A string of break-ins over the weekend have the South Boston
Police Department, the Halifax Town Police and Halifax County
Sheriff's Office busy investigating the crimes.
The first break-in occurred overnight at Greased Lightning on
Halifax Road.
"While on patrol, Officer Garner spotted a back door that
had been smashed," Investigator T.M. VanArenem of the South
Boston Police Department said yesterday.
VanArenem said he received the call at 2:37 a.m. Saturday morning.
Once inside, the thief or thieves took an undisclosed amount of
cash from the business.
"As far as we know at this point, nothing else was taken,"
the investigator said. "We are continuing with our investigation."
While investigating the Greased Lightning crime, VanArenem received
a call about a second break-in, this time at Tangles on Hwy. 501
in South Boston.
The call for the second break-in came in at 3:38 a.m.
VanArenem said that entry was gained by breaking the glass on
the front door.
The investigation is continuing to determine what, if anything,
is missing, he said.
While the police have no specific suspects at this time, VanArenem
said the investigation is continuing and arrests are expected.
"With the time frame the way it is, the two crimes could
be related, but we need to continue our investigation in order
to make that determination," he said.
Saturday night at approximately 6:55, a thief or thieves broke
a window out of Halifax Pharmacy, triggering an alarm system,
according to Emmy Bass, wife of owner John Bass.
"As far as we know right now, nothing was taken," Bass
said. "The police were right there within seconds, and they
didn't have time to take anything, I guess."
Chief Glenn Stanley said yesterday that Officer Freeman was the
first on the scene and received back-up from members of the Halifax
County Sheriff's Office.
Bass added that the thief left some tools on the property while
leaving.
She credits the rapid response by law enforcement officers with
foiling the crime.
"We're really grateful that they got there as quickly as
they did," she said.
Sometime between closing on Tuesday and opening on Wednesday,
someone broke into Abbott's Farm Supply on South Main Street in
Halifax.
"Someone took a tool and gained entry into the building by
using what appears to be a crowbar," Stanley said.
Once inside, the thief took a quantity of money from the business.
Stanley said the amount of money was not being disclosed pending
completion of the investigation.
The Halifax break-ins are being investigated by Investigator Jimmy
Clay of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office.
Stanley said that the two break-ins could possibly have been committed
by the same person or persons.
"We're looking at all the possibilities at this time, but
it's really too early to speculate," he said.
Both VanArenem and Stanley said that any assistance the public
can give the officers investigating these crimes is invaluable.
Anyone with information about these or any other crimes are asked
to call Crimestoppers at either 572-TIPS or 476-TIPS. You do not
have to give your name and may be eligible for a reward.
Why in the world would anyone want to give up all the comforts
of home, generally taken for granted in southside Virginia, to
travel to a place where people, and scorpions, live in mud huts
and the average male adult earns just $4 a day?
"We went in the name of Jesus Christ. It's all about Him,"
said Dr. Jon Lenzen, a South Boston physician.
Lenzen, Ron McKinney and Rex Elliottmembers of the Grace
Baptist Church missionary teamrecently returned from a 10-day
trip to Guatemala where they helped complete the work on a mountain
top voluntary missionary home known as Liberty Project Hope.
The trio from Grace Baptist Church, located east of South Boston
in the Omega community, were among a group of 30 volunteers to
visit the project in early January at Llano Verda, Zacapa, that
is located approximately 100 miles northeast of Guatemala City.
Liberty Project Hope is a ministry "founded by God"
to seek and provide for the needs of people worldwide and is coordinated
through Liberty Baptist Church in Appomattox.
The long flight to Guatemala City is only the beginning of the
journey to the small village in the rugged mountainous country.
a journey that requires an additional three-hour bus ride from
the airport.
It is a country where poverty and deprivation, brought about,
in part, by a 30-year civil war, has left the inhabitants with
few creature comforts.
Those visiting the area are required to have Hepatitis A. and
tetanus vaccinations, medication to prevent malaria. They are
cautioned against drinking, or even brushing their teeth, with
the water.
Walking anywhere barefoot is taboo.
And yes Virginia, scorpions do live in Guatemala!
Ron McKinney was awakened one morning by a tapping on his chest.
The young Guatemalan boy whom McKinney had befriended, decided
to have some fun with a dead scorpion.
McKinney was bothered less by the deceased arachnid than by the
live specimens he found in the place where he and others inn the
group were sleeping.
Mission team members slept and ate in the mission home and orphanage
dormitories. Food was provided and prepared by the Hope of Life
Ministries staff whose leader is Missionary Carlos Vargas.
Following breakfast each morning, team members held group devotions
before taking on individual work assignments. The objective of
the trip was to provide materials, equipment, labor and funds
to put the finishing touches on the fully, self-sufficient, volunteer
mission home that was started in January 2002.
The 2,800 sq.ft. structure is located on the back side of the
mountain, just below the Hope of Life Orphanage. The home includes
a kitchen and common area, separate dorm rooms and bathrooms for
men and women and single rooms for married couples.
Volunteers with various construction skills and donated materials
are making it possible to hold building costs to approximately
$7,000.
The Concord-based organization known as Gleaning For The World
Inc., is involved in the distribution of products for Liberty
Project Hope, and other mission organizations worldwide.
McKinney applied his construction skills while Rex Elliott, a
fiber optics technician employed with Verizon, installed electrical
wiring. This latest visit was Elliott's fourth trip to the mission.
Lenzen, a pulmonologist with Pulmonary Associates of Southside
Virginia, joined with mission physician Dr. Mark Elswick to provide
general medical and dental services for the Zacapa area.
The land upon which the residents of the area build their tin
and mud huts does not belong to them. "They've got nothing,"
said McKinney who compared their existence to that of "squatters",
a term long associated with nomads who move onto land and take
up residence in the most common form.
And there are the children of Zacapa.
For whatever the reasons, many are orphans. Some parents, having
learned of the orphanage, have simply brought their children to
the mission and left them.
Some are victims of both physical and sexual abuse.
Over 2,000 photos were taken by team photographers during this
latest mission and forever present in most of the frames are faces
of children.
Despite their circumstances, the people, especially the children,
are content.
"They seem very content in their poverty, more so than Americans
are in their prosperity," said Lenzen.
Surprisingly, many of the children are able to read.
McKinney, Lenzen and Elliott distributed Bibles that were given
by Grace Baptist Church where the Rev. Jack Stewart is pastor.
Of the three, only Lenzen speaks and understands Spanish. "Very
limited," he added.
Two Spanish interpreters, including Liberty University Spanish
professor Dr. David Towles, were among the visiting team. As many
as six more interpreters met up and spent time assisting mission
team members.
While completing the construction project was one objective of
the mission team, evangelism is the central focus.
Team members shared the message of salvation by through prayer,
"prayer walks," witnessing, distributing Gospel tracks
and showing the "Jesus" film. Over 500 Guatemalans viewed
the movie that depicts the life and purpose of Jesus ministry
on earth.
"It is such a privilege to be a part of God's work,"
said Dr. Lenzen.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Shannon Radford, reporter photographer for WSET-TV
in Lynchburg, was a member of the mission team and plans to air
her story on February 10 and 11 at 11:00 p.m. and on "Good
Morning Virginia" at a time and day to be announced.
Supervisors face a relatively light agenda tonight but will
tackle a series of pivotal issues at their Friday retreat, one
followed by a regular meeting.
Designating Tobacco Commission funding priorities, adoption of
a Six-Year Plan for Secondary Road Improvement and a review of
surplus property reuse or disposition were referred last month
to Friday's agenda.
Supervisors will meet at 7 o'clock tonight at the Mary Bethune
Office Complex Conference Room.
The Board will hold its annual retreat Friday at Supervisor James
Edmunds' cabin in the Turbeville community.
Tonight, supervisors are expected to receive an Agricultural Development
Committee report endorsing the Southside Beef Expansion special
project application to the Tobacco Indemnification and Community
Revitalization Commission (TICRC).
The Committee unanimously voted to endorse the submission to TICRC
during its Dec. 19 meeting.
The project would provide capital incentives to area beef producers
for the expansion of the beef industry in 14 counties within Southside
Virginia.
"Representatives from participating counties have worked
diligently on this project in recent months and plan to submit
the proposal to the TICRC in February," Linda Wallace, Halifax
County Ag Development director, advised supervisors in a January
24 memorandum.
Wallace said endorsement from all participating localities would
be sought in the next few weeks.
She said the project had been favorably received by many Southside
organization and "it is felt that endorsement from the Halifax
County Board of Supervisors would enhance the likelihood of approval
from the TICRC."
A priority listing seeking TICRC economic development funds was
offered during supervisors' joint meeting with towns January 21,
but died for lack of a second.
At that session, South Boston Industrial Development Authority
member Doug Bowman urged the area to establish three TICRC funding
priorities "we would go to war for."
At the joint county/town meeting, Supervisor James Edmunds urged
town and county officials to establish a consensus when seeking
Tobacco Commission funding.
Since the January joint county/town session, South Boston Town
Council's Current Issues Committee has endorsed the Riverstone
Business and Technology Park project as its first priority, followed
by improvements to the Tultex Building and, third, sewer improvements
to the Route 360 area.
In other business, the Recreation Committee is expected to seek
authorization for the Halifax County High School cross country
track team to construct and use competition trails on the Paul
C. Edmunds Jr. Park property.
School Board Chairman Patricia Nelson and track coach Allen Lawter
sought, and received, Recreation Commission support last week
for construction of a 3.1 cross country course at the park.
"I think it's great," said Committee member James Edmunds
II, noting the track would be of mutual benefit.
Lawter told Commission members that he and others involved in
the school's cross country program would assist in installing
the track.
The Committee is also expected to request that VDOT delay construction
of the park access road until April 2003, and to seek designation
of the Recreation Committee as the core membership of the Bicycle
Plan Advisory Board, with the addition of VDOT staff and cycling
enthusiasts.
During tonight's Board meeting, supervisors are also expected
to hear a request for damages due to restricted use and county
purchase of the Grubby Road project sewer easement area from American
Legion Post 99.
Supervisors also are expected to hear two separate requests for
Watch For Children signs from VDOT.
A request from Supervisor Edmunds to consider light pollution
controls is also on tonight's agenda.
U.S. Senator George Allen announced Friday
that his regional representative for Southside Virginia will meet
the citizens on February 12 in Halifax.
Tucker Watkins will be at the Halifax Town Hall from 10 a.m. until
noon to discuss issues facing the area with constituents and to
help anyone experiencing problems with a federal agency.
"One of my top priorities as a United States Senator is to
bring my office to the people of Virginia," Allen said.
"If you are having problems with a federal agency or want
to express your opinion on issues facing Virginia or the nation,
I'd urge you to come down and talk to Tucker in Halifax,"
the senator added. "Through these local office hours, we
can bring some good Virginia common sense back to Washington,
D.C."
Halifax County had several objectives it felt it needed to
accomplish in order to win against E.C. Glass Friday night in
Lynchburg.
One was to get on top early. Another was to slow down or stop
Glass' big men, Cedric Jones and Drew Crank. The other was to
stifle Glass with its up-tempo pressure defense.
The Comets did all three and came away with a big 50-35 win over
the Hilltoppers.
"We felt if we could slow down Crank and Jones early and
take away their back doors (back door cuts) it would take away
a lot of what they (the Hilltoppers) do offensively," said
Comets coach Garrett Dillard.
"Glass runs a pretty methodical offense. We felt if we could
get an 8 or 9 point lead and make them play from behind, it would,
at least, make them have to speed things up a little bit."
That, and the ability of the Comets to jump out front early, was
everything the Comets needed to prevail on this night.
"I told Coach Cowan (Comets assistant coach Alexis Cowman)
before the game let's get the jump ball, let's score, let's jump
into what we call our 100 pressure defense, let's get up about
8-0 and go from there," said Dillard.
The win was a big one for the Comets who started Friday night's
game facing three Western Valley District games in a five-day
stretch that includes a game tonight against GW in Danville and
a game here Tuesday night against district leader Patrick Henry.
Halifax County (9-5 overall, 3-1 district) needed the win to retain
sole possession of second place in the Western Valley District
standings.
And, the Comets put the game away early.
After forging an 8-7 lead in the first three minutes of play,
the Comets mounted a fiery 13-1 run in the final 4:54 of the first
eight-minute stanza to take a 21-8 lead.
Craig McCargo, who scored six of his game-high 22 points in that
span and finished the first quarter with a total of 12 points,
was a key figure in the Comets' game-opening run.
Andrew Witko, who finished his night with 11 points for the Comets,
scored five points in the run, three coming on a long three-pointer
at the quarter's final buzzer.
Freddie Jeffress also contributed a basket.
Once the Comets got the big lead, the Hilltoppers never got closer
than eight points the rest of the way, that coming after a 5-0
Hilltoppers run to start the second quarter.
"The guys came out and really did a super job," said
Dillard.
"Early on, we did a lot of good things defensively to open
it up. Once we did we could just kind of do game management from
there."
Dillard pointed out that the defensive efforts of Witko and sophomore
Chase Weddle early were big for the team.
"Chase (Weddle) did a great job on the Crank kid early and
put a lot of pressure on him. Witko really defended Jones well
early. Later on, Jones started breaking out and getting some shots
and putting some points on the board.
"But, once we got up 15 or 16, we could work it from there,"
added Dillard.
