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Cause overshadows Competition October 10th is going to be a terribly busy day. The Hokies and Cavaliers are at home, games at Vinyard and of course, the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fall Festival. However, for the William Byrd Cheerleaders, the Byrd athletic department, the West family and breast cancer survivors, Saturday also means the “Battle at Byrd, Cheering 4 a Cure.” The “Battle” was started last year as a way for the Byrd cheerleading team to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the cure, another in their many charitable causes they raise money for. This cause is especially close to the West family of which Lanny West is the director of the “Battle” and Monica (profiled in the 9/2 issue of the Voice) is the Byrd cheerleading coach as well as Jessica West Sutphin who has been a coach in the Byrd system and Danica West who is a Byrd JV cheerleader. In April 2008, Belinda who is Lanny’s wife and Jessica, Monica and Danica’s mother was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The WBHS cheer family (as strong a family as there is) bonded together and the “Battle” was born, with 16 cheerleading teams competing in last year’s competition and a $4,000 check was written to the Komen Foundation. “It was a success” says Lanny. From the “Battle’s” website, www.battleatbyrd.com, the mission is clear “the desire of the coaches, cheerleaders and parents at WBHS to do something about finding a cure for breast cancer. This has become our team’s platform. Our goal is simple... Raise as much money as possible for breast cancer research.” And raising a ton of money is exactly what they plan on continuing to do. This year’s “Battle” has 23 teams, and would have had more if it wasn’t for those pesky SAT’s. “We had a lot of teams who were planning on coming, but they had SAT’s and some had homecoming that night too and it just couldn’t be worked out, but they sent donations” says Lanny. The goal for this year is simple, they want to double what they did last year. That’s right, $8,000 to help find a cure! The opening ceremonies are at 12:30 and although the teams are there to win, there are there for a much more important reason, to help this cause. “Usually the teams are really competitive, but during this last year they were all there together, helping each other out” Lanny remembers. If you’ve never been to an actual cheerleading competition, take a break from Saturday’s events and check out these talented young athletes. Don’t forget the cause, if you can, make a donation, none are too small and every little bit helps. Should you not be able to make it, but want to do something to help donations can be sent to: Battle at Byrd 2939 Windresh Ln. Roanoke, Va 24012 For more information, including a schedule of Saturday’s events please visit www.battleatbyrd.com. For more information on the Susan G. Komen for the Cure please visit www.komen.org
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ER V O C E H T N O William Byrd senior athletes Kalyn Molnar and Derrick Palmer Cover Photo by Barry Brooks
It was 1954 all over again, when the class 0f WBHS ‘54 came together for their 55th reunion. Yes after 55 years we all began talking & laughing about all the things we did and what we wished we had done??? We started out Friday night at the Charlie Hill Center with a fish fry cooked by Ron & Faye Scott and Doug & Marty Murray with sidewalk supervisor Johnny Scott. I must say they, along with Molly & Phillip Stanley converted me to loving catfish. It was really good (chicken too). Thanks! Those attending Friday night were Reba Butterworth Vernon, Naomi Fitzpatrick Snead, Arnold Howell and Melvin “Zirkle” & Peggy Gregory. Saturday night we were at the War Memorial where we had all been together during our senior year, a real homecoming. New ones joining us were Wilmore “Willie”& Janet Leffell, Lenoria Burger Naff and Nancy Harris Hawley ( Longest distance Ohio).the 2 nighters “Party Animals” were Shirley Crafton & Warren Scott (NC), Owen & Judy Brown (NC), James Starr, Clifton & Ann Barton, Conway & Pat Eubank, Neal & Shirley Wray, Marvin & Pat Milton , Loretta Largen & “Red” Saunders (VA Beach), J.N. & Jan Jones and Ed Kelly (Class Pres.) Hats Off!!Those serving on the committee were Frank (Chair) & Betty Kelly, Susan Cregger (Sec), Helen Kasey & Bootie Bell Chewning Charles West, Dot Durham & Dennis Cummings, *Jean BOO_TEE@msn.com Garman & Jack Lawhorn, Billy & Mary Chocklett, Top: Reba Butterworth, Phillip & Molly Stanley, Bill & Judy Caudill, Garrett & Judy Dot Cummings, Helen Hudgins, Paul & Evelyn Black, Ken “Skinny” & Ann Journell, West, Naomi Fitzpatrick Joyce Spradlin Baker , Vivian Martin Howell & Bootie. We and Bootie. lost one of our faithful members this year Betty Dogan. Above: Shirley Crafton Special Guest were Teacher/ Coaches & Asst. Pri Scott (NC) and Nancy ncipal, Leonard “Turk “ Hale and Hugh Tucker, Harris Hawley (OH). They have been so faithful to us over the years. The Class voted to buy a Brick in honor of the class of 1954 and all that have served and are serving for the Vinton Roanoke County Veterans Monument. Big Thanks go out to Laura -Vinton War Memorial, Catered by Teaberry’s, Mark Lawhorn ( Fantastic Program book & badges) Judy Caudill (Playing for a wild rendition of our Alma Mater) and Jim Horner Photographer. What a wonderful event it was. Thanks to all for coming and being a part of our 55th. Congratulations to Bob & Mary Ann Schuermann on their 50th anniversary they celebrated with their 3 daughters & son-in-laws and 2 grandchildren with a 10 day cruise to Alaska in July. However later that month Bob had some health problems and found out it was a brain tumor and had surgery and since then has been undergoing treatment . Let’s all keep Bob and his family in our prayers. Hope you are doing better now Bob. Get well wishes and prayers go out to •See ‘BOOTIE’ - Page 20
116 S.Poplar St. - Suite 1 Vinton, VA 24179 540.904.5836 - Office 540.904.5838 - Fax
EDITORIAL Chris Manning Publisher chris@vintonvoice.com Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief dan@vintonvoice.com Brian Manning Circulation Director brian@vintonvoice.com Ashlee Manning Advertising info@vintonvoice.com
COLUMNISTS Bootie Bell Chewning General Info BOO_TEE@msn.com Dale Russell Financial wheresmymoney@vintonvoice.com Erin E. Delauder-Brooks Pharmacy askthepharmacist@vintonvoice.com
CONTRIBUTORS Gene Marrano Senior Contributor gmarrano@cox.net Samantha Hoback Contributor news@vintonvoice.com Barbara P. Dillon Contributor news@vintonvoice.com Danae Wensley Contributor news@vintonvoice.com Chris Linkous Contributor news@vintonvoice.com Tommy FiGart Contributor news@vintonvoice.com Danny Cruff Photo Contributor dannycruffphotography@cox.net David R. Jones Jr. Photo Contributor news@vintonvoice.com
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The Fall Festival has something for everybody
Gene Marrano gmarrano@cox.net It all began as a way to make nice with Vinton merchants that were upset about the sidewalks and roads being torn up for major repairs. “Downtown Turnaround” was so successful that the Town of Vinton asked the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce if it would consider doing an annual fall event. Thus the Vinton Fall Festival (this Saturday, beginning with a 5K run/walk at 8am) was born more than a decade ago. There is music all day long on two stages, at the Farmer’s Market and behind Vinton Baptist Church, along with the venerable doggy costume contest (11:15), vendors hawking their wares up and down Lee Avenue, and another appearance by the Mayberry Deputy (11-4). He soldiers on even after the passing away of his inspiration, actor Don Knotts (AKA Barney Fife, of course.) This year there will also be monster truck rides, Civil War reenactments and traffic safety awareness demonstrations by the Vinton police department. Registration for the 5K run/walk is available up until race time; organizers are hoping for 200 or more to take part. You can peruse the complete schedule of events at VintonChamber.com. Judy Cunningham has been there from the beginning. Now the Executive Director for the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce, she has 36 years under her belt with the business organization. Her father (William Harris), who was a grocer, helped get the local chamber up and running almost 60 years ago. At one point his store occupied the space where the downtown Vinton post office is now.
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Former Chamber president Anthony Conner’s grandfather was a business partner with Cunningham’s father. The Chamber manages Fall Festival activities with help from Vinton special events coordinator Mary Beth Layman and other town departments, helping to make sure all goes smoothly. “We still work very closely together,” says Cunningham, who is also involved with the town on its downtown revitalization project. “We have a very good relationship,” says Cunningham, who has been on bus trips to Lynchburg, Floyd and Galax with Vinton officials, to see what’s been going on in those downtowns. “You come back and say, ‘can we do this tomorrow?’’ adds Cunningham, who puts in long hours preparing for events like the Fall Festival, the Christmas Parade, Business After Hours events, etc. Cunningham urges Chamber members and prospects to try •See ‘NOTEBOOK’ - Next Page
•‘NOTEBOOK’ continued from previous page the networking events all year long, as well as happenings like the Fall Festival: “its almost like free advertising for your business.” Cunningham points out that Vinton is an affiliate of the state’s Main Street program, and would have to meet certain requirements before becoming a full-fledged member, eligible then for grants that could help with downtown projects. “We have to some work to do … but that’s the goal,” says Cunningham. The ultimate aim of the Main Street program is to spruce up a city or town, helping to bring more people in to a downtown area,
something the Vinton Fall Festival does once a year. The annual event is an opportunity for businesses to open their doors, to perhaps as many as 10,000 visitors. “The downtown merchants tell us it’s their best day of the year,” says Cunningham. Sponsorships and memberships through the Chamber are down says Cunningham, who nonetheless sees signs that things are “beginning to pick up.” New members, some from outside the town limits, can be seen on the website. Chamber members are also learning that they must “take different approaches,” in how they do business, using viral marketing platforms like Facebook for example, to spread the word about their services. “The newer generation [of business owners] is seeing this,”
says Cunningham. The Vinton Chamber even has more than a thousand “fans” and “friends,” for its own Facebook efforts. The Chamber is also holding a series of marketing seminars; the next one on October 21 at the Vinton War Memorial (8:30-10am) will address Facebook, which Cunningham calls an “almost cost-free way,” to get the word out about a business. The Chamber has been using Facebook almost non-stop to spread the word about this Saturday’s Fall Festival. If folks show up to watch the kids dance, take a monster truck ride, listen to the music, participate in the hands-on dairy display, etc. – in greater numbers than ever before perhaps – Judy Cunningham will be happy.
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In Brief
Anniversary
Firehouse Skate ‘N Play Food Drive
Robinson 50 Years
Firehouse Skate ‘N Play is holding it’s second annual food drive during all sessions in the month of October. Each person to bring in a new non-perishable food item will receive a small fountain drink for free. All foods are donated to the SW VA Second Harvest Food Bank. Firehouse Skate ‘N Play is located at 1620 E. Washington Ave. in Vinton.
Area break-ins reported
There have been some homes broken into around the Bandy Rd area towards Crowell Gap and Yellow Mountain. There has been alot of activity the past week. There are quite a few of these that are happening in the daytime. Guns, laptops, other electronics seem to be most of the theft tagets. Please report any suspicious vehicle in your neighborhood by dialing 9-1-1.
Vinton Wake up to Business
The Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce and Cox Communications will have a presentation on October 21 from 8:30 to 10 am. The event, at the Vinton War Memorial, will educate businesses on how to use the social media tools Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and Blogging to create a powerful digital footprint and branding for their business. The presentation will be given by social media consultants Patsy Stewart and Janeson Keeley. Cost, at the door, is $5 for chamber members and $8 for non-chamber members.
East End Baptist Church ‘Trunk or Treat’
East End Baptist Church is having their Annual “Trunk or Treat” and Fall Festival on Halloween night from 5pm to 8pm. Along with the “trunk or treat” there will be hayrides, games and a firepit for roasting marshmallows. East End Baptist Church is located on 1030 Mecca St. N.E. Roanoke, Va. 24012 (Behind Jersey Lilys Restaurant on Orange Ave.)
Lutheran Servant of Youth Award
During a ceremony at St. Timothy Lutheran Church on Sunday April 19, 2009, two leaders of Boy Scout Troop 18 and Cub Scout Pack 18 were presented the Servant of Youth award by St. Timothy Lutheran Church and the Blue Mountains Council, BSA. The awards were presented to Jane King and Damon King. Jane has worked with our Cub Scout Pack serving as Tiger Cub Leader and Den Leader of the Wolf and Bear Dens. She has also served as coordinator of many of our pack activities and money raising projects. Damon currently serves as an Den Leader of the Webelos Den and as an Assistant Scoutmaster of the Boy Scout Troop. Damon earned his Eagle Scout badge in 2003 and still continues to serve our community as a Boy Scout Leader. The awards were presented by Rick Wimmer, Scoutmaster / Cubmaster of Troop 18 / Pack 18 chartered by Evangel Church on Hardy Road.
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Robbie and Margaret Robinson were married 50 years on October 6, 2009. They were both born and raised in Front Royal, Virginia. They have made their home in Vinton since 1979 when Robbie retired from the military. Robbie and Margaret have one daughter and son-in-law, Lana and Larry Bowles. They also have two grandsons, Travis who is a Junior at Radford University and Kevin who is a Senior at William Byrd High School. May they have many more happy years together.
Hands on Social Media Course in Oct.
What: Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce partners with Virginia Western Community College to offer Social Media Course Why: Hands-on instruction will be given in social media tools like Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and Blogging. When: Course runs for 4 consecutive Thursdays (Oct. 29, Nov. 5, Nov. 12 & Nov. 19) from 3:30pm – 7:00 pm Where: The Roanoke Higher Education Center at 108 North Jefferson Street. The cost is $99.00 per person for chamber members/$125.00 for non-chamber members. Participation can earn one college credit upon
completion of this course. We need 10 people to sign up to be able to run this course. So sign up today!! MUST RSVP no later than Friday, October 16; call 343-1364 or email info@vintonchamber.com for registration form.
Error in Candidates Forum brief
In the Issue 6 brief discussing the Candidates Forum at Mt. Pleasant last Thursday night, Roanoke County School Board candidate Jason Peters was referred to as ‘Jay Peters’ do to a submission error. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
Obituaries GERALDINE F. MARTIN, 91, of Goodview, Va., went to be wth the Lord on Wednesday, September 30, 2009. She is survived by daughter, Shirley and Louis Slone; son, James and Mary Ellen Martin; daughter Carol Martin; grandchildren, Micheal Vassi, Kelly and Cindy Vassi, and Bryan Martin; sister Gwen Powless; and niece, Sandy Powless. Memorial services will be held 11 am. on Monday, October 5, 2009, at Grace United Methodist Church with Rev. E. Dick Jones officiating. The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 2009 at Grace United Methodist Church. Special thanks to the Rev. Dick Jones, Grace UMC Choir, Good Samaritan Hospice, and Brenda Davis. Arrangements by Oakey’s Vinton Chapel and Crematory, 540-982-2221. LOUISE HUTCHERSON HALE BOLT, 99, died Thursday, October 1, 2009, after having a stroke and heart attack on September 17. She was born on February 18, 1910 in Pittsylvania County, VA, a daughter of the late Cabel and Tenie Hutcherson. She was preceded in death by her two husbands Carlton R. Hale and Wilmit T. Bolt; two sisters, Mabel H. Comer and Elizabeth H. Board. Louise is survived by her son David Hale and his partner, Jim Mori of San Francisco, CA; her two daughters Patricia and her husband Richard Conway Eubank Jr., Roanoke; Nancy and her husband Michael D. Rutledge, Salem; four grandchildren– Tracy Eubank, Botetourt; Rick Eubank and hsi wife Jenny, Roanoke; Travis Rutledge and his wife Deborah, Bedford County; and Heather Rutledge, Salem; eight great-grandchildren, Matthew and Sam Booth; Hannah, Rich and Shane Eubank; Dane, Cole and Riley Rutledge. Also surviving are her brothers Oscar Hutcherson and wife Evelyn; Reginald Hutcherson and wife Mary Alice; her sisters, Clara H. Hall; Doris H. Shelton and husband David; Alma H. Amrhein; Olivia H. Smith, all of Roanoke; and many nieces and nephews. Louis Bolt was a master of multi-tasking, allowing her to achieve many goals in her life. She was a founding member of the Wildwood Garden Club and served as its chairman in the late 1950’s when the club took responsibility for landscaoe planting at the then new Thrasher Park on Gus Nicks Boulevard. She was employed for many years by the American Visco Corporation, in the aftermatch of the Great Depression. In the 1950’s, she became a distributor for thee Wear-Ever Aluminum Company and became one the nation’s top salespersons during the 1960’s. In the 1970’s, she became active in real estate, acquiring numerous residential rental properties throughout Roanoke. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2009, at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel with Rev. Branan Thompson officiating. Intermet will follow at Mt. View Cemetery. Visitation was Tuesday, October 6, 2009, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. To those whol would like to send flowers, the family suggests instead that donations be made to Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 14205, Roanoke, VA 24038, in Louise’s name. Meals on Wheels provided an invaluable service, enabling her to remain in her home until the very end. In this regard special thanks also go out to her next door neighbors, Boyd and Louise Shorter, who showed loving care and extraordinary neighborly assistance as she aged in her later years. Arrangements by Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 540982-2221. CLARENCE H. JONES (Big Yo), better known to his friends as CJ, 72, of Hardy, went to be with the Lord October 1, 2009. He is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Beatrice Jones; two sisters, Hazel Hall and Peggy Jones; one brother, Richard Jones; and one daughter, Deborah Powers. Surviving are his loving wife of 52 years, Lena Jones of Hardy; two daughters, Kathy Schneider and husband, Bruce of Roanoke, and Candie Simmons and husband, Kevin of Troutville; nine grandchildren, Brandon Dawson, Kevin Elsbury, Andrew Powers, Jacob Dawson, Jennie Schneider, Kayla Schneider, Linzee Simmons , Kera Simmons, Caden (Little Yo) Simmons; four great grandchildren, Katie, Mariam, Zizi Dawson, and Ryder Elsbury; sisters, Lottie Rorrer of Stuart, Charlotte Setliff of Stuart, Lucille Holley of Reidsville, NC, and Joeline Walker of Reidsville, NC; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was employed by Roanoke City Mills for over 40 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and had an avid love for wildlife. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, October 3, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel with Rev. Elmo McLaurin officiating. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, October 2, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221.
