🌱 Winds Damage Dr Pepper Sign + Upcoming Daisy Art Parade

Hello, neighbors! It's Wednesday and that means it's Hump Day! So, here's the Roanoke Patch Newsletter to get you caught up on what's happening in town before you head out to the slopes. Today's edition includes news about:

• Handicapped parking change being considered.
• 43rd Annual Strawberry Festival prep underway.
• Generational transition in general assembly.

Let's motor!

But first, today's weather: A shower in the afternoon. High: 82 Low: 63.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. This past week's heavy winds have damaged a Downtown Roanoke landmark — parts blew off the iconic Dr Pepper sign that sits atop 129 Campbell Ave. SW. Jim Roberts, the owner of the building, said he heard a loud crash and hopes the sign gets fixed. A spokesperson for Keurig Dr Pepper, who owns and maintains the sign, said in a statement, "We’re working with a third party to assess the damage and understand next steps for repair so that this historic landmark in downtown Roanoke remains a source of pride." Other area businesses also felt the sting as the wind knocked down signs and trees. The Advance Auto Parts sign on Brambleton Avenue was damaged and a fallen tree did $25,000 in damage to an enclosure at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center, allowing an Eastern Screech Owl to escape into the woods. (WSLS)
2. Roanoke City Council is considering a proposal that would change the way people with disabilities can park in Downtown Roanoke. The proposed change would allow someone with the proper license plates or handicapped placard to park for up to 10 hours in any handicapped designated, timed, or metered space inside a 24-hour period. Roanoker Mark Kary proposed the change to Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell and said, "I think it positions us for leadership on the issue of ADA accessibility, and breaking down unintended barriers because it certainly wasn’t intended to make parking harder for people who need access." City council will have to vote on the matter at a future meeting for it to become policy. (WDBJ)
3. Roanoke County's Community School is preparing for the 43rd Annual Strawberry Festival using locally milled flour and fresh milk from Homestead Creamery in the preparation of over 10,000 strawberry shortcakes. The event, which has been continually voted one of Virginia's best festivals by Virginia Living Magazine, takes upwards of 50 volunteers including staff, parents, and alumni over 2K hours each year and will be held the first weekend in May on the grounds of Elmwood Park. The festival will feature the aforementioned strawberry shortcakes as well as chocolate dipped strawberries and an area for sponsor and vendors to hock their wares. For more information visit the event website here. (WFXR)
4. A celebratory parade being called the Daisy Art Parade marking World Art Day will be held on Saturday, April 15 and will march from the historic Gainsboro neighborhood downtown to the Taubman Museum of Art. The celebration will feature art entries from area neighborhoods, civic clubs, organizations, and individuals and will conclude with a puppet show at the museum. "All are welcome. In fact, that’s the point. The arts can bring us together in fun ways that create joy and connect us. The Daisy Art Parade will be a joyful celebration of our community and what makes it special. It will be a lot of fun and a big surprise to see each other’s work come parade day,” said organizer Brian Counihan. The parade is being held as part of the Roanoke Arts Commission's Year of the Artist. (Roanoke Star)
5. The Roanoke Region and Southwest Virginia in general are facing what's being called a time of generational transition as retirements from the state general assembly continue to mount. No less than three area legislators have said they will not seek re-election in the coming season leading political analyst Bob Denton to report, "Some people are estimating it may be in the hundreds of years of legislative experience that’s walking out the door. Make no mistake about it, there are now more millennials and Gen Z in the voting population than previous generations and they are without question more activist. They grew up in two decades of hyper partisanship, left, right, Democratic, Republican. So, the type of legislators that will be coming in office are certainly very different from those previously." All over the state, 16 members of the house of delegates and 10 members of the senate have announced retirements. (WDBJ)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Easter egg hunt at the Salem Civic Center (6 p.m.)
• Brew-ha-ha at Big Lick Brewing Company (6:30 p.m.)
• Karaoke Night at Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill (9:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Roanoke College: "Roanoke College is proud to be one of only three Virginia higher ed institutions to join the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Students will benefit from the association’s resources, internships, scholarships, and leaders!" (Roanoke College via Instagram)
• Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke: "Early giving has started for GIVE Roanoke and we could use your help now more than ever! On Saturday, one of our most important flight enclosures was destroyed when the recent high winds sent a tree toppling down." (Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "The Quarters officially opened on March 31 at 351 Campbell Ave. SW, Suite 100! The Quarters is Roanoke’s premier address for coworking providing flexible options in a dynamic environment." (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Facebook)
• Roanoke Valley SPCA: "Thank you to everyone who adopted pets last week, March 27-April 1. Happy Tails to Waldo, Alfalfa, Rocky, Kyllian, Mocha, Wicked, Biz, Harley, Bobby, Zip, Bug, Camo, Alley Cat, and Ginger, who all went home!" (Roanoke Valley SPCA via Facebook)
• Roanoke Fire EMS Department: "Congratulations to the 25 students from across Virginia who recently completed NFPA 1033 – Fire Investigator! The three-week course from the Virginia Fire Marshal Academy was hosted in Roanoke, and 9 personnel from our department participated." (Roanoke Fire EMS Department via Facebook)

Alrighty — got your ropes, harnesses, and carabiners ready? Good. I'll see you out there and meet you back here bright and early tomorrow morning for another update. 👊 💥

— 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