Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Park Attendant for a Day, State Police Graduation and More: News Briefs for Jan. 9

(WYDaily Media)

HISTORIC TRIANGLE — Catch up on news and notes in brief from in and around the Historic Triangle.

Park Attendant for a Day

JAMES CITY COUNTY — James City County Parks & Recreation is in need of park attendants and is offering those who may be interested in learning about the role the opportunity to volunteer to be a “Park Attendant for a Day.” Participants will learn the ropes and discover the behind-the-scenes action of how county parks, trails, the sports complex and facilities operate. Opportunities are available year-round at a variety of parks with a myriad of duties and functions such supporting park programming, assisting with park beautification projects, working sports tournaments and assisting with trail maintenance, according to the county. Volunteers should be age 18 or older. Work site and duties are based on your preferences and availability. To submit an application, visit jamescitycountyva.gov/865/Volunteer-Internship-Opportunities, email parks.rec@jamescitycountyva.gov or call 757-259-4022.

York County Board of Supervisors Elects Chairman, Vice Chairman for 2023

G. Stephen Roane Jr. (York County)

YORK COUNTY — Thomas G. Shepperd Jr. (District 5) was appointed the Board’s 2023 Chairman, and G. Stephen Roane Jr. (District 4) was appointed Vice Chairman at the Jan. 3 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Shepperd is serving his sixth term on the Board of Supervisors and Mr. Roane is in his first, having been appointed to fill the vacant District 4 seat in December 2020.

The York County Board of Supervisors meets the first and third Tuesday of every month (excluding the first Tuesdays in July and November). Meetings start at 6 p.m.  Board of Supervisors meeting agendas and

Thomas G. Shepperd Jr. (York County)

supporting materials are available at yorkcounty.gov/bos.

Virginia State Police Graduate 34 New Troopers

RICHMOND – Thirty-four members of the Virginia State Police 138th Basic Session were presented their diplomas today, Friday, Dec. 30. The members of the 138th Basic Session began their eight weeks of academic, physical and practical training at the Academy in October,  receiving more than 300 hours of classroom and field instruction in nearly 50 different subjects.

After graduation, the class will return to the Academy for three weeks of hands-on training before heading to their assigned area where each Trooper will spend an additional six weeks paired up with a Field Training Officer learning his or her new patrol area.

Graduates:

Name, Assignment
Shadrack Kwasi Arko, Prince William
Zachary Michael Bishop, Henrico
Boreika ShaRayn Burwell, Roanoke
Kelsie Amanda Cobb, Accomack
Christopher Michael Combs, Wythe
Stephen Troy Comer, Halifax
Robert Allen Dudley, Highland
Cristian Adolfo Durham, Stafford
Brittney Nicole Dye, Fairfax
Timothy Jarrell Fellows, Hampton
Jerry Shane Fuller, Bland
Samuel William Good, III, Rockingham
Norman Eugene Gray, Jr., Charles City
Andre Michael Johnson, Prince William
Joshua Louis Johnson, Henrico
Johnathan David Lackey, Bland
Jacob H. Logan, Franklin
Dalton Shayne Marshall, Wythe
Brian K. Misener, Accomack
Codee Lee Postell, Sussex
Greggory K. Reynolds, Giles
Kyle David Rose, Virginia Beach
Troy Malcolm Shelton, Orange
Christopher W. Shively, Roanoke
James Irwin Shutt, III, Prince George
Matthew Savino Spinosa, Prince William
Bryce Michael Steele, Southampton
Brandon Trevon Taylor, Clarke
Joey Barnett Throckmorton, Charlotte
Kevin Scot Tully, James City
Goran Vukovic, Botetourt
Trenzas D. Whitley, Henrico
Garrison Douglas Wright, Rockingham
James Robert Wright, Bath

(James City County)

Input Needed for Powhatan Creek Watershed Management Plan

JAMES CITY COUNTY — James City County is updating its Powhatan Creek Watershed Management Plan and has launched a survey to collect public input on plan goals and to better understand concerns within the watershed. The survey can be accessed here, or by accessing the project homepage, where more ways to stay involved throughout the plan update can be found, including public meeting announcements and our interactive watershed mapper tool, which allows you to share location-specific concerns and ideas for improving the Powhatan Creek Watershed.

Spring Youth Soccer Registration

YORK COUNTY — Registration for Spring Youth Soccer is underway from Jan. 3-31 for the following age groups:

  • 6&Under (5 and 6-year-olds)
  • 8&Under (7 and 8-year-olds)
  • 10&Under (9 and 10-year-olds)
  • 12&Under (11 and 12-year-olds)
  • 14&Under (13 and 14-year-olds)
  • 18&Under (15 and 18-year-olds)

Registration for Spring Start Smart Instructional Soccer (ages 3-5 years old) will be from Jan. 3-Feb. 24 or when the class is full.

To sign up for the appropriate age group, use your child’s age as of Sept. 30, 2022. Registrations will be accepted online at recreation.yorkcounty.gov/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/splash.html. For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation website.

Gloucester County Launches New Digital Community Engagement Site

GLOUCESTER COUNTY — Gloucester County has launched a new digital community engagement site to inform and engage residents about current and upcoming plans and initiatives, it said, allowing the county government to better incorporate more resident voices in the planning and execution of priority initiatives to improve local services and the overall quality of life in our community.

