It may take the remainder of the century to top the blizzard of 2000 which roared in under the cover of darkness Monday night, pumped a foot of more of snow throughout Southside Virginia and double that amount in areas south of here such as Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, N.C.
Even as snowfall began to taper off late yesterday afternoon, winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour caused snow to drift and cover roads, made driving next to impossible and forced the closing of most businesses, industry, and government operations including mail delivery,
Both Halifax and Charlotte counties were declared states of emergency and all roads are closed to all but emergency traffic (see separate story).
Upwards to 80 VDOT workers along with every private contractor available were "steadily pushing" snow in an effort to keep primary highways open. VDOT Resident Engineer J.D. Barkley said that as soon as primaries are opened, plows would move onto the secondary roads.
There's no prediction when Halifax County students, now out of class since January 18, will return to school.
The blizzard was caused by a rapidly developing low-pressure system across the Carolinas that continues to produce snow up into New England. The severity of the storm caught most forecasters by surprise. "We had snow in the forecast, but it's a lot more than we had forecast," said National Weather Service meteorologist Neil Stuart.
The snow isn't likely to go away any time soon either with high temperatures in the 30s and lows in the 20s today and tomorrow. Warmer temperatures are expected next week however.
Fewer than 100 reported power outages were known to exist in Halifax County and South Boston yesterday according to a spokesperson for Virginia Power.
Patty Campbell in the utility company's public relations office in Richmond, said that the biggest problem repair crews were facing here was moving trucks, personnel and equipment in the deep snow. Rather than the wet, icy stuff which was falling in the Tidewater section, snow here was light and dry .
Earlier yesterday, over 10,000 Tidewater electrical customers were without service.
Calls for emergency services had been comparatively light yesterday according to Inez Baylous-EMT with the Halifax County Rescue Squad. The squad has one all-wheel-drive vehicle and two others equipped with chains.

The Offices of Emergency Services in both Charlotte and Halifax Counties declared States of Emergency yesterday. The declaration was effective at 9:00 a.m. in Charlotte County and 10:30 a.m. in Halifax County. In a State of Emergency, roads are closed to all but emergency traffic.
Road conditions in both Charlotte and Halifax Counties are severe, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
J.D. Barkley II, Halifax Resident Engineer, explained "Severe conditions mean that roads are partially blocked with accumulated snow. In such conditions, if travel is necessary, chains or snow tires are recommended."
VDOT crews began battling the rapidly-falling snow and high winds as soon as the storm began. Between eight and 16 inches of snow had fallen in the counties as of 10:00 a.m. yesterday. More snow was expected before the storm ended later in the afternoon.
For information about conditions on major roads statewide, contact VDOT's Highway Helpline at 1-800-367-ROAD (V/TDD). For up-to-date information on the web, consult VDOT's Winter Weather Road Conditions Map at www.vdot.state.va.us.

