By Doug Loftis
A decision by the Halifax County Board of Supervisors tonight could set into motion a process that would, by the end of the year, bring down those signs marking the entrances and exits to the Town of Clover which was incorporated over a century ago.
It seems almost a paradox how, less than 10 years ago, Clover's prominence soared to regal highs when Old Dominion Electric Cooperative decided to build a $1.2 billion coal-fired hydroelectric generating plant on a site just outside the town on the banks of the Staunton River.
During construction, as many as 1,200 persons were working in Clover, so many in fact, that the town hired its first police officer. Clover even qualified for a state grant of $30,000 and was able to hire a second policeman.
Town merchants, what few there were, cashed in on the bonanza and one, Bobcat's Grocery, managed to become fodder for an article that appeared in The Washington Post.
But the heyday was not to last and once the Clover Power Plant was completed and became operational, the hundreds of workers were reduced to a relative few.
"A lot of people blame it on the power plant, but that's just not true," Clover Mayor Deborah Griles said in defense of the town's presentday financial troubles. "They (power plant) did what they told us they would do." she added.
Griles is convinced that the power company was and continues to be quite generous to Clover but the town's financial troubles somehow climaxed not long after the plant was completed.
That was about the time she became mayor, a title and responsibility she didn't exactly choose. Voters, 17 she remembers, wrote her name in and she was elected.
It didn't take the Halifax County Middle School teacher long-after being elected - to realize that Clover was in a " terrible mess!"
Unpaid bills, mounting debt, and "major breakdowns" in the water and sewer system forced her to ask the Halifax County Board of Supervisors for financial assistance.
Without writing a check for the requested $10,000, the county was sympathetic and with the assistance of County Administrator Dan Sleeper, Griles said some things began to slowly turn around.
One of Clover's two police officers was released but in the meantime, the town was being threatened by the Department of Justice which determined that Clover was not eligible for the $30,000 grant it had obtained to hire the police officers in the first place.
Fifth District Congressman Virgil Goode pleaded Clover's case to the Justice Department and was able to convince officials that the town had erred on the side of interpretation rather than the intent of the law.
The other police officer was then released since the town had no money to pay his salary.
And did the dismissal of Clover's two police officers have negative impact on the town? Griles doesn't think so and in fact, believes there have been less complaints "because people used to complain about the officers!"
"Now that they're not there, people don't expect as much," said the mayor who acknowledged how Halifax County Sheriff's Deputies were responding to calls when needed.
To further return the town to solvency, Clover reduced some of its workforce while making others part-time and contracting privately for some services.
Services in Clover has actually boiled down to a two-letter word. Water and sewer. There are 146 users, the larger of which are Clover Yarns and Clover Elementary School, the latter of which an education task force has recommended to be closed.
Water and sewer user fees bring in about $62,850 a year, enough to cover the cost of operation and meet the town's long term water and sewer fund debt of approximately $426,000.
But there is no provision for replacement of major repairs. The town's single water storage tank is in need of both interior and exterior treatment as required by state and federal agencies, a project that will cost an estimated $100,000.
The town has about 200 residents and census figures show hardly a change over the past decade. Most believe the town's population will continue to decline because it has so little to offer and is, after all, an aged community.
Has Clover then seen it's better days or is the best yet to come?
George W. (Wash) Glover Jr. and Joe Griles (husband of the mayor) believe survival for Clover can only be accomplished by annulment of its corporate status. They made the formal request which Clover Council unanimously approved and presented to the Halifax County Board of Supervisors a month ago.
If the county agrees, the question will be put to the voters and if the majority say "yes" Clover, corporately speaking, will no longer exist.
"A lot of people are sentimental about that name," said Debbie Griles, "but they've got to get past that emotional part and look at the reality of what the name 'town' does to them financially."
Financially speaking, Clover property owners would be in for a real treat! Gone would be the real estate and personal property taxes they now pay for living in town.
The proposed real estate rate for 1998 is $0.13 per hundred while personal property would be taxed at the rate of $0.20 per hundred. Property taxes generate about $18,000 annually.
The town's water and sewer system would become the property and responsibility of the Halifax County Service Authority. Clover would be entitled to equal representation on the authority's board of directors which would manage and contract with users the services available.
