麻花视频 speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Jun. 27, 2025
- Updated
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the 麻花视频.
In January 2019, I published an opinion piece in The 麻花视频, "Blacksburg underestimates traffic growth," emphasizing the need for proper planning to manage population increases and their impacts. I highlighted the importance of infrastructure, especially transportation, and criticized the town's traffic studies for relying on questionable data analyses.
As developments in Blacksburg increase, congestion on Main Street and Prices Fork Road has worsened, alongside rising cut-through traffic on side streets. In December 2019, the town council approved the Gilbert Street Mixed-Use redevelopment with a more realistic traffic growth rate of 2.8% for Main Street, compared to the town鈥檚 previous rate of 0.81% for the Midtown development.
In 2020, I reevaluated the town's Midtown data and calculated a growth rate of 2.71% using the formula from the Gilbert Street development, which exactly matched my earlier report in the 麻花视频. This demonstrates the town's figure of 0.81% was inadequate and calls for a new, realistic traffic study to ensure safety and proper traffic flow.
The poorly planned Midtown development poses a threat to the downtown's already inadequate grid system, leading to longer traffic queues and increased congestion on side streets. We have already observed up to a 58% increase in right turns on Eheart Street. Cut throughs raises serious concerns for pedestrian safety.
Blacksburg has missed opportunities to enhance the downtown grid and connectivity. Since 2019, unwise decisions have continued to even override town staff recommendations. Increased congestion contributes to emissions, air pollution and delays in emergency response, threatening community safety.
The pressing question is whether our current traffic infrastructure can support the proposed downtown strategic plan and other approved developments, such as the eight-story student housing at 801 N. Main St. We urgently need a reputable traffic engineering firm to assess Blacksburg鈥檚 traffic conditions. A comprehensive approach involving skilled planners is essential for a sustainable future.
Javad Torabinejad, Blacksburg
Rep. Morgan Griffith betrays adults and children who need health care. He voted for deep cuts to Medicaid (Cardinal Care). Virginia administers Medicaid and will be forced to cut off children and adults because of slashed federal funding.
Even those still eligible for Medicaid will face more red tape to get health insurance and stay on it. For example, Griffith and his MAGA buddies have changed the rules on verifying income. These 鈥渞ed tape鈥 changes will make it harder for people with irregular income to even qualify for let alone stay on Medicaid.
Many people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will no longer be able to afford coverage. The bill Griffith voted for cuts off federal funding for subsidies that enable eligible people to buy insurance through ACA.
Lack of health care will kill people.
Griffith betrays us by drastically reducing federal funding for food. Food stamp funding is cut in half or worse for families. Single parents suffer even more. They will no longer be eligible for food stamps once a child is 7 unless they are working a minimum of 80 hrs/month, regardless of difficult life circumstances such as no transportation or childcare and no jobs available. The righteous Griffith supports married people who get to keep their food stamps until children are 18.
Griffith also voted to drastically cut funding for food banks, Meals on Wheels for our elders and our children鈥檚 school lunches. Making people hungry seems cruel.
Griffith betrays us by his silence about tariffs. Tariffs raise the prices of food imported from other countries. Bananas and coffee cannot be grown here. Walmart has already raised banana prices on both. Too many are already struggling to keep adequate food on the table.
Griffith voted to delay some of these draconian cuts until just after the November 2026 to protect himself from angry voters. Sneaky guy.
How much betrayal will voters in the Southwest Virginia put up with from someone who has forgotten where he came from? From someone who voted to give even more tax breaks to billionaires and corporations?
Karen Fischer, Blacksburg
Across the 麻花视频/Salem community people with disabilities rely on an array of support services to live, work and thrive.
As a mother of a child supported by these services, I know firsthand that the 麻花视频 community is better when it includes everyone, regardless of their disability.
My son Shawn loves interacting with our community. He knows all our neighbors by name, and they light up during his visits. Thanks to Medicaid-funded services, he's grown more independent and confidently initiates conversations he once would have avoided.
But a crisis looms for people with developmental disabilities. Community based services are heavily supported by Medicaid, and the House of Representatives wants to slash billions from Medicaid.
Such a drastic cut all but dismantles the federal Medicaid program, leaving hundreds of thousands more Americans without the services they need.
There are already more than 15,000 Americans with disabilities stuck on Virginia鈥檚 waiting list for Medicaid-funded services. Some have waited between 10 to 12 years to access services.
If Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner agree that our community is stronger when it includes people with disabilities, then they must reject any proposal to cut funding for the federal Medicaid program.
Without these vital supports, Shawn would face a limited, isolated existence. I don't want that for him. Our community doesn't either. We are all enriched by his presence and the contributions of all people with disabilities who are able to participate fully in community life.
