JANUARY: Chris Hutson is elected chairman and Kevin Smith, vice chairman, of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors … Shelley Kinser brings dog therapy to Abingdon Elementary students … GHS senior Samantha Wooldridge is named Duke of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year … 19th century Bible is used to swear in Gloucester County officials … Winter storm causes power outages throughout region … Dr. Femi Obasun, Ph.D., DBA, of Hayes, is recognized by Marquis Who’s Who … Achilles Elementary School student Chloe McPherson is recognized at the State of the Commonwealth Address at the State Capitol by Gov. Glenn Youngkin for her success in the math component of the ALL IN VA plan … Kay Cole James, founder and chairwoman of The Gloucester Institute, receives the King Legacy Award for Leadership in Public Service … The Bread for Life Community Food Pantry receives a new refrigerated truck to help with distribution of food to those in need … Burke Mill Stream bridge on Route 14 to get makeover … Former Gloucester resident Paul Darnell receives an Emmy award for his work as a stuntman in the Disney + TV series, “The Mandalorian.”
FEBRUARY: Covid cases decline after holiday spike … Racist graffiti found at Gloucester schools … Sea Farms Inc. of Gloucester is awarded a $250,000 state grant through the Governor’s Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Program … The population in Gloucester continues to grow; an increase of 450 residents since April 1, 2020 census … A plan to widen Route 17 at Gloucester Point from four to six lanes is in the works, part of a multiphase project that would see expansion of the road from Gloucester Point to the Court House area … Renovations currently underway at Gloucester Public Library, Main Street Center … Six graduate from GHS winter commencement exercises … Suspicious blaze damages abandoned church, Church of God in Maryus … Winfrey Carlton Henry Jr., 25, of Gloucester, pleads guilty to second-degree murder, following last year’s homicide of Kayron Tyrone Long of Ware Neck … Gloucester High School receives new concert piano from Parker Piano in Williamsburg; the acquisition made possible through the Hampton Roads Community Foundation … Woodville Rosenwald School holds open house; receives its official Gloucester County Occupancy Permit … Racist graffiti found at Abingdon Elementary School … A ribbon cutting is held to celebrate the receipt of an official occupancy permit for the Woodville Rosenwald School in Gloucester … The Gloucester Museum of History receives a grant in the amount of $50,000 from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture’s Commonwealth History Fund to redevelop its second-floor gallery.
MARCH: Low turnout in Presidential primary … GibsonSingleton teams up with Olivia’s and Scoot’s to recognize “Hometown Heroes” … DeLSol Association Inc., a new nonprofit organization on Gloucester’s Main Street, helps individuals with developmental disabilities and chronic mental health needs … Members of the Gloucester and Abingdon fire and rescue squads had a busy Friday night with a huge influx of emergency calls; Gloucester receives 18 calls within a nine-hour period and Abingdon receive 10 calls, between both fire and rescue … The Gloucester Museum Foundation publishes a book called “Lawyer Walker of Gloucester” … Matthew Barber is named Gloucester’s Director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism and Katey Legg is named the county’s Utilities Director … Cold weather causes slow start to crab pot season … AVFR, GVFRS firefighters battle wildfires in Shenandoah Valley.
APRIL: Janet and Bennie Leigh of Gloucester, are chosen as this year’s Gloucester Daffodil Festival grand marshals … Gloucester High School senior and Rappahannock Community College dual enrollment student Andrew White organizes a golf tournament to raise money for RCC’s Educational Foundation Inc.’s Student Emergency Assistance Fund … An estimated 25,000+ enjoy Gloucester Daffodil Festival; Taryn Legg is crowned Daffodil Festival queen and Laurielynn Holaday, Little Miss Daffodil … The Gloucester Community Foundation awards $136,676 to 24 organization in grants … Highway marker celebrates Dr. Robert Moton … Solar eclipse is viewed in Gloucester, where coverage was about 80 percent of totality … The Cantauncack Archeological Survey receives a $136,497 grant from the Department of Historic Resources and the Virginia Board of Historic Resources for archeological project in Hayes … Ellis Finney, a young up-and-coming playwright from Gloucester, sees his monologue featured at SHINE: Illuminating Black Stories in Abingdon… Gloucester High School is briefly placed in lockdown after a construction worker at the school property allegedly brandishes a firearm … 500 attend Saturday’s Garden Week tour and 400 attend tour on Sunday.
