the roanoke star-sentinel
DESCRIPTION
News from the Roanoke Valley for August 28, 2009.TRANSCRIPT
Community | News | Per spect iveAugust 28, 2009 - Sept. 3, 2009 NewsRoanoke.com
The Roanoke Star-SentinelPRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGEPAID
WhISPER ONEMEDIA POSTMASTER: Dated material, please deliver by publication date
ANGELA GILLESPIEREALTOR, ABRCall today to learn more
about my design and home staging services
www.cbtownside.comwww.angelasellsvirginia.com
ANGELA GILLESPIEREALTOR, ABRCall today to learn more
about my design and home staging services
www.cbtownside.comwww.angelasellsvirginia.com
Unlocking Your Dreams!
556-8565Contact me today for a professional,
no commitment [email protected] www.angelasellsvirginia.com Angela Gillespie
PAGE 2WEEKEND
DayBittersweetP4– Lucky Garvin recounts the tears of saying goodbye and the joy of a shared pas-sion.
KudzuOaks andP5– Barkley Thompson points out that sometimes a little “kudzu” is needed to shake up the “order” of things.
ReturnKnights
P8– The Cave Spring football team led by Coach Tim Fulton looks to get back on top.
the ArtsRun for
P11– Roanokers will soon have a chance to work up a sweat while gaining a deeper appreciation for public art.
Roanoke’s Cameron Johnson has been named as one of the 2009 Ten Outstanding Young Americans (TOYA) by the United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees).
Johnson, 24, is one of the most success-ful young entrepreneurs in the world. Au-thor, businessman, entrepreneur, and i nt e r n at i on a l l y recognized public speaker, Johnson is President and CEO of Cameron John-son Inc., and serves as consultant to several Fortune 500 companies.
Johnson started his first business when he was nine years old. By age 12, he was making $50,000 per year and by the time he was 15, Johnson’s company was generating $15,000 per day in revenue. That same year, he became the youngest American appointed to the board of a Tokyo-based company, and his autobi-ography, “15-Year-Old CEO,” was published in Japan and became an instant best seller. Johnson used his platform and recognition in Japan to work with the Japanese govern-ment to promote computer literacy, and his book inspired Japanese young people to consider entrepreneurship as a path in life.
Especially for someone as young as he is, Johnson has received more awards and rec-ognitions than many amass in a lifetime, but
Lewis-Gale Hosts Warner for Private Healthcare Forum
The latest edition of the Roanoke Regional Com-munity Indicators Report, issued last week, details a number of areas of concern related to the current economic climate.
“While it’s no secret that we are in very difficult economic times, this report substantiates the finan-cial stress most households are feeling right now,” said Pamela Kestner-Chappelear, President, Council of Community Services.
Kestner-Chappelear points to job related indica-tors such as unemployment rates, unemployment benefits claims and net employment growth, which all fell from the positive to the negative trend column over the past year.
While trends were still positive in the income and asset related indicators, the region continues to lag behind the state in annual average wage (-$10,868),
and per capita income (-$7,564.00). At the same time, the consumer price index increased for this region of the state by 4.5%.
The growing need families have for assistance can be seen in the fact that children eligible for free and reduced lunch in the region jumped to a high of 37.4% in 2008, said Kestner-Chappelear. Food Stamps also showed big increases moving from 9.03% of the re-gion in 2007 to 21.63% in 2008.
In 2007, the percentage graduating high school (77.7%) exceeded that of state (76.8%). One year later in 2008, the region’s performance had fallen to 76.3%, compared to 79.2% at the state level, placing the region below the statewide rate for the first time since 2006.
“The value of indicators is underscored when viewed as a constellation of factors affecting the well
being of the Roanoke Region,” Kestner-Chappelear noted. “When these indicators are viewed as a whole they clearly define the beginning of the severe eco-nomic downturn of late 2008 and its effect on the people residing in the region. While the 2008 Report contained reasons for optimism, this 2009 Report shows little evidence of specific strengths in the re-gion other than education performance in grades 3, 5 and 8. Even those strengths are dampened by the fall-ing number of high school graduates in the region.”
Kestner-Chappelear called the 2009 Edition of the Roanoke Region Community Indicators “a clarion call for government and people to work together across jurisdictional boundaries to find innovative solutions to the growing social and economic prob-lems faced by all who reside in our communities.” (see the full report at councilofcommunityservices.org)
On Tuesday Blue Ridge PBS part-nered with the Booker T. Washing-ton National Monument to celebrate the founding of America’s national parks.
The day began with a free screen-ing of Ken Burns’ new documentary film, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” at the Westlake Cinema. The first 200 guests received a free copy of Booker T. Washington’s “Up from Slavery.” Following the screen-ing, the nearby Booker T. Washing-ton National Monument hosted a
Founder’s Day reception followed by a short documentary about Wash-ington’s life and a walking tour of his birthplace.
“The Ken Burns film offers a spectacular glimpse into the vast natural and cultural treasures which are under the stewardship of the National Park Service,” said Car-la Cowles Whitfield, Superintendent for Booker T. Washington National Monument.
“We are thrilled to partner with Blue Ridge PBS to highlight
the contributions of Booker T. Washington, a man from humble beginnings who paved the way for Americans to live a better, more pro-ductive life,” she continued. “It is my hope that the Burns film will create a groundswell of renewed interest in national parks and serve as an in-vitation for the public to rediscover the parks that are in their own back-yards.”
Photo Submitted
Cameron Johnson
> CONTINUEDP3: Johnson
Cameron Johnson Named to 2009 Ten Outstanding Young Americans
Community Indicators Report Focuses on Downturn in Economy and Graduation Rates
Blue Ridge PBS Celebrates “National Parks” with Special Events
[Booker T. Washington National Monument]
Photo by Bill Tucker
The Booker T. Washington National Monument celebrated National Parks Founder’s Day with several special events last Tuesday. Ken Burns’ long-awaited documentary begins September 27, at 8 p.m. on PBS.
> CONTINUEDP2: Blue Ridge PBS
“I do not believe in a single payer sys-tem,” said Senator Mark Warner. “I don’t believe that we need a totally govern-ment run system.”
Warner spoke to a group of over 150 attending a private Healthcare Forum for employees and staff members of the Lewis-Gale Medical Center Monday. Warner said that every other advanced country in the world has taken on the is-sue of health care reform – noting that a lot of models are not government run.
“Many of the European countries ac-tually have private systems, that might have some government financing, but are privately run. They do it at costs that are less than ours with health care out-comes that are better than ours,” he said.
Warner stressed that we need compe-tition in the private system between pro-viders, hospitals, device manufacturers, drug makers, and insurance companies.
“I am open to anything that focuses on how we provide quality healthcare to Virginians and Americans at a way that does not break the bank and that ends up respecting people’s choices,” he said.
His first principle of health care reform is that it not add to our deficit, but that it actually starts to drive down the cost curve. Warner believes this will take co-
operation and collaboration from those in the health care field. He said that one absolute in this debate is the current health care system’s costs are not sustain-able over the next decade.
“If we do nothing, the size of the fed-eral deficit will get so large that it will un-dermine the value of our dollar, will un-dermine our economy, and will seriously retard any ability for America to main-
tain its economic preeminence in the world.” Warner also warned that if we do nothing, we would see our health care costs double over the next ten years.
Some of the health care reform advo-cates have made a mistake by not setting a framework out at the front end, he said, adding that one of the things he wishes the president had not done was to say that we are going to fix the health care
system in one bill. “You do not transform the healthcare
system with a single piece of legislation,” said Warner. “It does not mean that you don’t start; it does not mean you don’t try. But it is going to take continual effort to try to get this right.”
“There is not a Democrat health-care, or a Republican healthcare, but an American healthcare system and it sure as heck will be better for Americans to accept the kind of changes if we can show bipartisan support,” Warner said.
Warner acknowledged that there are many areas of disagreement, but the de-bate needs to be conducted with respect and it needs to be based upon the facts.
“I have to say that in more than 20 years that I have been in politics, I have never seen an issue where there has been as much misinformation and just plain outright deceptions being promulgated by both sides,” said Warner. “That’s un-fortunate, because fixing and getting health care right in this country deserves serious, rational, factual based discus-sion.”
The millionaire had other ideas: mov-
Photo by Dot Overstreet
Senator Warner spoke at the Lewis-Gale Medical Center on Monday.
> CONTINUEDP3: Warner
Get the Roanoke
Star - Sentinel delivered to your doorstep every week for only $44 per year!
PO Box 8338 Roanoke, VA 24014
Lucky Garvin
Barkley Thompson
Page 2 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 NewsRoanoke.com
July 11, Saturday
www.amrheinwinecellars.com 540-929-4632
Bash 2009
3:00 - 9:00 PM
Our regular menu will be available
SummerBeach
$15.00 per person at the door or online
$13.00 at Amrheins Brides Formals and Fine Jewelry Locations
No coolers allowed. No outside alcoholic beverages.
$49.00 per couple or $24.50 indivdual plus tax/gratuityIncludes food and wine pairing
with a bottle of Amrhein Wine and entertainment.
Friday Nights Under the StarsJuly 31 - August 28
4:00 - 9:00 PM
Friday, August 28thMusic by
The Ministers of Soul
540-343-9755
“The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” is the latest blockbuster project from Ken Burns, an acclaimed filmmaker who gained fame for projects like “Baseball,” “Jazz,” and “The War.” His new “National Parks” film series spans a century and a continent. It contains nearly 2,000 archival images from 262 sources, with breathtaking video from some of nature’s most spectacular locales. Featured parks include Acadia, Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, and Shenandoah National Park. The National Park Service has a presence in 49 of the 50 states, with national parks, historic sites, and national monuments like Booker T. Washington’s birthplace.
Blue Ridge PBS will premiere “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” beginning Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. The six-part, 12-hour film will continue through the week. Visit BlueRidgePBS.org for more information about the Burns documentary.
> Blue Ridge PBS From page 1
Phase 1 and 2 Sold Out!Last Phase of Pheasant Ridge Now Available!
1 to 3 bedroom condominium units - 7 floor plans to chose from!
“Live the life you’ve dreamed...” ~Henry David Thoreau
There is no better time to buy - seller will offer $5,000 towards purchase!
4444 Pheasant Ridge Road,South West Roanoke
(Across Rt. 220 from Hunting Hills)www.pheasantridgecondos.com
• Private road with gated entrance• Underground parking, automatic garage door opener• Nine-foot ceilings / Ceramic Tiled Foyer • Crown moulding and chair rail in dining room• Master bedroom with huge walk-in closet • Master bath with double sink and walk-in shower • Kitchen furnished with top of line G.E. appliances • Gas heat/central air / Closet Organizers• Pre-wired for internet, cable TV and telephone • Views, location and quality!
Bob McDonnell’s blue tour bus rolled down Rt. 419 in front of Tanglewood Mall honking its horn as a large crowd stood lining the street and waving “McDonnell for Governor” signs.
When the RV drove into the Roanoke Re-publican Victory Headquarters parking lot, at the intersection of Rt. 419 and Ogden Road, McDonnell bounded off the bus with a broad smile, ready to pass out handshakes and hugs.
About 150 people gathered at the Republi-can Headquarters early last Saturday, to meet and talk with the Gubernatorial Candidate and his staffers. McDonnell had just come from Lynchburg and was on his way to Taze-well when he made his stop in Roanoke.
He said he was glad to be back in the Star City and was really pleased so many came out to see him on a rainy day. He thanked the many volunteers who staff his headquarters for their hard work and devotion and then introduced all the Republican city and county candidates who are running for local elections this fall.
When asked why people in SW Virginia should vote for him,
he stated, “What people should know about me is that I believe in keeping taxes, regu-lations and litigation low and I believe in strong right-to-work laws. Right now the most important issue in this race is creating new jobs and new opportunities, and I am the only candidate that has a detailed rural economic development strategy with more tax cuts and incentives for SW Virginia.”
McDonnell also added that he is, “the only candidate who stands up for tradition-al values - I am Pro-Life, I have defended marriage and I am a 21- year veteran of the Army. I also believe we should have a com-
prehensive energy policy. We can be the en-ergy capital of the east coast when I am governor.”
McDonnell is on a month long “New Jobs, More Opportuni-ties” statewide RV tour and said he plans to visit “every corner of the Commonwealth.”
McDonnell RV Tour Rolls Into Town
By Carla [email protected]
Anthony West has been on the inside, and now the pro-gram/training director for Roanoke-based Virginia Cares Inc. does what he can to help others avoid the same pitfalls when they are released from prison. West, a William Flem-ing graduate, works with ex-offenders who enroll in the Va Cares program, helping with emergency food and clothing, transportation assistance, help with obtaining ID cards, res-toration of rights, employment seeking and interview skills, etc.
A support network of coun-selors and peers is also offered. Virginia Cares started as a TAP program under the auspices of Ted Edlich, “grew in to its own entity,” said West, and then was spun off. Grants help fund the agency. West came over from TAP himself. He doesn’t hide what happened to him in the past or his criminal record.
“It made me who I am to-day,” he said.
