Pubdate: Tue, 03 May 2005
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Contact:  http://www.bdtonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1483
Author: Charles Owens

TAZEWELL COMMITTEE DECIDES BEST ACTION IS NO ACTION AGAINST TIME MAGAZINE

TAZEWELL, Va. - The squabble between leaders in Tazewell County and Time 
magazine is over.

A month after a two-page article detailing the region's rampant drug 
problem prompted widespread ire from community leaders who argued the 
national report painted a negative picture of Tazewell County, a committee 
appointed for the purpose of responding to the article has decided no 
action is the best course of action.

"You can never win when you get into a writing battle with someone who buys 
ink by the barrel," Dan Bowling, the Southern District Board of Supervisors 
member, said.

After two meetings, the committee decided not to respond to Time magazine, 
and to instead continue working to promote positive news in the region, 
County Administrator Jim Spencer said.

"The recommendation was not to respond to the article, and to continue 
doing positive things," Spencer said. "Again, we are trying to do things 
positively, and portray what we are doing in a positive fashion."

The county can't win a prolonged public relations battle with the magazine, 
board vice chairman Bill Rasnick said.

"We all know if you wrestle with a skunk what will happen to you," Rasnick 
said. "So let's don't get involved in a match with a skunk."
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