Currin Resigning From Tobacco Commission

Carthan F. Currin III, who plans to resign effective Aug. 31 as executive director of Virginia’s tobacco commission, yesterday cited the Regional Broadband Initiative, Riverstone Technology Park and Danville’s Institute for Advanced Learning and Research as “benchmarks” of the commission’s efforts.
“I think they represent some of the foundation blocks that the commission established as benchmarks for ourselves,” he said. “Without those fundamentals, we’re whistling in the wind. The General Assembly tasked us with a charge to use the funds to revitalize the economy of the regions. I think the commission has met that objective.”
The tobacco commission has been tasked with managing millions of dollars from the state’s share of a national tobacco settlement.
Currin, 45, announced his plans Thursday during a commission meeting at Longwood University. He has been the administrator of the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission for six years.
‘‘I just felt it was time to move on to new opportunities,’’ said Currin, who would not detail his future career plans. Currin said yesterday that he will be announcing his new position around the middle of September.
“This is my decision,” he said. “I had determined that it was time to do something differend and a new opportunity presented itself.
Currin said it has been “a privilege” to be a part of the work to revitalize Southside and Southwest Virginia.
“It’s been, at the same time, both very rewarding and very challenging,” he said. “But I’m one of those people who believes someone shouldn’t serve in such a position for life.
“I think my office and the commission has accomplished much of what we’d set out to do from the very beginning,” Currin added. “We’ve set the mission, kept to that mission and built an operation that’s addressing the revitalization efforts of the two regions.”
The outgoing executive director said Halifax County Delegate Clarke Hogan, who chairs the Technology Committee of the commission, has been an integral part of the effort.
“(Hogan) has been both a great friend and a great leader to me and my staff and has done a wonderful job as far as the technological revitalization efforts,” he said. “He gets the vision thing. He sees what the future can bring and works to make it a reality.”
“To the many friends I have in Halifax County, it was a privilege to be a part of their future and to be able to have some small impact on their lives,” Currin said. “It was very meaningful personally.”
Currin was acting executive director of the Governor’s Employment and Training Department before then-Gov. Jim Gilmore appointed him as the tobacco commission’s executive director.
The commission was just getting organized and was ‘‘starting on an absolutely blank page,’’ said its chairman, Sen. Charles R. Hawkins, R-Pittsylvania.
“Carthan was there at a critical time for us and helped us establish a lot of the protocols we use now and will continue to use in the future,” Hawkins added.
Hawkins said Currin, who has been ‘‘innovative in a lot of approaches,’’ will be missed.
“He has the unique ability to work with a diverse group of people across the state with varying strengths and experiences,” he said.
But the chairman said the commission has “great staff” in place to continue its work in economic development.
“We’re lucky. It’s not like we’ll be left in complete darkness,” he said. “What we have to do now is continue on with the processes we have in place and bring a new director in as soon as possible to continue in our work.”
The position is appointed by the governor’s office.
The commission awards grants for economic development projects, scholarships and payments to farmers with the goal of helping Southside and Southwest Virginia cope with declines in both tobacco demand and manufacturing employment.
The money comes from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between states and large tobacco companies.
A spokesman for Gov. Mark R. Warner said the governor is reviewing potential candidates for the commission job.

IDA Seeks Grants To Upgrade Sites

The Halifax County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is applying for grant money for demolition on an existing site and to purchase new ones, according to IDA Executive Director Mike Eades.
The IDA voted Thursday to apply for two tobacco commission economic development grants, one for the demolition of facilities at the former Georgia Pacific site and the design of a redevelopment plan; the other is to purchase additional large sites to market to prospective businesses, according Eades.
Several prospects interested in locating in the county have indicated they need 25 acres or more and the IDA currently has no sites that size to offer, IDA Chairman Larry McPeters said.
Also at the meeting, after emerging from nearly three hours of executive session, the IDA voted to pay architectural firm O’Brien-Atkins $41,280 for services rendered on the Riverstone Technology Park project. The board also appointed Garland Rickets and Billy Royster to work out differences with the Institute for Advanced Learning in Danville over the lease for the seven-post rig at VIR.
The IDA then reviewed Berry Hill’s application for $9 million from the Halifax Opportunity Fund. After discussion, the Board voted to table the issue and make its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors after its next meeting.
Members also decided to table changes to the Halifax Community Economic Stimulus Program. The IDA will take up rule changes to the program at next month’s meeting.
“We’re trying to add some structure to this program,” Eades said.
Changes include shifting the burden of proof to business owners and developers to show that the criteria have been met before rebates are awarded. Currently, the criteria for business to qualify for the program are creating 20 new full-time jobs and having $5 million in annual sales. The business must also show that all taxes and fees due to the county have been paid, Eades said.
The IDA also heard an update on progress at Riverstone Technology Park from site manager/inspector Mike Blankenship.
Building I is in the final stages, according to Blankenship. The punch list is being worked through and a final certificate of occupancy should be issued in a couple of weeks, he said.
One problem with the building is the back steps that according to Blankenship, were not poured properly and have already started to crack.
Money has been withheld from the sub-contractor, Virginia-Carolina paving, until a final resolution can be reached, Blankenship said.
There is a problem with an HVC unit for Building II as well, Blankenship told the members. When power is lost and regained the air conditioning unit does not restart, he explained.
He is working with the designers to get the problem ironed out, he said. The Virginia Employment Commission is concerned about the problem because their equipment room gets hot quickly, Blankenship said.
The IDA also addressed the need for a new master plan for the site that will incorporate two newly acquired properties adjacent Riverstone into the park. A residential structure located on one of the new properties is slated to be razed, according to Eades. He said the fire department has asked to use the structure for practice.
The new plan will call for redrawn lot lines and the preparation of formal design guidelines.
Also, a proposed communications tower for the park would have to be moved since the redrawn lot lines would put it in the middle of a lot.
The IDA received funds to construct a tower, but the funds were insufficient, according to McPeters.
The proposed tower would cost approximately $200,000 to build, according to Blankenship.
The IDA has instructed staff to explore opportunities for a privately constructed tower, one built by a cell phone carrier, which the county would own and lease space on.
The tower is not an immediate necessity, according to Eades. The buildings can be equipped with wireless transmitters that businesses can use for connectivity. There is no requirement for a tower, he said.
After discussing the tower, Blankenship also updated the IDA on progress made at the Houghton Industrial Park project and Sinai Industrial Park project.
Houghton is making steady progress, according to Blankenship, and Sinai is set to have timber removed. J.M. Huber had the high bid at $8,500 for the 14 acres of timber.
The IDA passed an RFP for staff to use the money for stump removal and other clearing to be done on the site.
In finance, the IDA is scheduled for an in-house audit to be performed by Robinson, Farmer, Cox and Associates in September. Royster said he is planning to have an exit interview with the accountants to go over the Authority’s records.
Eades also informed the IDA board that he had received a letter from Eric Costner, who was marketing motor-sports for the county, stating that he will not be able to honor his contract. Costner will not ask for any of the $40,000 earmarked for his services, Eades said. The money for motor-sports marketing is state funding that has to be spent for that purpose, Eades said, so the IDA will have to decide on how to use it.
Lastly, Eades’ contract calls for a performance evaluation after six months in the position, according to McPeters. IDA members will rate him and turn in the evaluations at the September meeting.
The IDA is next scheduled to meet on Thursday, September 15.

SoBo Man Arrested On Drug, Firearm Possession Charges

A 21-year-old Webster Street man is being held in the Halifax Regional Jail on drug and firearm charges following a traffic stop late Thursday night, according to Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.
Pulliam said that Steve Aaron Gregory Jr., aka “Bud,” is being held after sheriff’s department drug investigators stopped a vehicle Gregory was operating.
“Gregory identified himself as another individual and presented investigators with a driver’s license of the other individual,” Pulliam said.
According to police, the person whose driver’s license Gregory presented had a suspended license.
“At that time, Gregory told investigators he was really Steve Gregory,” Pulliam said.
Gregory was arrested on an indictment charging him with one count of the distribution of crack cocaine, three counts of subsequent offenses of the distribution of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm while in possession of crack cocaine, according to Pulliam.
The narcotics investigator said Gregory’s arrest stems from an 11-month investigation by narcotics officers.
“The investigation is continuing and additional arrests are expected,” Pulliam said.
Gregory is being held without bond, according to police.

 

Obituaries

William Sydnor Dunkley

William Sydnor Dunkley, 77, of South Boston died August 16 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Dunkley was born in Halifax County on March 26, 1928, the son of the late Samuel Dunkley and Flora Pennick Dunkley, and was married to the late Edna Farrah Dunkley. He was a member of Ellis Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sisters, Mary Rosa Buster of South Boston and Alice Harris of Alexandria; three sisters-in-law, Mary Dunkley of Naruna, Bernitta Dunkley of Alexandria and Barbara Dunkley of Dale City.
Funeral services for Mr. Dunkley were held August 21, at 2:30 p.m. at Ellis Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Rodney R. Forest officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Lou Ellen Wilborne Epperson

Lou Ellen Wilborne Epperson, 82, of 5192 Mt. Laurel Road, Clover died August 17, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Epperson was born in Halifax County on March 5, 1923, to the late Ned Alexander Wilborne and Alvergia Garrett Epperson, and was married to Henry Thomas Epperson. She was a member of Bethel Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband; one daughter, Virginia Wilkins of Clover; two sons, Fred Wilborne and Lavell Epperson, both of Clover; two sisters, Mary Collins of Clover and Marlene Cherry of New York, N.Y.; two brothers, Joseph Wilborne of Clover and Jacob Wilborne of Randolph; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two step grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and two daughters-in-law.
Funeral services for Mrs. Epperson will be held today, August 22, at 2 p.m. at Bethel Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. William Hicks officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Bethel Grove Baptist Church Missionary or Senior Choir.

Leon Nelson Johnson Jr.

Leon Nelson Johnson Jr., 76, of 3021 Paradise Road, Alton died August 18 at his home.
Mr. Johnson was born in Philadelphia, Pa. on January 14, 1929, the son of the late Leon N. Johnson Sr. and Beatrice Wilson Johnson and was married to Annie Link Johnson. He was a member of Denniston Grove Baptist Church where he served as deacon board chairman, superintendent of Sunday school, and senior choir president. He was a retired employee of Daystrom Furniture Company.
Survivors include his wife; three children, Alice Fletcher of Newport News, Richard Johnson and Leon Johnson III of Alton; one brother, David Johnson of Virgilina; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one son-in-law, Anthony Fletcher; and one daughter-in-law, Cherry Johnson.
Funeral services for Mr. Johnson were held August 21, at 4:30 p.m. at Denniston Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Spencer Woods officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Rev. William Grant Robertson

Rev. William Grant Robertson, 80, of Washington, D.C., formerly of South Boston, died August 12.
Rev. Robertson was born in Halifax County on October 2, 1924, to the late George Robertson and Nettie Robertson and was first married to Mildred Cosby Robertson and later married Ida Bell Carrington Robertson. He was a member of Little Ark Baptist Church and was a WWII Army Veteran, and retired from the U.S. Federal Government.
Survivors include his wife; five children, Willie Lee Robertson, Mildred Robertson Walden, Sonya Robertson Williams, Rev. Sylvester Crawley and Mary Parker; one sister, Nettie Ardelia Payne; one brother, Lewis Thomas Robertson; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Rev. Robertson were held August 20, at 11 a.m. at All Nation Baptist Church in Washington.
Today, August 22, at noon, a graveside service will be held at Cross Roads Baptist Church Cemetery in Turbeville with the Rev. Dr. James Coleman officiating.

Larry Clifton Davis

Graveside services for Mr. Larry Clifton Davis will be held at 2 p.m. today, August 22, with services at the Black Walnut Baptist Church Cemetery.
The Rev. Todd Shearin will officiate.
Mr. Davis died Wednesday at the Baptist Hospital.
He was 45.
Mr. Davis was born on January 2, 1960 in Mecklenburg County, the son of the late Roy Davis and the late Sally Lipford Davis.
He was a welder employed by Dugins Welding.
Mr. Davis is survived by two sons, Terry Davis and Michael Davis, both of Rockwell, Texas; two brothers, Michael Davis and Dexter Davis, one sister, Diane Rodgick of Richlands; and four half-brothers, George Shearin of Indian Trail, N.C., David Shearin of Anson County, N.C., Wilford Shearin of Monroe, N.C. and Allen Davis of Clarksville.

Lillian Evans Perkins

Graveside services for Mrs. Lillian Evans Perkins will be held today at 11 a.m. at the Oak Ridge Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Tim Cannon officiating.
Mrs. Perkins, 101, of South Boston, died Friday at Stratford House in Danville.
She was born July 25,1904 in Watkins, N.C., the daughter of the late Claude Thomas Evans and Jennie Woody Evans and was married to the late Lionel Parker Perkins Sr., founder of Perkins Rexall Drugs.
Mrs. Perkins was a member of the First Baptist Church and was a 1925 graduate of Meredith College. Prior to moving to South Boston she taught school in Henderson, N.C.
She is survived by a son, Lionel Parker Perkins Jr. and wife Susan of South Boston; a sister, Bessie Evans Lane of Henderson; two grandsons and two great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please consider the Lillian E. Perkins Scholarship Fund, in care of the First Baptist Church, 815 North Main Street, South Boston, Va. 24592 or a charity of your choice.
Online memorials may be sent to powell@gcronline.com.

Ray Algie Bennett

Funeral services for Mr. Ray Algie (Baby Ray) Bennett will be held today at 2 p.m. at the Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. James McAllister and the Rev. Bruce Hagy officiating.
Burial will follow at the Oakland Cemetery in Scottsburg.
Mr. Bennett, 65, of J.D. Hagood Highway in Scottsburg, died Friday at Lynchburg General Hospital.
He was born April 24, 1940, in Halifax County, the son of the late Ray Algie Bennett and the late Sallie Allen Bennett and was married to Alice Jones Bennett.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Bennett is survived by a daughter, Rhonda B. McFadden and husband Mike of Scottsburg; two granddaughters; a sister, Paulette B. Daniel of South Boston; three brothers, Roger Bennett and Brownie Bennett, both of Scottsburg, and Ronnie Bennett of South Boston, along with a number of nieces and nephews.
Online memorials may be sent to powell@gcronline.com.

 

 

AMA Superbike Championship Up For Grabs As Series Moves To VIR

From AMA Pro Racing

The 2005 AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited has been a roller coaster ride for defending champion Mat Mladin.
Twice this season the Australian racing sensation has built a large points lead only to see it evaporate when bad luck hit. A rare bike failure was the culprit that shaved Mladin’s points lead at California Speedway back on April 30, and most recently the Yoshimura Suzuki rider was caught up in an unavoidable crash in the last round in Lexington, Ohio, and just like that his commanding 37-point series lead has been reduced to nine.  
As the series moves to the scenic Virginia International Raceway in Alton, on August 26-28, the AMA Superbike Championship chase will be in full stride with young Texan Ben Spies suddenly within reach of Mladin with just four rounds remaining.
The race is being dubbed the Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR and will feature rounds 14 and 15 of the 17-race championship. 
One would think Mladin would be troubled by his sudden change of fortune but he took the Mid-Ohio incident in stride. At Mid-Ohio his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates crashed right in front of Mladin leaving him nowhere to go and he ended up hitting the ground and damaging his bike. 
“I was seeing red right after the crash,” Mladin admitted.
“But by the time the race was over I was pretty much over it. That’s part of racing and one of the reasons I work so hard to win as much as I can to create a points buffer. I’m not going to dwell on what’s happened in the past. I’m going to VIR with the intention of building my lead again.” 
Mladin won at VIR in 2003, and while he’ll be looking to score a sweep of the two rounds his young teammate Spies sees nothing but the opportunity of a lifetime to win the AMA Superbike title in his rookie season. He’ll be swinging for the fences at VIR.
“I spent most of this season learning the ropes in Superbike racing,” said Spies, who already scored a victory in the series at California Speedway earlier this year.
“A lot of my focus has been on learning to ride fast late in the race when the tires start to go off. I think I’ve done that pretty well and now it’s time for me to get some good starts and try to battle for the lead from the drop of the flag. I respect Mat a lot and don’t like to see him have bad luck, but that’s part of this game and I need to take advantage of the opportunities that come my way.” 
Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom has come to life late in the season and is the hottest rider in the series coming into VIR. Bostrom’s win over Mladin at the circuit in 2002 was one of the closest races in the history of the series. Bostrom, who is third in the standings, hopes to keep his momentum going this coming race.  
“Our crew has been steadily closing the gap on Mladin’s bike here late in the season and the results are starting to come,” Bostrom said.
“It feels good to finally feel confidence in the bike and we’re looking to win at VIR.” 
Other past VIR Superbike winners expected to be on the grid this weekend include Honda riders Miguel Duhamel and Kurtis Roberts. Both riders struggled much of the season while their respective teams worked on developing in house Honda Superbikes.
The hard work by American Honda and Erion Honda seems to be paying off. Duhamel scored his first podium of the season with a second at Mid-Ohio, while Roberts scored his first top-five result of the year. Both are eager to close out the final four races with strong performances to give them and their teams something to look forward to going into 2006. 
While nobody is counting out the veteran Mladin, the top six riders in the championship still have at least a mathematical shot at the title coming into VIR, including Aaron Yates and Britain’s talented Neil Hodgson. Hodgson, a former World Superbike Champ, is preparing for his first race appearance at VIR.
Motorcycle racing fans from nearby North Carolina will have a hometown hero to root for at VIR. Lee Acree, from Greensboro, N.C., is ranked in the top 10 on his KWS/Millennium Suzuki.
Acree shocked the AMA regulars in one of his first visits to the series when he won the VIR Superstock race (then called 750 Supersport) in 2001, just after the track re-opened after major renovations. He’ll be looking to turn in another solid performance at his home track. 
The Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals at VIR will be televised nationally on SPEED Channel with the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern, Sunday, Aug. 28.
You can also follow the race via live timing and scoring on www.amasuperbike.com. 
For additional information on the race call (434) 822-7700 or visit www.virclub.com.

