Almost a year of collaborative effort spent creating the South Central Virginia Higher Education Consortium will be realized this morning when four colleges sign bylaws in South Boston.
The Consortium will serve as a "clearinghouse for planning and offering continuing and higher education programs at the Continuing Education Center," said Chris Lumsden, who chairs the college committee.
Consortium members are Averett College, Danville Community College, Longwood College, Southside Virginia Community College and the Halifax Educational Foundation.
"An important part of this Continuing Education Center expansion project is answering the question of how continuing education programs will be offered in our service area," said Lumsden. "It is our opinion that the schools that have been involved here, as well as schools that may be brought in in the future, should play a very important part in helping plan the delivery of these programs."
All of the presidents of the member colleges will attend the 10 a.m. meeting at Ernie's Restaurant today in South Boston: Dr. Patricia Cormier of Longwood College, Dr. Frank Campbell of Averett College, Dr. Carlisle Ramsey of DCC and Dr. John Cavan of SVCC.
"Form follows function," added Lumsden. "And we have spent a lot of time studying function."
Expansion of the Continuing Education Center continues as a goal here, and in that regard Lumsden said the Halifax Education Foundation has been created. That organization would take possession or title of a property and would provide the vehicle for future tax exempt contributions for a project, he explained.
The old tobacco export warehouse bordering the Dan River has been one site explored for CEC expansion.
"The Consortium is important whether we expand the CEC or not," emphasized Lumsden. "This is still important to have the schools working together, important to have a team effort among the schools with a community plan, and to offer programs."
Halifax County High School and its three fellow Western District counterparts will not participate this year in the Virginia High School League's new academic competition program.
Instead, Halifax County, GW, E.C. Glass, and Amherst County will continue to participate in the ACE (Academic Competition For Excellence) program which will be entering its 14th year in January.
In fact, there is only one district in the Northwest Region participating in the new Virginia High School academic competition. The members of the Roanoke Valley District, the district that is closest to the Western District, is also not participating this year.
While the four Western District schools will continue to compete in the ACE program this year, they will also be closely watching the development and progress of the VHSL program which crowns district, regional, and state champions with an eye toward possibly joining that competition next year.
"It was the feeling of the ACE Board that there was not sufficient time to reformat the (ACE) program to meet the VHSL guidelines," Clark said.
"What I recommended was to in 1998-99 reformat ACE to reflect the VHSL format."
The ACE competition features teams of four students competing in five rounds that include Science, Math, History, English (Literature) and an All Around category with different groups of students making up each team.
Also, the ACE program has a jayvee competition which features two rounds of competition in Math-Science and History-Literature categories with panels of four students for each of those teams.
Plus, there are a number of alternates for each of the varsity and jayvee teams.
By contrast, the Virginia High School academic competition features a single team comprised of four students that fields questions from all subject areas. There are also four alternates available, giving the team a squad of eight students. And, there is no jayvee team.
"It's run like a Klassroom Quiz type format," Clark said of the VHSL program.
"It's an academic team consisting of four people that fields questions from all areas. And, there are four alternates. You don't have a Math team or a Science team or whatever like you do in ACE."
"They (the VHSL officials) seem to look at it (the academic competition) much more simply than we look at ACE," added Clark.
"They anticipate that a match will take an hour or less under their format."
For Clark and the school's academic competition coordinator Tammy Daniels, a major consideration in the decision making process is maintaining and increasing the numbers of students participating in academic competition while making a move toward the VHSL program.
"What we may want to do, " Clark said, "is to have some kind of intramural academic competition within the school and maybe have the champions from the intramural competition go on to participate on the interscholastic team."
Daniels added that officials from the other schools involved in the ACE program "hate giving up the opportunity for student participation. What we want here is to give everybody who wants to participate and is qualified to participate an opportunity to participate."
Clark pointed out that academic competition is one of the school's major activities and is an activity that everyone wants to see grow and prosper.
"It is an outstanding activity for our kids," Clark remarked.
"It is a great part of our activities program."
Clark noted that this will be an interesting year as Halifax County High School and other schools cast a watchful eye toward the VHSL's new academic competition program.
"It's going to be interesting to see how the Virginia High School League competition goes this year," Clark said.
"They feel like they have resolved questions about the questions that will be used and other things. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes."
Clark and Daniels note that there will be few changes in this year's academic competition which will begin on January 26 with the Comets facing Amherst County here at home.
Chief among the changes are that long time ACE member Heritage High School of Lynchburg, which, a couple of years ago, dropped out of the Western District and reverted to Group AA status, dropped out of the ACE program.
As a result, that left Halifax County, GW, E.C. Glass, and Amherst County to play each other twice with those matches being conducted on a home and away basis like many of the sports contests. The fifth member of the Western District, Albemarle, does not participate in the ACE program.
Another major change in the program is that the schools will use what are termed as "purchase questions," that is, questions that are purchased from a company.
"That will be a big difference for us this year," Daniels said, "particularly in English where now there will be no set reading list. It will be wide open. The questions will come from anywhere."
There have been a handful of other changes as well. David Norris has stepped down as the Science team coach and Lanette Spencer and Karen Fisher have taken on the coaching duties in that spot. There has also been a coaching change for the varsity English team which, this year, will have Paula Bruce as the coach.
Also new this year is that there will be "in-house" judges. Rather than utilizing volunteer judges from the community as has been done since the program was started, teachers from the various subject disciplines will be utilized as judges.
Halifax County High School's home ACE matches this season will be held on January 26 against Amherst County, February 9 against E.C. Glass, and February 23 against GW.
The annual ACE Tournament will be held March 7 at Lynchburg College.
A deer hunter was arrested Tuesday morning on charges stemming from an apparent argument with a landowner near Paces, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
David James Wilson, 31, of Virgilina was charged with two misdemeanor counts of brandishing a firearm and one count of trespassing, police said. The alleged incident happened Sunday.
Wilson allegedly brandished a firearm at James Edmunds II and Jimmy D. Clay during an argument over hunting on Edmunds' land. Three other hunters, who reside in Mecklenburg County, will also be arrested on the same charges, according to Lt. L.W. Fears. Their names were not available prior to their arrest, he added.
Wilson and the other subjects were hunting from a boat, but then came upon land during the encounter with Edmunds and Clay, according to the investigation.
The investigation was conducted by Game Warden Andy Danison
Wilson was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County General District Court on January 14.
In other cases investigated by the Halifax County Sheriff's Department:
· William Henry "Pee Wee" Walton, 43, of South Boston was arrested Monday on two felony counts of distribution of crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
He was arrested after a traffic stop in the Cluster Springs community by the Tri-County Drug Task Force and deputies of the sheriff's department.
Also arrested during the same incident was a 16-year-old juvenile who will face identical charges. A small amount of crack cocaine was found on the juvenile during the traffic stop, according to the investigation.
Walton was released from jail on Tuesday, after posting a $50,000 bond.
· Cheryl Lee Vicks, 18, of South Boston was arrested Tuesday on two misdemeanor counts of threatening to kill or injure Wendy Farmer and Christina Hudson. The alleged incidents happened on November 11.
Vicks was released on bond pending her trial in the Halifax County General District Court on December 19. She was arrested by Deputy R.C. Lipscomb.
· Rosalyn D. Currie, 31, of South Boston was arrested on a misdemeanor count of fraud. The alleged offense occurred on August 3.
She was released on bond pending her trial in the Halifax County General District Court. Currie was arrested by Sgt. L.A. Cobb.
Two residents of a mobile home near Alton entered pleas of guilt Monday to felony counts of manufacturing marijuana.
Woodson Brad Rice, 21, of Virgilina pleaded guilty in Halifax County Circuit Court to one felony count of manufacturing marijuana. Entering an Alford Plea of guilt to the same charge was Wendy Gail Thompson, 20, of Alton.
Both subjects had three additional drug-related charges that were "nol prossed" or charges chosen not to be prosecuted by the Commonwealth.
Those charges included possession with the intent to distribute more than one ounce, but less than five pounds of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; and conspiracy to distribute more than one-half ounce, but less than five pounds of marijuana.
The two convictions stemmed from an incident on June 25 at Thompson's mobile home on Traynham Grove Road. When police raided the mobile home, 52 marijuana plants were discovered, according to the investigation.
Thompson was arrested by Deputy D.D. Irby on August 6, while Rice was arrested by Sgt. T.E. Logan on August 13.
Bond was revoked for Rice and he was placed in the Halifax County Jail pending his sentencing hearing scheduled for the January term of court. He was represented by attorney Charles Cosby.
Thompson was allowed to remain free on bond pending her sentencing hearing which was also scheduled for the January term of court. She was represented by attorney Bill Watson.
In a case heard Tuesday in circuit court, Paul Rayburn Mabe Jr., 27, of Scottsburg pleaded guilty to a count of driving a motor vehicle after having previously been declared a habitual offender.
Mabe, who was represented by attorney Mark Thackston, also pleaded guilty to a count of attempting to elude police. The incident occurred on February 8. He was placed in the Halifax County Jail pending a presentence report scheduled for the January term of court.
On Thanksgiving eve, community leaders paused to share both serious and humorous thoughts about this special holiday.
Circuit Court Judge Charles L. McCormick III: "We all need to be thankful for the country we live in and the freedoms we enjoy ...especially if we have had opportunities to visit other parts of the world and have had the opportunity to realize just what a wonderful country we do have in the United States. I am afraid a lot of people really do not appreciate the things we do enjoy and take for granted in our country. And we do need to be thankful for those things."
Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker Jr.: "I am thankful for the family and friends who have remained supportive despite the quixotic life I chose to lead."
Halifax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Joe Satterfield Jr.: "Thanksgiving is the time of year that reminds us to be thankful. I am thankful our nation is at peace. I am thankful that our county and town officials are cooperating. I am thankful for family and friends and the many blessings we have received in 1997."
