Four people, including three former residents of Brooklyn, New York, were indicted Monday by a Halifax County Circuit Court grand jury on felony counts stemming from a drug raid last December.
Agents of the Tri-County Regional Drug Task Force, along with assistance from various area law enforcement agencies, descended on an apartment in the Westside Village Apartment in Sinai to arrest the subjects.
Police seized a one-half ounce rock of crack cocaine valued at $1,400, $400 of marijuana, weapons, and $3,000 in cash during the December 19, 1997 raid.
The alleged ringleader, Altimont Mark Wilks, 27, of Brooklyn was indicted on six felony counts, including charges of distribution of crack cocaine, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, distribution of marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm while in the possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
Also indicted was Nicole Younger, 24, of Sinai, who had rented the apartment where the raid took place. She was indicted on four felony counts of distribution of crack cocaine, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, distribution of marijuana, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Dwayne Andre Jones, 22, of Brooklyn was indicted on four felony counts of distribution of crack cocaine, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, distribution of marijuana, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Louis Agner III, 24, of Brooklyn was indicted on four felony counts of distribution of crack cocaine, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, distribution of marijuana, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
They are currently being held in the Halifax County Jail pending their trials in the Halifax County Circuit Court.
Other indictments handed down Monday were:
Halifax County High School principal Larry Clark has been elected chairman of the Virginia High School League.
Clark, who represents the Northwest Region on the VHSL Executive Committee, was elected chairman of the Executive Committee at its May 6 meeting in Charlottesville.
He will succeed Jim Williams, principal of Twin Springs High School in Nickelsville as the Virginia High School League's presiding officer.
Clark's one year term as chairman will begin July 1.
Prior to being elected chairman of the VHSL Executive Committee, Clark had served as chairman of both the Western District and Northwest Region.
In 1997, Clark was named Virginia's High School Principal of the Year by the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals and the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt said that having Clark serve as chairman of the VHSL Executive Committee good representation on the body.
"It's a high honor to have our principal as chairman of the executive board," Witt noted.
In accepting the new position, Clark pledged to the Virginia High School League staff, Executive Committee, and membership his best effort to guide the League into the 21st century.
"My firm belief is that an independent association of member schools remains the best way to govern interscholastic activities in Virginia's high schools," Clark said.
The Virginia High School League was founded in 1913 as an independent association of Virginia's 288 secondary schools whose enrollments range from less than 100 to more than 2,500.
Last year the VHSL recognized 69 state champions in both interscholastic athletic and academic activities.
Kenneth G. Tilley serves as the Virginia High School League Executive Director. The organization is governed by a 48 member Executive Committee with offices located in Charlottesville.
A police checkpoint held Saturday night and early Sunday morning in the Town of Halifax resulted in three felony charges against a Nathalie man.
Gary D. Boyd, 32, was charged with felony counts of obstruction of justice, possession of crack cocaine, and attempting to maliciously wound a law enforcement officer, according to Halifax Police Chief Shawn Sweeney.
Boyd was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana, Chief Sweeney added.
The incident began shortly after midnight when Boyd approached the police checkpoint which was being conducted in front of the Virginia State Police field office on North Main Street.
Boyd allegedly tried to drive through the checkpoint and was stopped by Chief Sweeney, Sgt. Howard D. Gregory, and Officer Stanley Britton. After the initial stop, he tried to drive off and was stopped again, according to the investigation.
Then Boyd allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated swiftly backwards, almost running down Sgt. Gregory. That was the basis for the attempting to maliciously wound charge, police said.
Boyd refused to get out of the car which caused Chief Sweeney to forcibly extract him from the vehicle. At one point, Sweeney had to pull his service revolver on Boyd, according to the investigation.
Meanwhile, Britton noticed Boyd dropping what appeared to be an off-white material from his left hand onto the pavement. That material is believed to be crack cocaine, police said.
During a search of the vehicle, police found several more pieces of what is believed to be crack cocaine on the seat, as well as a small quantity of marijuana, according to the investigation.
Boyd is currently being held in the Halifax County jail under a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court on July 13.
Halifax County's students will begin the 1998-99 school year on August 31, marking the third straight year that the local school system will have started school prior to Labor Day.
Teachers will begin their school year a week earlier, on August 24.
A recent ruling from the Virginia Department of Education granting Halifax County a waiver from the state law mandating that public schools in Virginia cannot start until after Labor Day paved the way for the early starting date.
State officials cited in their ruling that Halifax County met the inclement weather criterion of having missed an average of eight school days per year in any five of the past 10 years.
