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The Roanoke Star-Sentinel angela.gillespie@coldwellbanker.com
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Angela Gillespie
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Sept. 4 - Sept. 10, 2009
Community | News | Per spective
NewsRoanoke.com
[Sister Cities]
International Fashion Show Returns Jon Kaufman
Unusual Options P5– Jon Kaufman comes up with some unique if not adventurous ways to spend your retirement.
Photo submitted
Intense Training
P6– Roanoke County Fire Fighters prepare for the worst case scenarios as they endure simulated hazards.
Big Hits P7– The Patrick Henry volleyball team looks to serve up some big shots as they look to stay on top.
Celebrating a Century P10– Lewis Gale kicks off its centennial celebration this week with guided tours of historical displays and the latest medical technology.
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Roanoke Star - Sentinel
Several years ago Pearl Fu of the Local Colors organization put together a fashion show designed to show off the cultural diversity of the Roanoke Valley and its Sister Cities program. “[It was] educational and informative and entertaining,” said Fu, who also stages the Local Colors celebration every spring and the monthly Taste of Culture lunch time events at Century Plaza. Recently Fu was asked to do it again – create a fashion show featuring all of the Sister Cities members for the Grand Encampment Knights Templar meeting at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center.
Annual School Convocation a Chance to Celebrate Success Roanoke City held its annual convocation at the Civic Center on Monday which has become a pep rally of sorts for teachers and administrators. School Board Chairman David Carson congratulated attendees for helping 26 of 27 city schools become state accredited. He told the more than 2,000 teachers, principals, and staff members that they have to be “agents of change.” With privatized busing, new attendance zones and some schools now closed, Superintendent Dr. Rita Bishop said they needed to focus on successes - and sustaining them. “It’s just all over the place what our successes are. They touch every area. Now it’s keeping the energy up, yes we can, we’re going to keep on doing it,” said Bishop. That may be hard for some faculty to do with the recent on SOL testing scandal at William Fleming High School, but Bishop says it shouldn’t reflect the whole school system. “I see it as an unfortunate event. When we have problems, we don’t deny them. We go on, we move on and that’s what we’ll do,” > CONTINUED P2: Convocation
Cook Students May Not be Coming to Cave Spring After All The Roanoke County School Board amended the agenda of its most recent meeting to include a public hearing in regards to closing the Roland E. Cook alternative school in Vinton and moving those students to Cave Spring High School. The decision to include the public hearing came on the heels of a meeting earlier this month when p a r ents at Cave Spring and other a r e a citizens expressed their dissatis- f a c tion and concerns relative to t h e board members’ unanimous de- c i sion at the July 23 board meeting, to relocate the alternative program to Cave
Superintendent Dr. Lorraine Lange Spring without the topic having been on the agenda beforehand. The plan was said that moving the program would to have Cook students kept in separate curtail costs and save about $122,000 classrooms at Cave Spring, away from this year, mostly in personnel costs and utility expenses. The Roland E. Cook the general student body. Roanoke County School Board mem- facility in Vinton is one of the oldest ber Odell “Fuzzy” Minnix, who repre- school facilities in use in the county. Because Bedford County indicated sents the Cave Spring District, respondthat they plan to pull out of ed last week that the decision the joint regional alternative was made to curtail costs. Education education program at R.E. After additional thought Cook, some organizational Minnix (a former coach at Cave Spring) backtracked and said he change was needed for the program to could not support the movement of the remain feasible. Several speakers addressed the program, indicating he would try to School Board at the public hearing. have the vote rescinded.
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Roger Elkin had three “broad and significant concerns,” which included, “Roanoke County not having made an effort to communicate with the public, not having been forthright about what is to occur at the alternative school, as there had been no information on R.E. Cook’s website or Roanoke County’s website. There [also] appears to be conflicting information as to whether the students in the R. E. Cook Alternative program are violent. I firmly believe this board has failed to operate in an open and honest manner.”
Needed Conveniences Coming to Downtown Roanoke Residents
Photo submitted
A football player hands the flags off to cadets during the 2008-09 season.
Tech Corps of Cadets To Take Show on The Road
For a number of years, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has partnered with the Virginia Tech football team to highlight the Colors during the pre-game ceremony at every home football game. Three football players are selected, based on their performance in the last game or during practice, to carry the American flag, the state flag, and the team’s spirit flag as they lead the team onto the field at Lane Stadium. They carry the flags the length of the field and deliver them to three first-year cadets, also selected for their performance during their training, who are waiting for them on the south goal line. The cadets render honor to the flags and then securely carry them off the field. 400-0990 This year, that partnership will be extended to include away games. At each subscribe@theroanokestar.com regular season game on the road in 2009, PO Box 8338 Roanoke,VA 24014 > CONTINUED P3: Cadets
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A local group of building professionals has purchased the building at 16 W. Church Ave., Roanoke, Va., home of the original S&W Cafeteria. The Group, 16 W. Church LLC, led by Spectrum Design President John Garland, plans to renovate the 37,000 square-foot facility to provide healthy living amenities for downtown residents, including an upscale convenience store/grocer and pharPhoto submitted macy, for which they are currently soliciting interest for an owner/op- A group led by Spectrum Design plans erator. The building will be named to renovate the 16 W Church Ave The StayWell Marketplace, to reflect building for healthy living amenities. its healthy emphasis. “Roanoke has experienced a boom living tenants such as a dentistry in downtown living, but the ameni- practice, massage therapy, and perties that suburban living offers have sonal training. A chiropractor’s office been slower to follow,” says Garland. which currently occupies space in the “This building is in a perfect location building will remain. The building will be restored to its to provide healthy living goods and original 1951 archiservices. In restoring tecture, most of which it, we are excited to Downtown Development is intact according to not only reinvigorate Garland. There are, a city landmark, but also offer downtown residents some- however, a few important elements thing that will make their experience that need verification and the public is being asked to help identify those more enjoyable.” Initial renderings include a conve- lost historic features. Garland is looking for the best nience store/grocer and pharmacy, light food service, market stalls and photography which details the builda potential renovation of the current ing’s front elevation, including the Downtown Sports Club into an up- original row of lighting under the > CONTINUED scale exercise boutique. The group also hopes to attract other healthy P3: Downtown
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