V E S TED V E S TED P A RTR N ERS P A RTN EERR S A M U L T I - F A MILY O F F I C E A M U L T I - F A MMII LY OFFFF I C E LEGAL LEGAL FINANCIAL Salem FINANCIAL FIDUCIARY FIDUCIARY ZŽZ ďLJLJŶŶ^ŵ^ ŝƚŚŚ ů ůŝů Ɛ͕ƩŽŽƌŶŶĞLJ David ElEllis,s CFPFP®, AIF® www.vestedmfo.comm INSURANCE Times~Register INSURANCE www.vestedmfo.com 540.389.6060 Thursday, June 3, 2021 • (USPS 631-140) • $1.00 540.389.6060 OurValley.org COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia offi cially lifted PHOTOS BY MIKE STEVENS Members of the State Championship Forensics team celebrate their win at the Salem Civic Center. From left to right, Madison Church, Emily Snow, Sophia Gibson, Taylor Berenbaum, and Zella Poarch. State champion Salem High Football, Forensics team honored by SUBMITTED PHOTOS The majority of Salem adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Shawn Nowlin “Th is pandemic will certainly go and no longer require individuals Council and School [email protected] down in the history books. Tragi- who have been fully vaccinated to cally, almost 600,000 people lost wear masks indoors, except in spe- Life in Salem is starting to look their lives to the coronavirus. Th is cifi c circumstances. Originally pro- Board Members a lot more normal. More than four past year has taught me to not take posed for a June 15 eff ective date, million Virginians have received at things for granted and be thank- Northam later decided to move the The recently crowned COVID-related odds least one dose of a vaccine, includ- ful for everything that I have,” Sa- timeline for Executive Order 72 up State Champions from this school year to cap- ing a majority of Salem adults. Ac- lem native James Lawrence said. by two weeks. Salem High School in ture State Titles. cording to the Centers for Disease “I made sure that my entire family “Commonsense public health Football and Forensics Head Football Coach, Control and Prevention (CDC), was fully vaccinated as soon as the restrictions have kept many Virgin- were honored by Coun- Don Holter, and Foren- approximately three million Virgin- option was available to us. We plan ians safe during the last year, and cil and School Board sics Head Coach, Mark ians have been fully vaccinated. on fully embracing the outdoors with vaccines now widely available Members at a ceremony Ingerson addressed While the pandemic is not over this summer and returning to pre- - over three million Virginians are on May 25 at the Salem those in attendance and yet, coronavirus cases through- pandemic life.” fully vaccinated and safe from seri- Civic Center. The stu- the Council and Board out the Roanoke Valley continue Coronavirus restrictions began ous illness or death caused by COV- dents and coaches, who members congratulated comprise these teams, to drop at a signifi cant rate. Af- loosening in Virginia earlier this ID-19 – it is time to begin our new See Salem High, page 2 ter more than a year of having to year. On May 28, Governor Ralph normal,” Northam said. overcame incredible stay in the house, many people are Northam announced that the Com- With Northam lifting most CO- anxious to get outdoors and make monwealth would follow the latest VID-19 mitigation measures, that memories with friends and family. recommendations from the CDC means that capacity restrictions and social distancing are done in most situations. Businesses, however, can still require employees and custom- ers to wear a mask. Because of the low rates of vaccination among young people, masks are still re- quired in schools. Th e federal government requires masks to be worn whenever one uses public transportation, including on airplanes, buses and trains. Candace Murray, who takes the Valley Metro School Board members Article Ledbetter and Andy Bus four times a week to her Salem Raines greet Salem Spartan Keyondre Daniel. job, said, “it warms my heart to see the vast majority of people adhering to the recommendations from the health experts. I always have extra hand sanitizer and masks just in case someone is without.” Although the state has lifted re- strictions, Northam is still urging Salem residents to get fully vacci- nated. “We still have a lot of work ahead to meet President Biden’s new goal of 70 percent vaccination by the Fourth of July. But I still feel On May 28, Governor Ralph Northam lifted most COVID-19 mitigation confi dent that Virginia can do our measures. part,” he said. Virginia Tech bound Spartans Jayden and Jordan McDonald flank Zavione Wood. Wesleyan Preschool commemorates reopening with celebratory performance Shawn Nowlin also supervises the Preschool Direc- [email protected] tor and sits on the Preschool Board. ”Our graduation celebration is Among the fi rst lessons that we something that happens each year, are taught as children is to be re- but with the challenges of the pan- spectful of others and embrace the demic, we wanted to make sure our joy of learning. graduation