Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 2, 1995 TAG: 9510030013
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Now, if they could just bulldoze the several hundred new high-priced homes built here in the past 10 years, the road improvements they seem to prefer would be sufficient to get the Bent Mountain folks to town 30 to 60 seconds faster.
The road is unsafe, and will continue to be unsafe and crowded with the plan just approved. I believe there are far more accidents to the south of Poages Farm than from the farm to the end of the recently improved U.S. 221 near Arlington Hills.
At recent televised hearings, many opponents of VDOT's plan, who have led the movement for the ``same road solution,'' identifed themselves as members of ``Friends of the Blue Ridge.''
I have learned recently that Friends of the Blue Ridge has its offices in the Roanoke County administration building. A county official told me that space was provided gratis in lieu of cash (tax) support. This was the supervisors' way of providing support for ``Friends of the Blue Ridge.''
So here we have one of the primary lobbying groups in the matter of the U.S. 221 decision having free offices in county space, and it turns out to be lobbying the very county officials who provide that free office space.
And we think that Washington doesn't get it?
RALPH E. SMITH
ROANOKE
Prospect Rd. is indeed a driveway
IT WAS unfair of you to use Don Robertson's Sept. 19 letter to the editor (``Road should be open to everyone'') as an example of the correct way to think about Prospect Road. He repeated the options and gave his opinion, but didn't seem to hold the prejudice against Ralph Smith that you do. You were wrong when you implied that the road wasn't built as a driveway (Sept. 19 editorial, ``What not to do with Prospect Rd.'').
The Henritzes constructed it to lead to the home and continued it to the top of the mountain. If the city treasures this ``public'' road, why has it left the overpass to decay, therefore ending it at Rockledge's beautifully kept private property? Recently, I had a chance to drive the road but doubt whether many Roanokers have been there. If they go, they would find that it's indeed a driveway to a home and wonder why anyone would have any business on this drive unless they were invited to this house.
Like the top of the mountain where so many tax-paying residents find a place to enjoy and take their guests, Prospect Road hasn't had a high priority with the city. But there are always funds to finance the man from Charlotte when he makes the downtown look like something from a Superman comic book. When the water system leaks, new sidewalks are needed and roads suffer from necessary use. Those concerned with this beautiful mountain must wait and wait. It was given to us by the previous owners of The Roanoke Times; it's a shame the present owners cannot be as generous in their attitude to the people like the zoo membership, the gardeners and Smith. They have all been donating themselves so that we all can have ``our mountain.''
SUE COLLINS
ROANOKE
Parents' authority taken away
WITH RESPECT to your Sept. 20 editorial (``Slapping the schools with a suit'') concerning the contract that school systems are requiring parents to sign, I'd like to make a few comments.
I've always cooperated with teachers and staff at my child's school. I don't have a problem with the school, but I do question government's intruding on my relationship with them. Laws are on the books in our state regarding truancy, parental neglect, weapons in school, and student misbehavior on campus. I see no purpose served by my signing this ``contract'' except that I'll lose authority over what happens to my child until after punishment has already been administered. The contract states: As a parent, I may ``through proper channels'' disagree with the ``manner in which the school's code of conduct'' has been implemented. It would also allow government to intrude and force my child to undergo therapy or treatment without my consent. Doesn't this sound ``Big Brotherish''? The concept may have merit, but the manner in which it's being pushed on parents causes me to wonder.
You mentioned home-schooling a child if a parent disagrees. Well, I home-school one and have one in public school. You also made a sarcastic remark about children not being ``property.'' My children aren't my ``property'' but my ``responsibility,'' and I care more about my child and what occurs to him than big government.
TERESA LILLY
MARTINSVILLE
Why NBC deserves a place
IN RESPONSE to the remarks by Virginia Western Community College's Gordon Hancock as reported in Joel Turner's Sept. 26 article, ``NBC seeks invitation to `college days''':
Hancock's statement, ``few Virginia Western students have shown an interest in NBC in the past,'' is difficult to understand. It's a fact that 45.6 percent of National Business College's student body transferred from another college. While not all these students came from a community college, it's evident that we do offer unique features that are worthwhile and attractive to students.
Hancock also states that college day is ``designed for students who are completing their two years at Virginia Western.'' We realize that, and that's precisely why those students should be made aware that they have another option to continue their education. National has baccalaureate programs in accounting and management.
But there's another concern these community college adminstrators should address, as we do. Like all colleges, National occasionally has students who, while enrolled, change career goals, become unhappy with us, or otherwise choose not to continue attending. We feel an obligation to counsel and advise those students to continue their education, and we'll work with them to seek and pursue other opportunities.
Administrators at community colleges should take the same approach, particularly in view of the number of their students who make the choice for change. According to figures published in 1993 by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, of full-time, first-time students (those with the highest likelihood of completion), only 17.9 percent graduate from a community college within seven years.
PHILIP R. BREEZE
Director of Marketing
National Business College
SALEM
Star City tastes good
I TAKE exception to Chris Henson's slanted column (Sept. 21, ``Forget the brew-haha; the point is, how does it taste?'') slamming ``Star City Premium Lager.'' I first tried it out of curiosity, and I love it! It doesn't matter to me where it's made. What I care about is how it tastes. I've traveled across the country, and ``Star City'' is the best beer I've ever tasted.
Instead of Henson knocking the beer because it's not brewed in Roanoke, perhaps he should write about how much revenue it's bringing into Roanoke.
VICTORIA AINSWORTH-RAY
ROANOKE
Productive people are overlooked
IN MY view, it's time for the media to quit glorifying attorneys and quit giving them so much prominence. The Roanoke Times gives so much coverage to them that one could possibly arrive at the conclusion that the establishment is owned by a law firm.
CNN has a new show called ``Burden of Proof,'' and there are at least a couple of new law shows on syndicated television. Television was already saturated with these shows. If all this isn't enough, the media is providing detailed information on the O.J. Simpson trial as a form of entertainment.
The intent of my letter to the editor isn't to bash lawyers, but simply to state that people who take advantage of the system and benefit due to its deficiencies shouldn't receive such profile and acclaim. Instead, the average, hard-working, productive American should receive credit that's deservedly his or hers. These people, however unglamorous their work may be, made this nation great by engaging in free enterprise and by satisfying their fellow man's true needs. The media often overlook the importance of working, productive and entrepreneurial people, and fail to give them due appreciation. Amends need to be made.
HARSHA SANKAR
COVINGTON
by CNB