Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 26, 1995 TAG: 9510260054
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY REED
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Several readers
A: The U.S. 11 construction has become more widely noticed in recent weeks as drivers have sought an alternative to the bottlenecks on Interstate 81 caused by paving near the truck scales.
Work on U.S. 11 began in April 1994 and was expected to be complete in the summer of 1995. Summer ended a month ago; the Virginia Department of Transportation now hopes the project will be finished by Thanksgiving.
Several factors went into the delay. The entrance to Hollins College had to be relocated with a design the college liked, and a right-turn lane from U.S. 11 onto Plantation Road northbound was added after the project began.
Also, there were unexpected encounters with waterlines, water meters and septic fields along the one-mile project.
These popped up after the normal relocation of utilities that preceded construction. Also, business entrances along the route posed some time-consuming problems.
Despite the delays, though, VDOT engineers say they're pleased with the quality of construction being done.
New to baseball
Q: In baseball, please explain an ERA and RBI.
E.A., Roanoke
A: October always seems to attract new fans to baseball, if only because the World Series is on during prime time.
The ERA is a pitcher's earned-run average. It tells how many earned runs that player allows every nine innings.
Earned runs are scored as a result of hitting and base running. If a fielder's error allows a player to reach base or advance, any runs scored because of the error are not counted against the pitcher's ERA.
An RBI is a run batted in - scored because of a base hit, a bases-loaded walk, sacrifice fly or other offensive action by a hitter.
What turns star red?
Q: How do they physically change the Mill Mountain Star to red? Is it a change of gas in the neon tubes or what?
M.B., Roanoke
A: The star is equipped with both red and white glass tubes.
Changing colors should be a simple matter of switching some transformers on and off. However, repairs must be made because of breakage, vandalism and equipment failure.
White neon tubes are replaced as they're broken or burn out.
Red tubes aren't replaced until they're needed, and it took five or six new ones to get the star fully lighted for this week's Red Ribbon anti-drug and -alcohol campaign.
The star hadn't burned red since it warned the valley against the drug and alcohol threat to young people in October 1994, so quite a bit of maintenance was necessary.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB