June 30, 2007Comment on Saturday's editorialsA return to segregation A narrow, radical majority on the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a half-century of progress toward integration of minorities. In finding the desegregation plans of Seattle and Louisville, Ky., schools unconstitutional, the justices might as well have said, "Stick with your own kind." No ordinary library Had Roanoke ignored the citizen uproar over a Texas consultant's 1996 study and followed his recommendation to close several of the city's five branch libraries, the "heart" of the historic Gainsboro community -- its library -- would have stopped beating. Thankfully, it didn't. Comment on Saturday's local commentaryWhy won't Roanoke's businesses hire young workers? I have attained a bachelor's degree in marketing and am just a few courses away from having my MBA. I have work experience in retail, medical and academic institutions. I have never been written up for violating any company policies, have been praised on high for my customer service skills and always go above my calling to finish a project. Would you hire me? Oh, I forgot to mention that I am 24 and have no "professional experience." Read today's letters here. June 29, 2007Preserve union votesRepublicans in the Senate this week blocked a bill that would have made it easier for unions to form. On Monday we'll argue it was a bad bill that didn't deserve passage. Preserving anonymous voting is important to accurately reflecting the will of workers. What's good for Gainsboro library is good for its communityFor Saturday: A Texas consultant more than a decade ago failed miserably in recognizing the importance of branch libraries to Roanoke's citizens. Think what would have happened had the city ignored the citizen uproar and followed his 1996 recomendation to close some of the five branches that put library offerings within residents' close reach. In part, "the heart" of the historic Gainsboro community - the Gainsboro branch library - would have stopped beating. But plans for a $1.1 million Gainsboro library renovation, unveiled Thursday, give people hope that their communities, and what helps sustain them, do matter. Comment on Friday's editorialsImmigration politics ahead Something doesn't seem right. Now what? Comment on Friday's local commentary and lettersYoung, rash and armed? Friday's letters can be read here. June 28, 2007The town of Pulaski should consider reversionFor the Sunday Current editorial, we'll suggest the town of Pulaski investigate giving up its townness and becoming a normal part of the county. Above the lawFor Sunday, we'll be writing about President Bush's resistance to increased congressional oversight now that Democrats are in control of Congress. As Senate Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy said after the White House refused to honor congressional subpoenas seeking documents concerning the firing of U.S. attorneys, "Increasingly, the President and Vice President feel they are above the law --- in America no one is above law." Tackling affordable housingFor Sunday: Residents of the Roanoke and New River valleys have not yet felt the great push to the far outer fringes to find affordable homes - not in the same way as people in other parts of the state. But as the gap widens between what the average citizen in this region earns and the cost of housing, that push could become all too real if the affordable housing issue is ignored. Housing Virginia, Inc., a statewide organization whose board chairman is a Roanoke Valley REALTOR, is preparing to tackle the issue by addressing barriers that prevent average citizens from living in communities of their choice. Hey, you! Stop it!For Friday we will comment on Virginia's new method to combat child sexual abuse with a hotline that connects people with resources. Comment on Thursday's editorialsKick valet service notion to the curb Waiting for further word from Warner Comment on Thursday's local commentary and lettersCivil War remembrance Thursday's letters can be read here. June 27, 2007Sen. Warner should turn up the heat on the White House over IraqFor Thursday, Virginia’s Sen. John Warner lauded fellow Republican Sen. Richard Lugar for publicly breaking ranks with President Bush Tuesday over his Iraq war strategy. Warner’s support was heartening, but he should make a strong public statement of his own. How hard is it to park a car?For Wednesday we will take a look at a proposal by Roanoke Councilmen Brian Wishneff and Sherman Lea to offer valet parking on the market. We will give them points for creativity but note this "solution" creates rather than solves a problem. Where have all the candidates gone?For my Sunday column, I'm writing about the lack of candidates in upcoming New River Valley elections. Too many incumbents are getting a free pass, and that isn't healthy for democracy. Comment on Wednesday's editorialsLegal attrition Sell the state liquor stores Comment on Wednesday's local commentary and lettersDisposable society shouldn't include pets Wednesday's letters can be read here. June 26, 2007Dying in detentionComing soon: Regardless of where one stands on the immigration bill, everyone should agree that immigrants held in detention centers should be treated humanely. In the past three years 62 immigrants have died in administrative custody, some because they were denied medication or health care. Privatize the liquor storesFor tomorrow, we'll urge the General Assembly to dust off an idea brought up during the 2005 debate over transportation funding: Sell of the state liquor stores to raise a chunk of cash for transportation. Virginia's consumers would get better choice, higher quality and lower prices from the increased competition of a private system, which Virginia could still strictly regulate through the licensing process. The state would get a big chunk of cash - well over a billion, most likely - from selling ABC's assets, along with an ongoing increase in revenue from licensing fees and property and income taxes. The Supreme Court dives rightFor Wednesday, we're writing about Monday's four divisive, activist, partisan Supreme Court decisions. The dive to the right heralds bad times for the nation. Comment on Tuesday's editorialsA new chance for Roanoke schools Driving fast never cost so much Comment on Tuesday's local commentary and lettersA coming abortion earthquake? Tuesday's letters can be read here. June 25, 2007FDA's new regs on dietary supplementsThis week: New Food and Drug Administration regulations for dietary supplements are a good first step toward ensuring that consumers are ingesting quality products that are contaminant-free and accurately labeled. The problem is the second step, and beyond: The FDA still doesn't require that supplements be tested for safety before they hit store shelves. Ridiculous new bad driving penalties hit on SundayFor Tuesday, we're writing about the impending arrival of ridiculously high penalties for some driving offenses. Don't call them fines, though. They're fees because fines couldn't be dedicated to roads. Alas, fees can't hit up out of state drivers. Lawmakers should have realized that a system so convoluted was a bad idea. There are much better (saner) ways to raise money for roads. Comment on Monday's editorialsMental health system needs real resources Comment on Monday's local commentary and lettersAnother Smokies hike The amphitheater drama: Take 2 River rocks Monday's letters can be read here. June 24, 2007Comment on Sunday's editorialsSurveying for solutions Gov. Tim Kaine was on point when he said during his January State of the Commonwealth address that there is no excuse for a state with one of the nation's highest incomes to have so many babies die in the first year of life. There is no excuse for Virginia -- a state with the ninth-highest per capita income -- to have an infant mortality rate that ranks in the nation's bottom third.
