News

Commenters urge more feasibility and cummulative impact studies, during a public hearing on Caroline County’s plan to pump millions of gallons a day out of the Rappahannock River. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) held the hearing on November 6, to once again address Caroline County’s application. Currently on its second draft, the request proposes up to nine million gallons […]

The VCU Health System hopes to have a new medical facility in place here within the next seven years. That revelation was disclosed at the November 6 meeting of the Essex County Economic Authority (EDA) at which VCU Tappahannock Hospital Interim President Josh Hammond was the guest speaker. VCU Health System is the third owner/operator of the facility which opened […]

The Tappahannock Planning Commission voted on November 5 to recommend denial of a rezoning request that would allow Bareford GMC to expand its vehicle storage space. The 4-0 vote (Commissioner Maria Pitts was not present) occurred after Town Zoning Administrator James Knighton briefly reviewed a from Bareford GMC’s legal team regarding his staff report on the matter. Last month, the […]

The Essex County Economic Development Authority (EDA) got an initial glimpse at the recreational possibilities for the Rotary Poor House Park during its November 6 meeting. Greg Smith, of the civil engineering consulting firm TRC, presented conceptual drawings of the propertis just off Kino Road. The EDA is hoping to convert the site into a multi-use facility. The review was […]

A Circuit Court judge has denied a prosecution motion to modify the sentence given to a 59-year-old Hustle man who was convicted earlier this year of misdemeanor charges related to a July 1, 2024 killing of hunting dogs. In August, Thomas Egon Bohlmann received six month suspended sentences for each conviction, Judge John S. Martin ruled that he must pay […]

A changing of the guard will soon happen to the Essex County Board of Supervisors. Earlier this year, At-Large Supervisor Edwin “Bud” Smith Jr. and North District Supervisor Sidney N. Johnson announced retirement plans. They are the most senior-most members of the Board. Smith has served as the At- Large supervisor since the seat was created in 2018. He previously […]

The composition of the Essex County School Board will undergo a significant change come January 1 following the results of last week’s General Election. Three incumbents seeking returns to their seats were defeated, while a fourth narrowly earned reelection. In a three-person race for the At-Large seat, former Essex Public Schools administrator Roger D. “Butch” ( Gross captured 35.4 percent […]

Roadways that are prone to flooding were a topic of discussion during last week’s Essex Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors meetings. Essex roads that have been identified as subject to tidal flooding are: • Tidewater Trail (U.S. Route 17) at the Mt. Landing Creek Bridge (intermittently frequently flooded); • Colemans Island Road (one section frequently flooded and another intermittently […]