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• New Kent High School’s Class of 2026 Salutatorian- Sophia Ward

  

  Sophia Ward is salutatorian of New Kent High School’s Class of 2026 with a grade-point average of 4.59. She is a member of the National Honor Society, BETA Club, NAACP, the Senior Representative to the PTSO, President of the Peter Club, and the Debate Club. Sophia will be attending the University of Virginia and plans to major in Neuroscience in her quest to become a neurosurgeon. She is the daughter of Billy and Stephanie Ward.

• New Kent High School Class of 2026

  Owen Aubrey Agee Kimberly Nicole Allen Kaylee Renee Anderson Kenneth James Anderson Thomas Jonathan Andreas Jr Aubrey Hazel Archuleta Jordan Ari Norae Austin Adam Garrett Ayala Graycie Rose Babb Tiffany Amerie Baca-Darden Deven Michael Bailey Brandon Lamont Banks Jr Noah Matthew Bates Kaylee Grace Beamon Lillian Constance Beasley Joseph Keegan Beck Tanner James Bender Aidyn Sabastian Blair Caleb Major Blankenship Emma Paris Blankinship Delani Faith Bliss Lane Gregory Boyette Sage Lauren Brocious Destiny Cheyenne Brockwell Amarrion Lloyd Brown Rickie Wray James Bruzzese Scott Joseph Bryan Kayla Shanice Bullard Max Otto Burmeister Canyah Monae Byrd Lyric Denise Cain Madelynn Violet Call…
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• New Kent High School Class of 2026 scholarships and awards

  Kimberly Nicole Allen– Shore to Shore LaSertoma Scholarship; New Kent Community Development Scholarship; NAACP Aretha Woodson Memorial Scholarship; Providence Forge Ruritan Club E. David Ringley Memorial Scholarship; Timothy Michael Gray Memorial Scholarship. Graycie Rose Babb– Rappahannock Community College-The Leslie and Loretta Hinton Educational Fund; Rappahannock Community College Logan Bozeman Memorial Scholarship; Suicide Prevention Awareness Scholarship. Deven Michael Bailey– Bottom of the Bridge LaSertoma Scholarship Grant; Shore to Shore LaSertoma Scholarship. Joseph Keegan Beck– Rappahannock Community College-The Leslie and Loretta Hinton Educational Fund. Madelynn Violet Call– New Kent Rotary Club “Service Above Self” Scholarship; Providence Forge Ruritan Club John McLaughlin Memorial…
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• Johnson wins hurdles, Lady Panthers place fifth in Tidewater District

  Charles City’s Derequa Johnson repeated as the girls’ 100-meter hurdles champion at the Tidewater District Track and Field Championships held May 21 at King William High School. Johnson ran a time of 16.77 in the event to capture the gold. Johnson, who finished as the Class 1A state runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles last year, has already qualified for the event this year. Charles City’s Lady Panthers accumulated 36 points to finish fifth in the Tidewater District Championships. Charles City boys’ Daniel Tinsley accounted for the only point on the boys’ side as they finished sixth at the meet. Middlesex…
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• Charles City School Board members dismayed as $7.8 million budget is adopted

  Charles City County’s School Board has adopted its budget on FY2026-27, much to the dismay of board members. School board members voted 4-0 to adopt a budget with local appropriations totaling $7,851,161 for the upcoming cycle, with at-large member Royce Paige absent from the meeting. In total, the overall budget with state funding, federal funding, and other funding brings the total to $15,819,947. In January, Charles City Superintendent of Schools Katina Otey presented a budget with local appropriations totaling $8,923,281. Among recommendations in that budget included a 10-percent salary increase for staff, five additional hires, new equipment and supplies, and…
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• Newport News man receives 14-month sentence for possessing methamphetamine in New Kent

  A Newport News man will spend 14 months in jail for possessing methamphetamine in New Kent County. Michael David King, 34, of the 300 block of Colony Road, pled guilty to a single count of possession of a Schedule I/II substance as part of a plea agreement reached Monday afternoon in New Kent Circuit Court. One additional charge of possession of a Schedule I/II substance and misdemeanor DWI (first offense) were dropped as part of the deal. In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick, on Oct. 23, 2025, an officer noticed a car parked…
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