By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

It’s not often that hundreds of kites fly together. In Chesterfield that usually only happens once a year – on Kite Day.

The Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation will host the annual family event this year at the Clover Hill Athletic Complex from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 3. This year, in addition to at least 600 free kites, entertainment will include a moon bounce, disc jockey, clowns, food vendors and self-defense demonstration.

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

If you’re looking to sell your home, a few quick improvements can go a long way, and it might be easier than you think.

“Your house needs to shine,” said John Kendig, a Long & Foster real estate agent. “It needs to shine from the moment they drive up the driveway and when they walk in the front door. It should have a fresh aroma, be uncluttered, and the kitchen should sparkle.”

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

Many participants in the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k find the event to be a challenge on its own, but walking the race with severely impaired vision adds an extra set of challenges.

For Renee Haynes, those challenges will be very real on April 2, the day of this year’s race. Haynes has been almost completely blind since she was 8 years old after a condition called hydrocephalus damaged her optic nerve. They won’t be new challenges though – she walked the race last year, too.

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

Dylan Butler isn’t allowed to drive a car yet, but that hasn’t stopped him from racing his way to the podium of at least 10 ATV championships in 2010, including six firstplace titles.

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

There’s a new show in town, literally. The Stavna Ballet Company danced its way into existence in December 2010 and debuted at the Virginia Dance Festival in January.

Chesterfield’s newest nonprofit ballet company drew some attention at the festival because of its performance, and for another reason: The company is composed of teachers, business professionals and moms, who are also professional-quality ballerinas who use their dancing for the benefit of the community.

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer. 

Financial institutions partner with schools

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

It’s never too early to start teaching children about financial responsibility, and with the help of Chesterfield County Public Schools and several local banks, the task has gotten easier.

Three local banks are working with county schools, offering financial literacy courses and encouraging students to develop the habit of saving.

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

History is usually written by victors, and the oppressed are rarely given a voice, but a new project through the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia is honoring the lives of African-American elders by making sure their stories are heard.

Eighty years ago African Americans were second-class citizens with few rights, little access to education and an uncertain hope for the future. Many of Chesterfield’s elders remember those seldom-told stories because they were a part of them.

Read the full story here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacki Raithel

There’s no need to give up the green just because the holidays are through – you can be green all year long. And, if you went green for Christmas, just a few minor adjustments will make you green for the year. You can check that off your list of new year’s resolutions.

For the full article check out the CGE blog.

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

Jan. 19, 2011

Alcoholic energy drinks have created quite a buzz in recent years. Unfortunately, their high alcohol content, sweet flavoring and colorful packaging have made them a favorite alcoholic drink for teens.

“The drinks are very sweet – sickeningly so – which I think is done to appeal to young people,” said Wayne Frith, executive director of Chesterfield SAFE, a substance abuse prevention organization. “Kids like sweet stuff.”

Read the full article here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

“Going gluten-free”

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

By Jacki Raithel

General Electric is ready to introduce a new environmentally friendly refrigerator to U.S. markets in June of this year. The green fridge will cost a pretty penny, but maybe the dramatically decreased carbon footprint would be worth it.

For the full article check out the CGE blog.

“Slowing down with chi gong”

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

By Jacqueline Raithel, Contributing Writer

Dec. 29, 2010 

As the holiday season wraps up, county residents have defied a national trend by donating their time for those who need it most. Some nonprofits throughout Chesterfield report that despite the current economy, the number of persons volunteering is actually increasing.

This goes against a UCLA study, indicating volunteering is down nationally due to the economy.

Read the full article here, in the Chesterfield Observer.

By Jacki Raithel

This fall’s developments for American wind energy have created quite a whirl – among other things, the Department of the Interior announced an initiative to speed the process of siting, leasing and constructing wind-energy projects along the Atlantic Coast, and Google announced an investment of $1.8 billion in a project to build a network of transmission lines that will connect future off-shore wind farms to electrical grids on the East Coast. Maybe, hopefully, some synergy can be created by interaction between the two initiatives.

To read the full article visit the CGE blog.

By Jacki Raithel

At CGE we focus on green energy – like solar and wind energy – but we’re not forgetting that we can preserve energy and natural resources by going green in other ways too. With the holiday season upon us, there are some great ways to spread Christmas cheer without damaging the environment, or breaking the bank. As Liz Szabo from USAToday points out, many of the green solutions to Christmas wastefulness are also simpler and cheaper than the ways we typically celebrate.

For the full article check out the CGE blog.