Gene Marrano
(update) The victim of this incident has been identified as Uhura U. Willis, 27 of Roanoke.
(from Roanoke PD) On February 17, 2024 at approximately 4:55 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 400 block of Patton Avenue NW. Responding officers located an adult male victim with what appeared to be critical gunshot wounds lying in a wooded area on Patton Ave NW. Officers immediately began rendering aid until Roanoke Fire-EMS arrived. Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel pronounced the man deceased on scene.
Details about what led to the shooting are limited at this time. Officers located evidence of a shooting in the 400 block of Patton Ave NW; however, no suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made. Preliminary investigation indicates the suspect is traveling in a maroon 2015 Jeep Cherokee Latitude with license plates TSB7817. Detectives and Officers are actively searching for this vehicle and its occupants.
If anyone sees this vehicle they are asked to call Roanoke Police. Do not attempt to stop, apprehend, or detain the Jeep or occupants. There are no further details that can be shared at this time and this is an ongoing homicide investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call (540)344-8500 and share what you know.
Developer Lucas Thornton has hit the pause button on a planned office building tower at the former Valley Metro Campbell Court bus station, due to a declining need for office space in downtown Roanoke. Like other cities across the U.S. since the pandemic – including New York for example – many are still working remotely without coming back to the physical office. Thornton tells the Roanoke Times that space instead will open this summer as a pocket park, complete with turf, landscaping, furniture, a stage and artwork.
Thornton says he and his Hist;Re Partners firm expects to build that office tower within the next 1-3 years, if market conditions improve. Current occupancy rate for downtown offices stands at 86% according to commercial realtor Poe & Cronk – down 3% since 2021. However, a 5-story apartment building at the old Campbell Court named The Bower will be available to tenants as of this May, with three retail spots open on the ground floor.
The Bower will be leased by Allegheny Partners, which says of the apartment building, offering 1–2-bedroom units: “We have a dedicated co-working area where you can find inspiration and focus. Want to stay fit? Our large private gym is fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. And for our furry friends, we have a dog washing station and even a turf area for them to play and stretch their legs.”
They’re calling it Suites by T-lot! Short-term affordable housing for those needing shelter. The grand opening at the former Apple Valley Motel on Franklin Road was today. Guests are required to pay an affordable rate. The 19 rooms at Suites by T-lot! are each fully furnished with a refrigerator, microwave, television, a private bathroom and other amenities. The Least of These Ministries will also offer a shuttle three days a week to downtown Roanoke for guests that need transportation. Dawn Sandoval founded The Least of These Ministries, which has its headquarters in downtown Roanoke:
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The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are home for two games again this weekend after two at the Berglund last weekend – including an overtime loss to Knoxville. Head coach Dan Bremner joined us yesterday for an in-depth conversation about the “dog days” of the season, playing in the Blue vs White scrimmage on Tuesday – and the newest player on the team.
Between now and March 3 if you feel like a shopping spree for clothing or home fashions is in order, it can also be for a good cause that helps local schoolchildren enrolled in Boys and Girls Clubs programs. The story from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
From the WFIR News room this is your Culture Calendar – With a look at some of the local events coming up this weekend and in the near future. Sponsored by the Roanoke Cultural Endowment.
For more than a decade Roanoke City has attempted to drum up interest in the Evans Spring tract across from Valley View Mall – considered the last large undeveloped parcel in the city. The latest attempt to focus on Evans Spring has been met with controversy, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
