The public meeting concerning nongovernmental representation on a proposed Roanoke River Basin Commission will take place tomorrow at St. John's Episcopal Church in Halifax, starting at 10 a.m.
The meeting, sponsored by the Roanoke River Basin Association (RRBA), is in response to initial draft legislation for the commission, which proposes predominant representation from elected governmental bodies, rather than from private citizens and conservation and industrial concerns.
Del. W.W. "Ted" Bennett has long favored meaningful and adequate citizen representation on the commission.
"Not only should private citizens be consulted in regards to issues involving water quality and quantity in the basin, but they should also be engaged in those issues," he said.
The RRBA has advocated the representation of private citizenry on any entity or commission; that was also the overwhelming sentiment of stakeholders in attendance at the first Roanoke summit in July.
The State Water Commission's Roanoke River Basin Study Committee voted in November to recommend the proposed commission legislation to the State Water Commission for consideration in its current form.
However, a date scheduled for that consideration - January 8 - has been delayed.
Further public meetings are anticipated in other parts of the state to consider the commission representation issue as well as other water issues of basin-wide concern.
For further information, call (804) 577-2159 or (336) 294-0744, send an e-mail to info@rrba.org or go to www.rrba.org/commission.html.

Might the old Tultex manufacturing plant on Mineral Street be transformed into an apartment complex? Its owner is considering that and other possible uses for the multilevel, 88,000-square-foot brick structure whose usefulness ended just over a year ago when the Martinsville-based textile plant folded in bankruptcy .
In its heyday, Tultex provided paychecks for up to 1,200 workers. Last summer, the equipment, fixtures and furnishings were sold at auction and the building and land became the property of Roanoke businessman Calvin Powers. Powers also purchased other properties which Tultex had owned.
Built in the early 1900s, the building was used for processing flue-cured tobacco. Its lofty perch overlooks South Boston's warehouse district where Norfolk-Southern trains hauling mostly coal from the Appalachians to nearby hydroelectric plants at Mayo and Hyco pass several times daily.
The tobacco companies have long since moved away and, until recently, the buildings left empty by their departure sat empty and largely neglected. The first to be reclaimed was by The Prizery, a name that described the process of pressing tobacco into wooden barrels.
Today, it serves as a center for the arts.
Just recently, a $3.5 million renovation of another former tobacco-processing building began that will serve as the college campus for the Continuing Education Center.
Powers believes that the Tultex building could be divided into an undetermined number of loft apartments that would be convenient to the college, the downtown shopping district, schools and churches. He's even considering a market study to determine that and other possible uses.
The building already contains heating, air-conditioning and electricity throughout.
In the meantime, contractors are installing

Halifax attorney W.W. "Ted" Bennett yesterday filed an injunction on behalf of twelve Pittsylvania and Halifax county residents against the proposed Java dragstrip, which would border Halfax County.
A hearing will be held February 2 in Pittsylvania County Circuit Court, with Tracy Quackenbush of Bennett & Morrison arguing for the issuance of a restraining order to prevent the project from proceeding.
Bennett and Quackenbush represented adjacent property owners at the initial public hearing on the dragstrip, held by the Pittsylvania County Board of Zoning Appeals on November 14, 2000.
Plaintiffs named in the injunction include John P. Custer and Raymond Custer representing Womack Holiness Church, James Rubeck, Vickie Rubeck, Doris Carter, Leslie Redd, Joanne Redd, Eunice Slayton, Yolanda Polk, Betty Wyatt, Johnny Walton and Joseph Dixon.
On November 14, 2000, the Pittsylvania County Board of Zoning Appeals held a public hearing regarding the issuance of a special use permit to Samuel Stone Gregory for the development of approximately 439 acres, located on State Road 675 in the Banister District, in order to build a drag strip in an A-1 Agricultural District in Pittsylvania County.
During the public hearing, about 35 local residents spoke against the issuance of a special use permit for the proposed dragstrip, while those is favor of development numbered about 20 individuals.
Some of the concerns expressed by those against development of the dragstrip included noise, dust, traffic, loss of peaceful tranquility, decreased property values, disruption of area churches and their worship times, lighting, chemicals, litter, alcohol, drugs, gambling and drainage.
The board mitigated these concerns by proffering a series of conditions addressing these issues before voting 4 to 1 in favor of the special use permit.
Some of these conditions stated that the applicant would not apply for any ABC license in conjunction with the raceway, and that the applicant would keep the existing landscape undisturbed for widths of at least 50 feet surrounding the entire perimeter of the property on which the raceway will be located.
Other conditions stated that no race will be started on Sunday before 2 p.m., that no races would be conducted after 10 p.m. at any time, and that the raceway would be operated for no more than three days in any calendar week, not to include the time beween November 15 and January 3.
Among the plaintiffs' contentions are "that the board violated its own procedures by failing to make specific findings required by the Ordinance.
"Namely, the board failed to find that the proposed use will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property;
"that the character for the zoning district will not be changed thereby;
"that the use will be in harmony with the purpose and intent of the Ordinance, with the permitted uses by right in the district, and with the public health, safety and general welfare."
According to the petitioners, the board classified the project as a "dragstrip," and in doing so, ignored a Pittsylvania County Zoning Ordinance that classifies a raceway as "a heavy industrial use which is authorized, not by right, but by the issuance of a special use permit."
The injunction went on to state that the Ordinance does not define "raceway," but that the board distinguished a drag strip from a "raceway" in its November 14, 2000, minutes, stating that a drag strip "would not be continuous like a raceway."
Therefore, the injunction states, a drag strip is not a "raceway" for purposes of the Ordinance.
Consequently, the issuance of this special use permit for a drag strip is "plainly wrong and illegal."
The injunction also alleges the board "violated the clear purpose of A-1 agricultural districts as stated in the Pittsylvania County Zoning Ordinance by issuing a special use permit
This was after the board heard unrebutted evidence that a drag strip would be incompatible for the purposes of an A-1 district, including the facilitation of existing and future farming operations, the preservation of farm and forest lands, the conservation of agricultural, water and other natural resources and the reduction of soil erosion.
Another issue raised in the 12-point injuction includes the arbitary selection of a 90-decibel standard for noise control - the Pittsylvania County Noise Control Ordinance states the maximum legal noise level in an agricultural district during the day is 57 decibels and at night is 55 decibels.
According to the injunction, "a 90-decibel standard is not adequate protection from excessive noise and sound and violates neighboring properties' legislative right to have an environment free from excessive noise."
The injunction ends by stating that "the board's decision to issue the special use permit was violative of the purpose and intent of the Pittsylvania County Zoning Ordinance, was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and plainly wrong."
Ultimately, the petitioners are seeking the restraining order to stay any further building of the drag strip until the resolution of their concerns and grievances.

