50¢
Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Antionette Ashburn
Vol. XXVII No. 32
Hill seeks to set teens on right path
Funds approved for new playground equipment By Laura McFarland News Editor
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
T
News Editor
alk to Lucky Hill for any length of time and the John Wayne quote on a plaque on his desk makes perfect sense. “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway,” the sign proclaims, and Hill has given much the same message to every
Supervisor Bill Melton, who represents District 4, where the playground is located, made it a priority to replace he Powhatan County Board the equipment as soon as possible. The county has $37,255 of cash of Supervisors voted on Monday, Aug. 4 to approve proffers that must be spent on parks funds to replace play- and $58,106 of cash proffers that ground equipment in Fighting could be spent on parks, Weiler said. Creek Park that was removed in The cash proffers being drawn together for the project were intended for June. The board appropriated $95,361 parks and recreation, public works, for the purchase of new playground health and welfare, community development, and general and equipment. judicial areas. Two large playground Using the proffers alstructures were dismantled lows the county to purafter public works departchase new equipment this ment staff noticed rotting summer, Weiler said. in the pressure treated At the time of the wood posts that supported meeting, the county had them. The structures were advertised to receive more than a decade old. quotes for playground County staff was asked equipment and expected to look for funding sources, WEILER them in within a week, including state and federal grants, Pat Weiler, county administra- she said. The four supervisors at the meettor, said. But with the timing of the grant ing approved the resolution unaniprocess, even if the county was suc- mously. Barry Hodge, District 3, was cessful in receiving one, it would be not present. In the same resolution, the supersummer 2015 before the new equipvisors also voted to allocate $500,000 ment could be purchased, she said. Community reaction after the for a bus garage and $77,099 for new playground structures were taken vehicles for the Powhatan County down showed what staff knew all Sheriff’s Office. along – that the playground is imporsee BOARD page 2A tant to county residents, Weiler said.
T
Lucky Hill sees his role as Powhatan County’s community juvenile officer as a way to connect with teens who are struggling and help them get on
By Laura McFarland
August 13, 2014
teen he has dealt with in his role as Powhatan County’s community juvenile officer since December 2005. Teens who came to Hill have made a mistake – or several – ranging anywhere from stealing to fighting to drug charges or worse. They go before the Powhatan Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, are found guilty, and receive either comsee HILL page 7A
Access to online puts law libraries in easy reach By Laura McFarland News Editor
T
he clerk of the Powhatan County Circuit Court and the Powhatan County Public Library have teamed up to offer people a better opportunity to understand state law. Both locations launched free online access to the Westlaw Next law databases last month so people with questions about Virginia law have a place to go for information and insights. Instead of thick tomes with sometimes difficult to find information, people may now use a Google-like search engine that lets them use common language instead of legal terms, Teresa Hash Dobbins, clerk of the court, said. “It provides the attorneys and the public the most current and updated version of the Virginia code,” she said. “I think it simplifies the process for the
public.” The clerk’s office is required by law to have a law library, and it does – in a locked room down the hall to protect the books, Dobbins said. With the new system, someone can log onto a computer in the clerk’s office, where a staff member can show them how to use the system and come help them if they have a problem. The system works much the same at the Powhatan Library, director Peggy Martin said. One of the computers has the law library software, so people can sign up for access and have staff members on hand with questions about the system if needed. Neither staff is allowed to dispense legal advice, Dobbins said, but they can show people how to do searches on what they want to find.
Teresa Hash Dobbins, clerk of the Powhatan County Circuit Court, shows just a few of the law tomes that would have been searched by people before the office subscribed to the Westlaw Next law database in July. The library also became a subscriber, and the service is free for people to access.
see LAW page 2A PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
K I D S H AV E F U N AT P OW H ATA N S U M M E R S C H O O L
Powhatan County kindergartners through seniors kept their brains in top condition this summer with summer school classes and camps held at Powhatan High and Flat Rock Elementary schools. Shown are, photo at right, Barbara Adcock’s Engineering Camp students show off the parachute devices they built and tested by dropping them from a second story. The photo at the extreme right shows students complete learning activities designed to engage and educate.
MORE PHOTOS
ON PAGE 3
Inside A8 Village Vibe People were ready to let loose and dance to the music of the Flashback Band at the Chamber of Commerce’s final Village Vibe concert on Friday, Aug. 8.
PHOTOS BY SANDY LYNCH
Sports B1 Powhatan High School varsity volleyball program welcomes new head coach.
Index Calendar Classified Crossword Horoscope Obituaries Opinion TV Listings
A5 B6-7 A7 A7 A4 A6 B4-5