Issuu

CHRISTMAS

OPINION

Ashland gets ready for Santa Runs throughout the town.

Pow wow coordinator: thanks for sharing in culture and activities.

PAGE

Vol. 2 No. 22 | Richmond Suburban News | December 7, 2016

County poverty level shows decrease By Jim Ridolphi for The Hanover Local HANOVER — As Hanover County’s economic environment continues to improve following a national downturn that began in 2008, the number of citizens living below the poverty line is decreasing.

Jim Ridolphi for The Hanover Local

Sheila Crossen-Powell, director of Hanover Social Services, told the Hanover County Board of Supervisors last month that only Goochland County ranks higher in median income than Hanover County.

According to an annual Social Services Report presented last month to the Hanover County Board of Supervisors by Sheila Crossen-Powell Clausen, director of Hanover Social Services, the county continues to post better than state average numbers in figures compiled

over the last 12 months. The poverty threshold is a nationally calibrated number that identifies the number of people living on less money that needed to supply basic needs. President Lyndon Johnson established the benchmarks when he initiated his War on Poverty in the 1960s. The levels are based on the cost associated with providing a person’s food needs for one year, then multiplying that by three. The benchmark is established nationwide without regard to different demographics that affect cost of living, and many communities use a 200 percent of poverty level to illustrate how some portion of the population earns less than enough to provide basic needs. The current poverty level benchmark (figured at 100 percent) is $12,085. That figure is adjusted for the number of people living in a household. Regionally, Hanover County’s poverty figures are lower than its neighbors but still reveal areas of concern, according to Crossen-Powell. “We are doing better than anybody but Goochland, but we still have a 16.6 percent poverty rate at the 200 percent level,” Crossen-Powell said. State averages at 200 percent are about 27 percent and the regional rate is slightly higher. see POVERTY, pg. 122

Ashland lights up the tracks, decks the halls, and sings along

Mikaela Cannon sings “How Many Kings.” She attends Lewis and Clark Elementary School in Caroline County at the Doswell Ruritan event. Below, carolers gather on a stage outside the Hanover Arts and Activities Center in Ashland during the Light Up the Tracks event.

Deck the Halls organizer Carolyn Peart and her husband Jerry host the fundraiser in support of Hanover Safe Place.

Peyton Doughtery, at left, took time to tell Santa Claus what was on her wish list. Above, 2016 Christmas Mother Ginger Stanley and Shelby Winter posed for the camera at the Doswell event.

Photos by Nick Liberante for The Local More photos on page 4

About 150 people formed a community chorus to sing carols during Light Up the Tracks in Ashland.

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The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

OBITUARIES | Death Notices & Funerals JOYCE DAILEY Joyce Anne Fahed Dailey, of Rockville, went to be with the Lord on November 30, 2016. She was born on November 2, 1932, to Nagee and Freda Fahed. Anne grew up in Church Hill and was a proud graduate of St. Patrick’s High School. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas John Dailey Jr.; her brothers, Steven and Norman; and her sister, Mary Louise. She is survived by her seven children, Tommy (Jamie), Deborah, Mark (Susan), Darlene (Terry), Donna (Robert), Mary (Chris), Tina and Charlie Shearin, who was welcomed into the family. She was a sweet “Sittu” to 21 grandchildren and 20 greatgrandchildren. She also is survived by her brother, Fred (Peggy); sister, DAILEY Diane (Joe); sisterin-law, Jeanie; and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. In their 58 years of marriage, Anne was truly devoted to her husband and children. She loved to cook for her big Lebanese family. She loved Christmastime and always found the special things. She continued this tradition with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Anne was a lifelong member of St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary. Being involved in numerous church activities was a special part of her life. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 3, 2016, at St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church at 4611 Sadler Road in Glen Allen. Interment followed in Greenwood Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Anthony’s Maronite Church. Bliley’sStaples Mill at 8510 Staples Mill Road was in charge of arrangements.

DAMON IGOU Damon Leon Igou, 52, passed from this life and into the arms of Jesus suddenly and peacefully in his sleep early Tuesday morning, November 29, 2016. He resided in Montpelier with his wife, Janice; son, David; and daughter, Rhey. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he is survived by his mother, Wanda Selman (Wiley); his father, DeWayne (Debra); two brothers,

Derek (Francie) and Devon (Sasha); five nephews; plus Glenda, Freddie, Chad and family. A devoted husband, father and son, Damon loved the Lord, all of his family and friends, church, and his country. He loved cats, especially Orange. He was a USMA 1986 graduate and 30year veteran who served in Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo and Djibouti. Funeral services and burial IGOU were held at 11 a.m., Monday, December 5, 2016, at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church at 15583 Coatesville Road in Beaverdam, with full military honors. . In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the American Family Association or the SPCA. A full account of his life will be posted at mtolivetbaptist.org. Bliley’s Funeral Home at 8510 Staples Mill Road in Richmond was in charge of arrangements.

KELLY JAMISON Kelly Anne Gallagher Allen, 42, of Glen Allen, passed away unexpectedly, Monday, November 21, 2016. Kelly is survived by her loving husband, Mark David Jamison; parents, William and Marsha Gallagher; brother, David Gallagher and his, wife, Jennifer; sister, Shannon Campbell, all of the greater Richmond area. She also is survived by a large extended family and many friends. A celebration of Kelly’s life was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 3, 2016, at the Northside Baptist Church at 7600 Studley Road in Mechanicsville, with the Rev. Thomas Nance officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations in Kelly’s honor may be made to the Hanover Humane Society, 12190 Washington Highway Ashland, VA 23005. To leave online condolences, please visit www.oakeys.com.

