The Roanoke Times from Roanoke, Virginia • 13

Metro State Roanoke Times World News Thursday Evening September 6 1979 Section Deaths UPI photos Donald Banton and wife go through former bedroom of their airfax apartment after tornado visited 7 7 7'' 11 Jk I in A 2M nw KrymJ 4Ew a jWPTww TOf jat HmSMmSm MB i raB ZwEHTOWTJv i 1111 1 iz Ettl sWggy MKw 1 IwLTf xr r8? Vj jflr v'4'4v nkr jMmjja flfls mme? iggr ll awl 0 Trr gg David rekindles memories of '69 '72 flood damage By RICHARD LOVEGROVE Shtnandoah Bureau WAYNESBORO The storm's name was David but Camille and Agnes were on the lips of residents here Wednesday night Today the skies over the mountains here were clear Wednesday night low seething clouds churned across the ridges And down below the people near the South River remembered the devastation and death that came with the storms in 1969 and 1972 Those memories die hard "We think about Camille every time" said Lloyd Hol loway looking out over the empty car lot of Paul reed ord "When it hit we hadn't moved anything and we lost every car on the lot Now I've got almost $1 million worth of inventory" at that and you'll see what we're up against" said RW McGann of Corner Hardware pointing to a picture album on his desk The album was open to a page with pictures of the 1969 and 1972 floods in downtown Waynesboro The parking meters in front of the hardware store were barely visible lost $131000 in 1969 and $117000 in 1972 We've been through that education" That education has taught local merchants who do their business near the South River to prepare reed ord moved all of its cars and got everything else above the 30 inch level Wednesday Ask Holloway and he will show you the 1969 water mark on the wall of his office McGann also took merchandise to above a certain level and boarded doors in an attempt to keep the anticipated floodwater out But the water did not come this time although local officials were afraid they were facing the same situation they faced in 1969 when three storm systems including the remnants of a hurricane met in one place was taking any chances" said Nelson County Sheriff WM Harris was happening all over again last night But the good Lord smiled at us favorably" See looding Page 2 IKt 83 7 Mb 3 fit Jrw5! lw 3 1 7 A Virginia Mawyer's umbrella doesn't help Winds exceeded 40 mph in Charlottesville City's policy school plan may conflict By JOEL TURNER Municipal Affairs Wrlftr The Roanoke City School plan to ask City Council to spend part of the city surplus to hire more teachers is likely to get a cool reception The request will conflict with the policy of spending surplus money for one time expenses such as equipment and capi tal items rather than recurring costs inance Director Joel Schlanger said today he didn't want to comment on the request until he sees it But he said the city administration in recent years has opposed the use of surplus money for continuing costs Since there is no assurance that a sur plus will recur in future years city officials say it is not wise to use the money to fi nance operating expenses that will recur Council said earlier the schools could have $500000 of the $4 million sur plus for one time capital items and equip ment It has asked school officials to draw up a list of how they would spend the money The School Board tentatively agreed to the list Superintendent Don Pack pro posed at the board's annual workshop in Blacksburg But the board decided this week to dis cuss the matter further and to ask council if it can use some of the money on education al programs and more teachers Some members said the board may want to use some of the surplus to hire more teachers for junior high schools where principals have reported classes of more than 30 students Council has tentatively committed more than $2 million of the surplus and Mayor Noel Taylor has proposed that an other $750000 be used for street improve ments Council plans to use about $15 million of the surplus to complete the sewer and water agreement with Roanoke County that was recently signed Another $250000 is expected to be used as the local funding share for the Shenandoah Avenue Redevel opment Project Council indicated during budget study last spring that it would provide up to $500000 in surplus money to the schools for one time expenses PT A official backs request By JACK CHAMBERLAIN Education Writer The new president of the Roanoke Central Council of PTAs says she supports the School Board's desire to use city sur plus money for more teachers Sharon Duckwall said over crowding in some junior high school classes is one of the major concerns of the PTA group Mrs Duckwall said today that council officers will visit the city's six junior highs to investigate concerns PTA members have been expressing Among these concerns she said are crowded classes and a shortage of text books in some schools Mrs Duckwall one of the leaders in the battle to get a Virginia history text into the elementary schools a year or so ago said she supports the School Board's desire to use its share of the city's surplus money for educational programs and more teachers very supportive of she said Council cut about $1 million from the school operating budget the board had pro posed for 1979 80 Mrs Duckwall said members of City Council are not as involved in the schools as are members of the School Board so council doesn't know where the education al priorities should be think the School Board ought to have the freedom to set its own priorities" she said The School Board and administration have been concerned about the junior high schools for several years because they are considered the weak link between elemen tary and high school based on average test scores Macados doesn't pass drink test By MAG PO Senior Writer The deli type food at qualify it as a restaurant for the serving of mixed drinks a hearing officer for the Vir ginia Alcohol Beverage Control Commis sion has ruled The opinion of the officer Robert Swinson said the mammoth sandwiches at count as bona fide full ser vice meals at least within the meaning of the state ABC regulations pertaining to mixed drinks Richard Macher owner of the deli and restaurant on the street level of the Church Avenue parking garage called the opinion received here today and "just bad But he said he wasn't really surprised because at the Aug 10 public hearing on the mixed drink license application Swin son struck him as a traditional res taurant who thinks of a meal as steak mashed potatoes peas and a roll Swinson during the hearing had re viewed the extensive menu and inquired about steak lamb chops roast beef green peas and asparagus Macher said he wants to appeal but make a final decision until he con sults with his father who lives in Harrison burg His mother was in Roanoke today he said and she wants to appeal He has 10 days to seek a review by the full commission He also can file a court appeal if the commission decision is ad verse Evening business at which has a wine and beer license is improving Macher said especially Thursday through Saturday nights Labor Day business was good he reported and he will continue his recently extended hours until midnight riday and Saturday But he said he believes a mixed drink license would help his business in the eve nings presented at the hearing an example of its burlesque sandwich inside its roll then laid out on a plate with the roll to the side A dietitian testified that a computer analysis of the beef turkey cheese slaw tomato and roll showed it contained 67 percent of the daily need for protein and 29 percent of the daily calories for an adult male Macher said the only allusion to her testimony noted her statement that i See Macados Page 4 SINGER I URNITURE I I co fl I OC I I fl I Orange I ROANOKE GAS COMPANY NW COMPUTER Ef CENTER ilil A 1 Campbell fl Church Ride started at Belmont Hollins and ended at Campbell Part time bus rider becomes an artful dodger How good is the Roanoke Val Metro bus system? To find out five Roanoke Times World News reporters rode the bus to and from work recently In' this series which runs through ri day they will tell about their ex periences By GEORGE KEGLEY Staff Wrltar Walking a mile to work bad when the sun is shining the birds are flying and everything is all right with the world In times of rain or other foul weath er the assignment from the city editor would have been less than welcome But it was a pleasant diversion last week Ride the bus and write about it the city editor said Catching the bus requires a one mile walk from my home It was a job done before During the last gas shortage five years ago reporters rode buses and wrote of their experi ences The number of riders on the Hol lins Road line was skimpy both times The 15 minute walk was the best part of the trip There is something about an early morning stroll down the hill across the pasture and along the creek that starts the day right Riding the boss In the east the sun was not far above Stewart's Knob and the fog was rising above Read Mountain A walk through the pasture requires dexterity to dodge the droppings of beef cattle arther along Monterey Golf Course discarded beer cans also are something of an obstacle beside the road Tinker Creek was muddy after an evening shower and golfers were going over the hill out early to beat the mid morning heat Grass was flying from a mower on the fairway Beside the road stands the home of Col William leming a man who knew how to practice surgery fight Indians and organize the affairs of early Bote tourt County But leming a wise man in his time might have had difficulty coping with the vexing problem of dwindling supplies of oil and gas In his day 200 years ago leming got on his horse at Belmont his log home now covered with frame siding and rode across Tinker Creek without a worry about the availability or price of gas He was on the lookout for Indians leming had suffered a near fatal chest injury from Indian blows at the Battle of Point Pleasant in October 1774 But leming didn't know about bus es either Across the creek from Bel mont is the Singer furniture plant where the Hollins Road Eastgate bus stops ev ery hour from 6:20 a to 5:30 pm During a 10 minute wait for the 