🌱 Free VIN Etching Event Upcoming + Downtown Ambassadors Launch

Hello, Roanokers! It's FRIDAY! What are your plans for this weekend? Ours involve the Sedalia Center's Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Fundraiser and Batman Day at Big Lick Comics! Maybe I'll see you out and about.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine.

High: 83 Low: 59.

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Here are the top five stories in Roanoke today:

1. Roanoke County assistant director of parks, Mark Courtright, announced his retirement after 27 years and countless parks projects. Joining the parks department in 1995, Courtright played a part in constructing and rehabbing some of the county's most popular areas. When asked what his favorite project was he said, "I’d probably start off with Camp Roanoke. Camp Roanoke used to be a Kiwanis camp for boys and that kind of spoke to my heart because I used to be a boy scout. Though it hadn’t been in operation for 20-something years, my first project was to put that back on the map." Allen Hayes, acting director for Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism, said of Courtright's service, "Mark really set the foundation for our department. He started it from scratch, there was very little parks operation when Mark came 27 years ago. So many of the standards, the development practices that we use in our park system, are the result of Mark and his growth here within our organization." (WDBJ)
2. Many workers in Roanoke are on the front lines of a looming railroad worker strike that could have nationwide effects such as the further disruption of supply chains and halted commuter services if workers and management are unable to come to an agreement soon. Engineers and conductors, many of whom live in the Roanoke Valley and work out of the downtown Norfolk Southern yards, are at the heart of the dispute. The unions, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the SMART Transportation Division, are the last two holdouts in negotiations and are declining requests to hold off on striking. In dispute in particular are working conditions and scheduling. The railroads and unions must reach an agreement by Friday night to keep engineers and conductors on the job. (WSLS)
3. The Roanoke City Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police are partnering up to offer citizens free VIN etching. Known as H.E.A.T, which stands for Help Eliminate Auto Thefts, the event is set to take place on September 24 in the Target parking lot from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. VIN etching is the process of using a specialized stencil to permanently place the identification number of a vehicle on each piece of glass making it harder for the car to be deidentified and thus a less likely target for thieves. "When VIN etching has been performed, a thief is less likely to steal your vehicle because they would first need to replace the VIN-etched glass, a time-consuming and expensive task,” a representative of the DMV said. (WFXR, Roanoke Times)
4. Downtown Roanoke Inc. launched its brand new Downtown Ambassador Program Thursday morning aimed at providing downtown businesses, residents, and visitors with outreach services as well as focusing on cleanliness and hospitality. The program currently has eight full time employees who will perform nearly 300 hours of service per week using equipment such as power washers and a bright blue, clearly marked pickup truck. "There are a ton of services available in Roanoke, but if we don’t connect the people with the services available they’re not as effective, so [the ambassadors are] going to be really focused on developing those relationships and making connections with services so we can see some impact there," said Jaime Clark with Downtown Roanoke Inc. (WDBJ)
5. A Roanoke Valley Realtor who was born and grew up in Belize is doing his part to help increase the rate of Latino homeownership in America. "I know for me as a Latino, the American dream is to come here and get a house," said Jonathan Lazaro, who remembers selling fruit with his brother as kids while other friends played. He worked to bring himself to the United States where he became a citizen in 2013. Language barriers prevent many Latinos from understanding the homebuying process and is one reason the Hispanic population has a 25% less rate of homeownership than others. "So, they just need to be a little bit more educated and that’s where I come in. Maybe they’re not ready to buy a house right now but just knowing that they have that opportunity, that hope that’s all that matters," he said. "It’s a feeling that money just can’t buy. You made a difference in that family’s life." (WDBJ)

Today in Roanoke:

• Welcoming Week Naturalization Celebration in City Council Chambers (10:30 a.m.)
• Fuzzy Logic at First and Third Fridays at 5 (5 p.m.)
• Artist Reception: Paulina Swieliczko at Gallery 202 (5 p.m.)
• Opera Gems: A Gala Celebration Concert by Opera Roanoke (8 p.m.)
• ’80s Party with DJ Judd at Olde Salem Brewing Company (9 p.m.)
• The Grass is Dead at Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke County Public Schools: "This morning students from the Burton Center for Arts & Technology building trades program (with help from the mechatronics department) presented custom-created podiums for RunAbout Sports Roanoke to be used in area races." (Roanoke County Public Schools via Facebook)
• Roanoke Police Department: "Thank you to Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation for recognizing Sergeant Thompson and K-9 Loki for their bravery and dedication. We are incredibly proud of them both for receiving the 2022 VACP Award for Valor!" (Roanoke Police Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke STARCADE: "Just chillin’ with the girls 💅 Playing’ that Rambo and Star Wars Arcade 💋 #roanokestarcade #arcade #justgirlythings" (Roanoke STARCADE via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "Ever had a bathroom "adventure" while in the great outdoors? We wanna hear from you! (Anonymous of course) We have something special planned at @roanokegofest, so if you could take a quick sec to share your 'mergencies we owe you a debt." (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Come out and stop by our booth at the inaugural Southwest Virginia Pride Fest in Vinton! There will be food, vendors, a kids zone, and lots of wonderful things but be sure to stop by and say hi!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)

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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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Roanoke Daily? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com