Chesterfield County's Animal Adoption Fee

By Jasmine Allen and Ben Brown

On Wednesday April 14th, a new change for Chesterfield’s animal shelters went under its first consideration.

A public hearing took place among the county’s Administration Board of Supervisors regarding the approval of a partnership with The Richmond Animal League and the SPCA.

Chesterfield County opened up a bid to various companies that would provide spaying and neutering services. The Richmond Animal League(http://www.ral.org/) agreed to provide these sterilization services.

The proposal states that the adopters will pay $60 instead of the current $10 fee to cover the expense of pre-adoption sterilization.

County Administrator, James Stegmaier, describes how Chesterfield adopters are required under the law to provide sterilization services themselves but had a “level of non-compliance”, which resulted in stray animals.

Like any other animal shelter, Chesterfield’s shelter sometimes transfers numerous dogs and cats to the Richmond SPCA (http://www.richmondspca.org/Page.aspx?pid=183) that are without housing.

One other factor about the shelters that differs from the Richmond SPCA is their stance on euthanasia. Shelter Manager Alice Berry of the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter, reassures that “no healthy animal is euthanized.”

The goals of the proposed partnership are: to ensure that there are no more homeless animals than there are enough shelter facilities, to gradually transform Chesterfield animal shelters into no-kill organizations and overall save the lives of every healthy and treatable animal in the community.

Q and A with Gene Lepley

Ben Brown
11-11-09
Gene Lepley worked as an anchor and reporter with Channel 12 News in Richmond for about 14 years.
Lepley has recently made a career shift. He is now a public information officer with the Richmond City Police Department. Lepley answered some questions in an interview conducted recently. He offered more detail on his story and had some words of advice to future journalists.
Q: You've worked in other markets in the Pennsylvania area... how did those markets compare to Richmond. What are the strong and weak points for Richmond as a media market?
A: The two markets I worked at in Pennsylvania were “hyphenated markets” – that is they contained several different cities and towns. Johnstown-Altoona and Harrisburg-Lancaster-York-Lebanon-Carlisle. Richmond-Petersburg is a hyphenated market but the strong, strong focus is on Richmond. In the Pennsylvania markets, we used bureaus in several cities in order to cover all the communities but viewers closely identified with the televisions stations physically located in their communities: WJAC in Johntown, Pennslyvania; WTAJ in Altoona. WHP and WHTM in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; WGAL in Lancaster; and WPMT in York. That meant that no matter how much you covered a city where you were NOT located, it was difficult to capture viewers from that city. That served to split the market into several mini-markets, which diluted advertising revenue and station income.
Richmond’s strong points are: a strong city-identity, a state capitol, strong business community, a long tradition of television news viewing, and in some cases, reporters who spend their careers here and don’t look on the city as a stepping-stone to a larger market. It doesn’t have any unique weak points other than to be land-locked by strong TV markets to the north (Washington, D.C.) and to the east (Norfolk-Virginia Beach). To the west, losing Charlottesville – which is now a separate TV market – has dropped the Richmond market size to the 50s – causing a loss of advertising revenue and station income.

Q: When did you know that you wanted to become a journalist?

A: I’ve always enjoyed current events. I’ve been a consumer of news from an early age – both television and print. When I returned to college after working nearly six years as a paramedic, it was with the intent of eventually getting a master’s degree in public health so I majored in communications. But I really enjoyed my journalism classes and two months before I was to graduate I auditioned for a booth-announcer job at a television station near my hometown in Pennsylvania and got the job. From there it was an easy transition to the newsroom and broadcast journalism.

Q: What was the most rewarding part of being a journalist?

A: I love the adrenalin rush that comes with journalism – to be “where it’s happening.” I like the sense of public service that goes with reporting – informing people of the issues of the day, rooting out corruption, and alerting people to possible scams and rip-offs. I think television works best getting the word out – soliciting the public’s help to restart cold case murder investigations, help track down fugitives from justice, or find missing persons.


Q: Is there a favorite memory of being a journalist? Is there a least favorite memory?
A: I’ve gotten do so some amazing things… ride the shuttle similar at the Johnson Space Center with astronaut Leland Melvin – a UR graduate – land on two aircraft carriers and spend a week aboard each – watch John Glenn be launched into space – get into Manhattan three days after the collapse of the World Trade Towers – tour Israel during the intifada – the Arab uprising – spend time with troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina and spend time at the site of a mass killing. Favorite or least favorite? It’s all tied up together. The Bosnian trip was sobering but also exhilarating. Being swarmed by family members of the missing at the armory in Manhattan was one of the worst moments – but a day later – driving with a convoy of first-responders up the West Side parkway and being saluted by thousands of NYC residents was amazing. I can’t single anything out.

Q: If there are any other comments you'd like to make or questions that you'd like to answer - please feel free.

A: It’s a wonderful profession that’s undergoing a tremendous transition right now. I don’t know how it’s going to shake out but I hope that good people continue to be courageous and tell honest stories about our government, society, environment, and how we treat each other.

Q: What advice do you have for future journalists?

A: Be flexible. Be visible. Traditional media are dying. Good storytellers will still succeed.

Christmas Lights

Something Different For Indie Rock

By: Ben Brown
Photo credit: Lin Daffron


Something Different for Indie Rock

The instruments are the same, but the concept is completely unique for Make Phantoms, one of Richmond’s newest Indie bands. The band plans to introduce a different type of Indie rock to the city and plans to sell their songs to TV shows and commercials.
“Make Phantoms is aimed at being a departure from piano-driven indie rock, where we're really looking to branch out in styles, moods, and instruments,” said Mark Strong, the guitarist for the group. “It won't be Radiohead, by any means, but it'll be nice. Quaint, even.”
Other than Strong, the group features Ben Willson, the lead singer and pianist and Alex Borealis, the drummer.
The band is planning some live shows for the near future, but it is displaying a strong focus on selling songs and music to commercials and TV shows.
Selling music directly to a corporate institution is a relatively new idea for Indie bands, and some music lovers have issues with an Indie band selling songs to TV shows.
“A huge part of being in a band is playing live shows,” said Aaron Hawkes, a Richmond native and aspiring musician. “You shouldn’t just plan on selling music to the industry.”
Make Phantoms wants their fans to enjoy their music and their live shows.
“We’re trying to get our music anywhere we can. We actually landed "Aeroplanes” on a yet to be aired but ‘green lighted’ Spike TV show called "Blue Mountain State", which has business ties to “Smallville” and “Varsity Blues, ” said Willson.
Jonathan Lee is the manager at the Sound of Music Recording Studios. He said that every band wants people to listen to their music, but “bands shouldn’t make music with the purpose of being in a commercial. It doesn’t make for good music.”
Willson and Strong have had some success with selling music to TV shows. They first started in a band called We Know, Plato!
We Know Plato! established a following when their song, “Satellites” was heard nationwide in a scene on the TV show, “Gossip Girl” on Nov. 10, 2008.
We Know, Plato! split up in the summer of 2009, but Strong and Willson kept playing music together and formed a new band.
Make Phantoms doesn’t seem to be concerned with critics and maintains that it will play live shows. The band wants a following that with “follow them on this journey.”
Strong thinks that the band will be successful, but does not plan on selling out.
“I want to make a living while maintaining Indie status,” said Strong.
Willson has simpler views for the band, “I just want people to listen to my music.”

Being a Pastory is a 'Sweaty' Job

www.people.vcu.edu/~jcsouth/slideshows/brown

By: Ben Brown

It’s a white 1985 Oldsmobile station wagon. The model is called the Custom Cruiser.
However, to several kids in the Manchester, Bainbridge and Hillside Court areas, this is not just some old station wagon; this is the church bus. And the driver is the Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Sweat, 57. Everyone around here calls him Pastor Tom.
“That’s what people know me as,” Sweat said.
Brinnay Bell, 11, chuckled as she smiled showing all of her teeth. “Pastor Tom is funny when he drives his car,” Brinnay said. She usually gets a ride with Pastor Tom to most church events. Sweat shrugged his shoulders, wrinkling his black argyle sweater and letting out a bit of a grin.
Pastor Tom then moved through the room shaking hands and hugging people. The smile never left his face as his cheek-bones lifted up his thin, black-framed glasses.
Sweat is the senior pastor at Central United Methodist Church, 1211 Porter Street. He hasn’t served a full year there, but he is bringing new programs and hopes to revitalize the community in the Manchester area.
“My concern is people are not congregating. I want folks to come together and get to know each other,” Sweat said.
That was the idea behind God’s Garden, one of Sweat’s ideas. It’s not much of a garden now; in fact, it’s just an empty lot next to the church that has been plowed and tilled over. Fruits and vegetables will be growing there soon, Sweat said.
Getting to know each other was also the inspiration for the “dog run” as Pastor Tom calls it. It’s a fenced area where people can let their dogs roam and the owners can get to know each other.
“It’s a gesture of ‘Hey, you’re important to us,’” Sweat said.
He hasn’t always been in the role of a pastor in an urban area. Most of the churches where he served in the past are suburban. Pastor Tom got the opportunity to serve at Central United Methodist and accepted the offer.
“I just didn’t want to see it die,” said Sweat.
Apparently several churches that are struggling have shut their doors for good and closed. Sweat would not stand for this at Central.
“I felt compelled and had a compassion for churches in transition, usually in lower economic communities, and I had a real concern about what was happening to these churches,” he said.
Central United Methodist Church used to boast more than 1,000 members. The church can trace its roots back to 1786, and the building that Central uses now has a cornerstone laid in 1900.
Sweat shared the history of how the community changed and people moved to the suburbs.
Just before Sweat took the job, the church was averaging about 40 people for a Sunday morning service and a choir of seven people.
Many people would see this as a lost cause, but Sweat didn’t. He accepted the position at Central knowing this would be different. With a smaller church comes a smaller budget.
“I did take a cut in salary, but that was my choice, my decision,” Sweat said.
A cut in salary meant that Sweat had to find a couple of odd jobs to make ends meet. Another position opened up, and he jumped on the opportunity. Pastor Tom is not only the senior pastor and the bus driver, but he has another title, too.
“I’m also the church custodian now.” Sweat said he doesn’t mind the work, and he’s at the church anyhow.
“I look at it as a good workout,” Sweat said with a grin.
Ann Shultz is a member and Central United Methodist Church. She says that Sweat is a hard worker.
“Tom is not afraid to get in there and roll up his sleeves and work right along with you,” Shultz said.
Why does he work so hard?
Sweat wet his lips and breathed in through his nose and said: “I still want to believe that some of the best years for this church are in the future.”
###

Somethings are Forever

By: Ben Brown

Cameras flashed, boutonnieres were pinned, and the sound of high heels echoed through the church.

The day had finally arrived for the young couple.

Justin Phibbs and Stacy Swagger Phibbs got married on Sept. 19, 2009 at Central United Methodist Church on the corner of 14^th and Porter Streets in Richmond.

Phibbs, the groom, looked at his best man and father, Allen Phibbs, and said, “I can’t believe it’s here. All this planning and it’s finally arrived. Hope we didn’t forget anything big.”

His cheeks raised up as he smiled.

Phibbs paced back in forth in his dressing room rehearsing his ‘Thanks for coming’ speech, his palms sweating and brow glistening.

The piped organ sent a hush over the congregation as the service started.

The old pews squeaked as people adjusted to find the most comfortable position.

“I do,” responded the bride.

“I do,” said the groom.

They were introduced for the first time as husband and wife at the reception that also was held at the church.

People clapped, yelled and others sniffled and remembered the young versions of these two newlyweds.

The groom’s aunt, Jane Clatterbuck, spoke through tears in her eyes. Her cheeks blazed red due to the showing of emotion. “I remember when Justin was just a little boy. He was such a sweetheart! He’s so lucky to have found a young lady that loves his so much.”

The father and mother of the bride, Eric and Julia Swagger, played double duty as parents of the bride and caterers.

Swagger pulled off his silver-framed-glasses and wiped the sweat off of his brow onto the forearm of his rental tuxedo shirt.

His raspy voice screamed of exhaustion as he said, “I wished we would have catered the wedding.” Swagger went on to tell of the trips he had taken all week to Food Lion then to Kroger and Ukrop’s and then back to Kroger in such of the ‘one last thing, honey.’

“I feel like I missed a good amount of the reception. I spent too much time worrying about food. I missed them cutting the cake and the bouquet toss,” Swagger said.

The efforts by the family pleased those in attendants. The food was a big hit.

Chris Gerardi, a guest at the wedding, spoke through the barbecue stains around his mouth, “The hot wings are good, but they sure are a mess aren’t they?”

Newport News resident, Tom Baynum chuckled through his response at Gerardi’s table. “I don’t care how much of a mess it is. I love pub grub at a wedding.” Baynum then tucked a napkin into his collar to protect his tie from the hot wing sauce.

The single ladies all gathered around the bride. They all faced her, but the bride’s back was to them. Suddenly, the bouquet of flowers flew up in the air.

Instead of fighting for the flowers like NFL wide-receivers, all of the ladies except one took a big step out from their circle.

The sister of the bride, Sandy Swagger, caught the bouquet. She smiled and looked at her boyfriend and waved. The audience laughed and whispered among themselves.

The boyfriend, Ben Brown, refused comment.

Sample Blog

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