🌱 Mecca Street Area Mega Complex Approved + New Name For Local Park

Happy weekend Roanokers! It's time for the Saturday Roanoke Daily. Here's what's happening around town. In today's issue, we'll touch on:

• Former Credit Union CEO pleads guilty
• Bill aims to make Transportation Museum a state agency
• Roanoke woman arrested in Jan. 6 riot

Let's motor!

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 48 Low: 30.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. News of the 768 apartment complex to be built on Orange Avenue was overshadowed this week by the announcement of the redevelopment of the century old Viscose Plant, but Roanoke City Council did give the go ahead to the project. The latest draft of the project includes alterations to Mecca Road in order to make it line up with the entrance of the new complex and to install a new traffic light. City Council voted unanimously in favor of the project, noting the deficit of housing in Roanoke and adding that they need to work on bringing more affordable and low-income housing to the city. (WFXR)
2. State Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoke) introduced legislation in the new General Assembly recently that would make the Virginia Museum of Transportation, located in downtown Roanoke, a state agency. The change in status would give the organization access to state funding, which is estimated to be between $1 million and $3.5 million for similar agencies around the state. Edwards said, "The transportation museum is already the official transportation museum of Virginia, and we want to build on that." The bill received unanimous support in a Senate subcommittee and in the full Senate Education and Health Committee but will now have to go before the Senate Finance Committee. (WDBJ)
3. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Kelly Givens, 37, of Salem and the former CEO of the FedStar Federal Credit Union, used credit union funds for personal purchases from 2018 to 2020. Givens pled guilty to the charges and now faces a possible maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. The purchases totaled more than $12,000 and were for items such as running shoes, hiking shoes, tickets to sporting events, and electronic devices. Givens then made false statements to the FedStar Board of Directors and the National Credit Union in an effort to cover up what she had been doing. No date was given for her sentencing hearing. (WSLS)
4. A Roanoke woman, Casey Jane Tryon-Castro, 33, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 riot on Capitol Hill. Court records show Tryon-Castro was part of a mob that engaged in a physical confrontation with Capitol police officers near an entrance on the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol building known as “the tunnel.” Authorities used public video, Twitter posts, CCTV footage, and police body-cam footage to identify her, many of which can be seen here. There is no word yet on a trial date. (WSET)
5. Roanoke's Kennedy Park, located in the Melrose-Rugby neighborhood, will be getting a new name in honor a late neighborhood advocate . City Council voted Tuesday night to rename the property Estelle H. McCadden Park after the founder of a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities across the commonwealth called the Virginia Statewide Neighborhood Conference. McCadden passed away aged 95 in 2022, but her son spoke at the meeting saying he hoped the renaming would lead the further development of the property. McCadden heiled from Northwest Roanoke and began her career as an advocate for her own neighborhood. (WDBJ)

Today in Roanoke:

• Salem Gun & Knife Sale at the Salem Civic Center (9 a.m.)
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection at Tinker Creek Transfer Station (Noon)
• Get Fit for Gardeners Collaborative Event at the Noke Training (1 p.m.)
• Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs vs. Birmingham Bulls at the Berglund Center Coliseum (7 p.m.)
• Runaway Gin — A Tribute to Phish at 5 Points Music Sanctuary (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Sparkles & Love: We’ve started an adventure! My daughter, Aubrey, and I craft together to make fun items for all! Last year the kids made crafts to sell and raise money for local charities. This made us remember how much we love crafting. Since then we’ve acquired a few new crafting tools and have been working hard to make some fun items for craft shows, but thought we could share our creations online as well! (Sparkles & Love via Facebook)
• Mill Mountain Zoo: "Short film submissions for our annual Fierce Films Festival are due Feb. 1st. All ages and skill levels are welcome to submit! For more information, please contact Bambi Godkin at bgodkin@mmzoo.org." (Mill Mountain Zoo via Facebook)
• Dr Pepper Park at The Bridges: "We are SO excited to announce that Tracie Hoprich Photography has signed on again to be our resident photographer! If you need pictures taken for any moment of your life, Tracie is your girl. Not only does her work speak for itself, but you will not find a more personable, caring photographer in the industry." (Dr Pepper Park at The Bridges via Facebook)

You're all caught up for today! I will see you bright and early tomorrow morning for the Sunday edition!

— 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