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Community | News | Per spective

January 6 - 12, 2012

[Military Service]

Fighting For Freedom

Property Assessments Fall For First Time

New Years!

P6-7– Happy New Year!

Check out our special middle section devoted to starting the year off just right.

New Science P3– The Science Museum of Western Virginia and VA Tech blaze a trail to the future with their new partnership.

Mary Jo Shannon

Keeping Time P5– Mary Jo Shannon says that even in today’s busy world it’s still possible to keep time as your servant in lieu of your master.

Photo by Valerie Garner

Director of Finance Ann Shawver and Roanoke Management and Budget Director Amelia Merchant discuss the impact of assessments on the 2013 budget.

Photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Zachary Fisher, a 22-year-old fire team leader with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Roanoke native, speaks with Afghan men about a vehicle checkpoint during a partnered security patrol with Afghan National Army soldiers on Dec. 30. On this particular patrol, Afghan Army soldiers and Marines interacted with local citizens and spoke with an elder about biometrically enrolling the members of his village for identification purposes.

‘America’s Battalion’ is aiding the Afghan National Forces in assuming security responsibilities in Helmand province. The operations are designed to further the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance of Afghanistan by defeating insurgent forces and helping secure the Afghan people.

New Crime Fighting Tool Takes to Skies A two-seat 500 pound forest use. green Dream Machine is the lat“We had an incident that est pride and joy of the Virginia took place and the investigaTech Police Department. Offitors needed the area photocer Kenny Smith is one of four graphed so they could put pilots learning to fly the powpictures from the ground and ered parachute. He describes pictures from the air together it as “a dune buggy with a paraand put their case together. chute attached to it.”

And it worked out really wonIt’s one of only a handful in derful. I think it worked out the country. The Department better than what everybody of Justice bought several powexpected it to do.” ered parachutes and loaned one One of the great advantages, to a law enforcement agency in is the visibility.

Florida, another in Alabama, “If you’re looking for an and yet another in California. item or a person or anything Virginia Tech’s powered paraPhoto by Beverly Amsler like that, the visibility that you chute is the only one on loan to The Virginia Tech Police Department’s new powered parachute. have around you is almost 280 a university. degrees. You can see down, “Hopefully in the near future, if money all around you, and directly straight down Smith says the engine uses 93 octane gasoline with no ethanol. The drab gray chute is available, we’re going to get a nice sized and you don’t have anything blocking you. is about 30 feet long and 9 feet wide and is parachute that has Virginia Tech on it, and That’s one of the advantages of having this.” made from the same material as parachutes colorful, probably maroon and orange.”

But not having sides, a floor, or ceiling, He steers with his feet, like a sled, so his could also be a disadvantage. “If there’s any used for jumping out of an airplane. Two people can fly in the aircraft, which weighs hands are free to hold a camera or other safety concerns; if 500 pounds and can carry 500 pounds. It equipment. there’s anyone out > CONTINUED Smith says it’s already been put to good can go as high as 10,000 feet. there with a weap- P2: Skies

Moving Day Arrives for Virginia Trane

Inside Hoops P8– Wild Bill Turner gives an update on the high school basketball scene including a review of recent tournament results.

On a tour of the freshly completed Trane building Tuesday, Virginia District Manager David Pierson was busy with last minute details. The move into the new building will begin this week and the building is expected to be fully operational by the end of January.

The new 23,000 square foot building sits on property owned

by Jess Newbern, III the principal of Newbern Properties, LLC. The building has a spectacular view of the Valley from the second floor corner room that will be used for customer presentations.

Newbern-Trane began as

a franchise in the mid-1970s.

Through the years Newbern has expanded the 1870’s farmhouse that sits on the corner of Frontage Road and Highland Farm Road to accommodate his growing business. The historic home is easily visible from I-581 approaching the Hershberger Road exit.

He eventually sold the franchise to the Trane Corporation in 2000 who combined it with Virginia Trane in Richmond.

American Standard purchased the firm in the 1980s and Inger> CONTINUED P2:Trane

Photo by Valerie Garner

Virginia Trane’s new 23,000 square foot building.

Director of Finance Ann Shawver said it could have been worse. “Unfortunately we have one of the more disappointing reports this year.“ But it was still better then she had expected.

Existing residential property decreased 2.7%, including some positive reassessment of commercial properties, the overall decline was 1.6%. New construction added slightly more to revenue at .41% further lessening the overall impact to -1.19%.

The effect on revenue loss comes to over $1 million.

The Code of Virginia requires that all real property be assessed for taxation at 100% of market value. Keeping valuations just under 100% allows for leeway.

In 2011 Roanoke City’s assess> CONTINUED P2:Assessments

Board Revisits Voting Precinct Reduction

In September 2011 Electoral Board member Melvin Williams presented a plan to combine six Roanoke City voting precincts. At the time, Williams said council wanted them to go back and create something like a “task force” made up of constituencies including the SCLC, NAACP, members of the Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities and neighborhood groups.

At Tuesday morning’s briefing, Williams was back with a whole new plan. “We started from scratch,” he said. The mandate was to keep the precincts “compact and contiguous.”

The proposed plan would reduce the 32 precincts to 19.

The 32 precincts “have been in place as long as anyone can remember,” said Williams. The five precincts outside the 11th House of Delegates would remain in the 17th district to prevent voter confusion and the split of precincts.

The city’s GIS map expert Kenny Harris used software to rearrange different district sce> CONTINUED P2: Precincts

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> Skies

Page 2 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 1/6/12 -1/12/12

Some clouds build into the region for Friday with highs near 60.

Showers are possible over the weekend.

Temperatures will be in the upper 50s on Saturday and low 50s on Sunday.

Sunshine returns for the first part of next week with highs near 50.

on that’s on the run that we’re looking for, that’s going to be up to the pilot’s discretion, and more than likely, that will not be utilized depending on what the circumstances are.”

Changing weather conditions also pose a hazard to aircraft and pilot.

“When you take off it can be perfectly calm but then the winds, if they pick up by any means, you want to land it. It’s safe to fly this machine with winds from zero to six miles an hour and six to 12 miles an hour you can still fly it; it’s not very comfortable. You have a very uncomfortable feeling in your stomach the whole time you’re in it because the winds can pretty much blow it anywhere it

NewsRoanoke.com

From page 1 wants to go.”

It took Smith some convincing to believe in the usefulness of the powered parachute.

“I remember when we first got it, I was like, ‘What in the world are we going to use that thing for?’ but there’s all kinds of things and it’s opening up a whole new level to our community in this area.”

He expects the drug task force will use the chopper to photograph possible meth labs and says the sky’s the limit on the uses for the vehicle. Other uses include surveys by the Department of Game and Inland Fishery and GPS mapping by Tech’s Engineering Department.

“I’m hoping other departments, fire departments, other

Photo by Beverly Amsler

Officer Kenny Smith prepares to fly the powered parachute. police stations that may have somebody lost or anything like that, they’ll be able to utilize it and I’ll be able to fly it for ‘em.”

> Trane

soll Rand bought it in May of 2008.

Newbern himself proudly

led an exclusive tour through the building even pointing out Sara...

4 yr. old kitty in need of a lap. the lactating room for young mothers. Belinda Church, Mr.

A soft spot to take a short nap.

Pierson’s executive assistant and

Energy efficient, quiet, purrfect. Training Coordinator said there

were currently two women who would use it.

Adopt a homeless pet Newbern had a hand in de and help us share the love. signing the building that boasts photovoltaic solar panels that 339-WAGS rvspca.org Your unconditional love headquarters convert direct sunlight into electricity. Roanoke’s Ray Craighead was the architect.

Jason Bingham, former Roanoke City School Board memBath Tub? ber, is Vice President for Trane From Chip Repairs to North America’s Central TerComplete Refinshing ritory. He explained how “the Remove Old Tub and Install New Tub power of this organization is or Walk in Shower its culture. When you get a culComplete Bathroom Remodeling ture that is this strong [the staff] Quality Tub Care fights for it … It’s self-propelled Call Now: 992-2406 or Visit Us at www.qualitytubcare.com – it’s that flywheel concept.”

Bingham’s mission is to take this culture to the 14 states in his territory.

Ugly

From page 1 “[Virginia Trane] is number one against many of the [Trane] businesses of other major cities outside of Virginia.” Three of the five leaders in the Trane North America organization are located in Virginia. “It shows that they know how to train leaders,” Bingham said.

The guiding principles and mission originated in Roanoke with Jess Newbern. “He’s always there and keeps tabs on it,” said Bingham. “He’s really good at leading you to where you need to be and making you think it’s your idea,” chuckled Church.

