What experts said was a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in the Roanoke area hit just before 2 p.m. today, with the epicenter reported between Charlottesville Richmond. Later reports said tremors were felt up and down the East Coast, as far as Washington, D.C.

In Academy Street in Salem, for instance, people ran out of their houses to see if a large truck had rumbled past or there had been an accident. Neighbors compared stories, wondering if they really had felt an earthquake.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The bride was given in marriage by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Grant McKinley Sprinkle III, of Salem. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Grant McKinley Sprinkle Jr., and the late Lorraine Sommardahl Sprinkle of Salem and Sara Wyrick Johnston and the late Mr. John Wesley Johnston IV of Roanoke.

Mrs. Kevin Michael O’Brien

The groom is the son of Karen Elaine O’Brien and the late Michael Franklin O’Brien of Fairfax. He is the grandson of Mildred Ferraro Kowalski and the late Raymond Albert Kowalski of Vienna, Va., and the late Mr. and Mrs. Walter Nelson O’Brien of Victoria, Va.

Maid of honor was Caroline Guadalupe Coronado of Kensington, Md. The bride was also attended by her cousin, Harmon Lorraine Hall of Salem, sister-in-law Terri Granger O’Brien of Clifton, Va., and friends Kelly Caroline Minton of Salem and Elizabeth Trent Higginbotham of Roanoke. Rachael Wilson Johnston of Roanoke, cousin of the bride, was junior bridesmaid.

Scott Christopher O’Brien of Clifton, brother of the groom, was best man. Groomsmen were Clark Austin Sprinkle of Winter Park, Fla., brother of the bride, and friends Saumil Mahendrakumar Vaghela and Hyung-Jin Won, both of Fairfax, and Randy Lee Spicer of Sterling.

The reader was Charles Grant Hall of Salem, cousin of the bride. James Burke Riley of Davidson, N.C., cousin of the bride, and Devin Nelson Vawter of Mineral, Va., cousin of the groom, were greeters. Karlye Brooke Cowart, cousin of the bride, of Jessup, Ga., attended the guestbook and Linda Holzheuer Garbee of Roanoke was the mistress of ceremony.

The bride received Bachelor of Arts degrees in psychology and environmental sciences from the University of Virginia. She was employed as a chemist for several years after graduation and will begin dental school at Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall.

The groom received a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Virginia and a graduate degree in biochemistry from the Medical College of Virginia. He is currently in his second year at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry.

The rehearsal dinner was hosted by the mother of the groom at Hidden Valley Country Club the evening preceding the wedding.

The couple honeymooned at Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, and now resides in Richmond.

Longtime friend Trevor Frost is in a competition to win a National Geographic Expedition, and if Frost is the winner, Guillote will be his co-leader.

Trevor and John are eager to focus world attention on the endangered species in Sumatra and all of Indonesia and to support the wildlife park rangers who work tirelessly to keep deadly poachers at bay.

To take this expedition, they need to win the National Geographic (NG) Expedition Granted challenge that’s under way right now. To win, they need to collect more votes on the NG website than another hopeful, and they need those votes by April 6.

According to his mother, John Guillote grew up on the Talbot family farm at the foot of Tinker Mountain in Daleville. He’s a product of Troutville Elementary, Lord Botetourt High School Class of 1998 where he lettered in cross country, Virginia Western Community College Class of 2001 and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Class of 2005 where he graduated with BS in environmental studies.

“Who knew that his love of outdoors and lifelong observation of nature would morph into a world stage?” his mother, Emily Talbot-Guillote, asked.

Trevor Frost, a  25-year-old National Geographic Young Explorer, VCU graduate and Richmond native, is who voters need to cast their ballot for if he and Guillote are to win the expedition to Sumatra, Indonesia.

If they win, they would travel to Sumatra where rangers and scientists risk their lives everyday to protect these vital ecosystems for little to no pay, according to the NG website. “Without our support, we risk losing these conservationists as well as the places they have worked so hard to protect,” Trevor says in his blog about the expedition.

The expedition would use science and media to ensure greater support for what he calls “these environmental superheroes” so these ecosystems will have the opportunity to thrive.