President Bush deferred the hopes of the incurably sick and disabled Wednesday when, for the second time, he vetoed a bill that would have expanded federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. He added insult to injury by then issuing an executive order that is nothing but a public relations ruse, an attempt to neutralize the political impact of an unpopular decision.
Let Anderson's contract expire On Tuesday, the Montgomery County School Board will meet behind closed doors to decide whether to renew its contract with Superintendent Tiffany Anderson. Her service has left much to be desired. The county can surely find someone better. Comment on Radmacher's columnLethal pet food, poison toothpaste and regulation Those who constantly bemoan the overregulation of American industry should take a good look at the consequences of too little regulation being made clear in near-daily news stories about dangerous Chinese goods. All of the 24 recalls of dangerous toys so far this year involve toys made in China, including the Thomas the Tank Engine toys that were coated with lead paint. Lead paint. In the 21st century. Comment on Trejbal's columnChristiansburg is just like Botetourt County The recent Virginia GOP senate primary was almost exciting. Sen. Brandon Bell, a moderate Republican incumbent -- at least what passes for a moderate Republican in these parts -- faced a challenge from the even-farther right. Ralph Smith eked out a narrow victory. The former Roanoke mayor will next run against Democrat Michael Breiner in November. Bell's loss turned an almost certainly safe Republican seat into a potentially competitive one. It's enough to set a political junkie aquiver -- unless that junkie happens to live in the New River Valley. Comment on Sunday's local commentaryA new-terrain I-73 is not a done deal It was disappointing to read the May 29 editorial "Continuing the journey to build 1-73" cast in such a finalistic vein. It was as if the arguments against the new-terrain highway were ended, and the citizenry would just have to get over their objections and move on.
Forty years ago, the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War ended with Israel controlling wide swaths of Arab territory. "Good move," I thought at the time, believing that control of the territories would be a great bargaining chip for Israel to win security within its 1967 borders and, in return, do justice to the people it displaced when it was founded in 1948.
On the days when I feel like coming to town, I often run into people who say, "Oh, I haven't seen you in a long time. Where have you been?" To which I just shrug and reply, "Oh, I'm still around."
June 23, 2007Comment on Saturday's editorialsStop keeping secrets about Tech Stadium III, or is it IV? Comment on Saturday's local commentary and lettersCastro knew then what Americans still deny Saturday's letters can be read here. June 22, 2007Leave the Fleming stadium plan aloneFor Saturday: A departing school board member's suggestion to expand the William Fleming High School stadium project is one good idea too many in Roanoke, a city with more capital needs than money to meet them. Cheney hovers above the lawFor Monday: Vice President Dick Cheney operates in a government apparently regulated by rules of his own making. If existing rules don't suit his political aims, he simply ignores those rules, or seeks to change them. Take, for example, an executive order that ensures the executive branch protects classified information. Cheney's office not only has refused to comply with the order for the past four years, his office tried to abolish the National Archives and Records Administration, the office that enforces those rules. Tech shooting investigators should come cleanOn Saturday, we'll comment about the Tech shooting investigations. The Panel and others have invoked the "ongoing investigation" exemption to avoid telling much of anything to the public. That exemption exists to aide law enforcement when there might be a prosecution. The shooter is dead. It's time to stop keeping secrecy and start letting the public know the facts. Comment on Friday's editorialsA cancer among us The new museum takes form Comment on Friday's local commentary and lettersRed ink and generous salaries Friday's letters can be read here. June 21, 2007Bush's stem-cell research moves are disheartening and deceptiveSunday, we'll criticize President Bush's veto of a stem-cell research bill and his meaningless, follow-up executive order to encourage research along a different, less promising line. A cancer among usFor tomorrow, we're writing about Bill White, a noxious racist who unfortunately calls Roanoke home, and his crusade against Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts, which has included putting Pitts' home address and phone number on his Web site. When asked to take the information down, White refused, responding, "Frankly, if some loony took the info and killed him, I wouldn't shed a tear." Montgomery school superintendent should goFor the Sunday Current editorial, we're writing about Montgomery school superintendent Tiffany Anderson. The school board must decide if it will renew her contract. The district can do better and should let her go. |