Clover would not be permitted to own any property which now includes the Clover Cemetery. The cemetery may be the most solvent business in the town however since it continues to operate on revenues from the sale of burial plots and generous donations.
The cemetery would become privately owned and managed under an agreement that is being developed now by the town's attorneys.
Gone too would be the town's street lights which cost about $3,500 a year. Townspeople would get a two-year reprieve based on tentative figures but after that, if they want light, they'll have to pay for it.
"I hope we can convince people it's the right way to go," Griles said. "If it wasn't good for me, I wouldn't encourage someone else to do it because I live there too."
Similar are the sentiments of the entire Clover Town Council. "They are caring...they look out after their town residents," the mayor added.
Clover is not alone in its desire to yield to larger political powers. Like so many other small towns across the state, Clover has not been able to even field enough candidates to serve on its six-member governing body.
And it's no secret that the Town of Scottsburg is watching closely as Clover makes its way through the procedure leaving just South Boston, Halifax and Virgilina as incorporated towns in the county of Halifax.Senate Tobacco Debate Begins
By LAURIE KELLMAN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Months of rhetorical posturing over the smoldering tobacco standoff will blaze onto the Senate floor Monday with the opening of debate on a bill to impose unprecedented restrictions on the long-powerful cigarette industry.
The bill's arrival is itself a victory for Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, its sponsor and the target of six weeks of widely-broadcast attacks from GOP leaders and tobacco companies. Critics argue the $516 billion measure would actually cost companies $600 billion, $800 billion, even a trillion dollars.
McCain says they're blowing smoke in a battle to kill his bill before it reaches the floor. He won that fight last week and victoriously fanned the smoke back at his critics with a strong whiff of sarcasm.
''We're at $8 trillion for the whole package, $8 trillion!'' McCain, grinning widely, told reporters. ''This is the biggest money-grab ever. It's the most liberal big-spending proposal in the history of the Congress of the United States.''
He took a final jab at critics who have whispered theories that his concessions to the White House proved McCain - a potential presidential hopeful - possesses a liberal streak.
''That McCain,'' the Arizona senator said with a twinkle, ''We knew he was a Commie-pinko.''
His giddiness stems from momentum the bill gained last week for toughening its terms despite the tobacco industry's multi-million-dollar ad campaign against it.
The momentum, analysts say, confirms Congress' public split with tobacco despite decades of prolific campaign contributions that helped send many members to Capitol Hill.
Chief among the catalysts, many lawmakers say, is the $368 billion tobacco settlement struck in June between the industry and states, which prompted President Clinton to challenge Congress to pass similarly sweeping legislation this election year.
Also pivotal, according to observers, are recently-released documents that indicate industry executives lied for years about efforts to hook kids on smoking.
''A lot of Republicans are very willing to accept tobacco money and kill legislation as long as nobody knew about it,'' said Wall Street analyst Gary Black. ''This time, there was nowhere for the Republicans to hide.''
But the bill still faces significant tests in the long legislative process. The Senate faces a serious and complex debate this week focused primarily on how to raise and spend billions of dollars from tobacco companies and whether to grant the industry protection from lawsuits.
McCain's bill, approved 19-1 last month by his Commerce Committee, includes provisions to:
-Raise cigarette taxes by $1.10 over five years.
-Cap the amount of damages the industry would pay plaintiffs at $6.5 billion a year.
-Severely restrict the industry's ability to advertise.
-Approve the Food and Drug Administration's power to regulate nicotine.
-Impose up to $3.5 billion a year in fines if youth smoking does not sufficiently decrease.
-Give $28.5 billion to tobacco farmers.
While GOP leaders allowed the bill to come to the floor, many chafe at the cigarette tax hike and expanded FDA authority. The provisions, these Republicans say, run afoul of the party's lower-taxes-smaller-government campaign message at a time when the party is defending its congressional majority in the upcoming election.
''I want to kill this bill,'' the Senate's No. 2 Republican, Don Nickles of Oklahoma, told reporters. ''I think it's a bad bill.''
McCain, nonetheless, is expected to try to toughen the legislation in a manager's amendment he has negotiated with the White House, which is all but certain to endorse the bill if it is adopted.
