Saturday, September 10, 2005
DEQ comes through in taking tough stand
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DEQ comes through in taking tough stand
with lake erosion case
A big "hats off" to the Department of Environmental Quality for addressing Grand Harbour's violations and environmental damage to Smith Mountain Lake.
A fine of $7,564 was imposed on the developer, and he was required to pay for the dredging to remove approximately 10 dump-truck loads of sediment from the lake in front of our property.
Erosion control is a big issue, and it can be enforced. We all see that development is going to continue to move forward, but hopefully without such negative impacts to the lake's environment and the existing residents.
I would like to commend the DEQ for a job very well done.
Nancy Atkins
Hardy
City should leave no sidewalk unturned
I'm gratified to see that the citizens of Roanoke have heeded Mayor Harris' call to deal with important issues. I'm appalled by the infestation of actions prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline.
First, there was the fairy crosswalks at Sixth Street and Day Avenue.
Now, there is, dare I say it, sidewalk leaf art in the 500 block of Day Avenue (Aug. 30 news article, "Leaf art on sidewalk creates a pile of controversy"). Who knows where this will lead?
Director of Public Works Bob Bengtson is to be commended by so forcefully weighing in on this crucial subject.
Additionally, I'm sure Roanoke artist Elaine Fleck didn't obtain permission from the Architectural Review Board Nazis before desecrating a portion of the sacred Historic Old Southwest neighborhood.
It matters not that all but one anonymous, disgruntled and spiteful neighbor thinks this is a good thing. Order and discipline, as arbitrarily defined by "them," must be maintained at all costs. If not, why, the public works folks might actually be required to do something useful and constructive.
I urge all citizens of Roanoke to be vigilant and immediately report such important matters to the proper authorities before this infestation gets out of hand.
Robert R. Craig
Roanoke
Bush delayed sending aid to Katrina victims
I'm not a meteorologist nor an expert in disaster relief, but I've known for years that if a storm like Katrina were to hit the greater New Orleans area, the destruction had the potential to be catastrophic.
My deepest condolences go out to the families who have lost their homes, their livelihood and, worst of all, their loved ones. But I'm also angry.
Bush cut his vacation short by two days to head back to Washington. Why? Because his father's administration was criticized for a "lackadaisical response" to Hurricane Andrew, and this administration doesn't want to be seen in a similar light.
Many people in the federal government are experts, and they knew something like this could happen.
Yet two days later, ships were being dispatched from Norfolk. Plans should have been in place the moment this storm grew to a Category 5, a full day before landfall, if not sooner.
Mr. President, I'm sorry, but lackadaisical isn't an accurate description of this kind of lag. Complacency and ineptitude would be much more apt.
This is the second major natural disaster to strike while Bush was in Crawford. It was two days before he addressed the tsunami disaster last year.
I was embarrassed by his inaction last year. Today, I'm an angry American.
Christopher W. Burton
Salem
Price gouging at the pumps
I expect some increase in gasoline prices until the refineries can get back online in the Gulf region, but what really irritates me is that most of the products being sold now at gas stations were bought long before Katrina.
That means that gasoline in the tanks at a local filling station was bought with the idea that the customers would be charged $2.59 for regular, $2.69 for medium and $2.79 for high test.
Without batting an eye, that same gas sells for more than $3 a gallon. Did it increase in value sitting in the tank waiting to be sold? Nope!
Did it increase in price due to an acute shortage? Nope.
It increased because somebody said, "Hey, we can make a big profit selling gas for twice what we would have originally gotten per gallon, and it won't hurt us until we have to buy from a gasoline provider."
Add that to the natural increase that happens every Labor Day when a lot of folks make that last summer trip, and you've got a mess!
William P. McNulty
Roanoke
