News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 30, 2025
Local News
Public approaches New Kent School Board on issues dealing with in-person return, Critical Race Theory concept
Several school boards in the state of Virginia are dealing with a plethora of issues that include the return to in-person learning and topics that are deemed controversial to be taught inside classrooms. New Kent’s School Board faced that scenario Monday night. Approximately 50 people filed into New Kent High School’s Media Center Monday evening to voice concerns over a recommended mask policy while indoors and the implementation of studies in an area known as Critical Race Theory (CRT). Critical Race Theory is the idea that America’s racist history is embedded in modern laws that are continuing to disadvantage certain…
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New Kent man innocent of crimes after being caught in middle of drug transaction bust
A New Kent man who was allegedly caught in the middle of a drug transaction has been found innocent on two charges of possession of a Schedule I/II drug with intent to distribute. A jury rendered two not guilty verdicts against 20-year-old Bray Douglas Wiggins over a two-day trial that took place July 29-30 in New Kent Circuit Court. One charge of conspiracy to violate the drug act was dropped prior to the start of the trial. On Mar. 9, 2020, Wiggins rode with Mason Hurley to pick up Wiggins’ friend, Robert Gibson, to go fishing in King & Queen…
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Jarrett man pleads guilty to stealing items from Pilot in New Kent
A Jarrett man will enter into an alternative program after pleading guilty to a shoplifting charge during July 26 proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Kevin Lee Bernardini pled guilty to one charge of shoplifting (third offense) at his trial. One charge each of forgery, receiving stolen goods, felony unauthorized use of a vehicle, and forgery of a record were dropped as part of the agreement. In a summary of evidence, on Mar. 1, Bernardini was in the Pilot store on Emmaus Church Road in New Kent. Video surveillance showed the defendant taking a 40-ounce beer and a jacket from…
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New Kent leaders not impressed with broadband presentation from Cox Communications
As New Kent County leaders look for ways to bring high-speed internet to the locality, they know that several companies are looking for a pathway to be the supplier of what is essentially a necessity in today’s times. One such company’s pitch didn’t fair to well at the July 28 morning work session of the county’s supervisors. Cox Communications Senior Manager of Public Affairs Sarah Buck approached county leaders with a plan to extend the utility to 1,200 homes in 22 areas of the county. RiverStreet Networks did the same thing a month before at the June work session of…
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Grand jury indicts nine in New Kent Circuit Court
A New Kent grand jury certified indictments against nine individuals during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court: –Melissa Lash Carter, 42, of the 8800 block of Old Elam Cemetery Road, Charles City, on one count of possession of a Schedule I/II drug. Carter allegedly possessed cocaine on May 18. –Joshua Louis Cash, 32, of the 5800 block of Darbytown Road, Richmond, on one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. The offense allegedly took place on Jan. 21. –Christopher Erhan Cutrell, 27, of the 8300 block of Brown Avenue, Sandston, on one count each of possession…
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Third strike: Distributing drugs results in 25-year prison sentence for North Chesterfield man
Quotable sayings about things that happen in threes include “third times a charm” and “three strikes and you’re out.” For a North Chesterfield man, the latter quote will result in him being incarcerated for the next quarter century. Eric Marvin Laney, 44, of the 99 block of Jean Road, received a 25-year prison term on one count of distribution of a Schedule I/II drug (third offense) during Monday afternoon proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. The two-hour sentencing came on the heels after Laney accepted a plea agreement on May 3. As part of that agreement, two other offenses of…
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Former Cumberland Hospital employee indicted my multijurisdictional grand jury
A woman who worked at Cumberland Hospital in New Kent in 2019 has been indicted by a multijurisdictional grand jury. Stacey Burrell, 57, of King William, was indicted during a special session on July 14 after a presentation from prosecutors from Attorney General Mark Herring’s office. The indictment alleges that while employed at Cumberland Hospital, Burrell injured a juvenile patient by allegedly scalding the victim. Burrell is charged with one count of malicious wounding. Burrell appeared by video Monday morning in New Kent Circuit Court. She was granted a $2,500 bond with her case scheduled for review on Sept. 20.
Newport News man receives five-year prison sentence for robbing Stewart’s Grocery in Lanexa
A man who robbed a store in the eastern part of New Kent County will spend the next five years in prison. Karim Aziz Muhammad, 47, of the 100 block of North Redwood Court, Newport News, learned his sentence during Monday afternoon proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. During a March 15, trial, Muhammad entered into a plea agreement and confessed to the Apr. 11, 2020 crime. During his trial, a summary of evidence presented by special prosecutor Rob Tyler showed that Muhammad walked up to make a purchase of peanuts at Stewart’s Grocery in Lanexa. When the cashier opened…
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Interstate 64 westbound crash results in multiple fatalities
An accident on westbound Interstate 64 in New Kent just prior to exit 214 (Providence Forge) has resulted in several fatalities Monday morning. According to a Virginia State Police, troopers responded to a crash just after 11 a.m. on July 12. The preliminary investigation says a sedan was headed west passing traffic on the right shoulder when it ran off the road onto the grassy shoulder and struck a post mounting a VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) traffic counter. The vehicle subsequently caught fire. The front seat passenger was extricated from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital for…
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Funds for broadband expansion in Charles City included in McEachin’s proposal to United States Congress
United States Representative A. Donald McEachin announced the inclusion to secure funds to expand broadband in Charles City County. In a June 28 press release, the 2022 House Appropriations on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies included $2,643,508 in funding to assist with high-speed broadband internet in the county. “It is my honor to fight for the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia in Congress, and I am proud to have secured this much-needed funding for broadband expansion in Charles City County,” said McEachin in a press release. “Unfortunately, too many residents of Charles City County face…
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