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Sarah Palin's book tour will bring her to Roanoke on Nov. 22 -- but her stop will be at the Valley View Barnes and Noble, not the one at Tanglewood.

We have details here.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate is on a nationwide book tour to promote her book, "Going Rogue." The Associated Press reports today that one of her confirmed stops in Roanoke -- and that many of her appearances are associated with the Barnes and Noble chain.

Barnes and Noble has two stores in Roanoke -- one at Tanglewood, one at Valley View.

So will we see the former Alaska governor at Tanglewood?

We're working on getting details about Palin's visit. When we find out more, we'll let you know.

Until then, here's what we know.

Courtesy of Brian Quakenbush

The Cave Spring high school bands conducted by Brian Quakenbush, will be presenting their Fall Concert performance titled “An American Music” concert on Monday, November 16th.  Both the Concert and Symphonic bands will be playing in the Cave Spring auditorium at 7pm and admission is free.

Pieces being performed are by American composers or arrangers.  Selections will include;

The Light Eternal                                                        James Swearingen

American Riversongs                                                         Pierre La Plante

Hymnsong Variant                                                                 Robert W. Smith

Celebration and Song                                                            Robert Sheldon

America the Beautiful                                          Samuel Ward arr. Carmen Dragon

Liturgical Dances                                                                   David Holsinger

an American Elegy                                                        Frank Tichelli

Bayou Breakdown                                                         Brant Larrick

In the Temple of Zion                                                           Steven Reinike

Hunter Kopczynski is a student intern from Virginia Tech and he will be conducting a few of these selections on the concert.

The fall concert is being given to bring attention to needs of the school’s bands for instruments and refurbishment of older instruments being used by the performers.  Many students share instruments from Concert to Symphonic band.  Often many are not able to practice at home due to shortage of school owned instruments.  So, a lot of time is spent in class to perfect individual musical responsibilities.  Donations will be accepted for these purposes.

Submitted by Brian Quakenbush

ROANOKE – Meg Swecker, instructional technology resource teacher for Roanoke County Public Schools, has received the 2009 Virginia Technology Leadership Award from the Virginia Department of Education.  Swecker also was recognized as the Region Six Educational Technology Leadership Award winner. The awards were presented Oct. 30 during the annual Educational Technology Leadership Conference in Richmond.

The Educational Technology Leadership Awards, presented annually, acknowledge outstanding school division leadership in education technology planning and implementation. Division superintendents in each of VDOE’s eight study regions select individuals for the award. Recipients are chosen for their success in helping school divisions improve teaching and learning through the use of instructional media and technology.

“Meg is completely committed to teaching technology to our students,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Director of Technology, Dr. Jane James.  “She strives to help teachers integrate technology into everyday lessons to enhance and expand learning,” James said.

Submitted by Roanoke County Schools

Karin Cole. Photo by Kylee Brown

Karin Cole was not one to hurry off to college after graduating high school.  As a young adult, she was working, driving her own car and thinking, “life is good.”  It was not until she became a parent that she realized her life was passing her by.

“I realized if I was ever going to have a chance to have anything, I needed to go to college,” Cole said.  That is when she decided to start taking classes at Virginia Western Community College.

The thought of going back to school some years down the road intimidated her at first.  “I was scared to death when I walked into the admissions office,” she said.  “I knew I wanted to make a change but I didn’t know how.”

While taking classes, Cole received a work study position in the admissions office, which little did she know at the time, would lead her to where she is today, working at the college full time for her eleventh year.

Looking back on it, she said, “Virginia Western opened a good door for me.  Everything happened for me here.”

Cole’s current position is the office manager for the Admission’s Office.

“I oversee the daily operations and I do a lot of troubleshooting with students to try to resolve problems before students have to see the Dean or Registrar,” she said.  “If other coworkers need help doing something I try and help them.  It is rare that you’ll see me without something going on,” she added.

She enjoys interacting with students most.  Her position gives her the opportunity to relate to students and help them.

