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What are your favorite local places for shopping, pampering or entertaining? Vote now in this year's Best Of Holiday Shopping readers' choice poll.
Roanoke principal, who died at 88, retired but didn't stop working
After decades as a teacher and administrator, Ray Arnold retired, but that didn’t keep him from working with the Roanoke school system doing one of the most dizzying jobs of all: finding substitutes. Before there was an automated system to round up substitute teachers, there was Arnold, who would rise at 4 a.m. and phone substitutes to line up teachers so classrooms wouldn’t be empty. Arnold, 88, died Sept. 6.
Roanoke County Public Schools opts out of state disability plan
The Roanoke County school system will not participate in the state's new short- and long-term disability plan. Instead, the division will provide its own disability coverage. As part of the new hybrid Virginia Retirement System plan, which affects staffers hired after January 2014 without enough eligible service, localities must elect to join the Virginia Local Disability Program or forgo the program and offer their own plan, which must be comparable.
Liberty University credit rating rises
Liberty University’s credit rating rose this week after Moody’s reported that the college had $728 million in total financial resources in fiscal 2012 and a $295 million increase in cash and investments in fiscal 2013. Liberty’s bonds now are rated Aa3, up from A1 last year, when the school was first assessed by Moody’s. Only 71 universities in the country are rated Aa3 or higher. “We came to the realization
Program aims to fight bullying at Franklin County schools
Sheriff W. Q. “Bill” Overton enlisted some unusual help today for a new initiative in Franklin County — dozens of elementary students and a coyote named Cabbie. The sheriff’s office, in partnership with Franklin County Public Schools and with the help of Radford University, launched a new homegrown anti-bullying program at Ferrum Elementary School this afternoon. Officials said the locally created Communities Against Bullying program will engage the school system
State public colleges plow 12% of tuition, fees into athletics
As scrutiny increases on the use of mandatory student fees to pay for athletic programs, a state legislative study indicates Virginia’s public schools and universities are charging significant amounts to make up shortfalls. Students at Virginia’s state-supported four-year schools had an average of 12 percent of their tuition and fees during the 2012-13 school year plowed into athletic budgets, the study said. Schools do not receive state money for their
Education boosts economy, coalition's study says
A coalition of Virginia business leaders, legislators and higher education officials held events in Roanoke and across the state Thursday calling attention to the link between public higher education and economic growth. The Grow By Degrees coalition presented an economic impact study showing every tax dollar invested in public higher education generates $1.29 in new state tax revenues and $17.40 of economic activity. “Our public investment more than pays for
Bedford County School Board board to take up school takeover legislation
The Bedford County School Board is considering giving its support to an effort to oppose new legislation enabling a state entity to take over academically failing schools. The board is set to review today a resolution supporting a lawsuit expected to be filed by the Virginia School Boards Association and Norfolk City School Board that argues the legislation is unconstitutional. Gov. Bob McDonnell approved legislation forming the Opportunity Educational Institution
Electronic sentinels now guard many Roanoke Valley schools
Visitors to many Roanoke Valley schools are now being asked to bring a driver’s license to gain entry . The valley’s two largest school systems have new sign-in procedures for visitors this school year, which include swiping the picture ID cards before entering the hallways. In Roanoke County the visitor’s identification will be run against a national sex offender registry and the visit will be logged . In Roanoke an
Everything new as South Salem Elementary opens
Outside the new South Salem Elementary School parents and school bus drivers dropped off students this morning for the first day of classes. They carefully navigated past a rocky stretch onto unmarked pavement and past a crew of construction vehicles, which hovered where the athletic fields eventually will sit. Inside, the school is nearly pristine, save for some dust in the door jams, boxes needing to be unpacked and a
Retiring school administrator's job touched many jobs
It’s easy for Carol Whitaker to name the best parts of her job. Offering someone a job. “You make someone’s day doing that,” she said. School visits are another, especially the first day of classes. “Where else can you work where you literally start over every year?” she mused. “It’s just a real blessing to wipe the slate clean.” This year, though, while Roanoke County teachers and students are beginning
Virginia Tech professor's ‘troops' remark stirs up anger
If Virginia Tech English professor Steven Salaita were to be deported, as some in the social media world have suggested in recent days, they might be dissatisfied with the outcome. The writer of a controversial Salon.com commentary titled, "No, thanks: Stop saying ‘support the troops,' " was born in Bluefield, W.Va., and raised in Bluefield, Va. Salaita's commentary, which critiques the ubiquitous "support the troops" meme as a barrier to questioning
