🌱 More Info On Fugitive Traffic Stop + City Leaders Rethink Reforms

Hey, everybody! It's Friday! Has this week gone by fast for you? I feel like this week has gone by fast. Anyways, in today's edition, I'll cover these stories and more:

• An update on the apartment fire that happened last week.
• Area Fire EMS departments prepare for Hurricane Ian.
• Botetourt County approves new "overlay" district.

Ready? :::waits::: Well? Are you? Okay. Let's go.

But first, today's weather:

Rain from Tropical Storm Ian (Sorry. I tried to talk him out of this course of action, but the Fraternal Brotherhood of Ians isn't meeting until next week and he refused to recognize my authority.)

High: 65 Low: 53.

Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea and other Roanoke City Council members recently expressed their willingness to rethink some state criminal justice reforms made over the last few years in an effort to curb the rise in violent crime in the Star City. Lea said, "I supported the Democratic agenda and I thought at the time it was the right thing to do because the numbers and the data supported that, but now I'm concerned because there's been a turn in violence for whatever reason." State elected officials for the Roanoke area, however, disagreed with Lea. Senator John Edwards said, "I'm proud of what we did. I don't know who's complaining, but they don't know what they're talking about." (WFIR, Roanoke Rambler)
2. Nearly 100 residents of the Stratford Village apartments on Salem Turnpike had to leave their homes after a recent fire in the complex's east wing. Now those residents are running out of money and have no place to go. Alex Fekas, the son of the complex's owner and the manager of the property, said he and his staff are doing everything they can to get people back into their homes, but that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, who subsidizes the property, isn't helping. He added, "If I don’t get these people back in a couple of weeks, HUD doesn’t pay their rent for me. HUD cuts my contract off at this point, because the units are non-livable." Roanoke Fire EMS said their investigation revealed the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials and the damage estimate stands at $160,000. Several of the residents have opened up GoFundMe pages to help out. (Roanoke Times)
3. In a map developed by the National Hurricane Center to show the likely path of Hurricane Ian (No relation, I swear) Roanoke appears 'in the cone,' which means some impact from the storm is expected. As far north as the Star City is from the initial landfall all that's predicted is rain and wind, but that can of course cause flooding, so Roanoke area Fire EMS departments are getting prepared. City crews were getting two rescue boats ready, one for the northside and one for the southside, and Trevor Shannon, battalion chief of Emergency Management, said, "Start thinking about your neighbors, your friends, your elderly family that may need assistance if we do get flooding, because if we do, we may lose power as well here, so we have to be thinking the same way they are down south." Governor Youngkin declared a state of emergency Thursday morning ahead of the storm's arrival. (WSLS, WSLS, WFXR)
4. Additional details about the heavy police presence in southwest Roanoke County that was reported on earlier in the week have become available. Police have said that a passenger in a Toyota pickup truck traveling along Route 220 was identified as a wanted fugitive by the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (whew, that's a mouthful). When the task force, with the assistance of state and local police, attempted to perform a felony traffic stop the man, Joshua Donahue, 47, of Roanoke, apparently shot himself. Deputies and officers attempted to administer lifesaving aid and Donahue was transported to Roanoke Memorial, but he later died. The driver of the truck was reportedly uninjured, and no law enforcement weapons were fired. (WSET, WDBJ)
5. The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors has given its approval to the creation of an 'overlay district' centered around I-81 exit 150, which is seen by many as the front door to Botetourt County. The new zoning designation will mean potential developers will face less strict guidelines and approval processes for projects than would otherwise be required. The overlay district consists of three different zones identified individually as the Interstate District, where high visibility restaurants and developments will be sought; the Business District, where smaller scale businesses and offices will be located; and the Residential District for single family houses, duplexes, townhomes, and apartments. The supervisor's meeting was attended by a number of citizens both for and against the project. (Botetourt Bee)

Today in Roanoke:

• Bamboocycles DIY Workshop at the Roanoke Boutique Hotel (10 a.m.)
• Golf for Sound by 5 Points Music Sanctuary at the Roanoke Country Club (10:30 a.m.)
• Grandin Chillage at the Grandin Village’s Old Texaco Station (5:30 p.m.)
• Brett Young at the Budweiser Summer Series in Elmwood Park (6 p.m.)
• Empty Bottles at Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke City Public Schools: "Congratulations to WFHS Cheer for making school history by winning back-to-back traditional cheer competitions! William Fleming has never won a traditional cheer competition, according to Coach McCoy. Within the past two weeks, they won two!" (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Botetourt County Sheriff's Office: "Hi Troutville! Can you see the disappointment in my eyes?? I was cruising down Apple Orchard Lane heading over to see the cool folks at Stoney Brook Vineyards! I was thinking the Island Wheels food truck would be there and I could snag some goodies, but Animal Control rained on my parade." (Botetourt County Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "This is one of the many migrating birds we have at the Center, a male rose-breasted Grosbeak in his paler colors! We know this bird is not a female because he has red armpits — even in his drab colors, that vibrant rose color is a dead giveaway!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Look at those blue skies and that clear water — wow! 😍 We are so lucky to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world. The A & B shift Swift Water Rescue team members spent some time at the Balcony Falls section of the James River practicing skills." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "Escape from annoying people AND see some amazing scenery? Sign us up! Natural Bridge is a certified Dark Sky Park and the stargazing is AMAZING! They offer a self-guided program for only $5 a vehicle and the images are mind blowing!" (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges: "The ambassadors of the Roanoke Regional Chamber are back with another sing-along! This sing-along answers the age-old questions who wants to rock and roll all night? And party every day? Huge thank you to our friends!!" (Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop for this Friday! See you tomorrow morning!

— 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. Usually.

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