JAMES RONNIE CALDWELL (Pee-Wee) passed away on Thursday, October 1, 2009. He was preceded in death by his father, Wonnie Ray Tucker; mother, Margie I. Thomasson; and three brothers. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Barbara A. Caldwell; his best friend, “Dillon”; sons, Ronnie and wife, Teree, and Myke and wife, Jill, all of Moneta; sisters, Shirley Henson and Joyce Vert, of Roanoke; special sister and brotherin-law, June (Wimpy) and John Damoth of Thaxton; special sister and brother-in-law, Virginia and Ronnie Gillespie of Vinton; dear friend, Linda VanDalsen of Roanoke; and most of all, his precious grandchildren, Jessica, Alexis, Makenna, and Blake Caldwell. He loved them very much and was proud of all of them. We want to thank Carilion Hospice Services for all the help from Kitty, Suzanne, Claire, and a few others. Also special thanks to family and friends for all their prayers and support. We would like to also say thanks for all the prayers and support from our O.C.C. Family. A funeral service will be conducted 2 p.m. Sunday, October 4, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel with Rev. Joey Phillips officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Saturday,October 3, 2009 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221. ROSCOE DALE BENNETT, 70, of Boones Mill, VA, died on Thursday, October 1, 2009. He was retired from Ingersoll-Rand and was preceded in death by mother, Stella Bennett. Survivors are wife, Muriel Crews Bennett; daughters, Stephanie Bennett Krapa, Franklin County, and Michelle Dodd Elliott, Roanoke; sons, Timothy Bennett, WVA, Kevin Bennett, Lynwood Dodd (Loretta), Kendall Dodd (Marty), all of Franklin County, VA; grandsons, Christopher Elliott, Staunton, VA, Justin Dodd, Justin Smith, and James Smith; and granddaughter, Siera Loveday. Graveside services will be conducted 11 a.m., Saturday, October 3, 2009 at Sherwood Memorial Park with Rev. Elmo McLaurin officiating. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221. DEXTER JAMES ANDREWS, 46, of Roanoke, passed away Thursday, October 1, 2009. He is survived by wife, Patricia Andrews; daughter, Brandy Michelle Andrews and fiancé, Gary Doss, Jr.; special daughter of the heart, Mary Huffman; mother-in-law, Martha Lawson; sister, Shirl Bagley and husband, Elliott of SC; three brothers-in-law and families of Winchester; one sister-in-law and family of Sterling; two special “Little Guys”, Kaleb Huffman and Benjamin Doss; two “Best” friends, John Lawson and Angelo West; and several nieces and nephews. “Play Hard and Ride the Big Bull in the Sky.” Arrangements by Oakey’s Vinton Chapel and Crematory, 982-2221. MARGIE HOWELL MURRAY, of Hardy, passed away on October 3, 2009 at age 71. She was preceded in death by her father, John Henry Howell; mother, Glendola Howell; fatherin-law, Everet Wilson Murray; mother-in-law, Carr Eula Belle Campbell Murray; sisters-in-law, Daisy Rachael Howell, Betty Burger Howell, Alice Marie Conner, and Lois Viola Murray Ferguson; and infant nephew, William Minnix. She is survived by husband, James R. Murray, Sr.; son, James R. (Randy) Murray, Jr.; daughter, Melissa Diana Murray; grandson, Julien Brooks; brothers, Harland Howell and Kenneth Howell; sisters, Carol Sadler and Nancy Wall; brother-in-law, Kenneth Sadler; and numerous nephews and nieces. Margie was a Christian and member of The Willing Workers Sunday School Class. She belonged to Villa Heights Baptist Church. She was a member of The American Postal Workers Union (A.P.W.U) Women’s Auxiliary . She enjoyed going to the Villa Heights Lions dinners on Ladies Nights four times a year. Margie always put the Lord Jesus Christ first. Now she is in Heaven with her family and other Christian friends. On October 3, 2009 there was a great celebration in Heaven and another victory for Jesus Christ our Savior!!! Funeral services will be 12 noon on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at Villa Heights Baptist Church with Pastor Jake Huffman officiating. The family will receive friends from 24 and 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at Oakey’s Vinton Chapel, 982-2221.
Ask the Pharmacist
Erin E. DeLauder-Brooks, Pharm.D., MBA askthepharmacist@vintonvoice.com Q: If I have antibiotics left over from a previous infection, can I use them to treat an infection that I currently have? A: No. It is never a good idea to use antibiotics that are left over from any previous infection. Antibiotics are prescribed based on the type and severity of your infection. Only your physician can determine which antibiotic will be effective for each illness. You should complete all courses of antibiotics unless your physician specifically states otherwise. You shouldn’t have any left over antibiotics after treating a bacterial infection. If you do not complete the course, some bacteria may survive and become resistant to the medication; therefore making the infection much harder to treat. If you have any antibiotic related questions, feel free to call or stop by your local Walgreens pharmacy. Dr. Erin DeLauder-Brooks is the pharmacy manager of the new Walgreens on Franklin Rd. If you have any pharmacy related questions, feel free to ask her at askthepharmacist@vintonvoice.com.
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A+ Auto Parts & Supplies Toolboxes & Camper Tops For Sale 341 Walnut Avenue Vinton, VA 24179
For Sale, 4 cemetery plots in Cedar Lawn Memorial Park. Retail at $1400 a piece, will sell all 4 for $2900. Call 540 589 3936
Slam man boxing partner with gloves $200 Call 540 910 2663
Looking for Pinochole players Call Pete at 540 345 3342
Size 8 never worn wedding dress with matching flower girl dress, slip, veil and sash $500 Call 540 910 1203
Matching lounge and chair both for $1,000. Almost like brand new! Call 540 427 4466
P. BUCKLEY MOSS The Lowe house- rare print prof framed and matted 15x14 3/4 $185 Call 540 774 3893
P. BUCKLEY MOSS My hands to thee -1979 print rare proof framed and matted 28x10 print plus framing $375 Call 540 774 3893
P. BUCKLEY MOSS Lakeside fun filled memories- sold out print prof framed and matted 24x12 print plus frame $500 Call 540 774 3893
(540) 982-8777 • 800-982-8777
By Ashlee Manning
Macaroni & Cheese Casserole 1 (8 oz) package macaroni, cooked and drained 1 lb sharp cheese, grated
SAUCE: 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 C mayo 1/4 C pimento 1 C mushrooms small amount of juice from mushrooms 1/4 C onion 1/4C green pepper
Layer in casserole: macaroni, sauce, cheese until all used, ending with cheese on top. Bake 40 mins at 350 degrees
submitted by Megan Robertson
If you have a HALLOWEEN OR FALL recipe or a tip you’d like to share, send them to RECIPES@vintonvoice.com
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Local and State candidates in full swing Chris Manning Publisher The political season is in full swing in the Vinton area and it was the Mt. Pleasant Civic League that brought us a “Meet the Candidates Night” at Mt. Pleasant Elementary school, Thursday October 1st. Candidates from three races were represented, including the Roanoke County School Board race between incumbent Mike Stovall and his two challengers Jason Peters and Russell Wise, as well as incumbent Mike Altizer and Patrick Patterson for the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors and Gwen Mason and Bill Cleaveland dueling it out over the 17th district House of Delegates seat left open by the departing William Fralin. The night started off with Altizer and Patterson discussing what each of them bring to the table for the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. Altizer focused on his experience in already doing the job, and even answered a question from the audience to the same effect when he was asked “what makes you qualified to do this job?” His response was that doing the job for the last seven years, including several accomplishments, such as lobbying the General Assembly to provide legislation which allowed Roanoke County to help build a regional jail, gave him the experience needed to help steer Roanoke County through these tough economic times. He also stated that this job is “a full-time job” and that “it can’t be done parttime.” Patterson responded saying it was time for change and he would “give 110% of my time” to being supervisor. Patterson talked about his experience as an educator and counselor in the school systems, saying when he went to Richmond, he’d “bring the superintendent of schools with him.” The school board candidates were up next with Mike Stovall leading the way, giving reasons why he should be re-elected, including his experience, his love for the area and his lineage to our local schools, including 10 of 11 immediate family members who graduated from Byrd. Jason Peters took his time to discuss his experience in finance, he is a
Photos by Chris Manning Mt. Pleasant forum, clockwise from top: Vehicle advertising Patrick Patterson, Bill Cleaveland, Mike Altizer and Gwen Mason.
Financial Services Representative at First Citizens in Vinton, and to mention his love of the area as he is a ’94 Terrier Alum. He also discussed something that had been brought up, three children in his household going to private school. Two of the older children are there at the request and expense of his wife’s ex-husband and will be transferring to Byrd next year. A younger child was in private school to help with a learning disability, but hopes he will attend Byrd next year. Russell Wise pointed out his leadership and his expertise that would help shape the budget
and get things back in order in Roanoke County Schools as well as his in depth knowledge of the system as his wife, Alicia, is a long time teacher and Wise was a substitute teacher when he retired from AEP. Wise said he was motivated to run for school board because he was blessed with a good life and it was time for him to step up. The mention of the budget turned things a little tense when wages were mentioned. The question in the room was whether or not teacher’s wages were frozen. Stovall said the wages were not frozen, they were waiting on the new budget to come in, while Peters pointed out that several teachers had spoken to him and said they were in fact, frozen. The candidates met again at the Roanoke County Public Schools Admin. Offices on Monday, however any reports were too late for publication. The night concluded with Gwen Mason and Bill Cleaveland
exchanging philosophies in a little less heated of a forum than the one they shared the day prior, in a debate moderated by WSLS’s Jay Warren. Both candidates spoke of economic development and what they planned to do to get things moving in the right direction. Both gave their reasons for running, Cleaveland’s was a look to his inner self and asking himself if he didn’t run, “what were the reasons?” Mason is a Roanoke City Council member who has dedicated her life to public service. Mason gave two things she wanted to accomplish, supporting our education system and transportation, which she referred to as “becoming critical.” Cleaveland gave three things he wanted to focus on; education and transportation, echoing Mason and he added economic development, saying things have to change. Both candidates were against any tax increases unless it was a “last resort.” With four weeks left until elections, things are starting to heat up. For more information on these candidates and many more, please check out the Vinton Voice’s “Meet The Candidates” special section in our October 28th issue.
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Danae Wensley and Chris Linkous Town of Vinton Fire Prevention Week starts on Sunday, October 4 and runs through Saturday, October 10. The Vinton Fire and EMS Department is very committed to fire prevention education. In keeping with this commitment, the Department would like to offer our citizens some helpful fire safety tips, courtesy of the U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security: 1. Check/Maintain your smoke detectors often. Smoke detector batteries should be changed at least once a year - use a holiday or special event to help you remember. Smoke detectors should also be tested and vacuumed monthly because they cannot distinguish between dust and smoke. If you have a dirty/dusty detector, the sensor may not work efficiently. If you do not have smoke detectors in your home, install them immediately! Install them on each level of your home, ideally near a bedroom. Do not install smoke detectors near kitchens or bathrooms with showers; steam can trigger smoke detectors just as easily as smoke. The Vinton Fire and EMS Department offers our citizens smoke detectors and portable fire extinguishers free of charge. They can be picked up between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. 2. Dispose of ashtray contents daily. When buying an ashtray, look for one with a large, deep dish. One of the best ways to dispose of an ashtray’s contents is to fill it with water each night before going to bed. Let it sit in the sink overnight. The next morning, drain the water and dump the contents into the trash. Do not dump warm ashes or cigarette butts; these can smolder for hours and could cause the trash to catch on fire. Lastly, never smoke in bed and extinguish cigarettes when you become drowsy. 3. Be a wise cook. Turn pot handles inward and keep cooking surfaces clean of clutter and grease buildup. Use pot handles and oven mitts to avoid burns. Never cook in loose fitting clothing with large, baggy sleeves like bathrobes or nightgowns. Always set a timer, even if you do not intend to leave the kitchen
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while food is cooking. If you do leave, do not rely on just the timer. Instead, take a kitchen utensil or some other kind of reminder with you. 4. What’s warm isn’t always safe. Have a certified professional inspect all heating equipment at least once a year, preferably before you need it in the fall. Always keep combustibles, flammable liquids and anything else that can burn or melt away from wood stoves, fireplaces, space heaters, furnaces and even water heaters. When using portable units, keep a minimum of three feet clear in every direction. Have your chimney cleaned annually and inspected for cracks/wear and tear before you use it. Kitchen oven and ranges should never be used to heat your home. If you have gas or oil heat invest in a Carbon Monoxide Detector. The better detectors have digital displays. Carbon monoxide detectors should be maintained in the same manner as smoke detectors. 5. Be careful with that plug! Have a professional electrician inspect your home’s electrical wiring system every ten years and make any recommended repairs. Plug each appliance directly into its own outlet and try to avoid using extension cords. This will help keep the electrical system from becoming overloaded. Have an electrician install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in kitchens, bathrooms and other rooms where water is or may be present. Always follow the manufacturers’ instructions when installing and maintaining electrical appliances. 6. Grandma, I didn’t mean to start a fire! Avoid temptation by keeping matches and lighters away from children. Never keep them in a place where a child could reach them. Instead, secure them in a locked drawer or high cabinet. Always try to get lighters with childresistant locks. 7. Be Mentally Prepared. Know what to do if a fire starts in your home. Figure out at least two routes out of every room in your home. Get out as soon as possible. Never try to fight the fire yourself. Once out of the house, stay out! Do not attempt to enter a burning building to gather possessions. Immediately dial 9-1-1,
preferably from a neighbor’s phone. For more detailed information, please visit the U. S. Fire Administration website at www.usfa.dhs.org. For a copy of the information above, go to www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloards/pdf/ publications/fa-221.pdf. The Vinton Fire and EMS Department is a member of the Roanoke Valley Professional Fire Fighters Association. We would like to thank you for your support of our Vinton Christmas Parade hot chocolate fundraiser. Your generous donations are vital to the success of our free fire safety program; we could not afford to provide this program without them. Questions? Feel free to contact Vinton Fire and EMS Department between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at 983-0629.
CORRECTION: Last week’s ‘From Around Town’ article should have read: “Vinton resident Sue Ellen Tyree has an interesting family history. Her family first came to Front Royal, Virginia in 1764. The house they first built in 1764 is the same house where her father was born in 1904.” The house is the oldest house in Warren County, Virginia. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
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HOMECOMING High school memories are made on Homecoming week, and last week at William Byrd High School was no exception. The week started and ended great for senior Derrick Palmer, who posed with fellow senior WB athlete Kalyn Molnar for the cover of this week’s Voice at Barry Brooks Photography (6), before being named Mr. Football at Saturday’s dance. Palmer also combined with Nick Janowicz and the rest of the Terrier football team to pull off a Homecoming win Friday night in front of a big home crowd (2). At halftime, the marching band took center stage (3) before Laken Fizer was named homecoming queen (1). Joining her in the court were seniors Vivian Argenbright, Candace Brady (4) and Kali Hurd, juniors Caitlin Craig, Christie Vernon and Sara Beth Landrum, sophomores Paige St. Slair and Natalie Tomlinson and freshman Lindsey Carver. And sandwiched right in the middle was perhaps the best of them all at the Senior/Junior Powderpuff game took center stage Wednesday night (5), with the Senior class pulling out a 12-6 win full of controvery (the juniors had a second quarter score revoked), hard hits and plenty of trash talking.
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Photos by: Dan Vance (1, 2, 4), David R. Jones Jr. (3), Danny Cruff (5) and Chris Manning (6)
VOICE 11
In football, it’s the quarterback; in basketball, the point guard– but in volleyball it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the true leader. At Byrd, one stands out a little more. And no, it’s not just because she wears a different color jersey. Senior Kalyn Molnar plays libero at William Byrd and that is probably where most casual observers stop knowing much more. Outside of volleyball enthusiasts, libero doesn’t mean much more than ‘hey, that blonde girl in the wrong colored jersey.’ But for Molnar, a position that just fell into her lap is making her a better leader on the court today so that she can be a better leader in life later on. “In middle school, you played all the way around so we just played in one big circle, so in high school it started,” Molnar said of her move to the defensive specialist position. “I was a better passer and I played front row on JV and then played libero my junior year and now my senior year.” As the libero on the current Lady Terrier team, Molnar has stepped up her game, recently tallying 33 digs in a District match with Lord Botetourt and consistently leading her team vocally and through performance (Byrd rallied off nine straight points from Molnar’s serve last week against Northside). “I think we have strong seniors and we’ll do a good job of leading the team and the girls look up to us a lot,” Molnar said. “I know when I got hurt, they were all a little ghost faced.” That injury came from a slip on the playing surface at Hidden Valley, where her pain filled eyes sent worry down the bench and her absence was more than noticeable in the final frame that night. But she came back with a vengeance against
Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief
Northside and held strong again when the team visited Lord Botetourt two days later and she put up those 33 digs. And while Molnar, without ever saying too much about it, enjoys being looked up to by her teammates turned sisters and her sister (freshman Megan) turned teammate– it is her future away from volleyball that excites her most currently. Post graduation, she wants to attend Virginia Western Community College to become a registered nurse before getting her B.S. at Radford. “I’ve loved kids. I lifeguard so I’m with kids all day every day,” Molnar says of what drives her most to get into nursing, although she knows it will likely mean giving up the chance to play volleyball on the next level. All of that however still waits in the future. For right now, Molnar remains focused on what she can do today to make tomorrow better for everyone around her. “I want [Byrd volleyball] to be known for raising not just volleyball players,” Molnar said. “But for well rounded girls [also], learning more about life.” That drive continues at the team gets more into District play, including matches with week with Staunton River and Alleghany. “The focus is just improving every game, working on what we’ve messed up on and looking back at the games but still moving forward and focusing on the future,” Molnar said. “The start of a season is basically just practice, playing games but district is what really counts.”
