100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 11, 1920
from the Gloucester Gazette
The Owl Trap roads to Gloucester C.H. are in a deplorable condition. Cannot something be done? Our financial condition makes the substitution of an air ship prohibitory. What is wrong with the Board of Supervisors?
The Owl Trap correspondent for the Sentinel suggests that we have a post office at this place, which is an admirable one, as all the mail for this neighborhood has to be left at Mr. W.F. Dutton’s store, and he would be the popular choice for a postmaster by all the residents of this section.
There has been a good deal of sickness in this vicinity, but so far all are improving. The weather, no doubt, is the cause of the severe colds. -Little Squeechy
from the Mathews Journal
At a meeting of the Mathews Board of Supervisors held Monday, favorable action upon the recommendation of Mr. G.S. Marchant to purchase mules to do the county road work instead of hiring them was taken and Mr. G.E. Hunt, superintendent of roads, was authorized to go to Richmond for the purpose of buying six good mules for this work.
90 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 13, 1930
from the Gloucester Gazette
Speed of 70 miles and better per hour, with 50 miles an hour minimum all day, acceleration from standing start to 40 miles an hour in 35 seconds, and gas consumption between 19 and 20 miles to the gallon, were local records made Thursday and Friday in the Essex Challenger Week demonstration in Gloucester. Bob Farinholt, local Essex-Hudson dealer, took many for a ride in the white-painted car used for the demonstrations and brought them all back much impressed with the new model’s efficiency.
from the Mathews Journal
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd West of Motorun, and Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Smith of Diggs, were the guests of Mrs. Ashley Brownley on Sunday last.
Mrs. Millard Owens and Mrs. Norman Diggs were the guests of Mrs. Tom Banks at Diggs on Tuesday last.
Mrs. Joe Sadler visited Mrs. Julia Brownley on Sunday last.
After spending several months with friends and relatives in Mathews, Miss Ella Miller has returned to the home of Mrs. Ada Bragg in Norfolk.
80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 14, 1940
from the Gazette-Journal
Beginning on the 15th, mail trip from Gloucester at 4 p.m. will be extended to Lee Hall, affording an outlet for flowers mailed in the afternoon and any other parcel post. Flower shippers using this service can have their shipments in the northern markets the next morning.
70 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 9, 1950
from the Gazette-Journal
Attention!—Citizens of Mathews
In case of fire, please dial the numbers listed below:
Day: Dial 5-3333, If No Answer, Dial 5-3040, If No Answer, Dial 5-3511.
Night: Dial 5-3333, If No Answer, Dial 5-3521, If No Answer, Dial 5-3040.
This is necessitated by the installation of the new Dial System and change of numbers.
Please keep these numbers handy, and we will be able to answer calls promptly. -Mathews Volunteer Fire Department
60 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 19, 1960
from the Gazette-Journal
The annual spring firemen’s square dance will be held Friday, March 27 at Mathews High School with music furnished by Garland Abbott and His Playboys. The dance, sponsored by the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, will be from 9 until 12 p.m. $1.00 donation.
50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 12, 1970
from the Gazette-Journal
The Red Cross bloodmobile will be in Gloucester tomorrow from 2 to 7 p.m. at Newington Baptist Church on Route 17 just north of the village.
Dr. C.R. Harris Jr., chairman of the Gloucester Chapter bloodmobile program, announces that the quota for this visit is 110 pints. He said only 67 pints were collected at the last visit and Gloucester is now behind about 43 pints. Dr. Harris urges citizens to give so that the county may continue participation in the program.
Babysitting services will be available tomorrow. The ladies of Newington Church will be in charge of the canteen.
40 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 13, 1980
from the Gazette-Journal
Sylvia F. Rilee and Cynthia F. Gunn of Gloucester have been named to the winter quarter dean’s list at Radford University, which requires at least a 3.4 grade point average.
Miss Rilee, a sophomore sociology major, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Wellington Rilee, and Miss Gunn, a junior health and physical education major, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Gunn.
30 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 15, 1990
from the Gazette-Journal
A group of citizens opposed to construction of a new landfill in the Marlfield section of Gloucester County has gathered more than 2,000 signatures against the plan, spokesman Robert Roberts said.
Roberts, who lives within a mile of the proposed landfill on a 934-acre site off Route 613, said about 40 citizens are actively working with the group, which does not yet have a name, to circulate petitions throughout the county. The petitions state the undersigned say “No to landfill” in Gloucester. A county estimate is that the landfill would cost about $4 million.
20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 16, 2000
from the Gazette-Journal
The students at Rappahannock Community College are on the cutting edge of Internet education, as one of only 18 pilot schools world-wide participating in the startup of “Smarthinking.”
Smarthinking is the first online service providing academic assistance to college students in core subjects. For this pilot program, which runs through the spring semester, assistance is being offered in mathematics (from simple math to calculus) and writing.
10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, March 11, 2010
from the Gazette-Journal
Two Gloucester County supervisors called a special meeting of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors for Friday afternoon to consider advertising a tax rate of 73-74 cents per $100 of assessed value on real estate.
However, the board voted 4-2, with At-large supervisor Louise Theberge absent, to keep the advertised tax rate on real estate at 61 cents.
According to Ware District supervisor Gregory Woodard, he called the 3:30 p.m. meeting in the colonial courthouse, “in a spirit of openness and transparency.” Woodward said he heard from a “majority of citizens” that they would like to see a tax rate high enough to cover the projected $6.3 million shortfall in the school system’s budget.
At-large supervisor Michelle Ressler also asked for the meeting, which was announced Thursday afternoon.