Powhatan Today –05/03/2023

Carmack wins reimbursement of legal fees

to

was eventually

ROSLYN RYAN

Editor A Powhatan supervisor will be reimbursed for roughly $8,100 in legal fees, money that was spent in an attempt to clear her name after she was accused of vacating her office last year. But the discussion surrounding the vote during the Board of Supervisors’

meeting last week also reintroduced allegations of an inappropriate relationship between two board members and exposed, once again, a simmering rift between two factions on the board.

During the April 24 meeting, District 5 supervisor Karin Carmack made a formal motion that the board vote to reimburse her for legal fees incurred after she was accused last

Ingles named Va. Tech 2023 Family of the Year

ROSLYN RYAN

Editor

Tracey Ingle, her husband Mark and daughter Ashton have always been a close family. But Tracey says she never expected that bond to catapult the family to star status.

That, however, is exactly what happened recently with the announcement that the Ingles had

been named Virginia Tech’s 2023 Family of the Year.

“We were elated,” said Tracey, who currently serves as an English instructional specialist for Powhatan County Public Schools, though she admits to being completely surprised by the news that the family had been selected.

Virginia Tech’s Office of Stu-

Local property owner could face $86K bill from County

ROSLYN RYAN

Editor Powhatan County supervisors have decided to delay a decision on whether to pay a local company $86,885.43 to clean up a local resident’s property, after the man was determined to be in violation of the county’s zoning ordinance.

The property, located at 2881 Anderson Hwy, was determined last February by the General District Court of Powhatan to qualify as a dump heap, owning to a significant number of junk vehicles on the property as well as other debris. The 87-year-old resident who owns the property was ordered to bring the property into compliance by June 30 of last year, but has yet to fully complete the task.

As Powhatan county administrator Brett Schardein explained during the board’s April 24 meeting in which they discussed

the matter, Schaefer’s Grading, Landscaping, & Excavating LLC has agreed to perform the work, the cost of which will be paid by the county and then billed the resident. If the bill goes unpaid, Schardein said, a lien will be placed on the property.

Schardein said the county currently has $13,900 budgeted for such clean-up projects, and the remaining funds would be taken from the contingency fund.

Offering her thoughts on the matter, District 5 supervisor Karin Carmack said she had not received any complaints about the property and questioned whether it was appropriate to saddle a man in his 80s with such a significant debt.

District 4 supervisor Bill Cox pointed out that Carmack herself had supported taking a resident to court and billing them for

dent Affairs presents the Family of the Year award annually to acknowledge those most important to students. Ashton, a member of Tech’s Class of 2025, nominated her parents for the honor in part to thank them for their unfailing support as she works to earn her degree.

“Even when I feel like no one is in my corner, my parents are

and have always been there, being the biggest cheerleaders for me,” Ashton wrote in her Family of the Year nomination. “Our bond as a family has always been special, as we have been through so much […] but the encouragement for my education was like no other support I have ever had

for members in such instances, two Powhatan supervisors made clear while discussing the motion that they did not think it was appropriate in this case.

The issue, said District 4 supervisor Bill Cox, was the connection between the accusation made against Carmack and an alleged personal relationship between her and District 3 supervisor Mike Byerly, who is now serving as Board Chair.

That alleged relationship was

Prank left building damaged, residents outraged

ROSLYN RYAN

Editor

What was supposed to be an annual school-sanctioned event reserved for soon-to-graduate Powhatan High School seniors on the evening on April 25 reportedly took an ugly turn last week, leaving extensive damage to school property and impacting instructional time the following morning.

Powhatan County School superintendent Beth Teigen confirmed on April 28 in an email that Powhatan High School administrators were continuing to investigate activities connected to the annual Senior Prank, an event that Teigen confirmed that the event had taken place after hours, and that school property had been damaged, but declined to provide further comment citing the ongoing investigation.

Local social media sites, on the other hand, were ablaze last with comments and questions regarding the vandalism last week, and pictures and video taken as the events unfolded were also being distributed across several channels.

While unconfirmed reports of students flooding classrooms, scrawling obscenities on walls and pouring bags of sand over the second floor balcony had outraged community members calling for swift disciplinary

Recent ‘Forgiveness’ event delivered message of unity

COMMUNITY REPORT

Dale Goodman says her heart was quite content when she glanced at the over 200 attendees seated mostly in the upper tier at Powhatan High School’s auditorium on Sunday, April 23. The people were there to attend the “50 Plus Years of Forgiveness …Cont’d” program, a program focused on fostering racial unity. Goodman, accompanied by guitarist Kevin Hannigan, opened the program with a song in the darkened room to set the tone. On stage with her were seven other speakers who seemed eager to deliver messages of forgiveness as promised for the relaxed atmosphere.

Powhatan High School’s music and chorus director Terrell Dean and student volunteers from his choral ensemble serenaded the

PHOTO BY HEIDI KLOCKENBRINK FOR VIRGINIA TECH

Tracey Ingle, center, and her husband Mark were recently honored as the 2023 Virginia Tech Family of the Year. They were selected for the award after being nominated by their daughter Ashton, left.

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

McFarland honored by Powhatan Board of Supervisors

POWHATAN TODAY RACK LOCATIONS

Powhatan County supervisors recognized former Powhatan Today editor Laura McFarland for her service to the community during the Board of Supervisors’ monthly meeting on April 24. A proclamation read by Powhatan county administrator Brett Schardein thanked McFarland in part for being “a steadfast advocate for journalism [and] reporting news that is unbiased and trustworthy,” and for serving as a dedicated member of the community.

editor for Richmond Suburban Newspapers, thanked the board for the recognition and noted that she will continue to call Powhatan home and remain active in the local community.

Three charged with abuse, neglect at care facility in Powhatan

nerable adults in violation of Virginia code section 18.2-369 code of Virginia, a class 1 misdemeanor.

