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The economic stimulus package making its way through Congress could pour $4 billion or more into Virginia at a time when the commonwealth is facing more than a $3 billion shortfall in its two-year budget. But Gov. Tim Kaine warned lawmakers that the potential infusion of federal dollars won't be a means to avoid making painful budget cuts. If the U.S. Senate follows the House lead and passes a massive stimulus package quickly, the cash infusion will provide a windfall. While welcome, we'll note In an editorial Friday, it won't resolve many of the state's budget woes.

Our Sunday NRV Current editorial will welcome Radford's rekindled interest in public transportation. Even if the city must pay the minimal matching funds to finance a study, it's worthwhile.

In the course of study, the city should be sure to reach out to Christiansburg, which is also studying options now, Blacksburg, which has the only fully developed bus system in the valley, and Montgomery County. This is an excellent time to pursue a regional project that will be good for citizens and the environment.

When Republicans controlled Washington, cable news shows gave conservatives more prominence. Now that Democrats are in charge, cable news shows are, of course, still giving conservatives more prominence, according to ThinkProgress.

Old habits?

Asphalt proposal must be heard

Two Roanoke County supervisors showed a lack of judgment in opposing a public hearing that the law requires.

Don't tolerate teen pregnancies

Linda Whitlock
Whitlock, a Roanoke Times columnist, is an adjunct English professor who lives in Salem.

Americans, David Nova tells us, fixate on the Roe v. Wade anniversary because our "ambivalence to sexuality and birth control results in too many abortions" ("End abortion: Prevent unintended pregnancies," Jan. 22 commentary). This ambivalence, according to Nova, has led to "ineffective policies designed to prohibit sex and abortion" in place of those that "prevent unintended pregnancy and unprotected sex." "No wonder," Nova says, "that teen pregnancy rates are on the rise once more." Problem is, teen pregnancy rates aren't on the rise. At least not in the nation as a whole.
Read more.

Just say no to an illegitimate uranium study

Shireen Parsons
Parsons is the Virginia community organizer for the Environmental Legal Defense Fund in Christiansburg.

The Jan. 7 news story "Mining finds friends and foes" by Duncan Adams barely skimmed the surface of the issues relevant to the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission's Jan. 6 charade of a public hearing in Chatham on its study of proposed uranium mining in Southside. The fact is, the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission, the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Mining, Minerals and Energy preside over the most egregious legalized, "regulated" corporate assaults on human communities and the environment in the state and nation.
Read more.

Read Thursday's letters here.

What's on your mind today?

Two Roanoke County supervisors laid down their markers Tuesday night against a proposed asphalt plant in the county's Catawba District. That surely pleased a lot of opponents who live near the site. In voting against even a first reading of the rezoning request, the supervisors may have forced a delay, but a fruitless one in a process the county must follow. Worse, they have put the petitioner on notice that they will not give the request a fair hearing. In an editorial Thursday, we'll take the two to task.

For Thursday: There are several bills introduced this session that would require state universities to increase the percentage of in-state students.  Del. David Albo, a Fairfax County Republican, goes so far as to suggest that students who take longer than four years to complete their work should be charged out-of-state tuition.

Yes, and maybe the state budget fairy will restore millions of dollars cut from each school, that have forced them to cut staff and classes, making it that more difficult for students to schedule required courses on time.

Albo has hit upon perhaps the most punitive way to increase freshman slots.

I came across the recipe for this artery-friendly dish, called the Bacon Explosion, a few weeks back, and immediately e-mailed it everyone I know. If any of my friends tried it, they didn't live to tell the tale.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one e-mailing it. The New York Times reports that it has been linked at over 16,000 Web sites.

I don't know that I have the courage to try this myself - especially with  my family's history of heart attacks. Essentially, it is a bacon weave, topped with sausage and barbecue sauce, topped with more bacon, all rolled up and baked. I can feel my cholesterol rise just looking at the picture.

Stimulus and too much more

The federal economic stimulus plan has become bloated with unrelated spending and tax cuts.