South Boston has been awarded $18,000 for a planning grant to study the revitalization of the Tobacco Warehouse District adjacent to downtown.
The award was one of 13 announced by Gov. Jim Gilmore on Friday in the first round of competition of the 1999 Virginia Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
Award recipients can use the funds for community organizing, preliminary design and engineering and other planning activities in preparation for a CDBG construction grant proposal.
According to South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel, the planning grant will be used to study the adaptive reuse of the Tobacco Warehouse District in downtown South Boston.
"We are looking forward to doing the planning. It is just one more thing that, if we can do it, will make the redevelopment of the downtown area than much more vibrant and active, and bring people in," Daniel said.
The town manager said the purpose of the planning grant is to seek a Community Development Block Grant to make infrastructure and building improvements throughout the tobacco warehouse district.
Currently plans are underway by different organizations for the revitalization of two tobacco-related structures in the southern part of the town, the Continuing Education Center and The Prizery.
"This is a complement to what is going on at CEC and the Prizery," said Daniel.
The grant will allow the town to hire a consultant and plan for the best use of buildings in the tobacco warehouse district, he explained.
"This planning grant lets us work with rest of the Tobacco Warehouse District, see what buildings could be used for, mixed uses, businesses, living, restaurants ...," added Daniel.
"We know it is a great area, adjacent to downtown. It would be nice to have some professional planners come in, look at it, and have their creative thinking," he continued. The town manager also would like to draw high technology residents to the area.
In addition to South Boston, others approved by Gov. Gilmore in first round planning grants included: $11,000 to Bath County; $23,500 to the Town of Big Stone Gap; $18,000 to the Town of Chincoteague; $15,000 to the Town of Damascus; $16,900 to Franklin County; $20,050 to the Town of Glade Spring; $20,000 to Gloucester County; $10,000 to the City of Harrisonburg; $11,014 to the Town of LaCrosse; $9,541 to the Town of Lawrenceville; $11,995 to the Town of Richlands; $15,000 to the Town of Shenandoah.

An overall slowdown in the rapid pace of construction in Halifax County and the Town of South Boston is being reflected in the total number of building permits issued and their values for the first six months of 1999. Compared to 1998 during the same period, the $25,2 million worth of construction and improvements to existing properties this year is down more than 26 percent.
South Boston annexed most of Centerville and Riverdale in 1998 and that's where most of the area's commercial growth is taking place in the form of new shopping centers, restaurants, banks and other businesses.
That change is resulting in an increase for the Town of South Boston at the expense of Halifax County. South Boston's growth rate compared to the same period a year ago has risen over 54.7 percent while Halifax County's building permit values plunged by 36.2 percent.
The drop in dollars being spent are largely in the categories of commercial and industrial construction. Compared to the first half of 1998, Halifax County commercial building permit values dropped from $22.9 to $1.1 million, almost 95 percent.
Industrial expansion for the first half of 1999 is down $11 million or 67.6 percent.
Accounting for last year's growth were such mammoth projects as the $16.3 million expansion of Dollar General Distribution Center, Berry Hill's renovation and expansion by AXA, Blue Ridge Beverage Distribution Center two nationally franchised restaurants, the South Boston Urologic Clinic.
A total of 40 new home construction permits in Halifax County is up slightly from last year while the placement of manufactured homes remained about the same even though the value of those units is increasing.
South Boston's construction and improvement values in the first half of the year -$4,753,572, are up 54.7 percent in 1999-$7,358,382. In every category except commercial, building and improvements increases range from 4.4 percent to an increase of 650 percent.
Construction activity in the Town of Halifax has been limited to remodeling and repair to existing businesses and residences. Estimated total permit value for the first half of 1999 is $101,000.
Halifax's largest single building project ever, an $8 million adult detention center, is nearing completion and is expected to receive the first prisoners in September.

Health care issues dominated Saturday when about 20 Vietnam Veterans turned out to begin the process of forming a Vietnam Veterans of America chapter here.
The national and state presidents of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. also tackled a variety of issues raised by veterans.
Veterans learned VVA spearheads veterans' rights, including lobbying congress on behalf of those affected by Agent Orange.
Virginia Vietnam Veterans of America President Charlie Montgomery also answered questions about Hepatitis C testing and discussed hospital care statewide and nationally.
Describing the organization's lobbying efforts on behalf of Vietnam veterans, national VVA President George C. Duggins added, "We answered the call, now we ask that they (the Congress) keep their promises."
Twenty-five members are needed to petition for a local chapter.
VVA officials described chapters as places veterans learn "what we can do for them and what they can do for the community."
"We welcome Vietnam veterans and Vietnam-era veterans to make it a working chapter," said retired Marine Richard Hall yesterday. "We need at least five more veterans. Show your support by supporting this South Boston chapter."
Those interested in additional information may contact Hall at 349-6847 or Harold Hughes at 585-2670.