MARION G. MIHALOFF Marion G. Milahoff, 83, of Doswell, passed away Thursday, December 1, 2016. She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Jimmie Mihaloff; her daughters, Sandra Mihaloff and her husband, Philip Klaus, and Deborah Mihaloff and her husband, Alan Kirshner; nephew, Michael Dinoff and his wife, Linda; and many loving friends. A memorial service will

MILAHOFF

be held Sunday, December 18, 2016, in Trenton, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in Mrs. Mihaloff’s name to the Faison Center, 1701 Byrd Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230.

BETTY ANN WICKHAM Betty Ann Waldrop Wickham, 84, passed away November 30, 2016, at home, in Montpelier, where she had lived all of her life. She was born in Beaverdam on October 7, 1932, to Edgar Allen Waldrop and Carmen Erscell Coates. She graduated from Montpelier High School in 1950 and shortly after graduation she went to work for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Richmond, where she retired after more than 31 years of service. Betty Ann was married to her high school sweetheart, Wilbur Cullen Wickham Jr., in 1953. He died in 2006. They had been married more than 53 years. There were no children. She is survived by two sisters, Betty Jane Wallace and Sarah Elizabeth Hamby; two brothWICKHAM ers, Thomas Eugene Waldrop and Walter Scott Waldrop; five sisters-in-law, Jane Elizabeth Waldrop, Ella Prince Waldrop, Carolyn Wickham Howard, Nancy Wickham Webb and Patricia Wickham Dugan; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. A Celebration of Life was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2016, 2 p.m. at Hopeful Baptist Church. Interment followed in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Hopeful Baptist Church, 14340 Hopeful Baptist Rd., Montpelier, VA 23192, designated for care of the cemetery. Bliley’sStaples Mill at 8510 Staples Mill Road was in charge of arrangements.

JUDSON WILLIAMS Judson Napoleon Williams, 79, of see OBITUARIES, pg. 12

SHERIFF’S REPORTS

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| Crime, Accidents, Fire & Rescue Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana was reported in the 10100 block of Atlee Station Road/Kings Charter Drive, Mechanicsville. Unlawful purchase of possession of alcoholic beverage was reported in the 9300 block of Charter Court/Kings Charter Drive, Mechanicsville. Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported on Interstate 295 South, Mechanicsville. Credit card fraud, $200 in six months, was reported in the 5400 block of Muzzle Court, Mechanicsville.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 8400 block of Gooseneck Lane, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 7300 block of River Pine Drive, Mechanicsville.

Nov. 25

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 7000 block of Brooking Way, Mechanicsville. Concealment, price altering of merchandise, $200, was reported in the 7300 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville. Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 7100 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Meadow Drive, Mechanicsville. Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in was reported in the 14700 block of Mountain Road/Stone Horse Creek Road, Glen Allen. Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 7000 block of Cornfield Lane, Mechanicsville.

Credit card forgery was reported in the 10100 block of Lewistown Road, Ashland. Petit larceny shoplifting was reported in the 6300 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 7400 block of Old Hickory Drive/ Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny, $200 or more not from a person, was reported in the 7000 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Destruction of property, monument, was reported in the 7400 block of Eleanor Drive, Mechanicsville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 7100 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike/Wynbrook Lane, Mechanicsville.

Identity fraud use of identifying information to defraud was reported in the 12200 block of Stirrup-Cup Lane, Rockville.

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 11600 block of Lakeridge Parkway, Ashland.

Grand larceny building was reported in the 11200 block of Manakin Road, Rockville.

Simple assault was reported in the 8000 block of Davis Avenue, Mechanicsville.

Driver did not report an accident with damages, $1,000, in the 4100 block of Market Road, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering of merchandise, $200, was reported in the 7300 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny building was reported in the 16100 block of Theme Park Way, Doswell.

Grand larceny building was reported in the 5500 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville.

Destruction of property, monument valued at $1,000, was reported in the 14000 block of Independence Road, Ashland.

Assault and battery of a family member was reported in the 8000 block of Arnoka Road, Mechanicsville.

Nov. 24

Possession of marijuana, first offense, was reported in the 10100 block of Kings Dominion Boulevard, Doswell. Driver did not report an accident with damages, $250, in the 7300 block of Bell Creek Road,

Petit larceny from auto was reported in the 7200 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Simple assault was reported in the 8100 block of Creighton Parkway, Mechanicsville.

Simple assault was reported in the 15100 block of Dunn Road, Montpelier.

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Sing We Joyous All Together Ryan Tibbetts artistic director Daniel Stipe organist

Concealment, price altering of merchandise, $200, was reported in the 7300 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

Grand larceny building was reported in the 9400 block of Indianfield Drive, Mechanicsville.

Concealment, price altering

ACCOUNT/DELIVERY INFORMATION: Name: Street: City: ________________ State: Zip Code: Phone:

Nov. 26

ONE YEAR (52 WEEK) SUBSCRIPTION $30.00 FOR HANOVER COUNTY ZIP CODES, ALL OTHERS $40.00

187998-01

merchandise, $200, was reported in the 7400 block of Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville.

428017-01

Nov. 23

Friday, December 16, 2016 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 18, 2016 3:00 pm

Church of the Holy Comforter 4819 Monument Avenue, Richmond

Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church 201 Henry Street, Ashland

Advance tickets $10 for adults ($15 at the door) and $5 for students. Purchase tickets at Cross Bros. Grocery in Ashland, online at www.cvamc.org, or by phone 1-800-838-3006.

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

Baby’s First Christmas

Woman’s club aids charities

Photographs of area babies who are celebrating their first Christmas will appear in the newspaper

Wednesday, December 21

This Christmas, a special page of The Hanover Local will be devoted to pictures of area babies who are celebrating their first Christmas. You may purchase a spot for your baby’s photograph on the page for only $1000. Please send us a wallet-size photograph of your baby before Thursday, December 15, 2016. We will be sure he or she is included on the “Baby’s First Christmas” page which will be published in the newspaper on Wednesday, December 21, 2016. Please write your name on the back of your baby’s photograph and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope so we can return the photo to you.

