At 2:30 today (Thursday, Oct. 29) Cave Spring High School students and faculty gathered in the gymnasium to go head to head in a volleyball game. The faculty’s team consisted of convicts, who were escorted onto the floor by a police officer. The game was held to raise money for the United Way. CSHS students and faculty raised $1,500 to donate to the United Way.
We caught some of the game on camera. Check out our photos by viewing the slideshow above, or click here for a more traditional view.
Send us your photos, email them to us at news@swo-co.com!
This giant red ribbon sits outside of Cave Spring High School this week during the annual Red Ribbon Week. Emily Flora SWoCo
This is what students, faculty, and visitors are greeted with when they enter the new Cave Spring High School entrance- a giant red ribbon.
This week Roanoke County has been celebrating Red Ribbon Week which began Monday October 26 and will last through the 30th.
Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program held at the end of October every year. The purpose of the event is for young
These signs and this wreck car are displayed at CSHS to remind students and the community about Red Ribbon Week. Emily Flora SWoCo
people to pledge to live drug-free and remember DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who was killed on February 7, 1985 by Mexican drug traffickers.
Read a story written last week about Red Ribbon Week by clicking here.
Send us your photos, email them to us at news@swo-co.com!
Hoa Huynh of Roanoke, a freshman majoring in human nutrition, foods and exercise in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship Initiative for the 2009-10 academic year.
For qualifying in-state students, the Presidential Scholarship Initiative is designed to complement all other aid options to make a Virginia Tech education available at no cost. Virginia Tech awards up to 50 scholarships through the initiative to undergraduates each year. To renew their scholarships students must maintain an adequate grade point average (GPA). The average GPA of the 49 students receiving scholarships this year is 3.85. The group averaged about 1,150 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
While deciding which of the nearly 600 candidates to select, officials weighed each candidate’s financial situation, high school GPA, family size, whether they came from a single-parent household, and whether their parents had gone to college. Private contributions are essential to allow the program to grow to serve up to 200 students a year by 2012.
Laurence Loesel, cross country and track coach at Cave Spring High School has sent us results from the boys and girls River RidgeDistrict held on Oct. 28 at Green Hill Park.
“Thanks again for your support! Everything went very smooth on our end,” Loesel said.
Well, actually we have a lot of photos from Tuesday’s JV volleyball match between Hidden Valley and Salem — but they came from a Salem parent, so most of the photos focus on the Salem side of the net.
Still, in some you can see some Titans in action, such as this photo at left.
Those are Hidden Valley players going high over the net.
You can see all of Kim Smith’s photos in this gallery.
Do you have photos from the game? Or anything else, for that matter, involving people from Southwest Roanoke County? If so, you can share at news@swo-co.com.
Hidden Valley Middle School has received a $750 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program to support the school’s instructional program. John Newton of PMI/Stop-In Food Stores based in Roanoke worked with the school to secure a $750 grant which is one of 4,000 available to schools across the country served by Exxon or Mobil stations. The grants were made possible by funding from the Exxon Mobil Corporation.
“The investment in our school of business partners such as PMI/Stop-In Food Stores greatly enhances the learning opportunities of our students,” says Ken Nicely, principal of Hidden Valley Middle School.
The ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program is designed to provide Exxon and Mobil retailers with an opportunity to contribute to the future of their community through educational grants to neighborhood schools.
Tuesday morning, Oct 27 marked a pivotal time for the new South County Library, which was scheduled to be built over a year ago in July 2008. The building of the 55,000 square-foot library was delayed when the plans came up over budget last year. Now the county has come one step closer to a new full-service library branch- the first in over 30 years.
Community members, Roanoke County Officials, and Roanoke County Library Officials gathered at10:30 a.m. for a ceremony prior to the breaking of ground. Speakers included Diane D. Hyatt, Assistant County Administrator, Charlotte A. Moore, Supervisor, Cave Spring District, Diana L. Rosapepe, Director of Library Services, Michael W. Altizer, Chairman, Board of Supervisors, James O. Nelson, Chair of the Library Board of Trustees, John L. Nettles, President of Friends of the Library, and B. Clayton Goodman III, Roanoke County’s Administrator. Several children also participated in the groundbreaking event, Ella Lawrence, Jackson Lawrence, Adrianna Hall, T. K. Washington, Brennan Washington, and Xavier Mills Also present was former County Administrator John Chambliss and Board of Supervisors, Joseph B. “Butch” Church and Joseph P. McNamara.
Moore said that this will be the first library built in the Cave Spring District.
“The walking trails will provide hands-on education near schools and the wetlands,” Moore said.
