Recent News Releases

May 17, 2012

CONTACT: Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E., Henrico County Manager
PHONE: (804) 501-4386

Martin named superintendent of James River Juvenile Detention Center

Henrico County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E. announces the appointment of Michael D. Martin as superintendent of the James River Juvenile Detention Center, effective June 2.

Martin, who currently serves as an assistant superintendent of the 60-bed center, will succeed Patricia F. Carrington, who is retiring after more than 12 years as superintendent.

The James River Juvenile Detention Center, located in Powhatan County, is jointly owned and operated on behalf of the counties of Henrico, Goochland and Powhatan. Henrico handles employee recruitment with confirmation by the James River Juvenile Detention Commission. The center opened in 2001 and is managed separately from the 20-bed Henrico Juvenile Detention Home on Dixon Powers Drive in Henrico.

As superintendent of the James River Juvenile Detention Center, Martin will oversee a full-time staff of 66 and a budget of $5.5 million for fiscal year 2012-13. The secure facility houses youths who have been sentenced or await court action on criminal offenses. It provides educational, counseling and other services to help the youths lead successful lives upon their release.

Martin has served as an assistant superintendent since 2001. Previously, he worked as a security control specialist supervisor for the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center and retired as a military police officer after 26 years with the Army Reserve. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University.

May 3, 2012

CONTACT: Julie Lovelace, Secretary, Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
PHONE: (804) 727-8560

‘Little Black Dress,’ panel discussion to focus on suicide prevention

A free production of “Little Black Dress” and a panel discussion by mental-health professionals and others will be held Thursday, May 10 at the University of Richmond to promote the prevention of suicide and the awareness of depression and anxiety.

Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services is sponsoring the play and panel discussion with support from a consortium of area mental-health agencies, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services, Voices for Virginia’s Children and the Henrico Crisis Intervention Team.

“Little Black Dress,” by Jennifer Lipford Petticolas of JLP Productions LLC, is based on the true story of Brittney Kittrell, a young woman from Lynchburg whose struggles with depression ended in suicide in 2009 while she was a student at George Mason University.

The play will be held at 6 p.m. in the Camp Concert Hall at the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts, 28 Westhampton Way. Admission is open to the public.

The production will be followed by a panel discussion and audience question-and-answer session featuring Kim Kittrell, mother of Brittney Krittrell. The panel also will include Larry Barnett, manager of adult and emergency services for Chesterfield Mental Health Support Services; Christina Benton, suicide prevention coordinator with the Virginia Department of Health; Margaret Nimmo Crowe, policy director for Voices for Virginia’s Children and coordinator of Campaign for Children’s Mental Health; Dr. Lynne Foreman, child psychiatrist with Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services; and Sgt. J.J. Riani of the Henrico Division of Police.

May 1, 2012

CONTACT: Michael A. Jennings, P.E., Traffic Engineer, Henrico County Department of Public Works
PHONE: (804) 501-4397

Henrico to install more flashing-yellow traffic signals to improve safety

The Henrico County Department of Public Works will install new traffic signals at five additional intersections over the next two weeks to help motorists better understand the need to yield to oncoming traffic before turning left.

The signals feature a new flashing yellow arrow, which indicates that motorists may proceed after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. The signals replace ones that have permitted left turns by showing a solid green circle with a sign that reads, “Left Turn Yield on Green.” The flashing yellow arrow appears during the signal’s normal cycles, which also guide motorists with solid red, green and yellow arrows.

The new signals are scheduled to be installed by May 11 at Cox Road and Waterfront Place; Cox and Sadler Place; Nuckols Road and Snowmass Road/Capital One Way; Nuckols and Concourse Boulevard; and Shady Grove and Twin Hickory roads. Police will direct traffic while work is under way.

The signals have been in place since February at Hungary Road and West End Drive; Hungary and Francistown roads; Gaskins Road and Ridgefield Parkway; and Creighton and Cedar Fork roads.

The Federal Highway Administration and Virginia Department of Transportation have approved the use of signals with flashing yellow arrows in light of research showing they reduce the number of left-turn accidents by more clearly conveying that motorists must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before proceeding.