March 2015
The Greater Raleigh Court Civic League
www.grccl.org
Meet our school grant award winners The civic league has long aimed to strengthen the ties between our neighborhood schools and the surrounding community. To that end, in 2011, we created a school grants program for eligible schools within Raleigh Court. Two $1,000 The Greater awards – one for elementary Raleigh Court schools and the other for middle Civic League and high schools – are available.
provides two Use of the grant funds is limclassroom ited only by the creativity of the applicant. However, GRCCL grants annually desires that the benefits of a for schools selected project be available to within our students beyond the current neighborhood. school year. A successful grant project is required to demonstrate a number of qualities, including a commitment to the values of community building and environmental sustainability. The project is also requested to be available to students in future years. At our March membership meeting, this year’s grants will be awarded to Virginia Heights for the elementary level and Patrick Henry for the high school level.
Virginia Heights art teacher Schuyler Thoemke will receive her grant for the project she calls “The Cardinal’s Chirp Grandin Village.” In her grant application, she described the project as “a school-wide ceramic project of the storefronts of Grandin Road. Throughout the project the students will do research on the buildings or stores of Grandin Road, write and read about their find-
ings, study the architecture and create crafts for the final ceramic project. Each class will ‘own’ a building and be responsible for it; each student or pair will create their storefront. In the end, we will have several reproductions of the whole village, along with great knowledge of this history of the area.” Patrick Henry math coach Suzanne Bazak will use her school’s grant for “Mobile Technology for the Classroom.” According to her grant application, at PH “There are still many students without access to mobile technology and no access to technology at home.” Specifically, her project aims “to increase the availability of mobile technology (tablets) in the Algebra I and Geometry classrooms.” Both Ms. Thoemke and Ms. Bazak will be at our March meeting to accept Dr. Rita Bishop their awards and say a few words about their projects. Additionally, Roanoke City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Rita Bishop will join us to talk about “the state of the schools.”
Note the venue! The Greater Raleigh Court Civic League will meet Thursday, March 12, 7 p.m., at CoLab, 1327 Grandin Road. The meeting will feature the 2015 winners of the civic league’s classroom grant as well as Dr. Rita Bishop, superintendent of Roanoke City Public Schools, who will talk about “the state of the schools.”
Inside This Issue
President’s Message .............................................................3 Neighborhood calendar .....................................................4 English classes in Raleigh Court help support Roanoke’s immigrant population ....................................6
TAP offers free tax preparation service ..............................8 Roanoke Public Libraries installs book drop in Grandin Village ......................................................9 Raleigh Court then and now ...........................................10
Your civic league officers and committee chairs 2014-15 OFFICERS President: Kit Hale kithale@mkbrealtors.com 537-0829 Vice President: Mary Dykstra mvdrltr@aol.com 314-1110 Treasurer: Chad Braby - Interim chadbraby12@gmail.com 342-2112 Secretary: Parke Loesel JKPLoesel@aol.com 774-6690
COMMITTEE CHAIRS Membership Brenda McDaniel bmcdaniel19@cox.net 345-4277
Immediate Past President: Jake Gilmer jake.gilmer@gmail.com 904-2051
Newsletter Advertising Jake Gilmer jake.gilmer@gmail.com 904-2051
Directors at Large Nathan Harper nlharper@gmail.com Susan Marney semarney@yahoo.com 342-3196 Brenda McDaniel bmcdaniel19@cox.net 345-4277 Jenny Prickitt antiquesbuyjenny@aol.com 982-2022 Liesebet Tausch liesebet@hotmail.com
Program Susan Marney semarney@yahoo.com 342-3196
School Grants Program Chad Braby chadbraby12@gmail.com 342-2112 The Court Reporter is published by the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League five times a year on or about the first week of September, November, January, March, and May.
Newsletter Editor Ann Hackworth avhack@aol.com 857-8998
Building Management Carl Cress carl.cress@edwardjones.com Grandin Village Business Liaison Jenny Prickitt antiquesbuyjenny@aol.com 982-2022
1316 Grandin Rd. Roanoke VA 24015
Website Jake Gilmer jake.gilmer@gmail.com 904-2051
Open Tuesday through Sunday
981-1340
Greenway Bill Hackworth wmhack@aol.com 797-8998
Dine-In or carry out
ordering gracesplacepizzeria.com
Are you with Valley yet?
THREE FREE CHECKING ACCOUNTS
GRANDIN & DOW N TOW N
NO MONTHLY FEES, NO MINIMUM BALANCE. Member FDIC. Normal account opening policies and procedures apply.
Page 2
From the President By Kit Hale
Daisy and I walk. We walk a lot. She has four legs and a tail that’s usually in wag mode. The weather doesn’t matter. Hot, cold, rain, snow — she’s willing and we’re both able. Sometimes I’m not so willing initially, but we’ve never had a bad walk. Mostly, we stroll around the neighborhood — sidewalks, alleys, greenways. Sometimes Daisy lobbies a walk to CUPS, where I get a Double D and she gets a Milk Bone treat. We sit outside and survey the goings-on in Grandin Village where she becomes the official greeter for anyone entering CUPS or Rockfish. Life is good. On summer Sundays, Daisy, my wife Betsy, and I frequently take care of our ice cream deficiency at Pop’s. Daisy’s favorite is vanilla. It doesn’t last long and melting is never a problem. When she finishes hers, she starts eyeing my butter pecan. It doesn’t work. On weekend mornings when work doesn’t dictate schedules, we take a more robust walk on trails off the Parkway. On all our walks, I talk, Daisy listens. She’s a good listener, no matter the topic or mood. We debate a lot of issues and, as you might guess, she mostly agrees with me. We all need a Daisy in our world. Whether it’s a dog, a goldfish, a parakeet, a hamster, or a spouse or significant other, it’s good to have someone who listens and provides unconditional love and trust. I’m lucky — in addition to Daisy, I blessed to have my wife of 33 years, Betsy. She’s a good listener and provides for a worthy debate, although she doesn’t agree with me nearly as often as Daisy does. She likes to say, “I knew I married Mr. Right, but I didn’t marry Mr. Always Right.” Ouch.
All this leads me to a short discussion of the recent news of Norfolk Southern’s business decision to close their downtown office building and relocate 500 employees. By the time you read this column, the news will have sunk in and the initial sting subsided. I’m sad for those forced to relocate and leave our beautiful valley for the flatlands of Norfolk or Atlanta. When the news broke, there was a lot of debate, finger-pointing, chest-thumping, some saying it was right, some saying it was wrong. Right or wrong, it’s happening. It was a business decision that provided a wake-up call to key decision-makers. I believe we have one of the most functional teams of elected and appointed officials in Roanoke City than we’ve had in my memory. They’re smart, dedicated, and have the citizens’ collective best interest in mind. It’s time to step up. Now, more than ever, the relationship between Roanoke City and surrounding counties is critical to our success. I hope Roanoke County’s leaders’ recent visit to Kamp Kumbaya allows some of them to get beyond their squabbles and behave like leaders. Quality leadership and cooperation between all governments in our valley is essential to our economic development and quality of life. Anyway, those are my thoughts. And, yes, Daisy agrees.
In January, Norfolk Southern Corp. announced that 500 white-collar employees in the railroad’s Roanoke office have been asked to relocate either to Norfolk or Atlanta. Page 3
Neighborhood Calendar of Events MAR
MAR
CH
M AY
14
7t M AY
h
Midnight Movies at the Grandin Theatre: “Purple Rain” (1984, Rated R) 11:59 p.m., free
15
Classic Movies at the Grandin Theatre: “The Producers” (1967, Rated PG) 10 a.m., free
JU NE
GRCCL membership meeting: “Community arts.” 7 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church
6t
h
th Midnight Movies at the Grandin Theatre: “True Romance” (1993, Rated R) 11:59 p.m., free
Roanoke Ballet Theatre presents “Sleeping Beauty,” 7 p.m., Jefferson Center
Page 4
th
Classic Movies at the Grandin Theatre: “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962, not rated) 10 a.m., free
th
h
1 h
1
9t
L
1t
M AY
Sierra Club’s Earth Friendly Friday, 6:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke, 2015 Grandin Road.
13
L
th
th
A P RI
Midnight Movies at the Grandin Theatre: “Tombstone” (1993, Rated R) 11:59 p.m., free
CH
A P RI
CH 20
14 Classic Movies at the Grandin Theatre: “Citizen Kane” (1941) 10 a.m., free
GRCCL membership meeting: “School grants.” 7 p.m., CoLab, 1327 Grandin Road
MAR
CH
th
th
MAR
12
10 School Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., William Fleming High School
MAR
CH
JOIN US FOR THESE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY EVENTS!
Consignment Boutique
Furniture, Clothing, Art, & More What was once Out is now back In!!! For the Latest Trends, Shop at
1322 Grandin Rd • 540-982-2022
Serving Grandin Village for over 10 Years
Page 5
English classes in Raleigh Court help support Roanoke’s immigrant population By Meredith Harper If you happen to visit the bus stop outside the Co-op on a Tuesday or Thursday morning, you may have the opportunity to hear lively conversations exchanged in as many as nine or 10 languages. Or, if you visit Patrick Henry High School on a Monday or Wednesday evening, you might meet people from places as far away as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Haiti, Brazil, Vietnam or Sudan.
There is great diversity in Roanoke, and our neighborhood plays an integral role in the life of Roanoke’s immigrant population. According to the United States Census Bureau, the percentage of foreign-born residents in the city of Roanoke from 2009-2013 was 6.6 percent, with 8.8 percent of our population speaking a language other than English at home. In addition, Roanoke is one of the major areas that receives refugees from the Virginia Refugee Resettlement Program. For these immigrants, learning English is a priority, and Roanoke City Public Schools provides necessary English as a Second Language classes for adult learners. Classes are offered on Monday and Wednesday nights at Patrick Henry and William Fleming High Schools, and they also take place on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Heights Community Church.
The mission of Roanoke City’s Adult Education program is “to provide educational opportunities for individuals who wish to gain competencies and skills necessary for employment, further education or personal enrichment.” ESL classes are free to students, and they are funded through the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, a federal grant. This year, more than 400 people have registered for ESL classes within the program, with about 250 attending regularly. Most of the students are Spanishspeakers and come from Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. A large number of students also come from Iraq, Nepal, Bhutan and Haiti. Others come from Vietnam, Korea, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Iran, Congo, Japan, China, Spain, Sudan, France, Egypt, Poland and many other countries. As a former high school English teacher who stopped working full-time to stay at home with my children, I have had the good fortune to teach ESL classes in Roanoke City’s Adult Education program for the past three years. Currently, I teach about 35 adults, and my students represent roughly 22 countries and 19 languages. When I moved to Roanoke from Boston, Massachusetts, friends suggested that I would miss the diversity that Boston had to offer. Little did they know that, a few years later, I would be sitting in a home in Raleigh Court eating delicious Nepalese food after having been invited to a day of celebration. On another occasion, I would be engrossed in a conversation about the various religious beliefs held by my students, a discussion that innocently erupted from the writing prompt, “Do Page 6
you believe in ghosts?” In a world in which we shy away from such discussions, I watched my students smile and nod as they discovered similarities among their beliefs. They also listened attentively while delineating their differences. Now, as I think of the respect shown among these men and women despite the astounding diversity of their backgrounds and belief systems, I wonder what would happen if only the wider world around us could listen in once and a while. (Special thanks to Naomi Delzell, ELL Coordinator, Adult Education, Roanoke City Public Schools, for providing information about the program and its students.) Meredith Harper has lived in Raleigh Court since 2006.
