Monday, March 7, 2005

School Funding Tops Agenda

A request for $28.8 million for two new elementary schools highlights the agenda when the Halifax County Board of Supervisors meets tonight for its regular monthly meeting.
The meeting gets under way at 6:30 p.m. in the public meeting room of the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
One school will be located in South Boston and will replace the aging Washington-Coleman and C.H. Friend elementary schools. If funding is approved, the other school will replace Cluster Springs and South of Dan elementary schools.
Supervisors have previously authorized the funding of $25 million for floor-to-ceiling renovations at Halifax County Middle School and for architectural and engineering plans for the two elementary schools.
During tonight’s meeting, supervisors are also expected to hear a report from Finance Committee Chair Doug Bowman on a request for a moral obligation for $400,000 to fund the utility infrastructure at the motorsports industrial park at Virginia International Raceway.
County Administrator Bryan Foster is expected to review a proposed ordinance change and set a public hearing on biennial reassessment of personal property taxes.
Foster is also expected to recommend appointments to the Community Criminal Justice Board and review the user agreement for the Southside Regional Public Service Authority.
Supervisors are also expected to take action on a proposed amendment to county code that will authorize the use of the Central Absentee Precinct (CAP) during primaries as well as general elections.
The Board is expected to take action on a mutual aid agreement with Pittsylvania County for emergency services and hear a request for a waiver of the building permit fee for improvements to the John Randolph Hotel.
Two public hearings are scheduled to get under way at 7:30 p.m., including a conditional use permit application for the KidzKazoo Day Care Center on Philpott Road.
A second public hearing is expected to address a proposed amendment to county code that will permit certain minors to work with volunteer fire companies.

 

Search For Chief Narrows To Four

After two rounds of interviews, Halifax has narrowed the field to four finalists to be the town’s next chief of police, Halifax Town Manager Carl Espy informed Council at its Thursday work session.
The next round of interviews will be held Friday.
Espy will be joined in the interviews by an advisory panel consisting of Halifax Elementary School Principal Catherine Glass, Carol Throckmorton, president of the Halifax Village Business Association, Rev. Roger Ford representing the NAACP, Betty Bain and Altavista Police Chief Tom Neil. South Hill Police Chief Norman Hudson has also been invited to serve on the panel.
Espy also updated Council on the water loss from the town’s system. According to Espy, the disparity between the amount of water produced and the amount billed has closed considerably since the leak in front of the county administration building was clamped.
Espy told Council he met with staff members at the town’s water plant and there’s a good chance the plant could operate with no overtime in March.
Also on the agenda, Council addressed special use permits for two businesses operated out of residences. Adcock Cleaning Service and Sparkle Wash System’s applications were approved by the Town’s Planning Commission with several stipulations regarding advertising and business vehicles on residential property.
Residents living near Sparkle have expressed concern about the number of vehicles and a trailer with advertising, according to Councilman Buddy Guthrie.
“I’ve had numerous complaints about vehicles with advertising on them,” Guthrie said. “If we give them a special use permit and enforce the stipulations everyone I’ve talked to would be satisfied.”
The stipulations prohibit vehicles and equipment used in the business from being located in the street, driveway or yard. They also prohibit employees or clients from meeting at the residence to conduct business.
A public hearing on the two permits is scheduled for the Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Halifax Town Hall.
Councilman Jack Dunavant presented two letters to Council. One was from Halifax resident Freddie Black who asked Council to address unsightly garbage near the western entrance to town. Espy said he will look at options like the “Adopt A Highway” program or other means to get the waste picked up.
The other letter was from a Gretna resident asking Council to use any influence it has to oppose a proposed scrap yard for old cars that is to be located near a stream in Gretna that flows into the Banister River.
The proposed scrap yard would be self-monitoring for pollution, according to the letter.
“Self-monitoring often means no monitoring,” Dunavant said.
The scrap yard passed the Gretna Planning Commission on a 4-3 vote and a public hearing is scheduled for next week.
Council agreed to send a letter of concern to Gretna’s Town Council voicing their alarm that this new business could possibly contaminate Halifax’s drinking water supply.
Mayor Plaster told members of Council he did not believe that Halifax’s $200 advance payment could be changed to a $125 non-refundable fee without first holding a public hearing. Council is still working on the proposed changes.
Espy informed Council that the Halifax Downtown Revitalization Project – Local Loan Pool Program is currently waiting on responses from banks. The proposals are going to Assistant County Administrator Jerry Lovelace and they will be addressed at the upcoming joint meeting.
Council then went into closed session to address personnel matters and business recruitment.
Upon returning to open session, Council added three items to its agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, a resolution for a Virginia Resources Authority application, a resolution for a VDH Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program application and the Town of Halifax Business Opportunity Incentives Program, according to Espy.
Also at the regular meeting Tuesday, Council is expected to give certificates of appreciation to outgoing planning commissioners Richard Dunavant and Sharon Graves.

 

Apartment Search Yields Drugs, Arrests

Investigators with the South Boston Police Department arrested three suspects after seizing cocaine, marijuana and an undisclosed amount of cash from a Poplar Creek Street apartment Thursday, according to Lt. B.K. Lovelace of the South Boston Police Department.
The three arrested suspects are Jerome Wilborn, 23, of Poplar Creek Street, Tamara Smith, 29, of Poplar Creek Street and Sabrina Snydor, 30, also of Poplar Creek Street, according to Lovelace.
Virginia State Police officers assisted South Boston investigators executing the search warrant at the South Boston apartment.
The suspects are being held at Blue Ridge Regional Jail on $5,000 secured bonds.
The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected, according to investigators.
In other police business, a 42-year-old South Boston man was arrested Thursday on drug charges by investigators with the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, according to Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.
Walter David Griffin, of Cathy Sue Lane, was charged with one count of distribution of crack cocaine and one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, according to police.
Griffin is being held at Halifax Regional Jail under a $10,000 secured bond.

Obituaries

Edward Parker “Pat” Snead

Funeral services for Mr. Edward Parker “Pat” Snead will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church today at 2 p.m. with the Rev. David Booher officiating.
Burial will be at Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery at News Ferry.
Visitation will be held at his home, “Springfield”, 9096 River Road, Halifax.
Mr. Snead, 45, died Friday at his residence.
He was born February 2, 1960 in Halifax County, the son of Edward Parker “Ned” Snead Sr. and the late Sally Coleman Snead. He was married to Brenda Hunter Snead.
In addition to his wife and father, Mr. Snead is survived by a son, Nathaniel Parker Snead; a daughter, Rebecca Dare Snead; a sister, Sarah Embry Snead of Waynesboro; and his parents-in-law, Ernest Ray and Jean Keller Hunter of Halifax.
For memorials, consider The St. John’s Episcopal Church Restoration Fund or Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston.

Cynthia Denise Elam

Cynthia Denise Elam, 44, of Brookneal died February 27.
She is survived by two daughters, Natalie LeKeisha Elam and Natasha Clarissa Elam, both of Halifax; three grandchildren; her mother, Mary Elam of Halifax; three brothers, Jerry Lloyd Elam of Evington, Keith Elam and Floyd Elam Jr., both of Nathalie; three sisters, Janice Tucker and Phyllis Elam, both of Halifax and Magaline Barley of Brookneal; her maternal grandmother, Isabell Evans of Charlotte Court House; her paternal grandmother, Ruby Elam of Drakes Branch; and a devoted friend, James Hubbard of Brookneal.
Funeral services for Ms. Elam were held March 5 at 2 p.m. at St. Louis Baptist Church of Charlotte Court House with burial in the church cemetery.

Deacon Samuel Wilson

Deacon Samuel Wilson of Nathalie died March 2 in Brookneal.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Wilson of the home; four children, Robert Wilson and wife, Gloria, of Clover, Carolyn Williams and husband, Isaac, of Chesapeake, Edwin Wilson of Nathalie and Vivian Brooks and husband, Dublin, of Halifax; two daughters-in-law, Linda Wilson of Nathalie and Jean B. Logan of Java; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services for Mr. Wilson were held March 5 at 11 a.m. at Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church in Nathalie with the Rev. L.S. Otey officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Raleigh Younger

Raleigh Younger, 80, of Pantego, N.C., formerly of Halifax County, died March 1 at Pungo District Hospital.
Mr. Younger was born in Halifax County on May 12, 1924, the son of the late Frank and Estelle Rone Younger and was married to the late Bertha Mae Selby Younger. He was a member of New Zion Baptist Church.
His survivors include two daughters, Edith Younger-Huff of New Brunswick, N.J. and Joyce Younger of Pantego; one son, Raleigh E. Younger of Bowie, Md.; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; six sisters, Edith Edmunds, Jessie Johnson and Christine Edmonds, all of Halifax, Earle Brown of Baltimore, Md., Gugurtha Byrd of Lawrenceville, and Florine Miller of Baltimore.
Funeral services for Mr. Younger will be held today, March 7 at 1 p.m. at New Zion Baptist with the Rev. Willie N. Yancey officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, and other times at the home of Jessie Johnson, 1110 Asbury Church Road, Halifax.

 

Brandon, Coleman Finish In Top Five In State Meet

Comets Track Standouts Shemelia Brandon And Ashlee Coleman Completed A Stellar Season In The Group AAA State Indoor Track Meet

