What’s On Your Mind?
Welcome to the new What’s On Your Mind blog – I hope it becomes a place where people with questions and people with answers meet.
A little about me …
I came to the Roanoke Valley from Indiana almost 30 years ago and stayed after falling in love with Roanoke and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I’ve worked in education and television, including stints at William Fleming High School and as a producer for Blue Ridge PBS, and I currently teach AP Human Geography online for Virtual Virginia. I’m married to Roanoke Times reporter Beth Macy, who is currently on a leave while writing a book, and have two teenage sons.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you all are curious about, so what’s on your mind?
Fm: Boyd Walker, spent 4 great years working in this building from 1968 to 1972. Roanoke was a great great city for service personnel on active duty/ Made friends with a lot of great people, Former Gov Lynood Holton, Horace Hood, Dr Harry Johnson, Dr Kirk and many many more people. My office was where I could watch the intersection of Franklin Rd & Reserve Ave.,I think there was wreck on this cornor every day. I guess the wrcker drivers had scanners of some type because I saw one get there first and got in fight with the other wrecker driver when he arrived.
This was a great building if the inside has not been destroyed. Large open like gym area. Umderstand heating would be a problem, but I’m sure the trusty boiler has been replaced.
We had to maintain a watch in this building 24 hours, 365 days. Spent Christmas 1969 by myself in this building. You have a tendency to remember the bad days also.
GREAT MEMORIES bOYD walker
And…welcome to you, Tom Landon! I’m glad that someone could take over the What’s On Your Mind project and not let it fall by the wayside. I’ve asked and answered questions since Tom Angleberger had this column, I have worked as a reference librarian, so I love this stuff. I don’t have anything for you now, but, again, welcome and good luck!
Thanks so much. It’s always good to have a reference librarian for a friendly reader!
The building also served as the home for Roanoke’s U.S. Coast Guard Reserve unit, usually with 25-30 members.
As a Hoosier, I’m curious, what part of Indiana do you call home?
Years and years ago (1960-1963) I called Giles County home.
I grew up outside of Indianapolis, in what used to be farmland but is now covered in suburban sprawl. Northeast side, near Fishers, kind of.
It’s great to see that, Tom Landon, another smart and original thinker, has joined the Times.
I like the new design, but couldn’t see where to ask a question. So I’ll do it hear: How is Beth Macy’s new book coming along? When will the world see it?
Thank you, Mr. Houghton! I’m not sure about the smart and original thinker bit, but I’m doing my best. In general the best place to ask a question is to send an email to woym@roanoke.com or call and leave a voice mail at 777-6476. (The email is a lot better in terms of getting a quick response, by the way!)
As for my wife Beth’s book, “Factory Man”, which will be published by Little, Brown & Co. in 2014, from what I can tell it’s going very well! She’s up to chapter 24 or so of the 27 she plans to complete. I’m reading them as they come off her keyboard and, while I’m very biased, I think it’s going to knock your socks off.
It’s due to the publisher in June, and we are heading off together for a short trip to Indonesia soon to research one of the places where the furniture factories went when they largely left Southside Virginia about a decade ago. Her main character, the factory man of the title, is John Bassett III, and he continues to run Vaughn-Bassett furniture in Galax, one of the last large scale furniture factories left in the U.S.
RT always has news items about wrecks on I-81. We have some follow-ups on fatalities and injuries. Does anyone know how many people have died in 81 crashes, say between Pulaski County and Rockbridge County (to keep it local) since the road was built. Or their names. I was thinking of memorial markers at some rest stops as a safety message.
Interesting question, David. I’m guessing either the state police or VDOT has that information somewhere, though I’m unsure whether it’s in an easily accessible database or might require a freedom of information act request.
I’m going to be traveling for the next few weeks, but I’ll see if I can learn anything for you.
Does anyone else out there have any thoughts on this?
I cannot find canned kale in any grocery stores in this area. I was told that Bush Brothers quit making it to concenctrate on producing canned beans. I know that Richfood still offers it, but I don’t of any store that sells that brand. I can find frozen kale, but it takes longer to cook. The stores around Roanoke only carry mixed greens, spinach, and mustard greens, which aren’t nearly as good. Can anyone tell me where I can get canned kale?