🌱 City Council Reverses Crime Reform Stance + County Tree Lighting

Good morning and Happy Friday! Are you planning to check out any of the Christmas happenings this weekend? Illuminights maybe? Anyways, here's a fresh Roanoke Daily with what's happening in town, including:

• Organization raising funds for Mountain View mansion
• Virginia Labor Secretary visits
• TAP's highest dollar donation yet

Let's roll out!

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine.

High: 53 Low: 42.

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. Roanoke City Council requested the Virginia legislature last week to roll back a number of controversial reforms enacted after the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed, including the use of no-knock warrants and stop and frisk policies. The shift in position comes after the Star City has seen a sharp uptick in violent crimes. Soon to be vice mayor and head of the city's Gun Violence Prevention Commission, Joe Cobb, said, "We've just been hearing some concern from our [police] chief and the [police] department that this has added to the difficulty of being able to enforce, particularly when it intersects with violent criminals." (WFIR)
2. Mountain View — or Fishburn Mansion as it's also known — is a 42-room residence in Southwest Roanoke built in 1907, the current home of the Mountain View Recreation Center, and the site of a beloved holiday decorating tradition. But upkeep on a 100-year-old house is costly and requires special considerations the City of Roanoke is struggling with as they balance it with more critical needs. To help out, a nonprofit group — Friends of Mountain View — has stepped in to pursue donations and grants the city cannot. "I hope the result will be that when folks come and visit Mountain View, they’ll see a different property," said Bob Clement, the group's chairman. Information on holiday events at the mansion can be found here. (WDBJ)
3. Virginia Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater was the keynote speaker Wednesday morning at the 31st annual legislative meeting breakfast held at the Hotel Roanoke and spoke on Gov. Glenn Youngkin's prioritizing a more centrally focused workforce development apparatus in Virginia. "A number of key programs that are scattered in different places across government we’re proposing to move into this new agency to basically put them all in one place," he said after his speech. He went on to praise the state's relatively low unemployment and economy, but said he believes there is work to be done. The breakfast was sponsored by the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce, Roanoke Regional Home Builders Association, and the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors. (Roanoke Times)
4. Total Action for Progress in Roanoke has received its largest ever one-time donation of $100,000 dollars from Member One Federal Credit Union. The donation is to be used for the nonprofit organization's Early Childhood Education and housing programs. Alex Lucas, vice president of Community Impact at Member One, said, "It’s all about supporting communities and we are all overlapped and interconnected regardless of our business, we have an impact on our community." Officials at TAP said the money will be used in part to purchase a bus that will assist them in continuing to offer transportation assistance to parents to area Head Start Centers. (WSLS)
5. Roanoke County officials are inviting the community to join them and officially begin the holiday season with the annual ceremonial Christmas Tree lighting at the South County Library on Monday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. The theme this year is 'Christmas Classics' and will include the singing of Christmas Carols by students from Oak Park Elementary School's after school program as well as crafts, marshmallow roasting, and a cake walk. (Roanoke Star)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Grand Opening: Emerging Artists at Art On 1st (5 p.m.)
• Dickens of a Christmas and Tree Lighting at Downtown Roanoke (5:30 p.m.)
• 3rd Annual First Bank Tinsel Trail Opening Night at the Fincastle Courthouse (5:30 p.m.)
• 'Beauty and the Beast' by Virginia Children’s Theatre at the Jefferson Center (7 p.m.)
• Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops Spectacular at Salem Civic Center (7:30 p.m.)

Special notice:

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile for two new series: Local Heroes and Star Student Athletes. The goal is to highlight heroes and star athletes in Roanoke!

• If you want to nominate a local hero, click here
• If you want to nominate a local athlete, click here.

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "We did it! And, from the bottom of our wild hearts, thank you! Our goal was to raise $10,000 for #GivingTuesday and we ended up raising just over $12,500!👏" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "We spy with our little eyes SOMEONE AWESOME🕵️ Our very own Pete Eshelman, senior director of creative strategies, was featured in Virginia Business 100 People to Meet in 2023! We might be biased, but the Roanoke Region is pretty darn lucky!" (Roanoke Outside via Facebook)
• Roanoke Sheriff's Office: "The Roanoke City Sheriff's Office would like to welcome our November new hires to include deputies Denia Marquez, Shamar Vernon, Christian Davis, Tristan Thorton, Essence Whorley, and James Nunley." (Roanoke Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
• Roanoke Public Libraries: "Our Williamson Road Branch Library is going to have the best night! Enjoy Santa, free dinner, and the amazing jazz group Star City Swag on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m.! Take a night off and join us at the library. 📍3837 Williamson Road, Roanoke!" (Roanoke Public Libraries via Facebook)
• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "A guide to special events & things to do this December in Virginia's Blue Ridge!" (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff and Great Perks Every Week (December 6)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! See you tomorrow 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 Daily? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com