Hampton Roads-based Sentara Health Management has formed a partnership with CommunityHealth, a provider-owned managed care company made up of 15 hospitals including Halifax Regional, to administer the managed care insurance company's operations.
As of April 1, the administration of all existing CommunityHealth programs were transferred to Sentara Health Management, and CommunityHealth moved to Optima Health Insurance Company's license.
Sentara vice president of sales and marketing, Rick Mathewson, said that there would belittle change for CommunityHealth customers because both organizations share similar missions and visions.
Like CommunityHealth, Sentara Health Management is owned by a not-for-profit organizations.
All current contracts and benefits plans will be honored according to Mathewson but as each contract comes up for renewal, Sentara Health Management will seek to renew the plans under "Community Health by Optima."
CommunityHealth was formed four yeas ago by 15-community-based, not-for-profit hospitals to provide businesses with a choice for health insurance. Of the 25,000 members, approximately 15,000 are hospital employees.
The remaining 10,000 members, which includes Halifax County public school employees, are from 300 small businesses across Virginia.
Rumors had persisted that CommunityHealth was in financial trouble. An unnamed Halifax County public school official told The Gazette-Virginian yesterday that most complaints centered around slow payments between the insurance company and doctors. Having been notified of the takeover by Sentara, the spokesman said "we assumed (that CommunityHealth was having financial problems)".
Halifax Regional's chief financial officer Stewart Nelson was unavailable yesterday to comment on the announcement which was released by Sentara.
Fourteen hospitals, located throughout the state, remain in the program. In addition to Halifax Regional, the hospitals include Winchester Medical Center, Warren Memorial Hospital, Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, Johnston Memorial Hospital, Twin County Regional Hospital, Community memorial Health Center, Prince William Health System, Fauquier Hospital, Culpeper Memorial Hospital and Shore Memorial Hospital.
"We think this is a win-win for all parties," Mathewson said. "CommunityHealth gets to take advantage of our administrative and health plan expertise, and we significantly expand our network of independent care providers for our customers in the Hampton Roads area who may have employees in other parts of the state."
"The customers win because they continue to have access to quality, local medical care management and networks," he added.
Sentara Health Management founded the first HMO in Hampton Roads, Optima Health Plan, in 1984. Sentara Health Management has been expanding health care options for its customers ever since.
Optima Health Plan has 284,000 individuals enrolled in its health plans. Sentara operates more than 70 caregiving sites, including six hospitals, two outpatient health care campuses, nine nursing and assisted living centers, 38 primary care practices, home health and hospice services, physical therapy and rehabilitation services, ground and air medical transport services, mobile diagnostic vans and a fitness facility.
Optima's distribution will continue to be through independent brokers and the products offered will be market driven and more information is available at www.optimahealth.com.

Supervisors set public hearings for fiscal 1999-2000 school and county budgets for Monday, April 26, at 7 p.m. at the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax during the Board session Monday night.
The proposed school budget of $42.1 million carries no request for additional funding from the county this year. Local dollars stand at $9,820,356, the same as last year.
The board's Finance Committee proposed a $59.3 million county budget reflecting no tax rate increases to supervisors for their consideration during the Monday night meeting.
The school budget is expected to be approved by supervisors during their regular Monday, May 3, session.
Supervisors are expected to continue reviewing the county's fiscal 1999-2000 budget with final approval coming prior to the June 30 deadline.
County administrator Dan Sleeper advised the county is ready to begin its move of General District Court facilities to the Mary Bethune Complex in order to begin renovation of the court's Halifax Courthouse offices.
The Supreme Court of Virginia will review the courthouse plans here April 27.
In other business, supervisors unanimously signalled their intention to accept property at the corner of Routes 360/501 in Halifax from the Halifax Woman's Club for a War Memorial Park following a presentation by club president Nancylee Bagwell. Supervisors approved the project pending title search, inspection and legal requirements.
The Halifax Woman's Club is sponsoring a fund-raising project to acquire the property for the park. The Halifax County War Memorial Commission will erect a monument honoring Halifax County men and women killed during wars from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm.
Supervisors also unanimously authorized the county administrator and staff to complete an application for final approval at the May meeting for a maximum $700,000 Community Development Block Grant for Halifax County to be used for the expanded Continuing Education Center project in South Boston.
Speaking on behalf of the grant application were Chris Lumsden, chairman of the Halifax Educational Foundation, Aubrey Houghton, chairman of the Halifax County Industrial Development Council and Danville Community College Dr. Carlyle Ramsey, speaking on behalf of the South Central Higher Education Consortium.
Lumsden told supervisors that the CEC project plans for the renovation of the tobacco warehouse located in South Boston are on schedule at this time. The Foundation serves as the overseer of the CEC expansion project.
Noting the expanded CEC would greatly benefit all residents of the community, Lumsden said it the CEC would enhance higher education and workforce training for citizens and well as encourage industrial development and training.
In response to a question, Lumsden said he was "assuming these monies would be matching dollars" against the bond referendum.
Halifax County citizens passed a $1.75 million bond referendum for the project last November. With over $800,000 in contributions, a grant of $700,000 could bring the sum in hand to $1.5 million.
The project involves the renovation, reconstruction and design of 20,000 sq. feet of a 70,000 square foot tobacco warehouse donated to the Foundation for the purpose of this project.
The Foundation estimates the costs of the project to be $3.5 million including the cost of site work, architectural and engineering services, furnishing and equipment..
In other business, supervisors unanimously approved a request for an additional vehicle for use at the landfill.
---Supervisors also unanimously approved a proposal for local option retirement program for School Board employees. Approximately 48 teachers would be eligible for the plan.
---The Finance Committee recommended that the rates for the customers of the Riverdale system and the former Town of Clover be increased for the next fiscal year as presented in the budget. Riverdale is anticipating a 20 percent increase and Clover is facing almost 40 percent, according to Sleeper.
---Unanimously approved amending the contribution to Industrial Development Authority for repayment of economic development from $100,000 for 14 years to $110,726.000 for 10 years.
A Finance Committee recommendation that the County's utility Tax Ordinance be amended to clarify the definition was referred to the Legislative Committee.
Supervisors tabled until the May meeting a vote on proposed rules of procedures for the Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors unanimously approved the rezoning request by Seymour and Fannie Barnes for a 0.9 acres section from A-1/R-2 to B-2 located at the northwest corner of Routes 501/360 at the north corporate limits of the Town of Halifax.
Supervisors reviewed the proposed agreement for the new W.W. Moore Juvenile Detention Center agreement. Sleeper advised the per diem rate proposed is $74 and would cover six beds for Halifax County. It is estimated it will take approximately 18 months to build the facility, according to the administrator.
Supervisors also reviewed a proposed agreement with the Department of Juvenile Justice regarding detention services at the Culpeper Juvenile Correction Center for three beds for Halifax County at a rate of $100 per day.
Supervisors approved a request for an outdoor amusement permit for Southfax Sertoma Club to hold a one-day circus April 15 at the South Boston Speedway grounds.
Supervisors also passed a Memorial Resolution honoring the late Johnnie B. Elliott who died last month. Elliott served as a member of the Halifax County Planning Commission for nine years.
Bridge Closing
The bridge over North Fork Creek on Route 601, approximately .75 mile east of the intersection of Route 732, will be closed for a period of about six weeks beginning April 19 for repair to the timber substructure repairs.

Scottsburg will get help from the county to get its sewer system back online.
Supervisors authorized county administrator Dan Sleeper to draw up a contract for review between the county and the Town of Scottsburg for a loan of up to $30,000 at 4 percent for five years to replace pumps and repair the town's ailing water/sewer system during the Board's Monday night meeting.
Mayor Ricky Gordon told supervisors the town's 25-year-old pump system needed to be replaced.
With pumps down, the town already had incurred a bill of approximately $4,000 for a septic tank service to pump off the wastewater prior to the county's loaning a gasoline pump to the town last month.
Mayor Gordon said the town could pay up to $1,000 a month on the loan and would increase rates by $3 per month to pay the loan.
Scottsburg has approximately 180 water customers and currently collects an average of $4,000 per month in utility fees, according to town officials.
Mayor Gordon said the town had investigated borrowing from a bank and also sought funds through the Health Department, but that no grant money was available.
"If town council is willing to put a fee on the people to bring in the money, we should be willing to help," said supervisor R.E. "Dickie" Abbott in approving the plan.

