Lawrence Maurice "Kool-Aid" Watson, 23, of South Boston, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, with all but 21 suspended, for the second-degree murder of his girlfriend, Kimberly Ann Martin in July 2001.
Rather than face first degree murder charges, Watson pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of his 21-year-old girlfriend whose body was found in the basement of the Briggs Street home the couple shared with their infant child.
Police discovered the 18-month-old child alone and unattended in the bedroom of the home during their initial investigation.
Kim Martin's death was caused by " suffocation or strangulation or both," according to Petra Blanchard, assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Halifax County.
State Medical Examiner Dr. John Fernandes, during a preliminary hearing, described in detail how Martin Had sustained multiple contusions and abrasions on her scalp, face, neck, both arms, abdomen, things, buttocks, both legs and even the instep of her right foot.
Because the autopsy was not performed soon enough after Martin's death, the Medical Examiner said that he could not determine what "mechanism" might have been used to effect strangulation.
Fernandes said that Martin's injuries were "conducive with assaultive behavior."
Watson claimed that Kim Martin had fallen and struck her head on a bedroom dresser and that her death was accidental.
South Boston Police Lt. Rick Loftis said that numerous empty beer cans were in the house and, according to the autopsy, Kim Martin had a blood/alcohol content of .19 percent at the time of her death.
Watson had been an outstanding athlete while attending Halifax County High School. He finished school and attended college in Petersburg briefly.
Kim Martin also attended Halifax County High and was said to have been an accomplished student. However, she dropped out of school in her senior year just prior to graduation.
A first degree murder conviction would have carried a penalty of 20 years to life in prison. The penalty for second degree murder ranges from five to 40 years.
According to Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker, Watson isn't likely to be out of prison before 2022. When he is released, Watson will be placed under two years of active supervision and must be of good behavior for 40 years.
Kimberly's mother, Bonnie Forlines, now has custody of the child.
During the sentencing hearing, Forlines testified that her life would never be the same.
"It's been a major change," she said. "My husband and I married in 1999, and we had to decide whether he wanted to raise a child."
Forlines said that she and her husband have attended counseling to deal with the grief of losing a child and staying together.
In going through her daughter's belongings, Forlines said she found a letter that her daughter had written.
"It told me what I already knew, that Kim feared for her life," she added.
"I had to pay for Kim's funeral," she said.

It was a long day in County Circuit Court Monday for James Earl Hodge, a 19-year-old Mountain Road, Halifax, resident.
Hodge was sentenced to a total of 66 years in prison, with an active term of 26 years, for eight charges in connection with the drive-by shooting death of Douglas Witcher last year.
Immediately after his sentencing, Hodge was arrested by the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm while in possession of cocaine, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
Judge Leslie M. Osborn had earlier sentenced Hodge to 35 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Douglas Witcher last June 25, during the drive-by shooting in the Meadville community.
In addition, Osborn sentenced Hodge to five-year prison terms for discharging a firearm from a vehicle, the malicious wounding of Luther Powell, and conspiring to discharge a firearm from a vehicle.
Hodge was also sentenced to five years in prison each for shooting at an occupied dwelling and conspiring to shoot at an occupied dwelling.
Osborn suspended all but 20 years for the second-degree murder conviction, and ordered Hodge to serve that time consecutively with two three-year terms for using a firearm to commit murder and using a firearm to commit malicious wounding.
The court ordered the suspended portions of Hodge's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for 30 years, starting immediately, and ordered Hodge to serve a two-year period of supervised probation upon his release.
Hodge will receive credit for time served.
Judge Osborn also ordered Hodge to pay restitution in the amount of $1,590.08 to Luther Powell, and to undergo substance abuse screening.
Also arrested Monday was Dave Logan Hodge Sr., 47, of Mountain Road, in Halifax, according to the Drug Task Force.
Hodge was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm while in possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the Drug Task Force reported.
Dave Hodge Sr. is currently incarcerated at the Halifax Adult Detention Center under no bond.
The charges Monday against James Hodge and Dave Hodge Sr. are a result of multiple searches conducted during an investigation that began last June 25, when Witcher, 22, was killed as a result of the driveby shooting at a residence on Beulah Road, according to authorities.
Powell, age 20, of Henry's Trail in Nathalie, also a victim of the driveby shooting, was treated and released from Halifax Regional Hospital.
Also sentenced Monday for his role in the incident was 17-year-old Dave Logan Hodge Jr. of Halifax, the son of Dave Logan Hodge Sr. and the younger brother of James Hodge.
Dave Hodge Jr. was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Douglas Witcher, and to five-year terms for each of four other convictions, for a total of 55 years.
Those convictions included discharging a firearm from a vehicle, shooting at an occupied building, conspiring to discharge a firearm from a vehicle and conspiring to shoot at or against an occupied building.
Judge Osborn suspended all but 20 years in prison on the murder conviction, conditioned on Hodge's good behavior for 55 years, starting immediately.
Hodge will receive credit for time served.
The court additionally ordered Hodge to be placed on supervised probation for two years following his release, and to undergo substance abuse treatment.
White Sentenced to 36 Years for Cocaine-Related Convictions
A 26-year-old South Boston resident was sentenced Monday to a total of 36 years in prison for three cocaine-related convictions.
Judge Osborn sentenced Kareem Lamont White to 12 years each in prison for two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Judge Osborn additionally convicted White of a probation violation, ordering him to serve a five-year sentence to run concurrently with White's 36-year sentence.
The court ordered White's operator's license be suspended for 18 months, and ordered White to undergo substance abuse screening.
White will receive credit for time served.
· Giles Zorro King, 21, of South Boston, was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance.
Judge Osborn suspended all but one year and seven months of King's sentence, conditioned on his good behavior for 10 years, beginning immediately.
The court additionally ordered King to be placed on supervised probation for one year upon his release, suspended his operator's license for six months, and ordered him to undergo substance abuse treatment and random drug tests.
· Joseph Sydnor Jr., 41, of Nathalie, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for unlawful wounding.
Judge Osborn suspended all but one year and four months of Sydnor's sentence, conditioned on Sydnor's good behavior for five years, beginning immediately.
The court additonally ordered Sydnor to be placed on supervised probation for one year following his release, to undergo random drug tests, and to undergo substance abuse treatment.
Sydnor will receive credit for time served.
· Antwain Levell Harris, 22, of Alton, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance.
Judge Osborn suspended all but one year, two months of Harris' sentence, conditioned on his good behavior for five years, beginning immediately.
The court additionally ordered Harris to be placed on supervised probation for one year following his release, to undergo random drug testing, and ordered Harris' operator's license to be suspended for six months.
· Melissa Palmer Jones, 36, of Nathalie, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for breaking and entering the residence of Cynthia Stevens.
Judge Osborn suspended all but 10 days in jail, conditioned on Jones' good behavior for five years, and authorized her to serve her sentence on weekends.
The court ordered Jones be placed on supervised probation for 12 months, beginning immediately, and to undergo substance abuse screening.
Jones will receive credit for time served.
· James Thomas Ferrell, 23, of South Boston, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for possession with intent to a distribute Schedule I or II controlled substance.
Judge Osborn suspended all but seven months of Ferrell's sentence, followed by his entry into and completion of the Diversion Center program.
The court ordered the suspended portion of Ferrell's sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for five years, and ordered him to be placed on supervised probation for one year following his release.
The court additionally suspended Ferrell's operator's license for six months.
· James Lloyd Terry, 31, of South Boston, was convicted Monday of a probation violation.
The court revoked 18 months of Terry's previously suspended prison sentence, extended supervised probation for Terry an additional one year, and ordered Terry's period of good behavior extended five years starting immediately.
· Larry Francis Thomas Jr., 27, of Nathalie, was convicted Monday of an amended indictment of being an accessory after the fact in the breaking and entering of the residence of David Rudosinovich.
Thomas was also convicted of an amended indictment of the petty larceny of property belonging to Rudosinovich.
Thomas is free on bond until sentencing in a future term of court.
· Timothy Edward Noell, 29, of Alton, was convicted Monday of a probation violation.
The court revoked two years of Noell's previously suspended prison sentence.
· Christopher Mark Clay, 27, of Randolph, had a charge alleging he violated conditions of his probation dismissed Monday during a show cause hearing.

Citing cuts in funding, the board of directors of the Halifax Cancer Association (HCCA) voted last night to end their long-standing relationship with the Halifax County United Way.
"A unanimous decision to part with the United Way was made," HCCA Director Rhonda Reaves said.
"With funding drastically decreasing each year, changes in the budget and allocation process and lack of communication, we chose to withdraw from the United Way and campaign for funding on our own," she added.
Reaves said the decision was made thoughtfully, and there were no hard feelings between the agencies.
"We truly wish the United Way and the other agencies still funded by the United Way the best.
"The HCCA wants to thank everyone who has supported us through the year and asks for your continued support with our fund-raising events and through memorials and donations," she said.
But the United Way defended its position, saying they simply didn't raise enough money to fund everyone as they had in the past.
"The United Way's stance remains unchanged regarding the funding process of last year's campaign," United Way Director Beth Hochstein said.
"With the recent announcement from the Halifax Rescue Squad and now the Cancer Association's decision to leave our organization, our resolution to fund less secure agencies first has, in fact, been justified by recent statements made by both agencies," she continued.
Reaves said her group met with board members of the United Way last Monday and made the decision to have the board vote on whether to stay with the agency.
Reaves said she didn't get any satisfaction from Monday's meeting.
"I felt like we didn't get any answers to our critical questions," Reaves said prior to last night's meeting.
"A few months ago, the Rescue Squad and the Cancer Association received a letter saying we wouldn't be funded this year," she said. "It knocked us for a loop."
"Without a definite 'yes,' (regarding funding the agency) most of our board have suggested we end our association," Reaves added following last week's meeting.
The decision comes on the heels of an announcement late last week in which the Halifax County Rescue Squad severed their relationship with the charitable organization.
According to the release from the Rescue Squad, the only funding received was $1,893 that was specifically designated to the agency.
"In the past, the Rescue Squad received a percentage of the overall annual contributions to the United Way for the county," the press release said.
Hochstein said the group simply didn't have the funds to fully fund the two groups as they had in the past.
She added that the few available dollars the agency had went a long way toward helping less secure agencies.
"The $5,111.97 (combined) that they did receive last year could have been spent buying 98 people a week of groceries after their homes and belongings were destroyed by a fire/disaster," she said.
"It could have brought smiles to 343 mentally ill/challenged individuals during Christmas.
"Ninety-eight individuals trying to better themselves through obtaining their GED would have the books necessary to reach their goals," she added.
According to United Way President Ryan Garrett, the decision to fund certain agencies was based purely on practicality.
"The bottom line is we simply ran out of money," he said.
"It was heartbreaking for the committee to have to choose which worthy cause would be funded," he added in a press release issued in response to the Rescue Squad's decision.
Garrett said the United Way based their funding decisions on the financial needs of its member agencies.
"Volunteers representing our community and serving as the allocation decision-makers took a long, hard look at all of the agency budget requests.
"We had to look for the healthiest agencies and fund them last," he said.
"The less financially secure agencies were funded first.
"We simply ran out of money," he observed.
The Halifax County United Way has 12 member agencies, including the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Association for Retarded Citizens, Mental Health Association, The Volunteer Literacy Program, The Halifax County 4-H Club, YMCA, Salvation Army, Community Action Agency, The Mentor-Role Model Program and the Halifax County Cancer Association.
Garrett said each of the agencies got some funding, although the Rescue Squad and Cancer Association only received funds specifically designated for those groups.
"The only agencies that weren't funded beyond (the designated funds) were those two agencies," he said.
"No one agency in more important than another," Hochstein observed. "The allocation committee was faced with trying to do the most good with what the community gave them in a challenging economic year."
Reaves said anyone needing the services of the HCCA or wishing to make a donation could call 572-2714 or write HCCA, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, Va., 24592.

Monday's opening day of school dawned as a dreary, overcast morning with a slow, steady drizzle.
But the dreariness was overshadowed as smiling parents welcomed the rain and its respite from the stifling heat and youngsters smiled and laughed with the excitement and anticipation that comes with the start of a new school year.
A few tears were shed as family members escorted their young students to the school door and left them at school for the first time.
