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The Roanoke Star-Sentinel November 11 - 17, 2011

NewsRoanoke.com

Community | News | Per spective

Smith Takes 19th District, Head Fills 17th HOD

Co-Op Withdraws Farm Proposal

Sheer Determination

Hayden Hollingsworth

Enough Politics?

P4– Hayden Hoillingsworth surveys the national political landscape and asks, “Are we having fun yet?”

More Space P6– Downtown Roanoke is looking at a bit of a housing crunch now that most buildings eligible for tax credits have been renovated.

Photo by Valerie Garner

Bruce Phlegar, General Manager of Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op speaks to Council.

Senator Ralph Smith cruised to victory on Tuesday night as did Republican Chris Head, who won easily over Democrat Freeda Cathcart with over 65% of the vote.

Delegate elect Head, in an interview before his victory address, said “it is a little overwhelming.”

He was pleased by Election his margin of victory.

“It is extraordinarily humbling to have that much faith in me placed by the voters here.”

Head said he feels the pressure of the “level of expectation” to deliver to constituents wanting results. “I’ve got some pretty stiff marching orders now and it’s time to deliver.”

Creating a climate for bringing jobs to Southwest Virginia will be Head’s priority. “The first

Bruce Phlegar, General Manager of the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, said that they had listened “intently to the concerns of the citizens” of the surrounding neighborhoods” and changed their plans. In a short statement read to council City Gov’t members he said, “I respectfully withdraw our proposal to operate an urban farm on the 12-acre parcel for commercial urban agriculture as described in the Countryside Master Development Plan.”

The Co-op intends to search for a suitable alternative for the farm.

Earlier in the 9:00 a.m. Council briefing, Mayor Bowers read the required disclosure for closed meetings, then he told everyone assembled in the briefing room

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P7– Cave Spring and Hidden Valley chalk up one for the ages as they go into overtime to settle this year’s “Big Game.”

The Club P10– Men from Roanoke’s “Greatest Generation” have a good thing going in their recently revamped “Big Lick Breakfast Club.”

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> CONTINUED P2: Smith

Classic Rivalry

Photo by Valerie Garner

Roanoke Republican Chair Chris Walters works up precinct totals with an iPad and registrar texts.

T

Photo by Cheryl Hodges

he River Ridge Region IV Cross Country Meet, which included 12 area teams, was held last Saturday at Hidden Valley High School. The winner of the girls race might have been predicted from this photo taken just seconds before the runners stepped over the starting line. Hidden Val-

ley junior Carolyn Bethel (third from left) appears to have her eyes on the prize, with a look of focus and determination that was hard to miss. It turns out she won handily with a time of 18:52.49, beating Cave Spring’s Katie Fortner who had out-run Bethel at Districts just two weeks earlier.

State of The Art Simulator Readies Snow Plow Drivers The snow will be here before you know it and recently some snowplow operators got firsthand simulation training to help them prepare for the winter season George Perez is with L3, a Salt Lake City company that tours the country with a semi, which is filled with computers and simulation equipment. It was parked earlier this month at the VDOT Center in Salem.

Drivers sit in stations on either end of the trailer. They’re surrounded by three screens which represent the windshield Drivers said the simulator gave a very real-world experience. and side windows of a snowplow. There’s a brake, accelera- lic’s view, all they see is having burg and Culpepper and two their roads cleared. But for the cities in Maryland recently, and tor, and even an ignition key.

“In our simulators, they get to operators, they’re multi-tasking, a sister mobile unit is in Kenpractice their driving skills and they work long hours, and un- tucky.

VDOT spokesman Jason decision making skills, as they’re der hazardous conditions of the weather. And, Bond says they have 316 oppushing snow and of course, it’s easy to erators in the 12 county region contending with the Weather lose control of their and they had hoped to get about traffic. We can put vehicle because it op- 65 people through the training them into different types of scenarios where they erates in different dynamics. So, during the week the simulator have to make decisions--safe if we can put them through the was in Salem. About 40 of those decisions--to avoid injuries, fa- skills, through the drills of hon- are new employees.

“It’s a great opportunity, espetalities and, of course, property ing those skills, they become better operators out there when cially for those folks to get traindamage.”

Perez says the simulations are they’re pushing that snow.”

It’s L3’s sixth year of being based on real-life scenarios. > CONTINUED involved with VDOT. They’ve “Pushing snow, from the pubtrained people in Fredericks- P2: Simulator

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> CONTINUED P2: Co-Op

Energy Expo Highlights Wind Power and Bee Farming Challenges About 1500 people attended the annual Energy Expo at the Roanoke Civic Center last weekend.

Ray Ganthner, Chairman of the Virginia Energy Independence Alliance, was manning one of the booths.

“The Virginia Energy Independence Alliance is a group of concerned and interested citizens and companies that are trying to make people in Virginia aware that we are very dependent on external The Center for Wind Energy sources of energy for our enwas well represented. ergy in Virginia. We import more energy than any other used to power our nuclear restate except California. And actors in the state. There (are) a we think there (are) resources whole lot of opportunities that inside that state that we should we’re just not pursuing and we should be. Because be using to reduce every dollar we our dependence Technology spend on importing on outside sources. energy is exporting Such as the wind energy offshore; there (are) our jobs and our money outadditional things we could do side the state.”

He says the alliance supports with power plants inside the state, like coal powered plants. Governor McDonnell’s philosUsing trash to burn to make ophy that we need to explore all types of energy. electricity; methane generated from a landfill. There’s a large deposit of uranium not > CONTINUED far from here that could be P3: Energy

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> Smith

Page 2 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/11/11 -11/17/11

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thing I will be doing in the coming weeks will be setting a target goal [for jobs]… I don’t know what that is [yet].” He said he would be hashing that out with advisors over the next few weeks.

Then will come “a plan for legislative policies to begin to turn those wheels.” He wants that to happen “very, very quickly.”

Answering a question about working across party lines Head said, “We are in a climate right now from the federal government on down that is just so hard-line partisan. In any case, that is appropriate right now because we have listed so far to the left that we can’t afford to give up any more ground. But on the state level there is room for consensus. The bottom line is we can’t give an inch on the core principals that we’ve established as the majority.”

But Head said he will work with regional legislators. “We’ll work together as a legislative delegation – all of us; party is still important, but in many cases there are things that have to be done that have more to do with geography then with party.”

Republican Senator Ralph Smith was also victorious in a contentious race with Independent candidate and former Senator Brandon Bell. Smith won with over 56% of the vote.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte introduced the victorious Sen. Smith.

Smith immediately raked The Roanoke Times Editorial Board

over the coals. Smith asked, “is there anyone here from The Roanoke Times?” Only the photographer who boldly raised his hand was present. Smith said for him to “put the tar and feathers away.”

“This [race] wasn’t close and shouldn’t have been close,” he said. He blamed the news media for wanting to make it close.

“There was such cause perpetrated on this campaign and my reputation that we looked to the media and you did not report

Photo by Valerie Garner

Ralph Smith … When we made a claim why didn’t [the media] go check it out?”

“The Roanoke Times going through my trash can on my lawn - it is illegal for one thing … You [The Roanoke Times] wrote a story about it and I am upset about it.” When asked later if he planned to take legal action, he hedged saying, “Let’s not go there at this time.”

In response to the negative campaign ads produced by Bell, Steve Mabry, Sen. Smith’s campaign manager, said, “the ads were the most venomous ads I’ve ever seen – it was a personal

Photo by Valerie Garner

Chris Head vendetta against Sen. Smith.”

Not mentioning his opponent by name, Smith said, “when someone spends thousands of dollars calling me a cheat and a liar – now I don’t know about the legalities of it, but I think it should have been exposed - let’s get the evidence out there.”

Smith said he would carry on in the Senate as his past record demonstrates. “If I have more allies we will achieve more things,” he said. Many people campaigned on jobs but “we don’t need any more government jobs … We need private enterprise jobs,” said Smith.

Brandon Bell, in a phone call, said his whole premise was to “ask leaning Republicans to change their behavior and vote for an Independent – that’s a bit of a chore to do.” He said he worked one precinct in Franklin County and said that they didn’t have a clue who either one of the candidates where.

In a phone call to Carter Turner who came in second in a close race for the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Catawba District, Turner was resigned.

He lamented over being called a

NewsRoanoke.com liberal when he said he was truly an Independent. Turner garnered 31% of the vote in a threeway race, coming in second to incumbent Joe “Butch” Church with 41% of the vote.

Delegate Dave Nutter did not attend the gathering at the Sheraton and did not return a phone call.

Republican Carla Bream lost the Commissioner of the Revenue seat to incumbent Democrat Nancy Horn. Bream, who came in with just under 34% of the vote, said she ran the best possible race she could, though it became contentious with both sides accusing the other of dirty tricks.

Republican Delegate Greg Habeeb in the 8th district was unopposed and was at a Republican caucus in Richmond.

In a tweet he said it was a “crazy night.”

Roanoke City Democrat Delegate Onzlee Ware was unopposed, as was Brenda Hamilton for Clerk of Court. In Roanoke County, Sheriff Mike Winston, Commonwealth Attorney Randy Leach and Treasurer Kevin Hutchins were also unopposed.

Republican George Assaid came up short in his bid for Cave Spring Roanoke County Board of Supervisors against Independent incumbent Charlotte Moore. (See article on page 3.)

By Valerie Garner info@newsroanoke.com

Edwards Pledges To Keep Up Good Fight John Edwards was returned to the Virginia State Senate on Tuesday with a solid win over Republican challenger Dave Nutter. The Democrat incumbent, first elected to the Senate in 1995, even bested Nutter on his home turf, with an 11% margin of victory in Montgomery County. Nutter did win Roanoke County but was beaten badly in Roanoke City, the core of Edwards’ district.

“I ran on my record,” said Edwards afterward. He called the win “an affirmation of the things I’ve been doing for my district.” He then went on to mention his support for rail transportation, declaring to “do everything I can to make sure we have Amtrak here.” Edwards said the result (he bested Nutter 56% to 44% overall) proved that “you can’t create jobs by cutting, cutting, cutting.”

