To the editor:
My friend Bill Alverson advanced a great idea while attending the September joint School Board and Board of Supervisors meeting: Involve the community in constructing the concession stand at W & L. He forgot we were in Westmoreland County.
As evidenced by the response of the SB (not that they said it this way), the general population of Westmoreland is not likely to involve themselves in public projects that would require them to give money for the common good. They based this on past history. We never did in the past.
It may not all be the fault of the community, I don’t know. Since I happened to attend a SB meeting some years ago and found out that there was a scholarship fund, I contributed every year. Obviously I missed the “solicitation” this year. It appears that everyone else missed it too. Or they ignored it. Depending upon whether you know about the scholarship fund, you make the decision. Did you not know or did you ignore?
Was this info placed on Channel 2?

Not everyone in Westmoreland County is a lowlife. No doubt some parents of active students support the teams and auxiliaries. They alone cannot raise enough money to construct a field house or concession stand. The majority left it to “George.”
I have compared the reported donations from Westmoreland residents to those reported from Colonial Beach. Read the papers. You will know what I know.
As a practical matter, the concession stand will be constructed by donations and volunteers. One will dig the foundation, one will pour the concrete, one will lay the block, one will donate the trusses, one will run the plumbing, one the electric — get the picture? Only 25 will carry the entire load. And a few of us will pay for the concrete and block.
Tell you what, Bill, you and I give $100 to the project on the condition that others do the same. If you readers wish to join us, just send a check to this newspaper marked “concession stand.” I did not talk to the paper first, but can you imagine that this paper would not accept these checks and forward the donations?
I will send my check with a codicil, it gets cashed after the total contributions total $5,000. I don’t want to put anyone on the spot, but my check will be for $500. My check will be good. I hope the conditions to cash it are met. Your check should reflect what you are able to afford in these times.
Perhaps about 500 of the 17,000 residents will need to contribute to make this happen.
I don’t think it will happen. Make a liar out of me.
“Butch” Foutz
Oak Grove

To the Editor:
If the insurance companies win, we lose! The insurance industry is trying to kill health care reform to protect the status quo that works for them. The cost of health insurance has increased four times faster over the last 10 years compared to salary and wages in this country, and the compensation for the CEOs and other executives in health insurance companies has gone from 50 times that of the ordinary worker to nearly 400 times that of the ordinary worker. Why should we be concerned with whether or not insurance companies are allowed to continue profiting from the health care of the people of this country?
Health insurance companies are spending over $1 million a day to oppose reform because they know that reform will hurt their outrageous profits. They are spending this money to continue to deny our claims, deny our care due to pre-existing conditions, and raise our premiums, co-pays and deductibles at will.
Tell Senator Warner to stand up for us! We want good health care we can afford with the choice of a strong national public health insurance option.  A bill that doesn’t offer a public option, but mandates you have insurance, is a subsidy to the insurance industry since it would require that you purchase insurance from the current group of health insurance companies.
The more choices there are, the more competition thrives. A public option would bring new competition, which would drive down prices and create incentives for higher-quality services.  Americans deserve the right to choose their own health care. Limiting choice to for-profit insurance only is the same broken health care system we have right now.
Please demand that Senator Warner and your representative support health care insurance that includes a public option for the sake of those in this country who, through no fault of their own, are unable to obtain health insurance at a price they can afford.
Robert W. Wildblood, PhD
Fredericksburg, VA

