— Police have identified the woman found dead on a sidewalk in Hopewell early Saturday morning as 57-year-old Renee Goode was later arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder and other crimes associated with Goode's death Neighbors near South 7th Avenue and Texas Street reported being awakened by yelling followed by a loud pop Crime Insider sources say Goode was shot and the gunman walked away leaving her next to a car in an area not far from a playground It's a shame that we got crime on crime out here in Hopewell they found the woman on the sidewalk with obvious signs of head trauma The crime has some parents in the area concerned about violence occurring so early and close to home you can be sitting in your house and you know why can't we just come to some type of resolution Hopewell Police asked anyone with information about the deceased to call Lead Detective Cameron List at 804-541-2284 or the Hopewell Prince George Crime Solvers hotline at 804-541-2202 This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share. This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy A Petersburg woman has been identified as the victim in a fatal shooting in Hopewell's Thomas Rolfe Court area and a Richmond man is in custody charged with her murder 57 was found unresponsive and lying next to a car around 6:45 a.m May 3 in the 200 block of South 7th Avenue She had been shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene police arrested 45-year-old Derek McPherson He has been charged with second-degree murder use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon McPherson is being held without bond at Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Cameron List at (804) 541-2284; or anonymously through Crime Solvers at (804) 541-2202 or the P3Tips mobile app Goode's death is the third homicide in Hopewell this year as well as the second in the past three days of Hopewell was found stabbed to death in the 200 block of South 4th Avenue was arrested shortly after the stabbing and has been charged with voluntary manslaughter Hopewell City Council votes to oust the city manager In the spring of 2023, Hopewell’s financial woes were laid bare. An outside audit found years of mismanagement. Virginia’s State Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings visited City Council to call their problems a “five-alarm fire” that “could not continue.” He offered the city $200,000 to recruit a city manager capable of righting the ship instead entrusting a known entity — the city’s former IT manager — to take on the task Hopewell’s City Council voted to remove Concetta Manker from her position as city manager The vote was carried by a thin majority in Hopewell’s seven-person council Four white councilors voted to remove Manker Three Black councilors voted against her removal Hopewell's City Council voted to fire the city manager and city clerk The decision sparked accusations of racism and civil rights violations The four councilors who voted for the firings did not explain their rationale during the meeting. The development was first reported by the Progress-Index. an attendee at the meeting stood to call the four councilors who voted to remove Manker “the most disgusting individuals in this city.” The insult was met with a round of applause from attendees in the audience Manker was terminated “without cause,” according to a motion made by City Councilor Ronnie Ellis called the decision “one of the saddest days” she’d ever seen in her 63 years of living in Hopewell “We have just stepped back at least 40 years,” said Stokes Stokes said firing her without cause was a “violation of her civil rights.” The council also voted along identical lines to remove Brittani Williams saying she’d only received positive evaluations from City Council Brittani Williams protests her removal as Hopewell city clerk “I’ve done everything that y’all have asked me to do for the last two years,” said Williams who said part of her work involved cleaning up meeting minutes dating back to 2019 Williams called the councilors who voted to remove her “evil.” Mayor Johnny Partin said he was disappointed that his colleagues had framed the decision along racial lines “None of this has to do with race,” said Partin The city appointed Michael Rogers as interim city manager after a closed session in the wake of the votes who is serving as a spokesperson for the city and works for the Robert Bobb consulting group said Rogers formerly served as vice mayor of Washington and as the interim city manager for the city of Charlottesville in 2022 Partin said they’d now begin an executive search for a new city manager city clerk and for a director of the city’s wastewater plant Hamner said Manker was “lacking some of the training that she needed to be a city manager.” “They have been trying to remove her since the governor recommended that she be removed And they did need someone with more experience,” said Hamner “That’s why they brought in Michael Rogers.” City Councilor Dominic Holloway said he expects the white majority of councilors to seek the removal of Hopewell Police Chief Gregory Taylor Holloway said he would be releasing audio recordings that would substantiate that effort “The pettiness of racism has stung the courts of Hopewell,” said Holloway who described the removals as a “coup” orchestrated in secret by the white councilors interrupted to say he was blindsided by efforts to replace Manker and replace her with a person he’d never met I’m wondering how we’re going to do it,” said Harris lpowell@timesdispatch.com Investigations and Criminal Justice Reporter Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account — Four students and a Hopewell school bus driver suffered minor injuries when their bus ran off the road and slammed into a home Monday along the 3400 block of Clay Street "It appears that the weather may have played a factor but the accident is still under investigation," a Hopewell Schools spokesperson told CBS 6 No one was inside the home when the bus struck Work crews are stabilizing the structure before removing the bus from the house While many folks have put Hopewell City Council on blast for the firing of its city manager and city clerk last week the pastor of a downtown church says not enough people have asked for spiritual guidance for the councilors – even if the citizens do not agree with what they did “We’re complaining enough about them,” Beacon Hill Church Pastor Michael Moore said during a church-hosted “unity” service May 4 The service inside the auditorium of the Beacon Theatre drew 100 or so people a mix of Beacon Hill members and the general public Moore said the church extended a personal invitation to all seven councilors to attend adding that Ward 7 Councilor Dominic Holloway was the only one to accept The service was meant for more than the May 1 firings of City Manager Concetta Manker and City Clerk Brittani Williams that sent citizens and some local lawmakers into public bursts of anger. There were also two homicides and several reports of gunfire around town During the hour-long service, Moore based his message on several scriptures from the Book of Romans and what it says about loving one another as Christ loved He recommended following the concepts of sincere love service to others above self and forgiveness of persecutors – although he admitted the last one might seem harder to follow sometimes not on our own agenda but on the agenda of Christ,” Moore said More: Hopewell commonwealth's attorney finds legal fault with council's firing of city manager Moore said a combination of bad government and racial tensions has landed Hopewell in its current spot noting how the Bible say that the emperor Nero persecuted Christians by burning them alive and using those flames to light the pathways of loyal subjects “Just be thankful Nero wasn’t in charge in Hopewell,” he joked Christian actions should not just be limited to church services but “wherever you go,” Moore said That includes occupations and public service “If you are a city councilperson and you claim to be a Christian you’re a Christian while you’re a police officer,” Moore said He spoke of how one councilor – again not named but it was Joyner – pushed to get his church to stop distributing food to homeless and low-income families from their downtown location because it was not creating a good image of overall Hopewell the distribution is one of Beacon Hill’s core principles to serve the unsheltered and underserved and to do so without the presence of the local government “We are all equal at the foot of the cross,” he said Moore was one of several citizens who attended the May 1 meeting and while he said he was personally angered by how the firings of Manker and Williams were handled he said he tried to remain focused on the mission of the church – to serve God first we don’t serve the government,” Moore said to loud cheers from attendees To watch the entire message of Beacon Hill Church’s unity service, click here Hopewell school bus crashes into home. Two children receive minor injuries. Richmond man faces murder, gun charges in the shooting death of a Petersburg woman in Hopewell Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI a school bus carrying students crashed into a home on Clay Street in Hopewell Hopewell City Public Schools [HCPS] posted the following statement on Facebook a HCPS school bus carrying students was involved in an accident and both the students and the driver are currently receiving medical attention Families of those involved have been contacted Four children and the driver were on the bus when it crashed into a home Two of the children received minor injuries and were taken to a hospital 'Our hearts go out to victim's family' Chesterfield Police investigate death of child shot in Winchester Greens residence Your support is vital to local journalism. Please subscribe As dust continues to stir on last week’s firing of Hopewell’s city manager and city clerk, the city’s top prosecutor warned in a letter to City Council that the motion to terminate Dr Concetta Manker may have been made improperly and the final vote was a 3-3 tie allowing Manker to keep her job Newman’s opinion is the latest in council’s controversial decisions to oust Manker and City Clerk Brittani Williams without cause The separate 4-3 votes fell along council’s racial lines and prompted loud charges of racism since the votes to terminate were made by white councilors and did not specify reasons Robert's 36th rule of order spells out the following about reconsideration motions: "It can be made only on the day the vote to be reconsidered was taken a legal holiday or a recess not being counted as a day." The governance code also says the motion "must be made by one who voted with the prevailing side." but it still must follow the rule's time and member restrictions anyone on either side can ask for reconsideration "Councilor Ellis was not qualified to make the Motion to Reconsider,” he stated in his message “Councilor Ellis left the meeting before the original motion and vote to terminate was made the matter taken up concerning the city manager was untimely Manker is still the City Manager because your actions are null and void.”  to offer his opinion about Robert’s Rule of Order “What I am most concerned about is that while I understand you may be trying to change the course of this great city I feel that your actions have accomplished nothing more than placing another arrow in Dr Manker’s quiver to sue the city as well as each of you individually,” Newman’s message concluded Newman’s letter was the third of a series he has written to council about firing council-appointed employees such as Manker or Williams The first was prior to the February meeting when Newman recommended that Ellis Vice Mayor and Ward 7 Councilor Dominic Holloway recuse themselves from motions to fire Manker because of conflict-of-interest issues because he is a city employee as well as a councilor and any action could be construed that he was acting as the “boss” of Manker who in turn is the supervisor of all city employees Joyner and Holloway were recommended to not take part because at the time Manker had filed official complaints against them the day before the meeting in which Manker and Williams were fired Newman warned against the possibility of Ellis making the motion to reconsider because “I feel certain that Councilor Ellis would have a conflict of interest He asked council to postpone the meeting until he could get a requested opinion from state Attorney General Jason Miyares about Ellis’ issue he was bound to enforce Virginia’s conflict-of-interest laws the violation of which is a Class 1 misdemeanor and could result in Ellis’ removal for malfeasance in office and a $250 fine violating the conflict-of-interest statutes has severe consequences,” he wrote and I don’t want anyone to run afoul of the law.”  all councilors who voted to fire Manker and Williams – Ellis Mayor Johnny Partin Jr and Ward 5 Councilor Susan Daye – have maintained public silence about the decision Partin told The Progress-Index after the May 1 meeting nothing would be said because the terminations are a protected personnel issue At that same meeting – after the Black councilors left the dais – council chose Michael Rogers as interim city manager an employee of the advisory firm Rober Bobb Group is a former interim city manager in Charlottesville and also worked in Petersburg No interim was named to fill Williams’ spot deputy clerk Sade’ Allen will run the office until a replacement is named In the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget council is deliberating now the deputy clerk position will be eliminated Cops: Woman killed Saturday in Hopewell's Thomas Rolfe Court area had 'apparent head trauma' One of the core issues for the public upheaval over Manker’s and Williams’ firings hinges on the point of “termination without cause.” To terminate without cause means that the employee is being let go for reasons unrelated to their work performance as long as there is no wrongdoing or employee misconduct Virginia is one of several “work at-will" states where an employer can let an employee go without specifying a reason, and that can also apply to workers in the public sector, according to the state code any employee who signs a contract with a governing body may have an “out” from the at-will requirement if the contract specifies specific terms of employment The Progress-Index has requested copies of Manker’s and Williams’ contract through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act Both Manker and Williams maintain they were never given any formal annual evaluations of their performances by council Williams said at the May 1 meeting that she has received numerous positive emails from council members complimenting her for the job I got this office in shape so y’all could bring someone else in?”  Williams angrily asked at the meeting Hopewell new restaurant: Authentic Mexican, Central American, Italian cuisines, view video A new eatery in Hopewell prepares authentic Mexican It is family-owned and operated by two couples: Salvadoran Francisco Ruano Castro and his wife Honduran Ana Yoselin Rivera and Mexican Jorge Ramirez and his wife Salvadoran Ana Cecilia Ruano His culinary skills escalated when he served as a chef at an Italian restaurant in Long Island he left and became the chef and co-owner of Taco Bout It in Riverhead Ramirez proudly displays some of them at Tacos Chiki’s Fiesta Whatever you want me to cook,” Ramirez said Last Christmas Ramirez visited Castro and Rivera who have been Hopewell residents for over three years the idea of opening a restaurant together popped up View concert lineup Chesterfield: Local wine featured at Spring Run Vineyard's monthly Wine Down Wednesday The menu at Tacos Chiki’s Fiesta is provided in English and Spanish Kids Menu items cost $4.99 and include French fries Youngsters may choose either chicken fingers Artisans, live music, kids' activities Richmond open-air market scores spot on USA TODAY 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards list The menu section titled Centro Americano includes soups such as seafood appetizers such as shrimp cocktail and chicken wings and seven different Chiki’s Fiesta Plate meals Hoochie Mama awaits you New Chester bakery sells macarons, sourdough bread, sweet rolls, pastries, coffee, more Order items such as New England clam chowder salads and entrees such as Chicken Florentine New restaurants, hotels Petersburg Biz Buzz: New eatery in former Mad Italian, another in the works, more news “Our ABC license should be issued any day now,” Rivera said “Diners will be able to order wine and beer.” The restaurateurs post daily specials inside and outside they plan to offer buffet dining in the future with all three cuisines The dining area at Tacos Chiki's Fiesta is more spacious than I thought it would be I finished the contents but carried most of the bowl home to eat with salsa but it was the best-tasting tortilla bowl I had ever eaten Tacos Chiki’s Fiesta is located at 2320-B Oaklawn Boulevard next to Dominos Pizza which is accessible from both sides of the strip mall Hopewell proud Patriots draft star RB TreVeyon Henderson: Here's his Hopewell connection Breakfast is served all day on Saturday and Sunday Tacos Chiki’s Fiesta is open seven days a week: Monday – Friday 10 a.m private parties and catering are available For more information, visit Tacos Chikis Fiesta on Facebook or call 804-452-6027. Customers may order via DoorDash also Visit progress-index.com to view a gallery and video The attorney for former Hopewell City Manager Dr Concetta Manker said his client is considering “any and all legal options” after City Council voted along racial lines to fire her without cause “Tonight’s actions by the Hopewell City Council are deeply disappointing,” Richmond attorney Richard Hawkins told The Progress-Index by email after the meeting Manker has put her heart and soul into working for the city and always put the people of Hopewell and her employees first.”  Manker and City Clerk Brittani Williams were fired in similar 4-3 votes during a special council meeting May 1 Council’s white majority – Mayor Johnny Partin Jr. Ward 4 Councilor Ronnie Ellis and Ward 5 Councilor Susan Daye – cast the votes to dismiss them but did not give specific reasons for the terminations Yolanda Wyche Stokes of Ward 6 and Dominic Holloway of Ward 7 walked out of the meeting before council was to consider interim replacements The remaining councilors went ahead with the closed session They came out after more than an hour and named Michael Rogers a former interim city manager in Charlottesville who now works for the municipal advisory firm Rober Bobb Group Council did not choose an interim replacement for Williams will run the office until someone is hired Partin declined to answer questions from The Progress-Index about the reasons for the firings or the timing of the terminations given Hopewell is adopting its city budget for fiscal year 2025-26 That proposal was drafted by Manker and Hopewell Chief Financial Officer Stacey Jordan The remaining councilors hurriedly left without saying anything More: Hopewell Police charge woman with manslaughter in midnight stabbing death of man From the start of the meeting, it was obvious that any discussions were going to be testy. Ever since last week when the topics of the special meeting were disclosed on the agenda social media went into overdrive encouraging citizens to pack the gallery and express outrage over the firings Tensions elevated when Harris tried to amend the council rules to allow the citizens to speak That was turned back on a 4-3 vote once again along racial lines Much of the ire was aimed at Partin and Joyner Y'all are the four most disgusting individuals in the city," resident Ed Houser who unsuccessfully ran for the Ward 5 council seat last year “and you all need to step down from your positions.”  Partin asked security to escort Houser out but that did not deter others from continuing to voice their anger others hurled calls for council’s white majority to be ousted and one woman said they should “burn in Hell.”  The noise from the gallery often overpowered comments from councilors especially when the motions for the firings were made Partin angrily banged the gavel and told the residents to be quiet Not all of the commotion during the meeting was in the gallery Holloway – who announced last week his intention to resign his seat but has not yet tendered an official letter – was the first to bring up allegations of racism in the decision He said several times that the firings were racially motivated at one point claiming Joyner had said that Manker was “Blacking up” city management with her hires of Stacey Jordan as Hopewell’s chief financial officer James Gaston III as assistant city manager and Greg Taylor as police chief Joyner stared intensely at Holloway during his remarks but did not respond Holloway also questioned the legality of Ellis’ voting on Manker’s firing Ellis is a battalion chief in the Hopewell Fire Department and the issue of a city employee making a decision on the future of essentially his supervisor was the subject of much pre- and post-election commentary He asked City Attorney Anthony Bessette for thoughts on a possible conflict of interest but Bessette responded he did not feel qualified to give a firm answer “It’s a personal matter for each councilor to make on their own,” Bessette answered The last time the subject of firing Manker came up last February Holloway then tried to get Ellis to answer the question Stokes also said the decision felt based on racism and she encouraged those in the gallery to begin circulating petitions to recall Partin One citizen shouted he already had the paperwork in his truck and encouraged others to come out and sign More: Hopewell buys old bank building with visions of putting in a restaurant. Citizens don't like it Stokes and Harris also lamented that they were frozen out of any discussions about the city manager’s future – with Holloway even claiming that the council majority had contracted lawyers outside of the city realm for advice on how to handle the firing and find an interim replacement That claim drew loud audible gasps from some in the gallery Partin conferred with Robert Bobb privately in a room in the back of the council chamber Because most of the council was not included there was no imminent claim of violation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act During the closed session to discuss interims Harris criticized his colleagues for not sharing reasons why they wanted Manker and Williams fired and was equally appalled at the decision not to let citizens speak “There is representation that have chosen the space to not represent you,” he told the gallery More: Patriots draft star RB TreVeyon Henderson: Here's his Hopewell connection Some of the most dramatic moments of the meeting happened when Williams took the unusual step of publicly addressing – and blasting – council members She caught attention when she said she “spent eight years in the Army” so that discussions and decisions like these could be made “I’ve done everything y’all have asked me to do for the past two years and I have never gone against y’all,” Williams said “How you complimented me on how great the office has been run since me being hired how you asked me to do minutes from 2019 when I was hired in 2023 I got this office in shape so y’all could bring someone else in?”  she stepped off the dais and was immediately hugged by former Mayor Jasmine Gore burst into tears and ran into a back room to compose herself She returned after several moments to resume her clerk duties More: Hopewell wants to spend assessment revenue on public-safety salaries. What do residents say? Citizens gathered in the parking lot of the Municipal Building while the closed session took place A group led by Holloway called for unity in responding to the actions with many outside suggesting that lawsuits were on the horizon Manker will use this opportunity to explore any and all legal options that may be available to her,” Hawkins said Manker would like to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve the city of Hopewell and its citizens,” Hawkins wrote “She is humbled by this experience and wishes the city the best of luck.”  Hopewell’s longtime information technology director was named interim city manager in 2022 after predecessor March Altman left to take a similar post in Petersburg and Joyner cast two of the three dissenting votes along with former Ward 6 Councilor Brenda Pelham — A woman is in custody after a man was stabbed to death in overnight Thursday Police were called to the 200 block of South 4th Avenue just after midnight Thursday for the stabbing was arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter She was taken to Riverside Regional Jail and is being held without bond Anyone with information on the case is asked to call lead detective Shawn Grant at 804-541-2284 or by contacting the Hopewell Prince George Crime Solvers hotline at 804-541-2202 or using the P3 app Each generation learns new things and makes discoveries our ancestors could never have imagined Does that make us smarter than all those who came before us The accomplishments of the Hopewell people who lived here and visited here more than 2,000 years ago call into question the theory that we are progressing with each generation senior archaeologist with the Ohio History Connection World Heritage Program answered the question of whether the Hopewell people were smarter than us during World Heritage Day on April 18 at the Octagon Earthworks in Newark but the key is they weren’t any dumber than we are,” Lepper said with the same intellectual capacity as everybody.” The Hopewell built hundreds of large earthen enclosures in precise geometric shapes The Octagon Earthworks aligns with the 18.6-year cycle of the moon “They worked in huge numbers completely cooperatively without an authoritarian leader,” Lepper said they’re smarter than us because we haven’t figured out how to do that But they were doing the best they could at the time World Heritage ambassador Jeff Gill said studying how people did things 2,000 years ago helps us replicate what they did “There’s one key difference between us and them: patience,” Gill said “How do you build a 7 million basket-load piece of architecture when the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks nomination became Ohio’s first and the 25th from the United States inscribed onto the World Heritage List The Indian Removal Act of 1830 pressured the Shawnee of Ohio to relocate west of the Mississippi River signed into law by President Andrew Jackson authorized the president to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders at the Octagon Earthworks for World Heritage Day said: “I don’t know that they were smarter That’s one of the weaknesses of our country anymore She said it’s taken us a long time to recognize the Hopewell people’s achievements but it was wonderful to celebrate them on World Heritage Day “Maybe the genius part is just accepting each other as we are and working together,” Wallace said “And accomplishing what is good for all of us They were smarter than us in the sense of being able to accept each other work together and having a common spirituality that just transcends everything.” The largest set of geometric earthen enclosures in the world, located in Newark and Heath, combined with ancient sites in Ross and Warren counties, became the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks nomination to the World Heritage List in January 2022. tribal historic preservation officer for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma said the World Heritage designation means the United States and the world are starting to recognize the genius of the Hopewell people “These places have a deep connection and meaning to tribal people,” York said “I get to see these things my ancestors helped build This is pretty amazing I can be here and experience the Earthworks ending the country club's lease to the property chief historic sites officer and World Heritage program manager said the Ohio History Connection and the National Park Service continue to manage the historic sites There will be more opportunities for tours and the visitor center hours will be expanded said some of the visitors are former Newark-area residents who weren’t able to visit the Octagon Earthworks because of the golf course's presence “We’re seeing people come back,” Hinkelman said “People who grew up in the area and moved away Free tours are offered at noon Wednesdays through Sundays kmallett@newarkadvocate.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHOPEWELL (WWBT) - The Hopewell Police Department is investigating two separate overnight shootings that left two people seriously injured The first shooting happened just after 11:15 p.m. Monday in the 1500 block of Tabb Avenue “Officers arrived on scene and located a male subject suffering from several gunshot wounds,” police said “The male subject was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.” The second shooting happened around 3:30 a.m A woman was found with life-threatening injuries and taken to the hospital Police say both shootings were isolated incidents and there is no threat to the community baseball teams from across the Beaver Valley are looking to solidify their spots in the postseason Let’s take a look back at the week of Beaver Valley baseball in The Times’ high school baseball notebook Leading offCentral Valley pulls off a big sweep against HopewellPlayoff implications were in full effect when Central Valley and Hopewell faced off this week in a section matchup and Central Valley picked up two big victories against Hopewell which was trying to propel itself into the postseason Central Valley opened up the series with a 5-2 win on April 28 with the team’s ace Daniel McIntosh going six innings allowing two runs on two hits The team finished off the series sweep on April 30 as Blake Heater and Will Ciucci combined for six of the team’s 12 runs driven in as Central Valley cruised to a 13-5 win Ciucci was also strong on the mound pitching a complete game allowing just one earned run and striking out seven Central Valley will look to finish out section play on a high note as it takes on Hampton in a two-game set on May 5-6 Despite Riverside winning the section outright with a sweep over Beaver Falls Ellwood City picked up a series sweep over Mohawk locking up second place in the WPIAL Class 3A Section I in two tight affairs Aaron Lake went five innings allowing one run on four hits and struck out nine But after Mohawk tied the game in the top of the sixth Ellwood City would take the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Jacob Biskup scored on an error and the team went on to win 5-4 Ellwood City exploded for eight runs in the first four innings with Lake Jordan Keller and Sam Landis each driving in multiple runs as the team went on to win 8-7 Required Reading: Western Beaver baseball fighting through umpire shortages during impressive season With a series sweep against Ambridge this past week Beaver Area has positioned itself for a chance to lock up an outright section title After Blackhawk split its last two series against North Catholic and Ambridge that opened the door for Beaver Area which took advantage with two big wins over Ambridge Derek Hughes pushed the team past Ambridge in game one of the series with a walk-off two-run homer to give the team a 5-4 win in game one David Corob opened the game up for Beaver Area as he went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and the team went on to win 10-0 Beaver Area will now set its sights on two more section games in the regular season as it takes on North Catholic before finishing with a non-section game against West Allegheny on May 8 RiversideGarvin kicked off the week for Riverside with a bang going 3-for-3 with four RBIs recording a double and triple in the team’s 16-1 win over Beaver Falls Ellwood CityLake began the week pitching five innings allowing just one run and set down five in the team’s 5-4 win over Mohawk He then contributed three hits — two doubles and a home run — and five RBIs in the team’s 16-6 win over Shenango Corob went 4-for-4 with four RBIs to help Beaver Area secure a 10-0 win and a series sweep over Ambridge Minton also tallied four RBIs as he went 3-for-4 in the team’s 14-0 win over Springdale Heater caught fire in the second game as the infielder went 4-for-5 with three RBIs in the team’s 13-5 victory Ciucci pitched a complete game allowing just one earned run on four hits striking out seven in the team’s game-two win over Hopewell He also collected two hits and three RBIs offensively Blackhawk Knallay helped Blackhawk bounce back in section play against North Catholic as he went 1-for-3 with three RBIs in the team’s 8-7 win Young was 4-for-4 in the eight hole for Sewickley Academy as he drove in two runs in the team’s 10-3 win over Clairton Hughes walked off Beaver Area’s first game of the section series against Ambridge as he cracked a two-run homer to help the Bobcats defeat the Bridgers 5-4 Kushner Real Estate (KRE) Group has announced that leasing is underway at The Hopewell Chapter located in KRE’s newest community in Mercer County’s Hopewell Township Nestled within the carefully crafted Hopewell Parc master-planned community The Hopewell Chapter offers 270 residences that blend modern comfort with timeless design at 1 Samuel Peterson Drive Each home is designed to be more than just a place to stay—it’s a backdrop for life’s meaningful moments The Hopewell Chapter features a collection of spacious one- and two-bedroom homes each designed with authentic materials and thoughtful details that create a genuine sense of place The warm interiors mix contemporary convenience with touches of local heritage creating spaces that feel both fresh and familiar Homes are priced from the mid-$2,000s with Grand Opening incentives that include three months free on select residences Initial occupancy is expected in early May In keeping with KRE’s commitment to inclusive communities 54 apartments are designated for affordable housing ensuring a diverse neighborhood that welcomes residents at various life stages “We believe home should never go out of style,” said Jonathan Kushner we’ve created living spaces that honor the rich heritage of the region and address the need for convenient commuting to nearby cities while providing all the modern comforts that make everyday living both easier and more memorable.” The community’s architecture draws inspiration from local traditions with pitched roofs and natural stone accents that reflect Hopewell’s distinctive character Six four-story residential buildings create an inviting neighborhood feel complemented by thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces where residents can connect with nature and each other Life at The Hopewell Chapter is enriched by carefully considered amenities that foster both personal moments and community connections: a 6,500-square-foot clubhouse where neighbors become friends outdoor dining areas with fire pits for evening conversations and community gardens that celebrate simple pleasures The pet-friendly community also features walking trails that wind through natural landscapes and a dedicated dog park – all designed to make every day worth remembering an on-demand smart rental store for high-quality household and lifestyle products Perfectly positioned with easy access to I-295 and Route 1 The Hopewell Chapter connects residents to the best of the region while providing a peaceful retreat from the workday hustle the Hamilton Train Station—a major NJ Transit hub with direct service to Manhattan—is just a short drive away offering the perfect balance between small-town living and big-city opportunity Princeton’s charming streets lie just a short drive away Trenton’s business district can be reached in 20 minutes and Philadelphia’s cultural attractions are less than 40 minutes from home Closer still are Hopewell Township’s abundant parks and natural spaces offering endless opportunities for outdoor enjoyment visitors can discover furnished model residences that showcase the community’s blend of timeless comfort and considered design – creating spaces where life’s memorable moments can unfold naturally From morning coffee on private balconies to evening gatherings in the community spaces The Hopewell Chapter is designed to elevate the everyday and create a true sense of belonging Police in Hopewell are investigating a shooting late Monday night that left the victim with life-threatening injuries Jacquita Allen said it happened around 11:15 p.m had been shot several times and was taken to an area hospital for treatment The shooting "is an isolated incident," Allen said and there is no active threat to the community Any person with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Shawn Grant at (804) 541-2284 Those details can also be shared through Crime Solvers at (804) 541-2202 or the P3Tips mobile app More: Overnight shooting in Hopewell's City Point area sends woman to hospital. Police are investigating In letter to Colonial Heights nursing home, McClellan demands answer to questions over care Live! Casino one of confirmed employers who will be on-site at Petersburg career fair — Last season when the Hopewell boys track and field program qualified for its first WPIAL team championship in program history the motto that the team embraced was “level up.”  Senior sprinter Emma Palmieri has taken that motto to heart throughout her high school track and field career Palmieri holds two different school records a WPIAL silver medal in her sophomore year and countless personal records and impressive finishes on her resume the senior was never satisfied with the result and continued to push herself to even higher levels “Emma is one of the most hardworking and strong kids that I have ever coached,” Jeff Brunton said “She needs the hardest workouts to be able to improve and get the right stimulus and is just impressive all the way around.” who has been at the helm of the program for 11 seasons and worked with countless runners has struggled at times to find different workouts Palmieri in practice to satisfy her need for a challenge “It makes me a better coach because I need to continue to find the next thing that I can to help her improve," Brunton said "You can’t just do the minimum effective dose with her; you need to take it up a notch.” More: Beaver County Times' high school spring sports top performances April 20-26 Leading up to the MAC Championships at Shenango High School Palmieri was not having the greatest of starts to her senior year during the outdoor season as she was battling an illness that held her back in the early stages But she embraced the challenge and after not running her best time at the Beaver County Championships “I didn’t want to force myself too much to come back too fast at the beginning of the season when I wasn’t feeling my best I took a few days off and took it easy before running in the Butler meet and that was when I got my confidence back,” Palmieri said Palmieri put together one of her best performances of the season breaking the 200-meter dash school record running it in 25.65 The record was always something that Palmieri set out to break especially since the previous record holder Lauryn Speicher was someone that the senior looked up to while she was beginning her high school career “I had the chance to watch Lauryn break the 200-meter record a few years ago and breaking that record was something that I wanted to set out and achieve,” Palmieri said “Lauryn was someone that I looked up to so watching her break it Palmieri has been one of the runners on the girl’s team that her teammates have gravitated toward due to her success “Each year she always is growing as a runner everyone knew that she was going to be talented with whatever she did so when she wanted to stick with the sprints and running the 400-meter dash “The 400-meter dash is an event that a lot of people don’t want to do but she has brought a lot of people along with her from seeing her success.” Palmieri will be embracing a new challenge as she signed to run with Mercyhurst in college after she graduates Palmieri will be entering a program that is in its infancy and will start to compete during the 2025-26 athletic season in the Northeast Conference “The best part about Mercyhurst is that the program is brand new and with it being a smaller team it is going to be a lot of fun to build the program from the ground up.” Palmieri has other business to attend to as she has her eyes set on the individual postseason with the WPIAL championships on May 14 and PIAA championships on May 22-23 From chasing records and having revenge on her mind Palmieri is ready to close out this chapter of her track career on top “Emma earned the silver her sophomore year but last season everybody went crazy in the 400-meter dash and finished fourth Even though she put together a personal record that day she is hungry to get back to where she wanted to be rankings-wise I know she is excited for these next two weeks to get ready for the individual postseason,” Brunton said Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions Search autocomplete is currently not responding Hopewell Township Enhances Traffic Safety with New All-Way Stops As part of its continued commitment to road safety and traffic calming the Hopewell Township Committee is pleased to announce the installation of two new all-way stops at the intersections o.. Hopewell Township Invites You to Showcase Your Property for Film Productions As part of Hopewell Township’s ongoing commitment to supporting economic development opportunities we are proud to participate in the Film Ready NJ certificat.. Hopewell Township Memorializes Up To $16.1 Million Commitment for Bear Tavern School Improvements  2025) — At its April 14 meeting the Hopewell Township Committee unanimously adopted a resolutio.. 2025 – The Hopewell Township Committee tonight approved a settlement agreement with Fair Share Housing Center that establishes the Township’s Fourth Round Affordable Housing obligation at 399 units f.. Join us for the 2nd Annual Cultural Festival at Woolsey Park on May 10 Traffic Calming Initiative Notice - Beginning on or around March 12 Hopewell Township will enhance safety at the intersection of Pennington-Titusville Road and Scotch Road by installing an all-way stop Township Committee Reduces Fourth Round Affordable Housing Obligation by 34% the Hopewell Township Committee certified its Affordable Housing obligation for the 2025-2035 period Jeff Martin of Hamilton Township,  Patricia Hendricks Farmer of Lawrence Township and Courtney Peters-Manning of Hopewell Township Concerning Trenton Water Works In an ongoing effort to address the ongoing issues faced by Hopewell residents impacted by Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) power outages the Hopewell Township Committee has long advocated for improvements at the utility Phone: 609-737-0605 Hopewell will attempt once again to fire its city manager next week according to a City Council meeting agenda that was posted Friday morning Councilors scheduled a special meeting for Thursday evening, according to the agenda posted on the city’s official website In addition to replacing City Manager Concetta Manker there is also an agenda item to fire City Clerk Brittani Williams It is the second time this year that council has tried to oust Manker councilors tied 3-3 on her departure after Ward 4 Councilor Ronnie Ellis left before the vote That vote also happened to fall along council's racial makeup while three of the body's white members voted to terminate her Manker is the first woman and person of color to be Hopewell's top administrative officer Thursday’s meeting marks the first time council members will attempt to fire Williams Wrapped around the closed meeting called for Thursday are five topics – a motion to reconsider the Feb separate motions to terminate Manker and Williams and separate motions to appoint interims for each position It is an unusual move to state employment intentions on a public document such as the council agenda such actions are broached in language from the Virginia Freedom of Information Act allowing a council to meet behind closed doors Two trailblazers will headline VSU's spring 2025 commencement: How you can watch The city manager and city clerk are two of three positions that report directly to City Council Manker has been city manager since 2022 She was appointed interim after March Altman left for the same job in Petersburg and was given the post full-time 11 months later Her permanent hiring came at the same meeting where the then-council refused help from the Youngkin administration in rebuilding its in-pieces fiscal management system Hopewell eventually signed a contract with the Robert Bobb Group a municipal consulting firm that several years earlier had helped pull Petersburg from its own economic doldrums the group had a plan in place for more centralized money management Manker – who was Hopewell’s information technology director for several years before moving into the city manager’s office – has frequently been under fire with council during her tenure In addition to navigating the financial restructure she also had a rocky relationship with some council members including Ward 1’s Rita Joyner and Ward 7’s Dominic Holloway In October 2024, Joyner wrote in an email that she felt Manker was “incompetent” and hoped to get enough votes after the November council elections to get her fired After The Progress-Index posted a story about that post it was edited to remove the “new management” language Petersburg: Collaboration, $25K grant makes state-of-the-art medical classroom possible Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI facing both political and legal backlash over GoFundMe account spending and questionable use of a city credit card who represented Ward 7 on council for the past two years announced his intention to step down before Tuesday’s council meeting He said he would submit his official letter soon He then left the meeting when council went into closed session and as of Wednesday morning had not made any more public comment or submitted the resignation letter council may appoint someone to fill the seat on an interim basis That person would serve until the next scheduled election for the seat in November 2026 Holloway