Monday, May 24, 2004

Supervisors To Get Look At $37.3M School CIP Tonight
School Operating Budget, County Budget Briefing Are Also On Agenda

Supervisors will get their first look at the projected $37.3 million Halifax County Public Schools Phase II capital improvement plan tonight.

The meeting will get underway at 7 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.

In the request for capital improvements, adopted unanimously by the School Board on April 28, school officials are requesting the authority from supervisors to borrow up to but not over $37.3 million for four projects.

School officials speculate that the cost of the project could be lower than projected.

Containing many of the recommendations of the Halifax County Advisory Committee on Educational Improvements, the plan submitted by the school system focuses on improvements to the middle school.

School officials plan to invest between $12 and $14 million on improving the middle school including additional classrooms and the upgrade of the school's science labs.

The middle school would also have a "state-of-the-art technology center to provide career exploration and career pathways for all eighth-grade students," according to the proposal.

In the center, students could study career areas including robotics, digital control production, aerospace, arts and graphic design, media production, health and human services, engineering and architectural design and other related arts "as identified by our community."

Approximately $14 million is planned to replace the current Washington-Coleman Elementary School in South Boston.

The new school would house around 650 students in grades preK-6.

It would be designed with a preK-3 pod and a four to sixth-grade pod. The two pods would share the use of the gymnasium, cafeteria and auditorium.

If approved,  students who currently attend C.H. Friend Elementary School would move to the new school, and the C.H. Friend building could be used for a magnet school to offer specialized areas of study in the arts and sciences to secondary students.

In the plan, school officials propose investing around $8.5 million in improvements to South of Dan/Cluster Springs elementary schools.

The improvements would provide adequate classroom space, a music room, art room, media center, gymnasium and a covered connecting corridor between each school and facilities shared by the two schools.

Each school is planned to house 325 students.

The plan also calls for $800,000 to be used to upgrade the roofs on all schools over a 10-year period to 30-year guarantee replacements.

Other Agenda Items

Members of the Finance Committee are expected to brief supervisors on the county's proposed budget for next year.

Included in the proposed budget, adopted by the committee last Tuesday, is a 4-cent per assessed $100 real estate tax increase and a 24-cent personal property tax increase for the next fiscal year.

If passed by the full board, the increases would mean a real estate tax rate of 35-cents per assessed $100 (after the rate was lowered due to reassessment) and a personal property tax rate of $2 per $100, up from the current $1.76 rate, according to County Administrator Joe Morgan.

The proposed budget is expected to be advertised by June 14 for a June 21 public hearing.

Morgan told the Finance Committee yesterday that the county is estimating total general fund expenditures of $27,119,658, compared to estimated income of $25,514,332.

The estimated deficit in next year's budget is $1,605,326, according to county staff.

With the tax increases, the county would have a revised surplus next year of $167,226.

Supervisors are also expected to adopt a school operating budget tonight.
Based on numbers from the final state budget, school system officials submitted a proposal for a $53,236,276 operating budget for fiscal year 2004-2005, Bill Covington, chief financial officer of the school system, told members of the Finance Committee last Monday.

The committee approved the budget during a Tuesday afternoon meeting.
"We had based our original School Board request on the House version of the budget at the time as a more conservative approach," he said. "That resulted in an original request of $14.5 million (in local funding)."

Covington told the committee that based on the approved state budget, the school system was now recommending level local funding of $11,871,131.

"The state budget has quite a bit more funding for localities," he said. "That's allowed us to propose to you a level funded budget from the locality."

With $2.5 million in additional state funding, the budget revisions present a drop of $1.8 million in local requests, according to Covington.

He added that with the level local funding, the proposal represents a surplus of $704,290 for the upcoming school year.

An update on Riverstone Technology Park's Building I and II financing is also expected during tonight's meeting.

Supervisors are expected to appoint two members to the task force studying water and sewer options.

During the joint meeting with towns last Monday, the task force was formed with two members each from the Board and the towns of Halifax and South Boston to study water and sewer services throughout the county.

A Lesson In Devotion
Will Take Over For Scott Morris On July 1 At Current Salary Plus $2,500 A Month

Lightning and a subsequent fire may have taken the home of Sherman and Gayle Conner early Saturday morning, but it didn't take them, thanks to their dog, Teddy.

