One of the most controversial county issues in years, the growth and expansion of confined hog feeding operations, is heading to the finish line.
Supervisors set a 7 p.m. Monday, August 30, public hearing at the senior high school on the Planning Commission's recommended confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) ordinance amendments.
Supervisor Garland Ricketts called for the hearing and also added two changes, adding Hyco River and Aarons Creek to the proposed ordinance section that specifically lists surface water streams protected by a one-mile setback.
Ricketts also asked for a modification in the technology section of the proposed ordinance. He asked that odor technology "require more than just vertically directed fans," Rickets explained following the meeting. "That was my intention," said the supervisor yesterday.
The supervisor also charged the state with "lack of stewardship" on the issue, leaving it to the county instead.
Supervisors could make a decision on the CAFO issue the night of the August 30 public hearing or at a later date.
There are currently eight confined swine feeding operations in the county.
County Administrator Dan Sleeper displayed a county map during the Monday night session that supervisors had asked for during their June meeting, regarding possible future locations of hog operations.
Based on the earlier 500-foot setbacks recommended by supervisors, the county administrator estimated there could possibly be four to eight additional hog operation sites in the county. Election Districts 1, 2 and 3 were named as areas that might accommodate those setback requirements.
With the Planning Commission's recommendation, Sleeper said, "That with the 1,000-foot proposed setbacks that number (of potential sites) could go as low as none."
However, Sleeper said that because all property lines are not known, the map was not definitive.
About 150 Southside Concerned Citizens turned out for the board meeting Monday night with six speakers calling on supervisors to protect residents from the odor and health effects of the farms.
Later in the evening, several farmers spoke on behalf of the hog farming industry and agriculture as a whole.
Also during the meeting, Nelson Link formally asked supervisors to instruct their staff to execute the form Link Farms Inc. must have as the brothers, Nelson and Ray, seek to triple the farm's confined feeding swine operation to over 8,000.
Supervisors declined to take action on Nelson Link's request.
Board Chairman Joe Satterfield told Link that supervisors had received a communication from Link's attorney which had been submitted to the Board's attorney and that supervisors would take no action until advised.
Currently, the county is issuing no new permits for hog operations or their expansion until the new CAFO ordinance is in place.
Passionate pleas from county residents for protection from the hog operations were directed to supervisors.
Calling the hog industry arrogant, SCC Chairman Jack Dunavant cited the two recent trespassing charges lodged against County Planner Jerry Lovelace for trespassing on hog farms.
"Oh, but you can't go on a hog farm to see if they're doing something wrong. They say your footprint might give some disease to the hogs. But it's okay for one of them to spray three million gallons of raw hog feces and urine on the land so it can get into our streams and contaminate our wells," charged Dunavant.
"In other words, it's okay if hogs make people sick but not the other way around."
The SCC chairman also cited the Link brothers' effort to triple their hog operation despite a proposed 5,000 cap.
Dunavant told supervisors that SCC is forming a political action group SCC-PP with the PP standing for "People Power," and that they would be active in supervisors' districts at election time "letting the people know who is representing them and who is not."
The SCC chairman said the organization considers a 5,000-hog limit good but that it should add, "regardless of age, sex or weight."
SCC seeks a 2-mile setback from hog operations and asked that lagoons and spray fields be replaced by new technology that will eliminate odor and pollution of air, land and water.
Dunavant called for each hog operation to be bonded for a minimum of $100,000, which he said the state of Georgia requires.
Lisa Morris Long of Red Bank said people in her community were afraid to speak out "because they are afraid of hurting someone's feelings and for their safety and job security."
She said that because of the odor, the couple's six-year-old daughter has asked, "Mama, when can we move away so I don't have to smell this smell."
"A supervisor shared with me that the Board of Supervisors' hands were tied. Since Virginia is a commonwealth that the board can only do what Richmond tells them they can do. That's not exactly the whole truth. Isn't Mecklenburg County in this Commonwealth also?" she asked. "Look at the stand their board made on Confined Animal Factories."
She called on Halifax supervisors to protect their people as the Mecklenburg Board did.
Tobacco auctioneer Bob Cage and county resident and farm owner Ward Burton both spoke, but Burton noted he was speaking as a private citizen.
"Somewhere between the groups is a happy medium," said Burton. The Halifax County native said his property line should be protected and that they (hog farmers) should have to have their dwelling as close to the industry as he does.
While urging help for the farmer to find answers to his problems, Burton called on supervisors to "take care of the whole not just a certain group."
Cage, who described himself as "one of the scapegoats of this whole operation," lashed out at those who said he is against tobacco farmers, calling the accusation "the biggest lie in the world."
Cage called on supervisors to protect the community. "People do not want these here period," said the auctioneer.
The auctioneer will not be working the South Boston Tobacco market this year for the first time in many years "because of the fallout" from his stand on the hog farming issue, he said earlier.
Burton told reporters following the supervisors' session that "a few calls" had gone to his business sponsor about his stand on the hog issue here but that his sponsor had stood behind him.
Other speakers addressed health issues in the Bethel Community and one newcomer to the community advocated grape production as a new agricultural avenue.
Leslie Ferguson of Alton, Billy Arrington, Mike McDowell, Verlin Emsweiller and supervisor Tom West were among those addressing the issue near the close of the Monday session.
Ferguson, a neighbor of supervisor Page Wilkerson who is also a hog producer, called Wilkerson "one of the better farmers," noting he took measures to control odor that are not required.
However, Ferguson said as the operations get bigger they "do give off odor" and he thinks of those who live near operations that are not operated by good neighbors like Wilkerson.
"I don't think everyone does what Page does because the law doesn't (say) he has to."
He suggested people were worrying about how much money they can make and not concerned about their neighbors."
Ferguson encouraged the Board to consider as a minimum what the Planning Commission recommended.
Billy Arrington called on supervisors "to consider where tax dollars come from" in making decisions.
Mike McDowell, a county farmer, told supervisors that important points were being overlooked.
He said it was "not a hog factory, it is a hog business" being discussed.
He said the public wanted food safety, economy and quality and that agriculture was responding to those demands.
He also said housing was using up some of the best agricultural land.
"We are at risk" with what is happening in agriculture.
McDowell ask that supervisors not let personal preferences or emotion, but rather facts guide them and that they not hinder the hog industry and agriculture in general.
Verlyn Emswiler, a livestock producer, also spoke on behalf of agriculture, saying farmers had to get bigger or get out, that the small farms of yesteryear could not survive.
He also noted the depressed price of wheat and corn and said farmers are dealing with global issues. He also charged the government with placing additional restrictions on sprays, etc., and said because of that it was often cheaper to buy produce from foreign countries.
"I am in the cattle business, he said. "But I don't think this issue is a hog issue. This is a farming issue, not a hog issue."
He urged supervisors to act "off the facts instead of fear" or threats.
Supervisor T.E. West denied he had any personal interest in the hog issue as was suggested. "I have nothing to gain regardless of the way this thing goes," West said.
Supervisor Bill Abbott said following the meeting that some tobacco growers are afraid to speak out on the issue because they fear losing tobacco quotas since they rent from some opposed to hog farming.
However, Abbott said he does not see the issue as a tobacco issue but rather a hog issue.
He described farmers as feeling under attack, noting the tobacco situation as well as depressed prices for grains. He said many farmers feel that their back is against the wall.
Noting environment and resources are important as well as the need to protect them, Abbott said he saw both sides of the issue.
Earlier in the evening, Supervisor R.E. "Dickie" Abbott endorsed protection of resources in the legacy left behind to future generations, a position he said he has not changed since the controversy began.
Several speakers in their presentations called on supervisors to keep in mind they will be remembered for the environmental legacy they leave

Supervisor T.E. West asked for a meeting with the local NAACP to discuss the Voting Rights bailout provision currently being considered by some Virginia localities including Danville.
County Administrator Dan Sleeper described the proposed Voting Rights changes as administrative or a technical issue rather than a bailout.
Lovelace also officially presented the Halifax County Planning Commission's proposed CAFO Ordinance, with amendments, to the Board.
The Commission recommended that the June 10 proposal be adopted with setback changes, a new swine trigger point for ordinance application and increased setbacks for larger swine herds.
Setback changes proposed included an increase from 700 ft to 1,000 ft. from highway center lines, and from 500 ft. to 1,000 ft. from property lines and blue line streams.
The proposed new trigger point to initiate setback regulations was recommended at 750 animals.
Commissioners also recommended that with each increase of 500 hogs over the initial 750 that 1,000 ft. setbacks be added in all categories for structure setbacks.
Supervisors approved Daniel McDuffie's conditional use permit for an elderly care facility to be located in the former Spencer Lumber Building south of the Town of Halifax on Highway 501.
A Planning Commission Public Hearing on a request from Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Barnes to vacate the unopened part of Hedderly Road was scheduled for August 24 and for the Board on Sept. 7.
A request by from the Westside Land Development Corporation for amendments to the zoning ordinance and subdivision ordinance related to lot size minimum in A-1 zone was deferred to a work session with the towns and supervisors.
Supervisors also approved the SFY 2000 Community Service Performance Contract and authorized the Board chairman and county administrator to sign the necessary documentation.
Supervisors agreed to notify Dr. Henry Poore that the county was declining his offer to deed a Virgilina building he had purchased to the county and also authorized the county administrator to notify Virgilina of the action.

While this past July may have been one of the hottest in several decades, Halifax County tobacco has come through with flying colors.
In fact, the weather actually worked in favor of the tobacco farmers, making this one of the prettiest crops in years, according to Halifax County Extension Agent Larry McPeters.
"The season really worked out for us. It was wet when we needed it and dry when we needed it for healthy root development," commented McPeters Tuesday. "We've got a very good crop on the hill. I think everybody had a better-than-average crop this year."
Last Sunday's rain tended to go around the perimeter of the county, but some areas, such as Mt. Laurel, received three-quarters of an inch. And with the rain came a very welcome cooling trend.
"Certainly, tobacco sort of went back Saturday and Sunday because of the extreme heat, but we're getting some relief this week. The cool nights are important in growing a good crop, particularly the varieties that are grown around here," McPeters said. "They do a lot of recovering when the nights are cool and put on a lot of pounds and thicken up. The plants basically recover from the process that may have been damaging during the day."
McPeters attributes the healthy, bountiful leaf crop not only to the weather, but to good farm management practices, too.
"Tobacco has grown all season long this year. Even though it has been extremely hot, it's been amazing how much moisture has stayed in the beds," McPeters said. "The farmers realize that they shouldn't put up wet beds, because that causes clods that inhibit root growth, and you don't list up rows that are real dry, either. We had a good season to bed up tobacco, and the farmers were able to catch the soil when it was just right. They used good management practices listing up tobacco with moisture in the beds, so it remained."
Farmers have enjoyed low pressure from diseases so far this season, as well.
According to McPeters, the worst threat to this year's crop came from the environmental scourge of weather fleck and tobacco mosaic disease.
"While it was the worst, tobacco mosaic disease was only on a few farms," McPeters observed.
And, knock on wood, blue mold has not reared its ugly head at all in Halifax County, he added.
Pressure from insects has also been light.
"It's been light because the extension service has these black light tracking systems, North Carolina does, too, that enable us to anticipate moth flights. We kind of know what's coming before it hits," McPeters said. "It's been sort of steady, but we haven't had too much pressure to develop due again to the seasons and new insecticides that have been available to farmers. These insecticides are better than ever as they are safe for both humans and the crops, and have tremendous efficacy."
McPeters listed Admire and Tracer as two products that have provided excellent control all season against bud and horn worms.
If the weather trend continues, McPeters said the biggest concern for farmers is getting their crop harvested before it frosts in mid-October.
"All over the county there is moisture in the soil when you dig down, but some farmers are irrigating to try to bring late-planted tobacco along or bring on growth quicker because it is August now. Most of our farmers are larger than they used to be, and barn space is critical," McPeters said. "Every year there is a tendency to jam up at harvest season, and when farmers look at what's on the hill and the number of weeks until the first frost, it makes them a little nervous. They see they can't get the number of barns in before that first frost, so they irrigate.
"It costs money, but it will mature the growth of the tobacco, so hopefully it will be ready to harvest before the frost," McPeters continued.
But while tobacco has flourished, other crops have struggled to survive this dry, hot season.
"Corn is a different story from tobacco. It started off kind of on the rough side and didn't get enough moisture except where it was planted in the low-ground areas near rivers," McPeters said. "The weather we've had just hasn't hit the corn just right. Earlier corn tasseled out during the dry, hot period."
That two-week stretch when the corn tassels and forms grain is critical to healthy ear development, and a shortage of moisture can spell disaster.
"If the plants are stressed during that time, the farmer takes a tremendous loss," McPeters observed. "At the time, a lot of our prices were less than $2 per bushel, so there wasn't much economic incentive to do anything about it."
It is still too soon to make much a prediction concerning the soybean crop in Halifax County, but McPeters noted that much of it will probably be cut for hay.
"The soybeans may tend to have a greater potential for yield compared to the corn, and the bean crop planted late looks pretty good," McPeters said.
Currently, soybeans are in their blooming stage and need water to form pods.
"But right now, none of the fields are developed enough to say whether it will be a good crop," commented McPeters.
"We may need to cut a lot of these beans as hay for cattle," he continued. "We cut a lot of wheat in the spring for hay. We needed the hay, and the price of wheat was so cheap that cutting hay was a better alternative to harvesting grain."
McPeters said this may be the case with soybeans if they yield less than 24 bushels to the acre.
"And if it is, the farmer should seriously consider cutting for hay," he said.
Farmers looking ahead at cutting bean hay will be doing so before long, McPeters noted.
"The key is to cut beans for hay when the bottom leaves begin to fade and the pods just start to form. Don't wait for the bean to reach full size in the pod, because the quality hay and forage is going to fall off in the field before it gets in the bale. Plus the plant will be too mature and tough."
For the most part, pastures in Halifax County have come through this tough stretch of weather in better shape than other areas, although many farmers have been feeding hay since June.
"The pastures grown on our lighter, coarser soils have been kind of non-existent since June," McPeters said. "But basically, we have pretty good forage all over the county, and the cattle look good and fat, which has not always been the case in August.
"If you travel to other parts of the state, you start to realize that Halifax County looks like a little Garden of Eden."
Residential lawns tell the tale, McPeters said. Because grass has such a shallow root system, when it is green, it is a good bet that the pastures will be green too, and the cattle will have something to eat.
McPeters said the low grain prices and lack of feeder-calf surplus should also help to push the market prices up.

A substitute judge and special prosecutor will be called in to address trespassing charges against Halifax County Planner Jerry Lovelace.
During an advisement hearing held in Halifax County General District Court Monday, August 2, Judge Joel C. Cunningham requested that a substitute judge be called to officiate the case, and that a special prosecutor be called in as well to avoid a conflict of interest.
Lovelace's attorney, Bill Watson Jr ., was present Monday to hear the formal charges read against Lovelace.
Lovelace's next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, September 20, in Halifax County General District Court.
According to arrest documents, Lovelace was served with a summons dated July 26, charging him with trespassing on the property of Scott Hudson on or about June 30.
Hudson's hog farm is located off of Route 734 north of Virgilina.
The second summons, dated July 30, accused Lovelace of trespassing on James H. Wilson Jr.'s hog farm located north of Route 96, between Virgilina and Route 501. The alleged offense took place on or about June 30, as well.

While police have not found any evidence of foul play in the death of the 46-year-old Sinai man whose body was found inside a burning mobile home Saturday night, they are still working to determine the exact cause of his death and what sparked the blaze.
Police say a neighbor noticed the fire at 715 Lincoln Lane, South Boston, at 10:55 p.m., July 31, but when fire fighters arrived, the trailer was fully engulfed. Approximately after an hour after they arrived, authorities located the body of Clifton Lewis Fallen in the kitchen of the burned single-wide mobile home.
"Because there were no witnesses at the time the fire broke out, we have to treat it as a suspicious fire," explained South Boston Police Lt. Rick Loftis Tuesday morning. He added that Special Agent Larry Bishop with the Virginia State Police and South Boston Investigator B.K. Lovelace are heading the investigation.

Two Nathalie residents were arrested Monday and charged with sexually abusing a child in their care during a two-week period in June.
Halifax County Sheriff reports indicated that Kathy Marie Layne, 40, of Cherry Creek Road, and Thomas Wayne Moore, 42, of Felix Road, were charged with sexually abusing a female child under the age of 13 between June 14 and June 30.
While Moore was charged with rape, both individuals face sexual battery charges, and Layne was also charged with forcible sodomy.
No court date has been set at this time.
In other reports, Albert Womack, 37, of Drybridge Road, Scottsburg, was arrested Monday and charged with brandishing a firearm and assault and battery against Brenda Womack, a household or family member.
He is scheduled to appear in Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court August 11.
Richard L. Kent Sr., 70, of Cole Street, South Boston, was charged Monday with making death threats last month.
Reports indicated that Kent allegedly threatened to kill Shelia C. Womack, July 23.
He is scheduled to appear in Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court August 10.
Warrants were served against Charlene Perkins Francisco, 32, of Virginia Beach, Sunday, charging her with grand larceny.
According to arrest records, Francisco allegedly stole a fishing tackle box and its contents from Bobby Francisco, June 21.

A large number of convicted drug dealers, who were arrested during past undercover operations by the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, were sentenced in Halifax County Circuit Court Friday.
Co-defendants Paul Lawhorne and Roscoe Waller, who were picked up on cocaine distribution charges during the initial Operation Snakeyes roundup last November, both received one-year active sentences.
Judge Charles L. McCormick III sentenced Lawhorne, 28, of Renaldo Lane, Long Island, and Waller, 30, of Drive In Road, Nathalie, to a total of 10 years in prison on charges of distribution and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, but suspended all but one year on two strict conditions.
Not only are the suspended sentences based on Waller's and Lawhorne's good behavior for a period of 10 years, the two men are forbidden to set foot on the premises of the Cody Car Wash or Roberts Quick Stop, where they previously plied their drug trade, according to court documents.
If either man violates this condition and goes to either location, he will be required to serve the full 10-year sentence.
Another man convicted on drug charges must follow these same conditions or face a 10-year active sentence, as well.
Bobby Lee Graves, 40, of Wyatts Road, Long Island, was sentenced to 10 years for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
McCormick suspended all but one year of this sentence on the condition of Graves' good behavior for a 10-year period and that he stay away from Roberts Quick Stop and the Cody Car Wash.
He was also ordered to complete two years active, supervised probation.
Upon their release from prison, both men will also be required to complete two years of active supervised probation and submit to random drug screenings.
Stephen Michael Bomar, 40, of Cody Road, Nathalie, another convicted drug dealer arrested during the Snakeyes roundup, was sentenced to five years active prison time on each of seven counts of distribution and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
McCormick reduced Bomar's active 35-year sentence to three years and five months on the condition of his good behavior for 35 years and two years active supervised probation.
