Chesterfield County, Virginia's Weekly e-Newsletter
Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021
Stay Connected with Chesterfield!
Scroll to the bottom for more helpful links and resources to
stay up to date on all things Chesterfield!
County Holding Virtual Community Meetings on Proposed Redistricting Oct. 13 and Oct. 19
As the county continues to work through the process of making changes to its magisterial districts, residents are invited to participate in a pair of upcoming virtual community meetings to hear information on the changes and to share their feedback. Please note, these meetings are about changes to only the magisterial districts and does not impact which school a child attends.  
 
The Board of Supervisors will be hosting Facebook Live events on Wednesday, Oct. 13 and Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. on the county’s main Facebook page to further discuss proposed changes to Chesterfield’s magisterial districts, along with an overview of the redistricting process.

Residents are invited to view the proposed magisterial district map and submit comments and questions.
Chesterfield Behind the Mic Podcast -
Talking Preparedness With Emergency Management Coordinator Jessica Robison
Episode 2 of Chesterfield Behind the Mic is here! 🎙️ We talk to Jessica Robison, emergency management coordinator, about what her division does, the ways that #Cfield residents can stay informed and prepared, and what sorts of ways the county plans for emergency responses throughout the year.

You can listen to the Chesterfield Behind the Mic podcast on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts. You can watch all episodes on the Chesterfield County government YouTube page and at http://Chesterfield.gov/podcast. Episodes will also air on WCCT Chesterfield Community Television (Verizon channel 28 and Comcast channel 98) Thursdays through Sunday at 7 p.m. and on weekends at 3 p.m.
After Hours Concert Series is Coming to
the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds and
We're Giving Away Tickets!
IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!

In collaboration with Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation and After Hours Concerts, we are giving one lucky winner TWO PREFERRED TICKETS to see Chase Rice (Oct. 16) and Chris Janson (Oct. 22) up-close and personal at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds. For contest rules, visit our Facebook page here. If you are already subscribed to Happening in Chesterfield, comment or tag a friend on this Facebook post to be officially entered in the contest.

For our Chesterfield residents, a special combo ticket to attend both shows is available for only $39.50. You can purchase the special ticket here.
Election 2021 Updates

Did you know Chesterfield County is making it easier for residents to cast their ballots this fall? Chesterfield is expanding early in-person voting beginning Oct. 18 and continuing through Oct. 30.

Chesterfield residents will be able to cast absentee ballots at five additional locations: the four libraries used in last year’s election (Ettrick-Matoaca, LaPrade, Meadowdale and North Courthouse Road) and one that’s new for 2021 – the Clover Hill library at 6701 Deer Run Drive. Residents can also still vote at the Registrar’s Office, located at 9848 Lori Road.

Check out this blog post for more information about early voting expanding in Chesterfield.
Voting by absentee mail ballot

If you requested an absentee ballot and are planning to vote by mail, it MUST include a witness signature this year. You can request an absentee ballot by mail before 5 p.m. on Oct. 22.

For additional mail ballot instructions visit chesterfield.gov/699/Absentee-Voting or call the Chesterfield County General Registrar’s Office at 804-748-1471.

New instructions with the correct telephone number are being mailed to county voters requesting an absentee ballot. Click here to learn more.
Waymakers Foundation Providing Relief to the Latino Community in Chesterfield
In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we're recognizing the Waymakers Foundation, an organization that was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide relief to the Latino community. The Waymakers Foundation strives to provide a safe space for families who are seeking emergency relief assistance and resources.

Recently, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held and many #Cfield county representatives were in attendance.
Find Your Park Series: Dale District
Did you know there are 12 parks in the Dale Magisterial District alone? In this video, Dale District Supervisor Jim Holland gives a brief overview of parks in the district. Look for additional videos highlighting parks in #Cfield over the coming weeks. 
Chesterfield County Hiring for Custodians
Linda and James, featured in this ad, are two of our best employees. Would you like to join this great team? Well, here’s your chance for a flexible full-time or part-time position with Chesterfield County Government. We're currently hiring for custodians and will be holding a job fair and hiring event on Wednesday, Oct. 20 from 2 to 7:30 p.m. in the Central Library, 7501 Lucy Corr Blvd. 
Request Your Board Member to Speak!
Did you know your group or organization can request a speaker from the #Cfield Speakers Bureau? The Speakers Bureau features a variety of topics on current and timely subjects from county leaders who are eager to talk to your group or organization.

