Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Morgan Jury Selection Underway
Capital Murder Trial Expected To Begin With Thursday Morning Opening Arguments

Facing a possible death sentence, Xenia Uzella Morgan pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of 70-year-old Lillian Beatrice Taylor during her arraignment Monday.

In what has been described by Sheriff Jeff Oakes as a "brutal and senseless" stabbing, Taylor was murdered in her home on Quarles School Trail in the Nathalie community during the early morning hours of May 9, 2003.

Selecting a jury for the trial was taking longer than expected, court officials said yesterday.

After beginning the jury selection process at 1 p.m. Monday, by Tuesday morning defense and prosecution attorneys had chosen seven jurors after interviewing 12.

By press time yesterday, 12 jurors had been selected.

Twenty-four jurors must be named before opening arguments in the capital trial can commence.

Court officials said yesterday that opening arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday morning at 9 a.m.

Morgan, 32, pleaded not guilty to one count of capital murder and one count of robbery Monday.

She is being defended by Douglas Ramseur of the Virginia Capital Defense Team in Richmond, and attorney Glenn Berger.

Halifax County Commonwealth's Attorney Kim White is prosecuting the case.
Shortly after the crime, Oakes said Taylor's home looked like the scene of a "tremendous struggle".

Although the violent nature of the crime made it difficult for investigators to determine exactly what happened, police said they suspected robbery was the motive and believed the home had been ransacked.

Taylor was cut and stabbed more than 70 times during the struggle, according to an autopsy report.

Morgan was taken into custody at her nearby residence shortly after police arrived at the murder scene.

She was not formally charged in connection with Taylor's death until she had been treated for several injuries.

Mayor Thackston Takes Oath, Ed Owens Elected Vice Mayor
SoBo Council Unanimously Approves Strategic Goals And Approves Code Amendment For Certain Traffic Offenses

South Boston Mayor Carroll Thackston and three councilmen took the oath of office Monday night, and councilmen unanimously elected Ed Owens their vice-mayor.

General District Judge Joel Cunningham administered the oath of office to Mayor Thackson, new Council member Morris Bryant and re-elected members Coleman Speece and Chris Elliott during the Monday night meeting.

Council also unanimously adopted the 2004-06 Strategic Goals developed during last week's Friday-Saturday retreat.

Those goals include consolidation of selected county and town services including the following:

• Continuing to work with the county, Town of Halifax, and other participating localities on a Halifax County Utility Master Plan: 2005-2015, leading to the establishment of a Water and Sewer public Service Authority owning, operating and managing all existing and future public water and sewer systems in Halifax County.

• Continuing to work with county on implementing the Southside Regional Service Authority with Charlotte, Mecklenberg and Lunenburg counties for regional solid waste disposal.

• Continue to work with county on developing a Solid Waste Public Service Authority for Halifax County that owns, operates and manages all public solid waste collection and transport facilities and equipment to include the location of any facilities within the corporate limits of South Boston.

• Consolidation of Halifax County Library into one centrally located facility in the Halifax County Urban Planning Area.

• Continuing to work with county to improve the E-911 Communication System.

• Develop a system to the Town and the Halifax County Court System via computer to enhance information sharing for law enforcement purposes.
• Work with Halifax County on improving elementary school facilities in South Boston.

Other goals include capital improvement projects. Among those are:
• Closure of the town's landfill in 2007.

• A Public Works shell building on Hamilton.

• Development of a Sinai area community park

• Storm water management improvements.

• The completion of a Geographic Information System.

• Demolition and disposal of Taylor Building through available grant programs or through town workforce.

Grant-dependent Capital Projects

FY 2005-06 Through

FY 2009-2010

A. Church Hill CDBG Neighborhood Improvement Grant. Planning grant 2004-2005; construction grant 2005-2006.

B. North Main Street: TEA-21 Improvement Grant. FY 2004 application. Neighborhood Area Plan.

4. Strategic Planning and Land Use Development Goals.

Strategic Planning and Land Use Development Goals

Economic Development

A. Continue to aggressively pursue relation ship with Virginia Main Street to encourage the retention, expansion and new development of specialty retail, professional services and offices in the downtown business area.

B. Encourage historic redevelopment within and around the Crossing of the Dan site and develop a plan for promotion as a tourist destination.

C. Maintain and market Enterprise Zone incentives to encourage business expansion and development.

In other business, councilmen unanimously approved an amendment to a section of the town code relating to reimbursement of certain traffic incident expenses incurred in responding to DUI and other traffic incidents, including reckless driving, driving without a license or a suspended or revoked license, and improperly leaving the scene of an accident.

State code provides that any locality may provide by ordinance that a person convicted of violating those provisions shall be liable in a separate civil action for reasonable expenses incurred by the locality or volunteer rescue squads when providing emergecy response to accidents or incidents related to such violations.

Personal liability under the section cannot exceed $1,000 in the aggregate for particular accident or incident in the locality.

In determining the reasonable expenses, a locality may bill a flat fee of $250 or a minute-by-minute accounting of the actual costs incurred.

In other business, Mayor Thackston made commmittee assignments, naming Tom Raab chairman of the Finance Committee. Serving with Raab are Owens and Speece.

Elliott was named chairman of the Current Issues Committee. Named to serve with Elliott are councilmen Eric Roberts and Bryant.

On motion by Elliott, with a second by Owens, Council unanimously named Jimmy Popek to the Industrial Development Authority, a slot previously held by Supervisor Doug Bowman who declined to serve.

Tobacco Auctions Begin Aug.10
Contract Receiving Centers Open The Same Week

Tobacco auction sales get underway at South Boston’s only warehouse, the Planters-New Brick, on August 10 according to an annoucement made yesterday by the USDA.

South Boston will be sharing a single set of buyers with Danville, one of three sets assigned to the Old Belt Flue Cured Tobacco Market.

Grading staff for South Boston will be Joe Seamster, Tom Zimmerman, Delbert Pool and Sam Reynolds.

The August 9 opening of the Old Belt auction markets follows Area C (North Carolina) opening on August 4 and Area A&B (Georgia) on August 3.

Florida has no auction market, only contract purchase centers.

Contract receiving center openings are set as follows:

•Danville–Week of August 9 (Philip Morris)

•South Hill–Week of August 9 (RJR & PM)

•Clarksville–Week of August 2 (Gold Leaf)

Growing conditions this year could hardly be better and a number of area producers have already begun harvesting and curing.

Even so, this year’s Old Belt opening is almost two weeks later than last season’s July 30 auction starts.

A total of 38 warehouses (14 operated by Flue Cured Stabilization Corporation) held auctions in 2003.

South Boston sold 1,186,353 lbs for an average of $173.72 in 2003. In 2002, gross sales on the local mart totaled 2,211,860 for an average of $175.10 cwt.
For the second year in a row, companies showed very little buying interest in tobacco sold at auction, resulting in a very high percentage of auction tobacco being placed into the loan program.

Producers' or net sales totaled 505,617,000 pounds, representing 91.5 percent of the 2003 effective quota, and included an estimated 55.3 million pounds of carry-over tobacco from 2002 production. Auction sales totaled 95,603,000 gross pounds, and averaged $179.44 – up $3.72 from the previous season.

Contract centers received 411,978,909 pounds for the season and averaged $186.48 up $2.09 from last season. Total flue-cured sales for the season amounted to 507,582,000 million gross pounds and returned an average of $185.16 per hundred. Last year, 571,289,900 million pounds averaged $182.57 per hundred.

Nonauction sales by producers, other than contracted tobacco, reported through October 31, totaled 2,039,112 pounds, and nonauction sales by warehouse/dealers totaled 185,118 pounds.

Only Two Teams Remain Standing
Halifax County South, Scottsburg Are Left In The Major League West Subdistrict Tournament

BY DOUG FORD | GV Staff Writer

Halifax County South (HCS) and Scottsburg were the two teams left standing in the Dixie Youth Baseball District 2 Major League West Subdistrict Tournament in Halifax entering last night's play.

Halifax County South defeated Scottsburg 3-0 Monday night to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series to determine the subdistrict championship after eliminating Halifax 6-1 the night before.

The subdistrict tournament this season is a three-team format, with the South Boston all-stars, host of the state tournament later this month, receiving an automatic bye.

HCS 3, Scottsburg 0
(Monday)

Scott Rickman's sacrifice fly in the first inning scored Josh Rogers, and Michael Puryear's two-RBI base hit in the fourth backed the complete-game performance of hurler Tyquan Graves, as HCS defeated Scottsburg.

Graves allowed no runs on five hits, while striking out nine batters and walking one in six innings of work.

Scottsburg used three pitchers to hold HCS to four hits for the contest, Christian Waller hurling the first three innings, Davon Greene the fourth, and Luke Griles the fifth and sixth innings.

Waller gave up one run on three hits, with six strikeouts, while Greene gave up two runs on one hit and a walk.

Griles gave up no runs on one hit, with one strikeout.

HCS had two hits in the first inning to produce the first run of the contest.

Leadoff hitter Rogers bunted for a base hit, and went to third on two passed balls, before scoring on Rickman's sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

Scottsburg responded by getting two of its five hits in the bottom of the first inning.

