News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 20, 2026
Local News
Briefly… for Nov. 21-Dec. 4, 2013
Dogwood Classic set for April 5 A day of world class steeplechase racing and trackside tailgating will return to Colonial Downs on Saturday, Apr. 5, as the second annual Dogwood Classic helps usher in the area’s spring outdoor festival season. The ’14 Dogwood Classic will play host to a day of National Steeplechase association (NSA) sanctioned jump races held over the Secretariat Turf Course, all while vehicle tailgating takes place on the 1 1/4 mile dirt track, which is positioned just outside of the turf course. Reserved vehicle tailgating spaces are $200 for a spot along the home stretch, or…
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NK student-athlete remembered
Teammates, fellow students, friends, and even those who didn’t know Jacob Vick filled New Kent High School’s 1,275-seat gymnasium nearly to capacity Saturday afternoon for a memorial service honoring the fallen linebacker. Students then led a memorial/birthday vigil inside the school on Tuesday (Nov. 5), the day their schoolmate and friend would have turned 16 years old. Vick, a starting linebacker on the Trojan football team, collapsed Oct. 29 on the practice field and later died, sending shockwaves through the New Kent community. Saturday’s memorial service celebrated the life of the sophomore honor student who touched many during his all…
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Feds assume prosecution of McDonald’s robbery suspects
Federal authorities have taken over prosecution of the three adults charged in connection with the Aug. 26 armed robbery at the McDonald’s restaurant on Route 60 (2138 Pocahontas Trail) near Bottoms Bridge in New Kent County. Convening Tuesday in Richmond, a federal grand jury indicted Shatik U. Jackson, 19, of the 300 block of Shetland Court, Henrico; London Shi-Anne Cotman, 19, of the 300 block of North Airport Drive, Henrico; and Cornelius Clayton Jr., 19, of the 600 block of Fritz Street, Highland Springs. New Kent commonwealth’s attorney Linwood Gregory said local charges against the trio have been dropped, but…
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Cary Hill Plantation offers a blend of past and present
It’s often said that the best places in life are often right under a person’s nose. Cary Hill Plantation in eastern Charles City County probably fits that bill very well. Located at 11401 Eagles Nest Road, the historical plantation sits on 60 acres of land as part of the James River Plantation District of the county. Now, the facility has opened its doors to the public for small social events after nine years of restoration and renovations. After owner Kip Kephart passed away in 2005, Steve Rula and Robin Schreiber contemplated what to do with the grounds after the estate’s…
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Charles City man convicted of felony hit and run in NK
A Charles City resident who fled the scene of an accident received a guilty verdict during Oct. 28 New Kent Circuit Court proceedings. Michael Lee Wallace Jr., 41, of 11805 Canora Lane, Providence Forge, was convicted of one count of felony hit and run (not reporting an accident and damage) stemming from the Dec. 22, 2012 incident. In the contested trial, assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Del Rossi recalled events from the day. According to Del Rossi, Wallace struck the vehicle of Michael Ballard, a Toano resident, and another vehicle on Pocahontas Trail (Route 60) just before reaching Providence Forge. Ballard’s…
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Briefly… for Nov. 7-20, 2013
Voter turnout hovers close to 50% As expected, New Kent County went almost solidly Republican while the Democrat ticket swept Charles City County in Tuesday’s general election. In New Kent, 7,321 or 54.5 percent of the county’s 13,422 registered voters cast ballots. Turnout in Charles City reached 44.5 percent as 2,357 of the county’s 5,300 registered voters trudged to the polls. In the governor’s race, New Kent favored Republican Ken Cuccinelli 4,360-2,120 while Charles City opted for Democrat Terry McAuliffe 1,557-827. Libertarian Robert Sarvis garnered 766 votes in New Kent and 135 in Charles City. A Republican ticket sweep in…
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Teams, community unite to honor Jacob Vick
Coping with the tragic and untimely death on Tuesday of linebacker Jacob Vick, New Kent’s Trojans elected to travel to Bruton and take on the host Panthers in honor of their fallen teammate. And even though the final on the scoreboard read Bruton 49 New Kent 7, the outcome didn’t matter. In the hearts and minds of the large throng of Trojan faithful sitting in the stands and the New Kent community as a whole, the Trojans won the game 50-0. The fact that the Trojans took the field and displayed a valiant effort spoke volumes on team members’ character….
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Memorial service planned for fallen New Kent football player
A public memorial service for Jacob Vick will be held at New Kent High School on Saturday, Nov. 2, 1 p.m. New Kent and Bruton’s football team will honor Vick prior to tonight’s game with a moment of silence and by wearing helmet stickers with #50 on it.
New Kent football player succumbs
Jacob Vick, a sophomore linebacker/fullback for New Kent’s football team, passed away today after an emergency call came from the practice field. The New Kent-Charles City Chronicle received a call confirming his passing tonight (Oct. 29) from multiple sources. According to one source, an emergency call came in during the afternoon hours and emergency crews were dispatched to the field after Vick collapsed after team drills. An emergency helicopter flew Vick to a Richmond hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. A press conference on Oct. 30 held by New Kent Superintendent of Schools Rick Richardson confirmed…
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New Kent Supervisors elect to maintain control of Historic School renovations
New Kent supervisors elected unanimously to keep managerial control on renovations of the Historic School. Supervisors took action on Oct. 15 at its regular board meeting after deferring the matter from a special meeting with New Kent’s School Board on Oct. 8. The action is the result of an Aug. 1 letter from Hunter Barnes, an architectural consultant for Virginia’s Department of Education, to New Kent’s Board of Supervisors over a misinterpretation of alleged decisions made by New Kent’s school board. Those concerns prompted county supervisors to take the decision-making process of phases three and four of renovations away from…
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