Powhatan Today –01/18/2023

By LauraMcFarland Managing Editor

PageRoad approximately 0.2 miles northwestoftheintersection withAnderson

Byerly, who representsDistrict 3; Steve McClung, District2; and Karin Carmack, District5, votedin favor ofthe rezoning,while David Williams, District 1, and Bill Cox, District 4, voted against.

Duringthe

Thecase dealt withthe decision of whetherto rezone the property which wouldallow for Stroud VenturesLLC to construct a contractor’s office alongwith thestorageof a limited quantityofmaterials,supplies and equipmentinside the building

However, thediscussion by

the board as well as the feedback from the community was nevera straightforwarddiscussion ofwhat the business would or wouldnot bringtothe countyasitalsodelvedintoissues of traffic impact,the role of the comprehensive planindeciding future development and county interactions, andtransparency with the local business community

Eleven speakersaddressed the board about the PageRoad project either duringthe public commentperiodor a public hearing associated withthe case, with 10speakersasking for theproject to bedenied and one backing the business’ap-

School board takes

Supervisors elect 2023 leadership

LAURA MCFARLAND Managing Editor

POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors was split last week when it chose Mike Byerly to serve as board chair and Steve McClung as vice chair for the board’s last year in office.

Byerly, who represents District 3, and McClung, District 2, were both elected in 3-2 votes at the board’s organizational meeting on Monday, Jan. 9.

Both men were elected with their own and the support of Karin Carmack, District 5. David Williams, District 1, and Bill Cox, District 4, voted against.

By LauraMcFarland Managing Editor

Byerly, who is entering his second year as chair, said in a separate interview it felt good to receive the support of two of his board members and acknowledged that

the board has been handing down “3-2 votes for quite some time.” He pointed to the recent Speaker of the House election taking 15 votes to see a result and how “they can’t seem to agree but they got something accomplished. That is the issue.”

“I think all five of us want to see a good Powhatan moving forward; that is, I think, in our hearts, in our blood and that is what we want,” he said. “We may have different views of how we go forward with it, but I think we all five have that same destination. It’s just how we’re going to get there. And we can work on that – we can do better.”

Trying to improve the board’s unity needs to be a big focus so

superintendent

By LauraMcFarland Managing Editor

ruary. The budget was also presented using the calculation tool

POWHATAN–

Theannualpumpkindecoratingcontestonce again saw businessesfromaround theregionparticipatingin a lighthearted(althoughstill competitive) competitionFriday, Oct.28atIndependence GolfClubinPowhatan.

POWHATAN – The Powhatan County School Board unanimously chose Susan Smith as the chairwoman and James Taylor as vice chair for 2023 during their Jan. 10 meeting.

Theannualbenefit forthe Children’s Hospital Foundationisalso a way bringthe businesscommunitytogether for a goodcauseandspread a

Smith, who represents District 2, served as vice chairwoman in 2022. This is Taylor’s first time serving in a leadership role on the board. The school board reorganizes every January for the upcoming year.

Smith said in a separate interview that it was “exciting and a little bit scary” to be chosen as chair and added that her focus would continue to be helping Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS) reach its

littlejoy alongthe way, said organizerRachelMassengill ofPowhatan.The eventraised morethan$3,000forthe foundation but isstillacceptingdonationsusingtheQR code.

Smith chosen as school board chair, Taylor as vice chair

“Thisisridiculous.These companiesputsomuchinto thisandthey dosuch a great jobdecoratingthesepumpkins. To know thekidsatthe children’s hospitalaregoing togettoseethisisgreat,” she saidafterthecontestended.

full potential.

As the board moves forward into the budget season, rising costs impacted by inflation will pose potential restrictions on what the school division can do, “but we have to find a way to do those things that the students need.”

Judgesfromthechildren’s hospitalandfoundationnarrowedthisyear’s 35entries downtothetop10,andthen PowhatanCountySheriff BradNunnallyandassistant commonwealth’s attorney

Part of accomplishing that will involve the presenting its budget to the board of supervisors so they fully understand the schools’ needs and fund them.

“Our priority and goal is always to do what is best for the students in Powhatan County, and that is that we strive to improve every year doing a better job of meeting all of our students’ needs,” she said.

Clerk’s office awarded grant to

of finance, gave a presentation to the school board during its Tuesday, Jan. 10 workshop to officially kick off

PHOTOS BY LAURA MCFARLAND

The Powhatan County School Board got its

at

proposed FY2024 budget on Jan. 10. They can now begin

determine the division’s most important needs.

Powhatan, Virginia

PHOTO BY LAUR A McFARL AND

Eighth grade mathteacher Phil Nu sbaumgives instructions during the second Rubik ’s Cube Club, one ofmany now being held every Friday at Powhatan MiddleSchool.

POWHATAN– The roleofthecounty’s comprehensive plan, the expectationsofthe business community when making future plans andresidentperspectives wereallelements in a decision bythe Powhatan CountyBoardofSupervisorson a rezoning issue on Page Road lastweek

meeting held on Monday, Oct. 24,the board voted3-2in favor of rezoning a 5.93-acre parcel on PageRoad fromAgriculture (A-10) to CommerceCenter(CC). The propertyisonthe westsideof

Highway ChairMike

PHOTO BY LAUR A McFARL AND

Powhat anCount ySherif f Brad Nunnally right and assistant commonwealth’s at torney Alice Sheridan judge the Pumpkins for Kid scontest to pick the topfive entries on Oc t. 28

LAURA MCFARLAND Editor

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

Library of Virginia announced last week that the

Debbie Halloway, assistant superintendent of finance, gives a presentation to the school board during its Jan. 10 workshop to officially kick off the budget season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CIRCUIT COURT CLERK’S OFFICE

PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

Mike Byerly, left, was elected Jan. 9 as the chair of the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors while Steve McClung was elected vice chair.

Recycle Christmas trees

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

Let Powhatan Anti-Litter Council (ALC) and Yard Works help you “Go Green” this holiday season! These community partners will offer real Christmas tree recycling free of charge to Powhatan County residents in January.

“Real Christmas trees are a renewable resource that clean our air and water. After the holidays they should be planted, composted or recycled into mulch,” said Matt Kowalski, Virginia Watershed Restoration Scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “Buying a real Christmas tree is also a great way to support local growers this season.”

Recycled trees are most often shredded into mulch to use in landscaping, which eventually breaks down into soil.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18

Community Matters is a resource for all 55 and forward interested in learning, staying active and engaging with peers. Challenge and socialization are powerful benefits and crucial at any age! Multiple weekly sessions with a wide range of topics and activities are held at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 anderson Hwy, in the training room of Powhatan Parks and recreation. upcoming programs are: Jan. 19, Game day; Jan. 24, Mahjong Basics. This strategic game is noted for being effective in improving short-term memory, attention and logical thinking. Come learn the basics — regular players are looking for others to join in!; Jan. 25, HumbleBee Project. This ongoing project is featured monthly. no-sew anti-pill fleece blankets are created and tagged which offers opportunity to socialize while doing good for others. Completed blankets are taken to Children’s Hospital of richmond at VCu and given to pediatric inpatients adjusting to the demands of their medical care and treatments; Jan. 26, Game day; Jan. 31 – Learn digital Book options and app use from Powhatan Library staff. any technology-related class, you’re welcome to bring your own device, although that’s not required for learning. Information on various offerings, activities and topics presented can be found on Facebook: Powhatan County reach for active services. Program is free; requires independent participation. 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 804-5985670; 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 804-598-5670 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 stor y 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 Woman’s Club of Powhatan meets at 10 a.m. at May Memorial Baptist Church, 3922 Old Buckingham road, Powhatan, from september to May. There are no meetings in June, July and august. To attend a meeting, call membership chairman Kay Watson at 804-240-4896 to let her know you will be coming or just simply drop in; the welcome mat is always out. Visit the Facebook page for Woman’s Club of Powhatan.

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, JAN. 19

Powhatan County Public schools (PCPs) will present a panel to discuss ways in which the school division and other community partners are working to keep students safe online and promote digital citizenship. Topics will include: what PCPs is doing to provide safety on the network and in the classroom; effects of social media on today’s kids; community support from the sheriff’s office perspective; and ways in which parents can protect their kids at home. The panel will include team members

In Powhatan, Yard Works has collected more than 200 trees on average to as few as 63 trees during a season. ALC is asking residents to give your real trees a life after the holidays by recycling them free at Yard Works.

This tree recycling service has been offered to the Powhatan community at no cost for more than 18 years. Trees may be brought to the Yard Works in Powhatan, located at 1990 Anderson Highway, between Jan. 3 and 31. Hours for tree drop-offs are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trees will be ground into mulch. According to Robbie Urbine of Yard Works, “Please make sure trees are free of all lights, tinsel and ornaments.” No artificial trees will be accepted.

For more information, call Yard Works at (804) 639-0311.

from PCPs, as well as a representative from the Powhatan County sheriff’s Office. It will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Pocahontas Landmark Center. Questions will be solicited from the audience. The event will also be live-streamed on the school division’s youTube channel.

Teen anime Club will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 at Powhatan County Public Library. Bring manga, notebooks, cosplays, or other projects to work on. We will watch a different anime each meeting. For local teens aged 13-18 (grades 6-12). application required to join. Pick up one at the library front desk.

Just Kids, an affordable clothing shop selling gently used children’s clothes, sizes newborn to 8 plus, and warm coats, is open. The store is 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 Called to Care Meeting will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month at Powhatan united Methodist Church. This organization offers both support to persons who have health issues and those who are caring for persons with health issues. The meetings may include guest speakers on a myriad of topics related to aging and good health. Guest speakers have included a nurse practitioner, neurologist, nutritionist, physical therapist and many more. all are welcome to attend. This group is facilitated by Judy Cain-Oliver, licensed clinical psychologist.

