News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 21, 2026
Local News
Draft budget below CC schools’ expectations
Charles City county administrator Zach Trogdon revealed the first draft budget for the 2014 fiscal year. And even though 51 percent of the budget is designated for county public schools, visible concern could be seen on the faces of school board members and superintendent of schools Janet Crawley. Trogdon unveiled a total budget of $20,951,258 at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting. Of that amount, $10,665,964 is designated for schools and includes $4,581,216 in local money for schools. That local dollar amount, however, falls $200,000 short of school officials’ request. Also, the local contribution does not include the $157,716 schools are seeking to…
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Converting NK Historic School to elementary school on table
New Kent School Board members have unanimously approved a resolution to have school staff work with county staff to further explore the prospect of converting the county’s Historic School into an elementary school. School board members made the move during a March 18 meeting with District 1 Board of Supervisors member Thomas Evelyn. Evelyn first proposed the elementary school concept during supervisors’ emergency meeting on March 15. The proposal, he said, would alleviate the county’s school overcrowding problem and do away with need for building a new elementary school. “I just don’t see the board [of supervisors] approving a $30…
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Colonial Downs, Strawberry Hill owners settle dispute
A settlement has been reached in the legal dispute over the Strawberry Hill Races name involving Colonial Downs and the mother/daughter duo of Christie Harrell and Mildred Dotson, who own the trademark. The parties involved announced the matter has been “amicably resolved” as of March 20. According to a press release from Colonial Downs, the Strawberry Hill Races are to take place starting in April 2014 and become a yearly event. But Dotson and Harrell have announced plans to hold the 80th running of the Strawberry Hill Races sometime this fall. A date and venue have not been announced. Colonial…
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Thumbs up for motorcycle racing from NK planners
Despite protests from residents living in Brickshire and adjoining subdivisions, Colonial Downs’ application to hold one day of motorcycle racing this summer received the blessing of New Kent’s Planning Commission. By a 10-0-1 vote on March 18, planners passed on a favorable recommendation to the county’s Board of Supervisors. Now, supervisors are scheduled to hold a public hearing on the racetrack’s conditional use permit application during their April 8 meeting and could take action that same night. The commission’s vote followed a public hearing at which 27 of the close to 60 county residents in attendance spoke. Fifteen, all residents…
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NK schools, VSU forge dual enrollment partnership
New Kent School Board members have unanimously agreed to approve a partnership with Virginia State University to offer dual enrollment classes to high school students beginning next fall. Dr. Muriel Hawkins, an assistant provost at the university, and Tonnie Villines, an information staff member responsible for dual enrollment, gave a half-hour presentation to board members during a March 18 work session. Hawkins’ initial comments made the decision for New Kent to partner with Virginia State one that would benefit both sides. “Dual enrollment can earn as many as 30 credits towards college,” Hawkins said. “It also helps families financially by…
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Twelve indicted by New Kent Circuit Court grand jury
Twelve individuals, including a Richmond man accused of attempting to hire a hit man, two New Kent men implicated in a rash of car break-ins, and a Williamsburg woman who led police on a high speed chase in an alleged stolen car, have been named in indictments handed up by a New Kent Circuit Court grand jury on March 18. Clyde Cecil Armstrong, 34, of 4301 E. Parham Road, Richmond, has been indicted on two counts of solicitation of murder. On August 20 of last year and while being held in Henrico Jail East on charges incurred in Henrico County,…
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NK couple pleads guilty in circuit court to copper thefts
A husband and wife duo involved in copper thefts in New Kent County accepted plea deals on March 18 in New Kent Circuit Court. Angel Leighann Anderson, 25, and Kenneth Barnhart IV, 31, both of 5001 Good Hope Road, Lanexa, accepted the deals stemming from copper thefts occurring on a variety of dates from July to September in 2012. In a summary of evidence by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, Anderson and Barnhart were individually involved in stealing copper from various locations in New Kent. Gregory said the pair stole copper to sell for cash. In turn, the defendants would use…
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NK schools adopt $28 million budget
New Kent’s School Board unanimously approved a $28,011,645 budget at its March 18 work session after hearing only one speaker at a public hearing held earlier during the day. Financial director Ralph Westbay’s new projected revenue is $24,432,150 for FY14 based on level funding from this year. Increased funds of $305,364 from state and other revenue outside the county, coupled with dismissal of items labeled as the least needed to be addressed, has reduced an overall deficit to $1,347,401. Board members intend to discuss reducing the deficit with county supervisors at a joint work session on March 27 (See related…
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CC school budget nears $11 million
Charles City School Board members have approved a budget totaling almost $11 million for the 2013-14 school year. Board members voted to adopt the budget during their work session on March 11. State revenue is $4,384,731 and federal revenue is $1,300,940. County revenue is listed as level-funded in the amount of $4,781,216, but that number could change once the county’s Board of Supervisors finalizes the overall county budget. Other local revenue is $226,732 to bring the total anticipated school revenue amount up to $10,723,619. Originally, budget expenses totaled $11,208,660, but board members made more than $300,000 in cuts to decrease…
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NKMS 6th grader remembered
“She was real.” Those three words uttered by teacher Kenneth Otey best exemplified the short life of Nichelle Christine Jones during a March 19 candlelight vigil held in memory of the New Kent Middle School student. The 12 year-old sixth grader lost her life on March 12, the victim of an asthma attack. More than 350 fellow students, teachers, family, and friends gathered on the football stadium bleachers to remember the straight “A” honor roll student with stories and in song. Sixth grader Jillian Schmid, who on one of the many posters lining the bleacher walkway wrote a tribute to…
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