PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WHISPER ONE MEDIA
I’m Pat Turner, and I admit to being a reality TV junkie. But I’m very active at the Y, and I love line dancing, my DAR chapter, and going to Topsail Island.
I AM THE YMCA ymcaroanoke.org
The Roanoke Star-Sentinel POSTMASTER: Dated material, please deliver by publication date
Community | News | Per spective
January 9, 2009
Keith McCurdy
Share the Love
P5– Keith McCurdy says that spreading a little love is one resolution we can all keep.
Guns ‘n’ Hoses
P7– Firefighters and police officers faced off in the fifth annual fundraiser that raised over $12,000 locally for MDA last year.
City schools consider attendance zone shifts During a joint meeting Roanoke City School board member Courtney Penn gave City Council an overview on Monday of what to expect in the coming months from the “facilities group� that was created to find more efficient ways to utilize public school buildings. Currently, many are only used at 60-67% of capacity. The school buildings are owned by the city so any planned development requires a joint effort. Councilwoman Gwen Mason has sent recommendations to the School Board. A Request For Proposal was developed to solicit outside assistance in evaluating the facilities, looking at capacity planning, enrollment proEducation jections and future trends. Penn said the facilities group quickly identified inefficient use of space, lack of design standards, aging facilities and significant transportation issues. Penn said consultants noticed that existing attendance zones had been in place for 30 years. (By contrast, Roanoke County has shuffled its attendance zones several times in recent years to accommodate
[
TheRoanokeStar.com
You Say You Want a Resolution
Look out below!
From the news editor
(With apologies to John Lennon) A week late, here’s a few resolutions and actions I’d like to see take place in 2009. Let’s start with a complete makeover of the City Market building, turning it into a tourist attraction like public markets in Seattle, Philadelphia and elsewhere. (Remembering Tom Hanks at the Pike’s public market in Sleepless in Seattle, where they throw fish around. Been there myself; it’s a lot of fun.) That means a City Market building that has longer hours and offers more variety, maybe some retail and Farmer’s Market vendors in the winter - like a plan offered by Downtown Roanoke Inc. The food court should be open in the eveOur Take ning and on weekends when there are spring/summer events at nearby Elmwood Park, and it is ideally situated to take advantage of traffic at the adjacent Taubman Museum of Art. Where the money comes from for all of this is another story. Speaking of the Taubman, let’s hope for later hours on the weekend, like a closing time of 9 or 10pm on Fridays
]
> CONTINUED P2: Attendance
[
N
ew York’s Times Square has its expensive crystal ball to drop at midnight on December 31, but Roanoke had 11,000 balls on New Year’s Eve – as in small, multi-colored and very bouncy balls. They were dropped from atrium balconies and stairways at Center in the Square, shortly after local children counted down to the noontime event. The children on the floor were also told
Photo by Stuart Revercomb
to use their countdown placards to shield them from the hard rubber balls, dropped by others that crowded the stairs and overhead walkways. The first time event was cooked up by Roanokers Beth Deel and Wendy Schuyler of the myscoper.com events website and Up Periscope, their boutique advertising firm, to publicize a new exhibit about toys at the Science Museum.
]
> CONTINUED P3: Our Take
Regional VP of First Transit Addresses Roanoke Teacher receives Market Mayhem Improper Procurement by Valley Metro 2008 Conservation Teacher of P10– Fear, uncertainty and doubt reign as opinions abound in what to do with Roanoke’s City Market Building.
Moonshine Mystique P11– “White Liquor, Blue Ridge Style,� is now on display at the History Museum of Western Virginia.
Get the
Roanoke Star Sentinel
delivered to your doorstep every week for only $44 per year! 400-0990 subscribe@theroanokestar.com PO Box 8338 Roanoke,VA 24014
The elephant was in the room as Dave Morgan, General Manager of the Greater Roanoke Transit Company – Valley Metro - led a presentation on the history of GRTC this past Monday. About a month ago the assistant general manager, William “Chip� Holdren and the Valley Metro procurement officer, Matt Wynn, were suspended for allegedly forging procurement documents. Bids had been solicited to redecorate Holdren’s Metro office. The amount came to over $223,000 and the contract was awarded to Holdren’s wife, Diane HolPhoto by Valerie Garner dren, the president and owner City Councilwoman Anita Price (L) and Mayor David Bowers of Holdren’s Interiors. First Transit is the Cincin- listen to Dave Morgan, General Manager of Valley Metro. nati Ohio based transit man- been added recently, at least on procurement officer, Williamagement service that manages a temporary basis. son said the company also reValley Metro. Roanoke City Mayor David Bowers com- viewed the procurement reguCouncil serves as Valley Met- mended Dave Morgan as a lations for GRTC, the City, the ro’s Board of Directors. good manager and asked for as- State, and the Federal Transit With an $8.1 million oper- surance that the alleged impro- Administration. Depending on ating budget, Morgan expects priety on the part of Holdren the dollar amount it will now ridership to break 2.5 million and Wynn would not reoccur. require a higher level of authorpassengers in fiscal year 2009. At City Manager Darlene Bur- ity for procurement approvals The Trolley between downtown cham’s request Bill Williamson, and Williamson himself would and South Jefferson the Regional Vice be involved in the approval (Carilion) in seven President of First process. He brought in one of Transportation weeks of operation Transit, addressed First Transit’s managers to act has carried 331 pasthe issue: “we took as Assistant Manager to Dave sengers per day, which far ex- immediate steps to try to bring Morgan and is also offering the ceeds the expected 80 to 100 the situation under control.� > CONTINUED daily passengers, said Morgan. Besides suspending the asSeveral additional stops have sistant general manager and P2: Valley Metro
[
Saving Made Easy! You already know about our freshly prepared meals, signature baked goods and premium produce, but did you know you can also Save Big on Groceries at Ukrop’s? Look for these tags that point the way to savings in every aisle!
]
the Year Award
Daniel “Chip� Donahue was recently awarded the 2008 Conservation Teacher of the Year Award at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts. This Roanoke County resident not only teaches second grade at Glen Cove Elementary School but also has organized, with the help of his dedicated wife Ashley, an environmental educational outreach program known as Chip Donahue and his KIVA (Kids in the Valley Ad- youngest son Fennen explore venturing). There is a monthly “the real world.� event that showcases great opthe Woods.� This book reportunities available for parenforced the idea that educaents and kids in the Roanoke tors can make the most differValley. ence in the lives of children by Interested individuals and helping them reconnect with their families meet at varinature by using outdoor classous parks around town each rooms in elementary schools. month, and always focus on With the assistance of school “free family fun.� Now a ceadministrators the process lebrity in his own of creating a set of right, Donahue and “Buddy Buckets� Conservation KIVA were featured at Glen Cove Elearlier this year on ementary School Good Morning America. was undertaken. Donahue inquired about As this enthusiastic teacher the Blue Ridge Soil & Waand his students spent more ter Conservation’s “Buddy time outside, they discovered Bucket� Outdoor Classroom that there was once a trail in Program about the same time he was reading Richard > CONTINUED Louv’s book, “Last Child in P3: Conservationist
[
]
Save in Every Aisle at Ukrop’s!
5.00 Off a 50 purchase.
$
$
t MJNJU POF PGG DPVQPO QFS USBOTBDUJPO t 7BMJE BU 6LSPQ T *WZ .BSLFU MPDBUJPO t 1MFBTF QSFTFOU BOE VTF 67$ DBSE t /P DIBOHF HJWFO t $PVQPO WBMJE UISPVHI t $PVQPO OPU SFQSPEVDJCMF