The 1998-99 school calendar unanimously adopted by school trustees Monday night is very similar to the current year's school calendar. Yet, the school board did make one amendment to the proposed calendar, that being to make December 22 a full school day for students.
The proposed calendar submitted to the school board called for students to be released from school at 1 p.m. on December 22.
And, in a split 6-2 vote, school trustees turned down a motion calling for an amendment that would make November 25, the last day of school prior to Thanksgiving, an early release day.
The proposed school calendar called for students to be released from school at 1 p.m. on December 22. However, school trustee Patricia Nelson objected.
"Teachers felt that kids are not focused anymore," Nelson said as to the reason that had been offered in favor of early release,
"I feel like if children have their (Christmas) party on Monday, when they come to school on Tuesday, you've really lost them. Teachers feel very strongly that they didn't want to keep them all day."
County school superintendent Dennis Witt noted that unless there was some compelling reason to do so, there should be no parties on Monday, December 21.
Nelson then suggested that Christmas parties be confined to the afternoon on December 22.
"One of the concerns about having parties in the morning is that they (the students) don't eat their lunch," she noted.
"I move that December 22 be a full day and recommend that (Christmas) parties be held on December 22 so that you can get in some instructional time on Monday the 21st."
Halifax County High School principal Larry Clark pointed out to the school board that as the school is moving to the 4x4 Block Schedule format the early release results in the loss of instructional time.
"I think it can have a negative impact on our instructional program at the high school if we have too many of them (early release days)," Clark said.
"I think we have to be very careful in protecting instructional time as we get underway with block scheduling. We will have enough problems without creating any."
The school board then voted unanimously to make December 22 a full day of school for students.
School trustee Wanda McDowell, citing concerns for people who have some distance to travel and meals to prepare, followed by offering a motion to make Wednesday, November 25, the final day of school prior to Thanksgiving, an early release day.
That motion got a second from D.H. McDowell, Jr. but was defeated.
There are a couple of other minor differences in the 1998-99 school calendar from the current year's calendar. One of them is that students will attend school all five days of the first week of school as the Friday teacher workday that had been set aside in previous years to give teachers an opportunity to catch up on clerical work and other matters has been eliminated.
Also under the 1998-99 school calendar, student report cards from all of the county's schools will go out on the same day this year. And, there will be a teacher workday at the end of each of the four nine week grading periods with two teacher workdays (January 21 and 22) being set at the conclusion of the first semester.
The schedule of makeup days was again set as a two tiered affair. If days are lost prior to the November 6 teacher workday, makeup days will be, in order: October 30 (teacher workday on Saturday), January 18 (Jackson-King-Lee Holiday), January 21 (with teacher workdays on Friday and Saturday), March 25 (teacher workday on Saturday), April 2 (Good Friday), and May 31 (Memorial Day).
If no days are lost prior to November 6, makeup days will be, in order: January 18 (Jackson-King-Lee Holiday), January 21 (workdays on Friday and Saturday), March 26 (workday on Saturday), April 2 (Good Friday), and May 31 (Memorial Day).
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bobby R. Hall told the school trustees that the proposed calendar that was brought up for their consideration was based upon the recommendation of the Calendar Committee which met on May 5.
Comments and suggestions about the calendar were received from all of the county's schools, Dr. Hall said. Those suggestions and comments were compiled by school system administrators and turned over to the Calendar Committee for its consideration in developing the calendar.
Halifax County students and adults that pay full price for school breakfast and lunch meals and purchase milk will find themselves paying more next year.
The Halifax County School board voted unanimously Monday night to hike the price of full price breakfast meals by 10 cents, the price of lunch meals by 15 cents and the price of individual half pint cartons of milk by five cents.
With the school board's action, the price of full price school lunch meals will increase from 85 cents to one dollar with the price of adult lunch meals rising from $1.60 to $1.75.
The price of full price school breakfast meals will increase from 50 cents to 60 cents with the price of the adult breakfast meal rising from 85 cents to 95 cents.
And, the price of individual half pint cartons of milk purchased a la carte will increase from 20 cents to 25 cents.
The price increases for the full price school lunch meals will have no effect on the prices that are charged for reduced price school meals. That's because the prices for reduced price school meals are set by the state and students that qualify to receive those meals are determined by family income levels established by the state.
Monday night's action marked the first hike in school meal prices in four years and only the second price increase in 10 years.
Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt explained that the price hikes will generate additional revenues for the county's school food services program.
