DANVILLE, Va. (AP) - Tobacco has been the lifeblood of Virginia agriculture for centuries, but the possibility of a national tobacco settlement is forcing some farmers to look at raising pigs and chickens as an alternative.
Jim Jones, director of the Virginia Tech-Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center, said a survey of Virginia tobacco farmers showed that they want to grow tobacco for as long as possible. Otherwise, they would either get out of farming altogether or maybe get into livestock, but no other crop.
''Tobacco is here for a reason,'' he said. ''It is what we do best. It is supported throughout the area.''
Jones said intensive livestock operations do offer the kind of stable income farmers seem to want.
''Don't think that you're going to get rich off of it, but it is pretty stable,'' he said.
Henry Maxey and his son work about 1,000 acres, including 125 for tobacco along with several acres for cattle.
''If we are going to stay in the farming business in Pittsylvania County, we're going to have to look at intensive (farming),'' he said. ''We can't grow corn, which is not profitable, and soybeans are not profitable. Wheat is marginal at best, and timber is a long-term deal.''
Dairy and beef cattle also have their limitations, mainly because of acreage and the lack of a food source to feed the animals, leaving swine or poultry as the best in profitability, Maxey explained.
But C.D. Bryant III, chairman of Concerned Friends for Tobacco, said his organization is not supporting the idea of an intensive swine, beef, dairy or poultry operation as a replacement for tobacco.
''It has never been our intent or the membership's to look at alternate crops,'' he said. ''We have geared up with tobacco and own a lot of specialized equipment. We are interested in staying with tobacco.''
Bryant said various other types of farming - including poultry and swine - are simply seen as an extra source of income.
''For any type of alternative agriculture, it is something we add in as supplemental,'' he said. ''That's strictly it.''
By Doug Loftis
Scottsburg's old post office had its own unique system of air mail. "When the wind was blowing, you couldn't lay a piece of paper down just anywhere," Postmaster Pat Watts remembers. "But we really do miss it...it had so much feeling!"
Those "feelings" had nothing to do with the cold toilet seat in the added-on restroom. The facilities were obviously an afterthought for they were built under the back porch of the brick structure whose architectural features branded it unmistakably for what it was. Across the street and a long shadow away stands the bold new Scottsburg Post Office which will be dedicated this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with pomp and circumstance, peanuts and punch.
On hand for the occasion will be Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode Jr., House Delegate W.W. "Ted" Bennett and Manager of United States Postal Service Operations Mark Williamson. Presenting the colors will be Scottsburg's own Cub Scout Pack 589 while the Halifax County High School Band performs beneath the stars and stripes.
Scottsburg got its name from John Baytop Scott whose grave is located just outside the present town limits. Scott, a Revolutionary War hero served with the forces of Col. "Lighthorse" Harry Lee, was later elected to Congress with the help of Thomas Jefferson and George Mason. Nothing stays the same and that can certainly be said for Scottsburg, first located where local folks still refer to as "Francis' Store" at the intersection of US 360 and Route 344.
When the Richmond and Danville railroad was built in the late forties, the story goes that a railroad car was set adrift on the hill to the north of town and where it came to a stop, the depot was built. And on the opposite side of the tracks, the now silent and empty old post office has stood since the 1920s.
It's predecessor, long since gone, doubled as a general store and was located just across the street. Scottsburg was incorporated into a town in 1925 with Louis D. Bailey as its first mayor. During the depression years Scottsburg was one of the few voting places in the county and voters would come from miles around to deposit their ballots.
Records dating back to June of 1895 show Louis Wimbish as being perhaps the first Scottsburg postmaster. A post office journal in that year (now the property of Ronnie Snead, Scottsburg's present-day Route 2 rural carrier) shows an entire month's sale of stamps totaling just $26.60.
No records are known exist that say who and how long postmasters served in Scottsburg but the order beginning in the late 1890s is believed to have been Louis Wimbish, John Burton, Callie Snead, Emiline Lacy, Florence Priest Snead, Wilson Davenport, R.D. Snead, Robert Smart and now Patricia Honeycutt Watts.
R.D. Snead was the last of the "appointed" postmasters and his career spanned from 1925 until 1986. It was Snead who escaped with his life one fall day when two masked robbers entered the post office, pointed a gun at him and demanded the cash. Snead was struck twice on the head with a tire iron but lived to testify against the three whose rewards for their effort were about $60 in cash and years in jail.
