Emswiler Recycling Permit Approved

After questioning Emswiler Diesel owner Verlyn Emswiler and placing an additional restriction on a permit that already contained 15 conditions, the Halifax County Board of Supervisors voted to grant Emswiler a permit for a recycling center on U.S. 58.
The new restriction was that all processed vehicles that are transported off the center’s property must be hauled in self-contained trailers that Emswiler Diesel is already employing.
Supervisors also trimmed an hour off the center’s hours of operation during the week, making the business close at 6 p.m. instead of the previously agreed upon 7 p.m. closing time.
During the meeting, Emswiler addressed questions about automobile fluid handling, fencing and clutter at the site.
Supervisor Wayne Conner said he visited the center on Feb. 1 and “it was a mess.”
But he went back a few weeks later and saw “a big improvement,” Conner added.
Conner promised to periodically visit the recycling center and said, “It better be as good as it is now or better.”
Supervisor Lottie Nunn, whose district is home to the business, said the vast majority of neighbors do not want the recycling center at the current location.
“Therefore I must oppose it,” Nunn said, noting she was not against the business, but opposed to it at this location.
“Is there any other location with plenty of storage?” she asked Emswiler.
Emswiler said that the center has cut the pile considerably and is now sending vehicles out faster than they are coming in.
Following questions from the Board, Supervisor Tom West said he’s known Emswiler for a long time and said, “I think he will do what he says.”
West made a motion that the conditional use permit with its 16 operating conditions be adopted with a second by Supervisor Doug Bowman. The permit request passed with Nunn and Supervisor Dickie Abbott opposing the measure.
Following a public hearing the Board adopted zoning amendments for community centers in the county.
Several residents addressed the Board to oppose community centers locating in rural portions of the county.
Duck Trail resident and attorney Bill Watson said the agricultural setting was something the county needs to protect.
“I’m not from here, I chose to live here,” Watson said. “Agricultural land is what I love.
“I’m not saying community centers don’t have a place,” he added “There are plenty of storefronts in South Boston or Halifax.”
Watson said he supported passage of the amendments as long as it stayed within the recommendations of the Planning Commission, which forbade the centers in A-1 and R-1 zoned areas and allowed them in all others with a C.U.P.
Deborah Perkins Roark joined in opposing the centers in A-1 areas saying she wants the agricultural areas of the county to stay the way they are.
Alton resident Randy Bailey also opposed the centers, charging one on Mason Chapel Road was nothing but a drug house.
Rev. Roger Ford addressed the Board in support of community centers in all sections of the county.
“In this county there’s very little recreation for young people,” Ford said. “Cutting out all the agricultural area is a bad move.
“Each center should be looked at individually,” he added, noting it is a long way from the corners of the county to town to come to a center.
Following the hearing, Supervisor James Edmunds asked Zoning Administrator Jerry Lovelace if the amendments to the zoning code would apply to churches, which often offer similar services.
Lovelace said the ordinance is intended to apply to new, standalone facilities.
Supervisor Bryant Claiborne said he opposed passing the new ordinance because there was no pressing reason to do so with the withdrawal of the Grace-Venable Community Center application.
He said all this ordinance was doing was taking away authority and flexibility from future boards.
Claiborne then made a motion that the ordinances be tabled, which failed for the lack of a second.
Bowman said putting the centers in the far reaches of the county raised potential safety concerns and that there were still considerable opportunities for centers in the county.
He then made a motion that the Planning Commission’s recommendation be adopted.
The motion passed 6 – 3 with Abbott, Claiborne and Chairman William Fitzgerald opposing.
The Board also approved a C.U.P. for three obstruction lighting towers at William Tuck Airport, following a hearing.
Four other conditional use permits requests were also addressed during Monday’s meeting.
The Board postponed taking action on Mid-Atlantic Broadband’s request for a permit for a telecommunications tower on Route 40 as new sites are considered.
Supervisors also set public hearings for their April meeting to consider permit requests by Robert Carter Jr. for a mud bog facility off of Chatham Road, John Henry for a dance hall in the former Red Bird Lounge on Mt. Laurel Road and South Boston Speedway for a 600-foot dirt go-kart track planned for the east side of the existing track.

