It was a mixed bag for local revitalization efforts yesterday.
Governor James Gilmore's office announced yesterday the Virginia Community Block Grants for 2000, which included a grant of $649,130 for additional development of the Continuing Education Center (CEC) in South Boston.
"This will be good for the people in our area," said R.O. Harrell III, vice-chairman of the Halifax Educational Foundation.
"It will allow us to buy more equipment and expand the space we're using in the building itself."
The Town of South Boston, which had applied for a Community Block Grant to revitalize the tobacco warehouse district, was unsuccessful in its bid.

According to the press release from Gilmore's office, the grants are designed to aid localities in implementing projects that directly address their most pressing community development needs.
Governor Gilmore stated that "This funding will leverage better economic opportunities and an improved quality of life for citizens in the commonwealth's rural areas."
The grant for the CEC was one of 23 such grants, totalling approximately $14.8 million.
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the state agency that administers the funds, received 43 proposals representing approximately $28.8 million in requests.
The Community Development Block Grant Program is a federal program created by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, and provides funding for local governments to address and meet community development needs, particularly for low- and moderate-income persons.

The Town of South Boston had submitted a grant application on April 12, 2000, for up to $1 million in construction funds for its proposed Tobacco Warehouse District Revitalization Project.

Halifax Town Council took a barrage of verbal arrows from several angry property owners Tuesday night before approving its Planning Commission's recommendations on two zoning issues.
Calls to rescind the town's January 1, 2000, boundary adjustment with the county, charges of poor town planning, questions about new boundary line locations, as well as cries against double taxation and lack of representation were hurled at town officials.
Ultimately, council unanimously approved its Planning Commission's recommendation to amend the town's ordinance and zoning map.
Council also denied a request by Houston Springs Subdivision developer Allen Stevens for the rezoning of eight lots located off of Crawford Road. Councilman Cabell Daniel cast the only opposing vote in denying Stevens' request. The Planning Commission had recommended denial.
Exchanges during the evening were at times heated.
Doug Spencer, a business and property owner in the newly incorporated area, read a scathing letter from Mr. and Mrs. W.W. "Ted" Bennett, who were out of town on state business.
The Bennetts' letter charged that the town had not made a case for its boundary action.
"Thus, the clear impression is that you merely want more revenues or to balance your budget. You are clearly unwilling to raise taxes on yourselves; so, you choose to raise them on us," charged the Bennetts.
The couple, who own a home and farmland within the new boundaries, said council had ignored pleas "to leave our homes and farmland out of the new boundaries," noting homes and farmland are non-income-producing properties and are owned in large part by the elderly and retired, poor and low-income people.
"With the imposition of double taxation on those least able to pay higher taxes, a great deal of ill will has been engendered," according to the letter.
"Exacerbating this ill will is your 'negligent,' some say 'intentional,' failure or refusal to timely prepare for the May 2000 election of the new Town Council, which has totally and fully disenfranchised every voter in the new boundary line area."
Bennett said that action occurred "even though county officials advised us you were advised by them in September and November of 1999 to begin preparing notice and applications to the U.S. Department of Justice. You did not," the couple charged.
The Bennetts' letter said that if the work had been done, "tonight's meeting would very likely have seen one of two new council members far more sensitive to these new residents' concerns. As a result, we all are disenfranchised. We have no vote, no effective voice and no representations - and will have none for over a year and a half from January 1, 2000."
The Bennetts also charged that, as of that night, he and his wife "do not even know where the town's boundary lines are on our property."
Bennett also charged that the incorporation of their farmland was contrary to the promises made by former town officials when they negotiated to locate the water tower "on us, near Webb park, and for easements to run town sewer (lines) through the farm at the rear of our home."
The Bennetts said that they agreed to that "on the promise that the town would not use these utility extensions to annex us."
The letter said that the former town manager knew their position on the matter and told them several times he and council members knew their position and had no intention of seeking that much land.
The couple explained that they were sensitive to the issue because South Boston had run utility lines through the middle of the farm in the opposite direction towards Halifax. "South Boston lived up to its promise to us. You have not," added the Bennetts.
In the letter, Bennett charged that council had also ignored his wife's pleas a year ago at a similar public hearing.
"What in heaven's name do you want 220 acres for, that we do not wish to develop?" asked Bennett.
"You do not even have an agriculture or silviculture district in the town, and would still tax it if you did. You are making it much more expensive for us to leave it as open space, and less attractive to sell as lots because of the double taxation homes and lots will bear.
"And, finally, even if some of this land were developed into residential lots, are we going to have the option of tapping on to South Boston's utility lines that run through the middle of this farm, and thus cheaper, or to yours?"
The Bennetts charged that they will not benefit from the competitive possibilities because they were forced into the town and will have to tap onto its system.
"Thus, their lines will encumber our property so that property is lost to no advantage but the community's at large. Gentlemen, none of this is far, honest, pragmatic or even close to good government," continued the Bennetts.
The new Halifax resident also charged that council could have exempted the property from the county/town boundary settlement.
The Bennetts charged the town with institutional arrogance, describing the action as much like that committed against the region by Virginia Beach in taking "our water out of Lake Gaston.
"You, like they, decided we have something you wanted. You figured you could not be stopped, so you took it."
Bennett also said for him and his wife, the shock was that it "came from our neighbors and friends, and, in our case, contrary to promises made."
Bennett said the consequences of the town's actions include a negative economic impact.
