A settlement reached out of court makes tobacco growers and
quota owners - including those from Halifax County - eligible
to receive payments from a fund set up through the settlement
of a class action lawsuit.
Halifax County farmers should begin watching their mailboxes,
as about a half-million letters pertaining to a tobacco lawsuit
settlement went out last week, according to Kevin Bohon, Halifax
County USDA executive director.
Halifax County tobacco growers and quota owners - as well as those
throughout the flue-cured and burley growing region - began receiving
letters recently pertaining to the recent settlement of a federal
lawsuit regarding alleged unfair business practices in the tobacco
auction system.
Flue-cured growers and quota holders will be eligible for payments
from a pool of $200 million, and is based on the amount of poundage
owned or marketed by the producers, according to the settlement.
These monies are part of a settlement agreement that is reportedly
worth a total of $1 billion, although the settlement still awaits
final acceptance by a federal court.
There will be a hearing on October 1, to determine final approval
of the settlement reached between manufacturers and producers,
according to information sent out to producers.
Those letters that farmers and quota holders are receiving this
week include a form that must be completed and returned to the
settlement administrator by mid-October.
The settlement directs a total of $200 million, with $100 million
going to tobacco growers and another $100 million to quota holders.
As reported in the Roxboro Courier-Times, the settlement is the
result of a suit filed in 2000, when a group of growers of both
flue-cured and burley tobacco claimed that the auction system
had been manipulated in recent years to enable the companies to
control auction prices.
The suit, alleging the unfair practices, names multiple manufacturers
and claims the manufacturers "unlawfully agreed and conspired
to restrain competition and fix prices."
If further alleges the manufacturers "engaged in other unlawful
conduct to stabilize prices of tobacco at levels below those that
would have existed in a competitive market."
The suit was brought under federal anti-trust laws.
But the merits of the lawsuit won't be debated in a courtroom.
In addition, the settlement stipulates that three manufacturers,
Philip Morris, Brown & Williamson and Lorillard, will commit
to an annual purchase of at least 405 million pounds of domestic
flue-cured and burley leaf.
Philip Morris will also pay $8 million into a fund to be used
for tobacco research and extension programs. Up to $5 million
of that fund can be used to promote quota buyout legislation.
The class-action nature of the lawsuit means that it applies to
all growers and quota holders for both flue-cured and burley tobacco.
In order for farmers and quota holders to complete the application
for settlement funds, they will need information from local offices
of the Farm Service Agency of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Currently, that information is being assembled, but is not yet
ready to be distributed to the producers.
Bohon said the information should be available shortly.
"It's (the information) in our system, but it's not in the
format where we can provide it to them (producers) yet,"
he said.
He said USDA administrators in Washington are working on the problem.
"We're working on a process to get that information to them,
but it probably won't be available until August 1," Bohon
said.
Producers and quota holders are required to supply quota and marketing
information from 1996 through 2000.
The specific information is required because the settlement calls
for individual payments to be based on the quantities of tobacco
sold at auction between March 1, 1996, and Feb. 28, 2001.
Supplying the allotment information is the extent to which USDA
officials can help the producers, Bohon said.
The FSA and USDA offices will not be able to assist producers
in filling out the forms "because the government is not involved
in the lawsuit or the settlement," the USDA director added.
"We can provide the allotment information and that's all."
Information about the forms and filing them can be obtained from
a couple of sources, according to Bohon.
Producers can log onto a settlement website set up to provide
information about the case. Its address is www.deloachclassaction.org.
An informational telephone hotline has also been set up to provide
help with the application at 1-800-371-9820.
Companies which have agreed to the settlement and are putting
money into the settlement account are Philip Morris, Brown &
Williamson, Lorillard, Universal Leaf, J. P. Taylor Co., Southwestern
Tobacco, Dimon and Standard.
R. J. Reynolds is not part of the settlement agreement. The plaintiffs
reportedly will continue to push their legal claim against R.
J. Reynolds.
The settlement of the price-fixing lawsuit has no relationship
to previous tobacco suit settlements or any potential buyout legislation,
Bohon said.
A 34-year-old Blanch, N.C. man was sentenced Wednesday to 10
years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of 22-year-old
Jamie Scott Wilkins last August.
Sentencing for Bradley Charles Weadon took place in Halifax County
Circuit Court.
Weadon will serve an effective 12-month jail term, the remainder
suspended by Judge William L. Wellons, conditioned on Weadon's
good behavior for 10 years.
The court ordered work release for Weadon, subject to acceptance
by Blue Ridge Regional Jail.
Judge Wellons additionally ordered Weadon to be placed on probation
for two years following his release.
Weadon had entered an Alford plea March 31 to an amended indictment
charging him with involuntary manslaughter , as part of a plea
agreement with the Commonwealth.
Under terms of Weadon's Alford plea, he didn't admit his guilt
in Wilkins' death, but realized prosecution evidence would have
probably meant a conviction, had the case gone to trial.
The incident during which Wilkins was fatally injured occurred
last August 6 near a residence in the Alton community.
Virginia State Police responded to an "accident involving
a pedestrian" about 10:40 p.m. that evening.
Trooper B.E. Jones reported he found Wilkins already dead and
lying in a ditch.
People at the scene reportedly told Jones that Wilkins had been
arguing with passengers in a pickup truck operated by Weadon,
when Weadon put the truck in reverse and started backing up.
Wilkins was reportedly hanging onto the door of the truck and
running alongside of the vehicle when the truck came to a ditch.
Jones reported that when the rear of the truck struck the ditch,
Wilkins apparently lost his grip, fell and was run over by the
truck.
Wilkins' wife, Stephanie Smith Wilkins, and the couple's two small
children were among the passengers in the truck, according to
court records.
· Harrison Jermaine Culley Jr., 38, of Clarksville, was
convicted Wednesday of a probation violation.
The court revoked six months of Culley's previously suspended
prison sentence, with work release authorized.
· Robert Edward Cole, 20, of Virgilina, was convicted
Wednesday of a probation violation.
Judge Wellons revoked Cole's previously suspended prison term,
resuspending all to time already served.
· Phillip Allen Clayton, 41, of South Boston, was granted
first offender status Wednesday by the court on an indictment
charging him with cocaine possession.
Judge Wellons ordered Clayton's case be continued for one year,
placing him on probation for that time, and additionally ordered
Clayton to submit to random drug tests and undergo treatment as
needed.
The court ordered Clayton to perform 100 hours of community service
through Halifax-Pittsylvania Court Services, and restricted his
operator's license for travel to and from work and treatment sessions.
A 30-year-old Scottsburg man is being held in Halifax Regional
Jail on charges of breaking and entering into a convenience store,
according to the Halifax County Sheriff's Office.
Captain Larry Fears said yesterday that Charles E. Williams, 30,
of Hundley Road, is being held on suspicion of breaking and entering
into Max's Grocery on James D. Hagood Highway with the intent
to commit larceny and assault and battery.
"Deputies responded to a call at Max's Grocery in reference
to a breaking and entering at about 11 p.m. Wednesday," Fears
said.
When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered that a window
at the rear of the business was broken, and another window was
open, according to the captain.
"Deputies at the scene searched the store and found no one
inside and nothing missing," he said.
As they began searching the area, Williams was discovered in the
vicinity.
"Based on information discovered at the scene, Williams was
arrested and charged with the crime," Fears said.
The Scottsburg man is being held in the Halifax Regional Jail
on a $25,000 secured bond.
In other police business, Kristi Ann McCoy, 25, of Danville, was
charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain control
of her vehicle following an accident at 1 a.m. on Monday on Route
58 approximately four-tenths of a mile west of Route 119.
Trooper J.L. Crowder said that McCoy swerved her 1987 Toyota to
the left to avoid a deer on the side of the road, struck a 1997
Hyundai driven by Tommy Ray Shotwell, 30, of Roxboro, which then
struck the guardrail.
Crowder estimated that the Toyota sustained $500 in damages while
the Hyundai sustained $4000 in damages.
A chain reaction accident in Riverdale Wednesday afternoon injured
two people and resulted in charges leveled against the driver
of one of the vehicles, according to South Boston Police.
South Boston Police Officer Sheng Song reported that the accident
occurred when two vehicles, a 2000 Toyota driven by a 17-year-old
juvenile and a 1976 GMC driven by Robert C. Wade, 58, of Halifax,
were stopped in the northbound lane of Route 501 in front of Swanee
Restaurant.
