News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | November 2, 2026
Local News
Rescue squad’s decision catches NK officials off guard
An ongoing squabble between New Kent officials and Providence Forge Volunteer Rescue Squad over the squad’s permit to operate in the county reached new heights last week. Squad members took out a paid advertisement in another publication to announce the organization was immediately ending emergency medical service in New Kent and turning its attention to Charles City County (The same ad appears today on page 4). In the ad, squad officials said their action resulted from unwillingness on the part of New Kent officials to work with them in ironing out details for renewing the squad’s operational permit. The move…
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At long last, revised land use plan adopted in New Kent
New Kent’s Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the county’s comprehensive land use plan at the group’s meeting on Oct. 9. Supervisors removed references to Urban Development Areas (UDA) from the document due to recent legislation passed by the General Assembly making UDA designations optional in localities’ land use plans. Before addressing the final vote and editorial changes, the only public comment came from James Poole, who questioned language remaining in the document that he said appeared similar to the definition of an UDA. “I think the board overlooked a few pages,” he said, pointing to specific pages in the document….
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Theft scheme labeled ‘creative,’ but lands pair behind bars
Even New Kent commonwealth’s attorney Linwood Gregory admitted that a theft scheme by two co-defendants constituted something creative. But in the end, creativity scored no points as both co-defendants accepted plea deals from the commonwealth during New Kent Circuit Court trials on Monday. Cassandra Lucette Green, 48, of 3314 Jefferson Davis Highway, Richmond, and Rosoda Demond Satchell, 31, of 3411 Jefferson Davis Highway, Richmond, both pleaded guilty to credit card theft stemming from incidents occurring at the Pilot in the Talleysville area of New Kent. In a summary of evidence by Gregory, Satchell and Green showed up at the convenience…
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Financial data impasse of concern to CC School Board
Charles City School Board members are feeling frustrated about having limited access to financial data. The factor that makes it more concerning is that the data is their own. Board members spoke at Tuesday night’s meeting about the lack of access to computer data to help with their budgeting for the current school year, as well as closing out last year. Those concerns have caused problems in the financial department according to school board finance director David Papenfuse. “We’re basically submitting information to the state based on numbers I’ve worked up,” said Papenfuse. Papenfuse and superintendent of schools Janet Crawley…
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Briefly… for Oct. 18-Nov. 1
Two local post offices face time cuts In a cost-cutting move, the U.S. Postal Service has announced plans to reduce hours of operation at what it deems smaller local post offices, and it appears that measure will apply to the Barhamsville Post Office in New Kent County and the Ruthville Post Office in Charles City County. Barhamsville postmaster Naomi Fudge said she is aware that hourly cuts are on the horizon, but she has not received specific information on how many hours from postal officials. Ruthville postmaster Alexis Arnold echoed Fudge’s comments, adding she expects that reductions could go into…
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Charles City woman found guilty in animal cruelty case
A Charles City County woman who was responsible for the care of several horses on rental property will now be barred from any interaction with horses for the next two years. Rhiannan Vitiello, 27, of 9500 Sturgeon Point Road, was found guilty on four misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty in Charles City Circuit Court on Tuesday afternoon. During opening testimony, Charles City animal control officer Frank Bates said that he reported to the residence of Harrison Ruffin on The Glebe Lane on Oct. 5, 2011, in response to complaints from passersby and neighbors on the poor condition of the horses….
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Truck collision, fire backs up traffic for 13 miles on I-64
A collision and fire involving two trucks shut down the westbound lanes of Interstate 64 in New Kent County for close to eight hours, resulting in a 13-mile traffic backup. Drivers of both vehicles sustained only minor injuries, but now both face charges. State Police information officer Sgt. Thomas Molnar said the crash occurred around 1 p.m. on Sept. 26 when the driver of a 2011 Freightliner box truck apparently lost control near the 205 mile marker, just west of the Quinton/Bottoms Bridge interchange. The box truck struck a 2009 Volvo tractor-trailer that had stopped on the right shoulder. Impact…
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New Kent County church camp faced with closing
Makemie Woods has been serving a variety of people from New Kent, Williamsburg, Charles City, and other localities for the past 40 years. The church camp, located in the Barhamsville area of New Kent County and operated by Presbyterian Church USA and the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia, has offered facilities to hold retreats, areas for outdoor recreation, and summer camps for youth. Now, Makemie Woods may not be an option in the future. The Rev. Mike Burcher, director of Makemie Woods, said that due to tough times in the economy coupled with lack of funding from Presbyterian sponsors, operations may…
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Kenwood Farms residents vent anger over Dunham plan
Faced with questions from angry residents up in arms over resurgence of a controversial housing subdivision proposed in the Quinton area of New Kent, county officials responded that little if anything can be done. At issue is the “Dunham” development, a cluster subdivision proposal calling for 75 homes on 130 agriculturally zoned acres bordering the existing Kenwood Farms, Deer Lake, and Essex Hills subdivisions. About 30 residents from Kenwood Farms attended a Sept. 20 neighborhood meeting held at Watkins Elementary School to voice concerns and vent frustrations to county officials. And most left the meeting far from satisfied with what…
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Chickahominy Festival
Chickahominy Chief Stephen Adkins is flanked by second assistant chief Reggie Stewart (left) and first assistant chief Wayne Adkins during the grand entry for the tribe’s 61st annual powwow on Sept. 22. Serving for another year (below) are Miss Chickahominy Kara Canaday, Junior Miss Chickahominy Tahlia Wynn, and Little Miss Chickahominy Kristiana Delaney.