He said that sales of raw land and homes in the higher price range in the newly incorporated area have plummeted since June 1999, when the general public learned of the probable boundary adjustment.
"Julian Hall and A.B. Jones have not sold a single lot on or off of Golf Course Road since then," wrote the Bennetts. "Mr. Hall tells us he hasn't even had an inquiry for a lot."
The Bennetts called double taxation "counter-productive and chilling," adding that future tap-ons to the sewer system did not look promising.
The couple also charged that "on the lowest end of the residential market, the poor and thrifty cannot live in the town and enjoy public water and sewer if they can afford only a house trailer since you prohibit trailers in the town."
The couple called that situation "highly unfair and discriminatory" against the poor.
"To say it is unfair, callous and discriminatory to deny such citizens access and the benefit of public water and sewer because their homes do not mirror Mountain Road, is a classic in the art of understatement. If the members of the Town Council wish to use the town's new boundaries to create a gated community, then we suggest you restrict individually your own land and not abuse public power to discriminate against the poorest people in the community."
The Bennetts described South Boston as "sensitive to the needs of its poorest citizens."
In closing, the Bennetts asked Town Council to scale back the boundary line extension by petitioning the court to amend the court order establishing the new boundaries.
"Take the large number of private homes and undeveloped land out of the town," the Bennetts asked.
"If you legitimately need the revenues and still refuse to raise taxes on your own land in the town, retain the businesses on Spencer Hill. Postpone the imposition of all taxation and land regulation on the newly incorporated area until July 1, 2001, when perhaps the incorporated voters will have had a chance to vote for their own representatives, and create some democracy and balance in your proceedings."
Questioning Town Manager Robert Greene, Allen Stevens asked why the town's new voting ward system had not been set up earlier.
When the U.S. Justice Department rejected the town's proposed five-ward system, newly incorporated residents were not allowed to vote in the May council election.
"Here is a petition," said Stevens, submitting a document calling on council to return to the Dec. 31,1999, boundaries.
The petition, which carried 85 names, accused council of enlarging its boundaries to avoid raising taxes among its own constituents and of taking in new residents against their will and without representation.
Finally, the petition asked that "Town Council defer, delay, continue and abate" - until the newly incorporated areas have the right to elect their own representatives and the representatives have been installed - "all such laws, regulations, taxes, burdens, inconveniences, unhappiness and vicissitudes, to the common good, peace, happiness and progress of all."
Stevens also called for the town manager's resignation "because he has not done his job."
Greene told the audience the Justice Department has approved the town's new ward proposal and that a public hearing would be held soon.
Greene explained that the hearings that night were on zoning recommendations by the planning commission as the town sought to prepare its Five-Year Comprehensive Plan, a plan he described as necessary in order to apply for grants.
"This is a starting place," said Greene of the Planning Commission's zoning recommendations. Greene recommended that the proposed amendments be approved.
In response to a question about new buildings at the country club, Greene said the town's R-1 designation would have no impact.
In response to a question about taxation and benefits from George Gardner of Synergics, Gardner was told that he received police protection with patrols at the Halifax dam site.
One citizen asked if incorporation within the town and additional taxation would lower the value of her property.
Green told the audience that it had been 16 years with no tax increase. He also noted that rates for those using town water/sewer decreased when out-of-town users were incorporated into the town.
Greene also told residents of the newly incorporated area that they did have representation. He said that all council members would represent them.
Doug Spencer, Mrs. W.W. Bennett's brother, also renewed his question about the town's actual boundary, charging he was not sure where lines ran through his property. "I don't see how we can have zoning with no boundary," said Spencer.
The rezoning request by Stevens was next on council's agenda.
Stevens planned to place manufactured homes at the eight lots located off of Crawford Road.
The Planning Commission recommended against his request for rezoning.
A petition carrying 57 names and opposing Stevens' request, asked that rezoning not be allowed.
A letter from Fred S. Black, who owns a home on Mountain Road near the Crawford Road intersection, opposed the rezoning.
"In effect, to allow eight lots to be rezoned in the middle of 300 acres zoned R-1 is, so to speak, to put the desert in the middle of the oasis and would not constitute good zoning practices and would open up the area for uses, including limited commercial uses, other than low density residential single family dwellings.
"Finally, to rezone the eight lots would be solely for the benefit of Houston Springs Inc. and be selectively addressed to its property alone and would amount to illegal, improper, piecemeal spot zoning," wrote Black, in submitting the petition opposing rezoning.
Stevens asked how many names of Crawford Road residents were on the petition. Mayor Dennis Osborne estimated three.
The letter to council said that landowners owning property adjoining, adjacent to, across the road from, and in close proximity to the eight lots were requesting that the rezoning request be denied.
Stevens told council that his lots front Crawford Road and would not affect Mountain Road homes. He also asked that council recognize his vested rights, explaining that he had followed all rules set by the county for land development and that requirements were changed when the town's boundary was extended.
"It is Mountain Road that does not want us, not residents of Crawford Road," charged Stevens. "We are trying to provide a service" for affordable housing, Stevens told council members.
The town manager said that Allen's homes did not conform to the town building code. "We adopted the BOCA Building Code," said Greene.
The Rev. Alan Graves said that when he lived in Sinai and worked third shift, he worried about his family when he left for work. He said that when land opened in Boxley Town, he could not afford a stick-built home, but bought a unit from Stevens.
"He made it affordable for a hard-working family to move back home," said Graves.
"The majority of my community does not have a problem with hard-working people moving into Boxley Town," added Graves.
In making the motion to reject rezoning, Harold Younger said that he did so "because of spot zoning," and that he did not want to set a precedent.
Council denied the rezoning request with one dissenting vote,Councilman Cabell Daniel.

