Monday, July 28, 2003

PM Opts Out Of Tobacco Auctions
Will Buy All Of Leaf Through Contracts With Farmers

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Philip Morris USA is skipping tobacco auctions this year and instead will buy all of its domestic flue-cured leaf through direct contracts with farmers.

The move by the nation’s largest cigarette maker comes just three years after it started a ‘‘tobacco farmer partnering program,’’ pulling thousands of growers away from competitive auctions.

‘‘This is in response to demand from growers who have wanted to participate’’ in the partnering program,’’ Jennifer Golisch, a Philip Morris spokeswoman, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Golisch said the company — a division of New York-based Altria Group Inc. — does not know yet whether it will do the same for burley tobacco, which is grown mainly in southwest Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Flue-cured is the main type of leaf grown in south-central Virginia. Tobacco is the state’s largest single cash crop in terms of value.

Until four years ago, virtually all U.S.-grown tobacco was sold at independent auction warehouses. Since then, plummeting demand for the crop has driven many farmers to the financial certainty of contracting with companies.

The shift to direct sales has forced dozens of auction warehouses out of business, but the auction system will continue this year. Five warehouses in Virginia’s flue-cured belt plan to open for sales in August, three of them independent and two of them run by a farmers’ cooperative.

Buyers will be on the market to fill export and other domestic orders, so the impact of Philip Morris’ withdrawal is ‘‘more psychological’’ than economic, said Arnold Hamm, assistant general manager of the Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corp., which is operating 14 of the 39 auction warehouses in the five major flue-cured-producing states.

So far this year, only 20 percent of the flue-cured crop, or about 109 million pounds, is expected to be sold at auction, while 443 million pounds is likely to be sold by contract. That is roughly the same percentage as last year, as some other companies and leaf dealers appear to have cut back on contract buying this year.

As it has done for several years now, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., the nation’s second-largest cigarette maker, expects to fill all of its flue-cured and burley needs through contracts, said Lisa Eddington, a spokeswoman for the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based company.

Louisville, Ky.-based Brown & Williamson Corp., the third-largest domestic tobacco company, will buy tobacco by contract and at auctions. Greensboro, N.C.-based Lorillard Tobacco Co., the fourth-largest, will buy leaf by contract and at auctions.

Philip Morris has contracts with about 3,000 flue-cured-tobacco farms. It added about 200 farms this year. The company also has contracts with about 17,000 burley farms.

Scottsburg Dedicates Town Hall
Look, Feel Of Original Building Was Preserved

By JOE CHANDLER | G-V Staff Writer

During the 77 years that Scottsburg has been an incorporated town, there has been no official Town Hall.

Town Council meetings were held at various sites, most often at the Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department and community center.

That will now change.

Approximately 50 people turned out Saturday morning as town officials and community leaders gathered for the dedication of Scottsburg's first official Town Hall.

Scottsburg Mayor Ira Wilkerson, Vice Mayor Connie Glass and others cut the ribbon to officially open the doors to the former town Post Office building that will now serve as the Town Hall.

"This is something we're very proud of," Wilkerson said of the building he and other community residents estimate to be between 75 and 100-years-old.

"It fits the size of our community and is an excellent building for what we need."

The building that served as the town's post office for many years was abandoned when the new Scottsburg post office was built about five years ago.

Now the dormant building has new life.

Wilkerson said town officials set a $15,000 budget for renovating the building. The project came in approximately $2,500 under budget.

While the building has new amenities such as central heating and air conditioning, new plumbing, new windows and floors, much of the look and feel of the original building has been preserved.

Wilkerson pointed out that the original copper roof of the building has been preserved and painted.

"We have tried to keep the building as close to original as possible," Wilkerson said.

"Town Council has put a lot of hard work and time into the planning for this project."

The thing that excites Wilkerson about the project is that it has served two very useful purposes.

"For one thing, we are preserving a building the community is proud of and, secondly, we've gotten a new Scottsburg Town Hall," Wilkerson said.
"We're very thankful to everyone who had a part in it."

Kilgore Spreads His Message To Southside
State Attorney General Says Workforce Development, Economic Development Part Of His Mission

While on a listening tour through Southside Virginia, the state's chief prosecutor on Friday touted his tough new identity theft and anti-spam laws while listening to concerns from his constituents.

"Virginia is leading the nation in identity theft laws," Attorney General Jerry Kilgore observed. "We have the model for the nation now and we have the model for the anti-spam law that we've led on."

The anti-spam law went into effect on July 1.

Kilgore said the fight to stop e-mail spam was an important battle.

"Over half of the e-mail traffic in the world goes through Virginia and we now have the toughest laws in place," he said. "I was at AOL recently and by noon they had stopped over 6 million unwanted e-mail messages.

"That's the tip of the iceberg," Kilgore added. "Spam hurts businesses, small businesses and small Internet Service Providers in particular."

