Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt will ask the county school board tonight for guidance regarding what actions to take in the wake of bomb threats or threats of violence in the schools.
Two local bomb threats, one at the middle school that forced a two hour delay in the opening of schools and one last Thursday at Halifax County High School that did not result in the closing of school, plus the recent incident in Colorado have prompted tonight's impending discussion of school security issues.
Witt said that he and school system administrators are stepping up security in the schools.
"We are starting to tighten up our security measures in the buildings," Witt stated.
"And, we're going to try everything we know how to identify the violators."
Witt pointed out that in the case of bomb threats and perpetrators of threats of violence, "if we find out who they are we will prosecute them to the fullest possible extent of the law."
The school superintendent said that an anonymous caller phoned in a bomb threat to Halifax County High School shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday.
School officials immediately contacted authorities and teams of officers from the South Boston Police Department and Halifax County Sheriff's Department combed the building searching for any possible explosive devices.
They found none.
Halifax County High School was involved in SOL (Standards of Learning) testing and students and teachers continued in their normal routines while police searched the building.
Witt explained that he and high school principal Larry Clark were in Charlottesville attending a Virginia High School League meeting when they were contacted by administrators at the high school.
And, he said after consulting with police and high school administrators, the decision was made not to close or evacuate the school.
"Larry Clark and I made the decision," Witt said.
"And the law enforcement officers did not object to that."
Witt said that with the language used by the caller, "we judged it to be more of a profane call than a 'bomb threat.'"
The school superintendent pointed out that problems arising from such incidents are not limited to just the school.
Witt stated that had it been deemed necessary to call in bomb sniffing dogs, the building would have had to have been evacuated and students sent home for the day.
And, because there is no dual bus transportation system, all of the county schools would have had to be closed.
"We decided not to do that," Witt said.
"We did not think it merited closing down the entire school system. We took it as a serious threat. We took what precautionary measures we thought were appropriate."
Witt stressed that he, the school board and the administration at each school holds the safety of the students in the highest regard and that the safety of students is what comes first.
"We will continue to take such precautions we think we can and should take," Witt stated.
"Unfortunately, in some circumstances, no matter what you do, it will never be enough."

The Halifax County School Board will get its first look tonight at a proposed 1999-2000 school calendar.
And, the proposed calendar will have a little different look as Halifax County's schools won't open their doors to pupils until September 7, the day after Labor Day.
The September 7 school opening will return the school system back to the state's mandated time line for school openings.
Schools in Halifax County have opened in August the past few years because the school system had been able to obtain a waiver from the state excusing them from the post-Labor Day opening date.
The waiver was based upon the the average number of days of school missed over a specified period of years as a result of inclement weather.
However, because of mild winters and little in the way of winter storms that forced the closing of schools, local students have missed only a couple of days or so from school each year over the past couple or three years.
That reduced the school system's average number of days missed to a level that would not qualify the school system for a waiver.
As a result of the later school opening, schools will also close later with students ending their school year in mid-June.
Also new on the 1999-2000 school calendar is the addition of two additional inservice days for teachers which will be tacked onto the usual preschool workdays.
Other than the post-Labor Day opening of schools and the addition of two additional inservice days for teachers prior to the start of the school year, the proposed 1999-2000 school calendar appears to be much like the current year's calendar.
Also tonight, the school board will mull over a series of recommendations for promotion and retention requirements for students in grades K-8.
County school superintendent Dennis Witt said the school board will be asked to establish a promotions and retention policy with regard to the Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests.
Witt noted that the state is requiring the school system to put a policy in place.
He also pointed out that Halifax County High School principal Larry Clark will offer a series of recommendations for promotion and retention of high school students.
School board members will also consider the management of the local option retirement program trust account, and hear a report about VRS benefit eligibility changes.
In addition to those items, the school board will consider an allotment for the Mentor-Role Model Program.
A number of reports are scheduled for presentation tonight including special programs at C.H. Friend Elementary School.
One individual in the community, Connie Pigg, is scheduled to address the school board on the matter of school discipline.
After the items on its agenda have been cleared, the school board will adjourn and go into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

