For the seventh time this year flooding or the threat of it along the Dan River in Riverdale had area merchants watching and wondering if their fears would become reality.
Fortunately, their fears didn't turn into reality.
The Dan River crested in South Boston at 24.85 feet Saturday afternoon, a foot or so short of the forecast issued Friday by the National Weather Service that predicted a crest of between 26 and 27 feet, a mark that would have flooded the Route 501 corridor.
Some lowland flooding did occur as a result of the high waters. But, flood waters did not reach the road in Riverdale or impact Riverdale businesses, leaving the Riverdale merchants along the Route 501 corridor escaping the wrath of the flood waters yet another time.
This marked the third straight flood in which National Weather Service forecasters have missed the crest mark with their predictions and Riverdale merchants were able to again breathe a big sigh of relief.
Steve Nogueira, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said yesterday that the river forecast appeared to be fairly accurate.
"We had forecast it (the Dan River) would crest at between 26 and 27 feet and it reached about 25 feet," Nogueira pointed out.
"It seems to me we came pretty close."
While the Dan River crested at 24.85 feet Saturday afternoon, it crested at 23 feet, which is three feet above flood stage, at Paces Saturday morning.
Only one road was closed in Halifax County due to high water, according to VDOT. Route 716 from Route 726 to Route 727 was closed.
The flooding resulted from a series of thunderstorms, some of which were severe, that rocked the Piedmont area of North Carolina and Southside and Central Virginia Thursday night and Friday.
An initial line of thunderstorms arrived late Thursday bringing with them reported sightings of funnel clouds in neighboring Pittsylvania County at Danville and in the neighboring communities of Dry Fork, Keeling, and Java where varying amounts of damage occurred.
Golfball size hail there and dime-size hail here was washed away under torrential rainfall that measured up to three inches near Danville and almost two inches at South Boston. Another storm developed Friday morning and dumped another two inches of rain near Danville that caused the Dan River to crest around 22 feet later that day.
Forecasters issued warnings that the Dan would crest at 26.5 to 27 feet (flood stage is 19 feet) at South Boston on Saturday, enough to cover portions of US 501 but shy of the elevation necessary to inundate US 58.
Friday's storm produced more scattered hail in isolated areas throughout mostly northern Halifax County but caused only minimal damage to crops according to Extension Specialist Larry McPeters.
Federal crop agents were in the county Friday viewing hail and wind damages when a storm front moved through and actually rained hail on their vehicle.
Farmers have and continue to battle the elements of the season which, said McPeters, has delayed tobacco transplanting at least two weeks already and the rain just keep coming. About six percent of the county's estimated 9,000 acres of tobacco for the '98 growing season have been planted.
""Farmers are really getting concerned," McPeters said on Friday as more rain was expected that evening and throughout the weekend.
Normally by May 18, most tobacco will have been planted. The wet weather has reduced substantially the county's wheat and other grain crops such as oats and corn. Wheat that was planted and maturing has suffered wind damage and, according to the county agent, will reduce substantially the yield.
Farmers who may be planning to plant corn now should consider genetically altered varieties to prevent corn ear worm infestation. McPeters urged growers to contact the Extension Service office for information on those resistant varieties.
Growers who prefer the almanac to meterological forecasting might note that full moon is tonight and that is supposed to be followed by dry weather.
By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press Writerr
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota's $6.6 billion settlement with tobacco companies means more than just a pile of money changing hands. The agreement imposes sanctions on the industry that a jury could not.
From billboard bans and lobbying restrictions to requiring cigarette companies to pay for a depository where millions of formerly secret documents will be available to the public, Friday's settlement will have more long-term effects than a verdict would.
''While the public is likely to focus on the huge financial recovery the tobacco industry has agreed to pay, we must not ignore the incredible public health gains this settlement has brought the state of Minnesota,'' said the SmokeFree 2000 Coalition, a state anti-smoking group.
Minnesota Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III said that in addition to the money, the settlement will ''impose tough reforms on the industry.''
