This Week in Chesterfield

The Nunnally Oak, a 212-year-old tree planted in 1814 beside the Chesterfield Historic Courthouse, will be removed in November 2026 due to fungal decay and structural deterioration.

Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation will close Henricus Historical Park starting November 9 to accommodate bridge construction over an oxbow as part of the Dutch Gap Park expansion onto the former River's Bend golf course property.

Chesterfield County is developing zoning regulations to control where marijuana retail dispensaries can operate, with a Planning Commission decision expected in December and Board of Supervisors action needed before February 2027.

Whole Foods Market will open a 37,636-square-foot store in Midlothian on November 19, becoming Chesterfield's first location and the region's third.

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission unanimously endorsed the 200-acre Nunnally Village mixed-use development at Hull Street and Otterdale roads, moving the project closer to Board of Supervisors approval.

A Chesterfield school board member is planning community forums to address racial issues after a student created a racist social media post targeting a Huguenot High School football player.

Midlothian quarterback Gibson Gross navigates mental health challenges with the support of his head coach and father, who prioritizes character development over athletic victory.

Four longtime James River High School teachers with 126 combined years of experience reflect on their careers and enduring friendships built over three decades together.

Chesterfield County residents can ask final questions about the "1 For Schools" sales tax referendum at a Monday Facebook Live, with Halloween celebrations throughout the week including Spooktacular on Tuesday and multiple Saturday events.

Chesterfield County conducted a full-scale disaster response exercise on October 17 at its airport to test how emergency responders coordinate during a major incident.

A 22-year-old Riverside Regional Jail inmate held on multiple felony charges escaped from Chippenham Hospital on Sunday night and was arrested in Chesterfield County the next morning.

Chesterfield County police are seeking a suspect who vandalized a C&F Bank ATM on West Hundred Road using a crowbar in early October.

A man lost consciousness while driving at Eagle Motors on Route 1 Monday evening and died after his vehicle struck multiple parked cars.

Chesterfield County's Planning Commission voted unanimously to begin drafting zoning rules governing where recreational marijuana dispensaries can operate in the county, ahead of Virginia's retail sales launch in July 2027.

Chesterfield County will remove the Nunnally Oak, a historic tree planted in 1814 beside the courthouse and grown to 18 feet in circumference, after officials determined that fungal decay and structural damage make it unsafe to keep standing.

Chesterfield County revised its polling place policies in June 2026 to bar nonpartisan organizations like RVA Indivisible from setting up, raising questions about civic access to voters.

Chris Workman, Chesterfield County's inspection and floodplain manager, balances a 12-year career protecting residents from flood risks with a lifelong passion for astronomy pursued through membership in the Richmond Astronomical Society.

Chesterfield County placed fourth in the 2026 Government Experience Awards, a national competition recognizing digital government service excellence.