Heavy through-truck traffic will be banned on Berry Hill Road in the future if South Boston Town Council follows the wishes of its Current Issues Committee tonight.
Council will be holding its regular May meeting, and for one item of business will hear a recommendation from the committee to add Berry Hill Road to the list of streets where "the use of trucks, except for the purposes of receiving loads or making deliveries, shall be prohibited."
Earlier, Police Chief Jim Hall had recommended banning the trucks from Berry Hill.
Residents along Berry Hill Road had asked for the action, too, citing what they believed to be a hazardous condition with the large trucks operating on the narrow roadway.
In the proposed Town Code change, "trucks" are defined as any vehicle having a gross weight in excess of 7,500 pounds, excluding school buses.
Town officials said adoption of the amended Code would leave the trucks to use the truck route of U. S. 501-Hamilton Blvd. and John Randolph Blvd.
Also tonight, the Finance Committee will ask for the transfer of $5,800 from Reserve for Contingencies to pay for new signage on North Main Street, Sutphin Road and other areas.
This is a recommendation from the Administration, with Town Manager Ted Daniel pointing out that this year's traffic control budget for supplies has been depleted.
Council will adopt a resolution designating May 16-22 as "Business Appreciation Week" in South Boston, heeding the request of the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority.
Council is reminding residents that the previously announced smoke testing of the town sewer system begins today.
The non-toxic, odorless smoke will be inserted into the sewer pipes, with observers in position to detect any escaping smoke.
This will indicate, on the one hand, leaks in sewer lines or, on the other hand, places where surface storm water enters the sanitary system.
In an executive session following the regular meeting, Council will continue with a session of its budget workshop.
Council's next joint meeting with Halifax County and the Town of Halifax will be at 6 p.m. May 17.

By Beth Robertson
A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, humiliation ...and tears.
That is what Marlenea Miller remembers most about reading. Being called on to stand and to read aloud in school ... and she couldn't.
Ultimately, she dropped out of school. "But I never did give up on it," said the Nathalie resident.
Several times the wife and mother of three tried working with tutors in different states as the family moved, but it never seemed to click.
Until Sylvia Carey.
Working with the Continuing Education Center literacy tutor, Miller has created her own little miracle, a slick 365-page cookbook, a personal tribute to literacy.
The cookbook features family recipes, photographs, graphics, and contributions from old friends.
It was born as a purely personal present, one Miller wanted to create for her family, a
Christmas present of favorite recipes and spiritual verses and stories, "food for body and soul". Some of the recipes are over 100 years old.
Hot off the press, CEC is selling the cookbook for $15 with proceeds benefiting the Literacy Program.
Miller, who has worked with Carey and the CEC Literacy Program since April of 1996, began writing the book in 1997.
"As the cookbook developed, so did I, into somebody I had only dreamed of," said the happy grandmother.
In the beginning, Miller wanted to be able to read the bible, to read to her children.
It was while living in Dover, Delaware that tests revealed Miller needed a different approach in teaching, one for students with learning disabilities.
Carey, a teacher with a master's degree in the education field, knew the path they needed to follow.
"I guess it was meant to be, the way the whole thing happened, getting with Sylvia," said Miller.
"Timing," both agreed quietly.
"That cookbook, my body and soul is in it," added the author, leafing through its pages. "Sylvia saw something in me I did not see myself."
"Marlenea has accomplished every goal we set out," said Carey.
The two have met once a week, 56 times a year for about two hours each session, according to Carey.
"She is an excited learner," said the teacher. "When she learns, she has things to do."
Like compiling a cookbook, learning computer skills to help in the project, and going on-line to e-mail family, projects and skills many of Miller's contemporaries are probably struggling to master.
"If someone had said two years ago that I would be putting together a cookbook, I would have said, 'no way'! I have always wanted to do something like this, but I thought it would be impossible," said Miller.
"I have learning disabilities that affect the way I read. This has been my deepest, darkest secret. Very few people knew that I could not read or write. My own mother never knew. I attended twelve years of school and had a third grade reading level. I was the class dummy that had been scarred for life," said Miller.
Miller described Carey as "a terrific teacher and a very dear friend." She also credits prayer with sending her Sylvia.
Dedicating the cookbook to "thousands of others like me who have always dreamed of reading" and to all the literacy program volunteers and her husband, Richmond, Miller said she tried to design the book to be easy to follow.
"By writing this cookbook, if I can encourage one person to be a literacy volunteer or inspire someone to ask for help, then the time that I put into this book was worth it."
By being a volunteer tutor, Miller said, "you can help someone have their life back and find the good in themselves.
And for non-readers: "If you have a dream, don't give up, just ask," said Miller. "Open your heart to restore a mind today. Someone's tomorrow may be brighter because of you."
Those interested in becoming turors or for more information about the CEC Literacy Program, contact Boo Evans at the CEC at 575-0292.

On Thursday the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotics Enforcement Task Force arrested one man and seized a substantial amount of crack cocaine, marijuana, cash, documents and proceeds from an alleged illegal drug operation in South Boston.
Alexander Findley Monsanto AKA Alex Jordan Monsanto AKA Alexander Maxwell Coleman was arrested by the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotics Enforcement Task Force for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Monsanto, 35, from Balize, was arrested after a search warrant was executed at 502 Cardinal Court in South Boston.
The Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Halifax County Sheriff's Department Special Tactical Assault Response Squad (STARS), South Boston Police Department, the Department of Corrections and Internal Revenue Service executed the search warrant Thursday evening after an extensive investigation.
Monsanto was initially being held without bond in the Blue Ridge Regional Adult Detention Center in Halifax, but following his arraignment Friday, his bond was reduced to $10,000.
Friday evening, the Department of Immigration and Naturalization placed a detainer on Monsanto as an alleged illegal alien.
A substantial amount of crack cocaine, marijuana, cash, documents and proceeds of narcotics sales were seized during the raid, a news release from the Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force Office indicated.
This phase of the investigation was brought to a close as the Task Force concluded relative investigations being prosecuted Federally.
Additional charges are anticipated against Monsanto, and as this investigation continues, future arrests and seizures of assets are anticipated of coconspirators and associates of Monsanto, including his base of narcotics customers, the release stated.

The Town Council of Virgilina voted unanimously Thursday night to pay an annual fee of $175 to become a member of the Virginia Rural Water Association (VRWA).
"This will provide a lot of benefits to the town," Mayor Stover Long said. "They've got lots of equipment to find leaks in the water and sewer lines, and if you are a member they will come out and provide these services free of charge."
That is not all.
The VRWA field staff provides members towns with a number of services.
If the town should have any questions or problems with their water and sewer system, one of five field reps will come out to Virgilina and provide on-site technical and managerial assistance.
The groundwater technician, Ken Coffman, conducts on-site visits for outreach and technical assistance in water systems with groundwater.
Don Layne, the waste water technician, has over 30 years experience in wastewater treatment plant operation and safety, and can offer practical advice regarding the hands-on day-to-day operation and maintenance to supervision and management of waste treatment facilities.
Circuit rider Andy Crocker provides technical, managerial assistance to rural and small water systems throughout the commonwealth.
Program specialist Dennis Wanless is in charge of most of the training sessions offered through the VRWA. These seminars, which are open to VRWA members free or at reduced rates, are designed to meet the needs of small water systems. Wanless also provides instruction for the licensing exam in mathematics.
In addition to these responsibilities, Wanless reviews water ordinances and identifies vendors, contractors and service suppliers to help operators and managers run systems and keep updated on new regulations.
The water development coordinator, Bill Mosely, provides technical assistance to rural communities in the formation of a plan to bring together water systems to outline strategies to serve rural households without safe drinking water.
As a VRWA member, Virgilina will receive the monthly Rural Water Review letter, periodic mailings of all legislative updates pertaining to water/wastewater systems, a free yearly subscription to the quarterly VRWA magazine, Stream Line, and the annually publicized VRWA Industry Guide.
And should Virgilina require replacement parts or special services, associate members of the VRWA offer their goods and services to members at a discounted rate.
"All you have to do is call," Long said.
Discussion continued concerning the Poore building located in town. According to council member John Youngk, the building is in very bad condition and could present a hazard.
"The roof has actually fallen in," Youngk said.
Council members have been discussing this building for at least two months and agree that it needs to be repaired or demolished.
Youngk said he offered to take down the building himself if the owner would give him the property in return, but withdrew his offer when he got no response.
Instead a building inspector from Halifax County will come out and inspect the building.
If the building inspector condemns the property, the building owner will be given time to demolish it himself, otherwise the town will seek the Halifax Board of Supervisors' permission to tear the building down.
Council members voted to table discussion of the town's mission statement for another month to allow for additional input from town members.
Council members began working on a new mission statement last September.
After several public input sessions, the following statement was drafted:
"The citizens of the Town of Virgilina, Virgilina, Virginia, through its governing body, the Town Council, and through its Charter and Ordinances, affirm their commitment to continuously assure that the town remains a quiet, quaint, and safe community for its residents and business owners. In its commitment to this end, the Town Council will strive to accomplish the following:
· Retain a good working relationship with the Halifax County Sheriff's Department;
· Seek to involve the organizations in the community, i.e. the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department, the Virgilina Woman's Club, the churches, and any other civic organizations, in the long-range and short-range planning of the council;
· Have periodic town meeting during which citizens will be encouraged to share their ideas and council will be encouraged to share updates and important decisions made by council;
· Have an Historical Committee appointed whose responsibility will be to gather important historical date and plan for permanent means of keeping such data for all to enjoy;
· Strive to get public interest in the beautification of the town through updating, restoring, renovating, and/or destroying dangerous and unsightly buildings;
· Seek funding for street and/or town entrance cosmetic decorations;
· Pursue any avenues available for grants and/or low interest loans that will provide funding for updating and extending the present sewage and water systems and/or for part-time or full-time police services; and
· Keep informed of new opportunities and policies having to do with the governing of small towns in the State of Virginia.

