🌱 Dramatic Drop in Traffic Cases + Salem Museum To Debut New Film

Happy Halloween, friends! Here's a fresh edition of the Roanoke Daily. Let's do something fun! Let's have a costume contest. Send me pictures of your Halloween costume (or your kids' or dogs' if you didn't dress up) and I'll post the best two or three in tomorrow's newsletter! Email me directly at iangrahamauthor@gmail.com to be sure I get them in time.

Okay, now onto the news, including updates on...

• New affordable housing gets a boost
• A new boss for the Roanoke Chamber
• and a program to get teens off the couch!

Let's roll out!

But first, today's weather:

Heavy showers in the morning.

High: 62 Low: 54.

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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 today in Roanoke:

1. The Roanoke Police Department once issued well over 10,000 traffic tickets per year, but in recent years that number has been cut in half. Officials at the department say the fault lies at the feet of a nationwide anti-police sentiment that has curtailed recruiting, leaving the agency with a long list of vacant officer positions, and in the rise in violent crime, which has taken officers off of traffic duty and focused their efforts elsewhere. The drop in traffic cases began in 2020, which was expected during the pandemic, but has not returned to normal levels like that of neighboring counties not experiencing the same rise in violent crime. (Roanoke Times)
2. A new apartment complex set to be built near the corner of Peters Creek Road and Cove Road in Roanoke County has received a 2022 Housing Opportunity Tax Credit worth $15 million dollars from recent legislation by Governor Glenn Youngkin. The HOTC program is designed to be used to increase the number of affordable rental properties available throughout the state. "A priority in the forefront of this Administration is to make housing more affordable for all Virginians. Our partnership with Virginia Housing has enabled us to effectively disperse state tax credits to ensure rental properties are being built that are more affordable for renters," said Youngkin. (WDBJ)
3. The Salem Museum will be debuting a brand new film titled "The Stories Within These Walls" about the Williams Brown House that sits at the heart of the museum's property. First constructed in 1845, the house has been put to many uses over the decades. The film will be shown on Thursday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m. and the filmmaker, an award-winning writer and director, Chloe Shelton will be on hand for a talk about the making of the film. (Roanoke Star)
4. The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce has a brand new executive-director it announced last week. Amanda Livingston was chosen from among more than 80 candidates by a search committee made up of board members, chamber ambassadors, and members. "We felt that Ms. Livingston had the qualities and skills necessary for our members’ growth and programming service. The board of directors is the organization’s policy-making arm and represents the members’ interests," said Allane Lawrence, one of the chambers vice chairmen. Livingston comes to Roanoke from South Carolina where she had a 21-year career with Jackson Hewitt Tax Service and left as a divisional vice president. "We relocated from Charleston, South Carolina, and the more I learn about Roanoke and Salem, I know in my heart this is the place for our family. We are home," she said. (Roanoke Times)
5. The Kirk Family YMCA is hosting a new program for 12 to 15- year-olds to get them out of the house and into new experiences. RISE 540 is a free program funded partially by the YMCA and partially by grants through Roanoke’s Gun Violence Prevention Program. Kirk Family YMCA wellness director Andrea Burney says "The kids say they really look forward to something on their schedule that they know they’re gonna do every month. It's important to me to get our kids off the street because of the gun violence, crime, and everything else going on. We want something positive." You can find more information on the program at the YMCA's website here. (WFXR)

Patch deal of the day:

Good knives make all the difference in the kitchen, but you don’t need to overpay for them. Seido Japanese knives are made with strong high-carbon stainless steel (high-carbon knives are more durable and usually more expensive) and have an acute 15-degree angle for a noticeably sharper cutting face (most Western-style knives have edge angles of 25 degrees). For a limited time, Patch readers can get a 5-piece Seido Japanese master knife set for 71 percent off. At just under $70, this chef-quality set is perfect for any home cook and would also make a great gift for the holidays.

(The Patch Deals team scours the web for deals we think you'll love; we may earn a commission on purchases. All deals are as of publication and could change.)

Today in Roanoke (Ummm ... go trick-or-treating, duh. Haha.)

• Free Yoga for the People at the main Roanoke Public Library (5:30 p.m.)
• Scary Movie Monday “Haunted Mansion” at Starr Hill Brewery & Side Stage (6 p.m.)
• MS Paint / Public Opinion / Ex Parents live at The Spot on Kirk (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Seven-month-old Peaches is a sweet young girl, who loves to follow her nose. If you've got a treat in your pocket, she will know it! She also loves walking, and of course, she'll smell every little thing on her way. Meet Peaches today!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "SPOOKY GIVEAWAY👻🎃 Do you know the legend behind Fenwick Mines? How did Murder Hole get its name? Have you visited Murray Run Greenway after dark? While beautiful, there is no shortage of spook in the great outdoors, especially after dark!" (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "Ice skating in Elmwood Park in Downtown Roanoke is returning again for the holiday season!" (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)
• Straight Street Roanoke Valley: "Thank you Villa Heights Baptist Church for a great evening. Thank you FCC for serving dinner this evening. Fun night and Pastor Ben had our devotional by the bonfire followed by s’mores!" (Straight Street Roanoke Valley via Facebook)

There you have it. You're all caught up for today and don't forget to send me your costume pictures! ! 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. 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