Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 15, 1993 TAG: 9303150008
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
CHECKS AND BALANCES
The Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke has always been a popular backdrop for politicians who want to talk up health care and volunteerism. Barbara Bush once visited there; last fall congressional candidate Steve Musselwhite held a news conference on the sidewalk outside. Last week, Mary Sue Terry announced her candidacy for governor inside the clinic.Now, though, there's a politician who's doing something for the clinic instead of simply using it as a prop. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, who pledged during the campaign not to accept the $4,100 pay raise Congress voted itself, has decided to donate his raise to charities in the 6th District.
His first check, for $1,025, has gone to the free Clinic.
And, surprisingly for a politician, he didn't call a news conference there to talk about it.
\ Mark your calendars
More than a year in advance, Explore Park planners have picked the day for opening the living-history state park in Roanoke County - May 14, 1994. Actually, they had the date picked for them. That will be the 190th anniversary of the date that Virginia explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set off from St. Louis to begin their famous expedition to the Pacific.
Explore planners are hoping they have better weather than Lewis and Clark did in 1804, however. History records that "the morning of Monday, May 14, 1804, broke cloudy, and rain later delayed departure until 4 o'clock . . . "
The scaled-down version of Explore now on the drawing board won't be the Lewis and Clark theme park once envisioned. Instead, it will be a living-history demonstration of how ordinary pioneers lived when the Blue Ridge was still the frontier. Still, there'll be at least some recognition of the Virginia explorers who pushed beyond the mountains.
\ Combing for votes
Politicians are fond of giving souvenirs during a campaign, everything from yardsticks to fly swatters to nail files. But advertising executive and Salem City Councilman Howard Packett, a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates seat that covers Salem, part of Roanoke County and eastern Montgomery County, has come up with an especially clever gimmick in his race against Republican Morgan Griffith.
Packett is giving out pocket combs that proclaim "Packett for House of Delegates."
Packett is bald.
\ Rockin' Roanoke
If you think stock-car racing at Victory Stadium is noisy, how about rock music concerts?
South Roanoke residents have another worry now. City officials are trying to book concerts by well-known bands in the stadium.
Although they would like to see the stadium used more, several City Council members are concerned that the noise from concerts might disturb the South Roanoke neighborhood.
Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., who lives in South Roanoke, said speakers for the stadium's sound system should be moved so they will face north and direct the sound away from the neighborhood.
If the noise disturbs his neighbors, Fitzpatrick said, they may complain to him.
The car racing has not caused as much noise as the residents had expected, partly because the city has required the cars to have mufflers.
\ An outstanding Virginian
University of Virginia President John T. Casteen has been named 1993's Outstanding Virginian.
He is the 11th recipient of the award, created by the General Assembly in 1984.
The award honors a citizen who, through dedication and outstanding leadership, has made a distinguished and significant contribution to the state.
Casteen has been head of University of Virginia since 1990. He is also a former secretary of education.
Previous recipients include Sen. Charles Robb, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Harry Carrico and James Madison University's Ronald Carrier.
\ Fear of flakes
Robert Seiple of Blacksburg, a psychologist, was scheduled to present a workshop on fearlessness at The Sedalia Center in Big Island this month.
The non-profit arts center decribed the workshop as a way to "direct participants toward a pathway to fearlessness using as models such characters as Merlin, the wizard of King Arthur's court and the Union soldier Dances With Wolves," after whom the popular movie was named.
The fearlessness workshop, though, was postponed by snow. It is, after all, frightening and dangerous to drive on the slick stuff and the participants couldn't get to the seminar that would teach them not to be afraid.
They'll try again March 27.