U.S. Highway 501 has made it into both the House and Senate transportation bills.
Now the House and Senate are expected to negotiate a compromise between the $3.5 million House funding and the Senate's $2 million.
"It is a strike for us," Del. W.W. "Ted" Bennett said yesterday.
"The purpose is to start the 4-lane corridor location for Highway 501 from Winfall in Campbell County south," explained Bennett. "And (use) some money for the most needed spot improvements," he added.
Winfall is approximately 38 miles north of South Boston, according to Bennett. The proposed four-lane project would run from the Winfall area through Brookneal to South Boston.
Bennett explained that there is a plan being studied for a bypass sweeping the southern side of Lynchburg.
"It would be premature to decide how far 501 should go," Bennett said, because of bypass studies.
"We are halfway through," said the delegate of Southside's efforts to get Highway 501 into the transportation bill.
"The House and Senate bills are finished and now negotiations have to start to work out the differences in the two plans. There will have to be some compromise on money. Then they will be combined into one and go to the governor," Bennett explained.
Legislation Watch
Late Sunday afternoon, the full House and Senate budgets were revealed.
Of particular interest to Bennett is Longwood College's funding for the Continuing Education Center here.
Since 1987, Bennett said about $170,000 annually covered those expenses, but that this year $880,000 was being asked to cover the facility here.
"We have grown so much," Bennett said.
In its early years, Bennett said that no more than 75 to 100 adults were taking courses through CEC. Currently, Bennett said that there are in excess of 4,500. "We are going to approach 5,000 next year," he added.
Roanoke River Basin
The House has approved Bennett's bill for a full study of the Roanoke River Basin, which includes the Dan River.
The study will be conducted by the state Water Commission.
"Water quality and quantity, the preservation and responsible use thereof, from the Roanoke River Valley down through Lake Gaston," said Bennett of the study's scope.
The delegate said that he also has a major bill that has passed the House to initiate "some changes structurally and operationally in the Department of Environmental Quality to try to prevent serious mistakes (like those) they made on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)" affecting the Staunton River.
Bennett called for a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission investigation, asking the commission "to look into DEQ practices - sitting on data for five years - and to recommend changes."
Technology Breaks
Three tax credit bills have passed the House that will give information technology companies and bio-tech companies tax credits against the Virginia income tax for locating in high unemployment and tobacco dependent communities.
One bill that has passed the House will authorize state agencies to give more contracts out to software companies in high unemployment areas.

Two 17-year-olds have been arrested and charged with first degree murder in the December ambush of Alton farmer Joseph M. Barnett.
Commonwealth's Attorney John Greenbacker suggested revenge as a motive for the murder and said yesterday that he intends to prosecute the juveniles as adults.
Barnett, 53, was shot in the head December 15 as he turned off of Traynham Grove Road onto the gravel road that led to his farm.
He died nine days later at Duke Medical Center.
The young men were arrested Thursday night by investigators of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office and the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force.
Lt. C.A. Bates, chief investigator of the Halifax County Sheriff's Department, coordinated the investigation, working closely with the task force.
Three charges were lodged again the two, first degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The 17-year-olds were taken to a juvenile detention facility to await arraignment in Juvenile and Domestic Court.
A bond hearing is scheduled Tuesday.
Barnett, a Durham native, owned Black Walnut Stables in the Alton neighborhood.

A 16-year-old student was arrested Friday and charged with making two bomb threats against Halifax County High School, South Boston Police Chief Jim Hall said last weekend.
The incidents occurred February 14, he said.
The youth is being held at the Culpeper Juvenile Detention Center, according to Hall who said that tips from Crime Stoppers led to the student's arrest.
The chief said that bomb threats are classified as Class 5 misdemeanors that call for imprisonment on conviction.
"On Monday, February 14 around 8:30 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. bomb threats were called into the 911 center and went to Lyncom in Lynchburg. The calls were then relayed to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department Officers from the Virginia State Police, the Halifax County Sheriff's Department, South Boston Police Department and the South Boston Fire Department officials responded to the calls, Hall said.
"Trooper S. M. Krantz and his special trained dog that can smell explosives aided in the search. Nothing was found on either occasion," he added.
"The investigating officers were Special Agent Larry Bishop, Virginia State Police and Lt. Rick Loftis, South Boston Police Department.
"We received calls through CRIME STOPPERS which did aid in the arrest of the 16 year old juvenile." "We appreciate the concern that was shown by citizens in the community and we would like to thank everyone for their help during this incident." he said.

Nat Anderson is alive today.
And he has Dick Waller and several South Boston police officers to thank.
Waller, with the help of police officers, made a dramatic rescue of Anderson from his burning home on Poplar Creek Street Saturday night.
South Boston Police Sgt. D.L. Blanks said yesterday that Anderson, who is blind, refused treatment at the scene.
However, Anderson was later taken by private vehicle to Halifax Regional Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
He was released from the hospital following treatment.
Sgt. Blanks said the drama started shortly after Anderson's grandson, Bruce Pannell, who lives next door, spotted the fire and called in the alarm to the fire at the 305 Poplar Creek Street residence at 9:37 p.m.
Officers Tim VanAernem, Dan Frazier, Russ Nicholson and Mike Moreno responded to the call and, upon arrival at the flame-engulfed house, learned that Anderson was still inside.
Sgt. Blanks explained that Pannell broke open a window on the side of the house Anderson was believed to be in and that VanAernem attempted to get inside.
According to Sgt. Blanks, the smoke from the fire was so thick that Van Aernem was forced to back out.
Waller, whom police say apparently was walking in the vicinity, came up and, with the officers' help, climbed through the window.
Sgt. Blanks stated that Waller managed to reach Anderson and that officers pulled both outside to safety.
Twenty fire fighters from the South Boston Fire Department responded to the call and brought four trucks to the scene.
Firemen were on the scene for approximately two hours.
The house, owned by Karen Traynham, was considered a total loss with damage estimated at $15,000.
Sgt. Blanks stated that the fire is believed to have started in the bathroom area.
Anderson is a known smoker, Sgt. Blanks said.
The police department spokesman said that while the exact cause of the fire has not been pinpointed, it is believed that the fire was accidental.

A weekend fire at Burlington Industries in Halifax resulted in an estimated $20,000 in damages, according to Halifax Volunteer Fire Department Chief Wayne King.
King said yesterday that the $20,000 estimate "did not include any fabric damage due to smoke."
Responding to a 6:30 p.m. Saturday call, firemen discovered a blaze and smoke in an air control room. King said hot sanders used in refinishing floors at the plant appear to have caused the fire.
The HVFD was assisted by the Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department during the two-hour Burlington call.

By PHILIP BRASHER
AP Farm Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Move over, Iowa. It's time New Jersey got a share of the billions of dollars in federal aid sent to farmers each year, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says.
Instead of devoting farm assistance to a handful of Midwestern  and Southern states - what Glickman calls the ''Depression-era regions'' - he wants to share the largesse with growers nationwide,  including fruit and vegetable growers who now get little or no federal aid.
''No longer is farm policy the province of seven or eight states,'' Glickman said in an interview with The Associated Press. ''We produce agricultural commodities everywhere in this country.''
Seven states - Iowa, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota - get half of all the government farm payments each year but account for only about 30 percent of the nation's agricultural output.
California produced $25 billion worth of crops and livestock in 1998, twice as much as No. 2 Iowa, but got less federal farm aid than Montana. Pennsylvania produced $1 billion more than North Dakota but got one-tenth as much government money.
Even New Jersey, not normally regarded as a farm state, produced  nearly $800 million worth of fruit, vegetables, milk and other  agricultural products in 1998.
Glickman made a first step toward what he calls a ''national'' farm policy by proposing last month that Congress double spending on conservation programs. Some of that $1.3 billion in extra spending would go to growers who traditionally don't participate in federal programs. A proposed expansion of the federally subsidized crop insurance system also would offer coverage for livestock producers for the first time.
But the former Kansas congressman, in his sixth and last year as agriculture secretary, thinks that Congress should go a lot further when they write a new farm program in 2002.
He said federal subsidies should be targeted toward guaranteeing all farmers a minimum income instead of supporting the prices of select crops, as the government has done since the 1930s.
For Glickman, it is a matter of both fairness and political expediency. Support for farm spending could dwindle if more areas of the country don't benefit from it, he warned.
''I don't see the government getting out of the business of trying to help farmers stay alive,'' he said. ''The only real answer is providing some safety net on income, and the only way I think you can do that fairly is to broaden what the income package is, going beyond wheat, corn, cotton and rice and including other things as well.''
The $8.7 billion farm bailout that Congress approved last year would never have been as big as it was had there not been a drought and hurricane damage on the East Coast that brought a nationwide attention to the agricultural economy, Glickman said. Even then, most of the money in the package went to the states that traditionally get most federal aid.
In the interview Thursday, Glickman also:
-Expressed skepticism that food would be safer if federal regulation were consolidated in one agency, as consumer groups and others want. ''My experience in Washington tells me that when there is a problem the first desire is to move boxes around,'' he said. The Clinton administration is working on a new strategic plan for food safety; so far officials have taken no position on the consolidation issue.
-Said he has not decided whether to require pork farmers to vote on whether to keep their research and promotion program known for the ''other white meat'' advertising slogan. The department had trouble validating sufficient signatures on petitions gathered by the program's opponents. Glickman can call a referendum on his own only if the program is not working the way it was intended.
Bruce Babcock, director of Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, predicts Glickman will have a tough time convincing grain farmers they should be sharing more of the federal farm aid pie with livestock producers and growers of other crops.
''The established commodities would fight it tooth and nail,'' he said. Moreover, it isn't clear that producers who haven't received federal aid are any worse off than growers who have, he said. Fruit and vegetable growers, for example, learned to diversify their operations in order to cope with fluctuations in prices.
Glickman's desire for getting more farmers on the federal dole also would be a radical departure from the market-oriented farm policy that Glickman supported and President Clinton signed into law in 1996. The Freedom to Farm law, which scaled back crop subsidies in return for several years of fixed payments to farms, was intended to wean growers from federal support.
Clinton's 2001 budget proposed a new ''supplemental income'' program in which payments would be tied to fluctuations in revenue for the eight major crops that are already subsidized.
Glickman said that was as far as the administration could go this year. ''Ours is more crop specific than where we ought to be in the long term,'' he said.

