Web Staff
Eight educators today learned of their selection as 2015 Virginia Regional Teachers of the Year during surprise classroom visits and announcements made by their division superintendents — and in the case of a Chesterfield County chemistry teacher — Governor Terry McAuliffe and Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples. “At the heart of Virginia’s national and international reputation for excellent and innovative public schools are thousands of smart and dedicated teachers who are epitomized by the eight recognized today as best of the best,” McAuliffe said after announcing the selection of James River High chemistry teacher Tara L. Brunyansky as the 2015 Region I Teacher of Year.
The other seven 2015 Regional Teachers of the Year announced are as follows:
- Bevin K. Reinen, a first-grade teacher at Three Oaks Elementary in Virginia Beach (Region 2)
- Jennifer H. Worrell, a fourth-grade language arts teacher at Petsworth Elementary in Gloucester County (Region 3)
- Jaclyn M. Roller, an agricultural education teacher at Signal Knob Middle in Shenandoah County (Region 4)
- Gerin E. Martin, an early childhood special education teacher at Hutcherson Early Learning Program in Lynchburg (Region 5)
- Matthew T. Newton, a grades 3-5 special education teacher at Fishburn Park Elementary in Roanoke (Region 6)
- Mark T. Merz, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Oak Point Elementary in Smyth County (Region 7)
- Kelly S. Jones, a World History and Sociology teacher at Greensville County High in Greensville County (Region 8)
(Continue reading for the rest of the news release,)
Traci Jo Plessinger (Photo from Roanoke Police)
From Roanoke City Police: On September 13, 2014 at 11:43 a.m. Roanoke Police were dispatched to the 1400 block of Towne Square Boulevard NW, the Sam’s Club, to investigate a report of a woman found injured in the parking lot. The victim, an 83-year-old woman from Roanoke, was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Further investigation determined the victim was putting groceries into her vehicle when a woman grabbed her purse from the victim’s shopping cart, and then got into the passenger seat of a waiting pick-up truck. The victim, attempting to retrieve her purse, grabbed on to a portion of the pick-up truck and was dragged a short distance before falling to the parking lot. The suspect vehicle drove away. Detectives retrieved video surveillance, developed several leads and were able to determine the identity of the suspects. On September 15th, officers took Dallas Michelle Robson, age 35, of Roanoke into custody and charged her with larceny and possession of heroin. Heroin use was one of the factors that motivated the crime. The victim’s credit card and checks were used to obtain merchandise from various stores and attempts were made to obtain money in Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Vinton. Officers are attempting to locate the second suspect, Traci Jo Plessinger, age 49, of Copper Hill. At this time detectives believe Plessinger is the one who took the purse from the victim’s shopping cart.
(Continue reading for the rest of the news release.)
Chief Richard Burch
From Roanoke County Fire and Rescue: Chief Richard E. Burch, Jr. announced Friday that he intends to retire in April 2015 after over 18 years of service. Burch submitted his retirement intentions to County Administration. Burch comes from a true fire family. Both his grandfather and father were Captains with the Richmond Fire Bureau and his uncle was a firefighter. Following in their footsteps, Burch began his career at the age of 14 as a volunteer firefighter in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Burch served in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star. After his discharge, he joined the Richmond Fire Bureau in 1972 at age 20. He left there in 1977 to begin his position as the Deputy Fire Chief in Hanover County, Virginia. Burch came to Roanoke in 1996 and became the second Chief of Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department.
(Continue reading for the rest of the news release.)
Hidden Valley Middle School in Roanoke County is closed today due to heavy paint fumes. Buses are returning students back to their homes. Parents who dropped off children are asked to pick them up at the school immediately. All other Roanoke County Public Schools are open today.
(Continue reading for news release from Roanoke County Public Schools)
From Roanoke Fire-EMS: On Wednesday, September 10, 2014, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a structure fire in the 400 block of Marshall Ave. The call was received in the E-911 Center at approximately 1:56am and was under control at 3:00am. When crews arrived the two story house was fully engulfed in flames. The house was vacant and no one was injured. Investigators dug through the debris today and ruled that the fire was intentionally set. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Line at 540-344-8500 or the Roanoke Fire Marshal’s Office at 540-853-2795.