The car driven by the juvenile was struck in the rear by a 1976
Chevrolet pickup driven by Alexander I. Boyd, 48, of South Boston,
with the juvenile's vehicle in turn hitting the GMC operated by
Wade.
Both the juvenile and a passenger in the car were injured, according
to police.
Song estimated damages of $500 to Boyd's truck, $4,000 to the
Toyota and $150 to Wade's GMC, and charged Boyd with following
too close.
Virgilina native Leroy Childress is running
as an independent for county treasurer in the November General
Election.
"I chose to run because I feel that we have a diverse community
made up of different intellects, cultures, backgrounds and professional
skills, and I feel that our county offices should be the same
way," said Childress.
A diversified county administration is essential to the community's
future, according to Childress.
"When you have a diverse community and work environment you
tend to share information and work ideas," he explained.
"You have to share ideas and everyone has to be cross-trained,
so that advancement can go on," said Childress.
"That is what this community needs -- advancement."
While Childress does not have experience in county administration,
he has been involved in the financial world since 1990.
"I really think my work experience is what counts,"
he said.
Childress worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the
U.S. Naval Sea Combat Systems Engineers Station for two years
, the Southside Community Service Board for 11 years, and is currently
chief financial officer for the Boydton Community Health Facility.
"I have experience in budgeting, accounting, payroll, accounts
payable, fixed assets and corporate, small business and personal
income taxes," he added.
The county treasurer is responsible for the collection, custody
and distribution of county funds.
In addition to keeping day-to-day records of all cash receipts
and disbursements, the county treasurer is responsible for the
billing and collection of local taxes and fees including personal
property, real estate, dog tags, vehicle decals, and business
and professional licenses.
"A good treasurer would become involved in the decision making
process, in the formation of the budget," said Childress.
"If elected, I pledge to treat people with dignity and respect,"
he added. "It will be my duty to monitor the public funds
in a fiscally responsible manner."
Childress graduated from Halifax County High School before continuing
on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Norfolk State
University.
He studied for the Certified Public Accountant Examination with
the Becker Conviser CPA Review before taking the exam in 2000.
Childress serves as the treasurer for Mount Olive Baptist Church
and is an active member of the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masonic
Lodge No. 203.
"This November election is about more than just choosing
a treasurer or Board of Supervisors member," he said.
"It is an opportunity for the community to look back and
say 'our county is in recession, now is the time to make some
changes," Childress added.
"The only way to do that is to bring in new ideas."
By JOE CHANDLER & DOUG FORD
Post 8 was hoping to bounce back and earn a split of its four
early-week contests when it faced Big Island Post 217 here Wednesday
night.
After Post 8 had lost a doubleheader on Sunday, it got back into
the win column with an 11-9 win over South Hill Post 79 Tuesday
night.
Head coach Chris Conner was looking was looking for the momentum
to propel it through Wednesday's test against Big Island.
It almost worked.
Post 8 fell a run shy in a marathon slugfest, falling to Big Island
13-12 in a game that saw the two teams combine for a total of
33 hits and 25 runs.
The loss left Post 8 3-5 overall and 1-4 in district play.
Brent Long led Post 8 in Wednesday's game with three hits. Ryan
Gieselman, Brandon Osbeck and Mason Walker each had two hits.
Robert Carter, Justin Brown and David Lacks had a hit each.
Post 8 had to go four deep into its pitching staff to try to quell
the Big Island attack.
Big Island jumped on top early with a two-run first inning homer
by Allen Bryant and stayed there.
The visitors added three runs in the top of the second inning
with the help of a Post 8 error and tacked on five more runs in
the top of the fourth inning to take a 10-0 lead.
At that point, the game appeared, for all practical purposes,
to be over.
Post 8 didn't take it that way.
South Boston came right back in the bottom of the fourth inning
to score seven runs and cut its deficit to a trey at 10-7.
Carter triggered the inning with a single. A one-out double by
Gieselman put runners on second base and third base.
Long backed that up with a two-RBI single, Osbeck singled and
Walker doubled to plate Long.
Lacks came up with a run-scoring hit, David Brown was hit by a
pitched ball, and Justin Armistead delivered a run-scoring hit.
Carter walked to plate a run and Post 8's final run of the inning
scored when Justin Brown grounded out to the shortstop for the
second out of the inning.
Two Post 8 errors in the top of the sixth inning opened the door
for Big Island to add three more runs and extend its lead to 13-7.
That would be the last run Big Island would score.
A run-scoring double by Long gave Post 8 another run in the bottom
of the sixth inning to make it a 13-8 score.
Post 8 made one last bid at Big Island with a four-run rally in
the bottom of the eighth inning to close to within a run.
Carter, J. Brown and Gieselman walked to load the sacks to start
the inning.
A hit by Long scored a run, another scored when Osbeck walked,
and two more runs scored as the result of walks.
South Boston looked for another opportunity in the bottom of the
ninth inning when J. Brown walked to kick off the inning.
But the Post 8 bid fell shy when Gieselman flied to out to right
field for the first out and Long and Osbeck went down on strikes.
Post 8 11 South Hill 9
Post 8's lone win of the week came here Tuesday in an 11-9 conquest
of South Hill Post 79.
That contest was a slugfest as well with the two teams combining
for a total of 21 hits, 10 of which came from Post 8.
Osbeck and Walker led Post 8 with two hits each.
Armistead, J. Brown, Gieselman, Long, Hawkins and Lacks each had
one hit for Post 8.
South Hill jumped on top, picking up a run in the top of the second
inning with the help of a Post 8 error and a base hit to go up
1-0.
Post 8 picked up four runs in the bottom of the third inning with
the help of a run-scoring hit by Brown and a two-RBI double by
Gieselman.
A solo homer gave South Hill a run in the top of the fifth inning
to make it a 4-2 contest.
Post 8 exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning
to take an 11-2 lead with Brent Long's grand slam round-tripper
doing the bulk of the damage to South Hill.
South Hill bounced back to add three runs in the seventh inning
with the help of a Post 8 error.
A walk, a hit and three Post 8 errors gave South Hill another
run in the eighth inning to make it an 11-7 score.
South Hill made a run at Post 8 in the top of the ninth inning
by scoring two runs but it wasn't enough as Post 8 hung on for
the win.
Sunday Doubleheader
Game One
Post 74 7, Post 8 1
Post 8 fell victim to a combined two-hitter in the first contest,
losing 7-1.
Armistead and Carter got the two Post 8 hits, both singles, Carter's
in the first inning and Armistead's in the seventh.
Post 8 had base runners in the first four innings, but couldn't
produce a run.
Carter was stranded after his first inning single, Gieselman got
aboard on an error to start the second inning, but was stranded
at second, while Brent Long got aboard on an error in the third,
but was stranded at first.
In the fourth inning, Justin Brown drew a walk and advanced to
second on an error, and was removed on a fielder's choice hit
by Gieselman for the first out.
Gieselman stole second, went to third on a wild pitch.
After a strikeout, David Brown drew a walk, but a groundout got
Post 74 out of the inning.
Post 74 used a combination of hits, walks and Post 8 errors to
go up 4-0 after four innings.
A leadoff double, a walk, and another double led to two runs in
the third inning, while two walks, a passed ball, and two Post
8 errors led to two additional runs an inning later.
Post 74 added some insurance in the fifth inning, using two singles,
a stolen base, a double, and another single to score three runs
for a 7-0 lead.
After being retired in order the fifth and sixth innings, Post
8 broke through in the seventh to score its lone run of the game.
Walker got aboard on a one-out error, Harold Clowdis and Frank
Clowdis drew walks to load the bases, and Armistead's single scored
one run.
Two flyouts ended the rally and the game.
Lacks pitched the first two and two-thirds innings, giving up
two runs on two hits, while striking out one batter. Lacks walked
two.
Tyler Clarke pitched the next two and one-third innings, followed
by Frank Clowdis, who finished the game.
Clarke allowed five runs on four hits, while striking out three
batters and walking two.
Clowdis pitched the final inning, allowing no hits, while striking
out one batter.
Game Two
Post 74 3, Post 8 1
Post 8 pitcher Justin Brown went the distance but came up just
short in the second game, as Post 74 finished the doubleheader
sweep with a close 2-1 decision.
Post 8 collected four hits in the contest, including a double
by David Brown and singles by Justin Brown, Gieselman and Walker.
Post 8 scored a single run in the second inning, but Post 74 responded
with single runs in the second and third innings to take the lead
for good.
Armistead started the second inning for Post 8 by drawing a walk,
and advanced on Gieselman's single, before scoring on a fielder's
choice.
Hawkins got aboard on an error, but a double play got Post 74
out of the inning.
Post 74 evened the score in the bottom of the inning, as the leadoff
batter got aboard on an error, stole second and came home on a
Post 8 error.
David Brown led off the third inning with a double and went to
third on a wild pitch, but was stranded after a groundout, strikeout
and another groundout.
Post 74 took the lead in the bottom of the inning, as the leadoff
batter singled, stole second, went to third on a passed ball,
and scored on a sacrifice fly.
Both teams had their chances to score in the later innings, with
Post 74 adding an insurance run in the sixth inning.
Post 8 saw its best chance to score go by the boards in the fourth
inning.
Justin Brown led off with a single, and advanced to third after
two passed balls, but was out at home attempting to score on a
fly out.
Walker singled, but a groundout ended the inning.
With one out in the fifth, Carter was at first base after being
hit by a pitch, but a 1-6-3 double play ended the inning for Post
8.
In the sixth inning, Post 74 used a one-out single, a wild pitch
and double to score their third run, and Post 8 went down in order
the top of the seventh to end the game.
Justin Brown had a good outing for Post 8, giving up three runs
on five hits, while striking out one batter and walking none.
Thomas Rea Boyd
Thomas Rea Boyd of 1151 Golden Leaf Road,
Nathalie died June 23 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Boyd was the son of the late Lee Grant Boyd and Sallie Stewart
Boyd, and was married to Vernester Crews Boyd.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Jacqueline Clark
of Hurt, Amy Boyd of Nathalie and Monica Boyd of Raleigh, N.C.;
three sons, Thomas M. Boyd of Miss., Donald Henderson of Nathalie
and Jeremy Boyd of the home; 14 grandchildren; two sisters, Alease
Armistead and Dorothy Boyd, both of Nathalie; one brother, Bradshaw
Palmer of Fort Washington, Md.
Funeral services for Mr. Boyd will be held tomorrow, June 28 at
2 p.m. at Republican Grove Baptist Church in Nathalie with the
Rev. L.S. Otey officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home.
Lottie Oakley Lowery
Lottie Oakley Lowery, 90, of 3189 Bill Tuck
Highway, South Boston, died June 25 at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Mrs. Lowery was born in Halifax County on March 24, 1913, the
daughter of the late Elizabeth Catherine Conner Oakley and Johnnie
Samuel Oakley, and was married to the late Richard A. Lowery.
She was a member of Black Walnut Baptist Church, and a member
of the W.M.U.-Ming Yung Circle at First Baptist Church. She was
a retired nurse's aide.
Survivors include one daughter, Gwynn L. Link of Alton; one son,
Dean Lowery of South Boston; two sisters, Esther Loftis of Wilmington,
Del. and Ara Duncan of Fairfax; two brothers, Henry and Walter
Oakley, both of South Boston; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Rencie L. Ragans;
and four sisters, Harrell Cliborne, Virlie Clark, Zelma Ragans
and Kathryn Franklin.
Services for Mrs. Lowery will be held tomorrow, June 28 at 11
a.m. at Black Walnut Baptist Church with the Rev. H.V. Conner
officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening at Brooks Funeral
Home between 7:00 and 8:30, and other times at the home.
Clarence Emerson Moorefield
Clarence Emerson Moorefield of Nathalie
died June 24 at Ruxton Health of Straford Hill. He was the son
of John Edward Moorefield and Beulah Thaxton Moorefield.
Survivors of Mr. Moorefield include one sister, Carye Moorefield
Hines of Nathalie; and a number of nieces and nephews. He was
preceded in death by two brothers, John Edward Moorefield and
Dr. Charles W. Moorefield; and one sister, Thelma Moorefield Talbott.
Graveside services will be held tomorrow, June 28 at Halifax Memorial
Gardens at 11 a.m. The Rev. David Dickerson will conduct the service.