You had food on the brain, Roanoke.

Whether it was local restaurants making their debut or getting into trouble, stories about the city’s evolving food scene were among the best-read stories of 2024. You were also captivated by our city hall coverage, which unearthed claims of a toxic workplace environment that contributed to the city manager’s forced resignation. Our investigative journalism on other topics — including misconduct claims against Onzlee Ware, who died in February, and discord at the Virginia Museum of Transportation — likewise captured readers’ attention.

This past year’s top stories included bylines from Henri Gendreau, Layla Khoury-Hanold and Jeff Sturgeon, along with photography from Don Petersen and David Hungate.

Want more? With your support, we can make 2025 an even more successful year of great local and investigative journalism. Thank you!

—RR

15 - The Case of the Missing Judge (Jan. 31)

One day in September, Onzlee Ware stopped showing up for work. The Roanoke City Circuit Court judge has not appeared on the bench since shortly after a woman alleged in court records that he gave her legal help in exchange for sex, according to numerous people who work at the courthouse. Yet Ware continues to receive a regular state salary — $8,480.83 every two weeks, payroll records show.

14 - New Life Proposed for Walker Foundry Land in Apartments, Restaurant, Pickleball Courts (Dec. 4)

Where once Walker Machine and Foundry made metal castings, a proposed apartment complex, restaurant and pickleball courts could forge a new community on the company’s land in Roanoke’s Norwich neighborhood.

13 - Roanoke Judge Ware Agrees To Supervision, Suspension Lifted After Claim He Traded Legal Aid for Sex, Agency Letter Says (Feb. 7)

Roanoke City Circuit Court Judge Onzlee Ware will be monitored for 12 months by a state watchdog after he admitted to having a sexual relationship with the mother of a defendant appearing before another judge, according to a letter from the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission obtained by The Rambler.

12 - These 4 Foodie Destinations Are Worth the Drive from Roanoke (June 26)

WITHIN 60 MILES OF ROANOKE, Va. — ’Tis the season for road trips, and if you’re anything like us, you’re planning your pit stops around snacks and your destinations around food. Here, we explore four food experiences worth the drive, all within a 90-minute drive of Roanoke.

11 - Former Local Roots Employees Await Payment After Roanoke Restaurant Closed Abruptly (July 24)

Employees of the now-shuttered Local Roots restaurant say the owner of the Grandin Village establishment still owes them thousands of dollars for their labor. The upscale farm-to-table restaurant closed without acknowledgement earlier this month, catching many patrons by surprise.

10 - Roanoke's Claytor Family Sells Historic Gainsboro Health Clinic Property (Sept. 11)

Members of Roanoke’s Claytor family have sold their storied Gainsboro health clinic property, apparently ending more than a century of family ownership. The sale, to a recently formed company, closed just nine days after family members and community leaders gathered in July for the unveiling of a state historical marker near the property. 

9 - Roanoke City Manager Cowell Resigns. Here's What Led Up To It. (May 22)

Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell is out of a job, in the wake of toxic workplace claims that have rocked city hall. City Council on Monday unanimously accepted Cowell’s resignation and put Mayor Sherman Lea in charge as an acting city manager following Cowell’s June 7 departure.

8 - Roanoke Demotes Assistant City Manager. Officials Won't Say Why. (April 17)

Roanoke Assistant City Manager Brent Robertson has been demoted and city officials are staying tight-lipped about the circumstances. Robertson, who also served as finance director, was stripped of his titles just as city leaders are finalizing a $379-million budget that went before City Council on Monday.

7 - 'I Don't Have Any Confidence': Here's Why Transportation Museum Board Resignations Leave the Nonprofit Reeling (July 10)

Concerns over the direction and financial health of the Virginia Museum of Transportation have spurred six members of the nonprofit’s board to resign. The departures, announced at the museum’s June 20 annual meeting, prompted one attendee to describe the board as “in disarray” at a time when the museum has been trying to become an official state agency.

6 - In Resignation Letter, Roanoke Parks Director Cites Culture of ‘Passive Aggression and Intentional Slight’ at City Hall (Jan. 10)

Roanoke’s director of parks and recreation, Michael Clark, cited a culture of “passive aggression and intentional slight” at city hall as the reason behind his sudden resignation last week, according to a copy of Clark’s resignation letter that The Rambler has seen.

5 - Local Roots, Pioneer in Roanoke's Farm-to-Table Restaurant Scene, Closes (July 17)

Local Roots, a beloved Grandin Village restaurant that was a pioneer in Roanoke’s farm-to-table food scene, has shuttered. The closure came suddenly this month and caught patrons off guard, though some foodies said they were not surprised after new ownership took over two years ago.

4 - Roanoke City Council Told That Assistant City Manager Verbally Attacked, Physically Threatened Employee, Emails Show (May 1)

A city budget analyst told Roanoke City Council members last month that after a March 6 meeting, then-Assistant City Manager Brent Robertson “began verbally attacking” and “physically threatening” her so severely that she decided to quit.

3 - Show Pony, Restaurant of Refined Comfort Food, Plans To Open in Former Local Roots Site (Aug. 7)

Farmer and Cas Moser, a bartender and manager at Stock, signed a lease last week on the Grandin Village property, with the goal of opening a new restaurant in November. Show Pony aims to be a bar-forward neighborhood joint, with refined yet accessible comfort food in a classy setting.

2 - FarmBurguesa Among Roanoke Area Restaurants Targeted with Criminal Meals Tax Charges (Oct. 23)

Authorities have filed criminal meals-tax charges against the owners of four closed food establishments in Roanoke, including FarmBurguesa restaurant, whose Grandin Village and Vinton locations shuttered in recent months. Court dockets reflect a variety of new criminal prosecutions getting underway against sit-down establishments, a food truck and a cake shop.

1 - New Roanoke Restaurant Openings This Fall Offer Diversity in Cuisine and Concept (Sept. 18)

September often feels like the start of a new year, with back-to-school vibes, cooler temperatures inviting cozy fall fashions, and a slate of restaurant openings to excite foodies. These newly opened restaurants reflect how Roanoke’s dining scene continues to diversify, both across cuisines, from Afghan to Creole to Peruvian, and concepts, including a tavern specializing in Chicago tavern-style pizza and a dedicated boba tea shop.