Gene Marrano
A dip in Red Kettle contributions year to date versus 2017 has lead to a 48-hour bell-ringing marathon starting this morning. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has that story:
Former Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer was formally inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last night at a ceremony in New York City. And faith, football and NASCAR – Joe Gibbs addressed around a thousand people yesterday in Salem, with stories on all three of those topics.
Gene Marrano photo/WFIR
The former Vinton Motors property at the corner of Pollard Street and Washington Avenue that’s been vacant for almost a decade will be re-born as “Vinyard Station” – a nod to the family that has sold the property to developer Dale Wilkinson. That announcement was made this morning at Vinton’s State of the Town address. Wilkinson has redeveloped many older properties in the valley. Expect a groundbreaking in the spring. The only proposed tenant announced so far is a tap house. Wilkinson says Vinyard Station should open within a year.
A renewed focus on moving more homeless people out of the Roanoke Rescue Mission has paid off big-time in 2018 – more on some very promising numbers from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
A different take perhaps on “41” – former Reagan White House staffer Ed Lynch – currently the political science department chair at Hollins University, has weighed in on the passing of President George HW Bush:
Learning how other localities have grown their “innovation economy” – and telling them about success stories here – is one major reason Roanoke is now a member of the “City Innovation Ecosystem Program.” WFIR’s Gene Marrano has the story:
Its a Virginia Tech-Cincinnati rematch in the Military Bowl on New Year’s Eve Day. Hokies head coach Justin Fuente reflects after the win over Marshall to get here:
Cynda Ann Johnson, M.D., M.B.A., President and Founding Dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (David Hungate for VTC)
The outgoing dean at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine sees a possible path to higher student numbers down the road. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Click below to hear an extended conversation with Dean Cynda Johnson: