As you hit the highway with music blaring and a 64-ounce drink at your side, just remember, that rest stop you used to visit likely will be dark.  You’ll have to do your business elsewhere.

That’s because VDOT has closed 18 rest areas around Virginia.  Those budget cuts at work again.

Here’s a portion of the official news release.  And, get ready, travelers.  There are more closures to come.

The 18 rest areas slated to close include:

• I-81 North Rural Retreat
• I-81 South Smyth
• I-81 North Radford
• I-81 South Troutville
• I-81 North Mt. Sidney
• I-81 South Mt. Sidney
• I-81 South New Market
• I-95 North Ladysmith
• I-95 South Ladysmith
• I-95 North Dale City (cars)
• I-95 South Dale City (cars)
• I-66 East Manassas
• I-64 East Goochland
• I-64 West Goochland
• I-85 North Dinwiddie
• I-85 South Dinwiddie
• I-85 North Alberta
• I-85 South Alberta

VDOT will operate the I-66 West Manassas Welcome Center through the summer travel season, since it was the only welcome center impacted by these closures. VDOT will close the I-66 Welcome Center on Sept. 16, following the busy summer travel season.

A map of the affected rest areas is available at http://www.virginiadot.org/news/resources/Statewide/19_SRAWC_Closures.pdf. To learn more detail about VDOT’s service reductions, visit http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/default.asp#blueprint

With children in tow, I remember stopping at that rest stop along I-64 in Goochland many times.  What a great resource for weary parents and restless kids.  I get it.  The closures are a sign of these difficult times.  I just have to remember now to give the kids lots and lots of juice *after* the trip is over.  Safe travels!

How many of you are wishing right now you didn’t have to depend on a tunnel to get out of town?

And, quite honestly, this morning’s mess (that has stretched into this afternoon) has affected people who didn’t even need to go in the direction of the Peninsula.

Feel free to vent, by the way.

The job was already busy this morning.  Last night’s storm had caused problems at the James River Bridge.  The JRB was running smoothly by showtime, though.  The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was another story.  I chatted with the Sergeant on duty who told me that a tractor trailer had overturned during the bad weather last night in the southbound lanes.  The driver was taken to the hospital, by the way.  The accident had a lasting effect on the roads, though.  Traffic could only travel in one direction at a time.  Not a big deal really at that time of the morning.  But folks who travel the C.B.B.T. that early in the morning don’t expect trouble, so we were hearing about delays between 15 and 30 minutes.

That cleared up.

Then, boom.

I was watching the WAVY Traffic Jamcams just after 6:30 a.m.  I just happened to look at the camera on the Norfolk side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.  The Westbound lanes looked a little slow, which is unusual for this time of the morning.  I checked a feed that I get on traffic troubles in the area, and it said there were problems at the H.R.B.T.  Sure enough, I caught up with VDOT just as they stopped the Westbound I-64 lanes.  I was able to get it on the air at 6:37 a.m.

Unfortunately, those drivers waiting to make it through the tunnel were stuck–for quite a while.  We first thought the standing water in the tunnel would cause a delay of about thirty minutes.  Nope.

About 7:15 a.m. or so, we started seeing cars being detoured off the I-64 exits, to 1st View.  Those cars were then brought around through Norfolk streets and pushed to I-64 Eastbound to make their way to the Peninsula via the DOWNTOWN TUNNEL, then the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel.  We were told then the Westbound tube would be closed for awhile.

Madness.

So, BIG, BIG problems for people heading to the Peninsula (I bet flights got missed at the Newport News airport), then those folks who were expecting to encounter normal Downtown Tunnel traffic were hit with a double dose (there were a couple of accidents as well throughout the morning I-264 Westbound).  Then, wait, there’s more.  I-664 Northbound at the Monitor Merrimac looks like a parking lot.

I know some of you may be trying to get out of town, ahead of the Fourth of July travelers.  What an exercise in frustration!

