Wednesday, August 6, 2003

Are You Where You Should Be?

See today's print edition for a detailed map.

Are all candidates seeking political office in the November election in their right district pew?

Questions persist as campaigns continue.

But Halifax County Registrar Judy Meeler said yesterday that contestants for the Board of Supervisor and the School Board are filed in the correct district.

"It's that little tail going up in South Boston, the one that goes into Election District 5 that's throwing everyone off," Meeler suggested.

While redistricting was completed in 2001, the registrar said this will be the first time for local elections in some of the new districts.

Supervisors have historically staggered elections, splitting board election each two years, said Meeler.

A portion of the Board of Supervisors and of the School Board districts were up in November 2001.

This November election districts one, four, five, seven and eight will be on the ballot for both supervisors and School Board members.

"We check the petitions and put them in the computer when they come in," explained Meeler. "If they don't match the district, the computer kicks it out."

Not only candidates are affected by district boundaries, voters also need to check their district lines.

"October 6 is the last day that anyone can register to vote or change any pertinent information. Any changes require a signature," Meeler said.

Changes might include moving into new districts, if your name has changed due marriage or if you are new to the county and state.

Meeler's suggestion is not to wait until the last minute to check.

"Right now is a great time to go in and check your information," she said.

Not only can voters be assured the registration is taken place in time, the lull between candidates' filing petitions and the November election make it easier on the registrar's office.

HCMS Loses Police Officer
Grant Funding Runs Out For Resource Officer

Students attending Halifax County Middle School will not have a School Resource Officer on school grounds this year.

There has been a police officer stationed at the school for the past four years, thanks to a state grant program that expired at the end of the 2002-2003 school year.

"We won't have anyone up there this year because the funding ran out," South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel confirmed Monday.

According to John Schuiteman, evaluation specialist for the Department of Criminal Justice Services's Virginia Center For School Safety, there were 14 incidents that could be considered Virginia Code violations reported at HCMS last year.

But Schuiteman was quick to point out that the number of incidents he had available was dependent on the reporting officer.

"The data that I collect is based on the resource officer's use of the report form that I provided them," he said.

"You can't make any judgements as to whether this represents everything that happened at the school," Schuiteman added. "It depends on the reporting by the officer."

The incidents during the last school year included one weapons violation, one possession of drugs, five assaults, two alcohol possession charges, one grand larceny, one petty larceny, two tobacco possession charges and four disorderly conduct charges, according to Schuiteman.

The school resource officer, a South Boston police officer, was funded through a four-year state grant with 25 percent funded by the locality.

"It was a four-year grant where 75 percent was paid by the state and the rest was paid jointly by the School Board and the town," South Boston Police Chief Jim Hall said yesterday.

Hall said the decision was made to eliminate the position before school ended for the summer.

"There were meetings with the school superintendent and the Department of Criminal Justice Systems coordinator where we looked at the position," he said.

According to the chief, economics played a role in the decision.

"If you look at last year's funding and this year's, I think we have to try to get things in the right perspective for the community," he said. "With all the unemployment we have, something has to be cut.

"I think that (South Boston Town) Council has been good to us," the chief added. "But you can't keep spending all the time. You have to get the biggest bang for your buck."

South Boston Town Finance Director Vandie Saunders agreed.

"The position was something that wasn't supposed to go on forever," he said. "The town feels like it should be a position that's funded from somewhere other than the town.

"Our position is that it should be funded by the School Board if they want an officer in the middle school," Saunders added.

Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt is on vacation and was unavailable for comment.

Assistant Superintendent Larry Clark said Monday that he wasn't aware of any decisions to fund the resource officer through school system funds.

Corporal Devon Snead, administrative officer for the South Boston Police Department, said no state money was available to assist with the costs associated with the position next year.

"We've been doing some research on it and they haven't cut loose of any funds for that position," Snead said. "Once the grant cycle ended, there isn't any more money."

According to the South Boston budget and Saunders, the town allocated $40,757 for the position in 2003, with 75 percent being repaid by the state.

"We had to ask for the state money," he said. "They didn't just send it."

Half, or $5,094, of the 25 percent local funding was supposed to be funded by the School Board, according to both Hall and Saunders.

Saunders said he didn't have any record of receiving any payment from the School Board. "It appears we spent it all," he said.

"It was a partnership with the School Board," he added. "They were supposed to (pay half of the 25 percent) but it's my understanding that they didn't give any money to us.

"The amount of money we were spending just got out of hand," Saunders said. "It's fallen out of favor in the town that the police department budget should just keep growing and growing."

Contacted yesterday, school Finance Officer Bill Covington confirmed the school system did not fund the position.

"The grant came directly to them (South Boston)," he said. "The town received the funds and the position was an employee of the South Boston Police Department, not the school system."

Robbery Suspects Are Sought
Investigators Say They Kicked In Door And Stole Car, Cash At Gunpoint

Police are on the lookout for three black males that investigators say stole a car at gunpoint from a home on Riverdale Drive early Saturday morning.

Investigators with the Halifax County Sheriff's Office reported yesterday that at approximately 2:45 a.m., three black males entered the home of Angela Jackson, held the occupants at gunpoint, stole some cash and the vehicle.

