From the News & Record

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on Thursday that he is proposing the temporary closure of five state parks, including the Staunton River Battlefield Park which joins Halifax and Charlotte Counties. The Battlefield Park, as it is better known, is one of five that the Governor has recommended for closure. Another of the five is the Twin Lakes State Park in Prince Edward County which also serves residents of Nottoway, Charlotte and Lunenburg Counties.

If the General Assembly approves the Governor’s recommendation, the parks would be closed to the public by July 1 with only a skeleton crew remaining as caretakers until the budget situation improves.

Del. James Edmunds said Thursday that he was unaware of the plans to close the parks until he was contacted by the media. Both the Battlefield Park and Twin Lakes lie within his district.

Edmunds said it is his understanding that the state made an earlier agreement with Old Dominion Electric Cooperative to operate the Battlefield Park as a visitors center for the co-op. He said he is talking with ODEC officials to see what, if any, support they might be able to provide to keep the park open.   Read the full article.