Proposed County Budget Blasted

A parade of speakers addressed the Halifax County Board of Supervisors Monday and urged them to find ways to hold the line on spending and cut the size of the proposed nine-cent real estate tax increase.
Cheryl Watts, a Halifax resident, said to the Board, “I would like to challenge each of you to do this before you vote on the budget: take an hour or two to study how you or your size family would live on the economic living wage?
“Would your current idea of tightening your belt be drastically different if you or your family lived in those same situations?”
According to Watts, the average citizen in Halifax County makes $554 a week or $28,808 a year for 52 weeks work, which is only $1,358 a year more than the VEC’s minimum economic living wage.
Watts said she didn’t think that the average citizen in the county thought that taxes were to low.
“It’s how the county government chooses to use its revenue that is the problem,” she said, noting that a tax increase would be hard on low-income families.
“The average citizen or family deserves to work hard and realize the American Dream of homeownership,” Watts said. “If they’ve already achieved it, they deserve to be able to afford to keep it.”
Watts also said that the comparisons made between Halifax’s tax rate and that of surrounding counties is misleading.
She said the only fair comparison is between Halifax and Mecklenburg because they are the only two counties, which reassess real estate values every two years.
Mecklenburg is currently at a 36-cent tax rate making it six cents lower than Halifax’s current tax rate of 41 cents.
Watts said that Charlotte County re-assesses every four or five years and that Pittsylvania and Campbell County reassess every four years.
“Our citizens were mostly unaware of the impact of reassessing every two years at the time it was passed,” she said. “And are now aware of how much that decision is impacting their pocketbooks.
“It wasn’t promised at the time, but it was certainly implied by this body that moving to a two-year cycle would keep our tax rate lower,” Watts added, “not increase it.”
Dan Lacey said he also opposed the tax increase citing several projects he said were unworthy.
He said the Board spent $143,000 on the King Village Road condemnation and hadn’t started on the road yet.
“As a landowner I find it disturbing to raise my taxes on my land to fund projects to take my land,” Lacey said. “I’m tired of funding a lot of you all’s projects.”
Thomas Hines, a Nathalie resident, said his reassessment has gone up 20 to 30 percent and that if the tax rate hike is enacted his real estate taxes will have increased 40 to 50 percent in the last two years.
“You built Cadillacs,” Hines said about the new schools. “And you’re burning my money.”
Speakers L.T. Ferguson, Weldon Anderson, George Anderson and Bernie Metzner also opposed the budget with the real estate tax increase.
“They should be cutting positions, overhead,” Metzner said of the school system. “And when is all this property the IDA purchased going to start benefiting the taxpayer?
“Not everyone has deep pockets,” he added.
The Board is expected to adopt the 2007-08 county budget during its June 25 meeting.

Supes Approve School Budget

Supervisors approved a $61,890,099 school system budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year during their meeting Monday with only Supervisor Dickie Abbott opposing the budget.
The budget includes the additional $250,000 supervisors discussed during their recent budget work session.
But the budget is short of the $62,884,101 budget that school trustees submitted to supervisors, meaning that trustees and school system staff will have to trim nearly $1 million.
Also on the agenda, supervisors named the former Barmes Manufacturing site adjacent to the Georgia-Pacific site as the county’s preferred site to locate the new solid waste transfer station and authorized County Administrator Bryan Foster to move forward.
Public hearings must be held on the environmental process for the station, but not to identify a site, Foster said.
Supervisor Doug Bowman said that other projects can also move forward at the former G-P site without interference from the transfer station.
The Board also authorized Foster to enter into a contract with Centerville General Services for the county’s recycling program.
According to Foster, the new contract will be similar to the agreement the county currently operates under with Recycling Works.
All the same products, newsprint, plastics (1 and 2), cans and cardboard will be recycled at no cost to the county, but the county is responsible for delivering the recyclables to the firm’s facility on U.S. 58, Foster said.
Two other firms responded to the county’s request for proposal, Foster added, but they included fees.
The Board then set three public hearings for its June 25 meeting.
Hearings to address a C.U.P request from Christopher W. Easley for an auto body and paint shop on Doug’s Trail, a request from Tom and Mary Pittard for an auto repair service on Charles Trail and a rezoning and permit request from Malcolm E. Ragans for a recycling center on Old Cluster Springs Road were set.
Under appointments, Dr. Charles Parker and Valdivia Marshall were re-appointed to the Library Board, Carter Hicks was appointed to the Board of Equalization and Foster and Jerry Lovelace were re-appointed to the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority.
Lastly, under unfinished business, a rezoning application requested by Tony Powell for a recycling center on Allen Trail (Route 803) was tabled until the Board’s June 25 meeting. The Board is waiting on the results of a VDOT study on safety and potential traffic issues on Route 803.

