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Community | News | Per spective

December 12, 2008

Jeff Artis

Saying Goodbye

Local Democratic picture comes into focus

TheRoanokeStar.com

Huckabee draws big crowd in Roanoke

Northwest Jazz Band brightens up the Holidays

P4– Jeff Artis will miss all his friends at Wal-Mart and says contrary to what some might say, they truly are community driven. Mike Huckabee’s bus outside Books-A-Million.

Photo by Valerie Garner

Roanoke Attorney John Fishwick is seeking the Democratic nomination for attorney general.

Fashionable Trees

P6– Now in its eighth year, the Hotel Roanoke’s Christmas tree competition attracts over 10,000 visitors.

Democrats are hopeful they can increase their representation at the state and local levels. Members of the Democratic committees of Botetourt County, Roanoke City, Roanoke County and Salem expressed that opinion during a Christmas party held last Friday at the Ramada Inn on Franklin Road. Patrick Patterson is vying for the Democratic nomination for the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, in the Vinton district, in opposition to Republican incumbent Mike Altizer, who has been reelected several times and indicates he will run again. Brian Lang, Chairman of the Roanoke County Democratic Committee, introduced Patterson. “He is running the most organized local campaign I have > CONTINUED P3: Fishwick

Photo by Pam RIckard

Members of the YOYO Players join Dumas Drama Guild singers Lizzie McIvor, William Penn and NW Jazz Band Conductor Eddie Wiggins (center) for the show’s finale.

I

don’t always goof up like this . . . just when we have a concert!� --- Eddie Wiggins, conductor of The Northwest Jazz Band.

Wiggins’ lighthearted banter with announcer Lisa Turpin-Gabourel added to the charm of “Jazzy Holiday Evening,� performed Sunday afternoon at the Dumas Center. A second performance is scheduled for this Sunday, December 14, at 3:00 pm.

In addition to the Northwest Jazz Band, the show featured performances by the Dumas Drama Guild Singers and The YOYO Players (TAP’s Youth on the Yard Organization). The audience was treated to jazzy versions of classics like “Oh Come All Ye Faithful� and “Deck the Halls,� and the band provided accompaniment for solo performances by the Dumas Drama Guild Singers. > CONTINUED P2: Northwest Jazz

Local educators / leaders debate Academic lowering legal drinking age Patriots P7– Patrick Henry High School releases its 2008 Fall All-Academic team.

Godfather of Go-Go P11– Chuck Brown and his 11-piece band arrive on stage this Friday at the Jefferson Center.

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Local educators, school board members, Roanoke City Mayor David Bowers, students and those that work to prevent alcohol and drug abuse in schools convened at Hollins University last week for a panel discussion centered on the Amethyst Initiative question – that is, should the minimum legal drinking age be reduced from 21 to 18? A recognition that current policies may not be curtailing dangerous binge drinking on campuses prompted more than 100 chancellors and college presidents last year to call for an informed and unimpeded debate on the subject. They laPhoto by Gene Marrano beled their group the “Amethyst Hollins president Nancy Gray welcomes Amethyst Initiative Initiative.� panelists and onlookers. Hollins president Nancy Gray opened the panel discussion by During her few minutes at the with the issue. endorsing that debate. “Absti- podium Ross-Marino pointed Virginia Tech senior Kate nence has not really resulted out what several panelists did Griffin was a panelist and fell on in the kind of cultural change later, that the human brain is the side of lowering the drink[on college campuses] we’d like not fully developed until about ing age. She now counsels others to see,� noted Gray, “[so] we’ve age 25, with “tons of research,� at Virginia Tech on the dangers called for a public debate... a she noted that warns of the dan- of binge drinking, where many thoughtful discussion on the gers of excessive alcohol con- “just didn’t understand about question.� sumption. pacing themselves.� She said the Glenvar High School senior Juvenile and domestic rela- novelty of alcohol consumption Arielle Ross-Mations court Judge might wear off earlier if students rino said parents Phil Trompeter, actually experience it legally beAmethyst Initiative need to be mentors no fan of lowering fore they leave home and head and authority figthe drinking age off to college. “I feel like 18 may ures on the dangers of alcohol, to 18, called it a “health issue,� be the magic number,� said Grifnot just “friends� to their teen- noting the “horrible effects� of fin. aged children. “Parents don’t do underage drinking he sees in his what they say we should be do- courtroom – including those > CONTINUED ing,� she added. aged 12 to 17 that are dealing P2: Amethyst

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Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee won eight Republican primaries last spring before giving way to the surge for John McCain. Now he has returned with a book, “Do The Right Thing� and a “Team Huck 2008� bus tour that included recent stops in Roanoke, Lynchburg and Bristol. Do The Right Thing includes Huckabee’s thoughts on the primary season, with plenty of criticism reserved for fellow GOP contender Mitt Romney and how much money he spent.  Huckabee could vie with Romney and perhaps Sarah Palin for the conservative vote four years from now, if he chooses to run again. Huckabee calls it “elections by e-Bay� and denigrates the > CONTINUED P3: Huckabee

Roanoker turns cherished memories into art

When Carlene Patteson Blankenship was growing up her father Carl Patteson was the mayor of Glen Lyn, a little, idyllic town about the size of a mole hill in Giles County, Virginia. But Blankenship’s mother had serious mental health issues, so in spite of her father’s small town celebrity, life was a see-saw of intense delight and remarkable pain. But something came along to ease the pain when Blankenship was still Carlene Patteson Blankenship displays her works. a young girl. “When I was nine years nation – but that’s what kids old Daddy gave me my first do with a new camera!� Brownie camera,� BlanBut soon after the Richkenship said. “He also im- mond trip Blankenship bepressed upon me that school gan snapping pictures of trips, family picnics and her cousins’ weddings, her such were my history in the sisters Leah and Alinda, and making – and that I should brother Raymond splashremember it and try to catch ing in the swimming hole, it on camera if I could.� first dates, first snowfalls, “Immediately after receiv- and other momentous occaing the camera, I took it on sions. my fourth grade “When I pieced Richmond field Scrapbooking all of these photos trip with me,� together, what I saw Blankenship were really snapbeams. “I remember tak- shots of a life I loved and ening a lot of snapshots of tall joyed, and shared with a lot buildings, and few of people, which made my father > CONTINUED laugh with a bit of conster- P2: Scrapbooking

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Page 2 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 12/12/08

> Northwest Jazz

Non-holiday, upbeat songs were mixed in as well, such as Lizzie McIvor’s performance of “Sunnyside of the Street,” and William Penn’s rendition of “When You’re Smiling.” Sunday’s concert was the YOYO Players’ first time appearing with The Northwest Jazz Band. YOYO soloists, Donald Crenshaw, 14, Brandon Harris, 14, and Javonte McNear, 14, gave impressive and confident performances. The YOYO Players, led by Barbara Saunders, is a theaterbased group of children ages 5-15. Children in the group meet for weekly workshops during the school year and a three-week ,-'. workshop during the summer, featuring theater games, vari23 ous movements and vocal exercises “aimed at developing the :(;.-< quality and effectiveness of students’ personal and public selfexpression.” Wiggins, a spry 80-something-year old, formed The North-

Hollins at Palmer Business Center 24 acres Build to Suit Wil Subdivide

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> Amethyst From page 1 west Jazz Band in 2001. Made up of some 20 musicians, from retired professionals to talented students from area schools, the band specializes in traditional and contemporary jazz, big band and show music. They perform for schools and events benefitting various nonprofit organizations, helping to raise more than $200,000 over the past seven years. The Dumas Drama Guild, formed in 2000, continues to serve as the only community-based African American theater group in Southwest Virginia. The Guild’s members have staged over 75 performances including Pearlie, The Wiz, The Piano Lesson, A Raisin in the Sun and Silvia. Tickets for the December 14th performance are $10 and available at the door. Please call 265-8115 for more information. By Pam Rickard pam@theroanokestar.com

> Scrapbooking

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From page 1

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Bowers was the only other panelist of eight who advocated having a debate on lowering the legal drinking age to18, pointing out as others have that a person can vote, sign a lease, secure a loan and join the military at that age. “We’re not talking about children drinking,” said Bowers, “we’re talking about adults.” He asked the audience of several dozen, including Roanoke City School Board member Courtney Penn, one question: “do you think the current situation … is working? The Amethyst [Initiative] is asking you to rethink it.” Trompeter said age was “not the issue,” also labeling it “elitist” that some parents feel it is acceptable for their teens to drink before going to college. Many parents avoid confronting their kids said Patty O’Toole, Dean of Students at Hollins University. “[They] don’t always want to hear what’s going on.” The Virginia ABC was represented by Chris Goodman, who claimed that local alcohol retailers are constantly trained on the dangers of selling beer and other types of liquor to minors. Penalties include loss of license, fines and even jail time. “We continue to educate…licensees,” said Goodman. Botetourt County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tony Brads said school systems don’t have enough personnel to deal with students if the legal drinking age was lowered to 18. “A lot of it falls on the parents,” said Brads, who like several others contended that making 18 the legal age would push drinking issues down to lower grades. All agreed that the debate spurred on by the Amethyst Initiative would probably go on for a while, while the real issue - curbing binge drinking in young people – is dealt with. “This is everybody’s problem,” said Kathy Graham-Sullivan of RAYSAC (Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition), which co-sponsored the panel discussion with the Roanoke Valley Prevention Council.

