trending today
Your weather today: Flurries and Partly cloudy today. Hi 45. Chilly weekend on the way. Hi's in the 40s. Burrrrr. Lo's in the 20's. Another wintry mix on Tuesday.
Pope Benedict XVI enters final day.
You may notice something a little different as you file your state tax return this year, you can't request a live refund check. The Commonwealth expects to save over $200,000 dollars a year by eliminating the printing and distribution of paper checks. You can get a pre-paid debit card or direct deposit only "special cases" will get an actual check.
Blue Ridge Public Television is worried about potential federal budget cuts. If this crisis isn't averted, Blue Ridge PBS says they will lose about $40,000 of the $750,000 federal grant they were promised this year.
Haverty’s furniture store at Valley View in Roanoke will close in May
HOOPS: #5 Miami 76, Va Tech 58 ; VMI over Liberty 83, 66.
When the ACC released its 2013 football schedule and Virginia Tech didn’t have a Thursday night home contest for the first time since 2001, the reaction was largely negative from a Hokies fan base. Roanoke Times reports it was the Hokies Athletic Director who requested the night off. Jim Weaver cited travel difficulties for fans attending Thursday night games, saying he wanted to give them a “normal” home slate. Your Thursday game should return in 2014.
Who's whistlin' "Sweet Georgia Brown"? Harlem Globetrotters - tonight, 7P - Roanoke Civic Center.
MDA Car Show begins tomorrow and runs through the weekend at the RCC.
The Salem Montessori School is hosting an open house today. Parents can see the school and observe Primary and elementary classrooms from 9 to 11 a.m.
President Barack Obama finally broke his silence on an issue of national importance Friday – he thinks it’s time to retire the penny. How about you?
*****start poll*****
lookin' back
20 DAYS UNTIL SPRING. I'm already looking for the first Stinkbug of Spring. Today is Public Sleeping Day where you're obligated to fall asleep at a place where people can see you!
1827- The first U.S. railroad chartered to carry passengers and freight, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, was incorporated.
1940- The first televised college basketball games were broadcast, by New York City station W2XBS, as Pittsburgh defeated Fordham, 57-37, and New York University beat Georgetown, 50-27, at Madison Square Garden.
1960- The U.S. Olympic hockey team won the gold medal, defeating Czechoslovakia 9-4 at Squaw Valley, Calif.
1972- President Richard Nixon wrapped up a historic week-long visit to China. He said the trip helped to create a new "generation of peace."
1983- The long-running TV series M*A*S*H ended after 11 seasons on CBS with a special 2 1/2-hour finale that was watched by an estimated 121.6 million people.
cuttin' cake
Pat Monahan of Train - 44; Cindy Wilson of The B-52's - 56; Gilbert Gottfried (Aladdin, Beverly Hills Cop II) – 58; Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King) – 65; Bernadette Peters (The Jerk, Annie) – 65; Frank Bonner (WKRP Cincinnati) – 71; Tommy Tune (My One And Only) – 74; Gavin MacLeod (The Love Boat) - 82; Jason Aldean 36
joke of the day
Why can't elephants go to the beach? ans - because they can't keep their trunks up
weird news today
A North Texas judge has sentenced 41-year-old Christopher Moore to serve seven years of probation. He had pleaded guilty to a December home burglary. Moore's luck ran out when he was confronted by the armed homeowner.
Moore ran to his pickup and called 911 for help. The homeowner had called police, too. Moore was also fined $2,000 and must do 200 hours of community service. Oh yeah, the guy calls himself an "unlucky" crook.
smarter than question
Two percent of the world’s population have this in common. What is it? No winner today. The anwer is 2% have naturally blonde hair.
entertainment dish
Five more contestants were sent home last night on "American Idol." Ten girls performed, five DIDN'T make it to the next round. Moving on to the Top 20: Zoanette Johnson, Aubrey Cleland, Candice Glover, Breanna Steer, and Janelle Arthur. The fourth and final group of semifinalists performs in this 2-hour edition. (8p ET, FOX)
Warning: Spoiler: On Survivor, Hope went home.
It's believed the former Mrs Brad Pitt - Jennifer Aniston will marry fiance' Justin Theroux in March, after she wraps work on her current film project.
(Photo: ABC)
Nothing like a good, juicy Bachelor rumor. The Bachelor star Sean Lowe is cheating on rumored fiancee Catherine Giudici with Emily Maynard. What? Wait until AshLee catches wind of that one. Also, we're hearing Emily wanted desperately to be on this season's Dancing with the Stars, but they passed over her.
Seth MacFarlane says his Oscar hosting days are in the dust. He never wants to host the Academy Awards again. As Taylor Swift would say "never, ever, ever." Meanwhile, don't look for Tina Fey to host. She's already said, "no thanks".
Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson is using Facebook to sell Girl Scout cookies. Thompson's fan page says each box will be signed by the Boo Boo herself and include an autographed pictured of the family.
"Midnight in Paris" co-stars Rachel McAdams and Michael Sheen have ended their real-life courtship after more than two years
Colbie Caillat co-wrote the song for "Safe Haven" without having seen the movie.
OBIT: Richard Street, who served with the Temptations during the group's prolific second heyday in the 1970s and '80s, died early Wednesday morning in Las Vegas of a pulmonary embolism. He was 70.
