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January 26, 2005 Longtime Henrico County staff member Gary Boyd has won the fifth annual Excellence in Public Service Award. County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E. presented the award during a ceremony Tuesday. The Excellence in Public Service Award recognizes a general government employee who consistently demonstrates and exemplifies outstanding public service. Nominees are chosen by their co-workers; only one of Henrico's more than 3,600 general government employees receives the award each year. Boyd, who has worked in Henrico's Division of Recreation and Parks since 1978, currently serves as senior recreation coordinator. He is responsible for marketing and publicizing the broad array of programs offered by Recreation and Parks and oversees the publication of the division's seasonal program guide, "At Your Leisure," while also designing and developing brochures, posters, exhibits and videos to promote the division's activities to Henrico residents. He coordinates more than 1.5 million hours of school facility use for recreation programs. Boyd also heads the county's current United Way fund drive. "Gary is tremendously creative; in fact, his creativity appears to have no limits," said Recreation and Parks Director Wes Malcomb. "He is a risk-taker and a team worker, has a great attitude and is always willing to help." Boyd enjoys the creative challenges presented by his work. "I really enjoy learning from my co-workers and sharing their knowledge and expertise," he said. "It's great to know that what we do impacts the quality of life for the people of Henrico County." January 13, 2005 In conjunction with National Consumer Protection Week, the Henrico County Extension Office will offer free workshops to teach individuals how to recognize and protect themselves against identity theft. "Identity Theft: When Fact Becomes Fiction" will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and again on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Human Services Building Board Room, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive. The workshops will help participants minimize their risk of identity theft and will provide information about measures to take should they become victims. Workshops are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is encouraged. Call 501-5160 to register or to obtain additional information. January 12, 2005 The Henrico County Board of Supervisors has elected Fairfield District Supervisor Frank J. Thornton as chairman and Brookland District Supervisor Richard W. Glover as vice chairman for 2005. Thornton and Glover were elected at the board's regular meeting Tuesday. They will each serve a one-year term. Thornton begins his second term as Henrico County's board chairman, a position he previously held in 2000. He has represented the Fairfield District since 1995, when he became the first African-American elected to the board. A member of numerous local, state and national boards and commissions, Thornton is a graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond, a co-founder and past president of the Henrico County Civic League and a member of The Astoria Beneficial Club. The Richmond native works as an assistant professor of French at Virginia Union University, where he has received the university's "Teacher of the Year" award. Glover was first elected as Brookland District supervisor in 1987. A former member of the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden board of directors, he is a member of the Glen Allen Youth Athletic Association, the Hermitage High School Band and Auxiliary Boosters, is a charter member of the Glen Allen Shrine Club and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. January 10, 2005 The Henrico Health Department is conducting a routine investigation of contacts to a Henrico County Public Schools high school student with a case of active tuberculosis. Although the individual developed symptoms of tuberculosis while attending school, health officials believe the case was diagnosed and treated early, and that risks to other students are minimal. "Everything we know about this case points to a low probability of infection being transmitted," said Acting Health Director Dr. William R. Nelson. "It is unlikely that we will find any evidence of the tuberculosis germ being passed on to others." The affected person is under treatment, and poses no further risk; however, the Health Department prefers to take a cautious approach to ensure the community is protected. The department will test close contacts of this student to determine if transmission of the tuberculosis germ has occurred. "This allows us to prevent new cases by treating people who have become infected," said Senior Public Health Nurse Deborah Staley, who is conducting the investigation. "It also tells us if enough transmission has taken place to warrant further testing." Health Department and Henrico Schools officials reviewed school class records, the school's air-handling system and the facility before recommending testing of approximately 30 individuals. Letters to those individuals were mailed on Friday. In addition, letters explaining the situation were mailed to all other students, who have not had enough contact to be at risk. Health officials expect to complete testing in two weeks, and will then determine if further testing is needed. "Tuberculosis is a slow-growing germ, and it is relatively hard to get--it usually takes hours of exposure, day after day," Dr. Nelson said. "There's no risk to students now, so we can be thorough and proceed carefully." January 6, 2005 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has appointed Tuckahoe District Supervisor Patricia S. O'Bannon to serve on the Metropolitan Richmond Air Quality Committee (MRAQC), a group designated by the Environmental Protection Agency to address air quality concerns in central Virginia. Comprised of elected officials from metropolitan-area localities as well as representatives from state agencies, the MRAQC will deal with air quality planning requirements and ways they relate to transportation and economic development. The committee also will assist the DEQ as it takes measures to meet and maintain the Clean Air Act's air quality standards for the Richmond area. The MRAQC formed in December after the Richmond metropolitan area failed to meet ozone standards established by the Clean Air Act. O'Bannon has twice served as chairman of Henrico's Board of Supervisors, in 1999 and 2004. She has represented the Tuckahoe District since 1995, when she became the first woman elected to the board. In addition to her appointment to the MRAQC, O'Bannon serves on the Virginia Municipal League's environmental quality policy committee, the board of directors of the Virginia Health Quality Center and is a former chairman of the local government advisory committee to the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council.
January 5, 2005
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 |