Kalyn Molnar: Leadership with Byrd leading to bright future
Derrick Palmer: Familiar face doesn’t want to be ordinary Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief Chances are, you probably already know a Derrick Palmer. If you go to William Byrd High School now, or if you have ever attended high school in your life, you know him– maybe not THE Derrick Palmer, but definitely one like him on the surface. The star quarterback, the Homecoming King (aka Mr. Football), the face of teenage life at your school. But the real Derrick Palmer is ready to prove that the surface image means nothing compared to the real deal. A three-sport athlete almost as long as he can remember, Palmer is a true competitor. Through two seasons of junior varsity baseball, a junior year on the track, three years playing basketball, a 2,000 yard junior gridiron campaign, he has arrived here as the face of William Byrd Terrier football– but he is aiming for much more. He doesn’t want to take the easy way out– “Football is my favorite. The attraction would have to be that it’s the toughest. It’s the ultimate team sport, it takes everybody to be successful,” he’ll point out. And he doesn’t want to pigeonhole himself as just that football player either. Palmer is dead set spending four
years in college no matter what the future in his sport hold, whether it’s joining his sister at Virginia Tech or following in his parents’ footsteps at Alabama. He’s keeping his options open and unlike many, he has a big smile on his face about it. But he also has a smile on his face about the part of him that most people think they already know– what he can do on a football field. He opened his senior campaign romping Rustburg for over 300 yards and returned to the end zone five different times this past Friday in getting Byrd back into the win column. The separation between those two tasks has been hard for him, (look at just 46 yards at Salem) so why would he stop smiling at the rise back to the top of the heap? “It’s always frustrating when you don’t live up to expectations or perform well but I know it will come. Sometimes everybody struggles but the team is getting better and that’s the main goal,” Palmer said. “If the team gets better, that’s the only way I can get better.” The team. It’s something else that gets lost in the surface view of Derrick Palmer, but he himself knows just how important each member of the team is. It is that knowledge that allows Palmer, hoping for a Division I future, to stay focused on the now that could include a third straight District title. Palmer looks to the admittedly young team and they look back at him– maybe in awe, sometimes in respect and often in confidence. And all of those things continue to drive him. “It’s a lot of pressure, but once the game starts, all of that goes away and it’s just about doing what I have to do to help the team,” Palmer said. “And if that’s carrying the ball over 30 times a game, I can do that.” Chances are, you probably already know a Derrick Palmer. But the William Byrd version is making it his mission to be far from that ordinary guy that you expect.
Football rediscovers offense, scores big Dan Vance Editor-in-Chief The perverbial floodgates opened last Friday in the second quarter and they closed just as quick, but not before William Byrd could pull away with a 36-20 win over the visiting Patrick Counry Cougars on Homecoming night. Byrd struck first early in the second, but the Cougars scored on back-to-back drives thanks to an onside kick and found themselves up 12-7, temporarily demoralizing the Terriers with a 52 yard run for their second score. “[Coach Jeff Highfill] told us that that was our opportunity to grow up and overcome adversity, because we did not do that the week before, and no one wanted a repeat of Dan River,” said senior Derrick Palmer. And overcome the Terriers did on the back of their senior qaurterback, who ran for 129 yards in the first half, scoring thriece on
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the ground in the second quarter alone and also hookinh up with receiver Nick Janowicz at the 6: 25 mark to grab the lead back from Patrick County for good. A score by Palmer from near the goalline with 46.5 seconds left in the half made the score 29-12, all in the second quarter. The third quarter was set at a snails pace and neither team dented the other’s armor. Each team scored again in the final frame, with the Cougars returning a kickoff for a score, but it was too little too late against a once again high powered Terrier offense. While Palmer was again strong on the ground with 183 yards on 30 attempts, he was all efficient through the air on 6-of-12 passing for 96 yards, with a score and an interception. Four of those passes were to Janowicz, who racked up 73 receiving yards. Seth Webb also caught a pass for 26 yards. “In both of my big games. the credit goes to the line. I just run
Photo by David R. Jones, Jr. Derrick Palmer ran for 183 yards in Byrd’s Homecoming win. through the holes they give me,” Palmer noted. “I felt this game was essential for me to have a big one, because it really gets back on track heading into district.” Patrick County moved the ball for 227 yards on offense, with 160 of those on the ground.
The team will now have a bye week before they clash with Distict opponent Northside on October 16 at home. “We’ll probably keep the same agenda,” said Palmer. “We should be more ready for this game because of that.”
Stump, team off to 1-1 start in district Dnn Vance Editor-in-Chief District play has started for William Byrd’s volleyball team after a 1-1 opening week with a win over Northside and a loss to Lord Botetourt last week. On Thursday, Botetourt took out the visiting Terriers 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 28-26). Game one was a drag race to 13 before the Cavaliers jetted out to a huge lead before ending it 25-14 on an ace. “We struggled a little with serving and LV is a good defensive team, “ said coach Amanda Stump. “When you can’t always put the ball down, it brings out a little frustration but there were a lot of long rallies and the girls really hustled.” After faltering again in game two, Byrd struck back hard in the third frame on the arm of outside hitter Sarah Vipperman. After the Cav tied the game at 10, Byrd took the lead back quickly, capitalizing on a long volley with a block from Macie Hoback and Samantha Webster. Botetourt regained contol late but Byrd stormed back down 22-24 to take a 25-24 lead on a huge block from Webster and Sierra Spain. The teams exchanged points before the Cavs rolled ahead to win 28-26. Kalyn Molnar led the team on defense wth 33 digs, while Sierra Spain and Candace Brady combined for 13 digs asnd 29 assists. Hoback
(six kills, four blocks) and Webster (10 kills, six digs) were also key. Madison Gensurowsky had four digs. “Our match against LB showed the girls they have to come and work everyday to improve, our hope is to split with them and even things up,” said Stump. Last Tuesday, the team took the first steps toward a district title with a 3-0 win over visiting Northside. “It is so important to start with a win in District play mainly for confidence,” Stump said. “At this point last year, we were struggling with being competitve with everyone and only had a couple of wins.” After dominating in the first game, Byrd trailed much of the second game, before they put up a strong rally to pull ahead late. Putting an exclamation point on that rally was a big block from Samantha Webster and Nicole Frey to put the Lady Terriers up 24-20. The third and final game started with a back and forth swing until Byrd took the lead for good at 10-9 on a Webster kill. Kalyn Molnar then came to serve and helped tally nine straight points for Byrd before she every relinqueshed service. Included in that streak were three strauight service aces for the senior and strong back row defense from her and junior Ashley Minton. Northside finally got a reprieve off a Byrd net violation but Webster laced a kill and ace to pull all momentum back William Byrd’s way. A Laura Belcher ace to go up 23-14 sealed the deal
Photo by Dan Vance Samantha Webster knocks down a shot in last Tuesday’s District opening win vs. Northside. to a start the district schedule with a win. Vipperman and Laura Belcher each had four aces. Belcher added four digs and Vipperman had six kills. Nicole Frey had three kills and four digs.
Terrier XC competes at Metro, runs shorthanded at VMI The Terriers ran at Metro on Wednesday. The boys team ended up fouth lead by Kevin O’Connor, fifth overall, 15 seconds behind winner Patrick Woodford of Patrick Henry. “That was my strategy for Kevin, I told him to get on Patrick’s’ hip and stay there. He did a pretty good job staying in contact for most of the race,” said coach Eric Royal. “Kevin was mad at his time for not breaking into the 16 minute range, I told him ‘its hard to run fast, keep working.’” The team had five personal records for the guys. The girls ended up seventh overall and it was improvement from last year. Jordan Gulli was the top finisher and was just off her personal best. She took a year off to concentrate on academics, early this summer she asked Royal if he thought she could get back to where she was as a sophomore and he says he told her she could be better “Really I need you to run faster is what I told her,” Royal said. Kara Kingery is running almost four minutes faster than last year and Royal says she is a big reason they are returning to their status in the state as a quality Cross Country program. The team only took four runners (O’Conner, Nick Lefsell, Trey Gibson and Dalton Royal) to VMI on Saturday due to Homecoming. Lefsell broke 17 minutes for the first time this year and placed eighth overall while O’Conner was twelveth. Middle school runners Allison Smith, Holly Morrison and Jason Palmer also participated with Palmer finishing seventh in the middle school race. The team races next today in a district preview where the boys are ranked number one and the girls, number two. “We’re basically going to use it as a training day,” said Royal.
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Photo by Chris Manning FAR LEFT: Madison Morris serves up a ball last Tuesday in the JV team’s win over Northside. LEFT: Rec. League Soccer from Mt. Pleasant last Thursday evening.
BELOW: William Byrd’s lone four varsity runners prepare to take off during Saturday’s event at VMI in Lexington.
Photo by Dan Vance
Photo submitted by Cindy Stump
BELOW RIGHT: The Byrd varsity volleyball game before last week’s Disco Night.
Photo by Dan Vance
Photo by Dan Vance
BELOW: Alison Disher tips a shot over the net and past the Lord Botetourt block in last Thursday’s varsity match visiting the Cavaliers.
RIGHT: William Byrd Middle School A-Team football from last Thursday against Read Mountain. ABOVE RIGHT: Gerhig Spradlin of the Vinton Terriers last Tuesday at Vinyard. RIGHT: Former students Andrew Landrum, Ryan Beyel, Jon-Michael Zimmerman, Eric Ashburn and Dylon Hurt visit Byrd for the Homecoming football game last Friday.