Halifax County found a magical way to win when it faced GW here on February 7.
The Comets rallied from a 21-point deficit that night to triumph over their neighboring arch-rivals.
But, the magic wasn't there in Friday night's regular season finale.
GW employed its stingy defense and prowess on the offensive boards to open a 17-point lead in the third period.
The Comets rallied.
But, this time, GW squelched the Comets' run and buried them 68-42 in front of a noisy, highly partisan, capacity home crowd of more than 1,200 fans.
"It's hard to win here," said Comets coach Garrett Dillard whose team finished third in the Western District with a 2-4 slate and concluded its regular with an 8-10 mark.
"It's definitely hard when you get in the hole and the crowd starts screaming and yelling. Some of our guys got caught up in that and were more worried about trying to out-talk the crowd than play."
Dillard, a former assistant coach at GW, also gave credit to the Eagles for playing a solid game.
"Their (GW) guys played hard," added Dillard.
"Their crowd screamed and yelled and caused us to lose focus. And, their guys did exactly what coach (Chris) Carter asked them to do. I want to give them (GW) all the credit in the world for being one of the best teams in the state and the best team in our district."
GW neutralized two of Halifax County's top guns, guard Fred Price and forward William Jennings to get the upper hand.
The Eagles double-teamed Price and held him to nine points and only one second-half field goal.
They focused on denying Jennings the ball in the paint, a move that resulted in Jennings getting only 10 points including a pair of second half baskets.
GW also managed to get Halifax County's big man in the middle, Cardell Mosley, into foul trouble early, forcing Mosley to exit the game several times before he fouled out with over four and a half minutes left in the game.
And, Carleton Roach, Teddy Bradley, Terez Garland, and Jameen Jackson, who had stepped up big in recent games, couldn't muster the fire power the Comets needed to counter GW's moves.
"We knew exactly what they (GW) were going to do," Dillard said.
"The other guys just missed the basket or didn't execute when Fred had to get rid of the ball. We just didn't get it done on the floor."
After playing a closely contested first quarter in which GW emerged with a 15-14 lead, GW scored the first 11 points of the second period to run up a 26-14 lead and take control of the contest.
GW nailed a trio of three-pointers in that run, two by guard Brian Gunn. The second bomb from Gunn concluded a frenzied sequence in which the ball changed hands three times and put the Eagles up by a dozen.
Jennings ended the GW rally with an emphatic slam dunk with 5:03 left in the half that marked the first of what would be the Comets' only two field goals in the second period.
Later, Jennings gave the Comets their second field goal of the period with 3:53 left in the half, a basket that cut GW's lead to nine points at 27-18.
While the Comets failed to score again in the half, GW took the opportunity to tack on another five points and run up a 32-18 lead at the half.
The second period was a pivotal period in the contest as GW outscored the Comets 17-4.
That lead could have been bigger, however, had GW hit its free throws.
In the final three minutes, GW hit only three of its eight foul shots, missing a prime opportunity to run up a larger margin.
GW asserted its strength on the boards at the start of the second half.
The Eagles scored the first series of second-half points off of offensive rebounds.
And, they dominated the defensive boards as well, holding the Comets to just one shot on most occasions.
GW used its rebounding and quick transition baskets to run its lead up to 17 points at 37-20 in the first three minutes.
Roach countered by hitting back-to-back baskets that cut the Comets' deficit to 13 points with 4:57 left in the quarter.
The Eagles led by 14 when Price stole the ball and sailed in for a layup that triggered the Comets' late third period rally.
Bradley followed by converting a three-point play with 44.3 seconds left to cut GW's lead to nine points at 44-35.
Roach had a chance to cut GW's lead down to seven points on the next trip down the floor.
But, Roach was hit with a charging foul when he bowled over a GW defender as he drove to the basket for a layup.
GW scored before the period ended to up its lead back to 11 points at 46-35.
"I thought we had a chance at that point," Dillard pointed out.
"If we could have made that (the Roach layup), it (the GW lead) would have been down to seven points and you never know what can happen then. But, we just never got anything going after that."
GW regained its composure and went on a 9-2 run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to take an 18-point 55-37 lead.
The Eagles never relinquished control of the game after that point.
"GW knew we were coming back," Dillard pointed out.
"They were determined that they weren't going to let us come back from double digits twice to beat them. They never let us get any runs going. We knew if we got down by that much it would be a lot harder to come back."
Dillard said that although his team lost by 26 points, the kids played hard.
"Even though we lost by a big margin I still felt we played hard," the Comets coach remarked.
"It was one of those times that eventhough we lost, the guys still ended up having fun playing because it was a big crowd."
The Comets will begin Western District Tournament play Wednesday night in Charlottesville where they will face second seed Albemarle in one of the two district semi-final games.
GW, the regular season champion, will host E.C. Glass in the night's other tournament semifinal game.
The Eagles, by virtue of winning the regular season title, have clinched one of the Western District's two berths for the Northwest Region Tournament.

