Friday, May 7, 2004

Del. Hogan: Virginia Will Have A Budget Today
Assembly Legislative Negotiators Reached Handshake Deal Wednesday, Full Vote Is Expected Today

The long-anticipated General Assembly approval of the state budget compromise is expected to become a reality today, according to Del. Clarke Hogan, R-Halifax.

"I think it's very clear at this point that the budget will be passed by the General Assembly tomorrow," Hogan said yesterday.

Although he said that a full report of the compromise wasn't complete, he was inclined to vote for the compromise as he understands it.

"I've only seen a thumbnail sketch," he said, "but looking at the compromise from the information I have presently, I think I'll support it unless something turns up that's different from how it's been explained to me so far."

The report goes before the House and Senate for a yes-or-no vote today and can’t be amended.

Legislative budget negotiators Wednesday afternoon reached a tentative agreement on a two-year, $60 billion budget, ending a historic impasse over tax and spending priorities that had threatened to shut down state government.

House Speaker William J. Howell and the Senate’s top budget writer, John H. Chichester, confirmed the deal after Howell got reluctant commitments from two holdout Republican House negotiators to support the compromise.

‘‘I don’t think they’re ecstatic about it,’’ Howell said as he emerged from the meeting with Dels. Leo Wardrup of Virginia Beach and M. Kirkland Cox of Colonial Heights.

The agreement between the five House conferees and their four Senate counterparts clears the way for a final vote today on the spending plan for state government through June 2006.

The new budget will pump about $1.5 billion more into public schools over that time and it increases funding for state-supported colleges and universities.

There is no money designated for teacher raises.

Public employees and college faculty get a 3 percent raise this fall, with additional cash set aside for a smaller raise the following year.

State troopers get an immediate 4.8 percent pay raise, as do sheriff’s deputies. Another $7 million to $8 million is set aside as retention pay for State Police officers.

Pay for judges will climb by 5.1 percent.

The budget also substantially boosts funding for human services, establishing an additional 860 state-backed waivers that allow mentally retarded people to receive community-based care rather than in centralized hospitals.

Also in the compromise is a $6 million export credit tobacco giant Philip Morris can apply to cigarettes it manufactures for sale overseas. A Senate bill that would have accomplished the same aim was defeated in the regular legislative session. The company runs the world’s largest cigarette plant and bases its corporate offices in Richmond.

Omitted from the budget is any increase in transportation funding.

The final breakthrough came exactly 17 weeks after the General Assembly convened in January. Since then, the budget debate bogged down in a deep fiscal and philosophical dispute over tax increases and growth in state spending.

Neither the House and its conservatives nor the Senate, which had initially wanted a $62 billion budget, were thrilled with the final package.

Chichester said he was delighted at the funding the state will provide for public schools and colleges and for the disabled but disappointed that there was no new highway funding.

‘‘But at least I think I can make some plans now. I’ve been at this now for four months,’’ he said in a telephone interview.

Gov. Mark R. Warner also voiced relief that a budget could soon be in place, removing the threat of a possible government shutdown or the first downgrade ever of Virginia’s perfect credit rating by Wall Street bond agencies.

‘‘We are very hopeful now that we will have a budget headed to the governor by the end of the day Friday. I am anxious to look at the details but we know it’s a historic investment in education and will allow the commonwealth to pay its bills for the long term,’’ Warner said through his press secretary, Ellen Qualls.

Wednesday’s handshake deal came eight days after lawmakers passed the first general state tax increase in 18 years. The $1.4 billion tax boost increases sales taxes one-half cent, raises the nation’s lowest cigarette tax from 2.5 cents to 30 cents, freezes the car tax cut and reduces the tax on groceries.

The sometimes-contentious talks over a new spending bill during the past week broke down at 1 a.m. Tuesday, ending a marathon bargaining session that began at noon Monday. Negotiators left their Capitol Square offices bound for home and a ‘‘cooling-off period.’’

Later that day, Chichester and Howell, both Stafford Republicans, met at Howell’s private law office in Fredericksburg, talked with key legislators and resolved a few final disagreements.

Cox and Wardrup emerged from their private meeting with Howell saying that unless the final draft of the conference report contained surprises, they would sign it.

‘‘I wasn’t thrilled by that, but it’s the best we would get,’’ Cox said.

Wardrup said he believed the compromise limits commitments to the sort of ongoing costs that could explode in the future, a major factor in creating state budget shortfalls the past 2 1/2 years that topped $6 billion.

‘‘We had to make sure we didn’t put in the budget drivers that kept on growing,’’ he said.

