Friday, June 16, 2006

Staunton River State Park Doubles In Size

Land Acquisition Announced At Park’s 70th Anniversary Celebration Yesterday

Staunton River Park celebrated its 70th birthday yesterday by doubling its size and becoming a Virginia Historic Landmark.
The acquisition - 1,007 acres of timber, open land, a 23-acre lake, a two-acre pond and 13 miles of roads, trails and firebreaks – borders the existing park.
The land purchase from James E. Edmunds II is the first major acquisition in the park’s 70-year history, park officials said Thursday.
“It is beautiful,” said State Parks Director Joe Elton as he surveyed the standing mix of hardwood trees, the cabin and lake. “This is an important piece of land to a family. They wanted to be sure it was taken care of in perpetuity.”
“This acquisition is a tremendous boost for our state park,” said Tim Vest, District Park manager. “Not only does it increase the size of the park, it has the potential to greatly increase the offerings we can provide the public.”
Fishing and nature observation along multi-use trials are anticipated uses for the property.
Edmunds recalled his late father’s (Paul C. Edmunds Jr.) and grandfather’s (Paul C. Edmunds Sr.) love of the land.
“The cabin and lake are the highlight of the property,” said Edmunds. And he described the lake as “dad’s crown jewel” because a small dam contained the lake’s water.
Edmunds also recalled living at the nearby cabin for several years following school. “It has a lot of meaning and sentimental value,” he added.
Prior to the unveiling of the new park acquisition, state park officials joined Staunton River State Park officials in celebrating the park’s anniversary. State parks were celebrating the initiation of the park system’s 70th anniversary throughout the state.
At Staunton River State Park – and at the other state parks yesterday - a dramatic reenactment of the Saturday, June 13, 1936 dedication ceremony at Hungry Mother State Park was presented. It was there the opening of the system’s six parks was celebrated.
Taking the parts of the 1930s park officials, former Governor George C. Peery and distinguished guests on that day were Elton, Deputy DCR Director Russell Baxter, students Virginia Purvis, Cassie Ott, Macaulay Hammond and George Clark.
During the event, Gazette-Virginian publisher Keith Shelton and News & Record publisher Sylvia McLaughlin were presented plaques in “recognition of their support and outstanding news coverage of the Staunton River State Park.”
The recurring theme during the creation of the park system was the effort to provide a place for the common man to relax and enjoy nature at sites that were affordable.
Six parks made up the initial system: Hungry Mother in Symth County; Fairy Stone in Patrick and Henry counties; Staunton River in Halifax County; Douthat in Bath and Alleghany counties; Seashore (now First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach); and Westmoreland in Westmoreland County.
The Virginia State Park System is a past winner of the National Gold Medal for excellence in parks and recreation management.

 

Halifax County
Protecting The Farming Heritage

Could Agricultural And Forestal Districts Be The Answer?

While land use assessment would defer a portion of farmers’ tax burden while the property is used for agricultural production, a second method – the creation of agricultural and forestal districts in the county – would offer more control over the retention of the county’s open spaces, according to Halifax County Agricultural Development Director Linda Wallace.
Created in 1977 by the Virginia General Assembly, agricultural and forestal districts are rural conservation zones reserved for the production of agricultural products, timber and the maintenance of open spaces. AFDs are initiated by a landowner or group of landowners as a mutual undertaking with the local government.
According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services there are currently 30 localities in the state that have adopted AFDs, encompassing more than 762,000 acres.
Once the ordinance is adopted, the Board of Supervisors has authority to:
• Establish a term for the district between four and 10 years.
• Set the application fee and a penalty for withdrawal from the program.
• Appoint an advisory committee to oversee the program and advise local governing bodies.
• Restrict the creation of districts in certain growth areas.
Under the plan, once the district is established property owners agree not to convert their farm or forest land to other uses for the term of the district.
“AFDs are comprised of 200 or more contiguous acres,” Wallace said, noting that the included acreage can include several landowners. “One person doesn’t have to own the entire 200 acres.”
But at the same time, restrictions placed on who qualifies for the program could prove to be less of a financial burden than land use assessment, Wallace said.
“Because of the restrictions on the creation of a district, I believe you’re going to see less of a revenue impact due to deferred taxes on AFDs than with land use,” she said. “Smaller landowners not engaged in full-time agricultural production may be excluded because they aren’t going to qualify.”
Those who do qualify for the District will automatically qualify for land use assessment, according to the agriculture development director.
Wallace said that qualified land in an AFD automatically qualifies for land use assessment whether or not the county has established the land use program. If the county chooses to rescind the use value assessment ordinance, landowners in the AFD would continue to have a portion of their property taxes as long as the land remains in the District.
Districts, through state code, also prohibit the expenditure of public money for non-farm-related purposes.
“This is a viable way for the county’s farmers to be able to continue in the production of agriculture as well as a way for the county to protect its open spaces,” she said. “If you sign your farm up and get the deferred tax, you are responsible for those taxes if you cease agricultural production or withdraw the land from the district.”
“At this point, 80 percent of the land in the county is zoned for agriculture,” she said. “AFDs may make it much more restrictive to get a conditional use permit to use the land for other than agricultural uses.
“Unlike agricultural zoning, which for all practical purposes encourages residential sprawl, districts discourage land uses not in keeping with agriculture,” she said. “AFDs offer a greater degree of preservation for agricultural land than land use assessment. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Community Services are very discriminating about what qualifies and what doesn’t. In my opinion, I think AFDs may prohibit some haphazard development in the county.”
Another positive aspect of the District plan is the included landowners are a part of the decision-making process, Wallace said.
Agricultural and Forestal Districts are overseen by an advisory committee that Virginia Code mandates is comprised of four landowners engaged in agricultural or forestal production, four other landowners, the Commissioner of Revenue and a member of the local governing body (Board of Supervisors).
The Committee will advise the planning commission and Board of Supervisors in the creation, review and termination of districts as well as offer advice about agricultural resources and their relationship to the locality.

 

State Budget Talks Stall

Legislators Could Be Left With 11 Days To Pass, Approve Budget

From Staff and Wire Reports

The prospect of passing a new state budget by week’s end slipped away Wednesday as talks by House and Senate negotiators yielded only more grumbling and frustration.
The day ended with five senators and six House members bickering over what a day earlier seemed settled — pay raises for teachers. While a 4 percent raise in 2007 is safe, the two sides could not agree on guaranteeing another 3 percent increase in the following year.
‘‘They have to understand that this is give-and-take, not take-and-take,’’ said Del. Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, just before both sides broke for a two-hour dinner at the Executive Mansion with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.
Passions seemed to have cooled as the haggard negotiators left the mansion after dinner, but they went home rather than toil late into the night.
State government is 15 days from starting a new fiscal year with no budget in place. This is the third time in five years legislators have failed to finish a budget by the end of the regular winter General Assembly session.
Wednesday was a cutoff for negotiators to reach a compromise on their conflicting spending proposals and present them for House and Senate floor votes by Friday.
With no progress by late afternoon Wednesday, Friday’s full House and Senate sessions were scaled back to pro forma meetings with no business to be transacted.
That likely pushes passage of a new budget into early next week, condensing into 11 harried days — or less — a deliberative process of gubernatorial review and legislative reconsideration normally done over several weeks.
Without an agreement soon, legislators can enact a stopgap funding measure that extends the current budget a few weeks until a permanent appropriations bill is in place.
Though common practice in Congress, such a move would be unprecedented in Virginia.
House and Senate leaders and Kaine view the option with disdain but would use it if necessary to head off the fiscal chaos, agency shutdowns and a constitutional crisis that the lack of a new budget after June 30 would provoke.
But Halifax County Delegate Clarke Hogan said yesterday that he is still optimistic the talks would prove fruitful.
“I’m still optimistic that we’ll have a budget in the next few days,” he said. “This is symptomatic of a long and frustrating process.”
Hogan said he is personally opposed to any stopgap funding.
“I’m opposed to a continuing resolution because I think it sets an unnecessary and unwarranted precedent in this state,” he said. “It would say it’s okay not to get a budget in time.
“Our hope is this long standoff has proved to those in the Senate and the Governor that holding the budget hostage to pass a tax increase you can’t get otherwise is not only unacceptable but unproductive,” Hogan added. “If they’ve learned that lesson, this impasse will have been worth it. I hope we settle the fact that this isn’t the way Virginia is going to operate.”

 

Miller Enjoying Being At The Top

Owen Miller And The Fallen Racing Team Lead The LMSC Division Points Standings At South Boston Speedway

Owen Miller likes being at the top of the points standings in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car division at South Boston Speedway.
Miller, who drives the Chevrolets owned by Dolly Fallen of South Boston, has been at the top for only two races, but it has been long enough to make him hungry to try to stay there.
“It’s where I wanted to be,” said Miller.
“ It may be a little early to be there, but if I can be there now, and stay there until the end, it will be a huge accomplishment for me.”
Miller and the Fallen Racing Team have battled hard to get to the top. A valiant late-season rally last year to get to third place in the final points standings gave the team confidence entering the 2006 campaign.
With no major problems besetting the team and Miller having finished in the top five in four of the season’s seven races, Miller vaulted into the points lead two races ago. Not only did Miller reach the top at South Boston Speedway, he is now a contender for the regional title in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division I standings.
The result has been a bigger smile on the faces of Miller and his team members and a little extra spring in their step.
“It just made me feel good,” Miller said when asked about his feelings of being the points leader.
“ I was happy to be there and just to be able to tell somebody I’m leading the points at South Boston Speedway. That’s a big thing.
“It makes me proud of what I do,” Miller added.
“ The biggest thing is my guys. I can see it in their faces and hear it in their voices when we’re talking and when we’re on the phone during the week and at the shop and at the racetrack. I can see how pumped up they are and that, in turn, makes me feel better.”
While Miller is at the top of the Late Model Stock Car division, he knows he has a lot of competitive challengers nipping at his heels and trying to mount their own efforts to get to the top.
Two-time winner Jon Denning of Springfield, N.J. trails Miller by only four points entering the 150-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car that will highlight Saturday night’s Dad’s Night Out 150 presented by Dodge racing program at South Boston Speedway. Jonathan Cash of Oxford, N.C., who sits in third place, is 32 points behind Miller.
“I’m going to have to step it up some,” Miller said.
“ Jon has won two races and is right behind me. Either he’s got to have some bad luck or I’ve got to step it up and get up there and race him for it (the championship).
The one area Miller says he is trying to address is his qualifying effort. Miller has qualified in the top five only twice in the first seven races and when he did that, he logged finishes of second place and third place.
With a tight correlation between where he qualifies and where he finishes, Miller noted that how well he qualifies often is a predicate to how he finishes in the race.
“I just need to get up there and race with Jon and Jonathan and make this thing a race,” Miller explained.
“If I can get up there and qualify where I need to be, I can race with these guys. The last two weeks I’ve started back in the field and kind of burned my car up trying to get there (to the front with the race leaders). Once I get there, I can’t do anything with them.
“I’ve got to work on qualifying and get up there with them,” he continued.
“ That way I can be up there at the front and race with those guys and make it a race. If we get this qualifying thing down, I think that will bring the whole package together.”
Saturday night’s Dad’s Night Out 150 presented by Dodge racing program at South Boston Speedway will feature a five-race card that will also include a 50-lap NASCAR Limited Sportsman race and races for the Budweiser Pure Stock division, the touring INEX Legends Cars and the Grand Stock division.
In observance of Father’s Day, all dads will be admitted to Saturday night’s race for $5.
Pit gates open Sarturday at 1 p.m. and practice will go from 2:15 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 5 p.m., qualifying time trials begin at 5:15 p.m. and the first race starts at 7 p.m.
Adult admission will be $8 up until 6:30 p.m. and $10 after that time. Youths ages 10-15 will be admitted for $5 and children under the age of 10 will be admitted free with a paid adult.

 

Seventh Annual VIR Gold Cup Historic Races A Rousing Success

The seventh annual Gold Cup Historic Races at VIRginia International Raceway this past weekend was a rousing success, overcoming some significant pre-event obstacles to provide a great weekend of vintage sports car racing for participants and fans alike.
VIR’s signature vintage racing event, this year honoring the Cars of Germany over the weekend of June 9-11, was originally to be promoted and produced by the California-based Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA). However, HMSA withdrew from the event on May 24, leaving the VIR staff just over two weeks to pull the event together.
The result was an increase of approximately 50 cars in the race entry, very competitive racing in well-matched racing groups, one of the largest spectator crowds in Gold Cup history, an extremely popular Gold Cup Car Show, well-attended parties for both racers and fans and rave reviews from all involved.
“Despite the obstacles that we faced in presenting this year’s Gold Cup Historic Races, the event exceeded our expectations,” said VIR general manager Josh Lief.
“Our staff did an outstanding job to pull everything together at the last minute, and we want to express our gratitude to the racers and fans who turned out to help make it a great weekend. The Gold Cup is all about ‘reviving the vintage spirit,’ and that spirit was evident in all aspects of the event from the time the gates opened until the last checkered flag fell. We’re looking forward to another great event next year.”
The weekend’s feature races on Sunday kicked off with a special All-German-Cars event, and saw a great battle among some very rare Porsches. Henry Payne IV of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., was first to the checkered flag in his 1969 Porsche 908/2 after an intense battle with the extremely rare (one of 13) 1972 Porsche 908/3 of Phil Daigrepont from Kenner, La. Lee Brahin of Cherry Hill, N.J., took the final podium spot in his BMW-engined 1974 Lola T294.
In the Group A race, Owen Ray Mackenzie of Burlington, N.C., made a brilliant pass in Turn 3 on the first lap and never relinquished the lead, his 1966 MGB finishing ahead of the 1962 Morgan 4+4 driven by Greg Miller of Richmond, Va., and the 1972 Lotus Europa of Bob Desloge from Charlotte, N.C.
The Group B race saw Michael Moore of Midlothian, Va., coming home victorious in his 1964 Lotus Elan, leading the beautiful 1954 Austin-Healey 100-4 of Bill Thumel of Virginia Beach, Va., and the very-well-driven 1971 Saab Sonett III of Steven Church of Moseley, Va.
Bob Kullas of Avon, Conn., took the win in the Group C race in his 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta, with the Zink C4 Formula Vee driven by John Gaither of Kernersville, N.C., and the 1972 Triumph Spitfire driven by Tim Slater of West Palm Beach, Fla., completing the podium.
In the Group D race, Fred Burke of Atlanta, Ga., won handily in his very rare Ferrari V12-powered 1962 Cooper Monaco over the 1957 Chevrolet Corvette of Bob Harvey from St. Michaels, Md., and Tivvy Shenton of Danville, who drove brilliantly to take the final podium position in his 1955 Jaguar XK140.
Doug Richmond of Newark, Del., led flag to flag to win the Group F race in his 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350, ahead of the thundering 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 of Robert Andersson of Parkton, Md., and the 1974 Porsche RSR of Doug Nargiz of Tallahassee, Fla.
In the Group G race, hometown favorite Dave Handy of Milton, N.C., showed the way home in his 1968 McLaren M6B Can-Am car ahead of Henry Payne IV’s 1969 Porsche 908/2 and Lee Brahin’s Lola T294.
Although race results are important, at the Gold Cup Historic Races the most coveted prizes are the Spirit Awards, in which one driver from each racing group receives a Gold Cup for exemplifying the vintage spirit.
In Group A, the recipient was George Wright of Mechanicsville, who crashed his 1961 Triumph TR4 on Friday and was ready to pack up and head for home before a large group of his friends and competitors pitched in and worked for more than 12 hours to repair his car so he could continue to race.
The Group B Spirit Award winner was Ted Andersson of Reisterston, Md., who fought a recalcitrant 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S all weekend to no avail in his effort to participate in the Gold Cup Historic Races.
In Group C the award went to a rookie, Audrey Schipprack of Raleigh, N.C., who was competing in her first Gold Cup Historic Races after attending driver’s school this past spring. She and her husband both drive Formula Vees, and Audrey displayed great attitude and spirit while improving her lap times dramatically throughout the course of the weekend.
Fred Burke won the Spirit Award for Group D, in recognition of his many years of participation in vintage racing, campaigning interesting and historic cars and driving them very well, with a great attitude and reverence for the history of the cars and the sport.
The recipient of the Group F Gold Cup was Doug Richmond, who came back from a potentially devastating accident two weeks previously, in which a starter came through the windshield of his Shelby Mustang.
He made a point of contacting all his fellow competitors to warn them of the potential danger of such an incident. He not only came back, but did so in fine style, driving brilliantly all weekend and winning his class.
The Spirit Award for Group G went to Phil Daigrepont, who brought a very rare and significant Porsche to the event and displayed a great attitude all weekend, even after having been forced off the road on Saturday morning.
After making sure his car was safe to race, posing no danger to himself or his fellow competitors, he put on a great show for the fans the rest of the weekend, all the while with a big smile and generous spirit.
The off-track action at the Gold Cup Historic Races was just as entertaining as the on-track action. On Saturday, the Corsa Rossa group organized a brilliant Gold Cup Car Show, attracting more rare and significant cars than ever before, with fans voting for their favorites.
A very large number of fans also took advantage of the opportunity to take to the historic 3.27-mile circuit for touring laps in exchange for a donation for the Halifax County Red Cross, who collected approximately $2,700 over the course of the weekend.
Another popular attraction was an automotive and racing art display from Freck’s Auto Art of Gainesville, Fla. The drivers and their crews enjoyed good food and music at the annual Black and White Party at VIR’s antebellum Plantation Clubhouse on Friday night, and competitors and fans were treated to a live concert in the paddock from Big John and the Rhythm Brothers Band on Saturday night.
Plans are already in the works for next year’s Gold Cup Historic Races, scheduled for June 8-10, 2007, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of VIR’s opening in 1957. A number of very special guests and cars will be on hand for the occasion, and the track is actively seeking information on drivers and cars that participated at VIR between 1957 and 1974.
The next spectator event scheduled at VIR is the Championship Cup Series/Formula USA Virginia Festival of Speed over the weekend of June 24-26, with some of America’s best Sportsman and professional motorcycle road racers going handlebar-to-handlebar at 160mph for their share of purse and prizes.
Over the weekend of June 30-July 2, the 31st annual convention of the Shelby American Automobile Club will take place at VIR, celebrating all the cars connected with the legendary Carroll Shelby, who won the first-ever race at VIR in August 1957.