Virginia Cares works all across the state from its home office in Roanoke at the Dumas Center on Henry Street, help-ing several thousand people “get their lives restarted,” ac-cording to the organization’s brochure. “The only thing we
ask of our participants is their dedication to creating positive change in their lives,” it con-tinues. The assistance offered by the non-profit (more than 30 years old) is free of charge. There are 12 Va Cares offices around the Commonwealth. At times, they go in to prisons and jails, preparing about-to-be-released inmates for what they can expect.
“A lot of times we get refer-rals from parole officers,” said West, who spent time in pris-on on drug charges. First and foremost many are looking for employment. “That will [help] get them situated on the right path,” said West, noting that aspects of the agency’s services have been more difficult in light of the recession. “There’s a lot of people lining up at McDon-alds…or Wal-Mart, for jobs.”
West spent several stints in prison and was in for three years his last time around, get-ting out for good in 1996. For those that know little but life on the streets and easy money from drug dealing and the like, he says prisons don’t always provide the best atmosphere and preparation for what comes after release. That’s why so many return to prison and jail, according to West.
Virginia Cares is also part of a larger coalition, PAPIS, a statewide effort to assist ex-offenders.
“We try not to overlap each other’s boundaries [but] try to come together,” said West. Coming together also makes it easier to lobby for money at the General Assembly. “They know how important this pro-gram is.”
Executive Director Ann Fish-er said the agency fights the im-age some have of ex-offenders, and is “not the most sympa-thetic of groups when it comes to funding. When we come up in a budget [cycle] against early childhood care monies or [funding] for disabled veterans … even if you talk culture and museum money - there’s more of a pull for that.” Many private foundations have reservations about providing funds. “We’re caught in the cross fire,” said Fisher, who has been with Vir-ginia Cares for a decade.
Fisher said it is often difficult to work with ex-offenders who may have been in prison for many years.
“It’s hard to break their con-cept of who they should be. It’s very difficult to get them to adapt to the outside and make the changes.” Having some-
one like West on board, with his background, “is extremely valuable to me,” she said.
Va Cares prefers to help cli-ents look for jobs with brighter futures, but “you have to crawl before you can walk,” notes West. He also talks to potential employers, “trying to sell our program,” to businesses so that they will consider hiring ex-cons. He offers himself as proof positive that some people can turn themselves around.
Last March, West was se-lected as one of 30 “Creative Connectors” by Roanoke City, a group that will brainstorm for a year on ways to make the valley a more attractive place to live and work.
Employment opportunities would have helped him the most when he was getting into trouble.
West speaks from experi-ence, “I lived it, I know it.”
Va Cares will join with TAP to present Voices for the Vote on September 13 at Elmwood Park (1-4pm), a rally for rights restoration. Changing Vir-ginia’s “felony disenfranchise-ment law,” that leaves many ex-offenders without voting rights is a focus. Speakers include 11th District Delegate Onzlee Ware. Contact Paige Hodges/Total Action Against Poverty at 345-6781 ext-4361 for more information. The local NAACP chapter, the Virginia Organiz-ing Project and the Commu-nity Law Center at Oliver Hill House are also sponsors.
For more information, visit vacares.org.
By Gene [email protected]
Virginia Cares Inc. Guides Ex-offenders as They Re-enter Society
O�er expires 1/31/10. Restrictions apply. Call for details.
M&W Electronics7637 Williamson Rd.
540-366-1010
Photo by Carla Bream
A chance of showers, with thunderstorms possible. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Chance of precip is 50%. Friday Night: Chance of T-storms continues and a low around 66.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Chance of precip 50%. Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low around 67.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation remain at 50%.
NewsRoanoke.com 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 3
ing away from a health care sys-tem that is based upon a volume of tests, procedures, and drugs prescribed - to one based upon the health care outcome and new financial incentives pro-moting prevention and wellness. Warner wants to see a health care delivery system that prac-tices a team holistic approach; a system that can extend coverage and take on insurance reforms so that pre-existing conditions are not an obstacle; and medical malpractice/tort reform. Com-ing from an IT background himself, he believes in using the tools of technology better.
“The only profession that has not been totally transformed by information technology is the health care field,” he said.
Warner spoke about corpo-rate health care reform that has already been taking place in this country over the last seven to eight years but has not been a major part of the discussion. He cited Safeway Food Stores and Delta Airlines as two ex-amples of companies who have driven down the cost of em-ployee health care premiums by offering incentives to those who do not smoke and live healthier lifestyles. Warner said that re-form needs to include a serious conversation about adverse be-havior, claiming 70 percent of health care costs in this country are due to chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, both of which can be related to eating and lifestyle habits.
He also believes that it is time to start having honest conver-sations about aging and end of life issues. “It is not a politi-
cal discussion: it is a medical, a religious, a moral, and ethical discussion. It’s not about taking away an individual’s choice or their options.”
When Senator Warner took questions from those attending the forum, one from Dr. Charles Gilliland received overwhelm-ing applause.
“What if congress and the executive branch were to con-sider putting themselves under the same medical coverage sys-tem as the rest of us,” Gilliland asked.
Warner said that he agreed, and laughter erupted from the crowd when he asked, “Does anyone else?”
The Senator went on to speak about the health care program that Congress currently has, Federal Employees Health Ben-efits Program. He explained that it is a health care exchange where they can choose from about twenty different private plans based on what is best for their families.
“I think that providing that same kind of choice for all Americans makes a lot of sense. You have different systems com-peting with each other,” he said.
One member of the audience questioned a mid September deadline, not taking the time to have more in depth discussion. Warner talked about a Senate procedure called “reconcilia-tion” where if a bill is budget re-lated, it can be passed with 51 votes as opposed to the usual 60 typically needed for legislation. That would make it easier for Democrats to pass health care reform. Warner said there is a
strict time line that was passed as part of the budget bill and the tipping point is mid September; it is an arbitrary deadline that was not set by the administra-tion but by the rules and pro-cedures of the Senate. He also emphasized that even if a bill is passed in the Senate, it will take months of back and forth discussion with the House and the President before it will be signed into law.
A physician attending the fo-rum, Dr. Lawrence Monahan, stated the basic principle of in-surance “where everyone pays an affordable amount of money to insure the occasional person against an unexpected high cost.” He chastised the first dol-lar concept instituted by Blue Cross Blue Shield (no deduct-ible) many years ago.
“Somehow Americans have lost the idea of insurance. They now expect insurance to pay for everything that anybody wants. It breaks every principle of in-surance and is unaffordable,” Monahan said.
Warner agreed and said the notion that the government can pay for anything, anytime, everywhere from dollar one is unsustainable and that even the printing press in Washington cannot be going that quickly.
Warner has not yet held a public town hall meeting, but hosted a telephone town hall Monday evening in which about 4,000 people across Vir-ginia participated.
Courses: Sunday September 27—October 11: (3 Sundays)
Courses: October 18—November 1 (3 Sundays)
Courses: November 8—November 15 (2 Sundays)
November 22: Spiritual Steel Concert
November 29: Advent Wreath Making & Pot Luck Supper
Courses: December 6—December 20 (3 Sundays)
Available during each session:
St. John’s is downtown at Jefferson & Elm. Register: 540-343-9341. Surf: www.stjohnsroanoke.org.
Come to The Gathering Sunday Evenings. Experience worship and education that is relaxed, relevant, and ready when you are.
!
Our Lady of Nazareth
Catholic Church
2505 Electric Road, Roanoke VA, 24018
www.oln-parish.org
Contact us:540-774-0066
St. Johns Episcopal Church in downtown Roanoke seeks a
tenor and bass section leader for the St. Johns Choir.
Mature musicianship, high sight-reading skills and community
team participant are all required. Solos are a fringe benefit but not expected. Additional services at
Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter in addition to Wednesday evening
and Sunday rehearsals and services. Fair and competitive wages offered. Inquiries and a job description re-quest should be sent to Minister of Music, David Charles Campbell at
Barry Wolfe was born and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, grad-uating from high school in 1962. He then went to the University of Virginia, graduating in 1966 and then to dental school at the University of Maryland. He served two years in the United States Air Force before finishing periodontal school in 1974 at the University of Kentucky. Barry moved to Roanoke in 1974 and started his dental practice. He married his wife, Libba, in 1982 and they make their home in the Southwest City area. Barry’s favorite places in the area are the Blue Ridge Parkway, Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Salem Farmers Market, and the Roanoke City Market area. Favorite restaurants include Alexander’s, Shenandoah Club, Texas Tavern, and Rockfish on Grandin Rd. Publisher’s note: Barry recently set a post implant between my teeth to accept a ceramic replacement tooth and I experienced absolutely no pain. I have no idea how he did this, but I am so thankful for his talents that I had to add this recommendation / note here!
Roanoke Starof
the Week
Barry Wolfe
Have someone in mind for “Roanoke Star of the Week?”E-mail Jim Bullington: [email protected]
By Dot [email protected]
> Warner From page 1
this one is especially meaningful to Johnson due to the award’s longevity.
“It was quite an honor earlier this year to have been chosen as one of ‘Ten Outstanding Young Virginians’ …so, to also win the national award, it’s very exciting. The history dates back to the 1930’s and the past winners are a group we can all admire, like JFK, Henry Ford II, Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, and others,” Johnson said.
The TOYA selection process begins in the spring of each year. Following the submission deadline, all nominations are forwarded to a panel of screening judges who, working independently, select and rank their top 20 choices. The top 20 point getters become the finalists. The finalists’ nominations are forwarded to a panel of finalist judges who rank their top ten choices.
According to his website, Johnson received his first computer as a Christmas present from his parents at the age of nine. Only a few months later, he started his first business printing greeting cards, stationery, and invitations for family and friends using his computer and printer. Just before he turned 10, his parents allowed him to open his own checking account. This allowed Cameron to be in complete control of all of his finances and to learn to manage his money. From depositing his weekly allowance to writing checks for office sup-plies, he learned how to manage his money and how to keep track of his expenses. Cameron was raised on the principles of giving back to his com-munity and at the same age (just 10 years old), he began giving an annual gift to his local church.
Before turning 21, Johnson had started 12 prof-itable Internet companies and been featured in more than 250 media outlets worldwide includ-ing Newsweek, BusinessWeek, and the New York Times. In 2007, Johnson published his latest book titled “You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way—and Live the Life You Want—with the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship.”
Today, Johnson primarily spends his time traveling (to speaking engagements) around the world. He is also very involved with several non-profit organizations, and says he plans to take his platform and use it to promote financial literacy among young people.
“True prosperity isn’t something you take from the world; it’s something you share with the world,” Johnson writes in “You Call the Shots.”
In 2008, Johnson was a finalist on Oprah Win-frey’s first-ever primetime series, “The Big Give,” and he went on to host Season 4 of “Beat the Boss,” a successful kids’ business competition show that airs on the BBC in the UK. Today, Johnson con-tinues to volunteer his time and speak at various schools across the country, focusing on promoting financial literacy among young people in Ameri-ca, and he has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a wide variety of charities.
Although he has little idle time, outside of his tenacious passion for his work, Johnson enjoys many of the things a “regular” 24-year-old would.
“Outside of the business - author, speaker, TV world - I enjoy traveling, concerts, sporting events, all the same stuff your average 20-some-thing would enjoy. I’ve been afforded a lot of op-portunities and I’m fortunate that travel has been one of them,” he said.
Even in the midst of tremendous success and accolades, Johnson keeps his eye on the future.
“Any award is flattering, and this is especially no exception, but I always try and stay focused about the future and ‘what’s next’?’” he said.
The presentation of the 71st annual black-tie awards ceremony will be held September 26, 2009, in the Orlando, Florida Ramada Inn Orlando Cel-ebration Resort & Convention Center.
By Pam [email protected]
> Johnson From page 1
Brandon Oaks Retirement Community
Needs Volunteers Positions Available: Medical Appointment Escorts Shopping Assistants Readers For Visually Impaired Exercise Room Assistants
Hours: Flexible with your schedule
Contact: Betsy Jenkins @ 776-2600
After lying quietly on a section of abandon track just off of Jefferson street for almost 60 years, the Norfolk and Western M2 Locomotive 1151 was lifted off its chassis this week and hoisted onto a truck for a slow move to its new home at the Virginia Museum of Transporta-tion. VMT Director Bev Fitzpatrick was on hand to watch the lift and the move and indicated that everything was going as planned save for a few rogue photographers that were on site without formal permission. (Oh well, Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to get the pic.)
Up, Up and Away . . .
PersPectivePage 4 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 NewsRoanoke.com
The Roanoke Star-Sentinel
The Roanoke Star-Sentinel is published weekly by Whisper One Media, Inc. in Roanoke, Va. Subscriptions are available for $44 per year. Send subscriptions to PO Box 8338, Roanoke, VA 24014. We encourage letters from our readers on topics of general interest to the community and responses to our articles and columns. Letters must be signed and have a telephone number for verification. All letters will be verified before publication. The Star-Sentinel reserves the right to deny publication of any letter and edit letters for length, content and style.
All real estate advertised herein is subject to national and Virginia fair housing laws and readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.
