A member of satanic temple is suing the city for not allowing him to lead a prayer when the assigned person was not present. Does anyone know more about this? I was listening to virginia on demand this morning and heard about this hilarious story. I would love to hear more from someone that was there 😄 The article does not mention the amount but radio iq said 12.2 mil.

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2026-08-31/after-awkward-council-moment-a-lawsuit-challenges-roanokes-prayer-policy

The water levels now, while low, remain significantly higher than the two worst droughts in the past four decades. We also use less water now than we did then and have more water sources.

I keep seeing Wind Vineyards at Smith Mountain Lake getting a lot of (well-deserved) negative reviews on Facebook. Apparently they're blocking anyone who leaves a bad review...

Now the owner of the business is begging/bribing people with a free ticket to an event for a five star review on Google... this is illegal right??

Edit to add: I'm on the chamber of commerce for the area and want to make sure before I report it.

I have a friend that needs housing in Roanoke asap. Her credit is not great, but she has cash. She is leaving a domestic abuse situation. I have looked at some income based apartments, but wanted to check here since there are sometimes things available not advertised well. Any help is appreciated.

Atheling Downtown will be hosting Thursday night trivia. Come join Prentice at 6:30 pm to test your general knowledge for a prize or two. If trivia isn't your jam, we have you covered for Friday night. Randolph Thomas returns once again. Come hear his story telling set to acoustic guitar with an Appalachian flair. His show is Friday, September 4th at 6pm.

Me and my Bf are staying the weekend in Roanoke, I want something fun for us to do. Any suggestions?

My birth certificate is taking a long time and I need to start working, I have an id in south Dakota I can use to get an ID here, if anyone is going I could pay you back when I start working here, I have the job, even if it's one way I that will help.

Also if you have any work I can do so I can buy a ticket to and from there that would be good also.

my current id is not good for employment or use at Virginia DMV because it is punched void but it's good for travel

I recently went to a concert at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. I’m not suggesting Roanoke needs anything remotely on the scale of New York or Queens. What caught my attention was the venue model: a relatively intimate outdoor stadium that makes the entire event feel like an experience.

That got me thinking about Roanoke.

Elmwood Park is great at roughly 4,000 seats, but there seems to be an interesting space between Elmwood and a 10,000+ seat arena. A 6,000–7,500-seat outdoor venue could attract artists who have outgrown Elmwood while giving them the atmosphere of a packed amphitheater rather than an oversized arena.

Forest Hills also gets a lot right beyond the music — food vendors already on the grounds, places to gather, thoughtful security, good sound management and a design that respects the surrounding neighborhood.

So imagine a modern Victory Stadium:

6,000–7,500 seats
Purpose-built for concerts
Championship tennis court + additional courts
ITF/Challenger-level professional tennis
Festivals and other sporting events
Restaurants and local food vendors
Hotel/entertainment district nearby
Modern production facilities

The tennis component is what really makes this interesting to me. Roanoke already has a tennis community and tournament infrastructure. A professional tournament could bring players, coaches and fans into town for several days, while the same stadium could host a major concert the next night.

The original Victory Stadium was a huge part of Roanoke’s history, hosting everything from football to concerts — including a Dave Matthews Band show that reportedly drew around 30,000 people.

I’m picturing something completely different from the old stadium: smaller, modern, outdoor and designed around the experience of being there.

And it doesn’t necessarily need to be at Berglund. If there’s a better site, why not build the stadium, tennis facilities, restaurants, green space and hospitality around it from the ground up?

The point isn’t to pretend Roanoke is Queens.

It’s to ask whether Roanoke’s scale might actually be perfect for a venue that sits between an intimate amphitheater and a traditional arena.

Forest Hills made me realize that we don’t necessarily need a bigger venue.

We might just need a better one.

What do you think?

I check the County Zoning meetings for interesting things and noticed an upcoming request in the Hollins area. Someone is planning a large convenience store/gas station with additional 9,000 sq.ft. retail building behind it. This would be on Plantation beside the new Starbucks. Not sure what it is, looks big enough to maybe be a WaWa but most likely something independent.

Are the Lowes panel saws really broken, or do they just not want to break down sheets of plywood?
I got the same story at two stores in town this week.

Hello! Any middle eastern grocery stores you all recommend? And has anyone been able to buy the Persian sangak bread here?

Anybody have any luck contacting them? The phone number connects to a Google screening where you give your name, and then nobody answers. Their website gives their contact as an office email. I've left several emails and never a response. Seems like a lousy way to treat potential business for a company that has such good reviews...

Alternatively, can someone offer another company for chimney repairs and possible wood stove installation? I'd call Chimney Works, but they don't deal with wood stoves. Thanks in advance.

Other than renting a machine and doing it myself, who can you recommend for lawn aeration, and about how much did it cost for however large your lawn is?

I don't want to reveal too much for fear of reprisal, but has anyone recently had problems being paid on time (based on contract) by the city for services you provide to the city, even after calling and emailing staff? If so, how did you deal with it without alienating and making enemies within the city or going to court to get paid? Asking for a small, local business.

Looks like construction crews are starting do a lot of work. Any idea what is going there?