Wednesdsay, June 16, 2004

SoBo Council Bites Bullet
Town Council Adopts Effective Real Estate Hike And Water/Sewer Rate Increases; EDA Ordinance Approved With Lumsden And Harrell Named

South Boston Council adopted a 19-cent real estate tax rate during its first budget hearing Monday night.

Council also adopted a 4 percent increase for in-town water/sewer rates and a 2 percent out-of-town rate increase.

The increases are the equivalent of raising rates 3.5 percent across the board, South Boston Manager Ted Daniel said.

Council had faced a projected $315,555 water/sewer fund shortfall.

The final reading and adoption of the $12,889,054 budget is set June 28.

In adopting the current 19-cents per assessed $100 real estate tax Monday night, Council is effectively increasing taxes 11.7 percent due to reassessment, according to a town official.

The 19-cent rate is projected to add $66,000 to Council's coffers.

Increased w/s rates are projected to raise an additional $85,844.

When South Boston staff presented its budget proposal earlier this spring, they cautioned there was a projected $315,555 shortfall in the water/sewer funding that must come from the General Fund, rate increases or a combination of the two as determined by Council.

Council's action Monday night combined the two funding avenues by increasing w/s rates and by retaining the 19-cent per assessed $100 real estate tax.

Rates become effective with the July 1 billing.

To illustrate the new rate, an example would be an in-town water customer using 5000-5999 gallons would increase from $22.17 to $23.06, reflecting an 89 cent increase over two months.

The in-town sewer rate would increase $1.58 for a two-month billing period from $39.56 to $41.14.

Combined in-town w/s would be increased from $61.73 to $64.20, a $2.47 increase for a two-month billing period in this example.

Out-of-town water rates for 5000-5999 gallons with a 2 percent increase would move from $42.18 to $43.02 . The two-month billing increase would be 84 cents.

For sewer, a previous $75.30 would increase 2 percent to $76.81 reflecting an increase of $1.51 for two-months.

The current out-of-town combined cost is $117.48, increased to $119.83 for a $2.35 two-month billing increase.

Economic Development Authority

No one spoke for or against the Economic Development Authority ordinance during a public hearing Monday night.

Following the hearing, Councilman Tom Raab, with a second by Vice Mayor Carroll Thackston, moved approval of the EDA.

Council - with Councilman Eric Roberts absent - gave its unanimous blessing.
Raab then proposed Halifax Regional Hospital CEO Chris Lumsden be named to a one-year term and South Boston businessman R.O. Harrell III to a two-year term.

However, Councilman Coleman Speece questioned the urgency of the appointments Monday night.

Councilman Ed Owens noted supervisors are studying the proposal 60 days before taking action.

"It hasn't been approved," added Speece, questioning the appointments prior to overall IDA approval.

Returning to EDA later in the session, Speece said, "I think highly of both these individuals."

When the subject resurfaced, Vice Mayor Carroll Thackston spoke in favor of "going ahead and appointing two strong candidates" and showing support for the marketing body.

Proposals call for the county to appoint five at-large members to the EDA (terms are staggered) and for South Boston to appoint two members, one for a one-year term and one for a two-year term.

As proposed, the EDA would focus on marketing, existing business support and project management.

In other business, Council approved a fee schedule with few changes.

The town manager also reported on the South Boston gateway proposal on lower Main, reporting that Destination Downtown recommended taking the existing signs down. Daniel said flags will replace signs at the knoll.

"There are no immediate plans for replacement of (existing) signs," he said. However, Daniel said civic groups will be consulted by Destination Downtown about the signs and a possible location.

The Main Street preference is that the flags be in that area, Daniel told councilmen. He said that work was moving forward immediately.

Plans call for the national, state and Halifax/South Boston flags. (South Boston is developing a flag.) There also will be provisions to fly three service flags temporarily on special holidays, according to the town manager.

On a motion by Councilman Chris Elliott, Council approved moving forward with the proposed gateway concept.

Daniel said it had been suggested the town explore creation of other gateway entrances to the town.

A sign is located at Hamilton and Route 360.

From the Centerville area, Daniel said that he hasn't identified a site as yet.
"We hope to do something in the Riverdale area," he added.

Appointments

Council made the following appointments Monday night:

Library Board, Meredith Bowman.

Board of Zoning Appeals, Brian Cheever was named to replace councilmen-elect Morris Bryant.

Community Arts Foundation Board, Councilman Coleman Speece reappointed.

Southside Planning Commission, Councilman Coleman Speece and Town Planner Lee Pambid were reappointed for four-year terms.

In other action Monday night, Council also set landfill hours. Hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday. The facility is closed Sunday.

The convenience center located on Hamilton Boulevard is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Council also approved $5,000 from its contingency fund requested by Nancy Pool of the Chamber of Commerce for the Visioning 2020 project.

Councilmen are exploring either July 9-10 or July 30-31 for a two-day planning meeting. The meeting will be held at Council Chambers.

Secondary Principals Receive Salary Hike
Board OKs 25 Cent Meal Price Increase

It came by the most narrow of margins but Halifax County's middle school and high school principals and assistant principals will receive a pay hike next year equaling that of their elementary school counterparts.

Following a closed session Monday night, the School Board voted 3-2 to provide secondary school principals an average five percent pay hike for the 2004-2005 school year.

That move will give all of the county's teachers and principals an average five percent pay hike next year.

In the 3-2 vote, Halifax County School Board Chairman Arthur Reynolds and Vice Chairman Sandra Rister cast votes against the pay increase for the secondary school principals.

School Board members Steve Anderson, Joe Bailey III and Douglas Fisher voted in favor of the pay hike.

The 2004-2005 school budget package adopted by the School Board earlier this spring provided an average five percent pay raise for teachers and elementary school principals and an average three percent pay raise for secondary school principals and central office supervisory staff members.

Monday night's move to increase salary hikes for the secondary school principals and assistant principals will affect a total of eight people.

Bill Covington, the school system's chief financial officer, said the new pay hikes will cost the school system approximately $12,000 next year.

"We're not talking about a tremendous amount of money," Covington said.

Covington said the approximate $12,000 expenditure will be covered by savings that may emerge from other line items and by reducing expenditures in other areas.

In other key matters Monday night, the School Board voted to increase the price of full-price and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch meals by 25 cents.

And, for the second meeting in a row, the School Board tabled action on a proposal to close schools on Election Day.

For students eating both breakfast and lunch supplied by the school system the price increase would mean an addition $90 per year for the meals.

Supervisor of School Food Services Carolyn Higgins said the increase is necessary due to rising product costs, increasing employee benefit expenses, a need for repairs and replacement of equipment and a need to computerize the point of sales at each school.

"Revenues have not kept up with expenditures," said Higgins. "Fringe benefits, especially heath insurance, have increased tremendously, and Virginia Retirement Service increases will have a significant increase in the budget next year."

She said food service equipment had not been replaced in a year despite several pressing needs including a dishwasher for Halifax County Middle School valued at $50,000.

"These are basic equipment necessities, not luxury items."

Higgins also expressed concern over operating funds.

"The Department of Education recommends two months of operating funds," she said. "Right now we only have a month of operating funds."

Higgins said computerizing sale points was also a growing concern.

"We only have four schools with computerized check-outs," she said. "Three schools have already requested upgrading to computers."

Finally, Higgins voiced concerns over decreasing beginning operating balances.

The beginning balance for 2004, as of March, was $170,583.30, compared to a beginning balance of $196,572.68 in 2003.

The price of school meals was last increased in September 2000.

Higgins said she expects the price increase to provide $82,620 in additional funds.

The increase will raise reduced-price breakfasts from 30 cents to 55 cents while reduced -price lunches will rise from 40 cents to 65 cents.

Full-price lunch meals will raise from $1.15 to $1.40 while full-price breakfasts will rise from 75 cents to $1.00.

Adult breakfasts will increase to $1.40 from $1.15 while lunch prices for adults will climb to $2.25 from $2.00.

The Board also postponed a decision on a request from the Halifax County Electoral Board to close schools on Election Day.

The request cited an interest to use both Sinai and Halifax elementary schools as polling places due to their convenient location, handicapped accessibility and parking facilities.

Two county schools, Clays Mill and Meadville elementary schools, are already used as polling places.

"We would rather not do it on days when we have school because there are strange people in the building and you have children in the building," said Superintendent of Schools Dennis Witt. "Precincts on voting days are pretty active places. You have traffic going back and forth to the cafeteria and physical education and you have to provide space for people to go in and out.

"In the two schools where we do currently have elections they consider it a big disruption," he added.

But Bailey said schools could provide needed centrally located polling places.
"A lot of places in the county are not able to provide an adequate place to vote," he said.

Witt said closing schools on Election Day might be possible without causing a large disruption to the calendar.

"It would not have to be a holiday," he said. "Twelve-month employees could work on that day. It is not like you would be giving up a day of school or a vacation day if that is not you intention."

Assistant Superintendent Larry Clark said if schools were closed, Election Day would likely be used as an inservice day as opposed to a teacher work day.

He said there is already a built-in snow day in the 2004-2005 school year.

"It could be done without too much disruption," said Clark.

But, concerns were raised over additional closings on primary dates if schools were used as regular polling places.

"I would be receptive to one day a year, but could not accept more than that," said Anderson. "I have some real concerns about a second day."

Since three members of the Board, NancyLee Bagwell, D.H. McDowell and Kelly Hill, were not present, the Board decided to table the issue until its next meeting.

Manager, Budget Top IDA Agenda
Meeting Is Set For 2 p.m. Thursday In South Boston

Members of the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority are expected to hire a site manager for Riverstone Technology Park and pass next year's budget during a Thursday meeting.

The meeting gets underway at 2 p.m. at the IDA offices on Broad Street in South Boston.

During their April meeting, members of the board said that increases in the costs of Riverstone construction made the hiring of a site manager imperative.

Then-Chairman Carlyle Ramsey called the problem a "compelling reason to hire a site manager."

"We're open ended here," he said during the earlier meeting. "This thing is out of control. Who is looking out for the taxpayers of this county? We need a site manager and we need him now."

The site manager will report directly to the Board on a daily basis in hopes of curtailing the cost overruns.

Board member Jack Dunavant said yesterday that the salary of the manager is expected to be between $40-$60,000.

Timing is of the essence, according to the Board member.

"We're hoping the manager can come on board within the next week," he said. "We need someone to debrief Scott (Morris, the executive director who resigned effective July 1) for at least a couple of days."

Prior to going into executive session, the board is expected to approve its FY 2004-2005 budget and pass resolutions for Building I and Building II for Riverstone.

"I expect the resolutions are simply enabling items that will allow the final contractual paperwork to be filled out," Board Member Jack Dunavant said yesterday.

During a May 13 meeting, the Board voted to certify a guaranteed maximum contract with J.E. Burton Construction Company valued at $9,650,002.
An estimated completion date for Building I is January, 2005.

The Board also voted during the May meeting to authorize Chairman John Cannon and Dunavant to sign the construction contract valued at $1,796,105 for Building II at Riverstone.

Burton Construction was awarded the contract with a winning total base bid of $1,813,553.

Budget Approval

Although Halifax County is not expected to pass their budget until June 28, the IDA is expected to approve next year's operating budget Thursday.

According to IDA budget projections $428,691, or 71.7 percent, of next year's budget has been requested from the county. Total income projected for next year is $597,713.

Last year, $320,000 was budgeted as income from the county.

Morris said Monday that any budget passed by the IDA was contingent on county funding.

