Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 2, 1994 TAG: 9405020031
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, could be in the hot seat at this year's state Republican convention.
He's scheduled to be the presiding officer, whose duty it will be to gavel the convention to order - and rule on any sticky issues of parliamentary procedure that come up.
"It could just be a high-visibility, ceremonial position he will relish," says Larry Sabato, the University of Virginia political analyst. "Or it could turn into a terrible, horrible hot seat."
It all depends on how contentious the convention - to be held June 3-4 in Richmond - becomes, and whether any additional candidates enter the race. For now, it's just Oliver North and Jim Miller, although there's talk of a third candidate - probably state Sen. Ken Stolle of Virginia Beach - jumping in. "If there's more than two, there's the possibility of going more than one ballot," Goodlatte observes.
Why Goodlatte for convention chairman? For one thing, he's staying neutral in the Senate race, which makes him acceptable to both sides. He's also got a reputation in Republican Party circles as a fellow who knows the rules.
\ Signs of the times
Twice a week, a crew from the Roanoke Traffic Department drives through the city replacing street signs, at a cost of about $50 each.
"There are some signs that we put up that could be gone by the end of the day," said Gary Bowman, a supervisor in the department.
If you live on Morrison, Pink, Floyd or Redbud streets, you may have noticed that your street signs disappear faster than crews are able to replace them.
"Signs close to bus stops or related to drugs or rock groups disappear the most," Bowman said.
The traffic department has done everything from welding signs on posts to putting up extended posts. But people will do almost anything to steal signs, including backing into the taller signposts to knock the signs down. Stolen street signs cost the city between $5,000 and $6,000 a month.
Most reports of stolen signs come from the police and fire departments, which use the signs every day. Few thieves are caught in the act, so police can charge offenders only with possession of stolen property.
Roanoke College students hold the record for the most court appearances for possession of stolen property, Bowman said. Police look for stolen signs in the dorms after students have left for the summer, then cite the former occupants who have left the signs in their rooms.
\ Can't skate on this
Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding are OK on Walton Road in Montgomery County, but 18-wheelers definitely are out. That's the spin some may put on the Virginia Department of Transportation postings on each end of the country byway.
The signs declare: "Trucks: Over three axels prohibited."
Someone at the Transportation Department must have borrowed Dan Quayle's dictionary. An "axel" is a jump in figure skating. An "axle" is the bar connecting opposite wheels on a car or truck.
The narrow and winding five-mile stretch has been pressed into emergency service as an unofficial detour around the closed Memorial Bridge between Radford and Fairlawn.
\ Bringing home the grocery
Brenda Davis used to live in Blue Ridge close to a Food Lion store. But her home now is near Fincastle and the closest Food Lion is at Hollins. She said a shopping trip for her household takes too long.
There's a Winn-Dixie store about 12 miles out and a Kroger about 16 miles, but Davis wants a Food Lion. So she is asking the Salisbury, N.C., company to build her a store. She's even scouted potential sites and started a petition campaign to help make it happen.
"You have to get 500 names before they'll even consider a store," Davis said.
As of last week, she had collected more than 750.
She has petitions scattered at businesses ranging from Dr. F.A. Vess' dental office at Daleville to Exxon at Fincastle. She did have one at the Quick-ette Food Market in Fincastle until its owner, Aubrey Lester Jr., decided the trash might be a better spot for it.
Lester said having the petition at his store was a "conflict of interest," although, he added, a Food Lion might bring some growth to the area and help his business, too.
Davis has written the grocery chain's president, Tom Smith, three times and received three replies that the company will certainly consider her request.
It takes more than a petition to get a store, said Food Lion spokesman Mike Mozingo. But he said the company welcomes Davis' efforts.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***