January
The Board of Supervisors and the South Hill and Chase City Town Council’s held public hearings in early January to discuss voluntary boundary adjustment agreements, by which certain properties currently located partly within the county will be relocated entirely into the
boundary of the Town.
In South Hill, the town absorbed 24.8 acres of land partly located in the county, Town of South Hill, and the Lacrosse Magisterial District including 15.18 acres belonging to Greenlight Investments, LLC., 4.50 acres belonging to KAC Investments, LLC., and 5.12 acres belonging to Thompson Enterprises VA, LLC. The properties face Highway 138 about half of a mile north of the intersection at Route 1.
The South Hill Town Council heard public comments on a proposed easement from the town to Marrow Street Solar Farm, LLC., which will allow access to property to be used by the grantee or its designee in connection with a small-scale solar facility.
Councilperson Mike Moody assured the residents of the neighborhood surrounding the project that the approval of the easement would eliminate heavy equipment being transported through residential neighborhoods and until changes were made to the town zoning ordinance to exclude solar farms from the permutable uses in industrial zones, there was nothing Council or the Planning Commission could do to stop the project from coming.
On January 11, a man known as “Butch” was riding through the community on his golf car, as he was known to do, when it is believed that his golf car was overpowered by swift moving waters.
Early searches, performed by Lake Gaston Fire and EMS and the South Hill Volunteer Fire Department water rescue teams, led to the discovery of the golf car “Butch” was expected to be driving at the time of his disappearance near a creek that feeds into Lake Gaston. The Bracey man’s body was later recovered from Lake Gaston through volunteer search efforts.
After winning the Republican nomination Tammy Brankley Mulchi won the January 9 Special Election over Democratic nominee Tina Wyatt Younger. Mulchi received 12,585 votes to Younger’s 7,101.
Former Deputy County Administrator Alex Gottschalk took over for longtime County Administrator Wayne Carter following his retirement in February.
Gottschalk is a North Carolina native who, even as a teenager, had plans to work in government for a rural county.
February
Lamari Najek House, 25, was found guilty of second degree murder for his involvement in the 2020 shooting death of James Crayton of South Hill.
Other convictions include three counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, murder by a mob, shooting in commission of a felony, and malicious wounding by a mob.
House was found not guilty of murder in the first degree, assault/malicious wounding with victim injured, and non capital felony murder.
On February 18, 2024, at 7:19 p.m., the South Hill Police Department (SHPD) responded to the 1000 block of Green Hill Road after receiving an emergency call for a person being held at gunpoint and then shots fired.
Upon arrival, officers located two individuals with gunshot wounds; one was a female who was pronounced deceased on the scene and the other was a male who sustained life-threatening injuries. The male was med-flighted to a Richmond area hospital. They have been identified as Jackie Hinman, 76, and Douglas Hinman, 68, both of South Hill. It’s been confirmed that the two were married.
Six Virginia wineries, including Rosemont Winery of Blackridge, were exhibited at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris in the Expo Porte de Versailles in France, Feb. 12 - 14. The annual event serves as a leading wine and spirits industry trade show in Europe. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and Virginia Wine are hosting a pavilion, which will include exhibition booths for the Virginia wineries, at this year's event.
March
Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) was on scene at Kinsley Talley Road, in the Palmer Springs area of Boydton, where two bodies were found burning in a fire that occurred Wednesday, February 28 at 2:37 a.m.
The victims were identified as Nicole Jiggetts and Damien Cleaton. Later on that same Wednesday morning, the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office was called to investigate a suicide believed to be connected to the fire.
The owners of the Microtel by Wyndham in South Hill are pleased to announce that for the third straight year the property was awarded Microtel of the Year by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.
Local entrepreneur and radio personality Stephanie McDonald will received her second doctorate degree, this one in Christian Music Business, in Savannah, Georgia from Kingdom Ambassadors Global University under the leadership of Dr. Arlene Fuller.
a fuel leak from an underground storage tank at the Sunoco gas station on East Atlantic Street in South Hill shut down businesses within a one mile radius.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said that the leak was identified after fuel vapors were reported by nearby businesses.
