The Virginia Department of Transportation has awarded seven highway contracts, worth about $5.5 million, for construction and maintenance projects in central and Southside Virginia.

• Lee Hy Paving Corp. of Glen Allen received two contracts totaling about $2 million for paving work in Charles City, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent counties.

Once inhospitable because of pesticides, a nearly 40-mile stretch of the tidal, freshwater James now harbors one of the country’s top concentrations of eagles, herons and other fish-eating birds.

Bid goodbye to state Route 5’s old, gapped, sagging span over the Chickahominy River, and say hello to the new Judith Stewart Dresser Memorial Bridge. The $33.6million span will open to traffic today, the Virginia Department of Transportation said, replacing a balky, 70-year-old bridge that has to swing open to allow boats to pass. “The drive to Williamsburg will be made much easier now that they have the new bridge,“ said Charles City resident Doris Slusser. “It’s a big help for me.

The Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge will be closed again from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday while engineers fine-tune the balance of its lift span.

This daily column features short news items from the 20 localities that make up the greater Richmond area. On Mondays, we run at least one item from each of the localities. If you have a news item, call 649-6990 or e-mail us at Amelia Work has begun on the visitors center at Amelia County’s Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park. The $1.1 million center is expected to be completed next summer.

This daily column features short news items from the 20 localities that make up the greater Richmond area. On Mondays, we run at least one item from each of the localities.

A modern powwow is a religious ceremony, picnic, reunion, craft show and festival. One other thing: “It’s a stereotype buster,“ said Stephen Adkins, chief of the Chickahominy Indian tribe. At powwows, people who learned about Indians from TV can meet Native Americans and discover they are people from all walks of life who live in houses and work hard to preserve their culture.

Location : Chickahominy Tribal Grounds, Lott Cary Road (state Route 602) in Charles City County.
  On the Web : http://www.chickahominy
tribe.org
One other thing: “It’s a stereotype buster,“ said Stephen Adkins, chief of the Chickahominy Indian tribe. At powwows, people who learned about Indians from TV can meet Native Americans and discover they are people from all walks of life who live in houses and work hard to preserve their culture.

A company's request to moor barges in the James River near two historic plantations, a wildlife refuge and a bald eagle nest has inspired tough opposition in Charles City County.

Charles City County will receive $1.4 million for a housing-improvement project in the Gilfield-Church Lane area, the governor said yesterday. The grant is a combination of $798,322 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds and $606,900 in state indoor-plumbing money.

Fort Pocahontas will host its 11th annual re-enactment of the Action at Wilson's Wharf this weekend in Charles City County.

The question of whether deer hunters should be prohibited from using high-powered rifles in Charles City County could be settled this week.

A handful of Charles City County residents voiced concerns during a public hearing last night about a budget that would cut funding across the county.

Charles City County residents will have a chance to comment tonight on the proposed schools budget for 2008-2009.

Joseph W. Dooley wants to correct what he sees as a terrible oversight. "All patriots of the Revolutionary War deserve to be honored," he said.