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 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@gmail.com.

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=PL7_2QuVzrPXdpysV2Hy11CH8KBrluifyO. 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

Mark your calendars for the next Powhatan Civil War roundtable meeting at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the County seat restaurant. The speaker will be Harry smeltzer and he will be speaking on the subject of “Mcdowell’s Plan for First Bull run.” dinner will be included with a fee of $20 for members and $24 for non-members. To reserve space, contact Pat Whitmer at 240-298-0141 or patwhitmer77@gmail.com. Visit www.powhatancwrt.com.

The Powhatan chapter of the naaCP meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the training room of the Powhatan african american Cultural arts Museum, 4290 anderson Highway (inside the gym of the Pocahontas Landmark Center). all are welcome. For more information, contact Gail Hairston at 804-598-3435 or powhatannaacp@gmail.com.

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

The Powhatan rotar y Club meets at 7:30 a.m. every Thursday at the County seat restaurant.

The Powhatan ruritan Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. at rosa’s Pizza and Italian eatery in Flat rock dinner will be served followed by a program and a brief meeting. They are a community service organization dedicated to our county. all are welcome. For more information call Jake Berman at 804-651-4503.

The Powhatan Chamber of Commerce luncheon will be held at noon at County seat restaurant. Visit www.powhatanchamber.org. SATURDAY, JAN. 21 a fter a few years break, Powhatan County Public Library is pleased to bring back Writers roundup! Come and meet some of our richmond area and Powhatan local authors, and also enjoy some snacks and conversation. Mark your calendars! This event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. are you a local author? If so, and you are interested in participating, email Charles Joynes at cjoynes@powhatanlibrary.net.

saturday under the stars at Powhatan

Community Matters has full January schedule

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

Community Matters is excited to announce expanded program offerings in its new home at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 Anderson Highway. This community resource for 55 and forward features opportunities to learn, connect and stay active.

The new schedule for the January is packed with plenty of opportunities for local residents. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday classes and sessions begin at 10 a.m.; expect inclement weather cancellations upon Powhatan Public School closings or delays. Topics are subject to change.

Jan. 17 – History of Belgrade Plantation and Bon Air.

Jan. 19 – Game Day.

Jan. 24 – Mahjong Basics. This strategic game is noted for being effective in improving shortterm memory, attention and logical thinking. Come learn the basics — regular players are looking for others to join in!

state Park will be hosted by the richmond astronomical society throughout 2023. events are open to the public and held at the equestrian / Trailhead parking area. Visitors are welcome to bring their telescopes and test them out under a dark sky with assistance from our astronomers. This is a great opportunity to try out a new telescope that might have been a holiday gift. no telescope is required, though. you can always check out the views through ours or just bring a comfortable chair. event times are listed below, but volunteer astronomers will be on site before the event to provide telescope assistance. note that the $5 park fee applies at all times; park fees are waived for volunteer astronomers who are sharing their expertise or equipment for the event and volunteer astronomers are welcome to continue to observe through the night after the public hours. astronomers that can help with any of these events, send a message to president@richastro.org. upcoming dates are: 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 21 and Feb. 18; 7 to 9 p.m. april 22; 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 22; 8 to 10 p.m. sept. 16; and 5 to 7 p.m. dec. 9.

Habitat For Humanity — Powhatan depends on volunteers and donors. Habitat is blessed with the community’s helpful and generous participation. The Habitat restore at 1922 urbine road will be open every saturday, come november 2022, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The office is located upstairs at the Habitat restore and the office number is 804-594-7009, ext. 2. Call and volunteer. Help us at the restore, perform critical repairs and/or with our upcoming builds.

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 804690-4884 or Mark Lewis at 804-432-1831.

SUNDAY, JAN. 22

The Powhatan County democratic Committee meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the Powhatan County Library.

MONDAY, JAN. 23

Powhatan County Public Library has a wonderful line up of adult programs to get you out of your house on those wintery days. every second and fourth Monday throughout the winter at 11 a.m., the library will hold retro Movie Mondays. Come in and enjoy some popcorn, watch a classic movie and reminisce. Check out the library’s flyers, call us, or visit the Facebook page for movie title information. For details, contact Powhatan County Public Library at 804-598-5670 or library@powhatanlibrary.net.

a P owhatan Hope n a rcotics a n onymous (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, JAN. 24

Powhatan High school Choral Program’s dinner and a show is on tap at the high school, 1800 Judes Ferry road. This is the opportunity for families, friends and community members to be the first to preview One Voice, radiance and resonance as they debut their 2023 competition shows. dinner service begins at 6 p.m. with show Time at 7 p.m. Tickets for dinner and a show are $25 and must be pre-ordered by Jan. 20. Tickets for the show only are $10 and may be preordered or purchased at the door while they last. all proceeds go directly to support the PHs choral programs during the 2023 season. direct any questions to through the PHs Choral Boosters Facebook page directly or email choralboosters@powhatanchoirs.com. Links to purchase tickets can be found at https://www.powhatanchoirs.com/copy-of-the-diamond-classic.

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. aa meets at 8 p.m. every Tuesday at st Luke’s episcopal Church on Huguenot Trail.

UPCOMING Powhatan anti-Litter Council (aLC) and yard Works will offer real Christmas tree recycling free of charge to Powhatan County residents in January. “real Christmas trees are a renewable resource that clean our air and water. recycled trees are most often shredded into mulch to use in landscaping, which eventually breaks down into soil. In Powhatan, yard Works has collected more than 200 trees on average to as few as 63

Jan. 25 – HumbleBee Project. This ongoing project is featured monthly. No-sew anti-pill fleece blankets are created and tagged which offers opportunity to socialize while doing good for others. Completed blankets are taken to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and given to pediatric inpatients adjusting to the demands of their medical care and treatments.

Jan. 26 – Game Day.

Jan. 31 – Learn Digital Book options and App use from Powhatan Library staff. Any technology-related class, you’re welcome to bring your own device, although that’s not required for learning.

Community Matters is also sponsoring Movers & Pacers, a 12-week walking initiative held at 9 a.m. in the gymnasium. Participants log in with facilitator, tracking cumulative weekly step counts then enjoy indoor walking with friends during winter months. Collaboration with Virginia Cooperative Extension — Powhatan to see more active-aging opportunities made available.

trees during a season. aLC is asking residents to give your real trees a life after the holidays by recycling them free at yard Works. This tree recycling service has been offered to the Powhatan community at no cost for more than 18 years. Trees may be brought to the yard Works in Powhatan, located at 1990 anderson Highway, between Jan. 3 and 31, 2023. Hours for tree dropoffs are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trees will be ground into mulch. according to robbie urbine of yard Works, “Please make sure trees are free of all lights, tinsel and ornaments.” no artificial trees will be accepted. For more information, call yard Works at (804) 639-0311.

Girl scout Troop 3029 is helping the Huguenot Volunteer Fire department achieve a long-held goal of building a memorial to honor the victims of the terrorist attacks of sept. 11, 2001 at the station. The Girl scouts are selling 411 bricks inscribed with the name, rank and company of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or paramedic killed during the attacks. a donation of $23 will cover the cost of one inscribed brick in honor of a first responder. To purchase a brick, visit www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/memorial911. Checks payable to Troop 3029 may also be mailed to Laura Baltz at 1510 Holly Hills road, Powhatan, Va 23139. For more information, contact Baltz at 804-467-4313 or Ljbal65@aol.com. aarP Tax-aide volunteers will be offering free tax return preparation again this year at the Powhatan County Public Library. due to COVId-19 restrictions last year, volunteers were only able to provide drop-off services for most of the season. However, this year, the plan is to return to face-to-face appointments. Tax preparation appointments can be made online beginning Jan. 25, 2023, through a link on the Powhatan Library website. To better manage appointments, volunteers will only be opening a few appointment days at a time. additional appointment times will be added as earlier times are filled. Make an appointment only once you have received all your tax documents. When you come to your appointment, bring the following items: prior year tax return; social security cards for everyone on the tax return and drivers photo Id to confirm your identity; all your tax documents; and copy of a voided check for direct deposit of any tax refund. Free tax return preparation appointments will be in the large conference room of the Powhatan Library between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Wednesday and Friday beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1 through Friday, april 14, 2023.

High school juniors across southside electric Cooperative’s service area are encouraged to apply for the electric Cooperative youth Tour as the trip heads back to the nation’s capital for a week next June. seC will take several high school juniors on the June 19-23 trip that will include visits to many of Washington, d C.’s iconic sites and museums, a nationals baseball game, a dinner cruise on the Potomac, a night at the theater and a day on Capitol Hill to meet legislators. seC pays all the expenses for its students. The deadline to apply for youth Tour is Jan. 31, 2023. This summer’s youth Tour will be the first trip to d C. since 2019 due to the pandemic. seC’s delegation will join students representing electric cooperatives from other parts of Virginia, Maryland and delaware along with participants from across the nation to experience the sights and sounds of Washington, d C. any high school junior who lives and attends school (or homeschool) in one of seC’s 18 counties is eligible to apply. students’ parents do not have to get electricity from seC students must fill out an application and submit a written essay of no more than 500 words explaining an issue they are interested in that could be discussed with a legislator. The application, complete rules and more information is available at sec.coop/youthTour. students and parents with questions about the trip should contact stump at 434-645-3219 or joy.stump@sec.coop or seC’s other community relations coordinator and chaperone, Mark Thomas, at 434-645- 3276 or mark.thomas@sec.coop.

