INSIDE New Chinese restaurant opens in Goochland > page 3
Volume 57, Number 7 • February 18, 2010
Warden is honored for her service VCCW’s staff surprises Hobbs with luncheon By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
Last Tuesday, Virginia Correctional Center for Women Warden Wendy Hobbs got a call from her Recreation Supervisor Denise Tabon to come to the gym. So Hobbs put on her coat and walked on over. When she opened the door she was greeted by a room full of well-wishers who had gathered to say good bye to the long-time warden, who recently took the top job the Fluvanna Correctional Center. “I was totally, totally, totally surprised,” said Hobbs later in the week. Hobbs, a 26-year veteran with the Virginia Department of Corrections, and Warden at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women since 1991, has been splitting her between VCCW and Fluvanna since December. “We know how bad they need you at Fluvanna,” said Assistant Warden Joan Kerr at the beginning of a lengthy program of testimonials and tributes to Hobbs. “We know they got the best.” Hobbs said she had thought a lunch or dinner had been planned for March to mark both her departure and the transition to new warden see Hobbs > page 4
INDEX
News Calendar Classifieds People Features
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Letters Opinion Sports TV Listings
Photo by Ken Odor
Cecil Wise of Wise Choice at Rockville said the rest stop closing was a mixed blessing for his business.
Merchants prep for open rest stops By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
When the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) closed Goochland’s two I-64 rest stops last July in an attempt to save money, local merchants prepared to take advantage of the change and look for new business. Now that Gov. McDonnell has
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SPORTS Henry grabs gusto in final year at GHS > page 8
decided to reopen the rest areas, the same merchants are looking ahead to April, when the Oilville rest stops will again be available to travelers. The rest stop closing had a significant effect on some of the businesses closest to them, as travelers turned off at the Rockville and Oilville exits to find places to take a break. Cecil Wise, owner of the Wise Choice station at the Rockville Manakin exit,
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said last week the rest stop closing decision was a mixed blessing. Wise, who has been in business at the location for 22 years, began opening on Sundays to take advantage of the extra traffic. “During tourist season it helped us a whole lot,” he said. He had more people coming into the store, but they see Rest Stops> page 2
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west SERVING EASTERN GOOCHLAND AND WESTERN HENRICO
Victorian valentines at Meadow Farm