Two fatalities in four days in Halifax County brings the total
killed on county roads to three in just under a month, according
to state police reports.
Neither of the men killed in the pair of single-vehicle accidents
was wearing a wearing seat belt, according to Virginia State Police
First Sergeant Jeff Lane.
"If they had both been wearing seat belts, there's a good
chance they would have survived the accidents," Lane said
yesterday.
Last Thursday, Wayne Hassell "PeeWee" Scearce, a 67-year-old
Raleigh resident who also owns a home in the Alton community,
was pronounced dead at the scene following an accident on Route
58 near Turbeville.
Scearce was driving a 1997 Dodge Ram pickup on Route 58 when his
vehicle hit a patch of ice, according to Trooper B.E. Jones.
Jones said Scearce's truck then slid sideways on the icy roadway
before striking a tree on the passenger side of the vehicle and
overturning.
According to a police report, Scearce suffered severe head injuries
in the accident.
No charges were filed in the single-vehicle accident, according
to the state police.
Scearce had lived in Raleigh for the past 20 years, but kept his
home on Mill Pond Road in Alton.
He was a retired sales manager for the Jesse Jones Division of
Goodmark Foods.
Funeral services were yesterday, with burial in the Highland Burial
Park in Danville.
The second fatality occurred at 12:50 a.m. Saturday, and claimed
the life of 22-year-old Orintha Wendell Brandon of Saluda Lane
in Clover.
Jones said Brandon was traveling north on Route 360 when his 2001
Nissan four-door ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected
and struck a tree in the median of the four-lane highway.
The state trooper estimated the speed of Brandon's vehicle at
65 m.p.h., according to reports.
After he was extricated from the Nissan, the medical examiner
at the scene determined that Brandon died from head trauma that
resulted from impact with the tree.
No information regarding Brandon's funeral services was available
at press time.
The Halifax County School Board will seek endorsement of $50.3
million in proposed capital improvements when it meets with supervisors
tonight.
The meeting opens at 6 p.m. Monday in the second-floor confrerence
room at Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
During its January meeting, the School Board also agreed to hold
public hearings at C.H. Friend, Halifax and Turbeville Elementary
Schools for the School Board to gather input on whether or not
to renovate C.H. Friend, Washington-Coleman, Halifax and Turbeville
Elementary Schools, combine some schools and/or construct new
facilities.
Saying the School Board was going to supervisors with its needs,
School Board Chairman Steve Anderson added, "It will then
be up to the Board of Supervisors to determine the best way to
move forward ..."
Only School Board member Carl Furches objected to his Board's
recommendations.
Furches said he would like to see the School Board recommend to
supervisors that the proposed $50.3 million capital improvements
package be taken to the voters in referendum.
"I feel like this is the people's money and it should be
their say-so," Furches explained at the time.
"Also, I think they (the School Board) should let the people
know whether or not they are going to close Virgilina and Wilson
Memorial or keep them open."
Virgilina Elementary School and Wilson Memorial Elementary School
were not mentioned among the School Board's capital improvements
projects during the special meeting.
But Anderson said that did not mean the schools would be closed.
"The situation is that their student bodies are small enough
that the present facilities are adequate and do not need additions
at this point," he explained.
At the January session, School Superintendent Dennis Witt stressed
to the School Board that the school capital improvements movement
must be a total team effort between the School Board and the Board
of Supervisors.
"This has to be a Halifax County team effort," Witt
told the body.
"This cannot be a School Board effort. It has to be done
in conjunction with the Board of Supervisors and other leaders
in Halifax County if it is going to be successful. If you don't
have that, you can't go forward."
Most School Board members indicated they would like to put the
proposed $50.3 million capital improvements proposal in front
of the public in the form of referendum as opposed to taking a
phased-in approach.
The capital improvements projects, which were outlined by architects
in a presentation to the School Board in December, included the
following facility renovation proposals:
· South of Dan K-3, 380 students/Cluster Springs 4-6, capacity
330 students - $8.0 million;
· Turbeville K-6, capacity 284 students - $5.8 million;
· Halifax K-2, capacity 285 students - $6.7 million;
· Sinai 3-6, capacity 425 students - $2.8 million
· Meadville K-6, capacity 284 students - $3.2 million;
· C.H. Friend, 3-6, capacity 425 students - $7.6 million;
· Washington-Coleman, K-2, capacity 285 students - $5.5
million;
· Halifax County Middle School - $10.7 million.
Witt told School Board members at the time that he envisioned
the proposed capital improvements being completed in a four-pronged
effort with a South of Dan, Cluster Springs, Turbeville project,
a Halifax, Sinai and Meadville project, a C.H. Friend-Washington-Coleman
project and a Halifax County Middle School project.
No priority ranking was given to those proposed clusters of projects,
which would range from $10.7 million to $13.8 million.
School Board members said they would like to see state monies
coming to the county as a result of the composite index change
be used to finance the bulk of the proposed capital improvements
package.
A change in the county's composite index figure that took place
during the 2001-2002 fiscal year shifted approximately $4 million
more in state funds into public education in Halifax County.
For another eight years, there will, each year, be approximately
$4 million more in state money coming to Halifax County.
Those dollars, School Board members said, could pay for the bulk
of the project, leaving approximately $10 million for the county
to finance.
There was no disagreement from any School Board member that the
proposed school capital improvement projects are needed in order
to bring the county's schools up to today's standards.
No new elementary schools have been constructed here since 1964,
noted Witt. School capital improvements have been discussed and
undertaken only on a piecemeal basis, he added.
"I think we ought to go (to the Board of Supervisors) and
ask for the whole 50 ($50 million)," said School Board member
Alan Gravitt.
"There are two issues to decide. One is do you renovate the
schools in South Boston or go with a new school. Halifax faces
the same issue."
School Board member Mac McDowell pointed out, "I've been
listening to this for 15 years. We need to make a decision and
go forward. We can't sit still. Our competition is not sitting
still."
An application for a special use permit will be on the agenda
as the two standing committees of the South Boston Town Council
convene tonight at 5:45 p.m. at council chambers on Yancey Street
for their regular monthly work session.
On the abbreviated agenda, two items will come before the members
of the Current Issues Committee, including an application for
the permit.
The South Boston Development Company, LLC, has applied for the
permit to allow them to erect a manufactured home on Myrtle Street
in the Sunnybrook Subdivision.
Members of the town's Planning Commission have recommended approval
of the application.
Late last year, Town Council passed an amendment to town code
that allows manufactured homes in all residentially-zoned districts
in the town with a special use permit. The proposed homes must
meet certain design guidelines before approval is granted.
The committee is also expected to address the prioritization of
Tobacco Commission Fund applications.
Across the county, eight items have been submitted for consideration
for tobacco funding, for a total of $7,500,000.
This is over two times the $3.6 million in funds available for
2003.
At the joint meeting of the towns and the Board of Supervisors
last week, Supervisor Ronnie Vaughan and South Boston IDA menber
Doug Bowman suggested that a list of priorities be established
"that we are willing to go to war for."
Members of the Finance Committee are expected to view a presentation
on a proposal to refinance the 1994 Va. Water Resources Authority
as well as the 1995 Rural Development Bond Loans.
An additional presentation on the 1999 delinquent real estate
tax parcels is expected to be brought before the members of the
committee.
Following the monthly financial statement, the committee will
address the recommended Capital Improvement Program in the town
for the next five years.
A 19th century Vernon Hill farm house that
underwent major remodeling in early 2001, will be the subject
of an episode on Home and Garden Television's "Before And
After" series on Sunday, February 2, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
The home belongs to a Greenville, S.C., couple, Sanford and Garnette
Bane and the remodeling was performed by South Boston contractor
Tom Giglio.
Originally a log home built in the 1800s by Sanford Bane's grandfather,
the house had been vacant for about nine years and had few amenities
when Sanford and Garnette Bane took on the project.
Not knowing just who to hire, the couple read of an award Giglio
had received for his work at another Vernon Hill project belonging
to retired UNC educator Ralph Wileman.
After meeting and discussing their plans with Giglio, Garnette
Bane said that they proceeded the project on "faith and trust"
in Giglio and were delighted with the results.
The house had running water but no heating or cooling system and
only basic electricity. Giglio gutted the interior, removed entirely
an rear addition, raised the roof on the original log portion
to allow for a higher ceiling and replaced the walls.
Saved and restored during the project were the original stairs
and hand rail and most of the pine flooring.
The finished project gave the Banes a new kitchen and breakfast
bar, a master bedroom with more light, thanks to the installation
of two windows, and an overall bright and fresh interior.
