ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 20, 1997 TAG: 9704210023
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
BLACKSBURG
New medical center
Ground has been broken for Carilion Health System's new Blacksburg medical center, which will be built on a lot at the corner of Prices Fork Road and Plantation Drive. The new $3 million, 19,000-square-foot facility, will house a number of medical offices including family practitioners, home health care, physical therapy and laboratories. Officials said its design will attempt to blend with the residential neighborhoods nearby. It is scheduled to be completed by year's end. Published in Wednesday's Current.
CHRISTIANSBURG
Marketplace plan trashed
A proposal to place a refuse collection and transfer station near several stores in the Marketplace retail complex got a thumbs down from Christiansburg's Town Council and Planning Commission. Developer Bill "Moose" Matthews argued that the indoor facility would be clean and shielded from view. But several retailers disagreed. Town officials voted to deny a conditional use permit for the operation. Published in Thursday's Current.
Town's bid licked
The U.S. Postal Service has rejected the latest bid from the town to buy the downtown post office building. The building will be for sale after a new main post office is completed this fall at Marketplace. The post office is asking $295,000 for the building. Town officials aren't saying how much they offered to pay but the feds say it isn't enough. Published in Wednesday's Roanoke Times.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Top staffers appointed
Montgomery County's new administrator, Jeff Johnson, has announced two appointments to his senior staff. Bob Isner, the county's new economic development director, worked with Johnson on Brunswick County's administrative staff. Carol Edmonds, previously Montgomery County's finance director, was promoted to assistant county administrator. Published in Tuesday's Roanoke Times.
Uncertainty at shelter
Residents of the Montgomery County Community Shelter were told last week that they may have to move out of the Roanoke Street facility, at least temporarily. The small residence, which serves the area's homeless, may be structurally unsound. Officials are waiting for the results of a engineering report to decide if the building must be renovated or replaced. Late last week, shelter officials said the building is safe for now and the residents won't have to move. Published in the April 12 and Friday Currents.
RADFORD
Taxes may rise
Radford City Council has preliminarily approved a 2-cent increase the city's real estate tax rate as part of its $50 million budget for 1997-98. If the measure is approved on its second reading when council meets Monday at 7:30 p.m., the real estate tax rate will rise to 70 cents per $100 of assessed value. Special initiatives in the budget include $4.3 million for schools, a new pay plan for city employees and improvements to the city's downtown parking facilities, its library, senior center and parks. Published in Wednesday's Current.
PULASKI COUNTY
Local guy makes good
Army Capt. John Epperly, a Pulaski County native and 1989 West Point graduate, has been named the United States' top ROTC instructor. Epperly teaches freshmen classes at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Epperly received the award in Lexington as part of the George C. Marshall ROTC Award Seminar in Lexington. Published in Thursday's Roanoke Times.
FLOYD COUNTY
Cockram's for sale
The mountain music haven called Cockram's General Store has been put up for sale. Its owner says the donations of people that attend the Friday night jamborees there aren't enough for the business to turn a profit. At least the hoedowns will continue until the property is sold. Published in the April 12 Roanoke Times.
VIRGINIA TECH
Renown physicist returns
Robert Richardson acknowledges that he wasn't a stellar physics student during his years as a Virginia Tech undergraduate and a member of the Corps of Cadets. Yet he says his days on the Blacksburg campus 40 years ago gave him the confidence to explore his interests. Now Richardson is a professor at Cornell University and a member of a research team that earned the Nobel Prize in December. Back at Virginia Tech last week, Richardson lectured on his ground-breaking theories involving superfluids, which are substances that flow without friction. 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/roatimes/nrvhome/nrvindex.html
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Nobel laureate Robertby CNBRichardson returned to Blacksburg last week to discuss his
prize-winning theories about superfluids. The Cornell University
physicist graduated from Virginia Tech 40 years ago.