate is scheduled to be 83 cents per $100 of assessed value. With the equalized rate assessed at 78 cents per $100 of assessed values, this projects to five-cent tax…
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Convicted felon receives two years in jail after shooting cans in New Kent
A Hopewell man will serve two years in jail after he was found to be in possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony during Monday proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Trevor Dillon Rhodes, 20, of the 200 block of N. 15th Avenue, entered into a plea agreement and entered a guilty verdict to a single charge of possession of a gun by a nonviolent felon. One charge of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor was dropped as part of the deal. In a summary of evidence, on Oct. 15, 2017, a New Kent deputy…
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Winter storm damage prompts Charles City schools to ask for additional $1 million for 2018-19 CIP
With a facility and complex that is 26 years old, Charles City’s school board and staff had been addressing maintenance needs with temporary “band-aid” fixes until more funding became available. But when a devastating snowstorm over the winter break caused significant damage that closed schools for an additional ten days, that band-aid is now more like emergency surgery. Charles City’s School Board went into deep discussion as part of their Tuesday night public hearing and budget work session. After an hour of discussion on Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the board reached the conclusion that several critical items of the schools…
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Growth factors into New Kent schools $33.4 million budget recommendation for 2018-19
With the expectation that student population will continue to grow, New Kent Superintendent of Schools Dave Myers proposed his recommended 2018-19 budget to school leaders Monday night. The superintendent recommended a total budget of $33,414,475 for county schools as part of his 2018-19 recommendation. The total overall request is $1,186,400 more than the current year’s budget. The schools’ general fund, consisting of the operating budget, is pegged at $30,919,172, which is an increase of $975,016. Of that amount, state revenue is expected to increase by $561,216. The school system is requesting county funding for the upcoming year in the amount…
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Amendment makes Route 60 repaving priority; expected to start this Spring
For several months, citizens and travelers of Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) in New Kent have sounded off at board meetings about the deplorable road conditions. Now, a bill passed during this session of the General Assembly will result in that thoroughfare being repaved over a three-year period. In two separate press releases from both New Kent County and the office of Delegate Chris Peace, House Bill 30 has passed that will repave 19 miles of the four-lane highway. In total, more than 76 miles will be repaved (38 miles in each direction) beginning as early as late March. The total…
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