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2009-05-06 digital edition
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May 6, 2009  RSS feed
Athletic departments get a jump on cuts
An influx of cash from the federal stimulus program allowed Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) to retain many faculty positions originally feared lost to budget cuts, but the county's high school athletics programs couldn't escape the wrath of the slumping economy. More...
A whirl of fun

Page Dowdy/Chesterfield Observer - Two-year-old Joshua Barrack plays with a pinwheel during a recent nature fair and plant sale at Crestwood Elementary School. More...

School CIP funding withheld
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

In an unusual action last week, the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve an $858.8 million capital improvements program (CIP) but not appropriate the school board's share yet. The board is legally required to pass a CIP by May 1 annually but has until June 30 to appropriate monies from the county's general fund. More...

 News
• article has image Discarded smoking materials cause house fire
FIRE & EMS WATCH
A mother and three children escaped to safety when their home in the 8500 block of Hampton Valley Drive erupted in flames around 5:25 a.m. on April 24. The father had left for work earlier in the morning. More...
• article has image Midlothian quarry gets approval to reroute stream a
• article has image Dickson to head Goochland County
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 News Briefs
• Costco to stay on Hull Street
For the time being Costco will remain at its Hull Street Road location just west of Courthouse Road. Company officials are looking to upgrade the store location and add more square feet than the current building of 111,744. That location was built in 1990, and the 13.3-acre site is assessed at $8.3 million. More...
• Beef O'Brady's closes
• Traffic alert on Courthouse Road
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 Family
• article has image The flight plan less traveled
The Pleasure of Life
Stacy, the kids and I recently took a trip to California. Long story short: We were bumped from our connecting flight to San Francisco, spent 10 hours in JFK, missed a day of vacation and arrived at our hotel after 24 sleepless hours to find they'd bumped us to a different hotel. More...
• article has image Resources coming for vocational students
• Cold, harsh reality of school budget cuts
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 Mindscapes
• article has image The prom race
"Prom is big!" says Monacan High School senior Courtney White. Many agree with her. But why is it such a big deal? Is it the anxious feelings of finding the right date, getting the perfect dress, making the best plans or having the perfect hairstyle? More...
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 Crime Watch
• Metal thefts are back on the rise
While thefts of copper and platinum never completely stopped, they did seem to lessen in number for awhile. But metal thefts may be on the rise once again, with several reported incidents in the past month. The thefts occur in different ways - sometimes catalytic converters are stolen from cars and often copper pipes are removed from homes under construction. More...
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 Loose Ends
• article has image Another day in the closet
I was ruthless. If I couldn't remember ever wearing those brown pants, I put them in the charity pile. The same with that straw hat I bought to wear to the races at Strawberry Hill and haven't worn once in the seven years since then. My closet was starting to rule my life. I have been watching these shows where people turn their messy closets into spas. More...
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 Opinions
• School system should be more open with finances
Dear Editor, OK, enough! I continue to read how we mollycoddle our school board at a time of significant budget challenges. According to information in the April 9 [Chesterfield] Observer, our total Chesterfield County budget is currently proposed at $1.25 billion, a decrease of 4. More...
• Full funding for school libraries should be restored
• Reader questions word usage of "into"
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 Calendar
• article has image Celebrate Victorian Day in Bon Air
In the Spotlight Victorian Day, Saturday, May 9, parade, 11 a.m.-noon, festival, noon-4 p.m., Bon Air Christian Church, 2070 Buford Road. The parade will travel down Buford Road to the festival, which features music, food, games, arts and crafts and more. Sponsored by the Bon Air Historical Society. Free. 560-3551. More...
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 Sports
• article has image Midlothian High softball team maintains winning ways
"This is a true team." That's how Midlothian High School softball coach Denise Manuel describes her varsity squad, which entered this week's action with a 12-1 overall record. The young, up-and-coming Trojans were also tied with Cosby for first place in the always competitive Dominion District with a 9-1 mark. More...
• Summer soccer camps
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