Worst Move by a Suburban Government
Public-education cuts, teacher layoffs Shrinking state allocations put public schools in straitened circumstances. In May, Chesterfield County proposed $56.4 million in cuts and the elimination of 300 jobs. Then, before month's end, it turned up $15 million in savings, and by July, the system offered 50 people their jobs back. Thanks to the Board of Supervisors injecting $1.1 million into the school system, New Kent County had to eliminate only three positions — in addition to the 44 already cut last year. Not necessarily ideal, but better than expected. 2. Poor planning, overdevelopment, suburban sprawl 3. Address change from Richmond to Henrico
Worst Move by City Government
Poor handling of the winter storms Tammy Hawley, spokesperson for the mayor, replies, "The city met the challenges brought on by the heaviest snowfall in more than a decade, and measures have been put in place to improve our response time in the future." If their votes are any indication, Richmonders will have their stopwatches ready to test the city on that the next time it snows. 2. Public-education cuts 3. Letting the Braves leave
Most Inconvenient Store Hours
Ukrop's Super Markets By the time this survey was conducted and the results tabulated, Ukrop's, the family franchise that helped Richmond define itself against spreading cultural homogeneity, was gone. Online comment threads bristled with "good riddance" snark, so it's likely that your answer here is one last dig against the closed-on-Sundays thing, but we're going to put on our rose-colored glasses and interpret it instead as a sadness that Ukrop's no longer has any hours at all. 2. Carytown 3. The post office
Most Annoying Local Radio Ad
Cobb Office Technologies Freddy Cobb acknowledges that his colleagues don't think his ads are as funny as he does. The commercials' enthusiastic repetition of "Cobb It" is meant to be a pun on the way trade names become verbs — like Xerox replaced photocopying. A few years ago, a woman complained on the firm's answering machine about the ads, and after vetting it with an attorney, Cobb chose to use the criticism in an ad. 2. The Dump 3. Haynes Furniture
Worst Neighborhood or Street to Live on When It Snows
The Fan Snowbound aesthetic beauty aside, Councilman Charles Samuels, whose district includes the Fan, acknowledges that this past winter turned the area into a sheet of ice. One constituent fell and broke a leg. It's also worth noting that most folks were getting around on foot, so some of the blame for any travel difficulties could be laid at the feet of homeowners who didn't shovel their sidewalks. You know who you are. 2. Church Hill 3. (Tie) Monument Avenue; Old Gun Road
Most Annoying Local TV Ad
Auto Connection Mack Mack the head-bouncing dog didn't have a comment about this verdict. But you can say this about the Auto Connection ads — they are free of irony and pretense. And the crude stop-motion dance moves of Mack Mack aren't half as bad as those executed by some Dancing With the Stars rejects. 2. Haynes Furniture 3. Joel Bieber
Slowest Intersection Streetlights
Pump and Broad streets
Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Dawn Eischen reminds us that the Broad and Pump intersection gets an average of 86,000 vehicles per day. The signals must be set to allow the greatest volume of traffic (Broad Street) more time to go through the intersection than the lower-volume side streets (Pump Road/Pouncey Tract Road). That just means you have more time to sing along with that song on the radio.
2. Parham Road and Patterson Avenue
3. Huguenot and Robious roads
Annual Event That Needs an Extreme Makeover
Carytown Watermelon Festival Bob Broomfield, president of the Carytown Merchants Association, was curious about this response. "What do they mean? Less funnel cake ... more cowbell?" Jokes aside, he added, "We continue to evolve, adding more Carytown food, better vendors, more good music, art and watermelon! Visit CarytownRVA.org and give us your suggestions." The usually steamy street fest arrives Aug. 8. 2. Easter on Parade 3. New Year's Eve in Carytown
Worst Kids' Menu
McDonald's McDonald's U.S. media-relations department didn't respond to our query for a reaction, but let's think about the reasoning here. First, you have kids. Second, you're taking them to McDonald's. Yes, it's convenient, and reasonably priced, but it's still McDonald's. Is this a surprise to you? 2. Applebee's 3. Can Can
Local Person Whose Hot Air Could Lift a Balloon
Doug Wilder Like the tongue that searches out a sore in the mouth, Richmonders cannot seem to shake free of their perverse obsession with Doug Wilder, despite the fact that he left the mayor's office almost two years ago. Last we heard from him, he was apologizing for Gov. Bob McDonnell's Confederate Heritage Month gaffe. And in a city of lawyer/politicians, there's plenty more hot air. 2. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli 3. Gov. Bob McDonnell
Worst Wait for a Restaurant Table
Mamma 'Zu Here's the thing: You go there, you wait. It's not a surprise. Yet Richmonders, who enjoy their own frustration, seem perpetually annoyed by this Mamma 'Zu characteristic. There is something to this inevitable experience, in a world of ugliness and uncertainty. At least you can drink wine while hoping the table ahead of you doesn't sit there all night and try to solve the world's problems. 2. Cheesecake Factory 3. Olive Garden
Worst Stretch of Potholes
Interstate 64 Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Dawn Eischen says that a $40 million project is under way to repair and resurface I-64 between the Bryan Park interchange and Parham Road. "We expect this area of highway to be touted as the ‘smoothest ride' when the project is completed later this year." Hear that Best & Worst Nation? We know you keep score. 2. Route 295 3. Route 288
Worst Retail Customer Service
Wal-Mart To know how bad the customer service at Wal-Mart is, you have to patronize the establishment. And if it's so bad, why do shoppers drive there, clogging the roads and filling up the lots? If disappointment is inevitable, what's the point? This is not a healthy relationship. 2. Macy's 3. Verizon
Worst Thing About Ukrop's Changing Hands
Loss of a local business Tracy Pawelski, spokesperson for Martin's Food Markets, thanks customers for their patience during the conversion of Ukrop's stores to Martin's. As for our feelings of loss, Pawelski notes, "Our 4,000 associates are local, as is our commitment to the local economy and commnity." And they still carry White House rolls. 2. Nothing 3. Loss of community support/events
Worst Gaffe by a Government Official
Return of Confederate History Month/Omission of Slavery
Stacey Johnson, Gov. Bob McDonnell's press secretary, responded by noting that former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, the first elected black governor, accepted McDonnell's apology and dismissed the flap as ‘an honest mistake by an honorable man.' We'd just like to point out that Wilder won for "Local Person Whose Hot Air Could Lift a Balloon."
2. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's attempt to rescind Virginia colleges' anti-discrimination policies
3. Cuccinelli's breastless redesign of the state seal for a lapel pin
