www.roanoke.com

From the Roanoke County website:

Roanoke County administrative offices will be closed May 28 for the Memorial Day Holiday. All garbage collection routes will be delayed by one day due to the Memorial Day holiday. Please contact the Solid Waste Division at 387-6225 for any questions regarding the collection schedule.

The Roanoke County Police Department will participate in the 2012 National Click It or Ticket campaign, which will run from May 21 to June 3. Roanoke County routinely enforces Virginia’s occupant protection laws, but throughout the upcoming campaign the department will be cracking down on violators using additional patrols and police checkpoints.

While seatbelt use in Virginia increased slightly in 2011, there is still much work to be done. Preliminary data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office indicates 306 of the 765 fatalities reported in 2011 involved an un-restrained occupant. Of those fatal crashes, 30 percent occurred between midnight and 3 a.m.

Roanoke County Police Sgt. Tim Wyatt oversees the department’s Traffic Safety Unit. “Of all the risks Americans encounter each day, one of the greatest is being killed or severely injured in a motor vehicle crash. The simple act of buckling a seatbelt can triple your chance of surviving a crash.”

Wyatt says the majority of the traffic fatalities that have happened in Roanoke County in recent years have occurred at night. “I have seen the needless tragedy that occurs when a person refuses to wear their seatbelt. Our goal is not to write tickets, but to save lives by enforcing all traffic laws, including seatbelt use, around the clock.”

While the 2012 Click It or Ticket enforcement extends from May 21 to June 3, Wyatt wants motorists to know that Roanoke County’s officers enforce occupant protection laws throughout the year. “Those who opt not to wear a seatbelt need not offer an excuse. Our officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not buckled up – no warnings and no excuses. For us, it truly is Click It or Ticket.”

– Submitted by Teresa Hamilton Hall, Roanoke County

Jamie Smith of Roanoke has accepted the position of communications specialist for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Salem District Office.  Smith will serve as a media and public affairs contact for a 12-county transportation district in western Virginia and help to carry out a program to communicate VDOT’s activities and policies to a variety of audiences.

Smith brings eight years of experience working in communications to the position.  During her career, she has served as a public information officer for the Fayetteville Police Department in Fayetteville, N.C., a media relations coordinator for the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. and a national media relations coordinator for the University of North Carolina Wilmington.  Smith has been employed as a part-time communications specialist for VDOT since February 2011.

Smith holds bachelor’s degrees in public administration and criminal justice and a master’s degree in public administration.  All her degrees are from University of North Carolina Pembroke.

She is actively involved at Rosalind Hills Baptist Church where her husband, Brad Smith, is senior pastor.  She and her husband reside in Roanoke with their two children.

Her hobbies include watching movies and reading.

Submitted by VDOT.

Dr. Steve Osborne, Bob Goodlatte and Dr. Serge Depret-Guillaume at Doctors Express on May 3, 2012. Photo courtesy Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce.

Bob Goodlatte visited Doctors Express on Thursday, May 3, to tour the facility and meet with the owners, Dr. Steve Osborne and Dr. Jill Osborne, physician Dr. Serge Depret-Guillaume and staff.

Doctors Express is open 7 days a week and is located in Towers Shopping Center at 602 Brandon Avenue SW, Suite 222, in Roanoke.

Submitted by Kimberly Billings, Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce.

We are bringing our “America: 911″ to Roanoke for a sneak peek. Tuesday, May 15th at the South County Library in Roanoke County, we will be debuting the “America: 911″ multi-media event. We believe the message from this program may be the most important message to be delivered in this year’s election cycle. You are invited to attend this event.

Tickets will be $10 each and are available at the Foundation For America website. Only 200 seats are available. We may be able to accommodate standing room only for about 50 people. Tickets are also available at the door. Please make plans to attend.

Click here to view the “America: 911″ trailer.

Submitted by Bradford Archer.

