🌱 611 Steam Excursions This Fall + Star City Compost Business Opens

Hello all. It's Tuesday, which means it's time for the Roanoke Patch Newsletter — back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Today we'll cover...

• Two bobcat kittens arrive at Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center.
• Roanoke County fire crews say they had a busy weekend with calls.
• Elevation Block Party held over the weekend.

Let's motor!

But first, today's weather: Breezy with periods of sun. High: 84 Low: 63.

Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. The historic Norfolk & Western Class J steam locomotive No. 611, owned and operated by the Virginia Museum of Transportation, will be running a series of passenger excursions in partnership with the Virginia Scenic Railway this October and November. The excursions, called the Shenandoah Valley Limited, will depart twice daily from Goshen and take passengers through the scenic George Washington and Jefferson National Forests and Shenandoah Valley. A variety of seating options will be available for purchase starting at $99 per ticket when sales open to the public soon. The trips aim to showcase Virginia's railroad heritage and provide a major tourism boost to the region. (Roanoke Times)
2. On Sunday, Aug. 13, Elevation Church Roanoke hosted a community block party to celebrate the impact of volunteers throughout the Roanoke Valley during its annual Love Week. Elevation Church and many volunteers had hosted various events over the past week to give back to the local community. The main goal of the block party was to bring people together through free activities, food, and music. Roanoke's Campus Pastor David Shearer said he wanted the event to celebrate the positive changes and new beginnings happening in the community. The party marked the culmination of Love Week, representing how "the old is gone and the new has begun" for many people thanks to the volunteers' efforts. (WDBJ)
3. The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center in Roanoke received two newborn orphaned bobcat kittens on Aug. 5 that were in poor health with their eyes still closed. The kittens, estimated to be just over 1 week old, face difficult rehabilitation challenges but staff are cautiously optimistic they can be successfully cared for with specialized formula feedings every 2-3 hours while wearing masks and leopard print pillowcases to prevent human imprinting before eventual release in May 2024, though the long intensive process will be expensive, so the center is seeking public donations to support the kittens' care and future return to the wild. (WFXR)
4. The Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department reported a busy weekend responding to two fires. The first was a kitchen fire on Friday attended by crews from Hollins and North County with no injuries or displacement, and a vehicle fire on Saturday responded to by Masons Cove and Ft. Lewis crews which caused minor damage to a nearby garage but again no injuries or displacement. (WSET)
5. A new Roanoke business called Star City Compost plans to start collecting residents' food waste, newspapers, pizza boxes and similar curbside materials weekly this fall for composting rather than sending it to the landfill. Offering a $25 per month pickup service in several neighborhoods or a $10/month drop-off, the for-profit operation still needs about $80,000 to finish constructing its commercial composting facility which aims to process 500 tons yearly, providing compost back to members. Co-owner Davey Stewards, who previously did a youth-led cross-country litter pickup and worked at Earthfare and LEAP, feels strongly about local sustainable food systems and says food waste can become a useful soil nutrient rather than degrading in landfills, so Star City Compost hopes enough eco-minded residents will pay for the service to get their new enterprise launched. (Roanoke Times)

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Today in Roanoke:

Tuesday, August 15

• Summer Health Clinic (Students of all ages) (10 a.m.)
• Fair Housing Board — Roanoke City Council (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Snack time! These young Virginia opossums are graduating to a solid food diet and will be on their way to adulthood soon!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "🚨 Are you looking for a job where you can gain valuable experience in fire and emergency medical services? Look no further — Roanoke Fire-EMS is currently accepting applications for our Winter 2024 academy." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Does your cat like to climb on your counters? Are they knocking things off your dresser when they walk across it? Sounds like it’s time to think of things you can do to CATIFY your home! CATIFYING your home can be done in big or small ways!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "Hungry? We recommend reserving your table at Salem's newest fine dining experience — Brood Restaurant & Bar 😍 Brood's menu boasts elevated comfort classics like steak and frites, chicken schnitzel with white Alabama sauce, scallops, lobster!" (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Ian

About me: Ian Graham is a novelist, screenwriter, and freelance contributing writer. He is a firm believer in being yourself… unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman. To connect with Ian, you can visit him on Facebook and Instagram. He doesn't bite. Except on full moons.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Roanoke Patch newsletter? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com