Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 30, 1993 TAG: 9308300050
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: The Southern pine beetle is the culprit.
This pest is thriving at epidemic proportions in the region bounded by the James River, Troutville, Montvale and Interstate 81, said Joe Hedrick of the Glenwood Ranger District.
Several thousand acres of pines have been affected, forcing rapid sale to salvage some value from the Jefferson National Forest trees, Hedrick said.
The pine beetle's been around for years, and its preferred food is the Southern yellow pine. But recent winters have lacked the two or three consecutive weeks of freezing weather needed to keep the pest in check.
Dry weather in recent months has lowered the trees' resistance.
As a result, huge numbers of white pines are falling victim.
Hedrick said this is the worst infestation of pine beetles he's seen in almost 20 years.
The beetle damage was bad last year and worse this year. He expects to sell 1.5 million board feet of white pine this year and as much next year. Trees that are badly damaged or dead are good only for pulpwood; the pulp market is glutted because of the beetle, and prices are down, Hedrick said.
N.C.'s moving on U.S. 220
Q: I travel U.S. 220 from Roanoke to Greensboro quite a bit, and I wonder about the status of plans to four-lane 220 in North Carolina. Also, will N.C. 68, which goes to the Greensboro airport, ever be four-laned? T.M., Roanoke
A: Three projects are in the plans to make that trip four-lane all the way.
The first one, from the Virginia border 13 miles south to Madison, where there's an existing four-lane segment, is under way and is due for completion in 1999.
Two more projects get under way in 1997.
One widens U.S. 220 from its present intersection with N.C. 68 all the way to Greensboro.
The other will start a new N.C. 68 from 220 near the Haw River, south of the present intersection, and take 68 across a new corridor to 68's existing four-lane segment north of the airport.
That's the word from Bill Jones in the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Gainsboro archaeology
Q: I noticed some light excavating being done on First Street Northwest, a block north of Gilmer Avenue. Is that archaeological work? E.P., Roanoke
A: Yes. They're looking for artifacts from the first black-owned drugstore in Western Virginia, dating to about 1895.
Their work is part of the Gainsboro-area road-building project, tracing history before it's paved over by the Second Street-Gainsboro Road project that should begin next June or July.
Remaining matters for the project involve right-of-way acquisition, and the digging doesn't pose any delays, said Bob Bengtson, city traffic engineer.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB