The Halifax County School system could get $3 million or more a year in additional state school funds if it gets a favorable ruling on a house bill recently enacted by the General Assembly.
House Bill 522 provides that when a consolidation occurs in a locality and school divisions and school boards are consolidated, state funds will not be reduced below the amounts that would have been received by each entity.
The funding formula would be computed that way for a 15-year period provided that no further consolidation occurs.
What that potentially means for Halifax County is that the five-year moratorium that the state granted the locality for the computation of the locality's composite index could be extended for another 10 years.
At a conservative figure of $3 million a year, that could mean an approximate $30 million windfall over the 10-year period.
"We are in pursuit of that legislation," said County School Superintendent Dennis Witt.
"We have asked the State Board of Education to request a ruling from the Attorney General on the legislation.
"This is big," Witt added.
"It could mean as much as $3 million in one year. That's how big this is."
The composite index is computed using a variety of statistics. It is a factor used by state officials to compute the amount of state school funds to be distributed to a locality.
When South Boston reverted to town status, the county's composite index was 23 percent.
State officials granted the locality a five-year moratorium and froze the county's composite index at that level for five years.
That saved the county several million dollars over the period.
But, when the 2000-2001 school year budget came up, the county's composite index was computed at 38 percent, meaning that the county will receive approximately $3.5 million less in state funds.
The county had to come up with the difference and funneled a record $13,099,602 in local money into the county school budget.
If the school system gets a favorable ruling, the school system could recoup that money and could see an additional $3 million or more each year for the next 10 years.
"What we hope is that someone will rule that it (the lower composite index figure) should remain as it was for another 10 years to make the total of 15 years," said Bill Covington, the school system's finance director.
That, Covington said, would be a big financial boon to the Board of Supervisors as they would not be forced to make up the $3 million difference with local money.
"That would be money that the locality wouldn't have to put toward the school budget," Covington noted.

Six convicted Cody-area cocaine dealers were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court.
But the "kingpin" Robert James Graves, will have to wait for his punishment.
Graves was found guilty earlier of eight counts of crack cocaine distribution and another charge of operating a continuing criminal enterprise.
Sentenced Thursday was Jarrett Jefferson Graves, 34 of Volens, who had plead guilty to two counts of distribution of crack cocaine and conspiracy to distribute. He was sentenced to 15.5 years in the federal penitentiary and five years of supervised probation upon his release.
Others sentenced included:
· Mark Anthony Graves, 27, of Kitty's Lane in Cody, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
Graves received a favorable sentencing on the recommendation of the United States Attorney for accepting responsibility for his actions and for rendering substantial assistance to the government.
He received two years of active probation.
· David O'Brien Burford, 45, of Campbell County pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and was sentenced to 151 months (12.5 years) in a federal penitentiary and five years of supervised probation upon his release.
· Derek O'Brien, 24, of Campbell County, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and received a favorable sentencing on the recommendation from the United states Attorney for accepting responsibility for his actions and for rendering substantial assistance to the government.
O'Brien was sentenced to 36 (three years) in a federal penitentiary and five years of supervised probation upon his release.
· Donnell Orlando Burford, 19, of Campbell County, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
Burford received a favorable sentencing on the recommendation from the United States Attorney for accepting responsibility for his actions and for rendering substantial assistance to the government.
He was sentenced to 36 months (three years) in a federal penitentiary and five years of supervised probation upon his release.
· Pierre Lamone Clark, 19, of Campbell County, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and was sentenced to 135 months (11 1/4 years) in a federal penitentiary and five years of supervised probation upon his release.
Those sentenced were convicted of operating open air drug markets in the Cody area of Halifax County and the Naruna area of Campbell County.
The operations were being conducted at Roberts Quick Stop, Cody Car Wash and on Kitty's lane in the Cody area and the Younger Estates on Triple Creek Road
The convictions were the result of an investigation by the combined efforts of the Drug Enforcement Agency, the United States Attorney's Office, Campbell County Sheriff's Office and the Halifax/South Boston Regional Narcotic Enforcement Task Force.