"I don't want us to go into the next fiscal year (beginning July 1) without our Board having passed a budget," he said. "It's our budget, not the county's. There are lots of things in our budget other than what the county funds."
Morris said the difference between last year's budgeted money from the county and this year's was due to some existing IDA funds being used this year.

"Last year we drew down on some money we had so we didn't have to ask the county for as much," Morris said.

The IDA budget also includes:

• $220,886 for property operations/development.

• $699,729 in pass through funding.

• $235,833 in salaries/benefits.

• $7,074 in memberships and continuing education.

• $50,400 in prospect development.

• $78,521 in office operations.

In executive session, the Board is also expected to discuss the hiring of a site inspection firm, natural gas and the Georgia Pacific property.

The Board is also expected to receive an existing industry and prospect update.

Vintage Racing Is Redman’s Focus
Since His Retirement From Racing, Internationally Known Sports Car Racing Champion Brian Redman Has Put His Focus On Vintage Racing

By JOE CHANDLER | G-V Staff Writer

Brian Redman won eight major championships and was a member of five World Manufacturers Championship winning teams during his stellar career as a sports car and Formula I driver.

Today, Redman, one of the world's greatest sports car racers, has a different racing focus - Vintage Racing.

The British racing champion made a surprise visit to VIR last weekend to participate in the Gold Cup Historic Races, a visit VIR and region vintage racing officials hailed as a significant event for VIR.

For the 67-year-old Redman, however, the visit to VIR was an opportunity to visit a new venue and get back behind the wheel of a racecar.

"For the past 15 years, about all I've done is do vintage races - organize them and drive in them," said Redman.

VIR officials, Redman said, put together a great vintage racing event with its Gold Cup Historic Races.

"I think the group (of cars) here is particularly good," said Redman.

"There are a lot of the great old cars, the Triumphs, the Austin Healys, a very nice field of the older cars.

"They have about 200 cars that are of the right type in the style that vintage racing was 15 or 20 years ago."

Redman pointed out that the VIR Gold Cup Historic Races are the epitome of what vintage racing is about.

"I'm quite surprised at the turnout of many of the cars that we don't see very much at many of the vintage events these days," he said.

"They (VIR officials) have done a great job in attracting and inviting these cars. This is really how vintage racing should be."

Redman drove a 1970 Chevron B19 at VIR, a car that he helped make famous.
During the early years of his racing career, Redman, a native of Lancashire, England, was associated with the Bolton, England-based Chevron sports car company and drove many races for the manufacturer.

The Chevron B19 was a very successful British sports racer in the early 1970's.

"I was the factory driver for them (Chevron) at that time so my relationship with the car and the company goes back to 1970," Redman explained.

"It's a great little car. It weighs 1,200 pounds and it's got 300 horsepower from a two-liter engine that revs to 9,000 rpm. It's a very quick little car."

Redman has driven the car, owned by George A. Heard Jr. of Pennsylvania, for nearly 20 years.

The British racing star said VIR is one of the country's top road racing venues.
"I've heard a lot about VIR over the past several years," Redman pointed out.

"This is my first time here. It is magnificent. The layout of the track follows the original track. The way the facility has been put together with the access roads and the rustic-type buildings is really magnificent. It has to be one of the finest, if not the finest facility in North America."

Redman said VIR is a challenging track, a track that compares well with European road courses.

"If you take the normal road racing courses in Europe, this is just as good and very comparative," said Redman.

"It's a superb facility. They have left a lot of room in many places before you hit anything solid. Having a lot of grass and room to spin is really a great way to do it. It's much better than hitting tire barriers or concrete walls."

Redman's enthusiasm for vintage racing can be seen through the major events coming up on his very busy schedule.

"I'm involved in the biggest one (vintage racing event) in America next month at Road America in Wisconsin," he pointed out.

"It's called the Brick - the Brian Redman International Challenge. We will have 500 vintage race cars there and 30,000 spectators."

