ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9604010089
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: LETTERS
To the parents of the school children in Montgomery County:
Where were you last Thursday night [March 21]? This was the final public hearing for next year's county budget. It was at 7 p.m. in Auburn High School. The school budget is 75 percent of the county budget.
The Montgomery County Supervisors listened to their constituents' opinions (that is you!) on the advertised tax increase of 6 cents on each $100 of assessed property value.
To fund only the proposed school budget would have required an increase of 20 cents per $100 of property. Only 18 people spoke. Half of these people did not want any tax increase at all.
As I looked around me, I saw very few parents. It is discouraging and tiring to be one of a very few people to make the effort to speak for the children when there are so many parents who also support the goals of the school budget, low pupil-teacher ratio, safe buses, roofs that don't leak, and enough money to buy books for the library.
Judging from the turnout Thursday night, if I were a county supervisor, I would not feel that I had a mandate from my constituents for the tax increase.
Parents, the bottom line is: If you care, you will have to attend as well as speak at public hearings.
Lynda Majors
Blacksburg
What's best tribute to Knowles?
What else can be said about Angie Knowles? A tireless volunteer and PTA member, a nurturing and supportive mother, a soccer enthusiast, Angie was also a loyal friend and a loving day-care provider.
Ten years ago, I was grateful when Angie agreed to care for my young daughters. She always had room in her house and heart for anyone who needed loving care. Despite constant demands from several children for attention, toys, and a shoulder to lean on, Angie was calm and nurturing and appreciated the humor in the children's daily activities. She accepted and even celebrated each child exactly as they were, including both strengths and faults. Day care was not a business for Angie; it was an extended family.
Over the years as a friend, Angie always had words of encouragement. Her tireless spirit and enthusiasm inspired me. Although Angie endured the emotional pain of biases and personal losses, she was always there for other people - especially children. She did not allow herself to become angry or bitter. Her legacy is that her children have inherited her accepting, compassionate and forgiving nature.
We have the task of ensuring that Angie's memory and spirit live on. First, we must make sure her children are cared for. Their financial needs must be met, and we as a community must nurture and support them on a daily basis. Do not wait for a phone call requesting assistance - just do it!
We can memorialize Angie by recognizing the causes that were important to her. We could name a soccer field in her honor. The After-Prom Party could become a memorial celebration of Angie's life and dedication to youth in this community. These are a few ways to honor the memory of this extraordinary woman.
In addition, we must address the fear that Angie endured and the violence that ended her life. Perhaps a fund can be established on the local or state level to help women in abusive situations pay security deposits, moving expenses and attorney's fees needed to establish their own residences. Also, women who leave abusive spouses need an agency that could determine and collect support payments. Women do not need to be involved in court confrontations with someone who may already be angry and hostile.
Society needs to recognize and respect the fear some women suffer before leaving unhealthy marriages; this fear often prevents women from reporting their husbands or seeking help. Therefore, there is no documentation of police calls, doctor visits or other agency involvement because the women are fearful of further antagonizing a partner. We should protect the women who have the courage to leave abusive partners. Our society needs to provide security systems and escorts. I hope that the community will join me in lobbying and advocating for pro-active changes such as these.
I call on all community members to join me in remembering Angie - her love, compassion, enthusiasm, humor and dedication to helping others. Let's ensure that her spirit lives on in each of use.
Karen Hughes
Blacksburg
Ammunition plant could generate power
The American people have billions of dollars invested in military facilities throughout our nation. We now face the challenge of converting as much as possible of that leftover military industry to peaceful production. The federal government promotes this conversion through guaranteed government loans for new tenants and by modifying buildings to meet their needs. Now it is up to local people to put the program into action.
Our responsibility is the Radford Army Ammunition Plant here in our back yard.
Virginia's legislators are keenly aware of the loss of jobs and population in Southwest Virginia's coal counties. To promote coal production, they have enacted a credit on Virginia coal bought by Virginia utilities. They have also granted tax credits to companies mining Virginia coal.
The responsibility again falls to people at the local level to recognize market opportunities for Virginia coal, and use these taxes and use credits as incentives to sell more Virginia coal.
This is an opportune time to bring together state and federal programs by reactivating the two power plants at the Radford arsenal. They could generate the additional electrical power that will soon be needed in the Roanoke Valley and open a new market for Virginia coal. This is a much preferred alternative to the proposed new power line from Oceana, W.Va., to Cloverdale.
The proposed transmission line would increase the cost of electricity. It would take 2,700 acres of land. It would set up a 115-mile no-man's land. There have been no studies conducted to determine if 765-kilowatt electric power transmission lines are a health hazard.
The State Corporation Commission should not approve construction of this type of power line as long as there is, as in this case, a practical and preferred alternative.
James Noonkester
Blacksburg
LENGTH: Long : 113 linesby CNB