By BOB LEWIS
Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Rep. Virgil Goode made it a point to follow in his daddy's Democratic footsteps. Because his father was Democrat, Goode remained loyal to the party through 23 years in the Virginia Legislature and four years in Congress.
Monday, after a strained year with the party, the conservative Goode bolted and announced that he will seek a third term from his rural, tobacco-growing district as an independent. He says it's a step his late father and grandfather would approve.
''I think they would, on a national basis, probably agree with me on the issues rather than the national Democratic Party,'' Goode said in an interview outside his hometown congressional office in Rocky Mount. ''They were around during the time when people paid more attention to party label.''
Goode's estrangement from the party had grown since he voted in December 1998 for three of the four articles of impeachment against President Clinton. He was the only Virginia Democrat and one of the few in his party to cast such a vote.
Shortly after that vote, the party snubbed Goode by not inviting him to address the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Richmond, the Democrats' annual January fund-raiser. Goode made it clear early that he would seek re-election in 2000, and Republicans courted him ardently.
A fellow Virginian, Rep. Tom Davis, is chairman of the House GOP campaign committee, and he has publicly advocated giving Goode a prized seat on the House Appropriations Committee if he switched to the GOP.
Goode appeared to reciprocate. Last month, he showed up at a fund-raiser for Republican ex-Gov. George Allen, who is challenging Democrat Charles S. Robb for Robb's U.S. Senate seat. This month, Goode turned down an invitation to the Jefferson-Jackson event.
Goode's defection expands the GOP House majority over the Democrats to 222-211. He becomes the second House independent. The other, Rep. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, is closely aligned with the Democrats.
Goode refused to say whether he would caucus with the Republicans or Democrats in Congress. The Democrats will protect Goode's assignments to the House Agriculture and Banking committees, said Minority Leader Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri.
Gephardt and other Democrats were relieved that Goode didn't become a Republican.
''Virgil Goode's statement is a blow to Republicans who were confidently predicting that he would be joining the Republican Congressional Conference and caucusing with them,'' said Kenneth R. Plum, Virginia's Democratic chairman.
''I think he owes it to the voters in his district to tell them who he is going to be caucusing with,'' said Craig Bieber, the state party's executive director.
Carl Eggleston, the Democratic chairman in Goode's district, had said after the impeachment vote the party would try to find someone to challenge Goode for renomination.
Eggleston said Goode is an independent thinker who is better off without obligations to be loyal to a party. ''Now he can do what he wants to do whenever he wants and however he wants to do it ... and have no headaches whatever,'' Eggleston said.
Republicans framed Goode's decision as further evidence that conservatives and moderates are not welcome within the Democratic Party.
''His decision echoes the sentiments of so many Virginians who feel they no longer can support a party whose policies and actions are so detrimental to America's future,'' state GOP Chairman Randy Forbes said.
Davis, R-11th, said in a statement that the GOP would welcome Goode to its caucus. ''Any hope the Democrats had of winning back the House just ended,'' he said.
Goode's political position is a delicate one. While both sides are struggling fiercely for a majority in the next elections - and he could theoretically join either party in 2001 - Republicans have firm control of congressional redistricting in Virginia. The party presumably could redraw the district lines after the 2000 census in a way that could either help Goode or hurt him.
''Time will tell,'' Goode said of his political future. ''If people are supportive of my position, they will vote for me. If they don't like it, they won't.''
Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore said through a spokeswoman that he was pleased with Goode's decision and looks forward to working with the congressman.
Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist, said Virginia has a tradition of supporting independents, and he expects Goode to thrive in his new role.
''The headline will read 'Goode leaves Democratic Party.' He would say the Democratic Party left him,'' Sabato said. ''... Virgil Goode is in many ways the new Harry Byrd, Jr.''
Byrd, a Democrat-turned-independent, represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate in the 1960s and '70s.
Sabato said he wouldn't be surprised to see Goode run for statewide office as an independent ''after some time passes.''
Goode, 53, was first elected to Congress in 1996 after serving 23 years in the Virginia Senate.
In Congress, he got a rating of 84 by the American Conservative Union for his votes in 1997 and an 83 in 1998. He voted against President Clinton's agenda 68 percent of the time in 1997 and 74 percent of the time in 1998.

By The Associated Press
Rep. Virgil Goode's comments in a statement he released Monday announcing his departure from the Democratic Party:
---
''I have been honored and privileged to represent the citizens of the Fifth District of Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives over the last three years, and I hope they will see fit to reelect me in the 2000 election.
''I have previously stated my intention to run in 2000. In deciding to run as an Independent, I plan to continue voting on issues on the basis of what I believe is in the best interests of the Fifth District and not on a particular party position. In the Fifth District, there are many worthy office holders in both parties, and I have enjoyed a good working relationship with them over the years. I hope to continue to work on behalf of the citizens of the Fifth District with our local, state and federal officials whether they be Republican, Democrat or Independent.

