BUILDING COLLAPSE CAUSE REVEALED

On Oct. 3, The Richmond Times Dispatch published the following information:

A grand jury has determined no one was criminally negligent in the fatal collapse of a building in Chester [Village Green, on Fountain Square Plaza] last month, but a county-hired engineer has found the contractor to blame for faulty bracing.

The two-story building at 4301 Fountain Square Plaza collapsed on Sept. 10 after drywall was loaded onto a floor supported by an unbraced steel stud designed to bear less than half the weight placed on it, according to an engineering analysis released yesterday by Chesterfield County.

The grand jury concluded yesterday that there was no evidence of either criminal conduct or "culpable and gross negligence of any party or government entity regarding this incident."

According to W. Carter Sinclair Jr., an engineer based in Virginia Beach who was hired to analyze the collapse, the county is responsible for inspecting and approving permanent, but not temporary, bracing during construction. "This is a gray area . . . however it is still the ultimate responsibility of the contractor."

Courtesy of The Village News, you can read the entire engineer's report by clicking on:
http://villagenewsonline.net/artman2/publish/News_amp_Features_1/Cause_of_Chester_Village_Green_Collapse_Determined_No_Charges_Filed.shtml

ALLEYWAYS TO CLOSE FOR REPAIRS

Our HOA (Home Owners' Association) President, Howard Corey, has sent the following notice:

Repair of the alleyways starts Oct. 8.

Once the repairs are completed, cones will be put out to close them off. Once the alley ways have been paved, stay off the new paved area for at least two days. For some of the residents this might require parking on the streets for a couple of days.Thanks in advance for your cooperation. The places where you have seen red circles in the alley ways are where repairs are taking place.

NORTH-SOUTH PARKWAY TO BE TOPIC AT SUPERVISOR'S CONSTITUENT MEETING

A constituent meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 6, at 7 PM, at Chesterfield Community High School, 12400 Branders Bridge Road. Although the topic is public safety, our Supervisor, Dorothy Jaeckle, has asked someone from H. H. Hunt and the Transportation Dept. to be available during the question and answer period to answer questions about the roads and Branner Station.

This new road will impact Chester Village Green. This is your chance to find out what the plans are and to express your opinion. (Click on map image to enlarge it.)

COLLAPSED BUILDING CLEARED AWAY, STREETS OPENED

The rubble from the collapsed building on Fountain Square Plaza facing our Green has now been completely cleared away, only the back retaining wall (right) remains.

The road barriers have been removed, and our streets are now open.

(Click on photo to enlarge it.)

OUR NOV. 4 BALLOTT

PHOTO: This was the voting line at Ecoff School at 10:15 AM. The line wound down and around four corridors, and took one hour. The only bottleneck was at the only ballot-receiving machine.The simple two-second act of slipping one's own ballot into the slot seemed to confuse people.

Polling place:
ECOFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
5200 Ecoff Ave


Tuesday, November 04, 2008 General Elections

Candidates' Party Designators
D = Democrat
R = Republican
IG = Independent Green
L = Libertarian
G = Green
I = Independent





Office Title : President and Vice President:
D Barack Obama and Joe Biden
R John McCain and Sarah Palin
IG Chuck Baldwin and Darrell L. Castle
L Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root
G Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente
I Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez

Office Title : United States Senate:
D Mark R. Warner
R James S. ''Jim'' Gilmore III
IG Glenda Gail Parker
L William B. Redpath

Office Title : Member House of Representatives, 4th District
D Andrea R. Miller
R J. Randy Forbes