Edwards pledged to work on affordable health care and offered support for the Medicaid system. All in all “this campaign

is an affirmation of positive campaigning - a rejection of people who try negative campaigning.

It just doesn’t work.” Republicans tried their best to bash Edwards for suggesting that the gas tax be raised to help pay for road projects but the charge apparently had little impact.

“They want to know what you’ve done and what you’re going to do in the future,” said Edwards about his approach to campaigning. “That’s what I tried to tell [voters].” The Smart Way connector bus and the Roanoke Higher Education Center he helped secure funding for are two examples, said Edwards, where he has worked to increase the quality of life in the Roanoke Valley.

“I’ve heard more and more people say they vote against candidates who run negative campaigns,” said Edwards, who felt it was important that the State Senate remain in Democratic hands, to help counterbalance the Republican House

> Co-Op that a new development had come up for one of them. Everyone cleared the room.

The closed session was to be for the disposition of the 12-acre property located at the end of the Roanoke Regional Airport’s runway six protection zone. It was not a part of the now closed city-owned Countryside Golf Course but part of a swap deal with the airport for part of the golf course property in 2008.

The parcel sits between the Miller Court neighborhood and the Countryside neighborhood. Some residents warmed to the idea of free-range chickens but the majority did not.

Phlegar’s statement took the full Roanoke City Council chamber by surprise. Many residents of the Northwest community had “No Chickens in NW Roanoke” signs at the ready. Twelve speakers had lined up for a turn to decry the co-op’s urban farm proposal.

At Friday’s Planning Commission work session Planning Administrator, Chris Chittum said that they had tried to find alternatives for placing the 400 egg-laying chickens in another location. This would leave the eight “high hoop-tunnels” for growing vegetables off-season, a store that was to function as a packing house and education

> Simulator

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From page 1

ing.”

“This is a great opportunity for our equipment operators and snowplow drivers to get some hands on experience before the snow starts to fall. And it’s a great training mechanism. I mean, all types of professionals use simulators-everything from pilots to law enforcement. So, why not include our snowplow operators in simulator training?”

Doyle Eaton was one of the students taking the training. He’s been driving a snowplow for 14 years.

Photo by Gene Marrano

John Edwards celebrates his victory Tuesday with family members and supporters. of Delegates and the GOP governor. The soft-spoken Edwards, a lawyer by trade and a Harvard graduate, stayed positive with campaign ads that ignored Nutter's claim that the incumbent was open to a gas tax hike, which would be the first in Virginia since the 1980’s.

Republican Chris Head easily won the open 17th District seat in the House of Delegates, defeating Democrat opponent Freda Cathcart 65.5% to 34.33%. Cathcart said the experience of running for office

was worth it in any case. “It was wonderful… Very eye opening.

I’m very proud of the volunteers that came out to support me.”

Cathcart said her campaign was “outmatched” by the money Head, was able to raise.

Cathcart was pleased that she was able to bring some issues to light, although she had wanted to spend more time on topics like the ban on uranium mining, which she hopes the House of Delegates will keep in place.

“I hope the voters stand up and ask their representatives to protect Virginia.”

She also would not rule out seeking public office in the future: “I’m saving the signs,” said Cathcart. Edwards called Cathcart courageous and said she was a “real trooper” for taking on Head in a Republican-leaning district.

By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

From page 1 center, bee hives, a pump house and a few storage sheds.

The co-op said they needed all the elements in one place. With a stalemate and a barrage of emails from opponents of the chickens they decided to look elsewhere.

Phlegar thanked staff for their many hours of diligent work. He was grateful for the careful consideration of all the members of council.

The co-op “remains dedicated to creating a sustainable urban farm in Roanoke” and working with the city “to make the concept a reality,” he said.

The co-op had submitted its request on July 8. In a subsequent press release Phlegar said, “We are not interested in creating an entity that is a significant point of conflict with the surrounding neighborhood.”

Jacqueline Haley, daughter of Helen Davis and niece of Evelyn Bethel, presented council with 1404 signatures on a petition against the “chicken and bee” farm. Haley said to Mr. Phlegar, “that we wish you the best in your endeavors in a new location for your project.” She thanked him for withdrawing the project from Countryside.

Council member Anita Price hoped that the idea would be pursued and alternatives found. She said, “but it is delving into terri-

tory that many of us are just not ready to be participants of.” She thanked the co-op for “being respectful to the sentiments and to the concerns [of the neighborhood].”

Councilman Sherman Lea thanked the citizens for their commitment and said to the residents, “I think you see now what community involvement is all about.” He said from the first time he heard of the project he thought that, “Countryside was the wrong place.” He challenged them “to stay vigilant and stay focused.”

To some mumbling from the residents, Council member Ray Ferris said he believed that urban agriculture was the new golf course type community project. Council member Bill Bestpitch said that “we can not correct all the mistakes that have been made in the past but we can set a new course for the future in terms of transparency and in terms of encouraging and respecting citizen involvement in public processes.”

Bonnie Beckett of the Willow Walk subdivision said, “I am so excited at the outcome of our ordeal … Maybe we should become more organized to prevent it from happening again.”

By Valerie Garner info@newsroanoke.com

From page 1 “It kind of reinforced what I already know since I am experienced. It reinforced to keeping your eyes on your right and left, your peripheral vision. And just watch for other people is one main thing-and other objects, fixed objects-also.”

“After you got into it, at first, you felt like you were at a video game. But then after you really focused on the screen, it did seem real.

There was actually a truck sitting on a ramp and when I came up on it, I jerked the wheel, just like natural.”

“And what happened?”

“I went around it. He (Perez) said other people had hit it before.”

“There’s some guys in there. . . that don’t have experience.”

“It’s really a good training tool for new employees, for sure.”

Doyle says he wished he could have received this type of training before he started 14 years ago.

11/11/11- 11/17/11 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 3

NewsRoanoke.com

Church Highlights “Bold Steps” In State Of The County Address

Status Quo Holds In County Races

Butch Church summed it up this way after beating back a strong challenge from two contenders: “I feel pretty good right now,” said Church, who won a fourth term on the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The Catawba representative and current board chairman said his reelection said something else about the negative tone of the campaign, especially from independent Carter Turner.

“It sends a loud and clear message. [Voters] want no part of it. They’re not going to fall for these off-the-wall-antics.” He termed it “negative sensationalism.” Church also said the larger war chests his opponents had also showed that money doesn’t always win elections.

Turner questioned Church’s assertion that he had opposed an asphalt plant in Glenvar, one that local residents did not want built in a populated area - a charge that led to some heated exchanges. There was also a flap about a service dog in training that was out on the campaign trail. "Voters saw through that," said Church, who ran as an Independent. Church said voters told him: “We need you Butch, you’ve done a fine job for our area." He then added, "They spoke quite loudly. My citizens have honored me tonight."

Church beat Turner and Republican challenger David

Photo by Gene Marrano

Charlotte Moore and Nancy Horn both won re-election.

Drake, garnering 41% of the vote to 31% by Turner and 28%

by Drake. Church, who takes a lot of solace from the Bible said, “Without God none of this would have happened.”

David Wymer also won a second term as Catawba’s representative on the Roanoke County School Board, beating back a challenge by A.C. Burke.

Meanwhile, Cave Spring supervisor Charlotte Moore, running as an Independent, eked out another close win for a second term, winning by 76 votes over Republican George Assaid.

Independent Stan Seymour was third. “I work hard every day … to do things that citizens want and need,” said Moore. “Every little issue, no matter how small it may seem, is important to that person. I try to handle every issue on a [daily] basis. I’m very proud that they supported me.”

Moore didn’t think she would win four years ago and said, “I really wanted to continue what I started, trying to implement

> Energy

the things I’m passionate about.

It was more nerve-racking this time.”

Nancy Horn was returned to her post as Roanoke County Commissioner of the Revenue, fending off an aggressive challenge from Republican Carla Bream. Horn won handily, garnering 59% of the vote to Bream’s 33%. “I am delighted that the race is over, because I have a lot of work to do every day,” said Horn. Bream had leveled charges that Horn’s office was not customer-friendly and was difficult to reach by phone.

“It was hard to work at night on [the campaign],” added Horn. As for her department’s performance? “I don’t intend to change anything in my office,” she declared. Many of those who work for Horn showed up at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood, where Moore and Horn supporters gathered to watch election results.

“They must feel like I’ve handled things well at the county,” said Horn, who also praised her “excellent staff.” The Democrat will begin a fourth term as Commissioner of the Revenue.

Elsewhere Fuzzy Minnix (School Board- Cave Spring) and Roanoke County treasurer Kevin Hutchins won unopposed races.

By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

From page 1

“We try to keep those members informed about energy issues in the state and nationally because if Virginia can contribute to our own energy independence, then we can actually contribute to national energy independence at the same time.”

Ganthner says the alliance was formed two years ago and now has 1700 members.

Speaking of energy, Remy Pangle, from the Virginia Center for Wind Energy, was sharing her booth with a replica of a wind turbine.

She says the Virginia Center for Wind Energy is a group at James Madison University. They’re similar to an extension agent, for instance what Virginia Tech is to the agriculture industry.

The energy office for Virginia and the U. S. Department of energy funds the Virginia Center for Wind Energy. “But we do a lot of work and provide a lot of services to help the communities and the residents of Virginia to better understand what wind energy is; what wind farms could mean for Virginia, as well as determine if a wind turbine could be right for you at your home.”

They’ve been contacted by Floyd County and other localities to hold a public forums with experts to address residents’ concerns. “So that the public can make an informed decision rather than a decision based on opinions and mis-information.”

According to Pangle, some residents believe birds and bats will be affected, that it will increase their electric rates, that it won’t produce enough energy to be viable, that it will hurt tourism or decrease their view shed.

“I think our biggest obstacle is people just don’t want to see them. And there’s nothing we can do about that because it’s so objective. I mean, if you don’t think they’re pretty, I can’t tell you that they’re pretty. But we can just give you the facts about how beneficial they could be to your community.”

