10/28/2015

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Powhatan, Virginia

Vol. XXVIII No. 43

The hometown paper of Bertha Crowder

‘Festival of the Grape’

Powhatan High School 2015 Homecoming Queen & King

Draws thousands to Powhatan By Laura McFarland News Editor

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OWHATAN – Like fine wine, Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape is getting better with age if Saturday’s full crowd is any indicator. Cool but calm weather, upbeat music, a wide variety of craft and food vendors and 25 Virginia wineries and vineyards sharing the fruits of their labor kept the mood buoyant in the festival’s 13th year. Although final numbers weren’t in by press time, presales for the event exceeded 2014 numbers and the crowd was expected to swell to about 8,000, said Angie Cabell, executive director of the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event. The wine festival has steadily built a great reputation in the state as one both vendors and festival goers want to attend, she

October 28, 2015

PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

The 25 wineries and vineyards that participate had nonstop crowds surrounding their tents. See photos on page 7B.

said. If it weren’t for issues providing sufficient parking, the festival could expand even more, she added. “There is not place better to be than Powhatan. Look at the venue,” she said, gesturing to the Village and Powhatan County Courthouse area. “It’s phenomenal.” Powhatan’s event is one of James River Cellars’ top three wine festivals to attend every year, said Angela Sanders, festival manager for the Glen Allen winery. She said the winery keeps coming back because the event does great business for them and is so well organized. “We hear a lot of positive things from people who show up at the winery, even if they don’t live in Powhatan. It has a very positive reputation,” Sanders said. Nancy Richards of Powhatan County has attended the festival since

PHOTOS BY ANJIE HENLEY

Above, Bailey Johnson, Homecoming queen, is congratulated by her father, Heath Johnson.

the beginning, only missing one year. She attends with a group of girlfriends who all leave the “hubbies” at home so they can have a ladies day out enjoying the music, wine and shopping, she said. “We even come in the rain. We don’t miss it unless it’s something big,” she said. Powhatan has one of the better run wine festiFramed by the JROTC vals out there today, said sabre team, Adam Nancy Lee, owner of AlHockaday is crowned ways a Happy Hour, a venHomecoming king. dor selling a variety of He was escorted by wine-related merchandise. Homecoming queen Bailey Johnson his mother, Michelle She travels to 38 wine fesand Homecoming king Adam Hockaday Hockaday, and tivals in four states every pose at the Powhatan High School grandmother, Nonnie year, and Powhatan is one Homecoming football game on Oct. 16. Cooke. she doesn’t miss, both for the business she does and the tone of the festival. “The atmosphere is electric. It’s fun and totally insane,” she said. “Once By Laura McFarland the crowd gets in here they News Editor are excited about the wine, the food and the music. POWHATAN – PowhatThey were dancing in the an residents who saw a lake streets. bordering their properties inexplicably drain of all its water say they are heartbroken at the loss. Lake Louise, located in the Red Lane Subdivision, PHOTOS BY LAURA MCFARLAND drained of almost all of its ments while operating water on the morning of Residents of the Red Lane Subdivision stand below the state average Saturday, Oct. 17, and the beside what used to be Lake Louise. The 6.5in cost per child. residents who once enjoyed acre lake suddenly and mysteriously drained on Kunka said he supall it had to offer are now Oct. 17 and the residents are at a loss on how ports the board’s decision baffled about what to do. to fix the problem. to move forward with The body of water that construction of a new was a beloved fishing spot, a middle school, grades six place to enjoy wildlife, an to eight, on the site of the occasional swimming pool outdated junior high and a constant source of vischool. sual pleasure for the resiThis has become a dents is now a smelly mud necessity so Powhatan bog with almost all visible may provide its children signs of life gone, Janet with a state-of-the-art Newton, who lives on Lake learning environment in Louise Drive, said. these important forma“It is heartbreaking. It tive years, he said. The was absolutely beautiful. new school will allow My grandson and son both on Lake Louise Drive, said. utary stream is still feeding the district to educate the caught their first fish here. A vertical drain culvert water into it, a small amount same number of students We enjoyed it by just com- keeps the lake at a certain of water is pooling on one in five buildings instead ing out and sitting and level so it doesn’t flood the side, with any water above of six, saving Powhatan watching the egrets that road or neighboring proper- that level still draining out County money in energy, came around and the tur- ties. It drains into a horizon- under Mountain View Road, repairs, and maintetal culvert that goes under John Ritz, who lives on tles,” she said. nance. What happened to the road and empties into a Lake Louise Drive, said. In “I love this county change the landscape so spillway on the other side. a way, that is a good thing. and I love our excellent As far as the residents “If it were fixed, it should drastically that morning is school system. I hope to still not known for sure. have been able to ascertain fill up on its own,” he said. see you at the polls on Lake Louise is fed by a trib- thus far, something appears Nov. 3,” Kunka said. utary stream on one end and to have given out where the Gone without warning Laura McFarland has an outlet at the other end two culverts meet, and the may be reached at LmcAs far as residents can by way of a culvert that goes lake drained out, he said. farland@powhatantoThe lake drained comunder Mountain View Road, day.com. Joe Washington, who lives pletely, but because the tribsee LAKE page 2A

Neighbors heartbroken by loss of lake

Kunka running for school board By Laura McFarland News Editor

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OWHATAN – James Kunka has announced he is running for re-election for the Powhatan County School Board District 2 seat. He asked District 2 to let him continue to help shape the future of Powhatan’s excellent school system. Decisions made by the school board are collaborative between five elected representatives. Success does not come from the will of one person. Success comes from listening, careful study of the issues, and building a consensus toward a viable solution, he said. “My goal is to have the best solution for our children of Powhatan County. I ask three simple questions: Is it in the best interest of the children? Is it in the best in-

terest of the staff of Powhatan Schools? Is it in the best interest of the parents and citizens of Powhatan County?” Kunka said. The schools must run as efficiently as possible and, as with any organization, seek to continual-

KUNKA ly improve, Kunka said. They must continually strive for higher academic achievement and to expand their curriculum so that all students are knowledgeable, successful citizens. With fully accredited schools, the staff deserves accolades for their accomplish-

Inside B6 Every vote in Powhatan County matters

Sports B1 Powhatan falls after early deficit

Index Calendar Classified Letters Obituaries Opinion TV Listings

A2 B8-9 A7 A2 A7 B4-7


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