Five arrests were made early Saturday morning at an alleged crack house near Virgilina, according to Halifax County Sheriff Jeff Oakes.
"Adding to the breakup of what we believe was a major crack operation, officers at the scene also managed to arrest a number of people who were would-be buyers," commented Sheriff Oakes. "This was a case of hitting the drug problem from two different sides."
Charges of attempting to buy crack cocaine will be lodged against at least six people later this week. They had individually approached the residence after the raid and inadvertently "bought" pseudo-drug material from agents, police said.
Their names will be released as soon as the charges are filed, Sheriff Oakes pointed out.
James Corey Young, 23, of the Virgilina Road residence was described as the alleged ringleader of the crack cocaine operation, police said.
He was charged with felony counts of distribution of crack cocaine, possession of a firearm while in possession of cocaine, possession of a sawed off shotgun, and a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana.
Young is being held in the Halifax County Jail under a $75,000 bond.
Also arrested during the 1 a.m. raid were:
· Christopher Allen Ellis, 22, of Durham, N.C. He was charged with felony counts of possession of crack cocaine, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm while in possession of cocaine.
Ellis is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail under a $50,000 bond.
· Mack Arthur Kincy, 32, of Virgilina was charged with felony counts of possession of crack cocaine, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and possession of a weapon while in possession of cocaine. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana.
Kincy is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail under a $50,000 bond.
· John Calvin Smith, 32, of Oxford, N.C. was charged with a felony count of possession of crack cocaine and a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana.
Smith was released from jail on a $5,000 bond.
· Lawrence Deniza Robinson, 27, of Virgilina was charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana. He was released on bond.
· A 16-year-old juvenile was released to the custody of his parents after a juvenile petition for possession of drugs were filed against him.
The task force and the special operations team of the Halifax County Sheriff's Department also raided another alleged crack house about two miles away in conjunction with the operation. That residence is located near the Virgilina Elementary School.
Illegal drugs and weapons were seized in that dwelling as well, according to the investigation.
A total of six weapons, drugs, and $4,000 in cash was confiscated during the raids. A vehicle was also impounded which may be the subject of a forfeiture proceedings in accordance with state drug laws, according to Major Ray Link of the sheriff's department.
"This is a case of what we would consider to be the illegal drug equivalent of a drive-through fast food restaurant," commented Major Link.
Among the weapons found included a 9mm TEC-9 semi-automatic assault weapon and a sawed off .30-.30 caliber rifle that had been forged into a crude handgun, agents said.
Two shotguns and a .22-caliber revolver were also recovered, along with scales, pagers, cellular phones and a composition book with numerous names and telephone numbers, according to the investigation.
Young told police that the book was merely a personal list of friends, but the contents will be closely studied to see if there is any connection to the alleged drug operation, agents of the task force pointed out.
Sheriff Oakes contributed the success of the operation to the task force, and other officers from several agencies who participated, as well as tips from area citizens.
"Without any doubt, assistance we received from concerned citizens in the area was of great importance in breaking up this operation," commented Sheriff Oakes. "We really appreciate their help and we would encourage citizens to continue helping us in the battle to eliminate illegal drugs in our county."
After the six-month undercover investigation of the Virgilina area crack operation, agents of the Tri-County Drug Task Force were not surprised when they arrested several suspects on crack cocaine distribution charges.
However, they were a bit surprised at an early morning knock on the door of the house they had just raided.
The series of events leading up to the arrest of such buyers began, of course, with the investigation itself. Tips from concerned citizens and informants pointed to the Virgilina operation as a major center of crack cocaine activity.
During initial interviews it was determined that the operation began approximately four months before police found out anything about it.
Setting up buys, waiting to see who was in charge, and other aspects of the investigation, culminated with the early Saturday morning raid.
Officers of "STARS" (the newly formed special operations team of the Halifax County Sheriff's Department) first entered the residence, displaying sufficient surprise and force to hinder any attempts at resistance, agents explained.