Halifax County Administrator Dan Sleeper: "I am thankful that we have somewhat of a peace in Bosnia. I have been there and to the Middle East, and do not want to go back," said the Naval Reserve officer. "I am very thankful that all my children have recovered from illness and that they are healthy this year," added the father of three.
Halifax Town Manager Robert Greene: "I am grateful when I wake up in the morning and my feet hit the floor and I have feeling in them. That I know I can go another day," said the chuckling manager.
South Boston Town Manager Ken McLawhon addressed two categories. "Professionally, I am grateful that the community's governments are working so well and closely together and are ushering in a new era of cooperation and mutual support. In the second category, on the personal side of the equation, I am extremely thankful for my family, our friends, good health and the multitude of blessings that God's good graces have bestowed upon us," said the manager. McLawhon and his wife Susy are looking forward to celebrating their second Thanksgiving with their daughter Alexandra Paige, 16 months.
Delegate W. W. "Ted" Bennett: "On a personal level, my wife Lessie and I are especially thankful this Thanksgiving season for the safe return of our son Chris, and his fellow guardsmen, in Oct. from their peacekeeping mission with the Virginia National Guard in Bosnia. We are doubly thankful for the birth to Chris and his wife, Charlotte, of our third grandchild, Timothy, born shortly after Chris' return home. Thanksgiving at home is doubly special this year. On a professional level, it continues to be a humbling experience to be able to represent the good people of my home county in the Virginia General Assembly. To be elected and re-elected by the people in the place of my birth and to which I was able to return after college, and to make my home and raise my children, is an honor that amazes me still. I am and shall be eternally grateful to the people of my home community for having given me this extraordinary honor, an opportunity to serve them.
Dr. Russell Lee, minister First Presbyterian Church in South Boston, and the man who suggested this community interview: "I'm thankful that for the most part the United States of America stops on Thanksgiving to give thanks to God. On that day, no matter the pace or state of life, we can gather with family or friends to share a meal or spend some special time. Even at those businesses that are open Thanksgiving Day, the atmosphere is different, a higher dynamic. In this community we call home, I'm thankful that there are people who dare to give thanks, to serve God faithfully, to work our their faith with others as they seek to share the good news of grace with others."
An elderly Nathalie area resident was injured late Monday afternoon when the car he was driving ran off of the highway and crashed into a house on Route 501 about ten and a half miles north of Halifax.
The residence of Ryland Short at 11215 Louis P. Bailey Highway, sustained an estimated $20,000 damage.
The driver of the car, 75-year-old Richard Davis of Route 3, Nathalie was taken to Halifax Regional Hospital for treatment following the 4:45 p.m. crash.
Trooper R.C. Compton said Davis's car ran off of the right side of the road and traveled more than 300 feet before it struck three boxwoods in front of Short's residence.
After hitting the shrubbery, Davis's auto struck the front steps of the house, got airborne, struck the front of the house at a point about six feet off the ground, and struck the left corner of the house a second time as it came down.
From there, the car struck and broke several branches of a Magnolia tree and finally came to rest beside a tree in Short's driveway.
Davis' auto, a 1987 model car, was declared a total loss.
A late Monday afternoon fire resulted in an estimated $10,000 damage to the 1818 Grace Avenue residence of Roger Birch.
South Boston Fire Department officials said yesterday that the cause of the fire that damaged the house owned by Dora Dixon of South Boston had not been determined.
A fire department spokesman said the fire appeared to have started in a bedroom and that the room was ablaze when the first firemen reached the scene.
Fire damage was confined primarily to the one room but the rest of the house received a good deal of heat, smoke, and water damage.
Twenty one firemen and five trucks responded to the call which came in at 5:19 p.m. They were on the scene for just over an hour.
Florence S. Snead of Route 2, Scottsburg died Monday, November 24, 1997 at The Woodview. She was 94 years of age.
Mrs. Snead was born in Halifax County on March 3, 1903 the daughter of Addie H. Snead and Mattie Agnes Snead and was married to Lewis B. Snead. She was a member of Scottsburg Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Lorraine S. Ligon of Halifax; one son and wife, Kermit and Janie Snead of Barco, NC; one daughter-in-law, Barbara Snead of Scottsburg; nine grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Kyle Leigh Snead.
Funeral services for Mrs. Snead will be held today, November 26 at 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Michael Phillips conducting the service. Burial will take place in Oakland Cemetery.
Perry Wayne Hudson of 2237 Coleman Drive, Alton died Sunday, November 23, 1997 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 60 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Hudson was a native of Danville, born November 9, 1937 the son of Joseph Clifton Hudson and Nettie Foster Hudson. Most of his life was spent at Alton. He was employed by Advance Security Service as a guard at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and was a member of Ephesus Baptist Church and the Woodman of the World.
Surviving are three brothers, J.C. Hudson Jr., and Warner Lee Hudson, both of Danville, and Donald Foster Hudson of Alton.
Funeral services for Mr. Hudson were held Tuesday, November 25 at 2 p.m. at Ephesus Baptist Church by Rev. Leonard Watlington. Burial was in the church cemetery.