COVID-19 Updates Archive - June 2020

June 23, 2020 Update - 3 p.m.

Chesterfield Health Department Continues Free COVID-19 Testing
Residents exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms should register prior to attending 

As part of a statewide push to increase testing across the commonwealth, the Chesterfield Health Department is hosting a free COVID-19 testing event:

Wednesday, July 1, 2020, 5–7 p.m. 
Falling Creek Ironworks Park
6407 Jefferson Davis Highway

Additional July COVID-19 testing dates and locations will be forthcoming as they are established by health officials. 

Testing is for individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms and is free for uninsured or underinsured persons. 

While some appointments will be reserved for walk-ups that morning, testing is limited and appointments should be made prior to arriving.

Residents who may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms as defined by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), should call the Chesterfield Health Department at 804-318-8207 to schedule an appointment starting Wednesday, July 24.

Spanish speaking staff also will be present during the testing event.

June 22, 2020 Update - 3 p.m.

County Announces Round Two of Back in Business Grant
Round two of the Back in Business grant will have new, more flexible criteria 

At their May 27, 2020 meeting, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved $5 million dollars of the county’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to be earmarked for a grant program to support small businesses negatively affected by COVID-19. The grant program, called Back in Business (BiB), is a partnership between Chesterfield County and the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce. The $10,000 grants are designed to provide immediate relief to businesses to help them remain in business through the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for reopening under the guidelines of Forward Virginia. 

Round Two of the BiB grants will be open to a broader segment of Chesterfield’s small businesses. Businesses that received prior assistance through the federal programs will now be eligible to apply. Round Two will also allow for a larger range of annual gross revenues to qualify and adjusts the grant awards on a sliding scale, based on the size of the business applying.  With these changes, we expect a more robust second round of funding.  

To be eligible to apply for Round Two, a business:  

• That has received other funding assistance, including PPP and/or EIDL ARE NOW ELIGIBLE;
• Must be a for-profit business entity with a place of business located in Chesterfield County;  
• Must have been in business for a minimum of two years;  
• Must have at least $30,000 but no more than $3 million in annual gross revenues for the past two years; 
• Must be able to demonstrate at least a 25% loss in revenue that can be attributed to COVID-19; 
• Franchises must be headquartered in Chesterfield County and are eligible only for one grant regardless of the number of locations in the county.

Grant amounts will be awarded to eligible businesses on a sliding scale, based on Annual Gross Revenues: 

• Annual Gross Revenues of $30,000 to $49,999 are eligible for a grant in the amount of $5,000; 
• Annual Gross Revenues of $50,000 to $199,999 are eligible for a grant in the amount of $7,500; 
• Annual Gross Revenues $200,000 to $3 million are eligible for a grant in the amount of $10,000. 

What businesses are NOT eligible to apply? 

• Businesses that are franchises and chains that are not headquartered in Chesterfield County are not eligible to apply. 
• Independent contractors operating multilevel or network marketing businesses (such as Avon, Mary Kay, 5LINX, Pampered Chef, etc.) are not eligible to apply. 
• Independent contractors working on gig platforms (such as Airbnb, Fiverr, Uber, Lyft, Instacart, etc.) are not eligible to apply. 
• Nonprofit organizations are not eligible to apply.  
• Businesses engaged in speculation or investment in rental real estate are not eligible to apply. 
• Businesses determined to be Ineligible Businesses under SBA guidelines are not eligible to apply.  

Applications for Round Two will open at noon on Monday, June 29, 2020 and close at noon on Thursday, July 2, 2020. Applications will be accepted through a secure online portal, available at www.ChesterfieldBIB.com. Business can go to ChesterfieldBIB.com to find detailed program eligibility criteria, a list of Frequently Asked Questions and the Terms and Conditions of the program. Businesses can also register to be notified by email when new information is available and when the application goes live. Businesses that applied for Round One funding and did not receive an award will only need to go to their online application, when the application window is open, to make any necessary modifications and re-submit. 

Round One of the funding closed on June 18, 2020 and specifically targeted businesses that were not eligible or able to receive any funds from the federal stimulus program. Round One also targeted businesses that were more likely to be able keep people employed, to bring employees back to work or add new jobs.  

Information on additional documentation that will need to accompany the application and the link to the online application will be posted on www.ChesterfieldBIB.com.  

June 19, 2020 Update - 2 p.m.

July 1 Board of Zoning Appeals to be Held In Person or Virtually
Meeting will be held either in the Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Road, or virtually depending on recommendations by health officials

Due to the COVID-19 health emergency, the Wednesday, July 1 Board of Zoning Appeals will meet under modified procedures in the Public Meeting Room at 10001 Iron Bridge Road, or virtually depending on recommendations by health officials. The public is encouraged to submit comments using the online comment form.

If the meeting is held in the Public Meeting Room, public access will be extremely limited. A decision about meeting procedures and location will be made on June 30. For the most current information, contact the Planning Department at 804-748-1050 or visit www.chesterfield.gov/plan. The changes are designed to accommodate public input while encouraging social distancing, as recommended by health officials.

Citizens who would like to comment on public hearings regarding the Board of Zoning Appeals can do so using the online comment form at www.chesterfield.gov/bzacomments. Please note that a new online form for each public hearing must be submitted to comment. Only one comment per person per public hearing will be accepted. In addition to the form, comments can also be received by email at planning@chesterfield.gov, or by calling 804-748-1050.

