Uranium Study Site Isolated

A Virginia Senate subcommittee made minor adjustments to the amended uranium study bill Thursday limiting the study to only the Pittsylvania County site, increasing the number of citizen members to two from Halifax County and two from Pittsylvania County, as well as requiring the National Academy of Sciences to perform the study.
The vote was 4 to 1 with state Sen. Frank Ruff of Clarksville casting the lone dissenting vote.
The subcommittee composed of Ruff, state Sen. Roscoe Reynolds of Henry County, state Sen. John C. Watkins of Midlothian, state Sen. J. Chapman Petersen of Fairfax and state Sen. Ryan McDougle of Mechanicsville met to review the study bill that was amended on Monday.
Chaired by Reynolds, the subcommittee will report to the full Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources at its next meeting Monday at 9:30 a.m.
“They made some minor adjustments to the amended bill,” said Southside Concerned Citizen Chairman Jack Dunavant who attended Thursday’s hearing.
“The most substantive part is that they limited the study to the Coles Hill site which isolates it from the other uranium bearing sites in the state,” Dunavant said.
“Overall it did not help us,” the SCC chairman said noting that Ruff was the only Senator voting “with us.”
At the conclusion of Thursday’s subcommittee meeting, Ruff said he expressed his discontent by voting against the amended bill.
Now SCC opponents are urging residents to attend Monday’s meeting when the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources will decide whether to send this to the floor.
“We need people in Richmond Monday morning,” Dunavant said, urging those wishing to go to Richmond to meet at St. John’s Episcopal Church parking lot in Halifax to leave by 6:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, Virginia Uranium Inc. Chairman Walter Coles, who also attended the Thursday afternoon subcommittee meeting, said he was pleased.
“I hope a lot of people are pleased. Many people spoke including representatives from the Southern Environmental Law Center, the Piedmont Environmental Council and Southside Concerned Citizens, and all had recommendations for amendments, and I think most of them were adopted,” Coles said.
“We basically agreed with all of the amendments put in today,” said Coles. “Those were the amendments that were adopted.”
The bill in the General Assembly to study the benefits and risks of uranium mining was amended earlier this week to include members from Halifax and Pittsylvania counties on the study commission as well as to require additional public hearings.
Wagner agreed to amend the bill expanding the commission from 15 to 17 members, including three from the Senate, five from the House of Delegates, and six “nonlegislative” citizen members appointed by the governor.
With the changes made Thursday, the committee will include at least two from Halifax County and two from Pittsylvania County.
The proposed Virginia Uranium Mining Commission also would be required to contract with the National Academy of Sciences or some other “independent entity” to perform the study, according to the bill amended by sponsor state Sen. Frank Wagner at the request of citizens and legislators.
According to the bill, the citizen members should have specific education, training, knowledge, or experience in the fields of public health, environmental protection, mining, or similar fields related to the work of the commission.
Under the amended bill, the commission would be required to hold at least three public hearings in any area of the commonwealth where uranium mining is proposed.
It also will be required to hold a public meeting before beginning work to receive comments and suggestions from the public.
The commission’s report is due by Dec. 15, 2009.
The study is charged with examining the benefits and risks of the uranium mining project discovered in the early 1980s at a site northeast of Chatham in Pittsylvania County.
At that time, Virginians opposed the mining of uranium citing fear of ground and surface water pollution as well as concern about the storage of radioactive tailings, a mining residue.
This past fall, newly formed Virginia Uranium Inc. announced its plans to resurrect uranium mining at the site, and the company began test drilling in December.

Halifax Planners Endorse ‘Chemical Trespass’ Ordinance

Halifax planners unanimously endorsed the town passing a ‘Bodily Chemical Trespass’ ordinance to protect citizens against corporate mining during their Wednesday night meeting.
A proposed uranium mining and milling operation in neighboring Pittsylvania County triggered the action, which followed a public hearing at Halifax Town Hall.
The planning commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to Town Council, which is holding its public hearing on the proposed ordinance Thursday, Feb. 7. Council’s meeting and ordinance public hearing are expected to get under way at 7 p.m.
A series of speakers Wednesday night sought planners’ support of the ‘chemical trespass’ ordinance. Town attorney George Bagwell, who is researching its liability, enforceability and legality, is expected to present a report at council’s meeting.
At the Wednesday night hearing Halifax resident Sue Bailey warned that the mining and milling operation should be taken very seriously since it would take place so near the Banister River. She voiced concerns about air and water pollution. “I think they shouldn’t open that box in the first place,” said Bailey, warning that once opened, the box cannot be shut.
Jim Davis, who owns a house on the Banister River, also expressed his concern. Davis voiced his support of the ordinance if legally viable. “I encourage the town to look at it.”
Holt Evans said that while he was “not totally in tune with anti-corporation rhetoric,” he supported the ordinance. “In this case we need every tool in the box,” said the Halifax resident. “Who needs new schools and roads if you wipe out the environment?”
Banister Lake resident Jesse Andrews said that he gets his drinking water from the river and wanted to protect it from contamination. He also addressed the constitutional and enforcement aspect, but said he thought as a concept it was a great idea.
“Absolutely constitutional as regards the Virginia and U.S. Constitutions,” replied Shireen Parsons, Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund organizer. She said that many governments in Pennsylvania, which is also a Dillon’s Rule state, had similar ordinances opposing various actions. “This is the only way to stop this,” said Parsons.
Asked to explain Dillon’s Rule, Parsons described the municipal governments as children to the state and the state grants powers to the municipalities. She estimated 39 states go “to some degree” by Dillon’s Rule.
However, she said that more than 100 of these trespass ordinances addressing sludge, factory farms and mining have been passed. “Not a teaspoon of sludge has been spread,” she added.
One lady, who is expecting a child this summer, said that she was worried about the environmental impact on her unborn child.
Terry Andrews, a registered nurse for 18 years who supported the ordinance, warned, “If you lose your health, you’ve lost everything.”
Andrews also said, “It is so disturbing our governor is for this.” She told the crowd that she has written 136 letters to legislators regarding the issue and has received replies from only seven.
County resident Larry Miller posed the following question: Why would Virginia Uranium Chairman Walter Coles, one of the major uranium ore landowners, be opposed to the ‘chemical trespass’ ordinance if he is against mining uranium if it is not safe to do so, which is one of his recurring pledges?
Cheryl Watts supports the ordinance ...unless Coles puts a bubble over his property to protect the air and ground. She also wants Halifax to encourage other towns to pass a similar ordinance.
“What is your ultimate concern?” asked Bob Cage of South Boston. In a battle with an estimated $10 billion uranium ore deposit at stake at Coles Hill, Cage said opposition forces needed a great number of people.
Planner Bill Confroy noted the proposed mine is only 17 1/2 miles from his vineyard off of Mountain Road. He also described Smith Mountain Lake and the northern part of Danville as about the same distance.
Parsons noted that radioactive particles can travel thousands of miles through the air. “Water is not the only way it travels,” she warned.
“This is a matter of democracy,” added Parsons. “You are at ground zero and you will get it first. This is not a local issue, it is a democracy issue.”
A young speaker also opposed the proposed uranium mining operation. “I am the one who will be breathing this, and I have asthma,” said 13-year-old Mark Aaron. He also said he didn’t think the new environment would be a good one for a child.
One speaker warned that if the mining resulted in ground and water contamination, property values would fall and no one would want to buy the property.
An earlier speaker, Sue Bailey, addressed the term “a sacrifice area,” a description aired at previous meetings. “I think we should show these sacrificial lambs have some teeth and are not afraid to use them.”
Planner Bill Confroy moved that a chemical trespass ordinance be recommended to council. Following a second by planner Tommy Reagan, the commission unanimously voted to support the recommendation.
Planning commission members include Beth Gillis, chairperson, Bill Confroy, Sylvia Lovelace, Tim Moore, Dick Moore, Evelyn Allocco and Tommy Reagan.

Trash Mountain Closing

It’s costing close to $1.4 million to close and cap the 60-ft. high South Boston landfill mountain that officially shut its doors to town and county trash bearers on Jan. 1.
It’s work Alan Auld, South Boston director of Public Works, hopes will be completed in about six weeks. “Barring bad weather,” he added.
“We need water to compact and when it freezes,” he explained, “they either have to disc it (the land) or wait for it to thaw.”
How much trash is packed into the site bordering Hamilton Boulevard?
“Since my arrival in 2000, I’ve put in 400,000 tons of garbage,” said Auld, who did not have total figures for the site. The South Boston landfill opened in the mid-1950s.
While the new regional landfill in Mecklenburg is operational, responsibilities at the old South Boston site will continue “for the next 30 years or until it stops making methane gas,” according to Auld. Vents for methane gas, which is explosive, are part of the landfill, he added.
In fact, Auld said at some larger landfills methane gas is captured to burn for energy. “But we’re too small for that,” he added.
Also mandated as the site closes are monitoring wells for ground and surface water.
To protect the site and the community, packing trash mountain for closure has resulted in an almost five-foot clay and soil cap, according to Auld..
What will become of the mountain of trash site?
“The problem with the hill is that it was designed so tightly, there’s not much flat at the top,” said Auld. “You might be able to walk or fly a kite, but it’s not wide. So for us (use of the mountain top), it is a moot point.
“The rest of the site, about 30 acres, is usable,” added Auld. “It could be a park.”
The majority of the available acreage is located at the east end of the site, near Main Street and the Hamilton Boulevar corner, according to the public works director.
While town staff has discussed possible uses, council has yet to determine disposition of the property.

Obituaries

Oscar J. Brooks Sr.
SFC (Ret.) Oscar J. Brooks Sr. of N.J. died December 28, 2007. He was born June 11, 1939, in Halifax County to the late Nathaniel Terry and the late Emma Brooks Stewart, and was married to Verneva M. Ferguson Brooks.
Mr. Brooks first joined Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Halifax County, and later St. Paul’s Missionary Baptist Church in Vineland, N.J. He served as a Trustee, Usher, was in the male chorus, as well as participating in other choirs.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Elder Tracy Gittens; two sons, Oscar J. Brooks Jr. and wife, Yvonne, and Maurice A. Brooks and wife, Milicent; a God-daughter, Zoe Brooks; four sisters, Whelma Brooks Irby, Laurah Ella Owen and husband, Bobby, Estella Bailey and Novella Beaver; one brother, Lynn E. Steward Jr. and wife, Melinda; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and three foster children, Stanford Broome and wife, Marguerite, Vickie Wise, and Darnell Broome.
One daughter, Sandra Ramona Brooks also preceded Mr. Brooks in death.
Funeral services were held January 5 at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Vineland with Pastor Kriston Matthews officiating. Burial followed at Cumberland County Veterans Cemetery in Hopewell Township, N.J.

Charlie Thornton Rice
Charlie Thornton Rice, 86, of 2513 North Main Street, South Boston died January 30, 2008, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Rice was born in Halifax County February 13, 1921, the son of the late Charlie David Rice and Elizabeth Foster Rice and was married to Charlotte Osborne Rice. He was a member of McCanless Memorial United Methodist Church, was a past Jurisdictional President of Woodmen of the World in Virginia and an Army Air Force Veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife of the home; and several nieces and nephews. One son, David Thornton Rice, also preceded Mr. Rice in death.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, February 2, at 2 p.m. at McCanless Memorial United Methodist Church with the Revs. Ann Norton and Tommy Reynolds officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, February 1, from 7:00 to 8:30, at Powell Funeral Home, and other times at the home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider McCanless Memorial United Methodist Church, c/o Dale Glascock, Treasurer, 206 Eanes Street, South Boston, 24592.

