Lacys Appeal To U.S. Supreme Court

The owners of property the county is attempting to take via eminent domain to provide an access road to the King Village subdivision off Love Shop Road have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case.
D. Epps Lacy and James Lacy have filed a “petition for writ of certiorari” in the Supreme Court of the United States to “review the judgement and opinion of the Halifax County Circuit Court, dated April 24, 2006 and the Virginia Supreme Court’s decree denying review of such order, dated October 25, 2006.”
In the petition, the attorney for the Lacys alleges that the action of the county to take a portion of their property is illegal under the Constitution.
“Just as... a private developer cannot purchase landlocked or limited-access property and then ask the local government to take the neighboring property by eminent domain in order to provide them better access, the Board cannot take the Lacys’ property simply to provide better access for the Kings,” attorney Henry E. Howell of the Norfolk firm of Waldo and Lyle wrote in conclusion of the petition.

Additional Arrest Made In Drug Ring

Investigators arrested a seventh person in an alleged conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics, according to Major R.S.B. Pulliam of the Halifax County “Sheriff’s Office.
Christopher Allen Stanley, 26, of Wagstaff Lane in Scottsburg, was arrested Friday by Halifax County Sheriff’s Office narcotics investigators, Pulliam said.
Stanley’s arrest follows the recent arrest of five alleged co-conspirators involved in the alleged drug and stolen property operation, according to investigators.
Recently arrested were:
n Shannon Thomas Wilborn, 23 of Newbill School Road, Clover.
n George William Ford, Jr., 33, of Paul James Road, Halifax.
n Steve Watts, 44, of Burton Road, Scottsburg.
n Michael Brumfield, 33, of Valley Drive, South Boston.
n James Aster Reagan, Jr., 36, of L. P. Bailey Hwy, Halifax.
The charges allege that between April 1, 2004 and April 9, 2006 the individuals unlawfully conspired with Dennis “Rat” Wilmouth, 41, of Cowford Road in Halifax, and others to manufacture, sell, give, distribute or possess with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a schedule I or II controlled substance, Pulliam said.
Last year, Halifax drug investigators began the arrest phase of the operation, Pulliam added, noting 29 charges have been placed on Wilmouth, who is scheduled for trial in the near future, and trial dates for the others will be this week.
Stanley, Wilmouth, Wilborn, Watts, Reagan and Ford are being held in the Halifax Regional Jail and Brumfield was released on a secured bond pending trial, investigators said.

 

Obituaries

Rev. Matthias Gregory Newell

Rev. Matthias Gregory Newell died February 13, 2007.
He was born June 26, 1927, in the former Canal Zone Republic of Panama to the late Zachariah and Miriam Newell.
Rev. Newell was a Brother in the Society of Mary, teaching in Peru, Nicaragua and the United States. He became a Priest in the Diocese of Richmond, and served as pastor of St. Paschal Catholic Church of South Boston and St. Elizabeth Catholic Church of Brookneal, from 1994 until 2000.
Survivors include one brother, Melford Newell; and a sister, Verona Bendigo. Three brothers, Sylvester, Jaceline and Paul Newell preceded Rev. Newell in death.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. today, February 19, at Sunset Memory Gardens, Thonotosassa, Fla.
A Mass will be celebrated at St. Pashal’s Catholic Church on March 11, at 9 a.m.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Sisters of Blessed Sacrament, 1663 Bristol Pike, Bensalem, Pa. 19020.

Iris Perkins Granger

Mrs. Iris Perkins Granger of Halifax died Saturday, February 17 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was 86.
Mrs. Granger was born in Halifax County on January 21, 1921, the daughter of the late Cabel Carrington Perkins and the late Janie P. Green and was married to the late Lewis Clifton Granger.
She was employed by Leggett Department Store and was a member of the Dan River Baptist Church, where she was a member of the WMU, was active in Sunday School and was once a delegate to the State Baptist Convention.
Mrs. Granger is survived by one daughter, Sandra Fralin of Louisville, Ky.; three sisters, Arlene Grimes of South Boston, Leatrice Mizzell of Arlington and Betty MacPherson of Portsmouth; two grandchildren, James Daymer of Richmond and Diana Wolf of South Boston.
She was preceded in death by one daughter; Cynthia F. Crews, and one son; James W. Fralin Jr.
Funeral services for Mrs. Granger will be held at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 20, at Dan River Baptist Church. The Rev. Doug Gibson will officiate. Burial will follow in the Winns Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at the church from 3 p.m. until the 3:30 p.m. service.
Online condolences may be directed to Powell@gcronline.com.

Ray Fuller Owen

Ray Fuller Owen, 68, of Clarksville died February 16, 2007, at Chase City Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
Mr. Owen was born in Halifax County to Elmer Alfred and Nannie Lula Elliott Owen, and was married to Patsy Bunn Owen. He was a retired supervisor from Burlington Industries, and was a member of Tungsten Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife; a son and daughter-in-law, Bobby Dale and Jennifer Owen of Buffalo Junction; and two granddaughters, Morgan Ray Owen and Michaela Grace Owen.
A memorial service was held February 18 at 2 p.m. at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home with the Rev. Sam Brewer officiating. Burial followed in Oakhurst Cemetery.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.wclfh.com.

Nick A. Paniel

Mr. Nick A. Paniel, of Jessup, Md. and formerly of South Boston, died Wednesday, February 14 at Howard County General Hospital. He was 64.
Mr. Paniel was born in Halifax County on June 25, 1942, the son of Ruth Faulkner Paniel and the late Nicodemus Paniel. He was married to Yvonne Briggs Paniel and was a member of the Dan River View Missionary Baptist Church.
Mr. Paniel is survived by his wife; one daughter, Angela Paniel Pritchett of Jessup, Md.; his mother, Ruth Faulkner Paniel of South Boston; three sisters, Pauline Roberts of Bronx, N.Y., Mary Palmer of Halifax, and Theresa Bowman of Chesterfield; five brothers, Willie Lee Paniel and Fred Douglas Paniel, both of Baltimore, Andrew Paniel, Linwood Paniel and Jerry Stevenson Paniel, all of South Boston; one grandson, Kevis Pritchett; one great-grandson; one great-grandson; one son-in-law, Johnny Pritchett of Jessup; seven brothers-in-law; eight sisters-in-law; one aunt, two uncles and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. Nick A. Paniel will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, February 20, with services at the Dan River View Missionary Baptist Church.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the church on Tuesday, from noon until 1 p.m. and other times at the home of Mrs. Ruth Paniel, 2196 Bill Tuck Hwy. South Boston.

Betty Stephens Carwile

Betty Ray Stephens Carwile, 54, of Lynchburg, died Thursday, February 15, at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Born in Lynchburg, February 9, 1953, Mrs. Carwile is the daughter of Marjorie Stone Baker and the late Robert Fillmore Stephens. She was married to Carl Chester Carwile.
She was a retired school bus driver for the Lynchburg Public Schools with more than 20 years service.
In addition to her mother and her husband, she is survived by one son, Carroll Lee Crist Jr., and his wife, Nicki, now serving in the U.S. Marines, and two brothers, David W. Stephens of South Boston and Daryl L. Stephens of Gladys.
Mrs. Carwile was preceded in death by one son, Ashby Crist, one grandson, Cain Crist, and her stepfather who raised her, W.A. Stone.
A graveside service will be held today, Feb. 19, at Wesleybury United Methodist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Don Bryant officiating.
The family requests that memorial contributions be directed to The American Diabetes Association, 500 E. Main St., Suite 200, Richmond, Va. 23219.
Condolences may be sent to www.whittenfuneralhome.com.