Youth Killed In Hit And Run

A 20-year-old Halifax man was charged Friday for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident that resulted in the death of a nine-year-old South Boston child, according to South Boston Police Sergeant T.M. VanAernem.
Brandon Marqui Scott, of 1401 Llewellyn Avenue, was transported from the scene by the Halifax County Rescue Squad and later died from his injuries at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Police arrested Marcus S. Coleman without incident at his residence on Marion Trail and charged him with failure to report an accident resulting in death or injuries following the hit-and-run incident on Valley Drive in South Boston.
According to the report filed by Officer J. Berry, officers were called at approximately 4:35 p.m. Friday to the Valley Drive area following a report that a child had been struck by a vehicle.
“It was reported to officers that the vehicle had left the scene of the accident,” VanAernem said, noting the suspect was reported to have been driving a late-1990s model white Chevrolet pickup truck.
According to Berry’s report, officers and the Halifax County Rescue Squad arrived on the scene within minutes of the call and saw the child lying on the side of the road on Valley Drive with undetermined injuries.
South Boston officers were assisted by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police in locating and apprehending Coleman, VanAernem said, noting that the scene of the accident was reconstructed by the Virginia State Police Reconstruction Team and the investigation is continuing.
Coleman was transported to the magistrate’s office where he is being held on a $10,000 secured bond.
A funeral for Scott will be held Wednesday at noon at the Spanish Grove Baptist Church.

South Boston Names New Police, Fire Chief

Deputy Police Chief James Binner has been promoted to police chief replacing departing South Boston Police Chief Mick Reed.
Binner, who has served as deputy police chief since 1999, assumed his new post June 1, town officials announced Friday. Binner has been replaced as deputy police chief by Captain B.K. Lovelace effective June 1.
Deputy Fire Chief Steve Phillips has been promoted to the position of fire chief effective July 1, replacing retiring Fire Chief William Murray.
Phillips has served the South Boston Fire Department as a full time employee since 1975 and as a volunteer since 1971. Chief Phillips will be replaced as fire marshal by Dwight Spangler, who will be promoted to captain effective July 1.
In announcing the promotions, South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel cited the extraordinary leadership skills, professional competence and long time service to the Town of South Boston by all four individuals.
Entry level salaries for the four new public safety commanders are: $58,580.35 for Chief Binner; $50,508.51 for Captain Lovelace; $53,083.70 for Chief Phillips; and $42,501.59 for Captain Spangler.

Obituaries

Kenneth Wilson Dodson Sr.
Kenneth Wilson Dodson Sr., 78, of Ringgold died May 31, 2007, at the home of his daughter.
Mr. Dodson was born January 21, 1929, in Halifax County the son of the late John Wall Dodson and the late Hattie Hawker Dodson, and was married to Ruby Cook Dodson. He was a member of Afton Road Primitive Baptist Church and a former member of the Old Mill Primitive Baptist Church.
Mr. Dodson was a retired truck driver with Conoco, and was a U.S. Army Veteran, serving during the Korean Wear era in Germany and Japan.
In addition to his wife of the home, survivors include a son, Kenneth W. Dodson Jr. of Chesterfield; two daughters, Ramona D. Richardson of Ringgold and Rebecca Willis of Midlothian; two brothers, Henry Dodson of Ringgold and Roy Dodson of Blackstone; five sisters, Erma Adkins, Audrey Kinder and Verda Leonard, all of Danville, Hattie Baynes of Richmond, and Catherine Lacy of South Boston; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Mr. Dodson was also preceded in death by a sister, Eunice Hair.
Funeral services were held June 3, at 2 p.m. at Old Mill Primitive Baptist Church with Elder Danny Parker officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery with military honors given by the U.S. Army and American Legion Post 1097 Honor Guard.

Anna Catherine Woodall Wells

Anna Catherine Woodall Wells, 89, of Fenton Street, South Boston died May 31, 2007, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Wells was born in South Boston February 20, 1918, the daughter of the late Henry W. Woodall and Josephine Spindler Woodall and was married to the late F. Edward ‘Pete’ Wells. She was a lifelong member of Main Street United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sisters-in-law, Louise Wells and Lottie Skiles, both of Richmond; one niece, Julie Jones and her husband, Royal, of Richmond; one great-nephew, Zachary Jones of Richmond; and special friends, her namesake Katherine Harris, Larry and Lucy Harris, and Elizabeth Thaxton, all of South Boston, and Joan Crowder and Frances Perkins, both of Halifax.
Funeral services for Mrs. Wells were held June 3, at 3 p.m. at Main Street United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ed Rigg officiating. Burial followed in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Main Street United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 701 North Main Street, South Boston, 24592.

John Harrell Hite

John Harrell Hite, 89, of Virgilina, husband to Geraldine Smith Hite, died May 26, 2007, at his home.
Native to Halifax County, Mr. Hite was a member of North Fork Baptist Church where he was a past Director of Sunday School and Deacon. Serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he was a Pearl Harbor Survivor. He was retired from Collins and Aikman.
Funeral services were held May 28, at 2 p.m. at North Fork Baptist Church with the Rev. Hugh Mayes officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Hite is survived by two brothers, Page L. Hite of Florence, S.C. and George Tilman Hite of Buffalo Junction. One brother, Joseph Kilby Hite; and one sister, Sue Vann Hite Weber, preceded him in death.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wclfh.com.

Kathleen Landrum Cole

Funeral services for Mrs. Kathleen Landrum Cole will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Asbury United Methodist Church with the Rev. Brian Simmons officiating.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends tonight from 7-8:30 at Powell Funeral Home and at other times at the home, 3125 Asbury Church Road in Vernon Hill.
Mrs. Cole, 89, died Friday, June1, in Staunton.
She was born in Halifax County on April 28, 1918, the daughter of Clarence Oscar Landrum and Ester Dunn Landrum and was married to the late Aubrey Costen Cole.
Mrs. Cole was a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church.
She is survived by a son, James Francis “Frank” Cole of Vernon Hill; a sister, Elizabeth Rose Owen of South Boston; three grandchildren, Fran Terry of Danville, and Lori Fisher and David Cole, both of Staunton and six great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Cole was preceded in death by a brother, Clarence Landrum.
Online condolences may be sent to powell@gcronline.com.

Fannie E. McAlexander Thomas

A funeral for Fannie Elizabeth McAlexander Thomas, 91, of Salem, was held Saturday at Lotz Salem Chapel with interment at Meadows of Dan Baptist Church Cemetery in Patrick County. Pastor Thomas McCraken officiated.
Mrs. Thomas died May 31.
She was the daughter of the late John and Cora McAlexander, and was married to the late Joseph P. Thomas.
She is survived by two daughters, Betty Wilson and husband Gilbert and Helen Archer; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a special “adopted” sister, Lottie Cronk and husband Adrian; a special friend, Gaynell Long, as well as many other family members, friends, and neighbors.
She was predeceased by a son, Joseph Bruce Thomas, two sisters, Frela McAlexander and Lucy Reynolds and two brothers, Dennis McAlexander and Elkanah McAlexander.

Lawrence Chaffin Cliborne

A funeral for Lawrence Chaffin Cliborne of Goose Creek, S.C., will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Northwood Baptist Church. Interment will be at 2 p.m. in Beaufort National Cemetery.
Mr. Cliborne died Friday, June 1.
Mr. Cliborne was born May 12, 1932 in Scottsburg, Virginia, the son of Henry Jackson Cliborne and Virginia Brown Cliborne, and was married to Candace Allred Cliborne.
He was a retired Tech. Sergeant in the US Air Force, a member of the American Legion Forty & Eight and also retired from Defense Fuels in Hanahan.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Dale Cliborne of Moncks Corner, S.C. and David Cliborne of Goose Creek, S.C.; his daughter, Joanna Mooney of Westbrook, Maine; his sister, Nancy Overstreet of Halifax; and five grandchildren.
Friends may call at J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Greenridge Road Chapel today between 5-7 p.m.
Condolences may be sent to www.jhenrystuhr.com.

Brandon Marqui Scott

Funeral services for Brandon Marqui Scott will be held Wednesday at noon at the Spanish Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Ronnie Womack officiating.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the residence, 1401 Llewellyn Avenue in South Boston.
Brandon, 9, died at Halifax Regional Hospital.
He was born on April 30, 1998, the son of Breon Mebane Scott and Jonita Marable Scott.
Brandon attended the Spanish Grove Baptist Church and was an honor roll student at C.H. Friend Elementary School.
He was also a member of the South Boston Dixie Youth Baseball League, South Boston Youth Basketball League and Halifax County Football League.
In addition to his parents, Brandon is survived by a brother, Jairus Marable of South Boston; his maternal grandparents, Joseph and Jane Marable of Chesapeake; his paternal grandmothers, Velma Scott of Clover and Charlene Mebane of Danville; his maternal great-grandparents, Rev. and Mrs. Freddie Jeffress Sr. of Scottsburg, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends.

