Prison to hold ribbon cutting, open house

INDEPENDENCE — Gov. Bob McDonnell will participate in ribbon cutting ceremonies slated for Sept. 25 at the River North Correctional Facility in Independence at 3 p.m.
Officers from the Virginia Department of Corrections and other elected state and local officials are expected to participate.
Prison Warden Ben Wright said participation in the ribbon cutting is by invitation only, but an open house for the public will be held Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Tours of the $100 million-plus prison facility will be conducted during the open house.
Prisoners are expected to be transferred to the 1,024-bed River North facility beginning next month. Wright said he expects about 50 inmates to arrive per week until the facility reaches full capacity.