07/05/2017

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Inside A8 Summer reading kickoff

Powhatan, Virginia B1 Angels take down Fluvanna for district title

Vol. XXX No. 26

July 5, 2017

Suspect in state trooper shooting indicted on capital murder charge By Ali Rockett Richmond Times-Dispatch

Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19

Travis Ball appeared by video on Thursday, June 29 for a minutes-long arraignment in Richmond Circuit Court, where Judge Beverly W. Snukals notified him that he had been indicted by a grand jury on the charge of capital murder in connection to last month’s fatal shooting of Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael T. Walter. Because the charge carries a potential penalty of death or life imprisonment, Snukals appointed a capital defender to represent Ball, 27, as well as another seasoned defense attorney Cary Bowen, when Ball said he wasn’t sure if he could afford to hire his own attorney. He worked “off-andon” before his arrest, Ball told the judge in a deep, resonate voice. “It wasn’t a stable job.” The case was continued until this week to set a date for a status hearing. After the brief hearing, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring spoke to media outside the John Marshall Courthouse. Herring said he was still evaluating evidence and wouldn’t make a decision on whether to pursue the death penalty for some time. “It’s too early to say,”

Herring said. Capital cases are complicated, and take time, he said. “I can’t imagine that it will be tried in calendar year 2017.” Ball was indicted on Wednesday, June 28 on a charge of capital murder.

TRAVIS BALL

MICHAEL T. WALTER

A multi-jurisdictional grand jury in Richmond handed down a true bill that read: “He did unlawfully and feloniously, willfully, deliberately and with premeditation, kill and murder Special Agent Michael T. Walter, a law enforcement officer of the Virginia State Police, for the purpose of interfering

Board approves CIP with $1 million increase By Laura McFarland News Editor

POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors last week adopted the county’s fiscal year 2018 Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan after biting the bullet on an unexpected roughly $1 million increase for the courthouse expansion project. In 2016, the board allocated $2.4 million for the construction of an expansion to the Powhatan County Courthouse. The project will add a sallyport for safe prisoner movement, additional chambers for judges, and a new, much larger emergency 911 communications dispatch center. However, a delay caused by changes to the design, a natural rise in construction prices, and a low number of

with the performance of his official duties.” Walter was shot at about 7:25 p.m. on May 26 after he and a Richmond police officer approached a Chevy Cobalt in the 1900 block of Redd Street in Mosby Court. A search warrant and eyewitness said there was an altercation between Ball and the officer before Walter was shot in the head. Walter, 45, of Powhatan, a husband, father of three see BOARD, pg. 2 and coach at Blackhawk Gym in Powhatan County, died early the next morning at VCU Medical Center. Ball had been living with a girlfriend at the Redd Street apartment in Mosby Court. He was not on the lease, and his criminal history would have barred him from residency, according to the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. His girlfriend now faces eviction. Ball ran from the scene and was apprehended early on May 27 by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and state police at his sister’s home in Northumberland County, about 70 miles northeast of Richmond, following an overnight search, police said. Ball was initially charged with malicious PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND wounding, using a firearm The crew of the Lady’s Slipper batteau, including guest participant and to commit a felony, and possession of a firearm by Powhatan Today news editor Laura McFarland, center, are shown shortly before departing on the seventh day of the James River Batteau Festival a convicted felon. on June 23.

Retiring post James River Batteau Festival helps master will participants reconnect to nature miss the people By Laura McFarland News Editor

By Roslyn Ryan Richmond Suburban News

For the past 17 years, no matter how much the world changed around them, Powhatan residents stopping by the local post WILLIAMS office could count on one thing: whether they just needed stamps, or to mail a dozen packages, Charlie Williams was going to be behind the counter to help. He was going to greet them warmly see POST MASTER, pg. 3

(Editor’s note: For this year’s James River Batteau Festival, News Editor Laura McFarland had the chance to be a crew member on one of the vessels, the Lady’s Slipper, to experience first-hand a day in the life of a batteau crew. The story is being written from her perspective.) POWHATAN – The crew of the Lady’s Slipper was seldom at a loss for words, but, even with a steady chatter, the peace of the James River remained intact. The rustling of the tree leaves in the wind and the chirping and tweeting of birds perched in their branches provided a harmonious backdrop to the steady splash of wooden sweeps cutting through the water and guiding the long boat as it floated along. It was Friday, June 23, and day seven out of eight of the 32nd annual James

River Batteau Festival. On this stretch of the journey, the two-year-old vessel would travel about 21 miles, pulling up anchor at the Slate River Landing in Buckingham County in the morning and arriving about 11 hours later at Cartersville Landing in Cumberland County. Treading the boards were six experienced crew members – led by the intrepid captain of the day, Joy Daniel of Powhatan – and one local news editor/novice sailor who set out on this journey with two main goals: don’t get in the way and don’t fall overboard. I accomplished both. Normally, the Powhatan Today would be covering the festival from Cartersville Landing, where I would be perched on the overgrown remnant of a railroad bridge that overlooks the James River and the landing, watching and waiting for the batteau to arrive. But after three years of covering the festival, including an unsucsee BATTEAU, pg. 5

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bids received contributed to a new projected cost at $3,470,635, which includes a 10.6 percent contingency fund in case of unforeseen problems, Ramona Carter, director of public works, said during a presentation to the board at its meeting on Monday, June 26. Carter also pointed out that the county will be able to make up most of the difference in the original amount and the new projection through savings on other projects. Not included in any of these amounts is the architecture and engineering contract, which was for $295,820 and was already paid at the time of the bond, she said. Carter’s presentation, which was given with the help of Tom Nolan, director of the 911 communications cen-

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