Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 28, 1994 TAG: 9401280236
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WILLIAMSBURG - The "Great Oak" - where John D. Rockefeller Jr. first discussed his plans for Colonial Williamsburg - has been roped off from visitors out of fear it could come down in high winds.
"Whether it's tomorrow or a year from now, it's going to come down because none of us can stop that from happening," said Lawrence Henry, director of museums for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
The trunk of the 300-year-old tree measures 65 inches in diameter. The branches span more than 100 feet. Three branches have been cut off.
On Nov. 27, 1926, Rockefeller was in town for a social function, and the Rev. W.A.R. Goodwin seized the opportunity to tell the oil tycoon of his vision to restore Williamsburg to its 18th century glory.
After visiting several sites, Rockefeller and Goodwin walked behind Bassett Hall and stopped under the "Great Oak" to talk about restoration of the town. A week later, Rockefeller bought the first building in an effort to which he would donate $68 million.\ - Associated Press\ \ Most in Va. support Disney plans, poll finds
RICHMOND - Virginia voters favor the proposed Disney's America development in Northern Virginia by a 3-to-1 margin and even more believe it will help the state and local economy, according to a poll commissioned by the Walt Disney Co..
The survey by Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc., showed strong support for the project in every part of the state. Several opposition groups have sprung up in Northern Virginia, but the poll found 65 percent of the voters there favor the development, the same margin as in the entire state.
Statewide, 21 percent of the voters said they oppose the theme park proposal; 15 percent said they're undecided or expressed no opinion.
The poll ended a week before Gov. George Allen announced his support for $137 million in state borrowing for highways around the property.
- Staff report\ \ Utility to join agency in check of blackouts
RICHMOND - Virginia Power is re-examining its operations and will cooperate with a State Corporation Commission review of the utility's actions during the recent cold snap, a spokesman said Wednesday.
The SCC wants to know more about events that led to last week's use of rolling blackouts, which were implemented to prevent the electric power system from overloading. The severe cold led to an unprecedented strain on the system.
"We don't view this as adversarial in the slightest. We're all interested in what happened last week," said Virginia Power spokesman William H. Byrd.
Demand on Jan. 19 was 14,877 megawatts, the most ever for the utility. The decision to implement rolling blackouts averted what could have been much larger power outages, Byrd said. - Associated Press
by CNB