Evan Jones
An exhibit now showing in Roanoke shows how advertisers responded to the flu pandemic of 1918 that killed millions worldwide. Virginia Tech Professor Tom Ewing has been studying the news accounts and advertisements during the “Spanish Flu” outbreak, focusing on Roanoke newspapers. He says some of the ads played on alarmist fears, but others sought to portray products as ways to avoid getting the deadly flu — like heavy nightwear to permit open windows even on cold nights. The exhibit is at the Science Museum of Western Virginia and runs through January. Virginia Tech Professor Tom Ewing assembled the exhibit:
Click here for an on-line gallery of the 1918 flu-related advertisements.
Elizabeth Futral
An internationally-acclaimed soprano highlights two performances of Handel’s Messiah Sunday at St. Andrews Catholic Church. Elizabeth Futral and the other soloists join a professional orchestra and the Roanoke College Choir. Jeffrey Sandborg is the college’s Director of Choral Activities and is conducting these performances, and he says the church itself serves as an authentic setting to hear The Messiah as Handel intended:
Adult tickets for the 2:30 and 5:00 pm Sunday performances cost $23 and are available at the door.
Click here for full concert information.
Long-time Roanoke City Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles died today. Family members say Bowles had suffered from dementia, and in recent weeks, she had been in failing health. She was 91. Bowles became Roanoke’s first female vice mayor when elected to City Council for the first time 1976, and she remained a Council member for 20 years. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
The Miss Virginia Pageant says prior to her serving on City Council, Bowles was instrumental in bringing the pageant to Roanoke. She served on the boards of numerous civic organizations.
Vinton Mayor Brad Grose will speak on the State of the Town this morning. With a new Roanoke County Library branch going up by 2015, a federal grant for downtown improvements, and an uptick in sales tax revenue, the long-time mayor says things are looking up. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has the story.
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oanoke Police lieutenant is scheduled to join a White House Drug Control Policy meeting later this morning and talk about the Roanoke Police Drug Market Initiative, often called DMI. It’s a program to involve neighborhood residents in stopping drug dealing around their homes and give offenders without violent records a choice: education and job training or jail. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Timothy Sands (Purdue University photo)
Virginia Tech has named its next president, and he comes to Blacksburg from Purdue University. Timothy Sands has been Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of Purdue. He succeeds Charles Steger, who announced last May he would step down when a successor was chosen. Steger has been Virginia Tech’s president since 2000. Before taking administrative positions, Sands was an engineering professor at Cal-Berkeley and at Purdue. As WFIR’s Evan Jones, Sands promises to “keep the momentum moving” in Blacksburg.
The Lynchburg Museum will feature a special display tonight to highlight the involvement of women in World Two. The program is schedule tonight as part of “First Friday” from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The event at the Lynchburg Museum is free tonight. WFIR’s Bob Clark has the story.
The Regional Center for Animal Control and Protection tried something new last weekend, and it led to a spike in adoption numbers. It’s normally closed Sundays, but the center held a special adoption event last Sunday, and that led to 33 pet adoptions in a four day period — way above normal. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Salem Police are asking for help in identifying and locating the man they believe is responsible for two holdups of pizza delivery drivers last month. Police say the first robbery occurred the evening of November 5th in the area of 36 Otter Avenue, and a similar holdup occurred in the same area three weeks later at almost the exact same time of night. Police have released two composite sketches of the suspect which they hope will help track him down. Anyone with information is asked to call Salem Police at (540)375-3078 or Roanoke Valley Crime Line (540)344-8500.
(Continue reading for the full Salem Police news release.)
It’s not exactly a groundbreaking, but it is still a ground-breaking moment today for a new Roanoke County Library branch in Vinton. Officials will give a ceremonial command today to begin tearing down the former Dunman Floral Supply building. The work itself will begin later this month, and plans call for construction of the new library likely to begin in late winter. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.