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The Roanoke Star-Sentinel November 6 - November 12, 2009

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NewsRoanoke.com

City Reveals Plan for “Superbranch” Library New Vision

P4– Botetourt County seeks citizen input and new ideas as it seeks to handle its meteoric growth.

Lucky Garvin

Thank A Veteran

P7– Lucky Garvin reminds us that there is no real way we could ever thank a Veteran enough.

Starbucks Who? P12– Forget the big coffee chains, the Mojo Cafe has the best coffee and genuine atmosphere anywhere.

Roanoke City officials have announced plans for construction of a “superbranch” library on an 11-acre vacant parcel of land, located near the intersection of Cove Road and Peters Creek Road. Purchase of the land for the new library by Roanoke City in early October follows the renovation and expansion of two city branch libraries, Gainsboro and Jackson Park, and the completion of two electronic [e-branch] facilities at Garden City Recreation Center and Valley View Mall.

Democrats Fare Poorly in Local Elections There were a few highs, but many lows for local Democrats on Tuesday as they gathered at several Roanoke watering holes Gwen Mason to watch the election results. At Fork in the Alley Gwen Mason, who only won 38% of the vote, saw her bid for the open 17th District seat in the House of Delegates thwarted by Bill Cleaveland. The Roanoke City Councilwoman put on a brave face and glibly declared, before conceding, that she would just call herself the winner. In actuality, Cleaveland bested her by more than 5000 votes. Mason, surrounded by friends including State Senator John Edwards, former Mayor Nelson Harris and current Vice Mayor Sherman Lea, first > CONTINUED P3: Democrats

The decision concerning location the city since the 1970’s will in many was based on several demographics, ways resemble a modern bookstore. A including traffic count, bus routes and drive-through window for easier aca strategic location that “would put us cess, a café, more space and plenty of where our users need us, withparking are some of the attriin one or two miles of where butes envisioned in the plan Library they live or work,” said Direcfor the new library. Merchantor of Roanoke City Libraries, dising is the current dictum in Sheila Umberger. Also, “a need will progressive public libraries. be filled in this area, which is underIn the early 1990’s the larger bookserved,” she added. The price tag at- stores created lounge areas similar tached to the land was approximately to those in libraries. Now libraries throughout the country are beginning $775,000. The first library branch to be built in to provide some of the amenities that

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are available in the larger bookstores. The President of the City of Roanoke Library’s Advisory Board, Stan Breakell, remarked that the retail customer service model is a convenient and easy way to get “hot picks” displayed, as they would be in a store. “This is an opportunity to create a much needed, stateof-the-art, full-service facility from the ground up.” The new 30,000 square feet fullservice library will also feature more > CONTINUED P2: Library

[Veterans Day]

Republicans Sweep Top Offices

Corps of Cadets to Honor Veterans

Bill Cleaveland greets an energized Republican crowd.

GOP Candidates Dominate in Valley

Photo submittedl

Members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets stand in front of “the Rock” as part of a 24-hour Veterans Day vigil. The Rock is a memorial to Virginia Tech alumni lost in WWI and is located next to the flag pole on Upper Quad. This is one of two vigils held by the corps each Veterans Day. n Wednesday Nov. 11 at 10:30 Cadets will speak, the service songs will be a.m. the Virginia Tech Corps of played, and then all attendees will be asked Cadets will hold a Veterans Day to proceed up to the War Memorial for the remembrance ceremony in the War Memo- placing of a memorial wreath. At 11 a.m. rial Chapel to recognize all veterans and to Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger honor the service that Virginia Tech men will place the wreath in front of the cenotaph and women have given our nation. on Memorial Court. The Gregory Guard, the Maj. Gen. Jerry Allen, the Commandant corps rifle drill team, will fire a rifle salute, of Cadets of the Virginia Tech Corps of > CONTINUED P3: Veteran’s Day

O

On Tuesday, the Republicans took back Virginia - at least for this election cycle. Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli all easily won the top three offices Election in the state by double digits. Governor-elect McDonnell trounced Democrat Creigh Deeds at the top of the ticket. The local Republican Committees held their victory party at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood, where the candidates and volunteers gathered to celebrate. The first local candidate to be declared a winner was Morgan Griffith, House of

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> CONTINUED P2: Republicans

MyScoper.com Celebrates Two Years of Growth - and Success

Still Spooky P13– Halloween may be over but Joe Tennis helps keep native Virginia Ghost stories alive.

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Roanoke’s unique event information resource, myScoper.com, turns two years old on November 15. The brainchild of two local businesswomen, Beth Deel and Wendy Schuyler, the idea has seen continuous growth and community support. While the imaginative and vibrant personalities of its creators (often dubbed “The myScoper Girls”) certainly drive the image – they are quick to note that myScoper is a Roanoke community initiative. “It’s a machine we built and maintain,” says co-creator, Beth Deel, “but it’s powered by the awesome events and interesting people of the Roanoke region.” “We really just got tired of people saying there was nothing to do in Roanoke,” says co-creator, Wendy Schuyler. “It simply wasn’t true. There was just no central place to get the information.” There are two key elements that make the myScoper.com event calendar such a useful tool: Easy access to information and streamlined community event postings. Partnerships with other organizations who offer their own event calendars, such as the Eleanor D. Wil-

Photo by Bruce Bryan

RSS contributor Stephanie Koehler (center), creator of the 2009 Bouncy Ball New Year event held at Center In The Square, with Wendy Schuyler (left), Beth Deel (right), who helped promote the event that involved dropping over 11,000 rubber balls into the atrium. son Museum at Hollins University, the Emerging Artists Series (Roanoke City Libraries), Virginia Tech Hokie hockey (at the Roanoke Civic Center), WDBJ-7 and Roanoke Outdoors, have been beneficial. These organizations

allow event planners to upload the information it is populated to all partner sites. In an era where businesses and organizations are trying to increase efficiency and maximize their effectiveness, it is a perfect example of working

smart…not hard. The dynamic pair originally came together to pool their graphic design talents but quickly upUPperiscope, Inc. became a multi-dimensional graphic design, event creation/promotion, web design, open media strategy agency and all encompassing community resource. On the November 15 anniversary, myScoper.com will unveil its fourth facelift, featuring new categories and additional offerings. “We are committed to staying on top of what the community wants,” says Schuyler. “It’s the only way to really be a useful resource.” Deel adds, “We find ourselves at a cool cultural experience, art offering or music event every day. There is so much going on in Roanoke…it’s exhausting!” Speaking of “useful”… in January the creative duo launched a printed companion piece to myScoper.com called “a useful paper.” The free, colorful monthly event calendar has become a staple in coffee shops, hotels, local businesses, restaurants and event

> CONTINUED P2: MyScoper


Page 2 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

NewsRoanoke.com

> Library From page 1

books, a “themed” children’s area to be created by a renowned designer who has worked in other libraries. It will feature 100 computer workstations, and like the other branches, will include a teen space and community rooms that can be used for events and tutoring. Breakell noted that “from 2005 through 2009, Roanoke City libraries has seen the programs offered annually increase in number from 175 to 1,690; the annual attendance at the programs increase from 4,176 to 45,695; participation in summer reading programs increase from 1,800 to 4,400 children; and the number of users of the library increase from 424,000 to 669,000, an increase of 63 percent.” The president of general contractor Breakell Inc. noted that, “[City Manager] Darlene Burcham … Sheila Umberger and staff have been pivotal in

Friday: Sunny skies with a high near 57. West wind between 5 and 11 mph. Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 34. Light northwest wind.

Saturday: More sunny skies, with a high near 64. Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Sunday: Remaining sunny, with a high near 71. Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Grocery Store Prices Without the Grocery Store Lines!

Photo by Susan Ayers

Library Director Sheila Umberger addresses attendees on a rainy morning last week, at the site of the future “superbranch.” categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. The Capital Improvement Program that Roanoke City Council adopted will fund construction of the new li-

brary. “It is anticipated that construction will begin in late summer 2011 and be completed in fall 2012. The estimated length of construction is 14-16 months,” said Roanoke City Engineer Phil Schirmer.

By Susan Ayers info@newsroanoke.com

> MyScoper

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From page 1

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making this happen. Sheila Umberger has been pivotal in delivering the goods.” SFCS Inc. in Roanoke will serve as lead architect and will be teamed with PSADewberry of Dallas, Texas. A fee of $724,860 was negotiated with SFCS Inc. for the necessary programming, planning, architectural and engineering services including LEED certification for the full service library. The SFCS-PSA Newberry team was selected out of 16 proposals that were received by the city’s selection committee. Roanoke City Manager Darlene Burcham said, “It may be hard to imagine today, but in just a little over two years, we’re going to see the newest centerpiece to the city’s ever improving library system.” She noted that the goal is to make the building “LEED Platinum,” a rigorous rating point system addressing six

venues. “It was the next logical step,” says Deel, who studied dance at Hollins University and offers aerial dancing classes at The Water Heater, a unique performance/exhibition space she lives above in Old Southwest. Evidence of a vibrant social community and easy access to information is critical – especially at a time when attracting and retaining the “twenty-something” crowd is one of the region’s primary economic development drivers.

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The clever and useful myScoper approach has attracted interest elsewhere. The Virginia state tourism office and members of the entertainment community in San Francisco are already trying to figure out how they can use the format. By Stephanie Koehler stephaniekoehler@cox.net

> Republicans From page 1

Delegates 8th District and the current incumbent. He defeated Carter Turner by more than double, 69 percent to 31 percent. Bill Cleaveland handily defeated Democrat Gwen Mason, 62 percent to 38 percent, for the 17th House of Delegates seat being vacated by William Fralin. “People want to go back to fundamentals in government, they want a responsible government, one that they can trust, and they have spoken tonight loud and clear,” said Cleaveland, a Botetourt County attorney. Ed Elswick, in his first run for local office, won over challenger Sarah Goodman by 16 points in the race for the Windsor Hills Board of Supervisors (Roanoke County). “I feel that what we did

in visiting a lot of people and asking their opinions on how the county should be run is reflected in the way that they voted - and they supported what I think we ought to be doing,.” said Elswick. Elswick had defeated incumbent Republican Joseph McNamara in a primary last June before taking on Goodman, the Democratic candidate and another first timer. “Major decisions made by the county should not be made by a few administrators,” added Elswick, who railed against expenditures, such as the new Green Ridge Recreation Center during the campaign. He then took his hat off of his head and added a “feather to his cap” to loud applause. Mike Altizer, the incumbent for the Vinton Board of

Supervisors seat, faced a challenger for the first time, Patrick Patterson. Each ended up with 50 percent of the vote and Patterson was ahead after reports from the polling sites came in, but when the absentee ballots were counted, Altizer squeaked by with a margin of 18 votes. Mike Stovall was re-elected to the Roanoke County School Board seat he has held for the past 14 years. Richard Flora, the GOP incumbent Supervisor in Hollins, also turned back his challenger, Charlene Waybright. Roanoke City Sheriff Octavia Johnson faced two challengers in her bid for re-election. In a close race, Johnson won by less than 200 votes over her closet competitor, Frank Garrett, a deputy in her

office. It wasn’t a clean sweep locally for Republicans. Douglas Walker lost to incumbent Democrat Sherman Holland in the Commissioner of the Revenue race in Roanoke City; after leading early, Troy Bird (11th House District) was defeated 60 percent to 40 percent by incumbent Delegate Onzlee Ware. “Quite honesty right now I am still smiling,” said Bird. “Win or lose, I guarantee you that I shook up a lot of things. There was a time there when Onzlee Ware was watching TV and saying to himself ‘this doesn’t look very good.’” By Carla Bream info@newsroanoke.com

County Teacher Wins State Leadership Award Award Presented at Statewide Technology Leadership Conference Meg Swecker, instructional technology resource teacher for Roanoke County Public Schools, has received the 2009 Virginia Technology Leadership Award from the Virginia Department of " iÊ vÊ ÕÀÊ > Õv>VÌÕÀiÀÃÊ v ÀÊ>Ê Ìi`Ê/ iÊ ÃÊ vviÀ }Ê- /Ê " -Ê vÊ , -]Ê 6 ,/ ÊEÊ / Ê * "-Ê>ÌÊ Ê*, °ÊÊ

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Education. Swecker also was recognized as the Region Six Educational Technology Leadership Award winner. The awards were presented Oct. 30 during the annual Educational Technology Leadership Conference in Richmond. The Educational Technology Leadership Awards, presented annually, acknowledge

outstanding school division leadership in education technology planning and implementation. Division superintendents in each of VDOE’s eight study regions select individuals for the award. Recipients are chosen for their success in helping school divisions improve teaching and learning through the use of instructional media and

technology. “Meg is completely committed to teaching technology to our students,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Director of Technology, Dr. Jane James. “She strives to help teachers integrate technology into everyday lessons to enhance and expand learning,” James said.

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11/6/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 3

NewsRoanoke.com

Roanoke County Dedicates New Fleet Service Facility Roanoke County dedicated a new Fleet Service Center recently as part of a cooperative agreement with the Western Virginia Water Authority. The new, 23,600-square foot facility, located at 5235 Hollins Road in North Roanoke County, is situated on a nine-acre site and features eight heavy equipment truck bays, six bays for cars and light- duty trucks, a parts room, tire storage, bulk fluids, administrative offices, and customer waiting area. Roanoke County has been servicing the Water Authority’s vehicles since the Authority’s inception in 2004. Combined, the two entities have over 800 vehicles. The growing fleet – which also includes vehicles from other agencies, such as the Western Virginia Regional Jail, the Western Virginia EMS Council, Roanoke Valley Television, and the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority – has stretched the current facility in downtown Salem to its limit and available space is well below industry standards for a fleet of the size serviced by the County. The new Fleet Service Center replaces the existing garage, which has only four bays and required some work to be performed in the parking lot or sent to outside vendors costing time and money. This $7.7 million, state-of-the-art vehicle ser-

vice facility will be the County’s first LEEDcertified “green building,� with sustainable features that include extensive natural lighting, computerized light and HVAC control, water efficient landscaping, a white roof for reduced heat island effect, and recycled content building materials, to name a few. All of the vehicle waste oil will be recycled on site for use in heating the building, dramatically reducing utility costs. The project is being funded through a combination of upfront capital contributions from the County and the Water Authority; bonds will be repaid through fees charged to user departments. In addition to servicing highly visible vehicles, such as Roanoke County’s Fire and Rescue ambulances and ladder trucks, police cruisers, and trash trucks, the Service Center will also make sure that the other vehicles that serve Roanoke County citizens – such as Water Authority trucks, hybrids used by Community Development and the Authority, and vans that take library books from branch to branch – are kept in good working order. Given the spacious, modern work bays and plentiful parking on site, it is expected that the new facility will meet the needs of Roanoke County and the Water Authority for the next 20 years.

> Veterans Day From page 1

and echo taps will be played. The event is open to the public and all veterans and friends of veterans are invited. Eleven o’clock is a symbolic time on this special day. Veterans Day, formally called Armistice Day, was initially created to celebrate the signing of the Armistice at the end of World War I. The signing occurred at 11a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month in the year 1918. The United States Congress passed a resolution eight years later on June 4, 1926, requesting then President Woodrow Wilson issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act approved on May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November each year a legal holiday, “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’.�

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner named Al King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I and with the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954. Congress amended this act on November 8, 1954, replacing “Armistice� with Veterans, and it has been known as Veterans Day ever since. In addition, at 5 p.m., the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets will hold a formal retreat ceremony at the flag pole on the Upper Quad. The color guard will lower the flag, “Skipper,� the corps cannon will fire, the HightyTighties regimental band will play, and the Gregory Guard will perform a rifle salute.

The corps will also be holding two vigil ceremonies to honor our nation’s veterans. Arnold Air Society, in coordination with the cadet regiment, will be holding a 24-hour vigil at The Rock on Upper Quad from midnight Tuesday to midnight Wednesday. Two cadets will be posted as guards and will change every hour. The second vigil will be located at the War Memorial Pylons. Echo Company will hold a 48-hour vigil from midnight Monday to midnight Wednesday. Two cadets will be posted as guards at the cenotaph and will change every hour. All current and many former members of Echo will participate in the vigil. All are welcome to come and view these ceremonies.

> Democrats From page 1

watched Governor Tim Kaine on television (after Republican Bob McDonnell was elected Governor) declare, “we’re going to win a lot more races to come. [But] we’ll have to redouble our efforts.� Kaine is also the current Democratic national party chairman. After conceding to Cleaveland via cell phone, Mason gathered her family, thanking them and others for their support, and for “the privilege to campaign as hard as we did. [Now] the Masons are going to go home and get some sleep.� Mason also said she would have lunch with Cleaveland in a few weeks, “to talk about what I can do to help him.� She called the process “democracy in action,� and said she was grateful for the chance to take a “positive message� on issues like education to voters’ doorsteps. “Economic anxiety is really rife in the region. Bill Cleaveland has a tough job ahead of him.� Mason said City Council would have to work closely with Cleaveland, an attorney who lives in Botetourt County. Mason couldn’t see what she would have done differently to beat a formidable foe in a Republican-leaning district: “Bill Cleaveland [was] a strong candidate and a good guy. He has three decades of experience in serving this valley. I’m happy for him.� Patrick Patterson and his supporters were celebrating an apparent victory in his bid to unseat incumbent Republican Mike Altizer in the Vinton district Board of Supervisors race. The mood turned glum at Fork in the City however,

when it was announced that his margin of victory had disappeared after absentee ballots were counted. “I think a lot of people felt‌they wanted to see some change,â€? said a discouraged Patterson as he waited for official word from the Roanoke County Board of Elections. Job creation and education had been major components of the William Byrd High School guidance counselor’s campaign. Patterson campaign manager Dawn Erdmann was not happy after learning that several local Republican operatives had apparently opened ballot boxes to review the results. “We’ve called the state party and asked for attorneys,â€? said Erdmann on the sidewalk outside Fork in the Alley. A glum Carter Turner, easily turned back by House Majority leader Morgan Griffith in the 8th District race, was hoping for a better finish. “I’m not sure we could have worked any harder. A lot of people made a lot of sacrifices for me.â€? Several weeks into the campaign a poll revealed that only seven people out of more than 350 knew who Turner was, but the Radford University professor was pleased that he earned more than 5000 votes against an entrenched incumbent. “At that level it’s progress, but you’re not in it for moral victories, you’re in it to win it. I said what I needed to say [but] I’m not sure the electorate heard it.â€? Hollins Board of Supervisors candidate Charlene Waybright was “very happy with the race I ran,â€? in losing to incumbent

Republican Richard Flora. “It was a positive and polite campaign. We did not get negative and I’m proud of that. If Richard learns anything from this process maybe he’ll listen more to citizens.� Fellow first time Democratic candidate Sarah Goodman lost her supervisors race in the Windsor Hills district to Ed Elswick. Democrat challenger and Roanoke City deputy sheriff Garrett led his boss, Sheriff Octavia Johnson, for much of the night, before the Republican incumbent pulled out the victory to gain a second term. Garrett, who said he and Johnson have avoided each other while the campaign went on, worked the phones as a last precinct was counted and the absentee ballots were tallied. Garrett said he wasn’t a politician at heart and couldn’t say if the votes that went to independent candidate Brian Keenum might have hurt his candidacy more than Johnson’s. “I’m at peace with this. I knew if I was meant to be the sheriff then I would be. I’m a Christian and I left it up to Him.� Garrett wasn’t sure about asking for any recount and said the whole process was “new to me.� There was some good news for local Democrats: Onzlee Ware (11th District delegate) celebrated his reelection over Republican challenger Troy Bird at 202 Market St. and Sherman Holland survived a spirited challenge from Douglas Walker to retain his Commissioner of the Revenue position. By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

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Page 4 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

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“Visioning” Botetourt County in the Future

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If you live in Botetourt County, what developmental changes would you like to see? More commercial growth? Fewer houses? Moderately priced housing? Publicly owned water and sewer services in your subdivision? An online survey is available for citizens who wish to have their voices heard as Botetourt County updates its comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan, required by state law to be reviewed every five years, is the county's vision for the future. The policy guides the planning department and the Board of Supervisors when rezoning requests arise. Citizen input is a vital part of the process. The county held two public forums on Saturday, October 24; about 80 people attended the meetings at Lord Botetourt and James River high schools. "We're looking at the year 2030," County Zoning Administrator and Chief Planner, Chuck Supan said. At that time, Botetourt County's population will have increased by almost 7,000 people to a population of 38,437, according to some estimates. Much of that population is in southern Botetourt County, long a “bedroom” community for those that live there but work in Roanoke. Botetourt County has hired a consulting firm to examine census, traffic, and other data to make projections into the future so that services will be available as the population climbs. "Right now is the time for folks to be speaking up," Supan said. "We're really looking for what people's thoughts are on where the county is right now."

Supan and a supervisorappointed steering committee want to know what the citizens like, what they don't like and what they want changed. Comments at Saturday's forum indicated that citizens are worried about water and sewer needs, according to Blue Ridge District Planning Commission member, Jim Laughlin. He also serves on the steering committee. They also want recreational centers, such as parks and ball fields for the children. "Those were things that popped up a lot," Laughlin said. He thinks the county needs to provide infrastructure and promote smaller housing. "The days of the big $750,000 housing developments are over," he said, referring to some of Botetourt's better-known and expensive subdivisions. "Unless they get some water and sewage in here, they're going to have a mess." The county experienced a housing boom in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, but that has slowed considerably. Housing permits have dropped from more than 225 annually to less than 75 this year. Infrastructure needs have been an issue for the county for some time. The supervisors struggled with a sewer issue prior to approving Orchard Marketplace last year. The Daleville Town Center development, where a new Food Lion is located, almost failed because of sewer concerns. Any new major development project could face a similar problem if needs are not addressed, Laughlin said. Most of the comments came from the Lord Botetourt meet-

Photo by Anita Firebaugh

Daleville Town Center is the newest development in Botetourt County. The mixed-use development eventually will have residences and commercial buildings on over 300 acres. ing. Only a few people attended the James River forum. "I don't think that the people in this district have felt the pressure that the other districts have felt and they're being a little less proactive," Buchanan District Planning Commission member Steve Kidd said. "In the southern end they've felt it and I think they want to help plan how that area is developed." Much of the county's growth has centered in Cloverdale, Blue Ridge and Daleville. It has gradually crept along US 220 towards Fincastle and is moving along the Cloverdale Road corridor from Exit 150 to US 460 at Bonsack. Kidd expects those areas to receive scrutiny from the comprehensive plan steering committee. Slower economic growth will play a role in the plan's development, Kidd said. He believes the higher cost of gasoline will force development to occur around existing areas of service, such as the county's three towns or Daleville. "People have to keep an open

mind. We do need development and that new influence to help old businesses continue. If we try to shut the door, so to speak, then we would become what I would call stagnant," Kidd said. The comprehensive plan includes a vision statement, methods for managing anticipated growth and transportation needs, goals and policies related to economic development, housing, infrastructure and natural resources, and a plan for environmental quality and agricultural lands. Citizens are asked to fill out a survey online at http://www.botetourt.org/government/planning_cp_update.php, or print the survey and return it to the planning office in Fincastle. A second public forum, which will outline concerns voiced at Saturday's session and include any new information, will be held at the same locations on Saturday, December 5.

By Anita Firebaugh info@newsroanoke.com

Local Tea Party Weighs in on Health Care Reform The Grim Reaper waved his staff at the “Say No to Government Health Care” rally and led the Roanoke Tea Party on October 30 at the intersection of 419 and Brambleton, near the Walgreen’s drugstore in southwest Roanoke County. The anonymous, costumed man stated that, “America is choosing death and evil over God and freedom.” The “evil” spoken of focused on the health care plan proposed by Democratic leaders

Remember Those Who Served at Our Comeout outnow nowto toregister register your Come your veterans veteransand andthen thenjoin joinusus Nov. 15th event.event. November 14thatat2PM 2:00for PMthe forspecial the special

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in Congress and unveiled on October 29. Typical comments during the Tea Party event included: “We are protesting because of what the government is doing to us...it is a disaster,” and “thank goodness we still have our freedom to speak.” All those quoted chose to remain anonymous. Sixth District Congressman Bob Goodlatte, who attended the event, said there is a better way to change the health care plan: “True health care reform must start by making health care affordable and accessible for all Americans.” The group of people numbered around 50-60 protesters, many holding signs displaying their opposition “to the takeover of so many of our venues by the government,” as stated by a protester. One man handed out House Resolution Number 61, the tenth amendment legislation honoring state sovereignty of the U.S. Constitution. He also encouraged newcomers to contact their delegates. Health care reform was a major topic during the 2008 election. Supporters of the new health care plan want a government insurance option. The

most recent 2000 page bill, if passed, will increase federal spending and the national debt, according to opponents. “If the Democrats win [on Tuesday] it’s all over,” said Goodlatte at the Tea Party demonstration, concernPhoto by Dot Overstreet ing the election and The “Say No To Government Health Care” health care reform. rally last Friday was sponsored by the He may feel a little Roanoke Tea Party. It was held at Cave better after RepubSpring Corners, at the intersection of licans swept the statewide elections Rt. 419 and Brambleton Avenue in SW Roanoke County. Pictured: Congressman in Virginia. Proposed solu- Bob Goodlatte talks with the protesters, tions stated in a flier thanking them for taking a stand for handed out by the smaller government. 2nd Tuesday ConEthridge: “The government is stitution Group, included man- not supposed to rule the peodates to “follow the Constitu- ple, the people are supposed tion, reassert states’ control over to rule. That is what freedom is state issues, preserve The Bill of about.” NRA supporters were Rights, limit immigration, cut also a part of the crowd. The federal spending, abolish the Roanoke Tea Party group waved federal reserve system, and re- their signs during rush hour, reduce the size of the military.” ceiving honks from many passAgain and again the recur- ing cars. ring view amongst the Tea By Alice Shook Party health care protestors info@newsroanoke.com was, “it is Socialism.” Said Jeri

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11/6/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 5

Election Day November 3, 2009 Octavia Johnson, a narrow winner, and Doug Walker, a narrow loser, share some thoughts as they nervously watch the vote count come in on Tuesday night.

Bill Cleaveland and Morgan Griffith share a handshake and a pat on the back as they prepare to address an energized Republican crowd. Republican Party leaders Adam Boitnott, Fred Anderson, Molly Koon and Greg Habeeb like what they see as early returns come in Tuesday night.

City Sheriff's candidate Frank Garrett gets the news of his narrow defeat.

Ed Elswick addresses the crowd with a "new feather in his cap."

Gwen Mason concedes the race to Bill Cleaveland by cell phone outside Fork in the Alley in South Roanoke.

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Gwen Mason shares a lighter moment as she thanks her family and supporters on Tuesday.

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Perspective

Page 6 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

Garden Debriefing: Some Wins, Some Losses, and Lessons Learned

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ast night’s hard freeze in mid-October abruptly ended our hope that we might watch our visiting grand-daughters pick the last of this summer’s green beans. Instead, despite our NormanRockwellian visions of cherubic children and lush-hanging legumes with autumnal wisps of cirrus overhead, the shift has happened, our center of focus and energies translated for months to come from garden to woodpile. In our life as a movie, we watch the last page turn in the ledger of gardening memories and snapshots, soft-edged and receding, a metaphor that closes and fades. And from just beyond, rising to focus, another journal opens, enlarges, and the story morphs into the present, smoke curling out the chimney in Currier and Ives fashion—an episode not at all new to us, revisited afresh and with a certain sad joy for one more year. The garden—maybe this year more than most—has yielded lessons among its fruits, lessons that, if they can be properly cultivated, will in the next gardening year make us better gardeners, perhaps better neighbors and citizens, and will harness our finite stocks of enthusiasm and energy in more productive directions. First I should admit that late this summer—and in spite of considerable misgivings on my part—we did follow through on

my wife’s strong feeldesirability. ing that we needed What’s more, the chickens in our lives. gardener becomes I thought the birds dependent on the would not pay their Seed Corporation, way. Now we have while seeds derived four meat birds. They from heirloom or have names and little op e n - p ol l i nate d personalities, so you tomatoes or beans know how this is goand such are more ing to go. democratic and can But in their debe saved and passed Fred First fense (since they are down and shared here to stay and will probably year after year. Ownership and outlive us) they earn their keep control of the source of our somewhat with their eggs and food is an increasingly urgent they generously if too-random- issue for wider public discusly extrude their contributions to sion. And in no place is loss of amend next year’s garden soil. If biodiversity a bigger concern we could only train them not to than with regard to the world’s waste all that waste as they free- shrinking supply of edible plant range. species. Also this year, we have made We had very good success a more serious effort to transi- with Goose Beans this year, aftion towards “heirloom” variet- ter we learned we must provide ies of vegetables. These old fash- tall, sturdy support—like the ioned vegetable types have been reinforcing wire tomato cages largely replaced in recent de- and the cattle-panel “walls” of cades in home gardens and es- our fortress garden. Mortgage pecially on large industrialized Lifter tomatoes, also heirloom, farms by “improved” hybrids, did as well as most and better owned in many cases by Big than some in this blighted sumAgriculture. They are bred for mer. Planted way too early (the disease resistance, size-color- third week of April—I can’t tell shape, blemish-free endurance her anything!) they survived. on the vine and when shipped a (Okay. She won that one.) And thousand or more miles; and in- they processed very well, skins frequently, for taste. But they are falling from them in the hot bred from specific and in many water prior to pressure canning. cases patented parent combina- I of course saved out a choice tions. Next year, saved hybrid specimen and have a hundred seeds will unpredictably carry seeds for the garden of 2010. or drop the desirable gene comIn this second year of gardenbinations that account for their ing a small plot that had been lawn in 2007, we did see a lot more earthworms. We have a long way yet to go. I witnessed H T J I E W M ELER LDS a wonderful example of a lowO S Since 1984 G tech vermiculture-composthydroponics system at Grow2203 Crystal Spring Avenue (next to Tinnell’s) ing Power in Milwaukee two 985-3700 weeks ago. But we have experts “The Cure for the Common Gold.” right here in Floyd County, and 43 years Expertise I hope to learn from some of those neighbors to work with nature harnessing the growing power already showing potential on wisely managed plots that lie just out our back doors. !""#$%&$'()#*+ Now our grand daughters have come and gone, their American Gothic grandpar670/8 ents just barely shifted into the winter-tilted chapter of life in Floyd County. And while they were not able to pick those beans fresh from the vine, I do ,0.4& wish you could have seen their eyes when they opened the little nesting-box door to find three ,-./0&-."1$2/&03-"41$5$,-/ eggs, still warm, not cradled in OAK GROVE PLAZA styrofoam.

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Preacher’s Corner

From the Older Brother’s Room by Ed Dunnington

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ecently I’ve been studying Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son(s) in the 15th chapter of Luke’s gospel. I grew up, as I’m sure many of you did, being told that there were two real points to this parable: First, a wild youthful lifestyle is not a good choice for the long-term. Who really wants to eat pig slop once, let alone make a steady diet of it? The second, that God welcomes the immoral, irreligious son. Both of these conclusions are reached by focusing on the wild, younger son. It wasn’t until years later that I came to believe that these are not at all the points that should be gleaned from the parable. Right now you may be thinking, “What is he talking about?” Let me try to explain. First, in Luke 15 Jesus’ comments were directed at the Pharisees of his day, the group most committed to Jewish spirituality and religious life in first-century Palestine. They were the complete opposite of the wild, younger brother in the parable, so speaking against a wild lifestyle cannot be the point that Jesus was trying to make. Secondly, if one of the points of the parable were to have been, “God welcomes the immoral and irreligious,” then Jesus would have ended the parable in verse 24 with the phrase, “And they began to celebrate.” But he didn’t do that.

So what is Jesus trying to say? Look to the older brother in the parable, rather than the younger brother, to answer this question. Do you remember how the older brother responded to his father? He said, “All these years I’ve slaved for you.” That is language of bondage, not of freedom; the language of religion, not redemption. That is the language of the Pharisees. Here Jesus is exposing the Pharisees’ religion, showing that it is simply another form of “lostness.” It’s neater and cleaner than being wild, immoral or irreligious, to be sure. But because of that truth, the lifestyle of the Pharisees was also far more subtle and dangerous than the obviously reckless lifestyle of the younger brother. As one author recently put it, “Because the older brother is more blind to what is going on, being an elder brother (Pharisee) is a more spiritually desperate condition. “How dare you say that?” is how religious people respond if you suggest their relationship with God isn’t right. “I’m there every time the church doors are open.” Jesus says, in effect, “That doesn’t matter.” One of the sure marks of an “elder brother spirit” is anger and resentment when life doesn’t turn out as you had hoped or planned. Resentment and bitterness bubble to the surface, revealing that our

“relationship” to God is rooted in us getting what we want. So when our marriage goes south, our relationship with our children is fractured, or our elected officials aren’t from the right party, we get angry and think, “God, I have done everything you told me to do, and this is how you repay me!” This thinking reflects a religion of works, not one of undeserved grace. I love the closing scene of the parable. I can almost picture Spielberg or Lucas closing the scene with the figures of the father and older son talking on the crest of a hill. The light grows dim with the setting of the sun so that finally they appear only as silhouettes. Then the father’s words can be heard, “He was lost, and is found.” As the scene fades, the father turns to walk back to the house, which is fully lit and full of life, leaving the older brother standing alone on the hill. The music starts, the credits begin to roll, and the lights in the theater slowly come on. The viewer is left to ask, “Will the older brother go in? Will he be found or will he remain lost in his religiosity? What about you?” From one older brother to another… Ed Dunnington Pastor, Christ the King Presbyterian Roanoke, VA

Sugar Factories Shutting Down!

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ugar factories are shutting $31,250 worth of soil erosion. Trees down throughout the Roanoke also remove other gaseous pollutants, region. But this denouement making them living scrubbers espeis not due to any sad downturn in our cially in urban areas rife with human regional economics. Billions of years activity. in the making, these are living factories When autumn arrives, the chlorothat turn the power of the sun into sugplasts shut down, sugar production ars that fuel entire ecosystems. It’s late grinds to a halt, and their unstable autumn in the Valley, and that means green pigments are absorbed by the that our oaks, maples, dogwoods, redplant. Suddenly, other pigments – buds, and other deciduous trees are H. Bruce Rinker, PhD present all along – show up in evershutting down their chloroplasts for intensifying palettes of foliage across the cold winter months ahead. The profligacy of our mountain landscapes. The trigger for such summer yields to the starkness of a winter land- deep splashes is a combination of dry sunny days scape. followed by cool dry nights. Such vibrant panoraChloroplasts are nifty little packages in plant mas are fodder for the poet and the romantic in us cells – 10 to 100 per cell – that make the leaves look all – and a multi-billion-dollar boon to the tourist Contact Fred at green and produce a plant’s sugars in factory-like industry. But this rainbow is not designed for our enjoyfred1st@gmail.com automation. That’s about 500,000 chloroplasts per square millimeter! If we consider the chloroplasts ment. It may be related to tree survival. Some as the proverbial “black box” of science – or, more experts think that these wild colors – all those appropriately, the “green box” of life – these tiny fiery reds, oranges, and yellows – may be warnorganelles take in sunlight, carbon dioxide, and ing signals to insects in search of winter homes. water to generate sugar with oxygen as a waste A red-pigmented leaf, for example, may suggest product. At breath-taking speeds, thousands of a healthy tree with enough energy to fill future chemical processes occur every second, day and leaves with unappetizing plant toxins. So, madam By Don night, inside these solar collectors to yield the sug- aphid or mister beetle, keep moving or you’ll reWaterfield ars in sugar beets, sugar maples, sugar cane, and gret your nibbles here! every other green plant on Earth. Blessed be the You’ve probably guessed that this alchemy of chloroplasts! All told, we estimate that this com- converting sunlight into sugar is called photosynplex process makes 176 billion tons of sugars each thesis, a descriptive term coined by English sciyear across the planet. Imagine captured sunlight: entist Charles Barnes in 1893. Photosynthesis is when we eat our salads, we can almost taste the an old, complex, and awe-inspiring course of acsavory sweetness of a sunbeam! tion also found among algae and some bacteria. In addition to all those sugars, other benefits It’s one of those ecological processes that distinto humans of this ancient process are staggering. guish Earth from all other known planets. It’s a The U.S. Forest Service estimates that all the forests never-ending dance between energy and life, like combined in the United States sequestered over the great Lord Nataraja in Hindu spirituality: an 300 million tons of carbon per year from 1952 to exaltation of conversion to inspire the ages. 1992, offsetting 25% of the U.S. human-caused emissions of carbon in that period. Further, over H. Bruce Rinker, Ph.D. a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 worth Science Department Chairman of oxygen, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, BRinker@NorthCross.org recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls

Local Crossword Star~Sentinel Crossword Local Crossword

Find the answers online: TheRoanokeStar.com Have a clue and answer you’d like to see? email: puzzles@ theroanokestar.com

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4 __ fide 6 Year in the 40s that mill mountain star was Adjusts the wheels constructed. Central points 7 A well loved city matriarch. Sickly __8 fide 9 YearCram in the 40s that mill mountain star was 10 Angst constructed. 11 Beasts of burden A well loved city matriarch. 13 Dukes Sickly 14 Proof ending Cram 16 Clock time 20 Taxi Angst 21 Boxer Beasts ofMuhammad burden 22 New Jersey's neighbor Dukes 23 Begin a journey Proof ending is a plantation road business 24 Mulchn---Clock time plants - shrubs - topsoil - decorative providing Taxistone - fertilizers - and more. VA it’s against the law to advertise 26 In Roanoke Boxer Muhammad on tombstones True or False? New Jersey's neighbor 28 Freudian selves

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The Roanoke Star-Sentinel is published weekly by Whisper One Media, Inc. in Roanoke,Va. Subscriptions are available for $44 per year. Send subscriptions to PO Box 8338, Roanoke,VA 24014. We encourage letters from our readers on topics of general interest to the community and responses to our articles and columns. Letters must be signed and have a telephone number for verification. All letters will be verified before publication.The Star-Sentinel reserves the right to deny publication of any letter and edit letters for length, content and style. All real estate advertised herein is subject to national and Virginia fair housing laws and readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.


Perspective

11/6/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 7

NewsRoanoke.com

If You Don’t Thank Anyone Else, Thank a Veteran

“The First Battalion’s home. So run to your home Virginia girls and fix your hair with pins; and give them tea and kisses but don’t ask them where they’ve been.” hat’s from a Civil War song; “Of fifty soldiers sent to war, five return: the survivors of the First Battalion.” For generations vets have refused to talk about where they’ve been. Perhaps they know that for us, never having been there, no words avail to recreate the horror experienced when a man turns his soul to war, and all that truly means. If the person he’s talking to has had that experience, there’s no need to explain; if he hasn’t, no sense trying. To hear a tale is not the same as understanding it; there are some things we simply cannot know from the neck up. My father was secretive about his role in World War II. I don’t know why it’s true but this reticence seems to find common denominator in those who fought that war. He had a prominent scar under his jaw

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acquired during the it was easy to imagwar. “Mule kicked ine seeing nothing me,” he would parry of him but his rifle my inquiries over the overhead, all else years. below water, his feet My buddy Ted is searching hopefully the same way. Pacific for a rise so he could Theater. The Second breath, and be shot World War. On of at, again. thousands of GutIt took me years scared young men to get Bill to open harnessed fearup about his expeLucky Garvin fully to their honor riences. But there’s summon a reckless something about courage and run down the off- a soft summer evening, a longramp of a troop carrier into le- trusted friendship and a kitchen thal ordnance. ‘Courage is only table that permits the loosing fear that has said its prayers.’ of stories long – too long – unSeeing your fellows for whom told. I have spoken to him about Death has come quickly, float- those days for fifteen years; it ing face-down in the blood- took that long for him to give churned water. Others gasping me a few realities. and weakly flaying their way in Bill headed a Recon group; the sea; for them Death is com- first ones in, get intel, stay alive ing at a more leisurely pace. Bill if you can, get out. He told me had to leave them there and get of two huge brothers – new reto shore; war permits neither cruits to his small group- eager quarter nor mercy. to engage the enemy, “Bring Ted always snorts when I them on!” There was a terrified bring up Normandy. “One land- company clerk who jumped at ing?! We took all our islands that his own shadow, and was often way. Rifle over your head…” Be- the butt of their humor. That ing of less than average height, night, their encampment was

discovered and over-run. At the first gunshot, the brothers dropped their rifles and ran off in terror. Morning came, Bill took inventory of his group. He heard a soft sobbing. The skinny, terrified clerk sat in his foxhole, his arms hugging his knees, crying. The butt of his rifle had been smashed by a bullet, but beside him in fatal disarray lay four enemy who would never fight again; dead by the hand of the terrified clerk. One was shot; three others knifed. His will to survive had summoned a warrior from deep inside him. His job now done, the Warrior had left, and the little clerk sobbed and shook. Where Bill fought, the enemy would learn American phrases like, “Help me!” or “I’m injured. I can’t make it back.” Screamed piteously in the dead of night, American GI’s would respond, crawl out of their foxholes to save a comrade only to find themselves ambushed, helpless, and finally, dead. The best way to stem this homicide was to return the favor. GI’s

would wait until sun-down, remove any rattling equipment, set their knives between their teeth and go hunting those who hunted them... and cut their throats. Why knives? Firearms – muzzle flash - make you a target in the darkness. Bill did it; had to if he wanted to survive. But how many enemy had Bill killed? It was not the first time I’d asked. In years past, Bill would always make a joke or deflect my question, never answering. Tonight the time had come for answering this long-evaded question. Through the open window a soft wind blew, and a hoot-owl questioned the night sky. Bill looked out at the sound. Quietly, suddenly, Sabrina touched my elbow. “Look!” she whispered. Bill sat at the table, his forearms crossed. But finally he had answered this oft-asked question. From his right hand, four fingers extended straight. He turned and looked impassively at me. His mouth jerked slightly, he blinked hurriedly several times, and looked back

into the night. So Bill and other vets let their devils sleep. But how do we learn the true price of our heritage but from individuals of such reticence to tell it? By gentle persistence, by friendship, and by the genuine respect and knowing that they have been places we have never been, places we could never know, and were we wise, places we would never want to be. War is never-cost free, most especially for those who participate in it face to face. So when we meet someone such as these, we should go softly, respectfully into their company. We might think we fully understand their words, but here I caution against such presumption. We will never know – truly know – what they’ve been through. What it cost them to preserve our wonderful America. On Wednesday Nov 11th make it a point to seek out a Veteran and thank him for the life we all enjoy.

