Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 15, 1994 TAG: 9405170025
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
I resent that Barry Worth from the Riner District made the motion that the new school be named West Blacksburg Elementary, and that Becky Raines from the other end of our county seconded his motion. I don't think a Blacksburg representative on the School Board should suggest a name for a school in Riner or Shawsville. The local citizens should be the ones who have the greatest voice in naming a school.
I would like to thank the Blacksburg Town Council for going on record as wanting the new school named in honor of the Kipps sisters. Miss Mae had her 91st birthday May 1.
Robert M. Price
Blacksburg
Smoke-free thanks
A sincere thank-you to the 21 New River Valley restaurants that participated in the Smoke-Free Earth Day on April 22. It was truly a breath of fresh air to enjoy a meal on that day without clouds of smoke drifting across the table in the "nonsmoking" section. We hope there will soon be a larger number of local restaurants that are always smoke free. (And thanks to those few that already are!)
Kathryn P. Kenley and eight other members of NRV Breathin' Easy Coalition
Giving hospitality
I very much enjoyed your Sunday cover feature about restoration work in a historic cemetery in Giles County. It is great to see an energetic Eagle Scout teaming up with local organizations to clean up and preserve an important part of our local heritage and culture. With easy access to the cemetery from the Appalachian Trail, a connection has been made between this local historical site and the nationally known Appalachian Trail.
The article mentions moving the hiker's hostel from the Catholic Church to a location near the graveyard. The hostel is owned and operated by Holy Family Catholic Church in Pearisburg. The church provides hikers with shelter and hospitality as a ministry of the parish community. Holy Family is a church within the larger Pearisburg community. As such, we are open to dialogue with other people and organizations in the area. To date, I know of no plans to move the hostel to another location.
The Rev. Louis Benoit
Pastor
Holy Family Catholic Church
Pearisburg
Board wimps out
What a bunch of "politically correct" wimps we have on our [Montgomery County] School Board! I only hope the education children receive at the new West Blacksburg Elementary School is more inspiring than the name.
Martha Cassell
Blacksburg
Mayor's thanks
On Tuesday, May 3, Radford voters selected a mayor and two of the four City Council members who will lead the city for the next four years. I would like to express my appreciation for the vote of confidence.
I would like to thank all who assisted in the re-election effort. Without your help and support, our victory would not have been possible.
Tom Starnes
Mayor, Radford
More should vote
The Blacksburg election results stimulated me, or more truthfully aggravated me. Less than 10 percent of eligible voters cast their vote. Only one nonincumbent was in the race. A tragedy for the town!
I have high regard for each of the incumbents as a person. I am sure you could see the "but" coming. Local governments have myopia regarding conflicts of interest by government officials. The appearance of conflict of interest, from the point of view of a people's confidence in government, is just as bad as the reality.
When 71 percent of our council is directly employed by Virginia Tech and their primary living, personal or spousal, is vested in the institution, the "appearance of this conflict of interest" is the whisper of the town. Certainly, the institution can be considered well represented.
This "appearance" extends even to the challenger in this election. He, a developer, has more than a passing interest in "progress" as defined by the restaurateurs, Realtors, shops and business in general.
We, individual homeowners are not at all represented. We have planning boards, zoning boards, appeal boards, but they are also populated by the above-mentioned Realtors, bankers, developers and businessmen - but few, if any, ordinary people. Their interests are subordinated to progress at the expense of the environment and tranquility and the cost of glutted traffic, minimum wage jobs and increased taxes to finance this progress!
But we deserve being ridden hard and put up wet because we didn't go and exercise our vote to correct the problem! One cannot attribute this lack of attention by the townspeople to contentment with "hizzoner" and the council. It is resignation without hope of change.
Bob Anderson
Blacksburg
by CNB