🌱 I-81 Road Rage Shooting + Storms Leave Thousands Without Power

Hello there, Roanokers! Ian here to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on in town. Let's get to it!

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny.

High: 80 Low: 56.

🏡 Looking for more real estate leads in Roanoke? Let us help you reach prospective home buyers and stand out from the competition. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top five stories today in Roanoke:

1. Bear sightings in the Roanoke area in recent weeks indicate the animals are getting closer to homes and businesses. Officials at the Roanoke Police Department and Wildlife Center of Virginia say the best strategy if you see a bear is to stay clear. The animal will go away on its own. "Some great ways to make sure bears don’t really come into your yard is to lock your trashcans. If you cannot lock them, you can keep them inside until the day of pickup. Removing bird feeders, making sure there is no cat food or dog food or animal food just out,” said Wildlife Center of Virginia warden, McKenna Beaman. (WDBJ)
2. Friday night's severe storms and gusty winds are responsible for thousands of power outages across the Roanoke area. Many remained without power into Saturday. Appalachian Power reported more than 38,000 outages in Southwest Virginia and crews were working through the night to get repairs completed and services restored. The Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport reported the highest wind gust at 51 mph. (Roanoke Times)
3. Joyce Waugh, the president of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce, announced her retirement earlier this week after 22 years of service to the Roanoke Valley. The chamber’s current vice president, Eric Sichau, will take over for Waugh as president, but Waugh says she still plans to be active. "It’s our job, our desire, and our wish, really, to help [Roanoke businesses] get to the next level,” she said. (WDBJ)
4. Virginia State Police are on the lookout for a red Mazda 3 wanted in a road rage shooting on I-81 near Roanoke. Reports say the vehicle was in a moving altercation with a box truck when the driver opened fire. No injuries were reported and the vehicle was last seen fleeing the scene onto I-581 towards downtown Roanoke. The vehicle had Colorado license plates, significant damage to the passenger side door and was a five door hatchback model. State Police are asking anyone who knows anything or saw anything to call 911 and report it. (WSET)

Help us make this newsletter better!

We’ve been getting so much positive feedback about the Roanoke Daily that we’re starting to get a big head. Want to bring us back down to earth with some constructive feedback? If so, take our simple — and quick! — reader survey. Your feedback will help us make sure we’re covering the kind of local news, events and scuttlebutt you really care about. And it will help us toward our goal of being an indispensable local resource and the last email you’d ever unsubscribe from.

We’d be so appreciative of your feedback that, if you take the survey, we’ll enter your email address in a drawing for a small mountain of Patch swag. You know you want that tote bag — so click the link and give it to us straight. Thank you!

Take the Survey 👉

Today in Roanoke:

• 14th Annual Lavender Festival at Beliveau Farm Winery (noon)
• Body Mind Spirit Fest 2022 at Unity of Roanoke Valley (1 p.m.)
• Father’s Day Pinball Tournament at the Roanoke Pinball Museum (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Police Department said, "Samiyah Jarvis was reported as a runaway juvenile on June 7. RPD continues searching for her. If you see her or know where she is, please call 911 and share what you know." (Roanoke Police Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA said, "Normally pets pass through our shelter and into their loving homes in just a few days. Sometimes pets need some extra TLC, or have special needs, and it takes a little longer. But Boss has earned the title of "long timer" as he has been here for two years now." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke said, "Staying in on a Friday night? You aren’t alone! Our Virginia Opossums are getting cozy, too. They love being in cloth pouches — these mimic mom’s pouch and make them feel very cozy and secure." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• City of Roanoke Government said, "Recently, City of Roanoke staff were able to attend this forum created by the BRIDGE Council, which focuses on bringing equity and inclusion to our organization. Staff were able to learn the history behind Juneteenth and it's importance." (City of Roanoke Government via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc. said, "Downtown Putt Around returns on June 23 in Century Plaza! This event is fun for all ages, even adults! ⛳️ June 23 - July 17 ⛳️ at Century Plaza, 14 Church Ave. ⛳️ Admission is $5; children 6 and under are free." (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Facebook)
• Roanoke City Public Schools said, "Families, we hope your summer is off to a great start! Below are some important reminders about summer programming, upcoming immunization clinics, and more. For details, please visit rcps.info and click on the links in the website." (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Hire A Pro To Clean Up The Yard For Dad (June 19)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Sunday! I'll see you tomorrow!

— 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