Delegate W.W. "Ted" Bennett filed a bill in the Virginia General Assembly on Friday to protect and accelerate collection of half of Virginia's share of the national tobacco settlement.
That would amount to approximately $560 million, according to Bennett.
The General Assembly has earmarked 10 percent of the commonwealth's share of the settlement for health care initiatives, and 40 percent for the commonwealth's general fund for unspecified purposes, with the remaining 50 percent earmarked for the Tobacco Indemnification and Community revitalization Commission.
That 50 percent disbursement is meant to be distributed to farmers and communities adversely affected by the decline of the tobacco industry.
"This would not affect the general fund at all, and has no budget impact," said Bennett.
Bennett added that his bill has already received "awfully good support" from the Democratic Caucus of the General Assembly, including Delegate Whitt Clement (D-Danville).
Senator Charles Hawkins (R-Chatham) also spoke in positive terms about the proposed bill on Friday.
Bennett's bill is due to go before the House Finance Committee this week, and then to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.
If the bill passes muster in those two venues, it would then proceed to the House floor.
Bennett predicts roughly $1.8 million of settlement money could be available for Halifax County this year, with the bulk of that being used to equip and furnish the Continuing Education Center with computers, desks, lab equipment and wiring.
Longwood College has put in a separate request for $2.5 million from the general fund for the same purposes, added Bennett.
Instead of receiving settlement money in incremental sums, as is arranged, Bennett said, "I would prefer to see us take a lump sum now of the settlement to use for current needs."
As it stands now, Bennett estimates the commonwealth should receive around an average of $72 million each year for the next 14 years, working out to a total of approximately $1.4 billion.
Bennett, as well as other Southside legislators, is concerned that if the monies in question are not secured, they may possibly be used as a hedge against budget shortfalls resulting from the continuing phase-out of the car tax.

By Doug Loftis
Don Blanchard bought his first power saw to cut firewood.
But somewhere between the woods and the woodshed, he got bored (no pun intended)!
It was almost 21 years ago when the Bath County, saw-wielding artisan carved his first statute. He was pleased with his work but not enough to give up his day job as a high school photographer with Delmar Studio.
Within three years however, he was selling enough of his creations to make a living for his wife and two children, all of whom live in the tiny community of Millsboro between Roanoke and Staunton.
His truck loaded with tree trunks, powersaws and fuel, Blanchard hits the road practically every week and sets up his traveling show. On Friday and Saturday, his creations stood stoically in the chilling rain as hundreds of motorists stared from within their vehicles at the intersection of Routes 501 and 58 in Riverdale.
"I've done pretty good here," said the soon-to-turn 53-year-old who last set up in the county about three years ago.
"Neat. Must have taken you a white to do that," said a young woman who started intently at wooden cowboy whose hat mostly covered his face. Her son seemed more interested in the owl and the eagles that were propped up against a utility pole.
"He's had a rough time," Blanchard responded as if the pine figure might have feelings. "Only got one eye," he added. Was that by design? "Sort of..!" he replied as
"I don't like hot weather," said Blanchard who took little notice of the rainwater that had filled the brim of his hat and was dripping onto his shoulders.
Preferring pine but willing to use almost any kind of wood he can find, Blanchard can whittle out a character or a bird before you can load a pickup truck of firewood. He'll carve anything.
"Carved a life-size motorcycle once," he said. Some other carvings stood 30 feet tall and required a crane to be moved.
He figures his works are in as many as 18 countries. Once sold a carving to country music star Ricky Van Shelton's wife. He thinks Hank Williams Jr. might have one of his totem poles. Poor old Kalijah.
For as little as $25 or as much as $250, he sells his masterpieces.

"Life here is hard and I won't pretend that it isn't. But people are living where before they were dying. Families have jobs and are earning an income where before they were hungry. People say that there is hope now where before they had little, if any. So that's what keeps us here." An e-mail from Sheryl S, McWilliams, Yemen, Sept. 2000.
Within a month, Yemen would heat to a political boiling point, exploding with the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole by terrorists in October.
Terrorists rammed the American ship with a small boat loaded with explosives, tearing a large hole in its side and killing 17 sailors as the ship entered aYemen harbor to refuel.
Sheryl McWilliams was not surprised.
In South Boston visiting with her parents before returning to Yemen, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency's director of land mine victims' assistance described events leading up to the ship's bombing.
"The latter part of August or the first part of September, things got hotter," she began. "There were more messages from the embassy and the United Nations."
By mid-September, McWilliams said that demonstrations in the capital and throughout the country focused on the Israeli/Palestinian issue.
"At first it was anti-Israel, but over time it became anti-American. The people were saying that with every barrel of oil they buy missiles for Israel. Twice, the president of Yemen called for a Holy War," explained McWilliams.
At first there were only 1,000 to 5,000 demonstrators in the streets.
"Then the numbers began to swell as the message changed to anti-American," said McWilliams.
"Several days before the U.S.S. Cole exploded, we received a call from friends not to leave our house or office," she recalled.
Since the couple had already left, the warning went unheeded.
She was caught in an anti-American demonstration on her way home but since she was completely covered in traditional Arab dress she thinks that demonstrators did not realize that she was an American.
Then, the Cole was bombed.
The day after the ship was bombed - in a harbor almost eight hours drive from the McWilliams - the British Embassy across the street from the McWilliams was bombed.
"It shook us awake at 6:15 a.m., rattling the windows and cracking the foundation," she recalled.
The McWilliams would be evacuated October 22, a few days after the British Embassy bombing.
"We were barricaded in our house for five days since most of the demonstrations were in our area," she recalled.
One million people were demonstrating, literally in the McWilliams' backyard since their yard backed up on the parade grounds of the presidential palace.
"There were demonstrations throughout the town, but the place to have the biggest impact was near the presidential palace and the diplomatic quarters, which was where we were."
Worst of all, the political caldron brewing violence has affected their projects.
"The people said that they do not necessarily want to kill us, but they do want to destroy us," she said.
McWilliams said that meant them and their programs.
"They seem to be becoming more conservative, and they really don't want help from the outside, especially the United States."
That is not the government's voice, however. "They say that they want us to stay. When we were brought out, it was for security reasons and to discuss programs we were working on," she added.
The programs will continue but they have been modified, according to McWilliams.
"We will try until the end of February and see how it goes. It is in the United States' interest to have Americans there," said McWilliams.
"If there is any way we can possibly stay, they want us to do that. If it comes to the point our lives are at risk, they don't want to push it."
Her mission now is to return to Yemen and prepare the way for those who will follow.
Non-Caucasians are expected to replace them as administrators of the programs.
"We would not go back if it were unsafe," she added. "It is reasonable to go back for a short time, no longer than mid-June. And we may be out by April or May," she added.
However, there have been five small bombings recently at hotels and at a news agency in Aden. But she said that there is not much activity in the north, which is her home.
"We do not nor have we felt personally threatened," she stressed.
As a member of the United Nations Security Forum in Yemen, McWilliams said that she is "privy to pretty good information."
Nevertheless, she said that when the U.S.S. Cole was bombed she learned about the incident from CNN "about 18 hours before we heard it from the embassy."
She said that CNN was also the one who brought the news to the foreign community of the British Embassy bombing.
"The folks involved with terrorists' acts are a minority," she emphasized. "The Muslim people are great and many of them feel badly about the terrorists' acts.
"There are still people there who need a lot of help."

Sheryl McWilliams is also the National Technical Advisor to the Yemen prime minister and various other ministries for adult community-based rehabilitation. She works with a number of health care projects within Yemen, as does her husband.
Her project site is Hodeidah, which is near the Red Sea.

