🌱 Man Guilty of Firearms Trafficking + Blue Ridge Parkway Landslide

Good morning, Roanoke, and happy Sunday! It's time for the Roanoke Daily. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Ready?

But first, today's weather:

Low clouds.

High: 50 Low: 34.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. A Roanoke man, Jermaine Drummond, 46, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison this past Thursday after being found guilty of trafficking firearms from Virginia. Some of those weapons were later tied to crimes in other states. Court records show that Drummond used kite purchasers and private transactions to obtain most of the weapons and that he pled guilty to two counts of knowingly making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and aiding and abetting. "My Office will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals who threaten the safety of our communities by circumventing the law to supply firearms to violent criminals," said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh. (WSLS)
2. Downtown Roanoke Christmas activities including the parade and Dickens of a Christmas have some area business owners extending their hours to encourage holiday shoppers to stop by and pick out some of their gifts from local businesses. Serenity Treasures is one of those businesses. The owner, Dav Oli, travels around the world to bring traditional handmade goods back to the Star City for his store and said, "So, the parade brings people downtown, and they get to see what we have. So, it’s a wonderful time and plus festivals, parades, bring joys of Christmas. It’s really wonderful for us and also our customers." (WDBJ, WSLS)
3. A landslide on the Blue Ridge Parkway has caused a large section of the popular scenic road to close indefinitely while crews assess the scene and make repairs. The closed section extends from mile marker 91 near Mills Gap Overlook — just south of the Buchanan entrance —to mile marker 105 near Bonsack, which means northbound access from Blue Ridge is unavailable and motorists will have to take a detour. Early estimates indicated the closure could last as much as a year depending on the extent of the damage. (WSLS)
4. On Thursday, Roanoke Police and emergency crews were notified that a teenager with autism had gone missing overnight and began a search that involved tracking the teen's phone and using bloodhounds from the Virginia State Police. 14-year-old Shiloh “Shy” Hall went missing from his home on the 3700 block of Signal Hall Ave NW some time after 1:30 a.m. and was later located by a librarian at Roanoke City Libraries. Hall was taken to the Roanoke Police Department to be reunited with his family and was reported to be unharmed. (WFXR)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Roanoke Sunday Drag Brunch at The Park (12:45 p.m.)
• Holiday Open House at the Fishburn Mansion (1 p.m.)
• Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband” at Showtimers Theatre (2 p.m.)
• Open Mic Coffey Jams at 5 Points Music Sanctuary (5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Belva has been in foster care since she had a leg amputated due to a gunshot wound, but she's learning to get around very well on three legs! She came back to the shelter this week for a vet checkup." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Instagram)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "Congratulations to all of our Christmas Parade winners! 🏆 You officially have bragging rights until next year's parade. Visit DickensRoanoke.com to learn about the rest of the festivities at The Roanoke Times Dickens of a Christmas." (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "We would like to extend a huge thank you to Pita Pit for donating food for our William Fleming Street Actors at The Roanoke Times Dickens of a Christmas!" (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Facebook)
• Roanoke Sheriff's Office: "The Roanoke City Sheriff's Office is currently accepting donations for our "Make A Wish" Coat/Bike/Shoe Holiday Drive. On Christmas-eve selected applications will have the opportunity to pick from these items in hopes that a child has a ..." (Roanoke Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
• Roanoke Symphony Orchestra: "Join us Tuesday for Handel's Messiah Celebration! Did you know that Handel wrote this entire work in only 18 days? During a creative flurry in July and August of 1741, Handel's masterwork was born!" (Roanoke Symphony Orchestra via Facebook)
• 3rd Street Coffeehouse: "3rd Street Coffeehouse in the news today. Thanks Tad Dickens! Thanks also to Abe Partridge and Forrest Baldwin for putting on a killer show!" (3rd Street Coffeehouse via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

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There you go! You're back in the loop. I'll see you tomorrow with a new 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 Daily? Contact me at roanoke@patch.com