With all the billions of dollars being talked about in the proposed tobacco settlement, growers shouldn't sound greedy when trying to get a cut, said speakers Saturday during the annual Virginia Tobacco Conference and Trade Show.
All three speakers agreed growers should be first unified in their proposal and second not be greedy.
Stabilization spokesman Arnold Hamm told the several 100 growers at the conference held at Halifax County High School, that whatever proposal is accepted, it's primary purpose is going to be reduce consumption.
Growers are already getting hit this year with an 18 percent quota reduction for the 1998 crop, any settlement is going to continue to cut production.
What is needed is equitable grower support in the settlement and of three proposals currently on the table--one that would maintain the current tobacco program, a second that would eliminate the program and a third that would restructure the program--the third is the most equitable, Hamm said.
The first proposal would continue to drop the quota and ask farmers to accept the decline along with handouts.
This would be no more than welfare for the farmer, he said.
The second proposal would lead to a few tobacco farmers growing twice the amount of tobacco at less money.
The second plan does offers no relief to communities who would receive less contribution from tobacco farmers.
The third proposal would help enhance competitiveness, not subsidize a decline in productivity, he said.
But tobacco growers "need to consolidate position as fast as we can," Hamm said.
"We need to encourage friendly congressmen outside tobacco areas to help and we need to maintain the support of the public health groups," he continued.
"If we are not careful, we'll have our heads served to us on a platter."
Sen. Charles Robb assistant Ridge Schuyler brought to growers a more detailed explanation of Robb's plan that would bring monetary aid to tobacco farmers and communities.
"I'm from the federal government and I'm here to help," Schuyler opened his remarks. Robb's plan did not come from the beltway, but from Ted Bennett's Halifax office."
The Virginia grower-led movement tries to meet five points, he said.
We need to make domestic leaf competitive, he said, must retain a supply-limiting program, we must compensate for the value of the quota, there needs to be a transition payment for producers and there needs to be in place economic help for the communities.
Robb's plan, Schuyler said, would eliminate producers paying quota rates which would get rid of 40 cents on each pound of tobacco sold. That would reduce the per pound cost which would immediately yield a more competitive price, he continued.
The plan would also get rid of quota holders and would change to a nontransferrable license for production.
The license could be transferred to direct descendants, he said and a question of how new producers could obtain licenses is one detail that still needs to be worked out.
Leaf being imported into the United States should have to pass the same chemical and pesticide restrictions that U.S. leaf has to pass, he said.
The buyout would be 8 dollars per pound along with transition payments of four cents per pound for five years.
Economic development to the community would amount to 250 million per year available to tobacco-dependent communities.
Formulas proposed would give Halifax County about $3 million per year for 25 years.
"This would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get cash to tobacco-dependent areas," he said.
This plan would work, Schuyler continued if "we can get grower unity, the cost is reasonable and growers don't get greedy, and finally we get the support of the health community."
These three things are need for the plan to work.
Virginia is already unified, he said. "We now need to get this unity to spread to other states."
"No matter what package passes," Schuyler said, "it will harm growers. We have to have a program to help give tobacco farmers a soft landing."
Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode told farmers he is prepared to enter his own bill to get aid to tobacco farmers.
His proposal would be similar to Robb's but would add assistance to warehousemen and equipment suppliers.
"This is really not a party issue," Goode said, "but an issue between those that grow tobacco and those that want to condemn tobacco."
"I am not going to apologize for supporting tobacco," he said.
The key thing to all the proposals is to stopping youth access, Goode said.
And although the primary way of halting this access is through higher excise taxes, Goode proposed maybe tying youth smoking to a driver's permit.
"If you take away their driver's permit, you have their attention."
"We can put things on the table," Goode said, "but we have to have the unity of the people in tobacco country.
"These people who have no tobacco do not understand tobacco and they want to strictly limit access.
"We need to stand together and put forth the hard work," he said.
The Virginia Tobacco Growers Association, one of the sponsors of the conference, awarded their annual award of appreciation this year to Dr. James L. Jones.
A seven-year-old boy was injured during a house fire which occurred Sunday morning on Rt. 924, according to Liberty Volunteer Fire Chief Jimmy Owen.
The 8:50 a.m. blaze was contained in the basement area of the residence of Annette Adams. Most of the damaged occurred in the stairwell area near the wood stove, Chief Owen said.
The youth was transported to a Lynchburg hospital by the Brookneal Rescue Squad. He suffered first degree burns to his arms and upper chest and second degree burns to his face, Chief Owen said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Chief Owen estimated that the home sustained approximately $800 in damages.
Twenty-two firefighters and three fire trucks from the Liberty Volunteer Fire Department responded to the blaze. Assisting in the efforts were several firefighters from the North Halifax Volunteer Fire Department.
An early Sunday morning fight in the parking lot of American Legion Post #99 resulted in a felony charge of malicious wounding, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
Jerry L. Faulkner, 22, of South Boston was charged with a felony count of malicious wounding after an altercation at 2 a.m., police said.
He allegedly struck Michael T. Powell Jr. with his fist, breaking Powell's jaw, according to the investigation.
The Halifax County Rescue Squad was called, but prior to their arrival, Powell was taken to the Halifax Regional Hospital by private vehicle, police said.
The incident did not occur inside the Post #99 building near Sinai and happened after the dance was over with, pointed out officials of Post #99.
Faulkner was placed in the Halifax County Jail after his arrest, but was released Sunday morning on bond. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court on March 6.
Faulkner was arrested by Deputy H.L. Farmer.
In other cases:
· Fred Howard Tucker Jr., 31, of Halifax was charged Friday with a misdemeanor count of assault and battery of Wendy Leigh Grasty, a household or family member.
He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of two minors, who were at the residence during the alleged altercation, police said.
The incident occurred on January 27.
Tucker was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on February 11. He was arrested by Deputy S.A. Jennings.
· Quincy Demond Powell, 21, of South Boston was charged early Sunday morning with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana, police said.
He was arrested by Officer Stanley Britton of the Halifax Police Department.
Powell was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County General District Court on April 13.
A two-vehicle collision occurred Saturday night at the intersection of North Main Street and Hamilton Boulevard, according to the South Boston Police Department.
Jerry T. Humphrey, 38, of Roxboro, N.C. suffered minor injuries when his 1996 Mazda struck the rear of a stopped vehicle on North Main Street, Lt. H.B. Rice said.
That vehicle was a 1994 Toyota Four-Runner driven by Jonathan L. Best, 17, of Alton. Best was not injured.
Damages to the Mazda were estimated at $3,000, while damages to the Toyota were estimated at $2,000, according to the investigation.
Humphrey was charged with following too close. The 7:42 p.m. incident was investigated by SBPD Officer R.E. Redd.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - When Jim Gilmore was running for governor, local governments savaged his plan to slash the hated personal property tax on automobiles, arguing it would deprive them of needed tax revenues.
It was apparent Thursday how much times and politics had changed.
The tax cut proposal swept not only Gilmore but two other Republicans into the state's top three elected offices in November, leaving city and county government officials and their statewide organizations with little choice but to support it, too.
''After the election, there was a recognition that there would be some form of tax relief,'' Suzette Denslow, deputy director of the Virginia Municipal League, said after Gilmore addressed local government representatives. ''When you see the votes, you have to get on board.''
Gilmore's plan calls for phasing out the tax on the first $20,000 value of personally owned vehicles within five years.
The tax is collected by local governments and accounts for about 15 percent of their revenue. They are wary of claims the state will reimburse localities for the lost money, especially once Gilmore is no longer in office.
Gilmore was loudly applauded in his speech Thursday to the VML and the Virginia Association of Counties when he repeated his pledge that ''Local governments will be reimbursed dollar for dollar.''
But the localities want more than primises.
''What we've asked for is that the governor would put forward or support a constitutional amendment that we will get the funds,'' Ms. Denslow said.
After his speech, Gilmore told reporters he was not planning to push for a constitutional amendment this year.
Local leaders point out that the state has broken funding promises in the past.
In 1981, cities agreed to give up annexation rights in exchange for state grants to hire police officers. The state is now $420 million in arrears to the cities on that agreement.
In addition to worries over losing a revenue source, local governments want state help to build new schools. But in his speech, Gilmore they would have to wait before getting money to fund a $6 billion school construction backlog.
Several Democratic legislators have suggested using money earned by the state lottery to fund new schools, but Gilmore called those ideas ''playing politics'' with school construction.
Gilmore has pledged to fund 4,000 new teachers, but localities complain that without more schools, many of the new teachers will have to work in trailers and temporary classrooms.
''We've got to have some relief in school construction,'' said Gerald E. Connolly, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Gilmore said President Clinton recently promised to help fund 5,000 new schools nationwide and Virginia needed time to figure out what its school construction needs are and how much federal money the state will get.
''It would be imprudent for Virginia to rush blindly into a quick fix on our school construction needs while there is an immediate prospect of federal financial assistance,'' he said. He announced that he is forming a task force to study the issue.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - After weeks of political maneuvering, legislators will begin work in earnest this week on Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore's bill to virtually abolish the local personal property tax on cars and trucks.
Democrats are pushing a plan to pump state money into public school construction as a better use of surplus funds generated by a booming economy. Also, Democratic Sen. Madison Marye has proposed cutting the sales tax on groceries instead of the car tax.
Nevertheless, it appears most Democrats will grudgingly go along with some form of the car-tax cut because it was the issue that propelled Gilmore to a landslide victory in November.
''Tax relief is going to pass,'' said Del. Thomas M. Jackson Jr., D-Carroll County and a sponsor of the bill to earmark state lottery profits for school construction. ''Individual members are still weighing what form it will take.''
The House of Delegates' Finance Committee will take its first thorough look at the car-tax cut at a special meeting Monday night. The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a public hearing on that proposal and Marye's bill for Tuesday.
Gilmore has been cool to the Democrats' school construction proposal because it would cost about $350 million a year. That's money the legislature won't have if it approves his car-tax cut, which will cost about $493 million over two years. He wants to study the issue for a year.
Chris LaCivita, executive director of the state GOP, accused Democrats of ''disingenuous politics'' because in recent years they have repeatedly defeated Republican-backed bills to send lottery profits to localities for schools, law enforcement or tax relief.
With all 140 General Assembly seats up for election next year, Democrats could use the issue to portray themselves as the best friends of education, just like they did in turning back a GOP takeover bid in the 1995 elections.
''I don't think we can fix the school construction issue this year, but it's critical that we get a foothold established so children don't have to wait another five years before we get something done,'' Jackson said.
The car-tax cut and the school construction issues are just two of more than 2,300 the General Assembly's committees must dispose of in the coming week. Feb. 17 is the deadline for each chamber to act on its own legislation, which means the committees must complete their work within a week.
When legislators went home for the weekend Friday afternoon, they had acted on only 387 bills in this session, leaving 2,368 still to be considered.
Awaiting committee action are bills on such hot-button issues as abortion and sex education. Bills to ban partial-birth abortion and to require ''informed consent'' and a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed are pending.
Other legislation would restore a state requirement that public schools teach sex education and offer guidance counselors in elementary schools. The State Board of Education made those programs a local option.
A variety of anti-crime measures, including expanded community notification when a sex offender moves into a neighborhood, also are on the agenda, as are a handful of proposed new state songs.
Mary L. Chambers, a former employee of Presto Products, has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that she was subjected to racial discrimination while working at the Halifax County Industrial Park facility.
Chambers, who is black, is seeking $500,000 in damages, according to the lawsuit.
In addition to Presto Products, Chambers listed Presto employees Jeff Wallace and Dean Reaves, who are white, as defendants. Wallace and Reaves were her supervisors during much of her nine years at the plant, according to her lawsuit.
Chambers, who is represented by Richmond attorney Sa'ad Al-Emin, filed the lawsuit on January 21.
According to court records, she stated that she was forced to quit on May 2, 1997, after suffering what she described as racial discrimination and harassment.
No trial date has been set.
Mary Ellen Seamster Francisco of 318-A Woodcrest Apts., Hamilton Blvd., South Boston died Saturday, February 7, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She ws born in Halifax County, on October 23, 1923 and was 74 years of age. She was the daughter of Lewis Hester Seamster and Lillie Daniel Seamster and was married to Hurley Davis Francisco.
She was a member of he Church of God of Prophecy of South Boston.
Mrs. Francisco is survived by two sons: Edward Francisco, of Brookneal; Bobby Francisco, of South Boston; three daughters: Virginia Martin, of South Boston; Katie Adkins of Chatham, Cassie Lewis, of Roanoke; one daughter-in-law, Phillis Francisco, of Nathaie; three brothers: Howard Seamster, of Halifax; Curtis Seamster, of Vernon Hill, James Seamster, of Nathalie, one sister, Mrs. Mossie Hodges, of Chase City; nineteen grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, Garland Seamster.
Funeral services for Mrs. Francisco will be held Monday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Harvey Hazelwood conducting the service. Burial will take place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
James Thomas Slate, 76, of Virginia Beach died Wednesday, February 4, 1998. A native of Halifax, he was a Virginia Beach resident for 29 years.
Mr. Slate was owner and operator of Slate Roofing Co. retiring in 1986 after 19 years in business. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Ahoskie, NC.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda S. Sawyer and her husband, Lawrence of Yorktown, and Betty Smith of Lansing, MI; a son, Jeffrey W. Slate and his wife, Adelina of Virginia Beach; two sisters, Lucille Conner and Pauline Henderson, both of Halifax; one brother, Branford Slate of Halifax; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita Griffin Slate, and one son, Jim Slate.
A graveside service will be held today, February 6 at 2 p.m. in Parklawn Memorial Park, Hampton with Rev. Franklin Hall officiating.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Bethel Baptist Church Building Fund.
Elizabeth Clark of Clover, died February 6, 1998. Ms. Clark was born in Halifax County on August 17, 1918 and was 79.
She was the daughter of the late Oliver Clark and Mrs. Mary Clark.
Ms. Clark was a member of the Bethel Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include: five sisters, Louise Clark, Baltimore, Md., Ruth Harris, Jamaica, NY; Loretta Garrett, Halifax; Dorothy McDaniel, Jamaica, NY; and Patty Brown, Clover; four brothers: Oliver Oscar Clark, Otis Clark, Sidney Clark, all of Clover; and James David Clark, Bronx, NY.
Funeral services for Ms. Clark will be held Tuesday, February 10 at 1:00 p.m. with services at Bethel Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert H. VanHook conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
Nurley Woodrow Dunn of 8065 Chatham Road, Nathalie died February 4, 1998 at the Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 62.
Mr. Dunn was born in Halifax County on October 7, 1935 and was the son of the late Howard Dunn nd Copelia White Dunn McNeal.
He was a member of the New Zion Baptist Church.
Mr. Nurley Woodrow Dunn is survived by his wife: Nettie Johnson Dunn; one daughter, Ms. Valerie Dunn, of Brooklyn,NY; his mother, Copelia McNeal, of Brooklyn, NY; two step-daughters: Karen Pierce and Donna Claggett, both of Winston-Salem, NC; one sister: Johnnie Ann McNeal, of Houston, TX; two children he reared: Gordon Word of Nathalie, and Kathy Word of Baltimore, MD; eight grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and four step grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mr. Dunn were held Sunday, Februay 8 at 2:00 p.m.
at the New Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Willie N. Yancey officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Daisy Mangum Hendricks of 1087 Hendricks Road, Alton died Thursday, February 5, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at age of 56.
Mrs. Hendricks was born July 5, 1941 in Person County, NC and was the daughter of Robert M. Mangum and Emma Tuck Mangum. She was married to Charles C. Hendricks.
Mrs. Hendrcks was a member of Alton Baptist Church.
Mrs. Hendricks is survived by her husband, Charles C. Hendricks, of Alton; her mother, Emma T. Mangum, of South Boston; one daughter, Michele H. Talley, and son-in-law, Malcolm Talley, of Alton; one son, John L. Hendricks, of Alton; two brothers, Sonny Mangum, of Roxboro, NC; Bernice "Duck" Mangum, of Alton and one grandchild, Jessica Nicole Talley, of Alton.
Funeral services for Mrs. Hendricks were held at Alton Baptist Church
Sunday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. with the Rev. Clyde Shelton and Rev. Harvey
Warnick officiating. Burial took place in Alton Baptist Church Cemetery.
Lilly Anderson Daniel of 4163 Cedar Grove Road, Alton died Saturday, February 7, 1998. Born in Halifax County on November 25, 1908, and was 89.
Mrs. Daniel was the daughter of James Lee Anderson and Carrie Ferrell Anderson. She was married to the late Henry Archer Daniel.
Mrs. Daniel was a retired teacher from the Halifax County School System where she taught school for 36 years. She was also a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church.
Survivors include one sister, Alice A. "Polly" Kern, of Alton; a special niece and care giver, Joyce K. Lowery, of the home; three sisters-in-law, Delma C. Anderson and Jean W. Anderson of Clover; and Jane A. Hunter, of Pageland, SC. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Archer Daniel.
Funeral services for Mrs. Daniel will be held at Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Tuesday, February 10, 1998 at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Harvey Warnick, Rev. Dave Slabach and Rev. Robert Sowder officiating.
Burial will take place in the Public Fork Christian Church Cemetery in Red Oak.
Visitation will be at Brooks Funeral Home Monday night from 7 until 8:30 and at other times at her home, 4163 Cedar Grove Road, Alton.
Lillie May Dixon of Vernon Hill, died Friday, February 6, 1998 at her residence in Vernon Hill, at the age of 77. She was born in Halifax County on March 11,1920.
Mrs. Dixon is survived by her two daughters, Doretha Dixon Gay, of Columbia, MD; and Margaret Cleola Reynolds, of Nathalie; one son, David Harold Dixon, of Washington, D. C.; fourteen grandchildren and nine great grandchildren; one sister, Vadie Coleman Edwards, of Baltimore MD; two brothers, Deacon John Wallace Coleman, of Nathalie and Claude Coats Coleman, of Baltimore, MD; two great aunts; one daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law, six sisters-in-law; nieces, nephews.
Funeral services for Mrs. Dixon will be held on Tuesday, February 10 at 1:00 p.m. at County Line Baptist Church with the Rev. Otis Dillard, officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Crawford, Garrett & Burton Funeral Service tonight (Monday) from 7-8 p.m. and other times at the residence, 1220 Dixon Trail, Vernon Hill.
In Mrs. Dixon memory contributions may be made to the Mary M. Bethune Alumni Foundation Scholarship Fund. Make may be made payable to the Mary M. Bethune Scholarship Fund and forwarded to Margaret D. Reynolds, 3010 Beulah Road, Nathalie, VA.