Managing Editor
POWHATAN – A longstanding tradition of bringing local business leaders together with Powhatan’s state elected officials continued last week when State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, and Del. Lee Ware, R-65, spoke at the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon.
LAURA MCFARLAND
Managing Editor
POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors got more detail about the reasons behind increases in the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2024 operating budget when they spoke with department heads last week. The board spoke with representatives from 16 departments during a March 16 budget meeting. With each department, the board was walked through a brief explanation of the areas seeing increases and then given time to
ask questions about why those changes are necessary.
Reasons for changes in the different departments included new or updated positions, increased operations or materials costs, new initiatives, salary adjustments, health insurance adjustments and more.
Some departments fielded a number of questions from the supervisors while others saw little interaction. County administrator Bret Schardein and budget manager Thomas Vo also fielded questions. The board did
not take any votes on the budget at this workshop.
The supervisors were scheduled to speak with more department heads at their meeting on Monday, March 20, which happened after press time.
The departments that met with the board on March 16 were:
Circuit court clerk’s office – Requested increase of $23,504 for salary and benefits and operational increases. However, during the public comment
Managing Editor
Lanie Jastram put a little zest and a great deal of enthusiasm into the sweet corn salsa she served judges last week, and it paid off with a first place win in the Sodexo Future Chefs Contest.
Competing against five other local elementary school students on March 15, the fourth grader from Powhatan Elementary School was the only returning competitor from last year’s contest, where she won third place.
This time around, Lanie’s take on the assignment of making a compelling side dish produced a colorful, tasty dish that saw her taking home a trophy and some cool prizes to keep her culinary momentum going.
“I was really excited. It means that I am really good at baking and I was recognized for that,” she said.
Lanie said she choose her sweet corn salsa because her family likes it and it is both colorful and delicious. She also likes that there are plenty of fresh vegetables.
The March 16 luncheon held at the County Seat Restaurant and Gathering Place is an annual tradition that allows the legislators to talk about the most recent General Assembly session, usually with a major focus on local and business-related issues.
They talked about significant successes in the most recent session as well as efforts that failed to progress, and included legislation they patroned or fought for with mixed results. Both mentioned the challenges of having a divided General Assembly in trying to get work accomplished.
“That reality of having a divided assembly … played a role in what we did this year,” Ware said.
Despite being a short session, Hashmi said it was a busy two months that isn’t quite over. “I feel like Delegate Ware and I just crawled out of a dark hole that was the General Assembly session.”
Some of the main topics they discussed included:
State Budget: Both Hashmi and Ware touched on the General Assembly ending its session without passing a full budget and legislators having their work cut out for them to break the billion-dollar stalemate that prevented them from passing changes to the state’s two-year spending plan. Hashmi said it is disturbing that the General Assembly has gotten into the habit of emerging from session without having agreement on the budget.
“Everybody is now waiting for this budget, and as we get closer to July of course it impacts our state employees, our agencies, our colleges, universities; it impacts every aspect of lives in Virginia,” she said.
She highlighted that the Senate version would invest $1 billion into bringing public education back to the level it was in 2008.
Ware talked about the General Assembly passing a “skinny budget” that made a deposit in the state’s rainy day fund and rectified a math error under which local school divisions would not have received their full amount due this calendar year. He also mentioned the deductibles increasing for both single and joint filings, the increases expected in teacher pay, and more funding going toward mental health issues.
Redistricting: Both legislators also talked about redistricting, which will mean a change in future representation. Ware said
A special committee has been making good headway in early 2023 working to develop a new strategic plan for Powhatan County Public Schools to take it through 2030.
Meeting for the third time on Wednesday, March 15, the committee continued its work to set the school division’s priorities, focus its energy and resources, and ensure that all stakeholders are working toward
common goals. The committee, which met for the first time in February, will continue to meet this summer. In between each committee meeting, staff is taking the group’s work and synthesizing that into what will end up being the division’s goals and strategies for 2023 through 2030, said superintendent Beth Teigen. She is facilitating the sessions along with consultant Amos Fodchuk, president of Advanced Learning Partnerships.
“It is just an exciting process to think of where we are, where we want to go and what we expect of our students as far as preparation when they leave Powhatan County Public Schools and being ready and equipped with the skills and attributes they need to be successful,” Teigen said. The goal of the strategic planning process is to “secure the voices of the community,” and the steering committee is one part of that, Fodchuk said. The committee has about 30 mem-
bers and includes a cross-section of school and division administrators, two school board members and community members. Because of the schedule during the weekday, Teigen also went to the individual schools to talk to staff there before and after school to gather their feedback, he said.
“Down the road there are going to be public opportunities for anyone to share their feedback on
CONTRIBUTED REPORT
The Powhatan High School Choral Program is excited to showcase the 2023 Powhatan Diamond Classic, one of the area’s premier high school concert and show choir competitions, from March 23 to 25.
The Diamond Concert & Show Choir Classic will host middle and high school concert and show choir performance groups from throughout the region during the three-day event. The show is
made possible through the hard work of the PHS Choral Boosters, PHS Choirs (One Voice, Radiance and Resonance); Show Band Rev’d Up; and PHS choral director Terrell Dean.
Only with the generosity of supporters can they ensure an outstanding competition. By supporting the Classic through sponsorships and attendance, the community helps to provide an opportunity for all members of the visiting concert and show
choirs to perform and grow in their musical expertise and experiences. Students will be able to view the talents of other groups as well as have the opportunity to be critiqued by renowned judges. The goal is that being a supporter of the Classic will prove to be a tremendous benefit to both spectators and participants.
Tickets are on sale now online through GoFans: https://gofan. co/app/school/VA7834?activity=Performing%20Arts or scan
the QR code to access tickets. Cost is: three-day VIP Passes are available for $30; Thursday StandAlone Choir Passes for $5; Friday Univoice Show Choir Passes for $15; and Saturday Mixed Show Choir Passes for $20. Tickets are first-come, firstserve online through Wednesday, March 22. Any tickets still available after that date will be sold at the door the days of the show, March 23 to 25. Organizers hope the community will join the
PHS Choral Program to see which of the choir groups competing will take home the title of Grand Champion. For more information, contact the Powhatan Choral Boosters at choralboosters@powhatanchoirs. com.
ONLINE: Use the QR code to purchase tickets for the 2023 Powhatan Diamond Classic.
PHOTOS
Matt henke, the new executive director for Backpacks of Love, and his son return from picking up food that will be distributed to area schoolchildren in need. when food is received, it is organized in the pantry and then community volunteers come out and pack bags for children at the schools. Volunteer drivers deliver them every thursday. the food the Powhatan-based nonprofit receives is paid for using donations from grants, community donors and businesses. this order was over $3,000 and it will last BPoL close to two weeks. over two thirds of the nonprofit’s budget is spent on food to feed the children in need each year. Backpacks of Love is currently in the middle of a Peanut Butter drive. For more information on how to donate or be a collection spot, contact 804-350-1127.
Blessed sacrament huguenot drama is inviting everyone to see if they can figure out whodunnit? when they present “cLUe!” onstage at 7 p.m. Friday, March 31 and again on saturday, april 1. adult tickets are $10 and students are $5 at the door. Production location is the stage at Parker Gym, the Blessed sacrament huguenot school, 2501 academy road, Powhatan. the production features Victoria sweeney as yvette, annie huynh* as Mrs. white, dorian Page* as Professor Plum, Berkley roudabush* as Miss scarlett, nathan rober ts as ensemble Man 2(cop), Parker Gill as Mr. Boddy/chief of Police, Grant howerton as wadsworth, Katie Book as ensemble woman 1(cook), Lilly hickey as Mrs. Peacock. not shown: david Mann* as colonel Mustard, tanner wood* as Mr. Green, Justin Johnson* as Motorist (* denotes Bsh senior).
period, circuit court clerk
Teresa Dobbins once again pushed for a salary change for her chief deputy clerk, Rene Holy. Dobbins has been making the request for several years, arguing Holy is the “lease paid No. 2 in the county.” She noted previous tensions between her office and county administration that may have resulted in her employees being penalized.
Karin Carmack, District 1, asked staff to look for money for the increase for Holy, noting it has been requested for many years.
Chair Mike Byerly, District 3, and Steve McClung, District 2, both showed support for this suggestion. David Williams, who represents District 1, asked staff to work out cooperative agreements with constitutional officers that the board could consider and also asked to see information from human resources on the matter, adding that salary changes made outside of the handbook procedures are why the county is currently redoing its employee compensation and classification plan.
Building department – Requested increase of $137,586 includes adding a new position of a com-
mercial inspector; funds for certification pay; salary and benefits increases; and operations. Williams questioned the new position in the face of a possible impending downturn in the economy effecting new businesses. The board asked for better numbers on the department to understand the need for another employee being added. The board also talked with staff about cross training employees and incentives for employees to increase certifications/expertise.
Building official David Dunivan talked about the challenges of high numbers of cases being handled by the office; they have struggled with newer employees still learning the different roles of the office and difficulty in recruiting qualified employees now.
County administrator’s office – Requested increase of $92,183 that includes a $50,000 grant writer position, and other salary and operational increases. The board discussed the grant writer position and whether that person would justify the salary. Staff pointed out the grants the county has received largely because of people outside county government bringing them opportunities or department heads taking the initiative. However, filling out grant
applications takes them away from their main function.
Williams questioned how much time it would actually save departments as the grant writer would still be requesting information from them and generally wanted assurance that the position would have a positive cash flow for the county. Schardein said there was no real trigger for adding the position now, but whenever it is added, it will be useful to the county.
Parks and recreation – Requested increase of $66,886 related to a new recreation coordinator and operating increases related to program development.
Finance director Charla Schubert said the previous recreation manager position is being split into two positions, an athletic director (recently hired) and a recreation coordinator. Bill Cox, District 4, asked to have the board of supervisors do a workshop with parks and recreation to determine where it is going in the future and wanting everyone to be in sync.
Commissioner of the revenue– Requested increase of $122,340 for a Deputy Clerk II position related to adding a DMV Select to the office’s functions; stipends for current employees related to taking on additional DMV Select
duties; changes in salaries and benefits and operational costs.
Vo pointed out the county is budgeting $200,000 in increased revenue from the DMV Select once it is operational. This is not a firm number but based on estimates of Powhatan residents taking their DMV business to an office in Goochland. Commissioner of the revenue Jamie Timberlake also talked about some construction needs that will be necessary to get his office ready to take on DMV Select duties, but he added they hope to handle that with in-house staff.
Planning and zoning
– Requested increase of $166,417 related to a new position of a transportation manager (funded with CVTA dollars), a stormwater manager (net of environmental coordinator position), and increases in salaries and benefits and operations.
Schardein pointed out hiring a stormwater manger still has steps to take before that change could happen.
He recommended having a new planning director in place but looking to add that position in the future.
It would be offset by increased revenues from fees and moving projects along faster.
Please see BUDGET, Page A4
From A2
ARRESTS
one male was charged on March 7 with dUI 2nd/3rd offense within 5-10 years (Misdemeanor).
one female was charged on March 7 with embezzlement (M).
one male was charged on March 9 with carry handgun in bar/under the influence (M), profane swearing public intoxication (M) and reckless handling firearms (M).
one male was charged on March 10 with driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated (M).
one male was charged on March 11 with drinking while driving/open container (M) and profane swearing public intoxication (M).
one male was charged on March 12 with underage possession of marijuana (M).
one female was charged on March 12 with profane swearing public intoxication (M).
one male was charged on March 13 with petty larceny (M).
From A3
Information technology –Requested increase of $123,697 related to a new IT technician; two position changes/promotions, increased salary and benefits and operational increases of maintenance and service contracts and software licensing.
Fire and rescue– Requested increase of $97,200 related to salary and benefits decreases offsetting operational increases. Vo noted inflationary increases for gear apparatus, bus garage parts, uniforms and increased volunteer benefits.
Assessor’s office – Requested increase of $49,020 primarily comes from a personnel increase and an operational increase. No questions were asked.
Library– Requested increase of $39,660 related to changing two part-time positions into one fulltime librarian. Library director Chandra McPherson talked about the professional quality this new position would bring to the library’s programming and the increased safety checks related to someone who will be interacting with youth.
Economic development – Requested increase of $35,495 for salaries and benefits and operational increases. Schardein explained that the Economic Development Authority has depleted its funds as it funds different programs and initiatives. The board wants increased funding to continue looking at new
ways to increase economic development. Cox said this is “essentially a block grant” and that he would prefer to hear about and approve individual projects as they emerge and Williams supported that sentiment.
Finance – Requested increase of $21,970 related to increased health insurance costs and operational increases.
Permit center – Requested increase of $15,203 related to certification pay and operational costs tied to a temporary worker assisting with scanning. Cox talked about how much this new department was hyped when it was added and the board not having any idea how it is doing. He requested information on the department and what it is handling.
Human resources – Requested increase of $9,685 related to a personnel increase and operational increases.
Extension service – Requested increase of $8,760 for operational increases for state approved funding for Extension Agent compensation.
Commonwealth’s attorney–Seeing overall decrease of $1,173 in the office. Cox raised the issue of how the sheriff’s office adding body cameras for his deputies would affect commonwealth’s attorney Rob Cerullo’s office. Cerullo said it would be a massive impact given the staff he would need to review all footage and the storage the county would have to pay for to store the footage. Dobbins noted it would impact her office’s budget as well because of computer system needs.
E vergreen C ommunity C hurch (PcA) Proclaiming&PracticingtheGospelofJesusChrist WorshipServiceat10:00AM Meetingat2210BattersonRoad,Powhatan.