By Beth Robertson
Fat oysters at Christmas and old-fashioned hoop cheese drew one and all.
Store owner Claude Womack would check names off his list like Santa Claus as customers collected the healthy oyster specimens destined for their own holiday table or that of special friends.
Usually, the converted 55-gallon oil drum stove in the back would be crackling as the firewood blazed inside those winter days.
Gathered around the homemade stove, the store's regular crowd of a dozen or so men relaxed aboard old school bus seats or at a nearby picnic table.
"They just sat back there and told lies," said Womack, as a matter of fact.
"They killed the biggest deer and caught the biggest fish. A whole lot of lies were told back there in 40 years," he added with a smile.
The oysters, the hoop cheese and the lies will end at Womack's on July 1.
After 40 years at the same site, Claude and Mildred Womack will close the store's doors the last day of June.
Mrs. Womack's virtual garden of flowering plants that called the store's main window home will depart along with the store's customers.
"It's been 40 years and I'm 71 years old. It's time to get out," Womack said.
Inside the store, the transition is obvious.
Boxes of garden seed are stacked near the center aisle, the old Coke cases and display shelves are "for sale," and inventory is dwindling in a rural haven that once offered choices ranging from soap to seeds to nails to food to fertilizer.
This country store, like so many others, was hit hard in the pocketbook by new fuel tank laws.
"The gas pumps went over a year ago because of an environmental ruling," explained Womack. "There was nothing wrong with them, but they said that I had to get them (storage tanks) up."
Womack estimates his total business was cut in half when he lost the pumps because customers buying gas would often buy other items while stopped for gas.
"When they took the gas from us, we should have closed," added Mrs. Womack, who shares store duties with her husband.
Customer needs are also changing.
It used to be that in the fall, the men who came in wanted everything from hog feed to tractor parts, observed a friend. "There are just a very few farms left," observed store regular Daniel "Dude" Perkins.
"People don't raise hogs now like they used to," Womack added.
Only 16 years old when he first began helping Ed Trice at his Rodden store, Womack said the grocery business was what he "knew most about" when he got out of the Army.
He joined the Army, he explained, when he couldn't find a job.
The Army quickly introduced the Vernon Hill native to Korea.
"I told people I was only scared one time in Korea, from the moment I got over there," said Womack
"You didn't know if you were going to be living the next minute or not," he added. "Shells falling over here and there."
A small hit by shrapnel was Womack's only war wound. "I was lucky, but so many died," he said.
Back from the Army, Womack worked near Chatham. "I was guarding prisoners at Chatham and saw an empty store. I got with the man who owned it and rented the store at Mt. Airey."
In 1960, he built and moved into his present store on upper Mountain Road, located a good stone's throw from the Route 832 intersection.
"I like people," Womack said of his work.
"The money and the people," added Mrs. Womack with a smile.
"It used to be a good living," he added.
"We're going to have to find another place to hang out," said Dude Perkins. "I think we might go out there under the oak trees," he added, pointing to the Womack's front yard.
A picnic table is already there.
But until July 1, the old school bus seats lined up against the front wall continue to hold "the regulars" who gather early each morning "to watch the world go by and tell lies."
"Since I've been here, I bet 50 men have died who used to come in and sit around and talk," said Womack. Harold "Crook" Logan and Stover "Rooster" Daniel are among those most recently missed.
Opening the store about 6:30 a.m. and closing about the same time each evening, either 6:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m., Womack said he will be glad to be out.
"Our health is not as good as it used to be," he said, looking at his wife.
"We are going to miss him," said Perkins. "Miss having a place to go sit down and talk."
Womack, who has rented the store building to a neighboring business, appears at ease with his decision.
"I don't figure on doing anything," he laughed. "I aim to fish and to hunt some, since I have four little beagle dogs. But any kind of job, I'm not looking for one."
Still, it will continue to be business as usual for the regulars at Womack's until July 1.
'Til then, they'll take their place each morning "to watch life go by" at this haven for tall tales and for the men who tell them.