of people in my small town,” the pages are decorated with Blankenship mused, “It was everything from flowers to already a memory-collage of rainbows. sorts, so all I had to add was Her friends say Blankenthe colored, acid–free paper ship’s scrapbooks and handand a doily or two to make a made cards are “life-collages” scrapbook page.” that could be considered Open Christmas Since that realization Blan- more fine art than mere craft. Day kenship, 64, has created hun- Family members drop hints at dreds of colorful scrapbook the eggnog bowl, that they’ve By Gene Marrano pages covering a mélange been asking Santa for somegmarrano@cox.net Meet: of themes, from her student thing made, not just bought. Harriet. In her opinion, I days at Narrows High School “I recently sent a friend a am the most incompetent to her graduation from Radhandmade card made with A “paws” to give thanks at holiday time MD on the planet. So ford College (now Radford Army die cuts,” Blankenship why does she come back Angels come in all shapes each and every week... University) and her court- said, “and the theme was: and sizes. Some even have To me? ship to her husband Harold ‘Thanks for Serving Our tails and say “woof.” Six such Blankenship. Country.’” angels graduated last Sunday Beauregard Stonewall from the St. Francis Service “Harold and I eloped 44 Needless to say, the vetCulpepper, my unrestrained, my unrepentant years ago,” Blankenship eran was both surprised and Dogs program in Roanoke partner in medicine; at and are already at work helpsaid, still blushing pink with delighted. once my anodyne and ing their disabled partners. shades of the gorgeous, young “You can make a really fine scourge. Alone, I am run-away bride still present. scrapbook for about $30 or Monty, Shanti, Maggie, Ready, average; paired with him, Pilot, and King began their I’m custodial. “I gave him a photo card of $40 which includes your matwo years of training in volunme then and now as an anni- terials and supplies,” Blan- teer “puppy raiser” homes. Cocky young medical versary gift. Of course, it had kenship said. “It’s lots of fun After about six months they residents convinced sentimental words in it too, to put one together, but it transferred to the Bland Coryou’ve outlived your professional usefulness. and I believe I saw a tear in also means so much to those rectional Center, where they his eyes when he opened it.” who receive one as a gift; it’s were paired with an inmate for Gunney and Tessa. After nearly 45 years of like recording a little piece of several months of more intenGunney was saved, marriage and a few famous history and wrapping it in a sive training. Then they moved young Tessa could not be. on to foster families and began Angel Tree appeals for gifts dates to the movies prior to bow.” ippocrates’ is about life, for full time work with a St. Fran- that service dogs will enjoy. 08 that, accompanied by BlanThe Blankenship famworking in an Emergency Department is merely life rendered kenship’s kid sister Alinda, ily’s growing collection fea- cis staff member or field train- other side is what each pooch er, learning skills specific to bold - executed in vivid relief. there have been a slew of tures brides and their nearly their individual partner. Some would like for Christmas. special events such as the identical mothers when they dogs must open refrigerator Golden Retriever “Ringo” is - John Garvin, MD birth of three children and were brides and bouncy baby doors, others pick up canes or asking Santa for milk bones; Now available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com five grandchildren caught showers and birthdays, shiny retrieve the telephone, and all meanwhile Mac, a black lab, unabashedly and indelibly on car shows, holidays, fam- provide much emotional sup- wants a Nylabone toy; yellow Mike Branch Bo o k sContact igni ngTom De c.Branch 20, or 6-8 p.m . at Contact Tom Branch pages. or Mike Branch ily reunions, and a historic port for their partner and the lab Bella wants some soft toys, scrapbook 4552leFranklin t h e Tang wo o dRoad, Ba r S.W., ne s Roanoke, & NobleVirginia 24014 BOL 08 BOL 08 and Golden Retriever Willy is Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24014 where a funeral partner’s family. “I try S.W., to look for simicemetery Phone: 540-774-1208 | Fax: 540-774-13594552 | Email:Franklin bmc@branchmgt.com Phone: 540-774-1208 Fax: 540-774-1359 | Email: Comments were made fol- asking for some retrieve toys. lar colors |or creative pat- took placebmc@branchmgt.com on a somber, gray St. Francis staff members put terns and contrasts with my day. The Gothic tombs of the lowing the ceremony such as up the dog angel Christmas Contact Tom Branch or Mike Branch “I see myself less disabled bethemes when I design a page,” funeral page seem to com4552 Franklin Road, S.W., Roanoke, Virginia 24014 tree (no, it wasn’t a “dogwood Phone: 540-774-1208 | Fax: 540-774-1359 | Email: bmc@branchmgt.com Blankenship said. “There are pliment the wedding page cause I have a service dog”, and tree”) just before Thanksgiving Contact Tom Branch or Mike Branch “(my relative) has a more posiContact Tom Branch or4552 Mike Franklin Branch Road, S.W., Roanoke, Virginia a 24014 huge variety of die cuts where white doves flutter Available Management Corp.Space specializes in unique solutions to| Fax: meet your needs. Phone: 540-774-1208 540-774-1359 | Email: bmc@branchmgt.com 4552 Franklin Road, S.W., Roanoke, Virginia 24014 tive attitude because of a ser- and within a couple of days Branch Management Corp. specializes in unique to meet your needs. (pre-cut, stick-onsolutions images) to tolow, leaving the reader with vice dog coming into his life.” Phone: 540-774-1208 | Fax:solutions 540-774-1359 | Email: bmc@branchmgt.com all the ornaments were gone, Branch Management Corp. specializes in unique meet your needs. Expanding | Downsizing Ownership | Leasing | Selling | Selling Expanding | Downsizing | |Ownership | Leasing scooped up by mall shoppers choose from and the secret a sense that life is more than For more information on these and other properties that we have available, St. Francis Service Dogs please visit Expanding www.branchmgt.com today!| Downsizing | Ownership | Leasing | Selling is to use your imagination. a random hodgepodge of or more information on these and otherCorp. properties that we have available, is a non-profit organization ready to fulfill those wishes. Branch Management specializes in pleaseManagement visit today! Branch specializes inon unique solutions meetexample, your needs. Forwww.branchmgt.com moreCorp. information these andtoother properties that we have available, For lacy looks like events, but a glorious flow of and there are many ways the Conner says they filled the tree unique solutions toinmeet your Branch Management Corp. specializes unique solutions toneeds. meet your needs. visit| Leasing www.branchmgt.com Expanding | Downsizingplease | Ownership | white Selling doilies mighttoday! go with priceless moments. public can get involved, such with ornaments three times. Expanding | Ownership | Leasing | Selling If the ornaments are gone d For| Downsizing more information on these and other properties that we have available, e as becoming a puppy raiser, a romantic bridal scene or For Carlene Blankenship, r rty For more on these properties that we have available, today! please visit www.branchmgt.com other and tu information when shoppers stop by generic

e a please visit www.branchmgt.com today! a prom. Whereas fall-toned it’s never about closing the volunteering at Dogtoberfest Fe rop donations are also greatly apP felt materials in burnt or- book; it’s about opening the or various other fundraising preciated. “Generic gifts would events, or taking part in the anges and browns, or yellows pages again and again. include Purina One dog food, might go better with a hunt“My newest grandson, Ryan first St. Francis Service Dogs any kind of treats, toys for reAngel Tree at the Tanglewood er ing theme or a First-Day-of- Epperly, would like to eat my at Palmer Hollins at Palmer trieving or tugging and PetSer Hollins 802 Kerns Avenue Business Center 802 Kerns Avenue Mall. Business Center 802 Kerns Avenue Hollins at Palmer 24 acres School theme.” scrapbook, and be done with For Sale or Lease mart or Wal-Mart gift cards,” 24 acres s For Sale or Lease For Sale or Lease The Angel Tree was the Build toCenter Suit 802 Kerns Avenue to Business Suit 100,000 sq ft 100,000 sq ft it WillBuild Will Subdivide notes Conner. employs a love it!” Blankenship admits with Subdivide 100,000Blankenship sq ft 24 acres brainchild of St. Francis VolunFor Sale or Lease e The Angel Tree gifts should Build to Suit of embellishment to layer her a chuckle, juggling the droolteer Coordinator Debbie Con100,000 sq ft Will Subdivide acid-free paper with photos ing baby and a Roanoke Star- ner: “the idea stemmed from be returned to “Art on a Mis5217 Williamson Road decked with attractive pop- Sentinel on her knees. children’s angel trees. People sion” (next to JC Penney) by • 5,000 sq. ft. • Drive-Thru Capabilities like to buy [gifts] for their pets December 22nd. Monetary out letters, bows, ribbons, • CG Zoning • Excellent Location too, so I thought we would try donations can be made to Bennington Street sequins, cut-outs from maga2173 Bennington Street Buck Mountain Road erland Road Rt. 116 Saint Francis Service Dogs Buck Mountain Road at/Riverland Road / Rt. 116 a dog angel tree.” 4.45 acres New Retail Center New Retail Center zines framed 4.45 acres with paints or Contact Tom Branch or Mike Branch and mailed to P.O. Box 19538, Zoned C2 square feet2,000 available Zoned C2 The tree is located on the square feet available markers, buttons, stickers, q ft sublease available 4552 Franklin Road, S.W. , Roanoke, Virginia 24014 2,725 sq ft sublease available Roanoke, VA 24019 or by uslower level of the Tanglewood By Mary Ellen Campagna alluring patterns in an ocean et Ph: 540-774-1208 | Fax: 540-774-1359 | Email: bmc@branchmgt.com ing PayPal on their website at info@theroanokestar.com Mall near Bath and Body BuckofMountain Road prayers, poems, 6 colors, 2173 Bennington Street Works. Each of the 34 dogs in www.saintfrancisdogs.org. 4.45and acres letters. The borders of er Buck Mountain Road Riverland Road / Rt. 116 the program has an ornament, Zoned C2 e 4.45 acres New Retail Center a piece of paper cut in the shape By Beverly Amsler e 1354 8th Street Blue Ridge Drive feet available Zoned C2 000 square of the St. Francis logo. On the 1354 8th Street info@theroanokestar.com 26,000 sq ft available 3.236 acresBlue Ridge Drive

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12/12/08 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 3

TheRoanokeStar.com

Market Building Association President to speak at City Council meeting

Anita Wilson, President of the City Market Building Tenants Association, has been sponsored by Vice-Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Anita Price to address Roanoke City Council next Monday at (Dec. 15) 2:00 PM. Wilson will emphasize the impact that the proposed March 2009 closure of the Market Building for major, extended renovations will have on the tenants’ livelihoods. Mayor David Bowers had even called it a “9/11 catastrophe� at one point, but then took that back, saying he regretted the choice of words. “It is a catastrophe to the tenants,� says Anita Wilson (Burger in the Square), indicating that some are on the verge of bankruptcy. The intense media coverage has “damaged our [tenants’] reputation,� Wilson adds. Business at the market building is down she noted, although there have been no mice found since it reopened after the September shutdown for “fall cleaning.�

Photo by Valerie Garner

Anita Wilson will address Council on Monday. Through apparent miscommunication between the City and Superior Exterminating there was no insect or rodent prevention service for a four-month gap last spring. Terminex’s initial pest control service began on April 11, 2008, but Superior Exterminating last serviced the building in December, 2007. Tenants pay for maintenance of the common areas, which includes “insect and rodent treatment.�

The day after closure City contractors began repairs to the building that included the tenants’ stalls. Those renovations were well on their way when an agreement prepared by the City Manager’s office was presented to tenants. Dated September 26th, it read in whole, “I authorize the City of Roanoke to complete repairs to my leased premises. I understand the repairs will be charged according to the provision of the lease.� Tenants said later they felt compelled to sign it. They complained in written comments on the agreements, claiming they had not received estimates for any charges and no contract for the work. One tenant even wrote, “I am signing under duress.“ Nine tenants now represented by attorney John Fishwick are in legal proceedings against the city. To date no vendor has received a bill from the city for repairs.

> Fishwick in the 6th district. Musselwhite later lost to Bob Goodlatte, who has held the seat ever since. Fishwick’s father, 92, John P. Fishwick, Sr., is the former Norfolk & Western Railroad CEO. Fishwick spoke proudly of his father’s picture taken at Roanoke Regional Airport in 1960 with John F. Kennedy, then a Senator from Massachusetts. Fishwick compared that event to his father’s pride in this year’s election and President-Elect, Barrack Obama’s Roanoke visit. Fishwick’s best known cases include an 81-year-old woman who challenged the abusive driver fees, now rescinded, and his successful representation with partner John Lichtenstein of former D-Day Memorial President Richard Burrow on charges of financial irregularities. He is currently representing clients that are fighting Appalachian Power rate increases and a professor, Scott Hoover, in an $85 million lawsuit against the Virginia Lottery.

of the

Dr. Robert C. Keeley, a native Roanoker, is a pulmonoligist with Pulmonary Medicine Associates of Roanoke. A graduate of the medical school at the University of Virginia, he has been in practice for 22 years. He is one of 15 children, four of whom are physicians, as was his father. He is married to the former Barbara Thayer and they have three children Allison, Elizabeth, and Meredith. Bob describes himself as a "homebody" whose main enjoyments in life are caring for his patients, spending time with his family, yard work, hiking, and fishing. By Jim Bullington Have someone in mind for “Roanoke Star of the Week?� E-mail Jim Bullington: JimBull@comcast.net

By Valerie Garner info@theroanokestar.com

> Huckabee

From page 1

ever seen,â€? said Lang. There are already “Patrick Patterson for Supervisorâ€? yard signs up in Vinton. Patterson (40) serves as guidance director at William Byrd High School and is VicePresident of the Vinton area Chamber of Commerce. He co-founded the Advancement Foundation along with his wife, Annette, who serves as foundation president. Patterson’s platform revolves around education and economics. As an educator he was insistent that “our kids will not suffer as a result of state budget cuts ‌ we’ll simply do more with less.â€? His uncle Robert Patterson was principal at William Byrd and now serves on the town’s Planning Commission. Seeking the Democratic nomination for State Attorney General is Roanoke trial lawyer John Fishwick. In 1992, Fishwick ran unsuccessfully against Steve Musselwhite for the Democratic Congressional nomination