The amendment would raise the liability cap to $8 billion, the youth smoking reduction cap to $4 billion and delete a provision that would grant immunity from civil lawsuits to the industry's parent companies, affiliates and lawyers. Negotiators also were discussing ways to beef up enforcement of cigarette smuggling and black market sales.
The Senate Finance Committee voted Thursday to toughen the bill even further, raising the per-pack cigarette tax to $1.50 over three years. McCain opposes that level of taxation, but the White House has indicated it would support either tax proposal.
Senior Republicans, such as Nickles and Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, plan to offer substitute amendments to lower the industry's pricetag.
Other fights are expected on such issues as exactly how to spend the money generated by the industry and how much to pay trial lawyers who represent the states in their pivotal lawsuits against the industry.
By Beth Robertson
A packed Halifax circuit courtroom watched Friday afternoon as Circuit Court Judge Charles L. McCormick III swore in Joel C. Cunningham as General District Court judge.
In a coincidence of timing, Judge Cunningham also was awarded The 1998 Scales of Justice Award by the Virginia Legal Aid Society prior to his investiture as judge.
Surrounded by fellow justices, family and friends, Judge Cunningham told the standing room only crowd he had a job to do and that he knew he would not be able to please everyone.
"What I am concerned about and what I will try to do is to independently perform my job in a manner which comports with the highest standards of fairness and justice," said the judge.
The man who had not sought the judge's role but rather had been chosen for the position and informed "in the call" from legislators, shared both serious and humorous personal observations on his special day.
"I have been blessed" was a theme that ran throughout his speech, blessed with the love, guidance, strong work ethic and moral compass set in motion by his parents, Anne Cunningham and the late J.C. Cunningham, said Judge Cunningham.
He also thanked his wife and "best friend" of 30 years, Evelyn Burns Cunningham, for her support and counsel. The Cunninghams have reared three children - their son Joel Jr. recently passed the bar exam - and one niece. He also recognized his late mother-in-law, Cleavie G. Burns, for her kindness and humility.
The judge also mixed humor with insight into life changing resolve when he recalled "an unnamed official of the UVA law school," one who advised he could not make it there.
At the time Cunningham said he was the second from Virginia State University to attend UVA.
"I had never been told that I could not succeed at anything; it was the exact opposite of what my parents told me; teachers at Mary Bethune, Va. State and Mason Chapel Elementary," recalled Judge Cunningham.
"He does not know this, but he (the UVA official) was the single greatest source of my motivation and desire to achieve in the law."
Following his graduation from UVA Law School in 1975, Cunningham worked in Richmond, Lynchburg and here with Halifax attorney and former Commonwealth's Attorney W.W. "Ted" Bennett, who asked Cunningham to return and serve as assistant commonwealth's attorney, before helping Virginia Legal Aid open their office here in 1978.
In 1986, the Halifax County native left VLAS to establish private practice.
During his investiture, Judge Cunningham also recognized senior members of the Bar Association for their civility and collegial attitude when he returned to practice here .
The 1998 Scales of Justice Award commemorates an attorney, judge or any citizen who has significantly worked to improve access to justice for low-income people or a low income community group; and in doing so, has exhibited qualities of personal vision, courage or leadership.
In presenting the award, executive director David B. Neumeyer noted Cunningham helped Virginia Legal Aid open the office here and that he served as the senior, or managing, attorney for five years and director of litigation for three years.
The mission of Virginia Legal Aid Society is to provide high quality civil legal services to eligible low-income people.
Charges will be forthcoming upon the completion of an investigation of a theft of $14,750 in cash from a U.S. 360 East business, according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
JM Professional Contractor Services, Ltd. reported the theft which occurred sometime between March 5 and May 7, according to the investigation.
Investigator M.A. Womack of the Halifax County Sheriff's Department is conducting the ongoing investigation.
The money was stored in a cabinet area of the business and was reported missing by company officials.
In other cases:
· Christopher Lee Heath, 21, a construction worker from Georgetown, Georgia was arrested Saturday on an indictment of grand larceny of a gold diamond anniversary ring owned by Curley Martin, police said. The alleged offense occurred on October 21, 1997.
Heath was also charged with a felony count of possessing a firearm after previously having been convicted of a felony, police said.
Heath is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail pending his trial in the Halifax County Circuit Court. He was arrested by Deputy J.L. Lucia.
· Elsie Mae Roe, 45, of Nathalie was charged Friday with a felony count of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer, police said.
She allegedly assaulted jailer Linda Morphew during a disturbance Friday at the Halifax County Jail, according to the investigation.
Roe was released on bond pending her preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court.
· Randy Tyree Acree, 21,of Nathalie was charged Saturday with a misdemeanor count of trespassing. The alleged incident occurred at the residence of Linda T. Kirby on April 4, police said.
Acree was released on bond pending his trial.
· Kevin Dale Adams, 26, of Nathalie was charged Saturday with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, police said.
The alleged incident occurred on February 22. He was indicted last week and arrested Saturday by Deputy Lucia.
He is currently being held in the Halifax County Jail pending his trial in the Halifax County General District Court.
DANVILLE, Va. (AP) - Agriculture teacher and farmer Gary W. Thomas announced he will run as an independent against U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, D-5th, in November's general election.
Thomas, 44, was the Virginia Independent Party's candidate in 1996, when Goode won the seat. Thomas dropped out of that race because of a lack of campaign funds.
Thomas, who teaches at Dan River High School, must get 1,519 signatures on petitions to get his name on the ballot. He said he is running because Goode has no Republican opponent and because people are fed up with President Clinton's administration.
''The country is dissatisfied with Washington,'' he said. ''All the trade agreements they're making are causing the textile industry and tobacco companies to move out of the United States.''
Thomas is a member of the Virginia Tobacco Growers Association. He said he can be a strong voice for tobacco producers.
Goode also is a strong supporter of the tobacco industry
Willis 'Pete' Griffin of Randolph died May 14, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 81.
Mr. Griffin was born in Pickens, SC on March 1, 1917, the son of George W. and Zora Annis Griffin. He was married to Rosetta Martin Griffin.
His survivors include his wife; a daughter and son-in-law: Annis G. and Oscar L. Hunt of Huntersville, NC; sons and daughter-in-law: Jerry C. and Janice Griffin of Charlotte Courthouse and Willis E. Griffin of Drakes Branch; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a sister: Ethel G. Farmer of Easley, SC.
Funeral services were held Sunday evening at Providence Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Courtney Coffer officiating. Burial took place in the church cemetery.
Jennifer Ann Fenerty, 50, of Criglersville, died Friday, May 15, 1998 in the Martha Jefferson Hospital. She was born February 27, 1948 in Peekskill, NY the daughter of Madelyn Wait Guzi and Joseph Guzi.
Mrs. Fenerty was the owner and operator of the Swinging Bridge Pottery at Criglersville.
Survivors include her husband, Patrick Fenerty; her father; two sons, Brian Lee Fenerty and his wife, Theresa of Gaeta, Italy, and Peter Bradley Fenerty of Criglersville; one brother, Christopher Joseph Guzi of Herndon; four sisters, Stephanie G. Harouff, Susan G. Morris, both of Madison, Georgia G. Jackson of South Boston, Brenda G. Lantz of Ridgeley, WV and a granddaughter, Rachael Fenerty of Gaeta, Italy.
Funeral services for Mrs. Fenerty will be held today, May 18 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of The Blue Ridge Catholic Church conducted by Father John Morel. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Culpeper.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Catholic charities.
Carrie T. Roberts of East Locke Lane, Richmond died Wednesday, May 13, 1998 at The Windsor. She was 90 years of age at the time of her death.
Miss Roberts was born in Halifax County on October 2, 1907 the daughter of Willie D. Roberts and Betty Frances Lacy Roberts. She was a member of Winns Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include four nieces, Alice Lacy Pomeroy and Richard Biby of Arlington, Bettie Pomeroy and Milton Foster of Heathsville, Nancy Chaffin and Julian Sizemore of Halifax and Alice Grey Tharp and John Anderson of Halifax; two nephews James R. and Virginia Chaffin of Richmond and Frank C. Chaffin of Halifax; seven great-nieces and nephews and four great-great-nieces and nephews.
Graveside services for Miss Roberts will be held Tuesday, May 19 at 1 p.m. in Winns Creek Baptist Church Cemetery with Rev. Richard Welch officiating.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Winns Creek Baptist Church.
