CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA — Substance Abuse Free Environment Inc., or SAFE, Chesterfield County’s community coalition to prevent drug and alcohol abuse, seeks to partner with public schools, other nonprofit organizations and the faith-based community in Chesterfield County and Colonial Heights to host Café Conversations.

This fun, interactive program for fifth- through eighth-grade students and their parents presents facts, dispels myths, fosters open communication and empowers youths to make positive choices pertaining to underage alcohol consumption.

During the program, parents and students share a meal; participate in an energetic, humorous, interactive presentation by Dr. Linda Hancock, director of the Wellness Resource Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, and then students separate from their parents to

learn about alcohol and its effects on the brain; while parents have candid discussions about the prevalence, dangers and legal consequences of underage drinking.

Responses from parents and youths have been overwhelmingly positive. One parent indicated that negative peer pressure is eliminated by dispelling the myth that ‘everyone’s doing it.’ Students appreciated the instruction on refusal skills — how to say no when offered alcohol — and the role playing that helps them develop those skills. Student responses include: Awesome! Thumbs up! and I wish I’d have brought my friends.

Wayne Frith, executive director of SAFE, stresses the power a community holds for affecting positive change when it discovers its values and honestly discusses and addresses the issues.

“If our community stops treating underage drinking and substance abuse as a dirty secret and begins to have open, honest and

transparent discussions about it, we will see a shift to stronger, healthier families with fewer horror stories of mayhem on the highways and youths making risky decisions,” Frith said. “It is all about grass roots changes in perception.’”

For more information about hosting Café Conversations, call 804-796-7100 or email safe@chesterfieldsafe.org.

Picture – During Café Conversations at Chester Christian Church on April 15, Melissa Ackley, manager of Prevention Services at the Chesterfield County Department of Mental Health Support Services, facilitated student discussions of future goals and aspirations and how bad choices related to drugs and alcohol can have a detrimental impact on their plans. The evening concluded with students rejoining their parents in the main sanctuary to continue the conversation about the negative impacts of substance abuse. Before leaving, the parents were invited to stay connected with SAFE through hosting a Parent Pod in their community and/or church small group and by visiting SAFE’s social networking sites.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA – The Chesterfield County Police Department is seeking volunteers to serve as Auxiliary Police Officers and Motorist Assistants.

Auxiliary officers are fully trained, sworn police officers who are asked to volunteer 250 hours each year. Members of this volunteer police force contribute significantly to the agency’s ability to deliver an array of services to the community. These volunteers support the department in a variety of ways, including answering calls for service, being available for emergency deployment in adverse weather and supplementing police resources at extended crime scene investigations.

Members of the Motorist Assistant Team tour the county offering assistance to stranded motorists and assisting road officers with traffic direction at crash sites and special events.

Because of the importance of these operational volunteer groups to our community, the police department would like to enlist additional qualified volunteers. Our next informational and recruitment session on both the Auxiliary Police Unit and the Motorist Assistant Team will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2012, at 7 p.m. at the Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center, 6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, VA 23832.

Auxiliary police officer applicants should be between the ages of 21 and 65. Motorist assistant applicants should be at least 21 years of age. Applicants should have attained a high school diploma or GED, have a good driving record and possess a valid Virginia Driver’s License. All applicants will undergo an extensive background investigation.

If you are interested in volunteering or would like additional information on the Auxiliary Police Unit or Motorist Assistant Team, please call Carole Maxwell at 804-318-8695 or email her at maxwellc@chesterfield.gov.

Authorized by: Captain Jerry Netherland, Special Operations Division, Uniform Operations Bureau. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Caroon at
796-7032.

Note to Media: Captions for the attached photos are below.

Photo 1: (From left) Volunteer Coordinator Carole Maxwell and Auxiliary Police Officers Jeff Patton, Perry Hornbarger and Marilyn Farmer.

Photo 2: (From left) Auxiliary Police Officer Ed Nicely and Motorist Assistant Tom Hoekstra.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA – Today officials from the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office and Chesterfield County Police Department announced the arrest of a sheriff’s deputy.

