Chesterfield County, Virginia's Weekly E-Newsletter |
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Stay Connected with Chesterfield! |
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Scroll to the bottom for more helpful links and resources to stay up to date on all things Chesterfield! |
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Early Voting Available Through Saturday, Oct. 31 |
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Early voting in Chesterfield County ends Saturday, Oct. 31.
If you are interested in voting early, visit the General Registrar’s office at 9848 Lori Road from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 31.
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Voters also can drop off their completed absentee mail ballots at any early voting location or the Registrar’s Office during voting hours.
Curbside voting will also be available during early voting. Each location will have a curbside voting phone number posted at the site for voters wishing to call and use the service for people over the age of 65 or for those with a disability.
For more information about voting in Chesterfield and the new offsite parking and shuttle service offered for two satellite early voting locations, view the General Election 2020 guide near the bottom of this newsletter. Additionally, visit: www.PromoteTheVoteCfield.org.
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How to Celebrate Halloween Safely This Year |
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This year, trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities are going to look a little different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Chesterfield does not regulate trick-or-treating in the county, we strongly urge residents to follow the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC recommends you and your family:
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Make trick-or-treating safer
- Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters.
- Give out treats outdoors, if possible.
- Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take.
- Wash hands before handling treats.
- Wear a mask.
Wear a mask
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Make your cloth mask part of your costume.
- A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask.
- Do NOT wear a costume mask over a cloth mask. It can make breathing more difficult.
- Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing
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Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you
- Indoors and outdoors, you are more likely to get or spread COVID-19 when you are in close contact with others for a long time.
Wash your hands
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Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it after touching objects or other people.
- Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Parents: supervise young children using hand sanitizer.
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you get home and before you eat any treats.
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Daylight Savings Time Ends Sunday, Nov. 1 |
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Don't forget: Daylight savings time ends this weekend, so don't forget that we 'fall back' on Sunday,
Nov. 1 at 2 a.m.
The beginning and end of daylight savings time are also great times to test the smoke alarms in your house. Be sure your alarms are fully functioning this weekend, and replace your batteries if needed.
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Board of Supervisors Meeting Wednesday, Oct. 28 |
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The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 28, will be held in person in the Public Meeting Room at 10001 Iron Bridge Road.
The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. with a work session followed by the 6 p.m. evening session. Both sessions will be held in the Public Meeting Room and will be available for viewing on Comcast Channel 98, Verizon Channel 28, and live streamed on chesterfield.gov and the County’s YouTube channel.
Measures are being put in place to accommodate in person public input while practicing social distancing, as recommended by health officials.
Those citizens wishing to participate in person will be required to wear a face covering and pass a simple health screening before entering the building. In order to maintain the 6-foot social distance requirement, seating will be extremely limited; however, TV monitors will be set up outside the Public Meeting Room.
Due to the COVID 19 occupancy limits of the Public Meeting Room, the general public will not able to be seated in the room, however, citizens requesting to speak before the Board will be given the opportunity to comment in person at the appropriate time.
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ChesterBot Joins Chesterfield Public Library |
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Chesterfield County Information Systems Technology (IST) and Chesterfield County Public Library (CCPL) announced the launch of CCPL ChesterBot, the CCPL-specific version of the county’s previously-launched automated chatbot, ChesterBot.
CCPL ChesterBot is designed to assist visitors of the library.chesterfield.gov website in locating information about library services and will include live chat-enabled features.
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CCPL ChesterBot may be accessed throughout CCPL’s website via a button located on the bottom-left corner of the screen for both desktop* and mobile users.
CCPL ChesterBot is an extension of the county chatbot’s growing functionality, as application development continues to provide access to service and resource data available throughout Chesterfield County websites. As more queries are entered into ChesterBot, the development team constructs an even more optimized, expansive product.
*Please note, CCPL ChesterBot does not work in the Internet Explorer browser.
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This Week: Celebrate Halloween at Henricus |
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Celebrate Halloween Saturday, Oct. 31 at Henricus Historical Park and delve into the history of witchcraft!
Throughout the day, interpreters will offer demonstrations and discussions on witch trials, witch hunters, familiars and cunning folk in addition to a variety of spooky activities for adults and children alike.
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All guests, staff, and vendors are required to wear facial coverings indoors and outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained. Guests are asked to maintain at least 6ft of social distancing at all times and market tents will be approximately 10ft apart.
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Chesterfield County Public Schools Updates |
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Chesterfield School Board Seeks Input on Naming of New Elementary School
Oct. 26, 2020: In the spring of 2019, the School Board approved the inclusion of a new 360 West corridor elementary school in its already approved Capital Improvements Plan.
This new elementary school, being built in the Magnolia Green neighborhood in the Matoaca District and scheduled to open in Fall 2022, will help relieve student enrollment capacity issues at Grange Hall and Winterpock elementary schools. Potential school attendance zones will be discussed in the coming months.
School Board to Hear Proposal to Expand Center-Based Gifted Services at the Elementary School Level
Oct. 23, 2020: Chesterfield County Public Schools is proposing further expansion of Center-Based Gifted services at the elementary school level. During a presentation to the School Board on Oct. 27, the school division will propose increasing the number of CBG sites to 10 schools from six schools starting as early as the 2021-22 school year.
Virtual Specialty Center Open Houses Offer Information About High School Choices
Oct. 21, 2020: In addition to the broad spectrum of programs in each comprehensive high school, Chesterfield County Public Schools offers students the opportunity to participate in optional academic programs related to special academic interests. During their eighth-grade year, students can decide whether or not they wish to apply to a specialty center or Governor’s school.
Starting Monday, Oct. 26, Chesterfield families of eighth-grade students who are interested in learning more about these high school opportunities are invited to watch the virtual specialty center fair video at https://mychesterfieldschools.com/.
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COVID-19 Updates from Virginia Gov. Northam |
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Governor Northam Announces Additional $116 Million for Virginia Institutions of Higher Education
Oct. 27: "Governor Ralph Northam today announced a new allocation of more than $116 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars to support Virginia’s institutions of higher education. Consistent with the General Assembly’s recently advanced budget, the funding will be distributed to public universities and medical centers to support telework and distance learning infrastructure, personal protective equipment, sanitization and cleaning, and testing for students, staff, and faculty."
Governor Northam Announces $22 Million for Virginia COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Oct. 23, 2020: "Governor Ralph Northam today announced $22 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding will be used to create a statewide program to distribute COVID-19 vaccines when such vaccines are approved for public use. Virginia’s draft vaccination plan was submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month."
Governor Northam Announces $65.8 Million to Increase Child Care Access, Help Providers
Oct. 21, 2020: "Governor Ralph Northam and First Lady Pamela Northam today announced $65.8 million in new funding to increase access to child care and support child care providers amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This new investment is supported by $58.3 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars as well as a reallocation of $7.5 million in Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. First Lady Northam made the announcement during a virtual meeting of the Children’s Cabinet."
Governor Northam Signs New Laws to Support COVID-19 Response, Reform Policing
Oct. 21, 2020: "Governor Ralph Northam today announced he has signed 16 new laws and proposed changes to five bills that will support the Commonwealth’s ongoing COVID-19 response and advance criminal justice reform."
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The 2020 general election will be conducted on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, and residents have three ways to cast their votes:
- Absentee Ballot Voting
- Early Voting
- General Election Day Voting
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The deadline to request an absentee ballot has passed; however, if you still need to return your absentee ballot, it must be returned (postmarked or in-person) to the Registrar’s Office by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.
There are several ways to return your ballot:
- Mail your ballot back via the U.S. Postal Service by using the return envelope sent to your residence by the Registrar’s Office. Voters also can use a commercial delivery service such as FedEx or UPS to return your ballot.
- Return your absentee ballot in-person at the Chesterfield Registrar’s Office at 9848 Lori Road, Chesterfield, Va. 23832.