The Comets' defense wreaked havoc on the E.C. Glass early.
Glass turned the ball over 11 times in the first half.
The Hilltoppers turned the ball over on six consecutive possessions
in the first quarter and the Comets made them pay the price in
the majority of those instanced.
And, the Comets, playing some of most intense defense of the season,
pushed the Hilltoppers around almost at will.
"The goal was to keep pressure on everybody who had the basketball,
whether it was full-court or half-court or whatever," said
Dillard.
"I thought the guys did a real good job of that tonight."
Glass coach Bill Hodges said his team never got anything going.
"They took us out of what we wanted to do and we let them
do it," said Hodges.
"We just came out and let them (Halifax) intimidate us. The
officials let a lot of rough play go early and we reacted like
a rookie team. We didn't react like the team we've been playing
like.
"Once we got down, it put all of the cards in their (Halifax
County's) hand," added Hodges.
"Then we had to try to play catchup and we're not a very
good catchup team."
Halifax County led 31-16 at halftime and a basket by McCargo to
start the second half lifted the Comets to a 17-point cushion.
The Comets extended their lead to as much as 20 points late in
the third quarter when Jeffress was fouled while making a shot
and completed a three-point play and the Comets managed to score
four points after a technical foul that was called on the Glass
bench.
A slam dunk by Jones to conclude the third period led the Comets
with an 18-point 44-26 lead entering the final eight minutes.
Glass managed to cut the Comets' lead to a second-half low of
11 points with about two and a half minutes to play.
But the Comets, with the help of good defensive play and a 4-4
effort at the charity stripe in the final two and a half minutes
pulled out the 15-point win.
The Comets had a good night shooting the basketball.
Halifax County shot 15-36 from the field for a 41 percent mark
and was 4-11 from three-point range for a 36 percent effort.
The Comets had a stellar night at the free throw line, sinking
16 of 19 attempts from the charity stripe.
Halifax County reeled in 18 rebounds in the contest and came up
with 11 steals.
Witko led the Comets with eight boards and Jeffress, who was the
team's third leading scorer behind McCargo and Witko with nine
points, followed with four rebounds.
Quintin Brown, who scored three points, led the team in steals
with four thefts.
Witko and McCargo each had three steals to their credit.
Arthur Raymond "Buddy" Arthur, 72, of Lawrenceville,
died Saturday after a long battle with cancer.
Funeral services for Mr. Arthur will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m.
at Williams Funeral Home, Lawrenceville, with interment at Oakwood
Cemetery.
Mr. Arthur was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Marion
and Patti Hupp Arthur, and his beloved stepmother, Ruth Thayer
Arthur.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Baynes Arthur, a son, Frank
M. Arthur and wife Stacy, a daughter, April A. Roberts and husband
Ernie, and three grandchildren, Amanda and Ashley Roberts and
Dalton Arthur, all of Lawrenceville.
Other survivors include two sisters, Frances Martin of Smithfield
and Mattie Johnson of Suffolk, two brothers, Thomas Arthur and
wife Betty and Chester Arthur of South Boston.
Mr. Arthur retired from Felton Bros. Transit Mix, Inc. in June
1996.
He was an active member of the Brunswick Volunteer Rescue Squad
for 30 years and a member of the Lawrenceville Lions Club for
25 years.
He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard.
The family will receive friends Monday from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at
Williams Funeral Home, Lawrenceville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the
Lawrenceville Baptist Church, Youth Fund, 304 South Hicks Street,
Lawrenceville, Va. 23868, or to the Lawrenceville United Methodist
Church, Youth Fund, P.O. Box 2, Lawrenceville, Va. 23868.
Mrs. Ophelia Owen Cheek of Philpott Road died Friday at Halifax
Regional Hospital.
She was 65 years old.
Funeral services for Mrs. Cheek will be held Monday, February
3, at 2 p.m. at the Dan River View Baptist Church, with burial
in the church cemetery.
The Rev. Clifton Madden will officiate.
Mrs. Cheek was born in Halifax County on July 12, 1937, and was
married to Jasper Cheek.
She was a member of the Dan River View Baptist Church and a former
employee of Burlington Industries.
Mrs. Cheek is survived by her husband, Jasper Cheek, three sons,
the Rev. Jasper K. Cheek and Deacon Chris Cheek of South Boston
and Deacon Sherman Cheek of Roxboro, N.C., eight grandchildren
and one great-grandchild.
Other survivors include one sister, Mrs. Nannie Bailey of South
Boston, three daughters-in-law, Mrs. Darva D. Cheek and Mrs. Jennifer
P. Cheek of South Boston and Mrs. Sonya F. Cheek of Roxboro, N.C.,
and a host of other relatives and friends.
