The Frists have restored what Tracy Frist says is “a great piece of American history.”
Randy Walker
Randy Walker is a musician and freelance writer in Roanoke. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was formerly a staff writer on (as it was then called) the Roanoke Times & World-News. He can be reached at randywalker7983@gmail.com.
At Chiswell’s mines, a mixed crew of unwilling hands dug lead ore for patriot victory
Enslaved men and white criminals worked side by side at the lead mines in Wythe County to produce ammunition.
One enslaved naval officer won his freedom after fighting in the ‘War for Independence’
Enslaved Virginians served in the state’s tiny navy. Many won their freedom.
‘A time to pray and a time to fight’
One of the most stirring speeches of the revolution was given in Woodstock, and might have been delivered in German. That is, if it happened at all.
Proclamation Line of 1763 became a focus of anti-British resentment in Virginia
After the French and Indian War, King George III drew a line along the Appalachians and forbade settlement west of that. This became one of the sparks that lit the fuse for American independence.
Thirty-eight years after the Flood of ’85, Roanoke is still preparing for the next one
Thanks to the city’s flood reduction project, 44% of the parcels in the city’s flood control map are now in a lower risk category.
Virginia Tech philosopher rights wrong done to Isaac Newton
A Virginia Tech philosophy professor has helped clear up a mistranslation of Newton’s famous First Law of Motion.
Virginia Tech study offers hope for breaking the recurrent nightmares of PTSD
Virginia Tech researcher Sujith Vijayan believes brain rhythms can be manipulated with auditory stimulation during sleep to restore the healing quality of sleep for PTSD patients. He’s also probing the connection between sleep and learning.
Demolition tougher than expected, but Valleydale apartments in Salem still on track for 2025
The former meat packing plant is being torn down and will be replaced by a 300-unit apartment complex.
Roanoke announces flood map updates
The maps reflect decades of flood mitigation work along the banks of the Roanoke River through the city.