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Community | News | Per spective
February 13, 2009
Liza Field
City Council may choose Nash’s replacement by March 2
TheRoanokeStar.com
Even in times of peril, the great “American Idol” still rules
RCPS faces big decisions
From the publisher
Is it really possible that while our nation finds itself in the “worst economic crisis since the great depression” (I believe those are the president’s words) that we are spending untold millions to help people (lest they lose it, God forbid) receive television signals? Actually, it’s $1.34 billion as of December, and our elected leaders have just committed another couple hundred million so not a single citizen will miss an episode of “Desperate Housewives.” As our sons and daughters and future heirs to the world may say, “What in the name of George Washington were they thinking about?” There is perhaps no greater example of the dysfunction of Our Take America as a modern developing culture than this reality: while our ship seems to be sinking in a rather Titanic-like fashion, in lieu of doing everything possible to man the lifeboats most efficiently, we’re checking on our dinner reservation on the promenade deck. “Excuse me sir, but your house is on fire.” “Thanks – I appreciate that; I’ll check it out as soon as I’m finished making sure my TV will work next week . . .” It is a peculiar American madness. The basic horror of television
Valentine’s Origin P6– Liza Field says that the birds that first inspired St. Valentine’s as a time of romance need our help now. Embattled Alvin Nash steps down in two weeks.
Super Bowl Dreamin’ P9– Tom Rickard makes a simple suggestion and wakes up to find himself at the Super Bowl with the Boss.
Saying his heart really belonged to the Blue Ridge Housing Corporation, Alvin Nash announced his resignation from Roanoke City Council, effective February 28. Nash will return to the BRHC as executive director March 1, immediately working City Council to refute charges that the non-profit agency owes the city several hundred thousand dollars. “My decision to resign was influenced by … the suggestion from city staff that Blue Ridge may have violated city contracts or HUD rules. These allegations are untrue and I cannot ignore them. I want the truth to be told and I want Blue Ridge Housing to survive,” said Nash in his resignation letter. Nash was appointed last year to fill Alfred Dowe Jr.’s spot
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> CONTINUED P3: Nash
Cool Cafe
P11– The William Byrd Players present Smokey Joe’s Café at the William Byrd Playhouse Feb. 12 - 22.
Loving the Land
P14– David Hurt has turned a personal passion for conservation into a career helping Virginians save their land for development.
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Photos by Valerie Garner
With an over $15 million funding shortfall and proposals to close some of Roanoke’s oldest and most familiar neighborhood schools, concern and opinions were aplenty at the first of 3 public input meetings scheduled this week. A final public hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 18th at 6:30 PM at Lucy Addison Middle School. oanoke City Schools are not alone, “We are being asked to run, succeed, and nor being singled out in any way,” excel in a challenged school division with said School Board Chairman David less resources then we had three years ago,” Carson at Tuesday’s public meeting and bud- said Carson, who was quick to point out his get hearing, held in the William Fleming High priorities, claiming, “we must protect our School cafeteria. children first,” followed closely by teachers, Carson was speaking to a budget short- then facilities.” fall of $15 million (more than 10% of this School Superintendent Dr. Rita Bishop year’s budget), exacerbated by problems at the state level. > CONTINUED P2: School Board
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> CONTINUED P3: Our Take
Sisters keep city govt. on their toes “Renew-a-nation” Formed To Offer Free Christian Education
The day that Evelyn Davis Bethel, 75, was featured in her favorite yellow dress on the front page of The Roanoke Times & World News (August 1st 1992), she was speaking from the podium at a Roanoke City Council meeting with her sister, Helen E. Davis, 80, cheering her on. Bethel returned to the Star City from Washington D.C. two years earlier with the intent to retire peacefully after decades of working for the federal government. Davis, who had never left, enthusiastically welcomed her sister home. “My plan was to spend my retirement learning to play the guitar; maybe drink some fresh squeezed lemonade on the porch,” Bethel said. “Instead I was shocked to find a great deal of blight and destruction in the area where I grew up: Gainsboro.” So instead of sipping lemonade, the Davis/Bethel sisters have earned their reputation as two of Roanoke’s most outspoken and respected activists. Bethel is founder and president of Historic Gainsboro Preservation District (HGPD) and Helen is the “backbone” of the organization. “Our primary mission has been the revitalization of the Gainsboro community,” Davis said. “We are concerned because our neighborhoods are barren since urban renewal.” The 1992 newspaper headline read: “Black Movement Sparked.” The story portrayed Bethel as one of the key leaders
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Evelyn Bethel and sister, Helen Davis, regularly attend Roanoke City Council to offer “a full measure of truth.” in a local black pride movement determined to stop the fourlane roads that had been slated by city officials and the Virginia Department of Transportation to slice through the heart of Gainsboro. The Gainsboro district dates back to 1834 when Roanoke was little more than a salt lick, but eventually, a bustling community and a lively, black entertainment mecca emerged. “The Yard”, as the Henry Street area was affectionately called, was once frequented by performers Lois Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald at clubs such as the Morocco and the Ebony. Later, Fats Domino and James Brown would grace the stage at the Star City Auditorium. Joe Tex had his blue velvet suit cleaned at Prunty’s Cleaners and may have purchased a dark chocolate bar at Martha Jones’ Candy Com-
pany. Booker T. Washington studied his speech at the Gainsboro Library, established in 1921. However, by the 1960s, urban renewal had railroaded its way into town, destroying thousands of homes, hundreds of minority-owned businesses and a slew of churches. “Our first really focused mission was to prevent the destruction of the Wells Avenue alignment,” Bethel said. “We worked with others in the community to prevent that from happening, so instead of a 45 degree angle cut from Wells and Williamson to Gilmer, we were able to save property on the south side of Gilmer Avenue Northeast.” Thanks to Bethel and Davis, Gainsboro received both its state and national historic status > CONTINUED P2: Bethel Sisters
“The classroom has become the number one battlefield,” says Pastor Jeff Keaton. “The battle for the soul of America is being fought in the arena of worldviews.” Keaton, who pastors at Parkway House of Prayer, is CEO of “Renewanation”, a recently birthed nonprofit organization. Renewanation is a movement begun at Parkway Christian Academy (PCA), the Christian school affiliated with Parkway House of Prayer. Renewanation’s mission is “to provide a high quality, tuition Parkway Christian Academy free, Christian education to ev- students (and brothers), Eliery child whose parents choose jah Hughes and Isaiah Hughes. this alternative to secular, naturalistic education.” “We believe that if we can ofRenewanation leadership fer free, Christian education to contends that in America today, every child in America some50 million children are being day, we can see this nation comindoctrinated every day in gov- pletely turned around, and that’s ernment schools with a natural- what we intend to do,” Keaton istic philosophy. said. They believe that a Christian Free Christian school educaeducation, based on tion available to every a Biblical worldview, child in America. That’s Education must be available to the a tall order, and the masses. leadership of the Ren“Nearly 90% of the ewanation movement agrees. children in America are being “We know this is a huge untrained to think from the per- dertaking, said Melvin Adams, spective of a godless worldview,” Renewanation President. Renewanation contends on its Adams believes that if God is website. “Is it any wonder that America finds herself in such > CONTINUED a desperate moral condition?” P3: Renew-a-nation
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