Magnificent food draws thousands to annual festival
     About 4,000 people attended the 19th Annual Magnificent Midlothian Food Festival at The Boulders office park last week (right), raising more than $80,000 for local charities. The event was sponsored by the Brandermill, Midlothian, Bon Air, Huguenot Trail and Chester Rotary clubs. Attendees dined on beef tenderloin, barbecue, cheesecake and other tasty food offerings, including salmon grilled by Brad Bailey (inset right). Michael Medlin and his son, Jack, attended the event (above).
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Marching Band Exposition brings high schools together
     Marching bands from several county high schools performed during a Marching Band Exposition at Thomas Dale High School last week. Clockwise from top: Clover Hill performs its field show; Mark Rowley from Cosby stands at attention; members of the flag team from Manchester show off their school colors; Matoaca band members take to the field; James River band members watch from the bleachers.
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County schools accredited, some need improvement
      All county schools have earned state accreditation for the 2007-08 school year. Fifty-six are fully accredited and three are accredited with warning. Also, Chesterfield students made significant gains on Standards of Learning tests, outscoring state averages in every area and in some cases achieving pass rates of 100 percent.
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Space visitor
     Robert Curbeam shared his experiences as a NASA astronaut and discussed his latest mission to the International Space Station during a recent visit with students at J.B. Watkins Elementary School. Curbeam joined NASA in 1994 and is a veteran of three space flights.
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Another delay
Two new elementary schools will not open in November as planned
By Donna Gregory NEWS EDITOR
      The parents of students set to attend Elizabeth Scott and Winterpock elementary schools were notified last week that their children will continue to attend classes in trailers indefinitely. The opening of the two new schools, originally scheduled for November, is being delayed until later in the school year.
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JTCC expands to meet increased student demand
By Marcy Horwitz CONTRIBUTING WRITER
      Around 300 people attended groundbreaking ceremonies at John Tyler Community College's (JTCC) Midlothian campus on Founder's Day last week to celebrate the beginning of construction on a new academic building. The $21 million building is expected to open to students in the fall of 2009. If it were up to JTCC President Dr. Marshall W.
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Wanted: Former Thomas Dale High School Marching Band members
      Thomas Dale High School is seeking former members of its band program to perform as part of an alumni band at halftime during homecoming festivities on Oct. 19. Former flag squad members are also invited to participate. "We know they're out there," said Steven Barton, the school's band director.
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