Gunther Hauk from Floyd was giving out free samples of honey. He operates Spikenard Honey Bee Sanctuary, about nine miles from Floyd.

Hauk says beekeepers are losing 33 percent of their honeybees each year nationally due to colo-

Information on bee keeping was on display. ny collapse disorder. It’s cause unknown but stress on the hive might be a factor.

“I’ve never had colony collapse disorder. I’ve never had foul brood which is almost impossible if you ask a beekeeper without medication. I haven’t had these illnesses because I treat the bees according to what they need and not what I need.”

He doesn’t take honey from some of the hives because there’s not that much of a surplus, so he has less of an income but doesn’t have to introduce a new queen into the hive each year and doesn’t lose as many bees from diseases that other beekeepers do. “(The sanctuary is) different from an apiary or commercial or hobby bee keeping in that we don’t take more honey than what they readily give. In other words, we don’t feed sugar, we don’t raise queens artificially; we don’t give plastic foundations; we travel with them.”

Hauk says they help the bees “do their thing.”

“We have medicinal teas to strengthen their immune system. We have a lot of forage for them; a lot of medicinals that we are planting especially for them; acres-wise.”

They’re leasing 25 acres and 5 of those are farmed especially for the bees. He’s been a beekeeper for 37 years and he gave the first sustainable beekeeping workshop in the U. S. in 1996.

He’s also written a book in 2002 about saving the honeybee. That was before colony collapse disorder evolved. “I knew what was coming . . . I just didn’t know the name of it.”

Hopefully it wasn’t an omen: as he began to give the State of the County address last week at the Green Ridge Recreation Center, the power went out on Board of Supervisors chairman Joe “Butch” Church.

He and Roanoke County School Board chair David Wymer had to deliver their remarks to the hundred or so gathered at the center’s gymnasium, during the annual event that is hosted by the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. Alas, the accompanying Power Point presentations were also a casualty of the power failure, as a transformer failed.

Roanoke City Manager Chris Morrill and Vinton Mayor Brad Grose were among the attendees that came from all of the jurisdictions in Roanoke County. First elected in 1999.

Church, who was running for a fourth term on Tuesday, hoped that his address would leave people feeling “energized.” Investing in the Future was the theme of his remarks, said Church, adding that “citizens come first” in Roanoke County.

He also said transparency has been the operative word in how the Board of Supervisors and the county has dealt with the public in recent years.

Church ticked off several accomplishments that included no tax increases and a balanced budget. He pointed out, as in the past, that Roanoke County’s tax rate compares favorably to those of surrounding counties and is only higher because of the increased level of services demanded by citizens.

The board has also shown “continued support” for education, despite tough economic times and lower tax revenues. Much of that has to do with what Church called “sound financial practices” in an atmosphere that has been “most challenging” over the past three years.

Once again the former college basketball official and retired insurance agent badmouthed any plan that would make local governments responsible for secondary road maintenance – as the General Assembly has suggested could be an option. “The General Assembly can be a one-man wrecking crew,” said Church.

Reducing the county staff through attrition, cutting back on travel expenses and looking for other cost cutting measures has helped keep Roanoke County afloat, added Church, who now identifies himself as an Independent after first getting elected as a Republican in

Photo by Gene Marrano

Butch Church details the State of the County – without a sound system.

1999.

Church touted the county’s Information Technology department for helping to improve customer service and Roanoke County’s new website, launched earlier this year. “We listened to citizens who said they wanted a userfriendly site,” noted Church.

The website won an award from the Center for Digital Government.

A partnership with Roanoke City on the horizon will mean a regional emergency radio system will be in place; the Vinton and Roanoke County dispatch centers merged last year. The changes will keep Roanoke County “ahead of the curve in the crucial area of communications,” said Church. He also cited retiring police chief Ray

Lavinder and invited him to the podium to be recognized.

Church recognized retiring Parks and Recreation Director Pete Haislip, and his successor, Doug Blount.

Wymer was introduced by Church and gave his own State of the Schools report, talking about the recent “difficult financial times” that the system has weathered with help from the Board of Supervisors.

Wymer touted the county schools as being fully accredited, with a graduation rate near 92 percent, and numerous construction projects recently completed or underway. Despite “severe reductions in state funding” over the past three years, Wymer said Roanoke County schools are in “outstanding shape.”

New libraries in south Roanoke County (now slated to open in January 2012) and Glenvar, plus library projects on the board for Mount Pleasant and Vinton also received mention. Church said Roanoke County had a willingness to “make big decisions and take bold steps forward,” as he concluded his remarks.

By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

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Perspective

Page 4 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/11/11 -11/17/11

Politics: Are We Having Fun Yet?

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f the answer is “Yes,” then will be a risky business if past we’re really in trouble. I sessions are any indicator. don’t know how much To make matters worse, we more of this amusement we can are just getting tuned up for the stand. We are beyond the local real fun. Despite one’s political elections and what a side shows inclinations there is one obvithat has been! We couldn’t ous fact emerging from both even be sure who we would be sides of the presidential race: voting for with re-districting It’s going to get a lot worse. The and candidates moving, or at Democrats are having a field least appearing to move, into a day watching the Republicans neighborhood where chances edge closer to self-destruction of election would be more fa- as the Tea Party tries to wring vorable. With few exceptions, one more drop from its already most of the money was spent over-used bag. P.T. Barnum on vilifying the opmay have invented ponents. Virtually all the three ring circus the ads depicted the but even he could not opposition as the devhave imagined the ocil incarnate and the tagonal frenzy which candidate as savior “The Hermanator” of civilization. Unand his fellow perfortunately, elections formers are presentfor those who handle ing. Let’s hope that our money got little Barnum’s dictum of, interest; the treasur“There’s a sucker ers and commis- Hayden Hollingsworth born every minute,” sioners of revenue turns out not to be actually do work. true for the electorFinding out their qualifica- ate. tions for working with millions We have the media to thank of taxpayer dollars is not easy, for all our overexposure. I but they certainly were adept have lost count of how many at mud-slinging. One would “debates” we have endured. hope members of the General The only thing that would add Assembly will move beyond more color might be the canthe name-calling turf battles didacy of Homer Simpson. I and figure out how to meet the fully expect, before it’s over (in ever-growing needs of the state. only one more year) we will Breath-holding on that count have set a record for shenani-

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gans. Who among us does not have issues that you would not want exposed? Rest assured, if you run for office, they will be discovered. Yes, some of us stuffed the ballot box in an elementary school election for class president. Yes, some of us copied homework that wasn’t ours. Yes, some of us have been married more than once and the reasons it didn’t work will become public domain.

How to determine whether something that happened decades ago is fair game for current politics is difficult. Joe Biden, in an early run for President, was accused of plagiarism in graduate school. Ted Kennedy was expelled from Harvard for cheating and tried to cover up a drunken dalliance with Mary Jo Kopechne that ended in her death. One need do no more than mention the name of Bill Clinton, yet he achieved much in spite of his moral turpitude. Both Biden and Kennedy rose to great heights in later years.

We have a right to know what type of men and women are worthy of our trust and unless due diligence is done by the media we will never find out. I suppose it’s up to us to sift through the chaff and find, if there is any, the wheat. The constant robo-calls don’t aid in that winnowing, but they surely are annoying.

I’m convinced that the good outweighs the bad in almost every candidate. Former US Senator John Edwards certainly seems to be an exception to that. As the late Mike Royko said of a Governor of Illinois, “He’s the world’s tallest midget.”

That tiny shoe might fit a number of our politicians.

Two quotations about politics come to mind. Winston Churchill said them both.

“Americans can always be trusted to do the right thing . . . after they have exhausted all other possibilities.” And, said he, “Democracy is the worst possible form of government . . . except for all the rest.”

Let’s hope that we will do the right thing and not have to exhaust all the possibilities before we find it. Our democracy is worth it.

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

Financial Advisor

Contact Hayden at jhayden2003@cox.net

2115 Crystal Spring Avenue Roanoke, VA 24014 540-344-9211 .

Local Crossword

Star-Sentinel Crossword for 11/11/2011

ACROSS

1 Highs 4 Tiff 8 'Don't ya see, its not about you, its about ---.' (from the movie Rango) 12 Stood opposite 13 Read attentively 14 Judge 15 Time period 16 Wrack 17 Association (abbr.)

18 Heavenward 20 Climbed 21 Possessive pronoun 22 Learn 23 Baths 26 The other half of Jima 27 Game Over. Thank -- for playing. (from the movie Zathura) 30 What area quality printer's slogan is Design - Copy - Print - Communicate?

34 Tinct 35 Transport 36 Wager 37 Writing tool 38 'Is this Heaven? If it were, we'd be eatin pop tarts with --Novak.' (from the movie Rango) 40 Property 43 Saves 47 __ fide 48 Feel concern 49 Friend 50 Little Mermaid's love 51 Seaweed substance 52 Hatchet 53 Pamper 54 Nobody wins with a head ----. (from Paul

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www.CrosswordWeaver.com

Blart: Mall Cop) 55 Acid drug DOWN 1 Usages 2 A Fun and Independent and assisted living community on Woodmar Drive in Roanoke.

3 Abide 4 Small herring 5 Gushes 6 Waterless 7 Decade 8 Virginia is for lovers but Roanoke is for ---- lovers.

9 Corn’s clothes 10 Otherwise 11 Repair 19 Shooting Star, make a ---- as it passes. (from the movie Zathura) 20 Ring

22 Communication 44 Opaque gem Workers of America 45 Which local ice (abr.) cremory is 'sweet to the taste, smooth on 23 Downhearted the tongue, and 24 Layer yummy on the 25 Copy tummy'?

26 Tax agency 27 Yang's partner 46 Sleigh 28 Fall mo.

48 Automobile 29 Wield 31 A wager (2 wds.)

32 Happiness is a warm ---. (from the movie Elephant White) 33 Christmas meats 37 The area's newest and most progressive Jesus teaching Presbyterian Church.

38 Weight measurement 39 Inactive 40 A piece of bedroom furniture (2 wds.)

41 Which chill and grille now features Chef

By Don Waterfield Michael Wright?