By CHAD ROEDEMEIER
Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA (AP) - Green lawns are tough to find in the South this spring, as a lack of rain and water restrictions have left homeowners helpless against a drought that also has forest officials fearing a summer of wildfires.
''My grass is already turning dry and crunching under your feet,'' said Kathy Holloway, who lives about 30 miles northeast of Atlanta. ''And it's only May. That's scary.''
Forecasters are predicting extreme drought conditions this summer in parts of the Southeast and Midwest - a combination of hot weather and little rain that spells bad news for lawns, gardens and forests.
Across the Southeast, 432,297 acres have burned so far this year. By contrast, the high-profile fires in the Southwest have scorched 130,000 fewer acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Through Monday, forest fires had consumed 42,347 acres in Georgia - nearly as much as in all of 1999, when 47,370 acres burned. And the hottest, driest part of the year is just beginning.
Garden center managers say people are buying fewer trees and shrubs this summer, apparently fearing that they will wither in the unrelenting sun.
''It's really off from last year, and last year we had a drought too,'' said Brad Balsis, manager of Habersham Gardens in Atlanta.
Newly planted trees and shrubs are particularly sensitive to dry conditions. The only solution during a drought is constant watering, which can get expensive.
Many local governments already have started restricting outdoor water use to certain days or times, and things will only get tougher for gardeners as the summer heats up.
''If people aren't allowed to water their sod, they don't buy it because it's going to die,'' said Kevin Stroner, sales manager at Southeastern Sod in Lawrenceville.
Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting extreme drought conditions in Georgia, Florida and parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina.
In the Midwest, extreme drought conditions are predicted for Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana and Illinois.
Climatologist David Stooksbury of the University of Georgia said rainfall in the state has been below average for more than two years, and most of the Georgia is from 5 to 15 inches below normal precipitation levels for this time of year.
The drought is even more frightening for farmers, which is why Claxton Mayor Perry Lee DeLoach organized a prayer service Tuesday in the southeast Georgia town.
Ministers and farmers gathered to pray for rain, singing the hymn, ''There Shall Be Showers of Blessing,'' which says, ''Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.''
The Rev. Robert Healy of St. Christopher's Catholic Church in Claxton said one man at the prayer service was upset by the participants' lack of faith.
''He said he was ashamed no one brought their umbrellas,'' Healy said.

By CAREN BENJAMIN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Studies showing that cigarette makers have increased advertising in magazines with large teen readerships, despite an agreement not to market to young people, should incite state and congressional action, tobacco critics said.
''I call on Congress to give the FDA meaningful authority to  regulate the marketing, sale and manufacturing of tobacco  products,'' President Clinton said after the studies were released Wednesday.
State attorneys general are looking into whether the advertisements violate a 1998 agreement that settled lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers brought by 46 states to recover the costs of treating sick smokers. The investigation is in the discovery stage, said Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire.
The $206 billion settlement forbids tobacco companies from  ''targeting'' persons under 18 in their advertising, marketing and  promotions.
''We believe we have adhered to both the letter and the spirit of the tobacco settlement,'' said Tom Ryan, a spokesman for Philip Morris USA.
One of the studies was by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the other was done by the American Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit group funded by the settlement.
Whether the studies are evidence of violation of the agreement is unclear, said Dr. Greg Connolly, director of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program.
''It's a very good start but more research may be needed,'' he said.
The Massachusetts study compared cigarette advertising  expenditures in magazines before and after the settlement, focusing on 19 popular magazines with more than 15 percent of their readership between the ages of 12 and 17. Fifteen percent was the level used by the Food and Drug administration in its efforts to regulate tobacco. Magazines in that category include Rolling Stone, Glamour, Sports Illustrated and Motor Trend.
Examples included a Rolling Stone issue with teen-age singing star Britney Spears on the front cover and a full-page Marlboro ad on the back.
In the first nine months of 1999, cigarette makers spent $119.9 million advertising, much of it on brands most popular with young smokers, in magazines with a significant percentage of teen readers, the study found. That is almost $30 million more than was spent in the same magazines in the corresponding period before the settlement, the study said.
A similar study by the American Legacy Foundation found more than 70 percent of teen-agers in 1999 had seen cigarette advertisements often enough to notice them and understand their content.
Advertisements for Marlboro reached 89 percent of teen-agers, the study found.
A spokesman for one cigarette maker, Brown and Williamson, said the company has already pulled any advertising from magazines with a significant percentage of readers under 21.
The company disputes the studies' method of assessing readers which is based on commercial marketing surveys. Brown and Williamson gets demographic data from the magazines themselves, said Mark Smith, spokesman for the Kentucky-based company.
Anti-smoking advocates call the companies' protestations disingenuous.
''Today's disclosure proves that the tobacco industry will only stop marketing to our children when they are forced to do so,'' said Matthew Myers, president of the campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The group is pushing for legislation that would allow the FDA to regulate tobacco. Myers also called on Congress to strike down a measure that would cut off funding for the federal government's lawsuit against tobacco companies. And he called on state attorney's general to act by enforcing the settlement.

