Shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday, several gunshots were fired in the 4600 block of Mews Hill Drive in Roanoke County, some striking an apartment building. No one was injured.

Here’s the full release from Roanoke County police:

On December 5, 2012, at approximately 8:11pm, the Roanoke
County Police Department received a complaint of a discharge of a firearm in the 4600 block of Mews Hill Drive in Roanoke County. Upon arrival, officers determined that several shots were fired, with some striking a building within the complex. No injuries were sustained as a
result of this incident and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Roanoke County Police Department at (540) 562-3265.

Registration for Roanoke County’s winter 2013 recreation programs begins on Saturday! County residents may register online beginning December 8, and by phone or in-person starting December 10. Non-residents may register starting next Wednesday, December 12. Look for copies of the new Recreation Family Fun Guide in mailboxes beginning tomorrow. The publication is also available at all County recreation centers and will be available at local libraries later this week.

Submitted by Roanoke County

Maria Jessee of Roanoke was one of the dancers in Butler Ballet’s 30th-annual performance of “The Nutrcracker” on Nov. 29-Dec. 2 at Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University.

Butler Ballet’s 30th-annual performance of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet featured 124 dancers, including 34 young dancers from the Indianapolis community.

This year’s Nutcracker featured the Butler Symphony Orchestra performing the score. Morgan Sicklick, a senior from Woodcliff Lake, N.J., and Danielle Morano, a senior from St. James, N.Y., shared the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Justin Metcalf-Burton (senior, Gaithersburg, Md.) and Matthew Doolin (senior, Jacksonville, Fla.) danced as the Nutcracker.

Patrick Green (senior, Washington, D.C.) and George Vargas (junior, Grasonville, Md.) played the Snow King. Katherine Currier (junior, Norwich, Vt.) and Coleen Rhea (Flemington, N.J.) were the Snow Queen.

The Dew Drop Fairy was danced by Shelby Shenkman (junior, Boca Raton, Fla.) and Mónica Muñoz (senior, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), and Stuart Coleman (junior, Lynchburg, Va.) and Christian Griggs-Drane (junior, Richmond, Va.) played the Cavalier.

Margaret Carey (junior, Dayton, Ohio) danced the role of Clara, and Christiaan Ruff (sophomore, Durham, N.C.) portrayed Fritz.

James Cramer ’81, community relations manager at Clowes Hall, danced the role of Drosselmeyer.

As always, all Butler Dance faculty had a hand in the choreography, including Cynthia Pratt, Marek Cholewa, Stephan Laurent, Susan McGuire, Derek Reid, Associate Dean of the Jordan College of the Arts Michelle Jarvis, and Visiting Professor Michael J. Johnson.

– Submitted by Butler University

The following South Roanoke County high school students have been accepted at Coastal Carolina University for the fall 2013 semester.

Imani Sowell, a student at Cave Spring High School, plans to major in psychology.
Jayson Lamanca, a student at North Cross School, plans to major in graphic design.

Coastal Carolina University is a dynamic, public comprehensive liberal arts institution located in Conway, just minutes from the resort area of Myrtle Beach, S.C. The university offers 56 areas of study toward the baccalaureate degree and seven master’s degree programs in education, writing, coastal marine and wetland studies, and the MBA.

– Submitted by Coastal Carolina University

The Roanoke Times is once again inviting people with big displays of Christmas lights to enter them in an online database of the best and brightest in Western Virginia.

The Roanoke Times is once again inviting people with big displays of Christmas lights to enter them in an online database of the best and brightest in Western Virginia.

And this year, there’s a twist: A contest!

Enter by December 5 (umm, that’s tonight!) and become eligible. We have details here and the complete list of lit-up locations here.

Among those is one from Southwest Roanoke County:

Display owner: Bill & Cheryl Shepherd
Address: 5380 Luwana Drive , Roanoke , VA 24018
What visitors will see: ~10,000 lights
Display times: 5 – 10pm

The Knights of the Round Table Youth K-8th Grade Tournament in honor of Kendall Bayne will be held Sunday, Dec. 16 at Cave Spring High School. The entry fee is $15.

Weigh-ins are from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and wrestling begins at 10:30 a.m. Divisions are youth (K-5) and junior (6-8) with Madison Weight Classes (We will try to match age/weight/exp.). K – 1st, 2nd -3rd, 4th – 5th, 6th – 8th.

Custom medals will be presented to first through third places. For more information, contact Chris Nininger at 815-8902 or chris@roanokeareawrestling.com.

– Submitted by Vicki Hodges

Kyle Green of The Roanoke Times has this photo gallery from Hidden Valley boys basketball 54-52 victory over Lord Botetourt on Tuesday.

Click through to see them all, or click here to see the entire gallery as thumbnails.

SOUTH COUNTY TECHNOLOGY CLASS

Meet the iPad

$10.00

Tues, Dec 11 at 2:00 PM

For more information call: 540-777-8782

Submitted by The South County Library

Froth is partnering with Feeding America Southwest Virginia by doing a food collection at their shop on Starkey Road.  Please help Feeding America Southwest Virginia put food on the tables of those less fortunate this holiday season. Participate in the Holidays from the Heart food drive, open your hearts and let the miracles begin with a gift from within.

MOST NEEDED FOODS ARE: CANNED MEALS, CANNED MEATS, PEANUT BUTTER ,CANNED FRUITS,VEGETABLES, SOUPS, DRY BEANS, RICE, WHOLE HAMS and TURKEYS

Collection deadlines: December 17

Feeding America Southwest Virginia supplies more than 16 million pounds of food valued at nearly $25 million annually to 417 non-profit partner feeding programs located in 26 counties and 10 cities throughout this region. Food Bank agencies serve more than 122,000 hungry men, women and children across Southwest Virginia every month. Our partner feeding programs include:homeless shelters, soup kitchens, Children’s Programs and food pantries that serve the disadvantaged, the ill and the elderly. Visit www.faswva.org for more information.

Submitted by Luke Higginbotham

Music writer Tad Dickens has the December music line-up at the Brambleton Deli in this post on his cut’n'scratch music blog.