On Tuesday, April 24, Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office officials discovered a discrepancy in an inmate account, and immediately reported the matter to police, in addition to conducting an internal administrative investigation.

After a thorough investigation, police charged Deputy Otis B. Logan Jr. with grand larceny. Police said Logan took $300 from an inmate account. Logan was arrested on Thursday, April 26, and released on bond. He is set to appear in Chesterfield County General District Court on May 31, 2012, at 8:30 a.m.

Logan is no longer employed by the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA — The Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation is offering a series of programs for adults 50 and older at Bon Air Baptist Church, 2531 Buford Road. For more information, call Judy Jones, 804-751-4135. To register for programs, call 804-748-1623. A full list of programs can be found in the current Program Guide, available online at chesterfield.gov.

Zumba
This Latin-inspired dance and fitness program is effective and easy to follow.
Mondays, May 7-June 18, 10-11 a.m., $30 (Course 25188)

Tai Chi for Seniors
This class is open to and is appropriate for both beginners and intermediates.
Wednesdays, 12:30-1:15 p.m., May 9-June 6, $25 (Course 25193)

Advanced Beginner Bridge II
This course will expand on basic steps, and is intended for those with experience.
Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon, May 9-June 13, $42 (Course 25196)

Intermediate Bridge
This class is for experienced players.
Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m., May 9-June 13, $42 (Course 25201)

Get in the Know: Arthritis and Joint Pain
Dr. Christy McLean of Primary Health Group-Brandermill will discuss the causes and preventative measures of arthritis and joint pain.
Wednesday, May 23, 11 a.m.-noon, free (Course 25142)

Get in the Know: Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Robert Albertia from the Swift Creek Mill Theater will discuss the attributes of working in theatre and television.
Wednesday, June 13, 10:30-11:30 a.m., free (Course 25340)

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA — Chesterfield County residents will have the opportunity to dispose of paint during a free paint collection event being held on Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. This event is for Chesterfield County residents only and will be held at the Northern Area Convenience Center, 3200 Warbro Road.

There is a 25 gallon limit on the amount of paint that can be disposed of per vehicle and no contractor paint will be accepted. The maximum size of a disposed container is 5 gallons.

For more information call 748-1297.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA — The community is invited to attend the 2nd Annual Senior Idol on Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m., at Victory Tabernacle Church of God, 11700 Genito Road, Midlothian.

The program will consist of the top twelve acts from the Greater-Richmond area as determined during auditions held in April. Singers include:

• Cheryl Cross “Play That Funky Music”
• Barbara Entzminger Williams “Hearts Desire/You Are Great”
• Jacqueline Fedor “Unchained Melody”
• Bob Henderson “Prop Me Up”
• Inez Johnson “Summertime”
• Anne Bost Guthmiller “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”
• Kitty Mollicone “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”
• Jo Ann Spain “At Last”
• J. Tony Zevgolis “House of the Rising Sun”

Donald Anderson and Laurie Kalata will play a piano duet and sing “God Bless the Child.” Larry Estep will play guitar and sing “Gentle on My Mind.” Ed Pettersen will play piano and sing “Walking in Memphis.”

The event is sponsored by the Shepherd’s Center of Chesterfield, Chesterfield County Senior Advocate, Victory Tabernacle Church of God, Lucy Corr Village, Buford Road Pharmacy and Gordon and Janet Sutton.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students. To purchase tickets, call 804-706-6689 or 804-768-7878, or visit shepctrchesterfield.org. Proceeds benefit the Shepherd’s Center of Chesterfield’s services for seniors.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA – Police have arrested a man in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in the 4000 block of Hailey Crescent Drive on Sunday, April 22.

At about 10:20 p.m. on Sunday, police responded to the 4000 block of Hailey Crescent Drive to investigate a report of a shooting. Police located Tre Antonio Walton, who had been shot and was unresponsive, in the breezeway of an apartment building. Police and EMS personnel attempted to resuscitate Walton, 17, but he was declared dead after arriving at Chippenham Hospital.

Police obtained warrants for Brandon Lamar Fordham, of the 7500 block of Cimarron Court, for murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in relation to this incident. Fordham, 19, was arrested at abou