By Beth Robertson
Christmas 1999 opened with layoff slips for 400 Tultex employees at the closing of the South Boston plant.
Summer opened this year with the news that JPS Apparel is closing its South Boston plant in August.
Over three hundred JPS employees are looking for jobs, for retraining, for educational options.
They are worried.
They are calling the Continuing Education Center. They need help ...and they are getting it.
First, whether or not JPS has qualified for Trade Act or North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement assistance for its employees by the August 23 starting date for community college classes, the colleges plan to work with employees.
"If the Trade Act is approved, then perhaps we can work out an estimated time schedule, perhaps start October classes," suggested Deborah McDaniel, SVCC assistant professor/counselor based at CEC.
"With Tultex we were able to provide courses based on needs," said Nettie Simon-Owens from her CEC post yesterday. She is DCC coordinator of the off-campus and workforce services program.
"The people that I have spoken to are still dealing with uncertainty," said McDaniel, specifically naming when work will end, employee benefits and when benefits could be expected.
Nevertheless, there has been great interest in the truck driving school, the practical nursing program and computer training.
"They are very pleased to know that there are educational and training options for them locally," added McDaniel.
Boo Evans, literacy program coordinator at the CEC, is also getting inquiries about the GED program. She is logging two to three calls per day.
"I always tell them about the Career Center in Halifax and the adult classes there," added Evans.
CEC Works
Talk is cheap, but the numbers tell the tale.
Four former Tultex employees are about to graduate from a high-level computer studies program through SVCC.
Several are graduating from one-year Practical Nursing programs and 30 to 40 ladies have completed the certified nursing assistant program.
"That program can be completed quickly and they can get to work," explained McDaniel.
Seven or eight former Tultex employees pursued a two-year Human Services program.
SVCC ultimately worked with 64 former Tultex employees through the Trade Act.
DCC worked with about 70 Tultex employees, according to Cathy Pulliam, DCC student recruitment specialist.
Thirty-seven of them opted for the Administrative Support Technology two-year program; seven for Information Systems Technology and five for Office Information Processing. Others pursued a variety of programs, ranging from Dental Hygiene to Electrical/Electronics to Administration of Justice.
Vision Counts
Politicians tout educational reform and innovation, but the men and women of Halifax County did something about it 14 years ago.
They created the Continuing Education Center, the first higher education consortium in the nation, and today it is the educational and retraining hope for hundreds of former JPS and Tultex employees, as well as graduating high school seniors
"It illustrates the value of having something like CEC in the community," said Tim Owen, CEC program coordinator.
"When JPS and Tultex closed, there was a resource for people to seek retraining within the community.
"It is crucial that we have CEC in South Boston and Halifax County because transportation is an area of concern for many of our residents," said Simon-Owens. "CEC is a very user-friendly environment with local folks, and that helps."

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (AP) - A former First National Bank of Keystone loan officer pleaded guilty to two counts of federal income tax fraud and evasion.
Barbara Nunn, 53, of Virgilina, Va., pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Bluefield.
Nunn was a loan reconciliation officer who worked for Michael H. Graham, former executive vice president of Keystone Mortgage Co. The mortgage company was owned by the bank. Federal officials closed the bank in September 1999 after they were unable to locate more than $500 million in bank assets.
''I accepted money without reporting it,'' Nunn told U.S. District Judge David A. Faber.
Nunn had been charged in a two-count federal information with underreporting her income in 1996 and 1997. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan M. Arnold told the court that Nunn received $110,724 in 1996, but only reported $28,724 to the Internal Revenue Service.
She received $217,241 in 1997, but only reported receiving $76,571.
Arnold also told the court that Nunn received a $75,000 payment in 1997 from Keystone's senior vice president, Terry L. Church. The payment was part of a series of nine transfers to various people that totaled $245,000. Both Church and Graham are serving federal prison sentences after being found guilty April 28, 2000, of obstructing federal bank examiners. Graham has since pleaded guilty to a federal information charging him with money laundering and bank fraud.
Church is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 2 with co-defendant Billie J. Cherry on charges the two conspired to take millions of dollars from the estate of their former boss, the late J. Knox McConnell.
As part of her plea agreement, Nunn agreed to assist the government in its investigation of the bank and mortgage company.
She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines when she is sentenced Oct. 15. She was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

