🌱 Botetourt Warns of Bigger Tax Bills + New Navy Program at WBHS

Good morning. Yes, I know it's monday, but let's focus on the positive. I hope you got a chance to get out an experience some of what our city had to offer this weekend. Was it The Green Hill Highland Games? The Symphony Under The Stars? What did you choose? Drop me a line and let me know. Now here's some local news...

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and humid.

High: 88 Low: 69.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our Roanoke Daily readers to local businesses they need to know about. If that’s you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top five stories in Roanoke today:

1. The Free Methodist Church in Roanoke is a congregation with many recent immigrants from Africa and a place where they can converse and hear the Gospel in their own language. But the demolition of the Ramada Inn on Franklin Road where they had been meeting for the last eight years meant finding a new home. “Where am I going to take God’s people? Refugee people, we don’t have enough money to pay our pastor. We always collect money, we help Africans for free,” said Pastor Andre Ntahonkiriye, originally from Burundi. The Lord smiled on their needs and through their collected efforts provided a new worship space on Williamson Road. In their first service in the new location Pastor Ntahonkiriye prayed in Swahili "Our God, thank you so much. I’m very happy. I’m very excited to have this building." (Roanoke Times)
2. With used car values continuing to rise and the population growing, Botetourt County is warning its citizens to expect a bigger bill later this year when Personal Property Taxes come due in November. The county receives a block grant from the state as part of the Personal Property Tax Relief Act, but that money is a static amount so more people mean it has to spread further than in previous years. The county has kicked in $250,000 to help offset the extra expense and county finance manager Tony Zerilla said the state block grant and the additional funding from the county would pay 39 percent of the tax valuation of a vehicle, while the owner would be responsible for the remaining 61 percent. (Botetourt Bee)
3. The Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority has reported a record number of new applicants for Section 8 housing and RRHA executive director David Bustamante said "We have a lot of great landlords and we’re looking for more." The authority tries to house as many people as possible, but the number of vouchers given out depends on the number of rents that fall within their monthly funding of about a million dollars and some property owners are hesitant to accept Section 8 vouchers. "The current market has gone tremendously high and with the rents, so therefore everything keeps going up. It’s difficult for everybody to find affordable housing. There is a hesitancy to have them move in because if they do damage, the housing authority will not repair the damage. That’s on your own. All you can do is collect the security deposit," said landlord Andy Stow. (WDBJ)
4. Roanoke County Public Schools has introduced the Navy National Defense Cadet Corps program at William Byrd High School this school year. Programs like the NNDCC are intended to instill the values of citizenship, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment while teaching students leadership skills and about honor, courage,and commitment. The Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps was a long time staple at William Byrd, but was discontinued when the enrollment fell beneath the required number and has been missed by many, something the new Navy program hopes to make up for. "Since we did not have the numbers to support a JROTC program, we decided to go with the Navy leadership program that we hope will grow to eventually end up with JROTC status," said William Byrd Principal Tammy Newcomb. (Vinton Messenger)
5. Roanoke City is looking for a consultant to do a thorough analysis of how well the police department is doing its job. The department is currently facing a severe shortage in staffing, two active discrimination lawsuits, and two long time leaders have recently departed for retirement. City Manager Bob Cowell said the events have prompted a conversation about the future of the department. "We could have taken the path that, you know, we normally would have taken in the past, which is well, let's just go fill those positions and march on. But we also viewed it as an opportunity to say, You know what … that is a big part of his [Police chief Sam Roman's] leadership team. … Let's step back even further, and let's look at the entire organization and say, you know, how are we doing in terms of the arrangement to yield what it is that the chief is trying to accomplish with the department?" Cowell said. The department is currently experiencing a shortage in officers equal to about 1 in 5 officer postings at a time when violent crime is increasing at a seemingly alarming rate. Cowell said he did not have a cost estimate for the organizational assessment, but that the city plans to hire a consultant in October to carry it out and it's expected to take about four months. (Roanoke Rambler)

Today in Roanoke:

• Free Yoga for the People at the main Roanoke Public Library (5:30 p.m.)
• College Kick Off Event w/ live music @ El Jefe (6 p.m.)
• The Art of Pressed Flowers Workshop @ Fishburn Mansion (6 p.m.)
• Writing Out Loud at Roanoke Diversity Center (6:30 p.m.)
• Roanoke Pinball League @ Roanoke Pinball Museum (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke College: "Class of 2026, WELCOME! Get ready for the best four years of your life! We are so excited you are here. Shout out where you are coming from!" (Roanoke College via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Congratulations to Paramedic Jeff Francisco and Firefighter-EMT Clifford Jarmans! Quick, appropriate care like they provided is the key to positive outcomes in a medical emergency. 🚑" (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke County Public Schools: "Week 1 of the 2022 high school football season is in the books. Click the link to see how our Roanoke County teams did last night!" (Roanoke County Public Schools via Facebook)
• City of Roanoke Government: "We are so thankful for this group of people! Meet your new S.R.O.’s for Roanoke City Public Schools!" (City of Roanoke Government via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Sometimes we have to be the voices for our animal friends, but taking action when animal abuse, cruelty, or neglect is suspected isn't always easy or swift." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you tomorrow with a new 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.

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