Community Corner

🌱 Goochland’s first Battalion Chief steps up to Assistant Chief role

Spotted on the Goochland calendar: Student Event @ Henrico Xfinity

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Thursday August 20th Patch AM
Thursday August 20th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good morning to you Goochland! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Goochland's first Battalion Chief steps up to Assistant Chief role
  • What led Virginia to shut down Goochland's Hallmark Youthcare facility?
  • Goochland family remembers the life of Robert Eugene Hillis

Also on today's calendar: Student Event @ Henrico Xfinity and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: Why do fish live in salt water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: A heavy t-storm in the p.m., with a high of 92 and low of 69 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Friday: A shower and thunderstorm, temps: high: 81, low: 68.
  • Saturday: A shower and t-storm; humid, with a high of 83 and low of 68 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Assistant Chief Promotion! - Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue & Emergency Services (goochlandfire-rescue.org) — Goochland County's Fire-Rescue Department has promoted longtime firefighter and current Battalion Chief Blake H. Markey to Assistant Fire-Rescue Chief, effective September 1, 2026. Markey has spent more than two decades serving Goochland, rising from volunteer to the county's first Battalion Chief while overseeing shift commanders and major projects, and is widely respected for his leadership and dedication to local residents.
   

• Spanberger administration revokes Virginia youth psych facility's license, calls system 'broken' (wtvr.com) — State officials have revoked the license of Hallmark Youthcare, a youth psychiatric facility in Goochland County, after safety concerns and reports of children running away. Governor Abigail Spanberger calls the situation evidence of a "broken" system and plans to push for changes in how Virginia provides residential psychiatric care, while Hallmark disputes the decision and warns about losing 102 treatment beds.
   

• Robert Eugene Hillis (emporiagazette.com) — Family and friends are mourning Robert Eugene Hillis, 81, whose son lives in Goochland and whose late wife passed away in Goochland in 2024. Hillis, remembered for his years in Emporia, Kansas, his barbering and real estate work, and his devotion to family, died August 17 in Phoenix, Arizona, leaving children, grandchildren, and extended family across several states.
   

📸 Around Goochland

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Goochland

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Goochland Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Stop hiring handymen for your masonry needs.
    Give me a call or text at 8043803984. Full time mason looking to take on some jobs. I have pictures and references. Thanks for your time. (Nextdoor Three Chopt)
  • Southern States Cooperative posted a job opening for cashier in Goochland. Apply here.
  • Jacobs posted a job opening for Senior Planner Scheduler (LSNA-VA-1) in Goochland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Goochland here.

🗞 Nearby News

Powhatan

  • Help a Virginia man find the owner of this box of family photos: 'A big part of somebody's life' (wtvr.com)
  • Love With Open Arms (richmondmagazine.com)
  • Governor Spanberger Announces 14 Infrastructure Grants to Support Local Food & Farming Projects (virginia.gov)

Short Pump

  • Henrico schools face widespread HVAC problems as students set to return Monday (nbc12.com)
  • Case against man charged in Henrico teen's DUI death continued again (henricocitizen.com)

Tuckahoe

  • Future of historic Varina site: 'Like the rediscovery of Jamestown all over again' • Henrico Schools addressing HVAC concerns ahead of first day of school (henricocitizen.com)

Ok Goochland! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Pepper makes them sneeze (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Goochland