By CATHERINE WILSON
AP Business Writer
MIAMI (AP) - Cigarette makers cannot tell a jury considering punitive damages for sick Florida smokers that the $250 billion they agreed to pay to states was sufficient punishment, a judge ruled Wednesday.
''You didn't get punished by any other case. You capitulated, and that's another matter,'' Judge Robert Kaye said. ''You were not forced by court action in the law to pay against your will.''
The jury already has ruled the industry conspired to produce a deadly product and awarded $12.7 million in damages to three smokers serving as representatives of an estimated 500,000 smokers covered by the class-action suit.
Now, the jury must decide whether to award punitive damages in order to punish the companies for their conduct.
During this phase, the tobacco industry can tell jurors what they owe under the settlements as a cost of doing business. But Kaye said: ''You cannot argue, 'Please don't punish us any more.'''
Kaye also excluded testimony about the industry's charitable contributions, community projects and diversity programs. But he will allow testimony from employees to back up claims by executives that the industry has changed, as the public's attitude toward smoking has changed.
The punitive phase could last up to two months.

Like a cat with nine lives, the Halifax County High School baseball team, for the second time, turned an almost certain spanking at the hands of GW into a win.
The Comets outscored GW by five runs in the final three innings and scored a come-from-behind 8-7 win over the Eagles in a key Western District game here Tuesday night.
Halifax County trailed 6-0 after two and a half innings and faced a four run deficit after four innings. But, they rallied for four runs in the fifth inning, two of them on a two run homer by Michael Priest, to tie the game.
The Comets then came up with the game winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Scott Adams tripled to open the inning and Matt Hastings backed it up with a game winning single that gave the Comets an 8-7 triumph.
This marked the second game in a row that Hastings has come up with a game winning hit. Hastings gave the Comets a win over E.C. Glass with a game winning hit a week ago tonight.
"Man, this is another big one," said an ecstatic Comets coach Kelvin Davis after his team, for the second time, snatched what appeared to be an almost sure win out of the hands of former Comets coach Scooter Dunn and his GW team with some late game heroics.
"These guys just never quit."
Dunn said the loss was a huge disappointment for his club.
"I don't know how much more we can take," Dunn said.
"We battle and battle and can't seem to get over the top. We played them exactly the way we wanted to play them. We defensed them exactly right. We swung the bats well. Late in the game we hit the ball on the nose. We just hit it right at somebody."
The win in what was the final regular season game for the Comets put them at 5-1 in Western District play and 15-1 overall. And, it left the Comets in position for no worse than a tie for the Western District regular season title.
If Albemarle defeats E.C. Glass tonight, the Comets and Albemarle will finish the regular season with identical 5-1 district marks. Should that occur, the two teams will face each other in a playoff game Monday at 6 p.m. at Heritage High School in Lynchburg.
The winner of that game will earn an automatic berth in the Northwest Region Tournament and the regular season title. Also, the winner of that game will be guaranteed the home field advantage for the Western District Tournament championship game, that is if the team wins its district semi-final game at home on Wednesday.
Priest, Adams, Hastings, and a couple of key defensive plays by the Comets in the final innings were focal points in the Comets' victory.
Priest, despite a nightmare of a night on the mound, produced four of the Comets eight runs.
Adams, who came in and staged a solid performance on the mound in relief of Priest and and Hastings provided the late heroics for the Comets. And, some heads-up plays on the part of the Comets' defense, gave the Comets much needed breaks that gave the others the chance to pull off the win.
Priest, who is usually sharp on the mound, was "off" on this night.
After giving up a walk to start the game, GW tagged him for three hits and three runs in the first inning. He gave up a hit in the second inning and gave up three back-to-back hits and hit a GW batter in the third inning.

That, coupled with a variety of defensive miscues and three errors that made the Comets look inept at times, put them at a six run deficit after GW scored three runs in then top of the third inning.
"At that point, I was a little frustrated," Davis said.
"I don't know where our minds were on defense. The guys weren't ready when the ball came to them."
While Priest was mired in his worst night of the season on the mound, he redeemed himself with a two RBI double in the bottom of the third inning that gave the Comets their first two runs of the game and allowed Halifax County to trim its deficit to four runs at 6-2.

Priest went back to the mound and the Comets retired the first two GW batters in the inning. But GW's Chris Bowers tagged Priest for a triple and the Eagles' Paul Gillespie backed it with a run scoring single that put GW up 7-2.
That was the final straw for Priest on the hill as Davis brought Adams to the mound.
"I think he was too jacked up," Davis said of Priest.
"He gets so jacked up when we play GW. He just wanted this game so badly."
Compton, the Comets' catcher, quickly relieved Adams and his team of a big jam when he threw out Gillespie as Gillespie attempted to steal second base to get the final out of the inning.

Halifax plated a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when R.D. Cole reached base on an error, moved to third on a hit by Chad Compton and scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Josh Milam to make it a 7-3 score.
But, Priest's story wasn't finished.
Priest further redeemed himself by producing two more runs for the Comets with his big two run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning.
"That was his pitch," said Davis of the high fastball that Priest yanked out of the park.

"He likes the ball up."
The homer triggered a four run rally that saw Brian Medley, who had walked, move to third base on a hit by Cole and score on a wild pitch by GW hurler Justin Tubb to make the score 7-6.
Cole moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Compton.
The tale of the game then turned toward Adams and some nifty defensive play on the part of the Comets.

Adams, with Compton's help, was relieved of a big jam in the fourth inning. After that, he turned in a heady performance on the mound, giving up just two hits, both in the fifth inning, and two walks, both in the sixth inning. He also recorded three strikeouts, one each in the final three innings.
A great defensive play by the Comets got Adams out of a hole in the fifth inning.
GW's Seth Payne launched a double to right field and attempted to stretch it into a triple. Comets' right fielder Nick Thompson retrieved the ball, fired it to Medley, the cutoff man, at second base, and Medley fired a bullet to Priest at third base to nail Payne.

Meanwhile, GW's designated hitter, Joe Daly, who had gotten the earlier hit, attempted to score on the play. But, Daly stumbled after rounding third base and, because he didn't cross the plate before the Comets nailed Payne, the apparent run that GW scored in the form of Daly did not count.

That set the stage for Adams who set the Comets up with the leadoff triple in the bottom of the sixth inning and for Hastings who came up with what was the game winning hit.
Adams then helped the Comets finish off the contest in the top of the seventh inning. He deftly fielded a hot chopper to the mound from GW's Jonathan Fulton to get the first out. Daly grounded out to second base for the second out and Adams fanned Tubb for the final out of the contest.
GEORGE WASHINGTON AB R H RBI
Moan, lf 3 1 0 0
Howell, 1b 2 0 0 0
Bowers, ss 3 3 3 0
Gillispie, rf 4 1 2 1
Fulton, 2b 4 2 2 3
Daly, cf 4 0 2 2
Tubb, p 4 0 0 0
Payne, c 2 0 1 0
McGuire 3 0 1 0
TOTALS 29 7 11 6
HALIFAX CO. AB R H RBI
Hastings, lf 4 1 3 1
Moore, lf 4 1 1 0
Priest, p 3 1 2 4
Medley, 2b 3 1 0 0
Meadows, 1b 2 0 0 0
Cole, ss 3 2 1 0
Compton, c 2 0 1 1
Milam, c 3 0 0 1
Parker, 3b 1 1 1 0
Adams, p 2 1 1 0
TOTALS 27 8 10 7

