Powhatan Today –10/12/2022

‘Color Me Active’ event brings splash of fun to 55+ community

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

able to come together and enjoy activities at their own pace, she said.

Couple plans to create inclusive playground

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

POWHATAN

– For many of the people who participated in last week’s Color Me Active event, it was a day full of new experiences.

The event, put on by Powhatan County Reach for Active Services, aimed at providing a fun day of physical activities – plus some whimsy thanks to festive colored powders – for the 55+ community on Thursday, Oct. 6 at Fighting Creek Park.

Coordinator Jayne Lloyd said she had wanted to do a modified version of a color relay since a 55+ Health & Wellness Day held in April 2022. The population of 55+ in Powhatan consists of so many different agility levels, but that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t be

She added that Color Me Active was meant to not only promote community and the importance of staying active among 55+, but also to create a fun event in recognition of International Active Aging Week.

“We will look at doing this annually. It’s good to stay mindful of all of the benefits of active aging and events like this draw in the element of community. We learned so much about the use of space, things that can be added, crucial things that were needed I hadn’t thought of and two volunteers took initiative to provide, and ways we can improve on the concept,” Lloyd said. “As always communication about events and space are always our biggest hurdles.”

About 35 participants and volunteers spent several hours together at the event, with nine stations giving everyone a chance to get some physical activity. The day offered a chance to enjoy threewheeled bikes, a photo booth, lawn skee ball, grab and go, bocce

Powhatan Christmas Parade set for Dec. 10

The Powhatan

Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting will be held Dec. 10 in the Village, with the parade at 3 p.m. followed by the lighting.

POWHATAN – Hannah and Brandon Setzer still have a long way to go in their plans to build an inclusive playground in Powhatan County that can be used by people of all physical abilities, but they recently got a little closer to making their dream a reality.

The Powhatan couple has reached an agreement with Independence Golf Course that will allow them to build an inclusive playground on part of the property, which has been attracting a variety of businesses and ventures in recent years to locate there.

Both through the equipment and the way the area is constructed, an accessible playground can be a space where children with cognitive and physical disabilities can more readily play alongside their friends and family members to have fun and develop social skills.

“You can get to every point of it if you were using a mobility aid,” Hannah said.

The Setzers, who

moved to Powhatan in 2020 and live here with their four sons, are working toward building the playground through their nonprofit, Growing Inclusivity. With a possible $1.2 million price tag based on the modifications to the land, the price of the equipment and materials, and installation, they know they still have a ways to go, but signing a contract with Independence in September brought them a step closer, and for that, they are thrilled.

The couple said they first reached out to Roxanne Salerno, economic development manager, with their plans, which originally had a larger scope and included a coffee shop, thrift store and laundromat. They have since scaled that back to focusing only on the playground and a community garden, which will also be located at Independence on another part of the land.

Salerno said she worked with them for about a year trying to find a wonderful spot to locate the playground but strug-

Contributed Report

Mark your calendars for the 2022 Powhatan Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting being held on Dec. 10. The parade will begin at 3 p.m. with the second annual Tree Lighting immediately following.

The parade route follows along Old Buckingham Road, from Mann Road to the Courthouse area. The Christmas parade is a long-standing tradition in Powhatan and loved by children and adults alike. There will

PHS students to hold Spooktacular to fight cancer

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

POWHATAN – Powhatan High School, led by the PHS Leftovers club, has gotten the green light to put on a massive fundraiser to fight against cancer, and they are thrilled to also be providing people with a spooktacular experience.

The first Spooktacular Bonfire will be complete with activities for all ages, including an outdoor Halloween movie, a haunted trail and a Trunk or Treat carnival.

The event will be from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Powhatan High School Stadium and Complex, 1800 Judes Ferry Road. It will move inside in case of inclem-

PHOTOS BY LAURA McFARLAND

against

ILLUSTRATION

Shown are preliminary plans for an

playground Hannah and Brandon Setzer want to build at Independence Golf Course.

PHOTO

Powhatan High School students will hold a Spooktacular

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Hannah and Brandon Setzer recently reached an agreement with Independence Golf Course in Powhatan to build an inclusive playground on the property.

FILE PHOTO

Wednesday, Oct. 12

Let’s Paint Powhatan Pink! October is breast cancer awareness month and Powhatan County Professional Firefighters Local 5188 will be raising funds for a Powhatan family that has been stricken with the news of breast cancer. Join them as they hold a fundraiser from 6 to 8 p.m. at 1933 Public House. The group will sell pink fire T-shirts. The majority of the money will benefit the family, but a small portion of the funds will go toward buying a needed fire extinguisher for one of the ambulances.

Community Matters is a resource for all 55 and forward interested in learning, staying active and engaging with peers. Challenge and socialization are powerful combined and crucial at any age! Program is free; requires independent participation. Weekly sessions with a wide range of topics and activities are held on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Rescue Squad Building, 3920 Marion Harland Lane. Information on various offerings, activities and topics presented can be found on Facebook: Powhatan County Reach for Active Services. Call program coordinator Jayne Lloyd at 804-698-0438 for more information.

Powhatan County Public Library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Meeting rooms are available by reservation; study rooms are available first come, first served. The library offers e-books through Overdrive and materials to borrow in person or by using Books to Go. With Books to Go, patrons may reserve print materials, DVDs, and audiobooks 24/7 online at www.powhatanlibrary or by phone during open hours at 804-598-5670; once the patron is notified that their order is ready, they have three days to pick it up at the to-go shelf. The outdoor library book drop is open 24/7 for returning library items; however, patrons must return mobile hotspots to the circulation desk inside the library. The library accepts donations and the Friends of the Library bookstore is open during library business hours. Visit www.powhatanlibrary. net or call the library at 804-5985670 for more details, and like the library’s Facebook page for all the latest, up-to-date library news, information and program schedules.

Powhatan County Public Library will hold a weekly Story Time on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Participants will read stories, sing songs, learn finger plays and more! Story Time generally meets in front of the fireplace, and occasionally in our outdoor space.

Business Network International (BNI) Powhatan chapter meets virtually from 8 to 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday. Visit Www.BNIVA. com for information. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/BNIOnFire or contact executive director Dawne Gulla at dawne@bniva. com or 804-690-9220 for more information.

The Free Clinic of Powhatan serves residents from Powhatan, Amelia and Cumberland Counties as well as select Chesterfield areas. Services include medical, dental, counseling and women’s healthcare by appointment. Eligibility requirements on website www.freeclinicofpowhatan. org/patients. Registration for new patients by appointment Mondays 5-8 p.m. or walk-in Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, call (804) 598-5637.

Thursday, Oct. 13

A weekly showing of episodes of “The Chosen – I have Called you by Name” will be held at 7 p.m. at the War Memorial Cultural Arts & Community Center, 2375 Skaggs Rd, Powhatan. Free admission and refreshments provided. Schedule: Oct. 13, episodes 3 and 4; Oct. 20, episodes 5 and 6; and Oct. 27, episodes 7 and 8. Reserve your seats today via phone at 804-598-2187 (no answer, leave message) or email to: info@wmcacc.org.

The Powhatan Food Pantry is open from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursdays, Saturdays and Tuesdays at 2500 Batterson Road. Contact the pantry at 804-3729526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@ gmail.com.

Just Kids, an affordable clothing shop selling gently used children’s clothes, sizes newborn to 8 plus, had its official opening June 7. Moving forward, the store will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The shop is located in the Memorial Baptist Church Youth House, 3926 Old Buckingham Road. Just Kids is a ministry of May Memorial Baptist Church. Clothes cost $2 per bag.

A Caregiver Support Group will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at May Memorial Baptist Church, 3922 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan. Build a support system with people who understand. For more information, contact Jayne Lloyd at 804-698-0438. Visit alz.org/ grva to learn more about caregiver programs and resources.

Powhatan Stars Cancer Support Group, formerly known as Powhatan Supporting the Alliance and Respecting Survivors (STARS), meets at 6 p.m. at The County Seat Restaurant in the back room. The group is for survivors, caregivers and family members to listen and support each other. For more information, contact Sue Bird at 804-212-8651 or Patty Hicks at 804-375-3499.

Extension specialists and industry experts share timely topics for farmers in the Virginia Cooperative Extension Ag Today, held virtually at 9 a.m. every Thursday. These updates are relevant and brief and are recorded for folks who can't join on that day and time. Podcasts (audio only) are posted on Westmoreland VCE webpage and YouTube video recordings can be found at https://www. youtube.com/ playlist?list=PL 7_2QUVzrPXDpYsV2HY11CH 8KBrluifyO. Contact Stephanie Romelczyk (sromelcz@vt.edu) for information on joining the meeting live. Watched or listened to VCE AG Today? Let us know how we are doing! Find our survey here: https://vce.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/ form/SV_6fiYBb914AYRdn7.

The original Powhatan AA meets from 7 to 8 p.m. every Thursday in the Powhatan Village Building.

The Powhatan Rotary Club meets at 7:30 a.m. every Thursday at the County Seat Restaurant.

The Powhatan Republican Committee’s monthly meeting will be held at Rosa’s Italian Restaurant. Social time is at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 15

Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department Company 1 will hold a Brunswick Stew Sale at the station, located at 3971 Old Buckingham Road. Pre-order in person, by calling 804-657-8331, on the company’s Facebook page or by emailing fundraising@pvfd1. org. Brunswick stew is $10 per quart. Ready by noon. Drive thru pick up.

Fine Creek Baptist Church, 3619 Huguenot Trail, Powhatan, is having a Fall Festival from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be a petting zoo, pony rides, hay rides and games. Hot Dogs, chips, drinks, desserts and refreshments will be served. Join us for a time of fun and fellowship.

The Powhatan County Public Library is spicing up the fall with its programming for adults. On Saturday, Oct. 15 and Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m., the library will hold Gentle Beginner’s Yoga with Joanna Bartles. Participants will learn breathing techniques, postures and movements to relieve tension and tightness in muscles and joints. Bring a yoga mat or beach towel, and if able a firm pillow, block or towel for support. Bottled water will be provided. For details, contact Powhatan County Public Library at 804-598-5670 or library@ powhatanlibrary.net.

Farmers Market at Tavern 19 is open from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturdays through October on the grounds of Independence Golf Course, 600 Founders Bridge Blvd, Midlothian, VA 23113. The new Farmers Market at Tavern 19 is a grower’s market, featuring farm fresh seasonal produce, grass fed meats, fruits and berries, honey, baked goods, value added products and select artisan crafts. Independence Golf Course is the ideal setting for a farmers market – it’s a park-like setting with plenty of parking and grass covered by large shade trees. The market has free Wi-Fi, a stage, electricity, food provided by Tavern 19, picnic tables, live music, kid’s activities and more! Come grab some dinner and stock up for the week on fresh local products! For more information, visit https:// rvagriculture.org/.

Habitat For Humanity - Powhatan depends on volunteers and donors. Habitat is blessed with the community’s helpful, kind and generous participation. The Habitat Store at 1922 Urbine Road will be open on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. During this pandemic, anyone coming into the store must wear a facemask. The office is located in the Habitat Store and the office number is 804-594-7009. Call and volunteer! Donate! Help us build!!

Powhatan AA meets at 8 p.m. every Saturday at Manakin Episcopal Church on Huguenot Trail.

The Christian Motorcyclists

Association Powhatan chapter Living Wheels will meet at 6 p.m. at Company 4 Fire station at the intersection of Route 711 and Judes Ferry Road. Find out what they have been doing, and where their next ride or event will be. For more information call Tom Barnes at 804-690-4884 or Mark Lewis at 804-432-1831.

Sunday, Oct. 16

The fourth annual Dressler Farm Car Show featuring cars, trucks and motorcycles will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at Dressler Farm, 1400 Dorset Road. There is no admission fee for spectators. All are welcome. There will be food for purchase. All updates will be posted on the Dressler Farm Car Show Facebook page. Contact Lynn Dressler with questions or email ricksgrading2@gmail. com. There is an entry fee for participating vehicles with proceeds benefiting local people in need. Visit the Facebook page for a link to registration.

Monday, Oct. 17

The Coalition of Powhatan Churches meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of the month at May Memorial Baptist Church. The Coalition lends hands and hearts to people in need in the Powhatan community. All are welcome to the meetings. For more information, call 804-5982454.

A Powhatan Hope Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday at PCC Church, 4480 Anderson Highway, Powhatan, Room 102. It is an open discussion meeting. Wheelchair accessible.

Tuesday, Oct. 18

Lonesome Dove Equestrian Center, which is located at 6137 Old Buckingham Road, provides year-round therapeutic horseback riding exclusively for veterans with special needs and disabilities. Focusing on veterans in Central Virginia, the goal of this program is to improve the quality of life for the participants through activities that are positive to their cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being. As of Jan. 1, 2021, the program is also welcoming first responders to come ride with the program. From April through October, volunteers are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 10 a.m. Upcoming dates are: Oct. 18 and 26. In November, volunteers are asked to arrive at 10 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 11 a.m. Upcoming dates are Nov. 1, 15 and 30. There are no sessions in December. LDEC is able to provide a variety of services to the veterans because of dedicated volunteers. Those who would like to help and have fun at the same time are asked to consider becoming a member of one of these teams. For more information about Lonesome Dove, visit http:// ldequestrian.com/ or contact 804318-6485.

Awaken to Hope Al-Anon meets at 8 p.m. every Tuesday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

AA meets at 8 p.m. every Tuesday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Huguenot Trail.

The new Bridge of Reason AA meeting is held at 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Powhatan Mennonite Church, 3549 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan. It is an open, decision and literature meeting for Powhatan, Goochland, and Cumberland counties.

The Beef Cattle Production 360 Discussion Group typically meets at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. New members are always welcome to join if you are a seasoned beef cattle producer or just getting started.

The group typically starts with a pot luck meal and are held mostly in-person on farms or at the Goochland or Powhatan Extension Offices. For more information, contact Rachel Henley at 804-598-5640 or rachelhenley@vt.edu.

The Powhatan Junior Woman’s Club meets at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of every month from September to May. The nonprofit volunteer organization is open to women over the age of 18. The club promotes friendship, community service and leadership. For information about the club, meeting locations or becoming a member, call Joy Matkowsky at 804-492-3038.

Upcoming

Visit the Knights of Columbus’ 14th annual Pumpkin Patch at Country Living Homes site, 2504 Anderson Hwy. in Flatrock.

The patch is open from through Oct. 31, with hours on Sunday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additional activities planned for some Saturdays!

camera to take family photos! Stand next to our ‘‘Great

Pumpkin’’ and see how you measure up. All proceeds benefit charitable causes. In past years, proceeds have benefited Habitat for Humanity, Free Clinic of Powhatan, Scouting, Lonesome Dove Equestrian Center, and others. Closing at 3 p.m. on Halloween.

There will be an Alzheimer's Association Community Forum from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 20. If you or a loved one has been affected by dementia or Alzheimer's, you'll want to attend.

The goal of this forum with community leaders and partners is to hear experiences from those in Powhatan and discover gaps in service or programming that Alzheimer's Association may be able help to improve Powhatan with. The event will be held at the Rescue Squad Building. Contact program coordinator Jayne Lloyd at 804-698-0438 or RAServices. PVA@gmail.com for more information.

No excuse early voting for the 2022 General Election is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday as well as two Saturdays, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 at a drive-thru behind the Village Building. It will be closed Oct. 10 for Columbus Day. For more information about voting, contact the Powhatan Office of Elections at 804-5985604 or visit https://vote.elections. virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

Powhatan County Public Schools presents Let’s Pull Together Tab collection. Join the school division in collecting aluminum pull tabs to benefit the nearby Ronald McDonald House. The collection is ongoing through Oct. 21. Sent them to your student’s school. At the elementary schools, turn them in to student’s homeroom or front office. At the middle and high schools, turn them in to student’s first block or front office. The school that collects the most weight in tabs at the end of the first nine weeks will receive the Ronald McDonald House Tab Trophy.

If you missed the first Reading is Grand event, or liked it so much you want to go again, the next date is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10am. Haven't heard of Reading is Grand before? It's an intergenerational program between Powhatan County Public Library and Powhatan County Reach for Active Services where young readers (kindergarten through fifth grade) partner with older readers (aged 55+) to read aloud to one another. The last session was so much fun they had to schedule another! If you are interested in attending, use the signup sheet found at https:// forms.gle/pDJpp876zNNC5JzC7.

Save the date! The 31st annual Powhatan Fall Classic will be held Saturday, Oct. 22 at Powhatan High School, 1800 Judes Ferry Road. The marching band competition will bring together bands from across the state in this awesome competition hosted by the Indians. Watch the Powhatan Band Boosters Facebook page for updates.

Registration is open for the Goochland-Powhatan Master Gardener Volunteer Training Class. Classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The first class starts on Jan. 17, 2023, and they will continue through mid-April.

Training is followed by a 50-hour service internship. The application process opened Sept. 1 with a deadline of Nov. 1. The application is available online at MyImpact. com, which can be reached through a link on the gpmga. org website. The fee this year is $145 plus an additional $35 if the trainee selects the printed version of the MG training manual. Cash or check must be submitted by Nov. 1 to either the Powhatan Extension Office (3910 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan, VA 23139. Contact 804-598-5640) or Goochland Extension Office (2748 Dogtown Road, Goochland, VA 23063. Contact 804-556-5841). Contact Rebecca Crow at 804598-7015 or gpmastergardener@ gmail.com.

The Powhatan County Public Library is spicing up the fall with its programming for adults. A Thanksgiving Food Drive will be held during the entire month of October and until Nov. 5. Bring in five canned goods or nonperishable items to be entered in to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. All donations will go to the local food pantry.

The Elizabeth Randolph Lewis Powhatan YMCA will hold a Trunk or Treat event from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27. Join the YMAC for fun and spooks for the whole family. Be sure to come in costume and take a tour of the haunted bus – if you dare. If you would like to decorate your trunk and pass out candy, reach out to register. The event is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Alex Goins at poprograms@ymcarichmond.org.

DONALD MURPHY

MURPHY, Donald Ray, 78, of Powhatan, passed away on September 30, 2022. He is survived by his daughter, Pamela Taylor; stepdaughter, Dora Douglas; granddaughters, Ashli Griffith, Samantha Ashrafi (Alex), and Sarah Beard (Ethan), and six great- grandchildren and devoted friends. Ray was well known to the community for his generosity, but as a man that kept to himself. He was very proud of his accomplishments, of which he built his plumbing company from the ground up and ran for over 30 years. Ray served in the U.S. Army in the Airborne Corp from 19611964. Ray adored his grandchildren, his tractor, his home and his dog, Lucky. A visitation was held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Friday October 7, in the Bennett & Barden Funeral Home Chapel, 3215 Anderson Hwy., Powhatan, Va. 23139. Service followed at 2 p.m. Online condolences may be made at Bennettbardenfh.com.

Christmas Mother program accepting applications

Contributed Report

The Powhatan Christmas Mother program is now accepting applications. The program serves clients 18 and under, 60 and older and those on Social Security/Veteran’s Administration disability.

Proof of disability is required.

