Local news from the New River Valley

Blacksburg police are seeking information in the robbery of a Virginia Tech student.

A female student was robbed about 1 a.m. Saturday while walking alone in the 600 block of Lee Street, police Sgt. Nathan O'Dell said.

The Pulaski Police Department is seeking information about the armed robbery of a delivery truck driver.

The driver reported that he was approached about 12:20 a.m. Saturday by a man with a gun, who demanded that the driver hand over a money bag, according to a police news release.

Two armed robberies hit two restaurants in quick succession Friday night in Pulaski County and the sheriff's office believes the heists were related.

No one was injured in either robbery.

The first stickup occurred about 9:08 p.m. at Troy's restaurant in the Fairlawn section of the county, Sheriff Jim Davis said. The second followed just five minutes later at King Buffet.

A Giles County woman was taken to the hospital after striking a utility pole guy wire with her vehicle early Saturday morning, Blacksburg police said.

Sgt. Nathan O'Dell said that Blacksburg police, along with fire and rescue crews, responded to the crash at North Main Street and Mt. Tabor Road at 12:10 a.m.

| Anna L. Mallory

anna.mallory@roanoke.com, 381-8627

PEARISBURG -- Cathy Webb gathered her youngest student, 3-year-old Sam, to a corner of the classroom for an individual lesson in establishing patterns and motor skills.

1999 (10 years ago)

"The New River Valley Speedway is recruiting its race drivers and their crews to help provide Christmas toys for youngsters who might not otherwise receive them."

"[Dennis] Sayers and [John] Giesen have exclusive production rights to make shirts and hats highlighting 'Beamer Ball,' the catchy phrase coined by radio announcer Bill Roth, the Voice of Virginia Tech Football, to describe Tech football." They own Eleven West screen printing studio in Radford.

Roanoke police are investigating an apparent murder attempt that occurred Saturday morning in the 1700 block of Melrose Avenue Northwest.

No injuries resulted.

The "shots fired" call went out to police about 10:20 a.m.

| Sharla Bardin

sharla.bardin@roanoke.com, 381-1669

Construction is expected to start in January for 70 townhomes on Peppers Ferry Road in Montgomery County that will be partially funded by stimulus funds.

Christiansburg

What: Town council

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Municipal Building, 100 E. Main St.

On the agenda: The council will review the town's contract for transit services with Blacksburg Transit, as well as fees and hours of operation for the aquatics center.

Students at Elliston Lafayette Elementary School, Shawsville Elementary School and Christiansburg Primary School received vaccines against H1N1 this week. Joni Underwood, Montgomery County's school health coordinator, said that although school officials had originally thought the limited number of vaccines would preclude that, the health department did have additional vaccines they rounded up from no-shows in other counties.

| Mary Hardbarger

mary.hardbarger@roanoke.com, 381-1679

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Even though Halloween was a day away, a number of ghouls and goblins were spotted Friday running around the New River Valley.

Work began this week on a new Pulaski County tourism initiative that focuses on sprucing up two major thoroughfares.

According to a news release Friday from Pulaski County Administrator Pete Huber, the improvements focus on the medians along Virginia 100 and 11 and are 10 years in the making.

| Amy Matzke-Fawcett

amy.matzke.fawcett@roanoke.com, 381-1674

BLACKSBURG -- For anyone who has wanted one of the painted Hokie Bird statues around Blacksburg but thought they were a little too big or too pricey, now is your chance.

The Roanoke Times | File June

| Sharla Bardin

sharla.bardin@roanoke.com, 381-1669

BLACKSBURG -- A piece of campaign literature being distributed in Blacksburg has upset some of the 143 people listed as supporters of a four-person slate of town council candidates.

| Tonia Moxley

tonia.moxley@roanoke.com, 381-1675

The Radford University Student Government Association has joined the chorus of faculty and alumni asking President Penelope Kyle to remedy ongoing problems with "mismanagement" and "miscommunication" on sensitive issues.

| Anna L. Mallory

anna.mallory@roanoke.com, 381-8627

If you head to the Trail of Terror and Haunted Barn in Riner this weekend, you might want to take a change of clothes.

| Amy Matzke-Fawcett

A 2001 Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets graduate was killed Monday in Afghanistan, the fourth member of his cadet class killed since their graduation.