THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 16, 1994 TAG: 9409150148
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 27 lines
After making several indignant speeches about the specter of government interfering needlessly in the lives of citizens, the Chesapeake City Council brought an abrupt end to a scientific study of snakes in Northwest River Park Tuesday.
Then, with their next breath, they began to talk about enacting a new city ordinance that would require anyone who wants to study nature in Chesapeake to get a permit first.
There was no indication that they saw any inconsistency in what they did.
People simply do not need local government breathing down their necks to this extent. Are we now to have local bird-watchers and Boy Scouts lining up for permits before taking nature walks in city parks?
If City Council members truly want government to keep out of the lives of people, they needn't look to Richmond or to Washington for things to change. They can start right under their own noses. by CNB