South Boston Town Council Budget Hearing Monday

South Boston Council will hold its first public hearing on the town’s proposed $7,353,986 budget next week.
The proposed budget carries no real estate or personal property tax rate increases. Fees also are unchanged.
Council previously increased town employee pay raises from 2.0 to 2.5 percent, a $30,526.80 increase, and added $4,000 to the budget for the YMCA program. With these adjustments, the contingency reserve is $100,848.20, according to town officials.
A similar pay increase, as reflected in the water/sewer fund, leaves $75,020 in the contingency reserve fund.
The Monday night hearing will be the first budget reading, which will be followed by a second reading June 25 prior to its adoption.
Council’s work session Monday night was dominated by solid waste disposal issues, primarily the dateline for county construction of a transfer station for garbage once the town’s landfill closes on December 31 and waste is transported to the new regional landfill in Mecklenburg County. Also, commercial trash collection drew questions from at least one councilman.
Town Manager Ted Daniel’s report indicated the annual rental cost per green box for the town to provide commercial trash service after landfill closure would be $1200 to $1400, with an annual program cost of $280,000. Currently, green box rental is $400, but town officials say the service, with tipping fees, would escalate if the town continued the services.
Commercial users - the town has 200 business accounts - will have six months to investigate private commercial services.
“Commercial trash (private pick up) is going to be unpopular with businesses,” said Councilman Coleman Speece.
“I have a huge problem cutting out trash service to commercial businesses,” replied Councilman T.C. “Chris” Elliott, who noted Councilman Ed Owens — who was absent Monday night - had expressed concern at an earlier meeting.
“If the town were to collect $400 per box, then it would have to make up the other $1000 per box for the 200 boxes,” said Daniel, with taxpayers’ funding.
“Where will the competitive rates shake out?” asked Speece.
“For now we don’t know, not until it is a competitive bid,” replied the town manager.
Council could revisit the issue prior to December following the competitive situation, noted officials.
The annual renewal month is December, so termination of town service will coincide with businesses converting to private collection firms, thus providing a six-month notification.
If the transfer station is not completed for use Jan. 1, South Boston officials say they will need three trucks to haul residential trash and propose modifying an existing overhead truck for residential trash collection and hiring a part-time contract driver.
Personnel, maintenance and fuel for an additional truck and fuel for existing trucks for a six-month period for residential trash transfer will run an estimated $21,400, according to Daniel.
However, town officials anticipate commercial tipping fees during the last six months will cover these additional costs.
“If the transfer station opens January 1, we will not need a new truck (for residential),” added Daniel.
The county is considering several locations for a transfer station, but has not made a final decision.
In other business, council members placed the Fair Housing Resolution and recommendations for Boards and Commissions on Council’s Monday, June 11, agenda.
The Fair Housing resolution is a requirement of the Church Hill Community Development Block Grant, which stipulates the town must perform at least one “fair housing activity” each year the grant is ongoing. The resolution will meet that requirement, according to town officials.
Upcoming appointments for commissions and boards included the following:
n Industrial Development Authority - Councilman Elliott and Larry Harris’ terms are expiring and both men have indicated a willingness to be reappointed to a four-year term.
n Halifax County South Boston Regional Library Board - Barbara Speece’s term is expiring and she is eligible and willing to serve a new four-year term.
n Southside VASAP Board - Chief Jim Binner recommended to replace former Chief Mick Reed on the Board.
n Lake Country Development Corp. - Erle Scott recommended to fill term of former Town Planner Lee Pambid.
n Halifax County E-911 Board - Police Chief Binner and Fire Chief Phillips recommended to fill vacancies. Seats were formerly held by former Chief Mick Reed and Fire Chief William Murray.

