Henri Gendreau - The Roanoke Rambler (Page 19)

A Tale of Two Roanokes? Some Neighborhoods See Explosive Growth, Others A Declining Population, Data Show

Last year, Roanoke inched above 100,000 in population for the first time in forty years. But not all that growth is spread evenly across the city.

Development

Roanoke Council To Hear Latest Fralin Apartment Plan that Panel Approved but Residents Decry

Roanoke's planning commission endorsed a controversial development proposal in southwest Roanoke that will now head to City Council Monday.

Business

'What You See Is Not Always What It Is': Empty Storefronts Belie Downtown Roanoke's Record-Low Retail Vacancy

While stretches of unused space still remain, vacancy rates for downtown retail are now actually the lowest in more than a decade, according to real estate data.

Investigation

New Charges Against Roanoke Councilman Point To CARES Act Grants to Businesses, One Led By Aide Convicted of Embezzlement

Just after his election to Roanoke City Council, Robert Jeffrey Jr. sought $15,000 in city-issued coronavirus relief funds.

Environment

Radford Arsenal Slow-Walks From Open Burning. Now Its Incineration Plan Is Raising Alarms.

The federal government has consistently ranked the facility as one of the top polluters in Virginia.

Mystery

Mystery of Gravestones Found on Vacant Roanoke Property Has Been Solved — Mostly

The property, it turns out, was the site of the Marsteller Corporation, which specialized in monument and tombstone engraving.

Mystery

Two Gravestones, One Linked to an Ohio Cemetery, Lie on a Vacant Roanoke Property. Why?

Along the banks of the Roanoke River, two gravestones lie nestled in the poke berry bushes on a property for sale along Franklin Road.

Investigation

Roanoke City Councilman Owes City Business Taxes. It’s Only His Company’s Latest Delinquency.

The magazine company founded by Robert Jeffrey Jr. owes unpaid business taxes and only settled a state debt after being asked about it.

Neighborhoods

On the Future of Gainsboro

Tensions over whether and how the neighborhood should change, cross generational, racial and class lines.

Food Access

Could a Grocery Store Come to Northwest Roanoke? Residents Have Been Waiting 25 Years.

Establishing a grocery store in Northwest Roanoke has emerged as a top contender for some of the $64.5 million in federal coronavirus relief funds allocated to the city.

Climate Crisis

Roanoke To Take ‘Aggressive’ Climate Action After Report Urges City To Halve Emissions

Since 2009, the city has had goals to reduce carbon emissions by 10 percent citywide every five years.

Investigation

Facing Unpaid Taxes, Candidate for Roanoke Prosecutor Filed for Bankruptcy. He’s Done It Before.

Melvin Hill, who seeks to become the city’s next top prosecutor, filed for bankruptcy last year, citing $217,100 in unpaid federal income taxes. It wasn’t the first time Hill declared bankruptcy while facing tax debts.

Letter

Letter From the Editor: Welcome to The Roanoke Rambler

There is a subtle crisis that has been accelerating over the last couple decades: the decline of local news.

Investigation

Roanoke Councilman: ‘I Never Touched’ Ex-Wife in 2009 Assault. He Told Police He Did.

Robert Jeffrey’s past is facing renewed public scrutiny after prosecutors charged him in July with two counts of felony embezzlement.