A Christiansburg man was killed today when a tractor-trailer ran a red light and struck his pickup truck as he turned from the Interstate 81 ramp at Exit 141 onto Virginia 419 in Roanoke County.

He was identified as David Ray Allen, 61.

Sheila Ellis has more on this story.

The Valley AFC U14 Black travel Soccer Team won the 2011 Annual Piedmont Shootout held in Martinsville, VA in November 2011 They won all 4 of their tournament games, outscoring their opponents 11-3:

W3-1 vs RSC Rivercats
W3-1 vs MUFC 98 Navy

Semifinals: W2-0 vs Halifax Phoenix
Championship game: fW3-1 vs PYSL Hurricanes

Photo: Back Row (from left): Asst Coach-Jeff Lanning, Andre Nguyen (SW Roanoke Co), Zach Kanode (SW Roanoke Co), Drake Breeden (North Roanoke Co), Alex Brenton (SW Roanoke Co), Matthew Merhoff (SW Roanoke Co), Johnathan Lovelace (Franklin Co), George Funk (SW Roanoke Co), Michael Innacelli (SW Roanoke Co), Coach-Jim Guilliams
Front Row: Chase Zegarski (SW Roanoke Co), Dylan White (Troutville), Jordon Oliver (Botetourt), Ryan Lanning (NE Roanoke Co), Tristin Hughes (Botetourt), Montana Vest (Vinton), Adam Mitchell (Salem)

Submitted by Kathy Innacelli

Wendell Jones shares this photo gallery from last Friday’s boys basketball game between Salem and Blacksburg.

Do you have photos from around Salem or Glenvar? You can share at news@sosalem.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

The Salem Police Department is investigating a series of Property Crimes that were reported from this past weekend. Listed below are the offenses and locations of the crimes and the dates on which they were reported to the Department.

January 27, 2012 Burglary (Residential) 1700 Block of Morwanda St.

January 27, 2012 Burglary (Residential) 1700 Block of Morwanda St.

January 27, 2012 Burglary (Residential) 400 Block of Hemlock Rd.

January 29, 2012 Burglary (Residential) 1700 Block of Springfield Ave.

January 29, 2012 Burglary (Residential) 10 Block of McDivitt Rd.

January 29, 2012 Burglary (Commercial) 1100 Block of W. Main St.

January 30, 2012 Burglary (Commercial) 10 Block of Chestnut St.

January 29, 2012 Vehicle Theft 2500 Block of W. Main St.

January 29, 2012 Vehicle Theft 200 Block of N. Bruffey St.

All of the properties that were entered were unoccupied at the time the offenses. The residential burglaries were reported to have taken take place between the hours of 2 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The commercial burglaries were reported to have occurred between 2:37 a.m. and 4:59 a.m.

Anyone having information about the crimes or the identity of the suspects is asked to call the Salem Police Department at (540)375-3078 or Roanoke Crime Line (540)344-8500.

Submitted by Mike Stevens, city of Salem

ALMS Girls Basketball team 2011-12; So Salem file photo submitted by Nancy Page

The Lady Wolverines concluded their season last Thursday, January 26, 2012, with a 31-26 victory over Clifton Forge. The game was hard fought from beginning to end and the ladies had to clamp down defensively to secure the win. Maia Foley drove the baseline and scored a lay-up extending the Wolverine lead to five and putting the game out of reach. Once again the victory was a true team effort with seven different scorers and nine girls grabbing rebounds on both sides of the floor. The team finished their season with a 20 and 2 overall record, which included nine straight wins.

The team’s success started during the off-season with open gyms and basketball camps. The Lady Wolverines loaded up on the Salem Activity Bus and participated in three summer basketball camps: Hollins, JMU and EMU. Each camp presented a different challenge and brought the team closer together. Playing a combination of J.V. and Middle School teams, the Lady Wolverines were able to learn from each experience and begin to play as a solid unit on the floor.

As a team, the girls averaged 35.4 points per game, while holding their opponents to 18.3 points per game. As a fast-break oriented team, the girls relied heavily on defense to secure hard fought victories against several teams this year. During the season, the Lady Wolverines held seven different teams to nine points or less for the entire game. The team’s dedication to defense became the spark that helped them attain success.