Sentencing for Judy Roark Harris, 42, of Volens Road, Nathalie, who was also rounded up during Operation Snakeyes, was continued until opening day of the September court term while she is evaluated for the Detention Center Diversion Center.
Harris was convicted April 28 of seven counts of distribution of cocaine, two counts of conspiracy to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance and two misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
Shawn Knight, 28, of Grubby Road, South Boston, who was arrested during the Operation Street Sweep roundup in early March and convicted May 24 of one count of distributing cocaine, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
However, McCormick suspended all but one year and nine months on the condition of Knight's good behavior for a 10-year period.
Another suspect from Operation Street Sweep, Johnnie John Vass Jr., 19, of College Street, South Boston, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana.
Sentencing was deferred, however, until he is tried on other pending drug charges, including one count of distribution of cocaine, which will be heard during the next term of Halifax County Circuit Court.
Other cases heard Friday included the following:
· Jeffrey Wallace Comer, 21, of Wilson Road, convicted earlier of attempting to possess a Schedule II controlled substance, was sentenced to five years with all time suspended on the condition of his good behavior for a five-year period.
McCormick ruled that Comer also complete two years active, supervised probation and submit to random drug screenings, and restricted his operator's license to allow Comer only to drive to and from work.
· Edwardo Jamon "Dirty Dog" Ferguson, 20, of Whitt Loop Road, Alton, who was convicted of grand larceny February 5, was sentenced to five years with all time suspended on the condition of his good behavior for a five-year period.
He will also be required to complete the Boot Camp Program, and will be placed on indefinite probation at this time. Upon release, he will be required to pay $800 in restitution.
· Carolyn Ann Ferrell, 33, of Forest Trail, South Boston, who was convicted last November of grand larceny for robbing a man of nearly $700 when he offered to pay her and another woman, Theresa Bailey, for helping him repair a flat tire, was sentenced to five years in prison will all but two years suspended.
Her suspended sentence is based on the condition of her good behavior for a five-year period and two years active, supervised probation.
She was remanded following her sentencing.
· Noel Lee Ferrell, 32, of Black Walnut Road, Clover, was sentenced to 12 months in jail for operating a motor vehicle after being declared an habitual offender.
He was ordered to report to the Blue Ridge Regional Adult Detention Center in Halifax by August 13 to begin serving his sentence.
· Momar O. Guy, 27, of Hamilton Boulevard, was sentenced to five years in prison for shoplifting from Wal-Mart.
McCormick suspended all five years with the exception of time served in jail awaiting trial, and ruled that Guy not be released until all court costs are paid in full.
· Mary Kathryn Jordan, 40, of Keeling, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of cocaine, 30 days in jail for possession of marijuana, and assessed a $100 fine for trespassing.
McCormick suspended all prison and jail time on the condition of Jordan's good behavior for a five-year period, placed her on active, supervised probation for two years and ordered her to complete 25 hours of community service work.
· Craigory Kinchen, 35, of Grubby Road, South Boston, was sentenced to five years in prison for breaking and entering.
Kinchen told investigators that he stole tools belonging to James Aster Reagan, for whom he worked, and sold them because Reagan had not paid him.
McCormick suspended all time on the condition of Kinchen's good behavior for a five-year period.
· Robert Gene Long, 37, of Dan River Church Road, South Boston, was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
McCormick suspended all but 12 months on the condition of Long's good behavior for a five-year period (with no credit for time served) and authorized Long for work release.
· Matthew A. Morgan, 45, of Poplar Street, South Boston, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of cocaine.
McCormick suspended all time on the condition of Morgan's good behavior for a five-year period, placed him on two years active, supervised probation, and ordered him to complete 25 hours community service work.
· Herman Louis Thaxton, 45, of Gravitt Street, South Boston, was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison for drug violations.
Thaxton was convicted May 14 of two counts of distribution and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
McCormick suspended all but one year and four months of the 15-year sentence on the condition of Thaxton's good behavior for a 15-year period, placed him on two years active, supervised probation at the time of his release from prison, and ordered him to pay $80 restitution to the Drug Task Force.
