Archive for December, 2010

The top ten stories of the year: a look back at the grief, the changes, and the celebrations of 2010 1. Murder-suicide strikes Vinton The peaceful Vinton community was stunned when two well-known residents died in a tragic murder-suicide. Timothy Drew broke into the house of his estranged wife, shot her, and then shot... »

SALEM – Laura Reilly was excited about Salem’s first snow. “I can’t wait to see blades put on the front of the garbage trucks and all the other big equipment, and see how they get the snow cleaned up,” she said. Actually, the new Salem horticulturist is excited by everything about her job, and her... »

As part of scenes of the Christmas season in Salem, Ryan Boyce, 7, of Chesapeake sampled a fresh, hot donut at the Salem Farmers’ Market. There were wreaths made of locally grown pine and holly, and handcrafted toys and other gifts and all kinds of good things to eat, sniff and wear. Ryan and... »

CAVE SPRING–Building a house isn’t for the faint of heart: it requires a steady hand, a solid foundation, and a lot of concentration to keep everything from falling apart. The same is true with gingerbread houses. One wrong  move, and the wall could break, the roof could cave in, or the whole thing could... »

John and Loraine (Gross) Whitley celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with loved ones on Dec. 22. The couple operated several restaurants in Salem and John was later a Realtor. They have one daughter, one granddaughter and a puppy named “Cookie.” »

Kimberly Diane Powell and William Patrick Lloyd were united in marriage on Sept. 4 at the John Kerr Branch House, home of the Virginia Center for Architecture, in Richmond. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Charles Ward, who was assisted by Andrew Lloyd, brother of the groom. A reception with dinner and dancing... »

Emma Katherine Eskridge was born May 9 and weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces. She is the daughter of Matt and Jaime Eskridge of Cloverdale, and the granddaughter of Roger and Janice Perdue of Lafayette, Va., and Laurie Allala of Petersburg. »

Riley Ann Woolwine was born on Dec. 10. She weighed 8-1/2 pounds and was 20-1/2 inches long. Her parents are Amy and Jason Woolwine of Virginia Beach. Her father is originally from Salem. Her grandparents are Bobby and Carolyn Woolwine of Salem, and Carl and Deborah Renholm of Charleton, Mass. »

SALEM – Jane Ford absolutely beamed as she prepared to go home without having to wear her glasses. “I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 10 years old,” the 62-year-old said. “I already can see better,” she added, within minutes of coming out of cataract surgery that gave her sight for Christmas. Ford and... »

CRAIG COUNTY – Craig Valley Baptist Church will have candlelight services at 4 and 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 24. The choir, led by Bobbie Winstead, will present special music. Services held around sundown are family-centered while traditional late services usually include Holy Communion and often a program of sacred music. In denominations such as... »