The Virginia Department of Foresty sends out this advisory:

Salem Area Faces High Threat (Class 3 of 5) of Wildfires

Officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) have raised the wildfire threat level to Class 3 (High) for tomorrow in Southwest Virginia. Low humidity and drought conditions (approaching 700 on an 800 scale) were factors in the decision.

The area has been in an extended period of drought; no rainfall associated with Hurricane Irene fell in this area. Under Class 3 conditions, fires start easily from most causes and can spread rapidly.

Following these points can help reduce the risk of a wildfire and help firefighters suppress a fire that does occur on your land.

• Instead of burning leaves, compost them in the fall;
• If you must burn leaves, trash or other debris, obey all laws and restrictions; clear an area around your burn pile, and keep burn piles small;
• Always have a shovel and a fully charged water hose on hand before lighting your fire;
• Never burn if the wind is in excess of 10 mph and/or is blowing toward your home or your neighbor’s;
• Plan, discuss and practice an escape plan with your family and your pets, and
• Call 911 and report your fire right away.

“Extended dry periods in late summer always keep our attention,” said John Miller, director of resource protection. “We’re concerned about this potential threat heading into our fall fire season, which is expected to be a little earlier this year due to the drought conditions.” Virginia’s official Fall Fire Season extends from October 15 to November 30 each year.

Garbage collection will be delayed by one day for all routes for the Labor Day holiday. Please contact the Solid Waste Division at 387-6225 for any questions regarding the collection schedule.
Date:
September 5- September 9
Time:
7:00 AM-5:00 PM

Submitted by Roanoke County

Roanoke Moose Family Center #284 is hosting an MDA fundraiser featuring The Worx Band Saturday September 24, 2011 @ 9:00pm until 1:00am.
This event is open to the public. Minors welcome with adult supervision. $15 per person in advance or at the door. Seating is limited and is first come first serve.
This is not a BYOB event but, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Members are welcome to bring their favorite spirits to the Social Quarters.
Camping is available to non-members for this event with no hookups for the small fee of $10.
Plan to come out and help us raise some money for The MDA Assoc. of SW & Central Virginia.
This is going to be a blast and for a great cause!!!

The address for the Roanoke Moose Family Center is: 3233 Catawba Valley Drive Salem Virginia 24153

Submitted by Paul Lee

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country. In recognition of this occasion, on Sunday, Sept. 11, the public safety departments of the Roanoke Valley will host a regional remembrance ceremony in downtown Roanoke.  This is an opportunity for residents of the Roanoke Valley to come together and reflect on the events of 9/11, and remember those who were lost on that day.

Beginning at 4 p.m., public safety displays will be located on downtown streets near Market Square including fire trucks, patrol cars, armored vehicles, and tactical vehicles. Police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and EMS personnel will be on hand to talk with citizens about how 9/11 has changed public safety practices. In addition, memorial videos depicting those lost on 9/11 will be available for viewing. A formal ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. in the Market area with U.S. Congressman Bob Goodlatte as the keynote speaker, and remarks from representatives of participating localities. In addition, the ceremony will include the presentation of colors from a joint color guard and patriotic music.

This regional event is being coordinated by Fire and Rescue, Police, Sheriff, and Public Information staff from the Cities of Roanoke and Salem, the Town of Vinton, and Roanoke County. Invitations to participate have also been extended to neighboring counties.

To accommodate the displays and the ceremony, the following downtown streets will be closed:
• Campbell Avenue, between Jefferson Street and Williamson Road,
• Market Street, between Salem Avenue and Church Avenue,
• Wall Street between Salem Avenue and Campbell Avenue, and
• Kirk Avenue, at Market Street.

Free parking will be available in city garages including Market Garage at 25 Church Ave., and Tower Garage at 10 S. Jefferson St. The Center in the Square Garage will not be accessible to the public. For more downtown parking information, visit www.roanokeva.gov/parking

The event will be held rain or shine, with a rain location at the Roanoke Civic Center. For more information about the event, please contact City of Roanoke Public Information Officer Melinda Mayo at 540-853-6357 or at melinda.mayo@roanokeva.gov; or Roanoke County Director of Public Information Teresa Hall at 540-772-2010 or at thall@roanokecountyva.gov.

From The Roanoke Times’ High School roundup of games last night, Tuesday, August 30:

“Glenvar def. Craig County 25-24, 24-25, 25-18, 25-15.

“Lexi Trinchere’s five aces, 17 assists and seven digs led the host Highlanders (2-1) over the Rockets (0-3) in four games. Heather Harris had four aces, eight kills, 18 digs and two blocks for Glenvar, while Holly Wilkes added six blocks. Morgan Bass had 23 assists, and Holly Broughman had 12 kills for Craig County.”

Anyone got photos? You can share at news@sosalem.com or use the “share” tool at right to upload 10 at a time.

Family Affair photo from kathygarver.com

Kathy Garver, who is best-known for playing Cissy on the classic CBS sitcom “Family Affair,” will co-star in a special, one-time-only performance of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play “Love Letters” in Salem, Virginia on Friday, September 9, at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology.

Proceeds from the show will benefit BCAT’s Center for Performing Arts, a four-year, advanced performing arts-focused educational program of the Roanoke County Public Schools.

“Love Letters” centers on two lifelong friends reflecting on their hopes, ambitions, dreams and disappointments, while reading letters, notes and cards they wrote over the course of 50 years. Garver will play the character Melissa Gardner, opposite Roanoke-based actor Chuck Lionberger as Andrew Makepeace Ladd III.

“This is a wonderful play that gives the audience an insight into the relationship of two people, communicated in a way not often experienced,” Garver said. “Love letters are very personal, and sometimes depict the best representation of feelings that cannot be expressed face-to-face. In many ways, it is more honest and telling.”

“We have had celebrities help us with fundraisers before, but I’m really excited to be working with Kathy,” Lionberger said. “I remember watching her on ‘Family Affair,’ so it’s a thrill and an honor to perform on stage with her.”

During her lifelong career in Hollywood, Garver has provided character voices for many children’s animated TV series and narrated many audio books. She has also appeared in a long list of TV shows and movies, including “The Ten Commandments,” “Matlock,” “New Love, American Style,” “Adam 12,” “The Patty Duke Show” and many more. Recently, she finished shooting the soon-to-be released family Christmas film “Santa’s Dog,” with Shorty Rossi of the popular Animal Planet series “Pit Boss.” In the film, Garver co-stars as Sister Augustus, a nun at an orphanage where a priest, played by Rossi, also works.

While in the Roanoke Valley, Garver will sign copies of her book, “The Family Affair Cookbook,” on September 10 at Olde Salem Days, one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in Virginia. She will also teach acting and voiceover workshops at the BCAT Center for Performing Arts and at William Byrd High School in Vinton, Virginia. On Monday, September 12, she will be interviewed on the premier of the new talk show “Daytime Blue Ridge” on WSLS-TV, with hosts Mike Wilson and Natalie Faunce, from 12 – 12:30 p.m. The station, an affiliate of the Me TV network, airs “Family Affair” reruns.

“Love Letters” will be performed at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology, 1760 Boulevard, Salem on Friday, September 9 at 7:30 p.m. (with dinner at 6 p.m.) Tickets are $20, and can be purchased at the door.

*For reservations, call 890-3090 or email cwebster@rcs.k12.va.us.

*More information about Olde Salem Days is available at www.oldesalemdays.org.

Submitted by Chuck Lionberger, Roanoke County Public Schools

This weekend is your last chance to visit Splash Valley in 2011. Take the family on Saturday, Sunday or Monday and save your receipt to redeem it for a one time FREE admission to Green Ridge Recreation Center. Valid now through September 30.

Submitted by Roanoke County Parks and Rec

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (08/26/2011)(readMedia)– Marshall T. McClung, H-SC Class of 2011 and a native of Salem, VA, joined the admissions staff as Assistant Dean of Admissions in July 2011.

McClung graduated with a B.A. in Religion. As a student at H-SC he served as a Head Resident Advisor, as an investigator for the Student Court, and as a writer for the student newspaper, The Hampden-Sydney Tiger. He was a member of the Garnet & Grey Society (Admissions Office tour guide) and was a member of the social fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha. McClung will recruit in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Do you have a pre-teen or teen? How connected do you feel to your teen? Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare is offering a FREE program, Staying Connected to your Teen. This is a 6 session evidenced-based program designed to give parents the opportunity to come together with other parents of teens and enhance the skills needed to help their teens successfully navigate through adolescence. This is a free program offered to anyone in the Roanoke Valley. We currently have two upcoming opportunities to participate; Tuesday evenings beginning September 13-October 18 from 6-8pm and Fridays form 11:30am-2:00pm beginning October 21-November 18. Please call Ashley Hatcher at 540-982-1427 ext 2132 or e-mail acable@brbh.org to register or for more information.

Submitted by Ashley Cable Hatcher