ANNOUNCEMENTS
County sheriff's department receives reaccredidation

The Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office has received its reaccredidation certificate from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. The certificate was presented by Gary Dillon of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) at the last Board of Supervisors' meeting.

"The Sheriff's Office has continued its excellent performance," he said.

"Our deputies work very hard every day to earn this accreditation," interim Sheriff Dennis Proffitt told the supervisors.

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors has approved renaming four L.C. Bird High School youth softball fields as the Mildred F. Burrell Youth Softball Fields. Burrell was a longtime supporter of youth sports and inducted into the Parks and Recreation Volunteer Hall of Fame posthumously.

PETCO will celebrate the grand opening of its new Village at Swift Creek location on Mar. 16-18. The three-day event will feature pet adoptions and animalrelated activities.

Thomas "Mack" Strickland Jr. of Strickland Realty in Chester was awarded the 2006 Appraiser of the Year Award during the Virginia Association of Realtors' annual awards banquet in Richmond. The award recognizes an appraiser who participates in local and state association activities and exemplifies a community minded spirit with youth and religious groups, cultural contributions and political leadership in real estate issues.

Shawn Taylor Carney and Taylor Alexander Schumaker of Troop 874 have attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

Tori-Anna Hamilton, a first grader at Evergreen Elementary, won the 2007 Virginia State Judo Championship in the 6-8 year old female lightweight division. This is her third medal at the state championships after winning gold and silver medals in 2005 and 2006. Jesse Claypoole won a gold medal in the 13-14 year old male lightweight division. The Judo Club operates out of the Manchester YMCA.

Shannon Connolly, a freshman at Cosby High School, and Christina McGuire, a sixth-grader at Bailey Bridge Middle School, have qualified to represent the United States in the 2007 World Championship in Irish dancing to be held the first week of April in Glasgow, Scotland. To qualify, each competed against the top girls in their respective age groups in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Members of the James River High School Crew Team have been competing during the winter months. Junior Mat Krivan placed second at the Hampton Roads Erg Pull with a time of 6:31.8 in the 2,000- meter junior men's heavyweight category. Junior Connor Murphy placed in the top third of the Feb. 25 CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston for the junior men's lightweight category with a time of 6:58.3 for 2,000 meters. On May 5, the school will host the James River Regatta at Robious Landing Park.