Here’s something that happened just outside Salem recently — a night hike up McAfee’s Knob to see the full moon. We have a lovely video of the night hike by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.

The two-time defending state champion Salem High School forensic team will perform at High Point Coffee at Brambleton Plaza on April 8 as a tune-up for the VHSL state competition. For more info about High Point, check out our cut’n'scratch music blog.

The Better Home Expo is at the Salem Civic Center this weekend, so if you’re even thinking about remodeling or adding a luxury onto your home (think hot tub, sun room, or stonework), you shouldn’t miss a chance to compare merchants throughout the Roanoke Valley in one fell swoop.

Considering the cost of gas and that some businesses offer discounts for show attendees, the event might be worth the homeowner’s while. Admission is $5.00, and children 12 and under get in free with an adult. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while Sunday is noon to 5 p.m.

Even if you don’t own a home, you’ll find Closet Organizers, Southern Food Services, and advice from friendly merchants about what kind of improvements cost what when you do eventually nest in your own tree. There are also stone masons, log cabin builders, spa vendors, cabinet and countertop refacers, carpet and wood flooring merchants, banks, realtors, lawn services, home inspectors, and almost anything else you might think of that relates to home improvement.

If you’re looking for something a little more live and charming than sitting on the couch with the dog, cat, or significant other with a video store rental or the latest episode of CSI in a far away metropolitan area, “Blithe Spirit” at Showtimers could save your Wednesday to weekend night sometime in the next two weeks.

Don’t expect for it to bring you back to Roanoke, either: set in the 1930s, a British author’s information gathering during a séance goes awry when the zany Madame Arcati, played by Nancy Lawrence, conjures up his first wife. As if that weren’t enough, Charles and Ruth Condomine (Ruth is his second and current wife) must navigate through polite society as they deal with the unruly and “blithe” ghost of Elvira, played by Cris Emerson. Charles and Ruth Condomine are played by Phil Boyd and Stevie Holcomb, respectively.

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March 26 through April 5 at 8 p.m., April 6 at 2 p.m.: “A Blithe Spirit”, at Showtimers Community Theatre, $12/ticket

April 2-6 at 7:30 p.m.: “The Sound of Music”, at Salem High School, $8 for adults, $5 for children

April 2-5 at 8 p.m.: “Four Dogs and a Bone”, at Roanoke College, $7 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens, mature content and limited seating

Want to act it out yourself???
Auditions for Showtimers “The Boys Next Door”, Saturday, March 29 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, March 30 at 6 p.m. There are roles for seven men and two women ages 20-60.

Is there somebody around Salem or Glenvar acting in a production in the valley or elsewhere? Let us know by e-mailing news@sosalem.com!

Salem City is holding its bi-annual Household Hazardous Waste Day and Latex Paint-Swap on Saturday, April 5. Shred-It of Virginia will also be there to destroy Salem City residents’ documents. It will take place at the Salem Transfer Station, 1300 Indiana Street. Here’s a list of accepted items.

The kids at Loving Daycare Center on Thompson Memorial Drive pedaled, triked, raced and rocked their way around the parking lot at Covenant Community Church to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The children raise donations or earn donations through pledges-per-lap.

The big wheels, tricycles, bicycles, and scooters were lined up and ready to go hours before the event. “My daughter Madisin called me first thing this morning and said ‘Daddy, bring my bike and make sure the training wheels are on!”’ said Shawn Witt.

“We’ve raised $3,500 during the last five years of the trikeathon,” director Jamie Ervine said, “whenever we raise $1,000, that’s enough for four spinal taps for families who can’t afford them.” St. Jude’s doesn’t require families to pay anything further than what their insurance covers, and patients without insurance are never asked to pay.

The kids made sure that the event was complete with wrecks, passes, and restarts. Chip Stephenson even had a pit stop with classmate’s father Randy Mosser and afterschool program instructor as the pit crew.

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Check out The Press Box for more information on Men’s Division III basketball finals held at the Salem Civic Center on Saturday, March 22.

Do you have news about something in Salem or Glenvar or western Roanoke County? A neighborhood event, a school achievement, or other recognition? Share it with us, and your neighbors. Send your community news to: news@sosalem.com

And if you have a photo, send that on, too. We look forward to hearing from you.

Got a favorite photo from Salem or Glenvar or anywhere else in western Roanoke County? A school carnival, a bingo night, a hiking spot? Enter it in our photo contest and maybe win a prize! Email it to photocontest@roanoke.com by Friday, March 28 and you could win a $250 gift card to Best Buy. We’ll select two lucky winners — one adult and one youth. We’ll announce the winners on April 25.

Umm, some other rules: You must include the photographer’s name, address, phone number, email, when and where the photo was taken, plus the story behind the photo in 100 words or less. They must be 200 dpi resolution with the largest dimension measuring at least 10 inches. All photos must have been taken within the last year and must be local. Submitted photos become the property of The Roanoke Times. By entering, you grant the paper and its affiliates the right to publish your photo in any way.