Contact Lucky at info@theroanokestar.com

Finding Your Voice - Telling Your Story The Recipe of the Week from The Happy Chef

I

t’s often the most unexpected experiences that send me reeling. On a whim I found myself at a Sunday afternoon screening of “It Might Get Loud”, a documentary about three electric guitar virtuosos – The Edge (U2), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), and Jack White (The White Stripes). Aside from my appreciation for their unbelievable musical talent, it was a powerful story about how a seemingly unimportant event in your childhood can completely give your life direction and purpose. As I listened to each one talk about their relationship with music and very first instrument, I was struck by a consistent message. These men – each from a different generation – used this collection of wood, metal and strings to tell their own life story. Stories of weakness and strength – anger and love. Stories of tremendous conflict and profound peace. The guitar was their voice. This idea ran though me like a shock wave. What was my story? How do I tell it? What tools do I use? I found myself evaluating everyone around me…what was the “instrument” they used to tell their story? Are they… - a writer who uses words? - a dancer who speaks through movement? - a singer who uses songs? - an architect who designs buildings? - an artist who uses clay or paint? - or a musician who tells their

story through a guibut for the first time tar, piano, cello or in my life I was willviolin? ing to share them. These three men We were friends and knew the exact moshared a love of live ment when it all music. I had watched “clicked” for them. him lovingly hold his They each knew the guitar and had exexact moment that perienced his voice had changed the as it poured off the trajectory of their strings. Surely he lives. It was power- Stephanie Koehler would understand. ful…and thought Clutching the paprovoking. per in my hand, I excitedly went Music has always been an over to his house. anchor for me and serves as an As I stood on the porch, I sudoutlet for emotion – but words denly realized the vulnerability are my instrument. I always was too much – so I hid the pahad pencils, paper, crayons and per in my grip. I chickened out. typewriters . . . So when was I turned to run and in a flurry that moment for me? When of high heels and rain-drenched did I KNOW that words were stairs I was down for the count. my tool? Face first. Concrete landing -People have asked me that and scars to prove it. many times: when did you It wasn’t until days later that I know you were a writer? I could realized amidst the humiliation, never answer the question. I trauma, blood and stitches -- I simply didn’t know -- and it al- had dropped the paper. And it ways troubled me. wasn’t until months later at my Suddenly, on this random high school graduation cerSunday in the Grandin Theater, emony that I heard those words it hit me with such clarity. I re- played back to me in a song. membered the exact moment That exact moment was my and it gave me an overwhelm- validation. I was a writer. ing sense of nostalgia and gratiMany years have passed and I tude. have long since lost track of that I have told this story a million friend. But I can still see him – times – but the significance has standing on a porch in upstate always been lost. New York, guitar flung over his I was 17 years old and it in- shoulder. I am only sorry that I volved a boy (doesn’t it always?) was never able to tell him how – a musician to be exact. I had he helped me find my voice and found words to express my how he gave me the instrument emotions and had scratched with which to tell my story. them on a piece of white lined Contact Stephanie at notebook paper. I had written stephaniekoehler@cox.net countless poems and stories,

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I found this recipe a while back when it caught my eye on the internet. (Emeril’s cooking always does!) I saved the recipe so that I could put it in the Happy Chef for the first week of November. November ALWAYS brings thoughts of oysters to me! All great Thanksgiving family and friend get-togethers should include oysters - An oyster roast, some oyster stuffing, fried oysters, oyster stew – whatever your pleasure, just cook up some oysters this November and be thankful for the time shared with good food that makes for the most wonderful memories with friends and family! ENJOY!! 1/4 cup blanched corn 4 ripe Italian plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 1/4 cup minced onions 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Salt and black pepper 3/4 cup freshly grated horseradish or bottled, if not prepared with cream 3 tablespoons minced shallots 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Ground white pepper 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows 1 cup masa harina 2 large eggs 1 cup milk 36 large freshly shucked oysters, liquor drained and reserved 1/2 cup olive oil Combine the corn, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, and lemon juice. Mix well. Season the salsa with salt and pepper. Set the salsa aside. In a saucepan, combine the horseradish, shallots, garlic, mustard, white pepper and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, whisking gently. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back

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of a spoon, for about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm. In a small bowl, season the flour with Essence. In another bowl, season the masa with Essence. In a third bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Season the oysters with Essence. Dredge the oysters in the seasoned flour. Dip the oysters in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the oysters in the seasoned masa, coating each side completely. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully lay the oysters in the hot oil. Pan-fry the oysters for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove the oysters from the pan and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the oysters with Essence. Serve the oysters with the horseradish cream and salsa.

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Page 8 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

NewsRoanoke.com

The family of missing Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington is thanking the community and the nation for their support. A large “thank you” sign sits in the front yard of their southwest Roanoke County home and rests against a tree. “We’re humbled and so grateful for all the love and support we’ve gotten. We really are,” said Morgan’s mother, Gil. Every glance at the clock reminds Dan (her father) and Gil of the two weeks gone by. “Dan made a point of showing me last night on the microwave clock – [he] said this was the time two weeks ago, the last time Morgan was seen.” Morgan disappeared at a Metallica concert on the

UVA campus. The Harringtons have been on TV nationwide to get their story out, but they recently hired a communications firm out of Washington, D.C. that helps in crisis situations. “Even though we were trying to get our message out for Morgan, we would look at each other every day and say, ‘we just can’t do as much as we’re doing. We have to shut this down.’ So we have someone help us field some calls and do something and point our way,” said Gil Harrington. They made the two hour trip to Charlottesville last Friday. [We] went and took flowers and put them at the police station and then also at Copeley

NewsRoanoke.com

Family of Missing Tech Student Appreciates Support

Bridge, the last point where they have sightings of Morgan,” Gil Harrington said. Now, they’re trying to cope and are finding resources to help in their grief. “We’re now at a point two weeks into this…having had contact with other families from across the country who are in this situation or have been in this situation,” said Dan Harrington. If you have any information, please call police at (434) 3523467. (From media partner WSLS-10)

Introducing Carilion Clinic Medicare Health Plan

If you, a friend or family member have experienced the care, service and individual attention of Carilion Clinic, you know firsthand what a difference a trusted physician can make in your healthcare and peace of mind. Now, Carilion Clinic is sponsoring a new Medicare Advantage plan, Carilion Clinic Medicare Health Plan. Medicare Advantage plans, part of the approved Medicare program, provide all of the benefits of original Medicare. They also offer many additional benefits and services at a cost that is usually less than Medicare Supplement plans. Carilion Clinic Medicare Health Plan, a health plan with a Medicare contract, will accept applications for 2010 enrollment between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31, 2009. It is available to anyone entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B who lives in the Carilion Clinic Medicare Health Plan’s approved service area: Bedford, Lexington, Radford, Roanoke and Salem, and the counties of Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery and Roanoke. Enrollment period restrictions apply and plan costs may vary depending on benefits offered.

Carilion Roanoke Memoria l is one of seven Carilion Cli nic hospitals that will serve pla n members.

Look for more information about the plan, benefits and enrollment details coming your way soon. For more information about Medicare Advantage, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE, TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

n o i t c e l E l a u n n A Period Begins Nov. 15. H8050_Ad0913c_Ver2 © 2009 Carilion Clinic Medicare Health Plan (1-1-582)

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Send sports pictures, announcements and story ideas to info@newsroanoke.com

Sports

Cave Spring, Hidden Valley to Clash Again

The playoff-bound Cave Spring Knights (8-1), fresh off a 21-14 win over Christiansburg, face southwest Roanoke County rival Hidden Valley at Bogle Stadium this Friday night in the seasonending game. The Titans (6-3) were shut out on the road 28-0 over Salem last Friday, as the Spartans held Hidden Valley running back phenom David Williams to just 55 yards. The Knights racked up 265 yards passing in their win over the Blue Demons, with quarterback Josh Woodrum connecting on 24 of 38 attempts, with two touchdown passes.

photos by TJ Witten

Knights QB Josh Woodrum faces the Christiansburg rush defense.

photos by TJ Witten

Knights running back Michael Cole breaks the tackle.

11/6/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 9

County Bragging Rights on Line

The Hidden Valed with consecutive ley Titans and Cave victories over Pulaski, Spring Knights have a Blacksburg and Chrislot in common. Both tiansburg. had disappointing, sub Friday night’s contest .500 records in 2008. will more than likely Both have bounced be decided by two back to clinch Region standouts: Cave Spring IV playoff berths. And quarterback Josh both sit tied for secWoodrum and Hidden ond place in the River Valley tailback David Ridge District standWilliams. Williams, ings with one game left who leads all running in the regular season. backs in the Roanoke In the rivalry’s sevValley with 2,126 yards enth game since the on the ground, strugschools split southwest gled last week, with Roanoke County up in only 55 yards rushing 2002, pride and bragand a fumble against ging rights are on the the Spartans. Still, Willine this Friday night liams is averaging 236 (Nov. 6) when the two yards per game and it surprise teams meet at will take a monumental Bogle Stadium. effort by the Knights to “That’s what this contain him. game has always been “Their offensive line about,” Knights Head is so good, and he’s Coach Tim Fulton such a hard running Photos by TJ Witten said in reference to the kid,” Fulton said of rivalry. “These games Titans head coach Scott Weaver is wary of the Williams. “We’re just have always been close, Knight’s offensive attack. (file photo) gonna have to do a are always played with good job of getting to them work for their points. We a lot of emotion, and it’s always him and stopping him before he can’t do that against a good team exciting for the players.” gets started.” like Cave Spring.” Cave Spring (8-1) certainly Cave Spring has its own offenWith a win the Titans (6-3) would be excited to break a sive weapon in Woodrum, their would clinch the #2 seed in the three game losing streak in the junior quarterback. Currently, Region IV Division 4 playoffs series and avenge a 27-6 drubWoodrum is second among and a first round bye. Weaver is bing at the hands of the Titans Roanoke Valley high schools hoping the Titans can take adlast fall. A win would also clinch with 1,360 yards passing, to go vantage of the opportunity for a the #1 seed and a first round bye along with 8 touchdown passes week off. in the Region IV Division III and a completion percentage “Our goal is to get to 7-3, get playoffs. over 60%. the highest seed we can get and The Titans on the other hand Woodrum can do more then the season starts over with will be looking to bounce back than throw the ball: he has also a clean slate,” he said. from an ugly performance at rushed for seven scores on the Like their counterparts, the Salem last weekend, which saw season, making it a difficult Knights also suffered an embarHidden Valley trailing 21-0 after matchup for the Titans defense. rassing 42-0 loss to the Spartans less than seven minutes. Though “He makes them tough to on October 9th. But rather than the Spartans have made plenty game plan for,” said Weaver. implode, the Knights used the of opponents look bad thus far, “Cave Spring throws it well, defeat as a lesson. Hidden Valley head coach Scott runs it well [with Michael Cole “We realized that we needed Weaver is anxious to see how and Sam Wright], so it’ll be a to refocus and pull together as his team will react. challenge for us.” a team,” Fulton said. “We revis“We just have to respond,” he Prediction: Cave Spring 24, ited the little things – discipline, said. “It’s a similar situation to Hidden Valley 21 execution, stuff like that. We the Brookville game, in that we have a tight group, and a dediBy Matt Reeve had some turnovers and other cated group, and it just brought Matt@theroanokestar.com costly mistakes and didn’t make us closer.” The Knights respond-

photos by TJ Witten

Cave Spring head coach Tim Fulton exhorts the troops.

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Sports

Page 10 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

Send sports pictures, announcements and story ideas to info@newsroanoke.com

North Cross Star Headed to Ivy League

North Cross star running back Tyler Caveness revealed last week that he has orally committed to play football at Harvard. Caveness, a senior who had also been recruited by Princeton University, has rushed for 1,512 yards and 18 touchdowns so far this season. As a junior, Caveness ran for 2,518 yards and 26 scores, helping the Raiders capture the VISAA Division III State Championship. “I never dreamed that I would someday play football at Harvard, but it’s just something that developed,� Caveness said. Caveness said that the Harvard coaching staff hopes to use him in a variety of ways. “They said they want to use me just like West Virginia

Tyler Caveness breaks free for another long run for the Raiders. (file photo) uses Noel Divine,� he said. “In the slot, as a receiver

and running back, returning kicks, stuff like that. They

said they’re expecting me to get on the field as a freshman

and make an impact.� Caveness’ coach at North Cross, Lee Johnson, says the sky is the limit for his stud tailback. “I think he is going to be a huge success at the collegiate level,� Johnson said. “He can do it all, and he has a work ethic that is second to none. The way he handles himself, both on and off the field, he’s been a great model for our younger guys. I’m really excited for him.� Of course, Harvard’s reputation for academic excellence also helped in Caveness’ decision. “My dad liked it a lot, and I know I’ll get a good education there,� he said. Caveness began his high school career at Cave Spring before transferring to North Cross.

The Crimson, a Division I-AA school, has won two Ivy League championships in a row. Caveness mentioned two other stats that helped sway his decision: over the last 16 years, every graduating senior has won an Ivy League title, and in the last nine years Harvard has had 20 players selected in the NFL Draft. One of Caveness’ friends might be joining him in the fall as well. Alex Berry, an OT/DT, has also been recruited by the Crimson, though Berry has yet to commit. By Matt Reeve Matt@theroanokestar.com

Volleyball Playoffs are Here

North Cross Volleyball

North Cross School won its quarterfinal opening playoff match against Holy Cross last week, The River Ridge District held its season ending tourney this week, with several teams expected winning 3 games to 1. A day later the Raiders fell in a Blue Ridge Conference semifinal to Eastern to move on to regional action. Hidden Valley and Salem warmed up recently with a match near the Mennonite by a 3-0 count. end of the regular season, won by the Hidden Valley Titans. Photos by Wade Thompson

Photos by Wade Thompson

North Cross’s Kaki Comer dives for the dig as teammates Emma Caverness (left) and Anna Black (right) look on in a playoff match against Holy Cross.

Hidden Valley volleyball Head Coach Carla Ponn Poff prepares to high five Samantha Ringer (far left) with the approval of teammates in the game against Salem.

Photos by Wade Thompson

Salem’s Katie Helvey (left) challenges Hidden Valley’s Rachel Thomas (6) for the ball above the net as Sarah Church (10) prepares for a rebound.

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11/6/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 11

NewsRoanoke.com

Commentary: City Needs Surcharge for Ill-Advised Countryside Apparently, not knowing what else to do, our esteemed City Council, by a five to two vote, decided to get Countryside off the table and (hopefully) out of sight for the next five years / two election cycles. Well, what the heck, it is only $1.5 million. No wait. That is 1.5 million dollars of borrowed money for 20 years at (probably) 4.5%. Shucks only $67,500 a year interest and $1.35 million for 20 years. So, the $1.5 million “invest-

ment” is really $2.85 million. Perhaps if costs were presented to council members this way, they might think twice about how they fritter away taxpayer money. The $1.5 million is in addition to the $4 million the city manager (with the approval of the council) overpaid for the property in the first place. I doubt if any bank would have loaned the money to a developer for that purchase. However, knowing the city has a

guaranteed stream of taxpayer revenue coming in every year, one of our friendly local banks made the risk free loan for the purchase, at a mere 6.5% So, that is at least $5.5 million the City has “invested” in Countryside. Maintaining the golf course, directly or indirectly, benefits a miniscule number of golfers at the expense of all the taxpayers in Roanoke. One assumes property owners around Countryside who

benefit from increased home values, also pay for that benefit with their property taxes as a result of higher assessments. Hardly seems fair they alone should be penalized. Our departing City Manager did her best to infuse profit motive and cost recovery in city employees. Here is something for the council to chew on: In contracting out the operation of the golf course have a clause in the contract that there will be a surcharge on the greens fee for playing the course. The

surcharge accrues to city. The greens fee surcharge will be set so that the $5.5 million, miss- invested in Countryside, will be recovered in a ten year period. This would be a “recovery cost.” It seems to me adult golfers, like former council member Alvin Nash who plays the course regularly, can afford the greens fee and surcharge more easily than a low income family on “assistance” in Lincoln Terrace can afford the admission fee (recovery cost) to a city owned swimming pool.

I don’t mind subsidizing children swimming at city owned facilities with my taxes. I sure as heck object to heavily subsidizing Alvin Nash and others, every time they play golf at Countryside. Robert Craig Roanoke, Va.

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Commentary: The VAT - Don’t Even Think About It! The dirty little secret is beginning to seep out. Your federal government, ever watchful for new ways to take your money from you in order to (in part) use it to compel you to adopt certain behaviors, is thinking about the socialist European Value Added Tax (VAT). Even Speaker of the House Pelosi admitted, in a recent PBS interview with Charlie Rose, that some form of VAT will need to be considered as part of the mix. This is frightening news, as it would provide an almost limitless source of money to pay for gross overspending on projects that (in part) we don’t want. And, it would be in addition to the income tax! The VAT taxes the value added to each step of production of every good or service. For example, the addition of a windshield to a workin-progress new car would require a tax on the increase in value of the car. Providers of goods and services will, of course, pass these taxes along

to consumers as costs of production; i.e., as higher prices. In effect, the VAT is a sales tax imposed on all goods and services deemed to be subject to the tax. Further, the complexity of keeping track of all these mini-taxes is such that the VAT is only cost-effective if the tax is high enough. This could result in the tax rate being set at 10-15% and it is further subject to the whims of Congress when it comes to raising the rate. The VAT, as a flat-rate tax on most of what we buy or consume, is extremely regressive. Unlike the income tax, which has been twisted and contorted in order to give a break to this group or that person, the VAT hits everyone with the same bat. The poor will pay a greater percentage of their expenditures in tax than those of higher income. Only a further set of contortions can relieve this certainty. Bring on thousands more pages of tax regulations! Fortunately, many of us in the Roanoke Valley are

served by a Congressman, Bob Goodlatte, who can be counted upon to vote against a VAT proposal as often as it comes up. Other Congressmen serving our region are not so certain, nor are our two Senators. We need to contact our wavering representatives often and with a simple message: The VAT - Don’t even think about it! There is an alternative to the income tax with or without the VAT: the FairTax. It provides for the elimination of the income tax and the IRS leading to a whole bunch of changes. Instead of taxing “earned income,” which seems to include money made from any source whatsoever, it taxes only money spent to make a purchase. Since earned income is not taxed there is no need for payroll and withholding taxes and you go home with your full paycheck. There are some workers who, having had their checks reduced in this way for so long, don’t know what their full wage is! Wait, there’s more!

Each legal, resident family will receive a monthly refund for the FairTax that will be paid on expenses up to that family’s poverty level meaning that the poorest among us will, unlike the income tax and especially the VAT, pay no tax at all. The rich, on the other hand, will hardly notice the prebate. Between these extremes, every family will have some of its taxes refunded with the most effect felt at the lower incomes. The income tax is already included in the costs of goods and services by virtue of hidden taxes collected from providers. The VAT would double down on this at every level of production. On the other hand, the FairTax would eliminate all of these taxes! Consequently, as the costs of new goods and services drop – the average amount is 22% - the FairTax is inserted at the level of 23%. Prices would remain essentially at the incometaxed level and well below the plus-VAT level. In fact, had the FairTax been effect a year

Dear editor, Brian Gottstein's piece in your October 23 edition, "Passenger Rail for Roanoke is Too Costly, Used by Too Few,” is based largely on the same old fallacy used by highway lobby partisans for at least 50 years - that 85% of travel in America is by auto and 79% in Europe. What is never revealed in such studies is that tile average trip by auto is just over 50 miles, meaning that for everyone who wants to go from, say, Roanoke to Charlottesville or Washington or Richmond, perhaps 500 want to go from Roanoke to Blacksburg or Fincastle or even to another part of Roanoke. It is the longer-distance city center to city center trips that make driving so exhausting, dangerous and costly, particularly in bad weather or for those who want to go and return the same day. People dread driving to Washington, Richmond, or similar destinations of a hundred miles or more (Washington is 250 miles from Roanoke and Richmond, 175) because of highway congestion and truck competition on I-81, I-64 and I-66, not to mention the possibility of accidents, snow and ice, mechanical breakdowns, the cost of parking and overnight accommodations, and -- perhaps most of all, simple exhaustion. A train eliminates these irritants and does place less of a tax on the environment, imported oil, and the traveler's pocketbook. A country that relies on everybody owning a car and driving everywhere he wants to go is living in a fantasy world that is simply not sustainable as we enter a 21st Century world. It is not the same world that Henry Ford found when he thought the Model T would help rural

farmers get to and from the nearest train station. It is not even the same world that highway planners found in the 1950's when our population was half the current level and gasoline was 24 cents a gallon. The era of "America's love affair with the automobile" died a long time ago and only those wonderful folks at General Motors didn't realize it in time to salvage their business model short of bailouts and bankruptcy. Randolph Gregg Roanoke VA

Open Letter to Senator Webb Dear Senator Webb,

Please oppose the current healthcare bill being debated in the Senate, that contains a public option with “OptOut” clause. The “Opt-Out” choice is meaningless as it would be politically difficult in 41 states. Instead please join in a bipartisan effort (or lead it) to bring real reform by lowering costs based on private market solutions, to help those who cannot afford adequate healthcare coverage and help others keep what they have. Some of these proposals are: 1.) Equalize tax laws so individuals can deduct cost of plans they buy. 2.) Remove legal obstacles to high deductible plans and medical savings

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or so ago, its full-paycheck property would have provided a strong stimulus on its own. For further information, see www.RoanokeAreaFairTax.com.

accounts. 3.)Encourage repeal of all state laws that impede insurance access across state lines. 4.) Repeal government mandates that drive up costs for everyone. 5.) Recognize the Fort Reform can bring down the costs for doctors. 6.) Propose a voucher system through Medicaid for those in need. Please help save the best health treatment and medical research in the world before we lose it all. Kathleen A. Hall and William C. Hall Roanoke, Va.