Dear Editor, King George County Board of Supervisors and School Board:
School is back in session, and I am imagining the voluminous amount of paper that has already been used and thrown in the trash. With the “green” mindset of America, it is WAY past time for King George to have a paper recycling option and drop-off point available to all county residents.
My daughter started a paper-recycling program at King George High School as her Girl Scout Gold Award Project in 1999.  It was run in conjunction with the Dahlgren Navy Base Recycling Program and maintained for five years by volunteers from the Aegis Training Center, King George Girl Scout Troops and King George High School Service Clubs.  These groups had to discontinue the program when the Dahlgren recycling center was closed to off-base materials as a result of post 9/11 security restructuring.
I read with interest The Journal’s article about the new paper recycling program started at Sealston Elementary School last year.  They too had to go outside local resources to get their recyclables picked up.  I have a single-person office in Dahlgren, and I generate a LOT of paper trash.  I have nowhere local to dispose of it, besides throwing it away.  Luckily, the Fredericksburg refuse company that picks up our garbage allows me to take my bins to their recycling center in town only because I am a business customer.  Most King George residents do not have this option.
Teachers are willing to set up recycle bins in their classrooms if they know they will be collected or emptied regularly.  Paper recycling materials should and could be picked up by the janitorial staff as often as, and at the same time as, classroom trash. However, this cannot be instituted without a paper dumpster or collection container at each school that will then be trucked away.
The King George Dump has collection containers for newspaper, glass, plastic and aluminum.  Where is the container for white and colored paper recyclables?  These would include glossy newspaper inserts, magazines and all non-corrugated food boxes.  They don’t even have to be separated anymore.  The amount of actual garbage a family generates is reduced just as significantly when you recycle cereal boxes, junk mail and school papers, etc., as it is when you recycle the other above items.  The amount of paper that could be recycled from our schools is tremendous!
In years past, my family has spoken with our individual district representatives as well as the entire Board of Supervisors and School Boards.  We worked closely with previous high school administrations implementing the Girl Scout program.  EVERYONE thinks this is a good idea, if not an economic and environmental responsibility, but 10 years later we still cannot recycle paper locally.
The High School experiment was supposed to be a jumping-off point for the county to establish a widespread public program.  The recent success of the Sealston Elementary program has shown it can still be done. Some recycling programs will ultimately generate funds for the community, but because of the cost of hauling, etc., today it may be a responsible trash collection cost King George must absorb.  This may be offset by less garbage collected.  Sometimes you just have to do what is right — for the public and for the environment. The long-term rewards WILL be worth it!
Debra A. Damon
King George

To the Editor:
There is so much confusion, gossip and bad things said about Colonial Beach and passed around the Beach and the State of Virginia, but I have something nice to say.
I just want to tell you of an incident that happened to me Sept. 25.  I like to go shopping at “Just Beachy” on the Board Walk because they have some beautiful and neat things.  If you need a gift you can always fine something there.  Matter of fact they are having a great SALE now. 
I bought a number of things — sweat shirts for our vacation, Christmas gifts, and they have a cute selection of greeting cards.  I used my credit card for my purchases — I got home and in less than a half hour Mary Ann, one of the owners, was knocking on my door.  I had dropped my credit card on the floor and as soon as she found it, she got in her pickup and drove it to my home.  I don’t know when I would have discovered it missing, but when I did it would have thrown me into a tizzy. 
It is nice to have a great shop like “Just Beachy” here in Colonial Beach and then find out how honest and caring they are.  Thanks, Mary Ann!
Joan Edwards
Colonial Beach

To the Editor:
I recently saw the article in The Journal about Catherine Crabill’s proposed debates against Delegate Albert Pollard. Having seen what she has said in the past, no wonder he refused!
It is clear that she lacks an understanding of what the role of delegate entails. I must ask, what does she plan to do to improve our schools in King George? What will she do to improve transportation? What would she do to improve the budgeting process? The 10th amendment is not the answer to every single issue facing Virginia and the Northern Neck!
What is particularly disturbing is she wanted to hold these debates in our local schools. Do we really want to confuse our local schoolchildren about the role of federal government and the role of state government? It now seems abundantly clear to me why every major candidate this year and Rep. Rob Wittman have denounced her candidacy.
Delegate Albert Pollard has spent years representing his constituents and has always done a fantastic job. I hope you will join me in supporting him for re-election this year!
Eric Lawrence Stott
Treasurer & Fund Raising Chair of The King George County Democratic Committee