Web Staff
From Frankin County: After 32 ½ years in local government, Franklin County Administrator Richard Huff has announced that he is leaving to enter private sector employment on July 1, 2015. “Franklin County has been an extremely good place for my family as all 3 of our children graduated from Franklin County High School with honors. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving this wonderful community as 24 years of my career have been spent here working with many great Board members and a hard working and dedicated staff,” said Huff. “I believe that Franklin County has developed a great reputation among local governments in the state and it will be an attractive position for other experienced Administrators.” Huff served as Assistant County Administrator from 1983-1985, and County Administrator from 1985-1991 and from 1999-2015.
(Continue reading for the rest of the news release.)
From Dynax America — Officials of Dynax America Corporation and Botetourt County broke ground today on an expansion that will nearly double the company’s current facility in EastPark in Botetourt County. The 144,000-square-foot expansion is part of a $32.62 million project announced in October 2014 that will add 75 jobs at an average wage of $40,683. Dynax America Corporation, which located in Botetourt County in 1995, has expanded several times and now has 580 employees to make it the county’s largest private employer. The company manufactures transmission parts. “Dynax America Corporation has enjoyed great success in Botetourt County, Virginia,” said Tatsuo Kuroda, president. “The support of the state and the county has been important. But our employees have played the most important role in the company’s success.” “The success of Dynax America Corporation in Botetourt County is the best endorsement of Botetourt County as a premier business location,” said Dr. Donald Scothorn, chairman of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors. The contractor for the expansion is Branch and Associates. The project is expected to be completed by December 2015.
During a 4 day inspection, the United States Department of Agriculture cited Natural Bridge Zoo for 31 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Some of the violations include:
- Slamming guinea pigs on the concrete floor to kill them
- Using expired medications, some more than 4 years past the expiration date
- Physical abuse of a DeBrazza money who was confined in a undersized pet carrier and jabbed with sticks
- Using tiger cubs who were too big and too strong for public handling
- Not having records of any kind for more than 100 animals
USDA investigators say 35 of the animals were in need of vet care. Some were suffering from hair loss, abnormal skin conditions, and overgrown hooves.
The Natural Bridge Zoo addressed the USDA on its Facebook page. Here is just a part of the statement addressing concerns:
“The staff of Natural Bridge Zoo has dedicated their lives and personal resources to the preservation of species for over 40 years. We have provided valuable genetics and research to the animal industry; and we have provided animals to zoos all across the country from large AZA metro zoos to small privately owned zoos. Our successful reproduction and husbandry is unrivaled. We assure you, our visitors that every need our animals have is met, every USDA recommendation is followed and we are striving to constantly improve.”
You can click here to read the full statement from the zoo.
You can also see the USDA report by clicking here.
Friendship Retirement Community is hoping to bring the generations together with the exclusive screening of a new movie. It’s called “The Age of Love.” Director Steven Loring says it follows a group of 30 people–aged 70 to 90–as they take part in a “speed dating” event. He says young people who’ve seen the film say they’ll never look at their grandparents the same way again. The screening is this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Friendship Retirement Community on Hershberger Road. The movie is free, and Friendship is offering a 12-dollar buffet before the screening.
From Roanoke County Police: At 4:20 a.m. Thursday, Roanoke County Police were called to investigate a disturbance in the 2600 block of Harborwood Drive. The investigation led officers to a residence in the 2500 block of West Riverside Drive. Upon entering the residence, officers detected evidence of methamphetamines and possible production. A search warrant was obtained and later executed on the residence. The Virginia State Police Meth Lab Team responded. Larry K. Garman, a resident of Roanoke County, was arrested for possession of methamphetamines. The case is still under investigation. Further charges may follow, pending laboratory results.
The Senate Courts of Justice Committee voted unanimously yesterday in favor of bill SB 1427, granting women the right to breastfeed in public. If the Governor McAuliffe signs this bill into law, Virginia will join 47 other state in allowing women to nurse whenever and wherever in Virginia. Currently, the only other two states where women can be prosecuted for breastfeeding in public are South Dakota and Idaho.
Virginia Lottery photo
From the Virginia Lottery: Crystal Payne was anxious to check the Lottery numbers because there was a high Powerball jackpot. It turns out the Roanoke woman did not hit the Powerball jackpot. Instead, she discovered she’d won $100,000 in the Virginia Lottery’s $1,000,000 Money Ball game. “I thought, ‘This doesn’t look right… because it looks like my numbers!’” she said as she claimed her prize. She matched all five numbers in the January 24 drawing. She bought the winning ticket at Roanoke Tobacco, 3660 Colonial Avenue in Roanoke. She selected her numbers using family birthdays. The winning numbers were 2-4-8-10-26. The Gold Million Dollar Money Ball did not come up in that drawing. If it had, the top prize would have increased to $1 million. Ms. Payne said she has no plans for her winnings except to pay bills, and possibly take a trip somewhere.
From Roanoke City Police: Roanoke, Va.- On January 28, 2014 at 7:33 a.m. Roanoke Police were dispatched to the 2300 block of Salem Turnpike NW to provide traffic control for a working fire. Roanoke Fire EMS was already on scene and contained the fire to a garage on the property. After the fire was extinguished, detectives with the Roanoke Police Department responded to jointly work with the Fire Marshal’s Office in the investigation. The cause of the fire was determined to be arson. Investigators found a tire that was at the point of origin of the fire, matching physical evidence from five previous arsons in that area. Officers began interviewing witnesses and collected other electronic surveillance evidence that led them to develop Clyde Howard Burks, age 51, of Roanoke as a suspect. Officers located Burks and a detective interviewed him. Based on the investigation, officers obtained an arrest warrant for Burks for the January 28 arson. He was taken to the Roanoke City Jail. Burks is a strong person of interest in the five other fires in that area involving tires at the point of origin. The joint investigation is on-going in relation to those five fires. A previous media outlet reported that the fires may be tied to gang initiations, however officers investigated and found Burks has no known affiliation to any gangs.
Today from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., a partial lane closure will be in place on the southbound ramp to Interstate 581 from Valley View Boulevard. The partial lane closure will be in effect for paving operations on the ramp, weather permitting. Traffic control and a flagging operation will be in place to alert drivers approaching the area to slow down and use caution through the work zone. Motorists should expect possible delays.
Roanoke Fire-EMS photo
From Roanoke Fire-EMS: On Wednesday, January 28, 2015, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a fire in the 1900 block of Carter Rd. 1:25pm. Two people were home when the fire started and escaped without injuries. One cat died in the fire. The cause of the fire and origin are under investigation. Damage estimates are not available at this time. Two residents were displaced and would be staying with family during this difficult time.