Units were on scene for hours to contain the leak, direct traffic, and ensure everyone's safety in the surrounding area.
April
This year’s proposed county budget calls for a 4% increase in pay for county employees, school employees, which is the Step increase plus the 3% that was approved by the Virginia General Assembly, and social services employees.
There is also the possibility of a $2000 bonus for county workers, including social services employees, if “they remain employees of the county”.
The bonus would be split into two separate payments of $1000. The first would be paid in December payroll and the second in June 2025.
On April 14, at approximately 3:54 p.m., a deputy with the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) conducted a traffic stop for a traffic violation on a vehicle in the parking lot of Brunswick Square Shopping Center in the 10000 block of Governor Harrison Parkway, in Lawrenceville, Virginia. During the traffic stop, the front seat passenger was identified as Michael Vaughan, who was actively wanted out of Emporia, Virginia. Vaughan abruptly exited the vehicle and fled on foot and was holding a firearm as he attempted to escape arrest. Vaughan managed to flee into a wooded area and was later apprehended.
The South Hill Revitalization Committee kicked off the “Roads of Honor” campaign to recognize those who serve, have served, and who have fallen in the line of duty.
Vertical banners are displayed in historic downtown area starting with Danville Street and Mecklenburg Avenue. They feature a photo of the veteran, their name, their branch of service, and how many years they served.
May
A state historical marker issued by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) will be dedicated highlighting the Sunnyside School, a school located in the Mecklenburg County town of Clarksville that was founded by four sisters to teach young women academic subjects and etiquette during the late 19th to early 20th centuries.
Mecklenburg County Tourism worked with Girls Who Paint (GWP) Murals to bring new images reflecting on the history and individual elements of six different localities including Clarksville, Chase City, South Hill, Brodnax, LaCrosse, and Boydton.
Thanks to a geomagnetic storm, Virginians were able to see the Northern lights in May. Millions of people, as far South as Texas and Florida, witnessed the amazing display of green, pink, purple, and red colors light up the night sky.
According to meteorologists, the event occurred after a massive sunspot, the width of 17 Earths, spewed solar flares, leading to the geometric storm activity. At it’s peek, the storm reached a Level 5 “extreme” condition. These kinds of strong geomagnetic conditions may only appear around four days per 11-year solar cycle.
MCMS FFA eighth grader Charlotte Gordon was the middle school winner of the Alpha Tau Alpha Blue Jacket Essay Contest. The 2024 Essay Prompt was: "Reflect on a personal experience or role model that has inspired your passion for agriculture and leadership. Share how this influence shapes your aspirations in the agricultural field and how receiving an FFA jacket would symbolize your commitment to these goals. Describe how you envision contributing to the FFA community and how the jacket would empower you on your journey.”
Post 79 altered their name to honor local fallen WWI veterans. It is now officially known as the Crews-Epperson-Puryear Post 79, named after three local veterans of World War I, all of whom were killed just one month prior to the ceasefire of November 11, 1918.
June
The South Hill Town Council voted to remove the Business Development Manager’s salary from the current and upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) Budgets. The motion was made by Council member Michael Smith with a second from Lisa Jordan.
Because the hiring and firing of Town employees falls solely on the Town Manager, the decision to terminate or keep former Business Development Manager Brent Morris was left to Reekes, who chose to keep Morris on staff and move funds in the current budget to accommodate his salary in Economic Development and Marketing.
Virginia State Police investigated a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred Friday (June 7, 2024) at 8:00 p.m. on U.S. 58 in Mecklenburg County.
A 2004 Nissan Sentra was on North Carter St. and was crossing Route 58 when it pulled into the path of a 2003 Nissan UD1400 truck. The Nissan truck was traveling east on Route 58. The Nissan truck was unable to avoid the Sentra and the two vehicles collided. The impact of the crash caused the Sentra to run off the right side of the highway. The Nissan truck ran off the left side.
The driver of the Sentra, Kellie C. Serls, 53, of Lacrosse, Va., was transported to an area hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. Serls was wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the truck, Victor K. Cheruiyot, 24, of Winston Salem, N.C., was ejected from the vehicle and suffered minor injuries.
Harper’s Jewelry of South Hill, is celebrated their 78th year in business this month. Originally from Bracey, Clyde Hillman “Hill” Harper discovered a passion for tinkering with watches when he was young.
He started the business in 1946 as a watch repair shop above the old Garland Drug building in the downtown area and later relocated to a double entry building, no longer in existence, beside a five and dime store.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office promoted Brent Evans from Captain to the role of Major. Brent has been employed by the Sheriff’s Office since 1995 during which he has held positions as Deputy Sheriff, Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain.
Bluestone Senior High School Class of '73 held it's 51st Reunion at Bridgewater Bar & Grill. Hugs, great food and a lot of laughs were the norm for the night.
Geneva Thompson Garland, formerly of Chase City celebrated her 100th birthday at Wilson’s in South Hill on June 9, 2024. She is seated third from the left. Garland was born in Lunenburg County but lived in Chase City for 20 years before relocating to Franklin, VA in 1968. She enjoyed celebrating her birthday with family and friends who still live in the area.
July
The South Hill Rotary Club 2023-2024 President Lisa Clary presented the Rotarian of the Year Award to Steven Stanley. He has been involved in numerous Club projects and always in the background but the service he offers to the club makes those projects a success.
The Town of South Hill suffered one of the most devastating events in it’s history in early July when a fire tore through the Nutrien Ag Solutions warehouse, located on West Danville Street when a car crashed into a propane tank on the front of the building. The impact caused the tank to catch fire, shoot into the warehouse window and set fire to the hazardous and highly flammable chemicals inside.
According to Lieutenant Chase Carter with the SHVFD, there were roughly 29 fire, EMS, and law enforcement agencies on scene, as well as, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Environmental Quality, and a regional HAZMAT team to monitor the potential hazardous conditions to the public and first responders.
At the peak of the incident 156 personnel were on scene along with 74 units who managed to keep the fire contained and the surrounding homes and businesses safe from total destruction.
Sources say 15 or more volunteer firefighters were injured while battling the fire; suffering heat exhaustion, chemical burns, and minor scrapes, burns, and bruises.
Streets were closed leading to the historic downtown area while businesses and residents were evacuated nearby as truck after truck rolled in to help.
The driver of the vehicle, Jennifer Fields, 41, of South Hill, was airlifted to a nearby hospital with severe burns and life threatening injuries. Fields succumbed to her injuries around 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Clean up efforts continued for months following the incident, which required continuous environmental quality monitoring and testing.
On July 6 at 11:14 a.m., the Mecklenburg County Communication Center received an emergency call to North Bend Drive for a possible drowning. A 21 year old male was located in the water at the North Bend day use swimming area and pronounced dead on the scene by a local medical examiner.
On July 13, at 9:25 p.m., the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) responded to Osbourne Street in Buffalo Junction where someone had been shot.
Upon arrival, deputies and the Clarksville Police Department placed Keith Hutcherson, 51, of Buffalo Junction, was detained and charged with first degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He is currently being held without bond.
The South Hill Rotary Club won numerous awards for the 2023-2024 Rotary year at the Change of Leadership Celebration in Williamsburg. The Club came home with Club Administration Award, Weekly Bulletin Award, Website Award, Community Service Award, District Foundation Award, International Award, Public Image Award, Youth Services Award, Outstanding President Award and Governors Circle Award.
August
The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) has awarded former Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. with a Lifetime Legislative Achievement Award. For 30 years, Senator Ruff represented large swaths of central and southside Virginia in both the Virginia House of Delegates (1994-2000) and Senate of Virginia (2000-2024).
The coolest event in Southern Virginia took over downtown Clarksville on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18. Participants were able to slide as many times as desired within the 2 hour ticket timeframe.
The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to deny the zoning ordinance amendment allowing for a zoological park in Clarksville.
Board member Andy Hargrove said he did not feel that the citizens of the county were ready for a zoo in the area. “They have not developed the mindset. This is what we sit here for, to represent our districts and there have been complaints,” said Hargrove.
