Roanoke Times & World News back issues from August 2007:
OLIVER SELECTS RICHMOND
Aug 01, 2007; ... Richmond proved much to Abby Oliver's liking in March. That's when the 5-foot-7 guard scored 30 points in the 63-53 winagainst Charlottesville that gave Hidden Valley the VHSL Group AAgirls' basketball title. Oliver enjoyed her capital experience so much, she plans to takeup ...
AVS START STRONG, HOLD ON
Aug 01, 2007; ... The Salem Avalanche used a five-run second inning and a pair oflate RBI singles to take an 8-6 win in the second of three games atWinston-Salem on Tuesday night. Salem sent nine batters to the plate in the second, building a 5-2 lead thanks in part to two bases-loaded walks and a ...
SLUMPING JOHNSON NOT PANICKING
Aug 01, 2007; ... Jimmie Johnson admits it would be easy to change everything tosnap his slump, but he knows that would be wrong. Johnson has fallen from second to ninth in the points during an eight-race stretch that began at Dover. He has finished better than15th in only two of those races. Flat ...
MOTOR MILE OFFICIAL USING BLACK FLAG TO MAKE POINT TO DRIVERS
Aug 01, 2007; ... Randy Merriman cautioned competitors in Saturday's pre-racedrivers' meeting at Motor Mile Speedway about overly aggressivedriving. A trio of black flags later reinforced the second-year competitiondirector's message. Late Model Stock drivers Jerame Donley, Derek Kiser and ...
TEN STORY LINES TO WATCH THIS COMING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON
Aug 01, 2007; ... Look at the trucks parked outside high school stadiums. The onesthat have Allied, Ryder, U-Haul or Virginia Varsity painted on thesides. They're loaded up and ready to roll. Timesland football is on the move. The River Ridge District is moving from Region III to Region ...
SHUTTLE SYSTEM?
Aug 01, 2007; ... Roanoke city officials came to the public Tuesday looking forideas on parking, but they ended up leaking one of their own: Usingbuses to shuttle passengers between Reserve Avenue and downtown. The shuttle system would use three buses to run down JeffersonStreet and around the City ...
CORNERSHOT
Aug 01, 2007; ... Were he still alive, Jerry Garcia would turn 65 today and, likeBob Dylan and 25 percent of the Rolling Stones, would be eligible fornormal retirement benefits. Instead, the lead singer of the Grateful Dead died in 1995 at theage of 53. At the time, it made me sad, but since then ...
PHOTO- DO YOU SEE ANY DUCKS?
Aug 01, 2007 ... GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOTS. Send us photos featuring the people ofthe New River Valley. Photos must have been taken within the pastmonth and include subjects' names, location, date and contactinformation for the photographer. Photos will not be ...
ROMNEY PICKS UP KEY STATE ENDORSEMENT
Aug 01, 2007; ... Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday thatVirginia will be a competitive battleground in the 2008 election, butpredicted that voters will not lurch to the political left to elect anew president. Romney was in Richmond to pick up the endorsement of Lt. Gov ....
MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DEADLY DRUNKEN-DRIVING CRASH
Aug 01, 2007; ... Greg Neil's family wore buttons with his picture on them as theywatched the man who killed him plead guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Robert Gene Barker Jr., 50, also pleaded guilty to vehicularmaiming and a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence ....
PHOTO- NICOLE RICHIE TELLS ABC NEWS SHE'S 'ALMOST 4 MONTHS' PREGNANT
Aug 01, 2007 ... Caption ...
EVEN PARKER HERSELF MIGHT APPROVE
Aug 01, 2007; ... Ya gotta love the Star City Playhouse. It occupies part of aformer warehouse on Williamson Road in Roanoke. Patrons sit in rowsof institutional chairs before a small stage adorned by low-budgetsets and peopled by amateur actors in low-budget costumes. Yet there they are, tackling ...
CSI CAMP PUTS KIDS' SLEUTHING SKILLS TO WORK
Aug 01, 2007; ... For children participating in the Crime Scene Investigation Campsponsored by Montgomery County Parks and Recreation, science just gotmysteriously exciting. For three hours each afternoon this week, the 8- to 12-year-oldsare learning to solve crimes by dusting for fingerprints, ...
FOR THE RECORDS
Aug 01, 2007 ... CLARIFICATION Appalachian Power Co. miscalculated only the interest on thisyear's refund for some of its customers. The refunds themselves weretabulated correctly. A story in ...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Aug 01, 2007 ... FEMA's negligence cannot be ignored I doubt that any reasonable person will find fault with your July23 editorial "FEMA's uncommon indecency." Something is very wrong in this country when government officialschoose to protect themselves and their agency instead of ...
PLANTING SEEDS OF A HEALTH CARE DISCUSSION
Aug 01, 2007; ... Two kinds of people responded to my column on Monday about MichaelMoore's movie "Sicko." One group applauded the column, and the other hadn't seen itbecause of their dislike for Moore. Moore has earned that dislike by taking on big people, bigcompanies and big issues and by ...
PHOTO- VIEWFINDER
Aug 01, 2007 ... Caption ...
WILD ABOUT MUSHROOMS
Aug 01, 2007; ... Generally speaking, I am not a risk-taker. I will never sky dive, bungee jump or ride a motorcycle. I didbrave a rope swing this summer, but that ended with me doing a faceplant and snorting river water. Last week, though, someone called me a "brave woman" for cookingand ...
BROWNLEE RETELLS EVENTS THAT LED TO PURDUE PLEA
Aug 01, 2007; ... A high-ranking Justice Department official who suggested that U.S.Attorney John Brownlee be fired had earlier tangled with theprosecutor over his sweeping investigation of a drug company,Brownlee said Tuesday. In testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Brownlee ...
MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS
Aug 01, 2007; ... Montgomery County School Board member Amy Lythgoe resigned herseat Monday, effective immediately, citing her family's pending moveto Colorado. The board plans to appoint a new representative for Lythgoe'sdistrict, which covers a portion of Blacksburg that includes MargaretBeeks ...
FORMER TEACHER PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL BATTERY
Aug 01, 2007; ... Former teacher Daniel Earl Farmer avoided a felony conviction bypleading guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery of a 15-year-old girl,even though the prosecutor called that "kind of a legal fiction." Sexual battery involves force or threat, but both Commonwealth'sAttorney Gordon ...
POLICE SEEK VANDAL WHO TARGETED TIRES
Aug 01, 2007; ... Vinton police are interviewing a man who is suspected of damagingdozens of tires last week, an official said. About 50 tires were punctured at Vinton Car Connection, Lake DrivePlaza and CVS Pharmacy the morning of July 23, said Sgt. Ben Cook ofthe Vinton Police Department. It ...
BLACKSBURG STREET TO CLOSE TEMPORARILY
Aug 01, 2007; ... College Avenue between North Main Street and Draper Road will beclosed to vehicles and pedestrians for most of the ...
JUST ANOTHER CRUEL ILLUSION?
Aug 01, 2007; ... Are white Americans really, truly prepared to elect an African-American president? Seriously, is a nation with such a long andshameful history of brutal slavery, Jim Crow segregation andpersistent racism actually going to put a black man in the WhiteHouse? One of Barack Obama's ...
ZONING BOARD OVERTURNS DECISION
Aug 01, 2007; ... The Blacksburg Board of Zoning Appeals dealt a major blow Tuesdayto the opponents of a big-box retail store, such as a Wal-Mart,planned for a site off South Main Street. On a unanimous vote the board reversed town zoning administratorSteve Hundley's earlier ruling that the ...
TRAFFIC STOPS AT FLOYDFEST DRAW BOUCHER'S EYE
Aug 01, 2007; ... Saying he doesn't want the region to gain a reputation forinhospitality, U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher is asking for an accounting ofBlue Ridge Parkway rangers' actions during last week's FloydFest. "The important point," the congressman said, "is that whateverproblems existed do not ...
IS A RESOLUTION AHEAD FOR OLD BLACKSBURG SCHOOL PROPERTY?
Aug 01, 2007; ... While the old Blacksburg Middle School roof leaks, local officialscontinue to debate the building's future. It will likely be anotheryear, maybe two, before anything can happen with the 20-acre downtown property. But members of Blacksburg Town Council and the Montgomery ...
VWCC HALTS EFFORT TO REGAIN NURSING ACCREDITATION
Aug 01, 2007; ... Virginia Western Community College has ended its effort to regainaccreditation by a national nursing association. The accreditation's value to graduates didn't equal the cost ofearning it, even if it could have been earned, the college hasdecided. Virginia Western said in April it ...
CREDITS ROLL FOR COUPLE'S CHRISTIAN FILM LIBRARY
Aug 01, 2007; ... The chartreuse "DVDs for sale" sign scrawled in black inkindicates imminent changes for the Wayhouse Christian Film Library. The fledgling video ministry run for the past year by Annelie andRoger Rudlaff will vanish today from their commercially zonedColonial Avenue ...
FAITHFUL FANS GREET DECEMBERADIO-CHRISTIAN ROCKERS PERFORM AT NEW RIVER VALLEY FAIR
Aug 01, 2007; ... In their No. 1 hit "Drifter," members of Christian rock bandDecemberadio sing about the joys of coming home to God after takinga detour on a spiritual journey. There was also joy surrounding the band's return to their earthlyhome Tuesday night, when they performed for a crowd at ...
RADFORD, ACLU TRADE WORDS OVER ZONING LAW
Aug 01, 2007; ... A governmental limit on signs displayed by Radford University'sfraternities and sororities could be repealed, according to a lettersent Tuesday to the American Civil Liberties Union. But the city's restrictions on Greek organization signs wouldstill be unconstitutional after the ...
AMATEUR RADIO GIVES VALUABLE INFORMATION DURING BAD WEATHER
Aug 01, 2007; ... A pop song declares that "Video Killed the Radio Star," butneither Internet nor cellphones have killed the need for amateurradio in weather emergencies. Amateur radio, often known as "ham" radio, is central to theSKYWARN network through which storm reports are communicated to ...
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS
Aug 01, 2007 ... Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent is 71. Rapper Chuck D (Public Enemy) is 47. Rapper Coolio is ...
SMOKE AND POLITICS
Aug 01, 2007 ... Virginia's two top Democratic officeholders have met a taxincrease they don't like. They should get over their aversion. The revenue would be used to expand health coverage for uninsuredchildren, a signature issue for the new Democratic majority inCongress and a good one. Even ...
LAKE-AREA INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS CREATE A BIG ROADBLOCK
Aug 01, 2007; ... Bill Meir has seen many changes to Smith Mountain Lake since hemoved to the area 14 years ago. He's seen farms change to multimillion-dollar residentialcommunities, and the lake become a vital tourist attraction forFranklin County. But one thing that he can't remember ...
JIMMY CARTER DINES IN SALEM
Aug 01, 2007; ... Southwest Virginia has been a popular pit stop for one formerpresident of late. Jimmy Carter was seen at the McDonald's in Hillsville on Thursdayand again at the Golden Arches in Salem, just off Interstate 81,Monday afternoon. Carter had a grilled chicken sandwich, side ...
THE FESTIVAL AND THE FUZZ
Aug 01, 2007 ... A four-day music festival is sure to draw two things: concert-goers looking for a good time and police aiming to keep it clean.There's no reason the two can't fall into harmony. Yet, after sixyears of a relatively crime-free FloydFest, the two factions remainjarringly out of ...
OBIT - BASHAM, MARY SUE
Aug 01, 2007 ... Mary Sue Basham, 88, of Troutville, passed away on Sunday, July29, 2007. Funeral services, Wednesday, August 1, ...
OBIT - ALDRIDGE, JAMES LOWELL
Aug 01, 2007 ... James Lowell Aldridge, 55, of Bent Mountain, passed away SaturdayJuly 28, 2007. Funeral services 2 p.m ....
OBIT - CLARK, MARGARET ALMA STEPHENSON
Aug 01, 2007 ... Margaret Alma Stephenson Clark, 90, of Roanoke, died on ...
