A Staunton River water withdrawal plan that has received the blessing of environmentalists was passed Thursday by the State Water Control Board.
The plan is opposed by LG&E-Westmoreland, an Altavista power plant, that was seeking a permit to withdraw water during droughts.
The plant, known as LWA, provides electricity to Virginia Power and steam to nearby Lane Furniture.
The permit, as approved by the board, maintained a provision in the plant's previous permit that prohibited water withdrawal when the river's flow falls during a drought to 720 cubic feet per second.
The average annual flow at Altavista is 1,800 cubic feet per second.
The plant had sought to withdraw small amounts of water during a drought.
The withdrawal would provide assurances to the furniture plant and power users with harming the river, said Thomas E. Knauer, a lawyer representing LWA.
Campbell County farmer and Baptist minister Shelton Miles, speaking for canoeists and anglers said if the LWA was given permission to withdraw water during low flows, other companies would soon follow suit.

Canoeists can barely paddle the river when the water level falls to 720 cubic feet per second, he said.
Both canoeing and fishing make up a thriving industry on the river.
The plant has been in operation for almost 10 years.
It takes about 2.8 million gallons per day to generate the electricity and steam it produces.
During the past two dry summers, the state has granted the company variances to take water even when the river fell below the 720-cubic-feet-per-second level.
The new permit had been proposed by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to quicken the process for granting variances.
The company opposed the DEQ's suggested permit and requested one that would have allowed withdrawals with variances during low-water periods.

A 30-year-old Alton man was killed Saturday night as a result of a motorcycle accident on Dan River Church Road.
According to the Virginia State Police in Appomattox, Sidney Wayne Barnett, Jr., of Dawson Trail, was pronounced dead at Halifax Regional Hospital after his 1997 Honda ran off of the left shoulder of Dan River Church Road (Route 716), and struck a large bush, one-tenth of a mile east of Love Shop Road (Route 614).
Trooper S.M. Krantz said the fatality occurred at 9:15 p.m.
Funeral arrangements were made at Brooks Funeral Home with visitation tonight at 7 p.m. and the service at Alton Baptist Church on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Several arrests were made over the weekend by sheriff's deputies on charges of assault and battery.
· Wanda Dale Franklin, 29, and Steven Lanier Faison, 26, each from Grubby Road in Halifax, were charged Saturday with the alleged assault and battery of one another. The assaults allegedly occurred on the day of the arrest.
Faison is scheduled to appear in Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on April 25.
Franklin is scheduled to appear in Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on April 26.
· Sandra Denise Faucette, 35, of Springdale Drive in South Boston, was arrested Friday for the alleged assault and battery of William Allen Slaten.
The alleged offense occurred on the day of the arrest.
Faucette is scheduled to appear in Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on May 3.
· Richard P. Jacobs, 28, of Hyco Road in South Boston, was charged April 16, with the alleged assault and battery of Takeelya M. Foster.
The alleged offense occurred on the day of the arrest.
Jacobs was issued a summons to appear at Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
· A 38-year-old Halifax County man was arrested by sheriff's deputies Friday on a trespassing charge.
Berkley Wright Jr., of L.P. Bailey Highway, was charged with the alleged trespassing on the property of Patsy S. Hartsock.
The alleged offense occurred on April 17.

Sean Christopher Hill, 20, of Halifax, was sentenced on Wednesday to an effective sentence of four years in prison for robbery, using a firearm to commit a robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The court had originally sentenced Hill to a total of 38 years but suspended all but the effective four-year sentence, conditional on Hill's good behavior for 25 years upon release. A two-year probation period was also ordered.
· James Lacy Betterton, 50, of Nathalie, was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison, with all but two months suspended, for possession of cocaine.
The suspended sentence was conditional on Betterton's good behavior for five years. He will be on supervised probation for one year upon release from jail and the court further ordered that he abstain from the use of alcohol.
The court will allow Betterton to enter a residential drug treatment program while incarcerated and will suspend the remainder of Betterton's jail sentence if one is found.
· Bernie Blanding Jr., 40, of Halifax, was sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison for two counts of grand larceny-auto and driving after being declared an habitual offender.
The court suspended all but one year and nine months on condition of Blanding's good behavior for 10 years.
Blanding will be subject to supervised probation for two years upon release and he was ordered to provide a blood sample for DNA records. Restitution was ordered in the amount of $1,094.
· Jabar Ebony Blanding, 24, of Clover, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for grand larceny-auto. All but one year and six months were suspended on condition of his good behavior for 10 years upon release.
· Mary A. Brown, 25, of Charlotte Courthouse, had her three-year prison sentence for a bad check suspended on condition of her good behavior for three years.
Brown will be on supervised probation for one year and be responsible for court costs. She will be required to submit a blood sample for DNA analysis and criminal records and exchange purposes.
· Patricia Ann Coleman, 40, of South Boston, was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison for forging and uttering a check with the intent to defraud, grand larceny and enhanced petit larceny.
All but one year and eight months were suspended on the condition of her good behavior for 10 years upon release.
A supervised probationary period of one year was ordered as well as restitution of $843.27 to her victim, Patricia Ann P. Coleman, of Halifax.