The rains held off and changes changes from last year helped fuel a successful 20th Virginia Cantaloupe Festival.
This was the festival's sophomore run at its new location at the Halifax County Fairgrounds and changes implemented from last year helped make for both a better atmosphere and easier negotiation of food from the previous year.
Halifax County Chamber of Commerce's Nancy Pool said this year's festival was a "pleasant surprise" with changes helping to bring about the success.
The chamber sponsors the festival each year to help finance its activities.
"Last year was a learning year," Pool said. " We sought ideas and made changes."
The biggest change was in food service with each food item available in individual booths.
"People could get as much, or as little, of whatever they wanted," she said.
"The booth concept went over extremely well," she added.
Although there was food left over, Pool said the over 2,000 festival attendees did serious damage to the 200 dozen ears of corn that were picked that morning, shucked, refrigerated and then delivered to the site for cooking.
Untold bushels of fresh-picked tomatoes were also consumed in addition to festival additions, barbecue and beef rolls and pinto beans.
And of course many Halifax County cantaloupes gave their all for a successful festival.
The other big change was moving the portable stage from the festival's old Turbeville site to the fairground's midway.
On this state The Key West Band performed through the afternoon and into the early evening.
Then The Fantastic Shakers took to the grandstand stage to help finish off the evening.
"We had crowds in two locations during the overlap when both bands were playing," she said.
Then the midway crowd began to flow into the grandstand area.
Rain began to fall about 9 p.m., she said, but like last year, those in the grandstand area didn't realize it had rained until they left.
Overall "we were pleased with the festival," Pool said.
"We had a good crowd, and when the final numbers come in, we will approach last year's attendance of about 2,200," she said.
Chamber organizers will begin meeting soon to start plans for next year's festival.
"We will look at suggestions and see what additional changes can be made," she said.