Find the answers online: NewsRoanoke.com 42 Vexation Have a clue and answer you’d like to see? email: puzzles@newsroanoke.com 43 Prego's competition

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NewsRoanoke.com

An Alchemy of Suicide

he suicide began 300 to all ignored as the perpetrator 400 million years ago gobbled up Earth’s nonrenewas ancient trees fell into able natural resources like a gluta noxious swamp, tumbling over ton escaped from Dante’s Third the roots and branches of their Circle of Hell. Profit and growth crowded neighbors and splash- were stressed over quality of life, ing into stagnant water. It began a perverse mix-up of means and even before the perpetrator was ends. The suicide was assured born. It began as these dying when the perpetrator declared primal plants lifted their leafy itself apart from nature and difronds heavenward to capture vinely ordained to dominate the energy of sunlight and exploit its surin a long-ago world. roundings.

Rather There was little than seeing itself as thought of suicide as part of a community the perpetrator lived of living things across through its first 100 Earth’s landscape, the thousand years or so, perpetrator saw all always with a populathings – even, at times, tion under a half-bilits own children – as lion and always living commodities. Icing within its means, but H. Bruce Rinker, PhD on the cake, so to its suicidal behaviors speak, came when were already present. unwise and entrenched politiThe suicide picked up its pace cians among the perpetrator’s in the early 1800’s as factories in population ignored the evidence England and the United States of planetary demise, declaring, belched out black fumes across “I do not believe it to be so,” as an ever-darkening landscape, re- if human-accelerated climate leasing the stored energy in coal, change and extinction rates were the fossils of those antediluvian simply parts of a creed of liberal trees, along with the smog of a thought. cavalier industry without conAn era of political cooperation trols. Instead of living on the in the 1960’s and 1970’s yielded energy of a single solar year, now some of the nation’s most nothe perpetrator could be fruitful table, most emulated pieces and multiply with a plethora of of environmental legislation: kilocalories locked up since be- among them, the National Parks fore the Age of Dinosaurs. Un- Bill in 1962, the Wilderness Act der one billion individuals since of 1966, the Clean Water Act of its African origins, now the per- 1970, and the Endangered Spepetrator’s numbers exploded – cies Act of 1973. Democrats one billion in 1804, the next bil- and Republicans alike worked lion by 1930, its third by 1960, its together on these with a comfourth by 1975, its fifth by 1985, mon vision of precious natural its sixth by 1999, and its seventh resources safeguarded for genby 2011. Scientists and math- erations to come. Ironically, that ematicians call that exponential spirit of cooperation seemed to growth. Some churches call it a vanish a generation later in a blessing, at once censuring any blind fit of ultra-conservatism type of population control. I call just as the evidence mounted it unruly hedonism with only and converged, proving the one likely outcome. planet’s ecosystems were stressed In the 21st century, the suicide to a splintering point. quickened like a hunter with As a precursor to modern scihis prey in the crosshair. Fossil ence, alchemy was an influential carbon released its ancient en- occult practice that centered ergy reservoirs as the perpetra- on the four ancient elements of tor learned new techniques for fire, water, earth, and air. Best converting coal, natural gas, and known for its goal of turning petroleum into more of its own lead into gold, the practice often biomass. Supermarkets and proclaimed paradoxical results transportation were two instru- or the combination of incomments of convenience for this patible elements with no ratiobiomass conversion. Externali- nal explanation. ties such as childhood asthma, In this story, of course, the acid rain, global warming, and perpetrator is the human animal the discomfiting deaths of sol- and alchemy is the nature of its diers in the Middle East were augured suicide. Daily juxta-

posed on the political landscape are seemingly incompatible (or illegal) elements: self-serving officials with industry bedfellows, all proclaiming that humanaccelerated climate change and extinction are hoaxes. The nonscientist speaks against the findings of science with a decidedly pseudo-science bent … and with his hands in an ever-burgeoning mountain of profits from fossilized carbon. Coal, oil and natural gas are the bases with which we subsidize our lives and maintain the complexities of our society with catastrophe on the horizon for our political and economic myopia. Katrina was prologue.

To sidestep the suicide, the remedy is simple: rid ourselves of carbon-based energy dependency. Now. One solution is to reduce personal income taxes but impose a burdensome tax on the use of any fossil fuels and on industries that insist on such reliance, thereby keeping the same level of revenues pouring into the state and federal coffers. Another solution is to invest heavily in alternative energy sources. During World War II, with the leadership of President Roosevelt and other international representatives, we consolidated our industrial focus to build a war machine that defeated imperial Japan, fascist Italy, and Nazi Germany and then disassembled to postwar production in less than four years. We can do that again, this time with a focus on alternative energies and infrastructure. It’s not all about profit and growth – and self-serving Wall Street and its bankers, antiquated industries, and entrenched politicians be damned. It’s about our quality of life in the context of a strikingly beautiful natural world.

Let’s turn the alchemy of a species’ suicide into sustainable approaches to our place in the economy of nature. With the energy of elemental fire, let’s take a stand for Earth, including its physical and biological treasures, and send the gluttons back to the Third Circle of Hell.

H. Bruce Rinker, Ph.D. Director of Scientific Advancement and Development Biodiversity Research Institute bruce.rinker@briloon.org

Who Knows What Time It Is In Indiana

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his one takes a little break of sanity when DST explanation, so hold was mandated again during on. In 1916, fac- World War II. (War is always ing energy shortages during good for organization.)

World War I, Germany deIn 1961, the state legislature cided to set their clocks for- decided to run the time zone ward in the spring line right down the and back in the fall, middle of the state, to get more sunlight but allow counties to into the work day. continue to observe The rest of Europe DST voluntarily. soon followed suit.

But then the U.S. The United States government passed dawdled until 1918, the Uniform Time when it passed the Act in 1966 which Standard Time Act, gave the Departwhich enacted ment of TransporMike Keeler Daylight Savings tation the authorTime (DST) and ity to sort it all also cleaned up lots of jagged out. The governor of Indiana time zone lines. At that time, begged for the whole state to the entire state of Indiana was be placed back into the Cenplaced in the Central Time tral Time Zone. The county Zone. (Simple.) legislatures screamed. BroadRationality lasted exactly cast companies threatened to one year. In 1919 the U.S. re- sue the federal government pealed DST as a federal man- if their footprints were cut in date but allowed any county two. (Everybody crossed their to continue to observe it. fingers.)

Some Indiana counties did so In 1967, in a decision worand some did not, resulting in thy of Solomon, six counties a complete zonal mess and lo- in the northwest (suburbs of gistical nightmares that last- Chicago) and six counties ed for decades, with a short in the southwest (suburbs of

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Evansville) were placed in the Central zone, while the rest of the 82 counties were placed in the Eastern Zone. But, observance of DST was still voluntary, and only the easternmost counties near Louisville and Cincinnati did so, which meant that lots of central Indiana was acting like an Eastern state in the winter but like a Central state in the summer.

(Got that?)

It was a hodge-podge for forty years. Finally in 2006, Indiana became the 48th state to enforce DST statewide, which of course caused a few counties to shift from one zone to the other. And then, finally, everybody was happy.

Except for Martin County, in the Central zone, whose largest employer is a military base that straddles two Eastern zone counties, which forced the whole base to be declared in the Central Zone consistent with Martin County, until everyone realized that most of the workers were commuting from the two Eastern counties which meant they lived in one zone and worked in another zone across the street, which forced all of Martin County and the base to go back to the Eastern zone...

Hope all those Hoosiers didn't forget to set their clocks back.

Contact Mike at info@theroanokestar.com

Perspective

NewsRoanoke.com

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Men And Their Cars

utomobiles are much more than vehi- Kathy, our second child, was in elementary school. cles to transport us from here to there. She remembers she was so embarrassed when her Like dogs, they are almost part of the dad picked her up at school in that old car. But family. They seem to have a personality of their Harry saw no need to trade it in as long as it was own, and sometimes their owners give running well. He did eventually trade it them names. in, but I hated to see it go. After all, that As we look back on the cars in our car saw us through courtship, marriage past, and compare them to the streamand the birth of three children! lined vehicles of today, we are amazed Son Harry’s favorite vehicle was not at the progress the automotive industry his first car but a 1949 green Ford pickhas made. Not only do these horseless up he bought while he was in college carriages have smooth running engines, at UVA. He had an apartment in the lights that turn off automatically and country and drove back and forth to windows that can be controlled from school. I teased him for buying such an the driver’s seat, but electronic keys old truck – 1949 was the year I graduMary Jo Shannon to lock and unlock the doors. And, in ated from high school! But he loved case you forget where you parked, you that truck and it hurt him to have to can call with your key, and your car will answer! sell it when he accepted a Rotary scholarship to On the other hand, no longer is it easy to tinker study at Frieburg, Germany his senior year. Now with the engine to get it running again. Today it he lives in New York and rents a car when he needs a computer diagnosis and treatment by a comes to Virginia. specialist when things go wrong.

My younger son, John, also had a special car After his discharge from the army in 1946, – a red and black 1968 VW hatchback named Harry bought his first car, a tan 1935 Ford coupé. Carl. He bought it after he graduated from VMI He says it had mechanical brakes, “and you almost and was attending medical school at UVA. Carl had to drag your foot to stop it.” He also remem- was rather shabby and spent a lot of time in the bers it did not have sealed beam headlights – when shop. On John’s first date with Amye, the nursing the lights burned out, you inserted a new bulb. student who eventually became his wife, he asked When we met at Lipe’s Drug Store in 1953, he her to reach in the glove compartment and get his gave me a tour of the city in his 1938 black Plym- flashlight. “Now hold it out the window,” he said, outh sedan. He told me he had saved enough “my headlights don’t work.” Then he laughed and money to purchase his first new car, and soon we told his shocked date it was only a joke. “I need it were riding in a new 1953 two-tone Chevrolet Bel to see the dashboard, so I know what speed I’m Air – tan and brown. He had paid cash for the car, doing,” he explained. That’s how Amye learned and wisely deposited the money he would have what a practical joker John is. She married him paid in car payments, so he could pay cash for the anyway. next car. He has followed that plan throughout I don’t have any worthy car stories about Kathy our married life. or myself – I think it’s a male thing.

Three years later, in 1956, we drove it to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for our honeymoon. (That was Contact Mary Jo at the first time I had ventured out of the state of Virmaryjoshannon@ymail.com ginia!) He was still driving that Chevrolet when

The Happy Chef Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

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know I have said in this column before but I will say it again - summer is my favorite season! The weather allows us to do so much. But a little cold should not stop us from being "out there," for November is really an exceptional time of year in SW Virginia . . .

The leaves crunching under our feet; the sensation of cool air filling our lungs; the color of the falling leaves that give the days an orange glow that appears so other worldly.

In the last week I have been reminded by four friends how amazing this time of year can be - my wonderful reflective friends who wouldn’t dream of allowing the beauty of the day to slip past them. The timing of their comments was perfect and just what I needed, for I have been nursing my sick children back to health, one of whom had pneumonia.

I needed to hear about the other world out there. Because even when our world seems to press down on us there is another world right outside our windows that whispers - it is all going to be ok. It is undoubtedly a gift – that world just outside my routine and "everyday" window.

There is no question of that. The question is, if and how I receive that gift.

One friend said – the leaves with all their colors are God reminding us of how much He loves us – a vibrant message of love and hope - just before the bleak winter sets in.

Another friend spoke of the leaves beautifully falling to the ground like the saints who have gone before us.

Yet another friend who lives

in Baltimore told me of her noisy city and reminded me how lucky I was to live in Roanoke.

The last but certainly not least of friends told me as she jogged by the river that she had a glimpse into heaven as the sun beautifully sparkled off the cool water.

All of this over the course of a couple of days from people who had simply not forgotten to pay attention. I suppose the Good Lord is trying to tell me something. One of those things being I am blessed to have such friends surrounding me and the other may be a reminder to find the beauty in all of the seasons of life.

A gift of Fall can be found in this wild mushroom soup from the Barefoot Contessa. Enjoy it’s unique beauty and it’s warmth as the days grow chillier!

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms 5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms 5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms 1 tablespoon good olive oil 1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 carrot, chopped 1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks) 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup half-and-half 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf

parsley Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel.

Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems.

Slice the mushroom caps 1/4inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces.

Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.

Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

11/11/11 -11/17/11 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 5

The Preacher’s Corner - by George C. Anderson

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Mother Monkey and Mother Cat

n a lecture I heard a couple of years ago, Dr. Margaret Mills contrasted the two main ways Christians understand grace with an illustration that has been used before in various faith traditions. She said that the two main views on grace can be seen in two mothers; one a monkey and the other a cat. Think of how each mother carries her infant. The mother monkey carries her infant on her back. The mother cat carries her infant by the scruff of the neck.

In both cases, the infant is dependent on the mother. But with the monkey, a cooperative effort is needed. The mother does most of the work, but the baby needs to make a decision, climb on the mother’s back and hang on.

Now consider the kitten.

With the kitten, there is no decision, no effort and no hanging on. The kitten is just picked up and hangs there as the mother takes it where they need to go.

Baby monkey; an experience of conditional grace.

Kitten; An experience of sheer grace.

By which grace- conditional or sheer grace- are we saved?

In a way, the debate over baptism mirrors this split. The mother monkey argument: Yes, we are saved by the grace of God. Still, we have a decision to make. We have to climb on board, and then hang on and go where God leads us. Baptism marks the decision.

And then there is the Mother Cat argument: Salvation is completely a gift of God. We are sinners without hope, elected by a mysterious providence. What seems like a decision is itself an outcome of God’s grace at work within us. Baptism should mark God’s choice, not ours.

What do you think?

I won’t take sides in the debate in this column, but I do want to address one argument made against the Mother Cat view: that a choice has to be made because it is the threat of damnation that leads to God. Scriptures do present a moral universe with a fabric within which is woven threat and consequence. Not always in our time, but in God’s time, there is judgment. The road to faith for many does begin with facing consequences. To say grace prevails does not mean that judgment is not real. As a child, I knew my parents loved me, but

that didn’t keep me from being punished.

I do not, however, buy into the argument that it is only that threat woven into the fabric of the moral universe that keeps us loving and serving God. A different way of putting this argument is that the only reason we choose selflessly to love God and others is our own selfish desire to be spared damnation.

That doesn’t make sense to me intellectually or personally.

In a sermon he preached at his church in Kansas City, Tom Are Jr. told of not being able to contact his father on “Father’s Day.” He tried calling, but his father didn’t answer. He left a message saying, “Happy Father’s Day. I love you and want you to know I appreciate you.” Tom knew, though, that his father probably wouldn’t hear his message. His dad forgets how to retrieve his messages. He says, “They get lost in my cell phone.”

But, at least Tom tried.

He tried, but it didn’t work.

When Tom woke up the next day, he saw that he had a message. Here is the message his dad left: “Well, I’m going to bed now, but I just thought I would call and wish you a Happy Father’s Day. Being a father myself, I know it’s nice to hear that.

Hope your children have been good to you today. Take care.

It’s dad--- your dad.”

Tom said to his wife, Carol, “Dad didn’t get my message.”

She said, “That’s too bad. You are definitely out of the will now.” They laughed.

And then Tom asked his congregation, “What would you think of me if I told you that the reason I would call my dad on Father’s Day is to make sure he remembered me in his will- and the reason I send him a card on his birthday and a gift certificate to the bookstore at Christmasis because I want to be in his will?”

Personally, I would think that Tom’s love- or his professed love- for his father is really selfish. He says what he thinks he needs to say and does what he thinks his dad would want him to do, so that he will inherit money and stuff.

If love of God is not one’s motivation, can what one has even be called faith? What I pray grace works in me is to draw me ever deeper into a relationship with God where love is what claims me and directs me.

How about you?

At Your George Anderson is the Senior Minister at Second Presbyterian Church, visit them on the web at spres.org

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Page 6 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/11/11 -11/17/11

Downtown Residents Respond To Survey - More Units Needed Now that property eligible for state tax credits has dried up, Ed Walker has ended his downtown development efforts and the pipeline of new housing stock is shrinking. It will now be an effort to fill the demand and sustain the supply.

The Economic Development Authority helped fund a downtown housing market study in conjunction with Downtown Roanoke Inc. DRI CEO Sean Luther presented the results to Roanoke City council members on Monday.

A survey was sent to over 400 downtown residents with 19.5% of them responding. Over 32% of those were 20-29 years of age.

The smallest age group 70-79 comprised 2.7% of the respondents. The average age was 41, Caucasian and 60% male.

Over 80% had college degrees with average income of $65,000.

Most who chose to move downtown came from outside the city limits but still within the Roanoke Region – 17.8% moved to Roanoke from out-of-state.

More condominiums and townhouses are needed according to respondents with Elmwood Park being the most coveted amenity followed closely by the greenway and the Taubman Museum. Downtown residents wanted a convenient grocery and drug store.

Negatives cited by the residents were loiterers especially around the bus station. The extra charge for parking drew a few comments. Luther said that only 56% of downtown residents occupied city-owned spaces. “Some residents don’t own cars,” said assistant manager Brian Townsend.

All respondents cited the urban lifestyle and trolley as an incentive for living downtown.

They wanted to see more trolley routes.

To add one trolley would cost $500,000 said Luther.

Sean Luther discusses housing strategies.

Council member Ray Ferris can replace a 45% historic tax thought charging for the trolley credit said Townsend. might help but Luther pointed Strategically identifying opout that Carilion was paying portunities to infill “is going to most of the operating cost. Peo- become very important if we’re ple would be less likely to use it going to continue this push,” if they needed a pass or change said Luther. Currently downthought Luther. town is “hugely skewed toward Connecting Old Southwest apartments.” however might give an opportuAffordable townhouses are nity to institute a charge outside needed. Existing stock is “exof the normal service district. tremely high end at $600,000 “The condominium pipeline and up,” he said. Luther idenis almost empty,” said Luther. tified the South Jefferson corApartment leases are at 100% ridor as a good location for atand are occupied by a younger tached connected single family demographic. housing. Luther called it a “step “The Commonwealth His- down transition planning area” toric Tax Credit program al- to Old Southwest. most singularly is responsible There is a dwindling supply for making these [building] of new apartment units coming deals work,” said Luther. He online. He said that was needed warned that the city is getting to it to increase the developer rethe point where it has exhausted cruitment strategy. the supply of eligible buildings.

Luther concluded that single Apartments could use the Fed- family attached housing proderal Historic tax credits because ucts would open up new marthey were income producing kets for downtown living. “Not projects explained Townsend. everyone wants to live in a Owned condominiums and sin- multi-unit structure,” he said. gle housing structures can only Large buildings eligible for use state historic tax credits. historic tax credits are tapped The tax credits have made out. City manager Chris Morrill downtown growth possible. said, “our biggest challenge is There is no local incentive that surface lots. When you look at downtown, 30% plus is surface parking lots. That’s where the opportunities are.”

“You have no idea anyone is Community | News | Perspective living downtown,” said Luther.

As in single family residents 540-400-0990 there are no awnings or window Publisher | Stuart Revercomb | stuart@newsroanoke.com Features Editor | Cheryl Hodges | cheryl@newsroanoke.com boxes or signs of residential livNews Editor | Gene Marrano | gmarrano@cox.net ing. Shiny glass is how people Production Editor | Leigh Sackett | leigh@newsroanoke.com think of downtown living now Technical Webmaster | Don Waterfield | webmaster@newsroanoke.com Advertising Director | Vickie Henderson | vhenderson@rbnet.com he said. Left and South of the Market building there are opportunities to integrate new architecture of the more singlefamily residential types.

Morrill said that a connection between the Virginia Tech – Carilion Medical Campus to downtown is where transitional housing can fill the gap.

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City of Roanoke Debuts World's First Electricity-Generating Rumble Strip The City of Roanoke and New Energy Technologies, Inc have successfully debuted the Company's latest MotionPower-Express system, the world's first-of-its-kind rumble strip, capable of generating sustainable electricity. The Civic Center debut marks the first of several test and demonstration events the Company plans to conduct in partnership with the City.

