Monday, May 8, 2006

South Boston Town Council

Real Estate Tax Increase Hearing Set For Tonight
Two public hearings – the first on a proposed two-cent real estate tax hike and the second on a town code amendment for adaptive reuse districts – lead Council’s agenda tonight.
Adoption of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2006-2011 is also on the agenda.
Councilmen will meet at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at 502 Yancey Street.
The proposed two-cent real estate tax hike would take the rate from its current 19 cents per assessed $100 to 21 cents per assessed $100, as proposed in town staff’s $16,821,175 budget.
Real estate taxes make up 9.5 percent of the town’s total General Fund revenue, according to town officials.
The proposed amendment to Town Code will allow reconstruction, repair, expansion and alternation of non-conforming single family dwellings in adaptive reuse districts, which is needed for the town’s Church Hill project.
The proposed amendment is intended only for the Adaptive Reuse District, according to a staff recommendation. The Planning Commission is recommending the change.
Also on tonight’s agenda, the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
The recommended CIP provides $2,661,326 (General Fund) and $107,375 (Water/Sewer) for capital improvements for the first year of the five-year capital improvement program.
Total General Fund capital projects for FY 2006-2007 total $2,661,236, with $955,248 provided through grants and other state funding programs and $1,706,078 in General Fund revenues.
No one spoke during the CIP public hearing for citizens last month.
Council also is expected to address a Cotton Mill Park project resolution authorizing town officials to seek Department of Conservation and Recreation matching funds - up to $100,000.
Cotton Mill Park is a 16-acre site at the former Halifax Damask Mill location, which is bound by Summit Drive, Railroad Avenue and Berry Hill Road. Major features of the proposed park include butterfly gardens, walking trails, picnic shelters and playing fields for sports.
In other business tonight, Council is also expected to make a Halifax County Recreation Advisory Committee appointment.
Following Council’s meeting, councilmen will hold a budget workshop. During previous meetings, councilmen have raised several funding questions, including concerns regarding soaring fuel costs and budget projections, a request from tourism for a $40,000 allocation, and green box and garbage collection fees
Council will next meet Monday, May 15, at 6 p.m. with county supervisors and Town of Halifax councilmen in a joint session at Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.

Celebrating Our Agricultural Heritage
Third Annual Heritage Festival Draws Over 6,000

If Saturday’s turnout is any indicator, heritage has a bright future in Halifax County.
The Third Annual Halifax County Heritage and Antique Machinery Festival drew a vibrant crowd this weekend to an event that had something for everyone.
Founding organizer Bobby Conner estimates that over 2,500 tickets were sold on Saturday and puts the total attendance for the three-day event over 6,000 including vendors and exhibitors, making this weekend’s event the largest Heritage Festival.
Festivalgoers were treated to attractions including a tractor pull, pumpkin chuck’n, a tractor parade, Hot Rod burnout, and a wide array of arts and crafts in the Exhibit Hall.
Over 150 show cars and 300 tractors participated in the festival, Conner said.
“I’ve never seen so many happy kids and adults,” Conner said. “It was a great event, everyone we asked for help came forward.”
The community involvement is one of the things that make the festival special, according to Conner.
“All the groups came together to make it happen,” Conner said, noting the involvement of Ruritans, volunteer fire departments, the Lions Club and Junior ROTC.
“They make the money,” Conner said. “We just want to make enough to promote future shows.”
The weather was nearly perfect Saturday, and Sunday wasn’t bad either, Conner said.
“The best news of the weekend is the rain,” Conner said, noting there was still a steady flow of people on Sunday. “We had die hard people in the Exhibit Hall on Sunday we nearly had to close the doors.
“Also we had the horses and mules on Sunday, it was a fun event,” he added, noting they cut the ticket price on Sunday afternoon to $1. “We wanted everyone to feel like they got their money’s worth.”
Early feedback from the festival has been very positive, Conner added.
“Everything was good,” he said. “The tractor pull and pumpkin chuck’n were big hits, as were the exhibits.
“The gearheads loved the old machinery,” he added.
With the event coming to a close Sunday, Conner said, “I want to thank all the sponsors and volunteers.
“We’re already planning on how to improve it for next year.”

