Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 30, 1993                   TAG: 9304300135
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ASHLAND                                LENGTH: Short

SOMETHING IN THE SOUP HAS COLLEGE IN A STEW

College officials sent the paw to a laboratory in New Jersey for analysis, and samples of soup have been sent to the state Health Department, said Linda N. Evans, spokeswoman for the college.

ARA Services, which contracts for food services at the college, has moved the soup from the self-serve line to an attended area, Evans said.

The incident occurred at lunchtime Monday in Estes Dining Hall. The student discovered the paw as she was ladling vegetable soup into her bowl, Evans said.

"It was probably a student prank. We doubt anything happened in the kitchen," she said. She said it is unclear what type of animal the paw came from.

It is unknown how many people ate the soup before the paw was discovered, but school officials said no student has complained of feeling sick. The cafeteria serves about 700 students and employees daily.

"We are taking what happened very seriously," Evans said. "It's not funny at all. We are appalled that anyone would have chosen our dining hall to do something like this."

Campus security officers are investigating the incident.