Roanoke Star Week

From page 1 Close to home Fishwick is working with Roanoke Market building vendors in their lawsuit against Roanoke City. Modeling on what is done elsewhere, Fishwick proposes that Virginia allow early voting for every national and state election. He will face Delegate Steve Shannon of Vienna in a primary next spring. For the Republicans, Roanoke Attorney John Brownlee seeks his party’s nomination for Attorney General. The former U.S. Western District attorney will face-off against State Senator Ken Cuccinelli of Fairfax County and David Foster, a Washington law firm partner in Arlington. Brownlee held a press conference late last week to announce that dozens of Sheriffs and Commonwealth Attorneys were supporting his campaign.

media for spending more time on the fund raising totals than on the issues: “candidates ought be judged by what they’re going to do as president, not just by how much money they raise.� Speaking at Books-A-Million in Roanoke, the current cable-TV talk show host said his book is much more than a campaign diary. “The main thing I wanted to do is talk about where the conservative movement and the Republican Party need to go, to get back to where we win elections.� Huckabee said abandoning “core principals,� a charge some leveled at John McCain, is not the way to do it. “When we have clarity of conviction we win; it’s when we get mushy that we end up losing.� Huckabee spoke after signing books for an estimated 500 people in Roanoke. Do The Right Thing reiterates Huckabee’s positions on radical tax reform (he’s a flat tax proponent), energy, abortion, pro assault rifles and other issues, “things that could fundamentally restructure this country and give us a By Valerie Garner chance to start getting back on track.� Hollins University political science profesinfo@theroanokestar.com sor Ed Lynch was on hand to meet Hucka-

bee; the former Roanoke County Republican Party chairman said the ex-Governor was one of the party leaders. “The turnout here tonight demonstrates that. He’s got ideas for the future [and] a record. He’s one of the goto people in the Republican Party. He’s exciting new people.� Huckabee says 2012 is too far away to think about another presidential run. “There will be a lot of people who will emerge. Whether or not I’ll be in the mix of that, I really don’t know.� In any case Huckabee wants to be a voice for “the common sense conservatives of America – the hard working middle class.� The folksy politician must have been encouraged by the warm reception at BooksA-Million. “We haven’t been to a place yet where we haven’t had a long line of people, “said Huckabee, noting that his book is a New York Times best seller. “I think it’s because the message of the book is clearly resonating with people.  There are some things in this book that speak to every person.� By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

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Perspective

Page 4 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 12/12/08

Wal-Mart truly is community driven

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ometimes, munity involvement. leaving a job Wal-Mart walks the is tough. I walk, supporting have spent the past numerous charities, eight years workincluding the Roaing at the Franklin noke SCLC’s “JuneRoad Wal-Mart. teenth Celebration,” During this time, as well as awarding a many people have $25,000 grant to the asked me why I have Overage Academy stayed at Wal-Mart at Forest Park. WalJeff Artis for such a long time. Mart is truly comI knew what these munity driven. people were really getting at as More than anything else, I they looked down their noses will miss the people I have had while asking this question. My the pleasure of working with for answer to this question was the past eight years. Many of my simple and surprising. I worked co-workers and management at Wal-Mart because I liked my are like family, some actually job. I liked the people I worked are. Together, we have shared with. Plus, I have never worked and been through the highs at a better place or for a better and lows of family life. We have company. joked and laughed together. There are a number of rea- When someone needed help, sons why I will miss working for help was easy to find. Wal-Mart. Community activists Over the past eight years, have told me their jobs were on there were times when I do the line if they took a particular not know what I would have stand on a particular issue here done without the support of the in the Roanoke Valley. While people I worked with. They have working for Wal-Mart, I never watched over me, looked out for ran into this problem. Wal-Mart me and fussed at me when they made it clear to me that they knew something was wrong and wanted their associates to be ac- I did not ask for their help. When tive in the community. In fact, I had my health problems, my there are a number of instances co-workers let me have it when I when Wal-Mart told me to do cheated on my diet or did somewhat I needed to do in the com- thing I was not supposed to do. munity, whether it was working The management team let me to make the Dr. Martin Luther know I always had a job in spite King Memorial Bridge a reality, of the time I missed. Other busieducating the community about nesses would have fired me the gangs and gang violence, talking first chance they got. about improving our schools or Much has been written and getting involved in voter regis- said about Wal-Mart as a comtration. pany. All I have to say is do not I got a chuckle in the last believe the hype. There are some Presidential Election, when the great people at the Franklin media reported that Wal-Mart Road Wal-Mart. I am really gowas telling its associates not to ing to miss them. Thank you for vote for Barack Obama. I was making the past eight years fun. in charge of my store’s voter registration program. Some comContact Jeff at panies talk the talk about comcolumn@jeffartis.com

TheRoanokeStar.com

AARP Card harkens the beginning of the end

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long with the usual collection of bills and advertisements, yesterday's mail brought a stark reminder of my own mortality. My very own AARP discount card had finally arrived just in time for my fiftieth birthday. What a stunningly subtle souvenir for one celebrating a half century of life. Why not include a photo of an open grave with a caption reading "Good Luck in Your New Location?" At first, I must admit, I was both appalled and saddened upon the appearance of this laminated indication of my impending doom. I stared at the card as if it was a communication from the governor, refusing to commute my stay of execution. A glance in the mirror served as an additional suggestion of what is to come. For most of my life, my outward appearance has been likened to the disheveled presence of an un-made bed and I have tried (somewhat unsuccessfully) to trade on that livedin, rumpled kind of charm to some extent. Now, however, the mattress is sprouting some un-planned additions and I'm not talking dust ruffles. Adding more credence to Darwin's Theory, my ears are growing

hair at an astonishing rate. Soon villagers will be chasing me down with torches and silver sticks bent on popping the first lycanthrope of werewolf season. My eyes are drooping as is my posture, and I am beginning to resemble Jedi Master Yoda, but without any of the folksy wisdom. Similar to many men of my advanced years, my hindquarters is headed for the endangered species list. I am not certain what laws of nature are at work here, however, I know now why so many older gents wear suspenders. My office chair has become a kind of a kiddie slide when I chance to lean backwards, my rear pockets heading South without any back-up. As many times as I have been to Atlantic City and this is the way I have to lose my butt? How undignified! I had almost dialed my good friend Tommy, who markets headstones, in hopes of testing the discount waters, but I could not decide on a catchy epitaph. Cemeteries are such sad places; why not provide a smile for a passing mourner? Something like "I told you I was sick" or "If you are close enough to read this message you are probably standing on my head." Perhaps I can promote an advertising sponsor-

ship deal offering take a turn as the the space on my neighborhood curtombstone to the mudgeon. Chasing highest bidder as a kids off of my lawn, way of off-setting complaining about some of the burial the weather, and costs? It has cerallowing my dog tainly worked for Roscoe to fertilize NASCAR. Questhe neighbor's yard tion: seems like a fun Does Chevy way to pass what Jon Kaufman make caskets? I'm little time I have sure Tommy would know. left. I have always said that if If I was able to raise enough you gotta go you might as well cash during this funeral ven- go obstinate and cranky. ture, I could conceivably afford On December twelfth my to upgrade my accommoda- AARP card will activate and tions to a nice air-conditioned I will begin my slow decent mausoleum. It could be a place down the other side of the where mourners could seek slope. Although I now feel shelter from stormy weather somewhat prepared to face and even enjoy a picnic. Ide- that final curtain, I would ally, I will not be buried in the prefer to pass as my maternal conventional way, but stuffed grandfather (a curmudgeon and placed in my trusty reclin- of note himself) once wished. er, on full public display be- "If I had my druthers," he said tween the hours of 12:00 and "I would prefer to be shot by a 3:00, Monday through Friday. jealous husband at the age of Visitors could pose for snap 104." shots with me (no flash phoI am not really sure what tography please) and I would "druthers" are, but there is a have a variety of outfits that I good chance that they are at would wear only on specified least 20% off this month on bank holidays, just like a giant the AARP website. Build-a-Bear. Hey this getting older stuff Contact Jon at is really not that bad. Before Jon.Kaufman@sprint.com the taxidermist loads me up with rags and ships me to my final resting place, I might

Oprah’s “big news” isn’t exactly news

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e live in a time of accelerating job losses, plummeting stocks and alarming economic predictions, but these are not the only headlines and news breaks that come our way. This week, we also were privy to this gem: “Winfrey says she feels upset about her weight.” Winfrey, of course, is Oprah Winfrey. Her weight has been her personal – and, because of media attention, a bit of a national – obsession. Being overweight is not actually news. The United States is largely (ha ha) an obese nation. Perhaps the thing that distinguishes Oprah from the (ha ha) masses is her claim that she’s upset about it. Many people are, but I sometimes wonder if a larger (ha ha) num-

Star~Sentinel Crossword

ber are not. Maybe eights, Oprah never that’s why they’re was willowy. still overweight. And a lot of us I don’t mean to predicted that she make fun of people would not stay relawho weigh more tively small for long. than doctors and Losing weight and nutritionists think keeping it off is a they should. challenge for anyActually, that’s a one, particularly Joe Kennedy lie. someone who by By the luck of the nature has a large Gods and the genes of the Irish, frame or otherwise fails to meet I am not overweight. Rather, I our country’s anorexic ideal. am thin, and that’s no picnic, If I were Oprah, I wouldn’t either. Think 90-pound-weak- worry about it so much. Yes, ling. Think fat people pointing she’s a big woman. She also to you and talking about your is a highly successful, powerpipe-cleaner limbs with their ful, inspiring and generous feedlot rumps sunk comfort- achiever. She is the one who ably into beach chairs from has created a situation where, which they never budge. when you hear her name, the Twenty years ago, Oprah first two words that come to made a considerable (ha ha) mind are wealthy and weight. splash when she appeared triIf more of us could see beumphantly on her TV talk yond the externals that are held show in size-10 jeans. This up as desirable in this country, generated the sort of publicity we’d realize that other qualities that in earlier times trumpeted are far more important than man’s landing on the (ha ha) shopping, successfully, at the moon. “petite” rack – not that there is But let’s be honest. Even in anything wrong with that. those days, before clothing Celebrity news is shallow sizes expanded, so that people and repetitious. But at least who wore 8s and 10s now fit Oprah has accomplished comfortably into sixes and enough to deserve ample me-

dia attention. Other pop celebs basically have done nothing, but they, too, fill pages, airwaves and the Websites that could be devoted to more relevant topics. The phenomenon is not new, just worse. In the old days, “Errol Flynn” meant “disreputable rogue,” “Porfirio Rubirosa” meant “international playboy” and “Jayne Mansfield” meant … well, never mind. Today, “Britney” equals “unstable”; “Paris” equals “naked”; “Barry” equals “steroids”; “NFL” equals “guns” and “Madonna” equals … a lot of things. I couldn’t care less about Britney or Paris, don’t care for Barry Bonds or Madonna and surely don’t like the legal problems that plague players in the NFL – though I love the games and am awed by their talents. Oprah says her current goal is to be strong and healthy. That’s sensible, but it is not news, and it is aggravating, in a world as troubled as ours, to see it treated that way.