had not attended several recent council meetings Holloway is scheduled to go to trial July 29 in Charles City County Circuit Court on his embezzlement indictment The case was moved to Charles City after Hopewell's commonwealth's attorney and its judges recused themselves from the prosecution He is charged with spending roughly $700 on catering for a June 2023 event that he claimed was sponsored by the city but Hopewell officials said they knew nothing about the event Prosecutors allege Holloway used the catering for a private dinner after a funeral for a family member over which he officiated The indictment came after The Progress-Index reported on the use of the city-owned credit card New Chester bakery sells macarons, sourdough bread, sweet rolls, pastries, coffee, more Holloway was also successfully sued by the mother of a Hopewell murder victim for whom he set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses He reportedly spent $5,600 of the funds for his own personal use In a separate action, the city of Hopewell garnished Holloway's council salary after he reportedly spent more than $1,200 on the city credit card for a trip to Atlanta to attend a conference then was unable to cancel the trip in time for a full refund The city claimed Holloway made the reservations with the knowledge he could not leave the state as a condition of his indictment and only tried to cancel after the city found out about it Holloway was also known for making controversial statements during council meetings Hopewell Fire Battalion Chief Ronnie Ellis ran for and won the Ward 4 seat last November Then at a meeting last month, Holloway criticized Mayor Johnny Partin Jr. for suggesting that council slash its travel fund allotments in order to put more revenue back into the city budget Holloway said he could not support that because Chester: New European-style bakery uses high quality, clean ingredients: View gallery Rock band Goose is celebrating the release of its fourth studio album “Everything Must Go,” by lifting the curtain on this official music video for the LP’s deeply moving title track Directed and designed by award-winning animator Chris Hopewell (known for his distinctive work with Radiohead Made using traditional stop motion over three weeks in Bristol “Everything Must Go” is marked by a striking sense of realness and authenticity ideally suited for the track thanks in part to 90% of all the sets and scenery being fashioned from repurposed and recycled materials All the trash and plastic waste used to build the sets was gathered in a beach clean near Bristol “I wanted to capture the feeling of hope within the track ‘Everything Must Go,’” said Hopewell citing “a feeling of elevation and that something good is about to happen our narrative follows an unlikely hero with little agency who must overcome overwhelming odds to reach their goal–but with hope We follow our character through an apocalyptic vision of our future world–she is seemingly the only living thing in this blasted she is forced to make the ultimate decision: self-survival or self-sacrifice The message is a simple one–that against all odds In this case a seemingly powerless mouse takes flight helping the planet to heal as lush vegetation starts to grow transforming a wasteland into a place of life Management 11 Eleven Group Production Company Black Dog Films Chris Hopewell director & art director; Jeff Pantaleo Production Company UK Jacknife Films Rosie Brind Probiotic brand Enterogermina is challenging physics in its latest campaign: The Anti-Murphy’s Law Toast The brand has launched its own specially engineered toast as part of a campaign that challenges the famous Murphy’s Law which states that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong” and invites the public to reflect on a major myth in a bid to educate consumers about gut health: is it acceptable to eat something that has fallen on the ground the campaign saw Enterogermina collaborate with physicist Robert Matthews who was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in 1996 for his study proving Murphy’s Law applied to toast This short documentary--directed by Diego Herrero via production company Carino Contents--was created as part of the campaign showing Matthews working with a team of scientists and bakers to design a specially engineered toast The short film dives into the scientific research behind the concept the creation of the first prototypes in the kitchen of 12 Michelin-starred chef Nuño García and features insights from microbiology researcher Simon Baines landing butter-side up about 75% of the time as opposed to only 37% of the time when using conventional toast with an exclusive screening of the documentary at Sao Paolo’s famous Le Pain Quotidien bakery includes the documentary premiere on Discovery Channel The campaign also features influencer amplification in partnership with Spark and a digital strategy led by Monks is raising awareness about the extreme dangers microplastics pose to… Entertainment Production & Post Since 1960 ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " World Heritage Ohio & UNESCO World Heritage Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go A woman was shot overnight Tuesday in Hopewell just hours after police responded to another report of gunfire that left a man in critical condition Jacquita Allen said the second shooting happened just after 3:30 a.m Tuesday in the 400 block of Allen Avenue in Hopewell's City Point area The unidentified victim had been shot once in the chest She was taken to an area hospital with an injury that was considered life-threatening Allen said the victim and her alleged assailant are known to each other There is no active threat to the community Hopewell Police: Man shot several times Monday night has life-threatening injuries Tuesday morning's shooting happened just hours after a man was reported shot several times late Monday night in the 1500 block of Tabb Avenue The locations of the shootings are about three miles apart There was no indication of them being related Anyone who has information about the Allen Avenue shooting is asked to call Detective William Martin at (804) 541-2202 Those details can also be shared to Crime Solvers at (804) 541-2202 or through the P3Tips mobile app Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application whose warmth and compassion touched the lives of everyone she met Sheila was known for her vibrant spirit and unwavering dedication to her family and they would enjoy many trips and excursions with family and friends Sheila spent 30 years working for the Department of Social Services and made many lasting friendships along the way Sheila's pride and joy was being a Mimi to all of her grandchildren and loved supporting them in all of their adventures Whether it was through her thoughtful gestures Sheila left an indelible mark on the hearts of those fortunate enough to know her Sheila adored her beloved dog Babygirl and she became her companion over the years Sheila is preceded in passing by her loving husband of 43 years and Savannah Hall (Tyler); and her great-grandchildren A celebration of Sheila's life will be held on Wednesday Interment to follow the service at Merchants Hope Memorial Gardens the family requests that donations be made to the SPCA of Petersburg and Hopewell a cause that was close to Sheila's heart Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors There was unanimity on both sides of the Hopewell City Council dais Tuesday night On one side were the councilors who voted 5-0 to buy the former Bank of America building downtown in the hopes of attracting business preferablyin the food and beverage industry On the other side were Hopewell citizens united in their disdain over the purchase and they let councilors know in no uncertain terms how they felt it wouldn’t be vacant now,” Ward 5 resident Ed Houser said during a public hearing on the purchase That statement was typical of the rest of the citizens' sentiment that a city as economically dormant as Hopewell has no business buying a building on a promise of future prosperity More: Hopewell councilor abruptly resigns his seat at Tuesday night council meeting The 3,773-square foot building at the intersection of Main Street and City Point Road sits on the edge of downtown Hopewell Its neighbors include the Hopewell Courthouse a former marine business converted into apartments and the Hopewell Recreation Center It closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 When the decision was made to shutter it completely Economic Development Director Charles Bennett sought and received permission to submit a bid he learned that Bank of America accepted Hopewell’s bid of $500,001 contingent on a final signoff from council The property’s most recent assessment was $750,000 adding he was unsure what the other bids were because it was a silent auction Bennett said he knew the proposal would not be popular and called concerns raised by the public “valid.” However he said he was hired to promote and encourage business development in Hopewell and even fiscally strapped localities must possess enough faith that an investment at the front end will bring returns at the back end “We cannot cut and save our way out of this,” Bennett said Bennett said he was focusing on the food and beverage industry because of the already existing drive-thru lanes behind the building A restaurant would generate more traffic and revenue than any other venture that could go there Bennett also said he had gotten permission from the local Teamsters Union to market their former headquarters along with the bank building Citizens who spoke during the public hearing begged to differ Already fueled with anger over Hopewell raising property assessments and taxes they argued to a person that they saw no need for spending half a million dollars over vacant property that is not guaranteed to be anything more than vacant “There are no legitimate plans for using that building,” Ward 3 resident Martin Mitchell said “You’re investing into property that could sit empty for we don’t know how long.”  Ward 1 resident Ed Pappas said while he appreciated the effort at drawing business the uncertainty of the future is too much for him to support it “There’s no telling when [the investment] will be realized,” he said Three former Hopewell lawmakers also sided with the opposition a real-estate broker for more than a half-century told council he thought about bidding on the project but passed He said his bid would have been $200,000 “because I don’t think the building is worth $500,000.”  Ingram recalled his time in the legislature when the state auditor of public accounts approached him over Hopewell’s failure to submit a state-required audit of its finances since 2018 He said the city’s fiscal picture then was murky and now he is not convinced that picture is as clear as what the city is claiming “Does the state know where we are with that now?” he asked “How can you spend money when you don’t know where you are?”  Hopewell recently concluded a year-long partnership with the Robert Bobb Group to reorganize the city’s fiscal-management system and get the audits up to date the city says it still has a couple more to go before the catch-up is complete That bothered former councilors Janice Denton and Debbie Randolph a self-proclaimed “penny-pincher” during her stint on council argued that the city could still control what goes into the bank building through the city’s Economic Development Authority and by approving planned usage through conditions and other planning tools “You’re taking money out of the coffers that we may need,” Denton said Randolph noted the years of financial uncertainty while she was a council member and said that had this been brought up earlier “The timing has to be right,” Randolph said when?’ Councilors attempted to justify the purchase calling it an investment in the city’s future Partin acknowledged that Hopewell is in its current condition because of “poor decisions” previous councils and city administrators had made He also said that those previous leaders were “not proactive for infrastructure,” but the current council and administration are “We do not have issues making payroll and expenses,” Partin said Ward 2 Councilor Michael Harris addressed the issue of timing He noted that while everyone who spoke at the public hearing was against it he was unsure that it represented the entire will of the city “I don’t see anyone from my ward speaking,” he said later adding that the speakers were “not a fair assessment” of how everyone city-wide felt “We right now are failing in regard to bringing revenue into the city,” Harris said Ward 6 Councilor Yolanda Wyche Stokes did not attend the meeting and Ward 7 Councilor Dominic Holloway left the chamber after announcing earlier that he was resigning his seat The vote created tension among the citizens in the gallery They began speaking up and loudly questioning the decision Partin told Randolph she was “out of order” for interrupting the meeting who had spoken during an earlier public-comment period encouraging council to reconsider lowering tax rates and assessments shouted a comment from the back of the room and was gaveled down by Partin Denison’s purpose is to inspire and educate its students to become autonomous thinkers discerning moral agents and active citizens of a democratic society We are thrilled that you are considering Denison during your college search and we look forward to getting to know more about you and experiences to campus; see how Denison helps them make this college their own and upcoming events from all around the hill and beyond Join us for lunch and a dynamic hour program celebrating the newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks “Dig into history and rise as a Heritage Ambassador—celebrate the Hopewell Earthworks and gain the tools to share its legacy!”  Join us for lunch and a dynamic hour program celebrating the newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks and leave as a Hopewell Heritage Ambassador!  Senior Archaeologist at the Ohio History Connection World Heritage Program and Affiliate Scholar at Denison University will delve into the rich history and cultural significance of the Hopewell Mounds.  Director of Partner Engagement at Explore Licking County will guide participants through an engaging Ambassador training session Participants will leave with the knowledge and tools to promote and advocate for this remarkable site earning an official Hopewell Heritage Ambassador button to showcase their commitment.  Discover the power of history and become part of this exciting journey to share the legacy of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks with the world!  Sponsored by the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement Echoes of Ohio’s Indigenous Legacy: Bridging Past and Present is funded in part by the America 250-Ohio Commission in partnership with the Granville Historical Society Denison's Cinema Department presents the "49th Annual Denison Film Festival." Stay up to date with the latest campus news and upcoming events Around 50 people gathered Wednesday afternoon for the grand opening of Hopewell Commons off South Morton Street and West Second Street a beer garden and community leader speakers Attendees played pickleball, swayed on the bench swings and listened to Matixando a local Costa Rican musical project, play music as they explored the new park.   The park features 126 trees Hopewell Commons will also be home to the city’s Tuesday farmers’ market starting in June said she thought the park was a good addition to this area of Bloomington.   “Bloomington can always use more places to walk so I think that it’s great there’s another area of access for people to walk around,” she said.  Notable speakers included Mayor Kerry Thomson City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Director Tim Street and President of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce President Eric Spoonmore.   Street said the city designed the park to facilitate community connections while also focusing on sustainability and locally sourcing materials He said the park features permeable pavers Thomson said public spaces such as Hopewell Commons create new opportunities for the city and community to interact and grow.  “Our parks are where community becomes visible,” she said “Where conversations start and where strangers become neighbors where memories are made again and again and again in a redevelopment as ambitious and transformative as Hopewell.”   Thomson also said that the pickleball courts –– one of the park’s most popular features –– are temporary “The genius of our parks team is that those pickleball courts can be picked up and moved,” she said we are looking forward to more spontaneous pickleball throughout Bloomington in the years to come.”  project engineer for the City of Bloomington told the IDS the opening of Hopewell Commons is just one phase of a decades-long project The city’s newest park anchors the redevelopment project for the Hopewell neighborhood located on the site of the former IU Health Bloomington Hospital Knoke also said the property is unique because it is a large He said the city wanted to have more control of the development “The decision at the time when the hospital closed is ‘We don't want this facility to sit abandoned for many years,’” Knoke said “And we also don't want it to get bought and just turned into whatever.”  He also said the city asked questions about how to develop the site to help solve some of Bloomington’s issues, such as affordable housing The project began when the city acquired the land in 2021 with the intent to build a mixed-use-zoned urban neighborhood with affordable housing The city will also construct a new grid-style street plan.   The redevelopment project has continued for multiple years with development on the sites around the park beginning as early as this year.  The company contracted to build Hopewell Commons is Milestone Milestone assistant general superintendent told the IDS that Milestone is a Bloomington-based company which made this project more impactful for them   “90% of the people that work on this project are born and raised right here in town,” he said so that made it a little bit more special for the guys that were working.”   