Warner Seeks ‘Last Mile’ Solutions

Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner was at the Southern Virginia Education Center Tuesday searching for ways he can help make the Mid-Atlantic broadband assessable to everyone, particularly schools.
“We’re going to need your help with some institutional problems,” Del. Clarke Hogan said to Warner.
Right now in the 21 counties with the new broadband available, the school systems are yet to take advantage, largely because of reluctance and red tape, officials said.
Halifax School Superintendent Paul Stapleton said he has been trying to get a school connected with the fiber located across the street, but has encountered obsticles.
Stapleton said many school superintendents in the region are skeptical because they’ve been hearing about this broadband for over three years and nothing has happened.
Last Mile expert Professor Ted S. Rappaport, an electrical engineering professor at the University of Texas now living in Chatham, said it’s important that the region gets together and realizes what’s available.
Rappaport said that with the huge savings and increased connection speeds the schools would realize, switching to it is a “no-brainer.”
The school divisions are totally disenfranchised from each other, Rappaport added. “With buried treasure so close by.”
The plan is to connect the New College in Martinsville, The Institute of Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville and SVHEC in South Boston, along with the school divisions in Pittsylvania and Halifax counties to the MBC broadband to serve as a model for the region.
The schools should be connected to the Intranet by the end of July, an MBC official said.
Warner said he wanted to return in September when the schools were fully equipped and meet with the region’s school superintendents to get them onboard with the new technology.
According to Rappaport, the savings with MBC will be ten-fold and the connection to the Internet will be 10 times faster.
Many of the area schools are functioning with the minimal connection required by the Department of Education, officials said.
Warner requested a series of one-page recommendations from the experts at the meeting that he could present to the DOE to update its requirements.
Also, Warner said he wanted the Last Mile Commission to move forward, putting together the case for what broadband means to the region, and he wants to present it to area governments and chambers of commerce.
Warner then met with the public where he said he was grateful for the way he was received in Southside when he was running for governor and that he never forgot the region when he held the office.
He also said he spoke of the economic transformation happening in Southside when he visited economically-depressed regions of Iowa and New Hampshire when he was considering seeking a “national position.”
Warner said the region still has much to do in the area of workforce development, but the fiber will be a critical piece of the region’s future.
The former governor also proudly pointed out that these opportunities are available because Virginia didn’t use its tobacco settlement funds to plug budget shortfalls like other states did.

 

C.H. Friend Ownership Questioned

A South Boston attorney is charging “the citizens of South Boston own the C.H. Friend (Elementary School) real estate,” and no one else.
“It’s never been conveyed off that I can find,” J. Willard Greer said yesterday.
“The School Board of South Boston District of Halifax County purchased the real estate fronting on the east side of Marshall Street on which is located the C.H. Friend School and also the real estate on the west side of Marshall Street extending to Seymour Drive for the total sum of $5,210,” writes Greer in a letter to the editor.
“The C.H. Friend High School was a gift to the citizens of the Town by a benevolent government through the Workers Progress Administration program,” he added.
When contacted, Superintendent of Schools Paul Stapleton said he was not aware of Greer’s question but that the School Board has an attorney reviewing each of the school deeds.
Larry Roller, public schools maintenance director, said yesterday that he has a copy of the certificate of title for the Town of South Boston for the 15.104 acres, which can be found in the courthouse in Book 297, Page 399, Jan. 16, 1962.
“A quick search of court records yesterday failed to uncover a deed of transfer,” said Clerk of Court Bobby Conner. “This was not a title search,” he emphasized.
“I believe it would have been in the merger agreement,” said Conner of South Boston’s reversion from city to town status in 1995 .
Greer’s letter in its entirety follows:
Dear Editor,
In January 1936, C.H. Friend High School fronting on Peach Avenue at the corner of Hodges Street caught on fire and burned to the ground. Beginning in February, the children in the Main Street Elementary School went to school in the morning, and the high school students went to school in the afternoon until April 1, 1939, when the C.H. Friend High School on Marshall Avenue was opened.
At that time, the School Board of South Boston District of Halifax County purchased the real estate fronting on the east side of Marshall Street on which is located the C.H. Friend School and also the real estate on the west side of Marshall Street extending to Seymour Drive for the total sum of $5,210.
The C.H. Friend High School was a gift to the citizens of the Town by a benevolent government through the Workers Progress Administration program. Thus, the citizens of South Boston own the C.H. Friend real estate.
Sincerely yours,
J. Willard Greer

 