City seeks Downtown Plan input via digital service Roanoke’s Planning, Building, and Development Department has launched an online town hall with town hall service provider Agora to receive feedback from residents about information they would like to see included in the creation of a new Downtown Plan. Agora is a digital civic place that gives citizens a voice to speak and decision makers a platform to listen. Residents are encouraged to sign up at https://theagora.co and become part of the conversations taking place. Please note that you must use the following Internet browsers to access this site: Internet Explorer version 11 or any more recent version, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Stunning collections
Behind Reid’s Furnishings
Where quality and service still exist.
of furniture & accessories for every room in your home.
(Formerly Frank L. Moose Jeweler)
1919 Westover Avenue, Owner Geoff Jennings (formerly withS.W. Frank L. Moose) With 39 years experience, offers exceptional quality and service www.fgeoffreyltd.com
1919Open Westover Avenue, SW 540-345-8881 Wed. & Thurs. 10am -5:30pm
Mon. by Appt.; Tues-Fri 10am-5:30pm; Sat. 10am-3:30pm Other days request appointment: 345-8881 or info@fgeoffreyltd.com
wInterested in Advertising with us?
Since 1995 Grandin Village 540.342.1844 | ReidsFurnishing.com
Please contact:
J ake G ilmer jake.gilmer@gmail.com or
540-904-2051
Eric Early
Feed the Dogs @ The Dog Black Dog Salvage is now a donation site for the Roanoke Valley SPCA to help our animal friends in need. With every pet food donation, receive a discount on your found treasure @ The Dog. See our website for details www.BlackDogSalvage.com
Antiques, MArketplAce & GAllery Reclaiming, Renewing, Redefining Architectural Salvage for a Sustainable Future OPEN Mon – Sat 9am – 5pm 902 13th Street SW, Roanoke (540) 343-6200 • www.BlackDogSalvage.com
Page 7
TAP offers free taxpreparation assistance
Be alert for possible jury duty scam
Tax season is here, and as always TAP is offering free faceto-face tax preparation assistance to low-to-moderate income residents. IRS tax law certified volunteers provide this service complete with electronic filing to all people who quality. For their appointment, qualified taxpayers must take the following documentation to the TAP office (108 Henry St., 1st floor of the Dumas Center, close to downtown Roanoke):
The Sheriff’s Department wants citizens to be aware of a jury duty scam that’s been circulating in the community for several months. The scam is happening over the phone. Citizens are being contacted by callers claiming to be deputy sheriffs, IRS agents, or other law enforcement personnel. The fraudulent callers tell the victims that they have failed to comply with jury subpoenas, or have missed a court date and are subject to fines or arrest. In some instances, the victims have been asked to acquire a Green Dot card from a local store and call them with the card number or meet at the Sheriff’s Office to make cash payments. This is entirely a scam. The Sheriff’s Department does not solicit payments from individuals in this manner. If someone receives a call of this nature they should call the police department. If you have questions about how jury service is handled in the City of Roanoke, call 540-853-5884.
• Proof of identification (photo ID) • Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) for you, your spouse and/or dependents • Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN • Birth dates for all on the tax return • For married filing joint, both spouses must be present • All forms W2, W-2, 1099 and 1098 • A copy of last year’s federal and state returns • Proof of bank account and routing information if choosing direct deposit of refund (a voided check will do) • Total paid to daycare provider and their tax ID • Health insurance exemption certificate, if received • All forms 1095 Health Insurance statements. Tax payers are assisted by appointment only. Call 540-283-4804. For more details on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, visit www.irs.gov and type VITA in the search box and click on “Free tax return preparation for you by volunteers.”
Now Join the Civic League Online Using PayPal It is easier than ever to join or renew your membership in
For as little as $10 a year, your member dues help to fund these events: • Grandin Village Street Fair • Grandin Village Children’s Holiday Parade • Looney Tunes at the Grandin Theatre • Bi-monthly neighborhood meetings
the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League. We have added the ability for our neighbors to pay dues using PayPal on our website, www.grccl.org. PayPal is one of the most trusted
Now Join the Civic League Online Using PayPal
and widely used online payment systems.
Now Join the Civic Now League Now Join Join Online thethe Civic Using Civic League League PayPal Online Online Using Using PayPal PayPal
It is easier than ever to join or renew your membership in It theisGreater easier than Raleigh ever It Court tois Itjoin is easier Civic easier or renew than than ever your ever tomembership to join join or or renew renew in your theyour Greater membership membership Raleigh in in Court thethe Greater Greater Civic Raleigh Raleigh Court Court Civic Civic League. We have added the ability for our neighbors to pay League. dues using We have PayPal added League. onLeague. our the website, ability WeWe have have for added our added neighbors thethe ability ability to for pay for our dues our neighbors using neighbors PayPal to to pay pay ondues our dues using website, using PayPal PayPal onon ourour website, website, www.grccl.org. PayPal is one of the most trusted and widely www.grccl.org. used online payment PayPal www.grccl.org. www.grccl.org. issystems. one of the PayPal most PayPal trusted is is one one and of of the widely the most most used trusted trusted online and and payment widely widely used systems. used online online payment payment systems. systems.
New members are welcome to join the Civic League at any time. Memberships are
With your $10 membership, you’ll be rewarded with these benefits:
For as little as $10 a year, your member dues help to fund For these asevents: little as $10 a For year, For asyour as little little member as as $10 $10 adues year, a year, help your your tomember fund member these dues dues events: help help to to fund fund these these events: events: Grandin Village Street Fair Grandin Village Street Grandin Grandin Fair Village Village Street Street Fair Fair Grandin Village Children’s Holiday Parade Grandin Village Children’s Grandin Grandin Holiday Village Village Parade Children’s Children’s Holiday Holiday Parade Parade Membership potluck dinner Membership potluck Membership dinner Membership potluck potluck dinner dinner Looney Tunes at the Grandin Theatre Looney Tunes atthe Looney Grandin Looney Tunes Theatre Tunes at at thethe Grandin Grandin Theatre Theatre Bi-monthly neighborhood meetings Bi-monthly neighborhood Bi-monthly Bi-monthly meetings neighborhood neighborhood meetings meetings
• Neighborhood advocacy and representation with local government
Now Join the Civic League Online Using PayPal
renewed on an annual basis
With your $10 membership, you’ll be rewarded with theseWith benefits: your $10 membership, With With your your you’ll $10 $10 be membership, membership, rewarded with you’ll you’ll these bebe rewarded benefits: rewarded with with these these benefits: benefits:
Neighborhood advocacy and representation with localgovernment Neighborhood advocacy Neighborhood Neighborhood and representation advocacy advocacy with and and local representation representation government with with local local government government It is easier than ever to join or renew your membership in the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League. We have added the ability for our neighbors to pay dues using PayPal on home our website, Bi-monthly newsletter delivered to your or business Bi-monthly newsletter Bi-monthly Bi-monthly delivered newsletter tonewsletter your home delivered delivered or business to to your your home home or or business business www.grccl.org. PayPal is one of most trusted of andcommunity widely used online payment systems. theNotification announcements, events, and issues Notification of concern of community to Raleigh Notification Notification announcements, of of community community events, announcements, announcements, and issues ofevents, concern events, and to and issues Raleigh issues of of concern concern to to Raleigh Raleigh
each December. Lifetime
Court residents
Court residents
Court Court residents residents
For as little as $10 a year, your member dues help to fund these events: Discounts at certain local businesses and retailers Discounts at certain Discounts local Discounts businesses at at certain certain andlocal retailers local businesses businesses and and retailers retailers Grandin Village Street Fair Grandin Village Children’s Holiday Parade New members are welcome to join the Civic League at any New time. members Memberships are welcome New are New members renewed members to joinon are theare welcome Civic welcome League to to join at join any thethe Civic time. Civic League Memberships League at at any any are time. time. renewed Memberships Memberships on areare renewed renewed onon Membership potluck dinner anGrandin annual Theatre basis each December. Lifetime memberships foranjust annual $100basis are encouraged. eachan December. an annual annual Thebasis Civic Lifetime basis each each December. memberships December. Lifetime Lifetime for justmemberships $100 memberships are encouraged. forfor just just $100 The $100 are Civic are encouraged. encouraged. The The Civic Civic Looney Tunes at the Leaguemeetings is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. DonationsLeague may beisclaimed a tax-exempt as charitable League League 501(c)(3) is is a tax-exempt aorganization. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) 501(c)(3) Donations organization. organization. may be claimed Donations Donations as charitable may may bebe claimed claimed as as charitable charitable Bi-monthly neighborhood
memberships for just $100
• Bi-monthly newsletter delivered to your home or business; also our website. deductions for tax purposes.
With your $10 membership, you’ll be rewarded with these benefits: Neighborhood advocacy and representation with local government Bi-monthly newsletter delivered to your home or business Notification of community announcements, events, and issues of concern to Raleigh Court residents Discounts at certain local businesses and retailers
are encouraged. The Civic League is a tax-exempt
deductions for tax purposes. deductions deductions forfor taxtax purposes. purposes.
• Notification of community announcements, events, and issues of concern to Raleigh Court residents
New members are welcome to join the Civic League at any time. Memberships are renewed on an annual basis each December. Lifetime memberships for just $100 are encouraged. The Civic League is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Donations may be claimed as charitable deductions for tax purposes.
501(c)(3) organization. Dona-
tions may be claimed as chari-
• Discounts at certain local businesses and retailers
table deductions for tax purposes. Page 8
Even though the Raleigh Court branch library is closed for renovations, the library is still an active part of our neighborhood. Many of you have already used the drop box at the corner of Memorial and Grandin to return your books and other library materials. In February, just after the book drop was installed, Viva La Cupcake partnered with the library to celebrate the new arrival and gave out more than 200 minis. On March 14, the library is partnering with the Grandin Theatre to present the film classic “Citizen Kane.” And beginning May 29, the library will also co-sponsor the Grandin’s ever-popular Saturday morning cartoons. These events are free and begin at 10 a.m.
New library services for the neighborhood
Roanoke Public Libraries has installed this book drop in the Village just outside of Viva La Cupcake. Folks can now drop off their books, DVDs and other library materials 24/7. The library plans to leave it in place even after the Raleigh Court branch re-opens.
Also planned are book club meetings in March, April and May at CUPS, with coffee compliments of the library. A contract for the library renovations has been signed, and our branch is scheduled to re-open next spring.
Register for Leadership College to begin March 17 What is the city’s vision for our future? Whom do you contact to get a sidewalk repaired? What is the most important component you should have in your household emergency kit? How is your property’s value assessed for taxes? Whom do you call to get a street lamp repaired? How does one participate in the city’s recycling program? What is your leadership style? How does one run for City Council? These and other questions are answered during Roanoke’s annual 9-week Leadership College program scheduled to begin Tuesday, March 17, and continue on each consecutive Tuesday evening through May 12 at the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building in downtown Roanoke. The Leadership College program encompasses a series of interactive discussions and activities led by various city department directors and managers. They aim to enhance citizens’ knowledge and understanding of how our city operates, the services provided and how to access these services. Classes are interactive and engaging with discussions, lectures, role-play and teambuilding activities allowing participants to personally meet and interact with those who provide city services.