Thomas Nichols and Griles got one-out base hits, and Davon Greene reached on a two-out error to load the bases for Scottsburg, but Graves got a strikeout to end the threat.

HCS threatened to score again in the third, Nat Carver reaching base after being hit by a pitch and Ralph Tuck smacking a double to put runners at second and third with two-out.

Scottsburg pitcher Christian Waller got a big strikeout to get out of the inning, but HCS added two runs the next inning.

Rogers reached base on an error to start the inning, and Tyler Long followed with a walk.

Puryear's single plated two runs for a 3-0 lead, but Scottsburg got out of the inning on two groundouts and a diving stab of a groundball by second baseman Zach Clem, who threw to first for the third out of the inning.

Both teams played good defense throughout the game, each team recording a double play.

Kelcey Campbell reached first on an error for HCS to start the fifth inning, with Curtis Reagan sacrificing pinch runner Demetre Faulkner to second.

Faulkner raced to third, and Taylor Elliott lay down another sacrifice bunt, the throw going to first for out two and home to nip Faulkner for the third out of the inning.

HCS used a double play to erase a Scottsburg threat in the fourth inning.

Thomas Nichols singled for Scottsburg with one out, and Griles followed with a grounder to short, HCS shortstop Tyler Long tagging second and throwing to first to complete the double play.

Scottsburg threatened again in the fifth inning, Waller hitting a leadoff double and Greene drawing a walk, but Graves got three consecutive strikeouts to end Scottsburg's final bid.

Nichols had two base hits to lead Scottsburg, Waller had a double, and Cordaro Brown and Griles each a single.

HCS had four hits, including Tuck's double, and singles by Puryear, Graves and Rogers.

HCS 6, Halifax 1
(Sunday)
Scott Rickman hit two home runs, one in a three-run sixth inning that broke the game open, as HCS eliminated Halifax with a 6-1 win.

Rickman also had a single to finish with three hits for the contest, while Michael Puryear hit two singles, and Tyler Long, Curtis Reagan and Taylor Elliott (double) one hit apiece.

Halifax collected three hits for the contest, L.J. Barnett smacking a double, and Markee Brooks and Nick Anderson getting base hits.

Halifax scored the first run of the game in the first inning, Dru Henderson drawing a one-out walk, going to second on a passed ball, and scoring on a two-out error.

Rickman hit his first home run to lead off the second for HCS, Puryear followed with a single, and Aaron Mitchell walked, but Halifax turned a double play to get out of the inning without further damage.

Halifax had two baserunners in both the third and fourth innings without scoring, while HCS scored single runs in the third and fourth innings for a 3-1 advantage.

Reagan singled with one out inthe third, went to second on a passed ball and scored on Elliott's double.

In the fifth, Tyquan Graves reached base on a fielder's choice, advanced to second, stole third base, and scored on a throwing error.

HCS scored three insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning, and used a double play to extinguish the final Halifax threat in the bottom of the inning.
Tyler Long singled, and went to third on passed balls, Graves drew a walk, and Long stole home, before Rickman's second homer of the game.

Puryear's second base hit of the game completed the rally.

Barnett doubled and Brooks singled with one out for Halifax in the bottom of the sixth, but a double play ended the game.

Obituaries

Mason Anderson

Mason 'Doc' Anderson, 78, of 1173 Joe Jackson Trail, Halifax died July 10 at his home.

Mr. Anderson was born in Halifax County on September 29, 1925, the son of the late Jerry Lee Anderson and the late Mary Petty Anderson, and was married to Evelyn Easley Anderson. He was a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church and Hiram Lodge #2 AM&FM in Washington, D.C.

Survivors include his wife; his children, John A. Glass and wife, June, of Clinton, Md., Sarah Anderson of Laurel, Md., Erna M. Anderson of Capitol Heights, Md., Mason Anderson Jr. and wife, Lacreasha, of Germantown, Md., and Jerry L. Anderson and wife, Vernice, of Clinton; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Anderson will be held July 17 at 11 a.m. at New Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie N. Yancey officiating. Burial will follow in Elkhorn Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends July 16 from 6-9 p.m. at Dunn & Sons Funeral Home, 540 North Main Street, Halifax, and other times at the home.

William Hensley Hundley Jr.

William 'Bill' Hensley Hundley Jr., 78, of Greensboro, N.C. died July 12 at Moses Cone Hospital.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow, July 15 at Lawndale Baptist Church, of which he was a member, with the Rev. Dr. Joe Giaritelli officiating.

