By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - With or without the industry's cooperation, President Clinton and members of Congress say they will fight for legislation to force tobacco companies to pay billions of dollars to make up for practices that encourage teen-agers to smoke.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., whose Senate Commerce Committee approved a tobacco bill last week, scoffed at an assertion Wednesday by a tobacco company executive that much-touted national tobacco settlement between the industry and states was ''dead.''
''I think we're a long way from, quote, falling apart,'' said McCain, chief author of the Senate bill. ''I am convinced that if the tobacco companies are not willing to go along with this agreement we will still act in the best interests of the American people.''
Rep. Tom Bliley, R-Va., the House Commerce Committee chairman who also is working on a bill, said the industry's position was ''unfortunate, but not a reason for inaction.''
In a speech Wednesday criticizing the Senate bill, the White House and Congress, Steven Goldstone, chief executive officer of No. 2 tobacco maker RJR Nabisco, said brokering a settlement had become impossible and that he was abandoning the effort.
Three other tobacco companies quickly announced that they were giving up too.
But Clinton and the lawmakers - angered by the retreat - said they remained focused on reducing youth smoking and would pursue a bill with or without the industry's support.
''I think they ought to rethink their position because we're going to get this done one way or the other,'' Clinton said after returning from a trip to Chicago.
''I'm not trying to put them out of business. But I am trying to put them out of the business of selling tobacco to children,'' added the president, who today was visiting a tobacco warehouse in Kentucky. ''And I think that if I were them I would reconsider and I'd be a part of this.''
The tobacco companies vowed to fight efforts by Clinton and Congress to increase prices and fashion tougher restrictions on advertising.
'Those price increases will destroy the domestic tobacco business, and I don't just mean my company,'' Goldstone said in a speech at the National Press Club.
But Clinton and congressional leaders insisted they would press forward with efforts to pass a comprehensive law meant to curb teen smoking and compensate states for treating sick smokers - with or without the industry's cooperation.
The window for action in Congress this year appears limited by a short schedule since both houses plan to wrap up by early October to focus on the fall elections. Fiscal 1999 spending bills also must be passed, which could leave little room on the agenda for tobacco.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., already has predicted that the tobacco bill must reach the Senate floor by June 1 or ''it's going to be pretty hard'' to schedule a vote later in the year.
The House is further behind in its work, although Bliley said several committees, including his own, soon would begin drafting their version of the tobacco bill.
Sen. Wendell Ford, D-Ky., said he understood the tobacco industry's frustrations. He said the tobacco company pullout ''will either cause the legislative process to disintegrate or inject some needed fiscal responsibility into the debate. Only time will tell.''
Others said the industry's bailout could result in even stronger legislation.
''If the industry walks away from their commitment ... to stop tobacco marketing to children, Congress will have to take even tougher measures to accomplish those goals,'' House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri said.
McCain's bill would force the industry to pay $506 billion over 25 years, add $1.10 to the per-pack price of cigarettes by 2003 and levy billions of dollars in penalties if youth smoking failed to decline significantly. It also would cap annual damages against the industry at $6.5 billion.
Clinton, who would use tobacco money for anti-smoking programs, hiring teachers and child care, was urging even tougher legislation.
Goldstone, whose company owns the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., said McCain's bill would destroy the domestic tobacco business and create a black market for cigarettes. Three other major cigarette makers agreed: Philip Morris, Lorillard Inc. and Brown & Williamson.
The tobacco companies began their fight today with a full-page newspaper ad. ''Regrettably we believe the political process has ended any prospect for achieving a rational, comprehensive tobacco solution,'' said the ad in The Washington Post and The New York Times. It was signed by Philip Morris, Lorillard and Reynolds, along with Brown & Williamson and United States Tobacco Co.
Goldstone preferred the less-expensive settlement reached in June between the industry and state attorneys general. It called for $368.5 billion in payments, would have settled a blizzard of state lawsuits and granted the industry far more legal protections than what the McCain bill offered.
But instead of considering that settlement, ''Washington has rushed to collect more tobacco revenues while playing the politics of punishment,'' Goldstone said.
The state lawsuits still are pending. Mississippi, Texas and Florida have reached agreements with tobacco companies to collect millions of dollars in payments.
