Halifax County's newest industry, flagmaker Annin & Company, announced yesterday it will expand manufacturing operations in the Halifax County Industrial Park, a move that will boost present employment of 100 to 260 persons.
Annin & Co., the world's oldest and largest flagmaker, recently purchased Dettra Flag, a five-year resident of the county, and decided to expand the old facility. The project involves adding another 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space and will cost an estimated at $2.5 million.
The South Boston-based firm of J.E. Burton Construction Co. Inc. has been chosen as general contractor.
In an announcement by Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore, it was noted that the state and Halifax County competed with Ohio for the investment.
Annin is based in Roseland, NJ, and has manufacturing plants in Verona, Bloomfield and Orange, NJ, and in Coshocton, OH.
Annin recently closed a manufacturing plant in Palm Bay, FL.
The company was incorporated in 1847 and has grown to five locations with worldwide distribution. As the official flag manufacturer to the United Nations, Annin's international flags are the standards for exactness that are followed by the rest of the world.
The company produces over 20,000 different flags and flag accessories.
"Annin's merger with Dettra Flag has been very exciting for our company," said Carter Beard, Annin's Vice President of Manufacturing. "We are so impressed with Virginia's positive business climate and skilled labor force that we decided to expand our Halifax County facility over our other U.S. locations."

Governor Gilmore said "this project will allow the Commonwealth to identify with much of the nation's history over the past 150 years, along with assisting a respected corporate citizen with their future growth."
"This facility will provide many job opportunities for the skilled workers in Southside Virginia," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Barry E. DuVal. "We are honored that this manufacturer decided to reinvest in the Commonwealth."
Governor Gilmore approved a $100,000 grant from the Governor's Opportunity Fund to assist Halifax County with the site preparation. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Halifax County and the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority assisted the company with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training services.

A bell-shape emerged yesterday as South Boston, Town of Halifax and county officials began defining a proposed urban planning area.
The impetus for yesterday's meeting came from joint town and county meetings initiated during the winter to discuss anticipated service needs and growth in the area which runs from the Town of Halifax to South Boston and spills over into the county.
"We will all be interdependent as the area grows," observed assistant county manager Jerry Lovelace.
Halifax County is currently in the process of updating the state mandated Comprehensive Plan. South Boston will also update its 1997 Comprehensive Plan to reflect the recent boundary adjustments.
"It makes no sense for the town to sit here alone and project how land outside (its boundary) will develop. It makes sense to have this discussion," said South Boston Manager Ted Daniel.
County consultant William Turner, AICP Langley and McDonald, P.C., described the process as first developing an urban planning area, determining how it will be developed and taking steps to accomplish the objectives.
"If we do a good job, we put aside a lot of problems that could come up," said Turner.
"We are the music makers," said county administrator Dan Sleeper. "We need to make sure it plays something."
Projecting capital infrastructure, transportation and utilities needs are integral in the planning area.
Sitting at the table Thursday afternoon, Town of Halifax Manager Bob Greene, the county administrator and South Boston manager looked at the practical.
In drawing a preliminary urban planning district, which all expect to be modified as the planners detail topography and other mitigating factors, future development considerations spanned years.
"It is a point to start talking, not saying it is right or wrong," added Lovelace.
As the county moves forward with its Comprehensive Plan, public forums will be held for citizen input.
During those forums, Turner said citizens would be asked what the strengths of the area are, its weaknesses, and what other issues and concerns they have.
"We are looking at the larger issues," explained Turner.
"I think it is excellent," said Daniel, noting the common sphere of concern.
With a completed Comprehensive Plan reflecting an urban planning area, Lovelace described the prospect as "a living, breathing, workable document."
"The quality of today's planning determines the quality of living and (future) development," added Daniel.
County administrator Sleeper emphasized an established working procedure between a county or town or town to town when considering land use of bordering governments.
Town of Halifax Manager Bob Greene described the urban planning area as making sense for future development ...with all in the room aware the town is again investigating annexation within that urban area. A prior annexation bid failed.
Since the county is updating its Comprehensive Plan, it wants the input of the towns within its borders, explained the county planners.
Attending yesterday's meeting were: Halifax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Joe Satterfield, South Boston councilman Radford Trent, Sleeper, Daniel, Green, Lovelace and Turner,
The Urban Planning Area
The preliminary Urban Planning Area drawn yesterday generally encompasses that portion of the county extending from Carter's Hill on Route 501 on the north to Stokes Creek crossing Route 501 on the south, explained Lovelace. East to west, it extends from the Route 360/729 intersection on the east and on the west the area extending from the Route 832/360 intersection and an area west and south of the Halifax County-South Boston Industrial Park.

More work on the Sutphin Road Project will occupy Town Council Monday night at its regular April meeting.
Council also will be trying to negotiate a land swap between the town and property owners at 612 Prescott Street.
As for Sutphin Road, Ms. Gail Moody of the Southside Planning District Commission, Project Administrator, will make a presentation on the scope of the Project.
Her presentation will be followed by a public hearing, when all town residents who are interested in the Project will have an opportunity to be heard.
People from anywhere, not just the Sutphin Road area, may speak, it was stressed.
Finally, Council will adopt a Resolution of Support for the Project, as part of the formal application for the Community Development Block Grant that will fund a major portion of the Project costs.
As for the land swap, the privately owned 612 Prescott residence is too close to a sewer manhole, Town Manager Ted Daniel explained, and this needs to be corrected.
Daniel said the town proposes to accomplish this by exchanging a parcel of land the town owns on Clay Street for the Prescott Street property.
The two locations are about equal in size and value, Daniel said.
With the swap, Community Action can build the present Prescott owners a new home on Clay, Daniel pointed out, and the old home on Prescott can be razed to provide the needed access to the manhole.
Council will adopt a memorial resolution in memory of William H. (Bill) Jones III.
And the governing body will adopt a resolution proclaiming April 11-17 as National Library Week in South Boston.

South Boston Police arrested a Halifax teen Wednesday and charged him in connection with a recent break-in at the Dairy Dell in Riverdale.
South Boston Investigators Lt. Rick Loftis and B.K. Lovelace arrested Joseph Nathaniel Davis, 19, at his home on Mountain Road shortly before noon and charged him with breaking into the Dairy Dell March 9.
Davis is currently incarcerated in the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority in Halifax under $5,000 bond.
According to Loftis, March 9 someone reportedly kicked in the Dairy Dell door, but nothing was taken.
Less than a week later, on March 15, a Dairy Dell employee discovered that someone had broken into the building and taken cases of meats and assorted condiments.
South Boston Police are not sure if the two incidents are related, and say they are still in the process of following down leads in the March 15 incident.
"We still need information on the second break-in," Loftis said Thursday.
Anyone with any information regarding the March 15 break-in at the Dairy Dell is urged to call the South Boston Police Department (575-4271) or Crime Stoppers (575-TIPS/575-8477).
A reward has been offered to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and a conviction in the case of this crime.

A Nathalie teen was injured in a single-vehicle accident late Wednesday morning.
According to reports from the Virginia State Police, Angie Marie Compton, 18, of Nathalie was injured when she lost control of the 1991 Ford she was driving along Chestnut Road (Route 628) at 11:30 a.m.
Investigating State Trooper D.T. Conner's accident report indicated that Compton ran off the right side of Chestnut Road 1.2 miles east of Terry Trail (Route 870), lost control, then ran off the right side of the road again striking a tree and embankment.
Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,500.
Conner charged Compton with reckless driving/failure to maintain control.

An Alton man was arrested on stolen property charges Wednesday.
Halifax County Sheriff's Deputy T.K. Redd arrested Ricky Carlton Walker, 20, Alton on charges of receiving or purchasing stolen property.
According to the arrest report, June 3, 1998, Walker allegedly received or bought a Tekwood stereo and speakers, a 19 -inch Sony color television and a VCR knowing the items were stolen.

