Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal

06/19/2026

About 100 Democrats and supporters of Sen. Mark Warner braved the heat last Friday to get a chance to take part in a meet-and-greet event at the Gloucester home of Brenda and Richard Dixon, an event hosted by the Gloucester County Democratic Committee.

“Any of you crazy enough to come out on this kind of hot day, God bless you. You gotta be committed,” he said after he was introduced by Del. Mark Downey, the Williamsburg physician who represents the 69th district in the House of Delegates, which includes part of Gloucester Point. Warner said that he was already on his third shirt of the day, and he was sweating through that pink dress shirt as he addressed the crowd.

Before he took to the back deck of the Dixon home (which also served as the stage for Friday’s event), Warner met in the Dixon home for photo ops with some of his supporters and walked around the perimeter of the Dixons’ pool to talk one-on-one with individuals who had come out to meet him.

Read the full story by visiting https://www.gazettejournal.net/sen-mark-warner-takes-part-in-gloucester-meet-and-greet/

06/19/2026

June is National Candy Month. This sweet tooth filler dates back to cavemen who ate honey combs and honey. It can be traced as far back as 1500 BC to the ancient Egyptians who used honey and made candy by adding figs, nuts, dates and spices.

From 1492 to 1930 when more than 60 million Europeans migrated to the American continent, they brought with them their recipes for confections.

The earliest form of sweets was rather simple, often combining boiled sugar, molasses, and honey with added dried fruits. As our 13 original colonies grew and sugar became more accessible, small-scale confectioners began appearing. The first commercially sold candy, “the Gibralter,” was a hard candy sold on the steps of Salem, Massachusetts’s first church. The candy quickly became popular, paving the way for the addition of more commercially made candies.

Get recipes for peanut butter bonbons, chocolate pizza candy, fantasy fudge and more by visiting https://www.gazettejournal.net/indulge-its-sweet-tooth-month/ 🍬

06/19/2026

The Gloucester Summer Kick-Off Carnival opened last night at the Old Page Grounds. The carnival continues tonight, this weekend and next Thursday through Sunday, featuring rides, games, carnival food and much more.

06/18/2026

Preparations are well underway to convert Mathews County Public Schools from a three-school division into one with two only schools, and Superintendent of Schools. Dr. David S. Daniel briefed school board members on some of the details to close Thomas Hunter Middle School and convert Mathews Elementary to encompass kindergarten through grade seven.

Additionally, as part of the consolidation, the school board unanimously approved the renaming of Thomas Hunter Middle School to the Thomas Hunter Education Center, effective July 1. The board took this action during Tuesday’s meeting, which was held in the Brooks Auditorium at Thomas Hunter.

Following consolidation, and once the ongoing asbestos abatement project is completed, the Thomas Hunter building will transition into a multi-use facility containing school division and county administration offices.

Also during the meeting, Judy Jackson, who started in Mathews County Public Schools in 1985, was recognized with a plaque for her retirement

Read all about the consolidation, additional retirees and more by visiting https://www.gazettejournal.net/school-consolidation-plans-move-ahead-in-mathews/

06/18/2026

Early voting begins today, Thursday, June 18, for the state’s Aug. 4 dual party primary, that will see three Republican candidates vie to be that party’s nominee for U.S. Senate and seven Democrats compete for the 1st Congressional District.

Winners of those two elections will face Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and Republican Rep. Rob Wittman in the Nov. 3 general election. Both Warner and Wittman are running for reelection unopposed within their own parties.

Although early voting begins today, there will be no early voting on Friday as the registrar’s offices (where early voting is conducted) will be closed in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Early voting resumes on Monday.

Read the full story at the link below.

The Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal is a weekly print newspaper and online news source serving Virginia's Middle Peninsula.

06/18/2026

Owner of Hazel’s Country Store at Harcum and manager of Freeport Marina nearby, Hazel Jackson had settled into country life in 1994 after a move from the city. She made a name for herself with her smoking and barbecue sauce. Many years after this photo was taken, the country store, by then unused, was destroyed by fire. Jackson’s barbecue sauce recipe is given along with this photo.

Check out Jackson's recipes for barbecue sauce, ribs and chicken by visiting https://www.gazettejournal.net/hazels-good-cooking/

06/17/2026

Community members from across the Middle Peninsula are invited to gather for a Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration on Friday at the Cobbs Creek Arts Center, 61 Cobbs Creek Lane.

Hosted by the Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex and King and Queen branches of the NAACP, the event will run from noon to 6 p.m. and will celebrate freedom, culture and community through music, food, local businesses and family-friendly activities.

Organizers say the event is designed to bring people together while honoring the significance of Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

Read the full story at the link below.

06/17/2026

As the Gloucester Arts Festival continues to celebrate all aspects of the arts during June, and as volunteers prepare for huge East Riverfest and Gwynn’s Island Festival celebrations in Mathews the last two weekends of this month, events for the local celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary are getting underway.

Readings of the Declaration of Independence, religious observances, and fireworks are all part of the plans.

Read all about the upcoming activities organized by the Gloucester VA250 Committee and the Mathews VA250 Committee, and by other groups, at https://www.gazettejournal.net/many-local-events-to-commemorate-nations-250th/

06/17/2026

The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors held a town hall Tuesday evening in the T.C. Walker Education Center auditorium to have an open dialogue with residents.

“We are scheduled to have some of these quarterly,” said board chair Ashley Chriscoe.

Topics raised by residents ranged from calls for a forensic audit of the county and utilities concerns to future growth and traffic issues.

“I think it’s something that really needs to be done for the citizens of Gloucester County,” said Randy Orga about a forensic audit. He spoke on his concerns surrounding raised taxes, senior staff leaving the county and public utilities.

Read the full story at the link below.

The Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal is a weekly print newspaper and online news source serving Virginia's Middle Peninsula.

06/17/2026

Community members can look forward to a day of entertainment, competition, food and fundraising when the East Riverfest returns Saturday to Williams Wharf Landing.

The festival, organized by the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, is a fund-raiser for the department, with activities designed to bring residents and visitors together.

One of the event’s main attractions will be a boat docking competition, where participants will test their boating skills. Festivalgoers can also watch an oyster-shucking contest.

Read the full story by visiting https://www.gazettejournal.net/east-riverfest-returns-saturday/ ⛵