 

‘Ride For Home’ Raises Over $11,000 For Habitat
Tri-Rivers Habitat For Humanity raised over $11,000 Saturday as motorcyclists cruised a 60-mile county course during the organization’s first annual “Ride for Home” fund-raiser.
“Habitat was optimistically hoping to raise near $5,000 toward the building of its next home,” said Joy Coe, an organization spokesperson. “In fact, they raised $11,738.”
Ten motorcyclists participated in the Saturday ride, raising money through individual sponsorship.
Currently there are nine houses in Halifax County built by Tri-Rivers Habitat for Humanity.
A site and a family have already been chosen for house number ten, according to Coe.
The family of four includes a married couple and their two school-aged children.
“They are very excited about the prospect of owning and caring for their own home,” Coe said.
Habitat is a philanthropic organization that strives to put families into homes that they can call their own, knowing that communities thrive where families own their own homes.
Candidates for home ownership must not only be able to pay the interest free mortgage on their home, but must invest at least 500 hours of “sweat equity” into the building of the home.
Alongside the family, members of the community volunteer their time and talents to building homes for Habitat.
If you would like to know more about Tri-Rivers Habitat for Humanity or are interested in volunteering, please contact Dane Skelton at daneskelton@hotmail.com.

Obituaries

Melanie Morriss Gordon
Melanie Morriss Gordon, 44, of Charlotte, N.C. died May 3, 2006.
She was born in Havere, Mont., the daughter of the late W.W. Morriss and Peggy Miller Morriss, and was married to James Leighton Gordon.
Mrs. Gordon was a past resident of South Boston.
Survivors include her husband of the home; one brother, Jeffrey Morriss and his wife, Jacie; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jo Ann Gordon Hart and her husband, Samuel.
A funeral service was held in the Dilworth Chapel of Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service in Charlotte on May 7, at 2 p.m.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Buddy Kemp Caring House, 242 S. Colonial Avenue, Charlotte, N.C. 28207.
Margaret Deborah King Ballou
Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret Deborah King Ballou will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Ferry Street with the Rev. Wallace Pierce officiating.
Burial will follow in the King Family Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 7 – 8 p.m. at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home and at all other times at the residence, King Village Trail, Halifax.
Mrs. Ballou, 80, died Friday, May 5, at her residence.
She was born in Halifax County, July 25, 1925, the daughter of the late James T. King and Hallie Boxley King and was married to the late Henry Belt Ballou.
Mrs. Ballou was a member of the First Baptist Church.
She is survived by a daughter, Carolyn Y. Ballou of Halifax; four grandchildren, Sherman and Anita Hawkins, Sharmaine and Freddie Edmunds; five great-grandchildren; a sister, Edith Owens of Halifax; one brother, Leon King of Halifax and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
John Buck Logan
Funeral services for Mr. John Buck Logan will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Halifax with the Rev. Ronnie D. Clark Sr. officiating.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6 – 7 p.m. at the Crawford House Chapel in Halifax.
Mr. Logan, 82, of Billy’s Lane in Halifax, died Thursday, May 4, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
He was born in Halifax County on January 27, 1924 to the late Arthur Garfield Logan and Nannie Easley Logan and was married to Dorothy Hudson Logan.
Mr. Logan was a member of the New Bethel Baptist Church and a U.S. Army World War II veteran.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Logan is survived by seven daughters, Jacqueline Venable, Linda Miles and Shavonda Morris, all of Halifax, Vida Simpkins of Chesapeake, Lettica Nichols of Temple Hills, Md., and Deanna Logan of Danville; seven sons, John B. Logan Jr. and Marshall J. Logan, both of Halifax, George A. Logan of Chesapeake, Ricky Stevens of Rhode Island, Jerry Stevens of Richmond, Lacy Hammock of Florida and Andre Logan of Fayetteville, N.C.; two step-sons, Willie Kent and Frank Kent, both of Philadelphia; 35 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary L. Pounds of Halifax and Mattie Hidleburg of Philadelphia; two brothers, Charlie O. Logan of Halifax and James Logan of Philadelphia; four daughters-in-law; four sons-in-law; two sisters-in-law and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Mr. Logan was preceded in death by a daughter, Juanita Logan; a son, Miron Logan; one stepson, John Kent; three sisters, Lucy Logan, Nannie Ellen Logan and Laura Logan and a brother, Herman Logan.
Nicholas Monroe Hudson
Funeral services for Mr. Nicholas Monroe Hudson, of Clover, will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Bill Wilkins officiating.
Burial will follow in the Clover Cemetery.
The family will receive friends tonight from 7:00 – 8:30 and at other times at the home of his aunt, Wanda Lacks, 14211 J.D. Hagood Highway.
Mr. Hudson, 27, died Friday, May 5.
He was born in Halifax County on December 22, 1978, the son of Marshall Monroe Hudson and Barbara Joann Pruitt Dix.
Mr. Hudson was a member of the Clover Baptist Church and the South Boston Jaycees.
He is survived by a daughter, Kimberely Nicole Williams of Halifax; his father, Marshall Monroe Hudson and step-mother Olivia of Alton; his mother, Barbara Pruitt Dix and step-father Michael of Danville; an aunt, Wanda Lacks of Clover; two sisters, Dana Newcomber of Burlington, N.C., and Wendy Nicole Hudson of Alton; a brother, Lt. Christopher William Hudson, serving in Iraq with the Army National Guard, and two grandmothers, Hannah Hudson of Clover and Maurine Wilborne of Roxboro, N.C.
Mr. Hudson was preceded in death by two grandfathers, James D. Hudson and Thomas Pruitt.
James David King
Memorial services for Mr. James David King will be held Monday at The Prizery at 7 p.m.
Mr. King, 56, of Virgilina, died Saturday, May 6, at his residence.
He was a native of Linden, Indiana and was very active in Halifax County Little Theatre.
Mr. King is survived by his wife, Ginny L. King; two daughters, Amy Shea Van Zandt of Newburg, Ind., and Jennifer Rebecca Gaines of Terre Haute, Ind.; a granddaughter, Hannah Dianne Van Zandt of Newburg; three step-children, Kelly, Christopher and Scott Kapinos, all of Ephrata, Pa., and three brothers, Paul King of Waveland, Ind., Russell King of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and Mark King of Grand Haven, Mich.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Prizery.

 

 

Comets Control Their Own Fate
The HCHS Varsity Baseball Team Can Clinch The District Regular-Season Title With A Win Tomorrow Over Patrick Henry
The Halifax County High School varsity baseball team finds itself in control of its own fate as it finishes up its preparations today for tomorrow’s Western Valley District game against Patrick Henry in Roanoke.
For the first time in many years, Halifax County finds itself in the unique position of being able to clinch the Western Valley District regular-season title and one of the district’s two berths in the Northwest Region Tournament with a week of baseball remaining to be played.
With GW having downed E.C. Glass Friday, the Comets (10-5 overall, 5-0 district) now have a three-game lead over their closest challenger with three games remaining. As a result, a win over PH tomorrow night will clinch the title.
“We’re truly in a great position,” said Comets coach Kelvin Davis whose team has won eight of its last nine games including the last three in a row.
“I haven’t been in this situation since I’ve been here as the head coach. It has pretty much always come down to the last week and the last game and it’s almost always been very tight.
“As a coach, it’s fun,” Davis added, “ but it’s also nerve wracking at the same time. I’ve seen both good and bad things happen to teams in situations like this.”
Should the Comets take care of business with a win against Patrick Henry tomorrow night and lock up the regular-season district title, Davis says that doesn’t mean that he and his team will let up with a game here Friday against archrival GW and a game here Tuesday against E.C. Glass remaining to be played.
“The pressure will be off but we won’t let up,” Davis pointed out.
“We know that we’re going to have to come out and play every night – that we have to be focused and ready to play.”
Davis said his team being in a position to lock up the title tomorrow night will affect the coaching staff’s decisions with regard to the pitching rotation, not only for tomorrow’s game against Patrick Henry, but also for the two games that remain afterward.
“Our pitching rotation is something that we’re looking at very closely and are talking about,” Davis said.
“What we have to do now is look at the big picture, not just these last three games, but also for the district and regional tournaments. We have to take into account the big picture and think about what we need to do going into the tournament.”
Davis said he is proud of what his team has accomplished thus far and the way it has battled back from a tough start.
“I’m very pleased with where we are now,” Davis said,” especially when you look at where we have come from in terms of the disappointing losses we had at the beginning of the season and in terms of the things that went wrong at the beginning of the season.
“We had a rocky start to the start of the season and we had to be patient with our guys,” added the Comets coach.
“We played some very good non-district teams. It’s great to be able to play those teams. Playing those good non-district teams has helped us in the long run. That’s why we play these teams – to get us prepared for district play.”
This has been a different kind of season for Western Valley District baseball.
The anticipated battle between Halifax County, GW and Franklin County for the district title did not materialize as Halifax County was able to separate itself from the field and leave the other four district teams to knock heads for positions two through five.
“This district is such a tough district,” Davis pointed out.
“Any team in this district can beat any other team on any given night and we have seen that happen often this season. The teams are all evenly matched this year and I think that says good things about our district. I feel like our district is one of the toughest in the state.”

