Monday, May 9, 2005

Man Killed In Early Morning Accident

A 25-year-old Sutherlin man was killed early yesterday morning when he was struck by a pickup as he was walking home, according to Sgt. David Cooper of the Virginia State Police.
According to the trooper, Danny E. Palmer was struck by a Ford F-150 operated by a Halifax County female at approximately 2:30 a.m. He was pronounced dead by Dr. Phillip Ward at the scene at approximately 3:15 a.m.
The accident occurred on Route 659, approximately one-half mile west of Route 662, according to police.
Cooper said the investigation is continuing and declined to name the driver of the truck. “Once the investigation is concluded, more information will be available,” he said.
“(Palmer) was coming from South Boston,” Cooper said. “Alcohol is going to be a factor in this accident.
“He was three and a half to four miles from his home when he was struck,” he added. “Some people say he was standing, some say he was sitting, but he was definitely in the roadway.”

Attempted Abduction Charged

A Halifax man has been arrested and charged with attempted abduction after he allegedly tried to convince a female juvenile to get in his vehicle Friday, according to Chief Mick Reed of the South Boston Police Department.
James Edward Pannell Jr., of Ball Park Loop, is being held in the Halifax Regional Jail without bond, according to Investigator T.M. VanAernem.
VanAernem said that at approximately 4:34 p.m., the department received a call reporting that a male subject in a van was in the area of Webster Street and Llewellyn Avenue and had approached and attempted to convince the child to get into his vehicle.
According to police reports, the juvenile immediately ran from the area and called 911.
“Moments after being advised of the incident, Sgt. Ronnie Edmonds conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle used in the attempted abduction,” Reed said.
According to statements from witnesses, the suspect allegedly approached the juvenile asking for directions and then attempted to convince the child to get into his vehicle.
“There was no evidence of force used during the incident and we are grateful that the victim was also able to run away from the suspect and call the police department,” VanAernem said. “The victim was also able to give a detailed description of the vehicle, which definitely helped in the location of the individual involved.”
Subsequent to the arrest, South Boston officers and deputies with the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Pannell’s residence.
No information is available concerning the result of the search.
Captain Jim Binner said the South Boston department has stepped up their enforcement in and around the town’s public park area in the last few weeks, “and will continue to do so.”
“We have an obligation to the community to maintain a safe environment for our children,” he said. “This little girl did exactly what we and parents hope our children will do in a situation like this.”

Three Arrested Vandalism Spree

Two county men and a juvenile have been arrested on multiple vandalism charges after they allegedly traveled through the Brentwood subdivision breaking car windows Saturday night, according to South Boston Investigator T.M. VanAernem.
VanAernem said that 20-year-old Addison C. Solomon of Wade Pond Road in Alton, 20-year-old Jamie L. Smith of Traver Avenue in South Boston and a 15-year-old South Boston juvenile were each charged with nine counts of vandalism after they were discovered leaving the neighborhood where the crimes allegedly occurred.
According to police, the department received a call at approximately 10:46 p.m.
“The caller informed the police department that a vehicle was traveling through the subdivision shooting out the windows of residents’ vehicles,” VanAernem said.
According to the investigator, the caller was able to give police a description of the suspect vehicle.
Sgt. Freddie Edmunds, Officer Greg Yancey and Officer Larry Kozlik arrived within minutes of the call, VanAernem said.
“According to Officer Yancey’s report, as the officers arrived in the area they observed a vehicle matching the description that was given attempting to leave the subdivision,” he added.
After stopping the vehicle, the officers learned that the two men and juvenile had allegedly traveled through the subdivision and used an undisclosed object rather than a firearm to vandalize a “large number” of vehicles parked on the street.
“At this time we are able to identify nine vehicles in the Brentwood subdivision that (were) vandalized during the incident,” VanAernem said. “We are thankful that a citizen was able to give the police department a detailed description of the vehicle and that they called immediately after the subjects were observed in the area.”
Yancey charged each of the suspects with nine counts of vandalism and Kozlik charged Solomon with driving under the influence and Smith with possession of alcohol under 21years old.
Solomon and Smith were transported to Halifax Regional Jail.
The juvenile was transported to W.W. Moore Detention Home in Danville.

Obituaries

William Edward Mickey

William Edward Mickey, 64, of Saxe died May 3, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Mickey was born in Mecklenburg County on November 18, 1940, to the late Walter E. Mickey and Florence Roberts Mickey.
Survivors include his mother of Chase City; four children, Walter Mickey Sr. of Saxe, Tony Mickey of Fort Mitchell, Theresa Craig and Michael Craig, both of Victoria; and a devoted friend, Betty Jones, of Saxe.
Graveside services for Mr. Mickey were held May 8, at 2 p.m. at New Rehoboth Baptist Church Cemetery in Keysville. The Rev. Ricky Allen officiated.

Richard Sandy Gerst

Funeral services for Mr. Richard Sandy Gerst will be held at 11 a.m. today, with services at Memorial Baptist Church.
The Rev. Richard Terry will officiate.
Burial will follow at the Dan River Bethel Baptist Church cemetery.
Formerly of Bill Tuck Highway in South Boston, Mr. Gerst died Thursday, May 5, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
He was 87.
Mr. Gerst was born in Halifax County on April 2, 1918, the son of the late Richard Gerst and the late Lottie Bruce Gerst.
He was married to the late Nettie Baskins Gerst, was a WWII Army veteran, a retired employee of Burlington Industries and a deacon of Memorial Baptist Church.
Mr. Gerst is survived by one daughter, Joyce G. Hamlett of Chester, one son, Richard J. Gerst of South Hill, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, one son-in-law, Will Hamlett, one daughter-in-law, Gwen T. Gerst, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
The family will receive friends at the church cemetery.

Mary Elizabeth Finch Turner

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Finch Turner of Whitt Farm Trail, Virgilina, will be held Tuesday, May 10, at 2 p.m. at Shady Grove United Methodist Church, with the Revs. Ray McGarr and Gaylon Moss officiating. Interment will be at Shady Grove U.M.C. Cemetery.
Mrs. Turner, 68, died Saturday at her home.
She was born June 2, 1936, in Vance County, North Carolina, a daughter of the late Bud Finch and Myrtle Jackson Finch. She was married to John T. Turner of Virgilina.
Mrs. Turner, a homemaker, was a member of Shady Grove United Methodist Church where she was a member of the UMW and a Sunday School teacher..
Survivors include her husband, John Turner; two daughters, Debbie Olson Turner of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and Janet T. Matson and husband, Gene, of Mooresville, Indiana; three sisters, Mildred Boyd of Oxford, N.C., Shirley Paine of Bath, New York, and Carolyn Moss, also of Oxford, N.C.. Other survivors include grandchildren Jamie, Brandon, Rebecca and Kristina, as well as nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Turner was preceded in death by one brother, Sam Finch, and two sisters, Anne Gradine and Nancy McKinnon, and one infant son.
Visitation will be at Brooks Funeral Home today from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and at other times at the home, 1052 Whitt Farm Trail, Virgilina.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Shady Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund.

Mary Sue Lowery Hughes

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Sue Lowery Hughes will be held Wednesday, May 11, at 2 p.m. with services at the Brooks Funeral Home Chapel.
The Rev. Don Davidson will officiate.
Burial will follow in the Cherry Hill U.M.C. cemetery.
Mrs. Hughes died yesterday at the Berry Hill Nursing Home.
She was 86.
Mrs. Hughes was born in Halifax County on April 18, 1919, the daughter of the late Henry Spencer Lowery and the late Rosa Jones Lowery. She was married to the late James William Hughes, was a member of Cherry Hill U.M.C. and was a homemaker.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy H. Gentry of South Boston, one son, Billy Hughes, also of South Boston, two sisters, Lizzie Spencer of Durham and Frances Scott of Hopewell, two granddaughters, Debbie G. Spangler of Buffalo Junction and Sharon G. Campbell of Danville, one step-granddaughter, Peggy Carver of Roxboro, one step-grandson, Sammy Poole of Roxboro, five great-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.