Powhatan Village Market kicks off 2023 season tomorrow

McFarland

“Laura McFarland has set a high standard of excellence and has earned the respect and admiration of all who know her,” the proclamation read. “In recognition of her selfless service, in Powhatan, we urge all residents to join us in honoring Ms. McFarland for her contributions to our community.”

McFarland, who served as editor of Powhatan Today for nine years and also as the managing

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

The Community Matters program for Wednesday, May 3 at 10 a.m. is “ancient art of spinning Wool” will be taught by Kat Oliver. e xplore fiber from start to finish, from raising and harvesting wool from shetland sheep and angora rabbits to spinning, dying and plying artisan yarn. Meet an angora rabbit and feel how fine their fiber is. Community Matters meets at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 anderson Highway. 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. 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.

THURSDAY, MAY 4

Powhatan will be marking the national day of Prayer at the War Memorial Building, located at 2375 skaggs Rd, on May 4 at 6 p.m. For more information call (804) 256-4411.

The Powhatan Village Farmers Market opens for the season on Thursday, May 4. The market is open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. every Thursday on the grounds of Bienvenue in the Village. 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. May 4 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 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/B n IOnFire or contact executive director dawne Gulla at dawne@bniva.com or 804-690-9220 for more information.

The Powhatan TRIad meets at 10 a.m. the first Wednesday of every at st. John neumann Catholic Church, 2480 Batterson Road. The group discusses issues relating to senior citizens. It is open to the public. For more information, contact detective Rudy Gregory at 804-598-5656.

The Powhatan Lion’s Club will meet at 6 p.m. at the County seat Restaurant. Contact Mike Jones at 804-794-1440 for more information. The Powhatan Garden will meet on Thursday May 4, at the Powhatan Rescue squad meeting room. Refreshments will be ser ved at 10 a.m. with the meeting and presentation starting at 10:30. The presenter will be Mike Parish who will discuss pesticides, an important topic for all gardeners. The meeting is open to the public and all interested persons are welcome to join us.

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

On April 20, 2023, the Powhatan Sheriff’s Office, working with the Powhatan Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Department of Adult Services, completed an investigation of the Essene Home, located at 4332 Worsham Rd in Powhatan. The Essene Home is a residential care facility which provides care for those with intellectual disability, mental health disorders, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. The investigation was initiated after a complaint of abuse and neglect by a family member of a resident. The investigation resulted in charges being filed against Clarence Lewis, the owner of the facility, Karen Fitzgerald, the manager, and her husband Daryl Fitzgerald, the administrator of the facility. All three were charged with two counts of abuse and neglect of vul-

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.

The Huguenot Beekeepers association is a group of experienced and beginner beekeepers that are dedicated to promoting beekeeping in our communities and supporting each other in our beekeeping activities. The group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month in the auditorium of the Powhatan Village Building, 3910 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan. Visit https://huguenotbeekeepers.org.

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.

a free caregiver support group sponsored by Powhatan United Methodist Church and Powhatan Family Counseling will be held at 11:30 a.m. on the first and third Thursday of the month at the church, 2253 Rosson Road. It is an open group for anyone who has family or friends dealing with chronic mental health or physical illness. some meetings will have a special guest speaker. The group is facilitated by dr. Judith Cain-Oliver, licensed clinical psychologist. Contact dr. Oliver at 804-598-9577. The Powhatan County Fair association meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Powhatan Fairgrounds located at 4042 anderson Highway, Powhatan, Virginia 23139. For more information, visit www. powhatanfair.org.

a community prayer meeting is held at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the War Memorial Cultural arts and Community Center, 2375 skaggs Road. The group prays for world, national and local issues. It is open to the public.

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

The Powhatan Garden Club meets the first Thursday of the month at the Powhatan Rescue squad Building, 3920 Marion Harland Road, starting at 10 a.m. for refreshments and at 10:30 a.m. for the meeting and program. For more information, contact Laura divinski at 804-372-9572.

FRIDAY, MAY 5

The 39th annual Beef and Music Festival will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 5 at Blessed sacrament Huguenot school, 2501 academy Road. your $55 ticket includes admission for one adult and one raffle entry; dinner by smok n Pigz BBQ; live music; children’s activities including petting zoo, pony rides, and more; and live and silent auctions. Visit BsHKnights. org/BMF for more information! The event will be held rain or shine. sponsorship opportunities available!

The Powhatan Volunteer Fire department Company 1 Golf Tournament Fundraiser will be held on Friday, May 5 at Mill Quarter Plantation Golf Club, 1525 Mill Quarter Road. s hotgun start at 1 p.m.

Registration opens at 11 a.m. dinner provided. awards, raffle prizes. Contact Lisa aberle, golf tournament chair, at Fundraising@pfvd1.org or 804-382-4273.

Powhatan Cruizer’s car club, which is open to any vehicle or motorcycle owner, meets at 6 p .m. on the first Friday of the month at the Powhatan County Fairgrounds. Meetings are open to anyone. For more information, contact Charlie Williams at 804-898-0876.

SATURDAY, MAY 6

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 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The office is located upstairs at the Habitat Restore and the office number is 804-5947009, 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.

MONDAY, MAY 8

The Powhatan Village Farmers Market opens for the season on Thursday, May 4. The market is open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. every Thursday through Oct. 26 on the grounds of Bienvenue in the Village (3841 Old Buckingham Rd), and offers a tremendous variety of local goods including seasonal produce, unique breads and baked goods, coffee, honey, pastured meats, kombucha, eggs, mushrooms, artisan creations, self-care products, flowers and even dog treats. Shoppers can also enjoy live music with Powhatan artist Landyn Llewellyn and offerings from the Momma’s BBQ food truck! This season Powhatan Parks and Recreation will provide kids’ activities each week, and friendly dogs are encouraged to visit the market as well.

The Huguenot Ruritan Club meets at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month at May Memorial Baptist Church. For more information, contact Tom Grasty at 804-598-0777. a Powhatan Hope n arcotics a nonymous ( 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, MAY 9

PowHeR Hour+ Monthly Luncheon is held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at different locations throughout the county. Visit https:// www.powhatanchamber.org/events/ powher-hour-monthly-luncheon/.

