Murder Arrest Made

Less than a week after finding the body of Timothy Marshall in the driveway of the Greens Folly Golf Course, Donald M. Edmunds, 40, of West Forrest Drive, South Boston, has been charged with first degree murder, according to Sgt. Tim VanAernem of the South Boston Police Department.
Edmunds was arrested Thursday by investigators with the police department and the sheriff’s office, VanAernem said.
At 8:42 a.m. Feb. 23, South Boston Police were called to Greens Folly Golf Course for a report of a body lying in the driveway.
The body, which was identified as that of 19-year-old Timothy J. Marshall, was sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Richmond where an autopsy determined Marshall died from a single stab wound to the chest.
South Boston Capt. B.K. Lovelace said the investigation into Marshall’s death began with investigators trying to determine a time-frame of Marshall’s activities from Friday until the discovery of his body Saturday morning.
The investigation led to Edmunds and the subsequent charge of first degree murder.
Lovelace said a number of concerned citizens provided information during the investigation of Marshall’s murder, and the the sheriff’s office and the Virginia State Police assisted the police department with the investigation.
VanAernem said Edmunds is being held without bond in the Halifax Adult Detention Center.

Trustees Send Budget To Supes

Following its public hearing Thursday night, the Halifax County School Board, on a 4-2 vote, approved submitting its budget to the board of supervisors.
Board members Steve Anderson and Mac McDowell cast the dissenting votes, and Devin Snead was absent from Thursday’s meeting. Snead, who is an Altavista police officer, was injured Thursday afternoon when his police cruiser collided with a car exiting the U.S. 29 bypass in Altavista.
Two citizens spoke to the board during the public hearing. Bernard Mitzler, who identified himself as a farmer, told the board he had observed a lot of waste. Mitzler cited lights left on overnight at county schools. He also complained of different school buses running the same daily routes.
“We don’t have the money to give you,” Mitzler said. “My fertilizer went from $300 a ton to $450 a ton this year, that’s a big jump. Who am I going to get the money off of?”
Mitzler also told the board his taxes rose 30 percent. “And yet, you guys want more money,” he said. “You need to be more efficient.”
Ricky Gordon, president of the Halifax Education Association, reported to the board on the good things being accomplished in the county schools, but referred to the low teacher salaries.
“Halifax County is behind as far as teacher salaries go,” Gordon said. “We’re ranked 13th in our district.”
Addressing concerns raised by Mitzler, board member Walter Potts asked if school officials could look at the lights left on at the schools, as well as the bus routes.
Superintendent Paul Stapleton said security lights are left on at the schools as recommended by law enforcement and for insurance purposes. He said also the school system has a dual transportation system with elementary buses and high school/middle school buses running identical routes.
Board member Mac McDowell said the dual transportation system came about because parents didn’t want elementary children riding the same buses as the older students.
Anderson said the board would look into these issues at subsequent budget work sessions.
The proposed budget totals $66,401,560, with $15,913,480 of that amount in local appropriation. The proposed total budget is $4.5 million higher than the present budget, and the request for local funds is $2.6 million higher than the current local appropriation.
The proposed budget contains a 5 percent salary increase for employees and an increase of $648,088 in fuel costs over the current year. School Finance Director Bill Covington said the amounts proposed for vehicle and heating fuel were increased due to the rising costs of fuel over the past week.
In the original budget, the board had approved $810,000 for vehicle fuel and $416,000 for heating fuel. The new amounts presented to the board Thursday night were $1,075,000 for vehicle fuel and $461,000 for heating fuel.
Stapleton said the proposed budget revenue figure of $41.4 million from the state is pure conjecture, based upon Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s first submitted budget proposal.
Stapleton said school officials will not know exactly how much state revenue the school system will receive until the final state budget is passed by the General Assembly and signed by Kaine.
The proposed 2008-09 school budget was submitted to the board of supervisors Feb 29.
The supervisors will hold a public hearing on the school budget March 17.
A joint meeting with the school board to discuss the budget is expected to follow the public hearing.

