Monday, February 9, 2004

Polls Open Tuesday For Dem Primary
Six Contenders Remain For Party Nomination

Halifax County voters will have their chance to help choose a Democratic presidential candidate Tuesday when they go to the polls to support one of the six contenders for the party's nomination.

Any registered voter in Halifax County is eligible to vote Tuesday, regardless of party affiliation.

Democratic contenders John Kerry, John Edwards, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Al Sharpton and Dennis Kucinich are vying for the party's nomination to challenge President Bush in November.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and will be in the same locations as the November general election.

"It will be just the same as a general election. If you voted in November you should be able to vote in this primary," Halifax County Registrar Judy Meeler said.

State Democratic officials said yesterday that with so many contenders, the voice of Virginians is critical to the ultimate selection of a presidential nominee.

On the eve of the state's primary, Virginia Governor Mark Warner announced his endorsement of Kerry yesterday. Former Governor Gerald Baliles announced his endorsement of Kerry earlier this month.

A spokesman for the Halifax County Democratic Party said yesterday that they would not issue an endorsement.

"We have taken no stand on endorsing any one candidate," she said.

"It's a very exciting time to be a Democrat in Virginia," said Laura Bland, communications director for the Democratic Party of Virginia. "For the first time since 1998 we actually do matter in the selection of the nominee.

"We have a chance to have a say in this early part of the process," she continued. "It is important that people take advantage of that.

"Voting is a right that people have fought and died for," added Bland. "The chance to participate in something that is fundamental to democracy is extremely important."

"Everybody who is registered to vote in this county can vote in this primary," said Meeler. "I expect there will be some Republicans voting Tuesday.

"We will have nine candidates on the ballot even though some have dropped out of the race," she added.

Kerry is the decided front-runner after winning contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Michigan, Washington state, and Maine.

Edwards won the South Carolina primary, while Clark took Oklahoma.
The Associated Press reported yesterday that the American Research Group polls give Kerry sizable leads in all three states - Virginia, Tennessee and Wisconsin - leading up to Super Tuesday, 11 points over Edwards and 12 over Clark in Tennessee; 13 points over Edwards and 18 over Clark in Virginia; and 26 points over Clark and 31 over Edwards in Wisconsin. The margin of error in each poll taken last week was plus or minus four points.

Kerry also leads the pack in confirmed delegates to the July 26 Democratic National Convention, with 409.

Dean has 174 delegates, Edwards 116, Clark 82, Sharpton 12 and Kucinich 2.
Results from the February 10 primary will play a role in determining which candidates 82 of Virginia's 98 delegates to the Democratic National Convention will support, according Bland.

"The primary is only the first step in the delegate selection process," she said. "The delegate selection process is very complicated. It involves algebra."
In April, city and county caucuses throughout the state will elect 2000 delegates and 1000 alternates for both congressional district and state conventions.

"In May, 11 congressional district conventions will be held where delegates will be elected based on the results of the primary," said Bland. "There will also be some delegates elected at the state convention.

"Eighty-two delegates will be allocated based on the results of the primary," she added. "If candidate X gets 53 percent of the primary vote then he will get 53 percent of those 82 delegates."

The other 16 delegates, frequently called "super delegates," will be composed of members of the party leadership in Virginia, including elected officials and Democratic National Committee members residing in Virginia.

"They are not necessarily pledged to candidates based on the results of the primary," said Bland.

Bland is hoping for high voter turnout on Tuesday.

"I think we will have some people interested in this that aren't normally interested in primaries," she said.

She said that visits from four of the candidates over the weekend would probably increase voter turnout.

"Kerry, Sharpton, Edwards and Clark were all at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Richmond on Saturday," she said. "It was standing room only in the largest meeting room in the city.

"At least 2000 people turned out for what was the most successful political event that the state party has ever had," she added.

Buyout, Declining Market Top Tobacco Conference
Economist: ‘There Are A Lot Of Things Happening To Make This The Right Time For A Buyout’

Faced with a declining quota and lagging export market, the possibility of a government buyout was on everyone's mind during Saturday's 11th Annual Tobacco Conference at Halifax County High School.

Addressing the approximate 250 producers gathered for the event, Congressman Virgil Goode urged the residents of Southside Virginia to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to pass buyout legislation.

"A buyout is the number one issue for Southside tobacco farmers," Goode said. "I'll support a buyout with or without FDA provisions."

The congressman told the group that several proposals pending before the House and Senate, including consensus measure HR3160.

The resolution, Goode said, has strong bipartisan support and contains a provision for the continued growth of tobacco in existing tobacco-producing regions.

"I still believe it will be an uphill fight," he said. "But I'm somewhat more optimistic this year that last year.

"I'm hopeful that we can get a vote on buyout legislation this spring both in the Agriculture Committee and on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives," Goode added.

But he urged the group to keep the issue in the minds of not only congressional leadership, but President Bush and his chief of staff.

"To keep this issue in the forefront, keep those contacts pouring in," Goode urged. "Send them a letter, or a fax, or an e-mail and tell them why you want a buyout.

"Doing that can make a difference," he added. "I'm making it a point for them to get a fax, letter or e-mail from my office each week. With your help, we can be a positive force for the tobacco-growing community."

Del. Clarke Hogan (R-60), told the group there were several proposals in the General Assembly that could have a great impact on Southside's tobacco production.

"The good news is the tobacco commission has given us the ability to deal with quota cuts better than some other states," Hogan said.

The delegate said he was hopeful that tobacco payments would be protected this year.

"At this point, I think we have a fairly good chance to have legislation come out of this session that will protect the Master Settlement Agreement payments for Phase I and hopefully Phase II," he said.

"As far as the cigarette tax goes, there are a lot of ideas floating around," Hogan said. "Although we defeated it in the House, I'm sure we'll see it again.
"Our point is we're willing to pay our share," he added. "But we don't want the government to try to balance the budget on our part of the world. We'll take a strong stance against (the tax) and do the best we can."

Virginia Tech Extension Economist Dr. Dixie Watts Reaves told the group that the economic and political conditions were conducive to the passing of a buyout.

"There are a lot of things happening to make this the right time for a buyout," she said. "But in order to make it feasible, we must make any legislation appeal to other states in the country.

"What we want is a little piece of a bigger puzzle," she added. "We need to continue to partner with the health community to get other states interested in ending the quota system."

Blaming decreasing exports, declining domestic consumption and the increase of imported leaf, Reaves told the group that there had been a 50 percent quota decline since 1997.

"But you're more aware of this than I am," she said. "Because you've been living it."
The economist told the group that by ending price support, a buyout would make American tobacco more competitive with other countries producing flue-cured leaf.

"Federal price support has kept our prices high," she said. "Eliminating the program would make our prices more equitable with the world market."

Reaves said that projections forecast that production will decline to 471 million pounds this year, the lowest in history, if the price support system isn't eliminated.

If the program is dismantled, the economist said demand could rise to between 700 and 800 million pounds.

Addressing leaf export issues, Tommy Bunn of the Leaf Tobacco Exporters Association told the group that with the price support system in place, international buyers for American leaf are becoming harder to find.
"With price support in place, today we find ourselves with very little left to support," he said. "Changes must occur now to salvage what's left.

"While we continue to promise our customers that cheaper tobacco is just around the corner, we're losing customers.

"We believe a buyout can make U.S. tobacco more competitive," Bunn said.
But he said that any proposal must be long-term and must include the welfare of the growers.

During the meeting, Keith Parrish gave the group a summary of potential grower involvement in the DeLoach vs. Phillip Morris lawsuit and Dr. David Reed, Tobacco Research Specialist at Virginia Tech addressed current tobacco production issues.

At the end of her presentation, Reaves said she could empathize with the plight of Southside producers.

The economist summed up what many in the room seemed to be feeling.
"There has been so much uncertainty for so many years, we need to speak with a unified voice to get the buyout legislation passed," Reaves said. "You need some certainty for the future."

Supervisors Advisory Committee Set Tonight
Advisory Committee On Educational Improvement To Deliver Report At 6 p.m.

An Educational Advisory plan that could include a second county Middle School as one option will be aired tonight before a joint meeting of supervisors and School Board members.

The Advisory Committee on Educational Improvement, convened by the Board of Supervisors to study the county's school system, will deliver its report at 6 p.m. in Room 201 at Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.

"We're going to have four or five major new recommendations with a lot of support and backup material before the supervisors and School Board," W.W. "Ted" Bennett, chairman of the committee, said Sunday.

The committee of eight was convened by the Board of Supervisors in the fall. Its members include Bennett, Tom Stutts, Wanda McDowell, Larry Layman, Supervisor R.E. "Dickie" Abbott, Fields Thomas, Phillip Saunders and Michael Hudson.

Supervisors

The Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m., also at Mary Bethune, following the advisory committee's report.

Supervisors face a bundle of public hearings Monday night, ranging from required cleanup of property to real estate tax exemptions to telecommunications towers.

Public hearings begin at 8 p.m. and include the following:

• An ordinance to require cleanup of burned mobile home remains, litter and debris at 1240 John Henry Brown Road, Clover, with cost to be assessed against the owner.

• Ordinances to exempt the following properties from real estate taxation: Dixie Inc., located in South Boston, assessed in 2003 for $42,000 with tax of $l76.40; Halifax County/South Boston Dixie Softball Assn. Inc., located in South Boston, assessed for $31,500, taxes $132.30; Halifax County Friends of Soccer, located in Halifax, assessed for $42,348 with taxes of $177.86.
•Application for Plat Vacation by Nelson Motley Sr. for lots 19-24 and unopened Forest Drive in Hyco Estates Subdivision in Election District 7. The lots do not perk and Assistant County Administrator Jerry Lovelace told planning commissioners last week that Motley wanted to create a large parcel that might offer alternatives. Planners recommended the application to supervisors.

• Revocation of Conditional Use Permit for Telecommunications Towers' sites: Stovall and Volens, ED-1, and Hyco and Carlton, ED-7 since the company currently has no plans to build.

The Halifax County Planning Commission voted last week to recommend revocation of the permits, which would allow other companies to seek permits at the sites.

Also a review of the proposed Halifax County Trails and Bikeway plan is on that agenda.

In other business, a monthly report on King Village Trail rural addition, including a report of support in concept of a Banister River Recreational Access on U.S. Army Crops of Engineers shoreline, will be given.

Also expected, an update on historic Clarkton Bridge's preservation status.
Clarkton Bridge links Halifax and Charlotte counties.

Bridge advocates hope to retain the historic bridge as part of an area recreation effort that includes bike and pedestrian trails.

The bridge proposal would not include use by cars and trucks.

A Virginia Department of Transportation report by Resident Engineer J.D. Barkley II will also include a resolution approving adjustments of right-of-way of Route 764, VIR Drive.

Matching funds for an industrial access road is also on Barkley's agenda.
A recommendation for a public hearing on tax relief for the elderly and disabled at the March 1 Board of Supervisors meeting is expected.

A short update on out-of-town water/sewer service is expected. The administrative report by South Boston, Town of Halifax and county staff is due March 15.

Supervisors are expected to meet later this month, Feb. 27, at the County Administration Building in Halifax for their annual planning retreat, a time when supervisors discuss the county's major issues, receive reports, and began charting a course for the year.

Comets Grab District Lead
HCHS Took The Lead In The Western Valley District Standings With A 79-71 Win Over Franklin County Here Friday Night

By JOE CHANDLER | G-V Staff Writer

Halifax County has made its living this season off of its speed and perimeter shooting.

The Comets used both in big doses to thwart Franklin County's powerful inside game and down the Eagles 79-71 here Friday night to grab sole possession of first place in the Western Valley District standings.

