Halifax Man Is Guilty Of Grand Larceny

Christopher Allen Davis, 31, of Halifax, pleaded guilty Friday to the grand larceny of property from Airport Truck & Equipment Sales, the result of a plea agreement.
Judge Wellons sentenced Davis to 10 years in prison, with all time suspended, conditioned on Davis’ good behavior for 10 years.
The court remanded Davis to custody following the hearing to await charges in another jurisdiction.
• Gregory Pate Sr., 47, of Virgilina, entered an Alford plea Friday to an indictment charging him with cocaine possession.
Under terms of an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but realizes prosecution evidence would make a guilty finding at trial almost a certainty.
The court found evidence sufficient to convict Pate, but withheld its finding of guilt, continuing the case until a date in the March court term.
Pate is free on bond until that hearing.
• William Antwan Parks, 23, of South Boston, entered an Alford plea Friday to an indictment charging him with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
The Commonwealth nol prossed an additional indictment against Parks during the hearing, one charging him with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
Parks is free on bond pending sentencing in the March court term.
• Carol Murray Wolfe, 54, of South Boston, was convicted Friday of possessing a schedule I/II controlled substance.
Wolfe is free on bond pending sentencing in the March court term.
• Robert Lee Harris, 30, of South Boston, was convicted Friday of a probation violation.
The court revoked three months of Harris’ previously suspended prison sentence, with weekend jail service authorized
The court additionally ordered Harris to be placed on probation for one year following his release.
• Mark Anthony Lacks, 30, of Clover, pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor marijuana possession.
The court found evidence sufficient to convict Lacks, but withheld its finding of guilt, placing Lacks on first offender status and continuing the case to the January 2007 court term.
The court ordered Lacks to be placed on probation through Halifax-Pittsylvania Court Services for one year, to perform 100 hours of community service.
The court additionally ordered a restricted operator’s license for Lacks for six months.

 

SoBo Man Pleads Guilty Drug Charges

Crawley Facing Life In Prison On Seven Cocaine Distribution Counts

A 45-year-old South Boston man pleaded guilty earlier this month to drug charges that could mean life in prison, according to Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Department.
Joseph Junior Crawley, aka “Moochie,” of Lakewood Trailer Park, pleaded guilty to two counts of the distribution of crack cocaine, one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and four counts of subsequent offense of distribution of crack cocaine, according to police.
Crawley’s plea is the result of a two-year investigation conducted by members of the narcotics department.
Pulliam said the investigation revealed that individuals had been utilizing several residences in the trailer park as a meeting location for the distribution of crack cocaine and marijuana in South Boston, Halifax County and surrounding areas.
According to police, Crawley is currently free on a $7,500 secured bond and is expected to be sentenced in the near future.
In other police business, Timothy Earl Lloyd, 34, of Morton’s Ferry Road in Clover, was charged Monday with brandishing a firearm.
The alleged offense occurred November 9.
Deputy C.S. Yeatts executed the summons.
Danny Boy Johnson, 58, of the Fairmont Apartments in South Boston, was charged Monday with assault and battery.
The alleged offense occurred July 1.
Deputy D.W. Martin executed the summons.

 

Police Seeking Suspects In B&E

The South Boston Police Department is seeking information about an attempted breaking and entering yesterday morning, according to Investigator T.M. VanAernem.
VanAernem reported that at approximately 7:13 a.m., officers were called to John’s Amoco on Edmunds Street for a reported attempted break-in.
According to police, Senior Officer C.L. Tidwell was the first officer on the scene, and discovered that some time during the night someone attempted to gain entry into the business through two separate front doors.
“According to a report filed by Officer Tidwell, the owner reported approximately $50 worth of damage as a result of the incident,” VanAernem said.
Investigators with the department ask that anyone who may have been in the area during the night and seen anything that looked suspicious call the South Boston Police Department at 575-4271.
Citizens with information about this, or any other incident, can call Crimestoppers at 575-TIPS. Information will remain anonymous and those reporting may be eligible to receive a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individuals involved.