But, for the majority of Halifax County's students and their teachers, the new school year dawned on a good note.
"It went very well," Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt said of Monday's school opening.
"It was very quiet."
Witt said a few of the usual opening-day glitches cropped up but that overall, Monday's opening day was a very good day.
"We had some of the typical things that you always have on the first day, like students and parents wanting to switch classes, late enrollments, a few glitches with transportation and that sort of thing," Witt pointed out.
"Reports I received from the school principals indicated that everything went smoothly," added Witt.
"We are very pleased and hope that it is something that will carry over throughout the school year."
As far as the opening day numbers were concerned, Halifax County's first day attendance figure was down from last year's opening day mark.
School system officials reported 5,566 students were in class when schools opened Monday.
That was a decline of 229 students from last year's opening day attendance figure of 5,795 students.
Last year's mark was an increase of 65 students over the 2000 school year opening day attendance figure of 5,730 students.
Attendance figures improved a good bit yesterday with the numbers increasing by 176 students to a total of 5,742 students.
Of that total, there were 3,292 elementary students and 2,450 secondary students.
Halifax County High School reported 1,504 students in attendance yesterday.
Halifax County Middle School had 921 students.
Along with the good news that school attendance increased yesterday is the news that despite the ongoing drought, the school system is not experiencing any problems with water supplies at the county schools.
While some surrounding school systems are being forced to serve school meals on paper plates to conserve water, that's not in the offer for Halifax County - at least not in the immediate future.
Larry Roller, director of Maintenance and Operations for the school system, said water supplies at the county schools appear to be adequate for now.
Roller said that where most residential wells are 60 feet, 80 feet or 100 feet deep, wells at the county schools range in depth from 150 feet to 500 feet.
He also noted that with the school year being only two days old, there has not been enough time to gauge if there is a problem and how big a problem there is if a problem does, in fact, exist.
"It's just too early to tell," Roller said.
"We will be able to get a better grasp of the situation at the end of this week or at the end of next week."
Roller conceded that if a serious problem arises, a move to use paper plates in the cafeterias will be among the things considered.
"Going to paper plates would could cut consumption 30 to 40 percent."

South Boston Town Council authorized its town manager to enter into a lease agreement for a parcel of real estate in the town "that will be announced at a later date," according to the manager's office.
The action came Monday night during an unannounced meeting of the full council.
The meeting followed a work session by council's two standing committees.
It was then the full council convened and went into closed session.
Council also adopted a resolution authorizing Town Manager Ted Daniel to act as the town's representative in applying for a $1,784,800 Environmental Protection Agency grant. The grant will be used to help fund sewer repairs on the town's aging water system.
"Since the council was in full session, to expedite the EPA grant money, I asked them to approve the resolution," Daniel said yesterday.
Both actions are considered illegal by Maria Everett, director of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council.
According to the Freedom of Information Act, at least 72 hours prior public notice must be given before a public body can take action on any items.
This is to ensure that the public is aware of action taken by their governing bodies.
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act is a state law that gives the public the right to information about government actions in the Commonwealth.
During the Monday night meeting, Councilman Tom Raab made a motion that council meet in closed session to discuss a real estate matter.
Yesterday, Daniel denied any wrongdoing or impropriety by council's actions.
"No secret meeting or improper meeting took place, all the media were there, and we announced we were going into closed session," Daniel said in defense of council's actions.
During the regular, scheduled session, members of council received a presentation by the South Boston Police Department on the department's tactical team.
The two standing committees of the South Boston Town Council recommended putting five items on the agenda for their September 9 meeting.
Chief Jim Hall presented information to council about the tactical team, describing types of situations the team is deployed to control, costs of the operation and activities of the team since its inception in October, 1999.
"The tactical unit is a support unit that makes entry and secures the perimeter during deployments," Hall said. "Their primary mission is to protect the life and property of the citizens of South Boston.
"They assist but do not actually make arrests," he added.
Councilman Coleman Speece asked members of the team what kind of missions warrant the deployment of the tactical team.
"What prompts the use of the tactical team is any kind of high-risk warrant," said team leader Sgt. John Barber. "Any kind of search or arrest warrant where we suspect there may be weapons involved, or any barricade or hostage situation.
"We make sure any victims involved as well as the police officers stay safe," he added.
Based on the presentation, the team has an annual budget of $4,000, and most of the equipment is either provided by the federal government free of charge, or is the same equipment used for patrol, adding only vests, helmets and gun for tear gas.
"The work these men do is mostly voluntary," the chief said. "The only time these men are paid are when they are actually deployed."
The tactical team has been deployed 13 times since its inception, according to the presentation made by Hall.
One of the greatest benefits of the team is the rapid response when deployed.
"Within 30 minutes we can have a tactical unit deployed and ready to go," Hall said.
The formation of the team was precipitated by the increased drug and gang activity in the town in the years prior to the formation of the unit.
"One of the reasons that we saw the need for the tactical unit was the history that we have had here in South Boston," the chief said.
Speece agreed.
"We live in a different world today than we lived in a year ago," he observed. "We don't think that terrible things are going to happen in South Boston, but I suspect the people in Oklahoma City felt safe, too.
"You never know, it's comforting to have a group that is trained to respond to crime," the councilman added.
But the team is proud of one record they have achieved.
"Of all the tactical responses we've been deployed on, we've never fired a shot," Capt. B.K. Lovelace said.
Current Issues Committee
The current issues committee presented a request to close an unopened but dedicated right-of-way known as Edgehill Lane fronting Forest Drive.
Although there isn't currently a road on the property, it is dedicated on the plat as a roadway.
"The staff recommendation is to advertise September 9 for a public hearing and appoint a Board of Viewers to make a recommendation, " Town Manager Ted Daniel said.
The committee agreed to put a public hearing regarding the request on the agenda for the September meeting.
Members of the committee also agreed to hold a public hearing during their September meeting on a request for a special use permit by LGCK to put 21 townhouses in the Greenstone subdivision on Hamilton Blvd.
"Staff recommended approval to the planning commission, which in turn is giving a recommendation for approval to town council to consider," town planner Lee Pambid told the committee.
In addition, the committee recommended a public hearing for the Lake Country Agency on Agency to rezone eight acres on Route 360 across from the speedway from R-1 Low Density Residential to T-1 Transitional.
The property would be used by the agency to operate an 8,000 square foot adult daycare center.
The commission also agreed to put a Parker Road rezoning application on the agenda for a public hearing at their next meeting.
The application was made by Dwight Tucker to rezone 1.26 acres on Parker Ave. from R-2 Low Density Residential to R-3 Medium Density Residential.
Tucker's application would allow him to put a manufactured home on the property.
"A manufactured home isn't allowed in a R-2 district under any circumstances," Pambid told the committee.
Pambid reported to the committee that his office recommended denial of the application, because to approve it would constitute 'spot zoning.'
"Spot zoning is defined as a form of zoning whose sole purpose is to serve the private interests of one landowner instead of furthering the welfare of the entire community," Pambid reported.
The planning commission also rejected the application during its meeting earlier this month.
Members of the committee also put a public hearing on the agenda regarding an amendment to town code that will allow manufactured homes meeting certain design specifications in all residence districts.
"I've received several calls for putting single-wide and double-wide manufactured homes in areas not zoned R-3," Pambid said.
"What we've tried to do with this ordinance is to balance the issue faced by the buyers of the homes and also the issues faced by the town.
"The buyers want affordable housing and the town wants to protect the property values and character of existing neighborhoods," the planner said.
Pambid point out that certain changes made by the General Assembly required changes to the town ordinance.
"The General Assembly has made some changes and we need to adjust our ordinance to reflect those changes," he said. "There are also some changes we need to make as far as terminology."
Pambid said the current ordinance uses the term 'mobile home' rather than 'manufactured home.'
"Instead of saying 'HUD standards' we might say 'federal standards.'
"These are the little housekeeping items that we need to change," he observed.
Daniel said the amendment will allow council to retain control of where the manufactured homes go in the town.
"This ordinance has a few major features," the town manager said. "The first one is making manufactured homes permitted by special use permit.
"What this will enable the planning commission and council to do is control the location as well as the design of the homes," he added.
"With the special use process, you can determine whether or not a particular home is compatible with a particular neighborhood," Daniel said.
