NEWS BRIEFS
Route 360 widening ends Dec. 11

Motorists along Hull Street Road west of Route 288 will see some relief in about two weeks. Another westbound lane will open on Dec.

11 between the Swift Creek bridge and Winterpock Road, easing traffic along that section of Hull Street Road.

Construction will begin anew in March on the eastbound side of that same stretch of road, and will continue through the end of August.

Chesterfield County loaned the Virginia Department of Transportation money for the road improvements to relieve congestion on one of the county's most heavily traveled roads.

Hampton Park admonishes board member

Officers of the Hampton Park Community Association have distanced themselves from the actions of one of their board members. In a letter to a number of county leaders, President Stacy White wrote that "...[Shelly] Schuetz's political actions with respect to Chesterfield County issues in no way reflect the opinion of the board of directors or the association." White's signature appeared above the names of the association's vice president, treasurer and secretary.

Last year, Schuetz led an unsuccessful effort to locate a new middle school in western Chesterfield. She has also criticized the county for a number of zoning decisions.

"It is our intention and goal to partner with developers and the county to ensure all parties achieve mutually satisfying results as it relates to zoning cases or other issues affecting the Hampton Park community...," White writes.

Schuetz was contacted regarding the letter and made no comment.

Newby's Bridge road improvements

Blakemore Construction Corporation of Richmond was recently awarded a $2.2 million contract by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) to improve Newby's Bridge Road at the intersection of Qualla Road. The project will add a westbound left turn lane and northbound right turn lane. It will also improve the horizontal and vertical curve to meet the required 50 mph speed design. This project is expected to be completed by November 2007.

Six rescued from apartments

The county's Scuba Rescue Team rescued six occupants from the Cloverleaf Lake Apartments on Nov. 16 around 2:27 p.m. after their residences flooded during a rainstorm.

Personnel from the Chesterfield County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services found several apartments surrounded by high water when they responded to a distress call in the 1100 block of Starview Lane. The six occupants were removed from the apartments via boat. There were no injuries.

School bus driver faces charges

Several students had to be rescued from their school bus on Nov. 16 after their bus driver ignored a road closed sign and attempted to drive through flood waters on Providence Road. The bus was ultimately stranded between two creeks, and firefighters were forced to rescue students from the unstable bus.

The bus driver is now facing charges for ignoring the sign and will be disciplined by the school system.