Co-plaintiff Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota estimated that the anti-smoking elements of the settlement and programs Blue Cross plans to pay for from its share will save it $350 million in health-care costs.
Among the points of the settlement that ended the 3 1/2-year-old lawsuit:
By The Associated Press
Major elements of tobacco lawsuit settlements by Minnesota, Texas, Florida and Mississippi. The Texas, Florida and Mississippi agreements guarantee any concessions other states get. Some of the agreements had provisions not mentioned here that were pegged to a proposed national settlement, which tobacco companies last month abandoned.
MINNESOTA
TEXAS
FLORIDA
MISSISSIPPI
NATIONAL PICTURE:
A police checkpoint held Saturday night and early Sunday morning in the Town of Halifax resulted in three felony charges against a Nathalie man.
Gary D. Boyd, 32, was charged with felony counts of obstruction of justice, possession of crack cocaine, and attempting to maliciously wound a law enforcement officer, according to Halifax Police Chief Shawn Sweeney.
Boyd was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana, Chief Sweeney added.
The incident began shortly after midnight when Boyd approached the police checkpoint which was being conducted in front of the Virginia State Police field office on North Main Street.
Boyd allegedly tried to drive through the checkpoint and was stopped by Chief Sweeney, Sgt. Howard D. Gregory, and Officer Stanley Britton. After the initial stop, he tried to drive off and was stopped again, according to the investigation.
Then Boyd allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated swiftly backwards, almost running down Sgt. Gregory. That was the basis for the attempting to maliciously wound charge, police said.
Boyd refused to get out of the car which caused Chief Sweeney to forcibly extract him from the vehicle. At one point, Sweeney had to pull his service revolver on Boyd, according to the investigation.
Meanwhile, Britton noticed Boyd dropping what appeared to be an off-white material from his left hand onto the pavement. That material is believed to be crack cocaine, police said.
During a search of the vehicle, police found several more pieces of what is believed to be crack cocaine on the seat, as well as a small quantity of marijuana, according to the investigation.
Boyd is currently being held in the Halifax County jail under a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court on July 13.
Jesse R. Traynham, 34, of Nathalie was charged Friday with a misdemeanor count of assault and battery and violation of a protective order, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
Traynham allegedly assaulted Cindy H. Traynham, a household or family member. He also violated a protective order against contacting Cindy Traynham which was ordered by the juvenile and domestic relations court in Danville, police said.
Jesse Traynham is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail pending his trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on May 19.
Traynham was arrested by Sgt. J.K. Henderson.
In other cases:
Bradsher allegedly assaulted Angela Bradsher, a household or family member and broke a side window to her 1987 Nissan, according to the investigation.
He is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail pending his trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on May 20.
Bradsher was arrested by Sgt. Henderson.
Wilborn was released on bond pending her trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on May 13. She was arrested by Deputy J.L. Lucia.
She allegedly assaulted Joann Dunkley on May 2, according to the investigation. Stone was released on bond pending her trial in the Halifax County General District Court on May 29.
Stone was arrested by Deputy K.B. Tribble.
Waller allegedly brandished the weapon at Chris Tucker on May 3, according to the investigation.
He was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on May 19.
Waller was arrested by Deputy S.A. Jennings.
No one was injured in a collision which occurred Saturday morning on Rt. 740, 1.9 miles south of Rt. 602, according to the Virginia State Police.
Wendy Lee Cole, 19, of Virgilina was driving a 1994 Pontiac when she pulled from a private drive into the path of a 1986 Ford driven by Brian Laprie Tuck, 19, of Virgilina, police said.
The Pontiac sustained estimated damages of $4,000, while the Ford sustained estimated damages of $1,200, according to the investigation.
Cole was charged with failure to yield right-of-way. The 6:30 a.m. incident was investigated by Virginia State Trooper D.T. Conner.
Another two-vehicle collision which occurred on May 4 was investigated by the state police.
