Gene Marrano

Shawn Hunter/G Marrano photo WFIR

When Shawn Hunter stepped down as President of the Peacemakers citizen’s group in northwest Roanoke to run for City Council, the person chosen to succeed him may have raised some eyebrows. Dennis Muhammad has a long-time connection to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has made controversial statements over the years on different ethnic groups and religions. Speaking live in-studio this morning Hunter addressed the concerns some might have about the future of the Peacemakers.  Dennis Muhammad was on a security detail with Louis Farrakhan for almost 4 decades.

Hear the full length in-studio conversation with Shawn Hunter about his run for City Council below:

The Keller Williams Realty Office in southwest Roanoke County is accepting non-perishable food items and monetary donations for Lynchburg area residents impacted by the suspected tornado yesterday. They can be dropped off until 5pm Wednesday at 2727 Electric Rd. Wayne Daniel is the team leader in Roanoke – although he lives in the Lynchburg area. There’s also a Go Fund Me Page – “KW_ Roanoke_ Tornado_ Relief”. Daniel says the suspected tornado just missed his home but devastated other parts of the Boonsboro area. Keller Williams has two real estate offices in Lynchburg.

Deschutes Brewery may be scaling back and delaying the production plant it committed to build in Roanoke by 20-21. That announcement was made today by the Oregon-based company. Assistant City manager Brian Townsend told City Council that Deschutes was “evaluating the craft beer market” – and asking for more time. City Council granted a 30-day extension so that Deschutes can purchase 49 acres for 3-point-2 million dollars in cash as a show of good faith – instead of financing it.

 

courtesy photo

The new president of the Peacemakers chapter in northwest Roanoke is no stranger to the concept of working within minority communities to promote peace and safety – he’s done it on a global scale as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:

click below to hear an extended conversation with Dennis Muhammad:

G Marrano/WFIR photos

A church school bus crashes into a truck carrying ammonia. Multiple injuries, a hectic emergency department and irate, worried spouses. It wasn’t real, but the 10th annual “Inter-professional Education Simulation” at Jefferson College of Health Sciences. About 300 students from Jefferson College, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Radford University took part – diagnosing volunteers acting as trauma patients, then treating them. Whiter says it takes almost a year to come up with a new disaster scenario. Kimberly Whiter oversees the exercise:

Red Terry – the woman who has been living in a tree stand on her family’s Bent Mountain property for two weeks while Mountain Valley Pipeline crews fell trees for the natural gas pipeline all around her – told WFIR this afternoon that a rescue worker indicated they won’t let her go without basic necessities. Terry says she will be in the tree at least through the weekend. “Red” is in violation of the law since Mountain Valley Pipeline seized a swath of land via eminent domain. She says a group of friends and supporters are on hand – along with law enforcement agencies and MVP crews – and some supporters have camped overnight on her property.