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

TUESDAY, MAY 16

Lonesome d ove e questrian C enter, 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. The program is also welcoming first responders to come ride with the program. For more information about Lonesome dove, visit http://ldequestrian.com/ or contact 804-356-6327.

UPCOMING

Indoor yard sale will be held by the Women’s Organization of saint John neumann Catholic Church located at 2480 Batterson Road in Powhatan on saturday, June 3rd, 8 a.m. to 2pm, rain or shine. Proceeds benefit church ministries. 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.

Lonesome d ove e questrian C enter, which is located at 6137 Old Buckingham Road, provides year-round therapeutic horseback riding exclusively for veterans with special needs and disabilities. Focusing on veterans in Central Virginia, the goal of this program is to improve the quality of life for the participants through activities that are positive to their cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being. as of Jan. 1, 2021, the program is also welcoming first responders to come ride with the program. From april through september, volunteers are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 10 a.m. Upcoming dates are: May 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. 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. May 11, 18 at the Powhatan extension Office. next, youth are given the opportunity to sell their products monthly from June to s eptember. a ll products sold at the market must be made or grown by the young person. For more information, contact Cathy Howland at

Shell Station 1300 Anderson Highway, 23139

Powhatan Library

2270 Mann Road, 23139

Atkinson Insurance

3829 Old Buckingham Road, 23139 Community Driving School

3229 Anderson Highway, 23139

Goodwill 1885 Stavemill Crossing Lane, 23139

chowland@vt.edu.

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: 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 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.

The Westchester Concert series is back with a full summer 2023 lineup planned. all concerts are from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Westchester Concert Field. each concert will benefit a different nonprofit. Upcoming performances are: June 1, en’novation (autism society of Central Virginia); June 15, The english Channel (Chesterfield Historical society of Virginia); June 29, The Jangling Reinharts (Free Clinic of Powhatan); July 13, 64 Crayons Band (RVaG); and July 27, Good shot Judy (Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia). For more information, visit www.shopwestchestercommons.com.

Juneteenth Powhatan, a day of celebration, culture and history, will be held from noon to 4 p.m. June 17 both inside and outside at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 anderson Highway. activities will include an exhibit and program, food and vendors, music and a kids zone. The event is rain or shine. It is free and open to the public. donations are welcome.

Relay for Life south of the James, the combined Relay for Life event for Powhatan and Chesterfield counties, will be held from 4 to 10 p.m. s aturday June 10 at Powhatan High s c hool, 1800 Judes Ferry Road. Come support the fight against cancer by walking laps and fundraising as a team or participating in the event and supporting the different teams’ fundraisers. Highlights include enthusiastic teams joining together in the fight against cancer, performances, food for sale, themed laps, a survivor’s Lap, luminaria that can be purchased in honor or in memory of a loved one, and much more. Contact event lead Pat Johnson at pat.rflsoj@gmail.com.

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: 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 22; 8 to 10 p.m. sept. 16; and 5 to 7 p.m. dec. 9.

ONGOING

The Powhatan Village Farmers Market season will be open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. every Thursday from May 4 through Oct. 26. The market is on the grounds of Bienvenue in the Village. you’ll love reconnecting with your favorite vendors and meeting over 15 new ones! The market offers a huge variety of local goods like seasonal produce, unique breads and baked goods, coffee, honey, pastured meats, kombucha, eggs, mushrooms, artisan creations, self-care products, flowers and even dog treats. While you shop enjoy live music and a tasty food truck dinner! This season Powhatan’s local Parks and Recreation will provide kids’ activities every week and they have all sorts of fun stuff

planned for opening day! Prizes for the kiddos and friendly dogs are always welcome. This season your family will also love visits to the booths of the Powhatan state Park, Powhatan library, Master Gardeners and so many more critical community organizations. The Powhatan Coalition of Churches is looking for one or more volunteers to manage the Food Pantry which serves over 100 households each month. Primary responsibilities include training and coordinating volunteers, overseeing purchasing and inventory, record keeping and reporting, and publicity and communications. If you feel called to this vital ministry to neighbors in need please contact Theresa Fields at powfields@comcast.net or 804-372-9526. agricultural lands in Goochland and Powhatan counties continue to be eligible for conservation assistance funds from Monacan s o il 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 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 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 weekend, is looking for volunteers to help every week to pack food bags for the children, deliver the bags to schools, help with fundraisers and special events, and help provide food and monetary donations. The food donations we are looking for is single serve raviolis or spaghetti and meatballs, 16-ounce jars of peanut butter, apple sauce, small boxes of cereal, cookies, crackers and more. Contact Matt Henke at director@backpacksoflove.org 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 dair y 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. 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

Please see CALENDAR, Page A7

Board chairman: ‘This is political’

The following comments were delivered by Powhatan Board of Supervisors’ chair Mike Byerly during the April 24 discussion of whether or not the board should vote to reimburse legal fees for District 5 representative Karin Carmack. During the proceedings, both District 3 supervisor Bill Cox and District 1 supervisor David Williams made reference to allegations that Byerly and Carmack had engaged in an inappropriate personal relationship:

“I’ve been pretty quiet on this issue the whole time, and rightfully so. It’s not something that belongs up here on this board, it’s not something that belongs to Powhatan County. It’s my personal life. And what I do is my personal life. I’m going to be real honest with you. I’ve had all these phone calls, and I’ve had this and I’ve had that and people calling me, and you know what? Maybe that’s true. Maybe. But there’s laws, and they’re called criminal, they’re called civil, and

Carmack

From A1

the subject of a scathing rebuke delivered by Byerly’s then-estranged wife during the public comment of the board’s Oct. 24 meeting last year.