The two young explorers are pitted against one another for the ultimate prize of $10,000 to go on their expedition. The runner-up still receives $2,500.

“Voting for this project will allow you to play a part in both exposing the need for greater support of wildlife rangers and directly providing increased assistance to them worldwide,” Trevor says on the NG website. “In helping wildlife rangers, your vote will also protect endangered areas and species that are important to humanity.”

For more information, or to vote, visit http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/expedition-week-granted, or Google Expedition Granted. To vote, you must register, then you can vote once a day, every day until the contest voting ends on April 6. The winner will be announced Thursday night, April 7.

Sara is the daughter of Bud and Teresa Grey of Salem. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2007, and received a master’s degree from James Madison University in 2009. Sara is employed at Children’s Hospital of Richmond as a speech-language pathologist.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin T. Barnhill

Ben is the son of Laetitia and the late John Barnhill Jr. of Salem. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 2008 and is currently employed at Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc. in Richmond as a scientist.

Sara and Ben are both graduates of Salem High School. Following a honeymoon in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the couple will continue to reside in Richmond.

– Funeral notice –

Kimberly was escorted to the altar by her father and given in marriage by her parents, Debby and Jeff Powell of Salem. She is the granddaughter of Josephine Powell and the late Lawrence Powell of Salem and the late Beatrice and William Matney of Christiansburg.

Mr. and Mrs. William Patrick Lloyd

Patrick is the son of Penny and Rick Lloyd of Roanoke. He is the grandson of Dee Lloyd and the late Dean Lloyd of Roanoke and Mabelle and Smithey King of Roanoke.

Kimberly is a graduate of Salem High School and Patrick is a graduate of North Cross School. They are both graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Kimberly earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design and works for Commonwealth Architects. Patrick earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and works in commercial mechanical equipment sales with ACES Inc.

Kathleen Fitzgerald Cavitt of Norfolk was matron of honor, and Elizabeth Higginbotham of New York City was maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Stephanie Clements of Alexandria, Shaye Coleman of Richmond, Kailyn Pickett Bear of Bluefield and Michelle Hodges of Virginia Beach. Laurie Lloyd was the greeter and Isabella Sharrocks was the flower girl.

Ryan DaValle of Charlotte was best man. Groomsmen were Michael Bear of Bluefield, Matthew Freeman and Brian Beckner of Richmond, Ryan Doyle of Atlanta, and Hunter Doyle of Roanoke. Ushers were Andy Powell, David Cavitt and Jeff Wraley.

The couple honeymooned on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kauai. They have made their home in Richmond.

The food and music were good and there were a variety of vendors and artists who braved the weather under awnings and canopies. But everyone was smiling. I enjoyed watching the blacksmith and the young man who was chipping away at a beautiful piece of white rock or stone.

Columnist Gwen Johnson

However, the booth that caught my attention and sent me on a trip down memory lane had a simple display – a table filled with alpaca wool in 10 different colors. My mind quickly went back to 1955, the year of Elvis, ponytails and alpaca coats. I was 16 then and will never forget how very badly my younger sister and I wanted one of those beautiful, full-length Alpaca fur coats. We knew that was out of the question.

Even back then they cost a lot of money and my folks simply didn’t have it. However, Christmas morning there were two Alpaca coats under the tree. When we put those soft luxurious fur coats on nobody could have told us we weren’t the richest kids in town.

I wore it to my first Elvis Presley concert in 1956 when he appeared at the Mosque in Richmond.

The King of Rock and Roll, as he later turned out to be, was just starting to tour the country after achieving fame on the “Ed Sullivan Show” and taking the country by storm. The fact that he was coming to Richmond was a big deal for us teenagers, and we dressed to the hilt. Had my hair pulled back in a long pony tail with a pearl clip holding it in place. I still have that clip tucked away in an old jewelry box given to me by my grandparents when I was 11 years old. There were no jeans worn to that concert unless the guys were wearing them.

So I had to wear my new fur coat. Nothing else would do. It was a cold, windy night in November if I remember correctly, but I was warm except for my toes. I was wearing high-heel shoes with sling-back straps and the toes cut out. Those shoes nearly got me killed that night.