From Virginia State Police: At 1:12 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 10), Virginia State Police were called to the scene of a plane crash along Interstate 77 near the 5 mile marker in Carroll County, Va. A 1939 J3 single-engine aircraft was flying south along Interstate 77 when it came in contact with some of the tree tops in the median and crash landed into the mountain that makes up the median of I-77 at Fancy Gap. The plane never made contact with the interstate. The 67-year-old pilot was transported to Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina for treatment of serious but non-life threatening injuries. He was the only occupant of the aircraft. The area of the crash was experiencing dense fog and limited visibility in the area at the time of the crash. Visibility on the ground was approximately 500 feet. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Both the FAA and NTSB have been notified. Only one northbound lane of I-77 is closed to through traffic at this time.
State Police photos
From Roanoke City Police: On September 9, 2014 at 10:04 p.m. Roanoke Police were dispatched to the corner of Winsloe and Thurman Avenues NW to investigate a robbery. The victim, a 36-year-old Pizza Hut delivery driver from Roanoke, told officers that he was attempting to deliver a pizza to a nearby address when a black male approached him, displayed a firearm, and demanded money. The suspect robbed the victim of cash and other items and ran away on foot. Responding officers quickly set up a perimeter to try and locate the suspect. One of the officers working the perimeter observed a black male matching the suspect’s description catch a cab near the scene of the robbery. Officers followed the cab to the 300 block of Hershberger Road NW when it stopped and the suspect got out. Based on the description given of the suspect, officers detained the male after he exited the cab. The suspect was identified as Exavior Deopalis McCarthy, age 20, of Roanoke. After further investigation, officers charged McCarthy with robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a robbery. He was taken to Roanoke City Jail.
Marshall Ave. Fire
(Roanoke Fire-EMS)
Update From Roanoke Fire-EMS on 9/10/14 17:11:
On Wednesday, September 10, 2014, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a structure fire in the 400 block of Marshall Ave. The call was received in the E-911 Center at approximately 1:56am and was under control at 3:00am. When crews arrived the two story house was fully engulfed in flames. The house was vacant and no one was injured. Investigators dug through the debris today and ruled that the fire was intentionally set. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Line at 540-344-8500 or the Roanoke Fire Marshal’s Office at 540-853-2795.
———————–
Original post 9/10/14 7:42 am.:
Fire officials say they got the call just before 2 a.m. Wednesday. Crews responded to the 400-block of Marshall Avenue in southwest Roanoke. Firefighters found a two-story house on the corner of Marshall and 5th Street engulfed. After finding no one inside the abandoned structure, they began a heavy exterior attack, while letting the fire partially burn out on its own. It took a while to put out the fire and firefighters stayed on scene for hours to watch for hotspots. A witness tells WFIR that the flames appeared to be three stories high and thick smoke could be seen for blocks. Streets in the area had to be blocked off while crews worked the fire. There are no reports of injuries and Roanoke Fire-EMS has not yet reported the cause of the fire or damage estimates.
From Kroger: Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic Region is hiring to fill an estimated 1,600 permanent jobs. The region consists of 118 stores, 113 pharmacies and 75 fuel centers in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and the eastern portions of Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio. “Right now in our stores in the Mid-Atlantic region, we have openings for bright, hard-working associates who are passionate about making a difference for customers every day,” said Carl York, spokesperson for the Mid-Atlantic region. Throughout the Kroger family of stores, the company is hiring to fill an estimated 20,000 permanent jobs in its supermarket regions.
(Continue reading for the rest of the news release.)
Mike Stovall
From Roanoke County Public Schools: Mike Stovall, current Vinton District representative on the Roanoke County School Board has announced he will resign from the school board effective Monday, Sept. 8 to pursue other interests. Stovall was first elected to the Roanoke County School Board in 1994 and has been re-elected five times, most recently in 2013. He has previously served three times as board chairman (1997, 2001, 2010) and four times as vice-chairman (1995, 2000, 2009, 2014). A former investigator for the Vinton Police Department, Stovall currently owns Alert Driver Training, a driving instruction business. “The past twenty years on the board have been incredible,” said Stovall. “I’ve been with this board through the good times and the more recent challenging times. I’m proud of my time with the school board and all that we’ve accomplished. I want to express my sincere thanks to my fellow board members for their friendship and hard work. This is probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make,” Stovall said. The Roanoke County School Board will discuss the process of filling Stovall’s seat at their meeting on Thursday, Sept. 11.