Sandra Phillips, Salem
There is a need for serious scrutiny of Niagara Dam. We the public are paying higher power bills to maintain the valley鈥檚 biggest dinosaur.
Appalachian Power Co. has admitted that Niagara Dam is a money-loser, costing APCo (and therefore its customers) $100,000 each year. On a 10-year license alone, that is an expense of over $1 million. And the APCo license is for 40 years.
So APCo has expenses of millions on a money-loser that are passed on to its customers. Yes, that means you and I. This makes no economic sense.
It is the role of the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to review and regulate the rates of power companies like APCo. The SCC needs to ask APCo to give up the dam.
There are more reasons. To complete the east end of the valley greenway, the only viable route possible is the 麻花视频 River riverbed. This could be made available if APCo shuts down the dam and gives it up. Removing the dam will open up the riverbed.
The dam is also bad for fisheries, including 麻花视频鈥檚 own endangered species, the 麻花视频 Logperch.
APCo has a silly argument that it does not want to remove the dam because it might have bad stuff in the sediment. But APCo has never done any study to show that is the case. Regardless, sediment issue or not, both the sediment and the dam should still be removed.
Contact your state delegate and senator, and/or any other elected official, and encourage some serious scrutiny.
Bill Tanger, Chair, Friends of the Rivers of Virginia
Last year, more than 14,000 Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts were packed by residents all over the area.
The boxes usually contain toys, school supplies and hygiene items and are delivered all over the world by Operation Christmas Child to show God's love to children in need.
Boxes from our area have gone to areas such as Peru, Ecuador, Honduras. On July 26 from 10 a.m. to Noon, the area will have a unique opportunity to hear from a former shoebox recipient Shimea Nguessen.
Shimea grew up on the Ivory Coast will share the impact on his life of having received a shoebox gift as a young child.
The event will take place at 麻花视频's Garden City Church of the Nazarene at 3401 Garden City Blvd. S.E.
There will be an opportunity to have questions answered, network with others involved and resources provided. Refreshments will be served and door prizes given.
Anyone can come! If you would like to attend, please RSVP to 540-968-1724 before July 19.
Our goal for this year is 15,000 shoeboxes! Come get involved!
Laurie Fitzgerald, Covington, Area Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child MidAtlantic South/Western Virginia
More like this...
In January 2019, I published an opinion piece in The 麻花视频, "Blacksburg underestimates traffic growth," emphasizing the need for proper planning to manage population increases and their impacts. I highlighted the importance of infrastructure, especially transportation, and criticized the town's traffic studies for relying on questionable data analyses.
As developments in Blacksburg increase, congestion on Main Street and Prices Fork Road has worsened, alongside rising cut-through traffic on side streets. In December 2019, the town council approved the Gilbert Street Mixed-Use redevelopment with a more realistic traffic growth rate of 2.8% for Main Street, compared to the town鈥檚 previous rate of 0.81% for the Midtown development.
In 2020, I reevaluated the town's Midtown data and calculated a growth rate of 2.71% using the formula from the Gilbert Street development, which exactly matched my earlier report in the 麻花视频. This demonstrates the town's figure of 0.81% was inadequate and calls for a new, realistic traffic study to ensure safety and proper traffic flow.
The poorly planned Midtown development poses a threat to the downtown's already inadequate grid system, leading to longer traffic queues and increased congestion on side streets. We have already observed up to a 58% increase in right turns on Eheart Street. Cut throughs raises serious concerns for pedestrian safety.
Blacksburg has missed opportunities to enhance the downtown grid and connectivity. Since 2019, unwise decisions have continued to even override town staff recommendations. Increased congestion contributes to emissions, air pollution and delays in emergency response, threatening community safety.
The pressing question is whether our current traffic infrastructure can support the proposed downtown strategic plan and other approved developments, such as the eight-story student housing at 801 N. Main St. We urgently need a reputable traffic engineering firm to assess Blacksburg鈥檚 traffic conditions. A comprehensive approach involving skilled planners is essential for a sustainable future.
Javad Torabinejad, Blacksburg
Rep. Morgan Griffith betrays adults and children who need health care. He voted for deep cuts to Medicaid (Cardinal Care). Virginia administers Medicaid and will be forced to cut off children and adults because of slashed federal funding.
Even those still eligible for Medicaid will face more red tape to get health insurance and stay on it. For example, Griffith and his MAGA buddies have changed the rules on verifying income. These 鈥渞ed tape鈥 changes will make it harder for people with irregular income to even qualify for let alone stay on Medicaid.