The court also ordered Coleman to give a blood sample for DNA analysis and criminal records exchange purposes.
· Stephen Virgil Driskill, 49, of Greenwood, S.C., was sentenced to five years in prison for obtaining an auto by false pretenses.
The court suspended all but 12 months on condition of Driskill's good behavior for five years.
Driskill will be on supervised probation for one year upon his release and be responsible for court costs as well as be required to submit a blood sample for DNA record purposes.
· Charles Goode, 33, of Petersburg, was sentenced to an effective term of one year and eight months in prison for two counts of delivering marijuana to a prisoner and possessing marijuana while a prisoner.
The majority of the original sentence of 10 years was reduced on condition of Goode's good behavior for 10 years upon his release.
Goode will be responsible for court costs and be required to submit a blood sample for DNA records.
· Johnny Johnson, 37, of Nathalie, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on two counts of breaking and entering with the intent to commit larceny and grand larceny.
Johnson's entire sentence was suspended on condition of his good behavior for 10 years.
The court ordered Johnson be subjected to supervised probation for one year. Johnson was ordered to make restitution to his victims as well.
· April L. Lewis, 34, of Danville, was sentenced to a prison sentence of 12 years for six counts of forging and uttering with the intent to defraud.
Lewis' sentence was suspended on condition of her good behavior for 12 years. She will also be on probation for two years.
The court ordered random drug tests and drug counseling for Lewis, and that she make restitution to her victims.
· Robert H. Perkins, 19, of South Boston, was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute marijuana.
Perkin's sentence was suspended on condition of his good behavior for five years.
Perkins will be subjected to random drug testing and to supervised probation by Halifax-Pittsylvania Court Services for one year. The court also ordered Perkins to perform 80 hours of community service as part of his probation.
·Anita Gynet Roberts (a.k.a. Anita G. R. Terry) was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison for three counts of breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny, grand larceny and credit card fraud.
All but two years and seven months were suspended. One year and seven months of that sentence are to run concurrently with a sentence imposed in another jurisdiction.
Roberts will be required to make restitution of approximately $2,100 to the victims in her case and also provide a blood sample for DNA record purposes.
· Don Cornelius Sparrow, 20, of Halifax, was sentenced to 10 years each in prison for two counts of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
All of Sparrow's sentence was suspended, on condition that he immediately be placed in the Detention and Diversion Centers.
Sparrow will be on probation for three years upon release.
· Ricky Carlton Walker, 21, of Alton, was sentenced to five years in prison for receiving stolen goods.
Walker's sentence was suspended on condition of his good behavior for five years.
He will also be subjected to drug and alcohol testing and be required to engage in counseling and treatment arranged by his probation officer.
· Eugene Dunn White, 30, of Alton, was sentenced to a total of 22 years for 11 counts of forging and uttering with intent to defraud.
All but 10 months were suspended on the conditon of White's good behavior for 20 years upon his release. White will also be on probation for two years after incarceration.
Home electronic monitoring was authorized after five months in jail, in order for White to obtain steady employment for restitution purposes.
White was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of approximately $2,650.
· Junior Willie Williams Jr., 20, of South Boston, was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute marijuana.
All of his sentence was suspended except for time already served on condition of his good behavior for five years.
Williams will be subject to probation for one year and be subject to random drug testing. He will also provide a blood sample for DNA analysis and criminal records exchange purposes.
· George Young Jr., 18, of Oxford, N.C., was sentenced to a total of 18 years and 30 days in prison for four counts: possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine; possessing a firearm while possessing crack cocaine; possessing marijuana.
All but two years and two months were suspended on condition of Young's good behavior for 20 years after his release.
Public Mum On School Budget

