ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 19, 1996 TAG: 9612200056
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS
10 Years Ago (1986)
Dec. 1: The Rev. David Hayden, minister to street people in Roanoke, advocates that churches open their fellowship halls as shelter for street people on cold nights. Hayden, in a speech to the Roanoke Valley Ministers Conference, said that Justice House, a shelter in the 700 block of Jamison Avenue Southeast, was forced to turn away 400 people in the past two months for lack of space. Hayden said there are at least 1,000 homeless people in the Roanoke Valley.
Dec. 12: Marriage licenses issued in Roanoke County during 1986 ran ahead of divorces by a 4-1 rate, records in the county clerk's office showed. So far in the year a record-setting 569 marriage licenses were issued, while 143 divorces were granted. At the same time, Roanoke revealed another indication of marital harmony. Dr. James N. Dudley, city health commissioner, announced that in November, 347 babies were born in the city, an all-time high for one month. Since Jan. 1, he said, 2,729 babies have been born in the city.
25 Years Ago (1971)
Dec. 2: Roanoke County Education Association says it's concerned about a possible decline in education quality for Salem pupils if Salem terminates its education contract with Roanoke County. Wayne Goodman, RCEA president, said a system with fewer than 5,000 pupils - which a separate Salem system would have - could not support many educational services provided by the county.
Dec. 6: The last truss of an old bridge over the Roanoke River in the Norwich section of Roanoke was lowered into the river as two young sisters cut a ribbon opening a new bridge. Cathy Ann Jackson, 11, and Susan Jackson, 8, snipped the ribbon while spectators watched. Roanoke City Manager Julian Hirst said the two sisters represented the young people who would be using the bridge for many years to come. The Jackson sisters lived at 1741 Roanoke Ave. S.W., about two blocks from the bridge.
Dec. 15: Wiley N. Jackson Co. of Roanoke submitted a low bid of $3.7 million for a one-mile extension of the Southwest Expressway from Elm Avenue to Franklin Road. The expected completion date will be October 1973. Eventually the expressway will be extended to Virginia 419.
50 Years Ago (1946)
Dec. 11: The Norfolk and Western Railway announced it would revamp schedules and speed up its passenger trains to cut about two hours off traveling time on six routes between New York and New Orleans and points in between. All the trains stop in Roanoke. They are the Cavalier, Birmingham Special, Pelican, Tennessean and two others identified only by numbers.
Dec. 15: Radio station WROV-AM went on the air at 6 a.m. to become the third radio outlet in the Roanoke Valley. The station will be affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System and will broadcast from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. It is owned by a group of local businessmen and will broadcast from studios on the top floor of Mountain Trust Bank building on Jefferson Street in downtown Roanoke. The station joins WDBJ, the area's first station, and WSLS.
Dec. 17: The Roanoke Post Office was swamped with one of its heaviest Christmas mailing seasons. Virginia K. Wright, postmaster, said more than 210,000 3-cent stamps were sold on one day. Every mail carrier in the post office's area has at least one helper to get the mail delivered.
Dec. 24: A consultant has recommended that Vinton be included in Roanoke's next annexation suit against Roanoke County. Harland Bartholomew, a St. Louis planning engineer, said that in its next suit the city should include Vinton, the Williamson Road area, the Norfolk and Western Railway East End shops and a large area of southeast county, including the American Viscose plant. Roanoke City Council will consider the report Jan.9.
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