By Beth Robertson
Reality came in personal nightmare doses at Wednesday's town meeting.
Facing a plant closing next month, JPS employees pulled no punches.
No job, can't afford insurance, no vacation pay, some bouncing
paychecks and no help came the chorus of voices.
Anger, uncertainty and a call for "real help now" prevailed
during the 90-minute meeting called by retiring Del. W.W. "Ted"
Bennett and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Warner.
"How are we going to live without insurance?" asked
a 25-year JPS employee.
With COBRA, the insurance will cost $650 a month. "Who can
pay that? All of us are in the same boat."
"Where is our vacation money going?" asked a 36-year
JPS employee.
Vacation money, which employees say that they had already earned,
is one of the hottest issues with workers. With it, often calculated
in the $2000 to $3000 and up range, employees say that they would
have had a cushion now to pay bills.
Wanda Davis, a 26-year employee, said that the local Virginia
Employment Commission can only accept three job referrals a day.
"I need a job. I need some help," she said. "I
would have to come back three days to get nine referrals. Our
time is precious when looking for a job."
"We should be learning from the past," said Mark Warner
of Martinsville's experience during the Tultex closing last year.
"We need to bring more resources here to help with the transition,"
he added, using F.E.M.A.'s response to natural disasters as an
example.
Naming other plant closings, including Tultex, JPS, Rochester
Button and concern about RTP and International Fan Co., one worker
charged community leaders had not been on top of the situation.
"This has been going on 12 years" she said.
"This community has not had its head in the sand," Del.
Bennett replied, naming companies that have located here.
"Folks here have been trying. This community has been trying
to pull itself up by its bootstraps, but we need help from outside.
"I don't want you to have to leave South Boston and Halifax
because you don't have jobs and insurance," Bennett said.
But another lady asked, "What kind of jobs are being brought
here? We are just trading off. This community is going to die
if Burlington closes down."
"Employees need protection," said a 40-year JPS employee.
At a place this many years ...and have nothing."
After working over 30 years, "suddenly your benefits are
gone," said one man.
JPS Human Resources manager Larry Harris asked, "What plans
are there for existing industry?" If something isn't done
for existing industry, he warned, "Why won't this happen
again?"
"Most jobs are not going to be at big plants," Warner
told the crowd. The businessman predicted most jobs would be in
smaller businesses.
"As a state, we don't do much to support small business,"
he added. "We need state policy that brings in new industry
and helps small business."
Warner, too, pulled no punches Wednesday, telling the primarily
textile crowd that he did not think the textile jobs would return.
"Folks, I don't think that they're coming back."
Warner emphasized the need for venture capital in the region,
saying that he had "put his money where his mouth is"
on the issue by working to establish such funds to create businesses
and jobs.
A 32-year veteran employee told the crowd that his family had
over 200 years logged working at JPS. Describing himself as a
1969 Halifax High graduate, he said that he understood that the
U.S. government was supposed to be for the people. "What
the hell happened?" he asked.
Other workers worried that without a high school diploma or GED,
they would have trouble finding work. Older employees worried
about job opportunities. One was particularly concerned about
insurance and employment since he will have a pre-existing medical
condition.
Naming losses in the textile, furniture and television industry,
one man asked, "If everything is made overseas, what are
we going to do" if there is a war. "Throw rocks and
run around in rags?"
Some families are experiencing double trouble with the closing
since both man and wife worked at the plant. And, in some cases,
other family members work there as well.
"What about The United Way and Social Services," asked
another employee, noting JPS employees always supported The United
Way. "This is a disaster. Why won't they help us? We can't
make it on $268 a week."
Anger at Congress and the former administration for approving
the North American Free Trade Agreement, which threw open the
door to international trade, was not concealed. "We should
tend to our own business and our country," said one speaker.
"Are these foreign countries going to feed us like we have
been feeding them?" came another sentiment.
"I know it is probably going to happen to me," said
an employee of another textile company.
Bitter with the federal government's position as well as that
of companies, she said that jobs were going overseas "because
of what they can get out of it and they don't give a rip"
about us.
J.R. Griffin, JPS plant manager, told the crowd that last year
he was able to distribute $300,000 in profit sharing checks to
employees. Then, six months later, he had to tell them that the
plant was closing and that they had no job.
"It was a terrible day. I cried, they cried," he recalled.
But it was help now Griffin called for. Even if trade assistance
help is available - which he said has not been approved, Griffin
said it could be 30 to 90 days. Both Griffin and several employees
noted that classes start at the CEC in mid-August.
The plan manager asked for "influence to get help right now."
A Halifax County native, Griffin said that he wanted to stay in
Halifax and that he was proud of the area, even complimenting
its industrial recruitment. However, he noted that workers at
JPS averaged well over $10 per hour, while others made $14, $15
per hour and up," salaries that might be hard to replace.
"These are not job hoppers," Griffin told Bennett, Warner
and state Sen. Louise Lucas. "They have given their lives
to the company and they need some assistant right now.
Griffin told the crowd that 5th District Congressman Virgil Goode
had called him and offered to try to help push through the NAFTA
filing.
Opening the meeting, Bennett told the crowd that the purpose was
to hear what they needed and to let them know how they could help.
The Democrats also lashed out at Gov. Gilmore for vetoing legislation
last year that they said was designed to help Tultex workers at
the closed plant in Martinsville and that would have helped now
in South Boston.
Following the meeting, GOP 5th District Chairman Tucker Watkins,
who also represents U.S. Sen. George Allen in regional economic
development matters, also offered Allen's assistance to textile
workers.
Watkins also distributed a letter from state Sen. Frank Ruff asking
where the 50 companies and 15,000 jobs Warner said that he has
created are located. Ruff also asked for details about venture
capital projects in the region.
Clarke Hogan, who is seeking retiring Del. Ted Bennett's House
seat, also attended the town meeting on Wednesday. "Certainly
everybody in the community is troubled with the problems the people
at JPS have experienced with that shutdown. WE certainly need
to make sure we are doing everything we can do help those people.
It is important to rememeber that many of the solutions that Mark
Warner suggested are programs that already exist. Hogan noted
that VEC representatives had been at the JPS plant that morning
and that many of the people on that shift had not met with them.
Halifax Town Council approved the rezoning of about 62
acres of land off of Crawford Road for development Tuesday night.
Councilman Jack Dunavant offered the rezoning substitute motion
to assure that the restrictive covenants established and agreed
to by developer Allen Stevens were included in the deed, noting
the county has had a problem with the issue since attorneys do
not always include the covenants.
Councilmen agreed to the rezoning with covenant restrictions included
with one councilman, Buddy Guthrie, abstaining. Guthrie cited
his long working relationship with the developer. Councilman Harold
Younger was absent at the Tuesday night session.
Stevens sought the R-1 to R-1A change for a single family home
subdivision. Manufactured homes will be allowed. Minimum lot sizes
were set at 20,000 square feet.
Other development conditions include road construction following
the town's subdivision ordinance, concrete driveways and sidewalks
and a 25-foot wide buffer of trees at the development's border,
among others.
The property is located adjacent to the Power of Faith Christian
Church.
Council also accepted Laughlin-Sutton Construction Company's bid
of $764,700 for an upgrade to the town's sewer plant. The Greensboro
company was the lowest of four bidding the project.
Council also authorized an open-ended resolution, not to exceed
$1,197,000, to issue bonds to upgrade the sewer plant.
The Virginia Resource Authority will take the bond, which is not
open to private individuals, Town Manager Robert Greene told council.
Councilmen also approved a resolution to utilize Camp 23 workers
on VDOT road work within the town boundary.
Mayor Dennis Osborne appointed a committee of three to study proposals
for a new town trash truck, with council authorizing the committee
to take whatever action appropriate.
The town manager told councilmen that a small new truck that will
compact about 500 pounds could be purchased for around $49,700.
A larger truck that would compact twice as much was priced at
$87,000.
"We have got to do something pretty quick," emphasized
Greene, when asking that the mayor appoint a committee to study
the town's truck needs and available proposals.
Osborne named councilmen H.C. Phillips, Sam Thompson and Cabell
Daniel to the new committee, with council authorizing them to
approve or reject a truck proposal.
The town's trash truck was described as a garbage delivery truck
by several citizens during a recent budget meeting since garbage
fell into driveways through a hole in its body.
The town manager also gave a brief update on the installation
of a wall at the town's cemetery. The wall is part of the town's
renewal effort.
A 30-year-old South Boston man who eluded police last
February after being stopped for suspicion of car theft was found
guilty Tuesday in Halifax County Circuit Court of escaping custody
without force.
Christopher Lee Brooks was originally charged with car theft and
escaping custody. The charge of grand larceny/auto was nol prossed
by the prosecution during the bench trial before Judge William
L. Wellons.
Judge Wellons remanded Brooks to custody after the trial, pending
a presentence report during the September term of court.
According to South Boston police reports, a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
driven by Brooks was stopped at 6 p.m. on February 27 by police
officer Chris Carswell at the entrance to Westside Apartments
for an identification check.
The Jeep with Brooks and passenger Jesse Sims, of Westbrook Street
in South Boston, was turned away because of improper identification,
and a later tag check indicated it had been stolen in New York.
While searching for the vehicle in the area of Sims' residence,
Carswell noticed the suspects and the vehicle behind him, and
allowed the vehicle to pass before stopping it.
Both men fled before handcuffs could be applied, with Brooks first
fleeing to a field near Gravitt Street and later hiding under
cars the remainder of the night in order to escape detection.
Sims fled to a girlfriend's house before entering the police department
around 11:30 p.m. No charges were filed against him.
Acting on an anonymous tip, police officers arrested Brooks at
a relative's home the next afternoon.
· Paula Renee Hood, 29, of Danville, was convicted Tuesday
of a third offense of larceny.
The court remanded Hood to custody pending a presentence report
in the September term of court.
· Avery Thomas Guill, 25, of Scottsburg, was convicted
Tuesday of an amended indictment of petty larceny against Pamela
Lacks.
Judge Wellons sentenced Guill to 12 months in jail, with all but
90 days suspended, and authorized work release for Guill, if he
were eligible.
The court additionally ordered Guill not to have contact with
his victim and to pay restitution of $164 within 30 days if work
release were authorized, or within 30 days after release if it
wasn't.
· Kathy Lynn Wilborn aka Kathy P. Perkins, 39, of South
Boston, was convicted Tuesday of possessing cocaine.
Judge Wellons ordered Wilborn be evaluated for alternative sentencing
options and remanded her to custody pending a presentence report
due for the September term of court.
· Abenes Maurice Yancey aka Benny Yancey, 31, of Alton,
was convicted Wednesday of conspiracy to distribute or possession
with the intent to distribute cocaine.
Yancey was additionally convicted of one count of cocaine distribution.
Judge Wellons revoked Yancey's bond and remanded him to custody
pending a presentence report in the September term of court.
The court ordered Yancey be evaluated for alternative sentencing
options.
· Ronnie Erwin Owen, 44, of Halifax, was convicted Wednesday
of cocaine possession.
The court remanded Owen to custody pending a presentence report
in the September term of court.
Grand Jury Indictments
These are some of the Halifax County Grand Jury indictments returned
Monday.
· Larry William Vandevisser aka Billy Vandevisser, 37,
of Nellysford, indicted for two counts of the abduction of Christine
L. Schirmer, two counts of the malicious wounding of Christine
L. Schirmer, one count of using a firearm in the commission of
a felony and one count of felony destruction of property belonging
to Christine L. Schirmer.
· Earl Daniel Clark Jr., 19, of South Boston, indicted
for the malicious wounding of Willie H. Chambers Jr., using a
firearm to commit malicious wounding, conspiracy to commit a felony
and shooting at an occupied building.
· Carl Clark aka Carl Victor Clark, 51, of Halifax, indicted
for the felony assault of police officer Tracy Mocarsky.
· Tremaine Levar Howell, 23, of Nathalie, indicted for
breaking and entering the property of Angela Howell with the intent
to commit larceny and destruction of property belonging to Angela
Howell.
· Paulette Bryant, 39, of
South Boston, indicted for cocaine possession and grand larceny
against Bridaget Womack.
· Franklin Wayne Adams aka Frank Adams, 27, of Halifax,
indicted for a third offense of DUI, possession of marijuana and
driving on a suspended license.
· Matthew Ridgeway Brandon aka Ricky Brandon, 49, of Alton,
indicted for a third offense of DUI.
· Edgar Daniel Crosby, 35, of South Boston, indicted for
driving after being declared an habitual offender.
· Connell Ferrell, 43, of South Boston, indicted for cocaine
possession.
· William Bradshaw Fincher, 20, of South Boston, indicted
for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
· Takeelya Foster, 23, of South Boston, indicted for fraudulent
conversion of the property of ABC Computers.
· Brian Scott Jones, 25, of South Boston, indicted for
a third offense of DUI.
· Marque Lamont Medley, 22, of Alton, indicted for possession
with the intent to distribute cocaine.
· Jesse Dale Morgan, 22, of Richmond, indicted for the
malicious wounding of Eric. A. Gadshian.
· William Ardell Tucker aka William Arendall Tucker, 42,
of South Boston, indicted for possession with intent to distribute
cocaine.
· Rodney Eric Yancey aka Rodney Eric Yancey, 37, of LaCrosse,
indicted for driving after being declared an habitual offender
and a fourth offense of DUI.
Sylvia Ann Butler, 44, of Llewellyn Avenue in South Boston,
was arrested Wednesday afternoon by the Halifax/South Boston Regional
Narcotic Enforcement Task Force on a charge of conspiracy to distribute
crack cocaine.
Major R. S. B. Pulliam, Task Force coordinator, said Butler is
currently being held in the Halifax Adult Detention Center under
a $5,700 secured bond.
· A break-in at the Dinis Brothers Pizza and Restaurant
on Wilborn Avenue in South Boston occurred sometime during the
early morning hours Wednesday.
Lt. Rick Loftis and Officer D. H. Snead of the South Boston Police
Department responded to a call at 7:30 a.m. and found the door
of the restaurant broken by a rock.
The suspect(s) entered the building and stole an undisclosed amount
of rolled coins from a back office, Lt. H. Rice said.
An investigation is being conducted by Lt. Loftis and Officer
Snead.
Anyone with information about the break-in is requested to contact
Crime Stoppers at 575-TIPS (8477).
The South Boston Dixie Majors all star team is eying an opportunity
for a third straight World Series appearance.
On the other hand, the South Boston Dixie Pre-Majors all star
team is seeking an opportunity to get back into the state title
picture.
Both teams will get those opportunities this weekend as the South
Boston league will host the Virginia state tournaments for both
divisions.
The Dixie Pre-Majors state tournament opens today at the refurbished
C.H. Friend Field with District 3 champ Buckingham facing District
5 champ Carroll County in the 2 p.m. opener.
Vinton, the District 1 title winner, will play District 4 champ
Nottoway in today's second game which will start at 4:30 p.m.
Host South Boston, which will actually drew game number two on
the tournament bracket sheet, will face District 6 title winner
Pulaski County in tonight's 7 p.m. nightcap.
The Dixie Majors state tournament opens Saturday at the Halifax
County High School Field with District 5 representative Wythe
County facing Charlotte County, the District 4 champion, in the
2 p.m. opener.
Buckingham, the District 3 champion, will face District 2 champion
Madison Heights in Saturday's 4:30 p.m. game.
Host South Boston, which actually drew game two in the bracket
drawings, will face District 6 title winner Christiansburg in
Saturday's 7 p.m. nightcap.
This year is a good one for the South Boston leagues in that South
Boston won the bid to host the state tournament for the second
time in a three-year span.
South Boston leagues both state tournaments in 1999.
Many eyes will be on the South Boston Dixie Majors team which
is playing for a third straight state championship and a third
straight trip to the Dixie Majors World Series.
Last year the South Boston team won a game in World Series play,
making it the first time a team from the South Boston Dixie Majors
program has won a World Series game.
The South Boston team has won the state Dixie Majors championship
in three of the last four years.
This year's South Boston Dixie Majors team is as strong, perhaps
stronger than last year's team.
Six members of last year's South Boston Dixie Majors all star
team are back this year.
That group includes Justin Shepperd, Scott Adams, Brandon Howerton,
Geoff Moore, Ron Overbey and Dustin Lloyd.
Shepperd, Adams and Howerton were members of this year's Halifax
County High School baseball team that made its way to the semifinals
of the Group AAA State Tournament.
