
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 27, 1990                   TAG: 9005270213
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BAD WEATHER DAMPENS HOLIDAY FOR TRAVELERS, BUSINESS OWNERS

Rain and the threat of rain was keeping some holiday travelers at home Saturday as the Memorial Day weekend kicked off the traditional tourist season.

"At 2 p.m. yesterday our campgrounds were filled up," Charles Huffman, a park ranger at the Shenandoah National Park in Luray, said Saturday. "Now we have quite a few vacancies. We had heavy rain last night. A lot of people weren't too happy when morning came."

Traffic in the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel was moderate Saturday with no accidents or breakdown that can snarl traffic for hours, officials said.

"Right now it's moving real good," said Harold Nelson, Bridge-Tunnel supervisor. "Of course this weather's keeping a lot of people home."

Virginia State Police said Saturday that one person has died so far over the Memorial Day weekend. State police said Lee Rigney, 19, of Gretna, died about 11:15 p.m. Friday when he lost control of his car on Virginia Route 40 near his home. Last year, state police reported 16 traffic fatalities during the Memorial Day weekend.

by CNB