
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 25, 1990                   TAG: 9003262161
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GOOD PLACE TO LIVE OUTRANKS `GOOD JOBS'

I READ your March 1 editorial "How Roanoke rates" with some confusion and not a little nostalgia.

I found it nostalgic because it's exactly the same thing I heard when I was growing up in Roanoke: "Why would anybody want to stay in Roanoke? There aren't any good jobs." I heard this song and dance from friends, relatives and strangers.

Well, my parents and I moved where there were "good jobs." Since I married, we've moved to several cities where there were "good jobs."

I think I learned something interesting about "good jobs"; they don't replace a good place to live. We've lived in Northern Virginia, Las Vegas and western Pennsylvania, but as soon as I finish school here, we plan to move to Roanoke and raise our children.

Oh, the confusion? I still haven't figured out what being an ancient of 39 has to do with suggesting that Roanoke might be a nice place to visit.

\ WALT STAPLES\ PITTSBURGH, PA

by CNB