Current Conversations

This month, Dr. Anthony Vladu, Superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools, joins us to discuss some hot topics going into the 2024-2025 school year.  Division leadership has been working hard over the summer on a strategic plan for the school system that emphasizes safety and security. He also talks about how the division will handle the Governor's executive order regarding cell phone...

Many of you received a letter in the mail last week from our Planning & Zoning Department regarding a Zoning Ordinance update that will go before the Gloucester Planning Commission next Thursday, July 11.  No rezoning of property is proposed with the Zoning Ordinance update; your current zoning district will not change under the proposed ordinance.   The proposed update, in general, will allow...

In the era when many people find reading materials and conduct research online, public libraries have taken up the mission of remaining a community "place."  For our Main Library, the draw isn't just the 90,000 print volumes in our collection. The building has to support students coming to quietly study, adults coming to learn new technologies, families conducting genealogical resea...

The 2024 Hurricane Season is set to begin June 1st. With the combination of record-breaking warm waters and a La Niña, this hurricane season is predicted to be very active. Forecasters predict 24 named storms, with 11 of those being hurricanes and six being Category 3+. Now is the time to get prepared!   This month, we talk with Jane Wenner, Gloucester's Emergency Management Coordinator about...

We've had questions rolling in about the road work in progress at the Guinea Road and Route 17 intersection. Kelly Hannon, VDOT's communications manager for the Fredericksburg District, was kind enough to explain the reasons behind this median shift and what drivers can expect during construction. The short version is: they're adding a dedicated left-turn lane to address a safety co...

Sticking with the theme of real estate this month, we've received many questions about why so much land is being cleared along Route 17 Southbound, just past the intersection of Burleigh Road, across from the Lowe's Home Improvement store. In Part 2 of this episode, we learn about the development, which is called The Reserve at Gloucester Village (formerly known as The Villages of Glouce...

This month, we have a two-part podcast. For Part 1, we branch off a bit from County government, and speak with Kandy Fist, President of the Chesapeake Bay and Rivers Association of Realtors (CBRAR), about Gloucester's current housing market. Kandy was kind enough to join us to discuss the trends we have been seeing in inventory of homes, how quickly they are selling, and what we can expect ov...

This month, we are joined by our School Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Vladu, who just completed his first six months on the job! He updates us on how his entry plan is going and discusses some of the current challenges the school system is facing regarding racist messages. He also provides us with some insight into what a "typical" day in the life of a school superintendent is like.  You w...

Quinton Sheppard and Savannah Haugdahl with the Community Engagement and Public Information Department are uniquely privileged to work with all of the other departments, highlighting their work throughout the year. In the first week of January, they sat down to review some of the County's greatest accomplishments of 2023.

Almost everyone knows that criminal defendants have rights, but often, victims and witnesses of crimes don't know that they ALSO have rights. Chelsea Pierce's team of Victim Witness Advocates help those people navigate our court system and access support for their needs. Check out their podcast, "Victim, Meet Advocate" wherever you get your podcasts! https://gloucesterva.gov/co...

In this episode, we chat with Christine Joyce, our Purchasing Agent, and Sherry Spring, our Economic Development Director about an exciting initiative coming up in December called the Reverse Vendor Fair.  Are you interested in possibly becoming a vendor for Gloucester County? Do you have a business that has the potential to become a partner with Gloucester County Public Schools? Register for our...

Nov. 7 is right around the corner, and Early Voting has actually already started! We have a few special circumstances on the ballot, and some new rules about voting absentee, so Bobbi Morgan is here to make sure you have the information you need to participate in our democracy. To register to vote or check election details, here's the Gloucester elections website: https://gloucesterva.gov/ele...

This month, we are joined by Dr. Anthony Vladu, the new Superintendent of Gloucester County Public Schools. Dr. Vladu talks a bit about his background, his vision for GCPS, and his passion for the students and their learning experiences.  Take a listen, as you won't want to miss this episode! 

Debra Falkenberg was a school coordinator at Page Middle School for six years, and was just promoted to become our senior coordinator. Her team is responsible for everything from arranging field trips, to organizing food assistance for families, to making school buildings available for community use after-hours. The work of these behind-the-scenes heroes benefits everyone in Gloucester. If you lik...

This month, we chat with Deputy County Administrator George Bains about what projects are happening at the County level. George oversees the Community Development team, which means he's in-tune with most of the projects that are in progress or on the horizon. We've got regrading, turfing and irrigating going on at Woodville Park, a renovation at the Social Services building, enhancements...

Tourism Coordinator Susan Ammons has all the details about upcoming sports, fishing tournaments, museum happenings and a 50th birthday party that you (and your family) are invited to!

Lisa Kersey, the director for Gloucester County's Department of Social Services, shares resources for adults during Older Americans Month. Social Services has resources to help people who are struggling with a disability, food insecurity, housing problem or other need.  Learn more about what the Department of Social Services can offer: https://www.gloucesterva.info/293/Adult-Services

Welcome to Season 3 of the Current Conversations podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Eric Beach, Gloucester's Director of Information Technology, who provides us with the latest updates on the Broadband Project in Gloucester County. Eric is currently overseeing the project. When will you see broadband in your area? What can you expect with the service? Eric answers these, and many othe...

This month, we are honored to be joined by Gloucester's County Administrator, Carol Steele. During this episode, she looks back on a few of the many accomplishments the County made in 2022 and also some of the challenges the County faced. She also looks ahead to many of the exciting things in the works for Gloucester for 2023.  You won't want to miss this episode! 

Join us for this important episode as we address the Opioid Crisis locally, and ways the County is working to enhance existing opioid addiction services in the community. This month, Steve Wright, Gloucester's Deputy County Administrator, discusses the first steps in how Gloucester may use an estimated $680,000 that the County is slated to receive from the Commonwealth's Opioid Abatement...

Real Estate reassessment notices for property owners in Gloucester County will be mailed out in mid-November for the January 2023 General Reassessment.  This month, County Assessor Dan Thomas explains the ins and outs of the reassessment process and how the increase in real estate market values will impact this general reassessment. You won't want to miss this episode! To learn more about Rea...

The month of October is Community Planning Month, so we sat down with Anne Ducey-Ortiz, Director of Planning, Zoning & Environmental Programs, and Carol Rizzio, Senior Comprehensive Planner, to discuss the history of Planning and Zoning in the community and what's next. This podcast discusses multiple ways you can become involved in the County's rezoning process. We also learn about...

This month, we sit down with Robert Kelly, Gloucester's Museums Coordinator. Robert is a true history buff and is extremely engaging. In the short 2.5 years he has been in the role, Robert has worked to expand the Museum's offerings inside and outside of its walls.  Over the next several months, the Museum has exciting events planned for all ages. Take a listen to learn about all that th...

This month, we learn about the Inaugural Gloucester Day, which will be celebrated Sept. 3. As part of the newly founded Gloucester Collaboration, this is a day to celebrate our own “Land of the Life Worth Living,” and the many aspects of our community that make it special to YOU! We chat with Gloria Williams, Gloucester's Community Engagement & Public Information Manager and Susan Ammons,...

Have you ever wondered where your 911 address came from or how it came to be? This month, we take a trip down memory lane, back to the early 1990s, when these numbers were first established. Rita Taylor, our GIS Manager, was with the County during much of this time, and explains how the system works, where to place your numbers, and why they are so important. To visit the links mentioned in this p...