Looking back: April 22, 2013

1988 (25 years ago)

• “The 1788 constitutional debates between James Madison and Patrick Henry will be re-enacted at 7 p.m. Friday at Salem High School.”

• “After a three-year absence, women’s professional tennis will return to Roanoke this summer.”

• “Carl McAfee, a coalfield lawyer who rose from a country law practice to participate in international events, was found guilty Thursday of plotting with a Wytheville drug queen to launder money and smuggle dope.”

• “Orkin Exterminating Co. was indicted by a federal grand jury in Roanoke Thursday on charges of causing the deaths of a Galax couple in 1986 by misapplying an insecticidal gas in their home.”

• “Federal authorities in Roanoke are looking for more victims of a boy sex ring believed to have been run by three Georgia ministers who travel the Southeast on religious crusades.”

1963 (50 years ago)

• “The smoke was so thick that it made the sky look the way it does before a big rain. But the smoke was there because it hadn’t rained in the past month. It was on Yellow Mountain Road and people were leaving their homes in front of a great fire that was coming down off the mountain.”

• “The steeple bells of Greene Memorial Methodist Church will ring no more in that steeple. The 10 bronze bells, a memorial to the late Emma V. Fishburne … have been silent since an electronic carillon was installed in the steeple belfry a few years ago.”

• “A lyrical selection by string quartet and voice that drew rave reviews in Roanoke last year will soon be available here on specially pressed high-fidelity records. The records, in stereo and monaural pressings, are being made for the Roanoke Fine Arts Center.”

• “A stubborn fire exploded suddenly early Tuesday in the Roanoke downtown market area.”

• “Steve Brody, 74-year-old retired employee of the Roanoke Veterans Administration hospital in Salem, was named Roanoke’s 1963 Good Samaritan Monday night.”

• “A plan for putting some able-bodied persons to work in order to earn part of their welfare allowances got tentative approval Monday from Roanoke City Council.”

• “Famed evangelist Oral Roberts plans to conduct a revival campaign in Roanoke May 28-June 2.”

• “Appearing before a near-capacity house in Roanoke’s American Theater, pianist Liberace Tuesday evening gave full measure of his many talents in a show which lasted close to three hours.”

• “Danny Thomas — on the road from California in a hardtop to push a favorite charity — was in Roanoke Thursday. The television comedian and his red-haired wife, Rose Marie, stopped at the Orange Avenue Holiday Inn Wednesday night and were still around for lunch Thursday.”

1938 (75 years ago)

• “In order to raise enough money to light Maher field for night softball the game’s outstanding players and supporters today will begin soliciting merchants and business men.”

• “William Fleming’s heretofore lackadaisical baseball team came to life with a loud explosion here [Buchanan] today and it spelled misfortune for the Buchanan high school team 17 to 4.”

• “Returning home from a court session, Sergeant Paul F. Sprenger, of Roanoke, was an eye-witness to Buchanan county’s worst tragedy — the explosion at 4:45 p.m. Friday in the Keen Mountain mine of the Red Jacket Coal company.”

• “Mrs. L.M. Lane has received some French soil from her daughter, Miss Bonnie Lane, to be used at the planting of a ‘Peace Tree,’ by the State Federation of Woman’s clubs on April 28.”

• “In just about the most entertaining show to date, the grunt and groaners and peculiar brutes that work for Pete Moore went through their acts last night at Roanoke Auditorium and the crowd was entirely pleased.”

1913 (100 years ago)

• “One of the most delightful musical programs of a widely diversified character ever attempted by local talent was carried out at the Roanoke theater Sunday afternoon.”

• “Roanoke outclassed Petersburg here today at every stage of the game.”

• “What promised for a time to prove an interesting session of police court came near to falling flat yesterday morning when the majority of cases which promised lively developments were continued for investigation at later dates.”

• “At a meeting of the public property committee Tuesday night the contract for supplying and installing a police alarm system was awarded to the Gamewell Electric Company of New York City.”

• “Two young men, hailing from Atlanta, spent half an hour in Roanoke, Tuesday afternoon, on the way from Atlanta to New York. … They are riding ordinary safety bicycles and pedaling their way on rough roads on a demonstration trip for a rubber company.”

• “The [Vinton] school building is being fumigated today preparatory to reopening the school, which will be done as soon as thought expedient. The school was closed to prevent scarlet fever epidemic.”

• “Several merchants on Jefferson street, south of Campbell avenue, are complaining about owners of automobiles leaving their machines standing in front of the their stores for almost an entire day at a time.”

• “Wearing a tattered sleeved red shirt, Bert Gardin the youthful Tiger southpaw stepped into the firing pit for the Champions this afternoon and for eight innings southsided the [Norfolk] Tars away from the score board with much success. He got away with a three to one victory.”

Weather Journal

9 hours ago

1. 41-vehicle wreck ties up traffic Sunday on I-81 in Rockbridge County 

2. Virginia Tech football roster has holes on picture day

3. Arrest made in case of missing Nelson County teen

4. Medicare penalties hit hospitals in Roanoke, New River Valleys

5. WOYM: Fewer stinkbugs? You may have wasps to thank

6. McFarling: 2 little numbers are a big hurdle for Virginia Tech football 

7. Microfestivus beer event gets downtown Roanoke hopping 

8. DAN CASEY: Copter cost still stirring up dust

9. CB Manning opts to transfer from Virginia Tech

10. Virginia attorney general's office grows under Ken Cuccinelli