A proposal to join forces to solve landfill woes got a unanimous vote of approval from South Boston Town Council during a Monday night session, but county supervisors declined to take action.
Town and county administrators proposed seeking waivers to allow them to begin collecting the county's solid waste at the town's landfill facility in February.
"Neither one of our permits allow us to do what we are proposing in this memorandum," said Halifax County Administrator Dan Sleeper.
"The county landfill committee has not met on this," Supervisor R.E. Abbott said. "I think we should have time to analyze it."
Supervisors agreed, referring the proposal that would put the county's solid waste in South Boston's landfill to the landfill committee for study. The committee is expected to make a recommendation at the supervisors' February meeting.
In a presentation Monday night, Sleeper told the joint session that the county had design problems it would like to address in its lined landfill in the Bethel Community before it begins using it. The county also wants to close several older sections.
South Boston needs to fill its landfill, South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel explained, because the town's landfill, as well as sections of the county's landfill, face increasing pressure from the General Assembly and the Department of Environmental Quality to close 1205 landfills.
To cap the landfill, South Boston needs more trash or it will have to buy dirt to fill it to the proper height, according to town officials.
The town currently receives an average of 30 to 35 tons daily at the town landfill and the county averages about 100 tons daily.
Even with the agreement, the county would continue some operations at its landfill. The recycling center would remain open and the county would take tires, concrete, stumps and debris, Sleeper told town and county officials.
"I think this is the type of thing we want to encourage, this cooperation," said Supervisor Corky Rorrer of the proposed memorandum.
"This is the most significant thing that has come out of years of joint meetings," said South Boston Mayor Glen Abernathy.
"I agree this is a win-win situation for the town, county and ultimately the taxpayers," the mayor said.
Joe Satterfield, chairman of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, agrees the joint proposal would benefit all of the people in the town and the county.
"The longer we can stay out of the county landfill, the better," he explained. "South Boston needs the height to get the slope (to meet closing regulations). We already have it, so we could close our sections," added the board chairman.
South Boston Town Council also approved increasing tipping fees from $30 to $32 to match the county's fee.
Joint Memorandum
The Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the town proposed by Daniel and Sleeper carried the following provisions:
·The town and county will share landfill tipping fees collected at the South Boston facility, with the intent of the revenue sharing agreement aimed at providing the town and the county with the same average revenue receipts that each received prior to the combining of operations through one central weigh station.
·The county will provide up to two personnel and up to two pieces of heavy equipment to assist the town in daily operations.
·County personnel shall remain employees of the county. However, they will follow the daily direction of the town landfill director in order to meet the regulatory requirements of the town landfill.
·There will be no charge to the county for the disposal of county solid waste delivered to the town landfill by the county public works vehicles, however, all county commercial and industrial waste will be at the required tipping fee.
·The town will be solely responsible for all ground water monitoring and reporting requirements and that liability for landfill operations will remain with the town.
·At the time the town landfill stops receiving waste in preparation for landfill closure, the county agrees to receive all town solid waste in the county landfill in the same manner it is receiving solid wastes from all other towns in the county. The county further agrees that at the time the town landfill stops receiving waste, the county landfill will accept, at no cost, South Boston wastewater sludge that meets all applicable standards of DEQ, the state Department of Health, and the county. Also, at the time the county activates the lined Section 4 of the county landfill, the town agrees to receive, at no cost, landfill leachate at its wastewater treatment plant that meets all applicable standards of DEQ and the town.

By LARRY O'DELL
Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Two legislators said Monday that they will seek $40 million in state funds over two years for programs to encourage farmers to keep their land in production rather than sell it to developers.
The initiative would allocate money to localities for farm preservation and establish a program to assist in the transfer of land between generations.
Ralph Yowell said he continues to raise beef cattle, grain and fruit on his family's 100-acre farm in Madison County, even though recent droughts and soaring real estate prices have made him ask himself: ''Why bother?''
Yowell said that with land near his fetching up to $6,000 an acre, he could sell off most of his property and find an easier way to make a living. ''There's something in our blood as farmers that keeps us from doing that,'' Yowell said.
However, not every farmer has been able to resist the temptation to sell. That's why Democratic Sen. R. Edward Houck of Spotsylvania County and Republican Del. L. Preston Bryant Jr. of Lynchburg proposed the Virginia Agriculture Vitality Program.
Bryant said Virginia lost an average of 45,000 acres of farmland a year in the 1990s. Nationally, 3.2 million acres of farmland and other open space was developed each year between 1992 and 1997, according to a study released last month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That compared to 1.4 million acres a year from 1982 to 1992.
In some areas of Virginia, Bryant said, farmers are getting up to $12,000 an acre. ''There's nothing they can grow - legally - that has that kind of value,'' Bryant said.
Natalie Grigg, legislative coordinator for the Homebuilders Association of Virginia, said the organization has taken no position on the Houck-Bryant proposal. ''We are not out to ruin the family farm,'' she said.
One aspect of the proposal announced Monday is creation of a ''Farm Link'' program. Its purpose would be to link aspiring young farmers with farmers who want to retire but have no heirs interested in taking over the family farm.
Houck and Bryant said their proposal is intended to complement a plan by House Speaker S. Vance Wilkins Jr., R-Amherst, to protect a million acres of land from development by 2007. Wilkins also is seeking $40 million in the two-year budget for his open space preservation proposal.
''If we have an open space program that is merely picturesque, that may give us a sense that we're doing something to protect and preserve the family farm, but we really need to do more than that,'' Houck said.
Tripp Pollard, land and community project leader for the Southern Environmental Law Center, said the open space and farmland preservation proposals ''make for a nice package.''
He said the Houck-Bryant proposal ''recognizes the importance of agriculture to Virginia and helps strengthen one of our most important industries.''