Bingham travels about two days a week. His office is in his home and he was adamant about never leaving Roanoke. With a wide grin, Bingham said his wife told him that he “could move if I wanted to and could come back and visit [her] anytime.”

He’d like to rejoin the school board some day when his travel schedule becomes more stable.

Bingham estimated the num-! ber of employees in Roanoke at

75 with an expectation that five more will be hired soon. The Trane Corporation has plants in Wisconsin, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia and Minnesota.

Other divisions under the Ingersoll Rand umbrella include air compressors and commercial / residential building security. The Schlage division makes doorknobs for homes, home automation systems, air power tools and to a lesser degree industrial refrigeration. “We have factories all over the globe,” said Bingham. There is some manufacturing in Mexico but most products are manufactured in the United States.

The new building will mostly house office space and serve the commercial side of Trane while the older Trane building will serve as a distribution center and warehouse for residential equipment and parts. The buildings sit adjacent to the former second fairway of the city-owned Countryside Golf Course. Ironically, a

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golf cart by Club Car sat in the service garage of the new building. Club Car is another division of Ingersoll Rand.

The service garage also housed a large Trane heating and cooling system that will serve to “show off the type of equipment they represent,” said Newbern.

Tommy Lawhorn sat next to the system at a computer that controlled the building’s temperature, humidity, lights and alarm system. The entire building is computer controlled.

After the move, the old farmhouse will be vacant and the building that houses Newbern’s office will become a training/ learning classroom for employees. Newbern said he would be interested in the adjacent cityowned golf course property if the storm water issues could be resolved.

Your Hometown Business Directory

By Valerie Garner

Dust Bunnies, Inc.

540-904-7104

By Beverly Amsler info@newsroanoke.com

JSS Remodeling

info@newsroanoke.com

From page 1 Home Repairs ! General

Complete Bathroom Remodeling • Tile Work ments pushed 100%. In 2010 it assessments.

Volume at Sixteen West and Fitbe submitted now through 1618 Roanoke Blvddata was Lofts was at a safe 92%. “It tells me we scarce – sales were down 29% ness Center, Community High January 31.

There were 74 apInterior/exterior Carpentry • Plumbing Suite A will need to do something,” said for 2011. However, the median Window/door School, and theinstallation Chemsolve peals last year, compared to 230 • Hardwood Flooring Salem, Director of Real Estate ValuasaleVirginia price has 24153 remained un- renovations also boosted the appeals in 2008 that were made Free Estimate orthe email James 540-389-5252 tion Susan Lower. changed at $133,000 showing tax For base. aMulti-family proper-Call during housing boom. Low725-7343 jss25@cox.net Real estate assessments stability. ties remained unchanged. er’s office is bracing for a posLicensed/insured with 24 years experience www.dustbunniescorp.com certificates available peaked in fiscal years 2006- • gift Twenty homes that sold for Hardest hit areasreferences were those available sible influx of appeals consider2007 and have dropped each over $300,000 and one that sold with the most foreclosures. ing the shear volume of notices year since. for $1.2 million helped increase These areas included Northwest being mailed.

Lower said 46,000 proper- the average selling price by 20% and“The a stretch fromI Southeast up Forms are available online tool recommend most? ties are assessed every year and in 2011. to Hershberger Road. and at the Municipal Building 11,000 are visited “door to door.”

Commercial sales volume Council member Anita Price in Lowers office on the second No notices are sent out to prop- was down 7.1% with only 26 remarked Use that itthere wasMr. a need floor by the elevators. to call Handyman. erties whose assessment did valid sales. Commercial assess- to “evaluate what’s going on in Shawver advised citizens to Tree Removal • Deadwooding Gutterslightly Cleaning not change.

On Tuesday 18,400 ments •increased at .7%. those areas” and that the city “hang on” through these rocky • Overseeding notices were Spring mailed, Aeration equating The lack of data made assess- needed to evaluate what assis- real estate times. She said she retoMulch about half the city this ments• Spring difficult. Cleanups tance might be needed. Lower alizes it is a double-edged sword Delivered andyear.

Spread www.mrhandyman.com The last mass mailing occurred On the positive side new said the most popular assistance – reduced real estate tax versus Estimates Fully Insured in 2008 whenFree home prices were •construction added to the tax was going to the large number loss of home value.

540-977-4444 at their peak. base including: Kohls, Ameri- of elderly in the city through Increase in sales tax, RICHARD KARN meals TV star and “home improvement guru.”

Property owners receiving can Tire Warehouse, the Health tax freezes. Veteran assistance is tax and occupancy tax make notices will see a change in their Department’s relocation to Wil- also available. up the difference in the real esreal estate taxes after July 1. The liamson Road, Longhorn SteakShawver explained to council tate shortfall. It’s a little early to areas where assessments remain house at Valley View, Popeye’s that foreclosures put downward predict the fiscal year 2013, the unchanged included Grandin Chicken on Melrose, the Trane/ pressure on adjacent property budget should come in even Court, Raleigh Court, Wasena, Newbern Warehouse, Dollar values. “It makes a buyers mar- with FY 2012.

South Roanoke, Windsor Hills, General, United Heath Care ket and depresses other home Old Southwest, and Jefferson Renovations, and a new CVS on values near the foreclosures –

By Valerie Garner Hills.

Plantation Road. it’s a supply and demand issue info@newsroanoke.com Low sales and listing prices in Rehabilitation of the River too,” she said. other areas contributed to lower House, Lofts at West Station, Property owner appeals can

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> Precinct narios. In the end each district’s population of registered voters was kept to under the recommended maximum of 5000.

“The state board red flags when a precinct gets over 4000 registered voters,” said Williams.

Also considered were normal boundary landmarks – rivers and streams, railroad tracks and streets. Neighborhood organizations were taken into account in defining communities of interest.

Precincts in Raleigh Court and Wasena were the most challenging due to the large population of registered voters and landmark locations.

The proposed plan would require Registrar Laverne Shepherd to locate two new polling places – one in Northwest that would be west of Peters Creek Road and another around Colonial Avenue. Potential locations have been identified, but it was too early for them to be contacted, said Williams.

Williams explained how the plan would reduce polling stations, resulting in $11,000 of saving in personnel for each election. Additional savings would be realized with a reduction of paid technicians. They transport voting machines to the polling places and remain on-call for problems. The goal was to keep the best polling places and maximize access to bus service.

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From page 1 No changes can take effect until December 31 of any given year. Included in that time frame would be Department of Justice approval that usually takes 60 days.

After public input, Vice Mayor Dave Trinkle wanted council’s concurrence on the lines followed by selecting the new polling places in time to meet the December 31, 2012 deadline. The DOJ would have to approve the realignment before that date.

Acting City Attorney Tim Spencer explained to Councilman Sherman Lea that the DOJ would scrutinize the location of the polling places, the number of voters in each precinct, the racial makeup and the distance from a polling station to each voter in a precinct. It must be no more then one mile. He said that the DOJ also “looks at what type of polling places you have – schools, churches or other. It needs to be an open inviting locale for anyone with any background to come and vote.”

Registrar Laverne Shepherd said she gets calls from the DOJ and they ask her questions especially on distances to polling places. They also make calls to citizens - especially minorities.

Rev. Tinsley said, “this is long overdue.”

Gordon Hancock chimed in, lamenting on the difficulty they have had in finding polling places where the “handicapped can roll in and out smoothly – that is a night-

Photo by Valerie Garner

Melvin Williams addresses City Council at Tuesday’s meeting. mare.” Williams was praised for ensuring the “difficult to find” polling locations were kept within the redrawn precincts.

Hancock, Rev. Tinsley and Shepherd praised both Harris and Williams for the long hours they put into aligning the precincts.

Should the proposal be approved by December 31, 2012, the first election would be the gubernatorial primary in 2013.

By Valerie Garner info@newsroanoke.com

1/6/12- 1/12/12 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 3

NewsRoanoke.com

Science Museum Director Sees Tech Literacy Organization Takes New Name Partnership as “Wave of the Future” As Jim Rollings, the new executive director of the Science Museum of Western Virginia explains it, the museum needed to find new ways of doing things - or perhaps diminish in importance.

Accordingly, a task force study committee was launched to study how other science museums and universities were working in partnership—only to find that the kind of affiliation that eventually emerged between the Roanoke-based organization and nearby Virginia Tech didn’t exist. The collaborations that did involved the university assisting the museum with specific projects or educational programs, or the university completely owning the museum. Hence, with no preexisting model to study, the task force had no choice but to create the model itself.

In October, an agreement forging the new relationship between Tech and the Science Museum was signed, whereby essentially the university acquires access to the audience the Science Museum has developed over the years, and the museum gains access to the content, programming and technology found on the Blacksburg campus.

Rollings explains that the focus of the new Tech-Science Museum partnership will be on university students. “You can imagine graduate students conducting studies for their classes that involve the Science Museum location [or] Science Museum audiences. That’s academic content that you can also put into that mix—things like a speakers series that brings noted folks from the university campus here.”

Rollings says the partnership is a two-way street: “in return, you can also look at the Science

Science Museum Director Jim Rollings.

Museum having access to…the general public [and] educators in the public school system, administrators that we have everyday relationships with because of our long ties with the school systems. [Now] Virginia Tech, by partnering with us, can talk with the same kind of ease that we already do.”

Though the Tech-Science Museum partnership is still virtually brand new, some activities are already ongoing - one of which, involving robotics, which Rollings characterizes as “one of the outstanding areas in Virginia Tech research.”

Tech and the Science Museum “can [also] reach students who need additional support. And, of course, we’re already talking about where research can come into play to help determine how effective [the] Science Museum education [program is].”

Regarding academics for Tech students, Rollings calls it “a wide open subject, but areas that come immediately to mind would include students conducting research as a class assignment for a grade that involves audiences and activities taking place in the Science Museum,” and exhibit development where students “would be able to study what type of exhibits

might be developed that will achieve a certain educational goal.” This type of research can be shared with all science museums.

The life span of the current Tech-Science Museum partnership is two years, which Rollings feels will be sufficient to determine if the affiliation is mutually beneficial. “Assuming that it does, and we’re making every effort to make sure that that partnership will go on, it will expand into all areas of what the Science Museum is doing.” Rollings believes that in a few years, other universities and science centers will look at the Tech-Science Museum partnership and ask, “how are you doing that?’ That looks like it’s working pretty well. Can we use it as a model? We believe this partnership can become a model for other universities and science museums, in terms of educational delivery. I think it’s the wave of the future.”

Current plans for the Science Museum, now located on the upper level of Tanglewood Mall, are for it to return to its original home in 2013, with the completion of Center in The Square’s current renovation.

“We’re adding classrooms that we’ve never had before,” says Rollings, “and we are conducting our own fundraising campaign to the tune of about $5 million, to rebuild and restart every exhibit in the place.”

Most of the latter will be brand new—which Rollings feels will transform the Science Museum into “perhaps the number one attraction downtown - at least for our opening year and possibly beyond that.”

To reflect the growth in programs and in geographical outreach beyond the Roanoke Valley, the area’s largest non-profit adult literacy program has adopted a new name as of January 1.

Blue Ridge Literacy is the new name of the regional organization formerly known as Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley.

According to Russ Merritt, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Literacy, “This has always been an outstanding organization, doing very special work for a lot of people who need our services.

Now, our new name and the ancillary branding should help us tell the literacy story better than we ever have before.”

Molly Bell,. President of the Board of Directors of Blue Ridge Literacy, noted that “since early last year, our Board and staff have been considering how we can best communicate who we are and all that we do. In September a group of marketing professionals in our area, through an organization called Ad Fed, helped us create a whole new brand.”

Bell noted the strong foundation and continuity of the literacy organization over the past 26 years.

of memory loss were feeling great stress of the changes that was happening in their relationships. And so, when we asked them about things that were going on in their lives, there was heightened, oftentimes stress and anxiety.”

She thinks the stress is linked to the change in behavior of the person with the illness. “One of the things that often occurs with MCI is that the person may appear more apathetic. So that they don’t take initiative. And so, there’s maybe stepping back some and so the spouse sort of has to have a watchful eye.”

According to Roberto, the caregiver may not realize this is a symptom of the disease and they want their loved one to “just try harder”.

The researchers also collected saliva to look at biomarkers for physiological changes and found the caregivers’ cortisol levels increased as a reaction to stress.

“When there were these diffi-

Carilion Clinic, Vistar Eye Center, Eye Care & Surgery and Blue Ridge Eye Center will collaborate to provide emergency and in-patient eye care to patients at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The agreement includes the provision of 24/7 on-call service for Carilion’s Level-1 trauma program, along with general and retinal ophthalmologic care for emergency/ urgent care and hospitalized patients.

“We’re pleased to be working with these excellent physicians,” said Carilion Clinic President and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Agee. “Together we can coordinate our focus on the needs of our paBy Melvin E. Matthews, Jr. tients.”

The three physician groups info@newsroanoke.com will continue as independent practices, but will collabo-

culties, that we saw spikes in the changes in physiological measures. And we also saw greater reports of daily stress. And that leads us to say that even though by definition MCI is said to have little or no major changes in daily life, it’s enough of a change that is causing disruption to the family.”

Roberto says if the caregiver lives apart from the family member, they take that stress with them, which could complicate their home life and over time, possibly put them at a greater risk for contracting a disease.

She hopes to use the research as a way for communities to help create a support system for caregivers.

“You see this with really adult children. It’s sort of that pileup of stressors. So you have multiple roles and you’re kind of on multiple pathways in your life.

So you’re mom or dad to maybe young or teenage children.

You’re in a relationship with your partner. And then you

For more information, contact Blue Ridge Literacy at 265-9339.

Eye Care Specialists Come Together To Meet Emergency Needs

Caregiver Stress Addressed in New Study Caring for a spouse or elderly parent could put you at greater risk for becoming sick or developing a disease. That's according to a study conducted by the researchers in the Gerontology Department at Virginia Tech.

Karen Roberto and her colleagues looked at how caregivers-primarily spouses-handle changes caused when their loved one suffers from mild cognitive impairment, and if it’s affecting the caregiver’s health. Roberto say MCI is a decline in one’s executive functioning of the brain which doesn’t cause huge interruptions in the patient’s everyday life but is outside the range of normal aging and can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Thirty spouses kept a diary for a week about their feelings, what behaviors the loved one was exhibiting at the time, and if there were confrontations, especially between husband and wife.

“We found that, in fact, these spouses in this very early stage

“The well-trained and deeply committed volunteer tutors have always been critical to our operation and success,” she said. “We continue to rely on those volunteers to deliver much of our program, but we now also have an expanded number of group classes and literacy computer lab opportunities. As the community has changed, the needs of those adults seeking to learn to read and write English have also changed, and we’re changing to meet those new realities.”

The new name will also reflect the organization’s new services to areas outside the Roanoke Valley.

“We will soon be providing non-profit, low cost or no-cost literacy programming in several surrounding counties,” Merritt said.

However, even with the name change, Merritt emphasized that the mission of the organization stays the same. “Our mission is to teach English literacy skills to adults and to raise literacy awareness, still in the Roanoke Valley, but now throughout the Blue Ridge region as well.”

have Mom or Dad that you’re concerned about it. And so, that can be very stressful.”

“What we’re hoping to really look at in the future is interventions that will really help people, one-understand what is happening in this early stage, and then look more towards how the family as well as the community can provide support for those individuals.”

Roberto says they want to do a larger study and determine if men and women are affected differently in their roles as caregiver.

rate with Carilion’s trauma and emergency programs to further advance the level and quality of eye care in the region.

"We are looking forward to fostering a partnership with Carilion to improve upon the community's emergency eye care needs," said Jon Brisley, M.D., Managing Partner with Vistar Eye Center. "Patient care has and continues to be of utmost importance to our practice."

"This collaborative agreement is essential to providing excellent and comprehensive care to all patients at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and particularly those patients in the emergency department. We are excited to be able to participate," says William Thompson, M.D. of Eye Care & Surgery.

The physicians participating in the collaboration include: Eugene H. Eng, M.D., Carey W. Robinson, M.D., and William M. Thompson, M.D., with Eye Care & Surgery; Chad Albright, M.D., Jon Brisley, M.D., Timothy Byrnes, M.D., Frank Cotter, M.D., John Facciani, M.D., Kurt Guelzow, M.D., Craig Hartranft, M.D., John Hines, M.D., David Kinsler, M.D., Scott Strelow, M.D., Kenneth Tuck, M.D., and John R. Wood, M.D. with Vistar Eye Center; and Joseph S. Weisman, M.D. with Blue Ridge Eye Center.

Assistance Available for Residents with Disabilities

Low- to moderate-income City of Roanoke residents with disabilities may be eligible for assistance with home modifications through funding the City of Roanoke has awarded to the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center.

