Inside B1 Indians comeback falls short in state semis
Powhatan, Virginia
SUNDAY JUNE 18
Vol. XXX No. 24
June 14, 2017
Powhatan High School Class of 2017 graduates
Gillespie wins regional telecommunicator award By Laura McFarland News Editor
P
OWHATAN – Cindy Gillespie, the dispatch manager of Powhatan 911 communications, was recently honored with the 2017 Regional Award for Outstanding Telecommunications Officer/Dispatcher for her efforts to bring better emergency responses to the county. Gillespie was recognized during an awards ceremony for Old Dominion Emergency Medical Service Alliance (ODEMSA) held on Saturday, May 20. She won the title for the Old Dominion Region, one of 11 regions in the state, and will be recognized again at the 38th Annual Virginia EMS Symposium during the awards banquet. She is also now in consideration to win the 2017 Governor’s see AWARD, pg. 2
Madelyn Lent ANJIE KAY FOR POWHATAN TODAY
Above, Powhatan High School principal Mike Massa speaks during the graduation of the Class of 2017, held on June 10 in the high school gym. This year marked the end of his first full year as principal. Below, the students participate in a favorite tradition among graduates – tossing their caps in the air when they have officially graduated. See C section for more coverage.
Anna Christovich
Christovich, Lent share co-valedictorian By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – Anna Christovich and Madelyn Lent lead the 2017 Class of Powhatan High School as co-valedictorians, each earning a grade point average of 4.7143. Christovich is the daughter of Regina and David Christovich of
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Cindy Gillespie was recently honored with a regional award for Outstanding Telecommunications Officer.
Powhatan. She plans to major in chemical engineering at Virginia Tech starting in the fall. While a student at the high school, she was president of the National English Honor Society; secretary of the National Honor Society; a member of the Computer Science Honors Society; a Student see SHARE pg. 8
By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – An Amelia County man killed on Sunday, June 4, in a twovehicle accident had strong ties to Powhatan County, where his family owned and operated Country Food and Furniture. Brent. L. Mast, 20, was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Amelia County at about 12:20 p.m. at the intersection of Route 360 westbound and Whitaker Road, according to Sgt. Stephan M. Vick, a spokesperson for the Virginia State Police. A 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup pulling a horse trailer was traveling west on Route 360, when a 2008 Chevrolet Impala pulled out from Whitaker Road into the path of the pickup. The
pickup was unable to avoid the vehicle and struck the Chevrolet in the driver’s side door, Vick said. The driver of the 2008 Chevrolet Impala, Brent Mast, died at the scene, while a male juvenile passenger in the Chevrolet was transported to VCU Medical Center via Med-Flight for serious injuries, Vick said. The driver and sole occupant of the 2008 Dodge, Barbara Learned, 60 of Clarksville, was transported to Swift Creek Emergency Room with non-life threatening injuries, Vick said. There was one horse in the trailer that was not injured. All were wearing seatbelts. Virginia State Police Senior Trooper T. C. Smith is investigating the crash. There are no charges in the crash. According to messages posted
through Brent Mast’s Facebook page, one of his three brothers was the passenger who was taken to the hospital. The message said the young men were leaving church at Piedmont Mennonite Church and pulling out onto Route 360 when their vehicle was struck. The Mast family has owned and operated Country Food and Furniture, located at 1901 Anderson Highway, since 2003, according to the post. The message said Brent Mast was one of four boys in the family, three of whom worked in the store, and that he “loved working in the store.” A Facebook page titled “Remembering Brent Mast” has been created at www.facebook.com/RememberingBrent-Mast-309603319491386/. Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.
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