News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | May 19, 2026
Letter to the Editor: Objects to the Technology Overlay District and data center projects
As a sovereign Tribal Nation with deep historical, cultural, and ancestral ties to the region, the Chickahominy Indian Tribe-Eastern Division must be formally included in all consultation processes regarding any construction or development that may impact our traditional lands, waterways, natural resources, and neighboring community. Meaningful Tribal consultation is not only respectful of our sovereignty and heritage, but essential to ensuring that environmental, cultural, and community impacts are fully considered before decisions are made. While technological growth is important, it should not come at the expense of our natural resources, public health, quality of life, and environmental sustainability. One of…
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Letter to the Editor: Says new cell phone policy has improved school environment
As a student in Virginia finishing my second year under the statewide phone-free school policy, I’ve seen its effects up close. While many of us were annoyed at first, the change has already made a noticeable difference in how our schools function. Before the policy, phones were the biggest distraction in almost every class. Even students who wanted to stay focused struggled because whenever someone pulled out a phone, teachers had to pause the lesson to address it. This constant cycle of interruptions took away valuable learning time. The Virginia Education Association highlighted this problem, noting “Among the teachers we…
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New Kent girls’ tennis sweeps Poquoson to wrap up regular season
New Kent girls’ tennis team completed a sweep of the visiting Poquoson Lady Islanders Friday afternoon to close out their regular season. The team finishes with a record of 11-3. New Kent 9, Poquoson 0 Singles: Vincent (NK) def. Bradley (P) 6-1, 6-4; Carpenter (NK) def. Smith (P) 6-1, 6-0; Pettit-Pokora (NK) def. Jones (P) 6-1, 6-0; Bennett (NK) def. Clemmey (P) 6-0, 6-0; Wood (NK) def. Firth (P) 6-0, 6-0; Doucet (NK) def. Owens (P) 6-0, 6-1. Doubles: Pettit-Pokora/Meredith (NK) def. Bradley/Smith (P) 8-3; Desogus/Hunt (NK) def. Jones/Clemmey (P) 8-3; Bell/Stevens (NK) def. Simms/Owens (P) 8-1.
Bridge to be named after late Charles City Sheriff
A bridge connecting New Kent and Charles City County will be renamed in honor of a late Charles City Sheriff. The Route 106 (Roxbury Road) bridge located at the western part of the county will be renamed in recognition of late Charles City Sheriff Javier J. Smith. Smith served as the sheriff of Charles City County form 2008-2016, while also contributing 11 years as a deputy before that tenure. A bill was introduced by Delegate Delores McQuinn during the meeting of the Virginia Assembly on Jan. 16. The bill passed unanimously in the House of Delegates and also passed unanimously…
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Milby named to Dean’s List at Cedarville University
Hannah Milby, a resident of New Kent, was named to the Dean’s List at Cedarville University for the Spring 2026 semester. To earn this recognition, a student must obtain a GPA of 3.75 or higher while taking at least 12 credit hours.
New Kent girls, boys’ teams finish fifth in Bay Rivers District championships
New Kent’s girls and boys’ track and field team accumulated fifth-place finishes at Wednesday’s Bay Rivers District Outdoor Track & Field Championships. On the girls’ side, Ryan Griffith captured gold in the triple jump competition with a leap of 35’0”. New Kent earned a pair of silver medals in two relay events. The quartet of Chawney Cheeseman, Brooklyn Wiles, Madison Clements, and Griffith ran a time of 50.58 in the 4×100 meter relay to finish second, just out of reach of Tabb. In the 4×800 relay, Aubrey Loucks, Olivia Hudson, Andrea Dallaire, and Audrey Hudson ran a time of 10:39.89,…
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