2011 was a good year for Salem, with the official groundbreaking of a Chik-fil-A to boot!

Three years ago, So Salem was in its first year, and I got a phone call I’ll probably never forget. It was from a reader who wanted a Chik-fil-A in Salem, and he sincerely demanded that I should do something about it. That’s just a small taste of the flack I’m sure the city planning department (in photo at left) has taken over the years for not landing a location for the popular chicken business to roost at in Salem. The location in front of the K-mart is scheduled to open in April 2012.

Here’s my top 5:

1) Chik-fil-A and many other businesses have opened in Salem this year, during a time when economic gloom and doom still lurk frequently around the doorsteps and chimneys of many communities. Billy’s Barn has been in the news for its appropriately-timed Father’s Day opening (an ode to grandfather Billy Miles) and then for the HVAC fire that sidelined them in November. They plan on re-opening around Jan. 10.

2) The quick (approx. 6 month) turnaround from beginning to end of fundraising and construction of the Salem Rotary Dog Park. Dogs are not allowed in most, if not all, of the city parks. Salem’s special projects manager Teri Atkins raised the funds needed: Salem Rotary donated a large amount, earning the park’s naming rights, but dog owners and other individuals contributed lots of funds, too. One contributor was Emma Bradley, a kid who set up a lemonade stand to raise money for the dog park. Since then, volunteers have continued to update the park – boy scout Cody Brown recently installed his Eagle Scout project of a shelter that covers the small and large sections of the park.

3) Technology gains for the city have been big in 2011:
-The Salem Police Department and Salem dispatch center got a new set of software to communicate with more efficiently and on the move (story to come)
-Shoppers at the Salem Farmers Market can withdraw funds from their EBT or debit cards (fee applies for debit cards) when the red umbrella is up… look for this program to begin again in spring 2012
-Roanoke College and Salem City partnered to bring public Wi-Fi service to the downtown area and to the Salem Civic Center’s campus
-The city recently purchased financial planning software for a bookkeeping upgrade. Here’s the link
-You can now sign up for the city’s Instant Alert system, too, for important updates via mobile phone and email.

4) State wins for athletic and academic teams:
-Salem High Forensics won its sixth-straight-State Championship, proving that Salem’s not all brawn, but has plenty of brains, too.
-Salem boys tennis: Not only did the whole team win the state title, but Patrick O’Keefe SHS grad ’11won an unprecedented fourth-straight-state title in singles. O’Keefe and Will Drougas advanced to the state title match, too, but placed second. Glenvar’s Tim Howard took second place in state singles tennis.
-Jake Semones won the state title in the 215 lb.weight category in State AA Wrestling
-If I left anybody out – apologies!!! So many teams in Glenvar and Salem had great seasons in 2011.

5) New schools and – a new library!
-Masons Cove Elementary began the school year with a brand-new school! The old one was heated by coal, and the new one has green technology all-around!
-South Salem Elementary, dubbed “the round school,” was built in the 1960s with a mind towards nuclear safety. Salem city schools will replace the entire building, and they are currently in the planning phase of the project. Here’s another link to Courtney Cutright’s story on the public’s reaction at the first hearing back in October. (Salem city council instituted a meals tax increase of 2%, from 4 to 6 percent, that will take effect 2/1/12 to help pay for the project)
-The Glenvar community bade farewell to its small box of a library in October. With construction underway now, Roanoke County hopes to open an updated library with 3x the space (15,000 sq ft!) sometime in fall 2012.

This year has been another great one for So Salem – thanks again a million times over to the communities of Salem and Glenvar for their support of this community newspaper.

When people ask me to describe what it is that we do here, one of my favorite ways to explain it is that “So Salem is a ‘for the people, by the people’ kind of publication.” We couldn’t do it without you!

So, if you have news or story tips, or if you want to send photos of family fun, sports, or anything else going on in Salem or about Salem/Glenvar people, contact us at news@sosalem.com. Every Wednesday morning from 9 to 11 a.m., I am at the Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea on East Main St. in Salem for office hours – so stop on by then with your news or story ideas if you’d like!

-Miranda Beck

PS. Here’s my contact info: 540-981-3342; miranda.beck@sosalem.com

And, if you haven’t already, “like” us on Facebook. We link up with our most interesting and important content on our So Salem Facebook page.