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Leaf Collection 2009 Department of Public Works 1802 Courtland Road Roanoke, VA 24012 Phone: 540-853-2676

The city’s 2009-2010 budget eliminated the loose leaf collection program. Therefore, the city will provide neither free nor paid loose leaf collections this fall. Bagged leaves and regular bulk items will be collected on alternating weeks:

Beginning Monday, Nov. 16/Ending Friday, Dec. 18 Week of: Nov. 16 Nov. 23 Nov. 30 Dec. 7 Dec. 14

Collect: Bagged Leaves/No Bulk Bulk Only/No Bagged Leaves Bagged Leaves/No Bulk Bulk Only/No Bagged Leaves Bagged Leaves/No Bulk

Recycle Collect: Paper Bottles & Cans Paper Bottles & Cans Paper

An easy way to remember: Bagged Leaves will be collected the same week as paper recycling Citizens may use standard plastic leaf bags or 30 gal. paper bags. Both types of bags are available from local hardware stores and home centers.

Households may put 25 plastic bags to the curb per collection week, or households may put an unlimited number of paper bags to the curb per collection week. Reminder: As of 9/8/2009, it is a violation of City Code Section 14.1 to rake loose leaves into the city’s right-of-way. City inspectors will cite violations of this code. If leaves remain in the right-of-way after a 72-hour removal notice, the city will have the leaves removed and bill the adjoining parcel owner. No bagged leaf collection in alleys.

If you have questions about the city’s Leaf Collection Program, call 853-2000 and select Option 6 or visit www.roanokeva.gov/leaves

HOLIDAY TRASH COLLECTION 2009 • Thanksgiving Week — Trash and recycling collected one day early — no collection Nov. 26 & 27 • Christmas and New Year’s Weeks — Trash and recycling collection on regular schedule If you have questions, call 853-2000 and select option 1 or visit www.roanokeva.gov/solidwaste All above information is only for properties located within the City of Roanoke.


Valley Business

Page 12 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

Five Years of Good Mojo

Entering the Mojo Café on Brambleton Avenue in southwest Roanoke feels like arriving at a small family reunion or an impromptu gathering of friends. Owners Sybil Barrett and Nicole Litwiller are central to the welcoming atmosphere. They are like sisters – laughing, talking and generally having a good time. Their spirited banter belies the fact that they work very hard serving their customers “the best product we can make,” just one of the reasons they have succeeded, according to Barrett. Mojo will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Monday Nov. 9; no small feat considering their coffee shop has been around the longest of any on the Brambleton corridor, where several others have failed. The café serves both coffee and food; the breakfast menu is available all day. Both Barrett and Litwiller, and many of their loyal customers, feel their coffee is “the best in the valley” in part because they use “the best beans available,” from Larry’s Beans in Raleigh, N.C. Barrett, who has extensive experience working in coffee shops in both Greensboro and Roanoke, cites their continued commitment to organic fair trade coffee suppliers as a pioneering effort here in the valley. Larry’s Beans visits farms all over the world to be certain they compensate the growers fairly. For their part, Mojo’s

NewsRoanoke.com

Civic Center Spruce-Up Brings Welcome Change

Photo by Cheryl Hodges

Owners Sybil Barrett and Nicole Litwiller toast to five years. has been ahead of the “green” curve, using decomposable corn products for the cups and utensils as well. Other products used are recyclable. The owners characterize the menu as quick good food that leans toward the light and healthy. The portion sizes are larger than are typically found in many similar restaurants, which translates into a slightly longer stay in the eclectic, homey shop. Free wireless Internet is available for customers who’d rather surf than chat. Even though it would seem they have been lifelong friends, Barrett and Litwiller actually met only six months before going into business together. The idea for a coffee shop had been discussed, but when they saw a For Lease sign at their current location, in 72 hours

they had a business plan and a signed lease. Longtime customer Sheree Ringer comments that, “if you visit a place long enough you become part of a little community that you look forward to every day, and the organic coffee is hands down the best I’ve tried. I’m a Mojoer!” Both Litwiller and Barrett agree that they are “blessed with tons of loyal clientele and also the new faces” they see each day. The Mojo Café is located diagonally across from the Coffee Pot at 2825 Brambleton Ave. and is open Mon.– Fri. 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Phone 769-6050. By Cheryl Hodges info@newsroanoke.com

National College Appoints New Director National College recently hired Randy Holley, from Forest VA, as Director of Institutional Effectiveness. Holley has a master's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from George Mason University and a Juris Doctor degree from Liberty University School of Law. With seven years of teaching experience, Holley will focus on issues concerning academics and accreditation in his new position.

Eleven months into his tenure as general manager of the Roanoke Civic Center, Chris Connelly has made do with the money he has had on hand in the cash-strapped city – but the changes he’s made with a staff now employed by Global Spectrum have sure spruced the place up a bit. The 34-year-old GM showed off the recent improvements at the Civic Center complex during a media day event last week. For starters the ticket office façade now features cherrystained wood instead of cinder block, as well as freshly painted sheetrock. Pictures of artists that have recently performed there now decorate the box office interior. There are also more ATM’s on the concourse and concession stands now take credit and debit cards. Assistant general manager Robyn Schon calls Connelly “a breath of fresh air” for his approach to changes at the Civic Center. Connelly came to the area after stints with Global Spectrum at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia and in London, Ontario. “I love Roanoke… I really do,” said Connelly on media

GM Chris Connelly points out recent Civic Center updates. day, when the in-house catering company Ovations showed off what they can do as well. Head chef Chris Eanes recently won a catering cook-off in Roanoke. Flat screen LED televisions around the coliseum concourse run promotional footage of upcoming events and sponsor ads, and a new permanent, brightlycolored merchandise area called Kaleidoscope occupies space once filled with offices. There’s also a new “green room” for artists that are looking to cool their heels before the show and exercise equipment for those stars that don’t want to go to a local gym. “We’re not a must play mar-

ket,” noted Connelly – meaning Roanoke must try harder to attract performing artists sometimes. He promised more variety, like the Broadway series early in 2010. “We’ve got a lot of good stuff coming up.” Over at the Performing Arts Theatre the sound system has been improved and minor tweaks have made the Special Events Center trade show hall a better experience. “We feel like we’re making great strides,” said Connelly, who also pointed out that the Civic Center is “getting the [big] events,” like the Jeff Dunham comedy show that recently filled the coliseum. Connelly would like to see another full time sports tenant, which makes it easier to fill the calendar. The die-hard Philadelphia Flyers fan would like to see minor league hockey return, and after several recent failures (Express, Vipers) he figures “we have one more shot at this thing.” After observing that “we still have a lot of things to do on our list,” Connelly said he was optimistic: “we’re hoping that [people] see a difference.”

By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

Roanoke Region Lauded by National Magazine

The Roanoke Region has been named the favorite location by editors of Business Facilities, a national publication for site selectors and economic development officials. In its October cover story, the 43,000circulation journal cited the region's low unemployment, rising home prices, diversifying economy and quality of life. "The Roanoke Region jumped to the top of the list because, in a time of flat-lining economic indicators, every arrow is pointing in the right direction," the magazine wrote. "Roanoke also stands out because it is successfully diversifying its economic base while maintaining a charming, comfortable quality of life that glows with old-fashioned hospitality." The article cites the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and businesses such as LiteSteel Technologies, TMEIC GE and Synchrony for leading the region's economic transformation. A digital version of the magazine, with the complete story, can be viewed at: http://digitaledition.qwinc.com/ publication/?i=24472. It was the second time this year the Roanoke Region was prominently featured in a national magazine. The region also has been profiled in USAirways magazine as well as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Southern Living and other publications.

Governor Kaine Names Daniel Barchi Member Of Health Information Commission Economic Development Manager Selected

At Your Service!

Secretary of Health and Human Resources The Commission will enlist a broad range of The City of Roanoke has selected Robert B. Ledger for the position of Economic Development Manstakeholders including physicians, Health In- Marilyn Tavenner will chair the Commission ager in the Department of Economic Development. Mr. Ledger comes to the city from the Roanoke Regional Partnership, where has been employed since 1998 as Business Development/Projects Diformation Exchange and privacy experts, and and has been asked to secure broad stakeholder engagement and to provide leadership on the rector. A native of Erie, Penn., Ledger holds a bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech. Before coming to hospital and insurance executives. Governor Timothy M. Kaine recently an- most valuable use of American Recovery and the Partnership, he was employed for six years by ETS Analytical Services Inc. of Roanoke as Sales and nounced the formation of the Health Infor- Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds set aside for Corporate Marketing Manager. As Economic Development Manager, Mr. Ledger will be responsible for day-to-day management of Health Information Technology. The Virginia mation Technology Advisory Commission by Rd. 2711 Franklin staff assignments, and project and program coordination and implementation. He will begin working Roanoke, VA 24014 Executive Order 95. Daniel Barchi, senior vice Department of Health has been designated as for the city on Nov. 17. president and chief information officer for Car- the lead agency for Health IT in the CommonThe city continues its recruitment process for a director to lead the Department of Economic Develilion Clinic is among those chosen to serve on wealth and an Office of Health IT was created. opment. The newly created Commission will support the Commission. "I am happy to join this group of talented the Commonwealth's response to federal grant leaders from the healthcare, business, and IT opportunities, and ensure coordination across The National Business Association of the Roanoke Valley Campus held its monthly meeting recently, communities to guide Virginia's Healthcare multiple related areas in an effort to maximize in the NBA Conference Center with guest speaker Jim Woltz, CEO of Woltz & Associates, a national Information Technology strategy," says Barchi. the benefits of the funding available to the SERVING THE ROANOKE VALLEY real estate and auction company. Mr. Woltz shared his story of moving to the Roanoke Valley with less "Each of the healthcare organizations repre- state. than ! which has now become a multi-million dollar venture. He stressed COUPON To learn more about the Health IT Advisory sented has made great strides in using technolCOUPON $100 and starting his business to students the value of hard work, integrity, and first impressions along with the importance of subject ogy for the benefit of its own patients, and to- Commission or to view a complete list of memknowledge to succeed in today's business environment. The hour long presentation ended with an exgether we are working to ensure integrated care bers, please visit www.governor.virginia.gov/. Home planation of the auction process, and Mr. Woltz actually auctioned off a fewImprovements items to the audience. The and coverage state-wide and regionally." ! baked by NBA advisor Jayne Atkins. highest price bid and paid was for a chocolate cake

