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The SCC: a matter of exquisite balance
Barnie Day
Day, a banker and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, is a candidate for appointment to the State Corporation Commission.
Chief Executive magazine recently ranked Virginia as the fourth best state in the nation in which to do business. Simultaneously, our state government is frequently judged the best managed state in America. This is no accident. If good business is the goose that lays the golden egg of our economy in Virginia -- and it is -- fair, reasonable and balanced government is the gander that makes it possible. It is a matter of exquisite balance.
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Media fail to report on surge
Elinor D. Wright
Wright is a retired small business owner who lives in Lexington.
Some weeks ago, Lexington Kiwanians were treated to an eye- opener by the evening's speaker, Capt. Matt Thompson. He served in Iraq and is currently assigned to the Virginia Military Institute as an ROTC instructor. After his return, he realized the American public was largely unaware of the improvements to Iraq's infrastructure.

Tuesday's letters can be read here.
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For Tuesday: In Virginia, the shopping bag debate doesn't come down to paper or plastic but "state or local" control. Localities can't ban plastic bags even if they want to. A Senate bill seeks to change that.

For Tuesday, we are writing about the repeal of abusive driver fees. There's broad agreement that they need to go, but not necessarily how. We'll argue that they should be repealed retroactively and that lawmakers should look at increasing the gas tax to make up the deficit that will remain.

Panic (and politics) on Pennsylvania Avenue
The White House and congressional leaders are acting in haste by proposing a short-term, expensive solution to a long-term economic problem.
Economists disagree whether the U.S. economy has slipped into a recession, is about to or will avoid it but experience slower growth than recent years. Regardless, the threat of a recession combined with rising energy and food prices, a burst housing bubble, tremendous losses by the finance industry on mortgages and a volatile stock market are more than enough to cause grave concern.
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A quest to make sense of the school year
The longstanding Kings Dominion law deserves death. But don't hold your breath.
We understand that part of the public school mission is work-force training, but we are equally sure that taxpayers have something more lofty in mind than sweeping the grounds of amusement parks. Yet every year, the needs of Virginia's schools are subordinated to the needs of Virginia's tourism industry for a cheap and plentiful pool of workers -- high school students -- to get vacation destinations through the Labor Day holiday and the end of summer.
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The health care market is killing us
Steve Huff
Huff, a family physician from Patrick County, is a Roanoke Times columnist.
The U.S. health care system -- is it broken? Here's the shakedown: Democrats blame Republicans for bowing to Big Medicine. Republicans accuse Democrats of promoting socialized medicine. Citizens blame legislators for playing politics with their health. Big Medicine blames Americans for craving expensive treatment. Doctors blame lawyers for whipping up lawsuits. Lawyers sue doctors for skimping on health care. Insurers penalize doctors for prescribing too much care. Patients complain they are pawns in this out-of-control health care game.
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Put Explore Park in the state's hands
Lenny LaRose
LaRose lives in Roanoke and works in customer service for a local company.
When I first heard of Bern Ewert's idea for a living history park, I didn't quite catch the idea. I must admit to being less than enthusiastic. But after taking my children there for the first time, I was convinced that this was a worthwhile endeavor.
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Instant record checks are no threat
Clifton A. "Chip" Woodrum
Woodrum was a member of the House of Delegates from 1980 to 2004. He was a member of the State Crime Commission from 1982 to 2000 and served as chairman from 1995 to 1999. He lives in Roanoke.
The bills that would require instant record checks at gun shows will go to the State Crime Commission for study and may be considered at the next session of the General Assembly. It looks like this could be a long and tortuous process on an emotional issue. There is much to be said on both sides of the issue and a whole lot that has been said that should never have been said.
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Monday's letters can be read here.

The power and influence of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart recognizes that low-low prices alone won't keep shoppers loyal. Its new responsible global-citizen image is appealing.

The Wal-Marting of the world continues and, for once, this might not be such a bad thing.

Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott last week pledged to use the retail giant's clout to help solve the world's most pressing environmental problems.
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Holding on to Advance Auto Parts
Roanoke economic development officials need to actively sell the region to the new CEO.

The decision by new Advance Auto Parts CEO Darren Jackson to hire three former Best Buy executives may give some hint of the business approach he'll bring to the auto parts and accessories retailer.

But the fact that all three, in addition to coming from Best Buy like Jackson, also live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area should give Roanoke area economic development officials even more cause for concern that Advance, the only Fortune 500 company based here, might eventually defect from the region.
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NRV Current Editorial

Montgomery County teachers need a raise
The school board wants to pay them more. Will supervisors deliver?

For a community with a major university that attracts smart people, Montgomery County certainly has slipped on its schools. The county's teachers are among some of the worst paid in the state. When the school board asks for money to award raises this year, county supervisors should listen.
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Boucher needs to wean district off coal
Gregg Lewis
Lewis is an architect in Salem.

I listened recently to Rep. Rick Boucher's interview on WVTF as he made the case for increased federal investment in clean coal technologies. While there may be local jobs at stake, one might argue that the investment made in Boucher's campaigns over the years by the coal and electric generation lobbies is the impetus for his plan to sponsor federal legislation and use our tax dollars to pursue this research.
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Read today's letters here.

The NRV three go to Richmond
By Christian Trejbal
Trejbal is an editorial writer for The Roanoke Times based in the New River Valley bureau in Christiansburg.

The General Assembly session is in full swing, and the New River Valley's delegates have introduced their bills, cast some votes and revealed much about their priorities and character.
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A merged FNB will remain involved in the community
By Bill Heath
Heath is president and CEO of FNB Corporation in Christiansburg and a resident of Riner.

It was rewarding to read about FNB and our outstanding employees' considerable charitable efforts throughout the region and in particular in the New River Valley ("Fear of philanthropic loss comes with bank merger," Jan. 13). FNB has long considered itself a good neighbor and supporter of events and organizations that enhance quality of life and help those in need. We're very proud of that.
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Politicking instead of governing
Republicans' craven attempt to embarrass Democrats reveals a broken House.

Virginia House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, and his GOP colleagues have elevated churlish behavior to a troubling level this year. When they are not killing bills secretly in subcommittee meetings, they are overturning tradition on the House floor.
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Naughty in Staunton

It's bad enough that a local prosecutor in Staunton is pursuing obscenity charges against an adult video store. Now the U.S. Justice Department has joined in.

The war on terrorism apparently hasn't given it enough to do.
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