🌱 Bus Delays Continue At RCPS + Bigfoot Sightings Reported In Salem

Happy Hump Day, Roanokers! I hope you're all doing well and having a productive week. In this edition of the Roanoke Daily you'll read about:

• Roanoke Memorial's increasing trauma rates...
• The opening of Polychrome Studios in Vinton...
• And a former eyesore of a hotel that is soon to be a green space!

Let's get to it!

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and very warm.

High: 89 Low: 68.

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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 stories in Roanoke today:

1. A brand-new business is opening in Vinton called Polychrome Studios that owner Paul Harvey said is "a new digital printing and design business that offers high resolution photo printing" using laser and inkjet technology on a wide range of products and many different types of media. One of the specialties Polychrome intends to focus on is canvases, which have become an increasingly popular way to display photos in your home, and buying locally will mean avoiding shipping costs and potential damage in addition to having Harvey's professional eye to help you set up your photo exactly the way you envision it. "This is something I’ve been working towards for over a year and now it will finally become reality! I’m looking forward to forming new relationships and providing the Roanoke area with high quality products and customer service," Harvey said. (Vinton Messenger)
2. More and more Roanoke City parents are growing concerned over the continued delays in bus routes at Roanoke City Public Schools. Parents say the issues are understandable during the first few weeks of school when drivers are new and still getting used to their routes, but a month later they're still seeing sizable delays. Bus drivers, too, are concerned because they say the delays are the result of a driver shortage, which means drivers are having to cover more than one route sometimes. "It’s hard on parents, it’s hard on children, children want to go home. I do a double in the morning and these kids are getting to school late," said bus driver Michelle Ray. The Roanoke City Public Schools Board recently created a transportation work group to focus on the issues causing the delays and issued the following statement from Communications Coordinator Claire Mitzel, "We understand and share our families’ frustrations and concerns related to ongoing transportation issues in Roanoke City Public Schools. The formation of the work group illustrates RCPS’ commitment to holding Durham, as the contract vendor, accountable for quality service." (WDBJ)
3. The former Ramada Inn on Franklin Road is now officially a pile of rubble and next-door neighbor Doug Lindamood, co-owner of George's Flowers, is glad to see it go. "I remember when this hotel was practically brand new. Over the years, the property went down, down, down, down, down. We had vandalization of property, including some of our vehicles. We had theft of things. We had people harassing our employees and our customers. You just never knew from day to day what you were going to experience when you came in." The city purchased the property last spring and are turning it into a greenspace to match other outdoor areas on the shores of the Roanoke River. "Because it’s such a flood-prone property, we’re really limited in what we can actually do on the property. We don’t want to put, really, structures back because if we do, they could be flooded again. So, we’ll have to get kind of creative as to, you know, how the site is used in the future," said city civil engineer Marcus Aguilar, who is in charge of the project for the city. (WSLS)
4. Bigfoot and his friends (he totally has friends, you knew that, right?) will be paying a visit to the Salem Civic Center this weekend for what's being described by organizers as "a family-friendly event celebrating cryptids and the paranormal." The event will feature vendors who offer everything from outerwear to underwear and guest speakers including the authors of numerous books and regular guests on the Coast To Coast AM radio show. Karen Hughes, owner and operator of Cryptid HQ and the event's chief organizer said, "We've been going around this part of the country, Tennessee, Ohio, and they have cryptid shows, usually Bigfoot shows, and we thought well, you know, we think Salem and Roanoke would enjoy something like this and so we decided to start our own show." Tickets are $10 per person and children 12 and under are free! (WDBJ, SWVA Bigfoot and Friends website)
5. Roanoke's largest hospital, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, is also the region's only Level 1 trauma care center, which means accident and emergency victims from all over southwest Virginia and even parts of West Virginia often end up in Roanoke for the kind of lifesaving care they need. Since 2018 the number of trauma incidents reported by the hospital have increased by a whopping 54 percent from just below 3,000 per year to over 4,500 in 2021. The sharp increase in trauma numbers is a driving factor for the ongoing expansion at the hospital as well as other area Carilion facilities. Outreach Coordinator and nurse Ottilia Lewis, whose job is to help educate people, said, "ground-level falls and vehicle accidents send the most patients to the trauma center. Those are always one and two." Chris Turnbull, senior director of corporate communications and operational continuity, added in an email, "The rising number of shootings in Roanoke are an increasing concern as they can soak up a disproportionate amount of resources. Gunshot victims are hospitalized an average of 14 days, more than twice our average surgical patient’s stay of 6.5 days." The new tower being built beside the hospital will provide three more trauma bays but will not be in operation until 2025. (Roanoke Times)

Today in Roanoke:

• Historical Marker Unveiling by the Roanoke Equal Justice Initiative Community Remembrance Project Coalition. (5:30 p.m.)
• Downtown Pub Plawk by the Roanoke Plawkers at Big Lick Brewing Company. (5:30 p.m.)
• Views and Brews by Roanoke Mountain Adventures. (6 p.m.)
• Soul Sessions Wednesday Night Poetry Show at Ursula’s Cafe. (7 p.m.)
• "The Diary of Anne Frank” presented by Mill Mountain Theatre. (7 p.m.)

This Weekend in Roanoke:

• Be Kind Music Festival at the Sedalia Center. (Starts Friday @ 2 p.m.)
• Pink Floyd Tribute 'Us And Floyd' at Dr. Pepper Park. (Friday @ 6 p.m.)
• Jeter Farm Fall Festival and Country Store. (Opens Saturday @ Noon)
• Terror Manor 2022. (Opens Saturday @ 7:30 p.m.)
• 2022 Penn Forest Fall Festival Craft and Vendor Show. (Sunday @ 12:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Yesterday, Battalion 1C participated in some shift training on searches, RIC, and long charged hose line advances. Regular training ensures that our crews are ready to safely and effectively do their jobs when the time comes." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "Fall is a time that truly showcases the beauty of our region. It's prime hiking season, and we have oodles of places to get your hike on ... but we need your help! We want to narrow it down to the region’s top 10, so drop your favorite spot here!" (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Happy tails to all of the pets who found new loving homes this past week, Sept. 12 - 17. Congratulations adopters for bringing home your new best friends! Pictured are a few of the pets who went home last week! 💜" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Public Libraries: "Did you know the Melrose Branch Library is home to over 20 robots that were all purchased through a grant? This mini robotics lab has a variety of machines that start with the very basics and progress to one’s that require code to be written!" (Roanoke Public Libraries via Facebook)
• City of Roanoke Government: "Roanoke was named the most beautiful and affordable place to retire on the East Coast by GOBankingRates!" (City of Roanoke Government via Facebook)

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Events:

• Online discussion for bed mattresses in Roanoke, Virginia (September 26)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you tomorrow morning!

— 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.

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