The South Boston-Halifax County Dixie Girls Softball League will pitch a $40,000 project to construct two softball fields at Halifax County Middle School and erect lights on both fields to the Halifax County School Board Monday night.
That matter and the consideration of the 2001-2002 school calendar are the top matters on the agenda for Monday night's Halifax County School Board meeting.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the public meeting room on the second floor of the Mary M. Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
School Superintendent Dennis Witt said league officials have submitted a project proposal to school system officials that calls for the school system and the league to split the costs.
Use of the fields would be shared by school teams and the Dixie Girls softball leagues.
School teams would be given first priority in the use of the fields, Witt stated.
Witt said yesterday that school system officials are not opposed to the project.
"It does have advantages for everybody," the school superintendent pointed out.
"I think it will be a matter of whether we can get it done as fast as they (the Dixie Girls officials) want it and whether we have $20,000 available that we can put toward that."
"If we put that money there, we'll have to take it from someplace else," he added.
While having two lighted fields will be a plus to both Dixie Softball and the school softball program, there will be an impact on other programs.
With two softball fields located on the lower field adjacent to the tennis courts, the field could no longer be used as a football practice field, as it has over the years.
The middle school soccer program may also be impacted by the loss of the use of the field.
Also on Monday night, the Halifax County School Board will review and possibly take action on a proposed calendar for the 2001-2002 school year.
Witt said that the calendar recommended by the school system calendar committee is a "traditional" calendar, a calendar that calls for the school year for students to start on Monday, August 27.
New teachers would begin their year on August 15 and all other teachers will begin the new year on August 16.
While the School Board will be eyeing that calendar, Witt said it will also take a look at a calendar for the 2002-2003 school year.
There is a proposal, Witt said to have the 2002-2003 calendar mirror the proposed calendar for the 2001-2002 school year.
That proposal has only a day's difference in the starting date for school.
Also Monday night, the School Board will go through its annual reorganization with the election of new chairman and vice chairman.
A clerk and deputy clerk will also be appointed.
Along with that, the School Board will set its meeting dates for the coming year.

By Joe Chandler
Korey Townsend is beginning to find himself.
The Halifax County junior guard has not been lost or anything like that.
But it has taken time for Townsend to find his place, his role, in the scheme of Halifax County basketball.
Townsend has developed into a role player for the Halifax County High School Blue Comets, a player that coach Garrett Dillard can look to as a spark, a catalyst, for the team.
The 5-11 Townsend came off of the bench to score 11 points against Northern Durham and 13 points against Person High in the BB&T Bank Holiday Classic.
Townsend's offensive and defensive spark in those games was one of several ingredients that helped propel the Comets to the championship of the annual holiday hoops classic.
"It felt really great," Townsend said of his two best performances of the season.
"I feel like it proved to everyone that I'm a good player and that I should be playing. I think they helped me establish myself as a player."
The first seven games of the season were tough ones for Townsend as he scored only 10 points total and failed to score in five contests.
"The first game (of the season) I played only about two minutes and the second game I didn't go in at all," Townsend explained.
"It was tough. I felt real bad because I thought I deserved to play more than that. But pouting doesn't get you anywhere. You just have to keep working hard and try to get better."
Being a role player and being asked to come off of the bench and contribute is not a new concept or new experience to Townsend.
Townsend played that role as a seventh grader on the Halifax County Middle School basketball team.
He has also played that role with the Martinsville Red Wave AAU basketball team which he has been a member of for two years.
"I came off the bench and played in my first year at the middle school," he noted.
"When I played AAU when I was 14-years-old I didn't get to play that much and came off of the bench. Coach Dillard told me I needed to change my jump shot so I spent most of that time working on my form.
"The next year, when I was 15, I came off of the bench and played," he continued.
"I did that for about half the season and then got to start."
Townsend says that because he has had experience in filling the bill as a role player, he is comfortable in that position.
"While I'm sitting there on the bench I can get a feel for the game and how things are going," said Townsend.
"I can go over in my mind what I need to do to contribute, what can I do to score, what can I do on defense and be ready to do those things when I go into the game."
The Comets guard says he knows that he has to play well, play hard and be productive when he comes off of the bench.
"When they call my number and I come in off of the bench I have to play hard and prove myself to the coaches," Townsend said.
"When I go out onto the court I don't think about anything except playing to the best of my ability. I want to contribute to the team and I want to play. I know I have nothing to lose sitting on the bench. I know that if I'm going to play, I have to play hard, play well and earn my playing time.
"This is making me stronger as a basketball player as well as in life," he added.
"It teaches me that I have to work for everything I get. I don't get anything free."
Townsend points out that he has confidence that he can play well against any opponent.
"I have confidence," he pointed out.
"I have confidence I can go out and play with any of our opponents. I'm confident I can play with anyone. You have to have confidence to play basketball. You have to have confidence if you're going to do anything in life."
While Townsend is working hard on the basketball court trying to earn more playing time and a starting role, he is attacking academics with the same enthusiasm as he attacks basketball.
"I'm an average 'B' student," he said.
"I had an overall average of 94 on last report card but I want to do better."
Townsend's target is to make straight 'A's.'
"That's what I'm trying to do," he stated.
"I've made the Honor Roll plenty of times. I want to make straight 'A's.'"
"School is important," he added.
"You can't go anywhere or do anything without good grades."

Imogene Pruett Henderson, age 83, of Flat Rock, Mich., died January 1 at the Seaway Hospital in Trenton, Mich.
She was born August 19, 1917, in Halifax County, the daughter of Morton and Nettie Guthrie Pruett of Sutherlin.
Survivors of Mrs. Henderson include her husband, Walter Henderson of the home; three daughters, Janet Phelps Wood of Escandio, Calif., Carolyn Henderson Feick of Neenah, Wis. and Brenda Henderson Tishkof of Gibraltor, Mich.; one son, Marvin Phelps of Allen Park, Mich.; two sisters, Annie Pruett Hodnett of South Boston and Catherine Pruett Carpenter of Keeling. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Pattie Pruett Davis and Thelma Pruett Hudgins; and one brother, Algie Morton Pruett.
The funeral service and burial will take place in Flat Rock.

George Irvin Evans, age 79, of 439 Crescent Drive, South Boston, died January 3 at his home.
Mr. Evans was born in Halifax County on March 7, 1921, the son of George Washington Evans and Jennie Thomas McDowell Evans and was married to Alice Snow Evans. He was a charter member and past deacon of Second Baptist Church, and a member of the Woodmen of the World, Camp 106, South Boston.
Survivors include one daughter, Betty E. Conner and husband, Danny of South Boston; one son, Jimmy Glass of South Boston; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one half sister, Jean Boswell of Yanceyville, N.C.; and one half brother, Clarence Edward Evans of Danville.
A funeral service for Mr. Evans will be held today, January 5 at 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jim Smith conducting the service. Burial will take place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.

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Lewis Frank Short, age 85, of 671 Pine Road, Halifax, died January 3 at his home.
Mr. Short was born in Vance County, NC on May 29, 1915, the son of John Benjamin Short and Emma Kearson Short and was married to Mary Anna Frazier. He served his country in the Army with the Anti-Tank Company, 60th Infantry. He received a Purple Heart Medal, Oak Leaf Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal and European African Middle Eastern Service Ribbon. He participated in the following campaigns: Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Normany, Northern France, Rhineland and Ardennes. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and Revelation Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Sandra S. Stevens and her husband, the Rev. Donnie G. Stevens of Rustburg and Kaye S. Dunkley and her husband, Barry T. Dunkley of Danville; three grandsons and one granddaughter; one great-grandson and two great-granddaughters; and one brother, Herbert Short of Bullock, N.C. He was preceded in death by four sisters and three brothers.

A funeral service for Mr. Short will be held at 3:30 p.m. today, January 5 at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Rudolph Jacobs and Victor Coghill officiating. Burial will follow at the Gravel Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.