Supervisors will meet with South Boston and Halifax officials tonight to continue their study of the needs and projected growth of the urban planning area stretching from Halifax to South Boston and spilling over into the county.
The joint session begins at 6 p.m. in the Conference Room at Mary Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
Supervisors also are scheduled to meet in closed session with South Boston officials at 7 p.m. about boundary adjustment issues regarding Berry Hill.
Meeting on a monthly basis to explore the urban planning area, town and county officials learned last month that the area includes a total of 55.89 square miles.
Soil characteristics which could affect septic systems and impact building site development were presented during that session by assistant county administrator Jerry Lovelace at the last session.
Town of Halifax
Halifax Town Council is scheduled to meet in closed session today at noon on annexation issues.
Town Council voted in June to proceed with annexation which would extend Halifax's boundaries to the South Boston boundary line in the Centerville area, include Salishan and Golf Course Road communities, the Burlington plant area and also extend west up Mountain Road.
Halifax Town Council and supervisors met last week in closed session to discuss the town's annexation proposal. Town and county officials agreed following that meeting to schedule a second closed session on the issue for August 3.

Halifax County Sheriff's deputies arrested two men Saturday following a brief chase and recovered a car that had allegedly been stolen earlier.
After receiving a report regarding a stolen 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo owned by Mary Walker of the Willow Oaks Apartments in South Boston, deputies spotted a vehicle matching the description and pursued it to the intersection of highways 92 and 360.
After stopping the vehicle, officers took Bernie Blanding Jr., 39, of Jones Store Lane, Halifax, and Jabar Ebony Blanding, 23, of Jupiter Street, Clover, into custody.
Both men were charged with grand larceny and scheduled to appear in Halifax County General District Court July 21.
In other reports, a Nathalie teen was arrested on drug charges early yesterday morning.
Deputies arrested Laclinton Lamont Boyd, 19, of Hog Wallow Road, Nathalie, around 3 a.m. and charged him with the sale/distribution of less than one half ounce of marijuana.
Boyd is scheduled to appear in Halifax County General District Court July 21.
Dennis Edward Gilbert Jr., 23, of Virgie Cole Road, South Boston, was arrested shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday morning and charged with being drunk in public.
He is scheduled to appear in Halifax County General District Court August 6.
Debra Clark, 29, of Poplar Creek Street, South Boston, was charged Friday for allegedly trespassing on Martha Norwood's property Wednesday after being forbidden to do so.

By BRUCE SMITH
Associated Press Writer
LAKE CITY, S.C. (AP) - Rows of tobacco plants, their green leaves gently rustling in a warm breeze, roll away from the highways and back roads across South Carolina's tobacco belt. But the idyllic scene belies the challenges facing the state's most valuable cash crop as farmers prepare once again to take their leaf to auction.
A multibillion dollar settlement of smoking claims, other lawsuits pending, cuts in tobacco quotas and talk of abolishing the auction system make it one of the most uncertain years in recent memory in an industry where every year seems fraught with challenge.
"It's a crisis crop. To get anything done with tobacco you have to be in a crisis," said J.M. "Moot" Truluck, who grew tobacco for a quarter century and is now a warehouseman at the Planters and Growers Golden Leaf Warehouse.
South Carolina's tobacco auctions open Aug. 3 and usually close in October.
About 35,000 jobs are connected, directly or indirectly, to the state's $1 billion tobacco industry, according to past studies. Almost 1,900 farmers in the state grow tobacco, which was first cultivated here three centuries ago.
"I'm just trying to hang on," said grower Joe Love as he walked through one of his tobacco fields just off U.S. 52, South Carolina's main north-south tobacco road.
Love, who also grows cotton, has 60 acres of tobacco this year, down from 132 acres two years ago. That's in large part the result of cuts in tobacco quotas, the amount farmers are allowed to grow based in part on cigarette manufacturers' buying intentions.
A little less than 100 million pounds of leaf was sold at auction for about $171 million last season - $40 million less than the previous season. There were lower yields in some areas and quotas were down 17 percent from the year before.
Quotas were again cut this year by almost 18 percent. It is the largest poundage reduction since quotas were established in the mid-1960s and the outlook is not much rosier.
The U.S. Agriculture Department predicts domestic tobacco consumption will drop 25 percent during the next decade because of higher taxes and retail prices.
The impact may be eased a bit by a $206 billion settlement between the tobacco industry and 46 states. The deal includes payments to 14 tobacco-growing states to help compensate farmers and tobacco allotment owners for the drop in demand.
That should bring $360 million into South Carolina during the next 12 years - about the value of the state's tobacco crop for two seasons. How much individual farmers might get remains to be seen.
"I'll believe it when I see the check," said Love.
"It's popular to beat tobacco down right now," said warehouseman Jimmie Lynch as he stood on a nearly-empty concrete auction floor that in a few weeks will be filled with tawny leaf.
Lynch grows 41 acres of his own tobacco and says the problem is finding a crop that brings the same kind of prices. "There ain't none," he said.
At least the weather has been kind. An early dry spell sent the roots deep, Love said, and plentiful recent rains have left the crop in good shape.
"Tobacco is a pretty tough crop. It will wait on the rain," Love said.
Auctions themselves, at one time midsummer political and social happenings in rural South Carolina, could be in jeopardy.
Last April, Philip Morris withdrew a controversial proposal to directly contract with farmers for their tobacco. The company wants contracts to ensure that its growers stop mixing different grades of tobacco from their harvests.
Truluck said abandoning auctions will hurt growers.
"The ultimate reason for contracts is to get tobacco cheaper," he said. "Without an auction system, there will be no price supports. Without price supports, you are at the mercy of the companies."
And without quotas, it will be tough for growers to get bank loans to put in a crop, he warned.
Despite tobacco's hazy future, the predicted wholesale exodus of farmers hasn't happened, said Lionel Edwards, general manager of the Raleigh, N.C.-based Flue Cured Tobacco Stabilization Corp. that administers the price-support system.
Truluck doubts tobacco will ever be outlawed completely, as the nation tried to do with liquor during Prohibition. Instead, he said, it's time for smokers to stop looking for deep pockets to pay their health costs and take more responsibility for their actions.
"People are going to have sex. People are going to gamble. People are going to smoke and people are going to use whiskey," he said.

Esther Maxine Cole Huneycutt of 1080 Ford Lane, Virgilina died Friday, July 16, 1999 at Duke University Medical Center. She was 73 years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Huneycutt was born June 20, 1926 in Halifax County the daughter of Thomas L. Cole and Mary Lowery Cole and was married Earl J. Huneycutt. She was a member of Florence Avenue Baptist Church, and was retired from Burlington Industries.
A funeral was held Sunday, July 18 at 3 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Bill Keen officiating. Burial was in Virgilina Cemetery.
Survivors of Mrs. Huneycutt include her husband; one son and daughter-in-law, Earl and Ann Y. Huneycutt of Clarksville; three sisters, Cleo C. Proctor of Norfolk, Lois C. Dunlow of Portsmouth and Margaret C. Eudy of South Boston; two brothers, Henry Cole of Virgilina and Tommy Cole of South Boston; one granddaughter, Rhonda Huneycutt of Mountain Home, NC; and one great-grandchild, Andrew Michael McGraw of Mountain Home.

John Alvin Oliver of 2026 Coleman Drive, Alton died Thursday, July 15, 1999 at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond at the age of 72.
Mr. Oliver was born in Halifax County on July 20, 1926 the son of Grover Cleveland Oliver and Anna Owens oliver and was married to Florell Wade Oliver. He was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church and was a WWII Army Veteran.
Funeral services were held Sunday, July 18 at New Bethel Baptist Church with Rev. Wallace Allen officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Survivors of Mr. Oliver include his wife; four daughters, Gail Hardy, Loretta Abbott, Jo-Ann Jones and Barbara Oliver, all of Alton; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one sister, Connie Goodwyn of South Boston, and other relatives and friends.

