Local Business and Economic Development
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:
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:
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
Photo: The Market Building Foundation
What started as an occasional Monday night event for adults has turned into a monthly block party beginning tonight in downtown Roanoke. Tonight’s event is the Halloween themed Saints and Sinners event. WFIR’s Ian Price has details on why the event needed more room:
Wing drone – G Marrano photo
A partnership between Google affiliate Wing and Virginia Tech led to a first in the nation on Friday – deliveries by drone from a local Walgreen’s, FedEx and from the Sugar Magnolia retail sweet shop to several homeowners. WFIR’s Gene Marrano was an eyewitness: