02/08/2017

Page 1

Inside

Powhatan, Virginia

A5 Student artwork chosen for birthday cards B1 Powhatan wins Conference 20 wrestling title

Vol. XXX No. 6

February 8, 2017

Walters named school board chairman By Laura McFarland News Editor

P

OWHATAN – The Powhatan County School Board named its newest member as the 2017 chairman when the board met on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Joe Walters, who represents District 4, was approved unanimously by his fellow board members in a vote taken at the board’s first 2017 meeting. In board comments at the end of the meeting, he thanked Kim Hymel, District 5, for nominating him and the other board members for voting him into the position. He also thanked outgoing chairman Jim Kunka, District 2, for his

service in the role and said he “will certainly try to live up to the model that you presented.” “I learned a long time ago that you try everything and do the best that you can. And that is what I will aspire to do in this role. I thank you for voting for me and I would appreciate your support,” Walters said. “I will simply try to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Kunka and his predecessors and we will continue to try to do good work for the citizens of Powhatan.” The nomination and election of Valarie Ayers, District 3, as vice chairman went just as smoothly at the start of the meeting, but during board comments, the 22-year veter-

Supervisor chosen as vice chair of committee By Laura McFarland

WALTERS an board member expressed her disappointment at having been chosen. Ayers said she felt “blindsided” by the way the elections turned out. She said she felt several board members had informally agreed before the meeting that Walters would

be vice chair and Rick Cole, District 1, would be chair. She said she had expressed to some of them ahead of time that she didn’t want either of the roles as she is currently too busy with family situations. “I have no issue with Mr. Walters being named chairman. I do have an issue with this board that not one person called me and offered any information,” she said. “I talked to Mr. Walters prior to the meeting and he said he wanted to be vice chair. So I was blindsided. And when people do that in public, it’s embarrassing. I was embarrassed that this board did not even have the desire to call each other or talk to each other about what our plans were for

tonight.” In a separate interview after the meeting, when asked why she didn’t turn down Cole’s nomination of her as vice chairman, she said she was still so preoccupied with the results of the chairman election that she “didn’t even say yea or nay. I was so shocked I didn’t even know what to do.” “That is why I said what I said at the end of the meeting, because I felt totally blindsided,” she said. “It totally threw me for a loop and I couldn’t even think about what was going on. I was so dismayed that it just wasn’t working the way it was supposed to be.” see WALTERS page 6A

Belmead sale outcome likely to remain unknown for near future By Laura McFarland

News Editor

News Editor

POWHATAN – Powhatan County Board of Supervisors member Angie Cabell was recently appointed co-vice chair of the Capital Region Collaborative in a move that established an offiCABELL cial leadership succession plan in the regional partnership. The new leadership was appointed on Friday, Jan. 27 by the organizing council of the Capital Region Collaborative (CRC). The group brings together government, business, and community stakeholders to achieve a shared vision for the Richmond Region. The organizing council sets the direction of the CRC to align community resources and help partners make data-driven decisions.

Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19

see CABELL page 8A

POWHATAN – Those interested in knowing what lies in store for the future of the historic Belmead property likely have a lengthy wait ahead of them. The outcome of the sale of the 2,200-plus acre property in Powhatan County will likely not be known for weeks or even months, according to Joshua Lanesky, vice president of Plante Moran Real Estate Investment Advisors, the firm handling the sale. The company was hired by the Sisters of the Blessed to conduct a process known as a request for proposal (RFP), and interested parties had until a Dec. 19 deadline to submit proposals that detailed their monetary offers and plans for the

FILE PHOTO

The future of the historic Belmead property is likely to remain unknown for months as proposals to buy it are considered.

property if they were the winning bidder. Lanesky said the company is still reviewing the proposals that came in and has already started interview-

ing some of the people who submitted proposals. He did not release how many proposals were submitsee BELMEAD page 6A

Teen represents 4-H at conference, inauguration By Laura McFarland

DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139

News Editor

POWHATAN – A Powhatan High School senior recently got a closer look at what make government tick, including getting the opportunity to watch democracy in action when he attended the presidential inauguration. Dakota Stroud, 17, represented Powhatan County and the region when he was one of six high school students from around the state chosen to attend a national 4-H leadership conference called Citizenship Washington Focus Presidential Inauguration from Jan. 17 to 20. Stroud is a member of two local 4-H groups, Foal’N Around 4-H and Powhatan 4-H Teen Council, and has been involved in the program for the last two years. This coming year, Stroud said he is planning see 4-H page 3A

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Powhatan High School senior Dakota Stroud, center, represented Powhatan County and central Virginia at a national leadership conference. Among the activities the group participated in was attending the presidential inauguration.

Andrew Cheshire wins district spelling bee Staff Report

P

OWHATAN – Powhatan Elementary School fourth-grader Andrew Cheshire recently earned the honor of top young speller in the district and will go on to represent Powhatan County Public Schools at the regional level. Andrew was the division wide winner at the 2017 District Spelling Bee held on Friday, Jan. 20 at Pocahontas Elementary School. He will go on to represent the district at the regional bee. Jesse Whiting, a fourth-

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Dr. Eric Jones, back left, and three school board members honor the 2017 District Spelling Bee’s top spellers. Jesse Whiting, left, was runner up, and Andrew Cheshire, right, was the winner of the bee.

grader at Pocahontas Elementary School, was the runner up. The district bee featured the grade level winners from all three elementary schools and Pocahontas Middle School. Andrew’s winning word was antidote, and the losing word by Jesse was artillery. The grade level winners were: Flat Rock Elementary School – Logan Thompson, fourth grade, and Gracelin see BEE page 10A


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.