A group dedicated to preserving hunting and wildlife habitats across America has named Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson as its top conservationist for his efforts to preserve hunting rights Simpson snagged the honor of “2025 Conservationist of the Year” by the International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR) The decision came from the organization that describes itself as an activist group following in the footsteps of Theodore Roosevelt the nation’s 26th President who was largely responsible for founding the national park system Simpson was selected for the honor because of his advocacy of Amendment 2, which was a referendum that appeared on Florida’s ballot in 2024 That measure easily cleared the required 60% threshold to pass with 67.34% of ballots cast approving the measure Amendment 2 established a constitutional right for Floridians to hunt and fish Simpson said he is humbled by the recognition “Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy endures in each and every one of us if we dare to stand in the arena and take action on behalf of future generations,” Simpson said “From our Rural and Family Lands Protection Program that has permanently preserved more than 180,000 acres to forever protecting the rights to fish and hunt in Florida’s Constitution I am incredibly proud of the work we are doing to advance true conservation here in Florida.” Leaders of the IOTR consider Florida’s constitutional amendment effort to be a model that other states should follow “As the 24th state to enshrine the rights to fish and hunt in their constitution Florida has once again built a road map forward for the rest of the nation,” said IOTR Executive Director Luke Hilgemann “As we take this fight to the next dozen states Wilton Simpson will stand as the first leader to personally and financially invest in not just Florida’s rights but ultimately the rights of millions of Americans across the country.” Drew Dixon is a journalist of 40 years who has reported in print and broadcast throughout Florida, starting in Ohio in the 1980s. He is also an adjunct professor of philosophy and ethics at three colleges, Jacksonville University, University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. You can reach him at [email protected] Reply and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN Quinn Krook’s RBI sacrifice fly padded Mascenic’s lead in the fourth WLC’s Trevor Sullivan was singled in by eighth-grader Ezra Meltzer Mascenic catcher Brady Kibela scores on a single by Mascenic reliever Isaiah Blais on Friday versus WLC WLC pitcher Colby Collins also scored the Warriors’ first run after hitting a triple A porcupine appeared in left field during the first inning of Friday’s baseball game between Wilton-Lyndeborough and Mascenic baseball game The Warriors might have spent the first few frames wishing it had stuck around as the visiting Vikings teed off on their pitching early on before WLC made the game close Mascenic plated three runs in the top of the seventh to seal the 14-9 win The Warrior offense showed promise in the second inning when Daxtin Richards lined a rope to right-center so hard that Rowan Voutour threw him out at first Mascenic’s Luke Lereaux came back with a single in the next inning made it to third with a steal and a fielder’s choice before Logan Lucas singled him in A walk was followed by Brady Kibela and Owen Pearson each singling in runs Mascenic’s strong hitting continued in the fourth when Chuck Phillips launched a fly to left field and a tough sun made for an error that landed him on second A hit batsman and Quinn Krook's sacrifice fly brought another run home and a wild pitch followed by another Kibela single put another crooked number on the board for the Vikings Colby Collins scored the Warriors’ first run after he tripled to center field and slid home on a wild pitch but the Vikings padded their lead with singles by Parker Ketola and Lereaux and a wild pitch Pearson knocked in Lucas for a 10-1 Mascenic lead after 4 1/2 innings Warriors coach Paul Levesque called his players behind the dugout and told them to “Pick your heads up and start playing baseball,” and they took his words to heart in their half of the fifth Trevor Sullivan beat out a throw for an infield hit was singled to third by Warren Sullivan and scored on a single by eighth-grader Ezra Meltzer Logan Lucas left third base to pitch relief for Mascenic leaving the bases were loaded with eighth-graders called up for the game owing to thin WLC ranks during vacation week a sacrifice fly by Trevor Sullivan and a single by J.J an intentional walk by Mascenic didn’t pay off as a hit batsman and dribbler to third was bobbled for another WLC run Robbie Batchelder took the mound as the third Vikings pitcher of the day and got the second out with a swinging strikeout and the third one looking but the Warriors had clawed back to an 11-8 deficit catch Trevor Sullivan took a foul tip off his left foot prompting the umpire to fetch more baseballs from the WLC bench while Sullivan walked off the pain Phillips’ infield hit and a weak throw to first landed him on second and a fielder’s choice and single by Parker Ketola plated him Isaiah Blais took the mound as Mascenic’s closer helped himself with an RBI single to drive in Brady