Annie Lin sends us these photos of Ye Old Salem Christmas:

“The holiday is coming. First, my son, Jerry and I went to the senior center in Salem for breakfast with Santa. We paid at the door. Jerry enjoyed his scrambled egg, biscuit, donut and drinks. We saw teenage student who volunteers came to service food and drinks. After eating, we had a picture with Mr. Santa and Mrs. Claus. Mrs. Claus said “Jerry, come here”. Jerry showed his silly Christmas tree hat to them. We had fun at breakfast with Santa.

Then we went to Downtown Salem. We saw Q-bear in Salem library. At farmers market, we rode in a model T-car. We also saw a giant Santa hanging at top of a store building.

Finally, we went to the Gingerbread Festival at Longwood park. There were vendors at the parking lot. Gingerbread houses were exhibited inside of the building. We saw that people had made wonderful. beautiful Gingerbread houses. I wish I could do it too, but we enjoyed it.

Fun, fun, and fun Ye Olde Salem Christmas. We have been to the event most every year and there is always something new, something different, every year. “

Barbara and Steve Krzysko

Barbara Krzysko sends us this photo: “Steve and I celebrated our 45th anniversary on 12-23-11 with dinner at Carlos Brazilian Restaurant.”

Roanoke County Solid Waste Division will collect Christmas Trees the week of January 2, 2012. Please have undecorated trees to the curb by 7 a.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2012. Trees will be collected by the end of the week. Trees may be collected before your actual garbage collection day, so please have the trees to the curb by that Tuesday morning. If you should miss the special collection, please place your tree to the curb on your regularly scheduled bulk/brush day. If you have any questions, please call 387-6225.

- Submitted by Roanoke County

The Salem Business Guide is now open. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Dec. 15.

Here is the press release from The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce:

The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for the Salem Business Guide on Thursday, December 15, 2011. They are located at 103 East Main Street, Salem.  Members of the community and the Chamber of Commerce joined Debbie Collins, owner/publisher, to celebrate this added value component to the Salem Phone book.

The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce their Board of Directors and Officers for 2012:

Lew Bishop, President, National College

Matthew Churchill, 1st V.P. A, Wells Fargo

Dave Prosser, Treasurer, Freedom First Federal Credit Union

Debbie Kavitz, Secretary & Executive Director Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce

Compton Biddle, Past President, Osterhoudt Prillaman Natt Helscher Yost Maxwell & Ferguson

Adam Bruce, Yokohama Tire

Stephanie Garst, Roanoke College

Anne Marie Green, Roanoke County

Carey Harveycutter, Salem Civic Center

Penny Hodge, Roanoke County Schools

Denise King, Land Records Research, LLC

Dharmendra Patel, Comfort Suites

Sean Pressman, Kissito Healthcare

John Shaner, Salem Parks & Recreation

Todd Stephenson, Salem Red Sox

Wayne Strickland, Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission

Donna Tatum, The Renick Group

Dan Toti, BB&T

Charlotte Tyson, LewisGale Regional Health System

Leesa Wilcher, WSLS

Mava Wingate, OneBeacon Insurance

Carl York, Kroger Mid-Atlantic

Submitted by Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce

Garbage collection will be delayed by one day for all routes for the New Year’s Day holiday. Please contact the Solid Waste Divisioin at 387-6225 for any questions regarding the collection schedule.

- Submitted by Roanoke County

One hundred Bluefield College seniors accepted diplomas during the school’s 20th Annual Winter Commencement, Saturday, December 18.

Hundreds of friends and family filled BC’s Harman Chapel to celebrate with the graduates in a ceremony that featured not only the granting of baccalaureate degrees, but also a keynote address from Virginia Senator Phillip Puckett, the presentation of a Distinguished Faculty Award, and the bestowing of Honorary Doctorate degrees on two retired BC professors.

Bluefield College President David Olive welcomed the capacity crowd to the traditional winter ceremony and recognized special guests in attendance, including BC trustees Tom Brewster, David Dockery, Michael Duval, Bob Houck, Ron Hypes, Jim Justice, Julie Johnson, Jack Marcom, Tem Marshall, Pearl Moyers-Dean, and Joe Tatum.

“Graduates, the focus of this day, as it has been throughout your studies at Bluefield College, is on you,” Dr. Olive told the seniors. “We celebrate your success today, but our hope is that you have been prepared not only for a successful career or profession, but also a meaningful life — one grounded in faith and in service to others.”

As a tribute and an expression of appreciation for their longtime loyalty to Bluefield College, Armbrister and Gordon received Honorary Doctorate degrees during the Commencement ceremony.

Gordon, who holds the longest tenure of any BC professor with 40 years of service, came to Bluefield College in 1962 as an assistant professor of commerce and business. During his four decades on faculty, he was promoted to associate professor of business in 1977, distinguished professor of commerce and business in 1983, and senior professor in 1997. He also served as chairman of the Division of Business and was once named a Distinguished Faculty Award winner. After retiring in 2002, he was granted Faculty Emeritus status in 2009.

Armbrister, who also attended Bluefield College as a student, came to the school in 1968 as an assistant professor of history and sociology. During his 32-year tenure, he was promoted to associate professor of history in 1978 and senior professor in 1997. He also served as chairman of the Division of Social Sciences and faculty sponsor of Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society. In addition, he received BC’s Distinguished Faculty Award and published two books on the history of the college. After retiring in 2000, he was granted Faculty Emeritus status in 2009.

“We stand on your shoulders,” Johnson, BC’s chair of the Board, told Gordon and Armbrister. “You are the cornerstone of this institution. We appreciate your Godly instruction and example.”

The Winter Commencement program also included the presentation of the school’s Wampler-Caudill Distinguished Faculty Award to the “most influential instructor in the inSPIRE degree-completion program.” Tara Garland, an instructor in the human services division of the program, won the winter 2011 award for her “classroom excellence” and “Christian character.”

“Your leadership, your enthusiasm, and the way in which you embrace your students makes Bluefield College a better place,” Dr. Larry Sinsabaugh, associate vice president for inSPIRE, told Garland. “Your success sets the standard for other faculty to model.”

Senator Puckett, who has represented Virginia’s 38th District in the State Senate since 1999, encouraged the graduates to consider the people who helped get them to where they are today.

“You have people who have invested in your life,” said Senator Puckett, who has served on 19 legislative and standing committees in the Virginia Senate. “Don’t forget them, because they are the people who helped make you who you are today.”

The senator also encouraged the seniors to consider the God who gave them the talents and gifts they needed to succeed. And, he challenged the students to return the favor of giving.

“When you have the opportunity to invest in others as people have invested in you, do it,” he said. “Follow the example of Jesus Christ. God, and do the same and invest in the lives of other individuals.”

The 2011 Winter Commencement ceremony also included special music by graduating music students Allison Deel and Keri Joyce; a scripture reading from communications professor Dr. Cindy Bascom; formal induction for the class of 2011 into the BC Alumni Association, led by alumni director Josh Cline; the singing of Christmas hymns and the BC alma mater, led by music professor Bryant Moxley; and the conferring of degrees, led by President Olive, vice president for academic affairs Dr. Robert Shippey, faculty president Mimi Merritt, and registrar Amanda Parks.

Candidates for graduation for winter 2011 included:

Rose Angell Croft, Salem, Virginia

- Submitted by Chris Shoemaker, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Bluefield College

The Lady Spartans won 64-49 over Bayside in the first round of William Fleming’s first annual Big Blue Winter three-day basketball tournament today (Dec. 28).

They will play the winner of tonight’s Robert E. Lee vs. William Fleming game at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday Dec. 29.

According to Salem High School’s Facebook page, the Salem High School boys basketball team won 68-63 over Alleghany in the first day of the K-Guard Classic at the Salem Civic Center, and they will play the winner of the William Fleming-Hidden Valley game tomorrow.

Photos by Miranda Beck

(By the way, we have a Facebook page, too – if you “like” us, you’ll get important and interesting updates from www.sosalem.com)

Emma Painter

Judith Painter sends us this photo: “Emma Painter has wanted to paint the pig for a while.  She even wrote Santa about her wish.  Santa delivered her spray paint and garland on Christmas Day.  So she decorated it with Christmas Trees to celebrate.”