WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate approved giving hog farmers an extra $250 million in assistance to help them weather a sharp downturn in pork prices.
The money was added late Thursday to a $1.9 billion emergency  spending bill that includes aid for Jordan and hurricane-battered  Central America. The House is to take up its version of the legislation next week. President Clinton has threatened to veto both versions in a dispute with Congress over state tobacco settlements.
The Agriculture Department already is distributing $50 million to hog farmers on its own at a rate of $5 per pig. The department said Friday the payments average $1,100 for each of 45,293 farms.
Producers said the payments won't go far enough and appealed to Congress for as much as $500 million more.
''This is a crisis and it demands action,'' Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., said Friday. ''The immediate, short-term economic assistance approved by the Senate can help producers survive the current crisis.''
Hogs are selling for about 25 cents a pound, up from a low at the end of 1998 of 8 cents but well below the break-even point of almost 40 cents.
It would be up to the Agriculture Department to decide how to  distribute the $250 million. The money could go for direct payments  as well as loans or purchases of surplus pork. The National Pork  Producers Council wanted $25 for every hog sold after the price collapse, up to a limit of $50,000 per farmer.
''This is a very significant step,'' said Steve Cohen, a spokesman for the producers group. ''If this goes through, we can bring some financial relief to some of these farmers who are really teetering on the edge.''
While the White House opposes the overall bill, the Agriculture  Department ''would certainly be open to moves by Congress to be of additional help to hog farmers,'' spokesman Andy Solomon said.
The spending bill also would authorize $1 billion in emergency  farm loans and urges the Clinton administration to approve the sale of $500 million in grain and sugar to Iran. Clinton's national  security advisers are weighing whether to grant a license for the shipment.
''The only right decision here is to let that grain be sold to Iran,'' said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. ''It's absurd to have prohibitions on grain shipments, not just here but anywhere else as well.''
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said Friday the Senate's endorsement of the Iran sale ''will be noted.''
Iran is asking for 2 million metric tons of wheat; 300,000 tons of rice; 200,000 tons of soybean meal; 400,000 tons of corn; 250,00 tons of soy oil; and 400,000 tons of raw and white sugar.

LOVETTSVILLE, Va. (AP) - The Bridge End Centre store on the Virginia side of the Potomac River has a lot of Maryland customers - many of them looking for cheaper cigarettes.
As the Maryland legislature debates a cigarette tax increase,  Frederick County residents who live near the Virginia border conduct their own debate about the effects such an increase might have.
At the Bridge End store Friday, most of the cigarette-buying  customers in an hour's time were Maryland residents, most from the  Brunswick and Knoxville area, The (Frederick) News Post reported.
Rich Agoris, owner of Brunswick Citgo, says he counts the Maryland license plates at Virginia service stations across the river.
''Our cigarette sales are already well below the national average. That's attributable, I believe, to the difference in taxes,'' Agoris said.
The House Ways and Means Committee voted 13-7 Friday night to increase the tax 50 cents in each of the next two years, taking the tax up to $1.36 cents a package. Supporters of the bill say they have enough votes to get it through the House, but prospects in the Senate are not as certain.
At 36 cents a package, Maryland's tax is already higher than Virginia's 2.5-cents per pack tax.
''It's ridiculous, the difference in price because of a (state) line,'' said Michelle Mayhew of Brunswick who was at the Bridge End store. ''There's only a few feet difference, just one little line.''
She said she often pays $3.75 for a pack of cigarettes in Frederick. Bridge End charges $2.28 for a pack of major brand cigarettes, store officials said.
Gov. Parris Glendening and other supporters of the tax hike say  increasing the price of cigarettes will discourage young people from taking up smoking.
Vince Bernard, 18, of Knoxville, said he doesn't think teens would quit if the price were higher.
Agoris said he fears it will merely encourage teen-agers and others to buy cigarettes out of state or on the black market.
''If they want to raise the price to keep teens from smoking, they ought to take it up at the national level,'' he said.