Frank Deiny Jr. had a big smile on his face as he accepted
the trophy Saturday night signifying the 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing
Series championship at Big Daddy's South Boston Speedway.
It was a crowning moment in a season that saw him win a total
of seven races, land 16 top-five finishes and 17 top-ten finishes
in 19 starts.
The Mechanicsville resident also accepted a $5,000 bonus from
the Textilease Super Fund and a bounty of other prizes.
But the reality that he will not be returning to defend his championship
was hard to swallow during the track's annual awards banquet.
"We had such a great year," said Deiny, who will move
up to a fulltime ride in the NASCAR Southwest Tour this season.
"I feel like the last race of the year (the season-ending
Bailey's Hometown Challenge 300, which Deiny won) showed we could
probably do it again.
"I think everybody else knows we could probably do it again,"
added Deiny.
"That's enough in my mind. We dominated the last race (his
seventh win of the season here). That shows the type of year we
had and the type of year that would be possible this year."
Still, Deiny enjoyed the night and the celebration that capped
a season in which he claimed his second career NASCAR Weekly Racing
Series title and a third-place finish in the NASCAR Weekly Racing
Series Presented By Dodge Atlantic Region standings.
"It all finally sunk in today, being able to receive all
of these awards the track put up," said Deiny.
"I've got race in the Southwest Tour Series at Phoenix, Ariz.
and hopefully we can carry the momentum we had the end of last
year on into this year."
Last year was a season that saw Deiny top a field of cars at the
Speedway that included five track champions.
Deiny won the 2002 South Boston title by a slim 16-point margin
over 2001 season title winner Brandon Butler of Petersburg.
In what turned out to be something of an odd ending, the final
two points events of the season were rained out.
Deiny carried his 16-point lead into a scheduled event on August
31 which fell victim to the rain.
Then, the Speedway upped the ante some by scheduling a double
points event for the September 14 season finale.
But that event was rained out as well, leaving Deiny in the top
spot in the points standings.
"What an honor it is to be a champion over such talented
drivers," Deiny said.
"I think this probably the best year I've ever had in racing.
I've got 26 years of racing in. Hopefully the best is yet to come
but we had an awfully successful season last year."
Deiny said winning the championship at South Boston is a big accomplishment
in his book.
"This is big," said Deiny,
"to win here is big. Look at all of the top contenders you
have here that win at Martinsville and everywhere else."
"This is the big time," he added.
"This is one of the most competitive tracks on the East Coast,
if not in the United States. It just shows the talent of my team."
Deiny said he competed in 58 races in 2002 and he has 55 races
on his schedule for the upcoming 2003 season, including the South
Boston season-opening Spring Fling 300, a Twin 150-lap Late Model
Stock Car race, on March 15.
"I'll be back for the first race," Deiny said.
"It pays $15,000 to win if you win both races.. That'll be
something to come back for."
Deiny shared the spotlight with the track's three other division
champions, Limited Sportsman champion Bill Moshenek of Providence,
N.C., Super Stock Division title winner Jesse "Doodle"
Lang of Roanoke and Pure Stock 4's division champion, Augie Saccoccio
of Durham, N.C.
Moshenek, a Providence, N.C. resident, picked up his second career
NASCAR Limited Sportsman division title.
He and Jonathan Cash of Oxford, N.C. finished in a tie for the
top spot in the points race but Moshenek earned the title on the
basis that he won more races.
Moshenek snapped a 27-race winless streak on April 27 driving
his No. 27 Chevrolet and picked up two more wins before the season
ended.
He finished outside of the top five on only three occasions.
Moshenek collected $1,700 in cash along with a covey of other
awards. He also received a $2,5900 sponsorship should he compete
the entire season in 2003.
Lang, in his first season competing here, won two races, recorded
nine top-five finishes.
He won the division title by a slim six-point margin.
Lang received $850 in cash awards in addition to other product
awards and plaques. He will also receive a $1,500 season sponsorship
should he compete at South Boston through the entire 2003 season.
Saccoccio won his second straight Pure Stock 4 division crown
with a stellar season that included four wins and 11 top-five
finishes.
He took home $100 in cash awards along with trophies and product
awards.
Saccoccio will also receive a $1,000 season sponsorship if he
competes here fulltime during the 2003 season.
Two of NASCAR racing's legends, the late Wendell Scott and
the late Ray Hendrick, were inducted into the Virginia Motorsports
Hall of Fame here Saturday night.
The inaugural inductions into the Virginia Motorsports Hall of
Fame were held during Saturday night's annual Big Daddy's South
Boston Speedway NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Awards Banquet.
Scott made racing history as being the only African-American driver
to regularly compete on the NASCAR Grand National (now Winston
Cup Series) circuit and for being the first African-American driver
to win a NASCAR Grand National Series race.
The history-making win came on December 1, 1963 at Jacksonville,
Fla.
During his storied career, Scott, a Danville resident, won 128
races in Sportsman and Modified racing.
In 1956, Scott had a 22-win season and finished third in the NASCAR
national Modified standings.
The following year, Scott finished sixth in the nation. In 1959,
Scott won the Virginia Sportsman Championship and the track championship
at Richmond's Southside Speedway.
He missed winning the South Boston Speedway title by four points
that year.
Scott, with a $3,000 bank loan and his sons, embarked on a NASCAR
Grand National racing career.
In addition to his history-making win, he finished in the top
10 in the NASCAR Grand National (Winston Cup) standings for four
years in a row.
Only Scott and Richard Petty finished in the top 20 in the NASCAR
Grand National standings five years in a row.
Scott made 506 career Grand National (Winston Cup) starts, had
20 top five finishes and 147 top ten finishes.
He retired at the age of 66 after placing third in a Winston Cup
legends race at Hickory (N.C.) Speedway.
NASCAR Winston Cup Series car owner Junie Donlavey of Richmond,
a member of the Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame Board of Directors,
presented the induction plaque to the Scott family.
"This is among the many honors that we have been honored
with," Mary Scott, the widow of the late racing legend, said
after the ceremony.
"We are always grateful that people still think of my husband
as a legend.
"All of them are special," Mrs. Scott said of the many
honors that her late husband has received.
"But, this being home is really special."
Scott's son, Wendell Scott Jr. said his father would have been
proud of this honor.
"It would mean so much to daddy and that's why it pleases
us," Scott said.
"South Boston was our home track. It was the track he cut
his teeth on. He lost the championship to Ray Hendrick here by
four points one year and it liked to have driven him crazy.
"This is home," added Scott.
"Daddy used to always say the best part of any trip we ever
take is being the one back home. This is home for us."
The late Ray Hendrick, who was known as "Mr. Modified"
and "Rapid Ray," enjoyed an outstanding racing career
that spanned the better part of three decades.
He first started racing in 1950 at the old Royal Speedway which
is now Southside Speedway in Richmond and competed in the early
1950's on the old beach course at Daytona Beach, Fla.
Noted for his hard-charging racing style and his ability to win
on just about any kind and any size of race track, Hendrick won
an estimated 790 races during his career, 712 of which were NASCAR
sanctioned races.
Hendrick was the well-known king of NASCAR Modified and Late Model
Sportsman racing at South Boston Speedway.
The Richmond native won five track championships and won over
500 races here at South Boston.
In one season, the legendary driver won every heat race and every
feature race run at the local track.
"They thought he was going to close the track down,"
said Roy Hendrick, the son of the legendary racer.
"They put bounties on him and did everything else and nobody
could beat him."
Roy Hendrick said the induction of his father into the Virginia
Motorsports Hall of Fame is a great honor.
"It's a great honor for us that daddy gets recognized for
what he did in the past," said Hendrick.
"It's a shame he's not living to see it himself. He was amazed
at the way people just wanted to see him and be around him when
he came to the race track.
"I think if he had known that when he retired, he would have
kept going," added Hendrick.
"He just quit and he figured he'd stay away from the race
track. He figured didn't anybody care."
The last race Ray Hendrick competed in was an Old Timers' Night
race here at South Boston Speedway in 1986.
He drove his son, Roy's Late Model Stock Car, which was named
"Christine," in that race. Jim Irby of Halifax owned
the car at the time
"Daddy started off about 22nd or 23rd that night and in about
20 laps he was running ninth and coming on strong," recalled
Roy Hendrick.
" All of a sudden, the car started getting loose and he hit
the wall with tail end and bent the rear end around.
"He was just amazed at how good those Late Model Stock Cars
and showed he still had it in him," added Roy.
"He had been out of racing for about six years at the time."
Hendrick said he is happy to see that South Boston Speedway President
Joe Mattioli took the steps to organize the Virginia Motorsports
Hall of Fame.
"I'm thrilled the Mattiolis started this," Hendrick
said.
"I hope they can keep it going forever. We don't know what
forever is but we hope it keeps going for a long, long time."
Hendrick said it was also an honor to have his father inducted
in the same ceremony with Wendell Scott.
"Color means nothing," Hendrick said.
"He (Wendell Scott) was a great race car driver. I remember
seeing him when I was a kid. He used to come to Southside Speedway
and race. Color didn't mean anything. He was just a great guy.
Everybody loved him. Any kind of help anybody could give him they
would give him. It's a great honor to be inducted with him."
Samuel Davis, 78, of Niles, IL, formerly of South Boston, died
on Thursday, January 16, at the Holy Family Medical Center in
Des Plaines, IL.
Mr. Davis was born in Halifax County on June 1, 1924, the son
of the late Frank Davis and Ester Owens Davis. He was a World
War II Army veteran and former employee of the Boston Lumber Co.
He was formerly married to Rosa Davis of South Boston.
His survivors include three daughters: Gloria Davis and Sandra
Davis-Johnson of Forestville MD and Audrey Sehon of Sunnyvale,
CA and a sister: Rosa Goode of Suitland, MD.
A funeral service will be held on Mon., February 24 at 11 a.m.
at Old Post Chapel, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, with
the Bishop Joseph Taylor officiating.
Funeral services for Wayne H. Scearce, 67, were held Sunday at
the Wrenn-Yeatts North Main Chapel in Danville with burial in
Highland Burial Park.
The Rev. Samuel Greeson officiated.
Mr. Scearce, a Raleigh resident for 20 years, also had a home
in the Alton community of Halifax County.
He was retired form the Jesse Jones Division of Goodmark Foods
where he was a sales manager.
He was of the Baptist faith.
Mr. Scearce died Thursday, January 23, following an automobile
accident in Halifax County.
He was born August 22, 1935 in Pittsylvania County, a son of the
late Sidney Jackson Scearce and the late Lelia Parrish Scearce.
Mr. Scearce is survived by his wife, Shirley Lawhorne Scearce,
of Raleigh, two sons, Michael Wayne Scearce of Danville and Dennis
Ray Scearce of Creedmoor, N.C., one daughter, Debra Kay Scearce
of Halifax, two brothers, Harold Scearce of Danville and Martin
Scearce of Norfolk, four sisters, Thelma S. Adkins of Danville,
Frances S. Bass of Ringgold, Catherine S. Trent of Burk Burnett,
Texas, and Linda S. Brewer of Danville.
Also surviving are five grandchildren, Michael J. Scearce, Kimberly
Wayne S. McDaniel, Melissa S. McGee, Leah B. Jackson and Betsy
R. Jones, and one great-grandchild, Sydney Elizabeth Jones.
Mr. Scearce was predeceased in death by two brothers, Buford and
Leland Scearce.
Charlie Madison Suttenfield, M.D., 76, of Lynchburg, Virginia,
died January 1 following a long battle with cancer.
Dr. Suttenfield was born September 6, 1926 in Lynchburg to the
late Rev. Dr. John Lee Suttenfield and Hazel Richardson Suttenfield.
He is a graduate of the University of Richmond and the Medical
College of Virginia. He was acknowledged for implementing advanced
surgical techniques in the Lynchburg area such as corneal transplants,
intraocular lens implants, and radial keratotomy (RK). In addition,
he was recognized for his work in helping to establish Emergency
Medicine departments at Petersburg General Hospital, Johnston-Willis
Hospital and Chippenham Hospital. During 1982, he gave service
as an ophthalmic medical missionary overseas in Haiti and Nigeria.
He also served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946.
He has coached football and basketball at Halifax County High
School, Fork Union Military Academy and Hargrave Military Academy.
During 1953-1955, he held the position of third baseman for the
semi-professional baseball team, South Boston Wrappers.
His survivors include his wife, Elsie Jean Paige; four children:
Charles Wayne Suttenfield, Suzanne S. Freeman, Sally Suttenfield
and Kelley Suttenfield; a grandson: Jesse Lee Freeman and a brother:
James Emerson Suttenfield. Another brother, Reverend Dr. John
L. Suttenfield II, and an infant sister preceded him in death.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 1 at 11
a.m. at the Fairview Christian Church, 2701 Campbell Ave., Lynchburg,
VA 24501. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the
church.