🌱 TRIAD Program Recreated + New 'Sketchtopia' Exhibit

And it's December. Just like that. Good morning, Roanokers! Happy last month of the year! Here's a fresh copy of the Roanoke Daily with all the community news you need, including:

• RCPS's 2023 Teacher of the Year chosen
• Roanoke area veterans tell their story in a new documentary
• Grandin Winterfest

Ready?

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and cooler.

High: 49 Low: 29.

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Roanoke City Sheriff Antonio Hash have joined forces to recreate the TRIAD program. The program has been around since the mid 90s, but had fallen into disuse in recent times. The purpose of the program is to help prevent crime against senior citizens and to educate seniors about the type of crimes and scams that they're usually targeted by. "Seniors are some of our most vulnerable and there are so many scams and so many bad actors who want to take advantage of them,” Miyares said. TRIAD events are held on the third Tuesday of the every month at Harmony Services, a senior living facility in the Cave Spring area. (WSLS, Roanoke Times)
2. An 8th grade English teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School — Adria Cintron — has been named the recipient of the 2023 Roanoke City Teacher of the Year Award. Officials made the announcement Tuesday evening at an event in which many RCPS teachers were recognized for their efforts throughout the year. Cintron has been teaching for 25 years and said, "It means everything actually because I work with amazing people every single day and to know they think that highly of me is absolutely humbling." Teachers Laura Hill and Kara Jennings were also recognized as finalists for the year’s award. (WSLS)
3. A history major at Roanoke College, Owen Collander, is bringing a new documentary to the screen at The Grandin Theater that honors Roanoke Valley veterans. 'The Untold Stories of Roanoke Valley Veterans" hopes to make the experiences of six area veterans more accessible and more personable. Collander, who filmed and edited the documentary himself, said, "I want to contribute to the historical narrative in the sense of the every day history, you know the history that we might not often consider." (WFIR, Roanoke Times)
4. The Science Museum of Western Virginia has announced a brand new exhibit in partnership with Virginia Tech. 'Sketchtopia' is an interactive experience for patrons focused on the kind of environmental impacts common items have and helps people to visualize the changes caused by everyday things. The Science Museum's Danielle Murray said, "What the guest gets to do is import something into a digital world that's projected onto one of our walls and depending on what they import into that environment it will change the environment for the better or for the worse." For hours of operation and more information visit the museum's website. (WDBJ)
5. The Grandin Village Business Association will be transforming Grandin Village into a winter wonderland for its annual Winterfest street festival that will feature live music, food, drinks, activities for kids, and over two dozen craft and artisan vendors. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, Dec. 3 from 3 - 7 p.m. and the parts of Grandin Road in the village will be closed to traffic before, during, and after those hours. Admission is free and more information is available at the Grandin Village website. (Roanoker)

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Today in Roanoke:

* Some events are ongoing so be sure to check for other dates and times by clicking the link.

• Chris's Cocoa & Cookies With Santa at Chris's Coffee & Custard (4 p.m.)
• Holiday Candlelight Tours at Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest (5:30 p.m.)
• Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Thirsty Thursday & Trivia at The Berglund Center (7 p.m.)
• Writers' Harvest Reading at Hollins University (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Meet Finn! He originally came to the shelter through our Transitional Foster Program, which offers families affected by life-changing situations the ability to get back on their feet without the fear of being permanently separated from their family pet." (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• The Rescue Mission of Roanoke: "Want to help a family in need this Christmas? We serve hundreds of families a year that need assistance in making Christmas extra special. Questions? Give us a call at 540-343-7227." (The Rescue Mission of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Macaroni Kid Roanoke VA: "Meet the Clarks! The Clark family is excited to bring British Swim School of Roanoke Valley to Roanoke families. The first sessions start next week, convenient to Roanoke & Salem, at Brandon Oaks life plan community. There is no wait list!" (Macaroni Kid Roanoke VA via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "For the third time, Santa’s Scout Elves have landed in Downtown Roanoke! Come on a fun scavenger hunt and find the 16 Scout Elves hiding in downtown stores. Find them all and be entered for a chance to win $1,000!" (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Facebook)
• Botetourt County: "Botetourt County Libraries have so many amazing things happening to get you and your family in the holiday spirit! Check it out! 🎄#bocoholidays #BotetourtCountyVA" (Botetourt County via Facebook)

There you have it! The Thursday edition, which can only mean it's almost Friday! Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you bright and early 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. Except on full moons.

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