George W. Jones

Funeral services for Mr. George W. Jones will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Alton with Rev. Harvey Bigelow officiating.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military rites.
The family will receive friends at the home of his daughter, Gloria Williams, 1100 Mills Pond Road in Alton, and the home of Mason Coleman, 2173 Mt. Carmel Road in Alton.
Mr. Jones, 77, of Alton, died Thursday, May 31.
He was born in Halifax County on July 17, 1929, the son of the late John Jones and the late Rosa Stevens Jones and was married to the late Emma Thorpe Jones.
Mr. Jones was a member of the New Bethel Baptist Church and an Army veteran.
He is survived by three daughters, Dale Dunn of Semora, N.C., Gloria Williams and Daisy Brandon, both of Alton; two sisters, Daisy Chambers of Alton and Janie Hughes of South Boston; two brothers, Jeffery Jones of Florida and Joseph Jones of South Boston; four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, two sons-in-law, three sisters-in-law, a brother-in-law and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

James William Adams Jr.

Funeral services for James William Adams Jr., of 1023 Blane’s Mill Rd. in Alton, will be held Tuesday, June 5 at 11 a.m. at Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, with the Revs. Liz Buxton and Dennis Ball officiating.
Burial will be in the Cedar Grove U.M.C. cemetery.
Visitation will be today, June 4, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home, and other times at the home, 1023 Blane’s Mill Rd., Alton.
Mr. Adams, 84, died Saturday at Duke University Medical Center.
James Adams was born November 24, 1922 in Halifax County, the son of the late James William Adams Sr. and Katherine Carter Adams, and was married to Edith Brandon Adams.
He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, a retired farmer and beef producer and a World War II Army veteran.
Mr. Adams was awarded two Purple Hearts, Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal and American Defense Service Medal in World War II, and was a member of the American Legion Post 8.
He is survived by his wife; one son, Archer Edward Adams and wife, Cindy of Alton; one step daughter, Pamela Toth and husband, Gary of Sterling; one sister, Margaret Scheier of South Boston; one granddaughter, Rebecca Greifenberger and husband, Eric of Chesapeake; one grandson, Adam Toth and wife, Heather of Sterling; and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by a daughter, Anita Hawes and a son, James William Adams III.
Those wishing to give memorials please consider the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 11454, Alexandria, Va. 22313 or on-line at www.diabetes.org, or to the charity of choice.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net.

Comets Fall Short In Regional Title Quest

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The Comets varsity softball team won three consecutive road games this postseason to capture both the Western Valley District Tournament championship and a berth in the Group AAA State Tournament.
Halifax fell just short of making it four in a row on Friday, losing 4-3 at Osbourn in eight innings in the Northwest Region Championship game.
The Comets will hit the road again tomorrow in the quarterfinals of the Group AAA Tournament, this time with a 5 p.m. game at Northern Region champion James W. Robinson of Fairfax,
The Northwest Region Championship game was as close as the final score indicated, each team scoring twice in the first inning.
Osbourn took a 3-2 lead with a run in the fourth and Halifax rallied to tie the score in the top of the sixth inning.
Osbourn won the game with a two-out rally in the eighth on a Dana Woodsmall single, Comets error, fielder’s choice and a bases loaded RBI single from Caitlin Davis.
The play before Davis’ single proved to be crucial, with Woodsmall safe on a close force play at third after Cindy Moore’s ground ball to short.
Despite that play, Comets coach Melanie Saunders pointed to lost scoring opportunities as a key to the outcome.
“We had some opportunities, runners at second and third in one inning and bases loaded in another without scoring,” noted Saunders.
“It’s just the breaks, things happen and you never know which way things are going to go.
“Both teams made some crucial errors at times, but both came back and hit the ball. They’re [Osbourn] a good team, they hit throughout the game and so did we, they just got the lucky break at the end.”
Each team got off to a good start at the plate with four runs scored in the first inning.
The Comets got one-out hits from Ally Thompson and Betty Rose in their first at-bat. Lashunda Davis and Key Ferrell reached base on consecutive errors to make it 2-0.
Osbourn responded with singles from Lori Botkin, Moore and Davis, a RBI hit from Ashleigh Williams and a RBI fielder’s choice from Brittany Barlow to tie the score.
Osbourn took a 3-2 lead with a walk, groundout and RBI hit by Botkin in the fourth, and Halifax let a golden scoring opportunity slip by in the fifth before tying the score in the sixth inning.
Stephanie Clark, who led Comets hitters with two doubles and a single for the day, doubled to lead off the fifth, and Davis and Ferrell drew two out walks to load the bases.
A strikeout got Osbourn out of the inning, but the Comets tied the score in their next at-bat on a Heather Hudson double, sacrifice by Amber Bowman and RBI single by Clark.
Halifax let scoring opportunities slip away in both the seventh and eighth innings, before Osbourn scored to end the game.
In the seventh, Davis hit a one-out single and stole second, before Ferrell followed with a single. Ferrell took second base to put two runners in scoring position, but a strikeout and groundout ended the threat.
In the eighth, Liz Trickey reached base on a one-out error and Clark doubled to put runners at second and third, but a strikeout and groundout again got Osbourn out of trouble.
The Eagles then scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the inning.
The loss to Osbourn ended a 24-inning scoreless streak by Comets hurler Paige Rickman, who hurled complete game shutout wins at Franklin County, North Stafford and Battlefield.
Rickman allowed six hits in four innings and part of the fifth, before Clark came to the mound to finish the game.
The Comets played well against Osbourn, despite playing three road games in five days, according to Saunders.
“I know Paige was tired today and I think we made the right decision to let Stephanie come in.
“Of course, we’re all tired but we showed that we could play with our hearts. We’ve played well on the road for the past three games and we’ll just come back Tuesday and do the same thing.
“We won’t let anything that happened today get to our heads, and we’ll simply come out and play ball.”

On The Road Again

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The Comets varsity softball team will need another road win, this time at James W. Robinson of Fairfax, to advance to the Group AAA State Tournament semifinals.
The game is scheduled to start at tomorrow at 5 p.m. at James W. Robinson High School.
Robinson, out of the Concord District, is the Northern Region champion.
Other Group AAA quarterfinals include Central Region and defending Group AAA champion Hanover hosting East Region runnerup Salem of Virginia Beach, East Region champion Kellam of Virginia Beach hosting Central Region runner up Patrick Henry of Ashland, and Northwest Region champion Osbourn hosting North Region runnerup Stonebridge.
Tomorrow’s road game is the fifth in a row for Halifax, starting with a 6-0 win at Franklin County May 24 in the Western Valley District Tournament championship game.
Halifax has since recorded a 3-0 win in ten innings Monday at North Stafford and a 1-0 win Wednesday at Battlefield, before Friday’s 4-3 loss at Osbourn in eight innings in the Northwest Region championship game.
The Comets have been true road warriors in the postseason, playing perhaps their best ball to reach this point, according to coach Melanie Saunders.
Friday’s heart-breaking extra inning setback to Osbourn has done little to diminish the team’s enthusiasm and momentum heading into tomorrow’s game, she added.
The Comets have played with heart and intensity in winning three of its last four ball games, all on the road, to secure a berth in the Group AAA state tournament for the first time in 17 years.
That fact is not lost on Saunders, who played in the Group AAA State Tournament as a member of the 1990 Comets varsity softball team, the last team to accomplish that feat.
Halifax locked up an appearance in the state tournament quarterfinals with the win at Battlefield, and has to approach the game at Robinson with the same attitude and intensity it has displayed thus far, she said.
“We lost this ball game (Osbourn), but we lost to a good team and we played well,” said Saunders.
“Yes, we lost this game, but we’re playing better than we have all year long.
“We’ll just have to come back with the same momentum and play like we have been.”
That means more solid pitching, defense and execution on offense, with a lot of heart and desire thrown in for good measure.
Win or lose, Halifax has come a long way this season, the Comets proving some doubters wrong along the way, explained Saunders.
“There were a lot of people who thought we wouldn’t even get here and have the success we’ve had to this point,” she said.
“We lost this ball game, but we lost to a good team and we played well,” said Saunders.
“We’ll just have to come back with the same momentum and play like we have been.”
Regardless of how they fare in the state tournament, the Comets have already accomplished more this season than some would have predicated, Saunders noted.
“There were a lot of people who thought we wouldn’t even get here and have the success we’ve had to this point,” she explained.
“To make it to the state after so many years, you have to take your hat off to these kids.
“They did it and they made it work as a team.”