When should fertilizer be applied to tobacco seedlings? What fertilizer works best and under what conditions? How does water with a high content of salt or iron affect young tobacco plants?
Agriculture experts from Halifax and surrounding counties, tobacco farmers and representatives from various fertilizer dealers converged on Mecklenburg and Halifax County Friday for the 1999 Virginia Cooperative Extension's tour of area greenhouses and answer these and other questions.
The variables involved in tobacco greenhouses management are many. Seed variety, water content, media, planting technique, fertilizer - they all play a part in the success of the young tobacco plant.
Just under 100 individuals involved in Southside's tobacco industry toured a total of nine farms in Halifax and Mecklenburg counties to study the results of tests involving a high EC (soluble salts or iron content) water sources, high alkalinity and EC water sources, various brands of media and fertilizers, and dibbling systems.
Mecklenburg tobacco representatives toured a total of four Mecklenburg County greenhouses in the morning and later in the day approximately 30 area growers and a handful of agricultural supply companies came together in Scottsburg to begin the Halifax Tour.
The group's first stop of the afternoon was at the Scottsburg farm of Joe Watts Jr., where the water has an especially high content of soluble salts/iron, average pH, and high alkalinity.
"Everybody's water in every (tobacco) greenhouse is different. That's why it is important to study as many different situations as possible. Water, media, fertilizer - what might work for one house, that method may not work for all," McPeters told the group as they studied the plants from Watts greenhouse.
The next stop took the group to A.B. Guthrie's farm just down the road from Watts' greenhouse where they did yet another study on high EC water sources.
"How does high EC affect germinating seedlings with different fertilizer schedules? That's what we're looking at here," McPeters said. "It's a very good idea to have your water analyzed in the early spring to help you make your choices as far as fertilizer."
Water samples will be accepted at the Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Blackstone. For more information contact your local extension office.
Blue mold, which has recently been detected in southern Georgia and northern Florida, remains a big concern for Southside growers.
"At least one guy lost a half dozen houses to blue mold," Chuck Johnson, a plant pathologist from the research center in Blackstone said. "While Acrobat can be used to fight blue mold in the field, there is not a label for greenhouse use at this time."
Johnson suggested using Diothane on greenhouse plants as a preventative method, and if the blue mold moves closer to increase application frequencies.
"If you are concerned, check the Internet for blue mold forecasts, which give some warning about traveling spore," he said. "Another way this stuff spreads is by people bringing individuals trays of plants from greenhouse to greenhouse to show to people. There may be some past cases in the past few years where blue mold has spread in the Southside in this manner."
Johnson also discussed other greenhouse diseases such as collar, stem and root rot and the various methods of prevention and treatment.
At the third stop, tobacco farmer Kevin Roller in Mt. Laurel employed a very simple but effective sanitation practice, bleach foot wash at the greenhouse entrances, which McPeters pointed out and encouraged other farmers to emulate.
Roller's test plants each received different fertilizers and will be tracked throughout the year to document their progress.
Donnie Anderson's farm in Nathalie was used to illustrate a number of things, including the different results that came from using different planting trays, various dibblers, and different medias.
Farmers also had the opportunity to view a sprayer designed by Anderson, Bill Smith and Bill Smith Jr. specifically for greenhouse use.
Dr. Paul J. Semtner from the Blackstone research center discussed a variety of pesticides that can be used to fight off aphids, nematodes, and flea beetles.
"It's important to know what works on what, what works together and what doesn't," he said.
The final stop along the tour brought the group to the farm of Lucy and Bobby Conner in Nathalie, where individuals had the opportunity to literally dig into different media brands and view how tobacco seedlings responded in each.
About the only thing these Mecklenburg farmers didn't get to see first hand were the germination results of different brands of seed, however they did receive handouts from the tests run in South Hill and Blackstone.
"It was just a matter of logistics. We didn't run any germination tests out here in Halifax because we have to count them every day, seven days a week," Semtner explained.
For additional information concerning these greenhouse trials, pesticides, fertilizer or other tobacco matters, contact the Halifax County Extension Office at 476-2147.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Tobacco farmers in Virginia and 13 other states states must get through the coming growing season without any of the $5.15 billion promised them by cigarette companies, industry and government lawyers said Tuesday.
The first payments, which some had expected in time for planting season, will not be made until December because of cash-flow problems, industry attorney Phil Carlton and state Attorney General Mike Easley said. The two helped negotiate the trust fund in January to ease the impact on growers of reduced demand for cigarettes.
''All of us had hoped that it could be a lot earlier. As it turns out, it's going to take that long,'' Carlton said. ''I think it's going to be close to Christmas.''
Cigarette companies need that long to set aside this year's $380 million payment to farmers and others who own tobacco-growing quota rights, Carlton said. Tobacco state officials learned of the delay from a Carlton memo, a copy of which was obtained by The News & Observer of Raleigh.
''You can't sit down and write out a check for $380 million in the first quarter'' of the business year, Carlton, a Pinetops lawyer and former state Supreme Court justice, said Tuesday.
''This is just growing pains, the problems you run into when you start something as big as this trust fund is,'' said Easley.
Growers and allotment owners in North Carolina, which produces most of the flue-cured tobacco in cigarettes, stand to receive about $140 million in trust fund payments this year.
Cigarette-makers also plan to pay growers and allotment owners in Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, Missouri, West Virginia, Alabama, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The trust fund is intended to compensate growers for lost demand resulting from the tobacco industry's $246 billion settlement last year with the states over the cost of treating sick smokers.
Cigarette manufacturers raised prices by 45 cents a pack to pay for the deals. They have reported slumping consumption because of the price jump and expect a further slide in coming years.
The trust fund will be financed by contributions over 12 years from Philip Morris Cos., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Lorillard Tobacco Co. and Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.
Frank Williams, who farms 35 acres of tobacco near the Duplin County town of Wallace, said he doubts he ever will see any of the money.
''If I ever see any of it I'll be surprised,'' said Williams, whose acreage fell from 50 acres two years ago due to government quotas tied to predicted demand. ''I don't have much faith in it.''
''I haven't talked to the governor or Mr. Carlton, but we wish they would speed it up if there is any way they can,'' Larry Sampson, president of the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina, said of the trust fund payments. ''Many of the growers are really hurting.''
Spokesmen for Winston-Salem's R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and Richmond, Va.-based Phillip Morris Cos. did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday.
In a related development Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department hired a Minneapolis law firm as a consultant for its planned lawsuit against the tobacco industry. President Clinton announced in this year's State of the Union speech that the government will try to recover money paid by federal health-insurance programs to treat tobacco-related illnesses.

A public hearing will be held by the Town of South Boston on Monday, April 12, at Town Council Chambers on Yancey Street, it was announced this week.
The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. and is for the purpose of soliciting public input on the proposed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application the town expects to submit to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
If obtained, the grant will be used for what has come to be known as the Sutphin Road project--a major upgrading of that thoroughfare.
Town Council is encouraging residents of the project area to attend the Monday hearing.
The draft CDBG application will be presented for comment along with information on projected beneficiaries, number of low- and moderate-income residents to benefit from the project, and plans to minimize displacement, a town spokesman explained.
In addition, citizens will be given an opportunity to comment on the Town of South Boston's past use of CDBG funds.
A fact sheet on the proposed project is available at the town's administration building next to the police station on Ferry Street.
For more information contact Town Manager Ted Daniel at the administration building.

Delegation members from Governor Jim Gilmore's Commission on Information Technology met with local business leaders as part of the Southern Virginia Technology Field Trip to discuss strategies to promote the region during this time of economic transition and growth.
"There is so much going on in the Commonwealth's technology world," Fred H. Williamson, Assistant Secretary of Technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia said during the field trip's first stop at the South Boston Speedway. "This meeting is a precursor to the Commission's next meeting scheduled this May in Abingdon, when the Commission will present its recommendations to Gov. Gilmore."
Throughout the field trip Commission representatives and business leaders were to take the opportunity to familiarize themselves with some opportunities available in the area and work together to formulate answers to the question of how to better leverage the Commonwealth's technology investments, both public and private, in order to bring more jobs and increased economic development to the Commonwealth.
Delegate W.W. "Ted" Bennett, who is also a member of the Joint Commission on Science and Technology, touted South Boston as a prime location for such development, praising its central location and educated and skilled work force.
"There is great opportunity in this area, and it is a propitious time here as we are experiencing an economic transition in the Southside and Southwest," he said, adding that this area is home to a large contingency of highly educated individuals who presently commute to other areas, such as the Research Triangle Park, for work.
"I encourage companies to consider locating here rather than moving out of the country. Take advantage of our good schools and central location," Bennett said, enumerating the companies, such as AXA, who have located management training centers or operations here already.
Scheduling the first stop of the day-long field trip at the South Boston Speedway was no fluke, as the level of technology used in the racing business has skyrocketed, but there were other reasons, as well.
"We here in Virginia love our racing, and racing generates excellent exposure for the area that would otherwise cost a great deal as far as advertising," explained Clay Campbell, President of Martinsville Speedway. "People from all over the world come to these races. They stay all over the region, and it is important to promote other area attractions while they are there."
President of Performance Consulting David Ayers, also known as "Dr. Dave" or "Professor" as he is a wizard when it comes to racing engines, spoke about the way technology has changed the NASCAR scene.
"There are computers for everything now, even in the tools, which makes for quicker data acquisition that we use to test and compare parts to make the necessary changes," he said.
As a very young child he made his first engine out of an old motor from a washing machine, and used this analogy to describe the people living in this area.
"Racing people are can-do people, as are the people in this area. A team that doesn't learn and use technology is basically dead in the water. Technology provides the innovation to stay ahead. The people in this area are innovative people, and they make the best employees, for they will use whatever means they have to make do and get ahead as well," he said.
Local racing favorite Ward Burton was on hand at the tract to promote his hometown, as well.
"Southside Virginia and these surrounding counties have a lot to offer. It is family oriented, has beautiful natural resources and educated people," he said before taking the group out to the infield for some special activities before they took off for the next stop of the day.
From the racetrack the group traveled through the Halifax County Industrial Park on their way to Danville where they continued the program at DIMON Inc., tobacco company.

