We’ve just updated our Roanoke Valley crime map with the latest offenses from Roanoke County — and Roanoke and Salem, as well. The data includes offenses from through Saturday, May 23.

For the week of May 17-May 23, police reported three larcenies in Southwest Roanoke County.

Search the map to see where these incidents took place.

Our data delivery editor, Matt Chittum, has more information how you can use the searchable crime map.

Also on our Datasphere collection of searchable data: A map showing where reports about the recent Roanoke County earthquake came from.

Tatum Tyler and family, Coach Maguire and Rachal Crum and family as Tyler and Crum signed letter of intent. Emily Flora SWoCo

On Wednesday, two Cave Spring seniors made it official that they would be running in college. Tatum Tyler signed to run at the University at South Carolina and Rachal Crum committed to Roanoke College.

“I just wanted to run and I really loved the school when I went there,” Tyler, who will begin workouts this summer said. “It’s just something new.

Sherrie and Danny, Tyler’s parents said, “It’s just a combination of hard work and great coaching. It’s been a part of her life since middle school, so she’s going to be able to step it up and do it at the next level.”

Track Coach Tommy Maguire has been coaching Tyler for five years – a total of 13 seasons.

“She has always been very talented,” Maguire said. “She’s a phenomenal athlete. She’s only going to get better at the next level. She is definitely D1 material. And she has amazing parents, not just for her but for our team.”

Crum said that signing with Roanoke College became more appealing when she was offered academic scholarships.

“”I know a bunch of girls on the track team so I’m comfortable there. They have a great pre-med program,” Crum said. “I’m looking forward to a break before college.”

Crum will be in the honors and scholar program at Roanoke College.

Crum began running in the 10th-grade and beforehand had done gymnastics, which she thinks has really helped her as she does hurdles – her main event.

Her parents, Kathy and Tim Crum, couldn’t be happier.

“She only applied to colleges that had a good pre-med program. She really liked the coaches. She trained by herself all summer. She’s very focused. She made it this far, I’m not surprised. We are very proud of her for that.”

Here’s a video from Thursday’s Cave Spring Knights Morning Buzz by online producer Chris Zaluski.

We previously had this story and photo gallery on the event — and then the updated totals on how much money was raised.

We have another photo gallery from Thursday’s Hidden Valley-Abingdon softball game in the regional tournament. The Titans came up short, but the photos by Sam Dean of The Roanoke Times are still nice.

You can view them in the slideshow above or in this photo gallery.

We posted an earlier photo gallery from the game courtesy of the Church of the Holy Spirit Photo Ministry.

Do you have photos involving people or events in Southwest Roanoke County? If so, you can share at news@swo-co.com

Hidden Valley’s softball team battled into extra innings but eventually came up short in Thursday’s regional tournament, falling to Abingdon 2-1.

Nevertheless, we have a nice photo gallery of the action, courtesy of the Church of the Holy Spirit Photo Ministry.

Do you have photos involving teams or players from Southwest Roanoke County? If so, you can share at news@swo-co.com

Courtesy Photo

Upper school English and Drama Teacher G. Gates DeHart, III will address the North Cross School community during the School’s 46th annual Commencement activities on Mon., June 1, at 11 a.m. in the Carter Athletic Center. DeHart’s address will focus on the importance of language in everyone’s life.

The ceremony will recognize the accomplishments of the 30 members of the senior class. In total, the students have received 128 acceptance letters from 79 colleges and universities across the country. One hundred percent of this year’s seniors will attend a four-year college in the fall. During the ceremony, the School will also honor an alumna with the Alumni Service Award, presented each year by the School’s alumni association.

Before beginning his teaching career at North Cross School in 1970, DeHart taught at The Miller School of Albemarle in Charlottesville, Virginia and at the Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia. DeHart graduated from Roanoke College and completed his postgraduate work at the University of Virginia. He was named a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow (N.E.H.) in 1988 and was a recipient of the North Cross Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2007.

As the drama teacher, DeHart directs several major productions each year. He also serves as the advisor to the Interact Club, a service organization sponsored by the Rotary Club of the Roanoke Valley. The School’s “Senior Master,” he oversees the students’ senior projects. DeHart will retire at the end of the current school year after 39 years of teaching at North Cross School. He plans to stay in the Roanoke area.

Fore more information please visit www.northcross.org.

Note: Community members are invited to attend; however, space will be available on a first-come/ first- served basis in a reserved seating area. Priority will be given to North Cross School students and their families. Reporters/photographers planning to attend should contact Laura L. Neff-Henderson, APR, at lhenderson@northcross.org or 540-989-6641, x259.

-Submitted by Laura Neff-Henderson

This just in from North Cross School:

The College Counseling Office is pleased to announce that 100 percent of this year’s seniors have been accepted to four-year colleges and universities! Together, the 30 seniors enrolled this year have received 128 acceptance letters from 79 colleges and universities across the country. While many of our students are still making the decision about which school they will attend, the list of colleges to which the Class of 2009 have been accepted includes:

• Bard College
• Bucknell University
• California Institute of Technology
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Cornell University
• Furman University
• George Mason University
• Hampden-Sydney College
• Harvard University
• Haverford College
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Pennsylvania State University
• Pratt Institute
• Randolph-Macon College
• Rensselaer Polytechnic University
• Roanoke College (including a Bittle scholar)
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Savannah College of Art and Design
• Stanford University
• University of California – Berkeley
• University of Virginia (including an Echols Scholar)
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Wesleyan College

-Submitted by Laura Neff-Henderson

Roanoke, VA – Hey teens, pack up your protractors and say goodbye to grades.  Summer is here, and Roanoke County Public Libraries want you to “Express Yourself,” so get ready to unleash your inner artist with cool, creative projects. A  Designer T-Shirt workshop and the Project Teenway Competition challenge fabulous and fashion forward teens to transform everyday materials into haute couture.  Serious artists, casual shutterbugs, and sufferers of wanderlust alike will enjoy creating Altered Art Travel Journals or expressing their vision of America by entering the Picturing America Photo Contest (grand prize $50 gift card to Best Buy!).  Anime artists are encouraged to enter the Manga Drawing Contest, while aspiring actors and amateur detectives take center stage for Teen Mystery Night.  Last but not least, if you prefer entertainment minus the human interaction, bury your nose in books this summer for a chance to win a Nintendo DS.  All teens who enter and complete Roanoke County Public Library’s Teen Summer Reading Program will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a Nintendo DS handheld game console.  So, what are you waiting for? Fire up your right brain and head to the library this summer!
Registration for the Teen Summer Reading Program begins on June 1, 2009.  Upon registering, participants receive a Blue Roanoke County “Connect” Portfolio that contains a mood pencil, Express Yourself book mark, reading log, and calendar of teen summer events.  Upon completing the required ten hours of reading (that’s not too much!), teens receive a 1GB flash drive, a free food coupon to a local fast food restaurant, a “gigantic” candy bar, a free pass to see the Salem Red Sox, and a chance at winning the Nintendo DS to be raffled on August 5th.  For more information on any of these teen programs, contact David Wilson, Hollins Branch Library at 561-8024

Designer T-shirt Creations:  where teens will be able to express themselves with stencils, fabric paint, cutting, and sewing to create their own one of a kind t-shirt to wear this summer.

Vinton Library – Thursday, June 11th, 6-8 PM
Hollins – Wednesday, June 16th, 6-8 PM
HQ/419 – Thursday, June 18th, 6-8 PM
Glenvar Library – Tuesday, June 23rd, 6-8 PM

Project Teenway Competition:  Teens will be able to express their fashion creativity in teams by coming up with a quick design made from scrap fabric and paper to dress one of their team members with, then these designs will be compared and judged by members of the library staff.
Registration will be required in advance as space is limited; contact the local county library hosting the event for reservations.

Glenvar – Tuesday, June 30th, 12-2 PM
Vinton – Thursday, July 2nd, 12-2 PM
HQ/419 – Tuesday, July 14th, 12-2 PM
Hollins – Monday, July 20th, 12-2 PM

Altered Art Travel Journals:  Teens will create travel journals based on their favorite vacation spot or a trip they dream of taking in the future.  Old maps, travel photos, and card stock paper will be used to transform old books into new journals for recording your favorite travel memories and wishes. Registration will be required in advance as space is limited; contact the local county library hosting the event for reservations.

HQ/419 – Thursday, July 9th, 6-8 PM
Vinton – Thursday, July 16th, 6-8 PM
Glenvar – Tuesday, July 21st, 6-8 PM
Hollins – Tuesday, July 28th, 6-8 PM

“Picturing America” Photo Contest
There will also be a “Picturing America” Photo Contest that is open for entries until June 11th with a photo reception on Wednesday, June 17th at the Hollins Branch Library, where the winners will be announced and awarded prizes.

Manga Drawing Contest for Teens
In July there will also be a Manga Drawing Contest for Teens, and on Friday, July 24th at the HQ/419 Library will host a Teen Mystery Night at 6:30-8:30.  Registration will be required in advance as space is limited; contact the local county library hosting the event for reservations.

Nintendo DS Drawing:  There will be a drawing at the end of the Summer Reading Program.  All teens who sign-up for summer reading and complete the program will have their names included in a drawing to win a Nintendo DS.  Also for those teens who participate in the programs offered they will get an additional chance in the Nintendo DS drawing that will take place on August 5th.

-Submitted by Michael Meise

The Cave Spring Knights Morning Buzz has raised more money than first thought. The figure is now up to $1,443, according to Chuck Lionberger of Roanoke County Schools.

For more on the head-shaving event to raise money for Susan Kern, a Back Creek Elementary teacher battling cancer, see our May 28 post.

Cindy Klimaitis, English coordinator at Green Valley Elementary, has been named assistant principal at Burlington Elementary School. Here’s the release from Roanoke County schools:

KLIMAITIS NAMED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

AT BURLINGTON ELEMENTARY

Green Valley Elem. English coordinator moves into administrator role

ROANOKE – At their May 28 meeting, the Roanoke County School Board announced Cindy Klimaitis will become the new assistant principal at Burlington Elementary School, starting August 7. Klimaitis will replace current Burlington Elementary assistant principal Kim Bradshaw, who recently was named the principal at Fort Lewis Elementary School.

Klimaitis, who has been the English coordinator at Green Valley Elementary since 2003, has been teaching since 1993 and specializes in special education and reading and has taught kindergarten to seventh grade in all subjects. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bluefield State College, a Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Tech and an education specialist degree in educational leadership from Virginia Tech.

“Cindy has been a great instructor at Green Valley for several years,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lorraine Lange. “With her varied experiences, Cindy will be a good addition to Burlington Elementary,” Lange added.