McCadden founded the Melrose-Rugby Neighborhood Forum in the early 1990s as a way for residents to address problems plaguing the neighborhood.

While Black residents are well represented, Roanoke's citizen panels have few Hispanic and Asian members.

A nonprofit is raising funds for the city-owned Fishburn Mansion, which needs as much as $2 million in repairs.

“There’s been a lot of misinformation going around concerning our program,” said the president of the Melrose Athletic Club.

The fate of the dilapidated caretaker's cottage has been a point of contention over the years.

Many neighbors support the plan, while others have long resisted efforts to sell the building, one of the oldest in Roanoke.

Roanoke City’s panel on equity emerged in 2020 amid a nationwide reckoning over racism.

Through private philanthropy, the Roanoke Parks Foundation is intended to enhance the city’s parks, centers and trails.