Monday, March 20, 2006

Decals, Tourism Highlight Joint Board Meeting

A proposal to eliminate motor vehicle decals in the county will highlight the agenda when the Halifax County Board of Supervisors convenes its bi-monthly meeting with the town councils of Halifax and South Boston tonight.
The meeting is expected to get under way at 6 p.m. in the public meeting room of the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
A report from the recent Board of Equalization hearings is also scheduled for tomorrow’s meeting.
County Administrator Bryan Foster said he is expecting Doug Powell, a member of the equalization Board, to update the legislative bodies on the process and “how things went” during the hearings.

In addition to the decal proposal, Halifax County Tourism Director Linda Shepperd is expected to update the Boards on tourism activities in the county.
Shepperd is expected to tell the Boards that revenue from the tourism industry is increasing in the county.
According to Shepperd, events in the county draw between 640,000 and 650,000 visitors who contributed lodging taxes of around $55,000 annually.
This compares to a lodging tax contribution of $42,900 in fiscal year 2003-2004.
Projected lodging taxes generated through tourism this year are expected to total around $89,000, according to Shepperd.
In other business, the joint Board is expected to hear a report from the Board of Equalization by Douglas Powell.
The joint Board is also expected to address a resolution urging funding for water quality improvements to include the Roanoke and Staunton Rivers.
The resolution requests the support of “the inclusion of the Roanoke/Staunton River and the other southern rivers in all efforts to fund waste water treatment plant upgrades and other programs to improve the quality of the water resources of Virginia and further urges that in a spirit of equity, such funding be provided on a pro rata basis to communities and other entities commensurate with the land mass and river miles in each watershed.”
Following the joint meeting, the Board of Supervisors is expected to support a request from the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority to seek VDOT industrial access road funding for the motorplex property location the Authority is seeking to purchase.
The IDA currently holds an option on the property, and is seeking to move forward with the purchase of the property for $780,000.
Following an executive session during its February meeting, the IDA Board approved moving forward with a cultural and architectural survey for the proposed motorsports that will be located on 42 acres the IDA holds an option on at the former Motorplex Park on U.S. 58.
During its January meeting, Board members unanimously authorized staff to begin expenditures for an environmental, geotechnical and wetlands study.
The property is located between Bojangles and the Coke plant.

 

Community Colleges Raising Tuitions, Fees
Public School System’s Dual Enrollment Classes Save On Costs Of Higher Education

Wire & Staff Report

Virginia’s community college system will raise tuition and fees 6.3 percent next year.
The State Board for Community Colleges on Thursday approved the hike, part of which would be used to increase financial aid to part-time students, to add full-time professors and to give faculty raises.
Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the two-year system, described the increase as “modest.”
“The bottom line is, no one likes to increase tuition,” he said, “but money just doesn’t come from the sky.”
The percentage of increase is about the same as those in the past two years. Under a six-year plan, annual tuition increases at community colleges are scheduled to fall between 4 percent and 7 percent through 2009.

Chris Lumsden, chairman of the Board for the State Board of Community Colleges, said yesterday that Thursday’s action set a new policy.
“When I came on the Board four years ago, there had been no tuition increase in several years, so the Board had to catch up,” explained Lumsden. “We made a policy decision to have gradual or more moderate increases on an annual basis rather than double digit increases (less often). We thought that was harsh and people really can not plan for that kind of tuition increase. We tried to plan this so students or parents paying the tuition can plan better than was possible in the past.
“One of our goals is to make sure that the tuition of the community college system is between a third and a half of the average tuition of all Virginia-based public colleges and universities. Now it is closer to one-third than half,” added Lumsden, noting the good value.
Other than in Northern Virginia, the cost per credit hour at all community colleges is the same, according to the Board chairman.
Yesterday, Danville Community College President Dr. Carlyle Ramsey said the Board’s increase
represents a $4.50 increase per credit hour, from $68 to $72.50 at DCC.
“While this is a modest increase, we still are very sensitive to the fact that many of our students are on fixed or marginal incomes,” said Ramsey. “Hopefully for those DCC students who are on federal or state financial aid, the increase will be covered by their financial aid package.”
At Southside Virginia Community College, the summer 2005-2006 posted tuition rates are $68 per credit hour for Virginia residents. Out-of-state tuition is $214 per credit hour, $221.35 including fees.
With higher college costs across the board, the Halifax County Public School System’s dual learning track not only offers an educational opportunity for students, but a dollars and cents benefit to parents with children in the program.
Superintendent Paul Stapleton estimated yesterday that about 885 students are taking college credit classes this semester, representing about 1,450 college classes. “That’s a best guess,” he added.
“I think what we are doing right now is just a tremendous savings for our parents. Through the program a student can get two years of college paid for free,” he added.
“Most of our (four-year) state schools, that would represent a savings of $20,000 to $25,000 for those two years,” estimated Stapleton.
In private schools, he said it could represent between $40,000-$50,000 (per year), “if we’re talking an exclusive private college.”
Also, with the new academies, Stapleton said that it is possible for a student to receive college credit in pre-engineering that will transfer to the program at Virginia Tech, if the student maintains a ‘B’ average.
The superintendent expects the dual program to continue to expand.
“This year we have freshmen taking selected college classes. When they get to be seniors, the opportunity is certainly there for at least one-third to earn an associates degree (at the same time they graduate from high school) if they want to.”

 

Freezing Rain In This Week’s Forecast

Today is officially the first day of spring, but it appears Mother Nature didn’t get the memo.
According to Meteorologist Dave Lawrence with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Halifax can expect freezing rain and sleet from a potent storm system approaching from the west.
“The chances of snow are not too good,” Lawrence said. “You might see some of the ice-type stuff.”
As of Sunday the storm was dropping heavy snow and rain on the central plains region of the country and is expected to reach here Monday night or early Tuesday morning, Lawrence said.
“The intensity will peak overnight into Tuesday morning,” he said, noting areas to the north of Halifax are expected to get hit harder than here. “You could see freezing rain especially to the north of you.”
After the storm’s over, spring weather will still be on hold, Lawrence said.
“We’re going to have at least a week of below average temperatures,” the meteorologist said. “It won’t be frigid, but it will be about 10 degrees below normal for this time of year.
“It should be in the upper 50’s this time of year,” he added. “This week temperatures will be in the upper 40’s and lower 50’s.”

Obituaries

Virginia Crews Compton
Mrs. Virginia Crews Compton, 94, died Thursday, March 16, in Chesapeake.
She was born in Halifax County on December 26, 1911, the daughter of the late Joseph S. Crews and Mattie Ethel Robey Crews and was married to the late James O. Compton.
Mrs. Compton was a member of Straightstone Baptist Church and lived in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake for the past 23 years where she attended Thalia Lynn Baptist Church.
She is survived by two sons, J. Phillip Compton and wife Iva of Virginia Beach, H. Ray Compton and wife Jean of Williamsburg; a daughter, Wylene Boone and husband David of Asheboro, N.C.; a brother, J.T. Crews and wife Bernice of Long Island; two sisters, Mary Pat Owen of Brookneal and Barbara Roakes and husband Ed of Gladys; seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Compton was preceded in death by a sister, Lucille C. George; five brothers, Raymond L. Crews, Robert R. Crews, Edwin E. Crews, William F. Crews and Herbert L. Crews, and a grandson, James Franklin Smith Jr.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday at Straightstone Baptist Church by the Rev. Howard McNeill and the Rev. James Manuel.
Interment followed in the church cemetery.
Michael Dana Spangler
Funeral services for Mr. Michael Dana Spangler, of Cliborne Trail in Halifax, will be held at 2 p.m. at the Brooks Funeral Home Chapel on Tuesday, March 21.
The Revs. Mark Boyd and Steven G. Dyer will officiate.
Burial will follow in the Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Spangler died Saturday, March 18 at the Duke University Medical Center.
He was 54.
Mr. Spangler was born in Halifax County on April 16, 1951, the son of Louise Rickmond Spangler and the late Jack Franklin Spangler Sr. He was a loom technician with Collins & Aikman Products.
Survivors include two daughters, Dana Spangler Roberts of Richmond and Lauren Ann Spangler of Alton; three brothers, Jack F. Spangler Jr., Don Randall Spangler, both of Buffalo Junction and Dan Russell Spangler of South Boston; three sisters, Deborah Spangler Dyer of South Boston, Sue Spangler Weakley of Clarksville and Mary Spangler Brown of Thomasville, N.C.; two grandsons, Aaron Michael Wagstaff and Nathan Christopher Roberts; and special friends Jimmy Glass and Mike Satterfield.
Visitation will be held at Brooks Funeral Home on Monday, March 20, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
For those wishing to give memorials, please consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, Va. 24592
Emily “Peggy” Martin
Funeral services for Mrs. Emily “Peggy” Martin will be held today at 2 p.m. in the Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Doug Gibson officiating.
Burial will follow in the Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Powell Funeral Home from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Sunday and at other times at her home.
Mrs. Martin, 88, of Mountain Road in Halifax, died Friday, March 17, at her home.
She was born July 7, 1917 in Halifax County, the daughter of the late James Thomas Martin and Alice Tatum Martin, and was married to the late Sellie William Martin.
Mrs. Martin was member of Bethel Baptist Church in Scottsburg.
She is survived by two sons, S.C. Martin and wife Judy of Halifax, and Donnie Martin and wife Nancye of Hopewell; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren, and one brother Marshall Webb Martin of Halifax.
Mrs. Martin was preceded in death by a son, daughter, four brothers and three sisters.
Ella Louise Dillard
Mrs. Ella Louise Dillard, 53, of New York, died Monday, March 13, at Bronx Lebanon Hospital.
She was born in New York City on January 30, 1953 to Madison Jennings and Gracie Moorefield Gray.
Mrs. Dillard was a member of the Meet Baptist Church in New York.
She is survived by two sons, Barick Ward of Warwick, N.Y., and Sidney McCall of Nathalie; her mother and stepfather, Gracie M. and Phil Gray; her father and stepmother, Madison and Sylvia Jennings; two sisters, Dawn Trone of N.Y. and Calamity Veale of Norfolk; three brothers, Madison Jennings Jr., Steven Jennings and Nathaniel Ward, all of N.Y.; three grandchildren; one daughter-in-law, Angie Ward; a brother-in-law, Scott Trone and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Dillard were held Sunday, March 19, at Crawford House Chapel with the Rev. Lorenzo Otey officiating.
Burial followed in the Moorefield Family Cemetery.
Joanne Armistead Guthrie
A memorial service for Mrs. Joanne Armistead Guthrie will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg.
Interment will follow at 3:30 p.m. at the family cemetery in Halifax.
Mrs. Guthrie, 74, of Lynchburg, formerly of Virginia Beach, died Friday, March 17, in Lynchburg.
She was born in Halifax County on January 4, 1932, the daughter of the late Anne Louise Pittman Armistead and the late Richard Westwood Armistead, and was married to the late Falcon Hodges Guthrie.
A resident of Virginia Beach for 44 years, Mrs. Guthrie was active in the Witchduck Circle of King’s Daughters Hospital and the Garden Club.
She is survived by her daughters, Anne Guthrie Berry and husband Charles of Lynchburg and, Jen Lee Nelson and husband Louis of Richmond; her grandsons; her sisters, Cookie Milton and husband Herbert, and Lucy Conner and husband Robert.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, 2316 Atherholt Road, Lynchburg, Va. 24501 or First Presbyterian Church, 1215 VES Road, Lynchburg, Va. 24503.
Tom L. Wimbish
Deacon Tom L. Wimbish of Chatham Road, Vernon Hill, died Thursday, March 16, at the age of 87.
He was born August 1, 1918 to the late William Robert Wimbish and the late Lucinda Dunn Wimbish, and was married to the late Mable Lovelace Wimbish.
Deacon Wimbish was a member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church and American Legion Post 99.
He is survived by 10 sons and two daughters: Thomas of Upper Marlboro, Md.; Walter (Mary) South Windsor, Conn.; Horace, South Hill; Donald, New Haven, Conn; Brenda Walton (Thomas) and Robert (Barbara), South Boston; William, East Granby, Conn.; Gerard, Halifax; Charles (Charlene), Virginia Beach; Phillip, South Boston; Jesse (Jorie), Washington, D.C.; Wanda Russell (Randy), Danville; other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services for Deacon Wimbish were held Sunday, March 19, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, Java, with burial in the Wimbish Family Cemetery. Pastor Ralph Watkins conducted the services.
Corence “Ricky” Edward Banks
Mr. Corence “Ricky” Edward Banks, 58, of Alderson Avenue in South Boston, died Thursday, March 16, at the University of North Carolina Hospital in Chapel Hill.
He was born in Graham, N.C., on July 17,1947, the son of John Walker and the late Elsie Mannoris Banks Long and was married to Helen Tucker Banks.
Mr. Banks attended the public schools of Graham County.
He joined the Graham Baptist Church at an early age.
Later in life he joined the Mount Olive Baptist Church.
In addition to his wife and father, Mr. Banks is survived by two daughters, Robin Banks and Kim Banks, both of Bronx, N.Y.; two grandchildren; five sisters, Cassandra Ross of Upper Marlboro, Md., Mildred Long, Thelma Long, Sharon Long and Paulette Long, all of the Bronx; two brothers, John “Butch” Long of the Bronx, and Willie “Beaver” Frazer of Burlington, N.C.; a half-sister, Angela Stone of Graham; his aunt, Thelma Oneita Coleman; his great-aunt, Lucille Banks Robinson; three step-daughters, Loita Griffin, Solita Griffin and Ernestine Hall; four step-sons, Lorenza Bailey, Alvin Bailey, Vincent Bailey and Lynn Bailey; his step-father, Talus Long of Burlington and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
Mr. Banks was preceded in death by two brothers, Lawrence Edward “Skip” Long and Tony Curtis Long.
Funeral services were held for Mr. Banks on Sunday at Mt. Olive Baptist Church with Elder Myra Lykes officiating.
Burial followed in the Rose Garden Cemetery.

 

 

Comets Looking For Remedy At Home

The HCHS Varsity Baseball Team Comes Home This Week Looking To Rebound From Friday’s Loss To Tunstall High School

After having played its first two games on the road and having sustained a tough 14-4 loss at the hands of Tunstall on Friday, the Halifax County High School varsity baseball team is hoping this week’s home stand will help turn around its fortunes.
The Comets will play three games this week, all at home, beginning with a 5 p.m. game today against neighboring Dan River High School. Baldwin (Pa.) High School comes here for a 5 p.m. Wednesday and the Comets will conclude the week with a rematch against Tunstall here Friday at 5 p.m.
This week’s home stand will hopefully go a good way towards helping cure some of the maladies that the Comets suffered in Friday’s 14-4 loss to Tunstall in a game that was stopped after five innings by a slaughter rule.
Halifax County committed two errors, its three pitchers, Jacob Vest, Chris Fisher and Kyle Long combined for 13 walks, a balk and a couple of wild pitches, all of which played right into the hands of Tunstall.
Still, they pitched well enough that they gave up only eight hits and collectively fanned 10 Tunstall batters.
In addition to struggling on the mound, the Comets struggled at the plate, getting only seven hits that included a solo homer by Bobby Owens in the top of the second inning and a solo homer by Justin Bagbey in the top of the fourth inning.
It was a disappointing loss, to be sure. However, Comets coach Kelvin Davis took it in stride.
“It’s still early in the season,” Davis pointed out.
“I’m looking at the big picture. It’s far better to take a loss like this now and be able to look at what you need to work on as opposed to having it happen later in the season.”
One of the concerns Davis expressed centered around the pitchers.
“We know what Jeremy (senior hurler Jeremy Jeffress) can do,” Davis said.
“We’ve got to find somebody else that can go out there and throw strikes, the pitchers are going to have to work a lot harder as far as throwing strikes is concerned. Giving up 12 or 14 walks a game isn’t going to work. We’ve got to find the right chemistry on the mound before we get into district play.”
Offensively, the Comets were led by Owens who had a run-scoring single in the fifth inning to go with his homer. Jeffress had a runs-scoring double in the fifth inning, David Lacks had a double in the second inning and Tony Barbour and Billy Joe Garrett chipped in a hit each.
Halifax County ran into trouble at the outset and struggled the rest of the night.
With Vest on the mound, Tunstall’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the first inning reached base on an error, the second batter reached base with a hit. A balk and three straight walks allowed Tunstall to take a quick 3-0 lead with no out.
Vest retired the next two hitters on strikes and then was tagged with a double that produced two more runs and a 5-0 Tunstall lead. The ninth Tunstall batter in the inning popped out to left field to end the inning.
Owens’ solo homer, one of two Comets hits in the inning made it a 5-1 Tunstall lead after the top of the second inning.
After Vest yielded a double and a walk to the first two batters in the inning, Fisher came to the mound for the Comets. The first batter Fisher faced smacked a run-scoring double and the second batter Fisher faced homered to put Tunstall up 9-1. Halifax County finally got out of the inning after Tunstall, for the second time in the game, had sent nine players to the plate.
A walk by Fisher, a Comets error, a passed ball and a base hit allowed Tunstall to score again in the bottom of the third inning and up its lead to 10-1.
Bagbey’s homer in the fourth inning allowed the Comets to cut their deficit to eight runs at 10-2.
Long went to the mound for the Comets in the fourth inning, an inning in which Tunstall scored another run to make it an 11-2 lead.
Halifax rallied to score two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Garrettt led off the inning with a single and scored on a two-out double by Jeffress. Bagbey walked and Owens came up with a single to plate Jeffress to make the score 11-4.
Long found himself in difficulty in the bottom of the fifth inning. After yielding a lead-off solo homer, Long fanned the next batter and then gave up three straight walks to load the bases. A two-RBI double scored two more runs to create the 10-run margin that ended the game.

 

Burton Gets First Busch Win Since 2002

South Boston Native Scores Win At Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Jeff Burton passed Matt Kenseth with 20 laps remaining Saturday and raced away to his first NASCAR Busch Series victory in four years.
Burton is a regular with Richard Childress Racing in the Nextel Cup Series and only a part-time performer in Busch. He beat runner-up Kasey Kahne, who won last week in Las Vegas, to the finish line by 1.42 seconds — nearly half the final straightaway on the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway oval — to take the Nicorette 300.
It was Burton’s 21st Busch win but his first victory of any kind since he won at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., in October 2002 while driving for Roush Racing. The most recent of Burton’s 17 Cup wins came at Phoenix in October 2001, also for Roush.
After getting a hug from former Roush teammate Kenseth in Victory Lane, Burton said, ‘‘He’s still a very good friend and he felt bad for me the last few years. It’s a pleasure to finally get something done.
‘‘You question yourself. You question everything. But I’m proud of myself. I stayed focused through all of it,’’ added Burton, who will race on the same track Sunday in the Golden Corral 500. ‘‘We’re working really hard and trying really hard to get back to the top.’’
Blown right rear tires brought out three of the six caution flags in the race, with defending race winner Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman all seeing their cars torn up badly by the blowouts. A Goodyear spokesman said the problems were caused by a combination of wear and failure to have the cars balanced properly.
Kahne checked out his right rear tire when he got out of his Dodge.
‘‘It’s all torn up,’’ he said. ‘‘I tried waiting for a while and let my tires stay cool for a little bit and let Jeff and Matt get out front and race. Then I caught (Jeff) and, by the time I got there, I wore my tires out.’’
Cup regulars have won all five Busch races this season.
The No. 21 RCR Chevrolet that Burton drove Saturday has finished in the top four in each of the Busch races this season with three different drivers. Rookie Burney Lamar ran second in it at Daytona, Burton was fourth at California and Kevin Harvick was third both in Mexico City and Las Vegas.
Lamar finished eighth in another Childress entry and Harvick was 11th in his own car on Saturday.
California winner Greg Biffle was third, followed by Kenseth, who fell out of contention after losing the lead, J.J. Yeley, who survived bouncing off the wall twice during the race, and Jason Leffler, the top finishing Busch regular.

 

HCHS Varsity Softball Off To 3-0 Start

Comets Get 4-2 Comeback Win At Tunstall High School

Lashunda Davis, Betty Rose and Beth Throckmorton each had two hits, and Heather Oakes, Jasmine Parker and Shayna Oakes added three more, as the Comets varsity softball team rallied from a two-run deficit Friday at Tunstall to beat the Trojans 4-2.
Tunstall held a 2-0 lead after three innings, and still led 2-1 entering the fifth, before Halifax plated two runs to take the lead.
The Comets added another run in the sixth to back up a complete game by Throckmorton, who gave up two runs on five hits, while striking out seven batters and walking only one.
Errors and mental mistakes by the Comets contributed to at least one Tunstall run early on, but the Comets settled down to rally and pull out a big road win against a tough team, according to coach Melanie Saunders.
“Beth did a good job on the mound, and we made some mental mistakes early, but we came back, refocused and won the game,” said Saunders.
“We got off to kind of a shaky start, but kept our heads in the game and made it work. “That was key to us winning the game,” she noted.
Tunstall used a triple, error and base hit to take a 1-0 lead in its first at-bat. The Trojans added another run in the third, using a leadoff walk, error and base hit to make it 2-0, before the Comets broke through in the fourth inning.
Halifax had its chances before then, Davis singling in the first, Parker in the second, and Rose and Liz Trickey reaching base on errors in the first and third, but they didn’t capitalize until three runs in the next two innings put the Comets ahead.
Key Ferrell reached on an error with one out in the fourth, and moved to second on Throckmorton’s sacrifice. Parker walked and Ferrell scored on two passed balls to make it 2-1.
Halifax put together a four-hit inning in its next at-bat to take the lead, Heather Oakes, Davis and Rose hitting consecutive one-out singles, Ferrell reaching on an error and Throckmorton getting a base hit.
That made it 3-2, and the Comets added an insurance run an inning later, Shayna Oakes getting things started with a leadoff single. Oakes stole second base and scored when Heather Oakes reached on an error.
The Comets threatened again in the seventh inning after Rose and Throckmorton each singled for the second time, but a strikeout and groundout got Tunstall out of the inning.
Still, four runs was enough for Throckmorton and the Comets’ defense, which allowed only two base runners the last four innings.
The varsity softball team will put its 3-0 record on the line Tuesday when it travels to Heritage for a 5 p.m. game.