Pastor NickKrauss ECCPCA .ORG 598-8844
SundaySchool 10AM
WorshipService11AM
PastorJohnEngle 603-933-0141 3540OldBuckinghamRd. www.pmchurch.net
1801HuguenotTrail
SundayWorship10am
BryanM.Holt,Pastor 804-378-3607
www.EmmausChristianChurch.org https://www.facebook.com/2emmaus/
next Generation 4-h youth Market is a youth-led maker and growers market for young entrepreneurs ages 9 – 17. the goal of the market is to cultivate young entrepreneurs by gaining life skills needed to develop and operate a business. Weekly workshops take place after school where they learn about funds handling, communication, building a business plan and more. Workshops will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. april 28, May 4, 11, 18 at the Powhatan extension office. next, youth are given the opportunity to sell their products monthly from June to september. all products sold at the market must be made or grown by the young person. For more information, contact cathy howland at chowland@vt.edu. Powhatan county Public Library has an action-packed spring program lineup for 2023. Part two of the Library of Virginia’s Genealogical seminar series, Freedom of Information act, will be held april 25 from 1-2 p.m. allen Gernhardt will go over what kind of information is accessible, how to request information and an overall introduction of the FoIa. For details, contact Powhatan county Public Library at 804-598-5670 or library@ powhatanlibrary.net. the 17th annual spring Garden Fest will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. saturday, april 29 at reynolds community college 1851 dickinson road, Goochland. a free, family-friendly event that is a celebration of all things related to gardening so stop to see: the GPMGa Plant sale will offer a wide variety of plants at great prices; ask the Master Gardener booth will offer free gardening help and advice; and gardening vendor booths will have lots of fun items to delight gardeners. attend a full day of classes and tours for a one-time $35 registration fee (additional materials fee for workshops). classes include Growing trees in harsh environments, Propagation of native Plants, Plant it and Forget it, Planning your home Landscape, native alternatives to Invasives, designing the small Garden, exploring Butterflies, and Insects in the Vegetable Garden. tours of the college gardens will include reynolds campus, herb Garden and rain Garden. hands-on workshops will be create your own Mosaic art Pot, oyster Mushroom cultivation and create a Fresh Flower
From A1
emerging versions of the strategic plan language, and ultimately the school system is responsible for realizing the strategies and the goals of a plan. So the school system’s involvement is really important, and that typically happens through work groups,” he said.
Having that diversity of perspectives is important not only for what the individuals bring to the table but for the transparency of the process, Teigen said.
“I think a big part of it is the transparency of this – what we
tiara. classes, tours and workshops fill up quickly, so register early for the best selection. complete descriptions and online registration is available at www. gpmga.net or by contacting the Goochland extension office at 804-556-5841. an upcoming craft fair is looking for vendors. the fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on april 29, rain or shine, at st
John neumann catholic church, 2480 Batterson road, Powhatan. the cost is $20 for an outside parking space and $30 for inside the church’s hall with an 8-foot table. For more information or to purchase a space, email amanda Mcdonough at amandamcdonough72@yahoo.com. the Powhatan high school Leftovers c lub will c ontinue its efforts to fight against cancer with the color-a-cure Fun run/Walk at 9 a.m. at the high school football field, 1800 Judes Ferry road. check in by 8:45 a.m. this is a FUn 5K featuring several color stations where each participant (dressed in all white) will be doused with color each kilometer. e ach color represents a different type of cancer and the fight against it! For more information, visit http://coloracure.weebly.com/.
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 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
are saying we are going to do and reporting out consistently throughout the year, year after year, on where we are on progress and the community and parents being able to hold us accountable for what we said we were going to do,” she said.
A good plan, whether it is for a school division, nonprofit, local government or corporation, has to be clear, measurable and remain flexible, Fodchuk said.
“It really boils down to the strength of the relationship between the community and the school system, because when things do change and course corrections are inevitably required, is the school system acting in tan-
exploring the many benefits of conservation planning can contact district conservation specialists Betty Mccracken at (804)556-0935 or colton sullivan at (804)556-0143. the coalition of Powhatan c hurches 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 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 schoolbased, 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). 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 school enrichment programs are also available for homeschool groups. reach out to cathy howland, Powhatan 4-h extension agent, at 804-598-5640 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 transport them to the nonprofit at 2500 Batterson road. contact the pantry at 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@gmail.com.
dem with the community and are they working together,” he said.
Based on his experience, Fodchuk said he has found through the work done so far that, “Powhatan is operating from a position of strength, so there is a good balance between strategy and culture in this community.”
The results of the committee and staff members’ work will come before the school board for approval and include a public hearing to gain feedback from the entire community. Teigen said she hopes it will have final approval in August.
Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.
MountCalvary
BaptistChurch
2020RedLaneRoad Powhatan,VA23139
Pastor,LarryB.Collins SundaySchool9:45a.m.
Sunday Worship 11:00a.m.
WednesdayBibleStudy
7:30p.m. Office804-598-2398
Providence Presbyterian Church
“WorshipingandWitnessing inWesternPowhatan since1825” WorshipService11:00am AllAreWelcome! 598-4970 Located1950RidgeRoad (Rt.627)
LivingAsChrist’sDisciplesWithinOur HeartsandBeyondOurDoors
SundaySchool10:00a.m. WednesdayNight7:30p.m. 3308 PleasantsRoad, 1/4mileoffofRoute711 RussCress, Pastor 598-0733
St.John Neumann
Catholic Church
Rev.WalterG.Lewis,Pastor
Saturday -5p.m.
Church Director y. Call 804-746-1235 ext. 2 fordetails.
2253RossonRd. JustoffRt.13intheVillage 598-4438
Worship: 8:30&10:30am www.powhatanumc.us WeekdayPreschool(ages2-5) 598-6090
Sunday -8:30a.m.&11a.m. 598-3754 www.sjnpowhatan.org LocatedbehindFlatRock VillageShopping Center
This is the third time the school division has participated in the Sodexo Future Chefs Contest, selecting recipes from students at all three elementary schools to compete in an in-person cooking contest. This year’s competition was once again held at Powhatan High School, where the participants put together a wide array of dishes to try to tickle the judges’ taste budges.
Lanie was competing against five fellow young chefs: Ryan Fletcher, a fourth grader at Flat Rock Elementary, who won second place; Thomas Golden, a third grader at Powhatan Elementary, who placed third; Cora Burgos, a fifth grader at Pocahontas Elementary, who won Best Chef Hat; Kaia McClure, a fifth grader at Flat Rock Elementary; and Aiden Marcum, a fifth grader at Pocahontas Elementary.
Ryan Fletcher made zucchini fritters for his side dish, which was also popular with everyone at the event. He chose it because he thought people would like it and practiced making the fritters at home ahead of the competition.
Ryan said he was really happy with his second place win because “everybody else, their food was good, too.”
The division received 26 initial entries between all three elementary schools, and two finalists were chosen from each school to prepare their dishes, said Dorothy Kohler, general manager of Sodexo Food Services. She noted that this year’s competition saw the highest number of entries to date, and Pocahontas Elementary alone had 19 entries.
Kohler said she loved bringing back the competition for a third year because she knows the students get excited about it.
“These kids work on this for weeks. We roll this out three months in advance, and I get phone calls from parents, I get students that stop me in the schools wanting to talk to me about their recipe, I get parents telling me how they are sick and tired of the recipe because they have eaten it every weekend,” she said with a laugh.
“It is not just a one-time thing; it is something lasting.”
PHS culinary instructor Mark Robertson said it is great to see young people who have an interest in culinary arts, talk to them about what motivates them and see what skills they have even at this young age.
Robertson praised all of the competitors, not only for entering the competition but for preparing their dishes in front of a large
MOUNTZION BAPTISTCHURCH
2591RidgeRoad
Powhatan,Virginia23139 804-598-2051
Rev.BryanStevens,Pastor 10a.m.–WorshipService 8:30a.m.–ChurchSchool
crowd. This year, in addition to school staff and contestants’ family members, some PHS students were invited to come watch and even voted on their favorite chef hat, which the competitors decorated ahead of time.
“We are not trying to add pressure to the competitors, but I think it is neat that they are getting to show their skills in front of more than just their helpers and their parents, as they normally would. I think it is great for the high school students to see this because I don’t think this existed when they came through,” he said.
In addition to tasting their dishes, a panel of five judges asked the competitors about themselves, their dishes and their inspirations.
This year’s judges were school board members Susan Smith, Valarie Ayers and Kim Hymel;
Robertson; and culinary student Christian Stephenson.
“If you think about this, an adult gets nervous doing this out in front. Think about how awesome these kids are to do this,” Kohler said.
Kohler also praised the helpers who were assigned to each student, with each one being assisted by either a Sodexo employee or PHS culinary student.
Each student also had a chef helper there for an extra pair of hands and to maintain a safe cooking environment. Three were Sodexo employees – Kaitlynn Gordon, Mary Smith and Suzanne Johnson – and three were PHS Culinary students – Kaylee Munford, Zoe Lucas and Milo Ivey.
Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.
although they didn’t win, competitors aiden Marcum, from left, cora Burgos and Kaia Mcclure impressed everyone with their skills. helping them out were assistants Zoe Lucas, Kaitlynn Gordon and Milo Ivey.
Pastor StephenBattaglia 2390 EmmanuelChurch Road www.newwalkbible.org
SundayWorship10:00AM
SundaySchool9:00AM BibleStudyWed.7:00PM 804-372-9254
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Family WorshipCenter “YourCommunit y Church”
2901JudesFerry Road
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MuddyCreek BaptistChurch
Sunday School - 9:45a.m.
Worship - 11a.m.
Wednesday BibleStudy& PrayerService - 7:00 p.m.
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3470TrenholmRoad www.muddycreekbaptist.org
FIRSTANTIOCH BAPTISTCHURCH
3920MAIDENSRD.,POWHATAN
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WednesdayMidDay BibleStudy11:30a.m.
EveningBibleStudy7:00p.m.
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SmallGroupClasses9:00a.m. WorshipService10:30a.m. Dr.JamesTaylor,Pastor
3619HuguenotTrail
Powhatan,V irginia2 3139 www.finecreek baptis t.org
SundaySchool:9:45a.m. Wor shipSer vice:11:00a.m. Traditional VernGilmer,Pastor
GracelandBaptistChurch
Dr.RonaldWyatt,Jr.,Pastor
Contemporary–9:00a.m. Sund aySchool–9:45a.m.
2202OldChurchRoad www.powhatanbaptist.org
Loving,Investing,Fulfilling,Empowering
Senior Pastor JustinWilson SundayService10:30am 2410NewDorsetCircle www.Communitylifechurchpowhatan.org
Sunday10am,11am&6pm
Wednesday7pm TravisL.Keith-Pastor ChurchOffice:794.7054
JustAcrossfromSouth CreekShoppingCenter! www.glbcpva.org
Nevereatanothermealalone! At TheCrossroads,you’llbecomepart of a communitywhereneighborsquicklybecomefriends.Independent Livingincludestwomealsperday, socialevents,housekeeping,and transportation. Comejoinusfor a mealandtakea tasteofwhatlife couldbelike!
LAURA MCFARLAND
Editor
Managing
When I talked to Becky Boswell about her role as the coordinator of the Powhatan County Public Schools’ Parent Resource Center earlier this year, I liked how she described herself – as a connector. People come to her with issues, and she doesn’t try to solve them, but she does try to connect them with the agency, program, nonprofit or resource that can address that issue.
As a journalist, it is a role I understand. When putting together the Powhatan Today every week, I try to make sure I fill it with as much information as possible that will be of use to our readers. Sometimes it is for entertainment
purposes or to let you know what is going on in your community. Sometimes it is to help a nonprofit get the word out about their services and how people can support them. Sometimes it is simply to let you know information that will be of help to you in some way.
In my own way, I feel like a connector –connecting our readers with each other and with the knowledge of what is happening in their own community.
At that initial meeting back in February, Becky told me about the Family Resource Fair Open House planned for March 16 at Powhatan High School. Held last week, I am going to say it was both wonderful and a disappointment.
It was amazing to see so many organizations set up information tables at a free community event where they could dedicate the one-on-one time to introduce who they are and what they can offer to Powhatan families. There were organizations, agencies and nonprofits offering services in the areas of mental health, autism, student support services, counseling, after-school programs, law enforcement, the library, social services, Cooperative Extension, camps and more. They were ready and eager to talk to people. Unfortunately, not many PCPS families took advantage of this great offering. That is where the disappointment comes in, because Becky and those who
Contributing Columnist
It took only minutes for one thing to become glaringly apparent when Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin appeared on a CNN town hall focused on education recently. After a few extended answers to questions provided by host Jake Tapper as well as audience members, no one could argue that Youngkin is a consummate politician, a master of providing seemingly well-informed answers that contain few details or specifics.
Youngkin was well polished, informed and comfortable as he approached each topic with a confidence in his responses. But finding real answers or even clear political stances on many of these issues was elusive at the presentation.
When asked about an inherent bias toward African American teachers in the Commonwealth, Youngkin admitted that racism does exist and acknowledged the importance of Virginia students to learn both the good and bad of the state’s history; but, he defended his recent decision to review an AP Black History course recently banned in Florida by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The governor said his request
Dear Editor, The Powhatan 2024 Budget requires transparency and citizen restitution for 2022 costs from mismanagement/possible illegal action for which the citizens received NO benefit. These costs include: negating of the County Pay and Classification Plan; the troubled “Keystone” contract; actions/inflated severance pay of the former County Administrator, detailed in the September 2022 County Attorney’s report, and August- October, 2022 BOS Meetings. The citizens received NO benefit from these, which could be 3% of the proposed budget for all services (except schools).
The 2024 Budget should identify costs to correct the former county administrator/BOS actions from mismanagement/ possible violations of law including a new, legally defensible
for that review was standard operating procedure and was required by his first executive order that mandated reviews of any courses deemed detrimental to students.
He also defended his efforts to disallow the teaching of Critical Race Theory in Virginia classrooms. When the complicated question of LGBTQ issues was raised by an audience member, Youngkin again repeated a familiar response that parents should have an active voice in how their kids are educated, and how each and every one of those parents should be heard.
He noted the need for more gender neutral bathrooms in schools, his full support of a ban that prohibits gender neutral choice sports opportunities and did not offer any wiggle room regarding his policies.