6 Mushrooms 6 Mushrooms 7 Eve's beginning 10 11 12 13 14 7 Eve's beginning vegetable 8 Purple 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 16 4 17 Mushrooms 6 8 Purple vegetable 15 16 17 9 Now 10 11 19 12 13 14 20 7 Eve's 9beginning Now 10 Calorie 18 19 20 vegetable 8 Purple Contact Joe at 15 16 17 21 22 23 Calorie 10 one 11 Remaining 9 Now 21 22 23 pilarcik2@cox.net 18 19 20 24 25 26 Remaining one 11sets 13 Matched 10 Calorie 24 25 26 21 22 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 23 36 37 14 Profit sets 13 Matched one 11 Remaining 19 Nude 25 26 40 3930 Profit 27 28 29 24 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 14 13 Matched sets 22 Clairvoyance 27 28 29 42 31 32 33 44 35 36 37 14 Profit19 Nude 43 30 45 34 38 39 40 (abbr.) 26 Tennessee 19 Nude 38 39 40 22 Clairvoyance 46 47 48 49 27 Espy 41 42 43 44 45 22 Clairvoyance 26 Tennessee (abbr.) 41 50 42 52 43 53 44 45 51 54 55 56 28 Ball 26 Tennessee (abbr.) 46 47 48 49 27 Espy 46 47 48 49 29 Constellation 58 59 60 27 Espy 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 Cause of sickness 31 50 51 62 52 53 54 55 56 63 64 28 Ball 28 Ball Also 32 C o m mu n i t y | N ew s | Pe r s p e c t i ve 29 Constellation 57 59 60 60 29 Constellation 57 59 66 58 58 67 "one" 33 Spanish sickness 31 Cause of sickness 31 ofCause 61 6262 64 70 64 69 63 63 6168 abbr. 35 Terminal Publisher | Stuart Revercomb | stuart@theroanokestar.com | 400-0990 32 Also32 Also 65 66 67 w.CrosswordWeaver.com 36 Cram 65 66 67 33 Spanish Spanish "one" 33 "one" 68 69 70 37 Dunk News Editor | Gene Marrano | gmarrano@cox.net | 400-0990 35 Terminal abbr. 68 69 70 45 Source of light CROSS Terminal abbr. 35 Northwest 42 www.CrosswordWeaver.com Cram 36 46 Bitsy the right!" www.CrosswordWeaver.com 43 "To Features Editor | Pam Rickard | pam@theroanokestar.com | 400-0990 37 Dunk36 Cram 48 Imitate 1 Head cover 45 Source of light ACROSS Chagall 44 Artist Dunk 37 Northwest 42 50 Movie 4 Klutz Source of light 45 alien ACROSS 46 Bitsy 45 Owners Production Editor | Stephen Nelson | stephen@theroanokestar.com | 400-0990 43 "To the Northwest 42 right!" Gages 52 7 Deteriorate 48 Imitate 1 Head cover remains 47 Fire 46 Bitsy Artist Chagall 44 Title of respect Gem carved in relief 57 0 43 "To the right!" alien 50 Movie 4 Klutz war 49 Not Headprocessing cover unit 48 Imitate 45 Owners Technical Webmaster | Don Waterfield | webmaster@theroanokestar.com | 400-0990 town with Central 58 Nearby 2 1 44 Artist Gages Deteriorate 52 7 eighty, is theChagall total 50 Plus 47 Fire remains alien Klutz 50 Movie buildings dating back to Pine tree nut 3 4 Owners 57 Title of respect 10 Gem carved in relief feet in 45 height of the Mill 49 Not war Advertising Director | Vickie Henderson | advertising@theroanokestar.com | 400-0990 the52 lateGages 1700s Notify 5 7 Deteriorate town with processing unit 58 Nearby 12 Central Mountain Star. Fire 47 Plus eighty, isremains the total 50 Quick May 61 610 of respect Gemtree carved 57 Title dating Star: to lift up that which is right, real and genuine about our community – the people buildings back to nut in relief 13 Pine 51 Tests Not war feet 49 in height of the Mill 7 Stay and events that make us who we are – the real spirit of Roanoke that past residents and the 1700stown with Nearby Central processing unit 63 Disconnected 15 58 late 12 Notify out of bounds (2 53 A ball Mountain Star.eighty, is the total leaders have worked hard to create, that points us towards the bright and shining future 50 Plus nearest amtrak train 64 Hearts 8 The May 61 Quick 16 wds.) buildings dating back to Pine tree nut 13station Tests 51 pronoun we have. 65 Possessive feet in height of the Millthat we all desire for our valley. 63 Disconnected 17 Stay through a sieve 54 Passes the late 1700s Notify 53 A ball out of bounds (2 North American Indian Grain 66 015 Mountain Star. 64 Hearts 18 The nearest amtrak train 55 Hungry Sentinel: to guard the truth, with consistent and complete coverage of key local issues wds.) May 61 Quick Explode Happier 67 116 station we have. 65 Possessive pronoun Tests a sieve 51 through 56 Napped that provides balanced reporting and equal editorial opportunity. To fully tell all sides of a Passes 54 Cooking measurement New York (abbr.) 68 317 Grain 63 Disconnected American Indian 66 North 20 Stay 57 Rested story so that readers can make their own informed opinions, and express them to positively A ball out of bounds (2 53 55 Hungry Stray 418 The nearest amtrak train6967Hallucinogen 64 Hearts Explode 21 Happier impact others and our community. 59 Accurate wds.) 56 Napped plane 70 Jell 5 Fast measurement York (abbr.) pronoun 60 Eastern station we have. 68 Cooking 23 New 65 Possessive Time 57 Rested 54 Passes through a sieve 7 Hawked 69 Hallucinogen 24 part 62 Mouth Grain 66 North American Indian 20 Stray 59 Accurate (2 wds.) DOWN 0 Devour 55 Hungry The Roanoke Star-Sentinel is published weekly by Whisper One Media, Inc. in Roanoke, Va. SubJell Fast plane 70 25 Happier 67 Explode 60 Eastern Time scriptions are available for $44 per year. Send subscriptions to PO Box 8338, Roanoke,VA 24014. Goody two shoes 421 56 Napped 27 Hawked We encourage letters from our readers on topics of general interest to the community and measurement62 Mouth part New poetically York (abbr.) 68 Cooking Sepals of a flower Before, 1 823 DOWN 30 Devour (2 wds.) By Rested Don 57 responses to our articles and columns. Letters must be signed and have a telephone number for ending Charged 2 Prayer 924 Stray particle 69 Hallucinogen verification. All letters will be verified before publication.The Star-Sentinel reserves the right to deny two shoes 34 Goody Waterfield Accurate 59 Thai 3 Landed 025 publication of any letter and edit letters for length, content and style. Fast plane 70 Jellof a flower poetically 1 Sepals 38 Before, 60 Eastern Time All real estate advertised herein is subject to national and Virginia fair housing laws and readHappen 4 1 Black 2 Prayer ending 39 Hawkedparticle 27 Charged ers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal Mouth part 62 Find the answers online: TheRoanokeStar.com Separated 5 3 Somberness 3 Landed 40 opportunity basis. Devour (2 wds.) DOWN 30 Thai Have a clue and answer you’d like to see? email: 4 Happen 41 Black puzzles@theroanokestar.com Goody two shoes 34 5 Separated 43 Somberness 1

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Perspective

TheRoanokeStar.com

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12/12/08 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 5

Get me to the church on time

was in Washington, D.C. for want to walk into the church late. a wedding recently and witNo one wants to miss the bride comnessed something that I won’t ing down the aisle, especially when forget in a long time. Our capital city traveling four hours to be there, but is full of both beauty and harsh rethere was not much we could do. alities. I had seen the beautiful buildThen finally, somehow the traffic ings many times, the homeless lined broke, and we moved past the conup for free meals out of the back of gestion, only to fight the traffic lights station wagons, and the great collecand ticking clock. At four o’clock tion of peoples from all around the we spied the old stone church and Diane Kelly world. On this particular weekend one last parking place on a nearby there was traffic and lots of it, but at street. We slinked into the church one particular point all traffic came to a dead and realizing it was full, settled into a pew not stop. far from the front where a friend from Roanoke We arrived in the early afternoon, with plenty happened to be sitting. Then the music started of time to settle into our hotel and put our feet and the processional began. Whew. up before the four o’clock wedding. It was hard The wedding was beautiful and such a happy not to notice the heavy traffic as we meandered occasion but, it was after the wedding when the through the city on our way to the hotel. The pictures were being taken that the great moDuPont Circle was clogged with cars working ment occurred. The Bride and Groom and all their way around for just the right exit point. their maids and groomsmen made their way Drivers were aggressive and less than gracious. outside to the front of the church for pictures. Loud horns spoke like blaring curse words. The evening light was overtaking the grey afterAnd it was taking a long time to get anywhere. noon sky, and the afternoon rain shed a glistenIt was then that we acknowledged that we’d bet- ing light on the sidewalks and streets from the ter give ourselves plenty of time to get to the passing cars. The wedding party posed by the wedding. historic church with smiles and great frivolity. The church was only five miles away, but with Then they started walking in the middle of the the traffic equation we planned for longer. We street! All of them. The entire wedding party felt we’d given ourselves plenty of time to get took over the four lane street to preserve the there, leaving an hour to go the five miles, but moment in photographs. Traffic stopped in all we were wrong. The traffic was heavier than directions. All was quiet except for the laughever. I will say, at one point we acknowledged ing wedding party. The bride and the groom that we were most likely going to be late for the walked arm in arm with the wedding party wedding. My husband, an Arlington native, flanking them on either side. The photographer was not intimidated by the traffic and drove like positioned them with the Capital Building in mad through the city, because he knew I didn’t the background. He snapped photograph after

Sarah Crouch and her bridesmaids happily stop traffic in Washington D.C. &''()*+(,-'.

photograph while people watched in their waitthere still remains a profound acknowledge/0''123 ing cars. Then the horns started beeping4*56(786(986(:(;.-< with ment that marriage between one woman and congratulatory tones. People took out their cell one man is sacred. It is core to our nation’s phones to snap pictures of the wedding party. It health and strength. It was an unforgettable was amazing. moment. I will never forget the image: a newly wedHere’s a toast to Danny and Sarah Crouch on ded couple with their wedding party takes over their new life together! Sarah is the daughter of the streets of our nations’ capital. All the traf- Tom and Sherry Oster of Roanoke. fic stopped to honor this sacred event! For me it was such a vivid reminder of the centrality Contact Diane at and significance of marriage in life. Even when dianekelly@gmail.com some want to change it or redefine marriage,

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The Roanoke Star-Sentinel

Hearing and heeding the Prophet anew by Pastor Joe Lehman

Give comfort to my people...Fear not to cry out, Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm” (Isaiah 40) I can’t think of a time when we’ve needed to hear Isaiah’s words more than right now. Daily, the news worsens: of jobs being terminated, businesses closing, suicides increasing, more homes foreclosing, our retirement funds vanishing, banks collapsing, and industries going bankrupt. Add to that list: the recent bombings in India, the ongoing war and deployment of troops including relatives, the constant threat of terrorism, and shoppers behaving horribly for what? a bargain…a THING!... or the thrill of having bragging rights in being first to get IT! I, for one, need some good news. Thanks be to God, Isaiah delivers! When Isaiah first spoke his well known and much sung words, his people were in shambles. They felt they were at a dead end. Everything and anything that gave them a feeling of identity and a sense of purpose were no longer there: their Temple was in ruins, their homeland was no more, and their friends and relatives were separated and scattered throughout the earth. God seemed distant and the fact of the matter is: it was their own fault…the result of their greed. They had put their trust and found their security in idols or ideas that could not save them. They took matters into their own hands without lifting their eyes first to heaven. They no longer saw the poor and the needy among them. In that scenario, Isaiah speaks God’s word. Lets personalize the message and take the prophet out. What is God saying? “Look about: a new day is dawning for you. I am here to comfort you. As from the beginning, see and understand this: I am your shepherd who has and who now feeds you and carries you and puts you back on the right road. But be on the lookout for me. Get rid of whatever you’re clinging to - first and foremost your hopes that life will be again what it HAD been. Don’t you see where those hopes got you?!!. From now

on, hope more deeply. Expect more. Think more broadly! Think eternity! Now, I suspect I’m in the minority but I’m not praying for a quick end to this economic crisis. Often, crises are gateways to good things and a fuller life. Of course, I’m praying that the unemployed soon find dignity- enhancing work, and that families survive the stress of these days, and that, as retirees, we all have what we need to live comfortably. But some change in our culture has to happen… like our need for things and for more and the best and the newest. We need to listen more clearly and spread more widely the message we tell in our houses of worship and shut out some of those louder messages “on the outside” that have captured and held our attention. For example, we don’t have to win all the time or be skinny and glamorous and into everything, and this “I WANT IT ALL, I WANT IT NOW” attitude has gotten us not only into DR. Pepper but also into some very selfish and sinful behaviors too. We need to hear again the better news of commitment to each other, sacrifice, and service; to practice repentance and ask forgiveness; to see more clearly the need of others; to be eager to be without blemish or spot in God’s sight and do what is right!!!! Doing these things bring hope and life. Yes, it’s time for us to hear Isaiah’s message like it’s the first time we are hearing it. And To let his words sink deeply into our fearful hearts and to change our frustrations and any feelings of hopelessness. In the quiet and stillness of these winter nights, let’s pray God will show us God’s face anew and help us be more satisfied that we are God’s flock… God’s people. After all, isn’t that more than enough? Joe Lehman is Pastor of Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church located at 2505 Electric Rd (Rte 419). You can learn more about OLN’s Ministry at www.oln-parish.org

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“Naturally economic” decorating might be the most fun We are already in the full swing of the holiday season. Families are selecting their Christmas trees, and wreaths, garlands, and roping are appearing on doors, windows, and fences. If you find yourself struggling with the desire to decorate and a limited budget, think creatively and look around you. Many different greens used for holiday decorations may be collected from the home landscape. Guidelines for Cut Greens Keep the greens cool and moist as long as possible, preferably with the cut ends in water. Broad-leaved greens must have a continuous water supply. Florist-bought greens may not be hardened to cold weather and freezing conditions. Greens harvested from your yard will already be acclimated. Heat and dry air reduce the life of all cut greens, making them unsightly, a housekeeping mess, and a fire hazard! If you cut your own greens, remember that you are pruning the tree; use proper cutting methods! Christmas Trees Traditionally, Christmas trees are Fraser firs, white pines, and Scotch pines that have been heavily trimmed to enhance their natural pyramidal shape. An economic alternative for a fresh cut Christmas tree can be an Eastern Red Cedar if you have permission to harvest one from private land. A miniature Christmas tree can also be made from a cone of chicken wire filled with slightly moistened sphagnum or wood moss. Single sprays of evergreen (4 to 6 inches long) are then inserted firmly into the moss base to outline a very bushy miniature tree. Alternatively, invert a tomato cage in a flower pot, tie the loose prongs together with a bow at the top, and adorn with lights and greenery. This is a very simple Christmas tree that you will certainly enjoy! Greenery Virtually any of the needled evergreens - pine, fir, spruce, cedar, juniper, yew, and hemlock - may be used as cut greens. They offer a

wide variety in foliage color, texture, and size for any decorating need. For indoor decoration, the best greenery are pines, firs, and cedars. Both hemlock and spruces are excellent for exterior wreaths, but when brought into a warm building may lose their needles within a week. Boxwood, yews, and holly also provide decorative greenery. Use the lower branches cut from the Christmas tree for additional holiday decorations. Decorations Wreaths or swags hung outdoors can be decorated with an assortment of fruits, nuts, and berries; including acorns, rose hips, gourds, bittersweet, and cones of most evergreens. Nandinas have great red berries and attractive foliage and are well suited for decorative uses. The leaves of Southern magnolia are also popular additions to wreaths and swags. A novel addition to the traditional colored-ball tree ornaments are painted or gilded seed pods and seed balls. Seed pods of the honey locust, trumpet vine, wisteria, and milkweed -- and the seed balls of trees, such as sweet gum and sycamore -- provide excellent materials. Painted gold or silver, or with a bright-colored enamel, they can add sparkle to the Christmas tree. If given several coats of clear shellac before painting, they should last indefinitely without falling apart. Once the holidays have come and gone, be sure to recycle your holiday decorations. Greenery used in ornaments can be used again in the garden. Wreaths and branches stripped from Christmas trees make excellent mulch for protecting newly planted ornamentals. Remove the material in the spring and compost it. Seeds and fruits can be placed outside, away from the house, for enjoyment by birds and critters. This article was adapted with permission from Diane Relf ’s “Selecting Holiday Greenery.” For more information, visit www.ext.vt.edu and key word search “holiday greenery.”. Sheri Dorn, Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources, VCE – Roanoke

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Page 6 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 12/12/08

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Hotel Roanoke holds 8th annual Fashions for Evergreens competition

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It's that time of year again. Time for traveling, gift giving, holiday parties, family, friends, relatives and of course - decorating. Give your own Christmas tree that "Wow!" factor with inspiration from the designers of Fashions for Evergreens, the Christmas tree competition that’s the centerpiece of holiday celebrations at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke, and at The Inn at Virginia Tech/Skelton Conference Center in Blacksburg. Hosted at both properties, the Fashions for Evergreen event is an annually celebrated Christmas tree competition featuring 38 professionally designed trees that present awe-inspiring Christmas ideas and concepts. “We’ve had everything from a nursery rhyme tree, a gardener’s tree with hose as the garland, a black tie tree, an Elvis Salutes

the Troops tree, you name it,� said Phil Davis, assistant general manager of the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. “We are in our eighth year and each year these trees get better and more creative. We are seeing more and more people. Last year [we] tallied more than 10,000 visitors who walked through the properties just to see the trees.� “We are proud to support and partner with the United Way this year,� said Gary Walton, general manager of The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. “’Tis the season for giving and this event will allow the entire community and guests of our Hotel to contribute a great cause this holiday season.� The competition runs from Thanksgiving to New Years Day. The trees will also be on display at www.HotelRoanoke.com and Perrywinke Toys’ entry in the Fashions for Evergreens competition. www.InnatVirginiaTech.com.

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Sports

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12/12/08 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 7

Northside Basketball

Photo by Bill Turner

Vikings look to unseat Cavs: After going 10-13 last season, head coach Billy Pope’s Northside High School Vikings would like to give the Lord Botetourt Cavaliers (17-8 last year) a run for their money in the Blue Ridge District this winter. The Vikings, who lost in the first round of 2007-2008 district postseason play, will count on returnees like sophomore guard Ryan Palmieri (pictured), in part to replace the scoring progress of now-graduated Logan Janney. Northside topped Patrick Henry last weekend 54-53 to even its early season record at 1-1.

Ryan Palmieri drives against Hidden Valley. Brains, not just braun: PH running back Darren Thomas (#10) picks up yardage against William Fleming earlier this year.

Fallen Titan:

Hidden Valley athletic director Chris Morris said it was one of the worst experiences he’s been through in many years – watching his star basketball player, Ben Boggs, cope with the pain from a broken leg he suffered in a game vs. Northside last week. Boggs apparently came down off balance and landed wrong, prompting the break. “One of the most horrifying nights I’ve spent on basketball court,” said Morris, who was the Titans coach during Boggs’ first three seasons at Hidden Valley. Teammate Chad Earhart (pictured) came over to comfort Boggs before he left for the hospital. Morris said the Virginia Tech signee should be good to go in about six months. Two days later Morris said his son, Andrew, also a member of the Hidden Valley basketball team, was playing video games with Boggs at his house. Boggs was scheduled for surgery on Wednesday (Dec. 10). “It’s a shame that this had to happen,” said Morris. “It’s his senior year and he wanted to do well...hopefully when he comes back he’ll be even better than Chad Earhart comforts Ben Boggs. before.”

Patrick Henry’s Fall 2008 All-Academic Team

Photo by Bill Turner

Lady Patriots Ready to Compete, Court named for Deans The Patrick Henry Lady Patriots basketball team is off to a solid 3-1 start on the season, as they look to build upon the success of a 17-6 record and an appearance in the semifinals of the Western Valley District Tournament last year. “I think we’ve got a good shot to compete for the district championship this year,” Coach Toree Dunleavy said. “We have a great group of girls, and they’re a lot of fun to be around.” Dunleavy, in her fifth season with the team, has plenty of talent to work with. Despite losing leading scorer and rebounder Bianca Jones to graduation, there are several players ready to step up, including sophomore shooting guard Sarah Williams, a Western Valley District First-Team selection as a freshman. The Lady Patriots added a valuable member to their roster in senior point guard Kate Norbo, who recently received a partial soccer scholarship to the University of Virginia. Norbo, who did not play last season in order to concentrate on soccer, “could very well end up being our best defender,” said Dunleavy. In the frontcourt, the Lady Patriots will rely on senior forward Latoya Flint, a four-year starter, to be a consistent threat on the boards to help ease the loss of Jones. Through the early portion of the schedule, Dunleavy likes what she sees from her team. “Our defensive pressure has been a positive, and it’s helped lead to some easy baskets for us,” she said. “We haven’t turned the ball over much, but we need to keep working on little things like rebounding and being better from the foul line. Those kinds of things can come back to bite us later.” This coming week the Lady Patriots head to Cave Spring to face the Knights on Monday, and then come home for a contest against Martinsville next Tuesday night. PH Names Court After Former Coach: Patrick Henry High School honored Woody Deans in a ceremony held last Saturday during the PH Tip off tourney, by naming the court in the gymnasium after the longtime Patriots basketball coach. “It’s the highest honor I could ever achieve,” Deans said. “It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.” He admitted a few days later to being emotional when given the honor. Deans has been involved with the school for over 30 years, beginning in 1963 when he first attended Patrick Henry as a student. Later in that long span, Deans served as a teacher, coach, and Athletic Director. “I guess it goes without saying that Patrick Henry has been a major part of my life for a long, long time,” he said.

VARSITY FOOTBALL Darren Thomas Matt Wood Devontae Casey Andrew Harris Aaron Heath Mike Clark David Morones Patrick Beddingfield Greg Millner Hawk Holmes Charlie Dickerson Kyle Smith JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL Zach Adorno Ian Dickson Joshua Friday Jha-Liel Harden Hunter Hoyt Tre Mauck Andrew Morgan Joshua Murray Brock Plantanga Ryan Rivea Jaquan Taylor Brandon Terry Breion Watkins David Prince

Photo by Bill Turner

Woody Deans is still around the PH athletic program. Deans is best remembered as the head coach of the Patriots boys’ basketball program, where he won two VHSL AAA state championships, in 1988 and 1992, during his thirteen-year tenure. Future NBA player George Lynch and UVA star Curtis Staples were members of those two teams, respectively. The 1988 championship squad, which Deans called “a dream team to coach,” was perhaps one of the most talented rosters in Virginia high school basketball history. It included local standouts Curtis Blair, now an official in the NBA, Russell Turner, an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, and Lynch, a standout at the University of North Carolina, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. In the semifinals of the state tournament, Dean’s Patriots defeated Indian River High School, led by former Georgetown great and NBA superstar Alonzo Mourning. Earlier that season, the Patriots also defeated highly-regarded DeMatha Catholic High School in front of 9,632 fans at the Roanoke Civic Center – the most to ever watch a high school basketball game in the state of Virginia at that time. Although retired, Deans remains very much involved at Patrick Henry, where he is known as the “Voice of the Patriots.” Deans is the PA announcer for all home football, volleyball and basketball games. “It’s a thrill for me every time I enter that gym,” Deans said. By Matt Reeve Matt@theroanokestar.com

