News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 6, 2025
Local News
Hopewell man to serve three months for attempted burglary in Charles City
A Hopewell man will serve three months in jail after accepting a plea deal Feb. 17 in Charles City Circuit Court. Jalen Joell Johnson, 24, of the 1100 block of Butternut Drive, entered a guilty plea to one count of attempted burglary. One charge each of attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools, misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon, and misdemeanor driving suspended were dropped. In a summary of evidence, on July 1, 2016, Johnson and co-defendant Deandre Wilson drove to a residence on Cattail Road. The duo attempted to enter the garage, with one of the defendants climbing on top of…
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Increase in revenue, not taxes, part of New Kent’s $64.6 million proposed budget
At a 13.1 percent growth rate over the last five years, New Kent has emerged as the fourth fastest growing county in the state of Virginia. With that information in hand, county administrator Rodney Hathaway presented a proposed budget that reflected the residential growth. A $64,604,333 budget proposal made its way to county supervisors during Monday evening’s regular board meeting. As part of Hathaway’s recommendation, there are no tax increases in real estate (currently 83 cents per $100 of assessed value) or personal property ($3.75 per $100 of assessed value) for the upcoming fiscal year. Projected revenues for next year…
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Transport of $24,000 in marijuana results in three-year prison sentence for Yorktown man
A Yorktown man who transported $24,000 worth of marijuana will spend the next three years in prison after agreeing to terms of a plea deal in New Kent Circuit Court. Mathew Shane Cazares, 30, entered a guilty plea to one count of transporting more than five pounds of marijuana during the Monday court session. One charge of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute (more than five pounds) was dropped as a part of the agreement. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, Cazares was the target of a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) investigation. Through…
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Charles City man convicted on extortion charge in New Kent Circuit Court
A Charles City man who sent threats through a letter was convicted of extortion during Monday afternoon proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. David Scott Yates Sr., 48, of the 4500 block of Rocking Horse Lane, was found guilty on a single count of extortion during the contested trial. The victim, a woman who was dating Yates at the time, received a letter in her Quinton post office box from him dated May 6, 2015 while he was incarcerated at Haynesville Correctional Center. At the focal point of the letter were threats by the defendant to expose her for crimes…
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No speakers at Charles City School Board’s public hearing on $9.2 million proposed budget
No speakers addressed members of Charles City’s School Board during a Feb. 7 public hearing on the recommended $9.2 million budget. Superintendent of schools David Gaston provided an update to the board on recent budgets passed by the state Senate and the House of Delegates. While early numbers are raw, Gaston indicated that both proposals carry additional funding for Charles City, with an expected minimum increase of $44,000. While many representatives didn’t comment much on the work session that followed the public hearing, at-large representative Steve Fuhrmann reemphasized his stance on asking for additional money from county leaders to assist…
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Pupil increase plays significant part in New Kent schools’ budget that nears $30 million
So, what’s it going to cost to educate an additional 100 students in New Kent County schools? About an additional $1.1 million dollars. That figure was given to New Kent School Board members as part of superintendent of schools Dave Myers’ budget presentation on Feb. 6. As part of the school’s general fund, Myers is proposing to operate schools at a cost of $29,992,697 for FY2017-18. By comparison, the schools are operating on a budget of $28,895,800 for the current cycle, meaning that $1,096,897 of new money is being requested for the next school year. With self-sustaining money from the…
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New Kent Middle School considering block schedule for next year
New Kent Middle School is proposing a change to students’ schedules for the upcoming year. Principal Kelley Gray and assistant principal Frank Wheeler presented the option of an A/B block schedule for the upcoming school year to board members on Feb. 6. Gray said concerns about short class time, a lack of elective courses, and not enough time for remediation led her to form a committee about the possible change. Under the proposal, the block schedule would allow for more electives to be offered to students, smaller class sizes, and more time for teacher instruction. Days would consist of four…
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Traffic configuration marks first step of roundabout completion
The intersection of New Kent Highway (Route 249) and Airport/Tunstall Road (Route 612) in Quinton has undertaken the first steps of becoming a roundabout with a new traffic configuration. Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) indicated that traffic shifted to the roundabout on Feb. 6. Drivers will be temporarily guided by orange barrels while crews work to install the permanent concrete island and other traffic devices. A permanent change to the speed limit has also taken place. The limit at the roundabout is 20 miles per hour, with the approaching speed still remaining at 35 miles per hour. Construction of the…
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Sentences of probation given to defendants in Charles City Circuit Court
Two individuals from Charles City received sentences of probation in unrelated cases as part of Feb. 3 proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court. Ebony Monique Coles, 25, of the 12000 block of The Glebe Lane, had all time suspended on charges of breaking and entering (20 years), misdemeanor assault and battery (12 months), and misdemeanor destruction of property (12 months) during her formal sentencing. During a Nov. 1 bench trial, Judge B. Elliott Bondurant convicted Coles on the aforementioned charges. At that trial, evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler showed that Coles broke into the home of Jermaine Woodley…
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Burglary, firearm larceny sends New Kent man to prison for four years
A New Kent man will spend the next four-and-a-half years in prison after receiving formal sentencing Monday morning in New Kent Circuit Court proceedings. Robert Austin Payne, 23, of the 11000 block of Oakrise Road, was found guilty during a contested trial on Nov. 14, 2016 on one count each of firearm larceny, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. During the sentencing phase, Payne acknowledged that an addiction to drugs resulted in the crimes committed. Payne received a 20-year sentence with 18 years suspended on the burglary conviction (two years to serve). He also received two…
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