Alice Edmond Leigh of South Boston died Friday, April 2, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the of 80.
Mrs. Leigh was born in Halifax County on April 8, 1918.
Survivors include three daughters, Alice Davis of Nashua, NH, Georgia Sims of Halifax and Emma Chappell of South Boston; five sons, Belgium Leigh Jr., Joe Leigh, Rev. Louis Leigh, Rev. John Leigh, all of Halifax and Derwin Leigh of Carson City, NV; 28 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Flossie Edmond.
Funeral services for Mrs. Leigh were held Tuesday, April 6 at 1 p.m. at Blue Rock Christ Temple Holiness Church in Vernon Hill with Elder Donald Johnson officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Irving Daniel Grove Sr. of 3087 Oak Level Road, Halifax died Friday, April 2, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 62 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Grove was born in Halifax County on April 26, 1936 the son of Irving Daniel Grove and Myrtle Guill Grove Tuck and was married to Minnie Hudson Grove.
Graveside services were held Monday, April 5 at 2 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery with Rev. Richard Welch conducting the service.
Survivors of Mr. Grove include his wife; four sons, Curtis Daniel Grove of South Boston, James Clayton Grove and David Scott Grove, both of Halifax, and Irving Daniel Grove Jr. of Richmond; three daughters, Brenda G. Wright of Halifax, Janice Logan Grove of Scottsburg and Nancy Grove Epperson of Brookneal; 14 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; one brother, Bill Grove of Saxe; four sisters, Vergie Willet of Grafton, Becky Yeatts of Powhatan, Mary Yeatts of Amelia and Mae Lindsey of Saxe.

Mary Alice Michael, 43, of Lynchburg died Thursday, April 1, 1999 at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Ms. Michael was born on January 25, 1956 to Crystel Sallie Holbein. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Survivors are two daughters, Develyn and Hally Michael; two brothers, Leroy M. Legg Jr. and Henry R. Nelson II of Lynchburg; two sisters, Cynthia A. Nelson of Columbus, OH and Evelyn Riffle of Pittsburgh, PA; her mother of Halifax; grandparents, Albert S. and Mary J. Holbein of Columbus; one aunt, Evelyn Locklin of Columbus; one uncle, Albert S. Holbein Jr. of Chandler, AZ; and a friend, Jimmy 'Red' Evans.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, April 6 at 2 p.m. at Fairview United Methodist Church in Lynchburg with Rev. Tom Lesh officiating.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider a trust for her children or the American Heart Association. The trust will be handled by Campbell Minute Market, Attn.: Chuck Coles, 2901 Campbell Avenue, Lynchburg, VA 24501, or grandmother of children and her mother, Crystel Sallie Holbein, 1247 Winns Creek Road, Halifax, VA 24558.

Altena Owens Johnson of 603 Edmunds Street, South Boston died Sunday, April 4, 1999 at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC at the age of 57.
Ms. Johnson was born in Halifax County on July 2, 1941 the daughter of Fred Owens and Elizabeth Bates Owens Thompson. She was a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, William Lee Johnson Jr. of South Boston; two grandchildren; her mother; one sister, Cheryl Crawley of South Boston; one brother-in-law, Joseph Crawley; and a devoted friend, Arthur White of South Boston.

Funeral services for Ms. Johnson will be held Thursday, April 8 at 2 p.m. with services at First Baptist Church with Rev. Allan Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home.