OBIT - HUDSON, CAROL SCRUGGS
Aug 01, 2007 ... Carol Scruggs Hudson, 45, of Rocky Mount, died on Sunday, July 29,2007. She was born June 28, 1962, a daughter of the late Cecil andGloria Scruggs. She was also preceded in death by her mother-in-law,Gert Hudson; and her maternal grandmother, Gertrude Mattox. Survivingare her husband, ...
OBIT - BOWYER, ROSA HANEL
Aug 01, 2007 ... Rosa Hanel Bowyer, 66, of Bedford, died Sunday, July 29, 2007.Funeral, Wednesday, August 1, 2007 at 11 ...
OBIT - MURPHY, ERNEST J. SR.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Ernest J. Murphy, Sr., 79, of Roanoke, passed away on Monday, July30, 2007. He was an Army veteran of WW II and the Korean War, memberof the Calvary, was a Platoon Sergeant and received two PurpleHearts. He retired from Rowe Furniture with 25 years of service. Hewas an avid fisherman at ...
OBIT - WHITE, ANTONIO JAYLYN
Aug 01, 2007 ... Antonio Jaylyn White, infant son of Rodney Cooper and NicoleWhite, of Buchanan, passed away on Sunday, July 29, 2007. He waspreceded in death by his grandfather, John White. He is survived byhis father, Rodney Lynn Cooper; mother, Nicole Renee White; twinsisters, Dominique and ...
OBIT - GRIFFIN, BLANCHE PAULINE GARTMAN
Aug 01, 2007 ... Mrs. Blanche Pauline Gartman Griffin, a former resident of theSalem area, died in a nursing home in Gordonsville, Va. on Monday,July 30, 2007 after a long illness. She married Lt. P. W. Griffinduring WW II and they made their home in Dunn Loring, Va. She issurvived by four children, ...
OBIT - FISHER, MARY LOU
Aug 01, 2007 ... Mary Lou Fisher, 70, of Boones Mill went to her eternal rest onMonday, July 30, 2007 after a courageous battle with cancer. Mary Louwas preceded in death by her husband, Carlton E. Fisher; sister,Loretta Williams; parents, Harvey and Evelyn Deal; grandparents,Rufus and Mary Overstreet ...
OBIT - PAITSEL, JAMES L. JR.
Aug 01, 2007 ... James L. Paitsel, Jr., 46, of New Castle, went to be with his Lordand Savior on Monday, July 30, 2007. He is survived by his lovingwife, Trish; father, James L. Paitsel, Sr.; mother, Arlene S.Paitsel; sister and brother in-law, Julie and Mike Huffman; children,Jamie Paitsel and fiance, ...
OBIT - GIRST, CALVIN LINWOOD
Aug 01, 2007 ... Calvin Linwood Girst, 57, of Roanoke, passed away Friday, July 27,2007. He was born to the late Thomas Alfred Girst and June IreneHelms Girst on October 5, 1949 in Roanoke, Virginia. Calvin was alsopreceded in death by three brothers, Herman Nathaniel Girst, OtisAndrew Girst, James Lewis ...
OBIT - MCPEAK, ARTHUR J. JR., (SONNY)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Arthur J. (Sonny) McPeak, Jr., 71, of Vinton, went to be with theLord on Monday, July 30, 2007. Sonny was born on September 24, 1935in Floyd County. He was the son of the late Arthur and FleetaMcDaniel McPeak. He was predeceased by a sister, Edith Alderson; andbrothers, Robert and Gene ...
OBIT - PAULEY, HAZEL MALONE
Aug 01, 2007 ... Hazel Malone Pauley, 95, of Vinton and formerly of Pulaski, passedaway on Monday, July 30, 2007. Funeral ...
OBIT - TUCKER, ROBERT ALEXANDER II, (BOBBY)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Robert Alexander ( Bobby ) Tucker, II , 61, went to be with theLord on Monday, July 30, 2007. Bobby was a member of SouthsideBaptist Church and retired from Norfolk Southern. He is survived byhis loving wife, Carolyn Early Tucker; his children, Robert AlexanderTucker, III , Janet K ....
OBIT - JESSUP, ALLEN BAYNE
Aug 01, 2007 ... Allen Bayne Jessup, 73, of Troutville, went to be with the Lord onSunday, July 29, 2007 as a result of a plane accident. He was born inPilot Mountain, N.C. on May 4, 1934. He was preceded in death by hismother and step-father, Gertrude and Charles Baker; and his wife,Maxine E. Jessup, ...
OBIT - WORTH, BARBARA ANN
Aug 01, 2007 ... Barbara Ann Worth, 59, of Buchanan, passed away on Tuesday, July31, 2007 ....
OBIT - OBRIEN, WILLIAM M.
Aug 01, 2007 ... William M. OBrien, 68, of Cary, N.C. and formerly of Salem, passedaway on Saturday, July 28, 2007. Mr. OBrien graduated from JeffersonHigh School in Roanoke and then proudly served in the U.S. Army. Hewas a member of the Theta Chi fraternity at Hampton Sydney and alsoreceived a Masters ...
OBIT - CRIGGER, GRACE LOUISE
Aug 01, 2007 ... Grace Louise Crigger, 78, of Roanoke, passed away on Tuesday July31, 2007 ....
OBIT - BROWN, JAMES ROBERT, (PIG)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Mr. James Robert Brown (Pig), 63, of Roanoke, Va., passed away onWednesday, July 25, 2007. Funeral services, ...
OBIT - SMITH, BARBARA JEAN
Aug 01, 2007 ... Barbara Jean Smith, 69, of Welch, W.Va., passed away on Sunday,July 29, 2007. She is survived by her children, Vanessa (Michael)Robertson of Hyattsville, Md., Riordan (Ramona) Smith of Bellview,Neb. and Letitia (Keith) Smith of Roanoke, Va.; and a host of otherrelatives. Funeral ...
OBIT - SPRADLIN, GARY L.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Gary L. Spradlin, 59, of Hardy, went home to sing with the Lord onSunday, July 29, 2007. He was retired from ICI Deluxe Paint with 35years service. Surviving are his wife of 36 years, Cathy Spradlin;children, Kim and Scott, Bryan and Tracie; grandchildren, Gabriel,Lynwood, and Brayden ...
OBIT - HASH, RICHARD D. SR.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Richard D. Hash, Sr., 83, formerly of Mouth of Wilson, Va. and ofBaltimore, Md., passed away on Friday, July 27, 2007 at his residencein Baltimore, Md. He was preceded in death by his wife, PatriciaAdams Hash; and a brother, Floyd Hash. He was born February 25, 1924at Mouth of Wilson to ...
OBIT - MCGHEE, PHYLLIS JUNE SAFEWRIGHT
Aug 01, 2007 ... Phyllis June Safewright McGhee, 71, of Bedford, passed away onSunday, July 29, 2007. Graveside, Wednesday, 2 ...
OBIT - ANDERSON, EDNA W.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Edna W. Anderson, 81, of Marion, passed away on Monday, July 30,2007. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on ...
OBIT - BARR, IRENE HUMPHREY
Aug 01, 2007 ... Irene Humphrey Barr, 85, of Hillsville, passed away on Monday,July 30, 2007 at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center. Mrs. Barris survived by her husband, Henry Eli Barr of the home; daughters andson-in-law, Cheryl and Dwayne Hill and Linda Sharp, all ofHillsville; sons and ...
OBIT - HICKS, RALPH
Aug 01, 2007 ... Mr. Ralph Hicks, 91, of Stuart, passed away on Monday, July 30,2007 at the Blue Ridge Nursing Center in Stuart. He was born in SurryCounty, N.C. on July 7, 1916 to the late Pete and Alma Jane SutphinHicks. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by abrother, Walter ...
OBIT - HOLT, GARLAND BOARD JR.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Garland Board Holt, Jr., 60, of Lynchburg, Va., died on Monday,July 30, 2007 ....
OBIT - HESLEP, NOELL CLAIRE
Aug 01, 2007 ... Noell Claire Heslep, 67, of Elliston, Va., formerly of Montana,passed away Thursday, July 26, 2007. At ...