Education

Two of These Four Applicants Will Serve on Roanoke School Board. City Council Will Decide Soon.

Roanoke City Council on Monday will interview four finalists for the positions.

Development

Fire, Collapse and an Amputated Foot: The History of Roanoke's Campbell Court Facades

Former city leaders warn historic facades will be destroyed as a developer plans to transform a former downtown bus station.

Addiction

Potent Batch of Opioid Drugs Leads to Uptick in Overdoses, Deaths in Roanoke Region

A potent batch of opioids has led to an uptick in overdoses and deaths in recent weeks, according to advocates.

Demographics

Roanoke Population Dips Below 100,000 Over Pandemic Year, Census Data Show

People moving out of Roanoke led to a slight drop in the city’s population between 2020 and 2021, data show.

History

The Rise and Fall of Robert Jeffrey Jr.

This is an account of Jeffrey’s ascent to power in Roanoke, and his swift downfall across two criminal trials last week.

City Hall

Tax Bills Could Spike As Roanoke Leaders Disagree Over Options To Assess Value of Used Vehicles

Disagreement has broken out among Roanoke leaders over how and whether the city can tweak car tax bills.

Business

Black Dog Salvage Store, Tap House No Longer Coming to Roanoke Historic Fire Station

Economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has forced the developer to seek new tenants for the mixed-use property.

Transportation

Debut of Roanoke's Bus Station Heralds Changes to Downtown, Transit System Improvements

The unveiling of Roanoke’s station last week marks the debut of several developments in the city’s public transit scene.

Education

Roanoke School Board To Host New Face As Chair Declines To Seek Reappointment

Roanoke residents interested in serving for a three-year term have until tomorrow to apply.

Investigation

Roanoke City Schools Spent $1.5 Million on Covid-Killing Air Cleaners. But Do They Work?

While school officials defended the use of bipolar ionization, experts said there's no convincing evidence the technology is effective.

Investigation

Police, Not Roanoke Councilman, Destroyed Computer Records During Embezzlement Probe

Police's initial statement left the impression that Councilman Robert Jeffrey Jr. tried to destroy potentially incriminating information.

Politics

Rising Rates of Gun Violence Prompt Republicans To Enter Roanoke City Council Race

Two Republicans cite Roanoke's ongoing issue with gun violence as influencing their decision to run for City Council.

Labor

Workers at Roanoke Starbucks Seek To Join Union Movement

Roanoke store becomes one of a handful in Virginia seeking to join growing labor movement within coffee chain.

Housing

Facing Diminished Funding, Roanoke Housing Authority Eyes Shift To Section 8 Voucher Model

Roanoke's housing authority is beginning to explore a shift that would allow it to more easily retrofit, demolish and expand housing.

Labor

City Workers Can Unionize In Virginia. In Roanoke, Such Efforts Appear Slow Going, Nonexistent

While teachers and firefighters in Roanoke are taking steps to collectively bargain, there seems little interest for public-sector unions.

Letter

Letter From the Editor: New Easy Sign-Up for Free Trial, and a More Reader-Friendly Homepage

We’ve made some recent changes to the look and feel of The Rambler in the spirit of greater reader accessibility.

LGBTQ

Roanoke Ranks Last Among Virginia Localities On LGBTQ-Friendly Laws, Again. Why?

While Roanoke has made strides since 2018, the City has remained in last place among Virginia peers on an LGBTQ-friendly score.

Education

Teachers Resigning From Salem Schools Cite School Conditions, Workload As Factor, Report Says

An outside survey at Salem City Schools found low employee turnover, with attrition rates and reasons why teachers leave varying by school.