Health care, noise and school-budget squabbles continue

This week the saga continues for the Rockbridge County School Board’s budget cuts. Tonight the board will meet to determine what to slash from the budget. The options: close Effinger Elementary or pray that the Board of Supervisors will make up the difference. Rockbridge Reporter Anne Vesoulis will have an update after tonight’s meeting.

And speaking of meetings, the Board of Supervisors passed a revised noise ordinance Monday that will shorten the time for county parties by one hour. The ordinance mandates that party-goers will go home at 11 p.m. instead of midnight, and, in theory, the neighbors will get an extra hour of sleep.

While attending those county parties, don’t forget to lock the doors and windows beforehand. A break-in on Collierstown Road reminds locals of home security.

But county woes are small potatoes compared to the massive health care debate. The bill is now a law, and a new “fix-it” bill is headed to the House. Virginia now has its own state health care law, and Virginia congressional representatives are receiving threatening mail from angry activists.

Still, this post is only a glimpse of the full stories, which you can watch, and read, on our Web site, rockbridgereport.wlu.edu. Stay tuned for next week’s show, which airs live on Channel 18.

- Melissa Szumlic

What are we going to do about budget cuts?

That seems to be the question of the week. School systems across the area - Rockbridge County, Buena Vista and Lexington - are all trying to come up with how to balance the budget without cutting important extracurricular programs and teaching jobs and, in some cases, closing schools.

The fine arts community in Lexington is also suffering because of budget shortfalls handed down by the General Assembly. But luckily for a rural town that prides itself on theatrical, musical and other cultural productions, the budget cuts aren't as much as they were feared to be.

And that's not all Lexington has to be thankful for. A new police chief has finally come to town - and he's from just across the Blue Ridge in Lynchburg, Va.

Our town may be small, but we've sure developed a habit of making big news these past couple months. Whether its snow storms, new gun laws, local drug investigations or school budget cuts, you can 'bet your bottom dollar' (like we all seem to be doing these days) that The Rockbridge Report will deliver you the most important local stories of the week. Keep your televisions on at 4:30 on Thursdays - Channel 18.

Hello, Rockbridge. I’m Catherine Carlock-- this week's producer for The Rockbridge Report Web site.

It’s a tale of two corners: last weekend, construction crews demolished the long-standing gift shop A Corner of Lexington to make way for CornerStone bank. Construction was delayed for about six months, but crews hope to finish by the year’s end. Lexington’s only locally owned bank will soon be the third to call the intersection of Main and Nelson streets home.

In local school news, the Rockbridge County School Board is thinking about slashing fine arts programs in elementary, middle, and high schools. One drama teacher was so shocked by the news that she inquired if McDonald’s is hiring… and found out that she won’t be working for the restaurant with the golden arches anytime soon. The potential cuts disappoint a lot of students and faculty, many of whom say that fine arts is the best part of their day.

A civil suit brings up old memories of the Barger Quarry expansion. In 2007, the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors said Charles Barger could expand his quarry. Now, some residents are suing the county because of the decision. We’ll give you up-to-date information as the trial continues.

Finally, it felt like the snow would never stop falling in the winter… and now it means that roads may be a little bumpier in the spring. The increased cost of snow removal this winter put the city’s Public Works Department way over budget, and money has to be taken from the repaving budget as a result. Watch out for those potholes!


Thanks for reading!

-Catherine