The Research Triangle's long-range interest in Kerr Lake water is rallying support throughout the Roanoke River basin for Tuesday night's summit.
The summit is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Halifax County High School.
"I'm seeing a lot of activity on our Website," said Tom Brawner, chairman of the Roanoke River Basin Association.
"There have been E-mails and phone calls from throughout the basin, from Roanoke to North Carolina."
According to the RRBA, recent problems threatening the whole Roanoke River basin include depleted industrial and municipal water supplies, increased consumptive uses of water, and noxious weeds, including hydrilla, in the basin's lakes, rivers and streams.
Other threats to the basin, as stated by the RRBA, are increased stresses on the lower Roanoke's bottomland forest ecosystem, Virginia Beach's peak water withdrawals occurring during droughts, and a new threat by Raleigh, Durham and Cary to take basin water from Kerr Lake.
The summit is a public meeting, and stakeholders are encouraged to come speak, submit written comments, or just come and listen.
"Our goal is to bring people together, something that hasn't happened to this point," said Brawner.
"The summit is a first step to find how to best promote the 3 C's - communication, cooperation and coordination.
"It might be best to have one voice to speak for stakeholders or have a bi-state commission. This gives the public a chance to come to the podium and express their views.
"We've taken the first step to address them (the threats) in a more comprehensive effort. Options should be laid out, and this is the first step toward determining those options."
Delegate W.W. "Ted" Bennett, one of the co-sponsors of the summit, favors a unified voice to speak for the entire basin.
The summit concept was initially conceived as a result of Bennett's resolution in the last session of the Virginia General Assembly to consider the desirability and feasibility of establishing a unified entity to facilitate water resource planning and coordination in the Roanoke River basin.
"What we have to recognize is that the entire basin is so interdependent, we need to move together as a single entity.
"We used to rely on agencies such as the DEQ to issue permits and limit withdrawals of water, but the bottom line is we can't rely on state and federal agencies to work for us."
According to Bennett, basin issues similar to this were discussed at the National Legislators Conference in Chicago, which he attended last week.
"There is a movement nationally to take a basin-wide approach to address these issues," Bennett said.
"Water quantity directly relates to water quality," Bennett added.
"What we really need is a drought index to determine the amount of water that can be withdrawn at any one time without damaging the basin."
Bennett cited two examples to support a drought index.
"During the 1999 drought, Virginia Power continued to draw water from the basin during the summer to bank electricity for peak demand.
"They only relented because they feared the decreased water flow would result in mud clogging up the turbines at the dam," he added.
The other example involved the Virginia Beach pipeline continuing to draw water from the drought-stressed basin, without regard to the situation.
"The drought last year was regional, and did not affect theVirginia Beach area; it affected areas to the west and north, and their economies suffered," Bennett said.
The primary goal of the summit, according to Bennett, is to come to an agreement for the entire basin to act together.
"This is an integrated system, needing integrated mangement. The basin has a finite supply of water, particularly in the summer. Where there is no water, there is no economy - no roads, schools or jobs.
"The problems are basin-wide. The City of Roanoke faced mandatory water restrictions last summer for the first time," Bennett said.
"There's a sedimentation problem where the Hyco meets the Dan River and where the Dan meets the Staunton River. That silt covers much of the normal vegetation. Nitrogen and phosphates in the basin also promote the growth of algae."
There will be much room for discusssion at the summit.
The event is expected to attract representatives of local governments, citizen's groups, recreational interests, farmers, industry, landowners and other stakeholders.
According to the RRBA, stakeholders could consider a bi-state commission funded by the General Assemblies of North Carolina and Virginia, the use of an existing private, nonprofit entity such as RRBA or the creation of a new private or quasi-governmental entity.
North Carolina Representative James W. Crawford Jr. of Oxford, another co-sponsor of the summit, brings an intrastate perspective to the meeting.
"We can't put all our straws in the river without considering other river interests, said Crawford.
"We've got to realize that areas beyond our basin - in addition to Virginia Beach - have targeted this water. We need to work together to protect and manage this resource."
The E-mail address for the Roanoke Summit is RoanokeSummit@rrba.org or visit the Website at www.rrba.org/RoanokeSummit.html.
For further information about the Roanoke Summit, call (888) 316-8516, (804) 476-1128 or (336) 294-0744.
Written comments can be mailed to Roanoke Summit, c/o RRBA, P.O. Box 27, Gasburg, Va., 23857.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin distributing $340 million to help compensate tobacco farmers who have suffered a reduction of tobacco quota and acreage during the 1999-2000 growing season.
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said signups will be at local USDA Farm Service Agency offices beginning July 31 and will end on September 1.
Payments should be reaching farmers between October 1 and 20.
"While USDA does not pay direct subsidies to tobacco farmers, the amount of U.S. tobacco produces is regulated to match supply and demand, with a guaranteed minimum price for producers," said Glickman. In recent year, allotments and quotas for some kinds of tobacco have been significantly reduced.
For flue-cured growers, farm payments will be evenly allocated between farmers and quota owners.
Burley and fire-cured tobacco payments will be split three ways between farmers, quota owners and those in control of the quotas.
FSA will publish program rules in the Federal Register before issuing payments.
More information is available at the Local FSA offices or on the web at www.fsa.usda.gov