 Seventeen-year-old Jeffrey Jernell Lawson was convicted Tuesday in Halifax County Circuit Court of the robbery, abduction and malicious wounding of Roger Ashley Crowe last Janaury.
Lawson's convictions came as the result of a plea agreement in which the Commonwealth nol prossed charges of carjacking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and use of a firearm to commit robbery, abduction, car jacking and malicious wounding.
Judge Leslie M. Osborn, who presided over the hearing, accepted the plea agreement.
The Commonwealth further agreed to argue for the midpoint of the sentencing guidelines for the three convictions and not a make a recommendation concerning sentencing.
Sentencing guidelines for robbery under Virginia law carry prison sentences of five-years to life, abduction, 20 years to life, and aggravated malicious wounding, 20 years to life.
Lawson, represented Tuesday by Halifax attorney James Midkiff, was one of four young men arrested January 31 on charges of the assault, robbery and adbduction of Crowe.
According to Investigator Keith Tribble of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, Crowe was coaxed by one of the youths to drive to an area on Swain Road, where the assault and robbery took place.
Crowe received head injuries during the incident, and was taken to Chapel Hill Medical Center for treatment.
A car stereo radio and speakers were taken during the robbery.
Lawson was remanded to detention following the hearing to await sentencing by Judge William L. Wellons in the September term of court.
Shuler Convicted
Trevyarnti Ovedel Shuler, a 23-year-old Clover native, was convicted Tuesday of unlawful shooting.
Shuler waived his right to a jury trial after they were impaneled, opting instead for a bench trial before Judge Leslie M. Osborn.
In a statement given to officer Tim VanAernem at the time of his arrest, Shuler stated he, an uncle and his brother went to Shannon's Restaurant on Seymour Drive around 11 p.m. last September 23.
Shuler said he witnessed two men fighting in the restaurant, during which time he believed he heard two shots fired.
The two men continued to fight, according to Shuler's statement, at the door to the lobby, with one of the men telling Shuler to take his gun - as Shuler walked thorough the lobby, he stated several men approached him, and he subsequently fired one shot into the ceiling.
In the parking lot, Shuler said he was approached by several other people he did not know and he told them to stay away.
Shuler said he then pointed the gun to the ground and pulled the trigger, but that the gun did not go off at that time.
Shuler left Shannon's with his brother in his brother's truck and was stopped by South Boston Police near Ernie's Restaurant, where the gun was recovered from the truck.
Shuler is free on bond until a presentence date in the September term of court.
Wednesday Court
· Webster Antwon Fitzgerald, 20, of Halifax, was convicted Wednesday of cocaine distribution and misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Judge Charles L. McCormick III remanded Fitzgerald to custody pending a presentence report in the September term of court, and ordered him to be evaluated for the alternative sentencing programs.
· Henry Rudolph Weston, 20, of South Boston, was convicted Wednesday of two counts of cocaine distribution.
As the result of a plea agreement, Weston was sentenced to five years with all but six months suspended for each conviction, to be served consecutively.
Judge McCormick ordered the suspended portions of Weston's sentence to be conditional on his good behavior for 10 years.
The plea agreement also calls for Weston to serve his 12-month sentence during summer months so long as he's enrolled in college, until his sentence is complete.
Judge McCormick additionally ordered a 12-month period of supervised probation for Weston, to begin immediately.
· Harry Cornelliou Ferrell, 32, of Danville, was convicted Wednesday of a probation violation.
Judge McCormick revoked five months of Ferrell's previously suspended prison sentence, and ordered him to serve a probationary period of two years.
· Shelly Ann Rice, 22, of South Boston, was convicted of the attempted petty larceny of Dollar General Corporation and misdemeanor destruction of property belonging to Dollar General Corporation.
Judge McCormick sentenced Rice to 12-months in jail for each conviction, with all time suspended, conditional on Rice's good behavior for 12 months.
· Tracey Atoy Walker aka Rasheed Rodney Wallace, 29, of Danville, was convicted Wednesday of a probation violation.
Judge McCormick revoked two years of Walker's previously suspended prison sentence.
· Michael Lee Anderson, 18, of South Boston, was convicted Wednesday of attempted larceny of Dollar General Corporation and misdemeanor destruction of personal property belonging to Dollar General.
Anderson was additionally convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Anderson is free on bond pending a presentence report due in the September term of court.
· Nelson Junius Jones, 31, of Halifax, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison for driving after being declared an habitual offender and to six months in prison for felony DUI, to run concurrently for a total of two years in prison.
Judge McCormick additionally ordered a six-month post release probationary period for Jones, and suspended Jones' operator's license for two years.
· Ronnie Thomas McDowell, 44, of Halifax, was convicted Wednesday of unlawfully attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a protective order, a misdemeanor, and of making a false statement on a consent form to purchase/attempt to purchase a firearm.
McDowell is free on bond until a presentence date due for the September term of court.
· Edgar Daniel Crosby, 35, of Halifax, was convicted Wednesday of driving after having been declared an habitual offender.
Crosby is free on bond until presentencing in the September term of court.
· Thomas Gregory Betts, 31, of Alton, was convicted Wednesday of four counts of check forgery.
The court remanded Betts to custody pending a presentence report in the September term of court.
· Jerry Allen Blevins, 29, of Danville, was convicted Wednesday of two counts of check forgery.
The court remanded Blevins to custody pending a presentence report in the September term of court.
· Tina Ann Brown, 25, of Halifax, was convicted Wednesday of the fraudulent conversion of rental property of PrimeTime.
The court remanded Brown to custody pending a presentence report due for the September term of court.

Linking recreation and history.
That is the emphasis that has been proposed for the new Paul C. Edmunds Jr. Memorial Park.
Trenda Leavitt, the assistant director of the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center, project manager Kim Watson and landscape architecture student Jeff Robbins from the Community Design Assistance Center at Virginia Tech, unveiled proposed plans and a concept model of the park Tuesday night at a meeting of the Halifax County Recreation Commission.
The concept model incorporated tying the huge silo from the former dairy farminto the plans for a Visitors Center and the development of a forest demonstration complete with signs identifying the species of trees native to this area.
Plans also include a tobacco stick barn and tobacco farm demonstration area in the park to depict the area's tobacco heritage.
Also included was a peach orchard to line the road leading into the park entrance, an orchard that would serve as a reminder of the peach orchard on the farm many years ago.
A wetlands demonstration area, a pond, walking and bicycle trails circling the perimeter of the park, an area designated for tent-camping that could be used by Boy Scout groups and others were also included in the model.
It was a model that met the general approval of the commission, especially that of Supervisor James C. Edmunds who donated the 100-acre tract of land that borders U.S. Route 360 for the park site.
"I like the fact that it incorporates both history and agriculture," Edmunds said.
"I also like that there will be ways for different groups and organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited and Quail Unlimited to adopt certain areas of the park.
"They can do their thing and we can let them fund it and maintain it."
The model showed a modern Visitors Center, a building that will house rooms of varying sizes that can be used by park patrons and by area groups as meeting sites.
There will be benches where people can sit, relax and enjoy the beauty of the park and watch others as they go about various activities.
Plans include a pavilion, picnic shelters, a small water park with slides, open areas that can be used for such things as pickup football and soccer games and tennis and basketball courts.

