🌱 Grandin Theatre 90th Anniversary Gala + Faith & Blue Festival

Hello, everybody! I'm kind of stuck for an entertaining and pithy opening this morning. You guys have any ideas? Well, it's time for the Tuesday edition of the Roanoke Daily featuring these stories and more...

• VWCC is utilizing the G3 program to provide free college tuition.
• A Roanoke area anti-abortion rally.
• A new apartment development coming to Botetourt County.

Shall we just get straight to it?

But first, today's weather:

Sunny to partly cloudy.

High: 63 Low: 48.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. When Thanh Nguyen moved to Roanoke with her family, her father became sick and needed to be hospitalized. That experience set her on the course to earning a living as a nurse, but the journey didn't start out as an easy one. "When I applied for the program, I wasn’t a U.S. citizen. So, it will be more expensive for me. It will be harder for me to be able to be in the program," she said. But then an advisor at Virginia Western Community College told her about the G3 program offered by the State of Virginia. The program provides free tuition, books, and fees for students entering one of several designated 'high demand' industries including nursing. Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer, vice president of Student and Academic Affairs at Virginia Western, said, "It really will help the economy of the Roanoke Valley by having more employees that are trained, well trained." (WSLS)
2. The corner of Orange Avenue and Williamson Road was the site of an anti-abortion rally over the weekend in which about 30 people stood in heavy coats and hats holding signs with slogans like 'Choose Love Choose Life' and were roundly ignored by just about everyone passing by on their way. Among the attendees was Virginia House of Delegates’ 41st District candidate Chris Obenshain who said, "I’m running for the House of Delegates in 2023. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to vote for it [until] next January but I support it. That’s the right place for these things to be decided, is at the state level." This marks more than 30 years of the rally in Roanoke, which is part of a nationwide series of such events called National Life Chain. (Roanoke Times)
3. The Roanoke City Sheriff's Office has announced that it will be hosting a Faith & Blue Festival this Saturday, Oct. 8. The event is to be held at The Green Goat on Wiley Drive Southwest and the community is invited to participate. The festival will include music, vendors, kids’ activities, and free hot dogs, chips, and drinks. The Sheriff's Office said the event is being held to foster better relations between the community and law enforcement in an effort to create "safer, stronger, more just and unified communities." The event will run from noon until 3 p.m. (WFXR)
4. The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors approved a brand-new apartment development at the site of the current Howard Johnson hotel off I-81 exit 150 at their most recent meeting. The proposed development will add about 240 apartment homes to the area in five buildings on the nearly 10-acre plot of land. The application for the development is the first one under the newly approved Gateway Crossing Overlay District, in which the county supervisors voted to suspend its own draconian zoning laws for the sake of economic development. Several citizens appeared at the meeting to speak against the project, echoing concerns voiced by the sole dissenter in the 3-1 vote, Supervisor Steve Clinton. "I have heard tonight that we’ve got enough growth. Let’s slow down. We’re going to create pressure on the schools. This is the opposite of what we want. This is a poorly conceived project,” he said. (Botetourt Bee)
5. The Grandin Theatre has announced that they will be holding a 90th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 22 to celebrate, well, the theatre's 90th Anniversary, but also the recent upgrades and remodeling done to the theatre's interior. The new additions include new seating and new lighting in the main theatre to make the facility more friendly to live performances as well as improvements to the main and second floor lobbies and bathrooms, all accomplished during the theatre's recent Heart of the Main campaign. Grandin Theatre Foundation Executive Director Ian Fortier said, "It has been a very interesting and challenging few years. We have seen remarkable circumstances affect us all and we have been forced to navigate uncertain waters in our community, our industry, and our world. This is a celebration of how this organization and this community has worked diligently to support and protect this remarkable venue, and how we pivoted from a position of learning to survive to a bright future where we can continue to thrive." For more information on the event and to purchase tickets click here. (WFXR)

Today in Roanoke:

• School Board Work Session — Roanoke County Schools (3:30 p.m.)
• Fleet Feet Pub Run & Walk at Big Lick Brewing Co. (6 p.m.)
• Line Dancing with Angela & Kamronn at Corned Beef and Co. Bar and Grill (7 p.m.)
• GOTE at Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill (9:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "We're excited to check out the 2022 Scarecrow Trail in the Town of Rocky Mount, Virginia in Franklin County! From Oct. 3 through Nov. 7, local businesses and organizations will decorate scarecrows and display them!" (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)
• Roanoke City Public Schools: "Today is National Custodial Workers' Day. It is a time to show appreciation to the men and women who keep our schools and workplaces across the nation running smoothly. Thank you to ALL of our incredible custodial staff!" (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Thanks to everyone who came out to our #subarulovespets Adoption Event yesterday at Southern Team Subaru! Thanks to you, 17 pets were adopted! That means 17 pets are out of the shelter and in loving homes! THANK YOU!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Instagram)
• Roanoke Diversity Center: "Great turnout yesterday in support of trans kids in our schools. Make sure to continue adding your comments on this policy. The public comment section is open until Oct. 26." (Roanoke Diversity Center via Facebook)
• Roanoke Public Libraries: "This month, bring your teen to the library to learn from a Virginia Children's Theatre teaching artist the foundations of performing arts. Stop by and join other teens to bring a story to life!" (Roanoke Public Libraries via Facebook)
• Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges: "Are you even a Blues Traveler fan if you can't sing this song?? Sing it with Blues Traveler LIVE at Dr Pepper Park on Wednesday! Tickets are still available. Get yours now at DrPepperPark.com!" (Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges via Facebook)

Alrighty. Now you're in the loop again! I'll see you bright and early 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. Usually.

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