 

Another Big Week On The Road

HCHS Faces Two Key Western Valley District Games On The Road This Week, Going Up Against E.C. Glass Tuesday And GW Friday

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

It is always a big game when Halifax County faces a Western Valley District game – especially at this point with only two weeks of regular-season play remaining.
When you’re in the middle of a four-game series of district road games, the magnitude grows.
Such as it is this week as Halifax County gears up for a pair of games that will have a major impact as far as the post-season Western Valley District Tournament is concerned.
The first contest comes Tuesday when the Comet head to Lynchburg to face E.C. Glass and its pitching ace Jared Bolden. On Friday, the Comets go to Danville to face archrival GW in a game that could have a huge impact on the district race, especially if the Comets pick up a win Tuesday over the Hilltoppers.
Halifax County enters this week in second place in the standings, one game behind GW. A win Tuesday will allow the Comets to retain that position and give them a possibility to gain a tie for first place with GW Friday.
The good thing about Tuesday’s contest against E.C. Glass is that the Comets are in sole possession of second place and have a two-game cushion over the Hilltoppers.
Still, the Comets need a win if they are to make a bid for first place in Friday’s game against GW.
“We’re in a good situation right now as far as the standings go,” said Comets coach Kelvin Davis.
“It helps knowing that we have that (two-game) cushion. But, we’re not out of first place yet. We’re not counting ourselves out. We know we still have a chance to win this thing. We’re going to try to do that.”
A win over the Hilltoppers will not only give the Comets a shot at GW and a tie for the district lead, it would also assure the Comets of finishing no worse than second in the district standings.
A second-place finish in the district standings will give the Comets a home game in the semifinals of the Western Valley District Tournament.
“All of the teams in the district know these last few games are crucial games for everyone,” Davis pointed out.
“Tournament time is right around the corner. The big thing for us right now is to do what we need to do to get the first-round district tournament game here at home. That’s the first goal right now.”
E.C. Glass will be trying to do all it can Tuesday to keep itself in the chase for second place. The Hilltoppers defeated Patrick Henry 8-5 Thursday using Bolden on the mound for six innings and Drew Elkins for one inning to close out the game in the seventh inning.
Davis said he fully expects to see Bolden on the mound Tuesday against his Comets team and a another round of the early-season matchup between the two teams here when Bolden and Jeffress staged a classic pitching battle in a 1-0 Comets win.
“Jeremy will likely be throwing for us and I anticipate that Jared will be throwing for them,” said Davis.
“They’re two great pitchers and I expect it to be another tough battle.”
Davis said it will be important for his team to get the upper hand early.
“Glass is going to be hungry,” Davis said.
“We’re going to have to go up there with an aggressive attitude and try to get some runs early. Glass is a very scrappy team. We have to put them away quickly.
“Our guys know this is an important game,” added Davis.
“We’re going to have to go in mentally focused, take advantage of the opportunities we get and play solid defense.”

Halifax Comets Soccer Team Blanks Dan River

Josh Fallen Scores A “Hat Trick” With Three Goals To Lead The Comets To a 5-0 Win Over Dan River

