News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 19, 2026
Local News
New Kent schools adopt $28.4 million budget
New Kent school board members adopted a $28,404,281 budget for the 2014-15 school year at their June 2 regular meeting. Representatives accepted the new budget by a 4-0 count (with District 5 representative Gail Hardinge absent) after a recommendation from finance director Sheila Minor. Originally, a budget for $28,554,281 was approved by schools at a March 19 meeting. But with a financial shortfall of $402,000 in the county’s budget thanks to an ongoing saga between Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (VHBPA), supervisors elected to reduce an increase of $570,000 next year for schools to $370,000….
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Briefly… for June 12-25, 2014
WM amends change of venue motion Waste Management of Virginia has expanded its motion for a change of venue in a case involving Charles City to include prejudicial pretrial publicity. A May 1 amended motion filed in Charles City Circuit Court by McGuire Woods LLP, representatives of Waste Management, claims publicity from various news outlets and print media’s accounts of the situation affect the case. “The motion to transfer due to local prejudice is a well, recognized ground for change of venue,” said the law firm. “Transfer is proper because Charles City jurors are disqualified.” Along with the amended motion,…
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CC school board tables adopting budget until June 17
Charles City school board members have tabled adopting a 2014-15 budget until its June 17 regular meeting. Superintendent of schools Janet Crawley presented a final round of proposed cuts for the upcoming year. New additional cuts include eliminating after school remediation at the elementary and middle school, partial elimination of remediation at the high school, reducing supplements for department heads, reducing extracurricular activity stipends by five percent, and reducing a full-time maintenance position to part-time. Also included in the reductions were cuts of supplies in a majority of areas, including instructional materials for both teachers and administrative staff. In total,…
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Waste Management claims prejudicial views in amended motion in Charles City lawsuit
Waste Management of Virginia has expanded its motion for a change of venue in a case involving Charles City to include prejudicial pretrial publicity. A May 1 amended motion filed in Charles City Circuit Court by McGuire Woods LLP, representatives of Waste Management, claims media publicity from various news and print media’s account of the situation affect the case. “The motion to transfer due to local prejudice is a well, recognized ground for change of venue,” said the law firm. “Transfer is proper because Charles City jurors are disqualified.” Along with the amended motion, McGuire Woods LLC filed approximately 15…
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May 30 VRC meeting tabbed as effort to save race season
An air of optimism hovered over the Virginia Racing Commission’s May 19 meeting. Perhaps this would be the day the bitter contract dispute between Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association would be settled, thus salvaging this summer’s thoroughbred racing season. Commission members recessed the meeting shortly after its 10 a.m. start, citing how both sides seemed close and giving the warring parties until 1 p.m. to come to an agreement. Unfortunately, that atmosphere of hope quickly dissipated when the VRC reconvened. While both sides appeared to deem the private session as “very productive,” matters such as…
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Former Company 2 treasurer indicted for embezzlement; Lanexa man indicted on sex crimes involving girls
A longtime member and past treasurer of Quinton Volunteer Fire and EMS Inc. (Company 2) faces felony embezzlement charges in connection with more than $1,700 allegedly taken from the organization over a 16-month span. And in another, unrelated case, a Lanexa man is charged with three felony sex crimes stemming from alleged incidents involving a pair of underage girls. A New Kent Circuit Court grand jury indicted both individuals on May 19. Those indictments were promptly sealed pending the suspects’ arrests. Lucinda Marciniak Crump, 48, of the 9000 block of Essex Hills Road, New Kent, is charged with three counts…
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Gaston gets nod as new Charles City school superintendent
Charles City’s School Board announced the hiring of Dr. David S. Gaston as its new superintendent of schools beginning July 1. The announcement came at a May 23 special meeting in front of an audience of 50 people, including teachers, students, and county employees. “We are very thrilled with our selection,” said board chairwoman Helen Payne-Jones. “Our interview with him was just phenomenal.” Gaston’s tenure in education spans 24 years in the school divisions of York, Hampton, and Williamsburg-James City County. With three degrees from the College of William & Mary, the incoming superintendent already seemed thrill about the tasks…
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Improvements in emergency equipment become focus in NK
New Kent supervisors are taking serious consideration in upgrading the county’s emergency radio communications after a May 28 presentation. Michael McGannon, a manager of Wireless Systems at Consulting Engineering Associates Inc., addressed the board on concerns after a needs assessment conducted over a three-month period. Chief Deputy Joe McLaughlin played three audio clips of recent situations in New Kent that involved radio communication. Those clips were nearly inaudible, with transmissions fading in and out throughout the call. “On your current system, only 50 percent of the portable radios and 80 percent of the mobile radios are covered in this county,”…
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Effort by BCCTC, Matthew’s Haven works to push cause
Bridging Communities Career and Technical Center (BCCTC) web and game design class has teamed up with Matthew’s Haven to provide a more interactive web site to promote the organization. With a low amount of funds available to Matthew’s Haven, BCCTC students began working on the web page under the direction of instructor Paula Canaday. Now, the website, donated free to the organization, is managed and maintaned by students who volunteer hours and continuously update the web page. Matthew’s Haven began in 2001 as a community outreach program at St. Peter’s Parish Church. In 2008, the program became incorporated and received…
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Two in meth lab bust indicted by New Kent Circuit Court grand jury
A man and a woman involved in a May 12 methamphetamine/marijuana operation received true bills from a New Kent Circuit Court grand jury during May 19 proceedings. Whitney Renee Marcinak, 23, and Jason Andrew Meade, 25, both of the 6300 block of Hopewell Road, New Kent, each garnered seven identical charges in relation to the raid. Both are charged with one count each of the following: manufacturing methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm while in possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (heroin), and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. On…
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