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JANIE MEGGERS

Second Big Snow of the Year in the Roanoke Valley

My busness partner, Linda, and I tell people relocating here all the time that we just don't have that much snow anymore. Well--after 12 inches last night and 18-20 inches the week before Christmas, we exceedes the outdated statistics saying Roanoke has 29 inches of snow fall on average. The saving grace, I expect, is that we did tell folks there were natural signs of a colder and harder winter for the coming season. The trees and bushes outdid themselves producing nuts and berries, and the squirrels outdid themselves harvesting them all fall. My father, who was an avid outdoorsman, always accurately predicted the weather by watching signs in nature. We humans should pay much more attention to nature and not just to predict the weather!

New Medical Clinic Opens

Recently, the new Carilion Clinic building opened in the Riverside Complex. How exciting to see the vision of Carilion's expansion into the Clinic Model coming to fruition. And the medical school is coming right along as well. The Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School and Research Institute buidling seems right on target. The interviews are underway for the first class of medical students at VTCSM. Those medical student candidates selected will begin classes in August, 2010.

New Possibilities in Roanoke, VA

So far in the Roanoke Valley, 2009 has been a landmark year with wonderful infusions to the economy. The beautiful new Carilion Clinic building is set to open in September, 2009--just three months away. It will be so wonderful to have the specialties and sub-specialties available to the people of Southwestern Virginia and surrounding states. Folks in our part of the state have had to travel many hours to other medical centers such as NIH, Duke, Emory, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, Geisinger--to get excellent specialty medical care. With the fabulous staff being assembled at Carilion Clinic that will not longer be necessay.

Additionally, about a month ago, the new Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine received preliminary accreditation. What a red letter day! Students will now be accepted for the first VTC School of Medicine class to begin their medical education for becoming physician/researchers. This means that young men and women in this part of Viriginia will have the opportunity to apply to a fine medical school close to home.

A few weeks ago, Virginia Tech University announced the first seed grants for the Medical Research Center (housed with the VTC School of Medicine). It was so exciting to hear the pairing of researchers with physicians and what their research focus will be. What happens here will positively affect the world!