🌱 City Of Salem Holiday Weekend + Valley Metro Driver Strike

Hey, Roanokers! Here's the Saturday edition of the Roanoke Daily, fresh off the presses. Keep reading for what's happening in town, including updates on:

• An update on the legal case against Famous Anthony's
• CodeRED in Town of Vinton
• Pedestrian death toll rises

Let's motor!

But first, today's weather:

Morning rain; cloudy, breezy.

High: 62 Low: 34.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. Legal claims against Famous Anthony's restaurants in connection with the Hepatitis A outbreak that killed four and sickened over 40 were allowed to be amended to include the details of further investigations Thursday in Roanoke's federal court. "There is as much evidence that this was surface contamination as it was food contamination," said Bill Marler, a Seattle-based attorney who represents many of the plaintiffs. The restaurant's insurance carrier agreed initially to cover food-based contamination and argued against claims being expanded to include other surfaces where customers may have come into contact with the disease. There have been over 40 lawsuits filed against the restaurant chain, which declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. (Roanoke Times)
2. Bus operators for Valley Metro began picketing Thursday to demand First Transit, the company that operates Valley Metro, restart contract negotiations, which they say has been on hold for five months. J.J. Richards, a bus operator and an executive board member of ATU Local 1493, said, "I’m tired of waiting; that’s exactly right. It could have been fixed a year ago. But now it’s five months after we started, and we still have no answers and still not at the table to make it happen." The operators want to raise starting pay from $14.96 an hour to $17.20 an hour with increases over a three-year period to $20.70 an hour, a move they say will help the understaffed bus service recruit more drivers, mechanics, and bus cleaners. (WDBJ)
3. The City of Salem is prepared to ring the starting bell on their holiday season with a weekend packed full of holiday events including a parade, gingerbread festival, and a craft and farmers' market. Ashley Durkin, a recreation program supervisor for the City of Salem, said, "Just get there early... it will be busy. Come early, get your parking spot." The events will be spread throughout the city at locations including the Salem Public Library and the Salem Civic Center so be sure to check out the event schedule here. (WSLS)
4. The Town of Vinton is implementing a mass emergency alert system known as CodeRED to keep the community informed of incidents that may affect public safety. Town officials have completed an extensive review of the system, which safety experts across the country have credited with helping to save lives, locate missing children, apprehend criminals, and make timely notifications of evacuations and other emergency situations. "CodeRED’s robust system will provide Vinton officials with a reliable, easy-to-use technology to enhance our emergency preparedness plans,” said Mayor Bradley Grose. The systems use a combination of phone calls, text messages, emails, social media, and mobile app messages, and citizens need to visit this website to opt-in and register their contact information. (WSET)
5. New data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles reveals that pedestrian fatalities in the Star City have increased by a whopping 260 percent between 2021 and 2022. Five people were killed last year in comparison to 18 as of Nov. 14, the latest date for which data was available. Traffic related fatalities in general have seen a 1 percent increase with motorcycles and alcohol related deaths accounting for nearly 30 percent of that increase. "We provide this data to give folks a look at what’s going on right now in their communities. We hope drivers will be motivated to make a change and put a stop to the behaviors that we know contribute to these devastating crashes," said Acting DMV Commissioner Linda Ford. (WSLS)

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Today in Roanoke:

• 7th Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Show at the Berglund Center (9 a.m.)
• Candy Cane Express at the Virginia Museum of Transportation (10 a.m.)
• An Old Virginia Christmas at Booker T. Washington National Monument (11 a.m.)
• Skate with Santa at Elmwood on Ice (1 p.m.)
• Flames of Memory at the National D-Day Memorial (5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Symphony Orchestra: "The symphony is hard at work before our big Holiday Pops weekend! Joined by the Virginia Tech Choir, the Virginia Children’s Choir, and the Radford University Highlander Pipes for our massive holiday rehearsal. Join us tomorrow!" (Roanoke Symphony Orchestra via Facebook)
• PLAY Roanoke: "😎 Well, this is pretty cool! A local project is getting some national attention in Parks & Recreation magazine from National Recreation and Park Association! 🚦 Traffic Gardens are on the cover of the December issue, and the Westside Elementary School Traffic Garden is included in the story!" (PLAY Roanoke via Facebook)
• Virginia Children's Theatre: "The 'tale as old as time' takes the stage this weekend! You do not want to miss this spectacular show. We invite you to be our guest, Dec. 2-4 at 'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST'!" (Virginia Children's Theatre via Facebook)
• The Rescue Mission of Roanoke: "Thank you to all who have reached out! Here is a list of a couple critical items that can ensure that we can provide some great gifts to children in need. Help make the North Pole special this year at the Mission!" (The Rescue Mission of Roanoke via Facebook)
• The Grandin Theatre: "Announcement! Join the Grandin Theatre this Saturday for a USA vs Netherlands World Cup Watch Party! This will be an unmatched experience with the biggest screen in the valley, incredible sound, plus beer, wine, mimosas and all your favorites!" (The Grandin Theatre via Facebook)

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There you have it. You're officially in the loop for today. See you all 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