According to the Attorney General, other states have been impressed by both the identity theft and anti-spam laws and had contacted his office about creating similar laws.

"We're responding to those other states and giving them these laws," he said.

Kilgore said his office has been focusing on the increase in gang activity throughout the state and had set up a task force to combat the problem.
"We will have a prevention program as well as punishment for these gangs in place," he said.

The task force report is due in November. "I hope to have some recommendations ready for the next General Assembly session," Kilgore said.

Workforce, Economic Development

"We've learned a lot throughout these two days on the road," Kilgore said. "I've heard from law enforcement and business men and women about the need to focus on economic development in Southside Virginia."

Kilgore said that many of the members of the business community mentioned the need for more incentives from the state for both new and existing businesses.

"That will make a difference and attract new jobs," he said. "People are concerned that localities aren't getting enough leads from Richmond. We aren't getting enough opportunities to go out and court new businesses to get them to come to Southside Virginia."

The Attorney General said that workforce development goes hand in hand with economic development.

"That's a big issue not only here but in the west as well.

"What the General Assembly is trying to do, and I think it's laudable, is to bring all the workforce training dollars into one pot," he said, adding that the Wilder Commission found that 20 different agencies had some authority over workforce training in the past.

"That'll never work," Kilgore said. "We have to bring that together and be focused.

"We've seen that some agencies like the community college system can deliver those services quickly because they can partner with businesses quicker than some other agencies because they can change their curriculum faster," he added.

Del. Clarke Hogan, traveling with the Attorney General in Halifax, credited Kilgore with laying the groundwork for a broadband infrastructure across Southside.

"As we've looked at this (broadband) deployment in this area, we've really needed the help of the Attorney General's office to work through the legal issues," Hogan said.

"Providing broadband in Southside is certainly a big issue that's needed in Southside," Kilgore said. "It's important to have that technology in place to be able to compete in the future."

Asked about his goals for the remainder of his term in office, the Attorney General said he would continue to focus on the priorities of the state.

"I think the Governor will ask the General Assembly to do a lot in the next session," he said. "I want to work with the General Assembly to continue to focus on the priorities of the state government, those being public safety, public education and economic development.

"If we do those well, everything else will fall into place," he added.

SEVEN FOR THE SERIES
Win By HC National Gives Halifax County Teams Sweep Of All Four Dixie Softball Titles

By DOUG FORD | G-V Staff Writer

It's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four Halifax County Dixie softball all-star teams going to World Series, after a 3-2 Halifax National Belles win Friday night over Appomattox in the Dixie Belles State Championship game in Crewe.

Appomattox had forced a second game for the state title after defeating Halifax National 8-4 Thursday night.

Beth Throckmorton went the distance on the mound, and alert baserunning accounted for all three runs in the second and deciding game, as the Halifax National Belles joined the Halifax National Angels, Halifax National Ponytails and Halifax Debs in winning state titles this year.

Halifax National will begin defense of its 2002 Dixie Belles World Series title against Louisiana in this year's World Series, beginning Saturday in Denison, Texas.

Halifax National Manager Vicky Cole compared Thursday and Friday's games to a pair of contests against Halifax American to decide the district title.

"They needed these tough games to prepare them for the World Series," said Cole.

"Now they know what they can look forward to.

"In our district, the toughest competition was with Halifax American, and they made us play them twice."

A pre-game talk in the Halifax National dugout may have taken the team's mind off Thursday's loss to Appomattox, a game in which Halifax National committed an uncharacteristic six errors.

"We kind of got rattled. Someone can always have a bad game, but it so happened that (Thursday's game) was a bad game for all of them," Cole said.

"We got in the dugout before the (Friday) game and I said 'I have faith in all of you, that every girl has done her part to get us here.'"

Cole said she told the team they could pull together and do it again.

"They have big hearts and they wanted it as bad as the coaches and I did," Cole said.

"I had faith in them. I've seen them with the pressure on them and off them, and they've come through every time."

Championship Game
Halifax Nat. 3, Appomattox 2

Halifax National scored two runs in the second and another in the third, and the defense made them stand up for a 3-2 win in the state championship game on Friday.

Halifax National mustered four hits, a double by Jessica Morris, and singles by Ashley Lewis, Shayna Oakes and Heather Oakes.

Throckmorton went the distance, scattering eight hits, striking out three batters and walking none, while the Halifax National defense backed her up, committing only one error.

Three stolen bases and two passed balls gave Halifax National an early 2-0 advantage in the top of the second inning.

Morris reached base on an error, stole second and stole third base. before scoring on a passed ball.

Throckmorton got aboard on a fielder's choice, advanced on Lewis' single, and stole home on another passed ball for the second run of the inning.

Halifax National used back to back hits, aggressive baserunning and an Appomattox fielding error to tack on another run the next inning.

Heather Oakes led the inning off with a single, but was out at second for the first out.