 

Comets Freshmen, JV Teams Get Kinks Out

Teams Held Intra-Squad Scrimmage Friday

BY Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer

The Halifax County High School freshmen and jayvee football teams each had their first scrimmage Friday, with the other team as the opponent.
As one might expect, coaches saw some positive things, while seeing other areas in which to improve, despite the fact that the scrimmage took place between teams in the same program.
“We have a true freshman team this year, and we have a lot of guys out,” noted freshman football head coach Michael Lewis.
“But, with that comes inexperience. We’re working on a lot of things and seeing a lot of positives, but we have some things we need to work on.”
The Comets jayvees carry 23 players on its roster this season, while the freshman boast 41 players, so a lot of the jayvees played on both sides of the ball during Friday’s scrimmage.
“They don’t have the numbers they’d like to have and they have a lot of guys going both ways. But we did see some things we [freshmen] need to work on,” said Lewis.
“The jayvees are a little bigger and that will help us get stronger, and it shows us that we need to work a little harder on offense.”
Lewis added special teams are a work in progress and will have that part of the team installed in time for the season opener at Heritage August 31.
“We’re close to having that part of the team put in after this week’s practice, and we’ll have them ready to go by the end of next week. We’re out here as a team right now and we’re still learning, because we had so many guys out there running so many positions today.
“Today, we had a chance to scrimmage another team besides our own, and see where we stood.”

 

Peyton Sellers Wards Off The Bounty Hunters

Peyton Sellers Fended Off The Bounty Hunters And Scored His Fourth Straight Win In Saturday’s LMSC Race At South Boston Speedway

BYJoe Chandler
G-V Staff Writer

Deac McCaskill and Drew Herring tried to play the role of bounty hunters in Saturday night’s 150-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car race at South Boston Speedway.
Peyton Sellers shot them down.
McCaskill and Herring gave Sellers a tough fight for the win and a $500 bounty that track officials had offered as a reward to the driver that could break Sellers’ three-race win streak.
But, Sellers pulled away in the final 20 laps of the caution-free race and edged runner-up McCaskill by 1.543 second to score his fourth win in a row and his 11th win of the season at South Boston Speedway.
The win, Sellers’ 14th win overall this season in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series competition, kept him on top in his quest for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national championship.
“The bounty hunters have got to beware,” Sellers said.
“They were pretty strong tonight. I thought for awhile Deac and them had something for me. I thought the high line was going to work for him tonight but the low line prevailed again.”
The race was a close four-man contest through the first 80 laps as Brandon Butler, in one of his stronger showings of the season, battled Sellers, McCaskill and Herring for positions in the top four.
Butler, who started on the outside pole next to Sellers and led the first five laps before Sellers went to the front for good on the sixth circuit, quickly faded after that, leaving the lead trio to fight it out for the win.
McCaskill, who has developed a fondness for the track’s high groove, rim-rode the top of the track as he battled Sellers and Herring in a thrilling three-wide racing exhibition. There were a couple of occasions when it appeared McCaskill, a two-time winner here this season, was on the verge of gaining the upper hand. Each time, however, Sellers was able to fend off McCaskill’s bid.
At the end, Sellers had too much for McCaskill and Herring to overcome.
“It had to have been a heck of a race for these fans,” McCaskill said.
“If we had had a caution, it might have been a little different story. If I could have gotten by him (Sellers) and run my high line, I don’t think he (Sellers) could have passed me.
McCaskill said Sellers’ car worked well off of the bottom groove of the racetrack.
“He was so good off the corner,” McCaskill said.
“ He had a lot of forward bite tonight. With about 20 to go it looked like it got even better and he just pulled away from us.”
McCaskill said that while he and Sellers took the top two spots, it was Herring, in his opinion, that had the better car among three.
“I think Drew had the best car tonight,” McCaskill noted.
“ He just couldn’t get by down on the bottom.”
Herring himself said he felt he had a good car.
“I think we had the car to win tonight,” Herring said.
“ It’s one thing to catch a guy and another to pass him. Deac had that high line and had that thing wound out and I just couldn’t get that front bite to get by him.”
Justin Johnson of Roxboro, N.C. and Ryan Rhodes of Sanford, N.C. rounded out the top five finishers.
Rodney Cook of Reidsville, N.C., Owen Miller of Emporia, Wayne Ramsey of Amherst, David Triplett Jr. of Durham, N.C., and Ronald Hill of Rougemont, N.C. completed the top ten.
Butler slid backward to an 11th-place finish.
Sellers averaged 85.225 mph in the race that took 42 minutes and 43 seconds to complete.