Opposition Grows For Trash Transfer Center Locations

Ten area residents took to the podium Monday at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting to oppose constructing a solid waste transfer station in the former Georgia-Pacific site on U.S. 360.
County businessman Buster D’Amato said it would be wrong to construct the station in the heart of what is supposed to be a regional motorsports complex.
D’Amato purchased a warehouse in the vicinity where he said he is planning to locate his businesses to be part of the motorsports complex and the thought of a waste transfer station there makes him uneasy.
“I’m a little nervous now,” he said. “Where you’re putting the transfer station.”
D’Amato acknowledged that his concerns may be premature, noting other sites in the county are also under consideration, but urged to Board not to construct the facility at the G-P site.
D’Amato added that the old county landfill would be the ideal location for the station.
Several area homeowners followed D’Amato in opposing the G-P site for the station.
Brentwood resident Bob Nelson said the facility would be in close proximity to roughly 140 homes.
“Think of all the aspects involved,” Nelson said, noting several neighborhoods would be impacted.
Other residents and landowners, Dennis Stewart, Lucille Talley, Joyce McKinney, Sue Wilkins-Bales, Joanne and Mike Elliott, Nancy Bradshaw and Jenny Wilkins all addressed the Board opposing the site.
Jenny Wilkins said it is already difficult to turn onto Plywood Trail, which would lead to the station.
She also said with waning interest in the fair there are two prospects who have expressed interest in the fairground property and thinks the prospects would frown on the station in such close proximity.
“Why don’t we have land to put it somewhere else?” she asked.
Alphonse Dairy Road resident Bonnie Glasscock shared similar sentiments opposing the facility being located in her neighborhood on U.S. 58 east.
“We don’t want it on 58 either,” she said. “Trash should go with trash.”
Riverdale businessman Tommy Wilkins, who is in the refuse industry, said both commercial customers and citizens have not been adequately informed what the costs will be when the South Boston landfill closes and the trash must be shipped to a regional landfill.
He said people need to know “what to expect and when to expect it.”
“We know it will go up,” he added.
Also addressing the Board was Halifax County Humane Society and SPCA representatives Rosemary Ramsey and Cheryl Watts, who asked the Board to consider naming the new animal shelter in honor of the late Merle Terry.
“The stories of Merle rescuing animals are legendary and inspiring,” Ramsey said.
The Board agreed to place the recommendation on its April agenda.
The Rev. Kevin Chandler, president of the L.E. Coleman African-American Museum Foundation, asked the Board to consider financial support in its next budget.
Chandler requested $50,000 for the museum to employ a person to staff the museum so it can be open full-time. Currently it’s only open on Saturdays, Chandler said.
The museum has made great strides since it opened in Nov. 2005, according to Chandler, and is working with other museums in the region to present as much history to the public as possible.
The Rev. Roger Ford also spoke in support of Chandler’s request.
He asked the Board to give the proposal serious consideration.
“There’s not much showing what blacks have done in this county,” Ford said. “The museum might become a real first-class museum (with support).”
YMCA Executive Director Marcus Hargrave addressed the Board about projects and programs offered by the South Boston/Halifax County YMCA.
According to Hargrave, the Y assisted 84 people with financial aid for membership and program fees, had 65 volunteers offer 2,200 hours of community service and has total assets of just over a million dollars.
The Y is also in need of a new hot water tank at a cost of roughly $18,000 and is seeking to put a new dehumidification unit in the pool area costing $170,000.
According to Hargrave, the Y already has $135,000 set aside for the project.
The Y is also in the process of conducting a “community assessment” to learn what other services the facility can offer to assist members of the community, Hargrave said.
“We are a community problem solver,” he said.
During committee reports, Water/Sewer Working Group Chairman Doug Bowman said the attorney is working on an initial draft of the operating agreement for the proposed joint water/sewer authority that will serve the towns and Riverdale water and sewer systems.
VDOT Residency Administrator Joe Barkley updates the Board on road projects in the county and asked the Board to approve a resolution authorizing work to begin on a bridge replacement project on Route 778.
They approved the resolution and approved VDOT’s Six-Year Plan for the county’s roads.
Under unfinished business, the Board appointed Holt Mills to represent District Four on the Transportation Safety Commission.
Lastly, the Board heard from Alton resident Randy Bailey who again asked the Board to take action against county animal control staff for what he charges is the unfair and inconsistent application of the county’s dog ordinances.

Obituaries

James Bernard Bailey Jr.