No exceptions. Bring proof of total household income; proof of residency (copy of light bill, tax bill, etc.); custody papers if applicable; and proof of disability.

Volunteers will accept applications at the Powhatan County Public Library on the following dates: from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 12, 19 and 26 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 15, 22 and 29.

Those that would rather mail an application can pick one up at the Free Clinic of Powhatan or Powhatan Public Library. Applications will also be online on the Christmas Mother website and Facebook.

Mail applications to Powhatan Christmas Mother, Attn. Applications, PO Box 461- Powhatan, VA 23139.

PARADE be vendors in the Courthouse area along with a visit from Santa, who will be available for Christmas wishes and pictures before and after the parade. Parade sponsor Luck Stone, the parade committee and Powhatan County supervisors are also working to continue the tree lighting tradition started last year, in the Courthouse area at the conclusion of the parade.

Continued from pg. 1

There is a $25 entry fee to participate in the parade lineup and a $30 vendor fee to reserve a spot on the Courthouse lawn. All proceeds from the entry/vendor fees will benefit the Powhatan Christmas Mother program. Parade lineup begins at 1 p.m. and vendors will be setup from 1 p.m. until the conclusion of the tree lighting. Parade entries should be decorated in a winter or Christmas theme, but remember that Santa will already be there. Applications can be found on the Upcoming Events page at www.PowhatanChristmasMother. org or by contacting the Parade committee at PowhatanChristmas@gmail.com.

Timberlake

Contributed Report

Powhatan County Commissioner of the Revenue Jamie Timberlake was elected by his peers to lead the Commissioner of the Revenue Association of Virginia as the 84th president during the group’s 103rd annual Conference on Sept. 14 held in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The office of the Commissioner of the Revenue evolved from the Com-

missioner of Tax, which was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1782. The Commissioners of the Revenue Association of Virginia was formed in 1919 to support all Commissioners of the Revenue, Directors of Finance or any other officer who performs the duties of a Commissioner of the Revenue across the Commonwealth.

The motto of the As-

sociation is “Elected to Serve, Committed to Excellence.” The Commissioner of the Revenue is one of the five remaining closest forms of government to the people that elect them in the United States.

In his induction speech, Timberlake challenged his peers to get out of their comfort zones. “Serve the people where they are because these are the places we

Arrests

One female was charged on

of a family

(M) and setting

woods, fence or grass (M).

One

was charged on

One female was charged on Sept. 30

petty larceny (M).

One male was charged on

One female was charged on Oct. 2 with driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated (Felony), eluding officer/failure to stop (F) and reclkless driving- excessive speed (M).

One male was charged on Oct. 2 with assault and battery of a family member (M).

grow and learn how to better serve our localities.

We are the last local checks and balances system for the people who put us here. Serve them

a servant’s

Proclamation recognizes Fire Prevention Week

The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors recently recognized the week of Oct. 9-15, 2022, as Fire Prevention Week throughout Powhatan County. Accepting the proclamation on behalf of Powhatan Fire and Rescue were chief Phil Warner, from left; Taylor Goodman, deputy fire chief; and Art Tate, assistant fire marshal.

Contributed Report

The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors recently recognized the week of Oct. 9-15, 2022, as Fire Prevention Week throughout Powhatan County.

The board unanimously passed a proclamation at its meeting on Monday, Sept. 26 that highlighted the vital role Powhatan Fire and Rescue plays in keeping local residents safe.

According to the proclamation, fire is a serious public safety issue both locally and nationally, and homes are the locations where people are at greater risk from fire. Home fires caused 2,265 civilian deaths in the United States in 2021, according to the United States Fire Administration, and fire departments in the United States re-

sponded to 356,500 home fires.

Smoke alarms sense smoke well before you can, alerting you to the danger; in the event of a fire you may have as little as two minutes to escape safely. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.

Powhatan residents should be sure everyone in the home has a fire escape plan and is prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire. Powhatan residents should make sure their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms meet the needs of all their family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

Powhatan firefighters are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and fire injuries through

prevention and protection education. Powhatan residents that are responsive to public education measures are better able to take personal steps to increase their safety from fire, especially in their homes.

The 2022 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape,” serves to remind Powhatan residents and visitors it is important to have a home fire escape plan.

The board urged all people of Powhatan to plan and practice a home fire escape for Fire Prevention Week 2022 as well as supporting the many public safety activities and efforts of the Powhatan Fire and Rescue Department, whose diligence and professionalism keep our county and citizens safe.

Powhatan County employee charged with distribution, possession of child pornography

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

POWHATAN – A Powhatan County employee was arrested and charged on Oct. 6 with one count of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography as the result of an ongoing investigation by the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office.

Detective Austin Schwartz confirmed Friday, Oct. 7 that Stephen Russell Shaw, 56, of Powhatan is a Powhatan County employee in the Building and Inspections Department and a volunteer firefighter.

A release from the county later that day announced that Shaw was immediately suspended without pay or benefits from county employment.

“The alleged actions of this member in no way represent the expectations of Powhatan County leadership or our volunteer fire community. We hold our staff, volunteer and career members accountable for their actions, and will continue to provide professional, ethical service to our citizens and visitors,” according to the release.

Powhatan County Fire and Rescue Chief Phil Warner confirmed Friday that Shaw is a member of Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department Fine Creek (Company 4). He

also said Shaw was immediately suspended by the fire company pending the investigation by law enforcement.

A release from fire and rescue later Friday explained that Shaw “answered only three calls for service since January 1, 2020 and had very little contact with the public as a member of the fire department.”

Shaw is an active member of the Central Virginia Wrestling Officials Association (CVWOA, Inc.), which provides officials for middle schools and high schools within the tri-cities area, according to Chris Giles, commissioner of the organization. He said Friday Shaw’s membership with the association will be under suspension pending the investigation of the charges.

Powhatan Today in Japan

On Sept. 21, Mike Asip and Leslie BaskinAsip reached the 12,338-foot summit of Mt. Fuji, culminating a two-week tour of Japan, where Leslie had lived during her youth.

Moose Family Center donates to Coalition of Churches

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Stuart Saunders, public relations chairman for the Powhatan Moose Family Center, presents to Patsy Goodwyn, with the Coalition of Powhatan Churches, a check in the amount of $2,125 from their golf tournament fundraiser.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF TARA WRIGHT Jamie Timberlake, left, was elected by his peers to lead the Commissioner of the Revenue Association of Virginia as the 84th president. Here he is sworn in by retired commissioner Monte Mayes.

PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND

SHAW

Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department Company 1 will hold an Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oct. 29 at the station, located at 3971 Old Buckingham Road. Fire and EMS apparatus will be on display. Demonstrations will be held in the rear of the fire station. Other attractions will include: fire suppression demonstration; safety smoke house demo; child safety information from local law enforcement; love radio broadcast; Virginia State Police Medflight (weather permitting); and extrication tool demonstration. There will also be free beverages, snacks, door prizes and trick or treating.

The Elizabeth Randolph Lewis Powhatan YMCA will hold an Underwater Pumpkin Patch at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Cost is $5 for members and $7 for non-

members. Registration is required. Dive for a pumpkin and decorate after. For more information, contact Alex Goins at goinsa@ ymcarichmond.org.

The third annual Bourbon and Double Barrels will be held at 2 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1956 Rocky Ford Road, Powhatan. Stay as long as you like. The event will support local nonprofit Young Life Powhatan by letting participants enjoy an afternoon of clay shooting, bourbon tasting and college football. Cost is $250 per individual and includes all shooting equipment and supplies, tastings, food and a bottle of whiskey from Three Crosses Distillery. Mail checks to 3585 Aston Trail Powhatan, VA 23139. Register early, limited tickets sold. For more information, call Mary Florence at 804-647-5962 or Jeff Harper at 804-683-2576. Visit https;/va269. younglife.events/bourbon-anddouble-barrels.

Join Goochland Powhatan Master Gardener volunteers to Garden with H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Planet Endure) from the soil up.

Participants will learn fun, easy, money saving methods to get your garden ready for spring. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Powhatan County Public Library. Learn how to implement sustainable gardening practices; build your own no-till and hugelkultur gardening beds; loosen soil in your gardening beds with a broad fork; make your own fertilizer; prepare a jadam soil soak to promote soil health; and use ground covers and cover crops instead of mulch.

Harvest Festival and Trunk-o-Treat will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31 at Powhatan County Fairgrounds. Cost is $5 a car load with a portion of proceed benefiting the VCU blood disorder clinic. For information, contact

Having a big Halloween

has been discussed for several years by members of the Leftovers club and this year they are finally going for it, said Christian Miller, Spanish teacher and club sponsor. Last year,

804-598-9808 or visit http://www. powhatanfair.org/trunk-o-treatspowhatan. Are you looking for an alternative to neighborhood trick-ortreating this year? Look no further!

There will be fun for ages 0-100!!

This fun community Halloween event features: costume contest, petting zoo and pony ride (new attraction), inflatables, haunted house, hay rides, live music/DJ and more. Pets are welcome!!!! If you’re not up for decorating this year and want to participate all vehicles are welcome to include classic cars and motorcycles. Just plant a comfy chair behind your vehicle to greet kids as they trick-or-treat down Candy Lane.

Powhatan Elementary School will hold its annual Veterans Day salute, “Thank you, Military” at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, and local veterans are invited to attend and be honored. The fifth graders will be performing a schoolwide assembly

club held an outdoor Halloween movie night, so the Spooktacular will actually expand on that.

The ultimate goal for the event, just like everything the club does, is about finding the “fun in fighting cancer” while putting on a great event for local children, Miller said.

“We know ultimately our focus is the victory of it, the joy of working together, the love surrounding the community, so that is what the focus is,” he said. “Most of our events are events of fun and maybe where they might not seem reverent, in our hearts they are. We are just choosing love as our final expression of that.”

The event is being organized by the Leftovers Club but the members are excited to get clubs, sports teams and student councils helping create fun activities for children, said Tyler Atchison, junior and president of PHS Leftovers.

“I feel like the goal was to try to unite the clubs in the school, obviously being led by Leftovers but we are trying to get … a bunch of the clubs to get a big community event because I don’t believe there is an event like that at our school. We felt like it was really important to try to create some unity after a crazy time,” he said.

Atchison said he joined Leftovers in his freshman year. His grandfather died from lung cancer when he was young, and his involvement with the club is about trying to “make it so as many people as possible don’t grow up without a grandfather.”

The schedule for the Spooktacular is:

5-6:30 p.m.: Trunk or Treat Carnival (all ages welcome)

6:30-9 p.m.: Light bonfire 6:30-7 p.m. Contests and prizes (including best costume)

6:30-9:30 p.m.: Haunted Trail begin (suggested for middle school age and older)

Genito Presbyterian Church

for local veterans. Powhatan Middle School assistant principal Jon Ferguson will be the honored veteran guest speaker. Middle school band and choir members will also perform patriotic selections and the Powhatan High School JROTC will present the colors.

Passion Community Church will hold a Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 24 at its Powhatan Campus, 4480 Anderson Highway. The free meal will be held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. ALL are welcome to join us at the Powhatan Campus for a Thanksgiving dinner OR stop by to pick up to-go lunches for your family! Spread the word and invite those you know who may be alone or unable to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. Your RSVP for dinner (or to pick up dinners) is most appreciated via the form on the church website,

see CALENDAR, pg. 8

7-9 p.m.: Outdoor movie (all ages welcome)

PHS students are so excited! This new event is getting quite the buzz and organizers would love help to create this fun night for the kids, Miller said.

Below is where the PHS Leftovers club are asking the community for help: Trunk or Treat volunteers: The main area for trunk or treat will be the pavement behind the stadium bleachers. Instead of cars, they will use canopy tents as the “base” for their decorated spaces that kids will come up to for activities and treats. The club needs lots of help here. Reach out to Christian Miller at Christian.Miller@powhatan.k12. va.us.

Decorations for the Haunted Trail and the Trunk or Treat Carnival: Reach out to Miller at Christian.Miller@powhatan.k12.va.us if you have any of the following they could use: lights, cobwebs/spiders, inflatables, ghosts, etc.

Sponsors: To host the event, the club is purchasing a license to show a Halloween movie, which was to be voted on by the student body on Oct. 10, after press time. It costs between $300-600 for the license and display. If any are willing and able, the club would love any help here. For businesses, they will run “thank you to our sponsors” slides before the show. Reach out to Miller at Christian. Miller@powhatan.k12.va.us.

Concession: If there are any local food trucks interested in selling during the event, reach out to Miller at Christian. Miller@powhatan.k12.va.us

Sound system and outdoor projector for the movie show: The school has a very large screen, and decent sound and projection, BUT would love it if anyone has a solid system for sound and/or projection outdoors and can help them set up that day. Reach out to Miller at Christian. Miller@powhatan.k12.va.us.

Dressler Farm Car Show set for Oct. 16, open to all

Be Like Mike Auto Show honors local men

The fourth annual Dressler Farm Car Show featuring cars, trucks and motorcycles will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Dressler Farm, 1400 Dorset Road. There is no admission fee for spectators. All are welcome. There will be food for purchase. All updates will be posted on the Dressler Farm Car Show Facebook page. Contact Lynn Dressler with questions or email ricksgrading2@gmail. com. There is an entry fee for participating vehicles with proceeds benefiting local people in need. Visit the Facebook page for a link to registration. Shown is an aerial shot of the 2021 show.

On

cart,

set,

PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND

excuse

vot-

9 a.m.

to Friday as well as two

Oct. 29 and Nov. 5

a drive-thru

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

the Village Building.

here, Scottville residents Ted and Sue Fortune drove their golf cart through the Village to come cast their votes early. Voters are asked to stay in their vehicle – be it car, truck, golf cart or bus – while voting. For more information about voting, contact the Powhatan Office of Elections at 804-598-5604 or visit https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

Fire and rescue seeks volunteer applicants

Powhatan County’s Fire and Rescue Department is recruiting volunteers and accepting applications. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact the Recruitment Officer in Fire Administration at (804) 598-5646, ext. 2816 or visit the volunteer website at www.volunteerpowhatan.org. Remember, this is what your neighbors are doing for you. What would you like to do for them?

POWHATAN – The fifth annual Be Like Mike Auto Show recently saw a great crowd of people come out to remember two local men and celebrate a love of automobiles.

The show, which was held on Sept. 18, saw 178 vehicles of all kinds enter the show and raised about $4,000 for the Ask Childhood Cancer Foundation, said Jaime Walter.

As always, the show was held in memory of her late husband, Virginia State Police Special Agent Mike Walter, who died in the line of duty on May 27, 2017. This year’s event was also held in honor of local resident Kieran Hathaway, who died on Jan. 2, 2022. The donation to the foundation was tied to Hathaway’s own fight when he was 3 years old with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

Walter talked about her husband getting to know Hathaway see LIKE MIKE, pg. 8

HollyHills

MuddyCreek

FIRSTANTIOCH BAPTISTCHURCH

YMCA invites four-legged friends for Doggy Days fun

Days of Powhatan YMCA was an event hosted for all dog lovers! It was a fun event for folks to bring their dogs to the Elizabeth Randolph Lewis Powhatan YMCA for dog contests, a dog parade, vendors and more on Sept. 10. The event had over 55 dogs in attendance. Organizers would like to thank the YMCA’s program director, Alex Goins, and group exercise instructor, Penny Muire, for their hard work putting this together. The event had 10+ vendors ranging from animal control to dog grooming to dog training and delicious hotdogs from Good Doggy food truck. The YMCA looks forward to hosting again in the future!

Deciding on the activities was a mix of what games

supplies the members of the group had to keep

only what could be sponsored. Roger and Deone Allen, co-owners of Epic Fit in Powhatan, provided fitness instruction; AARP funded some refreshments and the color powder/ bottles; Senior Connections provided event T-shirts; and the Powhatan Department of Social Services funded refreshments, Lloyd said.

Above all, Lloyd thanked the people that came and gave their time to promote community, fun and movement by making signs, setting up, splashing people with colored powders, carrying tables, handing out refreshments and helping others.

“They joined shoulder to shoulder because they believe in the need for more of this very type thing and it wouldn’t have happened without them,” she said.

Deone Allen said this was Epic Fit’s first community event in Powhatan. It was important to talk to participants about having a healthy lifestyle.

“At the end of the day, we just want to be able to enjoy our life the longer we live. So moving your body

intentionally – not just your everyday things but intentionally focusing on moving your body – is important to your health,” she said.

She also recommended people make their active lifestyle more fun instead of approaching it like a chore so they look forward to it more.

Tangye Harris of Powhatan said she was in class at Epic Fit when she first heard about the Color Me Active event. She came with three friends – Charlene Williams, Kim Batchelor and Vernell Straughter – and had a great time playing together, especially at the grab and go station. Divided up into teams of two, they had to use a grabber to pick up and carry water balloons from one bucket to another. She said there was a little bit of fudging the rules when the opposite team had a hard time holding onto the balloons, much to the hilarity of all of them, “but they didn’t win, we did,” she joked.

Chuck Miller and his wife Marianne came out and tried all of the stations, and he said the only downside was more people didn’t come out and enjoy the fun. He described the colored powder aspect of the day as “innovative.”

Marianne Miller said it was something for older people to get together. “Look at everybody laughing and having fun instead of being stuck in the house.”

Roxy Swope of Powhatan said she was just looking for some senior activities and thought it would be good to try a few things. She took the stations at her own pace and was surprised by some of the new activities she tried, such as cornhole.

“I had never done it because I would be embarrassed if I couldn’t make it. So my friend and I, we would just do it, and I can’t believe it but I made a couple holes. Now I will try it again,” she said with a laugh. “I think this is super because we are always looking for something to do to get you out of the house and doing things.”

Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@ powhatantoday.com.

PHOTOS BY LAURA McFARLAND

Clockwise from top left: Epic Fit co-owners Roger and Deone Allen lead an exercise class station; volunteers were happy to douse participants and each other with colored powder; Marianne and Chuck Miller play lawn skee ball; volunteers Tom Ashmore and Tom Sadler talk between work; Kathy Geyer and Kitty Glass play pickleball; Roxy Swope shows off her colorful new look; and Betty Ashmore helps Lona Harper ride a three-wheeled bike.

Hunting dog was meant to live a life of leisure

By Roslyn Ryan Richmond Suburban News

Everyyear around this time, as the temperature dips and the leaves begin to waft down in a swirl of red and gold, we are reminded at our house of a simple yet enduring fact about our dog Bo.

That fact? He’s a failure.

Please don’t misunderstand, he’s plenty good at a number of the things one would expect from a companion animal. He’s positively terrific at getting petted and at accepting treats, with the latter talent most likely to blame for what our kind veterinarian refers to as his “sturdiness.” He is wonderful at keeping the house safe from the squirrels that scamper along the railings of our back porch (not a single one has made it inside) and at knowing what time he is supposed to be fed (his internal clock would make a Swiss watchmaker proud). He is gentle with children, good on a leash and is working hard to add to his repertoire of

Reader deplores decision not to listen to evidence

Dear Editor,

At the August 22nd, 2022, meeting the Board of Supervisors (all 5 of the BOS) voted that the county attorney, Mr. Tom Lacheney, and the human resource manager, Ms. Melissa Lowe, do the following: …” to assess the integrity of our comp and class plan determining how well it meets the purpose of protecting county employees and providing legal protection from potential litigation. In addition, provide updated job descriptions and an updated compensation scale (without conducting a study).”