By The Associated Press
Virginia Beach officials who dealt with legal wrangling over the Lake Gaston pipeline for two decades know about perseverance. They may be able to offer advice to Greensboro leaders who are also trying to solve water problems.
Virginia Beach leaders spent 20 years and $150 million to lay a pipeline 76 miles inland, all the way to Lake Gaston on the North Carolina border. When water began gushing through the pipeline in 1997 after North Carolina's legal challenges ran out, residents could finally could wash their cars and water their lawns.
In North Carolina, talk of the proposal Randleman Dam and reservoir has been afloat the last 25 years.
The $120 million project, which calls for a 3,000-acre lake, would provide drinking water for Greensboro, High Point, Archdale,  Jamestown, Randleman and Randolph County. It has been tied up in environmental red tape.
''Don't think that if you just hang in there, what's right will win,'' said Louis Guy, Norfolk's utilities director oversees the city's 10 water reservoirs.
Time and again, pipeline proponents thought they had won the battle, he says, only to find yet another hurdle to clear.
''You've got to persevere,'' said Tom Leahy, the pipeline project manager.
Opponents of Randleman, Leahy warns, will try to ''win by slowly  losing'' by filing appeals and slowing the regulatory process.
The only reason Virginia Beach eventually prevailed in the fight, he said, is ''the staying power of our city council. And it really was the best overall technical solution.''
Besides the legal problems, officials in both cities believed the projects were the only way to ensure future water.
''We were totally dependent on Norfolk to sell us water,'' said Louis Jones, a city council member. He had been the city's mayor in 1983-84, when a major regional drought prompted Norfolk to restrict the amount of water it was selling daily to Virginia Beach.
The town's solution is nestled deep in the countryside of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Lake Gaston is a remote, sparsely populated area of vacation homes, bass fishermen and rolling farmland.
Lake Gaston was created in 1963 by damming the Roanoke River so Virginia Power could provide electricity to Virginia residents. But since much of Lake Gaston lies in North Carolina, Tar Heel officials did everything they could to block the pipeline.
''North Carolina's position over the years has been that the use of this water was not necessary,'' said Alan Hirsch, an N.C. special deputy attorney general who has spearheaded the fight to stop the Gaston project.
But Lake Gaston proponents may learn what it's like to finally win but not be able to take a break.
Hirsch said federal approval for the pipeline came in the form of an amendment to a 50-year energy license granted for Virginia Power's hydroelectric plant on Lake Gaston. That 50-year license expires in January 2001.
For the last 18 months, North Carolina officials have been gathering data for the license renewal process. ''It has already started over,'' he said.

