Former school board member Walter Potts announced yesterday he will seek the Election District 4 Board of Supervisors seat being vacated by Supervisor Bill Abbott.
Abbott announced earlier this week that he will not seek reelection due to business and farming demands on his time.
To date, Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker Jr., Sheriff Jeff Oakes, Commissioner of the Revenue Danny Jackson and Treasurer Linda Foster have announced reelection bids. The Clerk of Court office also is on the ballot in the November election.
Greenbacker is running under the Republican banner and Jackson and Foster are running as Independents.
Public Defender Robert Meeks announced in early spring he would seek the commonwealth's attorney post as an Independent, and James Russell Dismuke, an Independent, announced he would challenge Sheriff Oakes, a Republican candidate.
On the Board of Supervisors, R.E. "Dickie" Abbott, ED-1, and Garland Ricketts, ED-7, have announced re-elections bids. Both are running as Independents.
Supervisor R.L. "Robbie" Smart, ED-8, announced this spring he would not seek reelection and this week South Boston Town Councilman C.W. "Corky" Rorrer Jr. announced he would seek the ED-8 seat.
In ED-5, Supervisor Earl Watts is seeking reelection under the GOP banner. Challenger James Edmunds II is running as an Independent.
Voters also will elect school board representatives in the Nov. 2 election with seats up in Election Districts 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Jason Parker has filed as a candidate for school board in the ED-I seat being vacated by Raleigh Moorefield.
School Board member Lottie Nunn in ED-7 has announced she will not seek reelection. Other School Board seats up in the election are those held by Alan Gravitt, ED-4, Carl Furches, ED-5, and Patti Nelson, ED-8.
Delegate W.W. "Ted" is seeking reelection as a Democrat in the 60th District.

With the June 8 filing deadline for candidates nearing, Halifax County Registrar Judy Meeler is hoping candidates will file well ahead of deadline to allow her office time to check petitions.
So far, the registrar said it is quite and she worries all the candidates will file the last week.
Only three, commonwealth's attorney candidate Robert Meeks, treasurer Linda Foster and commissioner of revenue Danny Jackson, have filed certificates and turned in their petitions as of yesterday.
There is danger in filing near the deadline, said Meeler, because if there is a problem with petitions and candidates need additional names, the candidate may not have time to correct the problem prior to deadline.
Those nominated at the Republican Mass Meeting next week will simply have their names presented to the registrar.
The GOP Mass Meeting is scheduled Tuesday, May 25, at 7 p.m. in Halifax at the old Board of Supervisors' meeting room located next to the sheriff's office.