Communi ty | News | Perspect ive
Publisher | Stuart Revercomb | [email protected] Features Editor | Pam Rickard | [email protected] Editor | Gene Marrano | [email protected] Editor | Stephen Nelson | [email protected] Webmaster | Don Waterfield | [email protected] Director | Vickie Henderson | [email protected]
540-400-0990
The Roanoke Star-Sentinel is a proud Media Partner with WSLS 10
Some weeks ago, we set ‘Big Boy’, our rescued g-hog, free. The time
had come. When g-hogs are ready to leave you, they dis-play a restlessness far easier to detect than describe. Perhaps it’s just in their nature; perhaps it’s the evening breeze whis-pering through the screen at night; Nature’s voice whispering softly, patiently, insistently that it’s time to come home; to be what you were intended to be. Of course, if it weren’t illegal or immoral, you could keep them as pets. Indeed, in captivity, they live twenty years or more; re-leased, their life expectancy is 2 years. But, if we violated the law and kept them safe, they really wouldn‘t be g-hogs any more. So I watched him shamble down the wooded ravine toward an uncertain fate.
Outdoors for them is far more dangerous than for us. I tell myself I’m glad he survived, glad he is now free, but my heart knows the rest of the story. I haven’t seen ‘Big Boy’ since that morning. But the food we set out for him everyday is gone, so there’s hope. ‘A good break-fast…” you know. Our other g-hog, ‘Baby’, is likely depressed at the loss of his friend, but ‘Big Boy’ simply couldn’t wait. Baby once slept sixteen hours a day - he put my cats to shame - but, now he’s underfoot and full of mischief. Every now and then he stops his antics and stares out the window. His time is coming. Maybe he’ll wound up with his
old friend.We have three
baby squirrels now, two days old. One has a huge hema-toma on his head, hitting a branch on his way to ground, ejected from his se-cure home by some malevolent force. His tiny candle flickered as Sabrina struggled to save him, but this morning he gave up a fight he could not win; suc-cumbing at last to the weight of his injuries. We laid him to rest with the sorrow that such things have to be, that they are part of a natural order. He was so small, I dug his grave with the toe of my boot. But, the good news is: his two siblings are thriving.
Later that day, Sabrina and I would have committed to the closest psychiatric institution by any court in the land. We were running back and forth in our aviary, carefully using nets to capture certain birds therein; those that were fully-feathered, fully-flighted and self-feeding. About ten of them: Thrashers, Robins and Doves. We pulled them gently out of our nets and they flew to freedom from our opened hands – without so much as a ‘Much obliged” I might add.
So, at day’s end, I consider the events thereof. Like you, I’m sure, people often ask me, “How are you doing?” I usu-ally answer, ‘Fabulously!” And
I am. Long years ago I read that the three characteristics of a happy life are: some-one special to love, rewarding work to do, and good health. I have all three.
I would pray for all people that they
have as special a person in their lives as my Sabrina. I would pray each
person have a passion in their lives. A passion engages the soul. It gives us something to go to sleep thinking about, some-times dream about and awaken excited by the promises of an-other day. Better even than this is something I learned living with my wife: To have a shared passion with the person you love. In our case, it’s the rehabili-tation of wildlife, of course, but it could be nearly anything. To share a passion with a loved one is to never run out of things to talk about, fret over, plan for, re-joice over, laugh and, yes, some-times cry over. Together.
When your life is blessed with these three critical endowments, all the rest is detail. Yes, my day today, perhaps like yours, had some sorrow, and joy. But when you have someone to share it with it seems, in my case at least, I draw a bit closer to what life’s supposed to be truly about.
Lucky Garvin
Contact Lucky [email protected]
The Bittersweet Day
No, I haven't lost my mind. This weekend I bought a 40 lb. bag
of “Chickity Doo Doo” organ-ic fertilizer from Northwest Hardware on Brambleton Ave. Those folks have everything.
Yep, “Chickity Doo Doo,” a 100% organic fertilizer for lawn and garden made from 100%—you guessed it—chick-en manure.
Now, before you get really grossed out and wonder why anybody would spread chick-en manure on their yard, hear me out.
It's processed chicken manure—as in, it's been col-lected from the chicken house, probably run through a sieve, baked in an oven to sterilize it, ground up, and packed togeth-er into little pellets with some kind of glue. It hardly even smells like chicken manure. And trust me—I spent four years in the shadow of Rocco Chicken while a JMU student in the Shenandoah Valley, and nine more years in Frank Per-due's back yard in Salisbury, MD. I know my chicken poo.
Chickity Doo Doo isn't even the grossest option on the mar-ket for those who prefer an or-ganic lawn fertilizer. (We'll get into the petrochemical indus-try in a minute). Ever heard of Milorganite? A venerable and widely-used fertilizer among the tree hugger set, it's made
from—get this—the sewer sludge dredged up from beneath Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
All kinds of stuff goes into other or-ganic fertilizers: dried cow blood (which began its fertilizer career draining from the s l au g ht e r h ou s e floor), ground up animal bones, crab shells, dead fish, bat manure, worm feces, baby seals...okay, no baby seals. But you get the point.
Of course, none of this com-pares on the yucky scale to synthetic fertilizers—brands like Scott's, Miracle Gro, and others. Made primarily from petroleum, this is the stuff that turns your yard day-glo neon green within 48 hours of ap-plication. Just like nature in-tended, right? I'm pretty sure it's all made in a big plant in Newark, NJ. Synthetic fertil-izers usually go on sale in the spring in the big box home improvement stores, which is the wrong time to fertilize grass around here, but every-one's thinking outdoors, so why not? Grills, lawn mowers, and fertilizer—the holy trin-ity of Memorial Day weekend sales.
Probably the worst thing about these oil-based fertil-
izers, which require us to buddy up with countries that hate us like Saudi Ara-bia, Venezuela, and Texas, is that they don't stick around. I won't bore you with the chemistry, but most of that gi-
ant bag of “quick-green hydro-plus for a bug-free, lush
lawn all summer long” you applied in May ended up run-ning into the sewer and then the Roanoke River, where it did all sorts of nastiness.
My chicken poo, being clos-er to Mother Nature's bosom from the start, hangs around for a few months, allowing my little grass plants to nurse at the bottle instead of doing an inverted keg stand of nitrogen like some sort of ExxonMobil frat boy on Saturday night. And we all know what hap-pens after you do too many keg stands.
Columbia University pro-fessor Joan Gussow once said, “I trust cows more than chem-ists.” She was speaking of the butter vs. margarine debate, but I like the analogy. I'm with the chickens over the chemists on this one.
David Perry
Contact David [email protected]
Chickity-Doo-Dah, Chickity-Ay...
New words or phras-es we hear clearly. They gain our at-
tention, rising in the radar of common language and con-versation. Again and again on the news and at the local coffee house we hear them, and they are for a while the buzz.
But then, exploited and hyped and marketed and morphed into jingles to sell us something, we take note of them less and less and the thrill is gone: we see mouths moving but no longer is the volume at audible levels for the words to reach the think-ing parts of our brains.
Sustainable and sustain-ability are words I would not want to grow weak and empty in this way. I find them arising often in what I read and think about. In the vast breadth of their meanings, they are words like just or justice. They have great portent for our day and we hear them often, but they suffer from having an enor-mous circumference and they lack adequate single-word re-placements.
In its frequency of use in our common language, sus-tainability is newly popular. In biology class, it is well worn. In the operation of organisms and organic systems--habitats, ecosystems and biomes--the matter of sustainability has been part of what determines continued existence.
In the same way that death is easier to define than life, "un-sustainable" is perhaps easier to understand than its
counterpart, and examples are easy to find: A body with-out enough calories or water over a span of time is unsustain-able as is an animal population that ex-ceeds the carrying capacity of its ac-cessible range.
A civilization (and the history books are full of them) that is overtaken by prolonged heat or cold, drought, flood or soil loss becomes unsustainable when it cannot adapt quickly enough to the changes. When a species becomes unsustain-able, it goes extinct. So un-sustainability, while a distinct possibility for towns, states and nations, is not on the table, no matter which side of the political spectrum we come from.
There are a hundred nuances of meaning for sustainability, but here's my favorite because it brings another essential word into the mix: justice:
"Sustainability represents an idealized societal state where people live long, dignified, comfortable, and productive lives, satisfying their needs in environmentally sound and socially just ways so as to not compromise the ability of other human beings from do-ing the same now and into the distant future. It is, in effect, an attempt to merge develop-ment and nature conservation efforts in a mutually beneficial way for the common good of
the planet's present and future genera-tions alike."
Sustainability as mission supplants the "me" with the "us" for generations to come, and in-cludes in it the long-term health of the planet in our lives as citizens and neigh-bors. It is ecology
married to economy, dynamic equilibrium at every level of life and enterprise. With that in mind, it will be both wise and necessary to operate in such a way in all aspects of ev-ery society. We simply must, as our global human enterprise of late has been unsustainable on many critical fronts (fresh water, fuel, soil, ocean fisher-ies and food among others) and great change will come whether we're passive or active in that future.
Can we chart an intention-al, sustainable future for the towns and villages of south-west Virginia? What would it mean as a matter of intention and purpose to satisfy our own needs in environmentally sound and socially just ways? That will remain for future conversations that take care to protect the power and mean-ing of a useful word and an urgent but well-worn concept - new for our times but eternal in application.
Fred First
Sustaining the Power of Language for Change
Contact Fred [email protected]
The Recipe of the Week from The Happy Chefby Leigh Sackett
Accidently Planned Best Ever LasagnaSometimes you get things right. Cooking is like painting, there are moments when you create some-
thing you did not expect, just on a whim, and it actually surprises you and makes you think, “How did that happen?” Other times you plan things out and work real hard on a meal (or painting) and it doesn’t live up to your expectations. I suppose if life always lived up to our limited expectations and we were never surprised by beautiful creations whether it be art, lasagna, or the breathtaking mountains of Grayson County, life would be pretty dull. Sure things would go along merrily, as planned, but I think our hearts would long for a great surprise. Sometimes the surprises of life can be tragic, like losing a loved one, sometimes they seem to make no sense and you might wonder if there is any order to it all. Then a friend tries to explain to you how big outer-space REALLY IS - how it would take a beam of a light 400 thousand years to reach just the center of our Galaxy and that there are billions of Galaxies hundreds of millions of light years away from one another!!! That makes you remember that birth, life, death, art, lasagna, mountains and space are not haphazard accidents. I am glad to know that I am not in charge and I am grateful that my heart finds it all wonderfully surprising and amazing. Well I have been told that this is the BEST lasagna ever. It is a Happy Chef original that I stumbled into creating one day. It is EASY and great for the busy start of a school-year. It does have some perfect combinations - all the right ingredients to make a wonderful surprise; it is in line with the Cosmos!
1 lb ground beef2 jars of Classico Vodka sauce12 lasagna noodles 3 cup cottage cheese4 cup mozzarella cheese4-6 tomatoes (sliced)About 30 fresh basil leavesSalt and pepper
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees-Brown ground beef in large skillet, season with salt and pepper-Cook lasagna noodles-Stir in 1 jar of Vodka sauce, let simmer and blend with beef for 10-15 minutes-Spread ½ cup of meat mixture in bottom of 13x9 baking dish-Layer 4 lasagna noodles on bottom of dish
-spread 1 ½ cup of cottage cheese on noodles-Layer 1 ½ cup of mozzarella on cottage cheese-Spread half of meat sauce mixture on cheese -Layer tomato slices over sauce, season tomatoes with salt and pepper-Place about 8-10 basil leaves on top of tomatoes-Repeat layers beginning with 4 noodles on top of tomato basil layer-After layers are repeated place last 4 noodles on top-Layer with tomatoes (salt & pepper), basil, 1 cup of mozzarella, open 2nd vodka sauce jar and pour 2 cups of vodka sauce over the top-Cover loosely with Aluminum foil, bake for 45 minutes-Uncover bake for 20 more minutes -Let stand for 10 minutes
Find the answers online: TheRoanokeStar.com Have a clue and answer you’d like to see?
email: [email protected]
Star~Sentinel Crossword
By Don Waterfield
Local Crossword for 08/28/2009
1 2 3
4 5
6
7
8
www.CrosswordWeaver.com
ACROSS
1 Farm credit administration (abbr.)
4 Protein sources 6 Inclined 7 The Virginia cave that has the
''Fried Eggs'' formation and a great organ too.
8 Distress call
DOWN
1 Unborn life 2 Capital of Egypt 3 This Roanoker developed a
move called the Gorilla Press Slam and is in the WWF Hall of Fame.
4 Bad (prefix) 5 Eye infection
Local Crossword for 08/28/2009
1 2 3
4 5
6
7
8
www.CrosswordWeaver.com
ACROSS
1 Farm credit administration (abbr.)
4 Protein sources 6 Inclined 7 The Virginia cave that has the
''Fried Eggs'' formation and a great organ too.
8 Distress call
DOWN
1 Unborn life 2 Capital of Egypt 3 This Roanoker developed a
move called the Gorilla Press Slam and is in the WWF Hall of Fame.
4 Bad (prefix) 5 Eye infection
NewsRoanoke.com
PersPectiveNewsRoanoke.com 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 5
The driveway is long and straight. Stretch-ing out from it are
verdant lawns immaculately manicured. At the drive’s far end rises a structure to rival the palaces of Europe. The mansion is stately, symmetrical, and grand. But even so, it isn’t the house that is most strik-ing. Rather, what captivates the mind and the imagination is the driveway. In addition to the pristine grounds, the drive is lined on both sides by towering oak trees, aged and strong. Think Tara or her sis-ter plantation owned by Ash-ley Wilkes, which was actually called “Twelve Oaks.”