"The City of Roanoke takes seriously its responsibility to be good stewards of the environment and is always looking for unique ways to meet our mission of increased sustainability," said Ken Cronin, Director of General Services/ Sustainability for the City of Roanoke.. "We are proud to be the first city in the nation to test this novel technology with the potential to make the way we produce energy more clean and green."

Nearly 6000 visitors and over 580 vehicles participated in the demonstration event at the Roanoke Civic Center, with each driver activating New Energy's patent pending MotionPower Express System.

As drivers slowed down, or came to a stop, their vehicle tires depressed small rumble strip-like treadles, allowing for the capture of kinetic energy. This captured energy was converted to electricity, which powered a series of brightly illuminated lights displayed to drivers.

Engineering estimates show an optimized and installed MotionPower System experiencing a traffic pattern similar to the 6-hour event, could produce enough sustainable electricity to power lights for the average American home for an

entire day. In commercial applications, the same electricity could power a 150 square foot sports-venue electronic billboard or marquee for an entire day.

"The MotionPower-Express was safely demonstrated to over 580 vehicles attending events on Saturday," said Robyn Schon, General Manager of the Roanoke Civic Center. "Visitors were excited to learn more about the technology and to help the City of Roanoke in its mission to implement green energy initiatives. " "We applaud and thank the City of Roanoke for their vision and cooperation in making this a successful demonstration," said John Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc. "I especially want to thank the hundreds drivers and thousands of participants who helped us green the City, one car at a time."

MotionPower-Express can be designed for a range of speeds based on traffic pattern and the amount of energy required for a specific application. These applications may include: sport and entertainment venues, solid waste transfer stations, fleet vehicle maintenance facilities, transportation depots, airports (passenger arrival and departure areas), parking lots, border crossings, exit ramps, neighborhoods with traffic calming zones, rest areas, toll booths, and travel plazas.

"MotionPower can offset the city's cost of operating traffic control devices, such as traffic signals and street lights," said Mark Jamison, City of Roanoke Manager of Trans-

The first annual Big Lick Vet “Tails & Trails K9 5K Run” was held last Saturday at North Cross School on their cross country course in Roanoke County.

Participants could walk the one mile or run the 5K course with their dog.

Families were encouraged to sign up and bring their dogs, which brought a fun dimension and focus to the event, but

Photo by Cheryl Hodges

Owners and dogs alike listen intently to the course instructions.

Photo by Cheryl Hodges

Two canine participants planning their race strategy. dogs were not necessary to participate.

Lots of families turned out, with kids of all ages, many with their pooches appropriately attired in canine fleece sweaters

their missing loved ones. Their mission is to serve as a first responder team in local and national disasters, and to supply Law Enforcement and missing person agencies with highly

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portation. "This innovative partnership with New Energy Technologies has the potential to provide a more sustainable environment, while simultaneously conserving strained budgets of cities across the nation."

More than 250 million vehicles are registered in America and an estimated 6 billion miles are driven on our nation's roads every day.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration nearly 70 percent of America's electricity is generated by natural gas and coal. The environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions and the rising cost of those non-renewable fuels, along with the potential doubling of global electricity consumption in the coming years, require the urgent need for creative, sustainable methods of generating electricity.

The prospect of sustainably converting vehicle motion and deceleration (vehicle energy) into electricity represents significant positive environmental impact and alternative energy opportunities.

to ward off the cold start to a perfect autumn day.

Big Lick Veterinary Services put on the race that benefitted the Virginia Canine Recovery Team, based in Roanoke, Virginia. The Virginia Canine Recovery Team (VCRT) is a volunteer team that works closely with federal, state, local and volunteer groups in an effort to reunite families and

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Inaugural Tails & Trails 5K Run Gets “Paws Up”

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skilled and professional human remains detection dog teams for the purpose of investigating missing persons and homicide cases.

Big Lick Veterinary Services is close to this cause as two of their K9 patients are on the search and rescue team. Their handler, Karen ReMine, is a close friend of the Harrington family whose daughter, Morgan Dana Harrington was tragically abducted and murdered in October 2009 while attending a concert at John Paul Jones Arena on the University of Virginia campus. ReMine was inspired to donate her time after watching the dogs participate in Morgan’s search.

Tails and Trails, the first race of its kind in the region, looks to make it an annual event.

Judy Pennino, who brought her three dogs, held onto two of them while her husband Larry ran with “Duke.” Pennino had planned to run before injuring an ankle. She said, “Big Lick is our vet, and we signed up for this a while back. This is awesome; next year it will be crazy big!”

Visit www.virginiarecoverydogs.com or www.BigLickVet. com, (540.776.0700) for more information.

Sports

Is your team not getting enough coverage?

Please send in your pictures and relevant subject / game info and we’ll feature the next week! info@newsroanoke.com - Deadline is 5PM Tuesday.

Hidden Valley Downs Cave Spring Patriots Advance in Northwest Region Volleyball With Win Over Broad Run In 41-39 Overtime Thriller

Hidden Valley battled back from a 27-7 second quarter deficit with 20 unanswered points, as the Titans knocked off Cave Spring 41-39 in double overtime at Dwight Bogle Stadium Friday night.

Hidden Valley looked to be headed for a long night when Cave Spring quarterback Tony Simmons scored on keepers from 45 and 9 yards out to stake the Knights to a quick 12-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.

Although Hidden Valley cut the deficit to 12-7 late in the first on a Michael Simonic 28-yard run and Landon Dermott point after, Cave Spring responded with a Simmons 77yard scamper to up the advantage to 19-7 early in the second quarter.

On the subsequent kickoff, things only got worse for the Titans when the kick was mishandled resulting in a Cave Spring safety. The Knights followed the free kick with a 48-yard lightning bolt by running back Sam Wright, his

Cave Spring quarterback #7 Tony Simmons sidesteps Hidden Valley defender #43 Kyle Stanley in Friday's double-overtime shootout.

29th touchdown of the season. In a matter of 1:27, Cave Spring had jumped to a 27-7 lead and was looking for the knockout punch.

Hidden Valley, however, produced the unlikliest of turnarounds. Titan wide receiver Dee Fletcher brought in a 26-yard touchdown toss from Simonic late in the second quarter that sent the teams to the locker room with Cave Spring still looking comfortable, up 27-14.

The second half belonged to Hidden Valley as Cave Spring kept itself in bad field position with problems in the kicking game and untimely penalties. Shane Foley caught a 16-yard touchdown strike from Simonic to get Hidden Valley within striking distance heading to the

Patrick Henry may become the comeback kids.

After falling behind two games to one, and trailing 4-0 in the deciding 15-point fifth-game tiebreaker, the Patriots pulled off the 3-2 win over Broad Run in the Northwest Region volleyball quarterfinal at Patrick Henry Tuesday night.

The Patriots entertain Forest Park tonight (Thursday) with a spot in the state quarterfinals going to the winner.

Outside hitter Sarah Miller led Hidden Valley freshman running back #2 Mathe PH attack with 17 kills, while PH libero Morgan Robison son Dermott picks up yardage in the Titan's senior Elizabeth Higgs added 12. win over the Knights.

Libero Morgan Robison paced gets the Patriots psyched up Patrick Henry setter #2 Caro- the Patriot back line with 18 digs. before their match Tuesday final frame. Simonic plowed through the line line Brailsford sets the table night. from one yard out late in the fourth, but a

By Bill Turner for a Patriot point against missed PAT left the teams tied at 27, and headinfo@newsroanoke.com Broad Run. ing to overtime.

Both teams scored in the first overtime, and both followed their respective touchdowns by having their extra point attempts blocked. The Cave Spring hardly worked Hidden Valley offense took to the field first in up a sweat Tuesday night as the the second overtime, and Simonic threw to a Knights methodically dispatched wide open Foley from 6-yards out. Hidden ValBassett 3-0 in the Region IV volley opted for a two-point conversion with Si- leyball quarterfinal at the Cave monic finding an equally open Fletcher in the Spring gym. The entire match right side of the end zone. lasted less than an hour.

Cave Spring scored on its turn in the second A good thing, according to OT, with Simmons finding the end zone from Cave Spring head coach Tatwo yards out, his fifth TD of the contest. The malyn Tanis. "Everyone on our prospect of a third extra period ended when team is sick," Tanis noted afterSimmons was stopped inches short on the req- ward. "The girls are congested. I just wanted to get this one over uisite 2-point attempt.

Knights front liners #1 ShanCave Spring piled up a huge 371-83 advan- and send everyone home to get non Craighead and #11 Kelsey some rest." tage in rushing yards with Wright picking up Cave Spring moves on to Sine reject a Bassett shot in 189 on 30 carries, and Simmons accounting for face River Ridge foe Blacksburg the Region IV quarterfinal.

Cave Spring junior #8 Alyssa 190 on 20 quarterback keepers. Mason Der- Thursday night at Tunstall High McKinley serves a pointmott led the Hidden Valley ground attack with School. Blacksburg advanced Bassett in all phases of the match winner Tuesday night in the Tuesday.

The Bengals had no 74 yards on 11 carries. Wright surpassed the with a 3-0 win over Richlands Knight's 3-game sweep. answer for the Knight's power 2,000-yard rushing mark for the season late in Tuesday. Cave Spring defeated game as reflected in the 25-10; the Bruins twice in the regular the first half.

25-7; 25-13 sweep. What few 11 digs, while Kelsey Sine added 9 kills and 3 blocks. Shannon The Titans controlled the airways, 150-0, season by matching 3-0 scores.

In the other Region IV bracket, points Bassett could muster came Craighead set the Cave Spring with Simonic connecting on 12-of-24 attempts. mostly on Cave Spring unforced Jake Kite and Foley each had 3 catches for 49 Hidden Valley defeated Carroll errors. "I'll take the unforced er- offense with 31 assists and scatCounty 3-0 and will take on Pattered the Bassett back line with 8 and 48 yards respectively. rick County Thursday at Tunstall. rors," Tanis said. "We were get- service aces.