Also assisting in the raid were Correctional Officer Sherwood Forlines of Camp #23 and two dogs, one a drug-sniffing dog and the other an attack dog which was used to help subdue the subjects, police said.
Special Agent G.V. Thomas of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control also participated in the undercover operation. He found two gallons of moonshine during the raid, Major Link pointed out.
When the marked police cars and agents left to transport the alleged dealers to the the Halifax County Jail for processing, several undercover officers remained at the scene, as did their unmarked cars and trucks.
"We were inside continuing the search of the house and cataloging evidence when all of a sudden we heard a knock at the door," related Sgt. Richard Pulliam, a veteran undercover agent of the Tri-County Drug Task Force.
Sgt. Pulliam cracked the door, but before he could respond, a male subject said, "I need a fifty" ($50 rock of crack cocaine), according to the investigation.
After closing the door, agents got a white chunk of sheet rock, wrapped it in plastic, and then re-opened the door for the "customer," Sgt. Pulliam explained.
After the money and "crack" changed hands, the subject was taken into custody. This scenario occurred five more times throughout the raid, police said.
"There was just so much commotion going on that night, with the evidence collection and all, we just decided to make the actual arrests of the subjects sometimes this week," pointed out Sgt. Pulliam.
Such a buyer arrest is called a "reversal" in undercover agents' slang.
Interestingly, the agents related that while all of the subjects arrested during the initial part of the raid were black, all of the subjects who later came to the house to buy crack were white, according to Sgt. Pulliam.
"While the task force obviously concentrates on dealers, a case
like this can make a potential drug user think twice," reflected Sheriff
Oakes. "They should keep in mind that the next time they go somewhere
to buy illegal drugs, they just might get arrested."
A contingent of Southside tobacco growers met with legislators in Washington, D.C. last week and will return this week to testify before a House committee, but some worry the complexity of the proposed tobacco settlement may signal slow progress in Congress.
"The possible legislation has so many facets," explained Don Anderson, president of the Virginia Tobacco Growers Association and a Halifax County tobacco grower who met with congressmen.
Specifically, Anderson named health, tax and consumer product issues.
If you look at settlement, more regulation and control over the tobacco industry, there is a lot in there that has to be sorted out, according to Anderson.
Limited liability for tobacco companies is also an issue.
"The health community is even divided over that issue," added Anderson.
Concerned Friends for Tobacco board member J.T. Davis shares similar feelings.
"I don't see anything happening real quick," said Davis, describing the process as a long, drawn-out affair. "And the more proposals that enter the mix, the longer it is going to take."
But the Halifax County tobacco grower advocate thought last week's trip was productive.
"We are making a lot of headway as far as a consensus among growers," said Davis.
Virginia has consensus, Davis explained, but at this point other states are not as close as Virginia.
"We met with Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee growers and actually formed a sort of coalition ...and are having quite a bit of dialogue trying to come together," added Davis.
About 35 people signed a letter asking that Sens. Jesse Helms, Wendell Ford and Robb get together concerning the different grower proposals and "to see if we can reach some common ground," noted Davis.
There is "a lot of sentiment" toward the concepts of the Robb proposal, said the Concerned Friends For Tobacco board member.
"We have to get all these grower states together. That is our focus right now," emphasized Davis.
During last week's trip, Davis said gling to get this cloud lifted from the growers' head. We are making progress, but it is a long arduous task."
On the horizon, Davis said he expects growers to have additional talks with White House staff as growers seek input into a proposed settlement. "They are getting much more interested in the grower situation," added Davis.
With the implementation of block scheduling next year at Halifax County High School, school officials are giving students a one time opportunity this semester to rid themselves of half credits.
School principal Larry Clark told parents attending last week's meeting on block scheduling that the school will allow students to average their second semester course average with their first semester course average to determine their final overall course grade.
That move, Clark said, will give students who failed the first semester of a course an opportunity to achieve an overall course average of 75 or higher, pass the course for the year, and earn a full credit.
"That is a system we used some 20 years ago," Clark told parents.
"We stopped using that system when we moved here to this building in 1979."
