11/09/2016

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Inside A4 Take Back Day brings in 65.6 pounds of drugs

Powhatan, Virginia B1 Powhatan rolls past Monticello, playoffs ahead

Vol. XXIX No. 44

November 9, 2016

Attempts made to ensure smooth election By Laura McFarland News Editor

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OWHATAN – The staff of Powhatan County’s Voter Registrar’s Office had to lay extra groundwork going into the 2016 General Election to try to cut off potential problems before they could become issues. Karen Alexander, director of elections, said last week that Tuesday’s election, which happened after press time, had the potential for a variety of complications because of several issues that happened in the months leading up to the election. The results of Tuesday’s election will be reported PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND in the Nov. 16 edition of the Powhatan Today. In addition to all of the hype surrounding the pres- Registrar Karen Alexander said her office idential election, Virginia voter registrars have had to worked hard to prevent problems at the polls.

contend with the mass restoration and loss of felon voter rights, an extended voter registration period and a constitutional amendment that has many voters very confused, she said. On top of that are all of the normal changes to elections in Virginia that have occurred since the last presidential election in 2012, Alexander said. “I like to call presidential voters, sometimes they are the Christmas and Easter voters – they only come during the big elections. A lot has changed in the past four years,” she said. “For instance, during the last presidential election, you didn’t have to have a photo ID. You could check in at the polls with your voter registration card. Well that is not the case anymore. So an uneducated voter might not come prepared.” see ELECTION page 2A

Board in Powhatan looks at

ordinance By Laura McFarland News Editor

PHOTO BY ANJIE HENLEY

Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19

Ashley Stone, Chris Stone and Ciera Williams were ‘jesturing around’ at the Powhatan County Fair’s annual Harvest Fest Trunk-oTreat on Oct. 31.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED COURTESY OF COMPANY 1

A young policeman gets to sit in a sheriff’s car at Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department Company 1’s annual Open House and Halloween Event on Oct. 29.

Charlotte Wallace, who dressed as Elsa for Halloween, was one of the many Powhatan children who went trick or treating on Halloween night.

County observes Veterans Day By Laura McFarland

DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139

News Editor

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OWHATAN – Schools and groups around Powhatan County have several events planned over the next several days to honor men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces in recognition of Veterans Day. Several events and ceremonies will take place on or around Wednesday, Nov. 11 to pay tribute to the sacrifices these men and women have made for their country. Organizers of the various events are seeking both veterans to participate and be honored and members of the public who want to offer their thanks.

PCPS salutes veterans Powhatan High School’s JROTC will hold a Veterans Day event a day early, with programs at 9 and 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10 in the auditorium at the high school, 1800 Judes Ferry Road. Dr. Clay Mountcastle, director for the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, will be the guest speaker at both events, said Lt. Col. Veronica Baker, senior army instructor, who oversees the JROTC program with Master Sgt. Wade Turner, army instruc-

POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors hopes to wind down its review of the county’s subdivision ordinance and vote on an approved version by the end of the year. During a special meeting on Thursday, Nov. 3, the supervisors worked with Bret Schardein, director of community development, to make sure staff understood the direction the board wants to go in making final revisions to the subdivision ordinance, which has been a longterm project. The board members decided to have what they hope will be final discussions on the subdivision ordinance at their meeting on Monday, Nov. 28 and then hold a public hearing and vote on it on Monday, Dec. 19. The board talked about a wide variety of topics, but the two sections of the ordinance that drew the most discussion were private roads and large lot divisions.

Private roads

FILE PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

American Legion Post #201 will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the War Memorial Cultural Arts and Community Center.

tor. The unit will also show a video that was made two years ago by Stelle Oliver, former battalion commander of PHS’s JROTC. JROTC the cadets will do a short play, “I See Your Halo,” about two friends who grow up like brothers. One joins the military and then later the other does as well. Their fates will be depicted through the song and student actions. Cadets Tanner Barnes and Dean Belcher came up with the idea for the skit. Brent Fleisher, English and drama teacher, assisted the unit in pulling the skit together. The public is invited to attend the event

“We hold a Veterans Day event to bring awareness to the high school students of the importance of those who are serving our country and to remind them of the sacrifices those in the military make on a daily basis for our freedom,” Baker said. Powhatan Elementary School will hold its annual Veterans Day program featuring first- and fourth-graders. The event will be at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11 in the school cafeteria. The Pocahontas Middle School Band will also perform, said Gina Dickerson, who plans the program. see VETERANS page 3A

The major focus of the discussion on private roads revolved around family subdivisions, which is when landowners divide off a piece of their properties for a family member such as a child, grandchild or a parent. Going into the discussion, the direction Schardein was trying to clarify was that private roads are only permitted for internal roads in gated residential communities, family divisions of one to two lots and industrial/ business parks. If built to the standards of the ordinance, no planning commission or board approval is required. There is no exception process to build private roads otherwise, except with the general exception process of the ordinance, which may be applied but has a high threshold of hardship to meet. One change the board seemed in favor of was allowing up to 10 family divisions before divisions have to be reviewed by the planning commission or the supervisors. Public roads are required on see SUBDIVISION page 5A


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