Teenage girl injured

in tumble from waterfall

A 17-year-old girl was injured Tuesday afternoon after falling at the Cascades National Recreation Trail in Giles County, an official said.

The girl fell 30 to 35 feet onto a rock in the water just before 3 p.m., said 2nd Lt. Bill Davis of the Giles County Rescue Squad. He did not release her name because of her age, but said she is from the New River Valley.

According to a witness, the girl was standing on a ledge at the side of the falls when she fell, Davis said. She may have hit her head, Davis said. He said it isn't clear because she doesn't remember anything about the fall. She was at the waterfall with a group of people.

The girl was awake and talking after the accident, Davis said. A search and rescue team with the Giles County Rescue Squad rode all-terrain vehicles up the two-mile trail, then administered first aid at the waterfall. They carried the girl down the trail on an all-terrain vehicle but had to go slowly because of her injuries, he said. The crew got her to the parking lot at about 5 p.m.

The girl was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Davis said her injuries were not life-threatening.

"We felt better taking her to a trauma center" to be treated, he said.

It was the rescue squad's first major rescue at the popular hiking trail this year. In July 2003, a Michigan man was injured when he slipped while wading and struck his head on a rock. In July 2002, a West Virginia woman died several days after she fell 66 feet from the top of the falls.

-Shawna Morrison

ROANOKE

Police look for suspects

in Roanoke shooting

A Roanoke man was shot in the stomach early Tuesday, and police are looking for suspects in connection with the crime.

Sherard Scott Alexander, 30, of Roanoke was treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for non-life threatening injuries after the shooting, said Roanoke Police Capt. R.L. Ross.

Alexander told police he was talking on his cellular phone in the 2900 block of Florida Avenue Northwest when he was approached by a man he did not know. Alexander said the man shot him in the stomach for no reason.

Ross said police received a 911 call about 2:30 a.m. and responded to the address, where they found an unknown woman tending to the wounded Alexander. The woman was apparently not involved in the incident.

Alexander described the shooter only as a male dressed all in black. Police said the assailant ran away from the area right after the shooting.

If anyone has information about this incident, they may call the Roanoke Police Department Criminal Investigation Unit at 853-5959 or the anonymous Crime Line at 344-8500.

-Lindsey Nair

ROANOKE

Constitutional officers

receive pay raise

Roanoke's five elected constitutional officers were given a 3 percent pay raise by city council Monday.

The raises, which represent the same average percentage that other city employees will get in 2004-05, are retroactive to July 1.

The constitutional officers and their new salaries include:

Commonwealth's Attorney Don Caldwell - $119,997.

Circuit Court Clerk Brenda Hamilton - $117,474.

Sheriff George McMillan - $97,528.

Commissioner of the Revenue Sherman Holland - $91,366.

Treasurer Evelyn Powers - $91,366.

-Todd Jackson