Scooping the mass of squirmy, multi-legged, sometimes hairy and multi-tailed elegant propulsion stream insects and crustaceans out of Toots Creek, no one dreamed they signalled "E" for excellent.
But after surveying the catch of critters, that's exactly what Izaac Walton League's Jay Gilliam dubbed that portion of the lazy little Toots near its Cowford Road crossing in Halifax.
"We found six of seven pollution sensitive organisms," observed conservation technician Linda Wallace this week at her Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District office.
"They are a good early indicator of potential pollution in a body of water," she added. "If you don't find critters, something is going on."
Volunteers found all but the Water Penny in the Toots.
The stonefly, caddisfly, riffle beetle, mayfly, gilled snail and dobsonfly all made their Toots Creek/Isaac Walton debut. All are listed in Group One TAXA pollution sensitive organisms found in good quality water.
Wallace and Gilliam hope the intellectually curious band who seined the Toots that early spring afternoon will form a core group to keep tabs on the water quality of local streams.
There are currently five impaired stream segments identified on the Department of Environmental Quality 303 D Report for the county, according to Wallace.
These segments include portions of the Birch, Staunton, Dan and two segments of the Banister River. "But all here are low priority," added the technician.
The "Save Our Streams" citizen monitors are trained to identify up to 24 stream insects and crustaceans.
Based on the diversity of finds in a one square meter area of a streambed, monitors assign the stream an index value which ranges from poor to fair to good to excellent.
Monitoring takes place four times a year with a detailed visual assessment of the stream and immediate area included. The entire process takes about two hours.
"Programs of this nature assist in the identification of sources of non-point source pollution, and are therefore extremely helpful when considering the implementation of best management practices," said Wallace.
Gilliam, who represents the Izaac Walton League in Virginia, is willing to come to Halifax to work with new groups.
In addition to single volunteers, Boy and Girl Scout Troops and other student organizations are among those involved in stream monitoring in other areas of Virginia.
For additional information, contact Linda Wallace at Halifax SWCD at 476-7923 or in her Halifax office at the USDA Service Center.

Lottie Duncan Owens of Norfolk, formerly of Halifax County, died Wednesday, April 7, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 77.
Ms. Owens was born in Halifax County on October 22, 1921 the daughter of Henderson Duncan and Ola Chambers Duncan.
Survivors include one sister, Beatrice Claiborne of South Boston; and one aunt, Esther Chambers of Philadelphia, PA.
Funeral services for Ms. Owens will be held Saturday, April 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home with Rev. George H. Gohanna III officiating. Burial will follow in Berry Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of her sister, 2204 Sinai Road, South Boston.

Deborah Ann Goodwin Cover, wife of Dennis Cover of Clarksville, died Thursday, April 8, 1999.
Besides her husband, she is survived by her parents, Thomas and Carol Goodwin; one sister, Melodie Lynn Goodwin, all of Greenfield, MA.
Formerly of Turners Falls, she worked for many years with the Visiting Nurse Association of Franklin County and Valley Educational Association in Turners Falls. After moving to Virginia, she taught at Park View Senior High in South Hill and then Southside Community Services of Virginia. She last worked for Family Preservation and Services of Virginia. She was a member of Golden Chapter 15 Order of Eastern Star in Westfield, MA.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 10 at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church with Rev. Douglas Geddes officiating.

John Mable Buster of 2044 Woods Creek Lane, Scottsburg died Monday, April 5, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 88.
Mr. Buster was born in Halifax County on April 6, 1910 the son of James Buster and Laura Carrington Buster and was married to Fannie Hicks Buster. He was a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife; six daughters, Eva Buster, Kate R. Buster and Gloria D. Buster, all of Atlantic City, NJ, Fannie B. Webb of Philadelphia, PA, Marion Dixon of Absecon, NJ and Shirley L. Buster of Pleasantville, NJ; six sons, John M. Buster of Alexandria, Albert H. Buster of Bremerton, WA, Cain D. Buster of Hopewell, Wilbert H. Buster and Jesse Buster, both of Scottsburg and Gilbert H. Buster of Germany; 31 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mr. Buster will be held Saturday, April 10 at 2 p.m. at Piney Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Whitfield Scott officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, April 9 at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home from 7 until 8:00, and other times at the home.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Piney Grove Baptist Church Youth department, 2052 Woods Creek Lane, Scottsburg, VA 24589.

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 Fletcher 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, Betsy Yeatts of Powhatan, Mary Yeatts of Amelia and Mae Lindsey of Saxe.