Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 6 · column 2 of 3 · from the scan, no model involved
Iread the letter from Elizabeth V. Whetzel (Rappahannock
News, May 3), with deep concern.
For the past twenty years my wife and I lived in a beautiful area with wonderful views of the mountains and the ocean, and watched first hand, the type of growth that Ms. Whetzel suggests is best for the rights of the people. Low income housing was built, shopping malls were built, skateboard parks were built for the children. Gone are the pristine hillside views along with the thousands of acres of orange groves and fruit tree orchards.
What is now there is vehicular congestion that is unmatched anywhere, tens of traffic lights on every street corner, stifling smog, polluted shores, gang influx, rampant drug use, crime and thousands of faceless residents. Houses have been built so that you can virtually touch your neighbor’s stucco fence from the privacy of your own living room.
The once quiet, small community parks are invaded with scores of people conducting soccer practice, T-ball practice, baseball batting practice and running unleashed dogs, all at the same time. All levels of taxation are among the highest in the country. The children who have been coddled from birth are shooting each other.
Our solution to these problems was to leave all of that for a place that our former home was once like; Rappahannock County. Ms. Whetzel states the mountain views are not as important as the rights of the people. She is a very lucky person. She can live anywhere else. Many cities and towns in this country can accommodate her needs. We left an area that no longer suited us. She can easily do the same thing. In fact, we encourage it for her own well being. And, we encourage the rest of the residents of this magnificent county to do whatever is necessary to retain its beauty so that it doesn’t become another Southern California.
I find it interesting, and very sad, that in today’s society, an individual believes that the masses should change for his or her individual needs.
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