Shayna Oakes followed with a bunt single, stole second, stole third, and scored after a fly ball hit to right field by Morris was mishandled for an error.

Throckmorton allowed one hit in the first, two hits in the third, and two hits in the fifth inning, but got a key groundout or flyout to end each of those threats.

Morris hit a leadoff double in the sixth inning, but didn't score, and Appomattox scored twice in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 3-2.
A one-out single, two more hits with two outs and the only Halifax error of the game plated two runs for Appomattox.

A flyout ended the inning with Halifax National leading 3-2, and Appomattox got a runner as far as first base the last inning, before a groundout ended the game and secured the state title.

Thursday Game
Appomattox 8, Halifax Nat. 4

Halifax National saw its first chance of clinching the state title go by the wayside Thursday, as Appomattox scored six runs in the final two innings to grab an 8-4 win.

The teams were tied 2-2 going into the pivotal sixth inning, where Appomattox took advantage of three errors to score three runs.

Throckmorton went 3-4 to lead Halifax National, while Morris went 1-4 with two runs scored.

Shayna Oakes and Amber Bowman were both 1-4 with a run scored, while Heather Oakes added the other Halifax National hit.

Appomattox collected seven hits for the contest.

Halifax National and Appomattox each collected single runs in the first and fourth innings for a 2-2 tie.

After Appomattox used a double and single to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Halifax responded in the bottom of the inning, with Morris drawing a walk, Shayna Oakes hitting a single, and Throckmorton hitting an RBI single.

Morris, Heather Oakes and Throckmorton had base hits in the third inning, but Halifax National left the bases loaded without scoring, before Appomattox scored a single run in the top of the fourth.

An RBI double by Morris knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, before Appomattox took advantage of a walk, single and three Halifax National errors for three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead, 5-2.

Halifax National rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning for two runs.

With one out, Thompson and Morris drew walks, and Shayna Oakes reached on a fielder's choice.

Jobeth Cole, Heather Oakes and Throckmorton drew consecutive walks to plate two runs, but a strikeout ended the inning with the bases loaded.

Appomattox used a single, double and two Halifax National errors in the top of the seventh inning to score three runs for the final margin.

Morris went five innings for Halifax National in Thursday's game, with Throckmorton pitching the sixth and part of the seventh.

Heather Oakes finished the game on the mound for Halifax National.

Obituaries

Earl Davis Conner

Earl Davis Conner, 71, of Kenbridge, a native of Halifax County, died July 24.
Mr. Conner was a member of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Kenbridge and was retired from Dimon Tobacco Company.

Survivors include his wife, Jackie Burton Conner; one daughter and son-in-law, Diane Conner and David Schroeder of Chesterfield; two sons, David and his wife, Donna Conner of Lucama, N.C. and Steve and his wife, Ann Marie Conner, of Blacksburg; eight grandchildren, Kara and her husband, Gordon Selby Hallock, James Quick, Amy Conner, Sara Conner, Lindsey Quick, Matthew Conner, Sylvia Conner and Maria Conner; two great-grandchildren, Emily Mills and Dylan Hallock; one sister, Ruby Ferrell of Clarksville and one brother, Wilson Conner of Clover.

Funeral services for Mr. Conner were held July 26 at 2 p.m. at Clarke Funeral Home in Kenbridge. Burial followed in Kenbridge Heights Cemetery Mausoleum.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, the Community Memorial Hospice Program in South Hill, the American Cancer Society, or a charity of choice.

Mary Williams MacDonald

Graveside services for Mrs. Mary Williams MacDonald will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, at Oakland Cemetery in Scottsburg.

The Rev. Rudolph Jacobs will conduct the service.

Mrs. MacDonald, 78, died Saturday at Halifax Regional Hospital.
She was born in Norfolk on March 7, 1925, a daughter of Roland Williams and Leta Williams.

She was married to Col. Robert James MacDonald Sr.

She was a member of the St. Johns Episcopal Church.

Mrs. MacDonald is survived by two sons, John Carnes and wife Terri of Corvallis and Robert James MacDonald and wife Rebecca of Scottsburg. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Kristin and Britney Carnes of Corvallis and Robert James MacDonald III and Marissa MacDonald of Scottsburg.

The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Monday from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m., and at other times at her home, 5033 Wolf Trap Road, Scottsburg.
For memorials, please consider the Library and Resource Center Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, 395 Azalea Avenue, Richmond, Va. 23227.

Frank William Powell

Graveside services for Mr. Frank William Powell were held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Fork Baptist Church Cemetery.

The Rev. Jason Murray conducted the service.

Mr. Powell, 79, died Friday, July 25, at Halifax Regional Hospital.

He was born in Halifax County on July 12, 1924, a son of George Harper Powell and Molly Hatcher Powell.

Mr. Powell is survived by a number of nieces and nephews.