People & Family

Dr. Ron Blum

The Modest Genius of Ron Blum

One way to look at the business and technological success of Ron Blum is that if all the jobs his inventions have spawned could have remained here in Roanoke – as he would have liked them to – he would be the area’s second-largest employer...
Meals on Wheels volunteer Richard Troxel prepares a delivery to Joyce Gay.

Helping Hands: Meals on Wheels

A friendly face arriving once a day can mean a great deal, especially when its owner brings food too; and from time to time, a Meals volunteer can also be a life-saver.
Walker’s $10 million rehab of the old Grand Piano Building resulted in 58 apartments

How Ed Walker is Remaking our City

The man behind the Cotton Mill apartments, the rehabbed Patrick Henry Hotel as well as several projects of positive community change deflects much of the credit to those who work with him, who in turn laud their boss’s inclusiveness.
Mark Cline

An Interview With Roadside Artist Mark Cline

Foamhenge, monster museums, the largest cast-iron skillet in town and more - here are 10 reasons we love Roadside Artist Mark Cline! (Complete with video of Kong Kong invading the Taubman!)
Carol Willoughby, shown with her service dog Midas, co-founded St. Francis Service Dogs, an organization that helps place professionally trained dogs with disabled children and adults.

No Cape Required

These local heroes don’t need the ability to fly faster than a speeding bullet or leap tall buildings in a single bound. Their selfless passion for helping people, bettering the community or rescuing animals surpasses any so-called superpower.
Pathways for Greenways President Brian Batteiger.

Brian Battiger, Trails Guy

You could try to turn Brian Batteiger into a hero, but he'll have nothing to do with it.
The Howard family: From left: Garrett, Ben, Dad Landon, Mom Lynne and Jaclyn.

Tourism, The Natural Way

Roanoke Valley’s new CVB Exec Landon Howard recently took his family out to discover the Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s determined to get millions of others to do the same.
Lauren and Whit Ellerman walk near their home on Jefferson Street with Gracie (white coat) and Atticus. Lauren Ellerman’s sentiment: “Family or no family, we are all welcome.”

Roanoke is a Great Place To…

A non-family-raising 30-something faces the hard questions: Is “great place to raise a family” actually true? And how about “great place to not raise a family”?
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Who Is Ed Elswick And Is He About To Turn Roanoke County Politics Upside Down?

And how could he proceed to unseat three-term Roanoke County Supervisor Joe McNamara in the Republican Primary in June, albeit by the slimmest of margins?

Public Art: A Valley Treasure

It’s free, it’s enlightening and it’s a growing part of the Roanoke Valley experience. And all you have to do is show up and take a look.

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The Beaver Dam Sunflower Festival attracts about 20,000 visitors annually — a boon to the local economy.
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Bloom Town

Flower farms are finding new ways to keep our community beautiful.