Hanover County supervisors unanimously approved special exception permits last night for five assisted-living facilities that officials say were violating county zoning policies. The Haven Assisted Living Inc. operates seven facilities that provide care for the elderly in single-family homes. Typically, residents don’t need constant supervision by a nurse but may have impairments such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Despite corporate bankruptcies, high unemployment rates and home foreclosures, Henrico County property owners are paying their real estate taxes on time. Supervisor Patricia S. O’Bannon asked about the issue last night as the board voted to approve appropriations of $1.15 billion in the county operating budget and $53 million in the capital budget for the 2010 fiscal year.

There is money to build a new high school in the eastern part of Henrico County—but who has that money is not quite so clear. The School Board repeatedly has claimed that it needs the Board of Supervisors to approve about $3.5 million in school planning money designated in its capital-improvement budget—a budget that has been deferred because of the economic downturn.

Living near the county line has insulated the residents of a western Henrico County neighborhood from the hustle and bustle of nearby Short Pump. But it may also bring them closer to an unwanted mountaintop view.