Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 20, 1993 TAG: 9309200163
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Wasn't the lottery originally intended for education and highways when the people of Virginia voted on it? What percent of the lottery money goes to education, and what percent to the highway fund? M.P., Roanoke
A: Zero lottery dollars go for highways. No lottery money ever was intended for highways.
From time to time, people ask this question, though. It's a notion that got planted somehow.
The state's highway money comes from four sources: gas tax, sales tax on new vehicles, licensing fees and half a penny out of the state sales tax. The federal government pays most construction costs for interstate and primary highways.
Virginia's lottery profits - almost $300 million last year - go into the state's general fund. About half of that, $150 million, will go to education. One-fourth goes to health and human resources, and 10 percent to public safety.
The general fund was the intended recipient of the lottery profits from the beginning.
At first, in 1988, Gov. Gerald Baliles and other politicians said the lottery money would go toward new buildings for higher education, mental health, corrections and parks.
By 1990, the state was dealing with a budget crunch, and the plan for new buildings gave way; the lottery money was used instead for operating expenses.
That switch may be the source of much confusion about how the state uses lottery money.
Zero mile point
Q: On a recent trip to Norfolk, I saw a stone downtown near the MacArthur Memorial marking the zero mile point from which all distances to Norfolk are measured. Where is Roanoke's zero mile point? A.P., Roanoke
A: At Orange Avenue and Williamson Road, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Every city and town has a zero mile point, and it's usually a major public building or major highway intersection, according to the Transportation Department's policy.
In Richmond, there's a marker like this on the grounds of the state Capitol.
Once in a blue moon
Q: Where do we get the expression "once in a blue moon?" And why blue, instead of some other color? G.S., Roanoke
A: A blue moon occurs when there are two full moons in the same month. The moon's cycle lasts 29 1/2 days, so it's possible to have two full moons in the same calendar month.
That just happened, in August.
Why blue? Sometimes the moon does appear blue, when dust or haze in the atmosphere are just right.
Ordinarily, the full moon comes up yellow in the evening. Not always, though.
If I remember my older relatives' Floyd County traditions, some of them used to say that if there were two full moons in a month, one of them would be blue.
There's no scientific evidence for that, just a tradition.
Got a question about something that might affect other people too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB