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TheRoanokeStar.com community | news | perspective
July 27 - August 2, 2012
[Roanoke Valley EMS]
Supervisors Weigh Future Of Prayer At Public Meetings
Proud New Truck Takes Hit
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Exploring History P3– The Civil War came to life recently at Explore Park with an encampment of Confederate forces of the 60th Virginia Infantry Company K.
Photo by Stuart Revercomb
Her Best Work
P9– If you’re heading to Floyd Fest this weekend don’t miss Brandi Carlile’s set on Saturday at 5:45pm on the Dreaming Creek main stage.
Roanoke City’s new ladder truck No. 1 saw its first big fire Saturday night along with the three other Roanoke City Fire Department ladder trucks. The almost $1 million dollar beauty came out of its first battle unscathed but it wasn’t so lucky the night of the big storm that was dubbed “The Derecho.” According to Aisha Johnson, police spokeswoman, officers responded on the night of the storm June 29, at 10:23 p.m. to a two-vehicle wreck involving a citizen’s vehicle and a City of Roanoke fire truck at the intersection of 10th Street and Orange Avenue. The fire truck, with emergency lights activated, and the citizen vehicle, a Chevrolet Malibu, were both traveling east on Orange Avenue. Lt. Chris Decker, 41, was driving the ladder truck and said in a phone call they were making a left turn onto 10th Street when > CONTINUED P2: Fire Truck
Officials with the Roanoke Valley SPCA and the Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection (RCACP) are conducting an internal investigation following allegations of neglect and cruelty to animals at the Animal Control Center. SPCA Board President Barbara Dalhouse hopes to have the results within the next two weeks. “You’ll see some major improvements,” she said. Dalhouse gave no specific timeline, “because we want to do it right.” The special committee is comprised of members of the executive committee,
board of directors and outside consul- for the SPCA and it doesn’t do any good tants. They’re already busy interview- for the animals. So we’re anxious to get ing staff, volunteers, and local elected this out. We will look at everything [so officials. we] can move forward, after we’ve taken According to Dalhouse, the commit- the necessary steps to make it a better tee members will go back in facility.” time as far as is needed to The internal investigation Valley News get answers. “If a locality comes on the heels of an anhas specific allegations that nouncement that the City they are making, we will go back to all Auditor is beginning an investigation of them. And so there’s nothing that into the Center’s (also known as the we’re going to hide. We want this to be pound) finances. Roanoke City Police as open [and] transparent as possible. are also looking specifically into the welBecause really, this does not do any good fare of a dog known as Trinity, whose
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> CONTINUED P2: Prayer
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leg had to be amputated, allegedly because of a lack of care during its stay at the Center. Dalhouse said she can’t comment on the allegations but did say she’s “anxiously awaiting the report” and that police told her they only had one more interview to conduct before they finished their investigation. Two volunteers were recently suspended, one after she reportedly put pictures on a Facebook page of cats due to > CONTINUED P2: Animal
Carilion Uses Team Approach To get Through Power Outage
P6– Members of the Roanoke Community Animal Response Team opened the first ever emergency animal shelter in the Star City during the recent derecho storm.
Photo by Melvin Mathews
Ssuuny Shaw (far right) with local dignitaries at a recent hotel ribbon cutting.
It’s Always “Ssunny” In Roanoke For Hotelier P4– Hayden Hollingsworth offers some timely thoughts on violence in America and the only way it can ultimately be overcome.
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Animal Control Center Operations Being Investigated
Just In Time
Love Wins
Facing the possibility of defending a costly lawsuit if it does not end the practice of starting public meetings with a sectarian prayer, the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors decided on Tuesday to look at other options. County Govt. That decision came at the end of the evening meeting, after a number of speakers had spoken on the prayer issue. Most urged the supervisors to fight complaints from the Wisconsinbased “Freedom From Religion” group and the “Secular Humanists of Roanoke”, who want to end the opening prayers that are led by invited pastors. Freedom from Religion, with support from the ACLU, has sued Pittsylvania County over similar practices. A non-sectarian prayer – one that does not invoke the name of Jesus for example – may be one option the Board of Supervisors considers, with legal advice from the Roanoke County staff. No vote was taken at the meeting on whether to end or amend the opening prayer but Chairman Richard Flora said that could come within the next few months. “I feel in my heart we’re going to lose [if the matter goes to court],” said Vinton supervisor Mike Altizer, “We’re fighting the 4th Circuit Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.” Both have
When he first came to America in 1990, Ssunny Shah (yes, he spells his first name with two S’s) had only $400 in his pocket. Born in Bombay, India, Shah’s father owned a successful textile business and family tradition directed that the son continue in that business. Shah had other ambitions. “Instead, I decided to come to America because I heard a lot about ‘the land of opportunity’, and I wanted to do something of my own rather than under the shadow of my Dad,” recalled Shah, “ because …everybody knew me because of him.” After completing his bachelor’s degree in commerce and accounting, Shah arrived in the United States at Virginia Beach in June 1990. His sister, who was already here when he came, was in the hotel industry. “So I wound up getting attracted to the business. I came as a tourist and then looked at the country and I thought it would be great for my daughter if I brought her up here rather than in India. That’s why I decided to > CONTINUED P3: Ssunny
First, “The Derecho” blew Roe was working in operathrough the valley late in the tions at the same time. Ironievening on June 29, knocking cally, Davenport had been at out power to thousands, some Carilion Roanoke Memorial of whom had serious mediHospital with his family viscal issues. Then the extreme iting a patient when he was heat made matters that much called into action that Friday worse. night. Employees worked exBut Carilion Clinic, worktra hours all weekend; CEO ing with local public safety Paul Davenport is Nancy Agee came to the agencies, responded swiftly the Vice President command center to offer her and worked out some innova- of Operations for support. tive strategies during the criti- Emergency Services The morning following cal period just after the storm. for Carilion the storm, “the community Assessing how it transpired was assessing itself,” recalled weeks later, Paul Davenport, the Vice Davenport. That meant no power in President of Operations for Emergency some cases and traffic lights that didn’t Services and Kim Roe, Senior Director work. “The damage was there.” At Carof Emergency Medicine Operations, said ilion Roanoke Memorial they started to they were pleased with the outcome. hear updates through a regional Disaster Roe also works with the Task Force. “The chatter beVelocity Care outpatient gan to increase,” said DavStorm Recovery clinics on Electric Road enport, about issues like the and in Botetourt County. number of people requiring Davenport, an ex-firefighter, was the oxygen at home who might have to be first incident commander on the Fri- temporarily located elsewhere due to a day night that the Derecho brought lack of electricity. hurricane-force winds to the Roanoke “InfrastrucValley, knocking down trees and limbs ture problems” > CONTINUED P3: Outage and leading to extensive power outages. at some area
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