One day, you'll thank me for this...

Oh great geek master - what have you to say now?



Well, to be completely boring - I was reading through the agenda for the next City Council meeting (yes, someone actually does that - and I'm ashamed to say it's me) when I came across an interesting "Item recommended for action."



It's #4 on the list, should you care to read along (it's a .pdf):



(ahem) Amendment of the City Code to provide for the partial real estate tax exemption for new structures within redevelopment, rehabilitation, and conservation districts.



Excited yet?



How about asking this one small question: Is not the very definition of rehabilitation, and conservation the diametric opposite of New Structures?



I thought the point was to get folks to a) take care of, 2) remodel, and/or X=protect the existing old, and yes - historical, housing stock?



Keep your eyes open on this one folks, it feels greasy... like a palm.

Theres nothing to do here.. or is there?

Allegedly, Roanoke is a dead and dying city. Now granted, on some levels that is undeniable - but on multiple other more important levels, it is vital and alive.

A city can only be what it's citizens want it to be. And Stuart Mease, who has the unenviable task of working out a way to retain and attract the hot young prospects of the future (while I remind him occasionally about us sweaty blue collar folks who also have money to spend) has come up with a way to highlight Roanoke itself.

Enjoy.

Been asked to let you know

Chef K is back posting at his old location.. which I will have nothing to do with. He made me sign a paper to that effect.



He has a review of Martin's downtown, some news on the empty storefront that was formerly NokeTown, and some ramblings..



Check it out..

Dead body in the river: Take 2

This just in off the wire:



Roanoke City Police make arrest in the murder of Karen Elkins. Elkins' body was found in the Roanoke River back in October. The murderer is one Aaron P. Gray, 29 of Roanoke.



Police still have no comment on how she was killed, but a search warrant might give some clues. The warrant states that guns and shells were sought-items in police searches.



Our sources confirm the earlier statements they made, and align with the search warrant details. Although really the warrant should be reworded to read SINGLE shell, SINGLE gun.



Draw your own conclusions - 1 gun, 1 bullet, 1 dead body.



Kudos to the Roanoke PD for catching another miscreant and murderer.

Accusations and puppydogs

I'd like a moment here to respond to a recent comment.



In response to the posting of Pot, Kettle - Kettle, Pot. One anonymous reader had this to say: " You complain endlessly and uselessly and do nothing to ease what you see as negative in Roanoke.



Until you do something other than sit and mumble half-cocked opinions online, shut the hell up."



This is not the first time I have encountered such a comment, but normally I just choose to ignore them.



Obviously this person is an occasional reader of the blog, and not any time when I publish a piece on the Mill Mountain Zoo, events in Roanoke (ie. Dickens of a Christmas), or rail against the City Council for a better quality of life, representation.



And perhaps this person is not of the "speak up, act up, rise up" kind - but I am. When I bitch and moan about something - there is a point to it. I am terribly sorry if it does not come across clearly all the time - there are times when the passion overtakes the reason and I myself have quashed certain posts.



But this "endless and useless complaining" is not without end, and it is certainly not without use.



Many of the locally born and raised people I know have adopted an attitude of a hostage of the City of Roanoke. Roanoke will never be as good as this place, nor as important as that place. Roanoke will never change, and Roanoke is dying. The county is better than the city. City schools suck. The taxes are too high. You can't get a decent paycheck in Roanoke. NW/SE/SW/Williamson Rd: is the ghetto.



If that attitude is one of progress and change, then call me delusional - because I have never seen this model work for the good of anything.



The squeaky wheel gets the grease, right? The squeaky wheel is drowned out by the whining brakes around here. Why bother trying if things aren't going to go your way anyway?



I don't know if this is a regional thing, a local thing, or a street by street kinda thing - but the attitude is prevalent. And it is damaging the city.



The city council does what it wants, when it wants because we - the people allow it. We gripe, we moan, we whine - but we stop short of actually doing anything about it.



This must change, this needs to change. And as they say, let change begin with me.



So in that spirit, from now on - whenever I have a negative post about something to do with the City - I will follow it up with a cute photo of a puppy dog to soothe and calm, and prevent anyone from thinking or doing anything that might change things.









Goodnight

Today is speeshal

Today marks two years since the wedding of Mr. Forgotten-Roanoke and Ms. Roanoke Photos...



in observance of todays speeshulness, this is most likely the only post you get.



Enjoy the quiet.