Request Your Board Member to Speak
Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors members welcome invitations to engage with their constituents on many topics either specific to their respective magisterial districts or countywide. Speaking to groups or at events or functions is one of the many ways the county’s elected leaders stay informed, stay connected to the communities they serve and receive important feedback.

Request a speaker by visiting chesterfield.gov/speakersbureau.
Parks and Recreation is Celebrating Their 50th Anniversary with These Events
Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation is celebrating their 50th anniversary! You can help them celebrate at these upcoming events!

  • Oct. 13 - Fall Sock Hop at Stonebridge Recreation Center
  • Oct. 14 - 50th Anniversary Recreation Nostalgia Series: Croquet at Stonebridge Recreation Center
  • Oct. 21 - 50th Anniversary Celebration
  • Oct. 28 - 50th Anniversary Recreation Nostalgia Series: Bocce Ball at Stonebridge Recreation Center
CVWMA Residential Recycling Collection Update
Due to industry-wide shortages, Central Virginia Waste Management Authority collections are still on a two-day delay. Blue Monday will begin tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Understanding Social Security Spouses' Benefits
Did you know your spouse’s benefit amount could be up to 50% of your spouse’s full retirement age benefit amount? If you qualify for a retirement benefit from your own work history and a spouse’s record, Social Security always pay your own benefit first. You cannot receive spouse’s benefits unless your spouse is receiving their retirement benefits (except for divorced spouses).

If you receive your retirement benefit before your full retirement age, while waiting for your spouse to reach full retirement age, your own retirement portion will be reduced. 
When you add your spouse’s benefits later, the total retirement and spouse’s benefit together will be no more than 50% of the worker’s amount. You can find out more about this at www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/applying7.html.

Knowing about these benefits can help you plan your financial future. Access a wealth of useful information on the Social Security retirement portal.
Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing is
Coming to Chesterfield This Month
Mandatory 10-digit dialing is coming to the 804 area code. Now is the time to clean out and edit the contacts on your mobile device! 📱

Starting on October 24, all calls within the 804 area code must use 10-digit dialing (area code plus the number). On and after this date, local calls dialed with only seven digits may not connect and a recording will inform the caller that the call cannot be completed as dialed. You must hang up and dial again using the 10-digit numbers.

Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established "9-8-8" as the new, nationwide three-digit phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The new three-digit dialing code will be available nationwide by July 16, 2022 and will provide an easy to remember and easy to dial three-digit number to reach suicide prevention and mental health counselors, similar to 9-1-1 for emergencies and 3-1-1 for local government services.

In order for 9-8-8 to become the three-digit phone number to connect with the lifeline, all area codes that use "988" as a local exchange, or the first three digits of a seven-digit phone number, will need to begin using 10-digit dialing. The 804 area code is one of the 82 area codes nationally that will need to adopt this change.
Watch WCCT - On Cable. Online. On the Go.
Did you know you can watch #Cfield Board of Supervisors meetings, Planning Commission meetings, and other special programming on WCCT from the comfort of your own home? Chesterfield Community Television is your source of information, news, and events around the county!

You can also watch original programing on WCCT. Here’s some of what you can expect:

Real Virginia
Real Virginia focuses on agriculture news and family-oriented stories throughout the state of Virginia. The show also offers cooking and gardening segments that feature products from Virginia.

National Gallery of Art Video Teaching Series
These programs explore current and historical 20th century art and sculpture from around the world. Programs focus on specific past and present exhibits from the National Gallery of Art and profiles pioneers in various fields of art and sculpture.

Watch WCCT on cable, online and on the go. Here's how:

Adoptable Pet Spotlight
If you are looking for an energetic, fun-loving guy, look no further than Bates!