“We are having this discussion because of the inappropriate relationship that your estranged wife described in our October meeting,” Cox said to Byerly last week. “The question about Ms. Carmack’s residency is a direct result of actions taken by you, Mr. Byerly, and Ms. Carmack. It is your story. I will resist any attempt to add more people to that story, and that certainly includes Mr. Lacheney, Mr. McClung, Mr. Williams and myself. Ms. Carmack, you hired an attorney for FOIA information—that’s what his bill says. That’s your opportunity and I have no problems with that. [But] I see no reason why taxpayer money from the citizens of Powhatan should be involved in a civil case.”

As reported in Powhatan Today last February, a complaint of impropriety was brought against Carmack to the Powhatan County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in late 2022 saying she was not living in her district. Given the board’s voting power over his office, commonwealth’s attorney Rob Cerrullo contacted Powhatan County Circuit Court Judge Paul Cella, who issued an order to appoint a special prosecutor to supervise the investigation on Dec. 7, 2022. Bryan Dunkum, assistant commonwealth’s attorney, was selected as the special prosecutor.

In a letter Dunkum sent to Cerullo and filed in circuit court on Jan. 30, Dunkum said he spoke to the original complainant and “it is our belief that Mrs. Carmack currently resides in Powhatan County, but does not currently reside within the district she was elected to represent.”

He cited Va. Code Section 15.2-1526 and said it is his opinion that Carmack’s office “shall be deemed vacant.” He wrote that he copied the information to Powhatan County Attorney Tom Lacheney “should he wish to initiate a civil proceeding against Carmack to have her elected seat be deemed vacated.”

Lacheney ultimately de -

Briefs

From A2

Update on local siblings serving in military

Powhatan Today recently received an update on two brothers currently serving our country in uniform.

Adam Mitchell joined the United States Army in June

they are called election laws. I don’t think Ms. Carmack has had a set of handcuffs put on her yet. I can tell you I haven’t—ever in my life. And I will agree with what Mr. Williams and Mr. Cox said: the voters get to decide. And they are going to get to decide a lot in November. All you have to do is listen to some of the public comments from the people who come down here and listen to the actions that this board takes, and you can decide what you’re going to do. Is it taxpayers’ money? Yep, it’s taxpayers’ money that pays Mr. Lacheney and it’s taxpayers’ money that pays me and pays every board member up here. It’s taxpayers’ money that pays [Powhatan county administrator Bret Schardein]. When Mr. Lacheney suggested to Ms. Carmack that she seek outside counsel, that’s his job, to represent us in whatever situation we’re in. You can listen to anyone and everyone come up here and bloviate—I’m

cided, upon reviewing the evidence, that Carmack had not vacated her office.

Pushing back against the idea that Carmack was solely at fault, District 2 representative Steve McClung insisted that both Cox and District 1 representative David Williams had helped orchestrate the events that led to the investigation into Carmack’s residency status.

“Because of the actions of two, she was forced to do this,” McClung said. “She had to get representation to clear herself, and has cleared herself 100 %. And she should be paid for what she had to endure— not just legal fees either.”

Complicating the matter of whether the board should allow Carmack’s fees to be reimbursed was whether they were part of a criminal case or a civil case. The law is clear on the former, Lacheney explained, but not the latter.

Describing the case as “a mess from the beginning,” Lacheney said that much of the confusion stemmed from teh fact that the case had moved from criminal to civil before Carmack cecured legal councel.

“With all due respect to Mr. Cox, it was originally investigated as a criminal matter,” Lacheney said, explaining that the original complaint was that Carmack had committed perjury with regard to the required signatures needed when she first decided to run for office four years ago. Once it was determined that this charge was unfounded, Lacheney said, the issue became a civil matter. Lacheney explained that, because the attorney’s fees were technically incurred after it became a civil matter, it would be left to the board to decide if the fees would be reimbursed.

Carmack, responding to Cox’s comments, alleged that Cox and Williams has played a significant role in the events leading up to the case against her.

“I find it kind of interesting, because we’re talking about conflict of interest and objectivity, that you two gentleman have been involved in this investigation from the very beginning and have helped spearhead it,” Carmack said. “This is going back to Nov. 2, when Mr. Cox called Mr. Lacheney and asked him to investigate whether I was living in [District 5].”

Carmack added that Cox

H. MitchellA. Mitchell

of 2020, completing boot camp at Fort Jackson, in South Carolina. He then served in Korea for one

not doing that. This is political. I don’t care what you say, who you talk to, I’ll go to my grave saying it’s political.

It was a mess from the beginning.

I agree. I think that the criminal investigation was just that. A criminal investigation… [and] if you don’t start the criminal, you don’t get to the civil. I don’t think Ms. Carmack is playing the victim card. I think she’s saying what some of you don’t want to hear. It’s called the truth.

The conversation that my exwife came down and presented, that’s her choice. I know there’s probably many of you in this room, many of you in this county that’s been divorced, I think you understand the emotions that go along with a divorce, and if you don’t—if you’ve never been divorced—I hope you never are divorced. It’s not nice, it’s not pretty. If I did something that led to all that, that was illegal, here I am—come and handcuff me. I don’t think that’s the case.”

had also reached out to her husband to inquire about her living arrangements, and to Judge Paul Cella.

“I think you two have a conflict of interest,” Carmack said, leveling her gaze across the dais at Cox and Williams.

Cox responded that Carmack was trying to paint herself as a victim and avoid taking responsibility for what had transpired.

“[you are saying] that somehow you have been wronged and it’s somebody else’s fault,” Cox said. “These are your actions, your responsibility. It’s not the board’s responsibility, it’s not my responsibility, and its certainly not the responsibility of the citizens of Powhatan County.”

To McClung, the issue at hand was less about what had transpired and more about the way the situation had been handled by Cox and Williams.

“All of this could have been avoided if somebody would have just gone to Ms. Carmack and asked her what was going on, which is what I did,” McClung said, addressing Cox. “I didn’t have to go behind somebody’s back and do what you two did. And you are the one’s costing the taxpayers money, not Ms. Carmack.”

Williams, for his part, said he had never intended for the matter to become a political issue but had pushed for an outside investigation into the question of Carmack’s residency because he did not think the board should rule on it.