Howard George Glasscock, 80, of Virgilina was attempting to make a left turn when his 1988 Chevrolet pickup truck pulled into the path of a 1983 Mercedes Benz operated by William Leigh Henderson, 34, of Alton, police said.
Glasscock was injured during the crash which occurred on U.S. 58, one-tenth of a mile west of Rt. 730, according to the investigation.
Damages to the Mercedes were estimated at $6,000, while damages to the pickup truck were estimated at $4,000, police said.
Glasscock was charged with failure to yield right-of-way. The 9:40 p.m. incident was investigated by Virginia State Trooper M.S. Roark Jr.
By Bruce Wilkins
While the Town of Virgilina itself may seem to be tranquil and quiet, its town council meetings are anything but. In fact, one could summarize the monthly event as Mayberry RFD meets the Jerry Springer Show.
Angry confrontations between long-time Mayor Stover Long and the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department, as well as numerous town citizens, boiled over into a heated election last week, with Long hanging on to his position by a mere four votes.
Those sentiments were rampart throughout Thursday night's regular monthly meeting of the council.
Long defeated challenger and councilwoman Lessie R. Hughes by a 41-37 vote. However, two of his regular supporters on the council, including his wife Sue N. Long, were defeated.
Not only were they voted out of office, they were replaced by two of his critics, including his most vocal critic, John Youngk, who has an ongoing tax dispute with the town.
In an interview, Hughes pulled no punches in her descriptions of Long. "He's a dictator," she said. "Everything is done Stover's way and he doesn't want to hear from anybody else. That's the way he's always been."
Council members do not receive an agenda prior to any meeting, she pointed out. "Matter of fact, he (Long) doesn't even give us an agenda at all," Hughes said. "The agenda is all in his head."
In response, Long stated, "I come from the old school. I try to treat everybody alike."
Furthermore, "I've been mayor here since July, 1986," he added. "If I've been doing such a bad job, how do I keep getting re-elected?"
Long pointed out that he does countless hours of physical and managerial work for the town at no charge. "I drive my car all over the place (on town business) and have never charged the town a dime," he added.
To an extent, the physical work factor is why Hughes believes she narrowly lost the election. "I heard he went around telling people that I couldn't do all of the physical work for the town that he does," she said. "So, without him, the town would have to spend a lot of money to pay somebody to do it."
Long's son, Jimmy Long, is a paid employee of the town and also does maintenance work for the town. The town's other employee is its part-time town clerk, Mamie P. Tuck.
Hughes is a black female who owns and operates the WSBV religious radio station in South Boston. Her home answering machine begins with "I believe in Jesus."
She has had prior run-ins with Long, among other things, over his use of curse words during the public meeting. "There is just no call for that kind of behavior," she said.
"Think about it," she reflected. "Some people may not have voted for me because I'm a woman; some people may not have voted for me because I am black. Yet in a rural town with just a couple of black families, I only lost by four votes, That tells you something."
Virgilina has a population of about 200 people.
Youngk stated that he will represent a pro-business, progressive attitude when he takes his council seat in July. "I look forward to the July meeting (when new council members take office)," commented councilman-elect Youngk. "I have a feeling that it's going to be the beginning of change around here...a change for the better and a change that is definitely needed."
Youngk is in the middle of a bitter dispute over taxes with the town. He claims his Virgilina company, which makes a device that scans and records the temperatures of shingles for the roofing industry, is a manufacturer.
In Halifax County, a manufacturer is charged $30 for a business license tax for gross revenues from $4,000 to $200,000. Within the town limits of Virgilina, Youngk is charged the equivalent of a retail sales tax, which is 20 cents per $100 of gross sales.
"No wonder businesses are leaving this town," Youngk pointed out. "I'm paying 20 times what any other manufacturer in the county would be paying in taxes. This is no environment for business."
Meanwhile, Long insists that Youngk's operation is not "manufacturing," but instead, "assembling" and that Youngk is being fairly taxed.
After a lengthy debate about how the issue would be decided, councilwoman Beverly Murray volunteered to go to Youngk's operation and render a recommendation herself.