He is a 3-year-old Pitbull mix and weighs about 42 lbs. This boy has a lot of energy and would enjoy a big backyard to run around in. Because of his energy, he should not go to a home with children under the age of 12. He would probably knock them over with his exuberant energy! He has met other dogs in the shelter but was unsure about them. Because of this, he does require a meet and greet with other dogs. His reaction to cats was a bit hard to read. He was very interested in them so we aren't entirely sure.
If you are interested in meeting this pet, please contact Chesterfield County Animal Services at 804-748-1683, option "0," to schedule an appointment. Office staff are available by phone 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The shelter is located at 9300 Public Works Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832.
Updates from Chesterfield County Public Schools
Chesterfield schools to pay $2,500 in bonuses to Food and Nutrition Services staff members
Chesterfield County Public Schools will pay bonuses up to $2,500 to Food and Nutrition Services employees. In addition to a $500 incentive already approved through Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, each Food and Nutrition Services employee will receive a potential additional bonus of $2,000. That is a potential total of $2,500 for the 2021-22 school year. Learn more here.
On-time graduation rate is up and dropout rate is down
The on-time graduation rate of Chesterfield County Public Schools grew to 92.3% for the class of 2021, according to data released Sept. 30 by the Virginia Department of Education. That is an increase from 91.91% in 2020. Another statistic moving in the right direction is the dropout rate: 5.6% of Chesterfield County’s class of 2021 left school, a decrease from the 2020 rate of 6.2%. Read the complete news release here.
Farm-to-school events
October is Farm to School Month, and Oct. 4-8 was Virginia Farm to School Week, which included Crunch Heard ’Round the Commonwealth. Superintendent Merv Daugherty and several CTC@Hull students crunched into Virginia-grown apples.

Meadowbrook High successes
  • The Virginia Association of School Librarians selected Meadowbrook High’s library as the state’s best school library program in 2021. Designation as the School Library Program of the Year recognizes Meadowbrook High’s commitment to ensuring that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information and to implementing national school-library standards. Congrats to (l-r) Assistant Librarian Thea Paul, Librarian Kristin Thrower and Library Assistant Tammy Putnam.

  • Meadowbrook High Student Activities Director Joey Richeson was named the 5A/6A Athletic Administrator of the Year by the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. This statewide award recognizes her tireless efforts and professionalism to create opportunities for student-athletes. 

  • Jelani Lynch, specialty center coordinator of Meadowbrook High’s International Baccalaureate Program, received the Angelique Clarke Teacher Leader Award. Given annually in memory of social studies teacher Angelique Clark, the award is sponsored by Virginia Credit Union, which also makes a donation to the American Cancer Society.
Athletic Administrator of the Year,
Joey Richeson
Angelique Clarke Teacher Leader
Award Recipient, Jelani Lynch.
Community Vaccination Center Opens in Chesterfield County
The Virginia Department of Health, in coordination with the Chesterfield Health District, announced that a state-run Community Vaccination Center (CVC) will open Saturday, October 16 at the Rockwood Vaccination Clinic, located at the Rockwood Shopping Center at 10161 Hull Street Road in Midlothian.

The CVC, open Monday through Saturday from 10 am. to 7:30 p.m., will offer COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the Pfizer vaccine in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Community Vaccination Center will also offer:

  • Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (12 and older. A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under 18.)
  • Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
  • Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are also welcome. Register in advance at vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1).
If you are coming for your booster dose, please bring your vaccine card to confirm the date and type of vaccine you received in your second dose.

For more information about the CVC, click here. 
Access Your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Online
Have you misplaced your COVID-19 vaccination card? Did you know you can now access your COVID-19 vaccination record online with the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Request Portal? You can view, save, and print your vaccination record with QR Code. All at the convenience of your smartphone!

Anyone vaccinated in Virginia can click here to obtain their vaccination record.
If you have any questions about the Vaccination Record Request Portal, visit the Virginia Department of Health’s FAQ.
Need a COVID-19 Vaccine?
Use VaccineFinder.org or Vaccines.gov to find the latest information on which providers and pharmacies are administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

The VaccineFinder website displays information about the providers, such as types of COVID-19 vaccines available, website and phone number, hours of operations and instructions on how to take the next step to get vaccinated. VaccineFinder is updated daily.
Virginia's COVID-19 Vaccine Summary
(Data as of Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2021)
Interested in seeing the state's latest COVID-19 vaccination statistics, including a breakdown by locality? Click on the button below to access the COVID-19 dashboard in Virginia.

This site and the statistics displayed are managed by the Virginia Department of Health.
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