The Halifax County School Board adopted a uniform grading scale
for the county Monday night that will lower the minimum passing
grade from 75 to 70, and lower benchmarks for other grades.
But the decision to implement the new uniform grading scale for
grades 3-12 this coming fall was not a unanimous one.
The move was made on a 6-2 vote with School Board members Carl
Furches and Arthur Reynolds casting the dissenting votes.
School system officials have contended that one of the reasons
for the change is to bring Halifax County in line with the rest
of the state.
Halifax County is one of only 10 school divisions in Virginia
that still uses a 75 as a passing mark.
Furches argued that it isn't necessary for Halifax County to lower
its standards to meet those of the majority of the state.
"We don't need to hold our standards to theirs," said
Furches.
"We're not here to go along with the rest of the state. We've
had this standard all along and it's worked well. I see no reason
to change it.
"Let them bring their standards up to ours," added Furches.
"This year we're going to drop it (the passing mark) by five
points. Are we going to come back in two or three years and drop
it another five so we can make it easier for a few more students
that are not doing what we expect?"
The move by the School Board will lower the benchmark for an "A"
from a 95 to a 94, lower the benchmark for a "B" from
an 88 to an 86, and lower the mark needed to obtain a "C"
from 81 to 78.
The current grading scale of 75-80 for a "D" would be
changed to a range of 70-77.
On the current grading scale, anything below a 75 is an "F."
Under the proposed change, an "F" will be a 69 and lower.
The new grading scale will be as follows:
A- 94-100;
B - 86-93;
C - 78-85;
D - 70-77 and
F - 69 and below.
School system officials and a 34-member committee that studied
the proposed change in the grading scale have contended Halifax
County's students could possibly be penalized on college admission
applications and college scholarship applications as a result
of the higher grades the county requires in order to achieve an
"A" or "B."
"Do we have anything to show that our current grading system
is hurting our kids?" asked Reynolds.
"I can only bring up what the committee addressed,"
responded Ann Conner, the school system's director of instruction.
"The majority of the school divisions around the state have
scales that are different from ours. That's not necessarily evidence
that it's harmful to our students.
"But the feeling of the teachers and administration and the
people that served on the committee was that our students are
penalized in college applications and trying for college scholarships,"
added Conner.
"In my district, the majority of the people indicated they
had no problem with changing (the grading scale) at the middle
school and high school level but they wanted to leave it as it
is at the elementary level," Reynolds pointed out.
"I'm still trying to get evidence that our kids are being
penalized."
School Superintendent Dennis Witt said the question could be turned
around another way.
"Is there any evidence that what we're doing is better?"
Witt asked Reynolds.
"I think it is better from the standpoint that I think we
can say that our kids are currently doing better on the SOLs than
many of the counties," Reynolds replied.
"The teachers in my district that have expressed concern
have done so from the standpoint that they're proud that our kids
are doing well on the SOLs and we don't want to do anything to
change that."
Newly elected School Board Vice Chairman G.C. Ratliff said he
could see that the new grading scale could make teachers tougher
on students.
"In other words, grade a little harder because there is more
room in the scale now," Ratliff pointed out.
"The change is mostly in the bottom part, the "C"
and "D." I think this (change) will give us a little
flexibility that we don't have now. With a 75 being the cutoff
point for an "F," I don't think you have much leeway."
Board member D.H. McDowell Jr. said he supports the change.
"I support this matter mainly because of Mrs. Conner,"
McDowell said.
"I place a lot of faith in what she does and in her advice
and in her recommendations as well as that of the committee.
"I know Mrs. Conner and her committee did a lot of work on
this."
The School Board discussed the issue at some length during its
December meeting.
However, it tabled action on the matter for a month in order to
give its members more time to study and consider the proposal.
At least one person was transported to Halifax Regional Hospital
in critical condition following a shooting on Reverend Coleman
Road yesterday afternoon, according Maj. R.S.B. Pulliam of the
Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
According to Pulliam, Amar Gaffney,23, was shot twice during the
altercation.
Police officials said Gaffney was being prepared for surgery at
press time.
No one had been arrested in connection with the shooting, but
police were closing in on suspects, the major added.
"Police are questioning individuals as we speak," Pulliam
said shortly after 6 p.m.
"It looks like investigators will be busy the rest of the
night," he added.
In the photo at right, Deputy T.C. Spencer holds the weapon investigators
suspect was involved in the shooting.
A 40-year-old South Boston man entered guilty pleas Monday
to attempted murder and malicious wounding, as well as an amended
charge of misdemeanor assault and battery.
Joe Louis Logan entered his pleas in Halifax County Circuit Court
as part of a plea agreement with the Commonwealth.
Logan was convicted of the attempted murder and malicious wounding
of Hazel Bynum and the misdemeanor assault and battery of her
brother, Lawrence Lovelace.
The charges against Logan arose out of a domestic altercation
that erupted into violence on May 31 of last year, according to
police.
South Boston Police responded to a call relating to a stabbing
at Bynum's residence on Sugg Ave. that night.
Logan, the suspect in the stabbing, fled the scene at a high rate
of speed, the report continued.
Authorities estimated that Bynum had been stabbed at least 25
times.
After a short pursuit down North Main Street, officers said Logan
turned onto Second Street, ran a stop sign at Broad Street, then
rammed into the New Brick warehouse.
According to police, Logan was identified at the scene as the
suspect in the stabbing of Bynum.
Judge Leslie M. Osborn remanded Logan to custody to await sentencing
in the January term of court.
· James Lloyd Holt, 44, of South Boston, was sentenced
Monday to 10 years in prison for possession of cocaine with intent
to distribute and to 12 months in jail for misdemeanor possession
of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Judge Osborn suspended all but 12 months of Holt's cocaine-related
sentence, and all of his sentence for the marijuana conviction,
conditioned on Holt's good behavior for 10 years.
The court ordered Holt to be placed on probation for one year
following his release, and suspended Holt's operator's license
for six months on each conviction.
· Gregory Alan Tuck, 37, of Gladys, was sentenced
Monday to five years in prison for possessing a firearm after
having been convicted of a felony.
Tuck was also sentenced to $50 fines for two misdemeanors, including
the possession of marijuana and hunting without a valid license.
Judge Osborn ordered Tuck to be of good behavior for six years,
ordered him to be placed on post release supervision for one year.
· Donald Clay Ford III, 31, of Scottsburg, was sentenced
Monday to five years in prison for making a false statement on
a consent form in order to purchase a firearm.
Judge Osborn suspended Ford's entire sentence, conditioned on
Ford's good behavior for five years, starting immediately.
The court also ordered Ford to be placed on probation for one
year, also effective immediately.
· James Stillwell Vaughan Jr., 42, of South Boston, was
convicted Monday of stalking.
The court sentenced Vaughan to 12 months in jail, suspending all
but 10 days, conditioned on Vaughan's good behavior for 12 months.
Vaughan was ordered by the court to have no further contact with
his victim.
With a five to one vote, the South Boston
Town Council approved a special use permit allowing the erection
of wireless telecommunication towers at three schools located
in the town.
Council also unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the formation
of a unified economic development authority.
The action came during Council's regular monthly meeting Monday
night at council chambers on Yancey Street.
The 96-foot towers will be located at Washington Coleman and C.H.
Friend elementary schools as well as Halifax County High School.
The towers, which will cost $289,000, will be funded through state
funds, and thus not cost the town or the school system.
The Halifax County school system, who was seeking the permit,
said the towers will allow them to construct a wireless Wide Area
Network to provide broadband communication access to all county
schools and the administration building.
School system Director of Technology John Edwards told council
that in addition to the increased bandwidth the towers would provide,
there would be a "tremendous cost savings" involved.
"Currently we're paying $3,400 every month for 128k Internet
connections," Edwards said.
The erection of the towers would save the school system $40,800
in immediate savings while increasing the data transfer capability,
according to the director of technology.
He told council that connecting the schools and the administration
building through a wireless Wide Area Network would provide approximately
five times the speed and date transfer capability than a T-1 Internet
connection.
The director of technology also pointed out that the towers would
allow all school labs to have Internet access as well as allow
video conferencing between schools.
"It will totally change the way we use computers in the schools,"
Edwards said.
He added that the school system had been investigating ways to
increase data transfer and update the use of technology for about
a year and a half.
"This is the only practical solution that we've been able
to come up with," Edwards said.
To address safety concerns, he told council that each tower would
be surrounded by eight-foot sheet metal and would be enclosed
by a six-foot fence.
Edwards also addressed the concerns residents of the affected
neighborhoods had voiced.
"A 96-foot tower is not a very tall tower," he said.
"At C.H. Friend, the tower will be located behind a three-story
building, you won't even be able to see the tower from the front."
Edwards added that all of the towers would be located at the rear
of the buildings.
"It's not going to be an eyesore," he said.
Two residents spoke in opposition to the towers.
"I'm just not convinced that it won't be an eyesore when
I come out my front door," Kay Wilkins said. "I think
it will lessen the value of my property."
"I disagree with Mr. Edwards on a number of those issues,"
said the Rev. James Crowder.
Crowder said the cost analysis conducted by the school system
was "questionable," and suggested the town's planning
commission had no comparative data other than what was presented
by Edwards.
"I do believe it's going to be an eyesore," he said.
"And 96 feet is certainly intrusive in our neighborhood.
All my neighbors are opposed to it."
Following the public comment session, Councilman Chris Elliott
made the motion to approve the permit, seconded by Councilman
Tom Raab.
Councilman Ed Owens cast the only dissenting vote.
No one spoke during the second public hearing on a request to
close a dedicated but unopened portion of Church Street.
The request, made by Ebenezer Christian Methodist Episcopal Church,
passed unanimously with Owens abstaining.
In other business, council unanimously approved a resolution to
ask the Virginia Department of Transportation to set aside a portion
of it's annual urban improvement fund to (1) improve North Main
Street between Hamilton Blvd. and Dan River Church Road and (2)
replace Poplar Creek Bridge crossing Berry Hill Road.
Council unanimously passed a resolution affirming VDOT's plan
to improve the safety of the intersection of Routes 58 and 501.
Town Manager Ted Daniel told council that the total cost of the
project was $508,000 and VDOT had secured $500,000 in funding.
According to Daniel, the town is responsible for two percent,
or $160, of the $8,000 difference.
A resolution supporting the creation of a unified development
authority was unanimously approved by council during Monday night's
meeting.
"This resolution encourages the introduction of enabling
legislation at the state level that would allow the creation of
an economic development authority," Daniel told council.
In response to a question by Raab, Daniel noted that the town
would be able to keep its existing IDA, "but they will go
into 'caretaker' status," that is, they would cease to meet
and only become active if needed.
Council also passed a resolution authorizing Daniel to contact
Gov. Mark R. Warner's office and voice his support of the securitization
of Master Settlement funds, and unanimously approved a request
from a new restaurant, Bistro 1888, to allow the construction
of a sign overhanging the sidewalk at 221 Main Street.
In a final action, council approved a request from the South Boston
Fire Department to use $15,000 left over from an earlier improvement
project to purchase a thermal imaging camera.
Things appear to be coming together for Halifax County.
The Comets, 5-4 overall, have won three of their last four games
including a 61-56 win Friday night over Franklin County that lifted
the Comets to second place in the Western Valley District standings.
Halifax led by as many as 19 points early in the third quarter
only to see Franklin County make a late run that brought it to
within three points before the Comets were able to put the game
away.
Two nights before that, the Comets gave a tough Page High School
team a real test in Greensboro, N.C. before losing by a point
when Craig McCargo's shot at the buzzer disappeared below the
rim and spun out of the basket.
"We did enough of the right things down the stretch to win
the ball game," Comets coach Garrett Dillard said of the
win over Franklin County.
"Playing the Page game helped us win this one. We only had
one kid that had played in a ball game like that (the Franklin
County game) last year and that was Andrew Witko.
"This was new to all of the other kids," added Dillard.
"You don't learn how to win those types of games just because
a coach tells you. You don't learn it because a coach is screaming
and yelling at you. You learn it because you've been in other
games like those. You learn it because you've experienced it."
Dillard points out that his young Comets team is improving.
The win over Franklin County, the close game against Page, a game
the Comets could have won just as easily as they lost, and convincing
wins over Carlisle School and E.C. Glass are proof.
"I know we have a lot of people out there that criticize
the coaches and have their own way of doing what it is they do,"
said Dillard.
"But, you take a group of guys like we have that started
out the year the way we did - slow and sluggish - and you come
out and beat a Franklin County team the way we did in the first
half and then hold on and win the ball game and not make so many
of the same mistakes we made early in the year, you realize that
a lot of good things have to be going on in order for it to happen."
One of the positive things that has emerged for Dillard and the
Comets is that the team is now beginning to find a good rotation
of personnel.
With sophomores Quintin Brown and McCargo at guard, sophomore
Chase Weddle and senior Dwight Green at forward and Witko, a senior,
in the middle, Dillard has a good starting lineup.
Brown and McCargo, who struggled early while trying to learn the
point guard position, are gaining more confidence and are playing
better with each outing.
The two sophomores scored 16 points each in the win over Franklin
County.
"We hope that at some point they will be interchangeable,"
pointed out Dillard.
"Both have done a good job running the point. We're bringing
Quintin along a little slower at the point than McCargo because
he's still got to learn to slow down a little bit."
Weddle hasn't been a big scorer but he has made his presence on
the defensive end of the floor and on the boards.
The sophomore forward blocked four shots in the first half of
last Friday's game against Franklin County.
Green and Witko, the two seniors, have made their presence felt
all season long both offensively and defensively.
Senior Freddie Jeffress has been coming off of the bench to provide
the Comets size and energy down low, giving the Comets a solid
sixth man off the bench.
Along with that, Sharmane Holeman and Joseph Brandon have stepped
up their game to bring both offensive and defensive spark to the
team.
"The guys are starting to come together," said Dillard.
"We're starting to see a rotation that we can use."
Another good thing that Dillard sees is that his team is still
working hard, still improving.
"We're going to keep working and keep getting better,"
said the Comets coach.
"We don't want to be at our best right now. We don't want
to come out and blow these guys (Franklin County) out and then
go up there (to Franklin County) thinking it's going to be a cakewalk.
"We know these guys (Franklin County) can play," Dillard
continued.
"We know when we go up there we have to be focused and ready
to play and know it's going to be a heck of a ball game."
The Comets will be in action here tonight when they face Group
AA Heritage High School of Lynchburg.
After tonight's game, the Comets will go on the road for six straight
games.
The first of the road games comes Friday night when the Comets
will face Carlisle School in a non-district contest.
After that, the Comets will hit the road to face Person High,
GW, Heritage, Bartlett-Yancey and E.C. Glass.
"We'll have to be road warriors the rest of the month of
January," said Dillard.
"We want to finish up our string of home games strong so
that when we go on the road we will have something positive to
look back on."
John Thomas Thompson Sr., 82, of 2508 Halifax Road, South Boston,
died January 13, 2003, at his home.
Mr. Thompson was born in Halifax County on June 21, 1920, the
son of William Calvin Thompson and Edna Vaughan Thompson and was
married to Gladys Compton Thompson.
He was a member of Beth Car Baptist Church, a U.S. Navy Veteran,
and was the former owner of T&T Motors in Halifax.
Survivors include his wife; two sons and daughters-in-law, John
Thomas Thompson Jr. and wife, Phyllis Newby Thompson, of Atherton,
Calif., and Nelson Wayne Thompson and wife, Kaye Elliott Thompson,
of South Boston; and one brother, the Rev. James T. Thompson of
Lynchburg
Also surviving are one grandson, Seth Thomas Thompson of Malibu,
Calif.; and three granddaughters, Elizabeth Lauren Thompson of
Atherton, Calif., Corbin Rose Thompson and Sarah Nelson Thompson,
both of South Boston.
Services for Mr. Thompson will be held today, January 15, at 11
a.m. at Beth Car Baptist Church with the Rev. Lewis Wall officiating.
Burial will take place in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Beth Car
Baptist Church Building Fund or Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204
Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, Va. 24592.
Virginia Crews Anderson, 82, of 3073 Acorn Road, Nathalie, died
January 13, at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was the wife of
the late Monroe W. Anderson.
Mrs. Anderson was born in Halifax County on February 8, 1920,
the daughter of Judson Crews and Lillie Jones Francis. She was
a member of Brookneal Church of God of Prophecy.
Survivors include three sons, Carlton Wayne Anderson and his wife,
Leonore, of Virgilina, Travis M. Anderson and Ricky Anderson,
both of Nathalie; one daughter, Maxine A. Richardson of Nathalie;
seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
A graveside service for Mrs. Anderson will be held at 2 p.m. today,
January 15, in Childrey Baptist Church Cemetery by the Rev. Leslie
Rowsey.
The family will receive friends at the home of Maxine Anderson,
1013 Birch Trail, Nathalie.
Silas Roth Bouldin, 84, of 1245 Rodgers Chapel Road, Clover, died
January 13 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Bouldin was born in Halifax County on September 15, 1918,
the son of Charlie Bouldin and Edmonia Coleman Bouldin and was
married to Queen Sims Bouldin. He was a member of Bethlehem Baptist
Church where he served as a deacon.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Ernest M. Bouldin and
Gregory L. Bouldin, both of South Boston, and Eric J. Bouldin
of Blairs; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two sisters,
Maggie Carter and Ella Ford-Kelly of Midlothian. He was preceded
in death by one son, Henry Alexander Bouldin.
Funeral services for Mr. Bouldin will be held Friday, January
17 at 2 p.m. at Bethlehem Baptist Church with the Rev. James L.
Dance officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Thelma Hendricks Coleman, 92, of the Elkhorn community, died January
10 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Coleman was born in Halifax County on January 3, 1911, the
daughter of Thomas Hendricks and Patty Watts Hendricks and was
first married to Johnny Stovall and then to William Coleman. She
was a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Panthelia Tucker and husband,
Hayward, of the home in Java; two sons, George W. Stovall and
wife, Coreen, of Halifax, and Gene Coleman of Brooklyn, NY; nine
grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Coleman will be held January 16 at 1
p.m. at Elkhorn Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. C. Lewis Motley
conducting the services. Burial will follow in the Tucker Family
Cemetery in Java.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service
at the church, and other times at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hayward
Tucker, 1223 Logan Road, Java.
Granville Columbus Davis, 91, of New York, formerly of Sutherlin,
died recently in NY.
Mr. Davis was born in Halifax County on June 28, 1911, the son
of John Davis and Lillie Frances Edmunds Davis. He was a member
of Trinity Baptist Church in Bronx, NY, was a former member of
White Oak Grove Baptist Church, and was a WWII Army Veteran.
Survivors include two daughters, Vivian D. Lewis of South Boston
and Pamela Hughes of Mount Vernon NY; and one son, Granville C.
Davis Jr. of Jacksonville, FL.
Funeral services for Mr. Davis will be held today, January 15,
at 1 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Sylvester
Crawley officiating. Burial will follow in White Oak Grove Baptist
Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of Vivian Lewis, 2501
Fernwick Drive, South Boston.
Addie M. Osborne died at St. John Nursing Home in Lynchburg on
January 13.
Mrs. Osborne was preceded in death by her husband, Paul J. Osborne;
her father, W.P. Bledsoe; her mother, Ellen M. Bledsoe; five brothers,
Charles, Roy, Echol, Glenn and James Bledsoe; and a sister, Margaret
Bledsoe.
She first worked in food services for the University of Florida
and Friend's Town & Country Restaurant and when Babcock-Wilcox
Co. came to Lynchburg, she returned to a telephone operator career
and retired in 1987. With a Baptist background, she was a member
for 10 years of Euclid Christian Church, then transferred to First
Christian Church.
Survivors of Mrs. Osborne include two sons, Paul Douglas Osborne
of Evans, GA and Dennis K. Osborne of Halifax; two granddaughters;
two grandsons and five great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. today, January 15 in
Fort Hill Memorial Park by the Rev. Roger Zimmerman.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider First Christian
Church.
Phillip Newman Ragsdale, 62, of 3216 Beaver Pond Road, Nathalie,
died January 13 at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Ragsdale was born in Halifax County on November 22, 1940,
the son of Clinton Lacy Ragsdale and Lottie Landrum Ragsdale and
was married to Phyllis Saunders Ragsdale. He was a member of Liberty
United Church of Christ, the Volens American Legion and a Veteran
of the US Army.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Kelvin Phillip Ragsdale and
his wife, Tracey Martin Ragsdale, of Nathalie; three grandchildren,
Heather Nicole, Andrew Phillips and Isaac William Ragsdale, all
of Nathalie; one sister, Mary Ragsdale West and her husband, Joe,
of Nathalie; and one brother, Glenwood Lacy Ragsdale Sr. of Nathalie.
Services for Mr. Ragsdale will be held today, January 15, at 2
p.m. at Liberty United Church of Christ with the Rev. Dwight Moore
officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider a charity
of your choice.
Arthur Eugene Sneed Sr., 86, of 2038 Grubby Road, Halifax died
January 12 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Sneed was born in Halifax County on January 5, 1917, the son
of Arthur Manley Sneed and Matie Belle Cully Sneed and was married
to Frances Shepard Sneed. He was a member of The Church of Jesus
Christ, Grubby Road, Halifax, was a cabinet maker and a life member
of the VFW.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, June Angela Foster
of Halifax and Linda Sneed Schneider of Chesterfield; three sons,
Arthur Eugene 'Chip' Sneed Jr. and Mark Shepard Sneed, both of
Chesterfield, and John Cully Sneed of Roxboro, NC; two brothers,
Richard Fuller Sneed of Fayetteville, NC and Eugene 'Dink' Sneed
of South Boston; seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren;
and two great-great-grandchildren. Mr. Sneed was preceded in death
by one son, Stephen Michael Sneed; and one sister, Ruby Watts.
Funeral services will be held today, January 15 at 2 p.m. at The
Church of Jesus Christ with the Revs. Buddy Rose and Todd Jenkins
officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to
the service.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider The Veterans
Emergency Fund.
Dorothy Power Stevens, 94, of 5130 Union Church Road, South Boston,
died January 13 at Berry Hill Nursing Home.
Mrs. Stevens was born in Pittsylvania County on March 1, 1908,
the daughter of George Edward Power and Eva Gosney Power and was
married to Charles Melvin Stevens. She was a member of Main Street
United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband; one son and daughter-in-law, Thomas
E. Stevens and wife, Julia, of South Boston; one grandson, Simon
Muir Stevens of Danville; one granddaughter, Dorothy Claire Stevens
of South Boston.
Services for Mrs. Stevens will be held Saturday, January 18 at
11 a.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Doug Martin
officiating. Burial will take place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Friday
evening from 7:00 until 8:30, and other times at the home.
Laurence Llewellyn 'Pee Wee' Thomas, 61, of 4122 Clays Mill Road,
Halifax, died January 11 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Thomas was born in Washington, DC on July 28, 1941, the son
of Laurence Llewellyn Thomas Sr. and Nellie Mills Thomas and was
married to Christine Penick Thomas. He was a member of St. Paul
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington.
Survivors include his wife; one brother, William Mills of Washington;
two sisters, Montey Collins of Durham, NC and Elaine Strange of
Mesa, AZ; other relatives and friends.
In honor of the request of the deceased, Mr. Thomas, there will
be no funeral services.
The family will receive friends at the home.