DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 27, No. 10 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | July 7, 2010
It’s time for the 2010 Tomato Festival
a hedgerow within the festival area. exit. By doing so, two lanes will be utilized Epling said the Sheriff ’s Office, coming into the park. Hanover County Parks & Recreation Coming on the heels of 2009’s Department and the Tomato Festival record-breaking attendance of about Committee worked together to for42,000, which prompted traffic tiemulate a plan to ease traffic issues that ups on and leading to Pole Green were encountered last year. Road, steps are being taken to alleFor Saturday, he said they are askviate motorist delays for the 2010 ing that “most traffic use Pole Green Hanover Tomato Festival. Road from the west, that’s our preferFrom 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, ence. We would also ask that spectaPole Green Park will be filled with tors use Pole Green Road from the the sights and sounds that are familiar west to east.” and welcome to Mechanicsville and Epling also requested that “local surrounding areas. traffic only use Pole Green Road Now in its 32nd year, the Hanover between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.” Tomato Festival has become the single About 20 officers, including most anticipated event, featuring food, security and traffic, will be workmerchandise and live entertainment. ing the event and parking areas. Lt. Kenny Epling of the Hanover “There will be an adequate number on County Sheriff ’s Office, who supervisOnce again, nearby Tate Lane the road to keep traffic moving safely es special events, said plans have been made to direct exiting motorists along will only be used as an emergency and efficiently,” Epling added.
By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
y...
Inside toda
File photo/Patrick Dobbs for The Local
The Hanover Concert Band will perform during opening ceremonies of the 2010 Hanover Tomato Festival on Saturday at Pole Green Park. Members, shown in 2009, will return to the main stage.
“Our hope is to minimize those delays and to make it much more acceptable to the people that are coming to the park to enjoy the day. We will do everything we can to expedite the people who live in that area to get them where they need to be, but
we would recommend that local traffic only utilize that road and expect delays,” he said. According to Epling, the role of the Sheriff ’s Office is “strictly traffic consee FESTIVAL, pg. 4 `
Local man joins study of plastics in oceans By Melody Kinser mkinser@mechlocal.com
Dave Lawrence is shown aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer during the Plastics at SEA: North Atlantic Expedition.
Dave Lawrence could be called a man on a mission. On June 9, he joined the Sea Education Associationled expedition “to look at and try to determine the effects of plastic on ocean life.” Next Wednesday, the Mechanicsville resident will return to Bermuda, where the journey began. Lawrence talked about the project a day before he took on the responsibilities of science writer and editor for the expedition. He has been filing
daily reports and photos at www. expected to “head east and keep going plastics.sea.edu. until we run out of plastic.” For 25 years, the Sea Education The expedition also will try “to Association has been studying plastic determine if microscopic plankton in the oceans. Lawrence and stuff use the plassaid the Atlantic and tic for nutrients. We For 25 years, Pacific oceans each would expect some of the Sea Education have “a big garbage Association has been the organisms to use patch.” SEA’s work in at least a bigger piece studying plastic the Atlantic includes of plastic to attach in the oceans. trying to determine the to (like barnacles),” size of the patch. Lawrence said. “They know how far the extent of “Obviously, we will try and docuthe plastic patch is north to south,” ment any harmful effects,” he added. he said, “but they don’t know east “There’s really a lot that we don’t to west.” With this trip, he said he know about how the plastics affect
marine life. What we do know, most of us don’t like.” A goal of the expedition, he said, is to “make people aware of the effects on the oceans. I’ve taught oceanography before and too many people don’t realize [the effects].” Two years ago, he attended an International Coral Reef Symposium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., where he learned “at least 30 percent or more are in danger. It’s a big global issue. Some of the most important ecosystems are in the ocean, and we can’t see PLASTICS, pg. 7 `