According to information supplied by school system officials, the price hikes will help generate approximately $68,000 in additional revenues. The hike in breakfast prices is projected to generate $7,272 in additional funds while the hike in the lunch prices is expected to produce $57,564 in new funds. Raising the price of the milk is expected to generate approximately $3,000.
"This will enable us to replace (cafeteria) equipment better than we are able to do now," Witt explained, "and do the kinds of things that we're pretty limited on in our budget now."
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bobby R. Hall pointed out that the increase will also help the school system in its efforts to provide salary hikes for cafeteria employees.
School system officials noted that the reimbursements that the school system receives from the state for reduced price and free school meals are primarily what keeps the school food services program afloat.
Funds generated by the sales of full price meals and adult meals are not enough to keep the program out of the red.
In addition to generating additional revenue, the meal price hike will bring the county's school meal price schedule into line with the meal prices being charged by neighboring school systems.
This year Halifax County's lunch meal prices averaged 15 cents lower than surrounding school systems and the price of breakfast meals was, on the average, 10 cents lower than its neighbors.
While the discussion centered primarily on the price issue, school trustee Patricia Nelson brought up a side issue, that of increasing the size of serving portions.
Nelson pointed out that she has received comments from some parents that their children were having to buy two lunch meals in order to satisfy their appetites and that she did not feel that children should be placed into that position.
"Kids have got to have more food on their tray," Nelson remarked.
"If they want additional food, they have to pay for an additional lunch. That's my only concern. I'd like to see the servings be larger."
Carolyn Higgins, the county school system's food services supervisor, replied "we are meeting the requirements set by the state department. As far as serving larger portions, it would increase our costs substantially."
Nelson said that in many instances, the student simply wants an extra piece of pizza or an extra serving of one particular food item and that under the present system, the child has to buy and pay for a whole additional meal in order to accomplish that.
Witt asked Higgins if she and others in the school food services arena would look into the possibility of providing some items on an a la carte basis and approximate what the prices would need to be. Higgins replied that she would look into the matter.
"If we had chicken or pizza or hamburger, we ought to be able to provide them two if we could manage it," Witt noted.
By DAVID ESPO
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite efforts to remake their image, Republicans are seen by the public as more interested in shielding the tobacco industry than in protecting young people from smoking, according to a poll taken for the GOP. It also found the opposite is true for Democrats.
At the same time, the survey suggested that Republicans can scuttle the comprehensive tobacco bill pending in the Senate in favor of a less-sweeping measure without additional loss of public support.
The conclusions were contained in a nationwide survey completed within the last two weeks for the Republican National Committee and shared with lawmakers in recent days.
''Republicans - but not Democrats - have a perception problem as defenders of the tobacco industry,'' reads the document circulated by RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson.
While Democrats were also viewed as defenders of the industry in a survey last fall, they ''have flipped their imagery'' in the intervening months, it adds.
The findings come at a critical time in the debate over tobacco, and with Republicans still searching for an election-year strategy.
The Senate is expected to begin work next week on tobacco-related legislation, possibly on a bill crafted by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. It would increase the price of cigarettes by $1.10 a pack, require the industry to pay $516 billion over 25 years, increase the authority of the Food and Drug Administration to regulate nicotine products and extend limited liability to the industry from future lawsuits.
While Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi is expected to bring the issue to the floor next week, an aide said during the day he hasn't yet decided whether McCain's bill or an alternative will be the one advanced for debate.
In the House, Speaker Newt Gingrich has attacked McCain's bill as a ''big government'' response, and says he favors an alternative more directly targeted to cutting down on teen smoking and linked to provisions designed to curtail drug use.
At the same time, advocates of McCain's measure and the tobacco industry are waging dueling advertising campaigns in a bid to mold public opinion.
The industry maintains that McCain's measure is an enormous tax increase in disguise that would create a black market for cigarettes. A report issued over the weekend by a GOP leadership group in the Senate charged McCain with understating the actual cost of his bill by tens of billions of dollars.
The counter-campaign by public interest health groups says that cigarette-makers are counting on lawmakers to bail them out this year.
The RNC survey, only a small portion of which was devoted to tobacco, was taken jointly by Tarrance & Associates, Public Opinion Strategies and Voter Consumer Research. None of the three polling firms would comment on the survey, nor did the RNC.
Beginning with Gingrich, Republicans have labored for months to distance themselves from the tobacco industry, which has contributed generously to GOP campaigns over the years. In the House, for example, Virginia Rep. Tom Bliley, chairman of the Commerce Committee, has generated headlines for subpoenaing industry documents.
