🌱 Roanoke Co. School Board Meeting + Crystal Springs Hotel Concerns

Hey, Fellow Roanokers! Ian here per usual to get you up to speed on this first Saturday of Summer!

First, today's weather:

Humid with a thunderstorm. Shocker, right?

High: 87 Low: 68.

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Here are the top five stories in Roanoke today:

1. The Roanoke County School Board met Thursday night and approved several new measures including funds for six new student resource officers. The new resource officers will be funded by the RCPS personnel budget, but their training and equipment will come from the Roanoke Sheriff's Office. "Having armed, trained law enforcement-certified school resource officers in our schools is an indispensable component of school safety and security,” said superintendent of RCPS, Dr. Ken Nicely. (WDBJ)
2. Aaron Blackford, a Roanoke County resident and competitor in the Strongman competition held recently, is now headed north to New Hampshire to compete in the national Strongman competition. Blackford will have to compete in five events including the last man standing deadlift and the odd object press medley to win his weight class. "You have to be conditioned, you have to be able to move well, you can’t just be a guy who can only lift the weight while standing in one spot, you have to be able to move weight from point a to point b and do it very quickly," Blackford said. Congratulations Aaron! We're pulling for you. (WSLS)
3. Also at Thursday night's Roanoke County School Board meeting a new measure for adding books to school libraries was passed unanimously. The new policy will make it so that school librarians will need to personally read and review books they wish to add and then turn those books over for a parental review period before adding them. Several parents and school librarians have voiced concerns over the new policy. One speaker said, "We need to trust our librarians to be the professionals they are, the professionals we required them to be in order to get their jobs. This means they need to be given the autonomy to fill our libraries with as many and as varied a list of titles as they possibly can. Bound by the age and developmental level of the students they serve, not by the political and social agendas of parents, school boards, or other community members.” (WDBJ)
4. Roanokers Mohammad Hassanzada and Sharifa Azizi, who both came to America and ultimately to the Star City from Afghanistan, are devastated by the news earlier this week of the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that struck in the southern part of the country near the border with Pakistan. "It’s difficult. It’s really difficult. I wish I was there at least to help … a little bit,” Hassanzada said. Azizi added, "I’m feeling I’m 20% in the United States. 80% I’m in Afghanistan.” The earthquake is just the latest in a long line of challenges Afghanistan has faced in recent years and both Hassanzada and Azizi fear for loved ones there.
5. Plans in the Crystal Springs area of Roanoke for a new boutique hotel and restaurant are raising concerns in the community there. The new hotel would have around 25 rooms and be located in the lot vacated by the closing of Famous Anthony's last year. Community members say they are hungry for a new business to open in the location, but are concerned about the level of traffic and the height of the building with this idea. "Number one, it’s going to be taller than anything here on the street. Traffic would be a slight problem, but the biggest problem is going to be the parking,” said Jack Burrows, whose office would be next door to the proposed hotel. (WSLS)

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Today in Roanoke:

• 21st Annual Star City Motor Madness Car Show in Downtown Roanoke (10 a.m.)
• Back to Black Art Show and Block Party by Verses Roanoke on Kirk Ave. (10 a.m.)
• Roanoke Youth Summit at Washington Park (10 a.m.)
• Balloonacy by the PB & J Theatre Company at the Grandin Theatre (11 a.m.)
• Downtown Food and Cultural Tour hosted by Tour Roanoke (11 a.m.)
• Groceries Not Guns firearm buyback at the Melrose Community Center (11 a.m.)
• Roanoke Beer & Wine Festival presented by The Duncan Motorplex at Elmwood Park (Noon)
• Kip Moore at Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges (6 p.m.)
• Fun Home at Mill Mountain Theatre's Waldron Stage (7:30 p.m.)
• Seedpicker at Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Virginia Museum of Transportation: "An update for Norfolk & Western Class J 611 – June 2022 Strasburg Pa.- The Virginia Museum of Transportation is pleased to report that work on Norfolk & Western (N&W) 611 is progressing well." (Virginia Museum of Transportation via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Have you checked out our Rehoming Gallery lately? There are some really amazing pets just waiting to find their new home! Check out Fiona's gorgeous eyes, Lady's paw-some personality, Louise's playfulness, and Kitty Kitty's cute coat!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Police Department: "Delta Platoon and the SHEILD Chaplains hit the greenways to help some kids beat the heat with ice pops today. We had a great time talking to these sweet kids! It’s hot out right now, and temperatures are going to keep climbing." (Roanoke Police Department via Facebook)
• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Soooo sleepy … these Carolina Wrens settled down to snooze after being fed—with the largest and most developed of the three remaining a little more awake than his adoptive siblings." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS: "Today, our Technical Rescue Team performed trench training, with props, to complete annual competencies for trench rescue. Thank you for all the hard work to be prepared for any emergency! (Roanoke Fire EMS via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "Last weekend of the month for our Cheers for Charity at Starr Hill! Grab a tube, grab a beer, and have a great day with friends!" (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Roanoke City Public Schools: "Rising 7th and 12th grade students must have certain required immunizations before they can return to school in the fall. Free immunization clinics for these vaccinations will be held next week." (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• The Rescue Mission of Roanoke: "We need volunteers! Click the link to help! Dinner service is one of our most important volunteer opportunities. (The Rescue Mission of Roanoke via Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with your next update.

— Ian

About me: Ian Graham is a novelist, screenwriter, and freelance contributing writer. His interests are in politics, history, and religion and the stories and characters he writes about are centered on the explosive conflicts created when the three intersect. He is a firm believer in being yourself… unless you can be Batman. Always be Batman.

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