In response to that request Mr. Lacheney, with the help of Ms. Lowe, wrote a 14-page report titled “Integrity of Pay and Class Plan.” At the September 26th BOS meeting he presented that plan based on his legal interpretation and an understanding of the plan. Oddly enough his entire 14-page document can be found not once but twice on the Powhatan Government website by going to Government, BOS, Agendas and Minutes, September 26th, BOS regular meeting. The first copy starts on page 47-61 while the second copy with highlights and rebuttal from the Mr. Ned Smither, county administrator, starts on page 62-77.

The September 26th BOS meeting was a complete sham on the part of Byerly, Carmack and McClung. According to page 48 of Mr. Lacheney’s presentation: “Since FY2021 the Plan has not been followed in any meaningful sense of the word. Around 20% of County positions have been impacted and modified outside the parameters of the Plan, and it is fair to say that the Plan has been sufficiently compromised to the point that it is hard to say that we still have a functioning Plan in place. State law has been violated, the Employee Handbook has been violated, and the processes and procedures of the Plan have been overlooked, or purposefully ignored. The integrity of the Plan has been severely compromised, and the actions taken in the past two (2) years have created different classes of employees, with most employees still under the Plan while many others have been placed outside of the strictures and protections of the Plan. Because of this, we are concerned that we no longer have a fair and equitable system of compensation and promotion that has been applied equally to all County staff. We recommend that the current Plan be officially scrapped and that a new personnel plan and policy be created.”

The above information by itself should have sent up warning flares to Byerly, Carmack and McClung!! Did it? NO! Mr. Lacheney’s report is filled with other examples of dereliction of duty (a person’s purposeful or accidental failure to perform an obligation without a valid excuse, especially an obligation attached to his job) by Mr. Smither. My intent is not to expose or embarrass county employees but to implore you to read the report. From pages 54-55: “In fact, on July 1 all of these re-graded employees also received the July 1 County increase on top of the May 14 increase they had received 6 weeks earlier. When both raises

tricks, which now includes rolling over at least two out of every 10 times he’s commanded to do so.

In fact, the only real reason anyone could ever call Bo a failure is that he technically failed at the one thing he was originally supposed to do, and that was hunt. The family member who gifted him to us, just after we lost our previous pup, had intended to use him to retrieve birds but soon realized that it was a losing battle. Perhaps frightened by the sound of the gun, or simply misunderstanding the assignment, Bo could never be persuaded to bring back a blessed thing.

I think it may still bother him a little, this blemish on his otherwise perfect record. Sometimes when he’s curled up on the couch and a bird sounds off outside, he’ll begin to huff and puff as if he knows he’s expected to do something. But once the feathered foe has flown off, he looks somewhat relieved to return to his nap.

As I may have mentioned in these pages a time or two, Bo might look at first like God’s idea of a pretty

good joke, or at least what a pup would look like if it were assembled from leftover parts. He is solid but not stately, with a barrel body and stumpy legs. He is surprising fast but also fairly uncoordinated, so he sometimes looks like he’s trying to run in several directions at once. Nevertheless, he is loved.

The past few weeks have been a blur of activity around our house for various reasons, which means Bo and I haven’t had many opportunities to head out for our autumn walks around the lake near our house. When we do though, Bo never fails to dive headfirst into the experience. Every leaf and twig is examined, every squirrel put on notice. He revels in the autumn air and looks for all to see like the King of the Forest.

So yeah, maybe he didn’t cut it in his first career. Maybe he is shaped like a Turkish ottoman and doesn’t know very many tricks. But since he found where he was supposed to be, Bo has passed every test with flying colors.

This dog may not hunt, as they say, but he’s been a good boy all along.

are considered, these eleven (11) employees received raises ranging from 9% to 37% while the rest of the County staff received 5%.” And there is concern about poor county morale!

Another example on page 55: “The budget was approved May 10, 2021 and 15 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions were approved including the ones referenced above. No existing staff salary adjustments were proposed for FY 2022 and none were approved by the BOS.”

Finally from page 57 of the report: “A detailed review of the way previous County Administrators operated under the Plan revealed that all of those Administrators appeared to have been scrupulous and meticulous in complying with the requirements of the Plan, the HR Manual and state law. No instance of an improper salary increase, unauthorized personnel action, or other violation of the Plan was discovered in any of the three (3) preceding administrations. The employees and the County were therefore protected in that the Plan was administered evenly across the board, and in compliance with all the “due process” procedures put in place by the BOS.” There are many examples of dereliction of duty by Mr. Smither in Mr. Lacheney’s report. Please read it!

So what was the BOS to do? Mr. Williams made a motion to fire Mr. Smither. Unbelievable what happened next - Byerly, Carmack, McClung voted NO while Cox and Williams voted YES. And our county attorney, Mr. Tom Lacheney, quit right there on the spot giving a 60-day notice. Because of their vote of No Confidence in the truth of his report and not firing Mr. Smither. The meeting was a shameful act of endorsing county administrator Ned Smither and ignoring the findings of the facts by Mr. Lacheney. Call your BOS member! You need to go to the October 24th BOS meeting or Zoom it. Once again it’s your government; it’s your money!

Fran Carleton Powhatan County

Reader advocates for firing of county administrator

Dear Editor,

I attended the Board of Supervisors meeting on September 26, 2022, and was astounded at what I heard throughout the 3 1/2 hours I was able to be there. My first astonishment was that the agenda did not indicate that the county administrator was scheduled to make a rebuttal (under his updates) to the county attorney’s report; a report some in the audience had not seen. His response was to have followed the presentation of the county attorney’s report regarding the integrity of the county’s established “pay and class plan,” a report requested by the board on August 23, 2022. Mr. Smither’s rebuttal included lots of “gotchas” but was difficult to follow if one had not read Mr. Lacheney’s report. Those who spoke during the public comment period obviously had read the re-

port and were extremely concerned about the detailed inappropriate actions and violations of the county’s rules and regulations by Mr. Smither highlighted therein, and many called for the board to relieve him of his duties.

The ensuing discussion of board members relating to the “pay and class plan” was far too long and repeatedly reiterated much of what was in Mr. Lacheney’s report often with unnecessary jabs at others. The report stands as is indicating that our county administrator does not find it necessary to follow the established rules and regulations of our county. Apparently the disruption of salaries, job descriptions and grading of same caused by Mr. Smither’s actions has been harmful to the morale of our county employees and will take years and many of our tax dollars to remedy.

The most astounding comment I heard that night was from a board member condoning those actions, i.e. breaking the rules, to get what was needed in the way of pay increases for some. Why didn’t Mrs. Carmack or Mr. Smither request a review and possible update of the plan? We do not rule by power in this county but by legislation.

Incomprehensibly, we have 3 members of our board who requested information from our county attorney, received the information requested, all of which was validated, and refuse to acknowledge the obvious need to relieve Mr. Smither of his duties. I understand completely why Mr. Lacheney tendered his resignation. Now Mr. Smither needs to be fired by our Board of Supervisors. Time is of the essence. Connie Harriss Powhatan County

Trump faithfully piloted America’s course in office

Dear Editor, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”

-William Shakespeare

I read today’s opinion article from one of your Powhatan Today contributors, questioning the integrity of our former President. I understand the writer’s angst. I admit that Trump’s persona has made most of us squirm from time to time. And we should all diligently seek a higher ground, where integrity brightens our path.

The annals of history are rife with imperfect, but no less ordained leaders, such as David, Solomon, our Founders, Lincoln, Churchill, King and Reagan. Each was called, despite his human frailties. In my mind, President Trump is one of today’s great leaders, a person of remarkable smarts, energy, fight, fortitude and vision. He faithfully piloted America’s course, at home and globally, during such a time as ours.

Personally, I appreciate the legacy of an imperfect Donald Trump. He, at great personal expense, has showed me he truly loves all America, and will defend

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS

McFarland lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

thaynie@mechlocal.com

cadams@mechlocal.com

What is your favorite fall tradition?

Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club earns top honors

Contributed Report

The Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club earned top honors at the Virginia 4-H State Shoot in September. Jacob Bass earned first place as the overall junior in rifle and muzzle loading (scope), while Lincoln Hearn took first place overall senior in skeet. The local club participated in the event at Holiday Lake 4-H Center with more than 305 total youth competitors in attendance from across Virginia. Approximately 45 youth and adults from Powhatan participated in the event.

“The team worked really hard over the last several months to prepare for the competition,” said Jon Wilson, coordinator of the Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club. “It was great to see all the hard work from the kids, coaches and parents pay off.”

The event featured multiple disciplines in archery, rifle, muzzle loading, and shotgun (skeet and trap).

Among the top Powhatan individual and team finishers in the Senior division, Powhatan’s junior team (Jacob, Cyrilla King, Jackson Hearn) earned second place in rifle, while Powhatan’s senior team (Levi Gillespie, Mary Ella

when he was a child and starting to wrestle at Blackhawk Gym.

“Kieran was always a fighter, always smiling, always just very compassionate and caring for others. That kid went through so much. … When he came out to wrestle it was a challenge because all of the chemo and radiation stunted his

Wilson, Noah Lozen) took third place overall in rifle. In archery, the local junior team (Jacob, Stuart Latimer, Jackson) took second place. In skeet, Jackson Hearn earned second place as the overall junior.