Harvey Bailey of 1025 Abbott Hill Road, Clays Mill died Saturday, May 16, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 90.
Mr. Bailey was born in Halifax County on March 24, 1908 the son of Sam Bailey and Martha Vassell Bailey. He was married to Ellen Hundley Bailey and was a member of New Hope CME Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Eleanor Hill, Marion Morgan and Sheila Bailey, all of Columbus, OH; three sons, Ralph S. Bailey, Fred J. Bailey and Bobby J. Bailey, all of Columbus; one sister, Ruth Floyd of Newport News; one brother, Ananias Bailey of Scottsburg; 13 grandchildren, including the devoted Sandra Bailey and Michelle Hill; 22 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mr. Bailey will be held Wednesday, May 20 at 1 p.m. at the chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home with Rev. Arlean Boozer officiating. Burial will follow in New Home CME Church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home Tuesday evening from 7 until 8:00 and other times at the home.
Cordelia Downey Royster of 9172 Bill Tuck Highway, Virgilina died Saturday, May 16, 1998 at Woodview Nursing Home at the age of 93.
Mrs. Royster was born in Halifax County on January 21, 1905 the daughter of Edward Downey and Velia Chandler Downey and she was married to Flournory Lee Royster. She was a member of White Oak Fork Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Brenda Dixon of Virgilina; one son, Melvin Cheeks of Greensboro, NC; two daughters-in-law, Cora Mae Cheeks of Greensboro and Alma E. Roberts of White Plains, NY; one son-in-law, Harvey Lee Dixon of Virgilina; 14 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; 16 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Lawrence Roberts.
Funeral services for Mrs. Royster will be held Thursday, May 21 at 2 p.m. at White Oak Fork Baptist with Rev. Glenn Faulkner officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home on Wednesday evening from 7 until 8:00.
Graham Otha Davis of Roanoke died Sunday, May 17, 1998 at Friendship Manor Health Care Center in Roanoke.
Mr. Davis was born on August 15, 1914 the son of the late Lafayette Otha Davis and Georgia Smith Davis of Halifax County and was married to Fannie Pulliam Davis. He was a member of Melrose Baptist Church of Roanoke, and a former member of Aarons Creek Baptist Church.
He was a retired employee of 15 years with J.P. Stevens in South Boston and a retired farmer. Mr. Davis resided in Roanoke since 1989.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters and sons-in-law, Vivian D. and James A. Nelson of Roanoke and Ellen D. and C. Wright Sizemore of Anderson, SC; one grandson, Jeffrey A. Nelson of Roanoke; one granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Laura N. and Patrick H. Woods of Roanoke; and one great-granddaughter, Mollie McKenzie Woods of Roanoke.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 19 at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with Revs. Larry E. Sprouse and Richard P. Cooke officiating. Burial will take place in Aarons Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Brooks Funeral Home tonight, May 18, from 7 until 9:00.
Raymond Dyches of 216 South Main Street, Clover died Sunday, May 17, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 82 years of age.
Mr. Dyches was born December 12, 1915 in Heath Springs, SC the son of Rev. Dr. J.W.H. Dyches and Bettie Gregory Dyches.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, May 19 at 11:30 a.m. at Clover Cemetery with Rev. Tom Walker conducting the service.
Mr. Dyches attended Furman College in Greenville, SC before transferring to The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where he graduated in 1935. He served as a high school teacher at The Blue Ridge Mission School, Buffalo Ridge, VA, and in the Emporia public school system. He later taught music in the Clover area for many years.
He was a member of the Clover Lions Club and Clover Baptist Church, where he was the organist for over 45 years, and was a former member of Clover Town Council.
Mr. Dyches was a world traveler and the co-author, with Kenneth Dyches, of "What's Next Pizarro?" a book about a trip to South America.
Survivors include one brother, Kenneth C. Dyches of Oceanside, CA; two nieces and seven nephews.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American Heart Association/Halifax-South Boston Unit, PO Box 41, South Boston, VA 24592 or American Cancer Association.
Visitation will be at Brooks Funeral Home tonight, May 18 from 7 until 8:30, and other times at his home.