Congratulations to Roanoke County Police Officer Nathan Hunt upon being named the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Officer of the Month for February 2012.

On Feb. 29, Officer Hunt was on duty when he observed a maroon vehicle in front of him in the area of Williamson Road. A check of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) files indicated that the operator’s license for the registered owner of the vehicle was suspended. Officer Hunt maneuvered his patrol car to get a better look at the driver and determined that the person driving the vehicle matched the features of the person in the photograph provided by DMV. A traffic stop was then made.

Upon approaching the vehicle, Officer Hunt noted a strong odor of smoke and air freshener coming from the vehicle. After returning to his patrol car, Officer Hunt was advised by his back-up officer that the driver was continuing to spray more air freshener. Officer Hunt returned to the subject’s vehicle and was granted consent to conduct a search.

After beginning the search, Officer Hunt quickly detected an odor of marijuana. Officer Hunt followed the odor to the passenger front seat where he removed six small plastic sandwich bags from under the seat. He then located a white trash bag under the seat. After further inspection of this bag, he recovered eight softball-size baggies of marijuana with a combined weight of 285.9 grams. The driver of the vehicle was placed under arrest.

Officer Hunt is to be commended. His observation skills and instinct prevented a large amount of marijuana from reaching the community

– Submitted by Roanoke County

From the Roanoke County website:

Having a party in a Roanoke County park? Now you can book your space online! Online booking is available for all 16 parks with rentable shelters. Bookings must be basic rentals for parties of 149 or less. Reserve your space today! Don’t worry, you can still call us at 387-6078 ext. 0 for shelter information.

Delegate Chris Head was awarded an “A” rating from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce for voting for pro-business legislation during the 2012 General Assembly session. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce just released its 2012 Legislative Report Card which grades legislators on their support of pro-business issues.

As stated by Barry DuVal, president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber, “The Legislative Report Card allows us to recognize and honor legislators who uphold free market principles and support the interests of the business community.” The Virginia Chamber of Commerce is the commonwealth of Virginia’s largest business advocacy organization with more than 13,000 members.

Head said, “I am honored to have received such a high rating from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and I am especially pleased as promoting business growth and prosperity was and is a top priority of mine. By working closely with the Virginia Chamber and Roanoke Valley businesses, we will strive to continue Virginia’s recent ranking as the ‘Top State for Business’ as rated by CNBC.”

Elected to the House of Delegates in 2011, Head represents the 17th District, which includes portions of Botetourt and Roanoke counties, the city of Roanoke and Vinton.

– Submitted by BJ Robertson

From the Roanoke County website:

Did you know that Roanoke County recycling trailers are available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week at our five drop-off sites? Please visit our Recycling Information page for individual site details, including directions.

Click here for more information.

Annually, Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department celebrates National Volunteer Week by recognizing the more than 400 volunteers who serve the fire and rescue service throughout the county.

During the third week of April each year, Roanoke County Fire & Rescue reminds their volunteers that they are appreciated by issuing several benefits. Each fire and rescue volunteer listed on the roster as of April 1 of each year is given a Roanoke County voucher worth $20 to go toward their County Vehicle License Fee Voucher as part of their County Personal Property Taxes. Additionally, in 2006 the county, with full support from the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, implemented the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) as a way to thank volunteers for their service during National Volunteer Week. Volunteers must meet minimum requirements to earn up to $500 per calendar year. This week the county issued 265 checks for $500 totaling $132,500.

“Our fire and rescue volunteers play an important role in our department and their communities,” said Chief Richard E. Burch Jr. “Our annual issuance of incentive checks and vouchers honors the many fire and rescue volunteers who are dedicated to making a difference in Roanoke County. This is our way of saying a heart-felt thank you to our volunteers who generously share their time, skills, and compassion with our citizens during their time of need.”

Prior to the VIP program, the department offered a retirement benefit for volunteers who qualified.

– Submitted by Jennifer Conley Sexton, Volunteer/Marketing Coordinator