Supervisor Roscoe D. Cooper III
Project will bring new dam, environmental improvements, public access
Richard Flanagan can’t wait to see Lake Overton vibrant once again, with fishing and other recreation, as it was before Hurricane Gaston’s remnants brought pounding rain in 2004.
“I know it was 11 inches per two hours, because that’s what I dumped out of my basement,” said Flanagan, president of the Three Fountains North Civic Association.
The storm damaged the lake’s earthen dam so severely that the water level had to be lowered to ensure safety. As a result, the lake’s footprint shrunk from about 7.5 acres to about 4.3 acres.
Today, Flanagan and other residents joined Henrico County officials in celebrating the start of a project that will revive the lake to about 5.4 acres and deliver a new dam and a host of environmental improvements. It also will clear the way to provide public access to the lake by extending a trail from nearby Three Lakes Park.
Continue reading 20 years after Gaston’s rains, Henrico celebrates start of work to revive Lake Overton
She will discuss memoir ‘Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail’
Henrico County’s long-running literary event All Henrico Reads will return Thursday, March 28, with bestselling and award-winning author Cheryl Strayed.
Continue reading All Henrico Reads to feature bestselling author Cheryl Strayed
Plan retains 85-cent real estate rate, supports RECAP program, doubles BPOL exemption, advances bond projects, reinvests in education, safety, employees
UPDATE: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously April 9 to adopt the county’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The approved budget added $4.5 million to create a reserve fund for Henrico County Public Schools to expand planning periods at elementary schools and $89,500 to fund a community health worker position. It also adjusted funding for several nondepartmental agencies.
Continue reading Henrico Board of Supervisors approves proposed budget for fiscal 2024-25
Plan focuses on service access, coordination, navigation in schools, community
With children and teenagers struggling more than ever with depression, sadness and hopelessness, Henrico County and Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) are implementing a plan to strengthen access to high-quality mental health services by making them more available in schools and expanding efforts focused on prevention, support, and early and intensive intervention.
Continue reading Henrico CARES signals ‘call to action’ to strengthen youth mental health services
‘Immersive’ event gives high schoolers a chance to lead on local issues
High school students from Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) will present community research projects and reflect on their experiences during Henrico County’s 65th Student Government Day on Wednesday, March 6.
Continue reading HCPS students to share projects, experiences on Student Government Day
County prepares to issue $121 million in bonds for schools, other projects
Henrico County’s triple AAA bond ratings – the highest possible endorsement of its creditworthiness – have been reaffirmed ahead of a sale of bonds to improve schools and other public facilities.
Continue reading Henrico’s triple AAA bond ratings reaffirmed
County agencies are looking to fill dozens of positions
Henrico will hold a job fair Tuesday, Jan. 16 to launch its “Build Your Career, Better Your Community” hiring campaign, which highlights the county’s comprehensive benefits package and the advantages of careers in public service.
Continue reading Jan. 16 job fair kicks off Henrico hiring campaign, highlights new benefits
The members of Henrico County’s next Board of Supervisors and School Board as well as its constitutional officers and Henricopolis directors have been sworn in to begin serving their terms on Jan. 1.
“Welcome, we all look forward to working with you and seeing you succeed as a group,” County Manager John A. Vithoulkas said at the conclusion of the Henrico County 2024 Investiture, which was held Dec. 15 at the Henrico Sports & Events Center.
Continue reading Oaths administered to incoming supervisors, School Board members, constitutional officers, Henricopolis directors
Hundreds of residents, supporters and community members packed the entrance and lobby of the Henrico Sports & Events Center to celebrate the opening of the massive facility that will host games, tournaments, graduations and other events.
The 185,000-square-foot venue began hosting tournaments and other events in late October, but officials reserved the formal dedication and ribbon-cutting for the Community Celebration event, which was held Dec. 4 and welcomed in the public with music, games and giveaways.
Continue reading ‘Welcome to Showtime’: Community celebrates new Sports & Events Center
Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade said she was impressed by the clean, fresh aroma when she stepped inside the new Henrico Sports & Events Center.
It’s almost like when you say, a new car smell. Well, this is a new arena smell, and it’s really nice, McGlade said Thursday in an interview with ESPN’s Angel Gray at the conference’s Media Day event.
Continue reading From ‘great lighting’ to ‘new arena smell,’ Henrico Sports & Events Center shines for A-10 Media Day
County’s 1st phase of Ashland-to-Petersburg trail will be built in Lakeside
Henrico County is set to begin construction of its portion of the 43-mile Fall Line trail, following a ceremonial groundbreaking today in Lakeside for the trail’s 0.26-mile Park Street Phase.
Continue reading With groundbreaking event, Henrico ready to begin Fall Line trail construction
AEDs installed at Henrico parks, outdoor spaces
Units allow lifesaving treatment for cardiac events ‘until first responders arrive’
Henrico County is installing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at its parks and outdoor recreation areas in response to increased participation in strenuous activities and related medical calls.
Continue reading AEDs installed at Henrico parks, outdoor spaces
County poised for continued growth with Sports & Events Center opening in fall
Visitors spent more than $1.7 billion in Henrico during 2022. That's the highest total of any locality in central Virginia and the fifth highest in Virginia, according to an annual study for the Virginia Tourism Corp.
Henrico’s total includes sales of $406 million on food and beverage, $226 million on lodging, $165 million on retail, $167 million on recreation and about $754 million on transportation. Overall, spending by tourists and other visitors to Henrico jumped by 27.2% from 2021.
Continue reading Tourist spending in Henrico exceeds $1.7 billion in 2022 Tax relief program for seniors, disabled homeowners would build on REAP Program
Henrico County is proposing a tax relief program that would cap the real estate tax bills of qualifying homeowners who are older or disabled, helping to mitigate the higher costs associated with rising property values.
Continue reading Henrico RECAP program would lock in real estate tax bills of qualifying owners 
Henrico has partnered with nonprofit housing developers to sell 12 new or renovated homes to working individuals and families with lower or moderate incomes. To get the maximum impact, the effort has focused on an area of historic Highland Springs, where 10 of the homes are within 1 mile of each other.
Continue reading Henrico broadens strategy for increasing access to affordable housing