“I’ll say now what I said then,” Williams said. “I did not run for office to sit in judgement of another supervisor. Never once did I think that was a good idea.”

He said concerns over the alleged relationship between Carmack and Byerly were first brought to him by members of the community and not part of a conspiracy against her.

“People were concerned, and they were asking us about it,” Williams said. “And I’m going to tell you, I talked to a lot of people, because a lot of people were aghast. And, yes, did I want to know what was going on? You’re darn right. Because it affected all of us in this county. We shouldn’t be here—it shouldn’t even be in front of the county, but unfortunately we have to deal with this. And now the taxpayers are being asked to pay for something that should

year, followed by stops in Fort Bliss, Texas, and then Poland before returning to Fort Bliss. His brother, Hunter, joined the United Sates Air Force in July of 2020. He completed boot camp at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi and is now stationed in Ramstein, Germany. Powhatan is proud of these young men and thanks them for their service.

have never happened.”

Before ultimately voting on the matter—which concluded with Byerly, Carmack and McClung voting in favor of reimbursement and Williams and Cox voting against it—Byerly took several moments to discuss the entire situation (see sidebar), including the legal proceedings against Carmack.

“It was a mess from the beginning. I agree,” Byerly said of the case. “I think that the criminal investigation was just that—a criminal investigation. [And] if you don’t start the criminal, you don’t get to the civil. I don’t think Ms. Carmack is playing the victim card. I think she’s saying what some of you don’t want to hear. It’s called the truth.”

—Staffer Laura MacFarland contributed to this report

Fern

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Message

much-needed program.

Pastor Steve Bradshaw and Pastor Michael Edwards offered prayer for the opening and closing of the program and speakers gave their perspectives on different topics of forgiveness. Former Powhatan school board member, Powhatan High School principal and student Rick

Cole spoke about Powhatan’s growth over the years in education. Tom Walton, a former Powhatan County teacher and student, shared “Only One Bus,” his remarks on how Powhatan had separate buses for the whites and Black students during segregation and then transitioned to everyone riding the same bus after integration. Former Powhatan student and Minister Lisa Thompson gave a passionate perspective en-

similar arose in her district several years ago.

titled “Behind the Eyes of a Child.”

Next came Goodman, who thanked former teacher Dorothy Cosby. Goodman acknowledged that Cosby showed empathy and encouragement to her during integration. Former Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS) teacher and Delegate Lee Ware discussed how Powhatan should and is stepping forward. Former Student Danielle Lipscomb

spoke about how our way is paved. Lipscomb gave examples of former leaders in the fight for justice and how they paved the way for the current generation to take up the fight. Pastor Bryan Stevens of Mt. Zion Baptist Church spoke about how “we are so blessed and how we must ask for forgiveness from God.”

The last speaker was former PCPS student and 1st Sgt. Arthur Gregory of the Powhatan Sheriff’s Office,

who spoke about using the bridge of unity. The program was dedicated to Powhatan County teachers, both past and present. Goodman said she was grateful for those who were able and chose to attend. Goodman said she was so inspired when she noticed PCPS’s superintendent, Beth Teigen, and members from the PCPS school board were in attendance.

“After the program I was

approached by many in attendance and thanked by members of Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, the Powhatan Coalition of Churches, the Powhatan Free Clinic, the Powhatan Christmas Mother, the Powhatan Educational Foundation, and Powhatan County employees, who were all in attendance,” Goodman said. “This confirmed that the collaborated program was truly a success!”

property clean-up when a situation he described as

Prank

From A1

action, reports that a goat had been injured during the rampage dominated many conversations across social media.

Responding to rumors

Ingles

From A1

in my entire life.” Tracey and Mark were recognized on the field during

“This is the tough hard piece of having a zoning ordinance like you wanted Mrs. Carmack,” Cox said.

that the goat had suffered a broken leg due to being mishandled by the students, several residents offered to help pay for the animal’s medical care.

Teigen confirmed that a small animal in the veterinary science area was removed from its pen on

the school’s annual spring football game during Spring Family Weekend on April 15.

Tech staff “rolled out the red carpet for us,” said Tracey last week, noting that she and her husband

“It really is. It says that at some point, then you pull the trigger.” Carmack said she concurred with Cox, and admitted her point might be “a

April 25, and was being monitored by school staff.

A source within the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed last week that local law enforcement officers had been part of the initial response to the incident, but that criminal charges were unlikely

were given a two-night stay at the Inn at Virginia Tech, invited to attend the Spring Tailgate, and then watched the game from the comfort of the University Club box. They were presented with

sentimental one.” She then asked Schardein if the county had any other options. Schardein said there were other avenues that could be explored, and that there had

against any of the participants.

Powhatan High School principal Christopher Sumner said last week in an e-mail to local parents that the administrative team “has been diligently investigating the Senior Prank these past three

the award on the football field by Virginia Tech president Timothy Sands and his wife, then went back to the University Club to watch the rest of the game in the company of several former Tech

been some progress on the property. If the county was to go forward, he added, there would be ample warning given to the property owner before clean-up work

days,” and that he his staff “appreciate all of the physical evidence and information students, staff, and community members have and are continuing to provide us to assist us with the fact-finding process. We are still receiving new information and will

football players now playing in the NFL.

As much fun as the weekend was, Tracey said last week that nothing compares to the feeling of knowing that Ashton appreciates

began. Cox then suggested the board wait another month before deciding to wait another month, a plan all supervisors agreed to.

continue our investigation into next week. We will contact the families of those involved to share information about their child’s involvement and any consequences based on their behavior at the conclusion of our investigation.”

their support. “It really meant a great deal to us,” Tracey said. “When your child is grateful for what you’ve tried to do for them, that’s really special.”

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Procrastination paid off in the garden

VIRGINIA MCCOWN

Contributing Columnist

We delayed the lawn mowing several weeks. We allowed dead, disease-free plants to over winter in the vegetable garden.

“What’s up?” the neighbors question.

