🌱 Wreath Laying At Roanoke War Memorial + Update On Area Shootings

Whew! Friday my old friend it's good to see you. Hi there, fellow Roanokers! Here's a hot off the presses edition of the Roanoke Daily for your reading pleasure, including news about:

• The State of the County address
• Detention Center's new health programs
• County schools to offer new tutoring options

Let's do it!

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy and cooler.

High: 47 Low: 40.

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Here are the top stories in Roanoke today:

1. Recent court documents filed in Roanoke Circuit Court offer an update on two shootings in early November — one a drive by shooting, the other a shooting in a parking lot downtown. The search warrants filed are for the cell phone records of the brother and half-brother of the victim of the parking lot shooting, Innocent St. Velus, the driver and owner of a red four door sedan witnesses said was used in an earlier drive by shooting. Devonte Demarcus Walker, 28, of Roanoke, was shot from a moving vehicle in the doorway of an apartment off 29th Street and later died at Roanoke Memorial. The warrants also reveal officers on the scene collected several witness statements as well as spent casings. The investigation is ongoing. (Roanoke Times)
2. Roanoke County officials held its annual State of the County address Tuesday morning at Green Ridge Recreation Center, the biggest takeaway from which was that the county believes they are moving in the right direction and plan to continue that trajectory into 2023. Chief among the accomplishments talked about at the meeting was the $170 million invested projects that lead to the creation of 550 jobs and the continued reimagining of the Tanglewood/419 area about which Board of Supervisors Chairman Paul Mahoney said, "National retail brands Burlington and Sketchers also revitalized vacant space inside the mall, and two additional outparcels were developed to house Chili’s Bar and Grill and Popeyes that will provide more dining options to visitors." (WSLS, WFIR)
3. For Roanoker Della Economy-Bryant, honoring her father means laying wreaths and flowers at the Roanoke War Memorial on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack each year. Della's father, Suttie Economy, dedicated his life to honoring veterans and others who paid the ultimate price for their country. "He was a very generous man. He gave out Juicy Fruit to everybody he met, and that came from being in the South Pacific during World War II on the USS English. When he came back, he said he would give something to somebody every day," she said. Suttie Economy passed away in 2021 aged 95, but his legacy is carried on by his family and his community. First responders participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial Wednesday morning to honor Economy and the many other area veterans. (WDBJ)
4. The Roanoke City Adult Detention Center — formerly known as the Roanoke City Jail — and its health care provider, Naphcare, have implemented new programs over the last six months to help those within the center struggling with opioid addiction and other common conditions seen inside the facility. Through the use of behavioral therapies, medications, and counseling, the center hopes to reduce related post release deaths, decrease recidivism, and to positively affect the reentry of those incarcerated into society. (Roanoke Star)
5. Roanoke County Public Schools have announced that they will be introducing a new online tutoring option for students at all grade levels after the Christmas break. Ben Williams, RCPS director of research and assessment, said, "We've been having a lot of trouble with recruiting teachers for remedial classes. We hope this tutoring will help fill in that gap without increasing cost. A tutor would be available 24/7. If you call them with a question at 2 in the morning, somebody will be there to answer." The programs are expected to begin in mid-January with contract negations with two providers currently being finalized. (Roanoke Times)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Holiday Late Nights at the Taubman Museum of Art (5 p.m.)
• The Roanoke Times Dickens of a Christmas Parade in Downtown Roanoke (6 p.m.)
• A Holiday Concert for the Human Family at Christ Episcopal Church (7 p.m.)
• Holiday Brass at Cave Spring United Methodist Church (7 p.m.)
• Alabama with Scotty McCreery at the Berglund Center coliseum (7 p.m.)

Special notice:

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile for two new series: Local Heroes and Star Student Athletes. The goal is to highlight heroes and star athletes in Roanoke!

• If you want to nominate a local hero, click here
• If you want to nominate a local athlete, click here.

From my notebook:

• Roanoke City Public Schools: "We are so proud of our students and staff who completed the Girls on the Run 5K over the weekend! Congratulations to Hurt Park Elementary, Morningside Elementary School, Garden City Elementary School, and Crystal Spring Elementary!" (Roanoke City Public Schools via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "The second night of The Roanoke Times Dickens of a Christmas is this Friday, Dec. 9, 6 - 10 p.m. 🎄 The City of Roanoke Christmas Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. on Jefferson Street at Elm Avenue." (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Facebook)
• Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism: "Special thanks to Roanoke Outfitting & Adventures for their river cleanup efforts along the Roanoke River at Explore Park!" (Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism via Facebook)
• Downtown Roanoke, Inc.: "Are you interested in visiting @wdbj7's Elmwood on Ice but aren't sure how it works? Our feature post walks you through everything you need to know. ⛸❄️ Click the link 🔗 in our bio to read it. Thank you to our sponsors: WDBJ7" (Downtown Roanoke, Inc. via Instagram)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with 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