ANNOUNCEMENTS
Photo contest discovers "Hidden Jewel"

Hidden Jewel (above) is one of 20 finalists in a nationwide Kodak photo contest. The winner will appear in a Circuit City television commercial.

A Chesterfield dog is one of 20 finalists in a nationwide search for a canine to star in a television commercial for Circuit City's firedog services unit. Jillian Chilson nominated her dog, Hidden Jewel, in honor of the Southside SPCA in Meherrin.

Nearly 7,000 photos were submitted during November and December, and a panel of Kodak photographers selected the top 20 images of finalists from 14 states. Through Jan. 26, dog lovers from across the country are invited to visit www. firedog.com/kodak to vote for their favorite photo.

The grand prize entry will win the television appearance, a $50,000 donation to the humane society of the winner's choice and Kodak merchandise. The contest is expected to raise as much as $170,000 for humane societies, shelters and other animal charities around the country.

In other announcements:

Kevin McNulty has been promoted to president of LifeStyle Builders and Developers, Inc. "Kevin has been a key part of our success, and we are thrilled to promote him to this important position," said Lloyd Poe, owner of LifeStyle Builders. McNulty joined the company in 2005 as a land acquisition and development specialist, and was recently vice president of operations. McNulty received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech, has a Virginia real estate license and served as a member of the BUILD-PAC Committee in 2007 for the Home Builders Association of Richmond.

McNulty

Chesterfield Police Officer James B. Herring recently received a Silver Star during a ceremony in Weldon, N.C. Lt. Herring, a chief warrant officer with the North Carolina National Guard's B Co., 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, was awarded the Silver Star for his actions near Baqubah, Iraq, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on Dec. 23, 2006. As a Chesterfield police officer for 25 years, Herring has earned the Medal of Valor, the Police Star for Valor, two Police Combat Ribbons and numerous commendations. He was also honored with the Police Combat Cross from the Petersburg Bureau of Police and the Silver Valor Award from the Richmond Retail Merchants Association.

Jim Albertson has been inducted into the Clover Hill Athletic Hall of Fame. Albertson has coached eight different sports and been named Dominion District Coach of the Year 12 times and Central Region Coach of the Year three times. His teams have earned three district wrestling championships, four district golf championships and six district tennis championships. He has been a Chesterfield teacher since 1983 and will retire in June.

David Allan LaBrecque (Troop 2877), Philip Gaspar II (Troop 806), and Robert Louis Williams, Byron Wright Tibbetts and Steven Alan Wistrom (all of Troop 2874) have attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

Rob Griffin recently opened Swift Creek Insurance in Midlothian, offering homeowner's, auto, personal umbrella policies and more. The company also supplies businesses with worker's compensation, general liability and other necessary coverage. For more information, call 767-5951 or visit www.swiftcreekinsurance.com.

Twelve Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) teachers recently became certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. They include Frank Cardella, science teacher at Manchester High; Beth Carter, third-grade teacher at Elizabeth Scott Elementary; Crystal Chandler, preschool teacher at Falling Creek Elementary; Heather Curran, English teacher at Clover Hill High; Lara Lavelle, third-grade teacher at Beulah Elementary; Diane Sanders, second-grade teacher at Grange Hall Elementary; Beth Sawyer, third-grade teacher at Hening Elementary; Tami Slater, reading specialist at Winterpock Elementary; Teresa Summers, Center Based Gifted science teacher at Manchester Middle; Suzanna Thomas, Center Based Gifted third-grade teacher at Hening Elementary; Christy Weisiger, Center Based Gifted fourth-grade teacher at Grange Hall Elementary; and Lisa Williams, English teacher at Clover Hill High. Chesterfield educators who achieve National Board certification receive pay supplements of $5,000 for the first year and $2,500 annually for the next 10 years. CCPS currently employs 61 board certified teachers, the fourth largest number of any school district in Virginia.

The Health Care Center at Lucy Corr Village has received the Virginia Quality Center Bronze Achievement Award for excellence from the Virginia Health Quality Center.

Alcoa Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation for digital video cameras, editing software, hardware and a video server to outfit its media room. 

Announcements can be e-mailed to news@chesterfieldobserver.com, faxed to 744-3269 or mailed to Chesterfield Observer, Attn: Announcements, P.O. Box 1616, Midlothian, VA 23113.