The layout of the drive is designed to enhance the sense of order, control, and majesty. Who from the South hasn’t visited one of the old plan-tations and wistfully longed for the ordered, serene and peaceful life of which they are the icon? And nothing un-derscores that life more than those massive oaks.
The people of the Bible had their own version of those oak trees, and they served similarly as symbols. In Scrip-ture, rather than Southern oaks we read about the ce-dars of Lebanon. Indeed, the prophet Ezekiel uses the mas-sive and stately cedar as the very icon of God’s kingdom. Ezekiel’s world is in turmoil, with his people living in exile in Babylon and their homeland destroyed. But he envisions that age when the world will finally be conformed to God’s hopes and dreams for it. And what does the world of Eze-kiel’s dreams look like? The prophet instinctively turns to the cedar. When God’s will is fulfilled, he says, it will be as if a shoot from Lebanon’s greatest tree is planted on Israel’s high-est mountain. That new tree will grow stately and strong, until it becomes the home for
every flying creature and the shade for every beast. It will bear fruit for all people. The image is the same as that of those plantation oaks: It sym-bolizes stability, order, majesty, and control. The fulfilled king-dom of God.
But wait a minute…Let’s dig a little deeper into our cul-tural and iconic imagination. Take the Hermitage Planta-tion in Savannah, for instance. The plantation is gone, though the oak-lined drive still exists (now part of a golf course, our own century’s version of manicured order). When we walk down that drive, the trees recall an age of gentil-ity, but if we allow the eye of our imagination to pierce the scene more deeply, we may also see the eighty slave cab-ins that once existed in rows just beyond the oak trees. We may see the fields that ex-isted as part of every South-ern plantation, where stately majesty gave way to pitiless, back-breaking labor. We may see families torn asunder and sold like chattel. If we look deeply, we will undoubtedly see exposed a social system that approximated heaven for those who lived in the manor house but was more like hell for everyone else.
And so, Ezekiel’s image may pose a problem. It is our hu-man tendency, then and now, to reach for symbols of strength and order, like the cedar or the oak, especially in times of turmoil. But too often we use those symbols not to point to a hoped-for future reality that all will enjoy—which is Eze-kiel’s intention—but rather as a screen behind which we can hide. Symbols of order and stability become images that enable us to pretend the world a few of us enjoy is the real world while ignoring the depredation that exists all around us. These symbols be-
come like those oak trees at the Hermitage, allowing us to head toward the serenity of the manor house while mask-ing the rows of slave cabins just beyond them.
Jesus knew this. Things were not so different in his day. As so he riffs differently on Ezekiel’s theme. He says, “The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground is the smallest of all seeds; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs…”
Mustard plants are not par-ticularly common around here, so let me offer another South-ern image. In the late 1800s a plant was imported to the United States from Japan as an effective prevention against soil erosion, and by 1935 the Soil Conservation Service was encouraging Southern farmers to plant this botanical miracle with abandon. Within a couple of decades, the plant became known as “the vine that ate the South.” It had a tendency to spread beyond the borders of where it was desired. It had a bad habit of overtaking anything in its path, fields, trees, you name it—a sort of horticultural “Blob”. It was unpredictable, impossible to contain, and extremely dif-ficult to kill once it had taken root. You, of course, know what I’m talking about: Kudzu.
Kudzu gives us an idea of what Jesus means when he talks about the mustard plant. Mustard was wild, scraggly, a nuisance. Beginning as just a tiny seed, it could erupt almost overnight into something that could not be contained. Un-like the stately and rooted
cedar, the mustard plant would spread out and change the entire landscape. It bore no respect for manicured gardens, overwhelming them with its disordered growth.
The oaks along plantation drives should rightly fear kudzu! Just so, the stately and ordered—but also veneer-thin—majesty of this world should rightly fear the kingdom of God. The king-dom, when it takes hold, grows in unpredictable and uncon-trollable ways. It changes the landscape entirely. Have you seen it? Have you ever been in a place where the kingdom has taken root? Like kudzu, the presence of God spreads out and overwhelms every icon, every idol. Suddenly, where there was peace, peace is shattered. Where there was decorum and order, dis-order reigns. And yet, the change is so obviously a bless-ing! When God’s love grows, people trample the grass; they plow over the oaks; and they spread that life-giving vine to all those who have never en-joyed peace, comfort, and sta-bility, who have never known the manor house.
This is true in spiritual ways and in material ways. Where the kingdom of God grows, good people give up their manor house pretensions and give of themselves, of their prayer, of the material bless-ings they enjoy. They labor in love to change the very landscape of the world, to of-fer the mustard plant’s solace, protection, and shade to any-
one in their path.And just as this
is true in the world, it’s also true in the soul. We hide behind images of stability and or-der within us, too. Within, we struggle mightily to arrange stately oaks so that we can avoid the turmoil—
emotional, psychological, spir-itual—that churns just beyond the trees. But the kingdom can grow within, too!
If we’ll open the gate even an inch to the kingdom of
God in the world and in our souls, its growth will amaze us. But don’t think it will grow in a stately and ordered way, rooted to one spot. It will overrun us. It’ll be scary (like the movie “the Blob” was scary), but it will also over-come our deepest hurts and those of the world. May we all see beyond the oak trees, and may kudzu abound.
St. John’s Episcopal Church is located in downtown Roanoke at the corner of Jefferson Street & Elm Avenue. Worship on Sun-days is at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 5 p.m.
Just like the comfort of your morning coffee, it’s a comfort to know that
Oakey’s is looking out for you — long after the funeral is over. Our Aftercare
Coordinator, Nicole Drew is here to make sure you are getting along okay
following the death of your loved one. Nicole will answer your questions with
compassion and expertise, and point you in the right direction. Or, if you just
need to talk a little bit, Nicole is a good listener too.
It’s a comfort to know that Oakey’s is here for you.
Aftercare.
Nicole Drew, Aftercare Coordinator 982-2100
September 26 & 27 Saturday -11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday - 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. (rain or shine)
LakeWatch Plantation Advance Tickets: on sale until 9/23/09, 5 PM
Tasters over 21 years of age: - $18 Designated Drivers: $12
Under 12: Free No Refunds No Pets
For more information, contact the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber 540.721.1203 or 800.676.8203 or visit: www.visitsmithmountainlake.com
Advance discount tickets on sale
Platinum Sponsor
Saturday, Sept. 26 11 am - 6 pmSunday, Sept. 27 11 am - 5 pm
LakeWatch PlantationAdvance Tickets: on sale until Wed. 9/23
Tasters over 21 years of age: $18 Designated Drivers: $12
Under 12: Free • No Refunds • No Pets • Rain or Shine
For more info., contact the SML Chamber540.721.1203 or 800.676.8203
or visit: www.visitssmithmountainlake.co,
Certain things strike fear into our hearts; one of mine is when
I hear the mention of pancre-atic cancer. I feel a little sick and then quickly repress the very thought of this dreaded disease. This reaction is predictably due to a personal connection—my mother died of it in 1995 at the age of 57.
I watched, helpless, as she went from a CAT scan diag-nosis through 3 months of hell as her body twisted, turned, groaned and wasted its way to-ward certain death. “My body betrays me,” she wryly observed somewhat early in this trajec-tory. There was little time for conversation about what was to come or what had been; there was mostly just day-to-day un-folding of the inevitable—in the most unseemly and sorrowful ways. It is no wonder I freeze at
the words. Most all of us have such reference points if we have lived for even a few decades.
There is a surprising camara-derie amongst hospice visitors. We are all there to live out an amazing duality. We try to be as helpful and encouraging as pos-sible, to interact as though this is the most normal and natural, acceptable place to be. Yet we are all there to walk our loved one to the very last moment of life, to accompany them to the last fleeting second until they pass on to what comes next…leaving us behind to experience the stunning silence that now occupies where they have been.
The pancreas is the only or-gan I know of that has a “tail” on it, which automatically sounds suspect…it conjures the impression that it is a creature in its own right. Having a tu-mor in the tail appears to result
in poorer survival rates than in other areas of the pancreas. Tail notwithstanding, if your pancreas has cancer in it, it is a nasty beast indeed.
When Randy Pausch, the good-looking, likeable, and ex-tremely gifted Carnegie Mellon professor, entered the public consciousness with his “Last Lecture,” I initially watched in awe as he laid open his life with a sort of reckless optimism that was his signature trait, as he, too, battled pancreatic cancer. He put such a cheerful spin on his situation that I actually visit-ed websites and did a little light research on the subject, believ-ing that perhaps the prognosis of pancreatic cancer was no lon-ger quite the hopeless situation I had known it to be. Sadly, while there have been some advances, in general it is still an aggressive cancer that is rarely cured. Inter-
estingly, he did not make much refer-ence to what caused such optimism; he seemed to will it to be so—there was not much mention of faith or a higher power other than a short explanation that he viewed these things as mostly a personal matter. He did not seem terribly concerned about what was to come next.
Some time ago I read of an interesting cultural concept in Japan that seems somewhat silly, although our own popula-tion is constantly obsessing over equally ridiculous ideas. The Japanese are very interested in one’s blood type; it has become a cultural axis of sorts—guiding people concerning decisions on jobs, potential mates and all
sorts of things. One’s blood type suppos-edly corresponds to certain traits or predispositions and all this is taken quite seriously. Some companies even group their employ-ees by blood type. It
reminds me of our once-intense horo-scope fixation – the
common denominator being that a fixed reality (i.e. star pat-terns or the molecular structure of your blood) can be consulted as a guide to one’s life and/or future…sort of a veiled attempt to get a handle on what comes next.
Just as I was dismissing this out of hand, I read of a study that linked the risk of pancreatic cancer to blood type. For the re-cord, “0” blood type carries no
increased risk; type B is greatest at 72% more likely, AB is next at 51% and type A carries a 32% greater risk. I’m not saying I’m over-the-top celebrating, but being a type A might be worth a cupcake party anyway. I’ll bring the sparkling grape juice (drinking also increases the risk of pancreatic cancer). Maybe the Japanese are chuckling at their “in” to figuring out some of life’s mysteries after all.
While you are out getting your blood typed, it might be worth noting that even though we can all weigh the risks of whatever happens to frighten us most, the real issue bother-ing us is the “what comes next,” is it not? We can talk about that over cupcakes.
Cheryl Hodges
Drowning My Cancer Fears in Cupcakes
Contact Cheryl [email protected]
Of Oaks and Kudzu by Reverend Barkley Thompson
Preacher’s corner
Barkley Thompson
Page 6 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 NewsRoanoke.com
While many students are going back to school, Sylvan students are moving forward!
Our highly personalized approach builds the skills, habits and attitudes your child needs to succeed in school and in life.
work habits
parents and teachers
www.sylvanlearning.com
SAT prep classes forming now!www.facebook.com/sylvan.roanoke
1-540-344-29413634 Brambleton AvenueRoanoke, Virginia 24018
In last week’s Roanoke Star-Sentinel, we presented the story of John W. Jay, Jr. Now a resident of Botetourt County with his wife, Jay originally was a native of Poland, whose life was dramatically changed by the German invasion of his homeland at the start of World War II. He was eventually con-fined in a concentration camp where he spent the remainder of the war. In this edition, we bring Jay’s life forward from the war’s end to the present day.
In 1945, just before the war’s conclusion, Jay and his fellow concentration camp internees were taken from the camp. Jay almost didn’t live to enjoy his new freedom. He was wound-ed when the railroad car he and the others were in was strafed by an Allied plane that mistook them for Germans.
“They had no idea who we are–French or whatever. . .So they started shooting, and we were in a car. I got out when the car was shot to pieces. Many of the kids were dead,” recalls Jay, “I was wounded. I got out, and a German soldier helped me. Finally, we got into [an area] where - not the Nazis - but reg-ular Germans helped us. And then, from there, we were sent by boat to Flensburg.”
When Flensburg was taken by the British Army and the Polish Army arrived from Eng-land, Jay was placed in the Pol-ish Army.
“Nobody wanted to go to Poland for one thing,” Jay ex-plained. “So the Polish Army that came out of England orga-
nized all of us,” and they were made part of the Polish Army in Germany. “But,” he contin-ued, “like anything else, you want to go home. So, finally, I went home.”
Returning to Poland, Jay found his mother but not his father. He also made another discovery while there: the Pol-ish people and government were now Communist.
“So I said, ‘I made a mis-take. I shouldn’t have come.’ So finally I figured out I have to get back. We still had the Pol-ish Army in the British Zone, and in the French area, there were still a lot of Polish people there,” he said.
Jay intended to return to West Germany, where the Holy Cross Brigade was serving oc-cupation duty with the U.S. Army in Firstenfeldbruk. He made it to the German-Polish border, only to be arrested by the Polish border guards and confined in a Polish Com-munist prison. The plan was to send Jay to Russia for “re-education” purposes. At the time, Jay had some goods in his possession that he gave to his Polish captors. They, in turn, put him to work on the outside in a park situated between the Polish and German sides of the river.
Shortly after, he was joined by a German soldier who had escaped from the Polish pris-oner-of-war camp, only to be recaptured. As Jay was the sole individual among the Poles in the prison who could speak German, he reached out to the German POW.