By SANDRA SOBIERAJ
Associated Press Writer
CARROLLTON, Ky. (AP) - With fresh lines drawn in the battle to regulate tobacco and stop teen smoking, President Clinton sought to win wary tobacco growers to his side Thursday. ''I'm determined to get this done,'' he said.
The uncertainty reflected in protest signs pleading, ''Don't tax us out of our jobs,'' is the best reason to get legislation enacted this year, he said.
''Tobacco farmers have not done anything wrong. You're growing a legal crop, you're not doing the marketing of the tobacco to children,'' the president told a meeting of growers, health advocates and community leaders in Carroll County.
Tobacco supports half of Kentucky's family farms; and the cigarette outlets that Clinton's motorcade sped past underscored local reliance on the very industry he wants to punish with more than half a trillion dollars in payments and fines.
''We shouldn't be penalized on account of children smoking,'' Mattie Mack told Clinton in a spirited and bellowing defense of small farmers like herself. ''I look at tobacco and it's been good to me.''
Rod Kuegel, president of a local growers' cooperative, took a more conciliatory tone and assured Clinton that farmers shared his goal of keeping cigarettes away from kids. ''If we had the ability to destroy that part of our crop in the field we'd do that,'' Kuegel said.
For his part, Clinton told the meeting in the squat, gray Kentuckiana Tobacco Warehouse that he would reject any anti-tobacco legislation that would ''leave the farmers behind.''
''What you're saying to me is that right now, the uncertainty is the worst enemy you have and what we need is to get this thing done in Congress this year,'' he said.
But given the high profits of tobacco farming, he admitted the shortcomings of plans to pay farmers to switch crops. ''No one has figured out how to tell a tobacco farmer with a straight face that you should produce another crop and we will facilitate you getting into alternative crop production,'' Clinton said.
Even as he pledged to ''do right'' by farmers, he told students at Carroll County High School, ''Let's not pretend that just because I'm in Kentucky, this is an easy problem.''
Plum tobacco jobs will be hard to lose, said Vicki Shockley, a single mother who waited for Clinton outside the warehouse. ''I can't find another job that pays what (tobacco company) Brown & Williamson pays.''
Clinton's two appearances were part of a strategy the White House hoped would increase pressure on the tobacco industry not to fight Congress at it moves to curb teen smoking and compensate states for smoking-related health care costs.
Five of the nation's biggest tobacco companies launched their own public-relations offensive, taking out full-page ads in leading newspapers. ''We agreed to change the way we do business, not to go out of business,'' the ads read.
Cigarette manufacturers promised Wednesday to fight any bid by Congress to raise prices and further restrict advertising. Four tobacco companies - R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris, Lorillard Inc. and Brown & Williamson - said they considered the settlement dead.
The president had harsh words for this solidifying resistance, calling it ''a huge mistake'' and appealing for the industry to reconsider.
''I'm determined to get this done,'' Clinton said today. ''We're going to do this this year.''
White House spokesman Mike McCurry said the industry's stance was only bluster designed to dampen enthusiasm among lawmakers for passing tough legislation. He predicted the strategy would fail, noting that the president's position had strong support among both Democrats and Republicans.
''The president believes the political will is there,'' McCurry said.
In the June settlement, the tobacco industry agreed with state attorneys general to pay $368 billion over 25 years to settle 40 state lawsuits in exchange for reduced legal liability in future lawsuits. Most of the money would go toward anti-smoking campaigns and to reimburse state Medicaid money spent on sick smokers.
But Congress decided to write even tougher restrictions into legislation that would enact the settlement. A bill by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that was approved last week by the Senate Commerce Committee would require the industry to pay $506 billion over 25 years, curb advertising and pay billions of dollars if teen smoking rates are not significantly reduced - without full protection from smokers' lawsuits.
Clinton wants to make that proposal even tougher, by sharpening penalties if teen smoking rates do not drop.
The future for Southside tobacco farmers became even cloudier this week with RJR Nabisco's announcement it was abandoning settlement efforts as the price tag soared.
Since negotiations began the settlement price tag has escalated from an earlier $368.5 billion to $516 billion over 25 years in a bill sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona.
In addition, the McCain bill would add $1.10 to the price per pack of cigarettes within five years. There also would be heavy financial penalties if youth access did not drop, and the bill would cap damages against the industry at $6.5 billion annually.
