Local Business and Economic Development
US Senator Tim Kaine weighed in on the closing of the Freight Car America shop in Roanoke, where production has ended. He’s one of several lawmakers that is asking Freight Car America for answers, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
Vinton Kroger Growler bar/submitted photos
Two more Kroger stores in the Roanoke Valley have cut the ribbon on makeovers within the past week. They should be the last for a while. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Dr Steve Ausband – Atheling Meadworks/ G Marrano photo
Mead is an ancient drink that starts with fermented honey and now a home brewing ER physician-turned commercial producer has started distributing his brand locally, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
Black Dog Salvage Mike Whiteside Robert Kulp – Tamra Bolton photo
They’ve helped put Roanoke on the map with a TV show about rescuing vintage items from soon-to-be demolished structures – and then re-purposing them. Tomorrow Black Dog Salvage observes its 20th anniversary with a party – and you are invited as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
Its always nice to make budget predictions on tax revenue and then see them come in higher than anticipated. That’s what has happened in Vinton at Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, which opened 6 months ago. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
So how did Roanoke County’s 419 Town Center Plan get invited to tomorrow morning’s “State of the Corridor” update on the Virginia Tech Carilion campus impact? Actually the event was the county’s idea, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
There was a big turnout for the Wildlife Warriors fundraising bake sale on Saturday. We told you about it last week, a bake sale to help pay for legal fees the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center has incurred fighting a challenge from its neighbor – Roanoke County Board of Supervisors candidate Stan Seymour – over the placement of a bird aviary. Maribeth Crook co-founded the Facebook group “Wildlife Warriors for the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center” – which went from 1,900 to more than 5,000 members at the this was posted. She said this about Stan Seymour’s comments during an interview here on WFIR when Seymour claimed that those running the Wildlife Center would not sit-down with him several times forcing him to take legal action:
Crook says people should visit the Facebook group’s page or go to the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center website to see the paperwork for themselves. You can find that Facebook group by clicking HERE. Both of Seymour’s opponents in next week’s board of supervisors’ race attended the bake-sale Saturday. If you would like to hear the full Stan Seymour interview click HERE
The Salem Planning Commission gave its recommendation but many residents around Upland Drive want City Council to “pump the brakes” tonight on a development proposal – when City Council holds a public hearing at the Salem Civic Center. WFIR’s Gene Marrano spoke with one homeowner in that neighborhood:
Michael Collver and Kelly Passek of Christiansburg/G Marrano photo
In case you missed it history was made here in the region on Friday – the first-ever deliveries of commercial products by drones to end users after an order was placed via a phone app. We spoke to one of those customers. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
10-22 Drone Delivery Folo Wrap#1
Click below to watch a video from Friday’s pilot launch, produced by Harrison Hartzog.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zlk5QVE2INje3f-dWOowxB1nTUA1xm1r/view?usp=sharing
The latest version of Restaurant Week through this Saturday on Williamson Road has a definite international flair, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports: