A North Carolina community may be the next area to belly up to the trough, now that water has begun to flow through the Lake Gaston pipeline.
Currituck County in North Carolina and the city of Norfolk have been talking about the North Carolina community tapping into the surplus water, but no formal talks have taken place, according to a November 8 story in the Virginian-Pilot newspaper.
Commissioner Owen Etheridge told the paper "It's a probability. This is a regional concern. The state line does not stop it from being a region. That line is not the Great Wall of China."
Currituck County, if successful, would benefit from the recent opening of the pipeline tap which now gives Virginia Beach it's own water supply.
With the flowing of the Gaston water, Virginia Beach no longer needs to buy the 32 million gallons of water a day it presently purchases from Norfolk, according to the paper.
Currituck is working to solve the water problems that presently plague the rapidly growing Outer Banks.
"Northeaster North Carolina should have joined with Virginia in the lawsuit and we would have our water problems solved," Paul O'Neal, chairman of the Currituck County Board of Commissioners told the paper.
Currituck wants to extend water lines to the south end of the mainland to residents who have waited for county water since 1988 when a $4.7 million bond referendum passed.
The new water lines stopped at Grandy when the bond money ran out faster than anyone thought.
Plans are underway to spend $750,000 to lay nine miles of water lines to the southernmost community in the county, O'Neal said.
In addition to the Norfolk option, Currituck is also considering digging 10 new wells, building a new $2.25 million "nanofilter" water plant or build a reverse osmosis plant.
An early Friday morning bomb threat at The Woodview nursing home in Centerville was termed a hoax after an extensive search, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
The bomb threat was called in to the facility at 1:51 a.m. An employee then alerted police, initiating an extensive search of the building and grounds after police arrived at 2:01 a.m., according to the investigation.
Deputies also called in Special Agent Larry Bishop of the Virginia State Police, who is head of the Bomb Squad of the 3rd Division. A VSP bomb-detecting K-9 unit from Bedford County was also called to the scene.
Police and Woodview employees searched the facility twice, but no bomb or unknown packages were found, according to the investigation. No evacuation took place.
By 5 a.m., police determined that the incident was a hoax. However, anyone with information about who made the bomb threat is asked to call the Halifax County Sheriff's Department of the Halifax County Crime Stoppers.
The incident is still under investigation by Deputy K.B. Tribble.
In other cases:
· Timothy Irving Dixon, 40, of Vernon Hill was charged Saturday with a felony count of driving a motor vehicle after having previously been declared a habitual offender.
Dixon is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail pending his preliminary hearing on January 16, 1998. He was arrested by Deputy Tribble.
· Gregory Leon Hill, 29, of Vernon Hill was charged Friday with a misdemeanor count of assault and battery of Deloris Plenty, police said.
He is currently in jail pending his trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on November 19. He was arrested by Deputy Tribble.
Sandra Marie Hagerman, 33, of Halifax was charged Thursday with a misdemeanor count of trespassing on school bus #30, which is owned by the Halifax County Public Schools.
The alleged offense occurred on October 28. Hagerman was released on bond pending her trial in the Halifax County General District Court on November 21. She was arrested by Sgt. T.E. Logan.
· Ted Jason Vicks, 21, of South Boston was charged Friday with misdemeanor counts of assault and battery of Jessie Bowers and trespassing on Bowers' property.
In the same alleged incident, David Scott Vicks, 20, of South Boston was charged with a misdemeanor count of trespassing on Bowers' property.
Both subjects were released on bond pending their trials in the Halifax County General District Court on December 5. They were arrested by Lt. L.W. Fears.
The Town of Halifax and the county seemed to be moving closer to a boundary agreement following a joint Thursday afternoon meeting with Virginia Tech facilitator Dr. Don Lacy.
"There is an understanding of principles we need to put into an agreement," said Halifax County Administrator William Sleeper following the executive session.
"It was a very positive meeting as far as agreeing in principle," said Town of Halifax Manager Robert Greene. "We are working on some other points, waiting for additional information, and then will get with the county."
The two entities did not set their next meeting date.
Also on Thursday, South Boston Town Council met with Dr. Lacy to discuss boundary issues they face with the county. Lacy met last week with county supervisors.
"The meeting went very well. We are continuing to make great progress and we are anticipating a joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors in the very near future," said South Boston Town Manager Ken McLawhon following the Thursday meeting.
It's over.
The Halifax County High School football season of 1997, a campaign that will be remembered through the ages--but not with fondness--is over.
The Comets' worst season ever drew to a conclusion Friday night in Danville with their worst game ever.
George Washington scored on the first snap of the game, added three more touchdowns in the opening period, and cruised to a 70-0 victory.
It was the most points ever scored in a football game by GW, and it was the most points ever given up by Halifax County in a single game.
The Comets yielded a whopping total of 130 points in their last two games, bringing their total 10-game yield to a record 407 points--a whopping 40 points a game on average.
Before this defensive disaster, the worst season had been 1966, when a 1-9 Comet team gave up 322 points.
The Comets, who started the campaign low in experience and with only a handful of players who had played much in previous seasons, and then were zapped by a series of injuries, several of which were season-ending mishaps, were simply no match for the Eagles.
This became readily apparent long before the first quarter had been played.
GW had first possession, and all the Eagles needed was a one-play possession to grab the lead. A short kickoff had given the Eagles the ball on their 42, and John Dickerson ran 58 yards for the first of the 10 GW touchdowns on the night.
By the time the first period was just over half played the score was 21-0 and by the time the first stanza had been completed the score had mounted to 28-0.
Two more touchdowns and accompanying conversions in each of the remaining three quarters accounted for the ultimate score.
Mostly, the Eagles struck from long range.
Dickerson, who started the scoring fireworks with the 58-yard burst, added two other TDs, a 9-yarder in the second frame and a 52-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter.
The longest scoring plays went for 68 yards, and one was a pass from second string quarterback Eric Candy to Chris DeShazor late in the third period.
DeShazor also scored on a 45-yard return of a blocked punt--the fourth touchdown of the first period.
Chanston Rogers, the blue chip George Washington quarterback who already has committed to University of Virginia, chipped in with three touchdowns himself while passing for a fourth.
Rogers ran for 68 yards, 43 yards and 7 yards and threw to Eric Candy for 29 yards for the other TD he was directly responsible for.
Candy completed the scoring with his rushing TD of 19 yards 3:53 from the end.
While GW was piling up the yardage--nearly 500 yards in total offense--the Comets did not have the manpower to fight back.
The rushing game described the situation as much as anything else. GW rushed 25 times and finished with 385 yards, or better than 15 yards per crack.
The Comets, on the other hand, finished with a futile total of three yards rushing--in 31 tries. The rushing total was reduced because of the 40 yards the Comets lost when quarterback Shepperd was sacked six times.But Shepperd did engineer a bit of hard-earned offense with his passing, completing five tosses (out of 12) for 44 yards. But GW, with only three completed passes, finished with 101 yards and two touchdowns.
The GW juggernaut thus rolled up a grand total of 486 yards to just 41 for the Comets.
The Comets were able to offer little resistance to the GW attack, or to mount an advance of their own.
On their first possession, they did put two first downs back-to-back and, with the aid of a pass interference call, move to the GW 25.
But there the drive stalled, and seldom thereafter did the Comets get very far out of their own territory.
It was similar to other, earlier games of the '97 season.
But now, this season is over and those interested in the high school football program can begin looking forward to what they hope and expect will be better times.
BY JOE CHANDLER
South Boston Speedway will close out its 1997 racing season Saturday night with a Late Model Stock Car Division race to benefit the South Boston-Halifax County Christmas Children's Toy Drive.
Saturday night's Colonial Homes 160, which will get the green flag at a special 6 p.m. starting time, will feature the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Late Model Stock Cars in a 40 mile, 160 lap race that will pay $3,000 to win.
Qualifying time trials at 4 p.m. and qualifying heat races at 5 p.m. will determine the starting order for the race.
Track officials note that there will be a break at the 120 lap mark and, during the break, there will be a drawing to determine the starting positions for the final 40 lap segment of the race.
Saturday night's race is being staged to benefit the South Boston-Halifax County Christmas Toy Drive. South Boston Speedway officials have set a special $9.99 adult admission price for the race for those adults that bring and donate a new toy to the Christmas Toy Drive. They also note that in order to receive the special admission price there must be a donation of one toy per admission.
Admission for children will be $4.99.
Grandstand gates will open and ticket sales will begin at 3:30 p.m.
In addition to enjoying a great afternoon and evening of NASCAR racing, race fans will have an early opportunity to see Santa Claus. Santa Claus will appear at South Boston Speedway between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on race day.
Saturday's Colonial Homes 160 race schedule calls for pit gates to open at 12 noon and practice to start at 2 p.m. Qualifying time trials at 4 p.m. will determine starting positions 1-10 for the race.
Later, at 5 p.m., there will be 20 lap qualifying heat races to determine starting positions 11-28 in the starting field. There will be four provisional starting spots available from the final 1997 South Boston Speedway point standings that could expand the starting field for the race to 32 cars.
Persons desiring further information about the event may contact South Boston Speedway by telephoning (804) 572-1013.
South Boston Speedway officials have also announced that 1998 South Boston Speedway Season Passes are on sale for a special price of $105 with the special price being good through December 31, 1997.
The regular price for season tickets for the 1998 season will be $210.
Persons wishing to purchase 1998 season tickets may phone or write the speedway or stop by and make their purchases in person at the speedway office located on Route 58 east of Riverdale at the office complex of Mason C. Day Paving Co.
BY JOE CHANDLER
South Boston Speedway will honor its three track champions and other drivers for their 1997 season accomplishments Friday night at the 1997 South Boston Speedway NASCAR Winston Racing Series Awards Banquet.
Tickets for the speedway awards banquet which will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at the Bright Leaf Forum in South Boston are still available. Priced at $20 each, awards banquet tickets may be ordered by contacting the speedway office at (804) 572-1013 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or by stopping by the track office located in the Mason C. Day Paving Co. building on Route 58 east of Riverdale.
Credit card orders will be accepted.
The featured attire for the evening will be Western attire and the individual that comes dressed in the best looking Western attire will receive a prize.
A social hour at 7 p.m. will launch Friday evening's activities with dinner and the annual awards ceremony following.
The major highlight of the evening will be the official crowning of 1997 South Boston Speedway NASCAR Winston Racing Series Champion, David Blankenship of Mosley.
Blankenship edged defending track champion, B.A. Wilson of Glen Allen by a slim 17 point margin to capture a record sixth career South Boston Speedway NASCAR Winston Racing Series title.
Rodney Sawyers of Ridgeway finished third in the points race behind Blankenship and Wilson with Bubba Urban, Jr. of Glen Allen, and Frank Deiny, Jr. of Mechanicsville rounding out the top five in the division.
The competition in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Late Model Stock Car Division was very close during the 1997 season with 10 different race leaders, eight different pole winners, and six different race winners sharing the spotlight during the track's point season which began in late March and ended September 13.
A total of 72 different drivers competed at South Boston Speedway during its 1997 points season.
Billy Myers of Hurt will be honored as the 1997 South Boston Speedway Renegades Racing Limited Sportsman Division Champion. Myers finished 14 points ahead of Bill Moshenek of Ringgold in the title chase and claimed his first ever South Boston Speedway title.
Bruce Crews of Long Island, H.C. Sellers, III of Danville, and Chuck Lawson of Providence, N.C. completed the list of the top five finishers in the division.
Also among the honorees will be Chris Blalock of Kenbridge who won the 1997 South Boston Speedway American General Finance Super Stock Division championship.
Blalock finished the season with a 10 point margin over runner-up David Canada of Lynchburg. Richard Cumbie of Amelia, Roger Godsey of Phenix, and Eddie Capps of Sutherlin rounded out the top five finishers in the division.
In addition to the presentation of point fund and contingency award monies to the deserving drivers in each of the three divisions, other special awards will be presented including Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Driver, and Sportsmanship Awards.
Track officials have also announced that 1998 Season Passes are on sale for a special price of $105 each through December 31. After December 31, the price goes to the regular price of $210.
The 1998 season passes may be ordered by phoning the speedway or writing to the speedway at P.O. Box 759, South Boston, Va. 24592. Credit card orders will be accepted.
Persons may also purchase 1998 season tickets by stopping by at the speedway office on Route 58 east of Riverdale.
William Dent McLaughin of 2055 Clays Mill Road, Scottsburg died Saturday, November 8, 1997 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 67.
A funeral for Mr. McLaughin will be held today at 2 p.m. at Winns Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Richard Welch conducting the service.
Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
Born in Buckingham County on August 13, 1930, Mr. McLaughin was the son of the late George Sydnor McLaughlin and the late Mary Mottley McLaughin. He was married to Estelle Joness McLaughin.
Mr. McLaughin was a member of the Winns Creek Baptist Church and the Bethel Ruritan Club.
Surviving are his wife; two sons, David Scott McLaughin of Vienna and Richard Dent McLaughin of Scottsburg; one daughter, Marie Elizabeth McLaughin of Centreville; and three brothers, George McLaughin, James McLaughin, and Robert McLaughin, all of Richmond.
Four grandsons, Robert Sterling Conrad of Centreville, John William McLaughin, Justin Lee McLaughin, and Jeffrey Dylan McLaughin, all of Vienna, also survive.
