While Governor Terry McAuliffe, First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe and other members of the governor's cabinet were attending a series of meetings, events and fact-finding sessions in Danville on Tuesday, several cabinet members split up to explore other areas of southern Virginia. Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward and Secretary of Education Anne Holton traveled east to South Boston. McAuliffe and his cabinet were guests of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce's State of the Region addresses Tuesday morning. Shortly after lunch, Ward made her way to the Visitor's Center in South Boston where she met with State Parks Director Joe Elton, Staunton River State Park Manager Adam Layman and Tourism Director Linda Shepperd.
According to Elton, in her short visit Ward was familiarized with this part of the commonwealth and the resources available in Southside. "I don't know that we appreciate our state parks and natural resources enough sometimes. I think we take it for granted. But I think it's becoming more of an awareness that you can outsource out natural resources. But if we don't take care of it, it's not going to be there. Someone will tell us what to do with out water or what to do with our land if we don't." Following a discussion on some of the history of the county, tourism, the state parks and how to promote the area, Ward was off Occoneechee State Park and Clarksville for a tour and to stay the night.
Holton also visited the area Tuesday afternoon touring the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center and the Innovation Center. Executive Director Dr. Betty Adams and Director of Workforce Services Dr. Nettie Simon-Owens shared with Holton a presentation on the past, present and future of the higher education center. After learning more about the future goals of the higher education center that has been selected to become one of three centers of excellence in the state, Holton took a tour of the facility. During the tour, she learned how the center's focus is aimed at producing work-ready individuals in welding, precision machining and industrial machine maintenance. Holton was given a peek at some of the students' projects and facilities including the WoodLINKS/Product Design & Development award winning chairs, the Virginia International Raceway's Tudor Race trophy currently being produced by the center's Research and Development Center and the facility that will house welding training.
