Goss Holds Office Hours in Lansing

By Ron Fitzwater

Although Larry Blevins reports that business at Larry's Satellite and TV in Lansing is going pretty well for him, in spite of the current national economic problems, the people gathered inside the business on Friday, Feb. 27, were not there to resolve their analog to digital conversion issues. They were there to see Senator Steve Goss as he held one of his regular community office hours. Normally held at the Lansing Volunteer Fire Department, a scheduling conflict facilitated a change of location, and Blevins was happy to open his building to his life-long friend.

"There was another activity at the fire house so I told them that 'I have space here, so come on.' Now, I have known Steve all my life so I was happy to have them here and I've tried to make them as welcome as possi-ble."

Being the host, Blevins was one of the first to speak with Goss and he said his issue with the senator dealt with education and primarily the end-of-grade testing program.

"I have grandkids and I am seeing worksheets for third and fourth graders that I can't even work, and this is what they are going to be tested on at the end of the year."

Blevins' main concern is that the tests are being designed based on school systems in areas that teach a dif-ferent curriculum than is being taught in Ashe County, and he is concerned that this puts Ashe students at a disadvantage when taking the tests.

The steady stream of constituents filed into Blevins' back room, where sitting among spools of coax cable and the various items needed to install satellite television; seated at a makeshift desk, Goss spoke with all visitors.

"I think communication is the key, especially now in these most difficult times. I think that even though we are in session and I am in Raleigh most of the time, by not having an office in the district, it is even more important that I do these community office hours," Goss said.

The first issue Goss wanted to discuss was jobs and the need to concentrate on the issue.

"Obviously the jobs issue, to me, is still by far and wide the most important one.

"One of the worries I have is the migration of Ashe Countians away from here, and you can't blame folks for leaving. First and foremost, folks need to feel like there is a future for their families in any area where they live. We have three of the four counties in the district heading toward double-digit unemployment. Wilkes is very close to it, Watauga is still somewhat less because Appalachian State University employs many area folks from Ashe, as well as Watauga. Now, I had my intern go back 20 years to the Haines closing, and you look at the number of closings that have taken place in Ashe, Alexander and Wilkes, it is attention getting how many there have been. But now the pace has accelerated dramatically and has been compounded by the national crisis," Goss said.

"What we are interested in, in this area, and I was on the phone with the department of commerce just this morning looking for grants and different ways that we could bring jobs back here. I understand that there is one group that is looking at solar panel manufacturing and green industry, and we are excited about that. What we want on the state level, with cooperation from local officials, 'is to find out what do these people need?' because we have to go to bat for them. If we don't, then the people will lose the thread of hope that help is coming. I mean, quite frankly, I have never seen anything this difficult in my lifetime, yet the opti-mist in me tells me that sooner or later we are going to see the bottom of this," he said.

Goss said that things are going well in the new session in Raleigh and that he has several items that he is pleased with their progress.

"One area that will be good for us is that I am chairing a committee for the appropriations for transportation and we have already begun meeting and are looking forward to the possibility of things that we can do for roads in Ashe County. Moving forward, representative [Cullie] Tarleton and I have reason to believe that the widening of [NC Highway 221] will be coming sooner rather than later. That will bring some jobs. We have contractors here in the county who are very capable to do the work."

"I have heard a lot of comments from folks about what a tough time it is to be in government and how they wish they hadn't run. That said, I don't look at it that way. I look at it as an opportunity, and as we move forward I am approaching the session that way."

Constituents can contact Goss by calling (828) 265-2943 or by e-mail at spgoss@bellsouth.net