MAY: Fate connects Keith Nuttall and William Davis Jr. nearly 10 years after accident … Percy Lockley of Middlesex dies in Route 17 collision …The Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic hosts spring fundraiser, “Derby de Mayo,” and raises $65,000+ for the clinic … Gloucester County Public Schools Educational Foundation recognize its Teachers of the Year: James Eccleston, Amanda Williams, Keri-Sue Blake, Sharon Quigley, Leah Omweg, Brittany Lutz, Sharon Daugherty, Holly King and Richel Downs … Gloucester High School’s SCA earns national recognition … Ware Academy holds a groundbreaking ceremony for its expansion project … The Gloucester County School Board approves the school security entry screening equipment … “Coloring Around Guinea” available at Buck’s Store Museum … Lady Dukes finish regular softball season undefeated.
JUNE: Symphony Under the Stars draws 2,000 music lovers to Main Street … The Gloucester High School varsity softball and baseball teams celebrate double wins in the Class 4 Region A final … Gloucester County Public Library, Main Street Center, celebrates its extensive renovation with a ribbon cutting, along with its annual Summer Reading Kick-Off event … Gloucester High School graduates over 300 in the school’s 71st commencement exercises; Kearney Palas is valedictorian and Charles Somervell III salutatorian … Two Gloucester students win PBS Kids Writers Contest; homeschooler Hazel Arterbury wins second place in the kindergarten category for her entry “Lily and I” and Charles (Chase) Harris, a student at Ware Academy, wins the overall environmental winner for grades K-1 for his work, “Spy Cub Saves the Savanna.” … Johnson Atelier sculptures are placed on Main Street … Gloucester Banks, also known to locals as Little Richmond, a close-knit community of 23 cottages in Gloucester Point, celebrates its 100th anniversary … The Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society has an explosive kitten season this year with nearly 200 kittens in its care … The Gloucester Institute in partnership with the Gloucester Juneteenth Celebration Committee, Gloucester County NAACP and Mathews NAACP chapters host its Juneteenth Celebration … The Fairfield Foundation receives a $100,000 matching grant from The Cabell Foundation of Richmond for masonry stabilization at Rosewell … GHS grads receive $198,700 in local scholarships … Gloucester Main Street is designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards.
JULY: Horn’s Ace Hardware Group acquires the Ace brand from Mark Cook, owner of Gloucester Supply, Inc.; anticipates opening a new location in Hayes Plaza … Slight increase in local condemned waters … Wyllona E. Harris is named Retired Educator of the Year by the Gloucester Retired Educators Association … Olivia Quinn Hendricks, 11, of Gloucester, qualified for AAU Junior Olympics … Gloucester Brewing Company receives a $10,000 Small Business grant by the National Main Street Cener in partnership with American Express … Gloucester’s newest mural, a tribute to the county’s female trailblazers, is complete … The four men charged with carrying firearms onto school property during a Gloucester school board meeting last summer are found not guilty of the felony charge following a jury trial … Todd Fowler is the new owner of the WXGM radio station.
AUGUST: Philanthropist Jane Batten donates $100 million to establish the newly named Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences for the College of William and Mary … Tyrell Lamont Samuel, 26, of Saluda, is convicted of murder in the first degree, among other felony charges, after a three-day jury trial in Gloucester County Circuit Court … Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society Executive Director Charles Brown resigns for new position in Florida … Gloucester School Board approves T.C. Walker Education Center as gun-free zone … The Cook Foundation, a Gloucester organization dedicated to supporting the arts, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month with a visual exhibit in the Fine Arts Museum … All Gloucester County Public Schools students to receive free meals … Gloucester High School renovation is ahead of schedule … Karen Espinoza steps down as member of Gloucester School Board.
SEPTEMBER: Gloucester’s newly revamped Beehive publication is one of 45 recipients of 2024 Virginia Association of Counties’ Achievement Awards, which recognize excellence in local government … Shirley West Hogge is named the 2024 Guinea Jubilee grand marshal; Guinea Jubilee pageant winners are Little Miss Dixie Lemons, Junior Miss Zoey Smith and Queen Sierra McGill; Lee Abston’s artwork is selected as the official Guinea Jubilee print … Sanders, a retirement community in Gloucester Court House, and Gloucester Rotary Club team up to establish a memorial garden for lifelong Gloucester residents Robert “Bob” Marble and James Ellis Hall, who lived to be 94 and 104, respectively … Gloucester County School Board names Anita Parker to the Petsworth District school board seat, after Karen Espinoza steps down… Lauren Stephens of Hayes is crowned the 2024 National American Miss Virginia Queen at the state pageant in Reston … Adam Newland, a Gloucester native, is the new park manager for Machicomoco State Park.
OCTOBER: Gloucester Main Street’s newest mural, “Iconic Women of Gloucester” is dedicated … Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue to begin insurance-only billing … Local Walk to End Alzheimer’s raises $65,000… Gloucester’s Union Zion Baptist Church is added to Virginia Landmarks Register … GHS seniors Trevor Richardson and Nadia Oberlin are crowned Gloucester’s Duke and Duchess … The contributions of two distinguished community leaders—Marion Randall and the late Rev. Fred Carter—are honored in special celebration by the Legacy for Gloucester Citizens … The American Society of the Le Souvenir Francais, Inc., dedicates a granite memorial honoring the French soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice at the 1781 Battle of the Hook … Richard Gregory Gibson Jr., 62, of Dutton, dies after a single-vehicle motorcycle accident at Burkes Pond Road … Emma Lynch places first overall in the horticulture demonstration at the State Fair of Virginia as a member of Gloucester High School’s Future Farmers of America chapter … Walter Reed Nursing and Rehab Center recognized on 2025 Best Nursing Homes list.
NOVEMBER: Voter turnout was strong in Gloucester and Mathews counties, with a clear majority of those casting their votes in favor of Republican candidates, Donald Trump, Hung Cao and Rob Wittman … Gloucester United Emergency Shelter Team is in need of winter host sites; welcomes new executive director, Michelle Wells … Gloucester High School field hockey team are regional champs … Gloucester to use speed enforcement cameras at schools … Gloucester County Public Schools is now one of six school districts in the commonwealth to receive the Virginia Purple Star Award, a recognition earned for being a welcoming and supportive environment for military children … The historic Cow Creek Grist Mill on Route 14 in Gloucester, known to many as the Old Mill, will possibly meet the bulldozer, a fate that the structure faced almost 25 years ago … ABC Store reopens at Fox Mill Centre … Gloucester High School junior Hannah Broadwell saves the life of her best friend’s mother, Jannifer McKee, by recognizing the stroke symptoms she was presenting … Gloucester County’s 2024 commemorative ornament features the Gloucester Agricultural and Industrial Institute … Traffic signals at Route 17/Crewe Road are modified … Sanders, a retirement community in Gloucester operated by Riverside Health, was named to the U.S. News & World Report 2025 America’s Best Nursing Home list.
DECEMBER: Bobby Todd of Gloucester, survives 13-day active heart attack, and is in need of community support as he is unable to return to work until February … Wes and Elaine Wilson are named grand marshals for the Gloucester Christmas Holiday Parade … Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic is recognized by statewide nonprofit Rx Partnership for its role in providing free prescription medication to 179 patients this year, which represents more than 35 percent of clinic’s patient population … Ware Academy Head of School Dawn Fleet is nominated for the National Life Group’s 2024-2025 LifeChanger of the Year award … The Inn at Warner Hall in Gloucester is sold to BluWater Group, an Orlando, Florida-based private equity firm that specializes in acquiring and enhancing distinctive properties in the maritime, aviation, and luxury real estate sectors … Gloucester County Public Library received 54 entries in its second annual Yum Yum Cookie Baking Contest. Contest … A massive cleanup of derelict fishing gear in U.S. coastal waters is set to begin now that William & Mary’s Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science have awarded $1.4 million to fund 11 projects under the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program … Ware Academy Head of School Dawn Fleet has been nominated for the National Life Group’s 2024-2025 LifeChanger of the Year award … Friends of Gloucester County Animal Control, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has one simple mission: help dogs in need … After one year in existence, the Friends of Gloucester Community Cats has hit its stride in providing support for local cat colonies and their caretakers. The group recognizes community cats as those which live outdoors and are not kept as pets … Mike Burnett of Salty Water Decoys in Bena is enjoying himself these days. He’s doing what he enjoys—carving wildfowl—and he’s doing it when and if it suits his fancy. Now he wants to share his expertise with others by offering free decoy-making demonstrations beginning in March … Abingdon Elementary School Math Interventionist Ami McCullough was able to present all 450 students at the school with a wrapped Christmas gift after hosting a fundraiser campaign online through DonorsChoose … All-America honors Shenandoah University field hockey player Farren Winter of Gloucester, has earned 2024 All-America honors from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and Apex Field Hockey.
-Compiled by Nancy Layng