Baby’s Name D.O.B. Parents’ Name Grandparents’ Name

Nick Liberante for The Hanover Local

Members of the Ashcake Woman’s Club presented race proceeds from the 13th Ashland Harvest Run and 1 Mile Pumpkin Walk to representatives of Hanover Safe Place, CIRCLES Ashland and Wings of Hope Ranch. The contribution was made Thursday, Nov. 30.

All Photos Must Be Received by Thursday, December 15, 2016 Mail the coupon below, your baby’s photo, SASE and your payment to Baby’s First Christmas, c/o The Hanover Local, 8460 Times Dispatch Blvd., Mechanicsville, VA 23116 or email: cgrant@mechlocal.com Baby’s Name _____________________________________________ Parent’s Name(s) _________________________________________ Grandparents’ Name(s)____________________________________ Date of Birth_____________________________________________ Please print the names as you wish them to appear in the newspaper. All professionally taken photographs must contain the name of the photography studio for photo credits______________________________________

436000-01

Name_____________________________Home Phone ___________ Address ________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ________________ Daytime Phone _____________ I Check Enclosed I VISA/American Express/DISCOVER

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

John M. Gandy Elementary School students, from left in the photo at left, Maris Hendricks, Peyton Conklin and Meriwether Gilmore add a big finish to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at the Doswell Ruritan Club community Christmas event. In the photo below, Tom Wulf, left, presents a gift to CSX representative Craig Kuhn and his wife Stephanie during Light Up the Tracks.

I Money Order Exp Date_______

Send news items to Melody Kinser at mkinser@mechlocal.com 4

Holiday cheer in Ashland

Photos by Nick Liberante for The Hanover Local

Ashland Volunteer Fire Company bringing Santa out for Runs Staff Report news@mechlocal.com

SHLAND â€“ Ashland Volunteer Fire Company has released its 2016 Santa schedule. Runs will begin at 6:30 p.m. each night. There will be two Santas splitting the routes. Please be prepared. The streets listed below are the basic order the fire company will follow each night. Please remain at the roadside and Santa or his Elves will come to you. Please do not approach the fire truck. You should hear them coming; theyâ€™ll give a little notice and please pardon their noise. While they perform these runs, they may â€” at any time â€” have to leave for an emergency call. The tentative makeup date is Sunday, Dec. 18. The firefighters said they â€œwill make every effort to get to those we

miss.â€? Santa and his Elves must move swiftly so he can make it to all of the boys and girls, so please understand their haste. Since 1890, the Ashland Volunteer Fire Company has remained a volunteer organization, so donations are always accepted and appreciated. If you miss Santa for any reasons, he will be making a special appearance from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Ashland Farmers Market behind Ashland Town Hall. Sunday, Dec. 11 â€“ Henry Street north of Randolph-Macon College, Berkley Woods Subdivision, A & B streets, 100 block of Berkley Street, 500 and 600 blocks of North Center Street East, Henry Apartments, Northwest Henry Lane, 200 block of Berkley Street, Burruss Apartments, Smithtown Road, Ashland Towne Square, Dale Avenue,

South James Street, Duncan Street, Early Street, South Center Street southwest side, Oaks Apartments, Ashland Manor Apartments, Cox Lane, Stebbins Street, Race Course Street, West Francis Street, Hanover Avenue, South Snead Street, Beverly Road, Lee Avenue, Cubs Lane and Thompson Street south side. Monday, Dec. 12 â€“ South Center Street southeast side, Virginia Street, East Francis Street, 10000 block of Maple Street, Kilby Station Road, 100 and 200 blocks of New Street, MacMurdo

Street, 100 and 200 blocks of Arlington Street, Maiden Lane, Lee Street, 100 and 200 blocks of Robinson Street, Palm Leaf Subdivision, 500 block of Pleasant Street and Sedgefield Subdivision. Tuesday, Dec. 13 â€“ North Center Street west side, West Patrick Street, North James Street (North Snead to Thompson), Mullen Drive, North Snead Street, Wesley Street, John Street, Henry Clay Road, Thompson Street north side, Chapman Street, Cross Road, Clover Hill Drive, Dairy Lane, College Avenue, Caroline Street,

North Taylor Street, Calhoun Street, Louisiana Street, Macon Circle, North Cottage Green Drive, Trotter Mill Close Apartments, Hanover Apartments and Laurel Woods Apartments. Wednesday, Dec. 14 â€“ Woodside Lane, Providence Subdivision, Woodside Estates Subdivision, Wintercrest Subdivision, Oakhill Estates Subdivision and Fox Mill Run. Thursday, Dec. 15 â€“ Omni Park Place, Omni Apartments, Slash Cottage Subdivision, Lance & Bridle Subdivision, Myrtle Street,

PLUMBING, HEATING & COOLING

Falling Creek Estates www.fallingcreekestates.com

CALENDAR | News, Updates & Listings Wednesday, Dec. 7 At Home In Ashland Educational Series will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Richard S. Gillis Jr./Ashland Branch Library at 201 S. Railroad Ave. in Ashland. The program will be â€œAshland Village,â€? with Beth Harrison, chair, At Home In Ashland. The keynote address will be â€œBon Secours 24/7â€? Real Diagnosis. Real Time. Real Simple. The speaker will be Bradford Currin, practice manager, Bon Secours Virginia Health System. The cost is free to the public. To register, call 804-3991844 or email jrshalf@gmail.com. The Liberty Middle School PTA is asking for donations to help with a small gift for teachers. Sign-up is available at

Short Street, Randolph Street, Henry Clay Apartments, 300 block of Robinson Street, South Taylor Street, 300 block of New Street, Arlington Square Apartments and Misty Pines Apartments. Friday, Dec. 16 â€“ Country Club Hills & River Run Subdivisions, Wintercrest Subdivision, Ashland Park Drive, Stanley Park Drive, North James Street north or Snead Street, Elm Avenue, Park Avenue, Linden Street, North Macon Terrace Subdivision and Carters Hill Subdivision.

http://www.signupgenius.com/ go/20f0c4ea4ae2da7f85-teacher. Donations need to be brought to the main office by Dec. 7.

