Friday, July 9, 2004

Bread Store, Vehicles Are Damaged In South Boston
Woman Is Charged With Driving On Suspended License

Structural damages totaling an estimated $8,000 to the Merita Bakeries store at 706 Hamilton Boulevard occurred Wednesday when, according to police, a GMC van slammed into the front of the building after striking another vehicle.
Charged with driving on a suspended operator’s license was Janice Chappell of South Boston.

According to South Boston Police Officer Bill Ozmec, Chappell’s van first struck and caused damages to a compact sedan owned by Teresa Comer.

Ozmec said that Chappell will also be charged with having no insurance on the vehicle she was operating.

Jesse Thomas Jones Jr., 33, of Powell Road in South Boston, was arrested Monday and charged with armed robbery in connection with an incident in Halifax Square Shopping Center, according to Investigator T.M. VanAernem.

Jones' arrest stems from an incident that occurred in front of the Dollar General store in which Jones alleged approached the victim and displayed an undisclosed weapon demanding the victims' pocketbook.

After fleeing the scene on foot, Jones was arrested without incident at his residence by Cpl. W.E. Fallen.

He is being held without bond at the Halifax Regional Jail.

The victim in the 2:37 p.m. incident allegedly suffered injuries and was transported to Halifax Regional Hospital.

Officers with the South Boston Police Department are currently seeking any information about a breaking and entering that occurred at Double Bubbles on Old Halifax Road Monday.

VanAernem said that officers responded to a report of breaking and entering at the location at approximately 6 a.m.

Police believe that entry was made through a rear door of the business.

The thief or thieves took an undisclosed amount of currency from the business.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call VanAernem at 575-7273 or Crimestoppers at 575-TIPS.

Alkairou A. Sadou, 21, of Greensboro, N.C., was arrested Monday and charged with passing a counterfeit check and the possession of fictitious state identification.

Sadou was arrested by Fallen as he attempted to cash a phony check at Food Lion in the Riverdale Shopping Center.

As Fallen arrived on the scene he spotted Sadou running across the shopping center parking lot and into a nearby restaurant.

The suspect was arrested without incident and is currently being held in the Halifax Regional Jail without bond.

Donald Lee Ballou, 40, of Philpott Road in South Boston, was arrested yesterday and charged with the assault and battery of a family member.

The alleged offense occurred yesterday.

Deputy D.H. Barksdale was the arresting deputy.

Morgan Murder Trial Set Monday
She Is Charged With The 2003 Murder Of Lillian Beatrice Taylor

Jury selection in the capital murder trial of Xenia Uzella Morgan is scheduled to begin Monday at noon in Halifax County Circuit Court.

Morgan, 32-year-old Nathalie resident, is charged with the May 9, 2003 murder of Lillian Beatrice Taylor, a neighbor of Morgan's.

She is also charged with the robbery of Taylor.

Taylor was murdered in her home on Quarles School Road, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department, in what Sheriff Jeff Oakes described as a "brutal and senseless" stabbing.

"Evidence from the crime scene suggests that Taylor fought for her life," added Oakes shortly after the crime.

Police sources said upon their arrival that it looked like the trailer had possibly been ransacked.

Taylor was cut and stabbed several times in the chest and throat, said Captain Larry Fears of the Sheriff's Department.

Commonwealth's Attorney Kim White, along with Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Michelle Gowdy, will prosecute the case.

White said the jury selection process is expected to last "at least" through Monday, with the trial lasting most of the week.

Morgan will be defended by Deputy Capital Defender Douglas A. Ramseur, along with Glenn Berger.

Judge William L. Wellons is presiding in the case.

Other Court
A 26-year-old South Boston man was sentenced Thursday to a total of 63 years in prison, with all but seven years, six months suspended, for convictions related to the armed robbery of a South Boston resident.

Antonio Maurice Jones was sentenced to 25 years in prison for breaking and entering the home of Reginald Jackson while armed on December 18, 2002, with the intent to commit robbery.

The court also sentenced Jones to 30 years in prison for the robbery of Jackson, to three years for using a firearm to rob Jackson and to five years for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

The court additionally sentenced Jones to a suspended 10-day jail term for failing to appear in court.

Judge Osborn ordered the suspended portions of Jones' sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 50 years, ordered him to be placed on probation for one year upon his release, and ordered him to submit to random drug tests.

• Russell Frankie Short III, 30, of Scottsburg, was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison for failure to perform construction work for Virginia Woltz Henderson after receiving an advance.

