6/15/06

A Mea Culpa of sorts...

I know you folks haven't heard much from me lately, but I assure you it is with good reason.

We over here at Forgotten-Roanoke.com HQ and Global Domination Warehouse Emporium are finalizing plans for our new, larger and more centralized location for our HQ.

From this new location, we will be able to monitor the activities of the city 24/7 - to peer down into the heart of the city and observe.

And yes, it is located within city bounds. So you too city leaders have something to worry about.

High upon a hill, with an eternal view of the Star - Forgotten-Roanoke.com will be coming to you live.



6/14/06

More letters from the wave-front

Such 'planning' endangers the city's heritage


Is it true that those brilliant Roanoke planners, who tell us it is
not economically feasible to renovate Victory Stadium, are the same
bunch that allowed a $6 million overrun on the construction of a local
high school and, in doing so, forgot to budget for a phone system?


We sure are lucky to have this level of expertise making financial
decisions on matters that go to the heart of our city's heritage.


Byron Dickson


Roanoke



City lacks sound economic plans


Rarely do I agree with editorials in The Roanoke Times, but I have
to give you kudos on the editorial advocating the city council move
"slowly" on use of the Victory Stadium land after demolition (June 7,
"Don't rush into fields at Victory Stadium site").


Most citizens don't realize the money, often described as being "in
the budget," for school stadiums came from a bond issue that was to be
used for an amphitheater or renovation of Victory Stadium.


To build an amphitheater on the Victory Stadium site and/or playing
fields isn't going to be free. The city will have to float another bond
issue to pay for them.


That means more debt and probably a lower bond rating, with no
assurance that council won't go off half-cocked (again) and spend the
money on some other ill-conceived project.


Fiscal responsibility is a joke to city council, and rational action based on cost-benefit analysis seems to be unknown.


A real economic planner, as opposed to a self-described one, would
know such things. Just think of the $3 million fiasco on Orange Avenue.


Robert Craig

_________________________________________________________


Can you hear the roar of the ocean? Tide rolling in?


Or perhaps.. Tsunami?

6/13/06

2 very interesting Letters to the Editor

Once again, Roanoke caters to affluent families

Wow, soccer fields. The soccer fields are only for the privileged youth, and the city "improvements" are aimed at the affluent families.

There is a large population of citizens that doesn't care about soccer fields and "family activities."

The kids who do not have affluent parents have nowhere to go. The single adults have no community activities aimed at them that don't revolve around alcohol.

The questions keep being asked over and over as to why Roanoke can't attract businesses and why we have "gangs."

The answers are simple. The U.S. is built on a multitude of lifestyles, backgrounds, social classes and colors.

Too bad Roanoke has listened only to the affluent parents of the "I need a soccer field or stadium for my kids" or our prejudiced Baptist mayor who can't keep the religion and state apart.

Put your ear to the ground, citizens. The nonaffluent youth are asking for help; the single adult would like his or her tax dollars spent on something to improve his or her life in Roanoke; and the minorities of the Roanoke Valley don't want to be singled out, but included.

Todd Nash

ROANOKE

____and_____

Lopsided representation of Roanoke's citizens

Over the past decade, Roanoke has become more Southwest leaning in its elections. Most of Roanoke City Council and the mayor live in this well-to-do section of the city.

This leads to more being done for the richer section and less for the poorer sections.

The solution for this is to go to the ward system. Roanoke County has districts. It works for them.

Why can't Roanoke go to a ward system? Maybe a little more will be done for all parts of the city and not just Raleigh Court, Grandin Road and richer areas near Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

The way it is now is not working. So, maybe a change would help. It could not hurt.

Wayne Harrison

Roanoke

________________________________________

You have been notified that the revolution is coming, these are merely the first waves lapping at the rocky shores. It's a metaphor.. think about it.


6/12/06

I started out today with vim, vigor, and venom..

All prepared to make the case (once again) for Roanoke. To point out the mistakes made in the past, and offer solutions for the future.

Then I got derailed.

I have, in my posession, a 10-pack of Reese's Peanutbutter Cups.

So after popping one open, and stuffing it into my mouth, something dawns on me. Usually, I cannot stuff one in my mouth that easily.

Well, it seems that the fine folks at Reese's have mysteriously, quietly downsized the peanutbutter cup.

Which now makes for 4 sizes of peanutbutter cup. The Big Cup (which is over a full ounce I believe), the standard 2-pack, the new smaller 10-pack size (.55 oz. and noticeably smaller), and the Mini or Fun Pack size.

Whatever happened to the old 10 packs, which were exactly like the 2-packs? Or the old familiar hard-peanutbutter flavor of the old school peanutbutter cups. Im talking 15 years ago now, and the flavor was totally different.

Why do they have to mess with a good thing?

It's going to take some time to recover from this.. hopefully I'll have a decent post up later.