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Photo by Chris Manning
ABOVE: William Byrd’s varsity team lines up for the opening kickoff return of Friday night’s Homecoming win over Patrick County.
Photo by Chris Manning
Photo by Danny Cruff
Photo by Melissa Gibson
Dirt and Rumors are Flying at WBHS Julie Ensor Terrier Times Staff
Surprise Virginia Tech Tour a Bright Spot for WBHS Student Will Trent Terrier Times Staff It was a cold and dreary Friday on the streets of Blacksburg and the weather was forecast to be even worse on game-day Saturday at Virginia Tech. So, it was a good thing that a bright spot appeared to me as I walked near Cassell Coliseum and Lane Stadium. It was September 25 and the open door to the new basketball practice facility looked like a wonderful place to escape the dismal weather. When I entered the lobby there was a lot of excitement as people greeted one another. I over-heard that today was the grand opening of the facility for Hokie donors and major contributors. I asked someone if it was OK for me to be there. They said “Yes.” So, I continued on. The main lobby was lined with trophy cases. There were listings of major individual and team records for the school’s men and women’s basketball programs. There were names Hokie fans might recognize such as Deron Washington, Jamon Gordon, Dell Curry and Ace Custis. Large graphics of current Hokie players were displayed throughout the room. As I continued down the orange and maroon hallways, I realized that the coaches and players were meeting and greeting people at every doorway. This immaculate facility included a huge weight room that leads out to practice courts with a “soft” wall that can be lowered to separate them incase the men and women want to practice at the same time. Each wing of the 49,000-squarefoot building contains five offices for assistants, one huge head coaching office, and a conference room. Both Seth Greenberg, the men’s basketball coach, and Beth Dunkenberger, the women’s basketball coach, have personal bathrooms and windows overlooking the practice courts. The ground floor contains an
equipment room, two examination rooms, six reclining tables and two therapy tubs. According to hokiesport.com the locker rooms were designed by each respective team. The men chose to have lockers big enough so that they can sit in them, while the women chose to sit on stools outside of their lockers. Adjacent to the locker rooms are film classrooms with massive chairs, and lounges with flat screen TV’s and couches. Before long I had a chance to talk with basketball players Ben Boggs and Abby Redick, who graduated from Hidden Valley High School. Boggs said he was excited to be in the new facility. Boggs, who was recruited to Tech as a junior at HVHS, told me that they had been working out and using the building for a few weeks. He said he was “loving” his freshman year at Tech. I had the chance to talk with Seth Greenberg, the head coach of the men’s team, who also seemed extremely excited to have the facility. He explained that he thought the facility would attract more talented players to the team and new coaches to the staff. So what does this have to do with residents in the Vinton area. Vinton residents seem to be interested in athletics, so this new practice facility is important. This facility will bring in a lot of attention, which should attract more talented recruits and coaches for the future. All those ingredients should combine to help keep the Hokies at the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference year after year. Maybe Tech will make it to the NCAA’s 64team March Madness tournament more often, which would bring more revenue back to the school. So, not only could the new facility spur the surrounding economy it could lead to more and more quality facilities in the region. For example, UVA’s John Paul Jones Arena is fairly new and aside from sports also brings top national and international performing acts to the region. Those benefits aside, I was delighted to have an inside look at a facility that very few people will see. That definitely was a bright spot for me.
Got dirt? William Byrd High School does. The classrooms are shaking and there’s dirt everywhere. Got construction rumors? WBHS has those, too. They are flying right along with the dust, dirt, grass and rocks. It is all part of the process of making a new, improved WBHS. “It’s a great thing for all of the students and faculty because in two years we’ll have better facilities with better resources to create a better learning environment,” said Gary LaPrad, an algebra teacher and middle school baseball coach. One interview with WBHS principal Dr. Richard Turner set the record straight on the construction project which started in June and will take approximately two years to complete. “It will be a much nicer environment for the staff and students,” Turner said. Plans call for the project to be completed by June 2011, basically two school years from now. After everything is finished, the school will hold approximately 1,400 students, Turner said. The current junior and seniors will get to experience the construction process, but graduate before the finished product becomes reality “I think we really need it, but I wish it would come along faster,” said junior Miranda Wilson. Freshmen and sophomores will be among the first classes to experience the end result. “I think it’s good for the school to expand and make the building better,” said freshman Alyssa Floro. Now let’s separate the fact from the fiction of the ongoing construction. One rumor was that the construction would lead to additional parking spaces. Nope. The dug out and now graveled and fenced area at the bottom of one hill will not be additional parking, Turner said. It is a storage area for the construction crews. The dug out area at the bottom of the other hill? No it’s not an Olympic-sized swimming pool or a fishing pond. Rather it is a retention area to catch water run off. The area beside the school, where the buses drop off students, is not an extension to the library. Rather it will be the new entrance to the school and will house the administrative offices. “I hate it right now, but once it’s done it’ll be worth it,” said Pat Webster, who drives bus 81 While the guidance department will remain where it is, the space currently occupied by administration and main office will be turned into classroom space. Students waiting in lunch lines watched bulldozers dig out the area just outside the cafeteria. They speculated about what would go there. The answer, Turner said, is an expanded cafeteria. Upon completion the extension will accommodate about 100 more students during lunch time and will reduce the number of lunches from four to three. For the sports fans, the stadium will also be a part of this project, Turner said. This means replacing the scoreboard, expanding the press box, and improving the concessions and restrooms. Among other plans are a new air conditioning and heating unit and the removal of the trailers once classroom space is created inside the building. New classrooms will occupy the area that is currently the annex gym. The other dug out area between the school and the football stadium will be new annex gym.
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the college perspective on
Homecoming activities Samantha Hoback Contributor As a freshman in high school, I could hardly wait to go to my first Homecoming dance. Planning for the dance takes a lot of preparation, but when the day finally came, I was so excited to get my hair, nails and makeup done, put on my fancy dress and see my friends. All of our parents came with cameras in tow to document the evening—the exchanging of the corsage and boutonniere, the lineup of girls and guys before leaving for dinner, the procession of cars leaving for dinner. I felt like Cinderella. The big Homecoming football game at William Byrd drew many alumni—myself included—back to Vinton last weekend to watch the Terries take on Patrick County. After I graduated, I never imagined that I would
enjoy coming back to my old stomping ground, but that is the magic of Homecoming. The real magic happened on Saturday, when I helped my sister get ready for the dance. A lot has changed since I’ve graduated: shorter dresses and casual hairstyles have replaced the long dresses and intricate updos that I wore just a few years ago. Nevertheless, getting ready for the dance is an all-day event—for the girls anyway—that starts with an appointment at the nail salon in the morning, followed by an awkward, hour-long photo opportunity, dinner and finally, the dance. This weekend is Homecoming at Wake Forest. In many ways, Homecoming at college is very similar to Homecoming in high school: the big football game draws many alumni back to campus to revel in school spirit and cheer on their alma mater. During the week, there is a Powderpuff football game between sororities; a bonfire serves as the pep rally to get everyone
hyped up for the game; all of the buildings are decked out in school colors; and everyone sports their school paraphernalia in class. We don’t have an official Homecoming dance. However, every other year, the president of the university throws a ball during the week of Homecoming, creatively called the President’s Ball. Basically it’s like a Homecoming dance on a much bigger budget. Unlike a high school dance, all faculty, staff and alumni are invited to attend the President’s Ball with the students. Instead of a DJ in the high school gym, we have two live bands and DJ at the Joel Coliseum in downtown WinstonSalem. Although many students go out to dinner before the dance, you can make a meal out of the catered buffet. I didn’t think I would have any more formal events after my senior prom. Last year, as I watched my sister experience her first Homecoming dance, I really missed having an event for which to get dressed up. Last weekend, however, as I watched my sister do her hair and makeup, put her dress on, take pictures with her friends and head off to dinner, I kept thinking that I would be doing the same thing the next weekend. Only I would be doing the grown-up college version.
The Deafening Silence of the Digital Age
Pastor Tommy FiGart Grace Family Church As I sat in front of my BlackBerry phone this morning prepared to “Twitter, Facebook, text and email” a meaningful and inspiring thought for the day to those in my life that I hold dear, a profound thought crossed my mind. “Have we become so digital in our communication that we’ve lost the intimacy and true relationship that God intended us to have?” Have we removed ourselves from our front porches, kitchen tables, living rooms, church fellowship halls and actual face to face conversations to the loneliness of our computer screen, mobile phone and keyboard?
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How deafening is the silence of our current digital age? Have we silenced our hearts through the convenience of “sending” or “receiving” a message? Have we lost the ability to look into the eyes of another and see the hurt & pain or joy & affirmation that comes from real relationship and interaction? Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and His Father are one. Oneness doesn’t take place through mere words on a written page or text message. It takes place through intimate interaction with each other as we spend time experiencing life together. It takes place as we share our hopes and dreams, faults and fears with each other. It happens as we celebrate our victories together and share
the burden of life’s challenges with each other. Even the reality of a living relationship with God doesn’t come through merely the black and white words found in the Bible but it happens as Jesus makes those Words real to us through our interaction with Him and through interaction with those in whom He has made His home. How do we shatter the silence and loneliness of heart that many experience today in spite of the plethora of “messages” we receive? Through the power of true relationship and Christian community. As we press into our Christian relationships we should find the Life Improving Grace and Love of God. In that Grace and Love we find acceptance, forgiveness, warmth and inspiration to weep
with those who weep and to rejoice with those who have cause to rejoice. We find the support we need to carry us through tough times and the faith filled prayers we need to move mountains in our lives. Feel free to “Twitter, Facebook, text and email”. It’s fun and a great way to stay in touch. But also take time to evaluate your life and challenge yourself to revive those “front porch” moments with those you hold dear. As each of us move beyond the convenience of a digital message I believe we’ll find the intimacy and oneness that we long for in the deep places of our heart. If you’d like to know how to enter into a living relationship with Jesus or if you would like to learn more about Grace Family Church please visit us at www.gr aceinthevalley.com. Grace Family Church invites you to ”Experience God’s Life Improving Love” in our weekly services. Grace Family Church is located at 2021 Hardy Road in Vinton with service times at 10:30am on Sundays and 7: 00pm on Wednesdays.
Charlie Brown comes to Byrd theatre Chris Manning Publisher Starting tomorrow, October 8th, you’re in for a treat. The two-time defending national champions will be performing “You’re a good man Charlie Brown” beginning at 7:30 and running the 8th, 9th 10th and 11th. On Saturday they will have an afternoon matinee beginning at 2:30 as well as the evening show at 7:30 and Sunday they close out the weekend with a show at 2: 30. They will also be performing small portions at the Vinton Fall Festival. Mrs. Carol Webster, the Director of Center of Performing Arts for Roanoke County Schools, is excited about this show based on the Broadway Revival, “this is such a great story, it’s about Charlie Brown, a kid who if something can go wrong for him, it does” she says, but it’s not without a happy ending “no matter what comes his way, he remains a good person and true to himself.” This is the same show that the WB Players will be performing on Broadway in February at the National Performing Arts Festival. This incarnation has some roles that are cast with dual performers. Mrs. Webster supplied this synopsis of the play; You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown tells the story of an average day in the life of the famous comic strip child hero, Charlie Brown. Most of the characters are 5-6 years old, however the show is generally cast with adults. The audience is introduced to the whole Peanuts gang: Sally, Schroeder, Lucy and Snoopy. All of the characters share their
Cast and Crew Charlie Brown Daniel Spencer Lucy Van Pelt Mackenzie Brewer Morgan Willis Linus Van Pelt Holden Fleming Austin Nicely Sally Brown Rachel Kidd Alyssa Melchers
observations, largely negative, of Charlie Brown. As the play progresses, the relationships of the Peanuts characters to one another are further expanded. Lucy is infatuated with Schroeder and takes great pleasure in tormenting Charlie Brown. Linus loves his blanket. Snoopy lives in his rich imagination. Charlie Brown is in love
Schroeder Luke Fortner (Parkway Christian Student) Snoopy Katie Holland (Glenvar High School Student) Christie Vernon Violet Gray Anne Marie Soltis
Peppermint Patty Emily Jervis Tiffany Viette
Eudora Jaclyn Hayden Jasmine Patriquin
Marcie Cassie Groff Katie Milner
Stage Managers: Tiffany Viette and Emily Jervis Additional Stage Help: Kalyn Brewer, Bethany Porter, and Sydney Ransom Lights: Alumnus William Webster Spotlight: Julie Helm, Rachel Witt Sound: Mackenzie Brewer, Luke Fortner, Austin Nicely, Tyler Wiggins Costumes: Debbie Adler Props: Dawn Helm Artists: Robyn Medford, Becky McKev3r Production Team Parents: Debbie Adler, Dawn Helm, Leigh Ann Soltis, Kathy Viette, Lynn Dozier, Lisa Nicely, Missy Brewer, Shannon Willis
Pigpen Michael Reid Tyler Wiggins Rerun Michael Boland Freda Autumn Adams Woodstock Antonia Carrasco Rachel Witt Peggy Jean Tori Carroll Julie Helm
with a mysterious little redheaded girl. The show ends with each character listing things that for him or her equal happiness. Finally, Lucy ends up telling Charlie Brown what a good man he is leaving a smiling, happy Charlie Brown alone on stage. This production includes a larger group of the Peanuts Gang, including many characters that the audience members grew up with, including Pepperment Patty, Pigpen, Violet and many more.
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How do you feel the area has received the Voice? Truthfully it has kind of blown me away how welcoming and excited people have been. I love hearing the feedback, I love when people come by the office just to tell us they like it. Getting requests and comments and just what they want to see or what they like about it is just awesome.
Introducing Ashlee Manning With all the sports, politics, news from the town, financial advice and more in the Voice, your weekly recipe seems to be a breath of fresh air and a nice little break from the “hard stuff” week in and week out, what made you decide to bring that to the Voice every week? Honestly, it was a woman’s thought, adding a woman’s touch. When this was in the planning stages there were a lot of requests for this. I love when we get recipe submissions and can’t wait to see more! The more recipes we get the more space those boys will give!
What do you see as the future of the Voice? I see it continuing to grow, people continuing to send in their ideas and thoughts and continuing to cover the needs and wants of the Vinton area.
ashlee
MANNING
inONEminute
You’re didn’t grow up in Vinton, so this might be an unfair question, but what draws you to contribute to the Voice every week? I was in Vinton very often, because I swam at the Lancerlot. I met my husband almost 11 years ago, and have fallen in love with the area and the people, so this paper is kind of close to home.
Favorite Movie “Naughty Marietta” it’s an old Jeanette McDonald, Nelson Eddy movie from the 30’s that my grandmother got me in to. And of course, “My Fair Lady.”
Ok, so the cat is out of the bag, you’re married to the publisher, how involved are you outside of the weekly recipe? I multi-task. I water the flowers, clean the office, decorate the office (someone has to, the rest of them are men) and even make advertising sales calls. I’m as involved as my husband allows me to be.
Favorite Book Anything by Dan Brown as well as The Five People you Meet in Heaven. I’m a big reader, so I can’t say just one.
What do you do in your spare time? Ha Ha, I have three children, so this is a trick question. But in those few moments when my husband isn’t out covering something, I like to read and spend time on the computer…and of course I spend time in the kitchen cooking up those recipes! “Soundtrack” Song? “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers, it’s a little cheesy, but it was the song I danced to with my father at my wedding. “How has your hometown shaped who you are as a person? Roanoke is very diverse, it’s a little bit sheltered, but you have the possibilities to go out and do things. I was given the opportunity to witness a little bit of everything. I’ve basically lived in every part of the Roanoke Valley and they all have something special to offer.
Learn more about Danny Cruff in next week’s seventh installment of Voices of the Voice. •‘BOOTIE’ continued from page 03
•‘CHERRY’ continued from page 24
Shirley Rice (doing so much better) Shirley Hopper, Karen Miller. Bill Hufton. Happy Birthday to Tonda Stallard Fugate , Dorian Dozier, Angie Lewis and all that celebrated Birthdays this past week. Congratulations to Tracy Creasy and her weight Fish Fry cooks Doug Murray, Ron loss of 125 lbs. She is featured in this month’s issue Scott and Johnny Scott National Health Mag. It is out now. Tracy said she did it the old fashion way watching what she eats and exercise. She is now an instructor at the Lancerlot. We should all take a lesson from Tracy. Congratulations!!Nick Cramer son Margaret and Brian Cramer has earned his Star Scout Rank this week . He is the grandson of Katherine and Fred Cramer. There’s a new Babe in town, Little Emmalee Grace Dodson born Aug. 13. Proud Parents are Andy and Amy Dodson, Grandparents are Terry & Betty McVey, Keith & Bonnie Dodson. Congrats! to all. No Spoiling! Coming up this weekend You don’t won’t to miss “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” by the WBHS Players. Starts Thurs Night -Sunday. / This the famous awarding winning Players under the direction of Carol Webster. Tell all your friends and neighbors. It’s a fun Show. Also don’t forget the Vinton Fall Festival This weekend . Lots of fun things to do. Checkout the schedule so you don’t miss anything. Oct 25 Vinton Baptist Church. Our 7th year with the Variety Show For Vinton History Museum. Put it on your calendar. More later.
to see the stares we get when people drive by our building.” Havens and Cherry Bomb would like to be able to take part in more things in the Vinton community even with the busy schedule they keep with national conventions they routinely attend with some of the best tattoo artists in the country. They also like to put on events, such as the “Hotter than Hell” concert in conjunction with 96.3 WROV on October 30th at the Taubman Museum and their piercing events held in studio, where every piercing is $15. They do these kinds of things trying to draw attention, of course, but they also want to give back. If you’re in the market for a tattoo or piercing, or just have a question about it (“if people have questions, they should talk to their artist, not their friends” ), why leave town, stop by the shop and talk to someone who is local, who supports the community and who wants to be here and who truly can and will stand by what they do.
