4-2...and the Grass Continues to Grow.

Photo from The Roanoker

Council met. Council waited. Council voted, voted to breathe life back into Countryside.

But it wasn't enough. Five votes were needed. Read about it in The Roanoke Free Press.

So now the window of opportunity to keep the course open as it transitions to a new lease rapidly disappears and the course may well have to shut its doors and close its fairways.

The grass will grow and the land will become a groundhog playground. Since the trees were all cut down back in the early summer, Countryside is beginning to look increasingly barren and lonely.

Shifting Gears

Time marches on. I can't really remember when I began this blog. I think it was in April of 2007. However, my interest in Countryside Golf Course dates back 40 years. I've been writing about the course ever since I can remember. As the events of 2005 unfolded, I found myself becoming more vocal and pointed in my written thoughts. Those thoughts and feelings were the genesis of this blog. Over the past couple of years, this blog has been instrumental in focusing positive attention on the golf course and marshaling forces devoted to saving it.

Along the way, Valerie Garner became an integral part of this blog. She worked tirelessly as an advocate, watchdog, and director of this blog. Now she has electronically moved on to her new site:

The Roanoke Free Press

This site will feature the same detailed Countryside coverage as well as fascinating community oriented topics. I encourage all readers to mark down The Roanoke Free Press as the source of information regarding Countryside.

This blog will continue to operate as an archive. In addition, I may add my own content from time to time relating to the course and the efforts by some to dismantle it.

Countryside Golf Course is safe for now, but insecurity is only one budget battle away.

Thom Ryder

2008 Roanoke Citizen of the Year

A surprise announcement was made by Mayor Bowers this evening at a reception honoring volunteers who serve on Authorities, Boards, Commissions and Committees. In addition to Estelle McCadden being named "Citizen of the Year" she also receive a Key to the City.

Estelle McCadden
2008 Citizen of the Year

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At 82 Estelle is a neighborhood advocate and activist, and currently serves as the President of the Melrose-Rugby Neighborhood Forum, Inc. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Neighborhoods USA (NUSA), a national organization dedicated to developing partnerships between neighborhoods, local government, and public/private agencies across the United States. Her accomplishments are too many to put here. She will be honored at a subsequent Council meeting.

Long Lines at Ruffner Middle School on Election Day - Video

At 6:00 AM the line snaked around the dead end at the Marriott. The first in line arrived at 4:30 AM. Parking was scare as people resorted to Home Depot and Shewels. Rev. Carl Tinsley, Chairman of the Electoral Board opened the door and greeted the first in line. The machines were at times not working properly which held up the voting process. Remarks in line were "if you can file your taxes online then you should be able to vote online." There were 4 lines by alphabet to check in and get your voting slip. They ran out of voting slips quickly and just gave blank white pieces of paper saying "voting slip." Remarks were made that this was not secure as anyone could write on a piece of paper without checking in and vote. The machine if "Presidential" was selected only gave you the option to vote for President. The other option which seemed to be confusing was "Federal" which gave you in addition to President the option to vote for Senate and Congress candidates.