Long disagreed with that, stating in the open session, "No, we have to send somebody down there who knows what he's talking about." Efforts are currently underway to try to convince Commissioner of the Revenue Danny Jackson to make the decision.
Meanwhile, animosity between Long and Youngk continues to simmer. "If everybody was like him (Youngk), there wouldn't be any money for the town to do anything," Long said.
During Thursday's meeting, Youngk told Long that "maybe I should just move my business out of town."
The mayor responded, "If you want to move your business, I can speak for the council and I don't think any of them would object."
Youngk countered, "The reason we don't have business in this town is because of you (Long)."
As for the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department, a tongue-lashing of former VFD Chief Owen Murray by Long resulted in the department writing a letter to the mayor to ask that he apologize, according to current-VFD Chief Ralph Murray. (Ralph Murray is son of Owen Murray). That incident occurred over a decade ago, both sides agree.
The letter was never answered by Long, Ralph Murray said.
The bitter feelings figuratively erupted last year when a fire occurred in a former doctor's office that was being used as a residence for an elderly couple.
"The building was burning and he (Long) wouldn't let us hook up to the town's water supply," Ralph Murray said. (Ralph Murray's wife, Beverly, is a member of the town council.)
An argument ensued at the scene, with Long stating that the fire department should use a dry hydrant which was set in a large pond less than three-quarters of a mile from the fire, rather than town water.
Virgilina fire officials contended that they would have only needed about 5,000 gallons to extinguish the blaze, instead of driving to the pond, loading up, and then coming back to the fire. The town has a 100,000 gallon water tank.
"Where else would something like that happen," Ralph Murray said.
Long stated that the owner of the building told him later, "'You did the right thing.'"
The town has previously been through water shortages when some of the town's wells had gone dry and before equipment repairs had been made.
Long was involved in another water dispute with J.C. Lassiter, owner of the town's only laundromat. In that incident, to obtain bank financing, Lassiter needed a written guarantee from the town that the water would not be shut off unless the wells went dry or bills were not paid, officials said.
According to minutes from the April meeting of council, the new letter written to the bank by the town would have "adequate" in replacement of the word "guarantee."
However, Long refused to sign the letter, and the council had to authorize the town clerk to sign the letter instead.
The isolated location of Virgilina inhibits the town from hooking up to a larger water system, such as water lines from the neighboring City of Roxboro or Person County, officials said.
Recently, Virgilina was denied access to state and federal community development block grants for water and sewer capital improvements because the per capita income levels were too high.
"There's just not enough low income people here for that," Long explained. "We didn't have enough points."
Another inherent infrastructure problem for the town is its distance to the nearest major highway. U.S. 58 is located approximately nine miles west of the town.
Whether the town's lack of growth stems from internal political mismanagement or fundamental infrastructure factors, the debate has clearly divided the town's population.
Symbolically, one of the items of regular business on the council's "non-agenda" Thursday night concerned the recent donation of the former Crestar Bank building to the Town of Virgilina.
At the turn of the century, Virgilina was known far and wide for being in the vicinity of the gold mines and had as many as four different banks.
Crestar Bank was the last to leave, locking its doors last year. They donated the building to the town as a possible site for its council meetings and administration offices.
The town council declined to move their meetings to the former bank and, instead, voted to use it as warehouse storage for extra pipes belonging to the town's water and sewer department.
By JOSEPH SCHUMAN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Republican strategists on Sunday accused Congress' leading tobacco bill of underestimating by hundreds of billions of dollars how much it would earn for the federal government.
Their analysis bolsters critics of the legislation, who have labeled it a ''big government'' move that puts too much money into federal coffers.
The Republican Policy Committee said the bill, overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, would bring in $755 billion to $869 billion over 25 years.
The bill's backers, including chief sponsor Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and the White House budget office estimated the bill would raise $516 billion in cigarette taxes and industry payments.
The new estimate adds in adjustments for inflation and penalties tobacco companies face if they do not meet goals for reducing teen smoking.
Supporters of the bill responded that the new estimate was just part of a ''numbers game'' as the Senate prepares to debate the issue. McCain's measure is the only tobacco bill to have passed a committee and is headed to the Senate floor May 18.
John Raidt, staff director of the Senate Commerce Committee, said calculating the revenues with inflationary dollars naturally changes all the figures involved and would, for example, make last June's tobacco industry settlement with the states - $368 billion in real dollars - worth $608 billion.
''The industry is hoping to play a numbers game to help kill a bill they fear will actually do what it says, to dramatically reduce the number of children who take up a life-threatening habit,'' Raidt said.
The higher range of the new estimate, Raidt pointed out, assumes tobacco companies will not meet the goals in reducing teen smoking and are therefore heavily fined.
The McCain bill also would raise federal cigarette taxes by $1.10 per pack by 2003.
It would also cap the damage awards the industry would be forced to pay plaintiffs at $6.5 billion annually.
But cigarette makers already have rejected the measure, arguing that even the originally estimated $516 billion price tag would drive them to bankruptcy.
Curtis Earnest Rice, age 42, of Wake Forest, NC, died Thursday, May 7, 1998 at Duke University Medical Center.
Mr. Rice was born in South Boston on December 27, 1955, the son of the late Earnest Eldon Rice and Mary Crews Rice. He attended the Church of God of Prophecy in Brookneal and was married to Linda King Rice.
His survivors include his wife; two sons: Reuben Dale Clowdis and Christopher Scott Clowdis of Nathalie; a daughter: Chasity Crystal Rice of Wake Forest; a grandson: Lucas Dale Clowdis of Nathalie; five brothers: Eldon and Aubrey Rice of South Boston, Earl and Allen Rice of Cluster Springs and John Rice of Wake Forest; two sisters: Alease Rowe of South Boston and Joyce Boyd of Wake Forest and a special friend, James Wilson of Cary, NC.
A funeral service was held Sunday, May 10 at Henderson Funeral Home Chapel
with the Rev. H. Clyde Crowder officiating. Burial followed in the King
Family cemetery in Cody.
John Randolph Martin of 304 McKinney Street, South Boston died Thursday, May 7, 1998 at his home at the age of 63.
Mr. Martin was born in Halifax County on August 11, 1934 the son of Willie Herbert Martin and Erma Compton Martin. He was a member of Scottsburg Baptist Church and was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict.
Survivors include two foster daughters, Susan Martin Harris and Leslie Martin Yeatts of South Boston; six sisters, Janie Brooks and Grey Clayton of Petersburg, Judy Martin and Betty Jean Martin of South Boston, Evelyn Suitt of Timberlake, NC and Brenda Hancock of Halifax; a brother, Thomas Lee Martin of Halifax; and a half-brother, Willie Herbert Martin Jr. of Danville.
A funeral service was held Saturday, May 9 at Scottsburg Baptist Church
with Rev. Michael Phillips officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery,
Scottsburg.
Mrs. Louise Bratcher Rogers of South Boston died May 7 at The Woodview Nursing Home. She was the daughter of the late Eddie and Kate Bratcher and was married to the late Grant Rogers. Mrs. Rogers was 86 years of age at the time of her death.
She leaves to mourn her loss one stepdaughter, Odell Rogers Thompson of South Boston; four grandsons, Ronald Johnson of Longview, Tex., Kenneth Johnson of South Boston, John M. Thompson of Hempstead, Tex. and Jeryl G. Thompson of South Boston; one granddaughter, Mary B. Felder of New York City; three great-grandsons, Damien Jiggett of Danville, Tarus J. Johnson of Richmond, and Daryl Gayle of South Boston; four step-great-granddaughters, six step-great-grandsons; and one great-great-granddaughter; and two granddaughters-in-law, Phoebe Johnson of South Boston and Shirley Thompson of Hempstead, Tex.
Funeral services will be held today at 1:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church on Ferry Street with the Rev. Dr. Alan Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the Rose Garden Cemetery.