Inside A3 ‘The Good Lord Bird’ filming in Powhatan
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Powhatan routs George Wythe at James W. Woodson Stadium
Vol. XXXIII No. o. 13
September 18, 2019
Russ Holland runs to honor 9/11 firefighters By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – Round and round he went, growing more tired and dealing with increasing aches and pains as each hour passed. Still he carried on. Even as Russ Holland Jr.’s muscles grew weary from repetitive use, his body became overheated from the punishing afternoon sun, and his feet burned from the impact of hitting the hard surface of the track thousands of times, he carried on. Holland had set himself a goal, and he was determined to meet it. At 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, he started running laps around the track at Powhatan High School. His goal was to run, walk, or crawl, if nec-
PHOTOS BY LAURA McFARLAND
Russ Holland Jr., shown inset and in the red shorts, ran 343 laps in honor of 9/11 firefighters who lost their lives and to raise money for local fire and rescue personnel, who he asked to join him on his last lap around the track at Powhatan High School.
Powhatan sees 5.9 percent uptick in visitor spending By Laura McFarland Editor
see VISITORS, pg. 4
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
POWHATAN – Tourism in Powhatan County generated $9.9 million in visitor spending in 2018, representing a 5.9 percent increase over the previous year, according to the United States Travel Association. The organization recently released data for spending in the Richmond region, which saw $2.6 billion generated in the Richmond Region Tourism partner localities – including the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan, the town of Ashland and the city of Richmond, according to a release. Powhatan by far generated the least amount of revenue
among the six localities whose data was provided. However, the 5.9 percent growth it saw was the highest among the localities as well as being above the overall region growth of 5 percent. All data was received by the VTC from US Travel and is based on domestic visitor spending (travelers from within the United States) from trips taken 50 miles or more away from home. According to the report, which was commissioned by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the county’s total revenue from tourism in 2018 was $9,903,354, up from $9,349,186 the year before. The report showed total revenue increasing steadily for the last five years. In 2018, Pow-
essary, around the track 343 times – one lap for each firefighter with the New York Fire Department who lost his life in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. In the 19 ½ hours that followed, that purpose was never far from view. As Holland started each successive lap, a volunteer would stand by the track holding a photo of one of those brave men. Nearby, another volb unteer announced the lap number and read the name of the firefighter. Along one stretch of fence line, the names of all 343 men were displayed on posters. Holland, 49, of Powhatan see HOLLAND, pg. 6
PHS Marching Band Camp puts students to the test By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – The Powhatan High School Marching Band is constantly stepping up its game. Many people love watching the band when they perform for the first time each school year at the Powhatan Labor Day Parade or when attending local football games. Others know their outstanding reputation for marching competition performances throughout the state. PHOTO COURTESY OF KIM BRANCH But before any of those Junior Carter Branch plays great performances can bass clarinet during Powhatan come to fruition, the marchHigh School Marching Band’s ing band has to go through a summer camp.
grueling rite of passage – band camp. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday for two weeks before the first week of school, the students who make up the marching band train together to make sure their music, formations, and teamwork are as close to perfect as they can get, said Nicholas Snead, director of bands. The marching band is made up of about 115 students, including wind, percussion and color guard. “This helps them build repetition because it takes a lot to get this entire show on. This wouldn’t be something see MARCHING, pg. 4
DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139
Schools welcome new teachers, staff for 2019-2020
PHOTO COURTESY OF POWHATAN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Powhatan County Public Schools welcomed a wide range of new staff members for the 2019-2020 school year. Shown are, first row, from left, Bryanna Schoenblatt, Jennifer Faria, Rebecca Carmichael, Parker Mead, Adam Altizer, Stephanie Miller, Cullen Freund, Maria Schroeder, Dora Boone, Jennifer Armstrong, Nicole Arnold; second row, Stephanie Epps, Katie Barnard, Erin Jordan, Katie Clark, Jeffery Cherry, Lisa Brown, Robert Cook, Lindsay Salyers, Kaitlin Long, Corbin Wright, Mary Johnson; third row, Blake Derby, Paul Williams, Alex Schwendeman, and Rebecca Bowman.
Discussion on renaming of former middle school renewed By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – Discussion was briefly renewed last week at a Powhatan School Board meeting on the topic of renaming Pocahontas Middle School. The middle school, which closed when Powhatan Middle School opened, will serve as the future site of the school administration office and other uses. Rather than continue to have people call it the “old middle school” staff have been
discussing possibilities that both honor the building’s history and point to its varied future uses, said Dr. Eric Jones, superintendent. When introducing the topic, Jones said the initial staff recommendation to the school board is to rename the building Pocahontas Landmark Complex, he said. Everyone involved in the discussion had agreed Pocahontas should stay in the name. Landmark is a nod to the status the building achieved a few years ago to recognize its history as a formerly
all-black learning institution. Complex refers to the many different uses the building will have moving forward, including housing the county’s parks and recreation department and the Christmas Mother program’s headquarters. Jones pointed out there is no time limit on this discussion; staff is simply bringing the topic forward for further discussion. The building is expected to be finished with renovations and ready see RENAMING, pg. 4