Ferrell Inks With Mississippi Delta CC
HCHS Receiver Mark Ferrell Will Continue His Football Career At Mississippi Delta Community College
Halifax County High School football standout Mark Ferrell is getting a shot at continuing his football career at the next level.
Ferrell and Halifax County High School officials announced Friday that the Comets receiver has received a football scholarship at Mississippi Delta Community College located in Morehead, Miss.
The Comets’6-4, 200-pound receiver says he plans to make the most of the opportunity.
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” Ferrell said.
“It’s a long way from home, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take because I know it can benefit me in the end if I work hard and do what I’m supposed to do.”
Ferrell’s long-term goal is simple.
“I want to be the best,” he said.
“Everything I do, I want to do well at it.”
It is good that Ferrell has that kind of internal motivation.
Mississippi Delta Community College is allowed to have only eight out-of-state scholarship football players on the roster at any one time. Therefore, Ferrell is going to have to compete for a spot on the team roster.
“They (Mississippi Delta CC) are bringing in 10 (scholarship players),” noted Comets assistant football coach Stan Hodgin.
“They’re all going to be on scholarship but only eight of those 10 will be on the roster, so Mark’s going to be fighting for a spot on the roster. He’s already got the scholarship and that’s a done deal. But, he’s got to earn a spot on the roster.”
Ferrell acknowledged that he will have his work cut out for him.
“I’ve got to go down there and do what I’ve got to do because I want to get one of those eight spots,” Ferrell pointed out.
Mississippi Delta Community College is a junior college program that is acknowledged as one of the country’s better junior college programs, a program where seven or more wins a season are the norm.
Hodgin pointed out that Mississippi Delta coaches and school officials work closely with the players to hone their football skills and academic abilities to the point where they can get their players transferred into Division I programs after having completed two years at the school.
He noted that Comets assistant coach Joseph Stone was responsible for the initial contact.
“Coach Stone has a very good friend on the staff at Mississippi Delta,” Hodgin explained.
“He made the original phone call and the recruiting process started and it kind of fell to me after that.”
Hodgin called situation with Ferrell and Mississippi Delta CC “a great fit.”
“The junior college program is specifically designed to help prepare them to be able to handle college work,” Hodgin said.
“They offer everything from remediation to advanced placement classes, basically whatever the academic needs of a student are.”
In terms of football, Hodgin said the school will help “promote” Ferrell.
“When Mark gets on campus, at some point they will ask him where he would like to finish his education,” Hodgin explained.
“It’s school specific to where they will be in contact with the top three, four or five schools on Mark’s list.”
The Comets coach said Ferrell has the tools it takes to play on the Division I level.
“I think he can play D-I football as a receiver, a free safety, a strong safety or linebacker,” said Hodgin.
“I think his potential is unlimited. It’s limited by only whatever ceiling of a work ethic Mark is going to create for himself. He’s 6-4. The greatest football coach in the history of football could not coach Mark to be 6-4. He’s got tremendous God-given ability. He runs a sub-flat 11-second 100 meters now. Speed is not an issue. He has great hands.
“What we’re working off of is one football season,” continued Hodgin.
“As much as Mark has learned and as much as Mark understands about football at this point, he’s barely scratched the surface and he will discover that quickly once he gets down to Mississippi. As long as he is open-minded and continues to work harder than he thinks he’s capable of, I think professional football is an opportunity for him at some level.”
Noting that he has coached players that have gone on to play pro football including arena football, the Canadian Football League and the NFL, Hodgin says Ferrell’s ability ranks right up there with those players.
“Mark certainly, at the same age and same point of development, is equal to or better than they were,” Hodgin pointed out.
Ferrell says finding an opportunity to continue to play football is his first goal.
“But, if not,” Ferrell said, “then follow a career in business management.”
The Comets standout football player said he is willing to go just about anywhere he has to go in order to play college football at the Division I level.
“Wherever I get an offer is where I’ll go,” Ferrell said.
“ I’m not picky.”

Earnhardt Edges Hamlin At RIR
A Questionable Call By Kevin Harvick Not To Pit Late In The Race Opened The Door Of Opportunity For Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Richmond…..Saturday night’s Crown Royal 400 here at Richmond International Raceway was Kevin Harvick’s race to lose.
When he and his team made a questionable call not to pit late in the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was right there to jump on the opportunity.
Earnhardt jumped into the lead with 45 laps left and held off hometown favorite Denny Hamlin of Chesterfield to win Saturday night’s 400-lap NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race and snap a lengthy losing streak.
The win was Earnhardt’s third here and was his first win since a victory at Chicago in July of last year.
“For 80 percent of that race,” Kevin Harvick had the best car,” said Earnhardt.
“I made a charge on him but he was so much better I conceded the win to him and was just going to race for second.”
Harvick, racing for his second weekend sweep of the season after having won the 250-lap NASCAR Busch Series race here the night before, led 272 laps of Saturday’s race and appeared to be the class of the field.
However, one bad call on a pit stop left him holding the bag and having to settle for a disappointing third-place finish.
Harvick decided not to pit during the race’s eighth caution period that came on lap 288 due to oil on the track. Earnhardt and all of the other front-running cars pitted for fresh tires and fuel and lost some track position.
That, however, was only temporary.
The group of cars that included Earnhardt, Hamlin and Kyle Busch quickly made a run back to the front. Within 40 laps after the restart on lap 292 they reeled in Harvick and the race took on a new look.
Hamlin muscled his way past Harvick on lap 330, opening the door for Earnhardt and Busch to do likewise. After that point, Harvick never led again.
The young rookie led for 19 laps, giving up the lead when the front-runners pitted during a caution period that began on lap 347 for a mishap involving Robbie Gordon.
Busch won the race off of pit road and took the lead on lap 349. But, he couldn’t hold it as Earnhardt sped by him to take the lead on lap 356, bringing Hamlin with him.
Earnhardt then held off Hamlin in a seven-lap sprint that followed the race’s final caution period which came on lap 392 when South Boston native Jeff Burton spun on the backstretch and smacked the wall to take his third career NEXTEL Cup Series win at RIR.
Earnhardt said he just tried to keep his car straight coming off of the turns during the last few laps.
“I knew Denny was maybe a little bit better than me the first couple of laps anyway,” Earnhardt pointed out.
“He would get under me, but wouldn’t get into me. I’d pull a car length here and a car length there. With two (laps) to go, I thought I had about four car lengths and I think I’ve got it won.”
The runner-up finish marked a big night for Hamlin who lives in nearby Chesterfield and race NASCAR Late Model Stock Cars at area short tracks including South Boston Speedway.
Hamlin drove the race with one of his hands heavily bandaged after he needed 19 stitches to close a wound he sustained while horseplaying with his crew earlier in the week following a test session at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.
While Hamlin won the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona in February, he reveled in the second-place finish in front of his hometown fans.
“This is by far the biggest race of my career,” said Hamlin.
“It’s something that’s very special and to have so many friends and family here, it’s awesome. I’ll be riding this wave for months to come.”
Earnhardt admitted even he would have liked to see Hamlin win the race.
“I was pulling for Denny too,” Earnhardt said.
“There was a part of me that wanted to see him get the win. This is his hometown and he’s got a lot of family here, he said some 400 tickets he’s got for family and friends and relatives. He’s going to win a lot of races and be real successful.”
Greg Biffle followed the front three of Earnhardt, Hamlin and Harvick with Busch rounding out the top five finishers. Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Sterling Marlin and rrokie Clint Bowyer rounded out the top 10 finishers.
Burton finished 15th, the first car a lap down, after seeing what had been a steady run among the top six or seven cars all night come unraveled at the end.
He was in the top five when he made a mistake and pitted too early during the race’s ninth caution on lap 347. As a result, Burton, had to go to the back of the longest line for the restart.
His mishap on the backstretch on lap 392 put the final dent in his night.
However, despite the 15th-place finish, Burton emerged from the race 12th in the series points standings.
“We did a nice job with the car tonight,” Burton said.
“And, we did a terrible job with everything else. We pitted. The pits weren’t open. We had bad pit stops. Everything that we did – short of getting the car to work good – was wrong.”
Burton said something happened in front of him to create the late mishap.
“I turned left and Mark (Martin) turned more left and it was just everybody trying to go through a wreck,” he explained.
“Nobody did anything wrong. It just happened.
“I’m pretty disappointed,” he added, noting that he felt he had a chance to win the race after his teammate, Harvick, had trouble.
“But, a bad night could have been way worse. We soldiered through.”