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Tax Talk Dale Russell, MBA wheresmymoney@vintonvoice.com Hey everyone…Thanks for meeting me back here. We are going to take a week off of budget talk, I hope that’s ok. We will get back to that shortly because something more important just came to mind. Until then, October 15th is quickly approaching. So what, you might say. If you filed IRS form 4868, then you know what, or at least you should. For those that don’t know, IRS Form 4868 is the form taxpayers submit to apply for an automatic 6-month filing extension. Notice that I said FILING extension not PAYING extension. IRS Form 4868 does not give the filer a 6 month extension for paying any income tax balance due. The point is if you filed for an extension and you didn’t pay at least 90% of your balance due at that time, you should expect to pay an underpayment penalty and interest. Ok, so let’s pretend you filed the Form 4868 and need to complete your taxes in the next few days. Where do you begin? Should you do your taxes yourself? Or, would it be better to have a “professional” do them? If you decide on the latter and want a professional to do your taxes, who might be a good choice to do that work? So, let’s talk about that. If you decide to try to do them yourself, proceed with extreme caution. Too many times folks rely on the software to do the work and we all know that
doesn’t always turn out accurately. But if you feel confident and want to give it a try, go ahead. There are a number of software packages on the market that do the job, but look out for hidden type charges like state return charges, e-file charges, etc. If it’s a simple return, you should find on the IRS website (www.IRS.org) a link for companies that will do your return for free. Again, do be fooled into that false sense of security by relying completely on the software to do the work. What if you want someone else to do them for you? Who do you get? The best bet is to pick someone that is bound by the rules of practice found in IRS circular 230. Who might that be, you ask? The IRS outlines 3 different professionals that can practice and represent taxpayers before the IRS and they are Lawyers, Certified Public Accountants, and Enrolled Agents. Why is that important you ask? Great question…These professionals have something to lose if they don’t play by the rules. Specifically, they could lose their privilege to practice before the IRS if they don’t play right. Remember, it’s your return and you are ultimately responsible for what’s on it. You sign it attesting that “under penalties of perjury …” your return to the best of your knowledge it accurate. So make sure you really understand your completed return and ask questions. If you don’t understand something, open your mouth and ask…Ignorance is not a defense. Now you can do what you want, but I would recommend you find someone in one of those 3 professions to do your return. Of those 3, you will find the CPA to be more accessible and affordable. Make sure your source documents are organized. Organize them into categories like INCOME (W-2’s, 1099’s, etc.), EXPENSES (medical, mortgage interest, taxes paid, etc) and if you have a SCH C business, organize
your receipts in the same manner. Make sure you do NOT go into your local tax office with a box full of receipts unless you are also prepared to pay an additional hourly amount for them to do something for you that you could easily, and less expensively, do for yourself. Do not attempt to take your return to them on the 14th and expect it to be done on time. Keep in mind that you are not the only person that is trying to get this work done, so give yourself and your tax professional a chance to get this done. One final thought…one school of thought is that you should break even at tax time because a refund is nothing more than an interest free loan to the government. Whatever the final tax outcome, take a moment and check your current federal and state income tax withholding. Maybe you are having too much withheld, maybe not enough. Maybe you need to make some estimated payments to give you a safe harbor for taxes. In any event you are aware of your situation and aren’t caught by surprise when filing time rolls around. Thanks again for spending some time with me. I hope you picked up something you can use. Keep your emails coming to Wheresmymo ney@VintonVoice.com. This is truly your Voice and I enjoy writing on what you want to read.
VOICE 21
Where can you get YOUR Vinton Voice? A Plus Auto Sales Alarm Detection Services Anytime Fitness Barry Brooks Photography Bass Transmissions Berkshire Nursing Home Best little Hairhouse in Vinton Bob’s Restaurant Bojangles Bonsack Elementary School Country Crossing Foodette Cundiff‘s Drug Store Curves Cyndi’s Fashions Desert Sun Tanning Salon Dogwood Restaurant East End Baptist Church EZN Famous Anthony’s restaurant Frank’s pizza Grand Rental Station Greenway Construction Gregg Lee Insurance Herman L Horn Elementary School Hooters Jerry’s Family Restaurant Jiffy Automotive Kinsey Crane and Sign Co Lancerlot M and M insurance Magic City Motors McDonalds Vinton Mt. Pleasant Elementary Napa Auto Parts New York Life Insurance-Anthony Conner New York Pizza Northwest Hardware Olde Colony Realty Parkway Physicians Parts Unlimited Perma Clean Power Line Rent Equipt Powers Tractor PSS Gun Range & Training Quantum Tire & Auto R & R Automotive Rancho Viejo Reed’s Automotive Shear Acts Hair Salon Steve’s Automotive Teaberry’s Restaurant The Barber Shop The Barbeque Grill The Edge Sports Performance Center Village Family Restaurant Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce Vinton Car Connection Vinton Chiropractic Clinic Vinton Library Vinton Municipal Building Vinton Post Office Vinton Veterinary Hospital W.E. Cundiff Elementary School White Tire William Byrd High School William Byrd Middle School. Wooding’s Auto Body Wood’s Auto Parts Wood’s Auto Edge Wood’s Service Center
22 VOICE
Everybody reads the Voice
The staff of Gregg Lee Insurance at 231 West Virginia Avenue in Vinton, one of the distribution points of the Voice, takes time to check out Issue 6 of the paper.
More of How it Was Barbara P. Dillon Vinton Historical Society In 1918, we had one small drug store and one barber shop. We also had one police office drawing the magnificent salary of $50 a month.
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One small dry goods store. Beauty shops were a novelty. No hardware stores in Vinton. No large scale manufacturers anywhere. Raymond Barnes tells us we had a prominent citizen of the Gish’s hamlet, Dr. George Thomas Walker. He was born in Botetourt in the section known as
Craig County on June 11, 1848. He was educated in old field schools and the Pearisburg Academy. He taught school several years and in his spare time, he read about medicine quite a bit. Ateending the Medical College of Virginia, upon his graduation in 1874, he cast his fortune at Gish’s, where he played a lead role for over 30 years. Since apparently there was no drug store at Gish’s, Dr. Walker compunded his own prescriptions until Newton V. Woolfork oped a pharmacy, date unknown. Another neighbor, John C. Foz, ran a tan yard. Among his children was Naomi Jennie Fox, whom Dr. Walker married. Mrs. Walker accepted an appointment as post mistress under President Cleveland and served (as far as known) one term,
installing the office in her home. The couple had four children. Henry, the eldest son, served a term as mayor of Vinton after Gish’s was chartered as a Town in 1884. Henry was later connected with a trust company. Harold Walton Walker later became chief engineer for the right-of-way for the Virginian Railroad. A brother-in-law of Dr. Walker, Charles Dunmore Fox Sr., “read medicine” under Dr. walker until his tutelage he became a pharmacist and became quite a prominent pharmacist in Roanoke. It is amazing how many pharmacist and drug stores, how many policemen and police women and how many beauty shops and other businesses we have in Vinton now.
go to facebook.com and search The Vinton Voice. Then follow along for breaking news, previews and exclusive photos.
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VOICE 23
Cherry Bomb does things the right way in Vinton Chris Manning Publisher A lot of people say they want to start their own business. They talk for years and years about it, but never really do it. Tim Havens of Cherry Bomb Tattoo & Piercing is not one of those people. He brought Cherry Bomb Tattoo to Vinton around five years ago and has now made his permanent home at 537 S. Poplar St. (it’s the one with the bright signs right on the corner.) Although when you walk in to Cherry Bomb you will see the typical tribals, pixies and dragons on the walls, it’s about more than that. “We’re bringing art back to tattooing” Havens says. Havens has over twelve years tattooing experience under his belt, including seven in the Roanoke Valley at one of the most well known shops in town, and he sees a similar future for Cherry Bomb as they are already off to a strong start as both a published and an award winning studio. As an artist, Havens and his staff of 5, including artists and piercers, he would like to spend all of his time working on designs, however that isn’t reality, as some of the stigma revolving tattoos is still around. “We spend a third of our time fixing other people’s work” he says “there’s a difference between being state licensed or not and most of those who are tend to play by the rules, but a lot of shops aren’t
TOP: Cherry Bomb owner Tim Havens and artist Jacki O’Rourke ABOVE: Some of O’Rourke’s artwork RIGHT: Sarah Price of Cherry Bomb pierces the nose of customer Jeanna Sowers. state licensed.” The licensing is something he and his staff take very seriously and are very proud of. “We follow strict guidelines and our customers feel like they are well taken care of when they come here.” Some of the other services they offer along with the tattooing is, of course, piercing, but not just your standard piercings like ears, nose etc., they also offer exotics like surface piercing, a new trend in the long line of trends that come and sometimes go in the world of “body modification.” “Our crew (which includes the shop in Vinton and one in Rocky Mount) has
been a part of the every trend for the last twenty years, we’re time tested and true.” This is evidenced in their loyal, routine customers that travel hours, sometimes through states to come to Vinton and get work done at their shop. One of the challenges for Havens has been the reputation that sometimes is associated with the tattooing and piercing community. “We’re not here until 2 am playing loud music or anything like that, we come to work, we do our job and we go home. We try to do a lot for the community, but sometimes it’s funny
Photos by Chris Manning
12 VOICE
•See ‘CHERRY’ • Page 20