County supervisors and the town councils of Halifax and South Boston will meet tonight to discuss urban development issues on an informal basis.
The joint session is slated for 6 p.m. at Mary Bethune Complex in the Conference Room.

County and South Boston officials met previously but this is the first meeting with the Town of Halifax.
On Wednesday night, the five-member Finance Committee of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors will continue its work on a draft budget to be presented to the full Board in April.
Halifax County school officials as well as constitutional officers are expected to meet with the Finance Committee at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

After listening to hours of testimony focusing on an on-going dispute between neighbors, a Halifax County Circuit Court jury found a Nathalie man guilty of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
According to testimony heard in Circuit Court Friday, 54-year-old Russell Henry Roberts has been feuding with his neighbor Chris Bass ever since he moved onto the property located in front of the Roberts' land on Canada Lane about five years ago.
"Russell Roberts, for want of a better expression, has to be the neighbor from Hell," said Commonwealth Attorney John Greenbacker during his final arguments.
Roberts and his attorney Joe Morrisey, maintained that if anyone was the neighbor from Hell, it was Bass. Roberts said that even when he tried to reason with his neighbor, Bass would not budge.
Animals, mainly horses, had a tendency to get loose and wander from the Roberts' farm onto Bass' property, creating a growing friction between the two families, Greenbacker told the jury during his opening statement.
When one of the horses known as "Nilla," who drew curious stares as she was tied in front of the court house all day Friday, got loose from the Roberts' property October 27, 1997, Bass tethered the animal and called the Halifax County Animal Control Officer.
Officer Emmett Edmonds, who had been to the property on loose animal calls a number of times in the past, testified that he arrived at Bass' home shortly after 5:30 p.m. and Bass told him that Roberts had shot at him.
Roberts, however, said he fired the 35-year-old .25 caliber in the air in an effort to get the horse to run home, as he has done in the past.
Edmonds testified that Roberts' daughter, Teresa, came up and asked what was going on, did anybody hear a shot, and her father answered, "I missed."
According to testimony from both sides, the bad blood between the Roberts and Bass families runs deep, and both sides have filed several complaints against each other over the years.
Bass testified that most of his problems with Roberts stemmed from the man's animals running loose and causing damage to Bass' yard.
On one occassion, one of Roberts' mares, Nilla's mother, broke loose and trampled through his garden so Bass shot and killed it, he admitted.
Roberts also accused Bass of firing a shotgun at his children when they were walking down the road that runs through Bass' property to the Roberts farm. The charges were later dismissed.
While accusations flew between both sides throughout the trial without either family gaining the upper hand, it took the jury less than 30 minutes to make up their minds that Roberts, who was convicted of grand larceny (a felony) nearly 20 years ago, did have a gun in his possession the evening of October 27, 1997, and was therefore guilty as charged.
The jury recommended that Roberts be sentenced to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine. Roberts could have received up to five years in prison.
Circuit Court Judge Charles L. McCormick III confirmed the verdict and deferred sentencing until May, requesting that a presentencing report be prepared by that time.
McCormick allowed Roberts to remain free on $25,000 bond on the condition of his good behavior and ordered that he remain outside Halifax County except for weekends until he is sentenced.Other cases heard in Halifax County Circuit Court last week included:
· Charlie William Byrd Jr., 25, of L.P. Bailey Memorial Highway, pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and aggravated sexual battery stemming from an incident that occurred May 18, 1998.
According to court records, Byrd held a screwdriver to a woman's neck, threatened to kill her and raped her after she gave him a ride in her car.
McCormick found Byrd guilty, revoked his bond, and remanded him to Blue Ridge Regional Jail in Halifax until he is sentenced in May.
· Joann Crawley, 38, Horseshoe Trail, Alton, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor uttering of a forged check. She was found guilt and allowed to remain free on bond until sentencing in May.
· Macie G. Faulkner, 44, of North Main Street, South Boston, was found guilty of petit larceny and will remain free on bond until sentencing in May. A misdemeanor charge of trespassing was dismissed.
· Deborah Tourt, 41, of Philpott Road, South Boston, entered Alford Plea to fraud charge amended to misdemeanor, found guilty and will remain free on bond until May sentencing.
· Bradford Donnell Woody, 19, of Porter Lane, South Boston, pleaded not guilty to grand larceny from Crowell Motor Company, found guilty as accessory after the fact and remanded to jail. A presentencing report was requested for May.
· Dale Evans Bowman, 41, of Springdale Drive, South Boston, who was convicted November 13, 1998 of unlawful wounding and bodily injury to a James Regional Bowman, was sentenced to five years with all time suspended, five years supervised probation, and ordered to pay restitution and court costs within six months.

A Clover teen was arrested on drug charges early Sunday morning, according to reports from the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
Reports indicated that Kimberly Ann Martin, 18, of Newbill School Road, Clover, was arrested at 5:40 a.m. and charged with possession of marijuana.
She is scheduled to appear in Halifax County General District Court March 31.
Joseph Alfred Piggott, 34, of Hunting Creek Road, Clover, was arrested Friday by Halifax Deputy J.K. Henderson and charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer.
He is scheduled to appear in Halifax County General District Court April 7.
South Boston Police are investigating the theft of a go-cart and a lawn trailer from the Wal-Mart parking lot.
According to Lt. Rick Loftis with the South Boston Police Department, someone entered the Wal-Mart parking lot at 4:37 a.m. Saturday and removed a $900 go-cart and $100 lawn trailer that were chained together outside the store.
The items were reportedly loaded onto a trailer being pulled behind a red Chevrolet Blazer that was seen leaving the parking lot heading towards Centerville.
South Boston Police Officer Fletcher Daniel is the investigating officer in this case.

April 1 through May 1 has been designated as the period for this community's annual Spring Cleanup Campaign, it was announced today by the Halifax County Improvement Council.
"Spring Cleanup is a campaign to make people more aware of our litter problem," said Shareon Smith, director of the Improvement Council.
"The help of every citizen is needed to recruit volunteers, organize groups and to identify badly littered sites," she said.
One of the main activities the Halifax County Improvement Council will sponsor is a roadside cleanup for civic groups, individuals, businesses, industries and other organizations that register during the campaign.
Each group and-or individual will be recognized at the Improvement Council's annual Awards Ceremony to be held on May 18 at Halifax County High School.
Those who would like additional information about the campaign have been advised to contact Shareon Smith, Halifax County Administrator's office, P. O. Box 699, Halifax, or call 476-3308. Trash bags will be provided.

The Halifax County School Board will get its first look at a proposed 1999-2000 school budget tonight in a budget work session.
Tonight's work session will be held at 7 p.m. in the school board conference room on the first floor of the Mary M. Bethune Office Complex.
County School Superintendent Dennis Witt and other school system officials will review various facets of the budget including monies that will be proposed for teacher and employee pay hikes and benefits, capital projects and so forth.
Tonight's meeting is open to the public.

Today is a big day at Halifax County High School as the school will stages Parents Day.
"This is a unique opportunity for our parents and guardians to see the school in operation as their children do daily," said school principal Larry Clark.

Parents may accompany their children to school and remain with them through all four blocks including lunch, Clark explained.
Parents may also choose a specific block or blocks and attend them with their children or visit the school at their convenience and take a guided tour of the building while classes are in session.
Clark said that parents are requested to enter the school through the main lobby and check in at the registration table.
Parents are requested to arrive at the school as the blocks change.
The lower student parking lot will be reserved today for parking for parents planning to visit the school.
Anyone having questions about Parents Day may contact the school after 8 a.m. today by telephoning 572-4977.