Even with the calculated answers to audience questions, Youngkin proved he’s ready for primetime and believes the message that vaulted him to the governor’s office will play favorably on a national level.
Throughout the broadcast, Youngkin affirmed his commitment to parents and their role in their children’s education.
The governor pointed to the
Class and Compensation contract; staff costs due to Keystone contract inadequacies; extreme severance pay to the former county administrator.
The proposed budget attempted to “hide” these expenses as “Initiatives” such as “C&C Plan Investment” and “County Administrator Restructuring.” Do not insult the citizens of Powhatan by representing these failures as initiatives.
The budget is based on +16% increase (+26% over 2022) in property tax revenue from assessments (property value inflation, not major new building). This inflation benefit to county revenue should not be used to hide costs the citizens should not have incurred.
Of the $119.6 million proposed budget, $60M is school specific and $8.4M debt service, leaving about $51.2M budget for all other citizen services.
Against $51.2M, the proposal includes $1.2M for C&C “Initiative” (about 2.3%); hides the cost of the former county adminis-
recent pandemic and its effect on students as they substituted at-home learning for the traditional level, opening parents eyes to exactly what was being taught in Virginia schools.
“Children belong to parents,” Youngkin said. “Not to the state, not to schools, not to bureaucrats, but to parents.”
Some pointed to the governor’s appearance as a sort of kickoff for his presidential run, but national polls have failed to recognize Youngkin’s legitimacy as a viable candidate.
Still, there’s no doubt that Youngkin knows how to play the political game, even if some responses seemed too perfect and simplified to address controversial education issues.
Youngkin repeatedly said parents of students in Virginia should take the lead on educational policy.
“Parents deserve not only to be at the table, but they deserve to have the head seat at the table,” the governor said.
It’s a message that appealed to the majority of Virginia voters who trusted Youngkin to put parents back in the classrooms. It’s yet to be determined if those policies could propel Youngkin to a seat on the national political state.
trator severance package (about $160K, or about 0.3%); hides the costs of replacing the county administrator and the county attorney resignation/reinstatement, estimated at $100K, or 0.2%). These (not counting Keystone costs) equal about 2.8 % ($1.4M) of the $51.2M budget.
The proposed 2 cent reduction in the tax rate (main source of county revenue) does not even cover these wastes! It is estimated the above and “Keystone” failures would exceed revenue from 3 cents of the tax rate ($1.68M).
The 2024 Budget needs: A) a transparent summary of costs incurred by the citizens from which they received no benefit; and B) in addition to any reduction in the tax rate, a REBATE TO THE CITIZENS of at least 2 cents of the rate ( $560K x 2= $1.120M). No increases (except public health or safety) should be introduced until the citizens receive a rebate for prior year mismanagement.
Tom Gitchel, Powhatanhelped her put on a fantastic event designed to arm families with a good deal of information about what is available to them in times of need.
I get it; this is not the glamorous fun of a STEM Expo; it’s tables filled with information (and some freebies). People have work, extracurricular activities, and other commitments.
So I am not going to harp on the open house and this missed opportunity. Instead, I wanted to point out that as amazing as it was to have all of those resources together in one room for the ease and convenience of busy parents, missing the fair doesn’t mean people missed out on a chance to find help when they need it.
Because the office that brought
Assembly
From A1
he will be running again to represent Powhatan in the redrawn 72nd District, which now sees Powhatan joining Amelia and Nottoway counties and several precincts in northwestern Chesterfield County in its representation in the House of Delegates.
With the Virginia Senate, Powhatan will remain in District 10, but it is going to be getting some new additions. Before redistricting, District 10 was comprised of all of Powhatan and parts of Chesterfield County and Richmond City. But on the new State Senate map, Powhatan is the only original county on that list still in District 10. It will now be joined by all of Cumberland, Amelia, Goochland, Appomattox, Buckingham and Fluvanna counties and portions of Louisa, Hanover and Prince Edward counties.
“I think we are going to see the most seismic changes in next year as we launch 2024 – more changes that we have ever seen in recent memory in our Virginia legislature. I know in the Senate alone, we have about 12 to 13 incumbents who will not be returning out of 40 and a massive shift in senior leadership,” said Hashmi said, who will no longer be eligible to represent Powhatan.
Ware agreed there is “a lot of institutional knowledge and understanding that will be going out the door in both chambers.”
Workforce development: Hashmi praised the bipartisan effort in both chambers and across multiple agencies to bring forth a comprehensive legislation that addresses severe needs of workforce development in Virginia. The Workforce development bill creates the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to administer workforce development programs. It consolidates statewide workforce program evaluation and data sharing under the department and provides protections against improper disclosure of data. The bill provides for the Virginia Board of Workforce Development to conduct an independent evaluation of the operations and program objectives of the department on a biennial basis with the first report due on Dec. 1, 2025. The bill also transfers administration of apprenticeship programs from the Department of Labor and Industry to the new department; directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to collaborate with the department to grow and expand the Innovative Internship Fund and Program; and directs the Secretary of Labor to conduct a comprehensive review of the
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all of those people together – the Parent Resource Center – is still very much available and there to help Powhatan families. People may still contact Becky Boswell, coordinator of the PCPS Parent Resource Center, at 804-5985700 ext. 147 or prc@powhatan. k12.va.us, to ask questions.
They can still visit the center’s website, http://www.powhatan. k12.va.us/groups/66646/instruction/parent_resource_center, to find links to all of those groups and more at any time, day or night.
In other words, the connections are still there when you need them.
Laura McFarland may be reached at Lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com.
Commonwealth’s workforce development programs and make recommendations to address a wide range of subjects relating to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of such programs.
“It was just a myriad of different offices and government facilities trying to move us forward in workforce development,” said Hashmi, adding the legislation has the “potential to be truly transformative.”
Landfills: Both Ware and Hashmi worked on legislation designed to improve protections of property owners living near proposed landfills, influenced by the project currently proposed in Cumberland County near the Powhatan County border. Ware championed a bill again this year that sought to prevent a landfill within a mile of any private well, which is a protection afforded to municipal water. He added to the bill an attempt to bring back Virginia’s standard of having a double liner for added protections with mega-landfills. The bill did not make it out of committee.
Voter identification: Ware was chief patron on a bill that would require a form of photo ID when voting. He said the practice was successful for a number of years before it was taken out of Virginia Code. He also argued that the majority of states have some sort of voter identification requirements. The bill passed in the house but failed in the Senate.
U.S. Naturalization Test:
At the request of attorney general Jason Miyares, his former legislative assistant, Ware was patron of a bill that would have made it a requirement for students to take and correctly answer at least 70% of the questions on the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization Test in order to graduate high school with a standard or advanced studies diploma. Students could take it any time during high school and as many times as needed to pass. He said he questioned the need to add additional testing for students but felt the knowledge the test checks for is important for people to know. The bill passed in the House but failed in the Senate.
Dominion Energy: A longtime effort on Ware’s part was the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act, which did pass the General Assembly with unanimous votes in both houses. It requires that Dominion Resources or any large monopoly utility, be regulated by the State Corporation Commission to ensure that Dominion’s charges represent a fair rate of return on their actual costs and profits. It was an effort to make sure the company, which Ware acknowledge is an essential Virginia-based company, should not be able to “game the system.”