Education may be a hot conversational topic, but only one citizen turned out for the supervisors' $43,382,172 school budget hearing Thursday night.
Supervisors took no action following the hearing but are expected to act on the school board's request at their May meeting.
Superintendent of Schools Dennis Witt told supervisors that the school system could commit $200,000 to the $389,000 difference between the school board's budget request and supervisors' proposed school funding.
"We are asking supervisors to consider $189,000 in additional funding," Witt said.
The superintendent explained that with about 82 fewer students, the school system would receive about $110,000 less in state revenues that the system would have to absorb.
"We would be hard pressed to make up $389,000," Witt said of the difference between the school's and the county's proposed budgets, as well as the $110,000 loss in state funding this budget year.
"We would have to give something up, back up on something," added the superintendent.
Former Halifax County administrator Dan Sleeper told supervisors that they must fund state-mandated standards of quality (SOQs). He also reminded the board that the history of Halifax showed that the county always funded above SOQ level.
The proposed budget reflects about $7,100 funding per pupil, according to Sleeper, well over the mandated $4,586 county/state funding figure, he explained.
The former administrator also warned supervisors to be careful about depleting the county's unappropriated funds, part of a proposal being considered in budget funding this year.
"Be careful about how far down you get," he cautioned.
Tax revenue was also discussed, including Clover power plant's impact.
Public Comment
The only citizen to speak at the public hearing, Larry Goerner, took the school system to task on a series of issues, beginning with the budget and school security.
Goerner, a retired Navy man, has two children in the public school system.
Complaining about security, Goerner said that he walked around the high school for one hour and 20 minutes and then sat out front of the school with his dog, and no one questioned him.
"You can walk in and out of that building and there is no security," charged Goerner, who said he walked by the resource officer and "wandered the halls" of the school.
He also pointed to parking in the fire lane, noting that emergency vehicles cannot get in. Goerner said he was told that was allowed only when school opened and closed and students were accessing cars, but Goerner complained that at busy times was "when something might happen."
He also complained about the budget.
"Most people cannot understand the budget," charged Goerner.
The citizen described the school system as in "bad shape" and said that it needed overhauling from the top down.
"Who do they answer to?" he asked. "It is so complex you cannot get a straight answer. They are asking for more and more and we are getting less and less."
"I think we have a good school system," Witt told supervisors, adding that all schools are open to the public.
"We know how important education is to our community," said the superintendent, naming its role in quality of life and economic development in the county.
In response to one question, Witt said that administration costs are higher in Halifax County than in some adjoining counties because of the number of elementary schools Halifax County has, 15, not counting middle school, high school and the new career center.
"Compared to other schools, our administration office is not top heaving," Witt said.
School buses, the number of students riding them and bus security were also discussed during the Thursday meeting.

The May meeting of the Halifax County School Board that was scheduled for May 8 has been postponed until Monday, May 15.
School system officials said the May 15 meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room of the Halifax County Career Center in Halifax.
The change from May 8 was necessary due to a conflict with the state superintendents conference and to allow additional time for the preparation of certain agenda items.

With blue mold already in North Carolina greenhouses, Extension Agent Larry McPeters is urging farmers to keep their greenhouse plants sprayed with fungicide and well aerated.
Blue mold is such an adaptive spore, he said, that now "we have the fungus overwintering in Virginia.
"We used to be able to track its movement from South America, to Cuba, to Florida and on up the coast," he continued. "But now we are finding it closer, earlier."
Farmers should check their plants daily for yellowing and yellow spots.
They should also keep an eye on plants that are starting to draw up.
Already the systemic form of blue mold has been found in the North Carolina greenhouses. The systemic form is fatal to the plant, he said.
As far as applying fungicide, McPeters said farmers should apply it each time the plants are clipped and the previous fungicide has been removed.
"At least weekly," he said. "Don't wait two weeks."
The only legal fungicide available for use in greenhouses, he said, is Dithane DF.
If blue mold is found in the greenhouse, McPeters said farmers should call his office for the name of another product that will knock it out.
He said he doesn't want the new chemical sprayed except when blue mold is present, because the fungus can adapt to it the same way it has to Ridomil.
"But if you have spots, this product will knock it out," he said.
The best thing farmers can do right now, he said, is get the plants in the field.
"We should have farmers planting this week," he said. "We have plants ready to go in the fields, but a lot of farmers still hold for that traditional May 10 planting date."
That was the traditional date to begin planting back when plantbeds were outside, he said, but with greenhouses, plants are ready earlier and farmers don't need to wait to plant.
If the plantbeds have been clipped five or six times, they are hardy enough to be planted, he said.
With the dry springs we have had the last few years, McPeters said, fields planted earlier and topped before hot weather have a better crop with larger yields.
The reason we used to wait with outdoor plantbeds was because they tended to flower prematurely.
"We don't have that problem with greenhouse plants."
McPeters said there are four other diseases that have been identified in barns this season and farmers should keep an eye out.
"The longer the plants are kept in a moist, confined area, the better the chance of disease," he said.
"We need to keep a fungicide on and keep a breeze going through the greenhouse to keep it dry," he added.
Beyond blue mold, McPeters said his office is getting lots of calls from farmers still concerned about barn conversion to cure low-nitrosamine tobacco.
"There is no choice," he said.
"Farmers who want to continue to produce tobacco, need to convert their barns."
The last he heard, there was still one cigarette manufacturer who had not signed on to the grant program to help farmers convert.
But it is expected to sign the agreement this week and once that happens, farmers will receive notification from Stabilization.
All information and forms will be available from Stabilization, he said.
For more information contact McPeters at 476-2147.

Four candidates seeking three seats on South Boston Town Council in the May 2 election will participate in a radio forum Tuesday night.
The forum begins at 6 p.m. on WHLF.
South Boston Mayor Glen Abernathy is seeking re-election.
Council incumbents Carroll Thackston and Radford Trent have filed in re-election bids. Also seeking council seats are T. Chris Elliott and D. Coleman Speece.
South Boston Councilman Richard Pond is not seeking re-election.
Three candidates were competing for two at-large seats on Halifax Town Council in the May 2 election, but now only veteran councilman Harold Ray Younger's name will appear on the ballot.
There will also be space for a write-in vote, according to Halifax Town Manager Robert Greene.
Veteran Halifax Councilman John Murphy is not seeking re-election.
Political newcomers Gene Murray and W. Allen Stevens, both residents of Halifax's newly incorporated area, had qualified in the race but will not be able to compete since the U.S. Justice Department has not approved the town's proposed five-ward voting system.
Only residents within the existing four wards of the town's borders prior to the December 1999 boundary adjustment will be able to vote or compete as a candidate in the Halifax race.
In Virgilina, John Edward Youngk has filed for the mayor's post currently held by Stover Long, who is not seeking re-election.
However, Virgilina is well-known for its write-in candidates.
Also in Virgilina, Ralph Owen Murray Sr. qualified for the race prior to the 7 p.m. qualifying deadline Tuesday.
Current Virgilina councilmen Rufus Edward Chandler Jr., R. Michael Glasscock, Mary Helen Gravitt, Beverly S. Murray and Thomas Keith Tuck Jr. have filed for re-election.
Scottsburg's council race has local election officials seeking state guidance. Mayor Ricky Gordon has announced that he will not seek re-election and no one filed for that post or the two vacant council seats.
Current Scottsburg councilmen, Connie Glass, Ronald K. Claiborne and Mattie R. Stoner, have filed for re-election in the May 2 race.
"One gentleman at council meeting announced the other night that he will make a decision soon about whether to seek the mayor's post," Mayor Gordon said yesterday.

Halifax County connected for only three hits against Northern Durham and its left-handed pitcher, Thomas Moore, Thursday night.
But, it was all the Comets needed.
The Comets scored in each of the first three innings and downed Northern Durham 4-1 in Thursday's nightcap of the Halifax County Spring Invitational Baseball Tournament.
That win, which pushed the Comets to 9-1 for the season, was the second of the day for the Comets.
Halifax County rolled over Dinwiddie 14-6 in the opening game of the tournament.
"He was tough," Comets coach Kelvin Davis said of Moore.
"We just took advantage of his mistakes, got runners in scoring position and manufactured runs.
"The little things are what it takes to win ball games," he added.
"And, we did those things."
Comets starter Todd Meadows did equally as well, holding the Knights to three hits while striking out two batters and walking two batters in his six-inning stint.
"Todd had a whale of a game," Davis pointed out.
"Todd kept us in the ball game and gave us the chance to manufacture some runs."
Closer Scott Adams recorded a strikeout and a walk in the seventh inning.
"He had a little trouble in the first game (Thursday's opener against Dinwiddie)," Davis pointed out.
"But he settled down and got the save for us."
The contest marked only the second time this season the Comets have faced a left-handed pitcher.
And, Davis said the experience was a good one.
"Our guys definitely got something out of this game," Davis said.
"I thought we handled him pretty well. We didn't get but three hits but we did some things to manufacture runs. When they made mistakes, we capitalized on them."
Two of the Comets' three hits were a pair of doubles by Mike Priest. The other was a single in the fourth inning by Chris Parker.
Halifax County plated its first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning which started with David Green, the second batter in the lineup, reaching base with a walk.
Green advanced to third on a double by Priest and scored when Brian Medley grounded out to the shortstop.
The Comets scored two more runs in the bottom of the second inning that started with Chad Compton getting on base with a walk.
Josh Milam bunted into a fielder's choice in which the Knights elected to get the lead runner, Compton, out at second base.
Parker walked but, while Parker was at the plate, Milam stole second base.
With Justin Smith batting, Parker stole second base and Milam went to third base on a wild pitch.
A passed ball allowed Milam to score, giving the Comets a 2-0 lead. Parker went to third base on the play and scored when Smith grounded out to second base to put the Comets up 3-0.
Northern Durham scored in the top of the third inning after the first two batters were retired.
The ninth batter in the order walked and scored to make it a 3-1 game when the Knights put together back-to-back base hits.
Halifax County answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning which started with a double by Priest.
Priest advanced to third base when Medley grounded out to the shortstop and scored to give the Comets their final three-run cushion when Meadows grounded out to the shortstop for the second out in the inning.
Northern Durham pieced together its biggest scoring threat in the second half of the contest in the top of the seventh inning.
With Adams on the hill in relief of Meadows, the Knights' first batter grounded out to second base for the first out.
The Knights' second batter reached base on an error by Parker. The next batter walked and both advanced on a Comets error when a Knights' batter reached base safely on a fielder's choice.
But, with the bases loaded and only one out, Adams came up with a strikeout to get the second out in the inning.
And, the Comets retired the side without any damage on a fly ball that Milam took care of in centerfield.
The Comets were to have played Franklin County Friday night at 7 p.m. in what was to be the final game of the two day tournament.
However, rain and unplayable field conditions forced the cancellation of that contest.
Rain, in fact, was the story of the day Friday on what was the final day of the tournament.
An early afternoon thunderstorm that brought heavy rain and a smattering of hail, forced a one hour and 58 minute delay in the day's opening game between Northern Durham and Dinwiddie.
A second late afternoon shower that finally made field conditions impossible to handle further play forced the day's second game between Franklin County and Dinwiddie to be stopped after five and a half innings.
Davis said he was sorry that the rain came and forced the tournament to be prematurely curtailed.
"I'm sorry we didn't get to play that last game," Davis said.
"But, everybody got in at least two games and Northern Durham and Dinwiddie got all three of their games in. The whole purpose of the tournament is to give everybody a chance to get in two or three games against good teams."
Davis added, "the teams we played were very solid teams. That will help us down the stretch."
The Comets are facing a busy week this week.
Halifax County opens its week with a game Tuesday in Roanoke against William Fleming.
Then, the Comets will return home to face neighboring rival Person High here Wednesday night.
The week will conclude with a big Western District game here Friday night against Albemarle.

Mildred Long Buckner, age 97, of 1030 Samuel Road, Alton, died April 20, 2000, at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Buckner was born in Halifax County on January 21, 1903, the daughter of George M. Long and Manie Satterfield Long and was married to Alfred F. Buckner. She was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church and a retired salesperson with Leggett.
Funeral services were held April 23 at 3 p.m. at Calvary United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Vineyard officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Survivors of Mrs. Buckner include one daughter, Annie Mae Williamson of Alton; two sons, Julian Buckner of Danville and Garland Buckner of South Boston; three sisters, Lillian Satterfield of South Boston, Daisy Martin of Halifax and Virginia Satterfield of Alton; one brother, Bob Long of Alton; four granddaughters, Ronda Barts of Sutherlin, Vicki Montgomery of Brosville, Terri Clark of Ringgold and Pamela Riedel of Danville; one grandson, Glenn Williamson of Danville; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Edward Buckner and two grandsons, Timothy and Matthew Montgomery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Calvary United Methodist Church.

Sydney Wayne "S.W." Barnett Jr., age 30, of 1076 Dawson Trail, Alton, died April 22, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Barnett was born January 17, 1970 the son of Sydney Wayne Barnett Sr. and Pauline King Holt and was married to Amy Vernon Barnett. He was employed at Quality Mobile Home Service.
A funeral service will be held April 25 at 2 p.m. at Alton Baptist Church with the Rev. Phillip Ellenburg officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Surviving Mr. Barnett are his wife; two daughters, Felicia Dawn and Kathryn Rena Barnett, both of Alton; one son, Sydney Wayne Barnett III of Alton, his father of South Boston; his mother of Clover; two brothers, Jeffrey Barnett of Halifax and Barry A. Barnett of Alton; one sister, Sylvia B. Lewis of Clover; and his grandmother, Mildred O. Moser of Alton.

The family will receive friends at Brooks Funeral Home Monday, April 24, between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m and other times at the home of Billy and Bonnie Vernon, Dawson Trail, Alton.