TV TONIGHT
ABC: Zero Hour is new, the rest of the night is reruns
CBS: All reruns
NBC: Community and 1600 Penn are new
FOX: American Idol is new
CW: Reruns
news from nashville
Brad Paisley will launch his Beat This Summer tour on May 9 in St. Louis with 29 additional dates scheduled through August. Chris Young will be one of the tour's special guests. Lee Brice will also appear on most dates.
DATES CLOSE BY:
June 7: Charlotte, N.C.
June 8: Raleigh, N.C.
June 28: Virginia Beach, Va.
June 29: Washington, D.C.
Carrie Underwood is once again doing what she does best, giving back. During the current leg of her Blown Away tour, she’ll be donating a percentage of each shows proceeds to the American Red Cross.
Goats, goats, and more goats...
Goat Fever has hit and no one is safe. Continue down the page.
(NBC, The Voice/Blake and Cassadee)
'The Voice' Season 3 winner Cassadee Pope will join The Band Perry and Rascal Flatts on tour. Official dates for the 2013 Rascal Flatts Changed Tour have yet to be announced
(Photo: Big Machine Records)
I'll bet Tim McGraw is doing "a happy dance" - which is sorta like the "hokie pokie". Two Lanes of Freedom is #1. Woo-hoo!!!!
What do Joel Crouse, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line (7 shows) and Casey James (14 shows) have in common? They've all been invited to fill the guest slots on Taylor Swift's upcoming Red Tour, which launches March 13. Taylor plays Charlotte on March 22. Charlottesville on Sept 14.
Kellie Pickler’s Grandpa Ken convinced her to go on ‘Dancing With the Stars’. He's a huge fan.
If you're an old-school country music fan, you're going to love the upcoming Roots & Boots tour. featuring Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Joe Diffie. The closest venue: 3/8 – Wilkesboro, N.C. | John A. Walker Community Center
Kenny Chesney's "Life on a Rock" album, is due in stores April 30. His “No Shoes Nation Tour” will kick off Saturday March 16 in Tampa.
Toby Keith will be taking his 2013 Hammer Down Tour on the road beginning Satruday, June 8 in Ozark, AR. The 20-date tour will feature Kip Moore
Only country could pull this off. Taste of Country is out with the Ten Best Country Break Up Songs….
1. “You’ll Think of Me” Keith Urban
2. “Give It Away” George Strait
3. “I Will Always Love You” Dolly Parton
4. "The Dance" Garth Brooks
5. “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” Blake Shelton
6. “Before He Cheats” Carrie Underwood
7. “Stay” Sugarland
8. “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” Toby Keith
9. “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore” Alan Jackson
10. “Please Remember Me” Tim McGraw
lar's this & that
Wackiest transportation laws of 2013
* In Nevada, it's illegal to ride a camel on the highway
* Driving barefoot is illegal in Alabama
* Don't even think about driving in Massachusetts with a gorilla in the backseat
* Sag Harbor, NY, has a law against taking your clothes off in your car
* You'll get a ticket if you honk your horn in Oxford, Mississippi. Why? Because it scares the horses.
* If you ride your elephant to work in Florida, and tie him to a parking meter, you must pay the fee.
* If you hit a pedestrian in Sarasota, Florida, you must pay $78. Stupid pedestrians!
* Peeling out when the light turns green in Derby, Texas, will send you to jail for 30 days.
* The ice cream man has been banned in Indianola, Iowa!
Worst First Date Locations
According to MATCH.COM these are the 10 Worst… 81% Family Functions, 34% Dance Clubs, 31% Movies, 28% Bars, 24% Sporting Event, 15% Beach, 15% Comedy Show, 13% Mini Golf, 11% Themed Restaurants, 9% Museum and Coffee House tied.
Looking for a work break
Woman's Day is out with ways to destress and take control of your day. One of my favorites is orange peeling. It releases a satisfying scent and triggers you to anticipate the refreshment of the fruit. Check out the other nine. You might just need them before quitting time today.
Freshen Your Toilet
Forget about those little scrubbing bubbles to do all the work. You can freshen your toilet bowl with effervescent tablets (denture or antacid) in between scourings. Simply drop two in the water, let soak for at least 20 minutes, then brush and flush. A can of cola dumped in for one hour also does the trick. The phosphoric acid in the beverage removes rust rings and other mineral deposits.
Crazy Things Thiefs Steal
When times get tough, just about anything is fair game for criminals. These
days, there are black markets for detergent, hay and even teeth. More.
Would you wear these?
Check out these Google glasses. They look like regular eye glasses, but have a video camera on them and they allow you to send a text message with just what you say! You can also look up Google images.
More Goat Tunes
Goat sings Bon Jovi
Goat sings Taylor Swift
Something sings Stevie Nicks
good news story 
The world's oldest marathoner retired from the sport -- at 101 years old. The man they call the "Turbaned Tornado" ran nine 26 mile marathons, which adds up to about one a year. You see, he only took up the sport a decade ago. He needed something to deal with his grief after the death of his son, so like Forest Gump, he just started running.
In 2011 he set the record for the oldest man to ever complete a marathon -- 8 hours and 11 minutes. He also carried the Olympic torch in 2012 and was featured in a commercials for Adidas.
lar's thought of the day 
"The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder." Author unknown
