Ken Cuccinelli

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is giving several veterans support programs the campaign funds he received last year from an alleged identity thief who ran a suspect veterans charity organization.

Cuccinelli said today he is distributing $55,700 to “outstanding programs where we know the money will make a positive impact and benefit veterans and their families around the commonwealth.” The programs include the Virginia Veterans Care Center in Salem and the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin.

Michael Sluss has more on this story.

We have the full text of Cuccinelli’s statement on the Blue Ridge Caucus political blog.

Here is information from Mike Stevens, City of Salem communications director:

The Salem Fire & EMS Department responded to a mobile home fire [in the 1000 block of] West Riverside Drive this morning, at approximately 10:34 a.m. The home was evacuated when fire crews arrived, but an occupant was taken to the hospital for medical evaluation. The patient was transported to Lewis Gale Hospital by a Salem Fire & EMS ambulance. Firefighters did find a cat inside of the mobile home, but efforts to revive the cat were unsuccessful.

The first units arrived within six minutes of receiving the call and found flames and smoke coming from the building. The fire was brought under control within five minutes, but the mobile home did suffer extensive damage.

Approximately 18 personnel from the Salem Fire & EMS Department (Engine 1, Engine 3, Medic 801 & Medic 803) and the Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department (Medic 91) responded to the call.

The fire remains under investigation by the Salem Fire & EMS Fire Marshal’s Office. The mobile home has been determined to be a total loss.

Ellen Weaver was a more-than-capable pitcher for the Salem Spartans varsity softball team, graduating this spring. In the spring of her junior year, she signed to play for the University of Kentucky. Her dad, Mike, sends us these photos. He said:

“She pitched during an intra-squad scrimmage and against Georgetown College.  She struck out the first two batters she faced. – so not a bad start.”

Do you have pictures of Salem/Glenvar/Catawba folks doing interesting or wonderful things in other localities? You can definitely share them with So Salem – email them to news@sosalem.com to see them posted here and in an upcoming edition.

The Salem 49ERS+ Club is hosting a Fall Bazaar from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 16 at the Salem Senior Center at 110 Union Street.

Crafts, Handmade jewelry and soaps, Pampered Chef, wood crafts, Premiere Jewelry, a bake sale, food, and more will be there! Contact the Salem Senior Center for more information at 375-3054.

Submitted by Mike Stevens

The Odyssey Fall Finale Sprint Adventure Race will be a great for Moms, Dads, Sons, Daughters, & Couples in the mist of peak fall foliage in Southwest VA on Saturday, October 16 starting off at the Buchanan Fairgrounds.

This six-hour event will be a fun, bonding experience with a little mud (rain depending, it could be a lot of mud), sweat and cheer. If you are in good physical condition, have a good pair of running shoes, paddling skills and a mountain bike, then you are ready. It will be a great time in the beautiful outdoors. Parts of the course will be marked, but some map and compass skills will be required.

Teams looking for a more challenging course option will be able to get their fill also. There will be different cutoff times at different points in the race to lengthen the course. The teams that make the cutoff times will be allowed to do a longer trail run and a longer, more technical mountain bike. Minimum age 12 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

The navigation will be very minimal for this event.

The Odyssey Fall Finale Sprint Adventure Race is part of the Checkpoint Tracker National Point Series, with points being awarded to all division.

Total distance= 25-30 miles

Mt. biking- 15-18 miles (gravel and hard surface road)

Hiking/Trail Running- 5-7 miles (single track and gravel road)

Paddling- 5 miles (Class I and II rapids) (for the 24-hour event)

For more information, visit www.oarevents.com or call Ronny Angell at 444-4422.

Registration for the longer 24-hour event ends tomorrow, Friday, October 1. Registration for the 6-hour event closes out next Friday, October 8.

Click here to read a story that So Salem wrote about Salem resident Ronny Angell and how he got involved adventure racing.

You can help earn a nonprofit group some money and feel good about picking up trash from Roanoke area rivers on Saturday. Through a challenge grant with City Works Foundation, nonprofits and charities can earn $18 per volunteer and per bag of trash to go toward their cause!

One such group is Kids Adventuring in the Valley (a.k.a. by their acronym, KIVA). It’s a free monthly family nature club for families in the Roanoke Valley coordinated by Salem couple Chip and Ashley Donahue.

They’ll start at 9 a.m. on Mason Street in Salem (just across Rt. 419 from the start of Green Ridge Road). Contact them at kivainfo@gmail.com to let them know if you plan to join (so they can plan to have enough snacks coffee for everyone!)

There will also be a celebration for clean-up teams all over the Roanoke Valley at Wasena Park after the morning’s trash pick up.

You can also go to CleanValley.org to get more information from the Clean Valley Council.

The Catawba Valley Farmers Market is held every Thursday from 3:30 to 7 p.m. and is located across the road from the Homeplace Restaurant and in the empty grassy lot next to the Catawba Valley General Store. Here’s a report from Christy Gabbard, the director of the Catawba Sustainability Center:

Don’t let the rain discourage you – Catawba Valley Farmers Market will be open today! Come out and support your local producers. They are out working rain or shine to supply you with food!

At the market you’ll find many delicious items:

Meat: grassfed beef, local lamb, and sliced country ham — this is enough protein for breakfast, lunch and dinner! ((See some this weeks recipes below that use ground lamb and country ham! MMM MMMM Good!))

Vegetables: cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, greens, herbs, and more

Fruit: Apples and Pears

Honey

Canned peppers, beets, and other delicious treats; Tamales, chimichangas, humus, and fabulous salads; Beautiful cut flower bouquets to brighten any rainy day

You gotta grab some of Ann’s Big, Beautiful Fall Mums available in a variety of colors. These mums make any porch a beautiful haven for relaxation!

Submitted by Christy Gabbard Director, Catawba Sustainability Center

Salem and Roanoke County have been placed under a flash flood warning until 1 p.m as heavy rain continues to pound the Roanoke Valley.

We have more details on Kevin Myatt’s Weather Journal blog.

What are conditions in your part of Salem? You can leave comments below or share photos at news@sosalem.com.

John Long

We don’t normally link to things on The Roanoke Times’ editorial page, but today is an exception.

We call your attention to the column that John Long, director of the Salem Museum, has about the museum’s recent expansion.

And, while we’re at it, we direct your attention to our Official Guide to the Salem Museum, which arrived in your Sept. 17 issue of So Salem, and remains online in this nifty format.

Speical Thanks to all these supporters who helped make Olde Salem Days a big success.

From the Rotary Club of Salem: Read more »