Virginia's river city lives up to its name
Friday - 9/7/2012, 2:33am ET
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Richmond residents and fans of the James River are celebrating the capital city's designation as the "Best Town Ever" based on voting by readers of Outside magazine.
Representatives from the James River Association, wild water outfitters and tourism associations gathered Thursday near the James River in downtown Richmond to welcome a recognition they said is well-deserved. The magazine called the city a surprise winner in the national competition to pick the best place for river recreation and environmental stewardship.
The selection was based on Facebook voting and Richmond emerged the clear winner over cities such as Ithaca, N.Y., Ashville, N.C., Nashville, and Hood River, Ore., among other entries.
Speakers in the winning city said the designation shows how far the James River has come since its polluted past.
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