The family will receive friends at the home of Deacon Chris Cheek,
6210 Philpott Road, South Boston.
Mr. Lee Vert Dallas Jr. of Hunting Creek Road, Nathalie, died
Sunday at the home.
Mr. Dallas was 92 years old.
He was born in Halifax County on January 5, 1910, a son of Lee
Vert Dallas Sr. and Nola Nichols Dallas.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time.
Angie D. Palmer Long, 78, of 1023 Newton Farm Road, South Boston,
died January 31 at Twin Oaks Convalescent Home.
Mrs. Long was born in Rowan County, NC on June 25, 1924, the daughter
of the late Linwood Johnson Dease and Maggie Mae Hunsucker Dease.
She was first married to Bernard Lee Palmer and then to Johnie
Matt Long, both deceased. She was retired from Tultex.
A funeral service was held Sunday, February 2 at 2 p.m. at Brooks
Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Raymond Bucklew officiating.
Burial followed in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Survivors of Mrs. Long include two sons, Breinard J. Palmer and
his wife, Edith, of Nathalie, and David J. Palmer and wife, Rosa
Lee, of Danville; two daughters, Evelyn P. Trent and her husband,
Cecil, of Bassett, and Patsy P. Puryear and husband, Phil, of
South Boston; one stepson, Bernice Long and his wife, Nancy, of
South Boston; one stepdaughter, Joyce Long Conner of South Boston;
four sisters, Frances Wagstaff of Halifax, Janie Saunders and
Addie Hobgood, both of Oxford, NC, Betty Clay of Fredericksburg;
four brothers, Isaac 'Pete' Dease and Wayne Dease, both of Oxford,
Johnny Dease and Paul Dease, both of Halifax; 19 grandchildren;
22 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; a friend
and former daughter-in-law, Heidi Jones of Bay Minette, AL.
Preceded in death by one bother, one grandson and one great-great
granddaughter.
Tyne Pugh Pulley, 69, of Calabash, NC, died January 31 at her
home.
Mrs. Pulley was born in Altavista on October 28, 1933, the daughter
of the late Clara and Claude Pugh. She was married to Marvin Eugene
Pulley.
Her survivors include two sons: Danny Pulley of Pasadena, MD and
Dr. Mike Pulley of Jacksonville, FL; daughter: Susan P. Geldmacher
of Pasadena; three sisters: Clarice Brodie of Thomaston, GA, Gwen
Forlines of Greensboro, NC and Zipporah Erleen Walton of Parkersburg,
WV; brother: Howard Pugh of Point Bank, TX and three grandchildren:
Megan Geldmacher of Pasadena and Ivan and Sonya Pulley of Jacksonville.
A memorial service will be held Wednesday, February 5 at 2 p.m.
at Brunswick Funeral Home in Shallotte, N.C.
Contributions may be made to Carolina Hospice, 1120 Ocean Hwy.
West, P.O. Box 200, Supply NC 28462.
Funeral services for Mr. Christopher Nimene Sekpeh will be held
today, February 3, at 12 noon at the Elkhorn Baptist Church.
Dr. C. Lewis Motley will conduct the service.
Final rites are private.
Mr. Sekpah, of Bensalem, Pa. and Java, Va., died Wednesday, January
29 at the Doylestown Hospital in Doylestown, Pa.
He was 53.
Mr. Sekpah was born in Lagos Nigeria, West Africa on September
29, 1949 to the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kieh Sekpah.
He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Austin-Sekpah, four children,
Christopher Nimene Sekpeh Jr. of Toledo, Ohio, Chandra Sekpeh
of Richmond, Kieh Sekpeh of Philadelphia, Pa., and Taneh Sekpeh
of Norfolk, one granddaughter, Sadia Moore of Richmond, three
sisters, Benedreta Sekpeh of Burlington, N.J., Joyce Satiah-Sekpeh
and Klo Sekpeh, both of Africa and a host of nieces, nephews,
other relatives and many friends, both in the U.S.A. and Africa.
Eddie Howard Stephens, 56, of Washington, DC, died January 27.
Mr. Stephens was born in Halifax County on November 26, 1946,
the son of Lucy P. Stephens and the late Irving Stephens. He was
a member of Elkhorn Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Chenell Stephens; 2 grandchildren;
his mother; five sisters, and three brothers.
A funeral service for Mr. Stephens was held February 1, at 1 p.m.
at Elkhorn Baptist Church with Dr. C. Lewis Motley officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.