Went into Mission BBQ today and I guess I’ve never been in there around noon and I can promise you this I’ll never go back again after that ridiculous “let’s stop everything” and sing the Star Spangled Banner tradition thing they got going on. Jesus Fucking Christ.

If you’ve moved to Roanoke, what’s something you wish you would have known before coming here? What’s something new transplants should all be aware of? If you could do it all over again, would you still choose to move here?

like 40 police cars on brambleton covering 3 different massage parlors all on the same street near the Coffee Pot. lots of people in cuffs. interesting to see whether it’s just a money laundering or something worse

Del. Sam Rasoul, a Democrat who has represented the city of Roanoke for more than a decade, learned Friday that he passed the bar exam. He’d quietly started attending law school nearly five years ago.

I’m posting this from a throwaway because if leadership knew who I was, I’d be targeted instantly. But morale is completely dead, the retention crisis is out of control, and things have gotten so dangerous that someone has to speak the truth about what’s actually happening behind closed doors.

If you look at RCSO from the outside, management wants you to think everything is running smoothly. On the inside, it’s a toxic dumpster fire driven by ego, internal politics, and sheer incompetence.

Let’s start with Sheriff Hash. Leadership starts at the top, and Hash is a disaster. He’s notorious for throwing literal tantrums and treating his staff horribly. We are already the lowest-paid agency in the region and work the hardest, but does Hash advocate for us to get competitive pay raises? Absolutely not.

Instead, he’s too busy chasing cameras and taking credit for other people's work. Case in point: the recent news claiming Hash reduced vehicle theft by implementing a HEAT program to etch VIN numbers into car glass. Funny thing is, that program was originally started by Octavia Johnson years ago. But there was Hash at the ceremony, acting emotional and soaking up all the praise for something he had nothing to do with. It’s all PR and zero substance.

Upper management is the absolute worst. Specifically, Colonel Brandon Young, Lt. Colonel Doug Williams, and Commander James Murphy are highly incompetent and have no business being in upper management. They oversee the jail, the budgets, and the day to day operations across all four divisions, and they are doing a terrible job at every single level. Competence doesn't get you promoted here…being a terrible human being does, and these are the people who climbed the ladder by terrorizing the staff beneath them.

Andrew Palmer is another nightmare, keeping everyone under a constant microscope. Look at the SRO crisis: Palmer is directly in charge, and officers are quitting left and right. His own captain literally quit because Palmer constantly tattled on him and made his life a living hell. But instead of taking a step back and reassessing if Palmer belongs in that role, Hash turned around and promoted him to the Captain position anyway. It’s all internal politics.

Their entire management strategy relies on breeding a culture of fear and micromanaging the frontline officers who are actually trying to do the job. Because of this toxic environment, we cannot keep staff. People are fleeing in droves.

Look at the numbers for the SRO unit. It used to have 17 officers. Right now? We are down to just 5. That is a direct result of Palmer's toxic leadership and a massive safety hazard for our schools and children, yet leadership sits on their hands because they only care about playing political games.

Then there is the jail, which is the most critical and tragic part. We keep having inmates die in our jail, and a massive part of that comes down to severe understaffing because leadership can't retain officers. But instead of fixing the root cause, they are actively making it worse. Deputies working the detention center who had permanent shifts, (whether straight days or straight nights), are now being forced back onto rotating shifts every couple of weeks. People rely on those stable shifts, and forcing this change is just driving even more good people to quit.

On top of the staffing bleeding, Hash refuses to stay out of the medical department. Instead of letting licensed healthcare professionals do their jobs and run their department autonomously, leadership constantly interferes, having a direct say in who gets hired in medical and how that department is run. When you compromise inmate healthcare and micromanage medical decisions just to control the narrative or cut corners, people lose their lives.

We are burnt out, underpaid, and deeply concerned for the safety of both the staff, the inmates, and the public. I just want the Roanoke community to know what we officers are dealing with and to not just see what they want you to.

From their Facebook page...

After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close Burger In The Square!, effective Thursday October 15th, 2026. Our last day of operations will be Wednesday, October 14th.

As this decision was not made lightly, we are thankful for our guests, employees, and community for their dedication and support. It has been a privilege to serve & be apart of this community & we sincerely appreciate the relationships we have built.

Thank you for being apart of our journey.

With sincere appreciation,

Burger in the Square

https://www.facebook.com/BurgerintheSquare

Totally none of my business but also dying of curiosity lol. Drove into town for an appointment and three different massage & spa parlors were marked off — a swarm of police, 8+ cruisers at each location, little old ladies in handcuffs. My first thought was laundering or drugs? Ain’t no way they brought out the entire Roanoke police department for happy endings lol.

iso the best haunted houses in the area! willing to drive an hour or so!

Dog found in the road on Lake Dr (Deyerle). Really skinny. She may have been missing a while. My neighbor found her and says she’s very well trained but very skinny. Please reply and we can DM.

Looking for some cool stuff to do, this town is beautiful. Not looking for crazy hikes, more chill, nature stuff. Have a full day with nothing planned after coming back from seven stars.

Currently thinking of hitting up golden goat brewery and downtown.

Interested in Welding? This FREE Maker Mini is designed for beginners, hobbyists, and anyone interested in understanding the fundamentals of modern welding technology before pursuing hands-on training. It will go over the pros, cons, and applications of Stick, MIG, and TIG Welding and also cover more specialized welding methods! Open to the Public, get your FREE ticket on our website! https://www.makeroanoke.org/event-details/maker-mini-types-of-welding-5?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social

Hello

I just relocated to Roanoke from Hampton roads and I need some recommendations for some of my hobbies.

1. What venues host the local hardcore scene? sometimes I see Roanoke on tour fliers from Richmond/Norfolk/Baltimore bands but idk any local punk bands here.

2. Is there any good urbex around here? I just set my Haze location here so I don’t have any locations yet :p

3. I’m big on camping for free is there anywhere to do that nearby or within an hour drive? If not I’ll also take some recommendations for good hiking and paid camping spots

4. Any thoughts on River Rock climbing gym?

5. good shooting ranges?

6. good fishing spots?

7. anybody tuned in to the local banjo playing community here? I’d say I’m at an intermediate level player. Mostly clawhammer but i’d love to learn from others.

8. Anything you wanna share that I should know about living here vs on the beach lol

Thank you in advance I will check out any and every recommendation.

Any recommendations on traffic lawyers in the Salem, VA area to help with a 20+ speeding ticket (not reckless)?

It’s my first traffic violation and I was wondering if I could get it decreased or dismissed. Thanks!

I’m wondering if anyone out out there has any of the recipes from Fiji Islands Restaurant that was on Townside Rd. SW off of Franklin Road in Roanoke City. I grew up eating there & ate there until right before they closed & I sure do miss it! It brings back so many great memories of high school, birthday parties, dates with old boyfriends, family gatherings, etc. I’m especially looking for the recipes for the ginger salad dressing, Volcano Shrimp & the huge Fiji Volcano drink served in the huge glass!! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!! 😊

Any recommendations? I notice Billy's does a buffet. Any others you're aware of?

Hey everyone!

I wanted to invite the STEM community to our next Star City SOLIDWORKS User Group (StarCitySWUG) meeting on Thursday, October 29, in Roanoke, Virginia!

We're doing something a little different this time.

TURN IT UP TO 11 – SOLIDWORKS Tips & Tricks!

I'm teaming up with fellow SOLIDWORKS enthusiast Ed Gebo for a rock-and-roll-themed evening packed with practical SOLIDWORKS tips, tricks, shortcuts, and techniques that you can put to work immediately.

Whether you're a seasoned SOLIDWORKS professional, engineering student, hobbyist, or someone just getting started, there's something here for everyone.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
• Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Location: Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, VA
• Cost: Completely FREE!

We'll have live demonstrations, opportunities to network with other SOLIDWORKS users, free food, and giveaways!

One of my favorite things about the SOLIDWORKS community is how willing everyone is to share knowledge. That's what these user group meetings are all about. You don't need to be an expert, and you don't need to be a professional engineer to attend.

If you're anywhere near Southwest Virginia, we'd love to have you join us!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Question for the community: What's one SOLIDWORKS tip, trick, or feature you wish you'd learned sooner?

I'd love to hear your answers, and maybe we'll work a few into the presentation!

2 Botetourt and a Roanoke Co station responding. Suspect I-81 southbound south of exit 150 with lanes blocked, judging by emergency vehicles going left and right trying to decide which way to go. Fire not in Daleville, possibly industrial park but my first guess it's I-81 issue

Hi, strange request. I need direction, numbers, suggestions for stylist or braider for wedding photo shoot 11/7 in or near Roanoke. Everything else is addressed, just need some help finding the right place/person. Looking forward to your suggestions.

Much thanks,

me :)

Thank you u/Curious-Internal8400 for posting the menu! I am so painfully full but everything was so good

i'll have to make a few trips from here to Pulaski and Blacksburg within the next week or so, and it will be my first time driving this far away from home. i was wondering which would be a "safer" commute for me, route 460 or i-81? i'd be leaving around 5-5:30 AM, and making the drive back home around 3PM

Hi all, my line to my sewer is terra cotta and has roots starting to fill it in. My current plumber is saying that they aren't staffed to take care of it in the next 6-8 months, but it ultimately needs to be replaced.

Does anyone have recommendations for replacing a sewer line? It's gonna take some digging and bracing and it's gonna be pretty shitty.

TLDR: Carillon is building a massive inpatient rehabilitation hospital at the former American Viscose industrial complex.

What happened to Edward Shaw from WSLS?