News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 3, 2025
Local News
No speakers at New Kent’s public hearing on proposed FY2019-20 budget
New Kent County’s Board of Supervisors’ public hearing on the proposed FY2019-2020 budget yielded no speakers Monday night. A rehash of the proposed $69,851,662 budget was presented by County Administrator Rodney Hathaway at the meeting. Of that amount, approximately $35,026,270 is designated for schools. The real estate tax will remain at 82 cents per $100 of assessed values, signifying no tax increase for this year. The budget is expected to see an increase in revenues of $1,210,281 for the upcoming year, resulting in a proposed five-percent cost of living raise for county employees and the hiring of eight new positions….
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New Kent residents concerned about possible road connection to subdivision
A group of residents of a New Kent subdivision are voicing concerns about a public road coming through their area. Homeowners that reside in Patriot’s Landing near Bottoms Bridge spoke during the public comment period Monday evening at New Kent’s Board of Supervisors meeting with concerns about a road that would connect from their main entrance to Marketplace Drive, a secondary entrance of the subdivision. The concern stems from the road being constructed to allow trucks onto property that is scheduled to be the future home of Tractor Supply Company. That building is expected to be built on a portion…
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Motorcycle accident in Charles City leaves one dead, one injured
Virginia State Police is conducting an investigation of a crash that left one man dead and a woman injured. According to a press release, shortly after 3 p.m., officers responded to a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on John Tyler Memorial Highway (Route 5), one mile west of Route 106 (Roxbury Road). According to the replace report, a 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was traveling eastbound when it ran off the right side of the road, flipped, and struck several trees. The operator, identified as John C. Ennis, 68, of Richmond, was transported by ambulance to VCU Medical Center, where he succumbed to his…
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Judge upholds jury’s recommendation, sentences man to 26 years in prison for Charles City robbery
Judge B. Elliott Bondurant upheld a jury’s recommendation and sentenced a Richmond man to 26 years in prison for a robbery committed in Charles City. Michael DeVaughan Gordon, 41, of the 500 block of Deter Road, received formal sentencing Friday morning as part of Charles City Circuit Court proceedings. He received five years of active time on each of two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony (second offense), robbery, and robbery while using a gun. He received three years on one count of use of a firearm in commission of a felony (first offense), two…
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Charles City man charged with vehicular manslaughter in Henrico
A Charles City man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter after a fatal crash in Henrico County that took place last December. Charles Herbert Johnson Jr., 38, of the 4800 block of Cool Hill Road, was charged with vehicular manslaughter, DUI, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving without a license, and driving after forfeiture of license. According to a press release, Henrico police responded to a crash that took place near Eubank and Coxson Road. The crash involved two automobiles, resulting in the death of Rashard Thornton, 25, of Henrico. Johnson was allegedly the operator of one of the…
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Solar facility coming to Charles City County in 2021
With conditions set forth in a special use permit, Charles City supervisors approved the construction of a solar facility Tuesday night. S-Power Group LLC was granted the permit to build a 340-megawatt solar facility on 1,800 acres of land located across from St. John’s Baptist Church on Roxbury Road. Another smaller facility will be placed near Chambers Road. The facility is expected to bring in a total of $4,725,000 over the next 35 years, whereas the undeveloped land would only bring $455,000 at that time. Prior to the approve, a public comment period resulted in nine speakers stepping to the…
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Former New Kent teacher pleads guilty to two counts of soliciting a minor for sex
A former New Kent teacher has entered guilty pleas to two counts of using a communication device to solicit sex from a minor. Matthew Spencer Duckworth, 41, formerly of the 9000 block of Chestnut Drive, New Kent, entered the pleas during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. As part of him entering those guilty pleas, three counts of using a communication device to solicit sex from a minor were dropped. In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Linwood Gregory, the prosecutor submitted a two-and-a-half page of text messages of the recap to Judge B. Elliott Bondurant…
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NKSB names interim superintendent; one speaks at public hearing on search for new school leader
Dr. Carol Fenn has been announced as the interim superintendent of New Kent County schools beginning Apr. 27. New Kent’s school board made the announcement on Mar. 18 at its regular monthly meeting. She will be stepping in on a temporary basis as outgoing superintendent of schools David Myers will be transitioning into a new role at Virginia’s Department of Education. Fenn served as superintendent of Rockingham County Public Schools for 10 years upon her retirement in 2017. Her background education includes stints as a first and fifth grade reading teacher, elementary and middle school principal, director of instruction, and…
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No speakers at New Kent School Board’s hearing on proposed budget
There were no speakers at New Kent’s School Board public hearing on the proposed FY2019-20 budget Monday evening. School finance director Haynie Morgheim provided an update to school board members on the proposed budget. Referring to a joint meeting held by both the school board and county leaders on Mar. 15, approximately $160,000 of a $200,000 request appears that it will be granted to county schools. The reduction of $40,000 along with a state reduction of nearly $99,000 leaves the schools to make up a shortfall of roughly $139,000. Morgheim commented that the shortfall was anticipated and that money in…
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Driving as habitual offender nets Richmond man one-year jail term
A Richmond man will spend more than a year in jail for driving after being declared a habitual offender after receiving formal sentencing during New Kent Circuit Court proceedings on Monday. Daryl Lynn Wyche, 49, of the 4800 block of Altar Road, was sentenced to five years in jail with four years suspended (one year to serve) after learning his fate. He also received a 12-month sentence with seven months suspended (five months to serve) for failing to appear at an earlier trial. During a July 9, 2018 trial, Wyche was found guilty of his driving offense after an officer…
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