James Bernard Bailey Jr., 52 of Red Oak died March 4, 2007, at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
Mr. Bailey was born in Halifax, County May, 28, 1954, to James and Lorraine Bailey. He was a 1972 graduate of Halifax County High School, and a member of Bethel Grove Baptist Church in Clover. He also was a member of T.G. Wilson Royal Arch Chapter #73, Keysville, and was the plant manager for Sherwood Foods.
Survivors include his wife, Sallie Bailey of Red Oak; one daughter, Sabrina Bailey of Red Oak; two sons, Derek Bailey of San Diego, Calif. and Lyndell Dailey of Seattle, Wash.; one stepson, Anthony Mosley of Virginia Beach; five grandchildren, Gina, Briana, Lyndarius, Lynesasha, and Makaula; one step-granddaughter, Emonti; his parents of Nathalie; and four brothers, Charles Bailey of Red Oak, Archie Bailey of Nathalie, Lorenzo Bailey of Scottsburg, and Christopher Bailey of South Boston.
Funeral services for Bailey will be held at 1 p.m. March 9, at Salem Baptist Church, Red Oak, with Prophet Harry L. Williams, officiating and the Rev. Waverly Brown Sr. delivering the eulogy. Burial with Masonic Rites will follow in the church cemetery.

Janie Hudson Chapman

Janie Hudson Chapman, 90, of Chesapeake died March 5, 2007, at Crump Manor in Glen Allen.
Mrs. Chapman was born August 18, 1916, in Virgilina the daughter of the late David Franklin Hudson and Lottie Susan Watts Hudson, and was married to the late Paul Chapman. She was of the Baptist faith and was a member of the Guardian Place in Richmond.
Survivors include one daughter, Nadine Yancey Spaugh of Chesapeake; one son, Aubrey T. Yancey Jr. of Calif.; eight grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Three brothers, Melvin, Edwared and Henry Hudson; and two sisters, Augusta Hudson and Lureen Foster, preceded Mrs. Chapman in death.
Funeral services will be held March 11 at 3 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Michael Screeney officiating. Burial will follow in Shady Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the church Sunday from 2 p.m. until the funeral hour.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net

Juanita Andrea ‘Deka’ Cross

Juanita Andrea ‘Deka’ Cross, 55, of 2218 Jeffress Boulevard, South Boston died March 6, 2007, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Ms. Cross was born in Ossining, N.Y. October 22, 1951, to Juanita Cheatham Cross and Irving A. Cross. She was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.
Survivors include her mother of the home; her father of N.C.; one grandson, D’Andre’ Carpenter of South Boston; and a devoted friend, Addrienne Bowden of N.Y. One daughter, Rashida K. Tipton; and one sister, Irveta Coleman, preceded Ms. Cross in death.
Memorial services will be held March 9 at 2 p.m. at Ebenezer CME Church with the Rev. Michelle Parker officiating.
The family will receive friends at the home.

Lucretia Jones Green

Lucretia Jones Green, 80, of Danville died March 2, 2007, at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Green was born December 31, 1926, a daughter of the late Coy Jones and the late Emma Johnson Jones, and was married to the late Joseph Green. She was a retired employee of Tultex.
Survivors include two daughters, Priscilla Majors of the home and Sharon Diane Adams of Richmond; two sons, Edward Lee Green of Long Island, N.Y. and Gregory Green of Danville; two sisters, Mary Allen of Baltimore, Md. and Marion Jones of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mrs. Green will be held tomorrow, March 8, at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Third Street, South Boston with the Rev. Haywood Jennings officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Garden Cemetery.

Virginia Estes ‘Jennie’ Vaughan

Virginia Estes “Jennie” Vaughan, 83, of South Boston died March 4, 2007, at the University of Virginia Hospital.
Mrs. Vaughan was born in Halifax County on Nocember 14, 1923, the daughter of the late Draper Roy Estes and Sarah Paige Estes, and was married to the late Hon. Robert Turnbull Vaughan Sr. She was amember of Trinity Episcopal Church and the Halifax Woman’s Club.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary T. Simmons and husband, Gary, of Crewe, and Margaret Harrison Miller and husband, Mark, of Waynesboro; four sons, Robert Turnbull ‘Bob’ Vaughan Jr. and wife, Wanda, of Danville, Aaron Hugh Vaughan of Atlanta, Ga., John H.E. Vaughan and wife, Cathy, of Ann Arbor, Mich., and David Michael Vaughan and wife, Kyoko, of Springfield; one brother, Beverly M. Estes of Martinsville; one sister, Garland D. McCarthy of Houston, Texas; 15 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Vaughan will be held today, March 7, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church with the Rev. Wilson Carter officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider a charity of your choice.