South Hill Police Chief Stuart Bowen will be finished his time with the town on August 30 of this year.
The announcement was made at the regular monthly meeting of the South Hill Town Council on Monday, August 12. After speaking on their time working together Marion said, “I can only hope the best for him and I’m sure this community would say the same.”
Bowen became the South Hill Police Chief 8 years ago after spending 16 years with the Lynchburg Police Department.
On August 17, 2024, Deputy Adrian Guerrero was dispatched for a missing person’s report at 3100 Block of Highway Nine-O-Three. Deputy Guerrero spoke to a family member of Graham Norris Horne over the phone. Horne was traveling with a faith-based group. They stopped at Simmons Truck Stop in Bracey where they were selling Christian faith books. Graham got into a disagreement with some of people he was traveling with and walked away. He left walking east from Simmons. He did not have a phone and did not have any ties to the community. Video footage from businesses and residence were obtained.
September
South Hill Town Manager Keli Reekes announced the appointment of Deputy Chief Greg Geist as the new Chief of Police for the South Hill Police Department. This transition follows a carefully designed succession plan to ensure continuity and stability within the South Hill Police Department. This appointment follows Chief Stuart Bowen’s 8 years of dedicated service to the Town.
Local law enforcement and rescue was dispatched to a church located at 9327 Highway 903 in Bracey after emergency communication received information of a possible body in a well.
The call came from a plumber who claimed there was a strong odor coming from a well located on the property and when he looked inside he could see a shoe and other bulky items floating in the water.
Fire and rescue arrived on scene and the unidentified body was pulled from the well and sent to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Richmond to determine the cause of death. The body was later confirmed to be missing person, Graham Horne of Myrtle Beach, SC.
The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors approved the development of a new Nutrien Ag Solutions facility at the site of the former Park View Middle School on Dockery Road in South Hill. Working closelywith this local company to remain in the County and to retain 28 jobs that serve the large agriculture industry has been a key focus of the Board of Supervisors and the Agriculture Advisory Committee.
The site is a total of 35.18 acres, which will provide Nutrien Ag Solutions flexibility and room for future growth if needed. Nutrien will build a 50,000-60,000 square foot warehouse that will house seed, fertilizer and chemicals and also have office space attached to it.
A Blair Construction worker died on Noblin Road at the site of the Clarksville Elementary School expansion when he fell from a scaffold.
A statement from Blair Construction said, “This incident has shocked our tight-knit community. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the family and all those affected by this tragic incident. We will continue to ensure that safety is the number one priority on our job sites.”
In an inspiring show of community support, Dominion Energy donated a brand-new chicken coop to the Phoenix farm, fostering educational opportunities and sustainability initiatives. The coop was built and delivered by Kroeger's Critter Keeper's. Kroeger’s Critter Keeper’s designed the coop to be predator proof and allow plenty of space for learning.
October
The South Hill Volunteer Fire Department announced a partnership with Microsoft’s Datacenter Community Affairs team to “implement state-of-the-art extrication and technical rescue tools in South Hill and Mecklenburg County”.
The initiative aims to supplement current equipment, replace dated tools, and significantly increase operational capabilities by January 2025.
Dr. Suslick captured a photo of Comet 2023 A3 as it passed on October 13 at 7:30 p.m. Comet 2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is a comet from the Oort cloud discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory in China on 9 January 2023 and independently found by ATLAS South Africa on 22 February 2023. The comet passed perihelion at a distance of 0.39 AU on September 27, 2024, when it became visible to the naked eye.
M.C. Dean opened the doors to its newest office in the Southern Virginia (SOVA) region, during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday. Opening this facility continues M.C. Dean’s nearly decade-long strategic investment in the region, serving as the base of operations for nearly 600 employees, including 96 apprentices, working on several data center projects.
The new facility, located at 625 Lombardy Street, South Hill, Virginia, includes 6,000-square-feet for office space, a 10,000-square-foot controlled logistics center with staging for modular delivery, and over two acres of secure outdoor storage. The expansion increases production and service capabilities for M.C. Dean customers in southern Virginia and the Carolinas.
