Friday, August 1, 2003

Man Dies In U.S. 501 Crash
Halifax County records 10th highway fatality for the year.

A 60-year-old South Boston man, Wilford W. Whitlow, has become Halifax County’s 10th highway fatality for 2003.

Whitlow died Wednesday night at Halifax Regional Hospital as a result of injuries he sustained in a single-vehicle crash on U.S.501 just north of its intersection with State Road 95.

According to State Trooper J.L. Crowder, Whitlow’s 1994 model pickup truck was traveling north when it went out of control, crossed the median and both southbound lanes, went down an enbankment and struck a tree.

The victim was traveling alone and was not wearing a seat belt according to the report. Damages were estimated at $10,000.

Whitlow was a retired drywall contractor and, according to a family spokesperson, was returning to his home on Easley Street after working on his farm in the Virgilina community. The accident occurred around 7:45 p.m.

In other highway crashes,
Earl Bailey Angel, 36, of Naruna, was charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain control following an accident Saturday night.

According to Trooper Crowder, the accident occurred on Route 644 just south of Route 645 when Angel drove his 1973 Chevrolet pickup off the right side of the road and it struck a tree.

Damges were estimated at $1,000.

Nelson Trent Powell, 46, of Scottsburg, was charged with driving under the Influence following another crash on Route 716, approximately .8 miles north of Route 717, Sunday night.

Trooper Crowder said that Powell swerved to miss a dog, ran off the right side of the road and struck a tree.

Damages to the 1988 Ford were estimated at $8,000.

BB&T Bank Building Expected To Be Completed In 4 Months

Site preparation for a new BB&T branch bank office at 4028-4038 Halifax Road in Centerville got underway this week and the approximate 6,000 square foot facility is projected for completion in four months.

According to BB&T officials, the new bank will replace the two existing branch offices located at 904 Wilborn Avenue and 4018 Halifax Road.

Bank officials have said that all employees from the two existing branches will be transition to the new branch once completed.

Ron Rush, senior vice-president for BB&T, has said that additional employees might be added “in time.”

Rush said the consolidation was being done to improve customer service.
Based on building permits, the new bank will cost just over $1 million to construct. The single-story building will have a brick exterior and a five-lane covered drive-through.

Frith Construction of Martinsville is the general contractor.

According to court records, BB&T (Branch Banking and Trust Company, Winston Salem, N.C.) purchased the 1.46 acres on the southwesterly side of U.S. Highway 501 from Patricia Marks Wingler for $500,000.

Two restaurants, both operated by Wingler, were torn down to make way for the bank construction.

Construction of the new BB&T bank is yet another major building project for South Boston this year. Compared to 2002, commercial construction starts are up approximately 60 percent

The largest single commercial project is a new Lowe’s ($3.2 million) and additional retail buildings on the same Old Halifax Road site ($3.3 million).


Armed Robbery Suspects Sought
Halifax County woman was robbed at gunpoint

Members of the South Boston Police Department are searching for two suspects they say robbed a county woman at gunpoint early yesterday morning.

Investigator T.M. VanAernem said yesterday that Officer C. Jones responded to a report of the armed robbery at approximately 12:25 a.m. yesterday morning at the corner of Edmunds Street and Noblin Avenue.

"The officer arrived on the scene within minutes of receiving the call," the investigator said. "Further investigation revealed that the victim was washing her vehicle at the car wash located at the intersection.

"As the victim was washing her vehicle, two male subjects pulled up to the car wash driving what appeared to be a bluish/greet Honda Accord with chrome rims," VanAernem added.

The subjects approached the victim and pulled out a handgun and what appeared to be a sawed-off shotgun, according to police.

"An undisclosed amount of money and merchandise was taken from the victim, who was not injured in the robbery," VanAernem said.

The suspects are described as wearing hats, one with a white mask and one with a dark mask. Both suspects were wearing dark clothing, according to police.

The department asks that anyone with information about this crime call Investigators B.K. Lovelace or T.M. VanAernem at 575-4271 or Crimestoppers at 575-TIPS.