The county and towns can convert to semi-annual payment of real estate taxes, but the cost could be significant, according to a working report following a Jan. 10 meeting of county and town officials with the county treasurer and commissioner of revenue.
County Administrator Joe Morgan, South Boston Manager Ted Daniel, Halifax Manager Robert Greene and Vandie Saunders of South Boston were asked to meet with the treasurer and commissioner to discuss the details of semi-annual tax billing during the November county/towns joint session.
"Exact cost factors will have to be studied in detail if the initiative is to be pursued, however, increases in administrative costs and manpower can be expected," according to the report.
The Town of Halifax recently instituted a semi-annual tax payment plan and South Boston operated with a semi-annual plan when it was a city.
Semi-annual payment of taxes is on the supervisors' agenda tonight.
The regularly scheduled county, South Boston and Town of Halifax session gets underway at 6 p.m. in the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
The costs of semi-annual personal property tax billing also raised a red flag in the report.
"If the Governor's 'No Car Tax' initiative remains on track, personal property tax payment relief becomes a moot issue for most taxpayers," it was noted.
However, localities could consider changing the personal property tax due date to after Feb 1 to coincide with issuance of the car decal with little or no administrative impact, according to the report.
"The group assumed convenience to the taxpayer to be the major motivator for converting to a semi-annual real estate tax billing, however, the locality would benefit initially from conversion to a semi-annual system," according to the report. (The Town of Halifax instituted a semi-annual payment plan last year that did not provide a windfall to the town but instead favored the taxpayer. Taxpayers could pay half their 2000 due bill in Dec. and the remainder in June, with no interest charged if they pay the remainder in full. So the taxpayer reaps the 6-month interest bonus on tax money not paid in Dec.)
Town and county officials at the Jan. 10 meeting also discussed options to change the annual real estate tax due date to a more "taxpayer convenient" time of year, Sept./Oct. rather than December or the April/May/June tax season.
South Boston Mayor Glen Abernathy raised the semi-annual tax payment plan in the November joint towns/county session.
The mayor said that some South Boston retailers, as well as town and county taxpayers, had asked officials about semiannual payments.
"Local government becomes the grinch that steals Christmas every year," Abernathy told supervisors at the November meeting.
If billing is to be limited to once a year, Abernathy had asked about the possibility of billing in January or February.
Supervisor Tom West had suggested the finance committee look at two billing options: semiannual billing or at a January or February annual billing.
Also on tonight's agenda, the E-911 Center board of directors organizational meeting. The joint session is also expected to discuss a South Boston boundary clarification issue in the Sinai Industrial Park vicinity.

By VICKI SMITH
Associated Press Writer
WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) - It was an uphill battle from the start: Persuade a jury that cigarette makers should provide annual medical tests for healthy smokers who might get sick - and do it without mentioning either nicotine or addiction.
Nearly every witness in the lawsuit against five tobacco  companies had struggled with that restriction in the first two weeks of the trial, knowing a few words might be enough to destroy a case that took several years to build.
That may have happened last week, when a witness explained how smokers use low-tar cigarettes to wean themselves from tobacco. Circuit Judge Arthur Recht plans to rule Monday on how to handle the slip.
Recht could strip the case of its class-action status - reducing it to the two named plaintiffs instead of the 250,000 represented in the lawsuit - or he could declare a mistrial. He has encouraged  lawyers for the smokers to offer alternative suggestions that could keep the case alive.
The medical monitoring lawsuit, which seeks annual, industry-funded diagnostic tests for smokers in the class, is the first of its kind against a tobacco company to go to trial in the United States.
The class includes people who have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for five years, but who do not have any tobacco-related illness.
The lawsuit, which targets R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris, Brown & Williamson, Liggett and Lorillard, contends early detection of lung and pulmonary disease could prolong or save smokers' lives.
But the tobacco industry says the types of tests sought by the smokers are experimental and unproven in changing the outcome for anyone who becomes sick.
In at least a dozen other cases around the country, judges have denied class-action status in medical monitoring lawsuits against tobacco companies. One other, in Louisiana, is expected to go to trial later this year.
Recht had banned words like habit and nicotine, as well as any other euphemism for addiction from the trial. The smokers accepted that condition in exchange for class-action status.
The judge had ruled that addiction was not an issue because medical monitoring in a civil case requires only ''proof of significant exposure.'' Addiction also would compromise the cohesiveness of the class in this lawsuit because it raises issues about individual behaviors and people's reasons for smoking.
''It was a difficulty and certainly a detriment to our case, but we were willing to give a lot of that up to get these people medical monitoring,'' said smokers' lawyer Paul Hulsey, who works for a law firm in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Hulsey said it was not the testimony of witness William Farone that prompted Recht's ruling Thursday; it was the judge's growing realization that addiction is inextricably linked to health issues.
From opening statements on, the tobacco companies' lawyers had espoused the theory that medical monitoring would not reduce anyone's risk of developing a disease. Their argument was that quitting is the only solution - an argument to which the smokers' lawyers had to respond.
''That pervaded the trial,'' Hulsey said.
Recht said Thursday he had his doubts that class certification could be maintained.
''But those concerns were assuaged when there was an unconditional and unequivocal assertion from the plaintiffs that addiction would not be introduced,'' he said.
Only when the tobacco lawyers objected did Recht realize that some phrases were actually veiled references to addiction, including what R.J. Reynolds lawyer Jeff Furr called ''compensatory smoking.''
That's the practice of smoking more frequently or inhaling more deeply with low-tar cigarettes to achieve the same tar-delivery level as other cigarettes provide.
The problem that arose Thursday involved Farone's reference to ''exit brands,'' the term used for low-tar cigarettes that smokers use when they are trying to quit.
''Are there any other buzz words?'' Recht said after sending the former research chemist for Philip Morris out of the courtroom. ''I've never seen an industry with such a lexicon.
''I guarantee I'm smarter now than I was a month ago,'' Recht added. ''As the case goes on you get a clearer picture, and it is clear now: Addiction is, I believe, a necessary element in this case - the inability to quit.''

