Tanja Heather of the Fauquier Now urges the Planning Commissioners in Fauquier County, Virginia, to examine their consciences, shun special interest group politics, and vote to help avoid tragedy in Fauquier County. Her powerful plea is in response to the tragic deaths of a Spotsylvania mother and son who were found outside their home after a night of frigid temperatures. During an initial investigation, it seems that the woman suffered a medical emergency and her son tried to seek help, but couldn’t reach emergency personnel before he suffered his own medical emergency. “Cell phone service is no longer a ‘town luxury.’ It’s a service that we all hope we’ll have if tragedy strikes in the rural voids of our county. With today’s technology, there should be no question that adequate service is a necessity in protecting our safety and welfare,” Heather writes. “Just as the ‘fading’ landline needed poles and wires, the cell phone needs a tower.” While most public opinion in the area supports the construction of cell towers, there are some special interest groups fighting the infrastructure tooth and nail. “The opposition ignores public safety and the numerous cell/Internet benefits to our economic well-being and the education of our children,” Heather continues. “They quibble over tower locations and height with the intent to drive the carriers to other counties. They seem to embrace a desire to relive the 19th century with vague and spacious arguments like ‘viewscape’ and ‘history viewscape.’” The two candidates running for supervisor in the Marshall District have even included cell towers on their proposed to-do lists if elected to bolster public support, as many people see the need for the towers. “Since when has the issue of our safety and welfare become a commodity for special interest groups and businesses to haggle over? As the Spotsylvania deaths emphasize, public safety trumps all argument,” Heather argues. The Planning Commission will meet March 19 to discuss a proposed tower in the Casanova area.
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