Daily
Roanoke
Wednesday, December 31st, 2025
Good morning, Roanoke. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 31st of December.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ A detailed calendar consolidates 30 local event sources to highlight indoor motocross at Salem Civic Center from Jan. 2–3 & a variety of New Year’s Eve parties scheduled today and in early January across downtown venues. Residents are encouraged to check with each venue for updates. The Roanoke Rambler
- ➤ Roanoke remembers Burrell Memorial Hospital, founded in 1915 as a center for Black care during segregation — its legacy endures as former Mayor Nelson Harris works to secure a state historical marker while the site now houses Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare. WSLS 10
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Florida-based billionaire David Hoffmann is buying a controlling stake in Lee Enterprises — owner of The Roanoke Times — with a $50 million investment and will become its chair. The deal is set to change the leadership of the local media organization. The Roanoke Times
CRIME NEWS
- ➤ Historians stated that the 1912 courthouse massacre left five dead and sparked enduring debate over who fired first — a story now shown through a museum diorama — drawing continued interest from visitors in the New River Valley. WSLS 10
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Roanoke welcomes the New Year with festive events from Big Lick Entertainment and Hotel Roanoke, offering a range from fine dining + ballroom celebrations. Big Lick Entertainment plans to return to Market Square soon as the community looks ahead to a hopeful start in 2026. WDBJ7
- ➤ The Science Museum of Western Virginia is hosting a New Year’s experiment today as Lab, Jr. Coordinator Amanda Bowes shows visitors how to make homemade confetti cannons to celebrate NYE. WDBJ7
- ➤ Former mayor and local historian Nelson Harris shared his insights on Roanoke’s divided neighborhoods during a Q&A on Dec. 30 at his Heights Community Church office — emphasizing his work on historic markers and 14 published books that help the community understand its past and guide its future. The Roanoke Rambler
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Goodwill’s Excel Center enrolled 55 adults this fall at Melrose Plaza in Northwest Roanoke, where students complete credits. The Board approved a four-year phase-in for SOL cut scores, and a mini-documentary on Duke’s first Black basketball player will screen in Danville and on Duke’s campus next year. Cardinal News
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ VDACS announced a new law taking effect Jan. 1 that will require baby food manufacturers to test products for lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium and add a scannable code to labels — products exceeding FDA limits will be banned from sale, though older inventory can be sold. WSLS 10
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K-Pop Glow Party and Laser Show
6-8 p.m. — Science Museum of Western Virginia — Family-friendly event — Experience an electrifying glow party with a mesmerizing laser light show set to K-Pop music.
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Speakeasy Jazz Nights
7-9:30 p.m. — The Pine Room at Hotel Roanoke — $40 ticket — Experience the charm of a pre-Prohibition jazz club featuring T-FOX & the Fox City Band.
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Tickets available — Experience the excitement of a circus under the Big Top for the first time in Roanoke!
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Winter Majesty: A Cozy Paint & Sip Night
6-8 p.m. — Well Hung Vineyard - Restaurant — Check ticket price — Dive into a cozy painting session with splashes of winter colors.
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Ticket prices vary — Experience the magic of Do Portugal Circus for the first time in Roanoke under the Big Top!
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Tickets available — Experience the magic of the circus in Roanoke for the first time under the Big Top.
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Tickets available — Experience the excitement of a circus performance in Roanoke for the first time ever.
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Public Ice Bumper Cars
12:30-6:30 p.m. — Berglund Center — $11 + fees — Experience the thrill of ice bumper cars, perfect for all ages.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.
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Reveal the authorAbout Daily Roanoke
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