News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 28, 2026
Local News
Bridge replacement among projects listed on VDOT secondary six-year plan in New Kent
A plan to replace the Route 155 (Courthouse Road) bridge at the border of Charles City and New Kent Counties is part of Virginia Department’s of Transportation (VDOT) six-year secondary plan in New Kent. County Administrator Rodney Hathaway presented a list of proposed VDOT projects at Wednesday morning’s Board of Supervisors’ work session. Hathaway advised county leaders that while no solid information had not been received from VDOT, an estimation of $75,000-$80,000 in funds for the six-year plan are expected based off past history. Currently, there is approximately $170,000 designated for projects based from fiscal year 2017-18 funding. Funding for…
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General fund decreases by nearly $500,000 in Charles City’s proposed FY2018-19 budget
Charles City supervisors received numbers of the reduction in expected general funds as part of a look at the first proposed budget for FY2018-19 at Tuesday night’s board meetings. While the projection did not include all of the state and federal funding due to the ongoing session, Charles City County administrator Michelle Johnson presented a budget of $14,330,557 to county leaders. The general fund is projected to be $7,505,751, down $492,479 compared to this year’s figure. New expenses in the general fund include reflecting a raise in staff based on performance ($66,181), community engagement funding ($49,500), absorbing the cost of…
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Pamunkey Indian Tribe purchases 600 acres of land in western New Kent
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, based out of King William, has purchased 600 acres in western New Kent County. The land, located just north of Interstate 64 in the Bottoms Bridge area, has been rumored as a site of interest for the tribe’s desire to create a casino. While no definitive plans have been sent in motion about the plans, according to information the Chronicle has received from several sources familiar with the situation, the construction of the facility would create approximately 4,000 jobs and could generate as much as $10 billion within ten years. The Pamunkey Tribe became the first…
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Man pleads guilty to felony hit and run in Charles City
A Charles City man accepted the terms of a plea agreement during Friday morning proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court. Warren Arturo Smith, 40, of the 8500 block of Lewis Tyler Road, entered a guilty plea to a single count of felony hit and run. One charge of bribery was dropped as part of the deal. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, on June 24, 2017, Smith’s vehicle drifted over the center lane on Roxbury Road in the western part of the county. When Smith attempted to get back over, his mirror hit another car’s…
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Charles City Sheriff’s Office seek information regarding restaurant burglary
Charles City Sheriff’s Office is seeking information regarding a burglary at Cul’s Courthouse Grille. On Apr. 18, entry was made into the restaurant during the early morning hours. Items stolen include televisions, laptops, and scholarship money as part of the establishment’s annual contribution to graduating students of Charles City High School. If you have any information regarding the burglary, contact the sheriff’s office at 829-9265 or CrimeStoppers at 780-1000.
Williamsburg man sentenced to 15 months in jail after driving illegally
A Williamsburg man will spend the next 15 months in jail stemming from an incident after wrecking his car in Eltham. Sean Scott Harrelson, 30, of the 100 block of Old Field Road, entered guilty pleas to one count each of driving revoked after being convicted of a similar felony, and DUI (third offense within ten years) as part of a plea deal reached Monday in New Kent Circuit Court. One charge of misdemeanor reckless driving was dropped. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, on Jan. 3 Virginia State Police responded to a single car…
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New Kent eliminates requirement of county decal on vehicles
As of June 1, the New Kent County decal will no longer be a requirement for vehicles registered in the county. Supervisors unanimously elected to do away with the requirement at Monday night’s regular board meeting. County Administrator Rodney Hathaway first approached supervisors at the February work session with the proposal. With new state law requiring inspection stickers to be moved to the left side of the windshield, Hathaway said that previously written county code would require the locality’s decal to be placed adjacent to it. One of the issues that raised concerns was the use of refuse sites and…
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Back road high-speed chase results in one-year jail term for Highland Springs man
A Highland Springs man will spend a year in jail after leading a New Kent officer on a high-speed chase on county backroads. Christopher Samuel Causway Jr., 20, of 21 S. Beech Avenue, entered a straight guilty plea to a single count of felony eluding of police as part of Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, on Dec. 17, 2017, Cpt. Joey McLaughlin was monitoring traffic on Dispatch Road when a vehicle entered his radar traveling 67 miles per hour in a 45-mile per hour zone. The…
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Highland Springs man guilty of stealing sneakers from Charles City
A Highland Springs man entered guilty pleas to two charges in relation to stealing from a Charles City man’s home. Randy Travon McQuinn Jr. 25, of the 5900 block of Queen Thorpe Court, Apt. 206, entered guilty pleas to one count each of burglary and grand larceny as part of a plea deal reached in Charles City Circuit Court on Apr. 6. One charge of intent to sell stolen property was dropped as part of the agreement. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, on Aug. 28, 2017, Welton Smith Jr. returned to his home and…
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Charles City car accident claims life
A man is dead after a fatal accident in Charles City Wednesday evening (Apr. 4). Around 6:30 p.m. Virginia State Police and emergency personnel responded to the area of Courthouse Road (Route 155) one mile north of Green Oak Road. According to a press release from Virginia State Police, a 2006 Ford Taurus was traveling northbound when it ran off the right side of the road. The vehicle struck the ditch and then the embankment, causing it to overturn and strike a utility pole. The driver has been identified as Granton H. Adkins, 49, of Providence Forge. The crash remains…
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