Donna Lynn Wilson Powell of 1030 Sunny Lane, Scottsburg died Friday, July 16, 1999 at her home. She was 50 years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Powell was born in Orange County, NC on December 14, 1948 the daughter of Isaac Jones Wilson and Frances Allen Wilson Thompson and was married to Gerald Wayne Powell Sr. She was a member of Centerville Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband; her mother and step-father, Frances A. and Carlton Thompson of Hillsboro, NC; one son and daughter-in-law, Gerald Wayne Jr. and Sherri E. Powell of South Boston; one brother, Gerald Wayne Sr. and Carol Wilson of Timberlake, NC; one stepsister, Sarah Matthews; and two granddaughters, Alex and Jessie Powell.
Funeral services will be held today, July 19 at 2 p.m. at Centerville Baptist Church with Rev. Richard Saunders officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Commonwealth Home Nursing and Hospice, 159 Executive Drive, Suite H, Danville, VA 24541.

Virginia Dodson Royster of 1635 Berry Hill Road, South Boston died Saturday, July 17, 199 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
She was born in Charlotte County on August 25, 1916 and was 82 years old.
Mrs. Royster was the daughter of William Alexander Dodson and Anna Mae Lacks Dodson and was married to Morris Tucker Royster. She was a 50-year member of Berry Hill Presbyterian Church and was a caretaker of Berry Hill Mansion for many years.
Survivors include two daughters, Doris Royster Cole and Faye Royster Tuck, both of South Boston; two brothers, Isaac Dodson of Richmond and Harvey Dodson of Gum Springs; seven grandchildren, Cindi Cole Smith of Nathalie, Tucker Cole of South Boston, Janet N. Williamson of Clarksville, Otha Nelson of South Boston, Virginia Ann Patterson of Halifax, Donna N. Frederic of Cary, NY and Christopher Nelson of South Boston; and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Malcolm E. Royster.
Graveside services for Mrs. Royster will be held today, July 19 at 11 a.m. at Berry Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery with Rev. Dr. Ed Melvin conducting the service.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Berry Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund.

Ethel May Perkins of 1072 Union Church Road, Halifax died Saturday, July 17, 1999 at The Woodview. She was 89 years of age.
Mrs. Perkins was born in Halifax County on January 7, 1910 the daughter of Joseph Wesley Perkins and Mamie Lee Simmons Perkins and was married to Isaac Leonidas Perkins. She was a member of Union United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Hazel Hersman of Richmond and Mabel Conner of Halifax; three sons, Daniel Perkins of Halifax, Charlie Perkins of Vernon Hill and Andrew Perkins of Gum Springs; one sister, Bernice Spencer of Crystal Hill; six brothers, Branford Perkins of South Boston, Theodore, Keister, Thurman and Wesley Perkins, all of Halifax and Lawrence Perkins of Cluster Springs; 17 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services for Mrs. Perkins will be held today, July 19 at 11 a.m. at Union United Methodist Church Cemetery with Rev. Woodrow Giles conducting the service.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Union United Methodist Church.

Ruth Henderson Neal, a former member of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, died Sunday morning in Halifax Regional Hospital.
The Halifax County native was 76 years old.
Although funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time, a family spokesman said yesterday Mrs. Neal's family will receive friends Tuesday at Powell Funeral Home from 7:30-9 p.m.
Mrs. Neal was married to the late Bradley Neal and to the late Marion E. "Mac" Henderson Jr. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of South Boston
She was retired employee of Virginia Power.
Mrs. Neal is survived by two sons, Marion E. Henderson Jr. of Chesapeake and William Henderson of San Antonio, Texas.
Also surviving are five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Neal represented Election District 4 on the Board of Supervisors.

Hazel Clement Oakley, 92, of Washington, NC, formerly of South Boston, died Sunday, July 18, 1999 at Britthaven of Washington.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 21 at Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville, NC officiated by Rev. Polly Taylor.
Mrs. Oakley was born in Asheville, NC on January 7, 1907 the daughter of Ray and Mary Turner Clement and was married to Clarence M. Oakley. She was a graduate of the Davis Hospital School of Nursing in Statesville and worked as a Registered Nurse until her retirement. She was also a member of First United Methodist Church of Washington.
Survivors include one son, James Ray 'Jimmy' Oakley and wife, Dorcas Oakley of Washington; one brother, Hugh Clement of Greensboro, NC; two grandchildren, Turns. Knox Oakley of Greenville, NC and C. Diane Oakley of Winterville, NC; three great-grandchildren, Jordan Elizabeth Oakley, Garrett Know Oakley and Cameron Parks Oakley, all of Greenville. She was preceded in death by two sisters and three brothers.
The family will receive friends from 7 until 9:00 Tuesday, at the home of Jimmy and Dorcas Oakley, 128 River Acres East, Washington, NC.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the charity of your choice.