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

Josh Fallen scored a “hat trick," kicking in three goals to lead the Halifax County High School varsity boys soccer team to a 5-0 shutout win here Friday over Dan River.
The win improved the Comets’ record to 4-9 for the season.
‘You have to be pleased when you win 5-0," said Comets coach Frank Shealy.
“We played okay. In the first half, we just kind of booted the ball all over the place. In the second half, we wanted to focus on ball control and passing the ball and we did a better job of that in the second half.
“We talked (at halftime) about pushing the ball into the corners and we did a better job in the second half," added Shealy.
“ Two more goals were a direct result of that effort."
Fallen had a big night for the Comets with his three goals, a mark that brought his season total to eight goals in regular-season contests and his career total to 32.
Brennan Manning got the scoring started for the Comets when he knocked in a penalty kick at the 28:30 mark of the first half. The Comets got the opportunity for the penalty kick when Trevor Griffin was fouled in the penalty box.
Halifax County controlled the action for most of the half but the score remained at 1-0 until 3:10 left in the first half when Fallen scored inside 10 yards on a ball that was deflected off the crossbar on the goal.
That goal, Fallen’s first of the game, gave the Comets a 2-0 lead at halftime.
The Comets had 10 shots in the first half while Dan River had four shots.
A nifty defensive play followed by a solid shot gave Fallen his second goal of the game early in the second half and put the Comets up 3-0.
The score came at the 34:50 mark of the second half when Fallen intercepted a pass from a Dan River defender and raced to kick in an open shot.
Fallen scored his third goal of the contest at the halfway mark of the second half. Teammate Robert Poirier had possession of the ball deep on the wing and sent a pass across the middle to Fallen, who was open, and Fallen put it into the net. That goal gave the Comets a 4-0 lead.
Travis Smith completed the scoring for the Comets with 14:30 left in the contest when he sent a deep shot over the Dan River goalkeeper’s head and into the net to make it a 5-0 game.
Shealy said Comets goalkeeper Les Powell had a good game and made some good saves.
“Les Powell had several saves in the game, but none more crucial than an early attempt by Dan River that Powell barely tipped that fell right on the goal line," said Shealy.
“Dan River players pounded in and Powell jumped on the ball to prevent the early goal just minutes into the game."
Halifax County got off 10 shots in the second half while Dan River got off four shots.
For the game, the Comets finished with a 19-8 edge in shots.

 

Brandon Shatters Records In VMI Classic

HCHS Standout Shemelia Brandon Shattered The Meet Triple Jump Record And HCHS Triple Jump Record Held By Tisha Waller In Saturday’s VMI Classic

BY Joe Chandler
G-V STAFF WRITER

Halifax County High School track standout Shemelia Brandon added to her list of record-shattering marks Saturday, breaking the meet record and Halifax County High School triple jump record in the annual VMI Classic High School Invitational Track & Field Meet in Lexington.
Brandon leaped 39 feet and 10 and a half inches in winning the triple jump, breaking the Halifax County High School record of 39 feet and 8 inches that was set by two-time Olympian Tisha Waller in 1986.
Brandon’s mark also eclipsed the VMI Classic meet record mark of 39-03.75 set a year ago by Sheemeca Berkley of Amherst County High School.
The record-breaking jump propelled Brandon to a first-place ranking in the state and gave her a better qualifying mark for the Group AAA state meet which will be held in June. Her previous state qualifying mark was 37-7.
Along with the record-breaking performance in the triple jump, Brandon won the 200-meter race with a time of 25.67 seconds, a mark that qualified her in that event for the state meet.
That mark broke the old VMI Classic record of 26.46 seconds which was set last year by Tia Lewis of E.C. Glass.
In addition to the two wins, Brandon placed second in the long jump with a mark of 18-01.50.
The performance by Brandon was a major highlight of the event for the Comets girls and boys track teams, both of whom finished in the top five in the final team standings.
Also having a good day for the Comets girls track team was Ashlee Coleman. Coleman placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 36-02 and placed fifth in the discus with a throw of 105-03.50.
Patrick Terry led the Comets boys track team with a pair of third-place finishes.
Terry placed third in the 100-meter race with a time of 11.11 seconds and placed third in the 200-meter race with a time of 22.92 seconds.
Travis Word placed third for the Comets in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.98 seconds.
David Anderson placed in two events, taking seventh place in the triple jump with a leap of 42-03 and taking eighth-place in the long jump with a leap of 20-11.50.
Two of the Comets’ relay teams also placed in the meet.
The Comets’ 4x100-meter relay team consisting of Jeremy Clauden, Anderson, Terry and Word, placed fourth with a time of 44.41 seconds.
A sixth-place finish went to the Comets’ 4x800-meter relay team consisting of Justin Davis, Taron Rogers, Emmanuel Coleman and Chris Pridgett. They turned in a time of 8:44.40.
Clauden narrowly missed placing in two events, finishing ninth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.96 seconds and placing ninth in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 44.38 seconds.