Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 26, 1994 TAG: 9404270004
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This company plans to place on Bent Mountain a 40-foot pole with two 5-foot antennas, a 2-foot microwave dish, and a light for all residents below to view. I'm sure this is only the first of many to come, so I want to thank you all for not getting upset when the view of Bent Mountain will soon be defaced.
Sincere thanks to the planning board for stating that the microwave dish must face away from Bent Mountain. I realize that 50 percent of articles written say these waves are harmless, but some do wonder about the other 50 percent.
A very special thanks to the cellular company for being so willing to cut down a beautiful 60-foot red oak and to keep the lot clean. I hope you make millions and are able to cut many trees, defacing every mountain in the valley, all in the name of cellular progress.
If you have any questions, the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors will vote on this today.
CHARLOTTE LESTER BENT MOUNTAIN
Warner in the sack with liberals
LIBERALS never cease to amaze me with their flood of letters to the editor against Ollie North. Although there are no pictures with the letters, one can very well see two faces.
Only a real liberal would have the gall, brass, etc., to talk about someone's character, integrity and honesty, and at the same time truly admire and support the likes of Chuck Robb, Edward Kennedy, the Clintons and others in our government. These people say North has no character and is no hero. I challenge them to compare their service record to his. I don't think there would be any comparison. I'd guess most of their records would be the same as Bill Clinton's, and we all know what that is. This also applies to so-called moderate Republicans who blast North.
I've found that when Republicans claim to be moderates, in truth they're really liberals. John Warner is no exception. His voting record proves that.
If you'd put Warner and Doug Wilder in a sack and shake it good, which one would fall out first? I don't think the Republican Party owes Warner anything and would be much better off to sack Warner.
NOAH MILLS CALLAWAY
Good ideas for city going unreported
I'VE ATTENDED several candidate forums recently and was very surprised that there was no mention in this newspaper of any of the good ideas offered by Nelson Harris.
Fixing up Victory Stadium sounds great to me, and his ideas about the first-responder program are right on target.
I hope you'll send a reporter to future forums and report what the candidates have to say. Not all of them are talking fluff.
MARIE KIDD SALEM
Plan will help small businesses
OVER THE past few months, I've listened to the national debate over health-care reform. I was concerned enough about the impact of Clinton's plan on small businesses in Southwest Virginia to do some research, and I found that small businesses will benefit under his plan. Currently, approximately 62 percent of small businesses offer health insurance. For businesses with less than 50 employees, the Clinton plan would place a cost cap of 3.5 percent to 7.9 percent of the average payroll, accomplished with 30 percent to 80 percent discounts for employees making $24,000 or less. A universal health-care form will also help reduce administrative costs, which can sometimes increase medical-care costs by as much as 40 percent.
Small businesses are the heart of America. The 62 percent that currently provide health-insurance benefits should get behind Clinton's plan. For the 38 percent of small businesses that now don't have health-care coverage, this is an opportunity to provide their employees with accessible, affordable health-care benefits.
Small-business owners and employees should cheer Clinton on with a cry of ``health care for every citizen!''
SAM CHURCH Coordinator, Coal Miners Political Action Committee APPALACHIA
Missing the beat of the music
I TAKE exception to staff writer Kathleen Wilson's April 10 news article (``Singer's death a clue to suicidal teen-agers'') on the suicide of Kurt Cobain in relation to ``suicidal teen-agers.'' And also with the statement by Lewis-Gale Psychiatric Center's Director of Clinical Services John Todd that ``the kids listening to this kind of music probably don't have very good relationships with their parents.''
I listen to ``this kind of music'' all the time, and my parents and I have an extremely good relationship. Those who make statements such as this sometimes don't understand what the music's saying to begin with or what the whole "alternative'' movement's all about.
TANYA TURNER ROANOKE
by CNB