The Daily Rundown is published Monday through Friday and gives you a quick look at the day's top stories Friday's weekly recap will let you catch up on the most important and most popular stories of the week Find out what the IDS is saying about IU basketball distributed during the IU basketball season (Note: This story was republished to correct a misspelling of the defense attorney's last name.) Barton Chucker ruled in Foskey’s favor Tuesday morning after a 75-minute hearing Wednesday in Hopewell District Court Chucker was brought in after all Hopewell-judges recused themselves from hearing the case Chucker said that while he would not opine on Foskey’s mindset when the incident happened – “We sometimes have to leave our common-sense in our cars when we come to court,” he stated – he agreed with defense attorney Ben Shute’s argument that there was no proof that it was done fraudulently or feloniously I don’t find based on the evidence that a felony occurred,” Chucker said Resist Booksellers to host free Know Your Rights training amid rising ICE arrests Foskey was arrested last November after she removed the names of two employees in her department from electronic access to Hopewell’s bank account after City Council voted to transfer bank account management authority from Foskey to the city’s finance department That management is not considered part of a directly elected treasurer’s statutory obligations of their job because it falls under duties given to the office by council The employees were transferred along with their duties 22 – three days after council passed the ordinance – and was not fully resolved until early afternoon on Monday council called a special meeting to direct the city administration to take steps toward regaining that access but some councilors later alleged that city manager Dr Concetta Manker went too far in seeking the criminal charge who still faces four felony counts stemming from a separate criminal investigation Asked by The Progress-Index if she wanted to comment on the decision No criminal intent, defense claimsPetersburg board delays action on appeal to keep an adult-care center out of Poplar Lawn Shute argued that the charge of embezzlement by a public officer was moot because Foskey neither misused nor took funding for her own personal gain He cited Virginia case law from 1906 that mandated for a public official to be charged with embezzlement there must be absolute proof that the act was done with felonious or fraudulent malice He presented copies of emails between Foskey and city administration stating that Foskey’s objection to the change was that she feared she would be held accountable for checks she did not authorize or sign While there were anecdotal accounts of animosity director Jay Rezin testified at the hearing that he went to Foskey’s residence shortly after the access was blocked to inquire about the issue and asked Foskey how she was doing “I’ll have the last laugh on this.” But under cross-examination by Shute Rezin said he could not determine if Foskey’s comment was directed at the issue or something else “Even if we were to assume it was referring to the conflict it does not indicate any felonious or fraudulent intent.”  Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Newman argued the fact that Foskey was in charge of the account when the access was blocked and was aware of the potential consequences when it was done “She knew what she was doing when she removed those names and she certainly did not step up to help,” Newman said Hopewell 'Luck at the Lake' event: Kids zone, crafts, food trucks, Irish dancing testimony came Tuesday from Manker and Stacey Jordan Manker’s testimony took a slightly testy turn when Shute asked about possible dissention among council members during a closed session prior to council approving the transfer of duties “Is it fair to say there was some open debate?” Shute asked “The city attorney is always in the closed session After Chucker overruled Newman’s objections about relevance Shute asked the question again: “Was one of the main concerns about council’s authority to transfer?”  “It wasn’t an issue,” Manker replied somewhat tersely Tuesday’s decision has no bearing on the charges against Foskey stemming from a separate Virginia State Police investigation A month before she was arrested on the embezzlement charge Foskey was indicted on four counts of forging and passing a computer record computer fraud and disabling computer software That stems from allegations that Foskey removed herself from a list that blocks delinquent taxpayers from doing business with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicle until the back taxes are paid in full and the treasurer is one of only two office employees authorized to do that While there are records of Foskey paying those taxes prosecutors allege she paid after taking herself off the list A prosecutor and judge from outside the Hopewell court district have been appointed to handle those cases lift a court-imposed ban of Foskey from the Hopewell Municipal Building where her office is located The treasurer’s office is on the November ballot in Hopewell It was not immediately clear if Foskey planned to seek re-election despite the legal issues Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInRICHMOND (WHSV) - Cam Pacheco scored a game-high 23 points and Spotswood defeated Hopewell 57-50 in the VHSL Class 3 State Championship Erasing an eight-point third quarter deficit Spotswood briefly took a 38-36 lead late in the third quarter before Hopewell’s Nick Byrd tied the game 38-38 with less than 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter the Trailblazers outscored the Blue Devils 19-12 Camden Langridge was another key contributor for the Trailblazers including a critical three-point play with less than three minutes left in regulation that gave Spotswood a four point lead Stephon Cherry led Hopewell with 22 points and six rebounds Deshawn Spellman was the other scorer in double figures for the Blue Devils with 12 points its their first state championship in boys basketball since 1993 HOPEWELL – If you ride all-terrain vehicles or dirt bikes on city streets be advised that Hopewell is considering a proposal that could result in your wheels being impounded or even destroyed should you run afoul of it ATVs and dirt bikes are not street-legal in Hopewell and Virginia but there has never been any means of enforcement in the city code to keep riders off the paved roads Drivers have complained repeatedly to police about riders disrupting traffic flow but there was nothing authorities could do to stop them aside from warnings Petersburg Biz Buzz: New eatery in former Mad Italian, another in the works, more news In a presentation to City Council Tuesday night city attorney Anthony Bessette unveiled a proposal that he and the Hopewell Police have drafted The proposal sets a civil violation fine of up to $500 if a rider is ticketed if the rider fails to stop or otherwise attempts to elude police that action could cost the rider to lose the vehicle through impoundment or destruction of the vehicle Since fleeing from law enforcement is considered a criminal offense then destroying the ATV or dirt bike “as part of a conviction of the underlying offense,” Bessette told council “If they simply pull over and obey the police then what they’ve engaged in is just a civil violation They’re going to get a ticket of up to $500 but nothing else would happen,” Bessette said then the ATV would be impounded as a matter of course .. then the ATV would be destroyed as part of a judicial order at the end of the criminal proceeding.”  Impoundment or destruction are still options even if the rider originally complies but Bessette said there would have to be pertinent conditions Amazon's Florida rocket launch may be visible in Virginia. Here's what to know That was just what Ward 6 Councilor Yolanda Wyche Stokes wanted to hear Stokes told Bessette that just impounding the vehicle did not seem to her to be enough of a hindrance “At what point do we stop the persons that are doing the violations The ordinance as drafted would only allow ATV use on a street if “authorized by law enforcement officers or the Fire Marshal to the extent necessary to cross a public highway by the most direct route or emergency medical services personnel responding to emergencies.”   Hopewell to auction off the impounded vehicle with proceeds covering the cost of the forfeiture proceedings Any surplus after paying off the proceedings would go into Hopewell’s general fund Council will vote on the proposed ordinance at its April 22 meeting it would go into effect up to 30 days later Go inside the Petersburg casino vendor fair -- Hopewell city leaders are bringing fresh produce to their community through the 11th annual Hopewell Farmers Market Starting Thursday and running through late September the market gives residents options for fresh and entertainment from people in the community it’s also important to help bring nutritious food to residents "It's not like it's a competition between grocery stores and farmers markets," said market manager Arielle McCollum "It's about how can we work together to be able to feed the community and make sure options are available for everyone." The Hopewell Farmers Market will run every Thursday night from now through September on Library Street between East Broadway and East Cawson You can stop by to see all the market has to offer between 5 and 7 p.m They'll also have live music and special giveaways for the first 100 guests in celebration of their opening night CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go.