Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 22, 1991 TAG: 9103220733
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ed Shamy
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
I've goofed, twice.
First I wrote about a convenience store. Race Track I called it. It's RaceTrac.
I didn't figure on such creative spelling and I promise never again to use the C&P Telephone directory as a dictionary.
My error.
That stumble, though, pales in comparison to an error I made when I misidentified a speaker.
I thought I was speaking on the telephone with J.T. Oliver at the state police office division headquarters in Salem. I quoted him in a column on Tuesday.
Obviously, I misunderstood. I wasn't speaking with Oliver. Had never spoken to Oliver at all, as far as he knew. About anything.
And indeed I didn't. I was speaking to Jim Ruhland, also an assistant special agent in charge.
I am sorry for and embarrassed by my error.
\ Birds and airborne humans soon may be reminded that Roanoke is, indeed, the Star City.
The state Department of Transportation may permit National Reforestation Service - a private Roanoke company - to plant hundreds of white-pine seedlings in a giant star shape. As the trees grow taller and bushier, the star shape should grow easier to see.
The star as planned would be 400 feet from tip to tip.
The irony here is the location.
The needled star, the emblem of the Star City, would be in Roanoke County.
The trees would be in the northwestern cloverleaf at Interstate 581 and Peters Creek Road. You can see the city from there, but you're squarely in the county.
This is a lingering skirmish from the Battle of the Merger. The city lost the consolidation ballot battle, but the psychological tussle continues.
The only way Roanoke County can defend itself now from this insidious encroachment is to change its logo. Who could train white pines to grow in the shape of an Indian warrior's profile? And when will the American Civil Liberties Union challenge that Indian-head logo, anyway?
Perhaps an "x" logo for the county. Or a doughnut shape.
They're easier to plant.
\ At least the city and county were able to pull together in their critical talks with Cox Cable Roanoke. The tense Cox bargaining sessions made U.S.-Iraq talks look like a Muppets skit.
After all, the public has a sacred right to voluntary, self-inflicted brain death, and the Roanoke Valley has long wallowed in an electronic Dark Ages.
Cox subscribers have access now to only 35 television channels! How's a person to live under such barbaric conditions? Amnesty International hears about this savagery and Cox Cable is going to be accused of human rights violations.
Now, though, it looks like civilized behavior will prevail. Cox will give us access to 62 channels and we will be free to fully anesthetize our brains against any thought whatsoever.
With 62 channels, we'll never have to go outside again. We'll never have to speak with our neighbors. Never have to actually think about anything other than, "What should we watch tonight?"
Life is getting better. It's getting better all the time.
by CNB