News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 20, 2023
Local News
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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Charles City man to serve two months for eluding police
A Charles City man will spend two months in jail after receiving formal sentencing Tuesday morning in Charles City Circuit Court. Tequan Lavaris Adkins, 28, of the 10000 block of Shady Lane, was sentenced on one count each of felony eluding of police and misdemeanor driving revoked. During a Dec. 16, 2022 trial, Adkins pled guilty to the offense where he fled from officers on Feb. 28, 2022 and admitted to his wrongdoings. Adkins told the court during sentencing that he fled due to his past experience dealing with law enforcement officers. Adkins received a five-year sentence with four years,…
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Budget proposal tops $47 million for New Kent County Public Schools’ operations in FY23-24
The growth of New Kent County is having a major impact on the future of New Kent County Public Schools. That impact comes with a price tag of more than $47 million being proposed for FY2023-24. New Kent Superintendent of Schools Brian Nichols presented his budget proposal during Monday night’s regular school board meeting. With Director of Finance Haynie Morgheim spearheading the dialogue, New Kent’s school system is expecting to reach 3,500 for the upcoming new year. “In year’s past, we have been conservative with our numbers,” Morgheim commented. “But with the growth of the county, it just seems reasonable…
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Virginia Beach man enters guilty plea to driving under influence of cocaine in New Kent
A Virginia Beach man who drove intoxicated on Interstate 64 in New Kent County has pled guilty to multiple offenses. Enrico Florio Jr., 67, entered a guilty plea to on one charge of possession of a Schedule I/II drug and an amended charge of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated on drugs (first offense), which was originally a second charge of possession of a Schedule I/II drug, as part of afternoon proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick, on May 22, 2021, a Virginia State Trooper traveling eastbound on Interstate…
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New Kent man found guilty for strangling ex-lover during argument
A New Kent man who attacked an ex-lover has been found guilty on the crime following Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Andrew Gordon Luck, 44, of the 5500 block of Ridgewood Drive, was convicted on one count of strangulation following the contested trial. He was found not guilty on two charges of misdemeanor violating a protective order. On Aug. 19, 2022, New Kent Sheriff’s Office Deputy Schyler Sibley responded to a call for service at a residence in the county. Upon arriving, he found a victim, who he described as visually distressed and upset. Upon observation, Sibley…
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Judge denies all 43 attempts of Charles City man to throw out verdicts, sentences him to prison for abduction
A Charles City man spent the first hour of his formal sentencing making 43 attempts to convince Judge B. Elliott Bondurant to throw out four guilty convictions rendered against him during a Dec. 2, 2022 jury trial. It didn’t work. Instead, Paul Ronald Gwaz, 64, of the 9000 block of Barnetts Road, will spend the next three years and nine months on an abduction charge after proceedings were completed in Charles City Circuit Court Friday morning. During the December trial, evidence presented that on Apr. 5, 2022, Gwaz was in a home of the relative when the witness left to…
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Quinton man receives two years for attempting to commit indecent acts with minor
Editor’s Note: This story contains content that may be unsuitable for some readers. A Quinton man who attempted to commit sexual acts with a child will spend the next two years in jail. Joshua Lee Carpenter received formal sentencing on one count each of a parent violating the rights of a child (less than 15 years of age) and attempted sodomy with a minor during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. During a Sept. 15, 2022 trial, Carpenter pled not guilty to crimes of indecent acts with a child by a parent and sodomy as part of a…
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Judge doesn’t buy defendant’s story, Richmond man convicted on felony eluding
A Richmond man who did not pull over after being signaled to by a New Kent County deputy has been found guilty of felony eluding. Sho’Mari Sosa Middleton, 23, of the 9000 block of W. Cloisters, was handed the verdict following a Monday morning contested trial in New Kent Circuit Court. On July 1, 2022, a New Kent Sheriff’s Officer operating LIDAR clocked a vehicle traveling 70 miles per hour in a posted 55 miles per hour zone on Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) eastbound. The officer began trailing the car, trying to get information off the vehicle’s license plate before…
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