Crossing Of The Dan Takes Twist
Ignites 2004 Economic Development Effort

On a bitter February day in 1781, Colonial soldiers rushed to cross the Dan River with British General Cornwallis in hot pursuit.

Not only is General Nathaniel Greene's escape across the Dan River deemed pivotal in the Revolutionary War effort, the crossing is igniting a new 2004 historic/ economic development effort here.

About 20 town and county officials, historians and tourism specialists met Tuesday night to pursue that effort.

Already, retired University of North Carolina professor Dr. Ralph Wileman has designed an exhibit model to interpret the crossing and its impact.

"If we do what he is recommending, we feel it will be a destination as a national historic site and that it deserves a quality, professional interpretation. The consensus at the meeting was to continue on, to pursue it," said Douglas Powell yesterday.

"We are all hoping this will trigger additional interpretation outside at the site."

Should present efforts to develop land and trails between The Prizery and Berry Hill succeed, Powell said not only the historical exhibit inside The Prizery but the whole Boyd's Ferry crossing site might be developed.

"But our goal is to interpret what happened here," he emphasized.

"We think it will be a destination people will make a trip to see, just as they go to Guilford Courthouse in Greensboro, N.C.," added Powell.

Part of the historic interpretation effort will center on Col. Edward Carrington's role in gathering boats for the crossings and Halifax County's role, according to Powell.

Boyd's and Irwin's ferries were established crossing sites tapped by Greene's soldiers rushing to cross the Dan.

Without boats to cross, Cornwallis was unable to pursue Greene's men.

"We are also urging those in the community who might have artifacts, letters or narratives about the campaign to share them. We could use all the help we could get in that line," Powell said.

Powell, Wileman, Halifax County Tourism Director Linda Shepperd, South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel, County Administrator Joe Morgan, and Flora Osborne of the Historical Society were among those recently making a trip to Guilford Courthouse to study that exhibit.

"The Crossing of the Dan was one of the turning points that led to the Battle at Guilford Courthouse and ultimately to victory at Yorktown," said Powell.

"We are trying to complement Guilford Courthouse, so people will see another chapter in the story.

"If it had not been for the crossing of the Dan, we might still be under British rule," added Powell.

Historians today credit General Nathaniel Greene's escape from Cornwallis as a pivotal event in the Southern Campaign, one ending with victory at Yorktown.

Earlier this year the Historical Society, a user group at The Prizery, voted to dedicate The Prizery window overlooking Boyd's Ferry in memory of the late Halifax County historian Carroll Headspeth, who is described by Powell as the one "who kept the story alive."

Headspeth and Spurgeon Compton wrote a 40-page account of the event, "The Retreat To The Dan," which may be purchased at the South Boston-Halifax County Museum in South Boston.

The current Crossing of the Dan project came about by chance.

During preparation for a high school class reunion, Powell first toured The Prizery and was amazed to discover the Boyd's Ferry crossing visible from the facility's upper floor.

"It is impossible to see otherwise," he said yesterday. "And the other crossing is on private land."

Powell mentioned the vantage point to Chris Jones, executive director of The Prizery, who later asked Powell if he would help coordinate some interpretation of what can be seen from The Prizery window.

The Historical Society joined the effort as one of its projects, a project which has now become a community endeavor, according to Powell.

"The Retreat to the Dan became the Race to the Dan which ultimately became the successul crossing of the Dan," said Powell.

And soon, Halifax County will be telling the story.

West Nile Bird Testing Underway
Citizens Asked To Call Health Department When Dead Bird Is Discovered

Beginning May 1, the Virginia Department of Health started the official statewide bird testing season for West Nile Virus.

Testing will continue until July 15, according to VDH Spokesman Chris Hite.

The Southside Health District, which includes Halifax County, is asking citizens to call the local health department when a dead bird is discovered.

"Wild bird testing is an effective surveillance tool for early identification of areas at risk for human disease," Hite said.

Last year, less than two dozen birds were turned in for testing from Halifax County, with none testing positive for mosquito borne disease, he added.

Connie Wilkerson, administrative program specialist for environmental health in the Halifax office, said yesterday that with testing season just getting underway, no cases of mosquito borne disease have been reported this year.

"We haven't received any calls about any possible Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile, infected birds, or anything so far," she said, "but the testing season just started May 1."

Hite confirmed yesterday that no cases had been reported in the county this year.

During 2003, one horse in Halifax County tested positive for West Nile Virus during the April through September mosquito season, he said.

Bird testing will be limited to crows, jays and raptors (such as hawks, falcons or owls).

In order to be accepted for testing, birds must have died within the past 24 hours and bear no obvious signs of death by unnatural causes, according to the health department.

"Sunken eyes and the presence of fly larvae are good indications that the bird has been dead too long," Hite said.

If the health department advises you to collect and preserve the bird, certain precautions should be taken.

"Do not handle dead birds with your bare hands," he said. "Wear gloves or use a plastic bag turned inside out to pick up the bird.

"Place the bird in a plastic bag and tie the bag shut. Then place the bird in a second bag and tie the second bag shut."

The double-bagged bird should then be placed in a sturdy, waterproof container with freezer packs.

For more information, call Hite at 434-476-4863 ext. 12

Comets, GW Battle To Deadlock
The HCHS Varsity Girls Soccer Team Remained In A Tie For Fourth Place After A 3-3 Tie

By JOE CHANDLER | G-V Staff Writer

Halifax County High School's varsity girls soccer team needed a win over GW here Wednesday night to get itself out of the basement in the Western Valley District standings.

But, the Comets couldn't produce a victory, despite a pair of overtime periods.
The Comets and GW deadlocked at 3-3, leaving both teams in a tie for fourth place.

Unless the Comets can steal a win away from Patrick Henry in Roanoke tonight or against E.C. Glass in Lynchburg on Tuesday, the Comets-GW matchup on May 14 will determine which of the teams will gain fourth place and a home game in the first round of the district tournament.

"We were hoping for a win tonight that would get us out of the cellar," said Comets coach Sid Young whose team is now 7-3-2 overall and 0-3-1 in district play.

"Neither GW or us has won a district game yet. The next game we play against them will be real critical. It will be at their place.

Things looked good for the Comets early as they bolted to a 2-0 halftime lead.
Deanna Leader scored the first Comets goal, that one coming at the 17:47 mark of the first half with the help of an assist from Morgan Young.

Young scored the second goal at the 23:22 mark of the first half to give the Comets a two-goal cushion at halftime.

The second half, was, however, an entirely different story.

GW controlled the action in the second half and scored two quick goals, the first coming at the 2:53 mark and the other at the 6:10 mark.

Becky Buckman got the lead back for the Comets with a shot at the 10:51 mark.

However, GW scored another goal, its third of the second half, at the 17:35 mark, to tie the game a second time at 3-3.

From that point, it was mostly a matter of the Comets trying to hold a tough attacking GW team at bay.

"I don't know whether we were overconfident or what it was," said the Comets coach.

"The same thing happened to us against Franklin County. We started the second half and we kind of let down and they got a couple of quick goals and they were back in the game."

In the first five-minute overtime period, GW had a scoring opportunity with 3:45 left on the clock with a corner kick.

The ball sailed wide of the goal and Buckman cleared the ball out by kicking it out of bounds.

GW took another shot at it with a shot on goal with 2:14 left but Comets goalkeeper Libby Austin made the save.

The Comets got the ball on GW's side of the field only once in the first overtime period, that coming for a span of a few brief seconds at the end of the period.

GW made another attempt to score with a shot in the first 28 seconds of the second overtime period. Again, Austin came up with the save.

The Comets turned things around quickly and got the ball moving upfield with Young on a breakaway with 3:30 left in the period.

The Comets ended up getting a corner kick out of the play with Young doing the honors.

However, the ball sailed wide of the mark.

Halifax County managed to keep the pressure on GW and get off another shot.

Buckman took a shot with 2:03 left that narrowly missed, clanking off of the side of the goal.

Midfielder Kirsten Marvin took a shot with just under two minutes left that missed.

GW managed to work the ball downfield right after that and get off a shot.

Austin came through with her third save of the overtime periods and allowed the Comets to regain control of the ball.

Attie Poirier, with time running down to the final seconds, got off another shot for the Comets only to have it miss the mark.

"I still think we're the better team," Young said.

"The way we played the first half we proved it. It just seemed like in the second half we just never could get any offense going. GW played on our end of the field a lot.

"We had a good effort from our people," added Young.

"We had some good shots. We've just got to cut out the mistakes."

A defensive miscue, Young pointed out, led to GW scoring it's third goal.

"On the corner kick we left somebody completely uncovered," Young explained.

"That was the person that got the head ball and scored."

As far as the statistics went, the Comets got off 11 shots and four corner kicks in the contest.

Austin was credited with 14 saves on the night.

GW had 17 shots in the game and four corner kicks. The Eagles' two goalkeepers had nine saves in the contest.

