Editor:

It came as no surprise to me to read in the Jan. 13 edition of The Herald, days after and no notice was given to the citizens of Rice who this proposed Dollar General store would affect on a day-to-day basis, of a meeting at Rice Volunteer Fire Department held by Lockett Supervisor and Prince Edward Board of Supervisors Chairman Robert “Bobby” Jones. The meeting concerned the proposed store.

With U.S. Route 460 and state Route 307 on the priority list of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) due to the accident rate and scheduled for renovations in 2020, as well as the increased traffic and congestion already at this location, one would think the opinions and interest of all citizens of Rice who will be affected by these changes daily would have been notified.

There was no notification at the Jan. 10 board of supervisors’ meeting nor on the county’s website.

I spoke with VDOT’s Scot Shippee on Jan. 26, who basically informed me of the issues of safety concerns on this four-mile stretch of U.S. Route 460, including three fatalities and more than 10 accidents within 12 months.

I hope that more citizens of Rice and the Lockett District will turnout for the Feb. 14 board of supervisors meeting, voice their concerns and become better informed.

It’s not that we don’t want progress or development, but we want it done safely and with the citizens in mind.

Kenneth Jackson

Rice