Steven Goldstone, chairman and chief executive officer of RJR Nabisco Inc., issued tobacco's challenge.
In a speech before the National Press Club on Wednesday, Goldstone said proposed price increases would destroy the domestic tobacco and create a black market for cigarettes. Tobacco companies Philip Morris, Lorillard Inc. and Brown and Williamson agreed.
Concerned Friends for Tobacco secretary J.T. Davis is one who thinks they tobacco companies are serious in their actions.
"It is clear after listening to Goldstone yesterday that they have drawn a line in the sand, saying enough is enough, that they can't go forward when someone is making their balance sheet red," said Davis yesterday.
Davis also agrees that it is "all about one thing, money."
The tobacco growers' advocate described the earlier $368 billion settlement as addressing the important issues of youth access to tobacco and advertising. He noted the earlier proposal also extended Food and Drug Administration regulations and called for penalties if youth access to tobacco did not drop. Davis said he didn't know what else the companies could do.
"It seems Washington has gone mad about saddling all its economic woes and burdens on tobacco," said Davis.
The Halifax County man also described the earlier tobacco deal as "one of historic proportions" and said it appeared some would not be satisfied unless the companies were put out of business.
"What purpose does it serve to put tobacco companies out of business?" asked Davis.
Davis saw Goldstone's statement as three-pronged: The company was not gong to promote settlement any further and would defend in court; that he, Goldstone, had an obligation to stockholders in the company; and third, a proposal that a debate on public policy be taken to town meetings.
Davis also thinks public opinion is turning, that they think it is "all about money" and want something done on the youth smoking issue.
The tobacco growers' advocate charged that President Clinton wants every program funded by tax increases on tobacco.
However, Davis did see hope.
"This can be a positive, a wake-up call sent to Washington," he proposed, one calling for "cool heads" to sit down at a table and work out something "reasonable and rational, particularly with youth and more forward.
At a Concerned Friends for Tobacco Board meeting Wednesday night, Davis said he talked with a few people about the farmers' plight. "There is a lot of fear and apprehension on the faces of the farmers in light of what happened," he noted.
Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode's views were similar.
Where does this leave farmers? "The same state of limbo," replied Goode during a Wednesday tour of The Software Factory in South Boston.
Goode predicted farmers would not want to buy equipment and would be cautious about investing. "It's an up in the air situation" for them," he said.
School system officials will soon apply for a federal grant that will provide funding to allow it to link its more than 600 computer stations to each other, to each school and the central office as well as to have internet access in each classroom.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bobby R. Hall said that the county is eligible for a 70 percent payment rate under the federal E-Rate program, meaning that the school system would have to pay only 30 percent of the costs.
In monetary terms, the school system would be looking at a cost for the installation of the wiring, equipment, and infrastructure of $67,040.06 as compared to the actual cost for the installation of equipment and provision of services of $223,466.86 that would be encountered without the E-Rate program.
"This is one of the greatest bargains I have seen in education in a long time," Hall remarked in noting that this program will allow the school system to make "a quantum leap" forward in its technology program.
"If the Schools Library Compensation Board approves the program that we are going to send to them, we stand to be putting the program in place in the several months," Hall told school trustees Tuesday night.
Hall pointed out that without the E-Rate Program the total cost to install all of the necessary components and services would be $223,466.86. However, if the school system is able to get in on the E-Rate program, the school system's cost would be $67,040.06.
That, he said would include internet access, local telephone access, internet server, Lan Fiber which is a physical wire connecting two sites, and network electronics which are the electronic devices that connect telephone company wires to the networks.
The Lan Fiber will be used to connect Halifax County High School and Halifax County Middle Schools to make one site and connect South of Dan and Cluster Springs to make one site, thus reducing the number of required sites from 18 to 16.
Also included is the infrastructure which is the physical components needed to complete both wide and local area networks, material to upgrade the physical wiring of the ILS systems to enhance their operation and provide for future use of the labs for whole class instruction while using internet access.
Maintenance costs without E-Rate would total $5,720.19 but would be reduced to $1,716.06 under the program. The yearly operating cost would be $50,244 without E-Rate but would be reduced to $15.073.20 with E-Rate.
If the costs to the school system for the first 12 months are totaled, the figure will be $83,829.32, which is 30 percent of the approximate $280,000 cost that would otherwise prevail.
Hall said that the school system has funding available to cover the $67,040.06 which includes approximately $36,000 in funds from the proceeds of its sale of a portion of its shares of Trigon stock.
Also, there is approximately $85,000 in the current school year's budget that was put up by the locality as matching funds for state monies that were given to the school system by the state for use in funding technology programs. Enough money is available out of that to cover the remaining estimated $31,000.
There will be enough funding in the ensuing year's budget to cover the maintenance costs and the annual operating costs.
A new school-industry partnership has been forged by the county school system and the Chamber of Commerce that will serve as the initial step in a workforce development program.
The project, a county Student Profile/Workforce Development Program, is aimed at decreasing the county's dropout rate by keeping students in school until graduation or until they receive their GED and increasing the number of local high school graduates being employed and considered for employment by local industries and businesses.
Under the partnership, Halifax County High School will create a Student Profile Sheet on each student in the school's senior class. The profile will include information such as the student's attendance records, discipline referrals that have occurred during the student's senior year, course work that has been completed, special concentrations of courses that the student has taken, the student's grade point average, and the type of diploma that the student has received or GED.
When requested by an employer, the school will provide the Student Profile Sheet on the requested individual or individuals to the employer.
In their end of the partnership, participating businesses and industries will give priority in new and replacement positions to job applicants who are Halifax County High School graduates or exiting seniors who hold a GED and skills specific to the job and experience.
Participating industries and businesses agree to request from the school the profile sheets for those graduated students seeking jobs, agree to work with the school system in a job training program that could include such things as opportunities for cooperative education, job shadowing, and or high school apprenticeships for high school students aged 16 or older.
Also the participating industries and businesses may provide "Educator in the Workforce" opportunities during the summer months for teachers interested in learning about up to date job skill needs in the county.
All graduates who are job applicants will be asked to give authorization to employers to request from Halifax County High School the Student Profile Sheet.
And, prior to employment, an applicant may, at the discretion of the employer, be tested for illegal drug use.
"This is a give and take between the school system and business and industry," said William C. Moore, Director of Adult/Career Education and Vocational Education for the county school system.
"The businesses and industries will benefit from us supplying them with the Student Profile Sheet. And, we're going to benefit from the fact that they are going to ask us for these profile sheets and give priority in hiring and refilling positions to our high school graduates and GED holders. We see this as a win-win situation for both the school system and industry."
Moore pointed out to school trustees Tuesday night that the Student Profile Sheet that will be developed on each student "will give the employer a better picture of the person who is standing before him or her applying for a job."
Halifax County High School principal Larry Clark told the school board Tuesday night that "our hope is that this will improve the person who is applying for a job and that this will cause our students to understand what we have been saying for years and years -that it is important to stay in school, that discipline is important, and that employers are going to expect this from their applicants."
Tuesday night Moore echoed those sentiments in his remarks to school trustees.
"We're hoping that if the students know that someone that they are applying with for a job knows how many days they missed from school, how many discipline referrals they received, what Math courses they have taken, what their grade point average is and things like that it will mean more to them now and they will try to better themselves."
Moore also pointed out that this program could mean even more.
"We also hope that when Moms and Dads hear about this, those that don't have a high school diploma or GED will come to our adult program or some other program somewhere and get back into school and get their GED," added Moore.
School trustees unanimously endorsed the program Tuesday night. The Chamber of Commerce, the Halifax County Personnel Directors Association, and the Chamber's Senior Executive Roundtable have all given the program a hearty endorsement.
The project will be presented to the members of the Retail Merchants Association at an upcoming meeting.
"They've all endorsed it a hundred percent," Moore said yesterday.
"They are all very enthusiastic about it and want to be a part of it."
Moore said that he had also recently met with representatives of eight local businesses and industries to outline the program.
"Every one of them endorsed it without any reservation," he said.
"They all said that they would have liked to have had something like this before and they want to see it going as quickly as possible."
Moore said that letters explaining the program will be mailed out to area businesses and industries in the very near future. Those letters will include a form that the industries and businesses will be requested to fax back to the Chamber of Commerce or to county school superintendent Dennis Witt by June 30 which will indicate the business or industry's interest in participating in the program.
The month of July will be used to follow up contacts with the businesses and industries, Moore said.
Later, sometime during the first week or two in August, the school system and Chamber of Commerce will hold a breakfast meeting at which all of the CEOs and heads of the participating businesses and industries will be asked to attend.
At that breakfast, the participants will all sign the documents indicating their participation and support of the program. A large poster will be made from those documents and a poster will be provided to each participating company to display at their firm to show their endorsement and participation in the program. Posters will also be placed at the high school, middle school, and other strategic locations throughout the school system.
"We set a goal to have at least 50 businesses and industries signed on by the time we hold that breakfast," Moore pointed out.
"But, I believe we have the opportunity to have many more than that signed on by that time."
Moore said yesterday that when students arrive at school for the start of the 1998-99 school year, school officials will meet with the members of the senior class to explain the program and how it will work.
"They will be told that they are the first class that this profile will be done on," Moore said.
"When we talk to the them about the program, we will talk about absences and discipline notices and things like that and how important they are when it comes to an employer considering them for a job. They will be made to understand that the person that they go to see about a job will see how many days of school they missed and how many discipline notices they have and that employers, in most instances translate a lot of missed days from school to potential for missed days on the job."
"By meeting with the students at the start of school and explaining the program right away, all of the students will be made aware of the program early and will have the opportunity to keep these things in mind and know how these things can affect them throughout the school year."
An investigation is underway for the Wednesday breaking and entering of five Halifax County Rescue Squad vans at the squad building on Hamilton Boulevard, according to the South Boston Police Department.
"The only thing that we have determined was stolen was a quantity of prescription-type drugs," commented SBPD Lt. Rick Loftis. Morphine was one of those drugs, he added.
The theft occurred sometime between 8 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. when it was reported to police, according to Lt. Loftis.
Three of the vans were located inside the squad building, while two of the vans were parked outside when the thefts occurred, according to the investigation.
The doors to the squad building were unlocked during the entire day, as were all of the vans, Lt. Loftis said.
"At this point, it's too early in the investigation to have any idea of who may have done this," Lt. Loftis pointed out.
The drugs were stored in locked cabinets inside each van. Those locks were broken, causing a minimal amount of damage, according to the investigation.
The value of the stolen drugs has not yet been determined, Lt. Loftis added.
South Boston Police called in a Virginia State Police Mobile Crime Lab van to the scene. The unit arrived at 10 p.m. and left the scene at 2 a.m.
VSP Special Agents Larry Bishop and Ronnie Campbell collected evidence which will be taken to the State Crime Lab in Richmond for further analysis.
Investigating the case for the South Boston Police Department are Lt. Loftis and SBPD Officer P.J. Murphy.
"If anyone has any information on who did this or have any knowledge about the incident, we would greatly appreciate a call," Lt. Loftis said.
The South Boston Police Department can be reached by calling 575-4271. Information can also be given to the Halifax County Crimestoppers at 575-TIPS.
The Halifax County School Board has adopted a $39.8 million 1998-99 school budget package containing a one percent increase in local dollars from the Board of Supervisors.
Even with the small one percent increase in local dollars, the school budget includes funding for an average 4.2 percent pay hike for teachers and an average four percent hike for other categories of employees.
At a joint work session of the two bodies late last month, school trustees pitched a $39.9 million budget package to the Board of Supervisors that called for a two percent increase in local funding over the current year.
But, county officials indicated that due to county budget restraints, the school system would receive an increase of one percent or less if it received any additional dollars at all.
School system officials went back to work and pared a total of $97,231 in three of their budget initiatives to trim the need for additional local dollars to one percent.
As a result, the school board will be seeking a total of $9,820,357 in local funds for the coming year's budget, a figure that is $97,231 more than the current year's appropriation.
Overall, the total budget package of $39,863,070 represents a 4.55 percent increase ($1,735,225) over the current year's budget. Most of that increase is attributed to an additional $1,647,994 in state money that the school system will receive next year.
"I think the Board of Supervisors tried to work with us pretty hard," said school board chairman Alan Gravitt.
"I'd like to see us go along and meet them halfway on this one percent," he added.
A $27,231 cut was made from a proposed $75,000 increase in the area of Contracted Maintenance, an increase in funds that school system officials had sought to cover costs for architectural studies of county school facilities in conjunction with its school facilities development plan.
Originally, there was a $30,000 increase put into the budget in the area of Replace Equipment, money that was to be used to replace and maintain school system copiers. But $20,000 was cut out of that initiative.