Tuesday night marked the commission's first look at the model that CDAC personnel devised from comments and suggestions given by the commission during a meeting in mid-May.
The drawings and concept model for the 100-acre park site were so enticing that no major changes were recommended by the recreation commission.
There will, however, be opportunity for changes or additions after the general public is given an opportunity to see the proposed plans and comment on them.
A public meeting for that purpose will be held August 21 at the Mary M. Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
After the meeting, CDAC personnel will go back to work, revise the model and bring a formal proposal to the commission in the fall.
"I think there is a tremendous amount of opportunity available here," Edmunds noted.
In another matter, the recreation commission gave the nod to Halifax County Recreation Department Director Brad Ballou to obtain price information for replacing the old lights on the field behind the Mary M. Bethune Complex in Halifax.
Ballou and recreation commission members pointed out that many of the lights are broken and that the wires and electrical boxes need to be scrapped.
"Only about 15 of the lamps work," Ballou pointed out.
"It's almost like fireworks. When you turn them (the lights) off and on it's an adventure, particularly if it is wet outside."
Ballou said he estimates it will cost in the neighborhood of $20,000 to take the old lights down and replace them with a modern four-pole system.
That figure would put the project over the recreation budget for such items.
"If you look at it, in the long run, it will save you money," said recreation commission chairman R.E. "Dickie" Abbott.
Morgan suggested that the project be studied with the idea of installing new lights and leaving the old light fixtures up until the $4,000 to $5,000 it will cost to take the old lights down can be covered in the budget.
More information about the project will be made available at a future recreation commission meeting.

When the South Boston Dixie Majors all-star team needed a spark, Scott Adams ignited a flame.
After teammate Justin Shepperd was robbed of a three-run first inning homer on a questionable call and his team had come from behind to take a 4-2 lead in the third inning, Adams showed Madison Heights hurler Omar Mays what a true long-ball was.
Adams, getting his second hit of the game, blasted a fastball from Mays over the C.H. Friend fence to tack on two runs that gave his team a 6-2 lead.
It was just enough as South Boston survived a three-run seventh-inning Madison Heights rally to edge the visitors 6-5 and win the Virginia Dixie Majors Baseball Tournament.
"I wasn't figuring on that," Adams said of the two-run homer that produced his team's final two runs of the game.
"I was figuring on a fastball but I didn't figure I'd hit it over."
After dealing his team a 6-2 lead, Adams was brought to the mound to relieve starter Brandon Howerton and close the game.
Adams got the job done, regaining his composure to get his team out of a jam to preserve the win after being tagged for three runs and two hits.
"I felt pretty good," Adams said.
"I was a little tired since I had pitched the other night. My arm was a little sore. I was getting the ball up. My curve ball was hanging a little. I'm happy it all worked out."
Howerton had given up two runs but had been touched for only three hits before Adams came to the mound, one of those a solo homer by Madison Heights' Kirk McConaghy in the second inning.
The South Boston starter said he felt good at the point when he exited the game.
"My arm felt better the longer the game went on," Howerton said.
"After my team gave me a few more runs I felt like I could have gone longer. That's when they made the change. Scott came on and did a real good job."
Manager David Myers said the move to bring Adams to the hill was not made because he had lost confidence in Howerton.
"We had decided we were going to go with Brandon as long as we could," Myers said.
"When we had a four-run lead and we figured with three innings completed we'd throw all of our marbles into one basket.
"We knew we were going to have a play a doubleheader if we lost," added Myers.
"When we got the lead, Scott said he felt good and we felt it was time to go to him and try to win it in the first game."
South Boston appeared to be off to a good start when David Greene singled, stole second, and Nick Thompson got on with a walk with one out.
Shepperd came up and sent a ball out of sight over the left field foul pole, a potential three-run shot that was called a foul ball.
Shepperd, Myers and the highly partisan home crowd were livid about the call.
"I thought it was a fair ball," Shepperd said after the game."
Myers aggressively argued the call with the home plate umpire but nowhere.
"I wasn't worried about them (the team)," Myers said.
"I was worried about me because I lost my temper. I was worried I was going to do something stupid. It (the ball) was so far fair there was no way he (the umpire) could call it foul. But he did."
The call stirred the South Boston team, motivating it to come from behind twice.
"It turned out to be a big motivator." Shepperd said.
"We needed something to get us up. We had to do something."
McConaghy's solo shot in the second inning lifted Madison Heights to a 1-0 lead.
South Boston took away the momentum, though, by scoring a run in the bottom of the inning when Adams singled, went to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Howerton, went to third base on a passed ball and scored on an error by the Madison Heights catcher.
Madison Heights regained the lead in the top of the third inning when Mays singled and scored on a double from Hazim Glover.
Again, South Boston answered with Matt Hastings kicking off the bottom of the third inning with a double and tying the game at 2-2 by scoring off of a double from Thompson.
Shepperd followed with a single and Chad Conner doubled to plate Thompson and Shepperd to put South Boston up 4-2.
The two-run homer from Adams that followed gave South Boston a 6-2 lead.
Madison Heights made a run at South Boston in the seventh inning, nailing a single with one out and getting a second runner on base through an error.
A double by Glover plated two runs and a two-out single by Gary Liggon made it a one-run game.
Adams got South Boston out of the jam, though, as Madison Heights' Shane Camden grounded out to Chad Conner at second base to end the game.
South Boston finished with seven hits in the game with the two hits from Adams leading the hit parade.
Greene, Hastings, Thompson, Shepperd and Conner each chipped in one hit.
South Boston also received four walks and two errors from Madison Heights.
The win over Madison Heights Wednesday night followed an 8-1 win Tuesday night over Buckingham that bounced Buckingham out of the tournament.
South Boston, led by a four-hit night from Brandon Lewis and a two-hit night from Nick Thompson, had little trouble in downing Buckingham which scored its lone run in the top of the fourth inning on a base hit and a South Boston error.
The host team broke the game open early with a four-spot in the first inning, a big inning keyed by a run-scoring hit from Shepperd and a two-RBI double from Adam Conner.
South Boston added a run in the third inning to go up 5-0 before Buckingham plated its run in the fourth inning.
Three insurance runs by South Boston in the bottom of the sixth inning, one scoring on a hit from Dustin Lloyd and one scoring on a hit by Brandon, gave South Boston its seven-run margin.
South Boston had 12 hits in the game with the four hits from Lewis and the two hits by Thompson comprising half of the total.
Greene, Hastings, Shepperd, Conner, Lloyd and Howerton each had one hit.
South Boston used a four-tiered approach to its pitching rotation with Chad Conner, Adam Conner, Howerton and Thompson all getting a turn on the mound.