By Beth Robertson
It is easy to imagine his boyhood introduction to the Halifax courtroom.
Climbing the well-worn stairs to the somber courtroom to watch the town's attorneys cross legal swords in the battle for justice.
It was a courtroom setting that would shape his life.
No doubt some of those memories will accompany him to that same courthouse on Saturday when retiring Judge Charles L. McCormick III is honored by the Halifax Bar Association.
A tulip poplar tree, grown from the seed of a tree that George Washington planted in 1785, will be planted on the courthouse grounds "as a living tribute to Judge McCormick," said attorney Carol Gravitt.
Halifax County Bar Association President Mark Thackston said, "On behalf of the Bar, I hope that everyone who can will come out and celebrate Saturday at noon to pay tribute to a man who has done so much for this county, as well as the commonwealth. Judge McCormick is such a genuine, compassionate judge that everybody will miss when he retires."
The ceremony comes at the conclusion of the last full week of Judge McCormick's service as chief judge of the Tenth District Circuit Court.
His last official day is Monday, January 31, after having served in public office over 30 years, almost 17 years as a circuit court judge.
He leaves the bench with mixed emotions, but among his legal peers he leaves with high praise.
"In his courtroom practice of law he is mild in appearance but forceful. And that, in the long run, is best," said attorney and former state Sen. Howard Anderson.
"Of course, I am very partial to Charles. He started out practicing law with me for a while, and then he was commonwealth's attorney, where he served admirably. Then he went on the bench as a juvenile and domestic judge before becoming circuit court judge," recalled Anderson.
"I think that he has a judicial career that he can look back upon and be quiet proud," said the legislator.
Halifax attorney James Edmunds, who has practiced law over 50 years on courthouse square, lends his own experienced and fond view of the jurist.
"Judge McCormick is a fine judge, courteous, honest, and always fair and just in his dealings.
"Members of the Bar are saddened to see him retire, but are pleased that he will continue to serve as a substitute judge and trust that he will use his many talents to advance our county."
"He has just graced the bench, I think, with his knowledge of the law," said Del. W.W. "Ted" Bennett. "The extraordinary patience that he extends to every litigant, so that every person appearing before him leaves thinking that he or she has had his or her chance to have his say. He has been a very balanced judge."
Halifax Circuit Court Clerk Bobby Conner considers himself extremely lucky to have worked with Judge McCormick over 11 years.
"It takes patience you wouldn't believe to deal with litigants and attorneys as they go at each other," observed Conner.
Conner and the court's staff have particularly enjoyed Judge McCormick pre-retirement years, appreciating his easy manner and keen sense of humor.
"I know that he brought out the best in me," said Conner, a large farm operator who added clerk of clerk to his resume over a decade ago.
"Judge McCormick is a professional and a delight to work with."
Gene Coleman, circuit court clerk in Mecklenburg County, describes the judge as one of the few people who has had a great impact on his life.
"He is a person that I have the greatest admiration and respect for. He is an excellent judge. I have seen him through juvenile court and the circuit system.
"He is a person who can be stern when he needs to be, and compassionate at other times. I feel like I have been blessed to work with him for almost 27 years. And even though he is retiring, I look forward to working with him as a retired judge on recall."
Judge McCormick entered his last official week with mixed emotions ...but also looking forward to retirement and having time to do more things that he wants to do.
"I am glad that I am going to be able to sit (as a judge) from time to time because I would hate to just walk away," he said.
The judge recalled the late Circuit Court Judge Meredith Dortch's words to him when he swore him in. "He said that I was in for a great experience and I have found that to be true," said McCormick.
"It has been a great experience and I have appreciated the opportunity to be able to serve in these various positions over the years, and grateful for having been permitted to do so."
A Halifax native, Judge McCormick was educated in public schools and at the Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg.
He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Washington and Lee University and was admitted to the Bar in 1960.
He and his wife, Nancy Fray McCormick, are the parents of two sons, Charles L. McCormick IV and William Fray McCormick.
Tenth District Circuit Court, geographically one of the largest in the state, includes Halifax, Mecklenburg, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Appomattox, Cumberland and Buckingham counties.

There is a popular snack advertisement that claims the consumer will love the taste of the product so much he or she can't stop at eating just one.
Now that the Halifax County High School Blue Comets have once again tasted the sweetness of victory, coach Garrett Dillard hopes his team won't stop at winning just one game.
"We have to not get satisfied with just beating Dinwiddie," Dillard remarked.
"We want to win these other non-conference games. But we've got to go out and beat GW, E.C. Glass, and Albemarle."
"Those are the three teams we've got to beat and try to get some kind of positioning in our favor for the Western District Tournament, whether its for second or third, or whatever," added Dillard.
Saturday afternoon the Comets bounced back from a disappointing one-point loss to E.C. Glass in Lynchburg the night before and scored a solid 11-point 72-61 home- court win over Dinwiddie.
For the first time in several weeks, the Comets had the look of a winner.
They got balanced scoring, played good defense, rebounded, made the highest percentage of free throws they've made in a game all season (69 percent), cut down on the turnovers, and, finally, made some shots.
"This is the way we expected to play," Dillard said.
"I thought we did the things we wanted to do defensively. We didn't make a bunch of turnovers. We hit the fast break and got some easy baskets and slam dunks, We did a decent job on the boards. We made our free throws and made some outside shots."
"That's the way I've been expecting us to play," added Dillard.
The win was a great relief for the Comets' coach.
"I felt bad because we lost," Dillard noted, "but, I've felt the whole time it's just been something little, whether it was with the guys or something little with the coaching strategy or something little with the game plan we were running."
After having won five of their first seven games, the Comets started on a downward spiral with a heartbreaking one point loss to neighboring Person High in the title game of the One Valley Bank Holiday Classic.
The Comets played what arguably was their best game of the season in a 25-point loss to nationally ranked Mt. Zion Christian Academy in their next game.
Then, the Comets lost three more games in a series of contests where the Comets staged uncharacteristically lackluster performances.
The Comets played better in their latest loss, a 53-52 setback at the hands of E.C. Glass Friday night in Lynchburg, overcoming the perils of 27 turnovers to keep the game close and have an opportunity to win at the end.
Finally, the Comets righted themselves and defeated a pretty good Dinwiddie team here Saturday to snap the five game losing streak.
"Sometimes you have to go all the way to the bottom," Dillard pointed out.
"And, sometimes, you have to make the bottom deeper before you start coming back up. I think that's what we did. Hopefully, we're on the way back up now."

Dillard thinks Saturday's victory over Dinwiddie will go a long way toward turning his team's season around.
"When you don't know what winning feels like it doesn't hurt you to lose," Dillard explained.
"But, when you know what winning feels like, losing hurts. You really hate to lose and you'll do whatever it takes to win.
"You'll listen to the coach," continued Dillard.
"You'll practice hard, you'll prepare, you'll dive on the floor, you'll box out on the boards, you'll do everything you can possibly do to win the ball game."
The victory over Dinwiddie couldn't have come at a better time.
Halifax County will face the Western District's first place team, the GW Silver Eagles, here Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
That will be a big game for the Comets who are in the district cellar after losses to Albemarle and E.C. Glass in their first two district games.
A loss here Friday night would put a serious dent in the Comets' hopes for finishing first or second in the district standings and landing a home game for the first round of the Western District Tournament.
"We're getting ready for the toughest team we'll face in the district and this season other than Mt. Zion in GW," Dillard stated.
"I'm hoping we will let this win carry us on through this game."

Grayce Midkiff Midkiff, age 90, of 1219 Woodbourne Road, Halifax, died January 23, 2000, at Berry Hill Nursing Home.
Mrs. Midkiff was born in Halifax County on June 27, 1909 the daughter of William Thomas Midkiff and Lou Ella Blanks Midkiff and was married to Brantley Thomas Midkiff. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Millstone.
Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Thomas Allen "Allie" and Sandra Midkiff of Halifax; two grandchildren, Brantley Allen and wife, Tina of Halifax and Pamela Ann Midkiff of Halifax; one great grandchild, Emily Grayce Midkiff of Halifax.
Funeral services for Mrs. Midkiff will be held January 26 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Millstone with Rev. Bob Watts conducting the service. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Rescue Squad, Liberty Fire Department or your favorite charity.

Eva Ragland Roberts, age 95, of Clarksville, died January 22, 2000, at The Woodview.
Mrs. Roberts was born in Cluster Springs on April 29, 1904. She was a member of St. Mark BaptistChurch.
Survivors include six sons, William and Richard Roberts, both of Washington, D.C., Chambois of Boydton, Dennis and Floyd Roberts of Clarksville and Gilbert Roberts of Alexandria; 27 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; 20great-great- grandchildren; andsevengreat-great- great-grandchildren. She was pre- ceded in death by her husband, Rob- ert Lee Roberts and five sons.