When the concert was over we headed around back to a window where Elvis was signing autographs. Just as my friend Shelia and I got to the window and were on the verge of getting his much coveted signature on our programs, the window was slammed shut. The crowd was out of control. There was screaming and hollering and pushing and shoving. I panicked! I don’t think anyone ever dreamed that concert would produce such hysteria!

Just about that time one of those skinny heels on my shoe hung in the sidewalk grate beneath the window! I tried and tried to get that thing unstuck as the crowd closed in. I lost my balance but didn’t fall because we were packed in that back alley like sardines in a can. Finally, by the grace of God, the heel came loose and I was able to get out of the maddening crowd. I swore then I would never ever attend another Elvis Presley concert or any concert for that matter.

And to this day, I have pretty much avoided crowds. I wouldn’t take anything for having gone, but I wouldn’t have done it over again. I adamantly believe no one is worth risking life and limb for, not even the “The King.”

Even since I’ve been in New Castle I have pulled that coat out and worn it on cold, windy days. Not only does it protect me from the cold, it warms me with memories of life in the ’50s, the greatest era of all as far as I’m concerned.

——

After years away in Richmond, writer Gwen Johnson has returned to the good life in the Town of New Castle where she enjoys her children, grandchildren, and the people of Craig County.

This time, he gets to stay.

On Monday a bronze bust of the Revolutionary War patriot, friend of George Washington and father of Salem was unveiled and officially presented to Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Andrew Lewis descendants Lewis Pitzer and daughter, Campbell, unveil the bust of Revolutionary War patriot and father of Salem Andrew Lewis March 22 in Richmond. Photo by Meg Hibbert

A standing statue of Lewis in frontiersman garb – which most people mistakenly assume is explorer Meriwether Lewis – is one of a half dozen figures around the equestrian statue of Washington in front of the Virginia Capitol.

“It’s only fitting that he (Lewis) gets to come out of the rain and be inside,” quipped the governor.

The General Assembly’s chief Lewis cheerleader, Delegate H. Morgan Griffith of Salem, presided over Monday’s ceremony in The Old Hall of the House of Delegates.

Salem Education Foundation Chairman Dr. Wayne Tripp presented Lewis’ bust to the governor on behalf of the foundation.

“Being an Irish-American, I am happy to have another Irish-American in the Capitol,” said the governor, referring to Andrew Lewis’ birth in Ireland.

The bust was unveiled by Lewis Pitzer of Martinsville, a direct descendant of Gen. Lewis, and his 11-year-old daughter, Campbell.

Pitzer’s brothers Lewis and Andrew and their families were also present in the crowd of 90 invited guests.

Salem Mayor Randy Foley and Vice Mayor John Givens – another distant Lewis cousin – accepted a Virginia flag flown over the Virginia capitol that day from Roanoke Delegate Onzlee Ware.

Foley said at the request of Dr. Richard Fisher, the man who got the idea of the bust of Lewis started years ago, the flag will be framed and presented to the Salem Civic Center.

A larger-than-life statue of Gen. Lewis stands guard in front of the civic center, and a painting also done by the bust and statue’s sculptor, Anne Bell, shows Lewis with the nautical cannon he used to blow the ship of the last British Colonial Governor Dunmore, out of the water.

Salem’s other council members Lisa Garst, Jane Johnson and Bill Jones were present, as well as Salem City Manager Kevin Boggess, Civic Facilities Director Carey Harveycutter and current Salem School Superintendent Dr. Alan Seibert. Salem High School trumpeter Kyle Crowell helped open the ceremonies by playing “Hail Columbia,” the unofficial national anthem in Lewis’ time.

Other Salem people included LeAnn Turbyfill, state corresponding secretary of the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution, representatives of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Salem Museum and SEFAA board member and fundraiser Frank Chapman and his wife, Julie.

Betsy McClearn, coordinator of the Lewis bust project, received kudos for the work she did in fundraising and other efforts to get the bust created and presented.

Other luminaries were former U.S. Senator Charles S. Robb, a descendant of the Lewis family, and his wife, Linda Robb, daughter of the late President Lyndon Baines Johnson. In 2000 Linda Robb helped dedicate the Lewis statue that guards the Salem Civic Center.

