News Near You for June 22

This daily column features short news items from some of the 20 localities that make up the greater Richmond area. If you have a news item, call 649-6990 or e-mail us at .

NEWS NEAR YOU

Charles City The Charles City County Board of Supervisors will meet tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the Government and School Administration Building, 10900 Courthouse Road.

Chesterfield The Chesterfield County Planning Commission today will hold a work session at 12:30 p.m. and public hearings at 3 and 6:30 p.m. Items on the agenda include occupancy limits for single-family dwellings and a public hearing on a permit to allow dancing and live entertainment at the Boathouse at Sunday Park and surrounding businesses.

Colonial Heights The Colonial Heights School Board will meet tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Colonial Heights Technical Center.

Cumberland The Cumberland County Board of Supervisors will assemble for an out-of-town site visit on Thursday at 7 a.m. at the Old Clerk's Office Conference Room, 1 Courthouse Circle. The supervisors will then proceed to an existing business park in Greensboro, N.C.

Hanover Career-transition workshops will be sponsored by the Pamunkey Regional Library tomorrow at the Atlee Branch Library, 9161 Atlee Road, Mechanicsville, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday at the Ashland Branch Library, 201 S. Railroad Ave., beginning at 2 p.m. The workshops offer help to people looking for a job, including how to use library resources to create résumés, search online for jobs and complete job applications. Library staff will also show people how to set up an e-mail account.

Hopewell The Hopewell Department of Development and Bay Area Economics will hold a public hearing Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. as part of the process of updating the Impediments to Fair Housing Study for the city. The meeting will be in the first-floor meeting room of the Appomattox Regional Public Library, 245 E. Cawson St. For details, call the Division of Planning at 541-2220.

King William The King William County Board of Supervisors will meet today at 7 p.m. in the board meeting room of the Administration Building, 180 Horse Landing Road. On the agenda is a discussion on the purchase of an emergency radio system.

Powhatan The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. in the large conference room of the county library. The purpose is to plan long-term water and sewer facilities. Portions of the meeting will be closed to discuss acquisition of real property for public purposes.

Richmond Virginia State Police announced a two-day highway enforcement blitz for yesterday and today. Troopers will be highly visible along Interstates 295, 85 and 77, as well as the Pocahontas 895 Toll Road. The traffic-safety initiative is intended to remind motorists to respect the speed limit, buckle up and drive responsibly.

Sussex The Chowan Basin Soil & Water Conservation meeting will be held tonight from 7 to 9 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture office in Courtland. The meeting is open to the public.

AROUND THE STATE

Lorton Federal agents have seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine at a Lorton hotel. According to court records, agents arranged to buy the drug with the help of a jailhouse informant whose cellmate claimed to belong to a Mexican drug trafficking organization. Records say Maria Benita Santa-Maria of Alabama and her alleged co-conspirator, Nihad Jasarevic, attempted to sell authorities 10 1-pound packets of methamphetamine. The two were arrested last week at a Lorton Comfort Inn and were charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Woodbridge Court records show that a bus driver charged in the slaying of a fellow driver had a criminal record. Glenn Wade of Woodbridge was charged with murder in the shooting death of Darnell McPherson of Dale City; both drove buses for the Potomac and Rappahannock Transit Commission. Officials say the two had a fight before shooting broke out Monday. Court records show that Wade had prior convictions for crack-cocaine possession, evidence tampering and witness tampering. He also spent nearly four years in prison. Officials with contractor First Transit say they didn't know about Wade's criminal background before they hired him in 2004.

Jamestown The commemoration of Jamestown's 400th anniversary generated $1.2 billion in sales. The report by the Jamestown 2007 Steering Committee also states that anniversary activities netted $22 million in tax revenues for Virginia. The commemoration of North America's first permanent English settlement was an 18-month event, capped by the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of England in 2007. The report said the commemoration increased awareness of Jamestown's founding in 1607 and attracted conferences and meetings to the commonwealth. Organizers said the Virginia commemoration provided a template for planners in other areas of the country such as Plymouth, Mass., where similar events are being planned.

Charlottesville After years of debate, a change has been made at a famous Charlottesville statue to honor the contributions a Native American woman made to the Lewis and Clark expedition. Residents and Native American guests erected a marker at the West Main Street tableau, which features Lewis and Clark along with Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who served as a guide and interpreter. The statue, erected in 1919, had drawn criticism for years because it depicted Sacagawea kneeling next to the explorers, who stand upright. Ros Ann Abrahamson, a descendant of Sacagawea, says the marker honoring her ancestor's contributions to the expedition is a fitting tribute.