Community Matters is partnering with the Virginia Cooperative extension again to launch a healthy lifestyle walking initiative for 55+ every Friday called Movers & Pacers at 9 a.m. in the gymnasium at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 anderson Highway. Participants will track cumulative steps weekly, log in with a facilitator first, then walk in the gym on Fridays throughout winter months. To register for this program, attend Friday, Jan. 6 at 9 a.m. and then login and walk weekly thereafter. Meet others in the community finding more ways to stay active this

winter! Contact Jayne Lloyd, program coordinator, at 804-698-0438 or raservices.PVa@gmail.com with any questions. 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 January through March, volunteers are asked to arrive at 10 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 11 a.m. upcoming dates are: Jan. 25; Feb. 7, 14 and 22; March 7, 14 and 22. From april through september, volunteers are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 10 a.m. upcoming dates are: april 4, 18 and 26; May 2, 16 and 24; June 6, 20 and 28; July 11, 18 and 26; aug. 1, 15 and 23; sept. 12, 19 and 27. From October through november, volunteers are asked to arrive at 10 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 11 a.m. upcoming dates are: Oct. 3, 17 and 25; nov. 7, 14 and 29. 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 804-356-6327.

Powhatan County Public Library is starting a Book Club. For the first meeting at 10 a.m. on Jan. 27, participants will discuss “Before We Were yours” by Lisa Wingate. If you cannot get your hands on a copy of the book, library staff ay have uncatalogued copies available.

a Pokemon Card Painting event will be held at noon on Jan. 28. Participants will each paint over a Pokemon card. Wear clothes that are OK to get paint on them as the paint needed for the cards is nOT washable. For ages 7 to 12. registration required.

Beekeeping for Beginners school is designed for those who intend to start a honeybee colony. registration consists of four Tuesday night classes: Jan. 31, Feb. 14, 21 and 28 from 7-9 p.m. at the Prince edward County extension Office (100 dominion dr., Farmville, Va 23901) near Lowe’s. a Field day is planned for a date and location to be announced since it is weather-dependent. Cost of $50 per person or Family unit (Family unit category subject to approval) includes all four classes, the Field day and one book and pre-registration is required. Presented by Heart of Virginia Beekeepers. For more information or to register, text Tommy nelson at 434-5474225 or email tommyanelson@gmail.com.

Powhatan County Public Library has a wonderful line up of adult programs to get you out of your house on those wintery days. On saturday, Feb. 18, join other participants for Gentle Beginner’s yoga with Joanna Bartles. 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. For details, contact Powhatan County Public Library at 804598-5670 or library@powhatanlibrary.net. saturday under the stars at Powhatan state Park will be hosted by the richmond astronomical society throughout 2023. events are open to the public and held at the equestrian / Trailhead parking area. Visitors are welcome to bring their telescopes and test them out under a dark sky with assistance from our astronomers. This is a great opportunity to try out a new telescope that might have been a holiday gift. no telescope is required, though. you can always check out the views through ours or just bring a comfortable chair. event times are listed below, but volunteer astronomers will be on site before the event to provide telescope assistance. note that the $5 park fee applies at all times; park fees are waived for volunteer astronomers who are sharing their expertise or equipment for the event and volunteer astronomers are welcome to continue to observe through the night after the public hours. astronomers that can help with any of these events, send a message to president@ richastro.org. upcoming dates are: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 18; 7 to 9 p.m. april 22; 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 22; 8 to 10 p.m. sept. 16; and 5 to 7 p.m. dec. 9.

Powhatan County School Board sets ’23 meeting schedule

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

The Powhatan County School Board unanimously approved its 2023 school board meeting dates on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The board approved the following meeting schedule. All meetings are at the Pocahontas Landmark Center unless otherwise noted.

„ Feb. 6 at 5 p.m., school board budget workshop

„ Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. — 3 p.m., school board budget

workshop

„ Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. — 3 p.m., school board budget workshop

„ Feb. 21 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ March 7 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ March 7 at 7 p.m., school board (public hearing on budget)

„ March 8 at 6:30 p.m., joint school board/board of

supervisors meeting, Village Building auditorium, (tentative)

„ March 21 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ March 21 at 7 p.m., school board meeting

„ April 18 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ April 18 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ (spring break April 3-10 scheduled meeting for the third week)

„ May 9, school board workshop at 5 p.m., school board regular meeting at 7 p.m.

„ June 13 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ June 13 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ July 11 at 5 p.m., school board workshop (if needed)

„ July 11 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting (if needed)

„ Aug. 8 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Aug. 8 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ Sept. 12 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Sept. 12 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ Oct. 10 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Oct. 10 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ Nov. 14 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ Dec. 12 at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Dec. 12 at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

„ Jan. 9, 2024, at 5 p.m., school board workshop

„ Jan. 9, 2024, at 7 p.m., school board regular meeting

All meeting dates and times are subject to change. For the latest information, visit the PCPS website at http://www.powhatan.k12. va.us/.

Supervisors approve ’23 meeting schedule

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

During the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors’ Jan. 9 meeting, the board adopted its meeting schedule for 2023.

The board approved the following meeting dates:

„ Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting/proposed CIP presented „ Feb. 16 at 3 p.m., workshop

„ Feb. 23 at 3 p.m., discuss departmental requests and tax rates

„ Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting/county administrator recommended budget release and discuss tax rates

Two PCPS teachers achieve National Board Certification

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

The Powhatan County School Board recognized Becky Brown and Katie Bates on Jan. 10 for attaining National Board Certification.

Bates teaches second grade at Pocahontas Elementary School and Brown teaches sixth grade English at Powhatan Middle School.

Working toward National Board Certification is a rigorous endeavor that increases the effectiveness of teachers. By systematically examining their teaching practices by videotaping classroom lessons and analyzing student work, teachers deepen their knowledge of their subject matter and become more skilled in daily classroom instruction and student assessment.

A National Board Certificate attests that a teacher has met the highest standards established for the profession. Teachers complete a four-component process that includes three classroom-based portfolio entries and one assessment center exercise. Certification is good for five years and must be renewed by completing a similar but shorter process.

Brown and Bates are part of a National Board Support Cohort with the Met -

they can work for the citizens of Powhatan, he added.

“I think that we need to work on our meeting presence and we’ve got a big task to figure out how to get through not having a county administrator. We have (Bret) Schardein as an interim county administrator, which I think we’re all very happy with, very pleased to have him here,” Byerly said.

“We’ve got some other hires that we need to do, some positions that need to be filled, and that’s going to be a difficult task but one we need to work on.”

Byerly said he doesn’t think the board is at the point where it has decided whether to move forward in hiring a county administrator now or let the next board do it when it takes office in 2024. “But we are definitely

talking about it, and they are good talks and good communication. We are moving forward.”

As the board prepares to enter the budget season, Byerly pointed out that fiscally Powhatan County is in very good condition.

“If we can maybe work on leading from facts as opposed to fear we might do a little bit better for everybody,” he said.

Beyond the budget, Byerly said one goal he wants to see move forward is the planned creation of an eastern convenience center. He also recognized that the capital improvement plan (CIP) will be a significant issue “because we are going to be a little bit out of sync with that by virtue of the inflationary numbers that are coming into play. So we are going to have to work through that through the budget season.”

McClung, who is a firsttime officer on the board,

said in a separate interview it is an honor to serve Powhatan and to be chosen as vice chair. He echoed Byerly’s comments that the board needs to come together in unity.

“We are going to have differences; that’s life, we have differences every day. But in some cases we have to come together and change your views or just come unified as one on what is better for Powhatan and your constituents,” he said.

Entering his second full year on the board, McClung said he knows more this time around about the responsibilities and the commitments the role requires. It takes an extra 10 to 15 hours a week to fulfill the role of supervisor on top of working a full-time job, including not only board meetings but the five committees where he represents the board.

The last year in the role has taught him a great deal

about how to talk to and listen to constituents but also heed the advice of county staff as they all work to do what is right for the county, he said.

Regarding the board’s focus this year, McClung pointed out the county has good revenue coming in but expenditures that are climbing as well, so finding a balance will be key.

“With every expenditure this year everything is way more expensive. That goes for going to the grocery store and getting gas. On a county level, it is amplified a hundred times more than that. We are going to have to be smart about the budget, we are going to have to spend our money wisely, and in the end we will just have to come up with a balanced budget,” McClung said.

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

„ March 6 at 3 p.m., budget workshop to introduce financial forecast, budget presentation and school budget presentation

„ March 8 at 6:30 p.m., joint BOS/SB meeting

„ March 13 at 3 p.m., budget workshop to discuss departmental budgets

„ March 20 at 3 p.m., budget workshop to discuss CIP and personnel

„ March 27 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting — public hearing on real estate tax rate and adopt personal property tax rates (preferred by treasurer and commissioner of revenue)

„ April 3 at 6:30 p.m., budget workshop to decide what budget to advertise — must send to paper by April 6, public hearing on real estate tax rate and adopt RE tax rate and PP tax rates (drop dead date by treasurer and

commissioner of revenue)

„ April 17 at 6:30 p.m., budget workshop – public hearing on budget and fee schedule

„ April 24 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting – adopt the fiscal year 2024 budget and CIP

„ May 11 at 3 p.m., workshop (tentative)

„ May 22 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ June 15 at 3 p.m., workshop (tentative)

„ June 26 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ July 24 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting (to include draft legislative agenda)

„ Aug. 17 at 3 p.m., workshop (tentative)

„ Aug. 28 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ Sept. 14 at 3 p.m., workshop (tentative)

„ Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m., workshop with legislators

„ Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ Nov. 16 at 3 p.m., workshop (tentative)

„ Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

„ Jan. 8, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., organizational meeting

„ Jan. 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., regular meeting

All meeting dates and times are subject to changes by the board. Updated meeting listings can be found throughout the year at http://powhatanva.gov/.

ropolitan Education Training Alliance (META), a partnership among Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, Richmond City, and Powhatan County Public Schools, and the School of Education at VCU, to support teachers through this rigorous process. With the addition of this year’s two new National Board Certified teachers, Powhatan now has a total of eight National Board Certified teachers currently employed.

PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

the Powhatan County school Board recognized Becky Brown and Katie Bates on Jan. 10 for attaining national Board Certification.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PCPS

Katie Bates is recognized at her school for attaining national Board Certification.

Becky Brown is recognized at her school for attaining national Board Certification.

PCPS seeks applicants to serve on Strategic Plan Steering Committee

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

Throughout the latter half of the 2022-23 school year, Powhatan County Public Schools will be developing a strategic plan to be implemented from 20232030. The process will include a review of the vision, mission, belief statements and profile of a graduate as part of this work.

The school division is seeking 12 to 15 volunteers to serve on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. This committee will be comprised of stakeholders, including students, families, staff and community members, representing each magisterial district. Two school board members will also serve on the steering committee and be liaisons with the other

members of the board. Staff and the committee will be responsible for reviewing data received from broader stakeholder groups to draft the strategic plan, including goals, strategies and associated key progress indicators.

Steering committee members can expect to meet on the following dates and times: Friday, Feb. 3, 8 a.m. to noon; Thursday, March 2, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, March 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursday, May 4, 8 a.m. to noon; and Monday, June 26, 9 to 11 a.m.

Interested applicants are asked to fill out the online application at https://support.google.com/ drive/answer/6283888. Applications are due by Jan. 24, 2023.

ciated having the opportunity to serve students, staff and the constituency as vice chairman. It is “a little scary but definitely an honor.”

Staff will review applications, and selections will be made to balance committee representation across stakeholder groups and magisterial districts. It is important that the distribution of the committee span the county so that all areas and stakeholders are represented. Applicants who are selected will be notified by email.

Any questions should be directed to Dr. Beth Teigen, superintendent, at beth.teigen@powhatan.k12.va.us.

Tax-Aide ready for new tax season

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

AARP Tax-Aide volunteers will be offering free tax return preparation again this year at the Powhatan County Public Library. Due to COVID-19 restrictions last year, volunteers were only able to provide drop-off services for most of the season. However, this year, the plan is to return to face-to-face appointments.

Tax preparation appointments can be made online beginning Jan. 25, 2023, through a link on the Powhatan Library website. To better manage appointments, volunteers will only be opening a few appointment days at a time. Additional appointment times will be added as earlier times are filled.

Make an appointment only once you have received all your tax documents. When you come to your appointment, bring the following items:

„ Prior year tax return;

„ Social security cards for everyone on the tax return and drivers photo ID to confirm your identity;

„ All your tax documents; and

„ Copy of a voided check for direct deposit of any tax refund.

Free tax return preparation appointments will be in the large conference room of the Powhatan Library between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Wednesday and Friday beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1 through Friday, April 14, 2023.

Now entering her fourth year as a school board member, Smith said her personal goal is to do what is needed to see the best outcome for staff, students and parents. The focus for all grade levels needs to be on educating students and working toward getting them ready for life after graduation, she added.

After the “roller coaster ride” that was her first three years in office with the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery, Smith said she hopes 2023 will have a little more “smooth sailing.”

“We just have to put our life preserver on and learn how to float and swim when we need to and just be ready for the things that come our way – the challenges – and making the parents a partner with us in this thing called educating the students. It is not just on us; it is a partnership,” she said.

Now moving into his second year on the board, Taylor, who was elected in a special election in February 2022, said he appre-

CRIME REPORT

ARRESTS

One female was charged on Jan. 5 with unauthorized use of vehicle, boat or animal (Misdemeanor), possession of schedule I, II controlled substance (Felony), driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated (M) and possession or distribution of controlled paraphernalia (M).

One male was charged on Jan. 6 with rape by force, threat or intimidation (F).

One male was charged on Jan. 6

In his view, with a superintendent firmly in place, the main tasks ahead in 2023 are the same as 2022 – building a fiscally conservative budget that makes sure the division employees are adequately compensated and have the resources they need to address issues like learning loss as well as continuing to champion the voices of Powhatan parents. In the last year, he said he has strived to listen to parents and he will continue to do that and “champion their voices” to make sure they play a role in educating Powhatan students.

“I think that is what people will continue to see from this board is that we are going to continue to make sure that their voices are heard and that our school system reflects the beliefs and values that the majority of our county residents hold and want to see in their school system.”

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

with assault and battery (M).

One female was charged on Jan. 6 with profane swearing/public intoxication (M).

One male was charged on Jan. 7 with petty larceny (M).

One female was charged on Jan. 7 with petty larceny (M).

One female was charged on Jan. 7 with petty larceny (M).

One female was charged on Jan. 7 with petty larceny (M).

MORE: PCPS is seeking volunteers to serve on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. Follow this link to apply.

PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND

The Powhatan County school Board elected susan smith, right, as its chair and James Taylor as its vice chair.

Painting a winter wonderland

GracelandBaptistChurch Dr.RonaldWyatt,Jr.,Pastor Contemporary–9:00a.m. Sund aySchool–9:45a.m. Worship–11a.m. Children’sWorship–11a.m. Praise&Worship–6p.m. Light houseYouth–Wed.5:30p.m. BibleStudy–Wed.6:30p.m. Children’sWorship(allages)–Wed.6:30p.m. MiraclesofGod Sp.NeedsService: 11a.m.t he 2nd Mon.ofeachmonth 598-34 81 •975DorsetRoad www.gracelandbc.org

PHOTOS BY LAURA MCFARLAND

As part of its adult programming for the winter, Powhatan County Public Library invited Shelley Crawford with Sunshine Art to offera class on Jan. 11 on winter-themed paintings. Sixteen partic pants were offered a free opportunity to immerse themselves in art-making with their choice of two pre-planned drawn-in winter images.

Participants debby dunn, from left, and shirley thorpe work on their paintings while instructor shelley Crawford helps Christine williams.

Jennifer Barden and son Carter work on their winter paintings.

Participants in the class included ting Chen, from left, and Chuck and rebecca Crow.

Peg Price, from left, and trish taylor show off their winter-themed paintings.

aBoVe: elzora Bye, left, and amy Kerns work on their paintings.

LeFt: Participants in the class included sandi davenport, from left, and rose Borkey.

Dance benefits War Memorial Building

Tractor Supply unveils major

CONTRIBUTED REPORT

Tractor Supply recently announced the completion of an exciting remodel of the entire store at the Powhatan location that will transform the shopping experience for local customers.

The enhanced store features an improved layout for convenient and accessible shopping as well as a new Customer Service Hub with upgraded digital tools to help customers find what they need. Additionally, customers can now shop from an expanded assortment of apparel, tools, hardware, pet food, animal feed and more.

“At Tractor Supply, we constantly work to improve the customer experience, from product offerings to in-store features. These

exciting upgrades have completely transformed our store, making it an even better option for customers shopping for Life Out Here,” said Ben Hoskyn, manager of the Powhatan Tractor Supply store. “We are excited for customers to visit our new space that now features more products than ever before, including our new apparel department, expanded feed and food selection and broader tool assortment. We know that customers will love these upgrades as much as we do, and we hope to share them with both familiar and new faces from the Powhatan community.”

With these enhancements, the Powhatan Tractor Supply continues to serve the needs of home-

have an

Since Dobbins became Clerk of Court in February 2014, she has applied for and received 12 grant awards totaling $159,696.82 for preservation, restoration, digitization and security for Powhatan County’s historical records.

Since 1990, the CCRP has awarded over 2,000 grants totaling more than $34,000,000. This year, the program awarded $4.7 million to 99 localities to assist the clerks’ offices with their

owners, livestock and pet owners, gardeners, hobby farmers, ranchers, tradesmen and others. Tractor Supply customers can shop from a wide range of products including workwear and boots, equine and pet supplies, zero turns and riding mowers, pet food, lawn and garden supplies, power tools, fencing, welding and more.

The Powhatan Tractor Supply store, at 2470 Anderson Hwy Ste G, keeps regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. To learn more about Tractor Supply Company, visit TractorSupply.com.

For information on Tractor Supply’s Neighbor’s Club loyalty program, visit NeighborsClub.com.

preservation efforts.

The CCRP is a collaborative program between the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Court Clerks Association (VCCA). Funded through a $3.50 portion of the clerk’s recordation fee, the CCRP provides resources to help preserve and make accessible permanent circuit court records stored in the 120 circuit courts and at the Library of Virginia. For more information on the Circuit Court Records Preservation Program’s resources and services, visit www.lva. virginia.gov.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

dancing to music by The KOS Band.

OPINION

Common courtesy lacking on America’s highways

JIM RIDOLPHI Contributing Columnist

There’s a war happening in America every day. No, I’m not talking about the dysfunctional goings on in Congress or continuing debates regarding vaccinations. I’m referring to the battle that occurs daily on America’s roadways and the increasing irritability of drivers on our highways.

The number of aggressive drivers has increased steadily since America went back to work following the pandemic. As more of us head back to the office, the country’s roadways are once again filled to capacity, including nightmarish rush hours and lengthy backups.

Problem is, our patience has

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Resident questions Senate candidate’s track record

Dear Editor, Recently I attended a luncheon for State Senate Candidate Duane Adams. Mr. Adams is an engaging, very well-dressed man who shared early on that he had plenty of money and didn’t need any money. That, along with a few other things, gave me pause. My prior research revealed that Mr. Adams, currently on the Louisa Board of Supervisors, has run for office several times while living in West Virginia and now in Virginia. The troubling part is that he ran as a Democrat, while he now touts his accomplishments as a Republican. I asked Mr. Adams about that. His response attempted to explain his Democratic days as a long while ago, assuring me that he has now changed. The troubling part to me as a voter is that Mr. Adams in his response to me did not disclose his pattern of running as a Democrat, then a Republican, then a Democrat again, and now claiming to be a Republican again.

A letter recently written by a former state senator revealed that Mr. Adams first ran for the House of Delegates in 1982 as a Republican. Then in 1984 and again in 1986, he switched parties and ran as a Democrat. Interestingly, Mr. Adams ran on the Democratic ticket with Walter Mondale against Ronald Reagan, one of our most popular presidents. Then in 1993, after moving to Virginia, Mr. Adams was the Democratic nominee for the House of Delegates against Frank Hargrove. And now once again, he has flipped back to the Republican side.

In his luncheon remarks, Mr. Adams dropped the names Glenn Youngkin, Winsome Sears and Jason Miyares, which led me

are: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 18; 7 to 9 p.m. april 22; 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 22; 8 to 10 p.m. sept. 16; and 5 to 7 p.m. dec. 9.

Powhatan state Park has planned a series of monthly ranger Led Hikes to explore the park throughout 2023. each month, park visitors can join in a hike on a different trail in the park and learn about local history and wildlife. all hikes begin at 10 a.m. registration is required and limited to nine hikers per trip. email Powhatan@dcr.virginia.gov with the subject line “hiking series” including the desired date/hike to reserve your spot. upcoming events are: Feb. 25: river, Gold dust and Turkey Trail, meet at equestrian Lot; March 25: Cabin Trail/Big Woods Trail, meet at the playground area; april 29: Pine Trail, meet at yates Parking area; May 27: Coyote run Trail, meet at equestrian Lot; June 24: river, Gold dust and Turkey Trail, meet at equestrian Lot; July 29: Cabin Trail/Big Woods Trail, meet at the playground area; aug. 26: Pine Trail, meet at yates Parking

apparently grown thin when we’re behind the wheel. According to AAA, eight of 10 American drivers admit to some form of aggressive behavior on the roads, some even conceding their involvement in road rage incidents.

While aggressive driving is a challenge to overall safety on the road, road rage takes that frustration to another level.

It’s important to note the distinction between the two. Road rage occurs when a driver deliberately uses dangerous driving to inflict physical harm on another driver. Aggressive driving is more familiar to all of us and we’ve all seen that aggressive driver weaving in and out of traffic at high speed, barely escaping

(and perhaps other attendees?) to the conclusion they had all endorsed him. But when I questioned him during the meeting, he responded that they had not.

One very important characteristic in a candidate is steadfast consistency in positions, ideals and morals. This flip-flopping from party to party, dropping names which leads to confusion, and making confident comments about having plenty of money give me great cause for concern with Mr. Duane Adams.

John McGuire, on the other hand, is a former Navy Seal, a man whose vocation displays steadfast consistency. John is a loving husband and father who introduces himself first as a Christian conservative. John won’t be switching positions, ideals or morals. You may have noticed his red signs on lawns all over the county. John placed each sign himself. He’s a man willing to work. I urge you to consider voting for John McGuire.

Harry Markland, Powhatan

A poem for Damar

Dear Editor, The Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin story has had an impact far and wide. I wrote this poem and thought it may be uplifting for others to read. Go Bills!

It is Monday night, January 9th, 2023…

One week after Damar Hamlin’s life-threatening injury.

It was the day that football – the NFL – came to a respectable pause, And all became prayer warriors for this Buffalo Bills cause.

The power of prayer can manifest a significant event, Prayer in numbers ensures those prayers to God are sent.

The ripple effect was quickly evident and clear, Touching so many lives, both far and near.

area; sept. 30: Coyote run Trail, meet at equestrian Lot; Oct. 28: river, Gold dust and Turkey Trail, meet at equestrian Lot; nov. 25: Cabin Trail/Big Woods Trail, meet at the playground area; and dec. 30: Pine Trail, meet at yates Parking area. Wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes and bring plenty of water. Children are welcome but be aware that some hikes may exceed 4 miles and require navigating uneven terrain in all weather conditions.

ONGOING agricultural lands in Goochland and Powhatan counties continue to be eligible for conservation assistance funds from Monacan soil and Water Conservation district (sWCd) for stream exclusion fencing, establishing rotational grazing fields, developing water resources, wells, springs and stream access points, reforestation of critical areas and establishing or enlarging buffer areas along waterways. Funds are also available for nutrient management plan development and implementation, cover crops and numerous other conservation practices. Monacan encourages producers to explore options now since program

8460 times-dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va 23116 Phone – (804) 746-1235 toll free – (877) 888-0449 Fax – (804) 344-8746

jmonopoli@RSnVa com

collisions with other vehicles.

Aggressive driving might include tailgating, running red lights or frequent and unannounced lane changes, road rage can be identified by obscene gestures, hitting or bumping another car or actually running a vehicle off the road.

Speeding – also an indicator of aggressive driving – is a major cause of fatalities in the United States, according to NHTSA statistics.

Now, I’m not sounding the alarm on road safety in the metro Richmond area, but no one doubts that traffic levels have at least returned to pre-pandemic levels. Coupled with the fact that more cars and more drivers mean more traffic, and the situa-

Damar Hamlin was at the epicenter of this metaphor ripple, With his #3 jersey, and WOW –how the impact spread way more than triple!

Damar’s family, all the players and coaches, and entire Bills organization felt this, Bills Mafia fans, the Buffalo community, all of Western New York – in a shock paralysis.

The broader NFL and all teams watched with fearful awe, The entire country, even the world, wanted to undo and heal what they saw.

A reflection of the past week showcases many emotions galore, And I found myself yearning for updates, please give me more.

Damar at the center, his prayer warriors praying with all of their might, To guide the team of doctors, led by Dr. Pritts and Dr. Knight.

What a marvelous relief to know that Damar will be okay, Miracles do happen when in numbers we gather to pray.

I wonder… did this happen for a very special reason, To remind us that prayer, love and kindness are with us in any season.

They should be constants and guide us in all that we do, To quote QB #17, “God is real,” for all of us, not just a few. Was it divine intervention that guided Nyheim Hines on that opening kickoff return?

Some heavenly help to relieve the pressure of the week’s emotional burn.

Thank you for reading my Buffalo Bills #3 Damar Hamlin poem, Remember… God is your biggest fan, wherever you roam.

As for me, I hail from the Buffalo area and bleed red, white and blue, I remember getting autographs from Kelly, Reed and many others, too.

I now wear Micah Hyde’s #23 jersey for every single game, When Micah got hurt, Damar

options have recently been revised and significantly improved for the producer. The district has highly skilled employees who are well trained in both the technical aspects of conservation management and program delivery. staff members assist producers in developing conservation plans that work for their operation and navigating program opportunities. not all programs are created equal and staff members assist applicants in understanding the options and choosing the program that suits their farm’s needs. anyone interested in exploring the many benefits of conservation planning can contact district conservation specialists Betty McCracken at (804)5560935 or Colton sullivan at (804)556-0143.

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 804-801-9851.

Backpacks of Love, a nonprofit committed to eliminating hunger in school-age children by providing nourishing food for their

tion on the roads is troubling.

The reasons for road rage are as varied as the persons committing the acts, according to Psychology Today. In addition to increased traffic, stress and displaced anger can be factors.

In other words, people are transferring their frustration at the office or home to their automobiles.

Back to that guy weaving in and out of traffic and you sitting in your car wondering if guys like that ever get caught. The consequences of aggressive driving and road rage are real. Persons convicted of road rage incidents face increased insurance rates or even cancellation in some cases.

There’s one other correlating factor contained in the latest

stepped up to claim his own fame. Fame to Damar is more than football for this 24-year-old man, Did he know he was the main actor in God’s bigger plan? There is symbolism and spiritual significance of the number three, Did you know it means wisdom, understanding, and it’s the number of harmony?

Damar’s character and Coach McDermott’s leadership – all fostering an atmosphere of family, That united us all and fills us with pride for this team of integrity!

Go forth all you Buffalo Bills and Go Do Your Thing!

Triumphant you already are, with or without that Super Bowl ring. You are winners in the hearts of all of your fans, Thank you for leading us through one of God’s special plans. When football came to a stop, where were you on that difficult night?

I was with my family in our Bills room, praying for Damar to be alright.

Jubilant, joyous, what a glorious outcome…

Damar’s healing makes us all smile – wherever you come from!

Go Bills!

Heidi Sanderson Daniels Powhatan

Human composting is a disturbing idea to contemplate

Dear Editor, Every now and then an article in the paper snatches your eye so that you shout, “What the heck?” scaring the daylights out of your cat. You then reach for your bottle of Basil Hayden. The article in question is: “Wow your friends with the most delicious tomatoes ever using your Aunt Martha as human compost.” I kid you not.

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.

young people in the 4-H community learn leadership, citizenship, and a vast array of life skills that benefit them for the rest of their lives. Through school-based, after-school, and community clubs as well as camp settings, 4-H members pledge to build a better community, country, and world. The new 4-H year starts Oct. 1 and runs through sept. 30, 2022, so this is a great time to join a 4-H club! In Powhatan County, 4-H sPIn and project clubs include the following designed for youth ages 9-18: Livestock, archery, equine, dairy Judging, and shooting education (waiting list).

road rage observations. In an increasing number of incidents involving the use of firearms, some of these shootings are resulting in deaths.

An incident that occurred in Hanover County on Labor Day involved a man firing shots at another vehicle. The suspect was eventually captured in Montana.

In my mind, driving should be a collaborative effort, and operating a vehicle is probably not the best spot to confront issues that face us all in a challenging society.

And using a turn signal is a simple courtesy that, along with other common sense measures, could make our roads a safer place.

After reading the headline only, I assumed my loving family was going to dig a shallow hole in the backyard after my demise, toss me in it, throw a little dirt on top, say a short prayer and sing Amazing Grace with harmonica accompaniment, then gather around to solemnly plant crookneck squash, tomato and rutabaga seeds on top of me. I was so close.

The short version of this story is that instead of your family paying thousands of dollars for a fancy funeral with all of the bells and whistles that you will never enjoy the latest newfangled internment is what the Greenies are calling natural organic reduction. That’s woke-speak where essentially you are put inside a metal composting tube and left to marinate for sixty days with wheat straw, alfalfa, shredded Amazon cardboard boxes, recycled Christmas tree branches and lots of rosemary. Lots of rosemary.

You would think people would be satisfied with their creativity of sprinkling their cremated loved one’s ashes all over the ground in Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom or shooting an ounce or two of their earthly remains into outer space or packing their human powder into a fireworks shell for the Fourth of July celebrating their life. The latter is what’s known as a two-for. You’d be wrong. Now there’s this. And of course it’s designed to help save the planet.

We’re just a shocking step closer to the movie Soylent Green where next we will be making food bars out of dearly departed Uncle Andy to feed the burgeoning population.

I don’t mind communing with nature, but I cringe at the thought of earth worms rummaging through what’s left of me.

Almost sincerely yours, Joe Ondishko, Powhatan

Powhatan Today announces change

star ting Jan. 25, Powhatan Today will reduce the number of homes that receive the free publication by mail.

readers can still find free copies of the Powhatan Today on racks at several local businesses. a full list can be found today on page a2. also, you can read each week’s entire edition of Powhatan Today for free at https://issuu.com/powhatantoday. That website also has years’ worth of past editions available.

Publisher Joy Monopoli

Managing Editor Laura McFarland lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

Sports Editor Robby Fletcher rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

Production Manager denine d angelo ddangelo@mechlocal.com

Sales Representative tom haynie thaynie@mechlocal.com

Classifieds Cindy adams cadams@mechlocal.com

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS

Powhatan Today welcomes your Letters to the editor on topics of concern to you and the community. Letters, which should be no longer than 400 words, must include the name, address and telephone number of the author. The deadline is noon theThursday before publication, but letters may be held until the following week upon the editor’s discretion. The publisher or editor of Powhatan Today reserves the right to edit or withhold from publication any letter for any reason whatsoever. Once received, all letters become the possession of Powhatan Today. Letters reflect the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of Powhatan Today or its staff.

Powhatan today is published weekly on wednesdaywith offices located at 8460 times dispatch Blvd., Mechanicsville, Va 23116. Periodical Postage paid at Powhatan, Va. 23139. USPS # 000-035

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HIGH SCHOOL TEAM WINS CHILI COOKOFF

From A1

Budgetprovided by the state on Dec. 16, 2022.

“It is subject to change as the state initiatives are approved and amended by the General Assembly, so please just remember this is a first draft – it probably, most likely will change,” she said.

The budget that Halloway presented to the school board projects revenues for the school at $59.03 million, which is almost $3.77 million more than the FY2023 budget adopted by the board last year.

In this initial draft, PCPS is requesting $27,588,203 in local funds, a $1.7 million or 6% increase over FY2023 adopted. She pointed out that it is less than the increase the school division received from the county between FY2021 and FY2022 (6.5%) and FY2022 to FY2023 (8.5%). Local funds in this budget represent 46.74% of the division’s projected revenues.

In addition to mentioning federal, other local and food service revenues, Halloway pointed out that these figures did not include the carryover ESSER federal funds that could be used to fund some of the items. The funds have to be used by June 2024.

The state revenues for FY2024 are budgeted at $27,168,153, which is 46.02% of the division’s total projected budget. The amount PCPS will receive is driven by the ADM (average daily membership) and the composite index, both of which saw a decrease, as well as SOQ formulas that are set by the state. The governor’s revised plan for FY2024 increases state revenue by $2,155,937.

Normally, there are only a few potential expenditure changes

that impact the budget, and they are salary adjustments, VRS rate changes, health insurance premiums and new positions.

One of the biggest cost increases in this projected budget is a 5% pay increase for staff. The revenue that Powhatan will receive toward the increase is $1,490,791. However, a 5% increase will cost the division $1,980,094, requiring local funds in the amount of $489,303, Halloway said.

There is an amount of $121,494 provided (with a $128,803 local match) for a bonus payment from the state proposed by the governor. Halloway said not much information has been given about this bonus from the state and she expects it to change.

The purchased services section of the budget has a proposed increase of $920,079, with the bulk of that accounted for in maintenance contracts (up $576,600); legal services ($211,370); and purchased services ($115,452). The other charges section line items, which include utilities, postage, insurances, rentals, and travel, went up $106,794, with the bulk of the increase in heating fuel. High fuel costs will likely be an ongoing topic for the board.

The school division is projecting large increases in furniture and fixtures ($90,000); software ($139,957); and non-capital technology hardware ($356,200).

There are also many categories that decreased, stayed the same or increased anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand.

The school division has no control over VRS rate changes and health insurance premiums but does have a limited ability to control health insurance costs when setting the amount of the premium that is paid by the employee. Initial talks with the division’s health

Shenandoah University student earns dual academic honors

WINCHESTER, VA – Robert Hubley of Moseley is one of 429 students who made the President’s List and one of 1,087 students who made the Dean’s List at Shenandoah University for the Fall 2022 semester

To qualify for the Dean’s List, students enrolled in baccalaureate degree programs must complete at least 12 semester hours and earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students with a GPA of 3.90 or higher also qualify for Shenandoah’s President’s List.

Three Radford University students present research at Winter CARD

RADFORD, VA – The Radford University Office of Undergraduate Research (OURS) sponsored the fourth Winter CARD, or Creative Activities and Research Days, held Nov. 29 through Dec. 2, 2022.

Working closely with faculty and other students during the fall semester, undergraduate students solved wicked problems we face in society and on our planet. Students presented their research projects through poster projects or orally to an audience.

Participants included: Zoe Higley of Powhatan, Poster –Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court Case; Collin Lawson of Powhatan, Interdisciplinary Poster – Legalization of Marijuana in Virginia Policy; and Abigail Shiflett of Powhatan, Interdisciplinary Poster – The Inclusion of Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists in the Acute Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa and Recidivism Rates During LongTerm Follow-up.

insurance advisors have indicated no increase for FY2024, Halloway said. This is a marked difference from last year, when there was a 19.1% increase.

Halloway also highlighted some of the capital improvement plan (CIP) projects the school division is considering using operating funds to accomplish totaling $461,000. The projects are included in the line item budgets and account for some of the increases. The bulk of those are at the high school or divisionwide projects, including $50,000 for a divisionwide facilities study to help determine the biggest needs.

After the presentation, the board asked a few questions regarding wanting more information on fuel costs; insurance rates and making sure they won’t go up; legal fees (with the consideration of still contracting versus having a staff attorney); wanting county and school employees to have the same benefits; what kinds of software is being used; a purchasing agent shared with the county (currently being advertised); funds used for addressing learning loss; wanting to make sure the salary increase is moving forward; addressing mental health concerns; wanting a radio system on school buses that connects with the county’s emergency services (funds already identified in CIP); and addressing the flexibility of transportation between the schools and day cares.

The school board has already planned several budget workshops (see page A3) but is likely to add more as it receives more information and takes deeper dives into the budget.

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

Do you have a news tip, story idea or photo to submit?

E-mail Laura McFarland at lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

For our younger youth, ages 5-8 years old, we’re seeking new club leaders interested in starting a second Cloverbud 4-H Club in Powhatan. 4-H s chool e nrichment programs are also available for homeschool groups. reach out to C athy Howland, Powhatan 4-H e x tension ag ent, at 804-5985640 or chowland@vt.edu for details about the 4-H opportunities listed, and/or information on starting new 4-H clubs or programs.

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 tr ansport them to the nonprofit at 2500 Batterson road. Contact the pantry at 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@gmail.com.

News tip, story idea, community events, photos, birth announcements, 40th anniversaries & above or 80-year-old birthday & above announcement submissions can be e-mailed to Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com or call 804-363-1577

Powhatan County Parks and r ec wishes you a healthy and happy n ew year 2023! Check out our neW January schedule of programs. s pecial n eeds Basketball (18+), Monday 10 a.m. to noon; Pickleball (18+), Tuesday, Thursday 9 — 11:30 a.m. and W ednesday noon-2:30 p .m.; Community Matters (55+), Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10 a.m.-noon; Movers & Pacers Indoor Walking Group (55+), 9-10 a.m.; Preschool PlayTime (ages 2-5) — Friday 10-11:30 a.m.; Fast Feet (grades K-8), Friday 3-6 p .m.; *Girls n ight: Open Basketball (all ages) — 6 -8 p.m. Holiday Closure: Monday, Jan.16. ac tivities are free for residents and county employees/ $10 non-residents. Minors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Pocahontas Landmark Center Gym is located at 4290 a nderson Highway. For more information, call the rec Center at 804-598-5275. Follow us on Facebook @ Powhatan County Parks & recreation.

The Friends of Powhatan County Public Library’s Bookshop is open during library hours and accepting donations again. The bookshop accepts books, movies, audiobooks, C d s, and magazines. Materials can be given to a library staff member or placed in the book shop corner (tuck them by the file cabinet in the back), which is at the end of the passageway once you come in the front door. Proceeds from the book sale are used for additional library programming.

in your yard, or are new to the Powhatan or Goochland area, we also offer free one to two-hour site visits. available now e mergency Housing relief funds to assist with rent, mortgage or other housing concerns. Powhatan Community a c tion agenc y has received funding for housing relief for families in Powhatan County who have been affected by COVI d -19. Contact renee Van n atter at valerie.vannatter@dss.virginia.gov or via cell at 804 814-5332.

Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan always is looking for donations of gently used appliances, cabinets, and furniture such as dining room and bedroom sets (no mattresses or upholstered furniture). Call to drop off at 804594-7009, ext. 1. Or email store@habitatpowhatan.org. Habitat also does pick-ups for a $20 donation to our Critical repair program. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website at habitatpowhatan.org Volunteer transportation program — free service to Powhatan seniors age 60+ who are unable to drive for basic needs. d rivers receive all information from program coordinator on rides that are requested by registered riders, and accept only rides they are available to fulfill. Call 804-698-0438 or email ras ervices.PVa @gmail.com to register as a rider or apply as a volunteer driver.

Join

Powhatan County Public Library is excited to partner with Wowbrary to offer library patrons the opportunity to subscribe to a curated weekly e-newsletter showcasing new library acquisitions. each newsletter features the latest bestsellers, movies, audio books, children’s titles, cookbooks, mysteries, and more purchased by the library. Wowbrary alerts are free and all you need is a valid email address. Visit www.wowbrary.org to sign up. a Powhatan County Public Library card in good standing is required to check out print and electronic items. To obtain a library card, visit the library or apply online at www.powhatanlibrary.net.

for details.

80-year-old

e-mail: Advertise in Powhatan Today

Call 746-1235 for details.

The Powhatan County Cooperative extension Master Gardener Help desk is here for yet another growing season. although office hours are reduced because of COVI d -19 restrictions, the Help d esk is still ready and available. e mail questions and detailed photos of your stricken plants to gpmastergardener@gmail.com and volunteers will try and find a solution for you. you can also dir ectly call the Powhatan County e xtension at 804-5985640 and leave a message. The Help d esk will be in touch. If a real-life diagnosis or determination is needed, large plant samples including root, stem and leaves can be dropped off at the Powhatan County e xtension’s office after consulting with Master Gardener volunteer. If you have plants/ shrubs/trees needing identification

Advertise

narconon arrowhead is here to help you. n a rconon offers free addiction counseling, assessments, and referral services to rehabilitation centers nationwide. Call 1-800-468-6933 or log on to www.narcononarrowhead.org. a box was provided by the n ational association of Counties (naCo) to provide citizens a place to bring flags that need to be retired properly. It is located at the County ad ministration Building in the vestibule area by the front doors. County administration is working with local groups that hold flag disposal ceremonies and will be routinely transporting the flags collected to these ceremonies. For questions, call 804-598-5612.

in Powhatan Today Call 746-1235 for details.

Hope Project provides free transportation for Powhatan County residents who have lost their driver’s licenses due to drug-related charges. e xamples include rides to court, rehab, job interviews, doctor’s appointments, and probation meetings. Contact the Hope Project coordinator at 804-301-3324. Give a minimum of 24 hours’ notice.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

E-mail to lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

Deadline is 3 p.m. Wednesday for the following week’s issue. Calendar announcements cannot be taken by phone. We reserve the right to edit all items submitted.

OURS provides transformative experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate college students to help them gain experience that will serve them well in their workplace and all of their lives. Students’ experience in tackling ambiguous processes and solutions transforms them well beyond learning skill in their disciplines, to include being more engaged in their workplace even decades later (Purdue Gallop Poll), developing critical thinking and communication skills which are the most desired Career Readiness skills by employers, and helping get that first job as 86% of employers indicate they are more likely to hire students who have conducted a research project with faculty.

Nye of Powhatan.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi inducts three new members

BATON ROUGE, LA – Local students recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

News tip, story idea, community events, photos, & above or 80-year-old birthday & above Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

McKay named to fall 2022 Dean’s List at Westminster College

NEW WILMINGTON, PA – Timothy McKay of Moseley was named to the Westminster College Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester. McKay is majoring in Political Science.

McKay was among 361 students named to the dean’s list. To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.6 or higher.

Emory & Henry congratulates students named to Dean’s List

The following students were recognized: Jami Clarkson of Moseley at Virginia Commonwealth University; Megan Mbagwu of Moseley at Virginia Commonwealth University; and Scott Stech of Moseley at Virginia Commonwealth University. They are among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

News tip, story idea, community events, photos, & above or 80-year-old birthday & above Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com

EMORY, VA – Emory & Henry College congratulates students named to the fall 2022 Dean’s List. To be named to the Dean’s List a student must be a full-time student and receive a 3.6 GPA for the semester.

The following students were recognized: Joy Johnson of Powhatan, Mitchell Johnson of Powhatan and Janey

Thomas Latham named to Mount St. Mary’s Fall 2022 President’s List

EMMITSBURG, MD – Thomas Latham of Powhatan has been named to the President’s List for the fall 2022 semester at Mount St. Mary’s University, achieving a 4.0 grade point average. An additional 579 students made the Dean’s List, for which a grade point average of 3.4 is required.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PCPS

during the Powhatan County school Board’s meeting on Jan. 10, the annual Chili Cookoff was held featuring entries from sodexo staff members at each of the five schools. after the votes from board members and staff were tallied, this year’s winner was Powhatan High school. shown accepting the trophy are delores Taylor, sharon Brown, principal Christopher sumner, Cathy Cousins-smith, Betty Cooper Jeanette Kendrick and Jennifer shumake. Pocahontas and Powhatan elementary schools tied for second; Flat rock elementary was third; and Powhatan Middle was fourth.

Dominant defense fuels

Powhatan’s fourth win

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

Behind a deadly full court press and hot shooting nights from the team’s leading scorers, the Powhatan Indians stepped onto the home floor of the Maggie Walker Green Dragons and left it looking like the superior team in a 63-35 win on Jan. 10.

The victory was Powhatan’s second win in its last three games, and its largest margin of victory of the season, beating a 23-point win over the Goochland Bulldogs on Dec. 6.

The Indians were led by a 19-point outing from senior Jack DeBord, who lit up the scoreboard with three 3-pointers. Next to him were solid scoring performances from sophomore Matt Henderson and junior D.J. Jackson, who finished with 10 points apiece.

Senior center Paul Bonner, an anchor in the paint who was disruptive on both ends of the floor against the Green Dragons, says the team entered the game coming off a strong practice session, a trend he notices has led to some of Powhatan’s best performances this season.

“I think it’s big when we have a good practice beforehand,” Bonner said.

Bonner in particular looked like a player that used the motivation from a strong practice to deliver one of his best all-around performances of the season. He says his confidence lies in doing the little things right on the floor, noting his ability to rebound, play aggressive and read the defense as ways in which he helps his team.

“I may not score a lot, but rebounding is what has gotten me this far so I just continue to focus on that,” he said.

At the forefront of the victory was a suffocating full court press from the Indians, who never let the Dragons get comfortable in their home gym. When Maggie Walker did beat the press, Powhatan still displayed sound de-

fense in the half court, holding Maggie Walker to its first game under 40 points since a season-opening loss to Colonial Heights on Dec. 1.

“To me, it’s always about effort,” Geiman said of his team’s defense. “We weren’t perfect, which we are never going to be, but I thought we executed well enough and worked really hard, which is what we’ve been preaching.”

Geiman says the coaching staff has been preaching the importance of effort all season to the team, focusing on the aspect that good effort provides more room for error and can often make up for those mistakes.

On offense, the Indians started to pick up the pace at the end of the first quarter with six unanswered points from DeBord and Henderson to make it a 11-4 game entering the second quarter. That momentum carried over into the start of the second, with DeBord burying a catch-andshoot three, followed by Bonner stopping a post-up opportunity which sparked a fast break layup for Henderson.

Powhatan again scored in bunches soon after, with Henderson finding DeBord on a skip pass for a mid-range jumper, which was immediately followed by a steal at half court by Bonner which then led to DeBord burying another 3-point make in the same area as his mid-range jumper. In the blink of an eye, the score was 21-9 in Powhatan’s favor.

The Indians entered the half up 28-10 and continued to flex their muscles, keeping up with the press and cruising to a 43-21 lead at the end of three quarters after a Bonner putback at the buzzer.

Geiman was able to go deep into his bench to stretch out the rotation for the remainder of the game, giving some of Powhatan’s younger players some well-earned minutes on the floor with the game already in hand.

The Indians had a quick turnaround after the win over the Green Dragons with a home matchup against the Cosby Titans the next day. While the Indians rightfully deserved some time to celebrate their largest margin of victory this season, Geiman says the mindset shifted to Cosby once the clock struck midnight, a philosophy that he learned from the coaches he used to play under.

“After the clock hits midnight and it’s the next day, it’s all hands on deck for the next game,” he said.

Against the Titans, who are one the strongest teams in the district, the Indians fought to the end to keep the game close, giving the Titans one of their closest battles of the season.

Cosby won 53-46 to move to 8-4 on the season, but they had to gut it out despite jumping to an early 20-12 lead entering the second quarter.

Behind a masterful 26-point game from Henderson, who connected on five 3-pointers, the Indians were down just 10 points entering the fourth quarter, and 11 points from Henderson and three from DeBord helped them score 15 in the final eight minutes to keep the Titans on edge until the final buzzer sounded.

Though not a result in Powhatan’s favor, it was another impressive performance that indicates the improvement the team has made since the season started.

Up next for the Indians is a matchup against George Wythe for their second meeting of the season.

The first game was Powhatan’s closest win of the season, as they fought back with a late go-ahead bucket by freshman Ryan Flippo to win the game 66-55 on Dec. 2. Their second meeting will be at Powhatan on Jan. 18 with a start time of 7:15 p.m.

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

Powhatan tops Cosby, Benedictine at quad meet

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

Fresh off a strong fourth place performance in Bristol, Tennessee at the Bill Brimer Brawl in the Hall, Powhatan wrestling head coach Jonathan Tanaka has been preaching consistency to his team in the hopes that they can build off that result.

At their next matchup, a quad meet hosted by Cosby that featured the Atlee Raiders and Benedictine Cadets on Jan. 11, the Indians continued to impress in matchups that displayed the consistency Tanaka sought, winning two of their three head-tohead meetings.

The Indians opened with a 5514 win over the Raiders, a team Tanaka says he was glad to face first in order to see how his team would look against a tough regional opponent. They followed that up with a 48-26 win over

the Cadets soon after, though in their last matchup of the evening against the hosting Titans, they fell in a 56-30 loss.