Snead is best remembered, perhaps, for the sweet music he and his fiddle made on quite a few afternoons inside the post office when the work was caught up and the weather was too nasty to go outside.
Unchanged in Scottsburg are the trains that rumble night and day through town transporting mostly coal to the Clover Power Station which is another long shadow away. Campers, swimmers and families on picnics still pass through town to reach nearby Staunton River State Park.
And postal customers still share their favorite dishes such as turnip salad, deviled eggs, cornbread, pies, cakes and homemade fudge with those behind the counter. "This a good community," Postmaster Pat Watts says of her customers, clerks and carriers who "just couldn't be better!"
Knowing by name practically every customer is something Scottsburg's postal workers take pride in.
Scottsburg Post Office today has 996 active customers and takes in the Bethel Community as well. An indicator of growth was a waiting list for post office boxes which the old facility simply could not provide. The new post office should be sufficient in size to handle the growth of the community for at least the next 25 years.
Watts is a nine-year postal veteran having worked first in Danville before transferring to South Boston. She was named officer-in-charge at Scottsburg in April of 1997 and later in August, postmaster. She and her family live in Alton but hope to move to the Scottsburg community some day soon.
Current postal employees are Rhonda Adkins who deliveries mail to over 400 customers along the 70-mile run of Route 2. Her substitute is Chris Ingram. Ronnie Snead is the Route 1 rural carrier and his customer count is 490. Distance of Route 2 is approximately 55 miles and his relief worker is Harvey Throckmorton.
Relief postmaster is Jean Hylton.
General Contractor for the new post office was Paul Davis of South Boston. He and John Cannon, also of South Boston, own and lease the building to the USPS.
A Nathalie man is facing numerous misdemeanor charges after his vehicle struck a house in the Town of Halifax early Sunday morning.
Dino Lekido Waller, 23, of Nathalie was driving a vehicle in Halifax when he struck the North Main Street home of Loretta Tucker at about 3:15 a.m., HPD Chief Shawn Sweeney said.
Waller then allegedly backed away from the home and drove away. No one inside the dwelling was injured, but damage to the structure was estimated at $2,500, Chief Sweeney pointed out.
Waller was stopped a short while later by Halifax County Sheriff's Department Deputy J.L. Lucia.
Waller was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and hit and run (property damage), according to the investigation.
After Waller was taken to the Halifax County Jail for processing, a small amount of marijuana was discovered on his person, according to the investigation.
He was then charged with two misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and attempting to deliver marijuana inside a jail, Chief Sweeney said.
Waller was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County General District Court on May 15. Assisting in his arrest were Deputies J.L. Lucia and C.L. Tidwell.
In other cases:
Betts allegedly stole stereo speakers, an amplifier, and currency with a total value of more than $200 that belonged to Kevin Watkins, according to the investigation.
The alleged incident occurred on March 6. Betts was also charged with a misdemeanor count of destruction of personal property belonging to Watkins, police said.
Betts was released from the Halifax County Jail on bond pending his preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court on April 17. He was arrested by Deputy Q.W. Clark.
The alleged incident occurred Saturday and he was arrested on Sunday. Younger was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on April 15.
Younger was arrested by Deputy Clark.
The alleged incident occurred on Friday and she was arrested the following day by Halifax Police Department Sgt. Howard Gregory.
She was released on bond pending her trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on April 15.
A $2.75 tab in Atlanta for a bottle of water during the Olympics sparked Bill Hetzel's entry into the bottled water business ...and "an offer I couldn't refuse" is taking him out.
With about 500 bottles off the line "just to test" and the first delivery expected by the end of this week, Hetzel announced the pending sale of the Alton-based Mount Carmel Water during grand opening ceremonies Saturday.
Ken Burris of Water Technology Associates, a Pennsylvania engineering firm, is the new owner. Burris worked with Hetzel in developing the Alton plant.
The North Carolina entrepreneur is also selling the adjoining farm and Angus cattle operation.
"I'm retiring again," offered Hetzel with a smile.
Burris appeared as pleased as Hetzel during the Saturday celebration.
Saturday, both men were touting the Virginia's Finest designation carried by Pure Country bottled water. State and federal inspections were part of the company's qualifying plan.
Pure Country already has been selected to carry "official water" designation at Country Fest U.S.A. in Nashville this summer.
It was also announced Saturday that the plant has a contract with H2Only, a purified water which will go into health clubs as well as other businesses.
The company expects to be in full production within one or two weeks, Burris said Saturday. Currently the company has one line up, but it was designed for four such units and ultimately is expect to produce 100 million bottles of water annually.
Mount Carmel Water celebrated its grand opening at the Alton plant Saturday with a catered lunch and entertainment for local and out-of-town guests hosted by Bill and Marj Hetzel and Ken and Joanna Burris.
Mount Carmel Water is located at 2140 Mount Carmel Road, Alton.
Three public hearings will be held during a special Thursday night meeting of the Halifax County Planning Commission. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the second floor public meeting room of the Mary Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
Planners will listen to public input on three conditional use permits requests before voting on recommendations that will be given to the Halifax County Board of Supervisors.
The supervisors will actually approve or deny the requests during similar public hearings at their regular monthly meeting which will be held on Monday, April 6 at the same location.
The planning commission usually meets on Tuesday nights, but the special meeting was arranged to expedite the permit process for an expansion proposal by the Dollar General Corporation. That will allow the possibility of beginning construction in the crucial month of April.
The firm will utilize their initial general contractor, the James N. Gray Construction Company of Lexington, Kentucky, company officials said.
Dollar General is proposing an increase of its regional distribution center in the Halifax County Industrial Park from about 715,000 square feet to 1.2 million square feet. The request concerns a 269.44-acre site in the industrial park.
A vehicle maintenance facility will be also be added and the trailer and employee parking lots will be expanded as well, officials said.
Other public hearings include a request by the MC Construction Company to build a U.S. Postal Service office in Nathalie on 1.148 acres of land on the southeast side of Rt. 603, 650 feet southwest of Rt. 644.
The remaining conditional use permit request concerns 3.266-acres of the Sunny Side Mobile Home Park subdivision where owner Willie Coates is planning to locate two manufactured homes.
The lot is on the east side of Rt. 613, 450 feet north of Rt. 614.
Also on Thursday night's agenda will be a joint public hearing with the Town of Scottsburg on a proposed amendment to the Scottsburg Zoning Ordinance (1977, as amended).
The town is proposing to add a new definition for "Small Neighborhood Business" which would allow the issuance of a conditional use permit for DAV/CAN II to build a new U.S. Postal Service office for Scottsburg. The post office will be built on a 1.074-acre parcel located at 2221 Scottsburg Road
The Rev. Earl Woodrow Marshburn, who served as part-time director of missions for the Dan River Baptist Association, died Sunday at the Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 83 years old.
Rev. Marshburn was a native of Richlands, North Carolina, the son of the late- Thomas A. and Emma B. Marshburn. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Treakle Marshburn.
He graduated from Wake Forest College in 1939 and from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1942 with a master's degree in theology.
Rev. and Mrs. Marshburn moved to Scottsburg in 1974 where he served as pastor of the Scottsburg Baptist Church. Following his retirement from the active pastorate in January, 1981, he served as interim pastor of the Bethel Baptist Church.
In October, 1982, he became the part-time director of missions for the Dan River Baptist Association, a position he held for seven years. He was a member of the Dan River Baptist Church.
Rev. Marshburn, prior to moving to Halifax County, pastored churches in Bath, Orange, Buckingham, and Pittsylvania counties. From 1952 to 1968, he organized and pastored churches in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.
In addition to his wife, Rev. Marshburn is also survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Dennis and Sallie Johnson of Lynchburg; a daughter and son-in-law, Donnie and Marsha Barker of South Boston; four grand children, Nick Johnson of Blacksburg, Meredith Johnson of Lynchburg, and Rebecca and Daniel Barker of South Boston; one brother, T. Haywood Marshburn of Richlands, and one sister, Christine M. Rogers of Chapel Hill, N.C.
One brother, Lee Roy Marshburn, and three sisters, Hazel Marshburn, Geneva Levkulich, and Emmie Estelle Marshburn, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 31 at 2 p.m. and conducted by Dr. Dennis Knight. Interment will take place at Oakland Cemetery, Scottsburg.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home tonight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and, at other times, at the home located at 1031 Shady Lane in South Boston.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that one consider their favorite charities.
John Burnett Whitt, Jr. of Lower Liberty Rd., Nathalie, died March 22, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 50.
Mr. Whitt was born in White Plains, NY on September 12, 1947, the son of James Burnett Whitt Sr. and Florine Pierce Whitt.
He is survived by a sister, Joan F. Whitt of New Jersey.
A graveside service will be held Tuesday, March 31 at 2 p.m. at the Liberty United Church of Christ cemetery with the Rev. Dwight Moore officiating.
In lieu of flowers those wishing to give memorials are asked to please
consider the Patrick Henry Boys Plantation, Route 2, Box 125, Brookneal,
VA 24528.
Richard Ervin Glass of 1043 Mill Road, Clover died March 26, 1998 at hishome at the age of 57.
Mr. Glass was born in Halifax County on May 5, 1940 and attended Revelation Baptist Church.
His survivors include three sons: Michael and Daryl Glass of South Boston, Timothy Glass and wife, Robin of Clover; sister: Rebecca Satterfield of Clarksville; brother: Carter Glass of Clarksville and two grandsons: Paul and Eric Glass of Clover.
A graveside service was held Saturday, March 28 in Winns Creek Baptist Church cemetery. The Rev. Rudolph Jacobs officiated.
Nannie Elizabeth Owen Womack of Scottsburg died March 26, 1998 at Community Memorial Health Center in South Hill at the age of 91.
Mrs. Womack was born in Halifax County on October 14, 1906, the daughter of Charlie Owen and Hattie A. Owen. She was married to Henry Watson Womack and was a member of the Church of God of South Boston.
Her survivors include seven daughters: Mae Tuck of South Boston, Mildred Womack of Vernon Hill, Francis Bomar, Christine Bane, Linda Hamlett, all of Scottsburg, Minnie Gordon of Chase City, O'Neil McCormick of Alton; three step-daughters: Ella Carr of South Boston, Elizabeth Martin of Clover, Emma Ellis of Roanoke Rapids, NC; three sons: Howard B. Womack of Scottsburg, Henry W. Womack Jr. of South Boston, Raymond Womack of Mechanicsville, 28 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren and one sister: Florida O. McCormick of Halifax.
Funeral services were held Sunday, March 29 at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Tony Brooks and Greg McCormick conducting the service. Burial took place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at the home of her daughter, Linda Hamlett.
Benjamin Franklin Blount of 1121 Blounts Crossing Trail, Clover died March 26, 1998 at his home at the age of 79.
Mr. Blount was born in Halifax County on June 12, 1918, the son of Benjamin Thompson Blount and Cannon Cook Blount. He was married to Ina Ligon Blount and was a member of the Mt. Laurel United Methodist Church.
His survivors include a son: Bob Blount of Mt. Laurel; two grandsons: Bobby Blount of Mt. Laurel and Bruce Blount of Charlottesville; and a brother: Owen Blount of Clover.
He was preceded in death by his wife; one daughter: Linda Blount and two brothers: Willie and Dave Blount.
Funeral services were held Sunday, March 29 at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Ralph Rice officiating. Burial took place in the Clover cemetery.
Sallie Throckmorton Snead of 8154 James D. Hagood Hwy., Scottsburg died Wednesday, March 25, 1998 at Twin Oaks Convalescent Home. She was 94 years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Snead was born in Halifax County on September 14, 1903 the daughter of Walter Throckmorton and Lottie Whitlow Throckmorton and was married to Carl Raymond Snead. She was a member of Clover Baptist Church for 60 years.
Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Sarah S. and Ernest Weston of Chase City and Mary S. and Broaddus W. Parks of Scottsburg; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Raleigh A. Snead of Clover and George C. and Janet Snead of Richmond; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Snead will be held Saturday, March 28 at 11 a.m. at Powell Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Tom Walker officiating. Burial will take place in Clover Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home tonight, March 27 from 7 until 9:00, and other times at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Broaddus and Mary Parks, 8154 J.D. Hagood Hwy., Scottsburg.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax County Rescue Squad.
Mrs. Flossie Chronister Puryear, 68, widow of Richard Puryear, died yesterday at Duke Medical Center.
She retired from Russell Stover Candy Company and was a member of Florence Avenue Baptist Church.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home with Rev. Bill Keen and Rev. Robert Garrett officiating. Burial will follow in Virgilina Cemetery.
Surviving are two brothers, Lenwood Chronister and Hilton Chronister, both of Boydton, and two nieces, Lisa Lanyon and Dana Chronister, both of Chase City.
Family will receive friends tonight from 7:00 until 9:00 at Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home.