ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9607010074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: & Now This...
When last we visited the Roanoke-Staunton River Batteau Society, the group was preparing its boat, the Governor Henry, for the James River Batteau Festival - and wondering whether she'd actually float.
The 45-foot, 3,000-pound wooden craft was looking a bit, well, leaky just a week before its scheduled launch in Lynchburg.
But the batteau and its crew, led by Captain Paul Thomas, made it safely through all eight days and 120 miles of the festival, which ended near Richmond last week. They didn't even have to use the bilge pump, boasted Lynn Ward, one of the society's members.
They did, however, fire their potato gun a few times.
Their what?
"Well, it's this device that shoots potatoes," Ward said. "When the guys first brought it out, I thought they were nuts. But then I tried it, and it was so much fun."
Wait a minute. The festival was supposed to be an authentic representation of life on the James in the 18th century. Does that mean the grizzled rivermen of old protected themselves against bears and cougars with spud SCUDs?
"Well, no," Ward admitted. "But after eight days on the boat, sometimes we just had to break out a little bit."
- MEGAN SCHNABEL
Roanoke County on the Web
Net surfers around the globe can now check on Roanoke County's tax rates, trash pickup schedules and even get the telephone numbers for their favorite county supervisor.
Roanoke County is on line with its own home page, and the Board of Supervisors got a demonstration last week.
"We'll be getting calls from Italy," quipped Cave Spring Supervisor Fuzzy Minnix when his telephone number flashed across the computer screen.
Botetourt County is the only other local government in the Roanoke Valley with a home page. Botetourt is devoted to economic development.
Roanoke County's page includes basic information for new county residents and a profile of new Fire Chief Richard Burch. Over the next few months, information will be added on parks and recreation programs.
The county's address is http://www.co.roanoke.va.us.
The county library and Police Department already have home pages. In fact, officials with R.R. Donnelley said they were impressed with the Police Department home page while they were considering locating their latest plant in the county, according to Anne Marie Green, the county's director of community relations.
- CHRISTINA NUCKOLS
LENGTH: Medium: 54 linesby CNB