The high school principal noted that "this will give some seniors an opportunity to graduate on time with their classmates that they otherwise would not have had. It will also help us remove some of the half credits that we want to get rid of on student transcripts."
"For those students who are not helped by this," added Clark, "we encourage them to go to Summer School and get rid of as many of the half credits they have as possible."
Clark told parents that student class registration for the coming year is a current priority for school administrators. He noted that the registration that was conducted between Thanksgiving and Christmas was very early and that the major thrust was to get registration data in front of the school board at an early date.
"If you (parents) have questions this is a good time to discuss with your child's guidance counselor and your child what adjustments are needed," Clark said.
"We have been making some adjustments to student schedules of students who are in the eighth grade. In the spring we will give the parents of rising ninth graders their schedules so that if adjustments need to be made we can make them now. What we want to avoid is making schedule changes in August."
Clark told parents that guidance counselors and administrators are urging students and parents to maintain a balance in the child's schedule between those courses that are homework intensive and those that are not and that school personnel will be making every effort to make sure that happens.
One item that Clark stressed to parents of rising ninth graders is that those students will need to earn 22 credits for a standard high school diploma and 24 credits for an advanced studies diploma.
"We have made no recommendation to the school board to require additional credits," Clark said.
He noted that there are varying opinions on the subject of increasing the number of credits for high school graduation under the block schedule format. Person County, N.C. increased the number of credits for graduation. Other school officials are of the opinion that the school should stick strictly with the state's requirements.
Questions raised by parents covered a wide variety of topics, one of which is student absences. Under current policy, a student cannot miss more than 10 days of school without forfeiting credit for a course.
"That will have to be reviewed," Clark said in response to a concern that with the faster pace and the fact that children will complete a full course and a full year's work in a semester, the impact of an absence will be greater.
"We will need to provide a structured makeup opportunity for students who miss time from school because of illness or some other legitimate reason. I think that's got to be done."
Some parents also raised a question about how exams will be handled and if their will be final course exams at the end of the semester.
"I think that's a question that the faculty has got to be involved in," Clark said.
"We haven't given a final exam here in years. I'm not sure if we've ever given a final exam that has covered an entire year's worth of instruction. Rippling out of that question is that if you do it, how much should it count and how much time will you allot to it."
A question arose about grading periods and the timing of interim reports. Clark stated that the school will stay on a nine week grading period with interim reports being issued every four and a half weeks.
Some parents questioned as to whether or not four and half weeks is too long for parents to wait before finding out what kind of progress their child is making.
Clark told the parents that there was nothing magical about interim reports being issued at four and a half weeks.
"If you think it will be helpful, we could have progress reports available after the first 15 days of school if you think that will help," Clark told the parents.
"if you parents think four and a half weeks is too long to wait,
that's what we want to hear."
By Beth Robertson
Bill Hetzel shelled out the $2.75 for a bottle of water during the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, but his entrepreneur's brain clicked into fast forward.
The result?
Hetzel will celebrate the grand opening of his new spring water/bottling company in Halifax County next month.
The businessman estimates the building and equipment will ultimately cost in the neighborhood of $2 million.
The 30,000 square foot plant's infrastructure is already a geometric maze swarming with workmen, all in the midst of a piece of 387-acre Mt. Carmel serenity blessed with nine abundant springs.
The Mt. Carmel Water Company -located off Hwy 699/Mt. Carmel road - will be officially christened March 28 with the first 100,000 bottles' buyer taking almost immediate delivery.
Hetzel will bottle his water under the name Pure Country Water, but there will also be private labeling.
Mt. Carmel Water Company's distributors cover the east coast from Florida to New York and inland west of the Mississippi ...and are growing.
Hetzel, who is apparently sitting on spring-fed yuppie gold at his Halifax County farm, simply smiles and says he "never realized water could be as complex as it is" until he began converting a business opportunity into reality.
To do that, he went to Water Technologies Associates in Philadelphia for feasibility tests and engineering.
The news was all good.
Expensive water tests were positive in all aspects - Hetzel holds up a book of test results to prove his point.
"The water quality is such that we would not have to treat it, but we are going to double filter and ozonate" anyway, said Hetzel.
Bottled water must meet Food and Drug Administration guidelines for water quality requirements. The Virginia Department of Health and the Va. Department of Agriculture will also be among those approving the project. Hetzel's water will also be sampled every two hours in the plant.
In the plant itself, a team of four will run one line in the highly automated facility. Ultimately Hetzel envisions six line.
The plant will be capable of producing 600,000 one/half liter bottles per shift per day, observed the businessman. Hetzel estimates cost to the consumer will range from 50 cents to $1 per bottle.
Hetzel, a North Carolina resident, bought the Halifax County farm about six years ago and continues to raise prize-winning beef cattle at the site. The businessman holds an agronomy degree from the University of Maryland. The Texas native also owns a fire hose company, among other business interest.
Dr. George S. Lowery died Thursday, January 29, 1998 at the age of 82 in Austin, TX after a lengthy illness.
Dr. Lowery was born on April 20, 1915 to George and Rena Lowery in South Boston. He graduated from Columbia Union College in Tacoma Park, MD and received his M.D. from Tecnologico de Monterrey, NL, Mexico. He retired after 18 years from Austin State Hospital.
Dr. Lowery was a member of the Austin First SDA Church where he was an elder. He was married to Una Elizabeth White.
His survivors include his daughter: Emma L. King and husband Marshal; sons: George Jr. and wife Sondara, and William Lowery; grandchildren: Michael and Mark Vargas, Brittany and Shalo Mae Lowery; and brother: Thomas Lowery and wife Faith Marie.
Funeral services will be held today, February 2 at 10 a.m. at the Austin First Seventh Day Adventist Church with Pastor Steve Snow officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Hill Park.
Those desiring may make memorial contributions to a charity of choice or the Austin First Seven Day Adventist Community Services.
Josephine Wooding Lantz, 86, off Route 1, Timberville, died January 31, 1998 at the Life Care Center in New Market.
Mrs. Lantz was born May 16, 1911 in Halifax, the daughter of Robert H. and Elizabeth Carter Wooding. She attended State Teachers College, James Madison University and graduated from Longwood College.
Mrs. Lantz was a member of the Linville Creek Church of the Brethren where she taught the kindergarten class. She was a member of the Rockingham Retired Teachers Association, the Harrisonburg Association for Retarded Citizens and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. She was married to Ivan Charles Lantz.
Her survivors include a daughter: Mary Maiden of Richmond; sons: Thomas and Robert Lantz of Timberville; four grandchildren: Kathleen, Anne and Margaret Lantz of Timberville and Erich Lantz of Broadway; and a brother: Robert Wooding of Halifax.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, February 3 at 1 p.m. at the Linville Creek Church of the Brethren in Broadway by the Rev. Paul Roth. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Broadway
Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 666, Broadway, VA 22815 or the Linville Creek Ch.
of the Brethren, 405 E. Springbrook Road, Broadway, VA 22815.
Elnora Talley Rowland of Upper Marlboro, MD died Thursday, January 29, 1998 in Prince George County, MD.
Mrs. Rowland was born in Halifax County, the daughter of John and Atha Tuck Talley. She was married to Nathaniel Rowland.
Her survivors include her husband; brother: Elder Zebedee Talley Sr. of Danville; sisters: Katie Williams and Gracie Standfield of South Boston and Cecila Crutchfield or Roxboro, MD.
The family will receive friends at the home of Gracie Standfield, 5138
Bill Tuck Highway, South Boston.
George Edward Palmer of Nathalie died Friday, January 30, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 53. He was born in Halifax County on March 4, 1944.
His survivors include his daughters: Angie Palmer of Brookneal, Monyca Palmer of Long Island, Barbara Palmer of Laura, MD and Vanessa Palmer of Washington, DC; sons: Eric Palmer of Hurt, Ruby Palmer of Wilmington, DE, Quinton Palmer of Yellow Branch and Stephon Palmer of Altavista; sisters: Alease Armsted and Dorothy Boyd of Crystal Hill; and brothers: Bradshaw Palmer and Thomas Boyd of Nathalie.