Halifax County's win on Senior Night in the final home game of the regular season puts the Comets in the driver's seat in the chase for the regular-season district title and an automatic berth in the Northwest Region Tournament.

While the Comets, 14-6 overall and 6-0 in Western Valley District play, may be in the driver's seat in the district race, they are far from having locks on the championship.

The Comets enter this week, the final week of the regular season, having to face Franklin County on the road Wednesday night in Rocky Mount and having to face GW Friday night in Danville.

A win against Franklin County on Wednesday night will give the Comets the regular-season title regardless of the outcome of the GW game Friday night.

If the Comets should lose to Franklin County on Wednesday night, a win at GW on Friday night becomes crucial.

Franklin County is also staring at a big week.

The Eagles, 16-3 overall and 5-1 in district play, face E.C. Glass at home on Tuesday night before finishing out its season against the Comets on Wednesday night.

E.C. Glass and Franklin County locked horns in a game in Lynchburg earlier this season that Franklin County won by one point.

E.C. Glass' premier post player, 6-10 senior Drew Crank, did not play in that game but will be in the lineup Tuesday night.

"The thing is we've got to take care of Tuesday night first," Franklin County coach Doug Conklin pointed out.

"We can't worry about Wednesday night (the game against halifax County) until after we play E.C. Glass Tuesday night. We'll see what kind of character we're made of coming back from tonight."

With Franklin County facing a tough contest Tuesday night and the Comets now having a win over Franklin County under their belts, the situation looks pretty good for Halifax County heading into this week.

"Right now, we look very good," said Comets coach Garrett Dillard.

"If next week goes as bad as it can go, we can still finish in second place."

Dillard pointed out that while Wednesday night's game against Franklin County could give his team the regular-season title, he does not want his team to focus on that point.

"We're going approach the game the way we always have," said Dillard.

"We're going to keep doing what we're doing and play the way we're playing.

We want to establish the lead early and then manage the game."

That was exactly what the Comets did in Friday night's contest against the Eagles.

The Comets, led by a 23-point effort from Quintin Brown, a 21-point night from Craig McCargo and a 14-point effort from Jeremy Jeffress, grabbed the lead for good with four minutes to go in the first quarter and never relinquished it.

The Comets led by four points early, fell behind 8-7 and then roared into the lead for good when Derek Brooks hit two free throws with 4:16 left in the quarter to put the team up 9-8.

McCargo followed with a layup off of a steal, and Jeffress hit a trey to put the Comets up 14-8 with 2:48 left in the quarter.

Franklin County pulled to within four but the Comets got a bucket from Weddle and a three-pointer from Brown after a steal to take a 21-12 lead at the end of the quarter.

"We wanted the game to start out that way," said Dillard.

"We wanted the game start out in our favor. Eventually, they had to come up and press us and that worked to our favor because then they were working hard on the offensive end and they also had to work hard with a fullcourt pressure defense."

A big thing in the Comets' favor in putting together the big first quarter was that they did it with a different lineup in which Dillard started all three of his seniors, Derrick Sprattley, Sharmane Holeman and Ricky Petty.

Holeman gave the Comets two baskets in the first quarter and Petty and Sprattley got the job done on the defensive side.

"We trust all of our kids," the Comets coach pointed out.

"We're not reluctant to make those changes where we let the seniors play on Senior Night."

Jeffress staked the Comets to a double-digit lead with a three-pointer to start the second quarter as the Comets doubled the Eagles' score at 24-12.

Halifax County's lead never dipped below seven points in the second quarter and reached as high as 14 points when McCargo completed a three-point play with 20 seconds left in the half.

A basket by Franklin County's Mario Mattox, with 9 seconds to play made it a 37-25 Comets lead at halftime.

Halifax County converted two three-point plays in the first two minutes of the second half to expand its lead to 45-29.

The Comets led by as many as 16 points in the quarter and finished the period with a 58-43 lead.

A three-pointer by Brown to start the fourth quarter gave the Comets their largest lead of the game at 61-43.

Franklin County got its inside game going in the last half of the fourth quarter and trimmed its deficit to eight points with 52 seconds left in the game.

Halifax kept its lead up around the 10-point mark the rest of the way by hitting five of six free throw attempts in the last 45 seconds of the game.

"We got the game the way we wanted it early," Dillard pointed out.

"I thought we did a real good job of managing the lead, meaning we got up about 9 or 10 and didn't let them cut it back to 5 or 3 or get the lead," Dillard said.

"We kept or increased it (the lead). We never let them come down and score five or six straight points and get back into the game. We played four solid quarters of basketball."

The Comets shot the ball well, hitting 23 of 59 shots from the floor for a 38.9 percent mark.

Included in that was a 9-20 mark from behind the arc for a 45 percent effort.

"I thought they (Halifax County) shot the ball very well tonight," said Conklin.

"The couple of times they missed, we didn't box out and get the rebound.
There were probably four or five times when they (Halifax County) had second or third chances and they converted on them. You can't let a good basketball team do that and expect to beat them."

Conklin noted he had hoped his team could have established its inside game.

"Our whole thing was we wanted to take it inside as much as possible," Conklin pointed out.

"When we did we had some success."

The Comets also did a solid job at the free throw line as they canned 24 of their 31 attempts in the contest including 14 of 16 in the fourth quarter.

Brown and McCargo had a particularly good night at the charity stripe with Brown hitting 12 of his 14 attempts including a 9-10 effort in the fourth quarter and McCargo hitting 8-11 in the game including a perfect 4-4 effort in the fourth quarter.

"When you make 24-31 that shows, for one thing, you got to the line a lot," said Dillard.

"Some of it was late in fourth quarter when they (Franklin County) had to foul.

Anybody will take 14-16 in the fourth quarter. If you do that, you should win the ballgame."

Halifax County had a big night defensively, forcing Franklin County into turning the ball over 15 times in the contest, 10 of which came in the first half.

The Comets recorded 10 steals in the game with Sprattley and Brown each netting three steals.

The Comets did not match Franklin County's 31-point production from the post with its big men, Sigmon and Lewis Witcher, but the Comets did a good enough job inside to make a presence.

Chase Weddle had 4 points and 6 rebounds, Sprattley had eight points and Derek Brooks hit a basket, giving the Comets 14 points from its post players.

"If they can defend, rebound, score when they get a chance and be a presence on the block so we can throw the ball down, we'll take that, especially when you get Craig & "Q" combing for 44 points and Jeffress adding 14 to give us 58 points from the perimeter," Dillard pointed out.

"They didn't let Franklin County kill us on the blocks all night long and let those guys put up 25 or 30 points each."

The Comets also did a good job of defending the Eagles' Patrick Preston, a big scorer who averages about 17 points per game.

Preston was held to 9 points in the contest, five of which he scored in the fourth quarter.

Obituaries

Cecelia Mae Dixon

Funeral services for Ms. Cecelia Mae Dixon will be held Tuesday, February 10, at 2 p.m. with services at the County Line Baptist Church.

The Rev. Otis Dillard will officiate.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Ms. Dixon, of Leda Road in Nathalie, died Saturday, February 7 at the Halifax Regional Hospital.

She was 52.

Ms. Dixon was born in Halifax County on December 13, 1951 to Lillie Myrtle Dixon.

She was a member of the County Line Baptist Church.

Ms. Dixon is survived by four aunts, Virginia Hightower and Shirley A. Dixon, both of Vernon Hill, Olivia Dixon of Nathalie, and Eva M. Fitzgerald of Williamstown, N.J., three great aunts, three great uncles and a host of cousins, other relatives and friends.

The family will receive friends at the home of Mrs.Oliva Dixon, 1060 Leda Road in Nathalie.

Leslie Jeanett Hupp Bebber

Funeral services for Mrs.Leslie Hupp Thomas Bebber will be held at the Powell Funeral Home Chapel at 2 p.m. Monday.

The Rev. Garland Day will officiate.

Burial will follow at the Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Mrs. Bebber died Friday, February 6 at her South Boston home.