The funding is intended to assist individuals with disabilities to remain independent within their own homes.

Ramps, grab bars, widening of doorways are just some of the

By Beverly Amsler home modifications that can info@newsroanoke.com be completed.

The Blue Ridge Independent Living Center is a private, nonprofit organization that assists individuals with disabilities to be independent and also works with the community to ensure it is accessible.

To determine if you are eligible for financial assistance or for further information about Center services call 540-3421231 (v/tty).

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Perspective

Page 4 | The Roanoke Star-Sentinel | 1/6/12 -1/12/12

A Father's Diary: Understanding My Son

C

ailan didn't want to done with them. go to school. I knew Nothing kids today fear more it the moment I than a power failure; they live in roused him from sleep the other constant fear. morning and he looked at me ... blankly and said, "Who are you, Cailan was rebelling. His mister?" mother was trying to justify her I met this passive insurgency unrelenting parental oversight with restraint. He then of homework, sensible proceeded to quesbedtime, salutary diet tion the air before him and the like. "Look, with uncertain fingers.

Cailan, here is Mother "Where are you, misA: She doesn't care ter?" if you eat junk food; His sight was gradudoesn't care if you do ally restored, if you conany homework and sider double-vision a doesn't care if you Lucky Garvin restoration. "Which don't get enough sleep. one is the real you, And here is Mother B: mister? The one on the right like me, concerned about those or the left?" And then, "What's things. Which would you rather causing this, mister?" have? Cailan!? Cailan?!"

"Staying up so late at night "I'm thinking about it!" watching TV that you don't want "Cailan!" to go to school. That's what's "Mom A has got some real causing it. But don't worry, it's possibilities..." Well, at last he not fatal. Unless you push your admitted that he would rather luck, MISTER!" have Mother B, but it was a photo ... finish. He was a man convinced I'm starting to sound like my against his will, as was summafather, a common end to most rized in his later confession : parents. I tell Chester and Cai- "I'm an A kid with a B mom." lan, "Hey! Let's turn off thirty … lights or so. Y'know, about half Occasionally, Cailan likes of them." school: holidays, teacher conferYe Gods and ministers of ences, field trips. On these days, grace, I'm wearing sunglasses he holds the educative process in the house, there's such a in an undiluted esteem. For the glare! No reason Appalachian balance of the school term howPower should be swept into the ever, he would as soon go to his Fortune 500 just cuz these two grave unlettered. And so he falls won't turn off the lights, TV's, asleep in class. A lot. His desk tapes, VCR's and Segas when has an air bag; his chair, a head

rest. Rip Van Garvin.

Well, Cailan marshaled all of his talents and did not lose consciousness for the better part of a semester.

For this tour de force, he received a coveted honor at the end of the school term. "Staying Awake in Class, Some" was inscribed on the plaque bestowed during an especially moving ceremony, most of which Cailan slept through.

His mother and I are so very proud. …

I'm telling Cailan about George Washington; trying to demonstrate that honesty, if not the best policy, is certainly worth a shot if you can't think of another angle.

"Well of course he told the truth about the Cherry Tree, Dad!" rebuts my son, a ruthless dialectician with a firm grip on the proceedings, "His father catches up with him holding a running chain saw, sawdust in his hair and yelling, `Timmmmm - berrrrrrrr!!' Of course he's gonna tell the truth; does he think his fathers a idgit?! That's not the time for a lie; that's the time for a plea bargain!” `Pithily said,' I mutter to myself, my lesson gone awry. He is persuaded of his unquestioned eminence in parent-child debate. Probably gone off to get a mallet and a wooden stake for me... ...

I have known Cailan for years; weathered many a developmental cycle. For example he was once Cailan the Cosmic Cadet.

He would walk by me space helmet on his head, molecular atomizer in hand - set on `stun' - ranging far into the neighborhood to seek his prey; and would dismiss me as an enemy not worth stalking by sticking out his tongue and saying, "Thbbbbbit, earthling." [My son has no suppressed emotions.] At times like this, he is as much fun as a pinched nerve.

Keeping Time Our Servant

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s we begin a new ratories took the day off "we year, my fascination would lose all radio, televiwith the concept sion and data transmission. of time is reawakened. Many In short, we would shut down years ago I had the privilege the world. We [at NIST] are of interviewing the late Harry responsible for the generation Race, retired engineer and of the second in the U.S. We professor at Virginia West- generate time." ern Community College. The If you think this sounds purpose of the interview was complicated and difficult to to learn about his hobby, col- understand, you are not alone! lecting and repairing clocks, As technology increases the but I found that his gap grows wider real obsession was between ordinary his fascination with people who use the concept of time the marvelous new itself. products and the “What is Time? scientists and techNobody knows. It nicians who create can’t be perceived them. This can by any of the senses. have a profound You can’t see it, hear effect on our lives. it, touch it, smell or In Colonial taste it, yet it can America, people be measured more made all their Mary Jo Shannon precisely than any clothing -- from material substance. You can’t shearing the sheep to sewing define it without referring to the clothes. They made their its measurement.” he said, and candles, bread, houses -- evI was intrigued. So much so erything. Yet they seemed to that I spent ten years research- have time for games and reading, collecting information re- ing and weddings that lasted lated to this enigma. for several days. Today, we Throughout the centuries, have a multitude of timesavmankind has focused on di- ers -- microwaves, automatic viding time into smaller and washers, airplanes, just to smaller segments in order to name a few. Yet we never seem manage it completely. Modern to have enough time. life – everything from the colIronically, the effort to conored lights that direct traffic trol time and make it our serto space craft navigation – de- vant seems to have backfired. pends on the accuracy of time In our modern, technological measurement. age, we have become slaves to Our technological world de- the clock. Our constant race mands this precise timekeep- with time creates stress, which ing. All modern transporta- in turn contributes to a great tion -- space ships, airplanes, number of physical and emotrains, ocean-going vessels tional problems.

-- depend upon accurate time Scientists have learned signals to prevent accidents that our bodies entrain to the and to coordinate schedules. rhythm of life about us. When Navigators of ships in the air the tempo increases, we go or on the sea put their faith in right along with it. Perhaps signals from satellites accurate your toes have begun to tap to a microsecond to plot their when a band is playing, keeplocation. NASA's space probes ing time with the music. You are guided by radio signals are entrained to the music. timed to nanoseconds.

Before the mechanical clock All modes of communica- was invented, and even for tion require this precise tim- several centuries afterward, ing, too. Radio and television people were entrained to the stations use atomic clocks to rhythms of nature, or natural time broadcasts. According time. Life was planned around to NIST (National Institute the rising and setting of the Contact Lucky Garvin at of Standards and Technol- sun, the cycles of the moon info@theroanokestar.com ogy) scientist David Allan, if and the seasons of the year. the workers at the NIST laboThe mechanical clock cre-

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ated artificial, clock time. The clock does not depend upon movement of the planet, but ticks out the same seconds, minutes, and hours, whether it is day or night. For over seven centuries, people did not have great difficulty keeping the two times in sync. Gradually, more people moved to urban areas where they worked in factories. The tempo of life increased. Time became a commodity, something to be bought and sold. Once workers punched the time clock, their time belonged to the factory owner. "Time is money; don't waste it!" became a rule to live by. Factory managers concentrated on ways to increase efficiency, producing more in less time.

Electric lights made it possible to operate the factories around the clock, with three eight-hour shifts. Workers on the evening shifts had to adjust to a different schedule, creating stress -- physical, mental and emotional. Family schedules had to be adjusted, spreading the stress to wives and children.

Just as the clock ushered in the Industrial Revolution, the computer has ushered in a new Technological Revolution. Change occurs so rapidly it is difficult for people to adjust and the gap continues to widen between computer time and natural time. E-mail allows friends and family to keep in touch throughout the world. Business conferences can be held online while all those involved remain in their own offices. But it's difficult for persons to relate to one another without face-to-face encounters.

Technology provides a better life in many ways, including advances in medical procedures, food production and education, to name a few. But the downside is losing touch with the natural world. What can we do to keep time our servant? The answer may lie in learning to "take time out."

We must consciously limit the time we spend on the computer or watching television and set aside time to allow ourselves to entrain to the natural world.

Camping (without electronics!) is one activity that makes this possible. Planting flowers or vegetables and watching their development also help us keep in touch with nature. Participating in active sports instead of watching TV or playing video games constantly will help us develop physically and socially.

Do one thing at a time.

Don't try to read and watch television or listen to a ball game on the radio at the same time. Research shows that you will remember more when you concentrate on one thing at a time. Learn to slow down.