Thursday, Dec. 8 South Anna Elementary School is joining with Barnes and Noble from 5 to 8 p.m. for a Book Fair at the Short Pump location. Those who are unable to attend are able to support South Anna by purchasing books online. Visit BN.COM/bookfairs from Dec. 8 to Dec. 12 and enter Bookfair ID 12057816 at the checkout.

Saturday, Dec. 10 A very special guest will be at The Montpelier Center for Arts & Education from 10 a.m. to noon.

Santa Clausâ€™ North Pole will be available, providing children with an opportunity to visit with Santa, create holiday crafts and enjoy snacks at The Montpelier Center for Arts & Education at 17205 Mountain Rd. in Montpelier. The event is free and open to the public. Professional photos with Santa will be available for purchase. For more information, call 804-883-7378 or visit www. montpeliercenter.org. An all-you-can-eat Salt Fish Breakfast, hosted by the Independence Ruritan Club, will be held from 6:45 to 8:45 a.m. to benefit the Western Hanover Emergency Action Team (W.H.E.A.T.). Breakfast includes salt herring fillets, scrambled eggs, bacon, spiced

apples, cornbread, grits, coffee and orange juice. The fee is $9 for adults. The Ruritan Club Community House is located behind the Independence Christian Church at 14033 Independence Rd. (off U.S. 54 west of Ashland). For more information, call 804-798-6579.

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Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 11515 Ashcake Rd. in Ashland will host its 7th Annual Homemade Christmas Cookie Sale from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. In addition to holiday cookies, there will be homemade baked goods, jams/jellies, relishes/pickles, fudge and candy. Proceeds will benefit Ashland Christian Emergency Services (ACES) and Hanover Safe Place. For more information, call 804-798-6937.

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

OPINION

LETTERS

| The Local Views

| Reader Views

From the editor

VA must do right by those who served By Melody Kinser Managing Editor Her battle started in 1984 for her Vietnam veteran husband who was afflicted by ailments associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Four months ago, she finally received the news that she had been awarded his benefits. Sadly, however, the illnesses her husband had suffered from took his life last Christmas. He did not live to see how his wife’s commitment to getting what was rightfully due him came to fruition. Why did it take 32 years for the Veterans Administration to approve his claim for benefits? He served his country — and that was the driving force behind his wife’s fight to get what was owed

him. She almost gave up the cause when he died. Family and friends encouraged her to continue to pursue the claim, so she did. She now will receive his benefits for the rest of her life. But why was her husband left in limbo? Why were they forced to be responsible for years of medical bills? What was the VA doing as his life diminished? I came upon this story last week while waiting in a doctor’s office. The woman was there with her adult daughter, who, due to an injury, was unable to drive, so she brought her. We started chatting and, at some point, she started talking about the VA and the problems she had encountered. I was shocked to learn how many years she devoted to receiving what should

have been awarded to her husband when he first applied for help. Our government is guilty of so much waste (I have a real issue with members of the U.S. Congress giving themselves pay increases). How can it be justified to delay benefits to someone who served and was exposed to a chemical herbicide that has been linked to so many deaths? The herbicide “cocktail” was sprayed over the jungles and agricultural areas of Vietnam. Many who served there died too young from exposure to Agent Orange. We’ve been hearing complaints about the VA for some time now, but, after getting a first-hand account of the delays and standstills, it’s time we do right by those who served.

Reality sets in sometimes when a ‘mission’ reawakens us By Roslyn Ryan Richmond Suburban News I will admit it: when it comes to most things, I’m a bit of a dawdler. So it was certainly no small feat on the Saturday after Thanksgiving when I headed purposefully down the front steps of my house, keys in one hand and a carefully written list of errands in the other, at exactly 8:30 a.m. I was, you might say, on a mission.

Unfortunately, someone — perhaps maybe Murphy of Murphy’s Law fame — didn’t seem inclined to make it easy on me. In fact, I would say that my “mission” hit its first snag before I reached my car. I realized I had forgotten my wallet, so I ran back in to get it. On the way back out, I tripped over a doggy water bowl someone had inexplicably left in the middle of the living room floor, sloshing water everywhere. I

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The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

cleaned that up and made it to the car, but I had the sneaking suspicion that something was missing. It was: my keys. Back into the house I went. By this time, I was starting to get a little peeved. All of that determination to get something accomplished efficiently seemed in danger of being for naught. Once in the car, however, I got my head back in the game. Turning off my street onto the main road, I refocused on the tasks ahead:

oil change! Grocery store! Christmas shopping! Go, go, go! Aaaand, stop. Well, not stop, exactly — more like slow down and wait, and wait, and wait, as some commotion up ahead snarled traffic. Inch by inch, our parade of cars lurched forward, and as the minutes piled up I came to the conclusion that I should have just see MISSION, pg. 12

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS The Local welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Hanover residents. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Hanover Local. Send letters to: The Hanover Local 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: 730-0476 E-mail: editor@mechlocal.com © 2016 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher.

