🌱 Feel Good Tour Instrument Giveaway + Soldiers Reunited With Dogs

And it's Monday. Why do I feel like we were just here not too long ago? Oh, right. Because we were. Anyways, good morning! I hope you had a great weekend. Here's the dreaded Monday edition of the Roanoke Daily with all the things happening in the community today. Let's motor!

But first, today's weather:

Some sun, then clouds.

High: 49 Low: 40.

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. Roanoke County Schools Superintendent Ken Nicely was one of the many school leaders to speak to the Commission on School Construction and Modernization in Richmond this past week. Nicely was there to address the major funding approved by the Virginia General Assembly earlier in the year and to get an update on the status of applications to the Virginia Department of Education for access to those funds. "We’ve been eager since summer to know what the criteria’s going to be, and to be able to hit that send button. We’re ready to hit the send button," Nicely said to the commission. He went on to say that he fears the amount of needs from all around the commonwealth exceed the funding. (WDBJ)
2. Five soldiers from the Virginia National Guard who were sent to Kenya to provide security discovered a litter of puppies while deployed and after bonding with the K9s and caring for them they decided on a shared goal: to bring the dogs home with them to Virginia. The transfer wasn't an easy one and without the help of an organization called Paws of War it may not have happened at all. But on Saturday afternoon at the VFW Post #1264 in Roanoke, the soldiers and the dogs were reunited. Specialist David Pettit, one of the five soldiers, said, "I had no idea what was going to go into this. If we didn’t find Paws of War, I don’t think we could have ever found a way to do it." Robert Misseri, the co-founder of Paws of War., said he and others at the organization have spent years building up a lists of veterinarians, animal lovers, and others in various countries willing to help refugee animals find forever homes. (Roanoke Times, WSLS)
3. Musical instruments top the Christmas lists of many children, but for parents who cannot afford them a group known as The Feel Good Tour hosts a yearly giveaway of donated, lightly used instruments for children in need. Founded in 2005 by Roanoke musician Bill Hudson, his friend Guy Nouri, and fellow musician Al Coffey during Hurricane Katrina, the group has given over 800 instruments to children and schools in New Orleans, Roanoke, and Franklin County. Hudson jokes about his original pitch to Coffey, "I said, ‘Al, you want to go to New Orleans?’ He said, ‘Great. Got a gig?’ I go, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Well, do you know anybody?’ I go, ‘No. Played on the street there years ago.’ And he said, ‘What are you going to do?’ And I told him, and he said, ‘Let’s go.'" The Feel Good Tour will be at 4221 Valley Ave. in Roanoke on December 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, and 18th, from 10 - 3 p.m. and will giveaway one instrument per family.(Cardinal News)
4. The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors recently held a meeting about possible changes to what's known as Traditional Neighborhood Development zoning in order to make room for a new development called Harvest at Blue Ridge. The proposed new development will be located on the old Murray Cider Farm property at the edges of Botetourt County and Roanoke County in the Bonsack area. Developer Dale Wilkinson said, "It’s people oriented. The homes are the core of the development and are closer together. The common amenities are open spaces and there will be a consistency in the building material. When done properly, it becomes a place where folks drop the kids off to go trick-or-treating at Halloween." The Board agreed to send the proposed changes to the Planning Commission. (Botetourt Bee)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Roanoke City Council meeting briefings in City Council Chambers (9 a.m.)
• Roanoke City Council regular agenda meeting in City Council Chambers (2 p.m.)
• Holiday Jubilee by Winds of the Blue Ridge at William Fleming High School (7 p.m.)
• Wonderful Christmastime! by the Mill Mountain Ringer handbell choir at Raleigh Court UMC (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Cool local story! We were notified that a local artist (Heather Marshall) used some of our social media posts as inspiration to paint this absolutely beautiful mural in the children's waiting room for the J & D Court in downtown Roanoke! Take a look." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "Luminary Nights is returning again for the 2022 holiday season at Natural Bridge State Park! The lights will be displayed the weekends of December 9-11 and 16-18, and it's an amazing opportunity to see the bridge and the Cedar Creek Trail." (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "We would like to say thank you so much to Corned Beef & Co. for donating food for our William Fleming Street Actors at last night’s The Roanoke Times Dickens of a Christmas! 🎄" (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Instagram)
• Straight Street Roanoke Valley: "Thankful for the delicious meal from Bonsack Baptist last night. So thankful as we celebrated our 28th Anniversary yesterday to be able to be open, decorate for Christmas, and share the hope we have in Christ." (Straight Street Roanoke Valley via Facebook)

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That's it for the dreaded Monday edition. You're officially in the loop again! See you tomorrow for your next 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