8 o'clock bus seven school buses rolled by amid the flurry of traffic en route to work Several of the buses turned out Old Mountain Road once William leming's best route to the county seat at incastle and now the way to expanding subdivi sions of suburban homes Many pickups large and small cars motorcycles and big trucks exceeding the load limits for the Tinker Creek bridge drove by the bus stop Only five minutes late George Calla han pulled up at the wheel of a Valley Metro bus Not a passenger was aboard for the three mile ride downtown Callahan an efficient driver who has two hitches of more than 13 years with city buses plus time driving a tractor trailer called this an extra slow route However one run stopping at Singer about 6:30 am brings a load of passen gers he said This used to be a good run Callahan recalled before the city took over and changed the routes When you have to transfer can figure on an hour to a hour and a half wait When you can get off one and get on another it helps a whole Some routes have picked up since the latest gas shortage he said but Hollins Road and Windsor Hills are two of the slowest He often sees old bus riders driv ing their own cars nowadays Callahan's drive downtown with no stops for passengers took about 10 to 12 minutes the same time as an auto trip from home to the office parking lot In the afternoon Ada Linkous stopped at Jefferson Street and Campbell Avenue to take on five passengers for Hollins Road Sometimes there are more she said Ms Linkous a pleasant soul wished each departing rider "a pleasant eve ning" a parting gesture you get when you're driving your own car Ewert decision on post likely By JOEL TURNER Munlclp! Affairs Writer A new director of administration and public safety for Roanoke may be be chosen soon City Manager Bern Ewert met with City Council in closed session this week to discuss a possible successor to William Hewitt who was terminated from the job in June Covington City Manager Robert Herbert is reportedly included in the small list of finalists for the job although other city managers also are reportedly on the list Herbert confirmed he talked with Ewert about the job although others also are being considered Ewert could not be reached for comment today There were indications that council had considered taking a formal confirmation vote on nominee for the job after the closed session earlier this week The meeting was recessed rather than adjourned so council could have taken action after the closed session if it had desired Some councilmen indicated before the closed session that they expected action afterwards However no action was taken after the 90 minute closed session and nothing was said publicly Under the city charter the city manager is required to submit the nominee for a job to council for confirmation Some councilmen say council decided to delay action because Mayor Noel Taylor and Councilman Hampton Thomas were absent But it has been learned there were some differing views over the proposed salary for Hewitt's successor Ewert reportedly wanted the new director to begin work at a higher salary than some councilmen favored Technically the city manager has the right to deter mine salaries for city employees under his jurisdiction Under the classified pay plan the manager has the right to review and make salary adjustments But council has the right to reject or confirm nominees for director's jobs So this gives council an indirect control over the initial salary for a new director If council doesn't agree with the initial salary lor a di rector it could reject the nominee However the city manager apparently could get over this hurdle if he desired He could agree for the director to start a lower salary and then raise it after the director was confirmed The salary range for the jobs is $28275 to $36101 It is a six step salary range Ewert reportedly proposed that the initial salary for successor be in the upper part of the salary range although it could not be learned whether he proposed that it be fixed at the top figure 8 5 sb A JoBWgi 'v i ROBERT HERBERT Covington manager on list TV firm to apply for station in city By MAG PO Senior Writer Western Virginia Television Co will file an application with the ederal Communications Commission on Monday for a license to operate Channel 27 a UH television sta tion in Roanoke The channel has been dark since TOLU an ABC affi liate went off the air in 1975 Dana Cox general manager for Western Virginia Television returned Wednesday after leaving the complet ed application with the company's Washington attorneys Cox who was vice president and general manager of WBRA TV from 1966 to 72 said he presumes processing of the application will take some time but he know how long If the group of valley businessmen is awarded the li cense he said it would undertake a variety of program and would if possible pick up a network affiliation The office of the station would be within the Roanoke City limits Cox said although no specific site has been ch( sen for construction The transmitter would be on Poor Mountain See Channel 27 Page 2.