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February 23, 2005 The Henrico County Community Emergency Response Team (HCCERT) will host the National Weather Service's "SkyWarn!" class --- which trains participants to become storm spotters --- at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the Henrico Training Center, 7701 E. Parham Road. Class participants will learn to recognize and describe severe storms and other local weather systems, such as tornadoes, flash floods and thunderstorms, and will become part of the SkyWarn Spotter Network. The National Weather Service uses storm-spotter reports, especially in rural areas, to supplement its severe weather warning system. SkyWarn! is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, call 337-1528 or e-mail henricocert@comcast.net. For more information, log on to www.henricocert.org. Comprised of community volunteers, HCCERT provides immediate assistance in a neighborhood or workplace following a county emergency or natural disaster, when local public safety resources may be overwhelmed. HCCERT emphasizes disaster preparedness, basic first aid, search and rescue techniques and other emergency response measures. February 22, 2005 The Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) has appointed eight Henrico County officials to the association's steering and operational committees for 2005. Members of Henrico's Board of Supervisors received the following appointments: Chairman and Fairfield District Supervisor Frank J. Thornton, Education steering committee; Vice Chairman and Brookland District Supervisor Richard W. Glover, Community Development and Planning steering committee; Three Chopt District Supervisor David A. Kaechele, Finance steering committee, Budget committee and VACo Board of Directors; Tuckahoe District Supervisor Patricia S. O'Bannon, Nominating committee, Resolutions committee and chairman of the Telecommunications and Utilities steering committee; and Varina District Supervisor James B. Donati, Jr., Administration of Government steering committee. Other county officials receiving appointments were Deputy County Manager George T. Drumwright, Jr., Health and Human Services steering committee; Deputy County Manager Harvey L. Hinson, Environment and Agriculture steering committee; and Deputy County Manager Robert K. Pinkerton, Transportation steering committee. VACo steering committees review legislative requests from counties, recommend an annual legislative program and provide policy direction for VACo staff. The association represents local governments at the state and federal levels and provides a resource network for planning and implementing new ideas and technologies. February 18, 2005 The Henrico County Department of Social Services has received a $7,500 grant from the Family and Children's Trust Fund (FCTF) of Virginia to provide services and materials for the department's Fatherhood Initiative. The grant will fund Fatherhood Initiative efforts to increase public awareness of family violence and its impact on youth. Social Services will partner with Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, the Virginia Department of Child Support Enforcement and other agencies to enhance community outreach efforts for male teens and their fathers to prevent and treat family violence. Family violence includes child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, adult abuse and neglect, sexual assault and suicide, according to FCTF. Henrico's Fatherhood Initiative works to increase awareness of the critical role fathers play in the lives of their children and to provide men with the services and resources they need to become responsible fathers and role models for their children. Program efforts include an ongoing support group that meets regularly to discuss a variety of fatherhood issues and concerns, such as the fathering of teens and school-age children, anger management, and coping as a stepfather or divorced father. For more information about the Fatherhood Initiative, call 501-4061 or 261-8746. The Family and Children's Trust Fund of Virginia is governed by a board of trustees that is appointed by the governor to raise and distribute funds for family violence prevention, treatment and public awareness. February 15, 2005 Henrico County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E. announces the arrival of Dr. Mark J. Levine, the new director of the Henrico County Health Department. He was appointed to the post by the commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health and succeeds former director Dr. Curtis W. Thorpe. Levine comes to Henrico from Virginia's Piedmont Health District, which he had served as director since April 2002. As Henrico's director, Levine will oversee a 70-employee department that provides administrative and clinical services from two locations, at the Government Center and Eastern Government Center. The agency offers a broad range of medical, clinical, environmental and educational outreach programs and services for county residents. Levine, a board-certified family physician who started his career in private practice, has worked in public health since 1999. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester, a master's degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and a doctor of medicine degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. He completed his residency in family practice at the University of Virginia. February 14, 2005 The next town meeting of Tuckahoe District Supervisor Patricia S. O'Bannon will examine the county's upcoming General Obligation Bond and Meals Tax Referendum. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at Byrd Middle School library, 9400 Quioccasin Road. Officials from six Henrico agencies--Schools, Libraries, Fire, Recreation and Parks, Public Works and Finance--will provide information about the proposed 4 percent meals tax and $349.3 million bond issuance, which would fund a variety of capital projects and their operating costs throughout the county. Henrico voters will cast ballots in the referendum on Tuesday, March 8. The county officials will join O'Bannon for a question-and-answer period as well. Tuckahoe town meetings are open to the public. For more information, call 501-4318 or log on to www.patobannon.com. February 11, 2005 The Henrico County Health Department has recommended that students riding a particular bus to Douglas Freeman High School be tested for exposure to tuberculosis. Freeman High School sent letters on Thursday to parents of all students at the school, notifying them of the recommendations and identifying which students should be tested. Only students who have ridden the particular bus since the start of the school year need to be tested. This process is part of a routine contact investigation undertaken to identify students that would benefit from medication to prevent tuberculosis. The health department has determined that there is not increased risk to the student body in general. Tuberculosis is caused by a type of bacteria that is passed from person to person through the air when the ill person coughs or sneezes. Some people exposed to the germ may