Monday, March 16, 2009
Looking Back: March 16
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More history stories
- Looking back: Nov. 23
- Looking back: Nov. 16
- Looking Back
- Looking back: Nov. 2, 2009
- Looking Back: Oct. 26, 2009
Archive
1999 (10 years ago)
"The water level at Carvins Cove was 21 feet below full capacity as of Monday morning, said Kit Kiser, the city's director of utilities. The level has been lower only once. In December 1981, it was recorded at 24.2 feet below capacity."
"Virginia Tech has moved into a new women's college basketball neighborhood. The Hokies' first Sweet 16 welcome-wagon prize? How about a date with the toughest bunch on the block -- the Tennessee Lady Vols." Tech lost 68-52.
"The Art Museum of Western Virginia on Thursday announced the purchase of three top-flight turn-of-the-century American paintings, with more to come. The paintings, unveiled Thursday in the museum's upstairs galleries, are John Twachtman's "Wildflowers," Edward Potthast's "Happy Days" and "The Rose" by Maria Oakey Dewing."
"In a surprise presentation, D-Day veteran Bob Slaughter was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor during the group's state conference Friday night, putting the 74-year-old Roanoker in the company of such past recipients as Ronald Reagan, Barbara Bush and Gen. William Westmoreland."
1984 (25 years ago)
"With a little humor, a little drama and a whole lot of spirited style, Maya Angelou, best-selling novelist and poet, entertained a crowded du Pont Chapel at Hollins College Wednesday night."
"J. Hayden Huddleston, the man who helped give Roanoke its first radio station and who had to retrain himself to speak in midcareer, died in his sleep Thursday morning. He was 75 years old."
The town of Vinton celebrated its 100th birthday.
"Walter 'Buddy' Clement of Roanoke and Tommy Theodose of Charlottesville will have their names inscribed . . . on the State Wall of Fame in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame."
"A bulldozer knocked down a vacant house in the proposed expansion area for the Wometco Coca-Cola Bottling Co. in Northwest Roanoke Tuesday, beginning site work on the $13.5 million project a day ahead of schedule."
1959 (50 years ago)
"The first local telecast of an outdoor Easter sunrise service will be made Easter morning by WDBJ-TV from the Sherwood Amphitheatre between Roanoke and Salem."
"Brilliant Ronnie Simmons led Troutville in the State Group III basketball championship here tonight as the Warriors beat Matthews, 45-38."
"The city school board last night gave architects a go-ahead on preliminary plans for a new $1.5 million William Fleming High School."
"Roanoke youngsters will soon be able to number a jet plane as one of their toys. The plane will be placed in the transportation museum in Wasena Park as soon as the Air Force can make a jet available."
"The Norfolk and Western Railway will construct 1,000 70-ton coal cars in the Roanoke shops."
"Roanoke Memorial Hospital has purchased an artificial kidney, a relatively rare piece of hospital apparatus."
"Tomorrow at 2 a.m. more than 1,100 telephones in the Cave Spring area will be switched from the DIamond to the SPruce exchange."
1934 (75 years ago)
"The City of Roanoke today borrowed $50,000 to meet payrolls now due and to finance other obligations that may accrue in the next few weeks."
"Old grads, undergraduates, past and present illustrious sons of Jefferson High, and parents gathered for a rousing good time in the high school gymnasium last night on the occasion of the basketball meeting between the Magicians' State championship teams of 1929 and 1934. The 1934 titlists won by a score of 44 to 34."
"The annual battle of the gardeners versus the poultrymen got under way here today, with the former apparently holding the whip hand."
"Purchase of Mill Mountain property by the city appears unlikely at this time."
"Addison High is one of the only 16 teams in the country invited to the national tournament for negro high school teams at Gary, Ind. it was learned today."
"Marihuana, a narcotic that shortly brings violent insanity or death to its addicts, has put in its appearance in Roanoke, chiefly in the form of cigarettes, known among drug addicts as 'reefers,' it has been learned."
1909 (100 years ago)
"Nine artists of the bottle answered roll call at police headquarters yesterday morning and took their punishment very gracefully."
"In real estate circles of the city there is in circulation today a report that another skyscraper in on the program for Roanoke."
"Yesterday was an intensely interesting day at the Salem Methodist Episcopal church, South, the occasion being the dedicatory services of the church."
"Harry Mace is to umpire again this season in the Virginia League. Mace was not very popular last year in Roanoke . . ."
"An editorial in The Times yesterday advocating the purchase of Mill Mountain for a pleasure park created considerable favorable comment during the day."
"A remarkable record is that of Roanoke for the past eight or nine weeks in the direction of shooting and cutting, and the most remarkable feature is that none of the shots or knife thrusts have proved fatal."
"A large and appreciative audience witnessed the new comedy entitled 'Jack Straw,' as presented by the famous actor, John Drew."
"The latest acquisition to our Tigers is a college lad by the name of Doane. Manager Shaughnessy completed arrangements to secure this pitcher from the Atlanta Southern Leagues club yesterday."
