Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 3, 1995 TAG: 9507030011
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
I disagree with the law that allows a parent to spend time in jail for a crime that a child committed. When an adolescent or young adult desires to run wild at night, there's very little the parent can do.
The child learns nothing when the parent is punished. The curfew law may be a tool used by the child to threaten the parent. (``Hey, if I don't get to do this, I'll sneak out and get caught. Then you go to jail, not me.'')
I suggest a better punishment for the teen-ager is to force him or her to do community service, a certain amount of hours per offense. And with each recurring offense, more time is attached to each week of volunteer service required. Teen-agers' social life and the time needed to fraternize with their friends are very important to them.
I suggest the following hours of community service to be completed in one week:
First offense: Three hours on Saturday. Second offense: Five hours on Saturday. Third offense: Seven hours on Saturday. Fourth offense: Seven hours on Saturday and two hours on Sunday. Fifth offense: Eight hours on Saturday and four hours on Sunday. Sixth offense: Two hours on Friday, eight hours on Saturday and six hours on Sunday.
After the sixth offense, make it 16 hours per weekend, with an additional weekend added for each repeated offense. (The eighth offense would require 16 hours a week for three weekends.)
Various organizations in the area need volunteers. This idea would serve as a punishment and teach adolescents about their community. It will offer them the opportunity to learn about charitable groups that offer much-needed services in their district.
I hope others agree with my ideas, and that some area volunteer organizations would be willing to supervise the children.
MARGARET C. MILLER CHRISTIANSBURG
Gala got off to a dull start
I LEFT too early. The black-tie Festival in the Park gala at the Jefferson Center seemed like the same old same old:
A bunch of very well-dressed 20- and 30-something women looking, but apparently not finding. A plethora of real-estate sales people trying to impress whomever would listen to how casually they sold Southwest County while ``having a ball'' doing it. Many older couples: women in lovely, expensive party dresses and enjoying every minute; men in tuxes, most looking like they would rather be doing their gardening or yard work. Artists displaying their work, and being patiently condescending to the better-dressed party people's comments and questions. Food vendors eager for their delicacies to be sampled. Professional musicians furnishing music that most everyone seemed to ignore. (You could tell they were professional because they used sheet music.) Uniformed cops stationed at all exits to make sure no one violated the sanctity of the valley by taking an alcoholic beverage away from the building.
By 10 p.m., I had used my drink tickets on ginger ale, eaten all the rich, delicious and fattening food I could hold, and left. This must have been a major mistake. Up to that point, the only party I have attended lately that's been more sedate was the totally boring $100 a person ``bash'' (not!) at Hotel Roanoke's grand opening. I wish I had stayed that last hour at the Jefferson Center.
DOUGLAS CHANDLER GRAHAM SALEM
Beyond the dole, another world
FROM a working American to welfare recipients:
Get off your gluttonous maximus, take your hand out of my taxpaying pocket, and get a job. There's a brave new world awaiting you: pride, self-esteem, fatigue, social interaction, the opportunity to help support those still on welfare, the chance to learn and accomplish. Perhaps even the opportunity to meet someone to share the daily struggles that those of us who work for a living (often a full- and at least one part-time job) have to deal with every day.
It may be hard to believe that there's more to life than the government dole, but you owe it to those of us who have been supporting you and yours to join the real world.
GARY DOGAN ROANOKE
Tidewater brought problems of itself
REGARDING the Lake Gaston water-withdrawal issue:
A few years ago, the General Assembly commissioned a study on sustainable development in the commonwealth. This was an excellent piece of work done by the Environmental Law Institute, a well-respected group with a national reputation. It spoke of regional cooperation and planning, and stewardship of resources and things that made sense to all who think about the future and the land, like inventories of fresh water resources now available and their usage. The study was to be the cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Commission, which wasn't funded and died in this year's General Assembly.
Now, due to the selfishness of Virginia Beach and lack of vision in the legislative branch, we stand ready to destroy more than 400 years of the common-law doctrine of riparian rights and partially replace it with a form of appropriated water rights similar to some of our arid Western states.
History has shown that everywhere the two systems exist that the appropriative rights ultimately suppress and replace the riparian doctrine. Riparian rights spurred the development of the East along its abundant rivers and streams, and helped push our forefathers west as needs outgrew resources. Now, in one ill-thought-out act, the General Assembly could destroy this and call it progress.
Equally sad is the perpetuation of the increasing power of the Golden Crescent compared to our region.
Many years ago when I was at Virginia Military Institute, we referred to folks from Norfolk, Virginia Beach or Tidewater area as "swamp rats." It was an apt description as there were still some swamps and marshes left. These were places where fresh water was cleaned and filtered naturally before recharging underground aquifers that are now being infiltrated by salt water. Today, most of those wetlands are under parking lots, shopping centers and highways. That's part of why they have a problem, and why we shouldn't have to bail them out.
Native Americans knew that when you exceeded the carrying capacity of an area that you moved to a new location. Too bad politicians are so partisan and shortsighted that we will be the ones to suffer, because they cannot accept that they have exceeded nature's ability to provide for that area.
As Tidewater grows at our expense, we need to recognize that we will get less and less for our state tax dollars, relative to the Golden Crescent. We need to accept that we must become more self-sufficient, as mountain people have been throughout history.
PAUL R. THOMSON JR. ROANOKE
Boones Mill can overcome problems
REGARDING YOUR June 26 articles (``Play takes bite from reality to mock Boones Mill feuds'' and ``Would losing charter stop shenanigans?'') regarding the Blue Ridge Dinner Theater's spoof of the town of Boones Mill and the town's committee to dissolve the charter:
I enjoyed the play, and laughed throughout the performance. Then, with chagrin, I turned to reality.
In one short year, the progress made during the previous 10 years has come almost to a standstill. For some strange reason (maybe not so strange if one probed deep enough), Mayor Steve Palmer and his backers have focused most of their energy and some of the taxpayers' money on getting rid of the policeman, Lt. Lynn Frith. It's ludicrous.
When Boones Mill is without a policeman, the speed through town escalates to a point where crossing U.S. 220 is as frightening as crossing a battlefield. Fortunately, the town hired Frith. Now, it's a safe place for citizens and motorists, with enforcement of the speed limit.
Frith has been an intelligent, efficient and enthusiastic representative for the town. He is a definite asset, not a liability. The town is lucky to have him.
Boones Mill's problems are surmountable. Dissolving the town's 67-year-old charter isn't the answer. Palmer should form committees to study ways to promote growth and make the town a more attractive place to live, possible annexation and an economical way to repair the water system, etc. The Police Department is fine.
Palmer must care about the town or he never would have run for office. It's a thankless job, albeit important. However, if he doesn't want to be a part of positive solutions to help the town, he should resign.
K. JOAN EATON BOONES MILL
by CNB