Several other members of the high school team, Nick Thompson,
R.D. Cole, Matt Hastings, Adam Conner, Chad Conner, David Greene
and West McDowell, are also on the team.
The Dixie Pre-Majors team is also expected to be strong as well.
Eight players from this year's successful Halifax County High
School jayvee baseball team which lost only one game dot the Dixie
Pre-Majors team roster.
Those players include Jason Lloyd, Ryan Roller, Kirby Barbour,
Robert Carter, Garland Comer, Nathan Thomas and B.J. Pearce.
Joining them are Jake Owen, Jared Bagbey, Rodney Traynham, Josh
Ferguson, Chad Lewis, Chase Hetzell, John Glascock and Matt Conner.
The last time a South Boston Dixie Pre-Majors team won the state
title and went to the World Series was in 1997.
South Boston's Dixie Pre-Majors team was the state runner-up in
both 1998 and 1999 but did not make it to the state title game
last year.
Jacqulion King Humphrey, 62, of 2159 Sandy Beach Road, South Boston
died July 10 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Humphrey was born in Person County, N.C. on November 23,
1938, the daughter of the late Dewey Leslie King and Eva Iola
Thomas King and was married to Robert Humphrey. She was a member
of Prospect Hill Baptist Church in Roxboro, N.C., and was a Halifax
County school teacher.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Anthony Humphrey of Fort
Myers, Fla. and Zrebric Humphrey of Oakland, Calif; three sisters,
Travis K. Moss and Helen K. Baird, both of Roxboro, and Lottie
K. Humphrey of South Boston; and one granddaughter.
Funeral services for Mrs. Humphrey will be held July 14 at 2 p.m.
at Allen's Chapel AME Church with the Rev. George Harris Jr. officiating.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral
Home this evening, July 13, from 7:00 to 8:00.
William Alexander Crews, 82, of 5100 Hog Wallow Road, Nathalie,
died July 12 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Crews was born in Pittsylvania County on August 22 1918, the
son of the late Jessie Jackson Crews and the late Gracie Short
Crews, and was married to Ethel B. Epperson Crews. He was a member
of Oak Grove Methodist Church, an Army Veteran of World War II,
a member of Brookneal Odd Fellows Lodge, American Legion Post
8, Travelers Protection Association and a retired owner of Epperson
and Crews Auto Supply.
In addition to his wife, survivors include one son, John William
'Bill' Crews of Jetersville; one daughter, Morgan Alexander of
Farmville; five grandchildren, John W. Crews Jr. of Jetersville,
J. Allison Crews of Farmville, Charles Henry Morse of Richmond,
Matthew Turner of Washington, D.C. and Stan Crews of Greensboro,
N.C.; four great-grandchildren; four brothers, Verp Crews, Richard
Crews, Roy Crews, all of Hurt, and Edison Crews of Gretna; one
sister, Katherine C. Robey of Lynchburg. He was preceded in death
by a daughter, Brenda C. Newcomb; his father and mother-in-law,
John F. and Ethel Epperson; three brothers, and two sisters.
A memoral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August
22 at Childrey Baptist Church by the Rev. Rodney Barwick.
Memorials may be made to the Building Fund at Childrey Baptist
Church.
Deacon Harvey Terry Sr. 'Bunk' of 1138 Old Grubby Road, South
Boston, died July 10 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of
71.
He was born in Halifax County on October 6, 1929, to the late
Sally and Claude Terry.
Survivors include his wife, Vanvassel Overbey Terry of South Boston;
two daughters, Velva Owen of South Boston and Christine Warren
of Montclair; three sons, Harvey Terry Jr. of South Boston, Stanley
Terry of Clover and Richard Terry of Temple Hill, Md.; 12 grandchildren
and 12 great-grandchildren; four sisters, Gladys Wimbish of Vernon
Hill, Catherine Jefferson, Laverne Terry and Claudia Carter, all
of Richmond; five brothers, Wallace Terry, Henry Terry, John Terry,
all of South Boston, Dr. Rev. Samuel Terry of Lynchburg and Cordell
Terry of Albany, N.Y.
Funeral services for Deacon Terry will be held July 14 at noon
at New Vernon Baptist Church in Vernon Hill with the Rev. Roger
Ford officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home.