Inside A8 Special service celebrates inclusivity
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Powhatan 3rd in Hawk Duals
Vol. XXXII No.. 29
January 9, 2019
Senate confirms Powhatan native Sloan in position at Air Force Academy By Laura McFarland News Editor
P
OWHATAN – A Powhatan High School alumnus who went on to build a distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a permanent professor at the Air Force Academy. With the confirmation, Col. Joel Sloan, the son of Fred and Grace Sloan, is one of five officers who was confirmed by the Senate in December. Joel Sloan also heads the department of civil and environmental engineering, a position he took over in July 2018 when his predecessor retired. The president nominates permanent professors at the service acade-
COL. JOEL SLOAN
mies and the Senate confirms the nominations via voice vote. It was a lengthy selection process that started
in early spring 2018, when Sloan was initially selected at the school. The application then slowly makes its way up through the ranks, ending with the president and Senate. “We have a little over 4,000 cadets here and to be in part responsible for generating the next generation of Air Force officers and leaders in the Air Force and for our nation is a very humbling responsibility,” he said. Sloan recalled waiting with his colleagues on Dec. 12, 2018, to learn that their confirmations had gone through the Senate. There is always a chance that something could happen at any point in the review process, he said, so it was definitely a big moment when see SLOAN, pg. 4
Baby Bryson recovering after heart transplant
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
A parking sign reserved for Purple Heart recipients has been put up at the War Memorial Bulding and other sites in Powhatan.
County takes on Purple Heart title By Laura McFarland News Editor
By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – Depending on how you look at it, the Slate family got the best Christmas present they could have received either a month early or a day late. Since Amanda and Chuck Slate of Powhatan had their second child, Bryson, on July 21, 2018, their life has been turned upside down. Soon after he was born, the couple learned Bryson had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. Almost from the beginning, they were told a life-saving heart CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS transplant was his best chance at survival. The infant boy was given that chance at a new life when he Above, Amanda and Chuck Slate hold their son Bryson for the first time after he received a heart transplant on Nov. 25. He is now out of the hospital.
DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
see BRYSON, pg. 5
FILE PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
The MLK Jr. Youth Day Community Breakfast will be at 8 a.m. on Jan. 21.
MLK breakfast celebrates youth By Laura McFarland News Editor
POWHATAN – With the MLK Jr. Youth Day Community Breakfast celebrating its eighth year in 2019, organizers
are proud of the steady growth and community involvement the event has seen through the years. The breakfast is a morning of celebration in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther see MLK, pg. 6
POWHATAN – Powhatan County recently accepted the mantle of being a Purple Heart County to honor the service and sacrifice of those citizens who were wounded or killed in combat in service to their country. During the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Monday, Dec. 17, the four board members present unanimously approved a proclamation recognizing Powhatan as a Purple Heart County. Tom Ashmore, a Powhatan resident and three-time recipient of the Purple Heart medal, spearheaded the effort to gain the county’s support in the endeavor, which he said was met with wholehearted support by the supervisors. The Purple Heart was the first American service award made available to the common soldier and it is awarded currently to any member of the United States Armed Forces wounded or killed in combat with a declared enemy of the United States. As there was not a consistent record kept since the award was established in 1932, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor can only estimate the total number that have been awarded. At this time, it estimated that there may have been 1.8 million Purple Hearts awarded, according to the museum’s website. Ashmore, who served with the U.S. Marines Corps from 1964 to 1968, was wounded three times during an 18-month deployment to Vietnam. Today, he is a member of the Greater Richmond Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, or Chapter 1965. The group has made efforts to raise awareness of the sacrifices made by veterans, and especially Purple Heart recipients, through community designations and special parking signs for medal recipients, Ashmore said. Since he is a Powhatan resident, Ashmore was asked to see if Powhatan would be receptive to the idea. He said he approached Bill Melton, who represents District 4, and found him and the see PURPLE HEART, pg. 6
Pair-a-Dice will be main fundraiser for Rotary Club Contributed Report The Rotary Club of Powhatan is preparing another fun “fundraising night” with Massino’s Casino’s providing professional dealers. Pair-A-Dice in Powhatan returns again on Friday, Janu-
ary 18 at the War Memorial Cultural Arts and Community Center, 2375 Skaggs Road. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and gaming starts at 7 p.m. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Evening activities include professional gaming tables, Atendees of the 2018 Pair-a-Dice Casino event watch a horse race. The event will be Rotary’s main fundraiser.
see PAIR, pg. 3