Amelia The food pantry that serves needy Amelia County residents will be open tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until the food is distributed, at the Church of Christ-Apostolic Faith, 21502 Patrick Henry Highway in Jetersville. Every month, the pantry distributes surplus government food as well as grocery items provided by the Central Virginia Foodbank and through a Food Lion program. For details, call (804) 561-4650.

 

Caroline Caroline County staff members and consultants are working on a proposal that will allow the county to withdraw water from the Rappahannock River in the future, County Administrator Percy Ashcraft said in a monthly message to residents. The Department of Environmental Quality must grant approval before water can be withdrawn.

Charles City The Charles City County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will hold its first Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Charles City Social Center, 8320 Ruthville Road. The event, which is free of charge, will feature authentic African drums and dance, gospel singing, a living history performance, a horseshoe tournament, softball games and free hotdogs and soft drinks.

Chesterfield Chesterfield County police are encouraging residents to begin planning now for the 25th annual National Night Out Against Crime, scheduled for Aug. 5. Residents can celebrate the fight against crime by hosting neighborhood block parties or other events. Those wishing to hold events should register by July 20. For details, go to www.chesterfield.gov/PublicSafety/Police/nightout.asp. or call Crime Prevention Officer Bryan Miltenberger at (804) 318-8691.

Colonial Heights Colonial Heights High School will have its graduation ceremony Friday at 8:45 p.m. at the school's athletic field. If it's raining, the ceremony will be moved into the gymnasium.

Cumberland The Cumberland County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing June 17 at 7 p.m. on the possibility of personal property tax relief for disabled veterans and volunteer firefighters and rescue squad members.

Dinwiddie The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors and the county School Board will hold a joint meeting Wednesday to discuss an unanticipated cut of $1 million in the upcoming school system operating budget. School Superintendent Charles Maranzano Jr. said the reduction in funds had eroded trust in the Board of Supervisors. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at Sutherland Elementary School, 6000 R.B. Pamplin Drive.

Goochland The Goochland County Board of Supervisors last week approved one application for a cellular communications tower in Crozier but rejected another one. The board OK'd plans by National Communication Towers LLC for a 199-foot tower just south of the Crozier Fire Department. But the board denied a permit requested by SBA Towers Inc. to build a 190-foot tower near Hunters Woods subdivision. The plan did not conform to the county's goal of concealing such towers as much as possible, said Bob Hammond, the county's planning director.

Hanover Hanover County Community Services has presented its Jean C. Harris Award for Excellence to Sandy Roll, a primary facilitator of the Hanover Family Support Group, whose primary goal is to support and guide people who have a mentally ill family member. Roll was credited with working hard to revive the Support Group and with helping families of individuals with serious mental illness.

Henrico Henrico County was recertified as a Certified Crime Prevention Community by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services last week. Henrico is one of 14 localities in Virginia to hold the certification, which recognizes localities that have implemented a defined set of community safety strategies as part of a comprehensive community safety and crime prevention effort.

Hopewell The Hopewell City Council is considering four applicants for two School Board positions that need to be filled by the end of June. Longtime members Juanita C. Chambers and Ronald L. Caricofe have asked to be reappointed when their terms expire June 30, but the council is also considering two new candidates, the Rev. Philip E. Andrews of Liberty Baptist Church and resident Robert Bruce Thompson. Mayor Steven R. Taylor said the council will interview the candidates before the next meeting, when a decision will be made.

King and Queen The Paumnkey Regional Library is offering a Web site for genealogical and local history information. The site can be visited using computers in the library's branches in King and Queen and King William counties or through the library's Web site, www.pamunkeylibrary.org.

King William There is still time for runners to register for the Chesty Puller Memorial Twin Bridge 10K Run in West Point on June 21. Named for the highly decorated Marine hero who was born in West Point, the race was inspired by last year's 5K run held during dedication ceremonies of the Lord Delaware and Eltham bridges in West Point. On-site registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. the day of the race. The race will begin at 8 a.m.

Louisa The Louisa County Board of Supervisors gave a special recognition last week to Darren Coffey, the county's director of economic development. Coffey will leave Louisa for the same duties in Fluvanna County later this year. During his three years in Louisa, he has helped facilitate the burgeoning development at Zion Crossroads. The supervisors recognized Coffey during its regular meeting last Monday.

New Kent The New Kent County Board of Supervisors is expected to adopt a budget at its meeting today. The county administration has proposed a real estate tax rate of 75 cents per $100 of assessed value, but the supervisors could approve a lower rate. More than 60 residents turned out May 28 for a public hearing, with several expressing concern about increased property assessments.

Petersburg T.C. Hairston, chief of fire and emergency medical services, told Petersburg officials last week that his department is one of the busiest in the region and offers some of the lowest salaries to its employees. During a presentation detailing budget needs, he said that during the past two years, the department has dealt with seven fatalities. The proposed budget for the next fiscal year allocates $6.3 million for the Fire Department, not including a proposed salary increase.

Powhatan At its meeting at 7 tonight, the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take up a request to renew a conditional-use permit to operate a concrete mixing plant on a 4-acre site in South Creek One.

Prince George At its regularly scheduled meeting today at 6 p.m., the Prince George County School Board is expected to act on the school system's technology plan for 2008-12, computer use, student conduct policies and revisions to its workers compensation policy. The meeting will be held in the Board of Supervisors meeting room.

Richmond The Fan Care Program will provide free fans through Sept. 30 to people 60 years old and older who meet certain income eligibility requirements. The program is a joint effort of Dominion Virginia Power, the Virginia Department for the Aging and Senior Connections: The Capital Area Agency on Aging. To apply for a fan, call the Fan Care hot line at (804) 343-3005 and leave your name, address and phone number. To make a tax-deductible donation to the program, send a check payable to Senior Connections Fan Care to SC/CAAA Fan Care, 24 E. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219.

Sussex Biologists employed by the U.S. Navy began a survey last week of breeding and nesting birds in areas being considered as the site of a practice landing field for Navy jets. Two of the five areas being studied are partly in Sussex County, where residents and the Board of Supervisors have expressed opposition to the field. The bird studies are part of a broader Navy study of the potential environmental impact of an airfield.

AROUND THE STATE

Alexandria Dr. Lisa Kaplowitz will become director of the Alexandria Health District July 1. Kaplowitz has served as deputy commissioner for emergency preparedness and response at the Virginia Department of Health since 2002. She succeeds Alexandria's current health director, Dr. Charles Konigsberg, who is retiring. An acting deputy commissioner for emergency preparedness and response will be named while the search is under way for a successor to Kaplowitz.

Bedford A former school administrator accused of killing his wife and trying to make her death appear a suicide is free on bond. Brian Wesley Earnest was released from the Bedford Adult Detention Center on Thursday. Earnest was arrested in late February; his trial date is set for July 29. Jocelyn Branham Earnest was found dead in her Forest home on Dec. 20. A former Heritage High School assistant principal, Earnest was working as an assistant principal at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake when he was arrested.

Nelson County The Virginia Funeral Directors Association will hold its annual convention next week at Wintergreen Resort. The four-day convention will be capped off by an Inaugural Banquet on June 18, at which the association will welcome its 2008-2009 board of directors. Classes will give members the opportunity to earn credit hours needed to stay current on required professional accreditation. -- From Staff and Wire Reports