🌱 Roanoke Makes List of Top Mountain Towns + Roanoke Rampage WINS!!!

Hey, everybody! Ian here and back in your inbox this summer morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

First, today's weather:

Showers and a heavier thunderstorms.

High: 84 Low: 60.

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Here are the top five stories in Roanoke today:

1. Roanokers and the general public recently had a chance to view the unique collection of sculptures produced by a one-of-a-kind art contest at the Taubman Museum of Art. Hosted by Section 179, the Roanoke based offices of the American Welding Society, the contest was designed to be a blend of art and science in which participants used welders (and only welders) to produce their entries. "The contest was envisioned to encourage the creative talents of the young people in our community while at the same time helping them learn the processes involved in welding," said Section 179 Chairman David Shinault. "We are very pleased with the turnout and how this has come together for our very first show. We’re already getting calls to continue this in subsequent years.” (Roanoke Times)
2. Roanoke's National Public Safety Football League team, The Rampage, has won the league's Division II National Championship in a game against the Dallas Defenders. The team secured the victory with a 22-12 win Saturday night at Salem Stadium. The team is comprised of first responders from Roanoke area law enforcement and firefighting agencies and plays each season as a fundraiser for an area nonprofit. "Every team plays for a charity, our charity this year is the West End Center. We want to give our kids a nice safe place to go after school and in the summertime. They host a lot of events, so this is something we put our money towards and everyone on the team agrees with,” player Lt. Ronald Robinson said. (WSLS 10)
3. The Star City has been ranked No. 23 in a list of the best mountain towns in the United States by Outside Magazine, a publication focus on outdoor recreation. Roanoke is the only city in Virginia to get a mention and ranked just below well-known tourist spots in Colorado and New Mexico. Graham Averill, a freelance writer and the author of the article has visited Roanoke many times and said the article was "an attempt to rank the best mountain outposts in the U.S. from the southern Appalachians to the Chugach.” (Roanoke Times)
4. In order to spread love and ease pain, the Outreach Ministry at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church recently paid for the first $20 of gas purchased by visitors to the Mount Pleasant Citgo Quick Mart. "We really hope people leave here today feeling good knowing that something good is happening around them,” said Outreach Minister Kim Gembala. "In fact, we had one lady that pulled in and our pastor serviced her car and when she left she said I can’t remember the last time I had twenty dollars’ worth of gas money in this vehicle. So, that was a real blessing to us, too." (WDBJ)
5. Downtown Roanoke was host to thousands of people this past weekend for a number of activities that showed people are ready to get back to normal after two years of pandemic related restrictions and cancellations. The roughly four-mile stretch of roads from the intersections of Hershberger and Williamson to the Market Center in the midst of downtown saw a beer and wine festival, a cruise night, a car show and at least two concerts within a 24-hour period. (Roanoke Times)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Monday Night Games & Vinyl at Crystal Spring Grocery Co. (4 p.m.)
• Community Night Pride Gala at The River and Rail (5 p.m.)
• Free Yoga for the People at the main Roanoke Public Library (5:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Staff member Lark and intern Levi worked together to wrangle our three Great Horned Owl chicks to weigh them. Weighing big birds like this is always a challenge but they made it seem so easy and effortless!" (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Roanoke Police Department: "Our Roanoke Police Training Academy Staff were honored to be at Roanoke’s Youth Summit today. Thanks to all the students and community members who stopped by and said hello to Academy Staff!" (Roanoke Police Department - VA via Facebook)
• Roanoke City Public Schools: "What a beautiful day for the Roanoke Youth Services Youth Summit! It was great to see the community out in support of our city’s youth!" (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Rhydian's ears are ready to fly him out of the shelter and into your home! This guy is the definition of the friendly giant. He loves to play and jump around but also just wants all the cuddles!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Cruelty to animals is a serious offense and is never acceptable. Among other things, cruelty includes neglect and unlawful tethering. You can find a full list of animal laws for Virginia in our post here:" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Outside: "Volunteers needed — and you could win $250! The USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships are this week and the first 100 volunteers will be entered to win a $250 gift card. If you're available, please consider volunteering." (Roanoke Outside via Instagram)
• Virginia Museum of Transportation: "Join us on Wednesday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for Mommy & Me @ VMT! Each week will be filled with a story, craft and a fun snack to end the group! June 29 will be cars-themed! *Car theme does NOT include Disney/Pixar Cars*" (Virginia Museum of Transportation via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you tomorrow!

— 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