Daytime Break-ins In Lunenburg County

It was with dismay that I read a recent article in the Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch about a rash of recent break-ins. It seems that there have been six or more break-ins from Victoria to Kenbridge that occurred in the daytime over the last week or two. While the Sheriff's office is not releasing a great deal of information, the KV Dispatch did mention that the incidences might be related.

Is nowhere safe anymore? While this might seem a normal occurrence for some parts of the country, here in Southside, we expect better. Although I am a newcomer to the county and to the region, I have come to take for granted the low crime rates in the area. It's not just our possessions that are in danger, it's a way of life. I find that I already resent having to worry about whether some miscreant is going to be breaking into my house going through my underwear drawer to steal whatever few valuables I might have tucked away.

While the police are investigating these crimes, it's really up to us, the citizens of Southside to protect our way of life. The sheriff's office has asked that all residents be aware of any activity that seems out of place and notify the authorities to report any suspicious activity. Someone has seen something or heard something that can help to solve these crimes and protect our community.

Incidents have been reported at:

Switchback Road near Kenbridge - 1/4/2008
South Hill Road - 5 miles from Kenbridge - 1/7/2008
Court Street - Victoria - 1/7/2008 (small white car seen just prior to break-in)
Mecklenburg Street, Victoria - 1/10/2008
Church Street - Kenbridge - 1/11/2008
Tisdale Circle - just outside Kenbridge - 1/11/2008

If you have any information concerning these crimes, contact the Lunenburg County Crimesolvers at 434-696-3100. A possible reward of up to $1000 is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for these crimes. It is not necessary to give your name if you choose not to do so.

Ethanol Plant Brings More Controversy to Mecklenburg County

Osage Bio Energy’s proposal to build an Ethanol Plant in Mecklenburg county is bringing plenty of controversy to a small town. Located just outside of Chase City, VA, residents are worried that the plant will bring noxious odors to the rural town and pollute a tributary of Kerr Lake. While it will bring needed jobs to the county with the highest unemployment rates in the state, the environmental and quality of life issues have prompted over 900 people to sign a petition opposing it.

Osage is now requesting a grant that would fund the water line to the plant. According to a New Dominion article, in full production Osage would be using 1.5 million gallons of water a day or enough water for 7500 homes. While under normal weather conditions this amount is deemed acceptable to the Roanoke River Basin Association, the drought in the last few years has already brought water consumption warnings and limits to the region. The question remains whether in years of drought, the water will be available to run the plant and at what cost to other water consumers in the region.

The National Research Council has recently issued a report that ethanol plants could negatively impact water quality and availability. The report cites that water for both plant consumption and water for increased crop production could produce more pressure on water resources.

In addition to water consumption, the report expressed a concern about runoff from the fertilizers and pesticides required to grow crops. The report states

“A possible metric to gauge the impact of biofuels on water quality could be to compare the amount of fertilizers and pesticides used on various crops, the committee suggested. For example, corn has the greatest application rates of both fertilizer and pesticides per acre, higher than for soybeans and mixed-species grassland biomass. The switch from other crops or noncrop plants to corn would likely lead to much higher application rates of highly soluble nitrogen, which could migrate to drinking water wells, rivers, and streams, the committee said. When not removed from water before consumption, high levels of nitrate and nitrite -- products of nitrogen fertilizers -- could have significant health impacts.

The report goes on to list ways that these negative effects could be mitigated such as using waste water, optimizing fertilizer use, injecting below soil surface but all of them seem to be expensive and time consuming. Have we not learned that fast and cheap methods will be the ones used until so much damage is done that it forces government regulation? The hard cold fact is that farmers are so hard pressed that these expensive measures are not financially feasible.

It seems that where ethanol and other bio fuels are concerned, there are as many questions as there are answers not only locally for Mecklenburg County but nationally as Congress continues to support it as an alternate fuel source. For the people locally, it seems a choice between the need for employment in the area and what it will cost to put a few of those people to work.