Learn How to Save the Bay at Oct. 6 Board Meeting

The Chesapeake Bay may be 200 miles long and fed by more than 150 rivers and streams, but you can help make it cleaner for the people and wildlife that depend on it. Lorne Field, an environmental outreach coordinator at the Chesterfield County Department of Environmental Engineering, will talk about what we can do as a community at the next board meeting of Settlers Landing Community Association.

The meeting will be this Thursday, Oct. 6 from 7:00-8:30 PM at Greenfield Elementary School in the library. If you can’t make it, keep an eye on our Facebook page and on The Hub for videos of Field’s presentation.

The SLCA Board of Directors will discuss other pending projects after the guest speaker. Read the agenda to find out what they’ll talk about .

New Owner for Wrens Nest Home?

 

In a Sept. 20 story, NBC-12 reported that responsibility for the burned-out home on Wrens Nest Road is now in the hands of Cassandra Johnson (pictured above). She is one of the co-owners of the home and the daughter of Tracey Johnson, who perished in the fire that took place last December. The younger Johnson says the house is under contract. Once the sale is closed, which is expected to occur next month, the new owner will have 20 days to fix up the home or demolish it.

This news won’t bring back Tracey Johnson or her son, who was also killed by the fire. But it will hopefully bring a sense of closure to her family and mark a period of renewal for a community that has mourned the loss of a neighbor and part of its fabric for the last nine months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newsletter hot off the virtual presses

I just emailed the latest Crow’s Nest newsletter to our email list. If you are interested in receiving the newsletter — and shorter updates in between newsletters — send an email to settlers_landing@yahoo.com. Note that the next board meeting for Oct. 6 is at 7 PM in the library at Greenfield Elementary.

http://clt.bme1.net/c/b/30858B

No Demo Yet for Wrens Nest Home

Despite Chesterfield County’s efforts, the home on the corner of Wrens Nest and Robious Roads is no closer to being demolished. Kenneth Layne pleaded no contest to violating a court order to either repair or demolish the home, which was damaged in a fire last December that also killed his wife, Tracey Johnson, and their son. Johnson’s two surviving adult children also own the home and will also be issued orders to clean up the mess.

Layne was caught on camera by an NBC 12 reporter during this report, which aired on Aug. 16. The Richmond Times-Dispatch ran this story the next day.

After reading some of the comments posted in response to these news reports, you might think Settlers Landing residents are cold-hearted meanies who only care about the value of their homes. If you heard only the perspective of understandably exasperated neighbors who have talked to TV reporters, you might think the homeowner is acting irresponsibly.

In fact, the truth is somewhere in between … so let’s not jump to one conclusion or another. Rather, let’s think of ways we can be constructive and helpful. Email the SLCA with your suggestions.

Watch it, mister …

Have you noticed a lot of drivers ignoring this sign lately? One resident of Early Settlers Road has, as he writes in this email to the SLCA (it has been edited for length):

To whom it may concern,

I would like to report persistent speeding on Early Settlers Road …  The speeding occurs from the Robious Road entrance to Looking Glass Road.  Many of my neighbors and family members have come close to being hit by speeding vehicles on numerous occasions. There are many children in the neighborhood that ride their bikes to & from the swimming pool in the back of neighborhood.  It is only a matter of time before a child on a bike or an adult pedestrian is hit and killed on this road.

The speed limit on this road is 25 mph and is only posted north of Savoy Road.  The average vehicle speed on this road is much higher than 25mph, with many vehicles exceeding 40 mph.  The speeding typically occurs at peak hours of 7am-9:30am and 4:30pm-7:00 pm, Monday through Friday, but is definitely not limited to that time frame.

Recently there was a Chesterfield County police officer parked at the corner of Early Settlers Road & Sealing Wax Way, observing traffic.  I spoke with him to express my concerns.  This was on a Sunday morning, and the officer did not have a radar gun.

Here is the response from Barbara Smith, the current SLCA president:

Good morning,

Thank you for expressing your concern over the speeding traffic on Early Settlers Road to SLCA Board members. Chesterfield has a Traffic Alert Hotline, 804-813-8054. Please call between 8:30 – 5 pm, or register online speeding@chesterfield.gov.  Citizens are encouraged to register their concerns/complains using this number. According to the police department, it is helpful if you provide detail:  time of day, exact location, etc. when you call. There are additional instructions given on the Chesterfield County Police Department website.

If you spot a speeder, take the time to report it as well. Remember, it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease …

National Night Out This Tuesday

 

Come down to the pool on Wrens Nest Road on Tuesday, Aug. 2 from 6-9 PM for our annual NNO. There will be free food, goodies for the kids, and visits from McGruff and other special guests. Also, the pool will be open for non-members of the Settlers Landing Recreation Association.

Hope it won’t be too hot!

Second Fire Strikes Robious Middle School

This morning, fire struck Robious Middle School for the second time in less than a year. Chesterfield Police suspect that a person broke into the school and set the blaze intentionally, but they are still investigating. WTVR covered the story during its evening broadcast.

This isn’t the first fire at Robious Middle, which has been undergoing a major expansion. Last December, welders accidentally ignited materials in a storage room, causing minor damage to the school.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in either fire and the school is still standing. Let’s focus on that rather than on the individual(s) who will be held accountable for their actions. And, let’s look for opportunities to help if we can.