Friday, April 6, 2007

Working For The Future

“For if one link in nature’s chain is lost, another might be lost, until the whole of things will vanish by piecemeal.”
Thomas Jefferson

Over the next two decades, more of Virginia’s open spaces will be lost to urban sprawl than in the past 400 years.
Although most Halifax County residents are aware of NASCAR driver and Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton’s love of the outdoors and his efforts to educate the public about conservation and the environment, under the leadership of Executive Director Tom Inge the Foundation is poised to go even further.
“We want to go more regionally and maybe even nationally,” Inge said. “Since its inception, the Foundation has always been solid in its advocacy for environmental education and conservation principals.”
But both Inge and Burton want to reach even more Virginians and are working to expand the mission of the Foundation through research, development and outreach initiatives.
Some programs have already been initiated while others are in the development stage and are expected to be implemented within months, according to Inge.
One new project is VaRACER (Virginia Rural Area Conservation and Economic Restoration), a nationally-recognized conservation effort in the Roanoke River watershed.
Involving local, state, federal and other organizations, the first endeavor under the program is the demolition of an aging and unsafe dam on the Pigg River in Franklin County.
“The Foundation is providing the lead project management for this multi-million dollar project,” Inge said. “The project will pay huge dividends in helping the federally endangered Roanoke Logperch fish species and facilitate a balanced approach to economic development and environmental management. The Foundation believes in healthy, green communities in which sustainable economic development and sound environmental management flourish for the good of its citizens and the environment.”
Under the research element, the Foundation is set to undertake projects associated with endangered species management, alternative energy, and the identification and reduction of carbon emissions.
“The research element goal is to research and create ‘green’ communities,” Inge said.
Under the development part of the mission Inge said the Foundation is on the verge of unveiling a membership drive as well as corporate programs, estate planning, fund-raisers and cooperative efforts with key environmental organizations.
The outreach element of the Foundation’s mission involves projects like VaRACER, CONNECT (a national inner-city youth education program), conservation easements for landowners, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiatives including connecting youth to environmental careers, a modeling/simulation initiative and other projects in the Roanoke River watershed.
“We’re big into environmental careers because we’re worried that with baby boomers retiring, there will be a lack of young people interested in an environmental career path,” Inge said.
Burton agreed.
“We’re going to see a deficit in the next decade,” he said. “With 70 percent of people with careers in natural resources retiring, who’s going to take their place?”
But despite the new initiatives currently in development, the Foundation isn’t straying from its core mission.
While many new initiatives are taking place, Burton still believes the broad focus of the WBWF should be to assure land conservation (through landowner conservation easements and wildlife management principals) and environmental education of the public.
“We know from Governor Tim Kaine’s summit this past summer that over the next 20 years we’ll lose more land to urban sprawl than we’ve lost in the past 400 years,” Burton said. “We have a 20-year window to do something about it.”
It all started with a speech Burton gave in the summer of 2005.
“When Ward was asked to be the keynote speaker for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Environmental Cooperative Conservation Conference, the Foundation was inundated with opportunities that exceeded all past initiatives,” Inge said.
Since the speech, Burton has worked to expand the Foundation’s reach by entering into an agreement with Virginia Tech’s Outreach and International Affairs Office and the College of Natural Resources.
“Virginia Tech is a national leader in environmental conservation and sciences and this partnership allows for the merging of expertise and relationships,” he said. “Both organizations have benefited from each other’s environmental brands, philosophies and initiatives.”
But there’s more to do, Burton said.
“We’re working really hard to sustain ourselves financially, we have more resources and are trying to make something happen for this community,” he said. “We want to reach the children so the middle school will be the nucleus of our focus to start because we want to teach our young people who great the outdoors are.
“Going to The Cove or going camping one time does nothing,” Burton added. “We can’t do it alone, but hopefully by working with the middle school we’ll hopefully be able to do it.”
“If we can tackle 10 percent of what we dream about, it will reap a huge benefit for the environment and the next generations,” Inge said. “The good thing is that because of Ward, we have a lot of opportunities knocking on the door.”

No Tax Increase Planned

The Halifax Finance Committee is submitting a $1.6 million draft budget to Council for the 2007-08 fiscal year that includes no tax increases or water/sewer rate increases, according to Finance Committee Chairman Phil Hollis.
During the committee meeting Wednesday, Hollis, councilmen Charles Parker and Dick Moore, Town Manager Carl Espy and Mayor Leon Plaster reviewed the draft which was submitted to Council during its Thursday work session.
The $1,610,250 proposed budget is $78,732, or 4.69 percent, larger than last year’s $1,531,518 town budget, according to figures provided by Espy.
Halifax’s budget is comprised of three components, a $795,150 general fund, a $338,400 water fund and a $476,700 sewer fund.
And while the joint public water/sewer authority is expected to take possession of the town’s water/sewer operation on Jan. 1, 2008, the town included a full year of operations in its budget, committee members said.
In the general fund, the town’s police department is the largest expenditure at $277,385, accounting for roughly 35 percent of the fund.
The police department is followed by administrative costs of $255,770 (32 percent), sanitation at $108,995 (14 percent) and street/downtown maintenance at $82,000 (10 percent), according to town statistics.
Under the proposal, Halifax’s tax rates will remain at 19 cents per $100 in assessed value for real estate, $1.68 per $100 in value for personal property, the machine and tool tax will remain at 40 cents per $100 and the lodging tax will stay at 3.5 percent in the draft budget.
Halifax’s PPTRA rate for personal property tax relief remains unchanged in the 2007-08 draft budget, Espy said.
Also, no rate increase for in-town or out-of-town water/sewer customers is planned.
Halifax is able to offset the five-percent increase in the size of the budget with increased interest income and communication tax funds from the state, which are projected to put $25,000 and $84,000 into town coffers respectively, according to budget projections.
The communication tax funds are aggregated Centel, cell phone and other communication utility taxes distributed by the state to localities, Espy said.
The town is also experiencing growth in the amount of sales tax and natural gas tax collected, Espy added.
The Finance Committee is also expected to recommend that Council schedule a first reading public hearing of the budget for its May 8 meeting, make any necessary changes and plan to formally adopt the budget at Council’s June meeting.

Battling Blight

South Boston businessman John Cannon believes that Riverdale is Halifax County’s front yard.
He also thinks it’s an eyesore and is actively working to clean it up.
Yesterday, Cannon had an old ice freezer removed from the east side of U.S. 501 and previously purchased a 36,000-square-foot warehouse that had flood damage and had the debris moved to the South Boston landfill to make an open lot, he said.
Removing the decrepit warehouse has exposed a junkyard situated behind the lot, and Cannon said he hopes to see the tires and other debris removed from that site.
In fact, Cannon said he is issuing a challenge to all Riverdale property owners, to clean up and maintain their facilities and grounds.
Cannon explained that when he was with the Industrial Development Authority several prospects seeking to locate businesses in the area saw Riverdale, turned around and left the county, thinking it was indicative of the area as a whole.
“Riverdale is not indicative of Halifax County or South Boston,” Cannon said. “Look at everything that’s been done to improve downtown South Boston and Halifax.
“That’s indicative of the people of the county,” Cannon said.
Ideally, Cannon said he would like to see a portion of the east side of U.S. 501 opened up for ‘green space’ that would enhance the Crossing of the Dan Exhibit and have commercial development on the west side of the roadway.
Cannon also said he plans to continue making improvements to the properties in Riverdale he owns, but one person can only do so much.
“If every property owner did his share,” Cannon said, “we could get Riverdale looking like it should.”

Obituaries

Willie Easley Carrington

Willie Easley Carrington, 79, of 621 Webster Street, South Boston died March 31, 2007, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Carrington was born in Halifax County September 29, 1927, the son of the late Willie F. Carrington and Nannie Crawley Carrington.
Survivors include one brother, Samuel R. Carrington of Cleveland, Ohio; four sisters, Elizabeth gerst and Ida Faulkner, both of South Boston, Susie Buie and Mildred Smith, both of Capitol Heights, Md.; one sister-in-law, Ethel Carrington of Cleveland; and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. Carrington will be held tomorrow, April 7, at 1 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Haywood Jennings officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home.

Harry Wilson Clark

Harry Wilson Clark, 88, of 7190 Oak Level Road, Halifax died April 4, 2007, at the home of his daughter.
Mr. Clark was born in Halifax County September 3, 1918, the son of the late Alpha Beta Clark and Flossie C. Clark and was married to the late Miriam Young Clark. He was a member of Dan River Baptist Church where he w3as on the Board of Deacons, served as Sunday School superintendent and was an usher. He was a World War II Army Veteran.
Survivors include one son, Dale Young Clark and wife, Wanda, of Marietta, Ga.; one daughter, Susan C. Hoskins and husband, Randy, of Halifax; one brother, Allen Berkley Clark of Fallbrook, Calif.; one sister, Lois Inez Clark of Halifax; five grandchildren, David, Aaron and Bradley Clark of Marietta, Melanie Hoskins of Raleigh, N.C. and Miriam Hoskins of Halifax.
Three sisters, Elease Children, Elva Alexander and Hazel Lovelace; and one brother, Earl G. Clark, also preceded Mr. Clark in death.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, April 7, at 11 a.m. at Dan River Baptist Church with the Rev. Doug Gibson officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, April 6, from 7:00 to 8:30 at Powell Funeral Home and other times at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Randy Hoskins.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Daily Bread Ministry, c/o Dan River Baptist Church, 1228 Dan River Church Road, Halifax 24558, or the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 5148, Halifax.