The fire completely gutted the Conner's home at 1060 Circle C Lane, as well as destroying two of the couple's vehicles in the garage, but Teddy warned the Conners in time for them to esacape with their lives.

"It's a miracle the dog woke us up when it did, another minute and the smoke may have gotten us," said a thankful Gayle Conner.

"We lost a lot, but we're thankful to be alive."

It turned out to be a fateful decision earlier that evening, when Gayle Conner brought Teddy, an Australian Blue Heeler, in the house as a thunderstorm approached.

"Teddy usually stays in the garage, but I think she was scared, so I brought her into the house," said Gayle.

Conner said both she and her husband were in bed by about 12:30 a.m., when she heard a loud pop.

"Teddy barked and came into the bedroom," she said.

"I told her to calm down, go lie down, everything is alright."

As it turned out, nothing was...

"Teddy finally came and nudged me awake, and that's when I got up and smelled smoke," Gayle Conner recalled.

"Sherman stayed real calm, he told me to go out the back door and don't look back."

Sherman Conner said he tried to get to the garage to rescue at least one of the vehicles, but the heat and smoke were too intense.

"The smoke was so thick, you could have poked a hole in it with your finger, and the heat was so bad, I don't think you could have stood it wearing a firesuit," he explained.

"I called 911 on the way out the back door."

The Conners have begun taking stock of their loss, but know things could have been a lot worse if not for Teddy and the support of the community.

A steady stream of relatives and friends were stopping by to offer their assitance, noted Sherman Conner.

"Our neighbors and friends have been awfully good to us," he added.

"This may not have been the best house in the world, but we wouldn't have taken a million dollars for it."

Heat Related Storms Batter Southside Va.
Evening Storms Are Expected To Continue Through Mid-Week

If preparations for Memorial Day celebrations and community festivals is not enough to convince Halifax County residents that summertime rapidly approaches, they need simply look up.

The skies, they are a rumblin'.

The recent bout of afternoon and evening thunderstorms is a result of higher summer temperatures, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Jim Hudgins.

"You tend to get differential heating this time of year between the upper and lower atmospheres," he said. "Once you get one storm developed you get an outflow from the storm that develops more and more."

Areas of Halifax County received up to three inches of precipitation as a result of Friday's storms, according to Hudgins.

But he said flooding was not a large concern.

"These storms are moving pretty fast, 25 to 30 miles an hour if not faster," he explained. "The main threat would be severe weather.

"For the most part what they have been producing is large hail," he added. "And, some of these storms have produced strong winds."

Despite the strong winds Hudgins is not particularly worried about tornadoes.
"It can always happen," he said. "But the biggest concern right now are downbursts of wind and hail.

Hudgins said the afternoon and evening thunderstorms are likely to continue through midweek.

"There may be a front coming through midweek," he said. "That will drop the temperatures and dry us out temporarily."

It’s District Tournament Time
Varsity Girls Soccer Team Opens District Tournament Play Here Tonight; Comets Baseball Team Plays Here On Wednesday Night

By JOE CHANDLER | G-V Staff Writer

Western Valley District tournament play opens tonight for the district’s baseball, softball and soccer teams with opening-round play-in games set to kick off the action.

Halifax County High School’s varsity girls soccer team, the fourth seed, will face fifth seed GW here tonight at 7 p.m. at Tuck Dillard Stadium in the tournament play-in game.

The winner will go on the road Wednesday night to face Patrick Henry in Roanoke in one of the two tournament semifinal games.

In the boys soccer tournament, Halifax County, the fifth seed, will travel to Rocky Mount tonight to face Franklin County at 7 p.m. in the tournament play-in game.

The winner will go on the road Wednesday night to face regular-season champion Patrick Henry in one of the two district tournament semifinal contests.

Halifax County High School’s varsity softball and varsity baseball teams will be in action on Wednesday night in the semifinal round of their respective tournaments.

The Comets baseball team, the second seed, will host third seed E.C. Glass here Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Comets Field.

Halifax County’s varsity softball team, which ended up as the third seed by virtue of losing a coin toss, will travel to Rocky Mount Wednesday to face second seed Franklin County.

Game time Wednesday night at Rocky Mount is 7 p.m.

Play-in games for the fourth and fifth seeded teams in the baseball and softball tournaments will be played tonight.

In baseball, fifth seeded Franklin County will travel to Roanoke to face fourth seeded Patrick Henry.

The winner will go to Danville on Wednesday night to face regular-season champion GW in the other district tournament semifinal game.

In softball, winless E.C. Glass will go on the road tonight to face Patrick Henry in Roanoke in the play-in game.

The winner will go on the road Wednesday to face regular-season champion GW in the other district tournament semifinal game.

All of the district tournament championship games are scheduled to be played Friday.

Admission for tonight’s Comets varsity girls soccer team game and Wednesday night’s Comets varsity baseball game against E.C. Glass will be $4 per person.

No passes will be honored for either contest.

Obituaries

Betty Jane Raynor Davis

Betty Jane Raynor Davis, 63, of Vernon Hill, died Saturday, May 22, at Halifax Regional Hospital

She was born April 29, 1941, the daughter of Otis William Raynor and Mary Newby Raynor and was married to Leroy Martin Davis.

Mrs. Davis is survived by her husband, two sons, Danny William Davis and Jerry Martin Davis of Vernon Hill, one grand child, Justin Daniel Davis of Vernon Hill, and two sisters, Shirley Whitlow of South Boston and Lois Betterton of Hurt.

Graveside services will be held Tuesday, May 25, at 11 a.m. at Laurel Grove Baptist church Cemetery with the Rev. Herman Asher conducting the service.
The family will receive friends tonight, May 24, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home.

Pauline Meadows Moser

Pauline Meadows Moser, 84, of Java died May 21 at The Woodview.
Mrs. Moser was born in Pittsylvania County on July 22, 1919, the daughter of the late Eddie Lee Meadows and Blanche Davis Meadows and was married to the late Leonard Moorefield Moser. She was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy of Java.

Survivors include one daughter, Kathy M. Younger of Danville; three sons, Calvin M. Moser, Ricky V. Moser and Garry L. Moser, all of Java; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Moser was also preceded in death by two brothers and four sisters, Edward Meadows and Charlie Lee Meadows, Anna M. Robertson, Louise M. Adkins, Gertie M. Meeks and Elna M. Petty; and one grandson, Justin Robert Moser.

Funeral services were held at Church of God of Prophecy of Java May 23 at 2 p.m. by the Revs. Gilbert Dunbar, H. Clyde Crowder and Harry Moser. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Wanda R. Stovall

Wanda R. Stovall, 38, of Virgilina, died Friday, May 21, at Danville Regional Medical Center.

Ms. Stovall was born in Halifax County on January 12, 1966, the daughter of the late Willie L. Stovall and Arlene Johnson Stovall. She was a member of Blue Wing Grove Baptist Church.

Ms. Stovall is survived by four sisters, Peggy Merritte of Halifax, Diana Boxley and Brenda Walton, both of South Boston, and Wendy Stovall of Virgilina, one brother, Giles Stovall of South Boston, one grandmother, Mary L. Johnson of Virgilina, one brother-in-law, Ernest Merritte of South Hill, two godchildren, Shirley King and Fabien Barksdale, a devoted friend, Kay Clark of Woodbridge, a special friend, Julia Hester of North Carolina, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ms. Stovall was preceded in death by her brother, Willie T. Stovall.
Funeral services were held Sunday at Blue Wing Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Hayward Jennings Sr. officiating. Burial was held in the church cemetery.

Arthur Jonathan Wade

Arthur Jonathan Wade, 72, of Halifax, died Friday, May 21, at Halifax Regional Hospital.

He was born in Halifax County on October 18, 1931, the son of the late Annie Bell Wood and was married to Mary Lizzie Wade.

Mr. Wade is survived by his wife, one daughter, Vivian Jennings, one aunt, Mary Pulliam of Newark, N.J., one uncle, Willie Wood of Newark, N.J., one niece, Shirley White of New York, N.Y., a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Memorial services will be held today, May 24, at 11 a.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with Elder William Howerton officiating.