Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 15, 1993 TAG: 9302150027
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
SIGN OF TROUBLE
The sign was an eye-catcher: "Danger," it read. "Approaching Death Valley - Proposed Hazardous Waste Burning Site - Be Prepared."\ James Firebaugh Jr. erected the sign last summer on his farm along Blacksburg Road in Botetourt County. It was a protest of Roanoke Cement Co.'s plan to burn hazardous waste as a fuel at its nearby cement plant.
Firebaugh took the sign down this month, believing that Roanoke Cement had dropped its plan in the wake of heated community opposition and a zoning restriction designed to block waste-burning that was adopted by the county Board of Supervisors
But Firebaugh hasn't trashed the sign. In fact, now that Roanoke Cement may sue the board over the zoning measure, it may soon reappear.
"It's still available to go back up," he said.
Making a comeback
Sen. Brandon Bell will remain on the bench when his Bell fellow Republicans take on the Democrats in the annual General Assembly basketball game Thursday.
The state senator from Roanoke County remains on crutches following an on-court collision with\ Del. Steven Martin of Chesterfield County during a Feb. 2 legislators-vs.-lobbyists game.
Bell, 34, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair cartilage and ligament damage. Since then, he has hobbled from his office to committee meetings and traveled at a snail's pace across the Capitol grounds. He expects to remain on crutches for another week or two, but doctors say he should be totally healed within six weeks.
Bell says he's gained a new appreciation for facilities that are accessible to the handicapped. "I do know a lot more about the need for that," he said.
Cocaine caper
Drug dealers by nature are a suspicious bunch. So agents investigating\ Roger Trenton Davis, once dubbed the "marijuana martyr," knew they needed the right location if they were going to nail him in an undercover cocaine buy.
Salem's Holiday Inn - which sits above the city on the wooded slopes of Little Brushy Mountain - seemed like the ideal isolated spot.
But just as Davis was being lured to a motel room, the bust almost burst.
A group of Virginia state troopers, unaware of their colleagues' plan, decided to dine in the motel's restaurant - leaving their marked and unmarked police cars lined up in the parking lot.
It spooked Davis, who began to hedge on the deal as soon as he drove up. He finally agreed to meet the agents at a Roanoke golf course, where he sold them a kilogram of cocaine for $34,000.
Fortunately for the undercover agents, they had Davis in handcuffs before any police officers happened by for a quick round of golf.
Fixing up facilities
Spring brings new life, especially this year at\ Mount Moriah Baptist Church.
The Roanoke church, founded by slaves in 1858, expects to christen its first bathrooms, running water and fully functioning kitchen in the next few months. The congregation made do all these years without water and with just an outhouse.
Members have raised $5,245, about half what they need. The congregation's paid for a septic tank, pipes and other improvements. Sinks and other fixtures were donated. Bathrooms will be built by a deacon at Salem's First Baptist.
Dozens of individuals, community groups and now some churches have given money, among them Preston Oaks Baptist, a Brethren church in Buena Vista and the Salem church.
Contributions may be sent to Mount Moriah Baptist Church Improvement Project, P.O. Box 181, Vinton 24179.
Sprucing up the stadium
Roanoke City Councilman\ Delvis "Mac" McCadden has strong feelings on\ Victory Stadium: "We need to either fix it up or bulldoze it," he says.
City officials have estimated it would cost $750,000 to renovate and upgrade the 50-year-old stadium. This would include repairs to the seats, ramps, restrooms, locker rooms, lighting, scoreboard and sound system.
McCadden, a former professional baseball player and umpire, said the city won't be able to attract college football games or other major sports events to the stadium until it is repaired. City Council will decide whether to make the stadium a higher priority in a few weeks when it approves a five-year capital improvement plan.