NEW RIVER VALLEY THUR SDAY August 21, 2014 newrivervalley.roanoke.com BlacksBurg • cHrIsTIaNsBurg • raDFOrD • PulaskI cOuNTY MONTgOMErY cOuNTY • FlOYD cOuNTY • gIlEs cOuNTY Today Summer Nature Series: Falcon Teeth and Hawk Talons Featuring lee chichester, master falconer. When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Wildwood Park Outdoor classroom, radford Cost: Free Contact: [email protected] Anna’s Old Time Jam a crooked road-afiliated venue. When: 7 to 9 p.m. Where: anna’s restaurant, 100 Monroe st., Narrows Cost: Free Contact: 726-3545 Jennifer Carpenter Demonstration christiansburg library’s artistin-residence will demonstrate colored-pencil techniques. When: 3 to 8 p.m. Where: christiansburg library, 125 sheltman st., christiansburg Cost: Free Contact: 382-6965 Storytimes at Radford Public Library Photos by ERICA YOON | The Roanoke Times supreme court of Virginia Justice Elizabeth Mcclanahan of abingdon (from left), chief Justice-Elect Donald lemons of Nelson county and senior Justice Elizabeth lacy of richmond hear arguments from lawyer robert Zelnick of Prince William county at the Montgomery county courthouse on Wednesday morning. Va. Supreme Court panel hears arguments in Montgomery Co. storytime programs are designed to promote prereading skills and a love of books. No signup required. The Wee reads program is for children up to 24 months old and caregiver. The preschool program is for children ages 4 to 6 and caregiver. When: Wee reads starts at 10 a.m.; preschool program starts at 11 a.m. Where: radford Public library, 30 W. Main st., radford Cost: Free Contact: 731-3621 NRCC New Student Day Attorneys traveled from across the state seeking appeals in a variety of cases. By Melissa Powell [email protected] 381-8621 A writ panel of the state Supreme Court sat in Montgomery County on Wednesday for what’s believed to be the first time ever — almost two years after the county opened its new $20 million courthouse. County court officials had been hoping that the traveling writ panel might choose to visit since the new courthouse was designed. The building has one courtroom with a longer bench that can accommodate the three justices that make up the panel. The design was implemented, in part, “with hopes that [the Supreme Court] would consider Montgomery County as a place to come periodically,” county Circuit Court Judge Bobby Turk said. Supreme Court Chief Justice-Elect Donald Lemons complimented the courthouse before he, Justice Elizabeth McClanahan and Senior Justice Elizabeth Lacy began the morning docket. “The citizens of this county ought to be proud of this place,” Lemons said, adding that he found the courthouse comfortable and modern with great security. Lemons also said that Montgomery County is “leading the way” in courthouse technology. The Supreme Court of Virginia holds writ panels throughout the state during the summer should be granted. The cases presented on Wednesday came out of trial courts from across the state, including Prince William County, Arlington County, Harrisonburg and Charlottesville. There were cases involving zoning, the validity of a will and a medical malpractice case, among others. The lawyers traveled from across the state to present their arguments to the panel. After each 10 minute allotment, Lemons said the panel would take the matter under advisement and that the lawyer would be gregory Murphy, a Washington, D.c.-based lawyer, leaves the courtroom at the Montgomery county courthouse after presenting informed if the panel found the argument merited further conhis arguments before state supreme court Justice Elizabeth sideration. Mcclanahan, chief Justice Donald lemons and senior Justice One local case on the docket Elizabeth lacy on Wednesday morning. Wednesday involved a civil lawsuit filed by a former Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office captain against the department and Sheriff Tommy Whitt. The case was dismissed in Montgomery County Circuit Court in February, but the lawyer for the former captain argued that it should not have been. Brad Roop, who served with the sheriff’s office for more than 14 years and most recently as the captain of criminal investigations, was fired in August The gallery was filled with people, including many attorneys, waiting to approach the bench with arguments at the Montgomery 2012, according to the civil county courthouse. complaint filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court. Roop sued the sheriff ’s office and months so that everything is not the courtroom on WednesWhitt, claiming he was being always concentrated in Rich- day, awaiting their designated mond, Lemons said. 10-minute time slots to argue Dozens of lawyers crowded why their petitions for appeal See COURT, 2 Man sentenced in burglary that involved ex-Tech player Mashkhal Ibrahim pleaded guilty in court and was sentenced to serve five years. By Melissa Powell [email protected] 381-8621 Mashkhal Ibrahim CHRISTIANSBURG — A Harrisonburg man was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for committing a burglary in which former Virginia Tech run- ning back Michael Holmes was also involved. Mashkhal Ibrahim, 22, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Circuit Court to the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, burglary with a deadly weapon and wounding another in the commission of a felony. In April, Holmes pleaded no contest to a charge that he conspired in the burglary. Holmes, 21, was sentenced to serve two years in prison, with five years of supervised probation upon his release. According to a summary of the evidence on Tuesday by county Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Patrick Jensen, on Nov. 10, D’Wayne Gravely was confronted inside his home on the 800 block of Cambridge Road by three masked individuals. Gravely has previously testified that one person pointed a gun at him and told him not to move. A struggle ensued, and Gravely said he was struck on the top of his head with the gun and kicked. Gravely was treated at a hospital for injuries sustained in the altercation, including lacerations on his head that required about 10 stitches, he has said. His medical insurance deductible for the treatment was $250, Jensen told the court. When the three individuals ran out of his See BURGLARY, 2 students, families and friends are invited to attend for opportunities to register for classes, tour classrooms and other college facilities, obtain student ID cards, talk with academic and inancial aid counselors, learn about clubs and sports teams and visit the college bookstore. When: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Where: Nrcc New river Mall site, 400 New river road, christiansburg Cost: Free Contact: [email protected], 674-3600, ext. 4431 8th Annual YToss Sale students can shop gently used college essentials. all sale proceeds beneit the YMca at Virginia Tech’s outreach and volunteer programs. When: 8 a.m. to noon Where: Mccomas Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Cost: Free Contact: www.vtymca.org/ ytoss.html Abuse Awareness and the Contemporary Workplace guest speaker will be Jeff Howard, of arc Point labs, at a presentation designed to educate human resource professionals and business executives on issues surrounding substance abuse. rsVP requested. When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Farmhouse restaurant, 285 ridinger st., christiansburg Cost: Free for members; $25 for guests; $10 for VT and ru sHrM students Contact: http://nrv.shrm. org/forms/rsvp-august-2014meeting Tasting Notes: Wines of South America learn about the various grape varietals from chile and argentina with scott Davalle of The country Vintner. When: 6 p.m. Where: The Bank Food and Drink, 101 N. Main st., Pearisburg Cost: $20 per person Contact: cheers@ thebankfoodanddrink.com, 921-2981 For more events, see page 7