F Company Remembers D-Day

Nearly 100 men from Company F, 116th Regimental Combat Brigade, left Halifax County to serve their nation in World War II.
Very few remain, but two of the F Company D-Day invasion force, Allen Moorefield and H.L. “Pete” Myers, were on hand Wednesday to honor those who have gone before them.
The two veterans laid a wreath at the F Company plaque in front of the South Boston Armory and joined others in celebrating the freedom that many have paid for with their lives, while Mike Chafatelli played taps.
The Rev. Phil Showers of McCanless Memorial Methodist Church offered a prayer by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt heard throughout the nation as Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy.
“Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserveour Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity,” the prayer begins.
“For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home,” the prayer says in part.
Guest speaker Col. Gene Smith, Army instructor for the Halifax County High School JROTC program, asked the veterans of D-Day to “remember your comrades who did not return.”
“They gave their lives so that we could enjoy all the things they did not have: full lives, families, freedom,” said Smith, himself a Vietnam veteran.
“Gentlemen, for all that you did for us 63 years ago, I salute you.”

SoBo Man Convicted Of
Firearm, Larceny Charges

A 59-year-old South Boston resident was convicted Wednesday in Halifax County Circuit Court of two felonies, including grand larceny and a subsequent offense of carrying a concealed weapon.
Judge William L. Wellons convicted Jerry Broad Osborne of grand larceny of property from Paul Blanks and a concealed weapon charge, in addition to convicting him of contempt of court for failure to appear, a misdemeanor.
The court continued sentencing for Osborne for the felony convictions to a date later in the current court term, and sentenced the defendant to a ten-day suspended jail term for the misdemeanor, conditioned on Osborne’s good behavior for one year.
The court additionally ordered Osborne to pay $808 restitution to Paul Blanks.
Other Court Cases
n Daniel Wayne Short, 20, of South Boston, pleaded guilty Wednesday to grand larceny from Linda Anderson.
In exchange for Short’s plea, the Commonwealth agreed to the court sentencing Short to five years in prison, with all suspended but three years, the time to run concurrently with another sentence the defendant is now serving.
The court ordered the suspended portion of Short’s sentence be conditioned on his good behavior for five years, and ordered Short pay restitution in an amount to be determined by the probation department.
n Demetrius Lamontca Ferrell, 29, of South Boston, pleaded no contest Wednesday to possessing a Schedule I/II controlled substance.
Judge Wellons found evidence sufficient to convict Ferrell of the drug possession charge, but withheld his finding of guilt, placing Ferrell on first offender status and continuing the case for one year.
The court ordered Ferrell be placed under supervision of Halifax-Pittsylvania Court Services, to perform 100 hours of community service, and submit to random drug tests.
The court additionally suspended the defendant’s operator’s license for six months, restricting it for travel to and from work, school, and community service.
n Silas Kenneth Harris, 50, of South Boston, pleaded guilty Wednesday to cocaine possession.
The court found evidence sufficient to convict Harris of the drug charge but withheld its finding of guilt, placing the defendant on first offender status and continuing the case.
n Jeffrey David Miller, 43, of South Boston, was convicted Wednesday of a third offense of assault and battery.
The court sentenced Miller to five years in prison, suspending all time, conditioned on his good behavior for ten years, ordering the defendant to have no contact of any kind with his victim.
n Jessica Leah Stewart, 25, of Landover, Md., was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison, with all suspended to time already served, for cocaine possession.
The court ordered Stewart’s suspended sentence be conditioned on her good behavior for five years and ordered her be placed on probation for one year.
The court ordered Stewart to abstain from illegal drugs, submit to random drug tests, and undergo drug counseling, as well as suspended her operator’s license for six months.
n Antione Jarrod Scott, 26, of South Boston, was convicted Tuesday of two separate probation violations.
The court revoked one year of Scott’s previously suspended prison sentence for each violation, ordering each one-year term to run together, with six months of one violation to run with the other time for an effective six months of new time to serve.
n Jesse James West, 26, of Nathalie, was convicted Wednesday of a probation violation.
The court revoked one year of West’s previously suspended prison sentence, with work release authorized, and ordered West be placed on probation for one year upon his release.

