ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 23, 1995                   TAG: 9511240028
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: HOLIDAY 
SOURCE: RAY REED
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


POLICE HORSES STILL WALK THAT MARKET BEAT

Q: I haven't seen the horses on the City Market in ages. Are they patrolling somewhere else?

S.V., Roanoke

A: The horses are still on the Market beat.

If your path hasn't crossed theirs recently, look for them between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

They're most likely to show up at the mall next to First Union Tower, where the officers take a walk on the pedestrian bridge a couple of times a day. Another good spot is at Market Street and Kirk Avenue, where the riders give their mounts a break.

Otherwise, their beat circles from the Market through Crestar Plaza, Elmwood Park, in front of the library and down Jefferson Street to Kirk Avenue or an alley.

There's no guarantee the horses will show up on a given day, however. The main reason the city put them on the streets was for image, and they spend a good bit of time in public relations appearances.

The officers also may be busy with actual police work. Those patrols through the park and back alleys sometimes net an arrest for public intoxication; the related paperwork takes about an hour.

Just in case you're thinking 11 a.m. to 3:30 sounds like a short day: The same officers who ride the horses take care of the barn duty, too.|

Viaud records

Q: My son has the opportunity to go to college at his company's expense. He needs a transcript from high school, but he graduated from the Viaud School, which has not existed for several years. Where can he get those records?

S.M., Roanoke

A: The Viaud School, founded in 1926 by two Jefferson High School French teachers of that name, operated for 51 years.

Many of its records were transferred to the Roanoke City Schools administration.

Anyone needing a copy of his or her Viaud records can pick them up at or mail a request to Roanoke City Schools, archivist, 40 Douglass Ave. N.W., P.O. Box 13145, Roanoke 24031.

The letter should include the person's full name, maiden name if applicable, date of birth and the last year attended.

Rare-illness groups

Q: Is there a support group for people who suffer from the nerve disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome? There seem to be few cases in this area of Virginia.

B.S., Blacksburg

A: Try these sources, which may be able to provide information and telephone numbers for groups around Virginia:

The Muscular Dystrophy Association, which issues news about CMT syndrome, at (520)529-2000.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association, Crozer Mills Enterprise Center, 600 Upland Ave., Upland, Pa. 19015.

It's likely that the closest group to help sufferers of this debilitating neuromuscular disease may be in Richmond, Norfolk or Northern Virginia. It takes a sizable population to produce a number of these rare but painful cases.

Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.



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