 

Obituaries

Shelby R. Bomar

Shelby R. Bomar, 66, of Chesterfield, died January 22, 2006. She was the daughter of the late William H. and Myrtle I. Rogers and was married to Roy H. Bomar.
Mrs. Bomar is survived by: her husband; one daughter, Beverly Rich and husband, Chris; five sisters, Mary E. Britting, Dorothy L. Lucero, Barbara A. Andrews, Carolyn R. Cullop, and Sandra L. Fitzgerald; three brothers, Bill H. Rogers Jr., Willard B. Rogers, and Bobby R. Rogers; and four grandchildren. Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, James E. Rogers.
Funeral services for Mrs. Bomar will be held tomorrow, January 26, at 10:00 a.m. at Morrissett Funeral Home, 6500 Iron Bridge Road, (Rt. 10), Richmond. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Mt. Laurel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Halifax County.
The family will receive friends this evening, January 25, from 6 until 8 at Morrissett Funeral Home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Arthritis Foundation – VA Chapter, 3805 Cutshaw Ave., Suite 200, Richmond, 23230.

Robert Lee Cross

Robert Lee Cross of 13248 Mountain Road, Vernon Hill, died January 22, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was born in Brandywine, Md., the son of the late Orem Cross and Edna Padgett Cross and was married to Linda Moran Cross. He was a member of the Halifax United Methodist Church.
Mr. Cross is survived by his wife; two sons, Robert L. Bobbitt of Miamisburg, Ohio and Jeffrey M. Cross of Nathalie; one daughter, Robin Lynn Gainey of Palmyra; five grandchildren, Shannon and Kristi Bobbitt of Miamisburg, Justin Fincham on active duty in Korea, Greyson and Zander Gainey of Palmyra; one great-grandson; and one sister, Elsie Beall of Upper Marlboro, Md.
Funeral Services for Mr. Cross will be held tomorrow, January 26, at 11 a.m. at Halifax United Methodist Church with the Rev. Randy Williams officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, January 25, from 7 until 8:30, at Powell Funeral Home and other times at the home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 133 Mountain Road, Halifax, 24558.

Harvey Stebbins Carrington

Harvey Stebbins Carrington, 81, of Winston-Salem, N.C., died January19, 2006, at Forsyth Medical Center. He was born October 18, 1924, in Halifax County, to George and Louise Stebbins Carrington.
Mr. Carrington was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who served in World War II. He was an electronic technician at AT&T where he retired after 30 years of service. He was also a longtime member of Fairview Moravian Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, George Carrington Jr.
Mr. Carrington is survived by his wife, Leota Marie Carrington; a stepdaughter, Willie Clark, and husband, Ralph; a stepson, Frank Craver, and wife, Kate; four grandchildren, Neal Clark and wife, Tina, Greg Clark, Katherine Craver Gladstone and Elizabeth McAlister and husband, Mark; six great-grandchildren, Steven, Taylor and Ashley Clark and Rob, Mary Kate and Mark McAlister; and a half-brother, Charles Carrington.
Funeral services for Mr. Carrington were held at 2 p.m. on January 21, at Fairview Moravian Church with interment in the Forsyth Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to Fairview Moravian Church, 6550 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27106, or to a charity of choice.

 

Grapplers Complete Home Sweep

The Halifax County High School wrestling team needed something positive to happen in the wake of a disappointing outing in last Saturday’s Amherst County Duals.

Halifax County lost all four of its matches in the Amherst County tourney, including one to Nottoway and finished last in the eight-team field.
Monday night, the Comets found a measure of redemption.
Halifax County completed a sweep of the season’s three home matches with a 39-29 win over Nottoway in the team’s annual Senior Night event. The win lifted the Comets’ record to 5-12 in dual match events.
“This was one was big,” said Comets coach Brady Taylor.
“We were disappointed with our performance on Saturday and we knew we had to come back and wrestle hard and stop making mistakes and be more aggressive. Everybody was more aggressive. Everybody wrestled better.”
Taylor said winning the match and completing a sweep of the team’s three home matches for the season was a good accomplishment for the team.
“I told the kids before the match that more than likely we’re not going to be able to say ten years from now that we’re state champions or something, but we can say we accomplished one of our goals, that we were undefeated at home,” noted the Comets coach.
It was only appropriate the Comets won on Senior Night, the night on which the team’s six seniors, Heather Oakes, Ray Albert, Charles Crawley, Damon Chambers, Robert Stanfield and Cavanaugh Smith were honored.
“I know they (the seniors) were excited about tonight,” said Taylor.
“It kind of sunk in that this was the last time they would wrestle in this gym. They wanted to go out with a bang, and they did.”
Four of the six seniors, Smith, Stanfield, Chambers and Crawley, won their respective matches with Chambers and Crawley winning as the result of forfeits.
“We would have liked to have seen Heather and Ray pick up a win and I wish Damon and Charles could have gotten a match,” Taylor said.
“Still, four seniors got wins.”
It was a pair of seniors, Stanfield and Smith, that delivered the win for the Comets. The Comets trailed on the scoreboard and needed wins in both of the last two bouts of the night to get the win.
Stanfield, who competes in the 215-pound weight class, and Smith, who competes in the 275-pound weight class, pinned their respective opponents to lock up the win for the Comets.
“You can’t say enough about those guys,” said Taylor.
“We put a lot on Robert and Cavanaugh. Robert’s having a good year and Cavanaugh ran his record to 17-3 with the win. He’s doing what we’ve asked of him all year.”
While those two wins were big, the Comets also picked up key wins from underclassmen, starting with 112-pounder Brent Messick who kicked off the match by pinning his Nottoway opponent.
“He beat that kid Saturday but he couldn’t pin him and ended up with a three-point decisison,” Taylor pointed out.
“Tonight he came out and pinned the guy. That’s three points that we didn’t score last Saturday. That, I think, set the tone for the rest of the match.”
Shayna Oakes scored her first varsity wrestling win, pinning her male opponent from Nottoway in the 130-pound weight class contest.
“She took it right to the guy and beat him,” Taylor pointed out.
“Both of the girls have won matches this year. It’s good to get that first win out of the way. I think both of them will wrestle a little harder now.”
First-year wrestler Josh Brooks, who dropped down to the 140-pound weight class for this match, picked up a win for the Comets.
And, despite a loss in the 119-pound weight class, Jordan Litchfield helped the Comets’ effort.
Jordan Litchfield didn’t get pinned and saved us a point,” noted Taylor.
In all, the Comets won seven of the 12 weight classes that were contested. There were double forfeits in two weight classes.
The night’s match was dedicated to the memory of deceased Comets wrestler Jefferey Wilkerson. Wilkerson, who would have been a senior on this year’s team was killed in an automobile crash last year.
Wilkerson’s mother, Emma, attended the match and was presented a bouquet of flowers by the Comets wrestlers.
Today, the Comets grapplers will travel to Lynchburg to compete in the second round of regular-season Western Valley District matches. Tonight’s matches will be important ones for the Comets.
“It’s going to be a dogfight for us,” said Taylor.
“It will give a pretty good idea where we stand. The seedings (district tournament seedings) will be based on it, too. Not all of our guys will be at their district weights for this match, but most of them will be pretty close. We’ve got to perform well and win the matches we can win and wrestle like we know we can.”
Halifax County 39
Nottoway 29
103 – Double Forfeit.
112- Brent Messick (HC) pinned David Bowler (N) 1:29
119 – L. Jackson (N) def. Jordan Litchfield (HC) tech. fall 16-0.
125 – N. Whitt (N) pinned Heather Oakes (HC) 35 Sec.
130 – Shayna Oakes (HC) pinned G. Reese (N) 3:52
135 – J. Zeledon (N) pinned Jonathan Chappell (HC) 43 Sec.
140 - Josh Brooks (HC) dec. R. Abdil (N) 8-5
145 – J. Morris (N) pinned Tyler Bamberg (HC) 15 Sec.
152 – S. Harris (N) pinned Ray Albert (HC) 1:04
160 – Double Forfeit
171 – Charles Crawley (HC) won by forfeit
189 – Damon Chambers (HC) won by forfeit
215 – Robert Stanfield (HC) pinned S. Serrano (N) 3:57
275 – Cavanaugh Smith (HC) pinned M. Wallace (N) 2:08.
Exhibition
171 – Charles Crawley (HC) pinned Zack Roberts (N) 2:33.