Kibela for more Viking insurance and barred the door in the seventh for a 14-9 Mascenic win Asked what helped them to fight off WLC’s comeback in the fifth and stayed zoned in.” As to the key to the win “Our pitchers threw strikes,” the catcher said The eighth graders who played for the Warriors – Cam Butt Sam Fish and Ezra Meltzer – all reached base Asked about the highlight of having been called up Meltzer said it was “Hitting a gapper over short for an RBI.” Reminded that he did so with two strikes you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience measure ads and monitor how our site works to improve it for our users Wilton, CT One Future: Help Complete the Raymond Ambler HouseCultivating a Sustainable Future: Wilton’s Commitment to Ambler Farm the Town of Wilton made a promise—to preserve Ambler Farm not as a relic of the past that promise stands ready to be fulfilled as the final phase of restoring the historic Raymond Ambler House nears completion When Wilton purchased the 22-acre Ambler Farm property in 1999 from the Elizabeth Raymond Ambler Trust it inherited not only a landscape rich with agricultural and architectural history but also a responsibility: to restore and maintain the Victorian farmhouse and surrounding barns for public benefit The deed of sale made that obligation clear—these buildings were to be brought up to code and put to use for education and agriculture serving the community that had invested in their preservation Though never intended to assume the Town’s financial burden FoAF has since shouldered the lion’s share of the work raising over $11 million to create educational programs and hands-on experiences that have drawn more than 25,000 visitors annually it has turned Ambler Farm into a regional treasure—and a true cost savings for the Town of Wilton More than $1.2 million has already been invested in restoring the Raymond Ambler House ensuring its structural integrity and preparing it for community use This final round of funding will bring the space to life—as a classroom and a home for the kind of connections that make Wilton feel like Wilton What lies ahead is not merely the restoration of a house—it’s the completion of a commitment the Raymond Ambler House will stand as a physical embodiment of Wilton’s agricultural heritage and its community spirit: an environment where past and present meet and where future generations will continue to learn and grow residents will have the opportunity to support this vision through a bonding proposal for the completion of the Raymond Ambler House This is more than a vote—it’s a moment to reaffirm Wilton’s investment in its values Voting will take place at Wilton High School Clune Center: For questions or to schedule a tour of the Raymond Ambler House, please contact Executive Director Ashley Kineon at ashley@amblerfarm.org. 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Copyright ©2025 HamletHub™ The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls golf team took on the field Friday at the 18-hole Wilton Invitational at Wahkonsa Country Club The Golden Hawks had a 415 team score to finish third of nine schools Morgyn Bender was Mid-Prairie’s leader at 94 Paycee Sorgenfrey of Tipton was the individual champion at 88 Other Golden Hawk scores included Olivia Swartzentruber 106 The Hawks are back in action Monday in a River Valley Conference dual against West Liberty Redding, CT Rhonda Watts-Hettinger and Isaac jumping during the finals of the New England Adult Equitation Championships as she’s dressed for performing with the Lafayette Artillery with a President Abraham Lincoln lookalike nearby Rhonda Watts-Hettinger and Isaac take a jump during the New England Hunts championship Hunter trials —COURTESY PHOTO If you’ve lived in the Wilton-Lyndeborough area long enough you know whenever there’s a parade you’ll most likely see Rhonda Watts-Hettinger participating with the Lafayette Artillery seated on her grandfather’s cavalry saddle while dressed in appropriate military garb What’s different is that she may not be seated in the manner you anticipate This skill has made her a distinctive and requested participant in local including five presidential inaugurations and three Kentucky Derby parades She also has the distinction of being the first to use a sidesaddle in New England 4-H competitions and the only non-Brit to qualify for the 4-Way Rider of the Year Ride-Off where she was tending the three horses that are successors to this distinctive they had just come in from time in the sun Draco is a replacement in manner and talent for Isaac Brother is Isaac’s great-nephew and shares many of his looks the conversation naturally migrated to Rhonda’s first memories of being around horses or on horseback My grandfather’s spurs and cavalry saddle are in my tack room and I still use that saddle for special events I was told my grandmother could ‘drive anything with legs’ and my grandfather was no slouch on a horse my great-grandfather got his first horse when he helped one with a broken leg survive and he was promised that horse if it lived.” “My parents always had horses to do the work on our farm in Hollis Our first saddle horse arrived just about the same time I was born A family story explaining it all begins with me being attached by my sun suit to the porch while my mother went inside to check on something she found my sun suit still attached to the porch but I was happily playing beneath the feet of Diamond but I had a Shetland pony with a western saddle that I rode from age 7 until 14 As I grew I needed to tuck my feet beneath his belly.” When I asked Rhonda how she began riding sidesaddle she explained that it was all because of 4-H show that featured costumed riders She and her mother settled on the theme “Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross,” featuring a sidesaddle rider “I wore my grandmother’s wedding dress and tried to portray sidesaddle by hooking my knee over the saddle horn Then my parents found a sidesaddle and a book on sidesaddle riding my parents purchased a slightly larger mare whose behavior issues were calmed by the sidesaddle I became the first to use sidesaddle in New England 4-H riding competitions.” To my question about where this has all taken her professionally “I’ve taught sidesaddle since the early 1980s after passing my U.S He suggested that I come to England to compete I ended up as the only overseas rider who has ever qualified to compete in the Rider of the Year Ride-Off winning the equitation jumping competition I received my British teaching and judging credentials and passed riding exams to show that I could do what I taught.” “One of my most interesting experiences was trying to teach a group of non-English-speaking Japanese ladies how to ride sidesaddle My only instruction from Roger was ‘just make sure they have a good time.’ By the time our lessons ended Rhonda belongs to several sidesaddle organizations in particular the American Sidesaddle Association which has local clubs throughout North America It’s through this and other organizations to which she belongs that she receives the invitations to participate in national and international events Since I most often see Rhonda at events that feature the Lyndeborough Lafayette Artillery I asked how her participation as a female sidesaddle rider There never was a ‘daughter of the regiment,’ but we now have one I wear appropriate garb and hold the rank of a private.” The Portsmouth Christmas Parade is the furthest she usually travels aside from inaugural parades in Washington the Kentucky Derby Parade and international competitions she served as a mounted cross-country steward for an international three-day hunt event in Kentucky What she likes about doing this is that without competing you act as a surrogate for the competitors that allows the members of the crowd to have horse-related mementos “I was the first cross-country steward to go sidesaddle in formal hunting attire that formal hunting attire for Rhonda is not just for show She is a member of the Old North Bridge Hounds Hunt Club where she used to hunt sidesaddle until a bad knee began to act up Rhonda has kept herself busy authoring two books on the sidesaddle “The Western Sidesaddle” and “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Sidesaddle.” You can find copies in the Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library The reason she wrote these books is that most books on sidesaddle riding are based upon European models and there are distinct differences in the American sidesaddle She has two more in the works that should fill just about every remaining niche on the topic Wilton's 2025 Annual Town Meeting Reminder Please join us at the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) on May 6 and cast your vote on the Board of Selectmen and Board of Education budgets as well as the mill rate and bonding referendums — collectively known as the ‘ATM Recommendations’ These recommendations reflect our community’s commitment to fiscal responsibility Wilton has a “Town Meeting” form of government which means you have the final say in how we fund essential town services Let’s continue to come together and actively participate in our town’s government by casting your vote on the ATM recommendations in the Clune Auditorium at Wilton High School (395 Danbury Rd.) This press release was produced by the Town of Wilton The views expressed here are the author’s own Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The Meditation Spiral at 31 Abbot Hill Acres as part of the World Wide Labyrinth Walk for Peace Participants are invited to walk the five-ring moss-covered spiral The event is not accessible for people with disabilities Parking is available at the top of the driveway Sanela Sabovic WILTON MANORS – First responders said two people were rushed to area hospitals as trauma alert patients after a fire broke out in a home in Wilton Manors Wednesday afternoon Leer en español Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews responded to the home FLFR officials said the fire started in a converted carport Authorities said an injured man was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale while a woman was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s burn unit in Miami The house is considered to be a total loss The fire marshal was at the scene to determine the blaze’s cause Sky 10 raw video (Mobile users click here): Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio television and film from DePaul University TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application accepted an invitation by