🌱 Local Tap Dancer in National Magazine + New Puerto Rican Eatery!

Hey, Roanokers! I hope your weekend is off to a good start. Shall we take a look at some local news?

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First, today's weather:

A thunderstorm around in the p.m..

High: 87 Low: 69.

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Here are the top five stories today in Roanoke:

1. Roanoker Ida Shelton, 14, started tap dancing when she was five and now she's just placed 16th overall in the Tap Dancing Nationals with an amazing performance of 'Club Nine.' "Hearing that I was 16 overall I almost started crying I was so happy. It was … that was like almost life-changing for me," she said. But the ride didn't end there. Celebrating on a trip to the the beach, her mom captured her on camera dancing on the beach and the image has gone viral, eventually getting picked up by Inspiring Teens magazine and giving Ida the chance to discuss her passion for tap dancing with a global audience. "I thought it was a joke. I thought it was a joke,” Ida said, smiling. To read Ida's inspirational story and to see her award-winning performance and the picture her mother captured on the beach click the links here. (WSLS, Facebook, Inspiring Teens)
2. Virginia's 6th District congressman Ben Cline visited Feeding Southwest Virginia in Roanoke Thursday afternoon to see its mobile marketplace. The trip was planned to spotlight the work and partnerships he's been advocating for years including a tax credit for farmers donating their produce to food banks. "That effort is requiring ingenuity and creativity from federal, state and local officials, nonprofits, churches, you name it, it’s a community effort and they are doing a great job," he said. The FSW mobile marketplace allows people to use SNAP and EBT benefits for fresh produce and other items and all the foods are available at a discount to help families' budgets stretch further. "Here today our farmers market purchases that we purchase locally from farmers, they can double their SNAP benefits here today by purchasing here, as well the other groceries. That’s extremely important, SNAP is important, food banks can’t do it all," said Pamela Irvine, president and CEO of Feeding Southwest Virginia. (WDBJ)
3. Virginia's junior senator Tim Kaine visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple in Salem to learn about their religion and the charitable work they do throughout the state. The trip was part of a four-day journey through the western and southern regions of Virginia with the intent of highlighting the growing diversity of Virginia communities and spotlighting recent laws such as the Inflation Reduction Act. "The community is growing more diverse and as it’s growing more diverse it’s growing more welcoming,” he said. (Roanoke Times)
4. A native Roanoker is presently serving aboard the USS Hampton, one of the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered submarines. After graduating from Patrick Henry High School in 2o16, Lieutenant Junior Grade Warner McGhee joined the Navy because he "wanted a challenge and the submarine community is the perfect place to be. It is a complex job that will constantly challenge my abilities and also give me the skills I will need in the civilian world later on in life," he said. Known as 'apex predators,' the Navy’s operates a large submarine force of technically-advanced vessels that can conduct rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world to further the interests of American national security. "The Navy protects the freedom of the seas for the U.S. and the rest of the world,” said McGhee. “We also help to protect smaller countries from economic and political bullying." (Roanoke Star)
5. Delicias Boricuas, a new Puerto Rican restaurant, has opened on Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke and features island dishes ranging from mouth watering rice and meat to desserts like tembleque, a coconut pudding, sure to satisfy the sweet tooth. Karyna Nevarez recreates popular island cuisines in the kitchen and is happy to be passing down the culinary traditions of her island home to her children while encouraging local customers to support Puerto Rico. "We are always very engrained with our culture and it means a lot to us. We try to expand it. We try to spread it everywhere we can. We can actually motivate people to do a little bit of tourism in Puerto Rico as well. That would be our little grain of salt into all that the island needs at this moment," she said. (WSLS, Delicias Boricuas)

Today in Roanoke:

• Green Hill Highland Games at Green Hill Park (9 a.m.)
• Downtown Sidewalk Sale 2022 - Downtown Roanoke, Inc. (10 a.m.)
• Zero Waste Pop-Up Event at Chris’s Coffee & Custard (10 a.m.)
• Creekfest 2022 Craft Beer & Music Festival at Twin Creeks Brewpub (Noon)
• Wing Fest at Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges (Noon)
• 2022 Pulled Pork Event at Back Creek Fire & Rescue Company 11 (4 p.m.)
• Fuzzy Logic presented by Mingle at the Market at the Vinton Farmers Market (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke: "The nonperishable food shelves at THE AGAPE CENTER VINTON-ROANOKE are getting a little bare looking! If you’re able to help with non perishable food donation it would be greatly appreciated!" (The Agape Center Vinton-Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke College: "Roanoke College is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 388 Colleges for 2023.” For the first time, Roanoke is on the Best Athletic Facilities list and Best College Radio Station list!." (Roanoke College - Salem, VA via Instagram)
• Roanoke Police Department: "RPD was at Fort Bragg’s Career Summit today! Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table and spoke to Investigator Comas (aka, SSG Comas, Virginia Army National Guard) and Officer Lyle (aka, Command Sergeant Major Lyle, Army Reserves) about opportunities at our department!" (Roanoke Police Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "My name is Mama June and the staff here at the shelter tell me my fur is really pretty! Of course I like the compliments, but I like when they visit me the most. I loved to be petted and loved on and crawl up in the laps of my visitors!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Join us, Saturday, Sept. 10th at noon at the Wells Fargo building in downtown Roanoke as we remember the FDNY firefighters who gave their lives on 9/11, and raise money for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Sheriff's Office: "RSO would like to welcome our August 2022 new hires which include: Control Room Operators Wendy Boothe, Tanesha Henderson, and Z. Tijuana Simmons, Deputies Jeromy Pfleger and Hunter Hindman, and SRO Brian Hicks. We are so happy to have you!" (Roanoke Sheriff's Office via Facebook)

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

— 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.

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