News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 7, 2025
Local News
Public hearing on tax rate increase yields no true direction in New Kent
With a nearly $60 million budget proposal based on a one-cent tax increase, New Kent supervisors pondered the necessity of increasing the proposed real estate tax rate by one penny to 84 cents per $100 of assessed value. (The current rate is 84 cents per $100 of assessed value, but the equalized rate sits at 83 cents). But with no clear indication on which direction to lean towards after a Mar. 18 budget retreat, county leaders elected to have the public voice their opinion for insight on the tax rate proposal at Monday night’s regularly scheduled meeting. Three county residents…
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New Kent School Board approves $31 million budget for FY16-17
New Kent School Board members approved a $31 million budget for FY2016-17 during their Monday night meeting. After no speakers at a Mar. 21 public hearing and no major changes, members elected to go with the $31,000,145 figure for the next cycle. Of that amount, $13,854,595 is being requested as local dollars. The budget recommendation is now forwarded to county supervisors for their consideration.
Barhamsville man receives year in jail for illegally possessing gun
A Barhamsville man will serve a one-year jail term after agreeing to a plea deal during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Charles James Lipscomb, 48, of the 500 block of Barham Road, entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a non-violent convicted felon. One charge of discharging a firearm from a vehicle was dropped. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, last Nov. 10 witnesses observed Lipscomb as he drove into a trailer park in the eastern part of New Kent. After circling around the property once,…
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Charles City moped operator killed in collision with tractor/trailer
A Charles City County man who was driving a moped has been fatally injured as a result of a collision with a tractor/trailer Friday afternoon at an intersection in the county. State police say Alfred D. Johnson, 75, died at a Richmond hospital as a result of injuries he received when the 2009 Yamaha moped he was operating collided with a 1997 Kenworth tractor/trailer shortly after 12 noon at the intersection of Route 106 (Roxbury Road) and Route 607 (Wayside Road) in the county’s western end. A state police report said Johnson was traveling west on Wayside and stopped at…
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Four-cent tax increase part of Charles City’s $22.4 million proposed budget for FY2016-17
With an emphasis on funding the county’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), Charles City supervisors received a recommendation of a four-cent real estate tax increase as part of a $22.4 million proposed budget for FY2016-17. County finance director Michelle Johnson presented the $22,453,339 proposal at an Apr. 5 special meeting. That figure is $1,363,646 more than the current year’s $21,090,693 budget. Along with county administrator Zach Trogdon, the duo commented that the increase would help fund CIP projects without dipping into the county’s general fund balance. The county’s real estate tax is proposed to increase from 72 cents to 76 cents…
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New Kent leaders to mull proposed budget at additional meeting
New Kent supervisors have elected to add an additional date for discussion on the county’s FY2016-17 budget. As county administrator Rodney Hathaway continues to offer a variety of proposals for new revenue anticipated by the county (see page 1), county leaders have varying opinions on the tax rate proposal for next year. At its March 30 work session, the board announced an additional meeting on Apr. 13 after hearing public comments on the tax rate on Apr. 11. “I want to see the tax rate at 83 cents,” said District 4 supervisor and chairman Ron Stiers. “I believe at that…
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Deal reached in 2015 hit-and-run case that left officers injured in Charles City
A man who led Charles City officers on a high-speed chase in 2015 accepted a plea deal during Friday morning proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court. Andrew Leroy Williams, 35, of the 7000 block of Church Lane, entered guilty pleas to one count each of felony eluding police, felony hit and run, reckless driving, and driving suspended. One charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle was dropped as part of the agreement. In a summary of evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, around 1:30 p.m. on May 20, 2015, Charles City Capt. Jayson Crawley was operating radar on Route…
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Charles City man convicted by jury for stabbing daughter’s boyfriend
A Charles City man has been found guilty of malicious wounding during a Mar. 15 jury trial. Todd Alfonzo Tabb, 52, of the 8900 block of Old Elam Cemetery Road, received the guilty verdict on the single count stemming from an Aug. 23, 2015 incident. Through witness testimony and evidence presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, Tabb got into an argument with Marcus Tyler, the boyfriend of his daughter, at a family barbecue. Tabb stabbed Tyler seven times in the chest with a knife, according to trial testimony. A presentence report is being prepared for Tabb, with formal sentencing scheduled…
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Train strikes pickup stuck on railroad tracks in New Kent; pickup driver charged
The 20 year-old driver of a pickup truck has been charged after the vehicle he was driving became stuck on railroad tracks in New Kent County and was struck by a freight train. The mishap occurred Thursday night (March 24) around 9 p.m. State police say a 1988 Chevrolet pickup attempted to cross the CSX Railroad tracks near South Waterside Drive/Wingapo in Lanexa when the vehicle became stuck. The location is not a designated public or private crossing. The driver and a 26-year-old passenger abandoned the vehicle before the train arrived. The train was unable to stop as it approached…
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Timeline in place for Charles City library development
After Charles City voters favored a bond referendum in last November’s election to borrow $2.5 million for the construction of a new county library, not much information about when the building process will begin had been revealed to the public. That is no longer an issue. County administrator Zach Trogdon released a timeline for the library’s development during the county board of supervisors’ regular monthly meeting on Mar. 22. “This is a process that we’ve been working on and we believe we have a firm plan in place,” said Trogdon. “I know the board wanted staff to look at a…
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