“I spoke to him, and we were a type of friends. So then we were cleaning the park and, on the other side, was East Germa-ny and, of course, the Russians and the Communists. So I fig-ured, if I can get out of here, I can probably make it.” To do so Jay would have to swim across a river. “There was a flour mill on the other side, and the mill-er was always looking at what’s going on.”
Making his move, Jay climbed up a tree off the river and jumped into the river, swam across and reached the German side, where the miller who operated the flour mill sheltered him from the Com-munist authorities. He spent the night there while the mill-er’s wife cleaned his clothes. Leaving the next morning, Jay traveled the side roads, intend-ing to visit the parents of the German POW he befriended. Along the way, Jay was arrested in East Germany, then was ul-timately transferred to the Rus-sians. He was in a Russian pris-on for six weeks. He persuaded his captors that he was a Ger-man prisoner-of-war and that
his family was in Konigsberg, in East Prussia. He decided to go to West Germany.
To do that, said Jay, “I got together with smugglers. They were smuggling things out of East Germany into West Ger-many, and I made it there. And then, of course, from that point on, the Polish Armored Divi-sion was still in Munich. So I went to Munich and, from there, I went to France.” The division was going to France and its members were prepar-ing to return to civilian life.
Reaching France, Jay worked for an insurance company in Alsace. It was while he was in France that he met his future wife, the former Jeanne Tom-czak.
“I was going away to school in Strasbourg,” Mrs. Jay says of that meeting. “He kept on writing letters to me.” Married in June 1950, they’ve been to-gether ever since.
After Jay took off his soldier’s uniform for the last time, he and Jeanne eventually came to the United States, where he entered the banking business, and his wife, the insurance field. Both became American citizens in 1963. After raising their sons, the Jays came to Vir-ginia, where in Blue Ridge they now live a quiet, contented life in retirement. After all he experienced during and after World War II, John W. Jay, Sr. certainly deserves it.
Photo submitted
John Jay Jr. today
A New Beginning: Polish Immigrant Recounts Life After World War II
By Melvin E. Matthews, [email protected]
Photo by Chris Manning
Deeds Barnstorms: Democrat candidate for Governor Creigh Deeds (standing at left) visited the valley over the weekend, meeting supporters in Salem and greeting canvassers Saturday morning in the rain at Lakewood Park. In Vinton, Deeds and state party chair Dick Cranwell talked to patrons at the McDonald’s on Hardy Road. Cranwell is a long time Vinton resident and the former majority leader in the Virginia House of Delegates. Deeds currently trails Republican candidate Bob McDonnell in the polls.
Grocery Store Prices Without the Grocery Store Lines!Stop In Food Stores...Fast, friendly and Convenient
2.99
Coke 12 packs
2.99
Oscar Mayer Jumbo Hot Dog, Frito Lay Chips and 32 oz.
fountain drink
2 for$7.00
Pet Milk
Grocery Store Prices Without the Grocery Store Lines!
Fresh Premium Coffee
3.49Dozen eggs and
Pack of Oscar Mayer
bacon
3.69
!"#$%
&''()*+(,-'./0''123
4*56(786(986(:(;.-<
Pet Milk
Gallons
!"#$%!"#$%&$'()*+,-./-'0(1
Nestle Pure Life
water 24 pack
3.99
1.79Nature’s
Own Bread
Stop In Food Stores...Fast, friendly and Convenient
99¢
Deer Park
Water 24-pack
$4.99
Come see our
Selection!!
3236 Cove Road, NW ** Roanoke, VA ** 24017 **540-366-3493 ** 540-362-4659 **
www.leehartman.com NOTE: Ad must be brought in to be eligible for Rebates offered from Canon.
Canon EOS Special
INSTANT REBATE
May 3 thru July 11
$300 Instant Savings EOS 50D Camera &
EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5—5.6 IS
$200 Instant Savings EOS Rebel XSI Camera &
EF-S 55-250mm f/4—5.6 IS
$150 Instant Savings EOS 50D Camera &
EF-70-300 mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
$100 Instant Savings EOS Rebel XS AND
EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
sPorts 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 7
Send sports pictures, announcements and story ideas to
LAST CALL FOR THE FALL!
CAMPUS
DISCOVERY DAY
Saturday, August 2910am-4pm
Info Sessions: 10am & 1pmExplore rewarding careers in technology,
business and health sciences
Interactive, hands-on demos!
Please RSVP to 866.708.6178 toll-free or email your name and phone number to [email protected]
Technology Business Health Sciences
The School of Medical Careers at Technical College
DON’T TRIP!
Carpet Restretching & RepairSteven W. Durrance Floors
776-9591
09.08.09 Call Heavenly Ham 857-HAMS for details
Photos by Gene Marrano
Players on the Patrick Henry High School basketball squad helped out at the “Reach” clinic, held at PH recently. Calvary Chapel invited the group to Roanoke. The inspirational Reach team included Rick Harville, who played professional basketball in Eu-rope after college. He has also been the Los Angeles Lakers volunteer chaplain for the past 27 years. Also on hand was Sherwin Durham, an NAIA All-American in college and at one time a member of Meadowlark Lemon’s Shoot-ing Stars, where teammates included the likes of Curly Neal and the late Pete Maravich. Durham also played with the Harlem Globetrotters for seven years. Camp participants came from all over the valley; some who couldn’t afford it attended on a scholarship. Basketball techniques and “life skills,” were on the three-day agenda.
By Gene [email protected]
As the North Cross Raiders prepare for their opening game against Ben L. Smith, Greens-boro, NC on Friday night, one might ask the following ques-tion: is it even possible for this group to attain the level of dominance they achieved in 2008?
To recap: last year’s squad outperformed their competi-tion on every level imaginable. Literally. After a loss to open the season, the Raiders won their next 11 games en route to the VISAA Division III State Championship. In those contests, the Raiders averaged an unheard of 43.6 points per game, and enjoyed an aver-age margin of victory of 35 points.
Needless to say even if the Raiders repeat as state cham-pions, they almost certainly will do so without the “style points” racked up by the 2008 team. Fortunately, the Raiders won’t have to measure them-selves against history. Instead, this group is looking forward to the task at hand.
“Coming into the season we really wanted to put last year behind us, because it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s a new season with new challenges,” head coach Lee Johnson said.
The Raiders’ main challenge will be incorporating a host of new faces on offense. Among those lost to graduation in-clude All-State quarterback Glenn Williams, and 4 of 6 starters along the offensive line.
“It’s tough,” Johnson said,
“especially losing so many on the offensive line – that’s one of our holes right now.”
Junior Fuller Clark, a two-year starter at wide receiver, will slide over and assume the quarterback duties in 2009. “We knew going into the win-ter that it was gonna be Full-er’s job to take,” Johnson said. “He’s a smart kid and a good athlete and should do well for us there.”
One thing that should work in Clark’s favor is the pres-ence of Tyler Caveness in the backfield. Caveness, a senior, rushed for 1,900 yards last season, and is the type of back that can take over games, and perhaps more importantly take the pressure off of his new quarterback.
“He is definitely the head of what we think is a good, solid running game,” Johnson said. “He’s the kind of guy who can take it 90 yards if you give him a seam.”
The success of Caveness and Clark is tied inherently with the performance of the new offensive line, which remains a work in progress. “I think they’re getting more comfort-able with each other, and I’m getting more comfortable with them,” Johnson said of the unit. “A lot of it is just get-ting reps with each other and meshing – which is key with all of the communication that has to happen – and it just takes time.”
As the offense finds its way, the defense will be leaned upon heavily early on in the
season. And that might not be a bad thing, since the unit sur-rendered fewer than 10 points per game last season.
“Our defense is definitely a strong point right now,” John-son said. “Our offense is not at the point where I would feel comfortable getting into a shootout with anyone.”
The schedule doesn’t do the Raiders any favors this season,
either. North Cross will take on two public schools, Ben L. Smith, Greensboro (NC) and James Monroe (W.Va.), as well as Blessed Sacrament, whom the Raiders defeated in the state title game - but the school also dealt North Cross their only loss last sea-son. Also on the calendar are Atlantic Shores Christian, who captured the VISFA Di-
vision II State Championship, and Charlotte Latin (N.C.), who has won 4 of the last 5 NCISAA State Titles.
“Obviously, if we can get to the playoffs, we’ll be prepared because of the teams we play,” Johnson said.
Ultimately, with the roster changes and daunting sched-ule, Johnson and the Raid-ers have committed to taking things one day at a time. Only one thing is certain – the sea-son ahead has the team’s full attention.
“I’m hoping we can be a team that gets better with each week,” said Johnson. “If we
can do that, I think we have a chance to be pretty good. But if we’re not focused, we can easily lose some games.” Kick-off in Greensboro is set for 7:30 on Friday night.
Photos by Bill Turner
Star Running back Tyler Caveness slips a tackle.
Raiders head coach Lee Johnson
Raiders Look for Encore
By Matt [email protected]
Roanoke has a Saltwater Fish Store!
• Large selection • Live corals
• Aquariums & equipment • Delivery & set-up
• Maintenance for home or business540-580-7755 1428 Roanoke Road
(Across from Lord Botetourt High School)
T-F 3-7 pm, Sat 12-6 pm, Sun 1-5
August 30th & September 6th12:15-12:45pm
Mt Pleasant Baptist Church
Sunday, September 13thClasses are 6:30-8pm
Register at MPBaptist.com
(540) 427-5494
Hoops and The Good Word
sPortsPage 8 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 8/28/09 - 9/3/09
Send sports pictures, announcements and story ideas to
EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF LIVING AT THE PARK-OAK GROVE
(540)989-9501www.parkoakgrove.commbelfiore@parkoakgrove.comMonth-To-Month Lease
Off Route 419Across from Oak Grove Plaza
4920 Woodmar Drive SWRoanoke, VA 24018
Independent Carefree Lifestyle
Three Delicious Meals Served Daily
Assisted Living Services as Needed
Wellness Program 24-Hour Staff
Medication Administration and Monitoring
Personalized Care in Your Own Apartment
Small Pets Welcome
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE 1989-2009
r r ry
HANGING ROCKANIMAL HOSPITAL
Hanging Rock Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinary hospital. We offer many services to promote and preserve the health of your pet. We have been serving our clients and pets of the Roanoke Valley since 1996.
V
“doesn’t your pet deserve the very best...”
Cinthia L. Honeycutt, DVM Todd Czarnecki, DVM, CVA Janice Annis, DVM
Founded in 1996, we are committed to providing outstanding patient care in a compassionate and professional environment. Our doctors and staff aggressively pursue continuing education to stay current with evolving techniques in all aspects of
patient care. Our excellent doctors are assisted by well trained, caring support staff who provide every patient with attentive and personalized care. Please stop by to meet our great team and take a tour of the hospital. We appreciate the opportunity to care
for your special family members.
Computer Sales and Service
150 W 4th St., Salem
387-4500
Laptops and Desktops Starting at $499We Service What We Sell!
CALL US 1ST!
ComputerSales,
Service and Repair
Those in the know in Salem say it was kind of like trying to play football blindfolded, when the United Gridiron Football League posted a news release on their website last week announcing the Salem area would receive a team, and begin play in the spring of 2010.
Carey Harveycutter, Sa-lem’s Director of Civic fa-cilities, wasn’t happy no one from the UNGL called before sending out that press re-lease. “It would’ve been nice for somebody to call me or at least send me the press re-lease so I would’ve been pre-pared when the media called
me,“ said Harveycutter.Harveycutter said he still
supports the team coming to Salem (to the field-turfed municipal football stadium), but he just hopes for bet-ter communication in the future. (The UNGL had a false start in Salem earlier this year when it pulled the plug on a 2009 season, citing shaky financing.)
“It doesn’t instill a whole lot of trust in the way they’re doing business,“ said Har-veycutter, who added that he had a recent conversation with someone at the league office. “Until we have a con-tract and deposit, we’re not going to do anything here.“
The league’s website was indeed confident about the future of minor league foot-ball here, saying “the Vir-
ginia Swarm will be its sixth team to begin play in the professional d e ve l opm e nt a l football league’s 2010 Inaugu-ral Season. The Swarm, planned to be based in the Salem VA area, will join the North Carolina Com-ets, Georgia Slashers (Co-lumbus), Alabama Black-birds (Birmingham), Miami Scorchers, Ohio Maraud-ers (Akron/Cleveland) and teams soon to be announced in Texas and Louisiana.
140 players participated in the league’s first-ever region-al mini-camp recently, which featured talent from major college programs like Ohio State, Florida State, Iowa
and Syracuse. It is expected that the majority of UNGL players will come from colleges through-out the country as well as from free agents with NFL potential.
All participants must be at least 21 years old, and be no more than five years removed from the expiration of their college football playing eli-gibility. The UNGL will play by all NFL rules and referee standards.
(from media partner WSLS-10 and UNGL web-
site)
Swarm Logo
Minor League Football in Salem?
Goldsmith JEWELERS
43 years of Fine Jewelry Expertise - A Tradition in Roanoke for 25 years
2203 Crystal Spring Ave. 985-3700 (Next door to Tinnell’s Foods)
1st CLASS WATCH & JEWELRY REPAIRS1st CLASS WATCH & JEWELRY REPAIRS
It wasn’t too long ago that the Cave Spring Knights were a force to be reckoned with in the River Ridge District. Back in 2005, Cave Spring went 10-2 and lost to the Lib-erty Minutemen in the state playoffs.
