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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Mildred H. Tucker
Vol. XXVII No. 24
Class ring lost 20 years ago reunited with original owner. See page 2A Concert June 30 will support mission work. See 4A
June 26, 2013
Taking it to the next level: Former Indians stars hoping to secure a place in pro football. See page 1B
A home invasion. A brutal attack by a stranger. A woman left for dead on the side of the road. It is the stuff of nightmares, but it became devastatingly real for Powhatan resident Mary Anderson on the night of Jan. 25, 2012, when she was assaulted and then abducted by James Lee Wolfe. Now, with Wolfe awaiting sentencing, Anderson describes her ordeal and how she has found the strength to keep going.
Children’s hospital is local mom’s new mission
Anne Louise Maliff insists facility would help to centralize medical services for children By Ben Orcutt Staff Writer
PHOTO BY BEN ORCUTT
Powhatan resident Mary Lee Anderson is grateful to be alive and resume teaching at Powhatan High School after being attacked in her home last year.
‘I didn’t think I was going to get out of it alive’ By Ben Orcutt Staff Writer
F
or some people, taking life one day at a time is just a saying, but for Powhatan County resident Mary Lee Anderson, it’s what keeps her going. On the evening of Jan. 25 of last year, the 58-year-old native of Northwest Pennsylvania was in her pajamas watching television at her former home on Academy Road. It was a school night and Anderson, who teaches special education, was supposed
to report to Powhatan High School the next day. She never made it. Instead, she found herself in Johnston-Willis Hospital being treated for a skull fracture, brain bleed, broken right arm, fractured left eye socket and multiple cuts on her body. The injuries were the result of an attack by James Lee Wolfe, who broke into her home the night before with his face covered and hit her several times with a meat cleaver before setting her house on fire, kidnapping her and forcing her to withdraw money from an ATM machine see Anderson page 5A
James Lee Wolfe faces 20 years to life in prison each on breaking and entering and aggravated malicious wounding charges, five years to life each on the robbery and arson charges, and one to 10 years in prison on an abduction charge.
Like scores of parents and physicians, Powhatan resident Anne Louise Maliff is on a mission to help make a freestanding children’s hospital in the greater Richmond area a reality. A native of Powhatan County who attended Huguenot Academy and earned a college degree from the University of Virginia in 1989, the 46-year-old Maliff lives Maliff with her husband John and their two sons, 14-year-old Mitch and 9-year-old Nate. “Nate was born with a developmental brain abnormality,” Maliff said of her youngest son see Hospital page 7A
Cicadas finished, but damage done Contributed report While the periodical cicada outbreak known as Brood II has finally wound down, the after effects of all that mating and egg laying have not gone unnoticed as widespread damage to oaks and other trees are now visible in areas across the Commonwealth, according to officials at the Virginia Department of Forestry. “After mating, periodical cicada females lay eggs in the thinbarked outer branches of many different trees and shrubs by see Cicadas 4A
Inside
Sports
Index
A2 County lawyer honored Powhatan’s Rusty Gates is the winner of this year’s William R. Blandford award.
B1 American Legion Baseball Post 201 team struggles in first doubleheader.
Calendar Classified Crossword Horoscope Letters
A4 B7 A11 A11 A10
Obituaries A4 Opinion A10 Quotes A2 Real Estate B7 TV Listings B10-11
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