50¢
Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Dave M. Ingram
Vol. XXVIII No. 35
Powhatan Republicans challenge Va. election law Group wants party affiliations listed with names on general election ballot
By Laura McFarland
The plaintiffs on the case are Robert G. “Bob” Marcellus, who is running for the District 2 super-
News Editor
POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Republican Committee and four Republican candidates for the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors challenged state election law on Monday, Aug. 17, with a lawsuit filed in federal court. The local Republicans sued the Virginia State Board of Elections to challenge a state code they say would unconstitutionally prevent the political party affiliation of local candidates from being included on the Nov. 3 general election ballot next to the candidates’ names. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.
see Law page 4A
McSweeney
By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – Instead of a watery grave, the crew members of the Lady’s Slipper batteau are hoping to give their found vessel a good new life out of the water. The Powhatan-based boat wrecked in a storm during the 30th annual James River Batteau Festival in June and broke free of its moorings a few days later, crew member Gail Timberlake of Powhatan said. A week later, the boat was spotted caught on a tree on the bank of the James River and had to be towed downstream by canoes to pull it out of the water, she said. “The possibility of recovSUBMITTED PHOTO ering her once she was sight- A team of eight people tracked down the wrecked Lady’s Slipper batteau and ed was exciting to me be- floated it downriver so it could be taken out of the James River. cause I want to see her The crew members are long and weighs several thou- County Fair. become part of history. We One crew member wants haven’t made a decision on looking at options, though, sand pounds, was on display she said. from Aug. 20 to 22 at the Virto buy it and have it on diswhat we are going to do with The shallow water boat, ginia Canals and Navigations play at her winery, Grayhaven that beautiful girl,” Timberwhich is more than 42 feet Society’s tent at the Fluvanna lake said. see Batteau page 2A
Bailey vies for District 4 supervisor’s seat Bailey described himself as a staunch conservative who believes in limited News Editor government, fiscal responsibility, indiPOWHATAN – Dave Bailey has an- vidual freedom and individual responnounced that he is running for the Pow- sibility. hatan County Board of Supervisors Bailey is a 24-year Navy veteran District 4 seat. and president/CEO of a small government contractor that has provided technical support to the U.S. Department of Defense since 1991. He said he is also working hard on his farming skills since moving to Powhatan County. Based on his personal principles, Bailey said his intentions as a member of the board of supervisors are to address Powhatan County’s spiraling debt, currently at $120 million, and the “unbelievably high real estate tax rate of 90 cents per $100 of assessed value.” Bailey said he is in agreement with declarations of intent by the other four Republican candidates for board of supervisor, including the two incumbents. These promises include limiting county spending to core county funcBailey
tions such as education and infrastructure, to never increase property tax rates and to never allow a business gross receipts tax known as BPOL. This tax is imposed on gross receipts of any business, including home businesses. If imposed, the tax would discourage new businesses from locating in Powhatan and force existing businesses to either raise prices, lay off employees, or in a worse case, go out of business. Bailey said he moved to Powhatan to be near his children and grandchildren, who agree and believe it is the best place to live that they have seen. Bailey pledged to fight to balance the county budget, eliminate wasteful spending and lower real estate taxes to make Powhatan more affordable for everyone, not just rich people. He also pledged complete honesty and to actively engage his constituents to solicit their input. Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.
Inside
Sports
A3 Powhatan artist’s historic mural restored.
B1 Indians come out ahead 24-21 in benefit game with Bulldogs.
New sports editor hired Staff Report
Wrecked batteau to start new life
By Laura McFarland
August 26, 2015
Billy Fellin has joined the staff of Powhatan Today as sports editor. He brings experience from more than three years with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He arrived just as the high school football season prepares to kick off. He was on the sidelines Friday night for the scrimmage between Powhatan High School and Goochland High School. Fellin assumed the responsibilities of all Powhatan County Fellin sports coverage on Monday, Aug. 17. “We are very pleased to have a writer of Billy’s caliber join our team,” Joy Monopoli, publisher, said. “He understands and appreciates the role of the community newspaper. We welcome the talent he brings.” Fellin became an employee of the RTD in March 2011 and held a wide range of duties on the sports desk, including covering a specific high school sport each season and manning the nightly sports desk for game reports to covering the biannual NASCAR races at Richmond International Raceway. He also covered youth baseball and community sporting events, such as the Monument Avenue 10K. After over three years on the sports desk, Fellin moved to the Richmond. com web desk team at the RTD and then started a position in the communications department at RIR. A graduate of Mills Godwin High School in Henrico, Fellin graduated cum laude from Christopher Newport University with a degree in communication studies in 2010. While at CNU, he started his journalism career as a member of The Captain’s Log, the university newspaper. He rose from student reporter his first two years to assistant sports editor and then sports editor his senior year. He also helped produce, write and edit a multimedia sports show called “Oversee Fellin page 5A
Index Calendar A7 Classified B8-9 Crime Report A3 Letters A6 Obituaries A9 Opinion A6 Puzzles A7 TV Listings B6-7