All public comments (online portal, telephone message and email) will be accepted until 10 a.m. on Monday, June 29 to ensure comments are provided to the Board of Zoning Appeals prior to the July 1 meeting for their consideration.

For a list of cases that will be heard during the July 1 Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, please review the BZA agenda. Additional information regarding Board of Zoning Appeals cases can be accessed by clicking on the case number from the Pending Board of Zoning Appeals Case status page.

June 18, 2020 Update - 4 p.m.

Governor Northam Outlines Phase Three Guidelines to Lift Additional Public Health Restrictions
Virginia will continue to closely monitor key health metrics to determine when to safely move to next phase

Governor Ralph Northam today presented the third phase of the Forward Virginia plan to continue easing public health restrictions while mitigating the spread of COVID-19. The Commonwealth does not yet have a targeted date for entering Phase Three.

Ahead of his bilingual COVID-19 press conference, the Governor met with local Latino leaders and community activists in Northern Virginia to discuss the issues they are facing in fighting this virus. Latino Virginians make up 45.3 percent of the cases for which Virginia has demographic data, and 35 percent of hospitalizations—even though Hispanic and Latino people make up about 10 percent of the Commonwealth’s population.

As many states are experiencing a surge in new infections, Virginia’s case counts continue to trend downward. Virginia’s hospital bed capacity remains stable, the percentage of individuals hospitalized with a positive or pending COVID-19 test is trending downward, no hospitals are reporting PPE shortages and the percent of positive tests continues to decline as testing increases. The Governor and Virginia public health officials will continue to evaluate data based on the key health indicators laid out in April.

In Phase Three, the Commonwealth will maintain a Safer at Home strategy with continued recommendations for social distancing and teleworking, and the requirement that individuals wear face coverings in indoor public settings. The maximum number of individuals allowed in social gatherings will increase from 50 to 250 people. All businesses should continue to follow physical distancing guidelines, frequently clean and sanitize high contact surfaces and keep enhanced workplace safety measures in place. 

Restaurant and beverage establishments are required to maintain six feet of distance between tables, fitness centers may open indoor areas at 75 percent occupancy and recreation and entertainment venues at may operate at 50 percent occupancy, or a maximum of 1,000 persons. Swimming pools may also expand operations to free swim in addition to indoor and outdoor exercise, diving and swim instruction. Overnight summer camps will remain closed in Phase Three.

Read Phase Three guidelines for specific sectors.

Read the Phase Three guidelines in Spanish.

View the slides from the Governor’s presentation.

Read Phase Two guidelines. 

Visit virginia.gov/coronavirus/forwardvirginia for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Read the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.  

June 18, 2020 Update - 2:45 p.m.

June 24 Board of Supervisors Meeting to be Held In Person
Board of Supervisors meeting will be in the Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Road

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, June 24, will be held in person in the Public Meeting Room at 10001 Iron Bridge Road, after two months of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 health emergency.

The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. with a work session followed by the 6 p.m. evening session. Both sessions will be held in the Public Meeting Room and will be available for viewing on Comcast Channel 98, Verizon Channel 28, and live streamed on chesterfield.gov and the County’s YouTube channel.

Measures are being put in place to accommodate public input while practicing social distancing, as recommended by health officials.

Those citizens wishing to participate in person will be required to wear a face covering and pass a simple health screening before entering the building. In order to maintain the 6-foot social distance requirement, seating will be extremely limited; however, TV monitors will be set up outside the Public Meeting Room.

Due to the COVID 19 occupancy limits of the Public Meeting Room, the general public will not able to be seated in the room, however, citizens requesting to speak before the Board will be given the opportunity to comment in person at the appropriate time.

Citizens who wish to make comments on the portion of the Board’s agenda known as "Citizen Comment Period on Unscheduled Matters" can submit comments via the online form; or call in comments and leave a message at 804-748-1808. A maximum of 15 citizens may leave comments for this meeting in accordance with the Board’s procedures on “Citizen Comment Period on Unscheduled Matters.” The portal will close at 5 p.m. on the day prior to the scheduled board meeting (Tuesday, June 23) in order to prepare comments for the public and the board to see in a timely manner; prior to the Board meeting.

Citizens who wish to provide input on any and all of the public hearing items on the agenda are encouraged to submit comments via the online form. Citizens without internet access may call in comments and leave a message at 804-748-1808.

The public hearing comment form and the meeting agenda are posted online for citizens to view, and citizens are encouraged to view public hearing agenda items and all attachments before submitting a comment.

There are no limits on the number of citizens that can comment on each public hearing item; however, each citizen may submit only one comment per public hearing topic. The allotted comment space is equivalent to the 3-minute allotted time of in-person board meetings. At the end of each day through June 23, the clerk will post all public hearing comments received that day for the public to view. Public hearing comments will be received until 5 p.m. on June 23 in order to prepare comments for the public and the board to see in a timely manner, prior to the board meeting.

All comments received will be distributed to the board and posted online for the public to view in advance of the meeting and will be made a part of the board’s official public record within the rules of procedure adopted by the Board of Supervisors.

• The online public comment form may be accessed directly at www.chesterfield.gov/BOScomments.
• The public comment voicemail phone number is 804-748-1808

 As a reminder, the Board of Supervisors meeting will be available for viewing on Comcast Channel 98, Verizon Channel 28, and live streamed on chesterfield.gov and the County’s YouTube channel.

June 12, 2020 Update - 12:30 p.m.

Take a Peek into the Reopening of Parks and Recreation Facilities
Video provides an overview of June reopenings

In this video, Chesterfield Parks and Recreation Director James Worsley provides information about the facilities that are reopening to the public, including the Bensley, Ettrick and Stonebridge recreation centers, Rockwood Nature Center and athletic fields and courts for recreational sports practices and training only. Select recreation programs will also be available. For more information, visit chesterfield.gov/parks. 

June 12, 2020 Update - 12:30 p.m.

Governor Northam Announces New Tools for Virginia Workers and Job Seekers
Virginia Career Works Referral Portal will help working Virginians impacted by COVID-19 access comprehensive employment support

Governor Ralph Northam today shared a new suite of technology tools to help Virginians take full advantage of the supportive services available through the Commonwealth’s workforce system. The Virginia Career Works Referral Portal is a statewide platform designed to streamline intake processes across state agencies and connect individuals with training, certification, education and employment services to help them find a job or advance a career path. The new Virginia Career Works Dashboard is an innovative data visualization tool that makes information about Virginia’s labor market and workforce system more accessible to workers, businesses, and policymakers.

Building up Virginia’s workforce development system has long been a priority of the Northam administration. While these tools were in development before the COVID-19 crisis began, the Commonwealth worked to accelerate their rollout to ensure the resources would be available to Virginians who need them during an extremely difficult time.

Consistent with the requirements of Executive Order Nineteen, the cloud-based system leverages open-source software supported by the Apache Foundation, expediting development and reducing long-term operational costs.

The new technology tools were developed in collaboration with the Chief Workforce Development Advisor, the Commonwealth’s Chief Data Officer and six state agencies: the Virginia Community College System, the Virginia Employment Commission, the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Department of Social Services, the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired. Technology partners that supported the development and implementation of the Virginia Career Works Referral Portal and Virginia Career Works Dashboard include Qlarion, BrightHive and PAIRIN.

For more information, please visit the Virginia Career Works Referral Portal.

View a video guide to navigating the referral portal and creating an account.

Read the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.  

June 12, 2020 Update - 9 a.m.

Celebrate the Fourth of July in Chesterfield with Fireworks Show
Fourth of July event will only showcase fireworks, no other activities and entertainment will be permitted or showcased

A long-standing Chesterfield celebration of everything red, white and blue will be booming back to glory next month – although the event will take on a different look and feel from previous years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chesterfield County’s annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration, presented by Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation, will be held Saturday, July 4 at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds.

The free fireworks event will begin at 9:15 p.m.

While the fairgrounds will be closed to the general public, there will be limited parking nearby along with limited public portable restroom facilities to further adhere to social distancing guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

Unlike previous years, there will be no activities, food booths or entertainment during the fireworks show to keep patrons safe and to further prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Chesterfield. No glass, alcohol, fireworks or pets are allowed on public property.

While residents who wish to attend in-person are encouraged to arrive early, there is no guarantee those at the event will get a full view of the fireworks presentation because of the number of high trees and buildings that could obstruct the show. Therefore, the Parks and Recreation Department is asking people, if they can, to view the fireworks show from the comfort of their homes if they live within the vicinity of the county fairgrounds.

For more information, including event updates, where to find parking, and additional safety measures to be implemented during the event, please visit https://www.chesterfield.gov/fireworks.

June 11, 2020 Update - 5 p.m.

Chesterfield to Safely Reopen Additional County Facilities and Offices
Athletic facilities, recreation centers, three libraries and the Community Development and Utilities buildings set to open their doors

Chesterfield County announced today plans to reopen several offices and facilities to the public including three library locations, several Parks and Recreation athletics fields and recreation centers and the Community Development and Utilities buildings.

Parks and Recreation Facilities

Beginning on Friday, June 12, athletic fields and courts managed by Chesterfield’s Department of Parks and Recreation will open for recreational sports practices and training only. No games, scrimmages or tournaments may be played on county-managed fields and courts without approval from the Department of Parks and Recreation. The total number of attendees including participants, coaches and spectators of outdoor recreational sports cannot exceed the lesser of either 1. 50% of the occupancy load on the facilities’ certificate of occupancy or 2. 50 people. This is in accordance with Gov. Northam’s Forward Virginia guidelines.

On Monday, June 15, the Bensley, Ettrick and Stonebridge recreation centers will reopen and operate on a weekly schedule of Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, June 16, the Rockwood Nature Center will reopen and operate on a weekly schedule of Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.

Only select recreational programs will be available upon the initial reopening of Parks and Recreation facilities. Registration for available programs begins Monday, June 15 and may be completed at: https://apm.activecommunities.com/chesterfieldparksrec.

Several public health safeguards have been instituted at reopening Parks and Recreation facilities, including requiring facial coverings be worn indoors, designating specific doors for entry and exit, installing plexiglass protective coverings at customer service desks and more.

Chesterfield County Public Library (CCPL) Locations

Three Chesterfield County Public Library locations including Central Library, Meadowdale Library and the North Courthouse Road Library will reopen to the public on Monday, June 15. Each location will operate on the following schedule:

• Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At these locations, phone service will be available 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and an online chat service will be available from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m.

