ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, September 4, 1994                   TAG: 9409060004
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


ASSAULT WEAPONS WEREN'T INTENDED

When our Founding Fathers granted the right to "keep and bear arms," as is so often quoted today, they did not foresee the invention of the assault weapons so prevalent now.

The very name "National Rifle Association" indicated that this organization was founded to promote the use of rifles. Since then, their advocacy of any and all types of firearms leads one to conclude there is need for a name change. From now on, I recommend they be called the "National Weapons Association."

Virginia Currie

Blacksburg

Concerned about power lines

There are several citizens in northwest Montgomery County who are concerned about the 765-kilovolt line. Specifically, they are concerned about the two candidate corridors that cross the New River near McCoy Falls and extend into the communities of McCoy, Wake Forest, Norris Run and Sunnyside. There are approximately 700 homes in this area.

We would like the [Montgomery County] Board of Supervisors, the National Forest Service and Appalachian Power Co. to know the following:

1. These corridors pass directly over what is arguably the most active recreational area on the New River in Virginia. This section is consistently featured in literature and advertising used to attract tourist and business dollars to Virginia. Examples can be found in the Aug. 14 Discover edition of the Roanoke Times & World-News and in the station break segments on television station WSLS. Lines in this scenic corridor could only tarnish those images.

2. All of the homes within one mile of the corridors have wells. Because of the area's karst terrain, these wells are susceptible to contamination from herbicides used in the power line's right of way.

3. Publicity on these possible corridors has not been very effective. Few people know that a 765-kv power line could pass through this area. They deserve to know while they still have a voice in the outcome.

As constituents, we would like to know what stand the Board of Supervisors, the Forest Service and Apco have on the power line coming through this area.

Bernadette Mondy, David Mondy, Mitch Keil, Marla Keil, Kathy Thornsen, John Thornsen, Mary Fain and other neighbors

Blacksburg

Clearing air on health care

The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County wishes to correct a misunderstanding many readers have brought to our attention from a recent league letter on health care reform. The letter published last month stated that reform "must include an employer mandate so that all employees receive health care coverage."

A summary written last year by the local league's then-president stated the league's position more clearly: "A single-payer plan of national health insurance financed through general taxes in place of individual insurance premiums, is preferred. However, the League of Women Voters would support, as a temporary measure, an employer-based system that provides universal access, as we move toward a national health insurance plan."

We reiterate, as we did almost a year ago, "Our elected representatives need to know that we citizens care about each other and want cost-effective universal health care."

On Friday, Sept. 16, from 2 to 4 p.m., the League of Women Voters Education Fund is sponsoring a national satellite town meeting on health care in Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus. This is an example of the nonpartisan citizenship education function of the league. Please attend.

Mary Swiger, president, League of Women Voters

Nadine J. Newcomb, immediate past president,

Judith Snoke,past president,

Blacksburg



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