ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, September 3, 1996 TAG: 9609030102
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: What's on your mind?
SOURCE: RAY REED
Q: The construction project that was going to use fly ash from burned coal as fill material near Vinton's wells doesn't seem to be going forward. Have any problems developed that affect the water supply?
R.A., Vinton
A: Tests on water from the wells indicate they haven't been affected by the fill material, according to the Roanoke office of the state Department of Environmental Quality.
The fill material also hasn't been shown to contaminate ground water at the site where it originally was stored, at American Electric Power's coal-fired generating plant in Giles County, Kate Glass of the DEQ said.
The closest of Vinton's three wells is about 300 feet from the site on Virginia 24, just east of Wolf Creek at Feather Road. The wells supply 40 percent of the town's water.
Arnold Covey of Roanoke County's engineering department said the project is expected to go forward, with the ash to be covered by pavement.
The developer, Jerry Fairchild of Vinton, plans to build a convenience store with gas pumps, a florist shop and a fast-food restaurant.
Foggy August tales
Q: You've probably heard the old wives' tale that the number of fogs in August equals the number of snowfalls in December and the rest of the winter. How many snows could we expect? We seem to be having a lot of foggy mornings.
D.P., Salem
A: We'd be in for one of the snowiest winters ever - if that tale were true.
It wasn't accurate last year, when there was little fog in August but plenty of snow in winter, said Mike Emlaw of the National Weather Service in Blacksburg.
Our rainy summer has had unusually cool days that don't dry out the ground, so fog rises as nights get longer, Emlaw said.
"This has been an unusually foggy August," he agreed, though the weather service doesn't keep records specifically for fog.
What do our recent foggy mornings mean? Nothing, unless the tale works the other way: snowy winters lead to foggy Augusts.
Parkway temporary
Q: I live in Southeast Roanoke County near Explore Park. Most of us use the Blue Ridge Parkway to go to Vinton or to U.S. 220, and I've heard the parkway might close the connection to our road when the new parkway spur is built into the park. Is there any way to keep it open?
C.P., Roanoke County
A: Plans from the beginning had the parkway's connection to Rutrough Road a temporary one.
The connection was opened in summer 1994 with the expectation that it would be closed this year with the spur's completion.
The 1.5-mile spur's expected completion date now is May 1997, said Richard Morefield, district ranger for the parkway.
Explore Park was able to open because of the connection, which the parkway allowed only after the state Department of Transportation widened Rutrough Road.
The widened lanes, at least, will remain.
Have a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Call us at 981-3118. Or, e-mail RayR@Roanoke.Infi.Net. Maybe we can find the answer.
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