Mildred Chandler Pointer of Semora, NC died Thursday, March 18, 1999 at Person Memorial Hospital in Roxboro, NC. She was 82 years of age.
Mrs. Pointer was born September 30, 1916 in Petersburg the daughter of Robert Chandler and Lucy Ramsey Chandler and was married to William Wallace Pointer Sr. She was a member of Semora United Methodist Church, Semora Extension Homemakers Club, and the Eastern Star. She was a retired teacher with Caswell County, NC schools.
The funeral was held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel Saturday, March 20 at 2 p.m. with Rev. Ross O'Neal officiating. Burial was in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Mrs. Pointer is survived by one son, William Wallace Pointer Jr. of Semora; one daughter, Luna Allen Pointer Hollett of Birmingham, AL; and six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, and one daughter, Barbara Chandler Pointer Ward.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Semora United Methodist Church, Donna Pointer, Treas., 12683 NC Hwy. 119N, Semora, NC 27343.

Albert Wise Ewell of South Boston died Tuesday, March 16, 1999 at his home. He was 79 years of age.
Mr. Ewell was born in Halifax County on November 7, 1919.
Survivors include his wife, Annie Ewell; four daughters, Barbara Howerton, Cora Chisholm, Marion Ewell, all of South Boston and Earnistine Ewell of Long Island, NY; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; four sisters, Cora Brown, Addie Ewell and Hallie Dixon, all of South Boston and Naomi Goodloe of Dayton, OH; two brothers, George and Johnnie Ewell of South Boston.

Funeral services for Mr. Ewell were held Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m. at New Vernon Baptist Church with Rev. Roger Ford officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Emma Coles Thompson of Halifax died Friday, March 12, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was 91 years of age.
Mrs. Thompson was born in Halifax County on July 17, 1907.
Survivors include two sisters, Mary Sweeney of Largo, MD and Adela Younger; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Friday, March 19 at 1 p.m. at New Zion Baptist Church with Rev. Willie Yancey officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Simmie V. 'Gov' Chaffin, 97, of New Orleans, LA, formerly of Crystal Hill, died Wednesday, March 17, 1999.
He was the son of Mattie Maye Hudson and Joseph Edward Chaffin and was married to Nell Gay Chaffin.
Mr. Chaffin is survived by two sons, Donald V. and Joel N. Chaffin; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one brother, Ernest Chaffin, and one sister, Frances Easley.

Graveside services will be held today, March 22 at 11 a.m. at Georgetown Cemetery, Georgetown, GA.

Charles Hamilton Mayo of 4036 Howard P. Anderson Road, Halifax died Sunday, March 21 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was born in Halifax County on August 7, 1923 and was 75 years old. He was the son of Charlie B. Mayo and Mamie Baynes Mayo and was married to Eunice Guill Mayo.
He is survived by his wife; sons, Thomas Allen Mayo of Chester and Charles Richard Mayo of Charlotsville; brother William Archie Mayo of Halifax; grandchildren, Steven M. Mayo and Christopher M. Mayo both of Chester, Megan G. Mayo and Mandy G. Mayo both of Charlotsville.
Funeral services for Mr. Mayo will be held Tuesday, March 23 at 2 p.m. at Winns Creek Baptist Church with Rev. Tim Madison and Rev. Richard Welch conducting the service. Burial will take place in church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home today from 7 until 8 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Halifax County Rescue Squad.

Clarence Bryant Burton of Gulfport, MS died Friday, March 19 in Biloxi, MS at the age of 51. He is the son of the late Walter Burton and Thurva Sharp Burton.
He is survived by his wife, Suzette Lewis Burton of Gulport, MS; son Bryan Kirk Supak of Santa Cruz, CA; granddaughter, Raven Kelsey Supak of Dover, DE; brothers, Robert B. Burton of Blanche, NC, Harris Burton of Danville and Benny Wayne Burton of Halifax; sisters, Annie Evelyn Burton of Nathalie and Veran Gay Burton of Lynchburg.
Visitations were held yesterday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Riemann Funeral Home Hwy. 49 North. Funeral services for Mr. Burton will be held today at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be held at Biloxi National Cemetery.