Friday, August 13, 2004

County Braces For Wind, Rain
Tropical Storm Bonnie, Hurricane Charlie Are Expected To Impact Weekend Weather On East Coast

Halifax County is under a flood watch through noon today as a tropical storm and a hurricane moving up from Florida are expected to hit the county with a one-two punch, making this a wet weekend.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service said the first storm, tropical storm Bonnie, was expected to accelerate throughout the afternoon yesterday and drench the county with between two to four inches of rain overnight.

"It's going to be a very fast mover," Hendricus Lulofs, warning coordination meteorologist, said. "The biggest threat with Bonnie will be rain."

Winds shouldn't play much of a factor in the first storm, he said.

By noon yesterday, the leading edge of the rain was in Winston-Salem and was moving toward the northeast.

"We expect that it will get heavier through the afternoon and into the evening," he said.

Rains from Bonnie were expected to taper off overnight.

"You'll have a little bit of a breather," Lulofs said. "And then there's Charlie."

Packing winds in excess of 100 m.p.h., Hurricane Charlie was still strengthening yesterday afternoon with the eye located just south of Cuba.

Lulofs said that after hitting Cuba, Charlie is expected to restrengthen over the Gulf of Mexico before "turning and racing up the east coast."

"I expect that by Saturday night it will affect Virginia," the meteorologist said, adding that Charlie is expected to weaken and no longer be a hurricane by the time it reaches Virgina.

Combined with the still-wet ground from Bonnie, Lulofs said winds from Charlie could result in downed trees and more flooding.

"The concern will be that with the rain from Bonnie and the second storm so close behind it, there could be flooding Saturday," he said. "Another concern is that with the ground so wet from Bonnie, and then Charlie with stronger winds, trees could topple due to the wet soil conditions."

Although he said the storm was too far away to predict precisely what impact it will have on the area, Lulofs said more warnings and watches could be called as Charlie gets closer.

"We encourage residents to stay tuned in to radio and television reports to keep abreast of the warnings and watches," he said.

Ginger Weaver, director of the Halifax County Chapter of the America Red Cross, said residents should be aware of the storms and take precautions to protect themselves and their belongings.

"We're telling people to fill their gas tanks and re-check mobile home tie-downs," she said. "They should check their batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water and make sure they have an adequate supply of medications."

Residents are also encouraged to bring in anything that can be blown away such as lawn furniture and house plants, Weaver said.

Council Is Asked to Vote Again On Tower
The Current Proposal Calls For The Tower To Be Placed Next To The E-911 Center

Halifax Town Council was asked Tuesday night to reconsider location of a proposed 180-ft. communications tower next to the E-911 Center and to "re-vote" the issue.

It was the second time protesters have opposed the tower's location.

The current proposal calls for the tower to be placed next to the E-911 Center located at the entrance to Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.

"We're not trying to stop the tower," said spokesman Frank Carr, who has brought suit against the town and county to delay tower construction pending additional study.

"I know we need it, but there's a better way," Carr said yesterday.

Carr, who retired from the Army after 26 years in the communications field, offered to show councilmen three alternative sites at the Bethune Complex.

"That's a historical landmark, almost sacred for the blacks of Halifax County," Carr told councilmen. "It's one of the only historical landmarks we have."

Halifax native Frank Booker agreed, asking Council to reconsider, "to re-vote" the issue.

"I think it is wrong," said Booker. "It desecrates a site that is very important to many of our citizens. The (council's) 4-2 vote flies in the face of that," he said of Council's action at last month's meeting despite a long petition opposing the location.

"I think the lawsuit has merit," added Booker, who said he was contributing money for the legal challenge.

Gatha Richardson, who owns property near Mary Bethune, told councilmen he was "definitely interested in finding a way to have you put the tower someplace else."

Other speakers included Matthew Logan, Calvin Younger, Cecil Dance, and Mrs. Ruth Plenty, whose home is near Mary Bethune.

Yesterday, Carr suggested a tower site in the parking lot behind Mary Bethune, and two sites adjoining playing fields behind the Complex.

Carr said he and others protesting the current location simply wanted the tower behind the Bethune Complex, "out of sight," not at its entrance.