If you feel rushed, close your eyes and take a deep breath.

Dr. Stephan Rechtschaffen, founder of the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, calls this downshifting, like shifting gears on an automobile to go more slowly. Sometimes we need to be in high gear, using a lot of energy to accomplish work. But our bodies also need a slower pace at times so we can relax. Too often we rely on medication to cure the physical and emotional problems brought on by stress.

The beginning of the year is a good time to examine our activities and decide which are most important and to allow time for this "downshifting" to keep us healthy in this modern age. Only then will we regain control of our lives, keeping time as our servant in lieu of our master.

Contact Mary Jo at maryjoshannon@ymail.com

Perspective

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H

Predicting the Future

ow does one do that? much more had been said than With unlimited hu- done. I heard on NPR that in bris . . . that’s the an- terms of legislation signed into swer. Some years ago, I heard a law, the 112th Congress was the well-known TV evangelist rattle worst in history. Only 80 bills off a list of predictions on his were passed. You can count on New Year’s Sunday program. It one hand (and still have fingers got my attention; I don’t remem- left over) the meaningful acber any of the things he tions. They avoided a mentioned, but they government shutdown were all impressive, minutes before the cataclysmic, and from witching hour. The a “reliable source.” He payroll tax relief got paused for effect then extended, also at the said they were from last second. The Super the year just ended . .

Committee couldn’t . and not one of them agree on anything exhad happened. His cept they were not “supoint was, I suppose, per.” The bipartisan that we shouldn’t buy Hayden Hollingsworth conversation was tointo the doomsday tally mean-spirited scenario but follow his sugges- on both sides. Of the 80 bills tions for a better way of living. that became law, the vast maLooking back at 2011 has jority of them were trivial. One been done to the point of trite- of the most common was the ness, but I could not resist a few naming of various post offices of my favorites. around the country. The analThe media—can’t live with ogy of Nero and his fiddling them and shouldn’t try to live while Rome burned does not without them. My favorite for seem far off the mark. hype occurred on April 1(apArab Spring--it turned into propriately, the day of fools) summer, fall and now winter. when Terry Jones of Florida The hopes that all would settle had his moment in the spotlight down were never grounded in with threatening to burn the reality. That despots have been Qur’an. The major fool was not removed cannot be undervalMr. Jones, but the media who ued but what will take years nearly started World War III to sort out what will take their with their incessant and hyper- place. For the most part, the bolic reporting. Had it not been United States has been in the for them, no one, not even the background but by no means Muslims, would have given him inconsequential. Without our a moment’s notice. The world support, Libya would never is full of nutcases; we need not have happened. Syria and many award them an international other Arab states are teetering forum. on the brink of radical change Who among us cannot mar- and engaging in killing their vel at the wonders of Congress? own people.

Never has there been a truer We’re out of Iraq and leavcase when all was said and done, ing Afghanistan; the ethnic

Let Us Now Praise Our National Bird

Y

ou're probably get his Living honestly. You a Grenadier of the British thinking it's the may have seen him perched Guards who should presume Bald Eagle. He's on some dead Tree near the to invade his Farm Yard with been on our stuff forever. In River, where, too lazy to fish a red Coat on."

1782, Congress approved a for himself, he watches the But - too late Ben - the design for a Great Labour of the Fish- decision had already been Seal which featured ing Hawk; and when made, and the Turkey had an Eagle, holding that diligent Bird lost out. However, Turkeys in his right talons has at length taken a have proven resilient, and an olive branch Fish, and is bearing more beloved than Eagles in representing peace, it to his Nest for the at least one respect: they sure and in his left talSupport of his Mate are tasty. In the 1960's, while ons 13 arrows repand young Ones, Bald Eagles were being wiped resenting war. That the Bald Eagle pur- out by DDT, Turkeys became symbolism has sues him and ubiquitous. We eat over 45 been constantly takes it from him. Million of them every year.

Mike Keeler updated and inteFor the Truth, the So in that respect you could grated into many of the na- Turkey is in Comparison a say the Turkey IS our nationtion's symbols, including the much more respectable Bird, al bird, at least during the Presidential Seal, and onto and withal a true original holidays. much of our currency. (Over Native of America. He is bethe years, the Eagle's face has sides, though a little vain & Contact Mike at variously been turned to the silly, a Bird of Courage, and info@theroanokestar.com left, or to the right, which would not hesitate to attack has spawned an urban legend that the Great Seal is constantly updated in response I am changing to whether the nation is at the life of a child. war or at peace. Not true.)

So, yeah, the Bald Eagle is officially our bird.

But if you go back to the original version of the Great Seal, you'll find the Eagle Become a Foster Family wasn't rendered very well.

Recruiting 434.836.7909 He looks a little dopey. He's Throughout ALLIANCE HUMAN SERVICES, INC. Virginia a bit of a, um, Turkey. Which caused at least one Founding Father to question whether we'd chosen the right bird.

Ben Franklin, writing a letter to his daughter, said, "For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen Data Transfers Contact Hayden at the Representative of our Training jhayden2003@cox.net Disaster Recovery Country. He is a Bird of bad Wireless Setup and Security moral Character. He does not

cleansing has already started in Baghdad. While I am not in a position to know, many in Iraq say the troop surge had little to do with the decrease in Shiite/Sunni violence. I was told by an army general that a lot of American money changed hands to have them stop killing each other. That it has escalated so quickly after our departure would seem to lend credence to that idea. Sadr City is back in the news.

The world was supposed to come to an end in 2011. . . twice, actually. Of course, we now know that it really will happen on 12/21/2012, according to the Maya calendar. I wonder if the Mayans accurately predicted their own culture’s demise.

There’s even an acronym for the date: TEOTWAWKI—the end of the world as we know it. I am somewhat alarmed that my spellcheck recognizes that as a real word; maybe my computer has an inside track from the Cloud.

Obviously, no one can predict the future although there are plenty who will take your money and give you answers. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that the last year was a mess and 2012 holds potential to be even worse. To end on a note of optimism, each of us should try making our tiny part of the world better. That can’t hurt and, who knows, good things might happen.

I provide a home.

The Preacher’s Corner - The Real Reason for The Work

By Ed Dunnington

"Well, that movie ruined the story! It was nothing like the book." Perhaps you have spoken those words or have heard them from a friend. None of us like having a beloved story or book changed drastically.

Recently I read a story that was "ruined" as a beloved story of its day. Jesus told a story in which the landowner got some workers at 6 am, another group at 9 am, more at noon, then 3 pm and a final group came at 5 pm. When the work day ended, at 6 pm, the landowner paid each worker the same wage, a denarius, the cost of living for a family for a day in the Ancient Near East. (see Matthew 20:116) Jesus actually took a familiar story and changed it. In the 1st century there were several stories in Jewish literature that had the following storyline. A king hired some workman to

work in his vineyard. A particular laborer impressed the king with his skill. As a result, after a couple hours of working, the king pulled him from his post and spent the rest of the day walking and talking with him.

When it came time for everyone to get paid, his laborer received the same wage as everyone else. When the other laborers grumbled the king said, “What cause have you for grumbling?

This man in two hours did more good work than you in a whole day.” (Eccl. Rab 5.11.5; Jer. Ber. 2:5c; Cant. Rab. 6.2.6) Now, you can tell right away how Jesus “messed up” this story. The emphasis is supposed to be the amount of work that a laborer completes. The man gets the same wage BECAUE HE DID THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK. But, this is the antithesis of what Jesus wants us to learn.

1/6/12 -1/12/12 |The Roanoke Star-Sentinel |Page 5

Jesus wants the disciples to understand that their position before God is according to the generosity of God, not according to their work in the vineyard.

Jesus does not NEED the disciples to accomplish His earthly ministry. Jesus calls them to follow Him and in responding to that call, they get the blessing of being a part of His great work of redemption.

In speaking about the last workers’, author, Jerry Bridges writes, “They needed to work more than the landowner needed their work. He hired them, not because of his need, but because of their need. He represents God in His gracious awareness of our needs and His continuous work to meet them.

God calls us to serve Him, not because He needs us, but because we need Him. Then His reward for our service is always out of proportion to our efforts

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace."

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as Jesus said to Peter, “a hundred times as much” (Matthew 19:29).”

As we begin this new year, many of us will strive to do more, read more, pray more, serve more and give more to Jesus in 2012. I pray that it is the desire of many of you - to grow in grace through making use of the means of grace. But my concern is that many of us will do it out of a motivation to earn the Lord's favor this year. This story reminds us to make sure we are rooted in the gospel and that our activity flows out of our understanding of the generosity of God towards His people.

Ed Dunnington is the Senior Pastor at Christ the King Presbyterian Church in Roanoke. Visit their website at www.ctkroanoke. org.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR Roanoke County Starts New Year With New Library Roanoke County opened its first headquarters library in almost 40 years on Wednesday with a brief dedication ceremony. The “South County,” as the new library is called, is located in southwest Roanoke County at 6303 Merriman Road, directly across from Penn Forest Elementary School.

“We’ve listened to what people say they wanted in their new library and incorporated everything and more,” said Diana Rosapepe, Director or Roanoke County Public Libraries.

In addition to plenty of muchneeded elbow room for staff and patrons, South County boasts 223 parking spaces (the 419 Library had 83), a drive-through book pick-up window, afterhours book lockers, a whimsical new children’s area, and a teen center. Patrons can also enjoy a fireplace on either floor. Access to the second floor is either by a wide center stairway or elevator.

The Commons adjoins the library and includes two large meeting rooms, a 200-seat auditorium, the Friends of the Roa-

noke County Public Library gift shop, and a coffee house operated by Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea. There will be drive-through service for the coffee shop as well.

Outdoor seating will be available during the warmer months.

“People need to check the library’s calendar of events for additional programming this month, which includes Civil War historian Bud Robertson, antiques and collectibles dealer Ken Farmer, well- known poet Nikki Giovanni. For more Info visit : www.yourlibrary.us.

Pictured (L-R) Diana Rosapepe, Clay Goodman, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Delegate Greg Habeeb, Butch Church, Charlotte Moore, Richard Flora, -Mike Altizer, Diane Hyatt; and Jim Nelson.

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A Resolution From Your Pharmacist: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet

As the New Year begins, and healthy resolutions are made, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is encouraging Americans to clean out their medicine cabinets. Pharmacists recommend patients clean out their medicine cabinets once a year to dispose of all the unused and expired medications that accumulated over the previous year. This once a year tradition will help keep everyone safe and healthy. Unused medications have the potential to be abused and misused and expired medications can lose their potency thus reducing or providing no value to the condition being treated.

“Over the course of a year, we can accumulate many medications to treat colds, headaches

and infections, as well as more serious conditions,” stated Thomas Menighan, CEO and Executive Vice President, APhA. “These medications play an important role in helping patients obtain better health and wellness, but if we do not store and dispose of them properly, they can become a hazard. When they fall into the wrong hands, these medications have the potential to be abused, and if improperly disposed of, they can harm wildlife, pets and other people. Make sure to talk to your pharmacist about the best storage of medications in your household, the length of time a medication should be kept and the efficacy of that medication past its expiration date.”

Prescription drug abuse is the Nation’s fastest-growing drug

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problem. While there has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs like cocaine, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), show that nearly onethird of people aged 12 and over, who used drugs for the first time in 2009, began by using a prescription drugs non-medically.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse tells us that every day in the US, an average of 2,000 teenagers use prescription medication for the first time without a physician's guidance. The same NSDUH survey found that over 70% of people who abused prescription pain relievers got them from friends or relatives.

Tips for Storing and Cleaning Out Your Medicine Cabinet or Other Medication Storage Areas: · Medications should be stored in a secured area – up, away and out of site of children and teenagers - that has low humidity, a stable temperature and adequate lighting. · Check the date on everything in your medicine cabinet and dispose of anything that has passed the expiration date. · Dispose of anything you have not used in the past 12 months or that you no longer need. Do not share medications with others. · Dispose of medicines that are no longer in their original container, have changed color or odor, or that can no longer be identified. · Do not flush unused or expired medications and do not pour them down a sink or drain.

They should be disposed of properly in the household trash or through your community’s medication disposal program, when available. Talk to your pharmacist or visit www.smarxtdisposal.net for tips on how to properly dispose of your medications.

12/16/11 1:28:36 PM

FROM

The Roanoke Star-Sentinel The Happy Chef

by Leigh Sackett

Pork Wraps with Tomatillo Salsa

Time to start the New Year on the right foot with healthy eating! The first step is to know your weakness. My biggest problem is that I love salty, starchy foods. Another problem I have is I get busy and don’t eat and then by late afternoon I am starving and craving bad things so I tear into some unhealthy stuff.

The answer is to find solutions for your weaknesses or problems. So I have on hand healthy whole grain and rice snacks that help with my snacky, bread and salt cravings.

Secondly, I have begun to eat a good breakfast and lunch so I do not get so hungry that I go after all the bad stuff late in the day.

Of course, all these weaknesses fall under one BIG weakness – LACK OF SELF CONTROL. (Also known as DISCIPLINE - a derivative of the root word “Disciple.”) As much as we may believe and say temperance is a good thing, I don’t see us living that way – we always want more, the fact that the stores open at 6:00 am, the day after Christmas says we are not satisfied with the out of control over-consumption of the previous day.

Practicing temperance and being happy about doing good things for my health may be the best way to fight my weaknesses. Of course, knowing it is the right and good thing to do should be enough, but life is full of easy temptations so we don’t “stick to our guns” very well when we are surrounded by chips and dip. We have to be aware of our natural tendencies to desire more and more and make an intentional effort to foster what our better nature

tells us. Of course this goes for more than just eating habits.

So this year surround yourself with good things - foods that are good for you, good friends who love you, good books, (especially The Good Book!) good times that are meant to be cherished and your good family that God put before you.

Shopping for the right foods and making healthy recipes for your family can be something exciting and new to discover.

Have fun with it - and know that it is a great and rewarding challenge!

Try out this healthy wrap, it is a wonderful and delicious lunch or dinner option.

2 large tomatillos 1/2 cup chopped cucumber 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 pound boneless pork cutlets, cut into thin strips 1 teaspoon ground cumin Cooking spray 2 medium poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips 1 medium onion, vertically

sliced 4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips 1 medium onion, vertically sliced 4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream -Discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Combine tomatillos, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic in a blender. Process until finely chopped, and set aside.

-Sprinkle pork with cumin.

Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot.

Add pork; cook 3 minutes or until no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; keep warm.

-Coat pan with cooking spray; add chiles and onion.

Coat vegetables with cooking spray; cook 4 minutes or until onion begins to brown, stirring frequently.

-Meanwhile, heat tortillas according to package directions.

-Return pork to pan; add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook 30 seconds or until the pork mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

-Divide pork mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each with about 1/3 cup salsa; roll up.

Serve with sour cream.

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WADO-KI KARATE 2012 Fitness Special Get Back In Shape AND Lose Weight

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City Invites Residents to be "Mile Markers" Have you made your New Year's Resolution yet? If not, The Roanoke City Parks and Recreation Department is asking Roanokers to consider participating in the Roanoke 100 Miler program. The format is simple: Log 100 miles worth of exercise in 100 days. Any "human-powered" activity is fair game: walking, running, hiking, biking, paddling, blades, etc. You can't ride horses, and you can't use anything motorized.

"We just want to get people active and outdoors to keep them healthy and fit," says Outdoor Event Specialist Joe Hanning, who's leading the program. Hanning says he prefers that folks try to get outside, but recognizes that some days are just too cold. When that's the case, it's OK to walk at the mall or to use treadmills or exercise bikes.

The Roanoke 100 Miler starts on Jan. 7, 2012, and ends April 15. A kick-off event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 10 a.m. on the Roanoke River Greenway in Wasena Park.

On that day, participants are invited to come out for the announcement of the program's start, and walk across the bridge to Vic Thomas Park where they can log their first mile on the greenway. In the case of inclement weather, the announcement will be held in the Wasena Park shelter.

The program has a nominal fee: $19 if you want an official 100 Miler t-shirt, $9 if you skip the shirt. The preferred way to sign up is via the dedicated website, www.

Roanoke100Miler.com, where you'll find a link to Parks and Rec's ActiveNet enrollment system.

During the program, Hanning will communicate with participants through email messages from "Active Andy" - the official event mascot who will be everyone's exercise buddy for the duration of the program. The messages will offer fitness tips and other information to help keep folks motivated through the winter.

There will be a series of ran-

dom prize drawings throughout the program period. However, prizes will not be linked to mileage benchmarks, since participants will monitor their own progress and can complete the 100 miles at any time.

The Roanoke 100 Miler program is sponsored by Fleet Feet Sports. To learn more, visit www.Roanoke100Miler.com, or contact Joe Hanning at 540853-1276.

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Sports

Is yoursports teampictures, not getting enough coverage?