The teams also placed in skeet with Powhatan’s senior team (Lincoln, Grant Hearn, Anabel Bichsel) taking the third place overall title, while the local junior team (Jackson, Jacob, Cyrilla) brought the third place overall junior title home. For the trap division, Powhatan’s senior team (Lincoln, Max King, Sean Cleary) earned second place overall. Individual honors in trap included, Lincoln as second place overall senior, Sean as third place overall senior, and Jackson in second place as the overall junior individual.

The primary goals of Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club are positive youth development, firearm safety, and the development of life skills. Virginia’s 4-H Shooting Education program uses shooting as a vehicle to teach youth ages 9 to 19 life skills such as responsibility, self-discipline, and teamwork. The 4-H shooting education disciplines – archery, muzzle loading, pistol, rifle,

growth somewhat. But he always took on a challenge. He didn’t give up. He just always was a fighter,” she said.

The show also brought in a nice donation of goods and about $250 to be donated to the Powhatan Animal Shelter, she added.

Walter said the show has been steadily growing over the last five years and continues to have a great atmosphere, draw-

gled to find land elsewhere in the county. Despite a few setbacks, she thought it was an amazing idea and was impressed by their love for and commitment to the project.

Then Salerno introduced the Setzers to Giff Breed, co-owner of Independence, and the couple was stunned at how receptive he was to their proposal.

“We met with him. We had a whole presentation to give to him. Within less than five minutes he was like, ‘OK, let’s do it. Let’s figure out how to make this work.’ We went from there and the contract was drawn up and here we are. He has been very generous and supportive and encouraging, and we are so grateful,” Hannah said.

Breed said Independence is very supportive of the project and is going to do whatever it can to help make sure the inclusive playground comes to fruition. He was excited by the initiative and vision of the couple and found their energy contagious.

“The part that gets me going is I love enthusiasm

LETTERS

it against all enemies, foreign and domestic. There’s a modicum of integrity somewhere in all that.

Best regards, Donald Laslie Powhatan County

Outcomes of board meeting were reasonable, expected

Dear Editor,

Having attended the 9/26 board of supervisors meeting and stayed to the end, I have a different opinion from yours as to what was the most significant event of the meeting. You headlined your front page story with “Two board members again try to oust Smither.” To me the headline would have been “Majority of BOS reject County Attorney and Human Resource Director report on recent salary increases.”

You continued in your first paragraph with making the meeting about Mr. Cox and Mr. Williams with “a large section of time focused on an unsuccessful motion by two Powhatan Supervisors to fire the county administrator.” However, the motion only required a few minutes to state and receive a second. The extended time was consumed by Mr. Lacheney giving a

and shotgun – are used to teach these life skills. Through these disciplines, youth also learn firearm safety and marksmanship.

“The coaches, parents and I are most proud of how the team carried themselves throughout the weekenddisplaying positive attitudes, encouraging each other to succeed and expressing gratitude to all the volunteers

ing a nice range of vehicles and a great crowd of people, especially among area first responders and friends and family of both Mike Walter and Hathaway.

This year the car show was put on by sponsors Rapid Manufacturing, S&N Transmission, Gits Masonry, Seay’s Towing and Auto Body, Boatwright Concrete and Blackhawk Gym.

SHAW

who helped run the competition,” Wilson said. “Learning these life skills (is) a fundamental goal of the program - the awards were just icing on the cake.”

Thank you to the many supporters and sponsors of the Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club. Without their continued dedication, there would not be a 4-H shooting education program.

Schwartz said the sheriff’s office currently has “no evidence to support in-person abuse. However, the investigation is ongoing.”

Shaw was arraigned Friday in Powhatan County General District Court and granted a secured bond of $7,500. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 13, 2023.

and love innovation. They tick both of those boxes,” he said.

There is also the matter that corporations and businesses have a responsibility to their corner of the word to make it better, he said. For him, the key takeaway is making “Powhatan a better place to live.”

Initial plans for the playground were created several months ago by Timmons Group and Sparks at Play. The couple has raised about $80,000 toward the project, so they recognize they have a great deal of work ahead and possibly years before everything is in place to build the playground. They visited inclusive playgrounds in other places and talked to some of the people who made them a reality.

Brandon said people were helpful but also pointed out that the process might wear on them at times because they believe in it so much and want others to see its value. However, they are optimistic many people will see the value of a playground that seeks to make sure all children can revel in the joy of play and feeling included.

summary report to the board of his and the Human Resource Director’s findings, and all board members discussing the findings. Some time was spent in discussing an out of order motion by Mrs. Carmack requesting the Virginia State Attorney General review the report and its findings and report back to the BOS. Mr. Lacheney pointed out that her motion was out of order as there was a motion already on the floor and he didn’t think the State Attorney General’s office would review the report (not his exact words).

The board then voted on the motion to fire the County Administrator. The motion failed on a 3 against the motion to 2 in favor of the motion. As you reported Mrs. Carmack then remade her motion about having the State Attorney General office render an opinion on the report.

You continued in your first paragraph “with another bombshell when the county attorney tendered his resignation.” You labeled both the motion to fire the county administrator a BOMB SHELL and the county attorney resignation. The real bombshell was the report that county employees were receiving inequitable salary increases. It has been an established policy of the county to use a compensation classification plan for pay increases, but that has been ignored by the county administrator, who had also failed to bring it to the BOS for needed review and updating.

Constitutional officers had also been given salary in-

According to court records, the distribution charge stems from alleged actions taken on Nov. 15, 2021. The two possession charges were filed on Sept. 30, 2022, after a search warrant was executed, Schwartz said.

If anyone has any information, contact the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office at (804) 598-5656.

Hannah was born with cystic hygroma of the head and neck. While mobility was never an issue for her, she understands feeling different and not included. She said her family never treated her differently and she was involved in Girl Scouts and sports and was very active. Still, she always felt very different growing up and still experiences that feeling of being stared at and judged in real life and on social media today.

“I went 28 years without ever seeing anybody who looked like me,” Hannah said. “I don’t think it is how it should be. People with disabilities deserve to be in any space at any time they want to be. I want my kids to grow up knowing kids and adults who are different from them and being kind and inclusive and accepting of everyone.”

The couple is accepting donations toward the playground at https://www.gofundme.com/f/hannah-andbrandon-build-accessible-community.

Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@ powhatantoday.com.

creases without approval from the BOS as required by state law.

The BOS who took office in 2004 were the first to implement a compensation and classification study and plan to address pay grades and equitable salaries for county employees; this plan has a long history of use.

I addressed the BOS at the end of the meeting in the second open public comment period before Mr. Lacheney’s resignation. I stated that I didn’t see how the board could go forward with Mr. Lacheney as their attorney since a majority of the board had impugned his integrity and professionalism by rejecting his findings in the report that the BOS had unanimously requested he do.

In addition to the report, the extensive coverage that you have reported in The Powhatan Today concerning the County Administrator debacle with the Constitutional Commissioner of Revenue and Treasurer’s office, and an attempt to ignore a state code requiring a public hearing on the real estate tax code: I don’t see a motion by a BOS member requesting Board termination of the County Administrator’s employment unexpected. You saw the events of the 9/26 BOS meeting as bombshells; I saw them as reasonable expected outcomes.

Robert K. Hatcher Powhatan County

Continued from pg. 4

CALENDAR https://pccwired.net/fall-events/, found under the Powhatan Campus list. Food donations are also welcome! Items needed include: turkeys, hams, dressing mix, instant mashed potatoes, green beans, and veggie trays. Drop off all donations at the Powhatan Campus. Interested in helping us prepare food? Complete the form on the church website and select the appropriate option. You can also RSVP. Contact Melinda Kinney at 518-4299873 or melinda.kinney@pccwired.net.

Ongoing

The Coalition of Powhatan Churches has available resources to help people who would like assistance in learning to manage their finances. If you know of anyone who needs or

would like to have this service, or to get more information, call Robin Cupka at 804-8019851.

Backpacks of Love, a nonprofit committed to eliminating hunger in school-age children by providing nourishing food for their weekend, needs help. BPOL is looking for delivery drivers that would be available to deliver on Thursdays. They are in immediate need of a driver to deliver to Cumberland County and or Amelia County. These are great jobs for students looking for community hours. Always accepting food donations of single serve raviolis, spaghettios, apple sauce, cereal, cookies, crackers and more. Contact Kevin Hardy at 804-350-1127 for more information.

Powhatan Food Pantry is currently seeking volunteer drivers who can pick up food from the local Food Lions on different days

between 8:30 and 10 a.m. and transport them to the nonprofit at 2500 Batterson Road. Contact the pantry at 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@gmail.com. Powhatan Parks and Recreation is pleased to offer the following at the Pocahontas Landmark Center Gym (4290 Anderson Highway, Powhatan). Keep in mind when county offices are closed for holidays, inclement weather, etc., activities will not be held

noted: Open Gym Walking, Wednesdays, 9-11 a.m.; Open Gym Pickleball, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-11:30 a.m.; Open Adult Special Needs Basketball, every Monday, 10 a.m.-noon; Open Gym Adult Volleyball, Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. until Nov. 15; Paid Momentum Volleyball, Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Dec. 1 (contact

at

Bryant by

gmail.com); Paid Pulse Basketball,

Wednesdays and Fridays and 2 Saturdays starting Wednesday, Nov. 30 (contact Brian Griffen by email at vicepresident@ powhatanpulse.com); On-going Senior Basketball on Monday nights, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Adult Open Gym Basketball on Wednesday nights until Nov. 16; Free Pickleball Clinic coming in December on a Saturday, stay tuned for more details. Continue to follow all COVID19 guidelines. Everyone will also need to sign a facility use waiver that we will keep on file for one year, and there is a $10 non-resident fee for activities. Remember we ask everyone to wear rubber soled shoes (no heels) on the gym floor and only allow water in the gym. We are still working on other activities as well. Contact the Recreation Office at 804-598-5275 with any questions or send an email to mshelton@ powhatanva.gov or mwoodel@powhatanva. gov.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The Powhatan 4-H Shooting Club, shown above, earned top honors at the Virginia 4-H State Shoot in September.

Madalyn Johnson verbally commits to James Madison

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

son

junior Powhatan

Indians navigate the Rapids

By Rod Short Powhatan Today

Going into a game against Friday James River High School, the Powhatan Indians knew it would be a challenge.

The Class 6 Rapids were at home with a large homecoming crowd, a big offensive line and a strong running game, but the Indians were averaging 38 points per game and riding a hot streak complete with a 51-point blowout over Monacan a week earlier. It looked to have all the makings of a great Dominion District game – and the well-coached Powhatan team didn’t disappoint in its 35-14 victory to extend its winning streak to three and its overall record to 5-1.

After a 0-0 first quarter where the teams felt each other out, the Indians struck first with 10:56 to go in the second when quarterback Dylan Trevillian hit wide receiver Matt Henderson on a screen

pass for a touchdown that followed a big gain by running back Edgar Alejo.

Undaunted, James River marched right back and appeared ready to tie the game at the Powhatan 1-yard-line, but a terrific goal line stand by the defense swung the momentum back in the Indians’ favor.

Charged up by that de-

fense, Powhatan scored again less than a minute later on an 88-yard catchand-run between Trevillian and Henderson that silenced the home crowd as the scoreboard showed a 14-0 score in favor of the visiting team.

After regaining possession on a turnover on downs, Powhatan penetrated the end zone yet

again when Alejo punched it in to make the score 21-0 with less than a minute to go before halftime.

At this point in the game, James River held the time-of-possession advantage and had run 30 plays to just 15 for Powhatan, but Powhatan’s big-play offense seemed poised to make the game a

Reimondo’s hat trick helps Indians start win streak

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

Aftera dramatic, season-defining victory over Atlee, the Powhatan field hockey team continues to roll.

The Indians (9-3) had a quick turnaround after that dramatic overtime victory and put together a three-game win streak, knocking out James River on Oct. 3 and later the Monacan Chiefs on Oct. 5.

The 4-2 win over Monacan (3-5) was Powhat-

an’s second against the Dominion opponent this season after they came away victorious in a 4-0 shutout on Sept. 15.

What’s stood out about the high-flying, balanced Indians team is the chemistry they demonstrate, something head coach Stephanie Tyson says has made them a special group to coach.

“They genuinely enjoy each other’s company on a daily basis and want the best for one another in practice and on the field during games,” Tyson said. “Some teams just

click and I think that is just one part of our success.”

The star of the show against the Chiefs was a hat trick performance from junior Emily Reimondo, who had only scored three goals in a game at the junior varsity level before her star-making turn on Monacan’s field.

“My coaches always tell me to stay back and then move forward, and I’ve followed that,” she said.

It was Reimondo’s first

FIELD HOCKEY, pg. 2

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Powhatan cross country competes in Albemarle Invitational

State Park on Oct. 4.

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

Powhatan’s

cross country team traveled to Panorama Farms in Earlysville, Virginia to take on a wide field of programs at the Albemarle Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 8.

The competition comes four days after the Indians competed at a district meet at Pocahontas

The Indians had 23 runners compete at the Albemarle Invitational, facing one of their biggest competitive fields of the season at the home course of the University of Virginia cross country team. The course will also be the home of the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships later this year.

The Indians as a team finished in 22nd place out

of 32 competing schools and saw star runner Elizabeth Weimer finish as a top-20 medalist with an 18th place finish in the girls 5000 meter run.

Powhatan finished with 581 points and an average finish time of 22 minutes, 51 seconds, while the winner of the day was Western Albemarle, who finished with a score of 86 and a 19:31 average finishing time.

Weimer stood out in a crowded field of over 200 runners in the 5000 and earned her medal with an outstanding finish of 19:53.30. The winner of the contest, The Covenant School’s Reese Dalton, ran an 18:07.40. Weimer’s teammate Ella Green also had a performance to remember at Panorama Farms, finishing in 32nd place with a time of

Powhatan junior Emily Reimondo (16) goes for the ball against a Monacan defender in a road matchup on Oct. 3.

Powhatan runner Ella Green runs in the Albemarle Invitational on Oct. 8.

BSH scores 46 points in shutout over Kenston Forest

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

Blessed SacramentHuguenot (4-2) had itself a complete performance against the Kenston Forest Kavaliers (3-4), dominating on both sides of the ball to shutout the Kavaliers on their home field with a 46-0 win on Saturday, Oct. 8.

It was BSH’s second highest offensive output of the season, topped only by a 56-point performance in the seasonopener against Chincoteague, while the defense never let the Kavaliers see the end zone.

The Knights also had

INDIANS

blowout.

their best performance of the season from their run game, a staple of the team’s identity that paved the way for last year’s state title run. With 353 yards on the ground on 42 carries, a great showing from the offensive line and a 222-yard performance complete with two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion from running back Hunter Case, the Knights were able to get the best of the Kavaliers defensive.

Running back Will Fichter also had a standout game on the ground, adding 81 yards on just six carries along with three touchdowns and an-

other 2-point conversion. Kendrick Sheffield also added 32 yards on nine carries as well as three 2-point conversions.

Freshman Brian Bodman then contributed a 2-yard score on the ground for the Knights.

Quarterback Afton Harrow threw just seven passes all afternoon, but made an impression in those plays, completing four-of-seven attempts for 56 yards while tossing two touchdowns that were called back on penalties, but were still highlights for the gunslinging Knight.

On defense, junior Nathan Roberts was the

player of the game, recording 10 tackles and three tackles for a loss to help the defensive line control the trenches. Senior Jeb Hatfield contributed seven tackles and two for a loss from his position in the secondary, while defensive lineman David Mann had himself another strong outing in a season full of them with four and a half tackles, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Next up for BSH is a Saturday matchup with Richmond Christian on the road on Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. Richmond Christian is still searching for its

Continued from pg. 1

That would not happen; however, as James River made some halftime adjustments and held Powhatan scoreless in the third quarter.

The Rapids, facing a three-touchdown deficit, went to a more pass-oriented attack and struck paydirt with a 26-yard strike for their first touchdown of the evening to close the gap to 21-7.

The Indians defense rose to the occasion again, however, when senior defensive back Landon Hutchison recovered a Rapids fumble and scored to extend the lead to 28-7.

James River scored an-

JOHNSON

Continued from pg. 1

“I knew that I didn’t want to go too far from home, and I wanted to go Division I,” Johnson said.

JMU checked both those boxes, while allowing her to pursue a major in biology and live on a campus in the mountains that she says she instantly gravitated toward.

“I knew that JMU had a really good biology program and right when I

other touchdown later in the fourth quarter, but Powhatan pounded a final nail into the coffin when Alejo rumbled 48 yards for his second touchdown of the night.

Trevillian finished the evening with 9-of-16 passing with a 56% completion average for 203 yards and two touchdown passes. The team also gained 105 yards on the ground in 13 rushes for a healthy average of over 8 yards per attempt.

Linebacker Jameson Britt led the Powhatan defense with 10 solo tackles and seven assists while Omaree Morris recorded an interception.

“It was a real good win,” head coach Mike Henderson said afterward.

stepped on the campus, I was like, this is it,” she said.

Before making her decision, Johnson said she was also looking at schools from the ACC, SEC and the Big South.

Johnson’s first contact with the JMU coaching staff came from pitching coach Libby Bowman, someone Johnson says she was already familiar with prior to their Sept. 1 phone call. Bowman immediately wanted Johnson to meet

“Last year, these guys really took it to us. It was our most disappointing game of the season last year. So, we had this on our mind and wanted to get back and get after these guys.”

Henderson also notes that the team’s plan of forcing the Rapids to beat them through the air paid off for the Indians in their fifth win of the season.

“The plan was to try to make them pass the ball,” he added. “We knew that if we got them to throw the ball, then that would be to our advantage.”

With just four games remaining in the season, the Indians will be at home this Friday, Oct. 14 against the 2-4 Clover Hill Cavaliers.

the team, visit classes and go to a football game to see if the school was the right fit for her.

Now with her decision made, Johnson’s ready to lock in and focus on the upcoming spring season with the Indians, hoping to follow up a tremendous sophomore season with an even better one in Year 3.

“I’m so excited for the season to start. I feel like it’s a different kind of nervousness that I’m having,” Johnson said. “I know

more people are going to be watching and stuff like that, but I’m just so excited to start, and I know I can help my teammates get to the colleges they want to go to.”

Last season, Johnson tossed 214 strikeouts, allowed just 70 hits against 508 batters and helped lead the team to a 12-6 record in 15 complete games. As a hitter, Johnson had a .371 batting average with 12 runs and 7 RBIs on 59 at-bats.

first win of the season with an 0-6 record. Last season, Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot won its matchup over Richmond

Continued from pg. 1

FIELD HOCKEY game back after a threegame absence from a broken finger, though Reimondo was right back to the form she displayed prior to the injury, adding high-level speed on the left side of the attack to help the offense flourish.

“I am so proud of Emily Reimondo and the way she has stepped up this season,” Tyson said. “She had an amazing game last night and this is just a continuation of how she has been playing since we started.”

The offense as a whole was stellar against the Chiefs, controlling possession and moving the ball better than they have

all season, though Tyson credits the Chiefs with having a good attack of their own to add two goals and make things interesting. The way the Indians responded to those goals was what really stood out to the Powhatan coach.