Mrs. Maxine Lee Coleman Carr of 730 Hedderly St., Halifax died Friday, May 7 at her residence at the age of 79.
She was born in Halifax County March 19, 1920 and was the daughter of the late Davis Coleman and Cora Barksdale Coleman. She was married to Robert B. Carr and was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. She was also the former operator and owner of Carr's Florist.
Mrs. Carr is survived by her husband; one daughter, Oveda Carr Beard of Jersey City, N.J.; two sons, Robert Carr, Jr. and David Carr, both of Halifax; five grandchildren; one great grandchild; two sisters, Mildred Coleman Clark of Minneapolis, Minn. and Juanita Coleman Campbell of Alton; two brothers, T.W. Coleman of Halifax and William Coleman of New York; one son-in-law; two daughters-in-law; two brothers-in-law; and four sisters-in-law.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. Burial will follow in the Banister Hill Baptist Church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased.

Christopher Everette Treff of 1029 Nathalie Rd., Nathalie died May 5 at his home. He was born in Halifax County February 18, 1965 and was 34 years old.
He was the son of Dennis Rene Treff and Mary Kathryn Quick Clay.
He was a member of the South Boston Church of God.
Mr. Treff is survived by two daughters, Candace Marie Treff and Crystal Lee Treff of Lawrenceville, Ga.; his wife, Rosemarie M. Treff of Lawrenceville; his mother, Mary Kathryn Clay of Nathalie; his father, Dennis R. Treff of Tiger, Ga.; one brother, James Edward Treff of McCall, S.C.; one sister, Marie Treff Angel of Gladys; and his grandmother, Hazel Woodard Giberson of Greensboro, N.C.
Funeral services were held Sunday at South Boston Church of God with the Revs. Bill Leonard and Harper Davis conducting. Burial took place in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Saturday from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. and other times at the home of Joseph and Phyllis Adkins, 1426 Homestead Rd., Gretna.

Ernest Younger Granger of 412 Lakeside Dr., Halifax died May 8 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
He was the son of the late John Cabell Granger and Lena Clark Granger and was married to Kathleen (Teena) Wilkins Granger. He was a member of the Beth Car Baptist Church, the Halifax Masonic Lodge #96, and a World War II Army veteran.
Mr. Granger is survived by his wife; one daughter, Susan Medlin of Roxboro, N.C.; two brothers, Billy M. Granger of Scottsburg and Cecil G. Granger of Halifax.

Graveside services will be held today at 11 a.m. at the Halifax Cemetery with the Rev. Charles Stewart officiating.
The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased. For memorials please consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, Va. 24592.

Mrs. Pearl Wade Jordan of Bay Shore, N.Y. and formerly of Halifax County, died May 6 at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore at the age of 86.
She was born in Halifax County June 10, 1912 and was the daughter of the late William Wade and Mary Adams Wade. She was married to the late Joseph Jordan and was a former member of the New Bethel Baptist Church.
Mrs. Jordan is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Travis Hairston of Bay Shore; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one son-in-law, Mr. Frank Hairston of Bay Shore; and one sister-in-law, Mrs. Beulah Crutchfield of Alton.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Mason Chapel Baptist Church with Rev. Ronald Claiborne officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home tonight from 7:00 until 8:00.

Rosa Lee Drake Hines, 87, died Friday, May 7, 1999 in Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Hines was a member of the Clarksville Presbyterian Church.
Her survivors include her daughter: Virginia Parker Rhoden of Clarksville; granddaughters: Mrs. George (Lynn) Scheier of Danville, Deborah Farmer of Timberlake, NC and grandson: Patrick Rhoden of Richmond and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Sunday afternoon at the Clarksville Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Eric Meyers officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Clarksville Presbyterian Church Building Fund, Mecklenburg County Life Saving & Rescue or charity of your choice.