Tagged

Social Issues

A collection of 55 posts

Policing

Roanoke Gun Violence Rates Fall to Pre-Pandemic Levels, One Year into Police Chief's Tenure

“I found a department that was hungry for leadership,” Police Chief Scott Booth said about arriving in Roanoke a year ago.

Transportation

Roanoke Transit Plan Calls For Extending Bus Service into County, Expanding 'Microtransit'

What public transit looks like in Roanoke over the next decade is the focus of the strategic plan.

Homelessness

As Roanoke Homeless Count Increases, City Seeks Teamwork with Downtown Businesses

Police patrols and plans around transportation are part of the city's response to complaints over rising homelessness.

Neighborhoods

Roanoke's Claytor Family Sells Historic Gainsboro Health Clinic Property

The sale closed shortly after family members and community leaders gathered for a state historical marker unveiling.

Homelessness

As Roanoke Homeless Day Shelter Moves, Old Southwest Neighborhood Riven by Debate

RAM House has encountered fierce resistance from some residents over its plans to move elsewhere in the Old Southwest neighborhood.

Food Access

In Roanoke's West End, Local Grocery Store Leaps into Action

LEAP now operates a brick-and-mortar store at its Patterson Avenue headquarters where it hosts weekly farmers markets.

Racial justice

At Roanoke's Historically Black Old Lick Cemetery, New Caretakers Confront Old Sins

In recent years, a group of churchgoers has been tending to the cemetery, a "gaping wound" of Roanoke's urban renewal history.

Neighborhoods

Claytor Clinic Gains State Historical Marker, But Future of Gainsboro Property Unclear

Gainsboro's historic Claytor Clinic has gained statewide recognition, but breakdowns over city negotiations leave the property's fate uncertain.

Education

Roanoke School Board Appears Receptive To Restricting Student Cell Phone Use

Superintendent Verletta White said she would convene a working group that will come up with more concrete recommendations.

Racial justice

In Segregated Roanoke, Black and White Churchgoers Gather To Study the Bible — and Find Ways To Improve the City

The bible study sessions, organizers say, are but a small step in overcoming generations of institutionalized segregation in Roanoke.

Food Access

Northwest Roanoke Residents See Glimmer of Hope As Grocery Store Plans Take Shape

The Market on Melrose is slated to open in November in the heart of a food desert. The store will create up to 70 jobs in its first year.

Education

After Threats Shutter Roanoke Schools, Parents Scrutinize How Officials Respond

Some parents see the school district as changing tack after community members raise concerns, which school officials deny.

Homelessness

City To Seize Land of Homeless Hangout in Southeast Roanoke

The city’s planned seizure marks the second time Roanoke has taken over properties that owe taxes and where people have set up camp.

Essay

My Stories Revealed Roanoke’s Urban Renewal History. In Plans for Evans Spring, I Hear Echoes.

What happened long ago has new relevance for the future of Evans Spring, home to African Americans and others who fear a new version of urban renewal.

Gun violence

Roanoke Gun Violence Panel Selects Nonprofits For Grants, Focusing on Northwest Youth

Commissioners said probing from City Council resulted in the quick turnaround time between grant announcement and project completion.

Housing

Roanoke Housing Authority Seeks Affordable Developer For 8-Acre Gainsboro Property

The housing authority’s ownership of the steep-sloped woods traces back to urban renewal.

Gun violence

In $300,000 Question, Roanoke Leaders Ask Who Should Get Grants To Reduce Gun Violence

City staff say organizations must spend this second cycle of grant funding by the end of June.

Housing

Roanoke Steers Millions To Nonprofit TAP with Goal of Spurring Affordable Housing

Roanoke officials heralded progress with the city's land bank and the creation of a $2 million affordable housing fund.