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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 26, 1992                   TAG: 9202260222
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BLAND                                LENGTH: Short

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BLAND WARDEN NOT READY TO PARTY YET

Prisoners at Bland Correctional Center tried to throw their warden a farewell party Tuesday, but the warden said he wasn't ready to go.

Wade D. Blankenship already had left once, when he officially retired in September. But his replacement still has not arrived and Blankenship, warden since 1974, agreed to come back for a while and oversee things.

Inmates planned an elaborate farewell luncheon for him Tuesday complete with tributes and speeches. But when Blankenship found out about it he canceled it, saying he was not sure when he actually would be leaving. - Southwest bureau

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