Groundhog predicts six more weeks of winter
Amid cheers from thousands of onlookers, Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his Gobbler's Knob burrow early Sunday morning and saw his shadow, indicating six more weeks of winter.
The annual Groundhog Day celebration takes place in Punxsutawney, Pa., and this year, organizers expected over 30,000 spectators. Phil also saw his shadow last year.
Overturned tractor-
trailers responsible for I-64 traffic backup
Two tractor-trailers were upended Friday resulting in one death and two other injured drivers.
Around 1 p.m., passing motorist Pete Willis pulled over to aid a stopped motorist. Unable to slow down in time, Willis moved back onto the road and into the path of a tractor-trailer driven by Lowell Deputy.
Deputy's tractor-trailer struck Willis' pickup truck, sending the tractor-trailer off the road. It overturned and spilled about 5,000 gallons of cream, an estimated 300-500 gallons of which eventually drained into the Rivanna River.
A second empty tractor-trailer, driven by Paul Thorne, maneuvered to avoid the collision and ran off the road. It also overturned.
Willis and Thorne survived the accident and received medical care. Deputy passed away shortly after the collision.
Traffic was rerouted through U.S. 250 for six hours, causing a seven-mile backup and long delays during rush hour.
Concern over the environmental impact of the spilled cream prompted the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to lay sand dikes in its path. Cream contains an agent which depletes oxygen in water and could be dangerous to fish in the river.
The accident still is under investigation and no charges have been filed.
New license plate receives committee approval
A House committee authorized the creation of a "Choose Life" license plate Friday.
If the bill passes the Virginia House and Senate, the plates will cost $25 more than standard plates with $15 going to a "Choose Life Fund." The fund will benefit agencies that assist pregnant women who are committed to putting their children up for adoption.
Del. Richard H. Black, R-Loudoun, is sponsoring the legislation.
Virginia is one of several states considering the adoption of a "Choose Life" license plate.
Alabama, Florida, Hawaii and Mississippi currently offer similar plates. Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina also have passed legislation authorizing the plates, which soon will be available.
The Louisiana legislation initially faced legal opposition from pro-choice groups. These challenges ended in December of last year when the Supreme Court refused to hear their case.
Also in December, a federal court judge ruled that the South Carolina legislation is unconstitutional because a pro-choice plate is not also offered. That ruling currently is being appealed
--Complied by Jason Amirhadji
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