Salem native daughter Bell presented miniatures of the bust to the governor for the Governor’s Mansion, one for the West Virginia governor’s mansion because of Gen. Lewis’ ties to that state, and other representatives.

The bust of Lewis is long overdue being placed in Old Hall, Dr. Fisher noted in an interview last week. An act was passed on March 22, 1932, to authorize the governor to receive gifts of busts of certain great Virginians to be placed in the Old Hall of the House of Delegates.

Fisher was physically unable to make the trip to Richmond for the unveiling, but he was there in spirit. A photograph of him was prominently displayed near the bust. An 8-minute talk he wrote about Andrew Lewis’ life was given by Salem High School student Michael Thomas Robertson.

A bronze bust of Salem’s favorite son and friend of George Washington will be unveiled with full pomp and circumstance on Monday, March 22, in The Old Hall of The Virginia House of Delegates.

Representatives of Pitzer Transfer and Storage and House of Delegates' staff place the bust of Salem's Gen. Andrew Lewis on the pedestal in The Old Hall in Richmond last week. Photo courtesy House of Delegates Deputy Clerk George Bishop

Gov. Bob McDonnell will officially accept the bust on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Getting Revolutionary War hero Brigadier Gen. Lewis there has been quite a journey.

Legislation was passed in 1932 authorizing busts of famous Virginians to be placed in The Old Hall. Legendary Indian fighter Lewis, the man who received the first land grants for what became the village of Salem from the British king, was on the list with Patrick Henry, Stonewall Jackson and Meriwether Lewis, the explorer of Lewis and Clark fame.

But years passed and Andrew Lewis’ spot remained empty.

Salem Delegate H. Morgan Griffith discovered there was still room for Lewis, and after 13 months of fundraising efforts by the Salem Education Foundation and Alumni Association, Lewis is taking his rightful place.

“Gen. Lewis’ bust is very impressive,” said George Bishop, deputy clerk for administrative and support services in the Virginia House of Delegates. “We’ve only had two busts delivered since 1954,” explained Bishop, who was on hand when the bust arrived last week, “and both were in the last 18 months. As it happens, it was Meriwether Lewis in 2009 and now Andrew Lewis.”

The SEFAA began raising $25,000, with initial gifts from members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the man who may be Lewis’ greatest fan, Dr. Richard Fisher of Salem. The Sons of the American Revolution also contributed.

The foundation commissioned Salem native and internationally known artist and sculptor Anne Bell to create the bust of Lewis.

Bell’s heroic-proportioned full figure of Lewis with nautical cannon stands in front of the Salem Civic Center. She also did the painting of him that is inside the civic center, and a bust of Lewis mounted just inside the front door of the Salem Library.

For the latest work, though, Bell said she went back to descriptions of Lewis written by contemporaries, and other sources she didn’t have access to when she sculpted the previous statue and individual ones for Lewis descendants.

Bell will be present for the unveiling of the bust next week, said Betsy McClearn, project director, along with a full cast of Salem and Roanoke County dignitaries.

One person who won’t be able to be there, but will be in spirit is Dr. Fisher. “I’m just thrilled that the general is getting a place of honor,” the 87-year-old said this week. “Lewis getting there is delayed, but it’s appropriate. I think it’s so great that Morgan Griffith was aware there was a place for the statue that was authorized in 1931.”

Fisher spent three decades praising Lewis and generating interest in him. Among other projects he pushed for the statue at the Salem Civic Center, and heads this current project, McClearn said. “He and I talk just about every day,” she added.

Griffith will preside over the ceremony Monday. Retired Salem School Superintendent Wayne Tripp who is president of the SEFAA, will make the presentation to Gov. Bob McDonnell, before a contingent of Salem City Council members, Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, and other dignitaries.

A representative of the West Virginia governor’s office will talk about how that state honored Gen. Lewis for the Battle of Point Pleasant he led.

The bust was delivered to the capital earlier this week by Pitzer Transfer and Storage, including Lewis descendant Lewis Pitzer of Martinsville.