Many people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will no longer be able to afford coverage. The bill Griffith voted for cuts off federal funding for subsidies that enable eligible people to buy insurance through ACA.
Lack of health care will kill people.
Griffith betrays us by drastically reducing federal funding for food. Food stamp funding is cut in half or worse for families. Single parents suffer even more. They will no longer be eligible for food stamps once a child is 7 unless they are working a minimum of 80 hrs/month, regardless of difficult life circumstances such as no transportation or childcare and no jobs available. The righteous Griffith supports married people who get to keep their food stamps until children are 18.
Griffith also voted to drastically cut funding for food banks, Meals on Wheels for our elders and our children鈥檚 school lunches. Making people hungry seems cruel.
Griffith betrays us by his silence about tariffs. Tariffs raise the prices of food imported from other countries. Bananas and coffee cannot be grown here. Walmart has already raised banana prices on both. Too many are already struggling to keep adequate food on the table.
Griffith voted to delay some of these draconian cuts until just after the November 2026 to protect himself from angry voters. Sneaky guy.
How much betrayal will voters in the Southwest Virginia put up with from someone who has forgotten where he came from? From someone who voted to give even more tax breaks to billionaires and corporations?
Karen Fischer, Blacksburg
Across the 麻花视频/Salem community people with disabilities rely on an array of support services to live, work and thrive.
As a mother of a child supported by these services, I know firsthand that the 麻花视频 community is better when it includes everyone, regardless of their disability.
My son Shawn loves interacting with our community. He knows all our neighbors by name, and they light up during his visits. Thanks to Medicaid-funded services, he's grown more independent and confidently initiates conversations he once would have avoided.
But a crisis looms for people with developmental disabilities. Community based services are heavily supported by Medicaid, and the House of Representatives wants to slash billions from Medicaid.
Such a drastic cut all but dismantles the federal Medicaid program, leaving hundreds of thousands more Americans without the services they need.
There are already more than 15,000 Americans with disabilities stuck on Virginia鈥檚 waiting list for Medicaid-funded services. Some have waited between 10 to 12 years to access services.
If Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner agree that our community is stronger when it includes people with disabilities, then they must reject any proposal to cut funding for the federal Medicaid program.
Without these vital supports, Shawn would face a limited, isolated existence. I don't want that for him. Our community doesn't either. We are all enriched by his presence and the contributions of all people with disabilities who are able to participate fully in community life.
Sandra Phillips, Salem
There is a need for serious scrutiny of Niagara Dam. We the public are paying higher power bills to maintain the valley鈥檚 biggest dinosaur.
Appalachian Power Co. has admitted that Niagara Dam is a money-loser, costing APCo (and therefore its customers) $100,000 each year. On a 10-year license alone, that is an expense of over $1 million. And the APCo license is for 40 years.
So APCo has expenses of millions on a money-loser that are passed on to its customers. Yes, that means you and I. This makes no economic sense.
It is the role of the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to review and regulate the rates of power companies like APCo. The SCC needs to ask APCo to give up the dam.
There are more reasons. To complete the east end of the valley greenway, the only viable route possible is the 麻花视频 River riverbed. This could be made available if APCo shuts down the dam and gives it up. Removing the dam will open up the riverbed.
The dam is also bad for fisheries, including 麻花视频鈥檚 own endangered species, the 麻花视频 Logperch.
APCo has a silly argument that it does not want to remove the dam because it might have bad stuff in the sediment. But APCo has never done any study to show that is the case. Regardless, sediment issue or not, both the sediment and the dam should still be removed.
Contact your state delegate and senator, and/or any other elected official, and encourage some serious scrutiny.
Bill Tanger, Chair, Friends of the Rivers of Virginia
Last year, more than 14,000 Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts were packed by residents all over the area.
The boxes usually contain toys, school supplies and hygiene items and are delivered all over the world by Operation Christmas Child to show God's love to children in need.
Boxes from our area have gone to areas such as Peru, Ecuador, Honduras. On July 26 from 10 a.m. to Noon, the area will have a unique opportunity to hear from a former shoebox recipient Shimea Nguessen.
Shimea grew up on the Ivory Coast will share the impact on his life of having received a shoebox gift as a young child.
The event will take place at 麻花视频's Garden City Church of the Nazarene at 3401 Garden City Blvd. S.E.
There will be an opportunity to have questions answered, network with others involved and resources provided. Refreshments will be served and door prizes given.
Anyone can come! If you would like to attend, please RSVP to 540-968-1724 before July 19.
Our goal for this year is 15,000 shoeboxes! Come get involved!
Laurie Fitzgerald, Covington, Area Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child MidAtlantic South/Western Virginia
More like this...
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