Halifax County High School's boys and girls basketball teams will begin Western District Tournament play Wednesday.
The Comets boys team, the third place finisher in the Western District standings, will travel to Charlottesville to face second-seed Albemarle.
Game time will be 7 p.m.
Halifax County High School's girls basketball team, the fourth seeded team, will be on the road as well.
The Comets girls will travel to Danville where they will face regular season champion and top seed GW.
That contest will begin at 6:30 p.m.
In Wednesday's other Western District Tournament semi-final games, fourth seeded E.C. Glass will travel to Danville to face top seeded GW in the boys tournament.
And, in the other semi-final game of the girls tournament, Albemarle, the third seed, will travel to Lynchburg to face second seeded E.C. Glass.
Championship games will be played Friday night at the home court of the top seeded winner.
Both the Comets boys and girls teams will be playing for a chance to advance to Friday night's championship game.
A Comet victory Wednesday night will clinch a berth in the upcoming Northwest Region Tournament.
Admission for single tournament games will be $5 per person.
Admission for tournament doubleheaders will be $6 per person.

James J. 'Jimmy' Chandler Jr., age 63, of 155 North Main Street, Halifax, died February 17, 2000, at his home.
Mr. Chandler was born in Halifax County on June 15, 1936, the son of James Jiggitts Chandler Sr. and Mary Gunn Chandler and was married to Martha Richardson Chandler.
Survivors include his wife; and one daughter, Susan Chandler of Halifax.
Graveside services for Mr. Chandler were held February 19 at Halifax Memorial Gardens at 11 a.m. with Revs. Dr. Melvin Bradshaw and Jack Stewart conducting the service.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston, Va. 24592 or the Hospice Support Care of Southside Virginia, PO Box 1355, Halifax, Va. 24558.

