Hello America!

I just wanted to take a moment here and say Hello! to all you fine folk coming over from Wikipedia (see entry: Roanoke, VA). Just one question for you all, whats with all the sudden interest in Roanoke?

I have months logged where I recieved nary a single hit from the Wikipedia entry, and suddenly - I am now getting steady traffic over from there. Why is Roanoke so suddenly popular?

Anyway, a small task for you folks - find me. I'm in the newspaper (again!), but this time not for Forgotten-Roanoke.com. So go hunting through the paper and let me know if you can find me.

No prize, this time. Maybe next time.

As is being reported

Details are still sketchy, but it looks like NokeTown (2nd and Kirk) has closed it's doors.

I have no independant confirmation of this at this point, but I do expect it in the coming days. I wish Jason and the whole crew there the very best in life and their future plans. They are good people, but this business can kill you.

Yeah - this is being passed around a bit

But thats ok.. call me a bandwagon..

Eddie Izzard presents Religion: Finally it makes sense!

From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli..

Word of Oops(!) has spread like wildfire, from "The Colorado Springs Gazette" to South Africa, and even Fox News just ran the story as part of Fox & Friends.

Nice of them to notice us, but I think the prize should go to the Salem Avalanche for "Most Creative PR use of a missing monkey":

07/09/06 "The Salem Avalanche will be holding Monkey Business
Monday at tomorrow's game against the Potomac Nationals. As with all
Monday home games, fans can receive $1 General Admission tickets with a
coupon from the Roanoke Times or roanoke.com. Tomorrow, however, the
Avalanche will extend the $1 General Admission tickets to all fans
presenting bananas at the ticket office, in hopes that Oops will seek out the tasty fruit."

Admission time: Your friends at Forgotten-Roanoke.com hit the mountain yesterday to "search" for Oops, and take care of some long outstanding business.

We walked the Loop from top to bottom and back again. First time too.. not a bad walk.. cannot imagine trying to jog or bike it though - not yet anyway.

However, it did firm up my commitment to one day gaining access from downtown Roanoke up the Mountain to the Zoo without a car. A shuttle bus, perhaps styled after a trolley, could easily run up and down the loop, or at the very least - up the Fishburn Parkway to the Zoo from downtown providing an opportunity for those who do not drive or folks too young to drive to get to the zoo on their own.

And your hosts here at Forgotten-Roanoke.com also joined the Zoo as members - so we witnessed firsthand the turnout the zoo had due to the publicity. We have been planning to become members for a while now, as we do hit the zoo perhaps 7 times a year or so.

Found out some interesting things about the zoo as well, in terms of public fundraising. Did you know they have a deal going with Sherwin-Williams Paint? 20% off regular prices, 5% off sale prices on nearly any paints. A percentage of the sale price goes to the Mill Mountain Zoo, similar to the Food Lion MVP card (which can also be linked to a charitable giving program).

There is no reason anyone can give to NOT support the Zoo.

What baffles me is the amount of people who seemed completely ignorant of the Oops(!) story. But I get baffled easily, we know this.

In the coming months and years, I'm hoping to build a relationship between Forgotten-Roanoke.com and the Mill Mountain Zoo to answer a question I've been curious about for a long time now. What happened to the stuff from the Children's Zoo?

Memories of the Central Park Children's Zoo (and another small zoo somewhere in NY) include some of the same items seen in photos of the old Childrens Zoo.

What can I say, I like the Zoo.. Im a Zoo guy.

Welcome to Sean Greene, the new Director - what a way to start your tenure.

Hi Ho Hi Ho

It's back to work I go.. boooo

next major update to the site will be Monday, July 10th.

Thought you'd like to know...

Heres a heart attack for you...

From the NY Daily News: "
Thanks to the purchasing power of the masters of the universe, the
average price per square foot also hit a record high at $1,083. The
median apartment price also hit a record at $880,000."

