Peanut show in Franklin expected to draw 20,000

March is National Peanut Month and a major observance will be the Virginia-North Carolina Peanut Trade Show on March 4 and 5 at the General Vaughan Armory here.

Some 20,000 persons are expected to attend the regional trade fair and a wide range of activities and events is planned for peanut growers and processors, consumers and commercial interests, said J. Ernest Wrenn of Courtland, chairman of the show.

Commercial and educational exhibits, a peanut cooking contest and awards to the top peanut producers in the two-state area are the major events.

The trade show is being sponsored by the Franklin Southampton Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Peanut Grower’s Association and the Virginia Tech Extension Division.

About one-third of the 100 commercial exhibit spaces available have been sold so far, Wrenn said. Outside exhibits will feature machinery and equipment, while inside exhibits will display pesticides, fertilizer, seed and peanut-product utilization.

Plaza grant’s remains open, rumor denied

The manager of Grant City at Suffolk Plaza said today the store will remain open and is not one of the 66 stores in the chain scheduled to close.

&uot;We’re open for business and plan to stay open to serve our community for many years to come,&uot; said R. Van Savage. Rumors suggesting the closing of Plaza store are totally unfounded, he said.

&uot;Those stores scheduled to close had been notified in December, and are currently running ‘going out of business sales’ in their local newspaper and their communities are well aware of their closing. The vast majority of Grant and Grant City Stores, and there are more than 1,100 of them from coast to coast, are continuing in operation,&uot; he said.

&uot;Our sales promotion plans for 1975 are aggressive, and we will be giving our customers exceedingly good values, backed by courteous and efficient service,&uot; Van Savage said.

Potential sites toured for ‘Torchlight Tattoo’

Three members of the Army’s Special Services division arrived in Suffolk this morning to view possible sites for performances of the &uot;Torchlight Tattoo&uot; pageant in connection with Bicentennial festivities scheduled this fall.

The men were met at the Chesapeake-Portsmouth Airport by Mayor James F. Hope, Bicentennial chairman John Henry Powell, Major F. Benton, Chamber of Commerce executive vice president; and George A. Thornton, Suffolk businessman who lent his plane for the trip.

The Special Services committee consists of Mark Murray, Ret. Lt. Col.; Lt. Mark Keegan and Capt. William H. Jordan.

The group was scheduled to tour the Frederick Campus of Tidewater Community College, Peanut Park and the Suffolk Armory, before returning to the Thornton home for cocktails preceding a luncheon at the home of Mrs. Judith B. Godwin, Bicentennial co-chairman.

Convenience store request rejected by Planning panel

The Suffolk Planning Commission at a public hearing yesterday voted 10-2 against a rezoning request that would have permitted construction of a convenience food store with gas pumps at the intersection of Turlington Road and Carolina Highway.

The commission also rejected a &uot;rider&uot; rezoning request submitted by T.E. Shotton Refrigerator Co. whose property backs that of the 2.2 acres desired for the convenience store. The firm’s request was contingent on approval of rezoning for the adjacent convenience store.

Everett E. Bagnell, attorney for Angus I. Hines who submitted the rezoning request for the convenience store, argued that the area, zoned R-2, was surrounded by businesses and hat the amount of gasoline pumped from the proposed store would generate new tax money.

Opposing the rezoning were the residents of Turlington Road and the members of Southside Baptist Church, represented by attorney Hugh A. West, himself a resident of Turlington Road.

About 25 church members and residents attended the hearing and letters from 39 property owners opposing the rezoning were circulated.

Squad comes a long way

Since its founding in 1960, the Nansemond-Suffolk Rescue Squad has continually added equipment to better serve the citizens of Suffolk. One of the first pieces of equipment is Unit Two which was seen with Earl Smith, one of the original members of the squad. The squad now has nine vehicles, and a module type ambulance put into service in December. The squad obtains its operating funds entirely from public contributions. During the current fund drive, donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 1515, Suffolk, or brought to the squad headquarters on Market Street.

-Compiled by Jennifer Rose