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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Steve Carpenter
Vol. XXV No. 21
May 25, 2011
For the Birds County kids put their feathered friends on display at poultry show. See page 4A
Editor’s note: Due to early press deadlines, we were unable to include details of Sunday’s double homicide in this issue. Visit www.powhatantoday.com for updates on this story. A full report will be included in next week’s Powhatan Today
Burglars collared by sheriff convicted
Always a fighter, now a survivor Boatwright says cancer battle has been a ‘blessed’ journey
By Michael Copley Staff Writer
On Nov. 30, 2010, Powhatan‘s Sheriff Greg Neal was crisscrossing the eastern end of the county while deputies investigated a burglary on Mosley Road. A neighbor had provided poNeal lice a description of a truck that was seen in the area when the home’s alarm was triggered, and the sheriff was out looking for a match. Travelling east on U.S. 60, Neal spotted a truck that fit the description and radisee Burglars page 6A
Get ready to ‘click it’ – or else Annual safety promotion effort runs until June 5 By Michael Copley Staff Writer
An estimated 86 percent of drivers in Powhatan County wear their seat belt. That projection, provided by the county’s sheriff’s office, comes from observing 100 passing motorists at fixed locations throughout the county. After last year’s Click It or Ticket campaign, the sheriff’s office and Powhatan as a whole was recognized with
By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Long before her first radiation treatment, Ruth Boatwright knew cancer well. She’d met it countless times before, as it carried off one of her sisters, than another. It has taken her two brothers and the woman she’d called her best friend for over half a century. She knew the emptiness and the pain cancer trails behind it as it rips through families. But she’d never been its target. That all changed last January, when Boatwright was told she had breast cancer. Now, five months after she first received her diagnoses, Ruth Boatwright has learned to look cancer straight in the eye, steady herself, and call it a blessing. A blessing? “I know that makes no sense,” said Boatwright, sitting in her office last week, resuming her workday after yet another see Survivor page 3A
PHOTO BY SKIP ROWLAND
Theme for 2011 Relay For Life is ‘Heroes among us’ As Powhatan prepares for the 2011 Relay For Life event, organizers are encouraging residents to remember their heroes. The theme for this year’s Relay, Heroes among us, is meant to call attention to all those county residents who have worked so tirelessly to support others, said Gene Walton,
cochair of this year’s event. Among those, says Walton, are cancer survivors, cancer caregivers, veterans, troops, firefighters, law enforcement and emergency medical personnel. As the signature fund-raising event for the American Cancer Society, Relay For Life offers residents the chance to raise money through bake sales and other community events leading up to the annual walk-a-thon-style event at
Powhatan Junior High School. This year’s Relay will begin at 7 p.m. on June 3, with a special ceremony honoring “the community’s heroes” scheduled for 8:30 p.m. The Lyons family of Powhatan will be the honorary chairs for the event, in honor of Alice Lyons, who lost her brave fight against cancer last December. see Relay page 3A
Desvignes named County Fair Queen Forget that wedding business across the pond! Powhatan had reason to celebrate our own royalty last week when Powhatan High School senior Megan Desvignes was named the 2011 Powhatan County Fair Queen. Megan, the daughter of Holly and Robert Desvignes, said she was certainly surprised to hear that she had been selected as this year’s queen. “I didn’t know what to expect, but being selected wasn’t it,” she said of receiving the news May 15. The well-travelled honoree was born in Chicago, Illinois and has lived with her
family in Tennessee, Michigan, Kansas and Maryland before moving to Powhatan. When she isn’t sporting her crown, she says she likes hanging out with friends, dancing and swimming. As for her future plans, this year’s queen may someday be able to design her very own castle: after a two-year start at John Tyler, Desvignes plans to transfer to VCU to major in Architecture. –Roslyn Ryan
see Click It page 4A
Inside
Sports
Index
A2 Meet your neighbors Young Geography Bee whiz shares secret of his success far.
B1 Right on track Catch up with Powhatan’s results from last week’s Southside District track meet.
Calendar Classified Crossword Horoscope Obituaries
A6 B9 A11 A11 A8
Opinion Quotes Real Estate TV Listings
A10 A2 B10 B6-7