Miss Myrtle Frances Walker of 3096 Coles Ferry Road, Nathalie died Saturday, November 8, 1997 at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C. She was 57.
A funeral for Miss Walker will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Ellis Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Raymond Quick conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
Born in Halifax County on January 1, 1940, Miss Walker was the daughter of the late Sam L. Walker and the late Willie Maude Walker.
Miss Walker was a member of the Ellis Creek Baptist Church.
Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Margaret W. Fears and Mrs. Mary H. Seamster, both of Nathalie; one brother, Eugene Holt of Altavista; and a number of nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends tonight from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home and at other times at the home of her sister, Margaret Fears, at 4035 Coles Ferry Road, Nathalie.
Clyde Garnett Throckmorton of 2 Maplewood Drive, South Boston died Saturday, November 8, 1997 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 60.
A funeral for Mr. Throckmorton will be held today at 2 p.m. at the Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Rudolph Jacobs conducting the service. Burial will take place in Oakland Cemetery in Scottsburg.
Born in Halifax County on August 3, 1937, Mr. Throckmorton was the son of the late Clyde Warren Throckmorton and the late Susie Lankford Throckmorton. He was married to the late Betty Thaxton Throckmorton.
Mr. Throckmorton was the owner and operator of Garnett's Auto Sales.
Surviving are three daughters, Cheryl T. Thompson, Robin Throckmorton, and Elizabeth Throckmorton, all of South Boston; one sister, Louise T. Blanks of South Boston; and two brothers, Harrison Throckmorton of South Boston and Bonnie Throckmorton of Alton.
One granddaughter, Brandy T. Allred, also survives.
Evelyn Virginia Bacon of 6275 Riverside Drive, Danville died Saturday at her home. She was 82.
A funeral for Mrs. Bacon will be held today at 10:30 a.m at Fairview United Methodist Church in Danville with the Rev. Larry Edmonds, the Rev. Morris Bennett, and the Rev. Dr. Tom Evans conducting the service. Burial will take place Mountain View Cemetery.
Born in Roanoke on October 6, 1915, Mrs. Bacon was the daughter of the late DeMoss Forbes and the late Louise Custer Forbes. She was married to the late Layton P. Bacon, Sr.
Mrs. Bacon resided in Roanoke, Savannah, Ga., and was a resident of Danville for 34 years. She was retired as co-owner of Bacon Enterprises KFC and as owner of Evelyn Bacon Real Estate.
Mrs. Bacon was a former member of the Victorian Danville Chapter of the ABWA and was a member of the Danville Board of Realtors.
She was also the president of the Savannah Real Estate Board in Savannah, Ga. and was the first woman realtor in Savannah, Ga.
Mrs. Bacon was a member of the Fairview United Methodist Church. She had served as president of the United Methodist Women in Savannah, Ga.
Two daughters, Bonny B. Shelton and Beth B. Boles, both of Danville, survive.
Mrs. Bacon was preceded in death by a daughter, Phyllis W. Smith, and a son, Layton P. "Buddy" Bacon, Jr.
The family suggests that those persons wishing to make memorial donations please consider the Fairview United Methodist Church Properties Fund, 1013 Westover Drive, Danville, Va. 24541 or the Danville Life Saving Crew, 202 Christopher Lane, Danville, Va. 24541.
Grover Wilson 'Winkey' Conner of 1137 Coleman Avenue, Clover died Thursday, November 6, 1997 at his home at the age of 56.
Mr. Conner was born September 11, 1941 in Halifax County the son of Thomas Edward Conner and Mary Liza Compton Conner and was married to Linda Clay Conner. He was a farmer.
Graveside services were held Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. at Clover Cemetery with Rev. Ann Norton officiating.
Mr. Conner is survived by his wife; seven daughters and five sons-in-law, Cathy Ann Womack and Deborah Ann Conner, both of Turbeville, Nettie E. Wilmouth and Dennis James Wilmouth of Halifax, Alice Louise Conner and Nathaniel Harvey Conner of Virgilina, Joyce Compton and Douglas Ray Compton of Virgilina, Dorothy Brandon and James Brandon of Halifax; Tammy Brandon and John Henry Brandon of Halifax; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Jeffrey Lee Conner of Turbeville and James Wilson Conner and Terry Lynn Conner of Halifax; five sisters, Louise Brooks of Chatham, Margaret Conner, Susie Jones, Nettie Conner and Elsie Conner, all of Vernon Hill; one brother, Hunter Conner of Clover; 17 grandchildren, and two step-grandsons.