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Sports

Page 8 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 12/12/08

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

Northside basketball outlook

in overtime. The game was close Girls: Trayce Coe, Northside girl’s throughout and Pope notes, “It was basketball coach, has a lot to look forintense … the entire [time].” The ward to this winter. While her Lady win was made possible by sophoVikings lost some key seniors she exmore forward Trey Smith, who hit pects them to mature as the season a three point shot with one second progresses and improve on last year’s left in the overtime period. “We got mark. As Coe looks toward a growfortunate and got a good look,” adds ing season, she also has a new baby Pope. Smith scored 16 points and on the way. She is eight months pregfellow forward Neil Brown added 16 nant and doesn’t expect to be off the as well. bench long. “Maybe a few days,” Coe The Vikings (10-13 last season) notes. Photo by Bill Turner traveled to Blacksburg on Tuesday The Vikings lost star Rachel Fertitta to graduation, but return three start- Abby Thomas drives and beat the Bruins 66-61 in a nondistrict game. Smith led the way ers (Morgan Allen, Molly Deacon and for the Vikings. with 19 while junior forward Blake Abby Thomas) from last season’s 1412 team, which lost in the Region III quarterfi- Thornburg chipped in with 12 points. Northside (2-1) will have two home games this nals. Northside is off to a slow start, losing their week, beginning with Salem on Friday. Pope exfirst few games. They lost by one point to Hid- pects a “tough matchup” as he notes the Salem den Valley 50-49 in what Coe, the 6th year head program always seems to put a good team on the coach, called, “a great girls high school basketball court. On Saturday, the Vikings will host Turngame.” The Vikings hit some late three pointers er Ashby. Due to their distance from Roanoke, and actually led, only to drop the game on some Pope does not know a lot about them: “They are late free throws by the Titans. Coe was pleased a very good sports school - and they were good with her girls’ effort noting, “We played so hard last year.” Northside Invitational: the Northside and showed a lot of determination.” The Lady Vikings then lost a home game to Vikings will host the 10th Northside Invitational William Fleming 48-37. Coe again was com- just after Christmas. The tournament begins on plimentary of the effort her girls displayed. “We December 26th with eight junior varsity teams fought back in the fourth quarter and made it and concludes with the varsity finals on Tuesday, December 30th. respectable,” acknowledged Coe. Local teams participating in the varsity brackOn Tuesday night the Lady Vikings met Salem in the Spartans home gym and lost 62-55. A et include district opponents Lord Botetourt and pair of junior guards led the way for Northside. William Byrd. Franklin County has won the last Morgan Allen paced the team with 15 points and two tournaments and will return this year, along Candice Smith added 14 in the loss. Salem ran its with Blacksburg, which always seems to play well record to 3-0. Northside will go for their first vic- in the tournament. Pope gives all of the prior tory on the road at Blacksburg on Friday. “They year’s schools the chance to return and regularly has to turn down teams wanting to participate, are supposed to be a good team,” notes Coe. Boys: Bill Pope, head coach of the Northside even teams from out of state. The tourney will Vikings boy’s basketball team, enters his 24th highlight four different district schools. Pope season with a young team. “We are still learning says, “It makes for a nice mix.” Ticket prices are yet to be determined, but a lot about our team,” notes Pope. He has already discovered what his squad is made of, as they there will be plenty of basketball for the money. have split their first two contests. Pope’s first The games will be played at the Northside gym, game of the season at Hidden Valley, a 62-51 loss beginning at 9:00am. Look for the brackets in to the Titans, showed his team that they have the later editions of the Star-Sentinel. ability to come back. Pope quickly points out, “We had a strong fourth quarter…we were down 22 in the fourth and cut it to nine.” By David Abraham The Vikings’ first win of the season came on info@theroanokestar.com the road at Patrick Henry last Saturday, 54-53

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Civitan awards Byrd players, coaches for sportsmanship

The 58th annual Civitan Sportsmanship Award from the Roanoke Civitan Club was awarded to William Byrd High School football players and coaches earlier this week. Head coach Jeff Highfill accepted the trophy on behalf of the team. Civitan honors a football team each fall and a girls athletic team in the spring. Terriers player Steven Clement also received a Civitan $ 500,00 scholarship from club President Moe Mattox. William Byrd High School principal Richard Turner and other local officials from the Vinton area turned out to watch the Terriers receive their sportsmanship award. Byrd was a winner on the field as well this fall, finishing 7-4 and making it to the first round of the playoffs.

New found pride on the diamond has Patriots longing for Spring

The combination of experienced talented players and dedicated coaches could end a long history of baseball mediocrity at Patrick Henry High School. Coaches Aaron Haigler and Ryan Loose have initiated much needed changes in improving the facilities and developing training schedules for the players. Working together over the past two years to improve their skills, their teamwork, and their facility the team has developed the LLC pride and swagger needed to win games. Edwards Field on the campus of Patrick Henry High School has been the only home the baseball team has ever known. With the reopening of the new high school and the unveiling of the state of the art football, soccer, and lacrosse stadium, the inadequacies of Edwards Field became glaring. Parents and fans, frustrated with the old scoreboard that rarely functioned, learned that it was beyond repair. Dick THE ROANOKE SUN | NOVEMBER 23-29 Sayers and Tommy Whitaker spearheaded the purchase of a new scoreboard from Time Technology. A loaner was put into place during the 2008 season with the permanent board erected this fall. This energy launched plans for other improvements to the field which have been completed by players and parents under the supervision of the coaches. The team erected new bullpens; Lucian Grove directed the renovation of batting cages for his Eagle Scout Project; Tim Burton designed flooring with a run off system for the dug-

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Photos by Bill Turner

The William Byrd Terriers football team- Civitan Sportsmanship winners. Head coach Jeff Highfill (left) and Civitan chapter president Moe Mattox. Byrd football player Steven Clement (right) accepts his scholarship.

outs which sport fresh purple paint and shingled roofs. Fans will be surprised at the new comforts at Edwards Field. The rotting wooden benches have been replaced. A concession stand, run by parents, will be open at every game, offering many delicious treats for fans’ enjoyment. Future plans include, upon completion of Kemper Steffe’s Eagle Project, a trash and recycling kiosk at the field and Mark Robertson’s Eagle Scout project, floating wooden flooring in the locker room. Also, there are plans for a two story building housing a concession stand and press box to be built along the first base side. When asked what he thinks about the time spent on the upgrades to the baseball facility, Coach Haigler said, “I am a firm believer that if you have a nice facility and you have a nice club house and you’ve got nice uniforms and nice equipment--that goes hand in hand with your performance on the field.” | 9 The Patriots will be led by a talented and experienced senior class. The double play tandem of Gary Wayne Fitzgerald at second base and Yates Sayers at short stop will be strong, keeping the Patriots in every game. Kemper Steffe will take his sure handed fielding skills out to first base. In the outfield, speedy Lucian Grove and aggressive Mark Robertson will frustrate hitters. Seeing time both in the outfield and on the pitcher’s mound will be Cameron Simmons. These players have grown up together playing on the same

or opposing teams in Roanoke City Recreational League and middle school baseball. They see this season as the culmination of years of hard work. “Those guys are very special to me because they’re my first graduating class and that group’s always going to be special to you….they mean so much to Coach Loose [and] so much to the program. Those guys are the keystone of this program,” Coach Haigler said when asked to comment on the seniors. Not to be over shadowed by this star studded group of senior student athletes, the Patriots will return a slew of young talent. Zack Whitaker, just a sophomore, is the ace of the pitching staff. Will Kaufman, the primary catcher will look to control the running game with his strong arm. Brad Sowers, an outfielder who has played on the varsity team since he was a freshman, will bring his strong arm and powerful bat to the table in 2009. As the Patrick Henry Patriot baseball team prepares for the 2009 season, let them take these words from Bob Feller to heart. “Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is."

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12/12/08 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 9

Commentary: Times Are Tough, But Worse For Others Recently the front page of the New York Times referred to "a grim picture of the economy," a picture becoming increasing familiar. Beyond any doubt we are all hurting, but in each community some people are hurting worse than others. On a local level, our area food banks see the “grim picture” daily and the progression of that grimness. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, which covers much of western and central Virginia, served over 72,000 people in September, compared to 56,000 people in the same month last year. The Lynchburg Area Branch, part of the Blue Ridge network, has 26,480 residents living below the poverty line. Our neighbors need us now. Because I expect the needs throughout the district to increase over the next few weeks and months and because I have had the opportunity to volunteer at food banks and understand the essential work they do, I urge everyone to reach out to their local food bank now. Two networks cover the parts of Virginia we call home: the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and the Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank. Their contact information and details about how to help are at www.brafb.org and www.swvafoodbank.org. There are several ways we can help. For instance, in the Blue Ridge network, made up of four branches, the closest to home are the Shenandoah Valley Branch in Verona and the Lynchburg Area Branch. They accept donations of food or money and always need volunteers. In Southwestern Virginia the Roanoke Valley Branch, located in Salem. has the same needs.

Those networks are essential starting places, but we can probably help much closer to home. For instance, the Blue Ridge home page offers a link to its member agencies ------ there are more than 400 ----- where we can find a nearby church or organization that could use donations of food, money, or time. These member agencies have local food pantries or get food home to families in some other manner. Not all the agencies are listed, but the network agency can help in finding something in our neighborhood. Besides donating individually, we can broaden the effort by asking others to join us. Any kind of group effort serves a dual purpose: keeping us in touch with other members of the community and increasing the donation. Either way we decide to help ---- organizing a group effort, even a few people in the neighborhood, or making an individual donation ---- reminds us that while we are all hurting, we still have enough to help those facing more serious economic challenges. Spending the last two years meeting people throughout the Sixth Congressional District, I have come to know and appreciate their compassion and generosity. With the election over, this winter is a vital time to put inter- and intra-party politics aside as we work to serve our communities in a time of dire need. Sam Rasoul Roanoke, VA

We want to hear from YOU! Send your letters (and confirmation contact information) to info@theroanokestar.com. 250 words or less please; subject to editing

The Roanoke Star-Sentinel

Commentary: What Have You Done For Your Country Lately?

How do we get people, young and old alike, to ask what they can do for their country? What have I done for my country lately? Famous last words, or words I seldom utter? I’ve been thinking about what “service” and “serving’ mean for quite some time. Service has taken on different meanings for me during different stages of my life. My father and brother both served in the military. In fact my father always referred to his stint in the Army as the time when he was “in the service”. My brother just said he was a Marine (but that’s another story). The notion of serving one’s country has gone through many iterations in my own mind, as I suspect it has for many other baby boomers,

as different times, different wars, and different perspectives have all affected what it means to serve our country. Admittedly, I am totally biased. I believe that working in the nonprofit sector is an extraordinary way to serve one’s country and is the most rewarding experience one can ever have. By their very nature as mission-driven enterprises, non-profit organizations strive to make communities better places in which to live. As the meaning of service has changed, so has the concept of volunteerism. The need, desire, and commitment to make a difference once led people to volunteer. Today, many of our children volunteer in order to fulfill school obligations. They “volunteer” so they can

ed children, answering the phones at a battered women’s shelter, carrying meals to the homebound, helping train dogs for the blind- the catalog of ways in which to serve is nearly endless. In America, there is a nonprofit to serve virtually everyone in need. Each of these nonprofits can make a profound difference in our own lives as well. All we need to do is make the commitment to serve. There are those who say that working in the nonprofit world is a sacrifice, or that it is not practical. The salary is low; the hours are long. This may be true. However the rewards are incalculable. I have made only one sacrifice since I began working in the nonprofit world almost 16 years ago: I have rarely taken a vacation, and never a long one,

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Dickens of a Christmas: JEFFERSON ST./CAMPBELL AVE. 6:30 p.m. – City of Roanoke

Christmas Parade (Begins at Elm & Jefferson) sponsored by City of Roanoke, Appalachian Power, and Downtown Roanoke Inc. CAMPBELL AVE. & MARKET 6-10 p.m. – Strolling St. Nicholas 6-10 p.m. – Carriage Rides 6-10 p.m. – Street Actors (Theatre Students from William Fleming High School) 6-10 p.m. – Pony Rides & Holiday Photos 7-9 p.m. – Judd Poindexter, Stilt Walker 7-9 p.m. – Mark Fuller, Magician 7:30-9:30 p.m. – Kate Guntermann, Fire Eater 7:30-9:30 p.m. – Charon Henning, Sword Swallower 7-10 p.m. – Sally Edelman, Face Painter 7-10 p.m. – David Bear Stuart, Juggler 8-10 p.m. – Photos with Santa 8-10 p.m. – Lost and Found Percussion MARKET STREET/CHURCH AVENUE 8:00 p.m. – Floyd Ward School of Dance CAMPBELL AVENUE 6-10 p.m. – Living Nativity Scene – Penn Forest Christian Church SANTA’S WORKSHOP 6-8 p.m. – Taubman Museum of Art

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> Dec. 13

Speedlight The Bedford & Botetourt County Parks & Recreation is sponsoring a bus trip to the matinee of Miracle on 34th Street at the Barter Theatre, Abingdon,VA, and to Speedway in Lights at the Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol,TN, on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Prior to the matinee at the Barter, the group will enjoy an all inclusive lunch at Abingdon’s Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant. The price of $89 per person includes: Roundtrip motorcoach transportation, an all inclusive lunch at Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant, matinee ticket for Miracle on 34th Street at Barter Theatre, admission to Speedway in Lights and a tour host. Passengers can board the bus at the Westgate Shopping Center, Bedford; Bonsack Walmart, Route 460, Troutville; and at Food Lion, Exit 137, Salem,VA. For more information, call (540) 586-7682 or (540) 473-8326.