School system officials also pared $50,000 from its original proposal for a $311,422 increase to continue the school system's implementation of its technology plan, leaving $261,422 for that category.
That cut met with some opposition from school board vice chairman Carl Furches who has been a stout supporter of technology implementation and increasing the numbers of computers in the county's classrooms.
"I'd personally like to see us go somewhere else other than technology," Furches remarked.
School superintendent Dennis Witt told Furches he agreed with his sentiment. Witt told Furches, however, that as the budget year progressed, if there were some categories later in the year where money was underspent, some of those funds could be funneled into the technology category.
There are also other potential windows of opportunity through federal grants that school system officials will be exploring to secure additional funds for the technology initiative, Witt said.
And, there are also some funds available from the school system's sale of a portion of its Trigon stock that could be used, Witt noted.
The school system's budget package, which now stands at $39,863,070, includes all of the other initiatives that school system officials had included in its prior proposals.
In addition to the salary hikes, the budget includes funding for the school system to increase its contribution to the individual employees' group health insurance premiums from $143 a month to $150 a month for 10 months, and increase the supplement paid to teachers and administrators holding Master's Degrees from $1,810 a year to $1,900 a year.
Also, the proposed budget includes funds to hire three additional teachers at Halifax County High School which are needed to meet the new demands of the implementation of the 4x4 Block Schedule format next year, the addition of five elementary Special Education teachers, the addition of four elementary Special Education aides, and increasing the number of school buses to be replaced from eight to nine in an effort to stay on a 12 year replacement cycle.
Money has also been included in the budget for the employment of a school nurse to serve Halifax County High School and Halifax County Middle School, the employment of a Truancy/Dropout Coordinator who will work to try to stem the tide of the school system's 12 percent dropout rate, and a computer technician to work on and install computer systems in the school system and help advance the school system's technology program.
Also, the budget calls for a $34,200 increase in the area of Professional Development to fund additional teacher training for SOL testing, and workshops and training for teachers in the areas of technology and block scheduling.
A public hearing on the county school budget was held prior to the board's action to adopt the budget. However, only one person, Henry Weston, a representative of the Halifax/South Boston Education Association, spoke.
Weston spoke only one sentence, making a simple request to the board to adopt its former proposed $39.9 million package.
BY JOE CHANDLER
Going the extra mile.
That's what 59-year-old Jewel Conner of South Boston literally did last weekend to help raise money for two charitable organizations.
Conner, an employee of Community National Bank, first participated in the Multiple Sclerosis benefit walk. After completing that event, she turned right around and took part in the annual March of Dimes Walk America event.
When she was done, Conner had walked more than eight miles. And, she split the proceeds that she raised between the March of Dimes and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Even doing that, Conner was the top individual fund raiser for the March of Dimes event.
"I got in tub of hot water Sunday night," Conner said with a huge grin after admitting that she did get pretty tired taking part in the two events that were held almost simultaneously Sunday afternoon.
For her outstanding efforts, Conner received personal congratulations from local March of Dimes Walk America chairman V. Walter Brayboy and Ann Lloyd who served as chairman of the MS Walk.
"She's got a big heart," Brayboy remarked.
"After everything was over Sunday night and I went to bed I kept thinking about it. Here was this woman who did two walks back to back and split her money between the two organizations. The more I thought about, the more I thought this was unbelievable."
Brayboy pointed out that Conner will be receiving some prizes from the March of Dimes for her fund raising effort.
Lloyd said she had no idea what Conner had done until she later heard about it from Brayboy.
"It was a big surprise," Lloyd said.
"We didn't know about it. We really appreciate what she did."
Conner has participated in the March of Dimes Walk America event for six years. This year she decided that she was going to take part in both of the benefit walks.
"I had planned on doing both walks before I knew they were being held the same day," Conner explained.
"One of the girls that used to work here at the bank has MS. She asked me if I would walk and I said yes. Then, I found out that both walks were on the same day."
Despite the fact that she learned that both walks were going to be held the same day, Conner went ahead with her commitment to take part in both events.
"I just said I was going to do it so, I did," Conner remarked.
"I did cut some corners, though."
With that arduous day behind her, Conner says she is looking forward to taking part in both walks again next year.
"I just hope that they will have them on two different days," she concluded with a grin.
