NEWS NEAR YOU

Amelia The Board of Supervisors has joined the governing bodies of other localities in calling for Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and the Virginia General Assembly to reach an agreement on transportation funding during the special session starting Monday.

Hopewell John Randolph Medical Center will hold its Summer Health and Wellness Festival today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the hospital grounds. The event includes free health screenings, mini-lectures by physicians, children's activities, a vendor fair, school sports physicals, a tour of the SkySTAT air ambulance, local dance groups, free mini-massages, and a cooking demonstration. The hospital is at 411 West Randolph Road.

Colonial Heights Del. M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, is the

Arc of Virginia's Advocate of the Year. The award was presented Thursday at the Chesterfield Community Services Board Rogers Building. It recognizes Cox's advocacy on behalf of the Arc of Virginia "A Life Like Yours" program for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Maidens Landing The 15 bateaux participating in the annual James River Batteau Festival should arrive at this Powhatan County landing today between 3 and 5 p.m. The 12-mile journey from Lynchburg traditionally takes eight days.

King William The Mattaponi Indian tribe will hold its 13th annual powwow, Virginia's only powwow on an Indian reservation, today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The powwow features American Indian dancing, drumming, food, arts and crafts. Grand entry is at noon. No drugs or alcohol allowed, and no pets. Bring lawn chairs. Admission is $5. Children under 6 admitted free.

Chesterfield County Planning Commission meetings are now broadcast live on the Web. The county began streaming the meetings Tuesday night on its Web site, www.chesterfield.gov. Board of Supervisors meetings have been available on the internet since April. Both are also broadcast on the county's Comcast channel. The Planning Commission meets on the third Tuesday of each month.

Richmond Northside Grill at 1217 Bellevue Ave. celebrated its grand opening yesterday. The restaurant received $20,133 in city government incentives. Representing an investment of about $350,000, Northside Grill has eight full-time and 22 part-time employees.

Chesterfield About 100 residents of Bayhill Pointe showed up at a Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday in opposition to a rezoning request in central Chesterfield. The rezoning would make way for a subdivision of up to 230 homes on 250 acres just west of Pocahontas State Park near Battlecreek Drive. The case was deferred until Aug. 19.

Henrico Applications are being accepted for the "Gardens Growing Families" program, where participants can maintain a plot in the Fairfield District community garden for a nominal fee, attend free classes and have access to advice from the Henrico County Extension Office and Henrico Master Gardeners. For details, call (804) 501-5160, log on to www.co.henrico.va.us/extension, or see story in tomorrow's Richmond Times-Dispatch.

AROUND THE STATE

Norfolk The music industry has won a federal judge's approval to seek the names of 20 College of William and Mary students who it claims illegally shared songs over the Internet. U.S. District Judge F. Bradford Stillman ruled yesterday that the Recording Industry Association of America could subpoena the students' names. Stillman reversed an earlier ruling by former U.S. District Judge Walter D. Kelley Jr. The industry group has reached settlements with seven other William and Mary students who agreed to pay $3,000 to $5,000.

-- From Staff and Wire Reports