Republican Senate candidate George Allen's "listening tour" rolled through Halifax County on Wednesday.
A Mason-Dixon poll released Wednesday showed Allen with a 10-point lead over incumbent Democrat Charles Robb for the Senate seat.
Allen toured the Halifax County Industrial Park, the Virginia International Raceway, AXA and the Virginia Canteloupe Festival during the day.
During a luncheon at Ernie's Restaurant, Allen touched on issues of taxes, crime, education and defense, reflecting his self-described "Jeffersonian conservative principles" to move Virginia families forward.
Allen intends to propose an education opportunity tax credit of $1,000 per child to be used for computers and other educational expenses.
"This will help parents with their children's education," Allen said.
"I trust parents to make the right decisions for their children, not some bureaucrat in Washington," Allen added.
In keeping with his theme of reducing taxes, Allen spoke of his support of current congressional legislation to repeal the marriage tax.
In reference to the estate tax, which puts a 55 percent lien on the property of the deceased, Allen said, "There should be no taxation without respiration."
On the issue of crime, Allen said he will propose a program, "Project Drug Exile," that is aimed to get illegal drugs off the street and out of our communities through stronger laws and stronger enforcement.
"Project Drug Exile" is modeled after Virginia's crackdown on illegal guns, and proposes a mandatory prison sentence of 10 years for convicted drug dealers, with no parole.
Allen also has plans for boosting national defense through new technology, as well as a better paycheck for servicemen. He also spoke of more comprehensive benefits for veterans.
In response to the $145 billion punitive judgment against U.S. tobacco companies, Allen called for an active voice in Washington to speak for agricultural interests.
"The administration in Washington is attacking tobacco and forestry products," Allen said.
"We need a concept of individual responsibility for our actions," Allen said, as he stated his support for limits on punitive damage awards in federal cases.

A 22-year-old South Boston man was arrested Wednesday morning on cocaine distribution after traffic stop.
Arrested and charged with possession of about a half-an-ounce of cocaine with the intent to distribute was Otto Von Carter Jr. of Honeytree Apartments, South Boston.
Carter was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped about 10:30 Wednesday morning after officers observed it moving erratically.
A body cavity search of Carter yielded the crack cocaine.
A later search of his residence resulted in the seizure of about $10,000 in cash and several vehicles.
Carter was transported to Roanoke where he was placed on $25,000 bond by a federal magistrate.
Deputy S.A. Jennings of the Halifax-South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force made the original traffic stop.

The trial of accused murderer Marquis Lovelle White was continued until August 29 as a result of a defense motion in 10th District Circuit Court on Wednesday.
White is accused in the October 4, 1999, shooting death of Phillip Luenter Carrington following an alleged drug-related argument in the Riverdale Hill area.
Originally scheduled for June 23, the trial was delayed due to defense charges of prosecutorial misconduct against Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker and his office.
Those charges were dismissed by Circuit Court Judge Leslie Osborn on Monday.
Defense attorney Robert Morrison asked for the continuance on Wednesday due to a scheduling conflict with a witness who was unable to appear in court that day.
White is charged with first degree murder as well as use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

John Henry Smith, age 83, formerly of Stoneville, NC, died July 18 at Woodview Nursing Home.
Mr. Smith was a native of Rockingham County and had lived in Stoneville until two years ago when he moved to South Boston after the tornado came through Stoneville. He was a member and a deacon of Beaver Island Baptist Church and had retired from Baxter-Kelly, Inc.
Survivors include his wife, Mildred Manuel Smith of South Boston; one daughter, Geneva Zilinsky and husband, Tom of Honolulu, Hi; one son, Rev. James Luther Smith and wife, Joyce of Buffalo Junction; two sisters, Katie Sparks of Stoneville and Gladys Hopkins of Walnut Cove; one brother , Arthur Smith and wife, Mozelle of Stoneville; three grandchildren, Jannie Todd and husband, Bill, Tabby Stakes and husband, Hollis, Michelle Huey and husband, John; and three great-grandchildren, Rebekah Todd, Tommy Zilinsky and Mikala Zilinsky.

Funeral services for Mr. Smith will be held today, July 21 at 2 p.m. at Ray Funeral Home Chapel in Madison with burial in Beaver Island Baptist Church Cemetery in Mayodan.