Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Yesterday, as the light rain steadily put on weight, I realized it was Aug. 18, when in 1989, a large line squall parked over this part of the York River, flooded Williamsburg’s tunnel, and more, no doubt.

On the west side of Gloucester, it washed out road crossings at Providence Road, Gum Fork Road, Creek Wood Lane, and Fox Creek, upcounty from Cappahosic. It washed away the Haynes Pond dam and the Haynes Mill and closed both lanes of Route 17 just below Abingdon Church (this suggests problems if it were a storm evacuation path). I believe we had 12" in five hours.

The amazing dam reconstruction by VDOT put the much-traveled Hickory Fork Road back in service in an unbelievably short time. If one didn’t live on the west side of Gloucester one wouldn’t know, but put-back costs were large. VDOT’s Eugene Jesse (retired) might have some tales to tell.

For many weeks I watched the huge battered turtles cross the road after they work...