A suspect arrested during the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force "Operation Street Sweep" was found guilty on drug charges this week in Halifax County Circuit Court.
Jesse Lee Sims Jr., 21, of Woodbrook Avenue, South Boston, entered an Alford Plea to charges of distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (namely crack cocaine), and was found guilty by Circuit Court Judge William L. Wellons Wednesday.
Sims was one of over 40 suspects targeted in the six-month undercover drug operation that focused primarily on suspected street level drug dealers.
Wellons reduced Sims' bond to $5,000, and remanded him to the Detention Center Boot Camp.
He will be sentenced in July.
Other cases heard in Halifax County Circuit Court this week included:
· Jesse J. Hendren, 20, of Alderson Avenue, South Boston, was found guilty of possession of cocaine and will be sentenced in July.
Hendren was stopped during at a road block set up on Sinai Road September 27, 1998, and was also charged with obstruction of justice and driving without an operator's license.
Hendren was also found guilty of these two misdemeanor charges.
He remains free on bond.
· Courtney Lipscomb, 34, of Llewellyn Avenue, South Boston, was in court regarding a capias for failure to abide by the conditions of intensive supervision after her release from incarceration March 1.
Wellons found her guilty of violating her probations and sentenced her to return to prison and complete the remaining two and a half years of her sentence.
· Larry Donnell Owen, AKA Larry Bowman, 41, of Riverdale Drive, South Boston, pleaded guilty and was found guilty of distributing cocaine.
He remains free on bond until he is sentenced in July.
· Ernest Percel Medley, 37, of Logan Street, South Boston, who was found guilty of two counts of distributing cocaine last term, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, 10 years for each count.
Wellons suspended all but two years and one month, which will run concurrently with the other seven month sentence imposed in August of 1998, on the condition of Medley's good behavior for a 10 year period, two years probation, and random drug testing.
· Jerry Osborne, 51, of Mountain Road, Halifax, pleaded not guilty and was released after evidence related to the charge of possessing a concealed firearm after being convicted of a felony were stricken. The case was dismissed.
· James Aster Reagan, 28, of L.P. Bailey Highway, Halifax, pleaded guilty and was found guilty of stealing an engine worth more than $200 last September, breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny and the theft of a weedeater worth more than $200 in October, and breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony and stealing items valued over $200 in November.
Wellons sentenced him to 20 years, four years on each of the five charges, and suspended all but 12 months in jail on the condition that Reagan complete two years probation, continue counseling, and be of good behavior for 20 years.
· Juan Rico Tucker, 27, of Beulah Road, Nathalie, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
Wellons suspended all but 30 days on condition of Tucker's good behavior, completion of community service, one year probation.
· William Louis Cash, 39, of Halls Trail, Halifax, was tried on charges of malicious wounding of Melissa Brunsfield. On a motion of Commonwealth Attorney John Greenbacker Jr., Wellons agreed to reduce the indictment to misdemeanor assault and battery, to which Cash pleaded guilty.
Wellons found him guilty of the amended charges and ordered Cash, who remains free on bond, to have no contact with the victim.
A presentence report was ordered for July.
· Momar Guy, 27, of Farragut Avenue, South Boston, pleaded guilty to shoplifting and was found guilty as charged.
He remains free on bond pending his sentencing in July.
· Sterling Lynn Lacks, 30, of Mountain Road Trail, Halifax, pleaded not guilty to two counts of practicing his profession of carpentry without a valid license, and pleaded not guilty to grand larceny (keeping a cash advance in excess of $200 from Patsy J. and John B. LeBoeut, who contended he did not complete the remodeling work he had been contracted to do last fall).
After examining all the evidence from both sides, Wellons dismissed the grand larceny charges and one count of practicing construction without a valid license.
Wellons found Lacks guilty of one misdemeanor count of practicing his profession without a valid license and sentenced him to 12 months in jail and fined him $2,500.
Lacks was remanded to the Blue Ridge Regional Adult Detention Center in Halifax.
· Michael Wayne Perkins, 22, of South Main Street, Clover, was tried on four counts of grand larceny/embezzlement.
On a motion by Greenbacker, two counts were nol prossed, and Wellons found Perkins guilty of remaining two charges.
Perkins remains free on bond until he is sentenced in July.
· John Tony Terry, 45, of Ridge Road, Vernon Hill, pleaded guilty and was found guilty of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
He remains free on bond until he is sentenced in July.

By JENNIFER MACKINTOSH
CACF + June 26 + The Prizery = SHF '99
What on earth do those letters and numbers mean? If you look closely and think carefully you will see that CACF = Community Arts Center Foundation; June 26th, the date, and The Prizery the place. SHF '99 = Southern Heritage Festival '99.
The Southern Heritage Festival is an event that celebrates our southern heritage by focusing on trades, customs, traditions, transportation, food, music, craftsmanship, and entertainment.
The concept originated with Avaris Terry, Program Chairman for the Community Arts Center Foundation in 1998, whereby she envisioned our community and the region coming together to celebrate our multicultural heritage.
This was achieved with the participation of the Buckingham Lining Bar Gang, gospel choirs, and bluegrass musicians performing on the outdoor pavilion at Constitution Square.
At The Prizery an Art Market displayed the artwork of local and regional artists while demonstrations of bee keeping, honey making, Windsor chair making, basket making and rug hooking filled the remaining space.
The second annual Southern Heritage Festival will be held in The Prizery and on Constitution Square. The history of transportation will be displayed at Constitution Square.
There will be a show of antique tractors, antique fire trucks, old modified racing cars and a scaled J3 cub plane.
In addition craft and food vendors will be selling their wares. A moonwalk, face painting and Kiddie Kar ride are planned for the children.
The Prizery will be the center of many and various exhibits, demonstrations and performances. The musical group "Folk Salad" will be playing and singing folk and bluegrass throughout the day. In celebration of the play "Quilters", which is being presented by Halifax County Little Theatre, the quilting ladies who quilted the quilts for "Quilters" will be quilting for you.
Be sure to view the quilting exhibition from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at Halifax High School being sponsored by Parsons-Bruce Art Association, partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In addition Parsons-Bruce will be sponsoring a Student Art Show at The Prizery displaying the artistic talent of Halifax County Public School students.
Rug hooking, Windsor chair making, bee keeping, honey making, blacksmithing, and a potter at his wheel are among the demonstrations for you to watch and learn about as the artisans and craftsmen perform their talent and skill.
The exhibits displayed at The Prizery will be about local Olympic track star Tisha Waller and textile assembly and machinery.
Since racing was practically born in southside Virginia and is part of our southern heritage, there will be a Racing Raffle. Ward and Jeff Burton have autographed caps and a framed picture.
Other raffle prizes are t-shirts, South Boston Speedway racing tickets and racing accessories. The $1.00 tickets can be purchased that day or prior to the festival from any of the members of the Official User Groups of the Community Arts Center Foundation.
The Official User Groups are: Halifax County Little Theatre, Halifax Woman's Club, Parsons-Bruce Art Association and South Boston/Halifax Junior Woman's Club. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the renovation of The Prizery.
Craftsman, artisans, food, and craft vendors interested in participating in the festival should contact Cynthia Haugh at 476-7891 by May 28.
Remember:
June 26 + 10:00 to 4:00 + The Prizery + Constitution Square = SHF '99

Three Mecklenburg County women were arrested on shoplifting charges Tuesday, according to reports from the South Boston Police Department.
According to South Boston Lt. Rick Loftis, a Maxway employee called the police around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and reported that someone had taken a portable black and white television set from the store in the Centerville Shopping Center and left in a blue car.
After receiving the call, South Boston officers D.W. Barker and J.M. Baldwin stopped three women and a three-year-old child in a blue 1994 Ford on Main Street.
Upon further investigation the officers reportedly found the allegedly stolen portable black and white television in the back seat in addition to five pairs of Nike and Adidas brand tennis shoes, allegedly stolen from the Shoe Department Tri River Shopping Center.
The officers arrested the three woman and charged them as follows:
· Kathy Nicole Boyd, 23, of Dry Creek Road, South Hill, two counts of shoplifting;
· Brenda L. Bobbitt, 43, of West Atlantic Street, South Hill, aid and abet shoplifting the television;
· Sheba Lavon Joyner, 24, of the LaCrosse Trailer Park on Sycamore Street, LaCrosse, aid and abet shoplifting the shoes, and failure to have child properly restrained in vehicle.
All three have been released on bond.

Mary Markham Francis of 16115 L.P. Bailey Memorial Highway, Nathalie died Tuesday, May 18, 1999 at Lynchburg General Hospital. She was 67 years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Francis was born in Campbell County on May 19, 1931 the daughter of Adel Lovelace Markham and Gordon Lee Markham. She was first married to the late Guy William Francis and secondly survived by Dabney Thomas Gilliam of Nathalie. She was a member of Childrey Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school in the children's department for many years. She was owner of Francis Oil Service, Inc.
Survivors include one son and daughter in-law, Grayson and Sandra Francis of Nathalie; one daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and Eric Brown of Ashburn; two grandchildren, Laura Elizabeth Francis of Nathalie and Matthew William Ennis Brown of Ashburn; one brother, J.W. Markham of Winfall; four sisters, Shirley Elliott of Winfall, Nancy Leonard of Honolulu, HI, Linda Johnson of Miami, FL and Brenda Holt of Winfall.

A funeral service was conducted Thursday, May 20 at 2 p.m. at Childrey Baptist Church by Rev. Rodney Barwick with burial in the church cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Brookneal Rescue Squad.

Lillian S. Carrington of 1048 Morgan Trail, South Boston died Sunday, May 16, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Carrington was born in Person County, NC on September 30, 1916 the daughter of Luther Satterfield and Lena Williams Satterfield and was married to Charlie Louis Carrington. She was 82 years of age at the time of her death.
Survivors include seven daughters and sons-in-law, Savannah and Edward Morgan, Sue and Malcolm Morgan, Mary and Joe Morgan, Yvonne and Joel Medley, Patricia and James Richardson, all of South Boston, Jean and Kenneth Breedlove of Martinsville, Phyllis and Alex White of North Little Rock, AR; three sons and daughters-in-law, Oscar and Linda Carrington and Carnell and Marshello Carrington, all of South Boston, and Phillip and Mary Carrington of Agusta, GA; two sisters, Mandell Featherston of Roxboro, NC and Estell Farmer of NJ; 18 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mrs. Carrington will be held Saturday, May 22 at 1 p.m. at Cross Rod Baptist Church with Rev. Dennis White officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the chapel of Kent, Ballou and Crowder Funeral Service tonight, May 21 from 7 until 8:00.

Helen Mae Ballinger, 65, of Halifax County died Tuesday, May 18, 1999 in Culpeper Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Ballinger was born in Bridgeton, NJ on July 28, 1933 the daughter of Walter McCarthy and Veryl Stites McCarthy and was married to Jack Ballinger.
Survivors include her husband of Halifax County; children, David Ballinger of Lakewood, NJ, Steven Ballinger of Midland, Vickie Laudicina of Unionville and Brian Ballinger of Cliftwood Beach, NJ; one sister, Emily Wheaton of Bridgeton; and 17 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 22 at Johnson Funeral Home in Locust Grove with Rev. Dane Skelton officiating. Burial will follow in the family cemetery in Unionville.
The family will receive friends Saturday from 1:30 until 3 p.m. at Johnson Funeral Home.

Charlie Edward Sydnor of 1223 White Oak Fork Church Road, Virgilina died Monday, May 17, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 58 years of age.
Mr. Sydnor was born in Halifax County on April 7, 1941 the son of George Sydnor and Mamie Roberts Sydnor and was married to Dorothy Richardson Sydnor. He was a member of White Oak Fork Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Corliss Michelle Faulkner of South Boston; one son, Charles Michael Sydnor of Virgilina; two grandchildren; five sisters, Dorothy Fountain, Mrs. Truitt Richardson, Elnora Jordan and Evaughan Wilkins, all of Virgilina, and Sallie Williams of Bridgeport, CT; two brothers, Arthur Alton Sydnor and James Jackson Sydnor, both of Virgilina; four brothers-in-law, Robert Wilkins, Robert Richardson, Robert Fountain, all of Virgilina, and Lattie Thorpe of Roxboro, NC; five sisters-in-law, Jackie Lloyd, Christine Sydnor and Thelma Sydnor, all of Virgilina, Maggie Thorpe of Roxboro and Ann Sydnor of Hampton; and a devoted friend, Ralph Elliott.
Funeral services for Mr. Sydnor will be held Sunday, May 23 at 2 p.m. at White Oak Fork Baptist Church with Rev. Glenn Faulkner officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home.

Lillie Thomas Cumbie of High Point, NC died Wednesday, May 19, 1999 at her home at the age of 77.
Mrs. Cumbie was born in Caswell County, NC on October 4, 1921 to William H. Thomas and Willie McKee Thomas and was married to Samuel Pete Cumbie.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Nathaniel Pete Cumbie of Lexington, NC and Charles Wayne Cumbie of Oregon; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and one sister, Sadie Newby of South Boston. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Virgie Walker and Turly Phillips and three brothers, Nathan Thomas, Early Thomas and George Thomas.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 23 at 11 a.m. at the Cumby Eastchester Drive Chapel with Rev. Patrick Stair officiating. Burial will follow in Floral Garden Park Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Cumby Eastchester Drive Chapel tonight, May 21 from 7 until 8:30.