"Three black males wielding guns kicked the front door of the home in to gain entrance," Captain Larry Fears said yesterday. "Guns were held on the occupants of the home and the phone lines were cut."

The car is described as a 1992 blue Ford Taurus with Virginia lice nse plates YCC-9070.

Fears said the suspects should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information about this crime or who sees the vehicle are asked to call Crimestoppers at 476-TIPS or the Halifax County Sheriff's Department at 476-3334.

Although repeated attempts were made to gather information about the Saturday crime on Sunday, no information was released until Tuesday.

Debs 2-0 In WS After 10-4 Win Over Arkansas

By DOUG FORD| G-V Staff Writer

The Halifax County Dixie Debs all-stars again used the big inning Sunday night to win its second game of the Dixie Debs World Series, defeating Arkansas, 10-4.

Halifax County drew a bye and played Sand Mountain, Al., last night in the tournament being played in Muscle Shoals, Al.

Erica Elliott, Jamie Anderson and Cari Clark had RBI hits in a six-run second inning, and Kristi Myer, Carla Boelte, Emily Pool and Amanda Rogers pitched a combined three-hitter in the win against Arkansas.

Halifax collected eight hits for the game, Elliott going 2-4 with an RBI and run scored, Anderson 1-2 with two RBI's and a run scored, and Clark 1-3, with an RBI and two runs scored.

Rogers, Boelte, Reagan Cannon and Carlyn Matos collected the other Halifax hits, with Rogers scoring twice, and Matos, Myer, Kim Ford and Mallory Lawter scoring once each.

Rogers and Elliott singled in the first inning, Rogers advancing to second on an error before stealing third base.

Elliott stole second base, before Rogers scored on an error by the Arkansas catcher for the first run of the game.

Elliott was thrown out by the catcher at third for the second out, and a strikeout ended the inning.

Halifax collected three hits and drew six walks in the top of the second to score six runs.

Ford reached first on an error to start the inning, and scored on Anderson's hit for the first run.

With one out, Myer and Rogers drew walks to load the bases, and Lawter drew another walk to force in a run.

Elliott and Clark hit RBI singles, Lori Reeves drew a walk, and Ford and Anderson, both up for the second time in the inning, drew walks to force in the final two runs of the inning.

Arkansas used a base hit and four walks in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 7-2, and the score stayed that way to the sixth inning.

Halifax had two on with two out in the fifth, after Boelte's leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt, passed ball, and walk to Lawter, but failed to score.

Arkansas got a runner as far as third in the fourth, and had a runner at second with one out in the fifth, but outfielder Clark gunned her down at the plate trying to score on a base hit.

Halifax added two runs in the sixth, and one run in the seventh to offset another pair of Arkansas runs in its last at-bat.

Clark walked and Matos singled to lead off the inning, Clark going to second on a passed ball and to third on an error.

Boelte reached base, driving Clark in with the first run, Cannon singled and Rogers was hit by a pitch, as the other run scored.

Elliott was hit by a pitch to lead off the last inning, went to second on a passed ball, and scored on an error for the final Halifax run.

Arkansas used two walks, two stolen bases, a passed ball and an RBI single to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the final margin.
Myer, Boelte and Pool each pitched two innings, with Rogers taking the mound for the seventh and final inning.

Myer allowed two runs on one hit, while striking out three and walking four batters.

Boelte allowed no runs on no hits, while striking out three and walking one batter, while Pool allowed no runs on one hit, while striking out two and walking one batter.

Rogers allowed two runs on one hit, while walking two batters.

Obituaries

Joseph Daniel Alderson

Joseph Daniel Alderson, 82, of 1680 Carrington Road, Red Oak died August 3 at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Mr. Alderson was born in Halifax County on July 17, 1921, the son of Samuel Alderson and Lottie Mae Jennings Alderson and was married to Ruby Haskins Alderson. He was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Nannie A. Jackson and Patsy A. Lennon, both of South Boston; three sons, Augusta Combs and Samuel Alderson, both of Bridgeport, Conn. and Joseph Alderson Jr. of Petersburg; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two stepdaughters, Julie Anderson of Trenton, N.J. and Elaine Brown of Schenectady, N.Y.; and one stepson, Monte Joshua of Red Oak.

Funeral services for Mr. Alderson will be held August 8 at 11 a .m. at Mt. Olive Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. James Crowder officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Garden cemetery.

The family is receiving friends at the home, and at the home of Patsy A. Lennon, 1550 Ridge Street, South Boston.

Jeanette Denise Edmunds

Jeanette Denise Edmunds, 47, of 1058 Back Street, Halifax died August 3 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Miss Edmunds was born in Halifax County on April 10, 1956, the daughter of William Carrington Edmunds and Thelma Sadler Edmunds. She was a member of Banister Hill Baptist Church and was employed by Wal-Mart and the Halifax County Public School System.

Survivors include her parents of Halifax; one sister, Laura Paige of Halifax; four brothers, Nathaniel Edmunds of Hawaii, Israel Edmunds of Newark, N.J., Michael Edmunds of Richmond and Keith Edmunds of Atlanta, Ga.
Funeral services for Miss Edmunds will be held tomorrow, August 7 at 2 p.m. at Banister Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. William Carr officiating. Burial will follow in Piney Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family is receiving friends at the home.