Illustration by Rachel Maves
Learning the Basics
A new program seeks to help international newcomers navigate and use government services
There’s an increasingly international population in Chesterfield County, and that can mean some residents may have difficulty understanding certain governmental services and functions that longtime residents take for granted. A new program, My Chesterfield Academy, will seek to help those newcomers learn how government works and how best to use its services.
Sessions will offer participants a chance to meet with county government and public school officials. They also will be able to tour various government offices and facilities, learning how to tap county resources for information and services, how the court system works, and what’s needed to start a new business. The first program of its kind in the state, it’s offered by the county in partnership with the Asian & Latino Solidarity Alliance of Central Virginia. The first of seven monthly sessions will be held June 27. Henrico County is also starting a similar academy program in June.
Eric Lin, a co-founder of the program, is the community engagement director for the solidarity alliance and a Chesterfield County resident. He notes that the minority population will exceed 50 percent by the 2040s, and that immigration from other countries over the last decade accounts for about a third of new residents in the metro area. The academies will help these newcomers to gain necessary skills.
Funding for the academies is provided through the alliance, not local governments. “It was important to do that because we wanted to invest in our own community,”Lin says.
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The Southside Regional Medical Arts Pavilion in Petersburg includes treatment facilities and offices for doctors. (Photo courtesy Southside Regional Medical Center)
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Dr. Sasa-Grae Espino (Photo courtesy Southside Regional Medical Center)
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Dr. Jori Carter (Photo courtesy Southside Regional Medical Center)
Oncology Care
Centralized services for cancer patients will soon be available in Petersburg
Work should be completed this summer on a $1.75 million project that centralizes and expands oncology services in the Medical Arts Pavilion at Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg.
The space will be home to Dr. Sasa-Grae Espino, a surgical oncologist with the Southside Physician Network, and will provide offices for Dr. Jori Carter of Central Virginia Gynecologic Oncology. It also will house 3-D mammography, oncology genetics, new and larger ultrasound rooms in an expanded Women’s Imaging Center, and a larger waiting area, according to a release. Virginia Cancer Institute’s radiation and chemotherapy services are already in the pavilion. The oncology staff will add an imaging navigator, a staff member who will help patients schedule and coordinate care with other providers.
The project will complete the buildout of the 7,899-square-foot pavilion. “It’s a one-stop shop, pretty much, for any oncology needs you have in this area,” says Trent Nobles, chief executive officer for the facility.
Espino, one of three fellowship-trained breast surgeons in metro Richmond, joined the medical center about one and a half years ago, Nobles says. Previously, many patients in the adjoining communities had to travel to Richmond for breast care. The medical center serves a core area of the Tri-Cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg, as well as Fort Lee.
Photo courtesy Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Outdoor Concerts
The Pocahontas Premieres concert series at Pocahontas State Park continues this year with a performance at 7 p.m. June 29 by Flashback, a band that plays pop tunes from the 1950s and contemporary music. An Electric Light Orchestra tribute band, The Electric Lynne Orchestra, performs 7 to 10 p.m. on July 27. Food and and adult beverages are available to purchase, and there’s a $5 parking fee for each performance. Tickets available at the park office or through ticketstobuy.com. Call 804-796-4255.