Although Council allowed citizen comment on the issue, Mayor Leon Plaster said councilmen would not comment since the issue is in litigation.

Carr said yesterday that he would drop the lawsuit if a new tower site could be located.

At a recent Council meeting, county officials said that it would be "very costly" to move the proposed tower site.

If moved, county officials explained that a new site survey/environmental study would be required, that some of the equipment needed would have to be duplicated, and that federal regulations require that a tower above 200 feet have lights.

Other topics discussed during public comment at Council's Tuesday night session included the maintenance of existing town sidewalks and the creation of new ones.

Mayor Leon Plaster explained that some sidewalks are owned by the state and others by the town.

"Money," said Councilman Jack Dunavant in reply to a question about extending sidewalks to additional areas.

Carr also sought speed markers "to slow down traffic" on Back Street.

Councilmen were also asked if anything could be done to keep truckers from using jake brakes as they turn on Highway 501, citing the loud noise.

Halifax Police Chief Keith Tribble said the problem was being investigated.

In the past, councilmen have received similar complaints about trucks from residents who live near the Mountain Road/501 intersection.

Town Manager Carl Espy's work with the town revitalization project was complimented by Booker.

In other business, Council - with Cabell Daniel and W.A. Stevens absent - approved participation in a DEQ Litter Prevention and Recycling Grant Cooperative program.

South Boston and the Halifax County Board of Supervisors approved participation in the program at the July towns/county joint session.

During committee reports, Councilman H.C. Phillips told Council the Halifax VFD had received two grants, a $2,700 matching grant from Forestry and a $47,500 Chastain Home grant.

Phillips said the Forestry Grant would be used to purchase smoke masks, fire-retardant jackets and hose.

He said Chastain Grant funds were being used to purchase an EMS vehicle.

A $10,000 donation will purchase air bags to lift heavy machinery or vehicles, with $1,000 set aside for safety equipment - vests required by the federal government. Also, a storage shed is being constructed, according to the councilman.

Phillips said the Halifax VFD has answered 204 emergency calls to date this year.

Jack Dunavant, reporting on water/sewer issues, said South Boston, Halifax and county officials continue to meet.

Dunavant said the committee is awaiting an engineering report sponsored by the county to explore desirable and efficient action regarding the systems.

Morgan Attempts To Change Guilty Plea
Xenia Morgan Is Facing Death Penalty In Murder Of 70-Year-Old Woman

Just weeks after pleading guilty in Halifax County Circuit Court to capital murder, Xenia Uzella Morgan has filed a motion to withdraw her guilty plea.

In the motion, Morgan's attorney Douglas Ramseur maintains his defendant mistakenly pleaded guilty to one count of murder and one count of robbery.

"In this case, the ends of justice will be served by allowing the defendant to withdraw her pleas of not guilty," Ramseur, who works for the office of the capital defender in Richmond, wrote. "The defendant maintains that her pleas were mistakenly made and that she has defenses available to her for these charges."

On July 14, Morgan, 32, pleaded guilty to the capital murder and robbery of Lillian Beatrice Taylor, 70, who was stabbed to death in her Quarles School Road home in the early morning hours of May 9, 2003.

During her arraignment shortly before trial, Morgan pleaded not guilty to both charges.

According to an autopsy report, Taylor suffered 78 sharp force stabs and cuts to the neck, chest, abdomen, right arm, left arm, left flank and back.

She also received multiple blunt force injuries to the head, face and chest that resulted in a broken nose and multiple breaks to the top and bottom jaw.

The defendant's plea came shortly before opening arguments in the case were set to begin.

"At around 12:30 p.m. (on July 14), the judge (William Wellons) ruled on a pending motion regarding the admissability of brain damage in the guilt or innocence phase," White said following the guilty plea. Wellons ruled the evidence was not admissable.

After the court had adjourned for lunch, defense attorneys Ramseur and Glenn Berger met with White and said they wanted to talk to Morgan about pleading guilty, White said following the trial.

The sentencing phase of Morgan's trial is scheduled for October 26 and 27.

Following the surprise guilty plea, Morgan was questioned at length by Wellons, who determined that Morgan understood the charges against her and that she could receive the death penalty for the crimes.

Despite the new motion, Commonwealth's Attorney Kim White said that no matter what happens, she still intends to seek the death penalty in the case.
"Virginia law permits a jury to recommend and a judge to sentence an individual to death if the defendant is found to have a likelihood of being a danger in the future or the crime for which they are found guilty is particularly vile," she said. "In this case, both situations exist."

White pointed to the summary of evidence following Morgan's guilty plea.

During the summary, prosecutors said they believed the initial motive for the crime was robbery and that Morgan became angry because she only got $4, two of which were dropped as she fled the murder scene.

In the motion to withdraw the plea, Ramseur said justice would be served by allowing his client to change her plea.

"The trial court has the discretion to allow a defendant to withdraw a guilty plea prior to the time that a sentence is imposed, based on the facts and circumstances of each case," he wrote.

"The interests of justice in a death penalty case are best served by allowing a person whose life is on the line to proceed to trial on the merits to ensure that all of her rights are protected," Ramseur continued. "This court has the discretion to allow withdrawal of the pleas, and the use of such discretion would not prejudice the Commonwealth in any way."

A hearing on the motion to change the plea will be scheduled to determine if a new trial will be scheduled.

A Push Toward Success
HCHS Hoops Standout Chase Weddle Found Much Success This Summer Playing With And Against Some Of The Country’s Top High School Players On Big Stages

BY JOE CHANDLER
G-V STAFF WRITER

Many high school athletes take part in summer programs to improve their skills.

For Halifax County High School basketball standout Chase Weddle, the summer has been particularly fruitful.

Weddle, a rising senior at Halifax County High School, spent the spring and summer months playing for the Roanoke-based East Coast Scholar Athletes travel basketball team coached by Gerald Allman.

The team for 17 and 18-year-olds had a successful venture, playing in large regional invitational basketball tournaments around the country.

Among the major events the team participated in were The Nike Main Event Invitational Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas, the Adidas National Showtime Tournament in Atlanta, GA, the Hoosier Shootout in Indianapolis, IN, and the Kingswood Classic in Houston, TX.

In addition, Weddle played in a pair of Charlie Weber Tournaments, one in Washington, DC and one in Charlottesville as well as in a Bob Gibbons Invitational event in Raleigh, NC.

Those events allowed Weddle to compete against some of the country's top hoops players and showcase his skills in front of college coaches and recruiters.

The results have been very fruitful.

While the experience of playing with the East Coast Scholar Athletes team in the tournaments has helped him lift his game to another level, the biggest and most important benefit is the contacts and interest he has generated from college basketball coaches and recruiters.

As of this week, Weddle has been contacted by coaches and recruiters from eight colleges and schools of higher learning.

The list includes the University of Pennsylvania, Lafayette University in Pennsylvania, VMI, and Washington & Lee University in Lexington.

Weddle has also been contacted by the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York, Wagner College in New York and Oxford College in Georgia.

This success has come to a young who was cut from the Halifax County Middle School basketball the only year he tried out for the squad and who went on to improve enough to play on the high school varsity level from his sophomore year on.

Weddle said the experience he has gained and the success he has derived has been well worth the effort it took to join the team, travel to practices and spend the time on the road playing in tournaments.

"It was a real good experience," Weddle said.

"I had the chance to play against a lot of good competition. Most of the guys I played against were hoping to play college basketball, whether it was Division I, Division II or Division III.

"I got a chance to see where I would rank in the country," added Weddle.

"It helped me see my weak points, my strengths and what I need to work on. I also got to see and visit a lot of places and perform in front of a lot of college coaches."

The East Coast Scholar Athletes team that Weddle played on was an all-star in itself.

"There were several guys on the team that already knew where they were going (to school)," said Weddle.

"One kid, Adam Williams, was going to go to prep school one year and then go to play for Kentucky. Another guy, Adam Fletcher, I think is going to sign with JMU (James Madison University) or Kent State."

The team also included some players from the Western Valley District
"That was good because I had a chance to meet those guys and see how they play so I will have a better understanding of how to play against them and what I need to work on to go against them during the regular season in high school," Weddle pointed out.