his heavenly Father to spend eternity with Him on Friday a longtime resident of Harvey and a devout member of St Blessed in having shared life with Wilton: his first wife (the late) and (the late) Marsha Lynn Montet; grandson Eric Allred (Whitney); great grandchildren and Mia Ruth Allred; second wife (the late) Ruth Miller Montet; stepchildren Leisa Benningfield (Steve) and Bob Vance (Angie); third wife (the late) Margie Rodriguez Montet; stepchildren Survived by six step-grandchildren and eleven step great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews Our heart-felt gratitude to his exemplary and loving caregivers of over five plus years Wilton enlisted in the Army in 1947 at the age of 16; retired in 1976 as Command Sergeant Major; fought and wounded in the Korean war; and served in the Vietnam war in Army Intelligence He taught ROTC for a year at LSU in Baton Rouge Wilton was invited to serve as an Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery but because he did not want to be away from his family for the 6-month long rotation Wilton loved his family; loved traveling; loved music Wilton was always a gentleman in the finest way donations in Wilton's memory to Tunnel To Towers Foundation or Wounded Warrior Project Relatives and Friends of the Family are invited to attend the Funeral Mass in the Chapel of Mothe Funeral Home Visitation will be held from 9 AM until mass time (Family private time is reserved from 8 AM until 9 AM 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 – Authorities are searching for two individuals who they say were caught on surveillance video committing an armed robbery at a smoke shop in Wilton Manors early Tuesday morning Leer en español The incident occurred at the World of Smoke and Vape store the culprits entered and exited the shop several times before one of them pulled a gun on a store employee After they walked around for several moments they held the store worker at gunpoint,” Detective Haley Plante the other individual ran behind the counter and started removing products.” Surveillance video shows the armed individual pointing a gun at the employee as the second suspect Police estimate each vape is worth around $40 with the total loss amounting to $879 in stolen merchandise “They both left and fled on Wilton Drive,” Plante said Authorities said the store employee was not physically harmed during the incident and was able to activate a panic button to alert law enforcement discreetly “A lot of our businesses do use those,” Plante said “It’s a way that they can notify us without necessarily alerting the offenders that are in there so we want to get there as quickly and promptly as possible.” The Wilton Manors PD is asking anyone with information about the robbery or the identities of the individuals seen in the video to call them at 954-390-2150 More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter Hannah Yechivi joined the Local 10 News team in May of 2024 Roy Ramos – A Wilton Manors senior died after a fire tore through his home Wednesday afternoon Leer en español Charles Bloch, 85, had been rushed to Broward Health Medical Center after the fire broke out at around 1:20 p.m at his home in the 500 block of Northwest 21st Street was initially taken to BHMC but was then sent to Miami to be treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s burn unit One of Charles Bloch’s sons is a Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue captain The couple’s two dogs remained unaccounted for on Thursday Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials said Wednesday that the fire started in a converted carport The State Fire Marshal’s Office determined the cause of the fire was electrical and no foul play was suspected Roy Ramos joined the Local 10 News team in 2018 Roy is a South Florida native who grew up in Florida City He attended Christopher Columbus High School Homestead Senior High School and graduated from St Wilton was the son of the late Wilton Owen Poulnot He loved living in the Lowcountry and enjoyed sharing Charleston’s rich history and natural beauty with his friends and family and their 58 year marriage was a perfect testimony of love and devotion for all who knew them Wilton was a loving father to his two daughters and a doting PaPa to his grandchildren all of whom will remember his gentle spirit and Amy Baker (Scott); adored grandchildren Sue Ellen Poulnot Ratcliffe; and many other loved ones who will miss him dearly Plowshare residents Alex Turchi and Emily Maynor Emily Maynor and Alex Turchi behind the café counter —PHOTO BY GAIL HOAR Kimberly Dorn holding cutting boards in front of the café area —PHOTO BY GAIL HOAR Plowshare resident and customer Micah Zeldis The oldest building on Main Street in Wilton is the one with a sign that is both an introduction and a guide for living – LocalShare It is also one of the buildings designated by the Wilton Economic Development Committee as a place to stop and view the Souhegan River That is possible from the seats near the windows in the back or from the deck attached at street level behind the building you pass by the creative output of many local artistic craftspeople as well as the enticing coffee tea and baked goods counter at the junction where the front of the shop expands into a much larger seated gathering