Parent, business candidate forums are announced

The Chesterfield County Council of Parent Teachers Associations and the Chesterfield Business Council of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce are cosponsoring a series of candidate forums this fall. Forums will be held in all five magisterial

districts and all school board and board of supervisors candidates will be invited to address pressing school and county issues and given an opportunity to detail their plans to county residents.

Candidates will have an opportunity to present a short opening statement and will answer questions submitted to the forum by Chesterfield County citizens, students, parents, teachers, community organizations and community leaders.

The forums are scheduled for the following dates: Dale District, Oct. 4 at L.C. Bird High School; Clover Hill District, Oct. 11 at Clover Hill High School; Bermuda District, Oct. 18 at Thomas Dale High School; Matoaca District, Oct. 25 at Cosby High School; and Midlothian District, Nov. 1 at Midlothian High School. All forums will begin at 7 p.m. and last approximately two hours.

These candidate events are separate from the five debates sponsored by the Chesterfield County Chamber of Commerce.

County schools grow by 1,000 students

Chesterfield County Public Schools opened on Sept. 4 with an estimated 58,660 students - an increase of more than 1,000 students from last year. Official enrollment numbers will be calculated on Sept. 30. The county's school system has added about a 1,000 students annually for the last several years.

Brown water, anyone?

Yellowish or brown water flowed from some county residents' faucets last week after a malfunction at the Appomattox River Water Authority's treatment facility. The discoloration was caused by increased levels of manganese, and generally impacted households in the central, southern and eastern sections of the county. The authority adjusted its treatment process, bringing the problem under control.

Man killed during home invasion

County police are investigating a shooting death that occurred in the 19500 block of Temple Avenue on Aug. 28.

According to police, 55-year-old Ronnie Sylvester Gordon was shot and killed after three suspects, two armed with guns, entered his home in the Colonial Pines Estates subdivision around 11 p.m. during a home invasion.

This was the third home invasion in the Ettrick area since July.

The suspects include two black males, both approximately 25 years old, standing between 5 feet, 6 inches and 5 feet, 8 inches tall with medium builds. One had braided hair and was wearing a red, gray and black horizontally striped shirt while the other had a corn-row hairstyle. The third suspect is described as a black female, 23-25 years old, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 150 pounds, and wearing an orange tshirt and blue jeans with hair pulled back in a ponytail.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the police department at 748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 748-0660.