Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 27, 1995 TAG: 9507280001
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: S-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
July 3: Bern Ewert, Roanoke's city manager since 1978, announces his resignation to take charge of a proposed foundation to work for the development of a tourist attraction that would include a Roanoke River scenic parkway, regional zoo and steam train. His resignation is effective Aug. 2.
July 8:The Salvation Army's mobile soup kitchen, which, for three years has provided hot lunches to the homeless and needy, dispenses its last meal at the corner of Third Street, east of Campbell and Church avenues.
City merchants say the kitchen creates problems, but Salvation Army officials say they will continue a feeding program at the Salem Avenue Southwest facility.
July 10: A regional clinic providing free tests showing whether someone has been exposed to the AIDS virus opens at the Roanoke City Health Department. One of four such facilities in Virginia, the clinic was set up so that homosexuals or people in other high-risk AIDS groups won't donate blood merely to be tested for AIDS antibodies. The clinic also provides counseling and education for blood donors who have tested positively for such antibodies.
July 17: Roanoke Mayor Noel Taylor cuts the ribbon officially opening the $100 million Valley View Mall. Fifty-thousand people are expected to visit the mall on the first day, and the city expects to collect $2.5 million in taxes during the first year.
During the day, Fink's Jewelers sells a Rolex watch costing $2,600.
25 years ago
July 8: The Roanoke Valley Regional Health Services Planning Council recommends Roanoke Memorial Hospital develop a regional radiation therapy service for treating cancer patients in a five-county area near Roanoke. The council also suggests Lewis-Gale and Community hospitals defer plans to add cobalt equipment and develop radiation therapy centers.
July 12: Plans for TRUST, the Roanoke Valley Student Trouble Center, are announced. In addition to a 24-hour hot line for teens, the center will provide information on all kinds of crises confronting students: birth control, the draft, drugs, family relations and psychological and religious problems.
July 14:The Roanoke School Board approves new school desegregation plans with minimum discussion. The federal government's proposal for integrating high schools receives the board's unanimous approval, but changes in the junior high and elementary plans are opposed by Dr. Wendell Butler, the board's newest member and only black.
The plans include turning all-black Lucy Addison High School into an educational center; making six junior high schools 25 percent black; closing all-black Booker T. Washington Junior High and leaving nine elementary schools all-white, two all-black and pairing two. School Superintendent Roy A. Alcorn also recommends turning Booker T. Washington into a central administration office .
50 years ago
July 1: Roanoke City's water reserve is about half-gone, and the water supply is getting low because residents haven't heeded warnings to conserve water. Thunderstorms knocked out electrical equipment at the pumping units station. The area also is having its third straight day of temperatures above 95 degrees (100 degrees this day).
July 4: Fifteen additional prisoners of war are sent to a Salem camp to help Roanoke County farmers harvest crops. The camp already had 20 POWs assigned there, but a War Manpower Commission official said about 100 POWs would be needed to harvest crops in Botetourt and Roanoke counties.
July 9: Roanoke learns that a detachment of military police will be assigned here to keep personnel in line.
July 12: Officials at three grocery chains announce a soap shortage because of housewives hoarding enormous quantities. The stores voluntarily restricted purchases.
Officials say they think the shortage resulted from newspaper accounts of soap shortages in other areas.
July 19: The Roanoke Women's Club submits a plan to the war memorials committee to develop Mill Mountain into a park and build an appropriate memorial on top of the mountain.
July 31: U.S. Representative Clifton A. Woodrum of Roanoke announces he will not seek re-election to the House and will retire on or before his term ends in January 1947. He will enter private business.
PAST TENSE is a monthly special feature compiled by Melvin E. Matthews Jr. to help readers remember past events in the Roanoke Valley. Information is gathered from past issues of the newspaper.
by CNB