Arson, Road Rage, More Joblessness

THUMBS UP TO:

Seeing the pain firsthand

On Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine visited an unemployment office opened in response to the prolonged recession. He traveled to Danville to talk to residents at the Virginia Unemployment Commission’s Unemployment Express Office, one of six sites formed by the so-called economic crisis strike force. The new offices were opened to expand services and reduce wait times for unemployed Virginians.

Of course, hard times are nothing new for residents of Danville, who long have struggled with unemployment and underemployment. Virginia’s unemployment rate is 7.5 percent, but in Danville, it has topped that since September 2008. Danville’s unemployment rate as of February is 12.3 percent, down from 13.9 percent the month before. We support Kaine’s in-person visit to Danville, along with the additional unemployment resources for that region. Already struggling, Danville has been hit hard by the recession and needs more support for business growth it can use to right itself.

Medical support in Virginia coalfields

A regional mobile health wagon that serves patients in the Virginia coalfields has received a federal grant of nearly $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The money will be used for diabetes education and prevention in Dickenson, Buchanan, Wise and Russell counties and the city of Norton, including hiring a nurse practitioner.

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-9th, announced the funding Tuesday and noted that the region has profoundly high rates for diabetes and that mortality from the disease is 81.4 percent higher than in the rest of Virginia and 55.4 percent higher than across the nation. The Health Wagon will coordinate a quarterly endocrinology clinic with specialists from the University of Virginia. Mountain States Health Alliance will provide space for these clinics and training for the health wagon staff. We strongly support the health wagon and its work in the region. With such high diabetes mortality rates in the coalfields, this money for staff and training is sorely needed.

THUMBS DOWN TO:

Absurd amounts of road rage

Police arrested a Johnson City, Tenn., man last week for allegedly pulling a gun on another man during a road rage incident on Interstate 26. Andrew T. Cox, 21, of 160 Cedar Point Road, No. 3., was charged with aggravated assault and jailed in lieu of a $25,000 bond.

The alleged victim told police he met Cox at a convenience store along Bobby Hicks Highway just before 6 p.m. The man claimed Cox pulled a gun and showed it to him while the two were driving minutes later.

Johnson City police found a loaded Glock 30 tucked in the back of Cox’s pants waistband. Cox did not have a permit to carry the gun, police said.

We’ve all been mad or frustrated in traffic, but this behavior is beyond extreme. Cox is entitled to his day in court, but a loaded gun in your pants will be hard to explain away. Ultimately, we’re thankful this incident ended without tragedy – for Cox and anyone else traveling on Interstate 26 last week.

Arson suspected in Buchanan County

Authorities suspect arson is behind a forest fire that ravaged 55 acres of private land in Buchanan County last Friday.

The blaze began around 4 p.m. April 24 in the Whitewood area and was contained that night. Michelle Quesenberry, who led the investigation for the Virginia Department of Forestry, said she believes the fire was set and pointed to a cigarette that appeared to be placed on a dry patch of grass away from a nearby road.

The steep, wooded land engulfed Friday is parceled to several private owners. Large portions are leased by Consul CNX Gas, a corporation that operates gas wells on the land. Police have no suspects in the case, which remains under investigation.

Arson is a serious crime and, thankfully, in this case no one was injured or killed. Certainly the fire appears to have been set. We hope the person responsible for this crime is caught and prosecuted, because their actions destroyed about 55 acres of private forest.