 

Priest Named To Pre-Season All-American Baseball Team

Mike Priest, a former standout on the Halifax County High School baseball team, has been named to the 2006 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season All-American Baseball Team.
The selections are made by Collegiate Baseball newspaper and feature the country’s top NCAA college baseball players.
Priest, who plays first base for Campbell University, is one of five first basemen named to the Third Team.
The former HCHS player batted .365 for the Camels last season. Priest had 14 home runs, two triples and 22 doubles among the 77 hits he had last season.
Priest had 46 RBIs and stole 10 bases last season.
The Halifax County resident received a handful of honors last season. He was named as a co-recipient of his team’s Most Valuable Player Award last year and was selected to the First Team of the Atlantic Sun All-Conference Team.
In addition, Priest was named as a Second Team selection on ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-America University Division Baseball Team.

 

Packing For The Rolex 24 At Daytona Is No Simple Task

ALTON – Think your spouse packed too much on your last trip to Florida?
It pales in comparison to the three transporter trucks worth of spare parts and supplies Synergy Racing is packing for its trip to Daytona International Speedway for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
With five race cars slated to run in the historic 24-hour race next weekend, plus a sixth entry running in Friday night’s 200-mile Grand-Am Cup Series event, Synergy Racing is packing everything but the kitchen sink as it readies for its journey southward—and if you look carefully you might find one of those too.
“During a 24-hour race you have to be ready for anything, so we literally have to pack a spare for every part on the car,” explained Cole Scrogham, Synergy Racing co-owner.
And when you have six race cars, that means packing for the Rolex 24 At Daytona becomes its own 24-hour event—or longer.
Each transporter has its own packing list that is several pages long, and the team must be sure that every single item—down to the very last nut and bolt—makes it onto the trucks before they start the 600-mile trek to Daytona Beach.
“Needing spares for five cars, we have enough parts to build an entire race car. The only thing missing is the frame,” added Scrogham.
Some of items on Synergy Racing’s packing list include—
• 140 sets of brake pads
• 120 quarts of oil
• 80 gallons of distilled water for engine coolant
• 8 windshields
• 16 headlights
• 4 sets of fenders, bumpers and noses (each)
• 30 bottles of brake fluid
• 12 bottles of power steering fluid
• 44 sets of crew uniforms

• 15 fire-retardant crew suits
• 40 boxes of shop towels.
Of course the most important items secured in the Synergy Racing transporters are its six race cars. For the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the team will field one entry in the premier Daytona Prototype class – the No. 8 Rx.com Porsche-powered Doran.
It will also campaign four Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars in the GT class including the No. 80 SHOES FOR CREWS® Porsche, No. 86 Microsoft/Who’s Calling Porsche, No. 87 Strobe Data/Kid’s Country Porsche and No. 81 Porsche. And, in Friday’s Grand-Am Cup event, Synergy will field the No. 81 Porsche 997.
Synergy Racing began its trek Daytona Beach yesterday and this morning the team will move into Daytona International Speedway where more than 50 crewmembers will transform the empty garages provided to them in the Speedway into a fully functioning racing operation.
First-round qualifying for the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be held on Thursday. Synergy Racing will participate in the Grand-Am Cup 200-mile race on Friday afternoon, and the Rolex 24 At Daytona will kickoff at noon on Saturday, wrapping up 24-hour later at noon on Sunday.
Thirteen hours of the race will be broadcast live on on TV on SPEED.