ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 11, 1996 TAG: 9607110016
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
THE U.S. Forest Service made a wise move to turn down the request of the American Electric Power Co. to run a 765-kilovolt transmission line through the national forest. The power line would have done serious damage to the environment, and it also would have been a real eyesore on our beautiful mountains.
However, if we want to keep things such as the 765-kv transmission line out of our area, that means we'll have to use our utilities in a more efficient manner. We must use less electricity instead of increasing the amount we use. With modern technology and common sense, I feel this can be done without greatly changing our lifestyle.
We can't have it both ways. We can't continue to use more and more electricity, but oppose its delivery system. We also must realize that our energy resources aren't a bottomless pit with an unlimited supply.
We should use our resources wisely so that there's a generous supply for generations to come. Only by conserving our energy resources and using them wisely can we keep out such things as the proposed transmission line.
In your July 4 edition, there was an article (``Power failure hits Idaho this time'') on the power failure that hit the Western part of the nation. If we don't want similar blackouts around here, and we don't want the 765-kv transmission line, then we must consider how we're going to conserve electricity.
LOUIS R. BENOIT
PEARISBURG
Senators' creed: Follow the money
TO REINVENT government, simply return senators to the state's payrolls. To whom do these loose cannons belong?
To paraphrase Gen. Nathan B. Forest: ``They belong to him who gits thar [to them] fustest with the mostest.''
A senator should also reside in his home state. To live in Washington is like cruising the sewers in a glass-bottomed houseboat.
ERNEST F. REYNOLDS
ROANOKE
Alcoholics' families rely on city program
ROANOKE CITY'S program for the families of alcoholics and addicts is being sacrificed because of lack of funding.
The program provided knowledge of the disease and what family members can do to regain our sanity. If you haven't shared your life with an alcoholic or addict, you have no idea of the loss of sanity one feels living through this chaos. We learn to help ourselves and not let our loved ones continue to devastate our lives. We learn to love our addict differently. This happens at the same time they're being treated and educated.
Some men and women fall by the wayside, and will not retain what they hear or realize the severity of their condition. They haven't yet learned to fear, but the families live daily in fear! Eliminating this program will help fill the jails and prisons, and family members who aren't strong enough to hold onto what we know we should do will return to the pit of insanity.
Can't the city see the snowball effect this will have? Terminating the family-support group may eliminate any chance we have as responsible people to educate our children and keep them from becoming nonproductive adults who will reside in jails or prisons someday. How do we teach them what we do not know ourselves?
My fiance no longer ``puts stuff'' to me because he's too busy doing what he needs to do to keep himself clean and sober, and he knows I'm not taking any stuff anymore. Chaos has moved out of my house and harmony has moved in. It isn't easy. We work very hard at it every day.
This is all because someone took a chance and formulated this wonderful program, and didn't forget about abused families. Every day, I thank God and the wonderful people of Blue Ridge Community Services for not forgetting about me.
Consider what you're hearing and let us keep our lifeline - our family-support group.
CAROLYN D. TILLIES
ROANOKE
Nineteen died for cheap gas
WHEN I pick all the ``fat and feathers'' off the recent tragedy in Saudi Arabia and blow away all the political smoke, I come to the conclusion that 19 American servicemen forfeited their lives so that the stateside citizens can enjoy the luxury of a plentiful supply of $1.25 gasoline.
How sad, selfish, greedy, spoiled and self-centered. I'm ashamed!
EUGENE M. BAIRD
MARTINSVILLE
LENGTH: Medium: 87 linesby CNB