Saturday, December 06, 2008
Editorial: Short takes
Quick views on some of the week's news.
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
The cupboards are nearly bare
Sign of a worsening economy: Virginia's food banks have barren pantries and too many people in need. Fewer people can afford groceries.
According to The Associated Press, the Federation of Virginia Food Banks plans to ask the General Assembly for $1 million for an emergency food-purchase program.
When lawmakers return to Richmond they are going to be looking at ways to reduce state spending, not add to it, so it's doubtful the food banks will receive help.
Donations to local food banks are down. Those who can may wish to respond.
King's Dominion law isn't amusing
Del. William Fralin has had no luck in convincing fellow lawmakers to rescind a law that gives amusement parks dominion over setting school calendars. Unless a school district can plead many days of harsh weather, students can't be required to return to class before Labor Day.
This makes for a happy tourism industry, but displeased educators. Fralin said he's going to add a twist this year. Instead of trying to abolish the King's Dominion law, he wants to carve out another exception: School systems that aren't fully accredited ought to be able to start the year early -- especially around here, where students aren't needed to dish out cotton candy.
Going over it until it's right
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday told Roanoke City Council that it needs to reinforce two levees recently built along River's Edge as part of the Roanoke River flood reduction plan.
The levees were designed pre-Katrina and are of the same erosion-susceptible type found in New Orleans and throughout the Midwest that failed spectacularly in recent years.
Though the Roanoke walls aren't designed to hold back waters from what people refer to as a once a century event, they should protect that part of the city from usual and severe storms. As constructed, the design allows for erosion that could weaken the walls.
Wisely, the Corps has charted a course that requires it to revisit designs on all current projects and reinforce where necessary. The cost was not disclosed, as negotiations are under way, but it is expected to be reasonable and far cheaper than learning a few years out that the walls have failed.