Anna W. Oakes

Anna Marie Leach Whitefield Oakes, 80, of Stephens City died April 5, 2007, at her home.
Mrs. Oakes was born April 22, 1926, in Brushey Run, West Virginia, the daughter of Lester Marshall and Susannah Randall Leach. She lived in Halifax County for a number of years.
She retired from the United States Postal Service in Rockville, Md., and was a member of Rosedale Baptist Church in Winchester.
Mrs. Oakes was first married to John Thomson Whitefield, and later she was married to Robert Henry Oakes.
Surviving are three daughters, Lillias Susan Kelley of Frederick, Md., Jeannene Marie Mitchell of Chambersburg, Pa., and Velma Louise Whitefield of West Palm Beach, Fla.; a son, William Lester Whitefield of Mt. Airy, Md.; a step-daughter, Carol Ann Fisher of Phoenix, Ariz.; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.
A brother, Charles Randall Leach, also preceded her in death.
Funeral services for Mrs. Oakes will be held 11 a.m. tomorrow, April 7 at the Rosedale Baptist Church in Winchester with the Rev. David Martin officiating. Burial will be in Old Stone Cemetery in Frederick County.
The family will receive friends 7– 9 this evening, April 6, at the Enders & Shirley Funeral Home in Stephens City.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Rosedale Baptist Church, 2581 Northwestern Pike, Winchester, VA 22603.

Day A Man For All Seasons

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
Mason Day Jr. has been a man for all seasons, playing baseball, basketball and football as a youth, and having later served as a baseball coach, race promoter and track owner.
He found time in his job as contractor to coach Dixie Youth baseball for 35 years, helping four Dixie Youth baseball teams go to World Series competition, after playing in one himself as a youth.
His dreams of a first-class ball field came to fruition with the construction of the four-field Day Complex in South Boston.
For those accomplishments, and in particular for his commitment to youth, Day will be inducted April 14 into the Halifax County-South Boston Sports Hall of Fame, along with William E. “Scooter” Dunn, Donald Testerman and the late Sanford Ray “Dock” Ballou.
The induction ceremony will start at 6:30 p.m. at C.H. Friend Elementary School. Advance tickets are priced at $20 and will be $25 at the door.
Tickets are available at True Value Hardware, Electric Service Company, Halifax Pharmacy, Velro Christian Book Store in Halifax and the offices of the Gazette-Virginian, and also from members of the Board of Directors for the Hall of Fame.
“I don’t think I’ve done that much, but it’s a big honor and I can’t thank everybody enough for it,” said Day, who ironically enough prefers basketball over the sport he’s most recognized for.
“People don’t realize that basketball is probably my favorite sport, I played that more than anything else, and I don’t think I’ve missed more than a few ACC Tournaments since I got out of high school,” admitted Day.
He recalled that the late Hugh Moore, an icon among youth coaches in South Boston, once invited him to coach basketball, but he declined.
“I had started coaching baseball and I didn’t think I could compete with Hugh, so I stuck to baseball.
Day has helped coach three Dixie Youth Baseball teams to World Series, in 1980, 1983 and 1987, and also coached in the AAA World Series in 1998.
It was at the 1980 World Series in Goodlettsville, Tenn., that he first saw the need for a multi-field baseball facility to serve area youth.
“They had four major fields and four practice fields, and the practice fields were probably better than anything we had here at the time,” he recalled.
“I thought it was a shame that with the kids and the talent we had, we didn’t have a facility like this, so we went back and fixed up Carter Field to make it one of the best fields in the state.
“The day arrived when we needed to expand. Everyone was building four-field complexes, and we decided to build one here.”
After many years of planning, fund-raising and construction, the four-field complex was completed, with its first full season of Dixie Baseball competition taking place in 1997.
The facility was officially named the Day Complex that same year.
“I really didn’t want to name it that, I would rather have called in the Dixie Complex or something else, but it was a big honor,” said Day, who used his own construction equipment to clear and level the site, located in the J. Aubrey Houghton Industrial and Office Park.
It took a lot of time and effort from a vast array of volunteers to make the local “field of dreams” happen, according to Day, and he would like the Day Complex someday to host a Dixie Youth Baseball World Series.
“But, you’d have to have volunteers, and today you’d have a hard time doing that. It was hard even back then,” he noted.
“Today, there are so many things for youth to do besides baseball, and some may not have the talent for baseball, but they may play checkers or play piano, for instance.
“That’s all right too, as long as they’re doing something clean.”
When it comes to baseball, it takes a lot of sacrifice to be a coach, and Day said he learned a lot in his more than 30 years in that capacity.
“You have to love it, you have to have the heart for it and you want to be able to deal with the kids,” said Day.
“The kids aren’t bad, and it all starts at home. “You have to get out in the back yard and help your child, but no matter what sport they play, you can’t push too hard too soon.
“What’s changed is that a lot of the parents are trying to live their dreams through their kids. It’s about my kid and not all the kids.
“It’s that way in professional baseball, paying big money for one guy who can’t carry the team. It takes everybody, and that’s the big difference.
“You’ve got to know each individual player’s talents and their potential. Some can bunt, some can hit, and you have to have two other coaches who think like you.
“It’s a thinking man’s game, you have to see not only who’s in the batter’s box but who’s on deck and who’s in the dugout, what each of those guys can do.
“One coach can’t do it all, and I’ve been fortunate to work with good coaches.
“And, you have to pay attention to every single kid on the team, including the ones who may not be as talented at that time.
“Who knows that they won’t develop into better players than the ones you may think are more talented.
“It’s a great game, and I think no other compares to it.”
Day’s accomplishments have also come in the field of auto racing, as a track owner and race promoter at both South Boston and Orange County speedways.
He was honored as RPM Promoter of the Year in 1993, and was named the Nascar/Winston Racing Series Team Player of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic Region in 1994 for Orange County Speedway.
Day brought Busch Grand National auto racing back to South Boston Speedway in 1994, the race here televised on the Nashville Network.
He’s had the opportunity to rub shoulders with a lot of people through the years through his association with Dixie Youth Baseball and Winston Cup, and Day said he wouldn’t trade those friendships for anything.
“I’ve met a lot of people through Winston [Cup] and Dixie Youth that you’d otherwise have to be a millionaire to meet, Ray Hendricks, Richard Childress, Ernie Irvan, Pete Rose, and John Wooden, who goes to church with my daughter in Los Angeles,” said Day.
“I still see a lot of my kids and it makes you feel old when they call me coach and they have kids playing Dixie Youth Baseball.
“But, I’ve had a lot of good talent and a world of good coaches who made me look good.”
Day said that he’s honored to be inducted on the same night as Dunn, Testerman and Ballou.
“Me and Scooter go way back,” said Day, who helped build the dugouts at the middle school when Dunn served as head baseball coach.
“He’s a great friend, a super coach and a good, down to earth individual. Donald Testerman was a great running back, a great football player who went to the pros.”
Day said he couldn’t have accomplished what he has without the support of his family, wife Dorothy, son M.C. and daughter Crystal.
“I have a good wife and two good kids, and I’m a real lucky person.”

Comets Rally Over Garden City

By Joe
Chandler
Sports Editor
When it came down to crunch time, the Comets delivered.
Halifax County, with a two-RBI double from Allen Stephens and a game-winning single from Justin Jacobs, rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to edge Garden City, N.Y. High School 6-5 here Tuesday night.
The win improved the Comets’ record to 5-2 entering last night’s game against Baldwin, Penn. High School.
“I saw a lot of heart tonight,” said Comets head coach Kelvin Davis.
“That’s what I’ve been looking for since the beginning of the season. Down by two (runs) in extra innings, they didn’t give up. They just reached back and showed a lot of heart. I told them that’s what it takes in this game to be successful. You really have to want it and those guys really wanted it.”
The Comets and Garden City were deadlocked at 3-3 entering the top of the ninth inning. Jacobs came to the mound after Daniel Wilborn, who had gone to the mound in the top of the fifth inning, got into trouble by walking the Trojans’ leadoff batter in the inning and giving up a single to the second batter.
Jacobs entered the game with runners at first and third base and immediately had trouble creep in on him. With one out and runners still on the corners, a balk was called against Jacobs, a call that allowed a run to score and allowed the runner on first base to move to second base.
A single by Garden City scored another run, putting the Trojans up 5-3. The Comets got out of the jam with no further damage with a ground out and a big play in which they nabbed a Garden City runner in a rundown.
Patrick Currie led off the bottom of the ninth inning for the Comets with single. Curries was erased when Tony Barbour hit into a fielder’s choice. Barbour then suffered the same fate, being put out at second when Billy Joe Garrett hit into a fielder’s choice.
A single by Justin Bagbey put Comets runners at first base and second base with two out. Then, a passed ball allowed the runners to move up a base.
Stephens followed with a two-RBI double to tie the score and Jacobs helped his own cause with a single that scored Stephens and gave the Comets a 6-5 win.
“Those hits were big,” Davis said.
Jacobs finished his night with a 3-5 stand at the plate.
Bagbey has been hitting and is on a roll right now. Allen was struggling early in the game and I told him all it takes is one pitch and he came through big for us.”
The way Jacobs rebounded after the balk was called was also huge.
“Jacobs was frustrated with himself about the balk and he pumped a lot of guys up on the bench,” Davis noted.
“Everybody just got into the game and, again, that’s what it takes.”
Garden City jumped on top early, scoring two runs in the second inning and adding another in the third inning to go up 3-0.
Halifax County answered with three runs in the bottom of the third inning, an inning that started with Currie reaching base on an error and Barbour walked to give the Comets a pair of baserunners with nobody out.
Garrett, the next batter in the order, hit a ground ball to the Garden City pitcher. The pitcher, looking to throw to third base for a force-out, made a bad throw and the ball sailed into right field, allowing the two runners to score. Bagbey followed with a hit to plate Garrett and tie the game.
The Comets had a solid night offensively with 10 hits. Jacobs led the team with his 3-5 night and Bagbey and Currie chipped in two hits each. Barbour, Garrett and Stephens each had one hit.
If there was anything that left Davis concerned at the end of the night it was the situation with his starting pitcher, Kyle Long. Long left the game after four innings after having fanned five batters and having yielded five hits and three walks.
“I really don’t know what it is,” Davis said of his lefthander.
“I wish I could put my finger on it. It’s a little muscle tightness. We’re concerned right now and that’s why we had to pull him out.”
Wilborn, who came in as Long’s reliever, had another good outing, fanning three batters and allowing three hits and two walks.
“Daniel has been doing a heck of a job this season,” Davis said.
“We know he is going to throw strikes. We know that he’ll throw pitches that keep a lot of batters off-balance and that’s what it takes at this level.”

Girls Tennis Edged By Franklin County

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The Comets girls tennis team dropped a close 5-4 decision here Monday to Franklin County, the Eagles winning four of six singles matches and one of three doubles.
Shanna Luck at number one singles and Sarah Bradford McCollum at number three each won their match, but Teylor Edmonds, Seanna Bradley, Courtney McDowell and Kathryn McDaniel at numbers two, four, five and six singles dropped their matches, Bradley’s after a tie-break.
Luck/McCollum and Bradley/Edmonds each won for the Comets at numbers one and two doubles, and McDowell/Fallon Farmer dropped their doubles match at the number three spot.
Things just didn’t go the Comets’ way during the match, according to coach Greg Donner.
“We’re still struggling to get our lineup there at one time,” said Donner. “Today, we played without Lauren Tetterton and it really hurt us at doubles.
“We struggled in singles and dropped several matches we had a real shot of winning. Number three singles went to a tiebreak after Seanna Bradley fought back from a set down, but we could not get it.”
The Comets took two of three doubles, and McDowell and Fallon played a close match at number three with an opportunity to win every game, according to Donner.
“Every game went to deuce, and we just couldn’t get the key points when we needed them, but I was very pleased with the match and for our new players who are showing a lot of improvement.”
Donner said that Luck and McCollum were strong in their matches and are working to secure their place in the district tournament.
“Right now, we are in a good place to get some very high seeds in number one singles and doubles, and that will help us a lot,” said Donner.
“While we are not winning many team matches, we are playing better all the time and our young players have been a real surprise,” noted Donner, adding that the second half of the season will prove to be better than the first half.
Franklin County 5 Halifax 4
Singles Results
1. Shanna Luck (H) defeated Brittany Washburn 6-2, 6-1
2. Brianna Aliff (FC) defeated Teylor Edmonds (H) 6-0, 6-1
3. Sarah Bradford McCollum (H) defeated Kaleigh Wood (FC) 6-3, 6-1
4. Korre Scott (FC) defeated Seanna Bradley (H) 7-5, 3-6, (10-5)
5. Carrie Hughes (FC) defeated Courtney McDowell (H) 6-1, 6-2
6. Jamie Venning (FC) defeated Kathryn McDaniel (H) 7-5, 6-1
Doubles Results
1. Luck/McCollum (H) defeated Washburn/Aliff (FC) 6-2, 6-4
2. Bradley/Edmonds (H) defeated Wood/Scott (FC) 5-7, 6-3, (12-10)
3. Hughes/Venning (FC) defeated McDowell/Farmer (H) 7-5, 6-0