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The Roanoke Star-Sentinel August 19 - 25, 2011
[Wildlife]
Turbine Hearing Figures to Be Lively Tomato Party! P3– Bill Turner gets invited to the Eastmont tomato festival and discovers a hilarious and light hearted celebration.
Animal Wisdom P4– Lucky sees two completely different approaches to life as he observes two of the many animals at the Garvin sanctuary.
Curt Baker, Deputy Superintendent for Roanoke City Public Schools.
P6– ”The Virginia Shootout” Scale Model Show and Contest draws hundreds to Roanoke to see who builds them the best.
Fall Rail
Excursions P10– The Roanoke Historical Rail Society gives the details on upcoming trips to Abingdon and the “Eastern Continental Divide.”
Roanoke City Council put Curt Baker, Deputy Superintendent for Roanoke City Public Schools on the spot Monday morning. What was thought to be a routine request to approve renewal of the $10 million line of credit with Wells Fargo turned into financial sausage making. Causing the heartburn was an increase in the banking fee from $2000 last year to $35,000 for fiscal year 2012. Even City Gov’t if the LOC is not used during the year, RCPS will incur the fee. Wells Fargo indicated that they could not continue to subsidize the LOC anymore. The LOC has been used for overdraft protection and liquidity issues since 2008. Under questioning from Councilman Ray Ferris, Baker assured him that “it
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> CONTINUED P2:Turbine
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“What . . . Who Me?”
black bear in Southwest Roanoke County enjoys an impromptu meal of birdseed at the property owner’s expense last week. The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, lives within a mile of the new Wal-Mart on Route 220 just south of Roanoke. Bears are not uncommon visitors in
parts of the county and are foraging far and wide this time of year as they seek to bulk up for the long winter snooze that begins in just a few months. This particular bear did not wish to leave the property and had to be “motivated” by several warning shots before he finally moved on.
Local High School Students Make Big Decisions - Improve Future For Others
Top Model
Fee Increases Give Council Heartburn
Just A Backyard Bear
The “battle lines” have been drawn: local environmentalists and others looking for Roanoke County to make a statement about supporting alternative energy sources, versus homeowners in Bent Mountain worried about aesthetics, property values and any harmful health effects associated with wind turbines that generate electricity. The next potential “battlefield skirmish,” as it is may be, will take place at Tuesday’s public hearing during the RoCounty Gov’t anoke County Board of Supervisors meeting (Aug. 23, 7 p.m.) at the county administration building off Electric Rd./Rt. 419. The hearing is for a proposed countywide ordinance that would set guidelines for all wind turbine projects; Board-approved special use permits would still be needed for each particular application. “Enter another player,” said Diana Christopulos, executive director of the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, which conditionally supports a proposed wind turbine project on Poor Mountain, on leased land
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Lucky Garvin
NewsRoanoke.com
Community | News | Per spective
Five years ago a volunteer group of parents came together to form Katie’s Place, a residential farm community in Blue Ridge for individuals with special needs. The mission of Katie’s Place is to improve the quality of life for people by providing them with opportunities to pursue the rewards of self-satisfaction, growth, and community in a rural, farm-like setting. To date, Katie’s Place has been serving individuals of all ages by providing respite weekends twice a Alan Ronk, Foundation for Roanoke Valley Executive Director; month. Now, with a $25,000 grant re- Louise Dillon, Katies Place Co-President and Joy Parrish, Katies ceived from the Foundation for Place Co-President. Roanoke Valley’s Youth Leader- two days per week, giving parThe Philanthropy Project was ship Committee (YLC), Katie’s ents and caregivers the oppor- established in 2006 by FoundaPlace can begin its day support tunity to work outside the home tion for Roanoke Valley to inprogram which is designed to or tend to other responsibilities. troduce high school students to enrich the lives of special needs Joy Parrish, Co-President of the world of philanthropy, both adults and create an inclusive Katie’s Place added, “Because of in terms of philanthropy’s role in environment. this grant, Katie’s Place will be being a productive citizen of the “Day support in this rural area able to begin providing services community and philanthropy is very much needed,” said Amy much sooner than otherwise as a possible career option. The Baker, Director of Katie’s Place. would have been possible.” program also develops leader“Our focus is to provide services The YLC received twenty-four ship and consensus-building to those who have grant requests total- skills. finished high school ing over $617,000 This large impact grant has Non-Profits but are unable to and were charged taken the YLC over the $100,000 continue to higher with the tough task level in cumulative grants. education or transition into the of gaining consensus among mainstream work place.” the group on a single project to For more information about This grant will provide schol- fund. “I am so impressed with the Youth Leadership Commitarship assistance for 5-8 individ- the YLC’s ability to understand tee and how to get involved, visit uals transportation costs, and the plight of their disabled peers. www.foundationforroanokevalstaffing needs. The day support They showed great compassion ley.org. program will include options to and maturity in arriving at this attend five days, three days or decision,” said Parrish.
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> CONTINUED P2: Increases
Sixth District Candidate Ready to Challenge Goodlatte
Karen Kwiatkowski announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for Virginia’s 6th congressional district Thursday at Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton. During her speech she challenged incumbent Republican Bob Goodlatte to a series of public debates. The Roanoke Tea Party has offered to host the first debate Photo by Valerie Garner after the fall elections. “We expect at least three debates. I am Karen Kwiatkowski addresses ready to meet the incumbent the June Tea Party meeting. anywhere in the 6th district “His constituents are not and talk publicly about the ishappy with him,” she claimed. sues,” she said. Chip Tarbutton, president Kwiatkowski’s campaign theme and election promise of the Roanoke Tea Party, said “is simple and rock-solid,” she they’d look at endorsements says and “Reduce, Redirect and for 2012 after Virginia’s 2011 Rein-In” the federal govern- elections. If a primary were the ment, she said. She describes method selected, it would take herself as a conservative consti- place June 12, 2012. Thursday she said the “[Retutionalist. publican] party If you count the talks the talk, but “applause-o-meter” Politics does not walk the interruptions durwalk … I am a Reing Karen Kwiatpublican who honors the Conkowski speech to the Roanoke Tea Party in June, it signals a stitution, believes in liberty and future endorsement. She hit all is a hard-core fiscal conservative.” the right notes. Kwiatkowski believes that the When asked why she thinks Patriot Act is unconstitutional Goodlatte needs to go, Kwiatkowski said he is “a go-along, get-along guy … he is an es- > CONTINUED P2: Sixth District tablishment Republican.”
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