Roanoke Rambler - The Roanoke Rambler

Downtown Roanoke is Shutdown for Street Paving, Roanoke's Biotech Incubator Gets Federal Funding, and Medicare is Set to Change in Virginia

Downtown Roanoke Shutdown for Street Paving?, Roanoke's Biotech Incubator Gets Federal Funding, and Virginia's Medicare May Change.

Healthcare

Your Medicare Plan May Change in 2027. Here’s What Roanoke Residents Should Check Before Renewing

Open enrollment begins Oct. 15. Local counselors say the most common mistake is assuming this year’s coverage will work the same way next year.For people with Medicare, keeping the same insurance card in 2027 does not necessarily mean keeping the same costs or coverage.

Healthcare

Roanoke's Biotech Incubator Went from One Tenant to Nine in Months and Now it's Getting Federal Money

Roanoke's biotech incubator went from one tenant to nine in three months. Now it's getting $1 million in federal money for lab equipment.

Transportation

Downtown Roanoke’s Month of Street Paving Starts Sunday

Downtown Roanoke’s month of overnight paving starts Sunday. Here’s where to park, and what to do if your car gets towed. rews will work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night, starting at Salem Avenue and 1st Street and moving west. The city says the job should take about a month.

Happenings

Happenings: The Only Roanoke Events Calendar You’ll Ever Need. Week of 10/7 to 10/14.

We scoured over 30 disparate community calendars (yes, 30) so you didn’t have to. (10/7-10/14)

Roanoke City's New Property, Stop the Violence Before it Starts, and Time to Vote for City Council (The Roanoke Rambler Features a Council Debate You Will Not Want to Miss)

This week, Roanoke's big decisions came with price tags and a lot of open questions, and don't forget to vote!

Policing

Roanoke Gets $2.9 Million to Stop Violence Before It Starts

The state grant pays for teen jobs, free gun locks and neighborhood outreach. It arrives after a year that began with a spike in homicides.

Government and Politics

A Full House with Five Council Contenders

Highlights from the Roanoke Rambler's Roanoke City Council Candidate community forum and dinner at Melrose Library.

Neighborhoods

Roanoke Buys Its Last Big Open Space. What Happens to Ole Monterey Now?

The city paid $8 million for 236 acres off Tinker Creek Lane, one of the only large, open pieces of land left inside city limits. A school, housing, parks and jobs are all being considered. Council members say a data center is not.

Happenings

Happenings: The Roanoke Rambler Events Calendar 9/30 to 10/06.

Find something to do in our comprehensive weekly calendar. We scoured 30 disparate community calendars (yes, 30) so you didn’t have to.

Does It Take An Hour or More to Deliver a Baby in Roanoke?, A Barbershop that Holds Community, and No More Data Center NDAs Says Governor Spanberger

The Roanoke Rambler is your community’s journal, powered by readers like you. Thank you for subscribing!

Healthcare

For Some Southwest Virginia Women, Maternity Care Is an Hour or More Away

More than one-third of Virginia counties are maternity care deserts, leaving some families traveling an hour or longer for prenatal, specialty and delivery care.

Neighborhoods

More Than a Haircut: Community Barber Shop Leaves a Lasting Mark on Northwest Roanoke

From 11th Street to Cove Road, generations came for a haircut, and stayed for the conversation.

Government and Politics

Democrats Find a Crack in the Tech Industry's NDA Armor

Governor Spanberger’s transparency directive was months, if not years, in the making, but did it arrive soon enough to affect the data center planned for Wood Haven?

Happenings

Happenings: The Only Roanoke Events Calendar You'll Ever Need. Week of 9/23 to 9/30.

We scoured disparate community calendars, so you didn't have to. From live music to theatre, lectures to concerts, we've got you covered. We encourage folks to contact the venue directly to learn of any last-minute changes or cancellations.

Data Center Ramblings and Cline v. Macy (The Roanoke Rambler this Week)

Zeros at City Hall, Millions for Lead Paint, and 50 years of Artemis Poetry, this Week in Roanoke

Government and Politics

A Roanoke Delegate Helped Write Virginia's New Data Center Law. Here's What It Does, and What It Doesn't

Section 15.2-2209.5 took effect July 1. It forces developers to study noise and utilities to disclose substations. It sets no limits on either.

Environment

Where the Data Centers Could Go

The data center debate hits home a mile and a half into Roanoke County, tracking an infrastructure footprint partially owned and aggressively developed by the City.