Though these three locations are reopening, all CCPL locations will continue to offer curbside services. Residents are encouraged to utilize these curbside services as well as the virtual services offered on the CCPL website.

Returns of materials are only accepted on Mondays, Wednesday and Saturdays, including at the three reopened locations. All returned materials are quarantined for at least 72 hours per guidelines from the Northeast Document Conservation Center and Chesterfield County’s Department of Risk Management.

The due date for all checked-out materials has been extended to Monday, Aug. 31, and all fines have been waived through that date.

CCPL is not currently accepting cash for any transactions; residents must pay by check or credit cards.

Community Development Building

On June 15, the first-floor customer service center of the Community Development Building located at 9800 Government Center Parkway will reopen to the public. In-person services available will include the Department of Building Inspection’s and the Department of Planning’s application submittal process and general customer service counter functions.

The walk-through permit process is not available at this time, though customers may arrange for in-person meetings with staff members by appointment. To schedule an appointment, customers are asked to contact the staff member they desire to meet with directly.

Please note that social distancing guidelines limit number of customers able to be accommodated inside the customer service center. Once all the seats in the waiting area are full, additional customers must wait outside the building until a seat becomes available.

Remote service options that do not require entry into the Community Development Building are still available. Pick-up and drop-off bins located outside the building’s entrance that have been provided throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to be maintained.

A county representative will contact customers when a permit is issued. Customers are asked to call 804-717-6581 when arriving to pick up an issued permit and plan, and staff will place the issued permit in the pickup bin.

The departments of Building Inspection and Planning will continue to accept faxed or emailed permit applications with payments made by completing a credit card authorization form for permits that do not require submittal of a plan. Delivery by mail or commercial courier is also accepted.

For information about electronic submissions through the county’s new eReview system, visit https://aca-prod.accela.com/Chesterfield.

Utilities Building

On June 15, the first-floor customer service center of the Utilities Building located at 9840 Government Center Parkway will reopen to the public. Available services will include accepting water and wastewater payments, accepting applications for new water and/or wastewater connections, establishing new services for customers moving into properties, disconnecting services for customers moving out of properties and responding to billing questions.

Other utility services are available via phone, email or video conferencing. For more information, call 804-748-1271 or visit the Utilities webpage at www.chesterfield.gov/utilities.

Water and wastewater payments can be made at any time through the customer portal on the department website or by calling 1-844-449-7664.

Customer seating will not be available at the Utilities Building. To make payments or submit applications for new connections, customers may continue to use the walk-up drop boxes located at each entrance of the Utilities Building. For added convenience, customers who wish to remain in their car while dropping off a payment or application may do so by using the drive-up drop box located at the Government Center Parkway entrance between the Community Development Building and the Utilities Building. Please do not place cash in the drop boxes.

Additional Health Guidelines and Information

Chesterfield County is committed to implementing the public health practices outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Gov. Northam’s Forward Virginia Guidelines for All Business Sectors. This includes:

• Establishing policies and practices for physical distancing between co-workers and between members of the public.
• Installing signage and floor markings to remind personnel of new health and safety procedures, including a need for a minimum of 6 feet of physical distancing in areas where individuals may congregate, especially at entrances, in seating areas and in check-out lines.
• Limiting the occupancy of physical spaces to ensure that adequate physical distancing can be maintained at all times.
• Implementing enhanced and frequent cleaning and disinfection of frequently-touched surfaces.
• Establishing designated work entrances to buildings to control pedestrian flow, maintaining spatial distancing and reducing employee and citizen person-to-person physical contact.
• Requiring facial coverings to be worn by all personnel in the public spaces of the building. Members of the public not wearing a facial covering inside a public building as required the Governor’s Executive Order 63 will be asked by county staff to leave until they are able to secure one.
• Requiring employees to certify that they will perform a self-assessment of their health and exposure status, including monitoring their symptoms and checking their temperature at the beginning of each day before coming to work. If they present any symptoms or feel ill, they are not to come to work.

June 10, 2020 Update - 5:45 p.m.

June 16 Planning Commission Meeting to be Held In Person
Meeting will be held in the Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Road

The Chesterfield Planning Commission will hold its Tuesday, June 16 meeting in person in the Public Meeting Room, located at 10001 Iron Bridge Road, after two months of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 health emergency.

Measures are being put in place to accommodate public input while still practicing social distancing, as recommended by health officials.

Those citizens wishing to participate in the meeting in person will be required to wear a face covering and pass a simple health screening before entering the building. In order to maintain the 6-foot social distance requirement, seating will be extremely limited, however TV monitors will be set up outside the Public Meeting Room. Individuals will still be able to comment in person.

Those citizens who don’t feel comfortable participating in person are encouraged to use the online comment form at www.chesterfield.gov/cpccomments to provide comment on public hearings regarding zoning cases. Those wishing to comment must submit a new online form for each public hearing they want to comment on. Only one comment per person per public hearing will be accepted. In addition to the form, comments can also be received by email at planning@chesterfield.gov, or by calling 804-748-1125.

The Planning Commission will accept all public comments (online portal, telephone message and email) until 5 p.m. on Monday, June 15 to ensure the comments are provided to the commissioners Planning Commission prior to the June 16 meeting for their consideration.

The agenda, staff reports, and PowerPoint presentations for the June 16 Planning Commission Meeting can be found on chesterfield.gov/plan. 

The Chesterfield Planning Commission Meeting will be livestreamed on WCCT Chesterfield Community Television, including Comcast channel 98 and Verizon channel 28, and on YouTube.com/ChesterfieldCountyVA.

June 10, 2020 Update - 10:30 a.m.

Applications for $5M Chesterfield County Back in Business Grant Program to Open on June 15
CARES Act funding supports new grant program 

At their May 27, 2020 meeting, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved $5 million dollars of the county’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to be earmarked for a grant program to support small businesses negatively affected by COVID-19. The grant program, called Back in Business, is a partnership between Chesterfield County and the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce. The $10,000 grants are designed to provide immediate relief to businesses to help them remain in business through the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for reopening and recovery under the guidelines of Forward Virginia.

Applications for the grants will be accepted beginning at noon on Monday, June 15, 2020 and will close at noon on Thursday, June 18, 2020. Applications will be accepted through a secure online portal, available at www.ChesterfieldBIB.com. Visit the BiB page now to find program eligibility criteria, a list of Frequently Asked Questions and the Terms and Conditions of the program. Businesses can also register to be notified by email when new information is available and notification when the application goes live.

Information on additional documentation that will need to accompany the application and the link to the online application will be posted on www.ChesterfieldBIB.com.

June 10, 2020 Update - 10 a.m.

Chesterfield County Public Schools - Summer Meals Program Update
Summer meals program open to all students ages 2-18

Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) recently surpassed 1 million meals served to students during the global pandemic, a time during which schools are closed to in-person instruction but students still need support. The school division hopes to double that total this summer through an expanded summer feeding program that begins Monday, June 15.

The summer feeding program, which starts Monday, June 15 and runs through Monday, Aug. 31 includes 17 Chesterfield County school sites that will serve breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner; 28 community locations serviced by the school division that will provide breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner; and three Chesterfield County schools sites that will serve breakfast and lunch.

From June 15-Aug. 31, meals will be served on Mondays and Thursdays. Three days’ worth of meals will be provided on Mondays; four days’ worth of meals will be provided on Thursdays. (No meals service is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays.)

Any child between the ages of 2-18 is eligible to receive meals through the federal program operating under the guidance of the United States Department of Agriculture. Children do not have to be present for a parent, guardian or older sibling to pick up a meal. However, the visitor will need to provide a student’s name and age.

Menu items for the summer feeding schedule include but are not limited to:

• Breakfast: swirl rolls, mini pancakes, chicken biscuit, mini waffles, cereal, breakfast bars and fresh fruit.
• Lunch and dinner: Deli sandwich, corn dogs, hot dogs, chicken filet sandwich, pizza slices, meatball subs, teriyaki chicken, barbeque, chicken fajita tacos, calzones, macaroni and cheese and fresh vegetables.

In addition to keeping students connected to their school through weekly visits, the meals service program:

• Affords thousands of students the opportunity to continue to have access to health food choices while schools are closed;
• Keeps approximately 400 local residents employed with the school division while unemployment throughout Virginia continues to climb;
• Supports local farmers through the purchase of locally grown produce and local dairies through the purchase of milk.

For more information including summer meal program locations, read the full news release on the CCPS News webpage.

June 10, 2020 Update - 9:30 a.m.

Governor Northam Shares Guidance for Phased Reopening of PreK-12 Schools
Back to school plan informed by collaborative process, outlines steps for safely resuming in-person instruction and school activities

Governor Ralph Northam has announced a phased approach that allows Virginia schools to slowly resume in-person classes for summer school and the coming academic year. The K-12 phased reopening plan was developed by the Office of the Secretary of Education, Virginia Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Education and is informed by guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

All PreK-12 schools in Virginia will be required to deliver new instruction to students for the 2020-2021 academic year, regardless of the operational status of school buildings. The PreK-12 guidance is aligned with the phases outlined in the Forward Virginia blueprint and provides opportunities for school divisions to begin offering in-person instruction to specific student groups.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) convened numerous and diverse stakeholders through the Return to School Recovery Task Force, the Accreditation Task Force and the Continuity for Learning Task Force this spring to inform strategies for reopening. Secretary of Education Atif Qarni held 35 strategy sessions with diverse groups of education stakeholders between May 29 and June 8 to gather their recommendations on how different reopening scenarios would impact their respective roles. The Secretary and his team engaged 800 individuals in these conversations, and heard from a wide range of perspectives including English language learners, parents of students with special needs, career and technical education centers, early childhood educators, students, school nutrition workers, private school leaders, bus drivers, school psychologists, the Virginia High School League, counselors, nurses and more.

Local school divisions will have discretion on how to operationalize within each phase and may choose to offer more limited in-person options than the phase permits, if local public health conditions necessitate. Entry into each phase is dependent on public health gating criteria, corresponding with the Forward Virginia plan. School divisions will have flexibility to implement plans based on the needs of their localities, within the parameters of the Commonwealth’s guidance.

The opportunities for in-person instruction in each phase are as follows:

• Phase One: special education programs and child care for working families
• Phase Two: Phase One plus preschool through third grade students, English learners, and summer camps in school buildings
• Phase Three: all students may receive in-person instruction as can be accommodated with strict social distancing measures in place, which may require alternative schedules that blend in-person and remote learning for students
• Beyond Phase Three: divisions will resume “new-normal” operations under future guidance

Beginning with Phase Two, local divisions and private schools must submit plans to the Virginia Department of Education that include policies and procedures for implementing Virginia Department of Health and CDC mitigation strategies. State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA has issued an Order of Public Health Emergency that requires all Virginia PreK-12 public and private schools to develop plans that demonstrate adherence to public health guidance. Public schools must also outline plans to offer new instruction to all students regardless of operational status.

Read the guidance document for detailed information on each phase.

VDOE has also developed comprehensive guidance to aid schools in planning for a return to in-person instruction and activities. “Recover, Redesign, Restart” will be made available at doe.virginia.gov tomorrow.

In every phase, PreK-12 schools must follow CDC Guidance for Schools, including social and physical distancing, enhanced health and hygiene procedures, cleaning and disinfecting measures and other mitigation strategies. These precautions include, but are not limited to:

• Daily health screenings of students and staff
• Providing remote learning exceptions and teleworking for students and staff who are at a higher risk of severe illness
• The use of cloth face coverings by staff when at least six feet physical distancing cannot be maintained
• Encouraging the use of face coverings in students, as developmentally appropriate, in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained

Read the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.  

June 10, 2020 Update - 9 a.m.

Chesterfield County Public Schools - Call CCPS Update
Call CCPS extended through July 16

In an effort to continue to better serve students and families as the school division’s Recovery of Learning summer program and online summer classes start, Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) is extending Call CCPS through Thursday, July 16. The call center, launched in April, has helped connect hundreds of families to academic, technology and social and emotional supports available within the school division and family-related resources accessible throughout the community.

Call CCPS will continue operating Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. through Thursday, July 16.

The school division is closed on Fridays during the summer. The division will be closed Monday, July 6 in observance of the July 4 holiday.

Chesterfield County Public Schools families can call 804-639-8689 for support. Translation support will be available immediately in Spanish, or within a short period of time in other languages through the school division’s language line support program.

Team Chesterfield staff members will be available to answer questions about the school division’s Recovery of Learning and online summer school courses, provide support for navigating the school division’s learning management system (Canvas) and help connect families to resources that can address mental and social well-being during this time of uncertainty. Special education teams will continue to be available to provide support for students participating in the division’s summer programs.

Specific questions about Recovery of Learning and online summer school assignments may be referred back to the student’s teacher. If a call-center support staff member cannot answer the question immediately, the caller will receive a call back within 24 hours from a school division specialist more familiar with the specific inquiry.

Read the full news release on the CCPS News webpage.

June 9, 2020 Update - Noon

Meet ChesterBot, Chesterfield County’s New Virtual Guide
Chatbot application designed to guide visitors to the county’s online resources

Chesterfield County has launched ChesterBot, an automated question and answer-style chatbot designed to assist visitors of the county’s Chesterfield.gov website to locate online resources across a variety of departments and services.

Hi everyone, I’m ChesterBot!

ChesterBot may be accessed via a button on every county webpage. For desktop users, the button is located on the bottom-right corner of the screen, while mobile users can find the button underneath the county search bar at the top of their screen. 

According to Chesterfield eGovernment Services Manager Nicole Maillet, the chatbot will serve as a supplemental tool for Chesterfield County to use to connect with citizens.

“Like the website, ChesterBot is available 24/7 and provides improvements for quickly obtaining targeted, simple information,” said Maillet. “The chatbot can respond to a number of people simultaneously and, since many customers have similar questions, save employee resources for more personalized customer responses.”

ChesterBot was initially conceptualized as a guide for the substantial amount of information available on the county’s COVID-19 resources webpage, County Response to COVID-19. In March, representatives from Microsoft approached Chesterfield’s Information Systems Technology (IST) Department with a new QnA Maker chatbot technology being deployed by the state of Missouri.

After acquiring the technology, Chesterfield’s IST development team quickly created a working prototype capable of leveraging information on the COVID-19 resources webpage to generate a set of automated questions and answers. The team soon realized the application’s broader potential.

“There is a plethora of constantly-evolving COVID-19 data available to the public, and the new ChesterBot can help direct citizens to established guidance by health experts,” said Enterprise Architecture Manager Nancy Tickle. “However, once we engaged with our Communications and Media Department and eGovernment team, we realized there was more to implement for our citizens than just a coronavirus-response chatbot.”

The application is most effective when users search with keywords rather than full questions or scenarios, and it can be deployed, for example, to find more information about tax payment options, applying for county permits and much more.

“The chatbot’s purpose is to provide guidance for a wide range of Chesterfield-specific service information,” said Tickle.

The county plans to continue growing ChesterBot’s knowledge base, with the goal of developing the application to provide access to service and resource data available throughout the Chesterfield.gov website.

Doing so, however, will rely on data analysis of the application’s usage by visitors to determine which keywords, resources and services require continued development. As more queries are entered into ChesterBot, the development team will be able to create an even more optimized, expansive product.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, ChesterBot is expected to augment the work of Chesterfield’s Virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which is responsible for managing the county’s public response to the health crisis.

