🌱 Riverdale Project Update + Shooting During Cease Fire Initiative

Hello again, everybody. It's time to get you caught up on what's happening in our community, including updates on:

• One rescued after crash leaves vehicle over an embankment.
• Workforce woes complicate Catawba Hospital plans.
• Three dead after weekend violence.

Let's motor! 🚓

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 80 Low: 54.

From our partner:

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. On Sunday, the Stewartsville-Chamblissburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a single-vehicle accident on Goodview Road around 1:30am. They arrived to find a vehicle that had gone over an embankment and was on its side with one person trapped inside, unable to get out. The fire department was able to stabilize the vehicle and safely remove the uninjured person. The Virginia State Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. (WSET)
2. Developer Ed Walker and partners are embarking on an ambitious redevelopment of the 100-acre former American Viscose Rayon plant in southeast Roanoke called Riverdale. The estimated $50 million mixed-use project aims to transform the site into a major destination featuring residential, commercial, arts, cultural, and public spaces. A key potential component is bringing in Minnesota-based Artspace to redevelop one of the buildings into affordable live/work housing and studios for artists. Artspace specializes in sustainable creative spaces nationwide but has never done a Virginia project before, so landing them would be a major coup. The multi-decade Riverdale revitalization is just getting started but could ultimately help distinguish Roanoke on a national level. (WFIR)
3. On Sunday night, Roanoke City Police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of Melrose Avenue that left two people dead. When officers arrived on scene they found two victims who had died as a result of the shooting. No suspects are currently in custody in connection with the double homicide. A section of Melrose Avenue remains blocked off as police investigate. This incident comes a day after another fatal shooting in Roanoke on Westside Boulevard that marked the city's 27th homicide this year. The Roanoke City Police Department is actively investigating both deadly shootings. (WSLS)
4. The Virginia state budget includes $500,000 to help secure public-private partnerships to operate a renovated Catawba Hospital in Roanoke County, with the goal of transforming it into a facility providing expanded mental health, substance abuse, and behavioral health services. This initial funding will support efforts to find healthcare providers to staff the estimated 250 additional treatment beds needed in the area by 2030, which could cost $147-$240 million based on scope. The budget allotment comes as Roanoke posted the 3rd highest drug overdose death rate in Virginia in 2021, underscoring the need for improved behavioral health resources. While the funding is seen as an important first step, there is still a need to ensure committed partners to provide expanded services at Catawba before major construction moves forward. (Paywall - Roanoke Times)
5. A Roanoke organization plans to host a candlelight vigil after a shooting marked the first homicide since the beginning of the Cease Fire initiative. FEDUP, a gun violence activist group, will host the vigil in Perry Park on Sunday at 6 p.m. The Roanoke Sheriff’s Office issued a statement about the incident on Facebook: “As an agency, Sheriff Hash and staff want the community to know we are all saddened to hear about the death that occurred earlier this morning. We remain committed to the Cease Fire initiative along with local government, Roanoke Police Department, clergy and community leaders,” said the Sheriff’s Office. (WDBJ)

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Today in Roanoke:

Tuesday, September 19

• Happy Hour for All at A Few Old Goats Brewing (4 p.m.)
• Roanoke City Gun Violence Prevention Commission Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Line Dance Night at Sidewinders Saloon (6 p.m.)
• Patty Griffin at the Jefferson Center’s Shaftman Performance Hall (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Ever heard of a nighthawk? These guys aren’t hawks, but they are predators! This Common Nighthawk was found on the side of the road and was likely hit by a car. Nighthawks are birds that primarily hunt large flying insects at night." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges: "Lewis — our CFO (Chief Feline Officer) — is feeling under the weather and is at the emergency vet. Please send him all the prayers and healing vibes you can. We’re extremely worried about him and need him to get back to catting around." (Dr Pepper Park at the Bridges via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Talkie's brother Walkie has already been adopted, so now it's her turn to find a home of her own. Talkie absolutely loves to play with toys and we bet she would love to have a friend like you to play with too!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Instagram)
• Roanoke Ballet Theatre: "Happy National Dance Day 🩰 Being the only professional company in the Roanoke area means a great deal to us! ✨ We appreciate your support to help us bring this art form to the rest of the community! ❤️" (Roanoke Ballet Theatre via Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll see you around!

— 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