Due to the high cost of renting an apartment in Manhattan, the market for apartments is more geared to ownership - so you buy (with a mortgage) rather than rent (no mortgage).

Via Craigslist.org:  Bedrooms: n/a LARGE STUDIO
(490sq ft)

                            Bathrooms: 1


                            Special Note(s):Negotiable Broker fee!


                            Rent:$1628.00


                            Available: Immediately



Allright.. let that sink in. A 490sq. ft. loft, no walls - no rooms. Just a bathroom. Nearly $20,000 a year.

The payments on Forgotten-Roanoke.com HQ V2.0 will be less than half that payment a month.

And thanks to the wonderful power of the all incompassing Internets - I can do just as much business down here as I could up there.

Just something to consider..

VictoryPod

The last word on Victory Stadium. Never again will that name be spoken here at Forgotten-Roanoke.com

Forget the rain, lets tear the roof off.

Something to get us all through this gloom and rain..

Interstellar funkadelica fo yo brain.

Creeping Meatballism

Creeping Meatballism: (sl. adj.) Kreep-eng Meet-ball-izm Loosely defined,  Meatballism is the rejection of individuality. Creeping Meatballism is the adoption of (on a personal level) conformity. Ex: Commercial shows drinkers of Brand X drive nicer cars, look healthier, and generally have better lives than you. You being to drink Brand X, and acting (but not actually attaining) that better life. Deluding yourself to believe you are living the "Brand X Lifestyle."

Reminds me of the City sometimes.

Rather than take stock of ones person, and its supporting and surroundings - its easier to buy into the advertized "good life." The ease and "quality" of Kroger, the high life promised by an Art Museum, the attractiveness of a city with Stadii at the High Schools, the "Repo Sales" which give one the sense of getting one up on the other guy...

That's the insideous touch of Creeping Meatballism, the thought that you too can have a better life if only you had a car that was new. That you have no worries and nothing to fear by taking out a loan against the title of your car. The folks at the Payday Loan place really are only doing it because they want to help you. Just like they come across.

Not quite so, and there are many levels across which that is true. Just because "Brand X" is now suddenly "All natural" or has 23 flavors... that doesn't make it good. And it's not always about the product, as a matter of fact - its usually about life in general. Sure - I could get into specifics about what I feel the standout examples I see around here are, but that would be purely subjective.

But think about it - in everything from the way the news is delivered (both print and tv), the way the City itself works, Meatballism is everywhere.. creeping it's way ever firmer into our lives. If it's allowed.

Individuality is not something to be ashamed of, it's something to be celebrated and revered.

We just lost one such man.. Guilio Corsini - member of the Elks, the Italian American Heritage Club, Knights of Columbus... and yet was never defined by any one of these things - he was more than just a decent man, he was a skilled artisan - an upstanding member of the community, he was something no one else in Roanoke could ever be. He was Guilio Corsini.

Damned few like him around...

Although in a side note - who knew Roanoke had an Italian-American Heritage Club? Thats a positive sign, if I ever heard of one.

Archiving, the Google way

In order to make certain subjects easier to find, I am beginning to archive them on GooglePages. The first one I am using as the trial run for this is the BST Chronicles.

Find them here.. 5 days worth week by week will appear there. This week's 5 days is up allready..

The BST Chronicles

Let me know what you think, any subjects you would like to see archived in the future, any ideas..

Enjoy..

Metropolis

Filmed in 1926, Produced by Erich Pommer, writed by Thea von Harbou, and directed by Fritz Lang. In Public Domain. I realize you don't really have 2 hours to spend staring at my blog watching some grainy, black and white silent film - but give it a few minutes. And realize that even at 2 hours long, theres still nearly 40 minutes missing - possibly lost forever. There will never be an equal.

Grand Ol Podcast

Here it is. The Very Special 4th of July Podcast.. Monkies, Mountains, BBQ and a Stadium... Enjoy!

Important information (I suppose)

The City of Roanoke will make Victory Stadium bricks
available to city
residents in the stadium's parking lot on Saturday,
July 8, from 9 a.m. to
noon, and on Thursday, July 13, from 5 to 7
p.m., rain or shine. A limited
number of bricks have been cleaned and
prepared for distribution. Thus,
residents will be limited to four
bricks per car.

Cones will be set up
and signs will be posted in the parking lot to
direct cars to specific
entrance and exit paths. As cars enter the
parking lot, city staff will
verify residency for each car before
distributing bricks. If the supply of
bricks is exhausted on
Saturday, residents who come to the stadium but do not
receive bricks
will be given place card holders that entitle them to be one
of the
first to receive bricks on Thursday.

At the end of the 5 to 7
p.m. distribution time on Thursday,
non-residents will be permitted to
receive any remaining bricks from
7 to 9 p.m., at four bricks per
car.

I hope your all having a good weekend

I know I sure will be.. working. FEH!

Why haven't you folks sent me money allready so I can retire and work full time on this? You know you love me...

Anyway, I want everyone to pay attention to this article today. It welcomes our new Vice-Mayor (a postion of even less power than the mayor, but slightly more than your average Parks & Rec worker), and lays out the basic ideas the City Council has for the use of the Victory Stadium site. Everyone cut this one out, and keep it on the fridge, so we all have a guide as to what the city will screw up and when.

Sorry to see Bev step down like this, but maybe it will give him more time to work on the Buseum.

And again the specter of the silly Carilion conspiracy comes forth. Remember, nothing is more valueable to a company than easily-acessable public lands. Employees tend to like that sort of stuff.

Besides - arent they getting tired of being constantly under construction?

Coming back down

The busy week has left me drained, and I still have 2 days to go before its really over...

But I have a nice chunk of time to devote to the site, the blog, and the world at large next week.

So - Starting Sunday night, RoanokeFound/Forgotten-Roanoke resumes its regular broadcast schedule.

For those of you needing something to read - might I suggest the BST archives, of which we are now nearing the 4 year mark. I will not be revisiting the story this year, but will attempt to centralize all the BST posts onto one page for future reference.

It's not so light reading, but an interesting tale none the less.

Bubbling and churning

Revolution Calling

So subtle, yet so eloquent

Says alot.

or perhaps too much.

Sorry for the light posting

Business is busy, life just as much so

And how about this weather folks.. Boy, instead of building an Art Museum, maybe they should think Ark instead... *scattered laughter*

I guess the sky is shedding a tear over Victory Stadium... I sure know Im not!

*silence*

Hello... Hello?

Is this thing on?

LaserFiche!

Sounds dangerous, no?

While poking around the Roanokegov.com site, you might see a small link to City Clerk Online.. takes you here. Ze deadly LaserFiche!

Allright, it might not seem interesting at first glance, but keep poking around.
This is the actual, scanned minutes from a City Council meeting from December 8th, 1874. Mayor, John Trout. It includes information on the formation of a committe for creating public sidewalks and curbs. Taxes (natch.) are also created during this meeting.

From 1784 straight on through to this past Monday's meetings.. all information is available.

I bet there are few who realize (or remember) that we are now paying LESS in real estate taxes than we were back in the early 80's. The rate then was $1.35 per $100, and thanks to the Mayor at the time - reduced to $1.25 per $100, and now it is down to $1.21 and falling to $1.19.

And the best part, it's all right there in black and white.

Although, in looking over the details of the meetings myself, I do wish for a bit more detail, more accurtate reporting of discussions and conversations held on matters.

And all these closed meetings to discuss appointments to certain vacancies on various boards - well, I'd like to know who is being considered for appointment to what BEFORE they are appointed.

Certain conflicts of interest might not seem important at the time, but upon further digging, could be potentially problematic in the future.

I make no claims of impropriety here, but a certain high-profile architecture firm located downtown is working on a large scale project - and one of the members of this firm recently ran for city council. Again, not that there is anything wrong with that - but it certainly COULD be viewed as improper should any actions come before the council that deal with the site, or even topics similar.