Judge Osborn suspended all but 10 days of Short's sentence, conditioned on his good behavior for 20 years, with weekend jail service authorized.

Short was also convicted Thursday of failing to appear in court, Judge Osborn ordering Short to serve the five-day sentence for that conviction concurrently with the 10-day sentence, for an effective sentence of 10 days in jail.

The court additionally ordered Short to be placed on probation for one year, effective immediately, to submit to random drug tests, and to pay $1,800 restitution.

Judge Osborn set an appeal bond of $1,000 for Short.

• Antonio Lee Dailey, a 24-year-old South Boston resident, was convicted Thursday of five drug-related felonies, after entering into a plea agreement with the Commonwealth.

Judge Leslie M. Osborn convicted Dailey of three counts of cocaine distribution and two counts of conspiring to distribute cocaine.

Under terms of the plea agreement, the Commonwealth agreed to nol pros an indictment charging Dailey with carrying a concealed weapon, and to dismiss an additional indictment charging Dailey with removing or altering a serial number on a firearm.

Judge Osborn sentenced Dailey to five years in prison for each of the five convictions, suspending all but two years, six months for one of the distribution convictions.

The court ordered Dailey to be placed on probation for one year following his release, to undergo random drug tests, and to a suspended operator's license for two years and six months.

• The court revoked first offender status Thursday for 41-year-old Michael Gregory Smith of South Boston, and convicted him of cocaine possession.
Judge Osborn sentenced Smith to five years in prison, suspending the entire term, conditioned on Smith's good behavior for five years.

The court ordered Smith to be placed on probation for one year, to submit to random drug tests, and to a restricted operator's license for six months, for travel to and from work and the probation department.

• Brent Maurice Crawley, 26, of Cluster Springs, was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for receiving stolen goods, a 1996 Ford automobile, according to court records.

The court suspended all but two years in prison, conditioned on his good behavior for 20 years, and ordered him to be placed on probation for one year upon his release.

The court additionally ordered Crawley to submit to random drug tests.

• Elizabeth Ann Brooks, 27, of South Boston, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine distribution.

Judge Osborn suspended all but one year in jail, conditioned on Brooks' good behavior for 10 years, ordered her to be placed on probation for one year upon her release, and ordered her to submit to random drug tests.

Tension Mounting Over Leaf Demand
Producers Expect Good Crop, Apprehensive Over Market

At least one tobacco producer said yesterday that he's anticipating a good crop this year, although he said many producers' optimism has been tempered by apprehension over a declining demand for American flue-cured leaf.

"If the season holds, it looks like we'll have a good crop all across the county," Don Anderson said. "It's looking pretty good."

Anderson said that although farmers could use some rain, the leaf seems to be maturing earlier than normal this season.

"I've been hearing about people harvesting in June," he said. "That's abnormal. My personal crop looks like it's going to be around two weeks earlier than normal."

A crop of the quality producers are expecting this year traditionally means more money in their pockets, but Anderson said that competition on the world market coupled with declining demand for American leaf made for a shaky situation.

"Unfortunately, we're all very apprehensive about the market situation because continuous foreign competition is getting tougher and the domestic situation with the impending buyout and domestic manufacturers like Dimon are shrinking the size of their business," he said. "We're all seriously concerned about the marketing prospects for what appears to be a very good crop of tobacco this year."

And producers aren't the only ones concerned.

Warehouseman Charlie Payne, who operates the New Brick Planter's Warehouse in South Boston, said yesterday that although he's planning to open around August 1, American producers simply aren't on a level playing field with the world market.

"I think Don's absolutely right," he said. "We've known all along that we aren't competitive with the world.

"We need to get the production costs down to be competitive," Payne said.
"We make the best product, but we need to make it cheaper."

Payne said he doesn't expect a very large demand for flue-cured leaf this year.
"I think it's going to be tough to have the demand at the present time," he said. "I don't think it's there. (This year's crop) will grade well, but we don't have the demand at the price structure we have now."

South Boston's lone warehouseman said that he's hopeful the market will be there this year.

"This is looking like a really good crop," he said. "I just hope there's going to be a demand for it this year.

More Tourneys Open This Weekend; One Ends Tonight
Halifax Co. Babe Ruth Baseball League Hosts District Tourney; DYB Sub-District Tourney Opens Today

BY JOE CHANDLER | GV Staff Writer

All but one in a series of district baseball and softball tournaments have ended and another wave of tourney action begins here this weekend.