So, this is what happened, according to VDOT. A water pump inside the Westbound tube malfunctioned, causing the traffic headed from the Southside to the Peninsula to come to a full stop.  We’re hearing word it may be related to the severe storm from last night that resulted in a power outage.  It may take several hours for the Westbound tube to be reopened.

Hopefully, it will be up and running later in the afternoon, for another frustrating ride home.

We’re used to having live bands in our studio for Live Music Friday on Fox 43 News at 7 a.m.  We love it.

On Memorial Day, we had a very special treat.  We had the chance to listen to the Heritage Brass Quintet, part of the USAF Heritage of America Band.  They kindly stopped by so Don Roberts and I could test out their instruments.  Just kidding!  No one would have wanted to hear that!

Check out the band’s performance here, and catch more live music every Friday on Fox 43 News at 7 a.m.

Have a great day!

I so enjoy the diversity of cultures here in Hampton Roads.  The other day, I attended the Asian Pacific Heritage Celebration at the VA Medical Center in Hampton.  I had the opportunity to speak about my cultural experiences.  So thank you for letting me do that.  Some great food, colorful, traditional clothing, and great people joined me in the fun.  Here’s some video I took with a flipcam on what was out there to enjoy.

It’s a big gift-buying season.  After all, you may know someone who has worked so hard for that diploma.  While you may not be able to give that new grad a job, you can get something he or she can use.

We chatted with Ruby Weber, owner of Please and Thank You in Virgini Beach for some ideas on our sister station Fox 43 for the News at 7.

Brownie Troop 15 at WAVY TV 10

We recently had some special visitors to the WAVY-TV 10 and Fox 43 TV studio. Brownie Troop 15 stopped by for a tour. The girls had some great questions about our news operation, particularly related to our news gathering.

The highlight had to be the studio, though! They got the chance to sit on the anchor desk and get in front of our “green” screen where our meteorologists stand in front of changing weather maps. We had a great time. Thanks for stopping by!

I had the chance to head to Ocean View Golf Course to watch golfers in action for a good cause on Friday.  What a way to head into the weekend!  The Young Filipino-American Professionals of Hampton Roads hosted its first fundraiser of this kind for Operation Smile, which is based in Norfolk.  In an uncertain time, it’s nice to know there’s something we can do to literally put a smile on a child’s face.  Money raised from this event will help thousands of kids born with a cleft lip or a cleft palate.

We heard some great secrets from a chef in Ocean View in Norfolk this week that would be a valuable addition to your recipe box.  Captain Groovy’s is fairly new, about a year old, but already a hit with restaurant-goers in East Beach.

Chef and owner David Watts was kind enough to make one of his most popular dishes.  His famous fish tacos.  He only serves them on Wednesdays, so on the other nights of the week, you’ll have to make them yourself.  Here’s how he does it.

Check out our other Recipe Box recipes at fox43tv.com

You know you do it. Open the mailbox, take out the bills, catalogs, and papers, then dump them all on a table. Over the course of the week, that pile grows and grows. Well, that’s what happens in my house!

Our organizing expert, Amy Volk of Simplified Living in Virginia Beach, teaches us how to sort through the paper clutter. Here are her tips. And you can catch Amy twice a month on Fox 43 News at 7.

Nope. Not Friday yet.

But, there’s definitely something to look forward to when the day does finally roll around. On Fox 43 News at 7, we’ve had some great times, welcoming musical guests from around Hampton Roads. Over the last few Friday mornings, we’ve been treated to performances by the Hunt Family Fiddlers, Julie Clark, The Michael Clark Band, and Narissa Bond, just to name a few.

Here I am with The Mike Aiken Band

and Lewis McGehee.

You can check out all of our musical performances at fox43tv.com. But you can catch a great act, live, this coming Friday.

The Annie Johnson Band will be in the house!!! We look forward to their high energy rock! See you on Friday morning!!