By VICKI SMITH
Associated Press Writer
WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) - It was an uphill battle from the start: Persuade a jury that cigarette makers should provide annual medical tests for healthy smokers who might get sick - and do it without mentioning either nicotine or addiction.
Nearly every witness in the lawsuit against five tobacco  companies had struggled with that restriction in the first two weeks of the trial, knowing a few words might be enough to destroy a case that took several years to build.
That may have happened last week, when a witness explained how smokers use low-tar cigarettes to wean themselves from tobacco. Circuit Judge Arthur Recht plans to rule Monday on how to handle the slip.
Recht could strip the case of its class-action status - reducing it to the two named plaintiffs instead of the 250,000 represented in the lawsuit - or he could declare a mistrial. He has encouraged  lawyers for the smokers to offer alternative suggestions that could keep the case alive.
The medical monitoring lawsuit, which seeks annual, industry-funded diagnostic tests for smokers in the class, is the first of its kind against a tobacco company to go to trial in the United States.
The class includes people who have smoked the equivalent of a pack a day for five years, but who do not have any tobacco-related illness.
The lawsuit, which targets R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris, Brown & Williamson, Liggett and Lorillard, contends early detection of lung and pulmonary disease could prolong or save smokers' lives.
But the tobacco industry says the types of tests sought by the smokers are experimental and unproven in changing the outcome for anyone who becomes sick.
In at least a dozen other cases around the country, judges have denied class-action status in medical monitoring lawsuits against tobacco companies. One other, in Louisiana, is expected to go to trial later this year.
Recht had banned words like habit and nicotine, as well as any other euphemism for addiction from the trial. The smokers accepted that condition in exchange for class-action status.
The judge had ruled that addiction was not an issue because medical monitoring in a civil case requires only ''proof of significant exposure.'' Addiction also would compromise the cohesiveness of the class in this lawsuit because it raises issues about individual behaviors and people's reasons for smoking.
''It was a difficulty and certainly a detriment to our case, but we were willing to give a lot of that up to get these people medical monitoring,'' said smokers' lawyer Paul Hulsey, who works for a law firm in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Hulsey said it was not the testimony of witness William Farone that prompted Recht's ruling Thursday; it was the judge's growing realization that addiction is inextricably linked to health issues.
From opening statements on, the tobacco companies' lawyers had espoused the theory that medical monitoring would not reduce anyone's risk of developing a disease. Their argument was that quitting is the only solution - an argument to which the smokers' lawyers had to respond.
''That pervaded the trial,'' Hulsey said.
Recht said Thursday he had his doubts that class certification could be maintained.
''But those concerns were assuaged when there was an unconditional and unequivocal assertion from the plaintiffs that addiction would not be introduced,'' he said.
Only when the tobacco lawyers objected did Recht realize that some phrases were actually veiled references to addiction, including what R.J. Reynolds lawyer Jeff Furr called ''compensatory smoking.''
That's the practice of smoking more frequently or inhaling more deeply with low-tar cigarettes to achieve the same tar-delivery level as other cigarettes provide.
The problem that arose Thursday involved Farone's reference to ''exit brands,'' the term used for low-tar cigarettes that smokers use when they are trying to quit.
''Are there any other buzz words?'' Recht said after sending the former research chemist for Philip Morris out of the courtroom. ''I've never seen an industry with such a lexicon.
''I guarantee I'm smarter now than I was a month ago,'' Recht added. ''As the case goes on you get a clearer picture, and it is clear now: Addiction is, I believe, a necessary element in this case - the inability to quit.''

James D. Coleman of Union Church Road, South Boston died Thursday, January 18, 2001 at his residence.
Mr. Coleman was born in Halifax County on June 26, 1938 and was 62 years of age. He was the son of the late Phillip J. Coleman Sr. and Daisy Lee Davis Coleman and was married to Helen Mouzon Coleman.
Mr. Coleman was a member of Mt. Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
Mr. Coleman is survived by his wife, Helen Coleman, one son: Jeffrey Coleman; one daughter-in-law, Monica Coleman; two grandchildren, Jeremiah and Taylor; one sister, Lucy Veney.
Funeral services for Mrs. Coleman will be held Tuesday, January 23 at 1 p.m. with services at Mt. Grove Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Arthur Crews conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Dunn and Sons Funeral Home, 540 N. Main Street, Halifax tonight (Monday) from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and other times at the home, 6100 Union Church Road, South Boston.

Hampton Lloyd Logan of Capitol Heights, MD and formerly of Halifax County, died January 18 at the Hospital Center in Washington, DC at the age of 65.
Mr. Logan was born in Halifax County, on April 12, 1935 an was the son of the late Lucy Bernice Logan and Hiawathia Logan. He was married to Rosa Stephens Logan and was a member of the New Zion Baptist Church.
Mr. Logan is survived by his wife, Rosa Logan; three daughters: Vivian Craig, of Landover, MD; Rebecca Ferguson, of Capitol Heights, MD and Delores Foster, of Greenbelt, MD; two sons: Lloyd Gary Logan, of RockHill, SC; Ray Calvin Logan, of York, SC; twelve grandchildren; one great grandchild; one sister, Mildred Smith of Rochelle, NY; five brothers: Eugene Logan, Ralph Logan and Billy Logan, all of Nathalie; Ronald Logan and Vince Logan, both of Forestville, MD.
Funeral services for Mr. Logan will be held Tuesday, January 23 at 1:00 p.m. with services at the New Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie N. Yancey, officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at New Zion Baptist Church on Tuesday.

Samuel "Bug" Dabbs, age 62, of Peekskill, New York, died January 17.
Mr. Dabbs was born in Halifax County on September 16, 1937, the son of Eugene "Candy" Dabbs and Mabel Dabbs. He was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church of Clover and attended Mt. Olivet Baptist Church of Peekskill.
Survivors include his wife, Blanche Dabbs; a friend, Joyce Garcier; three daughters, Justine Encarnicion and Stephanie Dabbs, all of Peekskill, and Alesha Dabbs of Ohio; one son, Sammy Dabbs Jr. of Ohio; one brother, Leroy Dabbs of Peekskill; three sisters, Lorean Chestnut of Clover, Cora Braney of Beacon, NY and Nannie Dabbs of Ossining, NY; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother, Eugene Dabbs.

A funeral service for Mr. Dabbs will be held at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Peekskill on January 23 at 2 p.m.

James Garland Conner, age 85, of 5093 Newbill School Road, Halifax, died January 19 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Conner was born in Halifax County on February 25, 1915, the son of James Walter Conner and Fannie Irby Conner and was married to Nannie Francisco Conner. He was a member of Hunting Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Helen C. Bates of Vernon Hill, Judy C. Anderson of Nathalie, Brenda A. Conner of Halifax and Tammy C. Clay of Clover; two sons, Gurney Conner of Nathalie and Mitchell Conner of Halifax; four sisters, Ruby C. Passelaqus of Richmond, Sylvia C. Corum of Eden, N.C. Rosalie C. Bray of Halifax and Mary Ellen Holt of Scottsburg; one brother, Sherman L. Conner of Halifax; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Teresa Paige Conner; one son, Jimmie L. Conner and one brother, Wiley Conner.
Graveside services for Mr. Conner were held January 21 at Hunting Creek Baptist Church Cemetery at 2 p.m. with the Rev. H.V. Conner conducting the service.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Triangle Volunteer Fire Department.