🌱 Local Colors Festival This Weekend + Goodwill Career Fair Coming

Good morning, hello! Here's a fresh new edition of the Roanoke Patch Newsletter to get this day started off right. Today you'll read about...

• LEA outdoor basketball league returns.
• Elementary students experience STEM in a unique way.
• Man convicted of shooting avoids jail time.

Let's get motoring!

But first, today's weather: Partly sunny and nice. High: 72 Low: 50.

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. The Local Colors Festival is this Saturday at Elmwood Park to celebrate the many cultures that call the Star City home through music, arts, crafts, food, and more. The event will kick off with the parade of nations and feature food from around the world, cultural displays, and cultural dress. Visitors will have the opportunity to take pictures with the "LOVE" sign and can also buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a 55-inch TV or a surround sound system. The full schedule of events can be seen on the event website. (WSLS)
2. The Lea Youth Outdoor Basketball League in Roanoke is making a comeback in 2023, with games held at the newly constructed courts in Melrose Park. The league, established in 2014, aims to address gun-related violence by providing a positive and structured environment for Roanoke City juveniles. Organizers emphasize teaching core values like discipline, respect, and self-esteem through engaging basketball activities. The program has garnered support from various partners, including the Roanoke Police Department, Sheriff's Department, Fire-EMS, Parks and Rec, and local organizations. Skill camps will take place on Tuesdays, while games are scheduled for Thursdays from June 15, running from 6-8 p.m. (WDBJ)
3. The Roanoke City elementary school students participating in the ACE program at the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center expressed a range of concerns about colonizing an exoplanet 240 trillion miles away. Some worried about depleting resources needed by other life forms, while others were concerned about encountering hostile neighbors. There were also concerns about sustenance for the journey, particularly what the chickens aboard their spaceship would eat. The program aims to challenge students to plan the settlement of a rocky, Earth-sized planet in another solar system using real data from NASA. Through hands-on learning in STEM, the program encourages students to pursue careers in engineering and other STEM fields. (Roanoke Star)
4. Goodwill Industries of the Valleys is organizing a Community Career and Resource Fair in collaboration with the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke and Shiloh Baptist Church's Fun Day. The fair will take place on Saturday, May 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Goodwill Roanoke Jobs Campus on Melrose Avenue NW. It aims to provide families with job opportunities, resources, and information about Goodwill programs and Melrose Plaza. The Fun Day will feature various activities such as zoo animals, wildflower garden planting, food, and music for people of all ages. (WSET)
5. A Roanoke man, Timothy P. Meadows, convicted of shooting another man during a struggle at an auto body shop, has avoided jail time for the crime. Meadows, 45, was initially charged with malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of malicious wounding after the incident in Jan 2022. However, during a hearing in Roanoke Circuit Court, he was sentenced to five years of incarceration, all of which were suspended. Instead, Meadows will serve one year of supervised probation and two years of good behavior, with a strict no-contact order with the victim, Steven Jones. (Roanoke Times)

Today in Roanoke:

• Blackwater Rhythm and Blues with food vendor Mountain Grille at Elmwood Party in the Park (5:30 p.m.)
• Line Dancing at Sidewinders Saloon (6 p.m.)
• R&B Karaoke at 2 Chill Restaurant (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Botetourt County Sheriff's Office: "Hey Arcadia! Do you know my family? I'm way too cute and scared to be locked up. Can you help me get out of here! I was found on Rocky Road. Please call Animal Control at 540-473-8631 if you can help. XOXO" (Botetourt County Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Please join us in congratulating Capt. Mark Kesterson on his retirement from Roanoke Fire-EMS. Captain Kesterson has been with our department for 36 years, and today is his last day on shift. Thank you for the many years of dedication!" (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke County Police Department: "A few months ago Mr. Hall (pictured beside the officers) was in a pretty significant motorcycle crash here in Roanoke County. Thanks to the diligent work of Sgt. Smith and Officer Lambert, Mr. Hall is alive and well!" (Roanoke County Police Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Chessie might be showing off her tongue for #tongueouttuesday, but she's also trying to convey an important message. She knows that adopting a pet can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! I'll see you tomorrow for another update.

— 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 on full moons.

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