GW 3 0 3 1 0 0 0--7
Halifax 0 0 2 1 4 1 x--8

"This was a very big ball game."
Those words from Halifax County High School varsity girls softball coach Melanie Saunders summed up her team's 4-0 shutout of GW here Tuesday in the team's final Western District regular season contest.
The win put the Comets 12-3 overall and 5-1 in district play and left them with no worse than a tie for first place in the regular season standings.
"This was a very big ball game for us," Saunders said.
"And, they (the girls) knew it. The hits came when we needed them."
The Comets, who were scheduled to play their final regular season game here last night against Patrick Henry, will have to wait for the outcome of tonight's Western District contest between Albemarle and E.C. Glass in order to know what lies ahead in terms of next week's Western District Tournament.
A victory by Albemarle tonight would leave Halifax County and Albemarle in a tie for first place. And, the two teams would have to play a playoff game Monday, presumably in Lynchburg, to determine the regular season title and one of the automatic berths to the Northwest Region Tournament.
"It will be two good teams going face to face," Saunders said of what appears to an impending re-match of her Comets against Albemarle.
"It (the winner) will just depend on who hits the ball that day."
If a playoff game is necessary and, if the Comets win the playoff game, they would be guaranteed a spot in the Northwest Region Tournament and they would have the home field advantage for a district tournament semi-final game that will be played Wednesday. And, if they win their semi-final game Wednesday, they will host the district championship game on Friday.
However, if the Comets play a playoff game Monday and lose, they will be the number two seed for the district tournament. They would still get to play a semi-final game here Wednesday. But, under this scenario, if they win, they would have to play the district title game on the road.
The Comets staged a solid performance in their victory over GW here Tuesday, coming up with seven hits while hurler Anna Lewis held GW to just three hits and gave up two walks.
Brandi Conner and Jenny Armistead led the Comets with two hits each. Shonda Welch, Branda Best and Shannon Torian each chipped in a hit.
After being set down in order in each of the first two innings, the Comets erupted for a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning that started with a hit from Torian. Armistead reached base on an error and Joni Foster walked to lead the bases.
Conner hit a grounder to the third baseman who elected to get the forceout of Torian at the plate for the first out of the inning. Welch followed with a two RBI single to give the Comets a 2-0 lead. The inning ended with Melanie Hoskins striking out and Lewis being retired on a fly ball to centerfield.
Halifax County added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning to go up 3-0 when Armistead led off the inning with a double and scored later in the inning on a sacrifice grounder to second base by Welch.
The Comets picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jessica Short walked with two out, Armistead followed with a single, Amberly Moon walked to load the sacks and Conner walked to force in Short for the run.
GW's biggest scoring threats came early in the game when they took advantage of a Comets error and a base hit to get two runners into scoring position in the first inning and got a base hit with two out in the second and third innings.
GW also got a runner on the sacks in the fifth and seventh innings as the result of walks from Lewis. But, on each occasion, the Comets' defense held and shut down GW's bid

Jennifer Johnson, age 36, of South Boston, died May 12, 2000, from complications due to a double lung transplant operation.
Miss Johnson is the daughter of Roger and Pam Johnson of Culver City, Calif. She was a former special education teacher at Cluster Springs and South of Dan Elementary Schools.
Survivors include her parents; one brother, Keith Johnson of New York and one sister, Kirstin Johnson of Missouri.
A memorial service for Miss Johnson will be held at Abundant Life Church, 526 North Main Street, South Boston on May 20 at 3 p.m.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the National Transplant Assistance Fund.

Mary Ann Roberson Hankins, age 47, of Houston, Texas, died May 12, 2000, at the Methodist Hospital of Houston.
Mrs. Hankins was born in Halifax County on November 4, 1952, the daughter of Ernest Roberson and Mary Edmonds Roberson and was married to Bernard Hankins. She was a member of the Ross St. Seventh Day Adventist Church of Danville.
Survivors include her husband; one son, Keith and his wife, Renee; two granddaughters, Brianna and Kacie, all of Houston; her mother and stepfather, Mary and Charlie Tucker of Halifax; four brothers, Ernest Jr. of Halifax, Dexter of S.C., Calvin of Nashville, Tenn. and John of Washington, D.C.
Funeral services for Mrs. Hankins will be held today, May 19 at 11 a.m. at Emmanuel Seventh Day Adventist Church in South Boston. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Christine Walker Cole, age 86, of 3053 Wolf Trap Road, South Boston, died May 16, 2000, at her home.
Mrs. Cole was born in Patrick County on November 23, 1913, the daughter of Hammett Y. Walker and Hilda Hubbard Walker and was married to Henry Oscar Cole.
A graveside service will be held today, May 19 at 2 p.m. at Halifax Memorial Gardens. The Rev. Ann Davidson will officiate.
Survivors include one son, Toby Christopher Cole of Durham, N.C.; four sisters, Pearle W. Bobrowiecki of Fairhaven, Ma., Marcella W. Hayes of Solomons, Md., Nancy W. Williams of Miami Shores, Fla. and Hilda W. Williamson of Alton; two granddaughters, Whitney Cole of Pikeville, Ky and Christine Catherine Cole of Durham. She was preceded in death by one son, Henry Shandy Cole.