An 18-year-old Halifax youth pleaded guilty to two amended indictments of unlawful shooting and unlawful wounding in 10th District Circuit Court on Thursday.
Brian Kenneth Pumphrey Jr. also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of destroying personal property, during a bench trial before Judge Leslie M. Osborn.
Pumphrey was remanded to custody pending a presentence report.
· Katina Francette Ballou, 20, entered an Alford Plea of guilty on Thursday to possession of cocaine.
Under terms of the Alford Plea, Ballou did not admit guilt, but realized the evidence against her was sufficient to find her guilty.
Ballou was remanded to custody pending a presentence report in the September term of court.
· David Terrell Kelley III, 21, of Danville, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a third offense of assault and battery.
The court gave Kelley a suspended five-year prison sentence.
· Robert Dana Lowery, 19, of South Boston, was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for forging and uttering a check with the intent to defraud.
The court suspended all of Lowery's sentence except for time served. The suspension was conditional on Lowery's good behavior for five years.
The court also ordered a one-year probationary period for Lowery.
· Barry Norvell Martin, 36, of Halifax, pleaded guilty on Thursday to possession of cocaine.
Martin is free on bond until a presentence report scheduled for the September term of court.
· Hubert Reaves Jr., 51, of South Boston, was found guilty on Thursday of possession of cocaine.
Reaves is free on bond pending a presentence report in the September term of court.

A 65-year-old Halifax man was arrested Friday by sheriff's deputies on 19 counts of larceny that stem back to 1982.
Harry Thomas Daniel, of Daniel's Trail, was charged with 18 counts of grand larceny and one count of petit larceny after allegedly stealing annually in excess of $200 of property belonging to Robert Wayne White over a period of 18 years.
The alleged grand larceny occurred each year from 1982 to the present with the amount of more than $200 stolen each year.
· Steven Micheal Watts, 37, of Murphy Grove Road in Halifax, was arrested Saturday by sheriff's deputies on multiple charges stemming from an assault and battery.
Watts was charged with the assault and battery of Lisa Watts, as well as the reckless handling of a firearm, the assault and battery of Deputy Sheriff Tom Lewis, the destruction of property involving prescription eyeglasses belonging to Deputy Lewis, and obstructing justice during the performance of a law officer.
A hearing is scheduled for Watts on August 2, in Halifax County General District Court.
· Samuel Pointer III, 34, of Sparks Trail in Alton, was arrested Saturday by sheriff's deputies on an assault-and-battery charge.
Pointer allegedly assaulted Janice Pointer on the day of the arrest.

In other police reports,

A 17-year-old Alton youth was charged with reckless driving early Tuesday morning after a crash on Route 58, 400 feet west of Cedar Grove Road (Route708).
Trooper C.M. Fleming said the youth was injured when the 2000 Nissan he was driving ran off of the left side of the road and overturned.
The youth was treated at Halifax Regional Hospital and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Fleming estimated $18,000 in damages from the 2:50 a.m. crash.
· Deborah Dickey Sharp, 51, of South Boston, was injured Thursday afternoon when she apparently fell asleep at the wheel of her vehicle and struck a culvert off of Route 501, four-tenths of a mile south of Newton Farm Road (Route 775).
Trooper D.T. Conner said the 2:50 p.m. crash occurred when the 1986 Chevrolet Sharp was driving ran off of the right side of the road, struck a sign post and a culvert filled with large rocks.
Sharp was treated at Halifax Regional Hospital and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The trooper estimated $2,000 in damages to the vehicle.
Sharp was charged with reckless driving, failing to maintain control.
· A two-vehicle crash occurred Friday morning involving an empty log truck at the intersection of Route 501 and Childrey Church Road (Route 636).
Trooper D.J. Cline said the 10 a.m. crash occurred when a 1989 International tractor-trailer, driven by Neville D. Hanson, 35, of Louisburg, N.C., attempted to pass a 1984 Oldsmobile, driven by Rufus A. Rice, 57, of Nathalie.
The trooper said the Rice vehicle was making a left turn and was struck by the truck.
Maude Payne, 52, a passenger in the Rice vehicle was injured by the crash and was treated at the Halifax Regional Hospital and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The trooper estimated $1,000 in damages to the Rice vehicle and $100 in damages to the truck.
Hanson was charged with reckless driving.

Communications towers will dominate new business during the Halifax County Planning Commission's meeting Wednesday evening.
The commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Mary Bethune Complex in Halifax.
Three conditional use permit applications for communication towers have been received by the county from SBA.
The Rosa site is located on the west side of Route 501, about 1,500 ft. north of Route 642 and south of the former Rosa School site. The proposal calls for a 300-foot tower.
The second application is in Election District 6 on the south side of Route 58, 1,000 feet east of Route 119. The proposed tower height is 250 feet.
High Hill site in ED-7 is the third proposed site. The tower site is on the south side of Route 58 about .7 mile east of the Hyco River. The proposed tower height is 300 feet.
Commissioners will also receive a rezoning application from Jack C. Caldwell II and Beth Caldwell Duncan for 149.48 acres located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Route 58 and Route 703. The applicants are requesting that the land be rezoned from A-1 to M-2.
No public hearings are scheduled for the Wednesday night session.

Sudie Powell Guill, 94, of Liberty Road, Nathalie, died July 20, 2000 at Berry Hill Nursing Home.
Mrs. Guill was born in Halifax County on August 24, 1905, the daughter of Charlie Powell and Ethel Ragsdale Powell. She was married to Charlie 'Eddie' Guill and was a member of the Liberty United Church of Christ. She was a former member of the Bethany Chapter #132 Order of the Eastern Star.
Her survivors include two daughters: Gay Crenshaw of Halifax and Bernice Williams of Midlothian; sister: Lila P. Trent of South Boston; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a daughter: Elizabeth Fisher and a son: Fred Lynn Guill.
A graveside service was held Saturday, July 22 at Liberty United Church of Christ cemetery with the Rev. John Wilder and the Rev. Dwight Moore officiating.

James Cooper Sadler, 74, of Halifax, died Tuesday, July 18, 2000 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Sadler was born in Halifax County on March 16, 1926.
His survivors include his wife: Esther Sadler; daughter: Karen Clough of Queens, NY; two sons: James Sadler of Cleveland, OH and Jerome Sadler of Maple Heights, OH; brother: Edward Jones of Washington, DC; five grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

A funeral service was held Saturday, July 22 at Crawford, Garrett and Burton Funeral Chapel with the Elder Stanley Brandon officiating.

Pattie Wilbourne Frick of 4320 Eagle Chase Drive, Charlotte, NC died Friday, July 21, 2000 (at the home of her sister).
She was born in Granville County, NC on April 13, 1948 was 52 years old.
Survivors include a brother, Henry Wilbourne, of Linwood, NC; and seven sisters: Annie Owen, of South Boston; Rosa Allen, of Cave City, AR; Alice Harris, of Linwood, NC; Mamie Regan, of Timberlake, NC; Betty Oha, of Roxboro, NC; Fannie Wilbourne, of Charlotte, NC; and Liz Wilder, of Denton, NC
Mrs. Frick was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Frick; her father and mother, John Oliver Wilbourne and Rosa Matthews Wilbourne; a sister, Sallie Holbrook; and two brothers, John Wilbourne and Frank Wilbourne
Funeral services for Mrs. Frick were held Saturday, July 22 at 3:00 p.m. at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Melvin Bradshaw officiating. Burial was in Fountain Head Cemetery, Palm Bay, FL.
The family request those wishing to give memorials to please consider the Halifax Regional Hospital Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston or to their church.

Asa Vaughan (Vonie) Martin, 63, of Ed & Minnie's Trail, Nathalie, died Friday, July 20, 2000 at University of Virginia Hospital. He was the husband of Hilda Ingram Martin.
Mr. Martin was born in Halifax County, October 26, 1936, son of Sara Wilburn Martin of Nathalie and the late Thomas Bennett Martin. He was a member of Republican Grove United Methodist Church, North Staunton Masonic Lodge and a retired farmer.
In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by two daughters, Ann Marie M. Francis and her husband Pete, of Nathalie, Merrylene Dare Martin, of Brookneal; one grandson, Bennett Ellis Francis, of Nathalie; two brothers, Ray Martin of Granada Hills, CA; Robert Martin of Lynchburg; two sisters, Madeline Crim of Clearbrook; Phyllis Ann Griffin of Norfolk; father-in-law, Ellis Ingram, of Nathalie.
Funeral services were held Sunday, July 23, 2000 at Republican Grove United Methodist Church by the Rev. Robert Newcomb with interment in the church cemetery with Masonic Rites.