Steven Herring, emergency management public outreach coordinator, said a main goal of the Emergency Operations Center Call Center is to provide citizens access to up-to-date information that permits them to make informed decisions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The new chatbot not only gives Chesterfield citizens access to the right information, but it allows them to find that information faster and easier, providing them with quicker peace of mind and saving them time,” said Herring.

Herring urges citizens with COVID-19-related questions beyond the capabilities of the chatbot to call the county’s EOC at 804-751-2EOC (804-751-2362).

To use ChesterBot, visit any page on the Chesterfield County website, www.chesterfield.gov.

To learn more about ChesterBot, visit www.chesterfield.gov/ChesterBot.

Read the full news release. 

See the family resemblance?

June 8, 2020 Update - 3 p.m.

Virginia Announces Temporary Moratorium on Evictions
At Governor’s request, Chief Justice suspends all eviction proceedings through June 28

Governor Ralph Northam today announced a temporary statewide moratorium on all eviction proceedings in Virginia. The Governor requested this moratorium in a letter sent to Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald Lemons this weekend.

The Chief Justice’s order issued today remains in effect through Sunday, June 28 and modifies the Court’s earlier Declaration of Judicial Emergency in response to COVID-19. The temporary moratorium will halt all eviction proceedings for a period of nearly three weeks, as the Northam administration implements a comprehensive rent relief program for the thousands of Virginians facing housing insecurity in the midst of this public health crisis.

Details of the Governor’s rent relief initiative, supported by federal CARES Act funding, will be announced in the coming weeks. Tenants are encouraged to know their rights and responsibilities and pay their rent on time if they are able. Please visit StayHomeVirginia.com for more information and resources on tenant rights.

Read Governor Northam’s letter to Chief Justice Lemons requesting this moratorium.

Read Chief Justice Lemons’ order.

Read the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.  

June 8, 2020 Update - 10:30 a.m.

World Health Organization Updates Information on When and How to Use Masks
WHO provides guidance on how to and not to use both medical and non-medical masks

Over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) released updated information on the use of both medical (PDF/video) and non-medical (fabric) (PDF/video) masks. These recommendations are now available in addition to those previously issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Visit the WHO website for additional information regarding mask usage recommendations. 

June 5, 2020 Update - 2:30 p.m.

Chesterfield County Public Schools - Summer Programs Update
Summer programs will be available at both the secondary and elementary levels

Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) announces information regarding summer programs:

For elementary school students:

Registration continues for CCPS summer Recovery of Learning program, which is free for all current Chesterfield County students who were in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade this school year. Find out more and register to participate by Friday, June 19.

Students will work in the three primary instructional applications described below. Those registered will have a licensed teacher interacting online to provide support through goal-setting, progress-monitoring, virtual office hours, and small group instruction. All courses provide students an opportunity to move through the content at their own pace and to test out of content previously mastered.

• Dreambox: Computer-adaptive math application (system requirements)
• MyOn: Digital library of books and reading materials (system requirements)
• Lexia Core 5: Comprehensive computer-adaptive literacy skill-building application (system requirements)

NOTE: Any student needing a school division-issued Chromebook or Internet access at home in order to participate in the summer learning program should acknowledge such on the registration form.

Special education support and assistance for English language learners is built into the Recovery of Learning program, and includes summer staff dedicated to supporting teacher and learner needs.

Participation in this program is optional. Paper packets will continue to be prepared and made available at schools or mailed twice during the month of July for students as requested.

Read the full news release on the CCPS News webpage.

For middle and high school students:

Registration is underway for Chesterfield County Public Schools’ free summer Recovery of Learning opportunities, designed to provide middle and high school students with refreshers of course content and skill development taught during the 2019-20 school year.

Students will have the free opportunity to access a complete personalized curriculum for any core course (math, language arts, science, and social studies) for which they were enrolled during the 2019-20 school year.

Core content courses will have teachers interacting online to support students through goal-setting, progress-monitoring, virtual office hours, and small group instruction. Elective courses are self-guided and will not have an assigned teacher. (Driver’s Education and Behind the Wheel will not be offered this summer.)

NOTE: Any student needing a school division-issued Chromebook or Internet access at home in order to participate in the summer learning program should acknowledge such on the registration form.

Recovery of Learning opportunities will be structured through Edgenuity courseware. All courses provide students an opportunity to move through the content at their own pace and to test out of content previously mastered. The middle and high school Recovery of Learning program begins on June 29. Here are the course opportunities available.

Visit the Recovery of Learning site to register. Registration closes Monday, June 15.

CCPSONLINE

If a student wishes to register for a credit-bearing course not previously taken in order to accelerate their schedule, they should visit the CCPSOnline website and complete the online application.

Here are the course opportunities available via CCPSOnline from June 22-July 30.

CCPSOnline courses are $250/credit for Chesterfield County residents and $500/credit for non-residents.

Read the full news release on the CCPS News webpage.

June 4, 2020 Update - 10 a.m.

Chesterfield County Announces Criteria for $5M Back in Business Grant Program
CARES Act funding supports new grant program 

At their May 27, 2020 meeting, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved $5 million dollars of the county’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to be earmarked for a grant program to support small businesses negatively affected by COVID-19. The grant program, called Back in Business, is a partnership between Chesterfield County and the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce. The $10,000 grants are designed to provide immediate relief to businesses to help them remain in business through the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for reopening under the guidelines of Forward Virginia.

