News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 28, 2025
Local News
Sex offenders in unrelated cases plead guilty to entering onto grounds of New Kent schools
Two Quinton men, who are both on the National Sex Offender Registry, entered guilty pleas in unrelated crimes stemming from entering onto school property as part of Monday proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Howard Stephen Hinnant IV, 21, of the 8900 block of Ellyson Trace, pled guilty to entering a school after being convicted as a Tier III sex offender. In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick, on Nov. 7, 2022, a school resource officer noticed Hinnant enter New Kent Middle School for a Veterans Day ceremony. The resource officer was able to…
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Charles City woman sentenced to three months for third DUI conviction
A Charles City woman will spend three months to jail after pleading guilty to driving under the influence as part of Friday morning proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court. Cynthia Leigh Pruitt, 45, of the 4500 block of Old Union Road, entered a guilty plea to one count of DUI (third or subsequent offense) as part of a plea agreement. In a summary of evidence presented by Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Tyler Klink, on Nov. 8, 2022, a Charles City Sheriff’s Deputy responded for a call for service from New Kent County after a vehicle had left from a store in…
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Questions of ‘how’ to fund raises posed to CC school board by county leaders
As Charles City County Superintendent of Schools Dalphine Joppy presented the proposed FY2023-24 budget of schools to Charles City’s Board of Supervisors as part of the regular Tuesday night meeting, it was more of a “how” question and not a “why” question that were discussion points. Joppy presented the $10,805,970 operating budget to county leaders to lobby for more local dollars to support the school system in the upcoming year. Similar to the Mar. 14 and Mar. 22 meetings, Joppy presented the budget of need to supervisors. Among her focal points include asking for funds to provide a five-percent pay…
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New Kent man wanted in Williamsburg captured in Florida, extradited
A New Kent man wanted by the Williamsburg Police Department has been apprehended in Florida. According to a press release, Robert Lee Gibson, 59, had been wanted on one count of unlawfully creating an image of another and possession of obscene items. Officers indicate that the warrants were issued relating to the incident that took place on Sept. 30 at the 5000 block of Richmond Road. However, Gibson eluded authorities until Mar. 27. Information released by Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Florida that a tip of a suspicious individual was sailing a boat in the Caloosahatchee River. The individual was…
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Charles City School Board approves $10.8 million budget for FY2023-24 cycle
Charles City County’s School Board approved its proposed budget for the FY2023-24 school year. School board members voted 4-0 (with District 1 representative Joy Harris absent) in favor of a $10,805,970 operating budget proposed by Superintendent of Schools Dalphine Joppy at Tuesday night’s regular meeting. In total with the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the budget comes in at $14,252,626. At a Mar. 14 public hearing, Joppy commented that the budget is based on a projected Average Daily Membership (ADM) of 524 students. Among top priorities in the budget include a five-percent pay raise for employees, the hiring of an assistant…
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Richmond man receives year in jail for leading New Kent deputy in chase
A Richmond man will spend a year in jail for eluding police after receiving formal sentencing Monday morning in New Kent Circuit Court. Sho’Mari Sosa Middleton, 23, of the 9000 block W. Cloisters, learned of his imprisonment time on his lone charge. During a Feb. 13 contested trial, Middleton pleaded not guilty to the charge. At that trial, evidence presented by New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick showed that on July 1, 2022, the defendant was clocked going 70 miles per hour in a posted 55-miles per hour zone. When the New Kent Sheriff’s deputy attempted to pull the vehicle…
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Maryland man indicted for alleged robbery in New Kent County
A Maryland man who allegedly robbed a home in New Kent County has been indicted on several charges following the convergence of a grand jury on Monday morning in New Kent. DeAngelo N. Brown, 36, of the 4600 block of Dallas Place, Temple Hills, received two indictments each on felony destruction of property and misdemeanor assault and battery, and one indictment each on burglary, robbery, strangulation, and misdemeanor damaging a phone line. Brown allegedly broke into the dwelling place of Raven Randall and stole a cell phone while damaging property belonging to her and Vannie Spruill on Nov. 10, 2022….
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Charles City school superintendent pegs budget figure at $10.8 million for FY2023-24
With their location between two major metropolitans, Charles City Superintendent of Schools Dalphine Joppy knew her upcoming budget had to focus on attracting teachers and retaining current employees as well. With that information in tow, Joppy proposed a $10,805,970 operating budget for the FY2023-24 for Charles City County Public Schools during Tuesday night’s public hearing. Utilizing Governor Glenn Youngkin’s budget and a projected average daily membership (ADM) of 499, Joppy focused on personnel as most of her budget needs. Among targeted areas include a five-percent pay raise for employees, the addition of an assistant principal ($126,526), adding a math interventionist…
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New Kent’s proposed FY2023-24 budget tops $100 million mark
There are a few things that often come in triple digits; lottery numbers, the heat index, and now, New Kent County proposed operating budget for FY2023-24. New Kent County Administrator Rodney Hathaway presented a budget of $107,868,017 at Monday night’s regular meeting of New Kent County’s Board of Supervisors. By contrast, the current fiscal year budget is $90,544,175, marking nearly a $17.3 million increase in the proposal. Similar to previous years, the growth of New Kent factored into the uptick in the triple digit figure for the new cycle. Hathaway commented that most of this year’s budget is to address…
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Five indicted by grand jury in Charles City Circuit Court
Five individuals were indicted by a grand jury as part of Tuesday morning procedures in Charles City Circuit Court: –Leon Wesley Charity, 63, of the 3400 block of Barnetts Road, Charles City, on a solo charge of assault and battery on a family member (third or subsequent offense). The attack allegedly took place on Dec. 22, 2022. –Warren Anthony Hicks, 46, of the 13000 block of The Glebe Lane, Charles City, on one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. Hicks allegedly used the vehicle of Ernest Brooks without his permission on Oct. 16, 2022. –Jeffrey Keirn, 54, of the…
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