Pow-wow coordinator: thanks for attending A big “thanks” to all of you who recently came out to the Great American Indian Exposition and PowWow. We shared the grounds with three other shows and that seemed to work out OK. We don’t know the exact date yet for Richmond or Howard County, but we will probably be at each around the same time as this year (Howard County — July 22-23, 2017, and Richmond – Nov. 11-12, 2017). A school program will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 11, 2017, in Richmond. We will send a notice when we are “set in stone.” Congratulations to Chanda Lowhorn of Newport News for winning the pottery door prize and Lonnie Richardson Jr. of Richmond for winning the raffle. I am asking each to send an email indicating that they received their prize. Every year, we evaluate the programs that we present and it is important that we get feedback from all of you. Please send feedback. We know that all of you have many projects and activities pulling at your disposable dollars. We again thank all of you for spending a little time with us this year to learn about our culture. We hope to see all of you next year or at a future event we sponsor. On a personal note, I am retiring at the end of the year and I would like to add two or three pow-wows to my schedule. Please send me an email if you have any suggestions on a place or places that would welcome our programs. Many of you change email carriers during the year. If you change, please take us along. Great Pow-Wow (my Tribe’s celebration) 52nd Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribal Pow-Wow will be held April 1416, 2017, in Hollister, North Carolina. Over 500 dancers, singers and drummers will take part. Join us! Call 252586-4017 or visit the Tribe’s website. We wish all of you Happy Holidays and nothing but the best in 2017.Again, we thank all of you for your support! Barry Richardson Pow-Wow coordinator

UPCOMING EVENTS

09 2016

Girls/boys basketball: Hanover at Patrick Henry 6:00 p.m./7:30 p.m.

10 2016

Prep swimming: Powhatan, Goochland vs. Patrick Henry at PH YMCA, 6:00 p.m.

| Youth, High School, College, Recreational & Professional

Height, injury pose challenges to Patriots By Chip Knighton and Andrew Spencer For The Hanover Local

Anatomy of an error

ASHLAND – Both Patriot basketball teams are beginning the season at significant disadvantages. The boys team, which features a number of players from the football team, came together for the first time last week after Patrick Henry’s loss to Massaponax in the second round of the Region 5A North football playoffs. The girls team was looking forward to a successful season, but an injury to a key player is forcing what was supposed to be a supporting cast to step to the forefront. Both teams got off to 0-3 starts last week, but they also showed progress, playing better at the end of the week than at the beginning. Ultimately, the challenge for them will be to continue that progress. Size matters Patrick Henry’s boys basketball team will have to play bigger than they stand if head coach Randy Anderson’s team is to improve upon its 7-16 record last year. Anderson, entering his sixth season at the helm of the boys basketball team, also needs to find replacements for two of his big guns from last year’s team: leading scorer Marcus Holman,

By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor

Nick Liberante for The Local

Patrick Henry’s Ryan Boone and Arias Holman trap Glen Allen’s Gabe Richardson as he brings the ball downcourt Wednesday.

who transferred to Benedictine; Anderson will rely on a the load as the team plays its are from the football field,” and steady point guard Sawyer group of football players from way into shape. Boyd, who graduated. the Patriots’ defense to carry “Four of my five starters see CHALLENGES, pg. 8

MECHANICSVILLE – Last week, I wrote a story about the college football career of Sam Rogers, a standout quarterback at Hanover High School who spurned scholarship offers from smaller schools for a chance to walk on at Virginia Tech University. I’ve known Sam since his high school days. In discussing the story in advance, I referred to “Sam Rogers.” In my news budget, I slugged (named) the story “Sam Rogers.” When I requested to interview Rogers, and when I interviewed him, I called him “Sam.” The story file has “SamRogers” in its name as did the photos I selected for the story. Unfortunately, in the lede (beginning) of the story, I referred to him as “Ben” Rogers. Why did I write that? I don’t know. see ERROR, pg. 9

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

Yellow Jackets fade in second half against Pacers “We were not very good in the second half. They played at the rim, they played in the paint all day long.” He said his team will have to become more physical and improve its on-the-ball defense. “If people watch us on film, they’re going to say, ‘Hey, these guys struggle to guard the ball.’ That’s what I would do against us,” Merkel said. “That’s what we talk about and work on every day in practice. At some point, guys have to learn and figure it out and get better at it.” R-MC begins ODAC play Saturday, when it hosts Emory & Henry. “It’s a game to learn from,” Merkel said of Wednesday’s contest. “We’ve got an ODAC game on Saturday. That’s like playing an ODAC team.” Brad Bess can be reached at bbess@timesdispatch.com.

By Brad Bess Richmond Times-Dispatch ASHLAND – It was a tale of two halves. With an 8-point lead at halftime, Randolph-Macon was in position to win its home opener Wednesday against William Peace. But the Pacers outscored the Yellow Jackets 40-28 in the second half and escaped Crenshaw Gym in Ashland with a 72-68 victory, their fourth win against an ODAC opponent this season. Ryan Emfinger led William Peace (5-1) with 17 points and nine rebounds. Dakota King scored 16, and Jalen Vince chipped in 11 for the Pacers, who defeated Randolph, HampdenSydney and Bridgewater before visiting Crenshaw. Michael Taylor led R-MC with a game-high 18 points. Jermaine Johnson scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Randolph-Macon coach Josh Merkel said the Pacers “set the tone” after halftime. “We were too nonchalant. Hopefully, our guys will learn from their mistakes, admit them, and we’ll get better from it.” The Yellow Jackets (1-4) held the Pacers to 27.3 percent

CHALLENGES Continued from pg. 7

Anderson said. “Last Monday was their first night coming off the football field. We scrimmaged Huguenot and had two practices and then started with the season. Toward the end of this week, you could see the football field stuff starting to leave and them starting to get their basketball senses back.” One thing’s for sure – Patrick

WILLIAM PEACE (5-1) — Jones 0, Emfinger 17, Vince 11, Burwell 0, McLean 0, Hicks 6, Herring 2, Dave Lawrence/The Local Thomas 6, Ferguson 6, Anderson 8, King 16. Totals 25 18-27 72. Randolph-Macon forward Jon Nowell (21) gets past a William Peace defender for a layup in the Pacers’ 72-68 victory Wednesday. RANDOLPH-MACON (1-4) — Turner 4, Noe 9, Adams 1, Johnson second half. shooting in the first half while Herring hitting two free throws make it 72-68. 14, Williams 5, Wilson 6, Taylor 18, “Great first half (defensive- Ngundji 7, Nowell 1, Ryan 3. Totals The Pacers finished the shooting 50 percent to take a with 1:41 left to put the Pacers game with 40 points in the ly),” Merkel said. “We weren’t 24 11-22 68. up 71-68. 40-32 lead into the half. 3-point goals: WP: Ferguson Randolph-Macon couldn’t paint as they almost exclusively perfect, but to hold them to 27 But William Peace started 2, Emfinger, King; R-MC: Noe 3, the second half with a 14-6 run score with its remaining pos- looked for dribble penetration percent, (William Peace) is a Wilson 2, Taylor 2, Johnson, Ryan. to tie the game at 46-46. The sessions, and Vince made a free to lead to layups after the break. team that scores 80 a game.” Halftime: Randolph-Macon 40“Tale of two halves,” he said. 32. game stayed close up to Willie throw with 3.9 seconds left to They shot 55.2 percent in the

Henry will almost always be the smallest team on the court. Sixfoot-3 junior Ryan Boone is the biggest player in the rotation, and the Patriots boast just two other expected contributors over six feet tall in returnee Shephon Wattie and newcomer Rory Ailor. Arias Holman will be Anderson’s rock at point guard, while Wattie is his “dog” who does the dirty work inside against bigger players. Both were linebackers on the football

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

team, and cornerback Devyn Coles will also vie for a major role in the backcourt in his first year on varsity. They’re all capable and willing, but Anderson is hoping one of them will emerge as his go-to guy. “We have an identity crisis trying to figure out who can score for us in big moments of the game,” Anderson said. “I think that will all work itself out.”

Injury thwarts plans The Patriots’ season turned from one filled with promise into one filled with challenges by an injury suffered by 2016’s Conference 16 Co-Player of the Year Aryna Taylor. Taylor, a Mount Saint Mary’s commit, tore her ACL and will be forced to spend her senior season on the bench. Given that Taylor was one of only two returning starters from last year’s team that finished 15-10, head coach Phillip

Cobb will have to rely heavily on the only other seniors on the team, Taylor Derricott and Grayson Radcliffe, for leadership. “Defense will be the focus for the Patriots, with a lot of teaching the fundamentals,” Cobb said. The Patriots will miss Taylor’s 30 points-per-game average from last year. Cobb hopes that Derricott and Radcliffe will meet the challenge her absence presents and

lead Patrick Henry to a successful year. Cobb has posted a 119-51 career record as a head coach. He didn’t get those numbers without overcoming similar challenges, so smart teams shouldn’t overlook this year’s Patriots’ squad. Mechanicsville Local sports editor Dave Lawrence contributed to this report. Chip Knighton and Andrew Spencer can be reached at sports@mechlocal.com.

Records readily fall in Yellow Jacket Invitational By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor RICHMOND – Records fell like rain in RandolphMacon College’s Yellow Jacket Invitational at Collegiate School Aquatic Center Friday and Saturday. Lots of records fell: 20 meet records were set out of 36 swim events held over the course of the meet’s three sessions. By the time it was over, Washington and Lee had swept both the men’s and women’s competitions. Host RandolphMacon finished fourth among the men’s teams and fifth among the women’s teams. Most of the records fell in women’s events: 16 in all. The Generals claimed 13 of those records, five in relay events – the 200-yard freestyle relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, 800 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay – as well as in the 500 freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100

ERROR Continued from pg. 7

In the news business, mistakes happen for a host of reasons. Journalists are human and, as humans, are also fallible. Because we face tight deadlines with limited time available for fact-checking, we are in a profession where the question is when mistakes will happen, not if mistakes will happen. Sometimes our mistakes stem from sloppy reporting or writing (or editing). Sometimes we are fed bad information, like misspelled names on official rosters. Sometimes we cannot read someone’s notes – even our (my) own. Other times, we misinterpret information we’ve uncovered in our reporting. Identifying players on pho-

the quality of the competition has been improving every year. “I think the field in general is just faster,” Kintzer said. “We’ve got every team improving in a lot of ways, which makes it tougher to win the events. Ultimately, when you do win the event, you’re right at the record or under it, which is what every coach is hoping for.” Another thing boosting the competition is the increase in the number of men’s teams swimming in the Old Dominion Conference alone. “There’s four new men’s Division III teams that are coming up in the next year, all of which are in the ODAC which will give us a lot of competition in our own conference, but we’re excited for it,” Kintzer said. Dave Lawrence/The Local Randolph-Macon’s Ivan Randolph-Macon’s Bryan McCarthy swims to a fourth-place finish in 1:57.80 in the men’s 200-yard butterfly at the Yellow Jacket Fadeyev and Robert Redenz Invitational at Collegiate School Aquatic Center Saturday. McCarthy also finished third in the 100-yard butterfly. claimed second-place finishes backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 relay and 800 freestyle relay. headed,” said Generals head down and we really enjoyed the in the 200 backstroke and 100 breaststroke, respectively. The breaststroke and 200 butterfly. “I think there were a lot of coach Kami Gardner. “It was competition.” Washington & Lee’s men set meet records, which just kind of a much faster meet than it has Randolph-Macon head two records – in the 200 freestyle shows the direction the meet’s been from all the teams up and swim coach Brent Kintzer said see RECORDS, pg. 10 tos is an especial challenge. Sometimes we misread the number. Other times, the number is partially obscured and we misinterpret the portion of the number we can see. Sometimes the number is completely obscured or nonexistent, and I end up comparing other photos in the series to match shoe or sock colors. If the player in question is a girl, I may compare the color or type of bows in her hair or the way her hair is braided. When time permits, I send the photos to coaches, but sometimes even the coaches respond apologizing that they are likewise stumped. In the past few weeks, I have written corrections for two mistaken photo IDs. In one case, the photographer misread the roster (which, admittedly, was

