Carilion Clinic infectious disease expert concerned about surge in virus cases after Thanksgiving travel
Health officials are urging caution after many people traveled for Thanksgiving during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Doctor Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie, an infectious disease expert with Carilion Clinic, says if you traveled over the Thanksgiving weekend, you should assume you either have COVID-19 or have been exposed to it. Baffoe-Bonnie expects COVID-19 cases to surge over the next two weeks. โYou know that we are seeing, in this valley, more than 100 cases a day. And seeing 100 cases means there are probably 200, 300, or 400 cases that you are not seeing,โ Baffoe-Bonnie said.
Virginia travelers return home from Thanksgiving amid coronavirus pandemic
ROANOKE, Va. โ While lines form at baggage claim and traffic piles up on roadways, travelers are returning home after celebrating Thanksgiving. Brian and Taylor Schiltz returned to Roanoke from Arizona Sunday after eating a feast with nearly 20 people. A trip they donโt regret as their anxiety built during the coronavirus pandemic, waiting to see their loved ones. โYou kind of start to lose your sanity a little bit,โ Brian Schiltz said. Baodo is driving back to New York and the state requires travelers to take a test and quarantine for three days.
Serving a hot Thanksgiving meal to the homeless in downtown Roanoke
Roanoke, Va. โ Dozens of chairs and tables were set at Elmwood Park to host a one of a kind feast for the unsheltered community. For the first time, Least of These Ministry helped host a Thanksgiving feast with Samaritan Inn to feed the homeless. Dozens of volunteers prepared enough food and drinks to serve to 200 people in downtown Roanoke. The Least of These Ministry Founder Dawn Sandoval said she wants the homeless to know despite the difficult times they face, there is a team that is on their side. โWith people that want to love on them and may not be in the same circumstance,โ Sandoval said.
Runners lace up for Lynchburgโs virtual Turkey Trot
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ The pandemic forced Lynchburgโs annual Turkey Trot to go virtual, but that didnโt stop runners from keeping a Thanksgiving tradition alive. โYou run, you have fun with your family, and then you have a big feast,โ said 10-year-old Asher Willis. โWeโre able to support each other and cheer for each other and just have a fun thanksgiving tradition, even though itโs a much different year this year,โ said Keith. Their goal was not the finish line, but to help HumanKind, an organization serving families through dozens of programs. Karol expects the organization to raise half that, as their list of families in need is at 300 and counting.
Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg spends Thanksgiving delivering food to residents
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ Volunteers with Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg spent Thanksgiving delivering food to residents. Each person received two meals: a hot, Thanksgiving dinner and another meal for Friday. Jace Crockett, director of volunteer operations for Meals on Wheels, said interactions between volunteers and residents is about more than passing a plate. โSome [residents] just donโt have any family around to take care of them, and during the holiday season, itโs just so important to watch out for our neighbors,โ said Crockett. The organization provided nearly 1,000 meals to 450 recipients.
Roanoke Rescue Mission serves Thanksgiving feast for the homeless community
ROANOKE, Va. โ Serving up savory and sweet dishes to go have people like Reginald Brantley licking their lips this Thanksgiving. โYou know that they got a good meal today on Thanksgiving here,โ Brantley said. Iโm ready to go eat it now.โThe Roanoke Rescue Mission was prepared to serve nearly 400 meals today to the less fortunate by car or socially-distanced inside. Though Thanksgiving is a time for the family to gather, Kevin Barry, the community outreach manager at the Rescue Mission, said sometimes they are the only family the homeless have. Brantley said the Rescue Mission encouraged him to move forward.
Demand for COVID-19 testing grows in Southwest Virginia ahead of Thanksgiving
ROANOKE, Va. โ Preparing for Thanksgiving this year, for many, included planning a complete meal and a COVID-19 test. Local testing facilities report a significant increase in demand leading up to the holiday. โWeโve seen a spike in demand thatโs probably five times our normal testing volume,โ admitted Jeff Howard with ARCPoint Labs in Salem. โItโs really started on Monday of this week.โHoward says they have seen an increase in positive samples over the last week. Dr. Bissell says there are several post-Thanksgiving testing events scheduled:
Amherst County pie shop in high demand ahead of Thanksgiving
AMHERST COUNTY, Va. โ Pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies were in high demand, flying off the shelves this week at Woodruffโs Cafe and Pie Shop. The Amherst County business sold out ahead of Thanksgiving. Amherst County pie shop in high demand ahead of Thanksgiving (Copyright 2020 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.) We make sure that theyโre fresh ingredients, real butter, real eggs. The business was not only celebrating Thanksgiving, but also a special birthday.
How to safely fry a turkey on Thanksgiving
ROANOKE, Va. โ Cooking fires are three times more likely to happen on Thanksgiving Day, so Roanoke Fire-EMS has some tips before you hit the kitchen, especially if you plan to fry your turkey this year. If youโre frying a turkey, thaw it completely first, and pat it dry. Pre-measure how much oil you need to slightly cover the turkey once itโs in the pot. When the oil is hot, very slowly place the turkey in the pot while wearing protective gloves. The biggest mistakes you can make are putting in too much oil, putting the turkey in frozen or putting the turkey in too quickly.
โItโs a blessingโ: Lynchburg Sheriffโs Office delivers Thanksgiving meals to families in need
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ The Lynchburg Sheriffโs Office delivered 22 boxes of turkeys and fixings to those in need this Thanksgiving. It really is a blessing this year,โ said Amanda Cody, who received a meal. And we just want the city of Lynchburg to know, especially our citizens, that every member of our office cares for our community,โ Sloan said. The Sheriffโs Office usually invites residents for a sit-down Thanksgiving meal, while also working with local schools and churches to identify which families to deliver food to. Without the Sheriffโs Office, she would not have had a traditional Thanksgiving.
6 ways to make virtual Thanksgiving entertaining for everyone
With many medical experts urging Americans to make this yearโs Thanksgiving scaled down, many of us will probably only see people in our โbubble,โ so holiday is going to feel a little bit different. Thanks to technology, you can still gather with your extended family.
Despite national decline, Bedford County poultry farmer sees uptick in Thanksgiving sales
Some are dealing with a decline in poultry sales this Thanksgiving. While the gathering at the Thanksgiving table may be smaller this year, buying local seems to be on the rise. Brent Wills, the owner of Bramble Hollow Farm, is seeing an uptick in sales. Wills said local customers took out their wallets in support of local farmers back in the spring, so heโs not shocked to see the same support now. โItโs really important for small, family-owned diversified farms to stick together because they have power together, in the collective,โ Wills said.
Bedford County Sheriffโs Office distributes Thanksgiving meals to families in need
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. โ The Bedford County Sheriffโs Office was out on patrol ahead of Thanksgiving. They werenโt fighting crime, but delivering meals to families in need. Sheriff Mike Miller said they want to help families facing hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. โItโs time for us to return thanks. Weโve been very blessed, and now itโs our time to return the thanks to someone else.โThe Sheriffโs Office worked with local schools and social services to identify the meal recipients.
Roanoke health leaders expect a spike in coronavirus cases due to Thanksgiving plans
ROANOKE, Va โ The Roanoke City and Alleghany health districts are expecting a major increase in COVID-19 cases in the next two weeks. Health Director Dr. Cynthia Morrow said the prediction of cases rising will likely be reflected on a national level. Morrow emphasized that if people follow the guidelines over the Thanksgiving holiday, itโs not too late to change what health experts are predicting. โIf we all do the right thing, we can prevent what we think is inevitable, we only think itโs inevitable because we believe people arenโt going to do what they know that they need to do,โ explained Morrow. The health district will be holding several testing events soon:
Roanoke police officers spread joy by handing out turkeys
ROANOKE, Va. โ Instead of handing out tickets Tuesday, Roanoke police officers delivered turkeys to families. With the pandemic still lingering, police wanted to encourage a little joy, especially around this time of year. โWeโve all seen you know pay cuts. Weโve all seen kind of a drop in the economy. Itโs the first time officers have delivered turkeys in the past two years.
WATCH LIVE: President Donald Trump pardons a turkey ahead of Thanksgiving
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to present the National Thanksgiving Turkey at 2 p.m. The turkey who receives the presidential pardon will become Americaโs official 2020 National Thanksgiving Turkey. This yearโs candidates, Corn and Cob, were raised by Iowa turkey farmers Ron and Susie Kardel arrived Sunday at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. While the winner will become our National Thanksgiving Turkey, both will retire to their new home on the campus of Iowa State University. Virginia Tech has been a wonderful partner, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.