“I like it when the students know they can talk to me.  If they (students) leave and they feel good and excited about their future, then I’ve done my job,” she said.  “I have seen more than one person literally scared to death about going to college.  It took everything in them to come to college and they need somebody to reassure them,” said Cole.  After speaking with admissions and receiving guidance from college counselors,“They leave excited.  I remember what that feels like.  That keeps me grounded sometimes,” she added.

In May, Cole won the Virginia Community College Association Showcase Award (VCCA).  The competition invites each college in the Virginia Community College System to select a faculty and a staff employee who has done an outstanding job.  Virginia Western employees nominated Cole and she won the staff showcase award.

“I am very proud of that.  It means a lot to me,” she said.

She will receive the award at the VCCA convention at the Hotel Roanoke in October.

Cole lives on Grandin Road with her two sons, ages 16 and 12.  She has been in her current home for three years but lived in the Grandin area for almost 20 years.

“I really like it,” she said.

Between working and taking care of the boys, she likes to scrapbook.

“I don’t do it as much as I would like to but I enjoy it,” she said.

She is also a NASCAR and football fan.  Her team is the Carolina Panthers.

Her ambition is to raise her children and see them go to college.  She plans to continue her career at Virginia Western.

“I’ve been here for so long I can’t imagine going anywhere else,” she said.

She also hopes to learn and grow in her position.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and hospices across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about important care issues for people coping with life-limiting illness.

“Every year, more than 1.4 million people living with a life-limiting illness receive care from hospice and palliative care providers in this country,” said J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. “These highly-trained professionals don’t only provide quality medical care. They work to make sure patients and families find dignity, respect, and love during life’s most difficult journey.

Hospice is more than traditional healthcare. Hospice and palliative care programs provide pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support, and spiritual care to patients and their families when a cure is not possible. Hospice and palliative care combines the highest level of quality medical care with the emotional and spiritual support that families need most when facing the end of life.

*** In recognition of National Hospice Month, Good Samaritan Hospice will host information tables at TanglewoodNew River Valley malls throughout the month of November (every Tuesday from 9 a.m. – noon) to help people learn more about hospice and palliative care.  Representatives will available to answer questions about advance directives and other end-of-life issues.  Good Samaritan Hospice is committed to bringing important information to this area and will join with organizations across the nation hosting activities that celebrate this unique system of support.

Additional information about hospice, palliative care and advance care planning is available from Good Samaritan Hospice by calling 776-0198 (Roanoke), 381-3171 (New River Valley) or by visiting www.goodsamhospice.org.

Submitted by: Cindy Hagerman, Director of Community Relations

Republican Bill Cleaveland won a seat in the House of Delegates Tuesday night, succeeding Del. William Fralin, R-Roanoke, who retired. He represents three precincts in Southwest Roanoke County; House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, represents the rest.

Here's video from Cleaveland's victory party last night that shows the two together. We also have this photo gallery of election scenes which includes several shots of Cleaveland and Griffith.

We have more election news and analysis here.

The girls soccer team U12 Crush recently took 3rd place in the County Classic Tournament held at Green Hill Park in Salem.
Ali Sharpe,Amanda Boris, Taylor Jeffrey,Laura Bailey,Christy Goldsmith,Laurel Harris,Jessica Foster,Audrey Kidd, Abby Svec,Lily Flick,Julia Mays, Molly Kwitny
Back Row:
Coach Joe McNamara, Satfeya Ahmed and ;Coach Dan McKinney.
Submitted by: Gwen Jeffrey

With all but the absentee votes counted, Republican Ed Elswick holds a strong led over Democrat Sarah Goodman for the Windsor Hills seat on the Board of Supervisors:

Elswick: 3,693
Goodman: 2,662

We have complete results here.

With 5 of 7 precincts reporting, Republican Ed Elswick leads Democrat Sarah Goodman in the race for Windsor Hills supervisor:

Elswick: 3,422
Goodman: 2,574