News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | May 17, 2025
Local News
New Kent School Board approves $49 million budget for FY2025-26; hopes for more funds from NKBOS
While New Kent School Board approved its FY2025-26 budget Monday night, they are hopeful for more funding to support positions of needs. School board members voted unanimously 5-0 to approve a budget of $49,036,526 for the upcoming year. However, that amount is $450,000 less than what the school requested from the county. With the proposed shortfall, Director of Finance Haynie Morgheim presented recommendations that were removed from the budget to cover the amount. Among them include eliminating proposed positions of a high school assistant principal ($106,617), a special education administrative position ($169,943), gifted teacher ($75,982), a reduction in projected healthcare…
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New Kent leaders to ponder three-cent tax increase for CIP, FY2025-26 budget
New Kent’s Board of Supervisors are considering a three-cent real estate tax increase as they continue to piddle through a proposed budget. After meeting at a March work session and receiving information, New Kent County leaders reheard a recommendation from New Kent County Administrator Rodney Hathaway of 62 cents per $100 of assessed value on real estate as part of Monday’s public hearing on tax levies. The idea of a tax increase has floated around for the last month-and-a-half as Hathaway commented about two major Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) projects that are in the future timeline. One plan calls for…
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Roanoke man receives month in jail for attempted grand theft auto in New Kent County
A Roanoke man who attempted to steal a car from a Providence Forge business will spend a month in jail. Elijah Wessel Campbell received his sentencing on one charge each of attempted grand theft auto, possession of burglary tools, and breaking and entering during Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. During a Mar. 31 trial, a summary of evidence revealed that on Sept. 6, 2023, Campbell was on the property of United Auto Sales after it had closed for the night. Campbell took a pole and broke the front window, stealing a set of keys to one of…
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Joppy, superintendent of Charles City County Public Schools, to step down effective July 1
Charles City Superintendent of Schools Dalphine Joppy has announced her resignation effective July 1. “This was not an easy decision; this is a personal decision that I feel compelled to during this season of my personal life,” Joppy said in a press release. “It has been my true honor to work with our school board and serve the students, teachers, staff, and families, and community for the past five years.” Prior to serving in Charles City, Joppy worked as the director of professional and organization development at Chesapeake City Public Schools for five years. She also has served as a…
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Providence Forge man to serve eight years in prison for drug distribution, having sex with minors
A Providence Forge man will spend the next eight years in prison stemming from drug charges and having sex with a minor after agreeing to terms of a plea agreement reached during Apr. 2 proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court. Caleb Shane Evans, 21, of the 4300 block of Wigeon Drive, entered guilty pleas to one count of distributing a Schedule I/II drug (first offense), one count of distributing a Schedule I/II substance (second offense), and eight counts of misdemeanor having consensual sex with a child 15 years or older as part of the pela deal. One charge of possession…
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Roanoke man convicted of attempted grand theft auto in New Kent
A Roanoke man has been convicted on several charges linked to an attempted grand theft auto in New Kent. Elijah Wessel Campbell was found guilty on one count each of attempted grand larceny, possession of burglary tools, breaking and entering, causing damage to a public building, misdemeanor petty larceny, and misdemeanor tampering with a vehicle following a Monday afternoon trial in New Kent Circuit Court. In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick, on Sept. 6, 2023, Campbell was on the property of United Auto Sales after they have closed for the night. Campbell took…
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Charles City financial situation updated, but citizens press forward with concerns
Ashamed. Disappointment. Embarrassed. Those were the words used by several members of the public to address the handling of finances by Charles City County over the last several months during Tuesday night’s Charles City Board of Supervisors meeting that lasted more than three hours long. For the last seven months, citizens have questioned several financial transactions and decisions made by county leadership. In Aug. 2024, supervisors agreed to a Revenue Anticipation Note (RAN) of $5.2 million, a short-term revenue boost to cover expenses. Since that moment, citizens have worried about the county’s finances and what happened to funding. More issues…
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Richmond man receives 14-month jail sentence for stealing construction materials in New Kent
A Richmond man who stole construction materials from a residence in New Kent County will spend the next 14 months in jail. Jayvon Marquise Harris, 29, entered guilty pleas to one count each of grand larceny and intent to sell stolen property as part of a plea agreement reached Monday afternoon in New Kent Circuit Court. Six charges of obtaining money by false pretenses, two additional charges of grand larceny, and two additional charges of intent to sell stolen property were dropped as part of the plea deal. In a summary of evidence by New Kent Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick,…
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Richmond man receives 12-month sentence for distributing marijuana in New Kent
A Richmond man will spend the next 12 months in jail for distributing marijuana in New Kent County. Thomas Edward Burwell, 40, of the 900 block of N. 36th Street, entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of misdemeanor distribution of marijuana less than one ounce (originally distribution of a Schedule I/II substance-second offense) as part of a plea agreement reached Monday in New Kent Circuit Court. In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick, on Jan. 26, 2024, the Twin Rivers Drug Task Force conducted several control buys with a confidential informant throughout…
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Thirteen people indicted by New Kent grand jury during proceedings
A baker’s dozen of individuals were indicted by a New Kent grand jury following Monday morning proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court: –John Carlton Babcock, 20, of the 5900 block of Plaster Lane, Quinton, on a lone count of possession of a Schedule I/II substance. The defendant was allegedly in possession of cocaine on Apr. 30, 2024. –Michael Eugene Brown II, 26, of the 400 block of 6th Avenue, Wall, South Dakota, one a solo count of felony child abuse. The offense allegedly occurred on July 1, 2024. –Tavares Butts, 24, currently of Henrico Jail East, on a single charge…
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