Ned Carter Henderson, age 72, of 1114 Deer Run Road, Halifax, died February 18,2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Henderson was born in Halifax County on May 2, 1927, the son of Oscar Hale Henderson and Annie Henry Henderson and was married to Evelyn Osborne Henderson. He was a member of Oak Level Presbyterian Church, a farmer, retired merchant and contractor and founder of H&H Enterprises.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Elizabeth (Betsye) H. Throckmorton of Scottsburg; one son, Ned Carter Henderson Jr. of South Boston; his mother of Halifax; one brother, Ray Fountaine Henderson of Richmond; four grandchildren, Erin Throckmorton and Gavin Throckmorton, both of Scottsburg, Meagan Henderson and Lauren Henderson, both of South Boston. He was preceded in death by one brother, Ryland Henderson.
Funeral services for Mr. Henderson were held February 20 at 3 p.m. at Oak Level Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. Russell Lee conducting the service. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Oak Level Volunteer Fire Department or Oak Level Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund.

Charlie James Francis, age 79, of 1321 Willingham Avenue, South Boston, died February 17, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Francis was born October 6, 1920, in Halifax County the son of Charlie Marshall Francis and Ollie Landrum Francis and was married to Willsie C. Francis.
He was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 8, Woodmen of the World Camp 106, Halifax Regional Hospital Auxiliary, where he was a devoted volunteer. In his youth Mr. Francis joined the local CCC camp. He served in the United States Navy in the South Pacific as a Seabee in World War II. After the war he worked as a deputy for Halifax County Sheriff's Department, and a policeman for the Town of South Boston, and served as the school crossing guard for Washington-Coleman Elementary School.
Funeral services were held February 20 at 2 p.m. at Main Street United Methodist Church with Rev. Doug Martin and Dr. John Fariss conducting the service. Burial was in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Mr. Francis is survived by his wife; one daughter, Patricia Francis Burton of Halifax; one sister, Dorothy Burton of Newport News; one granddaughter, Luanna Burton Daniel of Halifax; and one grandson, James W. 'Jim' Burton III of Mechanicsville.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Main Street United Methodist Church, Halifax County Rescue Squad, or the charity of your choice.

Carrol Roland Estes of 1717 Norwood Avenue, South Boston died February 18, 2000 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Estes was born in Richmond March 19, 1934 and was 65 years old. He was the son of William Embra Estes and Elsie M. Bates Estes. He was of the Baptist faith and a member of the American Legion Post 8 of South Boston. He was a retired employee of JPS Apparel.
Survivors include two sons: Michael R. Estes, of Danville; Tony W. Estes, of South Boston; three daughters: Sheila E. Robinette, of Danville; Donna E. Fox, of Laurens, S; Susan E. Wercholuk, of Youngsville, NC; two brothers: George Estes, of Richmond; and Ray Estes, of Norfolk; four sisters: Eunice E. Golden, of Drakes Branch; Norma E. Bradley, of Eden, NC; Phyllis E. Whitman, of Eden, NC; Elva E. Conner, of Richmond; and six grandchildren.
Mr. Estes was preceded in death by a brother, Lloyd Estes and two sisters, Doris Estes and Edith E. Seamster.
A graveside service for Mr. Estes was held Sunday at 2:00 p.m with the Rev. Jack Stewart officiating. Burial took place in the Oak Ridge Cemetery, South Boston.

Wilford Hampton Crenshaw of 1149 Grubby Road, Halifax died Saturday, February 19, 2000 at his home.
He was born in Halifax County on June 29, 1927 and was 72 years old. He was the son of Bertrum Roy Crenshaw and Lizzie Hall Crenshaw.
Mr. Crenshaw is survived by: five sisters: Doris Gravitt and Hilda Tuck, both of South Boston; Merle Smith and Vivian Garber, both of Halifax and June Hartley, of Apex, NC.
Graveside services for Mr. Crenshaw will be held Monday at Dan River Baptist Church cemetery at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Charles Stewart conducting the service.
The family will receive friends at the home of Vivian Garber, 1148 Grubby Road, Halifax.

Doris Rebecca Waller Walker, 69, of Richmond, died February 19, 2000. She was the widow of Donald B. Walker.
She was preceded in death by her sons: Thomas Waller and Donald B. Walker, Jr., a sister; Ivory Trammell. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law; Mary and Michael Call; sons; David, Jackie, Randy and Buddy Walker; brothers: Dorsey and John B. Waller and a very dear friend; Bernard Robertson.
Graveside services will be held at Liberty United Church Cemetery today (Monday) at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorial contributions be made to Bensley-Bermuda Rescue Squad, 2600 Rio Vista Drive, Chester, VA 23831.