WHEN: 5/25/13

TIME: 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Barnes and Noble, 4478 Electric Road, Roanoke, VA 24018

WHAT: Lam, a resident of Draper, VA, will be available to sign copies of her book, The Cries of the Heart.
“Becca didn’t know what to do because she was scared of how she was feeling. She felt lightheaded and confused. She wanted Rick, but could she trust him? That was one of the reasons why she pushed him away; she had put up walls to help guard her heart … As she walked back toward the cabin, she looked up and saw Rick sitting on his deck reading what she thought would be his Bible. As she watched him, she thought about how wonderful he was and couldn’t understand why she couldn’t let him in.”

Rebecca Sky is a single mother of two children working a stressful full-time job. On a whim, she decides she needs to escape the chaos and stress of her life and take a much-needed getaway trip to the Bahamas. On her way, she meets Rick, and she finds herself immediately wrapped up in him. Rebecca discovers that, just like her, Rick too has had a history of emotional pain. Because of these past hurts, they can’t seem to hear the cries of their own hearts.

The Cries of the Heart journeys through the lives of two people searching for love through the many trials of their lives, which have left their hearts hardened. Can God’s love be strong enough to break through and save Becca and Rick before it’s too late?

For more information, contact Travis King at 888-361-9473 or tking@tatepublishing.com

Submitted by Travis King

Debra Ann Miller, who charmed audiences as 19^th-century author Jane Austen during Dead Authors Month last October, returns to South County Library for a repeat performance, this time as Mary Todd Lincoln at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22.

Mrs. Lincoln’s Salon takes place in her Blue Room on April 4, 1865. Mr. Lincoln and their youngest son, Tad, are at City Point. Robert, their eldest, is with General Grant in pursuit of Robert E. Lee. Mary is alone in the Executive Mansion. The audience is invited to reminisce with Mrs. Lincoln about her childhood, her days in Springfield, and her children as she celebrates Tad’s 12th birthday and the end of the Civil War with you. Drawing from her own letters to friends, family, and political figures of the era, Mrs. Lincoln’s Salon paints a picture of Mary Lincoln that is both sympathetic and truthful.

Debra Ann Miller has been an actress and voice over talent for over 25 years. She has toured the country with Child’s Play Touring Theatre, Artreach, and the Reading is Fundamental program, as well as working in Chicago theatres. Debra is also currently touring the country with Abraham Lincoln impersonator, Michael Krebs, in Visiting the Lincolns. Debra has been working as an historical impersonator for the last 15 years. In 2004, Debra won the Best Actress award at the Chicago Indie Fest for her first film Zen Noir.

There is no charge to enjoy this performance and seating is on a first-come basis. South County Library is located at 6303 Merriman Road, Roanoke, and the program begins at 7:00 p.m.

– Submitted by Penny K. Lloyd, Marketing & Information Manager, Roanoke County Public Library

From the Roanoke County website:

Final preparations are being made for the opening of Splash Valley Water Park on Friday, May 24. Visit our website for a complete season schedule. This year we’ve added new special events, weekly discounts and more! Full season add-on passes are available for Green Ridge Recreation Center members only.

From the Roanoke County website:

Renewable Energy Family Class Coming May 25

Bring your family members ages 8 and up to Green Ridge Recreation Center this Saturday to get creative with wind and solar technologies! We’ll design an electricity producing windmill & a car that will run on solar energy. We will also try our hand at cooking with a homemade solar oven which can be taken home and used again. Prizes will be awarded to the top scientists! Program runs form 10am to 1pm.

The following area students were among 1,273 students graduating from the University of Mary Washington. Dr. William “Bill” Cleveland Bosher Jr., public policy expert and former Virginia superintendent of education, delivered the commencement address for master’s candidates on Friday, May 10 and Steve Pemberton, business executive, motivational speaker and noted author, gave the undergraduate commencement address on Saturday, May 11.

• Kathryn E. Dillon graduated cum laude with a B.S. degree in psychology.
• Keith C. Gatzke graduated with a B.S. degree in economics and English.
• Benjamin A. Harmon graduated with a B.A. degree in international affairs and French.
• Kylie E.C. Kerr graduated with a B.S. degree in mathematics.
• Jessica W. Oliver graduated with a B.S. degree in psychology.
• Taylor A. Poindexter graduated cum laude with a B.A. degree in religion and sociology.
• Katherine Preseren graduated with a B.A. degree in music from the University of Mary Washington. She received the Mu Phi Epsilon Sterling Achievement Award in Music.

The university awarded 85 Master of Business Administration degrees, 111 Master of Education degrees, 15 Master of Science in Management Information Systems, 34 Master of Science in Elementary Education Degrees, 418 Bachelor of Arts degrees, 61 Bachelor of Liberal Studies degrees, 63 Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees and 484 Bachelor of Science degrees. Two graduates received both the MBA and the MSMIS in a dual-degree program.

The University of Mary Washington is a premier, selective public liberal arts and sciences university in Virginia, highly respected for its commitment to academic excellence, strong undergraduate liberal arts and sciences program, and dedication to life-long learning. The university, with a total enrollment of more than 5,000, features colleges of business, education and arts and sciences, and three campuses, including a residential campus in Fredericksburg, Va., a second one in nearby Stafford and a third in Dahlgren, Va., which serves as a center of development of educational and research partnerships between the Navy, higher education institutions and the region’s employers. In recent years, the university has seen its academic reputation garner national recognition in numerous selective guidebooks, including Forbes, the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the Princeton Review’s 2012 edition of 150 “Best Value Colleges” and the 2013 edition of “The Best 377 Colleges.”

– Submitted by University of Mary Washington

Amy Hayden shares these photos from Baseball Opening Day 2013.

You can share your photos from rec league action — or anything else around Southwest Roanoke County — at news@swo-co.com or use the “share” button to upload 10 at a time.

She always knew what she wanted to do…. And she got it. Becky Brittain, originally of Southwest County, always dreamed of working in the news, but not just at any news station. Her ultimate goal was to cover news for the White House and that’s exactly what she’s doing. She is a CNN White House Producer, where she covers the daily movements and events of the White House and the entire administration as well as traveling alongside the President in motorcades and Air Force One. She was named to the position in August 2005 but has worked at CNN since 1998. “I knew what I wanted to do early in life. I know that’s not the norm, but it happened in my life,” said Becky.

Becky graduated from Cave Spring High School in 1994, attended Virginia Tech and graduated in 1997 with a double major in Communications and Political Science. Since graduating, Becky has accomplished a lot, but back in February, Becky was asked to do something she’d never done before. She was asked to be the commencement speaker for the Communications Department at Virginia Tech for their graduation on Friday, May 17.  “I’m really honored to go back there and give the speech. I’m looking forward to it… it’s definitely an honor,” said Becky.

I was able to speak to Becky over the phone on Thursday, May 16 before the commencement. I asked her several questions pertaining to her career. You can read the questions and answers below:

Q: Tell me a little bit about how you got started in your career:

A: I interned at CNN while I was in college, my junior year. After college, I moved up here without a job, but then the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke. I was at Fox for six weeks or so and worked as a freelancer. Then, I was given the opportunity to work at CNN. I worked with Larry King as a production assistant and then moved on from there. I worked as an associate producer for Inside Politics. Then started working at the White House in 2005.

Q: What are your various responsibilities in your position as a producer?

A: I follow the President wherever he goes. We are responsible for coordinating the network’s coverage of President Obama by reporting behind the scenes, giving CNN editorial guidance, and coordinating live video shots for CNN’s White House correspondents.

Q: What is it like working alongside the President?

A: It’s a high pressure situation. I’ve done it long enough now that the intensity isn’t as overwhelming. It’s definitely high pressure but I’m used to it now. It’s just kind of normal. It’s certainly a lot of hours and a lot of travel… my life just goes along with what’s going on in the news.

Becky Brittain lives in Alexandria and in her spare time, she is active in her church at First Baptist Church of Alexandria where she serves in various capacities in leadership. She also served as a mentor and tutor through the program Community Club to a DC public school student throughout his high school career from 2001-2007. She was named “Outstanding Recent Alumni” for 2007-2008 from the College of Liberal Arts and Science at Virginia Tech.

The Salem Red Sox are home this weekend. During a recent homestand, our paparazzi photo crew paid a visit and here are the Southwest Roanoke County people who stepped onto the red carpet — and also got entered into the Ultimate Fan Contest.

* Alvie Cullop and Brian Cullop
* Erin, Maia, Tom, and Julia Langheim
* Whitney and Charley Lynch
* Ryan McCoy

Click through to see them one at a time or click here to see all the photos at once as thumbnails.

You can find more details about the contest here.

D.C. United today announced, in collaboration with Roanoke Star Soccer Club, that its U-23 squad will put on a showcase Roanoke, Va., on June 16 at Dwight Bogle Stadium. The event will feature a clinic for kids ages 7-12 from 2 to 4 p.m. followed by an exhibition game between the Black-and-Red U-23s and Roanoke Star SC. An opportunity for local youth to take the field with top-tier D.C. United U-23 players, the clinic will include interactive elements as well as a photo and autograph session with Jaime Moreno.

“We (Roanoke Star Soccer Club) are very excited to work with D.C. United to offer the opportunity for youth soccer players in SW Virginia to train with an MLS (Major League Soccer) club,” said Roanoke Star Soccer Club Executive Director Danny Beamer. “The Roanoke Star Soccer Club has always offered elite training for youth soccer development and we will continue create partnerships like this in the future.”

“D.C. United Showcase is an important exercise in enhancing our brand in outer rings of our regional footprint,” said D.C. United Chief Marketing Officer Doug Hicks. “We look forward to hosting several of these events each summer, bringing talented young professional prospects, accomplished legends of the club and training opportunities to important markets. Personally, this first showcase is especially meaningful, as United has established a partnership with youth clubs, that I played for and against, by activating a meaningful event in a place I call home.”

All of the details pertaining to the D.C. United Showcase are below:

Event: D.C. United Showcase Event
Location: Dwight Bogle Stadium, 4800 Brambleton Ave., Roanoke, VA
Ages: 7-12 years, male and female
Date: Sunday, June 16
Time: 2-3:30 p.m. (clinic); 5 p.m.(exhibition game vs. Roanoke Star SC)
Price: $10 (Price includes: Registration for one (1) participant for clinic and a game ticket to the June 16 D.C. United U-23 exhibition match vs. Roanoke Star SC. $7.00 (Price includes 1 ticket for the game ONLY and can be purchased by going to www.roanokestar.com)

– Submitted by the Roanoke Star Soccer Club

Alex Merritt and Ms. Lewis.

Joanna Merritt sent in this photo from the 1st grade assembly at Green Valley Elementary School.