But Councilman Speece questioned whether the amendment was a good idea.
"They could put mobile homes in an R-1 (zone) and I can't imagine a situation where we would want to do that," he said.
But Daniel said under the amendment, council would still be able to control where the manufactured homes were put.
"They would be able to apply (to put manufactured homes in R-1)," he said.
"There is a community demand for affordable housing," Daniel said. "People want to be able to improve their quality of living and their standard of living.
"This is sort of a compromise, and I think we would be trailblazers," he added.
If approved, Pambid said South Boston would be the first locality to pass an amendment allowing the special use permit.
Council also addressed the need to find a replacement for Mary Ellen Hupp, who has recently resigned her position on the Halifax County Improvement Council.
Currently, there is no one available in the town's volunteer bank to consider for the position.
Finance Committee
Town Finance Director Vandie Saunders reported to the finance committee that the town currently has $1,390,185 in two separate checking accounts.
"We are also holding two certificates of deposit valued at $793,605," Saunders reported.
The town's cemetery fund currently has $423,996 in available funds.
The landfill currently has certificates of deposit valued at $501,304, and has $34,420 in available cash, Saunders reported.
"I think the town's general fund is in pretty good shape right now," the finance director said.
The only downside is the town's water and sewer fund, which has shown a loss due to upgrades on the system, and loss of industry in recent months, Saunders said.
The water and sewer fund is currently at minus $1,661,443.
"If we don't have a dramatic increase in funds due to a large industry coming into the area, we can't expect the water and sewer fund to just inflate back up," the finance director said. "It will level out and gradually come back up."

Ward Burton has seemingly mastered Darlington Raceway.
And he is hoping to continue his recent dominance of the famed track dubbed as "The Lady In Black," in Sunday's Mountain Dew Southern 500.
Burton is the defending champion of the Southern 500 and won the spring race in 2000 at the 1.366 mile egg-shaped oval.
In addition, Burton holds the Darlington qualifying record of 173.797 mph which he set March 22, 1966.
Yet, despite all of that, Burton says he's not really sure just how good he is at the track that is considered one of the harder tracks to master on the NASCAR circuit.
"I don't know how good I am at Darlington," Burton said.
"I've been lucky to have good cars there. We've been able to capitalize on two of the events but there's been at least three others where I felt like we had the car to win the race."
Burton said he feels his team needs to avenge itself from this year's spring race.
"We got caught in a wreck when the 20 car (Tony Stewart) got into the 44," Burton explained.
"We were running fifth then. We had just gotten the car pretty good. We were as good as anybody on the long runs. The first 20-25 laps we would get outsprinted a little bit."
Burton said the team plans to carry the same car that it raced at Darlington in the spring back to this weekend's race.
"We're going to work really hard to get it turning right so we can hopefully be a threat," Burton said.
Darlington, Burton says, is a challenge, not only to him, but to every other driver.
"The reason Darlington is so much more challenging is because we run six inches away from the wall in both corners," Burton pointed out.
"You can overshoot a little bit and that's when you get into the wall. Everybody in the garage has had that Darlington stripe and they're going to have another one before it's over with.
"Actually, both races we won there we had a stripe on both sides of the car," added Burton.
"It's alright to get a little stripe, It's not alright to get a big one. Most of the grip is close to the wall, so you're going to nip it a little bit every now and then with the right rear quarter."
Part of Burton's success at Darlington may lie in the fact that he likes the track.
"I think you've got to like Darlington," Burton said.
"There is a place where I know, and I might not get there and be able to run there in the first 300 miles, and it's hard to sit there and visually see, but when I get in that groove and get my car where it's working, my line changes.
"Even if it's only a couple of feet in each corner, that couple of feet adds a lot of miles per hour to me," he continued.
"I can't go into detail what it is, and it would be hard for me to explain it. I know I'm in the zone when I'm there and it definitely makes a difference."
Burton's car owner, Bill Davis, says he feels Burton is good at Darlington because Burton likes the track and takes it as a challenge.
"I think he always accepted it as a challenge and I know Darlington is one place his daddy, John Burton, always took the boys when they were real young," said Davis.
"Ward has always run good at Darlington. When he first went down there in a Busch car he ran great. I think that's the first place I noticed him.