Mr. Hundley was a native of Fitzpatrick, WVa., the son of the late William Hensley Hundley Sr. and Bessie Mae St. Clair Hundley, and was married to Virginia Shaw Hundley. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy having served during World War II where he earned 11 battle stars and a citation from Admiral Nimitz. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a deacon at his church.
Mr. Hundley was a retired store manager with Tucker-Jones Furniture and was currently employed with Burtner Used Appliances.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Christine Parsons and Jo Robertson. His survivors include his wife; one son, William 'Bill' Hensley Hundley III and Cindy Nash of Greensboro; one brother, Dr. Ralph Hundley of Indianapolis, Ind.; four sisters, Mary Simpson of Roanoke, Norma Akers of Raleigh, N.C., Peggy Langford of Vienna, and Dorothy Straightift of Wilmington, Del.; three grandchildren, Martin Hundley, Elliott Hundley and Cindy Wilson; two great-grandchildren, Kayla Wilson and Hayley Wilson; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ruby and Robert Robertson of Roanoke.

The family will receive friends this evening, July 14 from 7:00 until 9:00 at Forbis & Dick Funeral service North Elm Street.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Building Fund c/o Lawndale Baptist Church, 3505 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro, 27408.

Edward Brown Lindsey

Edward Brown Lindsey, 78, of Saxe died July 13.

Born November 28, 1915, in Campbell County, he was the son of the late Chapman Brown Lindsey and Alma Rice Lindsey. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Lena Grove Lindsey; three infant children; four brothers, and one sister.

Survivors of Mr. Lindsey include three children, Michael W. Lindsey and his wife, Faye, of Clover, Dolly Lindsey Gilbert and husband, Jesse, of Forest, and Danny Lindsey of Randolph; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a half brother, Frank Lindsey of South Boston.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow, July 15 in the Southhall United Methodist Church with burial in the Saxe Community Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Browning Funeral Home in Keysville from 7:00 to 8:30 this evening, July 14.

John Thomas Moore

John Thomas Moore, 73, of Powell, Tenn. died July 11 at Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee, Knoxville.

Mr. Moore was born March 14, 1931 in Chatham, the son of Flournoy Bouldin Moore and Grace Elizabeth Marilla Moore, and was married to Bonnie Marshall Moore of the home. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1948, serving in the Korean Conflict and was a Machinist Mate Chief Senior Petty Officer. He graduated from Linestone College with cum laude honors, and before his retirement, Mr. Moore was a purchasing agent for Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

Survivors include his wife; one son, Johnny Moore; one daughter, Brenda Moore Wilson of Charlotte, N.C.; six brothers, Shelton Moore, Lawrence 'Phil' Moore, William 'Ruben' Moore, Douglas Moore and Keister Moore, all of Danville, and Kenneth Moore of Port Orange, Fla.; four sisters, Serrelya Blalock of Pfafftown, N.C., Jean Maggio of Port Orange, Anne Arbogast and Carolyn Meggison, both of Danville; one grandson; and one great-grandson.
Mr. Moore was also preceded in death by two brothers, Bouldin Moore and Guy Hoover Moore.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow, July 15 at Swicegood Funeral Home Chapel in Danville at 11 a.m. Burial with Military Honors by American Legion Dan River Post #1097 Honor Guard will be at Danville Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends this evening, July 14 from 7:00 until 8:30 at Swicegood Funeral Home, and other times at the home of Ruben and Nancy Moore, 3729 Westover Drive, Danville.

Warren Harding Thomas

Warren Harding 'Fuzzy' Thomas, 83, of Clarksville died July 11 in South Boston.

The son of George W. and Eliza Redd Thomas, he was born in Mecklenburg County.

Graveside services were held July 13 at 11 a.m. at Gravel Hill Church Cemetery.

Mr. Thomas is survived by his nieces and nephews, Nancy Hatcher, Brenda Waggoner and Willie Lee Waggoner, all of South Boston, Roy Allen Waggoner of Chester, Walter Thomas of Virgilina, and Ann Smiley and Wayne Thomas, both of Clarksville.

Dorothy Mae Vassar

Dorothy Mae Vassar, 61, of 103 Rosehill Drive, South Boston died July 9 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Ms. Vassar was born in Halifax County on September 29, 1942, the daughter of John D. Vassar and Bessie Seay Vassar, both deceased. She was a member of Clover United Methodist Church.

Survivors include three sisters, Mary V. Tharpe of Clover, Joyce V. Moon of Saxe, and Mabel V. Hall of Evington. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a brother, John D. Vassar Jr.

Graveside services were held July 11 at 2 p.m. at Mt. Laurel United Methodist Church Cemetery. The Rev. Bonnie Pizzeck officiated.