The Percy Barnett State Farm Insurance Agency will be opening a retail suite in Libbie Mill—Midtown’s Tanner Row building, developer Gumenick Properties recently announced. The 1,632-square-foot space will be located next to The Corner Shops. The expected opening date is early March. *** Bricks & Minifigs, an aftermarket LEGO toy shop located at 10953 West Broad Street, is collaborating with It Takes a Village this February to create awareness and generate donations to help bring educational facilities to children in developing countries. Throughout the month, the store will be selling special Share the Love bulk tubs and will donate ...Article Link

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The Virginia Department of Education recently released data about the projected number of Virginia Preschool Initiative slots each school division would receive based on Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 2025-2026 biennial budget, with Henrico County set to receive 1,326 slots for the 2024-2025 school year. VPI distributes state funds to schools and community-based organizations to provide preschool programs for at-risk four-year-olds who are not enrolled in the federal Head Start program. The initiative serves families at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, families experiencing homelessness, children with disabilities, children of parents that did not complete high school, and families approved...Article Link

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Del. H. Otto Wachsmann Jr. proposed a bill to a key committee that would allow Virginians to have more flexibility in choosing pharmacies for prescription drugs and providers of healthcare. The bill, HB 1006, proposed on Jan. 10 to the Committee on Labor and Commerce, would stop pharmacies, health providers or insurers from requiring pharmaceutical patients to choose a specific provider. This would eliminate any fees or penalties for not choosing a provider related to a pharmacy, health provider, or insurer. These organizations would also be restricted from having a drug sent to a pharmacy chosen by the provider or disallowing a patient...Article Link

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Improvements are coming to a congested Henrico interchange, but they will take a few years. The Virginia Department of Transportation is planning to make modifications to the Parham Road/Interstate 64 interchange in the West End – a busy corridor that has seen a pattern of rear-end and angle collisions, according to the agency. The project, funded through the agency's Interstate Operations and Enhancement Program, is estimated to cost about .3 million, begin in the spring of 2028 and take about a year to be completed, according to VDOT officials. To help alleviate accidents that occur as vehicles exiting I-64 westbound...Article Link

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The foster care and adoption networks in Henrico, Richmond, Hanover and Chesterfield will meet together Wednesday, Feb. 14, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The Commons (formerly U-Turn) at 2101 Maywill Street in Henrico. The groups have started meeting together on the second Wednesdays of each month. Each meeting includes time to connect with others serving in the foster care spaces as well as featured speakers and breakout sessions by locality to plan collaborative efforts. February’s focus will be on equipping the network in the area of supporting young adults who are aging out of the foster care system. Attendees...Article Link

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The Henrico County School Board has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, Feb. 8 about its proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The public is invited to attend and provide comments during the meeting, which will take place in the auditorium of the New Bridge Learning Center at 5915 Nine Mile Road in Henrico. As part of the public record, written comments on the FY2025 Recommended Annual Financial Plan will be accepted online and also will be posted on the School Board website for public view. Written comments are due by noon Feb. 7 via the School Board website (visit https://henricoschools.us/page/school-board...Article Link

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There are more children in foster care in Henrico County than there are families to care for them, and Henrico County is seeking new foster parents to help meet the demand. The county’s Social Services department will host a foster parent orientation session Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Fairfield Library, 1401 North Laburnum Avenue. Attending an orientation meeting is the first step in potentially becoming a foster parent, though attendees are not required to commit to fostering. The county’s next foster parent training session begins in March. Children and young adults between the ages...Article Link

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Public school boards could allow any school employee to have a gun on their campuses after required training under a bill proposed by Prince William Republican Del. Eric Zehr. Zehr said the bill, HB 1230, is meant to give school boards a choice to add another layer of protection to their campus in the case of an emergency. He introduced the bill on Jan. 10. “This additional security option has the potential to transform our school campuses from ‘soft targets’ to harder targets by making would-be attackers guess at who might be armed and able to resist,” Zehr said in...Article Link

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4100 block of Innslake Drive – Police arrested and charged a citizen with non-aggravated assault at a hotel Jan. 26 at 6:31 p.m. Charles City Road at Glen Alden Drive – Police arrested and charged a citizen(s) with driving under the influence of drugs, possession of cocaine and synthetic drugs, identity theft, and a warrant service Jan. 26 at 9:33 p.m. Gaskins Road at Mayland Drive – Police arrested and charged a citizen(s) with driving under the influence and carrying a weapon Jan. 27 at 2:18 a.m. Mechanicsville Turnpike at Magnolia Street – Police arrested and charged a citizen with...Article Link

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Two Virginia lawmakers are proposing sweeping measures to improve the state’s provision of special education services as criticisms from parents and the federal government over Virginia’s compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act continue. Sponsored by Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, and Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, the proposals would create a statewide system to oversee the development and use of individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with special needs, require more training for educators about how to provide inclusive special education instruction, set up eight regional “special education parent support centers” and provide additional specialists to divisions. “It’s no secret...Article Link

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