- Return your ballot to the following secure drop-off locations beginning Oct. 19 during hours of operation:
- North Courthouse Road Library | 325 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield
- LaPrade Library | 9000 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield
- Meadowdale Library | 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield
- Ettrick-Matoaca Library | 4501 River Road, South Chesterfield
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It is the last week to vote early at the Registrar’s Office or at one of the four satellite locations listed below! The last day to participate in early voting is Saturday, Oct. 31. The Registrar’s Office, located at 9848 Lori Road, is open for early voting from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, Oct. 31. The four satellite locations are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday:
- North Courthouse Road Library | 325 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield
- LaPrade Library | 9000 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield
- Meadowdale Library | 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield
- Ettrick-Matoaca Library | 4501 River Road, South Chesterfield
Saturday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. is the last day of early voting.
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General Election Day Voting on Nov. 3 |
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If you cannot early vote or missed the deadline to request an absentee ballot, all of Chesterfield’s polling locations will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Nov. 3 for in-person voting.
The number of voters allowed inside the polling place at any time will be limited to adhere to social distancing and give poll workers time to sanitize machines and equipment for use. All voters are asked to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing protocols.
If you voted early in person or submitted a marked absentee ballot to the Registrar’s office, you can neither cast another ballot, nor change your vote in person on Election Day.
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Off-Site Parking and Shuttles for
Two Early Voting Satellite Locations
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Shuttles are now available to transport early voters from off-site parking locations to two of the county’s satellite voting locations, the Ettrick-Matoaca and the North Courthouse Road libraries. Implemented to ease traffic and parking concerns at these libraries, the shuttles will pick up early voters at the following locations:
For transportation to Ettrick-Matoaca Library:
Virginia State University Randolph Farm | 4415 River Road, Petersburg, VA 23803
For transportation to North Courthouse Road Library:
Church of the Epiphany | 11000 Smoketree Drive, Richmond, VA 23236
Shuttles will begin running 15 minutes before polls open at the early voting satellite locations, 9:45 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8:45 a.m. on Saturdays. The shuttles will run on a continuous loop for all hours that early voting is available at these locations until all residents are returned to their cars after polls close each day.
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Meet Buffy!
A beautiful girl with a silky black hair coat and a slender build, Buffy is petite for an adult kitty. She has the prettiest eyes; they're green in color with a gorgeous golden ring around the outside. Buffy was shy when she first came into the shelter. Over time, she has begun to come out of her shell a bit. Now, you will find her laying in her bed patiently waiting for someone to visit her cage.
When you open her cage door, she can't wait for you to pet her head and rub her back. She came in with a minor bacterial ear infection and is currently on medication for it that will be sent home with you.
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Buffy came in with other kitties, but prefers to be without any other kitties in the home. She about 2 years old and weighs just over six pounds. Animal #584373
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County Response to COVID-19 |
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Other important information and updates on resources for Virginians can be found at:
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Chesterfield Health Director Update |
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Chesterfield Health Department
Free COVID-19 Testing in October and November
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As part of a statewide push to increase testing across the commonwealth, the Chesterfield Health Department is hosting free COVID-19 testing events in the months of October and November.
The free indoor, walk-up testing events will occur on the following days and locations:
October:
Thursdays: Oct. 29 – 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Cornerstone Church
10551 Chalkley Road
Saturdays: Oct. 31 – 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Faith and Family Center
7900 Walmsley Blvd.
November:
Chesterfield Fairgrounds at Vietnam Veterans Building
10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Tuesday, Nov. 3 through Friday, Nov. 6 | Noon to 1 p.m.
Faith and Family Center
7900 Walmsley Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23235
Thursdays, Nov. 5, Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 | 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Chesterfield Health Department Smith-Wagner Building Multi-Purpose Room
9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Saturdays, Nov. 7, Nov. 14 and Nov. 21 | 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Second Baptist Church
5100 W Hundred Road, Chester, VA 23831
Fridays, Nov. 13 and Nov. 20 | 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Mondays, Nov. 16, Nov. 23 and Nov. 30 | 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Walmsley UMC
2950 Walmsley Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23234
Wednesday, Nov. 11 | 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays, Nov. 17 and Nov. 24 | 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
St. Augustine Catholic Church
4400 Beulah Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23237
Wednesdays, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18 | 11 a.m. to noon
No reservation is necessary. Additional testing events are pending and will be announced once finalized.
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Learn More About Your District |
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