printed in small type). He got the number and first name right, but used the last name of a player on the line adjacent to that of the player in question. In another case, the number was partially obscured. The first part of a number was a “2” – which was visible on the back of the jersey. The second part of the number – visible in a wrinkle on the front of the jersey – was round. The photographer thought the number was “20.” It was actually “26,” but the only way we found out was that a parent or grandparent recognized the player and let us know after publication. In the case of last week’s story on Sam Rogers, I have no clue why I wrote “Ben Rogers” instead. I did read Mike Barber’s feature on Sam Rogers published in the Richmond Times-

Dispatch the previous week. Ben Rogers, Sam’s brother and an All-American at HampdenSydney, was mentioned in that story. My best guess is that my brain threw out “Ben Rogers” when I wrote the lede. If you have heard of a parent with multiple kids trying to get the attention of one child by screaming a different child’s name – or maybe a pet’s name (like me calling my own son Curly after a dog I often described as my oldest boy) – it’s the same kind of phenomenon. I re-read that portion of the story. I failed to notice the difference between “Sam” and “Ben” when I did so – but I do wear glasses for a reason. If you catch us making a mistake, please let us know, just as a reader – not Ben or Sam or

Nick Liberante for The Local

Virginia Tech’s Sam Rogers waits for the next offensive series in the Hokies’ 52-10 victory over Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 26.

anyone else in the Rogers family get the story right. – e-mailed me about my misDave Lawrence can be take the day after the story was reached at dlawrence@mechlopublished. We really do want to cal.com.

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

Randolph-Macon women hold oﬀ Generals By Dave Lawrence Sports Editor ASHLAND – RandolphMacon’s women’s basketball team may be young, but the Yellow Jackets are loaded with a balanced roster that enables them to overcome obstacles. That versatility came in handy against Washington and Lee at Crenshaw Gymnasium Tuesday night. The Yellow Jackets, led by freshman forward Kelly Williams’ double-double and double-figure scoring by junior guard Kareema Conteh and freshman guard Michal Ross, held off the Generals for a 8476 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory. Williams finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds, with Conteh adding 18 points and Ross chipping in an addition 12. Underclassmen are having to shoulder almost all of the burden on the floor this year. The Yellow Jackets (3-1) have five freshmen, four sophomores, five juniors and one senior. Another freshman is on the roster, but is sitting out the season because of an injury. “We’ve got a lot of different kind of weapons, if you will, this year. Certainly a larger bench,

so we have much to choose from,” said Randolph-Macon head coach Carroll LaHaye. “Whatever we need in a particular situation or moment – or game, even – I think we’ve got some weapons and some potential to make sure that we’re able to do the things we need to do.” Williams has been an especially fortunate addition to the Randolph-Macon roster. She approached the school herself. “She went to Halifax Academy and said she wasn’t sure if she wanted to play college ball or not,” LaHaye said. “We just cultivated her and ended up getting her. She wants to be a business major, and we have an outstanding business program. So we were very fortunate.” One of the big difference between this year’s team and last year’s team is a willingness to play defense, something that had been lacking in recent years as the Yellow Jackets – usually to LaHaye’s chagrin – relied upon their potent offense to stay ahead of opponents. “Defense has not been our strength at all for the last four years,” LaHaye said. “That’s what we preached at halftime, that it was going to be our defense [that wins the game]. We’re trying to come together, we’re doing a better job of com-

Dave Lawrence/The Local

Randolph-Macon’s Kareema Conteh (10) goes up for a shot over Washington and Lee’s Emma Redding (50) in the Yellow Jackets’ 84-76 victory over the Generals in Crenshaw Gymnasium Tuesday. Conteh finished with 18 points.

ing together on our offense, is beginning to buy into that.” 25 points, Taylor Casey with Dave Lawrence can be but we preached our defense to Washington and Lee (2-3) 15 points and Emma Redding reached at dlawrence@mechlothem. And this particular team was led by Emily Perszyk with with 10. cal.com.

RECORDS Continued from pg. 9

Dave Lawrence/The Local

Randolph-Macon’s Zoe Campbell swims in the women’s 200yard butterfuly in the Yellow Jacket Invitational at Collegiate School Aquatic Center Saturday. The freshman finished eighth.

The Hanover Local December 7, 2016

pair, with Bryan McCarthy and Matt Howard, finished third in the 800 freestyle relay. McCarthy was third in the 100 butterfly – followed immediately by teammate Ealon Mann in fourth place – and fourth in the 200 butterfly. Josh Carter finished third in the 200 breaststroke. Fadeyev, McCarthy, Mann

and Carter were fourth in the 200 medley relay; and Redenz, Mann, Howard and McCarthy were fifth in the 200 freestyle relay. On the women’s side, Kata Kylliainen set a meet record in the 1,650 freestyle. Her time of 17:37.70 bested the previous record of 17:43.47 set by Julia Portmann of Washington College last year. Kylliainen was also fifth in the 200 freestyle, followed by teammate Laney Sanchez in sixth place.