Criteria for eligibility has been finalized and applications are anticipated to be open in mid-June. To be eligible for the grants a business:

• Must be a for-profit business entity with a place of business located in Chesterfield County; 
• Must have been in business for a minimum of 2 years; 
• Must have at least $200,000 but no more than $2 million in annual gross revenues;
• Must be able to demonstrate at least a 25% loss in revenue that can be attributed to COVID-19;

Franchises must be headquartered in Chesterfield County and are eligible for only one $10,000 grant regardless of the number of locations in the county.

Funds are meant to reimburse businesses for the costs of business interruption caused by required closures due to COVID-19. The grant can be used for:

• Employee compensation (including wages and benefits)
• Working capital
• Equipment inventory
• Rent
• Other business critical operating expenses

Applicants will be required to demonstrate that they are eligible, that they were operational pre-COVID-19, and that they are suffering negative impacts from COVID-19 closures. Applicants will be asked to provide:

• Copies of two years of their most recently filed tax returns or form 990s
• IRS W-9
• A financial statement of impact

Additional details on the eligibility criteria and application dates, as they become available, can be found at www.ChesterfieldBIB.com.

Read the full news release. 

June 3, 2020 Update - 11:15 a.m.

Chesterfield Emergency Operations Center Updates Call Center Hours
Call center will remain focused on general county operations and services during COVID-19 response

Effective Monday, June 8, the Chesterfield County Emergency Operations Center Call Center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday for Chesterfield residents who have general questions about county operations and services during the COVID-19 response. This is a change from its current hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The call center phone number is 804-751-2EOC (804-751-2362).

The call center is staffed by county employees from multiple departments. Updated information regarding county resources are made available to call center staff to assist residents who may not have internet access or need clarification on available county services.

Call center staff will not answer questions regarding COVID-19; all such questions should be directed to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) at 877-ASK-VDH3 (877-275-8343). 

Chesterfield County will remain a source for accurate and timely information for our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents, businesses and guests can connect with the county in a variety of ways, including the following social media handles:

Facebook (@ChesterfieldVA)
Twitter (@ChesterfieldVa)
YouTube (Chesterfield County)
Nextdoor (Chesterfield County Government)

June 3, 2020 Update - 10 a.m.

Take a Peak into the Chesterfield County Government Complex Phase One Reopening
Offices of the Treasurer and Commissioner of the Revenue opened on Monday, June 1

In this video, take a glance into the first phase of Chesterfield’s limited reopening, which began on Monday, June 1, 2020, when the Office of the Treasurer and the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue once again opened their doors to the public. 

June 2, 2020 Update - 4:30 p.m.

Governor Announces Phase Two Guidelines to Further Ease Public Health Restrictions
Phase Two expected to begin Friday, June 5, Northern Virginia and Richmond to remain in Phase One

Governor Ralph Northam today signed Executive Order Sixty-Five and presented the second phase of the “Forward Virginia” plan to continue safely and gradually easing public health restrictions while containing the spread of COVID-19. The Governor also amended Executive Order Sixty-One directing Northern Virginia and the City of Richmond to remain in Phase One.

Most of Virginia is expected to enter Phase Two on Friday, June 5, as key statewide health metrics continue to show positive signs. Virginia’s hospital bed capacity remains stable, the percentage of people hospitalized with a positive or pending COVID-19 test is trending downward, no hospitals are reporting PPE shortages and the percent of positive tests continues to trend downward as testing increases. The Governor and Virginia public health officials will continue to evaluate data based on the indicators laid out in April.

Executive Order Sixty-Five modifies public health guidance in Executive Order Sixty-One and Sixty-Two and establishes guidelines for Phase Two. Northern Virginia and the City of Richmond entered Phase One on Friday, May 29, and will remain in Phase One to allow for additional monitoring of health data. Accomack County delayed reopening due to outbreaks in poultry plants, which have largely been controlled through rigorous testing. Accomack County will move to Phase Two with the rest of the Commonwealth, on Friday, June 5.

Under Phase Two, the Commonwealth will maintain a Safer at Home strategy with continued recommendations for social distancing, teleworking and requiring individuals to wear face coverings in indoor public settings. The maximum number of individuals permitted in a social gathering will increase from 10 to 50 people. All businesses should still adhere to physical distancing guidelines, frequently clean and sanitize high contact surfaces and continue enhanced workplace safety measures. 

Restaurant and beverage establishments may offer indoor dining at 50 percent occupancy, fitness centers may open indoor areas at 30 percent occupancy and certain recreation and entertainment venues without shared equipment may open with restrictions. These venues include museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and outdoor concert, sporting and performing arts venues. Swimming pools may also expand operations to both indoor and outdoor exercise, diving and swim instruction.

The current guidelines for religious services, non-essential retail and personal grooming services will largely remain the same in Phase Two. Overnight summer camps, most indoor entertainment venues, amusement parks, fairs and carnivals will also remain closed in Phase Two.

Visit virginia.gov/coronavirus/forwardvirginia for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Read Phase One guidelines for specific sectors. 

Read Phase Two guidelines for specific sectors.

Read the full text of Executive Order Sixty-Five and Order of Public Health Emergency Six.

Read the full text of amended Executive Order Sixty-One.

Read the full news release on the Virginia Governor Newsroom.