Hidden Valley (6-4) opens regional play this Should Cave Spring and Hidden ting good kills, and I wanted to Friday as the Bassett Bengals visit Bogle Sta- Valley win Thursday, it will set keep the players moving."

By Bill Turner Morgan Shannon led the dium for a rematch of a week-five contest won up the fifth meeting between info@newsroanoke.com by the Titans 28-21. Cave Spring (7-3) has a the Roanoke County schools in Knight attack with 14 kills and first-round bye before returning to action next the regional final expected to be A week. played at Salem High School on

By Bill Turner MORE SECURE FUTURE Saturday. info@newsroanoke.com Cave Spring totally dominated MAY BE

Knights Advance in Region IV Volleyball

CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.

North Cross Tops VES -Advances to Playoffs

The North Cross Raiders ended their regular season with a 34-0 romp over Virginia Episcopal School where Coach Stephen Alexander was previously the Offensive Coordinator. The Raiders jumped out to a 28-0

halftime lead and then coasted to the win that locked them in as the number 3 seed in the VISAA Div III football playoffs.

North Cross will travel to Fredericksburg this Saturday where they will take on undefeated

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George Revercomb and Paul Smith work together to bring down a VES running back as #51 Tommy Girani looks on.

Photo by Amy Murray

North Cross running back Evan Anderson picks up some of his 103 rushing yards as tackle Paul Smith (on Anderson's immediate left) and others clear the way.

and #2 ranked Fredericksburg Christian in a matchup set for 2 PM. If the Raiders get the victory they will face the winner of the Isle of Wight / Norfolk Chris-

tian game also being played this Saturday. The Raiders defeated talent laden Norfolk Christian (4 UVA signees) earlier this year by a score of 34-27.

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Sports

Page 8 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/11/11 -11/17/11

Yankee-Bound Hidden Valley Alum Returns Home

On the cusp of a fifth who has also scouted minor league season affor major league teams. ter graduating from Hid“This is an opportunity den Valley High School, for them to come back left-handed pitcher and help the younger Mikey O’Brien is slowly kids. They remember but surely working his [how important] it was way up through the New to them at this age.” GetYork Yankees farm systing O’Brien to come in tem. O’Brien, pegged as and lead the clinic hasn’t a starter by the Yankees been difficult – in fact the at this point, spent the young pitcher pushed 2011 season in Class A Boone to set it up: “he ball, splitting his time wanted to do it.” between Charleston (SC) Mikey O’Brien tutors a young camper at O’Brien used to hang and Tampa. O’Brien has Hidden Valley. out as a youngster at already played with a the Cave Spring basedaily injections. O’Brien takes major leaguer- Yankees third ball field, watching his older the snacks he needs on the road baseman Eric Chavez, a mulbrother Eric – who used to play with him to help manage his ditiple Gold Glove winner, had a for Boone at Cave Spring. “He abetes and said the Yankees orrehabilitation start for the Tamlooked up to [older players].” ganization “has the best trainers pa Yankees while O’Brien was Boone prefers that young athin the world that are looking afon the mound. letes try their hand at a variety ter me every day,” to make sure “He was a down to earth guy,” of sports. “Don’t specify [too he stays on track. He hasn’t let recalls O’Brien, who has met early]. You’re not sure what diabetes sideline him: “you can’t many of the New York Yankees your body’s going to do,” he use it as an excuse.” The annual in spring training. “They’ve all warns. But spending some time clinic has raised about $3000 to been in our shoes, they know on the fundamentals of baseball date for the JDF. what its like to grind it out in in the fall can’t hurt.

Brothers Dale and Brett Molminor league baseball.”

As for O’Brien’s march tolenauer (Dale plays in the miO’Brien is back in town durwards Yankee Stadium, he is nor leagues with the Orioles, ing the off-season for a while, “right on schedule. That’s what and Brett plays for Radford, and, as he has done for the past I’ve been told. The main thing is Jared King (now playing basethree years, he and some basestaying healthy.” O’Brien shut it ball at UVA) and Cam Hodge ball buddies helped ex-Cave down a bit early last season with (another Hidden Valley alum Spring High School baseball tendon inflammation in his now playing at Radford) helped head coach Randy Boone put forearm but has escaped major O’Brien tutor a small group of on a youth baseball clinic last injury problems to date. “Keep young baseball players at Hidweekend at Hidden Valley. moving up,” vows O’Brien, who den Valley. King also told the The event raised money for hopes to win a slot in Doublegroup about playing twice in the the Juveniles Diabetes FoundaA Trenton next spring. Pitchers College World Series with the tion, a charity close to O’Brien’s have been called up from DouUniversity of Virginia, saying it heart: he was diagnosed with the ble-A to the majors before, but was “like Christmas morning,” disease as a high school senior O’Brien is just trying to focus on for a week and a half. and now wears an insulin pump his next start. “I’m sure if I got “They know the importance after formerly having to undergo a start in Yankee Stadium in the of fundamentals,” said Boone, next few years it would be a little different,” he concedes.

Still seen as a starter by the Squeakers... big club, O’Brien is okay if the Guinea Pigs deserve a home, too Yankees decide they want him Clean, quiet, small to be a relief pitcher: “as long as Perfect for apartments!

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O’Brien wants to sharpen his control next season, keep pitch 339-WAGS rvspca.org Your unconditional love headquarters counts down and throw more strikes.

Meanwhile he was happy to return to Hidden Valley, leading a youth clinic for players who later asked for his autograph.

“We’ve all been sitting in those bleachers with other guys talking to us. We [remember] what it’s like. It’s definitely cool to come back.”

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Vipers Are Sandlot Super Bowl Champs

The North Roanoke Little League Vipers took on the Botetourt Little League Broncos in the 29th Annual Jim Carroll Regional Sandlot Football Super Bowl championships last Saturday at the Salem Stadium.

The Vipers defeated the Broncos 20-8 to become the 2011 Regional Little League Sandlot Super Bowl Champions.

More than 1,700 youth, ages 6-14, participated on football teams and cheerleading squads throughout the Roanoke Valley competing for the opportunity to become Super Bowl champions. Recreational teams from the City of Salem, Botetourt County, Roanoke County, City of Roanoke, Franklin County, Bedford County, City of Bedford and Craig County competed in this year’s Super Bowl.

Vipers’ (12-1) Mason McNeese scored in the first quarter to make it 7-0. Botetourt scored in the second quarter and kicked for a two point conversion making the score 8 -7 at the half for Botetourt. McNeese scored again in the third quarter to make it 13-8, Vipers. McNeese

The 2011 Little League Sandlot Super Bowl Champions. scored his third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter to give North Roanoke the 20-8 win and the championship trophy.

This season's North Roanoke Vipers team included Josiah Robinson, Jordan Wooden, Mason McNeese, T.J. Lee, Aaron Moore, Quentin Slash, Ashton Waid, Will Harlow, Ethan Blank, Austin Blank, Vincent Keeling, Carter Hupp, Daniel Frances, Jacob Arrington, Isaac

Martin, Kobe Bishop, Caleb Eubank, Graham Powell, Isaiah Stephens, Jake Thompson, Michael Elliott, Jason Stanley, Nathan Lemon, Dustin Curtiss, Bryce Hall and Shane Bivens.

The team was coached by Solan Wooden (head coach) and assistant coaches Tim Stephens, Greg McNeese, Chad Martin, Larry Harlow and Ray Robinson.

By David Grimes info@newsroanoke.com

Wild Bill’s Weekly Sports Roundup

Regional football playoffs laski may be the first regional begin with seven of our elev- playoff team in memory to en area teams advancing to finish the season with doublepostseason play that begins digit losses. Salem- 30 Pulaski this Friday night. Two teams, County- 16 Northside and Cave Glenvar at Giles: Spring, earned firstThe Highlanders make round byes and can their second trek to rest up before returnGiles County hoping ing to action Novemfor better results than ber 18th. the first visit. At 9-1, Last week, the great Giles looks to be too predictor checked in at strong when having 6-1, with the only miss the home field advancoming in the doutage again. Giles- 36 Bill Turner ble overtime victory Glenvar- 27

by Hidden Valley over rival North Cross at FredericksCave Spring. That finished the burg Christian: The Raiders regular season with a not-too- backed away from no one in shabby 73-17 performance. their impressive 7-3 season.

This year was a well-bal- Undefeated Fredericksburg anced effort, combining my has lit up the scoreboard, gotrusty crystal ball with an ing 9-0. This VIS Division III occasional infusion of infor- Saturday matchup should be a mation by the ever-mystic dandy. North Cross- 28 FredOuija board. Throw in the ericksburg Ch.- 27 week-eight 11-0 record via a Roanoke Catholic at perfectly held seance, and you Greenbrier Christian: This can easily see why I continue VIS Division IV game offers to point out that predictions a Roanoke Catholic team that should be left to the profes- has played 11 games against a sionals.

Greenbrier team that has only Enough chatter and moan- played 8; and, the Greenbrier ing from the other side - let's Gators' three losses were by take a look at this week's five a combined margin of 106 playoff matchups. points. The more you play, the Bassett at Hidden Valley: better you get. Catholic rolls.

A rematch of a week-five game Roanoke Catholic- 34 Greenwon by the Titans, 28-21, brier- 15 played in Bassett. Bassett got Now, to the mailbag where in with a 3-7 record and Hid- playoff questions take center den Valley carries momentum stage, and one reader quesfrom its win over Cave Spring. tions my fashion statements.

May be more of a struggle than Dear Wild Bill: Do you first glance. Hidden Valley- 27 think the playoffs have beBassett- 19 come watered down in recent Pulaski County at Salem: years? (George/Salem)

By Gene Marrano Answer: No doubt, George. gmarrano@cox.net Pulaski comes to Salem Stadium for the second time in In Group A alone, 23 teams as many weeks. At 1-9, Pu- making the playoffs this year

did not have winning records.

Dear Mr. Prediction Man: What's been your worst playoff prediction to date? (Ken/ Rocky Mount) Answer: No question about this one, Ken- last year's regional semifinal between Grundy and Cave Spring.

