Chesterfield County Community Insider Weekly Newsletter

Hope you're having a great week and settling back into the rhythm of a new school year here in Chesterfield!

We've got plenty to catch you up on this week — from important local news and a couple of close calls on our roads to an incredible animal rescue and even a rocket lighting up the Chesterfield sky. 🚀

Plus, we've rounded up some fun things happening around the county over the next several days.

Grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let's catch up on what's happening around Chesterfield.

Matt

A scary scene unfolded Monday night on I-95 near Route 10, where a Virginia State Police trooper and a North Carolina driver were both injured in a crash involving a VDOT safety vehicle.

According to Virginia State Police, a Toyota Camry struck the VDOT safety vehicle, causing it to hit the trooper's patrol SUV. Thankfully, the trooper was treated at the hospital and released.

The Camry driver suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was also taken to the hospital. Police cited the driver for reckless driving.

It's another important reminder for all of us when we see flashing lights along the highway: slow down, pay attention and move over. Virginia law requires drivers to move over a lane when possible when approaching certain stopped vehicles with flashing lights.

We're glad to hear everyone involved is expected to be okay. Please give our first responders and highway crews plenty of room to do their jobs safely.

Some sad news out of North Chesterfield this week.

Police say 57-year-old John Lundeen lost his life following a crash in the 9500 block of West Providence Road.

According to police, a Chevrolet Equinox was traveling west when it crossed into the opposite lane and collided with a Toyota 4Runner. Lundeen died as a result of the crash.

The other driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

It's always difficult to report news like this, especially knowing there's a local family dealing with an unimaginable loss. Our thoughts are with John's family, friends and everyone who knew him during this difficult time.

Chesterfield County Fire and EMS crews were called into action after a structure fire broke out in the 13100 block of Old Stage Road.

Crews responded after smoke was reported coming from a building at a tow yard. Firefighters were able to knock down the blaze, and fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A big thank-you to our Chesterfield firefighters and first responders for getting this one under control safely.

Hi, it’s Matt your page sponsor! I specialize in buying houses just as they are—no repairs, no commissions, no hidden fees. Whether you’re dealing with an unexpected move, inherited property, or just want to skip the hassle of the traditional process, I’m here to help.

I’ll make you a fair cash offer, handle all the details, and close quickly so you can move forward stress-free.

📞 Call me, Matt, at 804-600-4774, and let’s turn your house into cash—fast, easy, and hassle-free!

Now here's a rescue with a happy ending.

A horse found itself stuck down a muddy embankment in nearby Amelia, prompting an impressive multi-agency rescue effort.

Chesterfield County Fire and EMS joined crews from Amelia, Goochland and Hanover to help free the animal. It wasn't exactly a quick rescue, either — crews worked into the night before successfully lifting the horse out at around 1 a.m.

And the best part? After being rescued, the horse was able to walk away on its own. ❤️

That's some pretty impressive teamwork from first responders across the region. We're used to seeing these crews respond to fires, crashes and medical emergencies, but sometimes the call involves four legs instead of two!

Great work by everyone involved.

And just like that, summer break is coming to an end for more Chesterfield students!

Chesterfield County Public Schools students in grades 7–8 and 10–12 are heading back to the classroom as the new school year gets underway.

That means earlier alarms, packed lunches, school buses back on neighborhood streets and — for parents — the return of the weekday school routine.

For drivers, it's also a good time for a reminder to slow down in school zones and keep an eye out for students and school buses, especially during the morning and afternoon commute.

Here's wishing all of our Chesterfield students, teachers, administrators, bus drivers and school staff a fantastic year ahead. We hope it's filled with new friendships, great teachers, plenty of learning and some memories that last well beyond the final bell.

Have a great first day, Chesterfield! 📚

If you happened to look up yesterday morning and spotted a bright streak racing across the Chesterfield sky, you weren't imagining things — and it wasn't a shooting star.

The spectacle was actually connected to a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Florida, which was visible across a large portion of the East Coast.

Even Chesterfield County Fire and EMS got a front-row seat, capturing a photo of the streak in the sky above Engine 201.