"Everybody on the team had the talent. All of us were willing to get into the gym and work. The coaches (Allman and assistant coach Phil Miron) knew what they were doing and the players knew what they had to do."

Weddle noted this team and its coaches have had a long list of players that have gone on to play college basketball.

"J.J. Redick was one of their former players and so was Drew Crank (E.C. Glass' center this past season) who is going to Richmond," noted Weddle.

Weddle said the team had pretty good results during its tournament season.
"In some tournaments, we did really well," Weddle said.

"We won a lot more games than we lost. We had our ups and downs. You can get into these tournaments and have one bad game and it will knock you out of the tournament.

"Our coaches told us not to measure our success on wins and losses but, instead, on whether you get any coaches contacting you after the game," added Weddle.

The biggest successes came in the Las Vegas and Indianapolis tournaments.
"In Indianapolis, we finished in the top 30 out of 120-some teams," Weddle said.

"At Las Vegas were in the top 32 out of 135 teams. That was really good."
The biggest surprise, Weddle said, was the number of college coaches that attended the tournaments.

"There were a couple of tournaments where there were at least 300 college coaches there watching you," he said.

"They all may not have been there at one time, but they were there looking at everybody.

"It was a surprise to me," he continued.

"I had played on other AAU teams and they said you see college coaches but you would never see but one or two."

While having a lot of college coaches watching was good, Weddle said it also brought some pressure.

"Every time you went out onto the floor you had to do your best if you had any hopes of going into college basketball," Weddle pointed out.

"From the time you walked into the gym the pressure was on. The coaches were watching you, not just to see what you did on the court, but what you did off the court. They watched you every second to see how you acted and if you respected your fellow players and the coaches."

Weddle says he hopes to translate the experiences he had this summer into a good season when he dons his Comets uniform for his upcoming senior season.

"I hope I will have a lot better season this season," Weddle said.

"Playing with this team allowed me to see some of the drills I need to work on. It allowed me to see my strengths and weaknesses and find out more about the things I need to work on.

"I'm going to look at this season like any other season," continued Weddle.

"I'm going to try my best and go out there and try to help bring back another championship to Halifax County."

Obituaries

Bouldin Lacy Caldwell

Bouldin Lacy Caldwell, 76, of Charlotte, N.C., died August 10, at Carolinas Medical Center. 

Born July 28, 1928, in Halifax, he was the son of the late Hugh Roberts Caldwell and Estelle Lacy Caldwell. 

Mr. Caldwell served in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and retired from Delta Airlines in 1990 after 29 years of service.  Following his retirement, he obtained his pilot’s license.  Mr. Caldwell was a member of the Carolina Wing of the Confederate Air Force, Steele Creek Masonic Lodge
#737 AF & AM, and the American Legion.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. today, August 13, at McEwen Charlotte Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Buddy Pigg officiating.  Interment will follow at Forest
Lawn West Cemetery. 

Survivors of Mr. Caldwell include his wife, Joan Thompson Caldwell; one son Hugh Caldwell; three daughters, Teri Tillett of Lake Wateree, S.C., Karen Williamson and her husband, Ronnie, of Charlotte, and Polly Plemmons and her husband, Brian, of Gastonia, N.C.; two granddaughters, Katelyn 'Katie' Plemmons and Allee Plemmons.

Memorials may be made to Mulberry Presbyterian Church Child Development Center, 5600 Tuckaseegee Road, Charlotte, N. C. 28208 or to the American Cancer Society, 500 E. Morehead Street, Suite 211, Charlotte, N.C. 28202.


Ola Mae Bradsher Silby

Funeral services for Mrs. Ola Mae Bradsher Silby of Noblin Avenue, South Boston, will be held today at 3:30 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs. Silby, 80, died Monday at Halifax Regional Hospital.

She was born in Wise County, Virginia, on July 24, 1924, a daughter of the late Ross Bradsher and Nora Engle Bradsher. She was married to the late Robert Silby.

There are no immediate survivors, however, Mrs. Silby was loved and cared for by W.D. and Gertrude McLean and the Mac&Rich Adult Home family.