News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 22, 2026
Local News
Residents dismayed over racetrack president’s absence
Residents from New Kent’s Brickshire and surrounding communities gathered at the Brickshire Proprietor building on Jan. 23 with concerns for Colonial Downs president Ian Stewart and the racetrack’s permit request to host motorcycle racing. But instead of speaking with citizens, Stewart opted to forgo the meeting, leaving more than 60 residents upset and angry over his no-show appearance. An announcement by District 4 New Kent Board of Supervisors representative Ron Stiers added more fuel to the fire. “I received an e-mail from Ian and in it he said he would not be attending,” said Stiers. “Also, he said his lawyer…
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Supervisor targeting New Kent’s Planning Commission
A New Kent supervisor, who campaigned on targeting the jobs of several county Planning Commission members on the way to winning election in 2011, is striving to make good on his election promise. District 4 Supervisor Ron Stiers told fellow board members during the group’s Monday work session that the board should examine the commission’s makeup with an eye toward reducing its membership. “Several on the Planning Commission don’t do their jobs,” he said without revealing specific names. “Some don’t look at the materials and some wait until the day of the meeting to pick up their [agenda] packets.” His…
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New Kent capital improvement plan totals $5.6 million
A $5.6 million capital improvement plan (CIP) for the next fiscal year in New Kent is now in the hands of county officials for their perusal. County administrator Rodney Hathaway unveiled the plan, which includes $3.6 million in countywide projects and $2 million designated for utilities, tonight (Jan. 22) before county Planning Commission members. Commission members are charged with holding a public hearing on the plan and making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. That hearing is expected to take place at the commission’s Feb. 19 meeting. None of the projects, meanwhile, are set in stone. Supervisors will have final…
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New Kent road project among governor’s plan
A New Kent County road improvement project is among 158 projects statewide being recommended today (Jan. 22) by Gov. Bob McDonnell for passage by the General Assembly. McDonnell is recommending $734,160 be designated for unpaved road improvements in New Kent. The figure is part of an overall $1.28 billion long-term road improvement package, dubbed “Virginia’s Road to Improvement,” that the governor is forwarding to state lawmakers. There is also $64 million recommended for reconstructive paving on Interstate 64, but it is unclear if the amount pertains to the section of I-64 that traverses New Kent. Another $85 million is targeted…
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Colonial Downs’ bid to host motorcycle racing met with staunch opposition
Concerned residents from the Brickshire community in New Kent County are organizing over a problem that they assumed had been resolved 10 years ago. More than 50 community members from the area that surrounds Colonial Downs attended Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. At issue is Colonial Downs’ intent to bring motorcycle racing back to the race track. Track officials have requested a county-issued cultural events permit to allow the April races to proceed. In 2003, Colonial Downs pursued motorcycle racing as another source of income for the track. During that time, Brickshire was home to only about 50 residents who…
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Seven years imposed for child porn
Marvin Turner Rideout III revealed that as a child, he bore the brunt of sexual abuse from his late mother and the mother’s drug dealer. For most of his adult life, he said, those memories lurked in the deep, forgotten recesses of his mind. And only after stumbling upon child pornography on his computer did visions of what happened during his childhood begin to resurface. The New Kent County resident’s foray into the illegal realm of child pornography did not go unnoticed, catching the attention of investigators with the Bedford, Va.-based Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Acting on information…
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Small NK, CC post offices spared closure
Among the first to show up for a public meeting with U.S. Postal Service officials to learn the fate of her local post office, Barhamsville resident Nora Phillips expressed her desire concerning the facility. “I hope they keep it open,” she said shortly before the Jan. 8 meeting inside the facility got under way. “They can shorten the hours as long as they keep it open,” she added. She got her wish. Postal officials emerged with what they termed “good news.” Barhamsville Post Office in eastern New Kent County is to remain open, but under slightly curtailed hours for window…
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CC school plan again tabled, state revenue could dwindle
Charles City’s School Board members decided to delay approval of the county schools’ six-year plan at its Tuesday night meeting. The Standards of Quality (SOQ) six-year plan is a working document used to guide intentions and goals of the school system. The document has been worked on for several months and will now have another month to be reviewed by board members. Last November, board members held a public hearing on the document. That hearing attracted only two speakers. Board member Steve Fuhrmann voiced numerous concerns about the document and asked the board to table it. After two months, the…
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New fire chief on job in NK
New Kent County’s search for a new fire chief has ended with the hiring of Richard A. Opett who began work yesterday (Jan. 16). Before taking the New Kent job, Opett served as a fire/rescue battalion chief for Loudoun County, a position he had held since 2008, and as vice president of Federal and East Coast Programs for Willdan Homeland Solutions. He is a 20-year firefighter and hazmat technician and a Gannon University graduate. “As a second-generation fire fighter, I first caught the fire service bug growing up around my hometown fire department where my dad served as fire chief,”…
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Briefly… for Jan. 17-Jan. 30, 2013
Stolen car crashes on I-64 in NK A Williamsburg woman, who police say was driving a car reportedly stolen in Newport News, is in custody and facing charges after she crashed the vehicle during a high-speed police chase Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 64 in New Kent County. Shortly before 3 p.m., state police received a call of a suspicious vehicle on I-64 westbound at the 216 mile marker near the Providence Forge/Route 155 interchange. Upon arriving on scene, a trooper found the woman asleep behind the driver’s seat of a 2008 Nissan Versa. After awakening the woman, the trooper attempted…
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