The Central Virginian

The County of Louisa Animal Shelter issued a press release on Feb. 25 that the facility was at critical capacity, severely limiting their ability to intake additional animals. Despite an initial spike in adoptions after local media outlets breaking the news, that status remains as of Tuesday, March 11. A facility packed to the brim of mostly dogs in 5x10 pens has been the reality for the local animal shelter for the last several weeks now. While staff members remain upbeat and often laugh about the inaudible conversations due to the echoes of constant barking, it’s also an issue they take very seriously. Director Skylar Colvin discussed her passion for reuniting pets with their owners, explaining how the critical capacity status makes it more difficult to do so; a status reportedly often experienced after the holidays and with the conclusion of deer hunting season. Although the media attention helped initially, according to Colvin, it was soon back to square one. “It did help...we had a good amount of adoptions last week, but then we had like six new strays come in,” Colvin explained. “So, for 24 hours we felt good, and then we are right back to capacity.” The Louisa County Animal Shelter staff was recognized late last year by the Louisa County Board of Supervisors (BoS) for their “exceptional commitment to the welfare and humane treatment of animals in the community.” After years with one of the lowest euthanasia rates in the state of Virginia, the facility officially became a “no-kill shelter” in 2023. According to Colvin, both paid staff and volunteers walk the dogs in the nearby “Bark Park” twice a day, ensuring they are properly cared for to the best of their ability. Colvin explained that most individuals that come into the shelter are looking to adopt smaller dogs, however, most of the dogs housed at the facility at this time are larger in size; many of which are long-legged hounds. There are currently only a few cats, but an influx is generally seen between April-September as they typically reproduce in the warmer months. All adoptions are free at this time. Read more of the story at TCV: https://lnkd.in/egvMfEDp

Three Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (#REC) Board of Directors positions are now open for nominations. To obtain the candidate nomination packet, visit https://lnkd.in/ePU7ytU4, email directorelections @ myrec.coop or call 540-891-5889. The completed nomination materials and petition must be returned to the office of REC’s president by 5 p.m. on May 2, 2025. More guidelines: ?? https://lnkd.in/eN9uHFfH

And now for something a little lighter - this author took her writing from Facebook and turned it into a fun book. As one reviewer says, "If you are not a dog lover, you just might be after reading this." To have your company or work featured in a sponsored story, email theCV@thecentralvirginian dot com. #TCV #LocalAuthor https://lnkd.in/ekbjczxe

The meeting at Louisa County Chamber of Commerce overviewed progress and plans to revitalize Louisa following the town’s formal joining of the Virginia Main Street (VMS) network as an Exploring Main Street (EMS) community last fall. Read the full article: ?? https://lnkd.in/e4KgC6p2 Main Street America / #LouisaVA

The meeting at Louisa County Chamber of Commerce overviewed progress and plans to revitalize Louisa following the town’s formal joining of the Virginia Main Street (VMS) network as an Exploring Main Street (EMS) community last fall. Read the full article: ?? https://lnkd.in/e4KgC6p2 Main Street America / #LouisaVA

Career and technical education (#CTE) is making news all over. In Louisa County, CTE includes cyber security, nursing, cosmetology, culinary arts, auto repair, media and more. Here's how Louisa County High School students showcased their skills and talents at a recent school board meeting. #WorkforceDevelopment #LouisaVA #innovation / County of Louisa https://lnkd.in/eieA_43i

The Louisa County Board of Supervisors (BoS) recently established minimum requirements for solar siting agreements, impacting future developers' decisions to bring large-scale solar projects to the county. Read more on the decision and how Louisa County is one of the top energy producers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. #LouisaVA #solar https://lnkd.in/eumZtvsZ

Twelve Louisa residents were recognized at the Louisa County branch 7085 NAACP annual Black History Month breakfast. The theme of the event was “phenomenal women on the move in education, politics, the community and business.” The County Line Baptist Church Praise Team provided musical selections throughout the event, and each honoree was introduced by either an NAACP officer or community member. The next event on the Louisa NAACP’s calendar is the Annual Heritage Day Festival on April 26 at Louisa County Historical Society. From left to right: Jelita Perry, Gracie Quarles, Yolanda Burgess, Katelyn Coughlan, Charlotte Robinson, Arlean Shelton, Deborah Coles (front), Cassandra Calender-Ray, guest speaker Crystal Napier, Barbara Dandridge, Juanita Jo Matkins, Donna Isom pose with their recognitions as “phenomenal women” in the Louisa community. Read more: https://lnkd.in/er8sUwrq County Line Baptist Church / #BlackHistoryMonth

The idea of a freestanding emergency room or urgent care facility at Lake Anna has been floated for several years now, and a group of Lake Anna residents and medical professionals are still working to make that idea a reality. Mary Washington Hospital Inc / UVA Health / UVA Health — Northern Virginia and Culpeper / #LakeAnna #LouisaVA https://lnkd.in/gc7uXU4M

On Feb. 22, a presentation ceremony was held at the Mineral, Virginia Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8947 to recognize Central Virginian rising 8th grader Lillie M. Kenney for her first place writing submission in the Patriot’s Pen. Her essay, “My Voice in America’s Democracy,” surpassed district 13 and state levels and will now be set for national review, and?she will then be eligible to win up to $5,000. At the ceremony, Kenney received a $2,750.00 check issued by Charles E. Mann on behalf of the VFW. Sponsored by the #VFW, the Patriot’s Pen is a youth essay competition open to six, seventh and eighth graders. Nearly 70,000 students participate in this contest annually (84,000 in 2024) and the national first-place winner receives a $5,000 award. VFW Foundation / #awards #MineralVA https://lnkd.in/eb_vzxwF