🌱 Meet RCPD's First Female Captain + 68th Annual Dogwood Festival

Guess what time it is? 😱😱😱

You got it — the dreaded Monday edition of the Roanoke Patch Newsletter! Here's what's going on around the Star City! Let's motor!

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 66 Low: 40.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs defeated the Knoxville Ice Bears to clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the President's Cup playoffs! The win marks a first in franchise history and came after the Dawgs made a come back from being down by two goals early in the game. Locking down on their defensive game got them over the edge after the half and giving them the home advantage against the Evansville Thunderbolts later this week. The Dawgs are the #4 seed going into the playoffs with the Peoria Rivermen, the Birmingham Bulls, and the Huntsville Havoc owning the top three spots respectively. (WSET)
2. A dog found Friday by the Franklin County Humane Society is recuperating after a gunshot wound to the leg. Rescuers originally thought the pooch had been struck by a car, but upon closer examination realized the damage had been done by a bullet fired from some evil soul. The shelter said in a statement, "She is receiving hospital care and will have an amputation next week. We would like to remind people it is illegal to shoot a companion animal unless there is a direct and immediate threat. She has a pretty nice personality so … if you would like to donate to her care we would appreciate it. We have had a lot of special cases here lately." To donate for the pup's care click here. (WSLS)
3. In the recent round of promotions at the Roanoke City Police Department, Jennifer Boswell became the first woman the ever reach the rank of captain! Boswell has served the department and the Star City for 20 years, starting as an officer after moving from Tennessee. "I have never sat back and thought I want to be a math major. I want to get into banking. It was always just law enforcement. I love being in uniform. I love taking the calls and the various things that come across the computer screen," said Boswell. Captain Boswell said her goal is to help establish a trust between the department and the community and helping the department recruit new officers to fill vacancies. For more information on becoming a police officer with Roanoke city or to apply click here. (WDBJ)
4. Vinton's 68th Annual Dogwood Festival is set to happen on April 28 -29 and will feature an antique car show, the awarding of the Vinton Dogwood Festival Queen to one William Byrd High School student, and other events. The festival begins at 7 p.m. on Friday night with a concert at the Vinton Farmers' Market Stage located at the corner of W Lee Avenue and Walnut Street and continues into Saturday when the downtown streets will be taken over by hundreds of vendors, food trucks, and entertainers. The 'Hometown Heroes Parade' will march through at 2:30 p.m. featuring the Virginia Highland Pipes and Drums, the town's police and fire vehicles, and a variety of colorful floats. for more information visit Vinton's website. (WFXR)

From our sponsor:

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Today in Roanoke:

• Roanoke City Council Gun Violence Prevention Meeting at the Berglund Center (1 p.m.)
• Roanoke City Planning Commission Meeting at the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building (1:30 p.m.)
• Public Safety Appreciation Night at Big Lick Brewing Company (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Squirrels, squirrels, and more squirrels! We have so many young Eastern Gray Squirrels that are being rehabilitated — plus a few other species that we'll post about later on this month.." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "If you find a sick or injured wild animal or a baby animal in need of intervention, please contact the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke as quickly as possible. The Center also has an excellent online resource." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge: "From craft cocktails at the bar to decadent bites in comfy sofa chairs, The Vault at the Liberty Trust Hotel is the perfect weekend spot 😍 Located in Downtown Roanoke, guests can also stay the night in one of their boutique rooms." (Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge via Facebook)
• Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism: "We're one week away from the 22nd Annual Blue Ridge Kite Festival at Green Hill Park on Saturday, April 15th from 10 AM to 4 PM! Visit https://roanokecountyparks.com... for more details!" (Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday. See you all 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