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🦸 Comic Caps, Cutting Ribbons & Critical Care

🦸 Comic Caps, Cutting Ribbons & Critical Care

Daleville, Westlake get 24/7 care while capes swarm Berglund Center.

July 28, 2025

Good Morning, Roanoke! It’s July 28, and the mercury’s climbing higher than a hiker on McAfee Knob. Beat the heat at Big Lick Comic Con—there’s plenty of AC (and cosplay) waiting.

In today’s Around the Noke:

Carilion expands 24/7 ER
Big Lick Comic Con
Chamber HQ Ribbon Cutting

Let’s get into it!

The Digest

Carilion brings 24/7 ER care to Daleville & Smith Mountain Lake

Carilion Clinic just announced its first freestanding emergency departments—one at Daleville Town Center, the other in Westlake near Smith Mountain Lake—so neighbors can reach board-certified teams in minutes, not miles. 🚑

• Open 24/7/365 with dedicated adult and pediatric rooms
• On-site CT, X-ray, labs, plus tele-medicine connections
• Groundbreaking later this year—these will be the region’s first standalone EDs

Chamber cuts ribbon on fresh HQ

After 27 years downtown, the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce has traded Jefferson Street for a sleek new spot on Franklin Road. Expect easier parking, bigger meeting space, and an upgraded launchpad for programs that champion local entrepreneurs and job growth. ✂️

The Report

Adopt Pets

Roanoke, meet two heart-stealers looking for couches to conquer: Squishmallow, a lanky Pit Bull mix whose Olympic-level snuggles live up to his name, and Peyton, the silky long-haired mama cat ready to swap kitten duty for lap luxury.

House of the Week

405 SW Mountain, Roanoke VA: A 1900s Victorian charmer in downtown Roanoke. Once a modest two-bedroom, it now boasts four bedrooms plus a blank-canvas basement. With century-old bones and a walk-to-everything location near Carilion, this history-rich bargain is ready for its next chapter.

Local Businesses

Northwest Roanoke’s long-vacant Melrose Plaza is about to become a community powerhouse. When the ribbon drops Thursday (July 31), the 65-k-sq-ft complex will unveil Virginia’s first adult high school, a wellness center, Henrietta’s Café, a Bank of Botetourt branch, and more. Goodwill says the Excel Center will award real diplomas plus industry certs—complete with free childcare and transit vouchers—while the Market on Melrose tackles the neighborhood’s food-desert woes. All told, the project aims to serve 20,000+ residents a year and spark fresh business up and down Melrose Avenue.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Aug 2–3 – Big Lick Comic Con invades the Berglund Center with celebrity reunions, top creators, and cosplay galore.
Aug 1–2 – Steppin’ Out turns downtown Blacksburg into a 250-vendor art fair with live music on three stages.
Aug 3 – Blackberry Smoke & Mike Campbell + The Dirty Knobs rock the Berglund Performing Arts Theatre, 6:30 p.m.
Aug 2 – Insect Fest at Explore Park: butterfly crafts, beetle stations, and an illuminated-trail bug hunt

LIVE MUSIC

Monday – July 28
Big Lick Brewing | Irish Music Session | 6:30 PM | Free traditional jam

Wednesday – July 30
Martin’s Downtown | Ben Trout Band | 9:30 PM | Free

Sunday – August 3
Berglund Performing Arts Theatre | Blackberry Smoke | 6:30 PM

Weather

Monday
91 🌡️ 74 | 🌤️ | 24% | 💨 NNW 5 mph (4 knots)
Tuesday
92 🌡️ 74 | 🌤️ | 21% | 💨 SSE 6 mph (5 knots)
Wednesday
93 🌡️ 74 | ☀️ | 15% | 💨 SSW 7 mph (6 knots)
Thursday
89 🌡️ 71 | ⛈️ | 56% | 💨 W 6 mph (5 knots)
Friday
77 🌡️ 64 | ⛈️ | 43% | 💨 NE 7 mph (6 knots)
Saturday
75 🌡️ 61 | 🌤️ | 24% | 💨 ENE 9 mph (8 knots)
Sunday
76 🌡️ 62 | 🌤️ | 19% | 💨 E 8 mph (7 knots)

💧🌡️ Smith Mountain Lake water temp = 88 ºF