1987 (25 years ago)

-- "Roanoke faces its tightest budget in a decade."

-- "TRUST, a 24-hour counseling and crisis center that has been on Williamson Road for 16 years, was given permission Tuesday to move to the Old Southwest neighborhood in Roanoke."

-- "Roanoke Valley's Vietnam veterans were the first in the nation to officially welcome film director Oliver Stone home from last week's Academy Awards ceremony." He was named an honorary member of local Chapter 81 of Vietnam Veterans of America.

-- "After six sweat-filled months, thousands of lonely miles on a bus, and 67 bruising games, the Virginia Lancers finally got to taste the champagne Friday night." The Lancers defeated Mohawk Valley 4-1 to win the Atlantic Coast Hockey League championship.

-- "A pre-Civil War structure, one of the oldest brick houses in the Roanoke Valley, is due to be demolished in a few weeks. The Benjamin Keagy house on Lee Highway, the larger portion of which was built in 1857, will be razed to make way for an office complex."

-- "Former Roanoke Country Club pro Luke Barnes got the kind of reward Sunday any teacher would treasure. His pupil, Larry Mize, won the Masters."

1962 (50 years ago)

-- "Crossroads Mall has been selected as the site for the Law Day speech Tuesday night, May 1, by U.S. Atty. General Robert F. Kennedy."

-- "Per pupil cost of education in Roanoke is $310 - more than $130 less than the national average of $444."

-- "Two youthful-looking Russian diplomats from the Soviet Embassy in Washington visited The Roanoke Times newsroom Tuesday to ask questions about life in Virginia."

-- "Five Air Force cargo planes are scheduled to airlift six Quonset type buildings into Woodrum Airport Saturday for use of the Air Force Reserve."

-- "The Roanoke Dr Pepper Co. will be honored Thursday for recapturing the rating of top per capita plant among more than 400 of the company's bottling firms."

-- "Burlington Industries Inc. will open a plant employing from 75 to 80 in a building at the former American Viscose plant within 90 days."

-- "Residents of South Salem were described Thursday night as 'fighting mad' over plans to build a special-care hospital in their neighborhood."

-- "Hollins College doesn't inaugurate a new president often; but when it does, the celebration is not to be forgotten."

-- "School letters for brains as well as brawn have been established at Jefferson High School."

-- "Large white 'X's' painted in 10 Roanoke parks Friday by the Department of Parks and Recreation will be the target for a helicopter pilot who is to drop 50,000 colored Styrofoam eggs over the city today."

1937 (75 years ago)

-- "An up-to-date cafeteria was opened this week in William Byrd high school for pupils in both the senior and junior buildings."

-- "With hopes of uncovering some hidden track material, Jefferson high school will hold an intramural track meet Saturday."

-- "In an effort to curb thefts and other crimes attributed to youths, police last night launched a drive against violators of the curfew law."

-- "Cab Calloway, whose leaping tonsils and hectic cavorting on the bandstand marked him as the original 'scat' singer while playing at the Harlem Cotton club, will present his negro band here at city auditorium Monday, April 19."

-- "Between 150 and 200 golfers battled wind and unfavorable temperature on three local golf courses yesterday in the first day of the weekend's official season opening."

-- "Two new metal boats, a canoe, an outboard motor and life preservers have been contributed by the American Red Cross to the equipment of the Roanoke Life Saving and First Aid Crew."

-- "The warning issued by police last week that, beginning yesterday, all high school students must cease the practice of 'thumbing' rides home from school, apparently was generally heeded."

1912 (100 years ago)

-- "Jupiter Pluvious held sway yesterday and brought disappointment to the feminine population of the city, preventing them from appearing in their Easter bonnets and frocks."

-- "The auto tragedy of Saturday night had another turn yesterday when the county authorities stepped in and took a hand by starting an investigation through the instrumentality of a coroner's jury." Dr. J.N. Lewis, a founder of Lewis-Gale Hospital, was killed in the accident.

-- "An ad club for Roanoke was organized yesterday with an initial membership of fourteen."

-- "The chamber of commerce is to have a library of city directories."

-- "At exactly 18 minutes to 11 o'clock this morning the jury in the Joshua P. Raines case filed into the Salem court room and gave a verdict of guilty of second degree murder."

-- "A young man, a farmer from Bedford county, came to Roanoke last evening and proceeded to take on three drinks of lightning hot drops, misnamed whiskey, and afterwards packed it down with a glass of beer, which developed a case of tangle foot and spent the night in jail."

-- "The Board of Censors for the moving picture shows and vaudeville houses of the city ... has organized and begun work."

-- "The task of demolishing the old Masonic Temple on the south west corner of Campbell avenue and Jefferson street was commenced this morning."

-- "The largest and most spectacular fire of recent years occurred last night about 11 o'clock when it was discovered that the foundry shop of the Roanoke machine works was on fire."