The goal of the Leadership College is to increase residents’ knowledge of city government and assist them in becoming a reliable source of information for their neighbors. Past Leadership College participants have become empowered to become active in their neighborhood organizations, serve on Council-appointed boards and commissions, and even run for election to City Council. The Leadership college program is free, and a light dinner is served, but registration is required. Register in one of the following ways: • Register online by clicking on the following link: http://www.roanokeva.gov/WebMgmt/ ywbase61b.nsf/CurrentBaseLink/N25JMM6X694CFIREN • or by visiting the Leadership College website at www.roanokeva.gov\leadershipcollege • or by contacting the Office of Neighborhood Services at 540-853-5210 Knowing how our city operates gives you the knowledge to make a difference in creating the future of our community. Roanoke’s Leadership College is specifically designed for this purpose. Page 9
Raleigh Court
T h e n a n d No w
Kroger inhabited Co-op space in 1940s and ’50s In 1938, Kroger purchased several Piggly Wiggly groceries in the Roanoke Valley including the one located at 202 Grandin Road (the present-day Natural Foods Co-Op store). After extensive renovation and remodeling, Kroger had a grand opening of its “new” store in November 1940. If you shopped there that month you would have paid prices as follows: 19 cents for a six-pack carton of Kroger’s own Wescola soft drinks, 99 cents for a 24-pound sack of Gold Medal flour, 25 cents for three large loaves of bread, 27 cents for two pounds of coffee, 33 cents for a dozen eggs, 17 cents per pound for shoulder-cut roast,
and 37 cents for 10 pounds of oranges! By 1941, Kroger had 21 stores operating in Roanoke, Salem and Vinton. In Roanoke, Kroger groceries were located along Williamson Road, at 1003 S. Jefferson Street, and on the corner of Patterson Avenue and 12th Street. Kroger would maintain a presence in the Grandin Village for a few decades before selling the store to Thriftway.
By Nelson Harris
This shot shows Kroger on Grandin Road during the 1950s. In 1998, the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op began to lease and renovate the former Thriftway grocery store. The store opened for business in the 11,000-square-foot space on Feb. 15, 1999, according to the Co-op’s website.
Nelson Harris, pastor of Heights Community Church at Memorial Avenue and Grandin Road, will provide the Court Reporter with historical items about the neighborhood from time to time. The author of “Greater Raleigh Court: A History of Wasena, Virginia Heights, Norwich and Raleigh Court,” among many titles, Harris grew up in Raleigh Court. Reach him at nharris@ virginiaheights.org.
Page 10
A century of service in Southwest Virginia £ Evergreen Burial Park
Roanoke 540-342-2593
£ Mountain View Cemetery
Committed to Everlasting Care Traditional Cemeteries Mausoleum Crypts and Niches Granite and Bronze Memorialization Natural Burial Cremation Arrangements Pet Cemetery
Vinton 540-342-7566 £ Forest Rest Natural Cemetery Boones Mill 540-334-5410 £ Green Hill Mausoleum Buena Vista 540-342-2593 £ Mountain View Memorial Park Boones Mill 540-334-5410
Aeration Mowing Mulching Your Insurance Agent Should be Down to Earth, And Down the Street!
Do you buy your insurance from an agent that “SELLS” insurance or do you buy it from a Trusted Advisor that “KNOWS” insurance? Auto Home Life Health
Lisa Wright (540) 342-2626
Roanoke County Farm Bureau 1422 Grandin Rd, S.W. Roanoke, VA 24015 www.farmbureauadvantage.com
Call Today
Lisa KNOWS insurance Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Page 11
Greater Raleigh Court Civic League P.O. Box 3092 Roanoke, VA 24015
Membership Form
q new member q renewing member
New members are welcome to join the Civic League at any time. You may pay your dues at the next membership meeting. Multiyear or life memberships are welcome! The Greater Raleigh Court Civic League is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Donations may be claimed as charitable deductions for tax purposes. Please mail your membership dues ($10 family, $15 business, or $100 life membership) or gifts to: GRCCL, P.O. Box 3092, Roanoke, VA 24015 Or go to www.grccl.org and click on “JOIN US” to fill out a membership application online. Name Address
E-mail Address
City
State
Home Phone
Business Phone
Amount Enclosed I’d like to help out with:
ZIP
Donation q in memory of q in honor of