Later, in mid-August, Redman will be involved in a vintage racing event in Monterey, Cal.

"It's the most prestigious of all of the American vintage events," said Redman.

"The featured marque this year is Ferrari. There will be a huge turnout, probably 300 cars. They can't take any more because they can't fit them in. It's a smaller track than VIR, under two miles, and the whole facility is not as big."

Another big event on Redman's schedule is a vintage racing event in Connecticut at Lime Rock Park.

"It's another small track under two miles around," he noted.

"It's another small facility. If you get 250 cars in there, you're jam packed tight."

Redman says he sees the future being very bright for vintage racing.

"I see a continued increase in the number of entries at the events and the number of events," Redman said.

"I've seen a continuing increase in the number of participants over the last 15 or 20 years. Even in economic difficult times, people still come out."

Redman pointed out that the cars themselves don't lose value.

"The cars, especially the types of cars we have here at VIR, don't lose any value," he said.

"They continually gain a bit of value."

The Great Tracks of Europe

Throughout his storied racing career Redman has competed on many of the world's top racing circuits.

Three of the more challenging and interesting tracks on which Redman has competed at and won are the famous Nurburgring layout in Germany where he won two 1,000 kilometer races and a 500 kilometer race, the Spa Francochamps circuit in Belgium and the Targa Florio facility in Italy.

"There are some extraordinary race courses such as the Nurburgring in the mountains of Germany which is 14.5 miles around and goes up and down," pointed out Redman.

"You can be in the clouds and it can be raining one minute and you can be down in the sunshine the next. There are 175 turns. That track is not used for modern racing anymore but is still used for older cars."

The big track in Belgium was also challenging, he said.

"Spa Francorchamps in Belgium has been modernized and is still extremely challenging but it is not like the old Spa Francorchamps where, in the Porsche 917s, we were doing over 200 mph on the eight-mile track, including going around corners at 170 and 180 mph on public roads.

"We're not talking about a track that was been built especially for a purpose, but public roads that were closed for the race," he added.

"Targa Florio in Italy, which is in Sicily, had 44 miles to one lap with 950 corners or thereabouts. They were all great circuits but it's hard to make a comparison between what's really a manufactured facility and a circuit that includes public roads."

Accomplishments & Great Races

Redman has accomplished many things in his great racing career.

He says, however, his biggest accomplishment was not on the racetrack.

"I've been racing for 46 years and I won four American and four European championships and drove for Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, Austin Martin and BMW," Redman pointed out.

"The thing I'm most proud of over these 46 years is staying married to the same woman."

On the racetrack, Redman is proud of having won at Spa Francorchamps five times, having won at Nurburgring three times, having won at Daytona in the legendary 24-hour race three times and having posted two wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring.

"Very often what might be thought of as great wins aren't really great drives," Redman pointed out.

One drive he felt was one of his greatest came in 1970.

"One of the greatest races in terms of actual effort was at Spa Francorchamps for the two-liter world championship driving a car just like the car I'm driving this weekend," Redman pointed out.

"We were running against the other great English racing car manufacturer, Lola, and they had a very good car called the 210 driven by their European agent, Joe Bonier, who was the president of the Grand Prix Drivers Association.

"It was a 500K race which was 310 miles, and for 310 miles we were never more than the car's length apart," continued Redman.

"We stopped for fuel on separate laps and we came out exactly where we were."

Things got exciting over the final two laps.

"On the next to last lap, I couldn't get into first gear at the hairpin turn they have there and lost about 100 yards," said Redman.

"On that lap, I made a supreme effort and broke the lap record again. We had been breaking it (the track record) lap after lap and I caught him and passed him on the last lap.

"I thought 'this is it,'" continued Redman, noting he felt he had the win in hand at that point.

"But, on the return straight, which is slightly uphill, we were running about 160 mph and I saw him coming in my mirror. There was nothing I could do and he came past me.

