Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508140023
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That omission is the potential economic impact of our decision. First, the impact of constructing a $60 million facility. Second, the impact of locating it in the southern end of the Gateway.
You may not be aware that the Gateway is the fourth priority for development in Montgomery County. Therefore, development would be years in the future, since there is no water and sewer. Our decision to build in the Gateway and fund the cost of water and sewer will accelerate development by as much as 10 years.
When fully developed, the Gateway is projected to have a mammoth impact on the economy of Radford, Montgomery County and the entire New River Valley. An independent study of the economic impact of our $60 million hospital projects significant growth in jobs, tax revenue and investment for both the city and the county.
When forming opinions on this issue, the public should consider what is in the best interests of the region in every way.
Susan Lockwood
Public affairs executive,
Radford Community Hospital
Candidate's views are in mainstream
The Aug. 6 Current published a letter from Myra Marohn commenting on Joe Painter's observations about the Montgomery County Mainstream Citizens group. For the second time in as many weeks someone has accused me of bringing religion into the School Board elections. I challenge Myra or any other resident of this county to document a single instance where I have brought religion into these elections.
I also challenge her conclusion that the Christian Coalition is "far from moderate." The Christian Coalition stands for family values as represented by a husband-wife-children family. We support values like integrity, honesty and respect for all people. We believe in limited government. We believe that any sex outside of marriage is wrong. If these concepts are "far from moderate" then this nation is in very deep trouble. We have members from over 35 local churches. I suspect we represent the mainstream more strongly than does the Mainstream Citizens group ever will.
I am not running for the School Board as a member of any group. Nor have I asked for or received financial support from any group or individual.
John C. LeDoux
Blacksburg
Criticizing meeting was arrogant
Joe Painter's July 30 letter to the Current about four School Board candidates left a really bad taste in my mouth! Its evident purpose was to smear the Montgomery County Mainstream Citizens group, who had the temerity to hold a public meeting and invite only the candidates whom they found most compatible with their views.
Painter claimed that this showed "arrogance." He also showered fire and brimstone upon the four School Board candidates who attended this meeting, as though they too were under some kind of moral obligation to attend only all-candidates events. He called these candidates the "Gang of Four" who had "participated on cultural elitism" just by showing up. He used the word "arrogance" a lot.
Personally, I thought it was mighty arrogant to suggest that those of us who were not born in this area have no right to voice our opinions or run for office, lest we be accused, as he accused the Montgomery County Mainstream Citizens, of "sound[ing] off as to what is best for the 'natives'." Talk about cultural elitism! Only life-long residents have the right to an opinion, it seems.
Mr. Painter went on to claim that the candidates must have meant the very opposite of what they said: "By saying that they hope religion would not be an issue, they have in fact, made religion an issue." It is much more likely that they actually meant what they said. It's a realistic point to make in Montgomery County, where we can assume that the Christian Coalition has every intention of making religion an important election issue. I think Painter intentionally distorted their position so he could attack them.
Painter's letter insults the motives and integrity of four persons who, like the other candidates, are running to advance their visions of better schools in Montgomery County. It's bad that he has chosen to use insults and name-calling rather than talking about the policies and decisions that the School Board will face.
Muriel Kranowski
Blacksburg
by CNB