Edwin Never Carrington Jr. of 4114 Morton Ferry Road, Nathalie died Monday, April 6, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 46.
Mr. Carrington was born in Halifax County on November 6, 1951 the son of Edwin N. Carrington and Edith Canada Carrington. He was a member of Ellis Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sons, Kenneth Lee Sydnor, Edwin Junior Sydnor and Calvin Sydnor, all of Nathalie; four grandchildren; two sisters, Betty Jean Sydnor of Baltimore, MD and Audrey Poindexter of Nathalie; three brothers, Charlie Carrington, Aaron Carrington and Joel Carrington, all of Nathalie; a devoted companion, Lorine Sydnor of Nathalie; and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. Carrington will be held Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m. at Ellis Creek Baptist Church with Rev. J.E. Traynham officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of Betty Jean Sydnor, 1135
Harden Mill Road, Nathalie.
William Smith 'Willie' Green of 103 Ellyson Avenue, South Boston died Tuesday, April 7, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 91 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Green was born on October 10, 1906 in Halifax County the son of Seddie J. Green Sr. and Ella Burgess Green and was married to Ethel Strader Green. He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, VFW Post 8243 and was a Army World War II Veteran. He was a retired store clerk with Strange's Grocery.
Graveside services will be held today, April 10 at 2 p.m. at Halifax Memorial Gardens with Rev. Harvey Warnick officiating.
Survivors of Mr. Green include one son, William Lloyd Green of South Boston; three sisters, Frances Thomas of Alton, Elizabeth Reaves and Ella Green, both of South Boston; one brother, Lacy Green of South Boston; and one granddaughter, Christie Ann Green of Vernon Hill.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Cedar Grove UMC Building Fund.
Ada Mae Shortt Saunders of Middletown, OH died Tuesday, April 7, 1998 at Hawthorn Glen Nursing Home. She was 88 years of age.
Mrs. Saunders was born in Halifax County on April 4, 1910 the daughter of Floyd Shortt and Permelia Moon Shortt and was married to Riley Cabel Saunders. She was a member of Mulberry Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Riley Cabel Saunders Jr. of Trenton, OH and Roy S. Saunders of Mason, OH; three daughters-in-law, Jean, Barbara and Gayle Saunders, all of Ohio; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; four sisters, Fleecy Fisher, Thelma Massie and Elizabeth Wood, all of Lynchburg, and Geneva Motley of Salisbury, NC; one brother, Bennett Shortt of Nathalie. She was preceded in death by one son, Keith Saunders.
Funeral services for Mrs. Saunders will be held Saturday, April 11 at 11 a.m. at Mulberry Baptist Church with Rev. Jerry Jordan conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home tonight, April
10 from 7 until 8:30.
Captain Jason Scott Ramsey of Mount Laurel, NJ died September 14, 1997 in the Atlantic Ocean off the Coast of Africa.
Captain Ramsey was born in Halifax County on April 4, 1970 and was 27 years old. He was the son of Ronald Edward Ramsey and Marie Childs Ramsey.
Survivors include his mother and father of South Boston; one brother and sister-in-law, Matthew and Kristina Ramsey of Greensboro, NC; his paternal grandmother, Mary Ramsey of South Boston.
Graveside services for Captain Ramsey will be held Saturday, April 11 at 11 a.m. in Oak Ridge Cemetery with full Military Rites. Rev. Norman R. Baty will conduct the service.
Daisy Lovelace Chambers of 7007 L.P. Bailey Highway died Monday, April 6, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 92.
Mrs. Chambers was born in Halifax County the daughter of James Lovelace and Carrie Lovelace and was married to Tommy Chambers. She was a member of Millstone Baptist Church.
Survivors include six daughters, Alice Jennings, Irene Chappell, both of Nathalie, Joyce Canada, Jereline Canada and Mary Cage, all of Halifax and Elizabeth Davis of South Boston; twos sons, Barkley Chambers of Halifax and Joseph Chambers of New York City; one brother, Jimmy Lovelace of Nathalie; three sisters, Louise Lovelace and Emma Tucker, both of Nathalie and Janie Williams of South Boston; 62 grandchildren; 110 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren, and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Chambers were held Thursday, April 9 at 2 p.m. at Millstone Baptist Church in Nathalie with Rev. Chester Spruill conducting the service. Burial was in the church cemetery.