Inside A6 Cumberland High School Class of 2021 graduates
Powhatan, Virginia B1 Boys and girls lacrosse teams headed to regionals
Vol. XXXIV No. o. 48
June 2, 2021
Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan celebrates two decades of service By Laura McFarland Editor
P PHOTOS COURTESY OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY-POWHATAN
Above, volunteers raise the walls on partner family Jenny Hammond’s home in fall 2019. Below, a 2009 end-of-day gathering of volunteers at the Merrick family home.
OWHATAN – Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan is celebrating two decades of helping Powhatan residents get into a new home or safely remain in in one they already own. The nonprofit will mark its 20th anniversary this weekend with two days of activities – one public, one private – meant to both commemorate all that Habitat has accomplished through the years and look to the future and the good work yet to be done. Habitat for Humanity has been actively engaged in performing hundreds of critical home repairs throughout the county since 2010, when the program started, and built 14 homes since 2001 with the 15th
house set to be finished and dedicated next week, said Susan Winiecki, executive director of the local nonprofit since July 2020. By offering home stability, the nonprofit has sought to empower individuals and families. “Through the dozens of critical home repairs Habitat-Powhatan will do this year, we’ll help residents improve their safety and health, allowing them to remain independent longer,” she said. “By building houses and offering mortgages that do not eat up more than 30 percent of monthly income, families can establish a solid financial footing, begin saving and then planning for their own or their children’s futures.” Habitat is asking the public to come out to the Habitat ReStore on Saturday, June 5 to commemorate
Powhatan High School Class of 2021 graduates
this milestone at the 20th anniversary Sale-A-Bration. The event will be held from 9.a.m to 2 p.m. at the store at 1922 Urbine Road. The celebration will include games for adults and children, a raffle, and tons of new merchandise for sale. All proceeds benefit Habitat’s mission. The nonprofit will round out the weekend with a private event on Sunday, June 6 where it will recognize its founders, show appreciation for 2020-2021 volunteers, donors and sponsors, and share Habitat’s plans for the future. “Building awareness about the need for a variety of housing options across generations, from those in their 20s to older residents who are over-housed and cost-burdened, is part of our roadmap for the next see HABITAT, pg. 5
Businesses band together to fix road
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Powhatan High School Class of 2021 seniors celebrate as they are officially declared graduates. See graduation content in section C.
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
PHOTO COURTESY OF POWHATAN COUNTY
Amy Kingery announces run for District 2 seat
DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139
Contributed Report Amy Kingery has formally announced her candidacy for the 2nd District Board of Supervisors position in the upcoming special election on Nov. 2, 2021. Kingery will compete as an independent candidate for the honor of becoming Powhatan County’s District 2 Supervisor in November's special election. Having lived in District 2 for many years, Kingery has seen a lot of growth and change in the county and has a passion for maintaining the county’s peaceful rural character. She will encourage development that adheres to the county’s comprehensive plan, work to increase the commercial tax base and reduce the large subsidies for utilities paid for by residential tax payers. A strong supporter of individual and private property rights, the U.S. Constitution, and the Code of Virginia, she vows to encourage the board of supervisors to embrace and adopt ordinances to protect the rights of all citizens. Kingery has owned and managed a tactical equipment business for the past 23 years, which brings a wealth of experience in business strategy, effective communication, and financial expertise. Twelve years prior experience in the nuclear power industry has provided a well-
KINGERY rounded background in all phases of business and management. Along with her professional experience, her volunteer work has included being a board member of the National Association of Citizens on Patrol, a nonprofit organization that works to improve police and community relations through communitybased policing efforts, and being the treasurer of the Powhatan Republican committee. Kingery currently serves on the Powhatan County Planning Commission. Together with her husband of 34 years, Doug, Kingery moved to Powhatan when her husband retired as a police lieutenant and now calls Powhatan her “forever home.”
Shown is a turn lane on Anderson Highway near Stavemill Road that three local businesses fixed to improve its safety.
By Laura McFarland Editor
POWHATAN – Three Powhatan businesses were recently recognized for initiating and completing a road improvement project on Anderson Highway at their own expense. Benchmark Construction, Colony Construction, and Luck Stone were honored with a proclamation at the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, May 24 for the work they did in early 2021 on the Stavemill Crossing Development turn lane extension. The supervisors unanimously approved a proclamation recognizing the businesses for coming together to extend and improve the turn lane in front of the development on Anderson Highway. The project had an estimated value of $10,000, according to the proclamation. The original Stavemill Crossing plans from 2014 called for a turn lane into the development, but did not have it connected all the way back to the light at Stavemill and Route 60, said Bret Schardein, assistant county administrator. While additional shoulder pavement was laid down, it was not a full lane’s width
the whole distance and was not striped as a turn lane. “Sometime after that, VDOT went in and extended the turn lane by re-striping the extra pavement width. This allowed someone turning off of Stavemill onto 60 heading east to get into the turn lane without merging into the thru travel lanes on 60,” he said. “However, because they were restriping the existing pavement, there was a bump out of unpaved section that would narrow down the turn lane, causing most vehicles to have to either put right passenger side wheels off the pavement or put their driver’s side wheels into the main thru lane.” Don Balzer, co-owner of Benchmark Construction, said he would regularly drive by and was bothered by how unfinished the turn lane looked. He said his company was the developer that realigned Stavemill Road many years ago and put a tapered lane that ran into the existing highway. “It was bothering me because it looked like somebody had made a mistake and nobody tried to correct it. I hated seeing it because I live on Stavemill Road. On my way to my see ROAD, pg. 7