Jewel Cox Martin
Jewel Cox Martin, 91, of 103 Rosehill Drive, South Boston died January 30, 2008, at The Woodview.
Mrs. Martin was born September 23, 1916, in Carroll County the daughter of the late Emmitt ‘E.B.’ and Maude Blevins Cox, and was married to the late Lucas ‘Dutch’ Martin. She was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Funeral services will be held today, February 2, at 2 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with Doug Stacy officiating. Burial will follow at Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Survivors of Mrs. Martin include one daughter, Geraldine M. Conner; one granddaughter, Kelly C. Clayton; and one grandson, Miles Conner, all of South Boston; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
One daughter, Janice Martin Whitt; one grandson, Kevin Gaylord Parton; and a number of brothers and sisters also preceded Mrs. Martin in death.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@embarqmail.com

Dabbs, Comets Shoot Down FC

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Halifax County High School sophomore Deshon Dabbs admitted he has not been the offensive force that he had been earlier in the season.
In the Comets’ last three Western Valley District games, Dabbs scored seven points against GW, four points against William Fleming and, in his most recent previous outing, scored two points against Patrick Henry.
He more than made up for it Tuesday night when the Comets hosted Franklin County High School.
Dabbs hit four key shots down the stretch, two of which led to a three-point play, to propel the Comets to a 61-60 double overtime win over the Eagles.
“I finally got my confidence back,” Dabbs said with a huge smile.
“I lost it for a few games, but I got it back.”
Other Comets players including Durrell Chandler (10 points) and reserve Tyler Truitt (seven points) hit clutch baskets at big moments to keep the Comets in the contest. But, it was Dabbs who pushed the Comets over the top.
Dabbs, who led the Comets with a game-high 20 points, started by hitting a fall-away three-point shot at the horn to end the third quarter, a shot that allowed the Comets to cut a seven-point Franklin County lead to four points at 37-33.
With 32.7 seconds left in regulation, Dabbs was fouled as he thrust in a lay-up from deep inside the paint. He added the free throw to convert the three-point play that tied the game at 45-45 and ultimately sent the contest into overtime.
Later, with 13.6 seconds left in the first four-minute overtime period, Dabbs sank a shot from inside the paint that tied the game at 54-54 and pushed the contest into a second overtime period.
Finally, with 1:22 left in the first overtime period, Dabbs was fouled as he sank another lay-up from deep inside the paint. He made the free throw as well to complete a three-point play that took the Comets from a one-point deficit to a two-point 60-58 lead.
Dabbs also hit one of his two free throw attempts with 34.6 seconds left in the second overtime period to give his team a three-point cushion at 61-58.
Franklin County kept the game in doubt until the final horn as the Eagles’ Omar Belcher hit a lay-up with 9.1 seconds left to make it a one-point game at 61-60.
The Comets got the ball back but a quick steal by the Eagles’ Bryan Hancock gave the Eagles one final opportunity. Hancock fired a difficult pass down the floor that couldn’t be handled cleanly and the clock ran out before the Eagles could get off a shot.
“This was a huge win for us,” Comets head coach Lynn Ramage said after his team’s victory over the Western Valley District’s third-place team.
“Both teams battled and see-sawed back and forth. It was a real dogfight.”
The win improved the Comets’ record to 11-7 overall and 2-4 in Western Valley District play. It guaranteed the Comets of no worse than a .500 regular-season record with four district games remaining on the schedule including tonight’s game against E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg.
“We win one more game and we’re over .500,” Ramage pointed out with a big smile.
“Who would have thought it? But, I’m not happy with that. We’re going to win some more games.”
Free throw shooting played a role in the outcome with the Comets hitting 19 of their 29 attempts at the charity stripe. Franklin County, by contrast hit only 17 of their 30 attempts.
“That (17 for 30 from the foul line) was the difference for us,” noted Franklin County head coach Doug Conklin.
“Two or three times there in regulation and in the first overtime it looked like all we had to do was make foul shots and the ballgame’s over.”
The Comets never led in regulation but never trailed by more than seven points at any juncture of the contest. Halifax County led by one point twice in the first overtime period and led on two occasions in the second overtime period.
Halifax County got close to taking the lead on numerous occasions only to have a turnover or missed shot change the tide of the momentum.
Along with that, the Comets got themselves in foul trouble. Michael Ferrell, one of the Comets’ big offensive cogs, fouled out of the game with 46.9 seconds left in regulation with 11 points.
Chandler also got into foul trouble, picking up his third foul and going to the bench with 4:39 left in the second quarter. He logged his fourth foul with 6:22 left regulation but managed to avoid another foul the rest of the game.
“We did things that hurt us, but, luckily, they (Franklin County) didn’t make their free throws,” Ramage noted.
“They (Franklin County) could have put it away.”
Along with its free throw shooting woes, Franklin County (11-7 overall, 3-3 district) also had its share of troubles with miscues of varying sorts.
“We didn’t play smart tonight, but you’ve got to take you hat off to them (Halifax) for them being aggressive and playing hard,” Conklin said.
“We gave up all kinds of opportunities. We didn’t box out (on the boards) at crucial times and they (Halifax) were aggressive and went after those second chances. You’ve got to give them (Halifax) credit for not quitting.”