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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.
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Sports
In their first week of regular season games, the Powhatan softball team took on the Manchester Lancers and Patrick Henry Patriots to start their season.
A young squad looking to replace a handful of influential seniors from last year, the Indians are still very much finding their footing at the beginning of the new season, but there were plenty of reasons for optimism after the early two-game sample.
The Indians battled hard at home against the Lancers on March 14, but a five-run fifth inning gave the traveling Lancers a 7-0 advantage that looked like the fatal blow. The Indians didn’t let that get them down, fighting back to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh, though that admirable effort wasn’t enough for the uphill climb of a seven-run deficit.
Two days later, the Indians were back at it with their second home game of the week against the Patriots. This time, it was the Indians who jumped out to the big lead.
After a 1-1 first inning that saw junior Madalyn Johnson nail an RBI single that sent Mazie Harmon home, a scoreless second inning was a small victory for the Patriots before the Indians started cracking the bat consistently and sending teammates home one after the other.
The third inning was a forceful showing from Powhatan, led off by an Ava Harper single that quickly led to a run on the next at-bat when Johnson’s grounder led to a costly Patriots error that got her on third base and Harper to home.
The next batter was Riley Baldwin, whose ground ball shot also led to a defensive error and scored in Johnson, got her to second base and gave Powhatan even more momentum. After Kendra Hogston-Royall’s pop fly single sent Baldwin home, the damage done was a 4-1 Indians lead entering the fourth inning.
The offensive success translated to the defense as well, with Johnson quickly striking out three consecutive batters at the top of the fourth to put Powhatan back on the offensive, where they scored two more runs on an Addison Elliott RBI single and a Baldwin RBI double.
In the sixth inning, Johnson recorded her 12th and final strikeout of the night while Harmon caught an out in foul territory from her position at catcher and MacKenzie Flora caught one down center field to give Powhatan another quick stop that held Patrick Henry scoreless.
What happened next allowed the Indians to go home an inning early, as they ran off six runs to put them ahead by double digits, signaling the mercy rule to call the game before the seventh inning.
With pitcher Autumn Reed at pitcher, Powhatan’s first four batters reached base by a walk, or in freshman Cassidy Moser’s
WHO: JAMESDAVIS
WHATHE DID:
Powhatan’s tennis teams took to the court for the first time this season with a two-day slate of games against the Midlothian Trojans and James River Rapids, two talented teams that proved to be tough tests for the two young Indians rosters. It’ll be a season focused on development and taking experiences in stride for the Indians, with the boys team losing 8-1 in both matches. Those wins both came in the singles outings from sophomore No. 1 Jamison Wallace, who is already building off an impressive freshman campaign.
Wallace first beat Midlothian’s Jonathan Fogle in two sets, first sacrificing just a single game in a 6-1 set victory, then putting the game away with a 6-2 win in the second set. Against James River’s Andrew Kim, he was even better, first beating Kim with a 6-1 victory to start the match off before sweeping the second set entirely with six unanswered wins.
PHOTOS BY ROBBY FLETCHERIt wasn’t pretty – it rarely ever is in the first game of the season – but the Powhatan Indians got the job done at the end of the day when they battled Manchester on a brutally cold night in Powhatan. That largely comes as a result of a majestic go-ahead finish from sophomore James Davis, who put the stamp on his first game of the season with a goal off an extremely difficult angle with just four minutes left to go.
The 1-0 victory gives the Indians a winning start to the season as they look to build off a successful 2021-22 season, which began with a physical, defense-heavy bout with the Lancers.
There was only a handful of true on-goal chances for either side during the duration of the game, which was defined by an unrelenting wind and two teams put to the test early in their respective seasons.
“I’m thrilled we found an opportunity to win, but it went back and forth. Credit to Manchester, they’re a very gritty team that gives high pressure and an organized approach and they almost got it done,” Powhatan coach Willie Miles said.
Miles says the Indians struggled with focus against a disciplined Lancers team, and that they played to the style of their opponent, but overall there were positives that led to the team earning the win.
“I’d describe it as an honest up and down roller coaster right now,” he said. “At our high moments, we really do what we need to do in our system and possess the play and get our guys chances. Then we have those low moments of unfocused play, and we play to the style of our opponent.”
With speed on the wings, particularly on the left side, the Lancers proved to be a fittingly difficult test to start the season for the Indians, whose experience in close games certainly came in handy during the matchup.
In the first half, the Lancers ultimately came away with the better chances, including one linkup that saw a shot nail the top post, but the Indians had chances of their own that
threatened to break the tie, including a free kick from junior Brayden Elzey with five minutes to play that got to Davis’ feet inside the box, though his shot was ultimately deflected.
It was an overall even half of soccer at the end of the day though, and it led to a tight second half finish that proved to be a nailbiter to the fans in attendance.
With 22 minutes left to play in the second half, the Lancers nearly broke the even score, with Hayden Xuan-Nghiem heading a shot from the left corner of the box that nailed the top post. It was a huge break for the Indians, who survived that scare and played sound defense for the rest of
season-openinggameathomeuntil sophomoreJamesDavissteppedup anddeliveredagame-winningscore withjustfourminutesremaining.
madehiswayintotheboxandslid inashotthatwentpastthegoalie despitecomingonatoughangle.
Wallace and teammate Maxwell Pestka played strong in both of their doubles matchups as well. Against Midlo’s top pairing of Fogle and No. 2 Griffin Bennett-Nguyen, the Indians duo responded from a 6-0 first set by adjusting to their opponent and giving a good fight to the end of the second set, though they fell in that one 6-4.
The doubles matchup against James River was even closer, going the distance with three sets after the Indians won the opening set 6-3. After Rapids duo Kim and David Cho took the next set 6-3, a third set would be needed to decide the winner. The Rapids were able to pull that one out with a 10-4 win.
Other notable performances from the week include a promising outing from Isaac Kelley in the James River matchup, where he battled Cho in the No. 2 singles game and nearly took the first set from the Rapids player, though Cho ultimately got the set with a tiebreaker point for a 7-5 finish. In the second set, Cho won 6-1.
Kelley and Noah Lawson did good work in the doubles matchup against Peter Le and Allen Shepherd soon after, getting to another tiebreaker opportunity in the first set, which again went James River’s way with a 7-5 finish. The two Powhatan players continued playing tough though, and took two more games in the second set, though the overall set went James River’s way with a 6-2 win.
The girls team is still looking for its first wins of the season, but head coach Anne Maliff was pleased with the effort her team showed. They battled through brutally cold conditions against Midlothian, and though it was a 9-0 team loss, the team won 26 games across their nine matches, an improvement from their eight wins against Midlothian last season.
Gianna LaRaffa can take credit for a significant amount of those wins, first showing her improvement at the No. 5 singles spot by
Inascore les sdogfightagains t Manchester,thePowhatanboys soccerteamlookedtobetrending inthedirectionofatielateinits
Thespeedyforwardwasunable togeneratelooksearlyonagainst theLancersinaphysicalgame surroundedbyachillylate-nightgust, butonadrivetotherightwing,Davis
Thegoalwasallthatwasneeded togivetheIndianstheirfirstwinof theseasonandislikelythefirstof manyshotsinthenetfortherising Powhatanstar.