· Willie McKinley Royster, 40, of Bass Trail, South Boston, was sentenced to five years in prison for forging and uttering an insurance check made payable to him and Fallen Trucking.
Court documents indicated that Royster purchased the truck from Fallen Trucking and wrecked it before paying them for the vehicle. When the insurance check came, Fallen reportedly cashed the check and did the repair work himself before returning the truck.
McCormick suspended both concurrent five-year sentences on the condition of Royster's good behavior for a five-year period and ordered him to work out the restitution.
· Lalita Waller Williams, 35, of South Boston, who was convicted of stealing, forging and cashing a tax return check belonging to Kelly Lacks, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Williams, who was employed by Jackson Hewitt Tax Services at the time of the theft, was granted a suspended sentence on the condition of her good behavior for a five-year period.
McCormick placed her on active, supervised probation for two years, and ordered her to pay $2,091 restitution.
· Roderick L. Windsor, 25, of Spring Avenue, South Boston, was sentenced to five years on each of three counts of forging a public document. The three five-year sentences were to run concurrently.
Court documents indicated that Windsor signed his name as "Earl Johnston" while he was being finger printed last September by South Boston Investigator B.K. Lovelace.
McCormick suspended all but seven months of the sentence on condition of Windsor's good behavior for a five-year period.

A South Boston teen facing drug and armed robbery charges was jailed following his trials in Halifax County Circuit Court Thursday, July 29.
Derrick Shamont Cameron, 19, came before Judge William L. Wellons facing trial for the charge of possessing cocaine January 21, 1999, and also charges of armed robbery stemming from an alleged incident which occurred December 18, 1998.
According to court documents, Cameron was accused of robbing Tim Doomes of three rings and some cigarettes at gunpoint last December. The charge against Cameron of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony also stemmed from this alleged incident.
However, Wellons ruled to amend this firearm violation to a misdemeanor status, and nol prossed the armed robbery charges.
Cameron entered an Alford plea of guilty to the reduced charge of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
He pleaded guilty and was found guilty of the drug possession charge.
Wellons ruled to revoke Cameron's bond until he is sentenced in September.
Wellons also ruled on the following cases Thursday:
· Torrance Dunkley, 21, of Mortons Ferry Road, Clover, was sentenced to 10 years for stealing an Alpine amplifier from Eric Seamster March 31, 1998.
Wellons suspended all time with the exception of time served in jail on the condition of Dunkley's good behavior for a 10-year period, placed him on active, supervised probation for two years and ordered him to pay $1,232 restitution to the victim.
· Florine I. Neathery, 71, of Halifax Road, Halifax, pleaded not guilty to charges of felony breaking and entering and misdemeanor petit larceny.
Wellons found Neathery guilty of petit larceny and an amended charge of attempting to enter a dwelling.
Neathery was also tried, pleaded guilty and was found guilty of writing bad checks.
She will be allowed to remain free on bond and is scheduled for sentencing in September.

Clifton Lewis 'LC' Fallen, 46, of 1336 Lincoln Drive, South Boston, died Saturday, July 31 at his home.
Mr. Fallen was born in Halifax County on December 25, 1952 the son of Peter Fallen and Myrtle Juanita Ferrell Fallen.
Survivors include one daughter, LaShaunda Fallen of Richmond; his father of South Boston; four sisters, Virginia Fallen and Queen Fallen, both of South Boston, Mary White of Halifax and Linda Robinson of Washington, DC; four brothers, Peter Fallen Jr. and Jessie Fallen, both of South Boston, Arthur Fallen of Halifax and Marvin Fallen of Richmond.
Funeral services for Mr. Fallen will be held Thursday, August 5 at 2 p.m. at New Arbor Baptist Church with Rev. Nelson Stamps officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the home of Jesse Fallen, 735 Lincoln Drive, South Boston.