It's not every morning that a rocket launch hundreds of miles away puts on a show right here in Chesterfield. Pretty cool way to start the day — especially for anyone lucky enough to be outside looking up at just the right moment. 🚀

Date: Wednesday, August 26
Time: 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Farmers Market, 6701 Mimms Loop, Chesterfield
Details: Pick up locally grown produce and other goods at the county's weekly farmers market at the Government Complex. It's an easy lunchtime stop and one of the county's regular Wednesday community events.

🏈 Matoaca vs. Hermitage High School Football

Date: Friday, August 28
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Matoaca High School, 17700 Longhouse Lane, Chesterfield
Details: Friday night football is back as the Matoaca Warriors host Hermitage in a non-region varsity matchup. It's one of the first big local high-school sporting events of the new school year.

🏈 Clover Hill vs. Meadowbrook High School Football

Date: Friday, August 28
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Clover Hill High School, 13301 Kelly Green Lane, Midlothian
Details: The Cavaliers open their 2026 varsity football schedule at home against Meadowbrook. A good pick for Midlothian-area families looking for some Friday-night football.

🎡 Chesterfield County Fair

Date: Saturday, August 29–Saturday, September 5
Time: Saturday–Sunday: 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.; Monday–Thursday: 5:00–11:00 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 4: 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield
Details: One of Chesterfield's biggest annual traditions returns with midway rides, food, exhibits, livestock, entertainment and special events. Opening weekend includes a Mini Tractor Pull, live music and the CCFA Horse Show. Special promotions include Half Price Day Aug. 31, BOGO Tuesday Sept. 1, and free admission for active/retired military and children under 12 on Sept. 2.

🎸 Departure — Journey Tribute Band

Date: Monday, August 31
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield
Details: Journey fans can catch Departure performing the band's classic hits as part of the Chesterfield County Fair's nightly entertainment. Bonus: Aug. 31 is the fair's Half Price Day, with gate admission and ride wristbands half-price when purchased at the gate.

🎶 Circuit Breakers at the Chesterfield County Fair

Date: Tuesday, September 1
Time: 8:00–10:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield
Details: Circuit Breakers take the stage for Tuesday night's live entertainment at the fair. Sept. 1 is also BOGO Tuesday, with buy-one-get-one gate admission and ride wristbands available at the gate.

U.S. Military Parade + Silver Bullets

Date: Wednesday, September 2
Time: Military Parade at 7:00 p.m.; Silver Bullets at 8:00–10:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield
Details: Wednesday is Salute the Troops Day at the fair. Active-duty and retired military members with ID receive free admission, as do children under 12. The evening includes a Military Parade followed by live music from the Silver Bullets.

🎤 Vinyl Rush at the Chesterfield County Fair

Date: Thursday, September 3
Time: 8:00–10:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield
Details: Vinyl Rush provides Thursday night's live soundtrack at the fair. Sept. 3 is also Be a Giver Day — bring a canned food donation for the Chesterfield Food Bank and receive $1 off a full-price adult gate ticket.

🐂 Revenge Roughstock Rodeo

Date: Friday, September 4
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Road, Chesterfield
Details: The fair's rodeo brings bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding to the horse ring. Friday's fair hours are extended to 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.

⚽ Virginia Cup Soccer Tournament

Date: Friday, September 4–Sunday, September 6
Time: Game schedule TBA
Location: River City Sportsplex, 13030 Genito Road, Midlothian
Details: Labor Day weekend kicks off with the Virginia Cup, a major youth soccer tournament featuring boys' and girls' teams from U9 through U19 and more than 300 teams overall. The U9–U14 divisions are scheduled to play at River City Sportsplex, making this one of Chesterfield's bigger youth-sports weekends of the early fall. The tournament currently says its detailed 2026 game schedule is still coming soon.

Weather forecast: Guaranteed to be 100% accurate at least 20% of the time—unless it changes. Expect sunny skies… or rain. But definitely weather. We guarantee some form of that. No refunds!

Note: While the provided forecast gives a general idea of expected weather conditions, it should be treated with caution due to potential inaccuracies in long-term predictions. Checking closer to the date will provide a more reliable forecast.

My boss said “dress for the job you want, not for the job you have.” So I went in as Batman.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with us and catching up on what’s happening around Chesterfield. With school back in session and plenty going on around the county, it definitely feels like we’re turning the page from summer into a busy fall season. 🍂

Have a great week, stay safe out there, and we’ll be back soon with more local news, events and everything else worth knowing around our community.

See you next week!

Matt

Disclaimer!