The Board of Supervisors voted to appoint Justin Burch as the new Emergency Services Coordinator (ESC) for Mecklenburg County.
Burch stepped in for longtime ESC Jon Taylor. The Emergency Services Coordinator assists any requesting emergency services agency at emergency scenes and serves as the County’s Hazardous Materials Officer.
The Town of South Hill is addressing environmental issues at Town Hall and, as a precautionary measure, will be temporarily relocating all services to ensure the health and safety of its employees and citizens.
Starting Monday, October 21, Town Hall services will operate from 111 East Danville Street, directly across from the Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center and R.T. Arnold Library. All Town Council meetings will also be held at this temporary location until further notice. The Town appreciates the community’s patience during this transition.
Longtime State Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. passed peacefully in his home on Saturday, October 26, surrounded by his loving family after a valiant battle with cancer.
Frank was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and brother who will be remembered for his service to the community and state.
Ruff served in the Virginia House of Delegates for the 61st district from 1994 to 2000 and in the Senate of Virginia for the 15th district from 2000 to 2024 representing parts of Southside Virginia.
Due to ongoing treatment for kidney cancer, Ruff resigned from his Senate seat on January 9, 2024. He had previously been elected to a sixth term in the redrawn 9th district in 2023, a special election was held on January 9, 2024.
November
Virginia State Police investigated a fatal two-vehicle crash in Mecklenburg County.
A 2006 Freight-liner M2 truck was traveling eastbound, at the intersection of Route 58 and East Atlantic Street in South Hill, in the left lane when it was unable to avoid a 1996 Toyota T100 pickup truck making a lane change from the right lane. Both vehicles then went off of the left side of the road.
The driver of the pickup, William J. Simmons, 86, of Chase City, Va., died at the scene. He was wearing a seatbelt.
After weeks of totaling write-in votes, current Vice-Mayor Mike was declared as the winner in the race for South Hill Mayor.
South Hill was the only town in Mecklenburg with contested seats for Mayor and Town Council Ward 3.
Though longtime Mayor Dean Marion announced he had no intention of rerunning for the position, the ballot remained empty leading up to election day.
Mike Moody and Wade Crowder received the most write-in votes with Moody receiving 559 and Crowder receiving 84.
Ward 3 in South Hill had three available seats on Town Council, currently held by Gavin Honeycutt, Lisa Jordan, and Joseph E. Taylor, Jr. Honeycutt was the only current Ward 3 representative with his name on the ballot for re-election receiving 432 of the total votes.
Carl Sasser, Jr. received 357 votes and write-in candidate Jenifer Freeman-Hite received 102 votes.
Delores Luster ran unopposed in Ward 2 and will continue to hold her seat on the South Hill Town Council.
Travis Wright will take a position on the Mecklenburg County School Board with 1,175 votes. Christopher Starke (Boydton), Alden Fahringer (Chase City) ran unopposed.
December
Towns all over the county brought in the Christmas holiday starting with the town of Boydton’s grand illumination on Monday, December 2.
Clarksville hosted their annual Christmas parade on Friday night while the South Hill Chamber of Commerce kicked Hometown Christmas with the Mayor’s tree lighting, fireworks, music, food, ice skating, and rides.
The celebration continued on Saturday in South Hill with hallmark movies at the Colonial Theater, rides, food, photos with Santa, and Home Alone movie night hosted by the South Hill Revitalization Committee.
The Chase City Volunteer Fire Department had a festive Saturday morning with pancakes, hot chocolate, and holiday photos with Santa.
On Sunday, South Hill closed out their Christmas celebration weekend with the annual Christmas parade.
Parade-goers filled the streets of Chase City on Sunday night as local church groups, organizations, emergency services departments, marching bands, and many more drove by.
Dance It Out Studios and Flip It Out announced their official certification by Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD) for 2024. This milestone marks a significant achievement and underscores the studios' dedication to providing a safe, healthy, and positive environment for all dancers, gymnasts, and families.