Think of the city market building, and the "no competition" clause they seem to live under. Imagine if that were taken to the City Council.

By the way, is $3000 a month for 450 sq. ft. in the City Market building a bit high? Or is it just me?

There are times the City (and State I might add) hover on the border of certain federal laws regarding business and such things. In a sense, what the ABC is doing with Mango's down at the lake could fall under the RICO act, especially when you read the comments of the "investigator." As such an individual working for a state comission, you are charged with upholding the law, not telling a business that the particular type of band they wish to host is one that attracts those who wish to drink heavily and be obnoxious. Thats not your place, not your role. And that IS legally actionable. It might not be as clear as some might like it - but to exert undue influence upon a (legal)business as to sufficiently reduce it's ability to engage in its business, or to cause a business to suffer due to remarks made by an agent of the government outside it's legal bounds.. well, it's not good.

Not good at all.

But regardless, theres much to be learned about how the City operates, or doesn't - and much that we can discover to set the course for proper representation and accessability for all citizens of the city, create the business climate which is so frequently touted yet rarely seen, and develop the "young adult" lure that is a favorite topic of conversation, and in short - get this City back on track and rolling full steam again..

Did you know.. In 1899, the city was accepting bids for medicine for the Public Doctor, and the contract went to one Chas. D. Fox. There were 3 bids that came in for this contract. One of the other 2 bids was Johnson & Johnson.

Could this be why, all these years later J&J does not have a presence in Roanoke, other than a sign on a building? Perhaps Roanoke is located in the Karma Valley, and what goes around comes around.

I'll be back later - I have to go out and see if Chas. D. Fox makes cotton ear swabs, as obviously the J&J products are not nearly the quality of the Fox stuff.

Less than, Greater than (<,>)

Since the inception of Big Lick - the changing of the name to Roanoke, and on through 2002 - the Charter of the City of Roanoke has been changed, amended, added to, and subtracted from no less than 50 (fifty) times.

The greatest and most substantive changes to the Charter(.pdf) came in 2002.

2002, c. 685 (§§ 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3, 4 through 18, 20 through 24, 25.1,
25.2, 26, 27.1 [repealed], 29 [repealed], 31, 32, 33, 35, 36,
37 through 42, 44, 45, 47, 48 [repealed], 49 [repealed], 51,
52, 53, 54, 55 [repealed], 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 62.01
[added], 62.02 [added], 62.1, 63, 65, 66, 67, 72).

It's hard to know exactly what was changed, although some things can be assumed when reading through the Charter.

What cannot be assumed, or understood, is the ability of the city council to find the worst possible way to carry out the charges of the Charter.

Example: (7.1) To own, manage and operate a city auditorium, civic center, coliseum, convention hall, stadium, theater, exhibition hall, or combination thereof, or other place of public assembly, and to permit the use of the same by others upon such terms and for such charges as the council may prescribe; and in order to further the best interests of the
public and lead to greater use of any such facilities, to do all things necessary and proper to encourage the use thereof by arranging or engaging shows, plays, exhibitions, performances and all other entertainments of whatsoever nature.(emphasis mine)

Best interests of the public? That statement alone could cause decades of debate. "But that costs money.." some might cry.

"The council may appropriate funds to a special or revolving account in order to engage, advertise and promote any such entertainment and to operate any of the foregoing facilities,"and of course, then appoint someone to oversee this blah blah red tape red tape.

Oh - and it might interest you to know, this City originally had a Mayor.. not a mayor. There was a time when there was no City Manager, the Mayor worked with the council to set policy, and life actually still went on. Thats called Leadership.

Was the City in better shape under the guidance of a strong Mayor? Given the projects that were undertaken during the years before a City Manager - and those after: It could be so. Perspective, thats where it lies.

Theres more today, as we delve into the facts the City itself publishes online... and how many of you knew they were online?