🌱 Disagreement On Preston Park Location + Jazz In July This Saturday

Hi all. It's time for the esteemed Hump Day edition of the Roanoke Patch Newsletter. Come along to find out what's going on in town, including updates on:

• Hokie Storm Chasers encounter huge storm in Wyoming.
• Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital staff rescued a kitten.
• Margaret Baker Foundation has announced Roanoke Valley scholarships.

Let's motor!

But first, today's weather: Partly sunny and hot. High: 93 Low: 70.

Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. The Hokie Storm Chasers, a group of meteorology students from Virginia Tech, offer a unique perspective on the experience of storm chasing. On a particular day during their annual storm chase trip, they encountered a storm that generated eight tornadoes and received numerous tornado warnings, starting in Chugwater, Wyoming, and continuing into Scottsbluff, Nebraska on June 23. Equipped with storm chase T-shirts, laptops, and road atlases, the 11 students, five teaching assistants, and one professor set out in three vans to track and observe storms on June 18. The storm chase trip has been a tradition since 1992. (WDBJ)
2. Roanoke City Public Schools is planning to construct a new Preston Park Elementary, but there is a disagreement between the school district and the city regarding the location of the new building. The planning commission did not make a decision on the schools' proposal during their meeting on Monday. Instead, they chose to extend the public hearing until their August meeting. This decision was made to allow the schools and the city to have additional time to reach a compromise on the matter. (Roanoke Times)
3. Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital staff rescued a kitten found inside a dumpster. A worker alerted Carilion Police after hearing a concerning sound, and an officer discovered a 6-week-old kitten inside a paper Kroger bag. The kitten, named Toby, received veterinary care and is currently staying in a foster home until he is ready for adoption. To view other pets available for adoption, visit the Angels of Assisi website. (WSLS)
4. The Margaret Baker Foundation Board of Directors in Virginia has announced scholarships for men studying law enforcement or health care in the Roanoke Valley. The foundation has awarded over $175,000 in scholarships since its establishment and aims to continue supporting students financially. Margaret R. Baker, the foundation's namesake, was a prominent business figure in Roanoke who dedicated her life to providing scholarships. For more information on the event and scholarship applications, visit www.margaretbaker.org. The application deadline is Sept. 1. (Roanoke Star)
5. Jazz in July is an event taking place at Longwood Park in Salem on Saturday, July 15, from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event offers free admission and provides food and drinks for purchase. Salem Catering will be selling beer and wine, but attendees cannot bring their own alcohol. Additionally, no pets are allowed at the venue. For further details, Curt Hunt from Salem Parks & Recreation provided a preview during a segment on 7@four. More information about the event can be found by clicking here. (WDBJ)

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Today in Roanoke:

Wednesday, July 12

• Thompson Square at Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges (6 p.m.)
• Rossdafareye at Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill (9:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Little king, tell me what is your decree? There is no ruler with more of an iron fist than the Eastern Kingbird — and this isn’t a joke, their scientific name 'Tyrannus tyrannus' literally is 'tyrannical ruler' not once, but twice!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Want to work for a safe, effective, efficient, well trained, aggressive, busy department where you will gain a lot of experience in both fire and emergency medical services and be well respected by your colleagues? Click the link!" (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Thank you to everyone who adopted pets last week, July 1-8. Happy Tails to Minnie, Dolly, Simcoe, Amarillo, Nat, Onyx, Dexter, Randolph, Citra, Hershey, and Graham Cracker who all went home! 💜" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "Float the Roanoke River this Wednesday, July 12 with PLAY Roanoke & Roanoke Outside! This is a 'bring whatever floats' event, beginning at Roanoke Mountain Adventures (which also offers tube rentals) and ends at the Starr Hill Pilot Brewery!" (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you tomorrow!

— 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com