Dave Atkins, 62, of Hopewell, died Friday, July 21, 2000 at Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond.
He is survived by his son, David, and daughter-in-law, Jennifer, who reside in San Jose, California and by his aunt, Margaret Lawson, of South Boston and cousin, David C. Lawson, Jr. of Halifax.
Mr. Atkins was born in Macon, GA on March 29, 1938, grew up in South Boston and attended the University of Virginia. He worked for nearly 20 years as a senior mechanical designer at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company while raising a family in Smithfield. He moved to Hopewell about 10 years ago and continued working as a contract mechanical designer at Allied Chemical, Reynolds Metals, Dupont and other manufacturing companies in the Richmond-Hopewell area.
In accordance with Atkins wishes, no funeral or memorial services are planned.

Francis Burnett Pilkin of 5151 Melon Road, South Boston, died July 23, 2000 at Danville Regional Hospital. She was born in Halifax County, on December 29, 1922 and was 77 years old.
Mrs. Pilkin was the daughter of Samuel Burnett and Helen Burnett and was married to Charlie Washington Pilkin.
Mrs. Pilkin was a member of the Faith Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons: Finley Pilkin, of South Boston; Kenneth Lee Pilkin, of Danville; one daughter, Lois Dodson, of South Boston; three grandchildren; three sisters, Annie Stevens, of Wytheville; Freda Durmott, of Hickory, NC; and Barbara Lowe, of Wytheville.
Graveside services for Mrs. Pilkin will be held Tuesday, July 25 at Danville Memorial Gardens at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Ben Poovey conducting the service.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home tonight (Monday) from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m.

Junior Lee Williams of Alexandria, and formerly of Halifax County, died July 21, 2000 at Inova Fairfax Hsoptial at the age of 61.
Mr. Williams was born in Halifax County, on January 31, 1939 and was the son of Rebecca Williams Logan. He was a member of the Union Grove C.M.E. Church and was employed by Fort Myers Military Comissary in Arlington. He was married to the former Mrs. Frances Brown Williams.
Mr. Williams is survived by Mrs. Frances B. Williams, of South Boston; his mother and step-father, Rebecca W. Logan and Charlie Logan of Halifax; three daughters; two sons; three step-sons; one sister, Mrs. Doris Thorne; one step-sister, Ms. Shuniz Logan; two grandchildren; two step-grandsons.
Funeral services for Mr. Williams will be held Wednesday, July 26 with services at the Union Grove C.M.E. Church with the the Rev. Joseph Dixon officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the home of Mrs. Frances Williams, 1059 St. Michael's Drive, South Boston.

Watt Hailey Lacks, age 68, of 5095 Mt. Laurel Road, Clover died July 23, 2000 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Lacks was born in Halifax County on February 8, 1932. He was a retired farmer and attended the Church of God of Prophecy.
Survivors include his wife, Rosalea M. Lacks, of Clover; four daughters: Roxie Lacks, of Clover; Teresa L. Powell, Halifax; Trudy L. Dalton, Halifax; Rhonda L. Mabe, Scottsburg; one son: Barry Lacks, of Clover; and one sister, Carrie Duffey, Scottsburg; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mr. Lacks was preceded in death by his father and mother, James Edward Lacks and Mollie Overby Lacks; one grandson, Phillip Craig Fallen, one sister, Sally Duffey; five brothers: Ed Lacks, Raymond Lacks, Willie Lacks, Perch Lacks and Acie Lacks.
Funeral services for Mrs. Lacks will be held Tuesday, July 25 at 3:00 p.m. at Church of God of Prophecy with the Rev. Courtney W. Coffer officiating. Burial will be in Clover cemetery.
Visitation will be at Brooks Funeral Home Monday, July 24 from 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and at other times at the home 5095 Mt. Laurel Road, Clover.

Maggie Daniel Gordon of 1722 Vaughan Street, South Boston, age 88, died July 22, 2000, at Arbor Acres, The United Methodist Home, Winston-Salem, NC.
Mrs. Gordon was born in Pittsylvania County on March 16, 1912. She was a member of First Baptist Church, South Boston.
Survivors include a daughter, Pamela I. Gordon, of South Boston; a son, Robert R. Gordon, Jr., and daughter-in-law, Anne Gordon of Winston-Salem, NC; and two grandchildren: Meredith G. Clifton of Winston-Salem, NC and Allison R. Gordon, of Greensboro, NC.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Ransom Gordon and her father and mother, George Robert Daniel and Maggie Griffin Daniel.
Visitation will be held at Brooks Funeral Home on tonight (Monday) from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and other times at the home of Pamela I. Gordon, 1722 Vaughan Street, South Boston.
Funeral services for Mrs. Gordon will be held Tuesday, July 25 at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert M. Fox, Jr. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family request those wishing to give memorials please consider First Baptist Church, 815 Main Street, South Boston, VA 24592 or a favorite charity.