Carlton Bowen
Carlton Bowen, 74, of Buffalo Junction died June 4, 2007, at his home.
The son of Algie Lewis and Mildred Wilkerson Bowen, both deceased, he was born in Mecklenburg County, and was married to Joan Hite Bowen.
Mr. Bowen was employed with Key Construction and was a farmer.
Funeral services will be tomorrow, June 7, at 2 p.m. at the Chapel at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home in Clarksville, with the Rev. Rodney Barwick officiating. Burial will follow at Gravel Hill Cemetery.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Bowen is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Russell and Lauren Bowen, and grandsons, Tyler, Cole and Zach Bowen, all of Raleigh, N.C.; his mother-in-law, Rosa Alice Hite, of the home; his brothers and sisters, Ike T. Bowen, Algie J. Bowen and Eva B. Prince, all of Buffalo Junction, Gray Bowen of Halifax, Lois B. Jackson of Alton, Lewis F. Bowen of Hopewell, and Amos E. Bowen of Crewe.
One brother, Jethro Bowen, also preceded Mr. Bowen in death.
The family will receive friends from 7-9, this evening, June 6, at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Mecklenburg County Life Saving and Rescue Squad, c/o P.O. Box 1539, Clarksville, 23927.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.wclfh.com
Edith Britton
Graveside services for Edith Britton were held May 25, at 10 a.m. at New Zion Baptist Church Cemetery with Pastor Louis S. Leigh Sr. conducting the services.
Miss Britton died May 24, at Brittonhaven Nursing Home in Keysville. She was born May 19, 1922, in Halifax County.
She was placed with Jessie’s Home for Adults in 1979 by Social Services.
Mrs. Jessie Johnson remained the contact person until Miss Britton’s death.
No survivors were located.
Hazel Conner Clark McClure
Hazel Conner Clark McClure, 73, of 4209 Old Cluster Springs Road, South Boston died June 4, 2007, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. McClure was born June 18, 1933, in Halifax County the daughter of the late Emmitt William Conner and the late Sallie Pat Moore Conner, and was married to Homer McClure. She was a member of Black Walnut Baptist Church and was a retiree of Burlington Industries, Inc.
Funeral services will be held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel today, June 6, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Richard Saunders officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Survivors of Mrs. McClure include her husband of the home; four sisters, Betty C. Anderson and Irene C. New, both of South Boston, Violet C. Landrum and Margaret C. Owen, both of Halifax; one brother, John Henry Conner of Hampton; two stepdaughters, Nola Fountain of Lexington, N.C. and Penny McClure Hargis of Person County, N.C.; one stepson, Jeffery McClure of Lexington; and four step-grandchildren, Michael, Brandon, Travis and Meagan Hargis. Herr first husband, William F. Clark; one brother, Asia ‘A.C.’ Conner; and one sister, Nancy C. Harris, also preceded her in death.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 183, South Boston, 24592.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net
Sarah Waller Poindexter
Sarah Waller Poindexter, 88, of Nathalie died June 3, 2007, at Memorial Hospital in Martinsville.
Mrs. Poindexter was born in Pittsylvania County on February 5, 1919, to the late Robert Woodson Waller and Mary Hodnett Waller, and was married to the late James Junior Poindexter. She was a member of Mt. Airy Baptist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Lizzie O. Johnson of Bentonville, Ill., Sandra P. Brim of Martinsville, and Sarah P. Sawyer of Roanoke; three sons, James R. Poindexter of San Antonio, Texas, Fabian O. Poindexter Sr. of Nathalie, and William L. Poindexter Sr. of Sutherlin; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Three sisters; three brothers and one great-granddaughter, also preceded Mrs. Poindexter in death.
Funeral services will be held today, June 6, at 3 p.m. at Sunflower Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Tucker officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Christopher Glenn Throckmorton
Christopher (Chris) Glenn Throckmorton of 1032 Wagstaff Lane, Scottsburg died June 4, 2007, at Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He was born in Halifax County November 17, 1963, the son of Thomas A. Throckmorton and Pauline Wagstaff Throckmorton.
Mr. Throckmorton was a member of Bethel Baptist Church.
Survivors include his parents of Scottsburg; two sisters, Felicia F. Throckmorton of Scottsburg and Sheila T. Rimmer and husband, Lennie, of Powhatan; six nieces and nephews, Misty Mulchi, Ashley, Thomas Christopher and Dustin Rimmer, and Jozlyn and Katrina Hill. One brother, Tommy Throckmorton, preceded him in death.
Graveside services for Mr. Throckmorton will be held tomorrow, June 7, at 3 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. Alfred Rimmer officiating.
The family is receiving friends at the home.

Lady Comets Fall In State Quarterfinals

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Halifax County High School’s run in the Group AAA state softball tournament has come to an end.
The Comets, playing in the Group AAA state tournament for the first time in 17 years, fell to James Robinson High School 8-5 last night in Fairfax in a state tournament quarterfinal game.
Last night’s loss, which left the Comets with a final 19-5 season record, ended what has been a stellar postseason run that has seen the Comets win the first three of five straight road games before bowing in their last two contests including the Northwest Region Tournament championship and last night’s state contest.
HCHS’s postseason run includes a road win over Franklin County in the Western Valley District Tournament championship game and road wins over North Stafford and Battlefield in the NWR quarterfinal and semifinal rounds respectively.
The Comets took a bit of a hit in losing a close 4-3 contest in eight innings to Osbourn High School in Friday’s NWR championship game in Manassas. While that loss had a sting to it, it was not a devastating loss as the Comets had already earned a state tournament berth.
Last night’s loss, however, ended the season for the Comets who played their way to becoming one of the top eight teams in the state.
It was a tough night for the Comets who fell behind 8-1 before rallying for a run in the top of the sixth and three more runs in the top of the seventh inning to make the 8-5 final score.
The Comets got off to a shaky start defensively, committing three errors in the first two innings, including one in the bottom of the second inning that allowed the Lady Rams to score a pair of runs.
Robinson took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Erin Henning, batting with runners on second base and third base with one out, hit a ground ball into the gap at shortstop. Comets shortstop Lashunda Davis and third baseman Key Ferrell dove for the ball with Davis barely getting a glove on the ball.
The hit allowed Ali Marco, who led off the inning by walking on four straight pitches from Comets hurler Paige Rickman and Dorian Shaw who laced a single to left field with one out, to score, putting the Comets down 2-0.
Robinson plated two more runs in the bottom of the second inning when Marcy Bowdren, with two runners on base, laced a line drive to Comets leftfielder Liz Trickey. Trickey got a glove on the ball but couldn’t make the catch allowing Danielle Haylor and Marco to score on the error to put the Comets down 4-0.
The Comets finally got something going in the top of the third inning when Stephanie Clark reached base on a Robinson error. Ally Thompson followed by laying down a bunt. Clark made it to second base but was erased trying to make it to third base. Thompson moved to second base as Clark was tagged out.
Betty Rose laced a single to centerfield with two out to score Thompson and make it a 4-1 score. The inning ended with Davis grounding out to the shortstop.
The Comets had another scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth inning but were unable to capitalize on it. Ferrell opened the inning with a double to right centerfield and moved to third base when Rickman grounded out for the first out of the inning. Heather Hudson popped up to third base for the second out and the inning ended with Amber Bowman going down on strikes.
A three-run homer by Bowdren in the bottom of the fourth inning off of Clark, who had come in to relieve Rickman on the mound, gave the Lady Rams a commanding 7-1 lead.
A run-scoring double by Bowdren in the bottom of the fifth inning pushed the Lady Rams’ lead to 8-1.
Halifax County scratched up a run in the top of the sixth inning when Davis, the leadoff batter in the inning, reached base on an error and and scored when Ferrell laced a line drive to leftfield for a double to make it an 8-2 score.
The Comets came alive again in the top of the seventh inning when Trickey singled and Thompson reached base on a fielder’s choice that resulted in Trickey also being safe at second base. A double by Rose with one out plated Trickey to allow the Comets to cut their deficit to five runs at 8-3.
A one-out single by Davis plated both Thompson and Rose to bring the Comets to within three runs at 8-5. That, however, was as close as the Comets would get.
Davis moved to second base when Ferrell grounded out to the pitcher for the second out of the inning and Melissa Sims went down on strikes to end the game.

Shelby, Economaki Coming For VIR’s 50th Anniversary

From Staff, VIR Reports
Sports car racing legend and designer of the famed Cobra, Carroll Shelby and well-known popular racing announcer and racing journalist Chris Economaki will be at Alton’s VIRginia International Raceway this weekend to serve as the Grand Marshals for the Heacock Classic Gold Cup Historic Races.
The Heacock Classic Gold Cup Historic Races will serve as VIR’s 50th anniversary celebration, a celebration that will mark the 50th year of existence of the famed road racing course that opened in August, 1957.
Tickets for Gold Cup are only $30 in advance for a three-day Super ticket;
$40 at the gate for three days; $10 Friday and $20 each day Saturday and Sunday.
Fans wishing to purchase tickets should view the track’s website at www.virclub.com.
One of Shelby’s more significant wins came in the first-ever race at VIR. This weekend Shelby will be reunited with VIR and his original Maserati 450 S in which he captured the opening weekend’s feature race, a 20-lap race for “Sports” classed cars.
Shelby won the preliminary race for the group, then went on to dominate the feature race, besting a pair of Jaguar D-types and an assortment of other racers.
Economaki, who is well known as a television racing announcer, racing journalist and publisher of one of the country’s top racing publications, National Speedsport News, was the track announcer at VIR for the track’s first race.
The legendary announcer will be here and will share with guests his stories of both past and present races.
More than 250 racers are expected to converge on VIRginia International Raceway this weekend to celebrate the track’s 50th anniversary, bringing with them a host of legendary racecars valued at over a $100 million.
Among the cars that are expected to be here this weekend are a Maserati 450S roadster; a pair of Maserati Tipo 61 “Birdcage” racers; Allard roadsters and a rare Allard coupe.
Also expected to be in the paddock are an ex-Dick Thompson Ford GT40, Datsuns, Porsches, MGs and Healeys of all types, including a unique Cadillac-powered Healey Silverstone.
Fans will also see Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Corvettes, Lotuses, Mustangs and Can-Am and Formula cars.
Fans will see a wide variety of cars ranging from the obscure to the more typical road car as they are placed on the track and are raced as they did in years past.
As far as the racing is concerned, fans will get to see plenty of that as well with action being spread out over the three days.
Friday’s activities will be devoted to practice runs for the seven race groups.
Saturday’s action starts at 8:10 a.m. with practice running until 12:10 p.m.
From 12:10-12:55 p.m. there will be a special Storytime Hour featuring special guests and from 1:30-5:30 p.m. there will be a series of 7-lap qualifying races for the seven race groups.
Sunday morning’s action will be devoted to warm-ups. A Storytime Hour featuring special celebrities will be held from 11-11:55 a.m. A series of 8-lap feature races for the seven race groups starts at noon.
The Gold Cup Historic Races are a throwback to the good old days of sports car racing, when there was more sport and less business. It’s a laid-back, low-pressure weekend for like-minded enthusiasts to enjoy each other and their cars, with the emphasis on friendly competition and close racing rather than outright race wins.
Vintage racing is an amateur sport, with no cash prizes. At the Gold Cup, race-win trophies are not as important as Spirit Awards, which reward drivers for exhibiting the “vintage spirit,” showing good sportsmanship and fellowship toward his fellow drivers.
This weekend fans may participate in the Auto Olympics. The Auto Olympics allows anyone to take part in a car show; a short rally on roads near the track; track touring and an autocross. No special preparation or equipment is required.
Good food, great friendships, better racing and always, above all else, fun for the racers and spectators at the track is the order of the day at vintage race weekends.
For those who want to take to the track themselves, VIR’s Plantation Valley Kart Track will be open all weekend for the enjoyment of fans and visitors to the track.

Post 8 Needs Players

Time is running short this season for the Post 8 American Legion baseball team, with rosters needing to be completed by June 16.
A 21-game schedule has been released, but the first contest, scheduled for Tuesday night at Danville Post 325 had to be postponed, said Post 8 head coach Will Hill.
Only four players - Daniel Wilborn, Chris Sizemore, Eric Brandon and Tyler Hunt - were at Monday’s practice, according to Hill.
Post 8 is scheduled to play a doubleheader at Martinsville Post 42 Saturday and that will also be postponed unless his team adds more players to the roster, cautioned Hill.
“We had about 11 originally agreeing to play, and we need at the very least 12 to 13 players, but I really can’t survive the season without 15,” he said.
With a 21-game schedule which includes four doubleheaders, and with each game going nine innings, numbers are important,” he added.
“That way we can give everybody a chance to play and have fresh players that we can use to substitute into the games.”
Hill said he needs to hear from those expressing interest in playing American Legion baseball as soon as possible.
“The roster needs to be completed by June 16 and in Richmond by June 20, but I need players to start practicing now,” explained Hill.
“We can’t play under the circumstances we’re under at the present time.”
American Legion rules permit teams to seek players from surrounding localities, and Hill has pursued that as well, but he still wants to concentrate on getting as many Halifax County players as he can.
Boys who were born in 1988 or after are eligible to play American Legion baseball.
Any players wishing to play on the team are asked to contact Hill at 349-6162 or Tommy Whitlow at 585-2536 to sign up.