In the Senate, GOP Whip Don Nickles of Oklahoma and others have spoken out against giving legal immunity to the industry as part of any legislation.
Still, the survey summary indicated that Republicans have made only modest inroads in the perception that they are defenders of the tobacco industry.
Last October, ''We were seen as more industry-sensitive by a margin of 52-24. Now that margin is a little better, 48-28,'' said the summary. ''However, the Democrats have flipped their imagery. Then they were 44-32 more industry-sensitive. Now that margin is 47-29 the other way, more youth-sensitive.''
When it comes to legislation, though, the summary says Republicans who back a comprehensive bill are no worse off than those who back a more limited approach when confronted with Democratic attacks that they are too cozy with the industry.
''Overall, relative to the Democratic attack ... a 'skinny' approach actually does marginally better than the more comprehensive approach,'' it says.
The description of the comprehensive bill in the survey tracked closely with McCain's legislation. The description of a smaller bill included a 50-cent increase in the cost of cigarettes, making it illegal to sell to anyone under 21 and establishing an ad campaign to curb teen smoking.
It is a leap of faith all six Goods are taking.
David Good has already offered his chimney business and the family vehicles for sale, and rented the family's Wolf Trap home.
On June 2 he, his wife, Joanne, and their five sons and one daughter, ranging in ages from 19 to seven years, will depart for southern Belize aboard a truck with a 12-foot camper shell.
It is with a sense of adventure and Christian faith they depart to help others.
They have made a two-year commitment to a Mennonite Mission program in the Central American country, a commitment which will include operating a farm and a small repair shop.
The farm and the shop are destined to keep family members busy. Good thinks the mission liked the fact the family had several young men in its number. "And the boys are interested in mechanic work," said Good.
"The shop keeps mission vehicles repaired and on the road," he explained. But the shop also offers an opportunity to teach natives mechanical skills.
David Good's sons also are interested in woodworking and Belize is known for its nice mahogany.
Some Virginia luxuries, however, will be missing.
The furnished farmhouse will have electricity during the day from shop generators, but not at night. It does have a well.
Also, the Good family will be the only Americans in their village, but there are several families who have permanent homes in nearby villages. There are 10 to 12 churches in the various villages the Mennonites oversee, explained Good.
"On Sundays we will be helping the various churches transport members and help in activities of the church," he added.
The good news is English is the official language in Belize, a former British colony.
The closest town is Punta Gorda, about 25 miles away, and it has a hospital.
Although the Mission group started schools and churches in the area, the schools stop at about the seventh or eighth grade, which will mean some home schooling for the Good family.
However, the two older boys, Arlin, 19, and Richard, 17, will already be high school graduates. A third son, Anthony, is 14, Sharon, 12, Kendall, 10 and Rolin 7.
David Good said his name was submitted to the mission board and he was asked to consider the mission commitment around November of last year. He answered in January.
"The call came ...and this is something we can do as a family," said Good. The Wolf Trap resident sees the invitation as an opportunity to help others, to bring the Gospel and teach others skills to help themselves.
Joanne Good describes the mission commitment as "a real challenge, a real opportunity. For a long time I heard of other families who have done work like this and always wondered about it," she added.
Her husband thinks it is an opportunity for their children to see and live in another culture. "It will be enlightening, also from the aspect of missions, helping natives learn the Gospel and teaching skills... I would think that would be a real challenge for young people."
Good said he also "felt like we could do this as a family" since all six children are still living at home.
Good said he talked to three or four families who have gone to the mission and that they all recommended it.
"It is not an easy thing to do, but there is something about helping people and presenting the Gospel," said Mrs. Good. "You feel like you are doing a worthwhile thing."
Melvin George Batsche, 76, of 7320 Snow Hill Dr., Spotsylvania, died Saturday morning, May 9, 1998 at his home. He was the husband of the late Eunice Johnson Batsche.
Mr. Batsche was born in Dayton, KY on November 22, 1921, the son of Louis Henry Batsche and Anna Gellenbeck Batsche. He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
His survivors include his daughter and son-in-law: Sheila and Vince Melton of Spotsylvania; three grandchildren: Heather Wheeler, Hilary Melton and Vincent Melton of Spotsylvania; two great-grandchildren: Danielle Melton and Elizabeth Morgan Wheeler of Spotsylvania; a sister: Rita Shaw of Bradenton, FL; and a sister-in-law: Maureen J. Abbott of Nathalie.
A graveside service was conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Abbott Family Cemetery in Nathalie by the Rev. Dane Skeleton.