Send announcements Please and sendstory in yourideas pictures to and relevant subject /info@newsroanoke.com game info and we’ll feature the next week! info@newsroanoke.com - Deadline is 5PM Tuesday.

Cave Spring Downs Salem 58-45 Holiday Basketball Tournaments Showcase Area Teams in River Ridge Opener

Cave Spring senior #33 Amin Abuhawwas makes his move to the basket for 2 of his game-high 19 points against Salem.

Cave Spring used a strong defensive effort along with clutch play down the stretch as the Knights defeated Salem 58-45 in the River Ridge District opener for both teams Tuesday night at Cave Spring.

Cave Spring (8-4) led 3425 at the half, before Salem would cut the lead to four early in the fourth quarter.

The Knights went on a late run to increase their lead to 15, and the Spartans (7-3) never recovered.

Amin Abuhawwas led Cave Spring with 19 points. Conner Baker had a career-high 17 for the Knights.

Alex Light paced Salem with a team-high 15 points.

(Above) Hidden Valley #4 Malik Williams hits a jumper on his way to a careerhigh, 34-point performance in the K-Guard Classic.

(Above) Patrick Henry's #5 Marcus Banks hits a runner in the Patriots's 27-point win over Alleghany. PH's only loss came at the hands of tournament-champion Gar-Field.

(Right) Cave Spring senior #14 Aaron Cupp knocks down a free throw in the last minute of overtime in the Knight's win over Hidden Valley.

By Bill Turner info@newsroanoke.com

Salem 6'4" big-man #54 Alex Light defends against a Cave Northside's #52 Todd Dunbar Spring ballhandler Tuesday night. Light led the Spartan scorconnects on a free throw ing with 15 points. in the Viking's convincing The 6'4" sophomore also add81-56 win over E.C. Glass for

By Bill Turner William Fleming #30 Warren Craft (in white) applies defensive ed 3 blocked shots and 6 rethird place in the Northside info@newsroanoke.com pressure against Gar-Fields #24 Curtis Lovitt in the K-Guard Clasbounds for the Spartans.

Invitational. sic title game won by Gar-Field 58-51 at the Salem Civic Center.

Wild Bill’s Weekly Sports Roundup

It's time for the curtain to rise. High school basketball moved into high gear this week as district competition began.

We'll now separate the pretenders from the contenders as the road to Richmond plays out to the VHSL Final-Four in March.

Over the holidays we got a good look at most teams competing around the area. Here's a look at what went down in the "Wild Bill Big-11."

Gar-Field solidly took home the gold in the K-Guard Holi-

day Classic held at the Salem Civic Center. The Indians defeated William Fleming (2-1 in tournament) in Friday night's championship 58-51. In the three-game format, Salem went 2-1 including the third-place win over Broadway. Patrick Henry finished 2-1, falling only to Gar-Field Thursday night.

Cave Spring (1-2) took seventh place with an overtime win over Hidden Valley (0-3).

Across town, the home court Vikings soundly defeated E.C.

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Glass 81-56 to go 2-1 in the Top-5, changes took place after Northside Invitational, good for Tuesday night's district openthird place. William Byrd (1- ers.

2) won its second game of the #1- Patrick Henry- The Paseason with an overtime vic- triots suffered their first loss of tory over Brookville to capture the season to Gar-Field in the seventh.

K-Guard. PH overcame an early In girl's holiday tournament 22-4 deficit to lead the Indians action, Millbrook dein the second half, feated Salem to capture before slipping down the Big Blue Winter the stretch. PH (9-1) Basketball Tournament looked good in their Championship hosted other tournament wins

by William Fleming. before soundly defeatThe Lady Colonels of ing Franklin County Fleming and Lady Pa62-47 in their Western triots from Patrick Valley opener TuesBill Turner Henry joined Salem as day night. all three teams finished #2- William Flem2-1 in the 8-team event. ing- The Colonels (8-2) held In the six-team Cave Spring tough before falling to GarInvitational round-robin event, Field in the K-Guard title game Hidden Valley and Lord Bote- Friday night. By virtue of their tourt both finished 3-0. North- win over Salem in round-two, side came in at 1-2, while the Fleming moves up one spot Lady Knights of Cave Spring from last week. went 0-3 and are still looking #3- Cave Spring- The Knights for their first win of the season. (8-4) jumped over Salem afIn the boys Wild Bill 'Big-11' ter their 13-point win over the Spartans Tuesday night in the River Ridge opener for both teams. The win evidenced Cave

Spring's strength when they have a full lineup on the court. #4- Salem- Salem (7-3) fared well in the K-Guard, but their 58-45 loss to Cave Spring showed some weaknesses against a good defense. Still, look for Kevin Garst's squad to rattle some cages in the River Ridge. #5-(tie) Hidden Valley and Glenvar- Hidden Valley (55) made amends for a disappointing 0-3 in the K-Guard by opening River Ridge play Tuesday night with a 22-point road win at Blacksburg. Glenvar cracks the Top-5 at 10-4 after their Three Rivers opening win against Auburn.

We close this week with the Wild-Bill Sugar Bowl commentary. The Hokies have nothing to hang their heads over, despite the tough 23-20 overtime loss to Michigan in Tuesday night's overtime thriller.

The spotlight performers were many. Logan Thomas showed his class and savvy at quarterback. Danny Coale was a MVP choice. In this reporter's

opinion, the overtime catch was good. (The Publisher, however, takes the opposing point of view, though Coale gets an A+ for effort as usual.)

Tech backup kicker Justin Myer performed beyond everyone's expectations after an arrest and curfew violation forced the Hokies to go deep in the charts. Congrats to Myers on a Sugar Bowl performance that was very sweet.

On the downside, Beamerball calls were a flop. But it gives hope. Tech can be a major player in college football with these guys if the people in charge give them a chance. They need the scheduling the players deserve to prove their place among college football's elite.

But, as long as the powers that be in Blacksburg schedule the likes of Austin Peay, Western Carolina and Western Kentucky, the Hokie players fight an uphill battle to prove their point to the national media.

By Bill Turner info@newsroanoke.com

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Arts & Culture

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New Book Describes Difficult Family Journey and the Healing Afterwards It was painful, it was cathartic. A couple, married for 13 years with two children, broken apart when one reveals they are gay. Both are members of the clergy, and both remain respectful and loving towards the other. Sounds like a good book, no? Well, it is a new book, one the authors talked about for several years before committing word to paper. Joe Cobb, pastor at the Metropolitan Community Church of the Blue Ridge in southeast Roanoke City, and his ex-wife, Leigh Anne Taylor, a music minister at a Methodist church in Blacksburg, have detailed the aftermath of their marriage and the new bond that formed afterward in Our Family Outing: A Memoir of Coming Out and Getting Through.

Cobb, while in Kansas, revealed to his then-wife that he was gay, after suppressing those feelings for 20 years. Taylor’s world collapsed briefly before she got back on her feet – a trip to the mall to buy a set of clothes she wore once before discarding helped. After another year of marriage, as they waited while Cobb decided who he really was, the couple split. “That year was very much like a roller coaster,” quoted Cobb from his new book.

Their children (Emma and Taylor) were just four and six years old. “I thought he was just depressed, a workaholic,” said Taylor as she read excerpts from “Our Family Outing” at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church earlier this week, as part of the kickoff to a speaker series the church plans to initiate. “I believe I

went into shock.”

Yet even as they signed their divorce papers Cobb – who followed Taylor to Virginia several years after she had relocated to Blacksburg, looking for a new start – said the couple remained committed to each other on many levels, because of the children. One thing helped: “we really just [always] liked each other,” said Cobb.

“We vowed to speak and act in loving ways,” recalled Taylor, who has since remarried. Cobb and his partner are raising two younger children that they have adopted. Taylor even wrote about her dating misadventures with “Bachelor number one,” and the like, drawing chuckles from the audience at the book reading and signing.

The couple was as open and honest as they could be with their young children at the time of their separation. Back then Emma described what had happened to a friend, “he needs to be with a boy the rest of his life,” she explained about her father.

Emma was at the reading on Tuesday night, and said what had happened to their parents helped make them more understanding of others from all walks of life. “Nothing fazes us,” she said.

Helping to complete the circle of understanding and acceptance for Taylor was her presence at the Metropolitan Community Church, which serves the local gay, lesbian and transgender population, among others, when Cobb was ordained as a minister there. She was worried about “that freak

Making Death Fun?

A Commentary on A Recent Taubman Museum Decision

Joe Cobb church,” but found that the people there were “just great folks,” and very accepting. She joined Cobb and others to receive Holy Communion after the ordination ceremony. “That’s where Heaven broke in,” wrote Taylor in Our Family Outing, which will be available on Amazon. com and in the e-reader format.