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Arts & Culture

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Checking in with Nancy Gray

You can see from the moment she enters a room, firmly shaking hands, that Nancy Gray is strong and confident. Gray, president of Hollins University, spoke candidly during a recent interview about issues that concern many. For starters, she talked extensively about the role Hollins University is playing in the local community as well as the university’s commitment to recycling. “We have a strategic plan and there are four markers; global awareness, cultural understanding, opportunity and leadership,� said Gray. Drive onto the campus and you will see the most artful recycling bins, brightly painted and decorated by Hollins University students. Hollins has also partnered with the city of Roanoke and has an area designated for the community to get involved and to bring items for recycling. Gray said, “There is even talk of signing a sustainability pledge.� Gray has spoken in favor of the Amethyst Initiative, which was founded by an organization called Choose Responsibility. This group is dedicated to the

issue of alcoholism learn to think for on college campusthemselves, they es, and has attracted learn who they are both good and bad and how to go for attention. For starttheir goals. Singleers, a number of sex schools build college and univerself-confidence sity presidents, inand self-knowlcluding Gray, conedge. The greatest tend that lowering gift a single-sex the drinking age school can give a back to 18 (from woman is belief in 21) might not be self and permisthe worst thing in sion to be you.� Nancy Gray the world, and would Gray is perhaps eliminate the cache the school’s biggest that comes with obtaining al- cheerleader, “Hollins prepares cohol while underage. She had students for their first and last this to say on the subject: “A de- job through internships, study cision should be made only after abroad programs and best of careful and thoughtful study.� all, the ability to connect what is Gray, who graduated from learned to the rest of the world.� Vanderbilt University, a coed Hollins University also offers school, became president of the opportunity for adult womHollins University in 2006. She en to return to school through a speaks very proudly of the Lib- program called Horizons. Gray eral Arts University she presides calls Horizons “an ideal setting over and firmly believes that as, well as [offering] tremendous single-sex schools offer advan- support and encouragement for tages to women academically. their academic success.� “Women have to compete with men in the world,� said By Lisa Brown Gray. “The growth is huge in info@newsroanoke.com single-sex schools. Women

Local Author to Sign Books at Barnes and Noble Store Virginia author David L. Hurst will be signing copies of his poetry book, “A Daily Walk with the Lord� on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 4478 Electric Rd. SW, Roanoke, Va. His book provides readers with an encouraging poem for each day of the year and can be used as a morning devotional, a noontime focus, or a spiritual ending to the day. Pastor Michael Collins says, “I have been David’s pastor for seventeen years and can testify to his great love for Jesus Christ. He is well known

in our church and appreciated for his beautiful prayers. He has taken that same ability that he uses in prayer and expressed himself in these poems. I am sure that everyone who reads them will be blessed. “ Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book is available at bookstores nationwide or can be ordered through the publisher at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore or by visiting barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com or target.com. An audio version also is available from the publisher.

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11/6/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 13

Journalist Chronicles Regional Ghost Stories

Joe Tennis loves history. He also holds a special affection for Virginia and its folklore. A writer for the “Bristol Herald Courier� and a hiking columnist for “Appalachian Voices� in North Carolina, Tennis’ passion for ghost stories has resulted in a series of books: “Beach to Bluegrass� (2007), “The Marble and Other Ghost Tales of Tennessee and Virginia� (2007), “Sullivan County, Tennessee: Images of America� (2008), and a forthcoming work, “Finding Franklin,� that chronicles supernatural stories of the Old Dominion. Dressed in a black cape, Tennis spoke about the legends he’s chronicled before an audience at Center in the Square’s History Museum of Western Virginia on October 24. “I wear the cape now at ghost tale readings as a way to kind of dress in black and come up with some sort of a motif,� he explains. As to why the South has spawned such a wellspring of shuddery lore, Tennis places the reason squarely on the Appalachian Mountains. They “have a mysterious quality to them. This is an exotic section of the country, it seems. It’s largely unknown– and even feared by city-dwellers. Hence, what makes you scared, or what you fear, or what you simply don’t understand, might make a ghost tale.� One of the stories Tennis shared with his Center in the Square audience involved his alma mater, Radford University, and, of all people, Nostradamus. “We used to hear that legend when I was at the campus. They would say that Nostradamus had come up with some sort of a theory that the tallest building, or the building with the thirteenth floor in the valley where the river runs backwards, will fall, or something will happen to it.� To Tennis, this is “an

example of some “It’s just someof the wild stories thing that I’ve that can be told on heard all my life. college campuses. I love that story, It’s probably just and it makes a somebody readgood story.â€? Set in ing a book and the Great Dismal going crazy.â€? Swamp, the “Lady The “ghost of the Lakeâ€? dates roostersâ€? involved back approxia man who staged mately a century cockfights and or more. “You can was later haunted see these mysteriby the spirits of ous lights hoverthe roosters he ing above that lake had killed. In this at night and they Joe Tennis instance, there was a can’t explain where witness to the ghostly the lights are coming happenings – a man named Old from. People say it is fox fire, Daddy Thomas. Tennis learned which is a natural illumination. of the story from a gentleman This lady is floating along with who had met Thomas. “He told her lover, and she can’t get to the me the story that he called them other side. They see her in her ‘haint roosters’ [‘haint’ being an- canoe‌and they see there are other term for ghost]. He said, little fireflies in their lamp.â€? ‘Them’s a haint rooster,’ and he When it comes to paranormal said that they came up and ‘We investigators, or “ghost hunters,â€? heard them ghostly roosters. . Tennis doesn’t dismiss them, .We never saw any roosters but instead viewing their efforts as we swear, when that man was bit complementary to his own. “I and buried, we heard the roost- consider them to be researchers ers as he was gettin’ buried.’â€? as much as anybody else who One of Tennis’ favorite Vir- would be a witness to history.â€? ginia ghost tales concerns the In documenting these stories “smoking ghostâ€? of Honaker of the Old Dominion’s superHigh School in Russell Coun- natural folklore tradition, Tenty. The school’s Principal, A. nis hopes Virginians will better P. Baldwin, constantly smoked understand this part of their cigarettes, and people “have de- history. “You do not have to go cided that those mysterious red to Pennsylvania or Vermont or dots that they see must be him anywhere very far away to get smoking his cigarettes up in the good history, good stories, and gymnasium.â€? good legends. You don’t have to The maternal side of Vir- look for ‘The Amityville Horginia’s ghostly heritage is rep- ror’ house to have a good story. resented by the Witch at Witch I think the main thing, too, is Duck Road, and the “Lady of to appreciate your history [be] the Lake.â€? The former, another cause I think so much of what Tennis favorite, was Grace Sher- I’ve done constantly is to always wood. Tossed into the Lyn- talk about the history behind nhaven River in 1706, she was the place, how the place took able to free herself; she was later its name, [and] what happened incarcerated until 1714, and there.â€? lived until 1740. Tennis always tells this story because he heard By Melvin E. Matthews, Jr. it growing up in Virginia Beach. info@newsroanoke.com

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Page 14 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 11/6/09

The Roanoke Star-Sentinel Dining Guide

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Madison’s Opening Early November New Location: 6063 Bent Mountain Rd., Roanoke Formally Old English Inn & Old Back Creek Grill

Look for more information next week

! d o o g l l a s ’ t i , s ’ e i n r E Ernies Restaurant Located on Roanoke’s Historic City Market 210 Market Street (540) 342-7100

Great Brick Oven Pizza, Fabulous Burgers, Sandwiches, Dogs, Salads and More June Schedule of Events

Incredible Local Musicians most weekends!

Weds., 4th Open Mic Hosted by Daniel McBroom Thurs., 5th Adam Markham June Schedule of Events Fri., 6th BrianWeds., Grey4th and Friends Open Mic Sat., 7th Groova ScapeHosted by Daniel McBroom Thurs., 5th Adam Markham Thurs., 12th Hoppie Vaughn and Friends Fri., 6th Fri., 13th Biggin’ Suite Brian Grey and Friends Sat., 7th Groova Scape Sat., 14th Electric Chameleon Thurs., 12th Hoppie Vaughn and Friends Weds., 18th Open Fri.,Mic 13th Biggin’ Suite Sat.,by 14thDaniel Electric Chameleon Hosted McBroom Weds., 18th Open Mic special Thurs., 19th The Ambassador with Hosted by Daniel McBroom guest Brent Hoskins / The Seed Thurs., 19th The Ambassador with special Sat., 21st Brian Grey and Friends guest Brent Hoskins / The Seed Sat., 21st Brianwith Greyspecial and Friends Thurs., 26th The Ambassador Thurs., 26th The Ambassador with special guest Brent Hoskins / The Seed guest Brent Hoskins / The Seed Fri., 27th Bebop Hoedown Fri., 27th Bebop Hoedown Sat., 28th Virginia Folk Jazz TrioFolk Jazz Trio Sat., 28th Virginia

Open Mic Wednesday Night

Smokehouse Nights Wednesday and Sunday Bluegrass Sunday starting at 4pm

Check out

Sunday Afternoons on the Deck Sunday Afternoons on the Deck Blues and Jazz Series 3 - 7pm: Blues and June Jazz Series 3 7pm: 1st Big Lick Brass Band

June 1st June 8th

Our New Lounge!

Big Lick Band June Brass 8th Downtown Music Lab Fundraiser “Schools For Summer” Downtown Music Lab Out Fundraiser WithSummer” Charlie Hamill & Cyrus Pace “Schools Out For June 15th Charlie Hamill and Friends WithJune Charlie & Cyrus Pace 22nd Hamill Cyrus Pace and Friends June 15th Charlie Hamill and Friends June 22nd Cyrus Pace and Friends WE ARE PROUND TO BE

Open on Weekends and Available for Private Parties ROANOKE’S FIRST CERTIFIED GREEN RESTAURANT

WE ARE PROUND TO BE ROANOKE’S FIRST Located in South Roanoke Village CERTIFIED GREEN In theRESTAURANT Alley behind 2123 Crystal Spring Avenue 540.982.FORK in South Roanoke Village

Located in South Roanoke Village in the Alley behind Located In2123 the Alley behindSpring Avenue Crystal 2123 Crystal Spring Avenue

540.982.FORK • www.forkinthealley.com 540.982.FORK

Stop and Chill at Roanoke’s Newest

BAR & GRILLE

MON-WED Kitchen open late 7 days a week

H

Open at 10am on Sundays for Roanoke’s best brunch

Buy one lunch, get one free! (maximum value $9.00) Expires 12/2/2009

ere you will find an eclectic blend of Southern favorites, many with a Cajun twist, such as the Jazzy Wings or Pasta Mardi Gras. And with original specials added regularly, there’s always something new to try - stop by for a taste today.

Located in Piccadilly Square 3117 Franklin Road SE Roanoke, VA 24014 540-982-SORO (7676) SoRoGrille.com

Free Homemade Dessert with purchase of lunch Expires Jan 31,2010


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