area with small tables for intimate conversations I’ve watched this building’s metamorphosis from the former Color Shop a regional art store that those with an artistic bent frequented for supplies frames or just art-related conversations and connections to the Monadnock region art community to a The Color Shop and More run by the Center for Anthroposophy that focused on serving the regional Waldorf community in many additional capacities LocalShare evolved from the framework established by these former enterprises but I was uncertain how this exactly came about and LocalShare’s relationship to the Plowshare Lifesharing Community in Greenfield “You first need to understand the mission of Plowshare intentional community where just under 50 of us live We recognize each other’s gifts and accept each other’s challenges while we strive to live lightly harmoniously and abundantly with the earth but we’re part of the local community as well So we thought we would create a place where the essence of Plowshare could be understood while we had fun interacting with people in the community while selling local goods It’s kind of like having a place where we can show off who we are and why we exist We came up with the name LocalShare meaning we would feature local people’s products to share with those in our local communities the word ‘share’ is also part of the name Plowshare from our home base.” “LocalShare started as a little storefront in Greenfield but the Center for Anthroposophy reached out and asked us if we wanted to take over their building on Wilton’s Main Street they decided to put the building up for sale We bought it and are very grateful to have the space upstairs that we rent to two businesses who offset the building’s costs for us We love being a part of Wilton’s Main Street.” Kimberly explained that the products they carry are “curated as locally as possible as fairly priced for consumer and creator as possible and do no harm through the production or use of the goods.” This means they try to avoid all plastic and other environmentally damaging materials and seek to leave as little waste as possible the shop was hosting several visitors from Plowshare who were enjoying treats from the café Several of them had products in the shop area that they wanted me to see I was shown beautifully crafted pillows and sit-upons and unique bags made from a secret ingredient that gives them a sustainability feature durability and a one-of-a-kind design pattern Ask to see them and then prepare to be astounded They even make their own loofas from plants grown and other hand-crafted items fill the shelves There are cutting boards made with love and attention to design and detail made from wood harvested just a few miles from the shop They are just one example of LocalShare’s wood products that include playhouses wooden rainbows and magic wands made from trees harvested from the farm land Kimberly went on to say that “We want LocalShare to be a place where a gift can be bought for a child that is worthy of a child’s hands.” LocalShare also offers non-locally made products but all are vetted to hold LocalShare’s values like zero-waste home and body care products You are encouraged to bring your own containers or buy one and return it time and time again for refills that eliminate throwaway bottles As I was learning more about the nature of Plowshare and its citizens Kimberly suggested that I mention that anyone truly interested in learning more about the farm and its mission should feel free to contact her and they would receive an invitation to lunch which is a weekday community affair featuring organic food grown on the farm “One day we hope to have lunches at LocalShare One final thing that she felt important to mention is that many products in the shop are examples of a community effort and not just from one person’s hands alone “Just as many people are one-sided in their talents by working together we create something more complete and beautiful than any one person can do." that sounds like the essence of a community that functions really well through sharing talents To reach Kimberly Dorn, either call or email her at Plowshare Farm, 603-547-2547 or info@plowsharefarm.org. LocalShare is reachable Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9:30 a,.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by phone at 603-654-2219 or by email at localshare@plowsharefarm.org One of the simple joys of growing up in Maine was a summer evening visit to your favorite ice cream stand Growing up in the small Aroostook County town of Houlton locally-owned ice cream stands.  We were fortunate to have the Houlton Farms Dairy ice cream stand and Drake's.  Both of which were located on Military Street and both were slammed on a warm summer night Dutch Treat has been welcoming families from across Central Maine.  They come for a quick meal The popular eatery has even been known to host cruise-in nights for car enthusiasts it does not look like those events will be happening this year According to an article on the KJ website an ice cream stand and fast food restaurant in Wilton The article explains that Alison Welch who has been running the business for her mother for the better part of two decades announced that they would not be opening in 2025 on Tuesday READ MORE: Search Continues For Missing 14-Year-Old Girl Welch explained that there were several reasons for no opening this season.  These include the rising cost of food an increase in the state's minimum wage and the difficulty of keeping part-time employees Adding to the business's staffing woes Alison Welch also has a full-time job at the Mount Blue Regional School District in nearby Farmington The family has not made a decision about whether or not they will open in 2026 Have you ever had a chance to eat at Dutch Treat?\nRead More According to an article on the KJ website READ MORE: Search Continues For Missing 14-Year-Old Girl This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Leer en español Wilton Manors police identified the suspects in a news release as Sonjay Brown and Jailyn Voit in a news release Thursday The arrests stem from an early Tuesday morning robbery that occurred at the World of Smoke and Vape store the two suspects entered and exited the shop several times before one of them pulled a gun on a store employee they held the store worker at gunpoint,” Plante told Local 10 News While one suspect threatened the employee with a gun police said the other ran behind the counter and grabbed merchandise Surveillance video shows the armed individual pointing a gun while the second suspect Police said the total loss was estimated at $879 The store employee was not injured and managed to trigger a panic button to discreetly alert police BSO West Park and the public for their assistance in bringing these suspects to justice,” the agency wrote in a news release The suspects’ booking photos and charges were not immediately released Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG Monday’s ceremony was held beside Tuckahoe Creek and the former Tuckahoe Village Recreation Association property Plans for more boardwalks along Henrico’s western border are moving forward with a recent land donation from a longtime area real estate firm that’s previously contributed to the cause A ceremony Monday at the site of the former Tuckahoe Village Recreation Association property marked the start of the next phase of Tuckahoe Creek Park which the county plans to enhance with additional boardwalks and trails that would complement – but not connect to – the existing boardwalk at Old Coach Lane and the western terminus of Ridgefield Parkway A new boardwalk that could stretch over 2 linear miles is planned to start at the former rec association property at 1128 Westbriar Drive which is one of four parcels totaling about 21 acres that were recently donated by The Wilton Cos The former Tuckahoe Village Recreation Association property The trailhead will be named Wilton Landing in honor of the company which manages the nearby Tuckahoe Village Shopping Center and previously donated 240 acres along Tuckahoe Creek in the early 1980s The boardwalk would provide greater access to the creek for birdwatching and kayaking It also would include signage highlighting the creek’s history and use as a canal for transporting coal from nearby mines to area railways as well as a 9-acre donation by the nearby Lakewood retirement community Henrico is aiming to finalize designs for the boardwalk with feedback from the community A meeting is scheduled this Thursday at Lakewood to present the park’s master plan which the county developed with engineering firm VHB A project map shows the new boardwalk would extend westward from the Wilton Landing trailhead where the old swimming pool would be replaced with a shelter and elevated deck and the tennis courts would be used to provide additional parking A map of the project shows the boardwalk’s route and planned amenities fishing pier and kayak/paddle launch across the marshland from Patterson Avenue where a private trail would connect Lakewood to the boardwalk A third overlook near the terminus of Westshire Lane would bend the boardwalk northward to connect with the Tuckahoe Village West Recreation Association and Lauderdale Drive The new boardwalk would add to the roughly half-mile boardwalk at Old Coach and Ridgefield that the county completed several years ago A third section is planned beside the GreenGate development off West Broad Street via a 21-acre donation from developer Markel | Eagle The route of the planned boardwalk beside GreenGate off West Broad Street The additional sections are to be funded with $10 million that voters approved in county bond referendums in 2016 and 2022 Pending completion of the community input process the Wilton Landing portion could start construction by this time next year and finish in 12 months Henrico Rec & Parks Director John Zannino said Wilton’s donation comes three years after a fire in late 2021 destroyed the clubhouse at Tuckahoe Village Recreation Association which officials said had become less active in recent years Wilton acquired the property in late 2022 and approached the county about donating it and the three other parcels that connect previously donated land on both sides of Patterson said the recent donation made sense in light of challenges with building anything new on the site which is low-lying and adjacent to marshland we demoed everything but we saved all the impervious surfaces with the idea that that would work for the county,” Johnson said pool and existing parking that he