Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511240014
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-30 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Several years ago, I moved from the environs of Myrtle Beach to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Very simply, coastal South Carolina is becoming, on a smaller scale, exactly what Sherrard so strongly advocates. The quality of life I enjoyed there 30 years ago is gone from that area, and gone for good.
Sure, there are concerts. Yes, there are more and more roads. Of course, there are numerous superstores and big-name hotels. But the old-fashioned pharmacy that I preferred had to close, no longer able to compete with chain stores. The high school I attended was too small for my children's class and a multimillion-dollar bond issue was required to build a new, larger one. Local governments increasingly turn to ``experts'' from the regional-planning commission for even the most trivial matter. The list goes on and on.
Isn't there a lesson to be learned from the many people who retire from metropolitan areas and, as fast as they can load the moving van, head south for a better life? Whoever heard of anyone retiring in Roanoke and relocating to Washington, Boston or New York?
I don't doubt Sherrard's good intentions, but the words ``quality'' and ``growth'' aren't necessarily synonymous. In this instance, they indeed are not.
BARRY A. PRICE
FANCY GAP
Health and safety issues are ignored
IN THIS past election season, I heard practically nothing on a subject that concerns me greatly: the safety of our food, water and consumer products. The Democrats and Republicans seemed to concentrate on fueling economic machines while not noticing that there will be no end to human suffering or health costs if our state and federal governments do not protect us from contamination and environmental hazards.
The economy and jobs are very important, but the little Roanoke County boy who died with leukemia recently won't need a job! Did he sleep under an electric blanket? Did his diet include foods that were carcinogenic? Were there electric power transformers near his home? A friend of mine is the fifth person on her block to recently be diagnosed with cancer! Have all the lawns in her area been sprayed with cancer-causing chemicals?
State and federal politicians tell me there haven't been conclusive tests on many of these suspected causes of health injury. Why haven't there been adequate tests? Where are our priorities? We remember there weren't conclusive tests on breast implants, Agent Orange or Thalidomide!
I feel that the Food and Drug Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency and state regulators are allowing enough poisons, additives, hormones, pesticides and chemicals in our food, water supply and consumer products to pollute all of us in the very near future.
I'm looking for elected officials to speak out on this important subject.
RUBY H. SMITH
ROANOKE
Head to town while stores remain there
I KNOW there's really no point in writing this, as the plans for closing downtown Heironimus were worked out long ago. As a lifetime citizen of Roanoke, I've always shopped in Heironimus.
Years ago, when the first shopping mall was built, I predicted this would happen. Money-hungry business leaders have brought us where we are now. And what's frightening is that there will be more closings.
What can we do? Don't shop at the malls; shop downtown! You can shop at Heironimus at least until February, and there's Lazarus, Fink's and other downtown stores.
It's probably too late now, but maybe we can still save our downtown!
GERTRUDE W. LESTER
VINTON
Red star showed respect for the dead
I REMEMBER as a child coming to Roanoke to visit my grandparents. One of my biggest fascinations was the Mill Mountain Star. I remember the star being red when someone was killed in an automobile accident. Why was that ever stopped? When I saw this red star, I felt sad for those who were killed, but yet I felt a sense of pride knowing that our city paid its respects in this way.
Today, so many people are dying on our roads. There are teen suicides, hunting fatalities and even tragic murders here in our small town. Wouldn't it be nice to bring back a Roanoke tradition and pay our respects in our own way to those we don't even know? I give myself a moment of silence to be thankful that I'm still alive, and to pray for the one who was taken away so tragically.
KATHY HANN
EAGLE ROCK
Big rigs require safety standards
I WANT to inform readers of a sneaky deal Congress is about to pull off behind closed doors for another special-interest group. I refer to the pending passage of Section 354 of the national highway-systems bill that's now in conference.
If allowed to pass without major modification, this section will effectively remove all federal safety regulations from trucks in the 10,000- to 26,000-pound weight class - a class of vehicle that's already involved in a large number of fatal collisions.
Sen. John Warner is a member of the conference committee acting on this legislation. I can't imagine that he will allow this provision to become law since it will, in the future, add further dangers for his fellow Virginians who use highways and streets.
CAROLYN H. WALL
BLACKSBURG
by CNB