Inside A3 Powhatan man charged with abusing 5 horses
Powhatan, Virginia
B1 Powhatan alum, dual-sport college athlete named to national scholars of distinction team
Vol. XXXIII No. o. 40
April 1, 2020
Schools offer flexibility to aid graduation
Powhatan businesses coping with crisis
Staff Report
By Laura McFarland Editor
P
OWHATAN – Businesses of all sizes across the nation have been feeling the mounting pressure and financial blows caused in recent weeks by the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the uncertainty it has left in its wake. School closures and rapidly changing government guidance to residents and businesses have severely limited or shut down businesses altogether.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Three Crosses Distilling Co. co-owner Michelle Davenport, right, shows hand sanitizers the business began making to help others and stay solvent. Her children, Jack and Ella, have been helping.
For the filing week ending March 21, the Virginia Unemployment Commission received 46,277
unadjusted initial unemployment claims, up from 2,706 claims the see BUSINESSES, pg. 7
Local man dies after allegedly shooting three in domestic dispute By Laura McFarland Editor
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
POWHATAN – A Powhatan man suspected of shooting three people last week in an apparent domestic dispute was found dead several hours later in his home, according to the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office. After roughly seven hours of surrounding a residence in the 5000 block of Old Buckingham Road, law enforcement entered the home in the early hours of Tuesday, March 24 and found suspected
gunman Raymond Morlock Jr., 56, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Sheriff Brad Nunnally said. The sheriff’s office had responded to a call that came in just before 8 p.m. on Monday, March 23 of a domestic dispute in progress. The caller said a family member had a gun and was pointing it at people, Jeffery S. Searfoss, chief deputy, said in a release. Seconds later three people were shot. All three victims fled the residence and, when found by responding deputies, told them that
see DOMESTIC, pg. 4
Two people test positive for COVID-19 in Powhatan By Laura McFarland Editor
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the shooter had gone back into the house, he said. Deputies attended to the victims and established a perimeter around the residence, Searfoss said. One victim was transported by MedFlight and the other two were transported by ambulance to the hospital. All three are injured but alive as of Thursday. One of the victim’s, Morlock’s wife, advised a detective that her husband shot her, their stepdaughter, and her boyfriend, and remained in the house with “multiple
POWHATAN – Powhatan officials received notification Monday of what is believed to be two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county as the situation continues to worsen in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) notified the county on March 30 that it had confirmed two presumptive positive tests in Powhatan, interim county administrator Bret Schardein said. He was still waiting for additional information about the patients, their condition, and possible exposure risks at
press time on Monday. “You certainly hold out hope that somehow we would be spared, but I think the reality was we knew almost certainly it would be when it happens, not if it happens,” Schardein said. “The things we have been doing and putting in place, those aren’t going to change. The social distancing, hand washing, and all the things that our citizens have been doing, those shouldn’t change. “I think it makes it a little more real for us, but it doesn’t fundamentally change what we should be doing,” he said. Gov. Ralph Northam held a see PATIENT, pg. 5
Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced on March 24 that he is using his authority under Governor Ralph Northam’s Executive Order 51 to ensure that high school seniors who were on track to earn a diploma later this spring are able to graduate, despite the closure of schools for the remainder of the year as a means of slowing the spread of COVID-19. “The governor and I agree that every student who was on a trajectory toward earning a diploma should be able to graduate on time and move on to the next stage of his or her life,” Lane said. “I hope the flexibility that I am announcing today will help students and teachers as they cope with the deep disappointment of having their time together unexpectedly cut short and of not being able to enjoy the recognitions and celebrations that should be a part of every student’s graduation experience.” Dr. Eric Jones, superintendent of Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS), followed that announcement with localized instructions shared on Friday, March 27 detailing how the division will move forward. Jones said he was shocked when the governor closed schools for the remainder of the year. He added PCPS staff members have worked tirelessly since the announcement to modify and update the division’s continuity of learning plan for this extended closure and appreciate families’ patience as they work through this unprecedented situation. The division received new information and guidance from the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Health, Jones said. Staff has also communicated with school divisions in the region and across the state to glean best practices.
Staff also expressed appreciation to teachers, parents, students, and other stakeholders who have reached out with questions and comments via email, surveys, and calls to help develop this plan to meet the needs of the community. A Virginia Department of Education parent guide is available at http://www. doe.virginia.gov/support/ health_medical/office/covid-19-parent-guide.shtml.
Instruction During the initial school closure through April 3, the division provided electronic and hardcopy learning resources that have reinforced what students have learned so far this year as part of our Distance Learning Plan. No materials will be distributed for spring break so families can enjoy that time to the extent that they can. The Virginia Department of Education has encouraged school divisions to identify required learning objectives that had not been delivered at the initial time of closure and develop a plan to offer this missing content to all students. PCPS plans to begin implementation of its updated Distance Learning Plan after spring break (April 14). Staff has identified the following goals for providing this instruction: Identify specific critical skills and content that had not been taught as of March 13 with a focus on skills and content required for future learning. Develop learning activities or modules to address the missing skills and content necessary for awarding a standard credit and prepare for subsequent content (grade level, content area). Develop an equitable plan for students to access content. Encourage innovasee FLEXIBILITY, pg. 2
Children perform acts of kindness during school closures By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – In a time of intense isolation, some local Powhatan children are using their time out of school to try to make their community a little better. Families all over the county are struggling to fill time previously taken up by full school days, afterschool activities, and sports. Now, many are left with wide open days and struggling with ways to fill them meaningfully. A few local parents shared how they have used some of their time at home to help make their children more aware of the positive role they can play in the county. They all agreed
that social distancing didn’t have to prevent them from making connections in meaningful ways. Flat Rock Elementary teacher Katie Clark said she has tried to keep a good routine with her two daughters, complete with getting up in the mornings and doing school work at a set time each day. She hasn’t struggled to find things to do so far, but that could change, so she is always looking for ideas. One idea she found that really inspired Kaya, 5, and Zoe, 7, was a movement children all around the world are embracing. Children in other countries and parts of the United States have been drawing pictures of rainbows and writing “Everything is going to see CHILDREN, pg. 5
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Kaya Clark puts a drawing she made on a neighbor’s mailbox to brighten their day.