Area baseball fans will continue to see plenty of action starting this weekend as the Cluster Springs-based Halifax County Babe Ruth Baseball League, for the first time, will host a district tournament.

Action in the Babe Ruth district tournament for 14-year-olds begins today at 5:30 p.m. at the field located at the Halifax County South baseball complex.

Chase City will face Brunswick in the tourney opener with host Halifax County facing South Hill at 8 p.m.

There will be three games on tap Saturday with Emporia facing the winner of Friday's opening game at 2:30 p.m.

A loser's bracket game will follow at 5 p.m. and, at 7:30 p.m., the winner of Friday's second game will face the winner of Saturday's first game in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap.

Action will continue on Sunday with a doubleheader with games scheduled at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

On Monday, the action will shift down to a single game to be played at 6:30 p.m. with the tournament title possibly being decided in that contest.

If needed, another single game to determine the district title will be scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Admission for the tournament will be $3 for adults and $1 for kids ages 7-12.
Kids ages six and under will be admitted free.

Also today, the Dixie Youth Baseball District 2 Major League West Subdistrict Tournament gets underway in Halifax at the Halifax Elementary School Field.

In tonight's tournament opener, Scottsburg will face host Halifax at 6:30 p.m.
Another single game is set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with Halifax facing Halifax County South.

On Sunday at 6:30 p.m., Scottsburg will face Halifax County South.

If the tournament stays on schedule, one of the three teams will be eliminated at the end of Sunday night's action.

The remaining two teams will then square off Monday at 6:30 p.m. in what could be a championship game.

If an additional game is needed, it will be played Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Also set for this weekend is the start of the Dixie Youth Baseball AAA (Minor League) District 2 championship playoff series.

Halifax, which won the West subdistrict title, will face the East subdistrict title winner in a best-of-three game playoff series with the games being played at alternating sites.

There was no word available yesterday on what day the playoff series will begin.

Thunderstorms have caused at least a one-day delay in the finish of the East Subdistrict.

Rain delays coupled with a late tournament upset that left three teams with one loss each entering last night's action has forced an extension of the Dixie Boys 13/14 district tournament at the Dixie Complex.

Previously unbeaten Clarksville lost to Prince Edward 4-3 Wednesday night, leaving those two teams and South Boston with one loss each.

Prince Edward drew the bye to tonight's 6 p.m. championship game and will face the winner of last night's South Boston-Clarksville game.

Obituaries

Bonnie Gail Crowder

Bonnie Gail Crowder, 45, of Detroit, Mich., formerly of Halifax County died July 3 in Detroit.

Ms. Crowder was born in Halifax County on May 4, 1959, the daughter of Mary Crowder Royal. She was a member of Owens Grove Baptist Church and was employed by Com Cast Cable Co. in Detroit.

Survivors include two sons, Kevin Crowder and Tyler Crowder, both of Detroit; her mother, and stepfather, James Royal Sr. of Detroit; four brothers, Calvin Crowder of Virgilina, Alvin Crowder, Stanley Crowder and Ronnie Crowder, all of Detroit; two stepbrothers, James Royal Jr. of Detroit and Howard Royal of
Ky; and a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Crowder of Virgilina.

Funeral services for Ms. Crowder will be held tomorrow, July 10 at 2 p.m. at Owens Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. John Leigh officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family is receiving friends at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Crowder, 2021 Virgilina Road, Virgilina.

Roger Scott Seamster

Roger Scott Seamster, 47, of Conway, S.C., died July 6 in Charleston, S.C.
Mr. Seamster was born in Lunenburg County the son of Stokley Owen Seamster Sr. and the late Virginia Talbott Seamster Clay. He was a truck driver for New South, Inc., and was formerly employed by Advance Auto.

Surviving in addition to his father of Gladys, is his wife, LeMoyne Seamster of Conway; one daughter, Amanda Hudson and husband, John, of Gladys; two stepsons, Timothy Switzer and Matthew Switzer, both of Roanoke; four brothers, Stokley Owen Seamster II of Mesa, Ariz., Danny L. Clay of Halifax, Dennis Clay of Brookneal, Donald Clay of Clover; four sisters, Ida Honyoust of Halifax, Dorothy Horta of Brookneal, Penny Milton of Gladys and Debra Clay of Brookneal; and his mother-in-law, Betty Ankrom of Conway.

A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 17 at 1925 Marshall Mill Road in Gladys.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, Pa. 23058-5216.