Region Offers Many Opportunities to Enjoy Staying Close to Home
|
 If you're beginning to think about summer vacations and are concerned about gas prices, consider taking a "staycation." The region has more than 70 major attractions, including shopping, more than 900 restaurants and more than 160 hotels, so there are numerous choices for all interests and tastes. You could take in a museum, explore history, ride a roller coaster or have a spa day. Visit the Richmond Metropolitan and Convention Bureau for complete information about all the Richmond Region has to offer. Regardless of your interests, a staycation is a perfect opportunity to have fun, relax and learn while staying close to home!
If you're into Civil War history, there are more than 80 events planned throughout the area for a 60-day period this spring and summer. The battles that took place around Richmond during the spring and summer of 1862 shaped the course of the Civil War. Beginning May 9 and continuing through July 11, the Richmond Region will commemorate the 150th anniversary of this tumultuous period with 60 days of special events:
"On this date. In this place. At this time." Battlefields and historic sites in Richmond and Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover counties will offer visitors unparalleled opportunities to walk in the footsteps of history, experience Richmond's story from multiple viewpoints, and discover what made these battles so significant.
The events will kick off in Chesterfield County to commemorate the battle of Drewry's Bluff. On May 15, 1862, a Union flotilla, led by ironclads USS Monitor and Galena, was instructed to "shell [Richmond] to a surrender." Union and Confederate Marines faced each other during the four-hour battle as Richmond's fate hung in the balance. The Confederates prevailed and Richmond was never again seriously threatened by a water-based attack. For his bravery during the battle, Union Cpl. John Mackie became the first U.S. Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Events scheduled May 9-15 commemorate Mackie's heroism, as well as the only naval battle for the city of Richmond. Central Library will host the Virginia Civil War 150th HistoryMobile, special events and activities and a panel discussion about the causes and effects of the battle. At the Drewry's Bluff site, there will be weekend tours, special activities, including the Marine Corps Band and Historical Unit and artillery demonstrations. On Tuesday, May 15, at 7 p.m., there will be a special ceremony, The Meaning of Valor at Drewry's Bluff: A Commemoration of Service, to commemorate the sacrifice and courage of America's service members 150 years ago and today. For more about details about the Drewry's Bluff events, visit the region's Civil War website, www.ontorichmond.com.
|
Tips from the Chesterfield County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services
- As the weather turns warm, check dryer vent discharges, yard and front porch lights and flood lights, to make sure that these areas have not become nesting spots. If so, remove the nests, since they are areas where fires can easily occur.
- Be safe when working outdoors. 1) Always call Miss Utility of Virginia at 811 before digging on your property. 2) Allow the proper time frame, typically three days, for lines to be marked before beginning excavation work. 3) Be cautious when using ladders and make sure there is ample distance from overhead power lines. 4) Always have another adult secure the foot of the ladder. 5) Never tie a personal safety line on to any object that can be moved. 6) Always wear gloves, safety glasses and ear protection when working with power tools.
- When at the beach this summer, remember that it is easy to lose sight of little ones, even if you try to keep them close. Keep the following tips in mind:
1) Swim near a lifeguard stand.
2) If you don't understand rip currents, don't hesitate to ask a lifeguard to explain the hazards.
3) If the water is rough, don't go in over your waist.
4) Designate "kid watchers" so that everyone knows who is responsible for keeping an eye on the kids.
5) Apply sunscreen throughout the day to help protect against severe sunburn. - For more safety tips click here.
|
For more County News, click here.
- On March 28, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors adopted a $1.15 billion total budget that will go into effect July 1. The financial plan includes a $722.2 million general fund that demonstrates the county's continued commitment to education and safety, with increases in these areas and others, due in part to an additional $16.7 million in revenue. The county will allocate $8.5 million more to the school division, with a total allocation of $297.4 million, and $4.7 million for public safety, with a total allocation of $138.4 million. An additional $3 million was set aside as contingency funds.
- Chesterfield County is one of only four Virginia counties, and only 214 nationwide, to receive this year's Sunny Award recognizing transparency or open government. The county received the award from Sunshine Review, a national nonprofit that evaluates and grades more than 6,000 state- and local-government websites. Other Virginia localities receiving A+ transparency grades included the city of Richmond, Richmond Public Schools and Gloucester, Mathews and York counties. Sunshine Review announced the awards to coincide with Sunshine Week, March 11-17, which celebrated openness in government.
- Recently, the Planning Commission approved the first four chapters of the proposed new Comprehensive Plan, including an introduction, plan overview, existing conditions and the land-use plan. As the process continues, numerous opportunities for public input will be available, including a public hearing about the final draft plan.