Sanchez also finished 10th in the 100 breaststroke. Kacey Pool finished third in the 200 backstroke and fourth in the 100 backstroke, in which she was followed by teammate Lauren McCoy in fifth place. Other Yellow Jacket top-10 finishers include Zoe Campbell, who was eighth in the 200 butterfly, Abbey Crank, who was 10th in the 400 freestyle. Dave Lawrence can be reached at dlawrence@mechlocal.com.

Men’s team scores: 1. Washington & Lee 766, 2. Washington College 501.5, 3. Franklin & Marshall 373.5, 4. Randolph-Macon 369, 5. Marymount 343, 6. Howard 322.5, 7. Catholic 290.5, 8. St. Mary’s (Md.) 286, 9. West Virginia Wesleyan 166, 10. Barton 142. Women’s team scores: 1. Washington & Lee 939.5, 2. Washington College 471, 3. Franklin & Marshall 461, 4. Howard 382.5, 5. Randolph-Macon 332, 6. Catholic 297, 7. Marymount 245.5, 8. West Virginia Wesleyan 213.5, 9. St. Mary’s (Md.) 191, 10. Bridgewater 27, 11. Barton 5.

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OBITUARIES Continued from pg. 2

Ashland, passed away on November 25, 2016. He is survived by several cousins. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Wednesday,

POVERTY Continued from pg. 1

“We can be pleased with our 16.6 percent, but, at the same time, that’s a lot of our citizens who are impacted.” When computed at the 100 percent level, Hanover’s poverty rate is 6.1 percent, down from 6.5 percent in 2012. The county’s unemployment rate remains low at 3.9 percent, among the best in the region and well below the state average.

November 30, 2016, at the Nelsen Funeral Home, Reid Chapel, at 412 South Washington Highway in Ashland. Interment was in Woodland Cemetery in Ashland. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial

Median income levels for the county are $81,940. The report also indicated positive news regarding the county’s decreasing number of children without health insurance, but Crossen-Powell noted that 7.9 percent of children under 18 are living in poverty in the county. “We are doing better than the state average, but it’s still a lot of children,” she said. About 5 percent of the county’s elderly population is

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contributions to Break-Out Ministries International, P.O. Box 592, Ashland, VA 23005.

Annie Virginia Woodson, 86, of Glen Allen, went to be

with the Lord on November 28, 2016. She was the daughter of the late Samuel and Sallie Gray. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Edward Woodson; all of her eight siblings; and her stepgranddaughter, Tina. She

is survived by her children, Kathy Woodson (Danny), Diane Powell (Jimmy) and Sharon Towsey (David); four granddaughters, Andrea, Stacy (Aaron), Melissa (Paul) and Jessica; two great-granddaughters, Haley and Kayla;

stepgrandsons, Steven and Jimmy Jr. (Stephanie); and stepgreat-grandchildren, Asia, Emma, Bailey and Steven Jr. A graveside service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 3, 2016, at Woodland Cemetery in Ashland.

living in poverty, and 27 percent of citizens live in housing that costs more than 30 percent of their income. Good access to grocery stores is still not available to about 20 percent of the county’s population. “That’s definitely an issue for them,” Crossen-Powell said. Populations living in poverty often face additional problems due to their condition, and some enter a cycle that seems to have no end. “We still have some issues in Hanover that we are working on.” Persons requesting and

receiving food stamps (SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in Hanover also are on the decrease. “We have seen a 14 percent decrease since 2012. That is a good thing and we are happy about that.” That still equates to about $7 million in food assistance distributed in Hanover through SNAP. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is also on the decline reflecting a nationwide trend. Medicaid and FAMIS requests are increasing, also part of a national trend.

“We have seen a dramatic increase in these numbers. Over 10,000 of our citizens are currently receiving either Medicaid and FAMIS,” Crossen-Powell said. That equates to a cost of almost $50 million annually. “We are concerned about these numbers because we know a large number of people are applying for the Affordable Healthcare Act because they do not know what will happen to the ACA. A lot of those people are being referred back to us.” Energy assistance figures were stable in the 2016 department report.

Hanover is leading the region in its effort to prevent fraud and abuse of its social services system, dedicating one full-time employee to enforcement. Last year, the agency collected more than $97,000 in misappropriated benefits involving 40 cases. “This is one of our really strong areas,” Crossen Powell said. “We are number two in the region in collecting fraud monies.” More than 600 Hanoverians applied for first time assistance through Hanover County Social Services during the past 12 months.

MISSION

Up ahead, as I could now see, two vehicles had been involved in a terrible crash. The first responders—and God bless those people for what they do and the small miracles they perform day in and day out—were hard at work by the time I drove by, and it was obvious that at least one of the drivers had been badly hurt.

All of the sudden, nothing I had on my carefully written list seemed nearly as pressing. It could all wait. It’s easy this time of year to get caught up in the “need to” and “have to,” and allow the stress of creating the perfect holiday to overwhelm us. But it never hurts to take a moment to stop and take stock of what is really important, and how

much of the rest of it is simply window-dressing. Here’s hoping you can pause a time or two this holiday season to take a breath, and to appreciate what you have. Spend some time with the people you love, look out for your neighbors and, most of all, stay safe. Roslyn Ryan is editor of The Goochland Gazette.

ANNIE WOODSON

Continued from pg. 6

stayed home. In fact, I am ashamed to admit that it wasn’t until I heard the sirens in the distance that I realized what had happened. Within moments there were more sirens, then the blazing lights of fire trucks and ambulances.

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The Hanover Local December 7, 2016