The Total Package
Solid Pitching, Defense And Hitting Gives Team The Complete Package

By JOE CHANDLER | G-V Staff Writer

The way E.C. Lewis sees it, the Virginia champion South Boston Dixie Boys 13-14-Year-Old all-star has the total package.

Lewis, the manager of the team, saw the ballclub put all of the ingredients together while it ran the tables here in the recent state tournament.

"It's about as true a total package as we're going to have," said Lewis.

"This team has power, speed, defense and pitching. The whole package is coming together. It's all there if it comes out."

Lewis is hoping the entire package will emerge when South Boston squares off against Arkansas Saturday at 5 p.m. in its World Series opener.

If South Boston wins in the opening round, it will face the winner of the Alabama-Tennessee matchup Sunday at 8 p.m.

Should South Boston lose, however, it will face the loser of the Alabama-Tennessee game Sunday at 2 p.m.

Losing, however, is not part of Lewis' vocabulary.

Lewis is known as a coach with a positive attitude and a coach who can instill that attitude into his players.

"You've got to lose two (games) to be eliminated," said Lewis.

"I never went into a ballgame thinking I was going to lose. You're have to beat me before I lose. That's what I try to put into these boys' heads."

Lewis is confident about his team's ability. He knows the importance of his team getting an early win and getting the World Series off to a good start.

"Going as far as you can go undefeated is big from many standpoints," Lewis pointed out.

"A lot of times you can win those first two games and everything seems to start falling into place."

The South Boston manager says that while an early-round loss can be tough to take, it is not impossible to work your way back through the loser's bracket and still have a shot at the championship.

"A lot of times you get into the loser's bracket and can face some easier teams and can get your feet back on the ground," Lewis pointed out.

The South Boston-Halifax County Dixie Boys 13-14-Year-Old all-star baseball team will enter this weekend's Dixie Boys World Series with some momentum at its back from having won the state tournament.

Lewis is hoping the momentum from the state tournament will carry over into the World Series.

While South Boston will have some momentum, Lewis says there will be teams that will going into the tournament with as much momentum as his team has.

"You do have momentum but I don't know if it will be much more momentum than anybody else has," said Lewis.

"Everybody will be going in pretty much the same except for maybe the host team."

In looking at his South Boston team, Lewis pointed to the key areas.

For hurlers, Lewis can go to Tony Barbour, Chris Fisher, Chad Duffer, Jacob Vest or Bret Lewis.

"I'm counting on all five of our pitchers," Lewis said.

"Our pitching really did the job for us in the state tournament. Everybody that came to the mound for us in the state tournament did a good job for us. Our pitching was good every game."

Lewis said that the team's catcher, Billy Joe Garrett, did a good job of handling the pitchers.

"Billy Joe Garrett, worked well with the pitchers," said Lewis.

"The guys trusted him. When a pitcher would get into a little trouble, Billy Joe would go out and talk to them and settle them down. He just knew when it was time to do that. We didn't have to signal him to come out very often."

Not only does South Boston have a good mound staff, it has some good hitters in the lineup to support the pitchers.

"We have got six or seven guys that can hit it over the 300-foot fence anytime they go to bat," said Lewis.

That group includes Duffer, Chris Ammons, Lewis, Garrett, Jacob Swillie, Barbour, Joey Rogers, Patrick Currie and Fisher.

"They've all got some pop in their bats," noted Lewis.

"It's a pretty well-balanced team."

South Boston is pretty solid defensively as well. After something of a shaky start, the team's defense came around down the stretch, particularly during the final two games.

"The first three games in the state tournament we were a little shaky on defense," Lewis pointed out.

"We scrapped and scored runs and played defense well enough to win the first three games and then the defense came around the last two games.

"I thought defense was going to be one our strong points," added Lewis.

"As it turned out, it was. The last two games we were almost excellent on defense."

Lewis said he felt that the fact that his team had not played any tournament games prior to the state tournament could have been a factors surrounding the early defensive lapse.

"We sat for three weeks practicing every day and the kids were real anxious to play again," Lewis said.

"Before we played that first night, the boys were jumping up and down to take infield and we couldn't take infield until they (the tournament officials) told us to.

"That concerned me because I knew they were edgy and ready to go," continued Lewis.

"Once they got a couple of games under their belt and settled down, they were alright."

South Boston's lineup for tomorrow's opening-round World Series game has not been determined.

During the state tournament, South Boston's lineup varied depending upon who was pitching.

Solidly entrenched at positions during the state tournament were Billy Joe Garrett behind the plate, David Clark in left field, Jacob Swillie in centerfield and Joey Rogers in right field.

Brad Rogers or Bret Lewis appeared most often at first base, Patrick Currie was on the field at either second base or third base, Tony Barbour played shortstop when he wasn't pitching and Chad Duffer was at third base when he wasn't on the mound.

Regardless of who starts and who doesn't, Lewis said it will take a total team effort to be successful in the World Series, just as was the case in the state tournament.

"We've got certain guys that are real good pitchers and that's their job and they do a great job of it," he said.

"We've got other guys that are good hitters and they do a great job coming in and hitting. We have guys that go out and play a position when another guy is having a tough time.

"That's what teamwork is all about and they're all doing a great job," Lewis added.

"We didn't get through the state tournament because there were pushovers. We played a lot of good teams."

For Lewis, this will be his foray into World Series play with a boys all-star baseball team.

He has been to the World Series on three other occasions, all as a coach or manager of one of the county Dixie Softball all-star teams.

Lewis said he plans to use the same coaching philosophy in this World Series that has brought him success all along.

"There is not much difference in working with the girls and the boys," Lewis pointed out.,

"I just enjoy working with the kids. I use the same philosophy coaching a softball game as I do a baseball game - just play ball the way its supposed to be played, play hard, play smart and have fun.

"This is my first trip to the boys World Series so I don't really know what to expect in the teams we'll see," continued Lewis.

"But, I'm real proud and I'm high on the team I've got. These boys deserve the best shot at everything and that's what we plan on trying to give them."

Obituaries

Berkley Grey Duffey

Berkley Grey Duffey, 86, of 9191 Scuffletown Road, Randolph died July 29 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Duffey was born in Charlotte County on January 16, 1917, the son of Frederick Duffey and Susie Cassada Duffey and was married to Mary Wade Duffey. He was of the Christian faith.

Survivors include one daughter and one son-in-law, Brenda D. Davis and husband, Robert, of Scottsburg; three sisters, Nellie Martin of Randolph, Corrine Watts of Fincastle and Hilda Nothat of N.J.; one brother, John Duffey of N.J.; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sons, Bernard Grey Duffey and Carl Burton Duffey; two daughters, Jean D. Ingram and Sylvia D. East; and two grandsons, Edward Davis and Jimmy East Jr.

Funeral services for Mr. Duffey will be held today, August 1 at 11 a.m. at Woodlawn Mausoleum Chapel in Chase City with the Rev. Richard Saunders officiating. Burial will take place in Woodlawn Mausoleum.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Rescue Squad or Charlotte County Rescue Squad.

Mary Cole 'Dal' Ford

Mary Cole 'Dal' Ford, 83, of 1048 Cluster Springs Road, South Boston died July 29 in The Woodview.

Mrs. Ford was born in Halifax County on June 5, 1920, the daughter of Charlie W. Cole and Nannie Lowery Cole and was married to Robert C. Ford Sr. She was a member of Black Walnut Baptist Church and was a retired cafeteria worker at Cluster Springs Elementary School.