- The next Board of Supervisors meetings will be held on May 23, June 27 and July 25 in the Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Road. There will be only one meeting each month from May through September. Sessions typically begin at 3 p.m., break at 5 p.m., and then resume at 6:30 p.m.
- Chesterfield County received a "best" rating, coming in at No. 17 out of 131 counties, in a new study presented by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps that ranked some of the least healthiest places to live, based on health behaviors, access to medical care and education. To see how Chesterfield County compared click here.
- Construction is under way on the Huguenot Bridge Replacement Project and should be completed by October 2013. This VDOT project will replace the bridge across the James River with a new structure that has two 12-foot lanes, two 10-foot shoulders and two 5-foot sidewalks.
- Chesterfield County has been named to Training Magazine's Top 125 listing at No. 16. This is the sixth consecutive year that the county's learning and development efforts have been recognized and compared against both nonprofit and private-sector organizations. Once again, the county remains the only local government to be named on this impressive list, joining other prominent Richmond area businesses such as CarMax, No. 28, and Capital One, No. 31.
|
For more business news, click here.
- The Richmond region attracted hundreds of the country's top youth field hockey and soccer players during March, when two large national tournaments, the Richmond Strikers Jefferson Cup and USA Field Hockey, were played, many on county fields. These tournaments were expected to generate about $15 million in the region.
- On March 14, a state-of-the-art aquatics facility opened in Chesterfield County, just south of Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road. The $14 million Collegiate School Aquatics Center features an Olympic-caliber 50-meter competition pool plus smaller practice and therapy pools. The competition pool was used in Omaha, Neb., at the 2008 for the Olympic Trials. The center's opening attracted Olympic swimmer Katie Hoff and 99-year-old Marie Kelleher, an international record holder who began swimming competitively when she was 65. The center will be available for public use and will be critical to completing the goal of teaching every Richmond-area second-grader how to swim by 2020. It is part of a partnership that includes the Richmond Kickers, the Richmond Sports Backers, the Poseidon swim club, and Collegiate and Trinity Episcopal schools.
- The Children's Museum of Richmond will open a branch in Chesterfield County this summer in the Winterpock Crossings Shopping Center on Hull Street Road west of Route 288. The site will include a Main Street pretend-play area with a bank, grocery store, diner, veterinarian's office, theater, a fire station with a real fire truck, and a three-dimensional tree from which children can pick "apples." The site is designed for children up to years old, and will offer school field trips, camps, special events and space for parties and other private events. For more information,
visit www.c-mor.org. - On April 20, BGB Technology Inc. announced plans to establish its first U.S. facility on Port Walthall Drive. BGB designs and manufactures electrical and optical slip-ring assemblies for rotary applications, including components for wind turbines. The company also designs and makes underwater lighting and camera systems, and wireless Ethernet bridge systems. BGB is a market leader in the United Kingdom. It plans to invest more than $2 million.
- Amazon.com's new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Meadowville Technology Park is under construction, and the company is beginning to look for local employees. The online retailer has listed openings on its website for some management and administrative jobs at the two distribution centers it is building in the Richmond area, including here and in Dinwiddie County. Amazon announced in December that it would invest $135 million to open the new facilities. Combined, the sites are expected to employ about 1,350 people.
- Marten Transport Ltd. is building a new facility on Port Walthall Drive in the Walthall Enterprise Zone. It will invest $7 million and add 50 new positions within the first year of opening. The company currently employs 125 workers.
|
| County Programs and Services |
For a full listing of programs and services, click here.
- 25i is one of many designer drugs, or synthetic drugs, that are chemically altered to circumvent drug laws. In recent weeks, the law enforcement, medical, education and substance-abuse-treatment communities have become aware of its use in Chesterfield County. Users may experience strong adverse effects, including medical and psychiatric issues, or worse. To find out more about signs, symptoms, consequences and preventive measures, click here or log in to your Facebook account and search Chesterfield SAFE.
- In recognition of Mental Health Month in May, the Department of Mental Health Support Services is encouraging people to learn more about mental illnesses and to seek help, if needed. In a given year, one in four adults, or approximately 57.7 million Americans, cope with diagnosable mental health disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
- Prevention Services will be offering a number of summer classes for parents and children that help during the preschool and early elementary years, to cope during divorce and separation. For more information or to register, visit chesterfield.gov/parenting.