Halifax Fiber Optic Project Enters Second Phase

Installation of fiber optic conduit in the second phase of the Town of Halifax Fiber Optic Project will begin Monday, according to Town Manager Carl Espy.
The work will include open surface cuts and conduit installation between the on-street parking spaces and curbing along the east side of South Main Street from the Craddock Terry Building (Halifax County STEM Academy) to Cemetery Street, Espy said.
“The contractor, Grindstaff Underground, expects the construction time frame to last approximately 21 days,” Espy said. “No travel lane closings are expected to be required by these activities, but heavy machinery will be operating on the north-bound side of South Main Street.”
On-street parking on the east side of South Main Street between the Craddock Terry Building and Cemetery Street will be closed periodically.
Flagmen and police may be required to direct traffic from time to time, Espy said, however the travel lanes will always be opened completely when crews finish work each day. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to exercise caution while traveling through the project and shopping downtown.
For customers and patrons of downtown businesses and services, on-street parking remains available on both sides of South Main Street from Mountain Road to Cemetery Street, behind the storefronts off Houston Street, and at the Farm Services Administration Building/Library off Cemetery Street, according to the town manager.
Parking for court services is available at the lower end of Blue Ridge Jail accessible from Edmunds Boulevard and Blue Ridge Lane.
For further information contact Espy at (434) 476-2343.

Lois Rachel Carden
Lois Rachel Carden, 91, of 1014 Allen Trail, Scottsburg died June 5, 2007, at her home.
Mrs. Carden was born in Halifax County May 14, 1916, to the late Abraham Mitchell and Mary Mitchell, and was married to the late Banister Carden. She was a member of Spanish Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors of Mrs. Carden include one son, James E. Carden of Scottsburg; one brother, Silas Mitchell of Md.; two grandchildren, Erlene Sydnor of Scottsburg and Darlene Davis of South Boston; four great-grandchildren, Shawn Barksdale, Tiffany Walker, Brian Sydnor and Amber Sydnor; one great-great-granddaughter, Ashya Barksdale; one daughter-in-law, Havana Carden of Scottsburg; one brother-in-law, Mathis Carden of New Brunswick, N.J.; and a devoted friend, Naomi Carden of Scottsburg.
Funeral services will be held June 10, at 3 p.m. at Spanish Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Ronnie Womack officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home of her son, 4056 Dryburg Road, Scottsburg.
Carl Junior Clay
Carl Junior Clay, 65, of 2041 Philpott Road South Boston died June 6, 2007, at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Mr. Clay was born in Person County, N.C. October 9, 1941, to the late Noel Duncan Clay and Virginia Bass Clay, and was married to the late Gennie Wilkins Clay.
Survivors include one son, Stevie Clay of Clarksville; four sisters, Barbara Ann Whitt and husband, Doug, of Roxboro, Virginia Christine Comer of Vernon Hill, Joan DuQue of South Boston and Rose Curry of Halifax; and one brother, Larry Clay of Vernon Hill.
One son, Carl Jason Clay; two sisters, Carrie Estelle Clay and Frances Clay; and four brothers, Overton, Shirley, Roger and Noel Clay, also preceded Mr. Clay in death.
Graveside services will be held tomorrow, June 9, at 11 a.m. at Fork Baptist Church with the Rev. Ricky Whitlow officiating.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home this evening, June 8, from 7:00 until 8:30, and other times at the home of his sister, Rose Curry, 1032 Bench Lane, Halifax.
Margaret Gravitt Harris
Margaret Gravitt Harris, 85, of Roxboro, N.C. died June 5, 2007, at Person Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Harris was a native of Halifax County the daughter of the late Ira Thomas and Shellie Altie Watts Gravitt and was married to the late William Haywood Harris Jr. She was retired from Tultex Mills and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include three daughters, Montie H. Dunn and Elizabeth H. Buchanan, both of Roxboro, and Katie H. Shotwell and husband, Jr., of Alton; three sons, Jimmy Harris and wife, Margaret ‘Boo’, and Emmett Harris, all of Roxboro, and Robert Harris and wife, Kathie, of Seattle, Wash.; one sister, Lorene Nelson of Virgilina; 16 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Two daughters, Hannah Braswell and Portia Harris; two brothers and two sisters, preceded Mrs. Harris in death.
Funeral wervices will be held tomorrow, June 9, at 2 p.m. at Strickland Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Regan Family Cemetery.
Rev. Dr. Herbert R. Surgeon Sr.
Rev. Dr. Herbert R. Surgeon Sr. passed away last week.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. June 10 at Greater Brandon Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Alton. Burial will follow at Allen’s Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery, Prospect Hill, N.C. The Rev. William Wright will officiate.
The family will receive friends at Greater Brandon Chapel Missionary Baptist Church tomorrow afternoon, June 9, from 5 to 7.
Survivors of Rev. Surgeon include his wife, Valoyce Woods Surgeon; three sons, Herbert Surgeon Jr. and wife, Pamela, of High Point, N.C., James Surgeon of the home, and the Rev. Rickey Surgeon of Burlington, N.C.; two daughters, Min. Stephanie Winslow and husband, Jeffrey, of Washington, D.C. and Kolosa Surgeon of the home; four grandchildren, Christopher, Demikia, Justin and Jordan; five sisters, Sarah Marsh, Mary Brown and husband, the Rev. Bobby Brown, Ruth Mae Hinton, Qwendolyn Hammond and husband, Haywood, and Min. Maggie Talley; three brothers, John Surgeon and wife, Alice, Charlie Surgeon, and Michael Surgeon and wife, Brenda.
One sister, Virginia Smith; and one brother, the Rev. William Surgeon, preceded him in death.
Carlos Esteban Valdes
Carlos Esteban Valdes, 77, of 2084 L.P. Bailey Highway, Halifax died June 7, 2007, at his home. He was born in Havana, Cuba August 26, 1929, the son of the late Carlos Antonio Valdes and Josefa Alvarez Valdes, and was married to Joan Elizabeth Godfrey Valdes.
Survivors of Mr. Valdes include his wife; three daughters, Susan Valdes and Sandy Heath, both of Halifax, and Joanna Valdes and husband, Billy of Bayonne, N.J.; two sons, Carlos Valdes and wife, Debbie, of Nathalie, and Vincent Valdes of Wenonah, N.J.; one sister, Ana Vives of Portland, Maine; and six grandchildren, January Heath, Nicole Pelliccia, Michael Kennedy, Justin, Krystal and Alison Valdes.
Arrangements are by Powell Funeral Home, South Boston.