To participate in the current surveys regarding Zoning or the Opioid Crisis, visit Gloucester County’s homepage. For more information regarding the citizen engagement tool, contact Gloucester’s Community Engagement & Public Information Department at qsheppard@gloucesterva.info or 804-693-5730, or Deputy County Administrator Steve Wright, at swright@gloucesterva.info or 804-693-4042.

Maj. Gen. Lynch to Speak at January VIPMOAA Meeting

Maj. Gen. Joseph Lynch (VIPMOAA)

WILLIAMSBURG — Maj. Gen. Joseph Lynch, USAF (Ret) has been invited to speak at the Virginia Peninsula Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (VIPMOAA) January meeting at Patriots Colony in Williamsburg. Maj. Gen. Lynch is a 1969 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He entered active duty in the Air Force in 1972 following graduation from law school at Emory University in Georgia and served 10 years on active duty as a judge advocate followed by 22 years in the Air Force Reserve. His final Air Force assignment was mobilization assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force while serving in the Air Force Reserve. His civilian position was assistant general counsel (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) for the Department of the Navy, a career senior executive service position (Level 5).

Lynch joined the MOAA staff at their National headquarters located in Arlington VA. in 2010. As the corporate secretary, he supports the board of directors and performs other duties associated with the operation of a large corporation. As the general counsel, he advises the board of directors, president, and staff and directs MOAA’s legal affairs. Visit VIPMOAA at vipmoaa.org

Ruch Elected to Regional Committee and Work Group

Sara Ruch (James City County)

JAMES CITY COUNTY — James City County Deputy Coordinator Sara Ruch was recently elected as Vice Chair of the Hampton Roads All Hazards Advisory Committee (AHAC), which provides policy direction and oversight for the development and maintenance of a coordinated and integrated regional approach to emergency management planning and response systems.

Ruch was also elected as the Chair of the Hampton Roads Urban Area Working group which ensures that applications for funding under grant programs such as the Hampton Roads Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program, support closing capability gaps or sustaining capabilities in Hampton Roads.

The term for both positions is Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2023.

Ruch was also recently elected as the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Region 3 Vice President. IAEM is dedicated to promoting the “Principles of Emergency Management” and representing those professionals whose goals are saving lives and protecting property and the environment during emergencies and disasters. Region 3 consists of members in Virginia, West Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Ruch’s two-year appointment began at the conference on Nov. 17. For more information on IAEM, visit iaem.org.

Ruch has worked as the Deputy Emergency Manager for James City County since April 2017.

James River Association Applauds Governor’s Clean Water Acceleration 

RICHMOND — On Dec. 15, Gov. Youngkin released his proposed amendments to Virginia’s biennial budget for fiscal years 2023 and 2024. His amendments dedicate $480 million to programs supporting cleaner water and healthier rivers.

Bill Street, President and CEO of the James River Association, applauded Governor Youngkin’s clean water budget proposals: “Gov. Youngkin has made it clear that Virginia is committed to meeting our Chesapeake Bay goals and restoring treasured tributaries like the James River. As a Commonwealth, we’ve made important progress to date, but we must accelerate the pace of restoration. These budget proposals will do just that, delivering cleaner water faster for Virginians. We encourage the General Assembly to support these critical clean water investments when they meet next year.”

The Mariners’ Museum To Host US Sailing Sanctioned International Safety at Sea Hands-On Training

NEWPORT NEWS — The annual Captain Henry Marx Memorial Safety at Sea course returns to The Mariners’ Museum and Park on Saturday, March 11. Participants will have the opportunity to earn the International certificate that complies with World Sailing guidelines for Personal Safety from US Sailing. This day-long course, co-sponsored by Landfall Navigation, will take place at The Mariners’ and Brittingham-Midtown Aquatic Center in Newport News.

All tickets are $300. The cost covers lectures, demonstrations, course materials, lunch, a docent tour, transportation to and from the Museum and the Aquatic Center, a copy of “Safety at Sea: A Guide to Safety Under Sail and Personal Survival” textbook, and an International Safety at Sea (ISAF) with Hands-On Training Certificate from U.S. Sailing (valid for five years). The hands-on training in Newport News on March 11 is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is taught by experienced lifelong sailors and experts in their fields and is the second part of earning US Sailing’s International certificate. Participants must complete an online course before attending the hands-on training. For details and to register, visit MarinersMuseum.org/Safety-at-Sea. Space is limited and is open to those ages 18 and over. Registration closes on March 1. For more information, contact Group Experiences Coordinator MaryAnn Steinmiller at msteinmiller@MarinersMuseum.org.

Walter Zadan (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Williamsburg Oyster Shell Station Dedicated to Longest-Serving Oyster Restoration Volunteer

WILLIAMSBURG — The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) dedicated its Williamsburg oyster shell recycling station in honor of Walter Zadan, CBF’s longest-serving Virginia oyster shell recycling volunteer, who passed away in September at the age of 95. During his time with CBF, it said Zadan recycled about 2.8 million oyster shells from Williamsburg restaurants, which have become home to millions of oysters on sanctuary reefs. In addition to this work, he was also a dedicated volunteer at Colonial Williamsburg.  

Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia Names New President

Christopher K. Peace (Independent Colleges in Virginia)

RICHMOND —  The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (“CICV”) recently announced today that former state legislator and practicing attorney, Christopher K. Peace, will become the next president of the organization following the conclusion of the 2023 regular session of the Virginia General Assembly.

Currently, Peace practices law in the metro Richmond region. As a former Virginia state legislator serving in the House of Delegates from 2006 to 2020, Peace represented Hanover, King William, and New Kent Counties.

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