Rosapepe humored the crowd with descriptions of what patrons can expect not to have to do once the new library opens. These included darting across 410, waiting for use of computers, books stuff on the shelves on their sides, and being too close to strangers.
Altizer said, “I want to thank my board- everybody for being so proactive.”
According to Nelson the last constructed library was the Glenvar Library 30 years ago. He also said that it has long been recognized the need for a new library.
“This is an exciting time to see the construction of this new library,” Nelson said.
County Administrator Goodman said, “This library will be different. It will be a living library. It’s going to become a community center. I’ve only been here six months, so I do not take credit for it, but I’d like to thank the board and those those around us like John Chambliss and Elmer Hodge.”
The plan for the library, which will be built on Merriman Road across from Penn Forest Elementary, will provide modern features and a community meeting space, and even walking trails along the site’s natural wetlands. This new library will replace the current, outdated and crowded 419/HQ Library built 40 years ago. It is currently the busiest library out of six branches in the county. 400,000 people visit the 419/HQ Library.
Plans for the new library began in 2005 after a comprehensive assessment of future needs. The library will cost $9 million and will be 54,000 square feet, including 5,000 square feet for an auditorium or community meeting space. The library is expected to be open on or before June 2011.
Upon entering the South County Library, patrons will find a roundabout at the intersection of Meadowlark Road and Merriman Road. Completion of the roundabout is tentatively on or before September 2010 and is hoped to minimize traffic disruptions on those roads.
The South County Library will have books, DVDS, and other materials, a copy center and self-checkout station on the first level. It will also include a children’s area and story-time room, computer stations, meeting rooms, and seating options. There will also be a bookstore and coffee shop operated by Friends of the Library. A drive-through lane will also be provided where patrons can pick up or return materials.
On the second floor patrons can expect an adult collection of books, another copy center, reference materials, research desk, computer instructional lab, seating areas and views of the wetlands, study rooms, Young Adult room with teen reading materials, projection screen, computers, two diner-style booths for group study and a board and conference room.
Another feature will include a raised walking trails through the wetlands that will link to nearby parks and athletic fields. Informational signs will also be placed throughout the trails.
According to a recent press release, the South County Library is:
-designed specifically for the site, reducing impact on the wetland area and optimizing building orientation for day lighting and views
-incorporates many sustainable features, including an open space design, energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems, solar glazed windows, recycled materials and building components
-has created an opportunity to create an educational partnership between the schools, wetlands, walking trails and the library.
-will be a warm and welcoming community center
-a modern building designed to meet the needs of all citizens for many years to come.
View the slideshow above for photos, or click here for a more traditional view.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, sends this release about former football star Tiki Barber — a Cave Spring grad — testifying before Congress today:
FOOTBALL GREAT & ROANOKE NATIVE TIKI BARBER TO TESTIFY AT JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING TODAY
Wednesday, October 28th
Congressman Goodlatte wanted to call to your attention that Roanoke native Tiki Barber will be testifying before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on legal issues relating to football head injuries. Tiki Barber — sports broadcaster, former running back for the New York Giants, UVA alumni and Roanoke native — will be testifying on the second panel at the hearing sometime early this afternoon. You may listen to the hearing which will be streaming live at http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/caltoday.html.
Congressman Goodlatte, the Vice Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, is participating in the hearing and earlier offered a statement expressing his concern about the issue of football head injuries but concluding that this is not a problem for the United States Congress to solve. While this is a serious issue and one that needs increased public awareness, Congressman Goodlatte does not believe that the negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Players Association on a new contract which includes addressing this issue is a matter on which the Congress should legislate. We are facing an array of other issues that demand our attention including out-of-control government spending, national security issues, health care reform and energy policy.
Cave Spring High School has received a $750 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program. Stop In Food Stores, Inc. worked with school officials to secure the grant which is one of 2,400 available to schools across the country served by Exxon or Mobil stations. The grants were made possible by funding from the Exxon Mobil Corporation.
“Cave Spring High School works hard to make learning interesting and fun,” said Roy Foutz, of Stop In Food Stores. “As an Exxon dealer, we are proud to help young people of the Roanoke Valley.
The ExxobMobil Educational Alliance program is designed to provide Exxon and Mobil retailers with an opportunity to invest in the future of their communities through educational grants to neighborhood schools. ExxonMobil believes that, as members of the community, local retailers are best qualified to work with local educators to help identify school sand programs in need of support.
Stop In Food Stores met stringent eligibility criteria before applying for and being awarded this grant, including having a commitment to provide a superior buying experience for customers.
Elizabeth Jones is the community journalist for SWoCo and can be reached at 981-3191. You can share your news and photos through the “Share” button below or at news@swo-co.com.
