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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Raymond L. Hooper
Vol. XXIV No. 33
August 25, 2010
Taylor named County Employee of the Year
End of an era: PHS coach contemplates last year in the Southside District
See page 2A
See page 1B
Bail for man accused of taking indecent liberties set at $10,000
AT ISSUE: School Board members, including Chairman Tim Gresham (right), say the BOS’s move to hire a joint purchasing agent will be of little use to the schools.
Schools resist BOS plan to centralize buying By Michael Copley Staff Writer
Hoping to save money on everything from paper products to construction projects, the Powhatan Board of Supervisors added a new job to county government. Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution August 9 establishing the position of Joint County and Schools Procurement Officer to handle the acquisition “of all general county government goods, services and construction including the public school system,” according to information provided by the county. Supervisor Carson Tucker pointed to current and future budget constraints and said the “total motivation” for the resolution is the savings the position is expected to produce through coordinated bulk purchases; “It’s part of our ongoing pledge to tax payers to maximize their money,” he said. “We really feel like we’ll save money” through economies of scale, said Stephanie Davis, director of finance. She said the board’s decision is supported by studies of other localities. County Administrator Carolyn Bishop said the position will pay for itself. But Timothy Gresham, chairman of the school board, sees the resolution as more of the same ill-informed decision making that he says has prevented a productive relationship between the county and school system. If Supervisors had “rolled up their sleeves and talked about the issues” with the school board, Gresham said, they might have realized that the schools already participate in purchasing programs that effectively minimize cost, including partnerships with Chesterfield County for audio-visual equipment and Hanover County for
Accused, codefendant also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor By Michael Copley Staff Writer
Bail was set at $10,000 last week for a man accused of having sex with
a minor. was continued to September Orman E. 22 on a motion from the Dixon, 51, is Commonwealth. charged with A codefendant, 38-yeartwo counts of old William A. Richardson, contributing to is due in court today on the delinquenthree counts of taking cy of a minor Dixon Richardson indecent liberties with a and two minor, three counts of counts of taking indecent liberties contributing to the delinquency of a with a minor. minor and a charge of possession of a A preliminary hearing in the case firearm by a convicted felon.
STAYING SAFE AT HOME PART TWO IN A THREE-PART SERIES
During the past few weeks, central Virginia has experienced extreme heat, dangerous flash floods and a series of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes that have left thousands of residents without power and some with tens of thousands of dollars in property damage. Then there are the other calamities – burst water pipes, house fires – that can befall any of us. Will you be ready in the event of an emergency? Here are some tips to help.
By Latika Lee Contributing Writer
A
s 78-year-old Roxie Ramsey sat in her favorite comfortable seat in her family room on the afternoon of July 29th, the weather forecasters were predicting a severe thunder-storm warning would be in effect until 7 p.m. When the mid-summer storm came through western Powhatan and northern Chesterfield, it brought with it torrential rain, violent lightening and damaging winds. It was the beginning of the evening rush hour and commuters were headed home from work. At the height of the storm, nearly 60,000 homes were without power in the metro Richmond area. According to her son, David Ramsey, around 6 p.m. Mrs. Ramsey was trapped in her home for approximately an hour when a neighbor had called the rescue squad to respond to her residence. Due to the storm, a majestic oak tree was uprooted and had fallen through the family and utility rooms. The rafters were
exposed and the ceiling joists were dangling. Mrs. Ramsey was inches from being more severely injured. Later that day, she was admitted to MCV Hospital where she received 12 staples on her head. She has spent the next few weeks recovering with her family and will not be able to return to her home for a few months
when the reconstruction is complete. “I would advise anyone to pay attention to the weather reports and verify their insurance coverage in advance,” said David Ramsey, “everyone on board helping us to rebuild from the rescue see Emergency page 8A
see Purchasing page 3A
Inside
Sports
Index
A4 Historic Homes Tour Historical Society will offer glimpse into several storied residences.
B1 The way they were Long-time PHS coach looks back on history of the football program
Calendar A11 Classified B10-11 Crossword A11 Extra Points B1 Horoscopes A11 Letters A10
Obituaries A6 Opinion A10 Parting Shots 9A Quotes A2 Real Estate B9 TV Listings B6-7