- Adolescents who inhale refrigerant from air-conditioning units can die or damage their brains - and the refrigerant is easy to access through a unit's service valve. Substance Abuse Free Environment Inc., or SAFE, initiated a partnership with HVAC companies last spring to provide locking caps to homeowners at no charge to help prevent access to the toxic gas. Homeowners should consider getting locking caps installed on their cooling systems' service valves when they schedule their air-conditioning tune-ups this spring. Some local companies are installing locking caps free of charge as part of a regular maintenance or service call, or at no cost even if no other service is provided. For information, visit chesterfieldsafe.org.
- The Chesterfield County Police Department recently presented 81 individual volunteers with President's Volunteer Service Awards, a national honor offered in recognition of their volunteer service. Established in 2003, the President's Volunteer Service Award is awarded annually to those who have met or exceeded requirements for volunteer service and have demonstrated exemplary citizenship through volunteering. Approximately 200 volunteers perform community service for the department as auxiliary officers, motorist assistants, chaplains, Crime Solvers board members, office volunteers and Animal Control volunteers. For more information about volunteering, call 804-318-8695 or email maxwellc@chesterfield.gov.
|
Chesterfield County Public Schools is unveiling a free, mobile-friendly website for smart phones, tablets and other handheld devices. The mobile Web app is another online innovation for CCPS, which also has changed its website address, redesigned its online presence and launched an e-newsletter for the community this year. The new address for the school system's website is mychesterfieldschools.com. Visit the site's homepage to sign up for the community newsletter. |
For more events, click here.
- The annual James River Regional Cleanup will be held on Saturday, June 9, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at multiple sites among several river localities. Register to spend the morning picking up trash around the river and several tributary streams. Last year, volunteers collected hundreds of bags of trash and recyclable materials in just a few hours. Sponsored by the James River Advisory Council, in cooperation with the James River Association. Boaters also are needed. Online registration is easy at jrac-va.org.
- The Eco-Paddle at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge will be held Saturday, May 12, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Boat, hike and paddle your way into the heart of the island's pristine wetlands. Guided by James River Association and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff. Canoes and life jackets provided.
- Tour the James River on the Discovery Barge II, a covered, 24-foot boat, on May 12, May 13, June 2 and July 7. Excursions will feature local wildlife and history spanning the 17th century to today at Henricus and Dutch Gap. Participants will explore the habitats of native bald eagles and listen to stories about fascinating aspects of the James River. Excursions will last 45-minutes and a maximum of six people may go on each tour, which costs $25 per person (children under 5 are not permitted).
- The 2nd Annual Senior Idol Competition will be held on Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m., at Victory Tabernacle Church of God, 11700 Genito Road. The program will consist of the top 12 acts from the Greater-Richmond area as determined during auditions held in April.
- The popular spring acoustic concert series, presented by the Chesterfield County Public Library and the Friends of the Chesterfield County Public Library, continues throughout May. Registration is suggested, either online or by calling 804-751-CCPL.
- The Chesterfield County Mental Health Support Services' Service Coordination Team, will present the film, Henry O, at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 15, at Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd., as part of the ReelAbilities: NY Disabilities Film Festival. The film highlights the accomplishments of the world's first blind sportscaster, Enrique Oliu. This is one of six award-winning films celebrating diversity that the Weinstein Jewish Community Center, the Saul Schottenstein Foundation B and community partners are sponsoring in the region May 14-21. Each film is followed by discussions or other engaging programs in an effort to promote awareness and appreciation of people with disabilities.
- Experience Chesterfield County's Civil War campaigns with a new perspective - from the river. A special boat tour enables participants to enjoy the natural beauty of the James River as they trace the Civil War naval actions that took place in the area of Dutch Gap and Jones Neck from 1862 through 1865. Civil War Historian Scott Williams will tell stories about Confederate torpedoes, the digging of the Dutch Gap Canal and the Bermuda Hundred Campaign of 1864. May 19, 8-10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; June 10, noon-2 p.m. and 2:30-4:30 p.m.
- The Cultural Center of India, a nonprofit organization, will hold the 9th Annual "Taste of India" at the Cultural Center of India, 6641 Iron Bridge Parkway, June 23 -24, noon-9 p.m. The festival provides a glimpse of Indian culture, a taste of diverse Indian cuisine, exhibits of Indian handicrafts and art, and music and folk dances.
- Discover Chesterfield: A Walking Club - This walking program is designed to introduce participants to county parks, open spaces and greenways while meeting new walking partners. Held on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. at various locations. Led by Parks and Recreation staff. Call 804-751-4135 for more information.
|
|
|