Funeral services will be held today, February 2 at 2 p.m. at the Republican Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. L.S. Otey officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
Family will receive friends at the residence of Thomas Boyd, 1151 Golden Leaf Road, Nathalie.
Norman Clifford Brown, 77, died Friday, January 30, 1998 at Pitt County Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Brown grew up in Lynchburg and served in the U.S. Army during WWII in the 13th Army Division in the European Theatre. He was plant manager at Craddock-Terry Shoe Corporation in Halifax and Melville Shoe Corporation and then regional manager for Blue Ridge Shoe Division. A 32 degree Mason, he was a member of the Mountain City, TN Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite Bodies.
His survivors include his wife: Helen Kenley Brown of Greenville, NC; son: Michael Page Brown of Greenville; daughters: Patricia Harris of Fayetteville, GA, Sharon Bray of Danville, Joanne B. Roiter of Hubert, NC; eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a sister: Evelyn Fariss of Gladys.
A graveside service was conducted Sunday, February 1 at Pinewood Memorial Park.
Ray Junior Wimbush of Crystal Hill passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 1998 at the Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 62. He was born in Halifax County on April 27, 1935.
His survivors include his sisters: Dorothy Gilmore and Alice Carr of Crystal Hill; nieces: Barbara Chappell, Alma Chappell and Darlene Carr-Greene and nephews: Larry Gilmore and Jimmy Carr.
Funeral services were held Sunday, February 1 at Crystal Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Louis Leigh officiating and interment in the church cemetery.
Thelsie Rice Jackson, 89, of Gladys died Friday, January 30, 1998 at the Lynchburg General Hospital.
Mrs. Jackson was born in Halifax County February 23, 1908, the daughter of Joel Thomas Rice and Lelia Doss Rice. She was married to Charlie Ray Jackson and was a member of Edge Baptist Church.
Her survivors include her son: Charlie Lewis Jackson of South Boston; daughters: Jennie Waller of Rustburg, Sterling Jackson of Gladys, Laura Phelps of Bedford, Sandra Fay of Midlothian; brother: Clarence Rice of Brookneal; sister, Pauline Glass of Lynchburg; nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by a sister: Blanche R. Locy.
A funeral service will be conducted today, February 2 at Edge Baptist Church by the Rev. Andrew Grose with burial in the Ebenezer Baptist Church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Brookneal Rescue Squad or Edge Baptist Church.
Dorothy Ingram Fisher, 81, of Nathalie died Saturday, January 31, 1998 at the Woodview Nursing Home.
Mrs. Fisher was born in Halifax County on September 10, 1916, the daughter of Charlie Hudson Ingram and Fannie Spencer Ingram. She was married to Reginald Vernon Fisher and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Republican Grove.
Her survivors include two sons and three daughters-in-law: Douglas and Barbara Fisher, Vernon (Buddy) and Evelyn Fisher, and Helen Fisher of Nathalie; son-in-law: Larry (Joe) Angel of Nathalie; grandchildren: Steven Fisher, Vicki Overby, Tony Angel, Connie Blanks, Bobby Fisher, Debra Dalton; great-grandchildren: Carissa Overby, Tommy Blanks, Heida and Holly Dalton, Priscilla and Marilyn Fisher; brothers: Arthur Ingram of Nathalie, Luther Ingram of South Boston, Garland Ingram of Los Angeles, CA; and sisters: Elizabeth Martin of Nathalie and Edith Powell of South Boston.
She was preceded in death by a daughter: Betty (Snookie) Angel; a son: Louise Fisher; grandchild: Louis T. (Tommy) Fisher, great-grandchild: Laura B. Nichols; sister: Nellie Tuck and brothers: Phillip and Elisha Ingram.
A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3 at the First Baptist Church of Republican Grove by the Rev. Shelton Miles with burial to follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7-8:30 p.m. at Henderson Funeral Home and other times at the residence of Douglas Fisher, Cody Road, Nathalie.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Republican Grove.