Letters

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

It is rare when local zoning can effect a statewide agriculture business, but the Clarke County Board of Supervisors zoning text amendment limiting farm wineries' hours of operation and number of customers will have the effect of killing the Virginia golden goose: farm wineries.

Virginia farm wineries is one of the only growing agriculture business in Virginia. In this economic time when businesses of all kinds are struggling to keep the doors open, how could you entertain a proposal that could cause damage to any sort of business, much less farm wineries that provide a cultural, agricultural and environmentally friendly industry to our region.

Virginia wineries provide so much to our state. Once they're gone, they're gone. We should be looking for ways to help give struggling businesses opportunities for success, not reasons for failure.

It is my opinion that this proposed ordinance, as written, presents a serious threat to Virginia farm wineries businesses, violates state law and will also have a direct impact on the entire Virginia wine industry, as it will be the model for other localities should it become the governing ordinance.

In 10 years Veramar has never received a neighbor compliant. None. In 10 years of Veramar operation not a single police issue for guests problems. Not a one.

Where did the board come up with these hours? 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is not even an eight-hour day. Can you do all your business in these hours? Does it make sense to limit the number of customers you can have?

How many of Clarke County agriculture business has zoning that limits the hours of operation and number of customers. None that I am aware of.

I am against the zoning amendment wording that limits hours and the number of customers.

The actions of the Board of Supervisors are noncompliant with the Virginia Code.

Public hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Berryville-Clarke County Joint Government Center 101 Chalmers Court, second floor, Berryville to consider the farm winery issues.

Jim Bogaty
905 Quarry Road
Veramar Vineyard
Berryville
Nov. 17, 2009

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

The Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line -- TrAILCo -- is cutting enormous trees daily across our beautiful Warren County. These lines, which cross Virginia to provide power to the upper urban areas of the country, have resulted in skinny trees with a loss of the large branching cover of green leaves, the loss of large healthy trunks beneath those oxygen producing green leaves -- now orange, red and browning but still living and breathing.

This past week in November TrAILCo erected the much taller H-shaped tower to replace the wooden poles that have stood a few feet from my still-standing large trees. These towers require 300-feet girth with no growth other than grass and weeds beneath them.

I have not signed my trees away to allow Allegheny to cut them from my small tract of land. I am told they too will go the way of the spindly forest adjoining my land.

This will further allow erosion of soil into the Shenandoah River on the adjacent bank. This will eliminate the pileated woodpeckers, the bats, the owls, the eagles and the abundant wildlife that have sought refuge in and under those large trees with their magnificent branches.

It would be a little inconvenient and a little more expensive for TrAILCo to place these large H-shaped towers over the existing V-shaped KV500 towers especially since they will be turning eastward anyway. That 300 feet of tree-less land was cleared 30 years ago.

Must they now take more trees and land rather than go over the existing towers? The same jobs are created. The air would be better. There would be less impact felt by us who need to traverse the ground under the wires several times every day. Energy would still be transmitted to the northeastern states.

Is a small change too much to ask of Allegheny Power Co.?

RAMONA BOWDEN
604 Windy Knoll Drive
Front Royal
Nov. 11, 2009

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

It doesn't matter who was elected governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general or as delegates on Nov. 3 because nothing will change for the better for Virginia residents in the next four years.

This election merely decided who will steal more of Virginia residents' money in the next four years in increased taxes, rates and fees as occur in any election.

The General Assembly is still Republican-controlled and is responsible for the $3 billion budget deficit along with outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine.

What difference will Republican Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell make in the next four years along with the Republican-controlled General Assembly? In my view, nothing positive for Virginia residents.

I predict in less than two years the General Assembly and Gov. McDonnell will enact new tax, rate and fee increases but not to retire the $3 billion deficit but instead to have more taxpayers dollars to squander without increasing the deficit.

But any tax, rate and fee increases will create higher unemployment and reduce the spending power of all Virginians, but since when do the governor and the General Assembly care about that? Neither General Assembly members nor the governor will lose their jobs or any of their salaries over the next four years.

Voters can swap Democrats and Republicans back and forth in any election, but the end result is the same: financial destruction because both parties are corrupt, therefore, of no benefit to "we, the people."

Overspending and overtaxation cause economic recessions by the government -- thus, a 50 percent reduction in all taxation will cause the economy to thrive. It's that simple.

Under current conditions, Virginia's and America's economic future is bleak without major taxation reductions.

AL ASBURY
101 Perry Trailer Park Road
Mt. Jackson
Nov. 9, 2009

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

The Nov. 11 article "Pupils Receive Swine Flu Shots" featured pictures of children crying after receiving their immunization. I have to wonder what the purpose was of publishing these photos?

The children have enough anxiety over having to get this immunization in the first place and to then show photos on the front page of other children crying really baffles me.

As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Christina Spieles
111 Berwick Lane
Stephens City
Nov. 11, 2009

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

Last month President Obama again called for an end to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that prevents gays and lesbians from serving openly in our armed forces. The American public, including now a majority of conservatives, is on board with getting rid of this archaic law.

The time to do so is now. During two wars, we should be recruiting and retaining -- not firing -- all qualified service members, gay and straight.

Fifty years of studies, some even commissioned by the Department of Defense, conclude unequivocally that openly gay troops have no impact on unit cohesion, morale or military readiness.

It's time for the president to partner with Congress to pass the Military Readiness Enhancement Act and get rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" once and for all.

Roddy McDanie
762 Manor Road
Front Royal
Nov. 11, 2009

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

As a free-market capitalist I think a regulated marketplace is a good thing. However, I believe that health care is the exception.

Universal coverage without market forces is the way to go in any civilized, compassionate country.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel. Medicare for all is the model we should use.

Nick Crettier
516 Ellen Drive
Front Royal
Nov. 12, 2009

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

As everyone knows, the town of Front Royal is working with a company to build a solar energy facility on the site of the former Avtex factory. Recently some preliminary information was "leaked" to the press and a subsequent editorial chastised the town for getting upset that public information was released.

The only problem with the earlier story was that it implied that a new idea was a fait accompli.

As I stated during this past Monday's Town Council meeting, we are going to consider any and all possibilities to effect this development. Some of the ideas will be pretty far-fetched and some will sound pretty reasonable.

Please be assured that all ideas are going to be considered and in the end, we will select the one that brings the greatest benefit to the residents of the town.

Our discussions will, to the maximum extent possible, be held in the open view of the public. We are confident that the press will accurately portray our deliberations and we know that the public is excited and anxious to bring this project to fruition as we are.

Tom Conkey
1401 N. Royal Ave.
Front Royal
Nov. 11, 2009