The Eighth grade members of the team are Maia Foley, Hannah Rich, Allison Tatum, Skyler Hayes, Lexi Bryant, Chloe Dennis, Amanda Wines, Sarah Clemson, Hannah Winstead, and Stephanie Carr. The Seventh grade members of the team were Hannah Moran, Ellie Look, Hannah Coulling, Ashlyn Pugh, Brynne Mullins, Jay Trent, Casey Butt and Jennie Battaglia. The team was coached by Head Coach Corbitt Hairston, sixth year Assistant Coach Brad Bradley, and fourth year Assistant Coach Jamie Balow.

This team was a pleasure to coach and work with from the first day to the last. Each member of the term made each practice, game and road trip a special moment. The Coaching staff for ALMS is proud of the Lady Wolverines and all that they have accomplished. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with an outstanding group of student athletes.

Submitted by Coach Corbitt Hairston

Coaches, parents, want to share your tidbit about your athletes’ winter sports season with us here at So Salem? We’d love to post it on the blog – just send your photos and season notes to us by emailing news@sosalem.com or using our handy “SHARE” tool.

This is a fort that my son, Anthony and his friends Tiffany and Kaylee made a couple of weeks ago [submitted Jan. 30.] They came up with the design on their own. They certainly have a wonderful imagination. It is still standing to this day!

Submitted by Jennifer Gearheart

Skip Yowell, co-founder of JanSport, will share his outdoor adventures and economic success next month at Roanoke College.

His lecture titled, “The Hippie Sharing the Vision of Founding JanSport,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 in the Colket Center’s Wortmann Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public.

Yowell is the keynote speaker for Roanoke’s Honors Conference Week. He also will be available on Feb. 6 and 7 for media interviews.

Yowell’s journey from a small Kansas town to Seattle led him to the top of the outdoor industry and, along with two family members, helped him to build JanSport. Today, JanSport is one of the most recognized brand names in outdoor equipment.

Yowell has been an active climber during his time with JanSport, and he even collaborated with Rainier Mountaineering Inc. to create a five-day climb up Mt. Rainier in Seattle. The climb, called the JanSport Seminar, is open to all employees of official JanSport dealers.

Now, Yowell tells the story of his adventures and expeditions. He is author of the book, “The Hippie Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder & Other Mountains: How JanSport Makes It Happen.”

He will sign copies of his book on Feb. 7, after his lecture at Roanoke.

Yowell remains an ambassador for the JanSport brand, consulting for JanSport international partners in North America, Europe, Asia and South America.

His appearance at Roanoke is sponsored by the college’s Honors Program, as part of its annual Honors Conference Week. Trivial Pursuit is the theme of this year’s conference, which is Feb. 6 -10, and each day represents different categories. Read more »

A couple who say they were injured in a roller coaster wreck at the Salem Fair last summer have filed two $1 million lawsuits against the ride’s operator.

George Roseberry and Brittney Simms suffered “severe and permanent injuries” on the Riptide roller coaster when the car they were riding in came to a stop and was rear-ended by a second car, according to lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

The lawsuits name Deggeller Attractions, the Florida company that contracts with Salem to provide most of the fair’s amusement rides.

Deggeller, in turn, is blaming the crash on Roseberry.

To read the rest of the story from today’s (1/31/12) Roanoke Times by reporter Laurence Hammack, click here.

Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screening – Salem

Date:  First Monday of each month
Time:  11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost:  Free
Location: Salem Library
Registration Info: No registration required.
Contact Information: 540-266-6000 or 1-800-422-8482

Submitted by Wendy Shaffer, Carilion Clinic

Registration is open for a music workshop “Sing to the Rafters: Encouraging and Enriching Congregational Singing” for choir members to be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 42 East Main Street, Salem.

It will be led by noted African-American musician Dr. James Abbington and is open to singers of any age and level. The workshop will precede a Brotherhood Month concert to be held 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26 at Shiloh Baptist Church, 201 South Market Street, Salem. It is free and open to the public and will include selections from the two neighborhood choirs. The predominantly white Episcopal choir and the predominantly black Baptist choir will present three anthems from their own traditions, then mingle with others.

Abbington is nationally known in church music circles for his editing of a hymnal of spiritual songs of the African-American origin. Currently an associate professor of music and worship at Candler School of Theology of Emory University in Atlanta, he travels widely as a representative of GIA Publications which is sponsoring the workshop along with the two congregations.

The Episcopal choral and handbell choirs are directed by Rose Ann Burgess. Roscoe McFadden is music director at Shiloh Baptist.

For more information about the workshop, go to www.giamusic.com/aacms or call 1-800-442-1358. The $25 registration fee includes samples of church music.

Submitted by Frances Stebbins