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

DATE: TUESDAY, October 4, 1994                   TAG: 9410050054
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN VIRGINIA

RICHMOND - A woman who faithfully played Virginia's Lotto game since it began four years ago finally struck it rich, collecting more than $18 million Monday.

Ruth Gwin of Staunton matched all six numbers in Saturday's Lotto drawing, beating odds of 1 in 7 million.

She and her husband of 25 years, John, say the only plan they have for the $18,098,820 jackpot now is to share it with their three grown children. But Ruth Gwin won't be going back to work.

``Why should I hit that clock every morning?'' she said.

- Associated Press

Hospitals need physical therapists

RICHMOND - There are fewer vacancies for nursing jobs than at any time in seven years, according to the Virginia Hospital Association's 1994 work force survey. The association has been surveying the industry since 1987 because of shortages in some health care professions.

Seventy-nine percent of the hospitals responding to the survey reported physical therapy openings that had been vacant for 90 days or more, however. Vacancy rates were 16.6 percent for staff physical therapists with 40 unfilled positions reported.

- Associated Press

Students forming statewide lobby

Students from several state-supported colleges are creating a statewide organization to lobby Virginia politicians on behalf of student issues.

Students from eight state-supported schools met at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in September to lay the groundwork and are scheduled to meet again at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg on Oct. 15 and 16.

The group's primary goal is to maintain or increase state spending on education. It also plans a voter-registration campaign.

- Associated Press