🌱 Healthcare House Calls in Roanoke + Area Surgeons in Ironman Race!

Hello all! It's Monday. Again. Ian here with your Monday edition of the Roanoke Daily, filled with all the community information you need to know right now. Let's do it...

First, today's weather:

Times of sun and clouds. So, Mother Nature's gonna toss you some shade here and there.

High: 81 Low: 61.

👀 Attention local businesses: Attract more customers in Roanoke by sponsoring this daily newsletter, which gets read by the same people you're trying to reach. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top five stories in Roanoke today:

1. Roanoke based Agenacare Housecalls is bringing health care services to area homes! After personally experiencing the challenge of trying to get doctor's appointments for family members and get them to the appointment once she had it, family nurse practitioner and owner Whitney Pugh launched the business after working in corporate medicine for a number of years. She describes the current medical system as broken and said, "I remember sitting there thinking, ‘I hate what I do. I’ve gone to school for seven years to run people in and out like a cattle market.’ I was so frustrated with it.’” Now Pugh says, "... you don’t have to go sit in an (emergency room) waiting room or urgent care waiting around for hours.” (Roanoke Times)
2. Among the 2,500 athletes who are expected to participate in the Ironman Triathlon are three Carilion Clinic surgeons doing so to honor loved ones. Sam Koenig will be running to honor her brother who has kidney failure, Maddy Denison will be cycling to honor her mother who suffers from multiple sclerosis and Katie Howe will be swimming to honor a group of bikers she met in the East African nation of Malawi. Together, the three woman team will run, bike and swim an arduous 70 miles! (WSLS 10)
3. A Botetourt County inmate has succumbed to self-inflicted injuries resulting from a suicide attempt at the Botetourt Craig Regional Jail in Fincastle. The inmate, a 32-year-old male whose name has not been released, was found minutes after a security round by Sheriff's Deputies. The deputies immediately administered life saving measures until Botetourt County Fire EMS personnel could arrive on the scene. The inmate was transported to Roanoke Memorial where he later died. (The Botetourt Bee)
4. Members of Salem's minor league baseball team, the Red Sox, recently joined with Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem EL teachers for a scavenger hunt designed to help area EL students practice their English language skills. The program is just one of the innovative ways in which teachers are adapting to the increase in students learning English. Together, the three school systems host nearly 2,400 EL students. "We're one of only [three] cities in Virginia with refugee resettlement organizations. And the number of refugees admitted has grown with both the upheaval in Afghanistan and the change in federal administration,” said Roanoke City Bilingual Support Specialist, Katie Hedrick. (Roanoke Times)
5. Officials with the Roanoke Police Department, Roanoke City Sheriff's Office and Roanoke City Schools held a joint press conference Friday afternoon to address recent school safety concerns. Chief of Police Sam Roman, Sheriff Antonio Hash and Superintendent Verletta White each echoes each other’s sentiments after a spate of recent incidents including a social media bomb threat in area schools. "When we have incidents across our country and even here within our city, we will take additional steps to ensure that everyone involved is safe with specific emphasis on our children,” said Chief Roman. Roanoke City Public Schools is asking parents to check their voicemails to be sure they received recent robocalls and if they haven't to get in touch with school administration to be sure the phone numbers they have on file are correct. (WDBJ)

Today in Roanoke:

• Roanoke City Council Briefings (9 a.m.)
• Post Ironman TriYoga (9 a.m.)
• 78th Anniversary of D-Day presentation at the National D-Day Memorial (10 a.m.)
• Roanoke City Council Meeting (2 p.m.)
• Monday Night Games & Vinyl at Crystal Spring Grocery Co. (4 p.m.)
• Palmyra the Band at Starr Hill Brewing & Side Stage (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke says "This Turkey Vulture was admitted after she was found starving to death and unable to fly — and today, thanks to our staff’s hard work, she is now going outside for the first time in a month!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Police Department reminds you "Don’t forget to check for road closures and detours before you head out. Good luck to everyone competing in the IRONMAN 70.3 Virginia’s Blue Ridge Triathlon!" (Roanoke Police Department - VA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA says "Like most kittens and cats, Tab can't resist a good wand toy!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Instagram)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department would like you to "Join our team! The City of Roanoke's Fire-EMS Department is seeking a captain-level firefighter to serve as the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday off right. I'll see you soon!

— Ian

About me: Ian Graham is a novelist, screenwriter, and freelance contributing writer. His interests are in politics, history, and religion and the stories and characters he writes about are centered on the explosive conflicts created when the three intersect. He is a firm believer in being yourself… unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.

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