develop infection without any symptoms. A relatively small proportion of people who become infected actually develop the disease, and this may take years to occur. TB disease is not easy to catch, and both TB infection and disease can be cured if a medical treatment plan is followed carefully. Individuals who are infected but do not have the active disease cannot give TB to others. The Henrico Health Department will begin testing next week and will take several weeks to complete it. Testing is free of charge. February 11, 2005 Henrico County Board Chairman and Fairfield District Supervisor Frank Thornton will host a special forum and public discussion to examine the local effect of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown vs. Board of Education decision and to honor Oliver W. Hill, one of the key figures in the landmark 1954 school-desegregation case. The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24 in the Government Center Board Room, 4301 E. Parham Road. "Brown After 51 Years: The Henrico and Richmond Perspectives" will feature a panel discussion on several topics, including the role of the press in reporting public reaction to the Brown decision; the pressure from the state of Virginia to adopt the policy of "Massive and Resistance" and the "Freedom of Choice" plan; the closing of schools and resulting cost to the community; and the experiences of students and teachers. There will be an audience question-and-answer period as well. Serving as panelists are Earle Dunford, former editor and staff writer of the Richmond Times-Dispatch; Vonita Foster, Ph.D., executive director of the National Slavery Museum; Melton Jones, Ph.D., vice president of academic and student services at John Tyler Community College; John Kneebone, Ph.D., professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University; and Shirin Spencer, an independent curator and educator. The forum will also salute famed civil rights attorney and Richmond native Hill, whose legal work to desegregate Virginia schools played a critical role in the Brown case. Mr. Hill's numerous honors include the 1999 Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 2000 American Bar Association Medal. "Brown After 51 Years" is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, however, and reservations are encouraged. Call 501-5736 to make reservations. For additional information about the forum, call 501-5125. February 10, 2005 Henrico County Board Chairman and Fairfield District Supervisor Frank Thornton will host a special forum and public discussion to examine the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision and the impact of desegregation on schools in Henrico and Richmond. The program is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, in the Government Center Board Room, 4301 E. Parham Road. "Brown After 51 Years: The Henrico and Richmond Perspectives" will feature a panel discussion on several topics, including the role of the press in reporting public reaction to the Brown decision; the pressure from the state of Virginia to adopt the policy of "Massive Resistance" and the "Freedom of Choice" plan; the closing of schools and resulting cost to the community; and the experiences of students and teachers. There will be an audience question-and-answer period as well. Serving as panelists are Earle Dunford, former editor and staff writer of the Richmond Times-Dispatch; Vonita Foster, Ph.D., executive director of the U.S. National Slavery Museum; Melton R. Jones, Ph.D., vice president of academic and student services at John Tyler Community College; John Kneebone, Ph.D., professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University; and Shirin Spencer, an independent curator and educator. "Brown After 51 Years" is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, however, and reservations are encouraged. Call 501-5736 to make reservations. For additional information about the forum, call 501-5125. February 7, 2005 The next town meeting of Varina District Supervisor Jim Donati will examine the county's upcoming General Obligation Bond and Meals Tax Referendum. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21, in the Eastern Government Center multipurpose room, 3820 Nine Mile Road. Officials from six Henrico agencies--Schools, Libraries, Fire, Recreation and Parks, Public Works and Finance--will provide information about the proposed 4 percent meals tax and $349.3 million bond issuance, which would fund a variety of capital projects and their operating costs throughout the county. Henrico voters will cast ballots in the referendum on Tuesday, March 8. The county officials will join Donati for a question-and-answer period as well. Varina town meetings are open to the public. Call 501-4208 for more information. February 4, 2005 Henrico Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is seeking volunteers to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children in Henrico's court system. Henrico CASA trains volunteers accepted into the program. Volunteers learn how to conduct interviews, provide written reports to Juvenile Court judges and assist the case attorney. Henrico CASA will conduct a six-week training program from 6-9 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday beginning Monday, March 14, at its office in the Court Annex, 4120 E. Parham Road. Volunteers will undergo interviews and background and reference checks as part of the application process. The organization will provide training free of charge to those selected. To apply or to obtain additional information, call Susan Hill at 501-5873 or e-mail hil29@co.henrico.va.us by Monday, Feb. 28. Henrico CASA is a private, nonprofit organization that works closely with the county's Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. February 4, 2005 The Henrico County Division of Police will hold a rabies clinic on Saturday, Feb. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at gate four of Richmond International Raceway. Shots cost $6 (cash only) and include a rabies tag and certificate of inoculation. Dog owners may purchase a 2005 license with proof of rabies inoculation for $10. Cats and dogs ages 4 months and older are required to be vaccinated for rabies. Contact Animal Protection at 652-3360 for more information. February 2, 2005 The next constituent meeting of Henrico County Board Chairman and Fairfield District Supervisor Frank Thornton will examine the county's upcoming General Obligation Bond and Meals Tax Referendum. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14, at Belmont Recreation Center, 1600 Hilliard Road. Officials from six Henrico agencies--Schools, Libraries, Fire, Recreation and Parks, Public Works and Finance--will provide information about the proposed 4 percent meals tax and $349.3 million bond issue, which would fund a variety of capital projects throughout the county. Henrico voters will cast ballots in the referendum on Tuesday, March 8. The county officials will join Thornton for a question-and-answer period as well. Fairfield constituent meetings are open to the public. Call 501-4208 for more information. Return to Public Relations & Media Services Page |