"I think he goes into Darlington, and, instead of being intimidated by it and dreading it, like some people approach road racing, I think Ward goes in there and says like 'man, this is a tough place and all of my heroes ran well here. It takes a really great driver to master this place and not be intimidated by it,'" added Davis.
Davis says when he and Burton go to Darlington he expects good things to happen.
"I expect to have a car capable of winning the race when Ward Burton is driving at Darlington," said Davis.
"I think any time we've ever gone there with Ward we've been in position to win the race. I can't ever remember us going to Darlington and running terrible."
Burton, who won the season opening Daytona 500 and picked up another win at Loudon, NH, would like nothing better than to repeat as the winner at Darlington and add something else positive to a frustrating season in which he currently finds himself in 27th place in the Winston Cup Series points race with 12 races left.
"We're either battling for the win or we're trying to stay on the lead lap," Burton pointed out.
"There is no in between. I have not been able to give the proper input about the cars on some of the bigger racetracks. The team has not been able to have a baseline as to where to start and that gets us too far off."
Burton says he and the team have been trying different things every week in an attempt to find something that will bring more consistency.
"A lot of stuff has worked and a lot of stuff hasn't worked," Burton said.
"I think we've been pitiful at some places and we've gotten off the baseline. It used to be we could be horrible the first of the race and make adjustments and come back and run in the top five and have a shot at winning.
"Very rarely can we do that right now," he continued.
"I don't have any answers to it right now. We just need to find some consistency somewhere. We know how to win now. We've just got to get back to running consistently."

Hazel Nichols Granger

Hazel Nichols Granger, 73, of Woodbridge, died August 26, at her home.
Mrs. Granger moved to Woodbridge in 1961, where she worked for Mosier Insurance; she then worked for the Department of the Navy until she retired in 1992. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Woodbridge.
Survivors include her husband, Craddock Granger; one daughter, Donna Zumwalt of Mason Nick; three grandchildren, William, Andrew and David Zumwalt; four brothers, Alfred Nichols of Midlothian, Joseph, Edwin and Daniel Nichols, all of Halifax.
Services for Mrs. Granger will be held today, August 28 at 11 a.m. at Mountcastle Funeral Home in Dale City.
Graveside services will also be held at 11 a.m. August 29 at Winns Creek Baptist Church in Halifax County.

Oliver Russell Holt

Oliver Russell Holt, 87, formerly of Halifax County, died August 23 at Childs Nursing Home in Albany, NY.
Mrs. Holt was born in Halifax County and was married to the late William Holt.
Survivors include four sons, William Pete Holt of Albany, George Holt of Cleveland, Ohio, Lorenzo Holt of Clinton, CT and Fred Holt of Schenectady, NY.
Funeral services for Mrs. Holt were held August 27 at Union Missionary Baptist Church in Albany with burial in Evergreen Cemetery.

Mennis Lawson Payne

Mennis Lawson Payne, age 70, of Fredericksburg died at his home on August 24 after a brief illness with cancer.
Mr. Payne was a native of the Fredericksburg area and the son of Mr. and Mrs. George 'Slick Pot' Payne of Falmouth. After graduating from Falmouth High School, he served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Mr. Payne retired in 1990 from the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren. He was an active member of Elks Lodge #875 and the Knights of Phythias #221.
Survivors include his wife, Clara D. Payne; two daughters, Deborah P. Morris of South Boston, and Donna P. Saunders of Fredericksburg; one son, Zachary L. Payne of Fredericksburg; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two sisters, Mary Christine Gallahan and Florence Shelton, both of Fredericksburg; four brothers, Ivan Payne of Fairview Beach, Everett Payne, Carroll Payne, and Charles "Togie" Payne, all of Fredericksburg.
A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on August 27, at Covenant Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Jack A. Marcom Jr. officiating. Interment was in Falmouth Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Mary Washington Hospice, 2300 Fall Hill Ave., Suite 210, Fredericksburg, VA 22401, American Cancer Society, c/o Trudy Clifton, 113 Tallpines Ave., Locust Grove, VA 22508 or Knights of Phythias #221, 330 Wallace Lane, Fredericksburg, VA 22408