🌱 Jailed Councilman May Soon Be Set Free + 7th Annual Salem Marathon

Annnd it's Friday! We made it. I hope everyone had a productive week and that you're eyeing some cool plans for the weekend. Today we'll cover these stories and more:

• Roanoke city wants your opinion on the Ramada Inn project.
• Amtrak ridership in Roanoke up A LOT.
• New life for an old building on Williamson Road.

Let's get started.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and nice.

High: 77 Low: 50.

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. The piles of rubble are presently being cleaned off the site of the old Ramada Inn and Conference Center, the post-apocalyptic looking blight we've covered a few times, and the City of Roanoke has several options they're considering for the space. And they'd like your opinion. Because the property is located in a flood zone no structures can be located there so all of the options are for land use only. "At the end of this phase, you can imagine just a big open clear slab of grass. But in the future, there will be a subsequent phase of work where we’ll probably be doing some additional work on the site and we’re looking for public input on that next phase,” said Marcus Aguilar, a civil engineer for the city. To gather your answers, the city has opened up a survey that can be reached by clicking here. (WDBJ)
2. The City of Salem is making the last few preparations for the 7th Annual Salem Marathon set to happen this Saturday, Oct. 8. The event has over 700 racers already registered, and the routes will take those racers through Salem's neighborhoods, the Roanoke College campus, and back around to the finish line near the Salem Farmers Market on Main Street. "This is an awesome event for Salem. We love bringing people in from out of town, getting them down to Main Street so after the race they can visit some of those businesses. We partner with a lot of them," said Ashley Durkin, Salem's recreation program supervisor. The race begins at 8 a.m.(WSLS)
3. Jailed former Roanoke City Councilman Robert Jeffrey Jr. may soon be getting released after a surprise decision from the Virginia State Court of Appeals granted him bond. Jeffrey's attorney, Melvin Hill, contested Jeffrey's incarceration to the higher court, who agreed that Jeffrey being incarcerated prior to his August sentencing was an abuse of discretion by Circuit Court judge, David Carson. The case will now be returned to Carson's court with instructions from the higher court to set a "reasonable" bond, which Hill expressed confidence in Jeffrey being able to meet — meaning he could be out of jail as early as next week and could stay that way while the higher court evaluates the appeals to his conviction. (Roanoke Times)
4. The VPRA, Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, has announced ridership on the four state-supported Amtrak lines in Virginia saw record numbers in August. The report includes a round trip to Roanoke, which carried 28,655 passengers for the month, a 43.8 percent increase when compared to pre-pandemic numbers from August 2019. "The continued growth of our state-supported Amtrak service shows that rail is not only a viable part of Virginia’s transportation network, it’s a necessary part. Every day we are working towards our mission of providing more rail options across the Commonwealth," said DJ Stadtler, executive director of the VPRA. (Roanoke Star)
5. The long vacant Lee Theater building on Williamson Road has now been remodeled into loft apartments. The 1940s era theater complex that once played films starring the likes of Bette Davis, but last saw use in the 1980s as an adult theater, now boasts 35 one-bedroom apartments competitively priced at $800 a month, a steal when you consider it includes all utilities. "I think people underestimate the passion that the marketplace has for good buildings, good architecture, historic buildings, repurposing," said Husain Alam, the owner, president and architect of Alam Design Group, who oversaw the project. "The history of that building is it goes back to the 1940s. It was a beautiful part of town, it was a success for a while, and then Williamson Road took a dive down." To see some photos of the Lee Theater in its heyday and in its newly remodeled form click the links to the source articles. (WSLS, Cinema Treasures)

Patch deal of the day:

Wine lover alert. We found this amazing deal from Splash Wines — an 18-bottle curated selection of reds and whites for fall — for just $69.99. Shipping isn't cheap at $39.95, but that still comes out to just over $6 per bottle. Splash Wines has a money-back guarantee if you don't like the wine and 4.6 out of 5 rating on TrustPilot. So: recommended.

(The Patch Deals team scours the web for deals we think our subscribers will like. We may earn a commission on products purchased. All promotions are as of publication and could change.)

Today in Roanoke:

• The Craftsmen’s Fall Classic Art & Craft Festival at the Berglund Center (10 a.m.)
• The Art of Salsa with Salsa Noke at the Taubman Museum of Art (5 p.m.)
• The Worx at First and Third Fridays at 5 (5 p.m.)
• Gallery Grids — Downtown Roanoke Arts Collective (5 p.m.)
• AC/DC Tribute — Shoot to Thrill at Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges (6 p.m.)
• “The Secret Garden,” by Virginia Children’s Theatre at the Jefferson Center (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Hurricane Ian's impacts to wildlife and humans reach beyond Florida — we received several waterlogged and weak animals caught up in the remnants of the storm last weekend including this squirrel." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke City Public Schools: "Congratulations to Fallon Park Elementary School Building Manager Mr. Paul on his well-deserved retirement! The Falcons celebrated him last week with presents, cards, cake, and a clap-out!" (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Roanoke Sheriff's Office: "The Roanoke City Sheriff's Office would like to thank Chris Traynham for his 20 years of service. We wish you well and hope you enjoy retirement!" (Roanoke Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
• Roanoke Police Department: "Another fun week with the RPD Badge Buddies! These kids have worked so hard and are going to do great at the Spooky Sprint 5K this year. Just a few more weeks until the big race — we can’t wait! 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️ 🏃" (Roanoke Police Department via Facebook)
• The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke: "The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to our corporate sponsors COCA-COLA CONSOLIDATED for the 1,200 pounds of food, the pallet of hand sanitizer, and the dental hygiene kits they donated to us during our FOOD DRIVE!" (The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke via Facebook)

There you have it -- you're all caught up for today. I'll be back tomorrow with another update!

On a personal note, I'd like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my father and chief corner man, Dennis! I love and appreciate you more than I can ever say and consider it an honor to call you dad.

— 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 during full moons.

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