Man Sentenced For Drug Charges, B&E

A 28-year-old Stroudsburg, Penn., man was convicted Friday in Halifax County Circuit Court of breaking and entering and possession of cocaine.
Judge Leslie M. Osborn convicted Amged Mohammed Khalifa of breaking and entering the dwelling of Earl Ross and Tajonda Davis and of cocaine possession.
The court dismissed an additional charge against Khalifa during the trial for possessing marijuana.
The court sentenced Khalifa to ten years each in prison for the two convictions, with all but one year and nine months suspended on the breaking and entering charge.
The court ordered the suspended portion of Khalifa’s sentence be conditional upon his good behavior for 20 years, ordered him be placed on probation for one year and ordered Khalifa to submit to random drug tests.
Other Court Cases
• Avery Thomas Guill, 31, of Scottsburg, was sentenced Friday to three years in prison each for four convictions, including cocaine possession, obtaining money under false pretenses from Greased Lightning, forging a check to the prejudice of Jessica Wilmouth and passing a forged check to the prejudice of Wilmouth.
Judge Osborn also convicted Guill of a probation violation, but ordered no new jail time for that offense.
The court suspended all but one year each for all but the conviction for passing the forged check, suspending all but six months on that charge, leaving an effective prison term of three years and six months.
The court ordered the suspended portion of Guill’s sentence be conditional upon his good behavior for 12 years and ordered him be placed on probation for one year following his release.
n Deshane Damont Brown, 24, of Nathalie, was sentenced Friday to five years in prison, with all but six months suspended, for the unlawful wounding of Jerome Wilborn.
The court ordered the suspended portion of Brown’s sentence be conditional upon his good behavior for five years and ordered Brown be placed on probation for one year upon his release.
The court additionally ordered Brown to submit to random drug tests and undergo drug counseling.
n Daryl Lee Edmunds, 24, of South Boston, was convicted Friday of a probation violation.
The court revoked Edmunds’ previously suspended prison sentence, resuspending any new jail time to the defendant’s participation in the Daily Planet Program for a minimum of one year.
The court additionally ordered Edmunds be placed on probation for an additional 18 months.
n Brian Scott Fallen, 36, of Alton, was convicted Friday of a fourth or subsequent offense of DUI within ten years and also of hit and run with property damage less than $500, the later in a case appealed from a lower court
The Commonwealth moved to nol pros two additional charges against Fallen during the trial, each for driving on a suspended/revoked operator’s license.
Sentencing for Fallen was set for the September court term.
n Ronald Lee Rickmond, 47, of Scottsburg, was sentenced Friday to five years in prison, with all but two suspended, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The court ordered the suspended portion of Rickmond’s sentence be conditional upon his good behavior for five years and ordered the defendant be placed on probation for six months following his release.
n Tyisha Lanay Woody, 23, of South Boston, pleaded no contest Friday to obtaining U.S. currency under false pretenses from American Pride.
The court found evidence sufficient to convict Woody of the charge, but withheld its finding of guilt and continued the case for 16 months in order for Woody to pay $2,980 restitution.
The court ordered that the first payment be made within 30 days and continue at a rate of $180 per month until restitution is paid in full.
The court stipulated that the charge would be reduced to petty larceny if restitution were paid in full.
n The court found evidence sufficient Friday to convict 25-year-old South Boston resident Quentin Jerrod Clauden guilty of a probation violation.
The court withheld its finding of guilt and continued the case to the September court term in order for the defendant to make court-ordered payments at a rate of $100 per month.
n The court found evidence sufficient Friday to convict 38-year-old South Boston resident Reginald Cordell Edmonds of a show cause for failing to pay court-ordered fines and costs.
The court withheld its finding of guilt and continued the case to the September court term in order for the defendant to make court-ordered payments at a rate of $50 per month.
The court stipulated that the show cause would be dismissed if three months of payments were made.
n Michael Wayne Perkins, 30, of South Boston, was convicted Friday of a show cause for a probation violation.
The court continued the case in order to allow the defendant to make court-ordered payments of $100 per month.
n Kimberley Stipes Dunman, 35, of South Boston, was convicted Friday of a misdemeanor charge for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, in a case appealed from a lower court.
The court sentenced Dunman to six months in jail.
n Brenda Gayle Adams, 55, of South Boston, was sentenced Friday to three years in prison, with all time suspended, for possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance.
The court ordered Adams’ suspended sentence be conditional upon Adams’ good behavior for three years and ordered her be placed on probation for one year.
The court additionally suspended the defendant’s operator’s license for six months.

 

Goochland In Driver’s Seat In Dixie Majors

South Boston Faced Charlotte County In Elimination Game Tuesday

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Goochland appears to be in the drivers’ seat in the Virginia Dixie Majors state tournament.
Having dispatched South Boston 4-2 Sunday night and having bounced Charlotte County 14-9 Monday night, Goochland is the lone undefeated team remaining in the tournament.
One of Goochland’s two chief challengers was to go by the wayside Tuesday as South Boston and Charlotte County were to face each other in an elimination game.
In the nightcap, Goochland was set to face Timberlake, a team that already had one loss. A loss by Timberlake would eliminate that team and pair down the four remaining teams in the field to just two for today’s game.
South Boston received a bye after Sunday’s loss to Goochland and did not play Monday, giving the team a day of rest before it had to face a tough encounter with Charlotte County.
In Sunday’s game against Goochland, South Boston took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with Matt Conner coming up with a single with one out and advancing on a follow-up single by Joey Rogers. A double by Michael Ferrell with two out plated Conner to put South Boston up 1-0.
Goochland tied the game in the top of the fourth inning when Peter Henley smacked a double with one out and later scored to make it a 1-1 deadlock.
A run in the bottom of the fourth inning put South Boston back on top.
Bret Lewis singled and moved to second base when Conner grounded out to third base. Rogers walked to give South Boston two base runners. A single by David Clark loaded the bases and a single by Ferrell plated Lewis to put South Boston up 2-1.
South Boston’s bid for the win unraveled in the top of the sixth inning when Goochland’s Mike Wallace launched a three-run homer off of South Boston hurler Bobby Owens to put his team by the eventual final score of 4-2.
A walk and a fielder’s choice had positioned two Goochland runners on base prior to Wallace’s round tripper.
In Sunday’s other game, Timberlake downed Smyth County 11-0 with the loss eliminating Smyth County.
Timberlake downed Bedford Central 10-0 in Monday’s second game with the loss eliminating Bedford Central from the tournament.

 

South Boston Pre-Majors Fall To Appomattox

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The Halifax County Pre Majors all-stars could not repeat the comeback it made the previous day against Mecklenburg, Appomattox scoring three runs in the fifth inning to overcome a 3-2 deficit and defeat Halifax County 5-3 on Sunday.
Halifax County played Goochland Tuesday in an elimination game, while Appomattox, the only undefeated team left in the tourney, faced Mecklenburg.
Appomattox had defeated Goochland 8-2 on Monday, while Mecklenburg edged Franklin County 5-4 in eight innings.
Appomattox 5 Halifax County 3
Halifax collected only three hits against Appomattox, E.C. Collins with a third inning single, Michael Puryear with a fourth inning single and Patches Trent with a seventh inning double.
Appomattox finished with six hits, two in the first inning. Those hits, combined with a walk and Halifax error gave Appomattox a 2-0 advantage going into the second inning.
Halifax had its first scoring threat in the third after a Collins single and walk to Trent, and Halifax had runners at third and second with two out, but a flyout got Appomattox out of the inning.
A two-run fourth tied the game for Halifax, leadoff batter John Nichols drawing a walk, Aaron Mitchell reaching base on a one-out error and Puryear getting a base hit.
That tied the game at 2-2, and Halifax took a brief 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth after walks to Collins and Trent, an Appomattox error and walk to Sam Lantor.
Appomattox scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning for the final margin, the tallies coming on a walk and three consecutive base hits that made it 5-3.
Halifax tried to rally in the top of the seventh, Trent hitting a leadoff double and Lantor drawing a two-out walk, but a flyout ended the game.
Puryear hurled all six innings for Halifax County, giving up six hits while striking out two batters and walking four.

 

South Hill Wins DYB District 2 Title

By Bob Howerton
The News-Progress
And Joe Chandler
The Gazette-Virginian
SOUTH HILL – South Hill defeated Scottsburg 10-9 here Monday night in the rubber game of the best-of- three game playoff series to win the Dixie Youth Baseball Major League District 2 title.
With the win, South Hill advances to the Virginia Dixie Youth Major League State Tournament which opens this weekend in Salem.
It was a free-scoring affair with South Hill scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning with two outs in an almost unbelievable fashion to overcome a 9-8 deficit and grab the win.
Jacob Stephens, came on in the fourth inning to pitch for Scottsburg. He held South Hill to only one base runner (a two out double by Tyler Preston in the fifth inning) and got the first two batters out in the sixth inning before the roof caved in on him and his teammates.
A ground ball to the left side was thrown wide of first to put a runner on second base. The next South Hill batter hit a soft liner to second base that got under the fielder’s glove for an error with the tying run scoring from second base.
Following a base on balls, Clay Walker lined a two strike pitch back through the middle for a hit to score the go ahead run for South Hill. Another Scottsburg error loaded the bases, but Stephens got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Following a leadoff single by Scottsburg’s Collin Kashmer in the bottom half of the inning, Walker set Scottsburg down on a strikeout, a pop out and a ground out to second base to preserve the 10-9 win for South Hill and earn it a trip to Salem for the state tournament this weekend.
South Hill jumped on Scottsburg starter, Nicholas Anderson for five runs in the top of the first inning on a leadoff double by Joey Jones, a single by D.G. Smith, a sacrifice fly, a hit batter and a two-run single by Colby Beach.
Rufus Jeffress, Jr. came on to relieve N. Anderson and, after striking out the first batter he faced, Charlie Mills singled just inside the first base line to drive in two more runs to give South Hill a 5-0 lead.
Scottsburg answered the call in the bottom half of the inning as it jumped on South Hill’s starter, Mills, for five runs on a leadoff single by N. Anderson, and back to back two-out singles by Stephens and Elijah Hudson to get home two runs. Following a walk, Hunter Watts hit a long three-run homer over the right field fence to tie the score at 5-5.
Scottsburg added three more runs in the bottom of the second inning after two out on a walk, a double by Sean Terifay and back-to-back singles by the Anderson twins, Nicholas and Avery, to give Scottsburg an 8-5 lead.
South Hill came back with three runs to tie the score at 8-8 in the top of the third inning. Back-to-back hits by Drew Cleaton and Vince Cliborne started the inning. A walk, a pair of Scottsburg errors, one of which occurred on an attempted force play, another walk and a single up the middle by Kendall Kelly got South Hill back into the game. South Hill left the bases loaded as Jeffress got out of the inning with a strike out and a ground out.
Jeffress hit a long home run over the center field fence with two out in the third inning to give Scottsburg a 9-8 lead.
Scottsburg did not score again in the game as they left the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases off Walker with one out, but he pitched out of it with a strikeout and a fly out.
Both teams had 11 hits in the game with Preston leading South Hill with two hits, while the Anderson brothers had two hits each for Scottsburg.
Walker, the fourth South Hill pitcher, picked up the win, while Stephens absorbed the loss for Scottsburg. He had six strike outs in his three innings of work.
The game was interrupted twice briefly for lightning strikes and a short period of rain.
Scottsburg Evened Playoff Series On Sunday
After having lost the opening game in the best-of-three-game playoff series on Saturday night in South Hill, Scottsburg rebounded on Sunday to take a 4-2 win over South Hill on its home field.
Scottsburg took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jeffress singled and later scored on a single by Kashmer. A lead-off solo homer b y Ethan White in the bottom of the third inning gave Scottsburg a 2-0 lead.
South Hill trimmed its deficit to a run by scoring a run in the top of the fourth inning. Tyler Spillane singled and reached second base on a Scottsburg error on the play. A passed ball allowed him to move to third base. A single by Jones scored Spillane to make it a 2-1 score.
The visitors got another break when Jones reached second base on an error and went to third base. That opportunity was for naught, however.
On the next play, Jones attempted to score on another passed ball but missed the plate as he scampered home. He was tagged out by the Scottsburg catcher after having passed the plate for the final out of the inning.
Scottsburg answered that by adding two more runs to take a 4-1 lead. Avery Anderson singled and Stephens followed with a two-run homer to give Scottsburg a three-run cushion.
South Hill tried to make a game of it in the top of the sixth inning when Walker reached base on an error and Mills and Jones both singled to load the bases. Later, with two out, a single by Smith plated Walker plated Walker to make the score 4-2. The South Hill rally and the game ended when Cleaton went down on strikes.
Scottsburg had six hits in the game with Jeffress leading the way with a 2-2 night. A. Anderson, Stephens, Kashmer and White each had one hit.
South Hill had five hits with Jones leading the way with two hits. Smith, Beach and Mills each getting one hit.
South Hill stranded four base runners in the contest.

 

Obituaries

Clinton Ray Saunders Sr.
Clinton Ray Saunders Sr. died Tuesday, July 17.
Mr. Saunders was the son of the late Clarence and Edna Saunders.
He is survived by four sisters, Brenda Anderson of Halifax, Margaret Sims and husband Butch, Shirley S. Meadows and Dorothy Overacre, all of Chesterfield; and one brother, Henry Louis Saunders of Chesterfield.
Funeral services for Mr. Saunders will be at 2 p.m. Friday, July 20, at Bliley’s Funeral Home.
Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Chester, Va.
Viewing will be 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 19, at Bliley’s Funeral Home.