To thousands of military veterans in central Virginia, many of whom were jobless and almost penniless, retired Army Sgt. Maj. Mae Ann Damon Brown was an angel with a laptop. Mrs. Brown, who served as benefits coordinator for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services for four years, would “type in our information in a heartbeat and fax it from her laptop to the V [Veterans Administration office] in Roanoke. She made things happen,“ said Clifton J.C. Troutman III of Richmond, one of many she helped receive benefits.

FORT LEE—The official opening of the Army Logistics University today marks the beginning of an influx of military and civilian students and personnel at Fort Lee. Nearly 200 students are arriving at the Prince George County army base through next month to take courses at the university. Classes will begin in August, university officials said.

Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse cooked up a feast in April when he taped a show at the Army Center of Excellence, Subsistence at Fort Lee. After a delay from an original broadcast date, the show taped at Fort Lee is scheduled to air tomorrow on his show “Emeril Green.“ At Fort Lee, Lagasse prepared enough food to feed a small army. He was dressed in battle camouflage and combat boots like his kitchen helpers, which included men and women in the culinary programs at Fort Lee.

PETERSBURG Kelly Waldrop could barely contain her excitement as she walked through historic Blandford Cemetery yesterday morning. The second-year teacher at Mechanicsville Elementary School in Hanover County was playing the role of student as she excitedly made rubbings of headstones in the old graveyard. Waldrop is among 14 central Virginia teachers immersing themselves in central Virginia history during a Community Teachers Institute seminar aimed at revealing historical resources available in the Tri-Cities to supplement students’ education with hands-on, Standards of Learning-based experiences.

The museums and historical attractions visited by the Community Teacher’s Institute seminar:
  U.S. Army Quartermaster’s Museum: http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/
  Battersea Plantation: http://www.batterseainc.com/
  Petersburg National Battlefield: http://www.nps.gov/pete/
  U.S. Army Women’s Museum: http://www.awm.lee.army.mil/

Henrico The Henrico County Health Department is seeking 100 more volunteers for Sunday’s drill to test the county’s plan to dispense emergency medication in response to a bioterrorism event or a disease outbreak. The exercise will take place from 6-7 p.m. at CVS Pharmacy, 9501 Woodman Road. Registration has been extended to Friday. There is no age limit for volunteers, and participation is not limited to county residents. For information and to register, call 501-4643 or log on to http://www.co.henrico.va.us/health.

The proposed construction of a large lodging facility at Fort Lee has triggered concern among hotel industry leaders and local government officials in the Tri-Cities. The Army is contemplating building a 1,000-room facility at Fort Lee to support a projected student growth at the installation because of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission process.

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 . 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.

A Fort Lee soldier from Chesapeake died at VCU Medical Center hours after he was observed behaving erratically in a barracks on base. Spc. Husson Colbert, 31, was taken to Southside Regional Medical Center for a medical evaluation Wednesday afternoon after he was seen walking off balance, Fort Lee spokeswoman Sarah Tier said. He was later transported to Richmond, where he was pronounced dead, she said.

On Memorial Day weekend, Fort Lee’s soldiers fan out into the community to help recognize the contributions of those who have fallen in the line of service. The base itself is quiet—like other workplaces many there have the weekend off duty—but it’s traditional for soldiers to participate in community ceremonies and events outside the post, said Trinace Johnson, a base spokeswoman.

JetBlue is tossing a sharp salute this month to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces. Active-duty service members will be able to fly out of Richmond International Airport on JetBlue Airways for $1 this month. Men and women serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard can book the $1 fares on flights from RIC—or Washington Dulles International Airport—for travel to any nonstop domestic destination between Friday and May 31.

Virginia military bases will receive an additional $28 million through the federal stimulus package for quality-of-life improvements, infrastructure work and energy-saving projects, U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner announced yesterday. The funds will go to 34 projects at Forts A.P. Hill, Eustis, Lee, Belvoir and Myer. That’s in addition to nearly $300 million in stimulus funding announced last month for construction and restoration of Virginia military facilities.

Officials on tour get a look at work that will increase the size of the base to nearly 15 million square feet and be home to Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine and Navy operations, schools and personnel.

FORT LEE Despite celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s references to the cooking power of jet fuel, it was actually a cleaner-burning, low-grade diesel powering the stoves here yesterday. Lagasse, known for punctuating his dishes with “Bam,“ stirred up a feast fit for an army as he taped an episode for his eco-friendly show “Emeril Green” that emphasizes healthier, organic foods.

FORT LEE The four Army cooks from Fort Bragg rushed around the field kitchen—really, a glorified tent—toiling over steaming pots and simmering pans as they prepared lunch. What was on the menu? Glad you asked.