Updates from Henrico Citizen

Virginia Home for Boys and Girls (VHBG) Teaching-Parents Denise Knight, Jeremy Eppihimer and Hillary Eppihimer have received their Teaching-Family Association (TFA) Certifications. Teaching-Parents at VHBG live in group homes with at-risk youth to create a family environment and to give the youth the opportunity to grow up in a safe, loving, nurturing household. TFA Certification indicates a high level of satisfaction with the quality of the Teaching-Parent’s services from their youth, community stakeholders and administration.

Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer has announced that Travelers Insurance has leased 71,817 square feet of office space in Deep Run III, 9954 Mayland Dr. in Henrico County. The 348,174 square foot class A, six-story building was previously the headquarters facility for Circuit City. With a 64,000 square foot floor plate, Travelers Insurance will occupy the top floor and a portion of the fourth floor.

Registration for entering kindergarten students will be held at all Henrico County public elementary schools on Thursday, April 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Henrico County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing Tuesday, April 9 on the proposed Annual Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2013-14. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m., one hour earlier than usual, in the Board Room of the Henrico Government Center, 4301 E. Parham Road. Residents may provide oral or written comments on the proposed $1.1 billion plan, which will guide operating and capital spending for the year beginning July 1. The plan represents a 9 percent reduction in overall spending from fiscal year 2012-13.

Interested and anxious parents and rambunctious and excited students packed The Cultural Arts Center last weekend to share a common interest: home schooling. The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers celebrated its 20th anniversary while providing introductory information for interested attendees and a new perspective for home-schooling parents and students.

Moped operators in Virginia would have to wear helmets and eye protection, carry a government-issued photo ID, and title, register and put a license plate on their scooters under a bill waiting to be signed into law by Gov. Bob McDonnell. Senate Bill 1038, passed by the General Assembly during its recent session, is based on recommendations from a yearlong study conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Starting July 1, parents in Virginia will have “a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care” of their children. Gov. Bob McDonnell signed two identical bills on the issue: House Bill 1642, sponsored by Delegate Brenda Pogge, R-Williamsburg; and Senate Bill 908, sponsored by Sen. Bryce Reeve, R-Fredericksburg. The bills formally declare parental rights as fundamental, meaning they will have the highest level of legal protection.

Henrico County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is seeking volunteers to work in the court system on behalf of abused and neglected children. Henrico CASA will conduct a free, 10-session training program for volunteers, beginning Saturday, April 20. The sessions will conclude with a swearing-in ceremony Wednesday, May 15. All classes will be held at the Henrico CASA office in suite A of the Hungary Spring Office Park, 3001 Hungary Spring Road.

Thomas Newby (left) and Cody HaunHenrico police have arrested and charged two men with multiple counts or larceny and vandalism to vehicles in connection with larcenies from automobiles in western Henrico in recent weeks. Police arreted 32-year-old Thomas Brian Newby of the 5200 block of Whetstone Road in Richmond and charged him with eight counts of larceny and seven counts of vandalism to a vehicle. Twenty-three year-old Cody Sebastian Haun of the 11000 block of Merganser Terrace in Chesterfield was arrested and charged with five counts of larceny and five counts of vandalism to a vehicle.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has been selected as one of the “Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Travelling For” by the Canadian Garden Tourism Council and a panel of international judges. The annual Garden Tourism Awards are presented to organizations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in the development and promotion of the garden experience as a tourism attraction. Recipients traveled from across North America and as far away as Japan, France, Portugal, Italy, and Australia to accept their awards.

Virginia drivers should get used to hitting “send” on their phones before they get behind the wheel of their vehicle. Beginning July 1, a new state law will crack down on texting while driving. Gov. Bob McDonnell approved the law Monday but recommended that the General Assembly reduce the proposed fines for violators. During its recent session, the General Assembly passed two bills to change texting while driving from a secondary offense to a primary offense.

The Chick-fil-A at Virginia Center Marketplace will hold a fundraiser Tuesday, April 2, supporting the Virginia State Police Association in memory of Master Trooper Junius Walker. Chick-fil-A will donate 10 percent of all inside sales from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to the association in memory of Trooper Walker, who was fatally shot while patrolling I-85 March 7.

Gov. Bob McDonnell has approved at least six bills and proposed revisions to at least three others aimed at improving school security and creating a safe campus environment. McDonnell had until midnight Monday to act on legislation passed by the General Assembly during its 2013 regular session. Among other measures, the governor signed a half-dozen bills that had been recommended by the School and Campus Safety Task Force that he created in December.

In a matter of weeks, thousands of youngsters from the City of Richmond will race for neighborhood pools, ponds and creeks to celebrate the start of summer vacation with a splash. And Veronica Stewart, who lives in the suburbs of far western Henrico, has been working all winter to make sure none of those splashes are unplanned, unexpected or go undetected. As a Girl Scout of ten years and a certified lifeguard, Stewart says she had little difficulty when it came time to choose the focus of her Gold Award project.

The Henrico Warriors basketball team is amazing. On March 8, more than 7,000 people filled the Siegel Center to watch the Warriors win the state championship. Starting March 4, the day of the semifinal game, the spirit at Henrico High School was through the roof. Even the trees around campus were decked out in green and gold streamers. The students were given early dismissal in order to go watch and cheer at the semi-finals game. And cheer they did. Students and teachers alike were proudly wearing their green and gold.

February was a huge month for John Rolfe Middle School with numerous student events. In the middle of February, students had an assembly for the John Rolfe PTA Spring fundraiser. We had a fundraiser exactly like this back in December. Students gathered in the auditorium to listen to our guest speaker. The fundraiser is to sell various magazines about jewelry, cooking, games and even dessert.

Henrico Police continue to seek suspects who attempted to use stolen credit cards at a Henrico Wal-Mart and a Martin's store on Forest Hill Avenue. The credit cards were reported stolen during an earlier larceny from an automobile in Henrico – one of 40 reports of larcenies from autos in western Henrico since Feb. 12, according to police. The stolen cards were used by two suspects at the Martin's on Forest Hill Avenue on March 20 at about 7 a.m. Both suspects are described as white males of average build in their 20s or 30s.

Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed into law legislation to expand the list of prohibited chemicals used in making synthetic marijuana and other designer drugs. McDonnell announced Wednesday that he had signed House Bill 1941, which included an emergency clause making it effective immediately.

Henrico teams were hot in the two-day FIRST Robotics regional competition held March 15-16 at the VCU Siegel Center. Of the six Virginia high school teams topping the field and qualifying for the world robotics championship in St. Louis in April, two -- Team Sparky from Tucker H.S. and Team talon540 from Godwin H.S. -- were from Henrico County.

Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer has sold a single-story class A medical condominium located within Ridgefield Commons at 2221 Pump Road in Henrico. LVK Holdings, LLC purchased the approximately 3,273 square foot condo from Ridgefield Commons, LLC for $392,760 for a medical office. Jason Guillot of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handled the sale negotiations on behalf of the seller.