"Then," added Redman, "going into the final hairpin turn, the one where I had trouble getting into first gear the previous lap, we were side by side.

"We were doing 150 mph and he was on the inside. It's the last turn before the finishing flag and he had the advantage by having the inside line.

"We reached my last braking point and we were still flat out," Redman said as the story continued.

"I had been catching him there on braking a little bit. I didn't try to take the corner. I concentrated on braking until I felt I went past the corner. The wheels locked up and smoke poured off of the tires and I got off (the corner) again.

When I reached a speed I thought I could make the turn, I swung the wheel around, came around and there he was. He had spun sideways across the road and I won the race and the championship by one point on the last corner on the last lap."

Obituaries

Fred D. Elam

Fred D. Elam died May 24 at his daughter's home in Brookneal. He was born on September 9, 1904.

Survivors include four daughters, Elizabeth Callaham, Marie Anderson, Mary Hobson and Lou Ella Dabbs; one brother, Walter Elam; three sisters-in-law; three brothers-in-law; a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Elam were held at 1 p.m. on May 26 at Spring Hill Baptist Church in Brookneal with burial in the church cemetery.

Estelle Drumwright Harris

Estelle Drumwright Harris, 80, of 1047 Carrington Trail, Alton died at her home on June 13.

Mrs. Harris was born in Person County, N.C. September 4, 1923, the daughter of the late Alice Drumwright. She was married to the late Alfred Owen Harris and was a member of Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Lucille Watkins of Roxboro, N.C. and Gloria Harris of Alton; and one son-in-law, Walter Watkins.

Funeral services for Mrs. Harris will be held June 18 at 2 p.m. at Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church. Burial will follow in Rose Garden Cemetery.

The family is receiving friends at the home.

Henry Herbert Jones

Henry Herbert Jones, 80, of 6136 L.P. Bailey Highway, Halifax died June 14 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Jones was born in Halifax County on June 30, 1923, the son of the late Timothy Jones and Daisy Bell Anderson Jones, and was married to Willie Mae Davis Jones. He was a deacon and trustee of Millstone Baptist Church, and a World War II Army Veteran.

Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Mary Louise Hill of Halifax; four sons, Henry H. Jones Jr. of Philadelphia, Pa., Lawrence Thomas Jones of Lynchburg, Curtis Donnell Jones of Halifax and Kenneth Lee Jones of Nathalie; 15 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Johnson and Gracie Wilson, both of New York, N.Y.; and one brother, Leroy Jones of Brookneal.

Funeral services for Mr. Jones will be held tomorrow, June 17 at 2 p.m. at Millstone Baptist Church with the Rev. Chester Spruill officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post #99.
After 5 p.m. today, June 16, the remains will lie-in-state at Crawford House, 721 North Main Street, Halifax.

The family will receive friends at the home.

Hurley Lee Keeton

Hurley Lee Keeton, 85, of Buffalo Junction, died June 14 at his home.
Mr. Keeton was born in Mecklenburg County. He was married to Janie Elliott Keeton.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow, June 17 at 3 p.m. at Aarons Creek Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Keeton is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Annie Keeton Overby and Lynn of Hitesburg, Lois Keeton Martin and Tony, and Linda Keeton Puryear and Donald Wall, all of Buffalo Junction; one son and daughter-in-law, William Anderson Keeton and Debbie of Buffalo Junction; one sister, Etta Wall of Virgilina; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one step-granddaughter; one step-grandson; nine step-great-grandchildren.
Mr. Keeton was preceded in death by two grandchildren.

The family will receive friends this evening, June 16, from 7-9 at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home in Clarksville.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American Kidney Association or American Heart Association.

James Warren Lacks

James Warren Lacks, 49, of 1111 Woodsdale Road, Alton died June 13.
Mr. Lacks was born in Halifax County on February 9, 1955, the son of the late Albert B. Lacks and the late Betty Jane Lacks and was married to Janet Whitt Lacks.

Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Christy Lynn Martin of Knoxville, Tenn., Betty Lacks of Alton and Jennifer Lacks of Halifax; three brothers, Edward Lacks and Bobby Lacks, both of Saxe, and Sammy Lacks of Keysville; two sisters, Janice Griffen of Charlotte Courthouse and Connie Whitt of Virgilina; one half sister, Josephine Daniel of Meherrin; five granddaughters, Samantha Marker, Maria Martin, Kayla Martin, Jena Martin and Shyann Traynham.

Mr. Lacks was also preceded in death by two brothers, Ronnie and Melvin Lacks.

Services will be held today, June 16 at 2 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home with the Rev. Randy Lacks officiating. Burial will follow in the Lacks Family Cemetery.

Caleb Henry Stewart

Caleb Henry Stewart, 83, of 11211 Stewart Trail, Virgilina died June 14 in Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Stewart was born March 9, 1921, in Halifax County the son of the late Archie Daniel Stewart and the late Nan Martin Stewart, and was married to Reafer S. Stewart. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and was a retired employee of the Halifax County School System.

Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Annie Daniel, Jerilene Phipps, Rita Rogers and Nina Bryant; five sons, Gaylon Stewart, Dwight Stewart, Ervin Stewart, James Stewart, and the Rev. Jack Stewart; his brothers and sisters; 29 grandchildren; and 48 great-grandchildren. Mr. Stewart was also preceded in death by one son, Hugh Stewart.

Funeral services will be held at Calvary Baptist Church today, June 16 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Jimmy Pulliam officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department & EMT, P.O. Box 266, Virgilina, 24598, or Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, 24592.

Bettie Howerton Woltz

Bettie Howerton Woltz, 64, of 1229 South Avenue, South Boston died June 15 at her home.

Mrs. Woltz was born February 10, 1940, the daughter of Louis H. Woltz and Gertrude Royster Woltz. She attended Main Street United Methodist Church and was a former employee of Lantor's.

Survivors include two sons, L. Parker Perkins III of Danville and Dr. L. Allen Perkins of Winston-Salem, N.C.; one sister, Nancy Woltz Johnsen of Nashville, Tenn.; one brother, George Rogers Woltz of Richmond; and one grandson, Lionel Parker Perkins IV.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, or the Halifax County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 875, South Boston, 24592.

David Adam Yesalavich

David Adam Yesalavich, 23, of 4034 Bradley Creek Road, Nathalie died June 12 at his home.

He was born in Halifax County on August 20, 1980, the son of Joseph Adam and Jackie Dawson Yesalavich and was married to Amy Elizabeth Clark Yesalavich.

Mr. Yesalavich was a member of Carolina Memorial Baptist Church in Thomasville, N.C.

Survivors include his wife; one son, Tristin Tyler Yesalavich of Nathalie; a stepdaughter, Carolyn Arianna Auld of Nathalie; his parents of Nathalie; two sisters, Christina Y. Hudson and her husband, Ricky Thomas Hudson Jr., of Clover, and Angela Marie Yesalavich and fiance', John Thomas Holcombe, of Nathalie; his paternal grandparents, John and Martha Yesalavich of Verona; his maternal grandparents, C.W. 'Bill' Dawson Sr. and Margaret, of Nathalie; one great-grandmother, Bertha Gilliland of Nathalie; two nephews, Gavin Thomas Holcombe of Nathalie and Colin Michael Hudson of Clover. He was preceded in death by Tristin's mother, Tanya Raye Womack.

Services for Mr. Yesalavich will be held tomorrow, June 17 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church Republican Grove with the Rev. W. Shelton Miles III officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends this evening at Powell Funeral Home from 7:00 until 8:30, and other times at the home of his parents, 3135 Leda-Grove Road, Nathalie.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider College America, c/o Mrs. Jane Keel, 8092 Perrincrest Place, Mechanicsville, 23116, or a charity of choice.