Since then, however, things have been pretty bleak for the Knights. Cave Spring has suffered consecutive 2-8 seasons, and has not won a district game since 2006.
Fortunately, a new season brings a clean slate, and with almost all of the team’s start-ers returning from last year, expectations are higher for 2009.
“Last year, we played a whole bunch of young kids,” Head Coach Tim Fulton said. “We used last season as a time to gain maturity and experience, and we had to go through some adver-sity. Hopefully, the things we learned will show up on the field this year.”
Offensively, the Knights look to be much improved from last season, when they failed to score more than 6 points in their last four games, including suffering two shutouts during that span.
The unit does have talent, however. Junior quarterback
Josh Woodrum has all the tools, according to his coach, including something he lacked last year – game ex-perience. “When Josh start-ed out last year, he was just learning how to play at the varsity level, and what that was like,” Fulton said. “But he’s grown into that role, and grown as a leader, which is what you expect.”
Listed at 6’3”, Woodrum has a terrific arm and good poise, and should also have a ton of weapons at his dis-posal. That group includes three tall, lanky wide receiv-ers – juniors Nick O’ Keefe (listed at 6’2”), Tyler Kemp (6’2”), and Erik Jacobsen, an Honorable Mention All-State performer listed at 6’4”.
“I don’t think there are many defensive backs in the area who can match up with those guys, especially with their height,” Fulton said.
In the backfield, junior Michael Cole will lead the Knight’s rushing attack. List-ed at 6’2”, 200 lbs, Cole could be tough to contain, accord-ing to his coach. “Michael has good speed, but also is big enough to be a power back as well,” Fulton said.
Defensively, the Knights re-turn their entire core of line-backers: seniors Coy Hypes,
Tucker Green and Corey Re-ese, and junior Adam Ander-son. “We’re really expecting big things from those guys – they’re gonna be our play-makers,” Fulton said.
However, in order to be successful, the unit will have to improve in terms of their ability to prevent big plays – specifically in the passing game. Much like the offense, the Knights defense experi-enced a meltdown of sorts to end the season, surrendering 30 or more points three times in their final four games.
Fulton believes his team is not that far off from be-ing competitive in the dis-trict once again – emphasiz-ing that the mistakes made last season were typical of a young group learning the ropes at the varsity level.
“It was little stuff -- funda-mentals, that the guys had to learn,” Fulton said, referring to things like missed blocks, missed assignments, not see-ing the open receiver, and things of that nature. “We hope to reap the benefits of being patient.”
No matter what happens this season, the group has seemed to maintain a posi-tive attitude in spite of their struggles in recent seasons. That, coupled with all the re-
turning starters, has led Ful-ton to raise the bar of expec-tations for his team in 2009.
“We have a very cohesive bunch,” he said. “They’ve en-joyed being together, they’re work ethic is great, and they’re pushing each other in practice. So, yes, we have high expectations for our-selves. We want to continu-ally improve week to week.”
The Knights’ season be-gins Friday night at Staunton River, where they will take on the Golden Eagles. Game time is set for 7:30pm.
Knights Hoping for Return to Prominence
Photo by Bill Turner
Tim Fulton
By Matt [email protected]
!
Karen M. List, CPAAccounting Services for
Small Businesses
Financial Reporting Tax Preparation Payroll A/R and A/P Budgeting
540-815-2158
Send your articles, story ideas and pictures to:
• 171+ ac. in SW Co. plus 31 ac. in Franklin Co.• Beautiful views, great building site. • Only 10 - 12 Min. from Cave Spring Corners. • Poss. Tax Incentives with Conservation Easement• 3 BR, 2 BA home needs TLC• Very old cabin could be redone for guest house. • Additional 31 ac. available adjoining Parkway
Large Mountain Tract in SW County - $399,950
2350 Electric RoadRoanoke, VA 24018(O) 540.989.3000 (C) 540.330.8000 For more info go to - www.SoldOnRoanoke.com
NewsRoanoke.com 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 9
Kingery Brothers Annual Pig Roast
Saturday August 29th11:00 AM until we run out!
1/2 BBQ Chicken or Portion of PorkGreen Beans, Cole Slaw, Fresh Roll
for $5.995437 Franklin Road
Call ahead for your orders:
540- 774 -9463
honoring Gov. Tim Kaine
5650 Hollins RoadRoanoke, VA 24019540.265.8923
Foster Parents are Special People!
Whether you are an individual or a couple, with or without children, you can become a foster parent and impact a young person’s life now, and far into the future. There are a lot of children who need you. Please call today.
DePaul Community Resources recognizes the contributions foster parents make to the next generation of adults. DePaul Community Resources supports foster parents with:
Friendly and thorough training24 hours a day / 7 days a week assistance and guidanceExperienced Social Workers with small case loads
Recreational activitiesFinancial support
● Foster parents give hope ● Foster parents provide a safe haven● Foster parents nurture growth and self-esteem● Foster parents teach children that they are worthy to be loved
www.depaulcr.org
> August 28Annual Big PicnicMark your Calendars for the “Annual Big Picnic” which will be hosted by the Roanoke Valley Democratic Women. It will be held at the upper pavillion # 5 in Longwood Park on Main St. Sa-lem, Va. on Friday, August 28, 2009 from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. All Demo-crats and their families are invited. Chicken, drinks,and paper goods will be provided. You may choose to bring a covered dish or dessert or make a $5.00 donation at the picnic. Elected officials and can-ditates in the November election have been invited. For additional information call Mary Bowers @343-1186
Meet the President of the Virginia Society for Human Life, Olivia GansTopic - Healthcare DebateWhen - Friday, August 28th, 12:00pmWhere - Great 611 Steak Com-pany on Rt. 220Cost - Dutch TreatFor more - [email protected]
> August 29Roanoke Republican 20th Annual ShrimpfestWhen - Saturday, August 29th, 6:00pmWhere - Vinton Senior Center 814 E. Washington Ave, VintonCost - $20.00 in advance, $25.00 at the door, Kids 5-12 $10.00, un-der 5 free For more - Trixie Averill [email protected]
> Every 3rd
SaturdayRedemption PlaygroupA popular Bible-based strategy card game. Bring your own cards or use the group’s. Play against advanced opponents, or just come to learn the game. Ages 8 to 108 welcome. Please call if you have any questions! Family Friendly: Yes Venue: Williamson Road Library Address: 3837 Williamson Rd NW, Roanoke VA Time: Every 3rd Saturday of the month, from 1pm to 4:45pm Free: Yes Contact Name: Brent Paschall Contact Email: redadmin@redemptionva.
com Contact Phone: (540) 354-5376 Website: http://www.redemptionva.com
> September 3Congressman Bob Goodlatte Town Hall MeetingTopic - To discuss Healthcare and Cap & TradeWhen - Thursday, Sept. 3rd, 7:00pm Where - Hidden Valley High School, 5000 Titan Trail, RoanokeCost - Free
> September 7Yard SaleTo Benefit March of the Living Participants.Lots of Household items, Furniture, Clothes, Books, Toys and More!When - 8AM - NoonWhere - Temple Emanuel1163 Persinger Road SW
> September 12Vinton Farmers’ MarketCome to the new Art Market at the Vinton Farmers’ Market, September 12, 10 AM – 3 PM. Buy and sell paintings, (oil, acrylic, watercolor, and other mediums), pastels, pencil, mixed media, photography, sculpture, stained glass, hand-made jewelry, fiber art (weaving, spinning, painted silk). Live music will be provided by “The Karlotta Tunes Show,” featuring traditional and folk tunes. There will also be a free craft area for children. Those interested in selling their work should call Mary Beth Layman at (540) 983-0613.
Cave Spring Volunteer Rescue Squad Open HouseAn Open House on Sept. 12 2009 from 12:00 noon to 4 P.M. It will include vehicle extrication demonstrations, music, food, free items, and an opportunity to see the apparatus up close. For more info please call 540-525-6801.
> September 15Rain Barrel Construction WorkshopJoin us at the Blue Ridge Public Library on September 15, 2009, to learn how to construct a rain barrel. Participants will take home
a functional rain barrel, and must be able to load the barrel (55 gallon) in his/her vehicles at the end of class. The class is limited to 20 paid registrants. Supply fee is $40. Tuesday, September 15, 2009 6 – 8:30 pm Blue Ridge Public Library 28 Avery Row Roanoke Please call 772-7524 to register for the class by September 11, 2009.
> September 22The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge Annual Meeting Carol Dalhouse will be the Keynote Speaker for the Annual Meeting of The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge. Ms. Dalhouse will share stories about the beginning of the organization in 1976 which started with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. When - 5:30 p.m.Where - Hollins UniversityRegistration is $20 and light refreshments will be served. Call 540 342-5790 or email [email protected].
> September 26 - 27 Smith Mountain Lake Wine FestivalTWhen - Saturday, September 26, 2009 (11:00 AM-6:00 PM)Sunday, September 27, 2009 (11:00 AM-5:00 PM) Where - LakeWatch PlantationSmith Mountain LakeMoneta, VA [email protected]
> October 3Mountain Lake & Covered Bridges - Bus TourThe Singles Travel Club (couples welcome too!), is sponsoring a bus trip to Mountain Lake and four covered bridges on Saturday, October 3, 2009.Passengers can board the bus at the Bonsack Walmart, Route 460, Roanoke. The cost of $69 per person includes: Roundtrip motorcoach transportation, buffet lunch at Mountain Lake Hotel’s Dining Room, Tour of four covered bridges and a tour host. For further information, call (540) 366-2888.
Community Calendar
Our Esteemed First Among Equals, Mayor David gave his State of the City speech re-cently and pronounced all is well. I voted for David, know-ing he is clueless, considering him a placeholder and less dangerous than Harris.
But all is not well. The City has no coherent, stra-tegic plan. What is executed, is done with endless studies and mind-numbing flip-flops, while we endure a crumbling infrastructure, high tax rates, ineffective city leadership and an inferiority complex that is leaving us in a death spiral.
Here is reality.In 2002 Roanoke sold $18
million worth of bonds for the renovation of Victory Stadium OR building a multi-purpose Amphitheater-athletic field. Victory Stadium is gone. I don't know where the multi-purpose facility is, but I'm pay-ing the debt service on the $18 million worth of bonds!
The original concept for an
Elmwood Park Amphitheater was $6 million. Now it is $12 million. We’re going to spend $1.2 million cash money to determine how much the city will pony up each year (subsidy), in addition to debt service, so our quality of life can be culturally uplifted. In the winter one can attend the money losing Civic Center for cultural uplift, if they can afford it.
The City is going to spend $700,000 cash money, so it can sell $8 million in bonds to "renovate" the market build-ing, then give 51% ownership to some unknown (yeah right) non-profit. You didn't know that? Done for the tax credits.
Kiss 22 parking spaces good-bye, sacrificed to the Burcham Memorial Street-scapping Project ($1.3 million) for pretty faux brick streets around the market building.
Since the market building renovation and amphitheater
will be easy installment pay-ments (20 year bonds), there is no need to be deterred by reality. After all the, city has the debt capacity to sell the bonds, re-paid with taxpayer revenue which is free money.
REALITY CHECK: The state estimates a $1.3BILLION rev-enue shortfall this fiscal year.
I estimate Roanoke’s rev-enue shortfall at between $7 and $12 million given the cur-rent budget. We could go to "Plan B" but there is no Plan B.
Council paid the $2.7 rev-enue shortfall from last fiscal year from the rainy day fund. With a $7 to $ 12 million shortfall this year, when it “dips” again there won't be much rainy day fund left.
Kiss our bond rating good-bye.
Schools?You thought last year was
bad starting with a $16 mil-lion shortfall because the state didn't come through?
This year’s state shortfall will be bigger, more robust and intractable. Couple it with re-duced revenue from the city, based on its carefully crafted "plucked from air" funding formula then:
Kiss the school system gains good-bye.
Lest this sound like the sky is falling fear not. Council will raise taxes or the assessment rate, or, or.... The free money pot will replenish. The ques-tion is who wants to pay for this incompetence?
The one Councilmem-ber who seems to “get it” is Court Rosen. Were it not for his knowledge and leader-ship, in my opinion, the whole shooting match would have fallen apart by now.
As for the Amphitheater fi-asco it is like watching Nero fiddle while Rome is burning.
Bob CraigRoanoke
Commentary: Bowers Fiddles While Roanoke Burns
letters to the editorKudos from KIVADear editor,
I just wanted to let you know about a very neat surprise we found waiting for us while on vacation in Deltaville last week.
Jennifer Ward wrote a won-derful book called I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Won-ders of Nature . Ashley, my wife, gave the book to me for Valentine's Day this year. We showcased I Love Dirt! on our Kids In the Valley, Adventuring! website, www.kidsadventuring.org
I wrote to Ms. Ward a few months ago telling her about Ashley's gift to me and about our free nature club, KIVA. Ms. Ward was very pleased that we enjoyed the book and she mentioned that she had a new book coming out in July, Let's Go Outside.
We picked up Let's Go Out-side!: Outdoor Activities and Projets to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature before our family vacation in Deltaville. We were all sitting around the table after a long morning of crabbing, sailing, and swimming. I cracked open the book and started to read. The second chapter I read was about form-ing a family nature club. And there, right on the page was a very nice write up about Na-ture Clubs For Families, using our group KIVA as an example!
We are very excited about being included in her book and thought we would share this great news with you! We had no idea that she was includ-ing our group in the book. It was a super-freaky thing, seeing our nature club Kids In the Val-ley, Adventuring! listed on the page.
Thank you, Pam and the rest of the Star Sentinel staff for helping us spread the word about all the great places and parks to play here in the Roa-noke Valley!
Chip DonahueRoanoke, VA
Walking the Walk?Dear editor,
I discovered your newspaper while doing online research
concerning Boxley Materials for a community organization I represent in Henry County, Fieldale And Carver Environ-mental Society.
I am concerned that recent articles appearing in your publi-cation, the Martinsville Bulletin, and Roanoke Times are show-ing a one-sided view of Boxley as a “green” company and “en-vironmental steward”. Money can buy a lot of public relations, but it can’t negate the facts. I would like to offer the following facts concerning this “environ-mental steward”. This includes documents indicating that per-haps Boxley’s statement in the Times was blatantly inaccurate. I pointed this out to the Times reporters after the article was published, but they chose to do nothing with the information.
In the Times article - in “counter” to statements by myself, Boxley stated, “neither the Virginia Department of En-vironmental Quality nor an in-surance investigator has found evidence to substantiate such complaints”. Those complaints were “excessive dust” and po-tential structural damage. Al-though it should be noted that at no time have we made any official definitive statement on structural damage.
We have published DEQ documents that show in rela-tion to “excessive dust” DEQ has issued documents indicat-ing evidence of it. Furthermore, Boxley did receive a “Notice of Violation” from DEQ, and an Air Inspection Report states “staff members (Lisa Young and Frank Adams) observed excess fugitive emissions from the fa-cility”. We also have a letter signed by Boxley’s Resource Engineer paying a $2,100 civil penalty in reference to a “con-sent order”. These documents include a copy of Boxley’s check #21687.
We also have a Henry Coun-ty Public Service Authority Complaint Information Sheet dated March 23, 2007. Below are two direct quotes from that document.
“The primary problem with this part of the system is the blasting shaking the lines and
disturbing the buildup resulting in orange water.”
“Also it should be noted that line trash in the Carver area can be related back to the quarry blasting.”
Also we have documenta-tion that an oil spill took place in August 2001, identifying an “anonymous” reporter as stat-ing up to 40 gallons of hydraulic oil was spilled in the area of Jor-dan Creek with the “suspected responsible party” being the organization Boxley Aggregates. Clean-up efforts appear to have consisted of dumping some sand and attempting to dig the material up. What amount made it into the water is “un-known”. This was never made public until we uncovered the documents.
Most of these documents are published on our website http://fieldale.wordpress.com and I will be happy to provide you with copies of any of the documentation you may want.
In 2005 complaint petitions signed by 75 residents of the community around the quarry were presented to the Henry County Supervisors (Martins-ville Bulletin September 28, 2005). The citizens went back to the Henry County Board of Supervisors with their concerns in July of 2006 (Martinsville Bul-letin July 26, 2006). Do “good neighbors” get complaint peti-tions?
It is not the intention of our group to say that Boxley does no good things, but they have well-paid publicists to say that for them. It is also not our in-tent to “shut them down” as some would have you believe. Our intent is to present facts about what is going on in our residential community and is in our opinion being ignored. It is one thing to tell everyone what a good “environmental steward” your company is, but “walking the walk and talking the talk” are entirely different things. The documented facts referred to in this letter are evi-dence of the “walk”.
Todd WoodallFieldale, VA
valley BusinessPage 10 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 NewsRoanoke.com
At Your Service!Your Hometown Business Directory
Haley Toyota2711 Franklin Rd.
Roanoke, VA 24014
List your business here!Open your door to over 30,000 readers a week
for only $30
!
!
JSSHome ImprovementsGeneral Home Repairs
Complete Bathroom Remodeling • Tile WorkInterior/exterior Carpentry • Plumbing
Window/door installation • Hardwood Flooring
For a Free Estimate Call or email James725-7343 [email protected]
Licensed/insured with 24 years experiencereferences available
Use it to call Mr. Handyman.
“The tool I recommend most? The telephone.”
“The tool I recommend most? The telephone.”
www.mrhandyman.com
RICHARD KARN TV star and “home improvement guru.”
540-977-4444Fully Insured-General Liability and Workers’ Compensation.
Each franchise independently owned and operated.
At Your Service!Your Hometown Business Directory
Save your carpet!Carpet re-stretching and repair
Also new installationsSteven W. Durrance
Floors
776-9591
540-904-7104SERVING THE ROANOKE VALLEY
Haley Toyota2711 Franklin Rd.
Roanoke, VA 24014
1334 S. Main St., Blacksburg, VA (beside Kroger) 540-951-HAIR Offer Expires July 12, 2009 No Appointment Necessary
$5.99HAIRCUT
COUPON
NM599
2022 Electric Rd. Roanoke, 24018 (725-2007)3940 Valley Gateway Blvd, Roanoke (New Bonsack Kroger) (977-1107)
Offer Expires Sept. 1, 2009 No Appointment Necessary
STAR
!
!
JSSHome ImprovementsGeneral Home Repairs
Complete Bathroom Remodeling • Tile WorkInterior/exterior Carpentry • Plumbing
Window/door installation • Hardwood Flooring
For a Free Estimate Call or email James725-7343 [email protected]
Licensed/insured with 24 years experiencereferences available
Use it to call Mr. Handyman.
“The tool I recommend most? The telephone.”
“The tool I recommend most? The telephone.”
www.mrhandyman.com
RICHARD KARN TV star and “home improvement guru.”
540-977-4444Fully Insured-General Liability and Workers’ Compensation.
Each franchise independently owned and operated.
6.991334 S. Main St., Blacksburg, VA (beside Kroger) 540-951-HAIR
Offer Expires July 12, 2009 No Appointment Necessary
$5.99HAIRCUT
COUPON
NM599
Our Blacksburg location, located ½ mile from VT campusis hiring FT / PT stylists. Management opportunities may
be available. Please call 540-525-4643 or go online to:www.greatclips.com
NOW HIRING°
Kitchen Cabinets Restored540 366 1640
Clean • Touch Up • Clear Coat
Smart KitchensCall“A Beautiful Kitchen...In Just One Day!”
Joe Kleinman
Brian BurkePresident/Loan Officer
O: 540-966-3570 C: 540-293-1036 F: 540-966-3595
Doug Mitchell Loan Officer
1423 Roanoke Road Daleville, VA 24083 • 540-353-5272 • Virginia License # MC-5340
“Mortgages Made Easy”[email protected]
Angel’s Tree Service540-293-1450
Tree Removal & Topping • DeadwoodingChipper Service • Aeration • Gutter Cleaning
Free Estimates • Fully Insured
Angel Tarabay
Roanoke Regional Chamber Names Vice President
Deborah Lindsay has been named vice president of sales and membership services of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. Lindsay is in charge of Chamber membership de-velopment, member benefit programs, as well as overseeing leadership programs.
Lindsay is a graduate of Roanoke College and holds an MBA from Loyola College in Baltimore. Before joining the Chamber, she had been em-
ployed with AXA Advisors as a case design specialist.Weinnig and Barnes Gradu-ate from the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management
Gretchen Weinnig, Corpo-rate Relationship Manager at StellarOne in Roanoke, and
Justin M. Barnes, Vice Presi-dent and Financial Center Manager of the Tanglewood Financial Center at StellarOne were among the 78 Virginia bankers who graduated Au-gust 7, 2009 from the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Man-
agement at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The three-year school is sponsored by the Virginia Bankers Asso-ciation in cooperation with the McIntire School of Commerce at the University.
People in Business
The NewVa Corridor Technology Council (NCTC) will host “Demo Day & Tech Expo” September 18, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Roanoke Civic Center, in partnership with the City of Roanoke Office of Economic Development. The event will showcase a variety of both small and large technology companies located in the region including Roanoke, Blacksburg and surrounding communities, known as the NewVA region of Virginia.
The NewVA region is home to a diverse and thriving technology and entrepreneurial community, with businesses specializing in the fields of biology, chemistry, nano-technology, materials science, au-tonomous navigation, software engineering, bio-informatics, fiber optics, water purification, aerospace, and information technology, among other disciplines.
The NewVA region is also home to seven colleges including Vir-ginia Tech, one of the nation’s premier research universities. A num-ber of student projects will also be on display including those that have been used in international competitions.
“It’s important that we continue to make connections and open dialogue between the academic institutions and the business com-munity in our region.” said Mary Miller, President of the NCTC. “There’s a tremendous economic benefit from the collaborative ef-forts created when we work together.”
For more information, visit www.TheTechnologyCouncil.com/TechExpo.
NCTC to Spotlight Growing Technology Hub
Senator Mark Warner joined Ronald E. Bew, Richmond District Director with the United States Small Business Administration Monday in Roanoke to congratulate Al Carpenter on the purchase of Francisco & Bush, a local CPA firm, which employs seven people. Business capital backing from the Small Business Administration and the programs at StellarOne Bank were combined to provide funding to purchase the company, preserving those seven jobs. The new firm is named Carpenter, Francisco & Associates.
“With the current economic environment, I felt that purchasing a small business, where I am responsible for my own destiny, was a very attractive option. The lending process started with Karen and I literally sketching the purchase-financing plan out on scratch paper. Afterward, the team at StellarOne, which also included Gretchen Weinnig, was instrumental in developing the entire loan package, and submitting it to the SBA in a timely fashion. The loan went through the SBA approval process the very first time, a testimony to the thorough job the StellarOne team did,” said Carpenter.
“As the economy continues to offer challenges for small busi-nesses across the Commonwealth of Virginia, we see opportunity to help small businesses meet their borrowing needs by partnering with the U.S. Small Business Administration to take advantage of strong support programs,” said Karen Turner, Senior Vice President and Corporate Banking Manager for StellarOne, located in Roa-noke.
Rick Frank, StellarOne Executive Vice President, Karen Turner, Sr. Vice President, Corporate Banking, Al Carpenter, President, Carpenter Francisco & Assoc., Sen. Mark Warner, Gretchen Weinnig, StellarOne Corporate Banker and Ronald E. Bew, SBA Richmond District Director.
Small Business Administration Partners with StellarOne to Retain Jobs
Congressman Tours Call Center: 6th District Congressman Bob Goodlatte (forefront, right) was an honored guest at the United Health Group facility on Thirlane Road. The “Part D” prescription drug plan provider is in the process of hiring more than 200 people to field calls from se-niors and others on the Medicare-approved program. The Re-publican Congressman said it was “good to see so many new jobs,” come in to the area. United’s Government Affairs team in Washington D.C. invited Goodlatte; the insurance giant is keeping a close eye on the health care debate in Congress.
Nancy Howell Agee, Caril-ion Clinic’s Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed to the board of the Joint Com-mission, the nation’s oldest and largest health care ac-creditation agency. The board is the Joint Commission’s gov-erning body and consists of 29 voting members, including physicians, administrators, nurses, employers, a labor rep-resentative, health plan lead-ers, quality experts, ethicists, a consumer advocate and edu-cators. Agee was appointed to the board as a representative of the American Hospital As-sociation.
“They could not have made a more appropriate choice,” said Carilion Clinic President and CEO Edward G. Murphy, MD. “We are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of Nancy’s inspiring spirit, tireless advo-cacy and unwavering commit-ment to our patients. It is not surprising that her leadership is recognized on a national level.”
In addition to the new posi-tion on the Joint Commission
board, Agee serves on the Rad-ford University Board of Visi-tors, and currently chairs the Board of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and the Foundation of Roa-noke Valley. The Joint Com-mission accredits and certifies more than 16,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States and is recog-nized nationwide as a symbol of quality. Commissioners serve three-year terms that are renewable for up to three terms.
Agee Appointed To Joint Commission
Nancy Agee
Advance Auto Parts, Inc. has announced that the Roa-noke-based aftermarket sup-plier has entered into a lease to expand its current office space to over 246,000 square feet at the Crossroads Cor-porate Business Center. The new long-term lease provides Advance the space needed to move employees located at 5673 Airport Road to the Crossroads location at 5008 Airport Road, transitioning from a multi-building office to one integrated corporate cam-pus. The arrangement reflects Advance’s long-term commit-ment to the Crossroads Cor-porate Business Center com-plex in Roanoke.
Currently, Advance oc-cupies 156,000 square feet at the Crossroads Corporate Business Center (Crossroads Mall), where the company has been headquartered since moving into the office space in 2005. This expansion includes the former Dollar Duz It store
and space recently vacated by the Department of Motor Ve-hicles.
“I am excited at the oppor-tunities ahead as we continue to expand our Roanoke of-fice space for our Company and our Team Members,” said Darren R. Jackson, Chief Ex-ecutive Officer. “We have our sights set on the future, and this additional workspace is just another part of Advance’s transformation story. In addi-tion, this new space expands Advance’s presence and eco-nomic investment in the Roa-noke Valley.”
Construction and furnish-ings for the expansion would represent over $4.5 million in capital investments and is ex-pected to be completed in six to nine months. This is in ad-dition to the $4 million invest-ment currently underway with the IT data center and Store Support Center café construc-tion, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009.
Advance Auto Announces Expansion
at Crossroads
Justin M. Barnes Gretchen WeinnigDeborah Lindsay
arts & cultureNewsRoanoke.com 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 11
From clothing, shoes and accessories to arts, crafts and schoolsupplies, you’ll find everything you need to get back to school instyle! And the chance to win a shopping spree? Even better!Stop by Customer Service from August 1st-31st to register towin a $500 Shopping Spree! No purchase necessary.Tanglewood Mall, where great shopping is always in style!
Get set for Back to Schooland win a $500 Shopping Spree!
AC Moore
Belk
JCPenney
Staples
Stein Mart
TJ Maxx
Always in Style!540.989.4388 • shoptanglewood.com
Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm • Sunday 1pm-6pm
“Make up your own mind about what happened at Abu Ghraib” says Roanoke Valley author Gary S. Winkler, who has just released a book about Lynddie England, the young Army soldier caught up in the Iraqi prison scandal. Winkler, a Brooklyn born writer now liv-ing in Fincastle, spent part of his childhood in West Virginia, about ten miles from where England’s family grew up.
“Tortured: Lynddie England, Abu Ghraib and the Photo-graphs that Shocked the World” (Bad Apple Books) is the only authorized biography of Eng-land, who later had second thoughts after Winkler spent months coaxing a story out of her. The author feels England, then just 20, was “too imma-ture” when she was thrust into the middle of an incident at the now-infamous Iraqi prison, where inmates were photo-graphed in lurid poses and may have been subject to other harsh treatment.
Winkler first met England in a parking lot, with her lawyer present, to discuss a possible book. “It took me three months of working with her one-on-one to get her to open up about her experience. She has been conditioned to protect herself.” Winkler said the guarded Eng-land had a tendency to repeat things “without any emotion.” He also portrays the ex-soldier with some depth, outlining the
dreams and aspirations she had as a child, even including some of England’s poetry. “Lynddie’s not a monster…she’s misguided and made stupid mistakes.”
Winkler said the alleged abuse was well known at Abu Ghraib and may have only seen the light of day because of personal-ity conflicts. England, who was then married, also had a child with a superior officer while in the Army and had other dis-ciplinary problems, according to Winkler. She spent time in prison and was dishonorably discharged. He has seen more interest to date from the Euro-pean press than from American news outlets for her story.
Not everyone is happy that her version of events is coming out. An invitation for England to attend a Library of Congress event in Washington recently was rescinded, said Winkler, when authorities said they could not guarantee her safety.
The project was not an easy one for the veteran writer, who went through “trunks full” of material in preparation. “I had to hammer her for eight months … to get the emotion and depth I needed for this book. I wanted to present her in a more human context.” Winkler wants read-ers to “make up their own mind about her guilt or innocence.”
Valley Author has Exclusive Biography of
Lynndie England
By Gene [email protected]
The Synchronicity exhibition opening for artists Bill (Billy Bob) Beamer and Pamela Rho-des was recently held at The Water Heater, nestled in the neighborhood of Old South-west at 813 5th Street in Roa-noke. Synchronicity in this case explores the intersection of the two artists’ work with the intent to come together in a meaning-ful manner and to reveal sur-prise, investigation, and wit.
Beamer is a self-taught art-ist who retired from Virginia’s Department of Social Services after 30-plus years. In the 1990’s he had grown increasingly ill and was diagnosed with fibro-myalgia and chronic fatigue im-mune deficiency syndrome. It was through biofeedback that he was able to “induce a trance-like state” by the act of repeti-tive drawing. These drawings or “messages” are approximately the size of a standard sticky note. Beamer says that it is the process of creating the ink or pencil messages and the tiny interwoven lines that causes the trance-like state.
Referring to the value of art to those with chronic pain, Beam-er (a distant relative to Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer) said psy-chologists told him that in addi-tion to creating a distraction, the alpha waves in the brain are af-fected, thereby creating an alert but relaxed state, which reduces the pain. “Thanks to art, these illnesses don’t have me [down],” added Beamer.
He has exhibited in over 50 solo, juried/curated, and invi-
tational art shows. Beamer’s works can be found in numer-ous public and private collec-tions, including the Governor’s Mansion in Virginia and the Virginia Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley. He also serves as a volunteer and teach-es art classes at the Roanoke Rescue Mission, as a way to help people there deal with the pain in their lives. Beamer and Rho-des teach an orientation for his class, a launching pad for those that want to try new things.
Pamela Rhodes says Syn-chronicity derives from the fact that both she and Beamer are Christians, “and that they both have a heart to help oth-ers.” Both enjoy contemporary, eclectic, and non-traditional art. Rhodes’ art is on small forms and her works, primarily water-colors, are portable to doctors’ offices and wherever else she goes. Her background includes
dancing, primarily classical bal-let. She taught at Floyd Ward School of Dance in the early 80’s and returned in the late 90’s to dance with the Roanoke Ballet Theatre.
While she has been drawing and painting since childhood, Rhodes returned to school at age 45 and graduated from Hol-lins University in May 2002, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Studio Arts.
Rhodes experienced a life-changing event when her only sibling died in June 2002 which “brought me to a screeching halt,” she noted. Both she and Beamer “have used our art as a release from pain.” After her brother’s death, she started do-ing smaller artwork patterned after her renditions of models with bigger eyes and “funkier” feet. She went to work at the Roanoke Rescue Mission in February 2003 as Coordinator
of the Arts Studio, where she also teaches. The Roanoke Res-cue Mission has “been a good place to seek restoration and to give back.”
Her “RutheBeth” character, who is described as ageless, has been a place to channel her pain, both physically and emotionally. Rhodes said the concept came into her life “at a time when she needed to be rescued.” Ruthe-beth “began life as a spindly little creature dunking around with designer shoes, with wild hair, wearing haute’ couture or a spunky dancer with the best tutu and worst hair.”
The more she drew her, the more personal it became. Ru-thebeth is a “wonderful amal-gam of the three women in my life that have informed and helped to form the woman I have become,” said Rhodes. “Ruth, my mom…E is my mom’s sister and my true sec-ond mother [both strong wom-en and caregivers said Rhodes], and Beth, my daughter, perhaps the most important of the three. You could always tell what the three [of them] were thinking by looking at their eyes.”
Synchronicity will be on exhibit at The Water Heater through September 19. For ad-ditional information or to make an appointment to view the artwork, contact Beth Deel at (540) 314-0994, or see The Wa-ter Heater Facebook page.
“Synchronicity” Exhibit at The Water Heater
Opening night attendees take in the exhibit.
By Susan [email protected]
On October 17 you can work up a sweat while also develop-ing a deeper appreciation for public art in Roanoke. That’s courtesy of a 4-mile “Run for the Arts,” being sponsored by the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, the Roanoke Arts Commission and the Roanoke Civic Center. The 9 a.m. run begins at the “In My Hands” public art sculpture that was erected and dedicated last year outside the Civic Cen-ter complex. It makes its way downtown, past other public art installations that have been funded by Roanoke City’s per-cent for art program, which takes 1% of the capital funds budget and sets it aside for such projects.
Arts Council Member Ser-vices and Program Director Krista Engl said highlighting what Roanoke has to offer in the way of public art is the principle driver. “It certainly has been a collaborative ef-
fort …[highlighting] all of the wonderful public art that we have.”
The Run for the Arts will also travel along greenways and includes a jaunt over the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge into Gainsboro. It is inten-tionally designed so that par-ticipants learn to appreciate public art in the city - the race will not be timed, and at des-ignated venues runners must stop, take in the work and then receive a playing card. The Fallen Firefighter outside the Virginia Museum of Trans-portation and “Comma” at the corner of Salem Avenue and Market Street are two stops along the way.
Those with the best hand at the end are the winners; thus it is a “poker run” for char-ity, like those used for some motorcycle fundraisers. Pro-ceeds from the $25 entry fee ($35 after October 7, $10 for children) will benefit Arts
Council of the Blue Ridge pro-grams. There is also a family walk planned and pets ($5 en-try) are welcome also.
The Access advertising and public relations firm is pro-moting Run for the Arts; Vice-President John Carlin is a run-ner himself and a member of the Roanoke Arts Commis-sion. “I’ve run enough races to know that all I ever see is the pavement right in front of my feet or the back of the person in front of me.” A regular run past public art works wouldn’t be the same when you are just worried about breathing,” add-ed Carlin. “We [had] to have a reason for people to stop by all these pieces of art.”
Hence the idea of a poker run was conceived. “The im-portant thing is that you stop and appreciate the art.” The best hand produced by a run-ner will win a fitting prize - a piece of local art. Carlin is co-chair of the new Blue Ridge
Marathon next spring, which will also take runners past some of the cultural icons in Roanoke City, like the Taub-man Museum and Jefferson Center.
Engl said the running groups she has spoken to thought the new event “was neat and something different for them.” The funds raised “will help us continue to provide services to our local artists, [our] grants for art-ists program, Roanoke Youth Arts Connection and various educational programs,” said Engl about the Run for the Arts, which she hopes be-comes a regular event. Con-tact Krista Engl at 224-1203 or [email protected] for more information, or see theartscouncil.org.
Run for the Arts: Combining Exercise and Art Appreciation
By Gene [email protected] The public art sculpture at the Roanoke Civic Center is where
the Run for the Arts begins and ends.
The Virginia Tech Faculty Chamber Music Ensemble will perform this Saturday night.
The University Chamber Mu-sic Series of the Virginia Tech Department of Music presents its first concert of the season, Neoclassical Masterworks, un-der the baton of Travis J. Cross on Saturday, Aug.29 at 8 p.m. in the Squires Recital Salon.
This concert of music by mas-ter composers showcases mem-bers of the Virginia Tech music department faculty.
"This program provides a compelling glimpse into the musical aesthetic of the years between the world wars," states Travis J. Cross, assistant profes-sor of music. "In these works,
master composers look back to classical forms through a mod-ernist eye. They brilliantly chal-lenge audiences with new and interesting sounds within the familiar context of established tonality."
The program will feature Paul Hindemith's "Morgenmusik;" Sergei Prokofiev's "Sonata in D Major, Op. 94;" Charles Ives' "General William Booth Enters into Heaven" and "The Camp-Meeting at the River;" and Igor Stravinsky's "Octuor."
Performers include Elizabeth Crone, flute; David Jacobsen, flute; Sue Barber, bassoon; John
Husser, bassoon; David Wid-der, clarinet; John Adler, trum-pet; Peyden Shelton, trumpet; Jay Crone, trombone; James Sochinski, trombone; Tracy Cowden, piano; Theodore Sipes, voice.
Tickets are $15 general ad-mission, $10 senior, and $5 student and are available at the University Unions and Student Activities Box Office in Squires Student Center. To order tickets, call (540) 231-5615 or visit the box office online at http://www.tickets.vt.edu/
Virginia Tech Faculty to Perform in Chamber Music Masterworks Concert
Page 12 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 8/28/09 - 9/3/09 NewsRoanoke.com
CLASSES STARTAUG. 31!
Get the skills, knowledge and experience that employers need!
• Database Administration• Emergency Medical Tech-Paramedic• Health Care Management• Information Systems Engineering• Master Of Business Administration• Medical Assisting• Paralegal• Pharmacy Technician• Tourism And Hospitality• Web Designand more!
Choose from these career fields:
888-202-2643
1813 East Main St., Salemwww.national-college.org
Call today and find out how you can be Job Ready with National College!
Ready!Ready!JobJobBeBewith
From left:Vickie Pullen
AdministrativeOffice
ProfessionalCynthia Adams
MedicalAssistant
Amelia StatonAccounting &
BusinessManagement
National College offers a wide range of degree programs to help you achieve your career goals, whatever they might be.
SOLD! 1405 Blackwood DR, Salem
COTTAGE IN THE HEART OF SALEM 2 BR, 1 BA, walk to Roanoke College, area
restaurants, Farmers Market, etc. New roof, new windows, fresh paint.
PEACEFUL COUNTRY LIVINGEnjoy low taxes in Craig County in this secluded setting with great views. Large open floor plan; 3 BR, 2 BA doublewide. very clean and neat; 2-car
detached garage and separate workshop.
GORGEOUS WESTERN CEDAR RANCHSecluded country setting, close to Salem; 3 BR, 2 BA, lots of open space. Living room, family room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, covered front porch,
screened porch, spa room. Hardwood and ceramic tile floors, 2 garages...all on 1.22 acres.
COZY COTTAGE BY PEACEFUL CREEK Home completely remodeled; new roof, siding,
windows, doors, new plaster on ceilings and walls, new paint, ceramic tile, bathroom fixtures, new
appliances.
WELL-BUILT HOME ON 1+ ACREHardwood floors; spacious living room with
fireplace; open floor plan; eat-in kitchen; separate dining room; walk-up attic; full walkout basement;
park-like back yard with nice landscaping; enclosed porch and car garage.
SOLD!
Doug Roberts415 West Burwell St. Salem, VA 24153540-392-7770
Open House!
Sun. 2-4
Have a passion for writing, local news or sports?
The Roanoke Star-Sentinelwants YOU!
E-mail samples and interests to:[email protected] • ATTN: Gene Marrano