Susie Murphy Chappell

Mrs. Susie Murphy Chappell of 1724 Spring Ave., South Boston died Wednesday, July 18, 2001 at Halifax Regional Hospital at the age of 71.
She was born in Halifax County February 5, 1930 and was the daughter of the late Willie Murphy and Virginia Lawson Murphy. She was married to Richard Chappell and was a member of the Zion Hill Baptist Church.
Mrs. Chappell is survived by her husband; one daughter, Shirley Majors of South Boston; three sons, Randy Chappell and Preston Chappell, both of South Boston, and Robert Chappell of Mitchell; nine grandchildren; four sisters, Odessa Link of Alton; Dorothy Usher and Mildred Newman, both of Washington, D.C.; and Annie Murphy of Richmond; two brothers, Earl Murphy of South Boston and Lee Murphy of Washington, D.C.; one son-in-law; and one daughter-in-law.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, July 22 at 2 p.m. at Zion Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Thomas Bolden officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased.

George Nathaniel Womack

George Nathaniel Womack, 53, of Alexandria, died July 2.
Mr. Womack was born in Halifax County on November 30, 1947.
Survivors include his wife, Belinda Staten-Womack; two daughters, Kimberly and Renee Womack; one son, Maurice Womack, all of Alexandria; his mother, Ethel Owen Womack of Halifax; two sisters, Mary Vickers of Halifax and Serita Durham.
Funeral services for Mr. Womack were held July 10 at noon at Greene Funeral Home in Alexandria.
Delois Bailey Sanford
Delois Bailey Sanford of Baltimore, Md., formerly of South Boston, died July 14 at the Gilchrist Medical Center in Baltimore.
She was born in Halifax County on July 6, 1945, to the late H. Sterling Bailey and Louise Lee Bailey.
Ms. Sanford is survived by four children, Pamela Petty Worsham, Tiffany Sanford, Rodney Petty and Roy Lee Sanford, all of Baltimore; one daughter-in-law, Kelly Petty; one son-in-law, Kevin Worsham; two sisters, Kitty B. Collins of Mt. Laurel and Christine H. Williams of New York, N.Y.; one brother, H. Marshall Bailey of South Boston; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held today, July 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the Chapel of March Funeral Home in Baltimore.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.