About us

The Roanoke Rambler (est. 2021) is a hyper-local, independent online and investigative news site whose mission is to inform the public of important issues affecting their lives, expose government wrongdoings, uncover societal ills, and hold the powerful accountable. Our journalism is unbiased, factual and unauthorized. We are fearless in our pursuit of truth and are free from influence and agendas.

With 10,000+ subscribers and growing, The Rambler is positioning itself as the go-to source for local news in the Roanoke Valley, focused on local government, business, education, the environment, racial and social justice issues, and more — at a time when traditional media outlets are contracting and struggling to provide news coverage. We focus on stories you won’t find elsewhere.

Every Wednesday, our email newsletter delivers hyper-local news that goes beyond the narrative. Learn what you’ve been missing out on: Sign up here for free today.

Who is The Rambler?

Henri Gendreau, founder and publisher: Henri is The Rambler's publisher and founding editor. He served as a reporter at The Roanoke Times from 2018 until 2021. He has written for WIRED, Bloomberg News, and several newspapers. He can be reached at founder@roanokerambler.com.

Todd Jackson, managing editor: Todd Jackson is The Rambler's managing editor and covers city government. Before joining in 2025, Todd spent 30 years at The Roanoke Times as a reporter, editor and New River Valley bureau chief. He can be reached at editor@roanokerambler.com.

Jeff Sturgeon, ad sales manager: Jeff leads advertising and business sponsorships for The Rambler. He also reports, with a focus on business, government and accountability. Before joining in 2024, Jeff worked for 29 years at The Roanoke Times as a reporter. He can be reached at jeff@roanokerambler.com.

We have also received invaluable support from investigative reporter Mary Bishop, a Roanoke Times journalist from 1983-2002. Our freelance journalists have included Mason Adams, Ralph Berrier Jr., Lindsey Hull, Layla Khoury-Hanold, Alex McCarthy, G. Samantha Rosenthal and Tim Thornton, among others. We are indebted to Greg Dickens of Epilocal for his work with web development.

What kind of stories do you cover?

While our areas of coverage will ramble and not be restricted, we are initially focused on bringing you news and stories about local government and politics; the environment and climate crisis; and racial and social justice issues. We believe observant coverage of local government and politics is essential to an informed citizenry. Additionally, we believe our treatment of the planet and the effects of past and present racial discrimination are among the key issues of our time. In keeping with our mission to enliven your mind, we also publish occasional fiction, essays and poetry.

Are you a liberal rag? A mouthpiece for the right-wing?

Nope. Just a good old-fashioned journalism outlet. Unfortunately, discourse and perceptions around the news media have grown increasingly polarized of late. You can check out our Newsroom Policies page to learn more about our values. As journalists have done for a century, we pursue the truth without fear or favor, and hold powerful actors accountable for their actions. We don't pretend there's not an aspect of political philosophy involved in those values, but we're not beholden to any political party or ideology.

When does The Rambler appear?

Every Wednesday morning, straight to your inbox.

How are you funded?

Mostly, by people like you! The bulk of our revenue is derived from readers who see the value in local journalism. You can become a member today here, or learn more about making a founding gift: founder@roanokerambler.com.

We also accept advertisements and sponsorships from quality local businesses. You can find more information about those opportunities at this page. We may also rely on grants to support our journalism and literature, and will be transparent about the source of such grants.

It costs us thousands of dollars each month to produce original, local journalism. That's why we rely on support from members, for as little as $8.33 per month. From our launch in September 2021 through March 2023, all of our journalism required a subscription. Now, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter for free.

Why The Rambler?

Our name is a nod to Samuel Johnson’s publication called The Rambler published in the 1750s. Johnson was a moralist who was keenly aware that his duty was to make the world better.

The Roanoke Rambler has a moral force behind it. We believe that it is our duty to hold powerful interests accountable by exposing abuses of power and wrongdoing, with the intent of bringing about positive changes in our community. Through our blend of hard-hitting news, short news items, literature, poetry, and event listings, we hope the content in your email inbox every Wednesday encourages your mind to wonder and wander.

How can I contribute?

We appreciate your interest. There are many ways to contribute to The Roanoke Rambler. For each of these inquiries, you can write to Managing Editor Todd Jackson at editor@roanokerambler.com.

Financially

You can become a supporting member of The Roanoke Rambler at our Support Us page. Our readers are our main source of revenue! Additionally, if you are interested in making a founding tax-deductible gift, please reach out to us directly.

Journalistically

If you are interested in becoming a contributing writer to The Roanoke Rambler, please review our news coverage and our ethics policies before contacting us. We pay no less than $200 per news article and $50 per brief photo assignment.

We are looking for freelancers who have prior journalism experience or contributors who have writing or photography chops and a commitment to strong journalistic principles.

Literarily

Are you a talented short story writer, poet or creative nonfiction writer? We accept and publish a broad range of original fiction, essays and poetry, with a preference for works written by those who live in the Roanoke area or broader region, to include Virginia, Appalachia and the American South. Writers are encouraged to submit examples of short stories that have not been published elsewhere; poets are encouraged to submit at least four poems that have not previously been published.

Please note we do not review simultaneous submissions. Currently, we are operating on a one- to two-month turnaround time.

We pay no less than $25 per poem and $100 per short story or essay.

We have no strict line count limits, but short fiction and essays should not run more than 2,500 words, unless under extraordinary circumstances.

We require writers to sign a contract that acknowledges that accepted work is original; that The Rambler is granted first rights of publication; that the work cannot be republished before a period of six (6) months after publication in The Rambler; that The Rambler may archive the work on its website; and that The Rambler is granted nonexclusive anthology rights.

Please send submissions as an attached Word document to Henri at editor@roanokerambler.com with the subject line FICTION or POETRY or NONFICTION with your last name. Failure to comply with these instructions may render your submission unread. If you have not heard back from us in three months, please reach out to us again.

Advisorily

Yes, this is a word. We are interested in hearing from folks in the community who are interested in supporting the mission of The Rambler, have a particular field of expertise – such as journalism, the law, business, finance, fundraising, accounting, or community-building – and who are willing to donate their time. We seek to form an informal advisory panel whose members can be called on for advice on and insights into how The Rambler can best fulfill its mission.

What if I have more questions?

Please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Visit our Contact page.