Juveniles On A Joyride

Three female juveniles were charged Friday on multiple counts, including grand larceny of a motor vehicle, after allegedly stealing a car and leading police on a high speed chase through South Boston.
According to South Boston Police Chief Jim Binner, around 11:44 p.m. Thursday a 15-year-old and two 13-year-olds allegedly took the keys of a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix belonging to Halifax County Comets Head Football Coach Stan Hodgin. The car was parked at Tuck Dillard Stadium.
Sgt. R.D. Edmonds said the girls apparently picked up a fourth girl, 13, and went on a joy ride through South Boston. Edmonds said he spotted the car around 12:40 a.m. in the vicinity of Wilborn Avenue and McKinney Street.
Edmonds said the car proceeded to Willow Oaks Apartments and then turned left on Watkins Avenue toward Edmunds Street. He said the car was traveling at a high rate of speed through town, reaching speeds up to 65 mph.
He said the driver apparently lost control of the car in the 1200 block of Watkins Avenue and struck a utility pole, breaking it in half. Edmonds said the four girls fled on foot, but he apprehended the 15-year-old driver. The other three were found later on Peach Avenue at the home of one of the girls.
Edmonds said the driver and two of the 13-year-olds were charged with grand larceny of a motor vehicle. The driver was also charged with felony eluding police, reckless driving and no operator’s license, according to Edmonds. All four of the girls were charged with curfew violation. Edmonds estimated damage to the car at $6,000.
Three of the girls were taken to the W.W. Moore Juvenile Detention Center in Danville, Edmonds said. The fourth girl was released to the custody of her parents. Edmonds said the South Boston Police Department was assisted by the Virginia State Police and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.

IDA Teams Up With Carpathia Hosting

The Halifax County IDA is seeking help from a Delaware corporation in finding businesses to locate in Riverstone.
The IDA Board is entering into a teaming agreement with Carpathia Hosting, Inc., a company that provides enterprise application hosting for government agencies and businesses. The Board took action at its Friday meeting.
Carpathia Hosting is based in Delaware, but its corporate offices are located in northern Virginia. As stated in the agreement, the company has industry knowledge that would be helpful in structuring beneficial deals for the use of the land and buildings owned by the IDA.
As part of the agreement, Carpathia will have the right to present Riverstone Technology Park to its clients looking for office and data center space.
According to IDA Executive Director Mike Eades, Carpathia will register those clients or prospects with the IDA for approval. The IDA can either accept or reject the prospect, Eades said.
As stated in the agreement, if a prospect is accepted, Carpathia will work exclusively with the prospect to structure a deal that is mutually acceptable to the IDA and to Carpathia Hosting.
Eades said this agreement in non-exclusive. The IDA can continue to promote Riverstone Technology Park and the Riverstone Technology Building to other prospects not registered through Carpathia Hosting. He said there is no financial commitment for the IDA and that Carpathia would pay the IDA if it provides a client for Riverstone.
As stated in the agreement, once Carpathia locates an acceptable prospect or prospects, it would either buy or lease the property or properties at Riverstone from the IDA and then build out the appropriate space for the prospect or prospects.
During the monthly meeting of the IDA Board Friday, the Board voted unanimously, with Board member Bill Kelehar absent, to enter into the teaming agreement with Carpathia Hosting.
In other business, the IDA Board decided to gift a 3.52 acre parcel of property adjacent to the Barnes property at the Georgia-Pacific site to the county for its solid waste transfer station. After the transfer station is built, the county will gift any unused portion of the property back to the IDA.
The IDA Board also discussed a proposed amendment to the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative’s lease at the Riverstone Technology building. The amendment calls for leasing an additional 1,099 square feet of office space on the second floor and 100 square feet of space in the E-58 fiber room at $14.22 per square foot per year. MBC will also lease an additional 100 square feet of caged storage space in the loading dock area for $5 per sq. ft. per year.
Eades updated the Board on the Georgia-Pacific demolition project. The county needs to sign a letter of credit for the IDA for up to $700,000 for the demolition costs. Most or all of the cost of the demolition should be in the form of a grant, Eades said.
Dominion is charging the IDA $12,000 for a quitclaim on an easement in the southeast corner of the property, Eades said. That property is approximately 700 to 800 feet long and 20 to 30 feet wide, he added.
Eades told the Board that the Tobacco Commission will provide $98,646 to five firms that did not receive their full anticipated amount of state enterprise zone incentives. The shortfall was due to state budget woes in the program for calendar year 2005, Eades said. The five firms affected are Pacific Headwear, Cherokee Tobacco, Dollar General, Annin and Charles H. Parker Jr. MD PC.
The IDA has sent a letter to the Tobacco Commission in support of a special projects application by Martinsville Speedway, VIR and Virginia Tech for a feasibility study for an International Motorsports Academy, Eades said. The academic portion of the program will be delivered by the Carlisle School in Martinsville.
The IDA Board meets again Friday, Sept. 21, at Riverstone.

Drug Charges Filed

A 32-year-old county man was arrested this weekend by Halifax County Sheriff’s Office drug investigators.
According to Major Richard Pulliam, Joseph Paul Dickerson of Bold Springs Road, South Boston, was charged with distribution of cocaine.
Pulliam said the investigation revealed that Dickerson and others were allegedly purchasing and distributing cocaine in the South Boston and Halifax County area.
According to Pulliam, Dickerson was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond. Pulliam said that the investigation is continuing, additional individuals have been identified and more arrests are expected.

Obituaries

Oneda Crews
Oneda Crews, 82, of Childrey Church Road, Nathalie, died Sunday at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Brookneal.
Miss Crews was born in Halifax County on February 20, 1925, a daughter of the late James Andrew Crews and Lou Fannie Jones Crews. She was a member of Childrey Baptist Church and a retired grocery clerk-cashier.
She is survived by two brothers, Burwell Crews of Nathalie and Marvin A. Crews of Gladys; three sisters, Inez Oakes of South Boston, Christine Elder of Brookneal and Caroline Smith of Gladys; and a number of nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Noel Crews and Jasper Crews; five sisters, Estelle Saunders, Josephine Saunders, Blanche Oakes, Novella Fears and Marie Anderson.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Childrey Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Stanfield officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Monday at Henderson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Brookneal, and at the home of brother and sister-in-law Burwell and Ellie Crews, 1169 Childrey Road., Nathalie, at other times.

Lloyd Hampton Carrington
Lloyd Hampton Carrington, 56, of Clover died August 15, 2007, at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Mr. Carrington was born in Halifax County March 30, 1951, to Saluda Z. Dabbs Carrington and the late Beverly Carrington Jr. and was married to Wendy Loftis Carrington. He was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of Tallahassee, Fla.; one daughter, Whitney L. Carrington of the home; his mother of Clover; four sisters, Ethel D. Johnson of Indianapolis, Ind., Joyce A. Garrett of South Boston, Virginia L. Clark and Janice C. Lacks, both of Clover; three brothers, Shirley K. Carrington, Beverly K. Carrington and Malcolm R. Carrington, all of Clover; four brothers-in-law, Jerry Johnson, Kenneth Garrett, Frank Clark and Ronnie Lacks; one sister-in-law, Wallicia Carrington; and a devoted friend, Jerome Betts of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mr. Carrington will be held August 21, at 2 p.m. at Piney Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Whitfield Scott officiating. A private burial will follow the service.
The family will receive friends at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home this evening, August 20, from 7 to 8.

Bettie Crews Davis
Bettie Crews Davis, 85, of State Shed Road, Nathalie died August 16, 2007, at Lynchburg General Hospital. She was the wife of the late Ulum S. Davis.
Mrs. Davis was born in Halifax County May 28, 1922, a daughter of the late William Dillard Crews and Susie Seamster Crews. She was a member of Childrey Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Betsy Davis Bentley and husband, Badawy Eissa, of Phenix; one grandson, Robert C. Bentley and wife, Brenda, of Rustburg; one great-grandson; and one sister, Josie Finch of Nathalie.
One brother, Richard Crews; and four sisters, Ineda Tuck Jennings, Doris Short, Gracie Jones, and Nannie Sue Layne, also preceded Mrs. Davis in death.
Funeral services for Mrs. Davis were held August 19, at 2 p.m. at Childrey Baptist Church with the Revs. Rodney Barwick and Jerry Stanfield officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Annie Cordie Carr Lovelace
Annie Cordie Carr Lovelace, 88, of Orange, N.Y., formerly of Halifax County, died August 15, 2007, at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J.
Mrs. Lovelace was born in Halifax County January 30, 1919, to the late Eliza Jane Carr and Junior Adams, and was married to the late James Lovelace. She was a member of Millstone Baptist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Lassie Inez Kimble, Garnet Mae Moore and Polly Frances Ward; one son, James Lewis Lovelace; two sons-in-law, David Kimible and Eugene Slayton; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; one sister,Vernice Williams; and two sisters-in-law, Janie Williams and Emma Tucker.
One daughter, Eloise Lovelace, also preceded Mrs. Lovelace in death.
Funeral services will be held today, August 20, at 1 p.m. at Millstone Baptist Church with the Rev. Chester Spruill officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the church today.

Sarah Morris Conner
Sarah Morris Conner, 94, of Buffalo Rd., Clarksville, died Friday, August 17, at Meadowview Terrace, Clarksville.
Mrs. Conner was born in Halifax County on Oct. 6, 1912, to the late Ruben Henry Morris and Cornelia Day Morris and was married to the late Charlie Washington Conner.
She was a homemaker and a member of Glenwood United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Conner is survived by a son, Stanley Ruben Conner and wife Joyce of Chase City; a sister, Gerturde Waller of Atlanta; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and a number of great-great grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. Conner was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Conner; two daughters, Clemon Chambers and Anndru Guthrie; four brothers and eight sisters.
A funeral service for Mrs. Conner will be held at the graveside at 11 a.m. today at Oak Ridge Cemetery with Rev. Bob Woodfin officiating.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@embarqmail.com

David Wayne Brown
David Wayne Brown, 47, of N. Terry’s Bridge Road, Halifax, died Saturday at his home.
Funeral services are incomplete at this time and will be announced soon by Powell Funeral Home.

Comets Play Well In Final Scrimmage

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
The HCHS varsity football team heads into Friday’s season-opener at Petersburg with a good dose of momentum following a solid overall performance against Magna Vista Friday in the team’s final scrimmage.
Looking good in all phases of the game, Halifax scored twice on two long pass plays, Stacy Majors from 47 yards out on a throw from Rodale Pippen, and Pippen on a 80-yard romp after catching a screen pass from Josh Hudson
Travis Stevens added two rushing touchdowns, and kicker Cameron Starke added PATs each time.
The Comets defense controlled the line of scrimmage and held Magna Vista to only three first downs in two 12-minute quarters.
Both the effort and focus were improved over last week on both sides of the ball, according to Comets head coach Stan Hodgin.
“Compared to last week, I thought the effort by our defense in particular was greatly improved over what we got last Saturday,” said Hodgin.
“We contained the run more effectively today, and we were better against the pass, although we had a couple of shaky plays.
“There are certainly some things we have to work on but we defended the pass better. Our defensive line did a good job putting pressure on their quarterback when they tried to throw, and they really did a good job staying at home and defending the run.”
Stevens capped a seven-play drive with a rushing touchdown from four yards out the first time Halifax touched the ball.
Quarterback Rodale Pippen ran for 15 yards on the first play from scrimmage and hit Travis Coleman and Tyler Truitt on big pass plays to help set up the score.
Pippen completed two consecutive passes to Majors, the final one a 47-yard touchdown on the Comets’ second possession, and Hudson came on to complete passes to Bryan Clarke, Pippen and Gabriel Aguilar, before Stevens bulled over from seven yards out.
Starke’s PAT made it 21-0, and Halifax added its final score early in the second quarter, when Hudson tossed a short screen pass to Pippen, who, behind good blocking, sped 80 yards for the touchdown.
Unofficially, Hudson hit seven of his ten pass attempts for the game to four different receivers, including Pippen, Aguilar, Clarke and Courtney Ervin, while Pippen was four of seven, including two big pass plays to Coleman.
“The one thing we try to do year in and year out is allow our guys to do the things they can do well,” explained Hodgin.
“Pippen is certainly a gifted athlete and we need to make sure we maximize what he offers to our team, continued Hodgin, who indicated the offensive line has improved steadily the past week.
“Anytime you have a good play, it’s easy to get caught up in who threw it and who caught it, and Pippen made the long run and scored, but I think our offensive line made the biggest jump from Saturday to today.
“Pass protection today was really good, and I thought the run blocking was certainly improved.”
Hodgin noted that both Stevens and Laquan Lynn had good days running the football, each with tough runs.
“They both did a good job and I thought our receivers did a good job, running their routes more precisely today and catching the ball a little better.”
A combination of Comets varsity and jayvee players scrimmaged Tunstall early Friday morning, and all together it was a positive experience, according to Hodgin.
“I thought our focus was good today, and I’d like to think that our level of enthusiasm would only grow from here on out.
“Altogether, it was a good positive scrimmage for both our morning and afternoon groups. We got some good film footage to use as a teaching tool, so we’ll continue to improve.”

Mladin Sweeps Superbike Doubleheader

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Mat Mladin continued his recent dominance of Alton’s Virginia International Raceway, scoring a runaway win Sunday in the weekend’s second race of the AMA Superbike doubleheader that was part of the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals.
The win was his sixth in a row at VIR and it gave Mladin a sweep of the weekend doubleheader. Sunday’s sweep allowed Mladin to close the gap on Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Ben Spies in the chase for the national AMA Superbike championship.
Mladin entered the weekend trailing Spies by 17 points. With the sweep and Spies finishing second in both races, Mladin now trails by only six points with three races remaining.
This is the second time this season that Mladin has had to rally to get back into the championship chase. He crashed at both Daytona and Miller Motorsports Park while leading races.
He rallied from the Daytona mishap to take a six point lead after the event at Road America only to have the crash in the second race of a doubleheader weekend at Utah’s Miller Motorsports Park drop him back into the pack in the points standings.
With yesterday’s win, his fourth win in a row and his tenth win of the season, Mladin is solidly back into the series title picture.
“I just want to come back as strong as possible, win as many races as I can and see what happens at the end,” Mladin said.
“I’m enjoying the season more than any so far because it’s a challenge to race Ben. I really want to go to Laguna Secca (for the season finale) and have a winner take all. I think that would be the ultimate. Laguna has never been one of my strongest tracks but for me it’s a challenge that would be the best for me.”
Mladin, who races for Yoshimura Suzuki, had no real challenge yesterday as he grabbed the lead at the outset and led the entire race, building up a big lead in the process.
“It was a good race today,” Mladin remarked.
“It was fast-paced. Aaron (third-place finisher Aaron Yates) was keeping Ben honest and Ben was keeping me honest. I was stretching it out two or three tenths (of a second) a lap here and there. It was a very good race, a very strong race.”
Spies had a tough start, getting bounced around out of position as the field entered the first turn on the first lap, and had to fight his way back through the field after falling to seventh place.
“(Jason) DiSalvo came into turn one and kind of moved everybody out pretty wide,” noted Spies who has finished no worse than second in any race this season.
“I think I was in sixth or seventh (position) and just started coming through.”
Spies took second place away from Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jamie Hacking on the sixth lap and stayed there the rest of the day. At that point, Mladin had already built a 2.877-second lead.
Spies was never able to mount a serious bid for the lead against Mladin as Mladin stretched his lead out to almost seven and a half seconds with two laps left in the race.
“With about 10 laps to go we threw some chunks out of the tire,” Spies noted.
“We knew we weren’t going anywhere forward. We just needed to make sure we were in second so I just kind of babied it to the end.”
Spies said he and his team need to pick things up if he is going to win the championship.
“Obviously second (place) is not getting it done,” Spies said.
“I’m not upset because I rode a hundred percent both races. If it’s me or the bike, we didn’t have something right and that’s all it took.”
Yates of Milledgeville, Ga., who rides for Jordan Suzuki, finished third to give Suzuki a sweep of the three podium spots. He sped past Hacking in the fourth turn on the ninth circuit to take the spot.
Hacking finished fourth and Yoshimura Suzuki rider Tommy Hayden rounded out the top five finishers.
Jake Zemke, riding for American Honda, finished sixth with Luca Scassa, Matt D. Lynn, Jake Holden and Roger Hayden rounding out the top ten finishers.
Mladin averaged 94.9 mph in the 28-lap race that took 40 minutes to complete.
Other VIR Action
Josh Hayes, who rides for Erion Honda, won yesterday’s Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei race, edging EMGO Suzuki rider Martin Cardenas by 1.449 second in an eight-lap sprint to the finish that followed a full-course red flag for a crash.
Jamie Hacking finished third aboard a Kawasaki with Kawasaki rider Roger Hayden and EMGO Suzuki rider Geoff May rounding out the top five finishers.
Hayes, who had won the Formula Xtreme race on Saturday, led 14 laps of the 15-lap race Yamaha rider Josh Herrin leading one lap.
Also yesterday, Spies won the 17-lap race for the AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet series.
The win gives Spies six victories in seven starts in the series.
Yates finished second with Holden taking third place. Ben Bostram and Blake Young rounded out the top five finishers.

Ramsey Snaps 13-Race Winless Streak At SBS

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
Wayne Ramsey has had to endure a lengthy losing streak at South Boston Speedway.
Since driving his Ford to victory in the season opener Ramsey had been shut out of Victory Lane in his last 13 starts.
That all changed Saturday in the 150-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division race that was the feature event of the Halifax County Tourism 150 Presented by Berry Hill Estate racing program.
Ramsey out-battled fellow Ford driver Greg Edwards and division points leader Adam Barker of Hurt in the early going, took the lead from Barker on the 11th lap, and raced away from the field to take his second win of the season.
His margin of victory over Edwards was 1.752 second with Barker finishing third.
“This is awesome,” Ramsey said of his victory.
“I haven’t had this good a car under me in a long time and it showed up on the track tonight. I don’t think the car could have been any better. It was a blast to drive. It was so much fun.”
The Ford Ramsey drove to victory was a new car, a car that was making only its second start.
“It’s a different car than what we’ve been running all year,” Ramsey said.
“We’ve been putting it together for a couple of months now. Last week was the first race for it. We were super in (into the corner) but were way tight coming up off the corner. We got that fixed this week. I told the guys that if we could get it freed up off of the corner we’ll be real good. I had no idea we’d be that good.”
Ramsey started third and battled pole winner Edwards and outside pole starter Barker in the early laps. Edwards led the first two laps before Barker took command for eight laps. Ramsey got by Edwards for second place on the fifth lap and took the lead away from Barker on the 11th lap.
Once in front, Ramsey never relinquished the lead despite a caution flag that set up a 79-lap green-flag run to the finish.
“I knew I had a good car but I had a buffer there with two lapped cars between myself and Greg and Adam. That let me get away a little bit. After I had run four or five laps my spotter let me know I was stretching it on out. I got a comfortable lead and just tried to be smooth and hit my marks from there on out.
“It’s been awhile getting back (to Victory Lane). Hopefully it won’t be as long next time.”
Edwards started well but fell back to third place on the fifth lap and spent the rest of the race trying to get back to the front. After six laps of racing side-by-side with Barker, Edwards took over second place on lap 117 and managed to hang on to the spot from there.
“Myself and the one car for awhile were about the same,” Edwards said.
“We just couldn’t get any grip. When you get side-by-side with somebody and can’t get any grip it makes it real difficult to pass without roughing somebody up. Adam drives me real clean and I drive him clean. We knew there wasn’t going to be a problem.”
Edwards said oner more caution may have possibly given him a shot at Ramsey.
“I don’t know how much Wayne was riding up there,” Edwards remarked.
“ I was hoping for a caution to cool my tires down and try to make a run at him. Our car was pretty good. It was loose from the beginning. If we had been a little bit tighter we might have had a race for the 51 (Ramsey) but he was hooked up tonight. My hat’s off to him. I know it’’s been a long time coming.”
Barker said the handling on his car was off.
“The car was off a little bit tonight,” Barker remarked.
“I don’t know if we wore our stuff out or we weren’t that good to start with. I think we’re going to have to come down here and test some. What we’re doing now definitely isn’t working.”
The division points leader said he went ahead and relinquished second place to Edwards after having battled Edwards for the spot for several laps.
“I was probably holding him up the whole race anyway,” Barker said.
“ He got beside me and I raced him a little while. I didn’t want to hold him up too long because I knew he probably had a little bit better car than me. I’d have probably wrecked us both if I had continued to try to race him as bad as my car was getting.”
Jonathan Bailey of Keysville finished fourth in what was his best finish of the season. Jonathan Cash of Roxboro, N.C. rounded out the top five finishers. Rodney Cook of Reidsville, N.C. finished sixth and was the last driver to finish on the lead lap.
Eddie Johnson of Midlothian, Ronald Hill of Rougemont, N.C., Scott Turlington of Richmond, Va. and David Triplett, Jr. of Timberlake, N.C. rounded out the top ten finishers. They were all two laps down.
The race featured two lead changes among three drivers with Ramsey leading the final 140 laps.
Ramsey averaged 79.921 mph in the race that took 45 minutes and 24 seconds to complete.