Looking back: April 1, 2013

1988 (25 years ago)

• "Willard Scott, television's most conspicuous weather man, got his Roanoke Valley governments a little mixed up Wednesday morning, but Roanoke County went ahead with its 150th birthday party anyway."
• "After five tiring, troublesome months, the Virginia Lancers finally have accomplished their mission." They won the 1987-88 All American Hockey League championship.
• "The Salvation Army's halfway house in Roanoke for state and federal prisoners will be closing, the center's director confirmed Thursday."
• "For the third consecutive year, Roanoke has ranked as the lowest-cost city in the nation for business travelers."

1963 (50 years ago)

• "Curtis Turner, who says he's won more races than any other driver since NASCAR was formed, is going after USAC's top plum. The Roanoke speedster, only two weeks away from his 39th birthday, said ... that he has entered the Indianapolis 500 Memorial Day classic."
• "A plan for testing a new method of garbage collection with extra strong 'papercans' in the South Roanoke and Dorchester court sections got tentative approval Monday night from City Council."
• "Compensation and damages totaling $150,000 have been awarded for a portion of the old Huff farm taken for construction of Int. Spur 581."
• "A mammoth brush fire, fanned by wind and fed with honeysuckle, caused some anxious moments Tuesday to owners of luxurious homes in the fashionable section of South Roanoke."
• "The superintendent of Roanoke County schools, Dr. Herman L. Horn, said Tuesday that he recommends the building of four 'intermediate' schools in the county."
• "Two eyes from Roanoke were flown half way round the world for use in eye operations on Chinese patients, it was revealed here Wednesday. Dr. John H. King of Washington, D.C., medical director of the International Eye Bank, and one of its co-founders, mentioned the incident Wednesday."
• "A study committee of the Citizens Committee for Greater Roanoke said in a report released Thursday that consolidation or merger of the four Roanoke Valley governments as 'necessary and inevitable.' "

1938 (75 years ago)

• "The ringing of bells, blowing of whistles, and screaming of sirens - a celebration of noise-making the like of which has never been held in Salem since the Armistice in 1918, at noon yesterday marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Roanoke county."
• "A concert by Prof. Charles A. Rowe and his Melody Haven Ensemble at 8 o'clock will precede 'The Old Singing School' to be presented tonight by the faculty of William Byrd high school, students, and Vinton citizens."
• "A 32-pound turtle, one of the largest ever taken from a stream in this section, was caught in Roanoke river, just west of the Jefferson street bridge, early last night."
• "The cream of high school students in the Old Dominion, representing approximately 40 schools, gathered at Hotel Patrick Henry last night for the first annual convention of Virginia Beta clubs."
• "Roanoke's Simon-pure leather pushers yesterday rounded out a good week of training in preparation for the city-county boxing tournament which will be held in the City Market auditorium Friday night."
• "The first gold coin to turn up this year in payment of state automobile license plates was tendered the local branch of the Division of Motor Vehicles yesterday."
• "Flying a new Fairchild cabin plane, Mrs. Louise Thaden, widely known aviatrix, stopped for a short time at the municipal airport yesterday afternoon"
• "Stockholders of the New Hotel corporation last night approved the addition of a $90,000 banquet and assembly hall to Hotel Patrick Henry."
• "Large crowds of interested spectators have been attracted by a curious little 'laughing man' in the window of Kingoff's jewelers. ... The jovial little fellow, about two feet high, operated by electricity, rocks back and forth in unrestrained merriment."
• "From all available information it appears the Class D membership in the Mountain State league which was offered Roanoke by Ray Ryan, the organizer, has died a natural death."

1913 (100 years ago)

• "To crowded and interested houses at the Jefferson theatre the motion pictures of Roanoke and vicinity recently taken by the Educational Motion Picture Company, of New York, were shown yesterday afternoon and evening."
• "The Dixie Motorcycle Club has addressed a letter to chief of Police E.R. Moore, in which the organization puts itself squarely on record as opposed to unnecessary noise on city streets caused by motor cyclists running machines with mufflers open."
• "The police court was poorly attended yesterday and those who occupy their accustomed places on spectators' benches found little of interest in the comparatively slim docket, the entire performance consuming less than thirty minutes."
• "At the game on Tuesday against Providence several fans were a little raw in roasting the players. Some fans are never satisfied."
• "Residents in the neighborhood of Cave Spring are stirred up to a high pitch because of the actions of a strange man ... who accosted and badly frightened ... one of the teachers at the Cave Spring school, yesterday morning."
• "A tale of the pursuit of a stolen chicken, which ended in a pot, where the fowl was being cooked, at a house on Lynchburg avenue, n.w., was the only enlivening feature of one of the shortest sessions of police court for many months."
• Dr. Foster [the city health officer] said he would urge that every home in the city be provided with fly screens as soon as possible. The flies, he said, will be in evidence earlier this year owning to the mild winter."
< <

Weather Journal

2 hours ago

1. Defense heeds the call as Virginia Tech squeaks out win over ECU 

2. One person injured in Friday night shooting in Roanoke

3. William Byrd stuns Salem in football win

4. Lowe's tapes may hold clues to Roanoke woman's death

5. Britney Spears spotted at Lynchburg restaurant

6. East Carolina poses new challenge for Virginia Tech football 

7. Concert review: Timeless Willie Nelson plays to appreciative crowd

8. Blacksburg lawyer Painter’s bond revoked

9. History says this one will matter for Virginia Tech

10. Principal who guided Patrick Henry through integration dies