“I’m really happy with the Atlee score and the Benedictine matchup, just for us it’s all about being consistent and giving that consistent effort. That was our big talk after the Cosby match,” Tanaka said. “We learned our lessons and got lots of great film.”

Powhatan won its first four matchups against Atlee, with Talon Harness winning in a 9-1 decision, Gavin Utley winning in a 5-3 decision, Britton Proffitt pinning his opponent in the second period and Preston Ritz getting a first period pin. Those four helped Powhatan jump to a 19-0 lead, which then grew to 49-5 after consecutive pins from Cal Johnson and Brady Beard.

Mann named VISFL player of the year

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

Football season came to an end in November, but award season was still very much active for the Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Knights.

The Knights had multiple players earn All-State honors after making an appearance in the state championship and finishing with a 7-4 record, but at the top of the list of individual accolades goes to senior David Mann, who was named the VISFL Division II player of the year.

Mann was also a first team All-State member as a tight end, linebacker and punter after an excellent season in which he led the Knights in sacks, catches, receiving yards and touchdowns.

On defense, Mann recorded four sacks to lead the team along with 36 tackles, five tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. As a tight end on offense, he hauled

in 28 receptions, 436 yards and four touchdowns.

After his excellent senior season, the player of the year was also featured in the Big River Rivalry All-Star game.

Other Knights featured on All-State teams include Nathan Roberts, Hunter Case, Nathan Barras, Jeb Hatfield, Will Fichter, Kendrick Sheffield and Trenten Quinlan. Quarterback Afton Harrow and defensive lineman Tanner Wood also were honorable mention members.

Roberts, Case, Barras and Hatfield were all first team members. Barras and Roberts’ efforts on the offensive line got them deserved recognition, helping Case record monster offensive numbers on the ground and earn his All-State nod. In 188 carries, Case led the team with 1,190 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns for 6.32 yards per carry.

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Powhatan center Paul Bonner locks up a post-up possession from Maggie Walker’s William Richter in Powhatan’s 63-35 win on the road on Jan. 10.

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Please C&F Bank’s Athleteof the Week C& FBa nk AthleteoftheWeek WHO: BRITTONPROFFITT WHATHE DID: ThePowhatanIndianswrestlingteam traveledtoBristol,TennesseeonJan.6-7 tocompeteinthe2023BillBrimerBrawlin theHall,oneofthebiggestcompetitions they’llfacethisseason.

see Quad Page B2 SeniorBrittonProffitt,competing inthe145-poundclass,wasthelonefirst placewinnerfortheIndians,winningthree straightmatchesviapinonthewaytothe semi final s. Inthesemifinals,Proffittmatched upagainstMorristown-HamblenWest’s BraidenShelton,anddominatednearly everysecondofthematch,cruisingtoa 16-1techfallvictory.Helatermatched

withCannonMullinsfromDobyns Bennett,whichProffittwoninhis closestbattleofthetournament. Proffittrecordedtwotakedownsin thefinalandheldoffhisopponent’s attemptstostealthelead,winning 5-2toclaimthe145-poundtitle. TheIndiansfinishedfourth outofafieldof33teamsatthe to urna ment

WRESTLING ALL-STAR

Powhatan swim takes on Colonial Heights at SwimRVA

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

Powhatan’s swim team continues to excel at the midpoint of its season, adding another stellar performance to its resume in a meet hosted by Colonial Heights at SwimRVA on Jan. 12.

The meet, also featuring New Kent, had a collection of big performances from the Powhatan Indians, who placed first as a team in the girls competitions with 125.50 and second on the boys side with 82 points. The boys swimmers were just behind the Colonials, who finished with 88 points.

The Indians had a big win early in the girls 200-yard medley relay that was started by senior Summer Kantanen and freshman Kayla Blinn and closed out by sophomores Jenna Autry and Elizabeth Vallent. The group won by a nearly two-second difference with a final time of 2:09.76. That same group later won the 200yard freestyle relay in 1:54, five seconds ahead of New Kent in second place.

After winning the medley relay, Vallent and Blinn later came in first and second in the 200 individual medley, with Vallent continuing her impressive performance with a time of 2:35.13, while Blinn finished in 2:45.86.

Blinn’s next big win came in the 100-yard freestyle, which saw three Powhatan swimmers take the top-3 in Blinn, freshman Lauren Scythes and junior Katherine Harrison.

Later in the girls 200-yard freestyle, Scythes and fellow freshmen Hayden Russell were atop the standings, with Russell winning the competition in 2:13.83 and Scythes coming in at 2:21.28. Russell also won the 500yard freestlye in a landslide victory that saw her dominate on the way to a 5:48.76 time. Her best lap came in at 31.49 seconds.

Kantanen was also not finished winning for her school, as the senior swimmer won in a true photo finish against Colonial Heights senior Emma Moody in the 50yard freestyle. Kantanen won by 0.02 seconds in the race, finishing with a 28.36-second result. Autry also won a second race for Powhatan, swimming a 1:09.62 in the

100-yard butterfly event.

On the boys side, senior Cole Malkerson built off a strong performance at the Hawk Invitational with a win in the 100yard butterfly, recording a time of 1:00.40 to beat a field of five swimmers.

Malkerson later kicked off the 200-yard freestyle relay followed by freshman Zach Kantanen, juniors Nathan Orban and Brandon Vallent. That group won by a five-second difference compared to the second player New Kent group, finishing with a 1:43.16 time.

In one of the final events of the evening, Vallent added one more win to the scoreboard for the Indians, taking first place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:10.77. New Kent’s Olivia Allen came in second in 1:11.99.

Powhatan will once again take

Quad

From B1

They followed that performance up with one just as impressive against the Benedictine Cadets, a powerhouse program in the VISAA that is coming off a 10th place finish in the East Coast Catholic Classic on Jan. 6 and 7. Powhatan looked like the stronger program at Cosby though, with Utley again kicking things off in Powhatan’s favor with a second period pin in the 138-pound matchup.

Benedictine earned points in the next five matchups to take a 26-6 lead, but they wouldn’t score again from that point on. Senior Chris Davis got the Indians back on the right track in the 190-pound matchup against Terrell Zotalis-Holland, quickly throwing him to the ground and pinning him in 1:17.

Mann

From B1

Roberts and Case also earned first team honors as linebackers, with Roberts recording 54 tackles, two sacks and seven tackles for loss while Case finished with four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two safeties.

Hatfield earned his first team mention on the defensive side of the field. He set the 8-man football single season record for tackles as a defensive back, recording 91.5 tackles in his senior season. He also finished his Knights career with 14 tackles for loss, six passes broken up and three forced fumbles.

On the All-State second team, Fichter earned his mention thanks to strong efforts as a wide receiver and overall offensive weapon. He finished the season with 979 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns.

Sheffield also made the second team as a defensive end, finishing the year with 45 tackles, two sacks, six tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

Quinlan made the second team

as a kickoff return man and made honorable mention as a defensive back, finishing the year with 38 tackles and an interception on defense and 539 yards on 28 kickoff returns.

Harrow made honorable mention at quarterback and at defensive back after recording 51 tackles

and two fumble recoveries on defense and scoring 11 total touchdowns with 578 passing yards as BSH’s starting signal-caller. Wood made honorable mention on the defensive line after sacking three quarterbacks and recording five tackles for loss as a newcomer to the team.

After Beard defeated John Donner in a 12-4 final with five takedowns, senior Natalia Sanchez followed it up with one of the highlights of the night, responding off a loss in her Atlee matchup with a thrilling victory by pin with just four seconds left in the second period. Wins by Harness and Luke Wells wrapped up the meeting and gave Powhatan a second convincing victory in as many matches.

In the last meeting with the Titans, it was the rare moment where the Indians looked outmatched. The Indians started off

on Colonial Heights on Jan. 21, when the Indians travel to Swim Quest for another matchup with the Colonials. That meet starts at 5 p.m.

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

strong after Proffitt overpowered Jackson Lambert with a 10-2 lead and ultimately a pin in the second period. That win was followed by an impressive victory from Ritz, who returned to the mat on Jan. 11 after being sidelined by an injury with a comeback over Cooper Helmandollar that saw him claim victory despite being down 6-4 with a minute to go in the match.

From there, it was all Cosby, with the hosting school scoring the next 23 team points and ultimately running away with the game for a win to close out the evening.

It was a tough pill to swallow as the nightcap matchup, but it was an overall successful day of wrestling from the Indians. Tanaka said after the meet that multiple wrestlers impressed throughout the day, including Utley, Proffitt and Harness, as well as wrestlers like Jackson Faris, who demonstrated the type of attitude and effort that Tanaka wants to see from everyone who steps on the floor to represent Powhatan.

“I’m really happy with Jackson Faris‘ effort tonight. He wasn’t super successful on the scoreboard per se, but fought his tail off there, really fighting off his back and saved us some team points just trying really hard,” Tanaka said. “We try to explain to our kids that’s the kind of effort we need to give up and down the lineup so really happy with his effort.”

Up next for the Indians is a dual at Midlothian on Jan. 18. The match will start at 6 p.m.

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

senior Chris davis pins down Benedictine’s Terrell Zotalis-Holland in his

second matchup of the evening.

FILE PHOTO

BsH senior david Mann was named the VIsFL division II player of the year after leading the Knights in sacks on defense and in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns on offense.

PHOTO BY ANJIE KAY

Kendrick sheffield (23) made the second team as a defensive end, finishing the year with two sacks, six tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

PHOTOS BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Freshman Kayla Blinn swims a lap in the 200-yard individual medley.

sophomore Jenna autr y competes in the 200-yard freestyle relay for the Indians at swimrVa

Powhatan’s Ben Compton competes in the boys 200 freestyle event versus Colonial Heights at swimrVa on Jan. 12.

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