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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Herbert W. Morton
Vol. XXVII No. 50
December 17, 2014
Festive Powhatan Christmas Parade
PHOTOS BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Left, a members of Powhatan County Volunteer Fire Department‘s Company 1 hands out candy to children on the parade route of the Powhatan Christmas Parade on Dec. 13. The 2014 Christmas Mother Fran Carleton, shown right with her husband Bub, rode in the parade, which had more than 100 entries and hundreds of spectators watching.
Nordvig to run for supervisor seat By Laura McFarland
By Laura McFarland News Editor
T
News Editor
Larry Nordvig became the first candidate to throw his hat in the ring for the soon-to-be vacant post representing District 2 on the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors. Nordvig announced on Tuesday, Dec. 9 that he intended to run for the office in a special election to be held on Feb. 10. He said he was recently confirmed as the Republican Party candidate in the race. The seat is currently held by Jason Moore, who has resigned effective Feb. 8 because he is running in the special election for the Powhatan County Commonwealth’s Attorney position on Feb. 10. Nordvig said he is
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committed to keeping Powhatan’s natural beauty intact and is running on the platform of “low taxes, property rights and no urban sprawl.” He said he is confident that it is possible to create a more businessfriendly environment while simultaneously protecting the “rural feel” treasured by Powhatan County residents. “As county supervisee NORDVIG page 5A
he holiday greeting “Merry Christmas” was a source of contention at the Powhatan County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Seven county residents spoke during the meeting in support of a request to put the phrase “Merry Christmas” on the marquees in front of Powhatan County’s six schools instead of or in addition to phrases such as “Happy Holidays” or “Winter Break.” The charge was led by Christopher Smith of Powhatan, who had already spoken in front of the school board in October to bring the issue to the members’ attention and request a change. He first brought the issue up at the board’s workshop and meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Christopher Smith, right, and Charles Simons both spoke at the Dec. 9 Powhatan County School Board meeting to lobby to have “Merry Christmas” put on the schools’ marquees.
At the Dec. 9 meeting, Christopher Smith spoke again during both public comment periods to make his point. He presented a petition he said had 248 signatures of Powhatan County residents in support of putting “Merry
Christmas” on the marquees and said the list was “growing very rapidly.” “No we do not have all 28,000 residents’ signatures, but guess what, they are still being signed and a lot of people just don’t know enough about it yet,” he
said. Christopher Smith said he came “in the name of Jesus Christ” to speak as an ambassador in defense of him. “America is a country see MARQUEE page 2A
Community cookbook dishes up Powhatan By Laura McFarland News Editor
S
ome of Powhatan County’s best kept culinary secrets have been revealed with the release of the Coalition of Powhatan Churches’ new “Blessed Recipes” cookbook. Released this month, the 536-page spiral cookbook features more than 1,000 recipes from local men and women, Patsy Goodwyn, director of the coalition, said. “They are from gobs and gobs of people. They are all from about 20 churches in the counties. They are from family and friends. It was a great success as far as getting recipes,” she said. Once people heard that the cookbook is a fundraiser for the Ruby Leonard Food Pantry Building Fund, they PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND were happy to help, she said. Nancy Alexander and Patsy Goodwyn hold Goodwyn said she took a leap of faith and ordered 500 copies of the Coalition of Powhatan Churches’ copies of the cookbook to sell. Selling for $22, it’s a great new “Blessed Recipes” cookbook. The cost is $22.
Inside
Sports
A6 Holiday Fun at local Christmas events
B1 New-andimproved Knights lose high-scoring affair to Amelia Academy in final seconds
last-minute gift for Christmas, she added with a smile. A big part of the appeal of “Blessed Recipes” is the cross-section of Powhatan County culinary traditions it captures. Submissions ranged from original recipes to old family favorites. The cover image designed by retired Powhatan High School art teacher Carol Baltimore captures the feel of the book, with several dishes sitting next to a window that looks out on a country church, Goodwyn said. Several recipes were submitted in honor of loved ones who have passed but the memory of them and their food lives on, Nancy Alexander, a member of the Coalition, said. She entered several recipes including one that was her mother’s version of rolls. “Her rolls were always perfect.” She submitted two recipes on behalf of her daughters, including one for cornbread that she sometimes takes to see COOKBOOK page 7A
Index Calendar Classified Crossword Horoscope Obituaries Opinion TV Listings
A3 B 6-7 A7 A9 A5 A8 B8-9