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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Tom McCoy
Vol. XXVII No. 25
Committee learns cost of future
June 18, 2014
Study weighs options for school district
By Laura McFarland News Editor
By Laura McFarland
A
steering committee looking into possible building and renovation needs for Powhatan County Public Schools got a glimpse of what those projects could cost last week. Five options that range in price from about $19.6 million to $43.5 million were discussed and ranked for the first time by the committee of educators, administrators, local government officials and citizens at a meeting on Wednesday, June 11. The committee had an apparent top choice in a roughly $33 million plan that would tear down part of Powhatan Junior High School, rebuild in those spaces, and completely renovate the structures that were kept. The school would be used for grades six to eight, leading to the closing of Pocahontas Middle School. Doug Westmoreland, vice president of Moseley Architects, will present the steering committee’s rankings of the options to the Powhatan
News Editor
P
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Powhatan County Public Schools Superintendent Eric Jones presents his discussion group’s views on possible options for renovations or new construction being examined by a steering committee on Wednesday, June 11.
County School Board at its next meeting on Tuesday, June 24. Superintendent Eric Jones said the committee’s rankings are by no means a final decision, and the School Board won’t be expected to take any vote on how to proceed when members receive Westmore-
land’s presentation. “None of this is imminent at this point. This is just planning down the road and looking at what options we have with facilities in the district,” he said. The road ahead on this project is a long one and school and county officials
FARMER’S MARKET open at new location
will want more public input than they have seen before any decisions are made, Jones said. He said he would like to see that input start with the upcoming special School
see STUDY page 7A
see STEERING page 2A
By Laura McFarland News Editor
T
he Powhatan Farmers Market has been hopping with activity this season thanks to a move to a new location. When organizers made the decision to relocate the farmers market on Anderson Highway for its fourth season, they hoped it would pay off, Laura Henderson, the market’s manager, said. Judging by the 38 vendors who are signed up to sell goods each Thursday, the waiting list of more wanting to set up booths, and the significant increase in customers, they think they made the right decision, she said. “The vendors are very happy. They are telling other vendors,” she said. The farmers market opened on May 1 at the new location at 2470 Anderson Highway near Tractor Supply and has seen a steady increase each week, said Henderson of Powhatan. It will
PHOTO BY ANJIE HENLEY
Brenda Blevins and Ruth Henshaw “live in the kitchen making jelly.”
owhatan County Public Schools may choose to tackle the issue of aging school buildings through renovation or new construction, but “doing nothing is not a viable option,” according to architect Doug Westmoreland. Westmoreland presented the latest findings of a comprehensive facilities review of the school buildings on Thursday, June 5, in a public hearing at Powhatan High School and on Tuesday, June 10, at a Powhatan County School Board meeting. The presentation, based on findings from a steering committee working on the project, broke down the study process so far, enrollment projections, assessments of the existing facilities and options the district might take going forward. Westmoreland presented cost estimates to accompany those options at a steering committee meeting on Wednesday, June 11. While all of the schools are “very clean and very well main-
PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Kathy Geyer
Geyer retires after 31 years By Laura McFarland News Editor
K
athy Geyer has always had two main goals as a teacher at Powhatan High School — help her students get where they want to go in life and give them the skills to stay there. Whether they are headed for a job, the military or college, she wanted the seniors who left her Eng-
see MARKET page 3A
see GEYER page 4A
Patriotic celebration planned for July By Korey Hughes Special Correspondent
Powhatan residents should mark Saturday, July 5, on their calendars. That’s because fireworks will fill the air that night during the seventh annual Patriotic Celebration.
The event will be a chance for the community to show its patriotism. Proceeds from the Patriotic Celebration, the brainchild of Clyde Childress of Powhatan, will benefit the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. The salute will take place on Childress’ property at 1960 Old Tavern Road near
Inside A10 James River Batteau Festival prepares for weekend historical re-enactments
his home and estate, Vista del Lago, which he said is Spanish for view of the lake. Childress operates a business, Clyde’s Coins, out of his home with his wife Connie. He retired as a major in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1977 after 21 years of service. He said that he was inspired to start the
Sports B1 First annual Swinging Back for Anna home run derby a success
Patriotic Celebration because of the way that he was treated when he returned home after the Vietnam War. “I vowed that I would do everything in my power to see that future veterans were treated well,” Childress said. “And, the see PATRIOTIC page 6A
Index Calendar Classified Crossword Horoscope Obituaries Opinion TV Listings
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