continued our practices On May 26, the Wesleyan Pre- of creating a safe environment for schoolers from First United Meth- students, parents, and staff . Th ere- odist Church in Salem celebrated fore, we made the decision to hold the culmination of a nine-month the graduation outdoors,” he said. school year with an evening gradua- Approximately 90 children are tion for 23 fi ve-year-old preschool- currently enrolled in the Wesleyan ers that will enter kindergarten in a Preschool. Pupils between the ages public or private school setting in of one and fi ve are instructed daily the fall of 2021. with developmental goals that pro- Alan Combs said his favorite vide readiness for both a public and part about the production was see- private school setting. ing his son, Walker, perform. In “Even though this graduation addition to being the Lead Pastor PHOTOS BY SHAWN NOWLIN of First United Methodist, Combs See Preschool, page 7 Ms. Debbie leading the motions for her classes’ rhythm musical instruments. LOCAL LENDERS. YOUR NEIGHBORS. Purchase | Refinance | Construction 540-591-5000 • www.vamtnmortgage.com NMLS #476841 Page 2 • Thursday, June 3, 2021 • Salem Times-Register www.ourvalley.org Salem High from page 1 each member in attendance too. Par- piece of cake and some special photo all State title. Salem Forensics has Submitted by Mike Stevens, City of ents and family members later joined opportunities. now won 15 straight VHSL Champi- Salem Communications Director the guests of honor for a celebratory This is Salem Football’s tenth over- onships. PHOTOS BY MIKE STEVENS Mayor Renee Turk welcomed the teams and parents and congratulated all on the unprecedented School Board member Article Ledbetter visits with Salem Spartan star Stacy Williams poses with his accomplishments. members of the Forensics team. parents at the Championship event. Roanoke College honors the Class of 2021 Parents came from all over the country to support their Memories that will last a lifetime were made last 417 graduates received their Roanoke College degree. graduates. Saturday. A jubilant Class of President Michael Maxey there were three valedicto- lege during a global pan- Generation Progress. Summer Institute at the 2021 walked across the said. “Your encounters with rians. demic,” Eric Lee said in his Abigail Workman com- University of Sussex in Eng- commencement stage on the normal and abnormal Th e 2021 valedictorians valedictory address. “But we bined her passions into land. She works as a volun- May 29 at the Salem Sta- have been unique. Use are Eric John Lee, an ac- made it, and we now know an unusual pairing of teer coordinator for Casa dium. Th e Class of 2021 is your uniqueness to reach tuarial science major and how to adapt to strange studies: mathematics and Latina, a local nonprofi t comprised of 417 graduates amazing heights. Use your economics minor from situations. We know we can Spanish. In addition, she that provides resources to from 30 states and eight experiences to treasure and Archbald, Pennsylvania; do more than we probably worked at the Fintel Li- the Roanoke Valley’s Span- countries. Top majors (in appreciate normal daily liv- Olivia Sara Samimy, a liter- ever thought we could do brary for three years; served ish-speaking population. order) are business admin- ing. Use your experience to ary studies major and com- before. We should all be as an offi cer with the Math She also served as chapter istration, psychology, bi- know that you can handle munications minor from confi dent in our ability to Club; worked as a Spanish president of Sigma Tau ology, health and exercise abnormal challenges in Fredericksburg, Virginia; overcome whatever else is Cohort Leader; and worked Delta, an internationally- science, and communica- life. You’ve already done so. Abigail Elizabeth Work- thrown at us after today.” with Iris Myers, a lecturer recognized English honor tion studies. Two hundred Godspeed all of you, Class man, a mathematics major Lee followed his inter- and Language Resource society and interned at DC and eighteen graduates of 2021. We appreciate and and Spanish minor from ests and was involved in Center director. Fray Magazine. Th rough earned the Bachelor of Arts celebrate you. Do well in Roanoke, Virginia; and the Roanoke College A Ca- Stephanie Zemba, who her experiences with Casa degree, 68 received the life, do good in life, fi nd Stephanie Marie Zemba, pella Choir, the Wind En- is graduating in three years, Latina and her own back- Bachelor of Business Ad- purpose in life.” a sociology major with a semble, the Roanotes a ca- came to Roanoke with a ground, Harper penned an ministration, and 131 ob- Four members of the concentration on gender pella group, theater, garden plan in mind and executed essay that won the Offi ce of tained the Bachelor of Sci- Class of 2021 earned vale- and women’s studies from club and the Alpha Phi it to perfection.