said would be difficult to provide otherwise Aware that Henrico had been planning for years for a linear park that theoretically would run from Patterson to Broad “It was just a natural idea to put something together with the county to supplement what we’ve already seen them doing from Broad Street all the way down to here This puts an access point to Patterson Avenue.” While a contiguous Patterson-to-Broad boardwalk has been deemed unfeasible due to encroachments on existing homes Johnson said the additional amenities would benefit the community which also leases and manages the adjacent Tuckahoe Village Merchants retail strip in addition to the shopping center “If people coming by here to enjoy this park happen to stop over at one of the adjoining shopping centers noting it also frees up Wilton from liability insurance it had been paying on the property and this is property that we’re not going to develop Rather than just holding onto it and having no practical good come from it we can donate to the county and let the residents enjoy it,” he said The boardwalk would extend across Tuckahoe Creek from the former rec association property county officials said Wilton’s donation is making the boardwalk project possible who represents the Tuckahoe District that includes Tuckahoe Creek said the 260 acres that Wilton has donated over decades is the largest for recreational use in Henrico’s history “This generous gift of land will allow the county to make Tuckahoe Creek an even better place for Henrico residents to enjoy all that we have to offer,” Rogish said “These collaborations exemplify what can happen when an 80-year-old business in Henrico County can come together with government and residents to make our county a better place to live Thursday’s meeting to present the park master plan and receive feedback is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Lakewood’s Simms Center at 1900 Lauderdale Drive. More information about Tuckahoe Creek Park is available on Henrico’s website This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today Renew now by choosing a subscription below YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" and a fine example of public/private partnership working together to make things happen Kudos to Wilton for its vision and sense of community I do have a canal history book that shows there are coal mine tunnels under this swamp that are filled with water And there might even be a stone canal lock somewhere in this area and a lot of railroad beds © 2025 Richmond BizSense - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × Cold Case Program with Michigan State PoliceWestern Michigan UniversityKalamazoo MI 49008-5257 USA(269) 400-1865 Jeanette Wilton’s body was found in the Flint River  A later autopsy concluded that she had died of strangulation and multiple stab wounds to her neck.  She’d also suffered blunt force trauma to her head and face along with contusions and postmortem abrasions.  Jeanette Wilton was a 57-year-old woman with three sons and had worked at a local hospital for the twelve years before her death  Jeanette was described as a loving and caring mother The Michigan State Police Third District Cold Case Team reopened the case in 2021 Because of advances in DNA testing and their collaboration with the MSP lab and the Western Michigan University’s Cold Case Program they were able to reanalyze evidence collected from the crime scene to a private lab and develop new leads.  The new DNA testing results identified 47-year-old Jason Cabello who had previously been in a relationship with a relative of Jeanette Wilton’s but was not otherwise known to be associated with her MSP referred the case to the Department of the Attorney General to review for potential criminal charges Cabello would have been about 26 years old at the time when Wilton was murdered In December 2024 Cabello was charged with one count of First-Degree Premeditated Murder and one count of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct  All three charges could result in life sentences Jeanette's loved ones have lived without answers we are now one step closer to delivering long-awaited justice," Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement "I want to thank the Michigan State Police whose incredible efforts made this breakthrough possible Their work proves that no case is too cold to be solved WMU students from the Cold Case Program assisted detectives from the Third District Cold Case Team in reorganizing the case file and then digitizing it to allow for detailed searches of all digital material. They also helped detectives create an index of people of interest in Jeanette’s murder along with other relevant documents like a timeline of the day of her murder and a site visit to relevant areas https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2024/12/10/saginaw-man-charged-for-2003-cold-case-murder-of-woman-found-in-flint-river https://midmichigannow.com/news/local/new-dna-technology-and-student-efforts-lead-to-arrest-in-2003-saginaw-murder-case https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/12/11/man-charged-with-murder-21-years-after-woman-strangled-stabbed-and-found-dead-in-flint-river/ https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/wilton-murder-cabello-arrest-nessel-19973640.php