Mary Lena Norman Satterfield, age 79, of 2103 Vaughan Street, South Boston, died May 16, 2000, in Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Satterfield was born in South Boston on November 6, 1920, the daughter of W.W. Norman and Lena Rye Norman and was married to James Edward Satterfield. She was a member of Ash Avenue Baptist Church, a member of the WMU and a member of the leadership committee of the Dan River Baptist WMU and worked with the Bread Ministry at Ash Avenue and was a volunteer for the Good Samaritan.
A funeral service will be held at Ash Avenue Baptist Church today, May 19 at 7 p.m with the Rev. John Fariss officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Surviving Mrs. Satterfield are three daughters, Harriett S. Lowery of Bailey, N.C., Mary Carol S. Crabtree of South Boston and Joan S. Schrock of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; two sons, Norman Satterfield of Bedford and Brad Satterfield of South Boston; five sisters, Gladys N. Cavanaugh, Virginia N. Patterson and Elizabeth N. Thaxton, all of South Boston, Sara N. Gibson of Pulaski and Nancy N. Henderson of Halifax; two brothers, Walter Norman of Waverly and Bruce Norman of South Boston; 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Ash Avenue Baptist Church.

Herman Tyrone Green, age 47, of 1623 Jeffress Blvd., South Boston died May 17, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Green was born in Halifax County on November 29, 1952, the son of Dorothy Williams Green and Henry Louis Green. He was a member of Bethel Grove Baptist Church and was an employee of Halifax County High School.
Survivors include two daughters, Tonya Marie Green of South Boston and Tempress Green of Halifax; his mother of Clover; one son, Jawhaun Donie Cook of South Boston; one sister, Linda Lacks of Clover; two brothers, Larry Green and Leon Green, both of Clover; and a special friend, Gladys Stovall of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mr. Green will be held May 20 at 2 p.m. at Bethel Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Wimbush officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of Larry Green, 1156 Quill Town Road, Clover.

Thomas Greene, age 69, of 6219 Hunting Creek Road, Nathalie, died May 18, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Greene was born in Halifax County on June 2, 1930, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Greene and was married to Catherine Cousins Greene. He was a member of Bethel Grove Baptist Church and was a US Army Veteran.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Monica Greene Davis of Lynchburg; two sons, Clarence Canada of Clover and Vincent Thomas Greene of Nathalie; six grandchildren; three sisters, Martha Lee of Boston, Mass., Ruth Greene of Clover and Rachel Bailey; three brothers, Samuel Greene Sr. of Clover, James Greene of Conn. and John Green of Mass.; one son-in-law, Gary Davis; one daughter-in-law, Carolyn Canada; and his father and mother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Cousins.
Funeral services for Mr. Greene will be held May 20 at 11 a.m. at Bethel Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert H. VanHook officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home.

Robert Lipford, age 77, of Nashville, Tenn., formerly of Halifax County, died in Nashville.
Funeral services will be held today, May 19 in Nashville. Burial will follow the service.
Mr. Lipford was the son of Charlie Franklin Lipford and Annie Smart Lipford. He was a member of Alton Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sisters, Annie Belle Franklin of South Boston and Emily Clifton of Raleigh, N.C. He was preceded in death by a brother, James (Jim) Lipford.

James Robert (Bob) Priest, age 79, of 1145 Scottsburg Road, Scottsburg, died May 18, 2000, at his home.
Mr. Priest was born in Halifax County on October 10, 1920, the son of Edward Norvel Priest and Florence Loomis Priest and was married to Christine Snead Priest.
He was a graduate of Scottsburg High School and Smithdeal Massey Business College, a Veteran of WWII, Gunnery Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corp, was in the Alabama National Guard, a Veteran of the Korean War, U.S. Army, a company commander with the Corp of Engineers and was awarded the Bronze Star.
Mr. Priest was a member of Scottsburg Baptist Church, where he was a trustee, deacon and Sunday School teacher and was a charter member of Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department. He was a retired tobacco buyer for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company.
Funeral services will be held May 20 at 2 p .m. at Scottsburg Baptist Church with the Revs. Bob Richards and Michael Phillips conducting the service. Burial will take place in Oakland Cemetery, Scottsburg.
Survivors of Mr. Priest include his wife of the home; one son, Dr. James H. Priest of Vernon Hill; one sister, Elizabeth Priest Newbill of South Boston; and three grandsons, Berkley Priest of New York City, Regan Priest of Fredericksburg and Michael Priest of Vernon Hill.
The family will receive friends this evening, May 19 at Powell Funeral Home from 7:00 until 9:00, and other times at the home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Scottsburg Baptist Church or Oakland Cemetery Fund.