Good morning, Roanoke.

SWVA Wildlife Center’s 'Night Owl on the Town' gala broke its record Saturday at Hotel Roanoke by raising $162,000 from nearly 300 guests.

Organizers said the non-profit (care for local wildlife) celebrated extraordinary donor support during the event.

A Roanoke County resident faces losing her only internet connection when Verizon retires its copper lines on Oct.

23. The resident, who has used the same line for 66 years, said she researched alternatives but found none — a second letter with next steps is expected.

The Rajasthani Caravan, a traditional folk music group from India, will perform at Jefferson Center on Wednesday and Thursday with a free dance workshop (Wednesday evening) and a ticketed show on Thursday, highlighting centuries-old musical traditions.

WSLS 10 launched The 540, a new digital-first show hosted by Rachel Lucas that spotlights local businesses & community stories in Southwest and Central Virginia.

It airs weekdays at 4 p.m. and incorporates viewer feedback to shape its evolving content.

GasBuddy (surveying 4,081 stations) reported that Virginia gas prices increased 3.5 cents per gallon last week, now averaging $4.17 and rising 24.3 cents from a month ago plus $1.19 compared to last year.

In Roanoke, prices registered at $4.14 per gallon.

Rocky Mount town officials are planning a new connection between Diamond Avenue and Sycamore Street to improve emergency access in a community with a single entry point.

The project, including a bridge replacement, is seeking $14 million in outside funding.

A survey from Feeding Southwest Virginia showed 42% of households statewide and 55% in its service area faced food insecurity between May 2025 and May 2026, with 70% of households with children in southwest Virginia affected.

Officials said high grocery prices + SNAP cuts worsened access to healthy food.

A survey released on Sept.

21 found that 42% of Virginia households face food insecurity — local agencies are now assessing how to boost food support programs.

A study released Monday by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank shows 37% of households in the Blue Ridge region faced food insecurity last year because rising prices from inflation strained budgets — statewide, 42% of households and 51% of families with children were affected.

Today, Bradley Free Clinic celebrated a decade of its HOPE Initiative, a program that has helped over 6000 locals overcome opioid addiction; the event featured remarks from Rep. Morgan Griffith and clinic executive director Janine Underwood (who lost her son to an overdose).