Services for Mrs. Ford will be held today, August 1 at Black Walnut Baptist at 2 p.m. with the Rev. H.V. Conner officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Survivors include two sons, Robert C. 'Bob' Ford Jr. and wife, Brenda of South Boston and Jerry Ford and wife, Nancy, of Richmond; one daughter, Charlotte Younger and her husband, Randy of South Boston; two sisters, Frances Chaney of Halifax and Alice Flannigan of Virginia Beach; two brothers, Stover Cole of Halifax and Ralph Cole of South Boston; three grandsons, Franklin Younger of Halifax, Rob Ford of South Boston, and Troy Ford of Crewe; one granddaughter, Elizabeth Ford of Richmond; three great-grandsons, Andrew Younger of Halifax and Zak and Ben Ford, both of South Boston; and one great-granddaughter, Nina Ford of Crewe.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Black Walnut Baptist Church Parking Lot Fund, PO Box 20, Cluster Springs, 24535, or Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, 24592.

Elwood Louis Harris

Elwood Louis Harris, 76, of Timberlake, N.C. died July 29 at his home.

Born in Mecklenburg County, he was the son of Walter Louis and Irene Hall Harris and husband of the late Rosemary Powell Harris.

Mr. Harris retired from Crown Aluminum after 20 years of service. He was a WWII Army Veteran and served as Commander Treasurer and Adjutant of the Person County Chapter of Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Harris was a member of Montwood Baptist Church where he had served as a deacon.

Survivors include his second wife, Lois Loftis Martin Harris; one daughter, Sandra H. Hicks of Hurdle Mills, N.C.; one son, Louis Harris of Roxboro, N.C.; five stepsons, Henry Martin, Jerry Martin, Robert Martin, Ray Martin and Johnny Martin, all of Roxboro; three stepdaughters, Alma Clayton, Ann Solomon and Faye Sullivan, all of Roxboro; one brother, John A. Harris of Roxboro; three sisters, Marion H. Clayton and Agnes H. Dunkley, both of Roxboro, and Maxine H. Moore of Timberlake; one stepbrother, Richard Saunders; five grandchildren, Donna Hicks, Stephen Hicks, Dustin Shotwell, Samantha Shotwell, and Jonathan Shotwell; 21 step-grandchildren; and 21 step-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Harris will be held today, August 1, at 2 p.m. at Brooks & White Funeral Home Chapel in Roxboro, with the Rev. Ross Thompson officiating. Burial will follow in Asbury United Methodist Church Cemetery in Halifax.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Home Health & Hospice of Person County, 325 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, 27573.

Eva Chandler Medlock

Eva Chandler Medlock, 58, of 1202 McPhail Drive, South Boston died July 31 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

She was born in Halifax County on October 18, 1944, the daughter of Roy Chandler and Marie Lester Chandler and was a member of White Oak Fork Baptist Church.

Survivors of Ms. Medlock include two daughters, Tanya Medlock of South Boston and Nicole Battle of Houston, Texas; one son, Todd Medlock of Houston; five grandchildren; her parents of Omega; one sister, Elaine Edmonds of Pomona, N.Y.; two brothers, Leroy Chandler of Halifax and Charlie Chandler of Virgilina. She was preceded in death by one sister, Beatrice Chandler.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow, August 2 at 2 p.m. at White Oak Fork Baptist Church with the Rev. Glenn Faulkner officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Chandler of 2164 Ramble Road, Omega.

Wilford Wright Whitlow

Wilford Wright Whitlow, 60, of 218 Easley Street, South Boston died July 30 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Whitlow was born in Person County, N.C. the son of Amos Thomas Whitlow and Lucie W. Gravitt and was married to Althea Adams Whitlow. He was a member of Second Baptist Church, and was a self-employed dry wall contractor.

Survivors include his wife; his mother; one son, Wilford A. 'Tony' Whitlow and his wife, Shelia, of Virgilina; one daughter, Tamra W. Whitt and her husband, Kevin, of Virgilina; three grandsons, William 'Will' Whitlow, Andrew Whitlow and Daniel Whitt; two granddaughters, Sara Whitt and Grace Whitt; and a special niece, Donna W. Francis and family of South Boston. Mr. Whitlow was preceded in death by his father; two brothers, Charles Whitlow and Kenneth Gravitt; and one sister, Judy Newcomb.

Funeral services for Mr. Whitlow will be held tomorrow, August 2 at 2 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel.

The family will receive friends this evening, August 1 from 7:00 until 8:30 at the funeral home.