Another member of the Pitzer family, Andrew Pitzer, commissioned a flag that goes back to Lewis’ service. That will be presented with the bust and will be placed in the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond with 50 other flags, McClearn said.

Miniatures of Lewis’ bust will be presented to Virginia’s 64th governor, Charles Robb – who is also a Gen. Lewis descendant – the West Virginia Governor for the governor’s mansion, to Gov. McDonnell for the Virginia Mansion, and to Bruce Jamerson, clerk of the House of Delegates, McClearn said. Andrew Lewis served in the House of Delegates after his Revolutionary War duties.

Roanoke Delegate Onzlee Ware will present the flag flown over the capitol that day to Salem Mayor Randy Foley and Vice Mayor John Givens, she said.

Salem High School students who will take part in the ceremony will be Michael Robertson, a member of the Forensics Team, who will tell of Lewis’ life in a first-person oration, and trumpet player Kyle Crowell, who will play “Hail, Columbia,” the unofficial national anthem from Lewis’ time.

A flute ensemble from the Roanoke Symphony Youth Orchestra will play “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Members of the ensemble are Glenvar High School students Delali Agblevor and Ali Clark, and Cave Spring Middle School student Megan Pasquarell and Hidden Valley High School student Emily Seibert.

The colors will be presented by five students from Fishburne Military School in Augusta County, where the John Lewis family originally settled.

The other semifinal will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday when Lebanon takes on Buckingham County. The two winners meet for the Group A, Division 2 state championship at 5 p.m. Saturday, and all games are at the Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Patrick Bennett gets the jump ball at the start of Friday's state quarterfinal game with Honaker. Photo by Brian Hoffman

River has been to VCU twice in recent years, but hasn’t made the final. In 2007, River lost to Clarke County in the semifinal, and last year the Knights were disappointed when Radford hit a last second shot to beat the Knights.

Two River starters, Ethan Humphries and Patrick Bennett, started on both of those teams and will be going to the state tournament for the third. Not many players can say they participated in three state “Final Fours.”

Friday’s opponent, Dan River, comes in with a 14-8 record. The Wildcats lost to Radford in the championship game last year, 60-49, but graduated their best player. Dan River beat Essex in this year’s quarterfinal round, 48-45.

“They’re pretty talented,” said River coach Mike Goad of the Wildcats. “They have speed and a lot of quickness. They go 10 deep and they like to play an up-tempo game, with a lot of fast breaks.”

In most cases, that would play into James River’s hands. The Knights also play an up-tempo style and have been successful against teams that like to run the floor. Goad compares Dan River to Liberty or Radford.

“They like to use their speed and quickness to press,” he said. “We’re going to have to set the tempo and get good shots. And we’re going to have to make our foul shots.”

Free throw shooting has been a strength of the Knights this year, but in most games it didn’t make a difference since River was so far ahead. Last Friday at the Salem Civic Center the Knights were just 12 for 24 from the line but they still beat Honaker in a state quarterfinal, 69-48.

“We’re going to have to improve our foul shooting,” said Goad. “When you get to this point of the season it could win you a game or cost you a game.”

River was heavily favored against Honaker and the Knights were never threatened in the quarterfinal win. River led 18-8 after the first quarter and 31-20 at the half. Honaker played hard, but it was easy to see the Knights were the more talented team.

“Athletically, we were certainly better,” said Goad. “They like to shoot threes and we held them to 14 percent shooting on threes, but they were scrappy. We weren’t as intense as I’d like on the boards.”

Indeed, the Tigers out-rebounded River, 40-30, for the game. However, Honaker had 22 turnovers and River shot the ball much better, hitting 54 percent from the field.

Patrick Bennett led the Knights with 21 points, hitting nine of 16 from the floor. Humphries had 12 points and six steals. Jordan Talbott had 11 points and John Bennett had 10 as River put four boys in double figures in a balanced attack.

The win gave River a 26-2 record for the season and the Knights are undefeated against Group A competition. But they’ve been this far before with a similar record, and this time they’re heading north to complete the job.

“It’s been a very pleasurable four years,” said Goad, who has led the Knights to a 98-12 record in the past four seasons. “We’re looking forward to this and it would be great to finish it off with a victory, but whatever happens we’ll give it our best.”