My slovenly and sloth-like behavior in the landscaping and vegetable garden continues to go unpunished. Instead, I’ve been rewarded with more tiger swallowtail and zebra butterflies flitting about this spring than ever before.

How can this be? Well, I’ve refrained from using insecticides as much as possible. If I do, I practice careful timing. I’ve bought disease resistant varieties of trees and vegetables. I encourage native plantings. I’ve allowed habitats to flourish in unraked autumn leaves. This patience and persistence is beginning to pay off.

Tis the season for Eastern Tent Worms

And their season is early this year. Eastern tent caterpillars and spring web worms are all names for Malacosoma americanum, the dark furry worms that weave silky webs around the inner branches of black cherry, apple or crabapple trees. Tent caterpillars aren’t normally a threat to mature, healthy trees. They eat away some tree leaves, but that’s the extent of their damage. Young trees, however, remain vulnerable. “

Hand picking

There are several ways to remove these pests. The first way is to remove the webs by hand and kill the worms with a soapy solution. Aim to work early in the morning when the caterpillars are still inside their webs. If you think

there are only a few worms within one of these nests, you’re dead wrong. I’ve made this mistake. I expected a few dozen worms but discovered hundreds. You may want to use gloves. I gathered and dumped the worms in a bucket of soapy water—trying all the while not to gag. I used a solution of 1/3 cup Murphy’s Oil Soap added to a quart of water. Dish washing fluid will work fine. For higher nests, pulling the webs down with a broomstick helps.

The tangled web these worms will weave

Fall web worm caterpillars are often confused with tent worms. But Hyphantria cunea begin their webs from the ends of tree branches. Fall web worms are often found on pecan, sourwood, and persimmon trees at summer’s end or early fall. Paw paws and other trees often prove attractive to them. Fortunately, web worm damage is mostly cosmetic. Worry only if you have an already failing or distressed tree. Fall web worms can be eliminated the same way as spring web worms by pulling down and destroying the webs within reach. Should you use pesticide? If you do spray, remember to fully spray the foliage closest to the web mass. Spraying only the web will not kill all the caterpillars. The safest pesticide is bacillus thuringiensis (BT), available at most garden centers. Sprays are best applied in the early morning or late afternoon. The BT will not harm birds or most beneficial insects.

Alien invasion!

The jelly-fish looking thing is actually the gall of the Gymnosporangium

juniperi-virginianae, commonly referred to as Cedar Apple Rust. It’s one of the most common of several fungal rust diseases that attack susceptible cultivars of apple and crabapple trees. It infects, disfigures and often destroys the leaves and fruit. First it needs an initial host plant, and that is the Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Any species of juniper can substitute for the Eastern red cedars. However, here in Virginia, cedars are bountiful.

On the Eastern red cedar host, the fungus produces reddish-brown galls.

These galls are sometimes confused with cones. In April and May these structures elongate into orange gelatinous protrusions and swell during rainy periods. The wind carries the microscopic spores to infect apples leaves, fruit and young branches. Individual spores can travel miles.

These spores attach themselves to apple leaves about the time the buds are in the early blossom stage. Infection can take place in as little as four hours. Yellow lesions begin to develop I one to three weeks.

In midsummer, spores from the apple leaves are produced. In turn the wind carries the spores back to the cedars thus completing the cycle. The spores land on cedar needle bases or in cracks or crevices of twigs. The spores germinate and produce swellings resembling small green peas.

What can I do if I’m trying to grow an apple tree? Remove all cedar trees located within a one-mile radius! Yeah, right. For most of us living in Central Virginia this is an impossible task. Young cedar trees live on neighboring property, in the woods and even pop up like weeds in lawns.

Fungicides applied on a schedule are highly effective against the disease during the apple cycle. Most sprays are applied four times at 7 to 10-day intervals, starting in April and May. These applications protect the apples from spores being released from the cedar host. The best time to apply fungicide is during the infection orange gelatinous state.

Planting depth a critical part of ensuring the health of your new trees and shrubs

COMMUNITY REPORT

Spring is for planting! But when it comes to trees and shrubs, you may want to double-check your planting technique. Not long ago, the local Extension Office received a question about why some landscape trees in the common area of a neighborhood were failing to thrive. They were covered in lichens and the branches were dying back. Some were tilted rather than standing upright. All of the trees in the nearby forest

seemed to be perfectly healthy, so what could be going on?

People occasionally blame lichens for tree decline, but they are a symptom that a plant is growing slowly rather than the cause. After some sleuthing, we discovered that the trees in this case had not been planted deeply enough, and a large portion of their rootball, although covered in mulch, was multiple inches above the surface of the ground. Trees and shrubs should

be planted at the same depth as they were planted in a pot or in the ground at a nursery. Generally speaking, this means the “root flare” is level with the soil surface. Holes for woody species should be only as deep as the root ball, but twice as wide. It is helpful to chop some horizontal slits into the side of the hole, especially in heavy clay soils. Backfill the hole with the same soil and tamp it down just enough to remove air pockets. There is no need to fer-

tilize or amend the soil, although finished compost can make a nice mulch material for around your new tree or shrub.

That leads to another common sin of spring: the mulch volcano. Mulch should be spread evenly and shallowly around the root zone of a plant, never heaped against the trunk. For newly planted plants, you can mound the mulch into a small berm or “donut” around the outside of the mulch ring. This can help

hold water during waterings. Springs in Virginia can be hot and dry, which is hard on new plants. So while spring is for planting… so is fall. In fact, we at the Extension Office much prefer to plant new woody plants in the fall. If you haven’t yet gotten around to planting perennials this spring, you might want to consider holding off a while yet.

submitted by the Virginia Cooperative extension Office

ChurCh DireCtory

Pastor StephenBattaglia 2390 EmmanuelChurch Road www.newwalkbible.org

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Virginia McCown is a master gardener living in Central Virginia along with her garden and assorted dogs and laying hens.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA MCCOWN

Tiger swallowtail butterflies, like the one seen here, seem to enjoy a garden that has been left alone.

Powhatan girls tennis is embracing the process

Team enjoying a year of improvement

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

There are few mysteries as to who reigns supreme over the girls tennis landscape in the Dominion District. For years, schools like Cosby, Midlothian and James River have established a hold on the top spots in the standings, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t teams patiently building their own talents to one day join the top ranks.

Powhatan is one of those schools battling to get atop the Dominion ladder, and with a promising 6-6 record and improved results against those elite teams, the building blocks are beginning to stack up quite high.

Powhatan head coach Anne Louis Maliff is already seeing major improvements from her returning players compared to last year. In the 2021-22 season, the Indians lost 9-0 to the Trojans and won just 13 total games. This year against those same Trojans, it was a 7-2 loss with 39 games won. The same improvements can be found against James River, who won last year’s matchup 9-0 and lost just 19 games compared to 41 games lost in this year’s matchup with Powhatan.

“An individual 6-0, 6-3 loss feels much worse than a 6-4, 6-4 loss, and this team is enjoying the feeling of being more competitive,” Maliff said.

Individual progress can be found across Powhatan’s starting lineup, which is led by No. 1 sophomore Emma Carter.

In her second season at the top of the depth chart, Carter has continued to show promise, hanging with experienced players and having success against the similarly young No. 1 players of weaker opponents. One thing that’s always been a part of her game is her composure when the battle’s at its most intense.

“Emma is a sports psychologist’s dream,” Maliff said of her top player. “She has a way of staying calm and determined no matter the score, and in doing so, she sets a fantastic example for the rest of our team.”

Carter handled some tough challengers in recent performances, including a 6-2, 6-0 win over Monacan’s Maylee Young and an 8-5 pro set win in doubles over Young and Claire LaFors. Whether it be a win or loss though, Carter’s taking every experience in stride, which has passed down to her teammates in their own matchups.

“I think she enjoys being challenged because it shows her where she can improve her game,” Califf said. “She knows she is still a young No. 1 player, but she is putting in the work so that she can be an even more dominant player over her next two years.”

Another player that’s demonstrated a strong work ethic is freshman Caris Grell. Maliff credits Grell’s performance against Monacan for being a key reason for the victory.

In the first meeting against

Please see TennIs, Page B2

Girls soccer team gets revenge on Midlothian

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

The Powhatan girls soccer team earned some well-deserved revenge when it hosted the Midlothian Trojans for a rematch of a 2-0 loss suffered on March 21. That first matchup was a frustrating one for Powhatan’s offense that was stifled at every turn by the Midlothian back line. Powhatan’s own defense was reliable for most of that matchup, but gave up one goal late in the first half and one early in the second that ultimately was enough to seal the

deal for Midlothian.

This time, Powhatan’s offense had no issues, running up four goals in the game, two of which came in an exciting overtime period from Morgan Oliver and Bella Russell with less than two minutes remaining.

The win was Powhatan’s fourth of the season and second in as many games after a 3-0 shutout of the Manchester Lancers. It was also their second highest scoring mark of the season, beaten only by their 9-0 win over L.C. Bird on April 13.

Before Oliver and Russell put

the Indians ahead with their clutch finishes at the net, the game was a tight battle between two quality teams. In regulation, goals from senior Rachael Webb and sophomore Sam Martin were what put the Indians in position to win, but the Trojans matched that scoring output to send the game to additional minutes to determine a winner. In the same week that she signed her letter of intent to go to the University of Lynchburg, Oliver delivered like she has all season, getting the Indians ahead along with Russell’s

finish that lit up the crowd, handed a district rival a crucial loss late in the season and gave the Indians an important win with six games left in the season. Powhatan head coach Jared Rottmund called it the team’s best performance of the season.

The Indians have another chance for revenge when they host their eighth straight game in a matchup versus the Monacan Chiefs on Thursday, May 4 at 7 p.m. The Chiefs won 6-1 in the first matchup on March 28. Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday.com.

Adams leads Indians to win over Midlothian

derwood scored her first of five goals to make it 3-1.

After suffering a tough 11-9 loss to the Cosby Titans, the Powhatan Indians made a point to respond when they hosted the Midlothian Trojans on April 26.

The Cosby loss was just the third of the season for Powhatan, who have dominated the games immediately following a loss so far this season. After losing to Freeman in the season-opener, Powhatan pummeled Midlothian 16-3 two days later. Immediately after their second loss, a 12-8 defeat to the undefeated Western Albemarle Warriors, the Indians scored 40 goals combined in their next two games while not conceding a single goal in their own net.

Taking on Midlothian following another loss, it wasn’t quite the runaway victory the first meeting became, but it was still a matchup that felt completely in Powhatan’s control. The 17-7 win moves the Indians to 7-3 on the season with just four games left before the regional tournament.

Leading the charge was a spec-

WHO: K ATEADAMS

WHATSHEDID:

tacular showing from senior Kate Adams, who was one of four Indians players along with Hannah Kantanen, Grace Hayden and Caroline Camp to record a hat trick in the win. When not being an active presence as a scorer, Adams was displaying her skills as a set-up specialist, recording multiple assists to her teammates cutting to the net.

Adams and Kantanen opened the scoring with two goals in the first three minutes to give the Indians a quick start. The lead quickly extended to 3-0 when Adams found a cutting Camp open for a good look in front of the net for a three-goal difference on the scoreboard, but the Trojans eventually got on the board when senior Reagan Un-

C&F Bank’s Athleteof the Week C& FBa nk AthleteoftheWeek

reasonfortheirwinningsuccess.

AgainstMidlothianonApril26, Adams wasoneoffourIndianstorecordahat trickonthewaytoa17-7victorythat pushedtheirrecordto7-3ontheseason.

HannahKantanenandGraceHayden to helpkeeptheTrojansatbay.Thoughthe Trojanshadsomescoringsuccess,the offensiveexecutionfrom Adamsandher attackingteammatesprovedtoomuch tohandle.

Adams again played the facilitator with her stick for the fourth Powhatan goal of the game, this time operating from behind the net to find Kantanen for her second goal of the first half. Though Underwood added two more goals to cut the lead down to 4-3 with less than seven minutes left, goals from Adams and senior Sophia Payne helped Powhatan enter halftime with a 6-3 advantage.

Underwood added her fourth goal to start the first minute of the second half, but Hayden gave the Indians a much-needed response goal from a free position shot followed by another Adams goal and a score from freshman Blakely Dowdy to give Powhatan three unanswered goals in three minutes.

The run ended with Midlo’s first non-Underwood goal, this time getting a point from senior Scarlett South to make it a 9-5 game. Camp continued the

Please see LaCROsse , Page B2

Powhatan’sgirlslacrosseteamhasbeen playingatatop-tierlevellately,with seniorKate Adams’excellentblendof scoring andplaymaking being akey

When Adamswasn’tputtingtheballin thenetherself,shewasmakingthings easieronherteammatesthanksto herplaymaking. Adamsplayedapart inmultiplegoalsfromteammateslike

AlreadyanAll-RegionandAll-Metro honoreefromlastseason, Adamsis continuingtoshowcaseherskillsonthe fieldin 2022-23.

PHOTOS BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Powhatan sophomore Caroline Camp looks to pass in the team’s 17-7 win over Midlothian on April 26.

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

Sophomore Chloe Holt (15) gets past multiple Trojans defenders on the way to the crease.

call at

Powhatan’s biggest stars participate in signing day

STAFF REPORT

Seven

Indians baseball gets back on the right track with consecutive wins

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

After suffering double digit losses in back-toback games to end a threegame winning streak, the Powhatan baseball team got back on the right track with two convincing wins in three days to bring their record to 8-4 on the season.

The first game on April 25 was against a George Wythe team still searching for its first win of the season. The Bulldogs will have to wait another day for that elusive victory, as the Indians ran up the score with 18 runs while not conceding a single one defensively for a win that ended after five innings.

The Indians recorded 11 hits on 16 at-bats, with multi-run outings coming from Andrew Shifflett, Hunter Beil, William Tuttle, Matthew Layman and Luke Burkhart.

The first inning was Powhatan’s most dynamic, with the team scoring seven runs for a comfortable lead early. It started with a two-run RBI triple from Shifflett, followed by an RBI single from William Karanian, another two-run RBI double from Burkhart, a Burkhart score on a passed ball and a steal to home from Max Altieri.

Four pitchers combined for the no-hitter, with Burkart, Johnny Evans, Mason Timberlake and Conner Hedgepeth getting a total of 14 strikeouts while giving up just one run.

Two days later, the Indians had a tougher challenge against the Midlothian Trojans (6-6-1),

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Monacan, the Chiefs pulled off a 5-4 win with crucial victories in the No. 6 singles and the No. 3 doubles matches playing a big role in that overall victory, but the second matchup saw Grell win her No. 6 singles matchup with a dominant tiebreaker third set and then step into the third doubles pairing to win 8-2 alongside Zoe Lucas. Those wins helped give Powhatan a 5-4 win and loads of momentum heading into a meeting

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trend of goal-scoring responses though, quickly giving the Indians another five-point lead.

Five minutes after her goal, Kantanen scored her third of the night, once again benefiting from the passing of Adams, who delivered a perfect pass to the raised stick of Kantanen as she put another one past the goalie with 14 minutes remaining.

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The Trojans wouldn’t go away quietly though, scoring two quick goals to force a Powahtan timeout with 10 minutes remaining and an 11-7 lead.

who sought revenge for a 4-1 loss on March 21.

The Indians, riding off the confidence of a muchneeded victory, didn’t allow that to happen, beating the Trojans in even more convincing fashion in a 6-1 finish.

Layman went the distance for the Indians, pitching a three-strikeout game while allowing just four hits. Layman and the defense held the Trojans scoreless all the way until the sixth inning, when the Trojans finally got on the board with a run off a line drive single.

Midlothian’s defense, led by a four-inning appearance from pitcher Hank Blanton, did hold Powhatan scoreless for the first three innings, but a promising two-run fourth helped jolt the Indians to gain momentum and pull ahead. Those two runs came on RBI singles from Layman and Burkhart to send home Karanian and Beil.

After a quick appearance from the Powhatan defense that ended the fourth, the lead grew to 3-0 when Karanian singled on a fly ball and Shifflett ran home on the throw.

In the top of the sixth, the Indians put the game away, scoring off a Hedgepeth RBI single and a two-run RBI double from Karanian that finished off the Trojans.

The Indians now look ahead to a home matchup against the James River Rapids on Tuesday, May 9. The Indians fell to the Rapids 9-1 in their first meeting on March 27.

against L.C. Bird. Grell was just recently moved into a doubles spot, with Maliff citing her consistency in practice and her building confidence as reasons for the change. With just three teams left on the regular season schedule, Maliff is looking to see more performances in the vein of the recent Monacan win. With matchups looming versus Cosby and Clover Hill, both of whom won the first meeting, it’ll be an excellent opportunity for the team to further showcase just how far they’ve come since the season started.

That timeout proved beneficial, as the Indians outscored the Trojans 6-0 over the final 10 minutes, including more goals from Hayden, Adams and Camp to cap off an impressive wire-to-wire victory on their home field.

With just a few more games left in the regular season, the Indians look to finish the year out strong, starting with a road contest against the James River Rapids on May 3 at 7 p.m. The Indians previously beat the Rapids 19-1 in their first matchup on March 20.

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

graduating Powhatan athletes put pen to paper on April 28 when the school hosted its signing day in its auditorium.

Soccer stars Morgan Oliver (University of Lynchburg), Dori Magill (Sewanee), Fischer Daniel (Lynchburg) and Connor Nickerson (Richard Bland College) made their next soccer and academic destinations known while their senior seasons are still ongoing.

Football players like Dylan Trevillian (Louisburg College), Oscar Whitely (Bridgewater College) and Ty Green (Averett) also made their decisions official after their final season at Powhatan finished up in the fall. All photos are contributed.

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