“Sometimes we have the tendency to freak out a little when we face adversity and have talked recently about settling down and playing our game,” Tyson said. “There are going to be obstacles to overcome, and we need to be mentally strong enough to handle it, especially moving forward into regionals.”

Reimondo opened the scoring early in the first quarter on a one-timer shot on the back post that

was set up by Casey Grell, who also assisted Reimondo’s third goal and played a rock-solid game working with the offense and holding off Monacan attacks on the other side of the field.

Reimondo credits the team’s work on its passing as something that’s helped her and the Indians as a whole excel.

“Our passing has been really good, we’re getting those give-and-goes and we’re also creating open shots. It’s just been really good,” Reimondo said.

The Indians controlled possession for most of the first quarter, but the Chiefs were able to make things interesting by tying the game up three minutes into the second quarter on

CROSS COUNTRY

Continued

20:23.30. The third best time from the girls side of the Indians cross country team came from Sally Smartschan with a time of 23:53.10.

Rebecca Stevens, Elizabeth Vallent, Shannon Seay and Sadie Edline rounded out the day for the girls team, with all of them

a deflected shot by Reagan Grant that was set up by a short corner.

Six minutes later, Reimondo was back on the score sheet, this time picking up a rebound from the same spot on the left corner of the net after Caroline Camp’s shot was laid out in front of the goal for Reimondo to drive home for a 2-1 lead.

The Chiefs had some chances early in the third quarter to tie the lead up a second time, but a great save from goalie Mackenzie Halfon and a nice stop from Grell kept the Indians in front.

After quality chances from Erica Krauss and Lexi Campbell were denied, Reimondo added her third score with under

turning in times in under 29 minutes.

In the boys 5000, junior Sean Seibel and freshman Dylan Mapes finished within the top-70, with Seibel running a 17:25.70 for 66th place and Mapes running a 17:29.20 for 70th.

Junior runners River Leynes and Eli Timmons were the other two runners to finish in under 18 minutes, with Leynes crossing

Powhatan junior Mariah Keuther defends a Monacan run down the sideline in the third quarter.

three minutes to play, as she got her stick on the ball in a crowded circle to make it 3-1.

Entering the fourth quarter with control of possession, Grell added one more off a penalty with nine minutes left,

the finish line at 17:56.80 and Timmons finishing a second under the 18-minute mark at 17:59.00.

Thomas Menting, Ian Timmons, Caleb Edling and Connor Golden also had times under 20 minutes.

Next up for the Indians is a trip to Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Virginia for the MileStat.com XC Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 15.

putting the Indians firmly in the driver’s seat despite a late goal by the Chiefs with 1:37 to play making it a 4-2 result.

Powhatan’s next game comes against Clover Hill on the road on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.

The Atlee Raiders will be the hosting school for the invitational.

With the regional championship quickly approaching at the end of October, the Indians look to use every last competition to prepare for a chance at a regional title and a state championship appearance.

Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@ powhatantoday.com.

PHOTO BY ROD SHORT

Powhatan quarterback Dylan Trevillian turned in a strong performance, passing for over 200 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions against the James River Rapids.

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BSH junior running back Hunter Case finds open field on a run against Kenston Forest on Oct. 8. The Knights won the game 46-0.

Christian with a convincing 60-6 victory.

Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@ powhatantoday.com.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Madalyn Johnson sports her new JMU jersey after making her verbal commitment.

ShortonCash?

Becomeanindependentcontractor,deliverycarrier

LEGALS

NOTICEOFPUBLICHEARINGS

POWHATANCOUNTYBOARDOFSUPERVISORS

NoticeisherebygiventhatthePowhatanCountyBoardofSupervisorswillconductpublic

hearingson Monday,October24th,2022at6:30PM inthe PowhatanCountyVillage BuildingAuditorium(3910OldBuckinghamRoad) regardingthefollowingmatters.

AllyouneedisadependablevehicleandavalidVirginiadriver’s

O-2022-38Case21-09-REZC:StroudVenturesLLC(District#1:Manakin/FlatRock/ Subletts) requeststherezoningofTaxMapParcel#43-39BfromAgricultural-10(A-10) DistricttoCommerceCenter(CC)Districtwithprofferedconditionsandamendmentofthe zoningdistrictmapofapproximately5.93acresoflandlocatedonthewestsideofPage Rdapproximately0.2milesnorthwestoftheintersectionwithAndersonHighway.Proffered conditionsaddressadditionalsitebuffers,roadwayaccesscontrols,right-of-waydedication, andrestrictionofpermitteduses.Thisrequestisbeingmadetoallowfortheconstructionofa contractor’sofficewhichshallincludethestorageofalimitedquantityofmaterials,supplies, andequipmentinsidethebuilding.The2021Long-RangeComprehensivePlandesignates thesubjectpropertyasRuralAreasandProtectedLands(Route60CorridorEastSpecialArea Plan)ontheCountywideFutureLandUsePlan.

TREESERVICE

Homes forSale

RealEstatePolicy

Allrealestateadvertisedhereinissubjectto theVirginiaFairHousingLaw,whichmakesit illegaltoadvertise“any preference,limitation ordiscriminationbased onrace,color,religion, nationalorigin,sex,elderliness,familialstatus,orhandicap.”

Wewillnotknowingly acceptanyadvertising forrealestatethatis inviolationofthelaw.

Allpersonsarehereby informedthatallthe dwellingsadvertisedare availableonanequal opportunitybasis.

HOMESFORSALE

O-2022-39Case22-06-REZC:PowhatanPlaza(District#1:Manakin/FlatRock/Subletts) requestsanamendmentoftheprofferstatementforoneparceldesignatedtaxmapnumber 042-25Aandtheeasternpartofparcel042-26Fwhichcombineforapproximately5.2acres andarelocatedneartheintersectionofAndersonHwy(U.S.Rt.60)andLuckStoneRd. Theapplicantisseekingtoaltertherequirementmandatingtheconstructionofaturnlaneon LuckStoneRdpriortoanynewbuildingbeingconstructedandinsteadletVDOTregulations governwhentheturnlanewillbeconstructed(Case#18-05-REZC).Thesubjectproperties arezonedCommerceCenterPlannedDevelopment(CC-PD).The2021ComprehensivePlan designatesthesubjectpropertiesasGatewayBusinessontheCountywideLandUseMap. ResolutionR-2022-30GrantofRightofWayToTheVirginiaElectricandPower Company(“Dominion”): TheBoardofSupervisorswillconsidertheconveyanceofaright ofwayagreementonCounty-ownedpropertylocatednortheastof3900OldPlantationRoad neartheFightingCreekWastewaterTreatmentPlant,overlandidentifiedastaxmapparcel 38-43A.Saideasementisforthepurposeoftransmittinganddistributingelectricpower byoneormorecircuits;foritsowninternaltelephoneandotherinternalcommunication purposesdirectlyrelatedtoorincidentaltothegeneration,distribution,andtransmissionof electricity;forfiberopticcables,wires,attachments,andothertransmissionfacilities,andall equipment,accessoriesandappurtenancesdesirableinconnectiontherewith,forthepurpose oftransmittingvoice,text,data,internetservices,andothercommunicationsservices, includingthewiresandattachmentsofthirdparties;andforlightingpurposes.

Membersofthepublicmayalsoparticipateremotelybyjoiningawebinarat https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83998792911orbydialinginbyphoneat1-929-205-6099OR 1-312-626-6799,thentypinginthewebinarID83998792911.Duringthepubliccomment period,participantsmayraisetheirhandusingthezoomcontrolsonthecomputerscreen,or (ifdialingin)bypressing*9onaphone.

Themeetingmaybewatchedlivebyvisitinghttp://powhatanva.gov/432/Live-Stream-ofPowhatan-County-Meetings.

Publiccommentsmayalsobesubmittedtoadministration@powhatanva.govorbyleaving avoicemailat(804)598-5612.Anycommentsreceivedpriorto5:00PMofthedateofthe publichearingwillberecordedinthemeetingminutes.

Allinterestedpersonsareinvitedtoparticipateinthepublichearingsandtopresenttheir viewsand/ortosubmitwrittencomments.Personsrequiringspecialassistancetoviewor participateinthosehearingsshouldcontactthePowhatanCountyAdministrator’sOfficeat (804)598-5612atleastthreedayspriortothemeeting.Fulltextanddocumentsrelated totheseproposalscanbereviewedbycontactingtheCountyAdministrator’sOfficeat administration@powhatanva.govor(804)598-5612.

FullcopiesoftheseproposalsmaybereviewedintheCountyAdministrationOfficesin thePowhatanCountyAdministrationBuilding(3834OldBuckinghamRoad)between 8:30AMand5:00PMofeachbusinessday.

PowhatanCountyTaxesdue

November7,2022

Taxbillsforthe2ndinstallmentofthe2022PersonalPropertytaxesand CalendarYear2022RealEstatetaxeshavebeenmailedandwillbedue November7,2022. Aone-timepenaltyof10%willbeappliedtopaymentsreceived afterNovember7,2022andinterestattherateof10%perannumwillbeassessed beginningDecember1,2022.

Paymentsmaybemadebymail,inperson,onlineatwww.powhatanva.govwith acreditcard(conveniencefeeapplies)orE-check,orthereare 2 paymentdrop boxesattheCountyAdministrationbuildingforyourconvenience. Creditcard checksarenotacceptedasaformofpayment.

ALLREALESTATEBILLSARENOWMAILEDTOTHEOWNEROF RECORD,REGARDLESSOFWHETHERTHETAXESAREHELDIN ESCROWBYAMORTGAGECOMPANY. IfyoureceiveaRealEstatebill