Written bomb threat closes Jefferson Forest High School on Thursday
Jefferson Forest High School will reopen at 4 p.m. after a written bomb threat found inside the building forced its evacuation and closure as it was searched by law enforcement. School system spokesman Ryan Edwards said after 4 p.m. school activities will resume and students may also retrieve their belongings. At about 11 a.m. the building was evacuated after school administration found the threat. Students were taken to school’s football
Juvenile arrested in threat to Garden City school bus
An arrest has been made in connection with the threat involving a Roanoke school bus. According to a news release from the Roanoke Police Department, a juvenile has been arrested on a charge of threats to bomb. A detention order was obtained and the juvenile was arrested Wednesday and a judge issued a no bond order this morning, according to the release. Earlier this week police were investigating a threat
Outside review: Patrick County superintendent retaliated against teachers, board
Patrick County School Superintendent Roger Morris retaliated against four teachers he’d seen as critics, an outside investigation found. Patrick County School Board Chairman Ronnie Terry, confirming the findings, said Thursday that resolution of a similar complaint by an administrator was pending. Morris, who went on paid medical leave last month, was not immediately available for comment. Terry said the school board still needed to consider what if any disciplinary action
Roanoke County schools consider outsourcing services
Roanoke County Schools officials plan to investigate the possibility of outsourcing the system's nutrition, transportation and nursing services. While any decision is far from being made, officials said Thursday they need to explore the idea since another tough budget year is on the horizon. "It's not something we want to do, but it's something we need to look at," Superintendent Lorraine Lange said. She said officials will know whether it's
Virginians investing more in college savings plan, agency says
RICHMOND — Virginia families are saving more for their children’s college education, according to the Virginia529 College Savings Plan. About $479 million was invested during fiscal year 2013 in three Virginia 529 savings programs, the agency reported Wednesday. That’s up from $424 million, an increase of 13 percent, over the amount families saved for college the previous year. Improving economic conditions and growing concerns about student loan debt were credited
Roanoke schools enrollment up 280 students from last year
Preliminary figures show Roanoke City Public Schools enrollment is up by 280 students, including 209 elementary school students. "That's good news," Superintendent Rita Bishop said. "The really good news is that we didn't have all 200 at one school." By comparison, the numbers were also up last year at this time, but most of the additional elementary students were at Round Hill Elementary School, which absorbed the third- through fifth-grade
4 Forest schools put on modified lockdown
A lockdown put in place earlier today at four schools in the Forest area has been lifted. Bedford County Public Schools spokesman Ryan Edwards said the “modified lockdown” was lifted at about 12:15 p.m. Schools were placed on lockdown at about 10 a.m. after “an issue in the community,” Edwards said. Parents were notified about the situation through an automated phone call. Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Forest Elementary, Jefferson Forest High
Panel appointed to find new Virginia Tech president to hold public meeting
The Virginia Tech committee in charge of finding a pool of applicants for outgoing university President Charles Steger’s job has announced it will hold a public meeting Thursday. The meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. in the Cascades Room at the Inn at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. No agenda for the meeting has been published. Minnis Ridenour, administrative liaison to the committee, could not immediately be reached to answer questions
‘Big Data' initiative has power to reshape UVa
The University of Virginia is kicking off a research initiative on data analysis and application that it hopes will be a model for future research institutes at the university. The Big Data Institute is a collaboration between different departments at the university that looks at ways to use what Rick Horwitz, UVa associate vice president for biosciences, calls the “overwhelming” streams of data collected by the government, corporations and academic
1. Britney Spears spotted at Lynchburg restaurant
2. Roanoke resource officer's quick action saved young girl
3. One person injured in Friday night shooting in Roanoke
4. East Carolina poses new challenge for Virginia Tech football
5. Captive in Roanoke County describes harrowing time with angry friend
6. Lowe's tapes may hold clues to Roanoke woman's death
7. Roanoke County electrical short quiets 5 Wheeler radio stations
8. William Byrd stuns Salem in football win
9. History says this one will matter for Virginia Tech
10. Concert review: Timeless Willie Nelson plays to appreciative crowd
THE ROANOKE TIMES
