.jpg)
The extremely cold weather Monday played havoc with plans for both the local observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Virginia Military Institute’s participation in the presidential inaugural parade.
The ninth annual CARE Rockbridge MLK Community Parade was canceled by organizers late Sunday afternoon based on concerns for safety.
In an email sent out by Robin LeBlanc, CARE vice president, she said that law enforcement had notified her Sunday afternoon to express concern for the safety of the walkers.
“I then walked the course myself,” she wrote. “Nearly all of it was really good, but unfortunately, melting snow in the roadbed on Randolph Street was running across the street in a river several feet wide that looked likely to freeze, potentially endangering participants as they gathered for the parade in the morning.
“President Reginald A. Early and I talked about it and decided to cancel the parade,” she continued. “I am a bit crushed, but we all know that we’re out here. We’re not alone in our attachment to justice, love, and equality! Our spirit will drive us through the coming year.”
A small gathering organized by a downtown business owner did end up taking place at Hopkins Green at 10:30 Monday morning. See page B6 for more on that event.
Meanwhile, the VMI corps of cadets remained in Lexington Monday after their participation in the presidential inaugural parade in Washington, D.C., was canceled.
The cadets had been scheduled to leave VMI early Monday morning to head to Washington, following a week of practice. That all changed, however, when the inauguration ceremony was moved inside the capitol and the parade inside the Capital One Arena because of the cold temperatures.
“The Presidential Inaugural Committee notified us Friday evening that, due to the weather and movement of events indoors, VMI will not be participating in the inaugural events this year,” said a VMI spokeswoman.
“While we are disappointed, we’re very proud of how hard cadets and staff have worked to prepare and practice for the inaugural parade,” she said. “We look forward to participating in future inaugural parades, as VMI has done since the early 20th century.”
While high temperatures in the Rockbridge area remained only in the 20s through today, temperatures are expected to climb back into the 40s by this weekend.