Elections Taking Shape

Five candidates have qualified for the South Boston Council race with at least one other, Dr. Mark Morris, expected to qualify this week.
With the filing deadline Tuesday at 7 p.m., candidates who have qualified for the race include Mayor Carroll Thackston and incumbent councilmen Morris Bryant, Coleman Speece and Sandra Thompson, who is filling the unexpired term of her late husband, Don Thompson.
Radford Trent also has qualified for the South Boston race.
Morris confirmed Friday his plan to seek a council seat.
“I look at this as an opportunity to help out the community,” said Morris. “They’ve been very supportive of me and my practice, and this seems like a way to help.”
South Boston Councilman Chris Elliott announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election, citing a potential business conflict when he becomes a stockholder in Elliott Electric, which does business with the town.
South Boston candidates are seeking four-year terms with five open seats.
In the Town of Halifax, Bill Confroy, Robert Holt Evans and Tommy Reagan have qualified in the race for two open seats.
Two at-large seats, currently held by Dr. Charles Parker and Phil Hollis, are up in the Halifax election. A family member confirmed Sunday that Dr. Parker would not be seeking re-election citing “the time factor” as governing that decision. Hollis could not be reached for comment by press time.
In Virgilina, the following candidates have qualified: Ralph Murray Jr., running for mayor, and for council, Rufus Chandler Jr., Tammy Elliott, Mary Helen Gravitt, Kirke Hooper, Jason Johnson and Ralph Murray Sr. All six council seats are up in the Virgilina race.
In Scottsburg, no candidate had filed for mayor as of Friday afternoon. Those who have qualified in the council race include Robert Elliott and James Stoner.

Obituaries

Gertrude Buchanan Wilkerson
Gertrude Buchanan Wilkerson of Alphonse Dairy Road, South Boston, died Friday, February 29, 2008, at her home. She was 94.
She was a retired sitter and former employee of Sales Knitting and was a member of Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Cornwall, N.C.
Born October 8, 1913, in Dinwiddie County, she was the daughter of the late Charlie Ladd and the late Hallie Shotwell Ladd and was married to the late Oscar Paige Buchanan and the late Ike Wilkerson.
She is survived by three daughters, Mary Lavern Humphries of Roxboro, N.C., and Nell B. Thaxton and Willie B. Wilson, both of South Boston; one son, Paige T. Buchanan of South Boston; 17 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, eight step great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and three step great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and both husbands, she was preceded in death by two sons, Oscar C. Buchanan and Thomas Edison Buchanan; one sister and five brothers and one grandson, Kenneth Ray Wilson.
Funeral services were held Sunday, March 2, 2008, at 3 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Lamar Wheeler officiating.
Burial followed in the Virgilina Cemetery.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Halifax County Cancer Association, P. O. Box 875, South Boston, Va. 24592.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@embarqmail.com

Laura Torrence Rutledge
Laura Torrence Rutledge of Cole Lane, Scottsburg, died March 1, 2008, at her home. She was 90.
Born in Campbell County on September 25, 1917, she was the daughter of the late Charlie Torrence and Eunice Hendricks Torrence and was married to the late Andrew Dall Rutledge Sr.
She was a member of the New Chapel Baptist Church in Rustburg.
Survivors include two daughters, Carolyn Jean Rutledge Clark and husband Rayford of Phenix, and Linda Marie Rutledge Crosby and husband William L. of Scottsburg; one son, Andrew Dall Rutledge Jr. and wife Linda of Long Island; one step-daughter, Margaret “Tillie” Rutledge Marshall of Raleigh, N.C.; two sisters, Mary Jane Wilmouth of Rustburg and Joyce Ernest of Lynchburg; and one brother, Lyle Torrence of Lynchburg.
Also surviving are seven grandchildren, Diane Clark Miller of Morrisville, N.C., Jason Wayne Clark of Phenix, Cynthia “Cindy” Brown of Halifax, Courtney Andrew Crosby of Halifax, Christopher Lee Crosby of Scottsburg, Christy Reynolds of Long Island, Megan Rutledge of Long Island; and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 2 p.m. at the New Chapel Baptist Church in Rustburg. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Powell Funeral Home Monday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and other times at her home, 2066 Cole Lane, Scottsburg.

Hal Isaac Barksdale
Hal Isaac Barksdale of Alder Trail, South Boston, died March 1, 2008, at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 45.
Born in Halifax County on March 5, 1962, he was the son of the late Howard Daniel Barksdale and Ida Venable Barksdale and was married to Rosa Clay Barksdale.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church in News Ferry.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two brothers, Frank G. Ballou of South Boston and Howard I. Barksdale of Baltimore, Md.; one sister, Ruby B. Leigh of Halifax; three brothers-in-law, Rev. Louis S. Leigh Sr., Freddie Clay and Larry Clay; five sisters-in-law, Rebecca Ballou, Carolyn Ballou, Mary Traynham, Shirley Clay and Elsie Clay; one step-daughter, Brandie Richardson; two step-grandchildren, and a number of other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. Barksdale will be held Wednesday, March 5, at 1 p.m. with services at the First Baptist Church in News Ferry with Rev. Ronnie King officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Public viewing for family and friends will be Tuesday, March 4, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the Crawford House Chapel in Halifax and the family will receive friends at the home of Rev. and Mrs. Louis S. Leigh, 2230 Mountain Road, Halifax.

Myrtle Lee Satterfield
Myrtle Lee Satterfield of Rosehill Drive, South Boston, died Sunday, March 2, 2008 at The Woodview. She was 87.
She was a member of Olive Branch United Methodist Church.
Born in Halifax County on July 3, 1920, she was the daughter of the late Samuel Elam Satterfield and the late Sallie Fannie Carter Satterfield.
She is survived by one sister, Sallie S. Carter of Halifax; two brothers, Keith T. Satterfield and Wilson Satterfield, both of Alton; and a number of nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held Monday, March 3, at 11 a.m. at Olive Branch United Methodist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Dan Ward officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Olive Branch UMC Cemetery Fund, Turbeville Volunteer Fire Department, or the Halifax County Cancer Association.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@embarqmail.com

Jerry Dee Ballou
Jerry Dee Ballou of Logan Road, Java, died February 28, 2008 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 43.
Born in Halifax County on March 10, 1964, he was the son of the late Prunious D. Ballou and Beverly Rosa Edmonds Ballou. He was a member of Peaceful Tabernacle Baptist Church.
He is survived by two sisters, Brenda Ballou of Alton and Carolyn Ballou of South Boston; two brothers, Perry Ballou of Clarksville and Lawrence Ballou of South Boston; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Graveside services for Mr. Ballou will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 11 a.m. at Peaceful Tabernacle Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Jackie Stamps officiating.
The family will receive friends at the graveside on Tuesday.

HCHS Baseball, Soccer Prepares For First Test

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
With try-outs having been completed and rosters solidified, the Halifax County High School varsity baseball and varsity boys soccer teams are gearing up to face their first test of the pres-season.
The Comets varsity baseball team will face Heritage here Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. in what will be the first of two pres-season scrimmages the team has in front of it this week.
In the second pre-season test, the Comets baseball team will travel to Brookville High School on Saturday for a 1 p.m. scrimmage.
The Comets varsity boys soccer team also will face its first test this week, squaring off against Bluestone High School here Wednesday at 6 p.m. Halifax County’s second and final pre-season test will come a week from today when the Comets will host Heritage High School of Lynchburg.
“Hopefully we can get those scrimmages in,” Davis said of this week’s pair of pre-season tests.
“ Hopefully the weather will work in our favor. We get a lot accomplished in the scrimmages, especially with the pitching rotations. We can give the pitchers a chance to pitch against live batters on opposing teams.
“We’ll also get to see different guys at different position,” Davis added.
“I’ve told the guys we have no set lineup and no set positions. It’s a time we can see a bunch of guys at different positions and get an idea of where we can best use people.”
Davis said last week, the first week of practice and try-outs, went well.
“I thought it was a very good week,” Davis remarked.
“The weather worked out well for us. We’ve seen a lot in the last week that we usually wouldn’t see this early in the year. We’re just hoping the weather will continue to allow us to get out here.”
Davis and his coaching staff have placed 15 players on the varsity roster and said he feels good about the players that will comprise this season’s edition of the Comets baseball team.
“We have a good corp of players here,” Davis said.
“We made our last cut Thursday night and we have the team we think is the best team we can have out here. I told the guys this is what we, as a coaching staff, felt was the best team. We’re always going to try to put the best out here. We feel we gave everybody an opportunity to try-out at what they wanted to do and feel like we made the right choices. I’ve told the guys I’m expecting big things out of them and that they’re going to have to come out here and work.”
The Comets coach said he feels that he and the team finished the first week ahead of where they were at this same point last season.
“I think we’re a little ahead,” Davis said.
“We’ve got a ways to go, but it’s like that with everybody. We’ve got some talent.
Right now, we’re trying to fine-tune some things like hitting locations and working on off-speed pitches.”
Boys Soccer Also Has Good First Week
Unlike Davis and most of the other coaches of Halifax County High School’s spring sports teams, Comets varsity boys soccer coach Frank Shealy was able to get down to work quickly as he did not have to make any cuts to his roster of players.
“I was satisfied with the first week but I wasn’t satisfied with the number of players that came to try out for the team,” Shealy said.
“I had started the week with about 19 players that had said they were going to play and try-out on varsity. With the ones that decided, for various reasons, not to play, we ended up with 15 players that tried out. I’m keeping all of them.”
Shealy’s biggest group of players comes from the junior class. Eleven juniors are among Shealy’s 15-player roster. There are also three seniors and one sophomore.
“This eleventh-grade group has been playing together for a long time,” the Comets coach noted.
“It’s the same way it was with the group I had last year. There is some good comraderie there. It’s up to us to put them in the right spot. They are confident to pass the ball to each other. I’m hoping that will benefit us down the road.”
Shealy said last week’s opening week of practice was a productive one.
“It’s been productive in trying to get Coach Dyer (new assistant coach Chris Dyer) and I to understand where we can stick people,” Shealy pointed out.
“I’ve asked Coach Dyer for an unbiased opinion. I know where everybody plays and I know where everybody has played since they were five-years-old. I want him to look at it new and fresh and give me his opinion on what he thinks. Then we will put things together this coming week.”
Shealy said this week’s scrimmage against Bluestone will give him and Dyer an opportunity to try different things and look at players in different positions.
“We’ll do a little bit of his ideas and a little bit of my ideas and see which ones work the best and work off of that,” noted Shealy.
“I’m planning to have two or three different formations to work with and maybe rotate off of those throughout the game so I can utilize players in different ways.”
One of the biggest problems Shealy and Dyer will have to work to try and overcome is a lack of depth.
“We’ve got some talent out here we can work with,” Shealy said.
“I think our starting 11 will be pretty strong. With only four players on the bench, we don’t have any depth. That’s been the case every year.”