 

Halifax Strikers Soccer Team Wins Tourney

The Halifax Strikers U10 Team Won The Recent Harbor Of Hospitality Tournament

(Submitted)
The Halifax Strikers U10 (Under 10) coed travel soccer team won its division in the Harbor of Hospitality Tournament held June 3-4 in Elizabeth City, NC.
Halifax won all five of its games in the tournament hosted by the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 1091.
The Halifax players faced a schedule of three games on Saturday and one on Sunday in a round-robin format. The U10 division was the largest division and was split into two flights. The top team in each of the two flights would face one another on Sunday afternoon to determine the U10 Champion.
Halifax opened with a 6-1 win over the Elizabeth City Vulcan. The Halifax offense featured three goals by Collin Kashmer, two by Tyler Garner and one from Ethan Rosche.
The Strikers had twenty shots on goal to the Vulcan’s six.
In the second game, the Halifax Strikers topped the Elizabeth City Strikers 4-0. Halifax goals came from Caleb Daniel, Kashmer (2) and Tyler Fallen. The Halifax Strikers held the EC Strikers to only two shots on goal.
Saturday’s final saw the Halifax Strikers down the Deep Creek Thunderbolts 6-0. Kashmer led Halifax with five goals and Grey Moser scored the other goal.
Halifax opened play on Sunday by downing the Deep creek Sidewinders 10-0. Kashmer led the way with four goals and Ethan Rosche scored two goals. Other goals were scored by Daniel, Fallen, Lucy Morrison and Tyler Garner .
With 4 wins and no losses, the Halifax Strikers finished first in Flight A. The playoff game on Sunday was against the EC Enforcers, the number two team in Flight B.
Halifax defeated the EC Enforcers 4-0 with two goals by Kashmer and a goal each by Nan Henderson and Ethan Rosche.
The sixth game of the weekend, the championship game, proved a little more difficult for the Halifax Strikers as they had to battle hard to pull off a 2-1 win against the EC Heat to win the tournament championship.
The score was tied with two minutes remaining in the game when the Strikers were awarded a penalty kick for a handball. Strikers Coach Karen Fallen stunned everyone when she pulled goalkeeper Ethan Rosche to take the penalty kick. Rosche responded by making the shot to score the game-winning goal.
The initial score for the Strikers was by Garner.
Outstanding offensive plays were made by Christine Bradshaw and Ryan Green, both of whom had shots on goal. Great defensive plays were made by Ryan Green and Moser.

 

Obituaries

William Leonard Hicks Jr.
William Leonard Hicks Jr., 75, of 4230 Hudson Road, Virgilina, died June 8, 2006, in Roanoke.
Mr. Hicks was born in San Diego, Calif. on July 25, 1930, the son of William L. Hicks Sr. and Frances Hicks. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran.
Survivors include one son, Bradley Allen Hicks of Salem; and one daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hicks of Port Tobacco, Md.
A private funeral service was held at Trinity Episcopal Church in South Boston with the Rev. Andy Bawtree officiating. Burial followed in the Veteran’s Cemetery in Amelia with Military Rites.