Davis NWR Co-MVP, Saunders WVD Coach Of The Year

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
Comets varsity softball player Lashunda Davis was named Northwest Region Co-MVP, Betty Rose and Stephanie Clark were named Second Team and Honorable Mention All-Northwest Region, respectively, and Comets head coach Melanie Saunders was named Coach of the Year for the Western Valley District, as the varsity softball team continues to reap the rewards from a 19-5 season that saw them advance to the quarterfinals of the Group AAA state tournament.
Halifax finished the season with five consecutive road games, beginning with the 6-0 Western Valley District Tournament championship win at Franklin County and ending with the 8-5 loss at James Robinson in the state quarterfinals.
In between, the Comets defeated North Stafford 3-0 in ten innings and Battlefield 1-0 before losing a close 4-3 decision at Osbourn in eight innings for the Northwest Region title.
Davis and Lori Botkin of regional champion Osbourn were named Co-MVP for the Northwest Reglon, Rose was named to the All-Northwest Region Second Team and Clark to the Honorable Mention, All-Northwest Region, but Saunders said several of their teammates received mention for all-region honors.
“You have to make the first team of your individual district to be considered for the all-region team, and those are the rules, but several coaches expressed surprise that players such as Paige Rickman, Key Ferrell and Heather Hudson weren’t on the ballot,” said Saunders.
Rickman, Ferrell and Hudson, as well as Emily New and Liz Trickey were all Second Team, All-WVD selections.
“It’s also unusual that someone not named Player of the Year/MVP for her district can receive regional MVP honors,” she added, noting Davis’ selection as Northwest Region Co-MVP.
That reflects on how well the Comets played down the stretch and during the regionals, as the Comets caught fire and advanced to within three wins of a state title, she added.
Halifax loses five seniors from this year’s state quarterfinalist, including Emily New, Liz Trickey, Shayna Oakes, Key Ferrell and Melissa Sims.
Their leadership and contributions to the program will be missed, but they helped set a benchmark for future team, she noted.
NORTHWEST
ALL-REGION TEAM
Co-MVP: Lashunda Davis, Halifax County, Lori Botkin, Osbourn
First Team:
Nikki Black, pitcher, junior, North Stafford
Ashleigh Williams, pitcher, sophomore, Osbourn
Lauren Topper, catcher, junior, Forest Park
Courtney Crews, catcher, junior, North Stafford
Mandy Craig, infielder, senior, Osbourn Park
Lindsey Thurman, infielder, senior, Franklin County
Lashunda Davis, infielder, junior, Halifax County
Jaime Hicks, infielder, senior, Hylton
Ashley Scroggin, infielder, sophomore, N. Stafford
Lori Botkin, outfielder, sophomore, Osbourn
Chelsea Paprocki, outfielder, junior, Forest Park
Emileigh Lambert, outfielder, senior Albemarle
Second Team:
Brittany Bingham, pitcher, senior, Hylton
Brittany Black, pitcher, sophomore, Battlefield
Courtney Liddle, catcher, sophomore, Battlefield
Betty Rose, catcher, sophomore, Halifax County
Emily Kaesmar, infielder, senior, Fauquier
Colleen Williamson, infielder, soph., Woodbridge
Ashlee Washburn, infielder, junior, Franklin County
Cindy Moore, infielder, senior, Osbourn
Meghan Smith, infielder, soph., Mountain View
Taylor Williams, outfielder, sophomore, Hylton
Jenny Law, outfielder, junior, Franklin County
Chezdan Baker, outfielder, soph., Franklin County
WVD Honorable Mention
Stephanie Clark, outfielder, freshman, Halifax County
Jessica Searing, outfielder, senior, Franklin County

Dunn Hangs Up Uniform

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
After 33 years and 533 games as a head baseball coach, GW head baseball coach and Halifax County native Scooter Dunn is hanging up his uniform.
Dunn gave notice of his retirement as the school’s head varsity baseball coach to George Washington High School officials Tuesday.
While Dunn is retiring from coaching baseball, he plans to continue teaching at the school.
“I’ll still teach as long as they will have me teach,” Dunn remarked.
GW officials are facing a big void in the wake of Dunn’s retirement. Dunn said yesterday that his assistant coaches are also stepping down, leaving GW officials to totally rebuild the varsity baseball coaching staff.
Dunn pointed out that this was the right time to step down.
“I’m physically tired,” said Dunn, “and there are other factors.”
“Thirty-three years is enough. It has been a good run for me. I’ve enjoyed it.
“This will give me an opportunity to do some things I haven’t been able to do in a long time,” Dunn continued.
“I’ll be able to spend more time with my family and try to do some things I want to do.”
Dunn said retiring at the end of this season was a planned move.
“I figured going into this season that this would be my last year,” Dunn pointed out.
“I was 90 percent sure I was going to retire when the first pitch was thrown this season.”
In announcing his retirement, Dunn said he had no displeasure with anybody at GW and that he appreciates the support the school athletic director, administration, booster club, players, students and fans have shown him during his tenure as GW’s coach.
“There are no problems with anybody here at GW,” he pointed out.
“I’m totally happy with the way I have been treated by the school’s athletic director, administration, faculty, students and the community. I want everyone to know that I very much appreciate their support.”
The support for Dunn is so overwhelming that at the recent GW team baseball awards banquet, GW players and school officials permanently retired the No. 10 baseball jersey that Dunn has worn on the field for many years.
Dunn will go down in the record books as one of the most successful coaches to step on the baseball diamond for both GW and Halifax County.
The Halifax County native ends his career with a 420-113 career record. His record in eight seasons as the head coach at GW is 137-32.
Dunn, a stellar baseball player in his own right, led GW to five Western Valley District championships including this season’s regular season and district tournament championships and saw his GW teams advance into the Northwest Region Tournament seven times in his eight seasons with the school.
Just as important is Dunn’s record of having landed 33 of his GW ballplayers an opportunity to play college baseball and to have two of his players be drafted in the Major League Baseball draft and ink pro baseball contracts.
Prior to taking the GW post, Dunn made significant contributions to both the Halifax County Junior High School and Halifax County High School baseball programs.
During an 11-year stint as head coach at Halifax County Junior High School, Dunn compiled a record of 142-28 that included nine conference championships and a 59-game winning streak that was featured in a 1983 edition of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Dunn became the head varsity baseball coach at Halifax County High School in 1985 and, the following year, his Comets team won the district and regional championships and advanced to the Group AAA semifinals.
In 1995, Dunn’s Comets team won the district and regional championships and advanced to the Group AAA state championship game where it fell to Green Run High School. During that season, Dunn’s Comets teams beat archrival GW five times, a feat that has not been repeated. For his efforts that season, Dunn was named the Virginia Group AAA Coach of the Year.
When Dunn left Halifax County High School he had compiled a record of 138-57 over a 10-year period.
In 1999, Dunn accepted a teaching position at Danville’s George Washington High School and became the head coach of the school’s varsity baseball team.
Dunn said his accomplishments have come as a result the players.
“Players make the team,” Dunn said.
“I’ve had a lot of good players. There were some that we made better by teaching them the right things the right way. I’ve accomplished a lot. I can look back and be proud of what I have accomplished.”

$1,000 Bounty Placed On Barker At SBS

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Adam Barker has been the dominant force in the NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division at South Boston Speedway.
Barker has won six of the seven NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car Division races this season at South Boston Speedway yet only has a slim eight-point lead over Ford driver Wayne Ramsey of Amherst to show for it.
While Barker may not be dominating the track division points chase, his overwhelming success in the win column has made him a marked man.
South Boston Speedway has posted a $1,000 bounty for any driver other than Barker that can win the 150-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division race that will highlight Saturday night’s Allstate150 Presented By Little Caesar’s racing program which gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
On the other hand, Barker may claim the bounty money if he elects to start from the rear of the field and still win the150-lap event.
“Six (wins) in a row – that’s a pretty big deal here,” Barker said after winning last Saturday’s 150-lap event at South Boston Speedway. I keep thinking it’s going to end every week but it keeps on going. Everything is going our way. It’s hard to beat somebody when everything is going their way.”
Ramsey, for one knows just how hard that is.
The Amherst resident won the season opener and has been a contender every week, having finished second to Barker three times and having finished no worse than fourth in any of the season’s first seven races.
Ramsey said he just needs another tweak or two to be able to get up enough muscle to give Barker a real challenge.
“If I can get my car to rotate through the center of the corner a little better I think we can be there to run with him,” Ramsey said after last week’s event.
“Until I can do that, I’m going to come up short on Adam. He’s got his stuff going and you’ve got to be on top of your game to outrun him and, right now, we’re not. We’re missing just a little bit.”
Eddie Johnson of Midlothian holds down third place in the points standings 52 points behind Ramsey. David Triplett Jr. of Timberlake, N.C. is fourth in the standings, 18 points behind Johnson and C.E. Falk of Virginia Beach, Va. is in fifth place, 14 points behind Triplett.
Saturday night’s Allstate 150 Presented By Little Caesar’s racing program will give fans a full night of action with six races on tap.
Along with the150-lap race for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car Division there will be a race for the Limited Sportsman Division and twin races for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division. Races for the INEX Legends Cars and the Grand Stock division will round out the program.
Bruce Anderson of South Boston, the defending Limited Sportsman Division champion, will bring a 26-point lead over Danny Willis Jr. of Cluster Springs into Saturday night’s Limited Sportsman Division race.
Defending Budweiser Pure Stock Division champion Chuck Watkins of Stem, N.C, who has won three of the division’s seven events this season, enters Saturday night’s twinbill for that division with a 22-point lead over William Ridgeway of Burlington, N.C.
Mark Francisco of Halifax and Jarrett Milam of Ringgold a three-time winner in the division, are tied for third place in the division points standings.
South Boston Speedway’s grandstand gates will open Saturday at 5 p.m. Qualifying time trials start at 5:15 p.m. and the first race gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
Adult general admission is $8 until 6:30 p.m. and $10 after that. Youths ages 10-15 are admitted for $5. Kids ages 9 & under are admitted free with a paid adult.