Kobyluck Holds Off Sellers In Busch East Race

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Matt Kobyluck has not enjoyed much in the way of good luck this season on the NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series circuit.
Heading into Saturday night’s South Boston 150, Kobyluck’s best finish in three Busch East starts and one West Series race was a 12th-place effort.
A cut tire in a race at Phoenix, Ariz. in a West Series race put him out of contention and a crash among lapped cars in the Busch East opener dropped him down in the final finishing order. The best finish he had in the two-race trip to the Midwest was a 12th-place effort.
Kobyluck put all of that misfortune behind him Saturday night at South Boston Speedway.
The Uncasville, Conn. resident survived a race-long battle with 2005 South Boston Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division champion and NASCAR Weekly Series national champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, fending off Sellers in a four-lap sprint to the finish to score his first win of the season.
The win, Kobyluck’s first victory of the season, came by a narrow margin of about three car lengths or .411 second.
With the win, Kobyluck earned an automatic berth in the season-ending Toyota All-Star Showdown in Irwindale, Cal.
“We’ve run well all season long and just haven’t had the finishes to show it,” a relieved Kobyluck said afterward.
“I just tried to run a smart race. Peyton ran me clean and I ran him clean and it (the race) ended up the way it should have.”
Kobyluck led six times in Saturday’s race for 47 laps, taking the lead for good when he passed Sellers on the restart on lap 140 following the seventh of the race’s eight caution periods.
From there, Kobyluck fended off Sellers in a four-lap dash to the finish that followed the race’s eighth and final caution period to pull off the win.
“On the next-to-last restart we had 10 (laps) to go,” Kobyluck noted.
“I figured there was no way we were going to make it 10 green flag laps without someone wrecking and a caution coming out. I was hoping it wouldn’t come out because the outside line was the preferred line on the restarts. You could just get such a good run up out of the corner.
“Once I got by him (Sellers) I was wishing we didn’t have another restart,” Kobyluck continued.
“We had that one (restart) with four laps to go and I was on the inside in the lead. Peyton must have spun his tires or something, but I got a real good restart on the bottom and was able to pull off.”
Kobyluck and Sellers staged a torrid battle throughout the 150-lap event that saw 12 lead changes among three drivers. Sellers led six times for a total of 100 laps and Kobyluck led six times for 47 laps with outside polestarter Sean Caisse of Pelham, N.H. leading the first three laps of the race before Sellers and Kobyluck sped past him.
There were four occasions over the last 50 laps of the race that Kobyluck and Sellers restarted the race on the front row in the double-file restarts. On the last two restarts it was Kobyluck that got in front and, ultimately, won the race.
“It was fun,” Kobyluck said of his battle with Sellers.
“Peyton came over and congratulated me. He’s a cool character and clean driver. I had fun running with him and, hopefully, he had fun running with me. That’s the way racing is supposed to be.”
Sellers said winning the pole and finishing second in the race made for a good night at his hometown track with his family-owned race team.
“It’s just awesome to come back home and run as well as we did,” said Sellers.
“I’m proud of everybody that has been working on this car. We’re like the “Little Train That Could.” We just keep plugging away and keep going at it.”
The former South Boston Speedway champion said he had nothing to hang his head about.
“To get beat by Matt Kobyluck is nothing to be ashamed of,” Sellers pointed out.
“He’s been in this series a long time. He may not have been to South Boston quite as much (as I have) but he’s a short –track racer at heart and he’s a good racer and has good equipment.”
Sellers said he felt he had a shot at winning the race with the last two restarts.
“The restarts were helping me a lot,” Sellers noted.
“I just got a bad start on the last restart and he (Kobyluck) jumped me a little bit. That’s the way it goes. We could have had a good duel there to the end but circumstances didn’t allow it. That’s the way it is.”
Joey Logano of Middletown, Conn. the winner of three of the season’s first four races, finished third with Marc Davis of Mitchelville, Md. finishing fourth and Rogelio Lopez of Mexico City, Mexico rounding out the top five finishers.
Jamie Hayes of Norlina, N.C., defending NASCAR Busch East Series champion Mike Olsen of North Haverhill, N.C., Eric Holmes of Salida, Cal., Tim Schendel of Sparta, Wis., and Chase Austin of Eudora, Kan. rounded out the top ten finishers.
Series points leader Logano, with his third-place finish, increased his points lead over Lopez to 39 points.
Sellers moved up to third place in the points standings with his second-place finish and stands 69 points out of the lead. Olsen, the defending series champion, is in fourth place, 11 points behind Sellers. Caisse, who was second in the standings entering the race, fell to fifth place in the standings after an early-race spin and overheating problems relegated him to a 27th-place finish.
Logano found himself spending most of the race battling Davis, a fellow Joe Gibbs Racing development driver for third place. The series points leader said he had nothing for Kobyluck and Sellers.
“I was a third-place car and that’s where I finished,” said Logano.
Those guys were in a class of their own. I really didn’t have anything for them since the race started. I started off (with the car) being tight in the center and it made the car loose off (of the corners). I really burned the rear tires off of it. Once the rear tires went away, I had no bite up off of the corners. Still, it was a great points night and I’ll take it.”
The race, the inaugural NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series race at South Boston Speedway, was one of the better races fans have seen at the .4-mile oval in some time with its 12 lead changes among three drivers. Twenty of the race’s 32 starters finished on the lead lap.
Kobyluck averaged 49.291 mph in the 150-lap, 60-mile race that was slowed by eight caution periods that consumed 52 laps.