The Comets will be back in action tonight when they travel to Roanoke to face Patrick Henry.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

Obituaries

Betty Daniel Forlines

Betty Daniel Forlines, 84, of 406 Oak Lane, South Boston died May 5 at South Boston Manor.

Mrs. Forlines was born in Mecklenburg County on July 4, 1919, the daughter of Alfred A. Daniel and Matilda Daniel and was married to Errthum Gardy Forlines. She was a member of First Baptist Church where she was a
member of the Lacy Bible Class.

Mrs. Forlines was also a member of the American Legion Post 8 Auxiliary, and a retiree of J.P. Stevens.

Survivors include two daughters, Clara F. Conner and her husband, Chip, of Greensboro, N.C., and Brenda Ann Forlines of Jacksonville, Fla.; one sister, Vannie D. Williams of Buffalo Junction; three brothers, George Daniel of Virgilina, Earl Daniel of Richmond and Bob Daniel of Startex, S.C.; three grandchildren, Chris Conner of Charlotte, N.C., Mark Conner of Oak Ridge, N.C. and Tim Conner of High Point, N.C.; and two great-grandchildren, Nora D. Conner and Stella V. Conner.

A funeral service for Mrs. Forlines will be held May 8 at 3 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Tim Cannon officiating. Burial will follow at Hitesburg Baptist Church Cemetery, Virgilina.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Alzheimer Association, Southside Virginia Chapter, P.O. Box 310, South Hill, 23970.

Alise Hawkins Lawter

Alise Hawkins Lawter, 85, of 1208 Berry Hill Road, South Boston died May 5, at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mrs. Lawter was born December 24, 1919 in South Boston, the daughter of Arthur Hawkins and Lottie Baine Hawkins and was married to E. Oscar Lawter. She was a member of Berry Hill Presbyterian Church, and was retired from Craddock & Terry.

Survivors include four nieces and five nephews. Mrs. Lawter was also preceded in death by one brother, Ira Hawkins; and three sisters, Ruby H. Niggemeyer, Grace H. Farrissier and Ruth H. Seamster.

Graveside services will be held today, May 7 at 2 p.m. at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The Rev. Terry Blevins will officiate.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Berry Hill Presbyterian Church, 1589 Berry Hill Road, South Boston, 24592, or the Halifax County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 183, South Boston.

Terry T. Rogers

Terry T. Rogers Sr., 78, formerly of Halifax County, died May 3 in Bowie, Md.

Mr. Rogers was born in Halifax County to the late James Rogers Sr. and Mary Crawley Rogers Woody and was married to Willie Mae Drumwright Rogers.

He was a member of First Baptist Church of Lamberts Point in Norfolk, and was formerly a member of Dan River Bethel Baptist Church. Mr. Rogers was a World War II Army Veteran.

Survivors include his wife of Portsmouth; one son, Terry Rogers Jr. of Bowie; one daughter, Marilyn Rice of High Point, N.C.; six grandchildren; one sister, Pearl Bowden of New York; one daughter-in-law, Wanda Rogers of Bowie; four sisters-in-law, Nora Rogers of Portsmouth, Arlene Rogers of Virginia beach, Drucilla Bond of Bethlehem, Pa. and Frances Whitaker of Raleigh, N.C.; two brothers-in-law, Morris Drumwright of Roxboro, N.C. and Thurman Whitaker of Raleigh.

Funeral services for Mr. Rogers were held May 6 at 2 p.m. at Dan River Bethel Baptist Church with the Rev. James L. Thomas officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Eunice Eldridge Whitlock

Eunice Eldridge Whitlock, 57, of Petersburg, formerly of Halifax County, died May 4 at her home.

Mrs. Whitlock was born in Halifax County on February 19, 1947, the daughter of the late Pleasant Eldridge and Evelyn Hogue Eldridge and was married to Jefferson Whitlock. She was a member of White Oak Grove Baptist Church, and was a retired medical secretary at McGuire's Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Richmond.

Survivors include her husband; one daughter, Avis Liverpool of Ft. Bliss, Texas; one son, Jefferson Whitlock II of Atlanta, Ga.; one grandson, Cameron Whitlock of Ft. Bliss; four sisters, Alease Moore and Beatrice Harris, both of Sutherlin, Freddie Page of Washington, D.C. and Fannie Crews of Milton, N.C.; and one brother, James Eldridge of Sutherlin.

Funeral services for Mrs. Whitlock will be held tomorrow, May 8 at 2 p.m. at White Oak Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Melvin Fuller officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family is receiving friends at the home of Beatrice Harris, 2146 Mercy Seat Road, Sutherlin.