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

Halifax County High School track standouts Shemelia Brandon and Ashlee Coleman closed out a stellar season with top-five finishes in the Group AAA State Indoor Track and Field championships.
Brandon placed fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 38 feet and six and a half inches and placed fifth in the long jump with a mark of 17 feet and 11 and a half inches.
Coleman had a big performance in the shot put with a throw of 37 feet and eight inches.
In making that throw, Coleman beat out a fellow Western Valley District competitor from E.C. Glass that had beaten her in each of their previous meetings this season.
“I know Ashlee was very excited about that,” Douglas noted.
Both of the Comets track standouts qualified to compete in the national meet but neither will be able to compete due to a conflict in taking college SAT tests.
“I am very pleased with what both Shemelia and Ashlee did,” said Comets girls track coach Mary Douglas.
“I think both of the girls were very pleased with how they did. Shemelia has done very so very well this season in the triple jump. She has only been doing it a couple of months and has done a very good job.”
Two other members of the Comets girls track team, Shaday Coleman and Tanashia Medley also qualified to compete in the state meet. They competed in the 55-meter hurdles but did not finish high enough to place in the top six and qualify for national competition.
Brandon competed in the 55-meter race and finished 20th overall with a time of 7.45 seconds. Coleman placed 21st in her event with a time of 9.51 seconds.
“This was the first time that they had competed at this level,” Douglas pointed out.
“I think nerves had something to do with it. I am proud of the girls for what they have accomplished this season. I think they all did an outstanding job.”
The Comets girls track team placed 14th in the overall standings.
Patrick Terry of the Halifax County High School boys indoor track team competed in the Group AAA state boys meet and placed 25th in the 55-meter race with a time of 6.78 seconds.

 

JV Girls Softball Team Fares Well In Scrimmage

Comets Rout Dan River 13-4 Here Friday

BY Doug Ford
G-V STAFF WRITER

Jessica Alderson went three-for-three with a triple and two doubles, and Amber Bowman was two-for-two with another double to lead the Comets jayvee girls softball team to a 13-4 scrimmage win over Dan River here Friday.
Amelia Saunders, Ally Thompson, Emily New and Chrystene Powell also collected hits for Halifax, which finished with nine total hits for the game, while three Halifax pitchers held the Wildcats to one hit.
Halifax batters showed a good eye at the plate, drawing about seven walks, according to Comets coach Kevin Neal, with Melissa Sims drawing two bases on balls.
Neal and Comets head jayvee coach Kirk Barnes said they were pleased with their team’s performance, especially considering the lack of practice time outside due to the weather.
“We were real pleased with how we swung the bats after only half a day outside,” said Neal, who was also pleased with Comets’ play in the field.
“Defensively, we should be pretty solid,” continued Neal. “We made a few errors, but that’s to be expected for the first scrimmage. We have some good gloves and some speed in the outfield, and we’re pretty solid in the infield as well.”
Much of the game was spent moving players to different positions to get a feel for where they could help the most, he added.
The Comets scored three runs in the first, five in the second and five more in the fourth, while Dan River scored all their runs in the fourth inning during the contest called after the top of the fifth inning.
Tracy Spencer started the game for the Comets, pitching three innings. Thompson came on get one out in the top of the fourth, and New pitched the last one and two-thirds innings.
Spencer gave up no hits, while recording six strikeouts and walking none, and Thompson recorded one strikeout and three walks.
New struck out four batters and walked none, with one hit surrendered in her time on the mound.
“For out first scrimmage, we did pretty well,” said Neal.

 

McCargo Earns Halifax County Comets Team MVP Award

Nine Comets Basketball Players Honored At Post-Season Banquet

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

It was really no big surprise that Halifax County High School senior Craig McCargo was honored with the team’s Most Valuable Player Award Thursday night.
After all, the standout Comets hoops star has reaped just about every honor that one could reap.
McCargo was honored earlier for having broken the all-time Halifax County High School career scoring record of 1,144 points, a mark that had been held by his uncle, Mark McCargo.
The final note was placed on that accomplishment at the annual team awards banquet Thursday night with McCargo being cited for his final tally – 1,210 points.
McCargo had already been named to the First Team of the All-Western Valley District Team, making him eligible for the All-Northwest Region Team. In being named to the all-district team, McCargo was noted as having garnered the second-highest vote tally in the voting for the members of the First Team, barely missing the mark for the district’s Player of the Year honors.
His running mate at the guard spot for the Comets this season, Quintin Brown, a prolific scorer himself, was honored with the team’s Defensive Award, an award given to the team’s top defensive player for the season.
Brown, also a senior, was earlier named to the Second Team of the All-Western Valley District Team.
Junior Jeremy Jeffress, despite not being with the team when the Comets faced GW in the semifinals of the Western Valley District Tournament, was given the award for canning the most three-point shots this season.
Jeffress hit a school-record 57 three-point shots, breaking his school-record mark of 55 of the previous season.
While leading the Comets in that category, Jeffress was followed closely this season by McCargo who hit 42 three-point shots and by Brown who hit 36 treys during the season.
Senior Chase Weddle, who received Honorable Mention status on the all-district team, was named as the recipient of the Coaches Award.
Comets senior Clyde Brooks was recognized with the presentation of the team’s Hustle Award. Seniors Nathan Lantor and Travis Moore were named as co-recipients of the team’s Most Dedicated Player award.
Junior Derek Brooks, a two-year starter for the Comets, and junior Mark Ferrell, who was playing basketball for the first time since his ninth-grade season, were named as co-recipients of the Most Improved Player award.
Comets head coach Garrett Dillard and assistant coach Alexis Cowman presented the awards to the players.