ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 23, 1997 TAG: 9702240010
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
BLACKSBURG
Charges certified
Rape charges against two Virginia Tech football players were certified to the Montgomery County grand jury after a lengthy preliminary hearing Thursday. The allegations filed by a female Virginia Tech student involve an incident at a Blacksburg apartment in December. If the grand jury indicts the men, James Crawford and Brian Edmonds, they would then stand trial in Circuit Court. Published in Friday's Roanoke Times.
CHRISTIANSBURG
Post office for sale
Postal Service officials announced the present post office in downtown Christiansburg is up for sale for $295,000. The post office will move to new quarters behind the Marketplace shopping center in the U.S. 460-Peppers Ferry Road area later this year. Also, the historic mural in the present building will be restored and moved to the new site. Published in Friday's Current.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
One more vote on town houses
The Montgomery County Planning Commission voted 5 to 4 to recommend denial of developers' plans to build town houses in rural Riner. The contentious rezoning now goes for a final vote Monday before the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors at 7 p.m. at the county courthouse in downtown Christiansburg. Published in Friday's Current.
FLOYD COUNTY
Two detained in slaying
When Stanley W. Harmon, 38, failed to show up for work Wednesday, his employer went to check on him and found him shot to death at his Willis home. State police and Floyd County Sheriff's Office investigators retrieved two suspects in West Virginia who had been seen driving Harmon's stolen car. The duo, both West Virginians, were charged with auto theft and other charges were pending Friday. Published in Friday's Current.
GILES COUNTY
Man charged in shooting
Benjamin Scot Elliott, 25, was charged with second-degree murder and a firearm violation in the Wednesday night shooting death of his live-in girlfriend, Misty Dawn Dellinger, 20. The couple had moved to Newport within the last two months after previously living in Montgomery County. Published in Friday's Current.
PULASKI COUNTY
Pulaski Councilman resigns
Pulaski Vice Mayor W.H. "Rocky" Schrader Jr. on Tuesday became the latest town government official to resign. Schrader, a 10-year Town Council veteran, cited increasing work responsibilities. Schrader has worked at Hudson Chevrolet for 17 years and was named general manager last year for Heritage Buick when it was acquired by Hudson. Council will choose a replacement within 45 days. Published in Thursday's Current.
New registrar named
Kathryn Webb, a legal secretary with a Pulaski law firm, was named Wednesday by the Pulaski County Electoral Board as the next voting registrar. She will be sworn in March 10. She will complete the unexpired term of former registrar Phyllis Hanks, who was fired in an embezzlement scandal. Published in Friday's Current.
Construction plans advance
The Pulaski County School Board is ready to present an ambitious school construction plan to the county Board of Supervisors. The plan was approved by the School Board on Tuesday without disclosing any details. Those will come after a presentation to the supervisors March 10, probably in closed session. But Superintendent Bill Asbury said the plan, if carried out, would give Pulaski County facilities second to none anywhere in Virginia. Published in Thursday's Current.
VIRGINIA TECH
New policy on athletes
Virginia Tech Athletic Director Dave Braine said coaches will no longer be handling sanctions against athletes. He made the comments at a Faculty Senate meeting held Tuesday, but more details on how Tech expects to halt embarrassments like the football team's string of arrests will be unveiled Monday. Published in Wednesday's Roanoke Times.
RADFORD UNIVERSITY
Covington's contract
Negotiations still are under way for Radford University President Douglas Covington's contract, the result of the much-publicized job evaluation the president received in the fall. The Rev. Ronald Watson, who led the effort to ensure a fair evaluation amid what some feared was an effort to oust the president, let the Board of Visitors last week know that he hasn't forgotten. Meanwhile, a contract is supposed to be signed by the board's May meeting. Published in Tuesday's Roanoke Times.
For electronic versions of these and many other stories, see the New River Current and Roanoke Times on line.
http://www.roanoke.com/nrvhome/nrvindex.html
LENGTH: Long : 107 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON STAFF. An early taste of spring was perhapsby CNBthe biggest news in the New River Valley last week. A sunny day in
the 60s provided a perfect milieu for Blacksburg resident Mandy
Studds and her dogs, Rudy and Buddy, on Tuesday.