She was 99.

Mrs. Bebber was the daughter of the late Daniel Layafette Hupp and Charley Beatrice Allen Hupp and was married first to William Ephraim Thomas and later to Howie Jones Bebber.

She was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church of South Boston.
Mrs. Bebber is survived by two daughters, Geneva T. Snow and husband Frank of South Boston and Dorothy T. Tuck and husband Walter of Roxboro, two sons, Cary D. Thomas and wife Doris of South Boston and Carl Vance Bebber and wife Nancy of Montpelier, one stepson, Jake C. Bebber of South Boston, 25 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by three sons, William J. Thomas, Cecil B. Thomas and Robert L. Thomas, one step-son, Howard Bebber, one step daughter, Virginia Baynes and one grandson, Blenton Conner.

For memorials,please consider the Seventh Day Adventist Church of South Boston or the Halifax Regional Hospice.

Rose Tucker Watson

Rose Tucker Watson, 76, of 1160 Elkhorn Road, Java died February 5 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mrs. Watson was born in Halifax County on July 29, 1927, the daughter of the late Melvin C. Tucker and Sarah Harris Tucker and was married to the late Edward Watson. She was a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church, retired from the Philadelphia Public Schools and from the public school system in the Bahamas.

Survivors include one son, Donald Watson of Java; one grandchild; three brothers, Loyal Tucker, Hampton Tucker and Harold Perall Tucker, all of Java; three sisters, Lucy P. Stephens, Amazie Terry and Maude T. Austin, all of Java. Mrs. Watson was preceded in death by one son, Elliott Watson; one sister, Ethel Pannell and two brothers, Willis and James J. Tucker.

A funeral service was held February 8 at 2 p.m. at Elkhorn Baptist Church with the Rev. C.L. Motley officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Thomas Edward Wilborn

Thomas Edward Wilborn, 65, of Warrenton, N.C. died February 6 at his home.
Born in Halifax County, he was a son of the late Thomas and Alma Davis Wilborn and was married to Barbara Hester Wilborn. He was retired from Collins & Aikman Corp.

Mr. Wilborn is survived by his wife; one son, Jason Wilborn and wife, Tara, of South Boston; one daughter, Carol Frances Wilborn of Westminster, S.C.; two sisters, Flora Gentry and Hazel W. Bordeau, both of Roxboro, N.C.; and one grandchild, Joshua Edward Wilborn.

A funeral service for Mr. Wilborn was held at 3 p.m. February 8 at Brooks & White Chapel in Roxboro. Burial followed in Providence Cemetery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American Diabetic Association, 3109 Poplarwood Court, Suite 125, Raleigh, N.C. 27604.

Ruth Elizabeth Green Younger

Graveside services for Mrs. Ruth Elizabeth Green Younger were held Sunday, February 8 at the Oak Ridge Cemetery in South Boston.

The Rev. Dr. Tim Cannon officiated.

Mrs. Younger, of South Boston, died Friday, February 6, at the Halifax Regional Hospital.

She was 80.

Mrs. Younger was the daughter of the late William Munford Greet Sr. and Vallie Watson Green.

She was the wife of the late Roy L. Younger and was a member of the First Baptist Church.

Mrs. Younger was employed by Powell Funeral Home for many years as a secretary and bookkeeper.

She is survived by one sister, Christine G. Overbey of Richmond, four nieces, Roslyn O. Harris of Richmond, Beverly G. Thomason of Halifax, Pam G. Drumheller of Richmond and Donna S. Conrad of Bascom, Fl., and five nephews, Charles W. Green and David M. Green, both of South Boston, William M. (Bill) Green III and Franklin T. Overby, both of Richmond, and Stephen Sauter of Northport, N.Y.

She was preceded in death by her son, Thomas Warren "Tommy" Younger, her parents, a sister, Rosalie G. Sauter and two brothers, William Munford Green Jr. and Beverly Russell Green.

For memorials, please consider the First Baptist Church of South Boston or a charity of your choice.