> Dec. 20

Christmas at Hillbilly Hidea-way The Singles Travel Club (couples welcome too!), is sponsoring a bus trip to Christmas at

but this is a sacrifice of my choosing. We do young people a great disservice when we fail to encourage them to consider careers in the nonprofit world. I have been actively recruiting young people to work in my nonprofit specifically because my nonprofit works on behalf of older people. For younger people to consider a career that involves working with seniors is, for many, a huge leap of faith. Asking them to do so for lower wages than they would make in the corporate sector requires an even greater leap. However, asking them to dedicate themselves to serving a cause far more challenging than any they might otherwise consider allows them to proudly proclaim that they server their country in the

spirit of the challenge President John F. Kennedy set for us nearly 50 years ago. Our country deserves no less from us, especially today.

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Community Calendar Santa’s on his way to the Roanoke Public Libraries Santa’s elves have just sent us a message that Santa, along with his wife, Mrs. Clause, will be visiting Roanoke Public Libraries in December. Santa and Mrs. Clause will be reading, providing refreshments and having their photos taken with anyone visiting them at Roanoke Libraries. Come and enjoy the season with Santa and Mrs. Clause at Roanoke Libraries! And as usual, everything happening at these events is free, even the photos with Santa that you take home with you! No need to register, just show up! Phone 853-2955 for more information. Please refer to schedule below for locations and times: Melrose Library, Saturday, Dec 13, 10 a.m. - noon; Raleigh Court Library, Friday, Dec 19, 10 a.m. - noon; Roanoke Main Library, Saturday, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. noon; Williamson Road Library, Monday, Dec. 22, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

> Dec. 12

graduate from high school. In far too many instances, volunteering has become an obligation rather than an opportunity to serve. How do we change the mindset? How do we get people, young and old alike to ask what they can do for their country? We tell them to work for a nonprofit for one year. That’s what we do. Although the idea is not a new one, it still is one yet to catch on. Why? Working for a nonprofit organization for one year, just one year, is an extraordinary way to serve our country. It carries a high return for the individual as well. This is exactly what I think we fail to emphasize. Serving with a nonprofit is serving one’s soul. Serving at a homeless shelter, working with abused and neglect-

the Hillbilly Hide-a-way, Walnut Cove, NC, on Saturday, December 20, 2008. Prior to dinner, the group will visit Church of the Talking Mural and have refreshments there. They will also visit Madison Dry Goods, a historic country store and museum in Madison, NC. At the Hillbilly Hide-a-way, the group will feast on a family style meal consisting of such foods as: fried chicken, meat loaf, country ham, barbeque ribs, pinto beans, potatoes, green beans, creamy corn, slaw, cooked apples, banana pudding, cake, cobbler, bread, tea, coffee and sodas. After dinner, there is a three hour music show of country, bluegrass and gospel music in the music hall. Cost - $69 per person includes: Roundtrip motorcoach transportation, visit to Church of the Talking Mural and refreshments there, a visit to Madison Dry Goods, an all inclusive Family Style Meal at Hillbilly Hide-away, a three hour music show and a tour host. Where - Passengers can board the bus at the Bonsack Walmart, Route 460, Troutville; at Hunting Hills Lowes, Route 220, Roanoke; and at Food Lion, Rocky Mount,VA. For more- call (540) 366-2888. Have an item for the calendar? email it to submissions@theroanokestar. com

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Page 10 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 12/12/08

TheRoanokeStar.com

Global Spectrum Inc., chosen to manage Roanoke Civic Center

The City of Roanoke has officially named Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field, as the new operator and manager of the Roanoke Civic Center. The Philadelphia-based firm immediately named Chris Connolly, a 10-year company veteran, as the new General Manger of the versatile Civic Center. The firm will begin operation on Friday, January 2, 2009. “Global Spectrum has an outstanding reputation for managing similar venues and properties such as the Roanoke Civic Center,� said City of Roanoke Assistant City Manager Jim Grigsby. “We are excited to have them managing our arena here in Roanoke and we look forward to a great relationship with them.� In addition to the Roanoke Civic Center, Global Spectrum currently operates

three other facilities in Virginia, including the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, VA; the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, VA; and the Ted F. Constant Convocation Center on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Connolly will lead Global Spectrum’s day-to-day operations of the Roanoke Civic Center, including booking and scheduling events, overseeing the daily financials for the facility, and supervising the operations of the 10,000seat multi-purpose coliseum, performing arts theatre, exhibition space and a special events center. “Roanoke is a terrific market with a lot of potential,� said Global Spectrum Chief Operating Officer John Page. “With the synergies we can create with our three other Virginia-based facilities, and our industry resources and

contacts, we see tremendous potential for the Roanoke Civic Center.� Connolly is relocating to Roanoke from London, Ontario, Canada, where he served as Assistant General Manager at the Global Spectrum-managed John Labatt Centre, since 2005. He joined Global Spectrum as a Marketing and Hospitality Coordinator at Global Spectrum’s flagship arena, the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Global Spectrum (globalspectrum.com) is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association and the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League.

The Isaacs’ Ribbon Cutting Roanoke City Mayor David Bowers uses his “ceremonial scissors� to cut the ribbon at the Grand Re-opening of “The Isaacs� restaurant at 1910 Memorial Ave in Grandin Village. Beside him are Peter Larkin of Congressman Goodlatte’s office and Ben and Benjamin Ward (Ben’s Uncle) owners of the “The Isaacs.� The restaurant, located in Memorial Hall where Shopwell Grocery once did business, has undergone extensive renovation to increase seating space and add a bar area. For more information visit them online at: theisaacsrestaurant.com

Virginia Tech involved with “Clean Coal� project The Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research (VCCER) at Virginia Tech will direct the $2,399,736 Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB) Phase II Task 10 project to identify sites for a potential large-volume carbon dioxide (CO2) injection tests. The tests are to validate the carbon sequestration and enhanced coal bed methane recovery potential in the Central Appalachian Coal Basin, which includes parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. During Phase I, participating research groups identified carbon sequestration opportunities ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere or prevent it from reaching the atmosphere - and characterized carbon sink sites to identify those with the best potential for storing carbon. In October 2005, Phase II began work to shift greenhouse gas storage technologies from the lab to the field. Phase II includes sequestration testing using a horizontal CBM well within the Central Appalachian Basin and may develop break-

tba Wins PRSA Summit Awards Firm receives most gold awards for excellence in public relations tba Public Relations and Advertising won the most gold Summit Awards of any Roanoke agency during the annual awards presented by the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The firm was honored with three gold awards and one silver: Gold in the Public Relations Campaign (average budget) category for public relations efforts leading to

the successful merger of FNB Corp. and Virginia Financial to form StellarOne Bank. Gold in the Website Development (average budget) category for the new Cycle Systems site (www.CycleSystems.com). Gold in the Special Events category (average budget) for the 125th anniversary of the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center.. Silver in the Media Relations (average budget) cat-

egory for Virginia Prosthetics’ effort to gain insurance coverage for prostheses and orthotics. “We’re thrilled to have received the most gold awards of any Roanoke agency, and be recognized for outstanding work that gets results,� said Thomas Becher, APR, president of tba.

through technologies. VCCER's research partners on the entire SECARB project are Marshall Miller and Associates, the Geological Survey of Alabama, University of Kentucky, Advanced Resources International, Eastern Coal Council, and the SSEB. Additional partners on task 10 are West Virginia University and CONSOL Inc. According to VCCER Director Michael Karmis, the Stonie Barker Professor of Mining and Minerals Engineering, “the work of the (SECARB) Central Appalachian Coal Seam Sequestration group on the characterization, modeling, assessment and testing of un-minable coal seams in central Appalachia that can serve as carbon dioxide sinks, while also stimulating enhanced coal bed methane recovery, is a major technological breakthrough. Even assuming great developments on energy efficiency, conservation, and the use of renewables, carbon capture and storage is an essential solution for stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions."

Cox increases internet speeds My Father’s House International joins for customers in Roanoke Valley National Accountability Organization The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) has announced that “My Father’s House International� of Roanoke, VA, an organization committed to raising awareness and support of the plight of people who live in poverty, is an affiliated member. ECFA membership is based on standards of responsible stewardship, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fundraising. My Father’s House International (www.mfhinternational.org) joins a growing number of churches and

evangelical organizations across America, representing more than $18 billion in annual revenue, that have earned the right to display the ECFA seal. When an organization becomes an ECFA member, it demonstrates its willingness to follow the model of biblical accountability. “We are pleased to include in our membership a ministry committed to restoring children and families to God and each other,â€? said Dan Busby, acting president of ECFA. Founded in 2004, My Father’s House International (MFHI) is committed to

showing the love of Christ to children and families in crisis worldwide by caring for them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Currently, MFHI supports La Casa de mi Padre, an independent, Christian-run orphanage in San Salvador. ECFA, founded in 1979, helps Christ-centered organizations earn the public’s trust. Members must faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, visit www. ECFA.org

Send your articles, story ideas and pictures to: info@theroanokestar.com

Cox Communications has announced a major speed increase for its high-speed Internet customers. Customers who now choose Cox’s Preferred and Premier packages in Roanoke saw their download speeds increased as much as 80% and their uploads doubled thanks to the addition of “PowerBoost� for uploads. “We recognize that customers are using the Internet for more intense purposes – online gaming, downloading music and sharing photos and videos,� stated Vice President and General Manager Marilyn Burrows. “These incredibly fast speeds we’re able to deliver in the Roanoke area ensure that Cox customers can spend more time doing what they want online and less time waiting, with a significantly slower DSL or dial-up connection.� The Preferred package is ideal for surfing the Web and downloading photos, videos and music. Premier offers the fastest speeds and is great for power gamers, telecommuters and households with home networks connecting multiple computers. Customers get the speed increases automatically. There’s no need to call or have a technician visit. PowerBoost for uploads is an extension of the PowerBoost technology that Cox rolled out last year to increase the speed of downloads for Preferred and Premier customers. This cable-exclusive technology gives customers an extra burst

of speed when they need it most – when they’re receiving or sending large files like photos, movies or music over the Internet. Preferred customers can actually experience speeds up to 12 Mbps down/1 Mbps up and Premier customers can go up to 20 Mbps down/2 Mbps up. “The strength of our existing coax & fiber-optic network allows us to deliver even faster speeds to Cox High Speed Internet customers without the need for network upgrades,� stated Rick Nielsen, VP of Field Engineering “Cox’s long history of innovation ensures that customers will continue to see not only the speeds, but the compelling features and benefits they want at a competitive price.� That innovation includes testing a new technology platform called DOCSIS 3.0, which opens the door to even faster Internet speeds and a broader variety of services that can be offered over cable’s broadband network. “Cox’s engineers continue working to bring the new DOCSIS 3.0 standard to our communities,� stated Nielsen. “DOCSIS 3.0 will enable us to increase download speeds to 70, 100 or even 150 Mbps while utilizing our existing coax & fiber-rich network. Testing of the new platform is already underway and Cox customers should see the benefits soon.�

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Arts & Culture

TheRoanokeStar.com

Rob Neukirch stars in “A Simple Gift� on stage at MMT

Where does Mom get the inspiration for her best-selling books? Why is dad, my surgeon father, so busy all the time? Will I land a spot in the Broadway play? You know, the usual questions that ten year olds like “Carrie O’Connor� ask themselves. Maybe not, but that’s the essence of Roanoker Ruth Ann Patterson’s book, “A Simple Gift,� now adapted for the stage at Mill Mountain Theatre as the holiday show through December 28. Besides the adult cast, there are a handful of children and several dogs in “A Simple Gift,� belying W.C. Field’s suggestion that actors should work with neither. Floyd resident and veteran television actor Rob Neukirch (L.A. Law, Cheers) is Ben Sanders, famous Broadway director, while Ginger Poole, Mill Mountain’s Director of Education, is his assistant Kelly McCune in the play. A number of the children involved have been in one of Poole’s acting workshops and summer camp programs. “There is a play within a play within this story,� notes Poole, “and that all takes place on stage.� Mill Mountain Artistic Director, Patrick Benton adapted “A Simple Gift� for the stage. “Carrie wants desperately to be an actor,� said Neukirch

Photo by Gene Marrano

Rob Neukirch and Ginger Poole appear in “A Simple Gift.â€? about the play’s dramatic core. Her mother wrote the play she’s trying out for, but Carrie wants to get the part on her own. “She doesn’t want anybody to know – she wants to get this part all by herself.â€? Poole said Carrie is also looking for “a little bit of validation from Mom and Dad,â€? by landing the plum role. Poole calls A Simple Gift, “a good family show ‌ with a great message. Everybody can relate.â€? The cast has already staged the play several times for local school groups. Ben’s character, adds Neukirch, talks about the play within a play demonstrating “how to think about others. I think that’s really the message of

[A Simple Gift]. It’s a positive message.â€? Neukirch jokes about the Fields line concerning dogs and kids: “now I know why he said that.â€? Truthfully, he notes that the child actors have been “great. Their energy is amazing ‌ they keep you hopping. They’re very non-plussed about anything that happens on stage, whether they drop a line or are in the wrong spot. They’re just charging right on.â€? They’ll all be charging through A Simple Gift until December 28.  (see millmountain.org for more information) By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

12/12/08 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 11

The Godfather of Go-Go comes to Roanoke

He’s called the Godfather of Go-Go music, which is all about a dance beat meant to get people moving – and participating. And Chuck Brown is still going strong at 70plus. His early classic “Bustin’ Loosel,� is used by his hometown Washington Nationals after the baseball team hits a home run – and he has a street named after him in DC, an honor that brought tears to his eyes.  Being so closely identified with a specific music genre “is the greatest thing that ever happened to me,� says Brown, who enjoys being recognized on the streets in the DC area, where he often plays weekend gigs. Backed by an 11-piece band that includes a full horn section, Brown is also in concert at Jefferson Center this Friday night, December 12 (8pm) to support his new CD, “We’re about the Business.� He’s performed in Roanoke before but “can’t remember the place.� Growing up with a musically inclined mother, living in a self-described “little shack� near train tracks in Washington, Brown says the rhythm of steam locomotives on the rails helped pave the way for his development of go-go music, which depends heavily on audience participation. “They’re the ones that make it happen.

monica, and could “out-sing anybody in the family.â€?  He was accompanying her by age three. “She used to take me around‌and we’d sing together. Those were good old days,â€? chuckled Brown, who remembers the hat being passed around and food being offered. Brown, who dabbled a bit in boxing as a young man, has two sons now playing football in college, including Nekos Brown, a defensive end for Virginia Tech and another son (Wiley) at Duquesne. Nekos had a sack last weekend in Tech’s win over Boston College in the ACC Championship game. What keeps The Godfather of Go-Go going? God for starters, and “that audience. They’re the ones that make it happen.â€? Chuck Brown in concert at Jefferson Center this Friday night, December 12 (8pm). See jeffcenter.org for more information.

Chuck Brown is the Godfather of Go-Go. When you hear that beat you find yourself moving,� said Brown from his Maryland home last week. “It just goes on and on.� Don’t expect to sit much if you go to his Jefferson Center show this Friday warns Brown – go-go music will soon have folks on their feet. In addition to original tunes the jazz/blues guitarist likes to take classics from the likes of Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer, turning them into gogo styled tunes. “It has such a good vibe,� said Brown, “this will make you rock – this will have you moving.� Everybody in his family could sing or play an instrument said Brown; his mother played accordion and har-

By Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net

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his nudes in a way that continually moves the viewer’s focal point in and out of the painting. Many collectors of local artists’ work covet his pieces. You can see the pieces from the cover of his book Carl Jung: Darwin of the Mind on display in the gallery. The Market Gallery formerly occupied what is now 202 Market Club and Restaurant. Now, it has a wonderful, highly visible location, 23 Salem Avenue, half of a block from the Taubman Museum. The renaissance of visual arts in downtown Roanoke is reflected in the Market Gallery and other new galleries. We will tell you about some more next week! The Market Gallery – 23 Salem Avenue Signature 9 Gallery – 301 South Jefferson Street Wilson Hughes Studios and Gallery – 117 West Campbell Avenue Pamela Jean Gallery – 115 East Salem Avenue Gallery 108 – 108 Market Street Fleda A. Ring Artworks – 7A East Church Avenue Patton and Phillips Gallery – 110 West Campbell Avenue Roanoke Valley Printworks – 108 East Salem Avenue Betty Branch Sculpture Gal-

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The prints are often used as gifts, especially for those who love our local scenes, those of New York and other places as subject matter. Something new he is doing now are small “etudes,� colorful framed abstract prints which would be appreciated as a wedding gift, a vivid alternative for, say, a traditional “place setting.� From peaceful landscapes by Nan Mahone Wellborn and Joseph Wilson to wild, “funky,� fun pieces by Jamie Nervo, The Market Gallery has something for all—especially in the “print box,� where unframed treasures hide. Steve Mitchell raises functional art to a new level. He is a potter using Raku, a method of firing where pieces are shaped from the inside. He then uses sodium silicate to create a textured surface. Cathryn Hankla experiments with the “push/pull� concept of color placement. Mary Bullington is the queen artist of color and movement. Her work looks great anywhere from a kitchen at the beach to an elegant metropolitan living room with antiques and Persian rugs, where they are often seen both here and away. Tom Lawson paints with thoughtful gusto—coloring

Open Christmas Day

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How do you know what art will look good in your dwelling? Try it out! Why buy original art?—Because the original is active and visually tactile. Artists want to help you get their work into your home so that you can decide what pleases you and fits into your dĂŠcor. What you may not know is that when you find something in our local galleries, you can work out a payment plan with the artist. Just ask! Not since the 1960s has Western Virginia seen so much excitement about art in all forms: music, dance, and especially the visual arts. The opening of the Taubman Museum of Art brings to mind the excitement surrounding the opening of Cherry Hill, the first permanent art museum in the area. Lynn Yeatts, Jim Yeatts, Peter Wreden, Peyton Klein, and Ann Weinstein are artists, teachers, and critics whom we still remember and respect from that earlier art renaissance. Today, many artists of their caliber are exhibiting in the area. Almost all of these exhibitions are in downtown Roanoke. Roanoke is experiencing another art renaissance now. The excitement starts with The Market Gallery, where the most established artists exhibit their work. These artists have been together for some time and began the promotion of the recent local gallery scene. Leading the movement is Ann Glover; she sets a standard as a painter and as a teacher. Her “schoolâ€? includes many budding artists. Her work (like most local artists) holds its value or increases in value. Her pieces work well for any collection or design scheme. Edward Bordett paints and makes prints of local scenes.

Page 12 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 12/12/08

TheRoanokeStar.com

Region’s biggest Christmas parade takes over downtown Vinton

Last Thursday night the 2008 Vinton Christmas Parade brought out onlookers from all over the region. Coming from locations as varied as Northside High School and Radford Baptist Community Church, participants bopped along the streets of downtown Vinton to ring in the holidays, while thousands cheered them on. Wachovia Bank, for the first time, sponsored activities, with the Vinton Chamber of Commerce hosting and organizing the event. The parade was preceded by a Christmas tree lighting, hosted by Vinton Mayor

Brad Grose, who told all in attendance to “worship as you please this season.” After the William Byrd High School Band performed a holiday medley, cloggers from the Floyd Ward School of Dance took to a stage at the Municipal Building. When the sound was accidently temporarily cut off, the girls didn’t miss a beat and got a round of applause from the crowd for their perseverance. Following a liturgical dance performance by the “God’s Rods” group from nearby Grace Family Church and heartfelt renditions of holiday standards by jazzy

soloist Germaine Fletcher, the parade got underway on a chilly but dry night. Many of the floats were striking in their design. Firstplace non-religious group winners Wildwood Campground had built a bucolic camping site scene that trailed behind their vehicles, while the Herman L. Horn Elementary School float sported a huge colorful sign emblazoned with “Education-- The Best Gift.” Students from all grade levels at Horn Elementary in Vinton worked to create the float, entirely out of recycled materials. It featured

Photo by Aaron Layman

The William Byrd High School band strikes up a toon. Several other marching bands from local high schools also participated. a fireplace created from cereal boxes, a tree comprised of green-painted plastic milk jugs and a snowman made entirely with white plastic grocery bags. Vinton Christmas Parade judges awarded the float the Mayor’s Award and presented the school with a $100 prize. “We’re so proud of our students for their hard work and

creativity,” said Herman L. Horn Principal and “Queen Bee” Susan Brown. “We were very surprised to win the Mayor’s Award. We thank everyone who came out to support our float in the parade,” Brown added. The creativity of parade participants, though, didn’t just come in visual form. Dancers in front of a train-

Vinton Christmas Parade awards Mayor’s Award- Herman L. Horn High School Religious: 1st- St. Timothy Lutheran Church 2nd- Hollins Road Church of the Brethren 3rd- Ridgewood Baptist Church Non-Religious: 1st- Wildwood Campground 2nd- Maple Street Transmission and Auto Repair 3rd- Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors Best Children’s Float- Pittman Family Best Children’s (Other) - Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Children’s Choir

Special Holiday Hours! Sat Dec 13th: 9:30 PM - 4:30 PM Sat Dec 20th: 9:30 PM - 5:00 PM Christmas Eve: 9:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Closed Friday Dec 26th)

Since 1928

Frank L. Moose Jeweler, Inc. 207 First Street, SW • Roanoke, Virginia 24011 540-345-8881 • www.frankmoosejeweler.com

shaped float representing Thrasher Memorial Church step-danced and shouted a boisterous chant, “I’ve got a ticket,” as a metaphor for faith. While the event may be located in Vinton, groups from all over the valley came to supply the holiday cheer. Bands from William Fleming and Northside played tight, syncopated versions of holiday tunes. Businesses as far-flung as Small Smiles in northwest Roanoke and Scooter Outlet on Melrose Avenue joined the parade. A float created by the Pittman family of Bedford (Scott and Michelle Pittman; their children Keifer, Spencer, Olivia and Ethan) built a 40-foot gingerbread house and transported it to the Vinton parade to show off their handiwork, which won the Best Children’s Float award. An open house was held afterwards at the Vinton War Memorial, where children could color holiday-themed pictures and write letters to troops and veterans, in appreciation of their service to the United States. Racecar driver Danny O’Quinn (Roush Racing) was on hand to sign autographs for fans as was Santa Claus, who left the parade route to hear what presents children want this Christmas.

Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Saturday 9 am - 5 pm

By Aaron Layman info@theroanokestar.com

Merry Christmas from

Roanoke Valley Harley-Davidson!

Who knows what you might find under your tree this year!

1925 Peters Creek Road Ronaoke, VA 24017

540-562-5424

www.rvhd.com Monday - Friday 8 to 6 Saturday 8 to 5

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