Lady Comets Suffer Fifth WVD Loss

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The third quarter has not been kind to the Comets varsity girls basketball team this season and it proved again to be its downfall Tuesday at Franklin County in a 82-66 loss that dropped Halifax to 1-5 in the Western Valley District.
Halifax led by 22-16 after one quarter and trailed only 36-34 at halftime, but Franklin County outscored the Comets 21-8 in the third quarter to take a 57-42 lead going into the final period.
The Comets and Eagles both scored 24 points in a high-scoring fourth quarter to account for the final margin.
Whitney McCargo scored a season-high 24 points for Halifax, while Tiffany Wilson and Miyisha Younger finished with 13 and 10 points apiece.
Destiny Betts had nine, Brittany Roberts four, and Melyse Brown, Lauren Daniel and Nia Brown two points apiece for the Comets, who fell to 9-9 overall for the season.
Miranda Smith scored a game-high 30 points for Franklin County (4-2 WVD 9-8 overall), which got double-figure outputs from three others, Desirae Jamison with 18 and Shea Smith and Borika Burwell with 12 points apiece.
The teams were about even at the foul line, with Halifax connecting on seven of nine foul shots and Franklin County eight of 16.
Halifax played a good first half, according to coach Ray Reaves, but had trouble adjusting to a change in defensive strategy by Franklin County in the third quarter.
“We’ve attacked the standard zone fairly well this season, but they came out in the second half with traps in a couple of areas we didn’t expect,” said Reaves.
“They trapped the first pass and denied ball reversal, and we turned the ball over.”
That helped the Eagles take a 57-42 lead after three quarters, and the Comets were in catch-up mode the rest of the game, continued Reaves.
“We had to gamble on defense. By doing that we were out of position and they got some easy layups on the other end.”
Wilson and Younger held the hot hands early for the Comets, each with six points in the first quarter, while McCargo added five points, including a three-point play.
Betts added three and Nia Brown two points, respectively to give Halifax a 22-16 advantage, but Franklin County rallied in the second quarter behind Miranda Smith, who knocked down four baskets, including a three-pointer, while adding a pair of foul shots to help her team to the four-point halftime advantage.
McCargo continued to find the range for the Comets in the second quarter, scoring six points, while Betts, Roberts and Younger each added a basket.
Halifax scored only eight points in the third quarter while allowing 21, and that cushion proved too much to overcome, despite the Comets’ 24-point final period.
Betts had four points in the third quarter, McCargo added a field goal and Younger two foul shots, but Miranda Smith hit two treys among her eight points and Jamison added another three-pointer among her five points as Franklin County built a 57-42 lead.
McCargo broke loose for 11 fourth-quarter points, including a three-pointer, Wilson added seven, and Melyse Brown, Brittany Roberts and Lauren Daniel each added a field goal, but the host Eagles match that output.
Jamison added 11 and Miranda Smith seven, including the last of four three-pointers to keep the Lady Eagles in front.
Despite the disappointing loss, Reaves was pleased with the continuing emergence of McCargo as a scoring option and the Comets’ improvement at the foul line.
“We were on Whitney early in the season to be more aggressive and attack the basket, and she’s done that the past three games,” said Reaves.
“Franklin County’s defense keyed on Miyisha (Younger) and I think that opened things up for Whitney outside and created opportunities for her to drive to the basket.”
“We knocked our free throws down tonight, and the reason we didn’t go to the line more was the pace of the game,” noted Reaves.
“There weren’t many chances for us to set up and work the ball inside to get chances to go to the free throw line.”
Reaves is looking for another tough game at E.C. Glass tonight, much like the one the teams played at Comets Gym last month.
Halifax defeated Glass 54-45 for its only district win thus far.
“Coach Smith will have his girls ready to play and they’ll probably try and slow the pace and make it a half court game,” said Reaves.
“It may be another grind-it-out game, but we need to win and continue to try and move up a couple of spots in the district.
“We have players who are motivated and work hard, and we need to fine tune some things and eliminate some mistakes.”

Last-Quarter Rally Lifts Jayvees Over FC

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
A 12-run late in the fourth quarter propelled the Halifax County High School junior varsity boys basketball team to a 60-46 win over the Franklin County High School jayvees here Tuesday night.
The win was the third win in a row for the Comets jayvees who improved their season record to 16-2 overall and 5-1 against Western Valley District teams.
Halifax County had two players in double figures with Lemal Adams leading the team with 16 points, nine of which came in the fourth quarter. Shaquan Bailey was also in double figures with 10 points. In all, 10 Comets players scored in the contest.
Comets coach Chris Johnson, noting that his team appeared to be flat at the outset, said he was pleased to come away with a win.
“We’re a little displeased that we came out flat, but we came away with a win,” Johnson remarked.
“I could see it before the game. These are kids. We’re going to have days on which we come out flat. But, we got past this one. We’re going to stick this win in our pockets and run with it. Anytime you beat Franklin County you’ve accomplished something.”
Halifax County jumped out to a 6-0 lead at the outset before having to settle for a 11-7 lead at the end of the first seven-minute quarter. Franklin County tied the game on a three-point shot with 28 seconds left in the half and added four more points in the final 13 seconds to take a 20-16 lead at halftime.
From that point the game was a donnybrook.
The Comets trailed by six points halfway through the third quarter but battled back with six unanswered points in the final 51 seconds of the quarter to deadlock the game at 34-34 going into the fourth quarter.
The lead swapped hands seven times in the first two minutes and 52 seconds of the fourth quarter. Then, with the Comets leading 42-41, Adams hit the first of the four field goals he would knock down in the fourth quarter with 4:08 left to put the Comets up 44-41.
Adams’ basket kicked off a 12-2 Comets run, a run that Adams capped by converting a three-point play with 2:03 left in the game that put the Comets up 55-43.
Franklin County answered Adams’ play with a three-point play of its own to pull to within nine points at 55-46 with 1:54 left. But, that was as close as Franklin County would get the rest of the way as the Comets’ defense shut out the Eagles the rest of the way.
The Comets jayvees have four games remaining of their schedule including tonight’s contest against the E.C. Glass jayvees in Lynchburg. If the Comets can run the table and win their remaining games, they can come away with no worse than a tie for the unofficial district crown.
“We’re definitely looking at that aspect of it,” Johnson concluded.