Softball, Soccer Gear Up For Scrimmages

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
With pre-season scrimmages this week and season openers next week, the girls varsity softball and soccer teams have gone into overdrive to get ready.
The varsity girls softball team scrimmages Park View at the Comets softball field Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., and the jayvee softball team visits the Park View jayvees for a 4:30 p.m. scrimmage that same day.
Both the Comets jayvee and varsity girls soccer teams travel to Brookville for scrimmages Friday, with the jayvee game at 4:30 p.m. and the varsity game at 6:30 p.m.
Comets head varsity softball coach Melanie Saunders, with seven of a 14- player roster returning from a state quarterfinalist, said the days leading up to her team’s scrimmage would focus on conditioning and intra-squad scrimmages.
“We still have to work on conditioning and we have to get out here and work on hitting live pitching, but the girls look really good with the bats so far,” said Saunders.
Saunders added that despite chilly weather the team has used the past few of days of practice to get in some time in the field and at the plate, facing live pitching to get the coaches an idea of what areas need improving.
“We’re trying to see what the girls have as far as skills and speed, we’re putting people in different positions and we’re getting our pitchers some repetitions on the mound,” added Saunders.
Following the scrimmage with Park View, the Comets have one week to prepare for their season-opener, a visit to perennially strong Person High School.
“Against Park View, we’ll put people in different positions and different pitchers on the mound, and the game at Person will allow the coaches to see what we have to work on,” explained Saunders.
Saunders knows what to expect from the Rockets, a team that brings solid pitching and hitting to the field each time out.
“It’s definitely a good way to start the season. They start earlier then we do, so it’s a good way of giving the coaches an idea of what the team needs to work on,” said Saunders.
She re-emphasized her philosophy of using scrimmages and non-district games to help prepare the Comets for district play.
Girls Soccer Continues Preparation
Comets varsity girls soccer head coach Sid Young said that although he expects his roster to number more than 20 athletes, the evaluation process continues.
Eight or nine players return to the team from last year and a good number of jayvees have moved up to the varsity level this season, according to Young, who saw almost 50 come out for the team.
“This was one of the hardest times we’ve had in deciding who to keep,” noted Young.
“Part of our decision was not only to build for this year but for next year as well.”
Those still on the roster are continuing to work on their individual skills, including ball handling and trapping, as well as participating in intra-squad scrimmages, added Young.
“We’ll go through positions to find out where the players best fit, but we already have a good idea of where they’re going,” said Young.
“There’re almost enough back to set up a lineup on paper, but we’re playing some returnees in new positions and that will take some time.”
At this stage of the season the roster is still fluid, particularly for those players who think their positions are secure, according to Young.
“Once you make cuts some may slack up thinking they’ve made the team, but everyone needs to continue to work hard and not slack off,” noted Young.
Jayvee girls soccer coach Jessica Hayes said she was pleased with both the numbers and skill levels of those trying out for the team.
“Everyone returned to the team from last year in addition to several who played at the middle school during the fall, said Hayes.
“The team has several skill levels, so the coaches are looking this week at what people can do in different positions, and as always we’re emphasizing fundamentals,” she added.
Hayes plans on a final roster of about 20 players, excluding two who have been pulled up to the varsity.
“Between now and our scrimmage, we’ll be figuring out where players are strongest. Most of the girls can play either offense or defense, and that versatility means more playing time,” she noted.
“We’re happy about that and of course conditioning is ongoing.”

Comets Fail To Score In State Indoor Track Meet

The Halifax County High School girls and boys track teams failed to score in the State Group AAA indoor track and field championships held over the weekend at George Mason University in Fairfax.
Comets junior Stacey Hamlett failed to qualify for the finals as she finished 18th in the preliminaries of the girls 55-meter race with a time of 7.42 seconds. Teammate Taylor Davis, a freshman, also failed to qualify for the finals with her 27th-place finish in the preliminaries with a 7.60-second time. A total of 33 runners attempted to qualify in that event.
Senior Marteia Ferrell finished in a tie for 20th place in the triple jump with her mark of 34 feet and 10 inches. Twenty-six competitors participated in that event.
In the boys meet, Comets junior Clyde Scott finished 16th in the preliminaries for the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.98 seconds. Twenty-five runners attempted to qualify for the finals.
Landstown High School won the girls meet and Western Branch High School won the boys meet.