You couldn’t ask for a better start for the Powhatan baseball season. In their first two games, the Indians flexed their muscles as a team to beat, demonstrating strength from their pitching and defense as well as their batting to topple the Manchester Lancers 6-4 on March 14 and the Patrick Henry Patriots 11-1 on March 16 for a 2-0 start.
Against the Lancers, the Indians started strong with a fourrun first inning to jump out to a big lead, and while the Lancers made things interesting late in the game, strong defense proved key to closing the game out and starting Powhatan’s season off with a win.
Junior Matthew Layman led the way on the mound for Powhatan, pitching five innings and striking out six batters, though he had help in securing the win from Evan Reese. Reese closed the game out, delivering a crucial strikeout in the seventh inning, while a line drive was thrown out for the third and final out of the game.
After three outs on four batters to start the game, the Indians jumped out to that 4-0 lead that began with an RBI single from William Tuttle that scored in Ethan Sargent. Then, Tuttle went home off a Layman single to make it 2-0. After William Karanian scored off an error and Reese went home off an RBI single from Jamie Hall, the momentum was firmly in Powhatan’s possession early.
The defense did its job to generate outs for the next two peri -
From B1
the game, with notable highlights coming from guys like freshman Matt Betz, seniors Cole Whiting, Paul Bonner, Colton Hiatt and Cary Stancil as well as junior Connor Bates, who held down the backline all night for the Indians and erased many opportunities from the Lancers.
With the clock dwindling down to the final minutes, chances grew more desperate from both teams, who were looking to take home a win in the gritty battle between two district rivals. It took the efforts of Davis to finally see a shot go through the net, with Elzey feeding him to his spot down the right side of the box, where he delivered a shot off an nearly impossible angle that beat the keeper and sent the Indians celebrating with just minutes left in the game.
Davis, who was a huge part of Powhatan’s successful 2022 season, says that he saw one defender take his assignment while
ods, while Manchester’s defense did the same to keep the score at 4-0 entering the top of the fourth. The Lancers came out strong after that with a run in the top of the fourth and three more at the top of the fifth, but the Indians responded with a two-run fifth inning to keep the score in their favor at 6-4.
one dropped behind in support on his runs throughout the game, which made it tough to turn on the ball and create opportunities down the middle of the field. On his winner, he didn’t need to create space down the middle, instead taking a pass in space from Elzey, and putting the ball in a spot for someone to make a play. On that play, that person was Davis himself, who gave the Indians a huge lift in a game that looked fitted for a scoreless tie.
“Brayden put a nice ball in, the keeper came out, and honestly I was looking for a cross, but I just took it and it was all or nothing, and it went in,” Davis said.
Starting off the season with a win is a big moment for the Indians, but there’s still tons of work left to be done. They have a chance to build off the win when they take on Monacan at home on Midlothian at home for their second game of the season.
robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@ powhatantoday.com.
Those runs came from Sargent off a Tuttle line drive triple and from Tuttle off a Karanian single toward second base. With Reese and Layman pitching the final two innings, the defense got the job done with the score remaining the same, giving Powhatan its first win of the season.
Their performance against the Patriots was even better, with the Indians jumping out to a 6-0 lead by the fourth inning, while the stifled Patriots managed just a single run from there after that initial Powhatan outburst while the Indians cruised to a 11-1 win to put their record at 2-0 to start the season.
From B1
The Indians will look to create a winning streak after their successful opening week, with a back-to-back against the Varina Blue Devils and the Midlothian Trojans on deck for their next two games.
robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday.com.
Milo
Hithere,mynameisMilo!I’m a3-4yearold,houndmix, weighing47lbs.Iwasfoundas astrayandnoonecameforme, whichhasmademeverysad.I’m averysweetandsmart!I’mvery specialinthesenseofI’mdeaf. Iwasfoundwithacollaronthat said“I’mDeaf”,andthestaffat the she lter ha sgathe redthat I reallycan’thear.Thatdoesn’t holdmebackthough!Ifyou’dlike tomeetmepleasecalltheshelter at804-598-5672toschedulean appointme nt. Appointme ntsa re scheduledMonday-Friday 1:00pm-4:00pm.Ihopeyouhaveagreatweek!!
P.S.WearestillraisingmoneyforourCashForKennels fundraiser!Ifyou’dliketodonatetoournewkennels,checks canbemailedtoPowhatanAnimalControlP.O.Box133. Powhatan,VA.Makeyourcheckpayableto“Powhatan Treasure’sOffice”andinthememowriteCash4Kennels.All donationsare100%taxdeductible!Weappreciateallyour supportofourshelter!Thankyou!
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case, a hit by pitch. After one walk sent Victoria H icks home and a fly out from Hogston allowed Baldwin to score after tagging up, the Indians led 8-1, just on the verge of that mercy
rule score. It came soon after when, with bases loaded, Skylar Galderise also took a hit on a pitch to score in Moser, and a Harper line drive bounced down left field that gave her a triple and scored in Flora, Harmon and Galderise to end the game with a Powhatan victory. It was Harper’s third
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hit in five attempts at bat, and easily her most impressive, with the ball going past the third baseman and giving her teammates plenty of time to get to home.
It was the kind of performance that showed just what the Indians are capable of this early in the season. With a matchup
From B1
taking her opponent Savan-
nah Exley down to the wire in both sets, losing 6-4 in the opening set and later 6-3 in the second.
In her doubles matchup alongside Polly Overboe, the two Indians played a great match against MacKenzie Little and Ava Swartzwelder. Midlo ultimately won that matchup 8-6, with Overboe and LaRaffa getting as close as anyone to earning a victory for their team.
Against James River,
against the Varina Blue Devils looming, a team still looking for its first win of the season and coming off a 4-13 season last year, the Indians have the chance to flex their muscles yet again. robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@ powhatantoday.com.
Zoé Lucas had some of the best highlights of the day for Powhatan, taking on Prithika Kundur in the No. 4 spot. Lucas nearly took the first set, which ended 6-4, and she continued playing tough tennis in the second set, winning three more games in a 6-3 final. She also won four games with Amanda Seaman in their doubles meeting versus Chloe Wolf and Rithika Bhagavatula.
Next up for the two teams is matchups against Goochland and Monacan, with the boys hosting both meetings and the girls traveling to play in enemy territory.
STAFF REPORT
Powhatan volleyball star
Chesed Russell made her commitment to Bluefield University a reality, signing her letter of intent on Friday, March 17. Russell received a scholarship offer from the Rams that she accepted in December, right around the conclusion of her senior season with the Indians. She’ll be coached by Buddy Gallemore, who took over at the program in 2015.
Try to see the value in relationships and make the effort to socialize.
CANCER • Jun 22/Jul 22
Cancer, you could be defeating your own efforts this week. There may be something telling you that you’re not good enough to go for your goals. A pep talk can put you back on course.