“I embraced [Joe] for the first time in years.”

Taylor said she didn’t know she and Cobb would wind up writing about their experiences in the same book. It’s told in a back and forth narrative, with each getting their viewpoint across on a particular juncture in their relationship. “It was kind of gutsy,” said Taylor. Since deciding to author the memoir in 2008, the two often met to write and discuss their progress at Mill Mountain Coffee in Salem, “crying into our coffee,” as she put it. “There were some things she wrote that I was completely unaware of,” said Cobb, who believes that people in many family dynamics can gain some valuable insight by reading Our Family Outing.

Rowland B. Lacey’s wife Jane and Son, Edward memorialized by artist Lily Martin Spencer.

Your son, age 6, dies. Two years later your one-year-old boy dies. Bad things come in threes, and just two years later, after your wife gives birth to another boy, infection sets in and takes her life. How would you cope with such loss?

I often wonder how Rowland B. Lacey felt in 1857 when he contacted Lilly Martin Spencer to capture the images of his wife and two sons on canvas. For you see, it was Rowland who lived through the Hell outlined above.

It was Rowland who in 1852 lost his six-year-old son, Edward, and who three years later lost his one-year-old son Henry to dehydration resulting from diarrhea. In 1857, Rowland had

By Gene Marrano to watch his wife pass away after she brought a third son, David, gmarrano@cox.net into the world.

Over the course of 1857, Lilly Martin Spencer memorialized Jane, Edward, and Henry through portraiture. Rowland sent Spencer photographs of his family along with various forms of mourning jewelry for her to use to create the portrait; a portrait that is part of Roanoke, Taubman Museum of Art’s permanent collection. The portrait becomes a smorgasbord of an iconography of death as several objects serve as clear symbols of mourning, including a slightly wilted rose along with two postmortem rings on Jane’s right pointer finger, her mourning bracelet, the flowers in her lace collar, and her brooch. However, the most creative icon of death is found in Edward’s buttons. The buttons on his shirt are roses – some closed, some

open. This is a clear reference to the transience of life.

When glancing at the portrait only two subjects are at first apparent: Jane and Edward. However, in Jane’s brooch is a black and white image of a young boy – it is Henry. This is a reproduction of a postmortem photograph. Rowland had sent to Spencer the brooch that his wife had worn to memorialize their son.

Recently, the Taubman Museum decided to lay the painting to rest in the vault. More noteworthy is that the museum decided to display a contemporary version of the painting in the atrium. I know the person who created this reproduction, and I respect him as an artist and what he has done. The gridding process he used to reproduce the painting is fascinating.

However, two significant elements warrant reflection. First, in the reproduction, the likeness of Henry is lost; it is just a smudge of grey paint. Second, two holes now replace the faces of Jane and Edward. The holes allow individuals to stand behind the work and put their faces in the place of Jane and Edward’s faces. You can take the position of those that Rowland loved so dearly and for whom he turned to art to find comfort in their deaths.

Are these decisions on the part of the museum appropriate? I cannot be the judge as I am personally attached to the painting of Jane, Edward, and Henry. It was my research that uncovered the postmortem elements of the work. But if a museum’s role

Art of Susan Bidwell & Sarah Rutherfoord to Be Featured The Market Gallery featured artists for January 3 through 28 are Susan Bidwell and Sarah Rutherfoord. Patrons can meet the artists and chat at a reception on Friday January 6 during Art

by Night from, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

The artists will provide gallery talks at 6:30 and 7 p.m.

Photographer Susan Bidwell will feature new work that is a result of her quest; “I’m always searching for what I have not yet seen.”

Her new piece, an archival ink jet print, titled, “Blue”, illustrates what Susan is striving to achieve.

Sarah Rutherfoord, painter, printer and mixed media artist, will feature new work through new processes. "I have been experimenting with a new process that utilizes several different ways of making art all incorporated

is to respect the works of art in its collection and to educate the community, then the decision to turn the work into an almost carnival type experience may be out of line with the Taubman’s asserted professional standards related to “meeting all museological and educational standards.”

Ultimately it is up to each person to decide how the painting should be engaged. Perhaps it is fitting at this point to reflect on an excerpt from a letter written to Lilly Martin Spencer in March 1882. In the letter, Mrs. Thomas Brown, a mother who commissioned Spencer to paint a portrait of her deceased daughter, Laura, writes: “You cannot paint her too beautiful for my imagination.

To me she was all that is lovely – a sweet sympathizing friend – sister and daughter, all in one – and I long for the time when I can once more gaze upon those features – silent tho they be. Those eyes will look at me once more. Those lips shall speak tho in tones too soft for mortal ear to hear.

Though silent in body our Spirits are still as one.

God grant your genius may grow brighter, and the conception be a perfect Laura Brown.”

If Rowland cared for his family half as much as Mrs. Brown did for her daughter, how would he feel if he knew the faces of his wife and son were now gone and children and adults were filling those spaces with their faces? If it were your family, how would you feel?

- B. Scott Crawford, Roanoke

“Blue” - by Susan Bidwell into one image."

The Market Gallery, a regional artists’ cooperative, is open 10 am to 5:30 pm Tues - Sat and on Fri night until 9 pm, located at the corner of Wall St and Salem Ave in Roanoke’s historic downtown market.

For additional information call The Market Gallery (540) 342-1177 or visit www.marketgalleryroanoke.com

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Classes held at The Yoga Center 12:45 - 1:45 PM Yoga for Life 2 -Teacher: Debbie Stevens at 1316 B Grandin Road SW Join us for a day of Yoga & Pilates to 2:00 - 3:00 PM Yoga for the Heart benefit the children at St. Jude ChilTeacher: Karen Ughetta dren's Hospital. Give generously.

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Raising Money Savvy Kids

of entrepreneurs get started today from setting up a lemonade stand on the corner to creating smartphone apps, kids are learning the ropes of running a business early. If you have a budding entrepreneur in the family, what can you do to encourage and equip them to take on the challenges of starting and running a business?

Kim Danger, personal finance expert and founder of MommySavers.com, says that even if you’re not a businessminded person, you can help your child or teen grow in this area.

“It’s never too early to start learning about financial matters, whether it’s managing their allowances or starting their own dog-sitting service,” Danger says. “In addition to talking with them about money matters and being a good role model when it comes to finances, there are some things you can do to help them get some real-world business experiences.”

• Take them seriously. If they have an idea for a product improvement or a service they can provide to neighbors, listen to the idea, and ask them questions to help them figure out how to make that idea a reality.

Even if they don’t make a dime, they’ll get a boost in confidence and lessons in planning and critical thinking that will pay off later.

• Don’t do too much. It can be tempting to take over a project and “do it right,” but kids need to learn from mistakes, and to take responsibility for decisions and their consequences. They’ll miss out on those lessons if you do the legwork for them.

• Make sure it’s a labor of love. It’s one thing to come up with an idea to make some

short-term pocket money. But starting a business takes a lot of time and effort, so it needs to be something that they can be passionate about.

Danger says that you can also connect your kids with tools and resources that encourage them to pursue entrepreneurship.

Play — A game such as Nintendo’s Fortune Street for the Wii console lets kids of all ages have fun while making a variety of business and economic decisions.

• As players make investments and face a dynamic stock market, they can experience the thrill of seeing rewards for their smart financial choices.

• By investing in property to influence real estate value, players can enjoy the fun of watching their in-game communities grow and thrive. Find out more at fortunestreet.nintendo.com.

Learn • Junior Achievement (studentcenter.ja.org) has articles, games and videos geared to help young people start their own businesses.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration created Mind Your Own Biz (www.mindyourownbiz.org) to walk stu-

dents through five easy steps to business ownership.

• Yes Kidz Can! (www. yeskidzcan.com) has articles and ideas about Social Entrepreneurism, as well as small grants for kids starting socially minded enterprises.

Experiment • Many kid inventors got their ideas by playing with things like clay, art materials, building-block toys and even computer software. Give them materials to work (and play) with and let their imaginations go.

• The Small Business Administration has resources for students interested in starting their own businesses. Visit www.SBA.org, and go to the Services page for more information.

• There are a growing number of competitions geared for student inventors. Look into the Student Ideas for a Better America contest by the National Museum of Education for students K–12 (nmoe.org/ gallery); The FIRST Robotics Competition for grades 9 to 12 (www.usfirst.org); or any of the Rube Goldberg Machine Contests (www.rubegoldberg. com).

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