When the Golden Wave faithful got hold of the Star-Sentinel prior to the game and saw I picked Cave by 35, the moms were waiting for me outside the Grundy locker room. No matter Cave Spring actually won 50-14; they still wanted my scalp! The Cave Spring coaching staff, who are still laughing, provided me safe haven as I ducked into the shadows of Bogle Stadium.

Dear Mr. Volleyball analyst: The word on the street is that you've been offered bribes by the Cave Spring and Hidden Valley fans to promote their great volleyball teams.

Any truth to those allegations?

(Ralph/residence unclear) Answer: Yes, Ralph, I do live in that district and I promise to fight AEP rate hikes. I'm bad, really bad. But I look good in Knight and Titan gear-so why fight it? For the record, I'm so relieved the mudslinging political quips are over. And, I approved this ad.

Send your questions and party affiliation to: info@newsroanoke.com

By Bill Turner info@newsroanoke.com

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Arts & Culture

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“Joe Green” Tree Honors Opera

The City of Roanoke, along with the Roanoke Arts Commission, Roanoke Public Libraries, Opera Roanoke, and the Harrison Museum of African American Culture came together last week to dedicate a tree on the grounds of the Gainsboro Branch Library. The "Joe Green" Tree Project was scheduled as part of National Opera Week, and honors a tradition in which the family of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi would plant a tree for each new opera he wrote. The tree also sets in motion plans to enhance the landscaping in the area around the "Reading Garden" sculpture, which was installed at the Gainsboro Branch Library in November 2009. A mix of music lovers, library patrons, environmental advocates and residents of the neighborhood attended the dedication, which was followed by a program of music and discussion with representatives of Opera Roanoke.

11/11/11 -11/17/11 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 9

World Premiere of “Miss Lucy” Celebrates Roanoke History

Community High School tain J.T. Burke fiSandwich Board and the bluegrass group Blue nally achieves his Man respectfully.

Mule will co-present the world goal of shutting Maestra Shelbie premiere staging of the folk down Miss LuWhal, director of opera, “Miss Lucy,” November cy’s school. Miss choral activities 17-19, at the June M. McBroom Lucy is Lucy Adat Hollins UniverTheatre (302 Campbell Ave SE). dison, a teacher, sity, will conduct With music by bluegrass master sage and pioneer. the opera’s cast Tom Ohmsen and acclaimed But can she keep and chorus and jazz pianist William Penn, “Miss her school open Blue Mule (Tom Lucy” tells the story of Roanoke against such fierce Ohmsen, manOpera Roanoke's General & Artistic Director educator and pioneer Lucy Ad- opposition? Bravdolin; John McScott Williamson (left) prepares to toss a dison. ery and a traveling Broom, bass; Ely Helena Brown shovel of mulch onto the bed of a recently “Miss Lucy” centers on the scarf help save the Williams, guitar planted Scarlet Oak at the Gainsboro Branch night of Dec. 16, 1890, when day in this bluegrass folk opera and Tim Rhodes, banjo) will acLibrary, while City Council member Anita a blizzard grips the Roanoke for all ages. company the opera along with Price (right, in shadow) raises a shovel of dirt. city market and the Supreme Hollins University voice ma- pianist Cara Modisett. CommuCourt sends down jor Helena Brown nity High School teacher, and its “Separate but sings the opera’s the opera’s librettist, Les Epstein, Equal” decision, title role, while directs the opera. Roanoke nafreezing freedom San Francisco Op- tive and Philadelphia-based for black Ameriera tenor Benja- artist Colette Fu has designed cans. A lone man, min Bongers sings a pop-up book set design, with Pisces auf Gutas Miss Lucy’s scenery painted by CHS teachgluck, insists on nemesis, Captain er and acclaimed artist Brian fishing along SaJ.T. Burke. Mezzo Counihan. lem Ave., while the soprano Ada Lis railroad workers Jimena tackles “Miss Lucy” opens Thursday, explain that fishthe “pants” role of Nov. 17 with a performance at ing in the street is a Pisces auf Gutg- 7:30 p.m., followed by a 7:30 perBenjamin Bongers waste of time. Gus luck and baritone formance on Nov. 18 and a 3:00 the bookseller sells his wares, Drew Dowdy performs the matinee Nov. 19, followed by a and Miss Lucy Addison arrives hopeful bookseller, Gus. Bari- talk-back panel with singers, profor another school day. tones Aaron Sifford and T.J. duction team and guests. Tickets But this day will be different; Anderson round out the cast as to the opera are $5 and can be this will be the day that Cap- the diviner, Doc Wise, and the purchased at the door.

Galways Receive Standing Ovation

Acclaimed flutists Lady Jeanne Galway, RSO flutist Julee Hichcock, Sir James Galway, and RSO Executive Director Beth Pline are pictured at a reception given for the visiting artists after their sellout concert at the Roanoke Performing Arts Center. Both the Galways and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra members received well deserved standing ovations from the very appreciate audience.

Photo by Jim Bullington

A Sea of Patriotism-Preparing for Our Heroes

American flags were placed on the graves of veterans at Evergreen Cemetery in honor of Veterans Day. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1264, along with members of the Patrick Henry ROTC helped remember our veterans by planting flags on the graves of members of the armed forces Marshall Moore (left), a combat at Evergreen Cemetery Wedneswounded Vietnam Purple Heart day morning.

Over 4,000 veterans are inrecipient, and President of VFW terred at Evergreen, including Post 1264, joins Jim Warren in veterans of the Civil War and distributing flags to veterans Spanish-American War. Sixteen interred at Evergreen. Warren, PH ROTC members under the a WWII signal corps photogra- direction of Lieutenant Colopher, followed General MacArnel Steven Boyd and Sergeant thur into Japan during the final Mills assisted in Wednesday's ceremony. weeks of the war.

"This is our way of preparing for our heroes," Judy Shorter, President of VFW Post 1264 Women's Auxiliary noted during the event.

By Bill Turner info@newsroanoke.com

The Avett Brothers Coming to Virginia Tech

Folk-pop band the Avett Brothers will appear at Virginia Tech's Burruss Auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

The Avett Brothers formed in 2001 in North Carolina with brothers Seth and Scott Avett on guitar and banjo and standup bass player Bob Crawford.

The band has since added cellist Joe Kwon to its lineup, and they have gone on to record with producer Rick Rubin, who is credited with reviving bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash. They have also opened on several occasions for the Dave Matthews Band and have sold out venues across the country.

Their sound has been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as having "the heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, and the raw energy of the Ramones. They released their major label debut, "I and Love and You," in 2009 to rave reviews, and Rolling Stone mag-

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children 12 and under, and $39 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office in Squires Student Center.

Free parking for the show is available around the Drillfield with a visitor's pass from 5-8 p.m. No pass is necessary on the Drillfield after 8 p.m. or on weekends. Parking is also available in the Perry Street lots and the Perry Street Parking Garage near Prices Fork Road. Find more parking information online at parking. vt.edu) or call 540-231-3200

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Opening for the Avett Brothers is the Boston-based band David Wax Museum, featuring Virginia native Suz Slezak playing a traditional Mexican percussion instrument called a donkey jawbone. TIME magazine describes the band as "joyful Mexo-Americana fusion, with virtuosic musical skill and virtuous harmonies."

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. with opening band David Wax Museum. Tickets are $25 for Virginia Tech students, $11 for

www.angelaeasterling.com 540-853-1057 libraryevents@roanokeva.gov

Page 10 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/11/11 -11/17/11

NewsRoanoke.com

Revamped Big Lick Breakfast Club Focuses on Giving

Retooling a former Kiwanis affiliated group was a big step for Bob Bersch and his longtime Kiwanis comrades, but they are satisfied with the new group they have formed, now affectionately known as “The Millionaires Club.” Bersch et al are a group of men, many retired, who came to realize that while they had long enjoyed Kiwanis and still hold them in high esteem, they wanted to better use their club dues.

By dropping out of Kiwanis, they could actually lower the dues and still have more funds to contribute to local projects, which is a primary focus. Bersch says the group is comprised of men who are from all sorts of backgrounds,

including lawyers, doctors, folks who are retired from GE, APCO; “they come from all across the board.” The move made sense, so as of October 1, they formed the new group which Bersch describes as “more of a fellowship group than a true civic club.”

The group’s new official name is “The Big Lick Breakfast Club,” but “The Millionaires Club” is their nickname that better catches the spirit of the group—“A million smiles and a million happy times. If you added the financial net worth of all our members together, you might get a million dollars.” Anyone worried about a serious commitment can relax, they promise to

be a gathering of “primarily good fellowship but also educational and entertaining . . . totally voluntary . . . no one is required to do anything!”

While many of the guys are retired, and a few hail from the “Greatest Generation,” they welcome men and women of all ages and would like to see the group add more members.

They meet weekly, and feature a program that is planned by members on a rotating basis, which typically includes a speaker on the agenda, with some months set aside for a “members’ forum.” The forum allows members to choose topics of interest that are open for discussion.

Bersch jokes that once the

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“rules” are stripped away, “we don’t do anything, but we do it well!”

The Breakfast Club has also adopted a policy which they hope will keep the door open to any and all prospective members—the Invocation will be handled on a rotating basis and it is open to anyone of any faith who wishes to offer it. Bersch says it is important to the group that people feel welcome and know that they will not experience any Photo by Cheryl Hodges censorship.

The newly re-formed Big Lick Breakfast Club meets every While they have gone to Tuesday at The Roanoker. great lengths to set up new guidelines, the BLBC is reThe Big Lick Breakfast Club ally about fun and fellowship. meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. at They promise: “We don’t do The Roanoker Restaurant (in one projects! We don’t sell anyBy Cheryl Hodges of the private rooms) and lasts for thing! … [and] we have such about an hour. Guests are always cheryl@newsroanoke.com a good time everyone wants welcome. Email Bob Bersch at to come as often as possible so hoolaw@aol.com with questions, they don’t miss something!” or drop in any Tuesday.

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