🌱 Dawgs Pick Off Marksmen + RAM House Fundraiser Falls Short

Good morning, neighbors! It's time for the dreaded Monday edition of the Roanoke Daily! 😱Remember, today is the observance of Martin Luther King Day so many government offices and banks are closed today. Here's the latest on what's happening in the 'noke, including:

• An appliance fire on Plantation Road
• Local custom apparel company moving
• Local organization offers CPR/AED training

Onward to destiny!

But first, today's weather:

Increasing cloudiness.

High: 54 Low: 39.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. Roanoke County Fire & Rescue was called to the scene of a commercial structure fire at a duplex on Vista Avenue just off Plantation Road. The fire was called in shortly before 2 p.m. and when crews arrived they found smoke coming from the back of the building. Crews reacted quickly and found the fire to be coming from an oven. They removed the appliance from the building and quickly doused the flames. A later investigation deemed the fire to have been a grease fire and said quick work by the responding crew made a huge difference. No injuries were reported. (WSET)
2. An annual fundraising drive for RAM House, the Roanoke Times Good Neighbors Fund, has fallen just short of its goal, raising $188,988 of a $200,000 goal. Melissa Woodson, executive director of Roanoke Area Ministries, said, "We’ve reached 95% of our goal. I consider that highly successful." The previous two years have seen record amounts donated to the fund far exceeding the $200,00 goal, but Woodson went on to say she believes the effects of rising costs in both food and fuel played a big role in dampening the amount Roanokers had to give in 2022. The funds go to support RAM’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program, which helps people with rent, utilities, and prescriptions if they find themselves faced with an unexpected expense that threatens to make them homeless. While the fundraising period technically ended Dec 31 donations will continue to be accepted through March 31. (Roanoke Times)
3. Local screen printing and embroidery company Press Press Merch has announced that they have purchased a building on Starkey Road to use as their new headquarters. That means they will be moving away from their current location on Albemarle Avenue in the near future as they take over the almost 33,000 square foot facility on Starkey Road. The new building has been vacant for a number of years and sits next to the country store at the corner of Penn Forest Boulevard. In addition to custom apparel, Press Press Merch also specializes in postcards, posters, stickers, and other promotional products. (WFIR)
4. The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs have continued their recent string of victories by picking off the Fayetteville Marksmen in a series played on the road at Fayetteville's Crown Coliseum. That extends the Dawgs' lead in the first place position in the Southern Professional Hockey League standings by three points with their nearest competition being the Birmingham Bulls. And that's a fateful spot top be in as Roanoke will now be returning home to face, you guessed it, the Birmingham Bulls for a double header beginning Jan 20. This last victory against the Marksmen marked the Dawg's fourth victory out of the last five games. (WSET)
5. The Compress and Shock Foundation, a Roanoke based organization dedicated to making sure area residents have access to lifesaving information, recently hosted a free CPR and AED training at Williams Memorial Baptist Church on Carroll Avenue in Roanoke. The training was led by a physician from Carilion Clinic and aimed at communities who have been impacted by cardiac arrest. The organization says the current survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest is less than 10% and they believe that preparation can be the difference between life and death. The next training session is being offered at Smith Mountain Lake's Crossfit on Jan 28th and there will be others hosted throughout the year. You can learn about those here on the organization's website. (WDBJ)

Today in Roanoke:

• Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Service of Remembrance at St. John’s Episcopal Church (Noon)
• Irish Jam Band at Big Lick Brewing Co. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Woah! We haven’t gotten one of these in a LONG time! This is a Horned Grebe, a pint-sized aquatic bird that was found on the side of the road near the border of West Virginia. The rescuer drove this patient to Christiansburg, where volunteer transporter Linda Colip (pictured) delivered him the rest of the way to Roanoke!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Class 33 wrapped up Week 1 by learning about PPE. This was their first opportunity to put on all of their gear, including an SCBA. All together, full turnout gear weighs around 75 pounds. Think you can carry that load? We are still accepting applications for the next recruit school." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Shield Chaplaincy: "WHAT DO POLICE CHAPLAINS DO? After a full week of connecting and meeting with officers, a day of admin work, and attending department special events, Shield Chaplains helped throughout the night at the police academy." (Shield Chap via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "This time of year, food can be scarce for wildlife. So you may see our wild friends out and about more trying to find food. Unfortunately, this also means they could be more susceptible to injury like being hit by cars, or illness from cold exposure. So what should you do if you find sick or injured wildlife? Take them to our friends at Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke: "If you have hundreds or even thousands of PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS stuffed in a cabinet or drawer somewhere in your house we have a deal for you! We will gladly take them off your hands! We’re in need of them to pack up groceries for needy families in the area." (The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke via Facebook)

You're in the loop again! I'll see you tomorrow morning bright and early for the next Roanoke Daily.

— 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