LEO • Jul 23/Aug 23 There’s a fresh development in your love life coming down the pike, Leo. Romantic feelings solidify and you might be in for some exciting adventures in the weeks to come.
VIRGO • Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, the crowd around you may not be the support system you need right now. Making new friends can be tough, but it’s worthy pursuit at this point.
LIBRA • Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, no matter how much you want to spend time with family or friends right now, work seems to draw you away. Focus on finding more balance.
SCORPIO • Oct 24/Nov 22
You might be feeling fed up with the pace of lessons being taught to you, Scorpio. If the teacher or mentor simply isn’t effective, then you might need to find a
Noticeisherebygiventha tthe Po whatanCountyBoardofSupervisorswill conductpublichearingsonMonday,March27,2023, at 6:30PMinthe Po whatanCountyVillageBuildingAuditorium(3910OldBuckinghamRoad) regardingthefollowingmatter:
23-01-AZ:TheCountyof Powhatan requeststheamendmentofthe provisionssetforthinChapter83(ZoningOrdinance)ArticleVI(Village GrowthAreaDistricts)Sec.83-241 PermittedusesofCommerceCenter(CC) andSec.83-242ConditionalusesofCommerceCenter(CC)toamendthe byrightprincipalusesandconditionalusestoincludesomeLightIndustrial (I-1)uses.Thiswillallo wa pplicantstopursuesomeLightIndustrial(I-1)uses withintheCommerceCenter(CC)zoningdistrict.
23-02-AZ:TheCountyof Powhatan requeststheamendmentofthe provisionssetforthinChapter83(ZoningOrdinance)ArticleVI(Village GrowthAreaDistricts)Sec.83-236 PermittedusesofCourthouseSquare CenterandSec.83-238Accessor yusesofCourthouseSquareCenterto addOtherRetailSalesEstablishmenttothepermittedusesandaccessory usesoftheCHSCzoningdistrict.Thiswillalsoallo wforOtherRetailSales Establishmenttobe apermittedprincipaluseand apermittedaccessor yuse toanallowableprincipaluseintheCHSCdistrict.
22-10-CUP:Morrissette (District#2: Po whatanStation/Graceland)requests aconditionalusepermit(CUP)tocreateanasphaltorconcreteplantin theAgricultural10(A-10)zoningdistrictperSec.83.162oftheZoning OrdinanceoftheCountyof Po whatan.Theproposeduseislocatedon Tax Maps#53-35A,#53-36,#53-32,locatednorthoftheintersectionofGenito andDorsetRoads,insoutheastern Po whatanCounty.Thesubjectproperty consistsof6.7acres.The2021LongRangeComprehensivePlandesignates thesubjectpropertyasRuralAreasontheCountywideFutureLandUseMap.
Membersofthepublicarewelcometo attendin-personorparticipate remotelybyjoining awebinar at:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83998792911 orbydialinginbyphone at 1-929-205-6099OR1-312-626-6799;then typinginthewebinarID83998792911.Duringthepubliccommentperiod, participantsmayraisetheirhandusing thezoomcontrolsonthecomputer screen,or(ifdialingin)bypressing*9on aphone.
Publiccommentsmayalsobesubmittedtoadministration@powhatanva.gov orbyleaving avoicemail at (804)598-5612.An ycommentsreceived priorto5:00PMofthedateofthepublichearingwillberecordedinthe meetingminutes.
Themeetingmaybewatchedlivebyvisiting http://powhatanva.gov/432/Live-Stream-of-Powhatan-County-Meeting
Allinterestedpersonsareinvitedtoparticipateinthepublichearingsandto presenttheirviewsand/ortosubmitwrittencomments. Personsrequiring specialassistancetovieworparticipateinthosehearingsshouldcontact the Po whatanCountyAdministrator’sOffice at (804)598-5612 at least threedayspriortothemeeting.Fulltextanddocumentsrelatedtothese proposalscanbereviewedbycontactingtheCountyAdministrator’sOffice at administration@powhatanva.govor(804)598-5612.
Noticeisherebygiven,pursuantto §15.2-2204ofthe Codeof Virginia, thatthePlanningCommissionof PowhatanCountywillconduct apublic hearingon Tuesday,April4,2023at6:00PMinthe PowhatanCounty VillageBuilding Auditorium,3910OldBuckingham Road, toconsiderthe following request:
23-01-REZ: Trent (District#5:SmithsCrossroads/Pineville/Tobaccoville) requests arezoningoftheparcellocated at TM#26-27fromAgricultural 10(A-10)toCommerceCenter(CC)andamendmentofthezoning districtmapofapproximately9.69acreslocatedonthe westboundside ofAndersonHighway approximately0.14miles westofMaidens Road. If approvedthe applicantintendstousetheparcel forafuneralhome andcrematorium.The2021Comprehensive Plandesignatesthesubject propertiesasGatewayBusinessontheCountywideLandUseMap.
Themeetingmaybewatchedlive by visiting http://powhatanva.gov/432/Live-Stream-of-Powhatan-County-Meetings AllPlanningCommissionmeetingsareopentothepublicandinterested personsareencouragedto attendonthedayandtimespecified above. Copiesoftheproposedplans,ordinances,andamendmentsmay be reviewedintheDepartmentofCommunityDevelopmentinthe PowhatanCountyAdministrationBuilding(3834OldBuckingham Road)between8:30AMand5:00PMofeach businessday. Copies ofstaffreportsareavailablepriortothePublicHearingupon request andwillbe availableonline at least five (5)dayspriortothemeeting at http://powhatanva.gov/agendacenter.Pleasecall(804)598-5621with anyquestions.
Public notice is hereby given tha tthe Board of Equaliza tion for Po wha tan County,will meet on the day’shereafter listed forthepurposeofhearingcomplaintsofinequalitiesincluding errors in acrea ge. Upon hearing such complaints, either oral orwritten,theBoardwillgiveconsideration ANDINCREASE, DECREASEORAFFIRM suchrealestateassessments.Before achangecanbegranted,thetaxpayerorhis agentmust overcome aclearpresumptioninfavoroftheassessment. Thetaxpayeror agentmustprovide apreponderanceofthe evidencetha ttheassessmentofthepropertyisnotuniform withtheassessmentsofothersimilarpropertiesorthat thepropertyisassessedinexcessofitsfairmarketvalue. Appointmentswillbescheduledever y20minutestominimize waiting. To appearbeforetheBoardofEqualization,please call804-598-5799from8:30A.M.and5:00 P.M. MeetingsoftheBoardtohearobjectionswillbeheld at: 3834OldBuckinghamRoad, Powhatan, VA 23139 Thedate(s)andtime(s)are:
April4,20235:00PMto8:00PM
April6,20232:00PMto5:00PM
April11,20235:00PMto8:00PM
April13,20232:00PMto5:00PM
April18,20235:00PMto8:00PM
April20,20232:00PMto5:00PM
April25,20235:00PMto8:00PM
April27,20232:00PMto5:00PM
(Additionaldatesandtimeswillbescheduledifnecessar yandadvertised). Byorderofthe PowhatanCountyBoardofEqualization
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