County Supervisors, along with Town Council members from South Boston and Halifax, are expected to get an update this evening on the planned Modeling/Simulation Center to be located in Riverstone Park. Supervisors have invited Dr. Carole Inge, director of the project, to come before the governing body officials to give them an overview of plans for the Center. Earlier this month Dr. Inge advised local officials that ten people are currently working on the project and reporting to Riverstone regularly. She said equipment will soon be ordered after specifications and

negotiations are finalized and after her request for approval is granted from the Board of Supervisors for a $400,000 loan to pay for the up-fit of some 6,000 square feet of space.  She is asking the County Board to pay the interest only on that loan, probably running around $24,000 for the first 18 months since participants are seeking 18 months of free rent in the Center. Inge also advised that she has almost finalized her first major contract with ITT Corporation and is in the process of hiring two to three more people for the center. Furthermore Inge says she has seven corporate prospects planning to move into Riverstone, and she is seeking local assistance to court these companies and to work out details for leases and partnerships. She is also looking at educational opportunities for the modeling and simulation center and is planning to launch a post-doctoral program this summer for internships. She is also considering a Wounded Veteran Entrepreneurial Program to train and retain veterans in Riverstone for

modeling and simulation jobs, hoping to help them to begin their second careers, to start businesses and get contracts. Also this evening local governing body members will hear from Lynn Crump, Environmental Programs Planner for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) about what a Scenic River Designation

would mean for the Banister River. The Town of Halifax has been working toward getting the designation and is seeking the support of the County and South Boston. Such a designation gives official recognition of the natural, scenic, historic and recreational values of some of the state's most valuable riverine resources and provides them with a measure of protection not afforded other rivers. It also gives riparian landowners and other local citizens a stronger voice in any government action or decisions that have the potential to impact their  river. The governing bodies are also expected to recognize Grayson Gosney for his work in the community over the past years. Following the joint session County Supervisors are expected to approve a resolution supporting a local Veterans Medical Clinic, which the Town of South Boston had been working toward.  Since there are some 4,000 veterans living in the community who must travel several hours each way to visit a VA hospital, local leaders see a real need for such a facility in this community. The Board is also expected to take action on the request from Dr. Carole Inge to approve her $400,000 loan application to the Lake Country Development Corporation and agree to pay the interest only for

the first 18 months.